Podcasts about Tokyo

Last time we spoke about Operation Chahar. In July 1937, the tensions between Japan and China erupted into a full-scale conflict, ignited by the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. Following a series of aggressive Japanese military maneuvers, Chiang Kai-shek, then enjoying a brief respite at Kuling, learned of the escalating clashes and prepared for battle. Confident that China was primed for resistance, he rallied his nation, demanding that Japan accept responsibility and respect China's sovereignty. The Japanese launched their offensive, rapidly capturing key positions in Northern China. Notably, fierce battle ensued in Jinghai, where Chinese soldiers, led by Brigade Commander Li Zhiyuan, valiantly defended against overwhelming forces using guerrilla tactics and direct assaults. Their spirit was symbolized by a courageous “death squad” that charged the enemy, inflicting serious casualties despite facing dire odds. As weeks passed, the conflict intensified with brutal assaults on Nankou. Chinese defenses, though valiant, were ultimately overwhelmed, leading to heavy casualties on both sides. Despite losing Nankou, the indomitable Chinese spirit inspired continued resistance against the Japanese invaders, foreshadowing a long, brutal war that would reshape East Asia.   #156 The Battle of Shanghai Part 1: The Beginning of the Battle of Shanghai Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. On August 9, a bullet riddled sedan screeched to an abrupt halt at the entrance to the Hongqiao airport along Monument Road. The gruesome scene on the dashboard revealed that one of the victims had died in the car. He had been dragged out and subjected to brutal slashing, kicking, and beating until his body was a mangled mess. Half of his face was missing, and his stomach had been cut open, exposing the sickly pallor of his intestines, faintly glimmering in the night. The other man had managed to escape the vehicle but only got a few paces away before he was gunned down. A short distance away lay a third body, dressed in a Chinese uniform. Investigators swiftly identified the badly mangled body as belonging to 27-year-old Sub-Lieutenant Oyama Isao, while the other deceased Japanese man was his driver, First Class Seaman Saito Yozo. The identity of the Chinese victim remained a mystery. At first glance, the scene appeared to be the aftermath of a straightforward shootout. However, numerous questions lingered: What were the Japanese doing at a military airfield miles from their barracks? Who had fired the first shot, and what had prompted that decision? The Chinese investigators and their Japanese counterparts were at odds over the answers to these questions. As they walked the crime scene, searching for evidence, loud arguments erupted repeatedly. By the time the sun began to rise, they concluded their investigation without reaching any consensus on what had transpired. They climbed into their cars and made their way back to the city. The investigators were acutely aware of the repercussions if they failed to handle their delicate task with the necessary finesse. Despite their hopes for peace, it was evident that Shanghai was a city bracing for war. As they drove through the dimly lit suburbs on their way from Hongqiao back to their downtown offices, their headlights illuminated whitewashed trees, interspersed with sandbag defenses and the silhouettes of solitary Chinese sentries. Officially, these sentries were part of the Peace Preservation Corps,  a paramilitary unit that, due to an international agreement reached a few years earlier, was the only Chinese force allowed to remain in the Shanghai area. In the hours that followed, both sides presented their versions of the incident. According to the Chinese account, the Japanese vehicle attempted to force its way through the airport gate. When members of the Peace Preservation Corps stationed at the entrance signaled for Saito, the driver, to stop, he abruptly turned the car around. Sub-Lieutenant Oyama then fired at the Chinese guards with an automatic pistol. Only then did the Chinese return fire, killing Oyama in a hail of bullets. Saito managed to jump out before he, too, was gunned down. The commander of the Chinese guards told a Western reporter that this wasn't the first time someone Japanese had attempted to enter the airport. Such incidents had occurred repeatedly in the past two months, leading them to believe that the Japanese were “obviously undertaking espionage.” The Japanese account, predictably, placed the blame for the entire incident squarely on China. It asserted that Oyama had been driving along a road bordering the airfield with no intention of entering. Suddenly, the vehicle was stopped and surrounded by Peace Preservation Corps troops, who opened fire with rifles and machine guns without warning. Oyama had no opportunity to return fire. The Japanese statement argued that the two men had every right to use the road, which was part of the International Settlement, and labeled the incident a clear violation of the 1932 peace agreement. “We demand that the Chinese bear responsibility for this illegal act,”. Regardless of either side, it seemed likely to everyone in the region, war would soon engulf Shanghai.  Meanwhile, as the Marco Polo Bridge Incident escalated into a full blown in the far north, General Zhang Fakui was attending a routine training mission at Mount Lu in southeastern Jiangxi. A short and small man, not considered too handsome either, Zhang had earned his place in China's leadership through physical courage, once taking a stand on a bridge and single handedly facing down an enemy army. He was 41 years old in 1937, having spent half his life fighting Warlords, Communists and sometimes even Nationalists. In the recent years he had tossed his lot in with a rebel campaign against Chiang Kai-Shek, who surprisingly went on the forgive him and placed him in charge of anti communist operations in the area due south of Shanghai. However now the enemy seemed to have changed.  As the war spread to Beijing, on July 16th, Zhang was sent to Chiang Kai-Shek's summer residence at Mount Lu alongside 150 members of China's political and military elites. They were all there to brainstorm how to fight the Japanese. Years prior the Generalissimo had made it doctrine to appease the Japanese but now he made grandiose statements such as “this time we must fight to the end”. Afterwards Chiang dealt missions to all his commanders and Zhang Fakui was told to prepare for operations in the Shanghai area.  It had been apparent for weeks that both China and Japan were preparing for war in central China. The Japanese had been diverting naval troops from the north to strengthen their forces in Shanghai, and by early August, they had assembled over 8,000 troops. A few days later, approximately thirty-two naval vessels arrived. On July 31, Chiang declared that “all hope for peace has been lost.” Chiang had been reluctant to commit his best forces to defend northern China, an area he had never truly controlled. In contrast, Shanghai was central to his strategy for the war against Japan. Chiang decided to deploy his finest troops, the 87th and 88th Divisions, which were trained by generals under the guidance of the German advisor von Falkenhausen, who had high hopes for their performance against the Japanese. In doing so, Chiang aimed to demonstrate to both his own people and the wider world that the Chinese could and would resist the invader. Meanwhile, Chiang's spy chief, Dai Li, was busy gathering intelligence on Japanese intentions regarding Shanghai, a challenging task given his focus in recent years. Dai, one of the most sinister figures in modern Chinese history, had devoted far more energy and resources to suppressing the Communists than to countering the Japanese. As a result, by the critical summer of 1937, he had built only a sparse network of agents in “Little Tokyo,” the Hongkou area of Shanghai dominated by Japanese businesses. One agent was a pawnshop owner, while the rest were double agents employed as local staff within the Japanese security apparatus. Unfortunately, they could provide little more than snippets, rumors, and hearsay. While some of this information sounded alarmingly dire, there was almost no actionable intelligence. Chiang did not take the decision to open a new front in Shanghai lightly. Built on both banks of the Huangpu River, the city served as the junction between the Pacific Ocean to the east and the great Yangtze River, which wound thousands of kilometers inland to the west. Shanghai embodied everything that represented modern China, from its industry and labor relations to its connections with the outside world. While foreign diplomatic presence was concentrated in nearby Nanjing, the capital, it was in Shanghai that the foreign community gauged the country's mood. Foreigners in the city's two “concession” areas nthe French Concession and the British-affiliated International Settlement often dismissed towns beyond Shanghai as mere “outstations.” Chiang Kai-shek would throw 650,000 troops into the battle for the city and its environs as well as his modest air force of 200 aircraft. Chiang, whose forces were being advised by German officers led by General Alexander von Falkenhausen, was finally confident that his forces could take on the Japanese. A German officer told a British diplomat, “If the Chinese Army follows the advice of the German advisers, it is capable of driving the Japanese over the Great Wall.”   While Chiang was groping in the dark, deprived of the eyes and ears of an efficient intelligence service, he did have at his disposal an army that was better prepared for battle than it had been in 1932. Stung by the experience of previous conflicts with the Japanese, Chiang had initiated a modernization program aimed at equipping the armed forces not only to suppress Communist rebels but also to confront a modern fighting force equipped with tanks, artillery, and aircraft. He had made progress, but it was insufficient. Serious weaknesses persisted, and now there was no time for any remedial action. While China appeared to be a formidable power in sheer numbers, the figures were misleading. On the eve of war, the Chinese military was comprised of a total of 176 divisions, which were theoretically organized into two brigades of two regiments each. However, only about 20 divisions maintained full peacetime strength of 10,000 soldiers and officers; the rest typically held around 5,000 men. Moreover, Chiang controlled only 31 divisions personally, and he could not count on the loyalty of the others. To successfully resist Japan, Chiang would need to rely not only on his military command skills but also on his ability to forge fragile coalitions among Warlord generals with strong local loyalties. Equipment posed another significant challenge. The modernization drive was not set to complete until late 1938, and the impact of this delay was evident. In every category of weaponry, from rifles to field artillery, the Chinese were outmatched by their Japanese adversaries, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Domestically manufactured artillery pieces had shorter ranges, and substandard steel-making technology caused gun barrels to overheat, increasing the risk of explosions. Some arms even dated back to imperial times. A large proportion of the Chinese infantry had received no proper training in basic tactics, let alone in coordinated operations involving armor and artillery. The chief of the German advisory corps was General Alexander von Falkenhausen, a figure hard to rival in terms of qualifications for the role. Although the 58-year-old's narrow shoulders, curved back, and bald, vulture-like head gave him an unmilitary, almost avian appearance, his exterior belied a tough character. In 1918, he had earned his nation's highest military honor, the Pour le Mérite, while assisting Germany's Ottoman allies against the British in Palestine. Few, if any, German officers knew Asia as well as he did. His experience in the region dated back to the turn of the century. As a young lieutenant in the Third East Asian Infantry Regiment, he participated in the international coalition of colonial powers that quelled the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. A decade later, he traveled through Korea, Manchuria, and northern China with his wife, keenly observing and learning as a curious tourist. From 1912 to 1914, he served as the German Kaiser's military attaché in Tokyo. He was poised to put his extensive knowledge to good use in the months ahead. Chiang believed that Shanghai should be the location of the first battle. This decision was heavily influenced by Falkenhausen and was strategically sound. Chiang Kai-shek could not hope to win a war against Japan unless he could unify the nation behind him, particularly the many fractious warlords who had battled his forces repeatedly over the past decade. Everyone understood that the territory Japan was demanding in the far north did not need to be held for any genuine military necessity; it was land that could be negotiated. The warlords occupying that territory were unpredictable and all too willing to engage in bargaining. In contrast, China's economic heartland held different significance. By choosing to fight for the center of the country and deploying his strongest military units, Chiang Kai-shek signaled to both China's warlords and potential foreign allies that he had a vested interest in the outcome.  There were also several operational reasons for preferring a conflict in the Yangtze River basin over a campaign in northern China. The rivers, lakes, and rice paddies of the Yangtze delta were much better suited for defensive warfare against Japan's mechanized forces than the flat plains of North China. By forcing the Japanese to commit troops to central China, the Nationalists bought themselves the time needed to rally and reinforce their faltering defenses in the north. By initiating hostilities in the Shanghai area, Japan would be forced to divert its attention from the northern front, thereby stalling a potential Japanese advance toward the crucial city of Wuhan. It would also help safeguard potential supply routes from the Soviet Union, the most likely source of material assistance due to Moscow's own animosity toward Japan. It was a clever plan, and surprisingly, the Japanese did not anticipate it. Intelligence officers in Tokyo were convinced that Chiang would send his troops northward instead. Again in late July, Chiang convened his commanders, and here he gave Zhang Fukai more detailed instructions for his operation. Fukai was placed in charge of the right wing of the army which was currently preparing for action in the metropolitan area. Fukai would oversee the forces east of the Huangpu River in the area known as Pudong. Pudong was full of warehouses, factories and rice fields, quite precarious to fight in. Meanwhile General Zhang Zhizhong, a quiet and sickly looking man who had previously led the Central Military Academy was to command the left wing of the Huangpu. All of the officers agreed the plan to force the battle to the Shanghai area was logical as the northern region near Beijing was far too open, giving the advantage to tank warfare, which they could not hope to contest Japan upon. The Shanghai area, full of rivers, creaks and urban environments favored them much more. Zhang Zhizhong seemed an ideal pick to lead troops in downtown Shanghai where most of the fighting would take place. His position of commandant of the military academy allowed him to establish connections with junior officers earmarked for rapid promotion. This meant that he personally knew the generals of both the 87th and 88th Divisions, which were to form the core of Zhang Zhizhong's newly established 9th Army Group and become his primary assets in the early phases of the Shanghai campaign. Moreover, Zhang Zhizhong had the right aggressive instincts. He believed that China's confrontation with Japan had evolved through three stages: in the first stage, the Japanese invaded the northeast in 1931, and China remained passive; in the second stage, during the first battle of Shanghai in 1932, Japan struck, but China fought back. Zhang argued that this would be the third stage, where Japan was preparing to attack, but China would strike first.   It seems that Zhang Zhizhong did not expect to survive this final showdown with his Japanese adversary. He took the fight very personally, even ordering his daughter to interrupt her education in England and return home to serve her country in the war. However, he was not the strong commander he appeared to be, as he was seriously ill. Although he never disclosed the true extent of his condition, it seemed he was on the verge of a physical and mental breakdown after years in high-stress positions. In fact, he had recently taken a leave of absence from his role at the military academy in the spring of 1937. When the war broke out, he was at a hospital in the northern port city of Qingdao, preparing to go abroad for convalescence. He canceled those plans to contribute to the struggle against Japan. When his daughter returned from England and saw him on the eve of battle, she was alarmed by how emaciated he had become. From the outset, doubts about his physical fitness to command loomed large. At 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 10, a group of officers emerged from the Japanese Consulate along the banks of the Huangpu River. This team was a hastily assembled Sino-Japanese joint investigation unit tasked with quickly resolving the shooting incident at the Hongqiao Aerodrome of the previous night. They understood the urgency of reaching an agreement swiftly to prevent any escalation. As they drove to the airport, they passed armed guards of the Chinese Peace Preservation Corps stationed behind sandbag barricades that had been erected only hours earlier. Upon arriving at Hongqiao, the officers walked up and down the scene of the incident under the scorching sun, attempting to piece together a shared understanding of what had transpired. However, this proved to be nearly impossible, as the evidence failed to align into a coherent account acceptable to both parties. The Japanese were unconvinced that any shootout had occurred at all. Oyama, the officer who had been in the car, had left his pistol at the marine headquarters in Hongkou and had been unarmed the night before. They insisted that whoever shot and killed the man in the Chinese uniform could not have been him. By 6:00 pm the investigators returned to the city. Foreign correspondents, eager for information, knew exactly whom to approach. The newly appointed Shanghai Mayor, Yu Hongjun, with a quick wit and proficiency in English, Yu represented the city's cosmopolitan image. However, that evening, he had little to offer the reporters, except for a plea directed at both the Japanese and Chinese factions “Both sides should maintain a calm demeanor to prevent the situation from escalating.” Mayor Yu however was, in fact, at the center of a complex act of deception that nearly succeeded. Nearly eight decades later, Zhang Fakui attributed the incident to members of the 88th Division, led by General Sun Yuanliang. “A small group of Sun Yuanliang's men disguised themselves as members of the Peace Preservation Corps,” Zhang Fakui recounted years later in his old age. “On August 9, 1937, they encountered two Japanese servicemen on the road near the Hongqiao military aerodrome and accused them of forcing their way into the area. A clash ensued, resulting in the deaths of the Japanese soldiers.” This created a delicate dilemma for their superiors. The two dead Japanese soldiers were difficult to explain away. Mayor Yu, likely informed of the predicament by military officials, conferred with Tong Yuanliang, chief of staff of the Songhu Garrison Command, a unit established after the fighting in 1932. Together, they devised a quick and cynical plan to portray the situation as one of self-defense by the Chinese guards. Under their orders, soldiers marched a Chinese death row inmate to the airport gate, dressed him in a paramilitary guard's uniform, and executed him. While this desperate ruse might have worked initially, it quickly unraveled due to the discrepancies raised by the condition of the Chinese body. The Japanese did not believe the story, and the entire plan began to fall apart. Any remaining mutual trust swiftly evaporated. Instead of preventing a confrontation, the cover-up was accelerating the slide into war.  Late on August 10, Mayor Yu sent a secret cable to Nanjing, warning that the Japanese had ominously declared they would not allow the two deaths at the airport to go unpunished. The following day, the Japanese Consul General Okamoto Suemasa paid a visit to the mayor, demanding the complete withdrawal of the Peace Preservation Corps from the Shanghai area and the dismantling of all fortifications established by the corps. For the Chinese, acquiescing to these demands was nearly impossible. From their perspective, it appeared that the Japanese aimed to leave Shanghai defenseless while simultaneously bolstering their own military presence in the city. Twenty vessels, including cruisers and destroyers, sailed up the Huangpu River and docked at wharves near "Little Tokyo." Japanese marines in olive-green uniforms marched ashore down the gangplanks, while women from the local Japanese community, dressed in kimonos, greeted the troops with delighted smiles and bows to the flags of the Rising Sun that proudly adorned the sterns of the battleships. In fact, Japan had planned to deploy additional troops to Shanghai even before the shooting at Hongqiao Aerodrome. This decision was deemed necessary to reinforce the small contingent of 2,500 marines permanently stationed in the city. More troops were required to assist in protecting Japanese nationals who were being hastily evacuated from the larger cities along the Yangtze River. These actions were primarily defensive maneuvers, as the Japanese military seemed hesitant to open a second front in Shanghai, for the same reasons that the Chinese preferred an extension of hostilities to that area. Diverting Japanese troops from the strategically critical north and the Soviet threat across China's border would weaken their position, especially given that urban warfare would diminish the advantages of their technological superiority in tanks and aircraft. While officers in the Japanese Navy believed it was becoming increasingly difficult to prevent the war from spreading to Shanghai, they were willing to give diplomacy one last chance. Conversely, the Japanese Army was eager to wage war in northern China but displayed little inclination to engage in hostilities in Shanghai. Should the situation worsen, the Army preferred to withdraw all Japanese nationals from the city. Ultimately, when it agreed to formulate plans for dispatching an expeditionary force to Shanghai, it did so reluctantly, primarily to avoid accusations of neglecting its responsibilities. Amongst many commanders longing for a swift confrontation with Japan was Zhang Zhizhong. By the end of July, he was growing increasingly impatient, waiting with his troops in the Suzhou area west of Shanghai and questioning whether a unique opportunity was being squandered. On July 30, he sent a telegram to Nanjing requesting permission to strike first. He argued that if Japan were allowed to launch an attack on Shanghai, he would waste valuable time moving his troops from their position more than 50 miles away. Nanjing responded with a promise that his wishes would be fulfilled but urged him to exercise patience: “We should indeed seize the initiative over the enemy, but we must wait until the right opportunity arises. Await further orders.” That opportunity arose on August 11, with the Japanese display of force on the Huangpu River and their public demand for the withdrawal of China's paramilitary police. Japan had sufficiently revealed itself as the aggressor in the eyes of both domestic and international audiences, making it safe for China to take action. At 9:00 p.m. that evening, Zhang Zhizhong received orders from Nanjing to move his troops toward Shanghai. He acted with remarkable speed, capitalizing on the extensive transportation network in the region. The soldiers of the 87th Division quickly boarded 300 trucks that had been prepared in advance. Meanwhile, civilian passengers on trains were unceremoniously ordered off to make room for the 88th Division, which boarded the carriages heading for Shanghai. In total, over 20,000 motivated and well-equipped troops were on their way to battle.  On August 12, representatives from the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Italy, Japan, and China gathered for a joint conference in Shanghai to discuss ceasefire terms. Japan demanded the withdrawal of Chinese troops from Shanghai, while the Chinese representative, Yu Hung-chun, dismissed the Japanese demand, stating that the terms of the ceasefire had already been violated by Japan. The major powers were keen to avoid a repeat of the January 28 Incident, which had significantly disrupted foreign economic activities in Shanghai. Meanwhile, Chinese citizens fervently welcomed the presence of Chinese troops in the city. In Nanjing, Chinese and Japanese representatives convened for the last time in a final effort to negotiate. The Japanese insisted that all Peace Preservation Corps and regular troops be withdrawn from the vicinity of Shanghai. The Chinese, however, deemed the demand for a unilateral withdrawal unacceptable, given that the two nations were already engaged in conflict in North China. Ultimately, Mayor Yu made it clear that the most the Chinese government would concede was that Chinese troops would not fire unless fired upon. Conversely, Japan placed all responsibility on China, citing the deployment of Chinese troops around Shanghai as the cause of the escalating tensions. Negotiations proved impossible, leaving no alternative but for the war to spread into Central China. On that same morning of Thursday, August 12, residents near Shanghai's North Train Station, also known as Zhabei Station, just a few blocks from "Little Tokyo," awoke to an unusual sight: thousands of soldiers dressed in the khaki uniforms of the Chinese Nationalists, wearing German-style helmets and carrying stick grenades slung across their chests. “Where do you come from?” the Shanghai citizens asked. “How did you get here so fast?” Zhang Zhizhong issued detailed orders to each unit under his command, instructing the 88th Division specifically to travel by train and deploy in a line from the town of Zhenru to Dachang village, both located a few miles west of Shanghai. Only later was the division supposed to advance toward a position stretching from the Zhabei district to the town of Jiangwan, placing it closer to the city boundaries. Zhang Zhizhong was the embodiment of belligerence, but he faced even more aggressive officers among his ranks. On the morning of August 12, he was approached by Liu Jingchi, the chief of operations at the Songhu Garrison Command. Liu argued that the battle of 1932 had gone poorly for the Chinese because they had hesitated and failed to strike first. This time, he insisted, should be different, and Zhang should order an all-out assault on the Japanese positions that very evening. Zhang countered that he had clear and unmistakable orders from Chiang Kai-shek to let the Japanese fire first, emphasizing the importance of maintaining China's image on the world stage. “That's easy,” Liu retorted. “Once all the units are deployed and ready to attack, we can just change some people into mufti and send them in to fire a few shots. We attack, and simultaneously, we report that the enemy's offensive has begun.” Zhang Zhizhong did not like this idea. “We can't go behind our leader's back like that,” he replied. Zhang Zhizhong's position was far from enviable. Forced to rein in eager and capable officers, he found himself acting against his own personal desires. Ultimately, he decided to seek the freedom to act as he saw fit. In a secret cable to Nanjing, he requested permission to launch an all-out attack on the Japanese positions in Shanghai the following day, Friday, August 13. He argued that this was a unique opportunity to capitalize on the momentum created by the movement of troops; any further delay would only lead to stagnation. He proposed a coordinated assault that would also involve the Chinese Air Force. However, the reply from Chiang Kai-shek was brief and unwavering: “Await further orders.” Even as Chiang's troops poured into Shanghai, Chinese and Japanese officials continued their discussions. Ostensibly, this was in hopes of reaching a last-minute solution, but in reality, it was a performance. Both sides wanted to claim the moral high ground in a battle that now seemed inevitable. They understood that whoever openly declared an end to negotiations would automatically be perceived as the aggressor. During talks at the Shanghai Municipal Council, Japanese Consul General Okamoto argued that if China truly wanted peace, it would have withdrawn its troops to a position that would prevent clashes. Mayor Yu responded by highlighting the increasing presence of Japanese forces in the city. “Under such circumstances, China must adopt such measures as necessary for self-defense,” he stated. Late on August 13, 1937, Chiang Kai-shek instructed his forces to defend Shanghai, commanding them to "divert the enemy at sea, secure the coast, and resist landings."  I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. In July 1937, tensions between Japan and China escalated into war following the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. Confident in his country's resolve, Chiang Kai-shek rallied the Chinese against Japanese aggression. On August 9, a deadly confrontation at Hongqiao Airport resulted in the deaths of Japanese soldiers, igniting further hostilities. As both sides blamed each other, the atmosphere became tense. Ultimately, negotiations failed, and the stage was set for a brutal conflict in Shanghai, marking the beginning of a long and devastating war.

