Podcasts about Tokyo

Today we'll be talking about a horrific trafficking case involving a Thai woman in Tokyo, sever flooding hitting several provinces across Thailand, but don't worry we're going to end with some uplifting news from Bangkok's housing market to Phuket's tourism industry.

The superfan culture involves doing everything you can to be closer to your idols - often through concerts, merchandise, and streaming support.And now oshikatsu is being praised by some economists for helping pull Japanese retail sales out of a long slump. Figures suggest the role of fan purchasing power has boosted Japan's annual retail turnover by 2%. But what is so different about the way of supporting our heroes that has created such growth?Produced and presented by Rick Kelsey(Image: Anime and game fans attend the 105th ComicMarket Show in Tokyo, Japan, December 2024. Credit CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Save 10% on your next Fleshlight with promo code 10PRIVATE at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fleshlight.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. For the 233rd episode of Private Parts Unknown, host Courtney Kocak revisits the Tokyo series, which culminated in a happy ending massage that completely changed her perspective on sex and pleasure.  Courtney shares the full details of that experience—an audio version of her viral essay for Cosmo—which will probably give you some yoni fever of your own. But first, she's going to give you the Cliff's Notes of our Tokyo, Japan series about gender equality, LGBTQ rights, and the five levels of sex and intimacy work... and, of course, the interview that led to the dare that led to the best ending to a trip EVER! Here are the links to the other episodes mentioned: A Subcultures Researcher & a Sex Worker Walk into a Tokyo Bar: https://www.privatepartsunknown.com/a-subcultures-researcher-a-sex-worker-walk-into-a-tokyo-bar/ Gay & Married in the U.S., But Not Quite Yet in Japan: https://www.privatepartsunknown.com/gay-married-in-the-u-s-but-not-quite-yet-in-japan/ Japanese Girl Power: https://www.privatepartsunknown.com/japanese-girl-power/ Sex Work, White Supremacy & Happy Ending Massages with Selena the Stripper: https://www.privatepartsunknown.com/sex-work-white-supremacy-happy-ending-massages/ Get your copy of Girl Gone Wild from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Psst, Courtney has an 0nIyFan$, which is a horny way to support the show: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/cocopeepshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Private Parts Unknown is a proud member of the Pleasure Podcast network. This episode is brought to you by: VB Health offers doctor-formulated sexual health supplements designed to elevate your sex life. Their lineup includes Soaking Wet, a blend of vitamins and probiotics that support vaginal health; Load Boost, which promotes male fertility and enhances semen volume and taste; and Drive Boost, formulated to increase libido and sexual desire for all genders. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vb.health⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use code PRIVATE for 10% off. Our Sponsor, FLESHLIGHT, can help you reach new heights with your self-pleasure. Fleshlight is the #1 selling male sex toy in the world. Looking for your next pocket pal? Save 10% on your next Fleshlight with Promo Code: 10PRIVATE at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fleshlight.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. STDCheck.com is the leader in reliable and affordable lab-based STD testing. Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ppupod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, click STDCheck, and use code Private to get $10 off your next STI test. Explore yourself and say yes to self-pleasure with Lovehoney. Save 15% off your next favorite toy from Lovehoney when you go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lovehoney.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and enter code AFF-PRIVATE at checkout. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/PrivatePartsUnknownAds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you love this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and sexy review! Psst... sign up for the Private Parts Unknown newsletter for bonus content related to our episodes! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠privatepartsunknown.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Let's be friends on social media! Follow the show on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@privatepartsunknown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@privatepartsun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Connect with host Courtney Kocak ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@courtneykocak⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram and Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Wednesday, November 12th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Chinese Communists arrested and detained three Christians Communist authorities in central China arrested and detained three Christians from a house church this month. Two of the Christians are pastors. They are facing trumped up charges of “fraud” and had previously spent over two years in custody. Officials often use such charges against house church leaders for simply receiving tithes and offerings. ChinaAid noted, “In recent years, the charge of ‘fraud' has increasingly been used by local governments across China as a common tactic to suppress pastors of house churches systematically.” Psalm 14:1, 4 says, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.' They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good. … Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up My people as they eat bread, and do not call on the LORD?” Japanese soldiers address attacks by bears Japan deployed troops to the northern part of the island country last week to deal with a string of deadly attacks—from bears. Since April of this year, bears have killed at least 13 people in Japan and injured over 100 more. That's the most fatalities on record. Experts are blaming the attacks on a poor acorn harvest this year. Bears are now leaving their natural habitats and wandering into urban areas to find food. In one incident last month, a bear attacked shoppers at a supermarket 80 miles north of Tokyo.   Supreme Court affirms Trump's call for biologically accurate passports In the United States, the U.S. Supreme ruled in favor of the Trump administration in a case involving so-called gender identity.  The ruling allows the State Department to require passports to list the holder's biological sex at birth. The court ruled 6-3 along ideological lines.  The ruling stated, “Displaying passport holders' sex at birth no more offends equal protection principles than displaying their country of birth—in both cases, the government is merely attesting to an historical fact without subjecting anyone to differential treatment.” Nebraska defunded Planned Parenthood Nebraska became the latest state to defund abortion providers like Planned Parenthood.  The state's Republican Governor Jim Pillen  signed an executive order last Thursday to end Medicaid funding to abortion providers. Nebraska made the move after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed South Carolina to defund Planned Parenthood.   Listen to comments from Nebraska State Attorney General Mike Hilgers. HILGERS: “Today is a culmination of years of work to ensure that Nebraska taxpayers no longer have their tax dollars going to fund abortions in the state of Nebraska. It's a fight that has gone on even from my time in the legislature.  “When we first got Title X funds, we stopped Title X from going to abortion providers, and now, thanks to [Nebraska] Governor Pillen's leadership, we have finally gotten to a place where taxpayer funds will no longer support abortions.” Age of first-time home buyer has increased to record high of 40 The National Association of Realtors released their 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. The share of homes being bought by first-time buyers dropped to a record low of 21% over the last year. Meanwhile, the typical age of a first-time buyer climbed to an all-time high of 40. Jessica Lautz, Deputy Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors, said, “The historically low share of first-time buyers underscores the real-world consequences of a housing market starved for affordable inventory.” Regular Bible readers are more generous The American Bible Society released a new chapter from its State of the Bible USA 2025 report. The research found people who read the Bible regularly are more likely to be generous. Among Christian denominations, Evangelical Protestants have the highest percentage of givers and the highest median amount given. John Plake with the American Bible Society said, “The correlation between Scripture engagement and loving behavior and generosity is undeniable. The more people engage with Scripture, the more likely they are to give of their time, talents, and treasures and to act lovingly toward their neighbors.” In 1 Corinthians 9:7, the Apostle Paul wrote, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” Florida's first search-and-rescue otter And finally, officials in Florida are deploying their first ever search-and-rescue otter. Splash, the two-year-old otter, is now helping the Martin County Sheriff's Office in search and rescue missions. Splash uses a unique bubble technique to detect scents underwater. This allows him to find missing bodies more effectively than dive teams can.  Listen to comments from Sheriff John Budensiek to CBS12 News. BUDENSIEK: “We see a lot of innovative things with technology [Artificial Intelligence], but we're going back to the basics of using an animal to do what they do best, and that's to go in their own environment and detect things that don't belong there.” A rescue otter.  What a brilliant way to employ one of God's creatures to rescue those made in God's image! Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, November 12th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

No American runner made more noise in 2025 than Nico Young.The 23-year-old prodigy smashed the 5,000m American record, claimed his first national title, and battled the world's best in Tokyo. In June, he stormed through the Bislett Games in Oslo, running 12:45.27 for 5,000 meters, which was a new American record. Barely two months later, he claimed his first U.S. title at 10,000 meters in Eugene, clocking 29:02.12 to solidify his dominance on home soil. Then, on the world's biggest stage in Tokyo, Young placed fifth in the 10,000m at the 2025 World Championships, closing his breakout season in a dynamic way.Young's rise has been meteoric but methodical. A former NCAA champion from Northern Arizona University, he first stunned the sport in 2024 by debuting at 26:52.72 for 10,000 meters–an NCAA and American collegiate record–then qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he finished 12th. Turning pro with Adidas that summer, he entered 2025 with sharper focus and the freedom to train through longer, uninterrupted blocks under coach Mike Smith in Flagstaff, Arizona.Now a national champion, world finalist, and record holder, Young owns personal bests of 12:45.27 (5,000m), 26:52.72 (10,000m), and 7:37.73 (3,000m). His performances are redefining what's possible for American distance runners, and he's doing it with trademark composure and humility.Tap into the Nico Young Special.  If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I'll DM you a link to listen. If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!S H O W  N O T E S-The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ-My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠-Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz

Welcome back to Spanish Loops, where this week you are taken into a place that any traveler never see, yet every restaurant, bar, and seafood stall in Madrid depends on it. It's one of the biggest fish markets in the world, second only to Tokyo's. Yes, right in the heart of Spain, hundreds of Kilometres from the coast, lies a seafood empire that feeds millions every day.We'll take you behind the scenes of this fascinating world where trucks roll in before dawn, where chefs and retailers handpick the freshest catch, and where tradition meets high-speed logistics. You'll discover how this market was born, why it became the seafood heartbeat of Madrid, and how it reflects the Spanish passion for fish, freshness, and flavour.Spaniards eat more fish per capita than almost any other Europeans, and this place makes it all possible. It's not just a market, it's a window into Spain's way of life, its relationship with the sea, and its unshakable commitment to good food.So, tune in and join Jorge and Fran as they explore the stories, the smells, and the spirit of Madrid's own “ocean in the city.” You're about to discover why, when it comes to seafood, Spain truly lives by the tide.Buen provecho!

Save 10% on your next Fleshlight with promo code 10PRIVATE at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fleshlight.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Private Parts Unknown is a podcast exploring sex, love, relationships, gender, and seductive subcultures around the world. Join host Courtney Kocak and expert guests for hilarious, sex-positive conversations—destigmatizing everything from abortion to Ashley Madison, polyamory to PMDD, sex work to Shibari, and more. Travel series include Helsinki, Finland; Mexico City, Mexico; and Tokyo, Japan. Get your copy of Girl Gone Wild from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Psst, Courtney has an 0nIyFan$, which is a horny way to support the show: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/cocopeepshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Private Parts Unknown is a proud member of the Pleasure Podcast network. This episode is brought to you by: Our Sponsor, FLESHLIGHT, can help you reach new heights with your self-pleasure. Fleshlight is the #1 selling male sex toy in the world. Looking for your next pocket pal? Save 10% on your next Fleshlight with Promo Code: 10PRIVATE at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fleshlight.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. STDCheck.com is the leader in reliable and affordable lab-based STD testing. Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ppupod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, click STDCheck, and use code Private to get $10 off your next STI test. Explore yourself and say yes to self-pleasure with Lovehoney. Save 15% off your next favorite toy from Lovehoney when you go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lovehoney.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and enter code AFF-PRIVATE at checkout. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/PrivatePartsUnknownAds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you love this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and sexy review! Psst... sign up for the Private Parts Unknown newsletter for bonus content related to our episodes! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠privatepartsunknown.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Let's be friends on social media! Follow the show on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@privatepartsunknown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@privatepartsun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Connect with host Courtney Kocak ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@courtneykocak⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram and Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In late October, amid the choreography of President Trump's visit to Tokyo, two vast and curiously intertwined announcements were made: an $80 billion strategic partnership between the U.S. government and Westinghouse Electric Company, and a $550 billion investment framework between the United States and Japan.This episode of Decouple, hosted by AJ Camacho of Politico and E&E News, brought together Michael Seely, Yuri Humber and Chris Keefer this time in the guest seat to discuss the implications of this deal for the United States, Japan and Canada. Listen to Decouple on:• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PNr3ml8nEQotWWavE9kQz• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/decouple/id1516526694?uo=4• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1516526694/decouple• Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ehbfrn44• RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/23775178/podcast/rssWebsite: https://www.decouple.media

