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Matsuri Days (1) A Guide to Asakusa and the Sanja Matsuri
The Sanja Matsuri: Tokyo’s Most Raucous Festival (Video)
2013.05.17 【Culture】【Society】
Of all Tokyo’s many festivals, none is bigger, brasher, or more raucous than the Sanja Matsuri, which draws more than a million of people onto the streets of Asakusa in mid-May every year. More than 1…
-
-
A New Era for Kabuki
The Curtain Rises on an All-New Kabukiza
2013.05.16 【Culture】
The newly rebuilt Kabukiza opened its doors in Tokyo’s Ginza District in April 2013, taking the name “Kabukiza V” in the fashion of a kabuki actor. In this article we take a look at the impressive new…
-
-
Symposium Reports
Widening Opportunities for Japan’s Women
2013.05.15 【Society】
How can Japan continue to grow as its demographic crisis deepens? The answer may well be hiding in plain sight. Japan must work harder than ever to make the most of the skills and talents of all its p…
-
-
Mo Yan’s Creative Reading
2013.05.13 Wang Zhongchen 【Culture】【Society】
Chinese novelist Mo Yan (1955–), winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature, delivered a Nobel lecture titled "Storytellers" at the Swedish Academy last December. Much of the speech was devoted to r…
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-
Will Methane Hydrates Become a Domestic Energy Resource?
2013.05.10 Ishikawa Kenji 【Economy】【Sci-tech】
In seas near Japan in March 2013, methane gas was successfully extracted from seafloor hydrates—a world first. However, there are remaining technical hurdles to overcome before this becomes a viable d…
-
-
Tokyo International Literary Festival
Literary Bridge-Builder: An Interview with Shibata Motoyuki
2013.05.08 【Culture】【Daily life】【Society】
Authors, editors, and translators gathered in Tokyo on March 1–3 for the city’s first major international literary festival. We spoke to one of the organizers, scholar and translator Shibata Motoyuki,…
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-
New Challenges as the J. League Turns 20
2013.05.02 Chūbachi Shin’ichi 【Culture】【Society】
They may have been the lost decades for Japan’s economy, but the last 20 years have brought remarkable progress for the J. League. Chūbachi Shin’ichi, a senior writer for the Asahi Shimbun, discusses …
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Relations with Russia: Remembering the Past
2013.05.01 Harano Jōji 【Culture】【Politics】
Relations between Japan and Russia have been strained of late. Despite close trading ties and geographic proximity, the two countries have never signed a formal peace treaty after World War II, largel…
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Japan’s Admission to the TPP Talks, Aung San Suu Kyi’s Visit
2013.04.30 Shiraishi Takashi 【Economy】【Politics】
On April 12 the Japanese and US governments successfully concluded their bilateral consultations concerning Japan’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. In addition to confir…
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A New Era for Kabuki
The Dramatic History of Kabuki Theaters
2013.04.26 【Culture】
The new Kabukiza theater in Tokyo’s Ginza district opened its doors to the public on April 2, 2013. Over the 400-year history of kabuki, the theaters where its performances have been staged have had d…
-
-
The Frontiers of Science
Fujifilm Finds New Life in Cosmetics
2013.04.25 【Daily life】【Sci-tech】【Society】
Fujifilm has launched a new line of cosmetics developed using the company’s film-related technologies. Cosmetics and film may seem like unrelated industries, but Fujifilm found a way to tap into a sur…
-
-
Two Years On from Fukushima
2013.04.24 Sven Saaler 【Politics】【Society】
More than two years since the nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi, more than 100,000 people are still unable to return to their homes due to radioactive contamination. Ironically, however, the nucle…
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-
Election Campaigns Finally Enter the Internet Age
2013.04.23 Ōtani Kōta 【Politics】
There is considerable interest in Japan at present in the revision of the Public Offices Election Law to lift the ban on the use of the Internet for election campaigns.
On April 12 a bill to revise t…
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The Challenges Ahead for Decentralization Reform
What Type of Decentralization Best Suits Japan?
2013.04.22 Sasaki Nobuo 【Politics】
There is a consensus that Japan will need to thoroughly reform its overly centralized system of government if it hopes to reduce its massive deficits. Sasaki Nobuo, a professor at Chūō University and …
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Relations with Russia: Remembering the Past
2013.05.01 Harano Jōji 【Culture】【Politics】
Relations between Japan and Russia have been strained of late. Despite close trading ties and geographic proximity, the two countries have never signed a formal peace treaty after World War II, largel…
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-
Japan’s Admission to the TPP Talks, Aung San Suu Kyi’s Visit
2013.04.30 Shiraishi Takashi 【Economy】【Politics】
On April 12 the Japanese and US governments successfully concluded their bilateral consultations concerning Japan’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. In addition to confir…
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-
Two Years On from Fukushima
2013.04.24 Sven Saaler 【Politics】【Society】
More than two years since the nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi, more than 100,000 people are still unable to return to their homes due to radioactive contamination. Ironically, however, the nucle…
-
-
Election Campaigns Finally Enter the Internet Age
2013.04.23 Ōtani Kōta 【Politics】
There is considerable interest in Japan at present in the revision of the Public Offices Election Law to lift the ban on the use of the Internet for election campaigns.
On April 12 a bill to revise t…
-
-
The Challenges Ahead for Decentralization Reform
What Type of Decentralization Best Suits Japan?
2013.04.22 Sasaki Nobuo 【Politics】
There is a consensus that Japan will need to thoroughly reform its overly centralized system of government if it hopes to reduce its massive deficits. Sasaki Nobuo, a professor at Chūō University and …
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Abe’s Three-Pronged Diplomatic Strategy
2013.04.18 Suzuki Yoshikatsu 【Politics】
Kishi Nobusuke, prime minister of Japan from February 1957 to July 1960 and grandfather of current Prime Minister Abe Shinzō, decided to travel to Southeast Asia in May 1957 on his first trip overseas…
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Margaret Thatcher: The Iron Lady and Japan
2013.04.17 Hosoya Yuichi 【Politics】
Although Margaret Thatcher kept a low profile during her final years, as she struggled with Alzheimer’s, media fascination with her life continued to keep her name in the public eye—not least in Japan…
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Japan Data
Postwar Governors of the Bank of Japan
2013.04.15 【Economy】【Politics】
Newly appointed Kuroda Haruhiko is the first Ministry of Finance official to take the post of governor of the Bank of Japan for 15 years. In this article we look back at the governors of the Bank of J…
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Science and Technology Policy: Abe’s Bold Reform Plan
2013.04.09 Shiraishi Takashi 【Politics】【Sci-tech】
On March 1 the Council for Science and Technology Policy held its first meeting since the launch of the current Abe Shinzō administration. This council, which is chaired by the prime minister, is ch…
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Abenomics: The First 100 Days
Abenomics: Changing the National Mindset
2013.04.08 Abe Junichi 【Economy】【Politics】
Since taking the helm as prime minister for the second time last December, Abe Shinzō has focused on economic policy, including the adoption of an inflation target. The market has responded favorably,…
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The Future of the Japan-Australia Partnership
2013.04.01 Ogoura Kazuo 【Culture】【Politics】
In October 2012, the Australian government published a white paper outlining the country’s Asia policy for the twenty-first century. Titled “Australia in the Asian Century,” the white paper examined…
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Will Methane Hydrates Become a Domestic Energy Resource?
