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November 23, 2024
 

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Philip Brasor
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Nov 16, 2019
Public divided over treatment of the homeless during Typhoon Hagibis
When Typhoon Hagibis struck Tokyo on Oct. 12, news emerged that three homeless people had been turned away from an emergency evacuation facility in Taito Ward. As the story spread, it varied in tone and content on social media. Some thought the persons refused entry were not actually homeless, while...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Nov 9, 2019
Exploring the artistic subtleties at play behind the controversial Aichi Triennale exhibition
The Aichi Triennale arts festival closed on Oct. 14, and, along with it, a controversial exhibition titled "After 'Freedom of Expression?'", which had been temporarily shut down following threats of violence and complaints. The main point of contention was a statue of a Korean "comfort woman," the inclusion...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Nov 2, 2019
Questions raised over disaster preparedness in wake of Typhoon Hagibis
A remark commonly heard in Japan in the wake of a natural disaster is, “We couldn’t predict such a thing.” In the case of Typhoon Hagibis, which ravaged the eastern and northern parts of the archipelago in mid-October, the unpredictable thing was the amount of rainfall, which caused massive flooding...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Oct 26, 2019
Staff shortages are imperiling Japan's teaching industry
Earlier this month, four teachers at an elementary school in Kobe were accused of repeatedly bullying four other teachers, as well as mistreating students. The alleged bullies have been suspended and at least one of the victims has taken sick leave because of the persecution. As a result, the school...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Oct 19, 2019
Creating a barrier-free transportation environment in Japan
Not too long ago, domestic media organizations would rarely have anything negative to say about the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but as the actual games draw nearer, there's been a greater willingness to find fault with preparations and even raise a bit of alarm. Everything from Tokyo's deadly summertime heat...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Oct 12, 2019
No clear picture on 4K and 8K display differences
One of the consumer items that enjoyed a bump in sales prior to this month's sales tax hike was TV sets, specifically those that feature 4K and 8K displays. In many cases, it simply appears the timing was right. Many households hadn't bought new televisions since the introduction of digital terrestrial...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 11, 2019
Hirokazu Kore-eda talks politics as Japan flexes its movie muscle in Busan
Japan once again shows a strong presence at the Busan International Film Festival, with director Hirokazu Kore-eda taking the award for Asian filmmaker of the year
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Oct 9, 2019
Hothouse Flowers: Enjoying the freedom that comes after the fame
Liam O Maonlai, frontman of Irish rock band Hothouse Flowers, says he feels more freedom now that his band's commercial peak has passed, and that he can better explore music as a result
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / CHANNEL SURF,MEDIA MIX
Oct 5, 2019
Debating contraception and a woman's reproductive rights
In May, the Sendai District Court dismissed a suit against the government filed by two women who underwent forced sterilization under the now-defunct Eugenic Protections Law because the statute of limitations had expired. However, the judges said that the law, which allowed the government to prevent...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 28, 2019
Cabinet reshuffle raises a slew of new questions
Since the new Cabinet was announced on Sept. 11, the focus has been on Shinjiro Koizumi as environment minister. Described by some as earnest but lacking in substantive ideas, the 38-year-old lawmaker has tried to make the most of the spotlight, commenting on Japan's role in addressing climate change...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 21, 2019
Confusion reigns over scope of the forthcoming tax hike
When the government raised the consumption tax from 5 percent to 8 percent in April 2014, Japan suffered a recession. One possible indicator if such a downturn will happen prior to next month's long-delayed hike to 10 percent is how much people are spending now in anticipation of the increase. On Sept....
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 14, 2019
Of cats and rabbits: UNESCO World Heritage candidate caught in a bind over tourism drive
UNESCO designates World Heritage sites in order to preserve cultural or natural assets deemed significant to humanity. The idea is to maintain these assets for future generations, but UNESCO itself doesn't pay for maintenance. It is up to the countries where the sites are located and UNESCO will remove...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Sep 7, 2019
Uncovering Japan's involvement in the Korean War