FULL VERSION. Filmmaker Doug Roos (BAKEMONO) joins Adam and Joe in the ArieScope studio to discuss his international career journey and shooting his latest film in Japan. From seeing ALIENS at age 6 and falling in love with genre cinema… to his fascination with making his own monsters and starting out with nothing but clear plastic bags and a flashlight… to making his first short film at 12 years old and why 1993's CARNOSAUR was such an inspiration to him… to making films in China before relocating to Japan where he has been living for the last 7 years… to being told “it's too expensive to shoot a movie in Japan” and accepting the statement as a challenge… to learning about the dark side of Tokyo from actor friends and conceiving the idea for BAKEMONO… to how he made the incredible creature effects himself on an extremely limited budget and why he chose to tell the story of BAKEMONO in a “non-linear” structure… to why he waited to crowd fund the film until he already had footage to show the world… to the hurdles of promoting his film through his own efforts and positive word of mouth alone, Doug is an inspiration for anyone out there who is tired of waiting for permission and ready to make their own movie happen. Pick up your own Blu-Ray copy of BAKEMONO here: https://www.allpracticalfx.com/ OR get the fully loaded version (special features, more nudity, more gore) here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/new-monster-film-bakemono-no-cgi-horror-movie#/ Don't miss YORKIETHON IX - The Movie Crypt's 9th annual LIVE charity event for Save A Yorkie Rescue - happening July 25th - 27th! With non-stop special guests, live film commentaries, a live script reading, “Arwen's Silent Auction,” and more YORKIETHON is always the podcast event of the year! Watch FREE on ArieScope.com all weekend long!

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Get a FREE Posing eBook from The Portrait System here: https://the-portrait-system.lpages.co/podcast-pose-funnel/Today on The Portrait System Podcast, we are bringing back our interview with Tokyo & North Carolina-based photographer Tia Haygood. Listen in as Tia tells us all about her incredible photography journey between Tokyo and North Caroline, how she mastered virtual networking and how she achieved incredible success. Don't miss out on this inspiring interview!PODCAST LISTENER SPECIAL!! If you want to get started with the Portrait System, get a special discount using code “POD7” to get one month access for just $7 here https://theportraitsystem.com/pricing/IG https://www.instagram.com/theportraitsystem/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/theportraitsystemSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this ep we talk R Kelly overdoses in prison, No Kings protests, Trump removes MLK bust from Oval Office, Trump releases his own cell phone, reporter asks about Trumps workout routine, Mike Lindell loses another lawsuit, woman who sang pro Trump song at rally has husband deported, Taco Trump to reverse course and allow certain sectors to hire illegals, woman gangster rolls herself out of an Uber to avoid paying the 2$ fare, and much more! Email here: tokyoblackhour@gmail.com Check us out Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/TokyoBlackHour/   Check out the Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX_C1Txvh93PHEsnA-qOp6g?view_as=subscriber Follow us on Twitter @TokyoBlackPod Get your apparel at https://tkbpandashop.com/  You can also catch us Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify Check out Every Saturday Morning here https://www.everysaturdaymorning.fun Check out the new hip hop mix here https://youtu.be/ohfFYcsrjU8?si=ZOAiY6ngONNow77t

The People In The Fog is a moniker of DJ Sodeyama. He has been a stalwart of the Tokyo underground for nearly three decades, cutting his teeth in the 90's and retaining a key presence at the forefront of Japan's house music scene. Over the years he has released a sprawling array of music under a few monikers on the likes of Zenit, Rekids, Quartz and трип. However most recently he has been operating under the guise of The People In The Fog which has afforded him the chance to dig deeper into his sound channeling elements of funk, downtempo and the dubbier undertones of house. He has released this material on Japanese record label Sound Of Vast and for dj's in the know those records have become a 'buy on sight' scenario. This mix showcases versatility and class. Tight blends, excellent, deep thoughtful selections.

Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Blooming Dreams: A Day in Tokyo's Hamarikyu Gardens Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2025-06-20-22-34-02-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 夏の東京、浜離宮庭園。En: Summer in Tokyo, at the Hamarikyu Gardens.Ja: 色とりどりの花が咲き誇り、風が優しく庭を吹き抜ける。En: A variety of colorful flowers are in full bloom, and a gentle breeze sweeps through the garden.Ja: 今日は特別な日。「七夕」だ。En: Today is a special day: Tanabata.Ja: 太陽が高く、三人の友人たちが花園の中でピクニックシートを広げた。En: With the sun high in the sky, three friends spread out a picnic sheet in the flower garden.Ja: 菜央子と明とユキが集まった。En: Naoko, Akira, and Yuki gathered together.Ja: 菜央子は微笑みながら、内心では未来のことを考えていた。En: While Naoko smiled, she was inwardly pondering the future.Ja: 安定した仕事に満足しているか？それとも夢を追うべきか？En: Was she satisfied with her stable job, or should she pursue her dreams?Ja: 花の香りも、彼女の気持ちを揺さぶっていた。En: Even the fragrance of the flowers stirred her feelings.Ja: 明はいつものように賑やかだった。En: Akira, as usual, was lively.Ja: 彼は婚約の話題を取り上げ、楽しい雰囲気を作った。En: He brought up the topic of engagement, creating a pleasant atmosphere.Ja: しかし、彼の笑顔の裏には、自分の選択が正しいかどうかの不安が隠されていた。En: But behind his smile, he hid the anxiety about whether his choices were right.Ja: それでも、友人たちには元気な姿を見せ続けた。En: Despite this, he continued to show a cheerful demeanor to his friends.Ja: ユキは静かにカメラを手にしていた。En: Yuki quietly held a camera.Ja: 彼女は庭の美しさを写真に収めようと、集中していた。En: She was focused on capturing the beauty of the garden in photographs.Ja: 最近の失恋を友人たちに隠していた彼女もまた、心の中で複雑な想いを抱えていた。En: Recently heartbroken, she too held complex feelings within her, hidden from her friends.Ja: ナオコは、自分の悩みをどちらに話すか悩んでいた。En: Naoko was torn about whom to confide in with her concerns.Ja: しかし、日差しの下でのリラックスした時間は、彼女に心地よさを与え、少しずつ心を開く勇気をくれた。En: However, the relaxing time under the sun gave her a sense of comfort and gradually the courage to open her heart.Ja: 「夢を追うべきかしら？」ナオコはぽつりとつぶやいた。En: "Should I chase my dreams?" Naoko murmured quietly.Ja: すると明が「挑戦する価値はあるよ。どっちに転んでも、僕たちは応援する」と言った。En: Then Akira said, "It's worth the challenge. No matter which path you choose, we'll support you."Ja: ユキも同意して、「芸術が好きなら、続けてみなよ。新しい道が開けるかもしれない」と優しく勧めた。En: Yuki agreed and gently encouraged, "If you love art, you should continue. A new path might open up."Ja: その静かな瞬間、昼間の光の中、ナオコは心の中で何かがはじけた。En: In that quiet moment, under the daylight, something inside Naoko burst open.Ja: 彼女は未来へ向け、新しい一歩を踏み出す力を感じた。En: She felt the strength to take a new step towards the future.Ja: ピクニックが終わり、三人は笑顔で庭を出た。En: When the picnic ended, the three left the garden with smiles.Ja: ナオコは安心感に包まれ、夢に向かって進むための勇気がわいた。En: Naoko felt wrapped in a sense of relief, with the courage to pursue her dreams.Ja: 彼女は一人ではなかった。En: She wasn't alone.Ja: 友人たちがそばにいてくれる。それが何よりも心強かった。En: Her friends were by her side, which was her greatest source of strength.Ja: 濃い緑色の庭を後にし、ナオコは自分の未来に小さな希望の光を見つけたのだった。En: Leaving the lush green garden behind, Naoko found a small light of hope for her future. Vocabulary Words:bloom: 咲き誇りgentle: 優しくpondering: 考えていたinwardly: 内心fragrance: 香りstirred: 揺さぶっていたlively: 賑やかだったanxiety: 不安demeanor: 姿capturing: 収めようcomplex: 複雑なconfide: 話すconcerns: 悩みgradually: 少しずつmurmured: ぽつりとつぶやいたchallenge: 挑戦encouraged: 勧めたquiet: 静かなdaylight: 昼間の光step: 一歩relief: 安心感lush: 濃い緑色hope: 希望future: 未来hidden: 隠されていたfocused: 集中していたrecently: 最近のheartbroken: 失恋relaxing: リラックスしたcomfort: 心地よさ

Our guest is Yoshinori Ishi who is the executive chef and producer of Auberge TOKITO https://www.aubergetokito.com/en/ in Tachikawa, Tokyo.  Chef Ishii's background is unique and spectacular.  He worked at one of the top Kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto called Arashiyama Kiccho as a sous chef and moved abroad to cook at the United Nations Ambassador's Residence in Geneva and New York.  Then he moved to London to open Umu, which earned two Michelin stars—the first two stars by a Japanese restaurant in Europe.  After 10 years of success at Umu, he decided to open Auberge Tokito in the suburb of Tokyo. In this episode, we will discuss how Chef Ishii's philosophy of Japanese cuisine transitioned and expanded over the last 35 years of his career in Japan and abroad, why he decided to go back to Japan to start a new project, the innovative concept of Auberge TOKITO, which focuses on the Japanese cuisine that never existed before and much, much more!!! The documentary film TOKITO:  https://www.tokitofilm.com/en

It's Friday 13th in Tokyo and Johnny meets up with the one and only Scott from Japan's epic hard rocking band, CREEP DOWN! In this week's wild news, woman gets busted trying to import her body weight in coke, Japan's rice is flying off the shelves illegally, kids learn that douling is not the best way to solve their problems and a whole lot more! FADE ON! Get CREEP DOWN's 411, tour dates and merch at: Instagram: @creepdown14 BandCamp: https://creepdown.bandcamp.com/ FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/creepdown14/?locale=ja_JP YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@creepdown227   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Supporting GOT FADED JAPAN ON PATREON directly supports keeping this show going and fueled with booze, seriously could you imagine the show sober?? Neither can we! SUPPORT GFJ at: https://www.patreon.com/gotfadedjapan -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHECK OUT OUR SPONSORS AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!!!!   1. THE SPILT INK: Experience art, buy art and get some original art commissioned at: SITE: https://www.thespiltink.com/ INSTAGRAM: @thespiltink YouTube: https://youtu.be/J5-TnZLc5jE?si=yGX4oflyz_dZo74m -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. MITSUYA LIQUOR in ASAGAYA: "The BEST beer shop and standing beer bar in Tokyo!" 1　Chome- 13 -17 Asagayaminami, Suginami Tokyo 166-0004　 Tel & Fax: 0303314-6151Email: Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------   3. Harry's Sandwich Company 1 min walk from Takeshita Street in HarajukuCall 050-5329-7203 Address: 〒150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Jingumae, 1 Chome−16−7 MSビル 3F -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Share Residence MUSOCO “It's a share house that has all that you need and a lot more!” - Located 30 minutes form Shibuya and Yokohama - Affordable rent - Gym - BAR! - Massive kitchen - Cozy lounge space - Office work units - A spacious deck for chilling - DJ booth and club space - Barber space - AND MORE! Get more info and move in at: https://sharedesign.co.jp/en/property.php?id=42&property=musaco&fbclid=IwAR3oYvB-a3_nzKcBG0gSdPQzxvFaWVWsi1d1xKLtYBnq8IS2uLqe6z9L6kY -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Soul Food House https://soulfoodhouse.comAddress:2-chōme−8−10 | Azabujūban | Tokyo | 106-0045 Phone:03-5765-2148 Email:info@soulfoodhouse.com Location Features:You can reach Soul Food House from either the Oedo Line (get off at Azabujuban Station and it's a 7-minute walk) or the Namboku Line (get off at Azabujuban Station and it's a 6-minute walk). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GET YOURSELF SOME GOT FADED JAPAN MERCH TODAY!!! We have T-Shirts, COFFEE Mugs, Stickers, even the GFJ official pants! BUY NOW AND SUPPORT THE SHOW: http://www.redbubble.com/people/thespiltink/works/16870492-got-faded-japan-podcast -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Got Faded Japan Podcast gives listeners a glimpse of the most interesting side of Japan's news, culture, peoples, parties, and all around mischief and mayhem. Hosted by Johnny and Jeremy who adds opinions and otherwise drunken bullshit to the mix. We LOVE JAPAN AND SO DO YOU! Send us an email on Facebook or hell man, just tell a friend & post a link to keep this pod rolllin' Fader! Kanpai mofos! #japan #japantalk #japanpodcast #gotfadedjapan #vistjapan #japanvacation #thebestthingstodoinjapan  

