Stories about East Asia from June, 2015
Local Chinese Authorities Use Internet Slang ‘Ziganwu’ in Their Propaganda Recruitment
'Ziganwu' are Internet commenters not officially affiliated with authorities but who nevertheless ardently defend the government. China's Sichuan education office has adopted the term as part of recruitment efforts.
Three Videos That Explain Why Hong Kong Public Opinion on the Government's Electoral Reform Proposal Is Divided
The China-backed proposal claims to favour popular suffrage, but unsurprisingly, it is not as straight-forward as it seems.
Japan Expecting a Summer of Weird, Wild Weather
The return of El Nino in 2015 is causing wild weather in Japan, including heavy rains that have so far driven more than 30,000 people from their homes.
If Online Comments Are Any Evidence, China Has an Anti-African Racism Problem
"Many will spew hate online to feel better about themselves but will genuinely be excited to meet a black person in real life."
Bad Luck Injury a Blemish on ‘Nadeshiko Japan's’ FIFA Women's World Cup Start
Before a star player was injured in the opening game, Japan was the overwhelming favorite to win this year's FIFA Women's World Cup. Can Nadeshiko Japan still pull it off?
The Newly Updated Indic Keyboard App Now Supports 22 Asian Languages
A mobile input app called Indic Keyboard's newest release now supports language input in 22 Asian languages including 18 Indian languages apart from English, with 54 input layouts.
Indonesian Groups Rally Online to Demand Justice for Slain Environmentalist
Following a controversial statement by a spokesperson from Indonesia's Navy, various groups united to form "Solidaritas4Jopi," refuting speculation that Peranginangin's killer could have acted in self-defense.
Hong Kong Social Media Activists Under Fire as Key Electoral Policy Vote Approaches
Local legal experts suspect that authorities are exploiting Hong Kong's cybercrime laws in an effort to suppress political speech online.
Displaced by Fighting in Northern Myanmar, Thousands Continue to Live in Makeshift Camps
"Many elderly persons and some others are suffering from mental trauma, they feel hopeless. The number of students who no longer want to continue their education has increased"
Big Brother Mouse and an Elephant: Innovative Ways of Delivering Books in Laos
"At book parties we read aloud, play games, sing songs about books, and give every child a book of their own, usually the first one they ever owned."
Parents Experience Nostalgia as Nintendo Console Enters Textbooks
"For elementary school kids, Famicom is not a toy, but something they have to study in school. What amazing times we live in."
What Drives a Single Mother in China to Starve Her Daughter to Death?
Xiang Heping wept in an interview that she tied up her 9-year-old daughter and deprived her of food and water for six days as punishment for doing poorly in school.
An 8-Year-Old Schoolgirl's Murder Has Taiwan Debating the Death Penalty
Despite having ratified certain international covenants, Taiwan continues to practice capital punishment, with the approval of the majority of Taiwanese.
Why the Numbers 64, 89 and 535 Are Missing From the Chinese Internet
Today is June 4, the 26th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests of 1989. In recent years, some numbers have gone missing on the Chinese Internet because of censorship. These numbers are 64, 89 and 535 — which stands for May 35, a popular way to refer to June 4. They are...
The Singapore Government Pulled the Funding for This Comic Book, and Now Readers Only Want It More
"What is the criteria for deciding if a work crosses unacceptable boundaries? Why shouldn't good art be commercially self-sustainable anyway?"
‘We're Here for Our Families': Filipino Workers on Strike Share Hopes for Tomorrow
“We are fighting for regularization so that we will not lose our livelihood. This is for all the workers abused by the company.”
Selfie Campaign Promotes Interfaith Tolerance and Ethnic Diversity in Myanmar
"He is a Sikh and I'm a Muslim. But we are friends. Although we have diversities, we share our own opinions and beliefs, we accept and respect our different identities."
China's Internet Police Launch ‘Speech Inspections’, Chill Critical Voices
The launch of the "Internet Police Inspection and Law Enforcement" program implies a more coordinated effort in the incrimination of online speech.
What a ‘Mischievous Blonde Woman’ Dalai Lama Could Look Like
The Dalai Lama said that he may return as a ‘mischievous blonde woman’ or he might not be incarnated at all. His comments inspired Hong Konger and Taiwanese comic artists.
From Media to Manga, How Japan's Pop Culture Changed After Fukushima
Global Voices interviews Dr. BA Wakefield, a lecturer at Leiden University who is organizing a the Safety and Disaster in Japanese Popular Culture after Fukushima workshop on June 5.
Stunning Images of Volcanic Eruption on Japan's Kuchinoerabu-jima Island
A boy manages to capture video shortly after a volcano suddenly erupts on an island in southwestern Japan. For residents of nearby Kagoshima, volcanoes have become a way of life.
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