“Can you tell if the wine in this unlabeled bottle came from Burgundy posed at a February 8 event in the village of Gevrey Chambertin in the famed wine-growing region of Burgundy The event was part of the “France/Japan Wine Cross View” symposium The conference was kicked off by a ceremony where Christophe Lucand signed a friendship accord between the two towns This so-called “wine accord” encourages exchange centered on wine production to encourage development for both sides It also includes a provision for cooperation between the University of Burgundy and Hokkaidō University both of which have wine research institutes This accord between an essentially unknown Japanese wine region and a global wine superpower has been called “an achievement equal to a little leaguer playing alongside Ohtani Shōhei.” Mayor Saitō Keisuke of Yoichi Hokkaidō (right) and Mayor Christophe Lucand of Gevrey Chambertin at the signing of their “wine accord” on February 8 Readers may not be aware that some Japanese wine is already rated quite highly internationally A new epoch for domestic winemaking kicked off in February of 2020 when famed Danish restaurant Noma—repeatedly named Best Restaurant in the World—put Yoichi winery Domaine Takahiko Soga’s Nana-Tsu-Mori Pinot Noir 2017 on its wine list One force behind this shift has been the global trend toward healthier and lighter dining as well as a growing interest in Japanese culture overall Noma’s head sommelier Ava Mees List described it as slightly herbal and soft saying that “it impressed me as a Japanese expression of the pinot noir varietal.” Soga Takahiko founded his winery in Yoichi in 2010 and has come to be a leading figure in regional wine making Mayor Saitō took office in 2018 and has leveraged wine as a tool to reinvigorate Yoichi which has been suffering from a falling population The town has begun offering subsidies to farmers who switch to growing grapes for wine making and for purchasing fermentation equipment He was also involved in setting up the Noma selection we can bring people and investment to the town,” Saitō says It has a similarly small population to Yoichi but it has gathered wealth and people from all over the world.” Yoichi has a population of 16,941 people as of January 2025 while the 2022 population figures for Beaune Saitō spent two years trying to make this “wine accord” happen the head of famed Burgundy winery Domaine Bizot Saitō was fervent in showing him the potential of Yoichi-made wine eventually convincing him to become a bridge between the town and France Saitō developed this “wine diplomacy” without once setting foot in Burgundy It was not an easy thing to arrange this accord between so famed a winemaking town as Gevrey Chambertin and the globally unknown wine region of Yoichi which has few people steeped in grape growing and fermenting knowledge obviously has much to gain from the exchange But what can Yoichi offer to Gevrey Chambertin in exchange Saitō’s key idea is that “Yoichi is going to become a second Oregon.” The American state of Oregon invited many of Burgundy’s most important winemakers in 1987 in an effort to raise the level and recognition of its local wine the annual Oregon Pinot Noir Celebration has now become a draw for wine lovers from all over the world The United States is the world’s leading wine consumer so the attraction for the French side was the hope that establishing a good relationship with Oregon could improve the image and accessibility of Burgundy wine nationwide That would bring tangible benefits to Burgundy’s winemakers Local media and lovers from Japan and France both attended the Gevrey Chambertin hosted cross-country wine symposium Saitō beseeched his counterparts to recognize Yoichi’s potential and to take the area’s wine growers under their wing “I asked to work together to make good pinot noir in the cold climate of Hokkaidō.” Pinot Noir is Burgundy’s flagship red wine varietal but the advance of global warming is putting the future of the world’s winemaking regions into question and recent years have seen serious incidents of grape vines withering in the heat or grapes ripening prematurely before they develop the phenols so essential to wine flavor Yoichi’s current growing season temperature range has risen to the same as Burgundy once enjoyed Where there were only a pair of wineries 15 years ago Yoichi has already achieved success in growing other fruit varieties and now has grown to account for half of all the wine grapes grown in Hokkaidō Among the symposium presenters was Etienne de Montille In search of a new growing base in the face of climate change he came to Hokkaidō to investigate the similarity to Burgundy’s climate he opened the de Montille & Hokkaidō project with an expansion into Hakodate When de Montille came to Japan in 2015 to observe he was impressed by the efforts of Japan’s vigneron producers who grow grapes and ferment them into wine Japan is not exactly ideal for grape cultivation and it is no easy thing to secure healthy vines and quality fermentation equipment Japan’s winemakers go on despite those obstacles “I felt it was a good place to make use of pioneering spirit myself.” The symposium also featured a fascinating master class comparing wines from Burgundy and Japan led by master sommelier Takamatsu Tōru and Master of Wine Steve Charters Takamatsu is a supporting member of a Yoichi organization using winemaking for local revitalization and trained in winemaking at Domaine Takahiko Soga until this spring Takamatsu Tōru explaining Japanese wine at the Master Class along with the list of wine tasted during the class Domaine Takahiko Soga’s Yoichi-made Nana-Tsu-Mori Pinot Noir (left) which sparked Japanese wine’s sudden international rise; a Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru submitted for the Master Class by influential Gevrey Chambertin winery Domaine Drouhin-Laroze After introducing three red wines each from Japan and Burgundy the class leaders finally poured a seventh glass and asked participants to guess which region produced it It had a deep aroma with red fruit and herbal notes Etienne de Montille discussing de Montille and Hokkaidō project’s Surprise 2019 The answer given to the expectantly watching audience was de Montille and Hokkaidō project’s Surprise 2019 the winery had not yet grown its own grapes and the winery facilities were not yet complete The wine used grapes grown by major Yoichi vintner Kimura Vineyarad fermented at contract fermenter 10R Winery in Hokkaidō's Sorachi region The revelation surely opened everyone’s eyes to the potential of Japanese wine in general Banner photo: Grape arbors covering the hillsides outside Yoichi In the distance is the town’s symbol of Cape Shirepa A new Japanese restaurant is bringing excellent ramen and more to Haltom City: Called Yoichi Ramen & Donburi it's a new mom-and-pop specializing in ramen and rice bowls now open in a former Thai restaurant space at 4613 Denton Hwy Yoichi comes from chef Han Choi and his wife Jessie The couple moved to Texas from the West Coast where Han worked in ramen shops and other restaurants in California and Oregon where he developed a passion for Japanese and South Korean food His interest grew after moving to California to attend college “I started as a server and later moved on to back of house both in the kitchen and the front of the house as general manager." which uses a creamy chicken broth called tori paitan which is less common and more widely popular since it can be used in vegetarian dishes Han says he wanted to create a kind of authentic ramen and rice bowls they couldn't find elsewhere “Ramen restaurants typically tend to sell tonkotsu (pork) broth or a mixture of pork and chicken broth," he says The other foundation of their menu is donburi: bowls of rice bowls topped with vegetables and protein and fried chicken done in two styles: Katsu with a panko crust and karaage with a more traditional flour-based crust There are tempting appetizers including gyoza dumplings including cocktails and Japanese beer and spirits from $5.50 for edamame appetizer to $15 for ramen It only took the couple a few weeks to get the restaurant open and they plan to make some fun expansions including a night market with different Japanese-inspired food stalls There’s a new Nashville hot chicken restaurant now open in Mansfield: Called 2 Neighbors Southern Chicken it opened in March in the Broad Street Shopping Center at 2751 E where it's serving an authentic version from a family with first-hand knowledge Owner Carlonda Marshall is a native of Nashville who's getting some backup from her mother "We grew up on Nashville fried chicken that would be our Friday night meal," Marshall says Mansfield is a second location: Marshall opened the first 2 Neighbors in 2017 in Cedar Hill, before relocating to the Grow DeSoto Market Place in 2020, where it’s still open today. (They also briefly opened a burgers and shakes concept next door in the marketplace The new Mansfield location has fast-casual service Fans can buy hats and T-shirts with the restaurant's design The menu at Mansfield is similar to DeSoto location but with a bigger focus on Southern fried chicken Customers can get plain fried chicken or the spicier Nashville-style Prices range from $8.50 for nuggets to $14 for catfish & fries The only thing they're not doing at Mansfield is sandwiches a twist on the classic Kentucky butter cake a moist pound cake with a butter and sugar syrup and a vanilla glazed crust The center where they're located has a healthy mix of shops and restaurants. They took over a space that was previously occupied by another chicken place called Chick'n Cone now closed; but Marshall is upbeat about the area "Just looking in the Mansfield area and seeing all the growth there we decided it’s kind of booming over there,” she says "We're so busy in Mansfield right now we're getting a lot of walk-in traffic." please upgrade to one of the latest browsers Takemura to strengthen Macro trading offerings for clients in Japan and globally 27 January 2025 – Barclays announces the appointment of Yoichi Takemura as Head of Macro Trading APAC and Global Head of MTN & Macro Structured Notes Trading Takemura has joined the bank in Singapore and will relocate to Tokyo later this year Takemura will oversee the Macro Trading Division in Japan He will also work closely with teams across Macro Distribution and Investment Banking to develop innovative solutions tailored to the evolving needs of clients with a strong focus on Yen Rates Tomohiro Mikajiri will increase his focus on Securitised Products and Non-Yen Rates trading “Japan is essential to our regional and global Macro franchise,” said Yun Zhang “It is a key component of our strategy across Global Markets and with Japan’s rate divergence and heighted investor interest we are well positioned to meet the growing client need in this region.” Kosuke Morihara added: “Strengthening our capabilities in Japan Macro Trading is critical to advancing our offering and we are confident that Mr Takemura’s appointment will help us deliver the Barclays franchise to clients.”   Takemura brings nearly two decades of experience in trading Yen-Rates and FX products having served as Head of Fixed Income Trading in Japan at JP Morgan where he spent 15 years and several senior positions at Citigroup and Credit Suisse Our vision is to be the UK-centred leader in global finance We are a diversified bank with comprehensive UK consumer corporate and wealth and private banking franchises we are working together for a better financial future for our customers Barclays has been in Asia Pacific for over 50 years and primarily supports corporations and financial institutions across the Asia Pacific region catering to their cross-border Investment Bank needs and connecting them to the capital markets of UK The bank also has a growing Private Bank business in Asia Pacific with operations in both India and Singapore Barclays in Asia Pacific is headed by Jaideep Khanna who also leads the bank’s Global Markets business in the region Its regional Investment Banking business is led by Vanessa Koo and Nitin Singh heads its Asia Private Banking business Recent key hires and development at Barclays in Asia Pacific: Yoichi brings over two decades of experience covering securities companies and scaling the wealth businesses for global asset managers within the Japanese market announced today the hiring of Yoichi Nakamura as a Managing Director and Head of Japan Private Wealth Yoichi will be based in Blue Owl's Tokyo office Managing Director and Head of APAC Private Wealth The appointment of Yoichi adds a veteran senior leader with deep relationships across Japanese securities companies and brings an executive with a track-record of scaling the private wealth businesses of global asset managers in Japan Yoichi's hiring reinforces Blue Owl's commitment to serving the largest securities companies and wealth managers in Japan Yoichi previously served as CEO Japan of Algebris Investments building the asset management firm's team and operations in Tokyo launching offshore public offerings and increasing the number of distributors for Algebris within the Japanese market his team secured investment mandates across alternative strategies from Japan's leading securities companies and wealth managers Yoichi served in senior product & sales roles at Fidelity International and Legg Mason Asset Management among other financial services firms Head of APAC Private Wealth at Blue Owl said: "Success for global asset managers in the Japanese wealth channel is predicated on deep relationships with the region's securities companies and a strong track-record of local-market operational expertise Yoichi's nearly 25-years of experience exemplifies these two qualifications enabling Blue Owl to come to the Japanese market with an established senior leader We look forward to what Yoichi and the Japanese team can accomplish with the full backing of Blue Owl's USD $235 billion private markets platform." Head of Japan Private Wealth at Blue Owl said: "It is an honor to join one of the fastest growing global private markets firms Blue Owl's strategies are focused on seeking income generation and capital preservation two characteristics that we believe will continue to be well-received by the Japanese wealth channel I am excited to work with Johann as well as Blue Owl's President and CEO of Global Private Wealth Sean Connor to further scale the Japanese wealth business as we look to launch new products and offerings in-market over the next year." Blue Owl is a global leader in bringing premiere private markets solutions to the private wealth channel The firm employs an industry-leading team of over 140 dedicated professionals serving over 125,000 clients globally Blue Owl Private Wealth is a tenured and established leader in in the APAC region partnering with several of the largest wealth platforms to deliver differentiated solutions across its three investment platforms (Credit Blue Owl (NYSE: OWL) is a leading asset manager that is redefining alternatives With $235 billion in assets under management as of September 30 we invest across three multi-strategy platforms: Credit Anchored by a strong permanent capital base we provide businesses with private capital solutions to drive long-term growth and offer institutional investors and insurance companies differentiated alternative investment opportunities that aim to deliver strong performance Together with over 1,050 experienced professionals, Blue Owl brings the vision and discipline to create the exceptional. To learn more, visit www.blueowl.com Certain statements made in this release are "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 the words "estimates," "projected," "expects," "anticipates," "forecasts," "plans," "intends," "believes," "seeks," "may," "will," "would," "should," "future," "propose," "target," "goal," "objective," "outlook" and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements Any such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions available under applicable securities laws and speak only as of the date made Blue Owl assumes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements except as required by law These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number of known and unknown risks many of which are outside Blue Owl's control that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements Ann DaiHead of Investor Relations[email protected] Nick TheccanatPrincipal, Corporate Communications & Government Affairs[email protected] Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2147951/5097931/Blue_Owl_Capital_Inc_Logo.jpg announced today the hiring of John Valtwies to lead the firm's.. announced today the hiring of Johann Santer as a Managing.. Banking & Financial Services Personnel Announcements Do not sell or share my personal information: TechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.TechTarget and Informa we power an unparalleled network of 220+ online properties covering 10,000+ granular topics serving an audience of 50+ million professionals with original We help you gain critical insights and make more informed decisions across your business priorities The Japanese company wants to build success on an ethos of 'creativity and contribution.' Dynasty Warriors and Ninja Gaiden developer Koei Tecmo has appointed Hisashi Koinuma as its new CEO Koinuma will begin his tenure as representative director He previously served as representative director and COO of Koei Tecmo Games who will remain with the company as representative director and chairman of Koei Tecmo Holdings It's a notable shift for the Japanese company Yoichi Erikawa founded Koei Tecmo alongside his wife Keiko Erikawa in 1978 the company was simply known as 'Koei' and focused on personal computer sales It soon pivoted into game development and eventually adopted its current moniker following a merger with Tecmo in 2008 Keiko Erikawa will also be shuffling roles and intends to step down as representative director and chairman to become director and chairman emeritus Both co-founders will also relinquish their leadership positions within Koei Tecmo Games Hisashi Koinuma will subsequently lead the division as representative director Koei Tecmo will initiate an absorption-type company split to establish Koei Tecmo Corporate Finance as a new subsidiary The investment functions of Koei Tecmo Games will be bundled into the new division The Japanese company said the move will "strengthen governance related to investment functions and achieve optimal cash management." Koei Tecmo Games will continue conducting business as usual following the split Koei Tecmo said it intends to become the "world's number one digital entertainment company" under its new leadership team by channelling the spirit of "creativity and contribution." Copyright © 2025. This website is owned and operated by Informa TechTarget, part of a global network that informs, influences and connects the world’s technology buyers and sellers. All copyright resides with them. Informa PLC’s registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. TechTarget, Inc.’s registered office is 275 Grove St. Newton, MA 02466. Mr Takemura will report functionally to Yun Zhang Takemura’s appointment will help us deliver the Barclays franchise to clients.” Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" With FNG's Newsletter you'll get all the latest breaking FX Industry news stories - in a concise daily email Get FNG's daily newsletter to receive notice of all articles like this one A Japanese girl recently announced her marriage to Yoichi Isagi from BLUE LOCK, posting photos from her ceremony, showing off her ring and posing with a life-size cutout of the character.The TikTok account’s first video was a celebration of Isagi’s birthday on April 1 after which there were a few more videos celebrating the character before the symbolic ‘wedding’ that followed on December 24 Also read:Why Blue Lock Season 2 Is Good Despite the FlawsBlue Lock Casts Voice Actor Mamoru Miyano as Michael Kaiser where she apologized to everyone who thought it was an official wedding and addressed concerns of marrying a minor This isn’t the first time a fan announced a symbolic marriage to a fictional character. One of the most famous cases was in 2018, when Akihiko Kondo announced his marriage to Hatsune Miku.Muneyuki Kaneshiro writes the BLUE LOCK manga Kodansha is publishing the manga in English the project to create the ultimate egoistical striker that will take Japan to a World Cup trophy BLUE LOCK Season 2 anime topped our final weekly ranking (Week 12).Update (Dec 31): Added the latest post from X (formerly Twitter) Source: @kintsuba_41 on TikTokFeatured image: ©Muneyuki Kaneshiro Boghosian.Save this storySaveSave this storySaveYoichi Okamoto Lyndon Baines Johnson’s chief official White House photographer set the bar high for visually documenting the presidency LBJ gave Okamoto unprecedented access to his private moments and public events because he knew the importance of having a visual archive for history’s sake Looking at Okamoto’s behind-the-scenes photographs I was fortunate to be an official White House photographer for President Ronald Reagan and then, 20 years later, the chief official White House photographer for President Barack Obama. During his administration, I was granted unprecedented fly-on-the-wall access I was able to show context and emotion in my photographs I was able to capture moments that showed the humanity of both presidents in good times (The landing page reads: “The official photostream of the White House Joined January 2025.” Flickr was also the main receptacle of official photos under Barack Obama and Joe Biden.) Numerous still photographs also appear on the @POTUS and @WhiteHouse Instagram and Facebook accounts often with superimposed campaign-like words or graphics though the president’s feed has many photos and videos as do the White House feeds for X and TikTok.) It is apparent that the current official photographers have unlimited access to all of Trump’s public events—and good access to some situations not open to the press I have no criticism of the technical or aesthetic quality of their images They do a standout job documenting the situations they have access to I personally know two of his official photographers one of whom worked for me during the early part of the Obama administration Or he’s seated in a chair next to a head of state at the opposite end of the Oval at times verbally spewing word salad often mixed with falsehoods President Reagan helps Nancy Reagan after riding horses during a trip to Camp David 1984.Official White House Photo by Pete Souza.President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama dance during the Governors Ball on February 22 2009.Official White House Photo by Pete Souza.Each album of photos posted on Flickr has a title a recent album of 43 photos is entitled “President Trump signs executive orders alongside Sec of Education Linda McMahon and wounded warriors in the Oval Office.” In one photo about a dozen MAGA hats are on the Resolute Desk is shown handing out the autographed hats or signing prostheses I applaud Trump for doing an event with the wounded warriors But how do the “executive orders” relate to them Why not identify them and tell us their stories The only recognizable person in this album is Donald Trump (notwithstanding that some people might recognize the education secretary) And judging from the lack of information about the other people pictured and the sheer volume of imagery (He is wearing headphones over a red MAGA hat that is signed with his own autograph.) where Trump claimed he had just purchased one of Musk’s vehicles There appear to be no officially released pictures of him at his club in Florida after his raft of tariffs caused many an American’s 401(k) to plummet Do photographs from these situations exist Could they be holding them back for an album about the first 100 days The embedded metadata has no photographer credited but includes the copyright notice “Ukrainian Presidential Press Office.” To my eye and I surmise it was taken not by an official photographer but by one of Zelenskyy’s aides A similar version later appeared on some of the White House social media accounts the practice under Obama was to allow me to photograph all head-of-state calls during his eight years in office It’s just a picture of a guy on a phone.” But photographs can show the mood and emotion during such a high-level conversation A photograph can show where the call is taking place A photograph can show who else is in the room These visual elements are crucial for the record On January 6, 2021, during the insurrection at the Capitol, President Trump remained in the Oval Office dining room for several hours, watching the situation unfold on television There are no photographs of this because Trump barred his chief photographer “No photos for the rest of the day.” To her credit Everything that’s happening today is historical.