Boys’s Love & Girls’ Love: Thai Boom & Japanese Revivial

This week, we have Moeka Iida, a reporter and researcher at The Economist’s Tokyo bureau, covering Japanese politics, society, business, and culture. With a keen interest in subcultures and social trends, she has written about host clubs in Tokyo’s red-light district, the rise of female writers in Japan’s literary scene, and the changing face of masculinity. She also contributes to The Economist’s daily podcast, The Intelligence, and has reported from Thailand and South Korea. Born in Japan and raised in the UK, she studied anthropology at Sophia University in Tokyo. We’re very thrilled to have her on the show!

In this entertainment industry-focused version of Japan Expert Insights, Michael William Foster and co-host Maya Matsuoka will explore the multifaceted world of Japanese entertainment, culture, and industry trends. We’ll feature in-depth discussions every other week with leading experts who offer valuable perspectives on the latest developments and timeless aspects of Japan’s entertainment landscape.

About the Author: boojazz

At the age of fifteen, Michael began his professional career by drawing children’s menus for a chain of restaurants in the Southwest. His experience in graphics, marketing, illustration and video production fill an essential need in advertising agencies, printing companies, and design firms. In the early 2010's Michael blogged for The Huffington Post and Psychology Today on the topic of Digital Reinvention. Some of the clients Michael has worked with include: Microsoft, US – Japan Business Council, RAINN (co-founded by Tori Amos and Sarah McLaughlin), Chicagoland Speedway, Richard Shay Photography, The British Embassy in the United States, Ben Hollis Worldwide, Aphex, & PepsiCo. His previous television work has gained the interest of major studios such as Dreamworks SKG.