Podcasts about Tokyo

Podcast Guest: Timothy Reid – From English Teacher to Award-Winning Musician and Game Industry Pro in Japan This week on the podcast, I'm thrilled to welcome Timothy Reid, a multi-talented artist and creator whose journey to success in Japan is nothing short of inspiring. Originally from North Yorkshire in the UK, Timothy moved to Japan […]

While Pennsylvania lawmakers haggle over the state budget, liberal advocacy groups are using protests to call for higher taxes on billionaires to fund public services. In 1979, Three Mile Island was the site of what is often called the worst nuclear power accident on U.S. soil. Our colleague Jaxon White, from LNP | LancasterOnline, has the latest on the restarting of the Island’s nuclear reactor. Environmental groups say Tokyo-based Nippon Steel’s recent purchase of U.S. Steel should lead to cleaner operations at the company’s Pittsburgh-area plants. But they haven’t heard much from the Japanese steelmaker. New disclosures with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission show President Trump will control the so-called “golden share," as part of the national security agreement under which he allowed Japan-based Nippon Steel to buy out iconic American steelmaker U.S. Steel. With the state budget deadline approaching, the company that owns “skill game” terminals throughout Pennsylvania says lawmakers have pushed it out of discussions on how the industry should be regulated. Taxing the casino-style games is a key part of Governor Josh Shapiro’s budget, one that would raise hundreds of millions of dollars to fund schools and public transit. The former captain of a Dauphin County fire company is wanted by police after missing two court appearances earlier this year. A Dauphin County judge issued a bench warrant for 55-year-old Steven Bartholomew’s arrest in March. He's accused of driving firetrucks for the Paxtang Fire Company No. 1 several times in 2024 without a valid driver’s license. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode of the Only Business Podcast asks a question most entrepreneurs avoid: Do you like yourself? We explore how self-perception quietly shapes pricing, leadership, boundaries, decision making, and long term business health. If you have been feeling stuck, scattered, or disconnected from your work, this episode will help you reconnect with the person behind the business and build from a stronger foundation.

EPISODE 557 - Ronald Okuaki Lieber - The Long Journey Out - from the place where I now am, the diary of that journeyAuthor's BioI am of Japanese and Jewish lineage, born in Tokyo, a late post WWII baby. I grew up moving every year until the age of 14 when my parents settled in Petersburg, VA. I graduated with a BS in Biology from the College of William and Mary, then served two years as a Peace Corp volunteer in the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica. I returned to live in NYC and eventually graduated from the MFA Program at Columbia University. I later began psychoanalytic training at the Center for Modern Psychoanalytic Studies. After graduation, I became the Director of the institute and editor of its journal, Modern Psychoanalysis. I have been in private practice since 2001 as a licensed psychoanalyst and recently completed a plant medicine guide training program at the Center for Medicine Work in Philadelphia.My entrance into poetry begins with these lines from “Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey, On Revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a Tour. July 13, 1798” by William Wordsworth:And I have felt A presence that disturbs me with the joy Of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime Of something far more deeply interfused, Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns, And the round ocean and the living air, And the blue sky, and in the mind of man: A motion and a spirit, that impels All thinking things, all objects of all thought, And rolls through all things. Those lines form the basis of my book The Long Journey Out. I was a sophomore in college, adrift in the back of the room in a second semester composition class when the professor read those lines. They woke me from my stupor. There, in those lines, I heard a kindred voice that spoke to an experience I had, an LSD trip, that was, to borrow a cliché, awash in the ineffable, a boundless sense of oneness where any distinction between self and other sundered. That voice joined with another, “An unexamined life is life not worth living,” from which a path emerged, unknown to me at the time--and forgive if what follows sounds pretentious--that took me to Jung, the Peace Corps and Costa Rica, Gurdjieff, poetry, eastern doctrine through The I Ching and the Bhagavad Gita, the TS Eliot of The Four Quartets, Heidegger's Being and Time, the gospels of the New Testament, and too many other books to enumerate, and an abiding curiosity about the unconscious, thus the study and practice of Freud and psychoanalysis, meditation, making do in the East Village of the early 80s, Ashtanga yoga, domestity and two wives and two children, dabbling along the way into neuroscience, windsurfing, and cosmology. The book The Long Journey Out is, from the place where I now am, the diary of that journey.https://www.ronaldokuakilieber.com/Support the show___https://livingthenextchapter.com/podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

