Latest news with #Meiji
Tokyo Weekender
18 hours ago
- General
- Tokyo Weekender
Legendary Japanese Onna-Musha (Female Warriors)
In our latest List of 7 article, we're focusing on legendary onna-musha (Japanese female warriors) from the Sengoku period to the Meiji era. As we are going from the 1500s onwards, Tomoe Gozen, widely regarded as the most famous onna-musha in history, is not included. There's also no solid proof that she existed. While it's generally agreed that women fought alongside men in battle — DNA analysis of remains from the 1580 Battle of Senbon Matsubaru appears to confirm this — their exploits were less frequently documented due to societal norms and biases. As a result, some of the accounts below may have been exaggerated or possibly underplayed. List of Contents: Ohori Tsuruhime Akai Teruko Myorin Tachibana Ginchiyo Onamihime Nakano Takeko Niijima Yae More From This Series 'Iyo Saijo' by Utagawa Hiroshige (c. 1855) Ohori Tsuruhime Referred to as the 'Joan of Arc of Japan,' Ohori Tsuruhime was the daughter of Ohori Yasumochi, a chief priest of Oyamazumi Shrine — where samurai used to stop and pray — on Omishima Island in the Seto Inland Sea. With Yasumochi's two sons being killed in battle, Tsuruhime succeeded him when he passed away in 1541. Despite only being in her mid-teens, she reportedly led an armed resistance to defend Omishima against the Ouchi clan, one of the most powerful families in Western Japan. They were driven back into the sea, but then returned a few months later. Tsuruhime again led a counter-attack against the enemy ships. One story — which may have been embellished over the centuries — tells of Tsuruhime boarding the ship of Ohara Takakoto, a general from the Ouchi clan. After being mocked, she allegedly challenged him to a duel and won. The do-maru armor kept in Oyamazumi Shrine is said to have been worn by Tsuruhime. 'Fighting Lesson' by Hirazaki Eiho (c. 1910) Akai Teruko Described as the 'strongest woman in the Warring States period,' Akai Teruko reportedly fought in many battles alongside her husband, Yura Shigeru, the head of the Yura clan and lord of Kanayama Castle . Following his death in 1578, their son, Kunishige, took over as the leader of the Yura clan, and Teruko became a Buddhist nun. Kunishige, though, was inept as a leader, and in 1584, he and his brother, Nagao Akinaga, were captured by the Hojo of Odawara. Teruko then reportedly led an army of 3,000 soldiers to defend Kanayama Castle when it was attacked by the Hojo clan. Just over 15 months later, she agreed to surrender. That was under the condition that her two sons were released. Teruko was in her early 70s at the time, but apparently that wasn't the end of her fighting days. She allegedly fought in the Siege of Odawara, which marked the end of the Sengoku period and the beginning of Japan's unification under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Myorin In the mid-1580s, Hideyoshi invaded Kyushu as part of a broader effort to unify Japan under his rule. At the time, the south of the island was ruled by the powerful Shimazu family of Satsuma, which was also attempting to expand its influence by gaining ground in northern areas of Kyushu. To this end, in 1586, the Shimazu clan attacked Tsurusaki Castle in the Bungo region (now part of Oita Prefecture), home to a vassal of the rival Otomo family — allies of Hideyoshi.' Preparing to storm the castle with 3,000 soldiers, the generals were allegedly shocked to learn that its defense was being led by a woman. Myorin, also known as Yoshioka Myorin-ni, held them up with various traps. Offered a substantial amount of gold and silver to surrender, she reportedly refused. It's said that the Shimazu clan made 16 failed attempts to storm the castle. Myorin was purportedly in the thick of the action, dressed in armor, with her naginata — Japanese pole weapon — in hand. 'Tachibana Armor' by Katsushika Hokusai (c. 18th century) Tachibana Ginchiyo Another female warrior who battled the Shimazu clan was Tachibana Ginchiyo. Daughter of the revered samurai Tachibana Dosetsu , she succeeded her father as leader of the Tachibana clan following his death in 1585. Not long after that, the Shimazu clan attacked Tachibanayama Castle in Chikuzen Province (today part of Fukuoka Prefecture). Ginchiyo was reportedly there at the main gate to resist them, alongside a group of female warriors she had trained. They were all armed with naginata and guns. She led the defense of the castle with her husband, Tachibana Muneshige . He had been adopted by Dosetsu and eventually became the leader of the Tachibana clan. The siege by the Shimazu clan failed, but the castle eventually fell to Hideyoshi's forces. Ginchiyo and Muneshige subsequently allied with Japan's second 'Great Unifier.' They later joined forces with Ishida Mitsunari's Western army against the Eastern army of Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Battle of Sekigahara (1600), the largest battle in Japanese feudal history. Onamihime The daughter of daimyo Date Harumune , Onamihime became the ruler of Sukagawa Castle , and subsequently the de facto leader of the Nikaido clan after the deaths of her husband, Nikaido Moriyoshi, and her son Yukichika. The couple's other