Latest from Japan Forward
Japan Forward
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Forward
Junglia Okinawa Now Open: Can It Live Up to the Hype?
Japan's newest theme park, Junglia Okinawa, officially opened to the public on July 25 amid tropical rain and high expectations. Located in the forested hills of northern Okinawa, the park is the latest project from Tsuyoshi Morioka, a renowned marketing strategist known for revitalizing Universal Studios Japan and for his branding work through his company, Katana Inc. The project is a ¥70 billion JPY (around $472 million USD) initiative that presents Junglia as a "nature-immersive theme park of overwhelming scale." It combines fantasy storytelling with Okinawa's natural beauty to offer a completely new kind of theme park experience. Despite its bold vision, the park's debut has received mixed reviews. Junglia promotes itself as a next-generation attraction where visitors can escape modern life and reconnect with nature. It spans 60 hectares of a former golf course in Nago City and Nakijin Village, near the World Natural Heritage-listed Yanbaru forest. Attractions include Sky Phoenix, a roughly 280‑m zipline soaring through the Yanbaru forest canopy, and Horizon Balloon, a gas balloon offering 360° panoramic views above the sea and treetops. Dinosaur Safari, an off-road vehicle adventure, features life-sized animatronic dinosaurs. These experiences are part of a broader lineup of 22 attractions. An animatronic dinosaur illuminated in the jungle. Night of July 24, Nakijin Village, Okinawa Prefecture. (©Sankei by Naoki Otake) Despite its ambitious concept and cinematic setting, sources suggest that early visitor feedback has been underwhelming. According to a survey by Ryukyu Shimpo , a local Okinawan newspaper, 74% of guests on the first two days said they were only able to experience two or fewer attractions during a full-day visit. The highest reported number was just four. When asked to rate their experience on a five-point scale, half of the respondents gave the park a 1 or 2 — the lowest scores. While many praised the visual design and overall concept, they also criticized long wait times, a lack of shelter from the rain and wind, and difficulty navigating the park. Others questioned whether the experience was worth the ticket price — ¥6,930 (about $45 USD) for Japanese residents and ¥8,800 for overseas visitors, under a two-tier pricing system. Furthermore, on July 28, Junglia's Google Maps reviews temporarily disappeared, causing confusion as well as speculation. The park addressed the issue on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, explaining that it was in contact with Google to resolve any technical delays. In late June and early July, NewsPicks published a series of investigative reports questioning Katana's financial health and governance practices. According to the reports, Katana posted a net loss of ¥2.4 billion (about $15 million) for fiscal 2024. They also added that recent projects, including Seibu-en Amusement Park and the immersive venue Fort Tokyo in Odaiba, have underperformed. More controversially, Katana was found to have made multi-million-yen annual payments to a separate consulting firm, Morioka Marketing Laboratory, reportedly run by Morioka's family members. Critics raised concerns that some of the ¥8 billion invested by the government-backed Cool Japan Fund may have been funneled to the related private entity. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (second from right) and Katana CEO Tsuyoshi Morioka (third from right) at a press conference. January 28, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. (©Sankei by Masahiro Sakai) Katana issued two public statements in response. The second, dated July 3, denied any misuse of public money. It stated, "There is absolutely no fact that any portion of the ¥8 billion invested by the Cool Japan Fund was paid to Morioka's personal corporation." The company explained that the entire investment — along with additional private capital — had been injected into the operating company that manages Junglia. The Cool Japan Fund echoed this explanation in a separate press release. However, Katana has declined to provide details about the payments to Morioka Marketing Laboratory, citing confidentiality. Unlike many large-scale tourism developments in Okinawa, Junglia is backed by a majority of local capital. Around 70% of the operating company's shareholders are Okinawan firms, including Orion Beer and Ryubo Holdings. These companies are also involved in food and retail operations within the park. The goal is to counter the so-called "zaru keizai" (strainer economy), where tourism revenues leak off the island without benefiting local residents. Economic studies by Kansai University estimate that Junglia could generate ¥6.8 trillion (about $42 billion) in economic impact over the next 15 years. This would come through job creation, regional branding, and increased tourism. As the busy summer travel season unfolds, Junglia's team must now demonstrate that this immersive nature park can offer a pleasant experience even through fickle weather and live up to its promise. Author: JAPAN Forward
Japan Forward
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Japan Forward
LDP Blames Russia and Social Media After Election Rout
