Podcasts about Kumamoto

Last time we spoke about the battle of Malacca strait. In the intense Battle of the Malacca Strait, Japanese forces undertook a desperate evacuation amidst relentless attacks by the Allies. After suffering heavy casualties from previous confrontations, the Japanese regrouped and attempted to maintain their defensive positions. However, under the pressure of determined Allied assaults and strategic maneuvers, they faced increasingly fierce resistance. As the Allies advanced, they successfully overwhelmed Japanese defenses, leading to significant losses for the opposing forces. The battle transformed into a pivotal moment in the Pacific War as Japanese resistance crumbled, ultimately shifting the tide toward Allied victory. This clash not only showcased the harsh realities of war but also underscored the relentless determination of both sides as they fought for dominance in the region, marking a crucial step towards the conclusion of the conflict. This episode is the Breakthrough on Okinawa Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, 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 world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two 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 you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  As of mid-May, General Buckner's forces had made steady, albeit slow, progress against the determined Japanese defenders on the Shuri defensive line. On May 16, the offensive continued. Colonel Schneider's 22nd Marines and Colonel Whaling's 29th Marines launched yet another unsuccessful assault on Sugar Loaf Hill, while Colonel Snedeker's 7th Marines exhausted their strength in a failed attempt to seize Wana Ridge. To the east, Colonel Coolidge's 305th Regiment advanced 200 yards closer to Shuri. Colonel Hamilton's 307th Regiment nearly captured Flattop and Chocolate Drop Hill but was ultimately pushed back. Colonel Dill's 382nd Regiment successfully cleared Dick Hill but came under intense fire from Oboe Hill. Meanwhile, Colonel May's 383rd Regiment made only minor gains on the southeastern slopes of Conical Hill and Love Hill, even as tanks broke through toward Yonabaru for the first time. The following day, the 383rd Regiment maintained pressure on Conical and Love Hills, prompting General Bradley to commit part of Colonel Halloran's 381st Regiment to the attack. To the west, the 382nd Regiment staged a hard-fought advance of 200 yards but was unable to capture Oboe Hill.  Slowly the 77th Division forces between Flattop and Route 5 were reducing enemy positions bearing on the area in front of the 307th Infantry. By 17 May this progress began to show in the advances of the foot troops around Chocolate Drop. Covered by company heavy weapons out on both flanks, infantrymen worked around both sides of the hill to the huge caves on the reverse slope. Inside were 4 antitank guns, 1 field piece, 4 machine guns, 4 heavy mortars, and a American 60-mm. mortars. By nightfall the caves had been partially sealed off. During the night an enemy force launched a counterattack against the American positions around the hill but was repulsed with the loss of twenty-five Japanese killed. On the 17th another bitter struggle raged on Flattop. The struggle swayed back and forth across the narrow crest of the hill. Company K, the assaulting unit, had been reduced to fourteen infantrymen by the end of the day; finally it was forced back off the top. Tanks tried to go through the road cut between Flattop and Dick Hill, but two of them were disabled by mines, leaving the cut blocked. The road cut was later blown along its entire length by seven tons of bangalore torpedoes to remove the mines. Company E continued to push toward Ishimmi Ridge, where they faced a series of heavy Japanese counterattacks. Coolidge's 3rd Battalion and the rest of Hamilton's 2nd Battalion dug in just a few hundred yards north of Shuri and Ishimmi in the highway valley. Meanwhile, Coolidge's 1st Battalion was halted by heavy fire from 110 Meter Hill and the extensive fortress houses in Shuri's suburbs. The intense fighting had nearly depleted the 22nd Regiment, prompting General Amamiya to direct the 32nd Regiment to take over the defense of Shuri along a line extending from Ishimmi to Oboe. Meanwhile, on Wana, the 7th Marines launched a renewed attack but were once again repelled. However, the 5th Marines succeeded in advancing to Hill 55. Further west, the bulk of the 29th Marines attacked toward Half Moon Hill, successfully reaching its forward slopes but later having to withdraw to more defensive positions overnight. Whaling's 2nd Battalion also mounted relentless assaults on Sugar Loaf, each time suffering heavy losses in repelled attacks. As dusk fell, Japanese planes targeted American shipping, successfully damaging the destroyer Douglas H. Fox. On May 18, tanks played a crucial role in a successful assault on Sugar Loaf, executing a double envelopment while securing the top of the hill. The 2nd Battalion then advanced to Horseshoe Hill, while the remainder of the 29th Marines managed to secure the forward slopes of Half Moon.After a night of sporadic bombardment from enemy artillery and mortars, 3/7 again attempted to gain a foothold on Wana Ridge. During the morning supporting weapons concentrated their fire on the forward slopes and crest of the objective and at noon Company I, followed by a platoon of Company L, jumped off and fought its way to the ridge. The assault troops' gains "were measured in yards won, lost, and then won again." Finally, mounting casualties inflicted by enemy grenade and mortar fire forced Lieutenant Colonel Hurst to pull back his forward elements and consolidate his lines on positions held the previous night. On the right flank of the division front the isolated platoon from Company E of 2/5 was unsuccessful in exploiting its hold on the western slopes of Hill 55. The men were driven to cover by intense enemy fire, and tanks again had to be called upon to supply ammunition and rations to the outpost. During the morning operations the 5th Marines laid protective fire with tanks and assault guns along Wana Ridge to support 3/7's advance. At noon, under cover of this fire, Company F sent one rifle platoon and an attached platoon of engineers into Wana village to use flame throwers and demolitions against the enemy firing positions in the ruins. Numbers of grenade dischargers, machine guns, and rifles were found in Wana and the tombs behind it and destroyed. Further advance into the draw was not feasible until the 7th Marines could occupy the high ground on the eastern end of the ridge and furnish direct supporting fire to troops advancing in the draw below. At 1700 the troops were ordered to return to their lines for the night. n the center, General Bruce pressed his attack deeper into the Shuri defenses, with Coolidge's 3rd Battalion gaining 150 yards along the Ginowan-Shuri highway and Hamilton's 2nd Battalion advancing up to 300 yards toward Ishimmi, although attacks against 110 Meter Hill and Flattop failed to gain ground. On the morning of 18 May, orders were given to stay at all costs. Lieutenant Bell said firmly, "We stay." The men resigned themselves to a last-ditch stand. Their grenades exhausted and their machine guns and mortars destroyed, the remaining men salvaged every clip of ammunition from the bandoleers of the dead. Spare workable rifles were loaded and bayonets laid alongside. Enemy pressure increased steadily during the day. Some Americans were shot at close range as they darted from hole to hole to escape grenades. At one time eight knee mortars were pounding the ridge, firing in pairs. Friendly artillery could to some extent keep off the charging Japanese but seemed unable to ferret out the enemy mortars, which were well protected. The moans of wounded men, many of whom were in pitiful condition from lack of water and of medical aid, added to the strain. All canteens had been emptied the previous night. Nevertheless, battle discipline remained excellent. The worst problem concerned the replacements, who were courageous but inexperienced. Thrust suddenly into a desperate situation, some of them failed at crucial moments. One man saw two Japanese attacking a sergeant thirty feet away, but his finger froze on the trigger. Another shouted wildly for a comrade to shoot some Japanese while his own rifle lay in his hands. Another saw an enemy soldier a few yards from his hole, pulled the trigger, and discovered that he had forgotten to reload. By the end of the ordeal, however, the replacements who survived were battle-hardened veterans. During the afternoon the 307th attempted to reinforce the small group. Elements of Company C tried to cross the open ground north of Ishimmi Ridge. Only the commander and five men reached Company E. The men scrambled safely into foxholes, but the commander, shot through the head while racing toward the command post, fell dead on the parapet of the command post foxhole. Spirits rose considerably when word came later in the afternoon that a litter-bearing unit of eighty men would try to get through in the evening. Enemy fire slackened after dark, and the first of the litter bearers arrived at about 2200. They immediately started back carrying casualties. Walking wounded accompanied them. The litter bearers moved swiftly and managed to avoid being seen in the light of flares. Through splendid discipline and good luck eighteen men were carried out in two and a half hours, and others walked out. The litter teams had brought some water and ammunition and the troops drank for the first time since the day before. The second sleepless night on the ridge passed. The 382nd Regiment continued to face heavy resistance from Oboe Hill but managed to secure the road cut between Flattop and Dick Hill. Meanwhile, Halloran's 3rd Battalion could only push about 400 yards south due to the relentless mortar and small-arms fire coming from Hogback Ridge. At sea, a low-flying kamikaze aircraft struck LST-808 off Iejima, resulting in the deaths of 17 men. The following day, while the 382nd and 383rd Regiments focused on neutralizing the cave positions and gun emplacements in the uneven terrain between Conical and Dick Hills, Halloran's 3rd Battalion launched an attack to the south and west toward Sugar Hill but made little progress due to the heavy defensive fire. In the center, the 307th Regiment systematically worked to eliminate enemy firing positions on the high ground in front of them, employing every available weapon for the task. Colonel Smith's rehabilitated 306th Regiment began moving up to replace the battered 305th, with its 3rd Battalion relieving Coolidge's 3rd Battalion and portions of Hamilton's 2nd Battalion along the low ground bordering the highway to Shuri, including the isolated men at Ishimmi Ridge.  On 19 May the enemy seemed to intensify his efforts to recapture Ishimmi Ridge. The besieged troops wondered whether his supply of men and ammunition was inexhaustible. The Japanese launched several attacks which were repulsed with great difficulty. Only the support of artillery and mortars, together with self-propelled mounts firing with precision on both flanks of Ishimmi Ridge, prevented the enemy from making an attack in strength which would have overrun the American positions. One enemy attack of platoon strength was dispersed by mortar and machine-gun fire and by a four-battalion time-on-target artillery concentration. Japanese mortar fire continued to fall on Ishimmi, however, and took its toll during the day. A message arrived during the morning that Company E would be relieved that evening. By noon the radio had become so weak that further communication with the company was impossible. The day wore slowly on. By 2100 there was still no sign of the relief. Shortly afterward, however, rifle fire intensified to the rear, a sign of activity there. At 2200 Company L, 3d Battalion, 306th Infantry, arrived. The relief was carried out in pitch darkness; each member of Company E left as soon as a replacement reached his position. As the haggard survivors were about to descend the ridge at 0300, a bursting shell hit two of the newcomers; one of them had to be evacuated on a poncho. Carrying its own wounded, Company E followed a white tape to the rear and arrived safely. Of the 204 officers and men of the reinforced company that had made the night attack on Ishimmi, 156 had been killed or wounded. There were 28 privates, 1 noncommissioned officer, and 2 officers left of the original 129 members of Company E. The platoon sent in relief by Company C had gone out with 58 effectives and returned with 13. Of the 17 men in the heavy weapons section only 4 came back. Company E had spearheaded a several-hundred-yard advance toward Shuri, however, and with the help of supporting weapons had killed hundreds of Japanese around Ishimmi. The 7th Marines launched one last unsuccessful assault on Wana Ridge before being relieved by Colonel Mason's rested 1st Marines. Meanwhile, after repelling a strong night counterattack, the exhausted 29th Marines were also relieved by Colonel Shapley's reserve 4th Marines, which made additional advances alongside the 22nd Marines, now under Colonel Harold Roberts. Four new regiments had been committed over the past few days to revitalize the offensive. On May 20, Shapley's assault battalions gained more ground on Horseshoe Hill but were still unable to reach the crest of Half Moon, though they successfully repelled another strong night counterattack. To the east, Mason's 2nd Battalion advanced rapidly to the base of 110 Meter Hill and captured part of Wana Ridge, while his 3rd Battalion secured a firm hold on the northern slope. Concurrently, the 5th Marines attacked southwest along the Naha-Shuri Road and successfully captured the high ground. Meanwhile, in coordination with the 1st Marines, Coolidge's 1st Battalion and Smith's 3rd Battalion made a slow, grinding advance of about 150 yards, positioning themselves within 200 yards of the outskirts of Shuri in the highway valley. At the same time, the 382nd Regiment expanded its hold on the reverse slope of Dick Hill but remained unable to penetrate Oboe Hill. The 307th Regiment consolidated and expanded its positions around Chocolate Drop, finally seizing Flattop. Reducing the tiny hill continued to be ticklish work because enemy positions to the south still overlooked the area. The fighting was still so confused that three wounded Americans lay south of Chocolate Drop for two days before relief arrived. By that time two had died and the third was so delirious that he thought he was still fighting Japanese and had to be forcibly subdued. By 20 May the caves were completely sealed off. The enemy made a final attempt to retake Chocolate Drop, attacking in company strength, but was repelled with the loss of half his force. On the same day the 3d Battalion, using tanks, flame throwers, and demolition teams, finally secured the crest of Flattop. The final American attack started with a saturation shower of grenades. A chain of men extending from the base of Flattop passed hand grenades to the troops lined up along the crest, who threw the missiles as fast as they could pull out the pins. Having seized the advantage, the infantry moved down the reverse slope blasting caves with satchel charges and flame throwers. Tanks along the road cut accounted for many of the Japanese. BY 1545 Flattop had fallen. More than 250 enemy bodies lay on the crest and reverse slope of the hill. Further east, Halloran's 3rd Battalion made a slow but steady advance down the eastern slopes of Hogback, reaching the foot of Sugar Hill despite constant grenade duels with an enemy fighting desperately to hold every inch of ground. Additionally, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 383rd Regiment fought their way to jump-off positions within 300 yards of Love Hill, destroying enemy strongpoints that had obstructed their advance for a week. Meanwhile, back at sea, Japanese aircraft managed to damage two destroyers and three transports. The following day, the 383rd again attacked Love Hill but was ultimately forced to withdraw from its base due to fierce defensive fire. Despite this setback, May's 2nd Battalion successfully supported the 381st Regiment in clearing Hogback and pushing to the top of Sugar Hill. To the west, the 382nd advanced quickly against moderate opposition toward Oboe Hill and Hen Hill, encountering retreating enemy units moving toward the high ground at Shuri. Concurrently, the 307th pushed 350 yards south of Flattop before being halted by enemy forces at the Three Sisters, while the 306th completed the relief of the 305th, with its 3rd Battalion advancing 200 yards unopposed to the eastern slopes of 110 Meter Hill. Meanwhile, the 1st Marines continued their assault along Wana Ridge, making only limited gains at the Draw, where the 5th Marines held out and aggressively patrolled forward. The 4th Marines began their push toward the Asato River, achieving a costly advance of about 200 yards on Horseshoe. By nightfall, heavy rains began to fall, significantly impeding efforts to resupply assault troops and replenish forward ammunition dumps. Amidst this torrential downpour on May 22, Shapley's 1st and 3rd Battalions slogged through the "gooey slick mud" to reach the bank of the rain-swollen river. This prompted the Japanese to evacuate Naha and establish new defensive positions on the Kokuba Hills. To the east, the continuous rain flooded Wana Draw with mud and water, transforming it into a makeshift lake. For the next few days, General Del Valle's Marines were forced to attack without support, leading to aggressive patrolling rather than organized assaults. The prospects of success for the infantry alone, slogging through the mud without the support of other arms, were not encouraging. Tanks bogged down, helplessly mired. Amphibian tractors were unable to negotiate the morass, and front-line units, which had depended on these vehicles for carrying supplies forward in bad weather, now had to resort to hand carrying of supplies and of the wounded. These were back breaking tasks and were performed over areas swept by enemy fire. Mortar and artillery smoke was used as far as possible to give concealment for all movement. Litter cases were carried back through knee-deep mud. Living conditions of front-line troops were indescribably bad. Foxholes dug into the clay slopes caved in from the constant soaking, and, even when the sides held, the holes had to be bailed out repeatedly. Clothes and equipment and the men's bodies were wet for days. The bodies of Japanese killed at night lay outside the foxholes, decomposing under swarms of flies. Sanitation measures broke down. The troops were often hungry. Sleep was almost impossible. The strain began to take a mounting toll of men. Under these conditions the Marine attack against Wana Ridge was soon at a standstill. The action degenerated into what was called in official reports "aggressive patrolling." Despite inactivity, enemy mortar and artillery fire continued to play against the American front lines, especially at dusk and at night. In the center, Bruce's 77th Division faced similar challenges, with the 306th Regiment stalled and the 307th Regiment again unsuccessfully attacking the Three Sisters. There, Company A became isolated at the base of the forward slope of Jane Hill, nearly cut off by intense enemy mortar and machine-gun fire. For the following week, the 382nd Regiment struggled to make headway on Hen and Oboe Hills, where fierce hand-to-hand combat erupted. Similarly, all attempts by the 383rd Regiment to breach the defenses of Love Hill on the western side of Conical failed, as the 381st was also unable to make any progress against Cutaway. General Hodge had also moved General Arnold's rehabilitated 7th Division to assembly areas just north of Conical Hill to spearhead the advance toward Yonabaru and the high ground south of the village. Strengthened by 1,691 replacements and 546 men returned to duty from hospitals since it left the lines on 9 May, the 7th Division moved up to forward assembly areas just north of Conical Hill and prepared to make the dash through the corridor. At 1900 on 21 May the 184th Infantry, chosen by General Arnold to lead the way, was in place at Gaja Ridge, at the northern base of Conical. The initial move of the envelopment was to be made in the dead of the night and in stealth. General Buckner felt that "if the 7th can swing round, running the gauntlet, it may be the kill." As part of this operation, the 2nd Battalion of the 184th Regiment moved out from Gaja Ridge during the night, swiftly and silently passing through Yonabaru in the early morning hours to capture Spruce Hill and Chestnut Hill in a surprise attack. Colonel Green's 3rd Battalion then followed the 2nd Battalion through Yonabaru, but their assault on Juniper and Bamboo Hills was unsuccessful as the surprised defenders regrouped. The following day, Green's two battalions continued to push toward these initial objectives, ultimately securing a solid line that stretched from the coastline across the southern slopes of Chestnut, and then over to Juniper and Bamboo by day's end. This success allowed Colonel Finn's 32nd Regiment to pass through Yonabaru and advance westward along the Naha-Yonabaru valley to assault the enemy's western hill defenses focused around Oak Hill.On the west coast, after a successful night reconnaissance of the Asato River, the 4th Marines rapidly crossed the river under cover of smoke, beginning their advance toward a low ridge 500 yards south of the Asato. However, as previously noted, the torrential rain had turned every draw and gully into a sticky morass of knee- and thigh-deep mud in the center. The steep slopes of the hills and ridges, treacherous under the best of conditions, became virtually unassailable. Consequently, full-scale coordinated attacks had to be canceled, and only localized gains could be achieved. Despite the breakthrough in the center, the Japanese command remained concerned about the threat posed to the flanks of the Shuri bastion by American advances along both coasts. While they believed the Naha breakthrough could be contained, every available soldier was deployed to establish a defensive line stretching from the southwest slopes of Conical Hill through Yonawa to the road junction village of Chan, aiming to eliminate Arnold's spearhead that had penetrated into the Naha-Yonabaru valley. General Ushijima feared that his forces were being gradually encircled in the Shuri fortress, where they would become “easy prey” to overwhelming American firepower. In light of this situation, Ushijima began planning a withdrawal to the Chinen Peninsula or the southernmost part of the island, the Kiyamu Peninsula. This decision was met with resistance from General Fujioka, who expressed concern that thousands of severely wounded men would have to be abandoned during the retreat.  Although the holding of the heights surrounding the city had been the keystone of the Japanese preferred plan, several factors now militated against its retention. There were an estimated 50000 surviving officers and men to be crammed into a final defense zone less than a mile in diameter. Once these troops were surrounded, the Japanese believed that they would be rendered ineffectual and become "easy prey" to overwhelming American fire superiority. In addition, Japanese long-range artillery pieces, many of which were still intact, could not be effectively utilized within the limited space that would be available. The best chance of prolonging the battle for Okinawa seemed to rest in defending the Kiyamu Peninsula region which was dominated by the Yaeju Dake-Yuza Dake Escarpment. Natural and artificial caves, sufficient to accommodate the whole of the surviving army, abounded in the area. The 24th Division, which had organized the terrain, had left a considerable amount of ammunition and weapons there when it moved north to the Shuri lines. The principal roads in southern Okinawa led directly to the proposed position, thus facilitating the movement of large bodies of men in the shortest possible time. These roads also gave American tanks an excellent route of advance, but only to the outposts of the defensive zone where cliffs, hills, and precipitous ridges barred the way. To add weight to his argument, General Amamiya indicated that his 24th Transport Regiment had preserved enough trucks to move the Shuri munitions reserve to the new position within five nights if weather conditions permitted. General Ushijima, after considering the respective positions of his staff and commanders, decided to order the move to Kiyamu.  Although General Suzuki preferred the Chinen Peninsula, which his brigade had fortified, most officials supported a move to the Kiyamu Peninsula, where Amamiya's 24th Division had previously established defenses in the natural and artificial caves of the Yaeju Dake-Yuza Dake Escarpment. Thus, transportation of wounded personnel and munitions reserves to the south commenced at midnight on May 23, with the bulk of the 32nd Army scheduled to begin their withdrawal six days later.  On the night of 25 May, the remnants of the 62d Division were to pull out of the Shuri line and move through Tsukasan to counterattack the Americans. The relatively strong 22d Independent Infantry Battalion, which had been in reserve throughout most of the fighting in April and May, was directed to hold the Shuri front in place of the division. The orders to General Fujioka were "to annihilate the enemy rushing from the Yonabaru area." Failing this, the division was at least to stop the American advance long enough to allow the main body of the Thirty-second Army to retire. In order to gain time to organize the new positions, the holding force left on the Shuri front was to fight on until 31 May. Withdrawing units were to leave behind strong rearguards which would defend a line along the Kokuba Gawa to the hills north of Tsukasan and Chan and then south through Karadera to the east coast until the night of 2 June. Then a second line centered on Tomusu, approximately 2,000 yards farther south, would be held until the night of 4 June. By that time the Thirty-second Army would be firmly set up within its Itoman-Yunagusuku-Gushichan outpost zone. Admiral Ota's naval force was directed to hold the west flank of the withdrawal corridor and begin its own retreat when ordered by 32nd Army. During the night, Admiral Ugaki initiated his seventh mass Kikisui attack, launching 165 kamikaze aircraft that inflicted only light damage on landing craft. On May 24, while engineers constructed a bridge over the Asato River to facilitate vehicle movement, the 4th Marines suffered heavy casualties as they attempted to advance through the muddy, flooded valley and low clay hills. Simultaneously, Shepherd's Reconnaissance Company crossed the lower Asato and roamed the streets of northwestern Naha without encountering any resistance. To the east, Dill's 1st Battalion faced a brutal counterattack that inflicted significant casualties and nearly drove the Americans from Oboe Hill. Following Ushijima's directives, the 32nd and 184th Regiments began to encounter increasing resistance as they sought to expand their control over the valley and the high ground to the south. This culminated in a series of aggressive nighttime counterattacks that ultimately slowed and halted the western advance of the 7th Division. During the night, Japanese forces conducted heavy raids on American airfields at Kadena, Yontan, and Iejima. However, these attacks were merely a diversion for Operation Gi-Gou, a suicide raid against Kadena and Yontan. In this operation, twelve Ki-21 heavy bombers, carrying Giretsu Kuteitai special airborne assault troops, aimed to crash land on the airfields to deploy commandos tasked with destroying aircraft stationed there.  After the start of B-29 attacks on Tokyo from bases in the Mariana Islands, the 1st Raiding Brigade of the Teishin Shudan was ordered to form a commando unit for a "special operations" mission to attack and destroy the bombers on the Aslito Airfield on Saipan. Captain Okuyama Michiro, commander of the brigade's engineering company and trained in sabotage and demolition was selected as mission leader. He selected an additional 126 men from his own team, the 4th Company of the 1st Raiding Regiment, to form the first Giretsu Airborne Unit. It was initially organized with a command section and five platoons and one independent squad, based at the Imperial Japanese Army's air academy at Saitama. The group unit also included eight intelligence officers and two radio men from the Nakano School. Giretsu operations were to be undertaken at night, beginning with air strikes by bombers. After this, commando units would be inserted onto the target airfield by crash landing their transports. The fact that there was no provision for extraction of the strike force, along with the rejection of surrender in Japanese military doctrine at the time, meant that the Giretsu ground operations were effectively suicide attacks. Though the Saipan attack was eventually cancelled, the 6th Air Army ultimately requested the deployment of the Giretsu Special Forces to neutralize the Okinawa airfields. The 6th Air Army accordingly began preparations for the attack in early May. Led by Captain Okuyama, the raid force moved from Nishitsukuba to Kumamoto as it continued to prepare for the assault, codenamed Operation Gi-Gou. Aircraft for the raid came from the 3rd Independent Air Unit based in the vicinity of Hamamatsu. The raid force consisted of 120 commandos broken up into a headquarters section and five flights, each containing twenty men. They were to be transported by twelve Mitsubishi Ki-21s stripped of their guns and with additional forward and rear exits added to assist raiders with exiting. The timing of the raid was also meant to coincide with the withdrawal of the 32nd Army from the Shuri Line in southern Okinawa. Of the twelve bombers dispatched, four encountered engine trouble and returned to base, while three were intercepted by American night fighters en route to Okinawa. The remaining five Ki-21 bombers approached Yontan Airfield at low altitude and engaged Marine anti-aircraft gunners from the 1st Provisional Anti-aircraft Artillery Group. As a result, four of the bombers were shot down or crash-landed; however, a small number of Giretsu commandos survived this wave and commenced their mission to attack aircraft on the airfield. The fifth bomber, however, successfully evaded anti-aircraft fire and belly-landed approximately 100 meters from the control tower. About 10 commandos disembarked and attacked aircraft and air personnel with grenades. In the ensuing chaos, the Japanese commandos killed two Americans, wounded 18, destroyed nine aircraft, damaged 29 more, and set a fuel dump ablaze, destroying 70,000 gallons of aviation gasoline. After twelve hours of mayhem, however, American troops hunted down the commandos and exterminated them to a man. Despite this partial success, the Japanese operation occurred against a backdrop of heavy losses, with American fighters and anti-aircraft fire claiming a total of 150 Japanese planes on May 24. During the course of three days, Ugaki committed a total of 387 Navy planes and 174 Army planes to his kamikaze attacks, which continued through May 25. These attacks successfully sank the destroyer Bates, one transport, and one landing craft, while further damaging two destroyers, one destroyer minesweeper, one minesweeper, one transport, and one Liberty ship. On the same day, Admiral Rawlings' Task Force 57 launched its final strikes in the Okinawa area before retiring late on May 25, having completed the Royal Navy's Iceberg mission. On land, while Shepherd's Reconnaissance Company occupied the deserted ruins of Naha, the 4th Marines fought to seize Machisi Ridge and continued pushing into the eastern outskirts of Naha. However, across the remainder of the 10th Army front, assault units struggled to make progress due to the havoc wreaked by the rain and the stiffened Japanese resistance. That night, in accordance with the withdrawal plan, the 62nd Division began moving its remaining 3,000 men to counter the advance of the 7th Division, hoping to delay the American advance long enough for the main body of the 32nd Army to retreat. The arrival of additional forces on the Ozato-Mura front had little significant impact, primarily serving to strengthen the covering and holding force. On May 26, the 184th Regiment successfully cleared the Hemlock-Locust Hill Escarpment. Meanwhile, the 32nd Regiment was brought nearly to a standstill in front of the Japanese defensive line across the Yonabaru valley. Looking west, Del Valle's Marines observed large numbers of enemy troops withdrawing from Shuri and were able to pinpoint their location for naval guns, artillery, and aircraft to bombard. However, despite penetrating the Shuri defensive line on both flanks, the day yielded minimal progress. At sea, further kamikaze attacks caused damage to one destroyer, one destroyer minesweeper, and a subchaser. In total, Ugaki's raids over the past three days resulted in the deaths of 103 sailors.  Believing the fast carriers' continued value off Okinawa had become dubious, back on May 18 Mitscher had requested that TF 58 be relieved from its Okinawa station. Spruance regretfully declined. A week later an increasingly weary Mitscher reported: “For two and a half months [Task Force 58] operated daily in a 60nm square area East of Okinawa, less than 350nm from Kyushu. This was necessitated by the restricted area available and the necessity for being able to cover [the] Amami Gunto airfields, intercept air raids before they could reach Okinawa, and still furnish air support to ground forces. There was no other location from which all these things could be done.” Reflecting on the months of unrelenting stress, tedium, and fatigue, TG 58.1's screen commander, Captain Tom Hederman, signaled Rear Admiral J.J. Jocko Clark: “See Hebrews 13, verse 8.” Consulting his Bible aboard Hornet, Clark read: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Amused, Clark forwarded the verse to his entire Task Group, adding, “No disrespect intended.” Clark then signaled Mitscher, “What the hell are we doing out here, anyway?” Mitscher's response: “We are a highspeed stationary target for the Japanese air force.” Indeed, TF 58 had already suffered over 2,000 Iceberg fatalities. 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. The brutal Battle of Okinawa was reaching a critical point as General Buckner's forces pressed against fierce Japanese defenses. Struggles unfolded over Sugar Loaf Hill and Wana Ridge, with Marines suffering heavy casualties but slowly gaining ground. By late May, the dire situation prompted Japanese commanders to plan a retreat to more defensible positions as American forces closed in. Despite challenging conditions, the Allies pushed forward, marking a decisive breakthrough in the Pacific War.

