Image is from this SCMP article.

Much of the analysis below is sourced from Michael Roberts' great website.


Japan's ruling parliamentary coalition, consisting of the LDP (purple) and it's junior coalition partner Komeito (in light pink) have lost their ruling majority. They have ruled post-war Japan for almost its entire history. The LDP is currently led by Shigeru Ishiba after Kishida stood down due to a corruption scandal, and ties to the Unification Church.

While geopolitical factors (over the cold war between the US and China, etc) may have played a role, by far the biggest reason for this result in the poor economic conditions over the past few years. Inflation has risen and real wages have fallen, with little relief for the working class via things like tax reductions. While inequality in Japan is not as extreme as in America, it is still profound, with the top 10% possessing 60% of the wealth, while the bottom 50% possess just 5%.

Shinzo Abe previously tried to boost economic performance through monetary easing and fiscal deficits, while Kishida ran on a "new capitalism" which rejected Abe's neoliberalism and promised to reduce inequality. Nothing substantial has resulted from all this, however, other than increasing corporate wealth. Innovation continues to fall, and domestic profitability is low, resulting in decreasing investment at home by Japanese corporations. Labour productivity growth has only slightly picked up since the mid-2000s and is falling again. The rate of profit has fallen by half since the 1960s, and Japan has been in a manufacturing recession - or very close to it - since late 2022. In essence: there is no choice but between stagnation or decline.


Please check out the HexAtlas!

The bulletins site is here!
The RSS feed is here.
Last week's thread is here.

Israel-Palestine Conflict

If you have evidence of Israeli crimes and atrocities that you wish to preserve, there is a thread here in which to do so.

Sources on the fighting in Palestine against Israel. In general, CW for footage of battles, explosions, dead people, and so on:

UNRWA reports on Israel's destruction and siege of Gaza and the West Bank.

English-language Palestinian Marxist-Leninist twitter account. Alt here.
English-language twitter account that collates news.
Arab-language twitter account with videos and images of fighting.
English-language (with some Arab retweets) Twitter account based in Lebanon. - Telegram is @IbnRiad.
English-language Palestinian Twitter account which reports on news from the Resistance Axis. - Telegram is @EyesOnSouth.
English-language Twitter account in the same group as the previous two. - Telegram here.

English-language PalestineResist telegram channel.
More telegram channels here for those interested.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Examples of Ukrainian Nazis and fascists
Examples of racism/euro-centrism during the Russia-Ukraine conflict

Sources:

Defense Politics Asia's youtube channel and their map. Their youtube channel has substantially diminished in quality but the map is still useful.
Moon of Alabama, which tends to have interesting analysis. Avoid the comment section.
Understanding War and the Saker: reactionary sources that have occasional insights on the war.
Alexander Mercouris, who does daily videos on the conflict. While he is a reactionary and surrounds himself with likeminded people, his daily update videos are relatively brainworm-free and good if you don't want to follow Russian telegram channels to get news. He also co-hosts The Duran, which is more explicitly conservative, racist, sexist, transphobic, anti-communist, etc when guests are invited on, but is just about tolerable when it's just the two of them if you want a little more analysis.
Simplicius, who publishes on Substack. Like others, his political analysis should be soundly ignored, but his knowledge of weaponry and military strategy is generally quite good.
On the ground: Patrick Lancaster, an independent and very good journalist reporting in the warzone on the separatists' side.

Unedited videos of Russian/Ukrainian press conferences and speeches.

Pro-Russian Telegram Channels:

Again, CW for anti-LGBT and racist, sexist, etc speech, as well as combat footage.

https://t.me/aleksandr_skif ~ DPR's former Defense Minister and Colonel in the DPR's forces. Russian language.
https://t.me/Slavyangrad ~ A few different pro-Russian people gather frequent content for this channel (~100 posts per day), some socialist, but all socially reactionary. If you can only tolerate using one Russian telegram channel, I would recommend this one.
https://t.me/s/levigodman ~ Does daily update posts.
https://t.me/patricklancasternewstoday ~ Patrick Lancaster's telegram channel.
https://t.me/gonzowarr ~ A big Russian commentator.
https://t.me/rybar ~ One of, if not the, biggest Russian telegram channels focussing on the war out there. Actually quite balanced, maybe even pessimistic about Russia. Produces interesting and useful maps.
https://t.me/epoddubny ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/boris_rozhin ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/mod_russia_en ~ Russian Ministry of Defense. Does daily, if rather bland updates on the number of Ukrainians killed, etc. The figures appear to be approximately accurate; if you want, reduce all numbers by 25% as a 'propaganda tax', if you don't believe them. Does not cover everything, for obvious reasons, and virtually never details Russian losses.
https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses ~ Pro-Russian, documents abuses that Ukraine commits.

