Podcasts about Japanese

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky has fired the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Oleksandr Syrsky. That follows days of protests at his sacking of the defence minister. Our correspondent analyses the fallout. America's murder rate is falling, so why are cops killing more people? And a shift in the Japanese taboo on living in homes where people have died.Guests and host:Shashank Joshi, defence editorDaniel Knowles, US Midwest correspondentMoeka Iida, East Asia reporterRosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”Topics covered: Fedorov, Syrsky, Zelensky, UkrainePolice killings, gun crime, murderJapan, haunted houses, jiko bukkenListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky has fired the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Oleksandr Syrsky. That follows days of protests at his sacking of the defence minister. Our correspondent analyses the fallout. America's murder rate is falling, so why are cops killing more people? And a shift in the Japanese taboo on living in homes where people have died.Guests and host:Shashank Joshi, defence editorDaniel Knowles, US Midwest correspondentMoeka Iida, East Asia reporterRosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”Topics covered: Fedorov, Syrsky, Zelensky, UkrainePolice killings, gun crime, murderJapan, haunted houses, jiko bukkenListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine has a new commander-in-chief after days of protests, and FT calculations show the US has collected more than $13bn in revenues from Venezuelan oil sales this year, but it's unclear what has happened to the money, and US President Donald Trump may unleash fresh tariffs on dozens of countries as soon as this week. Plus, Samsung is in talks to invest in French AI start-up Mistral, and investors are worried about betting big on Japanese bonds.Mentioned in this podcast:Zelenskyy replaces top Ukraine general in biggest military shake-up since 2024 The US has collected about $13bn of Venezuela's oil money. Where is it?Donald Trump prepares fresh tariff barrage with 10% levies set to expireSamsung in talks to invest in Mistral at €20bn valuationInvestors fear Japanese bond bets risk becoming new ‘widow-maker trade'Want to get in touch? Email us at podcasts@ft.comNote: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts The FT News Briefing is produced by Victoria Craig, Sonja Hutson, Saffeya Ahmed, Katya Kumkova, and Fiona Symon. Our editor is Marc Filippino. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco and Alex Higgins. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello, Peter Barber and David da Silva. Our intern is Cole van Miltenburg. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Flo Phillips is the FT's global head of audio. The show's theme music is by Metaphor Music.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to The Bourbon Road, airing from the Bourbon Road Bar in Simpsonville, Kentucky. This week Jim Shannon rejoins co-host Todd after a week away, and the two dive into a four-bottle lineup that spans continents, traditions, and corn colors. The session opens with a pair of Japanese-influenced whiskeys before pivoting to a high-rye Kentucky icon and a blue corn single barrel that rounds out one of the more eclectic tasting mats the show has assembled. On the Tasting Mat: - Bardstown Bourbon Company Distiller's Reserve – Mars Single Malt Japanese Blend: A 109.8-proof collaborative release blending 69% Kentucky 10-year bourbon (74 corn / 18 rye / 8 malted barley), 8% Kentucky 16-year bourbon (75 corn / 13 rye / 12 malted barley), 20% Mars Komagatake 5-year 100% malted barley, and 3% Mars Shinshu 5-year 100% malted barley. The Japanese whiskeys were co-aged with the Kentucky bourbons in barrel for a full year in Kentucky rather than merely finished. Available in 375ml at an MSRP of $100. The nose opens with bright orchard fruit, plum blossom, and a floral spring-day quality. On the palate it delivers concentrated, intense flavor with a mid-palate tingle, rich dark plum, orange marmalade, honeydew, and a savory undertone riding alongside well-integrated oak. *(00:02:52)* - Yokai Small Batch Bourbon (Mugen Spirits, 3rd Release): A 117-proof small batch aged 7–8 years, produced by Louisville-based Mugen Spirits, co-founded by Kojin Tashiro and Justin Delaney. The distillate is sourced from Bardstown Bourbon Company. Labels are created by a Japanese artist, and the name draws from Japanese folklore creatures. MSRP $99.99. The nose is classic and inviting — vanilla cream, cherry, and butterscotch caramel. The palate surprises with intensity: big flavors up front transitioning to a smokier, oakier back palate, with a notable red hots-style sizzle on the sides and rear of the mouth, hints of candy green apple, and a lingering almond nuttiness. *(00:12:52)* - Willett Family Estate Small Batch Bourbon: A cask-strength expression bottled at approximately 126.6 proof, blending 70–80% of Willett's high-rye mash bill (52 corn / 38 rye / 10 malted barley) with 20–30% of their traditional mash bill (72 corn / 13 rye / 15 malted barley), aged 4–5 years across roughly 50-barrel batches. MSRP $65. The nose is unmistakably Willett — spiced gumdrops, menthol, and grain from the pot still, balanced by sweet ethanol appropriate to its proof. On the palate, a bold upfront spice bite gives way to root beer float, Maraschino cherry, whipped cream, and a sassafras-like hound quality, with the finish fading a touch quicker than the powerful front palate suggests. *(00:27:44)* - Bluegrass Distillers Blue Corn Single Barrel Bourbon (7 Year): A single barrel expression bottled at barrel strength, 129 proof, from Elkwood Farm in Midway, Kentucky. The mash bill is 70% blue corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley, aged 7 years. MSRP $70, available at the distillery. The nose is subdued and corn-forward with a light graininess and a hint of blueberry. The palate opens up considerably: buttery and pastry-forward with blueberry hand-pie character, a glazed pastry quality, burnt orange citrus notes, and a slow, warming burn. The finish is notably long and satisfying, distinguishing it from the more front-loaded expressions on the mat. *(00:34:29)* Jim and Todd close out the episode with a reminder about their upcoming Roadie gathering at the Frankfurt Bourbon Society on August 22nd from 5–8 PM. Entry is $5 (temporary FBS membership) and requires a Bourbon Road member ID card — sign up free at TheBournonRoad.com to get yours and RSVP through the Roadie Bar event calendar. Expect a room full of sample bottles, Frankfurt Bourbon Society members, door prizes, and good company. Whether you're a local Kentucky Roadie or making a bourbon trail weekend of it, come find Jim and Todd and raise a glass in person.

Cobweb, Infested, Sting, the list of recent films guaranteed to set off your arachnophobia is long but this mini beast inspired episode is to celebrate the upcoming release of the new MCU offering, Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Allow us to bring you Japanese folklore, cautionary tales and a classic retelling of a children's scary story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sebastian's got World Cup fever while Pete is still celebrating the Knicks win. The guys discuss the UFC White House card and whether or not the fighters should have been coming out of the Oval Office. They discuss cleaning up after themselves at movie theaters, hotels and other events compared to how the Japanese soccer fans are leaving their stadium sections spotless. Is parenting dead? Sebastian re-lives the adventure getting in to the stadium for the World Cup match. Pete's daughter has him questioning an interaction with one of his neighbors. Sebastian's song with Steve Aoki goes viral with one of the biggest soccer stars but he has to answer his dad's question about doing acid. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Charlotte Greenway in for Nick again this morning and joined by the mirrors David Yates. They begin with the rumours doing the rounds this morning that Kia Joorabchian and his number one jockey David Egan have parted ways and what this might mean for the Amo Racing operation. We bring you an update from Beverley's chief executive Sally Iggulden before looking head to the racing this weekend as we hear from Naohiro Goda on the Japanese runners in Saturday's King George as well as Andrew Balding, who's hoping Kalpana can go one better than she did last year. He also has an update on Dante winner item, who returns to York this weekend. Billy Nash of Timeform has our weekly update and reflects Johanna Walsh's performance in Saturdays Irish Oaks, as well as a two year-old to note for later this year and next.

The merging of big-technology with the CIA, and general intelligence community, alongside of social and mainstream media, is well-established in both fact and conspiracy lore. However, tracking down the origins of companies like Palantir, Axonius, OpenAI, ShieldAI, Flock Safety, etc., traces the origin of this system of total surveillance mostly to Israel, though countries like China play a role too - though they have worked heavily with Google. Many of the companies involved also derive their names from mythical realms and draw upon the inspiration of the all-seeing eye. Now that eye is infiltrating classrooms. Nvidia-backed Figure AI has been pushed by the White House directly, with its humanoid robot. Now the New York State Salamanca City Central School District is introducing Sally, a lifelike silicone teacher who will know students not by name but ID number. Sally is made by Reealbotix, which draws heavily from the language models of OpenAI, Meta and Google. Two are their hyper-realistic robots were given Hebrew names: Aria and David. Besides robotics, the U.S. has spent $30 billion to replace paper with digital devices in schools. This has reportedly led to a noticeable decline in cognitive ability among Gen Z. Although countries like Japan are famous for electronics, and have implemented similar policies in schools, Japanese students still outperform American students in most areas. Could this mean that perhaps the issue is far more related to effort and study than it is to technology? Then again, according to PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment), Japan had the lowest of all OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries for screen time. A study form the University of Tokyo also found that using paper strengthened brain activity more than screens, which has contributed to some schools taking a hybrid approach -- just like with gasoline and electric vehicles.*The is the FREE archive, which includes advertisements. If you want an ad-free experience, subscribe below.

【一起来读书吧 Bookclub】 我们最近会举办两个读书会活动！ 《台湾漫游录》线下读书会： 8月9日，我们会在纽约中文独立书店Accent Sisters举办《台湾漫游录》线下读书会。故事讲述了1938年日本统治台湾时期，一位年轻的日本女性小说家来到岛上，希望能一路吃穿台湾，在这个过程中她爱上了自己的女性翻译，但却苦于难以克服殖民者与被殖民者之间的鸿沟。这本书今年斩获了国际布克奖，是首部获得这部奖项的华语原著作品。 读书会链接：https://luma.com/yayseynm Apple in China 线上读书会： 7月24日，我们想和大家一起线上共读Patrick McGee 的热销作品 Apple in China。这本书细致讲述了苹果如何在中国建立起现代史上最复杂、最高效的制造与供应链体系之一，也讲述了中国如何成为世界上最有价值公司的关键支柱。作者 Patrick McGee 将在活动最后 30 分钟加入我们，回答大家的问题；问答部分使用英文。 读书会链接：https://luma.com/buwyzrkk We have two book club events coming up soon! "Taiwan Travelogue" In-Person Book Club: On August 9th, we'll be hosting an in-person book club for Taiwan Travelogue at Accent Sisters, a Chinese-language independent bookstore in New York. The story follows a young Japanese novelist who travels to Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period in 1938, hoping to eat and dress her way across the island. Along the way, she falls in love with her female translator, but struggles to overcome the gulf between colonizer and colonized. The book won this year's International Booker Prize, making it the first Chinese-language original work to receive the award. Book club link: https://luma.com/yayseynm On July 24th, we'll be reading Patrick McGee's bestselling book Apple in China together online. The book offers a detailed account of how Apple built one of the most complex and efficient manufacturing and supply chain systems in modern history in China. It also tells the story of how China became a crucial pillar of the world's most valuable company. Author Patrick McGee will join us for the final 30 minutes of the event to answer questions. The Q&A session will be conducted in English. Book club link: https://luma.com/buwyzrkk 【聊了什么The What】 这是一场线下录制内容！ 最近，小杨参加了Same Room纽约播客节，和友台新新人类的主播采薇、残言片语的主播Mercy和喜剧播客唠点扭腰磕的主播Rachel以匮乏时代的流行文化为主题，聊了一期2026流行文化小盘点。 本来有大纲来着，但是四个女的全部失控。录制过程十分快乐，希望你也能听得开心！ This is an in-person recorded episode! Xiao Yang recently attended the Same Room New York Podcast Festival and sat down with hosts from three sister podcasts — Cai Wei from "New New Humans," Mercy from "Fragments of Remaining Words" (残言片语), and Rachel from the comedy podcast "Nagging Points, Twisting Waists" (唠点扭腰磕) — for a conversation about pop culture in a 2026 vibecession. We did have an agenda but that went out of the window - but we had fun, and hope you do too. 【时间轴 The When】 00:00 - 开场：7月及8月线上线下读书会报名指南 01:21 - 播客节现场：四位女性主播的聚首 05:30 - 细聊郑智化轮椅风波：为什么我们难以讨论少数群体的权利 11:29 - TradWife 与利己主义：解析当代女性面对经济下行的心理补偿 18:22 - 文化口红指数：为什么网络上教人“拿结果”的博主大行其道 29:00 - 记者 vs 博主：主流媒体的娱乐化趋势与事实查证的消失 38:45 - 寻找真相的困境：在信息爆炸中感到匮乏的希望 41:25 - 迪拜巧克力走红背后：从视觉与听觉冲击到味觉的割裂 46:09 - 茉莉奶白商战纪实：中国速度与抽象美学在曼哈顿的结合 60:22 - 争议性讨论：关于网红“夏美”与性工作者的可见度困境 67:11 - 拒绝碎片化：如何通过“笨手机”和无聊感重获个人Voice重新注意力对抗无聊 00:00 – Intro: sign-up guide for July and August online/offline book club sessions 01:21 – At the podcast festival: four female hosts come together 05:30 – A close look at the Zheng Zhihua wheelchair controversy: why it's so hard to discuss minority rights 11:29 – Tradwives and self-interest: unpacking the psychological compensation contemporary women seek amid economic downturn 18:22 – The "cultural lipstick index": why influencers teaching people to "get results" are thriving online 29:00 – Journalists vs. influencers: mainstream media's drift toward entertainment and the disappearance of fact-checking 38:45 – The struggle to find truth: feeling a scarcity of hope amid an explosion of information 41:25 – Behind the Dubai chocolate craze: from visual and auditory impact to a disconnect in taste 46:09 – A true account of the Molly Tea (茉莉奶白) price war: Chinese speed and abstract aesthetics colliding in Manhattan 60:22 – A controversial discussion: influencer "Xia Mei" (夏美) and the visibility struggles of sex workers 67:11 – Rejecting fragmentation: reclaiming personal voice and attention through "dumbphones" and embracing boredom 【疲惫红书 CyberRed】 除了播客以外，疲惫娇娃的几个女的在小红书上开了官方账号，我们会不定期发布【疲惫在读】、【疲惫在看】、【疲惫旅行】、【疲惫Vlog】等等更加轻盈、好玩、实验性质的内容。如果你想知道除了播客以外我们在关注什么，快来小红书评论区和我们互动。 Apart from the podcast, we have set up an official account on Xiaohongshu. We will periodically post content such as “CyberPink Reading,” “CyberPink Watching,” “CyberPink Traveling,” “CyberPink Vlog,” and more. Those are lighter, more fun and more experimental stuff about our lives. Leave us some comments on Xiaohongshu! 【买咖啡 Please Support Us】 如果喜欢这期节目并愿意想要给我们买杯咖啡： 海外用户：https://www.patreon.com/cyberpinkfm 海内用户：https://afdian.com/a/cyberpinkfm 商务合作邮箱：cyberpinkfm@gmail.com 商务合作微信：CyberPink2022 If you like our show and want to support us, please consider the following: Those Abroad: https://www.patreon.com/cyberpinkfm Those in China: https://afdian.com/a/cyberpinkfm Business Inquiries Email: cyberpinkfm@gmail.com Business Inquiries WeChat: CyberPink2022

