Stories about East Asia from March, 2016
Chinese Journalists Need a Press Law for Protection
"If there is no law, we take the initiative and can control [media] as we want."
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Scored a Trending Hashtag, But Not For the Reasons He Hoped
Prime Minister Najib Razak is battling corruption charges at home, but online he's basking in a new hashtag campaign. Except the #RespectMyPM movement didn't trend for the reasons Najib hoped.
Japan Observes International Women's Day With Mimosa Flowers and Grim Statistics
International Women's Day comes less than a week after a Japanese government survey showed that 30% of working women report being sexually harassed in Japan.
There Are Many, Many Things the Chinese Communist Party Doesn't Want Shown on TV
If producers were to follow the guidelines to the letter, TV would become very boring in China.
McDonald's Ad Featuring a Man Coming Out to His Father Goes Viral in Taiwan
Reactions to the ad, in which a father accepts that his son is gay, have been overwhelmingly positive. However, some anti-LGBT groups predictably complained.
New Video Hopes to Appeal to Thai Generosity to Help Myanmar Refugees
"We can’t change their past experience but, together with your Namjai (generosity), we can help them to create a better future."
Singapore’s Immortal ‘Void-Deck’ Football Tradition? Nope.
"It is a bad solution to a non-problem and a waste of taxpayers’ money. You are essentially using our funds to deprive us of a space we can use."
Get a Load of What the Tibetan Delegates Wore to This Year’s Two Congresses in China
At this year's conference, netizens' attention has focused on pins bearing Chinese President Xi Jinping's image that appeared on the chests of Tibetan delegates
Photographs of Ramen, the Comfort Food Japan Has Elevated to a Fine Art
While the rest of the world may be more familiar with sushi, perhaps Japan's most beloved food is ramen.
The Japanese Opposition's Mascot Has Reason to Fear for His Job
"...I think a better idea is to take him down to Hello Work [employment centers], get him some retraining and introduce him to a new workplace."
Netizen Report: Facebook VP Arrested in Brazil for Refusing to Give Police WhatsApp Data
A Facebook executive is arrested in Brazil, Bolivia’s President says he wants to regulate social networks, and China shuts down 580 social media accounts for “misleading the public”.
Graphic Artists Launch Online Poster Campaign to ‘Free the Media’ in Malaysia
"We feel that the time has come for Malaysians to demand for media and internet freedom in light of the latest assault on freedom of speech in Malaysia."
China Silences Outspoken Tycoon and Other Celebrities on Social Media
The Cyberspace Administration of China has accused the outspoken real estate tycoon Ren Zhiqiang of publishing “illegal messages with a negative impact.” But he's not alone.