National May 2, 2019
North Korean authorities have given no public indication of any willingness to meet Abe.
National Aug 30, 2018
Tokyo protests Beijing's exclusion of Sankei Shimbun reporter from covering diplomatic meeting
by Tomohiro Osaki
The ban runs counter to Japan’s support for “basic human rights, including freedom of expression, and the rule of law,” the government’s top spokesman said.
National Jun 29, 2018
The Chinese Embassy in Japan protested to a Japanese newspaper Thursday for running a story that it said advocates Taiwanese independence, a move that Taiwan's Foreign Ministry rapped as "totally unacceptable." Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrew Lee called China's protest to the Sankei Shimbun, as reported ...
National / Media | MEDIA MIX Apr 7, 2018
In Japan no one wants to talk about sex education
by Philip Brasor
The English "penis" — which rhymes with "Venice" in katakana — is the preferred technical term when discussing male genitalia in Japan, but even that seems to be taboo in broadcast situations.
National / Media Feb 8, 2018
Sankei Shimbun retracts unverified story of rescue by U.S. Marine in Okinawa
The Sankei Shimbun has retracted a story it published last year about a U.S. Marine saving a person involved in a car crash in Okinawa, saying in its Thursday edition that it could not confirm that the events took place. The national daily apologized to ...
National / Media | MEDIA MIX Nov 18, 2017
Ad money makes the news world go round
by Philip Brasor
In a Nov. 8 press release, the Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center announced that Katsuya Takasu, the most famous plastic surgeon in Japan, was no longer a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS). Previously, the center had been urging the AACS ...
National / Media | MEDIA MIX Sep 23, 2017
Political protest or textbook harassment?
by Philip Brasor
In 1979, The New Yorker ran a very long article by Frances FitzGerald about American history textbooks and how they had changed over the years. She said that the framing of history depends on who is writing it and, more importantly, who is supporting ...
National / Media | MEDIA MIX Mar 25, 2017
How the word 'terrorism' can help pass a bill
by Philip Brasor
During the recent Diet grilling over his alleged involvement in the Moritomo Gakuen land purchase scandal, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe accused his opposition party tormentors of resorting to inshō sōsa. The most accurate English translation is probably "image manipulation," which, in the age of ...
Asia Pacific / Politics Apr 12, 2016
South Korea's pre-election speech freedoms falling victim to sudden online curbs
With cheap and ubiquitous access to the world's fastest Internet speeds and a lively democracy, South Korea's cyberspace could flourish with rich discussions and debates ahead of the country's general election this week. The reality, however, is that online comments or posts depicting a candidate ...
Issues | JUST BE CAUSE Jan 3, 2016
Battles over history, the media and the message scar 2015
by Debito Arudou
A rundown of the top 10 human rights issues of the past year as they affected non-Japanese residents.
National / Crime & Legal Dec 23, 2015
Seoul prosecutors say they will not appeal the recent acquittal of a Japanese journalist they had earlier charged with defaming South Korea's president. Prosecutors had sought an 18-month prison term for Tatsuya Kato of the conservative Sankei Shimbun newspaper, but a Seoul district court declared ...
National / Crime & Legal Dec 17, 2015
Sankei journalist Tatsuya Kato acquitted of defaming South Korean leader
The Seoul Central District Court cleared Kato in a case that raised new questions about media freedom.