… You’ll want photos for the archives But Trump’s assistant purportedly wouldn’t budge as described in Craighead’s sworn testimony “He doesn’t want any photos.” (Michael was not questioned by the committee about Craighead’s assertions which were made nearly three months after Michael testified.) Trump has a rather unique sense of what he thinks is a good photograph of himself One memorable picture from Craighead during Trump’s first term really stands out The president had a contentious meeting in the Cabinet Room with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi surrounded by male congressional leaders and Joint Chiefs of Staff chair Mark Milley pointing her right index finger towards Trump Milley and others seated next to Trump are looking down seemingly embarrassed at what’s taking place Trump himself made the photo public. He posted it on what was then Twitter with the caption “Nervous Nancy’s unhinged meltdown.” Many other observers Nancy Pelosi is a badass for standing up to the bully made the image the cover photo on both her Twitter and Facebook profiles is the chief official White House photographer for Trump 2.0.) after he was indicted on charges of plotting to overturn the state’s vote count in the 2020 presidential election is still pending.) The placement of that front page sets a tone: I can do anything; nothing’s going to stop me It’s probably no coincidence that his official photographic portrait echoes the scowl and pose from that mug shot was so lifelike that to my eye it was reminiscent of a Richard Avedon portrait Trump recently had Obama’s portrait removed and positioned in another location not far away But what’s particularly galling is that in its place Trump decided to hang a painting depicting the well-known photograph of himself pumping his fist in the air after the July 2024 assassination attempt one of them evangelist Franklin Graham (son of Billy Graham) seemingly unaware of how his expression and gesture diverge from the gravity of the instant conveyed behind him It’s a jarring contrast to the moment when convention dictates that the official White House photostream will be locked and become forever viewable under the propriety of the National Archives I wonder what people will think as they look back at these albums of photographs That’s assuming the National Archives still exists who served on the photo staff of President Ronald Reagan spent eight years as Barack Obama’s chief official White House photographer the subject of Dawn Porter’s documentary The Way I See It has gained renown for his Instagram feed (@petesouza on which he has posted images from his time in the Obama White House—images that contrasted sharply with those from Donald Trump’s first term These juxtapositions became the subject of his book a follow-up to his #1 New York Times bestseller Obama: An Intimate Portrait Souza published The West Wing and Beyond: What I Saw Inside the Presidency How Miriam Adelson Went From Big MAGA Winner to Casino Loser in Trump’s First 100 Days Trump’s Lies Are Finally Catching Up to Him The UK Has Found Another Reason to Be Mad at Meghan Markle The Ballad of Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson The Truth Underlying Pete Hegseth’s Job Security Why Are Americans So Obsessed With Protein How Sebastian Stan Became Hollywood’s Most Daring Shape-Shifter Every Quentin Tarantino Movie Meet Elon Musk’s 14 Children and Their Mothers (Whom We Know of) From the Archive: Sinatra and the Mob Today's print edition Home Delivery Barclays has hired former Garda Capital Partners portfolio manager Yoichi Takemura to strengthen its yen rates trading business as global financial companies compete for talent to capitalize on Japan’s revived $7.1 trillion government bond market according to an internal memo and confirmed by a spokesperson He will oversee yen rates and foreign exchange trading in Tokyo bringing nearly two decades of experience in those operations.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Takemura’s recruitment comes less than a year after he was hired by U.S In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division Producing a memorable anime requires talent and dedication Onishi's colleague and also renowned animator Inoue mourned the loss of his friend and revealed his regret at not being able to meet him before his death I received a message from animator Tomita-kun who designed the characters for “Jigoku Sensei Nube” but for the last two or three days he hasn't shown up Onishi contributed to episodes of Dragon Ball Super Goku Black arc His participation in the franchise began much earlier with iconic films such as Dragon Ball: The Path to Power Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan and Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unbound Onishi worked on landmark works such as Assassination Classroom His vast career in animation leaves a legacy that will be remembered for decades Our hearts go out to Yoichi Onishi's friends and family at this difficult time keep following AnimeNew for more news and tributes in the world of anime Source: Facebook © 2009 - 2025 AnimeNew, All images on this site belong to their respective owners. The Nikka distillery is a mustWhen Masataka Taketsuru returned to Japan from Scotland a century ago he brought the expertise to make great whisky Nikka Yoichi whisky distillery in Hokkaido SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy link Share via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe There are still patches of snow on the ground when I arrive at the Nikka distillery in Yoichi It’s mid-April and further south the rest of Japan is basking in a balmy spring: in Tokyo a couple of days ago it was T-shirt weather; travelling through Hirosaki on the way up here the cherry blossoms were in full bloom Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. How Takahiko Soga has redefined Japanese winemaking in Yoichi By The road before us rolls out like a white ribbon We wind through dusted hillsides on frosty roads passing trellised vines lining back gardens Our chatter has slowed to a stop so as not to disturb the silence I’m here chasing an obsession; after tasting one of the most elusive wines in the international market I’ve been fantasizing about tasting it again ever since Takahiko Soga’s ‘Nana Tsu Mori’ leads me to Japan’s northernmost island and I’ve bagged myself an appointment with the Godfather of Yoichi himself I’m here in Yoichi—ichi-go ichi-e—seeking the phantom wine.  Takahiko Soga meets me at the door of his cellar sagacious and still against a sheet of white He appears a man as mystical as the wines he makes and I must be one of the million sommeliers and journalists “Your vines—they’re covered in snow,” I probe as we trudge up the slope of his famed ‘Nana Tsu Mori’ vineyard “This amount of snow is good,” he replies with a kind seriousness global warming has been crucial for achieving grape ripeness a yearly increase in temperature could be devastating to his crop his beloved Pinot Noir won’t survive Yoichi’s harsh weather conditions It takes no expert to understand that vineyard management in Hokkaido is not for the faint of heart With subzero winters thawing into sweltering summers no sooner does the panic of frost resolve does the fear of rot set in It takes patience to understand this unique region—to make wine there takes a miracle Winemaking is not necessarily new to Japan Japan’s relationship with wine dates back to the late 1400s when high-class elites first tasted imported wine a Western-style winemaking method had already been published in Japanese Records of large-scale vineyard planting date back to the 19th century interest was slow and a climate unsympathetic to grape growing meant investment was apprehensive It wasn’t until the 21st century that Japan even recognized Yamanashi as its first Geographical Indication for wine this is where most of Japan’s wine production still happens Yoichi is more commonly associated with another beverage: whisky Yoichi became synonymous with whisky production almost 100 years ago with the establishment of the Nikka Whisky Distillery in the 1930s and will forever be the birth-site of the Japanese whisky revolution when one of Soga’s Pinot’s wiggled into the wine list at Noma in Copenhagen a new spotlight permanently cast itself over Hokkaido wine—and for good reason.  Soga’s entry into the world of wine began early man-made wines crafted as souvenirs for tourists he turned to farm work instead and developed a sensitivity to nature that shapes his winemaking today After a decade of learning viticulture with Californian mentor Bruce Gutlove at Coco Farm on Japan’s mainland Soga was ready to put the skills he’d learned to use and start shaping his own path This was the early 2000s when the whole world began looking at low-intervention sustainable farming and winemaking under a whole new lens—a movement we now know as ‘natural wine’ After attending a seminar on Biodynamics with the great Nicolas Joly He made a commitment then to sustainable farming and has never looked back he seems as steadfast in his decision as ever I’ve thought about that phrase quite a lot in the months since I first met Takahiko Soga The notion that place shapes wine is not a new one—like tasting the sea in a glass of Chablis and discovering that soil there is peppered with oyster shells Yoichi’s unique terroir is made up of a cool climate a variety of microorganisms that provide critical microbial diversity a thick topsoil atop volcanic clay and Basalt This forms from the cooling of volcanic lava—one of nature’s miracles Soga claims the dirt of Yoichi is where the umami character in his wines comes from.  The key to understanding great Japanese wine is thinking about Japan’s gastronomic heritage Pairing red wine with fish may seem like the cardinal sin Soga swears that his wines are great with sushi and sashimi He isn’t wrong—one of the greatest meals I ever ate was fugu alongside Nana Tsu Mori ‘16 What sets these wines apart from any other region is an inherent flavor profile that’s distinctly Japanese.  