Stories about Japan from September, 2005
China, Japan: Threat assessment
Angry Chinese Blogger analyses just how threatening a recent leaked Japanese government document on the military threat posed by China may be to Sino-Japanese relations.
Japan: Hello Kitty lawsuit
“Still more evil from the mouthless one from Sanrio,” report both AsiaPundit and SimonWorld on an intellectual copyright lawsuit brought by Hello Kitty creators Sanrio against a group of Hong Kong drama students.
Japan: A tale of two giants
Gen Kanai compares restructuring plans announced separately by two giant corporations this week: Microsoft and Sony.
North Korea: Business as usual
NKZone wraps up the aftermath of Monday's North Korean nuclear agreement, saying Pyongyang has already reneged on the Beijing statement.
Japan: Innovative photographer
Photoethnography.com links to the innovative and striking work of Japanese architect and photographic artist Kazuhiko Kawahara.
China, Japan: Hitler comparisons
Danwei translates a recent article by a Chinese political commentator using a comparisons with Hitler, in what Chinese analysts are increasingly viewing as a “remilitarization” of Japan in the wake of the landslide election victory for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and his Liberal Democratic Party earlier this month.
North Korea: Translation issue
Oranckay “re-translates” the English version of the statement issued by the six-parties to the Korean nuclear talks.
North Korea: Nuke-free pledge
One Free Korea takes apart, in a point-by-point analysis, the unexpected announcement that North Korea will give up its nuclear weapons program in exchange for security and assistance guarantees from the other five parties to the China-brokered talks.
Japan: Election Wrapup
Japundit wraps up its coverage of the recent elections, and announces that it's back to posting on sex and festivals!
Inside The Japanese Blogosphere
David Jacobson at Japan Media Review has prepared an excellent summary about how Japanese bloggers covered the country's recent parliamentary elections on September 11. As part of the post, Jacobson documents the emergence of “housewife-turned-journalist” Ai Izumi, who, at 38 and despite having no training as a professional journalist, was...
China: War atrocities
Bingfeng points to a Chinese-language discussion of Japanese wartime atrocities. He compares Chinese historical memories of the Rape of Nanking to Japanese historical memories of Hiroshima, and asks: is Hiroshima nuke fabricated by Japanese? (Warning: very disturbing descriptions.)
Japan: Characters and Conformity
Andy Gray has been visiting Tokyo's Yoyogi Park and chronicling the characters he finds there on his charming photoblog Japanwindow. This week he puts up pictures of the 50s boy-gang wannabe Rockabilly guys, a group of joyful African-inspired drummers and hillbilly jug band Tokyo Limelight Circus. Marie Mockett at Japundit...
Japan: Disaster drills
September 1 is annual Disaster Drills Day in Japan nationwide. This year, over 1 million people took part, spurred in part by the increase in major earthquakes over the summer.
Japan: Selling Lexus
After making a roaring success in US automobile market, Lexus will finally be sold in Japan. But there are key issues in making market entry to its parental country.
Japan: Politics as pagenat
Is politics a pagenat? Horie Takafumi, CEO of internet startup livedoor, plays Schwarzenegger-the-governor and runs as an independent candidate in the Hiroshima #6 district.
