Stories about East Asia from October, 2015
At Japan's Cafe de Monk, Tsunami Survivors Can Get Coffee, Cake and a Sympathetic Ear
Nearly five years after the tsunami and nuclear meltdown in Japan, thousands still suffer the consequences. So a Japanese Buddhist monk developed a pop-up cafe to cater to their needs.
Netizens Think the Controversial Confucius Peace Prize Is Suspiciously Convenient for Chinese Authorities
The Chinese government isn't associated with the prize, which was awarded this year to Zimbabwe's President Mugabe. But that hasn't stopped censorship of critical comments or the communist party's cheerleading.
Women Survivors Speak Out About Indonesia’s 1965 Mass Killings
“I was told I was only being taken in for questioning. It turns out I would be held for 14 years. From 1965 until December 1979. We never got justice."
Kotatsu or Korsy? Is This Heating Method Japanese or Iranian?
Japan and Iran seem to have common techniques for keeping cozy during the winter seasons.
On Drawing Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution as a Comic Strip
One year after Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution, cartoonist Jason Li reflects on his social advocacy comic experiment.
From Okinawa to the UN, the Protest Against a US Military Base Continues
Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga went to the UN to address human rights violations he says the Japanese and American governments have committed.
Fans Step Up After Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei Hits Brick Wall With Lego
"No Lego on my Christmas-Burthday shopping list @LEGO_Group. Not supporting Ai Wei Wei @aiww is very disappointing"
Jailed for Anti-Monarchy Graffiti, Thai Musician Gets Support on Social Media
Opas C, a 68-year-old Thai, is serving a three-year jail term for writing an anti-monarchy graffiti in a mall toilet.
The Dark Historical Context Surrounding Chinese President Xi's Arts Speech
"Wang Shiwei told the truth and got himself killed. Then telling lies becomes a trend. Today, lie have replaced everything else."
How Social Media Fuels China's Growing Love of Cosmetic Surgery
China's cosmetic surgery industry is using powerful social media marketing strategies to convince more and more young women that they need to go under the knife to be beautiful.
At 81, a Japanese Woman Tweets to Remember the Terror of War
"On June 5, 1945, when I was in fifth grade, our family went to an air raid shelter after the sirens sounded. Oh no! Our house would be burned down!"
Typhoon Koppu Brings Floods and Agricultural Disaster to Philippines’ ‘Food Basket’
Koppu is the second strongest storm to hit the Philippines this year. Aside from causing floods and landslides, Koppu also destroyed agricultural crops in the country's "food basket."
What Is #Aldub and Why Is It Trending on Twitter Every Day?
Filipinos all over the world have fallen in love with Aldub, a fictional TV couple who became a social media phenomenon.
Chinese Nationalist ‘Hawks’ Form Online Volunteer Army Against ‘Enemy Forces’
In addition to the Chinese Communist Youth League's online civilization volunteers, the right-wing nationalists are also self-organized, creating a online volunteer army to promote their ideas and silence critics.
Myanmar ‘Cartoonists Have Been on the Side of the People’
"Many say that cartoonists or journalists should not be biased, but must be neutral. It is wrong. They should have bias. They must. By bias, I don’t mean prejudice."
Myanmar Activist Faces 5 Years in Jail for Facebook Post Mocking Army Uniform
The Facebook post compared the color of the army's new uniform to a traditional dress worn by opposition leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
Why Some Chinese Seem to Be Gloating Over Their Country's Exclusion From the Trans-Pacific Partnership
"...are so many Chinese rejoicing over China's misfortune? No. What’s behind this is discontent over the status quo and demands for reforms."
Documentary Explores What It's Like to Be Black in Japan
This interesting full-length documentary, made by a pair of popular Japanese video bloggers explores what it's like to be black in Japan.
Video Blog Provides In-Depth Insights Into How Japanese Politics Work
Japan specialist Tim Langley provide in-depth insights into Japanese politics not normally covered in mainstream media in his engaging video blog.
Political Cartoons Defy Censorship to Expose Thai-Style ‘Democracy’
A political cartoonist who criticized Thailand's military-backed government has become the latest journalist to be summoned by the army for "attitude-adjustment."
Help! I Can't Communicate With My Mandarin-Speaking Grandpa
US-born Yowei Shaw speaks virtually no Mandarin. Her Taiwanese grandfather speaks virtually no English. She's determined to have proper conversations with Yeye— before it's too late.
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