son, Heishiro, was adopted by the powerful Ashina clan after being taken hostage. The Nikaido clan was opposed to the expansionist ambitions of Onamihime's nephew, Date Masamune , in Mutsu Province, which encompassed several modern-day prefectures in northern Honshu. She subsequently fought against his army in various conflicts, including the Battle of Hitotoribashi , which started as a revenge attack by Masamune following the death of his father, Terumune . Masamune, one of the most revered military leaders of the Sengoku period, was said to be hated by his aunt. After the Battle of Suriagehara , he demanded Onamihime surrender. She refused. Masamune eventually captured Sukagawa Castle in 1589. That wasn't the end of Onamihime's fighting days, though. She also reportedly participated in the Battle of Sekigahara. Nakano Takeko The Boshin War was fought from 1868 to 1869 between the military of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those supporting the restoration of imperial rule under Emperor Meiji. Women were prohibited from fighting. This, though, didn't stop Nakano Takeko and her Joshitai (Women's Army). The spontaneously organized ad hoc group of female warriors, which included Takeko's mother and sister, fought alongside the Aizu Domain forces during the conflict. Using naginata, they fought valiantly, with many of them being killed in the conflict. This included Takeko, who died on the morning of October 16, 1868, leading the charge against the imperial troops. The enemy soldiers were initially ordered by their commanders not to shoot when they realized the attackers were women. This gave Takeko and her band of warriors a chance to attack. The imperial forces eventually started to open fire, and Takeko took a bullet to the chest. She then ordered her sister to behead her. Portrait of Niijama Yae (c. 1932) Niijima Yae Another onna-musha who fought in the Boshin War was Niijima Yae, also known as Yamamoto Yaeko. After learning marksmanship from her gunnery instructor father, she used her skills with a Spencer repeating rifle to help defend Tsuruga Castle during the Battle of Aizu, while also taking care of injured soldiers. Following a month-long siege, Aizu officials agreed to surrender on November 6, 1868. Many of the samurai population were subsequently forced to relocate to the Tsugaru Peninsula. Yae sought refuge in Yonezawa before moving to Kyoto, where she became a Christian and married Reverend Joseph Hardy Neesima , founder of Doshisha University. In 1890, Yae became a member of the Japanese Red Cross. During the First Sino-Japanese War, she led a team of 40 nurses that cared for the wounded soldiers. In 1896, a year after the conflict ended, she was awarded the Order of the Precious Crown. She received the same accolade after serving in the Russo-Japanese War. Discover Tokyo, Every Week Get the city's best stories, under-the-radar spots and exclusive invites delivered straight to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy . More From This Series Iconic City Pop Songs Covered or Sampled by Overseas Artists Japanese Films That Influenced Quentin Tarantino Legendary Figures From Osaka
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Japan Today
A rare, direct warning from Japan signals a shift in the fight against child sex tourism in Asia
By Ming Gao Japan's embassy in Laos and its Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a rare and unusually direct advisory, warning Japanese men against 'buying sex from children' in Laos. The move was sparked by Ayako Iwatake, a restaurant owner in Vientiane, who allegedly saw social media posts of Japanese men bragging about child prostitution. In response, she launched a petition calling for government action. The Japanese-language bulletin makes clear such conduct is prosecutable under both Laotian law and Japan's child prostitution and pornography law, which applies extraterritorially. This diplomatic statement was not only a legal warning. It was a rare public acknowledgement of Japanese men's alleged entanglement in transnational child sex tourism, particularly in Southeast Asia. It's also a moment that demands we look beyond individual criminal acts or any one nation and consider the historical, racial and structural inequalities that make such mobility and exploitation possible. A changing map of exploitation Selling and buying sex in Asia is nothing new. The contours have shifted over time but the underlying sentiment has remained constant: some lives are cheap and commodified, and some wallets are deep and entitled. Japan's involvement in overseas prostitution stretches back to the Meiji period (1868-1912). Young women from impoverished rural regions (known as karayuki-san) migrated abroad, often to Southeast Asia, to work in the sex industry, from port towns in Malaya to brothels in China and the Pacific Islands. If poverty once pushed Japanese women abroad to sell their bodies, by the second half of the 20th century – fueled by Japan's postwar economic boom – it was wealthy Japanese men who began traveling overseas to buy sex. Around the 2000s, the dynamic flipped again. In South Korea, now a developed economy, men travelled to Southeast Asia – and later to countries such as Russia