熊本地方気象台が開花を発表したソメイヨシノの標本木、２３日午後、熊本市西区気象庁は２３日、高知市と熊本市でそれぞれ桜の標本木が開花したと発表した。 The sample Somei-Yoshino cherry trees monitored by the Japanese Meteorological Agency bloomed in the western Japan city of Kochi and the southwestern Japan city of Kumamoto on Sunday, marking the earliest blooming in the country this spring, the agency said.

The sample Somei-Yoshino cherry trees monitored by the Japanese Meteorological Agency bloomed in the western Japan city of Kochi and the southwestern Japan city of Kumamoto on Sunday, marking the earliest blooming in the country this spring, the agency said.

Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Uncovering History: Yuto's Winter Discovery at Kumamoto Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2025-02-19-23-34-02-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 冬の冷たい風が熊本の古代遺跡を吹き抜けていました。En: A cold winter wind was blowing through the ancient ruins of Kumamoto.Ja: 遺跡は雪に覆われ、静かに時の流れに眠っているように見えました。En: The ruins were covered in snow and seemed to be silently sleeping through the passage of time.Ja: 遺跡は石造りで、その多くは雪の下に隠れていました。En: They were made of stone, much of which was hidden beneath the snow.Ja: どこからともなく聞こえる風の音が、遠い過去の物語を語っているようでした。En: The sound of the wind seemingly came from nowhere, telling stories of a distant past.Ja: 遺跡には三人の考古学者がいました。優れた考古学者の花と浩二、そしてまだ名前が知られていない勇斗。En: There were three archaeologists at the site: the accomplished archaeologists Hana and Koji, and Yuto, whose name was not yet well known.Ja: 勇斗は情熱的で、いつも新しい発見を夢見ていましたが、今ひとつ評価されていませんでした。En: Yuto was passionate and always dreamed of new discoveries, but his work was not highly regarded.Ja: 彼は同僚の花と浩二に比べると、自信を持てずにいました。En: Compared to his colleagues Hana and Koji, he lacked confidence.Ja: その日は節分で、暦の上では冬の終わりを告げる日でした。En: That day was Setsubun, the day that marks the end of winter according to the calendar.Ja: しかし、熊本の冬はまだ厳しく、雪が降りしきっていました。En: However, the winter in Kumamoto was still harsh, and snow was continuously falling.Ja: 三人は遺跡にある新しい遺物を記録するために集まっていました。En: The three were gathered to record new artifacts found at the ruins.Ja: 花と浩二はすでに何度も素晴らしい発見をしており、勇斗は彼らに遅れをとっていると感じていました。En: Hana and Koji had already made many wonderful discoveries, and Yuto felt he was falling behind.Ja: 冬の夕方が訪れ、花と浩二は暖かい屋内へ引き上げることにしました。En: As the winter evening arrived, Hana and Koji decided to retreat to the warmth indoors.Ja: しかし、勇斗は違いました。「このままではだめだ」と彼は思いました。En: However, Yuto was different. "I can't stay like this," he thought.Ja: 彼は周りから一目置かれるために、まだ誰も調査していない遺跡の奥へと足を向けました。En: He turned his steps toward a still-unexplored part of the ruins, determined to take a risk in order to gain recognition.Ja: 勇斗は、多少のリスクを承知の上で、遺跡に長く残ることを決意しました。En: He resolved to remain at the ruins longer, despite the risks.Ja: やがて、勇斗は雪の下に隠れていた石の扉を見つけました。En: Eventually, Yuto found a stone door hidden under the snow.Ja: 静かに開くと、その向こうには古代の雰囲気が漂っていました。En: As he gently opened it, an ancient aura filled the air.Ja: 部屋の中央には、古い巻物が静かに横たわっていました。En: In the center of the room lay an old scroll, quietly resting.Ja: 巻物は保存状態が良く、今にも破れてしまいそうな繊細さを持ちながらも、確かに新たな発見を予感させました。En: The scroll was well-preserved, fragile to the point of almost tearing, yet it hinted at a significant new discovery.Ja: 勇斗は慎重に巻物を取り、それを持って仲間のもとに戻りました。En: Yuto carefully took the scroll and returned to his colleagues.Ja: 「これを見てください」と彼は花と浩二に言いました。En: "Please look at this," he said to Hana and Koji.Ja: 「重要な発見です。この巻物は地域の歴史を新しく書き換えるかもしれません。」En: "It's an important discovery. This scroll may rewrite the history of the region."Ja: 花と浩二はその巻物を驚きと称賛の眼差しで見つめました。En: Hana and Koji gazed at the scroll with astonishment and admiration.Ja: 彼らは口々にその価値を称賛し、勇斗がこの発見の功績を認められることを喜びました。En: They spoke in praise of its value and were delighted that Yuto would receive recognition for this find.Ja: 勇斗の心には自信が芽生えました。En: A newfound confidence grew in Yuto's heart.Ja: 彼はついに自分の力を証明し、考古学の世界でその価値を認められたのです。En: He had finally proven his abilities and gained recognition in the world of archaeology.Ja: その夜、遺跡では静かに雪が降り続けていましたが、勇斗の心は初めて温かく満たされていたのです。En: That night, snow continued to fall quietly at the ruins, but Yuto's heart was warmed and fulfilled for the first time.Ja: 勇斗は同僚たちと心からの笑顔を交わし、新たな仲間としての絆を感じました。En: He exchanged heartfelt smiles with his colleagues and felt a bond as a new companion.Ja: この日、彼は考古学者として、新たな道を歩み始めたのです。En: On this day, he began to walk a new path as an archaeologist. Vocabulary Words:ruins: 遺跡ancient: 古代silently: 静かにpassage: 流れconfident: 自信harsh: 厳しくartifact: 遺物retreat: 引き上げるunexplored: 調査していないrecognition: 認められることdetermined: 決意significant: 重要なscroll: 巻物preserved: 保存状態admiration: 称賛aura: 雰囲気fragile: 繊細proven: 証明confident: 自信fulfilled: 満たされてbond: 絆accomplished: 優れたpassionate: 情熱的tearing: 破れてdiscovery: 発見companion: 仲間ventured: 足を向けましたafternoon: 夕方gazed: 見つめましたheartfelt: 心からの

With the new J2 season hurtling into view at the weekend, the JTET crew finish off their 2025 season preview with five more teams covered in depth. James and Jon get things underway by running the rule over newly-relegated Tosu (Start to 09:20), followed by Yamaguchi (09:20 to 19:15), and then Oita (19:15 to 29:00). The boys then welcome special guest Chikashi Toyoshima (co-creator of the ViviCast) to give us the lowdown on hotly-tipped Nagasaki (29:00 to 39:20). After that, friend of the pod Garry Irwin brings up the rear with his thoughts on the campaign ahead for his beloved Kumamoto (39:20 to 50:30). Finally, Jon and James reconvene to take a quick look at the Round 1 fixtures coming up on Saturday and Sunday (50:30 to Finish). This segment also includes a big JTET welcome to Victor Arroyo, who has gallantly agreed to take over at host of the J3-centric 'Short Corner' mini-pod for 2025! We hope everyone enjoys the show, and the big kick-off this weekend! *We asked Chikashi and Garry to respond to these hard-hitting questions in their previews: 1)     Please tell us about your team's transfer activity over the winter break (major players coming in, major players going out). 2)     Who will be your team's key player in 2025? 3)     What do you think of your team's manager? 4)     Where do you think your team will finish in the 2025 table (head and heart)? 5)     Which team in J2 do you think is going to surprise people this season (could be your team or any other, could be a positive or negative surprise)? *Join The J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod *Join our JLeague Chat Discord server here: https://discord.gg/p6PVbF9E *Follow JTET on Bluesky here: @jtalket.bsky.social

In Folge 333 von Rolling Sushi geht es um strenge Regeln beim Yakitori essen, warum One-Piece-Fans nach Kumamoto reisen, digitale Schulbücher, den stillen Tod bei Katastrophenüberlebenden, Japans große Sorge vor Trump, Touristen-Liebling Convenience Store und Schulden machen, um zu überleben.

Chính phủ và doanh nghiệp Đài Loan đang cố gắng chuẩn bị cho các bước đi nhằm tránh tác động xấu của cuộc chiến thuế quan mà tổng thống sắp nhậm chức của Hoa Kỳ, Donald Trump, dọa sẽ đánh vào mọi hàng hóa từ Trung Quốc. Trong nhiệm kỳ đầu 2016-2020, tổng thống Mỹ thứ 45 Donald Trump đã tạo cơ hội cho Đài Loan thực hiện nhiều mục tiêu ấp ủ suốt hai thập niên : đa dạng hóa các điểm đến đầu tư để giảm bớt phụ thuộc vào Hoa Lục, khuyến khích các doanh nghiệp của Đài Loan trở về nguyên quán. Cũng trong nhiệm kỳ đầu của tổng thống Trump, Đài Bắc đã mua vào 18 tỷ đô la vũ khí của Mỹ, cao hơn đến 4 tỷ so với cả 2 nhiệm kỳ Barack Obama (2008-2016). Đó là chưa kể về mặt ngoại giao, đạo luật Taiwan Travel Act năm 2018 đã dỡ bỏ một số rào cản và tạo điều kiện thuận lợi cho các chuyến công tác của quan chức mọi cấp từ cả hai phía.Ngày 20/01/2025, ông Trump sẽ trở lại Nhà Trắng trong cương vị tổng thống Mỹ thứ 47 vào lúc  căng thẳng tại eo biển Đài Loan đang gia tăng từng ngày. Liệu chính quyền ở Đài Bắc trong tay tổng thống Lại Thanh Đức có thể chờ đợi kinh tế và công nghiệp của hòn đảo này vẫn được hưởng lợi từ chiến tranh thương mại giữa hai nền kinh tế lớn nhất thế giới là Hoa Kỳ và Trung Quốc ? Công nghệ bán dẫn của Đài Loan từng được Mỹ « ve vãn » liệu có thể là lá bùa hộ mạng cho hòn đào này trước những tính toán của chính quyền Trump trong 4 năm sắp tới ? Hay trái lại, với đầu óc con buôn, vì một lý do nào đó, ông Trump có thể dùng lá bài Đài Loan để mặc cả với Bắc Kinh ? Cuối cùng chủ trương đánh thuế đến 60 % vào hàng Trung Quốc bán sang Hoa Kỳ có là một cơn ác mộng với các nhà sản xuất của Đài Loan hay không ?Thông tín viên Nguyễn Giang từ Đài Bắc nêu bật những bước chuẩn bị của phía chính quyền Đài Loan về mặt kinh tế, thương mại và kể cả trên hồ sơ nhậy cảm nhất là chiến lược công nghệ bán dẫn để chuẩn bị cho thời kỳ Trump 2.0. Không dễ rút khỏi Hoa Lục Ngay sau khi có tin cựu tổng thống Donald Trump thắng cử lần hai ở Hoa Kỳ, giới chức ở Đài Loan, hòn đảo 23 triệu dân nhưng có dự trữ ngoại tệ lớn và thặng dư mậu dịch rất cao với Mỹ, đã nói tới những lo ngại của tương lai cuộc thương chiến Mỹ-Trung trong nhiệm kỳ 4 năm từ tháng 1/2025 của ông Trump.Điểm mấu chốt cho quan hệ ba bên Mỹ-Trung-Đài về kinh tế là lời đe dọa khi còn tranh cử của ông Trump : áp thuế nhập khẩu 60% (tariffs) lên mọi mặt hàng sản xuất tại Trung Quốc bán vào thị trường Hoa Kỳ. Vấn đề của Đài Loan là tuy khác biệt về thể chế, và thậm chí đối đầu về quân sự với Trung Quốc, Đài Loan đã đầu tư nhiều nghìn tỷ đôla  vào Trung Quốc trong mấy chục năm qua.Ví dụ chỉ một tập đoàn Foxconn của Đài Loan đã thuê 1 triệu nhân công Trung Quốc với doanh thu hàng năm hơn 200 tỷ đôla. Hàng chục nghìn công ty lớn nhỏ khác của Đài Loan có nguy cơ “dính lệnh trừng phạt” Trung Quốc của Trump nếu ông thực hiện lời cam kết tranh cử.Ngay trong tháng 11/2024, bộ trưởng Kinh Tế Đài Loan Quách Trí Huy nói chính phủ sẵn sàng trợ giúp các công ty Đài Loan rút dần khỏi Trung Quốc, “sang các thị trường không bị Mỹ đánh thuế nhập khẩu 60%”.Chi tiết của kế hoạch này ra sao thì hiện chưa ai rõ.Giới chức Đài Loan hiện trấn an các nhà đầu tư trong nước rằng thuế quan cao bất thường có thể là chiến thuật của ông Trump để áp đảo Trung Quốc, nhưng có thể trên thực tế sẽ không cao như vậy.Chia trứng vào các giỏ khác nhauHợp tác trong lĩnh công nghệ cao của Đài Loan và Mỹ hiện nay ra sao?Như đã nói ở trên, trong các năm 2022 và 2023, Đài Loan đã chọn bước đi chiến lược là “chia trứng vào các giỏ khác nhau” – tức là chuyển một phần ngành công nghệ bán dẫn sang Nhật Bản với một nhà máy của tập đoàn TSMC xây ở ở Kumamoto và sang Hoa Kỳ, với công trình xây mới ở Arizona. Lý do địa chính trị cho việc này là Đài Loan không muốn để ngành bán dẫn bị Trung Quốc bao vây, chặn xuất khẩu nếu xảy ra xung đột quân sự ở Eo biển Đài Loan. Nhưng cũng còn lý do khác là Đài Loan hy vọng làm hài lòng Mỹ khi chia sẻ công nghệ semiconductor. Ngược lại, Đài Loan cần được Hoa Kỳ hỗ trợ công nghệ cao trong ngành quốc phòng, nhưng là theo cách mua giấy phép để tự sản xuất. Trên thực tế, một chương trình quân khí lớn (Sea-Air Power Improvement Plan), trị giá 7,4 tỷ đô la, đã được Đài Loan thông qua từ 2021 để tự sản xuất hỏa tiễn theo công nghệ Mỹ và có tiêu chuẩn tương thích với hệ thống đạn dược, định vị và thông tin liên lạc của Hoa Kỳ.Đài Loan "chết" vì thuế 60 % đánh vào Trung Quốc ? Chiến tranh thương mại của Trump có thể gây khó khăn cho Đài Loan như thế nào?Điều đầu tiên là Đài Loan phải tìm cách giảm sự mất cân đối thương mại với Hoa Kỳ với phần lợi hiện nay nghiêng về phía Đài Loan. Năm ngoái, thặng dư mậu dịch của Đài Loan với Mỹ tăng lên 51 tỷ đô la, theo đánh giá trang Global Taiwan.Điều thứ nhì là làm sao bảo vệ các công ty vừa và nhỏ xuất khẩu sang Mỹ. Các chuyên gia Đài Loan tin rằng các đại tập đoàn trị giá hàng nghìn tỷ đô la thì có thể tránh được “búa rìu” thương chiến, hoặc chịu đựng được bốn năm cầm quyền của Trump. Ví dụ như TSMC, công ty semiconductor hàng đầu thế giới, và các doanh nghiệp công nghệ cao của họ, vì rất có ích cho Hoa Kỳ trong cả kinh tế và quốc phòng, vừa có vốn rất lớn.Nhưng các công ty nhỏ hơn, như giới chức Đài Loan đánh giá, ví dụ trong ngành thực phẩm, đóng gói, chế tạo máy móc, dịch vụ bán lẻ, vốn dựa vào nguồn nhân lực và cung ứng bộ phận thay thế ở Trung Quốc... thì mức thuế quan 60% là quá nặng, sẽ giết chết họ. Theo Thống đốc Ngân hàng Trung ương Đài Loan (Trung Hoa Dân quốc), ông Dương Kim Hùng, hai nhiệm kỳ tổng thống vừa qua, cả Trump và Biden, thuế quan của Mỹ đánh vào hàng có xuất xứ một phần hoặc toàn bộ từ Trung Quốc đã là 19,3% và với các nước khác là 3%. Nếu đánh thuế quan thêm 20-60% thì “không ai chịu nổi”, theo ông Dương.Không dễ đi khỏi Trung Quốc Đài Loan chuẩn bị đi tìm những đối tác mới Việt Nam, Ấn Độ ...để lách Trung Quốc? Một số nhà nghiên cứu Đài Loan phát biểu tại một hội thảo về ảnh hưởng của nhiệm kỳ Trump 2.0 với châu Á và Đài Loan, tổ chức hôm 29/11/2024 ở Đại học Chính trị Đài Loan (NCCU), việc chuyển cơ sở sản xuất của Đài Loan sang các nước khác không hề dễ. Lý do là trong 10 quốc gia bị ông Trump cho là “có thặng dư mậu dịch” với Mỹ thì trong sáu nước nằm ở châu Á, với các nước được nêu tên gồm Việt Nam, Nhật Bản, Ấn Độ...đều đã là nơi Đài Loan đầu tư  nhiều. Ví dụ, tính đến tháng 7/2024, dòng vốn FDI của Đài Loan vào Việt Nam là 40 tỷ đôla trong bốn ngành chính là chế xuất, sản xuất, xây dựng và bất động sản. Hai ngành đầu tiên liên quan đến công nghệ cao của Đài Loan để bán hàng sang Mỹ và nếu Việt Nam bị Trump áp thuế xuất khẩu sang Mỹ thì công ty Đài Loan sẽ trở tay không kịp. Truyền thông Đài Loan cũng nói vào thời Biden, Hoa Kỳ vẫn coi Việt Nam là “nền kinh tế phi thị trường” và sang thời Trump, quy chế này hẳn khó mà thay đổi, tạo rủi ro gián tiếp cho các công ty Đài Loan nếu muốn dùng Việt Nam làm thị trường thay thế Trung Quốc để tránh thuế quan của Mỹ.Ngay cả Đức, nước nhận đầu tư từ Đài Loan tăng lên tới 3,9 tỷ đôla trong 2023, cũng đang có thặng dư mậu dịch với Mỹ và dễ bị Trump áp thuế nhập. Lối thoát duy nhất có lẽ là Đài Loan phải tăng thêm đầu tư vào Mỹ, từ con số đã rất lớn là 9,6 tỷ đôla chỉ trong ba quý của năm 2023.Có gây thiệt hại cho Đài Loan, Mỹ cũng "lãnh đủ"Về mối bang giao hỗ tương Mỹ-Đài, tình hình kinh tế có thực sự sẽ khó khăn cho Đài Loan vì ông Trump?Nếu chỉ nhìn vào các con số thì nguy cơ Đài Loan bị ông Trump ép buộc phải “trả lại cho Hoa Kỳ”, điều ông gọi là “công bằng thương mại” là rất cao. Thế nhưng nếu nhìn vào nội dung của mối quan hệ thì Hoa Kỳ sẽ cần Đài Loan, quốc gia thuộc nhóm đi đầu trong các ngành mũi nhọn như trí tuệ nhân tạo (AI), và chế tạo máy tính cho ứng dụng AI (gồm GPU và máy chủ).Ngoài ra, về tài chính, hiện chính phủ và các nhà đầu tư Đài Loan đang nắm trong tay con số khổng lồ 717 tỷ đôal trái phiếu Mỹ (gồm 241 tỷ của Bộ Tài chính Mỹ), khiến Đài Loan trở thành chủ nợ lớn thứ 10 thế giới của Mỹ. Đổi lại, trái phiếu Đài Loan cũng rất có giá và Hoa Kỳ nắm trong tay 245 tỷ đôla loại trái phiếu này.Chính vì quan hệ này mà nếu ông Trump có hành động gây hại cho kinh tế Đài Loan thì chính Hoa Kỳ cũng bị thiệt hại. Đài Loan hy vọng tân tổng thống Trump và các bộ trưởng của ông sẽ hiểu ra điều này.  

