Latest posts by Keiko Tanaka
Hirokazu Tanaka: One Name, Many Different People
Through the Internet, Hirokazu Tanaka continued to meet other Hirokazu Tanakas. After 20 years, there are 104 Hirokazu Tanakas recorded by the organizer of Hirokazu Tanaka movement.
20 Bitter Voices Rise From Fukushima After Japan's 2011 Nuclear Disaster
"Lately there have been many times in which I’ve come to think that human beings are scarier than radiation", Fukushima residents comments curated on Buddhist blogpost.
Tokyo Governor Money Scandal Turns Graphic Meme
Tokyo Metropolitan Governor apologizes over money scandal. Japan's twitter users take it as a joke.
Fashion Show in Japan Takes on Violence Against Women
Asian Women’s Association, a non-profit women's right organization is organizing a fashion show entitled Fashion Resistance to Militarism to appeal the issue of violence against women.
Protesters, Journalists Speak Out Against Japan's National Secrecy Bill
The controversial bill seeks to impose tougher penalties for leaking Japan's national secrets, but critics fear it could curtail freedom of the press and the right to information.
Japan's Independent Tofu Makers Are Rapidly Disappearing
Japan's traditional tofu makers, trying to compete with low supermarket prices, are on the verge of extinction.
Japan's Open Data Policy Still Needs Work
Even though the Japanese government is working toward advancing its open data policy, the country has a ways to go, ranking 30th out of 70 countries, according to an index compiled by Open Knowledge Foundation. Masahiko Shoji of Open Knowledge Foundation Japan writes: 日本は、政府支出、企業登記情報、交通時刻表、立法の分野で低い評価を受けました。また、どの項目もオープンライセンスの採用については「Yes」の評価を得ませんでした。これらの課題は6月に発表されたG8諸国における速報の時点と同じであり、日本の取り組みが大きくが進んでいないことを表しています。 Japan's open data on government spending, company register,...
Journalists Fear Japan's Proposed Secret Information Protection Act
The cabinet of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved a bill [ja] on October 25, 2013 to impose tougher penalties on civil servants, lawmakers and others who leak national secrets and harm national security. The so-called Secret Information Protection Act has been unpopular among Japanese press, human rights advocates, and citizens...
The Guardian's (Mis)guide To Japanese Sex Trends
"Japan's under-40s appear to be losing interest in conventional relationships," said The Guardian. "Millions aren't...dating, and increasing numbers can't be bothered with sex." Not so fast, said Japanese netizens.
92 Countries Sign Minamata Convention to Prevent Mercury Poisoning
The Minamata Convention on Mercury, a global legally binding instrument on mercury was adopted in Minamata, Japan. The city known for tragedy now hopes to be known for solutions.
Japan: OpenStreetMap Aggregates Typhoon Info
OpenStreetMap users volunteered their time to create a crisis map of Izu Oshima island [ja], a small island to the south of Tokyo where more than a dozen of people were killed by mudslides triggered by this week's deadly Typhoon Wipha. The red dots on the map represent reports submitted by users, which give...
Massive Anti-Nuclear Protests Held in Tokyo
On October 13, 2013, thousands of people marched down the streets of Tokyo to protest against nuclear power. In a rally dubbed Goodbye Genpatsu [ja], Japanese people demanded the end of nuclear power plants and the use of more environmentally friendly sources of energy. Kenzaburo Oe, winner of the 1994...
Mapping Earthquake Reconstruction in Tohoku, Japan
TPFsquare, a project by a group of volunteer professionals based in Tokyo, compiles a list of efforts to rebuild areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 into single map. The project, which is available in English, seeks to aggregate various reconstruction projects in different locations so that...
Should Japan's Children Be Reading This Comic About a Hiroshima A-Bomb Survivor?
One city's attempt to restrict children from reading "Barefoot Gen", a comic series about the Hiroshima bombings, has started a debate in Japan about how the tragedy should be interpreted.
Planned Olympic Canoe Racing Course Threatens Tokyo Park
Tokyo and the Japanese Olympic Committee plan to build the racing course in Kansai Rinkai Park, despite 25 years of concerted efforts there to restore its bio-diversity.
Tokyo's Hope for Improvements by 2020 Olympics
Some Japanese Twitter users are sharing their hope that the Olympics will mean an improved and more accessible Tokyo.
Tokyo to Host 2020 Olympics
Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Summer Olympics after the members of International Olympic Committee have voted on September 7th to select the host city. Tokyo 2020 reacts to the news #olympics2020 #BA2013 #olympics pic.twitter.com/lKws4Qcw4E — Olympics (@Olympics) September 7, 2013
New York Times Doesn't Understand Fukushima's Radiation Risks – Japanese Blogger
Mixing up "gamma radiation," which is highly penetrating and can travel deep into human tissue, with "beta radiation," which is lighter and not as penetrating, can mislead readers.
Japanese Users Break Tweets Per Second Record
Japan's netizens broke the world record for tweets per second on August 2, 2013, flooding Twitter with the magic word “balse” [バルス] from the 1986 anime film Castle In the Sky as the movie was broadcast on television in Japan on August 2, 2013. Users set a new record of 143,199 tweets...
African Fabric Kimono Belt Supports Mothers in Earthquake Disaster Area
A group of Japanese mothers in Sendai city is producing special kimono belts with fairly-traded African fabrics. Yumi Nakano, who organizes the fundraising [ja] by requesting a donation in exchange for the belts, hopes to encourage more people to enjoy the traditional Japanese kimono and help support the mothers of the...
Japanese Railway to Sell Customers’ E-Ticket Data
Japan's largest railway company has decided to sell non-identifying data on its commuters to third-party companies. Though technically legal, some see the move as an invasion of privacy.