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.
Taiwanese Concerns About the Spread of Covid-19
Efforts to combat the ongoing Covid-19 coronavirus epidemic continue in Taiwan, with the Central Epidemic Command Center announcing yesterday the 26th confirmed case of the epidemic in Taiwan.
Henoko Airbase Initiative Sinking into Mayonnaise-Soft Earth
For almost two-and-a-half decades, Japan and the United States have insisted that a new US Marine airbase at Henoko—a replacement for Marine Corps Air Station Futenma—is absolutely needed as a solid foundation for the US-Japan Alliance. Last year, however, it was officially revealed that the sea floor where the base is being constructed consists of mayonnaise-soft earth, and that any airstrip built there now could sink into oblivion.
Visible Minorities: Japan’s Botched Response to the Coronavirus
The drama of cruise ship Diamond Princess, currently moored at Yokohama and quarantined by Japan’s Health Ministry due to some of the 3,700 passengers and crew testing positive for the coronavirus, is a human rights crisis.
Diamond Princess Puts Japan Under the Microscope
A roundup of the most significant news stories from Japan reported in the first half of February 2020.