Most of us are familiar with the idea that you need to take 10 thousand steps per day to stay healthy but getting to this magic number is not that easy. The 10,000-step target first became popular in Japan in the 1960s. A clockmaker capitalising on people's new interest in fitness following the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games made a pedometer with a name that, when written in Japanese characters, resembled a walking man and coincidentally translated as “10,000-steps metre.” A study of over 78,000 people in the UK between 2013 and 2015 using wearable trackers was published in the journals JAMA Internal Medicine and JAMA Neurology. Where did we get the number 10 thousand from? Does that mean that we do not need to take 10 steps? So how many steps should I be aiming for per day? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: ⁠⁠Can you eat eggs everyday?⁠⁠ ⁠⁠What is Lucky Girl syndrome, this new method that is all the rage on Tik Tok?⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Which type of wine is best for your health?⁠⁠ A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue. First broadcast: 19/1/2023 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Finding the Perfect Gift: Haruto's Toyko Adventure Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2026-07-21-07-38-19-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 夏の日差しが眩しい中、Harutoは浅草の仲見世通りを歩いていました。En: Under the dazzling summer sun, Haruto was walking down なかみせどおり in あさくさ.Ja: 彼の目にはカラフルな提灯が輝き、鼻には屋台の美味しそうな匂いが漂ってきます。En: Colorful lanterns shone in his eyes, and the delicious smell of the food stalls wafted into his nose.Ja: Harutoは妹の誕生日のために、特別な思い出になるお土産を探しています。En: Haruto was searching for a souvenir that would become a special memory for his sister's birthday.Ja: 「Haruto、どこがいいと思う？」と、彼の幼なじみのYukiが言います。彼女は肩にカラフルなバッグをかけて、楽しそうに周りを見回しています。En: "Haruto, what do you think is good?" said his childhood friend Yuki, who was looking around cheerfully with a colorful bag slung over her shoulder.Ja: 「うん、決めかねてるんだよね」とHarutoは少し心配そうに答えます。「選択肢が多すぎて、迷ってるんだ。」En: "Well, I can't decide," Haruto replied with a slightly worried look. "There are too many options, and I'm confused."Ja: Akiraは笑いながら肩をたたき、「大丈夫さ、行ってみよう！絶対何か見つかるよ。」En: Akira patted his shoulder with a laugh and said, "No worries, let's just go! We'll definitely find something."Ja: 三人は通りを歩き続けます。En: The three of them continued walking along the street.Ja: 風鈴の音が涼しげで、豆菓子屋の横を通り過ぎるたびに、甘い香りが彼らを誘惑します。En: The sound of wind chimes brought a refreshing feeling, and every time they passed by the bean snack shops, the sweet aroma tempted them.Ja: しかし、Harutoはやはり心の中で不安を感じていました。En: However, Haruto still felt anxious inside.Ja: 「Haruto、お土産屋のおばあちゃんに聞いてみたら？」とYukiが突然提案します。En: "Haruto, why don't you ask the grandma at the souvenir shop?" Yuki suddenly suggested.Ja: 「彼女は色々なことを知ってるから、きっといいアドバイスがもらえるよ。」En: "She knows a lot of things, so I'm sure you'll get some good advice."Ja: 彼はそれを聞いて、少しホッとした表情を見せます。En: Hearing this, he looked somewhat relieved.Ja: 「そうだね、試してみる価値があるね」と彼は言って、小さな店の中に入ります。En: "That's a good idea, it's worth trying," he said as he entered the small store.Ja: 店内は少し暗く、しっとりとした落ち着いた雰囲気です。En: The store was a bit dark, with a calm and composed atmosphere.Ja: 古い木のカウンターの向こう側に、お店のおばあちゃんが優しい目で迎えてくれます。En: Beyond the old wooden counter, the shop's grandma greeted them with kind eyes.Ja: 「こんにちは、若い方。何をお探しかしら？」と彼女は笑顔で話しかけてきます。En: "Hello, young one. What are you looking for?" she asked with a smile.Ja: 「妹のための特別なお土産を探しているんですが、何かおすすめはありますか？」とHarutoは尋ねます。En: "I'm looking for a special souvenir for my sister. Do you have any recommendations?" Haruto inquired.Ja: 彼女は考え込むように少し黙った後、小さな声で言いました。「あそこの通りにある隠れたお店が、手作りの扇子を販売しているわよ。En: After a moment of contemplation, she spoke softly, "There's a hidden shop down the street that sells handmade fans.Ja: 名前も入れてくれるから、ぴったりだと思う。」En: They can even put a name on them, so I think it would be perfect."Ja: Harutoは顔を明るくして、「ありがとうございます！」と感謝の気持ちでいっぱいになり、急いでその店へと向かいました。En: Haruto brightened up and said, "Thank you so much!" filled with gratitude, and hurried over to the store she mentioned.Ja: やっとのことで彼はその店を見つけます。小さな看板があり、その店の扇子はまるで絵画のように美しいデザインが施されています。En: He finally found the shop, where a small sign displayed the fans that were as beautifully designed as paintings.Ja: Harutoはそこで、妹の名前を彫ってもらうことができる扇子を選びました。En: Haruto chose a fan on which they could engrave his sister's name.Ja: 帰り道、Harutoは心の中で満足感でいっぱいになりました。En: On the way back, Haruto was filled with a sense of satisfaction.Ja: 彼は名古屋での家族の集まりが待ちどおしいと感じました。En: He looked forward to the family gathering in なごや.Ja: この経験を通して、Harutoは自分の直感を信じることの大切さや、迷ったときには助けを求める勇気を得ました。En: Through this experience, Haruto gained the importance of trusting his instincts and the courage to seek help when in doubt.Ja: 彼はこれからの新しい挑戦に対して、自信を持って向き合うことでしょう。En: He would face new challenges ahead with confidence.Ja: 納得と安心を胸に、彼は仲見世通りを後にしました。En: With conviction and reassurance in his heart, he left なかみせどおり. Vocabulary Words:dazzling: 眩しいlanterns: 提灯wafted: 漂ってsouvenir: お土産slung: かけてcontemplation: 考え込むengrave: 彫ってもらうrefreshing: 涼しげtempted: 誘惑contemplation: 考え込むhandmade: 手作りengrave: 彫るcomposed: 落ち着いたreassurance: 安心conviction: 納得gratitude: 感謝anxious: 不安recommendations: おすすめaroma: 香りcheerfully: 楽しそうにinstincts: 直感courage: 勇気gathering: 集まりadvice: アドバイスkind eyes: 優しい目paintings: 絵画slightly: 少しhidden: 隠れたconfidence: 自信worth trying: 試してみる価値がある

What do Japanese people think of foreigners? Are tourists welcome in Japan? We discuss the popular and unpopular opinions of how tourists are perceived in Japan, as well as our own experiences of interacting with locals. We also share a recent story from a public bath house where one Japanese man got all hot and bothered... You get what you pay for!Help support the show and access the Lost & Found section. This week, we relive an evening we spent at the Tokyo Comedy Bar, where we witnessed the most awkward and offensive stand up routine we could have imagined!Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripologypodcastSend us your travel stories: https://tripologypodcast.squarespace.com/talesofatripLeave us a message: ⁠https://www.tripologypodcast.com/⁠Need travel insurance? We recommend SafetyWing! Click here to get started: ⁠⁠⁠https://safetywing.com/?referenceID=26035801&utm_source=26035801&utm_medium=AmbassadorRequire an onward flight? Please use this fantastic flight rental service: ⁠⁠⁠https://onwardticket.com/tripologypodcast⁠⁠⁠Discord: https://discord.gg/EbgUgADjpInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tripologypodcast/ X: https://x.com/tripologypodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tripologypodcastThank you for your continued support. It means the world.

