Stories about East Asia from August, 2016
Blue Skies, Fake Tourists and Maximum Security: China Prepares For a Flawless G20 Summit
Whether they like it or not, Hangzhou residents must comply with government efforts to present theirs as the best and safest city in the world.
The Summer Season Brings an Orchestra of Cicadas to Japan
There are more than 30 different species of cicada in Japan. Each one has its own distinctive call. How many can you recognize?
Super Mario and Prime Minister Abe Took Centre Stage in Japan's 2020 Promo at Rio
Japan invites the world to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo by emphasizing "otaku culture."
How Beijing’s Breach of ‘One Country Two Systems’ Gave Birth to the Hong Kong Independence Movement
"Their main method looks set to be trolling and rattling Beijing: identifying what makes the regime most paranoid, and piling it on."
Earthquake Destroys More Than 200 Ancient Temples in Myanmar
The ancient temples of Bagan are as important as the Angkor Wat of Cambodia and Borobudur of Indonesia.
These Videos Expose the Dirty and Destructive Impact of Large-Scale Mining in the Philippines
Residents and investigative journalists have been using mobile phones and even drones to expose how mining is destroying the country’s watersheds and rivers.
Chinese Volleyball Coach Lang Ping Has Spent Her Career Thinking Outside the Communist Party Box
"She is an independent Chinese who has been exposed to the international field of sport, she is not a cog in the machine of a national bureaucratic sports system."
Philippine Sugar Farmers Facing Another ’Dead Season’ Turn to Government for Help
Tiempo Muerto, or “The Dead Season,” can be so brutal on farmers that more than a quarter of a million people—a whopping 385,000 sugar workers—are affected on Negros Island alone.
Say Hello to Thailand’s New Constitution. And Say Hello Again to Thailand’s Military Rule.
By all accounts, Thailand’s new constitution boosts the dominance of the military, threatening to institutionalize even further a culture of censorship and state control over the media.
Defying Web Censors, Chinese ‘Worship’ Toads to Mark a Former State Leader’s 90th Birthday
"While the toad's era was not free, it looked better than [Xi's] era...Chinese people worshiping the toad is similar to prisoners in confinement, missing their brief outdoor recess."
The Dead Are Returning Home and It’s Time to Party in Japan
Instagram photos of Japanese people beating the heat by dancing under the stars and the lights of lanterns in mid-summer.
Some Japanese Find the ‘Dangerous’ Giant Hornet Cute, Inspiring—Even Delicious.
If it's August, it means you have to watch out for giant hornets in Japan. Beware!
Jalaur Mega Dam in the Philippines Threatens to Displace Indigenous Peoples in Panay Island
"The people who will be most affected by the project do not approve of the project."
Indonesia’s First Palace Art Exhibition Celebrates Independence Struggle
"This kind of exhibition is expected to be able to grow and keep the love and pride of nationalism in the minds of Indonesian people, especially the youth."
From Harbin to Shenyang, Reminders of Japanese Rule Hang Heavy over Northeast China
"There is a wreath here from the Japanese Consulate in Shenyang, and the Japanese government has officially acknowledged [the Pingdingshan massacre] took place."
Japan's Annual Summer Baseball Extravaganza Has Begun
In this baseball-mad country, Koshien is literally the place where dreams come true.
Aside From the Singaporean Swimmer Who Beat Michael Phelps, Meet the Other Southeast Asian Olympic Gold Medalists
Singapore and Vietnam have bagged their first ever Olympic golds in Rio, Thailand has topped the podium twice and the Philippines has ended a two-decade medal drought.
In International Spotlight, China Convicts Human Right Lawyers and Activists on ‘Subversion’ Charges
The convicted men and women are all connected with the Beijing-based Fengrui law firm, which has a history of taking on politically controversial rights cases.
China Is Turning Its Once Powerful Communist Youth League Into an Online Campaign Machine
Before President Xi came into power, the Communist Youth League served as a launching pad for China’s political elite.
Tokyo's first female governor won in a landslide victory, but she faces a rough road ahead
At her first day on the job, she was snubbed by Tokyo's assembly members.
Dear Hong Kong Activists, Please Stop Telling Everyone Telegram is Secure
While we marched across Hong Kong Island, organizers shouted, “download Telegram, it's more secure than WhatsApp!” But Telegram is not more secure than Whatsapp -- in many circumstances, it's worse.
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