2013.05.10 Ishikawa Kenji 【Economy】【Sci-tech】
In seas near Japan in March 2013, methane gas was successfully extracted from seafloor hydrates—a world first. However, there are remaining technical hurdles to overcome before this becomes a viable d…
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-
Japan’s Admission to the TPP Talks, Aung San Suu Kyi’s Visit
2013.04.30 Shiraishi Takashi 【Economy】【Politics】
On April 12 the Japanese and US governments successfully concluded their bilateral consultations concerning Japan’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. In addition to confir…
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-
Japan Data
Postwar Governors of the Bank of Japan
2013.04.15 【Economy】【Politics】
Newly appointed Kuroda Haruhiko is the first Ministry of Finance official to take the post of governor of the Bank of Japan for 15 years. In this article we look back at the governors of the Bank of J…
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Abenomics: The First 100 Days
Abenomics: Changing the National Mindset
2013.04.08 Abe Junichi 【Economy】【Politics】
Since taking the helm as prime minister for the second time last December, Abe Shinzō has focused on economic policy, including the adoption of an inflation target. The market has responded favorably,…
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-
The Road to Hit Products by Kitamura Mori
Convenience Store Sushi: A Surprising Success
2013.04.03 Kitamura Mori 【Daily life】【Economy】
Among the various convenience store chains that have started to sell packages of chilled sushi, one in particular stands out for the quality of its product. What is the story behind its achievement?
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Son Masayoshi Aims to Be Number One
2013.03.28 Ishikawa Tsutsumu 【Economy】
In October 2012, SoftBank’s President Son Masayoshi announced the company’s plan to acquire Sprint Nextel, the number-three wireless carrier in the United States. The deal is an integral piece of Son’…
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Avoiding an Infrastructure Crisis
2013.02.27 Nemoto Yūji 【Economy】【Society】
The problem of Japan’s aging infrastructure has long been a matter of concern. The December 2012 Sasago Tunnel accident, however, sharply brought the issue to the attention of the general public. Tōyō…
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Risk-Taking Investors Welcome Abenomics
2013.02.21 Itoh Motoshige 【Economy】【Politics】
Abe Shinzō has taken over as prime minister for the second time. The market and the political world have welcomed his arrival and especially his message that, for the time being, vanquishing deflation…
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Japanese Companies Will Be Tested in 2013
2013.02.18 Hirai Takashi 【Economy】
Generally speaking, Japanese companies can be expected to perform robustly in 2013, for several reasons.
First, the domestic business climate is likely to be favorable. The Liberal Democratic Party h…
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“Cool Traditions” Stay in Tune with Modern Life
Bonsai: Nature in the Palm of Your Hand
2013.01.23 【Culture】【Daily life】【Economy】【Society】
The cultivation and appreciation of bonsai trees or plants is on the rise, both in Japan and around the world. Here we introduce the aesthetic elements of this fascinating art that compresses nature w…
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How Effective Will “Abenomics” Be?
2013.01.22 Abe Junichi 【Economy】【Politics】
Hopes are growing that Abe Shinzō, Japan’s new prime minister, will be able to restore the health of the Japanese economy by means of his “Abenomics.”
The yen finally began to weaken and stock prices…
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Halting Japan’s Scientific Slide
2013.01.17 Hayashi Yukihide 【Economy】【Sci-tech】
Japan’s scientific community rejoiced on hearing the news that stem cell researcher Yamanaka Shin'ya had won the 2012 Nobel Prize in medicine. But beneath the jubilation lurk deep concerns over the fu…
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The Shale Revolution and Japan’s Energy Policy
Japanese Energy Strategy in the Shale-Gas Era
2013.01.10 Shibata Akio 【Economy】【Politics】
With imports of natural gas booming following the shutdown of nuclear reactors nationwide, Shibata Akio calls for a national energy strategy geared to new domestic and global realities—including a glo…
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Will Methane Hydrates Become a Domestic Energy Resource?
