Internet

Asia Pacific Aug 2, 2022

China's propaganda put under scrutiny as netizen comments translated

by Yuichiro Okuma

The weaponization of translations of online content has alarmed Chinese authorities.

Business Jul 20, 2022

Netflix subscriber numbers drop for second quarter in a row

The loss of 970,000 paying customers in the most recent quarter was not as big as expected, and left Netflix with just shy of 221 million subscribers.

World | ANALYSIS Jul 12, 2022

Health care data privacy fears grow worldwide after U.S. restricts abortion access

by Rina Chandran and Diana Baptista

Activists fear some could be too scared to search online for the term "abortion," and caution against sharing data in mobile health apps often used to track fertility.

Business / Corporate Jul 8, 2022

Communications failure hits NTT Docomo 5G internet service in Japan

The problem began around 6:15 p.m. and was fixed at 7:25 p.m. Voice calls were not affected.

National / Crime & Legal Jul 7, 2022

Jail time and tougher penalties for online insults come into effect in Japan

The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and others had opposed the revision, arguing that it could stifle legitimate criticism of politicians and public officials.

Business / Tech Jul 6, 2022

Failed ‘Captain Tsubasa’ NFT offers window into the risks of crypto

by Dan Orlowitz

While Japan has not yet experienced a large NFT boom, some of the country’s most famous pop culture staples have been appropriated for dubious "Web3" products.

National / Social Issues | Longform Jun 27, 2022

What evil lurks in the shadow of anonymity?

by Alex K.T. Martin

Fueled by pandemic-induced stress, nameless netizens are directing myriad harmful and threatening messages on the internet with little fear of retribution.

National / Crime & Legal Jun 22, 2022

Man arrested after taking woman hostage in internet cafe near Tokyo

Police stormed the premises in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, at around 3:15 a.m. and took Koji Nagakubo into custody while rescuing the 22-year-old woman.

National Jun 19, 2022

Local assemblies in Japan seek to go fully remote in emergencies

At present, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications only permits local assemblies to hold online sessions and votes for committees, but not plenary sessions.

Business Jun 15, 2022

Why some Japan firms can’t quit Internet Explorer

by Magdalena Osumi

After nearly 30 years, Microsoft has finished support for the browser, which is set to cause problems for the handful of Japanese organizations still using it.

National / Crime & Legal Jun 13, 2022

Japan passes bill to make online insults punishable with prison time

In Japan, insults are distinguished from defamation in that the former publicly demeans someone without referring to a specific action, but both are punishable under the law.