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November 25, 2024
 

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Philip Brasor
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Oct 17, 2015
No sex talk please, we're Japanese
The education ministry recently came under fire for supplementary materials it had distributed to high schools this summer. The materials were given out to help girls lead "healthier lives," but a chart about pregnancy included in the literature was found to be misleading.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Oct 16, 2015
Exterminators in rural Japan; a wealthy family at war; CM of the week: Panasonic
Few vital professionals are as unheralded as exterminators, and these fearless protectors of property get their due on "Nihon Zenkoku Kujo no Tatsujin VIII" ("All-Japan Expert Exterminators Part 8"; TV Tokyo, Sun., 7:54 p.m.)
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Oct 10, 2015
'Omotenashi' comes up short on humility
A Japanese friend who used to travel a lot for work told me of a funny thing that once happened to her in a Tokyo hotel. She was checking in when a bellhop came up and, without saying anything, picked up her bag. She resented the presumption and tried to yank it out of his hand. A silent tug of war ensued....
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy / YEN FOR LIVING
Oct 10, 2015
Japan's rich: acutely aware of their wealth and not flashy with it
It's often said that in Japan you may live right next door to a millionaire and not know it, because his house looks just like yours.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Oct 9, 2015
Benevolent truck drivers; learning to a love a priest; CM of the week: Nisshinbo
"The Driver" (TV Asahi, Sun., 9 p.m.) is actually about two truck drivers. Joichiro (Seiyo Uchino) used to be a banker and still goes to work in a suit and tie. He is the more conscientious and diligent one. His partner, Kohei (Takashi Tsukamoto), is the opposite, more interested in where they'll eat...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 7, 2015
Asia's most important film festival reasserts its independence
Celebrating its 20th year, the 2015 edition of the Busan International Film Festival, held in South Korea's southern port city from Oct. 1 to 10, has a lot to brag about, as it has definitely become the most important film festival in Asia in terms of the quality of its programming, the size and reach...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Oct 3, 2015
Stop the presses, Yahoo News is on a roll
The Yomiuri Shimbun boasts that it is the most-read newspaper in the world owing to a "certified" daily circulation that tops 9.2 million. The Wall Street Journal, a truly international newspaper, reports daily circulation of about 1.5 million.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Oct 3, 2015
Don't be green about the charm of tatami
When we were thinking of buying a condominium, we visited several old danchi — apartments built by Japan's former public housing corporation — because they were cheap and, we thought, easy to renovate. One of the units we inspected had bedroom floors made of tatami mats, and we wondered if we could...
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Oct 2, 2015
False marriages; the castles of Japan; CM of the week: Sumitomo Life Insurance
In the advertisements for the new drama series, "Giso no Fufu" ("A Fake Couple"; Nihon TV, Wed., 10 p.m.), the word "Giso" is printed as a correction to the word "Riso" (ideal), thus providing both a pun and a concept worth pondering.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 26, 2015
Working the politics of an idol marriage
Last week the media obsessed over that story about the 17-year-old girl who was sued by a talent agency for violating the terms of her contract, which stipulated that while she worked for them as a member of an idol singing group she could not be involved in any romantic relationships.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy / YEN FOR LIVING
Sep 26, 2015
Inevitable looming consumption tax hike keeps the LDP awake at night
The LDP is in a tough spot between an public wary of consumption tax hikes and a Finance Ministry unwilling to budge on the promised move to a 10-percent levy.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 19, 2015
Money matters when it comes to security
Media coverage of the Liberal Democratic Party's plans to bolster Japan's military position in the world has largely focused on the constitutionality of the two bills that allow the Self-Defense Forces to come to the aid of allies overseas. Those who oppose these bills have used this constitutional question...
