Pulsations (06.15.12)
Here are the latest Pulsations, links to fresh stories and visuals about Japan, shout-outs to fellow bloggers, and highly clickable stuff that we think you might enjoy.
In no particular order, they are . . .
- You had me at “sumimasen…” (from Loco in Yokohama): Some foreigners enjoy the extra space they get on trains, when Japanese commuters are hesistant to sit by them. Others are offended, feel judged, and call it racism. In this personal anecdote, the author dives into the complexity of seat dynamics.
- Former Yamaguchi-gumi member arrested for attempted extortion of Yoshimoto Kogyo celebrity (from The Tokyo Reporter): While news of a gangster’s high bail made headlines this week, Tokyo Reporter found a more interesting story in the pages of Shukan Asahi Geino. It would appear that Kozo Hattori, a former member of the Yamaguchi-gumi, was arrested for blackmailing Hazama Kanpei, an entertainer who claimed he never knew of Hattori’s gang affiliation. Taking a closer look at both parties, Asahi Geino reports that there’s more than meets the eye.
- Deaf Net News (From Touching Sounds of Hands): Many deaf people were left out of the loop during the 3.11 disaster, as most news bulletins lacked sign language or subtitles. Enter Deaf Net News, an emergency channel specifically for the hearing impaired.
- Tokyo police give shoeshines the boot (from Japan Subculture Research Center): With the new anti-organized crime laws, Tokyo police have been harassing and removing street side shoeshiners based on “public complaints.” Often thought to be protected by organized crime, shoeshiners have been struggling in recent years as the old generation is replaced with the new. As such, street-side shoeshiners, whose high prices cannot compete with more established services, may soon become a rare breed.
- Microaggresions or Icebreakers? (From Gakuranman): If you’ve been keeping up with the firestorm sparked by Debito Arudo’s column on microaggresions, you may have had enough of it all. But if you’ve still keen for more, here’s an analytical work that dives very deeply into the details. So pull up a zabuton and prove your Zen-like focus by reading every word. You might just be able to use chopsticks when you’re finished.
