Stories about Japanese from September, 2012
Japan: Anxiety Over Human Rights Commission Bill
A bill to set up a Human Rights Commission has been met with opposition from different parties and citizens. The bill aims to set up an independent commission for human rights violation such as bullying, descrimination, and slander on the Internet, as an extra-ministerial committe of the Ministry of Justice.
Japan: Film Festival to Celebrate Peace Day
On Peace Day, 21 September, the UNITED FOR PEACE FILM FESTIVAL 2012 will be held in Yokohama, Japan. Students from around the globe have entered five minute videos – watch some now.
Japan: Should a Famous Comedian's Mum Be Allowed Social Aid?
A Japanese comedian became the subject of massive outrage in the media and online, after it was revealed his mother has claimed social benefit.
Japan: Imagining Future Japanese-Korean Relations with ‘Free Hugs’
A "free hugs" video filmed in Korea by a young Japanese man attracted another round of attention this summer. The creator's intent was to "prove that there is hope for the future of Japan and South Korea". The deterioration in international relations between the two countries, reported upon daily in the media, has been causing a stir recently.
Japan: Radio Airs Story of Fukushima Province Evacuee
Multilingual community radio station FMYY in Kobe has aired a radio drama titled “Under Invisible Clouds” [ja], the story of Yasuko Sasaki, one evacuee from the town of Namie in Fukushima Prefecture. This story was produced by volunteers in Hiroshima as a part of the 100 Stories Project [ja] about...
Japan: Kansai Queer Film Festival Kicks Off
Japan's 7th Kansai Queer Film Festival kicks off in Osaka this weekend September 15-17, and will be held in Kyoto on October 12-14. It celebrates and shows various films that focus on diverse gender and sexuality issues around the world.
Japan: House of Representatives Passes ACTA
ACTA and three other motions were all adopted together in a plenary session [ja] of the Japanese House of Representatives on September 6, 2012.
Japan: Fukushima Women Gather Against Nuclear Power
Former United Nations worker Kaori Izumi called for a “Vote for Solidarity” [ja] in order to change Japan's policies around nuclear energy at a gathering of Fukushima women on August 29, 2012.
