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Every outlet that has published Bob’s work, interviewed him, reviewed his books or written about him, A–Z. Links go to the copy archived on this site where there is one, otherwise to the original.

AERA Magazine

(2024) “Robert Whiting illustrates Japan through the eyes of outsiders” (about Bob), November

Agence France-Presse (AFP)

(2021) “‘Every kid plays’ – how Japan fell in love with baseball”

American Chamber of Commerce in Japan Journal

(1990) “Robert Whiting interview: Playing hardball with the Japanese” (interview, original magazine scan), April issue

Asahi Evening News

(1989) “The Enigma of Japanese Baseball-whacky” (review of You Gotta Have Wa), September 22

Asahi Weekly

(2004) “Author Robert Whiting Tries to Decipher True Meaning of Ichiro” (interview), October 31

Asia Magazine

(1978) “You Don’t Have to Be an American to Enjoy a Good Baseball Yarn” (review of The Chrysanthemum and the Bat), June 25
(1982) “Japan’s passionate affair with baseball”, September 25

Asia Times

(2020) “Inside story of US black ops in post-war Japan”, August 19
(2021) “An ode to Tokyo, a two-times Olympian host” (review of Tokyo Junkie by Bradley K. Martin), August 3
(2021) “The meaning of Ichiro 20 years after his MLB debut”, September 27
(2021) “Japan counts the cost as Olympic hangover sets in”, October 5
(2021) “Yakuza death sentence won’t stop organized crime”, October 11
(2021) “New role for Japan baseball’s eccentric ‘Spaceman’”, November 12
(2022) “The U-2 spy plane: white knuckles from the get-go”, January 22
(2022) “Monitoring ’62 missile crisis as a US spook in Tokyo”, January 31
(2022) “Recalling lunch with nationalist Shintaro Ishihara”, February 3
(2022) “Reds: Russian and Chinese spies under every rock”, February 4
(2022) “Japan right-wingers target foreign journalists, newsmakers”, December 19
(2024) “Don’t forget Japan’s gamblers, fraudsters, dreamers, spies” (review of Gamblers, Fraudsters, Dreamers & Spies), October 5

The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus

(2006) “The Samurai Way of Baseball and the National Character Debate” (essay), vol. 4 (9)
(2008) “Samurai Baseball vs. Baseball in Japan—Revisited” (essay), vol. 6 (5)
(2020) “The 1964 Olympics” (essay), vol. 18 (4)

Asian Wall Street Journal

(1978) “Playing Baseball Samurai Style” (review of The Chrysanthemum and the Bat), January 18

Associated Press

(2021) “From the Emperor on down: Memories of the ’64 Tokyo Olympics”

The Athletic

(2024) “Breakfast with Ohtani: In Japan, watching this World Series may be the national pastime” (references Bob), October 25

Atlanta Journal

(1989) “Why the ‘Red Devil’ Wore Out Welcome” (review of You Gotta Have Wa), June 7

The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

(1989) “In Japan, Baseball’s Played by the Code of the Samurai” (by Ed Hinton, review of You Gotta Have Wa), May 17

The Atlantic

(1987) “East Asia: Gradgrind’s Heirs” (mentions The Chrysanthemum and the Bat), March issue

Avon Books

(1983) “The Chrysanthemum and the Bat Review”, May 15

Avon News

(1977) “Baseball Mania in Today’s Japan – America’s Favorite Sport Gives Revealing Insights Into a Very Different Culture”, December 15

BBC Sport

(2021) “Tokyo Olympics: How quiet rebel Naomi Osaka is changing Japan” (by Mike Henson)

The Book Corner

(1977) “A Season Inside the Expo’s Dugout” (review of The Chrysanthemum and the Bat), November 15

Books on Asia

(2021) “Review—Tokyo Junkie: 60 Years of Bright Lights and Back Alleys…and Baseball” (review)
“Books on Asia podcast” (audio/video interview)

Boston-Lowell

(1983) “Books: Something for Everyone” (review of The Chrysanthemum and the Bat), April 13

Chaucer’s Books

(2021) “Chaucer’s Author Chat with Robert Whiting (Tokyo Junkie)” (video interview), April 27

