occupation

Akiyama Toyohiro: The Japanese Astronaut Who Hated Space

In 1990, journalist Akiyama Toyohiro became the first Japanese astronaut in space. Too bad he had such a rough time of it.

Review: Godzilla Minus One is a Monster Disappointment

Godzilla is back for its first Japanese live-action film in seven years with a surprising post-war period piece. The question is, is…

Japan’s Whiteness Problem, Part 2: The Propaganda Machine

How Japan went from a paternalistic relationship with the US after WWII to a co-dependent one that reified whiteness.

Sakhalin Island: Japan’s Final Frontier

How Japan's discovery of a large northern island devastated the island's native population - and how Japan lost control when Russia muscled…