Protests in Iran are aimed at corrupt political elites and theocrats: Poverty and foreign policy Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Protests in Iran are continuing throughout parts of the country despite government threats aimed at intimidating people who are disenchanted with the political and theocratic elites. Of course, the disenchantment of…
The Pope welcomes Sunni migrants while Sunni Islamists seek to cleanse Egypt, Iraq, and Syria of Christians Sawako Uchida and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The current Roman Catholic Pope who hails from South America is adamant that millions of Sunni Muslim migrants – usually economic – should be welcomed with open arms by…
Protestors in Iran declare, “Not Gaza, not Lebanon, my life for Iran” Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Protests in Iran are continuing in several cities with the main ire being Iran’s foreign policy that is squandering resources despite high unemployment and poverty in this nation – along with the desire to…
Japanese Art of a Zen Buddhist Priest: Richness of the Middle Kingdom Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Middle Kingdom of China impacted greatly on Japanese high culture and this enabled new ideas, fusions, and to highlight the subtle and unique differences of indigenous culture. Tensho Shubun, a Zen Buddhist priest who was born…
Sunni Islamists in Afghanistan target the Shia in Kabul Amina Qamar and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sunni Islamists belonging to ISIS (Islamic State – IS) have targeted Shia Muslims once more in the capital of Afghanistan. Hence, more blood is flowing based on the sectarian nature of Sunni Islamists and the failure of…
Art of Japan and Soga Shōhaku (1730-1781): Deep admiration of the Muromachi Period (1336-1573) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Soga Shōhaku (1730-1781) is a very intriguing artist because he wasn’t conventional. Equally important, Shōhaku did not follow the artistic trends of the Tokugawa Period. Instead, he was adamant that his artistic soul should dictate…
OIC is inciting against Myanmar: Negation of 2.8 million with cholera and malnutrition in Yemen Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is seeking to cover-up countless mass hypocrisies by seeking to spread propaganda against Myanmar in order to cover-up the reality of Libya, Syria, Yemen, the…
China needs a fresh approach towards Taiwan: Geopolitics of America and Japan Hiroshi Saito and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of China needs to re-evaluate its relationship with Taiwan. After all, in a geopolitical sense, tensions with Taiwan will only embolden Washington’s containment policy of China. Similarly, the changing…
Art of Japan and Kose Kanaoka: Illusive Spirit of a Ninth Century Artist and the Middle Kingdom Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Tragically, a fire in the seventeenth century destroyed the last known documented art piece by Kose Kanaoka. It is known that Kose Kanaoka was born in the early ninth century and that…
Myanmar needs a neutral UN Special Rapporteur and not an anti-indigenous Yanghee Lee Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times It is abundantly clear that Buddhists, Hindus, and various indigenous ethnic groups have been targeted by ARSA (Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army) Islamist terrorists in Myanmar. At the same time, Bengali Muslims are focused…
Japanese Art, Pythagoras, and Plotinus: Ideas from Simplicity Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Still life art became a specific specialization within Western art by the final decades of the sixteenth century. Of course, this artistic theme can be traced back to Ancient Graeco-Roman art and within various elements of other cultures. However, this applies…
Prime Minister of Hungary says, “If one attacks Poland, it attacks all of Central Europe” Sawako Uchida and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The European Union (EU) is threatening Poland by triggering Article 7 for allegedly breaching shared European values in relation to the rule of law unless Poland backs down. Yet, like Poland,…
Cholera reaches 1 million in Yemen: Jerusalem, the Kurds, and the “Arab Street” Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Irrespective of the rights or wrongs of Jerusalem being the capital of Israel or Palestine (or a shared capital), the utter hypocrisy of the so-called “Arab Street” and fake unity of Muslim nations…
Implications of a Special Economic Zone declared by Russia in an area disputed by Japan Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of the Russian Federation signed an important economic document earlier this year in an area that Japan disputes. Of course, for the Russian Federation, the document that…
Yosa Buson and Japanese Poetry: In the footsteps of Matsuo Bashō Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The poetry of Yosa Buson (1716-1784) in Japan is highly acclaimed because his haiku reached the hearts of many. Indeed, despite being a distinctive artist during the Edo Period, it is his haiku that stands out. Hence, the…
Myanmar Army was forced to act in Rakhine to protect indigenous non-Muslims from ARSA terrorists Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Myanmar is multi-ethnic and multi-religious and for decades many internal issues exist between various ethnic groups. At the same time, the emergence of democracy is now being threatened by unjust saber-rattling…