Fondly nicknamed “the phantom wine” for a tendency to appear on the market and then disappear almost as quickly Nana Tsu Mori is the domaine’s flagship cuvee there are some vintage-dependent wines in production Nana Tsu Mori Blanc de Noir is a compelling white wine made using Botrytis-infected Pinot Noir (Noble Rot) The result is an inimitable expression of jasmine tea Soga also works closely with neighboring growers of Yoichi to produce a Passetoutgrain—a juicy thirst-quenching red made with Pinot Noir and negotiant Zweigelt Clos da Descion is arguably Soga’s most elusive cuvee (even more elusive than his phantom Nana Tsu Mori) It’s 100% Pinot Noir from a plot who Keiichi Murakumi The result is an altogether different beast; darker with firmer tannins and an incredible structure Soga’s approach is simple: do as little as possible natural winemaking is about trial and error A vintage in life can be somewhat emotional; the devastation that frost can bring overnight you have wines that entrench themselves in honesty—living proof of a place Isn’t that more interesting than something that always tastes the same back inside the barn that Soga coins as a cellar Whole cluster fermentation is the inclusion of grape stems in the fermentation process of winemaking To destem or not destem is an age-old conversation still happening in Burgundy and I had a feeling that Soga’s choice would be one of style “I cannot convince a Japanese farmer to sit and remove the stems If we have volunteers here for harvest and it starts raining so we get them to destem instead.” I should have guessed He believes that the future of Yoichi is steeped in the growing community around him The influence of his mentorship within the region is hard to ignore forming some of the most exciting parts of the country’s winemaking community whose winery is around the corner from Soga’s is producing particularly expressive Zweigelt He is following Soga’s template of organic farming and simple winemaking—with delicious results His wines have gained somewhat of a cult following within Japan Murmurs of their quality are already stirring up elsewhere.  Atsuo Yamanaka has made a home for his winery Domaine Mont after finishing two years of work with Soga in 2016 He finds the variety’s delicate flavor comparable to the country’s most beloved beverage continues Soga’s philosophy of simplicity and sustainability He currently employs Japan’s first Master Sommelier Takamatsu already has big plans for his own future in Yoichi I feel a weight of honor after having caught a glimpse of a region so on the threshold of something wonderful Japan has watched Yoichi grow from a little town with only two wineries to speak of to a living breathing wine region boasting seventeen domains and a willingness to etch out its own identity If you enjoyed this article about Japanese wine, you might also enjoy reading The 9 Best Japanese Whiskies for Gifting. From purple sweet potatoes to wild horse sightings, here’s how to make the most of Okinawa’s tropical escape Explore the best local brands shaping Tokyo’s fashion scene From vintage clothing to Hawaiian-themed goods, here’s what’s worth checking out before it’s gone From buying and registering a bike to key rules of the road Collagen staples for beauty and health in Japan Our handpicked list of the best events going on this month. Love, identity, and the untold tales of Japan’s queer community Everything you need to know before and during a natural disaster Stay up to date with Tokyo news and events Hisashi Koinuma will replace Yoichi Erikawa as Koei Tecmo’s president and CEO The gaming company’s announcement also included an absorption-type split set for the first day of April Koei Tecmo is set on transitioning into AAA games from the mobile gaming .. Koei Tecmo is set on transitioning into AAA games from the mobile gaming market one of Japan’s oldest video game companies The Atelier and Ninja Gaiden game maker will make the transition with many of its old guards paving the way for new leadership will step down and make way for long-standing executive Hisashi Koinuma Koinuma joined Koei Tecmo in 1994 and has served as the company’s CEO of video game development and publishing the change is part of plans to pave the way for the company’s next generation of management The changes will include the appointment of other key executives across various divisions of Koei Tecmo and its subsidiaries Yosuke Hayashi will take over as Director and Executive Vice President of the AAA Games Studio Mei Erikawa was also appointed as director and managing executive officer Erikawa will oversee the Ruby Party division and simultaneously act as Deputy General Manager of the Marketing Division The leadership changes will allow co-founders Yōichi and Keiko Erikawa to step down from leadership roles to continue overseeing investments Koei Tecmo also announced a corporate split that aims to streamline the Japanese company’s financial operations The announcement revealed Koei Tecmo Corporate Finance Co. The subsidiary will manage the Japanese video game company’s investment portfolio following an absorption-type company split The transition is set to be finalized on April 1 Gamers online reacted to Koei Tecmo’s announcement of leadership changes and company restructuring Some gamers supported the changes and said that they were surprised but confident that the company would succeed since its co-founders are still in supervisory roles View of the Tokyo skyline from Tokyo tower by oneinchpunchphotos/Envato Blue Owl Capital hired Yoichi Nakamura as a managing director and head of Japan Private Wealth advancing its push into the region's high-net-worth market out of the firm’s Tokyo office Nakamura reports to Johann Santer, managing director and head of APAC Private Wealth, who joined Blue Owl from Fidelity last May A veteran senior leader with deep relationships across Japanese securities companies and brings an executive with a track-record of scaling the private wealth businesses of global asset managers in Japan Nakamura's hire reinforces Blue Owl's commitment to serving the largest securities companies and wealth managers in Japan Blue Owl boasts a $235 billion private markets platform that has been looking to offer to wealth management firms in Asia Pacific The firm employs a team of over 140 dedicated professionals serving over 125,000 clients globally Blue Owl Private Wealth is a tenured and established leader in the APAC region GP Strategic Capital and Real Estate) to individual investors The new hire in follows the addition in August of John Valtwies to head up the firm’s private wealth business in Australia. He joined after serving as a senior leader of the Global Wealth Management team at PIMCO "Success for global asset managers in the Japanese wealth channel is predicated on deep relationships with the region's securities companies and a strong track-record of local-market operational expertise," said Santer in a statement "Yoichi's nearly 25-years of experience exemplifies these two qualifications enabling Blue Owl to come to the Japanese market with an established senior leader." Nakamura served most recently as CEO Japan of Algebris Investments building the asset management firm's team and operations in Tokyo his team secured investment mandates across alternative strategies from Japan's leading securities companies and wealth managers Nakamura served in senior product and sales roles at Fidelity International and Legg Mason Asset Management "Blue Owl's strategies are focused on seeking income generation and capital preservation two characteristics that we believe will continue to be well-received by the Japanese wealth channel,” said Nakamura "I am excited to work with Johann as well as Blue Owl's President and CEO of Global Private Wealth Sean Connor to further scale the Japanese wealth business as we look to launch new products and offerings in-market over the next year." 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Osaka This iconic purveyor of the classic Japanese comfort food of omurice celebrated its centennial in 2022 and operates some 15 branches across the Kansai region Founded as an upscale restaurant dedicated to yoshoku the Meiji-era Japanese interpretation of ‘Western’ food Hokkyokusei is considered the birthplace of omurice a dish reputedly coined here in response to a regular’s request and now the eatery’s sole focus Housed in a traditional building that was once a tea house Hokkyokusei’s main restaurant in Nishi-Shinsaibashi serves its Western-inspired fare in certifiably Japanese surroundings Guests sit on tatami mats around low tables most of which offer a view of the small Japanese garden in the centre of the building but first-time visitors will want to go for the orthodox chicken omurice: pan-fried chicken and rice flavoured with soy sauce wrapped in a fluffy two-egg omelette splashed with the restaurant’s signature tomato sauce The perfectly smooth omelette comes with a palate-cleansing side of ginger slices pickled in sweetened vinegar There’s also a small selection of other side dishes with the karaage fried chicken a particular highlight Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twittertiktokAbout us Contact us By Japanese whisky makes an elegant gift for any occasion and high demand have driven prices up and out of reach—100 million Yen for a bottle of 55-year-old Yamazaki I propose a list I curated that’s within reach for the everyday person with many categories to select from for the best Japanese whiskies for gifting Welcome to my updated article with an addendum This compilation originally went online a few years ago and has proven so immensely popular that it justified a rewrite The evidence is that Japanese whiskies’ popularity has spiked over the past decade and there have been no signs of slowing down that many distilleries have capitalized on the demand by raising their prices And it’s one of those things where once the prices go up you’re just about guaranteed never to see a price drop So it’s best to get what you want off the ship before it sails raised the prices of their premium whiskies back in April 2022 and again the following year by as much as 2.25 times raised the prices of all their whiskies from 10% to as much as 56% and amazingly delicious gift that you could have given to anyone who drinks has become a gift that you’re probably going to only give to those you truly love at the utmost I’ll include a range of options so that budget-minded readers have something worthwhile they can buy as well I don’t necessarily want to include the manufacturer’s suggested retail price next to these whiskies because the prices fluctuate so much that they wouldn’t stay updated for long I’ll use the yen symbol (¥) to indicate what you can expect to pay—one symbol for under ¥10,000 and three for a wild ride on the expensive side the age statement variants are better (and more expensive) but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the no-age statement (NAS) version I don’t know anyone who would refuse this as a gift Do you know what’s even better than a bottle? This Mt. Fuji and Hakushu Distillery Tour. this is a Japanese whisky made chiefly from corn in column “Coffey” stills this fools some enthusiasts into thinking there is It has a grainy bourbon-like aroma with the taste of light fruits and watermelon The appearance of this whisky in the 2003 film Lost in Translation saw actor Bill Murray’s character Bob Harris popularize Japanese whisky in real life from his famous fictional Japanese “Suntory Time” commercial but I’ve included a cheaper version on this list for the budget-conscious There are essentially only two world whiskies Suntory’s Ao and Nikka’s Session While the Nikka is a blend of three distilleries’ whiskies from two countries (Japan and Scotland) Suntory’s blend is from seven distilleries located throughout five major whisky regions (Japan I prefer the Ao because the taste resembles Suntory’s Hibiki Japanese Harmony “Why is bourbon on this list?” Let me explain The Kirin Brewery Company purchased the Four Roses distillery in 2002 Yoichi is the flagship single malt from Nikka’s first distillery of the same name Founder Taketsuru chose Yoichi in Hokkaido because of its similarity to Scotland this would be the closest relative climate you’ll find elements of nature such as grass Those accustomed to Scotch and familiar with Japanese whiskies will feel right at home with this in-between whisky Easily recognizable by its Daruma doll bottle shape this smooth and sweet whisky is readily available at almost all supermarkets and liquor shops in Japan This is the NAS version of the Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky range that includes the 25 12 and out-of-production 10-year-old whiskies the NAS has a more balanced flavor than the next tier-up Try it before you buy it at the Yamazaki Whisky Museum Many people prefer the taste of single malt whisky compared to blended whisky Malt whiskies are produced in a single distillery and then blended together Blended whiskies are produced in multiple distilleries I’m recommending Hibiki as the best overall choice because the presentation is second to none The bottle full of Japanese tradition features an Echizen washi paper label with the kanji for Hibiki written in shodo (Japanese calligraphy) The 24 facets or sides around the bottle symbolize the 24 hours of the day and sekki (24 seasons) of the traditional Japanese calendar I couldn’t discard my bottle because of its beauty Whisky starts at 40% alcohol by volume (ABV) and only goes up from there don’t attempt to purchase and mail it out of the country It’s prohibited to send alcohol above 20% ABV internationally the only way to get it out of the country legally is in your checked baggage if you plan to visit home If you’re interested in learning more about the Japanese whiskey world, check out my book “50 Japanese Whiskies.” Also Brian Ashcraft’s “Japanese Whisky: The Ultimate Guide to the World’s Most Desirable Spirit“ gifting or receiving whisky can be satisfying as it is not meant to be thrown back like tequila Curious about life in Japan?From social trends to cultural insights, get thoughtful stories delivered straight to your inbox.Sign up for our newsletter and stay connected to Japan’s evolving society From purple sweet potatoes to wild horse sightings here’s how to make the most of Okinawa’s tropical escape From vintage clothing to Hawaiian-themed goods here’s what’s worth checking out before it’s gone Our handpicked list of the best events going on this month and the untold tales of Japan’s queer community image: Perfluoroalkyl substances and fluorinated polymers are efficiently decomposed into fluoride ions under ambient conditions by irradiating visible LED light onto semiconductor nanocrystals The decomposition is driven by cooperative mechanisms involving light-induced ligand displacement and Auger-induced electron injection utilizing hydrated electrons and higher excited states Credit: Professor Yoichi Kobayashi from Ritsumeikan University nicknamed ‘forever chemicals,’ pose a growing environmental and health threat PFASs and perfluorinated polymers or PFs have been widely used for their exceptional stability and resistance to water and heat These properties made them ideal for countless applications from cookware and clothing to firefighting foam this very stability has become a major problem PFASs do not easily break down in the environment where they are known to cause carcinogenic effects and hormonal disruptions these chemicals can be found in drinking water supplies Although there are plans to phase out PFAS production treating them remains challenging as they decompose only at temperatures exceeding 400 °C certain amounts of products containing PFASs and PFs end up in landfills potentially creating future contamination risks Now, a room-temperature defluorination method proposed by researchers at Ritsumeikan University could revolutionize PFAS treatment. Their study, published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition on 19 June 2024 details a photocatalytic method that uses visible light to break down PFAS and other fluorinated polymers (FPs) at room temperature into fluorine ions the researchers achieved 100% defluorination of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) within just 8 hours of light exposure “The proposed methodology is promising for the effective decomposition of diverse perfluoroalkyl substances under gentle conditions thereby significantly contributing towards the establishment of a sustainable fluorine-recycling society,” says Professor Yoichi Kobayashi The proposed method involves irradiating visible LED light onto cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanocrystals and copper-doped CdS (Cu-CdS) nanocrystals with surface ligands of mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) in a solution containing PFAS The researchers found that irradiating these semiconductor nanocrystals generates electrons with a high reduction potential that break down the strong carbon-fluorine bonds in PFAS molecules the researchers added 0.8 mg of CdS nanocrystals (NCs) They then exposed the solution to 405-nanometer LED light to initiate the photocatalytic reaction generating electron-hole pairs and promoting the removal of MPA ligands from the surface of the nanocrystals creating space for PFOS molecules to adsorb onto the NC surface To prevent photoexcited electrons from recombining with holes TEOA is added to capture the holes and prolong the lifetime of the reactive electrons available for PFAS decomposition These electrons undergo an Auger recombination process where one exciton (an electron-hole pair) recombines non-radiatively transferring its energy to another electron These highly excited electrons possess enough energy to participate in chemical reactions with the PFOS molecules adsorbed on the NC surface The reactions lead to the breaking of carbon-fluorine (C-F) bonds in PFOS resulting in the removal of fluorine ions from the PFAS molecules was confirmed by laser flash photolysis measurements which identified transient species based on the absorption spectrum upon laser pulse excitation The defluorination efficiency depended on the amount of NCs and TEOA used in the reaction and increased with the period of light exposure the researchers also successfully achieved 81% defluorination of Nafion Nafion is widely used as an ion-exchange membrane in electrolysis and batteries Fluorine is a critical component in many industries from pharmaceuticals to clean energy technologies we can reduce reliance on fluorine production and establish a more sustainable recycling process “This technique will contribute to the development of recycling technologies for fluorine elements which are used in various industries and support our prosperous society,” concludes Prof DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202408687 Website: http://en.ritsumei.ac.jp/ Ritsumeikan University Research Report: https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/research/radiant/eng/ 10.1002/anie.202408687 Multiphoton-driven Photocatalytic Defluorination of Persistent Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Polymers by Visible Light are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system Copyright © 2025 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) SAKAMOTO DAYS revealed the preview for Episode 3, which is set to premiere on Netflix worldwide on January 25. The episode is titled “Welcome to Sugar Park,” and will feature the apperance of Nagumo, who is voiced in Japanese by Natsuki Hanae The synopsis for the episode is described: The twin assassins Son Hee and Bacho were defeated and Sakamoto and Shin successfully protected Lu’s precious family heirloom gets into an argument with Shin when Nagumo Sakamoto’s former colleague from his assassin days appears.Nagumo informs them that a bounty of 1 billion yen has been placed on Sakamoto’s head Sakamoto finds himself in the worst possible situation—taking his family to an amusement park… Yuto Suzuki writes and draws the source manga, which has been serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine since 2020. VIZ Media licensed the manga in English. The franchise also announced its first game for a Spring 2025 release, while the second part of the anime is set for July.Source: SAKAMOTO DAYS Official Website Rin Itoshi and Yoichi Isagi from the BLUE LOCK will appear on the cover of the special edition of the an an magazine, which is set for release on December 11. This is coming as the anime is heading towards the 2-episode special finale on December 28 which will conclude the match between BLUE LOCK and U-20 Japan.The cover features Rin Itoshi as the absolute champion of the BLUE LOCK project proudly wearing the captain’s armband the protagonist who kept evolving and earned a spot in the U-20 team The special edition of the an an magazine will include an encyclopedia focusing on the following seven key players from BLUE LOCK Season 2: including whether he is satisfied with the adaptation and the noticeable changes in animation between Season 1 and Season 2 Muneyuki Kaneshiro writes the BLUE LOCK manga, with art by Yusuke Nomura. Kodansha is publishing the manga in English. The story follows BLUE LOCK, the project to create the ultimate egoistical striker that will take Japan to a World Cup trophy. They are now facing the U-20 Japan, with Shido Ryusei set to make his debut.Source: Official anan X©Muneyuki Kaneshiro Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report the former editor in chief of The Asahi Shimbun recently published a massive two-volume work that examines Shinzo Abe’s second stint as prime minister in fine detail covers the years from 2012 until 2020 and is published by Bungeishunju Ltd Funabashi was asked about Abe’s political legacy as well as where Japanese politics should head in the future Question: What was your motive for publishing the book Funabashi: From his first stint as prime minister (2006-2007) Abe expressed incongruity with the Tokyo war crimes trial conducted by the Allies after World War II to try Class-A war criminals He continued to hold that view at the start of his second stint which left me concerned about his view of history But I felt that Abe changed his views after the statement issued in his name in 2015 to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II the atmosphere domestically was not conducive to a calm discussion because Japan was sharply divided between pro-Abe and anti-Abe camps That was when I decided to try and evaluate the policies strategy and governance of the Abe administration a month after Abe stepped down as prime minister I interviewed him a total of 19 times until June 2022 I also interviewed about 300 individuals both in Japan Q: While Abe’s own view of history does not clearly emerge from the 2015 statement what did you uncover through your interviews A: He held a strategic view of history based on the international situation at the time as well as based on Japan’s national interests Obama told Abe that China was trying to drive a wedge between Japan and the United States by focusing on Abe’s statements regarding his view of history Abe went to great lengths to avoid having it used as a “tool for a confrontation over history” under the assumption that China would continue to demand an apology from Japan After getting advice from former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda Abe met on several occasions with five moderate scholars the statement said that after the 1931 Manchurian Incident “Japan took the wrong course and advanced along the road to war.” There was no intention in the statement to challenge the findings of the Tokyo war crimes trial Abe also held discussions with Akihiro Ota That led to the phrase that future generations should not “be predestined to apologize” for what Japan did during the war Ota strongly supported the inclusion of predestined was named a Class-A war criminal although he was never indicted Abe grew up in a family in which a senior member was constantly being asked to atone for his war responsibility Security Treaty was revised in 1960 when Kishi was prime minister Japan has been content with depending on the United States for its national security and has lacked realistic thinking about such matters That was the basis of Abe’s view of history and led to his sense of mission to end once and for all what he described as the “postwar regime.” Q: What was behind Abe’s decision in 2014 to allow Japan to exercise its right to