Stories about Japan from November, 2005
Japan: Moving Noodles
Amy Nakazawa at Blue Lotus describes the first meal she cooked in her new Tokyo apartment: hikkoshi soba — “Hikkoshi means moving, and soba are buckwheat noodles; and eating soba right after moving is the done thing in Japan.”
China, Japan, Korea: Superiority Complex
Yaw and Mog worry about Japan's disturbing superiority complex, lately evidenced by two best-selling comics that belittle Korea and China.
China: Interpreting the Mascots
Mutant Frog Travelogue analyzes the symbolism behind China's recently unveiled five mascots for the Beijing Olympics. “China’s choice also says something about the degree to which its “peaceful rise” diplomacy has been incorporated in creative and non-traditional ways into popular culture. Whether one buys into the message or not, one...
Japan: Analyzing the Harujuku Girls
Japundit analyzes the bizarre, somewhat disturbing posse of Japanese hipsters employed to trail American pop singer Gwen Stefani — the Harujuku Girls.
Japan, Peru: Is Fujimori Japanese?
After the news of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori's arrest in Chile, Mutant Frog Travelogue wonders what makes Fujimori a Japanese national?
Japan, Brazil: Japan's Ethnic Media
Sociology Professor Shigehiko Shiramizu offers his analysis of how Japan's media has shifted to appeal to Brazilian immigrants.
Peru, Japan: Is Alberto Fujimori Japanese?
Roy Berman takes a detailed look at former Peruvian President, Alberto Fujimori's nationality.
Japan: Whale Hunt
A whaling fleet sets sail in Japan, ostensibly for research. Tokyo Times is skeptical.
Japan, Korea: New History Blog
The people behind the Japan History Blog announce another member of the family: the Korea History Blog.
China, Japan, Korea, India: Pan-Asian Sidenotes on Old Travelogues
Preetam Rai at betterdays took photos of the wry commentary penciled in the margins of an old travelogue written in the 1930s by an American traveler who visited China, Japan and Korea. Rai had bought the book in Bangalore bookshop. He observes: “The commentator was surely a proud pan-asianist. Pan-Asianism...
China, Japan: After Yasukuni
At Angry Chinese Blogger, a thoughtful discussion, in light of news that Japan is finally considering an internationally acceptable war memorial to replace the war-criminal infested Yasukuni Shrine, about the choices facing both Japan and China.
Japan: War Crimes
A post by Curzon at Coming Anarchy on former U.S. defense secretary Robert McNamara's remorse at helping plan the firebombing of Tokyo starts a discussion about war crimes and war criminals.
