Asia in the news

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Madara
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Asia in the news

Post by Madara »

I've been meaning to start a thread like this for ages, where pertinent/relevant news articles about Japan can be linked. Feel free to add to it when you find something interesting. I almost started it a couple of weeks ago when the Japanese finance minister was caught saying that Japanese politicians should change the constitution secretly, the way the Nazis did during the Weimar Republic. Someone pointed out that the last time the Japanese used the Nazis as a model, it didn't end well for them. That would have been a good piece to start this thread with, but I was too busy at the time and it slipped through the cracks.
 
Anyway, in today's New York Times, there's an obituary for Ruth Asawa, a Japanese-American artist who grew up in California and was sent with her family to detention and internment camps during WWII. She's the same age as my mother, who also grew up in California, except that my mother went to high school and started college during WWII and worked on the Intrepid aircraft carrier when it was docked in San Francisco, while Ms. Asawa was sent away.
 
Here's an interesting quote from the obiturary:
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
 
 
Her family spent the first five months of detention in stables at the Santa Anita Park racetrack. It was there that three animators from the Walt Disney Studios taught her to draw.
 
 
</blockquote>
 
I'm curious how that came about. It must have taken great courage for the animators to do that. Did Disney sanction it? I'd like to know the backstory.
 
Also, here's her quote about the internment experience:
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
 
 
“I hold no hostilities for what happened; I blame no one,” she said in 1994. “Sometimes good comes through adversity. I would not be who I am today had it not been for the internment, and I like who I am.”
 
 
</blockquote>
 
Please read the obit. I'm sure you'll find it interesting:
 
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/arts/ ... er&_r=0</a>
 
Also, just for the record, George Takei, who played Sulu on the original Star Trek, also lived in an internment camp during the war and has written about it.
 
 
Last edited by Madara on Sun Aug 18, 2013 8:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Ap2000 »

When I read the thread title in the index, I immediately knew it was you who started the thread. =3=
I don't really have anything recent to post.
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Madara »

The idea is that when any of us come across something interesting to link to, this will be a standing thread to post it in, rather than having to start a new topic for every news item.
 
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Tsuki »

I suppose I can pin this but we'll see how popular it will be.
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Melon »

I could probably full this up with 2ch gossip lists from sankaku, but this thread seems too classy for it. :rofl:
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by aine »

Since Madara mentioned the US internment camps for the Japanese, I'll quote myself on that subject from <a href="http://mm-bbs.org/index.php?showtopic=5548">another thread</a>:

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="aine" data-cid="141602" data-time="1358173321">On the other hand, the <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011 ... Internment of Japanese Americans</a> had the highest shock factor for me. The story and photos were like random bits and pieces of the terrible stuff that happened in Europe/Poland - mass deportations to concentration/extermination camps, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Ghetto">creation</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grossaktio ... idation</a> of Jewish ghettos, etc. - but all in a cheerful, safe, family-friendly re-enactment by a high-school theatre group.

I'm not trying to trivialize it, quite the opposite. It's just the contrast between the imagery that I'm used to and the neatness of how it looked when executed in the US that is really striking to me, with the goals and prejudices in the minds behind both operations being more or less the same. Also the fact that until I saw this gallery I was completely unaware of this dark part of the US history probably contributed to my response to it.</blockquote>
I still recommend checking the whole gallery I linked in that thread.


In other news, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23 ... Sakurajima volcano erupts and makes a whole lot of mess in Kagoshima city</a>.

Apparently Sakurajima is one of Japan's most active volcanoes. <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130311.html">It has also been featured on APOD earlier this year</a>.
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Madara »

Article in today's New York Times about a subject near and dear to me--tokusatsu. The writer even covers an Ultraman shoot. It's about how the time-honored Japanese method of creating special effects--using miniature sets and actors in rubber suits playing monsters and superheroes--is on the way out, to be replaced by CGI. The old way still hangs on in Japan, but younger technicians aren't learning those methods. Sad.
 
