Jesse Johnson - The Japan Times

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Jesse Johnson

For Jesse Johnson's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:

JAPAN

Jul 31, 2015

WikiLeaks alleges widespread U.S. spying on Japanese government, major companies

Anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks releases a trove of documents titled “Target Tokyo” detailing alleged snooping by the U.S. National Security Agency on the Japanese government and businesses — just as negotiators from 12 nations, including Japan and the U.S., hope to wrap up the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Politics

Jul 14, 2015

Parody of LDP security bills video goes viral ahead of Diet vote

An animated video released by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party that attempts to explain the need for the security bills currently being debated by the Diet has spawned a scathing parody that attempts to shoot holes in the ruling coalition's argument for the legislation.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Politics

Jul 9, 2015

LDP, DPJ take to Internet to mount security bill-related campaigns of persuasion

As Prime Minister Shinzo Abe prepares to ram through legislation that would drastically alter Japan's security stance, both the LDP and DPJ are taking their arguments to the people — via a variety of online media.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Politics

Jun 11, 2015

Security bills' credibility hobbled by suspicious explanations and reporting: scholars

As the Diet continues debate over a raft of contentious bills that would upend Japan's postwar security regime, some scholars and experts are noting the need for at least some changes to the nation's defense posture considering the security climate in the region — and a more transparent approach to these changes.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Politics

May 11, 2015

LDP produces manga to make case for constitutional revision

The Liberal Democratic Party has published a new manga targeted at younger voters that argues the pacifist Constitution should be revised because it was hastily written in just eight days — by foreigners.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Politics

Apr 16, 2015

Critic Koga assails 'lynching' LDP, urges media to stand up for truth

An ex-bureaucrat who took on the Abe administration on one of the country's most popular news programs has called out media executives for increasingly giving in to government pressure.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Jan 25, 2015

Friend wages 'I am Kenji' campaign to free held journalist

With the plight of hostage Kenji Goto still unknown, and his fellow captive apparently executed, friends of the journalist have taken to social media to work for his release, creating an "I am Kenji" Facebook page and collecting signatures online.

Japan Times

JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS

Jan 21, 2015

Islamic State likely gave hostage ultimatum knowing difficulty of meeting it

The militant group, which aims to establish an Islamic caliphate, is likely using the hostage situation to generate renewed international attention, according to leading analysts.

LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL

Apr 21, 2010

New JLPT format: boon for some, bane for most

For students trying to leap the cavernous divide between Level 3 and Level 2 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) (日本語能力試験), a new test being held for the first time on July 4 breaks the task into two smaller, more manageable hops. Other students, though, might find that progress through the test’s levels is about to get harder.

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.

[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

Rows of irises resemble a rice field at the Peter Walker-designed Toyota Municipal Museum of Art.

The 'outsiders' creating some of Japan's greenest spaces

By Stephen Mansfield

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Vol. 35: Travel in time — and stay there

Vol. 35: Travel in time — and stay there

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