and Uzbekistan – following routes once taken by Japanese men. Later in the same period, the flow took an even darker turn. Japanese and South Korean men began to emerge as major buyers of child sex abroad, particularly across Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands and even Mongolia. According to the United States Department of State, Japanese men continued to be 'a significant source of demand for sex tourism', while South Korean men remained 'a source of demand for child sex tourism'. The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime and other organizations have also flagged both countries as key contributors to child sexual exploitation in the region. From exporter to destination: Japan's new role in the sex trade A more recent and troubling shift appears to be unfolding within Japan. Amid ongoing economic stagnation and the depreciation of the yen, Tokyo has reportedly become a destination for inbound sex tourism. Youth protection organizations have observed a notable rise in foreign male clients, particularly Chinese, frequenting areas where teenage girls and young women engage in survival sex. What ties these movements together is not just culturally specific beliefs, such as the fetishization of virginity or the superstition that sex with young girls brings good luck in business, but power. The battle to protect children The global campaign to end child sex tourism began in earnest with the founding of ECPAT (a global network of organizations that seeks to end the sexual exploitation of children) in 1990 to confront the rising exploitation of children in Southeast Asia. Despite legal frameworks and international scrutiny, the abuse of children remains disturbingly common. Several factors converge here: endemic poverty, weak law enforcement and a constant influx of wealthier foreign men. Add to that the digital age of information and communication technologies, where child sex can be advertised, arranged and commodified through encrypted platforms and invitation-only forums, and the crisis deepens. While local governments often pledge reform, implementation is inconsistent. Buyers, especially foreign buyers, often manage to evade consequences. However, in early 2025, Japan's National Police Agency arrested 111 people – including high school teachers and tutors – in a nationwide crackdown on online child sexual exploitation, conducted in coordination with international partners. Why this moment matters The shock surrounding the Laos revelations and the unusually direct response from Japanese authorities offers a rare opportunity to confront the deeper systems at work. Sex tourism doesn't happen in a vacuum. It's enabled by uneven development, transnational mobility, weak regulation and social silence. But this moment also shows grassroots activism can force institutional action. Japan's official warning wasn't triggered by a government audit or diplomatic scandal. It came because Ayako Iwatake saw social media posts of Japanese men boasting about buying sex from children and refused to look away. When she delivered the petition to the embassy, it responded quickly. Less than ten days later, the Foreign Ministry issued a public warning, clearly outlining the legal consequences of child sex crimes committed abroad. Iwatake's action is a reminder: it doesn't take a government to expose a system. It takes someone willing to speak out – even when it's uncomfortable. As she told Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun: It was just too blatant. I couldn't look the other way. It's commendable that Japan acted swiftly. But a warning alone isn't enough. Japan should strengthen and expand its international cooperation to combat these heinous crimes. A more decisive model can be seen in a recent case in Vietnam, where U.S. authorities infiltrated a livestream child sex abuse network for the first time in that country. Working undercover for months, they coordinated with Vietnamese officials to arrest a mother who had been sexually abusing her daughter on demand for paying viewers abroad. The rescue of the nine-year-old victim showed what serious cross-border intervention looks like. But for every headline-grabbing scandal, there are hundreds of untold stories. The Laos case should be the beginning of a broader reckoning with how sex, money and power move across borders – and who pays the price. Ming Gao is a Research Fellow of East Asia Studies, Lund University. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. External Link © The Conversation
Nikkei Asia
3 days ago
- Business
- Nikkei Asia
Japan's Meiji markets premium milk to China's urban moms
Meiji launched its Oishii Gyunyu milk brand in China on July 29. (Photo obtained by Nikkei) YUME NAMEKATA TOKYO -- Japan-based food company Meiji launched its popular Oishii Gyunyu milk brand in China on Tuesday, targeting affluent, health-conscious urbanites as it seeks to pull Chinese operations out of the red. The refrigerated product sells for about 30 yuan ($4.18) for a 900-milliliter container -- higher than both its usual cost in Japan and the roughly 20 to 25 yuan average price of milk in China. It is also more expensive than Meiji's current mainstay Chinese milk brand, priced at around 27 yuan.