Following its historic defeat in the 2025 Upper House election, Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has chosen a familiar scapegoat: foreign interference and social media. Rather than confronting widespread public dissatisfaction with its immigration stance, tax policies, or lack of reform, LDP figures are now floating claims of Russian disinformation campaigns and calling for increased regulation of online platforms. Minister for Digital Transformation Masaaki Taira appeared on the YouTube show UOYA Channel. During the interview, he warned that the next target of foreign forces would be the LDP presidential election. He acknowledged that freedom of speech must be protected. But he added, "If the results of our democracy are manipulated by outside influences without the public even realizing it, we have a serious problem." Taira urged a collective response involving the public, the government, and social media companies. His comments coincided with reports that multiple X (formerly Twitter) accounts linked to Russia were suspended during the campaign period. However, the government has yet to disclose why or provide evidence of coordinated interference. Taira pointed to four types of disruptive narratives. These included efforts to undermine political stability, damage the Japan–United States alliance, erode Japan's international credibility, and attack faith in democratic institutions. But his comments lacked specifics. This theme of shadowy threats with no proof was echoed earlier by LDP candidate Hiroyuki Kishi, who lost his race. In a post-election discussion on July 23, Kishi claimed that the rise of Sanseito could not have been "purely organic." He referred to his experience on the campaign trail, where he said he was targeted and also took various countermeasures. Kishi insisted that there had "definitely" been Russian information warfare involved. However, he offered no evidence and explicitly stated that he would not elaborate further. It "would take too long," he claimed. The irony of these statements is that while the LDP points fingers at alleged Russian operatives, it just helped re-elect Muneo Suzuki. Suzuki is a politician with long-standing ties to Moscow who has appeared regularly on Russia's Sputnik network. Once serving prison time for corruption, Suzuki made his political comeback on the LDP ticket. He won a seat in the proportional representation race. Critics have called him "Russia's most loyal friend in Japan." His return is a stark contradiction to the LDP's alarmist narrative. As one commentator put it: "If you're going to call others Russian agents, what about the man who practically lived on Sputnik?" Meanwhile, several high-profile LDP candidates who supported social media regulation, including Keizo Takemi, were soundly defeated. Their warnings about online disinformation fell flat with voters who saw them as thinly veiled efforts to suppress dissent. Takemi in particular came under fire for criticizing populist calls for tax relief as irresponsible and for suggesting that SNS should be regulated to prevent the spread of such views. Still, the party appears set on doubling down. On July 29, LDP Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama and Komeito Secretary-General Masanori Nishida met in Tokyo. They shared concerns over the spread of defamatory or unverified information on social media during the election campaign. Both parties agreed to expedite discussions on appropriate social media usage during election periods. (From left) LDP Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama and Komeito Secretary-General Masanori Nishida at the National Diet (©Sankei by Ataru Haruna) LDP Diet Affairs Chief Tetsushi Sakamoto disclosed the details to reporters. Instead of learning from its defeat, the LDP appears poised to double down. Calls for regulating platforms like X and YouTube are growing louder within the party. But this raises serious concerns about freedom of expression in Japan, especially when vague threats of "foreign interference" are used to justify censorship. Rather than engaging with critics or addressing the real causes of voter dissatisfaction, the party seems intent on silencing the platforms that gave those voters a voice. Until the LDP comes to terms with why it lost and who it really serves, no amount of censorship will stop its slide. Author: Daniel Manning
Japan Forward
15 hours ago
- Japan Forward
Tsunami Sparks Evacuations in Japan After Kamchatka Tremor
On the morning of July 30, a powerful undersea earthquake struck off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. It unleashed tsunami waves up to four meters high and triggering widespread tsunami alerts across Japan's Pacific coastline. The quake, estimated at magnitude 8.7, is the most powerful recorded in the region in over 70 years. According to Russia's TASS news agency, Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov called it "the most severe and intense earthquake in decades." The tremor caused a surge in emergency calls, widespread power outages, and significant damage to buildings, including hospitals and kindergartens. In response, the Russian government has set up an emergency command center to coordinate relief efforts and assess the full scope of the destruction. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) located the epicenter 119 kilometers southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, at a shallow depth of 20.7 kilometers. In response, the US Tsunami Warning System issued alerts for not only Russia and Japan but also as far as Alaska and Hawaii. Footage and photos circulated by Russian media captured the scale of the disaster. In Severo-Kurilsk, a town on Paramushir Island in the Kuril chain, tsunami waves were seen inundating coastal areas. One widely shared image showed a factory being swallowed by the sea, while another depicted a kindergarten in Kamchatka damaged by the quake, footage released by the region's emergency minister. The tremor's effects rippled across to Japan. At 9:43 AM, shrill warning sirens pierced the air in Hakodate, Hokkaido, followed by repeated emergency broadcasts urging both residents and tourists to evacuate to higher ground. A