My fellow pro-growth/progress/abundance Up Wingers,Once-science-fiction advancements like AI, gene editing, and advanced biotechnology have finally arrived, and they're here to stay. These technologies have seemingly set us on a course towards a brand new future for humanity, one we can hardly even picture today. But progress doesn't happen overnight, and it isn't the result of any one breakthrough.As Jamie Metzl explains in his new book, Superconvergence: How the Genetics, Biotech, and AI Revolutions will Transform our Lives, Work, and World, tech innovations work alongside and because of one another, bringing about the future right under our noses.Today on Faster, Please! — The Podcast, I chat with Metzl about how humans have been radically reshaping the world around them since their very beginning, and what the latest and most disruptive technologies mean for the not-too-distant future.Metzl is a senior fellow of the Atlantic Council and a faculty member of NextMed Health. He has previously held a series of positions in the US government, and was appointed to the World Health Organization's advisory committee on human genome editing in 2019. He is the author of several books, including two sci-fi thrillers and his international bestseller, Hacking Darwin.In This Episode* Unstoppable and unpredictable (1:54)* Normalizing the extraordinary (9:46)* Engineering intelligence (13:53)* Distrust of disruption (19:44)* Risk tolerance (24:08)* What is a “newnimal”? (13:11)* Inspired by curiosity (33:42)Below is a lightly edited transcript of our conversation. Unstoppable and unpredictable (1:54)The name of the game for all of this . . . is to ask “What are the things that we can do to increase the odds of a more positive story and decrease the odds of a more negative story?”Pethokoukis: Are you telling a story of unstoppable technological momentum or are you telling a story kind of like A Christmas Carol, of a future that could be if we do X, Y, and Z, but no guarantees?Metzl: The future of technological progress is like the past: It is unstoppable, but that doesn't mean it's predetermined. The path that we have gone over the last 12,000 years, from the domestication of crops to building our civilizations, languages, industrialization — it's a bad metaphor now, but — this train is accelerating. It's moving faster and faster, so that's not up for grabs. It is not up for grabs whether we are going to have the capacities to engineer novel intelligence and re-engineer life — we are doing both of those things now in the early days.What is up for grabs is how these revolutions will play out, and there are better and worse scenarios that we can imagine. The name of the game for all of this, the reason why I do the work that I do, why I write the books that I write, is to ask “What are the things that we can do to increase the odds of a more positive story and decrease the odds of a more negative story?”Progress has been sort of unstoppable for all that time, though, of course, fits and starts and periods of stagnation —— But when you look back at those fits and starts — the size of the Black Plague or World War II, or wiping out Berlin, and Dresden, and Tokyo, and Hiroshima, and Nagasaki — in spite of all of those things, it's one-directional. Our technologies have gotten more powerful. We've developed more capacities, greater ability to manipulate the world around us, so there will be fits and starts but, as I said, this train is moving. That's why these conversations are so important, because there's so much that we can, and I believe must, do now.There's a widely held opinion that progress over the past 50 years has been slower than people might have expected in the late 1960s, but we seem to have some technologies now for which the momentum seems pretty unstoppable.Of course, a lot of people thought, after ChatGPT came out, that superintelligence would happen within six months. That didn't happen. After CRISPR arrived, I'm sure there were lots of people who expected miracle cures right away.What makes you think that these technologies will look a lot different, and our world will look a lot different than they do right now by decade's end?They certainly will look a lot different, but there's also a lot of hype around these technologies. You use the word “superintelligence,” which is probably a good word. I don't like the words “artificial intelligence,” and I have a six-letter framing for what I believe about AGI — artificial general intelligence — and that is: AGI is BS. We have no idea what human intelligence is, if we define our own intelligence so narrowly that it's just this very narrow form of thinking and then we say, “Wow, we have these machines that are mining the entirety of digitized human cultural history, and wow, they're so brilliant, they can write poems — poems in languages that our ancestors have invented based on the work of humans.” So we humans need to be very careful not to belittle ourselves.But we're already seeing, across the board, if you say, “Is CRISPR on its own going to fundamentally transform all of life?” The answer to that is absolutely no. My last book was about genetic engineering. If genetic engineering is a pie, genome editing is a slice and CRISPR is just a tiny little sliver of that slice. But the reason why my new book is called Superconvergence, the entire thesis is that all of these technologies inspire, and influence, and are embedded in each other. We had the agricultural revolution 12,000 years ago, as I mentioned. That's what led to these other innovations like civilization, like writing, and then the ancient writing codes are the foundation of computer codes which underpin our machine learning and AI systems that are allowing us to unlock secrets of the natural world.People are imagining that AI equals ChatGPT, but that's really not the case (AI equals ChatGPT like electricity equals the power station). The story of AI is empowering us to do all of these other things. As a general-purpose technology, already AI is developing the capacity to help us just do basic things faster. Computer coding is the archetypal example of that. Over the last couple of years, the speed of coding has improved by about 50 percent for the most advanced human coders, and as we code, our coding algorithms are learning about the process of coding. We're just laying a foundation for all of these other things.That's what I call “boring AI.” People are imagining exciting AI, like there's a magic AI button and you just press it and AI cures cancer. That's not how it's going to work. Boring AI is going to be embedded in human resource management. It's going to be embedded just giving us a lot of capabilities to do things better, faster than we've done them before. It doesn't mean that AIs are going to replace us. There are a lot of things that humans do that machines can just do better than we are. That's why most of us aren't doing hunting, or gathering, or farming, because we developed machines and other technologies to feed us with much less human labor input, and we have used that reallocation of our time and energy to write books and invent other things. That's going to happen here.The name of the game for us humans, there's two things: One is figuring out what does it mean to be a great human and over-index on that, and two, lay the foundation so that these multiple overlapping revolutions, as they play out in multiple fields, can be governed wisely. That is the name of the game. So when people say, “Is it going to change our lives?” I think people are thinking of it in the wrong way. This shirt that I'm wearing, this same shirt five years from now, you'll say, “Well, is there AI in your shirt?” — because it doesn't look like AI — and what I'm going to say is “Yes, in the manufacturing of this thread, in the management of the supply chain, in figuring out who gets to go on vacation, when, in the company that's making these buttons.” It's all these little things. People will just call it progress. People are imagining magic AI, all of these interwoven technologies will just feel like accelerating progress, and that will just feel like life.Normalizing the extraordinary (9:46)20, 30 years ago we didn't have the internet. I think things get so normalized that this just feels like life.What you're describing is a technology that economists would call a general-purpose technology. It's a technology embedded in everything, it's everywhere in the economy, much as electricity.What you call “boring AI,” the way I think about it is: I was just reading a Wall Street Journal story about Applebee's talking about using AI for more efficient customer loyalty programs, and they would use machine vision to look at their tables to see if they were cleaned well enough between customers. That, to people, probably doesn't seem particularly science-fictional. It doesn't seem world-changing. Of course, faster growth and a more productive economy is built on those little things, but I guess I would still call those “boring AI.”What to me definitely is not boring AI is the sort of combinatorial aspect that you're talking about where you're talking about AI helping the scientific discovery process and then interweaving with other technologies in kind of the classic Paul Romer combinatorial way.I think a lot of people, if they look back at their lives 20 or 30 years ago, they would say, “Okay, more screen time, but probably pretty much the same.”I don't think they would say that. 20, 30 years ago we didn't have the internet. I think things get so normalized that this just feels like life. If you had told ourselves 30 years ago, “You're going to have access to all the world's knowledge in your pocket.” You and I are — based on appearances, although you look so youthful — roughly the same age, so you probably remember, “Hurry, it's long distance! Run down the stairs!”We live in this radical science-fiction world that has been normalized, and even the things that you are mentioning, if you see open up your newsfeed and you see that there's this been incredible innovation in cancer care, and whether it's gene therapy, or autoimmune stuff, or whatever, you're not thinking, “Oh, that was AI that did that,” because you read the thing and it's like “These researchers at University of X,” but it is AI, it is electricity, it is agriculture. It's because our ancestors learned how to plant seeds and grow plants where you're stationed and not have to do hunting and gathering that you have had this innovation that is keeping your grandmother alive for another 10 years.What you're describing is what I call “magical AI,” and that's not how it works. Some of the stuff is magical: the Jetsons stuff, and self-driving cars, these things that are just autopilot airplanes, we live in a world of magical science fiction and then whenever something shows up, we think, “Oh yeah, no big deal.” We had ChatGPT, now ChatGPT, no big deal?If you had taken your grandparents, your parents, and just said, “Hey, I'm going to put you behind a