+81: Recent Episodes
Alicia and Mizuki
Alicia and Mizuki investigate Japanese social issues, diving beneath oversimplified explanations to grasp the fuller picture of critical conversations on topics such as immigration, rights and obligations, and more. Join them in their journey to better understand the country they call home, as they try to make sense of their positions within Japanese culture.
Alicia and Mizuki discuss the upcoming general election for the lower house of representatives, including the current state of the political parties, a kerfluffle within the opposition, and voting strategies. Go vote!
NHK on the Supreme Court of Japan and justices
Music by Stone Stewart
Listen to the pilot episode of Mizuki's new podcast, Meshi, a show exploring all things (mostly) Asian and Asian diaspora culture and media.
Find Meshi on Twitter and Instagram
Listen to Meshi on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.
Alicia and Mizuki are joined by Fridays For Future Japan member and college student Isao Sakai to discuss climate activism in Japan.
Isao Sakai: https://www.instagram.com/isao.sakai_/
NoCoalForOurFuture video: https://bit.ly/3qJaIvQ
FFF Japan Website: https://fridaysforfuture.jp/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fridaysforfuturejapan/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FridaysJapan
Follow and support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/
Mizuki and Alicia discuss the steps it takes for a bill to pass through the Diet and become law.
Episode guide: https://twitter.com/plus81_pod/status/1356073470363222016
Watch the 2015 強行採決 video from the episode here: https://youtu.be/EsVyWNqCQJ4
Follow and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/
Email: plus81.pod@gmail.com
Music by Stone Stewart
In the final episode of 2020, Alicia and Mizuki revisit this year’s episodes and talk about how much (or how little) has changed.
Nyukan Resources:
Donate to Pato chan (Bank): https://note.com/kokubai_nyukan/n/n6673215f4c2b
Donate to Pato chan (PayPal): https://www.paypal.me/forpatchan
Twitter: @PatoJustice https://twitter.com/PatoJustice
Twitter: @nodetention87 https://twitter.com/nodetention87
Follow and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/
Email: plus81.pod@gmail.com
Music by Stone Stewart
This week, Alicia and Mizuki are joined by Keno Katsuda to discuss the 2016 blockbuster hits Your Name (Kimi no Nawa) and Shin Godzilla in the context of 3.11.
Find Keno here: https://twitter.com/kenokatsuda
Follow and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/
Email: plus81.pod@gmail.com
Music by Stone Stewart
[CW: Transphobia] Alicia and Mizuki interview representatives from Justice for Pato-chan to better understand their efforts and demonstration marches in support of Pato-chan, a transgender woman from the Philippines who had been detained at the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (Nyukan) for over a year. They discuss Pato-chan’s case, the intersectionality between transgender rights, migrant rights, and the Black Lives Matter movement, and a concerning new immigration reform bill that the Japanese government is considering.
Justice for Pato-chan ResourcesDonate (Bank): https://note.com/kokubai_nyukan/n/n6673215f4c2b
Donate (PayPal): https://www.paypal.me/forpatchan
Twitter: @PatoJustice https://twitter.com/PatoJustice
#FREEUSHIKUTwitter: @freeushiku https://twitter.com/freeushiku
Instagram: @freeushiku
Website: https://freeushikuweb.jimdofree.com/
Read more about Pato-chan:
Asia Art Tours https://bit.ly/2Hqg3qN Japan Times https://bit.ly/2TmrJNu
BuzzFeed (JPN) https://bzfd.it/3ktNCWZ Instagram: www.instagram.com/plus81.pod/
Find and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/
Email: plus81.pod@gmail.com
Music by Stone Stewart.
Mizuki says goodbye to summer and the cicadas.
Please enjoy this minisode while we work on our next regular episode. We will occasionally post minisodes that cover more light hearted topics that Miz and Alicia are interested in, but don’t warrant full episodes.
Find and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/
Email: plus81.pod@gmail.com
Music by Stone Stewart.
Alicia and Mizuki discuss the branches of the Japanese government as Japan prepares for a new Prime Minister. Mizuki guides us in learning how the different branches interact, what our power as citizens are, and the latest baffling turn of events as the LDP elects their new leader.
Find and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/
Email: plus81.pod@gmail.com
Special thanks to Stone Stewart for the intro music and Taro Hyodo for the break music.
Alicia and Mizuki discuss the BLM marches in Tokyo and protests culture in Japan. What were the Tokyo marches like? Are marches/protests effective in Japan? What is protest culture in Japan like? How do they compare to other countries?