Trying to shield Henderson Field with carrier based aircraft, Japanese submarines go hunting for them. Their successes further weaken Adm. Nimitz's offensive air arm. Want to go beyond the battlefield with The History of WWII Podcast? Dive deeper into the war with exclusive bonus episodes, expert interviews, and commercial-free listening for just $5/month! Every penny supports the show and keeps the history coming. https://worldwariipodcast.net/members/ Donations are always welcome and help keep the History of WWII Podcast free for all. https://bit.ly/3UuTZxU  Follow The History of WWII Podcast: RSS – https://feeds.megaphone.fm/history-of-world-war-ii Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/wwii45 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rayharrisjr/ TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wwiiguy YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@historyofwwiipodcast8712 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last time we spoke about the Miluo River Catastrophe. On September 17, General Xue Yue, watching alarming reconnaissance telegrams, learns the Japanese 11th Army has massed across the north bank of the Xinqiang River—3rd, 4th, 6th, and 40th Divisions—alongside additional detachments. Chinese operatives even intercept a Japanese order directing divisions to prepare for an attack on September 18. Despite this, Xue Yue's decisions and readiness remain inadequate. By September 21–23, the fighting at and around the Miluo River and Dongting Lake destroys the 37th Army's ability to function as a coherent combat force. The disaster as both tactical collapse and a failure of planning: Japanese interception and decoding of radio orders allow them to shift toward encirclement, turning Chinese movements into a "trap" laid in advance.   #211 The Japanese Blunt China's Iron Army at Changsha Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. The four divisions that had stormed into northern Hunan had made good progress, achieving the victory of defeating three main Chinese armies in quick succession. General Anami Korechika, commanding the Japanese forces, was secretly pleased, but he dared not slacken his efforts in the slightest. He was a methodical man, and he understood that the contest was not yet decided. Every day, his intelligence officers placed before him a stream of intercepted Chinese military telegrams and aerial reconnaissance reports. What they showed gave him reason for both confidence and caution. Two significant forces were moving toward the battlefield — forces unlike those he had so far encountered. One of them was Chiang Kai-shek's elite 74th Army, a formation whose reputation had reached Anami long before, from his time at headquarters in Tokyo. The other was the 10th Army, considered second only to the 74th in quality and fighting spirit.   The 74th Army was no ordinary unit. It had been rigorously trained under German and Soviet instructors specially hired by Chiang Kai-shek, its officers schooled in both European combined-arms doctrine and Soviet tactical flexibility. It was characterized by its disciplined offensive and defensive tactics and was lavishly equipped by the standards of the Chinese military. Most remarkably, it had maintained an undefeated record on the battlefield since the beginning of the war — a distinction that had earned it the title of "Iron Army of the Anti-Japanese War" among the Chinese people. In the high command of the Imperial Japanese Army, it was referred to, with a mixture of respect and wariness, as the Tora no Ko — the "Tiger Child" — meaning, in essence, the ace in the enemy's hand.   The 10th Army was held in nearly equal esteem. The deployment of either of these two formations required the personal approval of Chiang Kai-shek himself. The Generalissimo's principle for employing them was clear and deliberate: they were to be committed only to the most critical battles, those that would decide outcomes, or to the most prominent ones, where their prowess could demonstrate the might of the Chinese army to a watching nation. Since the outbreak of the war, the 74th Army had been kept in reserve at Fenyi in Jiangxi Province, and the 10th Army at Hengyang in southern Hunan. Both forces had been conserving their strength, training, and waiting.   Now Anami's relentless offensive had forced Chiang Kai-shek's hand. The battle situation had tilted dangerously under the weight of Japanese pressure, and the fall of several elite units had left the Chinese commander of the Ninth War Zone, General Xue Yue, with little room to maneuver. Xue Yue had no choice but to appeal to Chongqing for help, and Chiang Kai-shek, reluctantly and with full awareness of the risks, agreed to release his two trump cards. Anami, having mastered his opponent's intentions through his intelligence apparatus, now found himself in the rare and advantageous position of a card player who could see his opponent's hole cards. He carefully planned his battle strategy, studying maps late into the night, conferring with his officers, and calculating how best to neutralize the Chinese elite before they could bring their full weight to bear. He knew that his life's honor, his career, and his legacy rested on this one gamble.   Li Yutang, the commander of the 10th Army, was from Guangrao in Shandong Province — a place that had given China more than its share of fighting men. He was a graduate of the first class of the illustrious Whampoa Military Academy, where he had trained alongside men who would go on to shape the fate of China. At the academy, he had been part of a celebrated group known informally as the "Four Lis of Shandong": himself, Li Xianzhou, Li Yannian, and Li Hanfan. The first three would all rise to significant commands in the Nationalist army. The fourth, Li Hanfan, a native of Changqing in Shandong, had taken an entirely different path, joining the Communist Party of China and fighting the same war under a different flag. In later years, the group became known as the "Three Lis of Shandong," the fourth having parted ways with his classmates long before the guns fell silent.   Li Yutang had not risen quickly or through privilege. He embodied the hardworking, resilient, and tenacious qualities long associated with the men of Shandong — qualities forged by a hard land and harder circumstances. He had climbed the ranks of the army step by step: platoon leader, company commander, battalion commander, regimental commander. Each step had been earned through performance under fire. When Japan launched its full-scale invasion in 1937, Li Yutang was serving as commander of the 3rd Division of the 2nd Army under Li Yannian, participating in the brutal Battle of Shanghai in August of that year. He fought in the grinding urban warfare along the Suzhou Creek, learning lessons in modern combat that would serve him for the rest of the war. The following spring, in March and April of 1938, he led his troops in the Battle of Xuzhou, holding the Linyi line northeast of Taierzhuang, blocking the Japanese 5th Division under Itagaki Seishiro from breaking through to reinforce the embattled Japanese forces at that critical engagement. His handling of the defense contributed to one of the few early Chinese battlefield successes of the war.   For his performance at Xuzhou, he was promoted to commander of the 8th Army. During the Battle of Wuhan in 1938, he led his troops in major engagements against the Japanese 101st and 106th Divisions along the Nanxun Railway, inflicting significant casualties on the attackers. After that campaign, General Xue Yue, recognizing both Li's talent and his Shandong origins — Shandong being home to Mount Tai, the foremost of China's Five Sacred Mountains — personally inscribed a banner reading "Mount Tai Army" and formally presented it to Li Yutang's 8th Army. Chiang Kai-shek added his own recognition, awarding Li Huazhou a medal. In the Battle of Nanchang, Li Yutang again distinguished himself, leading his troops in the defense of Wuning for ten days and ten nights of uninterrupted fighting. When the battle was over, Japanese soldiers lay piled in front of his defensive lines, and the name "Taishan Army" was on every officer's lips from Chongqing to the front. After the First Battle of Changsha in 1939, Chiang Kai-shek personally nominated Li Yutang to take command of the 10th Army — the posting that would now define his legacy. The orders came on September 20, 1941 — three days after the Japanese forces had broken through the Xiangbei defense line in the north. General Xue Yue's summons reached Li Yutang's headquarters in Hengyang, and the 10th Army began immediate preparations for movement to the battlefield.   The mobilization was extraordinary even by the standards of an army that prided itself on discipline and fighting spirit. Li Yutang addressed his men, and the response was unlike anything a commander might ordinarily expect. He received wave after wave of letters — requests to be placed at the front, declarations of determination, pledges to die before surrendering. Some of the letters were written in ordinary ink. Others had been written in blood, the soldier biting his own finger to draw enough for a few lines. These were not men who needed to be driven to battle. They were men who had spent months training for precisely this moment.   Their preparation had been rigorous to the point of fanaticism. For six months before the order came, the 10th Army had conducted intensive training in the three core skills of infantry combat: marksmanship, grenade throwing, and bayonet fighting. The Ministry of National Defense had set a standard that considered a unit successful if one quarter of its men scored "top-tier" in each category. Chiang Kai-shek had personally raised the bar for the 10th Army: eighty percent of every unit must score "top-tier," with the remainder no lower than "excellent." Any unit falling short would face elimination. When the assessments were completed, the result was unambiguous — one hundred percent of the army had met the standard.   Over 30,000 men boarded seven special trains at Hengyang, their military songs and mobilization slogans ringing through the station as families and bystanders watched them depart. The troops traveled by train to Zhuzhou, then transferred to motor vehicles for the road north to Changsha, arriving in the Jinjing area — some seventy kilometers northeast of the city — on September 22nd. They had moved with professional speed. What awaited them would test something no training exercise could fully replicate. From the moment of arrival, the situation was clear to any officer with eyes: the 10th Army had stepped into chaos. However, given the already established passive situation, the 10th Army was like a leaf caught in a whirlpool as soon as it arrived on the battlefield. General Xue Yue, at the Ninth War Zone Command, immediately ordered the entire army to support the besieged 37th Army and simultaneously launch an offensive against the Japanese 3rd Division. It was an ambitious order for troops who had just completed a multi-day journey and had not yet oriented themselves to the ground. Nevertheless, Li Yutang passed the order down and his divisions began to move.   The first division to feel the dislocating effect of high command's demands was Zhu Yue's 190th Division. On September 23rd, the vanguard regiment of the 190th made contact with Japanese forces and was preparing to engage. Before a single shot was fired in earnest, Division Commander Zhu Yue received a telegram from army headquarters ordering him to abandon his current position and rush immediately to Shending Mountain to relieve the siege of the 140th Division of the 37th Army. The order brooked no delay. The troops dropped their baggage where it lay and ran — truly ran, in light order — to the vicinity of Shending Mountain.   They had barely formed ranks at their new position when a second telegram arrived from General Xue Yue. The 190th Division was to immediately reverse course and return to the Fulipu area to establish a defensive line and block the Japanese advance southward. Another forced march, exhausting men who had already marched and traveled for days. They arrived at the designated position on time — a testimony to their conditioning — and Zhu Yue established his division headquarters at Liangjiaduan, near Fulipu. After all the aimless marching and countermanding orders, after all the wasted energy and fruitless attempts, the troops were running on the last of their reserves. They worked through the night constructing fortifications with shovels and bare hands. Just as the first light of dawn revealed the outline of their new positions, the Japanese army advanced.   General Toyoshima Fusataro's Japanese 3rd Division had not rested. It had decisively defeated the 37th Army on the night of the 23rd and turned immediately, without pause, to attack the 190th Division. The blow came from the sky before it came from the ground. At dawn, more than ten Japanese planes swept down over Zhu Yue's division headquarters — seemingly guided, as the Chinese soldiers would later say, as if they had eyes in their heads, so accurate was the targeting. The small village that housed the headquarters was bombed almost to the ground. Dust and smoke billowed over the ruins as the aircraft banked away, and before it had settled, over a thousand Japanese infantrymen, seemingly springing from the earth itself, rushed forward directly toward the headquarters position. The regiment commanders, still at their positions elsewhere, could not be recalled in time.   Division Commander Zhu Yue did not hesitate. He drew his pistol and began commanding his subordinate units to fight back, rallying the headquarters staff and support troops into a perimeter defense. Under the fierce and accurate Japanese fire, Zhu Yue was hit by a bullet in his right arm. Then another round struck him in the left leg, and he went down. Almost simultaneously, Deputy Division Commander Lai Shixiang took command of the nearest available men and attempted to lead a breakout with a machine gun. An enemy mortar round found its mark, and Lai Shixiang was killed instantly. The division headquarters personnel, already shocked by the swiftness of the attack and the wounding of their commander, broke into disorder. Chaos erupted on the battlefield. Many soldiers ran blindly in the smoke and confusion, dying in the crossfire from multiple directions.   Division Chief of Staff Tao Xiu, now acting as deputy division commander with Zhu Yue incapacitated, took hold of the situation as best he could. He led the remnants of the headquarters staff in retreat toward a hollow in a grove of trees near the edge of the village. When the headcount was taken, approximately twenty men remained capable of fighting. It was already ten o'clock in the morning. Tao Xiu gathered these few men and led them along a small path through the dense forest on the outskirts of the village, bypassing Liangjiaduan, searching for the dispersed units of the division.   Out on the main positions, the 568th, 569th, and 570th Regiments were simultaneously surrounded and attacked. The officers and soldiers, exhausted from days and nights of continuous fighting, summoned what remained of their endurance and put up a tenacious resistance. From dawn until the afternoon, several positions were cut off and divided by Japanese encircling movements. In the ever-shrinking pockets, each cluster of defenders became an isolated target for enemy aircraft and artillery. Completely losing the initiative, groups of officers and soldiers perished in the shelling. Many of them died not in defiance but in something closer to despair — regretting this humiliating reversal, the waste of their patriotic aspirations, their unfulfilled desire to fight and kill the enemy on their own terms.   By evening, the regimental commanders had lost control of their respective battalions and companies. The remaining soldiers on each position scattered and concealed themselves in whatever ground offered cover, hiding in all directions across the darkening hills. It was not until midnight that the lightly wounded and unwounded officers and soldiers managed to assemble, as the contingency plan had directed, in a dense forest on the southwest side of the position. Division Commander Zhu Yue, wounded in both his arm and his leg, had been sent to the rear to receive treatment. Acting Deputy Division Commander Tao Xiu stood before the assembled survivors — more than two hundred men gathered from the regiments — and offered them quiet words of comfort. There was little else he could give them. The people present carried the seriously wounded on improvised stretchers and supported the lightly wounded with their arms and shoulders, groping their way through the darkness toward Zhuzhou. The 10th Reserve Division, under Commander Fang Xianjue, had been assigned to hold the Jinjing line — a position that, on paper, formed an anchor of the defensive scheme. In practice, the situation was deeply flawed from the outset. The Ninth War Zone Command had placed the 10th Reserve Division alone at Jinjing with no depth behind it and no friendly forces on either flank — an isolated salient that offered the Japanese every opportunity for encirclement.   On the 23rd, the division captured the Kanai line at noon, an initial success that promised more than it delivered. Around six o'clock in the evening, as darkness gathered, General Kanda Masatsuka arrived at the front with the vanguard of the Japanese 6th Division. He was not a man to move without information. Before committing to a full assault, Kanda ordered a probing attack and watched its progress carefully through binoculars from a small hill behind the advancing force. What he saw gave him pause. However he searched for a weak point in the Chinese line, the defenders showed none. No gap in the wire, no position carelessly manned, no sector that sagged under pressure. Kanda lowered his binoculars and considered his next step. He felt this was indeed an elite unit with excellent tactical skills, and should not be underestimated. He ordered a halt to the attack and waited for the full arrival of his division's strength.   On the morning of the 24th, the Japanese launched their proper assault — a fierce attack from the east, north, and west simultaneously. The three-directional pressure was designed to pin the defenders and deny any lateral reinforcement. Kanda went further, requesting permission from General Anami to concentrate all thirty-plus bombers available for the entire battlefield and direct them at the 10th Reserve Division's positions in a single concentrated raid. Anami granted the request. The bombing was devastating. The defending positions were almost completely destroyed from the air. Yet in the ruins of their fortifications and bunkers, the soldiers of the 10th Reserve Division continued fighting, repelling Japanese ground attacks wave after wave through the rubble and the smoke.   At two o'clock in the afternoon, a report reached Fang Xianjue that halted him in his tracks. A Japanese regiment had executed a large-scale outflanking maneuver around the south side of Jinjing and was approaching the rear of the position. The encirclement was closing. Fang Xianjue was shocked. He now grasped in full the tactical impossibility of his assignment. The Ninth War Zone Command had placed the 10th Reserve Division here alone, exposed on all sides, without depth and without support. The order to "block the enemy's southward advance" had been an empty promise from the start. Fang Xianjue could not understand the strategic intention behind the deployment at all — there was none that made any tactical sense. The only purpose of holding out here, he concluded bitterly, was to theoretically be seen to be "fighting the Japanese." Before Fang Xianjue could translate his analysis into a decision, the Japanese troops launched another fierce attack from the front and both flanks, and one side of the defensive line was breached. The situation became critical. Fang Xianjue decided to withdraw before the encircling force to the south could complete its movement and seal off all escape. He did not have time to seek authorization from the war zone — there was no time. He ordered each regiment to organize its own breakout and reassemble at designated locations.   At four o'clock in the afternoon, Fang Xianjue led the division headquarters in the first withdrawal from the battlefield. Looking back as he departed, he watched as the regiments were cut apart by Japanese fire, large numbers of officers and soldiers falling among the mountain ridges and into the ditches and gullies. There was nothing more he could do for them.   By the 25th, approximately half of the division's troops had reached the designated reception point. After a hasty reorganization, they were ordered to occupy positions along the Xueshi Bridge line and prepare to resume the defense. That same evening, a portion of the Japanese 3rd Division — fresh from its defeat of the 190th Division — launched a fierce attack on Xueshi Bridge. The positions could not be held. The scene of the previous day's rout was repeated almost exactly, and this second defeat completed the destruction of the 10th Reserve Division as a coherent fighting force. General Xue Yue's rebuke reached Fang Xianjue shortly afterward, and the division commander had no way to express the depth of his frustration — the tactical position he had been placed in had made his assignment impossible before the first shot was fired. On the 26th, he led the surviving troops to be received and reorganized by war zone units near Changsha. Compared to the bitter fates of the 190th Division and the 10th Reserve Division, Zhou Qingxiang's 3rd Division wrote a different kind of story in these same days — one of extraordinary tactical competence maintained against mounting odds. In the equally fierce battles, the 3rd Division demonstrated the qualities of an elite force more effectively than any other unit on either side.   