Every August, NHK airs a lot of new documentaries to commemorate the end of World War II. The range of topics is not typically limited to events that happened in August 1945. This year's crop covered newspaper propaganda leading up to the war; the infamous attempted coup by idealistic young officers...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Aug 31, 2019
Road rage coverage reveals gulf in awareness of traffic rules in Japan
For the past several weeks, media organizations in Japan have been obsessed with a road rage incident that happened in Ibaraki Prefecture on Aug. 10, when a 43-year-old man forcibly stopped another driver on the Joban Expressway and assaulted him as he sat in his car.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Aug 24, 2019
Scrutinizing Shinjiro Koizumi's political prospects in the wake of his marriage announcement
A lot of people seem to be convinced that Shinjiro Koizumi will someday be prime minister of Japan. He's got everything going for him — pedigree, good looks, proper manners. His youth is a plus rather than a minus, probably because he's developed an understanding of his place in the ruling Liberal...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Aug 17, 2019
Outrage over Aichi Triennale exhibition ignites debate over freedom of expression in art
Three days after it opened on Aug. 1, a section of the Aichi Triennale 2019 arts festival, which is taking place in and around the city of Nagoya, was closed due to controversy over one of its exhibits and an anonymous threat.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Aug 10, 2019
Japan-South Korea trade spat gains little traction among youth on social media
The diplomatic rift between Tokyo and Seoul widened earlier this month after Japan removed South Korea from its "whitelist" of preferred trading partners. The apparent reason given for the move is national security: Japan says some strategic materials it sells to South Korea are making their way to third...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Aug 3, 2019
News outlets in Japan less afraid to tackle entertainment issues
Ever since Johnny Kitagawa died on July 9, the media has been filled with sentimental tributes to the pop idol impresario, mostly by the young men whose careers he cultivated, but also by those with a stake in Japan's hermetic show biz world.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jul 31, 2019
Fuji Rock '19: The 'international' festival gets more worldly
On the Thursday night before the Fuji Rock Festival begins in earnest, part of the festival site is open to everyone free of charge.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jul 27, 2019
Aligning 'access journalism' and press freedom
On July 19, NHK's morning information program, "Asaichi," featured a very special guest. Hiroshi Kume is one of the most important figures in the history of Japanese media, initially as a popular announcer in the 1970s and early '80s, but mainly as the anchor of TV Asahi's ground-breaking news show "News...
Japan approves ¥21.9 trillion stimulus plan
The policy chiefs of the Democratic Party for the People, Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito — Makoto Hamaguchi (left), Itsunori Onodera (center) and Mitsunari Okamoto — shake hands after reaching an agreement on an economic stimulus package on Wednesday.
Tokyo Metro’s overseas efforts begin in earnest with London deal
Tokyo Metro will soon have a role in the running of London's Elizabeth Line, a major train route serving the U.K.’s capital city and environs.
Saitama court bans demonstrations over anti-Kurd hate speech
Kurdish people in Japan in 2015. A court injunction has banned acts that defame the Japan Kurdish Cultural Association and are disrespectful, such as putting up banner flags or handing out fliers with hate speech like “Refugees should go back to their home countries.”
China reinstates visa-free travel for Japanese nationals
Beijing Daxing International Airport
U.S. aircraft carrier returns to Japan carrying navy’s ‘most capable fighter’
U.S. 7th Fleet Commander Vice Adm. Fred Kacher speaks to reporters shortly after the arrival of aircraft carrier USS George Washington at Yokosuka naval base in Kanagawa Prefecture on Friday.
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.
The slow-burn success of ‘A Samurai in Time’
A 19th-century warrior gets struck by lightning and wakes to find himself in 21st-century Kyoto in Junichi Yasuda’s surprise hit “A Samurai in Time.”
Around a quarter of Japan married couples in their 20s met through dating apps
A survey released by an organization promoting “Good Couples Day” shows that 24% of couples in their 20s met their marriage partner through a dating app.
'Tokyo Swindlers': Get deep into the minds of real estate con artists
In Ko Shinjo's "Tokyo Swindlers," a group of con artists manipulates real estate giants into falsified deals within the highly competitive, quick market.
Japan, U.K. and Italy discuss inviting more countries to joint fighter project
A new concept model of a next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed by Japan, Britain and Italy is on display in Farnborough, Hampshire, in July.

Podcast

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Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
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