collective self-defense A: One of the first major issues he faced after becoming prime minister in late 2012 was how to defend the Senkaku Islands Relations with China were very tense because the previous administration led by the Democratic Party of Japan had acquired the disputed islands he passed on his intention to review the interpretation of the Constitution to allow for the exercise of the right to collective self-defense as one way to strengthen the alliance with the United States That deepened the Obama administration’s trust of Japan and it began sending signals that it would allow Japan to possess the ability to strike (enemy bases preparing to launch missile attacks) Washington repeatedly pressed Tokyo to acquire that first-strike capability Defense Secretary Jim Mattis visited Japan Abe told him Japan intended to possess that capability when Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula the Abe administration did not implement strict sanctions due to concerns it would have negative implications for negotiations over the Northern Territories A: The 1956 Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration had the Soviet Union handing over the Habomai islets and Shikotan of the Northern Territories when a peace treaty was signed The 1993 Tokyo Declaration agreed that the four islands of the Northern Territories would be subject to negotiations Abe felt that with China emerging as a major power Japan would be unable to take on a two-front battle if it did not sign a peace treaty with Russia Abe passed on to Russian President Vladimir Putin his intention to call it a draw over the Northern Territories by setting a territorial line dividing the four islands into two each for Japan and Russia Habomai and Shikotan would become Japanese territory but Russians would be given preferential treatment for activities on those two islands while Kunashiri and Etorofu would be recognized as Russian territory Japanese would be given preferential treatment for activities there Abe also told Putin that he was confident he could convince Trump not to place any U.S military bases on the Northern Territories Putin said he agreed to what he described as a realistic proposal Abe told me that Putin showed signs of elation at the proposal but that it was nowhere to be seen when they met the following year Q: You also touch upon the sale in 2016 of state-owned land to the Moritomo Gakuen educational institution at a sharply discounted price That scandal led to Finance Ministry officials rewriting documents and the suicide of a ministry official was honorary principal of Moritomo Gakuen at that time and the two got into an argument when Akie questioned what the problem was about her holding that ceremonial post asked the prime minister to admit Akie had moral responsibility for her connection to Moritomo That was a moment of crisis for the Abe administration Q: Another scandal was Abe’s office paying for a large part of the hotel dinner reception held for his supporters from Yamaguchi Prefecture on the eve of a cherry blossom viewing party in Tokyo the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office issued a summary indictment against an Abe aide for not properly including amounts in the political funds report A: After scholars and lawyers filed a criminal complaint against him Abe questioned his aides and learned that the support group had paid for the hotel reception He told Imai that he no longer had the will to continue the fight nor was he determined to revise his Diet responses He also touched upon what happened to Kakuei Tanaka after his arrest in the Lockheed bribery scandal Abe repeatedly gave Diet responses that were not based on fact While he apologized in the Lower House after resigning he could not avoid responsibility for having hurt the public trust in politicians and the political process He became vulnerable when he became complacent after trusting his close associates Q: But didn’t the ruling Liberal Democratic Party suffer a major defeat in the October Lower House election because of its own problems with governance A: The public undoubtedly punished the LDP for its less than transparent stance concerning money in politics There are similarities with the opaque nature of the cherry blossom viewing parties held under Abe Q: What are some of the questions raised today by the actions of the Abe administration A: Learning from lessons from his first stint Abe learned to be more patient and became a thorough realist willing to compromise Under geopolitical tensions symbolized by the confrontation between the United States and China as well as Japan’s declining population and fiscal problems Japan does not have a wide range of policy options realism was indispensable for Japan’s survival Abe strove to form a view of history that would serve as the nation’s foundation But if the intention of the state was to emerge too strongly The coalition with Komeito provided some sense of restraint and Abe also prevented drastic moves from the right wing because of his influence over that wing But political maneuvers will continue to be called into question with the expected confusion that will likely face the current administration When Trump first began his protectionist stance during his first term Abe got him to accept the strategic concept of a free and open Indo-Pacific region It is the mission of Japanese diplomacy to continue having the United States engaged in the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific Suga left with little to work with on Northern Territories issue Kishida is rewriting Abe’s Russia playbook Putin indicates reluctance to discuss disputed isles with Japan Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission BLUE LOCK’s concept of a ruthless training facility to create the ultimate striker is quite intense What are your thoughts about this type of setting we don’t understand why they are making them do the things that they do but when you watch the whole series or when you learn more about the series and Ego-san’s thoughts you start to realize how it actually connects to deeper parts of soccer and how to become number one in your own mind connecting the dots throughout the series is very interesting What aspects of Isagi’s personality do you find most interesting to portray Kazuki Ura: The most interesting aspect to portray is the transformation from the shy I’m always trying to find a way that I can best portray that transition and that transformation overcoming the challenges and putting the puzzle pieces together episode by episode so I put a lot of those thoughts into the voice acting as well The movie BLUE LOCK -Episode Nagi- shifts the focus to other characters What was it like taking a step back from voicing the main protagonist and viewing the events of BLUE LOCK from another perspective Kazuki Ura: It was a little weird not seeing my character as the protagonist but it was interesting to see how Isagi was viewed from a different perspective through another character a lot of Isagi’s inner monologue and maybe thoughts of weakness were more apparent he was kind of portrayed as this very powerful last boss to Nagi on the field It was interesting to also think back on my voice acting through season 1 and how it came full circle watching the movie I also think it ties in very well with how season 2 is going to go and how the voice acting will also become even more polished What message do you hope viewers take away from Isagi’s journey toward becoming an egoist Kazuki Ura: One message that I would like viewers to take away is that it’s okay to fail and it’s okay to fail and get back up again I think that a lot of people give up their dreams along the way because they can’t reach 100% It doesn’t matter what others think about you or if they laugh at you It’s about your ego and how you’re going to get back up and do it all over again So I’d like viewers to relate to me through Isagi’s character and to follow their dreams through finding their ego You have attended Anime NYC and now Anime Expo What are your thoughts on your interactions with overseas fans so far Kazuki Ura: The way that the crowd shows the love and energy the way that they do out here internationally is so different compared to Japan and the crowd in Japan Seeing the different reactions and also how special anime is how special BLUE LOCK is to the international crowd and being able to feel their energy was so special very happy that I was able to go on this trip Would you like to share anything with BLUE LOCK fans in anticipation of season 2 this fall the senseis of the original work came to the animation team and to the voice actors as well so they wanted us to have that same attitude and portray that energy into season 2 as well in whatever we did and I’m very sure that season 2 is going to exceed all the expectations that fans have It’s going to be a really spectacular season so I’m really excited for the fans to see it The first season of BLUE LOCK is available on Crunchyroll Want to read more interviews like this? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for updates on our anime charts and new content The convention will take place on November 1-3 at WestWorld Masukawa is perhaps best known for his role as Rock Lee in the Naruto franchise Source: UwU Con's website Metrics details Thin films of ferromagnetic topological insulator materials can host the quantum anomalous Hall effect without the need for an external magnetic field Inducing Cooper pairing in such a material is a promising way to realize topological superconductivity with the associated chiral Majorana edge states finding evidence of the superconducting proximity effect in such a state has remained a considerable challenge due to inherent experimental difficulties Here we demonstrate crossed Andreev reflection across a narrow superconducting Nb electrode that is in contact with the chiral edge state of a quantum anomalous Hall insulator an electron injected from one terminal is reflected out as a hole at the other terminal to form a Cooper pair in the superconductor This is a compelling signature of induced superconducting pair correlation in the chiral edge state The characteristic length of the crossed Andreev reflection process is found to be much longer than the superconducting coherence length in Nb which suggests that the crossed Andreev reflection is mediated by superconductivity induced on the quantum anomalous Hall insulator surface Our results will invite future studies of topological superconductivity and Majorana physics as well as for the search for non-abelian zero modes An I–V curve up to ±70 nA dominated by the current-induced breakdown of the QAHE Source data we have successfully observed the signature of CAR with a narrow Nb finger electrode (down to 160 nm width) in contact with the QAHI edge The finger-width dependence of the CAR signal gives the characteristic length of the CAR process that is much longer than the SC coherence length of Nb which suggests that it is not the superconductivity in the Nb electrode but the proximity-induced pairing in the QAHI beneath the Nb that is mediating the CAR process current to flow between contacts 1 and 4d; namely a voltage was applied to the normal metal contact 1 and the SC contact was grounded observed in this configuration consists of one cannot exclude the possibility that some vortices remain trapped at strong pinning centres Due to the chiral nature of the edge state no Andreev reflection occurs into the upstream edge a, Plots of VD versus Id.c. at different temperatures measured with the set-up shown in Fig. 1a extracted from the I–V curves in a at Id.c and the four-terminal longitudinal resistance Rxx (orange) indicating that the dissipationless transport of the QAHE is lost the 2D bulk resistance eventually dominants RD at T ≳ 100 mK Source data The solid black line is a fit of the data to \({{\Delta }}{R}_{{{{\rm{D}}}}}={R}_{0}\exp (-{W}_{{{{\rm{Nb}}}}}/{\xi }_{{{{\rm{CAR}}}}})\) Similar measurement as in a for the 160-nm-wide Nb electrode of device F fabricated on a different wafer a few months after film growth Reflecting the relatively large interface resistance between the QAHI film and the Nb electrode ΔRD ≃ −170 Ω was still obtained for this 160-nm-wide Nb electrode Source data For comparison, we show in Fig. 3c the data for a WNb = 160 nm sample (device F) which was fabricated several months after the film was grown The ageing of the film caused a large Rcontact and the CAR contribution \({{\Delta }}{R}_{{{{\rm{D}}}}}(={R}_{{{{\rm{D}}}}}^{{{{\rm{i}}}}})\) could not make RD become negative or zero even though the width of this sample was the same as that of device A we obtained Rcontact ≃ 420 Ω and ΔRD ≃ −170 Ω for this device F pointing to the robustness of the CAR process even for a poor contact Note that devices A–E were of higher quality because they were fabricated on a fresh QAHI film immediately after the growth that the disordered nature of the QAHI surface would cause the Andreev edge state to become diffusive and results in an equal mix of electrons and holes such that the Andreev edge state will not contribute to \({R}_{{{{\rm{D}}}}}^{{{{\rm{i}}}}}\) Taking ξs to be the SC coherence length of the mediating superconductor the CAR processes induce SC correlations across the SC finger and gives rise to negative \({R}_{{{{\rm{D}}}}}^{{{{\rm{i}}}}}\) when the finger width WSC is shorter than ξs the transport along the Andreev edge state dominates over CAR Schematic of the transport simulation set-up with a magnetic TI (MTI) thin film in the QAHI state The film is covered by a SC finger over a region with length LSC and width WSC We consider that the top surface of the MTI below the SC finger has been shifted out of the magnetic gap and proximitized into the TSC regime The leads (red) are set to be semi-infinite The disorder-averaged electron to hole conversion probability Teh (standard deviation indicated by shading) across the TSC region at a small bias energy E is shown as a function of LSC for three selected values of WSC The components of local current densities carried by electrons and holes as well as at the top and bottom surfaces plotted for the three different widths of the SC finger (indicated by black dashed lines) used in b indicated by the vertical red dashed line in b yields Teh > 0.5 for two out of three examples corresponding to a regime dominated by CAR for a narrow finger and by the chiral Majorana edge-channel interference for a wide finger Source data Our result extends the case of the stable dominance of electron to hole conversion and calls for a better theoretical understanding the platform presented here offers ample opportunities to address topological superconductivity Majorana physics and non-abelian zero modes The V-doped (BixSb1−x)2Te3 thin films were grown on InP (111)A substrates by molecular beam epitaxy in a ultrahigh vacuum Sb and Te were co-evaporated onto the substrate which was kept at a temperature of 190 °C to produce a uniform film of thickness ~8 nm The chemical potential was tuned into the magnetic gap for an optimized Bi:Sb beam-equivalent-pressure ratio of 1:4 A capping layer of 4 nm Al2O3 was made ex situ with atomic layer deposition at 80 °C using Ultratec Savannah S200 to protect the film from degradation in air The Hall-bar devices were patterned using standard optical lithography techniques The narrow Nb/Au SC contacts (45 nm/5 nm) and the Ti/Au normal metal contacts (5 nm/45 nm) were defined using electron-beam lithography The Al2O3 capping layer was selectively removed in heated aluminium etchant (Type-D before the sputter-deposition of the Ti/Au and Nb/Au layers in a ultrahigh vacuum Devices A–E reported in this paper were fabricated simultaneously on the same wafer whereas device F was made on a separate wafer A clean QAHE without the need for gating was observed in all devices Scanning electron microscopy was used to determine the width of the Nb electrodes which were covered with 5-nm-thick Au to avoid oxidation lock-in technique at low frequency (3–7 Hz) using lock-in amplifiers (LI5640 and LI5645 The magnetization measurements were performed using a commercial superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer (MPMS3 with the sample surface perpendicular to the applied magnetic field with σx,y,z and ρx,y,z the Pauli matrices acting on the spin and pseudospin (for the top and bottom surfaces) degrees of freedom the top–bottom surface hybridization m0 = −5 meV and m1 = 15 meV Å2 out-of-plane magnetization strength Mz = 50 meV and proximity-induced s-wave pairing potential Δ (on the top surface) with ∣Δ∣ = 10 meV (yielding an induced SC coherence length ξMTI = ℏvD/∣Δ∣ = 30 nm) These model parameters yielded a magnetic gap Egap = 2(Mz − ∣m0∣) = 90 meV meaning that the magnetic gap edge was 45 meV above the Dirac point We considered the chemical potential μ = 25 meV such that the Fermi level was nearly centred between the Dirac point and the magnetic gap edge To obtain a TSC regime in the region below the SC finger we introduced a local shift of Δμ = 75 meV to bring the local Fermi level well above the magnetic gap electrostatic) disorder was considered by adding a Gaussian random field to the on-site energies of the TI thin film near the position of the SC finger The disorder was characterized by the disorder strength S = 2 meV (the standard deviation of the Gaussian) and spatial correlation length λ = 10 nm Note that the model parameters did not reflect the device properties quantitatively as that would have required a scattering region several orders of magnitude larger than presently considered in our simulations (in particular due to the much larger SC finger size and induced SC coherence length) Our aim was to investigate the CAR (ξMTI ≈ WSC) and Majorana interference (ξMTI ≫ WSC) regimes qualitatively Josephson current and noise at a superconductor/quantum-spin-Hall-insulator/superconductor junction Chiral topological superconductor from the quantum Hall state Fractionalizing Majorana fermions: non-abelian statistics on the edges of abelian quantum Hall states Superconducting proximity effect on the edge of fractional topological insulators Exotic non-abelian anyons from conventional fractional quantum Hall states Fractional topological superconductor with fractionalized Majorana fermions Superconducting analogue of the parafermion fractional quantum Hall states Induced superconductivity in the quantum spin Hall edge 4π-periodic Josephson supercurrent in HgTe-based topological Josephson junctions Exotic circuit elements from zero-modes in hybrid superconductor–quantum-Hall systems Crossed Andreev effects in two-dimensional quantum Hall systems Nonlocal superconducting correlations in graphene in the quantum Hall regime Crossed Andreev reflection in spin-polarized chiral edge states due to the Meissner effect Andreev reflection in strong magnetic fields Conductance oscillations with magnetic field of a two-dimensional electron gas–superconductor junction Andreev transport in two-dimensional normal-superconducting systems in strong magnetic fields Inducing superconducting correlation in quantum Hall edge states Interference of chiral Andreev edge states Induced superconducting pairing in integer quantum Hall edge states Andreev reflection in the fractional quantum Hall state Universal topological quantum computation from a superconductor-abelian quantum Hall heterostructure Topological phases with parafermions: theory and blueprints Chiral topological superconductor and half-integer conductance plateau from quantum anomalous Hall plateau transition Deterministic creation and braiding of chiral edge vortices Electrical detection of the Majorana fusion rule for chiral edge vortices in a topological superconductor Time-resolved electrical detection of chiral edge vortex braiding Coherent control of single electrons: a review of current progress Absence of evidence for chiral Majorana modes in quantum anomalous Hall-superconductor devices Spectroscopic fingerprint of chiral Majorana modes at the edge of a quantum anomalous Hall insulator/superconductor heterostructure Quantized anomalous Hall effect in magnetic topological insulators Experimental observation of the quantum anomalous Hall effect in a magnetic topological insulator High-precision realization of robust quantum anomalous Hall state in a hard ferromagnetic topological insulator Anomalous Fraunhofer patterns in gated Josephson junctions based on the bulk-insulating topological insulator BiSbTeSe2 Electrically tunable spin polarization of chiral edge modes in a quantum anomalous Hall insulator Current-induced breakdown of the quantum anomalous Hall effect Current-driven instability of the quantum anomalous Hall effect in ferromagnetic topological insulators Part-per-million quantization and current-induced breakdown of the quantum anomalous Hall effect Bulk dissipation in the quantum anomalous Hall effect Quantum anomalous Hall edge channels survive up to the Curie temperature Mesoscopic transport of quantum anomalous Hall effect in the submicron size regime Confinement-induced chiral edge channel interaction in quantum anomalous Hall insulators Survival of the quantum anomalous Hall effect in orbital magnetic fields as a consequence of the parity anomaly Fate of quantum anomalous Hall effect in the presence of external magnetic fields and particle-hole asymmetry Critical field limitation of the niobium superconducting RF cavity 583–587 (High Energy Accelerator Research Organization Vortex-enabled Andreev processes in quantum Hall–superconductor hybrids Superconductivity and fermionic dissipation in quantum Hall edges Large non-reciprocal charge transport mediated by quantum anomalous Hall edge states Supercurrent rectification and magnetochiral effects in symmetric Josephson junctions Transition from metallic to tunneling regimes in superconducting microconstrictions: excess current Solid State Physics (Saunders Collage Publishing Upper critical field and superconductor-metal transition in ultrathin niobium films Criticality in the crossed Andreev reflection of a quantum Hall edge Probing neutral Majorana fermion edge modes with charge transport Electrically detected interferometry of Majorana fermions in a topological insulator Disorder-enabled Andreev reflection of a quantum Hall edge Geometrical effects on the downstream conductance in quantum-Hall–superconductor hybrid systems Supercurrent-enabled Andreev reflection in a chiral quantum Hall edge state Kwant: a software package for quantum transport Quasi-one-dimensional quantum anomalous Hall systems as new platforms for scalable topological quantum computation Uday, A. et al. Induced superconducting correlations in a quantum anomalous Hall insulator. Zenodo https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11231864 (2023) Download references Yoshimi for their advice on the growth of QAHI films This project has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant Agreement No 741121) and was also funded by the German Research Foundation under Germany’s Excellence Strategy – Cluster of Excellence Matter and Light for Quantum Computing EXC 2004/1 (Project No 390534769) and by the German Research Foundation under CRC 1238 Subprojects A04 and B01 (Project No acknowledges support from KU Leuven’s special research fund and the Research Foundation – Flanders acknowledges support from the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs Regional Development and Energy within Bavaria’s High-Tech Agenda Project ‘Bausteine für das Quantencomputing auf Basis topologischer Materialien mit experimentellen und theoretischen Ansätzen’ (Grant Allocation No the QuantERA grant MAGMA and the German Research Foundation (Grant No Open access funding provided by Universität zu Köln These authors contributed equally: Anjana Uday Forschungszentrum Jülich & JARA-Fundamentals of Future