Hey guys before you listen to this one, do realize this is part 4 on a series about General Kanji Ishiwara, so if you have not already done so I would recommend listening to Part 1-2-3.    This episode is General Kanji Ishiwara part 4: Ishiwara vs Hideki Tojo So I promised this would be the last one and it is, rest assured. Sheesh what started as a suggested episode turned into an entire series, but then again Ishiwara Kanji was quite a figure. I recently did a podcast with Cody from AlternateHistoryHub, and at the end of the podcast he poked at me for some alternate history ideas related to the Pacific War. My first thought was what if the Triple Intervention after the Russo-Japanese War never occurred, but then I thought….hell what if Ishiwara Kanji never existed or I dunno got hit by a car. Imagine how different things would have been if not for this one, I am just gonna say it, instigator haha. Now I think when one looks at this mans life, we attribute much of the story towards the Mukden Incident and the eventual full scale China war, but thats not where it ends of course. Ishiwara did a lot during the war and after, so to close it all up lets jump back into it.   Ishiwara is now a Major General , chief of the most powerful office on the general staff. He was fighting tooth and nail to limit operations in what was the new China War. A month before everything hit the fan he declared in front of the General staff “I shall never send a single soldier to China as long as I live”. But in mid-June of 1937 rumors emerged that the China garrison was planning another incident in the Beijing area, similar to Ishiwara's famous Mukden incident of September 1931. Two weeks later the Marco Polo Bridge incident occurred on July 7th. The Japanese army were divided on the issue. There was the expansionists who sought to smash China in a single blow and the non-expansionists who sought to settle everything between their nations before the conflict became too large. Ishiwara was on the side of the non-expansionists and from the earliest hours of the war he directed a losing fight to try and localize the conflict. Fight as he must to stop mobilization of further forces, he was forced to relent multiple times and to his horror the conflict grew and grew. Ishiwara's efforts or some would say meddling, ironically made things worse for the non-expansionists. Some of the expansionists would go on the record to state Ishiwara bungled the situation, years after the China incident, Colonel Shibayama would say with bitterness “The idea that Ishiawara Kanji opposed the expansion of the China incident is nonsense. If he really had opposed it he wouldn't have agreed to the mobilization. There were certainly other ways of solving the problem” Ishiwara was stuck between a rock and a hard place. While he wanted to stop the mobilization of more forces to China, the men at the front kept sending reports that Japanese citizens were underthreat in areas like Beijing, his wrists were turned as they say. Ishiwara did not cave in without a fight however, as I said in the last episode he turned to Prime Minister Konoe to strike a deal with Chiang Kai-shek, and Konoe nearly did, but at the last minute he canceled his flight to Nanking.   When the North China incident saw action spring up in Shanghai, it then became officially the China incident and Ishiwara attempted once more to push for a peace settlement in September. However by that point Ishiwara's influence had dropped considerably, few in the Operations division were still following his lead. Many of the expansionists began to bemoan Ishiwara as nothing more than a nuisance. Prince Sainji would go on the record telling Konoe “Ishiwara is like a candly in the wind ready to be snuffed out at any moment”. By late september Ishiwara was removed from the General staff by General Tada. The expansionists had won the day. There were other non-expansionists like Horiba Kazuo and Imai Takeo who carried on fighting the non-expansionist cause, but in january of 1938 Konoe decalred the Japanese government would not treat with Chiang Kai-shek. It was the nail in the coffin.   The war escalted, by 1938 24 divisions were tossed into China, in 1939 it would be 34 bogged down. The IJA was without mobilization divisions and less than half the ammunition necessary for the 15 divisions assigned to the borders with the USSR and that critical weakness became only to apparent with two border clashes in 1938 and 1939. To Ishiwara it was all too predicatable, he had continuously argued the folly of a China War. He lectured about how it was impossible to conquer China “China is like an earthworm. Cut it in two and it will still keep on wriggling”. Ishiwara believed China's territory and self-sufficiency built upon its masses would always make up for Japanese military might. Ishiwara unlike his colleagues believed Japan was not capable of dealing a knock out blow against China. He would criticize many for promoting the idea stating “those who excite the public by claims of victory, just because the army has captured some out of the way little area, do so only to coneal their own incompetence as they squander the nation's power in an unjustified war”.   In the fall of 1937 Ishiwara found himself back in mainland Asia with an appointed as the vice chief of staff of the Kwantung army. But he came back with a scarred reputation now, for his non-expansionist fight earned him a lot of scorn. All of his ideas of a political independent and racially equal Manchukuo in 1932 had all but disappeared. The Japanese military and civilians occupied all important positions in the puppet state. The Kwantung army authorities, particularly that of Hideki Tojo wgo was at the time a provost marshal in Manchuria had taken a stern line against any efforts to revive East Asian League or their ideals. So when Ishiwara arrived, he quickly realized his influence had deminished significantly. None the less he took up his old cause trying to work with the barely relavent Concordia association, but they were fighting against Tojo who received a promotion to chief of staff in Manchuria in March. Tojo was now Ishiwara's superior, it was a hopeless cause, but Ishiwara persisted.    Ishiwara began insisting the Kwantung army must step asie to allow for self-government to reing over Manchuria. He argued Japan's special holdings in Manchuria should be turned over to the Manchukuo government and that the Concordia association should act as a guiding source. He also pointed out how dangerous the USSR was too Manchuria and that Japan must increase its forces in the border areas of Manchuria. For all of this he recommended a solution would be a Asian union, that if Manchukuo flourished under racial equality and harmony, perhaps it would show the rest of China Sino-Japanese cooperation was possible and maybe China would join an East Asian league. Ishiwara would continously hammer the idea, that the solution to the China war was to create an effective east asian league. With China in the fold, they would have unrivaled airpower, a prime element in his preparation for the Final War. Not a single one of his arguments were given any consideration.   Ontop of his radical ideas, Ishiwara also advised reducing salaries for Japanese officials in Manchuria and was as you can imagine denounced quickly by his colleagues for this. Then Ishiwara found out Tojo was embezzling Kwantung army funds to the officers wives club, a pet project of Mrs Tojo. So Ishiwara went ahead by pointing out Tojo's corruption and added a large insult by suggesting Tojo had the mentality of a mere sergeant. In a public speech at the Concordia association infront of a mixed Japanese/manchurian audience he tore into many of his colleagues like General Hashimoto Toranosuke who was an honorary president of said association and Ishiwara said “he did nothing but sit around and draw a high salary, setting a disgraceful example to junior officers”. So yeah Ishiwara soon found himself very very isolated in the Kwantung army staff. Tojo received a promotion to vice minister of war in May of 1938, with the support of notable expansionist types. As for Ishiwara he had became quite a headache to his colleagues. Depressed and disgusted with the situation, Ishiwara decided to quit the army before he was tossed out. He first tried to apply at the war ministry to be placed on the reserve list but was told the matter required approval of the minister of war. At that time, it was actually his old buddy Itagaki Seishiro as minister of war. While the decision was being made, Ishiwara was authorized to return to Japan, but when he did the Kwantung army inisted he had departed without authorization to do so, basically arguing he just walked away from his desk one day.   Itagaki made no move to summon Ishiwara once he was back in Tokyo, but Tojo as vice minister got wind of the situation and was all too eager to pounce. It turned out Tojo had Kenpeitai waching Ishiwara and some of his closest colleagues for awhile and he chose this moment to haul Ishiwara up for military indiscipline. The case against Ishiwara was quite a controversy and in the end all Itagaki could do for his old friend was get him an command over the Maizuru fortress area on Japan's seacost of Kyoto prefecture. The day before the orders were posted, Tojo managed to toss one last punch at Ishiwara. He order his Kenpeitai friend, special service commander Colonel Otani Keijiro to carry out a lightning raid on the Tokyo offices of the Concordia Association which saw the arrests of some of Ishiwara's close colleagues.   1939-1941 marked a terrible time for Ishiwara's military career, but he did take the time to build more so upon his Final War theory, the national defense state, the Showa restoration and the East Asian league. Ishiwara's lackluster Maizuru assignment was a quite backwater, not demanding much attention. During his leisure time he came to the conclussion based on his analysis of military history with some fresh readings of Buddhist texts that the Final War was destined to break out within the next 40 years or so. On March 10th of 1939 he made an address to the Concordia association in Toyko “a concept of world war “sekai sensokan”. He stated based on his analysis that Japan had to prepare for the final war because “world conflict is now in the semifinal round and it is for this reason that the necessity has arrived for an east asian league”. In August of 1939 Itagaki resigned as war minister to take up a position on on the chief of staff in the China expeditionary army which was then grinding to a halt. But before he did so, he made one of his final acts as war minister to give Ishiwara command of the 16th reserve division in Kyoto.   It was not a frontline position, but it was an important one, as the Kyoto command was notable for developing infantry tactics. Japan had just received some major defeats to the USSR at the battle of Lake Khasan and Khalkhin Gol so Ishiwara went to work developing some anti soviet tactics. This led to some infiltration techniques that would see application with the IJA during the early battles of the Pacific War. But despite his work on tactics, what really consumed his mind was pressing for the East Asian League. He argued a Showa restoration needed to happen, like the Meiji restoration, but this new one would be pan-asian, to face the west. In May of 1940 he put all of his arguments together in a public address that gained fame under the title “on the final war”. It was here he unleashed two decades of his thoughts into the Japanese public. He added some new features to his theories such as a “the world had entered a second industrial revolution”. He pointed out German had pioneered in the field of electrochemistry, producing energy for both industrial production and weapons of war. Such discoveries he argued would permit Asian nations to catch up and eventually overtake the west in productive and destructive power. But above all else he kept hammering the necessity for an east asian league, which required a Showa restoration to finally bring pan-asianism.   In November of 1939, as a successor to the Concordia Association, the association for an east asian league was established with its HQ in tokyo. Ishiwara was unable to officially become a member because he was part of the military, but he was an unofficial advisor and more importantly in the eyes of the public it was his association. By 1941 the association blew up to 100,000 members, mostly ex-soldiers, businessmen, journalists, farmers and such. They had a monthly magazine, training courses, meetings, lectures, the works. They extensively studied Ishiwara's writings on the history of war, the Showa restoration and his Final War theory. They spent extensive resources securing bases on the asian mainland trying to recruit supporters amongst other asian peoples to create a federation. Within Japanese controlled portions of China, they propagated the concept of the East Asian league. For the small group of collaborationists in China, many were attracted to it. In February of 1941 the General China assembly for the east asian league, was established in Nanjing with Wang Jingwei as chairman. Oh Wang Jingwei…having spent so much time learning about the Warlord Era and Northern Expedition, it never surprises me this guy would cling to anything for power. The influence of the league even found its way to Chongqing, and Chiang Kai-shek allegedly declared that peace negotiations could be pursued based on some aspects of the movement. But come spring of 1941, all of the leagues efforts would be dashed by Tojo. In early 1941, Tojo as war minister began plotting against the league and its architect Ishiwara. Tojo believed the east asian league was very defeatists and antithetical to his own hard line stance on Sino-Japanese relations. It also provided his nemesis Ishiwara with a political base to generate public opposition to his government's policies. Tojo obviously thought Ishiwara would use such a thing to overthrow him, so he went to war. His first move was to put Ishiwara on the retired list in december of 1940. However Ishiwara was still a influential figure and held some considerably powerful friends like Prince Higashikuni, so he was unable to safely pull this off. Instead he chose to harass the league.    Initially Premier Konoe was backing the league, but Tojo began to pressure Konoe to take a position against it. On January 14th, the konoe cabinet stated “as it appears that they violate respect for the nation and cast a shadow on the imperial authority, theories advocating leagues of states are hereby not permitted”. Thus the east asian league became illegal. Taking the cue on the cabinets decision, the Japanese media began a running hit pieces on the league, kind of like how America works today, ompf. By february of 1941 the criticism towards the league was smashing them. All of Ishiwara's allies within the league were hit hard, some even tortured, it was a purge. For Ishiwara nothing really happened, except for the continual surveillance by the Kenpeitai. Ishiwara proceeded to vent his wrath in public speeches, pretty bold ass move if you ask me and he delivered one fiery one at Kyoto university on east asia problems where he told his audience “the enemy is not the chinese people, but rather certain Japanese. It is particularly Tojo Hideki and Umezu Yoshijiro, who, armed and pursuing their own ambition, are the enemy of Japan. As disturbers of the peace they are the enemies of the world. They should be arrested and executed”. Excuse my french, but the fucking balls on this guy haha. Ishiwara made this statement in public and at the time he was still in military service, its simply incredible he did not suffer horrible punishment after slandering the minister of war and commander of the kwantung army. Why was he not punished, well again it was awkward as he still had a cult following and going after him might see violence. Ishiwara would later state the reason he was not persecuted was because “Tojo was a coward who never had the courage to arrest me. The fact that a man like Tojo and his henchmen came to power was one reason for Japan's downfall”.    Regardless Ishiwara's public statements finally led to him being placed on the retirement list on March 1st of 1941 and yes it was 100% Tojo who pushed this. Tojo ordered the Kenpeitai to watch Ishiwara closely for weeks after his forced retirement. Ishiwara enthusiastically went into retirement as he now was fully dedicated to his four great concerns: the east asian league, the showa restoration, the national defense state and of course the final war theory.   In the meantime another league had opened up, the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity sphere and you would be forgiven to believe it was the same as the east asian league if not its successor. Both perpetuated common ideology, like racial harmony, stemming from the Concordia association. Ishiwara's concepts of national defense also found their way in the Greater east asia co-prosperity sphere. It advocated for most of the basic principals of the league, common defense, political independence and integration of economic systems. How did they differ you might ask? Well Ishiwara's east asian league did not share the formers racial superiority of the Japanese as its cornerstone. The east asian league was not built upon the premise that China was incompetent as a modern state and needed to be led. For you american listeners, its actually pretty easy to summarize the co-prosperity sphere idea, its was Japan's monroe doctrine. The east asian league had been undone by the China War and then Pacific War, leaving the co-prosperity sphere to monopolize the asian continent and it did so through brute force and undermined any chance of pan-asianism. Ishiwara sought the east asian league solely because he truly believed pan-asianism would be required to build up enough forces to fight the final war.    During his retirement Ishiwara went on lecturing in major universities, but Tojo unleashed the Kenpeitai upon him, whom often demanded he cancel a lecture or not talk about certain subjects. I guess its like Youtube today, haha. Though ever the more isolated, when the Pacific War kicked off, Ishiwara could not be fully muzzled. He did not opposed the surprise attack on pearl harbor publically, but privately he predicted Japan had begun a war it would lose, based solely on material terms. A famous thing he once said to Satomi Kishio which appears in an cooky anime called Zipang where some member of the SDF accidentally go back in time to june 4th of 1942 if you were curious, really funny premise, but anyways, Ishiwara said this “inevitably, we shall lose this war. It will be a struggle in which Japan, even though it has only a thousand yen in its pocket, plans to spend ten thousand, while the United States has a hundred thousand yen, but only needs to spend ten thousand…we simply cannot last. Japan started this war without considering its resources beforehand”. I love this passage. It's an excellent way to speak to a general public, very effective I find.   Ishiwara criticized the military for spreading themselves out too thinly in the early months of the war, dispersing countless men on small islands in the pacific. But above all else, he kept hammering the fact the China war needed to end. China was sucking up the vast majority of Japan's military resources and men, how could Japan hope to wage a war against a nation like the US when it was stuck in China? When Saipan fell in 1944, Ishiwara said all hope was lost. He believed the only possible way Japan could avoid disaster was if the USSR broke its pact with its allies and offered a settlement to Japan, but he knew that was a long shot given how anti-communist Japan was. I have to make a point here to say a LOT of Ishiwara's talk, comes postwar and feels like a “i told you so”. Ishiwara gave testimony at the Tokyo war crime trials and declared “despite its material inferiority, Japan did not need to suffer a defeat, if its strategy had been well planned and carried out”. He even made a remark to an American correspondent named Mark Gayn in 1946 stating if he held command of the forces he would have ended the war with China, consolidated Japanese defensive lines and made a proper stand.   Throughout the war, Ishiwara battled Tojo, often referring to him as a simpleton. In fact in late 1942 he arranged an audience with Tojo and told him to his face that he was too incompetent to run the nation or wage a war and that he should step down. There was a rumor Ishiwara was part of a plot to assassinate Tojo in the summer of 1944. This was a scheme hatched by some junior officers in the central HQ, and one of their members was a east asian league associate. Ishiwara was called upon to Tokyo during an investigation of the plot and as much as Tojo and his team tried to find evidence of his involvement, they were unable to nail him. The Kenpeitai chased after Ishiwara until Tojo's regime collapsed.    By the end of the war, Ishiwara was asked by Prince Higashikuni if he could join the “surrender cabinet' as an advisor. Ishiwara declined on the grounds he wanted to be unsullied by Japans defeat.    It should be noted again, Ishiwara was a man of countless contradictions. While he was one of the first to be outspoken against the Pacific War and predicted Japan's defeat, during the end half of the way he got really caught up in the war fever. For example in 1944 he began stating Japan needed to prepare to “shed the blood of a million lives in the south seas in a do or die battle”. He also had this blind faith that a German victory in Europe would turn the tide of the war in the east. He said of Hitler in 1944 “he is the greatest hero in Europe since Napoleon”. Some argue his later public stances were the result of him not being in the military and thus he had to conform to the wartime propaganda to get his message across to the general public. He also began linking concepts of the east asian league to the greater east asian co-prosperity sphere, which is quite the contradiction. Again personally I see him as a fence sitter, he loved to always have a backdoor in his arguments.   One major thing that he faced during the Pacific War, was trying to explain to his followers, the current war was not the Final War. As he stated publicly in February of 1942 “Many people think that the greater east asian war is the final war. Nothing could be further from the truth… the greater east asian war is the grand rehearsal for the final war. In other words, it will lead to the liberation of east asia and the establishment of an east asian league and will provide to the league the necessary material and strategic base for the final war”. Well the failure of the China War, Pacific War, the complete military collapse of Japan, the take over of communism in mainland asia, the emerging cold war….I guess that all kind of ruined his final war theory.    With Japan's defeat looming in 1944, Ishiwara began to shift his focus towards a reconstruction effort. He began as early as 1944 to talk about what would happen to Japan. He predicted she would lose much overseas territory, her cities would be in ruins, her people would be starving. He turned his attention to agriculture, how could food production be increased, he became particularly interested in fertilizers. By the end of the war he gathered a farming community to discuss how things could be improved. When the surrender proclamation was made, he began to ponder the meaning of his life's work. After the emperor made his speech, Ishiwara gathered his followers to speak to them about how Japan could regain world power and thus keep his theory intact. Ishiwara had many ideas going forward about how Japan could take a positive footing. He advocated Japan dismantle the remnants of its bureaucratic despotism, abolition the special police force, apologize to the global community for war crimes, but he also argued America needed to answer for her war crimes as well. He especially pointed fingers at President Truman for two atomic bombs and that efforts needed to be made to use bombings to lessen Japan's punishment. Ishiwara also argued Japan should gain sympathy from asia so their former enemies could come together to form an east asian league.   Emperor Hirohito proclaimed the surrender and abolition of all stocks of war materials, and Ishiwara said that was fine because he believed the final war would require new armaments that would be completely different from what existed. He predicted the future wars would be more scientific, fought with decisive weapons developed in laboratories that did not require large organized military forces. He thought perhaps a small body of underground scientists could create terrible new weapons to prepare for the Final War, thats a terrifying idea. In autumn of 1945, Ishiwara found himself in the limelight again. His lectures had made him a viable alternative to the Tojo regime during the last year of the war and his reputation as an opponent and victim of said regime made him special. Many journalists, both Japanese and American came flooding to him followed by a legion of followers who were unable to publicly come forward during the Tojo years.   Ishiwara took advantage of this new situation to make some very large speeches. He spoke about how the Tojo clique was the reason for Japan's defeat, how they all needed to establish a new Japan. He brought out the usual theories he had spoke about for years, and argued the necessity for national reconstruction to prepare for the final war. However he changed his argument a bit, stating while Japan had military been crushed, it now must prepare for the final war by building the highest culture. In this new age, Japan needed to obtain supremacy in fields of science, because he now believed that was the new power. “A single laboratory, a single factory, or perhaps a single man working alone will make the most fantastic discovery that will make war decisive”. He would continue to make speeches throughout 1945, but come 1946 the high authority, one Emperor Douglas MacArthur, haha sorry I had to say it, General MacArthur stamped down on any Japanese leader, especially former military leaders. So Ishiwara had a few months of fame, but then he found himself yet again purged, though not arrested. Alongside this came a ban on the East Asian League association.    Ishiwara was then incapacitated by illness, something that plagued his life. His condition became so bad he required surgery in Tokyo. In April of 1946 he was interviewed by American correspondent Mark Gayn who left with a very memorable impression of the man, he had this to say “ Ishiwara received us in his small room, whose window frames were still buckled from bomb explosions. He is a lean man with a deeply tanned face, close shaven head and hard, unblinking eyes. He was sitting Japanese style on his cot, his hands in his lap. Even in a shapeless gown of yellow silk, his body looked straight as a steel rod… We asked Ishiwara just two questions: what of Japan in defeat and what of himself? He answered readily and at length, in a sharp firm voice. He talked like a man who believed every word he said”. Ishiwara told his life story, the Mukden incident, the China war escalation, his feud with Tojo all of his failed attempts with the East Asian League.    In 1947 Ishiwara was put on a list of those Japanese who were purged from public life. He was extremely bitter about this and at the same time he was called as a defense witness in the Tokyo War Crimes Trials. Ishiwara was too sick to travel to Tokyo, so a special military court was convened in Sakata city. He made his deposition in front of 50 people, talking about his role in the Mukden incident and China War. He stated President Truman should be indicted for the atomic bombs and firebombing campaigns and turned upon his American audience about the denunciation for Japanese expansionism. “Havent you ever heard of Perry? Don't you know anything about your country's history? Tokugawa Japan believed in isolation; it didnt want to have anything to do with other countries, and had its doors locked tightly. Then along came Perry from your country in his black ships to open those doors; he aimed his big guns at Japan and warned that ‘if you don't deal with us, look out for these; open your doors, and negotiate with other countries too'. And then when Japan did open its doors and tried dealing with other countries, it learned that all those countries were a fearfully aggressive lot. And so for its own defense it took your country as its teacher and set about learning how to be aggressive. You might saw we became your disciples. Why dont you subpoena Perry from the other world and try him as a war criminal?”    In November of 1948 Ishiwara declared on a home recorded video “we must utterly cast war aside. We must firmly avoid questions of interest and advantage and judge our national policy purely on a spirit of righteousness…Japan may be devastated, but we must live by a complete rejection of war. The nation must compose itself like Nichiren at Takenoguchi or Christ on his war to the crucifixion”. It seems Ishiwara at the very end gave up on his theories, and supported Japan attaining a permanent peace. That last years of his life were spent in constant pain due to his illness. In 1949 he contracted a fatal case of pneumonia and realizing he was going to die, dictated a message that summed up all his speculation in the recent years on Japan and its future. The document was originally done in English and directed at General Douglas MacArthur. A month after Ishiwara's death, a Japanese version came out titled “the course for a new Japan / Shin Nihon no Shinro”. The primary purpose of the document was to get MacArthur to lift the ban on the east asia league, but it was also a last apologia. He talked about how Germany, the USSR, Italy and Japan had started on the path of state control, and they all fell prey to group despotism, because all decisions were being made by a few men in the center. He argued Britain's socialist government, the United States New Deal and Marshall plan were great example of a good control system. He argued pure liberalism no longer existed anywhere, not even in the US, yet the US was trying to make Japan a liberal nation. He argued all nations should be allowed to move ahead freely. To end it all of he said this as well “I realize now in my predictions concerning a final war between the east and west I was supremely overconfident and that the facts have proven my wrong. I fear that the real final conflict may be the United States and USSR”   At the age of 61 Ishiwara died in August of 1949, in a small house with some of his followers gathered around him. He said to them before dying he was glad to die at the same age as Nichiren