On the 22nd, the 3rd Division had been ordered to establish positions two kilometers east of Fulipu. At noon on the 24th, after the Japanese 3rd Division defeated Zhu Yue's 190th Division, a portion of the Japanese force turned and attacked the right flank of Zhou Qingxiang's position. It was repelled. That evening, the Japanese 4th Division, riding the momentum of its success against the 37th Army, launched a night attack on the 3rd Division's left flank. It too was repelled. On the 25th, Zhou Qingxiang's division was attacked from both sides simultaneously by the main forces of two Japanese divisions — forces that outnumbered the defenders several times over. The officers and soldiers of the entire division showed no fear. They fought bravely and with skill honed by months of intensive preparation, holding their lines despite heavy casualties and preventing the Japanese from breaking through at any point.   When word of this resistance was relayed to General Anami Korechika at his headquarters, he fell into a long, uncharacteristic silence. He studied the reports before him, the maps, the casualty tallies on both sides. Then he turned to his chief of staff, General Isamu Kinoshita. "This is the elite force," Anami said quietly. He paused a moment, and added: "I really want to go there and see for myself." The compliment, delivered in the private setting of a Japanese headquarters, was perhaps the most honest assessment of the fighting quality of Zhou Qingxiang's men that history has preserved.   Anami's response, however, was not admiration — it was determination to overwhelm. On the morning of the 26th, he concentrated nearly the entire combat power available to him against the single 3rd Division: units drawn from the Japanese 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 40th Divisions — close to 100,000 men — were directed to surround and destroy the Chinese formation. The 3rd Division stubbornly held its ground despite catastrophic casualties, the soldiers refusing to give way even as the perimeter contracted and the dead accumulated.   To ease the relentless pressure from enemy aircraft, the division commanders made a calculated decision: all positions were ordered to allow the Japanese troops to close to hand-to-hand fighting range. If the enemy was within arm's reach, the bombers above could not strike without killing their own men. Several instances of fierce hand-to-hand fighting erupted across the defensive line as a result — bayonets, shovels, pistols and bare hands in the broken earth and shell craters. By noon, the 8th Regiment had been divided and surrounded. Shortly afterward, the 7th and 9th Regiments met the same fate. Zhou Qingxiang moved the division headquarters to the position of the 7th Regiment to maintain command over his most accessible unit, while the deputy division commander and chief of staff were dispatched to coordinate the independent defense of the 8th and 9th Regiments respectively. For another half day, each of the three regimental pockets fought alone. At dusk, Zhou Qingxiang ordered a breakout.   As darkness fell, exploiting the brief respite that came when the Japanese halted their attacks for the night, each regiment burst simultaneously from its position. Carefully prepared covering detachments remained behind and created convincing feints toward false breakout directions, drawing the enemy's main pursuit forces away from the actual withdrawal routes. The deceptions worked. By the time the Japanese commanders understood what had happened, the breakout had succeeded. Officers and soldiers filtered into the designated reception point in small groups — three men here, five there — arriving through the night and into the following morning. When the count was complete, the 3rd Division was a remnant of less than one-fifth of its pre-battle strength. The finest infantry division in the 10th Army had bled itself almost dry, but it had done so on its own terms, and it had extracted as much as it was possible to extract from an impossible situation.   On September 27th, a chilly autumn wind blew across the city of Changsha. At the playground of Lizhong Middle School in the eastern part of the city, Li Yutang stood and watched the survivors of his divisions come in. A week before, on September 20th, more than 30,000 men had departed Hengyang aboard seven special trains. Their military songs had filled the railway station. Their letters of determination, some written in blood, had been stacked on Li Yutang's desk. Their training scores were the highest ever recorded for a Chinese army unit — a perfect one hundred percent of "top-tier" achievement across all three infantry skills. They had been, by every measurable standard, the finest army China could produce.   Standing now at the playground of a secondary school repurposed as a muster point, Li Yutang looked at what remained: a little over 2,000 men, including lightly wounded soldiers from Changsha who had been caught up in the fighting and bandaged civilians who had taken up arms. Two thousand, from thirty thousand. What had happened to the others? They were dead. They were injured. They were maimed. Some had broken under the pressure and run. The accounting was simple and devastating. Li Yutang's expression remained dignified as he inspected his survivors — the face of a commander who understood that bearing is required of officers precisely in the moments when bearing costs the most. But his heart was filled with tears. Perhaps soon, he reflected, there would be another 10th Army — still heroic and spirited, still singing loudly as it went to war. But it would not be the same one.   History has no gaps or blank pages. The story of the 10th Army's ordeal was barely complete before the next chapter began. Reluctantly, one must turn the page. Following the 10th Army, Wang Yaowu's 74th Army also suffered a crushing defeat. Wang Yaowu had received his orders from Commander Xue on September 21st and had immediately begun moving his three divisions from their cantonments at Fenyi and Xinyu in Jiangxi Province. The 74th Army was composed of three divisions: the 51st Division under Li Tianxia, the 57th Division under Yu Chengwan, and the 58th Division under Liao Lingqi. These were the formations that had kept the "Iron Army" undefeated through four years of brutal warfare. Their code names told their own story — the 51st Division was called "Frontline," the 57th was called "Tiger Warrior," and the 58th was called "Exhilarating." Wang Yaowu had personally chosen the code name for the army headquarters: "Brilliant." Chiang Kai-shek himself had once remarked, "Of all the code names, yours is the best." It was a small distinction, but one that Wang Yaowu quietly cherished.   What Wang Yaowu did not know — could not know, for Anami's intelligence network had kept the preparation perfectly concealed — was that Anami Korechika had been monitoring his movements since the order to deploy was first issued. The Japanese commander had already selected the terrain, positioned his units, and laid the trap. He was waiting for the 74th Army's arrival.   On the 25th, Wang Yaowu led the 57th Division into the battlefield first, marching rapidly as Xue Yue had directed to Chunhua Mountain on the north bank of the Laodao River, east of Changsha, to occupy positions and cover the main force's deployment. On the evening of the 25th, the 169th and 170th Regiments of the 57th Division arrived at the south side of Chunhua Mountain and encountered a Japanese search party of over a hundred men. The 169th Regiment swiftly cut off the small force's escape route, coordinating effectively with the 170th. The Japanese detachment suffered heavy casualties, and the survivors fled toward Chunhua Mountain. When part of the 170th Regiment reached the foot of the mountain, they ran into a much larger Japanese force coming down to meet them — and learned in that moment that Chunhua Mountain had already been occupied by the enemy.   Wang Yaowu responded instantly. To seize the initiative before the Japanese could consolidate, he ordered two regiments to assault Chunhua Mountain that same night. Around midnight, the troops advanced in silence through the dark. After a fierce night battle, two Japanese battalions were unable to hold against the assault and withdrew in the early hours of the morning. The 57th Division had its foothold. At dawn on the 26th, a regiment from the 57th Division followed up the night's success, and Yu Chengwan positioned the division along the Chunhua Mountain line. As the morning advanced, the 51st and 58th Divisions arrived to complete the deployment. Following Xue Yue's orders, Wang Yaowu spread his force across the line: the 57th Division at Chishi River, the 58th Division at Chunhua Mountain itself, and the 51st Division at Fengjiang Bridge. They were ready. Or so it appeared.   At dawn on the 27th, Wang Yaowu went on the offensive. The 57th Division launched a surprise attack on the camp of the main force regiment of the Japanese 3rd Division. The Japanese were caught entirely unprepared — the attack came in total darkness, and the camp was thrown into chaos before anyone could organize a coherent response. The Japanese managed to form some kind of defense only as the first light of dawn broke, and through the morning the two armies clashed furiously. By mid-morning, the Japanese had been forced back three kilometers — a genuine and significant victory achieved through aggression and timing.   Then, at eight o'clock, the Japanese 3rd Division launched its counterattack with the support of dozens of aircraft — fighter-bombers diving low over the Chunhua Mountain positions, strafing and bombing. Both armies knew themselves to be elite formations; each had its country's reputation riding on the outcome. They clashed with corresponding ferocity.   Around noon, Wang Yaowu climbed to the rooftop of a farmhouse and studied the Japanese battle line through his field glasses. What he saw was encouraging: a breach had appeared in the enemy's formation to the north of Chunhua Mountain — a gap that, if exploited quickly, could roll up the Japanese flank. He ordered Li Hanqing, the infantry commander of the 51st Division, to take two regiments and execute an outflanking maneuver through that gap, striking the Japanese from the side. An hour later, Li Hanqing's movement succeeded. The Japanese forces were thrown into disarray, breaking rearward in a rout. For one brief hour, it seemed as though the 74th Army might achieve a decisive success. Then the Japanese 4th Division arrived. It swept in from behind Li Hanqing's flanking force, surrounding his two regiments before they could extract themselves. In the desperate fighting of the breakout attempt, Li Hanqing was shot and killed.   In the afternoon, with two of its regiments lost to encirclement and its flanking stroke reversed, the 57th Division found itself holding off two full Japanese divisions alone. The fighting continued — artillery, rifle fire, close assaults — until nightfall dimmed the battlefield. The division had suffered over 3,000 casualties, and more than half of all commanders below battalion level had been killed or wounded. Division Commander Yu Chengwan conferred with Wang Yaowu over the field telephone, and together they decided to withdraw the troops to prepared positions to hold through the night.   Meanwhile, on the same 27th of September, Liao Lingqi's 58th Division at Chunhua Mountain was subjected to a separate and equally devastating assault by the Japanese 6th Division, reinforced by elements of the 3rd Division. The positions at Chunhua Mountain were compact and clustered — ideal targets for concentrated aerial bombardment. The Japanese bombers came in two waves, and after both had passed, the hastily constructed earthen fortifications were almost entirely destroyed. Across what had been the defensive line, limbs and broken bodies could be seen among the wreckage. The entire division had suffered devastating casualties.   Beginning at nine o'clock in the morning, tens of thousands of Japanese troops launched successive offensive waves, methodically dividing the defensive line into sections and breaking through each one in turn. The defenders engaged the Japanese in hand-to-hand combat at position after position, gunfire and the shouts of bayonet fighters filling the smoke-thickened air. At two o'clock in the afternoon, the Chunhua Mountain defense line collapsed. The surviving soldiers attempted to break out in small groups, but many were intercepted and cut down by Japanese forces waiting along the escape routes.   Wang Yaowu was seething. He directed the battle from wherever he could find a usable vantage point, issuing orders in rapid succession — one moment ordering the 51st Division to send reinforcements to Chunhua Mountain, the next directing the army's directly subordinate regiments to absorb the shattered remnants of the 58th Division, then ordering the 57th Division to block Japanese forces from reinforcing the encirclement. He was everywhere at once, doing the work of a staff of twenty, improvising responses to crises that unfolded faster than any plan could accommodate. And as he directed, the same thought played and replayed: wasn't the Ninth War Zone just feeding them to the wolves? They had jumped into the enemy's encirclement without any initiative, while the enemy could attack from whatever direction they chose. He had nowhere to vent his frustration on the battlefield, only able to fend for himself. While directing the battle, he cursed under his breath: "What kind of hell is this?!"   As dusk fell over the chaos, the gunfire gradually subsided. The Japanese as a rule did not launch night attacks — a pattern the Chinese had come to rely upon for the brief respite it offered. Li Tianxia, commander of the 51st Division, concentrated his troops from the flanks toward the center to consolidate a defensible perimeter. The 57th Division, adjacent to the 51st and badly diminished by the day's fighting, did the same. Both divisions settled into their positions, and the exhausted soldiers lay down fully clothed, weapons in hand, and tried to rest. At midnight, the battlefield exploded.   Fierce gunfire roused the soldiers from whatever shallow sleep they had found. Two elite regiments of the Japanese 6th Division had broken through the gap that had opened between the positions of the 51st and 57th Divisions — a gap created by both units pulling inward — and were driving directly toward the headquarters of the 74th Army. In Wang Yaowu's many years of battlefield experience, this was the only instance he ever encountered of a large Japanese force launching a major attack at night.   The knowledge of terrain displayed by the attacking Japanese regiments was so precise, the route to army headquarters so accurately selected, that it raised immediate suspicions of an intelligence compromise — an inside source who had provided the attackers with maps and positions. Whatever the explanation, the effect was devastating. The headquarters' directly subordinate regiment and guard battalion were outnumbered and quickly overwhelmed. They fought where they could, but the Japanese pushed through them.   The guard platoon leader, a man who had served at Wang Yaowu's side through numerous campaigns, gathered several of his best soldiers and formed a close escort. He led Wang Yaowu into the darkness as the Japanese closed around the headquarters compound. More than a hundred Japanese soldiers gave chase — moving through the dark with a sureness of foot that seemed almost preternatural, as if they had developed night vision. The platoon leader recognized that Wang Yaowu could not outrun a hundred men. He shouted to the general and the remaining escort: "Go quickly!" Then he and a single machine gunner turned and stayed behind. Wang Yaowu ran. A few minutes later, the machine gunner was killed. Shortly after that, the platoon leader was shot through the leg and fell to the ground. He was captured.   Wang Yaowu threw himself into the grass beside a drainage ditch and lay still as Japanese soldiers searched the ground around him, their voices close enough to touch. From his hiding place, he heard his platoon leader — the man who had been at his side day and night, who had chosen to stay behind so that his general might live — cursing the Japanese soldiers from the ground where he lay captured and wounded. Then a Japanese officer drew his sword. The cursing stopped. The Japanese soldiers moved on. The gunfire subsided. Wang Yaowu lay in the grass in the dark and did not move until he was certain they were gone. When he crawled out of the bushes, he looked up at the stars, found the direction of Liuyang, and began walking in the darkness with the few guards who had stayed close. He walked until dawn.   Since joining the army, Wang Yaowu had never allowed himself to think about fear of death. He had spent too many years on battlefields, seen too much death and bloodshed, to entertain it as a personal concern. This time, however, he was in tears. Not from sadness, and not from fear. From something harder to name and harder to bear: frustration — the frustration of a capable commander who had been committed to battle by a higher command that neither understood the ground nor provided him the support to fight on it, and who had watched good men die for orders that made no tactical sense.   In the aftermath of the battle, Wang Yaowu's grief was compounded by something beyond the ordinary losses of combat. The 27th alone had cost the 57th Division nearly half its strength, and the 58th Division had been essentially wiped out as a fighting formation. Of his three powerful divisions, only the 51st remained relatively intact. In war, such losses, however painful, are comprehensible. What happened next was not. Liao Lingqi, the commander of the 58th Division — one of the three officers Wang Yaowu had called his "tigers" — did not remain with his shattered troops to regroup and reorganize them. Instead, after the division's collapse, he slipped away from the battlefield with only his personal guards, changed into civilian clothes, and boarded a train bound for his hometown of Qiyang in southern Hunan to visit his family.   By unhappy chance, a senior staff officer from the Ninth War Zone was aboard the same train. He recognized Liao Lingqi and watched, saying nothing, as the division commander traveled south in civilian dress while his men lay dead on Chunhua Mountain. Upon arriving in Hengyang, the officer went directly to report the incident to General Xue Yue. Xue Yue instructed the Military Law Supervision Department to investigate and referred the case to the Military Commission's Military Law Enforcement Directorate on charges of desertion in the face of the enemy. At that point, in that situation, there was nothing Wang Yaowu could say. He had no words left. He had given everything he had to the battle, and this was what greeted him at the end of it.   The elite 74th Army, with its heroic spirit and its unbroken record, had captured the imagination of the Chinese nation and the hearts of countless young men. When soldiers of the 74th Army returned to their hometowns on leave, they wore their elite status openly, and the prestige of the unit was such that families sought them as sons-in-law. Young men who enlisted and were not selected for the 74th Army were known to weep. What a fine unit. But this time, the trap had been perfectly laid, and the intelligence had been mastered. Anami had looked at his opponent's hole cards and played accordingly. He had concentrated overwhelming force, moved with coordination and speed, and exploited the confusion generated by contradictory orders from the Ninth War Zone Command. The Chinese elite had fought with courage and skill that earned the admiration of their enemies. They had simply been outgeneraled at the operational level.   The Second Battle of Changsha, Phase Three, had cost China two of its finest armies. The 10th Army had departed Hengyang over 30,000 strong and returned barely 2,000. The 74th Army had suffered a crushing defeat from which it would require months to rebuild. Wang Yaowu had walked alone through the dark to Liuyang. Li Yutang had stood in the autumn wind at a schoolyard and looked at what remained of the men who had written their determination in blood.   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. Phase Three of the second battle of Changsha showed Anami Korechika using intelligence and planning to blunt China's elite forces as Chiang Kai-shek reluctantly deployed the "Iron Army" 74th and the 10th. Intercepted communications enable encirclement and heavy losses. Li Yutang's merit and experience shape resistance, yet Japanese strategy dominates from the outset through coordinated advances.