screen. You're going to have a conversation with something, with a voice, and you're going to do it for five hours,” and let's say they'd never heard of computers and it was all this pleasant voice. In the end they said, “You just had a five-hour conversation with a non-human, and it told you about everything and all of human history, and it wrote poems, and it gave you a recipe for kale mush or whatever you're eating,” you'd say, “Wow!” I think that we are living in that sci-fi world. It's going to get faster, but every innovation, we're not going to say, “Oh, AI did that.” We're just going to say, “Oh, that happened.”Engineering intelligence (13:53)I don't like the word “artificial intelligence” because artificial intelligence means “artificial human intelligence.” This is machine intelligence, which is inspired by the products of human intelligence, but it's a different form of intelligence . . .I sometimes feel in my own writing, and as I peruse the media, like I read a lot more about AI, the digital economy, information technology, and I feel like I certainly write much less about genetic engineering, biotechnology, which obviously is a key theme in your book. What am I missing right now that's happening that may seem normal five years from now, 10 years, but if I were to read about it now or understand it now, I'd think, “Well, that is kind of amazing.”My answer to that is kind of everything. As I said before, we are at the very beginning of this new era of life on earth where one species, among the billions that have ever lived, suddenly has the increasing ability to engineer novel intelligence and re-engineer life.We have evolved by the Darwinian processes of random mutation and natural selection, and we are beginning a new phase of life, a new Cambrian Revolution, where we are creating, certainly with this novel intelligence that we are birthing — I don't like the word “artificial intelligence” because artificial intelligence means “artificial human intelligence.” This is machine intelligence, which is inspired by the products of human intelligence, but it's a different form of intelligence, just like dolphin intelligence is a different form of intelligence than human intelligence, although we are related because of our common mammalian route. That's what's happening here, and our brain function is roughly the same as it's been, certainly at least for tens of thousands of years, but the AI machine intelligence is getting smarter, and we're just experiencing it.It's become so normalized that you can even ask that question. We live in a world where we have these AI systems that are just doing more and cooler stuff every day: driving cars, you talked about discoveries, we have self-driving laboratories that are increasingly autonomous. We have machines that are increasingly writing their own code. We live in a world where machine intelligence has been boxed in these kinds of places like computers, but very soon it's coming out into the world. The AI revolution, and machine-learning revolution, and the robotics revolution are going to be intersecting relatively soon in meaningful ways.AI has advanced more quickly than robotics because it hasn't had to navigate the real world like we have. That's why I'm always so mindful of not denigrating who we are and what we stand for. Four billion years of evolution is a long time. We've learned a lot along the way, so it's going to be hard to put the AI and have it out functioning in the world, interacting in this world that we have largely, but not exclusively, created.But that's all what's coming. Some specific things: 30 years from now, my guess is many people who are listening to this podcast will be fornicating regularly with robots, and it'll be totally normal and comfortable.. . . I think some people are going to be put off by that.Yeah, some people will be put off and some people will be turned on. All I'm saying is it's going to be a mix of different —Jamie, what I would like to do is be 90 years old and be able to still take long walks, be sharp, not have my knee screaming at me. That's what I would like. Can I expect that?I think this can help, but you have to decide how to behave with your personalized robot.That's what I want. I'm looking for the achievement of human suffering. Will there be a world of less human suffering?We live in that world of less human suffering! If you just look at any metric of anything, this is the best time to be alive, and it's getting better and better. . . We're living longer, we're living healthier, we're better educated, we're more informed, we have access to more and better food. This is by far the best time to be alive, and if we don't massively screw it up, and frankly, even if we do, to a certain extent, it'll continue to get better.I write about this in Superconvergence, we're moving in healthcare from our world of generalized healthcare based on population averages to precision healthcare, to predictive and preventive. In education, some of us, like myself, you have had access to great education, but not everybody has that. We're going to have access to fantastic education, personalized education everywhere for students based on their own styles of learning, and capacities, and native languages. This is a wonderful, exciting time.We're going to get all of those things that we can hope for and we're going to get a lot of things that we can't even imagine. And there are going to be very real potential dangers, and if we want to have the good story, as I keep saying, and not have the bad story, now is the time where we need to start making the real investments.Distrust of disruption (19:44)Your job is the disruption of this thing that's come before. . . stopping the advance of progress is just not one of our options.I think some people would, when they hear about all these changes, they'd think what you're telling them is “the bad story.”I just talked about fornicating with robots, it's the bad story?Yeah, some people might find that bad story. But listen, we live at an age where people have recoiled against the disruption of trade, for instance. People are very allergic to the idea of economic disruption. I think about all the debate we had over stem cell therapy back in the early 2000s, 2002. There certainly is going to be a certain contingent that, what they're going to hear what you're saying is: you're going to change what it means to be a human. You're going to change what it means to have a job. I don't know if I want all this. I'm not asking for all this.And we've seen where that pushback has greatly changed, for instance, how we trade with other nations. Are you concerned that that pushback could create regulatory or legislative obstacles to the kind of future you're talking about?All of those things, and some of that pushback, frankly, is healthy. These are fundamental changes, but those people who are pushing back are benchmarking their own lives to the world that they were born into and, in most cases, without recognizing how radical those lives already are, if the people you're talking about are hunter-gatherers in some remote place who've not gone through domestication of agriculture, and industrialization, and all of these kinds of things, that's like, wow, you're going from being this little hunter-gatherer tribe in the middle of Atlantis and all of a sudden you're going to be in a world of gene therapy and shifting trading patterns.But the people who are saying, “Well, my job as a computer programmer, as a whatever, is going to get disrupted,” your job is the disruption. Your job is the disruption of this thing that's come before. As I said at the start of our conversation, stopping the advance of progress is just not one of our options.We could do it, and societies have done it before, and they've lost their economies, they've lost their vitality. Just go to Europe, Europe is having this crisis now because for decades they saw their economy and their society, frankly, as a museum to the past where they didn't want to change, they didn't want to think about the implications of new technologies and new trends. It's why I am just back from Italy. It's wonderful, I love visiting these little farms where they're milking the goats like they've done for centuries and making cheese they've made for centuries, but their economies are shrinking with incredible rapidity where ours and the Chinese are growing.Everybody wants to hold onto the thing that they know. It's a very natural thing, and I'm not saying we should disregard those views, but the societies that have clung too tightly to the way things were tend to lose their vitality and, ultimately, their freedom. That's what you see in the war with Russia and Ukraine. Let's just say there are people in Ukraine who said, “Let's not embrace new disruptive technologies.” Their country would disappear.We live in a competitive world where you can opt out like Europe opted out solely because they lived under the US security umbrella. And now that President Trump is threatening the withdrawal of that security umbrella, Europe is being forced to race not into the future, but to race into the present.Risk tolerance (24:08). . . experts, scientists, even governments don't have any more authority to make these decisions about the future of our species than everybody else.I certainly understand that sort of analogy, and compared to Europe, we look like a far more risk-embracing kind of society. Yet I wonder how resilient that attitude — because obviously I would've said the same thing maybe in 1968 about the United States, and yet a decade later we stopped building nuclear reactors — I wonder how resilient we are to anything going wrong, like something going on with an AI system where somebody dies. Or something that looks like a cure that kills someone. Or even, there seems to be this nuclear power revival, how resilient would that be to any kind of accident? How resilient do you think are we right now to the inevitable bumps along the way?It depends on who you mean by “we.” Let's just say “we” means America because a lot of these dawns aren't the first ones. You talked about gene therapy. This is the second dawn of gene therapy. The first dawn came crashing into a halt in 1999 when a young man at the University of Pennsylvania died as a result of an error carried out by the treating physicians using what had seemed like a revolutionary gene therapy. It's the second dawn of AI after there was a lot of disappointment. There will be accidents . . .Let's just say, hypothetically, there's an accident . . . some kind of self-driving car is going to kill somebody or whatever. And let's say there's a political movement, the Luddites that is successful, and let's just say that every self-driving car in America is attacked and destroyed by mobs and that all of the companies that are making these cars are no longer able to produce or deploy those cars. That's going to be bad for self-driving cars in America — it's not going to be bad for self-driving cars. . . They're