This season was a long one! The Krewe re-groups to reflect on Season 5 as a whole, and everything that went into it...  with a SPECIAL GUEST! Join us for one last audio journey in Season 5 as we discuss all the milestones, top moments, challenges, & fun anecdotes, in addition to a look ahead to Season 6 & listener feedback! Let's GO!------ About the Krewe ------The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode!Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season!Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------JSNO Event CalendarJoin JSNO Today!

How many original castles does Japan ACTUALLY have standing? Where is Japan's oldest castle located? When counting castles in Japan, do castle ruins factor in? The Krewe is joined by William de Lange, the author of An Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles & many other Japan-related publications, to get the answer to these questions and so many more!------ About the Krewe ------The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode!Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season!Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ Past KOJ Architecture & History Episodes ------Foreign-Born Samurai: William Adams ft. Nathan Ledbetter (Guest Host, Dr. Samantha Perez) (S5E17)Foreign-Born Samurai: Yasuke ft. Nathan Ledbetter (Guest Host, Dr. Samantha Perez) (S5E16)Change in Urban & Rural Japanese Communities ft. Azby Brown (S5E15)KOJ Podcast S5E6 - Inside Japanese Homes & Architecture ft. Azby Brown (S5E6)Kendo: The Way of the Sword ft. Alexander Bennett, 7th Dan in Kendo (S4E16)Jokichi Takamine: The Earliest Bridge Between New Orleans & Japan ft. Stephen Lyman (S4E13)The Chrysanthemum Throne ft. Dr. Hiromu Nagahara [Part 2] (S2E18)The Chrysanthemum Throne ft. Dr. Hiromu Nagahara [Part 1] (S2E17)The Age of Lady Samurai ft. Tomoko Kitagawa (S1E12)------ Links about William de Lange ------An Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles (Amazon)Japan Then & Now (Amazon, Released June 2024)Walking the Edo Sanpu (Amazon, Released August 2024)William's Website------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------JSNO Event CalendarJoin JSNO Today!

Time is running out for promotion playoff hopefuls in Japan's 2nd and 3nd tiers, and James Taylor, Jon Steele and Mike Innes bring you every twist and turn in the battle to finish in the top 6. First, James and Jon discuss games involving J2's top 7: Shimizu v Iwaki, Yokohama FC V Tochigi and JEF United v Nagasaki (start to 12:05); Okayama v Fujieda, Mito v Yamagata, and Kumamoto v Sendai (12:05 to 26:10). Then they choose their Most Bravo Players (26:10 to 30:00) and look ahead to the final day of the regular season (30:00 to 40:15). After that, the action just keeps coming, as Mike brings you a full roundup of another dramatic J3 matchday in J-Talk: Short Corner (40:15 to end).   Thanks as always for your support of JTET, JTSC, and the J-Talk Podcast! Join the JLeague chat Discord server here: https://discord.gg/p6PVbF9E Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/jtalkpod

The big games just keep on coming in J2 and J3, so the JTET team of Jon Steele, James Taylor and Mike Innes are on hand with analysis and opinions. Jon and James start the episode with two important games in the relegation dogfight, Tochigi v Mito (start to 13:05) and Kagoshima v Kumamoto (13:05 to 21:30), then look at a meeting of playoff hopefuls Sendai and Fujieda (21:30 to 32:45). That's followed by Most Bravo Player chat (32:45 to 36:15) and a preview of upcoming fixtures (36:15 to 43:30). To round off the episode, Mike has all the details of the latest twists in the J3 playoff and relegation battles in J-Talk: Short Corner (43:30 to end).   Thanks as always for your support of JTET, JTSC, and the J-Talk Podcast! Buy tickets for J-Talk Live (Saturday 12th October) at the Yokohama Football Film Festival here: https://teket.jp/6232/38395 Join the JTET/JTSC Discord server here: https://discord.gg/p6PVbF9E Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/jtalkpod

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 5.01 points at 22,240.11 Tuesday on turnover of NT$2.54 billion. A rally in the home stretch of Monday's session led by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) pulled the Taiex up from the day's low. The financial sector attracted interest on rumors that the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) will agree to a tender offer proposed by CTBC Financial Holding Co. to acquire Shin Kong Financial Holding Co. Taiwan may continue to drift today, with U-S markets closed for the Labor Day weekend. SEMICON Taiwan 2024 opens Wednesday with CEO summit, tech forums More than 20 international forums on leading-edge semiconductor technologies will be held at this year's SEMICON Taiwan, which is expected to draw some 85,000 overseas visitors from 56 countries. Organizers say a round of international forums kick off before the formal opening of the expo, will include the "most eye-catching CEO Summit" that features talks by major figures in the semiconductor industry, Another highlight… an "AI chip talk of the century" among major figures from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, ASE Technology, Samsung Electronics, and Google tomorrow afternoon. This year's expo will feature 16 main themes, including advanced manufacturing, heterogeneous integration, green manufacturing, and semiconductor cybersecurity (網路安全). But the exhibit will also feature be some new areas "such as artificial intelligence (AI), smart mobility, silicon photonics, and precision machinery. Taiwanese firms in Japan to benefit from 'one-stop' service center: Minister Taiwan's economics minister says the government is planning to set up a one-stop service center in Kyushu, Japan to assist Taiwanese companies that are expanding there. Minister of Economic Affairs Kuo Jyh-huei says the government-funded service will be "like a science park" that will facilitate the needs of Taiwanese companies on Kyushu island and help them with the logistics (後勤) of establishing businesses there. Kuo did not specify the exact location of the planned office but said it will not be in Kumamoto, the Kyushu prefecture in which Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company has a fab and is preparing to build another one. The minister says Nagasaki, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kitakyushu are some of the Kyushu prefectures that have expressed interest in welcoming Taiwanese companies. Britain to suspend sales of some weapons to Israel The U.K. government says it's suspending exports of some weapons to Israel because they could be used to break international law. Here's Foreign Secretary David Lammy Lammy told lawmakers the decision related to about 30 of 350 export licenses to Israel and wasn't an arms embargo (禁令，禁運). The United Kingdom is among a number of Israel's longstanding allies whose governments are under growing pressure to halt weapons exports because of the toll of the nearly 11-month-old war in Gaza. Biden: Netanyahu not doing enough to secure hostage deal Meanwhile… US President Joe Biden says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not doing enough to secure (獲得) a hostage deal. It comes after Hamas' killed six hostages, including an American citizen. Nick Harper reports from Washington. < [CLIP] Slug: > Philippines Tropical Storm Yagi A fierce storm is blowing out of the northern Philippines after leaving at least 14 people dead in landslides, floods and swollen waterways. Tropical Storm Yagi swept past Paoay town in Ilocos Norte province into the South China Sea with sustained winds of up to 75 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 125 kph. It was forecast to strengthen into a typhoon as it barrels (飛馳) northwestward over the sea toward southern China. Storm warnings remained in most northern Philippine provinces, where residents were warned of the lingering danger of landslides in rain-soaked mountain villages and floodings in the farming lowlands of the Philippines' most populous region. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

In another packed episode of JTET, Jon Steele and James Taylor discussed JEF United v Sendai (start to 12:25), Iwaki v Kumamoto (12:25 to 25:50), and Tochigi v Kofu (25:50 to 36:15), elected a Most Bravo Player (36:15 to 41:00), and previewed the upcoming week's fixtures (41:00 to 56:55). That's followed by J-Talk: Short Corner with Mike Innes, who reviews the action from J3 round 25 (56:55 to end).   Thanks as always for your support of JTET, JTSC, and the J-Talk Podcast! Buy tickets for J-Talk Live at the Yokohama Football Film Festival here: https://teket.jp/6232/38395 Join the JTET/JTSC Discord server here: https://discord.gg/p6PVbF9E Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/jtalkpod

On JTET this week, Jon Steele was joined by special guest Daniel Kuroda (co-host of the Nagasaki-centric ViviCast) to look back on last weekend's biggest J2 talking points. The boys started with a deep dive into the big Yokohama FC v Nagasaki game at Mitsuzawa (04:15 to 27:25), and also discussed Yamaguchi v Tochigi (27:30 to 37:30) and Oita v Kumamoto (37:30 to 43:20). After that, Jon and Daniel nominated their Most Bravo Players for the round (43:20 to 48:30), and previewed the upcoming Round 27 matches (48:30 to 53:30). There was also time for a quick chat about the Emperor's Cup Round of 16 from a J2 standpoint (53:30 to Finish). We hope everyone enjoys the show! *As mentioned again on the pod this week, here is Jonny Nicol's superb scouting report on Kota Kawano: https://gambaosakaenglishblog.wordpress.com/2024/08/05/scouting-report-kota-kawano/ *Ryo Nakagawara also has a great report on another impressive Yamaguchi performer, Kaili Shimbo, here: https://www.shogunsoccer.com/p/shogun-soccer-scouting-4-kaili-shimbo *JTET Discord link: https://discord.gg/Y27tEKcV

Scheduling conflicts meant Jon Steele and James Taylor couldn't get together for a recording, so instead they each chose two games from J2 round 24 to talk about. In part 1, Jon talks about Kofu v Nagasaki (to 03:40) and Mito v Yokohama FC (to 06:00) before electing a Most Bravo Player (to 07:30). Then in part 2, James reviews Yamagata v Iwaki (to 08:50) and JEF United v Kumamoto (to 09:50) and chooses his MBP (to 10:50). To round out the episode, James previews the round 25 games that take place on the first weekend of August (to end).   *To get some pass notes on any of the games that we don't discuss on the pod, feel free to join our dedicated JTET/JTSC Discord server here: https://discord.gg/pngqMZ7hwD

