· April, 2011

Stories about East Asia from April, 2011

China: Farmer Hangs Himself in Desperation

  29 April 2011

Olivia from ChinaHush reports on the vulnerable situation Chinese farmers are facing in the market. A recent incident has been the suicide of a 39 year-old farmer, Han Jin.

China: Poem Dedicated to Lobsang Tsepak

  29 April 2011

High Peaks Pure Earth has translated a poem by Woeser dedicated to Lobsang Tsepak, a monk of Kirti Monastery, Ngaba, who was studying at Beijing's Central University for Nationalities and was arrested on March 25, 2011 for unclear reasons.

Execution Tunnels in North Korea

  29 April 2011

There are strong claims that tunnels in North Korea have been adapted for mass-executions of political prisoners if the regime ever be threatened, according to local reports. Alec Macph shared links to North Korea's human rights violation cases in the Harry's Place blog .

Taiwan: Lying Girls

  28 April 2011

After Japan's flying girl, here come Taiwan's lying girls. The Lying Girls will show you a really, totally, different way of viewing Taiwan…Come lie together!

Malaysia: Obesity in schools

  28 April 2011

Nuraina A Samad from Malaysia reminds authorities that addressing the obesity issue also requires a review of the physical education and fitness programs in schools

Malaysia: Cost of 1Malaysia email

  28 April 2011

Malaysiakini gathers reactions in Malaysia to the report that the planned 1Malaysia email will also entail some cost for users who will access some of its value added services.

Japan: Netizens react to the arrest of an Englishman

  27 April 2011

Japan Probe translated the comments [en] of some netizens who reacted to the arrest of an English man who grabbed “a mike from a politician at a train station and yelled about how Japanese elections are loud and annoying.”

China: The Rich Are Fleeing

  26 April 2011

A new survey conducted in part with one of China's biggest banks suggests that large numbers of wealthy Chinese have over the past two years begun moving their assets overseas, and gaining foreign citizenship in the process. If China is so bad, some wonder, now having lost all this capital and talent, is it about to get even worse?

Malaysia: Boot Camp to “Help” Effeminate Boys

  26 April 2011

Based on their effeminate tendencies, 66 schoolboys from the state of Terengganu in Malaysia were recently sent to a boot camp aimed at "helping them behave in a proper manner". The boys were identified by their schools, who were instructed last year to identify students who displayed feminine qualities. The blogoshere in Malaysia is divided over this issue.

North Korea: Three Films Denouncing Kim Jong-il Regime

  26 April 2011

Three films which give a rare glimpse inside the North Korea have been introduced during the North Korea Freedom Week, an annual event jointly held in Seoul and Washington hosting lectures and film screenings focusing human rights abuses in the North. Mike Paarlberg posted a detailed introduction to the films in...

China: Come-and-go of Confucius

  25 April 2011

Jing Gao from the Ministry of Tofu explains the political implications of the appearance and disappearance of the sculpture of Confucius in Tiananmen Square.

About our East Asia coverage

Oiwan Lam
Oiwan Lam is the North East Asia editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.

Mong Palatino
Mong Palatino is the South East Asia editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.