Tokyo on Fire!

This week on Tokyo on Fire:

The Moritomo Scandal is - surprise-surprise! - back to haunt Prime Minister Abe! Someone in the Ministry of Finance has been leaking documents to the Communist Party who won't let the scandal die down. Will this gather enough steam to take down the Government?

Anti-U.S. base Nago City Mayor Susumu Inamine has been voted out-of-office. So now the Henoko base can be built without hassle... or will Okinawans manage to keep the status quo longer, or even rid their island of the bases entirely?

With saber-rattling fanfair, the U.S. Nuclear Posture Review has been updated... and Japan is on the sidelines rah-rahing the U.S. to enhance her posture? We delve into this enigma given the fervent anti-nuclear stance of the Japanese people.

We welcome back Glen S. Fukushima to the show: in today's episode, we discuss President Trump's Asia policy as we enter his second year: is TPP back on the table; is nuclear war on the horizon; will US unilateralism trigger trade issues in the region?

Understanding Japanese politics is incomplete without appreciating the famous Liberal Democratic Party. What is the background, when was it founded (and how)? What is the scope of "power" it weilds? Why has it been THE leading party for the grand majority of post-war Japan?

Join host Timothy Langley and Michael Cucek in this discussion!

This week on Tokyo on Fire:

Empty fishing vessels from North Korea have been found on the northern coast of Japan. Why do these keep washing on the Japanese shores?

The U.N. General Assembly has endorsed the Japanese anti-nuclear resolution by a wide margin. But with the rising threat of North Korea, and the uncertainty as to the U.S. defense commitment to Japan - how likely is Japan to stick to this ideal?

The whole Tokyo on Fire team want to thank all of you for another great year! We have a great time filming these episodes and appreciate the time that you put into commenting, sharing and subscribing.

Join host Timothy Langley and Michael Cucek in this discussion!

This week on Tokyo on Fire:

After finishing his Asian tour, what were the results of Trump's ambitious visit to Japan and how did that affect Prime Minister Abe's ratings in the polls? Join our hosts, Timothy Langley and Michael Cucek, for more details!

With a win in the election and a relatively successful Japanese welcoming of President Trump, Prime Minister Abe is riding high - but back at the diet, what is happening with the new opposition parties?

Join host Timothy Langley and Michael Cucek in this discussion!

This week on Tokyo on Fire:

We kick off with a scandal from the world of sumo. Sumo grand champion Harumafuji has been accused of severely injuring one of his subordinates. In the face of mounting pressure from the public, the Yokozuna has retired. What is going on with Japan's national sports?

Another unfolding scandal: the Moritomo Gakuen issue. Physical evidence that was once declared as destroyed has now been located. First Lady Akie Abe is now facing mounting pressure to testify in the diet over the controversial discounted sale of state land to build the controversial school. How will this reflect on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe?

Next up, North Korea has launched yet another missile. This time, it's capable of reaching civilian areas in the United States. As tensions keep rising between both Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, what must Japan do to protect itself?

Join host Timothy Langley and Michael Cucek in this discussion!

This week on Tokyo on Fire:

We kick off this week with one of the hottest topics in current Japan: snap election of the House of Representatives. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will reshuffle his cabinet in this month. However, more and more election candidates try to get in Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike's party, The Party of Hope. Was it a genius move for Prime Minister Abe to call a snap election? Or will Party of Hope inflict pain to the LDP on a national level as well?

Our Inside Baseball series features the opposition parties's　bustling changes. The Democratic Party has imploded and a large　number of defectors have broken ranks. What is the outlook of　the party in the upcoming snap election? 

Join host Timothy Langley and Michael Cucek in this discussion!

This week on Tokyo on Fire:

First, we welcome Terrie Lloyd, the author of the popular blog "Terrie's Take" to talk about how tourism keeps rising in Japan. With rapid fire growth in Japan’s rural areas now as well, new infrastructural and logistical problems for the Japanese government are on for debate. What about the opinions and feasible intolerance of Japanese locals? Will there be solutions to accommodate the inflowing crowds? And how much is Tokyo 2020 affecting policies?

Next up, we welcome Chris Blackerby, previously of NASA and now the Chief Operating Officer of ASTROSCALE, who reveals an interesting problem that now has collaboration from the Japanese space agency: Space Junk. Chris explains the importance of slowing down and eventual removal of the space debris buildup. With the prices of satellites and rocket launches dropping, and the rising interests from the private sector to get their technologies in orbit - how vital has the management and planning of debris become?

Join host Timothy Langley and Michael Cucek in this discussion!

This week on Tokyo on Fire:

Welcome to Inside Baseball! Are you ready for an in-depth analysis of the last week's election? Prime Minister Shinzo Abe celebrated a huge win in the election, but what will he do now that he has the two-thirds majority? What contributed to the huge win of LDP? How will Japan change after this election?

Join host Timothy Langley and Michael Cucek in this discussion!

This week on Tokyo on Fire:

We kick off this week with PM Shinzo Abe's surprise snap election, which definitely isn't a shrewd way to use the North Korean missile crisis to the LDP's benefit. The snap election is planned to happen next month. What does he aim to achieve in the election? Will this plan work out?

Second, North Korea has fired yet another rocket above Japan in a direct provocation to the United States. We welcome defense expert Lance Gatling to discuss exactly how much danger North Korea represents to Japan and particularly Tokyo.

Following the departure of Renho as the Democratic Party’s leader, many of the party’s lawmakers have started to leave the party. Can the LDP’s main opposition party keep it together? Can the DP make it through the upcoming snap election without disbandment or implosion?

Join host Timothy Langley and Michael Cucek in this discussion!

This week on Tokyo on Fire:

First up this week is the next election of the House of Representatives. Speculation is growing that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will dissolve the House for a snap election on Oct. 22 to head off alignment in the opposition camp. At the same time, a growing number of LDP members are angling for Abe's spot as party leader. Will we see the LDP reelect Abe for a historical third term, or will the torch be passed to one of these hopefuls?

Next up, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has angered organizers of an upcoming memorial service for Koreans massacred in the aftermath of the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake by bucking tradition and declining to send a eulogy. What does the Governor's snub mean?

Last Friday, Japan's Democratic Party elected former Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara as its new leader. It is a bittersweet victory, as the party continues to be marred by defections and internal strife. Can the DP regroup and strengthen itself again towards becoming a real threat to the LDP?

Finally, North Korea has fired yet another ballistic missile. Flying over Hokkaido before plunging into the northern Pacific Ocean, this launch was condemned by the international community and termed by the Japanese prime minister as a "grave threat". How did Japanese react to the missile launch? How realistic is the danger facing the South Korea and Japan?

Join host Timothy Langley and Michael Cucek in this discussion!

This week on Tokyo on Fire:

Tokyo on Fire continues with returning guest Glen S. Fukushima, US-Japan relations expert and Senior Fellow at Center for American Progress, to discuss the latest developments that have been making headlines over the past few weeks. With newly-arrived US Ambassador to Japan William Hagerty, will progress be made on a US-Japan bilateral trade agreement? Last but not least, are we headed for war with North Korea or can we leave our secret nuclear bunker?

Join host Timothy Langley and Michael Cucek in this discussion!