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.
Latest posts by Nevin Thompson
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."
29 December 2017
7 Global Voices Stories That Resonated With Readers in 2017
They spanned topics like memes, tattoos, and injustice, and focused on countries as diverse as Syria, Brazil, and Macedonia.
20 November 2017
Japanese Students Practice Taking Cover for Missiles Passing Overhead. But What About a Direct Attack?
Students took part in a drill in preparation for a missile attack. But there are no hints about what to do in the aftermath.
10 November 2017
Traveling Japan by Bus… on YouTube
One YouTube user has traveled from one end of Japan to the other by local bus, uploading video of the entire trip.
6 November 2017
Watch a Short History of Japan's Frighteningly Good Horror Films
A YouTube channel offers an excellent introduction to Japanese horror cinema.
30 October 2017
Japan's Largest Diwali Celebration Featured Food, Dancing and a Naan Flatbread Mascot
Thanks to increasing ties between the two countries, the number of Indians living in Japan has increased over the past two decades to at least 28,000.
27 October 2017
Kyrgyz People of Central Asia Shocked to Be the Bad Guys in New Japanese ‘Tokusatsu’ Movie
In Japanese, the 'kyr' in 'Kyrgyz' sounds a lot like 'kill'.
21 October 2017
How One Verification Team Worked to Debunk Misleading Information About the Japanese Election
"Hey, non-Japanese are not prohibited from participating in Japanese elections, okay? I wonder why they do it. Does it feel good to spread such false rumors?"
‘Super Typhoon’ Threatens Japan, Japanese Elections
A "super typhoon"--equivalent to a category five hurricane--is threatening Japan and the country's general election.
16 October 2017
What's at Stake in Japan's Snap Election? The Country's ‘Peace Constitution’, for One
Japan votes on October 22. The campaign has seen the disintegration of one political party, and the birth of two new ones, plus plans to change the 'peace constitution.'
13 October 2017
The Crowd-Sourced Faroe Islands Answer to Google Translate
What do you do when your national language doesn't show up in Google Translate? If you're the Faroe Islands, you just crowd-source your own solution.
6 October 2017
How People Hang Things Up to Dry In Japan
Some people have fun hanging clothes in Japan, while others appear to be indifferent to the task.