2013.05.10 Ishikawa Kenji 【Economy】【Sci-tech】
In seas near Japan in March 2013, methane gas was successfully extracted from seafloor hydrates—a world first. However, there are remaining technical hurdles to overcome before this becomes a viable d…
-
-
The Frontiers of Science
Fujifilm Finds New Life in Cosmetics
2013.04.25 【Daily life】【Sci-tech】【Society】
Fujifilm has launched a new line of cosmetics developed using the company’s film-related technologies. Cosmetics and film may seem like unrelated industries, but Fujifilm found a way to tap into a sur…
-
-
Science and Technology Policy: Abe’s Bold Reform Plan
2013.04.09 Shiraishi Takashi 【Politics】【Sci-tech】
On March 1 the Council for Science and Technology Policy held its first meeting since the launch of the current Abe Shinzō administration. This council, which is chaired by the prime minister, is ch…
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-
Halting Japan’s Scientific Slide
2013.01.17 Hayashi Yukihide 【Economy】【Sci-tech】
Japan’s scientific community rejoiced on hearing the news that stem cell researcher Yamanaka Shin'ya had won the 2012 Nobel Prize in medicine. But beneath the jubilation lurk deep concerns over the fu…
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-
The Frontiers of Science
Using Genetically Modified Silkworms to Develop Cheaper Drugs
2013.01.04 【Daily life】【Sci-tech】【Society】
A new page is about to turn in the age-old history of sericulture. Cuting-edge research using transgenic silkworms is making it possible to create new types of silk and pharmaceutical products. The Na…
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What the Sharp-Foxconn Tie-up Suggests
2012.12.12 Satō Yukihito 【Economy】【Sci-tech】
A Taiwanese company rescues a renowned Japanese manufacturer? This would have been inconceivable in the past, but it makes perfect sense in today’s electronics industry. It is Foxconn of Taiwan that m…
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Nobel Selection, Noda Rejection
2012.11.20 Shiraishi Takashi 【Economy】【Politics】【Sci-tech】
Yamanaka Shin’ya, a professor at Kyoto University, has been selected as one of the recipients of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery that mature cells can be reprogramme…
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The Renewable Outlook in Japan
Hopeful Signs: Renewable Energy from Geothermal and Solar Power
2012.10.19 【Daily life】【Sci-tech】【Society】
In the wake of 3/11, people are looking increasingly to renewables to provide their electricity. While solar power had been popular even before the disaster, geothermal energy has not reached even a s…
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The Renewable Outlook in Japan
Building a Floating Wind Farm Off the Fukushima Coast
2012.10.19 【Daily life】【Sci-tech】【Society】
After being devastated by the Tōhoku earthquake and nuclear disaster last March, Fukushima Prefecture is now looking to renewable energy as a new area of industrial development. Tests of the world’s f…
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The Renewable Outlook in Japan
Rice Paddy Power: Harnessing Microbial Energy
2012.10.12 【Daily life】【Sci-tech】【Society】
Energy harvesting transforms the latent energy of the natural world that flows through our everyday environment into power we can use. In the fields that produce Japan’s staple crop, rice, work to har…
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The Renewable Outlook in Japan
The Promise of Kinetic Power Generation
2012.10.12 【Daily life】【Sci-tech】【Society】
Technology to collect energy from our everyday world is gaining attention. “Energy harvesting” technology can turn a crowded floor or a remote control into a tool for producing power. The technology h…
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The Renewable Outlook in Japan
Five Things to Know About Energy in Japan
2012.10.11 【Daily life】【Sci-tech】【Society】
Basic information about Japan’s energy situation is indispensable when examining the prospects for renewable energy sources here. We kick off our series with a quiz to see what you know about things l…
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Energy Policy: Japan at the Crossroads
The Potential of Marine Energy
2012.09.21 Kinoshita Takeshi 【Sci-tech】
Today Japan is increasingly moving toward diversification of its energy sources. One area of focus is the vast, untapped potential of marine energy. This feature explores the possibility for its appli…
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Energy Policy: Japan at the Crossroads
How to Formulate a Strategy for Energy Supply