Ito-koku and Na-koku were the next two countries on the path of the Wei envoys noted in the Gishiwajinden.  They likely refer to the areas known today as Itoshima and Fukuoka, so what do we know about these places in the Yayoi period, and how is it that by the 3rd century Yamato seemed to have taken the foremost position on the archipelago and not one of these other countries, where wet paddy rice agriculture and other continental technologies first arrived in the archipelago. For more see our podcast blog post at: https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/itoandna Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua, and this is Gishiwajinden Part Five: Ito-koku and Na-koku This episode we are finishing up our Gishiwajinden Tour, focusing on our journey to Ito-koku and Na-koku, or modern day Itoshima and Fukuoka. We'll talk about what we know from the records of these two areas in the Yayoi and early Kofun periods, and then look at some of the later history, with the development of the Dazaifu, the build up of Hakata and Fukuoka, and more.  A key thread through all of this will be our discussion about why it was Yamato, and not these early states, who eventually became paramount.  If this is where things like wet paddy rice agriculture started, and they had such close ties to the continent, including sending a mission to the Han dynasty, why did the political center shift over to Yamato, instead?  It is certainly something to wonder about, and without anything written down by the elites of Na and Ito we can only really guess based on what we see in the histories and the archaeological record. We ended our tour in Na for a reason: while the Gishiwajinden—the Japanese section of the Wei Chronicles—describes the trip from the continent all the way to Yamatai, the locations beyond Na are largely conjecture.  Did ancient travelers continue from Na along the Japan Sea coast up to Izumo and then travel down somewhere between Izumo and Tsuruga to the Nara Basin?  Or did they travel the Inland Sea Route, with its calmer waters but greater susceptibility to pirates that could hide amongst the various islands and coves?  Or was Yamatai on the island of Kyushu, and perhaps the name just happens to sound similar to the Yamato of Nara?  Unfortunately, the Wei Chronicles have more than a few problems with accuracy, including problems with directions, meaning that at most we have some confidence in the locations out to “Na”, but beyond that it gets more complicated.  And even “Na” has some questions, but we'll get to that later. Unlike the other points on our journey, we didn't stay overnight at “Ito-koku”, , and we only briefly stayed at Na—modern Fukuoka, but I'll still try to give an account of what was going on in both places, and drawing on some past visits to the area to fill in the gaps for you.   Both the Na and Ito sites are believed to be in the modern Fukuoka prefecture, in Itoshima and Fukuoka cities.  Fukuoka prefecture itself actually spans all the way up to the Shimonoseki straits and includes the old territory of Tsukushi—Chikuzen and Chikugo—as well as the westernmost part of Buzen, the “closer” part of the old land of “Toyo” on the Seto Inland Sea side of Kyushu.  When it comes to locating the country of Ito-koku, we have lots of clues from current place names.  The modern Itoshima peninsula, which, in old records, was known as the country of Ito, and was later divided into the districts of Ito and Shima.  Shima district, at the end of the peninsula, may have once been an island—or nearly so.  It is thought that there was a waterway between the two areas, stretching from Funakoshi bay in the south to Imazu Bay, in the north, in Fukuoka proper.  Over time this area was filled in with deposits from the local rivers, making it perfect for the Yayoi style wet rice paddy agriculture that was the hallmark of the growth in that period.  And indeed there are certainly plenty of Yayoi and Kofun era ruins in the area, especially in eastern reaches of the modern city of Itoshima, which reside in the valley that backs up to Mt. Raizan.  There you can find the Ito-koku History Museum, which tells much of the story of Ito. The Weizhi, or the Wei Chronicles, note that Ito-koku had roughly a thousand households, with various officials under their own Queen, making it one of the few Wa countries that the Chroniclers specifically noted as being a “kingdom”, though still under the nominal hegemony of the queen of Yamatai or Yamateg.  If you continue eastward along the coast from Itoshima, you next hit Nishi-ku, the Western Ward, of modern Fukuoka city, which now continues to sprawl around Hakata Bay.  Nishi-ku itself used to also be known as “Ito”, though spelled slightly differently, and you can still find Ito Shrine in the area. So was this part of Ito-koku also? It's very possible.   Na-koku, or the country of Na, was probably on the eastern edge of modern Fukuoka, perhaps around the area known as Hakata down to modern Kasuga.  Much like in Karatsu, this area features some of the earliest rice fields ever found in Japan – in this case, in the Itazuke neighborhood, just south of Fukuoka airport.  The land here is mostly flat, alluvial plains, formed by the rivers that empty out into Hakata Bay, another great area for early rice agriculture. Locating the country of Na is interesting for several reasons.  For one, unlike all of the other Wei Chronicles sites we've mentioned, there is no clear surviving placename that obviously matches up between “Na” and the local area.  It is a short enough name that it may simply be difficult to distinguish which “Na” is meant, though there is a “Naka” district in Kasuga that may show some promise.  There certainly is evidence for a sizeable settlement, but that's much more tenuous than the placenames for other areas, which remained largely in use in some form up to the modern day, it would seem. The name “Na” shows up in more than just the Weizhi, and it is also mentiond in the Houhan-shu, or the Record of the Later Han, a work compiled later than the Weizhi, but using older records from the Late Han dynasty period.  There it is asserted that the country of Na was one of the 99 some-odd countries of Wa, and they sent an embassy to the Later Han court, where they received a gold seal made out to the “King of Na of Wa”.  We talked about this in Episode 10: The Islands of the Immortals: That seal, made of gold, was seemingly found in the Edo period—1784, to be precise.  A farmer claimed to have found it on Shika island, in Hakata Bay, which is quite prominent, and connected to the mainland with a periodically-submerged causeway.  The description of the find—in a box made up of stones, with a large stone on top that required at least two men to move it—seems like it could have been an old burial of some kind.  The island certainly makes sense as an elite burial site, overlooking Hakata Bay, which was likely an important feature of the lifeways of the community.  While there have been questions about the authenticity of the seal, if it is a forgery, it is quite well done.  It looks similar to other Han era seals, and we don't really have a way to date the gold it is made of.  Without the actual context we can't be quite sure. This certainly seems like pretty strong evidence of the country of Na in this area, somewhere – probably not on the island itself, then close by.So unless something else comes along, I think we can say that this is at least the vicinity of the old country of Na.  Okay, so now that we've talked in general about where these two places were, let's go back and look at them in more detail. The Ito-koku site is just up the coast from where we stayed for Matsuro-koku, in Karatsu, which all makes sense from the position of the Chronicles in that it says the early envoys traveled overland from one place to the other.  Of course it also says they traveled southeast, which is not correct as the route is actually northeast.  However, they had traveled southeast from the Korean peninsula to Tsushima and then Iki and Matsuro, so that direction was well established, and this is an easy enough error that could have been made by the actual envoys or by later scribes, as it would be a one character difference. For Ito-koku, as with Matsuro-koku, we have no large, reconstructed sites similar to Harunotsuji on Iki or Yoshinogari, further inland in Saga prefecture, where we have an entire, large, so-called “kingly” settlement.  There is evidence of settlements, though, both near the major burial sites as well as around the peninsula.  And as for those burial sites, well, Ito has a few, and they aren't merely important because of their size.  Size is often an indication of the amount of labor that a leader must have been able to mobilize, and so it can be used to get a general sense of the power that a given leader or system was able to wield, as they could presumably turn that labor to other users as well. However, it is also important to look at other factors, like burial goods. What kind of elite material was the community giving up and placing with the deceased? That is the case with the first site we'll discuss, the Hirabaru burial mound.  At first glance it isn't much—a relatively unassuming square mound, about 12 by 14 meters, and less than 2 meters in height.  It was discovered in 1965 by a farmer who started digging a trench to plant an orchard and started pulling up broken pieces of a bronze mirror, one of the first clues that this was someone important.  They later found various post holes around the site, suggesting that it was more than just an earthen mound, and as they excavated the site they found pottery, beads, mirrors, and more. Let's start with those post-holes.  It looks like there was at least one large pillar set up due east of the burial.  We don't know how tall it was, but it was likely of some height given the size of the pillar hole—I've seen some estimates that it could have been up to 70 meters tall.  A tall pole would have provided visibility, and it may also be significant that it was east, in the direction of the rising sun.  We know that the ancient Wa had a particular connection with the sun, and this may be further evidence of that.  There are other holes that may be a gate, and possible a storehouse nearby, presumably for various ritual items, etc.  Suddenly, even without knowing exactly what was there, we start to see a picture of a large, manmade complex that seems to be centered on this burial and whomever is there. On top of that, there was a mirror in the tomb that was larger than any other ever found in Japan at that time—certainly the largest round mirror of that period.  It is not one of the triangular rimmed mirrors that Yamato is known for, but may have been part of another large cache brought over from the mainland.  About 40 mirrors in total, many of them very large, were found buried in the tomb, some of which appear to have been broken for some reason.  Furthermore, the large mirrors appear to fit within the dimensions given the Great Mirror—the Yata no kagami—housed at the sacred Ise Shrine.  There is a document in 804, the “Koutai Jingu Gishiki Chou”, detailing the rituals of Ise shrine, which describes the sacred mirror sitting in a box with an inner diameter of 1 shaku, 6 sun, and 3 bu, or approximately 49.4 centimeters, at least using modern conversions.  The same measurements are given in the 10th century Engi Shiki.  So we can assume that the mirror in Ise, which nobody is allowed to actually see, let alone measure, is smaller than that, but not by much, as the box would have been made to fit the mirror, specifically.  It isn't like you can just grab a box from Mirror Depot.  The mirrors found at Hirabaru Mound measure 46.5 centimeters, and have a floral pattern with an eight petaled flower on the back.  Could this mirror be from the same mold or the same cache, at least, as the sacred mirror at Ise?  At the very least, they would seem to be of comparable value.   In addition, there were many beads, jars, etc.  Noticeably absent from the burial were swords and weapons.  Based on this, some have argued that this was the burial of a queen of Ito-koku.  There is evidence that this may be the case, but I don't think the presence of weapons, or the lack thereof, is necessarily a good indicator. After all, we see in the old stories that women were also found wielding swords and leading troops into battle. So it's dangerous to make assumptions about gender based on this aspect alone. I wonder if the Hirabaru tomb assemblage might have more to do with something else we see in Yamato and which was likely applicable elsewhere in the archipelago: a system of co-rulership, where one role might have to do more with administrative and/or ritual practice, regardless of gender. This burial assemblage or mirrors and other non-weapons might reflect this kind of position. The Weizhi often mentions “secondary” or “assistant” positions, which may have truly been subordinate to a primary ruler, or could have just been misunderstood by the Wei envoys, who saw everything through their particular cultural stratification.  In a similar fashion, early European explorers would often name people “king”—from the daimyo of Sengoku era Japan to Wahunsenacawh, known popularly as “Powhatan” for the name of his people, on what would become known as North America.  That isn't to say that these weren't powerful individuals, but the term “king” comes with a lot of Eurocentric assumptions and ideas about power, stratification, etc.  Is there any reason to believe that the Wei envoys and later chroniclers were necessarily better at describing other cultures? And of course we don't have any physical remains of the actual individual buried there, either. However, there is a good reason to suggest that this may have been a female ruler, and that *is* because of something in the Weizhi, which specifically says that the people of Ito lived under the rule of a female king, aka a queen, using a description not unlike what is used for Queen Himiko.  In fact, Ito gets some special treatment in the record, even though it isn't the largest of the countries.  Let's look at those numbers first: Tsushima is said to have 1,000 households, while Iki is more like 3,000.  Matsuro is then counted at 4,000 families, but Ito is only said to have 1,000, similar to Tsushima.  Just over the mountains and along the Bay, the country of Na is then counted at a whopping 20,000 households, so 20 times as many.  These numbers are probably not entirely accurate, but do give an impression of scale, at least. But what distinguishes Ito-koku in this is that we are told that it had a special place for envoys from the Korean peninsula to rest when they came.  It makes you wonder about this little place called Ito. Hirabaru is not the only kingly tomb in the area.  Walk about 20 to 30 minutes further into the valley, and you might just find a couple of other burials—in particular Mikumo-Minami Shouji, discovered in 1822, and Iwara-Yarimizo, which includes artifacts discovered in the 1780s in the area between Mikumo and Iwara as they were digging a trench.  Based on evidence and descriptions, we know that they pulled out more bronze mirrors and other elite goods indicative of the late Yayoi paramounts. In these areas they have also found a number of post holes suggesting other buildings—enough to perhaps have a relatively large settlement. As noted earlier, we do not have a reconstructed village like in Harunotsuji or Yoshinogari, given that these are private fields, so the shape of the ancient landscape isn't as immediately impressive to people looking at the area, today.  The apparent dwellings are largely found in the triangle created between two rivers, which would have been the water source for local rice paddies.  The tombs and burials are found mostly on the outskirts, with the exception of the kingly burial of Mikumo-Minami Shouji.  This is also interesting when you consider that the later Hirabaru mound was situated some distance away, raising a bunch of questions that we frankly do not have answers for. The area of these ruins is not small.  It covers roughly 40.5 hectares, one of the largest Yayoi settlements so far discovered.  Of course, traces of other large settlements—like something in the Fukuoka area or back in Yamato—may have been destroyed by later construction, particularly in heavily developed areas.  This is interesting, though, when you consider that the Weizhi only claimed some 1,000 households. There are also other graves, such as various dolmens, across Ito and Shima, similar to those found on the peninsula, and plenty of other burials across both ancient districts.  And as the Yayoi culture shifted, influence of Yamato can be seen.  While Ito-koku clearly had their own burial practices, which were similar to, but not exactly like, those in the rest of the archipelago, we can see them start to adopt the keyhole style tomb mounds popular in Yamato. During the kofun period, the area of Itoshima built at least 60 identified keyhole shaped tombs, with a remarkable number of them from the early kofun period.  Among these is Ikisan-Choushizuka Kofun, a large, round keyhole tomb mound with a vertical stone pit burial, estimated to have been built in the latter half of the 4th century.  At 103 meters in length, it is the largest round keyhole tomb on the Genkai coast—that is to say the northwest coast of Kyushu. All of these very Yamato-style tombs would appear to indicate a particular connection between Ito and  Yamato—though what, exactly, that looked like is still up for debate.  According to the various early Chronicles, of course, this would be explained because, from an early period, Yamato is said to have expanded their state to Kyushu and then even on to the Korean peninsula.  In particular, the Chronicles talk about “Tsukushi”, which is both used as shorthand for the entirety of Kyushu, while also indicating the area largely encompassing modern Fukuoka prefecture.  On the other hand, this may have been a sign of Ito demonstrating its own independence and its own prestige by emulating Yamato and showing that they, too, could build these large keyhole tombs.  After all, the round keyhole shape is generally thought to have been reserved, in Yamato, for members of the royal family, and Ito-koku may have been using it similarly for their own royal leaders.  It may even be something in between—Ito-koku may have recognized Yamato's influence and leadership, but more in the breach than in actuality.  Afterall, until the standup of things like the various Miyake and the Dazai, we aren't aware of a direct outpost of the Yamato government on Kyushu.  The Miyake, you may recall, were the ”royal granaries”, which were basically administrative regions overseeing rice land that was directly controlled by Yamato, while the Dazai was the Yamato government outpost in Kyushu for handling continental affairs.  On top of a lack of local control in the early Kofun, the Weizhi appears to suggest that the Yamato paramount, Himiko, was the “Queen of the Wa” only through the consensus of other polities, but clearly there were other countries in the archipelago that did not subscribe to her blog, as it were, as they were in open conflict with Yamato.  This all leads into something we've talked about in the main podcast at various times, but it still bears discussing:  How did Yamato, over in the Nara Basin, become the center of political life in the Japanese archipelago, and why not somewhere in Kyushu, like ancient Na or Ito?  While we don't entirely know, it is worth examining what we do and some of the factors that may have been in play.  After all, Kyushu was the closest point of the main Japanese islands to the mainland, and we see that the Yayoi culture gets its start there.  From there, Yayoi culture spread to the east, and if we were to apply similar assumptions as we do on the spread of the keyhole shaped kofun, we would assume that the culture-givers in the west would have held some level of prestige as groups came to them to learn about this new technology, so why wasn't the capital somewhere in Kyushu?  We likewise see other such things—Yayoi pottery styles, fired in kilns, rather than open fired pottery; or even bronze items brought over from the continent.  In almost every instance, we see it first in Kyushu, and then it diffuses eastward up to the edge of Tohoku.  This pattern seems to hold early on, and it makes sense, as most of this was coming over from the continent. Let's not forget, though, that the Yayoi period wasn't simply a century: by our most conservative estimates it was approximately 600 years—for reference, that would be roughly equivalent to the period from the Mongol invasions up to the end of the Edo period, and twice as long as the period from Mimaki Iribiko to the Naka-no-Oe in 645, assuming that Mimaki Iribiko was ruling in the 3rd century.  So think about all that has happened in that time period, mostly focused on a single polity, and then double it.  More recent data suggests that the Yayoi period may have been more like an 1100 to 1300 year range, from the earliest start of rice cultivation.  That's a long time, and enough time for things in the archipelago to settle and for new patterns of influence to form.  And while Kyushu may have been the first region to acquire the new rice growing technology, it was other areas around the archipelago that would begin to truly capitalize on it. We are told that by the time the Wei envoys arrived that the state of Yamato, which we have no reason not to believe was in the Nara Basin, with a focus on the area of modern Sakurai, had approximately 70,000 households.  