NEWSWORTHY
Internet rightists' strategy of provocation gaining traction in Japan
Popular TV personality and model Rola recently tweeted her opposition to new U.S. base construction in Okinawa. The comment was immediately derided by people who said celebrities like her had no business in political debates. Although these critics may support base construction, they didn't ...
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 ...
Petition calling for halt to Okinawa base work meets threshold to warrant White House reply
A petition to Washington that calls for a temporary halt to reclamation work for the construction of a U.S. base off Okinawa hit the signature threshold on Tuesday to warrant a response from the White House. Robert Kajiwara, a 32-year-old Japanese-American from Hawaii, started the ...
Japan's celebrities are using social media to turn criticism on its head
Social media present a tightrope for celebrities in Japan. An increasing number of high-profile people are becoming savvy with platforms such as Instagram and Twitter, helping them to develop an online fan base. However, the internet also opens them up to criticism, and the past couple of weeks have highlighted how confusing the conversation about celebrities in Japan can get. ...
The Tokyo District Court on Thursday sentenced the father of television personality Rola to two years and six months in prison, suspended for four years, for swindling the national medical and insurance system out of ¥1.67 million ($14,000). In handing down the ruling on Jurip ...
Prosecutors have released the father of Japanese television personality Rola due to a lack of evidence backing his arrest on suspicion of fraud. "At the moment, there is no evidence that can lead to an indictment," the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office said Friday in ...
Prosecutors say they have released the father of Japanese television personality Rola due to a lack of evidence backing his arrest on suspicion of fraud. "At the moment, there is no evidence that can lead to an indictment," the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office said ...
Police say father of prominent TV personality swindled ¥875,000 from the national health insurance system via fraudulent expense claims.
Sins of the father are Rola's burden
Two weeks ago one of the big stories in the tabloid press was on Jurip Al-Asa, the father of popular TV personality Rola. He was in the news because the Tokyo Metropolitan Police had issued a warrant for his arrest on charges of swindling. ...