Pro-Ukraine Telegram Channels:

Almost every Western media outlet.
https://discord.gg/projectowl ~ Pro-Ukrainian OSINT Discord.
https://t.me/ice_inii ~ Alleged Ukrainian account with a rather cynical take on the entire thing.


  • SoyViking [he/him]
    ·
    1 month ago

    Activists did a bunch of anti-genocide graffiti at a Danish university and every horrible person is mad about it. University management "does not agree with the criticism" calling them genocidal, the minister of education is screaming for blood and want the activists expelled, Zionists are crying their crocodile tears and a Liberal Party member with local politics aspirations photographed it all hoping to make a name for himself by being a good little snitch.

    From DR (state media) (machine translation):

    Vandalism at Roskilde University Honors Deceased Hamas Leader: Minister Wants the Perpetrators Expelled

    Roskilde University has been struck by extensive vandalism, glorifying a Hamas leader and accusing the university administration of being genocidal.

    Full article

    October 31, 2024

    [Image]

    • Yahya Sinwar was killed by the Israeli military on October 17. Now he is honored on the walls of Roskilde University. (Photo: © Benjamin Haxha)

    Students and staff at Roskilde University encountered widespread graffiti vandalism on the university’s facades on Tuesday.

    The graffiti praised the deceased Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who is believed to be one of the main architects behind the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.

    "Rest in power, Yahya Sinwar, long live resistance," was written on one of the walls.

    Elsewhere, the graffiti equates Zionists with Nazis, while at least two places say, "Zionists should be afraid."

    On a fence, it is also written that the university's rector and director, Hanne Leth and Henrik Zobbe, are "proud, genocidal racists."

    There have been several instances of vandalism at Roskilde University. In early September, students were met with messages like "One solution, Intifada revolution."

    [Image]

    • Vandalism has also affected one of the entrances to Roskilde University. According to the minister, it should have serious consequences for the perpetrators. (Photo: © Benjamin Haxha)

    [Image]

    • "Zionism equals Nazism," reads one of the spray-painted messages. (Photo: © Benjamin Haxha)

    [Image]

    • The school leadership, in the form of the rector and university director at Roskilde University, Hanne Leth and Henrik Zobbe, are also accused with harsh accusations. (Photo: © Benjamin Haxha)

    [Image]

    • "Zionists should be afraid" is written in several places on campus. (Photo: © Sarah Weibel)

    Student Movement Shares Image of Vandalism

    It is unclear who is behind the vandalism.

    On Instagram, the pro-Palestinian student movement RUC Intifada, which has held several demonstrations at Roskilde University, shared a picture of the vandalism and wrote, "We welcome RUC’s awakening."

    DR News asked RUC Intifada if they knew anything about the vandalism. They have not responded to our inquiry.

    [Image]

    • Image from RUC Intifada's Instagram. "Now even campus walls speak out loud and clear," says the post.

    The student movement gained attention when a demonstration at Roskilde University on October 4 escalated. Masked participants pulled forcefully at doors to locked areas, entered offices and meeting rooms where staff were present, and prevented some personnel from attending meetings, reported Berlingske at the time.

    Today, the movement held another demonstration at Roskilde University. According to their Instagram account, they planned to "honor the dead in Gaza and celebrate the martyrs who died fighting for freedom and justice."

    The demonstration led the university administration to call the police, as it disrupted multiple staff members, Berlingske reports.

    A P1 morning reporter on the scene also requested an interview with the student movement, which they declined.

    On the movement’s Facebook page, RUC Intifada demands that Roskilde University boycott all Israeli institutions and companies that "profit from the occupation" and condemn Israeli actions.

    Explanation of Terms

    According to reference works, the word "intifada" means "uprising" and refers to two instances of Palestinian uprisings in Gaza and the West Bank.

    The first intifada took place from 1987 to 1993 and involved a series of protests and violent riots by Palestinians, which were harshly suppressed by the Israeli military. The conflict was triggered when an Israeli truck driver hit a car, killing four Palestinians.

