
The world’s first ever real giant mech battle has been officially announced between Megabots Inc and Suidobashi Heavy Industry, two robotics companies who have successfully constructed functional giant robots – an event that has triggered massive anticipation from dedicated mecha enthusiasts the world over.
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US President and much deserving Nobel Laureate Barack Obama has attracted the attention of otaku masses with his public greeting for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, mentioning several aspects of Japanese culture that Americans are thankful for – with anime and manga garnering a mention in a rather unexpected fashion.
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A recent report brings to light a new trend among single Japanese women: they are increasingly forgoing companionship to enjoy a night out alone.
“I rented a hotel suite and spent the night there all by myself, drinking wine in a bubble bath and reading a magazine,” said a 30-year-old woman. “Very elegant, don’t you think?”
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A 30-year-old man has been arrested for handing out leaflets on a roadside to schoolgirls, in an attempt to buy the urine of female high school students. He was apparently carrying a conical flask and a Tupperware box at the time.
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A US warship, the USS Blue Ridge, caused controversy as it docked at a Nagasaki harbor, despite refusal of entry from the mayor and regional governor.
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A syndicate affiliated porn site operated a year-long scam in which it swindled over ¥200 million (some $2.2 million), all by simply telling people they owed the site thousands of dollars in unpaid bills.
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A young lady who sent her car plowing through the front of a convenience store, injuring one, appears to have escaped any charges, except general ones of incompetence, even after the basic nature of her mistake came to light…
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Up until now we’ve seen only a small trace of 3D female fundoshi, but that may well change with the availability of these undergarments for a mere ¥1,680.
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According to a Yomiuri survey, 72% of Japanese profess no belief in religion of any sort. Of course, as you might expect from these kinds of statistics, things are a little more nuanced than at first they seem, though the general ambivalence of the Japanese to religion does not appear to be in doubt.
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Japan hasn’t changed a bit? It certainly seems some things are a constant presence. See below for the full comparison (H), and here for more ancient manga. Source here.
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Two rather similar stories come to my attention via Itainews, one alleging that Japanese youth are suffering from a decline in literacy and historical knowledge, and another asserting the Japan’s sex trade is facing dire straits because young men no longer have the sex drive they once had (presumably they are pursuing alternatives rather than abstinence, although the article doesn’t address this for reasons which will become obvious).
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A renter is suing his landlord based on the fact he was not told the property is supposedly haunted, for ¥5,000,000 ($50,000 – not insignificant by the paltry standards of Japanese settlements). He apparently rented the property ignorant of the alleged supernatural presence, opened an eatery there, and after being told by a friend of the ghostly presence, he claims to have witnessed spectral apparitions and heard strange noises. Now he wants his key money back, as well as some compensation to make up for the undead onslaught.
This sort of thing actually has a whole body of legislation and jurisprudence surrounding it – it is called “stigmatised property”, and frequently there is a duty to disclose such circumstances, though the actual existence of spectres is not something the courts care to deal with. Though usually this applies to not being able to resell a property, rather than merely being an inconvenienced renter. On the other hand, these properties can be made into valuable investment opportunities. Via Itainews.