Stories about Japan from July, 2008
Formoz Festival 2008: Don't wanna say goodbye
Here is wikipedia's explanation of the annual Formoz Festival: The annual Formoz Festival, Spring Scream, and Gung-liao Ho-hai-yan Rock Festival are representative gatherings within Taiwan's indie scene. Of these, Formoz...
Japan: Toyota's Just-In-Time System and the Akihabara Killings (Part 1)
When Tomohiro Kato killed 7 people and injured many more in Tokyo's Akihabara district last month, the details of his life became the talk of the Japanese blogging world. Among...
Japan: Communist Party gets boost from Nico Nico Douga
It is a long time since the Japanese Communist Party had any luck in Japanese politics, but with help from no other than Japan's popular video sharing site, Nico Nico...
Japan: Mainichi's “Foreign Staff”
In the latest step in a long and drawn out controversy, Mainichi newspaper has issued a 3-page official apology in response to the harsh backlash concerning its English-language WaiWai column....
Korea: Chopsticks… Rather Complicated…
Why does Korea use iron for chopsticks while other chopsticks countries use wooden materials? What is the history of the use of chopsticks? When do kids learn how to use...
Japan: Chinese Novelist wins Akutagawa Award
On Tuesday, the Akutagawa Award for Fiction, considered the most prestigious literary prize in Japan, was awarded to Chinese novelist Yang Yi for her work, “Tokiga nijimu asa”. Yang, who...