Protecting Sources & Risking Lives: The Ethical Dilemmas of Japanese Journalism
"1. Write the truth by any means possible. 2. Protect your sources. 3. If you can't write the story, without protecting your sources, find new or different sources or drop…
"Where Is The Romance?"–a hard-boiled meditation on mating rituals in Tokyo (for V-day)
In a departure from our usual somber posting, I’ve written an original prose-poem, which is for a friend’s upcoming “Where is the Romance” theme party in Tokyo–a pre-valentines’s day event.…
Coming Events
Contemporary Culture
Dark Side of the Sun
Featured
Jake Adelstein
Musings
News
On the Record
Politics
Pop Culture
A Redneck From Missouri Explains To You Why The British Journal of Medicine Says The Tokyo Olympics Are So Goddamn Dangerous. (A translation)
Sure there will be no spectators at the Olympic games, that don't mean it's safe. There are 8 millions ways this could go sideways. You could have the virus go…
Happy Uniquely Japanese Valentine’s Day! What we talk about when we talk about love & sex in Japan
*浮気 (Uwaki) –1) to describe someone who can romantically love many people 2) infidelity; an affair 3) being in love with in someone other than your partner 4) (old usage)…
Singing The Terrace House Blues In Japan
The truth is that at this point, the nation needs many more Hana Kimuras–brave enough to express anger and negative feelings without fear of being punished for it. Hopefully, we…
Contemporary Culture
Dark Side of the Sun
Featured
Jake Adelstein
News
Pop Culture
Underground Economy
Work Culture
Unemployed in the Pandemic: First-Hand Accounts from Hello Work
by Farrah Hasnain The COVID-19 outbreak has hit Japan hard as of late. Classrooms remain empty after spring break, restaurants begin to provide take-out, and factories stall upcoming projects. The…
The mysterious conspiracy theory that explains Japan’s response to COVID-19…..or does it?
Japan's response to the coronavirus has been inept, slow and dangerous. But what if there was a method to the madness? One man has a theory that explains why Japan…
Op/Ed From Ex-Prosecutor: Ghosn must respect Japanese Justice Statistics
Shame on you, Carlos Ghosn. You have made a mockery of the Japanese system of injustice justice. And what is even more unforgivable is that your selfish act may actually…
Inclement Weather: The 5 Best Japanese Films From The Bad Season of Cinema in 2019
If for some reason you wind up in cinema hell in the afterlife, try to strike a deal with the devil and avoid seeing Gozen Reijini Kisu Shini Kite (Come…
The Truth about Kore-eda
However, in Shinjitsu, and in Paris, Kore-eda seems to breathe easier, untethered by conventions, with a lot less to rebel against or prove. Apparently, the man doesn't speak French beyond…