Kiyoshi Kurosawa: Filming and acting outside your comfort zone
When Japanese directors of a certain age and status film abroad, they usually head for developed countries, not developing ones. Although, to be fair, their choice of foreign locales often comes down to box-office calculations. Japanese audiences enjoy seeing famous European sites on the ...
Japan should use its long, under-appreciated history of engagement with Central Asia to promote stability in this vital area.
Japan beats Uzbekistan, claims top spot in Group F at Asian Cup
Defender Tsukasa Shiotani scored his first international goal for the win as Japan fought back to beat Uzbekistan 2-1 and clinch the top spot in Group F at the AFC Asian Cup on Thursday night. Striker Yoshinori Muto netted his first Samurai Blue goal in ...
Uzbeks paid dearly for U.S. support of Karimov regime
U.S. interest in their country has made Uzbeks' lives unspeakably miserable. And unless something radically unexpectedly takes place, that's likely to continue.
Islam Karimov had little regard for legal niceties, but his ability to keep keep Islamic radicals under control made him a critical figure for governments outside Central Asia.
A legacy of repression, slavery and kleptocracy
Uzbekistan's founding president has plenty of atrocities to his name.
Why Central Asia is less stable than it appears
Kept relatively peaceful by a handful of aging authoritarian leaders, the region is a ticking time bomb.
Uzbek's museum keeps memories of Japanese prisoners in Soviet camps alive
Documents on Japanese captives sent off to Soviet labor camps after the war are being displayed at a self-funded museum in Tashkent owned by an Uzbek man who spent nearly 20 years building it. "It is part of our history that Japanese people lived in ...
During visit, Kerry raises human rights issue with autocratic central Asian states
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday met Uzbekistan's autocratic ruler and officials from other Central Asian states accused of being among the world's worst human rights offenders. But in the talks in the ancient city of Samarkand, he tempered any public criticism as ...
Abe treads in China's footprints in Central Asia, picks up human rights baggage
Prime Minster Shinzo Abe's trip to Mongolia and Central Asia — in which he became the first Japanese leader ever to visit Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan — looks to bring in a raft of investment deals for Tokyo. But the whirlwind tour likely had ...
Abe plans tribute to postwar Japanese prisoners during Uzbekistan trip
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to honor postwar Japanese prisoners involved in building what is now a reputed theater in Uzbekistan during a visit to the country later this month, diplomatic sources from two nations said. With this year marking the 70th anniversary of the ...
Japan trounces Uzbekistan in friendly
Japan turned on the style to sweep Uzbekistan aside 5-1 on Tuesday night and give new manager Vahid Halilhodzic the perfect start with two wins out of two. Midfielder Toshihiro Aoyama blasted Japan into a sixth-minute lead with a long-range strike at Ajinomoto Stadium, before ...
