Japan: Facebook, Mixi to Face Off in Social Networking Rivalry
Region: Japan
Mixi is Japan's most popular social networking service by a longshot, beating out its competition with over ten million users and taking the lion's share of the local SNS (social networking sites) market. So big is Mixi that it even plans to take on the Chinese market, not that its founder Kenji Kasahara really needs to. But the future may not be so bright for Mixi. After having found itself in hot water a few months ... more
Views: 2597A Solar Powered Bra
Region: Japan
In the realm of concept and designer bras, there could be a possible addition a 'photovoltaic Powered Bra'. Japanese Lingerie Maker Triump International is the inventor of this environmental friendly product. It has a built in solar panel that can be worn around the stomach. It can generate enough electrical energy that can charge a cellphone or iPod. Although the Company has demonstrated the product throug... more
Views: 1123Musical Instruments from Around the World
Region: Japan
- by Juliana Rincón Parra A Japanese instrument maker with histrumpet made from a bell pepper and a cucumber has been making its rounds on the internet, so I'll bring a few other interesting instruments from elsewhere in the world. YouTube user 13strings (account currently closed) made an open call: to have everyone show their own home-made instruments on YouTube, and ... more
Views: 1111Japan: Death Penalty Broadcast, 53 Years Later
Region: Japan
by Chris Salzberg An audio tape recorded 53 years ago of a death penalty execution in Japan, aired by Nippon Cultural Broadcasting on May 6th and and by Asahi television's Super Morning show [ja] on April 29th, has triggered conversations among bloggers about the country's death penalty system. The 50-minute audio footage, which features the last moments of one unnamed death row inm... more
Views: 3984Japan: Return of the Gas Tax
Region: Japan
- by Chris Salzberg Japan's “temporary” gasoline tax [ja] of 25 yen per liter of gas, extended for over 30 years and funding some 5000 road construction programs, has been re-instated after a short-lived battle with the opposition, and people aren't happy about it. Popularity of the administration of Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo, according to a newspaper poll on... more
Views: 2559Japan: Nagano Red for Olympic Torch Relay
Region: Japan
by Chris Salzberg The Japanese leg of the Olympic torch relay came to an end on Saturday without serious incident, but many Japanese bloggers who attended the event were left with lasting — and often bitter — impressions. The story of a Tibetan exile living in Taiwan, who jumped at the runner and was taken down by police, sparked hundreds of posts on 2channel, as did the choice of police to block protester... more
Views: 2293Japan: Where Has All The Butter Gone?
Region: Japan
by Hanako Tokita Where is the butter? — cry Japanese consumers who have been hunting everywhere for the dairy product. The drastic reduction in raw milk production, complicated by hikes in the price of grain as well as changes in the global patterns of dairy product consumption, have caused a serious butter shortage in Japan. Empty shelves in the dairy section of grocery stores across the country have not seen a... more
Views: 2249Do you think ADD is a learning disability?
Region: Japan
ADD which is knows as Attention Deficit Disorder, actually its does not hinder the process of learning. A child with ADD can intake information, process it accordingly, and preserve it in memory, just like any other person. The problem comes with getting them to pay attention long enough to hear the information in the first place! A child with Attention Deficit Disorder may have difficulties in school and with lear... more
Views: 1435Japan: The Rising Price of Food
Region: Japan
by Chris Salzberg It may seem like a cruel April Fool's joke, but it isn't: after dozens of years without change, the prices of many staple foods in Japan are set to rise steeply this month [ja], following a trend that began with the price of bread, constant for 24 years [ja] but already up more than 10% [ja] over the past year. The coming changes have spurred fears of a major shake-up in the industry, motivating rene... more
Views: 3183Asian Stocks Slide On Lower U.S. Consumer Spending
Region: Japan
On the first day of the trading week in Asia, stocks are off to a bleak start. Much of the angst stems from worries that consumer spending in the world's largest economy will affect Asia's exports of clothing, autos, and electronics. Asia's benchmark, the MSCI Asia Pacific index lowered by 1.7 percent by a quarter past seven Tokyo evening. Bloomberg News quoted Kiyoshi Ishigane at Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management... more
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