Commentary / Japan Aug 14, 2020
Reflections on ‘Japan’s longest day,’ 75 years on
by Michael MacArthur Bosack
What happened in the lead-up to Japan's surrender reveals just how complex the situation was even at the end of the war.
National | Regional Voices: Kyushu Dec 27, 2019
Critics assail secrecy over unexploded chemical weapons left by Imperial Japanese Army
At the end of World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army left a number of unexploded shells filled with poison gas used as munitions. In the 2000s, when such artillery shells were discovered and retrieved from the seabed off the coastal town of Kanda, ...
National / History Jul 8, 2019
The existence of a detailed report documenting how chemical weapons were used by the Imperial Japanese Army in China has been confirmed for the first time, a Japanese historian said Sunday. The official report, compiled by a frontline poison gas battalion posted in northern China, ...
National May 29, 2019
by Ronron Calunsod
The memories of Japanese soldier Hiroo Onoda remain alive on the Philippine island of Lubang, southwest of Manila, 45 years after his surrender. Onoda, an Imperial Japanese Army intelligence officer deployed to the island from December 1944 to lead guerrilla warfare at the height of ...
Books / Reviews Jul 7, 2018
'City of Devils' review: Reliving the heady days of gangster land Shanghai
by Martin Laflamme
The space was bare. Except for a dirty mattress, there was no furniture. Bugs were crawling on the walls, the chamber pot reeked. Unshaved, unwashed and alone, Jack Riley had only a few benzedrine pills left to feed his addiction. Soon, he would be ...
National / Politics Apr 29, 2018
China outlaws uploading of photos of people in Imperial Japanese Army costumes
China's legislature has enacted a law to criminalize the uploading of photographs containing people dressed in costumes based on the defunct Imperial Japanese Army. The law was unanimously approved by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Friday. It will take effect on ...
National / History Apr 16, 2018
Names of 3,607 members of Imperial Japanese Army's notorious Unit 731 released by national archives
The secretive unit’s commander, Lt. Gen. Shiro Ishii, and others received immunity from prosecution by giving the United States its data on germ warfare.
Olympics / Winter Olympics / Freestyle skiing Feb 9, 2018
Freestyle skier Nobuyuki Nishi apologizes for wearing hat with military design
Freestyle skier Nobuyuki Nishi revealed Friday that he has apologized for wearing a hat with a design resembling a controversial Japanese wartime flag at the Pyeongchang Olympic athletes' village. Speaking to reporters after finishing the first round of men's moguls qualifying in 16th place, Nishi ...
Business / Corporate May 15, 2017
Small Tokyo firm works to re-create wartime trainer aircraft
Olympos, a small Japanese aircraft-maker known for its unique products such as a real-life version of a fictional glider from popular animation, is now working on re-creating a defunct classic trainer biplane used by the former Imperial Japanese Army, aiming for its maiden flight ...
Books / Reviews Apr 22, 2017
by Ray Tsuchiyama
In "Curse on This Country: The Rebellious Army of Imperial Japan," multi-lingual Hebrew University senior lecturer Danny Orbach tracks nearly 80 years (1860-1936) of the influence of the Imperial Japanese Army's officer class on Japan. Curse on This Country: The Rebellious Army of Imperial Japan, ...
Commentary | COUNTERPOINT Feb 20, 2016
1936 coup failed, but rebels killed Japan's 'Keynes'
by Jeff Kingston
This Friday marks the 80th anniversary of the February 26th Incident, a coup staged by young military officers who hoped to spark a general uprising, but whose revolt was quashed on the orders of Emperor Hirohito. The plotters were arrested and several were executed. Martial ...
National / History Aug 14, 2015
Rare photos of wartime underground factory found in U.S. archives
Rare images of an underground munitions plant built by the Imperial Japanese Army toward the end of World War II have been found preserved at the U.S. National Archives, a Japanese group studying wartime remains said. The 17 photos of the facility in Takatsuki, Osaka ...