156: Kishida’s close call, Kyoto’s dual festivals and the now not-so-novel coronavirus

<div>We went on a break and there was an assassination attempt, COVID-19 got a downgrade, and a pair of festivals shook up Kyoto. Several Japan Times writers join this week’s episode to help us play catch up with the headlines.<br> Hosted by <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/shaun-mckenna/">Shaun McKenna</a>, with research from <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/int-jason_jenkins/">Jason Jenkins</a> and produced by <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/david-cortez/">Dave Cortez</a>.<br> <br> <strong>On this episode:</strong> <br> Shaun McKenna: <a href="https://twitter.com/jt_sloosh">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/slooshiness/">Instagram</a><br> Gabriele Ninivaggi: <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/int-gabriele-ninivaggi/">Articles</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/jiennegn">Twitter</a> <br> Tomoko Otake: <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/int-tomoko_otake/">Articles</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/Tomoko_Otake">Twitter</a><br> Thu-Huong Ha: <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/int-thu-huong-ha/">Articles</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/thu">Twitter</a><br> Lance Henderstein: <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/author/lance-henderstein/">Articles</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/LanceStein">Twitter</a><br> <br> <strong>Read more:</strong> </div> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/04/16/national/kishida-bomb-security-concerns/">Kishida incident shows protecting VIPs from lone wolves remains a tall order</a> (Gabriele Ninivaggi, The Japan Times)</li> <li> <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/05/07/national/japan-postpandemic-era-covid-changes/">Japan steps into post-pandemic phase with scrapping of COVID measures</a> (Tomko Otake, The Japan Times)</li> <li> <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2023/04/22/music/kyotophonie/">A new music festival shakes up Kyoto’s staid atmosphere</a> (Thu-Huong Ha, The Japan Times)</li> <li> <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2023/04/28/arts/ky