Link:
 
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/02/world ... rs.html</a>
 
 
In the same issue, Hayao Miyazaki announces his retirement:
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/02/movie ... ng.html</a>
 
Last edited by Madara on Mon Sep 02, 2013 5:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Madara »

In today's New York Times, a piece about foreign baseball players in Japan and what happens when they try to break the standing home run record:
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/06/sport ... yspaper</a>
 
You don't have to be a baseball fan to find this interesting. It's about deference to local champions, but also about the way foreigners are regarded and changes in those feelings.
 
 
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Ap2000 »

The 2020 Olympic games are being held in Tokyo.
Was just watching the announcement/news on JSTV and people were going APESHIT. Even the anchormen were teary-eyed.
 
Tokyo won 60 to 36 votes against Istanbul.
Hopefully this means they get their shit together with Fukushima, to ensure safety.
Last edited by Ap2000 on Sat Sep 07, 2013 1:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Madara »

[quote="Ap2000"]
The 2020 Olympic games are being held in Tokyo.
Was just watching the announcement/news on JSTV and people were going APESHIT. Even the anchormen were teary-eyed.
 
Tokyo won 60 to 36 votes against Istanbul.
Hopefully this means they get their shit together with Fukushima, to ensure safety.
[/quote]
 
Two pieces in The New York Times on Tokyo getting the Olympics:
 
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/08/sport ... er&_r=0</a>
 
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/08/sport ... yspaper</a>
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by pandapanda »

Holy crap I love the Olympics, when I heard about this I was dancing around singing love machine praying MM would perform during the opening/closing :woot:  :party:  :party:  :party:  :party:  :party:  :party:
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Madara »

[quote="pandapanda"]
Holy crap I love the Olympics, when I heard about this I was dancing around singing love machine praying MM would perform during the opening/closing :woot:  :party:  :party:  :party:  :party:  :party:  :party:
[/quote]
I'd rather see another H!P Sports Festival myself. Nothing beats Nono and Rika jumping those hurdles. 
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Elpis »

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="pandapanda" data-cid="162452" data-time="1378679181">
Holy crap I love the Olympics, when I heard about this I was dancing around singing love machine praying MM would perform during the opening/closing :woot: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party:</blockquote>


I hate to say this, but it'll probably be akb48 performing. Although I'd prefer MM.
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by neshcom »

[quote="Mizura"]
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="pandapanda" data-cid="162452" data-time="1378679181">
Holy crap I love the Olympics, when I heard about this I was dancing around singing love machine praying MM would perform during the opening/closing :woot: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party:
</blockquote>


I hate to say this, but it'll probably be akb48 performing. Although I'd prefer MM.
 
[/quote]
 
Honestly, I bet idols will be only one portion if they even focus on music. AKB is great and all now, but there's a ton of legacy acts that probably represent Japan better. Mr. Children, B'z, Utada Hikaru, Ayu, Kuwata Keisuke, any number of enka acts. Not to mention modern, more globally-facing acts like Perfume or Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. I'd be super excited to see Namie perform. She sang <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr3FFZnSihQ">theme song to the G20 Summit in the 90s</a> and she's on such an upswing right now. Wiki doesn't have enough info, but it seems there was a theme song in the '64 games.
 
Of course, we're talking about an even 7 years away. Who knows who'll be popular still...
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Madara »

[quote="neshcom"]
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Mizura" data-cid="162520" data-time="1378755159">
<div>
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="pandapanda" data-cid="162452" data-time="1378679181">
Holy crap I love the Olympics, when I heard about this I was dancing around singing love machine praying MM would perform during the opening/closing :woot: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party:
</blockquote>


I hate to say this, but it'll probably be akb48 performing. Although I'd prefer MM.
 
[/quote]
 
Honestly, I bet idols will be only one portion if they even focus on music. AKB is great and all now, but there's a ton of legacy acts that probably represent Japan better. Mr. Children, B'z, Utada Hikaru, Ayu, Kuwata Keisuke, any number of enka acts. Not to mention modern, more globally-facing acts like Perfume or Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. I'd be super excited to see Namie perform. She sang <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr3FFZnSihQ">theme song to the G20 Summit in the 90s</a> and she's on such an upswing right now. Wiki doesn't have enough info, but it seems there was a theme song in the '64 games.
 
