Japan politics: Komeito opposes LDP focus on increased military spending Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The general election of the Lower House will take place in Japan on October 31. However, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), under Fumio Kishida, is upsetting the junior Komeito Party that is part of the…
Sudan needs international support to preserve the democratic path Kanako Mita and Sawako Utumi Modern Tokyo Times The nation of Sudan faces another fragile moment on its path to democracy. Indeed, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said pointedly that if a solution isn’t found then Sudan’s future will be thrown “to the wind.” In September, loyalists…
Japan election preparations: Opposition need apathetic non-voters to vote Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) usually wins the general election in Japan apart from the odd shock. Hence, in 2009, the inept leadership of Taro Aso (LDP) lost to the estrange Yukio Hatoyama, representing the opposition. …
Bloodshed in Beirut is a reminder that regional Christians have been betrayed Murad Makhmudov, Kanako Mita, and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Lebanon is the only country in the Middle East with a sizeable population of Christians, even if Coptic Christians are more numerous in Egypt. However, regional nations and ethnic groups have utilized…
Sunni Islamists massacre Muslims in mosque attack in Niger Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sunni Islamists have massacred 10 people after a brutal attack against a mosque in Niger. Only recently, Sunni Islamists slaughtered Shia Muslims in Afghanistan inside another mosque. Therefore, the sheer hatred of Islamists – against non-Muslims and…
Russian Federation dismayed by PM Kishida of Japan: Kuril Islands Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Fumio Kishida recently became the leader of Japan after Yoshihide Suga voluntarily stepped down. Hence, an internal Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) transition before the general election later this month. However, even before the general…
Austria and political order despite Chancellor Sebastian Kurz resigning Kanako Mita and Noriko Watanabe Modern Tokyo Times Chancellor Sebastian Kurz of Austria resigned after a breach of trust was reported. Kurz denies any involvement in the alleged bribery scandal. However, the Green Party, the junior political partner of the coalition government, insisted that Kurz should…
DRC and 26 million people facing food insecurity: WHO sex scandals to elites siphoning money Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The people of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) need urgent international support. However, while over 26 million people face food insecurity in the DRC, this nation faces two…
Shia Muslims killed inside a mosque in Afghanistan by a Uighur terrorist Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Another devastating terrorist attack against Shia Muslims occurred in the city of Kunduz in Afghanistan. The current death toll isn’t fully known. However, the BBC reports that at least 50 people have been killed.…
Buddhist nun: Art, poetry, Japanese anti-Buddhism, and sadness of Rengetsu (1791-1875) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Ōtagaki Rengetsu is widely acclaimed as being one of the greatest poets of nineteenth-century Japan. Indeed, her legacy is great concerning art, calligraphy, poetry, and being a graceful potter. The life of Rengetsu was shaped greatly by Buddhism.…
France and Greece sign Defense Pact: NATO members worry about NATO Turkey Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times A mutual military defense pact between France and Greece was ratified by Greek lawmakers. Interestingly, this means that both NATO members can now ally themselves against an internal threat from within this…
Japan and the Russian Federation: Kishida and Putin hold a positive chat Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation held a positive phone chat with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan. Kishida, the new leader of Japan, is more open to the Russian Federation than the…
Nigeria cholera deaths reach 3,000: Lassa fever deaths reach 77 Kanako Mita and Sawako Utsumi Modern Tokyo Times The cholera outbreak is gradually weakening in Nigeria concerning the reduction of new cases in late September. Despite this, the death toll from Cholera is now over 3,000. In total, 3,057 people have died from 88,000 cholera…
Russian Federation test-launches the Tsirkon hypersonic missile from a submarine Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Russian Federation is continuing to modernize its military armed forces so that they can bypass missile defense systems and so forth at rapid speed. Hence, the test launch from a submarine of the Tsirkon (Zircon)…
PM Kishida of Japan announces a general election for October 31 Kanako Mita and Sawako Utsumi Modern Tokyo Times The new Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, immediately announced a general election for October 31. This is a wise move because Kishida hopes to gain from a popular bounce effect. Also, the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis…
South Korea open to lifting sanctions on North Korea: US and peripheral Japan Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Korean Peninsula is currently witnessing new launches of tested ballistic missiles by North Korea and South Korea. This especially applies to North Korea. However, overtures are being made towards South Korea by…
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
