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 Cesar Chelala

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Cesar Chelala
Cesar Chelala, MD, PhD, is an international public health consultant for several UN agencies, and a writer on human rights, medical and foreign policy issues. He is a winner of an Overseas Press Club of America Award. His articles have been published in more than 70 countries worldwide.
For Cesar Chelala's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 22, 2022
The magic of Lionel Messi
The 2022 FIFA World Cup confirmed it: Lionel Messi is one of the greatest soccer players of all time
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 23, 2022
Standing up to Iran's gender-driven violence
Women in Iran are not only protesting for the right not to wear the hijab; they are protesting against a government that has curtailed their most basic rights.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 7, 2022
Legacy of Ukraine's Soviet-era Great Famine casts shadow over Putin’s words and actions
Although there are historical ties with the Ukrainian people, Russiau2019s claims of brotherly relations dismisses the lasting trauma caused by the Soviet Union during the Great Famine.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 3, 2022
Russian aggression against Ukraine will violate international law
"The launch of a war of aggression is a crime that no political or economic situation can justify."
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 2, 2022
Climate change is also a very real public health emergency
The impact of global warming has been considerable on people of all ages, particularly the most vulnerable and those with underlying health conditions.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 24, 2021
The overlooked victims of COVID-19: The children
The isolation measures imposed by the pandemic have severely curtailed social development in children, resulting in a wide array of mental, emotional and behavioral health issues.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 15, 2021
Building a better world in the wake of the Afghanistan debacle
Instead of exporting war, countries such as the U.S. could export technology together with human capital, such as teachers and doctors, to help create a better world.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 18, 2021
Time to give Cubans a chance
If anything, the U.S. embargo has only succeeded in subjecting Cubans to a life of privation and misery.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 12, 2021
It’s not only guns; it’s also the U.S.' violent culture
Gun violence, however, should be seen in the wider context of a culture of violence, which is not just the result of gun ownership.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 6, 2021
Lessons from the pandemic
Most countries are lagging far behind and new, concerted and more generous efforts by the richest nations are needed to control the pandemic at a global level.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 12, 2021
When a WWII bombardier found his humanity
When we talked that day, I learned much about my friendu2019s actions during the war u2014 conduct that made me admire him even more than I did before.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 14, 2021
Yemen faces public health catastrophe from war and pandemic
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs noted that the conflict in the country has claimed some 233,000 lives over a six year period.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 3, 2021
The Guantanamo nightmare has to end
U.S. President Joe Bidenu2019s avowed intention to close the Guantanamo detention camp offers hope to end an embarrassing episode in the most recent history of the United States.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 27, 2020
With Biden, an opportunity to normalize relations with Cuba again
The certification by the Electoral College of Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 U.S. Presidential election is the final nail in the coffin of President Donald Trump and his supporters’ attempt to reverse the results of the vote. It is now time to move on and take necessary foreign policy steps to improve relations with the rest of the world.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 26, 2020
The god of soccer has departed this world
Maradona is often grouped with Pele and Messi as one of the three best soccer players of all time.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 9, 2020
Trump loses immunity from persecution after leaving office
Those consequences of a Trump defeat could lead him, if not to jail, at least to years of persecution by justice.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 21, 2020
Rape is only a symptom of India's many problems
Repeated incidents of gang rape in India reflect widespread gender and caste discrimination. Today, rape is the fourth most common crime against women in India.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 9, 2020
Domestic violence amid a pandemic
One of the most neglected consequences of the rapidly evolving COVID-19 is the increasing violence against women of all ages. U.N. Women has called it “the shadow pandemic,” and António Guterres, the U.N. Secretary-General has said, “Peace is not just the absence of war. Many women under lockdown for #COVID19 face violence where they should be safest: in their own homes.”
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 7, 2020
Ambiguous public health messages hurt the public
Health officials should be emphasizing the importance of u201cphysical distancingu201d and u201cemotional closenessu201d in these critical times.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 1, 2020
What not to do when faced with a pandemic
Sound and timely information is essential in controlling an epidemic effectively.

Longform

A statue of "Dragon Ball" character Goku stands outside the offices of Bandai Namco in Tokyo. The figure is now as recognizable as such characters as Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man.
Akira Toriyama's gift to the world