In this conversation, Brent Sadler discusses the critical importance of maritime issues in relation to national security and economic stability. He emphasizes the need for a dedicated maritime advisor to the president and highlights the current gaps in leadership within the Navy's shipbuilding sector. The conversation underscores the necessity of interagency coordination to ensure timely delivery of warships and the overall revival of American maritime strength.Brent Sadler joined Heritage Foundation after a 26-year Navy career with numerous operational tours on nuclear powered submarines, personal staffs of senior Defense Department leaders, and as a military diplomat in Asia. As a Senior Research Fellow, Brent's focus is on maritime security and the technologies shaping our future maritime forces, especially the Navy.Brent is a 1994 graduate with honors of the United States Naval Academy with a degree in Systems Engineering (robotics) and a minor in Japanese. As a 2004 Olmsted Scholar in Tokyo, Japan, he studied at Keio University, Jochi University and the United Nations University. He has a master of arts from Jochi University and master of science from National War College, where he graduated with distinction in 2011 and received several writing and research awards.In 2011, he established the Navy Asia Pacific Advisory Group (NAPAG), providing regionally informed advice directly to Chief of Naval Operations' (CNO). He again served on the CNO's personal staff in 2015-2016, playing a key role in developing the Defense Department's Third Offset. At Pacific Command from 2012-2015, he held numerous key positions. As lead for Maritime Strategy and Policy, he incorporated all 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) into the first regional maritime domain awareness forum and was instrumental in the eventual passage of the $500 million-dollar Maritime Security Initiative. As Special Advisor on Japan, and a Council of Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow in Tokyo, he played a key role in revising the U.S. and Japan Defense Guidelines. As Deputy Director Strategic Synchronization Group, he oversaw a think-tank like body of over 30 advisors and analysts. Brent led the Commander's Rebalance Task Force coordinating execution of the President's Defense Strategic Guidance—Rebalance to the Asia-Pacific resulting in over $12 billion USD of additional monies budgeted in fiscal years 2013 through 2015 during a time of fiscal austerity.Following his final tour on CNO's staff, Brent returned to Asia as Senior Defense Official, Defense and Naval Attaché in Malaysia. During his tenure he played a key role in coordinating responses to the USS McCain collision in August 2017, opened several politically sensitive ports and airfields to U.S. forces, oversaw unprecedented expansion of U.S. military relations, and steadied relations during the historic May 2018 national elections ushering in an opposition party for the first time since independence.Socials:Follow on Twitter at @NucleCastFollow on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/nuclecastpodcastSubscribe RSS Feed: https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/Rate: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nuclecast/id1644921278Email comments and topic/guest suggestions to NucleCast@anwadeter.org

Originally developed as an anesthetic in the 1960s, ketamine has reemerged as one of modern psychiatry's most promising tools for treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Its superpower lies in working with your brain's glutamate receptors to create antidepressant effects. What does the future of psychedelic-assisted mental health care hold? Could this once-stigmatized molecule represent the future of mental health care and healing the mind from within?In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Mai Shimada, M.D., MBA, FAAEM. Dr. Shimada is a board-certified emergency medicine physician with over a decade of experience and is the founder and CEO of Isha Health, an online at-home ketamine clinic dedicated to providing safe and effective treatments for depression and anxiety.Dr. Shimada received her MD from the University of Tokyo, Emergency Medicine residency in the United States, and later on, completed the Psychedelic Facilitation Certification Program at the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics in two areas and the Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Training Program at Polaris Insight Center. Currently, alongside Isha Health, Dr. Shimada is a study physician for psychedelic medicine clinical trials at Open Mind Collective, a Fellow of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine (FAAEM), a member of The American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM), and a visiting professor of Medicine at Tohoku University in Japan. Dr. Shimada has been featured on Forbes Japan.Follow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz (Host): Instagram, YouTube

Immer wieder wird der Reitsport von Skandalen erschüttert: Prominente Reiterinnen und Reiter gehen beim Versuch, ihre Pferde zu Höchstleistungen zu bringen, zu weit und fügen den Tieren Schmerzen zu. MDR-Journalistin Rebecca Kupfner hat gemeinsam mit ihren Kolleginnen Nina Böckmann und Julia Cruschwitz im deutschen Reitsport recherchiert und sich angeschaut, wie verbreitet umstrittene und eigentlich verbotene Methoden wie die Rollkur oder das Schlagen mit der Gerte sind. Sie erzählt in dieser 11KM-Folge von einem geschlossenen System, das Milliarden umsetzt und in dem das Tierwohl längst nicht immer an erster Stelle steht. Hier geht's zum Film “Reitsport - zwischen Lieben und Quälen” von Rebecca Kupfner, Nina Böckmann und Julia Cruschwitz: https://1.ard.de/teamrecherche_reitsport?pod=elf Weitere spannende, investigative Recherchen findet ihr hier: https://www.ardmediathek.de/investigativ Hier geht's zu "(K)ein Kinderwunsch”, unserem Podcast-Tipp: https://1.ard.de/keinkinderwunschstaffel2 Diese und viele weitere Folgen von 11KM findet ihr überall da, wo es Podcasts gibt, auch hier in der ARD Audiothek: https://www.ardaudiothek.de/sendung/11km-der-tagesschau-podcast/12200383/ An dieser Folge waren beteiligt: Folgenautor:innen: Charlotte Horn und Jonas Helm Mitarbeit: Lukas Waschbüsch, Marc Hoffmann Host: David Krause Produktion: Ruth-Maria Ostermann, Regina Staerke, Alexander Gerhardt, Marie-Noelle Svihla Planung: Caspar von Au und Hardy Funk Distribution: Kerstin Ammermann Redaktionsleitung: Fumiko Lipp und Nicole Dienemann 11KM: der tagesschau-Podcast wird produziert von BR24 und NDR Info. Die redaktionelle Verantwortung für diese Episode liegt beim NDR.

Listen to JCO's Art of Oncology article, "The Man at the Bow" by Dr. Alexis Drutchas, who is a palliative care physician at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. The article is followed by an interview with Drutchas and host Dr. Mikkael Sekeres. Dr. Drutchas shares the deep connection she had with a patient, a former barge captain, who often sailed the same route that her family's shipping container did when they moved overseas many times while she was growing up. She reflects on the nature of loss and dignity, and how oncologists might hold patients' humanity with more tenderness and care, especially at the end of life. TRANSCRIPT Narrator: The Man at the Bow, by Alexis Drutchas, MD  It was the kind of day that almost seemed made up—a clear, cerulean sky with sunlight bouncing off the gold dome of the State House. The contrast between this view and the drab hospital walls as I walked into my patient's room was jarring. My patient, whom I will call Suresh, sat in a recliner by the window. His lymphoma had relapsed, and palliative care was consulted to help with symptom management. The first thing I remember is that despite the havoc cancer had wreaked—sunken temples and a hospital gown slipping off his chest—Suresh had a warm, peaceful quality about him. Our conversation began with a discussion about his pain. Suresh told me how his bones ached and how his fatigue left him feeling hollow—a fraction of his former self. The way this drastic change in his physicality affected his sense of identity was palpable. There was loss, even if it was unspoken. After establishing a plan to help with his symptoms, I pivoted and asked Suresh how he used to spend his days. His face immediately lit up. He had been a barge captain—a dangerous and thrilling profession that took him across international waters to transport goods. Suresh's eyes glistened as he described his joy at sea. I was completely enraptured. He shared stories about mornings when he stood alone on the bow, feeling the salted breeze as the barge moved through Atlantic waves. He spoke of calm nights on the deck, looking at the stars through stunning darkness. He traveled all over the globe and witnessed Earth's topography from a perspective most of us will never see. The freedom Suresh exuded was profound. He loved these voyages so much that one summer, despite the hazards, he brought his wife and son to experience the journey with him. Having spent many years of my childhood living in Japan and Hong Kong, my family's entire home—every bed, sheet, towel, and kitchen utensil—was packed up and crossed the Atlantic on cargo ships four times. Maybe Suresh had captained one, I thought. Every winter, we hosted US Navy sailors docked in Hong Kong for the holidays. I have such fond memories of everyone going around the table and sharing stories of their adventures—who saw or ate what and where. I loved those times: the wild abandon of travel, the freedom of being somewhere new, and the way identity can shift and expand as experiences grow. When Suresh shared stories of the ocean, I was back there too, holding the multitude of my identity alongside him. I asked Suresh to tell me more about his voyages: what was it like to be out in severe weather, to ride over enormous swells? Did he ever get seasick, and did his crew always get along? But Suresh did not want to swim into these perilous stories with me. Although he worked a difficult and physically taxing job, this is not what he wanted to focus on. Instead, he always came back to the beauty and vitality he felt at sea—what it was like to stare out at the vastness of the open ocean. He often closed his eyes and motioned with his hands as he spoke as if he was not confined to these hospital walls. Instead, he was swaying on the water feeling the lightness of physical freedom, and the way a body can move with such ease that it is barely perceptible, like water flowing over sand. The resonances of Suresh's stories contained both the power and challenges laden in this work. Although I sat at his bedside, healthy, my body too contained memories of freedom that in all likelihood will one day dissipate with age or illness. The question of how I will be seen, compared to how I hoped to be seen, lingered in my mind. Years ago, before going to medical school, I moved to Vail, Colorado. I worked four different jobs just to make ends meet, but making it work meant that on my days off, I was only a chairlift ride away from Vail's backcountry. I have a picture of this vigor in my mind—my snowboard carving into fresh powder, the utter silence of the wilderness at that altitude, and the way it felt to graze the powdery snow against my glove. My face was windburned, and my body was sore, but my heart had never felt so buoyant. While talking with Suresh, I could so vividly picture him as the robust man he once was, standing tall on the bow of his ship. I could feel the freedom and joy he described—it echoed in my own body. In that moment, the full weight of what Suresh had lost hit me as forcefully as a cresting wave—not just the physical decline, but the profound shift in his identity. What is more, we all live, myself included, so precariously at this threshold. In this work, it is impossible not to wonder: what will it be like when it is me? Will I be seen as someone who has lived a full life, who explored and adventured, or will my personhood be whittled down to my illness? How can I hold these questions and not be swallowed by them? "I know who you are now is not the person you've been," I said to Suresh. With that, he reached out for my hand and started to cry. We looked at each other with a new understanding. I saw Suresh—not just as a frail patient but as someone who lived a full life. As someone strong enough to cross the Atlantic for decades. In that moment, I was reminded of the Polish poet, Wislawa Szymborska's words, "As far as you've come, can't be undone." This, I believe, is what it means to honor the dignity of our patients, to reflect back the person they are despite or alongside their illness…all of their parts that can't be undone. Sometimes, this occurs because we see our own personhood reflected in theirs and theirs in ours. Sometimes, to protect ourselves, we shield ourselves from this echo. Other times, this resonance becomes the most beautiful and meaningful part of our work. It has been years now since I took care of Suresh. When the weather is nice, my wife and I like to take our young son to the harbor in South Boston to watch the planes take off and the barges leave the shore, loaded with colorful metal containers. We usually pack a picnic and sit in the trunk as enormous planes fly overhead and tugboats work to bring large ships out to the open water. Once, as a container ship was leaving the port, we waved so furiously at those working on board that they all started to wave back, and the captain honked the ships booming horn. Every single time we are there, I think of Suresh, and I picture him sailing out on thewaves—as free as he will ever be. Mikkael Sekeres: Welcome back to JCO's Cancer Stories: The Art of Oncology. This ASCO podcast features intimate narratives and perspectives from authors exploring their experiences in oncology. I'm your host, Mikkael Sekeres. I'm Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Hematology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami. What a treat we have today. We're joined by Dr. Alexis Drutchas, a Palliative Care Physician and the Director of the Core Communication Program at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School to discuss her article, "The Man at the Bow." Alexis, thank you so much for contributing to Journal of Clinical Oncology and for joining us to discuss your article. Dr. Alexis Drutchas: Thank you. I'm thrilled and excited to be here. Mikkael Sekeres: I wonder if we can start by asking you about yourself. Where are you from, and can you walk us a bit through your career? Dr. Alexis Drutchas: The easiest way to say it would be that I'm from the Detroit area. My dad worked in automotive car parts and so we moved around a lot when I was growing up. I was born in Michigan, then we moved to Japan, then back to Michigan, then to Hong Kong, then back to Michigan. Then I spent my undergrad years in Wisconsin and moved out to Colorado to teach snowboarding before medical school, and then ended up back in Michigan for that, and then on the east coast at Brown for my family medicine training, and then in Boston for work and training. So, I definitely have a more global experience in my background, but also very Midwestern at heart as well. In terms of my professional career trajectory, I trained in family medicine because I really loved taking care of the whole person. I love taking care of kids and adults, and I loved OB, and at the time I felt like it was impossible to choose which one I wanted to pursue the most, and so family medicine was a great fit. And at the core of that, there's just so much advocacy and social justice work, especially in the community health centers where many family medicine residents train. During that time, I got very interested in LGBTQ healthcare and founded the Rhode Island Trans Health Conference, which led me to work as a PCP at Fenway Health in Boston after that. And so I worked there for many years. And then through a course of being a hospitalist at BI during that work, I worked with many patients with serious illness, making decisions about discontinuing dialysis, about pursuing hospice care in the setting of ILD. I also had a significant amount of family illness and started to recognize this underlying interest I had always had in palliative care, but I think was a bit scared to pursue. But those really kind of tipped me over to say I really wanted to access a different level of communication skills and be able to really go into depth with patients in a way I just didn't feel like I had the language for. And so I applied to the Harvard Palliative Care Fellowship and luckily and with so much gratitude got in years ago, and so trained in palliative care and stayed at MGH after that. So my Dana-Farber position is newer for me and I'm very excited about it. Mikkael Sekeres: Sounds like you've had an amazing career already and you're just getting started on it. I grew up in tiny little Rhode Island and, you know, we would joke you have to pack an overnight bag if you travel more than 45 minutes. So, our boundaries were much tighter than yours. What was it like growing up where you're going from the Midwest to Asia, back to the Midwest, you wind up settling on the east coast? You must have an incredible worldly view on how people live and how they view their health. Dr. Alexis Drutchas: I think you just named much of the sides of it. I think I realize now, in looking back, that in many ways it was living two lives, because at the time it was rare from where we lived in the Detroit area in terms of the other kids around us to move overseas. And so it really did feel like that part of me and my family that during the summers we would have home leave tickets and my parents would often turn them in to just travel since we didn't really have a home base to come back to. And so it did give me an incredible global perspective and a sense of all the ways in which people develop community, access healthcare, and live. And then coming back to the Midwest, not to say that it's not cosmopolitan or diverse in its own way, but it was very different, especially in the 80s and 90s to come back to the Midwest. So it did feel like I carried these two lenses in the world, and it's been incredibly meaningful over time to meet other friends and adults and patients who have lived these other lives as well. I think for me those are some of my most connecting friendships and experiences with patients for people who have had a similar experience in living with sort of a duality in their everyday lives with that. Mikkael Sekeres: You know, you write about the main character of your essay, Suresh, who's a barge captain, and you mention in the essay that your family crossed the Atlantic on cargo ships four times when you were growing up. What was that experience like? How much of it do you remember? Dr. Alexis Drutchas: Our house, like our things, crossed the Atlantic four times on barge ships such as his. We didn't, I mean we crossed on airplanes. Mikkael Sekeres: Oh, okay, okay. Dr. Alexis Drutchas: We flew over many times, but every single thing we owned got packed up into containers on large trucks in our house and were brought over to ports to be sent over. So, I'm not sure how they do it now, but at the time that's sort of how we moved, and we would often go live in a hotel or a furnished apartment for the month's wait of all of our house to get there, which felt also like a surreal experience in that, you know, you're in a totally different country and then have these creature comforts of your bedroom back in Metro Detroit. And I remember thinking a lot about who was crossing over with all of that stuff and where was it going, and who else was moving, and that was pretty incredible. And when I met Suresh, just thinking about the fact that at some point our home could have been on his ship was a really fun connection in my mind to make, just given where he always traveled in his work. Mikkael Sekeres: It's really neat. I remember when we moved from the east coast also to the Midwest, I was in Cleveland for 18 years. The very first thing we did was mark which of the boxes had the kids' toys in it, because that of course was the first one we let them close it up and then we let them open it as soon as we arrived. Did your family do something like that as well so that you can, you know, immediately feel an attachment to your stuff when they arrived? Dr. Alexis Drutchas: Yeah, I remember what felt most important to our mom was our bedrooms. I don't remember the toys. I remember sort of our comforters and our pillowcases and things like that, yeah, being opened and it feeling really settling to think, "Okay, you know, we're in a completely different place and country away from most everything we know, but our bedroom is the same." That always felt like a really important point that she made to make home feel like home again in a new place. Mikkael Sekeres: Yeah, yeah. One of the sentences you wrote in your essay really caught my eye. You wrote about when you were younger and say, "I loved those times, the wild abandon of travel, the freedom of being somewhere new, the way identity can shift and expand as experiences grow." It's a lovely sentiment. Do you think those are emotions that we experience only as children, or can they continue through adulthood? And if they can, how do we make that happen, that sense of excitement and experience? Dr. Alexis Drutchas: I think that's such a good question and one I honestly think about a lot. I think that we can access those all the time. There's something about the newness of travel and moving, you know, I have a 3-year-old right now, and so I think many parents would connect to that sense that there is wonderment around being with someone experiencing something for the first time. Even watching my son, Oliver, see a plane take off for the first time felt joyous in a completely new way, that even makes me smile a lot now. But I think what is such a great connection here is when something is new, our eyes are so open to it. You know, we're constantly witnessing and observing and are excited about that. And I think the connection that I've realized is important for me in my work and also in just life in general to hold on to that wonderment is that idea of sort of witnessing or having a writer's eye, many would call it, in that you're keeping your eye open for the small beautiful things. Often with travel, you might be eating ramen. It might not be the first time you're eating it, but you're eating it for the first time in Tokyo, and it's the first time you've had this particular ingredient on it, and then you remember that. But there's something that we're attuned to in those moments, like the difference or the taste, that makes it special and we hold on to it. And I think about that a lot as a writer, but also in patient care and having my son with my wife, it's what are the special small moments to hold on to and allowing them to be new and beautiful, even if they're not as large as moving across the country or flying to Rome or whichever. I think there are ways that that excitement can still be alive if we attune ourselves to some of the more beautiful small moments around us. Mikkael Sekeres: And how do we do that as doctors? We're trained to go into a room and there's almost a formula for how we approach patients. But how do you open your mind in that way to that sense of wonderment and discovery with the person you're sitting across from, and it doesn't necessarily have to be medical? One of the true treats of what we do is we get to meet people from all backgrounds and all walks of life, and we have the opportunity to explore their lives as part of our interaction. Dr. Alexis Drutchas: Yeah, I think that is such a great question. And I would love to hear your thoughts on this too. I think for me in that sentence that you mentioned, sitting at that table with sort of people in the Navy from all over the world, I was that person to them in the room, too. There was some identity there that I brought to the table that was different than just being a kid in school or something like that. To answer your question, I wonder if so much of the challenge is actually allowing ourselves to bring ourselves into the room, because so much of the formula is, you know, we have these white coats on, we have learners, we want to do it right, we want to give excellent care. There's there's so many sort of guards I think that we put up to make sure that we're asking the right questions, we don't want to miss anything, we don't want to say the wrong thing, and all of that is true. And at the same time, I find that when I actually allow myself into the room, that is when it is the most special. And that doesn't mean that there's complete countertransference or it's so permeable that it's not in service of the patient. It just means that I think when we allow bits of our own selves to come in, it really does allow for new connections to form, and then we are able to learn about our patients more, too. With every patient, I think often we're called in for goals of care or symptom management, and of course I prioritize that, but when I can, I usually just try to ask a more open-ended question, like, "Tell me about life before you came to the hospital or before you were diagnosed. What do you love to do? What did you do for work?" Or if it's someone's family member who is ill, I'll ask the kids or family in the room, "Like, what kind of mom was she? You know, what special memory you had?" Just, I get really curious when there's time to really understand the person. And I know that that's not at all new language. Of course, we're always trying to understand the person, but I just often think understanding them is couched within their illness. And I'm often very curious about how we can just get to know them as people, and how humanizing ourselves to them helps humanize them to us, and that back and forth I think is like really lovely and wonderful and allows things to come up that were totally unexpected, and those are usually the special moments that you come home with and want to tell your family about or want to process and think about. What about you? How do you think about that question? Mikkael Sekeres: Well, it's interesting you ask. I like to do projects around the house. I hate to say this out loud because of course one day I'll do something terrible and everyone will remember this podcast, but I fancy myself an amateur electrician and plumber and carpenter and do these sorts of projects. So I go into interactions with patients wanting to learn about their lives and how they live their lives to see what I can pick up on as well, how I can take something out of that interaction and actually use it practically. My father-in-law has this phrase he always says to me when a worker comes to your house, he goes, he says to me, "Remember to steal with your eyes." Right? Watch what they do, learn how they fix something so you can fix it yourself and you don't have to call them next time. So, for me it's kind of fun to hear how people have lived their lives both within their professions, and when I practiced medicine in Cleveland, there were a lot of farmers and factory workers I saw. So I learned a lot about how things are made. But also about how they interact with their families, and I've learned a lot from people I've seen who were just terrific dads and terrific moms or siblings or spouses. And I've tried to take those nuggets away from those interactions. But I think you can only do it if you open yourself up and also allow yourself to see that person's humanity. And I wonder if I can quote you to you again from your essay. There's another part that I just loved, and it's about how you write about how a person's identity changes when they become a patient. You write, "And in that moment the full weight of what he had lost hit me as forcefully as a cresting wave. Not just the physical decline, but the profound shift in identity. What is more, we all live, me included, so precariously at this threshold. In this work, it's impossible not to wonder, what will it be like when it's me? Will I be seen as someone who's lived many lives, or whittled down only to someone who's sick?" Can you talk a little bit more about that? Have you been a patient whose identity has changed without asking you to reveal too much? Or what about your identity as a doctor? Is that something we have to undo a little bit when we walk in the room with the stethoscope or wearing a white coat? Dr. Alexis Drutchas: That was really powerful to hear you read that back to me. So, thank you. Yeah, I think my answer here can't be separated from the illness I faced with my family. And I think this unanimously filters into the way in which I see every patient because I really do think about the patient's dignity and the way medicine generally, not always, really does strip them of that and makes them the patient. Even the way we write about "the patient said this," "the patient said that," "the patient refused." So I generally very much try to have a one-liner like, "Suresh is a X-year-old man who's a barge captain from X, Y, and Z and is a loving father with a," you know, "period. He comes to the hospital with X, Y, and Z." So I always try to do that and humanize patients. I always try to write their name rather than just "patient." I can't separate that out from my experience with my family. My sister six years ago now went into sudden heart failure after having a spontaneous coronary artery dissection, and so immediately within minutes she was in the cath lab at 35 years old, coding three times and came out sort of with an Impella and intubated, and very much, you know, all of a sudden went from my sister who had just been traveling in Mexico to a patient in the CCU. And I remember desperately wanting her team to see who she was, like see the person that we loved, that was fighting for her life, see how much her life meant to us. And that's not to say that they weren't giving her great care, but there was something so important to me in wanting them to see how much we wanted her to live, you know, and who she was. It felt like there's some important core to me there. We brought pictures in, we talked about what she was living for. It felt really important. And I can't separate that out from the way in which I see patients now or I feel in my own way in a certain way what it is to lose yourself, to lose the ability to be a Captain of the ship, to lose the ability to do electric work around the house. So much of our identity is wrapped up in our professions and our craft. And I think for me that has really become forefront in the work of palliative care and in and in the teaching I do and in the writing I do is how to really bring them forefront and not feel like in doing that we're losing our ability to remain objective or solid in our own professional identities as clinicians and physicians. Mikkael Sekeres: Well, I think that's a beautiful place to end here. I can only imagine what an outstanding physician and caregiver you are also based on your writing and how you speak about it. You just genuinely come across as caring about your patients and your family and the people you have interactions with and getting to know them as people. It has been again such a treat to have Dr. Alexis Drutchas here. She is Director of the Core Communication Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School to discuss her article, "The Man at the Bow." Alexis, thank you so much for joining us. Dr. Alexis Drutchas: Thank you. This has been a real joy. Mikkael Sekeres: If you've enjoyed this episode, consider sharing it with a friend or colleague, or leave us a review. Your feedback and support helps us continue to save these important conversations. If you're looking for more episodes and context, follow our show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen, and explore more from ASCO at ASCO.org/podcasts. Until next time, this has been Mikkael Sekeres for the ASCO podcast Cancer Stories: The Art of Oncology. The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. Guest statements on the podcast do not express the opinions of ASCO. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement. Show notes: Like, share and subscribe so you never miss an episode and leave a rating or review. Guest Bio: Dr. Alexis Drutchas is a palliative care physician at Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