Richard Sorge is one of history's most famous spies. This hard-drinking, womanising, motorcycle-crashing Soviet officer penetrated the German embassy in Tokyo during the 1930s and gathered intelligence credited with changing the course of the Second World War. It is an intriguing tale; but Sorge's spy ring was just one chapter in a much longer history of Russian and Soviet espionage in and against Japan. Cracking the Crab: Russian Espionage Against Japan, from Peter the Great to Richard Sorge (Hurst, 2025) by Dr. James D Brown tells the extraordinary full story of Russian intrigue targeting Japan, from first encounters in the eighteenth century to the Soviet declaration of war in August 1945. Colourful episodes include Gojong, King of Korea, being smuggled into the Russian legation dressed as a woman in 1896; the 1927 ‘Tanaka Memorial', an infamous forgery purporting to be Japan's hidden plan for world domination; and the secret intelligence of ‘Nero', a Soviet agent supplying invaluable insight into Japanese strategy during the Second World War. From Russians murdered in broad daylight in Meiji Tokyo to Soviet honey traps and ‘white magic' at the Battle of Nomonhan, this is a landmark history of the covert struggle between two great powers of the modern age. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Richard Sorge is one of history's most famous spies. This hard-drinking, womanising, motorcycle-crashing Soviet officer penetrated the German embassy in Tokyo during the 1930s and gathered intelligence credited with changing the course of the Second World War. It is an intriguing tale; but Sorge's spy ring was just one chapter in a much longer history of Russian and Soviet espionage in and against Japan. Cracking the Crab: Russian Espionage Against Japan, from Peter the Great to Richard Sorge (Hurst, 2025) by Dr. James D Brown tells the extraordinary full story of Russian intrigue targeting Japan, from first encounters in the eighteenth century to the Soviet declaration of war in August 1945. Colourful episodes include Gojong, King of Korea, being smuggled into the Russian legation dressed as a woman in 1896; the 1927 ‘Tanaka Memorial', an infamous forgery purporting to be Japan's hidden plan for world domination; and the secret intelligence of ‘Nero', a Soviet agent supplying invaluable insight into Japanese strategy during the Second World War. From Russians murdered in broad daylight in Meiji Tokyo to Soviet honey traps and ‘white magic' at the Battle of Nomonhan, this is a landmark history of the covert struggle between two great powers of the modern age. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

On this episode, the club jumps into their first foray with City Hunter, as no one on the podcast is that familiar with the series. Join Dennis, Ed, Kate, and returning guests Pat of The Pat Chat podcast & Chika from the award winning Shoujo Sundae Podcast, as we cover City Hunter Movie 1: .357 Magnum. Ryo Saeba's pervertedness is cranked to eleven, as a famed pianist is caught in a cold war between East and West Gariela. The action is intense, the music is bopping, the bullets are flying, and Kaori's hammers are pounding (Ryo Saeba's head that is). The first of three movies we're covering, come hang with us for a bit in the mean streets of Tokyo. Special thanks to Pat (@patloika) & Chika (@chikasupreme) for joining us this epsiode! And check out their respective podcasts The Pat Chat & Shoujo Sundae (@shoujosundae) 0:00:00 - Intro & Some Anime News 0:11:25 - The Watchlist 0:31:47 - Our City Hunter History & Production Notes 0:52:35 - A Long Lost Father of a Famed Pianist 1:24:36 - A Reception in Ruins, but the Truth Revealed 1:56:24 - Going Commando: City Hunter & Falcon 2:22:02 - Voices, Final Thoughts, & Kanpai Support the show by donating to our Ko-Fi link below or by purchasing City Hunter Classic Movies and TV Specials Collection on  Blu-ray through our Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/446xsep Dennis: @ichnob | Ed: @ippennokuinashi | Kate: @taikochan Linktr.ee | Ko-Fi | RSS

Richard Sorge is one of history's most famous spies. This hard-drinking, womanising, motorcycle-crashing Soviet officer penetrated the German embassy in Tokyo during the 1930s and gathered intelligence credited with changing the course of the Second World War. It is an intriguing tale; but Sorge's spy ring was just one chapter in a much longer history of Russian and Soviet espionage in and against Japan. Cracking the Crab: Russian Espionage Against Japan, from Peter the Great to Richard Sorge (Hurst, 2025) by Dr. James D Brown tells the extraordinary full story of Russian intrigue targeting Japan, from first encounters in the eighteenth century to the Soviet declaration of war in August 1945. Colourful episodes include Gojong, King of Korea, being smuggled into the Russian legation dressed as a woman in 1896; the 1927 ‘Tanaka Memorial', an infamous forgery purporting to be Japan's hidden plan for world domination; and the secret intelligence of ‘Nero', a Soviet agent supplying invaluable insight into Japanese strategy during the Second World War. From Russians murdered in broad daylight in Meiji Tokyo to Soviet honey traps and ‘white magic' at the Battle of Nomonhan, this is a landmark history of the covert struggle between two great powers of the modern age. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies

Crime on a ThursdayWe start with the news of the day in historyFirst up, Johnny Madero, Pier 23 starring Jack Webb, originally aired June 19, 1947—78 years ago. In “Find Pete Sutro,” Johnny, a waterfront tough guy, finds himself tangled in multiple murders. It's a gritty performance in the style Webb would later make famous in Dragnet.Next, Challenge of the Yukon starring Paul Sutton, also from June 19, 1947. In “Grizzly,” a prospector is shot and a Mountie is murdered by a pair posing as trappers. They enlist Grizzly Martin to fetch supplies—and attempt to persuade him to kill Sgt. Preston.Then it's Dangerous Assignment with Brian Donlevy, originally broadcast June 19, 1951, 74 years ago. In “Assignment: Japan,” U.S. agent Steve Mitchell is sent to Tokyo to stop a plot aimed at blowing up participants in a peace conference.Following that, Nick Carter, Master Detective starring Lon Clark, from June 19, 1949, 76 years ago. In “The Case of the Perfect Alibi,” a criminal murders the prosecutor who sent his brother to the electric chair—while he appears to be 150 miles away, speaking with the Chief of Police!Finally, a lighter touch with Lum and Abner, first broadcast June 19, 1942. In “How to Boss Your Wife,” Abner shares his wisdom on handling women… while his wife Lizabeth quietly sews on a train!Thanks to Adele for supporting our podcast by using the Buy Me a Coffee function at http://classicradio.streamIf you like what we do here, visit our friend Jay at http://radio.macinmind.com for great old time radio shows 24 hours a day

Richard Sorge is one of history's most famous spies. This hard-drinking, womanising, motorcycle-crashing Soviet officer penetrated the German embassy in Tokyo during the 1930s and gathered intelligence credited with changing the course of the Second World War. It is an intriguing tale; but Sorge's spy ring was just one chapter in a much longer history of Russian and Soviet espionage in and against Japan. Cracking the Crab: Russian Espionage Against Japan, from Peter the Great to Richard Sorge (Hurst, 2025) by Dr. James D Brown tells the extraordinary full story of Russian intrigue targeting Japan, from first encounters in the eighteenth century to the Soviet declaration of war in August 1945. Colourful episodes include Gojong, King of Korea, being smuggled into the Russian legation dressed as a woman in 1896; the 1927 ‘Tanaka Memorial', an infamous forgery purporting to be Japan's hidden plan for world domination; and the secret intelligence of ‘Nero', a Soviet agent supplying invaluable insight into Japanese strategy during the Second World War. From Russians murdered in broad daylight in Meiji Tokyo to Soviet honey traps and ‘white magic' at the Battle of Nomonhan, this is a landmark history of the covert struggle between two great powers of the modern age. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people who leave Wall Street after twenty years either retire or find another way to make a lot of money. Chris Arnade chose to walk through cities most travelers never truly see. What emerged from this approach is a unique form of street-level sociology that has attracted a devoted following on Substack. Arnade's work suggests that our most sophisticated methods of understanding the world might be missing something essential that can only be discovered by moving slowly through space and letting strangers tell you, their stories. Tyler and Chris discuss how Beijing and Shanghai reveal different forms of authoritarian control through urban design, why Seoul's functional dysfunction makes it more appealing than Tokyo's efficiency, favorite McDonald's locations around the world, the dimensions for properly assessing a city's walkability, what Chris packs for long urban jaunts, why he's not interested in walking the countryside, what travel has taught him about people and culture, what makes the Faroe Islands and El Paso so special, where he has no desire to go, the good and bad of working on Wall Street, the role of pigeons and snapping turtles in his life, finding his 1,000 true fans on Substack, whether museums are interesting, what set him on this current journey, and more. Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links, or watch the full video on the new dedicated CWT channel. Recorded February 27th, 2025. Help keep the show ad free by donating today! Other ways to connect Follow us on X and Instagram Follow Tyler on X Follow Chris on X Sign up for our newsletter Join our Discord Email us: cowenconvos@mercatus.gmu.edu Learn more about Conversations with Tyler and other Mercatus Center podcasts here. Photo Credit: Bryan Jones

#briannormanjr #jinsasaki #toprankboxing Get ready for an explosive ThaBoxingVoice episode as we dive into the WBO welterweight title clash between Brian Norman Jr. (27-0, 21 KOs) and Jin Sasaki (19-1-1, 17 KOs) on June 19, 2025, live from Tokyo! Will Norman's precision overpower Sasaki's relentless pressure, or is an upset brewing? We break down their styles, recent fights, and what's at stake in this high-risk showdown. Plus, could Devin Haney be waiting for the winner? Join us for expert predictions, fan polls, and heated debates on the welterweight division's future. Perfect for boxing fans craving action and insight! Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube for the full experience.

From the BBC World Service: Japanese vehicle exports to the United States dropped by almost a quarter last month amid the fallout from President Donald Trump's new tariffs. Tokyo has been seeking relief from the 25% U.S. import taxes on foreign-made vehicles, but no agreement has been reached despite a series of high-level talks. Plus, we hear how French wine producers are reacting to the uncertainty around tariff talks.

From the BBC World Service: Japanese vehicle exports to the United States dropped by almost a quarter last month amid the fallout from President Donald Trump's new tariffs. Tokyo has been seeking relief from the 25% U.S. import taxes on foreign-made vehicles, but no agreement has been reached despite a series of high-level talks. Plus, we hear how French wine producers are reacting to the uncertainty around tariff talks.

In this episode, Jacob speaks with Japan analyst Tobias Harris to unpack rising tensions in U.S.-Japan trade relations amid the Trump administration's tariff blitz. They explore how Japan—historically a close U.S. ally—is reacting to unclear demands, internal U.S. policy chaos, and the potential collapse of trust in American economic leadership. Tobias breaks down the limits of personal diplomacy, the legacy of Shinzo Abe, and why Japan is quietly building plan B trade alliances. They also cover Japan-China relations, a political shift in South Korea, and how domestic rice prices could determine Prime Minister Ishiba's fate. Global stakes, local politics—fully intertwined.--Timestamps:(00:00) - Introduction(01:14) - Japan-US Trade Relations(04:00) - Internal US Negotiation Issues(09:39) - Japan's Strategic Dilemmas(14:09) - Hypotheticals and Future Scenarios(18:50) - Impact of Abe's Relationship with Trump(24:10) - Japanese Relations with China(25:25) - Japan's Efforts to Repair Relations(28:31) - South Korea's New Leadership(29:57) - Challenges in Japan-South Korea Relations(36:13) - Japanese Domestic Politics(40:50) - The Importance of Rice in Japanese Politics(46:48) - Growing Interest in Japan--Referenced in the Show:Tobais' SubStack - https://observingjapan.substack.com/ --Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.comJacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap--The Jacob Shapiro Show is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com --Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today's volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.--This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

My dad almost married someone else before my mom — but then they had a shotgun wedding! In this unfiltered episode, I confront my dad about the way he approaches my dating life, ask my parents how they really felt about my divorce, and dig into the chaos of being raised by a black cat (my mom) and a golden retriever (my dad).Viola trauma (yes, I still have PTSD), rebellious teen years, Tokyo tours, and babysitters who said 'no thanks' after finding out there were five of us — nothing's off-limits.Plus: we wrap it all up with rapid-fire Gen Z questions that will leave you on the floor! Produced by Dear MediaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we're pulling back the curtain on one of the most enchanting ways to experience Japan - staying at a ryokan. If you've ever dreamed of sleeping on tatami mats, slipping into a steaming onsen, or savoring a multi-course kaiseki dinner crafted with local, seasonal ingredients - a ryokan stay is the ultimate expression of Japanese hospitality and tradition. To help us explore this beautiful corner of Japanese culture, I'm joined by two very special guests: Ms. Ritsuko Nakamura, the okamisan, or head of Ryokan Kurashiki, and Ms. Kumi Sato, the okamisan of Takachiho Ryokan Shinsen. In Japan, the okami-san holds a deeply respected role, preserving centuries-old customs and caring for guests with a level of warmth and grace that words alone can't fully capture. It's rare to hear directly from these remarkable women, so while they may have been a little nervous, they were truly excited to share with you. I hope you'll lean in and savor this unique chance to hear about Japan's ryokan tradition. We talk about what makes a ryokan stay so transformative, from the seasonal beauty outside your window to the artful simplicity within. If you're planning a trip to Japan, or simply curious about the Japanese art of slowing down, this episode is for you. Let's step inside. Looking to book a luxury hotel? Get special perks and support the podcast by booking here: https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sarahgroen/travel/luxury-hotels If you want our expert guidance and help planning a luxury trip with experiences you can't find online, tell us more here and we'll reach out: https://bellandblytravel.com/book-a-trip/  Learn more at www.luxtravelinsider.com   Connect with me on Social: Instagram LinkedIn  

Men's fashion influencer Jeff Yamazaki and his wife Naomi have made the trip between Los Angeles and Japan dozens of times —and they've learned a thing or two along the way. In this episode, the stylish duo shares their go-to travel tips for navigating Japan like a pro: from the best places to shop to eating some of the tastiest foods. Whether it's your first visit or your fifteenth, Jeff and Naomi offer a chic, practical guide to making the most of your time in Japan. Check out Jeff's content @jeffyamazaki on social media and also his new(ish) YouTube channel, where you can find some longer-form content from both LA and Tokyo! You can write to us at: ⁠infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com⁠, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  Cover Art and Logo designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half the World #asiancontent #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #infatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian  #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

Welcome back to The Spark, your extra dose of insight and fun from this week's guest. Today, Adrian Carroll of D8 returns to answer a few quick-fire questions—and as you'd expect from someone with decades of experience, his answers are full of wisdom and wit. Adrian shares his most controversial creative opinion (and it's a good one), the best advice he's ever received, and the one ordinary day he'd relive if he could. He also reveals the word that gets on his nerves the most, his favourite place in the world, and a random dream that's stuck with him. And yes, we discover his party trick. It's the perfect way to wrap up the week, with a few laughs, a few surprises, and even more insight into the creative mind behind D8. This season is proudly sponsored by the School of Communication Arts.

Step into the vibrant world of feminist city design where strategic sisterhood is reshaping urban spaces to work for everyone. Gretchen Hunt, Director of Louisville's Office for Women, brings her powerful legal background and passionate advocacy to this discussion about how cities can transform when viewed through a gender lens.What happens when we measure a city's safety and functionality by how comfortable women feel moving through it? Louisville has become only the second U.S. city invited to join the global City Hub and Network for Gender Equity (CHANGE), collaborating with metropolises like London, Paris, and Tokyo to reimagine public spaces. Through innovative approaches like "street tagging" exercises where women identify safe and unsafe areas, and workshops where teen girls design parks they'd actually want to use, we're witnessing the tangible impact of feminist urban planning.But this isn't just about physical spaces—it's about economic empowerment too. Hunt explains why investing in women through policies like paid leave for domestic violence survivors isn't just compassionate; it's strategically sound for business retention and crime prevention. The conversation weaves between data-driven approaches and vibrant community-building, showing how "calling people in versus calling people out" creates more inclusive movements for change.From pink-lit storefronts serving as beacons of safety to redesigned parks honoring Black suffragettes, discover how making cities work for women ultimately benefits everyone. As Hunt beautifully puts it, "Stop knocking on closed doors, go into the doors that open... make the party so irresistible that everyone wants to attend."Follow @OFWLOUMETRO on Instagram to learn about upcoming women's night walks, the Office for Women Ambassador Program, and how you can join the movement to create more joyful, safe, and inclusive urban spaces in your own community.Send us a textSupport the showSend us a text Gusto - All Your HR and Payroll NeedsShop The Woman-Owned Wallet WebsiteWoman-Owned Brands all on WOW Directory!Find Grants Fast with SKIPFaire - List Your Business for WholesaleCreative Cash Flow StudioDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Need injury, rehab, pain or fitness advice? Come see us at Club 360, Tokyo's premier fitness and sports rehab center!www.club360.jp@club360_eng@sam_gilbert_360

Andreas Almgren stod för kanske den största prestationen i svensk löparhistoria då han i helgen briljerade på Stockholms Stadions banor när han vann Bahaus Galan på det nya Europarekordet 12.44.27. Tiden innebär att Andreas nu är dubbel Europrekordinnehavare, världsetta på 5000m i år och den 12e snabbaste mannen genom alla tider på distansen. Vi sitter ned med Andreas för att få all info om uppladdningen för loppet, känslan att lyftas av hemmapubliken och hur det var att till stora delar själv göra loppet från front efter att haren hade klivit av. För Andreas väntar nu en spännande säsong där det stora huvudmålet är VM i Tokyo i september. Missa inte denna intervju med Sveriges just nu starkast lysande löparstjärna.  Manne har sprungit 12 mil, gjort 800 armhävningar och håller fanan högt i träningväg för podd-duon. John funderar på att skaffa promenadstavar.    Manne tar emot nya adepter för individuell coachning. Start 1/7. Maila honom på manne@manneforssberg.se för mer info. Missa inte vår löparresa med Apollo till Playitas 1-8 december, all info finner du här: Löparresan Veckans Sponsorer: Saucony, Löplabbet, STC.  Löplabbets trailskoguiden finns ute nu! Den 30 juni springer vi Kalle Berglunds backe i Hagaparken. Alla kan var med oavsett nivå. Efteråt hänger vi på STC Hagastaden och man får man pizza, goodiebag och gratis provträningsmånad. Anmälan här!  

