#11 Oshogatsu Special 2020

Alicia and Mizuki discuss the upcoming general election for the lower house of representatives, including the current state of the political parties, a kerfluffle within the opposition, and voting strategies. Go vote!  NHK on the Supreme Court of Japan and justices Music by Stone Stewart

Listen to the pilot episode of Mizuki's new podcast, Meshi, a show exploring all things (mostly) Asian and Asian diaspora culture and media. Find Meshi on Twitter and Instagram Listen to Meshi on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Alicia and Mizuki are joined by Fridays For Future Japan member and college student Isao Sakai to discuss climate activism in Japan. Isao Sakai: https://www.instagram.com/isao.sakai_/ NoCoalForOurFuture video: https://bit.ly/3qJaIvQ FFF Japan Website: https://fridaysforfuture.jp/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fridaysforfuturejapan/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FridaysJapan Follow and support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/

Mizuki and Alicia discuss the steps it takes for a bill to pass through the Diet and become law.  Episode guide: https://twitter.com/plus81_pod/status/1356073470363222016 Watch the 2015 強行採決 video from the episode here: https://youtu.be/EsVyWNqCQJ4 Follow and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/ Email: [email protected] Music by Stone Stewart

In the final episode of 2020, Alicia and Mizuki revisit this year’s episodes and talk about how much (or how little) has changed.  Nyukan Resources:  Donate to Pato chan (Bank): https://note.com/kokubai_nyukan/n/n6673215f4c2b  Donate to Pato chan (PayPal): https://www.paypal.me/forpatchan  Twitter: @PatoJustice https://twitter.com/PatoJustice  Twitter: @nodetention87 https://twitter.com/nodetention87  Follow and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/  Email: [email protected]    Music by Stone Stewart

This week, Alicia and Mizuki are joined by Keno Katsuda to discuss the 2016 blockbuster hits Your Name (Kimi no Nawa) and Shin Godzilla in the context of 3.11. Find Keno here: https://twitter.com/kenokatsuda  Follow and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/ Email: [email protected]   Music by Stone Stewart

[CW: Transphobia] Alicia and Mizuki interview representatives from Justice for Pato-chan to better understand their efforts and demonstration marches in support of Pato-chan, a transgender woman from the Philippines who had been detained at the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (Nyukan) for over a year. They discuss Pato-chan’s case, the intersectionality between transgender rights, migrant rights, and the Black Lives Matter movement, and a concerning new immigration reform bill that the Japanese government is considering. Justice for Pato-chan Resources Donate (Bank): https://note.com/kokubai_nyukan/n/n6673215f4c2b Donate (PayPal): https://www.paypal.me/forpatchan Twitter: @PatoJustice https://twitter.com/PatoJustice #FREEUSHIKU Twitter: @freeushiku https://twitter.com/freeushiku Instagram: @freeushiku Website: https://freeushikuweb.jimdofree.com/ Read more about Pato-chan: Asia Art Tours https://bit.ly/2Hqg3qN Japan Times https://bit.ly/2TmrJNu BuzzFeed (JPN) https://bzfd.it/3ktNCWZ Instagram: www.instagram.com/plus81.pod/ Find and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/ Email: [email protected]   Music by Stone Stewart.

Mizuki says goodbye to summer and the cicadas. Please enjoy this minisode while we work on our next regular episode. We will occasionally post minisodes that cover more light hearted topics that Miz and Alicia are interested in, but don’t warrant full episodes. Find and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/ Email: [email protected] Music by Stone Stewart.

Alicia and Mizuki discuss the branches of the Japanese government as Japan prepares for a new Prime Minister. Mizuki guides us in learning how the different branches interact, what our power as citizens are, and the latest baffling turn of events as the LDP elects their new leader. Find and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/ Email: [email protected] Special thanks to Stone Stewart for the intro music and Taro Hyodo for the break music.

Alicia and Mizuki discuss the BLM marches in Tokyo and protests culture in Japan. What were the Tokyo marches like? Are marches/protests effective in Japan? What is protest culture in Japan like? How do they compare to other countries? BLM Tokyo: https://twitter.com/blmtokyojp BLM Kansai: https://twitter.com/blmkansai BLM Kyoto: https://twitter.com/blmkyoto *There are many more BLM accounts from various cities around Japan! These just a few from major cities Kurly in Kansai Twitter: https://twitter.com/kurlyinkansai?lang=en Kurly in Kansai Co-hosts: https://twitter.com/Yana_Yz and https://twitter.com/nanairomiso Podcasts: Kurly in Kansai https://open.spotify.com/show/5ivwmDSm7UJskU60gZ7nFk Tokyo Speaks Pod feat. BLM organizers https://tokyospeaks.com/episode-85-sierratodd/ Black twitter accounts/social media to follow: BW writer for Unseen Japan: https://twitter.com/ladyscribe21 BW journalist in Japan (wrote an enlightening piece about police harassment in the Japan Times): https://twitter.com/Nigensei Black/Okinawan Professor who studies Blackness in Japan: https://twitter.com/gritsnsushi Find and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/ Email: [email protected] Special thanks to Stone Stewart for the intro music and Taro Hyodo for the break music.