Nevin Thompson is the Japan Editor for Global Voices. He is a translator, writer, and journalist, and has been connected to Japan for more than twenty years.
Nevin currently lives and works on an island off the West Coast of Canada, and spends about three months each year with his family in Tsuruga, a small city on the Japan Sea Coast, just north of Kyoto.
Profile photo by Jer Clarke.
Latest posts by Nevin Thompson
8 August 2018
What happens when women report sexual assault in Japan?
"If this happens again I will feel more powerless knowing there's probably nothing I can do, and nothing the police will do."
26 July 2018
Go sightseeing in Japan, right on YouTube
What makes the videos useful for travelers or anyone interested in Japan is each video includes annotations in English, with time stamps, of what particular sightseeing spot is on screen.
14 July 2018
What's the story behind the samurai walking a cat, anyway?
The image depicting a shoeless samurai walking an armored cat pops up on social media from time to time.
12 July 2018
Questions swirl over Japanese government's response to deadly, unprecedented rains
"As unusual weather becomes the new normal, how are we to protect ourselves?"
1 July 2018
Was a Japanese cybersecurity expert murdered by an online troll?
When a previously anonymous internet celebrity in Japan revealed his true identity, his long-time troll was waiting to track him down.
20 June 2018
That time when the Japanese Ultraman franchise held a funeral for its monsters
What happens in Japan when you experience bad luck? A funeral may be one solution...
9 June 2018
Japan's Hirokazu Kore'eda wins big at Cannes. Here's a short selection of his films.
"I have never made a film to praise or to criticize something. That kind of filmmaking is nothing but propaganda."
21 May 2018
Making Japan's hot springs more friendly for LGBT folks
"This is the first time I've entered a communal bath in 13 years. It made me so happy!”
16 May 2018
Japanese high school girls wear badges warning would-be train gropers: ‘I'm not going to take it!
"We want the idea that 'you must have been doing something to attract a chikan' to stop!"
7 May 2018
Tweeting out Japan's idiosyncratic folk customs
Fish heads, jumping frogs and conjugal foxes: one Twitter account takes a look at arcane folk traditions from every corner of Japan.
30 April 2018
Springtime in Japan means the return of the country's beloved swallows
For many Japanese people, the return of the swallows is something to look forward to, and an experience to treasure.
7 April 2018
How ‘Power Harassment’ and ‘Karoshi’ Continue to Cause Serious Problems for Japanese Workers
“Power harassment”, which includes verbal intimidation, emotional abuse, and forcing employees to work overtime with no pay, and “karoshi“ (or “death from over-work”), are becoming real perils in Japan.
26 March 2018
Photos of Japanese Soldiers in the Trenches During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905
The colorized stereographs provide a fascinating glimpse into a war that in many ways was a precursor to the events of the 20th century.
4 March 2018
Black In Tokyo: a Documentary About Life in Japan
The film follows five subjects, with origins ranging from West Africa to the United States, narrating the different cultural challenges and opportunities of living in Tokyo, Japan.
26 February 2018
Twitter Thread of Observations and Surprising Moments in Japan Goes Viral
When a user experience designer traveled to Tokyo he was surprised and amazed by the small details of daily life. His observations about Japan then went viral on Twitter.
17 February 2018
A Fascinating Glimpse Into the Life of a Popular Chimpanzee in Pre-War Japan
"In the 1930s, one of the most popular animals at Tennoji Zoo in Osaka was Rita the chimpanzee."
23 January 2018
Chaos in the Capital: Photos of Record Snowfall in Tokyo
Heavy snow shuts down Tokyo and provides a chance to snap stunning pictures.
13 January 2018
Japanese Media Struggles to Translate Trump's “Shithole”
"Fascinating that media outlets find it easier to print "shithole" than 'racist' or 'racism'."
12 January 2018
‘We Have Entered the World of Adulthood, so We'll Do Our Best!’ Japan Marks Coming of Age Day
Reunions, revelry and motorized mischief mark Coming of Age Day in Japan.
30 December 2017
Incarceration of Left-wing Japanese Newspaper Editor Sparks Fears of Threat to Free Speech
"We are very concerned that these types of suppression against citizens by the police will expand. The whole purpose of [conspiracy law] is to repress citizen movement and the press."
