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April 29, 2024
 

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SENTAKU MAGAZINE

COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Nov 25, 2008
U.S.-China ties weaken alliances
As the United States works harder than ever to strengthen relations with China, there are signs its alliances with Japan and Taiwan are weakening. A conspicuous sign of change in Japan-U.S. ties came early Oct. 12 when President George W. Bush telephoned Prime Minister Taro Aso to inform the latter of the decision to remove North Korea from Washington's list of terrorism-supporting nations.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Nov 17, 2008
LDP split on when to fight
A serious schism has developed within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party of Prime Minister Taro Aso between those who demand an early general election and those who favor waiting for the political and economic situation to improve so that the party has a better chance of winning.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Oct 28, 2008
DPJ leadership after Ozawa
At an extraordinary convention of the Democratic Party of Japan in Tokyo on Sept. 21, DPJ leader Ichiro Ozawa surprised party members by declaring that the upcoming Lower House election will be his last opportunity to lead a nationwide political campaign.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Oct 20, 2008
Aso's curtailed prospects
Although Taro Aso won a landslide victory in the presidential election of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Sept. 22 and was elected prime minister two days later, his administration could conceivably become the shortest in history, shorter even than the record 54 days of Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni, who ruled the country starting Aug. 17, 1945 — two days after World War II ended.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Sep 26, 2008
Japan's mature spectators
Has democracy matured in Japan? Scholar-turned-politician Yoichi Masuzoe used to say Japan is a mature democratic nation, as its politics is led by public opinion. Recently, however, he seems to have reversed his way of thinking, as he states that Japanese citizens have become more like spectators than wielders of sovereign power.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Sep 19, 2008
Ozawa bets on a takeover
Ichiro Ozawa, leader of the No. 1 opposition Democratic Party of Japan, has long been known as a gambler, both at the casino and in the political arena. When he was his 40s, he often went to London to study British parliamentary politics, which he regarded as a model of political reform. While there, he would take young bureaucrats at the Japanese Embassy to casinos.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Sep 1, 2008
Japanese nurses blocking skilled help from overseas
The Japanese Nursing Association is doing more harm than good to the nation's health care as it steadfastly puts up barriers to nurses and care workers from other countries wishing to work in Japan. What's worse, the association is supported by the health ministry.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Aug 22, 2008
Abe edging back into fight
Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appears to be trying to move back into the political limelight, even though his close associates think it's too early.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Jul 22, 2008
Clustering with the Europeans
Japan was among the 111 countries that took part in an international conference held in Dublin, Ireland, in May and unanimously adopted a treaty that, in principle, prohibits all signatories from using, developing, producing, stockpiling, retaining or transferring cluster munitions.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Jul 15, 2008
Keidanren hedging bets on LDP
The Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) is showing signs of changing its unflinching support for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, as it seeks closer ties with the No. 1 opposition Democratic Party of Japan.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Jun 24, 2008
Silver-spoon politicians who rule
A growing number of politicians in Japan have "inherited" their parliamentary seats from their fathers. Unless this "hereditary" system is reversed, Japanese politics in all likelihood will continue on a path of decline.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Jun 16, 2008
Reluctant runner viewed as possible Fukuda fill-in
It is expected that a race for Japan's national leadership will start after Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda hosts the summit meeting of the Group of Eight industrialized nations in Toyako, Hokkaido, in July.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
May 27, 2008
Tycoon aims to speed up politics
Business tycoon Hiroshi Okuda is said to be meeting frequently but secretly with leading figures of both the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the No. 1 opposition Democratic Party of Japan, apparently with an eye to reorganizing the political landscape after general elections expected in the not-too-distant future.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
May 19, 2008
Early election plot thickens
The ripples of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's hint in a recent speech at an early dissolution of the Lower House and a general election seems to have spread to leading figures in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Apr 21, 2008
Is Japan's bureaucracy still living in the 17th century?
The roots of both the Japanese and French bureaucratic systems can be traced to Jean-Baptiste Colbert, who as controller general under "the sun king" Louis XIV was instrumental in ushering in mercantilism to Europe and exerted great influence over the government control of the private sector.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Apr 16, 2008
Change sweeping North Korea
Drastic changes appear to be taking place in North Korea as its Korean Workers' Party (KWP) further strengthens its grip and its strongman Kim Jong Il tackles three major tasks: to pave the way for announcing his successor, to minimize whatever damage may result from the birth of a new conservative government in South Korea, which is less friendly to the North, and to normalize the strained relationship with Japan.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Mar 25, 2008
Fukuda's pain is Aso's gain
The focal point in Japanese politics has been shifting from when Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda will call general elections to who will replace him.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Mar 17, 2008
Ozawa's troops are restless
Political insiders have begun suspecting that Ichiro Ozawa may be losing his grip on the Democratic Party of Japan after a head-on collision between the DPJ and the governing coalition was averted during 11th-hour mediation by the Lower House speaker and the Upper House president.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Feb 27, 2008
Wanted: world's best minds
With further globalization of economic strategies among the industrially advanced nations, fostering and securing "brains" in the scientific and technological fields has become of utmost importance to every country.
COMMENTARY / World / SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Feb 19, 2008
Fukuda and Ozawa plotting
A generally accepted view is that the opposition Democratic Party of Japan is bent on forcing Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda to dissolve the Lower House and call general elections just as soon as possible, while the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito seeks to put off the elections at least until after the July summit meeting of the Group of Eight industrialized nations in Hokkaido, or preferably until the expiration of the Lower House members' tenure in September next year.
Number of homeless in Japan hits record low
Homeless people sleep on the street in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward in August 2021.
Raising kids in Japan as a single parent? It takes a village.
Making things work as a foreign, single mother in Japan isn't easy, but these tips and tricks can help you through the hardest parts.
JAL cancels international flight after captain gets drunk at Dallas hotel
A Japan Airlines' flight from Dallas to Tokyo was canceled last week after its captain got drunk at a local hotel.
In Japan, regional revitalization fails to halt population decline
Sakiyama elementary school in Tamba, Hyogo Prefecture, in March .Over the past decade, the government has directed efforts toward policies designed to give young people incentives to base themselves in rural areas.
Putin’s war will soon reach Russians’ tax bills
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a meeting in St. Petersburg on Friday.
Climate change, chalky grains and the risks for Japan’s rice farmers
A farmer plants seedlings in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture. Japan’s self sufficiency rate for rice is nearly 100%, compared with 38% for food overall, on a calorie basis.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.
Casa del Cibo: A thriving jewel born from Tohoku’s harsh past
When chef Ryohei Ikemi moved to Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, and opened Casa del Cibo in 2011, it was the first proper Italian restaurant in the city.
Town to block view of Mount Fuji in response to overtourism
The town government of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, decided to set up a 2.5-meter-high screen to prevent tourists from taking pictures of Mount Fuji looming behind a convenience store.

Podcast

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.
[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

Longform

When trying to trace your lineage in Japan, the "koseki" is the most important form of document you'll encounter.
Climbing the branches of a Japanese family tree
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass
Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass

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