Weekly News Report on East Asia by Yidi Wu https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s What's going on in East Asia now? How can we connect the past and present? en-us 2018-08-19 20:47:34 UTC 2018-11-27 23:33:58 UTC hello@padlet.com China's New Electromagnetic, High-Velocity Rocket https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/275379592 SCMP. Aug. 26. China is in the process of developing the world's first electromagnetic rocket, which would increase fire range and subsequently give the Chinese military an advantage in difficult terrain. The engineers say that the rocket itself isn't that different, but it's launching mechanisms are more like a catapult instead of an explosion. This new kind of catapult system is supposed to increase rocket range and stability.  Though the electromagnetic rockets aren't yet complete, the Chinese government has already looked at deploying them in Tibet and attaching them to aircraft carriers in order to combat border conflicts.
- Sarah A.]]> 2018-08-26 16:32:34 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/275379592 Tokyo Medical University scandal https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/275382789 JapanTimes. Aug 26. 
Tokyo Medical University was found having changed the scores of girls dating back to 2010. The University was hoping to keep the percentage of women down to 30%. To gain admittance into the school you first have to pass the multiple choice test and then you move onto the essay portion. There is a cap on how many people can move on, but gender isn't supposed to play any role in it. They would take the women's exams and multiple them by a coefficient less than 1 so they would be lower. This helped keep them from advancing. The number of women gaining admissions was skyrocketing, and some in the school feared that since the women would leave to give birth or care for a child that they were taking away positions for qualified men. 
- Megan P.]]> 2018-08-26 17:29:33 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/275382789 North Korea accuses U.S. of plotting invasion while talking with ‘a smile on its face’ https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/275393477 The Washington Post. August 26. Relations between the U.S. and North Korea continue to intensify as Trump canceled a planned trip to North Korea by Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, not directly in response, but two days later Korea's main newspaper, controlled by the Worker's Party of North Korea, accused the U.S. of staging military drills in the region, in preparation for an invasion. The media outlet's specifically cited "'special units' had recently flown to the Philippines, arguing this was a drill simulating 'infiltration into Pyongyang.'” However, the U.S. claims that aircrafts routinely fly around for operational purposes. The article basically serves to inform the American public of the on-going threat from North Korea. This relates to the hostilities in the East Asian region as we continue to study the dynamics of the region in our class. In particular what really interests me is the level of media bias that can be seen in the quotes from the North Korean newspaper, and how the article by The Washington Post was written. 
-Molly D. ]]> 2018-08-26 20:32:58 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/275393477 Tomoyuki Sugimoto: North Korea 'releases Japanese tourist' https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/275688577 BBC News. Aug 27. A Japanese citizen named Tomoyuki Sugimoto was released from being detained in North Korea while there with a tourist group. He is thought to be a videographer who illegally recorded footage of North Korean military facilities in Nampo. North Korea recently released Sugimoto, who was then expelled from the country on what North Korea deems “humanitarian” grounds, and sent to China, due to Japan’s lack of a diplomatic relationship with North Korea. The article then highlights events (like missile test flyovers and abduction of Japanese citizens) within the last 40 years between North Korea and Japan that have lead to the current tension between the two nations. It relates to our class because it pertains to diplomacy or lack thereof between two east asian nations that we will be learning about this semester. This article is particularly interesting to me because it gives background on the relationship between North Korea and Japan, some of which I was unaware of. It is also interesting to see how North Korea uses its prisoners as political tools.  
- Lauren G. ]]> 2018-08-27 20:28:14 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/275688577 New generations sustain South Korean church’s mass weddings https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/275707582 Reuters. August 27.
On Monday, thousands of couples traveled to Gapyeong, South Korea to participate in a mass marriage ceremony. There were 4,000 couples total either getting married or renewing their vows. This ceremony was originally started in the early 1960s by Sun Myung Moon, who would match the couples together. It is different now in that people can choose for themselves who they wish to marry and if they want to go through with the ceremony. However, there are critics who consider this movement to be a cult and "questioned its murky finances and how it indoctrinates its followers." I thought this article was interesting in that I've never really heard about mass weddings. 
-Sarah W.]]> 2018-08-27 22:12:50 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/275707582 Japanese government separated families by deporting 47 Vietnamese etizzano01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/275723457 Japan Today. August 27. 
The Japanese government deported 47 Vietnamese people in February of 2018. This act ultimately split up many families, one woman affected was forced to leave her 5 year old daughter and her husband even though she was recognized by Tokyo as a refugee. Japanese people helping the foreign workers condemn the family separations by saying it is no different than the U.S. policy on immigration. But on humanitarian grounds most Japanese people believe that the situation could have been handled differently. What interests me is seeing how other countries use issues in the U.S. to address issues in their own country. But this also broadened my spectrum to seeing immigration is also issue outside the U.S.
-Liz T. ]]> 2018-08-28 00:13:54 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/275723457 Taiwan tells allies not to push for island's UN membership kshaffer011 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/275954202 Asia Times. August 28. 
Taiwan has decided not to ask its diplomatic allies to submit a new motion to the UN General Assembly to admit the island as a formal member. Taiwan began an annual campaign in 1993 to regain its place at the United Nations. The former President of Taiwan Chen Shui-bian had several failed attempts to have Taiwan enter as a former member but always felt that the Taiwanese should enjoy the same rights as the rest of the world. Previous bids on behalf of  Taiwan were seen as political posturing since China is able to veto any bill because of its permanent membership on the Security Council. Due to this Taiwan hasn't submitted a bid since 2009. Despite there not being an official bid this year it's been reported that the Tsai administration will ask its 17 diplomatic allies to file a joint petition concerning China's bullying and to speak up for the island. This relates to our class because it concerns relations between two regions in East Asia. This is interesting to me because despite not having official UN status Taiwan is still trying to use its allies to gain independence and rights similar to those who do have membership. 
-Katie S. ]]> 2018-08-28 16:44:46 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/275954202 Six Dead in Taiwan Floods, More Heavy Rains Expected https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/276008656 Epoch Times. August 28. 
Massive flooding has occurred as a result of a tropical depression near the island on Thursday and Friday, and more is predicted to occur in the next few days. Six people were killed, thousands were evacuated from their homes, and hundreds were injured. The agricultural industry in Taiwan was greatly harmed, as livestock losses are thought to amount to nearly $6 million. 71 percent of agricultural losses occurred in Chiayi County, where losses amounted to about $13.1 million. This catastrophic weather event has been compared to the deadliest typhoon in Taiwan’s history, which occurred in 2009. This relates to our class because of its location in Taiwan, and it could potentially affect other parts of East Asia as Taiwan struggles with infrastructure and economic damage. I find this interesting because the damage to the agricultural industry could cause trade between Taiwan and other nations to change or could require foreign aid.
-Sara S.]]> 2018-08-28 18:47:51 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/276008656 Hong Kong labour rights group denies mainland Chinese media report claiming it helped organise Jasic Technology strike https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/276036780 South China Morning Post. August 28.
The Hong-Kong based labor rights group Worker Empowerment has refuted a claim made by Chinese state news agency Xinhua that it helped orchestrate a strike on mainland China. Worker Empowerment, a human rights organization registered in Hong Kong which fights for labor rights on the mainland, issued a statement insisting it did not organize or finance the strike at Jasic Technology which resulted in the arrest of 80 student activists and workers. The Chinese state news agency insists Worker Empowerment is a Western-backed NGO and that foreign powers have influenced this most recent strike on the mainland. The strike at Jasic Technology in Shenzhen occurred after employees were laid off, some even being beaten by security and staff. This story relates to our class because it demonstrates the ongoing tensions between mainland China and Hong Kong, evidenced by the state news agency's persistent claim that foreign powers still influence the island. I found this story to be interesting because it sheds light on the Chinese government's persistent violations of its citizens' human rights. Additionally, it draws attention to civic backlash in response to the government's human rights abuses which, sadly, have been dismissed as "foreign interference" by the Chinese government so that Chinese citizens will not perceive these strikes as legitimate civil unrest.
-Ashley H.]]> 2018-08-28 20:07:10 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/276036780 China may scrap limit on number of children: Report gsajewski01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/276081281 Times of India.
August 27th.
In the article, the author explains how the Chinese government has plans to revamp new policies for 2020.  That includes getting rid of the no more than two children policy.  They were also saying how that in 2016 the government raised it to two children but the number of births didn’t go up by much and then in 2017 they ended up dropping.  This is important because the country’s population is getting smaller and there are more men than women.  This article relates to our class because the topic has been controversial with forced abortions, fines, and sterilization but also because it concerns China as a whole.  It will defiantly be interesting to see when the new policies go into effect and how it will change the lives of families.  Will it cause future problems with over population or will the birth rate stay the same? 
-Gwen S.]]> 2018-08-29 00:45:52 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/276081281 Japan will overhaul Immigration Bureau to create agency for expected surge of blue-collar workers under new status https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/276094568 August 28th.
The Japan Times.
The Japanese Justice Ministry is updating the Immigration Bureau to form an upgraded agency to help with the influx of foreign workers entering into Japan. A recent decline beginning in the 1990s of able-bodied Japanese workers has caused leaders in Japan to make this new agency one that will effectively enable a residential program that will give foreign, blue-collar workers opportunities to find short-time jobs in the various sectors of the Japanese economy. According to the article, the costs or budgetary for this program has been quiet from the public voice of the Japanese officials helping to make this program. This article relates to our class because of the various changes and responses that can occur within Japan due to population numbers and/or economy, and this news report even attests to some of the Japanese views on having foreigners in their country. I think this article was interesting, as in the United States there has been much controversy about immigration policies. The letting-in of foreigners into the U.S. from places like Mexico, for me, seemed at least comparable to the situation occurring in Japan in current times.
-Andrew Morales]]> 2018-08-29 02:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/276094568 Ikea under fire for listing Taiwan as a country on its packaging https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/276095041 South China Morning Post
August 28th
In this article, the author describes the ongoing dispute over Taiwan's status as a sovereign nation or a unique territory of the People's Republic of China. The Swedish furniture company listed Taiwan as a nation separate from China on its packaging labels, and in doing so, sparked some of the more recent discussion of the island's status. Some Chinese social media accounts accused the company of trying to "separate the country."
The article went on to make comparisons to the bakery chain 85C and other commercial companies that had received criticism for recognizing or appearing to legitimate Taiwan's independence. As discussed in class, Taiwan is a disputed area that the Chinese government thinks belongs under Chinese jurisdiction. The Taiwanese government disagrees, and legitimates a different style of living and political environment than what is found in Beijing and elsewhere on the mainland.
-Megan Temple
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2161728/ikea-under-fire-listing-taiwan-country-its-packaging]]> 2018-08-29 02:05:15 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/276095041 China's Silicon Valley Threatens to Swallow Up Hong Kong https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/276097357 Bloomberg 
August 28th 

