Azia Phreak Mail Surver
U.S. embassy in Japan suspends Twitter accounts during government shutdown, visa and passport services to continue “as situation permits”
Disagreement in Washington could cause problems in Tokyo.The U.S. government isn’t exactly functioning like a well-oiled machine these days, with a federal shutdown beginning just after midnight on October 1. With a country as internationally connected as the U.S., the ramifications go beyond the country’s own borders, and the American embassy in Tokyo is also being affected.The embassy contains two official Twitter accounts, one in English and one in Japanese, and both announced on October 1 th
Osaka suspending new Airbnb-style special zone private lodging applications following backlash
Residents don’t think special zone minpaku are very special at all.In Japanese, minpaku, or “private lodging,” refers to short-term, non-hotel rentals for travelers. It’s essentially the classification that Airbnb-style accommodations fall under, and it’s also a classification that Osaka is looking to put tighter controls on.Minpaku are a divisive subject in Japan, and the for/against split isn’t 50/50. Most residents are uncomfortable with the idea of the house next door or the apartment unit a
Rohingya Noticeably Absent From U.N. Conference
Rohingya refugees gather to listen United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres during his visit to a refugee camp in ...
Are blank vending machines the future in Japan?
DyDo is trying to find out with help from Toyota.The enormous number of vending machines in Japan is a bit of a double-edged sword. Despite the convenient access to hot and cold drinks in just about every corner of the country, they can be eyesores, especially if you’re not accustomed to seeing a Coca-Cola or Suntory logo every 100 meters or so along a stretch of road.Standing out is certainly an important factor in creating a profitable vending machine, but public aesthetics ought to be c
Awesome cosplayers and impressive demos from Tokyo Game Show【Photos】
Our reporter hits the floor of TGS to see the sights and play the games.The Tokyo Game Show obviously has tons of cool games on display, but seeing and trying out demos of the latest titles are only part the fun. Another key component to the TGS experience is the awesome cosplayers modeling the outfits of the games’ characters.Our Japanese-language reporter Tasuku Egawa made sure to enjoy both aspects of this year’s TGS, which he’s blended together in his report from the show floor.Among the gam
Remarks by President Charles Michel after his meeting with President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana
Thank you, President Tokayev, for your warm welcome. As you mentioned, this is my first visit to Kazakhstan, and it's a pleasure to be here in a country of free and hospitable people. Congratulations ...
Corpay, Mastercard expand payment services to new markets
Corpay and Mastercard have further expanded their partnership, enabling near real-time payments to 22 additional markets ...
Hidden travel gems of northern east Japan, presented by the Kita Kanto Brothers!【Photos】
Our northern Kanto reporters team up and head to Gunma for a look at this part of Japan that gets overlooked by tourists.As you can probably guess from their differing family names, our Japanese-language reporters Masanuki Sunakoma and Takamichi Furusawa are not blood-related siblings. However, as of today, they are brothers…Kita Kanto Brothers!Kita is the Japanese word for “north,” and Kanto is the name of the region of east Japan that includes Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa Prefectures along
More tip jars appear at Japanese restaurants, but there are important reasons why you shouldn’t tip
Japan is now at a cultural tipping point, where foreign influences threaten to destroy local customs. With the yen reaching record lows and visitors from abroad reaching record highs, Japan has never seemed so attractive and affordable to overseas tourists. A lavish sushi dinner here can cost the same as a casual takeout back home, and designer fashion, electronics, and hotel stays are considered cheap for overseas travellers flush with strong currencies.▼Foreign tourists in Japan right now.Yet
Exhibit of globally popular ’80s and ’90s Japanese cars comes to Toyota Automobile Museum
Finally, an event for Civic-minded folks.It’s funny to look back at movies and TV from the ’80s and hear casual comments about how Japan was going to take over the world. It might seem laughable from a modern perspective, but that sentiment was really palpable at the time, and part of the reason was that Japan had, in a remarkably short time, grown to be on par with the US and Europe in automaking by then.The fuel efficiency of Japanese cars during a time of high oil prices helped th
Tokyo has Cold Stone vending machine after ice cream chain leaves city, but is it just as good?
