author

 
 

Meta

Adrian Wooldridge
For Adrian Wooldridge's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Former British Prime Minister David Cameron (right) and former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg are both experiencing a revival in U.K. political and business circles.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 10, 2024
Has the U.K. learned nothing from Brexit?
The current success of David Cameron and Nick Clegg in the U.K. suggests that the country — and the world — have learned little from populism's rise.
Actor Joaquin Phoenix (left), actress Vanessa Kirby and director Ridley Scott arrive for the U.K. premiere of the movie "Napoleon" in London on Nov. 16.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 20, 2023
Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon’ and our need for historical heroes
The new movie Napoleon' reignites the debate on the role of great individuals in history
Rupert Murdoch in his office in New York in 2007. Murdoch's decision to step down from the boards of News Corp. and Fox Corp. marks the end of a decadeslong media career.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 25, 2023
Rupert Murdoch, the last of the press barons
No living person has influenced the media landscape like Rupert Murdoch. Should we view his career in a favorable light, or is his legacy one of darkness?
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 14, 2023
Scratch a tech bro and you’ll find a naked ape
The fitness antics of Silicon Valley titans suggest that 21st-century business leadership is as much about displaying physical dominance as it is about showing foresight.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 1, 2023
A sick America can’t compete with global powers
Poor health is not just a tragedy for individuals. It is a constraint on the U.S.’s productivity and its ability to defend itself.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 29, 2022
Are Putin and Xi in decline? Populism and autocracy still have deep resources.
Liberal democracy is still imperiled, despite all the recent cheerfulness from enemies of authoritarianism.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 28, 2022
Rishi Sunak is a new and old-fashioned Tory
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the first Hindu to lead the country, is a fascinating combination of the new and the old in the world of the ruling Conservative Party.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 9, 2022
The revolutionary monarchy of Queen Elizabeth II
The British queen defied the informal styles of other European royals and transformed the Windsors into a staunchly bourgeois, yet mesmerizing dynasty.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 30, 2022
How venture capital created the modern world
Rather than focusing on predictable returns, venture capitalists are in the business of betting on the future.

Longform

Historically, kabuki was considered the entertainment of the merchant and peasant classes, a far cry from how it is regarded today.
For Japan's oldest kabuki theater, the show must go on