In an effort to rival Silicon Valley in California, President Xi Jinping approved the construction of a $15 billion dollar bridge. The bridge which has now been completed is one of the world's longest bridges. The bridge stretches 34 miles long, connecting Hong Kong and Macau and can carry 29,000 cars and trucks. This area is now being referred to as "the Greater Bay Area" and is projected to boast a trillion dollar economy. However, there has been trouble trying to convince Hong Kong people to pursue careers on the mainland. ]]> 2018-08-29 02:18:03 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/276097357 Abe's says in interview that Japan's ties with China back to 'normal track' https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277183483 The Japan Times
September 2nd

This articles summarizes basically discusses Japan's improving relationship with not just China, but towards Korea as well. Prime Minister Shinzo wants to continue to maintain cooperation on macrocosmic policies and measures. In addition he hopes to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and that he hopes to break mutual distrust between the two countries. However, there is much mutual grievance between the two countries over things that occurred during wartime, and the kidnapping of scores of Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s. He says that talks cannot  occur between the two nations until that issue is addressed. 
Molly Donegan ]]> 2018-09-02 22:50:53 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277183483 The New Thing in Hong Kong’s Public Schools: White Students etizzano01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277355651 The New York Times
August 22nd

This article focuses on how the private and public schools of Hong Kong are changing. For a very long time private schools have exclusively been for wealthy western business men/women. But now the private schools are very competitive and very expensive, costing $1 million in Hong Kong.
Traditional students can no longer afford to go to private school causing and increase in the amount of white children in the public school system. This happening because of the extreme amounts of wealth that can be found in mainland China. This shows how Hong Kong is losing its colonial roots as it becomes less of a draw for western workers especially after the financial crisis. I was drawn to this article because when I was younger one of my good friends went to an international school in Shanghai and when she told us about her school I surprised that there almost no students who were not either American or European in her class. 
-Elizabeth Tizzano ]]> 2018-09-03 19:48:53 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277355651 Legal issues and entrenched ideas about education keep talented students from skipping grades in Japan https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277372789 The Japan Times. September 3. 
This article focuses on the educational system in Japan, particulalry the issue of the restrictions on which students can skip grades and when. This system has only been used 130 times over 20 years. The system only allows students to skip their last year of high school after completing the previous two years and their last year of college to enter graduate school. Iwanaga, a university professor claims that "age is valued over academic performance" in Japan, which is why the system is strict. Another reason why the system is used by so few is the fact that "high school diplomas are not given to those who skip grades and enter university, which means that if such students fail to complete university they are left with only a junior high school diploma." Also, in the job force, employers care more about what university a person attended rather than how old they were when they graduated. Japan's education ministry is planning to implement a system where university professors can teach math and science courses at high schools and high school students can use university labs. 
-Sarah W. ]]> 2018-09-03 22:52:44 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277372789 Taiwan risks Beijing's wrath with Olympics referendum https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277372926 Channel News Asia
September 3
A group from Taiwan has been campaigning for signatures asking for the island to compete as "Taiwan" and not "Chinese Taipei" in the upcoming Olympics. Because China claims sovereignty over Taiwan, the island is forced to compete under the name Chinese Taipei despite being a self-ruling democracy. The campaign has gathered 520,000 signatures, which is well over the required 280,000 signature for a petition to be put to a public vote. China has reacted by voting to cancel an international youth event that was meant to be held in Taiwan next year. This is just one incident that represents the complicated relationship that exists between China and Taiwan.]]> 2018-09-03 22:54:20 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277372926 Chinese School Welcomes Kindergarteners With Pole Dancer https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277375374 SCMP. Sep. 3.
A kindergarten principal in China is being criticized for having a pole dancer perform a set on the first day of school.  Parents and members of the school administration called the act "inappropriate" and "bizarre."  There were also advertisements for a pole dancing school around the school courtyard, which lead some parents to believe the principal had accepted money in return for allowing the performance. The principal apologized for the spectacle, but it is unclear if she was fired.  This strange event follows the increase of pole dancers performing at public and private funerals.  The most notable example of this happened in Taiwan last year, when 50 women in lingerie pole-danced on moving cars while attending the funeral of politician Tung Hsiang.
- Sarah A.]]> 2018-09-03 23:21:59 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277375374 China's President Xi pledges another $60 billion for Africa kshaffer011 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277392949 CNN. September 3. 
Chinese President Xi Jingping has announced a $60 billion package of aid, investment, and loans to Africa. The announcement was made during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing. Some feel that it is not politically appropriate for China to pledge huge loans given that Africa is becoming overloaded with Chinese debt. Since its founding in 2000, FOCAC has become the "Olympics of China-Africa" as it has become customary for China to announce huge investment packages at the event. President Xi outlined eight major initiatives in Africa over the next three years. Some of these plans include establishing a China-Africa trade expo, providing one billion reminbi ($146 million) in food aid, extra imports to China from Africa, and a push for green development. Earlier this year the IMF warned that the African continent is facing a debt crisis. 
-Katie S. ]]> 2018-09-04 01:35:27 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277392949 Travel feature praising 'egalitarian' North Korea under fire as 'unashamed PR' https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277718483 The Telegraph
August 31
A writer for a magazine published by the University of Sydney is being criticized for describing North Korea as a pleasant place to travel with a high quality of life for its citizens. During a nine-day trip there, the writer said he noticed less inequality than is present in capitalist societies and that the strict authoritarianism is needed because they are "a nation at war." The Human Rights Watch considers North Korea is among "the world's most repressive states" and does not allow its citizens civil liberties. The nation has been trying to promote tourism in recent years, and this magazine article has been seen as shamelessly promoting travel that is not permitted for many people. Travelers to North Korea must have a visa and a guide almost all the time. Governments and media outlets have had troubles with one another from time to time, but with most of the world viewing North Korea as hostile, the publication of this article is particularly surprising.
-Sara S.]]> 2018-09-04 18:56:30 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277718483 China and Russia Have Set a Nuclear Collision Course With the United States https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277740599 The Daily Beast
September 4
According to reporting by the New York Times, China can now "challenge American military supremacy in the places that matter most to it: the waters around Taiwan and in the disputed South China Sea." The Chinese have developed the military capacity to make U.S. intervention too costly to continue, and any conflict between China in the United States would likely escalate into a nuclear war. China now holds the world's largest navy, surpassing the U.S. within the last year, and has expanded its fleet at a "stunning rate." Additionally, the Chinese have Russians on their side, as the Chinese and Russians have routinely practiced "joint island seizing missions" in the South China Sea. The author adds that any military conflict between NATO and Russia/the Crimea could escalate into a nuclear war between the two allied nations and NATO powers. This article interested me because it demonstrates the Chinese military's use of the South China Sea as a point of escalation which could potentially spur into a full-fledged war. ]]> 2018-09-04 19:58:13 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277740599 Xi Jinping to send right-hand man Li Zhanshu to North Korea https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277772661
South China Morning Post
September 4
China's President Xi Jinping is going to send his right-hand man and high-ranking official to North Korea. Li Zhanshu is going to North Korea this Saturday to attend the celebration of 70 years of the founding of North Korea. This move may indicate that China is wanting to mend a better relationship with North Korea. Officials, especially those in the United States, are suspicious that China may drop their support with the UN for the denuclearisation of North Korea. Following Donald Trump's meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, relations between the US and North Korea have actually stalled in progress. I found this article to relate to our class because it gives an example to the fluctuations in relations that the nations of East Asia have between each other. The political spheres of influence between China and North Korea show that there is engaging exchanges always occurring between the neighboring countries. Similarly, I found the article interesting because it shows' China's uneasy position when facing North Korea's nuclear agenda. 
-Andrew M. 

