Convenience store operator struggles in wake of security fiasco
The operator of Seven-Eleven’s new smartphone payment service is under fire for appearing clueless at a news conference that was held after customers were allegedly defrauded through unauthorized access. On July 4, Seven & I Holdings Co. said some 900 convenience store customers using the ...
Feeling burned out by social media? You probably aren't alone
Some of the most popular users of social media platforms such as Twitter are expressing frustration with life online. Adult film star and media personality Makoto Toda joined Twitter in 2016 and quickly established a strong following that extended far beyond her profession. By the start ...
Social media backlash against bubble tea fails to dent enthusiasm
While the internet can play a crucial role in pushing trends in Japan, it can be just as effective in turning people against the crazes it helps to hype. What’s the latest fad to find itself caught in the crosshairs of social media? Bubble tea. ...
Embracing social media to protect others from danger in Japan
Japan has developed a reputation for being a safe country, an image bolstered by recent record lows in reported crime. The reality, though, is that life in Japan can be just as dangerous as it is overseas. A recent viral post on Twitter sparked ...
Examining the morbid fascination with violence on social media in Japan
Twenty-one-year-old Yuka Takaoka stabbed a man in an apartment in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district in late May, leaving him in a critical condition. During questioning, Takaoka reportedly told police that she stabbed the man because she loved him so much she just couldn’t help it. ...
Chemical firm hit for punishing worker who took paternity leave with transfer halfway across Japan
Chemical producer Kaneka Corp. faces allegations of harassment after an employee returned from paternity leave to find that he — and, one presumes, his family — was being transferred to a different branch in another part of the country. Condemnation on social media was swift, ...
Launch of novelty stationery product sparks debate on tipping in Japan
A handful of topics are always guaranteed to spark fierce debate, whether discussed face-to-face or remotely online. They include politics, religion and, er, tipping. Tipping has not been embraced by society in Japan, but it turns out that’s precisely why the topic flared up ...
Susaki mascot Chiitan runs afoul of Twitter's social media rules
Chiitan the otter was riding high this spring. After becoming one of the most popular characters in the country thanks to its chaotic online behavior, Chiitan started appearing everywhere in the media. Chiitan’s star dimmed somewhat after the city of Susaki, Kochi Prefecture, attempted ...
Elementary school kids can say the darndest things online
People usually don’t take the thoughts of a 10-year-old child too seriously. Elementary school kids can say the darndest things, and only the nastiest of bullies take any notice of them saying something stupid. Unless, that is, the child in question happens to be an ...
Attempting to switch off from social media during Golden Week
As the relaxed vibe of the recent 10-day Golden Week holiday slowly fades, many commuters in Tokyo appeared to struggle last week to return to the rat race. The longer than usual holiday offered people an opportunity to travel abroad or chill out at ...
Social media fails to follow traditional news outlets' stricter approach to portrait rights in Japan
A man in Chiba Prefecture became irritated last month at how long it was taking for a barrier at a rail crossing to open. Losing patience, he fetched a hand saw from his van and removed the barrier arm so that he could drive ...
Japan's internet took on a life of its own during the Heisei Era
The story of a recent online phenomenon offers a great snapshot of internet culture in Japan during the Heisei Era (1989-2019). Twitter user @Ninjamaaaaaan posted a blurry photo of a pooch in motion, with its tail swooping in front of its face. It looked ...