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Japan Times
From power generation to discounts, companies in Japan work to reduce food waste
Restaurants, manufacturers and retailers in Japan are taking new measures to reduce food waste, including using leftovers to generate electricity. Akindo Sushiro, which runs conveyor-belt sushi chain Sushiro, and five other major restaurant operators have launched a project to produce methane gas from leftovers and food scraps as fuel for power generation. Under the project, JFE Engineering is in charge of power generation and distribution, while the electricity can be purchased for a low price by participating companies, also including Royal Holdings, which operates Royal Host restaurants, and Duskin, the operator of the Mister Donut stores. Meiji established a directly managed store called Meiji the Sutenai ("Don't throw things away") Factory in the city of Saitama at the end of last year, selling dairy products such as yoghurt whose best-before dates are approaching. "The name of the store reflects our desire to not throw away products that can still be eaten," an official of the food maker said. In the retail and food industries, there is a business practice known as the "one-third rule." For example, if a product has a three-week period from the date of manufacture to its best-before date, it must be delivered to retailers within the first week. It has been pointed out that this is a factor behind the rise in food waste as products that have passed the deadline are subject to disposal. Meiji's directly managed store, however, sells products that have passed the delivery deadline at about 40% off the suggested retail prices. They remain on store shelves until the best-before date. The store was scheduled to close in April this year, but it stayed open due to its popularity. Lawson is focusing on frozen onigiri rice balls and bread, which can be sold for a long time. The best-before date of frozen onigiri is about one year and that of frozen bread is about 200 days, contributing to reductions in food waste. Lawson's operator has increased the number of its convenience stores handling them since July 15. Also, in July last year, Lawson extended the expiration dates of some regular onigiri products by six hours thanks to comprehensive hygiene management.
Japan Forward
24-07-2025
- Business
- Japan Forward
Salted Drinks Surge as Japan Battles the Heat
このページを 日本語 で読む As Japan swelters through another punishing summer, one ingredient is emerging as the star of the season: salt. Food and beverage makers are rolling out an array of salt-infused products, from drinks to chocolates and gummies. It's all part of a fierce retail battle to help consumers beat the heat, and sales are soaring as a result. With heavy sweating causing the loss of both water and sodium, salt plays a vital role in maintaining the body's fluid balance. Now, companies are embracing it not only for its health benefits but also for its flavor-enhancing appeal. Shoppers, in turn, are gravitating toward products that let them replenish salt deliciously. People walking through Tokyo's Ginza under the intense sun. Central Tokyo experienced its first midsummer day of the year on July 20, in Chuo Ward. (©Sankei by Hayato Narita) Beverage makers are spearheading the salty trend with creative, thirst-quenching offerings. Kirin Beverage has introduced a limited-edition "Lime Salt" drink under its Sekai no Kitchen Kara brand, blending zesty Mexican lime with a balanced salty tang. Asahi Beverages has followed suit with "Salt Cider," a seasonal twist on its classic Mitsuya Cider that features Okinawan salt for a hint of savory depth. Both drinks meet the Japanese Ministry of Health's heatstroke prevention guideline of at least 0.1 grams of salt per 100 milliliters. Kirin's flagship salty beverage, "Salty Lychee," has already posted a 10% year-on-year increase in shipments from April to June 2025. Its newly launched "Lime Salt" is proving even more popular, so much so that it's expected to sell out ahead of schedule. Asahi has also seen a 5% boost across its lineup of heatstroke-prevention drinks, including popular brands like Calpis and Dodekamin. Vending machine sales have been especially robust, with the exclusive "Asahi Delicious Natural Water: Pink Grapefruit Salty" performing at a staggering 363% above projections. To keep up, Asahi has quadrupled production for July. Other companies are riding the salty wave as well. Kikkoman Foods has introduced Del Monte Salt Tomato juice, while FANCL has launched a limited-edition powdered drink called "Summer Salt Lemon," designed to dissolve in water and sold both online and at its retail locations. Lotte has spiced up its crispy Crunky chocolate line with a touch of pink rock salt, debuting Crunky Salt Vanilla for the summer season. Meiji, meanwhile, rolled out limited-time salted versions of its beloved almond and macadamia chocolates. The company blended Okinawan salt into both milk and white chocolate, creating a rich yet refreshing twist, especially recommended when chilled. Starting on July 8, FamilyMart launched a 'Salty Sweets' fair, featuring ten types of salt-infused desserts. (Photo courtesy of FamilyMart) Meiji's summer salt lineup doesn't stop there. It also includes salted watermelon gummies, as well as "Salt Lemon" flavors of its Bulgaria Frozen Yogurt Dessert and Drinkable Bulgaria Yogurt. Altogether, the company has launched five seasonal salt-based products. Convenience store giant FamilyMart kicked off a "Salty Sweets" fair on July 8, featuring ten varieties of salt-infused desserts. Standout items include a Salt Chocolate Tart, filled with ganache made from Lorraine rock salt and topped with whipped cream. Another highlight is the Fruit Cube Chocolat Salt Lemon, which combines lemon-flavored fruit cubes with a coating of salted white chocolate. Other additions to the lineup include Salty Grapefruit Gummies and Salted Caramel Ice Bars inspired by Morinaga's classic candy. With Japan experiencing record early-summer heat, including the earliest end to the rainy season in western regions, FamilyMart emphasized that salt intake is just as important as hydration. "Demand for salt-based products is rising as people prepare for another dangerously hot summer," a company representative stated. (Read the article in Japanese .) Author: Suguru Kojima, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