]]> 2018-09-04 22:09:17 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277772661 South Korea's Fertility Rate Set to Hit Record Low of 0.96 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277779555 The Guardian
September 3rd
This year, South Korea’s fertility rate is expected to drop below one for the first time in the country’s history. This could lead to a wide array of problems, including underfunded pensions, expanding debt, and economic decline. A fertility rate this low is typically only seen during wartime. The low fertility rate may also impact the ideal number of children, which could lead the rate dropping even more. It could also lead to fewer children attending schools because there are less children to actually attend them, as well as the military lacking an adequate number of troops with the constant threat of North Korea. The fertility rate has been dropping since the 1960s in South Korea, after a baby boom in the 1950s had caused the government to institute a policy that encouraged women to have fewer than two children.

]]> 2018-09-04 22:59:57 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277779555 Netflix series 'A Taiwanese Tale of Two Cities' to premiere in September gsajewski01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277801637 The Taiwan News
08/30/2018
On September 3rd, Netflix released a new series called, "A Taiwanese Tale of Two Cities."  Two female lead roles are Taiwanese, but one lives in Taiwan and the other in San Fransisco.  They both switch places and get a taste of how their cultures vary.  For the woman who lives in the U.S., she can go back to her roots and learn more about her history.  For the other who lives in Taiwan, she can see how different the two cultures are.  Not only is this a learning experience for people who aren't natives of either country but it will show how difficult it is to acclimate to new cultures.  I hope this will be executed well and give people a glimpse into what challenges people face in adversity.  

- Gwen Sajewski

]]> 2018-09-05 01:10:50 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277801637 Hong Kong cedes part of rail station to China in secretive ceremony https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277803371 The Guardian
September 4
A new high speed rail station in Hong Kong is being built, due to open September 23rd. It will connect Hong Kong to cities in Southern China. The controversial part of this new rail station, however, is that Hong Kong has given space in the station to Chinese authorities. It is in control of Chinese police and customs officials, for immigration checks before boarding the train. This has raised concern in Hong Kong because of the Chinese government encroaching on Hong Kong’s authority more and more ever since it was released from being a British territory in 1997. The legal system in Hong Kong is completely different to that of China’s, with more freedoms being given to those in Hong Kong. It is also of concern to those in Hong Kong because people felt that the ceremony for this succession of land inside the rail station was done “secretly” with an early morning ceremony, and that it is unlawful to have this checkpoint. Hong Kong’s officials deny it being secretive. I find this interesting because I did not have much prior knowledge on Hong Kong - Chinese relations and how the absence of the British has put Hong Kong in a vulnerable position. This is pertinent in our class because there seems to be a constant shift in the claims of East Asian nations over history and this is a good example of China putting an increasing amount pressure on this autonomous area that was once like the rest of China before British rule.  -Lauren G.]]> 2018-09-05 01:20:50 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277803371 Typhoon death roll reaches 9; thousands being transported from Kansai airport https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277808612 The toll in the most powerful typhoon to hit Japan in a quarter century rose Wednesday to nine, with thousands stranded at a major airport because of storm damage. The winds are so strong that its blowing roofs off, over turning trucks and even blew a 2,500 ton anchored tanker into the bridge that goes to the airport; this left over 5,000 people stranded in the airport. Right now they are unsure when the airport, that services over 400 flights a day, will reopen. Up to some 2.3 million households suffered blackouts and businesses, factories and schools in the affected area shut down while the storm crossed the country. 
-Megan P.]]> 2018-09-05 01:50:23 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277808612 South Korean envoys en route to North Korea as denuclearization talks stall https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277820709 Reuters
September 4, 2018
Discussions are in process for a third summit on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. A group left South Korea Wednesday morning to spend a day in North Korea determining details of another summit later this month. 
This comes in the wake of President Trump's cancellation of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's scheduled trip to North Korea. After this cancellation, progress had slowed slightly in the talks. The U.S. and North Korea are in disagreement over whether denuclearization or an official end to the Korean War should come first. Trump and Moon have planned to further discuss North Korea at the upcoming U.N. General Assembly in New York.
This further highlights the continued strained relations between North and South Korea, but also points to efforts to improve relations in the future.

-Megan Temple ]]> 2018-09-05 02:57:26 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/277820709 North Korea Regime To Celebrate 70 Years With Military Parade https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/279105048 Sky News. Sep. 8.
North Korea is set to hold their first military parade since denuclearization negotiations began with the USA. The size of this military parade could heighten tensions outside of North Korea, however, because of past parades, which have included missile launchers, tanks, and other shows of military prowess.  Clearly, such displays would not fall in line with the international denuclearization talks.  In order to celebrate their 70th anniversary without being diplomatically provocative, North Korea is reviving the mass games, which were last held in 2013.  By adding this to the parade, North Korea hopes to boost domestic morale and shift the focus to their new economic development policies.
-Sarah A.]]> 2018-09-08 19:48:31 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/279105048 Shops with no staff but plenty of technology open in Hong Kong amid smart city push, drawing mixed reviews from customers https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/279211935 South China Morning Post
September 9th, 2018

In Hong Kong, they just opened up shops without any staff. These shops are growing in popularity in mainland China and the United States. Everything in the store is done via technology. This article basically reflects the sentiments of the people who have shopped there and the pros and cons of a stafflesbs store. Some people really enjoyed the easiness of it, and said that they experienced less pressure without the watchful eye of employees. Whereas others expressed discontent due to the complexity of online paying and the lack of security they feel when checking out. One major con that was discussed in the article was that these stores who can while although this model could help companies save on labour costs, the smaller businesses might not be able to afford the new technology, and will thus fall behind, and go out of business. 

