Japan’s Designated Secrets Law: All you ever wanted to know but should be afraid to ask. (LOL)
The Lawyer's Federation of Japan points out that if a journalist or citizen were to stubbornly ask about SDS (specially designated secrets) to a government official that this could be…
Japan Passes Draconian Secrecy Bill Into Law: Journalists, Whistleblowers are now “terrorists”
Of course, every country has a fundamental right to protect its citizens' interests and there is an obvious need for some issues relating to national security to be secret. However,…
A Briton in Japan Questions Ministry Figures on Abuse of Disabled People
By Michael Gillan Peckitt In Suita, Osaka In June 2013, the Diet of Japan passed a law regarding fair treatment of disabled people. The new law was a step towards…
Japan: Even The Secrecy Bill Briefing Is Secret; Abe-gumi Pushes Ominous Secrecy Bill Towards Law
Japan’s Ruling Coalition Government Seeks to Pass Controversial Bill As Fast As Possible While Opposition At Home and Abroad Grows and Support For Abe Government Wanes. Japan's Secrecy Law, Designed…
Prince Genji’s Pole Dances & Romances: Japanese Literature Sways to LIfe
Thus the stage is set for a mystical Nutcracker meets Noh plus comedy, improvisational dance, strip-tease, burlesque and the finest aerial arts and acrobatics. Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji…
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DJ Police, Save Me Mama Fraud, Big Data: The Words of 2013 Japan
母さん助けて詐欺 — Kāsan tasukete sagi. “Mom, I need help!” frauds are the latest version of scams to target mainly elderly Japanese people. The perpetrator calls the victim claiming to be…
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Book Review: Tokyo Underworld–a classic on the dark side of Japan
There are very few gaijin (foreigners) who know what happens on the dark side of the rising sun like Robert Whiting. Whiting is an American author and journalist living in…
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Japanese rockers sing the truth about post-meltdown Fukushima. Is anyone listening?
"We're living in a material world. A radioactive material world, " jokes the lead singer. "This isn't the future we hoped for." They released their second mini-album "Living in a…
What We Wear About When We Think About Clothes: Musings on Japanese Fashion
Back in the late 20th century, the word on the street about Japanese fashion was that it had the lowest f*ckability points in the world. "I wouldn't want to bed…
“What are the criteria of these possible secrets?” “Well…it’s a secret.” Japan’s Kafkaesque Special Secret Protection Bill threatens to destroy freedom of speech
“this bill represents a great threat to journalism.” A person investigating a state secret and revealing it could be prosecuted and jailed to up to 10 years. The criteria for…