Welcome to The Extra, a fortnightly newsletter of complimentary stories — that’s right, free for all to read — curated from The Japan Times archives. Thank you for inviting our stories and perspectives into your inbox, and if you’re enjoying this newsletter, do consider supporting our work with a subscription.

In March, Japan marks International Women’s Day, as well as the anniversaries of the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11 and the 1945 Tokyo air raids. Here are some related stories for your perusal.