Molly Donegan  

]]> 2018-09-09 23:06:01 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/279211935 North Korea is still making nukes, and the Trump admin is taking a harder line https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/279486045 NBC News
September 10, 2018
As President Trump continues to praise North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in interviews and on social media, evidence shows that North Korea is still making nuclear weapons. New intelligence shows DPRK has increased its efforts to hide its nuclear activity, despite President Trump's proclamation that North Korea intended to denuclearize after the Singapore summit. U.S. intelligence has spotted North Korean workers moving warheads out of their nuclear facility, and one senior U.S. official said the North Koreans frequently move equipment to confuse foreign intelligence sensors. U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that North Korea could produce 5-8 new nuclear weapons in 2018, a pace which is identical to the regime's production prior to the Singapore summit. Since the beginning of 2018, Kim has not surrendered nor dismantled any of his nuclear weapons; instead, he's built 5-9 new ones. In response, the Trump administration has launched a campaign of "maximum pressure" against North Korea. 
This article demonstrates the DPRK's continued aggression in East Asia despite historic efforts for peace made by the Trump administration three months ago. It seems only serious pressure--or war--will be effective in halting Kim's nuclear agenda in the foreseeable future.
-Ashley H]]> 2018-09-10 16:06:02 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/279486045 Human Rights Watch Warns of "Massive Crackdown" on China's Muslims https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/279500970 TIME
September 10, 2018
On Monday, Human Rights Watch accused Chinese authorities of violating multiple human rights against Muslim minorities, most significantly the Uighurs in Xinjiang. Specifically, the group called attention to China's use of detention camps. At these camps, over two million prisoners are said to be subjected to re-education that seeks to force members to learn Mandarin, accept the Communist party, and renounce Islam. In addition, the Chinese government has continually increased and intensified its surveillance on most aspects of people's daily life in the area in the past few years. China has denied the accusation of mass detention camps. The government says that these measures are all part of an anti- terrorism campaign, but the restrictions began to further intensify after a new Communist party secretary took over the program in 2016. 
We have discussed this issue previously in class, and the problem is still a reality and only intensifying. It will be interesting to see how the world reacts to this.
-Megan Temple]]> 2018-09-10 16:33:33 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/279500970 Proposed bill would revoke citizenship for Taiwanese who adopt new Chinese IDs https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/279621243 Taiwan News 
September 10, 2018. 
Starting this month, the Chinese government began to offer “smart residence cards” to Taiwanese living in China. In response to this, the Democratic Progressive Party leader, Wang Ding - Yu, has proposed that if Taiwanese people chose to get these Chinese ID’s, their citizenship and freedoms that come with citizenship will be revoked. They can, however, regain their status as Taiwanese citizens if they abandon the Chinese residence permits. The government feels that these ID’s would create security issues for Taiwanese businessmen, who they fear will be tracked by the Chinese government. The caucus whip of the New Power Party, Hsu Yung Ming wanted to make a different amendment, that would essentially “freeze” the household registration of those who obtained Chinese ID’s. The government also urges that students and people working in China be cautious of these ID cards altogether. This is pertinent to our class as it addresses Taiwan’s desire to remain autonomous and separate from China altogether, which we have discussed. I found it interesting how China tried to incentivize the ID cards to  businessmen that travel back and forth often, to make it “easier” for them to travel, even though it would create a whole stream of problems back home in Taiwan. -Lauren Gambino]]> 2018-09-10 20:56:49 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/279621243 Formaldehyde emerges as new risk in China's housing boom https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/279647763 BBC News
September 6, 2018
This article focuses on the levels of formaldehyde in new housing, such as apartments, in  Chinese cities and the rental app Ziroom that markets these properties. One man, Mr. Wang, died in July from leukemia three moths after moving into a new apartment in Hangzhou using Ziroom. His wife had a test done and discovered that the formaldehyde "levels in the apartment were 0.132 milligrams per cubic metre - while the national standard is 0.1." There have been other cases of people having health problems as a result of living in properties found on Ziroom with high formaldehyde levels. Many are accusing Ziroom of "aiming to keep this quiet by introducing non-disclosure agreements." Ziroom has "come under fire for 'not allowing sufficient time for formaldehyde to disperse after renovation, in order to seek fast returns"'. Zirrom announced that they would be making changes in regard the safety measures and which apartments would be listed in the future. However, this issue is greater than Ziroom, as people are now worried about "safety precautions not being followed in China's rapid development efforts."
-Sarah W.

]]> 2018-09-10 23:31:52 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/279647763 China Poised to Win Major Victory in Sea Dispute with the Help of Philippine Resources Deal https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/279654565 Wall Street Journal 
September 10, 2018 
President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte is negotiating an agreement with China to share oil resources in the disputer waters of the South China Sea. If the agreement is a success, it will legitimize China's assertion that it has historic rights over the South China Sea. China and the Philippines have been at a stand off over who has territorial ownership of the Reed Bank. In 2016, a ruling held that the Philippines has exclusive rights over this area but China has refused to comply with that decision and has patrol vessels blockading the area. The Philippines does not have much of a choice but to negotiate joint development because China has the power to restrict trade and tourism and the island is predicted to run out of gas energy within the next decade, sparking an urgency to expand exploration. ]]> 2018-09-11 00:10:15 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/279654565 South Korean students gain weight 'to dodge military service' kshaffer011 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/279896339 Channel news Asia
September 11, 2018
Twelve South Korean college students deliberately made themselves overweight in order to dodge mandatory military service. The students drank protein powder and large amounts of juice the day of their physical exam in oder to weigh over the standard requirement. They shared advice over a chatroom on the best strategy to gain weight. Every able-bodied South Korean man is required to enroll in the military by age 28 for a minimum of 21 months. Those who are deemed overweight, underweight, or those who have certain diseases or disabilities are exempted and usually assigned to work in government services instead. Government officials have sent this case to prosecutors who will decide whether or not to charge the group. If they are charged they may have to serve time in the military regardless. 
- Katie S. ]]> 2018-09-11 14:48:00 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/279896339 U.S. Wish for Zero Oil Imports From Iran Granted by S. Korea etizzano01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/280002014 Bloomberg 
September 9, 2018 
South Korea became the first of Irans top three oil customers to fulfill a US demand and import zero oil from Iran. In July South Korea imported 194,00 barrels a day of crude oil from Iran but in the month of August they imported zero. South Korea stopped purchases with Iran ahead of November 4, 2018 which is when the US will place sanctions on Iran. Oil is already rising in prices for more than half the world the cost climbed 1.4% to $77.92 and price of oil has climbed nearly 40%. . This shows how important of an ally the US is to South Korea. South Korea does not want to risk breaching sanctions with the US because they rely on the US for both financial support and for defense against North Korea. I feel that as long South Korea is in a vulnerable state they will also do what the US wants.
-Elizabeth T.  ]]> 2018-09-11 17:34:10 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/280002014 Cruel yet popular punishment: Japan's death penalty https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/280090261 JapanTimes.
September 10, 2018 
Japan's death penalty has recently come back into the media after the death of 13 doomsday cultists. In Japan they do not have a life without parol like the United States does. This means that the death penalty is "more popular," but recently people have been talking about how it is executed. In the United States we use an injection but in Japan they hang the people and pay normal, average guards a little extra to carry out the task. The government offers no therapy for these men. While the court says that the inmates wont have to wait long after being given the verdict, some wait years while others are only given 30 minutes notice and others aren't even told. They have taken surveys and a majority of the people support the death penalty.
-Megan P.]]> 2018-09-11 20:23:54 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/280090261 Japan launches bid to end ban on commercial whaling https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/280104679 The Guardian
Sept. 11, 2018
Japan wants to end the ban on commercial whaling that has been in effect since 1986. The nation argues that this was only meant to be a temporary ban and has accused the International Whaling Commission of abandoning the cause of maintaining a sustainable whale population. The proposal claims that some whale species currently have populations that can be sustainably harvested. Additionally, this proposal aims to end years of "confrontation" and "intolerance" between nations with opposing views on the practice of whaling. Another proposed change is lessening the majority from two-thirds to a simple majority when voting on catch quotas. Japan has faced criticism recently because during an allowed research hunt, the country's fleet killed 122 pregnant whales in the Southern Ocean last year. Japan is not predicted to get this whaling proposal passed, but conservationists are still concerned people could become "complacent" about this issue.
-Sara S.

]]> 2018-09-11 21:16:20 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/280104679 Gov't starts crafting contingency plans in event of Mt Fuji eruption gsajewski01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/280134042 Japan Today 
September 11th, 2018 
This past Tuesday the Japanese government has started to make plans for the possible eruption of Mount Fuji.  Since it is in such close proximity to Tokyo, they are taking extra precautions.  There is a team of people called The Central Disaster Management Council that is calculating every changing detail in this volcano in hopes of being able to evacuate before disaster strikes. The council is preparing a set plan for each local disaster management team so they can be ready if Mount Fuji decides to erupt . Since the volcano has not erupted since 1707, this might not be anything to be seriously concerned about at the moment, but considering how much damage it did in the past, it is better to be safe than sorry.  

