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December 05, 2024
 

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Matthew Hernon
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 11, 2016
'Be strong and keep believing,' says the Trivago girl with the gift of the gab
Many foreign celebrities here speak Japanese to a high level, yet when it comes to pronunciation and intonation, few sound as accomplished as Natalie Emmons.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Nov 5, 2015
The 'Great Terracotta Army' marches on Japan
A small section of Qin Shi Huang's terra-cotta army marched into the Tokyo National Museum last week and will remain there until February before descending on the cities of Fukuoka and Osaka.
Japan Times
CULTURE
Nov 5, 2015
TV presenter Bungyou Dan recommends studying a country's culture to learn its language
NHK announcer and Chinese instructor Bungyou Dan believes learning about the culture and history of a country can help develop language skills, particularly when it comes to her mother tongue. So perhaps a visit to the Tokyo National Museum to see the "Terracotta Army" would be a good place to start?...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Oct 8, 2015
Guitarist Tomoyasu Hotei calls on his pals for 'Strangers'
Recalling his first encounter with rocker Iggy Pop, a huge grin flashes across the face of Tomoyasu Hotei. It occurred at Berlin airport around 30 years ago when he was recording in Germany with former band Boøwy. Despite being one of the most famous musicians in Japan, the guitarist was too shy to...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Oct 2, 2015
Nobuaki Kaneko heads in darker direction on 'Lobo' and rises to the occasion
A singer, drummer, actor, model and occasional game reviewer, Nobuaki Kaneko is clearly a man that likes to keep himself busy. So when we meet up for a chat at his studio in Tokyo's Yutenji neighborhood, the first thing I want to know is where his true passion lies.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media
Sep 24, 2015
Sukezane gets reborn as a Hollywood 'hero'
Japanese actresses seem to be finding a place in the world of American TV. Rila Fukushima landed a guest spot on the fifth season of HBO's "Game of Thrones" and a recurring role on The CW's "Arrow," while Tao Okamoto put in a fantastic turn as Chiyo in the third season of NBC's "Hannibal." The latest...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Aug 27, 2015
Indie act Ykiki Beat broadens its horizons on 'When the World is Wide'
One band worth checking out at this weekend's Sweet Love Shower festival at Lake Yamanaka in Yamanashi Prefecture is Ykiki Beat.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jul 9, 2015
Rock group Vamps would go with Linkin Park, Madonna and Babymetal for their fantasy festival lineup
Motley Crue, Linkin Park, Judas Priest, Nine Inch Nails, Madonna and ... Babymetal. Given the chance to organize a music festival this summer these are the acts Vamps duo Hideto "Hyde" Takarai and Kazuhito "K.A.Z" Iwaike would select to perform. An eclectic mix, there are some choices you'd have expected...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 2, 2015
Sabu tempts fate in new film
Sitting across from me with his sunglasses, dark leather jacket and mohawk, Hiroyuki Tanaka — better known simply as Sabu — doesn't look like the kind of guy who lets his emotions get the better of him, yet even he was almost brought to tears by the reaction his movie "Chasuke's Journey" ("Ten no...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / CLOSE-UP
Jul 2, 2015
Actor Yusuke Iseya's most important role is helping the environment through his Rebirth Project
Prepared to step out of his comfort zone and say what he really thinks, Yusuke Iseya is something of a rarity in the Japanese entertainment industry. An actor with a conscience, he's most well-known for movies such as "13 Assassins," "Tomorrow's Joe" and the Hollywood film "Blindness," yet rather than...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jun 19, 2015
Crystal Kay returns with a confident ballad to soundtrack 'Wild Heroes'
Shortly after Ariana Miyamoto was crowned Miss Universe Japan, the country's first ever mixed-race beauty queen, Crystal Kay took to social media to voice her approval: "You go girl, I'm proud of Japan."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
May 29, 2015
Def Tech celebrates 10 years and taps into a Hawaiian vibe on 'Howzit!?'
