Stories about East Asia from July, 2008
Cambodia: Election day
Today is election day in Cambodia. Workers got a 72-hour break in order to vote in the provinces. Motorcycle diaries and John Vink posted election-related photos.
Cambodia: List of unsolved attacks against journalists
Details are Sketchy provides a list of unsolved attacks against journalists in Cambodia.
Indonesia: Oil company endorses improper use of motorcycles?
My Busy Brain criticizes an oil company for distributing pamphlets which indirectly encouraged improper use of motorcycles in Indonesia
Malaysia: Nuclear plant
Malaysian blogger Zewt is not supportive of the plan to build a nuclear plant in Malaysia
Japan: Toyota's Just-In-Time System and the Akihabara Killings (Part 1)
When Tomohiro Kato killed 7 people and injured many more in Tokyo's Akihabara district last month, the details of his life became the talk of the Japanese blogging world. Among these conversations, the murders sparked a huge number of conversations on the country's temp worker industry, as Kato himself worked as a temp worker at a factory under Toyota. No single blog entry however attracted as much attention as did a post by blogger boiledema, published two days after the incident and bookmarked on Hatena by a staggering 1366 users. In this first part of a two-part series, we translate the first half of boiledema's original blog post.
Korea: To Me, a Blog is ___________
We all know about the ‘wave’ at sporting events. You stand up and down following strangers the behind or front, or left or right sides around you. Now the ‘blog wave’ is popular in Korea. A blogger or portal site suggests an idea and starts riding the ‘blog wave.’ This...
China: Unheard of ‘Turkestan Islamic Party’ claims recent bombings
Do not confuse the unknown Turkestan Islamic Party with the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, writes the New Dominion blogger in their detailed post today on the news today of a Commander Seyfullah reportedly taking responsibility for recent bombing incidents in China and the video accompanying the claims (update: someone mentions...
Taiwan: Bloggers Discuss Marketing Post
Taiwan blogosphere recently resumed the hot discussion about bloggers' advertising / marketing post -- but the topic goes hotter this time.
China: Can a cop-killer be a hero?
Actually, the majority opinion in the story of Beijing resident Yang Jia who recently rushed into a police building in Shanghai and stabbed and killed six police officers, wounding several others, seems to be on Yang's side. Since then, Yang's mother has mysteriously disappeared, Beijing police have been sent to...
China: Olympic blog shutdown continues
One of China's oldest blog service providers, Sohoxiaobao, has been kept shut down for a week already and looks to stay that way until the Beijing Olympics wrap up in late August.
China: Police Olympics guide to stopping “illegal news coverage”
How many times has the BOCOG promised that foreign reporters will be given full reign to interview and report during the Olympics Games? Davesgonechina at Mutant Palm looks at the somewhat different story that Chinese police are—and have been, for at least two years—prepared to tell. This story was linked...
China: (Not) welcoming George Bush to the Olympics
You've probably already heard that American president George W. Bush will be attending next month's Olympic Games in Beijing, but have you checked to see if you'll be sitting next to him? You might want to check again after you've seen this Olympic countdown clock.
China: Baidu and Music Industry
DANWEI reprinted an article from Music 2.0 blog on Baidu's strategy in conquering the music industry.
Japan: Anti War Demonstration
Tokyo Reporter reports on the left wing groups’ plan for a peace demonstration in August near Yasukuni Shrine.
Indonesia: Divorce cases increasing
Indonesia Matters reports that divorce cases are up in Indonesia with more women initiating the divorce. Adultery is still the top reason for divorce but it is interesting to note that “political differences” are also causing family break-ups.
Indonesia: Imported bananas
Indonesia Anonymus notes that bananas sold in some of Indonesia's supermarkets are all imported. The typical Indonesia's ‘pisang ambon’ banana variety is not available.
Indonesia: Haunted houses
Elyani's Place writes about how some Indonesians are warding off ghosts in haunted houses.
South Korea: History of Traveller's Complaint
Picking up the discussion on “Why expats in Korea complain so much?” Matt from Gust of popular feelings quotes texts from century-old history books on traveller's complaint about Korea.
Indonesia: Alternative education
Indonesian blogger Asri Wijayanti muses about the philosophy of education in Indonesia.
South Korea: Temporary Worker Protection
Korean women worker association has an article about a symposium on Temporary Employee Protection Act.
Vietnam: Inflation and rising petrol prices
Vietnam is facing a double-digit inflation. The rising petrol prices have also contributed to falling prices on Vietnam's stock exchange.
About our East Asia coverage