going to be developed in some other place. There are lots of societies that have lost their vitality. That's the story of every empire that we read about in history books: there was political corruption, sclerosis. That's very much an option.I'm a patriotic American and I hope America leads these revolutions as long as we can maintain our values for many, many centuries to come, but for that to happen, we need to invest in that. Part of that is investing now so that people don't feel that they are powerless victims of these trends they have no influence over.That's why all of my work is about engaging people in the conversation about how do we deploy these technologies? Because experts, scientists, even governments don't have any more authority to make these decisions about the future of our species than everybody else. What we need to do is have broad, inclusive conversations, engage people in all kinds of processes, including governance and political processes. That's why I write the books that I do. That's why I do podcast interviews like this. My Joe Rogan interviews have reached many tens of millions of people — I know you told me before that you're much bigger than Joe Rogan, so I imagine this interview will reach more than that.I'm quite aspirational.Yeah, but that's the name of the game. With my last book tour, in the same week I spoke to the top scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the seventh and eighth graders at the Solomon Schechter Hebrew Academy of New Jersey, and they asked essentially the exact same questions about the future of human genetic engineering. These are basic human questions that everybody can understand and everybody can and should play a role and have a voice in determining the big decisions and the future of our species.To what extent is the future you're talking about dependent on continued AI advances? If this is as good as it gets, does that change the outlook at all?One, there's no conceivable way that this is as good as it gets because even if the LLMs, large language models — it's not the last word on algorithms, there will be many other philosophies of algorithms, but let's just say that LLMs are the end of the road, that we've just figured out this one thing, and that's all we ever have. Just using the technologies that we have in more creative ways is going to unleash incredible progress. But it's certain that we will continue to have innovations across the field of computer science, in energy production, in algorithm development, in the ways that we have to generate and analyze massive data pools. So we don't need any more to have the revolution that's already started, but we will have more.Politics always, ultimately, can trump everything if we get it wrong. But even then, even if . . . let's just say that the United States becomes an authoritarian, totalitarian hellhole. One, there will be technological innovation like we're seeing now even in China, and two, these are decentralized technologies, so free people elsewhere — maybe it'll be Europe, maybe it'll be Africa or whatever — will deploy these technologies and use them. These are agnostic technologies. They don't have, as I said at the start, an inevitable outcome, and that's why the name of the game for us is to weave our best values into this journey.What is a “newnimal”? (30:11). . . we don't live in a state of nature, we live in a world that has been massively bio-engineered by our ancestors, and that's just the thing that we call life.When I was preparing for this interview and my research assistant was preparing, I said, “We have to have a question about bio-engineered new animals.” One, because I couldn't pronounce your name for these . . . newminals? So pronounce that name and tell me why we want these.It's a made up word, so you can pronounce it however you want. “Newnimals” is as good as anything.We already live in a world of bio-engineered animals. Go back 50,000 years, find me a dog, find me a corn that is recognizable, find me rice, find me wheat, find me a cow that looks remotely like the cow in your local dairy. We already live in that world, it's just people assume that our bioengineered world is some kind of state of nature. We already live in a world where the size of a broiler chicken has tripled over the last 70 years. What we have would have been unrecognizable to our grandparents.We are already genetically modifying animals through breeding, and now we're at the beginning of wanting to have whatever those same modifications are, whether it's producing more milk, producing more meat, living in hotter environments and not dying, or whatever it is that we're aiming for in these animals that we have for a very long time seen not as ends in themselves, but means to the alternate end of our consumption.We're now in the early stages xenotransplantation, modifying the hearts, and livers, and kidneys of pigs so they can be used for human transplantation. I met one of the women who has received — and seems to so far to be thriving — a genetically modified pig kidney. We have 110,000 people in the United States on the waiting list for transplant organs. I really want these people not just to survive, but to survive and thrive. That's another area we can grow.Right now . . . in the world, we slaughter about 93 billion land animals per year. We consume 200 million metric tons of fish. That's a lot of murder, that's a lot of risk of disease. It's a lot of deforestation and destruction of the oceans. We can already do this, but if and when we can grow bioidentical animal products at scale without having all of these negative externalities of whether it's climate change, environmental change, cruelty, deforestation, increased pandemic risk, what a wonderful thing to do!So we have these technologies and you mentioned that people are worried about them, but the reason people are worried about them is they're imagining that right now we live in some kind of unfettered state of nature and we're going to ruin it. But that's why I say we don't live in a state of nature, we live in a world that has been massively bio-engineered by our ancestors, and that's just the thing that we call life.Inspired by curiosity (33:42). . . the people who I love and most admire are the people who are just insatiably curious . . .What sort of forward thinkers, or futurists, or strategic thinkers of the past do you model yourself on, do you think are still worth reading, inspired you?Oh my God, so many, and the people who I love and most admire are the people who are just insatiably curious, who are saying, “I'm going to just look at the world, I'm going to collect data, and I know that everybody says X, but it may be true, it may not be true.” That is the entire history of science. That's Galileo, that's Charles Darwin, who just went around and said, “Hey, with an open mind, how am I going to look at the world and come up with theses?” And then he thought, “Oh s**t, this story that I'm coming up with for how life advances is fundamentally different from what everybody in my society believes and organizes their lives around.” Meaning, in my mind, that's the model, and there are so many people, and that's the great thing about being human.That's what's so exciting about this moment is that everybody has access to these super-empowered tools. We have eight billion humans, but about two billion of those people are just kind of locked out because of crappy education, and poor water sanitation, electricity. We're on the verge of having everybody who has a smartphone has the possibility of getting a world-class personalized education in their own language. How many new innovations will we have when little kids who were in slums in India, or in Pakistan, or in Nairobi, or wherever who have promise can educate themselves, and grow up and cure cancers, or invent new machines, or new algorithms. This is pretty exciting.The summary of the people from the past, they're kind of like the people in the present that I admire the most, are the people who are just insatiably curious and just learning, and now we have a real opportunity so that everybody can be their own Darwin.On sale everywhere The Conservative Futurist: How To Create the Sci-Fi World We Were PromisedMicro Reads▶ Economics* AI Hype Is Proving to Be a Solow's Paradox - Bberg Opinion* Trump Considers Naming Next Fed Chair Early in Bid to Undermine Powell - WSJ* Who Needs the G7? - PS* Advances in AI will boost productivity, living standards over time - Dallas Fed* Industrial Policy via Venture Capital - SSRN* Economic Sentiment and the Role of the Labor Market - St. Louis Fed▶ Business* AI valuations are verging on the unhinged - Economist* Nvidia shares hit record high on renewed AI optimism - FT* OpenAI, Microsoft Rift Hinges on How Smart AI Can Get - WSJ* Takeaways From Hard Fork's Interview With OpenAI's Sam Altman - NYT* Thatcher's legacy endures in Labour's industrial strategy - FT* Reddit vows to stay human to emerge a winner from artificial intelligence - FT▶ Policy/Politics* Anthropic destroyed millions of print books to build its AI models - Ars* Don't Let Silicon Valley Move Fast and Break Children's Minds - NYT Opinion* Is DOGE doomed to fail? Some experts are ready to call it. - Ars* The US is failing its green tech ‘Sputnik moment' - FT▶ AI/Digital* Future of Work with AI Agents: Auditing Automation and Augmentation Potential across the U.S. Workforce - Arxiv* Is the Fed Ready for an AI Economy? - WSJ Opinion* How Much Energy Does Your AI Prompt Use? I Went to a Data Center to Find Out. - WSJ* Meta Poaches Three OpenAI Researchers - WSJ* AI Agents Are Getting Better at Writing Code—and Hacking It as Well - Wired* Exploring the Capabilities of the Frontier Large Language Models for Nuclear Energy Research - Arxiv▶ Biotech/Health* Google's new AI will help researchers understand how our genes work - MIT* Does using ChatGPT change your brain activity? Study sparks debate - Nature* We cure cancer with genetic engineering but ban it on the farm. - ImmunoLogic* ChatGPT and OCD are a dangerous combo - Vox▶ Clean Energy/Climate* Is It Too Soon for Ocean-Based Carbon Credits? - Heatmap* The AI Boom Can Give Rooftop Solar a New Pitch - Bberg Opinion▶ Robotics/Drones/AVs* Tesla's Robotaxi Launch Shows Google's Waymo Is Worth More Than $45 Billion - WSJ* OpenExo: An open-source modular exoskeleton to augment human function - Science Robotics▶ Space/Transportation* Bezos and Blue Origin Try to Capitalize on Trump-Musk Split - WSJ* Giant asteroid could crash into moon in 2032, firing debris towards Earth - The Guardian▶ Up Wing/Down Wing* New Yorkers Vote to Make Their Housing Shortage Worse - WSJ* We Need More Millionaires and Billionaires in Latin America - Bberg Opinion▶ Substacks/Newsletters* Student visas are a critical pipeline for high-skilled, highly-paid talent - AgglomerationsState Power Without State Capacity - Breakthrough JournalFaster, Please! is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fasterplease.substack.com/subscribe