local woman in her seventies, recalling how her uncle once crab-fished off Kamchatka, voiced her unease. "We can't let our guard down, not after what we learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake," she said. In response to the tsunami alert, all train services at JR Hakodate Station were suspended. Police officers were seen assisting stranded travelers, guiding them to nearby shelters. A police officer calls on stranded tourists to evacuate. July 30, Hakodate City, Hokkaido (©Sankei by Masamichi Kirihara). The Japan Meteorological Agency issued tsunami warnings spanning from Hokkaido to Wakayama Prefecture. Officials urged immediate evacuation, warning: "If you wait until you see the tsunami, it will be too late." Its website outlines the dangers clearly: Tsunami waves grow rapidly in height as they approach shallow coastal waters. They travel at extremely high speeds — far faster than a person can run. Multiple waves may strike, with later ones often larger than the first. Even a wave just 20–30 centimeters high has enough force to sweep people away. Coastal geography can cause localized surges in wave height. It may take hours for the largest wave to arrive. Tsunamis can continue to impact coastlines for over 12 hours. This is not the first time Kamchatka has unleashed such seismic force. On November 5, 1952, a magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck the region, but moment magnitude calculations (Mw) place it closer to 9.0, on par with the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. That event generated tsunami waves up to 18 meters in the Kuril Islands and reached as high as three meters along Japan's Miyagi Prefecture, inundating roughly 1,200 homes. Kamchatka remains one of the most seismically active zones in the world. In just the past decade, the region has experienced six earthquakes of magnitude 7 or higher. Notably, just ten days before the July 30 quake, a magnitude 7.5 tremor rattled the same area, underscoring its volatile status along the Pacific Ring of Fire. The reawakening of such tectonic energy serves as a sobering reminder of the Pacific nations' shared vulnerability. As Japan's tsunami alert systems sprang into action once again, the memory of 2011 hung heavy in the air, proof that even across decades and oceans, the same fault lines continue to shape the fate of those who live near them. (Read related article in Japanese .) Author: The Sankei Shimbun
Japan Forward
15 hours ago
- Business
- Japan Forward
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun Visits Tokyo Ahead of US Trade Showdown
Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya met with his South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun on July 29 in Tokyo, where Cho made a brief stop before heading to the United States for his first diplomatic tour since taking office. Cho's visit to Washington comes as Seoul engages in high-stakes talks over sweeping Trump-era tariffs. In July, President Trump announced plans to impose a 25% tariff on all imports from Japan and South Korea unless agreements are reached by August 1. Given the rarity of South Korean foreign ministers visiting another capital before a US trip, some observers speculate that Seoul may have sought Tokyo's advice before advancing its trade negotiations. Japan recently struck a deal with Washington to ease its tariff burden. On Tuesday, Iwaya welcomed Cho's decision to make Japan his first stop since assuming office. "We appreciate the close communication between the governments of Japan and South Korea, including today's meeting, since the inauguration of the Lee Jae-myung administration," Iwaya said. "In the current strategic environment, the importance of Japan–South Korea relations and cooperation between Japan, the US, and South Korea is growing," he added. "Our two countries must work closely together on a range of issues, including those related to the Indo-Pacific region." Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho hold a 50-minute bilateral meeting in Tokyo on July 29. (©MOFA Japan) Cho, who was sworn in just last week, said the newly minted Lee administration is committed to strengthening ties through a pragmatic foreign policy. "The international situation is challenging," Cho said. "But I believe that by cooperating and maintaining close communication with friendly nations to co-develop strategies, we can overcome crises and turn them into opportunities." He also relayed President Lee's push to restore shuttle diplomacy following the first summit between the two East Asian neighbors. During the meeting, the two ministers also agreed that coordination among Japan, South Korea, and the US is essential for regional peace and stability. Seoul's latest diplomatic engagement comes amid rising concern over the Lee administration's perceived tilt toward China. While former President Yoon Suk-yeol had prioritized deepening ties with like-minded partners, Lee and his ruling party's seemingly pro-Beijing leanings have unsettled policymakers in Washington. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun holds his first phone call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on July 28, exchanging views on bilateral ties and other key issues. (©MOFA ROK) Some experts view Cho's visit to Tokyo as a subtle signal that the new government remains committed to preserving the framework built under the previous administration. Lee has also reportedly decided not to attend China's Victory Day ceremony in September. According to diplomatic sources, the president ultimately opted out, citing the need to prioritize the relationship with the US. After a short interlude, Cho departed for a scheduled meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss, among other issues, Trump tariffs. Tokyo's recent agreement with Washington, under which the US lowers tariffs on Japanese imports from 25% to 15% in exchange for Japan's long-term investment commitments and expanded access to its domestic market, has increased pressure on Seoul to secure a comparable outcome. Trump's trade negotiators are expected to seek similar concessions, possibly using the Japan deal as a benchmark. With that agreement now shaping expectations, Seoul faces difficult choices about what to concede and what to protect in key sectors such as agriculture, digital trade, and automobiles. Author: Kenji Yoshida
