Religious leaders in Sudan declare freedom of faith: Animism, Christianity, and Islam Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Islamism and Arabization caused enormous convulsions in the recent history of Sudan. Indeed, in recent times the nation split into ethnic and religious lines with the creation of South Sudan. However, both Sudan and…
Art of Japan: Buddhist Monk and Winter Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sawako Utsumi fuses a stunning landscape with a wandering Buddhist monk in the bleak midwinter of Japan. Indeed, the religious angle, be it Buddhism, Christianity, or Shintoism, is a theme that pops up often in her art. However, her faith is embedded…
Japan will not sign the United Nations Nuclear Ban Treaty based on geopolitics Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Japan is protected by the nuclear umbrella of the United States. Hence with Northeast Asia being a major area of competing militaries that have nuclear weapons, then naturally Japan refuses to join the…
Afghanistan ISIS attack aimed at the Shia kills at least 24 Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Another barbaric terrorist attack by ISIS (Islamic State – IS) aimed at Shia Muslims in Kabul killed at least 24 young people. Over many decades different Sunni Islamist terrorist groups have targeted the Shia in…
Weekly Covid-19 high in Tokyo on very few tests taken Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Tokyo coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis continues to look like a managed graph. Equally, the ebbs and flows have evolved around the postponed Olympics, to the re-election of the Tokyo Governor. Therefore, it is baffling to know…
South Korea suspected flu jab related deaths now reaches 36 Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Many nations are worried about the impact of influenza and the coronavirus (Covid-19) at the same time during seasonal highs. Hence, while the elderly – and others – get the yearly flu jab, this year the…
US firm alleges China hacking Japan Covid-19 projects: Skepticism is needed Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga needs a calm head because these days China is being blamed for countless things. Often, without clear evidence that it is related to state involvement. According to an information security firm…
Japan to support the United Kingdom joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Recently the United Kingdom (UK) and Japan, in principle, signed an important trade deal. Of course, for the UK, this comes at an opportune time because of ongoing issues with the European Union (EU). It is…
French teacher beheaded by Islamist for teaching: Why refugee status? Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Another brutal Islamist terrorist attack struck France once more. This time, the victim was beheaded for being a teacher and having the audacity to believe in freedom. However, in the mindset of the Islamist, his God…
PM Suga of Japan to visit Vietnam and Indonesia: Anti-China hawks need silencing Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga claims to want to preserve the mantle of his predecessor, Shinzo Abe. Yet, some individuals in his Cabinet appear more hawkish towards China and the Russian Federation. Therefore, if…
Art of Japan and Ishizaki Kōyō: His early path was set Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The artist Ishizaki Kōyō (1884-1947) hails from the prefecture of Toyama in Japan. He was the fifth born son of a merchant family. Therefore, from a very early age, his path was set and secure. Kōyō studied under…
Turkey increased military sales six-fold to Azerbaijan: Nagorno-Karabakh Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Military sales by Turkey to Azerbaijan have increased six-fold this year. Alongside this, Turkey is utilizing international Islamist terrorists just like in Northern Syria and more recently Libya. Therefore, the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh – and Turkey’s historical animosity…
Japan protests after China patrol incursion: Early test for PM Suga Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan is facing his first geopolitical test after two Chinese patrol ships entered the vicinity of the Senkaku Islands. This comes shortly after recent anti-China stances according to political elites…
Armenian losses mount in Nagorno-Karabakh: NATO Turkey, terrorism, and France Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Under President Erdogan of Turkey, this nation continues to meddle against the Arabic speaking and regional Christian world. It matters not if upsetting Gulf states by supporting Qatar and its role in backing the Muslim Brotherhood,…
Brutal rape and murder of a two-year-old girl in Pakistan Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times According to the charity Sahil in Pakistan, approximately 1,500 children have been raped in the first six months of this year. Hence, the latest murder and rape of a little girl aged two highlights a major…
Art of Japan and time in a new light: Hōitsu and the Persimmon Tree by Utsumi Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times In these two adorable art pieces by the contemporary Japanese artist Sawako Utsumi, a different slant to the original by Sakai Hōitsu (1761-1829) emerges. In her reflection, the color narrative takes center stage.…