We go to Tokyo, to a particular place that is both nemesis and best friend to all those procrastinators out there. (Yes, we're looking at you :) LEARN MORE: The Manuscript Writing Cafe is open Saturdays and Sundays and you can reserve your seat online. https://koenji-sankakuchitai.blog.jp/ManuscriptWritingCafe/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Last time we spoke about the Changsha fire. Chiang Kai-shek faced a brutal choice: defend Wuhan to the last man or flood the land to slow the invaders. He chose both, pushing rivers and rallying a fractured army as Japanese forces pressed along the Yangtze. Fortresses at Madang held long, but the cost was high—troops lost, civilians displaced, a city's heart burning in the night. Wuhan fell after months of brutal fighting, yet the battle did not break China's will. Mao Zedong urged strategy over martyrdom, preferring to drain the enemy and buy time for a broader struggle. The Japanese, though victorious tactically, found their strength ebbing, resource strains, supply gaps, and a war that felt endless. In the wake of Wuhan, Changsha stood next in the Japanese crosshairs, its evacuation and a devastating fire leaving ash and memory in its wake. Behind these prices, political currents swirled. Wang Jingwei defected again, seeking power beyond Chiang's grasp, while Chongqing rose as a western bastion of resistance. The war hardened into a protracted stalemate, turning Japan from an aggressive assailant into a wary occupier, and leaving China to endure, persist, and fight on.   #175  The Soviet-Japanese Border Conflicts 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. So based on the title of this one, you probably can see we are taking a bit of a detour. For quite some time we have focused on the Japanese campaigns into China proper 1937-1938. Now the way the second sino-japanese war is traditionally broken down is in phases. 1937-1938, 1939-1942 and 1942-1945. However there is actually even more going on in China aside from the war with Japan. In Xinjiang province a large full blown Islamic revolution breaks out in 1937. We will be covering that story at a later date, but another significant event is escalating border skirmishes in Manchukuo. Now these border skirmishes had been raging ever since the USSR consolidated its hold over the far east. We talked about some of those skirmishes prior to the Sino-Soviet war in 1929. However when Japan created the puppet government of Manchukuo, this was a significant escalation in tensions with the reds. Today we are going to talk about the escalating border conflicts between the Soviets and Japan. A tongue of poorly demarcated land extends southeast from Hunchun, hugging the east bank of the Tumen River between Lake Khasan to the east and Korea to the west. Within this tongue stands Changkufeng Hill, one of a long chain of highlands sweeping from upstream along the rivers and moors toward the sea. The twin-peaked hill sits at the confluence area several miles northwest of the point where Manchuria, Korea, and the Russian Far East meet. The hill's shape reminded Koreans of their changgo, which is a long snare drum constricted at the center and tapped with the hands at each end. When the Manchus came to the Tumen, they rendered the phonetic sounds into three ideographic characters meaning "taut drum peaks" or Chang-ku-feng. The Japanese admired the imagery and preserved the Chinese readings, which they pronounce Cho-ko-ho. From their eastern vantage, the Russians called it Zaozernaya, "hill behind the lake." Soviet troops referred to it as a sugar-loaf hill. For many years, natives and a handful of officials in the region cultivated a relaxed attitude toward borders and sovereignty. Even after the Japanese seized Manchuria in 1931, the issue did not immediately come to a head. With the expansion of Manchukuo and the Soviet Far East under Stalin's Five-Year plans, both sides began to attend more closely to frontier delimitation. Whenever either party acted aggressively, force majeure was invoked to justify the unexpected and disruptive events recognized in international law. Most often, these incidents erupted along the eastern Manchurian borders with the USSR or along the 350-mile frontier south of Lake Khanka, each skirmish carrying the seeds of all-out warfare. Now we need to talk a little bit about border history. The borders in question essentially dated to pacts concluded by the Qing dynasty and the Tsardom. Between the first Sino-Russian Treaty of Nerchinsk in 1689 and the Mukden Agreement of 1924, there were over a dozen accords governing the borders. Relevant to Changkufeng were the basic 15-article Convention of Peking, supplementing the Tientsin Treaties of November 1860, some maps made in 1861, and the eight-article Hunchun Border Protocol of 1886. By the 1860 treaty, the Qing ceded to Tsarist Russia the entire maritime province of Siberia, but the meaning of "lands south of Lake Khanka" remained rather vague. Consequently, a further border agreement was negotiated in June 1861 known as "the Lake Khanka Border Pact", by which demarcations were drawn on maps and eight wooden markers erected. The border was to run from Khanka along ridgelines between the Hunchun River and the sea, past Suifenho and Tungning, terminating about 6 miles from the mouth of the Tumen. Then a Russo-Chinese commission established in 1886 drew up the Hunchun Border Pact, proposing new or modified markers along the 1860–1861 lines and arranging a Russian resurvey. However, for the Japanese, in 1938, the Chinese or Manchu texts of the 1886 Hunchun agreement were considered controlling. The Soviets argued the border ran along every summit west of Khasan, thereby granting them jurisdiction over at least the eastern slopes of all elevations, including Changkufeng and Shachaofeng.  Since the Qing dynasty and the house of Romanov were already defunct, the new sovereignties publicly appealed to opposing texts, and the Soviet side would not concede that the Russian-language version had never been deemed binding by the Qing commissioners. Yet, even in 1938, the Japanese knew that only the Chinese text had survived or could be located.    Now both the Chinese and Russian military maps generally drew the frontier along the watershed east of Khasan; this aligned with the 1861 readings based on the Khanka agreement. The Chinese Republican Army conducted new surveys sometime between 1915 and 1920. The latest Chinese military map of the Changkufeng area drew the border considerably closer to the old "red line" of 1886, running west of Khasan but near the shore rather than traversing the highland crests. None of the military delimitations of the border was sanctified by an official agreement. Hence, the Hunchun Protocol, whether well known or not, invaluable or worthless, remained the only government-to-government pact dealing with the frontiers.  Before we jump into it, how about a little summary of what became known as the Soviet-Japanese border conflicts. The first major conflict would obviously be the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905. Following years of conflict between the Russian Empire and Japan culminating in the costly Battle of Tsushima, Tsar Nicholas II's government sought peace, recognizing Japan's claims to Korea and agreeing to evacuate Manchuria.  From 1918 to 1920, the Imperial Japanese Army, under Emperor Taishō after the death of Meiji, assisted the White Army and Alexander Kerensky against the Bolshevik Red Army. They also aided the Czechoslovak Legion in Siberia to facilitate its return to Europe after an Austrian-Hungarian armoured train purportedly went astray. By 1920, with Austria-Hungary dissolved and Czechoslovakia established two years earlier, the Czechoslovak Legion reached Europe. Japan withdrew from the Russian Revolution and the Civil War in 1922. Following Japan's 1919-1920 occupations and the Soviet intervention in Mongolia in 1921, the Republic of China also withdrew from Outer Mongolia in 1921. In 1922, after capturing Vladivostok in 1918 to halt Bolshevik advances, Japanese forces retreated to Japan as Bolshevik power grew and the postwar fatigue among combatants increased. After Hirohito's invasion of Manchuria in 1931–1932, following Taishō's death in 1926, border disputes between Manchukuo, the Mongolian People's Republic, and the Soviet Union increased. Many clashes stemmed from poorly defined borders, though some involved espionage. Between 1932 and 1934, the Imperial Japanese Army reported 152 border disputes, largely tied to Soviet intelligence activity in Manchuria, while the Soviets accused Japan of 15 border violations, six air intrusions, and 20 cases of "spy smuggling" in 1933 alone. Numerous additional violations followed in the ensuing years. By the mid-1930s, Soviet-Japanese diplomacy and trust had deteriorated further, with the Japanese being openly labeled "fascist enemies" at the Seventh Comintern Congress in July 1935. Beginning in 1935, conflicts significantly escalated. On 8 January 1935, the first armed clash, known as the Halhamiao incident, took place on the border between Mongolia and Manchukuo. Several dozen cavalrymen of the Mongolian People's Army crossed into Manchuria near disputed fishing grounds and engaged an 11‑man Manchukuo Imperial Army patrol near the Buddhist temple at Halhamiao, led by a Japanese military advisor. The Manchukuo Army sustained 6 wounded and 2 dead, including the Japanese officer; the Mongols suffered no casualties and withdrew after the Japanese sent a punitive expedition to reclaim the area. Two motorized cavalry companies, a machine‑gun company, and a tankette platoon occupied the position for three weeks without resistance. In June 1935, the first direct exchange of fire between the Japanese and Soviets occurred when an 11‑man Japanese patrol west of Lake Khanka was attacked by six Soviet horsemen, reportedly inside Manchukuo territory. In the firefight, one Soviet soldier was killed and two horses were captured. The Japanese requested a joint investigation, but the Soviets rejected the proposal. In October 1935, nine Japanese and 32 Manchukuoan border guards were establishing a post about 20 kilometers north of Suifenho when they were attacked by 50 Soviet soldiers. The Soviets opened fire with rifles and five heavy machine guns. Two Japanese and four Manchukuoan soldiers were killed, and another five were wounded. The Manchukuoan foreign affairs representative lodged a verbal protest with the Soviet consul at Suifenho. The Kwantung Army of Japan also sent an intelligence officer to investigate the clash. On 19 December 1935, a Manchukuoan unit reconnoitering southwest of Buir Lake clashed with a Mongolian party, reportedly capturing 10 soldiers. Five days later, 60 truck‑borne Mongolian troops assaulted the Manchukuoans and were repulsed, at the cost of three Manchukuoan dead. On the same day, at Brunders, Mongolian forces attempted three times to drive out Manchukuoan outposts, and again at night, but all attempts failed. Further small attempts occurred in January, with Mongolians using airplanes for reconnaissance. The arrival of a small Japanese force in three trucks helped foil these attempts; casualties occurred on both sides, though Mongolian casualties are unknown aside from 10 prisoners taken. In February 1936, Lieutenant-Colonel Sugimoto Yasuo was ordered to form a detachment from the 14th Cavalry Regiment to "drive the Outer Mongol intruders from the Olankhuduk region," a directive attributed to Lieutenant-General Kasai Heijuro. Sugimoto's detachment included cavalry guns, heavy machine guns, and tankettes. They faced a force of about 140 Mongolians equipped with heavy machine guns and light artillery. On February 12, Sugimoto's men drove the Mongolians south, at the cost of eight Japanese killed, four wounded, and one tankette destroyed. The Japanese began to withdraw, but were attacked by 5–6 Mongolian armored cars and two bombers, which briefly disrupted the column. The situation was stabilized when the Japanese unit received artillery support, allowing them to destroy or repel the armored cars. In March 1936, the Tauran incident occurred. In this clash, both the Japanese Army and the Mongolian Army deployed a small number of armored fighting vehicles and aircraft. The incident began when 100 Mongolian and six Soviet troops attacked and occupied the disputed village of Tauran, Mongolia, driving off the small Manchurian garrison. They were supported by light bombers and armored cars, though the bombing sorties failed to inflict damage on the Japanese, and three bombers were shot down by Japanese heavy machine guns. Local Japanese forces counter-attacked, conducting dozens of bombing sorties and finally assaulting Tauran with 400 men and 10 tankettes. The result was a Mongolian rout, with 56 Mongolian soldiers killed, including three Soviet advisors, and an unknown number wounded. Japanese losses were 27 killed and 9 wounded. Later in March 1936, another border clash occurred between Japanese and Soviet forces. Reports of border violations prompted the Japanese Korean Army to send ten men by truck to investigate, but the patrol was ambushed by 20 Soviet NKVD soldiers deployed about 300 meters inside territory claimed by Japan. After suffering several casualties, the Japanese patrol withdrew and was reinforced with 100 men, who then drove off the Soviets. Fighting resumed later that day when the NKVD brought reinforcements. By nightfall, the fighting had ceased and both sides had pulled back. The Soviets agreed to return the bodies of two Japanese soldiers who had died in the fighting, a development viewed by the Japanese government as encouraging. In early April 1936, three Japanese soldiers were killed near Suifenho in another minor affray. This incident was notable because the Soviets again returned the bodies of the fallen servicemen. In June 1937, the Kanchazu Island incident occurred on the Amur River along the Soviet–Manchukuo border. Three Soviet gunboats crossed the river's center line, disembarked troops, and occupied Kanchazu Island. Japanese forces from the IJA 1st Division, equipped with two horse-drawn 37 mm artillery pieces, quickly established improvised firing positions and loaded their guns with both high-explosive and armor-piercing shells. They shelled the Soviet vessels, sinking the lead gunboat, crippling the second, and driving off the third. Japanese troops subsequently fired on the swimming crewmen from the sunken ships using machine guns. Thirty-seven Soviet soldiers were killed, while Japanese casualties were zero. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested and demanded the Soviet forces withdraw from the island. The Soviet leadership, apparently shocked by the incident and reluctant to escalate, agreed to evacuate their troops. By 1938 the border situation had deteriorated. The tangled terrain features, mountain, bog, stream, forest, and valley, would have complicated even careful observers' discernment of the old red line drawn in 1886. Fifty years later, the markers themselves had undergone a metamorphosis. Japanese investigators could find, at most, only 14 to 17 markers standing fairly intact between the Tumen estuary and Khanka—roughly one every 25 miles at best. The remainder were missing or ruined; five were found in new locations. Marker "K," for example, was 40 meters deeper inside Manchuria, away from Khanka. Japanese military experts noted that of the 20 markers originally set along the boundaries of Hunchun Prefecture alone, only four could be found by the summer of 1938. The rest had either been wrecked or arbitrarily moved and discarded by Russian or Chinese officials and inhabitants. It is even said that one missing marker could be seen on display in Khabarovsk. The Chinese had generally interpreted the boundary as the road line just west of Khasan, at least in practice. Free road movement, however, had become a problem even 20 years before the Japanese overran Manchuria in 1931–1932 during the so-called Manchurian Incident. The Japanese adopted, or inherited, the Chinese interpretation, which was based on the 1886 agreement on border roads; the key clause held that the frontier west of Khasan would be the road along the lake. Japanese sources emphasize that local residents' anger toward gradual Soviet oppression and penetrations westward into Manchurian territory fueled the conflict. Many natives believed the original boundaries lay east of the lake, but the Soviets adjusted the situation to suit their own convenience. In practice, the Russians were restricting road use just west of Khasan by Manchurian and Korean residents. There was speculation that this was a prelude to taking over the ridgelines, depending on the reaction of the Manchukuoan–Japanese side. Villagers who went to streams or the lake to launder clothing found themselves subjected to sniper fire. Along a 25-mile stretch of road near Shachaofeng, farmers reported coming under fire from new Soviet positions as early as November 1935. Nevertheless, Japanese and Koreans familiar with the Tumen area noted agrarian, seasonal Korean religious rites atop Changkufeng Hill, including fattened pigs sacrificed and changgo drums beaten. Village elders told Japanese visitors in 1938 that, until early the preceding year, no Russians had come as far as Changkufeng Hill. Looking only at the border sector around Changkufeng, the easy days were clearly behind us. In the summer of 1938, Gaimusho "Foreign Ministry" observers described the explosive situation along the Korea–Manchuria–USSR borders as a matter of de facto frontiers. Both sides pressed against each other, and their trigger-happy posture was summed up in the colloquial refrain: "Take another step and we'll let you have it." Near dawn on 13 June 1938, a Manchurian patrol detected a suspicious figure in the fog swirling over Changlingtzu Hill on the Siberian–Manchurian frontier. Challenged at 15 feet, the suspect hurled two pistols to the ground and raised his hands in surrender. At headquarters, the police soon realized this was no routine border-trespassing case. The man was a defector and he was a Russian general, in fact he was the director of all NKVD forces in the Soviet Far East. Beneath a mufti of spring coat and hunting cap, he wore a full uniform with medals. His identification card No. 83 designated him as G. S. Lyushkov, Commissar 3rd Class, countersigned by Nikolai Yezhov, NKVD head in Moscow. Lyushkov was promptly turned over to the Japanese military authorities, who transferred him to Seoul and then to Tokyo under close escort. On 1 July, the Japanese press was permitted to disclose that Lyushkov had sought refuge in Japan. Ten days later, to capitalize on the commissar's notoriety and to confound skeptics, the Japanese produced Lyushkov at a press conference in Tokyo. For the Japanese and foreign correspondents, who met separately with him, Lyushkov described Soviet Far East strength and the turmoil wracking the USSR, because for those of you unfamiliar this was during the Stalinist purges. Clearly, the Japanese had gained a unique reservoir of high-level intelligence and a wealth of materials, including notes scratched in blood by suspects incarcerated at Khabarovsk. A general tightening of Russian frontier security had recently been reported. Natives of Fangchuanting asserted that a Soviet cavalry patrol appeared in June, seemingly for the first time. Contact with Yangkuanping, northwest of Khasan, was severed. More importantly, Japanese Army Signal Corps intelligence detected a surge of Soviet message traffic from the Posyet Bay district. After Lyushkov's defection, a drastic reshuffle in the local Russian command apparently occurred, and responsibility for border surveillance seems to have been reallocated. Japanese records indicate that the Novokievsk security force commander was relieved and the sector garrison replaced by troops from Vladivostok. Gaimusho intelligence also received reports that a border garrison unit had been transferred from Khabarovsk or Chita to the Tumen sector. The Kwantung Army signal monitors also intercepted two significant frontline messages on 6 July from the new Russian local commander in the Posyet region, addressed to Lieutenant General Sokolov in Khabarovsk. Decoded, the messages suggested (1) that ammunition for infantry mortars amounted to less than half the required supply; and  (2) a recommendation that higher headquarters authorize Russian elements to secure certain unoccupied high ground west of Khasan.  The commander noted terrain advantages and the contemplated construction of emplacements that would command Najin and the Korean railway. As a start, at least one Russian platoon should be authorized to dig in on the highest ground (presumably Changkufeng) and deploy four tons of entanglements to stake out the Soviet claim. Korea Army Headquarters received a telegram from the Kwantung Army on 7 July conveying the deciphered messages. On the same day, the 19th Division in North Korea telephoned Seoul that, on 6 July, three or four Soviet horsemen had been observed reconnoitering Manchurian territory from atop a hill called Changkufeng. The alarming intelligence from the Kwantung Army and the front warranted immediate attention by the Korea Army. Some Kwantung Army officers doubted the significance of the developments, with one intelligence official even suggesting the Russian messages might be a deliberate ploy designed to entrap the Japanese at Changkufeng. On 7–8 July, all staff officers in Seoul convened at army headquarters. The name of Changkufeng Hill was not well known, but maps and other data suggested that neither the Japanese nor the Russians had previously stationed border units in the ridge complex west of Khasan. As early as March 1936, Army Commander Koiso Kuniaki had distributed maps to subordinate units, indicating which sectors were in dispute. No patrol was to enter zones lacking definitive demarcation. Until then, the only Japanese element east of the Tumen was a Manchurian policeman at Fangchuanting. Ownership of the high ground emerged as an early issue. A number of other points were raised by  the Kwantung Army: At present, Soviet elements in the area were negligible. The intrusion must not be overlooked. The Russians could be expected to exploit any weakness, and half-measures would not suffice, especially regarding the Japanese defense mission along a 125-mile frontier. In Japanese hands, Changkufeng Hill would be useful, but two excellent observation posts already existed in the neighboring sector of the Manchurian tongue. With dissidence and purges underway, the Russians may have judged it necessary to seal border gaps, particularly after Lyushkov's defection. They may also have sought to control Changkufeng to offset Japanese dominance of the high ground to the north. Soviet seizure of Changkufeng would upset the delicate status quo and could provoke a contest for equivalent observation posts. In broader terms, it mattered little whether the Russians sought a permanent observation post on Changkufeng Hill, which was of relatively minor strategic value. Japan's primary concern lay in the China theater; Changkufeng was peripheral. The Japanese should not expend limited resources or become distracted. The matter required consultation with the high command in Tokyo. In the absence of more comprehensive intelligence, the assembled staff officers concluded that the Korea Army should, at a minimum, ignore or disregard Soviet actions for the time being, while maintaining vigilant observation of the area. The consensus was communicated to Major General Kitano Kenzo, the Korea Army chief of staff, who concurred, and to Koiso. Upon learning that the recommendation advocated a low posture, Koiso inquired only whether the opinion reflected the unanimous view of the staff. Having been assured that it did, he approved the policy. Koiso, then 58, was at the threshold of the routine personnel changes occurring around 15 July. He had just been informed that he would retire and that General Nakamura Kotaro would succeed him. Those acquainted with Koiso perceived him as treating the border difficulties as a minor anticlimax in the course of his command tour. He appeared unemphatic or relaxed as he prepared to depart from a post he had held for twenty-one years. Although neither Koiso nor his staff welcomed the Soviet activities that appeared under way, his reaction likely reflected a reluctance to make decisions that could constrain his soon-to-arrive successor. On 8 July Koiso authorized the dispatch of warnings to the 19th Division at Nanam, to the Hunchun garrison, and to the intelligence branch at Hunchun. These units were instructed to exercise maximum precautions and to tighten frontier security north of Shuiliufeng. In response to the initial appearance of Soviet horsemen at Changkufeng, the Kucheng Border Garrison Unit of the 76th Infantry Regiment maintained close surveillance across the Tumen. By about noon on 9 July, patrols detected approximately a dozen Russian troops commencing construction atop Changkufeng. Between 11 and 13 July, the number of soldiers on the slopes increased to forty; there were also thirty horses and eleven camouflaged tents. Operating in shifts on the western side, thirty meters from the crest, the Russians erected barbed wire and firing trenches; fifty meters forward, they excavated observation trenches. In addition to existing telephone lines between Changkufeng, Lake Khasan, and Kozando, the Russians installed a portable telephone net. Logistical support was provided by three boats on the lake. Approximately twenty kilometers to the east, well within Soviet territory, large forces were being mobilized, and steamship traffic into Posyet Bay intensified. Upon learning of the "intrusion" at Changkufeng on 9 July, Lt. General Suetaka Kamezo, the commander of the 19th Division, dispatched staff officers to the front and prepared to send elements to reinforce border units.  The special significance of Suetaka and his division stemmed from a series of unusual circumstances. Chientao Province, the same zone into which Lyushkov had fled and the sector where Soviet horsemen had appeared, fell within Manchukuo geographically and administratively. Yet, in terms of defense, the configuration of the frontier, the terrain, and the transportation network more closely connected the region with North Korea than with southeastern Manchuria. Approximately 80% of the population was of Korean origin, which implied Japanese rather than Manchukuoan allegiance. Consequently, the Korea Army had been made operationally responsible for the defense of Chientao and controlled not only the three-battalion garrison at Hunchun but also the intelligence detachment located there. In the event of war, the Korea Army's mission was defined as mobilization and execution of subsidiary operational tasks against the USSR, under the control and in support of the Kwantung Army.  The Korea Army ordinarily possessed two infantry divisions, the 19th in North Korea and the 20th stationed at Seoul, but the 20th Division had already departed for China, leaving only the 20th Depot Division in the capital. Beyond sparse ground units, devoid of armor and with weak heavy artillery, there were only two air regiments in Korea, the nearest being the unit at Hoeryong. The Korea Army was designed to maintain public security within Korea as well as fulfill minimal defensive responsibilities. Such an army did not require a full-time operations officer, and none was maintained. When needed, as in mid-1938, the task fell to the senior staff officer, in this case Colonel Iwasaki Tamio. In peacetime, training constituted the primary focus.  Thus, the 19th Division was entrusted with defending northeastern Korea. Its commander, Suetaka, a seasoned infantryman, resented the fact that his elite force had never engaged in combat in China. He intensified training with zeal, emphasizing strict discipline, bravery, aggressiveness, and thorough preparation. Japanese veterans characterized him as severe, bullish, short-tempered, hot-blooded, highly strung, unbending, and stubborn. Nonetheless, there was widespread respect for his realistic training program, maintained under firm, even violent, personal supervision. His men regarded Suetaka as a professional, a modern samurai who forged the division into superb condition. Privately, he was reputed for sensitivity and warmth; a Japanese phrase "yakamashii oyaji" captures the dual sense of stern father and martinet in his character. At the outset, however, Suetaka displayed little aggression. Although not widely known, he did not welcome the orders from army headquarters to deploy to the Tumen. Until late July, he remained somewhat opposed to the notion of dislodging the Soviets from the crest, a proposition arising from neither the division staff nor, initially, Suetaka himself. Colonel Sato noted that, for a week after reports of Soviet excavation at Changkufeng, the division's response was limited to preparations for a possible emergency, as they perceived the matter as a local issue best settled through diplomacy. Korea Army officers acknowledged that, around the time the Soviets consolidated their outpost strength at Changkufeng, an informal and personal telegram arrived in Seoul from a Kwantung Army Intelligence field-grade officer who specialized in Soviet affairs. If the Korea Army hesitated, the Kwantung Army would be obliged to eject the Russians; the matter could not be ignored. While the telegram did not demand a reply and struck several officers as presumptuous and implausible, the message was promptly shown to Koiso. Koiso was driven to immediate action, he wired Tokyo asserting that only the Korea Army could and would handle the incident. One staff officer recalled "We felt we had to act, out of a sense of responsibility. But we resented the Kwantung Army's interference." The Korea Army staff convened shortly after receipt of the unofficial telegram from Hsinking. Based on the latest intelligence from the division dated 13 July, the officers prepared an assessment for submission to the army commander. The hypotheses were distilled into three scenarios: The USSR, or the Far East authorities, desires hostilities. Conclusion: Slightly possible. The USSR seeks to restrain Japan on the eve of the pivotal operations in China: the major Japanese offensive to seize Hankow. Conclusion: Highly probable. The Posyet district commander is new in his post; by occupying the Changkufeng ridges, he would demonstrate loyalty, impress superiors, and seek glory. Conclusion: Possible. Late on 13 July or early on 14 July, Koiso approved the dispatch of a message to the vice minister of war, and the Kwantung Army chief of staff:  "Lake Khasan area lies in troublesome sector USSR has been claiming . . . in accordance with treaties [said Secret Message No. 913], but we interpret it to be Manchukuoan territory, evident even from maps published by Soviet side. Russian actions are patently illegal, but, considering that area does not exert major or immediate influence on operations [Japan] is intending and that China Incident is in full swing, we are not going to conduct counterattack measures immediately. This army is thinking of reasoning with Soviets and requesting pullback, directly on spot. . . . In case Russians do not accede in long run, we have intention to drive Soviet soldiers out of area east of Khasan firmly by use of force."  The message concluded with a request that the Tokyo authorities lodge a formal protest with the USSR, on behalf of Manchukuo and Japan, and guide matters so that the Russians would withdraw quickly. Dominant in Japanese high command thinking in 1938 was the China theater; the Changkufeng episode constituted a mere digression. A sequence of Japanese tactical victories had preceded the summer: Tsingtao fell in January; the Yellow River was reached in March; a "reformed government of the Republic of China" was installed at Nanking several weeks later; Amoy fell in early May; Suchow fell on the 20th. With these gains, northern and central fronts could be linked by the Japanese. Yet Chinese resistance persisted, and while public statements anticipated imminent Chinese dissension, private admissions acknowledged that the partial effects of Suchow's fall were ominous: control might pass from Chiang Kai-shek to the Communists, Chinese defiance might intensify, and Soviet involvement could ensue. A Hankow drive appeared desirable to symbolize the conclusion of the military phase of hostilities. The Japanese and their adversaries were in accord regarding the importance of the summer and autumn campaigns. Even after Suchow's fall, the government discouraged public insinuations that enemy resistance was collapsing; when Chiang addressed the nation on the first anniversary of hostilities, Premier Konoe prophetically proclaimed, "The war has just begun." Colonel Inada Masazum served as the Army General Staff's principal figure for the Changkufeng affair, occupying the position of chief of the 2nd Operations Section within the Operations Bureau in March 1938. A distinguished graduate of the Military Academy, Inada completed the War College program and held a combination of line, instructional, and staff assignments at the War College, the Army General Staff, and the War Ministry. He was recognized as a sharp, highly capable, and driveful personality, though some regarded him as enigmatic. Following the capture of Suchow, Imperial General Headquarters on 18 June ordered field forces to undertake operational preparations for a drive to seize the Wuhan complex. Inada favored a decisive move aimed at achieving a rapid political settlement. He acknowledged that Soviet intervention in 1938, during Japan's involvement in China, would have been critical. Although Japanese forces could still defeat the Chinese, an overextended Japanese Army might be fatally compromised against the Russians. Soviet assistance to China was already pronouncedly unwelcome. The Soviets were reported to possess roughly 20 rifle divisions, four to five cavalry divisions, 1,500 tanks, and 1,560 aircraft, including 300 bombers with a range of approximately 3,000 kilometers, enabling reach from Vladivostok to Tokyo. Soviet manpower in Siberia was likely near 370,000. In response, Japanese central authorities stressed a no-trouble policy toward the USSR while seeking to "wall off" the border and bolster the Kwantung Army as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, the envisaged correction of the strategic imbalance could not occur before 1943, given shortages in ammunition, manpower, and materiel across existing theaters in China. By the end of 1937 Japan had committed 16 of its 24 divisions to China, bringing the standing force to roughly 700,000. Army General Staff planners reallocated three ground divisions, intended for a northern contingency, from north to central China, even as the Kwantung Army operated from a less favorable posture. Attitudes toward the northern problem varied within senior military circles. While concern persisted, it was not universal. As campaigns in China widened, planning at the high command level deteriorated, propagating confusion and anxiety to field armies in China. The Japanese Navy suspected that the Army general staff was invoking the USSR as a pretext for broader strategic aims—namely, to provoke a more consequential confrontation with the USSR while the Navy contended with its own strategic rivalries with the Army, centered on the United States and Britain. Army leaders, however, denied aggressive intent against the USSR at that time. The Hankow plan encountered substantial internal opposition at high levels. Private assessments among army planners suggested that a two-front war would be premature given operational readiness and troop strength. Not only were new War Ministry officials cautious, but many high-ranking Army general staff officers and court circles shared doubts.  Aggressive tendencies, influenced by subordinates and the Kwantung Army, were evident in Inada, who repeatedly pressed Tada Shun, the deputy army chief of staff, to endorse the Wuhan drive as both necessary and feasible, arguing that the USSR would gain from Japan's weakening without incurring substantial losses. Inada contended that Stalin was rational and that time favored the USSR in the Far East, where industrial buildup and military modernization were ongoing. He argued that the Soviet purges impeded opportunistic ventures with Japan. He posited that Nazi Germany posed a growing threat on the western front, and thus the USSR should be avoided by both Japan, due to China and Russia, due to Germany. While most of the army remained engaged in China, Tada did not initially share Inada's views; only after inspecting the Manchurian borders in April 1938 did he finally align with Inada's broader vision, which encompassed both northern and Chinese considerations. During this period, Inada studied daily intelligence from the Kwantung Army, and after Lyushkov's defection in June, reports suggested the Soviets were following their sector commander's recommendations. Russian troops appeared at Changkufeng, seemingly prepared to dig in. Inada recollects his reaction: "That's nice, my chance has come." I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The simmering Soviet–Japanese border clashes centered on Changkufeng Hill near Lake Khanka, set within a broader history of contested frontiers dating to Qing and Tsarist treaties. Japan, prioritizing China, considered Changkufeng peripheral but ready to confront Soviet encroachment; Moscow aimed to consolidate border gains, with high-level war planning overlaying regional skirmishes. Conflict loomed over Manchuria.