Our Senior Japan Economics Advisor discusses Japan's systematic approach to AI and the lessons it offers for other markets.Read more insights from Morgan Stanley.----- Transcript -----Welcome to Thoughts on the Market. I'm Robert Feldman, Senior Advisor at Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities in Tokyo. Today I'd like to discuss Japan's crucial contributions in global AI development.It's Tuesday, June 17, at 2 PM in Tokyo.Japan has always been a world leader in advanced technology infrastructure and robotics. So it comes as no surprise that Japanese devices and materials play critical roles in the global AI supply chain. For investors, however, it's vital to understand Japan's unique systematic approach to AI and the lessons it offers other countries. In Japan, AI has historically developed through this symbiotic interaction of four elements: Hardware, Software, Data, and Ethics. Japanese technology advances not only evolve, but they co-evolve – meaning that advances in one element make advances in others more urgent. And when those latter advances occur, chokepoints arise in yet other elements. However, unlike co-evolution in nature, where chance mutations just happen to reinforce each other, co-evolution in AI is driven by human intent. That is, humans see a chokepoint and address it with innovation. These chokepoints – or bottlenecks in development – they're crucial to the way we think about AI. Identifying the chokepoints allows firms and industries to innovate. And Investors should also pay particular attention to these chokepoints because that's where the investment opportunities are. For example, at a recent event, we asked a medium-sized Japanese retail food manufacturing company president – who is an energetic AI advocate – which factor was the biggest chokepoint for his firm. And he replied unequivocally, immediately, “Data.” His firm has some data; so do his competitors. But there is no common protocol for recording the data, contributing information to a common database, and still maintaining anonymity. So clearly, the chokepoint around Data suggests that this company will need innovative data solutions so that it can then take advantage of the other three key elements: the Hardware, the Software, and the Ethics. Ethics is crucial because people won't use AI unless there is an ethical basis. So in terms of this element – the ethics element – Japan's commitment to ethical AI development has been very flexible. On one hand, Japan has robust legal frameworks, like the Act for the Protection of Personal Information and subsequent amendments. These laws ensure that AI advances within a secure and ethical boundary. And the laws are not just on paper. They are actively enforced. A few years ago there was a landmark court ruling that upheld data privacy against unauthorized AI use. However, Japan also is flexible. The data rules are tweaked, to allow more practical approach to developing large language models. Another unique part of Japan's approach to ethics is the proactive emphasis on AI literacy. From corporate giants to small businesses, there is a concerted effort to train personnel not just in the AI technology but also in the ethical application, and thus ensure this well-rounded acceptable advancement in AI capability. This approach to training workers is not just altruism; Japan faces a severe labor shortage, and AI is widely viewed as a critical part of the solution. So good ethics are bringing faster AI diffusion. Ultimately, on a global macroeconomic level, the winners from AI will be the corporations and the nations that do three things: First quickly introduce the technology; second, rapidly innovate new products and processes that use AI; and third, retrain labor and reallocate capital to produce these new and innovative products. With this macro backdrop, Japan's intentional use of the symbiosis between Hardware, Software, Data, and Ethics gives Japan some unique advantages in accelerating AI diffusion and spurring economic growth. Thanks for listening. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a review wherever you listen and share Thoughts on the Market with a friend or colleague today.

On Episode 129 of Wrestling Tonight, we examine a wrestling landscape defined by momentum, contradiction, and long-overdue reckonings. Gunther has once again ascended to the top of WWE's mountain, reclaiming the World Heavyweight Championship with a decisive victory over Jey Uso on Raw. After a legendary Intercontinental reign and a prior world title run, this latest chapter only reaffirms what many already knew—Gunther represents stability, precision, and quiet dominance in an era often ruled by noise. But if Gunther embodies discipline, CM Punk continues to wrestle with dualities—especially his own. Punk is now officially headed to Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia, where he'll face John Cena in a high-profile rematch years in the making. The match is compelling on paper, but the context is impossible to ignore. For much of his career, Punk positioned himself as a vocal critic of WWE's Saudi partnership. His participation now marks a sharp pivot—and raises fair questions about where principle ends and pragmatism begins. Across the globe, AEW prepares for a milestone event with Grand Slam: Mexico, a historic collaboration with CMLL at Arena México. The card brings together AEW's signature stars and Mexico's rich lucha tradition: MJF vs. Mistico, Mercedes Moné defending the CMLL Women's Championship, Ricochet returning to his roots in a four-way spectacle, and a lineup of elite trios competition featuring Okada, Ospreay, FTR, and more. It's not just a supercard—it's a cultural statement about what AEW wants to be. In Japan, NJPW's Dominion delivered a slate of meaningful outcomes and subtle shifts. Hirooki Goto retained the IWGP World Heavyweight Title after a grueling defense against Shingo Takagi, Konosuke Takeshita continues to cement his position ahead of the G1 despite his loss to Oleg Boltin, and EVIL's vicious dog collar match win over David Finlay paired with the Bullet Club's unraveling. With questions lingering around Hiroshi Tanahashi's G1 future, Dominion felt less like a culmination and more like a prologue to what's ahead. From Toronto to Tokyo, Mexico City to Riyadh, professional wrestling continues to evolve—sometimes with purpose, sometimes with contradiction, and always with stories that reflect more than what happens in the ring. Subscribe to Wrestling Tonight on Spotify, and Apple Podcasts, and follow @TurnbuckleTavern for weekly insight across WWE, AEW, NJPW, TNA, GCW, and beyond.

Thursday night  in Tokyo, WBO welterweight champ Brian Norman will make the second defense of his version of the 147 lb. world title against tough, unbeaten challenger Jin Sasaki in a scheduled 12 rounder.Prior to departing for Japan last week, Norman (27-0, 21 KOs) out of Conyers, GA, joined our insider Dan Rafael to talk more about his willingness to go to the Far East for this defense. Sasaki is a solid puncher at 19-1-1, 17 KOs.The two go one on one and also covered the possibility of Norman meeting IBF/WBA welterweight champ Jaron "Boots" Ennis in a unification battle later this year. Plus, whether Ennis is now the one reluctant to do that or not?It's all part of this special "Fight Freaks Unite Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe to this feed on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.! 

Hoy escuchamos: Censurados- No me quedan ganas, Censurados-Nada que perder, Censurados- Para relajarte, Primal Fear- The hunter, Helloween- This is Tokyo, Helloween- Eagle fly free, Helloween- Indestructible, Raúl Cabra y la Sukyband- Follando con fantasmas, Canciones con Historia: Blind Guardian- Battalions of fear, Linkin Park- Heavy is the crown, Heaven Shall Burn- Numbered days.Escuchar audio

832 · Adventures by Disney Japan Recap: Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Tokyo & Kintsugi - Part 2 Every step through Japan tells a story - and this week, I want to share ours. From centuries-old villages to hidden antique shops, we went looking for adventure... and found something even more meaningful.  Japan continues to unfold its magic in Part 2 of our Adventures by Disney to Japan recap, as we travel to the serene mountain town of Takayama, the timeless village of Shirakawa-go, and the vibrant heart of Tokyo. But beyond the destinations, it was the small, unexpected moments that truly defined the journey - the quiet ones, the funny ones, and the ones that took our breath away. From stumbling into a tucked-away backstreet antique shop, to mending broken pottery with gold, to the awkward bravery of stepping into your first onsen... this wasn't just a trip. It was an experience that changed us. It's about the connections we made, the lessons we learned, the memories we'll never forget - and the Adventures by Disney difference.