2012.09.11 Kamisato Tatsuhiro 【Culture】【Economy】【Politics】【Sci-tech】【Society】
In the wake of the nuclear crisis in Fukushima, public interest in Japan’s energy policy is fixed on one thing alone: nuclear energy, and how to live without it. Kamisato Tatsuhiro of Osaka University…
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Matsuri Days (1) A Guide to Asakusa and the Sanja Matsuri
The Sanja Matsuri: Tokyo’s Most Raucous Festival (Video)
2013.05.17 【Culture】【Society】
Of all Tokyo’s many festivals, none is bigger, brasher, or more raucous than the Sanja Matsuri, which draws more than a million of people onto the streets of Asakusa in mid-May every year. More than 1…
-
-
Symposium Reports
Widening Opportunities for Japan’s Women
2013.05.15 【Society】
How can Japan continue to grow as its demographic crisis deepens? The answer may well be hiding in plain sight. Japan must work harder than ever to make the most of the skills and talents of all its p…
-
-
Mo Yan’s Creative Reading
2013.05.13 Wang Zhongchen 【Culture】【Society】
Chinese novelist Mo Yan (1955–), winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature, delivered a Nobel lecture titled "Storytellers" at the Swedish Academy last December. Much of the speech was devoted to r…
-
-
Tokyo International Literary Festival
Literary Bridge-Builder: An Interview with Shibata Motoyuki
2013.05.08 【Culture】【Daily life】【Society】
Authors, editors, and translators gathered in Tokyo on March 1–3 for the city’s first major international literary festival. We spoke to one of the organizers, scholar and translator Shibata Motoyuki,…
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-
New Challenges as the J. League Turns 20
2013.05.02 Chūbachi Shin’ichi 【Culture】【Society】
They may have been the lost decades for Japan’s economy, but the last 20 years have brought remarkable progress for the J. League. Chūbachi Shin’ichi, a senior writer for the Asahi Shimbun, discusses …
-
-
The Frontiers of Science
Fujifilm Finds New Life in Cosmetics
2013.04.25 【Daily life】【Sci-tech】【Society】
Fujifilm has launched a new line of cosmetics developed using the company’s film-related technologies. Cosmetics and film may seem like unrelated industries, but Fujifilm found a way to tap into a sur…
-
-
Two Years On from Fukushima
2013.04.24 Sven Saaler 【Politics】【Society】
More than two years since the nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi, more than 100,000 people are still unable to return to their homes due to radioactive contamination. Ironically, however, the nucle…
-
-
Is There Hope for Japanese Jūdō?
2013.04.17 Matsubara Ryūichirō 【Culture】【Society】
Revelations of physical and verbal abuse by a Japanese jūdō coach have damaged the reputation of an athletic community already smarting from a string of disappointing international showings. Social ec…
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-
3/11: The Second Anniversary
Talking with the Dead Through Invisible Grief
2013.04.05 Wakamatsu Eisuke 【Culture】【Society】
The road to true reconstruction in the disaster-stricken Tōhoku region can be opened by conversing and living together with the dead there. Wakamatsu Eisuke, a literary critic acclaimed for his writin…
-
-
Tokyo International Literary Festival
Junot Díaz: Writing the Past, Shaping the Future
2013.03.25 【Culture】【Society】
One of the most exciting writers working in English today, Junot Díaz has long been inspired by Japanese popular culture. Visiting Tokyo to take part in Japan’s first major international literary fest…
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-
A Surprising Shift in Young People’s Attitudes
2013.03.19 Honda Yuki 【Society】
A recent government survey revealed an increase in support for the traditional family model of a breadwinner husband and homemaker wife, particularly among those in their twenties. Honda Yuki consider…
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One Hundred Bags of Rice: Investing in Japan’s Future
2013.03.18 Hosoda Haruko 【Society】
Japan is currently undergoing a period of transformation that ranks alongside the Meiji Restoration and the changes that followed defeat in World War II as a defining moment in its modern history. Des…
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3/11: The Second Anniversary
A Late Spring in Tōhoku (Part I)
2013.03.14 Kikuchi Masanori 【Politics】【Society】
Two years have passed since the earthquake and tsunami that devastated coastal Tōhoku, but for many of the victims, the healing has barely begun. Revisiting the communities he reported on in the sprin…
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3/11: The Second Anniversary
Keeping Taylor Anderson’s Dream Alive and Well
