Stories about East Asia from October, 2016
Revellers in Costume Descend on Tokyo by the Thousands for Halloween
Halloween has been growing in popularity in Japan over previous years. In 2016, there was more money spent in Japan on Halloween than on Valentine's Day.
Instagrammers’ Photos Document the Smog Enveloping Khabarovsk
Residents of Khabarovsk in Russia’s Far East have been staying indoors or wearing masks when they go outside since a thick smog blanketed the city on Tuesday.
Conservationists in Madagascar Race to Exterminate Troubling Toad
Conservationists seek to eradicate a deadly Asian invader, but finding the necessary funds is proving difficult.
After a Well-Known Artist's Tragic Death, Taiwan's LGBT Community Demands Marriage Equality
"Don't just pay lip service to "equal rights for the LGBT community". Words are empty! As long as same-sex marriage is not legalized, it means nothing!"
Locals Want a Disruptive Dam Project in Northern Myanmar Terminated Once and for All
Ethnic Kachin oppose the dam not only because it puts lives at risk, but also because it endangers the historically valuable Irrawaddy River
From China to Indonesia to Timor Leste, Discover the Beats of Asian Hip Hop
Time to update your playlist.
Leaked Xinjiang Police Report Describes Circumvention Tools as ‘Terrorist Software’
The report describes using VPNs as an indicator of criminality, or a “pre-criminal” behavior, perhaps a harbinger of tighter restrictions to come.
In the Eyes of Hong Kong's Housing Market, We Are All Just Sardines
Living spaces in Hong Kong are shrinking in size while prices skyrocket. Here's one response to the absurdity of the situation.
Just How Welcome Are ‘Foreigners’ on Japanese Trains?
A private railway company in western Japan recently came under fire after a conductor apologized for the presence of “foreigners” on a train. And that was just the beginning.
A short history of Halloween in Japan
Halloween in Japan has become a creepy tour de force. But trick-or-treating has never caught on. Why?
In Venezuela, Indigenous Communities’ Struggles With Mining Are Far From Over
"With this decree, illegal mining in the Caura becomes legalized. Now they are definitely going to kill us."
A Philippine Police Van Brutally Runs Over Indigenous and Minority Protesters Calling for Their Rights
"In our ancestral communities, the attacks are far worse...Everywhere we turn, we Lumads and other national minorities are brutalized."
Chinese Netizens See Human Rights Violations in Child Protection Bill
The new regulations attempt to protect children by requiring hardware companies to install surveillance software on their devices, and by promoting treatments for "Internet addiction."
Meet Eufrasia Vieira, the ‘Next Angelina Jolie’ From Timor-Leste
"Sometimes, I take those compliments as a joke. Angelina is so beautiful and she’s just wow. I’m just ordinary woman living a simple life."
Myanmar’s Laws and Societal Attitudes Make Girls Vulnerable to Abuse
An 'International Day of the Girl' celebration in an internally displaced person camp in Kachin State, Myanmar highlights the lack of government protection of victims of gender-based violence in Myanmar.
Journalists Call on Timor-Leste PM to Drop Defamation Complaint Against Reporters
Around the world, reporters are trying to get the prime minister of Timor-Leste to abandon a criminal complaint against two journalists who say he was involved in government corruption.
A Japanese Artist's Highly Realistic Paper Sculptures Are Coming to the US
"My animal sculptures, made from an accumulation of newspapers, might perhaps be portraying ourselves and our lives, on many levels."
A Hong Kong Lawmaker Raises Suspicions With His Surprisingly Swift Renunciation of UK Citizenship
"This is a substantial intervention in the Legislative Council president election in Hong Kong and will affect the autonomy of the law-making body."
Did Hong Kong Just Reveal What It Really Values With Controversial Award?
In her speech, Fonia Wong Leung-fong urged young people to follow her example and work “four times harder than the average person."
Some Japanese People Really Thought Haruki Murakami Would Finally Win the Nobel Prize This Time
Every year Japanese people wait in anticipation for Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. And every year they are disappointed.
Hong Kong Citizens Express Dismay as Macau's Border Control Turns Them Away
Some were former activists, which has led many to question whether the Hong Kong government has a broad black list, which it shares with Macau authorities and Chinese authorities.
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