Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 12121 Location: It was fun while it lasted. Country:
Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2020 4:47 pm Post subject:
They've been talking about his health for the last couple days, so I guess there really was something to it. As long as the people of Japan don't elect a former reality show host/con man with orange hair, they should be okay.
Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 12121 Location: It was fun while it lasted. Country:
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2021 9:53 pm Post subject:
Must be one hardcore AKB48 fanboy.
Russian swims to Japan seeking asylum
Wed, August 25, 2021, 2:05 AM
TOKYO (AP) — A Russian man from a Russian-held island claimed by both Tokyo and Moscow is seeking asylum after being found in a wetsuit on Japan’s northern main island of Hokkaido, media reports and officials said Wednesday.
The man was found in the town of Shibetsu on the coast of Hokkaido across from Kunashiri island, one of four Russian-held islands claimed by both countries, Japanese media said. He said he swam about 20 kilometers (12 miles) to Hokkaido to seek asylum, the reports said.
The man was wearing a wetsuit when he was found by a local resident last Thursday, the reports said. The regional immigration office in Sapporo said Wednesday that he is being interviewed by immigration officials following an initial investigation by police to determine whether he is eligible for a temporary landing permit or refugee status, or is subject to repatriation.
The immigration office declined to provide his identity and other details, including how he arrived in Hokkaido.
In a Facebook statement earlier this week, the Russian Embassy in Japan sought an explanation from Japanese authorities of the status of the man, whom it identified as V.-F.V. Nokarde.
Japan claims the four islands, which it calls the Northern Territories. The Soviet Union seized them in the final days of World War II, and the dispute has kept the countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending their war hostilities.
Decades of diplomatic efforts to negotiate a settlement haven’t produced any tangible results.
#8 was mentioned on an episode of Christopher Kimball's Milk Street on PBS... In that episode, the two Japanese-inspired dishes were made: Karaage and potato salad using Kewpie mayonnaise.
Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 12121 Location: It was fun while it lasted. Country:
Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 6:56 pm Post subject:
Wonder if they got the inspiration from watching "Shitmachi Rocket".
Japan plans to put man on the moon by late 2020s
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan revised the schedule of its space exploration plans on Tuesday, aiming to put a Japanese person on the moon by the latter half of the 2020s.
"Not only is space a frontier that gives people hopes and dreams but it also provides a crucial foundation to our economic society with respect to our economic security," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a meeting to finalise the plan.
According to the draft schedule of the plan, Japan aims to put the first non-American on the moon as part of the Artemis programme, a U.S.-led initiative that aims to return astronauts to the moon.
The plan also spells out Japan's aspirations to launch a probe to explore Mars in 2024, as well as to find ways to generate solar electricity in space.
Neigbouring China also aims to become a major spacefaring power by 2030, and it too plans to put astronauts on the moon, raising the prospect of an Asian space race.
In May, China became the second country to put a rover on Mars, two years after landing the first spacecraft on the far side of the moon.
Japan's announcement of its space exploration targets comes a week after Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa returned to earth after spending 12 days aboard the International Space Station, becoming the first space tourist to travel to the ISS in more than a decade.
Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 12121 Location: It was fun while it lasted. Country:
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2022 7:07 am Post subject:
"Fictosexuals"? Only in Japan
Three years into his “marriage” with a popular virtual character, a Japanese man has opened up about the benefits of having a virtual “wife.”
Tokyo resident Akihiko Kondo made global headlines in November 2018 when he tied the knot at the age of 35 with Hatsune Miku, a virtual popstar developed by Crypton Future Media based on the singing synthesizer software Vocaloid.
Miku, who takes on the appearance of a 16-year-old girl, has appeared in video games, virtual concerts and even a tour with Lady Gaga.
Kondo discovered Miku in 2008. At the time, he was told to take a leave from work after being diagnosed with adjustment disorder. His co-workers reportedly bullied him, and two of his colleagues called him "gross" and avoided him.
"I stayed in my room for 24 hours a day and watched videos of Miku the whole time," he shared.
According to Kondo, Miku's songs helped him fall asleep, and her music eventually motivated him to go out again and return to work.
A decade later, Kondo spent around 2 million yen (approximately $15,656) for a wedding ceremony in Tokyo because he wanted to solidify his love for the virtual celebrity.
Over the years, Kondo has posted on social media about the various romantic and social activities he and his “wife” have engaged in.
While he acknowledged that many people view his relationship with a fictional character as unusual and unhealthy, he also said that his feelings for Miku have not changed.
“When we’re together, she makes me smile. In that sense, she’s real,” he was quoted as saying.
Kondo shared that prior to his “marriage” with Miku, he had long decided that he was not interested in being with a human partner.
He explained that Miku would never betray him like a human partner potentially could. He also noted that she will never get sick or die.
In Japan, there has been a rise in “fictosexuals.” These people choose to marry cartoon characters to express their love for their favorite manga or anime. Kondo identifies as a fictosexual and says that he shares details about his relationship with the public so that other people can become more accepting of similar relationships.
“It’s about respecting other people’s lifestyles,” he explained.
After receiving several invitations to give lectures about Miku and their relationship at universities and other venues, Kondo decided to continue his studies. Last year, he enrolled in the Faculty of Law at Komazawa University to become more informed about freedom of expression, as well as “sexual and violent depictions involving manga and characters.”
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