【図解】都区部消費者物価指数の推移総務省が２７日発表した６月の東京都区部消費者物価指数は、価格変動の大きい生鮮食品を除く総合指数が１１０．３と、前年同月比３．１％上昇した。 Core inflation in central Tokyo cooled to 3.1percentagein June from 3.6percentagein May, the first slowdown in four months, as price pressures on energy eased thanks to lower commodity costs, the Japanese internal affairs ministry said Friday.

座間９遺体事件の白石隆浩死刑囚の刑執行について記者会見する鈴木馨祐法相、２７日午前、東京・霞が関の法務省２０１７年、神奈川県座間市のアパートで男女９人を殺害したとして、強盗・強制性交殺人などの罪で死刑が確定した白石隆浩死刑囚の刑が２７日、執行された。 Japan on Friday executed a 34-year-old man convicted for murdering nine people in his apartment in the city of Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, in 2017, the Justice Ministry said.

Core inflation in central Tokyo cooled to 3.1pctin June from 3.6pctin May, the first slowdown in four months, as price pressures on energy eased thanks to lower commodity costs, the Japanese internal affairs ministry said Friday.

Japan on Friday executed a 34-year-old man convicted for murdering nine people in his apartment in the city of Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, in 2017, the Justice Ministry said.

Julie Curtiss was born in 1982 in Paris, France and lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. She studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts, Paris, during which time she undertook two exchange programmes; one at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste, Dresden and the other at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Curtiss graduated in 2006 with a BA and MFA. Recent solo exhibitions include White Cube Hong Kong (2023); Anton Kern Gallery, New York (2022; 2020; 2019); White Cube Mason's Yard, London (2021); Various Small Fires, Los Angeles (2018); and 106 Green, Brooklyn, New York (2017). Group exhibitions include Fondation Carmignac, Porquerolles, France (2024); Dallas Museum of Art, TX (2023); MCA Chicago, IL (2023); Yuz Museum, Shanghai (2023); FLAG Art Foundation, New York (2023); Leeum Museum of Art, Seoul (2022); Biennale des Arts de Nice, France (2022); The Shed, New York (2021); Nassau County Museum of Art, Roslyn, New York (2019); Perrotin, Seoul (2019); Clearing, New York (2019); White Cube Bermondsey, London (2017). She has been the recipient of a number of fellowships and awards, including Youkobo Art Space Returnee Residency Program, Tokyo (2019); Fellow of the Sharpe-Walentas Studio Program, New York (2018); Saltonstall Arts Colony Residency, New York (2017); Contemporary Art Center at Woodside Residency Program, New York (2013); VAN LIER Fellowship, New York (2012); Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy's Young Artists Award (2004); and Erasmus European Exchange Program Grant, Hochschule für Bildende Künste, Dresden (2003).Curtiss' work is represented in a number of museum collections, among which are Bronx Museum, New York; Columbus Museum of Art, Ohio; High Museum, Atlanta; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Maki Collection, Japan; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; and Yuz Museum, Shanghai.

Join hosts John Pelkey and Carissa Galloway as they relive the exhilarating journey of Paralympian Brian Siemann. Following a series of close calls and near misses in London, Rio, and Tokyo, Brian finally stands on the podium at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, earning bronze medals in both the 400 and 800 meters. Brian shares the emotional moments on and off the track, from meticulous preparation and intense nerves to the fulfilling celebration with family and friends. The episode also delves into training specifics, strategies for different race lengths, and the importance of a consistent routine. Additionally, Carissa discusses the effectiveness of various supplements for athletes, and the hosts explore the idea of creating a bracket challenge for the best running songs. This is a not-to-be-missed episode filled with inspiration, insights, and a bit of light-hearted banter. 00:00 Welcome to 3, 2, 1...Go! 00:31 Introducing Paralympian Brian Siemann 02:13 John's Race Day Preparations 03:37 Running Events and Community Engagement 08:32 Carissa's Kids' Birthday Adventures 19:26 Start of the interview- Brian Siemann's Athletic Journey 29:16 Facing Disqualification and Early Setbacks 30:06 Near Misses and Heartbreak in Rio 31:13 Tokyo Games Amidst a Pandemic 32:16 Breaking the Fourth Place Curse 34:31 Routine and Preparation for Paris 37:19 The Day of the 400 Meter Final 47:38 Achieving the Podium Moment 54:40 Nervousness Before the 800 Meter Race 01:03:45 Reflecting on Winning a Paralympic Medal 01:04:27 The Value Beyond Medals 01:07:52 Switching to Controversial Questions 01:07:56 Comparing Olympic Experiences 01:11:27 The Meme of the Fall 01:14:30 Advice for Competing with Adaptive Athletes 01:17:44 Future Plans and Final Thoughts 01:21:50 Healthier U: Supplements and Nutrition 01:28:49 Mail Call and Running Playlist Ideas

इस हफ़्ते पुलियाबाज़ी पर और एक सफ़रनामा। इस बार चलिए करते हैं जापान की सैर। ३.५ करोड़ की आबादी वाला शहर टोक्यो कैसे चलता है? एटॉमिक बम से धराशयी होने वाला शहर हिरोशिमा आज कैसा दीखता है? जापान के अद्यतन पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट से भारत क्या सीख सकता है?We discuss:* Public Transport in Japan* Innovation in public transport funding* Land readjustment for urban development* Pedestrian friendly cities* Meiji restoration* Hiroshima and the effects of Atomic bomb* Japanese Toilets* Cultural aspects of Japan* Japanese aestheticsAlso, please note that Puliyabaazi is now available on Youtube with video.Read:Article | How to redraw a cityBook | Japan Story by Christopher HardingListen:Kimi Wo Nosete (Carrying You) | Joe Hisaishi | Chorus version with subtitlesKimi Wo Nosete (Carrying You) | OST sung by Azumi InoueKanashikute Yarikirenai - In This Corner of the World OSTOmoide - Tsunekichi Suzuki Lyrics and translation (Tokyo Diner OST)Joe Hisaishi - One Summer's DayRelated episodes:सफ़रनामा: अमरीका से थाईलैंड से केन्या तक। Travelogue from US, Thailand, Kenyaसफ़रनामा: रोबोटिक्स का तीर्थस्थल। Boston TravelogueIf you have any questions for the guest or feedback for us, please comment here or write to us at puliyabaazi@gmail.com. If you like our work, please subscribe and share this Puliyabaazi with your friends, family and colleagues.Website: https://puliyabaazi.inHosts: @saurabhchandra @pranaykotas @thescribblebeeTwitter: @puliyabaaziInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/puliyabaazi/Subscribe & listen to the podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Castbox, AudioBoom, YouTube, Spotify or any other podcast app. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.puliyabaazi.in

When Cleveland's Rocket from the Tombs split up in the mid-70s, Pere Ubu rose from the ashes as a one-off project, to record the single "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" b/w "Heart of Darkness." But it did so well that they stuck together, with leader David Thomas continuing the group until his death this year. John and Marc delve into this pre-punk classic on the latest episode of the Spindle.Call us anytime at 1-877-WASTOIDS. More podcasts and videos at WASTOIDS.com | Follow us on Instagram and YouTube.