Con me once, shame on you. Con me twice...Please fill out Stak's listener survey! It'll help us learn more about the content you love so we can bring you even more - you'll also be entered into a competition to win one of five PlayStation 5's! Click here: https://bit.ly/staksurvey2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last time we spoke about the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. On July 7, 1937, tensions escalated between Japan and China as the Japanese military conducted a training exercise near the Marco Polo Bridge. During the exercise, gunfire erupted, sowing confusion and leading to the unexplained disappearance of one soldier. This incident prompted Japan to demand permission to search the nearby city of Wanping, which was denied by Chinese forces, escalating tensions further. By the next day, Japanese troops attacked, resulting in fierce fighting at the bridge. Under heavy assault, Chinese defenders fought valiantly but faced overwhelming force. As the conflict intensified, both sides struggled with heavy casualties, leading to the full-scale Sino-Japanese War. The Japanese military's aggressive maneuvers and the determined Chinese resistance marked the beginning of a brutal conflict, forever altering the landscape of East Asia. The profound toll on both nations foreshadowed the horrors of war that were to come, as China prepared to defend its sovereignty against a relentless enemy.   #155 Operation Chahar 1937 Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. By the end of July of 1937 the Japanese had overwhelmed the Beiping-Tianjin region. It's pretty understandable as to how this came so fast. As we have discussed thoroughly in this series, the Japanese had gradually seized control over Northern China going back to Operation Nekka in 1933. Little by little they had carved it out. Typically when you pull out a map of a war between two nations, one nation pierces into the other and gradually seizes control of key locations until it archives victory. However with the case of the outset of the Second Sino-Japanese War its more like the Japanese are starting at multiple key locations where they have concessions, treaties or where there are autonomous regions. Thus its honestly a huge headache to follow. When the Marco Polo Bridge Incident broke out, Chiang Kai-Shek had been in Kuling, a mountain top resort where he spent his summer vacations. He received the news with composure, but his message to the nation conveyed a sense of optimism and anticipation. The embarrassment of the Sian mutiny was a thing of the past. Although he wasn't overly confident, he believed that this was the pivotal moment China had been preparing for, more so than at any time in recent years. For nearly three weeks, efforts were made to resolve the situation through diplomatic means. For the first time, Chiang was in a position to make demands. He understood they would likely be rejected, but that wasn't the main point. He asked Japan to acknowledge its responsibility for the recent turmoil, to issue an apology, and to provide compensation. After making that request, he addressed his nation with a formal commitment: China would not accept any settlement that compromised its sovereign rights or territorial integrity. No changes would be permitted regarding the status of the Hubei-Chahar Council, and local officials would not be reassigned at the request of any foreign government. Any restrictions on the Twenty-ninth Army's positions would be unacceptable. He declared that the era of Japanese expansion in North China had come to a definitive end. The Japanese army achieved significant victories on the battlefield in China, leading to the inevitable expansion of the conflict. The first major campaign following the Nanyuan victory unfolded along the mountainous border marked by the inner Great Wall, separating northern Hubei from Chahar. On the Jinpu Railway, just south of Tianjin, lies a small station known as Jinghai. Adjacent to this station is the Jian River, which had swollen to a width of 20 meters due to intermittent heavy rains in northern China after the Japanese army's occupation of Tianjin. The embankments on either side of the river were overgrown with dense reeds and grass, and a wooden arch bridge spanned the river. After landing at Dagukou in Tianjin, the 10th Division, commanded by Lieutenant General Rensuke Isogai, advanced south along the Jinpu Railway. However, as the vanguard, the 10th Regiment of the 33rd Brigade made its way through the muddy terrain towards the Jian River's wooden bridge, they were suddenly taken aback. A group of Chinese soldiers appeared, their faces vividly painted red and armed with long-handled broadswords, a sight reminiscent of the legendary Chinese figure Guan Yu, as depicted in many traditional portraits. These soldiers belonged to the 26th Independent Brigade of the 38th Division of the 29th Army, who were in retreat from Tianjin. Following the city's fall, they had retreated southward to Jinghai Station, where they prepared to make a stand. Brigade Commander Li Zhiyuan recognized their inferior numbers and weaponry compared to the Japanese forces. Drawing from painful lessons learned during the positional battles in Tianjin, he decided to divide his troops strategically: one battalion would defend the station, another would protect the county town, and a third would engage in guerrilla tactics along the Jinpu Road. If faced with a small number of Japanese soldiers, they would fight fiercely; if overwhelmed, they would attempt to encircle the attackers to prevent a direct assault on their main position. Despite the Japanese army's attempts to advance, including efforts to send an armored train into Jinghai Station, the Chinese soldiers cleverly laid straw on the tracks and buried mines, thwarting the train's progress. Once Japanese troops disembarked to mount an offensive, they were ambushed by the battalion executing guerrilla tactics, resulting in a chaotic retreat that left behind several dozen casualties. Over the course of weeks, the divisional headquarters ordered a battalion of Japanese troops to move south along the Jinpu Road, requiring them to cross the Jian River at the wooden bridge. The 26th Independent Brigade was assigned to halt this advance, and they managed to hold their ground for over 20 days. Recognizing the gravity of their situation, Brigade Commander Li Zhiyuan gathered his group and battalion commanders to emphasize the necessity of pushing back the Japanese forces. He passionately rallied them, declaring, “We must defend this river to the death. Each regiment will select a death squad. Each member will carry a long-handled broadsword and four grenades, paint their faces red and rush across the bridge to engage in melee combat!” When Li asked for volunteers to lead the death squad, the regiment commander, Zhu, eagerly stepped forward, quickly gathering a group that followed him, uniting passionately in their cause. The death squad charged across the bridge, catching the Japanese off guard with their war paint and weapons. The sudden attack left the Japanese soldiers dazed, leading to a chaotic retreat as they struggled through the muddy terrain. In the tumult, more than 200 long-handled swords struck down a significant number of Japanese troops. Those advancing from behind panicked at the sight of their retreating comrades. An officer, dismounted during the chaos, was left behind, and the Chinese soldiers, filled with zeal, pressed forward, ignoring the orders from Brigade Commander Li Zhiyuan to fall back for their own safety. Despite moments of heroism, many fell that day by the Jian River, as the officers and soldiers burned their boats and set fire to the wooden bridge, rendering retreat impossible. As the Japanese military consolidated its power in the Pingjin region, many leaders underestimated the tenacity of Chinese resistance. Plans were made to defeat the Chinese army and air force swiftly, aiming to resolve the issue in North China decisively, with no diplomatic negotiations or external interventions allowed during military operations. Now, in late July to early August, Chiang Kai-shek issued orders to improve defenses at Nankou. He mobilized Tang Enbo's 13th Army in Suidong for battle readiness, tasked Liu Ruming to sabotage railways, and directed Fu Zuoyi and Yan Xishan in Suiyuan to prepare for conflict. Troops were reorganized rapidly, with divisions merging to strengthen the 17th Army under Liu Ruming's command. Chiang insisted that Nankou's defenses be deep and wide to thwart enemy cavalry and tank assaults, rendering Japanese mechanized advantages ineffective. He called for close cooperation among commanders and a resolute defense. Tang Enbo's 13th Army, consisted of the 4th and 89th Divisions, whom established defensive positions along the Peiping-Suiyuan Railway at Nankou, with additional units positioned further back at Juyongguan. The 13th Army, was 20,000 men strong, all motivated soldiers committed to fighting the Japanese, but their equipment was woefully inadequate. The 89th Division had a few outdated artillery pieces, whilst other units were in even worse condition, hampering their effectiveness against the well-armed Japanese forces. Liu's 17th Army stationed its 84th Division at Chihcheng, Yanqing, and Longguan, effectively securing the flank of the 13th Army against potential Japanese advances from Chahar. The 21st Division was deployed in Huailai, situated along the railway to the rear of Tang's forces. Additionally, Zhao Chengshou's 1st Cavalry Army, Liu 's 143rd Division, and two Peace Preservation Brigades commenced an offensive against Mongol forces in northern Chahar. As the Japanese launched initial assaults on Nankou on August 4, fierce fighting erupted. The Chinese defenders fought valiantly, but heavy bombardments by artillery and air raids took a toll. The Japanese began using tanks to support their infantry, yet the 530th Regiment successfully repelled an attack at Deshengkou. Meanwhile, the Japanese intensified their efforts, culminating in poison gas assaults that overwhelmed Chinese positions on Longhutai, leading to significant losses. Despite the escalating pressure and casualties, the determination to hold Nankou was unwavering. On August 5, the Kwantung Army requested permission for the advance guard to move to Changpei, arguing that the Central Army's invasion of Chahar had jeopardized the security of Manchukuo. This request was denied, yet the advance guard proceeded to Changpei on August 8. This unauthorized movement by the Kwantung Army was a serious act of defiance, as Tolun lay outside Manchukuo's borders, and troop deployments required imperial authorization. Although imperial sanction had been obtained for the move to Tolun on July 28, permission for the advance guard to proceed was only granted retroactively, with the stipulation that they would not advance further into Inner Mongolia. Nevertheless, this unauthorized action ultimately compelled the high command to approve the advance to Changpei. On August 7, the Japanese army launched a large assault on Nankou with its three main divisions, aiming to breach the Great Wall and advance westward along the Pingsui Railway to flank the strategic city of Shanxi. By August 8, the Japanese forces that had captured Beiping and Tianjin deployed the entire 20th Division, commanded by Lieutenant General Kawagishi Fumisaburo, and supplemented their efforts with the 5th and 10th Divisions, along with the Sakai Brigade, to attack Nankou along the Pingsui Railway. On August 8, the Japanese 11th Independent Mixed Brigade, led by General Shigiyasu Suzuki, initiated an attack on the left flank of the 13th Corps' position at Nankou. However, their efforts were halted after three days due to challenging terrain and the determined resistance from Chinese forces.  On the same day, Chiang Kai-shek ordered the activation of the 14th Group Army, comprising the 10th, 83rd, and 85th Divisions, under General Wei Lihuang. Elements of the 14th Group Army traveled by rail from Yingchia-chuang to Yi County and then embarked on a ten-day march through the plains west of Beiping to flank and support Tang Enbo's forces. Meanwhile, the Chinese 1st Army Region launched attacks against the Japanese in Liangxiang and Chaili to divert their attention and dispatched a detachment to Heilung Pass to cover the advance of the 14th Group Army. On August 9, the central high command ordered the China Garrison Army to eliminate resistance in the area and instructed Kwantung Army Commander Ueda Kenkichi to send reinforcements from Jehol and Inner Mongolia to support the operation. The China Garrison Army deployed its 11th Independent Mixed Brigade and the 5th Division, recently arrived from Hiroshima under Lieutenant-General Itagaki Seishirö, to launch an attack on the mountainous regions around Nankou and Pataling within the Great Wall. Following intense fighting, they succeeded in crossing into Chahar.    The Kwantung Army aimed to conquer Chahar and, upon receiving approval from the Japanese General Staff, established an expeditionary headquarters on August 14, led by its chief of staff, Lieutenant General Tojo Hideki. Yes that Tojo. Tokyo's objective was to secure the strategic flank of Manchukuo, while the Kwantung Army sought to create puppet regimes in northern China and integrate the occupied territories into a Japanese sphere of influence. The Chahar Expeditionary Force comprised three mixed brigades, including Japan's only fully mechanized unit, which was equipped with medium tanks, heavy and light armored vehicles, and light tanks. The Japanese troops shifted their main attack toward Zhangjiakou via the Pingsui Railway due to pressures from the Kwantung Army eager to occupy Inner Mongolia, Suiyuan, and Chahar. They sought to eliminate threats from the rear before launching further operations along the Pinghan Line and Jinpu Line. The 11th Independent Mixed Brigade of the 20th Division of the Chinese Garrison Army was ordered to assault Chinese defenders in the Nankou area, with the goal of capturing key locations on the Great Wall, like Badaling, to facilitate the Fifth Division's advance. The Chinese assessed the Japanese strategy, believing they would first secure critical points along the Pingsui route to facilitate further incursions into Shanxi and Zhengding. They understood that holding the Nankou line was vital for both logistical support and tactical maneuvering. Nankou, a key town on the Pingsui Railway connecting Beijing to Zhangjiakou and Baotou, was surrounded by mountains and the Great Wall, marking it a significant natural defense line. As the Japanese army aimed to capture Zhangjiakou and divide their forces into Shanxi and Suiyuan, the Chinese army's control over Nankou became crucial. A renewed assault on August 11, bolstered by tanks and aircraft, successfully captured Nankou Station, allowing General Suzuki's brigade to advance toward Juyong Pass. On August 12, Tang Enbo's army launched a counterattack, encircling the Japanese forces and severing their supply and communication lines. That day, Tang Enbo sent a telegram to Luo Fanggui: “Brother Fanggui, Commander Luo of the 529th Regiment, I have received your telegram. Your regiment has recently defeated formidable enemies, laying the groundwork for our army's future victories. Your efforts bring me great relief! The Nankou position is critical to our nation's war of resistance. Despite the enemy's numerical superiority and fierce artillery fire, we cannot surrender this area. It is our fighting spirit, not our numbers or advanced weaponry, that will help us withstand these powerful foes. We vow never to abandon our positions. Life is transient, and we must embrace our fate. A hero perishing on the battlefield is the glorious destiny of a soldier.” On the same day, he also sent a telegram to Wang Zhonglian: “Brother Jieren Wang, commander of the 89th Division, I have read your telegram. Brigade Li has triumphed against formidable foes, establishing a precedent for our army's victory. Your successes bring me much comfort! The Nankou position is our glorious objective. If I perish, the country lives on. If I survive, the country perishes. We would rather die defending this position than live in disgrace. Please convey to all the officers and soldiers of your division, who share in this struggle, the importance of striving for victory!” On August 13, Tang Enbo ordered the defensive positions at Nankou to be abandoned as the remaining troops pulled back to stronger positions at Badaling and Juyongguan. Renowned journalist Fan Changjiang noted Tang Enbo's physical and emotional toll, describing him as a mere shadow of his former self after enduring relentless battles without rest. His subsequent thoughts and fears reflected the despair of facing insurmountable odds, with the Japanese army overwhelming the Nankou defenses. Casualty reports from the Battle of Nankou reveal stark discrepancies; average estimates suggest Chinese losses neared 26,000, while Japanese casualties were around 2,600,an alarming ratio of 10 to 1. Despite the devastating defeat, Tang Enbo's leadership gained national recognition for his efforts, though he viewed the loss of Nankou as a blemish on an otherwise honorable defense. The indomitable spirit displayed during the relentless struggle at Nankou, despite the defeat and challenges faced, inspired a sense of resilience among the Chinese people, reminding them that even in dire circumstances, they would not yield to oppression. Meanwhile in response to having their supply and communication lines severed, on August 14, Seishirō Itagaki dispatched the 5th Division to relieve the 11th Independent Mixed Brigade at Juyonggua. Fu Zuoyi's troops attacked Chahar from Suidong. Dong Qiwu 's troops attacked Shangdu and recaptured it on the 14th, while Shi Yushan 's troops attacked Dehua and recaptured it on the 16th. By the 16, Itagaki had arrived at Nankou and initiated an enveloping assault targeting the right flank of the 13th Army, executing a five-pronged attack at Huanglaoyuan. In anticipation, the 7th Brigade of the 4th Division, commanded by Shi Jue, was positioned to counter this maneuver. Reinforcements, including Li Xianzhou's 21st Division and Zhu Huaibing's 94th Division, were brought in, resulting in several days of intense fighting. On August 17, General Yan Xishan, Director of the Taiyuan Pacification Headquarters, ordered the 7th Group Army, commanded by Fu Zuoyi, to move the 72nd Division and three additional brigades by rail from Datong to Huailai to support Tang Enbo's forces. Chiang Kai-shek urged steadfastness in the face of adversity, emphasizing that retreat was not an option. But with communication breakdowns and logistical challenges, Tang Enbo faced dilemmas that would lead him to issue the order for his troops to break out on August 26. As the Japanese army occupied Huailai and Yanqing, Tang Enbo's forces executed a withdrawal, retreating via various routes before suffering further losses.  Meanwhile Liu Ruming's troops of the 143rd Division of the 29th Army took Zhangbei from Zhangjiakou . Proceed to Wanquan Dam , the junction of Wanquan and Zhangbei. The members of the pseudo-Mongolian military government fled to Duolun under the leadership of King De . In order to relieve the danger in Zhangjiakou, Liu Ruming's troops began to attack the enemy in Zhangbei. On August 20, they captured key points such as Bolicai Village outside Zhangbei City. At this time, the mechanized troops of the Japanese Kwantung Army led by Hideki Tojo rushed from Rehe to support Zhangbei. When passing through Guyuan, they were divided into two groups: one group of Japanese troops, the Suzuki Brigade and Homma Brigade went south to attack Zhangjiakou. On the night of August 21, the Chinese army retreated to Shenweitai, 25 kilometers south of Zhangbei County. On August 22, the Japanese army began its attack. Shenwei Tower fell at midnight on the 23rd. At the same time, another part of the Japanese army launched a roundabout attack on Wanquan County. On the morning of August 24, they captured Wanquan County, and then headed straight for Zhangjiakou along the highway with an infantry regiment and an artillery battalion. From August 25 to 27, the Japanese army attacked Bajiaotai, the highest point of Cir Mountain west of Zhangjiakou. At noon on the 27th, Zhangjiakou fell. Gao Guizi's 17th Army marched to Dushikou to resist the enemy from Duolun Akagi and Longguan and intercepted the Pingsui Railway. Gao Guizi's troops failed to withstand the Japanese attack, and the 301st Regiment of the 29th Army stationed in Xuanhua also retreated southward. On August 28, Xuanhua fell into the hands of the enemy. Meanwhile, in northern Chahar, the Chinese 1st Cavalry Army successfully captured Shangdu, Nanhaochan, Shangyi, and Huade from the puppet Mongolian Army led by Demchugdongrub. Elements of the 143rd Division secured Zhongli, while the main force advanced to Zhangbei. During this Chinese offensive, the Japanese Chahar Expeditionary Force, consisting of the mechanized 1st Independent Mixed Brigade along with the 2nd and 15th Mixed Brigades, prepared for a counteroffensive from Zhangbei to Kalgan. Tojo personally commanded the units of the 1st Independent Mixed Brigade during Operation Chahar, which would serve as his only real combat service for his career. From August 18 to 19, the Chahar Expeditionary Force launched a counterattack from Zhangbei, capturing Shenweitaiko on the Great Wall and the Hanno Dam. The scattered and ill-equipped Chinese forces were unable to halt the Japanese advance, which now threatened the Peking–Suiyuan Railway at Kalgan. On August 20, General Fu Zuoyi's 7th Group Army diverted its 200th and 211th Brigades, which had been moving south by rail to join General Tang Enbo's forces, back to defend Kalgan. Fu's remaining 72nd Division arrived to reinforce Chenpien, while his 7th Separate Brigade was dispatched to protect the railhead at Huailai.On August 21, the Japanese forces breached the defenses at the villages of Henglingcheng and Chenbiancheng. General Tang Enbo's forces, awaiting reinforcements but having suffered over 50% casualties, continued to defend Huailai, Juyong Pass, and Yanqing. Liu Ruming's 143rd Division retreated to safeguard Kalgan from the advancing Japanese troops. On August 23, as Seishirō Itagaki's 5th Division advanced toward Huailai from Chenpien against Ma Yenshou's 7th Separate Brigade, advance elements of the 14th Army Group arrived on the Japanese flank at Chingpaikou. They successfully drove off the Japanese outpost and made contact with Japanese forces advancing toward Chenpien. However, delays in crossing the Yongding River postponed their attack until it was too late to halt the Japanese advance. Due to poor communications, they also failed to coordinate with General Tang Enbo's forces during the battle. After eight days and nights of fierce fighting, on August 24, Itagaki linked up with the Kwantung Army's 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade at Xiahuayuan. By August 24, the Japanese army breached the defensive line of the Chinese defenders' Wang Wanling Division along the western Hengling, crossed the Great Wall, and advanced into the Huailai area. At this time, the Japanese forces attacking Zhangjiakou from Chabei also secured control of the railway line west of Zhangjiakou, posing a significant threat to the Chinese defenders at Nankou. On August 25, the Chinese defenders were compelled to withdraw from Nankou and retreat to Juyongguan. By August 27, they received orders to break out and relocate southward, completely evacuating the Nankou battlefield. Since Wei Lihuang's troops lost their intended target for reinforcement and Baoding along the Pinghan Line was in a state of emergency, they engaged the enemy in the Wanping area for over a month before retreating south. Following the abandonment of both Nankou and Juyongguan, the Japanese army invaded Huailai City on the night of August 27. The Chinese army suffered over 16,000 casualties, while the Japanese army reported more than 15,000 casualties. On August 26, General Tang Enbo's forces were ordered to break out toward the Sangchien River, while Liu Ruming's troops were directed to withdraw to the opposite side of the Hsiang-yang River. On August 29, a Japanese unit known as the Oui Column by the Chinese and the Ohizumi Detachment by the Japanese launched an attack. According to Hsu Long-hsuen, this unit moved south from Tushihkou, and on August 30, it attacked Yenching via Chihcheng but was repelled by the Chinese 17th Army. The unit had moved to Guyuan by August 25 and reached Xuanhua by September 7, effectively cutting the railway behind Tang's forces and east of the Chinese defenders along the Great Wall. Following the repulsion of the Oui Column's attack, the Chinese 17th Army withdrew to join the rest of Tang Enbo's forces on the far side of the Sangchien River. Kalgan fell to the Japanese on August 27. After General Fu Zuoyi's 200th and 211th Brigades failed in their counterattack to recapture Kalgan, Fu's forces retreated to the west to defend the railway to Suiyuan at Chaikoupao.  On August 30, the army high command ordered the task force and the China Garrison Army to occupy Chahar Province. The North China Area Army deployed Lieutenant General Itagaki Seishiro's Fifth Division, the theater's strategic reserve, for this operation. The Japanese forces relied on armored units to breach Chinese defenses and utilized rail lines to transport troops and supplies effectively to critical locations throughout Chahar. Although the First Independent Mixed Brigade's tanks and armored cars demonstrated proficiency, the Kwantung Army's assessment of the operation criticized the armored units for their lack of shock effect and frequent mechanical breakdowns. Additionally, these vehicles required significant supplies and maintenance, leading the army to deem them ineffective in combat situations. The Second Air Group provided crucial support for the ground offensive in Chahar. From mid-August, this air group, stationed in Chengde and Jingzhou, conducted bombing raids on enemy positions and transport routes, performed reconnaissance missions, and even airdropped supplies to encircled Japanese forces. To match the rapid advance of the mechanized ground forces, air units were repositioned to advanced airfields. After bombing Taiyuan in late August, some units returned to their home bases, leaving behind two fighter squadrons and two heavy bomber squadrons, which formed a provisional air regiment. By mid-September, the Fifth Division and the Chahar Expeditionary Force were advancing southwest through the rugged mountains of Shanxi Province and captured Datong on September 13. Five days later, anticipating a decisive battle, Lieutenant General Katsuki ordered the Fifth Division to pivot southeast toward Baoding to encircle the retreating Chinese forces. Shortly after repositioning, Itagaki learned from aerial reconnaissance that Chinese units were assembling near Pingxingguan (Dayingzhen) Pass. Concerned that these forces might advance eastward through the pass and threaten his rear, Itagaki dispatched a regimental-sized task force under the command of Major General Miura Keiji, leader of the Twenty-first Brigade, to disperse the enemy troops and control the road on both sides of the pass. Miura's task force departed by truck in the mid-afternoon of the following day, but the overland movement proved much slower and more challenging than anticipated. Travelling along a single rutted dirt track through steep mountains, the forty-nine trucks carrying his infantry and heavy weapons, including crew-served machine guns and battalion artillery, could only manage a speed of seven miles per hour. By late afternoon, the lead elements were still about five miles east of the pass when they encountered a few hundred Chinese troops who had retreated after a brief firefight. As night fell, the Japanese moved cautiously forward and reached a village approximately a mile from the pass, where they encountered stiff resistance, including mortar and automatic weapons fire. After successfully repelling a counterattack by the Chinese Seventy-third Division, Miura launched a night assault. Supported by pack artillery and heavy machine guns, two Japanese companies pushed through the pass and seized the high ground on its west side by early morning. However, Chinese reinforcements soon arrived and attempted to reclaim the lost territory, resulting in ongoing fighting for the heights on September 24. Meanwhile, the Chinese Communist 115th Division, comprising the 685th, 686th, and 687th regiments of the Eighth Route Army, consisting of around 6,000 effective troops under the command of twenty-nine-year-old Lin Biao, maneuvered south around the Japanese rear. By September 24, they had interposed themselves on the road east of the pass, effectively cutting off Miura's task force from its supply base. That same day, the Central Army's Seventy-first Division launched several sharp counterattacks against Miura's outnumbered forces west of the pass, threatening to overrun the Japanese positions. Central Army and Communist forces had planned to attack both flanks of the Japanese at dawn on September 25, but torrential rains delayed the advance of the Central Army reserves. The downpour also muffled the sounds of an approaching Japanese night assault. Utilizing the poor night security of the Chinese, Japanese assault parties surprised the Seventy-first and Eighty-fourth divisions, pushing them from their positions west of the pass. Miura mistakenly believed he controlled both sides of the pass and assumed the Chinese forces were in full retreat. Unbeknownst to him, Lin Biao's troops had blocked the eastern entrance to the pass, prompting him to order a resupply column with rations and ammunition forward from about fifteen miles east of the pass to replenish his depleted task force. The supply train, consisting of seventy horse-drawn wagons and eighty trucks, struggled to make progress along the single dirt track, where sections had become muddy bogs due to the heavy rains. Most of the hundred-plus soldiers handling the horses and wagons were untrained and unarmed. The few regular service corps soldiers carried only ten cavalry carbines, while a single infantry platoon of thirty men provided security. The eighty trucks transported another 176 men, most of whom were not infantry. Therefore, the resupply column was ill-prepared for any trouble. Following a sunken road worn down by centuries of caravans, the column approached the pass through a narrow man-made defile, with its sides rising as high as thirty-five feet above the track. Around mid-morning, about four miles east of the pass, the Chinese Communist 115th Division launched an ambush. Communist troops rained grenades and small-arms fire from the high ground overlooking the road onto the trapped convoy. Although the Japanese fought back desperately, the combination of surprise, advantageous terrain, and overwhelming numbers turned the road into a killing ground. The ambush decimated almost all of the teamsters and the infantrymen who protected the wagons. At his field headquarters, Miura heard the heavy gunfire and explosions and quickly ordered a battalion-sized rescue force to assist the convoy. However, the Chinese 685th Regiment, blocking the only road to the trapped supply train, halted the Japanese battalion. Elements of the 685th and 686th regiments then finished off the motorized convoy, with only five trucks at the rear escaping. After looting weapons, equipment, and clothing, the Communists burned the remaining vehicles and withdrew southwest into the rugged mountains. Although the Communists claimed to have killed 3,000 Japanese troops, the more realistic number is around 200. Nonetheless, Lin Biao's guerrillas had achieved a significant tactical success. While the 115th Division destroyed the Japanese resupply column east of the pass, the Central Army's Sixth and Seventh Army Groups, including the Seventy-first Division, launched a series of day and night assaults against Miura's dispersed units west of the pass. Both sides incurred heavy losses, and the Japanese struggled to maintain control of the high ground as the Chinese fanned out through the valleys and attacked from all sides. Isolated and under heavy attack, the Japanese were low on ammunition, food, and water, lacked proper cold-weather clothing in the frigid mountains, and were greatly outnumbered. They resorted to scavenging ammunition and weapons from fallen Chinese soldiers. Itagaki promptly ordered his 41st and 21st infantry regiments, supported by an infantry regiment from the Kwantung Army located about fifty miles northeast of the pass, to rescue the beleaguered task force. These regiments moved along a narrow mountain road amidst heavy rain, which slowed their progress. The relief force split up about forty miles north of Pingxingguan, with the Twenty-first Regiment swinging westward to outflank the Chinese, while the other two regiments continued toward the pass. To the northwest, the Fifteenth Brigade of the Chahar Expeditionary Force advanced southeastward from Datong to encircle the Chinese. Central Army forces defending along the inner Great Wall, about fifty miles northwest of Pingxingguan, inflicted substantial casualties on the Japanese. The Japanese Forty-first Regiment finally reached Miura on September 28, and on the same day, the Twenty-first Regiment dislodged the stubborn defenders along the Inner Great Wall, roughly forty miles northwest of the pass, disrupting the entire Chinese defense and threatening to surround the besieging forces. Nonetheless, fighting continued through September 29, when the Second Brigade broke through the Chinese Central Army's defenses and advanced westward. Facing potential encirclement and certain destruction, the Japanese Sixth Army Group withdrew southwest the following day. Japanese accounts do not specify overall losses, but Chinese reports claim nearly 3,000 Japanese casualties while acknowledging they suffered ten times that number. After five days of intense fighting in rugged terrain, Miura's forces managed to hold their ground, but their heavy losses and those sustained by relief columns rendered it a Pyrrhic victory. Both Communist and Nationalist Chinese forces retreated southwest, surviving to fight another day. The determination of the Chinese Central Army in both offensive and defensive maneuvers, combined with the skillful hit-and-run tactics of the 115th Division, inflicted significant damage on the Japanese and became a cornerstone of Chinese propaganda. On October 1, the Japanese General Staff ordered the North China Area Army to destroy the Chinese forces in Shanxi Province, which were estimated to number over twenty divisions from either the Shanxi Army or the Central Army, and were fortifying positions in Taiyuan, Yangquan, and Yuanpingzhen. The Japanese Fifth and Twentieth Divisions advanced toward Taiyuan, while the Fifteenth Division, reinforced by a mixed brigade, launched an assault south from Yuanpingzhen on October 13. The Fifteenth Division quickly encountered strong Chinese resistance from well-prepared defenses, which halted its advance. From October 19 to 26, the Twentieth Division faced thirteen Chinese divisions entrenched near Jiuguan. Although they successfully repelled numerous fierce counterattacks, the division was unable to breach the Chinese lines. A maneuver by one of its regiments to the rear of the Chinese defenses forced a withdrawal of Chinese troops. The reconstituted Fifth Division joined the pursuit of the retreating Chinese forces on November 3, reaching Taiyuan five days later. Meanwhile, the Twentieth Division, moving westward, inflicted heavy losses on the Chinese units that were withdrawing from Taiyuan. Overall, given that the offensive aimed to secure territory, it can be considered a tactical and operational success. Shortly thereafter, all Japanese forces, except for the Twentieth Division, withdrew from Shanxi Province. The Chahar campaign concluded with the Kwantung Army in control of Chahar, Suiyuan, and the northern half of Shanxi Province. The Japanese quickly established puppet regimes in the captured territories. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. In July 1937, tensions between Japan and China erupted following the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, leading to fierce fighting as Japanese troops attacked. Chinese defenders, under command of Chiang Kai-shek, bravely resisted despite overwhelming odds, determined to protect their sovereignty. The Battle of Nankou saw relentless assaults, tank warfare, and desperate defense tactics, revealing the depth of Chinese resolve. 

