Henoko and Ferguson
The various dramas occurring today near Henoko beach, Okinawa, and the city of Ferguson, Missouri, undoubtedly have many points of difference, but it is worth reflecting briefly on some issues that unite these two cases.
All posts by Michael Penn
Gaza “Die-In” Staged in Tokyo’s Yoyogi Park
A group of Japanese and foreign activists and concerned citizens staged a “die-in” in Tokyo’s Yoyogi Park today to bring attention to the plight of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. This event is the latest in a series of related protests that have occurred in the Japanese capital since Israel launched “Operation Protective Edge,” a military campaign that took the lives of almost 2,000 Palestinians and injured more than 10,000 people, mostly civilians.
Is the DPJ Brand Worth Saving?
There are many reasons for the hapless condition that the Japanese political opposition has fallen into, but one of the biggest factors surrounds the state and ambitions of the largest remaining opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan. The question, put simply, is whether or not the DPJ should focus on trying rebuild itself into a party that may one day govern the nation again, or if it has fallen so low in public esteem that its lawmakers would better advised to jump ship and to start afresh with a new political party.
Raid on the Diet Press Hall
Freelance journalists raid the Diet kisha club building in order to properly report the massive protests against the Abe government’s unilateral dismissal of the Japanese Constitution.
Origami Fashion in Roppongi Hills
The Embassy of the Republic of Colombia in Tokyo surprised shoppers on the mild summer evening of June 14, 2014.
JAXA Looks to Space for Energy Production
The loss of public faith in nuclear energy since the March 11, 2011, triple disaster has once again put the Japanese nation on the hunt for new solutions to its vast energy needs. Many voices have called for the dramatic expansion of renewable energy systems such as solar, wind, and hydro as the medium- to long-term answer to reduce the contemporary dependency on nuclear, as well as on CO2-producing forms of energy like oil and gas.
Sewol Disaster Hits Japanese Local Economy
The April 16 tragedy of the MV Sewol in the territorial waters of South Korea has been exercising an impact on the local economy of Tottori Prefecture. This has occurred mainly due to the fact that the accident, in which more than three hundred people appear to have lost their lives, has deeply undermined the South Korean public’s faith in the safety of ferry boats.
Yu Terasawa on the Conformist Major Media
Yu Terasawa wins a prestigious international media award; too bad the Japanese media won’t tell you.
Tottori: Japan’s Desert Paradise
Tottori Prefecture, Japan’s smallest prefecture by population, aims to make its agricultural industry competitive by producing top quality beef and fruit.
Abe Heckled at May Day Rally
Abe steps into uncomfortable territory when he appeared at Rengo’s annual May Day rally in Yoyogi Park.
