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Update: Tigran Gambaryan, American Hero and Good Guy is Free!
UPDATE: The Nigerian Government dropped the charges against Tigran circa October 23rd and he is now home.
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Telepathy (以心伝心) and Other Coincidences (奇遇)
I was writing to a former intern at Japan Subculture Research Center, Fresca, and asked her to send me her thesis to read—just as she mailed me. I think I was two seconds ahead of her. It was a remarkable coincidence or maybe telepathy. Which got me interested in the many words for the complementary…
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The Race To Run Tokyo: Who’s going to be the next governor of the megapolis?
Will The Empress Continue To Reign? Probably.
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How a sumo tournament led to the downfall of the yakuza
The yakuza, Japan’s infamous organised crime syndicates, have gone into a death spiral in recent years and Jake Adelstein says it is partly due to an incident at a sumo tournament in 2009.
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Bring Them Home: Ongoing Battle for Japanese Hostages in North Korea
It’s been 46 years since Takumi Yokota last saw his sister Megumi. Their family was just like any other, until Megumi became one of the many Japanese hostages held captive by North Korea.
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Tokyo Vice Vice-O-Pedia: Why Do Yakuza Chop Off Their Fingers or The Art of ENKOZUME (エンコ詰め)
Ever spotted something odd about someone’s hands nearby? Everything seems ordinary until you notice it: one finger joint missing, maybe a whole finger, maybe several. lt leaves a noticeable gap. One reason gifting the yakuza in your life a pair of gloves is a terrible idea. It’s a constant reminder, always in plain sight, of…
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Cybercrime Fighting Heroes Held Hostage In Nigeria; Free Tigran and Nadeem
Tigran Gambaryan’s career is anchored by one constant: an unwavering dedication to justice He put child pornographers and crypto-criminals out of business. Now he’s being held hostage in Nigeria, a scapegoat in the country’s currency collapse. He and Nadeem must be set free
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In Ichigatsuno Koeni Yorokobiwo Kizame (International title: Voice), a young woman named Reiko (Atsuko Maeda) professes to her boyfriend-for-hire that she had been sexually abused as a child. Reiko had been six years old when it happened and she still finds it hard to talk about the incident. “Because of what happened to me…I thought I could never…
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BABU Skateboards and Makes Art But You Can’t See His Face
Feature photo ©︎Shu Nakagawa BABU is a street artist based in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka. He skateboards in the post-earthquake disaster areas like Fukushima and Noto Peninsula. He makes art from found trash and discarded objects. His forearms are elaborately tattooed. And that’s about all the information he’s willing to share. BABU’s real name or family,…
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Asian University For Women Fundraising Event Today!
Support a worthy cause today! Asian University for Women Hosts “Shooting for the Stars” Fundraising Gala Featuring Astronaut Naoko YamazakiTokyo, Japan — The Asian University for Women (AUW) is proud to host its highly anticipated fundraising event, “Shooting for the Stars,” tonight at the Tokyo American Club’s Grand Ballroom. Doors open at 6:30 PM, with an evening full of…
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Sakura and the Spirit of France: “LIGHTS OF FRANCE” Exhibition Illuminates Oji This Weekend
As Tokyo’s cherry blossoms reach their peak, the historic district of Ōji in Kita-ku offers more than just floral beauty this weekend. Nestled among the blooming sakura trees, a rare and intimate art exhibition titled “LIGHTS OF FRANCE”invites visitors to step into a hidden corner of postwar European art history.