Category Archives: Media

Media Mix, June 16, 2013

Posted on June 16, 2013 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is about coverage of Yoichiro Miura’s record-breaking climb to the top of Mt. Everest in late May. The gist of the Shukan Bunshun article I refer to is that Miura and his family make … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The “comfort women” issue in 1997

Posted on May 21, 2013 by philipbrasor

Here is a column I wrote in 1997 about the “comfort women” issue, which was still relatively new at the time. In light of the controversy sparked by Mayor Toru Hashimoto’s comments, I thought it might be instructive to see … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Media Mix, May 5, 2013

Posted on May 5, 2013 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is about the government’s proposal to boost English language proficiency, mainly through utilization of TOEFL. Near the end of the column I mention the “parochial” nature of Japan’s world view, a stereotype I normally … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The pursuit of happiest: Will and Jaden Smith in Tokyo

Posted on May 4, 2013 by philipbrasor

In his newest sci-fi blockbuster, After Earth, Will Smith plays a man who is incapacitated during a crash landing on earth some thousand years into the future and in order to survive he has to send his own son, played … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Movies | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Media Mix, Apr. 7, 2013

Posted on April 7, 2013 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is about the current administration’s attitude toward the constitution as demonstrated by its handling of the vote disparity issue. This attitude might have met with more criticism from the media if the judiciary were … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Media Mix, Mar. 31, 2013

Posted on March 31, 2013 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which along with another article we posted on our JT blog completes a double this week on public transportation. Though the two pieces address different news stories, both bring up the issue of what sort … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Media Mix, Mar. 24, 2013

Posted on March 24, 2013 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is about coverage of a new prenatal screening test and the attendant discussion of abortion in Japan. The general opinion, both here and abroad, is that abortion is legal in Japan, but while it … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Media Mix, Mar. 17, 2013

Posted on March 17, 2013 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix about the Shinsai Big Data project, which endeavors to make sense of data recorded on March 11, 2011 in the areas of northeastern Japan that were hit the hardest by the tsunami caused by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Media Mix, Feb. 24, 2013

Posted on February 24, 2013 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is about vegetarianism as an expression of conscience. The article is not meant to advocate meat-free diets. My point is that the moral imperative which informs vegetarianism is worth discussing and it is not … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Getting it wrong on “bessei”

Posted on February 18, 2013 by philipbrasor

This weekend the Cabinet Office released the results of a survey showing that “fewer people” supported the idea of allowing married couples to use separate names. This issue has been simmering for at least a decade and every time a … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | Tagged , | Leave a comment