Linktree: ⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠Join The Normandy For Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: ⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠Analytic Dreamz breaks down Travis Scott's explosive Tokyo show on Notorious Mass Effect. On Nov. 8, 2025, at Belluna Dome in Saitama Prefecture, Japan—the Circus Maximus Tour's Asia leg highlight—Scott ignited "electric" crowds with surprise guests Kanye West (48) and daughter Stormi Webster (7). Ye, masked entry turning unmasked frenzy, joined for "Through the Wire," "Can't Tell Me Nothing," "All of the Lights," "Heartless," "Runaway," "CARNIVAL"—their first stage since 2025 fallout, Scott dubbing him "brother" amid laughs and jumps. Stormi debuted onstage for "Thank God," nailing "Storm's a minor but you know she's livin' major" in graphic tee, fur coat, blue braids, and headphones—viral family milestone with Kylie Jenner (ex, 2017–2023; co-parents Aire, 3). Amid tour's sold-outs (São Paulo Sept. 6 opener; Delhi Oct. 18–19; Seoul Oct. 25; Macao Oct. 29; Hainan Nov. 1; Abu Dhabi Nov. 15; Mumbai Nov. 19), Scott paused "CHAMPAIN & VACAY" (JACKBOYS 2 opener): "Made a hundred off pushing T's... Fck that n**a!"—clear Pusha T shot, tied to Clipse's GQ disses (Malice: "We don't snitch"). Tokyo takeover added Cactus Jack pop-up, sneaker drop. Analytic Dreamz unpacks reconciliation, beef, co-parenting stats, and global momentum. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It's another Taylor solo episode covering some big shows as we approach the end of the year!There's discussion on the last two weeks in Stardom action, highlighted by Crimson Nightmare, along with talk of All Rise, Tokyo Joshi's latest Korakuen, Emi Sakura's 30th Anniversary show and much more!And looking into the future, Taylor previews a big Marigold Korakuen Hall show, Chihiro Hashimoto's 10th Anniversary show, and the next big Sareee produce show, SAREEEism IX!Don't miss it!Please follow us on BlueSky: @jbombaudioYou can support this podcast at http://redcircle.com/jumping-bomb-audio/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacyAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

