Mao, Trump or Kate? The Value Of Modern Monarchy
We don’t lay off our children or siblings in favour of lower cost alternatives.
Godzilla vs. The Japanese Constitution
Would it be constitutional, the prime minister wonders as the 380 foot behemoth wreaks havoc in central Tokyo?
Silver Satisfaction for Ageing Asia
In Asia, 60 years old is the new 40. In Europe it’s time to wind down for a multi-decade vacation at tax-payers’ expense
The Dead City: Japan’s Isle of Modern Ruin
It is a useful reminder that everything familiar to us will one day be obsolescent too, ourselves included.
The End of the Night: Maki’s Travelling Blues
“When Terayama first heard her sing “When the Night Ends” he felt as if an electric shock had run through him…”
Amoeba City: Tokyo 2020
The amoeba is older and slower now, but still dreams its neon dreams
Abemon Go: Constitutional Reform and Reflation
Prime ministers came and went like karaoke singers taking turns at the microphone.
Hardier than the Male: Women Leaders Subvert the Stereotypes
In a darkly sarcastic poem, Rudyard Kipling claimed that ”the female of the species is more deadly than the male.”
Dragon Dance: Reloaded
My 2003 novel Dragon Dance has just been re-issued in digital form at the extraordinary bargain price of $3.91.
Post-Brexit: A New Era for Anglo-Asian Relations
If the EU had displayed one tenth of the pragmatism and flexibility of ASEAN, Britain would still be a member.