On the final days of Obon, fishermen along Japan's western coast once believed the sea belonged to the dead. In this episode, I read Lafcadio Hearn's eerie and beautiful essay “By the Japanese Sea.” Along the journey, we encounter drowned spirits rising from the waves, cats carried aboard fishing boats to ward off ghosts, delicate straw vessels made for lost souls, and a haunted futon whispering in the voices of two freezing children. This reading originally appeared as one of the bedtime stories shared with Uncanny Japan Patreon supporters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can small daily choices completely transform your health? Join us on Spaghetti on the Wall as we welcome Haley Bishoff, Registered Dietitian and founder of Rūtsu Nutrition, for an inspiring conversation about plant-based nutrition, the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen, sustainable wellness, and creating lifelong healthy habits.Connect with Haley BishoffYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rutsu.nutritionInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hbishhh/?hl=enLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleybishoff/Website: https://www.rutsunutrition.com/

Today's episode of The Carmudgeon Show is a bumper episode. It's also a headlight, taillight, and side market episode - all of the above which were effected greatly in the mid-1970s to 1980s by updated US Department of Transportation regulations in 1974.===Visit http://JasonSentMe.com to get a Hagerty Guaranteed Value (TM) collector-car insurance quote! === But first, a Rover update!! The Rover is back (temporarily) on the west coast - we get some long awaited updates, new plans, and of course a new chapter of the saga which may send the car back where it just was……the project never stops! 5-mph bumpers were one of the crucial components removed from the Rover to make it tolerable to look at today. These US-mandated bumpers (and headlights and taillights) the bane of existence for many European and Japanese manufactures in period. Most of these manufactures were so perturbed by this regulation, that the bumper integration became a bit of an afterthought. Cars like the Mercedes-Benz R107 and W116 were considered some of the worst offenders given the size and integration of the bumper in comparison to the car's raw proportions. Other cars like the BMW E21, E23, E24, E28, and E30 were also repeat offenders. Other cars mentioned include but are not limited to: Maserati Bora, Lamborghini Countach, Rover SD1, Volkswagen Scirocco (MK2) + Cabriolet, Citroen CX, Jaguar XJS, Alfa Romeo Spider, Honda Accord, Datsun Z, BMW 2002, Volkswagen Beetle, Toyota Corolla, Ford Taurus, and Ford Thunderbird. Rarely, did a manufacture decide they would go the extra mile and integrate the bumper into the design of the car - the G-body Porsche 911 and Chevrolet Corvette C3 were one of the few of the time. And if you didn't get enough Rover air time this episode or need a recap, Jason's just written a 5 column article for The Intercooler about his experience so far - you can red it here: https://www.the-intercooler.com/library/features/america-fast-part-two/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2026 Boston Red Sox have given their fans quite the ride over the past four months. After a rough start to the season that saw manager Alex Cora lose his job, they now find themselves on a 13-game winning streak and suddenly in a wild card spot. They're also just seven games out of first place in the AL East. Is a division title in the cards? On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman talk about the historic run Boston has been on, including sweeping their rivals, the Tampa Bay Rays, this past weekend. They highlight how the Red Sox bullpen has been incredibly strong during this stretch, as well as the offensive contributions from Willson Contreras, Wilyer Abreu and Caleb Durbin. Later in the show, Jake and Jordan discuss the surprising news that Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani will put pitching on hold for the rest of the season as he battles a leg injury, and whether Pete Crow-Armstrong could overtake the Japanese star for the NL MVP award. They also break down the Toronto Blue Jays getting a reality check from the Chicago White Sox this past weekend, the Milwaukee Brewers sweeping the Miami Marlins and recap all the other action from around baseball.   1:15 - The Opener: Red Sox win streak 21:54 - We Need To Talk About: Ohtani steps off the mound 32:52 - PCA vs. Ohtani for MVP? 39:39 - How Sweep It Is: Brewers sweep Marlins 52:13 - Blue Jays get a reality check 55:32 - Field Report: Skenes guts it out vs. Guardians 1:01:56 - How Sweep It Is: Weekend recap Subscribe to Baseball Bar-B-Cast on your favorite podcast app:

Today's story: In cities of the far north, it never gets fully dark around the summer solstice. Cities and towns celebrate with festivals, outdoor events, and late-night traditions, from baseball in Alaska to White Nights in St. Petersburg. But constant light can also affect sleep, so people use blackout curtains, dim lights, and other routines to help their bodies adjust. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/883Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/883--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

Illustrator, toy designer, filmmaker, and lifelong storyteller Chogrin joins Toys on Tap to trace a creative journey shaped by two cultures and an unstoppable love of characters.Growing up in Ecuador, Chogrin absorbed everything from Super Sentai and Japanese heroes to Ghostbusters, Ninja Turtles, and classic rubber-hose animation. After moving to the United States and starting over, he turned that mix of influences into a career that led from Cartoon Network to Adventure Time, gallery shows, designer toys, filmmaking, and Magic: The Gathering.We talk about:• Rebuilding his childhood toy collection • Working behind the scenes on Adventure Time • Finding his voice through illustration • Turning art-show ideas into 3D objects • Creating Guru del Toro and his “Guru” toy series • Designing toys inspired by TMNT and Jurassic Park • Opening your own doors instead of waiting • His next short film, Sector 1218This episode is a fast, inspiring look at what happens when curiosity, persistence, and genuine fandom collide.On Instagram: @chogrinThanks to Our SupportersRate & Review the Show! Leave a rating and review wherever you listen it's the best way to help Toys on Tap grow!Empire Blisters: If you are looking for blisters for vintage toys or new bootleg figures head over to https://www.empireblisters.com and use code TOYSONTAP10 for 10% offSubscribe and Follow AlongInstagram:@toysontapLinkedin: Abraham MustoFacebook:@toysontapYoutube:@Toysontap

Ross Halls is joined by Alex Jones for a Monday edition of Ipswich Town Transfer Talk.The boys reflect on a busy weekend of news, with deals agreed for Leicester City star Abdul Fatawu and Fulham defender Issa Diop.Then it's onto the Blues' interest in Dutch goalkeepers Kayne van Oevelen and Kjell Scherpen, playing at FC Volendam and Union SG respectively.There's also talk about Hidemasa Morita, the Japanese midfielder in talks over a switch to Portman Road after leaving Sporting CP.Kings of Anglia is sponsored Molecular! Get 10% OFF with promo code KOA10 at https://www.molecular-uk.com/Subscribe on our website to watch the video version of the podcast - https://www.eadt.co.uk/subscribe/You can shop the KOA range here - (kings-of-anglia.myspreadshop.co.uk) 

It's 海の日 -Umi no Hi (Marine Day) here in Japan, and I'm marking it with a taste of what a Japanese summer at the sea really feels like

We review all the latest Ipswich Town transfer news - with deals for three World Cup 2026 stars looking close, potentially Town's first Japanese player, plus a couple of Dutch goalkeepers!

** Trump describes military personnel killed in Jordan and Iraq as "great patriots" ... ** Asylum Seekers going hungry on Nauru as they can't afford enough food ... - アメリカ、ドナルド・トランプ大統領は、ヨルダンとイラクで戦死した米軍兵士をGreat Patoriots「偉大な愛国者」と称え、イランへの夜間攻撃は彼らを称えるためのものだと話しました。ナウル難民支援センターによると、ナウルでオーストラリアへの難民申請をしている人々のほぼ全員が、十分な食料を買う余裕がないため、飢えに苦しんでいると伝えています。Listen to SBS Japanese Audio on Tue, Thu and Fri from 1pm on SBS 3. Replays from 10pm on Tue, Thu and Sat on SBS1. Listen to past stories from our podcast. Download the free SBS Audio App and don't forget to visit SBS Japanese Facebook and Instagram page! - SBSの日本語放送は火木金の午後１時からSBS3で生放送！火木土の夜10時からはおやすみ前にSBS1で再放送が聞けます。SBS日本語放送ポッドキャストから過去のストーリーを聞くこともできます。無料でダウンロードできるSBS Audio Appもどうぞ。SBS 日本語放送のFacebookとInstagramもお忘れなく。

The World Cup is ongoing… Which means, it's time to talk about patriotism, nationalism, and sports! Nationalism, Bowling Tournament, Giving Up, and More！ ナショナリズム、ボーリング大会、諦めなど！ Send us questions at:  lazyfluency@gmail.com Join the Community: Discord: https://discord.gg/VGSd94Tp4P Book Club! https://discord.com/channels/1204531163377442866/1521334399201710190 Support on ko-fi:  https://ko-fi.com/lazyfluency

Are we worried about the M's? Seahawks back in action! // Japanese businesses are allowing workers to wear shorts // SCENARIOS!

Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Aiko's Bamboo Lesson: Discovering Her Own Path Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2026-07-20-07-38-20-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 青々とした竹林が広がる嵐山の中、静かな風が葉を揺らす。En: In the lush Arashiyama bamboo grove, a gentle breeze rustles the leaves.Ja: 太陽の光が竹の間から差し込み、地面に模様を描く。En: Sunlight filters through the bamboo, creating patterns on the ground.Ja: 今日はアイコのおばあちゃん、80歳の誕生日。En: Today marks Aiko's grandmother's 80th birthday.Ja: 家族が集まり、にぎやかなひとときを過ごしている。En: The family has gathered, sharing a lively time together.Ja: 田舎の小道を歩く家族のみんな。En: The family walks along the rural paths.Ja: でも、アイコは少し気が重い。En: However, Aiko feels a bit uneasy.Ja: 彼女はまだ小さく、家族の中で一番若い。En: She is still young, the youngest in the family.Ja: 皆といる時、どうしても自分が浮いているように感じる。En: Being with everyone makes her feel out of place.Ja: 特にレンお兄ちゃんを見ると、アイコの心は曇る。En: Especially when she looks at her brother Ren, her heart feels heavy.Ja: レンはみんなの期待を背負い、いつも家族の誇りだ。En: Ren bears everyone's expectations and is always the pride of the family.Ja: 彼は頭が良くて、運動も得意。En: He is smart and also good at sports.Ja: それに比べて、アイコはまだ自分の得意なことを見つけられずにいる。En: In comparison, Aiko has yet to find something she excels at.Ja: 笑顔が絶えないユートお兄ちゃんは、いつも家族の中心にいる。En: Smiles are never lacking with Yuto, who is always at the center of the family.Ja: 彼はみんなを笑顔にし、アイコにも優しい。En: He brings smiles to everyone and is kind to Aiko too.Ja: でもアイコは、ユートともどこか違う世界にいるように感じてしまう。En: Yet, Aiko feels like she exists in a different world from Yuto.Ja: ため息をつきながら、アイコは竹林の小道で立ち止まる。En: Sighing, Aiko stops on the path in the bamboo grove.Ja: ふと前を見ると、レンが立っている。En: When she looks ahead, she sees Ren standing there.Ja: レンはアイコに優しく微笑む。En: He smiles gently at Aiko.Ja: 「どうしたの？」彼は尋ねる。En: "What's wrong?" he asks.Ja: アイコは少し躊躇するが、やがて心を開く。En: She hesitates a little, but eventually opens up.Ja: 「みんなと一緒にいると、私だけが仲間はずれな気がするの。En: "When I'm with everyone, I feel like I'm the only one who doesn't belong.Ja: レンお兄ちゃんはいつもすごくて、私なんか...」En: Ren, you're always amazing, and I just..."Ja: レンは少し驚いた顔をする。でも、優しくアイコに言った。En: Ren looks a bit surprised but speaks kindly to her.Ja: 「そう思っていたのか。En: "Is that what you've been thinking?Ja: でも実は、僕も不安があるんだよ。En: But actually, I have my own insecurities too.Ja: 期待されることは嬉しいけど、その分のプレッシャーも感じるんだ。」En: I'm happy to be relied upon, but I also feel the pressure."Ja: その言葉に、アイコは目を見開いた。En: Aiko's eyes widen at his words.Ja: こんなことを聞くのは初めてだった。En: This was the first time she heard something like this.Ja: いつも完璧だと思っていたレンがそんな思いを持っているなんて知らなかった。En: She never knew that Ren, whom she thought was perfect, felt that way.Ja: レンは優しく続けた。「家族はみんな違って、それがいいんだ。En: Ren continued gently, "Everyone in the family is different, and that's a good thing.Ja: アイコにはアイコの良さがあるよ。」En: You have your own unique qualities, Aiko."Ja: この言葉を聞いて、アイコの心に光が差し込んだ。En: Hearing this, a light dawned in Aiko's heart.Ja: 彼女は一人ではないと感じるようになった。En: She began to feel she was not alone.Ja: どんなに小さくても、自分なりの居場所があると。En: No matter how small, she had her own place.Ja: その日、竹林での散歩はアイコにとって特別なものになった。En: That day, the walk in the bamboo grove became special for Aiko.Ja: 家族の中で、少しずつ自分らしくいられるようになるかもしれない。En: She realized she might be able to start being herself within the family.Ja: 彼女は新しい視点を得て、家族の中での自分の役割を探し始める決心をした。レンとユートと、そして大好きなおばあちゃんと一緒に。En: She resolved to explore her role within the family, alongside Ren, Yuto, and her beloved grandmother. Vocabulary Words:lush: 青々としたbreeze: 風rustles: 揺らすfilters: 差し込むpatterns: 模様rural: 田舎のuneasy: 気が重いexpectations: 期待pride: 誇りcomparison: 比べてexcels: 得意なことinsecurity: 不安relied: 期待されるpressure: プレッシャーunique: 良さqualities: 特質hesitates: 躊躇するexists: 存在するdifferent: 違うresolves: 決心realized: 気が付くexplore: 探し始めるlively: にぎやかなdawned: 光が差し込むbeloved: 大好きなgently: 優しくsurprised: 驚いたhesitant: ためらうcomparative: 比較的resolve: 解決する