Chicago Sun-Times

(1983) “Book Beat: Review” (review of The Chrysanthemum and the Bat), May 15
(2024) “Japanese baseball expert wonders what Shohei Ohtani left out in statement on gambling scandal” (interview), March 30

Chicago Tribune

(1983) “Books Put Reader at Bat, on Green” (review of The Chrysanthemum and the Bat), April 9
(1989) “You Gotta Have Wa – Chicago Tribune Review”, June 10

CNN

(1989) “CNN International Hour” (video interview)
(1993) “CNN Live Tokyo: Larry King” (video interview)
(2004) “CNN Tim McCarver show” (video interview)

Common Sense

(2021) “Stop the Games”

The Daily Yomiuri

(1997) “DiMuro Debacle was Predictable, Author Says” (interview by Jack Gallagher), July 10

The Deep Culture Podcast

(2021) “Episode 16 – A Conversation with Bob Whiting” (video interview), December 16

Don MacLaren (donmaclaren.com)

(2021) “Review of Tokyo Junkie and Interview with Author Robert Whiting” (review and interview), April 2

The Economist

(2024) “Six great books about baseball” (references Bob), March 27

English Journal (EJ) on Tape

(1993) “Tokyo Junkie’s Current Activities and New Book” (interview), Issue 6

Enquirer and News, Battle Creek Michigan

(1977) “The World of Baseball: From Toledo to Tokyo” (review of The Chrysanthemum and the Bat), November 1

Esquire

(2021) “You Gotta Have Wa in the top 100” (best baseball books ever list)

Eureka Times

(1977) “Sideline Slants: Eureka-reared writer scores with new book”, July 10

Focus Japan

(1977) “Review of Chrysanthemum and the Bat”, December 1

Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan (FCCJ / Number 1 Shimbun)

(2009) “If You Still Wanna Have Wa” (interview by Dan Sloan), June
(2020) “The Colonel and the Viscountess” (Number 1 Shimbun)
(2021) “Tokyo Junkie extract: Kisha Club / Blacklist” (Number 1 Shimbun), April issue
(2021) “Book Break: Tokyo Junkie” (video), May 12
(2023) “Baseball writing award for FCCJ’s Robert Whiting” (Number 1 Shimbun), July issue
(2024) “Book Break: Gamblers, Fraudsters, Dreamers & Spies” (video)

Foreign Policy

(2013) “Saying UnSorry”, January 30
(2016) “Are the 2020 Olympics in trouble?”, February 19

Foreword Reviews

(2021) “Tokyo Junkie: 60 Years of Bright Lights and Back Alleys … and Baseball” (review)

Fort Worth Star Telegram

(1977) “Review: The Chrysanthemum and the Bat” (by L. Vington), July 17

The Global Baseball Network

(2022) “An Interview with Robert Whiting (Part 1)” (video interview), August 20
(2022) “An Interview with Robert Whiting (Part 2)” (video interview), September 3

The Guardian

(2021) “Legacy of 1964: how the first Tokyo Olympics changed Japan for ever” (by Justin McCurry), July 17

Honolulu Advertiser

(1977) “A fascinating book: The Chrysanthemum and the Bat”, June 26

Housing Japan

(2021) “HJ Chat Room with Bryan Kipping and Robert Whiting” (video interview), December 15

International Herald Tribune

(1989) “Japanese Baseball’s ‘Wa’ Factor” (by Patrick L. Smith), July 18

Japan Forward

(2021) “‘Tokyo Junkie’ Juxtaposes Great Baseball Stories With Rich Collection of Memories from Author’s Life” (by Ed Odeven), June 16

