Five Star Hotels: What’s the Rumpus?
What’s the Rumpus? Five Star Hotels! SNA President Michael Penn interviews book author Yuko Seki.
All posts by Michael Penn
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.
Shioya’s Struggle against Fukushima Radiation
One small town’s desperate fight to prevent their community becoming a dump for highly radioactive materials from Fukushima.
Robots in Japan: What’s the Rumpus?
Host Michael Penn interviews journalist and book author Tim Hornyak and learns why the Japanese really love their robots.
A Conservative Victory in Ginowan
In the closely watched mayoral election in Ginowan city, which hosts the controversial US Marines Futenma Air Base, conservative incumbent Atsushi Sakima won reelection to a second term. Mayor Sakima faced a stiff challenge from Keiichiro Shimura, who had the backing of Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga and the “All Okinawa” forces opposing construction of the US Marines airbase at Henoko beach.
A Reality Check on Islam in Japan
The US debate about Muslims and terrorism has become so extreme that it seems almost any claim, no matter how farfetched and at variance with the facts, can gain wide traction so long as it corresponds with popular prejudices. One recurring meme that illustrates this tendency is the notion that terrorism does not exist in Japan, and the reason is that the Japanese have adopted strict measures to keep Muslims out of the country. These notions promoted mainly by US conservatives are simply wrong on so many levels that it almost seems pointless to address such ignorant and lazy-minded arguments.
Caliph Mirza Masroor Ahmad Interview
SNA’s exclusive interview with Caliph Mirza Masroor Ahmad on the occasion of the opening of the Bait ul-Ahad Mosque near Nagoya.
Day Service Las Vegas
Kaoru Mori, president of Japan Elderly Care Service, explains the concept and effectiveness of his Day Service Las Vegas initiative.
Timeline of Hashimoto Parties in National Politics
Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto was still near the peak of his popularity when he announced in September 2012 that he would be moving into national politics. Simply by putting out the call, enough lawmakers gathered to his banner to establish a new political party meant to represent the Osaka Restoration Association’s interests at the national level. Today, in an echo from three years ago, Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto is once again signalling his intention to launch a new political party meant to represent the Osaka Restoration Association’s interests at the national level.
Trump, Cruz, and Shinzo Abe’s Constitutionalism
Leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been making waves with radical policy notions from the day he announced his run for his party’s nomination. He took this to a whole new level on August 16 when he released a five-page report entitled, “Immigration Reform That Will Make America Great Again.” Briefly noted within a subsection called—ironically enough—“Defend The Laws And Constitution Of The United States,” Trump called for “ending birthright citizenship.”
