Are press activities being undermined in Japan?
The Foreign Ministry ordered freelance journalist Kosuke Tsuneoka to surrender his passport after he tried to leave Japan on Feb. 2 for Yemen, which is in the midst of a civil war. The ostensible reason for the order is that Tsuneoka in January attempted ...
News outlets' coverage of abuse cases can make the situation worse
In her 2017 book, "Thinking About Child Abuse,” Haru Sugiyama describes her correspondence with Yukihiro Saito, who is serving a lengthy sentence for causing the death of his 5-year-old son, Riku, in the mid-2000s through neglect. In his letters, Saito expresses regret, but also ...
Tabloid's objectification of women continues to stir controversy
The weekly magazine Spa has apologized for an article it published in December that ranked universities in terms of how easy it is to get their female students into bed. The article generated backlash but the apology was issued in response to a petition ...
Isle dispute with Russia tied to base issues, argues author Koji Yabe
There seems to be little chance that Russia will ever give back any part of the four islands it seized from Japan at the end of World War II, but the Japanese government, as well as some mainstream media, continues to act as if ...
Hitachi chief's remarks on nuclear industry spark debate
On Jan. 1, Hiroaki Nakanishi, chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), held press interviews on the outlook of the business community and, at one point, the discussion turned to nuclear energy. Nakanishi is also the chairman of Hitachi Ltd., a major supplier of nuclear ...
Japan's vernacular press coverage tiptoes around tattoo controversy
Before the Olympic Games come to Tokyo in the summer of 2020, Japan will get a chance to prove its mettle as an international sporting events host with the Rugby World Cup this fall. The games will be spread out among 12 stadiums nationwide, ...
Internet rightists' strategy of provocation gaining traction in Japan
Popular TV personality and model Rola recently tweeted her opposition to new U.S. base construction in Okinawa. The comment was immediately derided by people who said celebrities like her had no business in political debates. Although these critics may support base construction, they didn't ...
Heisei Era a bumpy ride for Japan's media organizations
The media is busy assessing the Heisei Era as it comes to a close. Although not as dramatic as the Showa Era, it's been a bumpy ride. Japan still hasn't gotten the hang of this democracy thing, and an engaged, objective press is essential ...
Rationale for extending Japan's copyright protections unclear
Several weeks ago, I was surprised to read that a revision to the copyright law would go into effect on Dec. 30, extending the current protection period from 50 years after an author's death to 70 years. When the extension was first discussed as ...
Carlos Ghosn's arrest spurs debate on executive salaries in Japan
On Dec. 10, Masaaki Tanaka, former vice president of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, told a news conference he would step down as president and CEO of Japan Investment Corp., an entity set up by the government in September to develop new industries through capital ...
Korean wartime labor rulings spark debate
The 2017 South Korean film, "The Battleship Island," has yet to receive a theatrical release in Japan, even though it's set on Hashima, more commonly known as Gunkanjima, a former mining complex off the coast of Kyushu and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Given ...
Question mark hangs over holiday reshuffles
The Diet passed a bill in June that will shift certain national holidays in 2020 to ease traffic congestion during the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Marine Day, which is usually the third Monday of July, will be moved to July 23, the day before ...