The Japan Society – London

(2021) “After Tokyo 2020: Discussing Post-Games Japan” (video), September 20

The Japan Times

(1977) “The Unwritten Rules in Japanese Baseball” (review of The Chrysanthemum and the Bat), November 4
(1977) “‘Japanese Way’ Seen Through Baseball” (by Wayne Graczyk, review of The Chrysanthemum and the Bat), November 18
(2000) “Personality Profile: Robert Whiting” (interview by Vivienne Kenrick), November 12
(2004) “Best-selling author Robert Whiting talks baseball, gangsters, bribes and more” (interview by Mark Schreiber), April 4
(2007) “Is the MLB destroying Japan’s national pastime?” (Part 1 of 4, MLB’s effect on Japan), April 11
(2007) “Foreign managers change face of Japanese game” (Part 2 of 4), April 12
(2007) “NPB needs major reform, vision to prosper like MLB” (Part 3 of 4), April 13
(2007) “NPB players in need of strong union like MLBPA” (Part 4 of 4), April 14
(2008) “Whiting pays tribute to Boyer, Halberstam”, January 20
(2008) “Devoted to the game: Looking back at Oh’s career” (Part 1 of 3), October 29
(2008) “Oh’s career sparkled with achievements as player, manager” (Part 2 of 3), October 30
(2008) “Equaling Oh’s HR record proved difficult” (Part 3 of 3), October 31
(2009) “Open mind key to Hillman’s success”, May 31
(2009) “Hillman relied on intensity, goofball antics during time with Fighters”, June 1
(2010) “Clandestine campaign led to Valentine’s demise” (Part 1 of 4, Bobby Valentine), January 17
(2010) “Valentine’s philosophy brought Marines glory, money” (Part 2 of 4), January 24
(2010) “Resentment of Valentine’s power factored in downfall” (Part 3 of 4), January 31
(2010) “History, tradition helped to undermine Valentine” (Part 4 of 4), February 7
(2010) “Enatsu’s feats resonate years later”, August 15
(2010) “Nomo blazed trail, helped mend fences with move” (Part 1 of 4, Hideo Nomo), October 3
(2010) “Contract loophole opened door for Nomo’s jump” (Part 2 of 4), October 10
(2010) “Tireless work ethic earned Nomo respect in majors” (Part 3 of 4), October 17
(2010) “Nomo’s legacy should land him in Hall of Fame” (Part 4 of 4), October 24
(2011) “Irabu’s impact on MLB-NPB relations profound” (Part 1 of 3, Hideki Irabu), October 16
(2011) “Attitude, lifestyle contributed to Irabu’s demise” (Part 2 of 3), October 23
(2011) “Irabu spent final days lost, without purpose” (Part 3 of 3), October 30
(2013) “High honor for Nagashima, Matsui”, April 7
(2013) “Corporal punishment has long history in Japanese sports” (Part 1 of 2), May 26
(2013) “Severe sports training methods became taibatsu in time” (Part 2 of 2), June 2
(2013) “Examining nexus of sports, international relations”, July 27
(2013) “Kawakami was Japanese baseball’s first Zen master” (Part 1 of 3), November 26
(2013) “Kawakami’s philosophy as manager never wavered” (Part 2 of 3), November 27
(2013) “Kawakami’s players impressed MLB counterparts” (Part 3 of 3, Tetsuharu Kawakami), November 29
(2014) “Holding 2020 Games in August dangerous”, June 19
(2014) “Olympic construction transformed Tokyo”, October 10
(2014) “Opening Ceremony ushered in new era for Japan”, October 14
(2014) “Schollander, Hayes were spectacular at Tokyo Games”, October 17
(2014) “‘Witches of the Orient’ symbolized Japan’s fortitude”, October 21
(2014) “Negative impact of 1964 Olympics profound”, October 24
(2018) “Koshien: Annual event has provided a century of thrills”, August 3
(2021) “‘Tokyo Junkie’: Robert Whiting recounts a lifelong addiction to his adopted city” (review by Mark Schreiber), May 2

Japan Today

(2024) “Book Review: Gamblers, Fraudsters, Dreamers & Spies”, April 27

The Japan-America Society of Georgia

(2022) “Tokyo Junkie Webinar” (video), May 20

JapanBall

(2021) “JapanBall Review: Tokyo Junkie”

Japonica

(2024) “Reading “Gamblers, Fraudsters, Dreamers & Spies” by Robert Whiting”, June 18

Kirkus Reviews

(1989) “You Gotta Have Wa” (review), April 1
(2021) “Tokyo Junkie Kirkus Review (Starred)”

