Art of Japan and wisdom of Watanabe Kazan (1793-1841): Covid-19, economic struggles, and Confucianism Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The wisdom of Confucius impacted enormously on the Japanese artist Watanabe Kazan (1793-1841). Hence, this esteemed artist helped the marginalized in the Tahara Domain (the environs of Aichi Prefecture in modern-day Japan) during the Tenpo…
Tokyo News and Covid-19: Japanese political voices raise doubts about the Tokyo Olympics Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics are scheduled for later this year after being postponed last year. However, the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis in Japan is increasing in severity. This relates to infections and…
United Nations makes an emergency humanitarian appeal for Madagascar Sawako Utsumi and Sawako Uchida Modern Tokyo Times The humanitarian crisis in Madagascar is alarming the United Nations (UN). Hence, the UN is launching a critical appeal of $76 million to help this embattled nation. This relates to horrendous suffering caused by the drought and the…
Japan News: 100 daily Covid-19 deaths and 1,000 critically ill for the first time Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Japan reached two negative milestones concerning the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis today. This applies to reaching 1,000 critically ill patients and just over 100 daily deaths. Therefore, after more than one year of…
Rinpa art: The bridge of Edo and Meiji on his artistic soul Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Sakai Dōitsu (1845-1913) belongs to the world of Edo and Meiji despite dying in the early Taisho period. Like many artists who spanned a similar timeline, he witnessed enormous convulsions. However, despite the modernization…
Tokyo News: Osaka Covid-19 deaths higher than Tokyo despite fewer infections Sawako Utsumi and Sawako Uchida Modern Tokyo Times The speed of each 1,000 deaths from coronavirus (Covid-19) in Japan is increasing. Similarly, the speed of each 100,000 news infections is increasing compared to the first ten months. Therefore, several parts of Japan are under…
Japan continues to welcome Western military support in East Asia aimed at China: UK strike group Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times If you view history through the prism of longevity then China wasn’t a threat to Japan. Nor did this nation endanger the sovereignty of Japan. On the contrary, for over…
Two million Covid-19 deaths internationally and little sign of ending Sawako Utsumi and Noriko Watanabe Modern Tokyo Times The grim milestone of two million deaths from coronavirus (Covid-19) occurred in the last few hours. Hence, while hope is being put on vaccines that haven’t been fully trialed for long-term effects – nor is the longevity…
Tokyo News: Small minority support the Olympics being held this year Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times An important NHK opinion poll for the profligate 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in 2021 highlights little support. Indeed, given the increasing coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis in Tokyo and throughout Japan, it…
Japan News and Covid-19: Hyogo, Kyoto, and Osaka to join the State of Emergency Sawako Utsumi and Sawako Uchida Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese government looks set to abide by the requests of the prefectures of Hyogo, Kyoto, and Osaka in joining the State of Emergency. This is based on the growing coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis…
Kim Jong-un of North Korea deems America to be the main enemy: Japan and President Trump Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times North Korea is making its posture known to Joe Biden, the President-elect of America. Of course, tensions between America and North Korea are decades old. Thus, irrespective of the rocky…
Japan art and the window of Nagasaki: Impact of China Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Edo Period (1603-1868) is known for keeping foreign people out and gradually closing the country. However, the past cultural bonds that shaped Japanese high culture preserved. Hence the small window of Nagasaki enabled a limited opportunity for Shen…
Tokyo News: Minimalistic State of Emergency in Tokyo and surrounding prefectures Kanako Mita and Noriko Watanabe Modern Tokyo Times Tokyo and the three neighboring prefectures of Chiba, Kanagawa, and Saitama have been put under a minimalistic State of Emergency. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga stated that the emergency period will last from January 8 to February…
Japan News: Tokyo and national Covid-19 crisis is increasing Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis in Japan is at its highest level in early 2021. This is based on daily new highs in various parts of Japan. Hence, with 6001 national infections yesterday, it is clear that the…
United Kingdom Covid-19 daily infections hit over 60,000 Kanako Mita and Sawako Uchida Modern Tokyo Times The coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis in the United Kingdom is at a perilous stage, despite vaccinations being done every day. Thus in the last 24 hours, another 60,000 people were infected. Therefore, the endless strain on the health care system…
Tokyo News: High new infections once more before the minimalistic State of Emergency Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Tokyo and the neighboring prefectures of Chiba, Kanagawa, and Saitama are preparing for a minimalistic State of Emergency related to the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis. This is based on the leader of Japan,…