That is huge.  It was larger than Na, Ito, and Matsuro, combined, and only rivaled in the Weizhi by Touma-koku, which likely referred to either the area of Izumo, on the Japan Sea coast, or to the area of Kibi, along the Seto Inland Sea, both of which we know were also large polities with significant impact in the chronicles.  And here there is something to consider about the Yayoi style agriculture—the land determined the ultimate yield.  Areas with more hills and mountains are not as suited to wet rice paddy agriculture.  Meanwhile, a flat basin, like that in Yamato, which also has numerous rivers and streams draining from the surrounding mountains into the basin and then out again, provided the possibility for a tremendous population, though no doubt it took time to build. During that time, we definitely see evidence of the power and influence of places like Na and Ito.  Na sent an embassy to the Han court—an incredible journey, and an indication of not only their interest in the Han court and continental trade, but also their ability to gather the resources necessary for such a journey, which likely required some amount of assistance from other, nearby polities.  Na must have had some sway back then, we would assume. Meanwhile, the burial at Ito shows that they were also quite wealthy, with clear ties to the continent given their access to large bronze mirrors.  In the absence of other data, the number and size of bronze mirrors, or similar bronze items, likely only useful for ritual purposes, indicates wealth and status, and they had some of the largest mirrors as well as the largest collection found for that period.  Even into the stories in the Nihon Shoki and the Kojiki we see how mirrors, swords, and jewels all are used a symbols of kingship.  Elite status was apparently tied to material items, specifically to elite trade goods.  Assuming Yamato was able to grow its population as much as is indicated in the Weizhi, then by the 3rd century, they likely had the resources to really impress other groups.  Besides things like mirrors, we can probably assume that acquisition of other goods was likewise important.  Both Ito and Yamato show evidence of pottery shards from across the archipelago, indicating extensive trade networks.  But without any other differentiating factors, it is likely that Yamato, by the 3rd century, at least, was a real powerhouse.  They had a greater production capacity than the other states listed in the Weizhi, going just off of the recorded human capital. And this may answer a question that has been nagging me for some time, and perhaps others:  Why did other states acquiesce to Yamato rule?  And the answer I keep coming back to is that it was probably a combination of wealth, power, prestige, ritual, and time. For one thing, wealth: Yamato had it.  That meant they could also give it.  So, if Yamato was your friend, you got the goods, and you had access to what you need.  You supported them, they could help you with what you needed.  These transactional alliances are not at all uncommon, and something I think most of us can understand. There is also power—specifically military power.  With so many people, Yamato would likely have been a formidable threat should they decide that violence was the answer.  That said, while we read of military campaigns, and no doubt they did go out and fight and raid with the best of them, it's expensive to do so.  Especially exerting control over areas too far out would have been problematic, especially before writing AND horses.  That would be costly, and a drain on Yamato's coffers.  So while I do suspect that various military expeditions took place, it seems unlikely that Yamato merely bested everyone in combat.  Military success only takes you so far without constant maintenance. And so here is where I think prestige and ritual come into play.  We've talked about how Yamato did not exactly “rule” the archipelago—their direct influence was likely confined to the Kinki region for the longest period of time.  And yet we see that they influenced people out on the fringes of the Wa cultural sphere: when they started building large, keyhole shaped kofun for their leaders, and burying elites only one to a giant mound, the other areas of Japan appear to have joined in.  Perhaps Yamato was not the first to build a kofun for a single person, but they certainly were known for the particular shape that was then copied by so many others.  But why? We don't know for certain, but remember that in Yamato—and likely the rest of the Wa cultural sphere—a large part of governance was focused on ritual.  The natural and what we would consider the supernatural—the visible and invisible—worked hand in hand.  To have a good harvest, it required that workers plant, water, harvest, etc. in the right seasons and in the right way.  Likewise, it was considered equally important to have someone to intercede with the kami—to ensure that the rains come at the right time, but not too much, and a host of other natural disasters that could affect the crop. And if you want to evaluate how well ritual works, well, look at them.   Are you going to trust the rituals of someone whose crops always fail and who barely has a single bronze mirror?  Or are you going to trust the rituals of someone with a thriving population, multiple mirrors, and more?  Today, we might refer to this as something like the prosperity gospel, where wealth, good health, and fortune are all seen as stemming from how well one practices their faith, and who's to say that back in the day it wasn't the same?  Humans are going to human, after all. So it makes sense that one would give some deference to a powerhouse like Yamato and even invite their ritualists to come and help teach you how it is done.  After all, the local elites were still the ones calling the shots.  Nothing had really changed. And here is where time comes in.  Because over time what started as an alliance of convenience became entrenched in tradition.  Yamato's status as primus inter pares, or first among equals, became simply one of primus.  It became part of the unspoken social contract.  Yamato couldn't push too hard on this relationship, at least not all at once, but over time they could and did demand more and more from other states. I suspect, from the way the Weizhi reads, that Yamato was in the early stages of this state development.  The Weizhi makes Queen Himiko feel like something of a consensus candidate—after much bickering, and outright fighting, she was generally accepted as the nominal paramount.  There is mention of a male ruler, previously, but we don't know if they were a ruler in Yamato, or somewhere else, nor if it was a local elite or an earlier paramount.  But not everyone in the archipelago was on board—Yamato did have rivals, somewhere to the south (or north?); the directions in the Weizhi are definitely problematic, and it may refer to someone like the Kuma or Kumaso people in southern Kyushu or else people that would become known as the Emishi further to the east of Yamato. This lasted as long as Yamato was able to continue to demonstrate why they were at the top of this structure.  Theoretically, anyone else could climb up there as well, and there are certainly a few other powerful states that we can identify, some by their mention and some by their almost lack of mention.  Izumo and Kibi come to mind almost immediately. The Weizhi makes it clear that Himiko's rule was not absolute, and part of her reaching out to the Wei in the first place may have been the first attempt at something new—external validation by the continent.  A large part of international diplomacy is as much about making people believe you have the power to do something as actually having that power.  Getting recognition from someone like the Wei court would further legitimize Yamato's place at the top of the heap, making things easier for them in the long run. Unfortunately, it seems like things did not go so smoothly, and after Himiko's death, someone else came to power, but was quickly deposed before a younger queen took over—the 13 year old Toyo.  Of course, the Wei and then the Jin had their own problems, so we don't get too many details after that, and from there we lose the thread on what was happening from a contemporary perspective.  Instead, we have to rely on the stories in the Nihon Shoki and Kojiki, which are several hundred years after the fact, and clearly designed as a legitimizing narrative, but still present us something of a picture.  We don't see many stories of local elites being overthrown, though there do seem to be a fair number of military campaigns.  Nonetheless, even if they were propped up by Yamato, local elites likely had a lot of autonomy, at least early on, even as they were coopted into the larger Yamato umbrella.  Yamato itself also saw ups and downs as it tried to figure out how to create a stable succession plan from one ruler to the next.  At some point they set up a court, where individuals from across the archipelago came and served, and they created alliances with Baekje, on the peninsula, as well as with another polity which we know of as Nimna.  Through them, Yamato continued to engage with the continent when the dynastic struggles there allowed for it.  The alliance with Baekje likely provided even more legitimacy for Yamato's position in the archipelago, as well as access to continental goods. Meanwhile the court system Yamato set up provided a means for Yamato to, itself, become a legitimizing factor. Hierarchical differences in society were already visible in the Yayoi period, so we can generally assume that the idea of social rank was not a new concept for Yamato or the other Wa polities.  This is eventually codified into the kabane system, but it is probably likely that many of the kabane came about, originally, as titles of rank used within the various polities.  Yamato's ability to claim to give—or even take away—that kabane title, would have been a new lever of power for Yamato.  Theoretically, other polities could just ignore them and keep going on with their daily lives, but if they had already bought into the social structure and worldview that Yamato was promoting, then they likely would have acquiesced, at least in part, to Yamato's control. Little by little, Yamato's influence grew, particularly on those closer to the center.  Those closer, and more affected, started to listen to Yamato's rules about kofun size and shape, while those further on the fringes started to adopt Yamato's traditions for themselves, while perhaps maintaining greater independence. An early outlier is the Dazai.  It is unclear whether this was forcibly imposed on the old region of Na and nearby Ito, or if it was more diplomatically established.  In the end, though, Yamato established an outpost in the region early on, almost before they started their practice of setting up “miyake”, the various royal granaries that appear to have also become local Yamato government offices in the various lands.  The Dazai was more than just a conduit to accept taxes in the form of rice from various locals—it was also in charge of missions to the continent.  Whether they were coming or going, military or diplomatic, the Dazai was expected to remain prepared.  The early iterations were likely in slightly different locations, and perhaps not as large, but still in roughly the area near modern Fukuoka and Dazai.  This was a perfect place not only from which to prepare to launch or receive missions from the continent, but also to defend the nearby Shimonoseki straits, which was an important entryway into the Seto Inland Sea, the most direct route to Naniwa and the Yamato court. The first iterations of direct Yamato control in Tsukushi—modern Fukuoka—claim to have been focused largely on being a last point to supply troops heading over to fight on the peninsula, not unlike the role of Nagoya castle on the Higashi-Matsuura peninsula in the 16th century.  Over time, though, it grew into much more.  The Weizhi, for its part mentions something in the land of Ito, where there were rooms set up for envoys from the continent, but the Dazai was this on steroids. Occasionally we see evidence of pushback against Yamato's expansion of powers.  Early on, some states tried to fool the envoys into thinking that they were Yamato, perhaps attempting to garner the trade goods for themselves and to take Yamato's place as the interlocutor between the Wa polities and the continent.  We also see outright rebellions—from Iwai in Kyushu, in the 6th century, but also from various Emishi leaders as well.  The Iwai rebellion may have been part of the impetus for setting up the Dazai as a way to remotely govern Tsukushi—or at least help keep people in line.  For the most part, though, as time goes by, it would seem that Yamato's authority over other polities just became tradition, and each new thing that Yamato introduced appears to have been accepted by the various other polities, over time.  This is likely a much more intricate process than even I'm describing here, but I'm not sure that it was necessarily a conscious one; as the concept of Yamato as the “paramount” state grew, others ceded it more and more power, which only fed Yamato's self-image as the paramount state.  As the elites came under the Yamato court and rank system, they were more closely tied to it, and so Yamato's increased power was, in a way, passed on to them as well.  At least to those who bought in. By the 5th century, we know that there were families sending people to the court from as far away as Hi no Kuni in Kyushu—near modern Kumamoto—and Musashi no Kuni in the east—including modern Saitama.  All of that said, while they may have subordinated themselves to Yamato in some ways, the various polities still maintained some independent actions and traditions.  For example, whatever their connection to Yamato, the tombs at Itoshima also demonstrate a close connection to the peninsula.  The horizontal entry chamber style of tomb—something we saw a lot in Iki, and which seems to have been introduced from the continent—started to become popular in the latter half of the 4th century, at least in the west of the archipelago. This is well before we see anything like it in Yamato or elsewhere, though it was eventually used across the archipelago.  Itoshima appears to have been an early adopter of this tomb style, picking it up even before the rest of the archipelago caught on, making them the OG horizontal chambers, at least in Japan. Ultimately, the image we have of Ito-koku is of an apparently small but relatively influential state with some influence on the cross-strait trade, with close ties to Yamato. The history of the region seems a bit murky past the Kofun period.  There are earthworks of an old mountain castle on Mt. Raizan that could be from the Asuka period, and in the 8th century the government built Ito castle on the slopes of Mt. Takaso, possibly to provide some protection to the Dazaifu, which was the Yamato outpost in Kyushu, and eventually became the main administrative center for the island.  It seems, then, that whatever power the country of Ito may have once had, it was subsumed by the Dazai, which was built a little inland, east of the old Na territory.  Furthermore, as ships grew more seaworthy over time, they could make the longer voyages straight to Iki or Tsushima from Hakata.  For the most part, the area of the Itoshima peninsula seems to have been merely a set of districts in the larger Tsukushi and then the Chikuzen provinces.  The area of Na, meanwhile, which is said to have had 20,000 households in the 3rd century—much larger than nearby Ito—was completely eclipsed by the Dazaifu after the Iwai rebellion.  After the fall of Baekje, the Dazaifu took on even greater administrative duties, and eventually took over all diplomatic engagement with the continent.  They even set up a facility for hosting diplomatic envoys from the continent.  This would come to be known as the Kourokan, and they actually found the ruins of it near the site where Maizuru castle was eventually built in what is now Chuo-ku, or the central ward, of Fukuoka city. From the Heian period onwards, the Harada family eventually came to have some power in the area, largely subordinate to others, but they built another castle on Mt. Takaso, using some of the old Ito Castle earthworks, and participated in the defense of the nation during the Mongol invasions. The Harada family rose briefly towards the end of the Sengoku Period, pushing out the Otomo as Hideyoshi's campaign swept into Kyushu.  They weren't quite fast enough to join Hideyoshi's side, though, and became subordinate to Kato Kiyomasa and eventually met their end during the Invasions of Korea. The Ito district at some point after that became part of the So clan's holdings, falling under Tsushima's purview, along with a scattering of districts elsewhere, all likely more about the revenue produced than local governance.  In the Edo period, there were some efforts to reclaim land in Imazu bay, further solidifying links with the Itoshima peninsula and the mainland, but that also fits in with the largely agricultural lifestyle of the people in the region.  It seems to have remained largely a rural backwater up into modern times, when the Ito and Shima districts were combined into an administrative district known as “Itoshima city”. Meanwhile, the Dazaifu continued to dominate the region of modern Fukuoka.  Early on, worried about a Silla-Tang alliance, the Yamato state built massive forts and earthworks were built around the Dazaifu to protect the region from invasion.  As the Tang dynasty gave way to the Song and Yuan dynasties, however, and the Heian court itself became more insular, the Dazaifu's role faded, somewhat.  The buildings were burned down in the 10th century, during the failed revolt of Fujiwara no Sumitomo.  The government never rebuilt, and instead the center of regional government shifted to Hakata, closer to the bay. Appointed officials to the Dazai were known as the Daini and the Shoni.  Mutou Sukeyori was appointed as Dazai Shoni, the vice minister of the Dazaifu, in the late 12th century.  Though he had supported the Taira in the Genpei wars, he was pardoned and made the guardian of Northern Kyushu, to help keep the region in check for the newly established Kamakura Bakufu.  He would effectively turn that into a hereditary position, and his family became known as the “Shoni”, with their position eventually coming to be their family name.  They would provide commendable service against the Mongol invasion, and eventually became the Shugo Daimyo over much of western Kyushu and the associated islands, though not without pushback from others in the region. Over time, the power of the Shoni waned and various other daimyo began to rise up.  The chaos of the Sengoku period saw the entire area change hands, back and forth, until Hideyoshi's invasion of Kyushu.  Hideyoshi divided up control of Kyushu, and Chikuzen, including the areas of Hakata and modern Itoshima, was given to Kobayakawa Takakage.  Hideyoshi also began to redevelop the port of Hakata.  After the battle of Sekigahara, Kobayakawa Hideaki, Takakage's adopted son and nephew to the late Hideyoshi, was transferred to the fief of Okayama, and the area of modern Fukuoka city was given to Kuroda Nagamasa, creating the Fukuoka Han, also known as the Kuroda Han. Nagamasa would go on to build Maizuru Castle on the other side of the Naka river from the port of Hakata, creating two towns with separate administration, each of which fell under the ultimate authority of the Kuroda.  Hakata, on the east side of the river, was a city of merchants while Fukuoka was the castle town, and largely the domain of samurai serving the Kuroda.  The Kuroda would remain in control of the Fukuoka domain through the Edo period, and only lost control at the very start of the Meiji, as the domain system in general was dissolved. Over that time, Hakata remained an important port city, and the samurai of Fukuoka were known for maintaining their martial traditions. In the Meiji era, samurai from the Kuroda Han joined with other Kyushu samurai, rising up during Saigo Takamori's rebellion.  Later, it would be former samurai and others from Fukuoka who would form the Gen'yosha, an early right wing, nationalist organization that would greatly influence the Japanese government heading into the latter part of the 19th and early 20th century. But that is getting well into more modern territory, and there is so much else we could discuss regarding the history of this area, and with any luck we will get to it all in time.  For now, this concludes our Gishiwajinden Tour—we traveled from Kara, to Tsushima and Iki, and then on to Matsuro, Ito, and Na.  From here the envoys traveled on to Fumi, Toma, and then Yamato.  Fumi and Toma are still elusive locations, with various theories and interpretations as to where they were.   For us, this was the end of our journey. Next episode we will be back with the Chronicles and getting into the Taika era, the era of Great Change.  There we will really see Yamato starting to flex its administrative muscles as it brings the various polities of the archipelago together into a single state, which will eventually become known as the country of Nihon, aka Japan. Until then, thank you for listening.  If you like what we are doing, tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website, SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to us at our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

