Impact of US Autistic Foreign Policies on the Balkans: Part III Kosovo and Plight of the Serbs By Vojin Joksimovich Modern Tokyo Times In part I of this series the writer explained that the term “autistic” comes from the former US ambassador to Moscow Jack Matlock who used that word to characterize US foreign policy.…
Japanese Art with Ronin Gallery in New York: Edo Art to Contemporary Tomoko Hara and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The rich traditions of Japanese art during the Edo period to contemporary artists can be viewed at the Ronin Gallery in New York. Equally appealing, the Ronin Gallery utilizes modern technology therefore adorable art…
Tokyo Fashion News: Vibes of Young Tokyo Ladies in Harajuku and Omotesando Sarah Deschamps and Hiroshi Saito Modern Tokyo News Fashion lovers all over the world know the power of Tokyo because this sector is ultra-competitive and vast sums are spent every year in order to get a piece of the “Tokyo apple pie.” The…
Russia, Syria, US, Gulf States and Migrant Crisis: Former Yugoslavia to Syria Murad Makhmudov, Michiyo Tanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The ineptitude of the Obama administration in America knows no boundaries when it comes to foreign policy. In truth, this is following on from past administrations in this nation when it comes…
Central African Republic: Christian Neighborhood Attacked by Muslims in Bangui Lielit Kebede, Takeshi Hasegawa and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Religious clashes erupted after Muslims attacked a Christian neighborhood in the capital of Bangui. The attack took place after a Muslim male was found dead but the reasons behind his death still remain…
Islamist Killers of Secular Writers in Bangladesh now Threaten Global Murder: ISIS and Islamist Inquisition Amina Qamar, Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The independent nation state of Bangladesh in 1971 emerged victorious in the War of Independence against the dictatorial nation of Pakistan that refused to acknowledge ethnic, linguistic, cultural and…
Japanese Art and Impact of the Middle Kingdom (China): Shubun Inspired by Xia Gui and Ma Yuan Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Tensho Shubun was inspired by an array of areas related to China. In the realm of art then this notably applies to Xia Gui and Ma Yuan. Other notable…
Central African Republic: The roots of violence Africa Report N°230 International Crisis Group The full report is currently available in: French. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS Crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR) is longterm and characterised by sporadic surges of violence against a backdrop of state disintegration, a survival economy and deep inter-ethnic cleavages. Armed…
Tokyo Fashion News: Ginza Fashion and Changing Dynamics Kanako Itamae and Sarah Deschamps Modern Tokyo Times Ginza is located in a very leafy part of Tokyo and the fashion angle to this district is known because of the endless exquisite boutiques that exist throughout this vibrant district. This reality still exists strongly within the plush…
Hezbollah and the Shia and Sunni Sectarian Issue: Nasrallah and the Bigger Picture Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The conflict in Syria remains unresolved because the United States wants to bleed everyone to death. At the same time, Turkey and feudal kingdoms in the Gulf, for example Qatar and Saudi Arabia,…
The Islamic State’s Uneven Trajectory in Libya Publication: Terrorism Monitor Volume: 13 Issue: 19 By: Nathaniel Barr The Jamestown Foundation As the Islamic State sought to expand geographically in the months following the declaration of the caliphate in June 2014, Libya initially appeared to be the organization’s most promising frontier outside of Syria and Iraq.…
Art of Japan and the Intriguing and Mysterious World of Ukiyo-e Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The amazing aspect of ukiyo-e is that nothing is hidden therefore you can witness stunning landscapes, the world of sinister ghosts, elegant fashion, beautiful ladies, murders, military ventures, holy religious leaders, strong images of sexuality where nothing is…
Esthederm and Tokyo Beauty at Keio Department Store in Shinjuku: Cosmetics and Skin Care Tomoko Hara and Michel Lebon Modern Tokyo Times Keio Department Store in Shinjuku is located in the heart of buzzing Tokyo. Shinjuku is awash with amazing department stores that cater for fashion, lifestyle, cosmetics and an array of other products. This…
Myanmar’s Peace Process: A Nationwide Ceasefire Remains Elusive International Crisis Group OVERVIEW After more than six decades of internal armed conflict, the next four weeks could be decisive for Myanmar’s peace process. The process, which was launched in August 2011, enjoyed significant initial success, as bilateral ceasefires were agreed with more than a dozen ethnic…
Japan and Vietnam Strengthen Relations: China and South China Sea (East Sea) Amina Qamar, Takeshi Hasegawa and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The governments of Japan and Vietnam have agreed to strengthen economic and Security relations. On top of this, Japan will provide powerful loans in order to support infrastructural development projects. Therefore, the…
