Had a great time reporting this piece on kengido and interviewing ⁦@kamuitetsuro⁩ Some pretty cool videos and photos in this one. A 'Kill Bill' swordsman brings samurai art to the world.

Japan would be smart not to stoke resentment of foreigners

There’s lavishing praise, and there’s this.

Good read. Surprised there hasn’t been much written about Aeon in English language media. As for My Basket, great for essentials (and booze), not great quality of fresh food. Supermarkets always better.

Great that people are happy about having a female PM.

Another poll shows a very positive start for Takichi. New Japan PM Takaichi starts with 74% approval: Nikkei poll

✒️My latest for Nikkei Asia on Japan's "work-willing reform" movement: To be clear: Takaichi's personal commitment to work hard for her constituents isn't the problem. The real problem is the "work-willing reform" movement being pushed behind the scenes by business groups. It's

Literal translation: “An important person is coming to Japan” “There will be restrictions on the roads in Tokyo” Trump making his mark.

So, I gave a lecture on disinformation to high school students in Utsunomiya yesterday and I asked them about the Takaichi Nara deer story - that foreigners are abusing deer, and *all 30* said it was true. I'm surprised this story has travelled so far. Has anyone seen proof?

Prof. Menju Toshihiro commented on how LDP politicians say Japan doesn't accept "immigrants" when pursuing policies that are actually increasing immigration. It contributes to a public perception of immigrants as "potential criminals." https://t.co/mPIMyd2Fcp

A Twitter user who is a British person pretending to be Japanese nationalist spread fake news about Prime Minister Takaichi carrying out "mass deportations," prompting Japan's Jiji Press to publish an article about the false information spreading abroad.

“The new ombudsman may represent the final chance by Marcos to forestall a potential Duterte comeback in 2028, if not ouster in his lame duck years in office,” my latest for @NikkeiAsia https://t.co/xAWNjeoFuT

Japanese bear-attack movie release date postponed until bear hibernation season begins (because there are a lot of bear attacks now): Higuma is a Japanese "monster panic adventure" movie about "dark part-time job" youths battling against a killer bear. https://t.co/wAfkFLh5yV

I really enjoy @AmbJapanUK ‘s tweet. But got to say he really hasn’t got the Scouse lingo down.

Anyone on the site (or others) may get the wrong impression of Japan (or anywhere really) from some of the nonsense posted. A lot of unprofessional people with smartphones are spreading misinformation and lies. That makes @AbroadInJapan ‘s video posted earlier today important.

@NikkeiAsia My back of a cigarette box (using AI) calculation to how much more spending they would need to hit 2% this fiscal year is 1.1 trillion yen ($7.3 billion). Another showed 2.7 trillion. I'd like to see how the government is calculating this (and how they plan to pay for it.)

Japan PM Takaichi vows to boost defense spending to 2% of GDP by March https://t.co/iuovrKfgdr via @NikkeiAsia

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in her first policy address to parliament on Friday, unveiled a plan to lift Japan's defense-related spending to a level equivalent to 2% of gross domestic product in the current fiscal year ending March 2026, while also outlining a list of

Sharing an opportunity for early- to mid-career professionals between the ages of 22-39 who have a demonstrated interest or expertise in U.S.-ROK-Japan relations. The organization I co-founded will be accepting new member applications on a rolling basis! https://t.co/3IgrXL3Lk5

(Onoda has quite the title) One area that will be affected is government policy toward foreign residents. Economic Security Minister Kimi Onoda will also serve as the "minister in charge of a society of well-ordered and harmonious coexistence with foreign nationals." "We will

Takaichi’s policies are starting to take shape. Takaichi's cabinet picks signal changes to immigration, defense policy