Fluent Fiction - Japanese: From Storm to Success: Hiroshi's Diplomatic Triumph Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2026-07-20-22-34-02-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 澄んだ夏の朝、清水寺の鐘の音が京都の街をゆっくりと目覚めさせました。En: On a clear summer morning, the sound of the bell from Kiyomizu-dera gently awoke the city of Kyoto.Ja: 緑豊かな境内には、世界中から集まった人々のざわめきが波のように広がっています。En: In the lush temple grounds, the murmur of people gathered from all over the world spread like waves.Ja: 皆、国際サミットのためにここに集まりました。En: They had all come together for an international summit.Ja: ひろしは拝殿の隅で一息つきました。En: Hiroshi took a moment to catch his breath in a corner of the main hall.Ja: 彼は落ち着いた性格の外交官ですが、今日ばかりは緊張しています。En: Normally a composed diplomat, he felt nervous today of all days.Ja: 重要な合意をまとめ、国同士の関係を強化したいと願っています。En: He hoped to finalize an important agreement and strengthen relationships between countries.Ja: 突然、空が暗くなり、遠くに雷が鳴り始めました。En: Suddenly, the sky darkened, and thunder began rumbling in the distance.Ja: 参加者たちの間で動揺が広がります。En: A stir spread among the participants.Ja: 「嵐が来るんだ」と誰かが叫びました。En: "A storm is coming," someone shouted.Ja: みゆきとあきらも近くにいました。En: Miyuki and Akira were nearby as well.Ja: みゆきは心配そうに空を見上げ、あきらは参加者たちが安全な場所を探すのを手伝っていました。En: Miyuki looked up at the sky with concern, while Akira was helping participants find a safe place.Ja: ひろしは顔をあげ、決意を新たにしました。En: Hiroshi raised his head, renewing his determination.Ja: ここで恐れている場合ではありません。En: This was no time to be afraid.Ja: 「みんな、近くの茶屋へ移動しましょう！En: "Everyone, let's move to the nearby tea house!"Ja: 」ひろしは声を上げました。En: Hiroshi called out.Ja: 急な雨でびしょ濡れになりながらも、彼は道案内をしました。En: Soaked to the skin by the sudden rain, he guided the way.Ja: 小さな茶屋に着くと、みんなはほっとした様子です。En: Once they reached the small tea house, everyone was visibly relieved.Ja: 窓の外では雨が激しく降り続けていますが、中は落ち着いた雰囲気です。En: The rain continued to pour heavily outside, but inside was calm and serene.Ja: ひろしはここでのチャンスを逃しませんでした。En: Hiroshi seized the opportunity there.Ja: 彼は丁寧に話を始め、各国の代表者に自分の提案を説明しました。En: He began speaking politely, explaining his proposal to the representatives of each country.Ja: 天の演出が彼の言葉を引き立てているかのように感じました。En: It felt as if the storm set the stage for his words.Ja: 彼の誠意は伝わり、嵐の中でも強い絆が生まれました。En: His sincerity resonated, and strong bonds were formed even amidst the storm.Ja: 数時間後、雨は去り、雲間から清々しい光が差し込みます。En: A few hours later, the rain cleared, and refreshing light streamed through the clouds.Ja: 参加者たちはひろしの提案に賛同しました。En: The participants agreed with Hiroshi's proposal.Ja: 「今回のサミットは成功だ」と笑顔で握手を交わします。En: "This summit is a success," they said with smiles, exchanging handshakes.Ja: ひろしは大きな安堵の息をつきました。En: Hiroshi took a deep sigh of relief.Ja: 予想外の嵐にも負けず、彼は自分の限界を越えました。En: Despite the unexpected storm, he surpassed his limits.Ja: 茶屋を出ると、街は賑やかな祇園祭の準備でいっぱいです。En: As they left the tea house, the town was bustling with preparations for the lively Gion Festival.Ja: ひろしは街の活気を感じながら、柔軟性の大切さを心に刻みました。En: Feeling the energy of the city, Hiroshi imprinted the importance of flexibility in his heart.Ja: これからも彼は新たな挑戦に立ち向かうことを決意しました。En: He resolved to face new challenges in the future as well.Ja: その日、ひろしは自分の成長を実感しました。En: That day, Hiroshi felt his own growth.Ja: 嵐が彼を強くしました。En: The storm had made him stronger. Vocabulary Words:murmur: ざわめきsummit: サミットdiplomat: 外交官finalize: まとめdarkened: 暗くなりthunder: 雷stir: 動揺participants: 参加者determination: 決意soaked: びしょ濡れguided: 案内serene: 落ち着いた雰囲気seized: 逃しませんでしたsincerity: 誠意bonds: 絆resonated: 伝わりrefreshing: 清々しいstreamed: 差し込みますhandshakes: 握手relief: 安堵bustling: 賑やかflexibility: 柔軟性growth: 成長lush: 緑豊かなcompose: 落ち着いたconcern: 心配proposal: 提案amidst: 中surpassed: 越えましたimprinted: 刻みました

Too many young people are getting a "desiccated" education – narrow, information-transfer schooling optimised for exams. In this episode, James and David are joined by Liz Robinson and Sarah Seleznyov of Big Education – the "feisty little multi-academy trust" behind School 21, School 360 and Surrey Square – to make the case for something bigger: an education of the head (academic learning), heart (wellbeing and relationships) and hand (creativity and skills). The conversation centres on the new book from the Rethinking School project, A Practical Guide to a Big Education: Balancing Head, Heart and Hand, edited by Sarah Seleznyov and Robert Lobatto – a collection of chapters written by school leaders and teachers who are actually doing this work, each paired with a vignette from another school and reflective questions to help you find your own way in. Not a recipe book, but an invitation to be a little bit braver. In this episode we explore: -Why pedagogy was written out of the Curriculum and Assessment Review – and why curriculum, pedagogy and assessment have to change together ("if you only pull one string in the marionette, it jerks") -England's uniquely narrow definition of curriculum and learning – and how it compares with models from around the world -What Big Education is, and what an education of the head, heart and hand actually means -The Milburn report on youth unemployment – and why the problems start in Year 1, not at upper secondary -Liz's "soapbox rant": Every Child Matters, extended schools, co-located services – and what was lost when it was all set on fire -Think systemically, act systematically: systems thinking, design thinking and vertical slice change teams Authentic leadership: vulnerability, ego, the kelp metaphor – and why Liz is learning to bring "Lizzie" to work -Being evidence-informed: why data is richer than numbers, the trouble with RCTs and the EEF toolkit, and engaging with research and in research -Interdisciplinary project-based learning – and the jaw-dropping story of the Ofsted inspector who withheld 'outstanding' because children didn't know their learning was called history -Can we teach and assess transferable competencies? And do we have to trade exam results for a broader education? (Spoiler: no) -Lessons from curriculum reform in Scotland, Wales and British Columbia – why transforming practice takes time, investment and serious professional development -Why we need revolution, not evolution About the guests Liz Robinson is co-founder and CEO of Big Education. She became a headteacher at 29, leading Surrey Square Primary in south London for many years, and created the Big Leadership Adventure. She advocates for – and models – an authentic, reflective and relational approach to leadership. Sarah Seleznyov is Strategic Project Lead at Big Education and leads the Rethinking School project. She has worked in London schools for over 25 years as a deputy head, school improvement consultant and teaching school director, and previously led research-informed leadership programmes at the UCL Institute of Education. Her research specialism is Japanese lesson study. Links Get the book: A Practical Guide to a Big Education: Balancing Head, Heart and Hand – https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/practical-guide-to-a-big-education-9781801997928/ Big Education: https://bigeducation.org The Rethinking School project (subsidised places available – get in touch!): https://bigeducation.org/rethinking-school/ Rethinking Assessment: https://rethinkingassessment.com Support the show This podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. Get 20% off all titles at https://www.crownhouse.co.uk with the promo code REPOD20 (excludes bundles and existing promotions). Become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/repod or make a one-off donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod – and help us keep these conversations coming.

Ep 291 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms - The Power of the Pause (Class 8) In class 8, we analyze silence as a physical and diplomatic requirement for peace. We traverse history from Mandela's Robben Island council to the 1986 Reykjavik Summit and the Good Friday Agreement. We introduce a tactical syllabus of silence, including the 90-second window, the two-interpreter rule used by UN Blue Helmets, and the Japanese concept of Ma. Homework: Look up the Gottman Institute's 90-Second Rule or the Japanese concept of Ma and find how they use silence to show respect. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.' Optional: Journal about using the email delay or 90-second window in your own life. Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions areThe Art of Communicating by Thich Nhat Hanh, which beautifully details the spiritual and practical power of absolute silence and deep listening as essential tools for clarity in family and community life, and Silence: In the Age of Noise by Erling Kagge, a brief, impactful text exploring how strategic pauses and quietude allow us to process truth and override reactionary reflexes. Learning Topics: The Silencio Charm; Mandela's Robben Island Rule; The 1986 Reykjavik Reset; The 90-Second Window; The Three-Breath Rule; The Two-Interpreter Rule; Japanese Ma; The Good Friday Agreement Adjournments. Join the Community / Get the Books: AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

A strong business presentation should sound and feel as though it could only have been delivered by you. That does not mean ignoring presentation fundamentals or simply behaving on stage exactly as you behave in everyday life. It means combining professional presentation skills with your natural personality, communication style and personal brand. Too many presenters concentrate exclusively on clarity, structure, slides and timing. These elements matter, but technical competence alone rarely makes a speaker memorable. The most effective presenters are authentic, appropriately energetic and confident enough to let the audience see something of the person behind the presentation. What does it mean to make a presentation your own? Making a presentation your own means delivering the content through your professional personality rather than performing an artificial presenter role. Authenticity is frequently discussed in relation to leadership, yet it receives much less attention in presentation training. Speakers are told to be concise, convincing, understandable and memorable, but they are not always encouraged to sound like themselves. This creates a strange situation. A normally engaging executive steps onto a stage and suddenly adopts a stiff voice, unnatural vocabulary and overly formal manner. The audience no longer encounters the person they know. They encounter someone acting as "the presenter". The answer is not to become casual or unprepared. A presentation still requires structure, rehearsal, audience analysis and purposeful delivery. The goal is to combine those disciplines with your own character, convictions and communication strengths. Do now: Identify three qualities people value in your everyday communication and consciously bring those qualities into your next presentation. Does being authentic mean behaving exactly as you normally do? No. Authenticity in a presentation means being your professional self, not bringing every everyday habit onto the stage. Speaking with a friend over coffee and addressing an audience involve different responsibilities. In casual conversation, you can speak quietly, pause without purpose, use unfinished sentences and rely on the other person to ask questions. A formal presentation demands greater discipline. The audience must be able to hear you clearly. Your ideas must be organised. Your energy must reach the back of the room. Even when a microphone is available, you need to know how to hold and use it correctly. Technology cannot compensate for weak projection, poor posture or a lack of engagement. This distinction matters for executives in Japan, where modesty and restraint are often valued. Professional energy does not require shouting, exaggeration or adopting an American-style performance. It means adjusting your delivery sufficiently to meet the needs of the audience. Do now: Think of your stage persona as your best professional self operating at a higher level of concentration, clarity and energy. How much energy should a business presenter use? A presenter needs enough energy to communicate confidence, enthusiasm and belief in the message without becoming theatrical or unnatural. Audiences often judge the importance of a message by the energy with which it is delivered. When a speaker appears uninterested in the content, listeners naturally wonder why they should care. When the speaker projects conviction, the audience becomes more willing to pay attention. This is especially important for presidents, CEOs, senior executives and sales leaders. They are not merely transferring information. They are representing the organisation, strengthening its reputation and giving people confidence in its direction. A naturally quiet person does not need to become a motivational speaker. However, saying "I am naturally low energy" is not a complete excuse. Presentation delivery is a professional skill. Just as leaders learn financial analysis, negotiation or risk management, they can learn vocal variety, purposeful pausing, eye contact and physical presence. Do now: During rehearsal, record one minute of your presentation and assess whether your visible energy matches the importance of your message. Why do technically correct presentations still feel boring? Presentations become boring when speakers deliver every sentence with the same pace, tone, volume and emotional temperature. A presenter can have attractive slides, a clear voice, good grooming and perfectly logical content and still lose the audience. The problem is often vocal monotony. A calm voice can establish credibility, but unchanging calm quickly becomes a "Johnny One Note" performance. Important ideas should sound important. A warning should sound different from an opportunity. A customer success story should carry more warmth than a technical explanation. The conclusion should possess more conviction than a routine transition between slides. Senior leaders face particular risk here. Strong market demand or organisational status may make them believe they do not need to persuade. Markets change, however, and executive reputations travel with the individual. Every presentation contributes to—or detracts from—the speaker's professional brand. Do now: Mark your script for changes in pace, emphasis, volume and pauses instead of delivering every paragraph in exactly the same manner. How can personality make a presenter more memorable? Personality makes a presentation memorable when it is layered onto solid professional skills rather than used as a substitute for preparation. Some speakers bring clarity, logical slides and strong content, but they also allow their natural idiosyncrasies to appear. Their turns of phrase, facial expressions, observations and reactions make the presentation recognisably theirs. This creates a powerful connection between competence and personal brand. The audience remembers not only the information but also the person who delivered it. That is valuable for executives, consultants, salespeople and thought leaders whose credibility influences whether others adopt their ideas. The key is controlled individuality. A speaker can use a personal story, an unexpected analogy, a strong opinion or a distinctive delivery rhythm. None of these requires abandoning professionalism. In fact, audiences are often more receptive when the presentation feels human rather than manufactured by a corporate committee. Do now: Add one relevant story, observation or phrase that reflects how you naturally think and speak. Do business presenters need to be entertaining? Business presenters do not need to become comedians, but they do need to hold attention and create an engaging audience experience. Humour is one of the most difficult presentation tools to use well. Professional comedians devote their careers to timing, phrasing, audience response and delivery. Businesspeople who casually attempt stand-up comedy can quickly discover how unforgiving silence feels. The safer approach is not to force jokes. Allow your natural personality to create moments of warmth, surprise or amusement. A candid observation, a self-aware comment or a well-chosen story can be entertaining without turning the presentation into a comedy routine. Different speakers will achieve engagement differently. Some are naturally humorous. Others are analytical, passionate, calm, provocative or highly energetic. My own authentic presentation style is not built around comedy. It is built around energy, confidence and power. The objective is not to copy another speaker but to find the strongest professional expression of yourself. Do now: Choose an engagement style that matches your personality rather than borrowing a performance style that does not belong to you. How can presenters balance authenticity, skill and professionalism? The best presenters combine disciplined presentation technique with a delivery style that feels natural, credible and personally distinctive. Start with the fundamentals: understand the audience, organise the message, simplify the slides, rehearse the timing and prepare for questions. Then decide how your personality will appear through your voice, stories, gestures, examples and language. Ask yourself: Does this sound like something I would actually say? Does my energy demonstrate belief in the message? Have I varied my delivery enough to maintain attention? Can the audience see something of my personality? Will people remember both the message and the messenger? Authenticity without skill can look unprepared. Skill without authenticity can feel mechanical. The ideal is professional authenticity: presenting at a high level while allowing the qualities that make you distinctive to shine through. Do now: Rehearse until the structure is secure enough that you can stop "performing the script" and start communicating directly with the audience. Conclusion Making the presentation yours is not about ignoring professional standards. It is about mastering those standards so thoroughly that your personality can emerge without damaging the clarity or credibility of the message. Do not fade into the wallpaper by delivering a technically acceptable but completely forgettable presentation. Bring sufficient energy, vocal variety, conviction and individuality to the stage. Be authentic, but be your skilled professional self. The audience should leave with a clear understanding of your message and a strong impression of the person who delivered it. Author Bio Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" in 2018 and 2021 and received the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2012. As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver leadership, communication, sales and presentation programmes globally, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including the best-sellers Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery and Japan Presentations Mastery, along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His books have also been published in Japanese, including Za Eigyō（ザ営業）, Purezen no Tatsujin（プレゼンの達人）, Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō（トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう）and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā（現代版「人を動かす」リーダー）. Greg publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook and X and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery and Japan's Top Business Interviews for executives and professionals seeking practical strategies for succeeding in Japan.