Lulu is miserable about tourists calling Tokyo boring, discovering a gray hair, and unhinged Instagram bios that scream chaos.Join Mandy and comedian Lulu Jovovich on 'Misery Loves Mandy' as they dive into Lulu's recent trip to Japan, sharing stories about Tokyo's charm, hilarious encounters on planes, and even a surprise punk rock concert! They also touch on the nuances of being a female comedian, handling social media fame, and facing embarrassing moments on stage. Tune in for laughs, relatable life lessons, and an inside look into the comedic world. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and support on Patreon!

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Épisode 1339 : Il est loin le temps des Metaverse. EN 2023, c'était le buzz world du moment. Une promesse de monde 100% virtuelles qui allaient prendre le dessus sur ses bons vieux réseaux sociaux. Certains y croyait tellement qu'ils ont changé leur nom de boite passante de Facebook Group à Meta.Roblox est particulièrement populaire auprès des enfants et adolescents, avec plus de 88 millions d'utilisateurs actifs quotidiens en 2024—Roblox permet de créer et partager ses propres jeux… les marques adorentRoblox offre à tous ses utilisateurs la possibilité de créer, publier et partager leurs propres jeux grâce à un outil dédié appelé Roblox Studio. Les créateurs peuvent intégrer des achats intégrés (objets, avantages, accès premium) via la monnaie virtuelle Robux. Une part des revenus générés est reversée au créateur.—Nouveaux modèles commerciaux pour Roblox : Roblox vient d'officialiser un partenariat avec Shopify, les marques peuvent désormais vendre des produits physiques directement dans Roblox, tout en offrant des objets numériques exclusifs liés à ces achats. Fenty Beauty : La marque de cosmétiques de Rihanna est l'une des premières à proposer un produit physique exclusif sur Roblox. Les utilisateurs peuvent acheter un gloss à lèvres “Grape Splash” directement dans une expérience Roblox, avec la possibilité de recevoir à la fois un produit réel et un accessoire numérique pour leur avatar-Nouveaux formats publicitaires sur RobloxDepuis 2024, Roblox a franchi une étape majeure en ouvrant son inventaire publicitaire à la publicité programmatique, notamment avec le lancement de la publicité vidéo immersive. Comme par exemple des vidéos immersives jusqu'à 30 secondes, affichées sur des panneaux virtuels dans les expériences Roblox.—Gucci x Vans: la fusion de deux univers mode et durabilitéGucci et Vans ont uni leurs mondes virtuels sur Roblox, Town et Vans World via des portails spéciauxChipotle transforme ses ingrédients en quête immersive sur Roblox5 mai 2025, à 15h (PT) dans l'univers Burrito Builder sur RobloxÀ l'occasion du Cinco de Mayo 2025, Chipotle a lancé une nouvelle activation dans son univers virtuel : Burrito Builder. Baptisée Ingredient Quest, cette campagne mise sur le principe du jeu de collection et le grand retour des cartes numériques pour capter l'attention de la Gen Z.Roblox et les écoles de mode : quand la formation rencontre le métaversRoblox ne se contente plus d'attirer des marques ou des joueurs : la plateforme se positionne aussi comme un terrain d'apprentissage et de professionnalisation pour la mode numérique. Deux initiatives phares incarnent cette ambition : l'une à New York, l'autre à Tokyo.Retrouvez toutes les notes de l'épisode sur www.lesuperdaily.com ! . . . Le Super Daily est le podcast quotidien sur les réseaux sociaux. Il est fabriqué avec une pluie d'amour par les équipes de Supernatifs. Nous sommes une agence social media basée à Lyon : https://supernatifs.com. Ensemble, nous aidons les entreprises à créer des relations durables et rentables avec leurs audiences. Ensemble, nous inventons, produisons et diffusons des contenus qui engagent vos collaborateurs, vos prospects et vos consommateurs. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

The history of the Brazilian gymnastics program, from its humble beginnings in the 1970s to Olympic glory in 2024 This week's episode is a commission from our Olympic Fantasy Gymnastics winner, Liam, who wants us to discuss the history of Brazilian gymnastics. From trailblazers like Daiane dos Santos and Daniele Hypolito who put Brazilian gymnastics on the map, to the current stars, Flavia Saraiva and Rebeca Andrade. GymCastic LIVE in CHICAGO: Tickets on sale now Get Tickets Setting the Scene How the Brazilian teams of recent years embody the energy of badass, confident adult women who do gymnastics as a team sport Why we think Marta Karolyi would probably hate the 2024 Brazilian Olympic team (in the most complimentary way possible) The early days of Brazilian Gymnastics When did Brazil send its first team to Worlds? Why we need a Brazilian gymnastics shrine dedicated to Claudia Costa How did the program start gaining momentum during the 1980s? The tumultuous 1990s: from finishing dead last at 1991 Worlds, to defeating the United States at the 1997 Pan Am Championships, what was going on in these years? The Pioneers of Career Longevity Nearly every Brazilian gymnast who has ever won a World or Olympic medal has continued with the sport past age 25. What does this tell us about the program's emphasis on career longevity? What do Jade Barbosa and Oksana Chusovitina have in common? Hint: it's more than just being a great vaulter The First Stars of Brazilian Gymnastics Daniele Hypolito wins Brazil's first-ever World medal at 2001 Worlds and finishes fourth all-around How the success of 2003 Worlds put Brazil on the gymnastics map thanks to greats like Daiane dos Santos and Lais Souza Innovative skills throughout the years from Dos Santos's piked double-arabian to Oliveira's double-arabian pike half-out The Birth of a Powerhouse Brazil starts bringing foreign coaches in: Oleg Ostapenko, Iryna Illyashenko, how did this contribute to Brazil's rise? Jade Barbosa's incredible senior debut at 2007 Worlds, winning Brazil's first-ever all-around medal In 2008, the powerhouse team of Jade Barbosa, Ana Cláudia Silva, Ethiene Franco, Laís Souza, Daniele Hypólito, and Daiane dos Santos helped Brazil qualify to the Olympic team finals for the first time EVERRR Controversies and DRAAMMAA Did you know Daiane dos Santos had a 5-month ban in 2009-2010 for diuretic usage following a surgery? Jade Barbosa was taken out of the London Olympics because of a *checks notes* apparel sponsorship conundrum? Gymnastics sabotage??!! That time someone cut the power at Brazilian Nationals Struggling Towards the Rio Olympics Era (2012-2015) Things were looking rough heading into the Rio quad No World or Olympic all-around finalists in 2012, 2013, 2014 Brazil did not automatically qualify a team to the Rio Olympics The emergence of Rebeca Andrade, Flavia Saraiva, and Lorrane Oliveira and how their success reshaped the program The Rio Olympic Games (2016) What were the expectations for this team heading into a home Olympic Games? Could Brazil have medalled as a team here? What were the standout performances? Event finals? The Perseverance Era (2017-2020) Rebeca Andrade has not one, but two more ACL tears (2017, 2019) No World or Olympic medals between Barbosa's 2010 vault and Andrade's 2021 Tokyo performance The Age of Brazil (2021-present) Rebeca Andrade's amazing comeback performance at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, taking all-around silver and vault gold 2021 Kitakyushu Worlds: Rebeca's strategy to protect her body and play the long game Andrade wins her first World vault title 2022 Liverpool Worlds: Andrade takes home vault gold, floor bronze, and a fourth-place team placement 2023 Antwerp Worlds: The Brazilian team takes home SIX medals Team silver, Andrade all-around silver, vault gold, beam bronze, floor silver and bronze The Paris Olympic Games Brazil's historic team final performance, Andrade's floor gold, all-around silver, and vault silver What Are the Next Steps for Brazil? Building depth Remember the cautionary tales of the Romanian and Australian programs: don't be too reliant upon veterans to come and save the day; you need to invest in the next generation! Should Brazil's 2025 Pan American Championships performance worry us? Do we think there will be a "Rebeca Andrade effect" in Brazil and inspire more young kids to try gymnastics? Thanks to our sponsor, Huel. Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF + a FREE Gift with code GymCastic at https://huel.com/GymCastic  (Minimum $75 purchase) BONUS CONTENT  Join Club Gym Nerd (or give it as a gift!) for access to weekly Behind the Scenes Q&A show. Club Gym Nerd members can watch the podcast being recorded and get access to all of our exclusive extended interviews, early bird discounts on live shows, two extra podcasts: Behind The Scenes and College & Cocktails. Not sure about joining the club?  College & Cocktails: The Friday Night NCAA Gymnastics Post-Meet Show is available to sample (even if you aren't a Club Gym Nerd member yet). Watch or listen here. MERCH GymCastic Store: clothing and gifts to let your gym nerd flag fly and even “tapestries” (banners, the perfect to display in an arena) to support your favorite gymnast! Baseball hats available now in the GymCastic store NEWSLETTERS Sign up for all three GymCastic newsletters  RESOURCES Spencer's essential website The Balance Beam Situation  Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim The Gymternet Nations Database RESISTANCE  Submitted by our listeners. ACTION Indivisible Practical ideas about what you can actually do in this moment, check it out: indivisi.org/muskorus 5Calls App will call your Congresspeople by issue with a script to guide you Make 2 to your Congressional rep (local and DC office). 2 each to your US Senators (local and state offices) State your name and zip code or district Be concise with your question or demand (i.e. What specific steps is Senator X taking to stop XYZ) Wait for answer Ask for action items -  tell them what you want them to do (i.e. draft articles of impeachment immediately, I want to see you holding a press conference in front of...etc.) ResistBot Turns your texts into faxes, postal mail, or emails to your representatives in minutes ACLU Mobile Justice App Allows you to record encounters with public officials while streaming to your closest contacts and your local ACLU; REPORT any abuse by authorities to the ACLU and its networks. LAWSUITS Donate to organizations suing the administration for illegal actions ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, Northwest Immigration Law Project STAY INFORMED Suggested podcasts:  Amicus, Daily Beans, Pod Save America, Strict Scrutiny Immigrant Rights Know Your Rights Red Cards, We Have Rights Video, Your Rights on trains and buses video

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

For episode 533, Brandon Zemp is joined by Bundeep Singh Rangar, CEO of Fineqia, a digital asset business that builds and targets investments in early and growth-stage technology companies. Fineqia provides investors with institutional grade exposure to opportunities emanating from convergence of blockchain based Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and Traditional Finance (TradFi). Bundeep is a thought leader in blockchain technologies and has spoken at influential events, including Paris Blockchain Week, Insurance 2025 in London, the South Summit in Madrid, the FinTech & InsurTech Digital Congress in Warsaw, and Rakuten's Technology Conference in Tokyo. Learn more about the company’s products and portfolio at www.fineqia.com. ⏳ Timestamps: 0:00 | Introduction1:26 | Who is Bundeep Singh Rangar?8:34 | What is Fineqia?12:36 | Fineqia vetting process14:25 | ETFs vs ETNs22:55 | Regulations in Europe vs U.S.30:04 | ETNs and Bitcoin36:38 | Bitcoin and AI38:37 | Fineqia portfolio companies41:26 | Fineqia roadmap50:28 | Fineqia website & socials51:22 | Events and conferences

Whether it's a bus, train or subway, using any kind of public transport or transit system when you're travelling can be very eye-opening (and a lot of fun!). In my opinion it's a much better way to get to know a place you're visiting, and of course it's also usually the most budget-friendly way of getting around, another bonus. In this episode you'll hear from four guests who have stories to share about their use of public transport across the world. Ros Belford has some lovely stories about bus drivers in Italy; Martha Waslen talks about the famous subway of New York and the nearly equally well-known trains of Tokyo; Scott Antcliffe compares his experience of public transport in the UK with recent travels in Singapore and Berlin; and Megan Frye gives a good explanation of some of the reasons why public transport helps you get to know a city, and even a country. Links: Ros Belford - https://rosbelford.com Ros’s book Children of the Volcano - https://amzn.to/4dq2vpz Martha’s DayAway platform - https://mydayaway.com Scott Antcliffe’s website - https://www.scottantcliffephoto.co.uk/ Scott’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/scottantcliffephoto/ Megan Frye - https://www.meganfrye.com/ BlaBlaCar - https://www.blablacar.com/ Join our Facebook group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers Join our LinkedIn group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://notaballerina.com/linkedin Sign up for the Thoughtful Travellers newsletter at Substack - https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com Show notes: https://notaballerina.com/353 Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn how to reach the unreached, build healthy local churches, and raise up the next generation of leaders no matter where you are in the world. Join Pastor Rod Plummer, his team, and leaders from around the world as they discuss missions, ministry, and reaching more people with the message of Jesus.Subscribe to Innovative Missions with Pastor Rod Plummer and Team on your favorite audio platform (https://therodcast.captivate.fm/listen) and on YouTube subscribe & turn on bell notifications to get notified as soon as future episodes release.About Pastor Rod PlummerPs Rod and Viv Plummer live in Tokyo, Japan and are true pioneers with a passion for reaching every person with Gods' message. Senior Pastors of Lifehouse International Church they oversee all of Lifehouse's churches across Japan and Asia. Their heart is to inspire, mentor, and equip hundreds of young Japanese and foreign leaders to minister to the needs of people not only in the greater Tokyo area, but throughout Japan, Asia and beyond.More about Pastor Rod: https://rodplummer.com/about-rod/Connect with Pastor Rod PlummerWebsite: http://rodplummer.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/rodplummerMore about Lifehouse ChurchUnder Pastor Rod's leadership, Lifehouse Church has grown from a team of 16 to thousands of weekly attendees across Japan and Asia and thousands of people reached with the gospel every year.Find out more at http://mylifehouse.com

We know her name, but the story of Yoko Ono has been largely ignored or told only as a footnote in the story of John Lennon and The Beatles. Music journalist David Sheff was the last person to interview Lennon and Ono just before Lennon was murdered in 1980. He's maintained a friendship with Ono over all these years. She's now 92, and Sheff's new book 'Yoko: A Biography' spans her life as the child of wealthy parents in pre-war Tokyo to the avant-garde art world. Jesse asks David the question, did she break up The Beatles.