Rocky Aoki, the son of a vaudeville performer and a tango dancer, grows up in the wreckage of post-war Tokyo. With his natural flair for entertainment, he opens his first Benihana restaurant in Manhattan, making sure to entertain his customers via knife-wielding chefs. Rocky builds his business up throughout the 80s, stopping at nothing to make his restaurant empire bullet-proof, but he ends up almost bringing the ship down after having several affairs, a secret family, and a conviction for insider trading. To this day his kids and his widow, Keiko Aoki, are still battling it out over the Benihana trust and its flashy legacy.Be the first to know about Wondery's newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterListen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Buckle up for the tiniest joyride of your life!

Tokyo Parker, Cast member of MTV's The Real World New Orleans, MTV's The Challenge, and MTV's The Real World Homecoming series, gets real with Jon Brennan & Beth Stolarczyk. We discuss The Traitors season 4, Rachel Zoe and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, reality TV fame, Kelley Wolf, Billy Bush, and Scott Wolf.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Week on Earth Station DCU! Drew Leiter and Cletus Jacobs are sharped dressed men. Selina Kyle heads to Tokyo, seeking an old ally and a moment of respite, But her enemies are already one step ahead, forcing her into a high-stakes game of survival in Catwoman #71, 72, & 73. Nightwing gets caught up in an escalating crime war when he discovers gang members mutated into monstrous forms in Nightwing 121, 122, & 123. Deathstroke teams up with Clock King and Psycho-Pirate when he manipulates Killer Frost into going bad once again in Titans #18, 19, & 21. All this plus, DC News, Shout Outs, and much, much more! ------------------------ Table of Contents 0:00:00 Show Open 0:00:56 DC News 0:12:40 Catwoman #71, 72, 73 0:18:02 Nightwing #121, 122, 123 0:20:43 Titans #18, 19, 20 0:28:16 Superman & Lois S4 Ep8 – Sharp Dressed Man 0:41:40 Show Close   Links Catwoman #71 Catwoman #72 Catwoman #73 Nightwing #121 Nightwing #122 Nightwing #123 Titans #18 Titans #19 Titans #20 The Forever People #3 (Cletus's Read More Comics Pick) Crisis on Infinite Earths (Drew's Read More Comics Pick) Earth Station DCU Website The ESO Network If you would like to leave feedback, comment on the show, or would like us to give you a shout out, please call the ESDCU feedback line at (317) 455-8411 or feel free to email us @ earthstationdcu@gmail.com