Def Tech's Yuki "Micro" Nishimiya and Shenan "Shen" Brown greet me with an "Aloha" as I walk into their small office in Harajuku to discuss their 10th anniversary and new album, "Howzit!?"
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Apr 30, 2015
Model-turned-actress Tao Okamoto gets ready for her closeup after landing roles in 'Hannibal' and 'Batman v Superman'
From renowned photographers and major fashion labels to famous Hollywood directors; it seems everyone wants a piece of Tao Okamoto these days. The model-turned-actress, who made her big-screen debut in the blockbuster "Wolverine" two years ago, is set to appear in the third season of the American TV...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 17, 2015
Miyavi explores his 'Others' side on new album
Playing a sadistic real-life villain in the Angelina Jolie film "Unbroken" clearly took its toll on Takamasa Ishihara, who admits he wept and threw up as he prepared for his final scene. Now back in a more familiar role as the enigmatic musician Miyavi, the man known as the "Samurai Guitarist" is flying...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Apr 2, 2015
Broadway composer Frank Wildhorn brings life to hit manga 'Death Note' on stage
Frank Wildhorn, the man responsible for bringing a batch of literary classics to the stage ("Jekyll & Hyde," "Dracula," "The Scarlet Pimpernel"), is taking on the popular manga series "Death Note" as his latest project.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Mar 19, 2015
K-pop idol's new role as a teacher of assassination
Jiyoung, a former member of Korean girl group Kara, will make her movie debut in Eiichiro Hasumi's "Ansatsu Kyoshitsu" ("Assassination Classroom"), which opens in local theaters March 21.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Dec 9, 2014
World Order says it wants us all to 'Have a Nice Day'
For someone who made a career out of pounding people as a kickboxer, Genki Sudo comes across as a courteous, peace-loving guy who doesn't take life too seriously.
South Korea's Yoon backs down after parliament rejects martial law
Soldiers try to enter the National Assembly building in Seoul, after South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law late Tuesday evening.
BOJ weighs case for first triple hike since Japan’s bubble burst
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda reiterated in an interview published Saturday that authorities will raise rates if the economy performs in line with projections.
Australian says romance scam tricked her into smuggling drugs into Japan
Donna Nelson says her life was turned upside down when she learned that the man she was falling for had tricked her into smuggling 2 kilograms of methamphetamine into Japan.
Jetstar Japan loses lawsuit over disciplinary action against cabin crew
Jetstar Japan has been ordered to pay back wages to two cabin crew members for the periods they were suspended.
Nomura CEO takes pay cut after former employee charged with attempted murder
Kentaro Okuda, CEO of Nomura Holdings, speaks during a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday.
U.S. Space Force launches first unit in Japan
Activated on Wednesday, U.S. Space Forces Japan — a component similar to the one established at South Korea’s Osan Air Base in 2022 — will operate out of Yokota Air Base in the city of Fussa, western Tokyo, with a staff of about 10.
Can Japan's scientific community rebound from a Nobel nosedive?
The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo is a popular place to foster curiosity in the natural sciences.
Europe eyes 'boots on the ground' in Ukraine as possible peace deal option
A serviceman with the Ukrainian Army's 24th mechanized brigade fires a machine gun during an exercise, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the country's Donetsk region on Friday.
Seven strangers and an algorithm: Can this new dinner app help you make friends?
Timeleft uses an algorithm to match its users with five or six strangers in an effort to prompt “human connection” over dinner at a restaurant. It determines the attendees with the help of a simple personality quiz available when you sign up for the service.
Don’t worry, you can still use your Japan health insurance card — for now
A My Number card reader at a pediatric clinic in Tokyo. While the government will stop issuing new health insurance cards on Monday, most people will remain unaffected by the move in the short term as existing health insurance cards can still be used for another year.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo is a popular place to foster curiosity in the natural sciences.
Can Japan's scientific community rebound from a Nobel nosedive?
By Tomoko Otake

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