BLM Tokyo: https://twitter.com/blmtokyojp
BLM Kansai: https://twitter.com/blmkansai
BLM Kyoto: https://twitter.com/blmkyoto
*There are many more BLM accounts from various cities around Japan! These just a few from major cities
Kurly in Kansai Twitter: https://twitter.com/kurlyinkansai?lang=en
Kurly in Kansai Co-hosts: https://twitter.com/Yana_Yz and https://twitter.com/nanairomiso
Podcasts:
- Kurly in Kansai https://open.spotify.com/show/5ivwmDSm7UJskU60gZ7nFk
- Tokyo Speaks Pod feat. BLM organizers https://tokyospeaks.com/episode-85-sierratodd/
Black twitter accounts/social media to follow:
- BW writer for Unseen Japan: https://twitter.com/ladyscribe21
- BW journalist in Japan (wrote an enlightening piece about police harassment in the Japan Times): https://twitter.com/Nigensei
- Black/Okinawan Professor who studies Blackness in Japan: https://twitter.com/gritsnsushi
Find and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/
Email: plus81.pod@gmail.com
Special thanks to Stone Stewart for the intro music and Taro Hyodo for the break music.
Alicia and Mizuki discuss the candidates for the Tokyo governor election! The two parse out each candidates’ stance toward key issues and histories to better grasp how the election fits into the greater Japanese political narrative. Listen to learn more about the differences between the opposition (ya-to) candidates, Utsunomiya Kenji (Utsuken) and Yamamoto Taro, and how to use your vote!
Election Resources How to vote (Eng):https://www.instagram.com/p/CB-nLZDDtaf/?igshid=b1vwdtmax6pc
Candidates’ stances from Ko_Archives (Eng): https://www.instagram.com/p/CB4sXlPjb6H/?igshid=m5wyj732sp7k
Candidates’ stances on YouTube zoom debate (Jpn):https://twitter.com/chooselifepj/status/1276824725881147392?s=21
*If you have any other questions regarding how to vote, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Find and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/
Email: plus81.pod@gmail.com
Special thanks to Stone Stewart for the intro music and Taro Hyodo for the break music.
Alicia and Mizuki tackle Japanese political parties in their latest episode. They discuss the ruling coalition (yo-to) and the opposition (ya-to), and their respective histories of separation, conversion, and bids for power. Check out the Episode Guide on our instagram to reference the the political parties' names, figures, and histories while you listen!
Find and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/
Email: plus81.pod@gmail.com
Special thanks to Stone Stewart for the intro music and Taro Hyodo for the break music.
Live from their bedrooms (still): Alicia and Mizuki discuss the enforceability and legal aspects of the state of emergency in the context of the constitution, clashes between regional and federal governments, and the coronavirus financial aid packages. Update: the state of emergency now includes all 47 prefectures, and there are discussions in the government about providing a one-time payment of 100,000yen to all citizens. These changes were made because of widespread unpopularity and citizens’ vehement protest.
Abe’s infamous video: https://twitter.com/AbeShinzo/status/1249127951154712576
Find and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/
Email: plus81.pod@gmail.com
Special thanks to Stone Stewart for the intro music and Taro Hyodo for the break music and research help.
Live from their bedrooms: Alicia and Mizuki discuss the effects of the Japanese government's inadequate response and lack of understanding of their citizens' needs during the coronavirus crisis.
Find and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/
Email: plus81.pod@gmail.com
Intro music by Stone Stewart and break music by Taro Hyodo
In Part 2, Alicia and Mizuki continue to discuss foreign workers - specifically the nefarious Technical Intern Training Program (TITP). The two examine Japan’s declining labor force, the underlying issues of Japanese immigration policy, and how foreign workers and their working conditions affect Japanese people and their livelihoods.
Find and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/
Email: plus81.pod@gmail.com
Intro music by Stone Stewart and break music by Taro Hyodo
Special thanks to Makoto Iwahashi for fact checking
Alicia and Mizuki discuss the different spheres foreign workers occupy in Japan, and how their visibility affects their vulnerability. Alicia talks about her work with POSSE, a labor rights NPO and their efforts to help foreign workers.
Donate to help Brenda reclaim her passport!
English Crowdfunding Page: https://gogetfunding.com/help-us-reclaim-a-foreign-workers-confiscated-passport/?fbclid=IwAR1oTSppPFjkX9nXrH2R6yrlHpSGnR-9J6sYuIab7fLh7MUTMlTTZ-F2ZAU
Japanese Crowdfunding Page: https://camp-fire.jp/projects/view/224717?fbclid=IwAR2tfzLmvWuS7pHyhMpwncZ1SAbsJeOb6iTGVGlnKj_KmXaDi545X1jaUnY
Contact NPO Posse: https://foreignworkersupport.wixsite.com/mysite/english
Find and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/
Email: plus81.pod@gmail.com
Music by Stone Stewart.
Live from Tokyo: Alicia and Mizuki quiz each other on Japanese mascots, then spiral into a conversation about their upbringing, identity, and how that affected the way they navigate Asian America.
Find and Support +81: https://plus81.carrd.co/
Email: plus81.pod@gmail.com
Music by Stone Stewart.