Stories about East Asia from November, 2012
Are Japan's Upcoming Elections Unconstitutional?
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda dissolved the lower house of the Japanese parliament on November 16, 2012 and set general elections for December 16, 2012. However, according to a group of lawyers, the value of one vote varies in constituencies and because of this vote value disparity, these planned elections are actually unconstitutional.
Scenes from Malaysia’s ‘Green Walk’
Malaysia’s ‘Green Walk’ started with 70 participants on November 13. After two weeks, the march ended in the country’s capital which was participated and supported by more than 15,000 people. The ‘long march’ was organized by the Himpunan Hijau group to protest the construction of a rare earth refinery in the country
Korean Pop Singer PSY to Perform in China
Mainland Chinese will be soon to see the first performance of Korean pop star PSY in China, which will be hosted by Hunan T.V. Beijing Cream has the story.
Beloved Presidential Candidate in South Korea Bows Out
With the presidential election just a month away, South Koreans were surprised when the top contender suddenly dropped out of the race. This unprecedented political move was made by South Korea's beloved entrepreneur-turned-politician, Ahn Cheol-soo, who is widely seen as the most apolitical and least corrupt candidate in the nation's recent political history.
A South Korean Received 10 Month-Jail Term for Retweeting North Korean Tweets
Park Jung-geun, a South Korean photographer/activist, was arrested for retweeting North Korean official Twitter account's messages back in January. He received a suspended 10 month jail term last week.
Pitak Siam Rally Turns Violent in Thailand
The anti-government rally organized by Pitak Siam or “protect Thailand” network turned violent as protesters clashed with the police in Bangkok. Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd which was trying to enter a restricted zone. The protesters were demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister whom they accused of being corrupt and undemocratic.
China: “Most Awesome Nail House” Stands In Middle Of Highway
The picture above is the screen capture of a TV report on a house, which stands in the middle of a highway near the railway station in Taizhou, Wenlin, Zhejiang...
China: Re-education through Labour System Under Fire
A number of state-controlled media outlets ran articles criticizing the process of re-education through the labour system. Some netizens are speculating that this may be a sign of impending legal...
China: Last Words of 19 Tibetans Who Committed Self-Immolation
Tsering Woeser, a dissent writer who reports on the human rights situation in Tibet, has collected 19 last wills and testaments of Tibetans who self-immolated to help people understand their grievances.
Malaysian Residents Oppose Rare Earths Refinery
Malaysia is set to build the world's largest rare earths refinery after the High Court rejected petitions opposing the project. In response environment groups, residents, and concerned citizens have vowed to step up protests against the plant.
Did News Story on Riches of China's Premier Weaken Reformists?
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabo’s final days in office have been tainted by allegations that his family has used their power and influence to amass a personal fortune. The scandal also prompted China’s netizens to speculate on the internal struggle within the Communist Party.
People Believe China's Hope Depends on Democracy
Rachel Wang from Tea Leaf Nation reports on the result of an online poll in Sina Weibo conducted by People's Daily, in which a landslide majority of people vote for...
China's Most Expensive Business School
Ministry of Tofu translated an info graphic showing the background of the students of the China's most expensive business school, the Cheung Kong Graduate Business School.
China: Five Street Children Suffocated to Death in Dumpster
Last week, on Friday November 16, five young children were found dead in a dumpster, due to carbon monoxide poisoning in Guizhou province. Anthony Tao from Beijing Cream reported on...
Myanmar Overwhelmed by Obama's Kiss
Thousands of people greeted Barack Obama who made history by becoming the first president of the United States to set foot on Myanmar. People talked about his speech, his foreign policies, and most especially the kiss he gave to opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Internet users used the hashtag #Oburma to monitor Obama's trip in Myanmar
Philippines: How “I’m a Liar?” Became #amalayer Hashtag
A college student from the Philippines berated a female guard at a Manila train station and accused the latter of being rude. The students tirade was documented on video and was uploaded on the internet. Filipino netizens accused the student of being arrogant and disrespectful. The #amalayer hashtag, which trended worldwide, was used in reference to the student’s pronunciation of ‘I'm a liar’.
Chinese Consumers Break Online Sales Record on Bachelors’ Day
November 11 is Bachelor's Day in mainland China. How do people celebrate this special day? Apparently by spending money online - this year in a record breaking manner.
Confessions of Paid Political Trolls in South Korea
The practice of hiring trolls to hijack the comment section in online political posts is an open secret in South Korea. These paid commenters copy-and-paste slanderous messages crafted by their leaders and post it on major online platforms, some more skilled workers conjure up original vicious comments all by themselves.
2012 Peaceful Protest for Gaza in Hong Kong
Hong Wrong has collected reports and photos on the weekend protest demanding an end to the Israeli occupation and the current bombardment of Gaza.
300 Km Long March Against Rare Earths Refinery in Malaysia
To stop the Australian rare earths mining company, Lynas Corporation from operating a rare earths refinery in Pahang, Malaysia, a group of activists started a 300 km march, dubbed “the Green Walk”, from Kuantan to the Parliament in Kuala Lumpur on November.
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