-Gwen Sajewski]]> 2018-09-11 23:41:19 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/280134042 Taiwanese protest comfort woman statue kick in Taipei https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/280180586 Taiwan News
September 10, 2018
Dozens of Taiwanese men and women came out to protest in front of the Japanese representative office in Taipei. The response came from when a Japanese man, on September 6th, was caught on footage kicking a 'comfort woman' statue memorial. During World War II, groups of Taiwanese women were made to work in brothels for the present Japanese military (http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201809110022.aspx). By offending this statue remembering these women, tensions continue to be shown concerning the respect and dignity of Taiwanese comfort women. With some demanding an apology from Japan, this crowd wanted to see that the human dignity was still being respected by all of Japan, even if the vandalism came from just one man. This is important and relates to our class because it displays an aspect of societal and diplomatic relations between East Asian countries. The history of disrespect of one group of an East Asian country (Taiwan) by another country (Japan) still lingers. This shows how impactful history is to shaping foreign relations, even from more than half a century ago. I found this interesting simply because I had never heard of this group of comfort women before and it surprised me as to how the Japanese military had also treated Taiwanese civilians as subordinates during World War II. 
-Andrew M.]]> 2018-09-12 03:33:26 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/280180586 Hang Seng Index Enters Bear Market https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/280402354 CNNMoney
September 11th, 2018
The Hang Seng Index has been pushed into a bear market on Tuesday due to fears about the trade war, emerging markets, China's slowing economy, and individual stocks. The index ended the day 0.7% lower, meaning that it closed more than 20% below its recent peak in January. The Hong Kong market is one of the world's most traded, but it has been shaken up due to the escalating trade war between the United States and China. Because of the new tariffs, Hong Kong has taken a hit because many of it's biggest companies listed in the city are based in China. It has also been predicted that the market could fall another 5% and will likely be this way until at least the midterm election in November in the United States. Relations between China and the United States are not likely to improve before then.

-Emily Snyder

]]> 2018-09-12 15:18:15 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/280402354 Detainee Speaks About China's Muslim "Re-Education" Camps https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/281970538 Independent. Sept. 16.
Since the spring of 2017, authorities in Xinjiang, China have imprisoned a huge number of Muslims in prison camps. Though the actual number is unknown, estimates put the figure at a million or more. These camps reportedly include Chinese citizens and foreigners, as well, which is technically illegal without due process. Amidst global accusations of ethnic cleansing and human rights violations, Chinese officials have largely avoided comment on the camps, but these camps are a part of China's new security policies meant to lower the risk of terrorist attacks within China. The lack of state communication, legal process, and public data surrounding these camps has caused many surrounding nations concern.  Stories coming from these camps say that punishments in the prison include starvation, solitary confinement, beatings, and prolonged standing and sleep deprivation.  Muslim detainees also are reportedly forced to eat pork and drink alcohol, stop praying, and lash out towards their fellow detainees.
- Sarah A.]]> 2018-09-16 17:01:34 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/281970538 China tells Taiwan to halt all mainland spying, sabotage activities https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/281994612 Yahoo News. September 16th.

China and Taiwan do not get along (as seen from previous news articles), and this news story is no different. Basically on Sunday, China accused Taiwan's spy agencies of stepping up efforts to steal intelligence . This accusation comes at a time of change as China is stepping up its efforts to encourage some Taiwanese to settle in China permanently and further isolate Taiwan. However, China and Taiwan often accuse each other of spying. For example, in 2017 a Chinese student studying in Taiwan was sentenced to prison for collecting info from contacts through schools and government departments. Taiwan as recently as 2009 started to allow Chinese students to study at its universities.  

Molly Donegan]]> 2018-09-16 18:31:07 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/281994612 Northern Taiwan hair salon refuses to remove 'Nazi swastikas' from entrance https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/282482943 Taiwan News. September 17.
Berlin Hair Salon in northern Taiwan has come under fire recently for the image on their entrance sign. The image on the sign looks like a Nazi swastika, and the German Institute of Taipei has requested, first privately and then publicly, that the owner of the salon remove the signs. The owner has refused to remove the signs which were "created by a designer hired by the shop." The owner claims that the "logo is composed of four razors rotating around and had nothing to do with the Nazis in Germany or other historical events." There were many complaints posted on the review section of the salon's Facebook page in response to the logo. This is not the first time Taiwan has had issues with Nazi symbols. Back in 2016, students at a high school dressed up in Nazi uniforms. They had to apologize and the school's president had to step down.
-Sarah W.]]> 2018-09-17 17:24:32 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/282482943 North Korean Defector Protests Seoul’s Apparent Lack of Focus on Human-Rights Abuses https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/282638402 Wall Street Journal 
September 17th

In 2006 Ji Seong-ho fled North Korea after he has lost his leg and hand in a train accident. He now lives in South Korea where he devotes his time to raising awareness about the human rights abuses of North Korea. Mr. Ji wants more attention to be drawn towards solving the North's gulag camps, but feels that diplomats are only focused on dismantling their nuclear weapons. Ji's protests also highlights the feelings of alienation that many deserters residing in the South are experiencing. They feel that in hoping to improve relations with the North, President Moon Jae-in has avoided open criticism of Kim's regime. The President will meet with Kim on Tuesday but there has been no mention of discussing the North's political prison camps at the summit. It is most likely because the South Korean government does not want to risk coming off as hostile and potentially hurting the denuclearization effort. 
-Maddie A ]]> 2018-09-17 23:30:53 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/282638402 The Latest: South Korea president leaves for North Korea https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/282650104 The Washington Post
September 17th, 2018

This morning, South Korean President Moon Jae-in left Pyongyang for his third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this year. President Moon headed towards the North Korean capital for the latest summit between the two nations, focusing the latest meeting on trying to set up talks between Pyongyang and Washington to salvage diplomatic relations. North Korea has stated this summit will provide an opportunity to "further accelerate the development" between the rival nations, and the summit will push for "irreversible, permanent peace" between the nations and for "heart-to-heart" talks between Kim Jong Un and Washington. This article demonstrates the historic nature of these summits as North and South Korea have been rivals throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. These summits could potentially end the Korean war and bring peace and stability to the region and further stabilize global geopolitics.
-Ashley H]]> 2018-09-18 00:40:49 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/282650104 Student to take part in historic summit https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/282666315 Korea Times
September 17, 2018

A South Korean student named Esther Lee is heading to Pyongyang to serve as one of the 200 delegates at the third annual inter-Korean summit. She is the first student to do so. Lee was one of two students selected to attend the summit, along with a 15 year old Kim Kyu-yeon, who wrote a letter to her grandfather’s older brother who was separated from his brother in the Korean war. Last month Kim’s grandfather and his brother were reunited, where the letter was given to the brother.  She said in her letter, “I want to become an important figure when I grow up and work in a field that contributes to unifying the two Koreas." She is not attending because Pyongyang for undisclosed reasons cannot let Kim meet her grandfather’s brother. Esther Lee, who is actually attending, is a member of the Ministry of Unification’s press corps and wishes to understand inter-Korean relations what it is like to be a North Korean college student. I found it interesting to see the curiosity of what it is like on the other side from both Lee and Kim. I thought it was important that South Korea’s president felt it pertinent to bring youth to the summit rather than just politicians and CEOs, and I think including the youth on affairs like this helps drive a desire for peace. It also reminded me of when we discussed the process of Koreans being reunited with family members in class.
-Lauren Gambino ]]> 2018-09-18 02:11:19 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/282666315 Hokkaido quake reveals Japan is woefully unprepared to help foreign tourists in times of disaster kshaffer011 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/282976414 Japan Times 
September 18, 2018 

A recent earthquake in Hokkaido shed light on how unprepared Japan is provide foreign visitors with information during a time of crisis. The number of foreign visitors in Japan is expected to grow ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In anticipation of this event the government is introducing multilingual emergency information apps and other tools. Complaints during the recent earthquake were that hotel staffs only spoke Japanese and the majority of street signs were posted in either Japanese or English. This was extremely frustrating for visitors from other Asian countries who did not speak one of those two languages. In order to mend this problem in the future the Hokkaido government has setup a phone hotline for English, Chinese, and Korean speakers in event of an emergency. Other measures being taken include guidelines created by tourism agencies on hoe to deal with foreign visitors. Cities all over Japan have begun holding drills to practice how to better assist foreign visitors. I found this article important because Japan will be hosting a global event in the near future. In the event of an emergency it will be crucial for the Japanese government to be able to assist both Japanese citizens and tourists. This is not only a practical measure, but shows that Japan is willing to put measures in place to be a more welcoming country to the entire world. 
- Katie Shaffer

]]> 2018-09-18 15:25:26 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/282976414 Chinese consumers’ crazy rich demand for rosewood propels drive toward its extinction etizzano01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/283193894 South china Morning Post 
September 17,2018 

