Japan

Features
22 MAR

In the shadows of the land of the rising sun

Who are the mysterious “Yakuza”, and what is their role in modern Japan?

Contrary to popular belief the Yakuza are not a single entity in Japan’s criminal underworld. Rather the term ‘yakuza’, in Japanese roughly translates to ‘good for nothing’ and can apply to any individual gangsters or their affiliated gangs. Many theorize …

SciTech
22 NOV

How the Tohoku tsunami transported Japanese marine life to the American coast

Study reveals 2011 tsunami displaced marine life from Japanese coast to American coast via oceanic debris

On March 11 2011, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake hit the Pacific coast of Tohoku, Japan. To say that it was powerful would be an understatement, with the then Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan saying that “in the 65 years after …

Features
21 DEC

History is harsh: Japan, the Second World War and east Asian politics

Aaron Matheson Reen explores the contentious legacy of the Second World War in Japan and its visible impact on East Asian politics.

FEATURES

Dominating the northernmost corner of Tokyo’s Kitanomaru Park is the Nippon Budokan. This octagonal structure functions as Japan’s foremost martial arts venue. On August 15, however, the stadium served more solemn purposes. Directed by Emperor Akihito, a service in commemoration …