2013.03.11 【Society】
Taylor Anderson was one of the two American victims of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. The 24-year-old was an English teacher in Ishinomaki, one of the northern coastal cities swept by a devasta…
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Kabuki Fights for its Future After Two Tragic Losses
2013.02.28 Kamimura Iwao 【Culture】【Society】
Kabuki is struggling to recover after the death of two leading actors: Ichikawa Danjūrō and Nakamura Kanzaburō. This double-blow puts pressure on the younger performers to play a more prominent role, …
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-
Matsuri Days (1) A Guide to Asakusa and the Sanja Matsuri
The Sanja Matsuri: Tokyo’s Most Raucous Festival (Video)
2013.05.17 【Culture】【Society】
Of all Tokyo’s many festivals, none is bigger, brasher, or more raucous than the Sanja Matsuri, which draws more than a million of people onto the streets of Asakusa in mid-May every year. More than 1…
-
-
A New Era for Kabuki
The Curtain Rises on an All-New Kabukiza
2013.05.16 【Culture】
The newly rebuilt Kabukiza opened its doors in Tokyo’s Ginza District in April 2013, taking the name “Kabukiza V” in the fashion of a kabuki actor. In this article we take a look at the impressive new…
-
-
Mo Yan’s Creative Reading
2013.05.13 Wang Zhongchen 【Culture】【Society】
Chinese novelist Mo Yan (1955–), winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature, delivered a Nobel lecture titled "Storytellers" at the Swedish Academy last December. Much of the speech was devoted to r…
-
-
Tokyo International Literary Festival
Literary Bridge-Builder: An Interview with Shibata Motoyuki
2013.05.08 【Culture】【Daily life】【Society】
Authors, editors, and translators gathered in Tokyo on March 1–3 for the city’s first major international literary festival. We spoke to one of the organizers, scholar and translator Shibata Motoyuki,…
-
-
New Challenges as the J. League Turns 20
2013.05.02 Chūbachi Shin’ichi 【Culture】【Society】
They may have been the lost decades for Japan’s economy, but the last 20 years have brought remarkable progress for the J. League. Chūbachi Shin’ichi, a senior writer for the Asahi Shimbun, discusses …
-
-
Relations with Russia: Remembering the Past
2013.05.01 Harano Jōji 【Culture】【Politics】
Relations between Japan and Russia have been strained of late. Despite close trading ties and geographic proximity, the two countries have never signed a formal peace treaty after World War II, largel…
-
-
A New Era for Kabuki
The Dramatic History of Kabuki Theaters
2013.04.26 【Culture】
The new Kabukiza theater in Tokyo’s Ginza district opened its doors to the public on April 2, 2013. Over the 400-year history of kabuki, the theaters where its performances have been staged have had d…
-
-
A New Era for Kabuki
A Kabuki Parade Through Ginza
2013.04.19 【Culture】
In late March, dozens of kabuki actors, including well-known names such as Nakamura Tokizō and Ichikawa Ebizō, took part in a large parade through Tokyo’s Ginza to celebrate the official reopening of …
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-
Is There Hope for Japanese Jūdō?
2013.04.17 Matsubara Ryūichirō 【Culture】【Society】
Revelations of physical and verbal abuse by a Japanese jūdō coach have damaged the reputation of an athletic community already smarting from a string of disappointing international showings. Social ec…
-
-
3/11: The Second Anniversary
Talking with the Dead Through Invisible Grief
2013.04.05 Wakamatsu Eisuke 【Culture】【Society】
The road to true reconstruction in the disaster-stricken Tōhoku region can be opened by conversing and living together with the dead there. Wakamatsu Eisuke, a literary critic acclaimed for his writin…
-
-
The Future of the Japan-Australia Partnership
2013.04.01 Ogoura Kazuo 【Culture】【Politics】
In October 2012, the Australian government published a white paper outlining the country’s Asia policy for the twenty-first century. Titled “Australia in the Asian Century,” the white paper examined…
-
-
3/11: The Second Anniversary
A Late Spring in Tōhoku (Part II)
2013.03.29 Kikuchi Masanori 【Culture】【Politics】
The coastal areas of northeast Japan devastated by the March 2011 tsunami still face the enormous task of rebuilding housing and infrastructure. Journalist Kikuchi Masanori traveled to the region to r…
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-
Tokyo International Literary Festival
Junot Díaz: Writing the Past, Shaping the Future
2013.03.25 【Culture】【Society】
One of the most exciting writers working in English today, Junot Díaz has long been inspired by Japanese popular culture. Visiting Tokyo to take part in Japan’s first major international literary fest…
