Defying criticism, Taiji pushes forward with bold plans based on continued dolphin hunts
A few years back, the normally sleepy town of Taiji in Wakayama Prefecture was filled with activists furious with its traditional dolphin hunt, which was featured in "The Cove," a 2009 Academy Award-winning documentary. But as the fury ebbs, the town is now betting its ...
Michiko Ishimure, award-winning author who raised public awareness of Minamata disease, dies at 90
Michiko Ishimure, an award-winning author and social critic whose works put the spotlight on what became known as Minamata disease, died early Saturday due to acute exacerbation of Parkinson's disease. She was 90. A native of Kumamoto Prefecture, the prolific Ishimure is known for raising ...
Looking back at 2017's Trump-triggered resurgence in American activism in Japan
The Women of the World March in January that brought hundreds onto the streets of Tokyo was the highlight of a year of action.
Veteran activist, sour on electoral system, keeps fight for local rights alive over half a century
Shogo Miyazaki, a defiant activist who led an unsuccessful movement to oppose the construction of a freight line through a quiet residential area of Yokohama in the 1960s and 70s, is still unconvinced about the utility of Japan's electoral system. The now defunct Japanese National ...
Down but not out: Japan's anti-nuclear movement fights to regain momentum
Japan’s once highly motivated anti-nuclear movement struggles to maintain momentum amid a government push toward plant restarts.
Media vultures circle over battered SEALDs
That's it? It's over? "Scattered like leaves in the autumn wind," sighs Shukan Shincho magazine, speaking of the massive nationwide demonstrations that, through the summer, heralded (to some) a new political awakening of the Japanese masses (or something). The protesters' immediate target was new security ...
Students oppose Abe's assault on the Constitution
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe continues to say he will try to gain the public's understanding on the government's controversial security legislation, but there are few signs that he is winning anyone over. The massive demonstration held in front of the Diet on Aug. 30 is ...
The battle over Henoko Bay looks set to challenge the power of the archipelago's protest movement.
Monuments to peace reveal island's violent history
With its perpetual flame for peace and slabs of granite inscribed with the names of the more than 241,000 people who died on all sides during the Battle of Okinawa, the Okinawa Peace Memorial Park in Mabuni is the island's most famous monument — ...
Taro Yamamoto: Actor in the spotlight of Japan's antinuke movement
On a rainy midwinter day, Taro Yamamoto stood with a small group of people in front of Shimokitazawa Station in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward and addressed passers-by in that artsy youth-culture hub. "I am an actor — Taro Yamamoto," he announced. "And I would like to ...
