Visible Minorities: Departing Japan at Middle Age
As you have probably have heard, SNA President Michael Penn will be moving his operations overseas. He’s leaving Japan. At his age, that’s probably a good idea. I speak from experience.
Tag Archives: Reuters
Avigan: Shinzo Abe’s Illusory White Knight in the Pandemic
The antiviral drug Avigan was developed by the firm Fujifilm Toyama Chemical in 2014, and it was later envisioned as Japan’s leading prospect to solve the global Covid pandemic. The drug was enthusiastically promoted by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but this October its development was quietly terminated.
Japan Reluctantly Throws Lifeline to Sri Lanka
Japan has reluctantly agreed to help Sri Lanka overcome its economic crisis–worse than any other the South Asian island nation has faced in its seventy-year history–in part because of Tokyo’s concerns about Chinese political influence.
Most Americans Now Fear Nuclear War Possible
As new polling has revealed that most Americans now fear that the country may be heading to nuclear war over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, campaigners are calling on US lawmakers to take action to mitigate those fears, particularly by ensuring that the United States is doing all it can to deescalate tensions.
No Progress for Japan’s Working Poor
Due to rising inflation, the recent decision to hike the average minimum wage appears set to offer little or no advance to the real quality of life for low-income Japanese. This comes in spite of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s economic policy theme of “New Capitalism,” which is supposed to create a fairer society by enhancing the living standards of ordinary citizens.
Visible Minorities: Torture and Murder in Japan Detention Centers
News Headline: “Prosecutors drop case over death of detained Sri Lankan woman.”
Visible Minorities: The World’s First “Japanese Only” Olympics?
With the possibility of the first “Japanese Only” Olympic Games, Japan looks likely to take the Gold Medal for Discrimination.
Bangladesh Sends Rohingya Refugees to Flood-Prone Island
Human rights defenders this week urged Bangladesh to stop its relocation of Rohingya refugees to a flood-prone island in the Bay of Bengal, warning of “grave concerns about independent human rights monitoring.”
Dumping Fukushima Water into the Pacific Ocean
Nearly a decade after the 2011 Fukushima disaster, the government has decided to release more than one million tons of treated radioactive water, currently being stored at the nuclear plant, into the Pacific Ocean, despite fierce opposition from fishermen and some environmentalists.
Tokyo Sinks into Covid-19 Crisis
A roundup of the most significant news stories from Japan reported in the last half of March 2020.
