Today in Japan (11.15.17)
A roundup of the most significant news stories from Japan reported on November 15, 2017.
Tag Archives: Europe
Steve Bannon’s Bold Persistent Experimentation
The political stakes are extremely high in the Trump administration’s choice of economic strategy.
Saudi Foreign Minister Al-Jubeir
Dr. Adel Al-Jubeir, Saudi Foreign Minister, addresses Japanese journalists in Tokyo on September 2, 2016. Topics included diplomatic issues with Syria and Iran.
Japan’s Woeful Record on Gender Equality
Then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi set a goal of having women occupy 30% of leadership positions by 2020, but Japan will come nowhere close.
Terrorism: What’s the Rumpus?
Host Michael Penn interviews professor Christopher Hobson to discuss the concept and potential threat of terrorism.
Black History: What’s the Rumpus?
Host Michael Penn interviews columnist and book author Baye McNeil about the meaning and significance of Black History.
The Limits of Japan’s Solar Energy “Gold Rush”
More than two years after the Fukushima disaster, the effects of the government’s first efforts to reduce the nation’s dependency on nuclear power are clearly visible to the citizens of Anpachi in Gifu Prefecture, where Sanyo, now Panasonic, constructed its 315-meter-wide Solar Ark consisting of over 5,000 solar panels. Besides generating 530,000 kilowatt hours annually, the site also features a museum and several outdoor exhibitions.
Asteroid Defense Presents Heavenly Opportunity
Threats to humankind do not only come from within, and while it may still sound like science fiction to many, the possibility of a sizable asteroid impacting Earth remains a major concern for the space and national security communities. Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi recently reminded the public of this fact, and furthermore called for an international effort to detect and deflect incoming celestial bodies. Given the advanced capabilities of the Russian space program, Moscow would be a much welcome partner in such an enterprise.
Shinzo Abe Loses His Grip on the Hard Right
As anyone who studies Japanese political history of the 1930s can attest, the rightwing forces in this nation can be a fractious lot. Once the spirit of nationalism rages, any sort of moderate, compromising behavior can be denounced as treason. Shinzo Abe came to power as a spokesman for the hard right, but after ten months of reasonably cautious behavior, a good chunk of this movement is ready to turn against him.
Beijing Questions Okinawa Sovereignty
The new regime of Chinese President Xi Jinping is to be congratulated for accomplishing the remarkable feat of making the rightwing lunatic fringe of Japanese politics look positively wise and prescient this week. Ever since large-scale anti-Chinese protests began to appear on the streets of Japan in the autumn of 2010, one of their staple claims was that Beijing had its longing eyes focused on the uninhabited Senkaku-Diaoyu Islands only as a first step toward encroaching on well-inhabited Okinawa, then Kyushu, then all of Japan.