Hatsune Miku and the Cute Perfect Girlfriend: Reality or unreality? Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times In Japan it is sometimes difficult to understand the concept of life and death in a nation where tens of thousands of people kill themselves every year. Not surprisingly, in such a highly developed nation then…
Tokyo Tourism and Adorable Mountain Range: Culture, Religion and Scenery Olivier LeCourt and Hiroshi Saito Modern Tokyo Times Japanese tourism is internationally famous because of many different angles. This applies to the rich traditions of Japanese culture which can be found throughout this nation. Therefore, images of the Japanese tea ceremony, kabuki, ukiyo-e, Buddhism, Shintoism,…
The Finnish Foreign Fighter Contingent in Syria and Iraq Publication: Terrorism Monitor By: Juha Saarinen The Jamestown Foundation By August 2015, at least 70 individuals from Finland had travelled to Syria and Iraq (Suomen Uutiset, July 30). [1] According to an Interior Ministry report from August 2014, the vast majority intended to join “radical opposition…
Geopolitical Concerns of Turkmenistan: EU, NATO, Iran and the Russian Federation Nuray Lydia Oglu, Hiroshi Saito and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The nation of Turkmenistan is of major geopolitical significance because of its shared borders with Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Of equal significance is the coastal area that links Turkmenistan to the…
Complex Nature of Buddhist Art in Japan: Rinzai school of Buddhism Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sesshu Toyo (1420-1506) and Sengai Gibon (1750-1837) are two famous individuals in Japanese history. However, despite belonging to the same Rinzai school of Buddhism both individuals had hugely different views of art and the faith they shared. Therefore,…
Yasui Sotaro and Art of Japan: The Impact of Paris Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Yasui Sotaro (1888-1955) was born in Kyoto and he is famous for yoga (Western-style) portraiture. It is clear that this talented individual understood his vocation because he pursued a career in art despite his family desiring a more commercial career. Therefore,…
Cameroon in the Shadow of Boko Haram, Gulf Powers and Sudan: Christian, Islamist and Sufi Strains Paul Joseph Nzeribe, Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Central African Republic was torn apart when new Islamist strains from outside nations like Chad and Sudan impacted on the delicate balance between Christians and Muslims.…
North Caucasus: The Challenges of Integration (IV): Economic and Social Imperatives International Crisis Group This report is also available in: Russian EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS For two decades the North Caucasus conflict has been among Europe’s deadliest. Victims are less, 1,149 killed or wounded in 2013 to 525 in 2014, but risks associated with growing…
Shia Houthis in Yemen Abandoned by Iran and the International Community: Feudal Sunni Monarchies Salma Zribi, Takeshi Hasegawa and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Western and Gulf powers utilize the mass media, international institutions, social media, the United Nations, and other areas, in order to put Iran and the Russian Federation into “a straightjacket.”…
Japanese Art and Isoda Koryusai: Unique Background Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Isoda Koryusai is a man of mystery even today because much remains up in the air about important aspects of his life. Koryusai was born in 1735 and died in 1790. He became active during the 1760s and until a few years…
Indonesia’s New Counter-Terrorism Challenges Publication: Terrorism Monitor By: Andrew Zammit, Muhammad Iqbal The Jamestown Foundation Following the 2002 Bali bombings, Indonesia confronted a seemingly unmanageable terrorist problem. Over the next decade, however, the country became widely viewed as a counter-terrorism success story as the threat from al-Qaeda-linked or -inspired jihadist groups declined dramatically. Unfortunately, the…
Art of Japan and Cultural Changes during the Lifetime of Yoshu Chikanobu (1838-1912) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Yoshu Chikanobu (Toyohara Chikanobu) lived between 1838 and 1912 therefore much of his art highlights the changing nature of Japan. The opening up of Japan after the Meiji Restoration provided many new dreams for Japanese citizens…
Islamist Boko Haram Kill 30 in Cameroon Twin Attack: Nigeria and Chad Boutros Hussein, Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Cameroon is now on the frontline along with Chad against the Takfiri Islamist terrorist group called Boko Haram. This reality is based on the abject failure of Nigeria to quell the crisis…
Nepal: Conflict Alert International Crisis Group Spiralling protests against a draft constitution have left 23 dead and hundreds injured in Nepal in two weeks. An over-militarised security reaction and inadequate political response from the centre threaten to fuel deep-seated ethnic, caste and regional rivalries less than a decade after the civil war’s end. The major…
ISIS and the Sham of Gulf and NATO Powers: Hezbollah, Iraq and Syria Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times President Obama and other leaders in France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, should all be held accountable for the re-destabilization of Iraq alongside the destabilization of Libya and Syria. Indeed,…
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