NEWSWORTHY
Alarming results in literacy survey stir debate on social media in Japan
A Feb. 16 report on the country’s literacy has been causing a stir on social media, prompting a number of users to warn of impending intellectual doom. The report on Bunshun Online discussed a 2013 study compiled by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and ...
Spotify has one eye on untapped podcast market in Japan
Spotify paid nearly $340 million to acquire podcast producer Gimlet Media and services provider Anchor in deals disclosed to the Securities and Exchange Commission last month, prompting analysts to start considering what this all meant for the industry. The growth of podcasts in recent years ...
Reaction to Niigata bullying video reflects changing attitudes in Japan
A video of a first-year high school student in Niigata being bullied appeared online in mid-February and quickly became a topic of discussion. The clip shows a group of male students pushing, kicking and eventually striking the victim with a stick, all while throwing ...
Japanese teen's aborted bid to hitchhike across the United States divides social media
Twitter user @REIbahobahoanta had an ambitious dream: The 15-year-old junior high school student wanted to hitchhike across the United States. This wasn’t the teen’s first attempt at traveling around a region via another person’s car, as he has already traversed Hokkaido, Tohoku and Kyushu by ...
Understanding how social media can land you in hot water
Only seven weeks into the year and Japan already has a new buzzword to worry about. In the past few weeks, baito tero (part-timer terrorism) has become a major talking point on social media following a string of incidents featuring workers at various chain establishments ...
Loft under fire for its outdated portrayal of women in advertising campaign
Retailers typically strive to promote their products by creating ad campaigns that attract consumers’ attention. Loft Co. appears to have achieved this with the recent launch of its 2019 Valentine’s Day campaign, albeit for the wrong reason. The chain, which sells everyday commodities in Japan and ...
Tiramisu copyright furor highlights the internet's importance
Allegations of copyright infringement have undermined a high-profile attempt to sell a renowned coffee-flavored Italian dessert in Tokyo. Hero’s opened in Tokyo’s Omotesando neighborhood on Jan. 20, offering various tiramisu flavors inside Instagram-friendly mason jars decorated with illustrations of superhero-style cats. In another universe, the ...
Organizing guru Marie Kondo sparks plenty of joy on social media
A new year in Japan means it’s time for ōsōji, the annual cleaning of one’s home. And, right on schedule, Netflix has released “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” to give us all some inspiration — or make us feel guilty for putting it off. The eight-episode ...
Maezawa's offer of prize money for retweets sets Twitter abuzz
Yusaku Maezawa has accomplished an awful lot in his life. He has founded a number of successful companies, including online fashion retailer Zozotown. He’s worth billions of dollars. He’s secured a trip to space to address one of humanity’s biggest problems — a lack of ...
Survey on commuting gripes in Japan spurs wider societal complaints
Nothing unites Tokyoites together quite like complaining about daily commuting by train. And it’s a worthy gripe — morning and evening rides practically dispose of the idea of personal space altogether. Being packed tightly with other people also exposes us to all sorts of oddball ...
Celebrities use social media to counter criticism online in 2018
Celebrities are just like the rest of us: They eat, sleep and would probably be better off if they reduced the time they spend on their social media. Japanese celebrities frequently find themselves tied up in controversy — 2018 marked the 10-year anniversary of pop star Koda ...
SoftBank finds a week is a long time in social media terms
It’s fair to say that commercial enterprises have sometimes struggled to co-exist with social media. Attempts by brands to connect with a meme-savvy young audience can go downhill pretty quickly, while irritated customers certainly don’t hide their displeasure in pointing out bad service on official ...