⚠ CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains extensive, highly detailed accounts of real-world serial murder, financial exploitation, the complete thermal destruction of human remains, and themes of animal cruelty. Listener discretion is absolutely mandatory.Welcome back to Stories Fables Ghostly Tales. Tonight, we present The Art of Transparency: The Saitama Dog Lover Murders — Japan, 1993.Deep within the mountain passes of Saitama Prefecture, a remote wooden hut once hid a factory of absolute non-existence. We pull back the friendly, commercial facade of a luxury pet breeding kennel to dissect a terrifying pattern of cold-blooded, economically driven slaughter.

In this episode, sponsored by the Embroiderers’ Guild of America (egausa.org), Gary Parr talks with needlework teacher and designer Kris Andrews about a career spent mastering — and teaching — an impressive range of techniques, from surface embroidery and goldwork to Japanese embroidery and rug hooking. Kris traces her path back to teaching Hardanger at Tea Time Stitchery, and shares what’s kept her drawn to teaching ever since, including her work introducing needlework to children and her love of designing stitching gardens. She’s a Certified Japanese Embroidery instructor and a Certified Oxford Punch Needle Rug Hooking Instructor through The Oxford Company. She’ll be teaching classes at the EGA 2026 National Seminar, “Wish Upon a Stitch,” in Orlando, FL. It’s a conversation about craftsmanship, curiosity, and passing a love of the needle on to the next generation of stitchers. Listen to the podcast: This show is also available on FlossTube. Watch the video You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Embroiderers’ Guild of America website Kris Andrews website The Oxford Company website We hope you enjoy this conversation with Kris Andrews. We're always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

Sayuriさんのホームページ⁠https://www.sayurisaying.com/⁠

Where one summer ends another summer begins as two kings reawaken in full force to Anime Was (Not) A Mistake. Both have been sleeping beneath the bubbling magma as The Summer of Dan kicks off with Koji Hashimoto's The Return of Godzilla (1984). Our humble little podcast takes its first gargantuan steps into the Heisei Era with a reboot/sequel to the original Kaiju film that started it all. When a fishing vessel is attacked off the Japanese coast, a sole survivor, Hiroshi Okumura, claims that Godzilla is back to rage once more. This cold-blooded Kaiju spikes old Cold War tensions between Japan and the U.S.S.R. and the world must watch as this terror's wake of destruction starts anew. Intrepid reporter Jonathan must watch, in horror and awe, as Daniel pilots the Super X. Truly, this is humanity's last bastion of hope. It's going to be a long summer... Rate, Review, Subscribe, and Listen to Us on Podbean/iTunes/Stitcher/Spotify Follow us on Instagram:@animewasnotamistakepodcast Or on Facebook:@animewasnotamistakepod Music Provided: “Attack Godzilla!” (M16) - Godzilla (1954) Soundtrack OST Composed by Akira Ifukube “The Defense Corps Mobilize II” (M20) - Godzilla vs. Gigan Soundtrack OST Composed by Akira Ifukube & Kunio Miyauchi “Mechagodzilla Appears/Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla” (M11 + M11EXT) Composed by Masaru Sato.

CCSPODCAST Template Hello from the Classic Children's Story podcast. We bring you narrations of classic children's stories of all kinds to keep your young ones entertained, read by a professional voice actress. The themes range from animal stories to stories that teach, to classic favourites like Tom Thumb, Red Riding Hood and more. Today we've got another Japanese fairy tale for you. This one is called "The Bamboo Cutter and the Moon-Child." This is part 1❣️ Have a listen and see what happens. So, cuddle up to your little ones, settle in, and enjoy. Visit us on Instagram at “sleepstories_fairytales_4kids ”. Visit us on BlueSky at - @sleepstories4kids.bsky.social If you'd like to see more entertainment and inspiration for kids, please pop over to our kofi page where you'll find a lot of cute things, videos and artwork Visit us at, ko-fi.com/sleepstoriesandfairytales4kids Want to hear more stories? Our Subscribers Club offers a selection of special stories recorded only for the members. You can tell which those are because you'll see a nice orange label with a crown next to those episode titles. Our Supporters Club via Spreaker: spreaker.com/podcast/classic-children-s-story-podcast--4219679/support AND … If you'd like to watch some stories read by us on video, why not visit our new YouTube Channel – “Sleep Stories and Classic Fairy Tales For Kids” - dedicated to making videos that entertain & empower kids with stories, affirmations, tapping (EFT) etc. And, you'll also find stories, riddle quizzes, elearning videos, songs and more. They're all lovingly and enthusiastically read on-camera for kids – https://www.youtube.com/@SleepStoriesandFairyTales4U Support: ☕️https://buymeacoffee.com/stefa...

The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast is a leading drinks business podcast, listened to in 120 countries worldwide with 125+ episodes. Honest conversations about how the industry actually works, from the bar and what it means for the boardroom.This Episode is hosted by Chris Maffeo and brought to you by MAFFEO DRINKS.Paul Thomas is Global Consumer & Shopper Insight Director at Imperial Brands, formerly Global Insight Director at Beam Suntory.Why do bartenders know more than a hundred-thousand-pound research report?How does the Japanese concept of Gemba change the way brands gather insight?What actually happens when marketers stop hiding behind PowerPoint and go to the bar?Find all episodes featuring Paul Thomas at themaffeodrinkspodcast.comBottom up. Wanna know what the conversation above means for your team? It's in the paid section.For €100 a year you get access to Maffeo Confidential (Private Podcast) and get this analysis and access to the full archive of 125 episodes, each one translated from industry conversation into the commercial decisions underneath it. Find out more at maffeodrinks.com

Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Under the Lanterns: Sakura's Leadership Triumph Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2026-07-19-22-34-01-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 太陽が燦々と輝く夏の日、川岸の公園は社員たちで賑わっていました。En: On a summer day when the sun was shining brilliantly, the riverside park was bustling with company employees.Ja: 会社の夏の遠足は、毎年の大イベントです。En: The company's summer excursion is a major event every year.Ja: 今年はちょうどお盆の時期で、公園にはカラフルな提灯がいっぱい飾られていました。En: This year, it happened to be around the Obon period, and the park was adorned with lots of colorful chōchin (Japanese lanterns).Ja: 若手社員の桜は、昇進を目指して頑張っています。En: Wakate employee Sakura is working hard towards a promotion.Ja: 深い緑の公園は彼女にとって、ちょっとした挑戦の舞台でもありました。En: The lush green park was also a bit of a stage for her to take on challenges.Ja: 上司の広志は厳格で期待が高く、桜は彼に自分をアピールしたいと考えていました。でも、どう近づけば良いか迷っていました。En: Her boss, Hiroshi, is strict and has high expectations, and Sakura wanted to impress him, but she was unsure how to approach him.Ja: 「楽しんでる？」悠斗がやってきて、気軽に声をかけました。En: "Are you having fun?" Yuto came by and casually asked.Ja: 彼は桜の良き同僚で、気楽な態度が特徴でした。En: He is Sakura's good colleague, known for his easygoing manner.Ja: 「少し緊張してるの。」桜は正直に答えました。En: "I'm a little nervous," Sakura replied honestly.Ja: 「ゲームに参加すればいいよ。チャンスかもしれないよ。」悠斗は笑顔で提案しました。En: "You should join the games. It might be a good opportunity." Yuto suggested with a smile.Ja: そんな中、ゲームの時間となりました。En: Amidst all this, it was time for the games.Ja: 桜は思い切って参加することにしました。En: Sakura decided to boldly participate.Ja: ゲームはチームビルディング活動で、チームを勝利に導くにはリーダーシップが必要でした。En: The game was a team-building activity that required leadership to lead the team to victory.Ja: 桜はチームの先頭に立ち、戦略を練りました。En: Sakura stood at the front of the team and devised a strategy.Ja: 彼女の計画は見事に成功し、チームは優勝しました。En: Her plan was brilliantly successful, and the team won.Ja: 広志もその様子を興味深そうに見ていました。En: Hiroshi watched the scene with interest.Ja: しかし、歓喜に沸くその瞬間、桜はつまずいて転んでしまいました。En: However, in the moment of triumph, Sakura stumbled and fell.Ja: 皆が心配した瞬間、彼女は笑いながら立ち上がり、その姿にみんなもつられて笑いました。En: In that instant when everyone was worried, she got up laughing, and her laughter was contagious, making everyone else laugh too.Ja: ゲームが終わり、広志が桜に近づきました。En: After the game ended, Hiroshi approached Sakura.Ja: 「素晴らしいリーダーシップだった。」彼は驚きとともに言いました。En: "That was exceptional leadership," he said with surprise.Ja: 「戻ったら、キャリアのこと、しっかり話してみよう。」En: "When we get back, let's have a proper discussion about your career."Ja: 桜の胸はドキドキしていました。En: Sakura felt her heart pounding with excitement.Ja: 彼女は嬉しさと共に、自信に満ちていました。En: Alongside her happiness, she was filled with confidence.Ja: 職場での人間関係において、プロフェッショナルさと親しみやすさのバランスが大切だと気付きました。En: She realized that in workplace relationships, it's important to balance professionalism with approachability.Ja: 陽が沈み、提灯がぼんやり灯り始めました。En: As the sun set, the chōchin (lanterns) began to glow faintly.Ja: 桜は新たな決意を胸に、楽しい時間を仲間たちと過ごしました。En: With renewed determination, Sakura enjoyed the pleasant time with her colleagues. Vocabulary Words:brilliantly: 燦々とbustling: 賑わってadorned: 飾られてpromotion: 昇進lush: 深いstage: 舞台challenges: 挑戦strict: 厳格approach: 近づくcasually: 気軽にcolleague: 同僚easygoing: 気楽なnervous: 緊張opportunity: チャンスteam-building: チームビルディングleadership: リーダーシップstrategy: 戦略success: 成功triumph: 歓喜stumbled: つまずいてcontagious: つられてexceptional: 素晴らしいsurprise: 驚きpounding: ドキドキprofessionalism: プロフェッショナルさapproachability: 親しみやすさrenewed: 新たなdetermination: 決意pleasant: 楽しいglow: 灯り

Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Satoshi's Summer Breakthrough: The Power of Pause Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2026-07-19-07-38-19-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 窓の外は、眩しい夏の日差しで輝いていました。En: Outside the window, the blinding summer sunlight was shining brightly.Ja: 東京の広いオフィスの中は、エアコンの涼しい空気と、キーボードを叩く音で満たされています。En: Inside the spacious office in Tokyo, the cool air from the air conditioner and the sound of keyboards being tapped filled the atmosphere.Ja: オフィスの壁には、色鮮やかな提灯や飾りが、迫りくるお盆の雰囲気を醸し出しています。En: On the office walls, brightly colored lanterns and decorations exuded the approaching mood of Obon.Ja: サトシは、デスクで資料を見つめながら、心の中でため息をつきました。En: Satoshi sighed inwardly as he stared at the documents on his desk.Ja: 彼は優れたプロジェクトマネージャーとして認められたかったのです。En: He wanted to be recognized as an excellent project manager.Ja: しかし、厳しい期限と低下するチームの士気は、彼にとって大きなストレスの原因でした。En: However, the tight deadlines and the declining team morale were major sources of stress for him.Ja: 彼の隣には、アキラが仕事をする姿が見えます。En: Next to him, Akira could be seen working.Ja: アキラはいつも落ち着いていますが、最近のプロジェクトの進捗には心配していました。En: Akira was always calm, but he was worried about the progress of the recent project.Ja: 「サトシ、少し休憩しないか？」アキラが優しく声をかけました。En: "Satoshi, why don't we take a little break?" Akira gently suggested.Ja: 「お盆も近いし、みんな少しリフレッシュが必要だよ。」En: "With Obon coming up, everyone needs a little refreshment."Ja: 「わかってる。でも、プロジェクトを成功させなきゃ」とサトシは重い口調で言いました。En: "I know. But I have to make this project a success," Satoshi said with a heavy tone.Ja: 彼は、チームのために最良の選択をしたいと思っていましたが、時間は決して増えることはありません。En: He wanted to make the best choices for the team, but time was never on his side.Ja: お盆が近づくにつれ、チームメンバーはそわそわし始めました。En: As Obon approached, the team members started to get restless.Ja: 家族や友人と祭りを楽しむために気持ちが浮足立っていました。En: Their hearts were light as they looked forward to enjoying the festival with family and friends.Ja: サトシは深く考えました。En: Satoshi thought deeply.Ja: チームを休ませて成果を出すか、このまま働き続けてもらうか。En: Should he let the team take a break to deliver results, or have them continue working as they were?Ja: ついに決心しました。En: He finally made up his mind.Ja: サトシは会議室にチームを集めて言いました。「みんな、今日は早めに切り上げて、少しお盆を楽しもう。明日からまた頑張ろう！」En: Satoshi gathered the team in the meeting room and said, "Everyone, let's wrap up early today and enjoy some Obon. Let's work hard again starting tomorrow!"Ja: チームは歓声を上げました。En: The team cheered.Ja: 短い休みと思い出の時間が、その後の仕事への活力になると信じていました。En: They believed that a short break and some memorable moments would become energy for their subsequent work.Ja: 翌日、オフィスは活気に満ちていました。En: The next day, the office was full of energy.Ja: リフレッシュしたチームは、一致団結してプロジェクトに取り組みました。En: The refreshed team worked together in unity on the project.Ja: 締め切りが迫る中で、次々とタスクが完了していきました。En: With the deadline approaching, tasks were completed one after another.Ja: 最終的に、プロジェクトは無事に期限内に完成しました。En: Eventually, the project was successfully completed on time.Ja: 上層部からの評価も高く、サトシはチームのために最良の決断をしたことを確信しました。En: The evaluation from the higher-ups was high, and Satoshi was confident that he had made the best decision for the team.Ja: この経験を通じて、サトシは大切な教訓を学びました。チームの健康を考慮することが、単に締め切りに従うよりも効果的であることです。En: Through this experience, Satoshi learned an important lesson: considering the team's well-being is more effective than simply sticking to deadlines.Ja: そして、アキラはサトシの横で微笑んでいました。En: And Akira smiled gently beside Satoshi.Ja: 「時には休むことも大事だね」と優しく言いました。En: "Sometimes taking a break is important too," he said kindly.Ja: 外には、祭りの提灯がまだ揺れていました。En: Outside, the festival lanterns were still swaying.Ja: それは、短いながらも楽しいひとときを象徴しているようでした。En: They seemed to symbolize that brief but enjoyable moment. Vocabulary Words:blinding: 眩しいspacious: 広いlanterns: 提灯exuded: 醸し出していますinwardly: 心の中でdeclining: 低下するmorale: 士気refreshment: リフレッシュheavy tone: 重い口調restless: そわそわwrap up: 切り上げてevaluation: 評価well-being: 健康swaying: 揺れてsymbols: 象徴keyboard: キーボードtapped: 叩くatmosphere: 雰囲気recognized: 認められたexcellent: 優れたsources: 原因suggested: 声をかけましたapproaching: 迫りくるsuccess: 成功cheered: 歓声を上げましたunity: 一致団結subsequent: その後のcompleted: 完了higher-ups: 上層部confident: 確信しました