UnratedRuntime: 2hr 4minWritten & Directed by Kiyoshi KurosawaStars: Masaki Suda, Kotone Furukawa and Daiken OkudairaPremiered at Venice International Film Festival August 30, 2024Released in US (limited) July 18, 2025RT: 93% critics / 61% audience Currently streaming on Criterion or available to rentSynopsisYoshii lives in Tokyo and resells goods on the internet as a side hustle while working in a factory. When Yoshii takes his reselling gig to the next level and quits his day job, he and his girlfriend leave the city for a house in the country. There it seems that Yoshii is being targeted by an unknown assailant. But with a profession that traffics in pissing a lot of people off, which of his enemies has it out for him?Join us again in two weeks when we will be reviewing the quarterly release from Oz Perkins, Keeper, opening in theaters November 14.Theme music: "Secret of Tiki Island" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Remember to Rate (5 Stars), Review (Great show, blah, blah, blah) and Follow us on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b-o-boys-movie-box-office/id1489892648 E-mail us: theboboyspodcast@gmail.com   Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theboboyspodcast   Follow us on TikTok and Instagram: @TheBOBoysPod   Subscribe to us on Substack: https://substack.com/@theboboys Our AWESOME artwork was provided by the talented Ellie Skrzat. Check out her work at https://ellieskrzat.com/ Thanks to WannaBO VP of Interns Christopher for running our social media! ---

Olympic Gold Medallist Rhys McClenaghan joined Eoin Sheahan to dive into his journey to the Paris Olympics as well as his devastating loss in Tokyo. We'll also hear from his parents and his coach who gave us their account of Rhys' biggest moments in his career. Inner Drive on Off The Ball is brought to you by Allianz #Stopthedrop

It was a quick and decisive night for Vergil Ortiz in the Golden Boy main event, Dan talks with a rising lightweight star and we have fight news, too, on the newest "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast."Host T.J. Rives returns with insider Dan Rafael of the Fight Freaks Unite Substack and newsletter with "The Tea." (good info/takes)First a Recap of the Saturday Golden Boy / DAZN card in Fort Worth, TexasVergil Ortiz scores quick TKO2 over Erickson Lubin, for Ortiz's WBC interim 154 lb. title.The guys iscuss prospect of Ortiz-Jaron Ennis next and do we believe them?Next, what turned out to be a terrible undercardDarius Fulghum D10 David Stevens in a boring bout.Amari Jones TKO3 Shady Gamhou middleweights.Joshua Edwards heavyweight win over Zeno VoorisRobin Safar W10 Derick Miller Jr., cruiserweight bout Also a quick recap of the Friday night ProBox main event in Lakeland, FloridaWelterweight Tiger Johnson, the Top Rank-promoted 2020 U.S. Olympian, pummeled Nicklaus Flaz in a TKO4. Dan has more.Then hear from Abdullah Mason, the unbeaten U.S. lightweight with Dan who battles unbeaten English contender Sam Noakes on 11/22 in the massive Riyadh Season PPV. And, some news:WBO junior middleweight titlist Xander Zayas and WBA counterpart Abass Baraou will meet in a title unification fight on Jan. 31 in San Juan, according to the WBO and confirmed by Zayas promoter Top Rank. Is this possibly going to be the first fight card for Top Rank's new fight deal with a broadcaster.WBA bantamweight titleholder Seiya Tsutsumi will defend against interim titlist and surefire future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire, age 42, on Dec.17 in Tokyo, Teiken Promotions announced  And, undisputed women's heavyweight champion and female No. 1 pound-for-pound Claressa Shields, who had become a promotional free agent, has re-signed with Salita Promotions as and brought on Wynn Records as a co-promoter, in an $8 million multi-fight partnership We go over the deal.It's all part of the "Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast" and make sure to follow/subscribe on Apple/Spreaker/Spotify, etc.

Harada Sekkei Roshi (1926-2020) was the abbot of Hosshin-ji, a Soto Zen training monastery and temple, in Fukui Prefecture, near the coast of central Japan. He was born in 1926 in Okazaki, near Nagoya, and was ordained at Hosshin-ji in 1951. In 1953, he went to Hamamatsu to practice under Zen Master Inōe Gien (1894-1981), and received inkashomei (certification of realization) in 1957.In 1974, he was installed as resident priest and abbot of Hosshin-ji and was formally recognized by the Soto Zen sect as a certified Zen master (shike) in 1976. Since 1982, Harada traveled abroad frequently, teaching in such countries as Germany, France, the United States, and India. He also led zazen groups within Japan, in Tokyo and Saitama. From 2003-2005, he was Director of the Soto Zen Buddhism Europe Office located in Milan.Harada Sekkei Roshi died on Saturday, June 20, 2020 at the age of 93. He had been in hospice care for more than a year at a small hospital run by one of his students in the town of Obama, Fukui Prefecture.These selected pointers have been taken from various newsletters as well as the text, The Essence of Zen: The Teachings of Sekkei Harada.https://www.amazon.com.au/Essence-Zen...Music: Swami Madhuram - 'Rainy Day Retreat'.For more of Swamiji's music please find it here: https://insighttimer.com/swamimadhuram

In this ep we talk Republicans gettin mooly whopped in recent elections and Sean Hannity and his friends cryiin real tears about it, woman kills diseased monkey that escaped from crash, UPS plane crash, man collapses behind Trump and he doesn't give a ish, stranded Chinese astronauts, man confronts bully 50 years later and ends up shooting him, funeral home put wrong body in coffin and causes heart attack, and much more! Email here: tokyoblackhour@gmail.com Check us out Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/TokyoBlackHour/   Check out the Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX_C1Txvh93PHEsnA-qOp6g?view_as=subscriber Follow us on Twitter @TokyoBlackPod Get your apparel at https://tkbpandashop.com/  You can also catch us Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify Check out Every Saturday Morning here https://www.everysaturdaymorning.fun Check out the mix here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=outOhNt1vBA&t=1167s

We celebrate 10 years of MagCulture with Jeremy Leslie; Emily Tobin from ‘The World of Interiors’; Graham Hiemstra from ‘Field Mag’; and why T-Site in Tokyo is an example to be followed when it comes to bookshops. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won 400m gold in 47.78, the 2nd fastest time in history and just off the world record of 47.60 which has now stood for over 40 years. Let's break down Sydney's legendary performance, the depth of the race behind her, as well as how and if the world record may actually be broken in the coming years.⁠--------------------------------------------Chapters:00:00 Intro01:15 The 400m World Record02:38 What the Tokyo 2025 final was so special03:54 Why the 400m World Record has stood so long05:54 How Sydney ran 47.78 in the 400m10:23 400m Race Splits10:36 Tokyo 400m Final Race Splits11:07 Best 400m splits of 202511:55 All-time best 400m splits13:30 Why the record WILL be broken in 202615:21 Why the record WONT be broken in 202616:10 Why the record WONT be broken anytime soon19:31 Why the record WILL be broken sooner than we think20:44 Summary⁠--------------------------------------------

Is Bangkok really becoming the least affordable city in the world for renters and young people? In this episode, we break down the rising cost of living in Bangkok, from housing prices and transportation to food delivery habits and the impact of tourism and foreign money. Earn and I discuss what daily life actually costs for Thai locals compared to foreigners, why prices for street food and rent have jumped so quickly, and how income levels in Thailand simply don't match today's expenses. We also react to the recent international report claiming that Bangkok now ranks as the least affordable city for renters worldwide, surpassing cities like Hong Kong, Tokyo, and New York. Is the report accurate or is there more to the story?

The blog postIn this episode of Lean Blog Audio, Mark Graban reads his reflection, “I'm Still Dreaming About My Meal at Sukiyabashi Jiro's Sushi in Tokyo.”Join Mark as he shares a rare dining experience at the legendary Sukiyabashi Jiro — the Michelin-starred Tokyo restaurant made famous by Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Beyond the extraordinary craftsmanship and taste, Mark explores what this meal revealed about efficiency, flow, and the subtle trade-offs between speed and hospitality.Was the meal a marvel of Lean precision, or a reminder that even the best systems can become too efficient for the human experience?This thoughtful story connects sushi-making to leadership, quality, and the meaning of service in any industry — from restaurants to hospitals to manufacturing floors.Listen for insights on:The difference between cycle time and takt time — and how it shapes customer experienceWhy optimizing for efficiency can unintentionally reduce satisfactionThe balance between process excellence and personal connectionWhat Jiro's disciplined craftsmanship can teach us about Lean thinking

VOV1 - Cuốn sách “Tháp đồng cảm Tokyo” đã dành được giải thưởng Akutagawa, một giải thưởng văn học danh giá của Nhật Bản, đặt ra những câu hỏi sâu sắc và mang tính thời sự về sự thấu hiểu, sự cô đơn, và khát vọng kết nối của con người trong thời đại số đang phát triển mạnh mẽ.

