Corruption, Cults, and Collapse: Why Voters Rejected Japan’s Ruling Party in Major Election Blow
In a not-so-surprising twist that has Japan’s ruling party licking its wounds, the 2024 lower house election results show the ruling coalition crumbling to pieces. After decades of near-uninterrupted dominance…
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…
The Tokyo Vice Vice-0-Pedia: Your Snarky Guide To The Japanese Underworld
Japan's underworld is a fascinating blend of Edo-era rituals and intriguing personalities. In this article, we'll introduce you to three of them.
Today Japan starts dumping its nuclear waste into the ocean.
"Japan’s decision to go forward with the release of the treated, radioactively contaminated water is not surprising, but certainly disappointing. Both Japan and the IAEA can turn a challenging situation…
O-bon: Festival of The Dead or “Please Feed The Hungry Ghosts”
The "bon" in O-bon (盆) itself refers to the vessels (plates, bowls, tupperware etc) in which offerings are placed for the spirits of the deceased. The physical bowl has come…
Lessons Learned From Encounters With Clickbait Journalists
In the yakuza world they say, “As soon as you get to the top, someone will try to kick you down.” The world of journalism is, sadly, surprisingly “If you’re…
What I’ve Learned In The 30 Years Since I Became A Reporter: The 12 Rules Of Being A Good Journalist In Japan
Share your data. The internet is a vast and endless storage hub. If you’ve written something the world should know--put up supporting data and documents on the web, maybe in…
Comment gagner un combat perdu d’avance contre les auteurs de pièges à clics?
S’il y a une maxime de connue chez les yakuza, c’est bien « Dès que tu arriveras au sommet, quelqu’un essaiera de t’en faire tomber. » L’univers du journalisme est,…
Response to The Hollywood Reporter Article
Any competent journalist here knows that the civil servant laws here (公務員法) and the State Secrets Law make it a crime for government officials to divulge confidential information to third…
May the Force Be With You (May 4th) Zen Wisdom From Star Wars! The Dao of Jedi
May 4th has become an iconic day for Star Wars fans across the universe. “May The 4th Be With You” becomes “May The Force Be With You” quite nicely. (If…