This past week, Japanese television has been full of programs marking the six month anniversary of the triple disasters of March 11, 2011–the megaquake, tsunami and Fukushima meltdowns.  On the September 11 edition of the variety show “Tetsuwan DASH,”TOKIO’s Tatsuya Yamaguchi made a nostalgic journey back to the DASH Mura farm (See: Ostriches of Fukushima, April 28) located in Namie-machi, Fukushima Prefecture. Continue reading →

Are Japan’s entertainers under pressure not to oppose the nuclear power industry? Actor Taro Yamamoto thinks so.  In an interview in the August 6 issue of Shukan Gendai, a weekly magazine that has focused on Fukushima-related issues continuously since March 11, he related his own firsthand experiences. Continue reading →

The finale of the popular TBS medical drama “Jin,” about a modernday brain surgeon hurled back in time to mid-19th century Japan, aired June 26, 2011 in Japan. The explanation for some of the more implausible aspects of this sci-fi script was that some events had taken place in parallel universes. This got me thinking about post-March 11 Japan and what might Continue reading →

As Fukushima residents battle a multitude of problems, some are finding an able ally in the power of tweeting. The June 28 issue of AERA magazine reported on two examples of Twitter at work in the disaster zone. Continue reading →

It is hard to be positive in a world where meltdowns come in triplicate but, while the politicians dither in the Diet and TEPCO tries to quell its runaway reactors, there are a few positive signs this week. Continue reading →

“Gaman” (perseverance, patience, endurance) is a word that really defies English translation. It’s almost a lifestyle in itself.  It is not just a matter of holding firm and hanging tough through hard times. It often can become a game of gaman kurabe (an endurance contest) that can defy rational limits. It can push one past logic into a place Continue reading →

Rental geiger counter, anyone? Get in line. It’s a booming business in Tokyo now with one company charging a rental fee of 7,500 yen a day. The devices are becoming particularly popular with young mothers who are wondering whether it’s safe to let their children play in the park.  Continue reading →

Much has been written about the lack of vision and leadership in Japan since the March 11 megaquake and Fukushima disaster.  So in an attempt to keep this blog positive, I went in search of examples of inspiring leadership and found them in Masayoshi Son, Japan’s richest man, and Mickey Mouse. Continue reading →

Almost every TV viewer in Japan has visited the Dash Mura farm. They just didn’t know where it was until April 24. That night, viewers discovered Dash Mura is in Namie Town, which sits in the Fukushima 20 km exclusion zone, and all its inhabitants had been evacuated. Dash Mura is the pet project of TOKIO, a five-man pop music group Continue reading →

The big news this week is that Tokyo Disneyland reopened April 15.  Ten thousand people lined up to get inside and who can blame them. After living six weeks of the Alice in Nuclear Wonderland nightmare, who wouldn’t want to make a beeline for Fantasyland and Tomorrowland? Continue reading →