A Sisyphean Task? Resuming Turkey-PKK Peace Talks International Crisis Group OVERVIEW Locked in their deadliest violence in two decades, the Turkish state and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) should urgently resume peace talks. The return to a military-based approach to the conflict and domestic political polarisation, fuelled by a spillover of the Syrian conflict, have…
Islamic State Barbarians Holding over 3,000 Yazidis: Syria is on the Frontline against ISIS Murad Makhmudov, Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times According to various reports it is believed that ISIS (Islamic State) is holding over 3,000 Yazidis in Iraq and Syria. This reality is extremely beguiling given the barbaric nature of…
Regional Nations Opposed to Obama’s National Security Slant Aimed at Venezuela Joachim de Villiers, Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times President Obama was on the wrong side of history when America supported the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and in other nations throughout the region. Similarly, he is on the wrong side of…
Ito Shinsui and Art of Japan: The Old Mirror of Beauty and the New World Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The artist Ito Shinsui (1898-1972) is a notable twentieth century artist from the land of the rising sun. This applies to the amazing sophistication and grace of so many art pieces. Also, Shinsui didn’t…
UK Investigation Prompts Visa Ban for Muslim Brotherhood Members by Steven Emerson IPT News Investigative Project on Terrorism Muslim Brotherhood officials who have made extreme statements will be barred from receiving visas to enter the United Kingdom, Prime Minister David Cameron said Thursday. The statement accompanied the public release of findings in a surprisingly…
Cameroon and Darkness of Gulf Islamism and Sudan: Christianity, Sufi Strains and Takfiris 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. Similarly, the nation…
Art of the Middle Kingdom (China) and Land of the Rising Sun 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 areas relate to Confucianism and…
China’s Draft Cybersecurity Law Publication: China Brief Volume: 15 Issue: 24 By: Zunyou Zhou The Jamestown Foundation In early December, China and the United States reached an agreement in their first round of high-level dialogue on fighting cybercrime and other malicious cyber activities (China Daily, December 2; Legal Daily, December 2). The meeting marked a…
Japanese Photography: Non Modernist View of Revolutionary Japan by Kazumasa (1860-1929) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The photography of Ogawa Kazumasa (1860-1929) provides an alternative glimpse into the changing reality of Japan but not from a modernist point of view. This esteemed photographer was born in the late Edo era but his childhood belongs…
Burundi Rejects Proposed African Union “Invasion Force” Paul Joseph Nzeribe, Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Parliamentarians in Burundi have reacted strongly to attempts by outside nations to meddle into the internal affairs of this nation. Indeed, proposals by the African Union (AU) for a peacekeeping force are deemed an “invasion force.”…
South Sudan: On the Brink of Renewed War International Crisis Group A major breach of the agreement signed in Addis Ababa and Juba in August to end South Sudan’s now two-year old civil war is increasingly likely. While low-level conflict is continuing in Unity state, conflict is now escalating in the Equatorias and Western Bahr…
Japan Art and Rinpa: Seventeenth Century Kyoto, Nichiren Buddhism and Modern Art Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Japanese historical art is blessed with many forms inspired internally and from the richness of ancient China and Korea. At the same time, religious and philosophical influence naturally flowed within the historical legacy of Japanese art. Therefore,…
Europe and Takfiri Islamist Killers: Iraq, Somalia and Syria Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The government of Syria continues to face a civilizational war because Takfiri indoctrination, Gulf petrodollar terrorism, international jihadists, sectarian forces and the intrigues of major NATO powers are threatening this secular state. At the same time, Europe…
Syria and Terrorist Intrigues of NATO Turkey: NATO is Shaming Itself Nuray Lydia Oglu, Hiroshi Saito and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The secular government of Syria continues to hold out against the many Gulf and Western intrigues that have tried to oust the current leadership at all costs. Prior to the meddling of…
Kazakhstan Looks to India, Iran for Access to the World’s Oceans Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 12 Issue: 217 By: John C. K. Daly The Jamestown Foundation Since achieving independence in 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, landlocked Kazakhstan has sought to end its geographical isolation by fostering relations with neighboring countries. In…
Art of Japan and Kobayashi Kiyochika: Intriguing Personal History Tomoko Hara and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915) fought on the wrong side of history, if you happen to be a pro-Meiji modernizer during his early years. The alternative view is that he fought on the side that desired to preserve the…
