--- title: Kirk Spitzer | TIME description: Kirk Spitzer is a veteran journalist and defense correspondent, based in Tokyo. canonical: https://time.com/author/kirk-spitzer/ og:title: TIME | Current & Breaking News | National & World Updates og:description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. og:url: https://time.com/author/kirk-spitzer/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 300 og:image:height: 300 og:image:alt: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. og:type: profile twitter:card: summary twitter:title: TIME | Current & Breaking News | National & World Updates twitter:description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production ---  # Kirk Spitzer  ## Kirk Spitzer Kirk Spitzer is a veteran journalist and defense correspondent, based in Tokyo.  ## Kirk Spitzer *  May 25, 2015 ### [The New Head of the U.S. Pacific Command Talks to TIME](https://time.com/3895434/admiral-harry-harris-us-pacific-command-china-japan-asia/) Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr. sees his background as an Asian American as useful in helping the U.S. f... [POLITICS](/section/politics/) *  Feb 11, 2015 ### [Tokyo Bars Japanese Reporter From Visiting Syria](https://time.com/3704662/japan-japanese-journalists-syria-passports/) Cameraman planning a trip has his passport revoked by Foreign Ministry officials [WORLD](/section/world/) *  Feb 9, 2015 ### [Japan Readies for Next Hostage Crisis](https://time.com/3700633/japan-self-defense-force-histages-pacifism/) Tokyo wants to end 70 years of strict pacifism so that it can help its nationals overseas [WORLD](/section/world/) *  Feb 1, 2015 ### [ISIS Hostage Crisis Stirs Debate in Japan](https://time.com/3691236/isis-japan-hostage-crisis-shinzo-abe/) The deaths of two Japanese men at the hands of ISIS could be trouble for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe [WORLD](/section/world/) *  Jan 23, 2015 ### [Japan Lacks Sympathy for the Hostages Held by ISIS](https://time.com/3680492/japan-isis-hostages/) While the clock ticks down for two Japanese hostages held by ISIS, their countrymen think they've br... [WORLD](/section/world/) *  Jan 20, 2015 ### [Japan Faces Hostage Crisis](https://time.com/3674794/shinzo-abe-hostage-isis/) Japanese prime minister has few options to act after ISIS holds two citizens to $200 million ransom [WORLD](/section/world/) *  Oct 20, 2014 ### [Resignation of Two Ministers Spells Trouble for Japan's Premier](https://time.com/3524339/japan-ministers-yuko-obuchi-midori-matsushima-resign/) More ministers could fall as Japan faces political instability at the worst time [WORLD](/section/world/) *  Sep 23, 2014 ### [U.S. Steps Up Military Training With Japan](https://time.com/3419988/us-japan-ground-self-defense-force-joint-training-okinawa-china/) And China's leaders have, in turn, become increasingly wary [WORLD](/section/world/) *  Sep 12, 2014 ### [The U.S. POWs Still Waiting For an Apology](https://time.com/3334677/pow-world-war-two-usa-japan/) More than 60 Japanese companies used American POW labor in World War II. Only one has apologized [HISTORY](/section/history/) *  Aug 8, 2014 ### [Science Scandal Triggers Suicide, Soul-Searching in Japan](https://time.com/3091584/japan-yoshiki-sasai-stem-cells-suicide-haruko-obokata/) Yoshiki Sasai’s death has generated mixed emotions among Japan's scientific community [WORLD](/section/world/) *  Jul 1, 2014 ### [Japan Ends Ban on Military Self-Defense](https://time.com/2946076/japan-ends-ban-on-military-self-defense/) But the public worries that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is turning his back on the country's post-WWII... [WORLD](/section/world/) *  May 21, 2014 ### [Abe Wants to Lift Restraints on Japan's Military](https://time.com/107054/japan-pacifist-constituion-abe-interpretation-military/) Japan's Prime Minister makes an explicit connection between China's territorial ambitions in the Sou... [WORLD](/section/world/) *  May 11, 2014 ### [Best-Selling Author Feels the Heat in Japan’s History Wars](https://time.com/95416/henry-scott-stokes-japan-history-book/) [WORLD](/section/world/) *  Mar 25, 2014 ### [Japanese Team Plays to Empty Stadium Over Racist Fans](https://time.com/36670/urawa-reds-soccer-team-japan-empty-stadium-racist-fans/) First, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe takes the country on a rightward, nationalist shift. Now soccer fan... [WORLD](/section/world/) *  Mar 21, 2014 ### [Japan's Nationalism Questioned on Iwo Jima Anniversary](https://time.com/33434/japans-new-nationalist-streak-on-display-at-iwo-jima-battlefield/) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to boost defense spending and ease restraints on the count... 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