Stories about East Asia from May, 2007
Estonia: The Emperor's Menu
Nami-Nami examines the menu of the Emperor of Japan during his recent visit to Estonia: “The only ‘outsider’ is the snow crab, which was caught in Kamtchatka.”
China: Xiamen Demonstration Against Chemical Project
Tomorrow there will be a demonstration in Xiamen against the construction of Chemical factory campus. Although the local government has already announced the deferral of the construction plan on may 30, the rally is to stop the plan all together. Details and discussions about the rally and construction plan can...
China: Lost in “preservation”
Wang Jun comments that media attention has succeed in preserving part of “old Beijing”, however, the old part might still get lost in actual preservation plan, as it allows rebuilding and radical renovation (zh).
Hong Kong: Take it to the UN!
A new blog called, take it to the UN, has been set up to file the complaint of the recent censorship cases by the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (TELA) to the Committees of Human Right Council of United Nation.
China: Pork barrel politics
Will from imagethief discusses the delicate politics in the recent rise in pork price in China, the connection between epidemic, death sentence of the former commissioner of the State Food and Drug Administration, pork reserves, etc.
China: Entropia Universe
Peijin Chen from Shanghaiist reports that Entropia. Inc will soon enter China and create a cash-based virtual world, where millions of people can work, socialize, learn and fall in love, Sweden-based Entropia Universe announced Wednesday.
Japan: “Thought Check” Screening for Citizen Judges
While news in Japan this week has been understandably fixated on the sensational suicide of Agriculture Minister Matsuoka Toshikatsu, another story revealed in a blog entry by Diet member Hosaka Nobuto slipped by with little fanfare last weekend. In the post, Hosaka outlines the latest step in moves by the government to implement a "citizen judge system" in Japan. This step, he claims, would allow the prosecution to effectively disqualify, through a "thought check" screening process, all citizens judge candidates who express doubt about the trustworthiness of police investigations.
China: Internet Bookstore
Fangjun discussed about the competition of internet bookstore business in China (zh). Joyo and dangdang were competing the status of the biggest Chinese internet bookstore in the world. Recently Dangdang issued a statement and asked joyo not to lie again.
China: The importance of media dissent to “old Beijing”
Chris O'Brien from Beijing Newspeak blogs about the importance of media dissent to the redevelopment process of “old Beijing” by comparing the news reports of Dongsi Ba Tiao and Qianmen projects: media pressure has at least secured residents a better deal in terms of compensation.
Hong Kong: Migration of Websites
Duke of Aberdeen comments on the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority's advice of the suspected “indecent” photo at inmediahk.net, and points out that one of the consequence is a migration wave of website hosting out of Hong Kong as the government is targeting on local ISP and BSP (zh).
South Korea: Gender Gap
Kotaji comments on the widening of gender gap in South Korea, there are more male than female. The writer's quick suggestions are acceptance of homosexuality, sex change, clone female.
Hong Kong: Censorship Bureaucrats
Roland Snoog has translated the article from Inmediahk.net on the author's encounter with the staff from the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (TELA) who gave an “advice” to the website to remove a nude photo. See also ESWN
Thailand: Stereotyping Foreigners
The Siam Sentinel looks at the Thai habit of stereotyping foreigners. “It's not always the case but many Thais are still going by long believed stereotypes about how the Chinese, Indians, and farang are all cheats and out to steal something from the Thai people.”
Singapore: Pretty Fly
Nature lover the annotated budak asks “Can a fly be pretty?“
Thailand: Blocking Pro-Thaksin Sites
Thai authorities have blocked more sites that support the former prime minister Thaksin. The Bangkok Bugle says the block might have a reverse effect with Thai people trying other means to figure out what Thaksin has to say.
A special-made signboard for wife of government officials
“Wife (Samonim) of the Seoul Mayor and Wife of the District Chief, Welcome to Jung-gu District Office!” A special-made signboard was mocked by bloggers.[ko]
ka,na,da,ra,ma,ba,sa…
ka,na,da,ra,ma,ba,sa… the Korean alphabet has been used for a love poem.
Competition between ‘allblet’ and ‘adclix’ in Korea.
Competition between ‘allblet’ and ‘adclix’ in Korea. Since a major portal site in Korea started adclix, the contextual advertisement system similar to Google AdSense, other portal sites have competed to make their own. And bloggers are busy comparing them. [ko]
Japan: Miss Universe
Marie Mockett from Japundit comments on Miss Japan, Riyo Mori, who has just taken the crown of Miss Universe pagent: As long as the Japanese were sticking to their version of “kawaii,” they were never going to win a thing.
Hong Kong: How Did The Obscene Articles Tribunal Get Hijacked?
ESWN translated an article from inmediahk.net by Leung Man Tao that explained how the obscene articles tribunal got hijacked in Hong Kong.
China: GFW and Google
Zola claims that once he becomes more well off and famous, he will sue GFW and Google, the former blocks his blog from local access, the latter stops his adsense account without giving him any reason (zh).
About our East Asia coverage
Oiwan Lam is the North East Asia editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
Nevin Thompson is the Japan editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.
