Japanese Buddhism and poetry under Emperor Shōmu in 8th century Nara Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Nara Period in eighth-century Japan is the cradle of Japanese high culture. Hence, it is fitting that Emperor Shōmu bestowed great privilege to cementing the Buddhist faith to a higher level during his reign. Emperor Shōmu was…
Prison riot in Ecuador kills at least 116 people: Mexican cartels and Ecuador gangs Chika Mori and Kanako Mita Modern Tokyo Times Gang war broke out inside a prison in the city of Guayaquil in Ecuador. According to the latest reports, at least 116 prison inmates were killed in violent clashes that broke out in several…
DRC and another sex scandal involving the WHO: Exploitation during Ebola crisis Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times During times of crisis, concerning devastating earthquakes, Ebola, malnutrition, war, and so forth, various organizations connected to the United Nations (UN) and international charities have exploited females and children for sex. Hence, another scandal…
Japan LDP leadership battle: Fumio Kishida wins and vows a fairer society Kanako Mita and Sawako Utsumi Modern Tokyo Times Fumio Kishida emerged victorious after winning the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership battle. Ordinary members of the LDP had voted in higher numbers for Taro Kono, with Kishida coming second. However, elected LDP politicians voted…
Japan to finally end the Covid-19 State of Emergency after many months Kanako Mita and Sawako Utsumi Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced the ending of the State of Emergency. Henceforth, from September 30, it will be the first time since April that Japan will be free from all measures concerning the Covid-19…
The Taliban’s Persistent War on Salafists in Afghanistan Publication: Terrorism Monitor By: Abdul Sayed The Jamestown Foundation Salafists in Afghanistan face severe challenges and insecurities after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban on August 15. The Taliban are suspicious of Afghan Salafists for supporting the Taliban’s arch-enemy, Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP). The…
Anti-Russia and anti-China politicians in Japan says Russia: AUKUS to Cybersecurity Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Since Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga took power, the Japanese Foreign Ministry barely goes a week without upping the anti-China mantra. More recently, the anti-Russian Federation angle is emerging. Indeed, the next leader of Japan seems…
Merkel bows out but the election in Germany means an estranged coalition awaits Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The national election in Germany finally witnessed the end of Angela Merkel’s reign of being the Chancellor since 2005. Her leadership of the Christian Democratic Union (2000-2018) meant that for two decades, the…
North Korea and South Korea in a possible inter-Korean summit: Japan on sidelines Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Korean Peninsula recently witnessed the launch of tested ballistic missiles by North Korea and South Korea. This occurred within hours of each other. Henceforth, words of strength were spoken by President Moon Jae-in…
Iran prison witness of the torture of Navid Akfari dies in suspicious circumstances Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The torture of the Iranian champion wrestler, Navid Afkari, before his execution was witnessed by Shahin Naseri. Hence, the suspicious death of the prisoner Naseri is bound to lead to accusations against Iran…
Japanese Buddhism and art: Hakuin Ekaku and Chinese philosophy Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The revered Zen Buddhist, Hakuin Ekaku (1686-1769), understood the importance of connecting with ordinary people. Hence, under his tutelage and wisdom, he helped to restore the vitality of Rinzai Buddhism that was stagnating. Hakuin was born in Hara in the province…
Crypto transactions banned in China Kanako Mita and Noriko Watanabe Modern Tokyo Times The trillion-dollar industry of cryptocurrencies and crypto-related transactions is now deemed illegal in China. Naturally, crypto mining is also deemed illegal because of the obvious connection and issues concerning carbon emissions. Therefore, it will be interesting to see the repercussions for Bitcoin,…
Japan welcomes non-Northeast Asian powers to the region: AUKUS and anti-China rhetoric Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The administration of President Yoshihide Suga will soon pass into history for doing little apart from antagonizing China. Yet, dinosaurs remain within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) that seeks to continue this policy.…
Judiciary in Venezuela accused of assisting state oppression by UN fact-finding Mission Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The government of Venezuela under President Nicolás Maduro is heavily focused on power concentration. Henceforth, the state apparatus – and all tools available to preserve power are utilized – just like in Nicaragua and…
Tokyo Covid-19 infections drop: Three-day average is a pathetic 3,411 PCR tests Sawako Utsumi and Sawako Uchida Modern Tokyo Times The coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis in Japan, in terms of the highest number of daily and monthly infections, spiraled during the Olympic period. Tokyo hit dramatic new coronavirus infection highs during the Olympic timescale. However, the…
Haiti migrants claim discrimination: Biden’s past disparage and unfairness Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The United States, in its long history, is a beacon of mass immigration from countless nations from all over the world. Indeed, the paradox of America is that even during its involvement in wars, it still took…
