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Welcome to another episode of Japan This Week, your weekly roundup of trending news stories from Japan Today.
In this week’s episode:
(0:58 – 5:36) CRIME: Tourist vandalism at shrines
- Arrest of a 65-year-old American man for carving letters into a sacred torii gate at Meiji Jingu Shrine.
- Discussion on rising vandalism, public drunkenness, and overtourism in Japan.
- Past incidents include graffiti at Yasukuni Shrine and inappropriate influencer stunts at sacred sites.
(5:41 -8:30) POLITICS: Prime Minister Ishiba’s APEC summit blunders
- PM Ishiba missed the group photo with other world leaders due to a traffic jam.
- Caught on camera staying seated while greeting other leaders and crossing arms during ceremonies.
- Social media backlash calling his behavior “embarrassing.”
(8:34 – 13:01) NATIONAL: Pit bull attacks in Japan
- A rise in incidents involving the American pit bull terrier.
- Local governments implementing safety measures like cages and muzzles, but issues persist.
- Recent attacks include injuries to passersby, with calls for stricter regulations on owners.
(13:06 – 17:12) CRIME: Australian woman drug smuggling case
- Donna Nelson, accused of carrying amphetamines into Japan, claims she was tricked in an online romance scam.
- Prosecutors allege she knew about the drugs, while her lawyer argues mistranslation may have caused miscommunication.
- Verdict expected on Dec. 4.
(17:15 – 24:43) KUCHIKOMI: Japan’s ever-growing list of harassment terms
- “Hara” culture: From sekuhara (sexual harassment) to karahara (karaoke harassment).
- Unique Japanese harassment forms like rimohara (remote work harassment) and wakuhara (vaccine harassment).
- Reader takes on the passive-aggressive nature of harassment in Japan.
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The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Japan Today.
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