Anti-scamming superhero revealed
Watch out, criminals! Police in Tokyo have created Furiko Man, a superhero that spreads awareness about scammers who pose as family members to trick elderly people into sending them money:
I’m not really sure that this kind of superhero appeals to the target demographic, but he’s still pretty cool.
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Categories: General Japan
Ken Tanaka: Effortless Japanese
Real life nihonjin Ken Tanaka teams up with Remi February to bring you really easy Japanese. You too can abbreviate your Japanese to sound like a native with the steps outlined in the video.
Contributor Bio: Claytonian studies the Nihongoes in Saitama and blogs about Japan, Language, and News at The Hopeless Romantic.
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Categories: General Japan
Hot spring for seals in Hakone
Despite the cut little buckets and towels that staff gave to the seals at this aquarium in Hakone, they aren’t actually swimming around in an onsen:
The temperature of the water is actually only – degrees, but since the snow falling yesterday was so cold, it gave the pool the steamy appearance of an onsen.
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Categories: Animal Videos
Send in the Robots
A Canadian Broadcasting Corporation report about how Japanese researchers are creating worker robots that could help overcome the problems created by an aging workforce and low birthrate:
[via Astroboy World]
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Categories: Technology
Noriko Calderon’s parents to be deported
An update on the case of Noriko Calderon:
The Japanese government ruled today that Arlan and Sarah Calderon, Filipinos who illegally entered Japan with forged passports in 1993, must leave Japan by March 9th or be deported (they have been told there will be no more extensions). Their daughter, Noriko, will be allowed the chance to continue living in Japan. The Calderons are determined to fight the decision instead of deciding whether or not they should leave Noriko behind in Japan.
Meanwhile, the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has made an “emergency inquiry” to the Japanese government about the case.
The fairest outcome would be:
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Categories: Foreigners in Japan
Drunken Government Minister: The Game
Liveware have put out a new cell phone game making fun of the drunken (seeming) peccadilloes of a certain minister who learned that cold medicines don’t go so well with a teeny bit of wine. Just a sip even. Honest. Look I don’t have a problem, I just like a drink every now and then.
drunk game
The goal is to try to keep Nakagawa awake during the press conference by “poking” him with the 5 key at the right timing so that he doesn’t miss any of the reporters’ questions. If he does, you lose. His approval ratings are displayed in big white print at the top of the screen–I don’t think they ever get super high, but the idea is to try to keep it from falling to zero. [via Tokyomango]
It’s kind of a metaphor for Japanese politics in general too…
In case you somehow missed the big news, you can find out more about this guy here.
Contributor Bio: Claytonian studies the Nihongoes in Saitama and blogs about Japan, Language, and News at The Hopeless Romantic.
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