Watch the full podcast! https://chinauncensored.tv/programs/podcast-343 In a desperate attempt to subvert Japanese politics and society, the CCP has gone too far. Now it's coming back to bite them hard. We are joined by David Day, Chairman of the Global Risk Mitigation Foundation. Join our fight to expose the CCP at https://chinauncensored.tv and get ALL the new full-length interviews!

いつも通り車内での録音です。最近暑くなってきて、エアコンをつけたまま録音してるのでちょっと音質が悪いです、すみません…。エアコンを消すと死にます。冗談抜きで、熱中症で死にそうです。さて、今日は経済の話。誰か俺のお財布を助けてください。-------------------------------------------------------------------コーヒー1杯ぶん、応援してもらえたらうれしいです ☕スクリプト・メンバーシップ・トピックのリクエストもこちら。For scripts, membership, and topic requests:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ruby-s.net/support/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Your support helps me keep creating “just-right” Japanese episodes.-------------------------------------------------------------------【台湾関係の Podcast『一起用日文聊天吧！』】［YouTube］https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTpkAQuWvG9ToTiloA7bQsuoiSI5Z2Axq［Spotify］https://open.spotify.com/show/6C1BaqAKGXLrVclws2LAHb?si=2_5u0bbMSp-8wCMa6ICstQ［Apple Podcast］https://podcasts.apple.com/jp/podcast/%E4%B8%80%E8%B5%B7%E7%94%A8%E6%97%A5%E6%96%87%E8%81%8A%E5%A4%A9%E5%90%A7/id1895769003

参加 Podcastの一覧はこちら↓https://ruby-s.net/jpr/前にお話しした「日本語ポッドキャストリレー」についてです。有名な番組がたくさん…やばい緊張する…。リレーのテーマは酒とコーヒーについてです。よくある話題なので、これをどうやって面白いエピソードにするか、 Podcast作成者の腕が問われます。-------------------------------------------------------------------コーヒー1杯ぶん、応援してもらえたらうれしいです ☕スクリプト・メンバーシップ・トピックのリクエストもこちら。For scripts, membership, and topic requests:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ruby-s.net/support/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Your support helps me keep creating “just-right” Japanese episodes.-------------------------------------------------------------------【台湾関係の Podcast『一起用日文聊天吧！』】［YouTube］https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTpkAQuWvG9ToTiloA7bQsuoiSI5Z2Axq［Spotify］https://open.spotify.com/show/6C1BaqAKGXLrVclws2LAHb?si=2_5u0bbMSp-8wCMa6ICstQ［Apple Podcast］https://podcasts.apple.com/jp/podcast/%E4%B8%80%E8%B5%B7%E7%94%A8%E6%97%A5%E6%96%87%E8%81%8A%E5%A4%A9%E5%90%A7/id1895769003

ESP - Quack Watch - Crime     00:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders     00:04:38 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill Adrienne catches up with András Pinter, co-host of the European Skeptics Podcast (ESP), in their annual meetup in Canmore, Alberta. The pair attempt to walk, talk, avoid traffic, and occasionally giggle about skeptical topics from Europe and Canada. The ESP - European Skeptics Podcast https://theesp.eu     00:20:25 Quack Watch - Barbara O'Neill Be Wary of Barbara O'Neill's Health Recommendations - by Ken McLeod Wellness guru Barbara O'Neill has an enormous, devoted global audience for her many egregious, non-evidence-based claims about "natural" health. She has credited God for at least some of the advice she has offered. She has gained 4.7 million followers. https://quackwatch.org/11ind/be-wary-of-barbara-oneills-health-recommendations/     00:34:34 Origami Posters Michelle Bijkersma tells our Japanese listeners about free origami posters.     00:35:46 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What news has caught the eye of news editor Dee this week? Read by Adrienne Hill. http://www.skeptics.com.au     00:47:00 The TROVE Archives A wander through the decades of digitised newspapers to look for references to Crime and Supernatural.     1924.08.24 - The Sun - Sydney

You Can Find Peace in Releasing What You Cannot ChangeEpisode 182 of Your Quiet MomentIn this episode, we explore the gentle art of letting go — releasing the weight of things we cannot control, and finding peace in the present moment.TOPICS COVERED• The exhaustion of holding on• mono no aware — a Japanese concept of gentle sadness at impermanence• Letting go is not giving up, it is the deepest strength• Coming back to the present moment• A garden metaphor for nurturing what mattersBREATHWORKA grounding breathwork practice to help release tension and soften your grip on what you cannot change.AFFIRMATIONS• I release what I cannot change, and I make room for what I can.• I am learning to let peace be enough.• I choose to water the flowers in my garden, not the weeds.• I trust that I will be okay, even when things don't go the way I planned.• I am allowed to set down what was never mine to carry.CLOSINGA gentle reminder that letting go is not a single dramatic moment, but a series of small choices made over and over.#YourQuietMoment #LettingGo #SelfCompassion #Peace #Mindfulness #Meditation #HealingProduced by HustleStudiosDISCLAIMER

Send us comments, suggestions and ideas here! In this week's episode we explore the many classical superstitions of sailors from all times and places. In the first half of the show we discuss cursed fruit, taunting the wind, the dangers of women, the rich cultural origins of the Klabautermann and  the devilish inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. In the extended, underside of the episode we continue the discussion with Jonah's, the power of specific tattoos, traditional Greek water wenches and how to beguile the courteous Japanese sea giants. Thank you and enjoy the show! In this week's episode we discuss:The Flying DutchmanBananas and BonersWhistling Up a StormWomen On DeckFigureheadsThe Klabautermann, Kobold and Gremlins In the extended episode available at www.patreon.com/TheWholeRabbit we go further down the rabbit whirlpool to discuss:JonahTraditional Sailor Tattoos and their PowersSirens and ScyllaSea MonksUmibozuPirate Eye Patches This episode was written by Tim Hacker, Luke Madrid with some additions by Mari Sama and commentary by Heka Astra. Sources:Lieutenant Fletcher S. Bassett's 1885 work, LEGENDS and SUPERSTITIONS of the SEA AND OF SAILORS (In all Lands at all Times):https://dn790000.ca.archive.org/0/items/legendssuperstit00bass/legendssuperstit00bass.pdfGabaoolhttps://x.com/eternalclassic_/status/2077558076979241232?s=20Support the show

Britain's governing Labour Party has officially declared Andy Burnham its new leader paving the way for him to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister. In his first speech as leader, he pledged to 'bring back hope'. China's President Xi Jinping has called for global cooperation on the development of artificial intelligence to mitigate the risks it poses. India has begun operating its first ever hydrogen-powered train; it's hoped the green technology will help modernise one of the world's biggest rail networks. The Japanese parliament has approved a bill to relax imperial succession rules, amid concerns over the dwindling size of the imperial family. But it does not change the law barring women from ascending to the throne. An angry crowd has reportedly attacked a hospital housing an Ebola treatment centre, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, forcing patients and health workers to flee. A UK study of a minimally-invasive treatment for prostate cancer has found it is as effective as surgery or radiotherapy - but with far fewer side-effects. For the first time, astronomers have detected an atmosphere around an Earth-like rocky planet that could have water on its surface. And the great niece of the acclaimed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo expresses concern that the growing hype and merchandise connected with her image, might detract from her art. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Henry Nicholls/ Reuters Credit: Andy Burnham reacts as he speaks after being confirmed as the Labour Party's new leader and the country's next Prime Minister

Artificial Intelligence continues to infiltrate every aspect of life including the pulpits of America’s churches. On In The Market with Janet Parshall this week, tech expert Doug Smith was back to explain how more and more pastors are turning to these programs to prepare sermons and why we should be concerned about programs designed to become addictive. Israel continues to be the focal point of word’s ire and Jim Scudder explained why there is an ongoing spiritual war against the Promised Land and its people. Aaron Armstrong explained why so many believers do not live in the true transformative power of their faith and how to get back to a relational faith with God that opens the door for life altering change. On July 30th, 1945, the Japanese sank the U.S.S Indianapolis. Of the 900 cast in shark infested waters only 316 survived. One of those survivors, Edgar Harrell joined us to share his harrowing account of that event and how his faith sustained him during one the worst naval disasters in history. Join Janet & Craig for another exploration of the headlines through the lens of God’s unchanging word.Become a Parshall Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/inthemarket/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has officially become the new leader of the British Labour Party. He is expected to take over as the UK's prime minister on Monday, when Sir Keir Starmer will step down after spending two years in the role. We hear from a Labour MP, who's supportive of Burnham, about what the new leader's foreign policies might be.Also in the programme: China hits back at US President Donald Trump as he accuses the country of interfering in the 2020 presidential election; and a new Japanese law upholds the country's ban on female monarchs. (Photo: Andy Burnham speaks after being confirmed as the Labour Party's new leader and the UK's next Prime Minister, 17th July 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Henry Nicholls)

Corey's Divorce Will Not Go Away: Courtney is not done with Corey Feldman as she wants her legal and accounting fees paid. We take a look back at the good times through the "Without U" music video. Also some behind the scenes footage and interviewsJerry O'Connell: Jerry O'Connell is trying to hijack the friendship arc and hand it over to the Bonfire. We see you Jerry, also we check in on Corey's Twitter.Adrien Skye: A true Adrien Age Check as she celebrates her birthday and is rehearsing for her upcoming show.COREY FELDMAN!, SHOW STOPPER!, LET'S JUST TALK!, DON CHEADLE!, BOOGIE NIGHTS!, JIM AND THEM IS POP CULTURE!, COREY FELDMAN SHOW!, REAL ONES!, PO BOX!, ALL DAY GOONS!, CONTEST!, FEDDOG SUMMER 2!, STARTED WITH A BURGER!, HDM!, AI!, BANGER!, BLAME IT ON THE CHEESEBURGER!, SONIC!, CREAM SHAKE!, NELLY!, COURTNEY FELDMAN!, DIVORCE!, OUTSTANDING FEES!, ACCOUNTING!, LEGAL FEES!, FINANCIAL DISPUTE!, WITHOUT U!, MUSIC VIDEO!, LOOK BACK!, ROMANCE!, GOOD TIMES!, TOMATO!, GUY!, GOLDMEMBER!, SHORT FILM!, JAKE PERRY!, OLD BEEF!, BEHIND THE SCENES!, ALL THAT!, LEEBOY TV!, PANELED ROOM!, BENTLEY MITCHUM!, GREGG!, LEE FRIERSON!, CHINESE!, JAPANESE!, WHAT ARE THOSE!?, SUGAR!, BRAIN!, INTERVIEW!, CRINGE!, POP SONG!, COMEBACK KING!, AAVE!, TALK BLACK!, CODE SWITCH!, INTERVIEW!, LYRICS!, JERRY O'CONNELL!, SAM ROBERTS!, PIVOT!, BIG JAY!, ROBERT KELLY!, ADRIEN SKYE!, SCOOBY DOO!, BIRTHDAY!, REEL!, ADRIEN AGE CHECK!, COREY'S TWITTER!, PRESS CONFERENCE!, MIKE PATTON!, FRED DURST!, LIES!, BUNGLE BOYS!, HDM!You can find the videos from this episode at our Discord RIGHT HERE!

While ICE is still murdering people in the streets, more than 60,000 people are currently being held in ICE detention centers across the country. The largest facility is at Fort Bliss in El Paso—which was an actual Japanese internment site in WWII. Detainees there are being deprived of needed medication; some have been held incommunicado; others have reported that the tent camp was not designed for humans to live there. When the conditions are not dire enough to make detainees self-deport, guards terrorize them into submission. Plus: Cuban and Venezuelan immigrants are particularly caught in the crosshairs of the escalating deportation campaign. And Tim holds forth on Trump's goons murdering our neighbors, ICE's reckless Kavanaugh stops, the straight-up Constitutional violations the administration is encouraging, and the illegal and marauding settler groups in the West Bank.The New Yorker's Jon Blitzer joins Tim Miller.show notes Jon's piece, "Locked Away" Nick Miroff's Atlantic piece on the Maine shooting  The NYT on Marco running Venezuela (gift link) The episode of "This American Life" Jon referenced, "What Is Your Emergency?" Jon's book, "Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here" The HBO Max show, "Proud," Tim referenced