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Watch the video of our webinar on Wednesday 16 September with economists, Noriko Hama in Japan and Gerard Lyons in the UK, who joined Japan Society Chairman, Bill Emmott, to take stock of the economic positions of our two countries, and consider the future.

I have to begin with a confession. In the blog that I wrote on 31 August, perhaps still feeling relaxed thanks to the summer, I said something foolish about Japanese politics. Well, not overly foolish you might say, but something that showed that I had not done all my homework.

Watch the video of our webinar on Wednesday 2 September 2020 in which, following Prime Minister Abe's announcement of his resignation, Japan Society Chairman Bill Emmott is joined by Tobias Harris, author of 'The Iconoclast: Shinzo Abe and the New Japan', and Keiko Iizuka, senior political writer at the Yomiuri Shimbun.

The big news which has caused this blog to break its holiday is the sudden resignation of Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe. This wasn’t a total surprise, given that there had been plenty of speculation about two lengthy hospital visits the prime minister had recently made.

Watch the video of our online discussion to launch of the special issue of Wasafiri: Japan Literatures of Remembering, in which we reflected on the transformations of Japanese identity in literature and explored themes of time, memory and diversity.

Radio Taiso is a 3 minute exercise routine that has been practised for nearly 100 years in Japan.

Thank you to all the members who attended the Japan Society’s first ‘virtual’ Annual General Meeting; it was lovely to see so many old friends, even if it was only on a screen! A particular pleasure was to be able to welcome members from outside London, and as far afield as continental Europe, Japan and California.

Watch the video of our latest webinar on Wednesday 22 July 2020 in which Japan Society Chairman, Bill Emmott, in discussion with Yoriko Goto and Heather McGregor considered gender equality in Japan and the UK.

Historians will tell us that four months is far too short a time for permanent social or behavioural changes to occur, even if the pandemic already feels as if it has lasted forever. But one thing that really is clear is that those months have proven that video communications technologies such as Zoom are mature and easy enough for widespread use.

The Japan Society invites children and families to celebrate Sports Day, a Japanese national holiday, by playing typical Japanese sports day games at home or in the park.