Japan is well-known for being a mostly homogenous nation. However, it’s aging population necessitates change. So far, the measures taken to address the issue haven’t worked well. Regardless, relying on immigration seems unavoidable despite the difficulties implementing this will bring. Perhaps a re-examination of the country’s foreign resident demographics can… Read
Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher, never wrote things down. He warned that writing undermines memory – that it is nothing but a reminder of some previous thought. Compared to people who discuss and debate, readers “will be hearers of many things and will have learned nothing; they will appear to… Read
Right-wing activists who have long criticized liberalism and “wokeness” in higher education and helped force the resignation of Claudine Gay, Harvard University’s first African American president, have now set their sights on ending the diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs that these activists claim helped place figures like Gay… Read
Iran's direct attack on Israel over the weekend upended decades of its shadowy warfare by proxy, something Tehran has used to manage international repercussions for its actions. But with both economic and political tensions at home boiling, the country's Shiite theocracy chose a new path as changes loom for the… Read
Spring is upon us, and more importantly than blooming flowers or warm sunshine, that means the 2024 Nippon Professional Baseball season is underway. The defending champion Hanshin Tigers are looking to repeat, and the Orix Buffaloes are chasing “dynasty” status. But beyond the top-flight teams, here are four burning questions… Read
Coining the right slogan can pay mighty dividends in any political system. Ex-President Donald Trump swears by his MAGA message and China's supremo Xi Jinping loves his "China Dream." Of course, Xi isn't ever likely to wear a red baseball hat emblazoned with his rejuvenation message. Yet he has made it his… Read
A dog’s plaintive wail. A courtroom couplet-turned-cultural catchphrase about gloves. A judge and attorneys who became media darlings and villains. A slightly bewildered houseguest elevated, briefly, into a slightly bewildered celebrity. Troubling questions about race that echo still. The beginning of the Kardashian dynasty. An epic slow-motion highway chase. And,… Read
When Simon Harris became Ireland's prime minister-in-waiting in March, he turned to a favored platform to express himself: TikTok. In a video with 'THANK YOU' written in yellow lettering, the man who will be Ireland's youngest Taoiseach told his 95,000 followers of his rise from an "opinionated, moody teenager" bristling… Read
It has long been held that embassies should be treated as “off-limits” to other nations. Yet in a single week, two governments – both long-established democracies – stand accused of violating, in different ways, the laws surrounding foreign diplomatic missions. First, on April 1, 2024, Iran’s embassy in Damascus was… Read
From her down-to-earth demeanor to chopstick skills, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has been under scrutiny on her China visit, where she delivered a serious message -- a call to action to avoid the pitfalls of excess factory capacity. Washington and others are worried that overcapacity, fueled by Chinese government… Read