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Sep 18, 2015
How Japan compares with America; real footage of kidnappings; CM of the week: Suntory
International travel shows are ratings winners on Japanese TV, even if they betray a provincial view of the world. "Sekai Itte Mitara: Honto wa Konna Toko Datta?" ("Try and See the World; Is It Really Like This?"; Fuji TV, Tues., 7 p.m.) is one of the most popular, but it's going off the air and the...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 12, 2015
It still takes a village to keep our kids safe
The murders of 13-year-old Natsumi Hirata and 12-year-old Ryoto Hoshino in Osaka last month sparked a heated conversation in the media about the state of parenting in Japan.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy / YEN FOR LIVING
Sep 12, 2015
Japan's treasury hopes flat-rate beer tax will drive drinkers to maltier fare and pad coffers
Who will benefit from plans to levy the same tax rate on all three categories of beers?
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 5, 2015
TV sexism comes from a problematic place
At the World Assembly for Women held in Tokyo last week, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, lauded the social achievements of women worldwide but added that "we are not there yet." Sirleaf didn't say where exactly "there" is, but during the same week, two media-related...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Sep 5, 2015
Score eco points for your home ground
Several months ago we had most of the windows in our home replaced, even though the house is less than 2 years old. When we had it built we ordered standard double-glazed windows with aluminum frames and sashes, thinking it would be enough, but after the first winter we realized is wasn't, so we decided...
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Sep 4, 2015
Female news announcers; evaluating trash and treasure; CM of the Week: Coca-Cola Japan
TV stations rely on announcers for more than just news reading. Female announcers, in particular, represent their stations and are often as well known as the celebrity talent they present. So once in a while the stations treat them like the celebrities they are.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Aug 29, 2015
The revolution will be streamed online
Local media have been cautious in their coverage of the protest demonstrations that have materialized in recent years, but they appear to be intrigued by the college-age activists known as SEALDs (Students Emergency Action for Liberal Democracy).
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Aug 28, 2015
Bodyguard; Charlotte Kate Fox; CM of the Week: Universal Studios Japan
Hiroshi Tate plays "SP Yatsurugi Takashi" ("Secret Police Takashi Yatsurugi"; TBS, Mon., 9 p.m.), a member of the Metropolitan Police Department who is assigned to the security detail for the governor of Tokyo, Sawako Yoshimine (Hisako Manda), as she hosts a ceremony for guests from Singapore. During...
Taiwan stuns Samurai Japan to capture Premier12 title
Japan starter Shosei Togo reacts after allowing a three-run home run against Taiwan in the fifth inning of the Premier12 final on Sunday.
Ishiba shelves proposal for liaison offices with North Korea amid rising tensions
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks on Saturday in Tokyo at a rally that was held by a group of families of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea decades ago to demand the immediate return of all abductees.
How Japan can exit the fossil fuel subsidies it can’t seem to quit
A man walks past a gasoline station in Tokyo on Thursday.
Woman dies after train collides with car in Tochigi
A Moka Railway train car
Japan beats Taiwan ahead of rematch in Premier12 final
Keita Sano celebrates with his teammates after scoring on Kotaro Kiyomiya's two-run triple against Taiwan during their Premier12 game at Tokyo Dome on Saturday.
An iconic 32-foot doughnut might give Randy’s an edge in Japan
Randy's Donuts in Inglewood, California. Replicas of the giant doughnut sculpture will be installed, where possible, at shops in Japan.
Tokyo’s newest three-star chef wants ‘harmony across every detail’
British-born Daniel Calvert earned his third Michelin star last month — a stunning achievement considering his restaurant, Sezanne, has only been open for just over three years.
133-year-old Kyushu railway station remains to be partially preserved
The remains of the original Moji Station in Kitakyushu
After Shohei Ohtani bump, Iwate ironware maker sees brighter future
Kaito Kikuchi's decision to send superstar Shohei Ohtani one of his company's traditional ironware tea kettles has paid off with a surge of interest from general consumers.
Shohei Ohtani wins National League MVP award
Shohei Ohtani celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Padres during the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles last month.

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