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May 21, 2024
 

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Gwynne Dyer

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Gwynne Dyer
Gwynne Dyer has worked as a journalist, broadcaster and lecturer on international affairs for more than 20 years; his articles are published in 45 countries. His book, "Climate Wars," deals with the geopolitical implications of climate change and has been translated into Japanese, French, Russian, Chinese and a number of other languages.
For Gwynne Dyer's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 6, 2015
Nigeria: an election under fire
Nigeria's president, Goodluck Jonathan, and his rival, Muhammadu Buhari, in the Feb. 14 presidential election have had good luck in cheating death in assassination attempts. But the combined effects of the presidencies of both over the past three decades have not been so lucky for Nigeria.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 29, 2015
With allies like these, who needs a caliphate?
Given the lack of commitment to the total destruction of Islamic State on the part of Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Iran, expect the terrorist group to survive for some years, despite the horrors it inflicts on the innocent people under its control.
COMMENTARY
Jan 22, 2015
Punch from the pope when the cause is right
At least U.S. President Barack Obama — and Pope Francis — had the good sense to dodge world leaders' little pantomime of defiance in the streets of Paris after the Charlie Hebdo killings.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 12, 2014
CIA torture: time to move on?
Even Sen. John McCain, who knows more about the subject of 'torture' than any other American politician since he was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam, confines himself to saying that torture is not a useful instrument for yielding credible information. He avoids mentioning it is also a grave crime under international law.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 2, 2014
Nigeria: The band plays on
Nigeria's government appears oddly detached as Boko Haram pushes the country toward civil war and disintegration.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 6, 2014
Merkel's counter-strike to bind Britain to EU
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's strategy now for keeping Britain in the EU is to force British Prime Minister David Cameron into an openly anti-EU stance, split the right-wing vote in Britain then open the way for Labour to win the election
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 2, 2014
Three elections that offer hope of better times
The results of each of three elections on Oct. 26 — in Brazil, Ukraine and Tunisia — at least offer the hope of better times.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 10, 2014
Containing exponential Ebola
Even without a vaccine, the governments of developed countries are confident that their health services can find and isolate any infected people quickly and prevent Ebola from becoming an epidemic in their countries. They are probably right, but they might be wrong.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 30, 2014
An imperfect Afghanistan
Afghanistan is a strikingly imperfect society in almost every respect: politics, economy, security and human rights. Nor does the two-headed potential monster of a government now being created in Kabul make it an entirely lost cause.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 13, 2014
Brazil's contradictory election candidate
Candidate Marina Silva has put together a set of policies and a coalition of supporters that are sometimes downright contradictory, but they may deliver her into the Brazilian presidency.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 5, 2014
The legacy of World War I
The 'storm of steel' of World War I, which for Britain began 100 years ago this week, began the process of people questioning how useful the whole institution of war was.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 1, 2014
Christian Arabs forced to flee
There were still about 60,000 Christians in Mosul when the U.S. and its sidekicks invaded Iraq 11 years ago. Only two months after the arrival of ISIS extremists, there are none. How did these and other Christian Arabs lose their place in the Arab world?
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 21, 2014
Clues to the evolution of warfare
As no great power has fought any other for the past 69 years, is it possible that humans are in the midst of a 'peaceful' transformation as a result of war becoming too dangerous and expensive to risk waging?
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 4, 2014
The return of the caliphate
Propagandists for the Sunni 'Islamic State' (aka ISIL) have produced a map in which this group of jihadis lay claim to Spain and Portugal — because they were once ruled by Muslim conquerors — Iran, most of India, the Balkans and half of Africa. So much for fantasy while it lasts.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 17, 2014
A window of opportunity opens for Iraq's Kurds
If the Kurds of Iraq play their cards right, they could end up with the borders they want, fully recognized by a government in Baghdad that has been saved from ISIS fanatics by Kurdish troops.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 15, 2014
No good options for Mosul
The Iraqi Army will have to destroy Mosul in order to save it — and it's not clear whether it can do the job even then.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 9, 2014
The irony of Putin's appearance at Normandy
The embarrassing presence of President Vladimir Putin on the Normandy beaches for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings was a useful reminder of the fact that Russia is not some Asiatic tyranny on Europe's eastern borders. It is a European country that has played a major role in the continent's affairs for centuries.
COMMENTARY / World
May 9, 2014
Waiting for a coup that'll install 'good people'
All the street demonstrations and legal obstructionism by Thailand's opposition are ultimately intended to create political paralysis that will provide the pretext for a coup. One problem with that is that a whole generation of Thais has now grown up expecting to have a political voice in their government.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 24, 2014
Late but handsome apology to Sephardic Jews
Spain isn't just saying sorry for expelling its Jews 522 years ago; it's offering to give their descendants back their citizenship. And Spanish citizenship is practically citizenship in all 28 EU countries.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 31, 2014
Libya's old divisions reawaken
A formal division of Libya into two successor states is now a real possibility.
Rare sequel to 'My Neighbor Totoro' to play at Cannes
A screening of "Mei and the Baby Cat Bus," which is being billed as a "mini-sequel" to the Studio Ghibli classic "My Neighbor Totoro," is set to take place at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday.
America wasn’t made for walking, and it’s killing them
A 2010 study found that U.S. adults averaged 5,117 steps daily and that this was lower than the averages found in similar studies in Switzerland, western Australia and Japan.
Fuchu Prison adapting to foreign prisoners
From the outside, the light-brown complex that is Fuchu Prison in western Tokyo could easily be mistaken for a city hall.
Why half of Japan's cities are at risk of disappearing in 100 years
A couple looks out onto the Fukuoka nightscape. Due to its distance from Tokyo and its close proximity to South Korea and China, professor Tomoya Mori believes that Fukuoka is one of the few metropolitan regions of Japan that will see some form of growth in the decades to come.
Japan concerned over U.S. officials' remarks on atomic bombings
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham speaks to reporters during a news conference in Washington on Thursday.
Fuchu Prison adapting to foreign prisoners
From the outside, the light-brown complex that is Fuchu Prison in western Tokyo could easily be mistaken for a city hall.
The politicians moving Japan forward on climate
While not the most outspoken politician on the issue, digital minister Taro Kono has a track record of being serious in his commitment to addressing the climate crisis.
Seoul's eclectic Art OnO shines light on Japan's artists and galleries
Art OnO, which took place from April 19 to 21 in Seoul, featured a modest number of 36 participating galleries from 15 countries.
Want to be a voice actor? Stay 'true to the character'
SungWon Cho is a veteran with more than 10 years of experience portraying characters in anime, cartoons and video games.
Local theater in Japan is more than a hobby — it’s a community
Japan Times contributor Laura Pollacco (front right) was offered the role of one of her all-time favorite heroines, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Bennet, in the Tokyo International Players’ production of “Pride and Prejudice.”

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

Things may look perfect to the outside world, but today's mom is fine with some imperfection at home.
How 'Reiwa moms' are reshaping motherhood in Japan
By Mai Yoshikawa

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