ERISA TAKEDA WRITES – Japan’s Justice Ministry wants to answer what is apparently a pressing question for the country: Are we racists? The ministry has announced that it will be sending out surveys of questionnaires to foreign residents written in 13 different languages to ask about their experiences of…
Full Article JAPAN: ARE WE RACIST?
ERISA TAKEDA WRITES – It was quite a familial setting – he sat at the head of the table over lunch as he recounted episodes in his 83 years of life in a calm but assured manner. No, this was not my grandfather, but renowned Japanese journalist, Fumio Matsuo. There…
Full Article JAPAN: JOURNALIST FORETELLS
ERISA TAKEDA WRITES – Japan and Saudi Arabia each want a better economy. To get there, they’ve just doubled down on closer bilateral relations and deeper cultural ties. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met in Tokyo September 1 to sign a handful of agreements…
Full Article JAPAN AND SAUDI ARABIA: THE TIES THAT BIND
ERISA TAKEDA WRITES – Is PM Abe following in the footsteps of Xi regarding clamping down on the media? Japan has a different media system from China’s, so that is quite a dramatic statement and therefore I do not think that Abe is exactly following Xi’s footsteps regarding media censorship.…
Full Article JAPAN: COLD WAR AGAINST THE NEWS MEDIA
ERISA TAKEDA WRITES – Despite claims from the Right that the film lacked credibility, would hurt U.S.-Japanese relations, and put the country in a bad light, Angelina Jolie’s biopic “Unbroken” opened in Japan without incident February 6. Released under the title “A Man of Fortitude” — a direct translation of…
Full Article JAPAN: ‘Unbroken’ finally released in JapanERISA TAKEDA WRITES: Hi all! My mom tells me that in Japan, it’s a tradition to start a letter by addressing the season. So: For the past three weeks or so, Japan has been getting warnings of typhoons 9, 10, 11, and the upcoming 12. Do not be fooled; this…
Full Article JAPAN: A Letter from Tokyo