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Japan My Number

Why Is Japan’s My Number System Flailing?

Japan's pushing for everyone to get a national ID card by 2022. It's less than halfway there. So what's holding people back?
Yudonosan, one of the three mountains of the Dewa Sanzan

The Sacred Peaks: An Introduction to the Dewa Sanzan

Learn about the Dewa Sanzan, the three mountains that are the pride of Japan's north - and a deeply spiritual site for many.

Mercenaries of Global Terror: Shigenobu Fusako and the Japanese Red Army

Shigenobu Fusako vowed to take the Japanese Red Army global. Her mission ended with dozens of innocent deaths.
An Edo-era woman with naginata and brush stands before the colors of the Lesbian flag, symbolizing the queer aspects of this story.

Queer Echoes: Koike Chikyoku, Unlikely Warrior Artist

The story of a little-know artist-turned-warrior during the waning days of the samurai -- and who just might have been a queer woman.
Woman samurai in front of Sukagawa fire festival

The Indomitable Lady Onami of Sukagawa

Too often, history leaves out the Japanese women who left their mark on the world around them. Meet Lady Onami, who led her clan in defiance of the Date clan.
Studio Ponoc, represented by various films

Studio Ponoc: The Ghibli Successor in Waiting

The supposed Ghibli successor just released a new animated short. But with the years passing and only one theatrical film to their name, just what is Studio Ponoc?
Blood on the Snow - JRA Part 2

Blood on the Snow: The Horrifying Implosion of Japan’s United Red Army

Pushed underground by vigilant police surveillance, Japan's militant far left went down a dark path that would tarnish its name in infamy for decades to come.
Learning kanji for the JLPT

How to Study Kanji for the JLPT Pt.1: Kanji Radicals

The trick to memorizing kanji for the JLPT is... don't! Instead, focus on learning kanji radicals, the alphabet of kanji characters!

Summer Sonic Festival Promises Foreign Acts Despite Tight Border Control

With spouses, job-seekers, students and more stuck outside of Japan, a festival's claims at getting foreign talent into Japan grates.

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