Niger hit by two village massacres by suspected Takfiri Islamists Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Two villages in Niger were attacked by suspected Takfiri Islamists in the west of the country. The death toll is reported to be approximately 100 people. Therefore, the massacres that took place in these two villages…
Tokyo News: Tokyo and border linked prefectures request Covid-19 State of Emergency Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis in Japan is worse now than at any other time. Despite this, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is heavily focused on the economic angle rather than declaring a state of emergency.…
Japan News: PM Suga and tourism and the Olympics while more Covid-19 highs Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The recent leadership of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in Japan is one of lack of compassion when it comes to the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis. Similarly, the same can be said of Tokyo Governor…
Tokyo News: Covid-19 daily high of over 1300 based on inaction Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis in Tokyo is at its height now based on local government and central government inaction. Instead, the focus in the last few months is solely the economy. Therefore, daily new highs…
Japanese poetry of bygone days and the influence of China Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese poet Mibu no Tadamine reached his height during the late ninth and early tenth centuries. It is known that he was active in the Heian court between 898-920. Therefore, one can imagine his world through the prism…
European Union and China poised to sign a significant investment deal Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times A major investment deal between China and the European Union (EU) looks set to be signed in 2021. If so, EU business companies would gain important access to the lucrative Chinese market. Therefore, optimism is…
Japan Art: Cut down before his artistic prime of life Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Suzuki Reitan (1792-1817) died before his art could bloom like a beautiful flower. Equally, belonging to the world of rinpa (rimpa) art, his focus was on learning past art and techniques while being schooled. Reitan died…
Japan News: The Japanese government does little to contain Covid-19 so anti-foreign nuance Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The growing coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis in Japan is overwhelmingly internal. Despite this, an increasing anti-foreign nuance is happening among politicians and the media. Hence, it appears that by clamping down on foreign nationals,…
Tokyo News: New Covid-19 daily high but no change in containing the crisis Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times On the whole, people don’t expect new coronavirus (Covid-19) policy changes in Japan or regionally when it comes to Tokyo. Hence, the coronavirus crisis continues to deteriorate in this country. Therefore, economics will…
Islamists massacre Christians in Nigeria on Christmas Eve Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Christians in the village of Pemi, in the state of Borno, were attacked on Christmas Eve in northeast Nigeria. Once more, Islamists killed Christians at random and then set fire to a church. It is being reported that…
Tokyo News: New Covid-19 daily high in Tokyo but Christmas shopping is in demand Sawako Utsumi and Sawako Uchida Modern Tokyo News Tokyo once more set a new daily high for new coronavirus (Covid-19) infections. Despite the new high of 888 new infections, shopping centers from Ebisu to Ikebukuro – and from Ginza to Omotesando…
Tokyo News: Profligate Tokyo Olympics set to become the most expensive in history Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games look set to become the most expensive in the history of the Olympics. Yet, the ultra-modern city of Tokyo doesn’t need the games to develop…
Japan and India support a free and open Indo-Pacific region: China isn’t boosting allies Sawako Uchida and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The government of China isn’t creating further divisions in Northeast Asia or the Asia Pacific region. However, Japan is constantly upping the ante by endless bi-lateral – and multi-lateral – power plays…
Tokyo News: Homeless to be offered hotel rooms over New Year period in Tokyo Kanako Mita and Sawako Utsumi Modern Tokyo Times The Governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, and others within the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) are seeking to provide solace to vulnerable people during the New Year period. Therefore, from December 21 until January…
UK highly infectious Covid-19 variant leads to Europe issuing travel bans Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis in the United Kingdom is reaching a new stage because now this nation is blighted by a more-infectious variant. Thus internal restrictions are being imposed by the government. Likewise, several European…
Tokyo News: Tokyoites hit by Covid-19 related poverty visit consultations by trade unions Kanako Mita and Sawako Utsumi Modern Tokyo Times The National Confederation of Trade Unions is extremely concerned about growing poverty caused by the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis. This relates to people losing their jobs and others surviving on a reduced income. Of course,…