The movie crazy rich asians showcased an expensive Chinese commodity called Rosewood. Rosewood is one of the worlds most highly trafficked wild product and it is also one on the verge of extinction. The expensive taste for this wood comes from that it is used to replicate furniture from the Ming and Qing dynasty. In Chinese this wood is known as Hangmu. Chinese rosewood furniture has been meticulously carved by craftsman since the 10th century. Today this furniture is a status symbol. But with this high demand the Rosewood tree and close to becoming extinct. UN figures showed that seizures of illegally traded rosewood had reached 35 per cent of the global value of all wildlife seizures, more than elephant ivory and rhinoceros horns combined. China wants to be seen as an environmental leader. But yet no law is in place yet to protect the lumber going into China. In 2012 the president ran on an anti corruption campaign, the consumption of Fin soup decreased by 70%. This shows that if the government were to step in they could potentially create a difference in the trafficking of rosewood.
-Liz Tizzano  ]]> 2018-09-18 23:23:12 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/283193894 Japan Drives Forward With Plans for Flying Cars https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/283200902 CBS News
September 18, 2018

The Japanese government has been looking into developing a drone transportation system to reduce traffic, air pollution, and parking shortage issues. The main idea behind this new innovation in travel involves travel from rooftop to rooftop, and main benefits will be the reduce in commute time for employees as well as a reduced need of licensed drivers/ pilots, as is necessary with a regular helicopter. 
Various vehicle companies have invested in similar projects, perhaps most notably Uber.  The taxi company powerhouse plans to create a new flying drone program, likely to debut in Tokyo, hopefully by 2023. One product manager with the company was quick to stress that this was not meant to be an elitist mode of travel, but a more efficient way for the masses to commute. There were no estimates on what a single ride may cost.
The largest concerns skeptics have voiced are that of safety and what would happen if one crashed and fell on the city below. It remains to be seen how soon, if at all, these innovations will be implemented on a commercial scale.
-Megan Temple]]> 2018-09-19 00:08:09 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/283200902 Japan Conducts First Submarine Drill in Disputed South China Sea https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/283213268 Japan Today. September 18.

Japan has carried out its first submarine drill in the South China Sea, a move that could provoke Beijing which claims most of the disputed waters. A submarine joined three Japanese warships in the waters just southwest of Scarborough Shoal which is China controlled. China claims most of the rich South China Sea, which see $5 trillion in shipping trades per year. These claims are often disputed by places like the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Japan carried out a Self-Defense Force "practical" anti-submarine drill, which included an exercise to spot enemy submarines with sonar devices. Earlier this month, Beijing lashed out at Britain for sending a warship close to the disputed islands.
-Megan P.]]> 2018-09-19 01:17:06 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/283213268 North Korea’s Trump-Era Strategy: Keep Making A-Bombs, but Quietly gsajewski01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/283224632 The New York Times
September 16th, 2018

According to the article Kim Jong-un has been publically building his stockpile of nuclear weapons for the last seven years.  The point was to show how powerful of a leader he is and how "his country's nuclear buildup is irreversible."  He has made it very clear with the public detonation of these weapons.  But, since, Trump and Kim got together to resolve these issues with the nuclear armaments, Kim has no longer been showing off what he has to the public.  The article suggests that Kim is playing Trump, so he will think that a treaty for denuclearization is still possible.  Trump is open for a second meeting to discuss the matter and has openly stated so via twitter.  When the President said back in June that, "there is no longer a nuclear threat" from North Korea, he gave China and Russia the impression that they could pick up where they left off trade wise.  If Kim is fooling Trump, there will be severe consequences.  Also, no one has a clear answer as to how many nuclear weapons they possess.  There could be a good chance that Kim is stockpiling his warheads and completely ignoring Trump.  As Trump often does, he took to Twitter to praise Kim for not parading weapons in the streets for their 70th anniversary of North Korea.  According to the article, it looks as if Trump thinks they are better friends than they are and Kim is playing him like a fool.  

-Gwen Sajewski]]> 2018-09-19 02:16:11 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/283224632 Breakthrough for LGBT rights as Hong Kong to recognise same-sex partnerships in spousal visa applications https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/283234096 South China Morning Post
September 18th, 2018

The government announced that they are changing their policy so that overseas same-sex partnerships are recognized when they are granting dependents visas. This move came from a major court and legal battle by a lesbian British couple that was originally denied a spousal visa. This ruling was made because the pair who applied argued that the Inmigratiob Department's decision "was discriminatory and breached the Basic Law and the Bill of Rights Ordinance." LGBT advocates are happy to see that the government is taking small but initial steps in recognizing forms of non-heterosexual relationships. In Hong Kong, the government does not legally recognize same-sex relationships. Pro-government groups are also worried about checking to see that the government will assure citizens that this move will not mean a complete reversal in Hong Kong.
I thought this article relates to our class because it again highlights government action made concerning foreigners wishing to move into their land or country. It looks to the past experiences of East Asian countries being open or closed to foreigners. In this case, it also considers how society and cultural is changing or being influenced by other nations and cultures, and how social changes continue to happen in East Asia. I found this interesting just because of how much same-sex marriage is slowly being recognized by countries around the globe in recent years. It makes me wonder how countries in Asia will continue to react to this social change.
-Andrew Morales
 ]]> 2018-09-19 03:01:02 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/283234096 China and Vatican to Sign Landmark Deal Over Bishops https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/283237102 Wall Street Journal
Sept. 14, 2018

Later this month, China and the Vatican are supposed to sign an agreement regarding the official leadership of the Catholic Church in China. The deal gives both the Chinese Communist Party and the Vatican some say in appointing bishops. If signed, this would be the first official recognition by China that the pope is the head of the Catholic Church, even within the nation. People expect criticism from both sides of the table, as China would become more like the West, and religious freedom would be lessened. Unforeseen events could still keep the agreement from being signed. It is unlikely that the deal would cause the Chinese Communist Party to actually give up control of the Catholic Church, which makes up a small part of China's population. Pursuit of this deal, which was originally planned for the spring, shows that Pope Francis wants to establish a good relationship between the Vatican and China.
-Sara S.]]> 2018-09-19 03:18:02 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/283237102 Japan Just Became the First Country to Land a Probe on an Asteroid https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/284809909 Fortune
September 23, 2018

On Saturday, Japan landed two unmanned rovers on a 1-km wide asteroid, the first time rovers have successfully landed on an asteroid surface. The two rovers are called MINERVA-II1; they came from the spacecraft Hayabusa2 and landed on the asteroid Ryugu. This asteroid is believed to be one of the earliest to exist, with water and organic material that will "shed light on the building blocks of Earth." Thanks to low gravity, rovers hop and float across the asteroid, and since landing, these rovers have sent back photos and data to the space company. JAXA, Japan's space agency, plans to launch a third rover in early October, and it plans to land the spacecraft on the asteroid to blow a small crater and reach samples that haven't ever before been exposed to space. This article demonstrates the advanced technological power of Japan and its space agency, as it has just become the first nation to land a rover on an asteroid - beating the United States to this accomplishment. East Asian powers, like Japan, have become giants in science and technology, and these accomplishments could bring a new perspective into scientific exploration and discovery.

-Ashley Hovorka]]> 2018-09-23 22:25:09 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/284809909 Fentanyl crisis: Is China a major source of illegal drugs? https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/284835335 BBC News
September 23, 2018

This article discusses the eve-growing opioid problem in the U.S., however now the U.S. government is claiming that China is to blame for the addiction of many Americans to the opioid "Fentanyl." Fentanyl is "50 to 100 times stronger than morphine" and its used for severe pain that comes from treatments for cancer. In addition to his trade war with China, Trump has also publicaly accused the Chinese of this high influx of synthetic drugs. More than 40% of U.S. drug overdose deaths are caused, not by heroin, but synthetic opioids like fentanyl. U.S. officials have tracked the drugs to China. However one expert weighs in and states "In the presence of demand, supply finds its way." Therefore, the U.S. should not be relying so heavily on these drugs, and address their own issues head on. I thought this was interesting because it sounds similar to what Great Britain did to China in the Opium Wars. 
Molly Donegan]]> 2018-09-24 02:11:53 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/284835335 China accuses US of trade bullying as new tariffs imposed https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285047596 BBC News 
September 24, 2018.

