US and North Korea relationship is given a positive jolt after Trump meets Kim in North Korea Sawako Uchida and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times President Donald Trump of America broke unprecedented ground by meeting the leader of North Korea inside this secretive nation. Kim Jong-un, looking more relaxed than in past encounters with…
The tyranny of the state apparatus in Iran that crushes dissent and freedom Murad Makhmudov, Chika Mori, and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Iran continues to use the state apparatus in order to crush countless demonstrations that break out from time to time – or individuals who question the validity of theocratic oppression. Hence,…
Japanese art through the lens of familiarity but in a changed entangled state Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The flow of human life comes and goes at the drop of a hat but observance and familiarity can make yesteryear seem like now. In the art piece titled “The Blossoming of Life” by Sawako Utsumi,…
Qatar Paid for Congressional Democrats’ Doha Trip by John Rossomando Investigative Project on Terrorism Qatar’s Washington embassy paid for six congressional Democrats to visit Doha last December, Al-Monitor reported Friday. U.S. Reps. Ami Bera, D-Calif., Andre Carson, D-Ind., and Dan Kildee, D-Mich., noted the payment in financial disclosure forms. The office of U.S. Rep. Donald…
Skynet surveillance system in China: Friend or foe? Horace C. White Modern Tokyo Times China’s Skynet places all of its citizens under surveillance In an effort to build a perfectly controlled society, China has developed a surveillance system that will monitor everyone living in the country. According to the Chinese authorities, Skynet surveillance system will…
Changing dynamics of Japanese art during the Meiji era Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Utagawa Sadahide (Gountei Sadahide) witnessed the first years of modernization in Japan that emerged after the 1868 Meiji Restoration. Yet, prior to this dramatic period in Japanese history, the artist Sadahide depicted aspects of Western encroachment. Indeed, while many spectrums…
Samurai Tadamori (1096-1153) in Japanese art and folklore Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Taira no Tadamori (1096-1153) was a famous and notable samurai who was loyal to the Taira clan. In Japanese art and folklore, he is depicted favorably based on his many attributes that were so important in this period of Japanese history.…
Japan Considers a New Security Relationship Via “Networking” with Taiwan Publication: China Brief Volume: 19 Issue: 10 By: Howard Wang The Jamestown Foundation Introduction—Japan Seeks “Networking” with Regional Allies In early May 2019, Japanese Foreign Minister (FM) Taro Kono tweeted support for Taiwan’s bid to attend the World Health Assembly as an observer—thereby advocating for…
Suspension of Extradition Bill in Hong Kong but full cancellation is needed Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam, announced the suspension of the extradition bill that is despised in vast numbers in Hong Kong. Despite this, her distractions seem rather blasé and not based…
PM Abe of Japan returns from a pointless visit to Iran: Middle East quagmire Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Shinzo Abe returns to Japan after a pointless visit to Iran that made him look out of touch. Once more, the Japanese Foreign Ministry that is aloof about the real…
Japanese Buddhist poetry and the shadow of life: Henjō (816-890) and Sōgi (1421-1502) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Two short poems by two Buddhist holy men who hail from Japan say much about the shadow of life and the memories that are left behind. It matters not that both poets come from very…
President of Taiwan says “all like-minded friends” stand with the protestors in Hong Kong Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The nation of China under the current leader Xi Jinping is known for re-closing Christian churches, ruling Muslim subjects by fear in Xinjiang, continuing its firm grip over Buddhist Tibet, mass surveillance,…
Japan and the pension debacle: Political elites fail to understand ordinary people Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times It is well and fine for political elites to provide international support to countless nations while running an enormous public deficit. After all, they don’t fear the pension debacle that awaits ordinary people because…
Fulani butcher the Dogon ethnic group in Mali with roughly 100 people killed Boutros Hussein and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Fulani ethnic group is creating enormous tensions in several nations, notably Nigeria and Mali. Indeed, in Nigeria, the Fulani Muslim community is behind countless massacres against Christians. Therefore, the latest massacre of…
The footsteps of death followed the Japanese poet Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The life of the Japanese poet Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902) was short and blighted by ill health from a very early age. Hence, the words that flowed from Shiki were naturally impacted by the shadow of death. However,…
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to visit Iran but Saudi Arabia may be displeased? Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan is planning to visit Iran once all arrangements have been made. This especially applies to meeting President Hassan Rouhani of Iran and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Therefore, senior…
Capitalist Big Brother in Japan: Yahoo Japan to Mizuho FG and George Orwell Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The privacy of information is endlessly being crushed just like freedom on social media. George Orwell in 1949 published a powerful book titled Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984). Sadly, the ramifications of his words are…
Brutal crackdown in Sudan by the state apparatus kills at least 30 protestors Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times America and the United Kingdom – and other nations – have condemned the brutal crackdown by the military of Sudan against protestors in Khartoum. Reports are currently stating that at least 30 people…
Japanese artist and her colorful and spiritual nuance of Maurice Utrillo Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sawako Utsumi is a delightful contemporary Japanese artist who hails from northern Japan. In her latest art piece, she focuses once more on Maurice Utrillo (1883-1955). However, as usual, her nuance to the original by Utrillo is reshaped…
Modern Tokyo News 