The Incomplete Transsexual—a photo essay from Sanya

Tokyo, by Dan Ryan It was a little like the scenario in that Kinks song “Lola”, but only in passing. I met her in a little place called Seoul Bar, which is in a rundown section of northeast Tokyo called Sanya. At first I thought her was a him, and she sounded like a man [...]

Combatting human trafficking: 1st Winner of Michiel Brandt Memorial Prize Announced

The award is given in honor of the late Michiel Brandt, a former MIIS student from Japan who died of leukemia while preparing for a career in combatting human trafficking, fighting for human rights, and received her MA in International Policy Studies posthumously in December 2012. Michiel-chan aka Mimi-Chan (ミミちゃん） was one of the founders of this blog and my BFF.

Japan Lax Nuclear Security Could Make It The Land Of The Melting Sun

Japan has more than 50 gigantic nuclear “pressure cookers” ripe for exploitation by terrorists. In Japan, getting access to a nuclear power plant is very simple: fill out a job application.

The 10 Worst Films About Japan*: You Might Only Live Twice But Are These Movies Worth Seeing Once?

Memoirs of a Geisha starring Zhang Ziyi as a ravishing prewar geisha by the name of Sayuri (‘white lily’), sinks to basement level lows of pigeon-holing and cultural misunderstanding. As a Japanese female I just don’t feel like forgiving this one – the emotional damage is irrevocable. To make things worse, national acting treasure Ken Watanabe makes an appearance and seals his fate as an enabler for Hollywood filmmakers to cater to the white male fantasy regarding all things Japanese – namely, geishas. The one bright spot is Kaori Momoi as a hard-as-nails proprietress of a geisha house. The lone authentic presence in a film hyped up on false pretensions.

Sayonara Speed Tribes (暴走族サヨナラ） opens April 12. Run & catch it!

Japan’s infamous ‘Speed Tribes’ – kamikaze styled biker gangs- have, for decades, delighted would-be rebels and terrorized the general public. Idolized in the underground, demonized by the mass media and hunted by the police, their numbers continue to dwindle into extinction. As an OB (Old Bro) Hazuki is tasked with passing on a dying tradition, but more importantly he must search out a new road or become extinct himself.

Cutting Subsidies to Chongryun`s Schools Punishes Zainichi Koreans Not Pyongyang

  Nicholas A. R. Fraser Why is Japan punishing zainichi Korean schools for North Korea`s bad behaviour? In December of last year newly elected Prime Minister Shinzo Abe instructed Hakubun Shimomura, the incoming Minister of MEXT, (Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) to announce publicly a proposal to revise the Free High School Tuition policy [...]

Cherry Blossom Sale In Tokyo! Last chance to 花見！

As eerie as the location sounds, Aoyama Cemetery is far from spooky with hundreds of trees that bloom each spring. The cemetery also contains the graves of several notables including Toshimichi Okubo, one of the founders of modern Japan; Henry Spencer Palmer, the Times’ first correspondent for Japan; and the owner of Hachiko. Yes, Hachiko, the famous dog whose statue serves as a popular meeting place in front of Shibuya station. For history buffs or for someone who wants something different from the same old picnic in a normal park, Aoyama Cemetery is the place to be.

Scenes from a Tokyo Skid Row Clinic

With obvious fondness, Sister Rita goes on to say that despite their backgrounds and personal secrets, “These men have a purity of heart and are very charming. There is no guile in these men.” She sums things up by saying when men come to the clinic off of Sanya’s streets and ask for help “No questions are asked. We’re a family.”

Yakuza Comix 3: The complicated world of Japanese suicide, which is sometimes homicide

Japan has a fascination with death and suicide. But sometimes suicide here isn’t simply motivated by “honor” nor is it actually suicide.

JSRC Meets J-Horror Movie Maestro & Discusses 3/11, Fear, Death, Living On

After 3.11, Hideo Nakata, Japanese horror film director famous for “Ring” made a non-fiction documentary movie called Living in the Wake of 3.11, collecting testimonies from various people and victims of the March 11th tsunami disaster in Tohoku.