Te la do io Tokyo - Trasmissione del 08/11/2025 - Tutte le notizie su www.marione.net

While some people find Labubus terrifying, millions of others find their big eyes and furry features irresistibly adorable. Why? From Labubu dolls taking over TikTok, to emoji taking over our text messages, cuteness is all over the internet. Ben and Amory talk to Joshua Paul Dale, professor at Tokyo's Chuo University and the preeminent cuteness expert about how cute has conquered all. Show notes: Irresistible: How Cuteness Wired our Brains and Conquered the World (Profile Books) The Cute Studies Project This episode was produced by Grace Tatter, edited by Meg Cramer, and co-hosted by Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson. Mix and sound design by Emily Jankowski.

 “Would you ever spend over $3,600 just to see your team play in the biggest college football game of the year?” That's just one of the questions sparking laughter and lively debate on this episode of The JB and Sandy Show. Join JB, Sandy, and special guest Stephen Presley from ThunderPopTV as they dive into the heart of Austin's culture, from the city's legendary yard art and iconic neon signs to the wild world of ticket prices for the Texas vs. Texas A&M showdown. The episode kicks off with a hilarious story about a listener-made metal sculpture of Smokey Bear and Bigfoot—now a prized possession with “joint custody” between Sandy and Tricia, and a symbol of Austin's delightfully weird spirit. You'll hear:The nostalgia and humor behind Austin's lost art of quirky yard displays, and why Sandy draws the line at a seven-foot Sasquatch in the front yard.Stephen Presley's insights on the city's most famous signs, including the Genie Car Wash and Lucky Lounge, and how these relics fuel Austin's social media scene.A candid discussion about skyrocketing ticket prices for the Longhorns vs. Aggies game, with JB and Sandy debating whether they'd sell their seats to rival fans for thousands of dollars.Memorable moments like Sandy's “biggest flex” of being featured on the El Arroyo sign, and the friendly rivalry over whose family made the cover of The Chronicle.A relatable look at travel deals, frugal habits, and the joys of spontaneous adventures—plus a quick update on JB's daughter's foodie adventures in Tokyo.Notable quote:“My point being is like, wow, $740 round trip. Hell, you could spend that on two weekends in Austin. We're not doing nothing. And no experience to show for it.” – SandyWhether you're an Austin native, a college football fanatic, or just love a good story, this episode is packed with laughs, local flavor, and the kind of offbeat charm that keeps listeners coming back. Don't miss out—subscribe to The JB and Sandy Show, leave us a review, and share this episode with friends who love Austin as much as you do! Guest Summary This episode features Stephen Presley, creator of ThunderPopTV, a pop culture podcast and media platform. Stephen's deep ties to Austin's creative scene and his passion for the city's unique landmarks make him the perfect guest to explore the stories behind Austin's most beloved signs and the ever-evolving local culture.

The Platform Mix 582 features Chizzle, from Miami! He's been in game for years and has played all over the world at venues like 1Oak in Tokyo, Madrid in Spain, Greenlight Social in Texas, Barstool Nashville, Philly and Scottsdale and of course at home in Miami at LIV and E11EVEN. He's put together an hour of his favorites and even included remixes of his own too! Follow Chizzle on his socials to see all his upcoming gigs, subscribe to my Patreon to see full track lists from the mixes, take a look at my top tracks of the week and get a look into what I'm playing out in my sets. Now turn those speakers up and let's get into it with Chizzle's latest right here, on The Platform. Chizzle: https://www.instagram.com/djchizzle/ Podcast: www.youtube.com/@theplatformmix Patreon: www.patreon.com/djdexmke Artwork by Michael Byers-Dent: www.instagram.com/byersdent/

We are thrilled to be able to interview the one and only Philip Harper at the brewery where he works as toji, or master brewer. Philip is first non-Japanese person to become a toji at a brewery in Japan, and his impact on the world of sake cannot be overstated. Our hosts, Cindy Bissig, Chris Pellegrini, and Frank Walter, made the trek to the tippy top of Kyoto Prefecture to visit the brewery and Philip, and what a visit it was! Philip opened up about his beginnings in the sake world, how he came to join Kinoshita Brewery, and the philosophy behind how he creates the taste of the iconic brand. Philip also revealed how he recommends drinking Tamagawa sake. Kinoshita brewery is best known for their Tamagawa brand of sake and is located on the Japan sea coast about a 2 hours drive from Kyoto station. It has a lovely tasting room and shop where visitors can sample some of the brewery's best brews for free. We'd love to hear what you thought about the episode! Let us know at questions@sakeonair.com or send us a message on our Instagram, Facebook, or Substack! We'll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air. 

A show that connects more than just music If you have ever wondered what a truly global deep house community sounds like, this is it. In episode 620 of Dirty Disco, the music is only part of the story. The real magic lies in the connection between people. This week [...] The post Dirty Disco 620: From London to Tokyo, A Global Journey Through Deep and Soulful Electronic Music appeared first on Dirty Disco - Curated Electronic Music & more.

Step into the world of tokusatsu with Ultraman Max director Takeshi Yagi! The Krewe chats with Yagi-san about the artistry, imagination, and behind-the-scenes magic that bring Ultraman and Japan's iconic heroes & monsters to life. Discover how tokusatsu continues to inspire fans around the world.------ About the Krewe ------The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------Use the referral links below!Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ Links for Takeshi Yagi ------Takeshi Yagi on InstagramTakeshi Yagi on X/TwitterTakeshi Yagi's WebsiteTakeshi Yagi's Blog (JP)Takeshi Yagi's New Book (Releasing Nov 19, 2025)Wikizilla Page on AKARI------ Past Tokusatsu/Pop Culture Episodes ------Enjoying Shojo Anime & Manga ft. Taryn of Manga Lela (S5E18)Akira Toriyama: Legacy of a Legend ft. Matt Alt (S5E3)The History & Evolution of Godzilla ft. Dr. William (Bill) Tsutsui (S5E1)Thoughts on Godzilla Minus One ft. Dr. William (Bill) Tsutsui (S4Bonus)The History of Nintendo ft. Matt Alt (S4E18)Japanese Mascot Mania ft. Chris Carlier of Mondo Mascots (S4E8)Tokusatsu Talk with a Super Sentai ft. Sotaro Yasuda aka GekiChopper (S4E6)The Evolution of PokéMania ft Daniel Dockery [Part 2] (S4E3)The Evolution of PokéMania ft Daniel Dockery [Part 1] (S4E2)Japanese Independent Film Industry ft. Award Winning Director Eiji Uchida (S3E18)How Marvel Comics Changed Tokusatsu & Japan Forever ft Gene & Ted Pelc (Guest Host, Matt Alt) (S3E13)Talking Shonen Anime Series ft. Kyle Hebert (S3E10)Japanese Arcades (S2E16)How to Watch Anime: Subbed vs. Dubbed ft. Dan Woren (S2E9)Manga: Literature & An Art Form ft. Danica Davidson (S2E3)The Fantastical World of Studio Ghibli ft. Steve Alpert (S2E1)The Greatest Anime of All Time Pt. 3: Modern Day Anime  (2010's-Present) (S1E18)The Greatest Anime of All Time Pt. 2: The Golden Age  (1990's-2010's) (S1E16)The Greatest Anime of All Time Pt. 1: Nostalgia (60's-80's) (S1E5)We Love Pokemon: Celebrating 25 Years (S1E3)Why Japan ft. Matt Alt (S1E1)------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------JSNO Event CalendarJoin JSNO Today!

At the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo Japan, Mondo Duplantis, Faith Kipyegon, and Ryan Crouser all won gold medals in their respective events, which gave them an unprecedented 5 consecutive gold medals at 5 consecutive global championships, in 5 consecutive years.Let's breakdown how each of them won their gold medals and a bit of history of consecutive medalists at previous global championships.⁠--------------------------------------------Chapters:00:00 Intro00:40 History of Olympic/World Championship Cycle02:28 Five consecutive Global Champs04:12 Athletes with 3 consecutive medals04:52 Athletes with more than 3 consecutive medals05:38 Athletes with 3 consecutive gold medals06:06 Athletes with more than 3 consecutive gold medals06:38 2021-2025 Championships06:53 Contenders for 5 golds after 202207:24 What happened at Budapest 202308:23 What happened at Paris 202408:51 What happened at Tokyo 202509:10 How Mondo Duplants won 5 Golds10:11 How Faith Kipyegon won 5 Golds11:41 How Ryan Crouser won 5 Golds14:26 5 consecutive medals of any color15:11 2026 World Ultimate Championships16:03 Summary⁠--------------------------------------------

A conversation with Remo Anzovino – pianist and composer who has written music for an array of media projects, theatre and cinema including a vast number of silent films. Maestro Anzovino was in Japan in November 2025 for concerts in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto and joined me live on the air at the Hanzomon, Tokyo studio on my InterFM morning show broadcast across Japan.

Brea and Mallory name their most anticipated books for November and December! Plus, they interview the filmmaker behind the new documentary The Librarians, Kim A. Snyder. Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com!Reading Glasses MerchRecommendations StoreThe Reading Glasses Book!Sponsors -IngramSparkwww.ingramspark.com/learnmoreGreenChefwww.greenchef.com/50GLASSESCODE: 50GLASSESLinks -Reading Glasses Facebook GroupReading Glasses Goodreads GroupWish ListNewsletterLibro.fmTo join our Discord channel, email us proof of your Reading-Glasses-supporting Maximum Fun membership!www.maximumfun.org/joinThe Librarians Books Mentioned - Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. SchwabSomebody is Walking on Your Grave by Mariana Enriquez, translated by Megan McDowellNovemberBitter Honey by Lolá Ákínmádé ÅkerströmLiterary fiction, mother-daughter relationship, Swedish pop star whose mother is trying to protect her from the pastCursed Daughters by Oyinkan BraithwaiteLiterary fiction, family curse, a woman whose family believes she is another family member reincarnatedLucky Seed by Justinian HuangLiterary fiction, matriarch of a wealthy family is pushing her gay nephew to produce an heir for the familyNext Time Will Be Our Turn by Jesse Q. SutantoLiterary fiction, woman learning the truth of her glamorous grandmother's star crossed queer love storyThat's Not How It Happened by Craig ThomasLiterary fiction, family whose lives get adapted into a movie and chaos ensues, creator of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHERThe White Hot by Quiara Alegría HudesLiterary fiction, bad-mom trope, generational trauma, Siddhartha reimaginingQueen Esther by John IrvingReturn to the world of The Cider House Rules The Amberglow Candy Store by Hiyoko Kurisu, translated by Matt TreyvaudMagical realism, a fox spirit who sells magic healing treats to humansDeeper than the Ocean by Mirta OjitoLiterary fiction, multigenerational, immigration, family tiesThe Eleventh Hour by Salman RushdieShort stories, magical realismPalaver by Bryan WashingtonLiterary fiction, family, healingThe Pelican Child by Joy WilliamsShort stories, the struggle of livingDays at the Torunka Cafe by Satoshi Yagisawa, translated by Eric OzawaLiterary fiction, set in Tokyo, three people find literal and emotional nourishmentThe Botanist's Assistant by Peggy TownsendMystery, cozy, research assistant to a botanist must solve a murderThe Mysterious Death of Junetta PlumHistorical mystery, Jazz Age Harlem, woman and her orphaned charge must solve a murderThe Perfect Hosts by Heather GudenkaufThriller, someone dies at a “pistols and pearls” gender reveal party, secretsBest Offer Wins by Marisa KashinoThriller, satire, competitive real estate market, woman who has lost out on 11 houses will do anything to get her dream homeWith Friends Like These by Alissa LeeThriller, group of college friends who have been playing a killing game known as The Circus for 20 yearsThe Burning Library by Gilly MacmillanThriller, dark academia, Scotland, rivalling secret orders of women battling to find a medieval manuscript, murderTurns of Fate by Anne BishopFantasy, contemporary, paranormal detective, start of seriesThe Nameless Land by Kate ElliotFantasy, epic, sequel to The Witch RoadsThe Merge by Grace WalkerSci fi, dystopian, a world where the separate consciousnesses of two people can be put in one bodyBrigands and Breadknives by Travis BaldreeThird book of Legends and LattesI, Media by Ayana GrayHistorical fiction, retelling, Greek mythology, villain origin storyAphrodite by Phoenicia RogersonHistorical fiction, retelling, Greek mythologyBeasts of the Sea by Iida Turpeinen, translated by David HackstonHistorical fiction, Finland, triple timeline, 1700s naturalist, 1850s Alaskan governor finds mysterious skeleton, 1950s museum curatorLast Call at the Savoy by Brisa CarletonHistorical fiction, historian investigating story of first female celebrity bartenderThe Mad Wife by Meagan ChurchHistorical fiction, 1950s housewife, motherhood, identityThe Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina HenryHorror, child disappearance, scary house, woman returning home to confront childhood mysteryThe Villa, Once Beloved by Victor ManiboHorror, gothic, Philippines, diaspora, intergenerational trauma, demonsSecond Chance Romance by Olivia DadeContemporary romance, small town, plus size heroine, second chance, grumpy/grumpyBlackthorn by J.T. GeissingerDark romance, gothic, paranormal, forbidden, grumpy/grumpy, enemies to lover, dark magic, touch her and dieThe Marriage Narrative by Claire KannContemporary romance, reality TV, marriage of convenienceSon of the Morning by Akwaeke EmeziRomantasy, spicy, set in the Black South, queer, magicEmber Eternal by Chlore NeillRomantasy, thief with secret magic, court intrigue/imperial politicsViolet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily KremphotlzRomantasy, plant witch and grumpy alchemist must save their small town from a magical plagueThe Bookshop Below by Georgia SummersRomantasy, disgraced bookseller restores a magical bookshop and enters dark underworld of dark ink magic and shady collectorsBook of Lives by Margaret AtwoodMemoirCher: The Memoir, Part TwoThe First Eight: A Personal History of the Pioneering Black Congressmen Who Shaped a Nation by Jim ClyburnMemoirQueen Mother: Black Nationalism, Reparations, and the Untold Story of Audley Moore by Ashley D. FarmerBiography of woman who helped found modern Black nationalism and who led the fight for reparationsWe Did OK, Kid by Anthony HopkinsMemoirStar of the Show: My Life on Stage by Dolly PartonMemoirBread of Angels by Patti SmithMemoir100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist's Guide to a Happy Life by Dick Van DykeAutobiographyBlack-Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore by Char AdamsHistory, the role of Black-owned bookstores in Black political movements throughout U.S. historyThirst Trap by Gráinne O'HareLiterary fiction, queer, friendship, moving from late 20s to early 30sWhere There's Room for Us by Hayley KiyokoQueer YA romance in reimagined queernorm Victorian EnglandThe Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose by Robyn GreenQueer romance, Red White and Royal Blue but in the London theater sceneAs Many Souls as Stars by Natasha SiegelQueer romantasy, sapphic, witch and demon caught in game across multiple lifetimesPetty Lies by Sulmi Bak, translated by Sarah LyoHorror, epistolary, four characters locked in a cycle of vengeanceDecemberThe Snake-Eater by T KingfisherFantasy, contemporary, horror, woman leaves the city to live in her late aunt's house, an ancient god comes to collect on aunt's unfulfilled promiseThe Birdwater by Jacquelyn MitchardLiterary fiction, journalist investigates a former classmate who is accused of murderThe Time Hop Coffee Shop by Phaedra PatrickMagical realism, magical coffee which grants you a wish, protagonist wishes to revisit her past so she can change the presentHouse of Day, House of Night by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Antonia Lloyd-JonesReprint of early novel - series of interconnected short storiesThe Jaguar's Roar by Micheliny Verunschk, translated by Juliana BarbassaHistorical fiction, parallel timelines - one is an Indigenous girl in the 1800s who is kidnapped, and another that is a modern woman's search for herTailored Realities by Brandon SandersonFantasy, short storiesDawn of the Firebird by Sarah Mughal RanaFantasy, woman must secretly join enemy's magical school after her clan is killed, djinn, vengeanceWe Will Rise Again edited by Karen Lord, Annalee Newitz, and Malka OlderSpec fic, short stories, essays, protest, resistance, hope, interviewsThe Mating Game by Lana FergusonParanormal romance, wolf shifter, Christmas, contemporaryTender Cruelty by Katee RobertDark romance, Hera/Zeus, Greek retelling, spicyThe Dark is Descending by Chloe C. PeñarandaThird in romantasy trilogyThe Sea Captain's Wife: A True Story of Mutiny, Love, and Adventure at the Bottom of the World by Tilar J. MazzeoHistory, Gold Rush–era, maritime adventure, Mary Ann Patten - first woman captain of a merchant shipGalapagos by Fátima Vélez, translated by Hannah KaudersWeird fiction, queer, group of artists who are dying of AIDS embark on a surreal final voyage through the Galapagos IslandsSong of Ancient Lovers by Laura Restrepo, translated by Caro de RobertisFantasy, retelling, mythical love story, Queen of Sheba and King SolomonCape Fever by Nadia DavidsHorror, gothic, psychological, historical, 1920s, maid finds herself entangled with the spirits of a decaying manor, secretsAn Anthology of Rural Stories by Writers of Color edited by Deesha PhilyawShort storiesWinter Stories by Ingvild RishøiShort storiesSecrets of the First School by TL HuchuFinal Edinburgh Nights bookBetter in Black: Ten Stories of Shadowhunter Romance by Cassandra ClareShort storiesThe Happiness Collector by Crystal KingSpec fic, a historian's dream job in Italy takes a dark turn when she discovers her employers aren't humanThe Last Vampire by Romina GarberYA dark fantasy, boarding school, Pride and Prejudice meets CraveThe Library of Fates by Margot HarrisonRomantasy, two former classmates race to find a rare book that can foretell your future if you confess a secret from your pastA Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death by Maxie DaraCozy fantasy mystery, when a killer targets her brother, a grim reaper risks everything to save himRomantasy Cocktails by Jassy DavisCookingA Steep and Savage Path by JJA HarwoodRomantasy, vampires, dark romance, enemies to lovers, journey to the underworldWe Who Will Die by Stacia StarkRomantasy, Ancient Rome, Rome-antasy, vampires, slow burn, magic creatures, godsAn Arcane Inheritance by Kamilah ColeFantasy, dark academia, magic university, secret societyMurder in Manhattan by Julie MulhernMystery, historical, female reporter solving crimes in the glamorous world of the rich and famous in 1920s ManhattanHer Time Traveling Duke by Bryn DonovanRomantasy, time travel, grumpy-sunshine, love spells brings a Regency duke to modern timesSeeing Other People by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-BrokaParanormal romance, two people literally haunted by their exesEveryone in the Group Chat Dies by L.M. ChiltonMystery, funny, 90s serial killer, TikTok true crime investigatorTwin Tides by Hien NguyenYA horror, long-lost twin sisters unravel the mystery behind their mother's disappearance

November 6, 2025: Five major stories reveal how the rules of work are being rewritten worldwide. Australia's landmark ruling makes remote work a legal right, signaling the next phase of the flexibility debate. CEOs from Palantir to AT&T are reasserting control over DEI, AI, and culture after years of hybrid drift. In the U.S., Gen Z and wealthy professionals are returning to cities like New York for career security as urban networks regain power. Tokyo launches a four-day workweek to address burnout and a collapsing birthrate, while IBM's latest layoffs show how automation is reshaping the entry-level job market. Together, these stories mark a global recalibration of power, purpose, and productivity.