Listen to this episode ad free + exclusive episodes and other content at https://www.patreon.com/voicesinjapanAre these Japan's top 10 cities? Ben, Matt, and Burke discuss Tokyo's bustling districts, Osaka's culinary delights, Hiroshima's historic sites, and many more highlights for these cities that are recommended as tourist favorites!Sponsors:MaruMoriThis site has everything you need to learn Japanese! It's an all-in-one, guided, gamified Japanese learning experience with the aim to take you all the way from absolute beginner to language mastery, and the best part is you can start anywhere! https://marumori.io/register?rcode=vijBearfoot BarLocated in downtown Sapporo, walking distance from the subway station. There are a variety of Japanese made local and craft beers, bottled and on tap. 21 different sorts of international beers. A wide range of regular and unique spirits and basic cocktails also available. Burgers and pub style snacks. With friendly English and Japanese speaking staff.  https://www.facebook.com/bearfootbarHokkaido GuideEstablished over 10 years ago, written by locals for locals and international tourists. The guide contains information on all types of businesses and locations around Hokkaido. There's information regarding all things Hokkaido such as sightseeing, nightlife, events, services, food and restaurants, entertainment, outdoor activities, and more. Currently offered in English and Thai, advertising space available. Check out website for everything you need to know about this beautiful prefecture. https://hokkaidoguide.comUse our Buzzsprout affiliate link to start your podcast today! Website:https://www.voicesinjapan.com/Follow us and check out our other content:https://youtube.com/@voicesinjapanpodcasthttps://twitter.com/voicesinjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/voicesinjapan/https://www.instagram.com/voicesinjapan/Get in touch: voicesinjapan@gmail.comSupport the Show.

石川県輪島市の避難所で要介護者を介助する医療関係者、１月３１日能登半島地震の災害関連死を認定する審査会が１８日、石川県と各自治体の合同で開かれ、２２人を関連死と認定するよう答申した。 The death toll from the Noto Peninsula earthquake in Ishikawa Prefecture on Jan. 1 is likely to exceed that from the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, it was learned Tuesday.

Jon Steele and James Taylor reconvened after a couple of weeks apart for a review of J2 round 18. First, James and Jon discussed the dramatic/farcical end to Mito v Nagasaki and the exciting game that came before it (start to 14:50), an impressive win for Yamauchi over league leaders Shimizu (to 20:40), and a big game at the bottom between Tochigi and Kumamoto (to 29:15). That's followed by Most Bravo Player (to 34:25), and a preview of a busy week for J2 teams in Levain Cup, league and Emperor's Cup action (to end).   *To get some pass notes on any of the games that we don't discuss on the pod, feel free to join our dedicated JTET/JTSC Discord server here: https://discord.gg/pngqMZ7hwD

On this episode I wanted to talk about my recent trip to Kumamoto Japan to visit the Kumamoto Revival Project One Piece Statues! I went and visited all 10 Straw Hat Statues that went towards supporting the relief effort after the devastating 2016 earthquakes in that region! Hope you enjoy!Support the Show.

Yoji grew up in a family full of fighting, especially due to his father's love of women and alcohol. When he was eleven years old, Yoji's mother died of cancer. In his first year of middle school, his father's company went bankrupt so he ran away, leaving Yoji and his three siblings to take care of themselves, which was difficult both emotionally and financially. Yoji felt like he had nothing to live for and spent a lot of his time hanging out with friends.One day after hanging out late with his friends, Yoji couldn't go home because he didn't have his key, so he was wandering aimlessly around his town. A man invited him to a cafe to learn about Jesus. Yoji wasn't interested in Jesus, but the coffee sounded nice. It was Yoji's first time hearing about the Bible.That very same day Yoji became a Christian and was baptized!After that, he was refreshed and had peace. The circumstances in his life didn't change, but now he had peace.As he grew up, he wanted to become a pastor and prison chaplain, so Yoji went to Bible school which is also where he met his beautiful wife. They got married and now have three daughters and two sons.When he was 31, Yoji started a church in Kumamoto.About seven years ago is when the two boys joined their family through foster care and adoption and they are a blessing to the family. God has blessed Yoji's life in so many ways!Yoji encourages Christians to pray for Japan and to tell the Japanese people about Jesus. In Japan, there is only about 1% of the population that is Christian - and that 1% includes all denominations. Out of all the countries in the world, Japan is the 2nd least reached country for Christ.Japan is an economically rich country, but there are many broken families and children trying to build a good life for themselves. Let's pray for Japan and spread the Good News about Jesus!Romans 10:14-15 “How, then, can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”Thank you Pastor Yoji for sharing your story! And thank you Drew for translating!If you like listening to the podcast, please rate, write reviews, and share with your friends!You can follow us on instagram @lifeishardgodisgoodpodcast or join our Facebook group!Have a great week! May the LORD bless you and keep you!

