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July 06, 2025
 

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Michael MacArthur Bosack

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Michael MacArthur Bosack
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 22, 2023
Kishida breaks new ground in visit to Ukraine
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has effectively paved the way for future Japanese leaders to demonstrate Japanese leadership abroad with his visit to Ukraine.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 10, 2023
Preparing the SDF for tomorrow’s fight and today’s needs
How does the SDF balance between posturing for the combat operations of tomorrow and the disaster relief missions of today?
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 2, 2023
The paradox that is Fumio Kishida’s leadership
Lucky for Prime Minister Kishida, the Japanese public does not see a viable alternative to the LDP for running the government.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 16, 2023
Fumio Kishida is succeeding abroad but failing at home
Kishida's polling numbers remain in the “caution area,” and there seems to be little opportunity for him to turn things around before local elections in April.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 17, 2023
Key takeaways from Japan-U.S. talks worth noting
The fact that Japan and the U.S. do not require continuous renegotiation of their standing agreements is an important one, and shows the strength of the alliance.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 5, 2023
Prime Minister Kishida’s 2023 survival strategy
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has a tough road ahead, but he is politically savvy and has been adept at making the moves necessary to remain in office so far.
COMMENTARY / Japan / Perspectives
Dec 23, 2022
What to make of Japan’s new defense documents
Nothing in Japan's new defense documents signals an abandonment of the core principles of its security, but a refinement of roles and capabilities to match modern needs.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 13, 2022
The politics of Japan's defense spending
When Japan first imposed the 1% of GDP defense-spending ceiling , the issue has been a matter of politics and any attempt to breach that threshold has been taboo.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 16, 2022
Is the clock running out for the prime minister?
Will Prime Minister Fumio Kishida be able to recover from his political troubles, or is he on a path to join the party's long list of short-lived prime ministers?
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 25, 2022
Key takeaways from the Australia-Japan summit
The Australia-Japan summit in Perth was big on deliverables, focusing on security cooperation, China and values.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 12, 2022
Nepotism and Japan's political dynasties
The appointment of Fumio Kishida's son as an executive secretary in the Prime Minister's Office has prompted a backlash and is raising questions about nepotism.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 2, 2022
A man larger than life: Remembering Antonio Inoki
Antonio Inoki, a pro wrestler, businessman and politician, was a transformative and inspirational figure for his nation. He will be missed.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 22, 2022
Kishida would be riding high except for a political misstep
By going for a unity Cabinet, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was forced to bring in members from factions that were at greater risk of being linked with the Unification Church.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 21, 2022
Ukraine wants Japan to be a security guarantor
Given Japan is the world's No. 3 economy, and despite it's inability to grant substantive military support, Kyiv's pursuit of Tokyo's backing makes sense and would be a boon for Ukraine.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 12, 2022
How Japan's political system linked the Unification Church with lawmakers
One problem faced by Japan is that there are institutional and customary factors that allow fringe organizations to maintain access to politicians at the highest levels of government.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 11, 2022
What's behind the key appointments in Kishida’s new ‘unity Cabinet’
Selections have significant implications for what observers should expect from the government over the next year.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 15, 2022
Opposition seeks answers after heavy Upper House election defeat
Japan's Upper House election should have been a far more contested vote than it was, but the opposition once again failed to make the right moves.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 12, 2022
Dissecting Kishida’s post-election road map
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has important choices to make on how he leverages his renewed mandate and extra political capital after the LDP's strong Upper House election showing.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 9, 2022
The massive void that Shinzo Abe’s assassination has left behind
Japan's longest-serving prime minister wasn't just any other leader — he was a towering figure whose death has completely changed the nation's political landscape.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 24, 2022
Five things to know about Japan's opposition parties going into the election
Unseating incumbents is usually difficult, but media outlets and observers are giving opposition parties even less a chance than usual of scoring big wins.
Japan braces for more quakes as authorities dismiss doomsday hype
Evacuees from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecuture, arrive at Kagoshima Port on Friday.
Hidden AI prompts in academic papers spark concern about research integrity
Waseda University is one of 14 institutions in eight countries found to have used hidden prompts in research papers.
A prophesied disaster (likely) won’t strike Japan this weekend
A viral manga prediction of a July 5 disaster has gripped Japan with anxiety and triggered an economic impact, but experts warn that while such dates are unreliable, the threat of a massive earthquake remains real. 
Residents of Tokara Islands begin evacuation as seismic swarm continues
Details about evacuations from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture, is seen written on a whiteboard in the city of Kagoshima on Thursday.
U.S. military apologizes over Okinawa sexual assault case
Col. Neil Owens (right), chief of staff for the 3rd Marine Division, bows in apology at the Okinawa Prefectural Government office in Naha on Thursday.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Flag football facing challenges and opportunities ahead
Japan’s women’s flag football team at the 2025 International Bowl in Los Angeles in June. The sport is enjoying continued growth in the country.
From Hokusai’s Great Wave, shinkansen to One Piece: a cultural treasure box for Lego Japan
Michael Ebbesen, general manager of Lego Japan, says Lego bricks based on Japanese culture have a rich global appeal and are sellable around the world.
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
Chef Hideaki Matsuo (middle) and the staff of Oseto Suisan Fisheries prepare to check on their sustainably farmed fish.
As Southeast Asia heats up, a Japanese cooling giant sees a major opportunity
An employee of Daikin Cambodia explains the use of different tools during an air conditioner installation training session in Phnom Penh. Daikin is one of Japan’s oldest air conditioning companies, but as Japan’s population falls, the firm is keying in on overseas growth.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji
By Alex K.T. Martin

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