    The second intifada occurred between 2000 and 2005. Israeli forces reoccupied several Palestinian cities, while Palestinians carried out a large number of terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings on Israeli buses.

    • Source: britannica.com, Den Store Danske.

    Minister: Perpetrators Should Be Expelled

    Education and Research Minister Christina Egelund (M) calls the situation "serious" and strongly condemns the vandalism.

    "This has nothing to do with debate. It is vandalism, intimidating behavior, harassment, and it has very real victims – namely, the Jewish students," Christina Egelund told P1 Morning before continuing:

    "Imagine being Jewish and having to see a tribute to Yahya Sinwar at your university. This is far over the line."

    She also considers the harsh messages directed at the university administration, including Hanne Leth and Henrik Zobbe, as "far, far over the line."

    Christina Egelund believes it should have severe consequences for the perpetrators.

    "If you are behind this type of behavior, I believe you should be expelled from the university," she told P1 Morning.

    It will have consequences for the perpetrators if it turns out to be students at the university.

    • Henrik Zobbe, University Director

    It remains unknown whether those responsible for the graffiti are students at Roskilde University.

    If they are, it will have consequences, assures Roskilde University director Henrik Zobbe.

    "We don’t know who is behind it, but we have reported the graffiti to the police and will ensure it is removed as soon as possible. It will have consequences for the perpetrators if it turns out to be students at the university," he wrote in a statement.

    He also clarified that the university disapproves of the messages written around campus.

    How do you feel about being labeled as genocidal?

    "We think the tone and statements are unnecessarily harsh, and we disagree with the criticism," said Henrik Zobbe.

    [Image]

    • The word "Intifada" is written letter by letter across a series of windows. (Photo: © Benjamin Haxha)

    [Image]

    • According to reference works, the word "intifada" means "uprising" and refers to two instances of Palestinian uprisings in Gaza and the West Bank. (Photo: © Benjamin Haxha)

    [Image]

    • Zionism is also labeled as a death cult on a window at Roskilde University. (Photo: © Benjamin Haxha)

    Student Council: RUC Intifada Knows There is No Collaboration

    Mads Hansen Bager, head of the Roskilde University Student Council, explains that earlier this year, the council investigated the university’s ties to Israel—the ties that RUC Intifada demands be cut.

    According to him, none were found.

    "We had the opportunity to review Roskilde University's financial investments in the West Bank and any scientific collaborations. We were pleased to find that there was nothing," Mads Hansen Bager told P1 Morning.

    Did you inform RUC Intifada of this?

    "In September, we had a dialogue meeting with RUC Intifada, where we conveyed this to them," Mads Hansen Bager said.

    Jewish Community: Emphasizes Feeling of Insecurity

    The Jewish Community in Denmark does not hesitate to call the vandalism and messages "unacceptable." They believe it clearly illustrates why Jewish students feel unsafe at Danish universities.

    "For some time, we have received reports from Jewish students at Danish universities that it is necessary to hide their identity—not to mention the possibility of participating in debates on equal terms with other students," writes Henri Goldstein, chairman of the Jewish Community, in a statement.

    "If you are met with graffiti containing threats and praise for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the man behind the October 7 terrorist attack, we no longer need to debate whether the feeling is unwarranted," writes the chairman.

    He believes that Roskilde University should work harder to ensure a safe work environment.

    "We expect the administration at Roskilde University to ensure a study environment that is safe and inclusive for all students, regardless of ethnicity, religion, and political stance. The time for hiding is over," says Henri Goldstein.

    In response to the criticism from the Jewish Community, university director Henrik Zobbe replied:

    "We understand that sharp rhetoric and actions can create insecurity among some students. We will do everything we can to ensure a study environment that is safe and inclusive for all students."

    Most of the article’s photo documentation consists of images provided to DR by Benjamin Haxha, a RUC student and a candidate for the Liberal Party in the 2025 municipal elections in Herlev Municipality.

    • FloridaBoi [he/him]
      ·
      1 month ago

      When I was Copenhagen I saw that the historic city hall was flying the Ukrainian flag but would that be prohibited if that law forbidding foreign flags passes?

      • SoyViking [he/him]
        ·
        1 month ago

        Yes and no. Flying the Ukraine flag without permission would be illegal, as it was before the old ban was struck down. But when Russia entered the war and the Slava Ukraini craze took off the regime issued a blanket permission.

        So it is a ban on flags the regime don't like