japanamerica

One of my favorite recent English-language books on Japan is AMETORA ("American Traditional"), the enthralling, novelistic story of postwar Japan told through its brilliant refashioners of Western fashions (Take Ivy! Selvedge Denim! BAPE!). I will host a talk w/author W. David Marx at The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on Wednesday, Dec 13th , 6pm JST, both live and via Zoom. If you're in Tokyo (or not), please join us by registering here :  https://www.fccj.or.jp/event/book-break-w-david-marx-author-ametora-how-japan-saved-american-style-presentation  "Tokyo-based author W. David Marx will speak about his 2015 cultural history of American fashion in Japan — AMETORA: How Japan Saved American Style — which has recently been re-released by Basic Books with a new afterword after surprising global success. Marx will give a presentation in conversation with JAPANAMERICA author and moderator Roland Kelts on this fascinating micro-history of how Amer...

I've been honored to serve as a judge alongside Miyavi Lee Ishihara (MIYAVI), Geoffrey Wexler from Studio Ponoc, actress Kat Graham and others for the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency's "Youth with Refugees Art Contest." Winning illustrations were just announced and have been turned into charming anime by Japanese studio SPEED INC. The drawings were submitted by youth from around the world. This is a wonderful project on an urgent matter at a critical time. Open your hearts. Faida, 20, Rwanda Noémie, 16, France 

The NHK documentary, "Tomorrow," focuses on post-tsunami relief efforts in northern Japan. I host this week's program on volunteerism. Broadcast specs on TV and online are  here . (It's a tad personal, since I attended kindergarten in Iwate, and my mother was raised there.)

My thoughts on the latest Japan population decline projections for Monocle radio (w/embedded nod to L'Arc~en~Ciel) @ 36:00 here .