Jeanne Hardebeck, U.S. Geological Survey Aftershock triggering is commonly attributed to static Coulomb stress changes from the mainshock. A Coulomb stress increase encourages aftershocks in some areas, while in other areas termed “stress shadows” a decrease in Coulomb stress suppresses earthquake occurrence. While the predicted earthquake rate decrease is rarely seen, lower aftershock rates are observed in the stress shadows compared to stress increase regions. However, the question remains why some aftershocks occur in the stress shadows. I examine three hypotheses: (1) Aftershocks appear in shadows because of inaccuracy in the computed stress change. (2) Aftershocks in the shadows occur on faults with different orientations than the model receiver faults, and these unexpected fault orientations experience increased Coulomb stress. (3) Aftershocks in the shadows are triggered by other physical processes, specifically dynamic stress changes. For the 2016 Kumamoto, Japan, and 2019 Ridgecrest, California, sequences, the first two hypotheses seem unlikely. Over many realizations of the stress calculations with different modeling inputs, numerous aftershocks consistently show negative static Coulomb stress changes both on the model receiver faults and the individual event focal mechanisms. Hypothesis 3 appears more likely, as the spatial and temporal distribution of aftershocks in the stress shadows are consistent with the expectations of dynamic triggering: the aftershocks occur mainly in a burst over the first few days to weeks, and decay with distance like near-field body waves. The time series of dynamic stress can be modeled, and numerous metrics explored, such as the maximum dynamic Coulomb stress change, and the period and duration of the stressing. Determining which metrics correspond to aftershock occurrence in the stress shadows may be useful in discriminating between various proposed physical mechanisms of dynamic stress triggering.

After a packed double-header of Golden Week matches in both J2 and J3, the JTET team are back to catch you up on all of the major talking points from last week's action. In Part 1, James and Jon look back on some of the big games from last Friday in J2 (Round 13). The focus is placed initially on Yamagata's exciting 2-2 draw against Okayama (02:00 to 10:10), then the boys talk about Fujieda's massive home win over Gunma in the relegation dogfight (10:10 to 20:50). In Part 2, the gentlemen turn their attentions to Monday's J2 slate (Round 14). Under examination are Tokushima's statement win away at Okayama (21:00 to 31:15), followed by more relegation dogfight news with under-new-management Mito's win at home to Kumamoto (31:15 to 43:30). After a quick break, James and Jon then select their 'Most Bravo Player' of the Golden Week games (43:35 to 48:45), and preview the upcoming Round 15 games on the weekend card (48:45 to 54:45). It's then time to hand over the reigns to Mike Innes for the regular 'J-Talk: Short Corner' segment of the pod, with all of the J3 action from the holiday period rounded up (54:45 to Finish). Mike also looks ahead to the weekend's J3-inflected football, as the third tier takes a break to allow most teams to take part in prefectural tournament finals/Emperor's Cup qualifying games. Hope everyone enjoys the pod, and their weekend football!

Welcome to the "Breakfast With Tiffany Show," where every episode is a journey through positive transitions and inspiring stories. Hosted by Tiffany Rossdale, a Tokyo-based transformational lifestyle coach, this podcast delves into the experiences of individuals who have triumphed over struggles, overcome obstacles, and found success.In this episode, listeners are treated to an engaging conversation with Mana Tanaka, the chairperson and founder of the Munakata Foundation in Japan. With a background in international cooperation and aid work in Africa and Asia, Mana brings a unique perspective to the discussion.From her current volunteer work in Lahore, Pakistan, Mana shares insights into her efforts to support marginalized communities, including the LGBTQ+ community. Despite facing challenges, Mana's work has led to significant positive changes, such as providing support for transgender individuals and implementing innovative approaches to drug rehabilitation.As the world celebrates Lesbian Visibility Day, Mana reflects on the progress and challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community in both Pakistan and Japan. She emphasizes the importance of visibility and advocacy in creating a more inclusive society.Throughout the episode, listeners are treated to inspiring stories of individuals who have overcome adversity, such as a transgender woman who found success as a beauty influencer after receiving support from the Munakata Foundation.Join Tiffany and Mana for a conversation filled with laughter, smiles, and profound insights into the power of positive transitions. Tune in to the "Breakfast With Tiffany Show" and be inspired by stories of resilience, courage, and hope.---Mana Tanaka graduated from International Christian University and has spent almost 15 years abroad starting from MPA degree from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, NYC. She has worked at the JICA Laos Office, local NGO in Rajasthan of India, World Vision Ethiopia, as a Short-term and Long-term Expert of JICA Rwanda, Thailand and Pakistan. As a dedicated social worker, she managed to learn Hindi and Urdu during her field works in India and Pakistan. In her 30s, she became a staff in Ichishin for 5 years and senior consultant for INTEM for 4 years. Now she is a founder and chairperson of Munakata Foundation and provides grant in Pakistan and Malawi. She is self-publishing her first essay entitled “Rainbow Pride and International Cooperation” this June, the Pride month.Munakata Foundation website: https://mnkt.ch/Previous Breakfast with Tiffany Show Episode Featuring Mana Tanaka! - https://www.tiffanyrossdale.com/podcast/episode/468805b7/confessions-of-a-japanese-lesbian Mana TanaSupport the Show.Breakfast With Tiffany Show Official Facebook Page ~ https://www.facebook.com/breakfastwithtiffanyshow Tiffany's Instagram Account ~ https://www.instagram.com/tiffanyrossdaleofficial/ For coaching sessions & programs with Tiffany, check out her official page ~ https://www.tiffanyrossdale.com Breakfast With Tiffany Show Youtube Channel ~ https://bit.ly/3vIVzhE Breakfast With Tiffany Show Official Page ~ https://www.tiffanyrossdale.com/podcast For questions, requests, collaborations and comments, feel free to reach us via our e-mail ~ breakfastwithtiffanyshow@outlook.com

James Taylor and Jon Steele cast their analytical gaze over another round of J2 football. In this episode, they focus on 4 games from matchday 10: Iwaki v Shimizu (start to 08:35), Nagasaki v Tokushima (to 20:15), Kumamoto v Kofu (to 26:50) and Yamaguchi v Gunma (to 34:40) and crown their Most Bravo Player (to 39:55). Then there's a preview of the round 11 fixtures (to 46:40) and the second set of Levain Cup Second Round games (to end). *To get some pass notes on any of the games that we don't discuss on the pod, feel free to join our dedicated JTET/JTSC Discord server here: https://discord.gg/pngqMZ7hwD

Depuis deux ans le gouvernement japonais investit très lourdement pour doper la production nationale de semi-conducteurs, un secteur où l'Archipel s'est fait distancer ces dernières décennies par ses voisins taïwanais et sud-coréen. 27 milliards de dollars sur trois ans ont été prévus pour relancer cette industrie hautement stratégique. Le Japon est-il en train de réussir son retour dans le secteur des puces ? La rapidité avec laquelle la première fonderie du géant taïwanais des semi-conducteurs, TSMC, a été construite en un peu plus de deux ans dans l'Archipel en témoigne. Inaugurée en février dernier, codétenue avec le conglomérat électronique Sony et l'équipementier automobile Denso, l'usine de Kumamoto a coûté plus de 8 milliards de dollars, dont plus de 40 % ont été apportés par le gouvernement japonais. Objectif : produire des puces entre 12 et 28 nanomètres que l'on retrouve par exemple dans les jeux vidéo ou l'électronique embarquée utilisée notamment dans l'automobile. Une deuxième, voire une troisième usine devraient sortir de terre dans les prochaines années. La rapidité est la clé dans l'industrie des semi-conducteurs, répètent les Japonais.À lire aussiSemi-conducteurs: le groupe taïwanais TSMC inaugure une nouvelle usine au JaponAvantages pour TaïwanCôté taïwanais, le groupe TSMC a trouvé une main d'œuvre très qualifiée sur place. Ce n'est pas le cas pour ce qui est de son autre méga-usine en Arizona, aux États-Unis, dont l'ouverture a dû être repoussée à 2025. Plus globalement, Taipei veut diversifier sa base de production, actuellement très concentrée sur l'île. D'où ces projets de construction d'usines aux États-Unis et en Allemagne. Pour Taïwan, c'est une question vitale. Plus les pays se sentiront liés à lui, plus ils seront solidaires face à l'éventuelle menace de la Chine, se dit Taipei. Et puis, le Japon est tout proche. Les deux pays veulent surmonter un passé douloureux, Taïwan était occupé par le Japon jusqu'en 1945, le courant passe apparemment.Côté JaponChampion des puces dans les années 1990, le Japon veut ramener la production des semi-conducteurs sur son sol. Durant la pandémie, en manque de vaccins anti-Covid, le gouvernement japonais s'est rendu compte de sa dépendance aux approvisionnements étrangers. Tokyo ne veut pas que cette situation se reproduise. L'industrie des puces fait désormais partie des secteurs hautement stratégiques pour le pays.Vers une production nippone des puces de pointeDans le Nord du Japon, un grand projet public-privé avance pour une construction d'une fonderie de puces de 2 nanomètres, soit les plus puissantes du monde, dédiées notamment à l'intelligence artificielle. Le consortium Rapidus, rassemblant huit entreprises japonaises, assure que son usine sera opérationnelle dès 2027. D'autres entreprises étrangères, comme Microsoft, Google ou Nvidia, investissent dans ce secteur crucial. Tous ces projets devraient propulser le Japon dans une nouvelle ère. Tout en garantissant un approvisionnement fiable, loin des tensions existantes entre les États-Unis et la Chine.À lire aussiLe Japon investit 3,6 milliards d'euros supplémentaires dans les semi-conducteurs

After a packed week of J2 action, Jon and James are back to have their say on the big talking points from two full rounds of second-tier thrills and spills. In Part 1, the focus is on last Wednesday's midweek fixtures. The boys discuss a tight (ahem) home victory for JEF Chiba against a hapless Tochigi (Start to 07:00), then move on to cover Nagasaki's impressive win at home to inconsistent Yamagata (07:00 to 11:55). In Part 2, attention turns to Sunday's Round 9 action. James and Jon shared their views on Nagasaki's exciting 4-3 win at Kumamoto (11:55 to 20:50), as well as a pulsating draw between Ehime and Okayama at Ningineer Stadium (20:50 to 28:20). At listener/contributor Martin Spivey's request, the boys also took a few moments to talk about Akita's freewheeling victory away at Oita (28:20 to 32:30). In Part 3, the JJs handed out their 'Most Bravo Player' gong for this week (32:20 to 36:45), and finished things off by looking ahead to this weekend's Round 10 slate of matches (36:45 to Finish). We hope everyone enjoys the show! *To get some pass notes on any of the games that we don't discuss on the pod, feel free to join our dedicated JTET/JTSC Discord server here: https://discord.gg/pngqMZ7hwD

Wanna show your support? https://www.patreon.com/smalltalkjapan DIRT Japan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrv9dmWpNKA Samurai of Culture https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QojixAAtv6M&t=858s Articles from this week's episode Jimmy Kimmel says his trip to Japan last week made him realize that the US is a 'filthy and disgusting country' https://www.businessinsider.com/jimmy-kimmel-visiting-japan-made-him-realize-us-disgusting-2024-4 Japan bullet train halted after cup of instant noodles thrown at it https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20240403/p2a/00m/0bu/005000c Osaka working to help students maintain their cultural roots https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15195744 Man in Kumamoto loses 110 million yen over “romance scam” https://goemon-jp.com/vi/news/man-in-kumamoto-loses-110-million-yen-over-romance-scam-fRT1g7bhUt8ExKp6eDi3gs?language=en Everyone in Japan will be Mr. or Mrs. Sato by 2531, according to study https://soranews24.com/2024/04/03/everyone-in-japan-will-be-mr-or-mrs-sato-by-2531-according-to-study/ Pal World developers make timely announcement of adults-only romance simulator with naked pals https://soranews24.com/2024/04/02/pal-world-developers-make-timely-announcement-of-adults-only-romance-simulator-with-naked-pals/

Discover the latest economic developments in Japan, focusing on the Nikkei 225 index reaching a new high and the opening of a TSMC semiconductor plant in Kumamoto. This episode is a great chance to learn business English vocabulary related to important economic changes. Skip Montreux and Samantha Vega examine recent economic milestones in Japan, including the Nikkei index's unprecedented performance and the strategic opening of TSMC's semiconductor fab. They discuss the implications of these events for Japan's economy and what it means for the global economic landscape, all while enhancing listeners' business English skills through insightful commentary. Listeners looking to enhance their business English, Skip and Samantha's conversation is a great learning resource. Key points include: Why the Nikkei index's high is important for Japan's economy. How TSMC's new factory might affect both Japan and the world. The bigger picture of these events, explained in easy-to-understand business English. Do you like what you hear? Become a D2B Member today for to access to audio scripts, bonus vocabulary episodes, and D2B Member-only episodes. Visit d2benglish.com/membership for more information. Follow Down to Business English on Apple podcasts, rate the show, and leave a comment. Contact Skip, Dez, and Samantha at downtobusinessenglish@gmail.com Follow Skip & Dez Skip Montreux on Linkedin Skip Montreux on Instagram Skip Montreux on Twitter Skip Montreux on Facebook Dez Morgan on Twitter RSS Feed

On February 24th, Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing (JASM) inaugurated its state-of-the-art facility in Kumamoto, marking a pivotal moment in Japan's semiconductor landscape. This milestone is underscored by several remarkable achievements: JASM secured the highest subsidies ever granted by the Japanese government, completed construction in a record-breaking timeframe of under two years, and is poised to lead Japan in producing cutting-edge semiconductor chips. This venture holds immense significance as it raises the question: Can it breathe new life into Japan's somewhat dormant semiconductor industry? 6:10 - Why did TSMC choose to be in Kumamoto? 7:30 - What are the lives like for the engineers? 10:00 - What contributed to the decline of Japan's chip industry? 14:25 - Why TSMC fabs in Arizona and Kumamoto experience different speed 17:40 - Who will be JASM's major customers? Host: Kwangyin Liu Guests: Yixuan Lin, CommonWealth reporter Producers: Weiru Wang, Ian Huang ＊Read more about the Japan-Taiwan chip alliance: https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=3637 ＊Share your thoughts: bill@cw.com.tw ＊Listen to the Japanese song on semiconductors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ3UEgPgXqs 留言告訴我你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cledx9shs004801v3cmkogc7e/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

There was plenty to talk about in the second rounds of J2 and J3, and the JTET team is on the ball. In part 1, Jon Steele and James Taylor talk about Nagasaki v Sendai and Kumamoto v Gunma, name their Most Bravo Players of the weekend, then look ahead to Wednesday night's Levain Cup matches and round 3 of J2. In part 2, Mike Innes has a comprehensive review of last weekend's J3 games and a preview of Levain Cup and J3 round 3 in J-Talk: Short Corner.   Start to 12:30 Nagasaki v Sendai 12:30 to 29:25 Kumamoto v Gunma 29:25 to 32:50 Most Bravo Player 32:50 to 47:00 Levain Cup and J2 round 3 preview 47:00 to 58:00 JTSC J3 Saturday games 58:00 to 1:02:45 JTSC J3 Sunday games 1:02:45 to end JTSC Levain Cup and J3 round 3 preview

ON PODCAST 134…DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT … We deep dive on Facial Recognition Tech in Kyushu, Japan re-emerging as a chip hub, and how China's scorched-earth policy in its real-estate market could be part of the Supply Chain Wars. Strap in. You are living in Interesting Times.Follow Matt: Twitter / Facebook Page / InstagramOfficial Website: matthewpmbigelow.comTOPIC LISTIT'S OMGWTF!Watch that melted during atomic blast over Hiroshima sells for more than $31,000SOCIETY 5.0Marubeni tests facial recognition payments on local transportation on Kumamoto city streetcarsTrial/NEC collaboration “face recognition” demonstration experimentFacial recognition cash register is efficient as you can pay by looking into the camera for 1-2 seconds...Trial HD and NECFacial recognition for unmanned hotels Hotels are opening one after another in central Miyazaki CityJAPAN BUSINESSJapanese investors raise a glass to Nikkei recordOutbound tourism still low after COVID-19, inbound recoversCHINAChina's central bank buys 10 tonnes of gold, extending its buying spree to 15 straight monthsChina to spend US$1 billion to revamp Tanzania-Zambia railway to move mineralsIs the CCP Deliberately Undermining China's Economy?

