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July 27, 2024
 

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Roger Pulvers

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Roger Pulvers
Roger Pulvers is an author, playwright, theater director and translator who divides his time between Tokyo and Sydney. He has published more than 40 books. His latest book in English is "The Dream of Lafcadio Hearn."
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Mar 2, 2008
Will Japan's insular mindset ever be inclusive of others?
First of two parts
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Feb 24, 2008
New values rise from the ashes of conformity
Second of two parts
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Feb 17, 2008
In Japan, there's a 'quiet revolution' afoot
First of two parts
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Feb 10, 2008
Kurosawa cohort tells illuminating Showa tails
Alongside great artists are those who witness their triumphs and setbacks, recording behind-the-scenes episodes that illuminate the processes of art.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Feb 3, 2008
'Lest We Forget' — what?
There may be no more potent expression of our consciousness of historical tragedy than the three words "Lest We Forget."
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Jan 27, 2008
In memory of one for whom Japan was a muse
A month ago I lost a very close friend. This would not be the proper place to write about it, except for the fact that despite her not being Japanese, her profound understanding of Japan and her love for the country were the lifeblood of her artistic career.
LIFE / Language
Jan 22, 2008
Corny corkers add life to lingo, you elephant!
First of two parts
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Jan 20, 2008
'Three ecologies' pioneer fought Japan's rape of nature
Second of two parts
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Jan 13, 2008
Japan's wild genius of slime-mold fame and more
First of two parts
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Jan 6, 2008
Why have Japan's bookworms turned?
Let's talk books this first Sunday of the new year.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Dec 23, 2007
Oh, to be American — with God on Your side
The administration of George W. Bush, with its faith-based mission, is seen by many as a radical departure from the main- stream of American politics. But in fact it is no more than a continuation, in a mildly extreme form, of what has gone before. Bush has changed the typeface, but not the layout, on...
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Dec 16, 2007
'Kyoko' shines on as the true star she was
Tomorrow is the first anniversary of the death of a wonderful friend. Actress and author Kyoko Kishida passed away on Dec. 17, 2006, and Japan lost not only a fantastic stage presence but also an immense creative spirit and inspiration to its young actors.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Dec 9, 2007
A moment of opportunity for Australia's new PM
The election of Kevin Rudd as prime minister of Australia last month gives that country an excellent opportunity to broaden the base, and redefine the tenor, of its ties with Japan.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Dec 2, 2007
A country of consumers who salivate over swank
Does any country have as many food programs on television as Japan?
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Nov 25, 2007
Salvation Skype's out for a state of despair
I must confess this Sunday. No, I am not about to blurt out my sins. I would rather keep those to myself, thank you. The confession today is out of total despair. Despair for this country we are living in: Japan.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Nov 18, 2007
How well do you really know Japan?
Well, dear reader, it's time for our annual How Well Do You Know Japan? quiz.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Nov 11, 2007
Why trust the self-serving United States anymore?
I began by asking myself the question linked inevitably to the survival of the United States as a trusted nation in the 21st century: Why can't America admit defeat?
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Nov 4, 2007
Who'd trust conservatives to conserve the countryside?
Farmers in many countries are icons of their nation's ethos. But "American Gothic," Grant Wood's famed 1930s painting of a gaunt, stoic-looking farming couple complete with pitchfork, is by no means the whole story. In fact, today it is not even part of it.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Oct 28, 2007
A rough guide to avoiding ethnocentric cloddery
Writing in The Guardian on Oct. 16, Mark McCrum listed 10 "hot tips to avoid social embarrassment" while traveling overseas. There were three among these travel faux pas that particularly caught my eye.
COMMENTARY / COUNTERPOINT
Oct 21, 2007
The power of telling tales versus making apologies
In his new book, "The Political Brain," Drew Westen analyzes in detail the election debates of 2000 between Al Gore and George W. Bush. Westen points out that it was Gore's dispassionate approach to issues that hurt him. Bush, then as now, presents himself as someone who knows what is right (and moral)...
Japan's population continues to fall even as foreign resident count rises
The number of residents in Tokyo as of Jan. 1 rose by 0.03% from a year before, data shows, marking a year-on-year increase for the first time in three years, while the country's other 46 prefectures saw their populations continue to decline.
Japan’s minimum wage set for record ¥50 hike in major boost
Demonstrators rally to demand a big hike in minimum wages in Tokyo last week.
One dead, three missing as heavy rain batters Tohoku
Camera footage shows the Mogami River bursting its banks in Tozawa, Yamagata Prefecture, on Friday morning.
Yen melt-up nudges Japanese stocks into correction territory
Japanese stocks are down 10% from their July peak as the yen strengthens.
Yen rally could help end crushing wage decay in Japan
Some economists say a sticky weak yen trend would have a negative impact on Japan's real wage growth.
When did summer in Japan stop being fun?
Summer in Japan is now consistently brutal enough to drive you indoors and keep you there until autumn.
Japan’s minimum wage set for record ¥50 hike in major boost
Demonstrators rally to demand a big hike in minimum wages in Tokyo last week.
Japan loses top spot on strongest passport list to Singapore
Japan had the strongest passport for six years running from 2018, before being dethroned by Singapore on the 2024 list.
Why Japan's mysterious stash of classified funds escapes scrutiny
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi (right) during a meeting in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Japan eyes gold — and the future — as Olympic men's soccer campaign begins
Japan midfielder Yu Hirakawa controls the ball during a match against the United States in Kansas City, Kansas, on June 11.

Podcast

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

Longform

Traditional folk rituals like Mizudome-no-mai (dance to stop the rain) provide a sense of agency to a population that feels largely powerless in the face of the climate crisis.
As climate extremes intensify, Japan embraces ancient weather rituals
By Alex K.T. Martin

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