Tag Archives: Japan

Today In Creepy Robots

Uncanny valley, anyone?

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Quote Of The Day – Akie Abe

“There is no difference to importance of love from sexual orientation. There should not be any discrimination because who you love. I am going to raise my voice. If my raised voice could contribute to the pride of LGBT people, there is no greater joy.” – Akie Abe, the First Lady of Japan, speaking today at a gay pride event …

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Japan’s First Lady Rides In Pride Parade

Japan’s First Lady rode on a float during Tokyo’s gay pride parade yesterday. The 51-year-old wife of conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe donned a white suit to stand on a float with a drag queen, as some 3,000 participants marched through the trendy Shibuya business and shopping district. Mrs Akie Abe, known for her liberal inclinations, wrote on her Facebook …

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Run Away!

On Japan’s Rabbit Island, where they used to make WWII poison gas. Headline reference.

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Major Quake Strikes Near Fukushima

Story developing…

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Branding Fail

The Independent reports: As sending positive brand signals go, naming your mascot Fukuppy is probably a step in the wrong direction. Indeed, it would seem this refrigerator company have had their very own fukuppy with the unfortunate christening of this cartoon egg. Social media users seized on the winged ovum’s name to ridicule Fukushima Industries’ mascot, with initial reports linking …

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World Order – Welcome To Toyko

I first posted about World Order, a band headed by a retired martial arts champion, a couple of years ago.  This is their “welcome” to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.  Nice track, cool dancing, lyrics in Japanese. (Tipped by JMG reader Greg)

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Lesbian Athlete Becomes First Woman To Row Solo From Japan To Alaska

Out British athlete Sarah Outen yesterday completed a 150-day solo row from Japan to Alaska, becoming the first woman to do so. And along the way, she got engaged. “I have had some of the most intense and memorable months of my life out on the Pacific. It has been brilliant and brutal at the same time,” Outen said in …

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Tokyo To Host 2020 Olympics

Beating out fellow finalists Madrid and Istanbul, the IOC today announced that Tokyo will host the 2020 Summer Olympics. Tokyo’s bid came in at $5 billion to $6 billion, compared to $19 billion pledged by Istanbul, said Ed Hula, editor and founder of aroundtherings.com, which covers the business and politics of the Olympic movement. But Tokyo’s government has already amassed …

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President Obama Nominates Caroline Kennedy To Be Ambassador To Japan

Yesterday afternoon President Obama formally nominated Caroline Kennedy to be the US ambassador to Japan. In naming Ms. Kennedy, whose nomination has been rumored for months, Mr. Obama is keeping with a well-established tradition of rewarding important campaign supporters with plum embassies. He recently put forward big-dollar fund-raisers to be envoys in London, Berlin, Copenhagen and Madrid. But Ms. Kennedy’s …

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Oldest Man In History Dies At Age 116

The oldest man in the history of the world has died in Japan at the age of 116. Jiroemon Kimura, a former postman, died of natural causes in hospital in his hometown of Kyotango, western Japan, in the early hours of Wednesday, city officials told CNN. In December, Kimura had been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest …

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Lesbians Wed At Tokyo Disney

Flanked by Mickey and Minnie, a lesbian couple was (not legally) married on Friday at Tokyo’s Disney Resort. The event on Friday was the first homosexual wedding in the popular amusement park even though gay marriage has no legal standing in Japan.The couple first hit the headlines after the theme park initially told them there would be no problem with …

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UN Condemns Gay Death Penalty

Yesterday the United Nations approved a resolution that condemns the killing of LGBT persons either by governments or via “extrajudicial” means such as hate crimes. Via press release from the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission: An international coalition of organizations dedicated to human rights celebrated yesterday’s historic vote in the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly …

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Hello Kitty + KISS = Toilet Paper

It’s just simple math, people. Source.

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Russia & Japan Want Moon Bases

Move over Newt Gingrich, you’ve got company. At the Global Space Exploration Conference, which started on May 22 — the same day SpaceX successfully launched its Dragon capsule towards the ISS, which is why NASA administrator Charles Bolden was absent from the conference — Russia and Japan laid out their plans for space exploration, both focusing on Earth’s natural satellite. …

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Tokyo Pride 2012

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Japanese Retail: It’s A Fuckin’ Sale

JMG reader and expat Bruce reports that the fuckin’ sale lasts until tomorrow.

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Clam Chowder Doritos

I’d probably try this. I tried shrimp-flavored potato chips. (Not good.)

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Today In Creepy Robots

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Fukishima Fallout

Via Think Progress: “Japan’s science ministry says 8 per cent of the country’s surface area has been contaminated by radiation from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant. It says more than 30,000 square kilometers of the country has been blanketed by radioactive cesium.”

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