The elderly population in Japan reaches 36.4 million Sawako Utsumi and Noriko Watanabe Modern Tokyo Times The government of Japan announced that the elderly population (aged 65 or over) is now 36.4 million people. This is a record high. On top of this, the ratio of elderly people in the overall population is now just…
The last military strike under Biden in Afghanistan was killing innocents Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The collapse of the Afghanistan government under former President Ashraf Ghani was swift beyond what is natural. Hence, the armed forces of Afghanistan – without the support of America and various NATO powers – just…
Human Rights Council condemns all sides in the Yemen conflict Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Human Rights Council (HRC) in its summary of the endless conflict in Yemen blamed all major parties for indiscriminate killings, violating human rights, and other horrendous misdeeds. Henceforth, the findings of the HRC commissioned report…
North Korea and South Korea test ballistic missiles: the US muted, Japan angry, and China diplomatic Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Korean Peninsula witnessed the launching of tested ballistic missiles by North Korea and South Korea within hours of each other. Japan condemned the launch by North Korea. However,…
NATO Turkey and proxies bomb and cleanse Christians and other minorities in Syria Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times NATO Turkey is continuing to violate the territory of Syria along with Sunni Islamist proxies and mercenaries for hire. Henceforth, the recent bombing of Tel Tamer, a majority Christian populated town, and other…
Japan Increases Involvement in Central Asia Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor By: Paul Goble The Jamestown Foundation Almost two decades ago, Japan adopted the 5+1 approach to dealing with Central Asia, a model other outside players have copied. Now, Japan is increasing its involvement in the region given the Taliban’s recent victory, which has created new…
Taliban is killing civilians in Panjshir and persecuting others Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Taliban is enforcing its iron grip on Afghanistan. Thus opposition forces in the Panjshir Valley understand that the current situation is extremely bleak. Especially with the government of President Joe Biden in America playing platitudes to…
Vietnam and Japan praise relations between both nation in Hanoi: Russian Federation Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính of Vietnam (Việt Nam) met the Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi in Hanoi (Hà Nội) yesterday. The Prime Minister of Vietnam and the Defense Minister of Japan praised recent developments between Japan and…
Japan art and Greek philosophy: Still life art and the scroll of time Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The latest art piece by the Japanese contemporary artist Sawako Utsumi is titled “Still Life Art and the Scroll of Time.” By itself, the art piece appears to be devoid of political, religious, or philosophical meaning. However, similar…
Nigeria cholera death toll reaches over 2,000 people Kanako Mita and Sawako Utsumi Modern Tokyo Times The cholera death toll in Nigeria is unrelenting and widespread. Henceforth, by early September, the death toll from cholera reached over 2,000 people. Therefore, the death toll will continue to flow at a time of endless ethnic and religious…
Peru Maoist leader Guzmán of Shining Path dies: Rich educated Marxists Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Maoist leader and founder of the Shining Path in Peru, Abimael Guzmán, has passed away in a military-run hospital at the age of 86. Hence, despite small remnants of the Shining Path remaining notably…
Japan LDP leadership battle: Taro Kono playing traditional conservatism Sawako Uchida and Sawako Utsumi Modern Tokyo Times The stepping down of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga means a contested leadership battle within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Henceforth, the factional nature of LDP politics will come into play. Unlike the nationalist angle of Sanae Takaichi…
Meningitis outbreak in DRC with 50 percent fatality ratio: 129 known deaths Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is blighted by countless ethnic and religious issues, including recent massacres committed by the Islamist terrorist group the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). Two recent massacres by the ADF…
Japan LDP leadership battle: Sanae Takaichi and nationalism Kanako Mita and Sawako Utsumi Modern Tokyo Times The stepping down of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga means that an internal battle within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is ongoing. Several candidates are in the running. Therefore, the factional angle will come into play like usual. However,…
US Democrats decry non-inclusive Taliban regime while praising non-inclusive Qatar Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The United States is decrying the non-inclusive Taliban regime while praising non-inclusive Qatar. Also, past American intelligence pointed the finger at Qatar for its involvement in terrorism. Henceforth, Qatar is known to be a ratline for…
Pneumonic Plague kills 7 in Madagascar Kanako Mita and Sawako Uchida Modern Tokyo Times The deadly pneumonic plague is known to have killed 7 people, including a child, in Madagascar. At the same time, another 22 patients are being treated for the pneumonic plague. Therefore, with several of the deaths not being known until postmortems…
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