Stories about Japan from September, 2012
China: University's Stability Maintenance Instructions on Diaoyu Islands Dispute
Anne Henochowicz from China Digital Times translated a stability maintenance instructions from within an university from Shaanxi province which demands teachers and staffs from various departments to monitor students’ sentiment...
Japan: Anxiety Over Human Rights Commission Bill
A bill to set up a Human Rights Commission has been met with opposition from different parties and citizens. The bill aims to set up an independent commission for human rights violation such as bullying, descrimination, and slander on the Internet, as an extra-ministerial committe of the Ministry of Justice.
Japan: Petition to Release Violin from Frankfurt Customs
On August 16, 2012, German customs officials at Frankfurt Airport seized a Guarneri violin from Japanese professional musician Yuzuko Horigome when she failed to present correct documentation. They demanded that she...
Japan: Citizens Respond to New Nuclear Power Policies
Individuals with vested interests in nuclear power have been named to lead a regulatory commission of the Japanese government that will play crucial role in determining whether to phase out nuclear power during the 2030s and how. While environmental groups welcome the government's statement of intent to end nuclear power, citizens are calling for commission members with a conflict of interest to be declared ineligible.
Japan: Misreporting on “1,000 Chinese Boats” Headed for Disputed Islands
The watchdog for accuracy in news reporting in Japan reports [ja] in its website gohoo.org that several major Japanese newspapers have recently written posts on the Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands, which are...
Japan: Should a Famous Comedian's Mum Be Allowed Social Aid?
A Japanese comedian became the subject of massive outrage in the media and online, after it was revealed his mother has claimed social benefit.
Japan: Fukushima Nuclear Cleanup Worker Dangers Revealed
A citizen media news video has revealed the dangerous conditions that cleanup workers in Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant are finding themselves in. The plant was damaged by last year's devastating earthquake and tsunami.
China: Writer said “I am a Traitor”
Sijia Song from Tea Leaf Nation has translated a Chinese prominent writer, Li Chengpeng's latest blogpost: “Confessions of a Traitor”. The post has received more than 200,000 views and 19,000...
Porn Star Appeals for China/Japan Friendship
Popular Japanese porn star Sola Aoi appealed for friendship between Chinese and Japanese early last week when the tension between China and Japan elevated. But her friendly gesture was not...
China: Protesters Arrested for Human Rights Banner at Anti-Japan Rally
The arrest of three protesters in Shenzhen who were peacefully demonstrating in the middle of thousands of anti-Japanese protesters on September 16 demonstrates how the police officers were effectively and selectively controlling and managing the Anti-Japan protests.
A QQ Conversation on the China-Japan Island Dispute
Xujun Eberlein from Inside out China translated a QQ conversation on the China-Japan Island dispute to help the outside world understand how ordinary people felt about the conflict.
China: Censor Machine Suspended for Anti-Japan Mobilization?
As the tension between China and Japan over the disputed Diaoyu Islands (also known as the Senkaku Islands) has elevated, large scale anti-Japan protests have taken place all over China in more than 50 cities over the weekend. But what lies behind the scenes of the weekend's demonstrations?
Japan: Imagining Future Japanese-Korean Relations with ‘Free Hugs’
A "free hugs" video filmed in Korea by a young Japanese man attracted another round of attention this summer. The creator's intent was to "prove that there is hope for the future of Japan and South Korea". The deterioration in international relations between the two countries, reported upon daily in the media, has been causing a stir recently.
Japan: Radio Airs Story of Fukushima Province Evacuee
Multilingual community radio station FMYY in Kobe has aired a radio drama titled “Under Invisible Clouds” [ja], the story of Yasuko Sasaki, one evacuee from the town of Namie in...
China: Another Waves of Anti-Japan Protest
Anne Henochowicz from China Digital Times reports on the new waves of anti-Japan protest in major cities in China. Some angry protesters attempted to attack Japanese restaurants and cars.
Japan: Kansai Queer Film Festival Kicks Off
Japan's 7th Kansai Queer Film Festival kicks off in Osaka this weekend September 15-17, and will be held in Kyoto on October 12-14. It celebrates and shows various films that focus on...
In Sea of Censorship, China Allows Anti-Japan War Vitriol
A fleet of six Chinese surveillance ships has been deployed in response to the Japanese government's move to purchase three disputed islets from their private Japanese owners. Some Chinese netizens have reacted to the news with anti-Japan warmongering on social media channels.
Japan: House of Representatives Passes ACTA
ACTA and three other motions were all adopted together in a plenary session [ja] of the Japanese House of Representatives on September 6, 2012.
Japan: Fukushima Women Gather Against Nuclear Power
Former United Nations worker Kaori Izumi called for a “Vote for Solidarity” [ja] in order to change Japan's policies around nuclear energy at a gathering of Fukushima women on August 29,...