Stories about East Asia from July, 2016
Filipinos Call on China to Do a #Chexit in the South China Sea
"West Philippine Sea is legally, politically and historically ours. The hell with China's imaginary 9-dash line, #CHexit now!"
Myanmar Official Gets Online Support for Challenging Radical Buddhist Group
The hashtag #NoMaBaTha was launched on Facebook to support an embattled city minister for speaking out against a Buddhist nationalist group in Myanmar.
A New Species of Beetle Named After President Xi Is Blacklisted on Chinese Social Media
"An act of ass kissing now turns into ass kicking…"
Chinese Censors Are Making Sure Social Media Only Shows Positive Flooding News
"The propaganda is good at turning a disaster into a positive story and making human errors invisible."
Hundreds Join March in Cambodia a Few Hours After Government Critic Was Shot Dead
"When regime wanted to kill, labels them [conspirators] not loyal to the regime. Then they kill them."
She'll Get US Citizenship 60 Years After Being Adopted, But Thousands More Must Still Wait
Advocates say as many as 15,000 people who were adopted from abroad but never naturalized are waiting for legislation that would give them the chance to get documented too.
Amazing and Surreal Photos of Fireflies In Japan
The earth is a beautiful place.
‘Talking Dictionary’ Transmits Language of Japan's Indigenous Ainu People
An online "talking dictionary" is attempting to preserve the Ainu language spoken by the indigenous inhabitants of Japan's northeastern island of Hokkaido.
China Bans News Sourcing From Social Media
"From a historical perspective, media outlets that are close to government have a higher tendency to fabricate news. The track record of state-controlled media outlets is even worse."
Arashiro Yukiya Wins Red Jersey in Tour de France, and Japan Is Ecstatic
"Cyclist Arashiro Yukiya wins "combativity award" on Tour de France! He inspires us all!"
Why Did Facebook Remove a Post Criticizing Singapore Police?
After police searched political activist and civil rights lawyer Teo Soh Lung's home and computer without a warrant, she posted about it on Facebook. Then her post was taken down.
Why Are Japan's Election Sound Cars So Noisy, and So Pointless?
It's election time in Japan again and for many Japanese people, that means the return of a particularly Japanese annoyance: 'sound cars' that repeat pointless and uninformative messages.
Thai Activists Use Toys, Balloons and Dolls to Campaign for Democracy
Protests are still banned in Thailand where the army remains in power, but will authorities arrest the 'protesting' toys and dolls?
The ‘Achievement Epidemic’ in Vietnam Schools
"I think families’ expectations and the career guidance given to students are unrealistic and not that helpful."
In China, Homophobia and Fear of ‘Foreign Forces’ Go Hand in Hand
After a lesbian couple got engaged publicly at a university, a school official accused one of the women of being "under the control of an illegal organization."
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