Reporting from Kumamoto
A personal memoir of the Kumamoto earthquake, reflecting both on the challenges of one-man reporting as well as the experience of being there.
Tag Archives: Michael Penn
Terrorism: What’s the Rumpus?
Host Michael Penn interviews professor Christopher Hobson to discuss the concept and potential threat of terrorism.
Japanese Opposition Parties: What’s the Rumpus?
Host Michael Penn interviews Rob Fahey about the prospects for and the challenges ahead of the Japanese opposition parties, led by the Democratic Party.
Drones: What’s the Rumpus?
Host Michael Penn interviews journalist and book author Tim Hornyak and learns about the development and purposes of drones.
Young Entrepreneurs: What’s the Rumpus?
Host Michael Penn interviews Yu Asabe about the eco-system for young entrepreneurs and technology start-ups in Japan.
The Dippy Opposition
Well, they’ve done it again. Just when you see glimmers of hope that Japan’s opposition parties might just be getting their acts together, they go and show you once again just how incompetent they really are.
Uniformed Officers Gaining Control of Defense Ministry
Uniformed Self-Defense Forces officers are currently demanding a larger role in setting military policies, which will for the first time utilize the security legislation forced through the Diet by the ruling coalition last September. Civilian defense bureaucrats have so far rejected the demands of the uniformed officers, fearing that acquiescing will decisively tilt the power balance between the two sides within the ministry.
Black History: What’s the Rumpus?
Host Michael Penn interviews columnist and book author Baye McNeil about the meaning and significance of Black History.
Five Star Hotels: What’s the Rumpus?
What’s the Rumpus? Five Star Hotels! SNA President Michael Penn interviews book author Yuko Seki.
Shioya Resists Role as Fukushima Radiation Dump
As the Japanese nation approaches the fifth anniversary of the March 11 tragedy, the burden of dealing with the widespread radioactive contamination from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster continues to expand. Now this issue is seriously impacting even a small community in Tochigi Prefecture called Shioya.