The US has imposed 200 billion dollars worth of tariffs on China, which is the largest so far of the US-China trade war. China accuses the US of trade bullying, and has counteracted with 60 billion dollars worth of tariffs on the US. These duties apply to 6,000 items, including rice, handbags, and textiles. The tax will rise to 25% if the US and China fail to make an agreement by the beginning of 2019. China is placing a 5% tax on US products including smaller aircraft, computers, textiles, and an extra 10% on chemicals, meat, wheat and wine. Trump has encouraged American tariffs on China in order to stop the "unfair transfers of American technology and intellectual property" and to protect jobs in the United States. He also wants to encourage global markets to buy American and bolster the US economy. Other nations have also accused China of being unfair. After the raise in tariffs, it will be hard for China to match the scale of the tariffs put on the Chinese as the US buys more from China than it sells to them. I found it interesting that the US is kind of forcing China into a corner to make them act and stop stealing technology and intellectual property. It is also interesting to read about this after the readings on the Opium Wars and how much China's position in the world economy has changed. 
-Lauren Gambino

]]> 2018-09-24 14:31:41 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285047596 Tokyo Marathon Could Increase By 50% Next Year https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285235819 News On Japan. Sep. 24.
The Tokyo Marathon Foundation is discussing increasing entry fees in the next race, which takes place in March of 2020 with the Tokyo Olympics.  The Marathon Foundation faces a "sharp deterioration in its profitability" due to their increased security fees.  In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon Bombing in 2013, the Tokyo Foundation drastically increased their own security in order to protect runners and the crowds they draw every year.  The Marathon Committee, which also has connections with the Japanese government, expects threats to increase with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.  In order to combat these potential threats, the Foundation is increasing the number of security guards and installing more metal detectors and surveillance cameras around Tokyo. This increase in state security aligns with other recent international policies.

-Sarah A.]]> 2018-09-24 19:36:11 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285235819 Not one brick will remain of communist shrine in Taiwan, says County Commissioner etizzano01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285444427 Taiwan News Sep.25

Communists in Ershui, Changhua held their final flag raising ceremony Tuesday morning. And last week they all utilities cut off from the facility. 
Come Wednesday all things that are related to the Chinese Communist Party will be removed from the shrine.The National Security Bureau said that a"Patriotic Education Base of Socialist National Thought in Taiwan Province of the People's Republic of China," represents a national security threat to Taiwan. People in the township do not like seeing all of the communist party allegiance goods, it makes them uncomfortable. After the demolition not one brick will be left. I think considering the background of Taiwan and China that this is a really big deal considering it shows that people inside Taiwan are in a allegiance with China. Taiwan is already not recognized by majority of the world as being independent, it must be hard when people inside the country also do not support the government. 
-Elizabeth Tizzano

]]> 2018-09-25 12:11:13 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285444427 Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in sign trade deal https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285454666 CNN 
September 24, 2018

President Donald Trump just signed his first trade deal. At a meeting in New York on Monday, Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in signed a revised version of the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement, known as KORUS. KORUS has been around since 2012. But the new version removes a few regulatory burdens for US automakers to export cars, extends a 25 percent US tariff on imported Korean trucks, and lifts a cap on US car exports to South Korea that don’t need to meet Korean safety standards. The trade deal comes at a critical moment in US-Korea diplomacy. The South Korean president is trying to broker a denuclearization deal with North Korea, and met with Trump Monday to discuss during a bilateral meeting in New York City. Moon wants Trump to declare peace with North Korea, but Trump made no public commitment on the matter after his meeting with Moon. Instead, he promised to meet with Kim Jong Un and touted the new trade deal he and Moon were about to sign. ]]> 2018-09-25 12:32:09 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285454666 Where are all the women? 4 in 5 senior academics at Hong Kong’s publicly funded universities are men https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285527259 SCMP. September 24, 2018

In Hong Kong's eight publicly funded universities, only 18.8% of senior academic staff, "professors, readers, principal and senior lecturers," are women. The percentages vary by university with The University of Science and Technology sitting at 12.2% and the Education University sitting at 27%. However, the lower you move in terms of academic rate, the more women there are. For example, women are 33.7% of the junior academic staff and over half of the academic support staff. One reason for this lack of women in high ranking positions is "a lack of flexibility in policies for female academic staff" who "often bore more family responsibilities than men." Basically, a women can't take the time away from her family to become a "full professor." To fix this problem, the University of Hong Kong took "joined the UN's HeforShe initiative to promote gender equality." They also introduced "family-friendly measures and more gender-balanced recruitment and promotion committees," as well as more benefits and support for pregnant staff.
 -Sarah W.]]> 2018-09-25 14:09:33 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285527259 North Korea Wants to Modernize and it's Looking to South for Help kshaffer011 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285608118 Bloomberg
September 24, 2018

North Korea has signaled that it wants help from South Korean companies to help modernize the secluded country. North Korea wants economic an technical assistance from South Korea in the form of investments to help set up industry. Many hurdles still remain in this endeavor including the fact that North and South Korea are still technically at war and conducting business with North Korea is heavily restricted by United Nations sanctions. Sohn Kyung-shik, the 79-year-old co-chairman of CJ Group and the head of the Korea Employers Federation and and South Korea’s Moon Jae-in were a part of a South Korean business delegation that included Samsung Group Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee and LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo. They met with the North’s Vice Premier Ri Ryong Nam in hopes of building trust between the two countries. The CJ Group sees potential in North Korea for both food and logistics industries. The two countries will meet again soon to discuss denuclearization and the resumption of economic projects. I found this interesting because it is a good example of the tensions between North and South Korea beginning to ease. 
-Katie S. ]]> 2018-09-25 15:44:01 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285608118 China denies request for Hong Kong port call by American warship https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285710272 South China Morning Post 
Sep. 25

China has rejected the United States request to dock the USS Wasp in Hong Kong. The Chinese Foreign Ministry commented saying only that they approving the docking on a case-by-case basis. The vessel is part of a group based in Sasebo in Japan and operating in the Indo-Pacific region. The people in Washington decided last week to impose sanctions on a unit of the Chinese defence ministry and its director for buying advanced weapons from Russia. In response, China recalled a navy commander from a visit to the US and postponed a military dialogue between the two countries. The Chinese ministry says that the United States has no right in their relationship with Russia, and this has led to strained military relationships between the U.S. and China. 
-Megan P.]]> 2018-09-25 18:08:08 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285710272 Prison Inside Me: Providing Koreans peace and solitude in a cell https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285767189 Al Jazeera
Sept. 23
A South Korean woman who was searching for vacation destinations found herself drawn to a more unconventional choice. She found a meditation program called Prison Inside Me, where participants voluntarily spend a set amount of time in a facility designed to be like a prison. The building has 28 cells to host participants. Group activities take place outside the cells, but most of a person's time at Prison Inside Me is spent in solitary confinement. Even meals are served through a slot in the door. This was founded by a former prosecutor who was working 100 hours a week and did not know how to stop. South Korea is the "most overworked" nation in Asia, and people there work on average 300 more hours than Americans. This summer, the nation cut its working hours from 68 to 52 hours per week. This action has been met with criticism because it will supposedly cost South Korean businesses $11 billion if they are to maintain the same level of production. I found this feature interesting because it demonstrates a major cultural trend of strong emphasis on being productive in South Korea to the point where people think imprisoning themselves is actually a viable option.
-Sara S.]]> 2018-09-25 20:00:11 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285767189 Japan is developing supersonic glide bombs to defend remote islands https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285816134 South China Morning Post
September 25, 2018

Japan's Defense Ministry has announced that it is working to develop a new type of missile. The weapon will allow the Japanese military to fire from a long range distance in the event that one of its islands were under attack or occupation by a foreign force. The weapon will be designed to quickly reach a height of 20km before the glide bomb separates and then steers itself toward the target with more precision. The Japanese government has invested well over 13.8 billion yen ($122 million USD) so far into the project, and hopes to have a functional prototype by 2025.
This news breaks in the midst of tense debates over island and water claims in the South China Sea. Japan has expressed concern over the Diaoyu islands, an archipelago that Japan controls in the East China Sea. China has also laid claim to this group of islands.

