NEWSWORTHY
Plight of 'Mizuho refugees' stirs debate on banking services in Japan
Imagine wrapping up a tough work week and jumping into a three-day weekend. Maybe you just plan on lounging around at home with the air conditioner on at full blast. Or perhaps you’ll hit the road and head out of the city to get ...
Recent flooding highlights power of social media in a disaster
Online users in Japan followed the storms that lead to devastating floods and landslides in the western part of the country closely as they unfolded last week. The topic remained central to discussion on social media as the days went on and the full ...
Women in Japan fall for an Amuro who isn't the J-pop star
Most people in Japan associate the surname Amuro with the retiring 40-year-old queen of J-pop of the same name, who gave a series of farewell concerts in June that attracted 800,000 people. Namie Amuro’s official exit from stardom will take place in September but fans ...
Celebrating the memes the 2018 soccer World Cup has created
Japan’s surprising success at the 2018 World Cup in Russia has dominated headlines and morning shows domestically. News organizations abroad, however, honed in on a very different topic — trash. It was a virtual replay of one of the last World Cup’s most viral stories: ...
Sanrio characters in 'Aggretsuko' reflect the realities of life at work — rage included
Sanrio Co. is known for churning out some of the most adorable creatures out there, including Hello Kitty and the bunny My Melody. Its characters are often cute and colorful, and usually silent. Retsuko the red panda, on the other hand, is the total opposite ...
Classical painting hashtag highlights Japanese mothers' daily frustrations
As we celebrate Mother’s Day on May 13, a hashtag highlighting the daily struggles of mothers in Japan is going viral on Twitter. The hashtag — #名画で学ぶ主婦業 (“meiga de manabu shufugyō” or “learn about homemakers through classical paintings”) — uses classical paintings to reflect the ...
Susaki otter Chiitan leads a new generation of mascots with personality
Registration for this year’s Yuru-kyara Grand Prix opens on May 7, with eyes nationwide turning to see which cute and cuddly mascot will snap up the prestigious award in 2018. Winning the competition carries plenty of weight, something that is perhaps illustrated best by the ...
With the Rugby World Cup approaching, New Zealand’s national men’s and women’s rugby teams appear to be using Japan as a backdrop to produce a series on videos that help promote their brand. On April 23, the All Blacks and Black Ferns launched a “diversity ...
'Chikan,' the Japanese term for groping, is increasingly being recognized abroad
Over the past six months, media organizations at home and abroad have published articles that have examined whether or not Japan has embraced the Me Too movement. The social media campaign, which encouraged victims of sexual assault and harassment to speak up about their experiences, ...
Handbag hashtag turns tables on misogynist social media conversation
When does posting a photo on social media of something you use on a daily basis represent more than simply sharing a slice of your life with your followers? It’s a question that took on new relevance last week as hundreds of social media ...
What's in a tweet? Startup CEO sees endless storytelling potential
96 Problems has created an app that allows you to bring stories with you wherever you go — stories that can be followed in brief glimpses at social media.
Japan's companies are beginning to rethink paternity leave policies
When it comes to child care in Japan, women typically take on the lion’s share of the workload. Men, by comparison, are generally too exhausted after work to help out in any way. According to the Asahi Shimbun, however, more men are looking to take ...