Japan Forward
18 hours ago
- General
- Japan Forward
Swallows, Our Lucky Feathered Neighbors
このページを 日本語 で読む Swallows are often associated with spring, as that's when they arrive in Japan. In reality, though, they can be seen throughout the warmer months, from spring to autumn. This time, instead of focusing on the crested ibis — a nationally designated Special Natural Monument — we're turning our attention to the swallow. This bird lives closely alongside humans, often building its nest under the eaves of houses or in other places near people. A parent swallow hovers as it feeds its chick. (©Fumie Oyama) Chirp chirp chirp! Early in the morning, five baby swallows perch in neat intervals on a wire stretched over our barn, chirping loudly in chorus. Still too young to catch insects on their own, they're fed by their attentive parents. The moment a parent swallow feeds its chick. (©Fumie Oyama) Swallows are monogamous, and both parents work together to raise their young. This morning, the pair were flying back and forth at dizzying speed, feeding their chicks one by one — so quickly it was hard to follow with the eye. A close-up of a parent swallow feeding its chick. (©Fumie Oyama) What's especially interesting is how they feed each chick in turn, moving from one to the next. No matter how loudly a chick calls out, it never gets fed twice in a row. Around March, swallows migrate to Japan from Southeast Asia — places like the Philippines and Thailand. They choose to nest close to humans, often under the eaves of houses or storefronts. The female lays one egg a day, with a total of three to seven, and the pair raises their chicks together. In autumn, they migrate back to warmer regions with their offspring. Because they're vulnerable to predators like crows, swallows may breed two or three times a year. They build their nests from mud, usually gathered from rice paddies, and dry grass, carrying it in their beaks and stacking it like bricks onto walls or shelves. Swallows feed on insects such as dragonflies, butterflies, flies, mosquitoes, and grasshoppers. Unlike sparrows, they don't eat rice grains, which is why they've long been seen as beneficial birds. In Japan, a swallow nesting on your house is considered a sign of good fortune. Even if they dirty the walls or drop waste beneath their nests, people don't chase them away — instead, they welcome them. Swallow chicks wait side by side for food. (©Fumie Oyama) Unfortunately, swallow populations are declining across Japan, largely due to the loss of natural habitats and farmland. According to the Wild Bird Society of Japan, surveys by the Ministry of the Environment and local governments like Osaka and Ishikawa have all reported a drop in swallow breeding. Masaoki Tsuchiya, head of the Sado branch of the Wild Bird Society of Japan, explains: "We haven't done a formal survey on Sado Island, but it's clear that swallows are declining. Many of the shopping streets where they used to nest are now shuttered, and the number of vacant homes is growing. Swallows rely on living near people for protection from predators like snakes and crows — but as people disappear, so do the swallows." The first spring after we moved to Sado Island, a swallow came to our house. It flew around as if inspecting the place and, to our surprise, began bringing mud to build a nest — right on top of the kitchen light. As much as we loved the idea, a kitchen isn't the place for a bird's nest, with droppings and bugs creating hygiene concerns. So, reluctantly, we had to discourage them from nesting there. Not long after, we adopted three rescue cats. Maybe that's why the swallows never tried to build a nest at our house again. We would've been happy to have them at the entrance or under the eaves, so it was a bit disappointing. But then, something curious happened: after fledging from a nest next door, the young swallows began perching on the wire above our barn for several days. Their cheerful chorus filled the mornings. After a few days, once they had learned to find food on their own, they disappeared, and quiet returned. What's odd is that our neighbor also has a cat — just one — and yet swallows still nest there. Does the number of cats matter? Only the swallows know for sure. Inbound visitors to Japan are often surprised that people don't remove swallow nests, even when they stain the walls or leave droppings. Perhaps these nests are more than just homes for birds — they may symbolize the Japanese spirit of living in harmony with nature and the creatures we share it with. This report was first published on Japan 2 Earth, a JAPAN Forward website featuring Japan's SDGs initiatives. Author: Fumie Oyama Fumie Oyama is a two-time winner of the Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association Award as a photographer for The Sankei Shimbun. After covering the reintroduction of the crested ibis to the wild for 11 years, Oyama left the company in 2020 to move to Sado Island. There, he continues to photograph the ibis and other wildlife while engaging in farming. He currently promotes the charms of Sado Island as a photojournalist. Follow Fumie Oyama on Instagram . このページを 日本語 で読む
