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November 22, 2024
 

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Kaori Shoji
Kaori Shoji writes about movies and movie-makers for the Film Page, plus takes a turn at the Bilingual Column. Biggest mistake of her career: taking the very dignified Nagisa Oshima to McDonald's for an iced coffee.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Mar 17, 2006
You can't really go wrong with the army on your side
Talking with Yevgeni Lavrentyev is like walking into a Tolstoy novel: The characters will launch into monologues that can take up an entire page, but ultimately they have their own agenda on what to say, or not.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Mar 14, 2006
Ensnared in the office, dads increasingly remote
There is this enduring stereotype of the Nippon no otosan (Japanese Dad). It emerged sometime during the 1970s and remains, to this day, the most common and recognizable model for fatherhood in Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Feb 24, 2006
McGowan speeds into town
Canadian-born Michael McGowan is a filmmaker and writer, but long before that, he had been a runner.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Feb 14, 2006
Unwrapping the 'nonsense' of Valentine's Day
Even as the season of love and romance descends upon us in all its hues of gooey cherry-reds and electrifying pinks, a great number of Japanese women remain . . . shira-keteru (frigidly sober).
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Feb 10, 2006
A unique take on Nazi Germany
Filmmaker Marc Rothemund says of the German film industry: "The environment has never been more suited to making quality films. Young people are now avidly watching German films whereas 10 years ago the theaters were all about Hollywood productions. And, surprisingly, there's a great demand for historical...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 20, 2006
'Latin America's Woody Allen'on Jewish life in Argentina
At 33, Daniel Burman already has five feature films to his name and he was a co-producer of the much-acclaimed "Motorcycle Diaries."
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 10, 2006
Men retreat from 'hassle' of loving relationships
We're told that the nation's economy is in its best shape in a decade. While this is "roho (good news)," other things are happening in this country that are not so hot. Literally.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 13, 2005
Sweetness counts for women in search of geeks
First of all, they're not called otaku anymore but go by the much snazzier name of Akiba-kei. With this recasting, it looks like Japan's muscle-less, girlfriend-less, PC/iPod obsessed class of bespectacled oddballs have moved en masse into the cultural mainstream.
CULTURE / Film
Dec 2, 2005
Getting real on the screen
Belgian filmmaker duo Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne won the Palme D'Or at Cannes in 1999 with "Rosetta," and they went on to win it again this year with "L'Enfant" (international title: "The Child").
Japan Times
Features / JAPAN FASHION WEEK IN TOKYO 2005
Nov 13, 2005
'Overcome' scion shines in her own quirky way
She may be Yohji's daughter, but Limi Yamamoto wasn't exactly born clutching a silver spoon. Her parents got divorced when she turned 2 years old, and the next 15 years were spent in a small town in Kyushu, where she saw her father once every three years or so.
CULTURE / Film
Nov 11, 2005
From sour to sweet
Danny Boyle, the auteur who brought us "Shallow Grave," who amazed us with "Trainspotting," and who started a new trend in the zombie/horror genre with "28 Days Later," has come out with his latest: a movie called "Millions," starring two little brothers, aged 8 and 10. You read that right: children...
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Nov 8, 2005
Spreading the spirit of an old Japanese tradition
It's probably a sign of impending old age but these days, I find myself recalling the words of my late grandmother and applying them to current life situations.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 28, 2005
Nossiter says 'bon sante!'
If nothing else, Jonathan Nossiter's "Mondovino" created a stir and no doubt triggered many discussions amid the opening (and sniffing!) of corks all over the world.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Oct 18, 2005
Girls in need of direction get it from the comics
The business of being a wakai musume (young woman) in this country used to have just one subtext: There were no options. If she didn't get married she was less than a whole person; on the other hand, marriage meant abject obedience to her husband's household and an endless round of bone-crunching chores....
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 14, 2005
Bending genderand kicking butt
Parinya Charoenphol is no stranger to Japan. Back in 1998 when she was a Muay Thai champion, Parinya had flown over to fight against wrestler Kyoko Inoue at the Budokan, in an extremely rare, mixed-gender match-up. The tickets were sold out months in advance. Parinya recalled being taken aback when Japanese...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 6, 2005
Dialogues of the heart
"It wasn't my intention to make any grandiose political statements here," Sally Potter said in an interview to promote the release of her new film, "Yes," in Japan. "I just wanted to show that dialogue and a relationship were possible between two people from two completely different cultures. Of course...
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 13, 2005
M's the word in high-pressure popularity stakes
There's a new phrase on working women's lips: "yononaka kara sekuhara ga kieta (sexual harassment is gone from the world)."
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 18, 2005
Summers in Japan mean blood sweat and tears
Though it hasn't been scientifically proven, there appears to be a definite link between summer heat and summer funerals. In my neighborhood, the onset of o-neppa (heat wave), followed by those negurushii yoru (restless nights) sets off a string of o-soshiki (funerals) at the local temple. Almost always,...
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jun 30, 2005
A revealing peek inside working women's purses
Let me confess my weakness: women's briefcases. I don't mean buying them; I mean peeking into those belonging to my friends, and begging them to take out the contents so I can look them over and go "Heeeee, soonandaaa (Oooh, so THAT's what it's all about)."
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jun 2, 2005
Better left on the shelf than a downtrodden wife?
It used to be that unmarried, single women over the age of 25 were made to feel rather uncomfortable. The phrase "hari no mushiro (sitting on needles)" springs to mind.
Two of America’s biggest debt holders are dumping Treasurys
The U.S. Treasury building in Washington. Investors in Japan and China sold a pile of U.S. debt in the last quarter, just before the U.S. presidential election.
Russia launched intercontinental ballistic missile during attack on Ukraine, Kyiv says
A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile is launched during a test from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in Northern Arkhangelsk region of Russia, in this still image captured from video released on Oct. 29.
Ishiba aggravates his own political failures with diplomatic faux pas
Prime Minster Shigeru Ishiba is greeted at the APEC summit in Lima by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday. The Japanese leader was criticized for remaining seated while meeting several world leaders at the event.
Japan's 3.31 million visitors in October set monthly record
Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in December 2023. Famous autumn leaf colors contributed to increased tourism demand last month from many markets across Asia, Europe and North America, the Japan National Tourism Organization has said.
Japan ranks last in romance satisfaction for second straight year
In a survey of 31 countries, Japan ranked last in terms of those who felt loved, with just 51% of respondents saying so.
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.
Haruki Murakami's 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' gives deep deja vu
For “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” translated into English by Philip Gabriel, Haruki Murakami confronts the ghosts who won't leave him alone.
Japanese expats in Asia find community through rugby
The Taiwan Fivewoods celebrate their victory at the 2023 Asian Japanese Rugby Cup in December of last year.
In Fukushima, a weekend of prose, poetry and translation
Aomori-based writer JJ Carter presented on tabletop gaming as creative inspiration for building characters and narratives.
For Dr. Nakamats, aging is just experience in action
Though he didn't win the recent gubernatorial election in Tokyo, the 96-year-old Dr. Nakamats' run was seen as inspirational in Japan's aging society.

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