Library Journal

(1977) “The Chrysanthemum and the Bat review”, August 15
(1989) ““You Gotta Have ‘Wa’” – Review”, May 1
(2024) “History: Gamblers, Fraudsters, Dreamers & Spies” (review), April 12

Literary Review

(2021) “An American in Japan” (review of Tokyo Junkie by Tim Hornyak)

Los Angeles Times

(1989) “The Hardest Hardball in the World”, July 9
(1989) “How Japan Stacks Up” (on You Gotta Have Wa), October 1

MacMillan

(1989) “You Gotta Have Wa” (jacket endorsements by Orel Hershiser, James Fallows, David Halberstam), April 15

Mainichi Daily News

(1977) “The Sports Scene: Difference Between MLB, Japan Pro Ball” (by Leslie Nakashima), October 26

Merced Sun-Star

(2009) “Japan Does Pop Culture” (interview by James Bailey), May 2

The Modernist Society podcast

“Robert Whiting” (audio interview)

The New York Times

(1989) “The Samurai of Summer (Wa)” (Book Review), June 11
(1989) “Japanese Put a Spin on Baseball” (Books of The Times), July 15
(1992) “The Land of the Rising Fastball”, October 7
(1994) “Japan’s No-Strike Zone”, October 10
(1995) “Don’t ‘Throw Until You Die’” (NYT Editorial, quoting Robert Whiting), July 15
(1999) “The Pizza Connection” (review of Tokyo Underworld), May 2
(2004) “The International Pastime”, October 2
(2007) “The Emperor of Swat”, August 9
(2008) “Season Opens as Surely as Day Follows Night”, March 26

Newsday

(1985) “The Chrysanthemum and the Bat – Newsday Review” (by John Gabree), April 17
(1989) “You Gotta Have ‘Wa’ – Newsday Review”, June 4

Nikkei Asia (Nikkei Asian Review)

(2017) “Big in Asia but World Baseball Classic still seeks US home run”, February 24
(2019) “How star baseballer’s US success changed postwar Japan”, April 5
(2019) “As world’s leading metropolis, Tokyo goes for gold”, May 8
(2019) “Benefits of Japan’s arcane imperial system outweigh costs”, May 17
(2019) “Agony and ecstasy: Why Japan is obsessed with high school baseball”, July 24
(2019) “Death of a Pitching God” (obituary of Masaichi Kaneda), October 8
(2020) “Katsuya Nomura, Japan’s Greatest Catcher” (obituary)
(2020) “Spring Koshien cancellation crushes baseball players’ dreams”, March 13
(2020) “Revisiting ‘Tokyo Underworld,’ book that lifted lid on crime in Japan”, April 15
(2020) “Lessons from a Japanese baseball maverick”, August 21
(2021) “Hank Aaron, US baseball legend and great friend of Sadaharu Oh, has died” (obituary), January
(2021) “Fukushima: Nightmare in the city of ghosts” (excerpt from Tokyo Junkie), March 10
(2021) “BOOKS: Japan through the eyes of a ‘Tokyo Junkie’” (review by Peter Tasker), March 17
(2021) “Sex, booze and the Olympics”, June 12
(2021) “Why there is still hope for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics”
(2021) “Ohtani and the quest to rewrite baseball’s record books”, September 4
(2021) “Shohei Ohtani gives Japanese baseball a moment to savor”, September 5
(2024) “Author unveils treasure trove of hidden stories about postwar Japan” (review of Gamblers, Fraudsters, Dreamers & Spies), September 7
(2024) “Wall-to-wall coverage of Shohei Ohtani is more than justified”, October 28
“Ringing in the New Year in Japan”

Nippon.com

(2021) ““Tokyo Junkie”: Robert Whiting’s Memoir of a Capital Life” (review by James Singleton), April 16

Now and Zen podcast

(2021) “Robert Whiting: “Tokyo Junkie” 60 Years of Bright Lights, Back Alleys, and Baseball – Part 1” (audio interview), July 24
(2021) “Robert Whiting Part 2: “Tokyo Junkie” Baseball Stories and more” (audio interview), August 9

Pacific Stars and Stripes

(1977) “The Book Tells About Baseball in Japan” (by Hal Drake), November 14

Pacific Travel News

(1978) “Baseball, Japanese Style” (review of The Chrysanthemum and the Bat), February 14

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

(1989) “You Gotta Have Wa Review”, May 31

The Plain Dealer

(1977) “In Japan, umpires even get hits – in the head” (review of The Chrysanthemum and the Bat), July 14

PopMatters

(2021) “PopMatters Review of Tokyo Junkie”

POV | PBS

“Kokoyakyu | The Greatest Glory: Robert Whiting” (video)

Publishers Weekly

(1977) “The Chrysanthemum and the Bat: Baseball Samurai Style Review”, November 29
(2021) “Tokyo Junkie PW Review”

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel

“Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” (video)

Reuters

(2024) “Japan cheers as national hero Ohtani becomes MLB’s first 50-50 man” (references Bob), September 20

The Ringer

(2021) “The Colossal Legacy of Ichiro’s Rookie Season, 20 Years Later” (by Jake Kring-Schreifels), September 14

San Francisco Chronicle

(1983) “‘Besuboru’ Booming in Japan”, March
(1999) “Tokyo Mafioso” (interview), August 14

Seattle Times

(2012) “Japanese baseball expert explains what awaits Ichiro, Mariners in Japan” (interview by Larry Stone), March 17

Slate

(2004) “The Fans in Japan: Why they’re happy when baseball players go on strike”, September 29
(2011) “Pitching From Behind: The sad road of Japanese pitcher Hideki Irabu”, August 1

Smithsonian

(1986) “East meets West in the Japanese game of bēsubōru” (original magazine scan), September edition

South China Morning Post

(2021) “Tokyo Junkie: Robert Whiting’s eyewitness account of how Japan’s capital has changed in the past six decades” (review)

Sports Illustrated

(1976) “Bowed But Never Bloodied” (original magazine scan), May 17
(1979) “You Gotta Have ‘Wa’” (original magazine scan), September 24
(1989) “The Pain of Perfection” (original article scan), May 15
(1989) “From the Publisher About Robert Whiting” (by Donald J. Barr, about Bob), May 15
(1989) “The Master of Besuboru”, August 21
(2004) “Lost in Translation” (original magazine scan), May 22 issue
(2005) “Lost in Translation (II)” (original magazine scan), June 6 issue
(2006) “WBC: Catching On”, March 13
(2011) “After quake and tsunami, public split on baseball’s return to Japan”, April 11

SuperPsyched with Dr Adam Dorsey

(2021) “Episode 74: Understanding Japan through baseball” (audio interview), August

Talk Radio Europe

(2021) “Robert Whiting – Tokyo Junkie with TRE’s Bill Padley” (audio interview)

Texas Post

(1983) “It Happens Every Spring: Baseball Is Back, and With Its Baseball Books and Other Literary Signs of Spring” (by Clarence Petersen), April 17

Time Magazine

(1977) “Here Comes the Summer Special Section”, July 4
(1977) “Books for the Beach”, July 4
(1989) “Time Magazine: Review of You Gotta Have Wa”, August 14
(2001) “Batting Out Of Their League”, April 30
(2002) “Around the Horn: Interview with Ichiro” (Bob interviews Ichiro), November 11
(2002) “Around the Horn” (original magazine scan), November 18 issue
(2003) “Godzilla vs. the Americans” (original magazine scan), April 28 issue
(2008) “Baseball in Japan: Not All Cheers”, March 27

The Times Literary Supplement

(2021) “Olympic success” (review of Tokyo Junkie by Lesley Downer), June 18

Tokyo Junkie (this site)

(2020) “The Enatsu Story: Long Version”
(2022) “Tokyo Blowhard”, January 6

Tokyo Shimbun

(2024) “Book Review: New Tokyo Outsiders by Robert Whiting” (Japanese text), July 28

Tokyo Weekender

(1977) “The Chrysanthemum and the – what? And The making of ‘The Chrysanthemum and the Bat’” (by Tom Chapman, interview and review), July 10
(2021) “Robert Whiting On His First Years in Tokyo, the 1964 Games and More” (interview by Matthew Hernon), April 20

Transpacific Forum (Japan Air Lines)

(1987) “Frankly Speaking” (interview, published by Gatewood Press for Japan Air Lines)

U.S. News & World Report

(1997) “The Umpire Strikes Out”, June 23

The Wall Street Journal

(2012) “Diamond Diplomacy” (Bob’s review of “Transpacific Field of Dreams” and “Banzai Babe Ruth”), April 13
(2024) “‘In the Service of the Shogun’ Review: An Englishman in Japan” (Bob’s review), July 19

The Washington Post

(1989) “‘Wa’ Review”, May 28
(2021) “WaPo and the Olympics” (Tokyo Olympics legacy piece), July 17

The Wilson Quarterly

(1982) “Background Books: Japan” (Winter 1982, review of The Chrysanthemum and the Bat), December 10

Yomiuri

(1977) “Japanese Baseball Game Not Recognized as US Swat” (by Syd Porter), December 12

Yukan Fuji

(2008) “Unfair Trade Advantage: Stadium Subsidies” (Part 1 of 4)
(2008) “Unfair Trade Advantage: Marlins Stadium, Public Extortion” (Part 2 of 4)
(2008) “Unfair Trade Advantage: Salary Deprecation Allowance” (Part 3 of 4)
(2008) “Unfair Trade Advantage: Anti-Trust Exemption” (Part 4 of 4)
(2009) “Albatross”
(2009) “Divorce, MLB Style”
(2009) “Hard Luck Ichiro”
(2009) “Strike Three”
(2009) “Super Rookie Yusei Kikuchi”
(2009) “Upside Down”
(2009) “Whither Hideki Matsui?”
(2010) “Advice column – Letter to Ichiro Suzuki”
(2010) “Can you speak English?”
(2010) “MLB Japanese – Why so bad? Pt. I, II, III”
(2010) “Platelets for Breakfast”
(2010) “Sayonara Hillman-san”
(2011) “Remembering Hideki Irabu”
(2011) “Reporter’s Notebook”
(2011) “The Last Stand of Kei Igawa”
(2012) “Billion Dollar Blueprint”, May 8
(2012) “Ohtani and Nippon Ham”, December 9
(2013) “Welcome to Oakland”, March 20
(2014) “A Little Advice”
(2014) “Adjustment”
(2014) “Soccer vs Baseball”
(2014) “Tie Games”
(2014) “Useless All-Star Games: Revised”
(2015) “Tobaku”, October 21
(2016) “Ichiko-YCAC 120th Anniversary”
(2016) “Kyojin “Gentlemen” Gamblers”
(2016) “National Anthem and Baseball”
(2016) “Okinawa Et Al, Revised”
(2017) “Commissioner Manfred”
(2017) “Data File: Height, Weight and Peeing in the Shower”
(2017) “WBC 2017”
(2018) “Shohei, Boog and Big Mac”
(2019) “The 100 pitch limit mistake”
(2020) “2020 MLB season postponed”
(2020) “Baseball cheaters”
(2020) “Coronavirus and the Olympics”
(2020) “Oh in The Athletic’s top 100”
(2021) “Baseball and the Vaccine”, March 3
(2021) “Cancel the Olympics?”, March 17
(2021) “Shohei Ohtani, MVP 2021”
(2021) “Spaceman Shinjo Kantoku”
(2021) “Valentine’s Way: book review”
(2022) “MVP Shohei Ohtani: A Higher Level” (first column of 2022)
(2022) “Greg Kelly”
(2022) “150th Anniversary of Baseball in Japan”
“Godzilla and Donald Trump” (undated)

Other (outlet not named on the post)

(1977) “Random Thoughts: The Japanese at Bat” (by George Y. Somekawa, review of The Chrysanthemum and the Bat), October 28
(1989) “Whiting Explains Differences Between U.S., Japan Games: There Are at Least Two Ways to Play Baseball” (by Karl Greenfield), April 21
(2020) “Mob Rule: Tokyo Underworld on Film” (by Michael Pickard, on the Tokyo Underworld TV project), November 25