Johnny Chiang Wins KMT Chair Elections
Nationalist Party (KMT) chair elections resulted in the election victory of Taichung legislator Johnny Chiang over his opponent, former Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin.
Speakeasy: The Impact of Super Tuesday
This SNA Speakeasy features Sarajean Rossitto on the theme of “The Impact of Super Tuesday.”
Speakeasy: Paternity Leave in Japanese Firms
This SNA Speakeasy features Glen Wood on the theme of “Paternity Leave in Japanese Firms.”
Seoul Transformed by the Covid-19 Coronavirus
Seoul has been transformed by the Covid-19 coronavirus, or, more accurately, by the social response it has engendered. Close to 90% of the Koreans on the street now wearing white masks, and other visible changes are manifest.
Covid-19 Mismanagement Puts Abe Regime on the Ropes
A roundup of the most significant news stories from Japan reported in the last half of February 2020.
Bread & Roses: Labor Law Takes Backwards Step in the Abe Era
Japan’s labor laws have made several several distinct steps forward since the Meiji Restoration of 1868, with workers gradually gaining a degree of protection from the exploitation of business owners and managers. However, the era of Shinzo Abe has been characterized not only by a failure to progress further, but by a distinct step backwards.
Speakeasy: The Future of Work in Japan
This SNA Speakeasy features Libby Sander on the theme of “The Future of Work in Japan.”
Cosplay Activist Brings Anime Style to Taiwan Politics
A heroine from the classic anime TV show Neon Genesis Evangelion was spotted several times in the flesh during Taiwan’s recent election campaign asking people to vote for her.
Speakeasy: The Coronavirus and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
The inaugural SNA Speakeasy features journalist David McNeill on the theme of “The Coronavirus and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.”
Osaka Forces English Teachers to Reapply for Their Own Jobs
With the Tokyo Olympics just around the corner and Japan opening its doors to foreign workers than ever before, it would seem that the nation should also be ready to show its omotenashi towards its growing foreign community. But judging by Osaka Prefecture’s grossly inept handling of changes to its Native English Teacher (NET) Program and its treatment of its foreign workers, grave doubts are warranted.