Travel between Japan and South Korea to restart similar to Singapore Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The nations of Japan and South Korea have announced the restart of travel between both nations. Hence, the business communities of both nations and other forms of travel will resume on Thursday this week. South…
Covid-19 deaths and infections in China are estranged: Why mainly Hubei? Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Over one million people are known to have died from coronavirus (Covid-19) internationally. However, the initial epicenter of Hubei province in China remains an enigma. Therefore, while Wuhan in Hubei is synonymous with the coronavirus,…
DRC and another sex scandal involving the WHO during the Ebola crisis Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Various organizations within the United Nations (UN) – just like charities and humanitarian groups outside the UN – have been involved in countless sex scandals and the rape of children. Hence, even during the…
Prime Minister Suga showing early nationalist signs Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is showing early nationalist signs even if not overtly. Hence, it is striking that several members of his Cabinet and policies announced seem to have a nationalist slant. Of course, some of this is natural…
Art and poetry: The last throes before the ghost of time Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times A lifetime of friendship becomes distant. Moments of confusion grow from minutes to days. Loved ones often erased. The river once flowed and reached my heart. Now the flow is lost. Art hangs on many walls, like eyes…
Armenia and Azerbaijan clash over Nagorno-Karabakh: Russia needs to warn Turkey Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh are nothing new in recent times. However, with Armenia announcing a general mobilization and imposing martial law, this time the situation appears more dangerous. Both nations have blamed…
PM Suga of Japan and President Xi of China talk by phone Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan and President Xi Jinping of China held their first talks by phone since Suga became the new leader of Japan. Unsurprisingly, both leaders promised to foster closer relations…
Trillions of dollars laundered by financial institutions: Drug cartels to terrorism Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Allegations are emerging over enormous money laundering scandals covering the period 1999-2017. More than likely, this is only the tip of a much bigger iceberg. However, once more, the image of banks and multinational financial…
Japanese art, the impact of Paris, and the shadow of war: Kanokogi Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The artist Takeshiro Kanokogi was born in the prefecture of Okayama. Luckily, for Kanokogi, the Meiji Restoration of 1868 opened up culture and society. Therefore, he had the opportunity to focus on different artistic themes and to…
Belarus crackdown prompts Hackers to release info of security forces Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times President Lukashenko of Belarus is using the state apparatus against opposition forces. This applies to mass arrests and other methods of coercion. At the same time, the Russian Federation is increasing its support of Lukashenko. However,…
Japan and diplomacy with China: Australia, India, Japan, and America to meet Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Miniter Yoshihide Suga is the new leader of Japan. Thus, the meeting between senior officials from America, Australia, India, and Japan in Tokyo early next month will be analyzed carefully. It is known…
Mozambique and useful humanitarians in the shadow of Islamists Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sunni Islamists are involved in various conflicts in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and in other parts of the world including the Caucasus. Similarly, religious terrorist attacks in Europe belong to the same Takfiri mindset. However,…
Yoshihide Suga announced the official Prime Minister of Japan Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Yoshihide Suga is the new prime minister of Japan after obtaining 314 votes in the Diet out of a possible 462. Of course, today was a formality because the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) opted for Suga on…
Japan reaches 80,000 centenarians but Covid-19 deaths are low unlike in Europe Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times In parts of Europe, many elderly people died in care homes, nursing homes, and throughout society from the coronavirus (Covid-19). This notably applies to Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. However, Japan,…
Japan art and Sakai Hōitsu: Snow, the Moon, and Cherry Blossoms Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Sakai Hōitsu (1761-1829) created a delightful triptych that is referred by the title Snow, the Moon, and Cherry Blossoms. Interestingly, Hōitsu completed the three motifs when he was 60 years old. The reason why this…
Iran hangs Navid Afkari who denied any wrongdoing Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The government of Iran ignored international appeals and instead hanged a young wrestler on flimsy charges. Navid Afkari, 27 years old, pleaded his innocence after being forced to confess earlier under torture. Of course, for Iran, irrespective if…
