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 Shusuke Murai

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Shusuke Murai
Shusuke Murai was born in Japan and spent his teen years in central Ohio. He graduated from New York University with a M.A. in Communication. His interests include the activities of virtual communities, intercultural interactions in the information society and futuristic gadgets.
For Shusuke Murai's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 22, 2015
'Superhuman' sports showcased at Tokyo expo
Ever wanted to play at being superhuman? Games-players can now feel what it is like to have superpowers of a sort — and tights are optional.
JAPAN
Oct 19, 2015
Online survey targets problems faced by foreign workers in Japan
A team of international students is conducting an online survey to collect input from foreign workers in Japan and urge changes in tradition-bound Japanese companies, the group said Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 16, 2015
LDP to solicit would-be candidates in online campaign aimed at drawing youth vote
The Liberal Democratic Party is attempting to reach the youth vote ahead of next summer's Upper House election.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 15, 2015
New education minister vows to promote LGBT rights and use Olympics to push social issues
A human rights advocate, former teacher and professional wrestler, and now the newly appointed head of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, said Wednesday he plans to promote support for sexual-minority students at schools.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 9, 2015
Self-Defense Forces office slips up with recruiting ad printed on toilet paper
Self-Defense Forces recruiters are now the butt of jokes over a bizarre ad campaign the Defense Ministry apparently saw fit to roll out on toilet paper.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Oct 8, 2015
Women's group pressures Suga to retract birthrate-related remark
The group is demanding the government's top spokesman retract a remark in which he said that giving birth is a 'form of contribution to the nation.'
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Oct 7, 2015
Nobel winner Kajita says he was 'unusually blessed' with talented people around him
A day after winning the Nobel Prize in physics, Takaaki Kajita said he felt like he was walking on air as he expressed appreciation to his mentors and colleagues who he says were instrumental in his research.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Oct 6, 2015
Omura stunned by unexpected Nobel win
News that scientist Satoshi Omura had won the Nobel Prize came so unexpectedly that many people in Japan, including the winner himself, were stunned by the honor — but delighted as well.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 1, 2015
High-end Tokyo stores cash in on China's weeklong holiday
High-end stores in Tokyo are vying for Chinese visitors at the outset of a weeklong vacation marking China's national day.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 22, 2015
19 million households reply to online census amid criticism over handling of personal data
The response to the first national census allowing people across the country to answer online exceeds expectations while also raising fresh worries over sloppy handling of information.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 22, 2015
Commenting on security bills, Niigata Bar Association goes short but sweet
This isn't right.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 21, 2015
Railway companies in eastern Japan set to relax rules for cellphones when near priority seats
Since 2003, railways have asked passengers to turn off their mobile phones when near "silver" priority seats, for fear electromagnetic interference from the devices could interact with pacemakers, harming the wearer.
Japan Times
JAPAN / NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Sep 20, 2015
Nearly 70% of Japan Inc. unready to safeguard nation's new ID numbers
Most of the nation's companies are struggling to find a way to securely store My Number — the new 12-digit social security key that will be used to access everyone's income tax and bank account information starting next year.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 17, 2015
Thousands gather outside Diet in heavy rain for last chance to protest security bills
Thursday's heavy rain failed to douse the rage of thousands of demonstrators who gathered in front of the Diet building in Tokyo to protest the controversial security legislation that is expected to pass by week's end.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 17, 2015
Tokyo conference urges Japan to make most of new global attention
While the world watches Japan's on-again, off-again economic recovery, a forum of roughly 200 corporate decision-makers and former government officials has discussed how to turn that attention to the nation's advantage.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 11, 2015
Flood-struck Joso evacuees speak of weariness, worry as waters persist
A day after unprecedented floods inundated parts of northern Kanto, evacuees in washed out Joso, Ibaraki Prefecture, wondered whether their lives would ever return to normal.
Japan Times
JAPAN / GENERATIONAL CHANGE
Sep 7, 2015
Self-made co-inventor of SD card connects public with lawmakers
If a solution doesn't exist, make one yourself. That's what computer programmer Fukuyuki Murakami has done with his career.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 4, 2015
Online community offers up Olympic logo ideas
As the Tokyo Olympics organizing committee decided to scrap the official emblem design for the 2020 Games and launch a new competition to find another design, Japan's online community has been actively discussing what might be suitable alternatives.
Japan Times
JAPAN / ANALYSIS
Sep 2, 2015
Olympics logo scandal highlights power of the Internet critic
As news broke Tuesday that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics organizing committee would scrap its official logo after weeks of plagiarism allegations surrounding the designer Kenjiro Sano, users of the popular 2channel gossip website posted a flurry of messages congratulating themselves.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 1, 2015
Contested Tokyo 2020 Olympic logo scrapped amid plagiarism claim
In another humiliating reversal over preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the organizing committee pulls the plug on the official logo after critics howled plagiarism.

Longform

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