Information Technology interpreted the data with the help of H.F.L wrote the manuscript with input from all authors The authors declare no competing interests Nature Physics thanks Jing Wang and the other reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-024-02574-1 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science The Center for Strategic and International Studies is pleased to host Yoichi Iida Assistant Vice Minister for International Affairs at the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) for a discussion on next steps for advancing the G7’s Hiroshima AI Process in 2024 and beyond Director of the Wadhwani Center for AI & Advanced Technologies Yoichi Iida is at the heart of international AI governance efforts as Chair of the OECD Committee on Digital Economy Policy (CDEP) Chair of the Executive Committee at Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) and former Deputy Director General for G7/G20 Relations at the Japanese MIC Iida led the G7 Digital and Technology Working Group which drove the launch of the Hiroshima AI Process at the Hiroshima Summit Allen will examine the G7 Hiroshima AI Process and next steps for developing the Code of Conduct in 2024 This event is made possible through the generous support of the Japanese government See Media Page for more interview ©2025 Center for Strategic & International Studies Julie Sheppard joined the Decanter team in 2018 and is Regional Editor for Australia New Zealand and South Africa & Spirits Editor she worked for a range of drinks and food titles including as managing editor of both Imbibe and Square Meal associate publisher of The Drinks Business senior editor of the Octopus Publishing Group and Supplements editor of Harpers Wine & Spirit she has over 20 years\u2019 experience writing about food drink and travel for a wide range of publications Time Out and national newspapers including The Telegraph and The Sunday Times Decanter is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more Celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, Nikka Whisky – and indeed the entire Japanese whisky category – owes its existence to one man: Masataka Taketsuru The company’s founder was born in Takehara His family had owned a sake brewery since 1733 and he was destined to join the business before he encountered Western-style spirits while studying fermentation techniques at Osaka Technical School Landing a job with spirits producer Settsu Shuzo in Osaka, in 1918, the final year of the First World War, he was sent to Scotland to learn about Scotch whisky Taketsuru was the first person from Japan ever to do this; at the time it was an arduous journey Chemistry courses at Glasgow University were followed by short apprenticeships with distilleries including Longmorn in Elgin, Bo’ness – where he learned to distil grain whisky in a Coffey still – and Hazelburn in Campbeltown These ‘Taketsuru Notes’ became Japan’s first manual for whisky production In the wake of the economic turmoil that followed the First World War Settsu Shuzo abandoned its plans to produce whisky But Shinjiro Torii of Kotobukiya (later renamed Suntory) had similar designs In 1923 he hired Taketsuru to oversee the building of Yamazaki Distillery on the outskirts of Kyoto As distillery manager Taketsuru produced the first Japanese whisky – Suntory Shirofuda – in 1929 Taketsuru had returned to Japan with more than his notebooks however… In Glasgow he fell in love with local lass Rita Cowan Later confessing: ‘It was love at first sight.’ The pair married in Glasgow in 1920 Masataka Taketsuru and Rita on their wedding day Rita immediately immersed herself in Japanese culture learning the language and also how to cook Japanese food she also supported Taketsuru in his dream of opening his own distillery The couple had settled in Yoichi in Japan’s northern island Hokkaido – chosen for its resemblance to Campbeltown Initially making apple products as Dai Nippon Kaju – ‘Great Japanese Juice Company’ – Taketsuru was also busy designing the first pot still to be manufactured in Japan It was installed at Yoichi Distillery in 1936 and Nikka Whisky was released in 1940 Today Yoichi is distinctive for being one of the last distilleries in the world that still heats its stills with direct coal fire This is said to impart a signature toastiness to the aromas of its malts Yoichi was also selected as an ideal location because Taketsuru found peat nearby in the local Ishikari Plain peated barley is imported from countries such as Australia and Germany to produce Nikka’s whiskies Coal-fired stills at Nikka Whisky’s Yoichi Distillery Following its initial release of Nikka Whisky the Yoichi Distillery launched Nikka Black in 1956 Pursuing his dreams of whisky-making alone – and inspired by the regional characters of Scotch – Taketsuru founded a second distillery near Sendai on Japan’s main Honshu island in 1969 The more southerly location lent itself to the production of lighter more elegant whiskies to complement the bold Yoichi malts Miyagiko became known for its two Coffey stills originally imported directly from Glasgow in the 1960s followed by Nikka Coffey Malt in 2014 – the range also includes a Gin and Vodka Masataka Taketsuru ‘Father of Japanese whisky’ Following the death of Taketsuru in 1979, Nikka continued to evolve with iconic releases in the 1980s including Nikka from the Barrel and single malts from Yoichi and Miyagiko The company was bought by Asashi in 2001 and is now the second-largest whisky producer in Japan behind Suntory With his remarkable series of pioneering ‘firsts’ Taketsuru created the blueprint for Japanese whisky paving the way for its global recognition today Little wonder the founder of Nikka has been dubbed the ‘Father of Japanese whisky’ Produced in one of Nikka’s continuous Coffey stills this grain whisky is a mix of 95% corn and 5% malted barley That bourbon character runs through the palate It’s highly unusual to distil 100% malt in a continuous Coffey still but this expression (previously only released in single casks) became so popular that Nikka added it to the core range in 2014 It’s easy to understand the appeal: toasty tropical aromas dance across the nose – roasted pineapple and bananas Foster banana and crème brûlée join in on the palate this light and bright style is a blend of malt and grain spirits from the Miyagikyo and Yoichi distilleries it kicks off with fresh apple and citrus aromas before the palate expands into rounder orchard fruit flavours gentle spice and just a whisper of peat smoke Try it as the distillery intended: in a refreshing Highball with soda and plenty of ice In its signature rectangular bottle – based on the shape of an old peat shovel – Nikka from the Barrel embodies the Nikka philosophy blending both single malt and grain spirits from Miyagikyo and Yoichi complex and very rich with notes of red apple overlaid with woody spice; add a dash of water to open it up This expression from Nikka’s Myagiko distillery in Sendai is a blend of single malts from different years meaning there’s no age statement on the label this blended malt is sourced from Yoichi and Miyagiko It spends around 10 years maturing in a variety of casks which adds dried fruit aromas and rich creaminess to the palate lots of ripe fruit and spices make a satisfying dram A no-age-statement blend of single malts from different years Elegant peat smokiness is combined with fruit notes – orange with some saltiness on the lingering smoky finish that’s emblematic of the Yoichi Distillery’s direct-coal-fired stills December 4, 2023 by 2 Yoichi Single Malt is a range of Japanese single malt whiskies from the Yoichi Distillery Nikka’s first distillery built in 1934 chose the town of Yoichi in Hokkaido – the second largest northernmost of Japan’s main islands – because of the similar environmental conditions to Scotland The flagship expression from the Yoichi Distillery is an NAS (No Age Statement) whisky launched in 2016 as a permanent expression when all Yoichi age stated expressions were discontinued due to a shortage of stocks Yoichi 10 Year Old has since been relaunched in limited quantites and at a significantly higher price point and older age stated expressions will likely return as the Yoichi Distillery’s stocks come of age Yoichi Single Malt is distilled from 100% malted barley in direct coal fired pot stills and is aged in new American oak and sherry casks and bottled at 45% ABV Yoichi Single Malt may not carry an age statement The peat plays nicely with the fruit notes and delivers a single malt with more complexity than I was expecting A quick search indicates this bottle currently sells for around $90 I’d consider it a better value than Yamazaki 12 and a number of other entry level Japanese whiskies BTW-I’m a big fan of “letter” rating as it gives one a general range of you thought of the spirit are very personal so the score acts as a guide to quality (for me anyway) I’ve always hated the 1-100 rating system Most people don’t use anything below 60 Using a letter rating system that can also be attributed to a range of numbers is the way to go Receive the latest news and reviews from One More Dram delivered directly to your inbox once a month One More Dram | For the Love of Malt and it is particularly connected to the probability theory The introduction of new methodologies from various fields of mathematics has often been a major catalyst for the development of the statistics theory The martingale is one of the most important objects in the probability theory Examples of its great contributions to statistics include the counting process approach to survival analysis and diffusion process-based modeling in mathematical finance Nishiyama deals with two themes related to martingales in this book he summarizes the basics of martingales and explains the proof of the martingale convergence theorem in a way that is different from the original approach by J.L some questions are raised in a somewhat detective novel style and after a refreshing and light-hearted mystery-solving style description Chapter 4 provides clear answers to all the mysteries This book would be an opportunity for many beginners to start studying martingales in earnest a new tool called “stochastic maximal inequality” is introduced in Chapter 5 and it is applied to sparse estimation in Chapter 6 Nishiyama’s greatest joy if the publication of this book could bring a breath of fresh air to high-dimensional statistics and attract new researchers to this field This book assumes that readers have studied the Lebesgue integral theory an overview of the theory is provided in the appendix to welcome readers who had studied it but found it difficult to understand Some exercises and sample solutions are also provided to check the reader’s understanding of the content I bought “Markov Chains,” one of the books in the Mathematics One Point series was able to read through to the end during my time at undergraduate course of university and now I have published a new book titled “Martingales” as one of the Statistics One Point series I never dreamed that I would be able to write a book in the future so I am grateful for this series of coincidences and good fortune I would be happy if this short book is a good “encounter” in some way for those who pick it up with the development of the Internet and other things there are many useful sources for easy research I believe that “books” will continue to play an important role in the future as a universal place of encounter that can be a crossroads in life I hope that this book will “encounter” many readers Click here to purchase the book The Waseda University official website <<https://www.waseda.jp/fire/sils/en/>> doesn't support your system Please update to the newest version of your browser and try again Continue  Google ChromeWindows version 38 laterMacintosh version38 laterWebSite Fire FoxWindows version 33 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