From the Editor
Tim Hornyak
I’ve never understood why T.S. Elliott called April the cruelest month when bad news tends to flock in September and October like a murder of crows—the 9/11s, Black Mondays and so forth. Thus it was we heard that longtime FCCJ member Anthony Rowley passed away in early October. The cover story of this edition is an obituary by Anthony’s good friend Khaldon Azhari. His death came only a short time after FCCJ President Dan Sloan was hospitalized with a life-threatening infection. Dan naturally decided to report on his experience for the Number 1 Shimbun. Elsewhere in this issue, the theme of vulnerability continues with Suvendrini Kakuchi’s report on a documentary about youth suicides in Japan. In other current events, Eric Johnson covers efforts in Hokkaido to curb anti-Ainu speech, Roger Schreffler looks at the disappointing showing of Japanese carmakers at the Tokyo Mobility Show, Jim Armstrong shares his take on the Asian Games in Nagoya, and Michiyo Nakamoto questions the viability of megaproject redevelopments in Tokyo. Drini and David McNeill speak with Hirotaka Kawasaki, Kyoto’s representative in Tokyo, and foreign correspondent Hiroshi Sukagawa, respectively, while Mark Schreiber recounts some of the great prison escapes in Japanese history.
Cover illustration by Julio Shiiki
INDEX
The Number 1 Shimbun
November 2026
Publisher FCCJ
Editor Tim Hornyak
Designer Julio Kohji Shiiki, www.sedo.co.jp
Website Paul Braganza
Editorial Assistant Naomichi Iwamura
Photo coordination Hiroko Moriwaki
Publications Committee
Justin McCurry (Chair), Suvendrini Kakuchi, David McNeill, Andy Sharp
President & Board of Directors
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan
Marunouchi Nijubashi Building 5F
Marunouchi 3-2-3 Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 100-0005
Tel: (03) 3211-3161・fccj.or.jp
Published by the FCCJ All opinions contained within the Number 1 Shimbun are those of the authors. As such, these opinions do not constitute an official position of Number 1 Shimbun, the editor or the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan.