Japanese cinema has produced incredible talents over the past 100 years. From directors such as Akira Kurosawa and Yasujiro Ozu to actors like Toshiro Mifune and Rinko Kikuchi.
One of the standout names to come out of Japan over the past 20 years is actor and martial arts expert Hiroyuki Sanada.
He has appeared in dozens of films – from J-horror flicks to the biggest superhero epics from Marvel. Most recently, he starred as the lead in the new FX show, Shogun, winning best lead actor in a drama series at the 2024 Emmys.
Here, we look at the actor’s career evolution and the notable films and television shows he has featured in.
Early start and Hong Kong cinema
Born in Tokyo’s Shinagawa province, Sanada began acting at a very young age. His first film, Game of Chance, was released in 1966, and it was a yakuza (or gangster) thriller starring Sonny Chiba. Sanada was only six years old at the time, and he also starred in two of the film’s sequels.
In the 1980s, Sanada moved to Hong Kong to appear in martial arts films, working alongside titans of the genre, including Corey Yuen and Michelle Yeoh.
During his time in Hong Kong, Sanada formed a close friendship with martial arts cinema star Jackie Chan. The two later worked together on Rush Hour 3 in 2007.
The Ring and Shakespeare
Sanada was becoming a familiar face in Japan by the late 1990s, and in 1998, he starred in a film that kicked off the J-horror phenomenon around the world, Ringu.
The film was a smash hit in Japan, and it quickly became a cult favourite among horror fans around the world. It also inspired the trend of remaking Japanese horror in Hollywood, starting with the hit 2002 film The Ring.
In 1999, Sanada joined the Royal Shakespeare Company for a production of King Lear. He was awarded an MBE, or Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire, for his role in the production.
The Last Samurai
While Ringu grew in popularity gradually, it was Sanada’s role in the Tom Cruise-fronted historical epic The Last Samurai that cemented his international breakthrough.
The 2003 film was a major hit worldwide, with many critics praising Sanada’s performance as Ujio, a master swordsman who is at odds with Cruise’s character, Captain Nathan Algren.
Directed by Edward Zwick, the film, which was made on a budget of $140 million, earned $456 million.
Hollywood beckons
After The Last Samurai, Sanada was approached to play several roles. In 2007, he appeared in the science fiction film Sunshine directed by Danny Boyle. The film reunited Sanada with Yeoh and also featured Cillian Murphy and Chris Evans.
The Japanese actor also appeared on hit television shows such as Lost and Revenge.
In 2013, he starred in The Wolverine with Hugh Jackman, and also appeared in films such as 47 Ronin, Bullet Train and Avengers: Endgame.
With his acting range, Sanada could play quiet and dramatic roles as well as the big action set pieces. His ability to appear calm and in an instant burst with emotion showcased his capability to adapt to whichever role he took on.
John Wick, Mortal Kombat and Shogun
During recent years, Sanada was able to fully showcase his martial arts abilities. In 2021, he starred in Mortal Kombat as Scorpion, a character beloved by fans of the video game the film is adapted from.
Last year, he appeared in the fourth instalment of the John Wick film series. The series has become one of the most action-packed and exciting film franchises, earning praise from viewers and critics alike.
His most recent work is FX show Shogun, a historical drama based on the 1975 book of the same name by James Clavell, in which he plays Lord Yoshii Toranaga. Shogun is loosely based on the true story of English navigator William Adams, who in 1600 became the first Englishman to reach Japan.
First Japanese Emmy winner
During the 2024 Emmy Awards, Sanada became the first Japanese actor to win best lead in a drama series. During his speech, he said: “This was an East-meets-West dream project with respect, and Shogun taught me that when people work together we can make miracles, we can create a better future together.”
Shogun won 18 Emmys overall, breaking the awards record for a single season of television. Sanada's co-star, Anna Sawai, also won best lead actress in a drama series. Speaking on stage after the show took home the Emmy for best drama, Sanada said in Japanese: “The passion and dreams that we have inherited from you have crossed oceans and borders.”
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
More on Quran memorisation:
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric
Transmission: n/a
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 659Nm
Price estimate: Dh200,000
On sale: Q3 2022
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Benevento v Atalanta (2pm), Genoa v Bologna (5pm), AC Milan v Torino (7.45pm)
Sunday Roma v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Udinese v Napoli, Hellas Verona v Crotone, Parma v Lazio (2pm), Fiorentina v Cagliari (9pm), Juventus v Sassuolo (11.45pm)
Monday Spezia v Sampdoria (11.45pm)
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Key features of new policy
Pupils to learn coding and other vocational skills from Grade 6
Exams to test critical thinking and application of knowledge
A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance, Assessment, Review and Analysis for Holistic Development) will form the standard for schools
Schools to implement online system to encouraging transparency and accountability
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
