Two Asahi Shimbun journalists travel to Antarctica to report on global warming from the front lines
The Asahi Shimbun Company Press Release: September 12, 2025 Two Asahi Shimbun reporters travel to Antarctica to report on global warming from the front lines Accompanying the 67th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition: Yumi Nakayama’s fourth time, Nami Sugiura’s first time covering the event Two journalists from The Asahi Shimbun Company (President and CEO: Masaru Tsunoda) will be accompanying the 67th Antarctic Research Expedition (JRI) on behalf of the Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association (JNSA) starting in December 2025. Yumi Nakayama of the Network News Division, who has extensive experience covering Antarctica, and Nami Sugiura of the Life Science and Medical Department, will be covering the expedition for the first time. In recent years, the effects of global warming have begun to become apparent in Antarctica. Scientists’ observations are crucial for understanding and predicting the impacts of climate change. Our journalists will report on the situation on the front lines.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/9214/1955/9214-1955-90f54f3a11b4a6dd7a7034ca3ed31ab2-797×857.png Yumi Nakayama Specialist Reporter: Yumi Nakayama A reporter
specializing in the Antarctic and Arctic. She accompanied the 45th wintering expedition, the 51st summer expedition, and the 61st wintering expedition to the Antarctic, and has covered the Arctic eight times. She has widely communicated the significance of Antarctic observation. His books include “Understanding the Earth by Comparing the North and South Poles” (Gakken), “Discovering Space in the Antarctic!” (Soshisha), and “This is Antarctica: It’s Minus 60 Degrees Now” (Soshisha). He has also co-authored “What’s Antarctica Like?” (Asahi Shimbun). “Antarctica is a place where the Earth’s past, present, and future can be seen.” Ahead of his fourth Antarctic reporting assignment, Nakayama said, “Antarctica is a place where you can see the Earth’s past, present, and future. I want to share with you lots of photos and videos of the life that grows in the icy world and the efforts of our team members as they observe changes in the global environment.”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/9214/1955/9214-1955-09bfc3aeceb188c71adb84f676085ca8-2095×2308.png Nami Sugiura First Dispatch: Nami Sugiura Joined the Asahi Shimbun in 2015, and has worked in the Otsu General Bureau, Saga General Bureau, Osaka Scientific and Medical Department, Kumamoto General Bureau, and other locations before assuming her current position in 2013. She is a co-author of “Can Wildlife Be Protected by Kindness Alone? – From the Frontlines Facing Life” (Iwanami Junior Shinsho). Sugiura said, “I’m excited about my first trip to Antarctica. I hope to share with readers the changes in the Antarctic ice and ocean and the creatures that live there, as well as the researchers at the forefront of their work to capture these phenomena.” Reporting and feature pages for over half a century The Asahi Shimbun has long been committed to reporting on Antarctica in order to stay at the forefront of changes in the global environment. We accompanied the first Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (departing in 1956) and reported on the
establishment of Showa Station and the activities of the wintering team. The content of our news and feature articles serves as a record of the history of Japan’s Antarctic research. You can see our latest developments on our “Antarctic Project” special page. Click here for the Antarctic Project special page
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/9214/1955/9214-1955-bbef2e5ef48c7cbe0a8bb7124fe0d59e-3900×2303.jpg Adelie penguins arriving at Showa Station in Antarctica = November 3, 2020, photo by Yumi Nakayama The Antarctic Research Expedition (AREX) is a national project that began as part of the international cooperation program during the International Geophysical Year (IGY) held from 1957 to 1958. Since the first AREX expedition was dispatched in 1956, it has been engaged in scientific research on the Antarctic environment. Members of the Antarctic Research Expedition Joint Promotion Headquarters, headed by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, include researchers from universities and research institutes, officials from central government ministries and agencies, and engineers from private companies responsible for the base’s construction. To promote the development of the observation project and increase public understanding, journalists, educators, and artists sometimes serve as “accompanying members.”
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