Of course, we're talking about an even 7 years away. Who knows who'll be popular still...
 
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Seiko Matsuda. :rofl: 
 
Hey, she and Momoe Yamaguchi are the only ones who were alive when Tokyo last had the Olympics. 
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by neshcom »

<a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/as-foret ... ily">Turns out Akira successfully predicted the 2020 Olympics taking place in Tokyo</a>.
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Madara »

[quote="neshcom"]
<a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/as-foret ... ily">Turns out Akira successfully predicted the 2020 Olympics taking place in Tokyo</a>.
[/quote]
 
Good find.
 
I wonder if the rest of AKIRA's predictions will come true.  :crying:
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Ap2000 »

[quote="neshcom"]
<a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/as-foret ... ily">Turns out Akira successfully predicted the 2020 Olympics taking place in Tokyo</a>.
[/quote]
 

That's great. hah
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by aine »

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Madara" data-cid="162570" data-time="1378824050"><blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="neshcom" data-cid="162565" data-time="1378820009"><a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/as-foret ... ily">Turns out Akira successfully predicted the 2020 Olympics taking place in Tokyo</a>.</blockquote> 
Good find.
 
I wonder if the rest of AKIRA's predictions will come true.  :crying:</blockquote>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CYxRFtK8M4">DOOOOOOO DAAAAAAA
DOOOOOOO DAAAAAAA
DOOOOOOO DAAAAAAA</a>
Last edited by aine on Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by eri »

I'm soooooooooo excited for the Olympics!
 
Some Johnnys act might be on the table for closing ceremonies, but I highly doubt they'd have any old pop idol act fronting the Olympics.  Japanese people are very good at boasting their long cultural history and there is a pretty severe line drawn between high Traditional arts and mass pop culture.  If they do a historical montage of major cultural and technological contributions that Japan has made to the world, I think anime and video games would make an appearance but not Jpop.  
 
And most opening ceremonies are so Very Serious. In the last Olympics in Nagano, I remember they opened with Beethoven, Sumo wrestlers and various religious acts symbolizing purification (ringing bells, blessing by Shinto priest etc) and finally with an appearance by the Emperor.
 
And absolutely no hating but, come on, AKB will be absolutely irrelevant by 2020.  
 
 
 
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Madara »

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="aine" data-cid="162715" data-time="1378933092"><blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Madara" data-cid="162570" data-time="1378824050"><blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="neshcom" data-cid="162565" data-time="1378820009"><a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/as-foret ... ily">Turns out Akira successfully predicted the 2020 Olympics taking place in Tokyo</a>.</blockquote> 
Good find.
 
I wonder if the rest of AKIRA's predictions will come true.  :crying:</blockquote>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CYxRFtK8M4">DOOOOOOO DAAAAAAA
DOOOOOOO DAAAAAAA
DOOOOOOO DAAAAAAA</a></blockquote> 
Not Found
The requested URL /www.youtube.com/watch was not found on this server.
 
(What we get when we go to those links)
Last edited by Madara on Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by aine »

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Madara" data-cid="162779" data-time="1378999113">Not Found
The requested URL /www.youtube.com/watch was not found on this server.
 
(What we get when we go to those links)</blockquote>
How embarrassing. I fixed it now.
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by NekoKaiSai »

<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24160150">Hiroshi Yamauchi from Nintendo died</a>.
<p class="bbc_center">Image
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Ap2000 »

[quote="NekoKai"]
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24160150">Hiroshi Yamauchi from Nintendo died</a>.
[/quote]
 

I was thinking about posting it in the gaming thread.
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Madara »

Good article in today's New York Times on the village of Namie, made uninhabitable by the Fukushima disaster of 2011, and how its older residents return to check up on their property. This is how the apocalypse looks:
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/02/world/asia/japans-nuclear-refugees-still-stuck-in-limbo.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=0
 