The American ice cream chain has closed all of its branches in east Japan, but this Tokyo train station sells its frozen treats from a vending machine.It was a sad day for ice cream fans when, on April 28, Cold Stone closed its final branch in Tokyo, and things got even sadder when the ice cream chain’s shop in Sano, Tochigi Prefecture, the last one in eastern Japan, shut down roughly one week later. Cold Stone is now down to exactly one remaining location in Japan, at the Mitsui Outlet Park Jaz
Studio Ghibli art train to run in Tokyo at anime film’s real-world location
Pom Poko tanuki to once again run around Tama Hills.Studio Ghibli’s anime film Pom Poko follows a group of tanuki as they use their shape-shifting abilities and other powers to cope with changes and challenges as they come into closer contact with human communities. While the mystical elements of the 1994 theatrical feature are flights of fancy, the setting, Tama Hills, is a real-world place.Sitting on the border of Tokyo and neighboring Kanagawa Prefecture, Tama Hills is a mix of forested land
Tasting–and troubleshooting–the elusive, slushy-like Below Zero version of Mitsuya Cider
We learned some hacks for ensuring the special drink that’s said to partially freeze when you open it does what it’s supposed to do.It’s been a minute since vending machines selling sub-zero drinks were introduced in Japan, but the vending machines that they’re sold in are still relatively uncommon. Take Asahi Soft Drinks’ Below Zero Mitsuya Cider, for instance, which is dispensed at -5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit) for an ultra cooling refreshment. ItR
Corpay, Mastercard expand payment services to new markets
Corpay and Mastercard have further expanded their partnership, enabling near real-time payments to 22 additional markets ...
Bangladesh, Turkey to lead global conference on women in Islam
Bangladesh and Turkey have agreed to co-host a global conference early next year on Women in Islam, bringing together leading Muslim scholars and researchers and highlighting countries that showcase ...
Sanrio brings some smiles to Evangelion with new collaboration merch line【Photos】
Each Eva pilot gets a special Sanrrio friend, while Hello Kitty lends her style to Unit-01 and the Angels too.While on the surface it’s a story of adolescents in mecha fighting against horrific alien invaders, there are decades worth of pontifications as to what Evangelion is really about. One popular opinion is that the on-screen battles exist mainly to serve as metaphors for the emotional struggles of protagonist Shinji and his fellow Eva pilots, particularly the difficulties they have buildin
Starbucks has a Japanese pajama-themed dessert drink, but how does it taste?【Taste test】
Starbucks Japan teams up with Gelato Pique for a very unique collaboration.Starbucks Japan recently announced a collaboration with Gelato Pique, a lifestyle brand that’s especially loved for its roomwear and pajamas (which are sometimes Pokémon-themed). In addition to drinkware and fashion items combining their styles, though, there’s also a new Gelato Pique-themed dessert drink being served up at Starbucks.Curious to see how this unusual crossover would turn out, we hurried to our local branch
Candidate for Prime Minister of Japan embroiled in astroturfing scandal
Politician caught with bogus posts of support.A short while ago, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced he would be stepping down as the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and as the Prime Minister of Japan. He will leave behind a legacy of mediocracy the likes of which hasn’t been seen since his predecessor, “Tax-Hiking Glasses-Face,” or “Uncle Reiwa” before him.This means that it’s time for another eager politician to take the reins and probably b
Japanese city abolishes 88th birthday celebratory money gift because people are living longer
A city’s longstanding tradition is no more as something that’s very good for its residents turns out to be very bad for its budget.Keiro no Hi, known as Respect for the Aged Day in English, is a public holiday in Japan that occurs annually on the third Monday of September. Just as the name implies, it’s a day to honor the senior citizens of the country. On this year’s celebration, September 15, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced that there are
Quick Hits #15: A roundup of recent developments in the Caucasus and Central Asia
Leading Off… Energy ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan say the Kambarata hydropower project is on track. The ministers met in Brussels on September 25-26 with representatives of ...