Politics & Diplomacy
Hashimoto to retract sex suggestion for U.S. military
Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto aims to retract his remark that U.S. servicemen in Okinawa should use the local adult entertainment industry to avoid committing sex crimes.
Digital | TECH_JAPAN Aug 24, 2011
Panasonic and Sharp betting that, in Japan, 7 inches is enough
by Rick Martin
It’s obvious that tablet computers are making their mark on the electronics world, with Hewlett Packard this past week citing “the tablet effect” as a reason to consider a spinoff of its PC business. That’s big. Especially as the company also said that it ...
Digital | TECH_JAPAN Aug 17, 2011
Why do Japanese advertisers suggest Internet-search keywords?
by Akky Akimoto
It seems that everywhere you look in Japan these days, printed advertising has Internet-style “search buttons” somewhere in the design, with Japanese text inside a box indicating the term to be searched. And many TV commercials end with a short phrase “such and such ...
Digital | TECH_JAPAN Aug 10, 2011
Keep cool with a cold beverage and a strategically placed fan
by Rick Martin
Now that we’re into August, many of us here in Japan are looking for new ways to beat the summer heat. Some people have purchased “green curtain” kits, growing walls of goya vines to cool their homes or offices. Others are opting for “Super ...
Digital | TECH_JAPAN Aug 3, 2011
Top game designers going social
by Brian Ashcraft
They’re some of the biggest names in Japanese gaming. And they’ve developed some of the country’s biggest games. Guys like Keiji Inafune of “Mega Man” fame, Yuji Naka (“Sonic the Hedgehog”) and Goichi Suda (“No More Heroes”). But last week in Shibuya, Tokyo, they ...
Digital | TECH_JAPAN Jul 27, 2011
Compact new interchangable-lens camera plus a solar-powered lamp/charger
by Rick Martin
Japanese camera maker Pentax made the news earlier this month, having been acquired by Ricoh for ¥10 billion. But just prior to that, Pentax rolled out what it hailed as the world’s smallest and lightest interchangeable-lens digital camera: the Pentax Q. The body measures ...
Digital | TECH_JAPAN Jul 20, 2011
Will Japan invite Google+ into its growing circle of social networks?
by Akky Akimoto
Despite only being in closed beta testing at the moment, Google’s new social-network service, Google+, is rapidly proving to be huge, with more than 10 million users joining since it was announced on June 28. And thanks to their international connections, Net-savvy Japanese too ...
Digital | TECH_JAPAN Jul 13, 2011
Toys for all ages at Tokyo show
by Rick Martin
The 2011 International Tokyo Toy Show was held last month at Tokyo Big Sight, and Japanese toy-makers were in attendance to show their wondrous wares to potential buyers, not to mention a veritable army of kids. This year saw everything from figures to remote-control ...
Digital | TECH_JAPAN Jul 6, 2011
Video games now have the same U.S. protection as books and films
by Brian Ashcraft
Video games feature violence. Not all of them, of course, but violence is prevalent — just as it is in movies and on television. Now, thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on June 27, violent video games are protected under the same freedom ...
Digital | TECH_JAPAN Jun 22, 2011
Sony's surprising speakers; Minebea's keyless keyboard
by Rick Martin
While all eyes have been on Sony because of the security breaches on its PlayStation Network recently, the company also quietly rolled out a device for all you audiophiles out there when it announced two new speaker-dock systems made for Apple’s iPhone and iPods. ...
Digital | TECH_JAPAN Jun 8, 2011
Express yourself with a wiggle of Necomimi or make music with the Ningen Gakki
by Rick Martin
One of the fun things about writing about Japanese technology is that every once in a while you come across a device that elicits both genuine admiration and a jaw-dropping reaction. And I’m delighted to report on two such gadgets today, both of which ...
Digital | TECH_JAPAN Jun 1, 2011
Sony's horrible year is not over yet
by Brian Ashcraft
This was supposed to be Sony’s year. PlayStation 3 sales were on the uptick and, back in January, the Tokyo-based electronics giant introduced its upcoming game handheld, currently codenamed Next Generation Portable or NGP. Then disaster struck, not once but several times. For Sony, ...
Digital | TECH_JAPAN May 25, 2011
Walkman's latest version and a new camera from Panasonic
by Rick Martin
It was not without a little sadness that we witnessed the end of Sony’s Walkman cassette model last year. Sure it was a long time coming, but the Walkman brand is only rivaled by the iPod in the history of portable music. Thankfully, the ...