Japan

Serg Levine09.01.2026

Among the eternal questions of humanity, such as “Who is to blame?”, “What is to be done?” and “Is there life on Mars?”, the question “What is the meaning of life?” occupies a special place. Everyone faces this existential problem. Some sooner, some later. You can live for half a century without ever considering the […]

Yuri Chekalin30.10.2025

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told U.S. President Donald Trump during their first summit on Tuesday that Japan intends to keep importing Russian liquefied natural gas for the time being, a Japanese government source said Wednesday. The United States had been urging Japan to end Russian energy imports to reinforce sanctions on Moscow over its full-scale […]

Yuri Chekalin23.10.2025

Shinto has no founder, no doctrine, no commandments, no idols, and no organization. What it does have are ambiguous characteristics like sympathy and silent experience. This is the very reason why it has been often considered a non-religion by Japanese scholars as well as foreign intellectuals. Japan’s unique historical circumstances and cultural background explain the […]

Yuri Chekalin27.09.2025

A research team including the Japanese Circulation Society has uncovered a link between air pollution and heart attacks. In its study, the researchers determined that exposure to high concentrations of microscopic particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air increases the risk of acute myocardial infarction. PM2.5 refers to extremely fine particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less that […]

Yuri Chekalin17.09.2025

Shinto is often referred to as polytheistic, because there are many Kami that are classified in three ways: amatsukami (heavenly Kami), kunitsukami (earthly Kami) and yaoyorozu no kami (myriad other Kami). Kami are therefore not necessarily deities in the sense that is usually understood, but possess a wide variety of spiritual powers and attributes. Shinto […]

Yuri Chekalin12.09.2025

A peculiar form of society was created in Japan after World War II. The birth of such a secular, materialistic, and atheistic society perhaps cannot be found in any other age and place in history. It is said that most Japanese, when asked for their religious status in filling out an application form for a […]

Yuri Chekalin25.06.2025

In 2006, the book Makeinu no toboe “Howl of an Abandoned Dog” became a bestseller in Japan. The author, Junko Sakai, called single women over 30 “abandoned dogs” (負け犬, makeinu). But if you think this is an insult, then no — she herself belonged to this category and, on the contrary, finally found a “normal” […]

Klim Zhukov20.06.2025

The 1st rank cruiser was ordered from the William Crump and Sons shipyard in the USA. 129 meters, excellent armored deck, 12 guns 152 mm. Kane system, speed 23.2 knots. By the way, the speed made it absolutely inaccessible for any Japanese cruisers at sea — you can’t catch up (and you can’t run away […]

Yuri Chekalin26.05.2025

In the soft, dappled light of a spring afternoon, the Tanaka family home buzzed with the vivid laughter of children playing in the backyard. Beneath the great cherry tree, its delicate blossoms dancing in the breeze, Akiko Tanaka admired the nuanced hues of pink and white that adorned her neighborhood. She loved this time of […]

Yuri Chekalin22.05.2025

Children dashed around in gleeful abandon, their tiny hands reaching for the showers of petals, rolling down the sidewalk or weaving through the legs of adults caught in nostalgic reveries. On this particular Saturday in late March, the sun cast a golden hue over Nikko Lane, illuminating the rows of houses adorned with vibrant azalea […]

In Search of Ikigai

Japan to Keep Importing Russian LNG

The Tragedy of “Not-Having-Any”

Another Reason for a Heart Attack

Characteristics of Shinto

Japanese Atheists and Faithless Japanese

Are You a Slouching Dog or a Losing Dog?

The Real Story of Cruiser “Varyag”

Threads of Community

The Silence Before the Storm

A Minor Breakdown

Who Powers Europe?

A Thaw Too Late?

Here’s How to Reduce the Existential Risks if There’s No Other Way