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May 03, 2024
 

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Alyssa I. Smith
For Alyssa I. Smith's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Nov 18, 2017
'Red Roofs and Other Stories': Tales of restlessness by Junichiro Tanizaki
Junichiro Tanizaki is best known for his novels, "Naomi" and "The Makioka Sisters," and is widely considered one of Japan's greatest writers of modern literature. This collection of his early stories "Red Roofs & Other Stories," published between 1917 and 1926, begins with a novella-like story that alludes to Robert Louis Stevenson's "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," as well as Edgar Allan Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 16, 2017
Twice and Daichi Miura among 10 debuts at this year's 'Kohaku'
Pop outfits Little Glee Monster, Hey! Say! Jump and Twice will grace the stage for the first time at this year's "Kohaku Uta Gassen," with NHK appearing to court new viewers for its annual end-of-year musical extravaganza.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Nov 11, 2017
Lawsuit over student's dyed hair confronts outdated thinking in Japan
A Japanese public high school has come under fire for its strict policy regarding the color of its students' hair.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Nov 11, 2017
Airport hits sweet spot as honey proves to be runway success
Can sticky stuff stop the young leaving a small city in Shimane and bring in visitors too?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Nov 11, 2017
'Beasts Head for Home': Abe Kobos' novel of alienation in postwar Manchuria
Columbia University PressKobo Abe's "Beasts Head for Home," translated by Richard F. Calichman, is a harrowing fictionalized account of a young Japanese man who journeys through the harsh wasteland of Manchuria to reach an ancestral homeland he has never seen.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse,Japan Pulse
Oct 21, 2017
Commercials reflect a subtle shift in traditional parenting roles
A series of TV commercials aimed at parents in recent months has sparked intense online debate over traditional family values and the reality of modern life.
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Oct 21, 2017
Viral dance crazes highlight a generational shift
Japan is certainly no stranger to viral dance videos and one doesn't have to think too far back to recall the popularity of the koi (falling in love) dance routine that took the internet by storm last year.
JAPAN / Media / Pulsations
Oct 21, 2017
#MeToo assault campaign hits Japan
The hashtag #MeToo went viral on social media platforms last week, with people using it to speak out against sexual harassment and assault in the wake of the allegations made against disgraced U.S. film mogul Harvey Weinstein. In a tweet posted on Oct. 15, actor Alyssa Milano asked women who have been harassed or assaulted to use the hashtag to "give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem."
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Sep 30, 2017
'Ainori' reboot reflects attempt to attract a new generation
When Namie Amuro announced that she would be retiring in 2018, even those who weren't hard-core fans were shocked to hear that the pop star who had been an influential part of their seishun jidai (coming-of-age) would be leaving the music industry.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Sep 16, 2017
'Bullseye! Twenty Short Stories': More of Tsutsui's metafiction mayhem
Touted as 'Japan's preeminent writer of metafiction,' Tsutsui is an expert at deftly employing this narrative device to underscore his dark social commentary.
Weak yen fattens tourist wallets in Japan
People visit the Ameya Yokocho market in Tokyo's Ueno district during the Golden Week holiday on Tuesday.
Biden calls ally Japan ‘xenophobic’ along with rivals China and Russia
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks in Syracuse, New York, on April 25.
Number of vacant homes in Japan hits record high of 9 million
A vacant house in Tokyo is seen demolished in January 2020.
Harajuku strives to reclaim its former glory — and surpass it
Laforet Harajuku, which celebrated its 45th anniversary last year, has been a witness to the district's evolution over the years.
Saudi Arabia steps up Gaza-related arrests as Israel ties edge closer
The arrests for Gaza-related posts indicate Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s regime will take a hard line against citizens not toeing the line when it comes to normalizing ties with Israel.
Kishida sets sights on energy and climate in South America trip
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will use a policy speech in Sao Paulo to set out his vision for ties between Japan and South America, almost 10 years after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe advocated for stronger ties between the two in the same city.
Yellow sand allergy: A health issue made worse by climate change
A screenshot of the Meteorological Agency's satellite image of clouds and yellow sand (in pink) on Sunday.
Climate change, chalky grains and the risks for Japan’s rice farmers
A farmer plants seedlings in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture. Japan’s self sufficiency rate for rice is nearly 100%, compared with 38% for food overall, on a calorie basis.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.

Podcast

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

Longform

When trying to trace your lineage in Japan, the "koseki" is the most important form of document you'll encounter.
Climbing the branches of a Japanese family tree
By Alex K.T. Martin

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