Archive for April, 2009

Korean postal service uses “Sea of Japan” name on posters

The South Korean government has been pushing for English speakers to stop using the name “Sea of Japan” in favor of the Korea-centric “East Sea” name, but it seems that the South Korean postal service isn’t checking the maps it uses for its posters:

Blogger Brian in Jeollanam-do, who posted about the postal service mistake and an event poster that also uses the “Sea of Japan” name, had the following sensible view of the controversy:

As I’ve argued before, the name “Sea of Japan” is and ought to remain the English name for the body of water. Some 95% of Koreans, according to a survey last year, believe the name should be the “East Sea.” Koreans do, of course, call it 동해 in Korean, and nobody is suggesting it be changed to 일본해 in Korean. However, the established and accepted English name is Sea of Japan, and Koreans shouldn’t stick their noses into other people’s languages. Moreover, and what really induces eye rolls and forehead slaps is that people are advocating replacing the Sea of Japan because it supposedly reflects Japanese imperialism and is a product of, so they say, aggressive lobbying by Japanese politicians. The alternate name suggested, though, is even more disgustingly ethnocentric and nationalistic because the sea is, after all, to the immediate east of Korea.

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Cat & pig advertise Japanese video game

A few of the cute and amusing commercials for Monster Hunter G that are currently airing on Japanese TV and JR train screens:

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Stray cats of Akihabara

A few YouTube videos of the stray cats that inhabit the parks and streets of Akihabara [via Zaeega]:

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U.S. Marine arrested for attempted robbery in Okinawa

U.S. Marine Cpl. Anthony Massimino, 30, allegedly demanded in English that the 70-year-old male drugstore owner in the city of Okinawa give him $20 at around 10:15 p.m. Monday, pretending he had a handgun, according to investigations.

Massimino denies the allegation, the police said.

Massimino fled the scene in a car empty-handed after a store employee who was also present at the time called the police, they said.

He only wanted $20? Pretty strange.

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100% Genki Tour: Japanese musicians come to the UK

British readers of this site who like Japanese music may be interested in checking out 100% Genki, a series of music festivals that will feature some Japanese artists:

The 100% Genki tour takes place over 10 days in May 2009, and will introduce contemporary Japanese acts to the UK. International audiences have demonstrated a growing interest in Japan’s music, and a wealth of talented artists exists in the burgeoning domestic scene, spanning the entire musical spectrum – from punk to electronica, from techno to ska. Young Japanese bands, producers, singers and DJs have their own unique sense of direction and style, due in part to the unique position of the country – increasingly immersed in Western culture, but still removed, culturally as well as geographically.

Check this link for tour date and location info.

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“Where the Hell is Matt?” Japanese commercial

A Visa credit card commercial sends the men on Japanese currency (Yukichi Fukuzawa, Hideo Noguchi, and Natsume Soseki) on a vacation with Matt from the “Where the Hell is Matt” videos:

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