Tokyo Wave

What does the future hold for the administration of PM Kishida, who is facing low support ratings, a string of scandals and resignations, and rising discontent? Aaron and Parker discuss Japan's largest labor union calling for the highest pay hike in 28 years, the Japanese government ruling coalition agreeing on acquiring counter-strike capability, and two Tokyo men arrested over a suspected pyramid scheme built on special eggs.

On Tokyo Wave Rewind, we revisit insightful, awesome, and sometimes outrageous past interviews. This Rewind features improv comedian, DJ, wine expert, and Scatman aficionado Jim Andretta, who shares stories about his time as part of the Charred Goosebeak / Broken Lizard improv group of Super Troopers fame, importing wine to Japan, the Japanese comedy scene, and collecting vinyl records.

What is going to happen to Twitter now that Elon Musk is in charge? Will it lead to an exodus of Japan's gaijin Twitter scene? Aaron and Parker discuss Japan's consumer prices rising the quickest in 4 decades, Shohei Ohtani, Naomi Osaka and other FTX brand ambassadors getting embroiled in a class-action lawsuit over the now-bankrupt crypto exchange, and 2 Peruvians caught smuggling 10 kg of cocaine into Japan in shampoo bottles.

Why is Square Enix doing a fire sale of its Western studios? The founder of Eidos Montreal called it, "A train wreck in slow motion." Aaron and Parker discuss North Korea's ongoing missile marathon, another automaker calling on owners to replace their airbags after 3 new Takata airbag deaths, and the culling of 1,000,000 chickens as bird flu cases emerge in Ibaraki.

Why is Shibuya waging war on Halloween, yet again, and why do all of Tokyo's costumed revelers always go to the same place? Will Akie Abe, the widow of slain ex-PM Abe, succeed her late husband in Japan's lower house? Aaron and Parker discuss Japan's latest economic package designed to combat economic malaise worsened by the weak Yen and Tokyo police mistakenly arresting the wrong man months after a truck driver was threatened with a sword.

What are our favorite Japanese films? What's going to happen to an ex-Tokyo 2020 exec who has been slapped with a new arrest warrant on additional bribery charges? Aaron and Parker discuss the Yen hitting the 150 mark vs the USD and a man arrested after going on a rampage attacking junior high school students with a bamboo sword.

Writer, Translator, Cool Japan Producer, and Global Communications Specialist Benjamin Boas talks about his upcoming new book, From Cool Japan to Your Japan, which explains why the Japanese government and local organizations need to change their tourism promotion strategy. Aaron and Parker discuss Japan's plan to scrap non-digital health insurance cards, new legal action against the Unification Church, and how a Japanese YouTuber recently elected to Parliament has opened a can of legal worms by choosing to stay in Dubai.

Why is North Korea upping its pace of conducting missile launches, including one that went straight over northern Japan? Are they on the verge of conducting a nuclear bomb test, and do they pose a tangible threat to Japan's national security? Aaron and Parker discuss rising Japanese household spending, Japan's largest airport hotel complex to open at Haneda after almost 3 years sitting empty, and an escaped 1.6-meter-long snake that turned up in the owner's neighbor's toilet.

How can you avoid the impending throngs of tourists and enjoy Japan's autumn foliage in Oku-Nikko? How is the Japanese government trying to fight inflation, address the weak yen, and rev up the economy? Aaron and Parker discuss what to expect from the Japanese parliament's extraordinary session and a Tokyo confectionary firm chief who resigned after video footage of him going hog wild in a road rage incident spread online.

Video game translator, localization expert, and video game music DJ Andrew Klim tells us about his journey from being an English teacher in a rough and tumble junior high school in Yamanashi to working on localizations for massive titles including Final Fantasy, Shenmue, One Piece, Attack on Titan, and... erotic games. Aaron and Parker share awe at Andrew's tales of brawling with chimpira in Koenji, and discuss the evolving Tokyo Olympics corruption case, a Tokyo doctor accused of forging COVID vaccine docs, and a man mistakenly arrested for drunk riding by cops while pushing his motorbike.