In this episode of Welcome to Cloudlandia, Dan and I talk about how much AI is reshaping everyday life. I share how new tools like Google's Flow V3 are making it easier than ever to create video content, while Dan explores how AI could tackle complexity—like managing city traffic or enhancing productivity—when it's applied intentionally. We also look at how people are adapting to the massive increase in content creation. I ran some numbers: Americans spend around 450 minutes per day on screens, but YouTube alone sees 500 hours of content uploaded every minute. So while AI makes it easier to create, attention remains limited—and we're all competing for it. Another theme is “agency.” We discuss how autonomous vehicles, digital payments, and convenience tools reduce friction, but can also make people feel like they're giving up control. Dan points out that even if the technology works, not everyone wants to let go of driving, or of how they interact with money. Lastly, we reflect on what it really means for tools to be “democratized.” I talk about Hailey Bieber's billion-dollar skincare brand and the importance of vision, capability, and reach. The tools might be available to everyone, but outcomes still depend on how you use them. We end with thoughts on tangibility and meaning in a world that's becoming more digital by the day. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS In this episode, we delve into Canada's evolving identity, sparked by significant events such as the King's visit and U.S. tariffs, which have prompted provinces to reevaluate internal trade barriers. Dan explores the challenges and comparisons between Canada and the U.S., particularly in areas like cannabis legalization and its broader implications on issues such as prison reform. We discuss the health concerns surrounding the rise of vaping, particularly its impact on youth, and how it is becoming a focal point in societal discussions. We navigate the transformative role of energy innovation and artificial intelligence, examining their impact on industries and economic power, particularly in the context of U.S. energy consumption. Dean shares personal experiences to illustrate AI's capabilities in reshaping information consumption, emphasizing technology as a powerful change agent. The intersection of technology and consumer behavior is dissected, with a focus on convenience trends, including the selective demand for electric vehicles and limousine services in luxurious locales. We conclude with a humorous anecdote about students using tape-recorded lectures, reflecting on the broader implications of convenience and technology in education. Links: WelcomeToCloudlandia.com StrategicCoach.com DeanJackson.com ListingAgentLifestyle.com TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Dean: Mr Sullivan. Dan: How are things in Florida Hot? Dean: Hot, it's hot. Dan: It's hot. Dean: They're heated up. Dan: It's normal. Dean: Yeah, no, this is like it's unusual. It went from perfect to summer, All just overnight. I'm looking forward to coming to. I'm looking forward to coming to Toronto, to coming to. I'm looking forward to coming to Toronto Two weeks right, Two weeks here. Dan: Friday. I'm actually uh, You're going to spend a week. Dean: Yeah, I'm in. Dan: Chicago. I'm in Chicago next week. Dean: Yeah, I'm in. So I'm. Yeah, I'm coming for three weeks. Dan: You're holding court. You're holding court. Dean: I'm holding court every which way I arrive on Friday, the 6th, and I leave on the 29th, so there. So you are going to be in Chicago next Saturday. Dan: Next Saturday you're in Chicago, yeah, until the Friday and then back home and we'll have our. Whether it's table 9 or not, it's going to be table 9. Let's just call it table 1, because it'll be at restaurant one. Dean: That's exactly right. Dan: It'll probably be nice to maybe even sit outside, which is a very good restaurant. Yes, on the patio. Yeah, yeah, that's great. Well, canada is going through profound changes. Dean: That's what I hear, so prepare me. I'm already prepared that I will be ordering Canadians with breakfast instead of Americanos. Dan: They've already conditioned me for that. I've been here 54 years in Toronto 54 years and over 54 years I've never gotten a good answer about what a Canadian is. Dean: Okay. Dan: Okay, except that we're not Americans. We're not Americans. And to prove it, and to prove it, they brought the King of England over to tell them Okay, ah that's funny. Dean: I didn't see anything about that. Is that just that yeah? Dan: we came over. They have a thing called the throne speech. When parliament resumes after an election, it's called the throne speech. Dean: Okay, just a reminder. Dan: Yeah, and so just to tell you that we're an independent, completely independent country, we got the King of England to come over and talk to his subjects. Dean: And. Dan: I guess that's what caused the division in the first place, wasn't it? Dean: was the King of. Dan: England. So nothing's changed in 236 years. It's all been. You know the royalty. They brought the royalty over to put some muscle into the Canadian identity, anyway. But there is a profound change and I don't know if you knew this, but there's tremendous trade barriers between the provinces in Canada. Dean: Yeah, it's funny how Canada has really always sort of been more divisive kind of thing, with the West and the Maritimes and Quebec and Ontario. Dan: But they have trade barriers. Like they're separate countries, they have trade barriers and Trump's pressure putting tariff on has caused all the provinces to start talking to each other. Maybe we ought to get rid of all the trade barriers between the provinces it's just that pressure from the south that is causing them to do that, and they would never do this voluntarily. Yeah, but it's putting such pressure on the canadian economy, in the economy of the individual provinces, that they're now having to sit down and actually maybe we shouldn't have barriers between you know and the. US has never had this. You know the US straight from the beginning was a trade free country. You know the states don't have trade barriers. Dean: Right right. Dan: I mean they have laws that have not been entirely in sync with each other, for example, alcohol, you know, Some of the states were dry, and so it wasn't that we won't allow you to compete with our alcohol. We don't have any alcohol and we won't allow you to bring your alcohol in Fireworks. You couldn't have fireworks. Some states you could have Citizens could buy fireworks. I remember Ohio. You could never buy fireworks but you had to go to Michigan to buy them. Dean: Is cannabis now nationally legal in Canada? Dan: What's that fireworks? Dean: No cannabis. Dan: Fireworks, no, just the opposite. Cannabis, yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah, it's national, and that's another thing. The US, generally, when there's a contentious subject, they don't. Well, they did do it. They did it with Roe versus Wade, and then, of course, roe versus Wade got reversed. The way that American tradition is one state does it, then another state does it, and that gets to a point where it's like 50% of the states are doing, and then it elevates itself to a national level where the Congress and the Supreme Court they start, you know. Dean: Florida. Florida just rejected it again. Every time it's on the ballot it gets rejected in Florida. Dan: What's that? Dean: Cannabis. Oh yeah, it's a state issue. Yeah. Dan: Yeah, and I don't think it's ever going to be national, because there's enough bad news about cannabis that probably they won't go for it. I mean the impact. Dean: Well, think about all the people that they would have to release from prison that are in prison right now for cannabis violations. You know it's interesting. That's one of the things that has been the discussion here. Dan: You know is you can't legalize it, and then all of a sudden yeah. They'd have to get a whole new workforce for the license plates Right. Dean: Well, the robot. Dan: Yeah, robots. Dean: Well, the robots, the robots. Dan: The robots can smoke the cannabis, yeah, yeah, but it's. I don't see it ever being national in the US, because there's as much argument there is for it, there's as much argument that there is against it. And you know, especially with young people, especially with you know it's a gateway drug. They know that if someone in their teens starts smoking cannabis, they'll go on to higher-grade drugs. Dean: That's interesting. Dan: That's pretty well established Actually smoking is the first. Tobacco, first then cannabis. The big issue down here now is vaping. Dean: Vaping. Dan: I've never quite understood. What is it exactly? I see that we have some stories here yeah, what is vaping? Dean: what is vaping? It's just like a chemical you know way of getting nicotine, you know and it's pure chemicals that people are sucking into their lungs. It's crazy no smoke no smoke. It's because in most cases you know you can vape in places that would be otherwise smoke free. This is just vapor, you know, so it's not intrusive, you know? Dan: what's funny is, I haven't tell you how up to tells you how up to date I am right I'm getting my news about vaping from dean jackson. Yeah, that tells you how up to date I am right. Oh yeah, I'm getting my news about vaping from. Dean: Dean Jackson. Yeah, exactly. Dan: That tells you how out of touch I am. Dean: That's right, I stay in touch with what the kids are doing. Dan, I'll tell you. I keep you up to date. Dan: That's so funny. Kids, yeah, how much less than 80 does childhood start? Dean: I don't know I'm hanging in there. I just turned 40, 19. So let's see Keep that. We'll keep it going, keep it alive. Dan: Yeah. Dean: So it's been an interesting week. Now we're coming up on like 10 days of the new VO3, the Google Flow video processing that we talked about last week, and it's just getting. You know, there's more and more like everybody's tripping over themselves to show all the capability that it has. You know, I had an interesting conversation with Eben Pagan I was talking about because this new capability I mean certainly it's at the stage now what Peter Diamandis would say that you know, the execution of video has really been democratized. Now the cost is nearing zero in terms of, you know, the ability to just use prompts to create realistic things, and every time I show these videos they just keep getting better and better in terms of the news desk and the man on the street type of things and all the dramatic, the dramatizations there's really like it's gonna be very difficult. It's already difficult. It's going to be impossible to tell the difference between real and virtual, but my thought is that this is going to lead to more and more content being created, and I did the latest numbers For the same amount of attention that is exactly it, dan. I looked at the thing, so I looked it up. Well, certainly, our attention capacity has remained and will remain constant at. If we had 100 of somebody's available attention, we would have a maximum of a thousand minutes of their attention available every day, but on average, americans spend 400 to 450 minutes a day consuming content on a screen. So that's what the real availability is. And I asked Charlotte about the current rate of uploading to YouTube, and right now there are 500 hours per minute loaded to YouTube every single minute of the day. 500 hours per minute, it's getting crowded minute getting, it's getting crowded and that is piled on top of over 1 billion available hours of content that's currently on youtube, because you can access any of it, right and so just? Dan: that you can't even. Dean: You can't even sit down no, and I thought know, the thing is that the content that's being created for that it's novelty right now. That's driving and everybody's watching it going holy cow. Can you believe this? Oh man, we're never going to be able to tell. That's the conversation. It's like a peak level interest in it right now and it's pretty amazing. But I just finished the second season of Severance on Netflix which is a great show. And I read that the budget for that show is $20 million per episode. So they spend $200 million creating that content, that season, for you to watch, and so you're competing for that 450 minutes of available attention with the greatest minds in Hollywood, you know, in the world, you know creating this mega it's not Hollywood. Dan: It's not Hollywood, no Right, I mean Actually a lot of. I bet. If you put Hollywood against London, England, London would win in terms of yeah, you're probably right. Interesting content, I bet. Yeah, I bet the skills of British people just in the geographic area of London outcompetes Hollywood. Dean: Yeah, but it's really kind of interesting to me that I don't know to what end this creation Well, there is no end. Dan: Yeah, surprise, there's no end. You thought you were getting close to the end. Dean: Nope, nope. Dan: No, I was thinking about that because I was preparing myself for my weekly call with Dean. And I said you really bright technology guy. And he said that it's called the bottomless. Well, and he said actually. He said do you know what most of the energy in the world is used for? This is a really interesting question. It caught me by surprise. That's why I'm asking you the question. Dean: I don't know. Dan: Most of the energy in the world is used to refine even higher intensity energy. Oh everything that's where most of the energy in the world is used is to actually take energy from a raw stage and put it into power. He says it's not energy we're getting. You know, when we switch on light, it's power we're getting. He says power is the game not energy. Dean: Energy is just a raw material. Dan: It's the constant human ingenuity of taking raw energy and making it into eventually like a laser, which is one of the most intense, dense, focused forms of energy. Is a laser? I noticed the Israelis three days ago for the first time shot down a rocket coming from not a rocket, a drone that was coming in from I don't know, the Houd know, one of those raggedy bunches over there, and they were comparing the cost that, basically that if they send a rocket to knock down a rocket it's about $50,000 minimum a shot. You know if they shoot one of the rockets, it's $50,000. But the laser is $10, basically $10. Dean: Oh, my goodness Wow yeah. Dan: And you know it just prices you know, and everything else, but what they don't take into account is just the incredible amount of money it takes to create the laser. Yeah right, right, right you know, and he said that the way progress is made in the world, he says, is basically by wasting enormous amounts of energy, what you would consider waste. And he says, the more energy we waste, the more power we get. And it's an interesting set of thoughts that he can he said? by far. The united states waste the most energy in the world, far beyond anyone else. We just waste enormous energy. But we also have an economy that's powered by the highest forms of energy. So he says that's the game, and he says the whole notion of conserving energy. He says why would you conserve energy? You want to waste energy. He says the more energy you waste, the more you find new ways to focus energy. Anyway maybe AI is actually a form of energy. It's not actually. You know, I mean everybody's just from this latest breakthrough that you spoke about last week and you're speaking about this week. Maybe it isn't what anyone is doing with this new thing. It's just that a new capability has been created, and whether anybody gets any value out of it doesn't really matter. It's a brand new thing. So there's probably some people who are really going to utilize this and are going to make a bundle of money, but I bet 99% of the humans are using that, are doing that for their own you know, their own entertainment. It's going to have actually a economic impact. It's not going to. Dean: That's my point. Dan: That's what I was saying about the thing about the what I was saying about the thing about the, what it's another way of. It's another way of keeping, another way of keeping humans from being a danger to their fellow human beings you know, he's been down the basement now for a week. He hasn't come back up, there's a harmless human. Yeah, yeah. I was you know, but if you think about AI as not a form of communication. It's a form of energy. It's a form of power yeah, and everybody's competing for the latest use of it. Dean: Yes. Dan: But like for example, I've never gone beyond perplexity, I've never Right, right. You know, like people say oh, you should use Grok and I said, no, no, I'm getting a lot of value, but I'm creating these really great articles. I have a discussion group. Every quarter we have about a dozen coach clients that get together and for 23 years we've been sending in articles and now this last issue, which just went out I think it goes out tomorrow you know, it's got about 40 articles in it and former mine and their perplexity searches to you and yeah, and. I'm just looking for the reaction because you know I had a prompt and then the I put it into perplexity and I got back. I always use ten things. You know ten things is my prompt. Ten things about why Americans really like gas-powered, gas-powered cars and why they always will. That's, that was my prompt and it came back. You know 10 really great things. And then I took each of the answers and it's a numbered, sort of a numbered paragraph and I said now break this out into three subheads that get further supporting evidence to it automatically. So I got 30 and you know, and I do some style changes, you know to yeah, make the language part. Thing you know it's about six pages. It's about six pages when you put it into word wow, I put it into work. I put it into word and then do a pdf you know, pdf and I send it out. But they're really interesting articles. You know I said but if you look at the sources, there are probably one of the articles has 30 different sources. You know that it's found. You know, when you ask the question, it goes out and finds 30 different articles. Dean: Pulls an idea about it. Dan: So I'm just checking this out to see if people find this kind of article better than just one person has an opinion and they're writing an article. Dean: Here. Dan: I just asked a question and I got back a ton of information. You know I said so, but that's where I am with perplexity. After using it for a year you know I'm using it for a year I've got to the point where I can write a really good article that other people find interesting. Dean: Oh, I would love to see that. Dan: I mean that's I'll interesting. Oh yeah, I would love to see that. I mean that's. Yeah, I'll send them out this afternoon. I'll send them out to you. Dean: Okay. Dan: They're interesting. Dean: Yeah, huh. Well, that's and I think that's certainly a great thing Like I assist, but it's like a single use, Like I'm interested in a single use. Dan: And I get better at it, it gets better and I get better, you know. And yeah, so that, and my sense is that what AI is a year from now is what you were a year ago. Dean: I'm saying more about that. Dan: Well, whatever you were good at last year, at this time you're probably a lot better at it next year because you have the use of ai oh exactly I'm amazed. Dean: You know like I. I'm like your charlotte experiment. Dan: You're a lot better with charlotte now than when you first started with charlotte. Dean: Yeah, and she's a lot better a lot better, charlotte's a lot better. Yeah, I had a conversation with her yesterday because I got another entry for the VCR files where Justin Bieber's wife, hailey Bieber, just sold her skincare line for a billion dollars and she started it in 2023. So from yeah, from nothing, she built up this skincare line, started with a vision I want to do a skincare line partnered with a capability, and her 55 million Instagram followers were the reach to launch this into the stratosphere. I just think that's so. I think that's pretty amazing. You know that it took Elizabeth Arden, who was a she may be Canadian actually cosmetic, almost 40 years to get to a billion dollars in Different dollars, different dollars in value than you know. Here comes Hailey Bieber in two and a half years. Yeah, I mean, it's crazy. Yeah, this is but that's the power of reach as a multiplier. I mean it's really you got access to. You know, instant access, zero friction for things to spread now. Yeah. Dan: Yeah, I mean the big thing that you know. I want to go back to your comment about democratization. It's only democratic in the sense that it doesn't cost very much. Dean: That's what I mean. Yeah, it's available to everybody. Dan: But that isn't to me. That's not the question is do you have any capability whatsoever? It's not that. The question is do you have any capability whatsoever? I mean, you know that tells me that if the person who waits next to the liquor store to open every he got enough money from panhandling the day before to get liquor, he can now use the new Google thing that's open to him. I mean, if he gets a computer or he's got a buddy who's got a computer, he can do it. But he has absolutely no capability, he has absolutely no vision, he has absolutely no reach to do it. So I think it's the combination of VCR that's not democratized. Actually it's less democratized. It's less democratized. It's either the same barriers to democratization as it was before or it's still really expensive. It's not the vision, not the capability, it's not the reach, it's the combination of the three, and my sense is very few people can pull that like this. Yeah well, while she was doing it, 99,000 other people weren't doing that. Dean: That's exactly right. Yeah, yeah. Dan: That's really that distinction. My sense is, the VTR is not democratized whatsoever. Dean: I really am seeing that distinction between capability and ability. Yeah, seeing that distinction between capability and ability. Dan: That's every the capabilities are what are being democratized, but not the ability. Dean: Ability, yeah, ability is always more than pianists yeah, and that's the thing ability, will, is and will remain a meritocracy thing that you can earn, you can earn, and concentrated effort in developing your abilities, focusing on your unique abilities that's really what the magic is. Dan: Yeah yeah, yeah, as'm going like. My sense is that you know where we're probably going to be seeing tremendous gains over, let's say, the next 10 years. Is that a lot of complexity? Issues are, for example, the traffic system in Toronto is just bizarre. The traffic system in New York City and Manhattan makes a lot of sense, and I'll give you an example. There's probably not a road or a street in Toronto where you can go more than three intersections without having to stop. Dean: Ok, but in. Dan: New York City on Sixth Avenue, because I know Sixth Avenue, which goes north, I've been in a cab that went 60 blocks without stopping for a red light. Wow, Because they have the lights coordinated and if you go at a certain speed you are you'll never hit a red light. Ok, yeah, so why can't Toronto do that? I mean, why can't Toronto do that? Because they're not smart enough. They're not smart enough. Whoever does the traffic system in Toronto isn't smart enough. My sense is that probably if you had AI at every intersection in the city and they were talking to each other, you would have a constant variation of when the lights go red and green and traffic would probably be instantly 30 or 40 percent better. How interesting. And that's where I see you're gonna. You're gonna have big complexity issues. You know big complexity there are. There are lots of complexity issues. I mean, you know people said well, you know, a Tesla is much, much better than a. You know the gasoline car and. I said well, not, you know, a Tesla is much, much better than you know a gasoline car. And I said well, not when you're driving in Toronto. You can't go any faster in a Tesla than you can go, than traffic goes you know it's not going any, so you know it's not. You're not getting any real. You know a real superior. It's not 10 times better superior. Dean: It's not 10 times better. I don't know, Dan. I'll tell you. You guys activated the full self-drive? Dan: No, because it's illegal. No, it's illegal. It's illegal in Canada. Dean: Let me just tell you my experience. Yesterday I was meeting somebody at the Tampa Edition Hotel right downtown and there's sort of coming into Tampa. There's lots of like complexity in off ramps and juncture you know they call it malfunction junction where all of these highways kind of converge and it's kind of difficult to, even if you know what you're doing to make all of these things. Well, I pulled out of my garage yesterday and I said navigate to the Tampa edition. And then bloop, bloop, it came up. I pushed the button, the car left my driveway, went out of my neighborhood through the gate, all the turns, all the things merged onto the highway, merged off and pulled me right into the front entrance of the Tampa Edition and I did not touch the steering wheel the entire time. Dan: I did the same thing on Friday with Wayne, exactly. Dean: I've been saying that to people forever, Dan. I said, you know, Dan Sullivan's had full self-drive, autonomous driving since 1998. You know, yeah, yeah, boy, yeah, and you know You're always two steps ahead, but that you know. Dan: Well, no, I totally understand the value of having to do that. Yeah, it's just that it's available. It's available in another form as well. Dean: Yes, yeah, yeah, the outcome is available. Right, that's the thing. Dan: Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I enjoy chatting with him. You know like. Dean: I enjoy chatting. Dan: He's you know he. You know he. He's got lots of questions about. You know current affairs. He's got. He's got things to you know what's going about in London? It's the cab drivers. I would never take a limousine in London because cab drivers have their own app now. The black cab drivers have their own app and plus they have the knowledge of the city and everything. But if you're getting close to an election, if you just take about 10 cab drives and you talk to them, what's it looking like? They're pretty accurate. They're pretty accurate. Because they're listening constantly to what people are talking about when they're in the taxi cabs and they can get adrift. They get a feel about it. Yeah, I mean, I like being around people. So being alone with myself in a car, it doesn't, you know, it's not really part of my, it's not really part of my style anyway, but it makes a lot of sense for a lot of people. Probably the world is safer if certain people aren't driving oh, I think that's going to be true. Dean: You know as it's funny. You know now that. So elon is about to launch their robo taxi in Austin, texas this month, and you know now whenever a. Tesla Google right Google. Yeah, I think it is, you're right. Dan: Yeah. Dean: So yeah, whenever a Tesla on autopilot, you know, has an accident or it steers into something or it has a malfunction of some way or some outlier event kind of happens, it's national news. You know, it's always that thing and you know you said that about the safety. I kind of do believe that it's going to get to a point where the robots are safer than humans driving the car and but the path to get there is going to have to not like as soon as if there ever was a fatality in a robo taxi will be a. That'll be big news. Yeah, well, there was one in phoenix with waymo there was a fatality. Dan: I didn't know that yeah, I was actually a pedestrian. She was crossing the street and it was very shaded and the Waymo didn't pick up on the change of light and didn't see her. She was killed. She was killed, yeah well you know, it's like flying cars. You know, the capability of a flying car has been with us since 1947. There's been cars that actually work, but you know, usually you know, I mean we all are in cars far more of our life than we're in the air, but your notion of an accident being an accident. I've only been in one in my life. It was a rear end when I was maybe about 10 years old, and that was the only time that I've ever been in an accident. And you know, and it happened real fast is one of the things that's the thing is how fast it happens. And spun our car around and you know we ended up in a ditch and nobody was hurt and you know that was my only one. So my assessment of the odds of being in an accident are gauged on that. I've been in hundreds of thousands of car rides that seems like that and I had one thing. So my chances of you know, and it was okay, it was okay. If you have an accident at a thousand feet above the earth, it's not okay, it's not okay, and that's the problem, it's not okay, it's not okay, yeah, this is, and that's the problem. That's the problem. That's the real problem. It's an emotional thing that you know it's death If you have an accident you know, it's death. Yeah, and I think that makes the difference just emotionally and psychologically, that this it might be a weird thing one out of a thousand, one out of a thousand, one out of a million you know, chance that I could get killed. When it's a hundred percent, it has a different impact. Yeah, well, I was thinking that when, or the power goes out, the power goes out. Yeah, I mean, I've flown in that jet. You know there's that jet that has the parachute. Do you know the? Jet yes, yeah, and I've flown in the jets I've flown in the cirrus, I think yeah anyway, it's a very nice jet and it's very quiet and it's you know, it's very speedy and everything else. But if something happens to the pilot, you as a passenger can hit a button and air traffic control takes over, or you can pull a lever and it pulls out the cargo chute. Everything like that, and I think that they're heading in the right direction with that. Dean: Yes. Dan: I think it's called VeriJet is the name of it, but they're very nice and they're very roomy. They're very roomy. I flew from Boston to New York and I flew from San Francisco to San Diego. Dean: Yes. Dan: I've been in it twice. They're very nice. Dean: Yeah, Nice jets. Maybe you that'd be nice to go from Toronto to Chicago. Dan: Well, they have them now, but it only makes sense if you have four people and they don't have much cargoes. They don't have much space. You're treating it like a taxi really. Dean: Yes, yeah, true, I was going to say about the self-driving, like the autonomous robo taxis or cars that are out driving around, that if it starts getting at large scale, I think it's only going to be fair to show a comparison tally of if somebody dies because of a robo taxi or a self-driving car that the day or week or year to date tally of. You know one person died in a autonomous car accident this week and you know however many 3,000, 2,000 people died in human-driven cars this week. I think, to put that in context, is going to have to be a valuable thing, you know. Dan: Yeah, yeah, I mean. The other thing that a lot of people you know and it's a completely separate issue is that you're being asked to give up agency. Yes that's the thing. Dean: You hit it on the head. Dan: And I think that's the bigger issue. I think you know a lot of people. You know I'm not one of them, so I have to take it from other people saying they love driving and they love being in control of the car. They love being in control and you're being asked because if you are in an accident, then there's a liability issue. Is it you, is it the car, is it the car maker? Is it you know what? Who's? It's a very complicated liability issue that happens, you know happens, you know, and it's really. Dean: You know. What's funny, dan, is if you and I were having this conversation 122 years ago, we'd be talking about well, you know, I really like the horse being in control of the horses here, these horseless carriages, I don't know that's. You know who needs to go 30 miles per hour? That's that. That sounds dangerous, you know. But I love that picture that Peter used to show at the Abundance 360. That showed that Manhattan intersection in 1908. And then in 1913, you know, in that five year period from horses to no horses, I think we're pretty close to that transition from 2025 to 2030, you know. Dan: Yeah, it'll be interesting because you know the thing that I'm finding more and more and it's really reinforced with this book. I'm reading the Bottomless Well, and this is a 20-year-old book, you know and everything, but all cars are now electric cars. In other words, the replacement of mechanical parts inside cars with electronics has been nonstop, and actually I found the Toyota story the most interesting one. Toyota decided to stop making electric cars. Did you know that? Dean: Oh, I just saw a Prius, but is that not electric? No, it's a hybrid. Dan: They have both, and for me it makes total sense that you would have two fuels rather than one fuel. Dean: Right. Dan: Yeah, and there's just so much problems with you know the electric generation of getting the. I mean, for example, it tells you what happened under the Biden administration that they were going to put in I don't know 100,000 charging stations. Dean: Yeah. Dan: And it was 12. They got 12 built Wow, 12. They got 12 built Wow. And the reason is because there's not a demand for it. First of all it's a very select group of people who are buying these things. Dean: Yeah. Dan: And a lot of it has to do with where, for example, in California, I think the majority of them come out of a certain number of postal zones. Dean: Oh, really yeah Like. Dan: Hollywood would have a lot of them Like Hollywood would have a lot of them, beverly Hills would have a lot of them, but others wouldn't have any at all because there's no charging stations unless you have one at home. But the other thing is just the sheer amount of energy you have to use to make a Tesla is way more than the energy that's required to make a gas car. Gas cars are much cheaper to make. Dean: So there's some economics there. Dan: But the other thing is this thing of agency living in a technological world. More and more technology is taking over and you're not in control. And I think there's a point where people say, okay, I've given up enough agency, I'm not going to give up anymore. And I think you're fighting that when you're trying to get that across. I mean, I know Joe is wild about this, you know about Joe Polish, about self-driving and everything like that, but I don't know when I would ever do it. Dean: Well, especially because it's not a problem you need solved. You've solved the problem since 1998. You've got you've you know one of the things, Dan, when you and I first started having lunches together or getting together like that, I remember very vividly the first time that we did that, we went to Marche. In the yeah, downtown Hockey Hall of Fame is yeah, exactly yeah. We went to Marche and we sat there. We were there for you know, two hours or so and then when we left, we walked out, we went out the side door and there was your car, like two paces outside of the exit of the building. Your car was there waiting for you and you just got in and off you go. And I always thought, you know, that was like way ahead of. Even your Tesla can't do that, you know, I just thought that was fun thing, but you've been doing that 25 years you know just wherever you are, it's knows where to get you. You walk out and there it is, and that's this is before Uber was ever a thing for, before any of it you know, yeah, yeah, well, it's just, you know, I think we're on exactly the same path. Dan: It's just something that I don't want to think about. Dean: Right. Dan: I just don't want to have all the where did I park? And you know, and the whole thing. And the cars are always completely, you know, clean. Dean: They're completely you know clean they're, you know they're fully fueled up all the insurance has been paid for that they check them out. Dan: I think they have to check them out every couple weeks. They have to go into their yeah, their garage and make sure everything's tuned up. Dean: They have to pass yeah, most people think that would be a, that's an extravagance or something you know if you think about that, but do you know approximately how much you spend per month for rides or whatever your service is for that? Just to compare it to having a luxury car, of course I have no idea to having a luxury car? Dan: Of course, I have no idea, Of course. Dean: I love that Of course you don't. That's even better. Dan: Right, I know it's about half the cost of having a second car. Dean: Right, exactly. Dan: It's so, it's pretty. You know, that's pretty easy, it doesn't use up any space, I mean. Dean: Right. Dan: Yeah, yeah and yeah, yeah, yeah, it's an interesting. Dean: I like simple and I like you know, I I just like having a simple life and I don't like that friction freedom, friction freedom, yeah yeah, yeah and but our limousine company is really great and it's called Bennington and they are affiliated with 300 other limousine companies around the world. Dan: They're in a network, and so when we're going to Chicago, for example, the affiliate picks us up at the airport. When we go to Dallas, the affiliate picks us up at the airport. The only thing we do differently when we go to London, for example, is that the hotel Firmdale Hotel, they get the cab and they pick us up and they pay everything ahead of time. It goes on our bill. But it's just nice that we're in a worldwide network where it's the same way. If I were going to Tokyo, it would be the Tokyo right. Dean: So yeah, that's. That's really good thing in in Buenos. Dan: Aires. Yeah, yeah, it's the way, it's the of, no, it's the four seasons, of course it all actually does it. Yeah, so it's the hotels, so that's it. But it's interesting stuff what it is. But the democratize. I think that the I mean the definition of capitalism is producing for the masses. You know, that's basically the difference between other systems and capitalism, the difference between other systems and capitalism. Capitalism is getting always getting the cost down, so the greatest proportion of people can you utilize the thing that you're doing? You? know, yeah, and I think it's democratizing in that effect. But it all depends upon what you're looking for. It all depends upon what kind of life you want to have. You know, and there's no democracy with that Some people just know what they want more than other people know what they want. Yeah right, exactly. Dean: Yeah, I think that we're. You know, I keep remembering about that article that I read, you know, probably 2016 about the tyranny of convenience. You know that's certainly an underestimated driver, that we are always moving in the direction of convenience, which is in the same vein as that friction freedom. I've noticed now that other friction freedom. I've noticed now that other. I just look at even the micro things of like Apple Pay on my phone. You know, just having the phone as your, you know, gateway to everything, you just click and do it, it's just comes, it's just handled, you know. Know you don't have any sense of connection to what things cost or the transaction of it. The transaction itself is really effortless float your phone over over the thing, I got cash all over the place. Yeah, exactly I know, like a little, like a squirrel, I got little ATMs all over the house. Yeah, exactly. Dan: I got shoeboxes with cash. I've got winter coats with cash I mean Babsoe Cup. She says you got any cash? I said yes, just stay here, because I don't want you to see where I'm going. What do you want? Yeah, yeah. And I find a lot of entrepreneurs I think more than other folks have this thing about cash, because you can remember a day way back in the past where you didn't have enough money for lunch. You know. Dean: Yeah. Dan: I always, I'm always flush with cash, yeah. Dean: Every time I go to the airport. Dan: You know the airport in toronto or where I'm landing. I always go and I get. You know, I get a lot of cash I just like currency. Dean: Yeah, I love the. The funny thing is the. What was I thinking about? Dan: you were talking about. Dean: Oh, I had a friend who had he used to have a file like file folders or file cabinets sort of thing. But he had a file like when file folders or file cabinets were a thing, but he had a file called cash and he would just have cash in the cash folder, yeah, yeah, or nobody would ever think to look for it. You know, filed under cash there's a thousand dollars right there. Dan: Yeah. We had a changeover a year ago with housekeepers? Dean: Yeah, we had a changeover a year ago with housekeepers, so previous housekeeper we had for years and years. Dan: She retired and we got a new one and she's really great. But there was a period where the credit card that our previous. We had to change credit cards because she makes a lot of purchases during the week. And then Babs said, Dan, do you have any cash for mary? And I said, sure, wait right here. And I said I brought him. I had five hundred dollars. And she said I said well, that'd be good. And she said where do you have five hundred dollars. I said not for you to know mary, you can ask, but you cannot find that's funny, I think there's something to that, dan. Dean: I remember, even as a kid I used to. To me it was something to have these stacks of $1 bills. You had $40 as a 10-year-old. That's a big stack. You were a push, oh yeah, and I used to have an envelope that I would put it in and I had a secret. I just had a secret hiding place for the money. Yeah, yeah, so funny. I remember one time I got my mom worked at a bank and I had her, you know, bring me. I gave my money and had her bring like brand new $1 bills. You know, like the things. And I saw this little. I saw a thing in a book where you could make what like a little check book with one dollar bill. So I took a little cardboard for the base thing, same, cut it out, same size as the dollar bills, and then took a glue stick and many layers on the end of the thing so that they would stick together. But I had this little checkbook of $1 bills and I thought that was the coolest thing ever. Dan: It's tangible, yeah, yeah. Dean: It's like agency. Dan: I think we like tangibility too. I think that's the value that we hold on to, and you can push things where they disappear. You know, digital things sort of disappear. And it's not tangible. So I think a lot of people get in the money problem because the money they're spending is not tangible money. You know, and I think there's we're. You know we're sensory creatures and there's a point where you've disconnected people so much from tangible things that they lose its meaning after a while. I'll send you one of my articles, but it's on how universities are in tremendous trouble right now. Trump going after Harvard is just, it's just the sign of the times. It's not a particular, it's actually we don't even know what Harvard is for anymore. They're so far removed from tangible everyday life. We don't even know. So you can have the president of the United States just cutting off all their and so somebody says oh, I didn't even know they got funding. You know, I didn't even know they got funding. You know, I didn't even know the government gave harvard money and there's no problem now because they've lost touch. They it's hard for them to prove why they should get any tax money and they've gotten so disconnected in their theoretical worlds from the way people live. It's a. It's an interesting thing. There's a tangibility border. If you cross too far over the tangibility border, I heard a comedian. Dean: Jimmy Carr was on Joe Rogan's podcast and he was saying you know, the joke is that the students are using AI to do their homework. The tutors, the teachers, are using AI to grade the homework and in three years the AI will get the job. Dan: Teaching other AIs? Yeah, exactly. Dean: Yeah, well, I mean you can go too far in a particular direction. Yeah, that's where it's headed. Dan: That's exactly right, yeah, yeah, apparently Henry Kissinger taught at Harvard and you know he was on the faculty but he was busy, so in some of his classes he just put a tape recording of him, you know, and he had a really boring voice. It was this German monotonic voice you know and everything like that. And so he would just put a teaching assistant would come and turn on the tape recorder. Dean: And then he asked one day. Dan: He was. He was just in the building and he walked in and there were as a class of 40. And he walked in and there was one tape recorder in the front of the room and there were 40 tape recorders on the 40 desk. He was oh no, yeah, they were just recording his recording. That's funny, yeah, and they would have shown up. I mean, they would have had standing room only if it was him. Dean: Yeah, right, right, right. Dan: So it's lost tangibility and it doesn't have any meaning after a while. Yeah, that's funny. Yeah, Okay, got to jump. Dean: Okay, so next week are we on yeah, chicago. Dan: Yeah, we are an hour. Dean: Okay, perfect. Dan: It'll be an hour, the same hour for you, but a different hour for me. Dean: Perfect, I will see you then. Okay, thanks, dan, bye.

