Rest in Peace Japanese?

The AFP reports that Japanese students “rush for English-language education,” which would be a dramatic reversal of the trend of the past few years among young people to show less interest in foreign countries and cultures. The article features ridiculous quotes by novelist Minae Mizumura.

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Kjeld Duits • Friday July 3, 2009 • Society • Add Comment [1]

The DPJ Faces the Bureaucracy

(by Tobias Harris) – With the DPJ’s prospects on the rise and the LDP mired in what may be terminal disarray, the DPJ is receiving greater scrutiny when it comes to how the party will govern should it take power.

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Kjeld Duits • Friday June 26, 2009 • Politics • Add Comment

The Story Behind Neda's Video

She is the dramatic symbol of the Iranian protest, Neda Agha-Soltan, the 26-year old woman who was shot dead by an unknown sniper. The man who captured the horrifying images of her final minutes, sent the video to an Iranian friend applying for political asylum in the Netherlands, who subsequently sent it into the world.

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Kjeld Duits • Wednesday June 24, 2009 • Politics • Add Comment [1]

Companies Causing a Wave of Change in Japanese Agriculture

Amid growing concern about food safety and the nation’s low food self-sufficiency ratio, agriculture has recently attracted a lot of attention in Japan. Here we would like to give an overview of the current situation of the nation’s food supply and agriculture, and outline some new trends and future prospects. The increasing interest in agriculture centers around three major issues: the low percentage of food self-sufficiency, the deterioration of farming communities, and food safety concerns.

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Kjeld Duits • Tuesday June 23, 2009 • Society • Add Comment [1]

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra Jungle Boogie

One of Shizuko Kasagi’s (see previous two entries) best known songs is undoubtedly the Jungle Boogie. Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, better known as Skapara, performs a thoroughly modern modern version of it in this clip.

Kjeld Duits • Saturday June 20, 2009 • Fun • Add Comment

More Shizuko Kasagi

Searching for more video clips of Shizuko Kasagi (1914-1985), I found this one in which her song Tokyo Boogie Woogie is used as background music for film clips of Japan in 1948. I love the haircuts of the little girls and boys!

Kjeld Duits • Saturday June 20, 2009 • Fun • Add Comment

Shizuko Kasagi's Shopping Boogie

Just discovered the Kaimono Boogie (Shopping Boogie) performed by Shizuko Kasagi (1914-1985) in 1950. Kasagi was known as the Queen of Boogie. If you understand Japanese, especially Osaka-ben, this one is a lot of fun to listen to. I like the part where she tries to get the attention of the elderly shopkeeper, who happens to be extremely hard of hearing.

Kjeld Duits • Saturday June 20, 2009 • Fun • Add Comment

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