Stories about East Asia from November, 2019
Pope Francis visit highlights Nagasaki's long Catholic history
The first papal visit to Japan in nearly four decades highlighted the country's historical Christian heritage, identified major challenges faced by the rest of the world.
China's new media world order: Interview with Cédric Alviani from Reporters Without Borders East Asia
Beijing trains foreign journalists in “language elements” to get them to “speak the same language” as Chinese outlets.
Melanesian journalists decry growing threats against media freedom
"Melanesian governments cannot pay lip service to international conventions and commitments to democratic freedoms and in the same breath issue orders to clamp down on journalists' right to expression."
Chinese defector's spying allegations rock Australian politics
'What an utterly insane suggestion that Chinese Australians should “publicly show” their stance on anything related to China to prove their “loyalty”. '
Testing the limits of LGBT acceptance in Taiwan: Interview with filmmaker Ming Lang Chen
"The Teacher is about human communication, it shows a wide range of delicate emotions, I wouldn't say it is just a gay movie."
‘Suspension won’t silence me’: Teen speaks out after embedding message about Xinjiang Uyghurs in TikTok makeup tutorial
Feroza Aziz used a makeup tutorial as a disguise to criticise China's treatment of Uyghurs on Tiktok.
In Hong Kong, landslide victory for Pro-democracy camp in local elections means Beijing is out of touch
It is true that people want to restore order. However, they also know that the disorder is created by the government and the pro-establishment in the first place.
An interview with ‘Siamese Intellectual’ Sulak Sivaraksa on the future of Thailand's democracy and monarchy
"The monarchy must introduce some transparency into its workings if it wants to remain. It must be open to criticism."
Will the upcoming Taiwanese presidential election bring an end to the death penalty?
Taiwan has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that calls for the abolition of capital punishment, yet it has applied death penalty in 34 cases since.
Japanese arms fair generates protest, puzzlement
While arms fairs have been regularly held in Japan in the past, this is the first such event organized in collaboration between government and industry.
As 3 million people vote in local elections, Hong Kong breaks record for civic participation
The election result is considered an important indicator of citizens’ take on the ongoing political crisis as millions of voters choose between pro-establishment and pro-democracy candidates.
Explainer: How a U.S. Act on human rights and democracy can protect freedom in Hong Kong
The US Senate has unanimously voted for a Hong Kong Act which aims at protecting the city’s autonomous status and its residents’ civic rights.
Victory for transgender students at Thailand's Chulalongkorn University
Prior to this development, Chulalongkorn University had no official protocol for transgender students wishing to dress according to their gender identity.
130 civil society groups call on Myanmar military to drop charges against civilians
"The military are the government’s staff. If they are doing wrong, citizens have a right to point it out. Citizens have a right to speak out,”
Hong Kong Polytechnic University on fire after violent clashes between protesters and police
As riot police stormed another university campus in Hong Kong, protesters set fire to create barricades.
Tashkent theatre offers window into Japanese internment after World War II
Of all the Japanese interned for forced labour by the Soviet Union after the end of the war, about 25,000 were taken to Uzbekistan.
Malaysian writer faces probe after publishing a book about her decision to not wear a hijab
"It is important for us to remind the government that freedom of expression is not a crime and freedom of religious beliefs is not an insult to Islam."
University of the Philippines unveils new subject on the Marcos dictatorship to counter historical revisionism
The new subject can be a platform for the “conscientization” of young Filipinos on the importance of human rights, social justice and the continuing struggle for genuine freedom and democracy.
Hong Kong's university campuses turned into battlefields amidst a three-day strike
Clashes between police and student activists started the first day of the general strike on 11 November as some protesters attempted to create roadblocks to disrupt traffic.
Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong responds to Thai Army Chief
Joshua Wong gives updates on the Hong Kong protest and addresses allegations by Gen Apirat Kongsompong, Thai Royal Army Chief.
Former university lecturer jailed for online posts in Vietnam
Vietnamese authorities continue their crackdown on freedom of expression against ordinary citizens even when they do not engage in any grassroots activism or political movements.
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.
