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From ANN: a Japanese language school in Gunma prefecture offered about 40 Ukrainian students the opportunity to study in Japan. The students were led to believe it was free. However, after arriving, the school demanded that they pay tuition fees: youtube.com/watch?v=GHDNg2…
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Here is an NHK news clip about Yoneda Ayu, a 28 year-old doctor who was recently selected by JAXA for astronaut training. As a child she read a manga about Japan's first female astronaut, Mukai Chiyaki, and decided she wanted to go to space too: twitter.com/nhk_nw9/status…
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Japan's Self-Defense Forces and Police held a joint anti-terrorism drill today. The scenario involved 3 annoying YouTubers filming themselves as they tried to force their way into a military base with a backpack full of explosives.
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Here is a video of a Tyrannosaurus race that took place on a beach in Okinawa yesterday. Over 100 T-Rexes participated. #ティラノサウルスレース
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The BBC has aired a documentary about Johnny Kitagawa, showing "how denial and media silence allowed Japan's most powerful pop music mogul to exploit teenage boys for decades." bbc.com/news/world-asi…
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Former actress Otsu Ayaka, who was recently appointed head of the "Female Politicians 48 Party" (NHK Party) was asked about her position on tax cuts. Her response: "That's a hard question. Can I pass? hehe"
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A new Kinnikuman anime is going out to mark the 40th anniversary of the original TV series. Some elements of the 1980s original are not going to be included if they want an international audience in 2023. *Warning: racist content in this video* https://t.co/b6agZRJip2
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Japan has defeated the USA and won the #WorldBaseballClassic2023 . Here are the fans at my local pub reacting to the final pitch that decided the game! Well done, Samurai Japan!
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Japan's national baseball team has just arrived home after winning the World Baseball Classic in Miami. This Japanese TV footage shows firetrucks at Narita Airport spraying an arch of water to honor the champions.
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At this year's Kyoto University graduation ceremony one graduating student dressed up as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. It took him three months to grow the beard, but he pulled it off very well: youtube.com/watch?v=QcH2zZ…
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He says wanted to dress up as Zelensky because of the president's reputation as the manliest of men. His friends humorously interrupt to reveal that he struggled for 4 years before finally passing Kyoto University's notoriously difficult entry exam.
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Kyoto University is well-known for allowing students to dress however they want at its graduation ceremony, giving rise to a tradition of elaborate and silly costume-wearing. Here is a compilation of some of this year's best costumes: togetter.com/li/2108574
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Some additional information: This was not simply a comedic cosplay. The graduate dressed as Zelensky was holding a sign expressing support for the Ukrainian cause. It included this quote from the president's speech to the US Congress.
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"Young people, don't vote." - This short commercial features older Japanese people telling young voters that everything is fine and they don't need to show up to this year's election. The older people will vote and decide everything instead.
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This announcement was only made in English to what Musk has called a "Japan-centric" site. When Japanese language media picks up this story, expect some very negative reactions from Japanese users who don't want to pay for basic features. #投票有料化
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A lot of Japanese apartment buildings have emergency evacuation ladders on their balconies, but very people have ever seen one used. Here is an NHK news video demonstrating the proper technique:
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The Nara city government considered building a monument at the spot where former Prime Minister Abe was assassinated, but some residents didn't want one. In the end, Abe got this unmarked flowerbed. twitter.com/themainichi/st…
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Actor Orlando Bloom recently traveled to Ukraine as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. When he met with President Zelensky he produced a piece of paper and read the words of Ikeda Daisaku, the Japanese founder of the Soka Gakkai religious movement.
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Kamakura Tsuyoshi is campaigning for the Okayama city assembly as a representative of the Hemp Party (麻党). As you may have already guessed from this photo and his party name, he is an advocate for the legalization of marijuana in Japan. twitter.com/SWAGLABCBD1/st…
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NHK visited the offices of Marutake Sangyo, the company in Kagoshima that created the Los Angeles Angels' samurai helmet home run hat. The employees are thrilled to see Ohtani and other MLB stars wearing their creation. https://t.co/wGbmS5Qit7
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Watanabe Tadahiro (Ishin Party), a longtime campaigner for a barrier-free society, was elected to the Chiba city assembly on Sunday. He is the founder of Universal Access Designing, a non-profit that works to improve the accessibility of local tourist facilities. twitter.com/tadahiro_wt/st…
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New Pokémon card were released today in Japan. Here is a video of people who lined up overnight in Akihabara to be the first to buy them...
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Breakig: Someone apparently set off an explosive device (possibly a pipe bomb) at a place in Wakayama where Prime Minister Kishida was about to give a campaign speech. No injuries were reported.
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Here is a slightly higher quality clip from NHK, which includes the police tackling the suspect.
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This man who helped tackle the Kishida bomb attack suspect today has become a subject of discussion on Japanese Twitter: was he just a normal "old dude at the fishing port" (漁港のおじさん) or was he a plainclothes cop that was of the Prime Minister's security detail? twitter.com/mrjeffu/status…
PhD. Special Lecturer at Kanda University of International Studies. Japan's Politics/Nationalist Activism/History Disputes/Pop Culture. RT/Likes ≠ endorsements