This Week on Earth Station DCU! Drew Leiter and Cletus Jacobs are sharped dressed men. Selina Kyle heads to Tokyo, seeking an old ally and a moment of respite, But her enemies are already one step ahead, forcing her into a high-stakes game of survival in Catwoman #71, 72, & 73. Nightwing gets caught up […] The post The Earth Station DCU Episode 415 – Sharp Dressed Man appeared first on The ESO Network.

Si Tokyo est un eldorado pour les férus de technologies grâce à ses magasins d'électronique et ses salles d'arcade futuristes, pour les gourmets, elle qui abrite le plus grand nombre de restaurants étoilés au monde, la capitale nipponne est aussi un paradis pour les passionnés de style. Berceau de la créativité et de la mode, le quartier d'Harajuku, voit depuis des décennies, défiler les looks les plus excentriques. Ceux des lolitas qui s'habillent comme des poupées, des gyaru, en mode bling bling, ou encore des Sukeban, ces gangs de filles des années 1970. Au détour des rues, les tenues changent. Tokyo est la ville où l'on passe facilement de la standardisation des uniformes scolaires et des costumes-cravate des quartiers d'affaires, à des looks plus affirmés et personnels. Comment décrypter la mode japonaise ? Que révèlent les choix vestimentaires des Tokyoïtes de leur personnalité ?   Avec : • Vanessa Montalbano, journaliste, expatriée au Japon depuis 2017 et autrice de Vu à Harajuku (Komon – Les arènes, 2025) et de Tokyo Crush (Komon-Les arènes) • June Fujiwara, née à Tokyo, expatriée en France à Paris, depuis une vingtaine d'années. Ella a passé 17 ans à la Direction de la Communication de la Maison Louis Vuitton. Elle est l'autrice de La parfaite Tokyoïte (Komon - Les arènes, 2023), Les Secrets du savoir-vivre nippon (2021, Éditions de l'Opportun) et de Mes rituels japonais (2023, Éditions Leduc) •  Kadiata Diallo, styliste mauritano-sénégalaise, créatrice de la marque de mode Niuku basée Dakar.   Programmation musicale :  ► Right/Wrong - VivaOla   ► Waya Yawa - Ajaté. 

Send us a textJoin the lads as they discuss:  BBQ in gas stations, hungover grading sessions, and accidentally stalking Walt Disney's old houses. Jess makes a noble Mario Kart sacrifice at a brewery where a live jazz band plays the soundtrack in real-time.They also pay tribute to Brian Wilson, break down Disney films badly and dive into early Walt Disney history—including a visit to the legendary Laugh-O-Gram Studio and Walt's last Kansas City home. Plus: Mr. Beast rents Disneyland, the truth about Katzenberg and The Lion King, and so much more. This episode sponsored by the fantastic WDW & DLR Magazines

Episode 295 features baseball gaijin, Tony Barnette and an encore presentation of Barbecue Hall of Fame member, Lee Ann Whippen Tony Barnette is a former professional baseball pitcher and the main subject of the book, A Baseball Gaijin: Chasing a Dream to Japan and Back written by our previous guest, Aaron Fischman.  Tony played in Major League Baseball for the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs and in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.  Tony took a nontraditional route to the Major Leagues.  He started in the MLB's minor leagues, spent six years pitching in Japan for Tokyo's Yakult Swallows, and then at the age of 32 had his first cup of coffee with the Major League's, Texas Rangers.  Thank you to Aaron Fischman for helping to to arrange this.   Lee Ann Whippen is a member of the Barbecue Hall of Fame.  She developed her love of cooking barbecue from an early age learning from her dad and she has used that knowledge and love to become an extremely well-known and respected pitmaster.  As a competition cook she has won multiple world, national, and state barbecue championships.  On television she has shone brightly on various competition shows, winning the premier season of BBQ Brawl on Food Network and defeating Bobby Flay on Throwdown with Bobby Flay.  She is also a restaurateur who has owned restaurants in Virginia, Illinois, and Florida.  She is co-host of the podcast, BBQ Nation with Jeff Tracy. We recommend you go to Baseball BBQ, https://baseballbbq.com for special grilling tools and accessories, Magnechef https://magnechef.com/ for excellent and unique barbecue gloves, Cutting Edge Firewood High Quality Kiln Dried Firewood - Cutting Edge Firewood in Atlanta for high quality firewood and cooking wood, Mantis BBQ, https://mantisbbq.com/ to purchase their outstanding sauces with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Kidney Project, and for exceptional sauces, Elda's Kitchen https://eldaskitchen.com/ We conclude the show with the song, Baseball Always Brings You Home from the musician, Dave Dresser and the poet, Shel Krakofsky. We truly appreciate our listeners and hope that all of you are staying safe.   If you would like to contact the show, we would love to hear from you. Call the show:  (516) 855-8214 Email:  baseballandbbq@gmail.com Twitter:  @baseballandbbq Instagram:  baseballandbarbecue YouTube:  baseball and bbq Website:  https//baseballandbbq.weebly.com Facebook:  baseball and bbq

Let us all hold hands and gather in a circle as offer up a sacrifice to AI – but before we do, please turn your attention to The Drop, where everything is real and nothing is plagiarized, as evidenced by our conversations on shoes bought on the dark web, trying to figure out Mastercard naming strategies, and the real life questions that come with acquiring a pet dog. Plus, you'll get some authentic shoe talk when we dive into the one-two punch of the Asics Metaspeed Sky and Edge Tokyo. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! SWIFTWICKThe best running socks in the game, Swiftwick is made right here in the USA, which means no price increases on account of tariffs. We're always running in their socks and you should be too. The Drop listeners can get 15% off their first purchase with code BELIEVE15. Shop here: https://swiftwick.com/collections/believeLMNTNEW FLAVOR ALERT! Squeeze the most out of summer with LMNT's new limited-time Lemonade Salt — salty, tart, and refreshing, it brings you the best of summer wherever you are. Get your free 8-count LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase: http://drinklmnt.com/thedropINDEX0:00 - Intro1:37 - Global Running Day6:20 - Mount To Coast x Oberhills10:39 - The Dark Web15:44 - Move Her Mind Event Series NYC / Mastercard Mini 10K31:18 - Futuristic Hotels33:27 - The Church of AI42:00 - Running talk52:50 - George the Dog1:00:26 - Saying Goodbye to Atreyu Running1:16:40 - Asics Metaspeed Edge Tokyo

If you're curious about private equity but tired of all the jargon, in this episode, we break it all the way down—what private equity is, how it works, who it helps, and who it hurts. Whether you're building a business or just trying to understand the headlines, this is the clear, honest explanation you've been looking for.

In this action-packed episode of Got Faded Japan, Johnny sits down with the legendary professional mahjong player, Jenn Barr, to dive deep into the fascinating world of mahjong culture in Japan. Jenn shares her journey from a passionate player to a professional, offering an insider's perspective on the game's intricacies and the vibrant community surrounding it! Follow Jenn's Mahjong adventures at: Mahjong YouTube: http://youtube.com/@mahjongjen YouTube Personal: http://youtube.com/@japanpromahjong Japan Professional Mahjong League official English Channel:  http://youtube.com/@worldriichi Be sure to get a copy of Jenn's book at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1944877770?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_PKKBATDNNB80C2WE12PH -------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Supporting GOT FADED JAPAN ON PATREON directly supports keeping this show going and fueled with booze, seriously could you imagine the show sober?? Neither can we! SUPPORT GFJ at: https://www.patreon.com/gotfadedjapan -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHECK OUT OUR SPONSORS AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!!!!   1. THE SPILT INK: Experience art, buy art and get some original art commissioned at: SITE: https://www.thespiltink.com/ INSTAGRAM: @thespiltink YouTube: https://youtu.be/J5-TnZLc5jE?si=yGX4oflyz_dZo74m -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. MITSUYA LIQUOR in ASAGAYA: "The BEST beer shop and standing beer bar in Tokyo!" 1　Chome- 13 -17 Asagayaminami, Suginami Tokyo 166-0004　 Tel & Fax: 0303314-6151Email: Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------   3. Harry's Sandwich Company 1 min walk from Takeshita Street in HarajukuCall 050-5329-7203 Address: 〒150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Jingumae, 1 Chome−16−7 MSビル 3F -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Share Residence MUSOCO “It's a share house that has all that you need and a lot more!” - Located 30 minutes form Shibuya and Yokohama - Affordable rent - Gym - BAR! - Massive kitchen - Cozy lounge space - Office work units - A spacious deck for chilling - DJ booth and club space - Barber space - AND MORE! Get more info and move in at: https://sharedesign.co.jp/en/property.php?id=42&property=musaco&fbclid=IwAR3oYvB-a3_nzKcBG0gSdPQzxvFaWVWsi1d1xKLtYBnq8IS2uLqe6z9L6kY -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Soul Food House https://soulfoodhouse.comAddress:2-chōme−8−10 | Azabujūban | Tokyo | 106-0045 Phone:03-5765-2148 Email:info@soulfoodhouse.com Location Features:You can reach Soul Food House from either the Oedo Line (get off at Azabujuban Station and it's a 7-minute walk) or the Namboku Line (get off at Azabujuban Station and it's a 6-minute walk). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GET YOURSELF SOME GOT FADED JAPAN MERCH TODAY!!! We have T-Shirts, COFFEE Mugs, Stickers, even the GFJ official pants! BUY NOW AND SUPPORT THE SHOW: http://www.redbubble.com/people/thespiltink/works/16870492-got-faded-japan-podcast -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Got Faded Japan Podcast gives listeners a glimpse of the most interesting side of Japan's news, culture, peoples, parties, and all around mischief and mayhem. Hosted by Johnny and Jeremy who adds opinions and otherwise drunken bullshit to the mix. We LOVE JAPAN AND SO DO YOU! Send us an email on Facebook or hell man, just tell a friend & post a link to keep this pod rolllin' Fader! Kanpai mofos! #japan #japantalk #japanpodcast #gotfadedjapan #vistjapan #japanvacation #thebestthingstodoinjapan

Lena Patriksson Keller and Jonas Clason, co-founders of European denim house Jeanerica, discuss their long-standing creative partnership and timeless Scandinavian design. And: we meet the creator of the autonomous mobility vehicle, Iino, in Tokyo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Purple Pants Podcast | Wasabi and the Starting Line Twist Brice and Brooke are back to kick off their summer rewatch of The Amazing Race Season 15! In this premiere episode, teams embark on a global adventure starting in Los Angeles, where an unexpected twist eliminates one duo right at the starting line. The remaining teams jet off to Tokyo, Japan, diving headfirst into the chaos of Shibuya's scramble crossing and participating in a quirky Japanese game show challenge involving wasabi-filled sushi. The leg culminates with teams leading a group of Japanese tourists through the bustling streets to the Pit Stop, testing their leadership and navigation skills. Join Brice and Brooke as they dissect the episode's standout moments, share their first impressions of the new teams, and relive the excitement of this unforgettable season opener. You can also watch along on Brice Izyah's YouTube channel to watch us break it all down https://youtube.com/channel/UCFlglGPPamVHaNAb0tL_s7g Previously on the Purple Pants Podcast Feed:Purple Pants Podcast Archives LISTEN: Subscribe to the Purple Pants podcast feed WATCH: Watch and subscribe to the podcast on YouTubeSUPPORT: Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

830 · Adventures by Disney Japan Recap: Stories & Highlights - Part 1 Japan is truly unlike anywhere else in the world. And this week, I want to take you there - not with a guidebook, but through the memories, moments, and magic we experienced together on our recent WDW Radio Adventures by Disney Journey to Japan group trip. Join me and some of the friends (who are really more like family) from our group as we reflect on our journey through Kyoto, Hiroshima, Takayama, Shirakawa-go, and Tokyo - and how this adventure changed us in ways we never expected. We'll share the beauty, the surprises, and the emotion of this remarkable experience - and explore not just what makes Japan so special, but why Adventures by Disney makes it unforgettable. And if you weren't able to join us on this trip... don't worry. Stay tuned for the announcement of our next very special WDW Radio adventure. I promise - you won't want to miss it.