Jens Wilkinson

I am a translator living in Tokyo. I help moderate several lists on Japan, including the community, a group working on issues of discrimination. In addition, I am the designer of an international language called Neo Patwa, and have a blog here.

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Latest posts by Jens Wilkinson

  7 October 2007

Blogger Ampontan offers an essay on the history of a matsuri (festival) which changed after the war, and discusses the aims of festivals. Not serious politics, but it's an interesting view of how “traditions” can be born from specific conditions.

Japan: Sumo Wrestling Takes a Beating

  6 October 2007

It’s been a tough few months in the world of Sumo wrestling, Japan’s “national sport.” First, Mongolian wrestler Asashoryu, one of two yokozuna (the top wrestling class) returned to his homeland to undergo treatment for a mental disorder brought on by criticism that he shirked his duties, pretending to be...

  5 October 2007

In a new blog, Neojaponisme, W. David Marx reports on suppressed reports of pedophilia against a well-known Japanese producer, Johnny Kitagawa. It's a good read on the state of the media in Japan.

  1 October 2007

Who do you trust with your yen? Writing in Liberal Japan, blogger Matt Dioguardi points out an interesting irony: it would appear that the government has concluded that teenagers working in convenience stores are more trustworthy than government bureaucrats working in its own offices.

Japan: New Justice Minister wants “automatic” executions

  1 October 2007

New Justice Minister Hatoyama Kunio, upon taking office on September 25 (actually at his outgoing press conference, before he was reappointed to the position), stated that he supported creating a “conveyor belt” process for executions, so that the justice minister (meaning himself) wouldn’t have to sign death warrants. In view...

Japanese cameraman killed in Myanmar

  28 September 2007

During a demonstration on September 27, Japanese photojournalist Nagai Kenji was killed while reporting on the ongoing unrest in Myanmar. Initially, news reports were that Nagai had likely been struck by a “stray bullet” when security forces opened fire on protestors. However, as written by Hosaka Nobuto, an opposition politician,...

  26 September 2007

Blogger Tobias Harris, a keen observer of politics in Japan, adds some interesting analysis of the transition from the Abe to Fukuda cabinets. He looks at the return of factional politics in the ruling LDP, and finds that Fukuda has made some keen decisions in his first day in power.

  25 September 2007

Japanese blogger and human rights activist Arudou Debito talks about the new biometric immigration procedures for foreigners arriving at Tokyo's Narita Airport, along with the revival of mandatory fingerprinting after a hiatus of ten years.

Japan: Fukuda Slated to Be Next PM

  25 September 2007

In the Liberal Democratic Party election held on Sunday the 24th, Fukuda Yasuo defeated opponent Aso Taro, and is slated to become the next Prime Minister. He will follow Abe Shinzo, who resigned two weeks ago. This marks an important change. Fukuda is generally known as a moderate within the...

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I am a translator living in Tokyo. I help moderate several lists on Japan, including the community, a group working on issues of discrimination. In addition, I am the designer of an international language called Neo Patwa, and have a blog here.