You asked for an engaging episode description, a compelling title, a guest summary, SEO keywords, and a call-to-action for The JB and Sandy Show, using the provided transcript. Here's how I'll approach your request:I'll open with a thought-provoking question from the episode to hook listeners.I'll highlight key moments, themes, and guest insights, ensuring the description is detailed and enticing.I'll summarize the guest's background and relevance.I'll craft a powerful, curiosity-driven title.I'll include SEO keywords (no spaces).I'll end with a strong call-to-action.Episode Title “Naked Truths & Travel Tales: What Happens When Austin's Hippie Hollow Makes National Headlines?” Episode Description “Is it really a ‘beach' if it's just a cliff full of naked people?” That's the question that kicks off this lively episode of The JB and Sandy Show. Join JB and Sandy as they dive into the quirky world of Austin's famous Hippie Hollow, recently ranked #5 nude beach in America by CNN—despite not being a beach at all! The hosts share hilarious personal stories, from drive-by boat tours of Hippie Hollow's rocky shores to childhood memories of witnessing the unexpected. The conversation takes a global turn as JB updates listeners on his daughter Raleigh's spontaneous adventure to Tokyo, Japan. Hear about her budget-friendly travel hacks, hostel stays, and the excitement (and anxiety) of international journeys. The hosts reflect on the freedom and challenges of travel, surf mishaps in San Diego, and the universal need for a “get out bag” when life throws curveballs. Key Moments & Themes:The real story behind Hippie Hollow's “beach” status and its place in Austin cultureCandid, comedic memories of first encounters with nudist spotsJB's daughter Raleigh's last-minute trip to Japan: travel tips, hostel living, and family dynamicsThe importance of having an escape plan—whether it's a trailer, a guest house, or just a backup couchGender roles and relationship humor: who really gets the house in a breakup?Call-to-Action Love what you hear? Don't miss a moment—subscribe to The JB and Sandy Show, leave us a review, and share this episode with friends who appreciate Austin's quirks and travel tales. Your support helps us keep the stories coming!

Today on the Vegan Hacks Podcast, we're joined by Leonore, the certified vegan nutritionist and creator of Itadakihealthy,  a coaching and content hub dedicated to helping people thrive on a plant-based diet in Japan. Originally from Germany and now based in Tokyo for over a decade, Leonore shares her journey of building a vibrant vegan community in a country known for its culinary traditions. We talk about how she helps clients find balance, stay healthy, and enjoy plant-based living in Japan's sometimes challenging food landscape.Whether you're vegan in Japan, dreaming of visiting, or just love hearing about global plant-based culture, this episode is packed with insight, inspiration, and practical tips from one of Japan's most trusted vegan voices.Follow on IG:  @itadakihealthyhttps://www.itadakihealthy.com/Send us a text

木曜日は、ライムスター宇多丸＆TBS熊崎風斗アナ。 今週末、Blue Note Tokyoにて行われる「King of Stage at Blue Note Tokyo 2025」について話しました。 宇多丸が考える他のステージとは異なる「Blue Note Tokyo」の特徴とは？ 一方、年末に向けて、ラストスパートの熊崎アナ！ 宮城県で行われる女子駅伝では、熊による影響など、思いもしなかった対策に追われているとのこと。 そして、来週月曜日に、ゲストとして出演する 「『スペシャルウィーク』とは何だったのか？特集」のお知らせ！ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With over 40 years of managing some of the top names in wine (Opus One, Mondavi, Baron Philippe de Rothschild), David Pearson, President of Joseph Phelps, has developed a distinct point of view on how to build a globally iconic brand. Ultimately, it comes down to relationships and the effort required to maintain them. From focus and prioritization to spending upwards of 65% of time on the road, David hopes more wineries will follow in his footsteps to build the category of Napa and American wines globally. Detailed Show Notes: David's background: started as a winemaker (Europe, SoCal), sensory evaluation for Hublein (now Diageo), post-MBA marketing job with Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Mondavi in France (see Mondovino movie), managed Byron, then CEO of Opus One, now President of Joseph PhelpsThe goal is to create personal relationships and care about mutual success and partnership with accounts“Focus is the hard part” - at Opus, initially London, Hong Kong, Japan; then emerging markets, Mainland China, Dubai; Phelps also prioritized KoreaSingapore distributor told him, “We'll see you in 5 years, the French come every year.”Track people who buy wine and meet w/ them - 80/20 rule, focus on the top 20% of trade accountsAfter the top 20%, do second tier of accounts, then collectorsTravelled ~65% at Opus OneBudgets ~20-30% of marketing expenses for building relationshipsOpus One 1st 10 years - went to Asia, Canada, Europe every year, then put someone in Tokyo and Hong KongSends ~400-500 handwritten holiday cards to partners with specifics about their last visitTravel team includes a winemaker if they like it and are good at communicating, and a marketing team to better understand the marketPlease don't make it feel anonymous, but give the meetings and message personalityAt Phelps, focused on Insignia and current vintage, show older wines to show aging potentialThe goal is to expand export to ~30-40% in 10 years vs. 12-13% of Insignia todayBrands need to think deeper about what's unique and also where they are goingGet alignment between the story, the wine in the market, and where you're goingThe winery owner had three objections to export: sell all the wine to US customers, don't want to take any away from them don't know who to sell to don't want to spend the time and money to go thereLarger volume wines have different commercial relationships, same elements (knowing your partners, need to build), but margins tend to get squeezedBelieves that if the category is successful (e.g., Napa), everyone will be more successfulNegociants (La Place) respond to existing market demand well and are efficient distributors, but it is not in their DNA to build brandsPhelps uses the LVMH distribution network to build the brand and deliver directly to the core accountsMeasures quality of relationships w/ initial feeling, but then seeing the wines go to the market, need to see forward momentumTracks Liv-ex pricing a lot, seen upticks in InsigniaOther marketing elements: relationships happen over multiple channels now, need to do more social media, and be part of the discussionThe pricing goal is to have trade and consumer connect the innate value of the wine to the priceThe current neo-prohibitionist environment recalls the 80s and the “Mondavi defense” of wine as a potential solution Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Teruko Neriki shares her mission of educating the nation of Japan about Bitcoin. $ BTC 103,750 Block Height 922,194 Today's guest on the show is Teruko Neriki, who joins me to discuss why she felt compelled to take action to educate people in Japan about Bitcoin. Why did she choose to start translating the Bitcoin Standard by Saifedean Ammous, and how many months did it take her to finish this task? What experiences in her fiat career led her to discover Bitcoin and quit everything she had been doing to launch herself headfirst into finding a role in the Bitcoin ecosystem? A huge thank you to Teruko for coming on the show and for all that she is doing for Bitcoin. Follow Teruko here; X - https://x.com/TerukoNeriki NOSTR - npub19x0h8jm3mnwzhv4tpq62zta05er0qlyge73m0pwsp7h666khkd9qev2ree Get to BTC Japan and use code BITTEN for a discount. BTC JAPAN - TPKYO - 23rd - 24th November. https://btc-jpn.com/en USE CODE BITTEN - 10% Check out my book ‘Choose Life' - https://bitcoinbook.shop/search?q=prince ALL LINKS HERE - FOR DISCOUNTS AND OFFERS - https://vida.page/princey - https://linktr.ee/princey21m Pleb Service Announcements: Join 18 thousand Bitcoiners on @orangepillapp https://signup.theorangepillapp.com/opa/princey Support the pod via @fountain_app -https://fountain.fm/show/2oJTnUm5VKs3xmSVdf5n The Once Bitten YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Princey21m The Bitcoin And Show: https://www.bitcoinandshow.com/ https://fountain.fm/show/eK5XaSb3UaLRavU3lYrI Shills and Mench's: CONFERENCES 2025: BITFEST - MANCHESTER - ENGLAND - 21st - 23rd November 2025. https://bitfest.uk/ - USE CODE BITTEN - 10% PAY WITH FLASH. Accept Bitcoin on your website or platform with no-code and low-code integrations. https://paywithflash.com/ RELAI - STACK SATS - www.relai.me/Bitten Use Code BITTEN SWAN BITCOIN - www.swan.com/bitten BITBOX - SELF CUSTODY YOUR BITCOIN - www.bitbox.swiss/bitten Use Code BITTEN PLEBEIAN MARKET - BUY AND SELL STUFF FOR SATS; https://plebeian.market/ @PlebeianMarket ZAPRITE - https://zaprite.com/bitten - Invoicing and accounting for Bitcoiners - Save $40 KONSENSUS NETWORK - Buy bitcoin books in different languages. Use code BITTEN for 10% discount - https://bitcoinbook.shop?ref=bitten SEEDOR STEEL PLATE BACK-UP - @seedor_io use the code BITTEN for a 5% discount. www.seedor.io/BITTEN SATSBACK - Shop online and earn back sats! https://satsback.com/register/5AxjyPRZV8PNJGlM HEATBIT - Home Bitcoin mining - https://www.heatbit.com/?ref=DANIELPRINCE - Use code BITTEN. CRYPTOTAG STEEL PLATE BACK-UP https://cryptotag.io - USE CODE BITTEN for 10% discount. AI Summary. In this episode of the Once Bitten podcast, Daniel Prince interviews Teruko, a key organizer for BTC Japan and a translator of the Bitcoin Standard, about her work in promoting Bitcoin adoption in Japan, her involvement with Folga Ventures, and ANAP, a Japanese clothing brand integrating Bitcoin into its business model. Key Topics: Bitcoin Standard translation Folga Ventures ANAP business model Bitcoin conferences Tokyo Bitcoin Base Summary: In this episode of the Once Bitten podcast, Daniel Prince interviews Teruko, a key organizer for BTC Japan and a translator of the Bitcoin Standard. Teruko recounts her entry into Bitcoin in 2017, initially driven by a market crash following her purchase, leading her to research and discover the transformative potential of Bitcoin through resources like Vijay Boyapati's "The Bullish Case for Bitcoin" and Saifedean Ammous's "The Bitcoin Standard." Teruko shares the story of translating "The Bitcoin Standard" into Japanese, a task initiated by Wids, who saw the book's potential impact on Japan. Despite lacking prior translation experience, Teruko undertook the project, dedicating significant time daily for six months. She faced challenges in accurately conveying Austrian economics terminology and cross-referencing footnotes with Japanese translations, often requiring visits to Japan's largest library. She also spoke about working with Safeadean, and having to exclude the part about transgenderism from the book, as it would be poorly received in Japanese society. Teruko discusses her work with Folga Ventures Japan, a venture capital firm investing exclusively in Bitcoin projects, with a focus on lightning technology, sidechains, and open-source projects. She highlights the challenge of finding Bitcoin companies in Japan and the importance of education to foster interest in Bitcoin and related businesses. Furthermore, Teruko elaborates on her involvement with ANAP, a Japanese clothing brand aiming to revive its business by integrating Bitcoin into its operations. ANAP is launching a new lifestyle brand inspired by Bitcoin's ethos, with subtle designs intended to pique customer curiosity about Bitcoin. The discussion shifts to the upcoming BTC Japan conference in Tokyo, organized by Teruko, emphasizing its aim to educate and provide hands-on Bitcoin experiences. The conference will feature speakers like Grant from the Bitcoin Policy Institute and Roger from "Will Mao Buy Bitcoin," along with Luke Dash Jr. and possibly Shinobi. Teruko also highlights the development of Tokyo Bitcoin Base, a co-working and co-living space aimed at creating a Bitcoin circular economy in Tokyo, including the acquisition of hotel properties to accommodate Bitcoin enthusiasts. Teruko emphasizes the importance of external influence in Japan's Bitcoin adoption, inviting individuals from Western countries to work at Tokyo Bitcoin Base and inspire local engagement with Bitcoin. She highlights efforts to legitimize Bitcoin within the neighborhood by hosting community-friendly events and educating residents about Bitcoin's potential. The episode concludes with a discussion on the need to approach Bitcoin in a sustainable way, especially in light of current distractions such as Bitcoin treasury companies and loan product offerings. Daniel encourages listeners to stack sats, take self-custody seriously, and draw inspiration from individuals like Teruko who are building and promoting Bitcoin adoption through education, conferences, and community engagement. He also promotes upcoming Bitcoin conferences like BitFest in Manchester and encourages listeners to check out resources and services for stacking sats and taking self-custody.

At the same time of Pooh's Magic Kingdom opening, he would be eyeing an international E-ticket ride in Tokyo and further global expansion to almost all of the Disney Parks!Watch us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@makeitmagicalpodInstagram: @makeitmagicalpodSupport the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MakeitmagicalpodSupport the show and Buy Us a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/makeitmagicalUse our code MAGICALPOD20 for 20% on your next order at Park Hop TeesUse our code MAGICAL10 for 10% off your next order at Crowned AthleticsUse our code MAGICAL15 for 15% off your next order at Magic Candle CompanyGrab some Disney books from our Amazon StorefrontEmail us anytime at:  makeitmagicalpod@gmail.com

Four-time Olympian and Olympic champion Chad Le Clos sits down with Katie in Carmel ahead of World Cup Stop 1 to talk comeback from injury, the real story behind his rivalry era with Phelps, and how a brutal stretch around Tokyo pushed him to address mental health and rebuild purpose. He opens up about family, legacy, and a new project he's launching beyond LA—plus some rapid-fire fun.-----Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on social media (https://linktr.ee/unfilteredwaters) for clips, bonus content, and updates throughout the week.-----FOLLOW KATIE ON:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kthoff7/-----FOLLOW MISSY ON:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missyfranklin88/-----SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSIM8health.com/discount/unfiltered for 10% offdreamrecovery.io use code UNFILTEREDTHIRTY for 30% off-----#UnfilteredWaters #Swimming #ChadleClos

Robert S. McNamara, who was Secretary of Defense during JFK and LBJ’s administrations, and one of the chief architects of the Vietnam war, made a shocking confession in his 1995 memoir. He said “We were wrong, terribly wrong.” McNamara believed this as early as 1965, that the Vietnam War was unwinnable. Yet, instead of urging U.S. forces to exit, he continued to preside over the war as President Lyndon B. Johnson’s principal wartime advisor. It would be eight more years until the United States officially withdrew from Vietnam. By then, 58,000 Americans and millions of Vietnamese had lost their lives. Why did McNamara fight so hard to escalate a war that he’d soon realize was beyond winning? Why was he so loyal to LBJ, whom he’d later describe as “crude, mean, vindictive, scheming, and untruthful”? While these questions are personal, the answers are vital to our understanding of the Vietnam War and American foreign policy at large. Today’s guest is Philip Taubman, author of “McNamara Wat War: A New History.” We look at McNamara’s early life and how he epitomized the 20th-century technocratic 'whiz kid' through his Harvard-honed data analysis skills, which he applied to optimize the firebombing of Tokyo during WWII and later revolutionized Ford Motor Company as president, using statistical efficiency to drive innovation. His technocratic approach shaped U.S. strategy during the Cuban Missile Crisis and Vietnam War, where he relied on data-driven decision-making, though with mixed results, notably escalating Vietnam based on flawed metrics like body counts. We look at how ultimately, McNamara’s war was not only in Vietnam. He was also at war with himself—riven by melancholy, guilt, zealous loyalty, and a profound inability to admit his flawed thinking about Vietnam before it was too late.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.