Famous Japanese Buddhist Warrior of the Twelfth Century and Japanese Art: Rich Legacy of Benkei Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Saito no Musashibo Benkei (1155-1189) is a famous and highly esteemed Japanese warrior of the twelfth century. Not only is Benkei revered for his loyalty, prowess, and knowledge but also he is deeply admired…
The Russian Federation thanks America for preventing a terrorist attack: CIA and possible thaw? Kanako Itamae and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation thanked President Donald Trump of the United States by telephone after it became known that the CIA helped to stop a planned terrorist attack against…
Coalition government in Austria is a boost to pro-European nations in Central and Eastern Europe Sawako Uchida and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The new coalition government is Austria is a boost to pro-European nations in Central Europe and Eastern Europe. This notably applies to the Visegrad bloc that consists of the Czech Republic,…
Zimbabwe and the Zanu-PF rubber stamp: Political transition of the ruling elites Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The political succession from Robert Mugabe to the new president of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is based on the political transition of the ruling elites. The political squabble in Zimbabwe appears to be nothing more…
Japanese Landscapes by Kuniyoshi Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Utagawa Kuniyoshi is among the crème de la crème of ukiyo-e artists because his artwork remains powerful in modern times. Kuniyoshi, just like other famous Japanese artists like Ando Hiroshige and Katsushika Hokusai, was very diverse. This is because the window of a new Japan…
China and Russia heartened by Tillerson’s remark that America is ready to talk to North Korea Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The crisis on the Korean Peninsula is worrying China and the Russian Federation because of extremely strong rhetoric from America and North Korea. At the same time, South Korea seeks…
Japan hopes to boost ties with Myanmar Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The nation of Myanmar is multi-ethnic and multi-religious, with Buddhism being the dominant faith. In Japan, despite secularism being a reality, the faiths of Buddhism and Shintoism are interwoven into the fabric of society. Therefore, culturally, a certain natural…
Apple, the Chinese Communist Party, and containing VPN Services Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times It is abundantly clear that nations, religious groups, politically correctness, and other forces, seek to stem the freedom of social media, the internet, and other forms of communication outside of traditional limitations. Yet, it is disturbing that…
Art of Japan and Murasaki Shikibu: The Tale of Genji Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Murasaki Shikibu (Lady Murasaki) is the most famous Japanese lady in history because she wrote The Tale of Genji. However, many areas remain foggy about her life based on the passages of time. It is often stated that she…
Japanese Art and the two paths of Buddhism and Shintoism: Faith in the Snow without Abraham Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The latest art piece by Sawako Utsumi, a contemporary Japanese artist who hails from Northern Japan, utilizes the snowy landscape by highlighting the respective strengths of Buddhism and Shintoism despite terrible adversity. Of…
Iraq and Iran in Kirkuk oil deal based on military gains: Ideology is extinct so pity the Kurds! Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Iraq and Iran have signed an oil export agreement that links Kirkuk in Iraq to its former nemesis Iran during the period of Saddam Hussein (1979-2003). It is…
Japan seeking to upgrade its military via air-launched missiles: North Korea and China Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Defense Ministry of Japan is seeking to upgrade its military capability based on the changing geopolitical reality of Northeast Asia. Of course, the need to upgrade is primarily based on the bellicose…
North Korea says war is a “fact” after drills by the U.S. and South Korea: China calls for calm Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times China is calling for calm between America and North Korea after another war of words. The latest bout of tensions is based on military drills by the…
Contemporary Japanese Artist and Buddhism: Nichiren in the Snow during Exile on Sado Island Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Nichiren (1222-1282) is one of the most famous Buddhist teachers to emanate from Japan. Yet, he was very outspoken during his lifetime and this led him to be exiled and embroiled in the political processes…
Hindus who fled ARSA in Rakhine to return to Maungdaw: Myanmar is Protecting Hindus from terrorism Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Islamic terrorists and Bengali Muslims who terrorized minority groups in Rakhine, including Hindus, are paradoxically strengthening ties between this religious minority and central forces that seek to protect the nation.…
British Foreign Aid is helping Sunni Islamist groups that stone women to death in Syria Boutros Hussein and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times According to a BBC Panorama investigation into a police force backed by the United Kingdom in Syria, it is being reported that funds are being channeled to Sunni Islamist terrorist groups.…
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