Everyone’s Talking About the ‘Blue Tsunami.’ In Japan, It’s Complicated.

By: Javier C. Hernández and Kiuko Notoya

5 November 2026 at 11:48

The New York Post used a Hokusai work to depict Donald Trump being swept away by Democrats’ midterm election win. Some in Japan were bothered by the imagery.

A New York Post cover featuring the “Great Wave” by Katsushika Hokusai.

Senji Kuroi Has Died. He Interpreted ‘the Salaried Soul.’

NYT - World

By: Jonathan Kandell

4 November 2026 at 18:23

In books and essays, he captured the unease beneath Japan’s economic miracle and wrote about everyday people who might never appear in headlines.

Senji Kuroi in 1972. He published dozens of novels, short-story collections and essays, earning major Japanese literary prizes.

Korean Language Picks Up in Japan

NYT - World

By: Hisako Ueno and Jin Yu Young

1 November 2026 at 04:01

The rise of Korean terms in Japanese is a striking reversal from colonial times and a sign of the global appeal of South Korean culture.

A street lined with Korean-language signs in Shin-Okubo, in Tokyo, which has long had a Koreatown neighborhood.

How the Japanese Spy Drama ‘Vivant’ Became The Target of China’s Anger

NYT - World

By: Javier C. Hernández and Hisako Ueno

30 October 2026 at 06:15

“Vivant,” a Japanese thriller that features Chinese spies, has drawn intense criticism from Beijing. Its creators defend the show, saying it is “completely fictional.”