This is a bit of a hot button and there's a lot of discussion going on, but if you don't know the background I will be concise about it.
The protest centers on the ongoing debate about the Liancourt Rocks, a pair of uninhabitable islets in the middle of the Japan Sea, and Japan and Korea have been in a dispute over whom they belong to.
The islets are referred to as Takeshima (in Japanese) or Dokdo (in Korean), but those names have been historically used to incorrectly identify other islands between Japan and Korea (the historical maps are inaccurate). To make things short, the earliest historical documents show that Japan claimed the rocks in 1905, and a Japanese-made geological survey at the time indentifies the correct rocks, however Japan has since continually changed its stance on whether or not the rocks belong to Japan or Korea, since at the time there was still confusion about exactly which islands were disputed. Pro-Koreans maintain that Dokdo has been part Korea since long before 1905, but there is as of yet no historical evidence that Korea had discovered the actual Liancourt Rocks, since all documents pre-1905 appear to identify a different pair of islands in their cartography and description.
The Japanese government announced that it would make changes to its education textbooks that would identify the Liancourt Rocks as being Japanese (barring any evidence that disproves the 1905 claim), which has led to the uproar in Korean protesters, who say that allowing Japan to claim the rocks is allowing Japan to rewrite history and to maintain its imperialist behavior.
Which leads to yesterday's incident. There have been protests before of all sorts, but yesterday's protest involved about 40 Korean veterans standing outside the Japan Embassy and killing live pheasants (Japan's national bird) while soiling... [Read More]
TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- Japan has executed a man convicted of killing and mutilating young girls in the late 1980s.
Public broadcaster NHK reports that 45-year-old Tsutomu Miyazaki was hanged early Tuesday.
In 1997, Tokyo District Court found Miyazaki guilty of killing four girls aged from 4 years to 7 in 1988 and 1989 and sentenced him to death. Tokyo High Court upheld the sentence in 2001, and the Supreme Court followed suit on January 17 this year.
The murders and Miyazaki's arrest dominated headlines in the country and prompted calls for tighter restrictions on the content of violent adult videos
[CNN]
Last week a 17-pound Hokkaido Densuke watermelon sold for US 6,100 at an auction in Tokyo. It was purchased by a man who wanted to promote local agriculture. In case you are curious this brand of watermelon usually sells in stores for a modest US 188 - 283.
Misc:
Watermelons, melons, apples and peaches are really expensive in Japan because they are produced domestically. Pinapples and bananas on the other hand are cheap because they come from the Philippines. Go figure.
Japanese have created square shaped watermelons, but for some reason have yet to produce seedless ones.
In summer Japanese like to spin around in circles while blindfolded then smash open a watermelon with a wooden stick. Its kind of like smashing open a pinata, only you get fruit instead of candy. They call this practice suikawari.
The largest rapid transit system in the known universe has been extended by one line. The Fukutoshin Line is the first new addition to Tokyo's subway system in 8 years. It runs from Shibuya to Wako, Saitama. The line is meant to relieve congestion on other lines passing through Shinjuku Station. This should be a welcome change. If you have ever been to Shinjuku Station during rush hour youd know it is hella crowded.
Misc:
To celebrate the Fukutoshin Line's opening Shinjuku's Isetan Department store sold train shaped eclairs.
Not to be outdone Takashimaya Department store made a Subway map out of gummy candy, chocolate and diamonds. It is currently on display in a glass case in their Shinjuku store.
Trains in Tokyo are notorious for chikan, Japan's homegrown breed of zealous perverts. They take advantage of the the crowded commute to rub their genitals against or grope unsuspecting women. Many train lines have female only carriages during rush hour to spare women from the nastiness of these sick men who otherwise can't get any.
Japanese politicians are now trying to pass legislature on raising taxes on tobacco in Japan which would mean the price of a pack would go up to ¥1000. This is about US 9.50. Nationwide, smokers are clamouring over the possibility.
Misc:
As of now a pack in Japan goes for about ¥300. Super cheap compared to most countries.
Japan is the world's third largest tobacco market after China and the US.
Smoking is known to cause cancer in humans and rats.
Im all for the tax increase. Maybe while they are at it they can lower the beer tax to even everything out. Beer in Japan is obscenely expensive. You dont even get a discount per can for buying a six-pack.
A man from Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture flipped out and rammed a rental truck in to pedestrians on a crowded intersection in Akihabara. He then jumped out an stabbed over a dozen people with a dagger he had bought two days before. The police had him surrender at gun point, but not before he killed 6 men and a woman. He is now in custody and will likely be sentenced to death by hanging as is the case with these types.
Misc:
This stabbing took place on the anniversary of another stabbing spree that occured 7 years earlier at an elementary school in Osaka.
The man's parents publicly apologized on national TV for the crime their son committed. They felt ashamed that they could not raise him better.
The Japanese government is now considering restricting the sale of certain types of knives.
Akihabara is the otaku capital of the world. Otaku are Japanese geeks who get off on hentai, anime based figurines, chicks in maid outfits and the sexualization of minors. Not surprisingly, 99% of the porno on this site can be found in Akihabara on store shelves. Hence the name Akiba-Online.
Akiba Online