319 Cultures, Conversations, and Community   The beauty of humanity is that we all share different cultures, from the differences in our food to whether we take our shoes off in the house, culture shapes how we interact with our community and our career which is why it is vital we have conversations about culture, so that we may find our community, teach others, and learn about another person's beliefs and values, in doing so we will all be stronger together as a community. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Kevin Hamm discuss the importance of community, culture, and the conversations that need to happen in order for us all to have a better understanding and respect for one another. Kevin offers valuable insight, intelligent conversation, and a healthy dose of humor, approaching this difficult topic with humanity and dignity.    Highlights A love for new and exciting things starts early and fosters growth and admiration for other cultures and ideas. What memories from your past impact your decisions to this day? Everyone sees the world through different lenses, be sure to encourage the growth and curiosity to see outside of your current lens.  Being yourself is vital to your survival and to being able to thrive as a human being. Fostering community through compassion and pride. Making sure the whole world knows you and your community exist.  Understand the cultural differences between yourself and other places, and understand that these differences can foster growth and connection between yourself and those of a different culture.  What access to other cultures do you have in your own community that you can explore right now. Ask questions! There is no harm in wanting to know more.   Quotes “At the time Governor Schwinden- I think it was Governor Schwinden, God I hope it was Governor Schwinden. Had just started the Sister State program with Kumamoto in Japan and so I joined a choir and discovered my love of sushi because we ended up going to Japan when I was a kid. And it's really fun to think about being an ambassador for the state of Montana going over when you're 12 years old or 11 years old, however old I was. Going over and being in front of the aristocracy, the Imperial Family, and all that in Japan, you know performing and being a soloist and homestays and meeting all these people, and having this incredibly intense, delightful introduction to how vast and different our world is, how diverse things are. When you're a kid and finding out some of those things that are common in other cultures we never even hear of, like at the time we didn't have a sushi restaurant in the state of Montana.” “The truth of the matter is I found a thriving and robust queer community up there as well and it was really interesting to see that this community that I knew existed in major metropolitan areas because Portland and Phoenix had given me that, also exists in these little tiny towns where people on a regular basis are like, “I'm going to move to the big city because I can't be here!” and then they move away. But there were some that were still there and wanted to live there and really loved it, and that was part of the realization that I was like, “Oh my community, the queer community, crosses every other boundary, whether it's racial or societal or economic, we're everywhere. And because we are everywhere we have community everywhere.” And that took me a little bit to figure out, but once I figured it out I was like “Oh I can move back to Montana because my community exists!”.” “It's not only that you don't want to be insulting in a lot of cases. I don't know that it would be insulting. They would just look at you like, “Oh you're not trying to be like us.” And I want to try to be like them. When I'm on their lands, in their place, in their house, I want to fit in, I want to belong, I don't just want to be there.” “The one thing I would tell anybody going into a new culture is don't be afraid to ask everything, ask the question that seems a little weird that you're like, “Oh I can't ask that.” You absolutely can.”   Dear Listeners it is now your turn, Are you going to go explore a culture that you haven't explored before as a result of hearing this conversation? I know I'm going to and it could be just down the street, I have friends who own a Cuban restaurant here in town they are originally from Cuba. I have met them, I've spent time with them, but I'm not sure I explored their culture quite enough yet. I could even go to one of the upcoming Pow Wow adventures, I would love to do that with one of my friends from the tribes. I'm going to do that this year and I hope Listeners that you will find a culture you're not familiar with, somewhere within a few hours of your home and go explore it. Your mind and your heart will be better for it.  And, as always, thank you for listening.    About Kevin Kevin Hamm, 50, is a small business owner, battle-tested community organizer, fearless activist, and lifelong advocate for the rights and dignity of all Montanans. He has had the privilege of calling Montana his home state from the age of five; that's 45 years, for anyone counting. Armed with an appreciation for the importance of community investment that can only come from a childhood in a rural state, Kevin has spent his adult life investing in ways to give back to the place that built him. He has served on the boards of Queen City Ballet and Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, and founded the Happiness & Joy Foundation, a 501(c)3 that puts on Montana Pride — Montana's statewide Pride celebration, which Kevin has run for the last nine years. In addition to his deep commitment to community investment, Kevin is a skilled businessman with a strong track record in tapping into economic potential. Through his marketing work, he assisted in ATX's transition from a $5 million company to a $20 million company and later capitalized on the skills he learned there to start two small businesses from scratch that continue to thrive today. Through Studio 19, his first company founded in 2010, he took on the responsibility of managing live production for the athletics departments at all Frontier Conference schools in the state; he continues to work with Carroll College leading their stream team to this day. By 2018, his reputation as a skilled problem solver had grown his customer base to such a degree that he was able to start Auxilyum, a second company that lightens the tech support load. Most importantly, though, Kevin's background is that of a typical working Montanan. He has firsthand experience doing the real work that powers our state as a matter of necessity, not just as a hobby or a means of making friends with the neighbors. He knows what it's like to sacrifice sleep working alongside good people in hot kitchens, and to give up sleeping entirely while turning a dream into a business. Kevin also knows this place in a way that everyone with a Montana childhood will understand; he grew up alongside people who valued character over politics, and formed lifelong friendships with people who disagreed with him on issues that might raise some people's hackles. He attended his first day of kindergarten on Four Georgians Elementary School's first day of operation, and found community in the halls of public schools and community theaters that gifted him with an education of which he is deeply proud. These experiences shaped Kevin into the man he is, but they are not unique to him — most Montanans will recognize these stories, and have their own versions to share. In Kevin, Montanans will find a candidate able to stand in a kind of solidarity shared only by those who know the value of hard work done on their own, without a trust fund to fall back on. So while he may not have unlimited funds with which to pay for billboards advertising his name or lobbyists on speed dial ready to pull strings on his behalf, Kevin does have something that matters more: a lifetime of solidarity with working Montanans, and decades of experience advocating for all of them in every way that he possibly can. Be sure to check out Kevin's LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram! As well as his website KevinHamm! Interested in the Former Felon's Ball this year? Click Here! Interested in learning about Montana Pride and how to help? Click Here! About Sarah "Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision." In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I've realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don't realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they're sharing them with. My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available! Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana. Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

Entrevista con Dave Mustaine de MegadethCancionesTexas Hold Em- Beyonce I Forgot to be your Lover.- the Black Keys

ON PODCAST 125…DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT … We discuss Japanese robots that encourage absenteeism, how Japan and Vietnam are using Society 5.0, and how the Supply Chain Wars are affecting you and your family. Strap in, you are living in Interesting Times.Follow Matt: Twitter / Facebook Page / InstagramOfficial Website: matthewpmbigelow.comEP 125 Show NotesNEW PRODUCTSDiscover trending products from Japan.JAPANJapan PM Kishida vows to take lead in decarbonization in Asia‘Nowhere to go': African refugee applicants camp in Tokyo parkJapan's Nippon Steel to buy US Steel for $14.1 bn: firmsSingapore, Japan work on green and digital shipping corridor developmentSK's Chey proposes South Korea-Japan economic bloc akin to EUJapan to issue $11 bln in climate transition bonds in February -sources SOCIETY 5.0Stability AI's plan to counter AI's Silicon Valley biasStability AIChatGPT, other AI to be studied for military risk by new Japan bodyAbsent students in Kumamoto can now attend school via robotVietnam, Japan enhance cooperation in high-quality human resources trainingWARS. Korea, U.S., Japan start operating missile-info sharing systemUS clears AMRAAM and AIM-9X Sidewinder sales to JapanTerritorial disputes with Japan 'over,' Russia's top diplomat saysShippers mask positions, weigh options amid Red Sea attacksCHINAChina poised to eclipse Japan as the largest auto exporter in 2023China starts up world's first fourth-generation nuclear reactorChina to conduct sea trials for its first ultra-deepwater drilling ship

In this episode of Coffee with a Journalist, host Beck Bamberger sits down with Ian Kumamoto, a contributing writer for HuffPost and various other media outlets. Ian shares valuable insights into his inbox management and what catches his eye when considering pitches. He discusses the importance of building organic and respectful relationships with publicists and how a personalized and identity-focused approach to pitches can make all the difference. Additionally, Ian highlights his love for event invites and the significance of meeting people in person. Join us as we delve into Ian's world and learn how to craft the perfect pitch for this passionate and identity-driven writer.

En el 2015, el joven Pedro Kumamoto irrumpió en la política de Jalisco con una propuesta disruptora que lo llevo a convertirse en el primer diputado independiente de ese estado, pero a casi una década de su triunfo, sorprendió al anunciar una alianza con Morena, PT, Partido Verde y Hagamos. Para muchos esto marcó el fin de la esperanza de que los ciudadanos sin partido puedan tener una oportunidad para tener éxito en una elección popular. En este episodio, Mariel Ibarra, editora de política de Expansión, los analistas Viri Ríos y Carlos Bravo Regidor platican sobre lo que pasó con el movimiento de independientes que desafiaban a los partidos políticos y si aliarse a un partido es la única forma para acceder a la política. Las opiniones de este podcast son responsabilidad de quien las emite. Leemos sus comentarios en @ExpansionMx, @Viri_Rios, @CarlosBravoReg y @MarielIbarraF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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CanciónNow and Then- Beatles

The JTET team is back in action with a full review of J2 and J3. In part 1, James Taylor rounds up Saturday's J2 matchday 40 games (start to 06:45), then in part 2 Jon Steele talks you through Sunday's games (06:45 to 16:35). Part 3 is analysis of the two games with implications for automatic promotion, Shimizu v Kumamoto and Iwata v Tokyo Verdy, and a preview of the coming weekend's fixtures (16:35 to 43:55). Finally, Mike Innes is on hand with the latest from J3 in J-Talk: Short Corner (43:55 to end).

Ready for the weekend, another all-new JTET episode is ready for launch! To get things underway this week, Jon Steele and James Taylor look back at a busy weekend of J2 matches in Round 38 (Start to 14:30) - Jon also reports on Kumamoto's big day out at Kashiwa in their Emperor's Cup Semi-Final last Sunday. In the 'J2 Chat' segment (14:30 to 51:00), Jon and James got together to discuss some of the main talking points from the weekend action.  The gents talked in detail about Shimizu v Iwata (14:30 to 22:45), and followed that up by sharing their thoughts on Omiya v Yamaguchi (22:45 to 31:50), before doing their best to make sense of Iwaki's 2-2 draw at home to Sendai (31:50 to 43:00).  The boys then rounded off their chat by previewing this weekend's J2 action, a sparse selection with only a pair of rearranged games on the slate for Saturday (43:00 to 51:00). Bringing up the rear as ever, Mike 'The Magic' Innes then takes over for another installment of 'J-Talk: Short Corner', bringing you all the news and previews from J3 in fine style (51:00 to Finish). Thanks, as always, for supporting the pod - enjoy the show!

Once again, the good ship JTET sets sail with a full review of the latest J2 and J3 action. To start things off this week, Jon Steele and James Taylor team up to run through all of the J2 action from Round 37 (Start to 15:20) - James also includes a quick report on Kofu's big ACL home debut against Buriram United in Tokyo from Wednesday night. After that, Jon sat down with Sean Carroll for some serious J2 discussion. The boys (alright, technically men) began with a review of Kofu's big night at the National Stadium, since Sean was there (15:30 to 36:00)! Also under the microscope in this segment are in-form JEF Chiba, who find themselves right in the thick of the Play-Off push (36:00 to 58:30) - can they finally return to J1 after their prolonged absence? Sean also helped Jon to preview the upcoming Round 38 fixtures, as well as giving his thoughts on Kumamoto's big Emperor's Cup Semi-Final tie against Kashiwa this Sunday (58:30 to 01:22:15). To finish things off in style, Mike 'The Magic' Innes has all of the J2 latest for you in 'J-Talk: Short Corner' (01:22:20 to Finish). Hope everyone enjoys the show!

A brand new JTET episode is ready for launch! This week, the pod starts with Jon Steele reviewing all of the action from Round 33 in J2 (plus a look at Kumamoto's glorious PK shootout win over Kobe in the Emperor's Cup last midweek). That runs until 16:50. After that, Jon sat down with JTET's Official Kumamoto Correspondent, Garry Irwin, to chat about the latest events at Egao-Kenko Stadium. The boys discussed the Emperor's Cup win (16:50 to 26:00), and Kumamoto's defeat at JEF Chiba in the league (26:00 to 36:30). After that, Garry helped Jon to preview all of the upcoming J2 games in Round 34 this weekend (36:30 to 45:50). With all of the second-tier action covered, Mike 'The Magic' Innes steps up to review and preview all of the J3 news in 'J-Talk: Short Corner' (45:50 to Finish). Hope everyone enjoys the show!

This week's soaraway JTET has finally landed! To kick things off, there's a full review of last weekend's J2 action with James Taylor (Start to 06:30), and Jon Steele (06:35 to 15:50). After that, Jon had the chance to sit down and chat with Richy Palmer about some of the big talking points from the 2nd tier. The gents talked about Tochigi v Mito (15:55 to 26:00), Yamaguchi v Kofu (26:00 to 32:45), and Kumamoto v Iwaki (32:45 to 42:15). Jon and Richy then previewed the midweek Emperor's Cup tie between Kumamoto and J1 big boys Kobe (42:15 to 45:40), and looked ahead to the weekend's slate of J2 matches (45:40 to 54:00). Finally, the ever-reliable Mike Innes has all of the J3 news, reviews, and previews in 'J-Talk: Short Corner' (54:00 to Finish). Hope everyone enjoys the show!

The International Mighty Crown Sound System Takes Reggae Music Lovers to Japan Aboard their 'Far East Reggae Cruise'. Irish & Chin presents 'Sound Clash in The Far East' with Team Japan (Mighty Crown, Fujiyama Sound, and Jah Works) vs Team World (Tony Matterhorn, King Turbo, and Dynamq).The 5 nights, 6 days cruise on MSC Bellissima will occur from July 15th until July 20th, 2023, departing from Yokohama then to Jeju Island (South Korea), Kumamoto, and back to Yokohama.

The well-oiled machine that is the JTET team of James Taylor, Jon Steele and Mike Innes are back to review the latest action in J2 and the Emperor's Cup. In part 1, James goes through 5 J2 games from round 17 (start to 05:40), and in part 2 Jon covers the other 6 (05:40 to 17:55). In part 3, James and Jon discussed 4 games in detail: Machida v Shimizu (17:55 to 26:45), Okayama v Gunma (26:45 to 34:00), Yamaguchi v Tokyo Verdy (34:00 to 41:15), and Mito v Kumamoto (41:15 to 51:00). They also took a quick look ahead to the round 18 fixtures (51:00 to 59:05). In J-Talk: Short Corner, Mike Innes takes a look at the fortunes of J3 teams in the first round of the Emperor's Cup (59:05 to end).

This week on Krewe of Japan... Jenn & Doug sit down with Chris Carlier of Mondo Mascots to explore the wide & wacky world of Japanese Mascots. Kumamon, Domo-Kun, Chiitan and so many others... Chris shares his expertise & passion for these lovable characters through stories about how they have evolved from marketing & branding tools to international sensations and cultural ambassadors, help drive tourism for small communities, & so much more. ------ About the Krewe ------The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram:@kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!------ More Info on Chris Carlier (Mondo Mascots) ------Mondo Mascots on TwitterMondo Mascots on InstagramMondo Mascots Blog

温泉大好き！ Transcript https://bit.ly/3mmgbeV Vocabulary https://bit.ly/3muq2PK Japanese Lesson https://www.haru-no-nihongo.com/book-online Shadowing Course https://www.haru-no-nihongo.com/plans-pricing Youtube @HARUKA ~Next Step Japanese~ Instagram @haru.no.nihongo @next.step.japanese