 
Also, a Chinese scholar living in Japan and seen as a "bridge between China and Japan" has been detained by the Chinese authorities:
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/02/world/asia/china-is-said-to-be-holding-professor-over-his-activities-in-japan.html?ref=todayspaper
 
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Re: Asia in the news

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A piece in Tuesday's New York Times describes how a rightist group was fined for making anti-Korean ethnic slurs outside a school attended by Koreans in Kyoto:
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/08/world/asia/japanese-court-fines-rightist-group-in-elementary-school-protest.html?_r=0
 
Here's a quote describing the group, known as Zaitokukai:
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
The Zaitokukai is the most extreme part of a new generation of ultranationalists known as the “Net right” because it uses the Internet to organize. While the group represents a tiny fringe in this otherwise law-abiding nation, its members have recently drawn attention for marches in Tokyo’s ethnic Korean neighborhood of Okubo, during which they shouted anti-Korean slogans. In June, several marchers were arrested after a confrontation with counterprotesters turned into fistfights, a rare occurrence in usually peaceful Tokyo.
While some Japanese have compared the Zaitokukai to the skinheads or neo-Nazis of the West, sociologists say its members lack the same sort of clear race-based ideology and usually draw the line at violence. Rather, they say, members tend to be young Japanese men who feel disenfranchised by such personal failures as an inability to get a stable corporate job and then take out their resulting frustration by blaming foreigners.
 
</blockquote>
 
My question, of course, is how many wotas will you find in this group? Is there any overlap between the two cultures?
 
I'm not suggesting there should be, I'm just curious.
 
Last edited by Madara on Thu Oct 10, 2013 8:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Ap2000 »

[quote="Madara"]
My question, of course, is how many wotas will you find in this group? Is there any overlap between the two cultures?
 
I'm not suggesting there should be, I'm just curious.
[/quote]
 

Just as with every extremist group in every country, you'll find "social rejects/shut-ins" that put the blame on others. Some internet boards are associated with nationalist parties and they also have the image of being home to such people. E.g. the Korean social website Ilbe (Storehouse) is associated with the Korean extreme right-wing.
But, I have not yet come across any studies that tried to come up with statistics, probably because it's just really hard to do. A lot of the users want to stay anonymous.
 
However, I think you'll have a hard time finding out if those kind of people are also wota, otaku or others. And of course certainly not all wota and otaku are Hikkikomori and NEETs.
One could probably surf 2ch or Youtube, search for comments about idol music videos and see if there are any sentiments against foreign commenters (2ch is closed to non-Japanese IPs, though).
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Re: Asia in the news

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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Madara »

Two articles in today's New York Times:
 
Things aren't going well between South Korea and Japan:
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/24/world/asia/a-growing-chill-between-south-korea-and-japan-creates-problems-for-the-us.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=0
 
History just won't go away. What complicates matters--and was something I was completely unaware of--is that Park Chung-hee, the father of Ms. Park, the current president of Korea, was an officer in the Imperial Japanese Army while Korea was a colony of Japan. He then went on to become the military ruler of South Korea. (He was eventually assassinated by his own security chief.) So, she's got a lot of baggage she's trying to unload.
 
Also, China keeps pressing Japan over those islands claimed by both countries:
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/24/world/asia/china-warns-of-action-against-aircraft-over-disputed-seas.html?ref=todayspaper
 
Not a good time for Japan, internationally, although Hello! Project seems to be doing well.   :umad:
 
P.S. Things are heating up as Japan rejects China's claim:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/25/world/asia/japan-rejects-chinas-claim-to-air-rights-over-disputed-islands.html?ref=todayspaper
Last edited by Madara on Mon Nov 25, 2013 4:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Asia in the news

Post by Madara »

More on China vs. Japan in today's Times:
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/03/world/asia/chinese-leaders-rise-came-with-new-attention-to-dispute-with-japan.html?ref=todayspaper
 
President Xi's willingness to press Japan could take a disastrous turn. And where would that leave the U.S.? Would we back up Japan or not?
 
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