Il 20 giugno del 1941 giunse a Buenos Aires una nave mercantile chiamata Nan-a-Maru. L'imbarcazione proveniente dal Giappone doveva consegnare del materiale inviato dall'ambasciata tedesca di Tokyo alla omologa di Buenos Aires. Il carico venne requisito dalle autorità argentine e scomparve nel nulla. Ottantaquattro anni è tornato alla luce durante dei lavori di ristrutturazione all'interno della sede della Corte Suprema di Giustizia dello stato sudamericano. Il materiale è stato rinvenuto all'interno di casse di legno di uno champagne argentino dell'epoca soprannominato el vino del inmigrante. Una storia incredibile che evidenzia un ritrovamento storico di portata mondiale, capace di ridefinire i rapporti tra la dittatura nazista di Hitler e l'Argentina di quegli anni. Lo raccontano Eliahu Hamra, Rabbino Capo dell'AMIA (Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina), il direttore del Museo dell'Olocausto Jonathan Karszenbaum, la storica e ricercatrice Marcia Ras, il giornalista investigativo e redattore giudiziario del quotidiano Clarìn Daniel Santoro. La melodia finale è tratta da Alfonsina y el Mar, canzone della cantautrice argentina Mercedes Sosa dedicata ad Alfonsina Storni Martignoni, poetessa, attrice e giornalista nata nel 1892 a Sala Capriasca in Ticino e scomparsa a Buenos Aires nel 1938.

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

In this episode of Toys on Tap, we dive deep with Shane, the creative force behind “Hints and Spices,” a name born from a university project that now defines his hidden-detail, genre-blending toy design ethos. From glow-in-the-dark surprises to cultural nods in resin and vinyl, Shane takes us on a journey from Adelaide's meat pies to Japan's Wonderfest. Hear how anime like Evangelion and Kaiju toys transformed his tastes and led him to create toys like Wani Fant and the uniquely local Frog Cake figure.We explore Shane's transition from retail to industrial design, the mentorships that shaped him, and the challenges of the Australian art toy scene. Whether it's landing a Tokyo grant or opening his own Character Works Club, Shane balances creativity, culture, and career in a way that's both inspiring and grounded.Tune in for behind-the-scenes stories of fast-tracked toy production, international exhibitions, and what it really takes to blend art and indie toy manufacturing across continents.On Instagram: @hintsandspicesThis Episode is Sponsored by: Empire Blisters – Your go-to source for blister packaging! With 19+ styles and bundle deals, they've got everything you need to make your toys shine.

In this episode of the Only Business Podcast, we break down the new rules of business credit in 2025. From what lenders really look for to why your social media presence no longer matters, this episode uncovers the most common mistakes keeping entrepreneurs from getting funded. Listeners will learn how to prepare their financials, avoid predatory lenders, prove ROI, and build trust with underwriters. If you're serious about securing capital and growing your business, this episode is your blueprint.

New Zealand's Hamish Kerr had a golden 2024. He was one of a handful of athletes who won the World Indoors in March, and then followed it up with an Olympic title at the Games in Paris.But Hamish almost missed that final. He was facing elimination in the qualifying round at the Stade de France. After two failures at 2.20 metres, he tells us he thought about retiring if he failed again and crashed out of the Olympics. Hamish explains how, after going to that ‘dark place', he knew he had the mental strength to win gold in the final.At the previous Olympics in Tokyo, Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi had elected to share the High Jump gold medal and not to enter a jump-off to determine the winner. Hamish describes how early on in his final he began to wonder whether he'd have to make the same decision. As it turned out, he and Shelby McEwen did finish the competition with identical records and couldn't be separated. So why did they choose to jump-off for gold? It's the High Jump's equivalent of a penalty shoot-out in football, and both men had already been out there competing for several hours. Why did Hamish believe he'd cope with that situation better? We find out why food was on his mind as he stood waiting to take the jump that could win him the Olympic title. Hamish also describes the moment during that attempt when he knew he would clear the bar and claim the gold. As for the celebrations afterwards, when he ran into the middle of the infield to bow to the capacity crowd, how much thought had gone into that? After all, the women's Javelin final had been taking place, making that potentially a pretty dangerous place to be!Hamish also talks about his rise through the sport; from winning Commonwealth gold, to the World Indoor title and then the Olympic Games. He takes us inside his mindset, and explains how and why ‘old Hamish' needed to change in order to be challenging for those medals.Photo: Hamish Kerr of Team New Zealand celebrates winning the men's high jump at the Stade de France during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. (Credit: Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Faster everywhere she goes It took a few attempts and many years before Ashley Twichell eventually became an Olympian at age 32, the oldest first time Olympian on the US team in Tokyo, but that wasn't what she set out to achieve anyway. In this episode, we check in with Ashley a few weeks after giving birth to her 2nd child, which took place during the Kentucky Derby! We cover everything from her journey from Duke to the legendary Mission Viejo workouts with distance guru coach Bill Rose, to winning the 5k World Title in 2017, to making the Tokyo Olympics, and then having her highest pool water finish with a 3rd place at the 2024 Trials. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

On this episode of Japan Station, we talk about why there's so few trash cans in public places in Japan. Despite what many sources say the 1995 sarin gas attack in Tokyo is not the reason there are so few trash cans in public places in Japan. It's actually more complicated than that. While yes, it is true that there was a reduction in the amount of trash cans in some places in Japan--particularly the subway line targeted by Aum Shinrikyo during the sarin gas attack--many of these trash cans were reinstalled some time after the attack. Further trash cans were not used during the attack itself. So you simply cannot say that the sarin gas attack was the direct cause for Japan's lack of public trash cans. In reality, it's a combination of things that resulted in Japan severely reducing the amount of trash cans in public places. One reason is concerns over people dumping trash they aren't supposed to dump in public trash cans. Concerns over crows and other animals causing messes when they try to get food from public trash cans also played a role. In terms of security concerns, athough the sarin gas attack no doubt traised concerns it was the 2004 and 2005 terrorist attacks in London and Spain that actually had a direct impact on the number of public trash bins in Japan. Finally, efforts to cut costs on the part of Japanese railways and other private businesses also play a significant role in the disappearance of Japan's public garbage cans. We also discuss strategies for managing your trash while you are in Japan, where you can find trash cans in Japan and what people in Japan are doing to deal with the increase in trash and litter that has resulted from increased tourism.

Send us a text-- JAPRICAN SOUNDS TOKYO BY TAMIO YAMASHITA.Powered by the Club Sabroso Radio NetworkFollow IG/FB: @CLUBSABROSORADIO24/7 Live Stream at: WWW.CLUBSABROSORADIO.COM

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

In Part 2 of our Japanese soccer series, journalist Dan Orlowitz returns to help us explore how Japan's soccer scene is making waves across the globe! We dive into Samurai Blue's international success, Japanese players shining abroad, and the flow of global talent into the J.League. Plus — how can fans outside Japan actually watch the matches? We've got that covered, too.If you've ever cheered for Japan in the World Cup or wanted to follow J.League stars in Europe, this episode is for you!------ About the Krewe ------The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode!Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season!Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ Past KOJ Sports-Related Episodes ------Meet the J.League ft. Dan Orlowitz (S6E4)Kendo: The Way of the Sword ft. Alexander Bennett, 7th Dan in Kendo (S4E16)The Life of a Sumotori ft. 3-Time Grand Champion Konishiki Yasokichi (S4E10)Talking Sumo ft. Andrew Freud (S1E8)------ About Dan Orlowitz ------Dan's Socials & WritingsJ-Talk Podcast------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------JSNO Event CalendarJoin JSNO Today!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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