Japanese Art and Mystery of Folklore: Historical and Modern Influence of Kintaro Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Kintaro remains extremely popular in modern Japan because of the power of animation and other aspects of modern culture that maintains his rich visibility. In the Edo period the world of noh, kabuki and ukiyo-e provided a…
Mali: Peace from Below? International Crisis Group The full briefing is currently available in: French OVERVIEW After a summer marked by renewed clashes in northern Mali, a surprising détente began taking shape in October 2015 following a series of talks between leaders of the Coalition of Azawad Movements (CMA), the main rebel coalition, and those…
Japanese Art by Sawako Utsumi: Modern Reflection of Sakai Hoitsu Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Sakai Hoitsu was born in the middle of the eighteenth century and religion would impact greatly on him during the last two decades of his life. He admired Ogata Korin greatly (1658-1716) and this can be…
Hassan Nasrallah of Hezbollah Condemns Takfiri Jihadists: Afghanistan, Lebanon and Syria Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, is one of the most powerful individuals within the entire Middle East despite his power base being firmly entrenched in the Levant. Indeed, the continuing evolution of Hezbollah…
Burundi needs Support against Internal and External Intrigues Paul Joseph Nzeribe, Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The government of Burundi needs neither internal nor external intrigues to create destabilization. After all, the history of Burundi and Rwanda are sadly riven by ethnic tensions along with political intrigues. This reality means that…
Art of Japan and Intriguing Art of Ito Shinsui Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The artist Ito Shinsui (1898-1972) leaves a lasting legacy because he produced many stunning pieces of art. His artwork came to the fore during the Taisho and Showa periods in Japan, whereby he became famous for stunning images of beautiful…
Militant Islamists, Organized Crime and the Balkan Diaspora in Europe Publication: Terrorism Monitor Volume: 13 Issue: 23 By: Ebi Spahiu The Jamestown Foundation In light of terrorist attacks in Paris on November 13, countries across Europe have visibly increased security measures and are on the alert for more attacks. Countries in the Western Balkans have…
NATO and Obama Continue to Allow Turkey to Plot ISIS and Sectarian Intrigues against Syria Nuray Lydia Oglu, Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times It is abundantly clear that Shia militias in Iraq and the policies of Iran are bailing out America in this country. Despite this, the reward that Tehran gets…
Art of Japan and Ogata Korin: The Importance of Hoitsu in Saving Korin Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The art of Ogata Korin remains potent because of clarity and his own unique ways. However, at one point it appeared that the winds of time would threaten his legacy. If this had happened then Japanese…
NYT, Sputnik Agree with Hoekstra’s ‘Architects of Disaster’ by Pete Hoekstra IPT News Investigative Project on Terrorism The New York Times and the Russian state news agency Sputnik agree with my new book, Architects of Disaster: The Destruction of Libya, which posits that President Obama’s and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s signature foreign policy…
Chad Rocked by Triple Sunni Islamist Suicide Attack by Boko Haram Jibril Khoury, Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The nation of Chad, along with other regional nations including Cameroon and Niger, decided to support Nigeria in its fight against Boko Haram. Regional nations, increasingly alarmed by the Sunni Islamist Takfiri…
Art of Japan and Gyoshu Hayami: A Rich Artistic Soul Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Gyoshu Hayami (1894-1935) sadly passed away at a relatively young age but despite this the power of history and momentous changes influenced his artistic soul. Indeed, Gyoshu Hayami highlights much about the history of Japanese art based on the…
Northeast Asia Art and Impact on Japan: Edo Era and Bunjin Culture Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Bunjinga school of thought ran deep within the literati of Japan during the Edo period. Bunjin (literati) artists trace their artistic roots to the literati of China during the Song Dynasty (960-1267). However, the differences between the Japanese literati and…
Mali: Radisson Blu Hotel Attack Meant to Thwart Peace Accord by Amb. John Price Special to IPT News Investigative Project on Terrorism The Nov. 20 terrorist attack at the Radisson Blu hotel in the capital city of Bamako shows that radical Islamists continue to be active in Mali. Reportedly, the attack was to thwart the…
Shia Persecution at the hands of Takfiri Islamists and State Institutions: Shia Pilgrims in Iraq Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times It is difficult to imagine that Shia Muslims are being constantly targeted by Sunni Takfiri Islamists during religious pilgrimages in modern day Iraq. Yet for the Shia religious persecution is sadly…
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