-
-
Tokyo International Literary Festival
Japan’s First International Literary Festival
2013.03.25 【Culture】
The inaugural Tokyo International Literary Festival took place in eight venues across Tokyo on March 1–3. The festival brought together leading novelists, poets, editors, and translators for three day…
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-
Tokyo International Literary Festival
Literary Bridge-Builder: An Interview with Shibata Motoyuki
2013.05.08 【Culture】【Daily life】【Society】
Authors, editors, and translators gathered in Tokyo on March 1–3 for the city’s first major international literary festival. We spoke to one of the organizers, scholar and translator Shibata Motoyuki,…
-
-
The Frontiers of Science
Fujifilm Finds New Life in Cosmetics
2013.04.25 【Daily life】【Sci-tech】【Society】
Fujifilm has launched a new line of cosmetics developed using the company’s film-related technologies. Cosmetics and film may seem like unrelated industries, but Fujifilm found a way to tap into a sur…
-
-
The Road to Hit Products by Kitamura Mori
Convenience Store Sushi: A Surprising Success
2013.04.03 Kitamura Mori 【Daily life】【Economy】
Among the various convenience store chains that have started to sell packages of chilled sushi, one in particular stands out for the quality of its product. What is the story behind its achievement?
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Tateyama: Another World Above the Clouds (Photos)
2013.02.22 Yanagi Akinobu 【Culture】【Daily life】
The Tateyama mountain range in Toyama Prefecture is a special place, offering climbers access to a world of stunning snow-swept landscapes and a precious opportunity to see the ptarmigans that have li…
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Discovering “Nōgaku”: The Blossoming of Tradition
“Nōgaku” Drama Kept Alive by Family Traditions
2013.02.05 Matsuoka Shinpei (Interviewer) 【Culture】【Daily life】【Society】
Nōgaku, consisting of nō and kyōgen dramas, is the world’s oldest surviving theatrical art, dating back some 700 years. How has this ancient art (designated an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO) …
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Giving a Flowering Art a New Arrangement
2013.02.04 【Culture】【Daily life】
Ikebana flower arranging has a history stretching back over 500 years. One world-renowned practioner of the art today is Kariyazaki Shōgo, who brings his own unique style to this traditional art. In t…
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The Pastimes That People Love
Can’t Help But Sing of Joy
2013.01.29 【Daily life】【Society】
Year-end performances of the Ninth Symphony are held annually all over Japan, far from Beethoven’s homeland. Odder still, in Japan the chorus is almost always sung in German. What is it about the Nint…
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“Cool Traditions” Stay in Tune with Modern Life
Bonsai: Nature in the Palm of Your Hand
2013.01.23 【Culture】【Daily life】【Economy】【Society】
The cultivation and appreciation of bonsai trees or plants is on the rise, both in Japan and around the world. Here we introduce the aesthetic elements of this fascinating art that compresses nature w…
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March 11 Brings the Japanese Together
2013.01.15 【Culture】【Daily life】
The documentary film Japan in a Day weaves together video footage taken by amateurs on the same day—March 11, 2012, exactly one year after the devastating earthquake and tsunami. We talk to the Britis…
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A Sumō Sandstorm Blows In from Egypt
2013.01.11 【Culture】【Daily life】【Society】
Japan is now home to many sumō wrestlers from Mongolia and Eastern Europe, but there were none from the Middle East until 2011. That was the year that an Egyptian entered the sumō world, wrestling und…
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Revisiting Scenes of Timeless Nostalgia
The Nostalgic Taste of “Dagashi” Snacks
2013.01.09 【Culture】【Daily life】
Stopping by the local shop selling inexpensive snacks, called dagashi, used to be an after-school custom in Japan. The sight of those snacks brings back fond memories for adults today. Here we take a …
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The Frontiers of Science
Using Genetically Modified Silkworms to Develop Cheaper Drugs
2013.01.04 【Daily life】【Sci-tech】【Society】
A new page is about to turn in the age-old history of sericulture. Cuting-edge research using transgenic silkworms is making it possible to create new types of silk and pharmaceutical products. The Na…
