Shohei Kato from The Mainichi:
A Tokyo gubernatorial candidate has been warned by police over his election posters displaying an almost naked woman, the Mainichi Shimbun has learned from sources close to the investigation.
Stay classy.
Shaun McKenna & Alex K.T. Martin from The Japan Times:
On this week’s Deep Dive, we speak to Alex K.T. Martin who has done a series of pieces exploring what lies beneath the surface of Tokyo. Hidden rivers, ancient artifacts and crumbling infrastructure are just a few of the discoveries he made during his reporting. And while it’s important to know how we’re going to manage these things as climate change — or more importantly, the possible flooding that comes with it — worsens, sometimes it’s just fascinating to learn about the world under our feet.
Very interesting episode on one of my favorite subjects: urban infrastructure. To keep a city the size of Tokyo running (mostly) smooth, a lot of systems are needed to manage the services we all take for granted.
Shigeharu Asami from The Mainichi:
A group of four high school students recently received letters of thanks from police here after helping a woman who was being harassed by a stranger.
According to the students, they spotted what appeared to be a couple arguing on the street at the JR Kisarazu Station east exit on the evening of May 26. Because the 20-year-old woman appeared bothered, they asked her what was going on, to which she replied that she didn't know the man. They intervened between her and the man to stop her from being harassed. The group also surrounded the 38-year-old man so that he would not run off and asked a passerby to call the police. The man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of engaging in indecent acts without consent.
This is just one of those stories that you need to see more of in a country (or world, for that matter) that seems to encourage people to ignore those around us. Good that they stepped up and hope their actions spur others to help those in need.
Brad Glosserman from The Japan Times:
In simplest terms, Japan’s problem is sclerosis. The country’s economic policymakers have opted for stability, halting the “creative destruction” that promotes innovation and delivers prosperity. “Among all rich countries, it is Japan where new companies find it hardest to get the external funding that is needed for growth. Consequently, the birth and death rate of companies has plunged and is now one of the lowest among 27 rich countries.”
A book review of The Contest for Japan’s Economic Future by Richard Katz. In my own personal experience in the country, this tendency towards risk-aversion and stability is very real.