-Megan Temple]]> 2018-09-26 00:21:15 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285816134 U.S. military confirms arms sale to Taiwan, China fumes https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285840798 Sierra Leone Times
September 25, 2018

The U.S. State Department has announced the approval of a $330 million arms trade deal made with Taiwan. The Pentagon has also announced that this financial request will cover spare parts to be used for air defense fighters, systems, and similar program support. China has responded with the expression of anger and urgency. China's Defense Ministry has stated that "the Chinese military had a 'firm and unshakable' resolve to protect the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity." This issue could jeopardize Sino-U.S. relations, with China and the United States already making tension with trade wars. This event relates to our class because it brings up again the situation of sovereignty of Taiwan and with China. Their foreign situation reflects on their past issues of finding a proper place for Taiwan in East Asia. U.S. involvement also appears to be a theme relevant to foreign affairs in East Asia's history. I found this new deal by the U.S. government to be concerning, as it seems that the U.S. had to make a decision in either re-affirming their alliance with Taiwan or working to mend areas in their relations with China. 
-Andrew M.]]> 2018-09-26 03:11:13 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/285840798 14% More Chinese Citizens are Living With HIV/Aids https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/287345162 BBC. Sept. 30.
Health officials in China say that more than 820,000 people are affected by AIDS, a number that has increased by about 40,000 in the second quarter of 2018 alone. In the past, the majority of HIV cases in China have transmitted through infected blood transfusions.  Officials now say the number of people contracting HIV through infected transfusion is incredibly low, so the rise in cases can be attributed to are transmitted through sex. HIV transmission through sex is an acute issue in China's LGBT community, which was decriminalized in 1997. The community though, still faces much discrimination in China due to the government's conservative values. It is unclear what action the government will take concerning the spread of AIDS in China, though they have discussed the issues since 2003.

- Sarah A.]]> 2018-09-30 16:34:13 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/287345162 North, South Korea begin removing landmines along fortified border https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/287749512 Reuters. Sept. 30
Both North and South Korea have begun removing landmines along the border. This was agreed upon during last month's summit in Pyongyang. Both North and South Korea agreed to remove all landmines in the Joint Security Area in Panmunjom within 20 days. North Korea did not immediately confirm that they had started. The agreement also promises the "removal of guard posts and weapons from the JSA to follow the removal of the mines, with the troops remaining there to be left unarmed." Propaganda loud speakers and some guard posts have already been taken down along the border. Other defining projects are also occurring in Gangwon province in South Korea to allow for "teams to search for the remains of soldiers killed during the war."
-Sarah W.]]> 2018-10-01 17:12:57 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/287749512 53% of respondents support making English Taiwan's second official language https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/287777342 Taiwan News 10/01/2018

A survey on higher education was implemented and conducted in September. In this survey the question asked was "What methods would improve the English language ability of university students?" 
53% of those polled favored designating it as the second official language, and 48.1% said that rewarding universities for setting up courses taught entirely in english. The taiwanese government is set to make Taiwan a bilingual country in 2019. They have given direct orders to the ministry of education to loosen many of the regulations restricting preschools from teaching English. From the article it seemed like in the past Taiwan practiced a sort of isolationist policy against the teaching of English in their schools, but it now looks like times are changing.  
Molly Donegan ]]> 2018-10-01 17:53:08 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/287777342 The Japanese Anime Tackling Workplace Bullying https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/287781580 BBC. Oct 1. 
This article talks about how Sanrio, the Japanese company that created Hello Kitty has made a cartoon called Aggretsuko. It is about a red panda named Retsuko who works in an accounting firm. She experiences bullying, office politics, and gender discrimination and cools off after work by heading to a karaoke bar to sing death metal music. The cartoon is on Netflix, and a second season is currently in the works. Its creator was inspired by Tokyo office workers known as "salary men" and "salary women" who work incredibly long hours and then are obligated to attend after work functions with coworkers. This practice of increasingly long work weeks and post work drinks is on the rise, and it is common to see these "salary" people passed out in public places. This cartoon has gained popularity not only in Japan but in other countries as it portrays a relatable depiction of the modern workplace not only in Japan but other places as well. I thought it connected to our discussion of long work weeks in Japan last week and was interesting to see how people are responding to these increasingly long work weeks. It's also interesting to see how the work week has evolved over history. 
Lauren Gambino]]> 2018-10-01 17:59:24 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/287781580 Kumamoto councilwoman who took baby to work kicked out of conference for using cough drop https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/287915936 Japan Today 
October 1st 

City councilwoman Yuka Ogata was at the center of controversy when last November she brought her baby to city assembly. Once again, she is stirring up controversy after using a cough drop during a municipal assembly hall. Ogata went up to a podium to speak when suddenly the assembly chairman asked if she had something in her mouth. When Ogata replied that it was in fact a cough drop in her mouth, the room was in uproar. Ogata had been experiencing cold symptoms and was using the cough drop to avoid coughing while speaking, but many of her colleagues saw this as extremely disrespectful. The meeting was convened and Ogata was to be removed from the meeting after she refused to read an apology statement that had been written by someone else.
-Maddie Alexander ]]> 2018-10-02 01:44:40 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/287915936 South Korea Declares War on ‘Fake News,’ Worrying Government Critics etizzano01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/288332818 New York Times 
10/02/2018 

South Korea announced a crack down on "fake news" saying it is a destroyer of democracy. There is much backlash towards this announcement from conservative groups who say the government is trying to limit free speech. Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said that fake news had spread so widely in South Korea that it was putting both the privacy of citizens at risk and their relationship with North Korea. Prime Minister Lee is currently built up with his own anger towards the media after last week when he attended a funeral the comments he wrote in the book were released and he was attacked for being a communist supporter. Some even falsely accused Prime Minister Lee made the tribute not to Ho but to Kim Il-sung, the founder of North Korea. Mr. Lee wants government agencies to report fake news to law enforcement and ordered the police to investigate and punish those who generate this fake news.  After reading the article I can  see why Prime Minister Lee is so upset and wants to crack down on media but at the same time it is just the day and age we live in unfortunately, this is an issue everywhere.  
-Elizabeth Tizzano ]]> 2018-10-02 18:56:53 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/288332818 Powerful typhoon kills two, snarls transport for thousands in Japan https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/288366020 Reuters
Sept. 30
Typhoon Trami made landfall in Japan on Sunday evening. Since then, substantial damage to transportation means has occurred, as trees have fallen across train tracks. The storm was called a Category 1 tropical storm, the lowest on a five-point scale. Two people were killed, at least 130 were injured, and a few were unaccounted for as of Sunday. Close to 400,000 homes lost electricity due to the storm. More than 230 flights were cancelled, mostly in northern parts of Japan. Aerial images showed train stations with lines of people waiting outside. One airport in Osaka closed due to flooding but reopened Sunday morning. This particular airport had only fully reopened after damage from the last major storm, Typhoon Jebi, on Sept. 21. This news connects to the earlier mentions of geography in Japan but will also likely have economic effects as the country tries to recover from damage to infrastructure and the loss of lives.
-Sara S.]]> 2018-10-02 20:08:07 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/288366020 North Korea Escalates Pressure on U.S. Ahead of Pompeo Visit https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/288394854 New York Times
10/1/18
North Korea has accused to U.S. of demanding too much for too little in denuclearization talks. After a meeting with the South Korean President last month, Kim Jong- Un offered to dismantle key missile testing cites and to invite foreign parties to watch. He has also stated that he will get rid of the country's main nuclear complex, which is about 60 miles north of Pyongyang. The US is demanding that North Korea submit a nuclear weapon inventory, as well as declared a clear plan to dismantling the nuclear weapons it possesses. 
North Korea wants the troops that the US has stationed in and near South Korea removed, and the US has simply suspended joint training exercises with the South Koreans. The South's president, Moon Jae- in, has expressed hopes that the personal ties that Kim and Trump have together will help them to settle the differences and move forward with denuclearization and talks about the declaration of the end of the Korean War. 
-Megan Temple

]]> 2018-10-02 21:48:50 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/288394854 Taiwan vies to become Asian Silicon Valley https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/288398429 Channel News Asia
Oct. 2, 2018

The Taiwanese company iStaging was named one of Taiwan's top 10 most promising tech startups by the government in March. iStaging gained national attention by creating an app that captures and creates a 360-degree virtual reality view of products and property that can be viewed on a mobile device. The general manager of iStaging, Rene Fang, said that virtual reality content has become effective in space communication at a much lower cost compared to hardware facilities. iStaging is one of the few Taiwan startups that have gone global and has reached more than 100 countries. The company's sales has tripled in the third quarter, partially due to the success of Alibaba, which is one of iStaging's top three investors. The Chinese company provides more than just financial assistance to startups-- it contain an ecosystem of various startups which allow the companies to collaborate. However, critics have voiced concern that Chinese capital can be used as a political tool, which would ultimately do more harm than good. Taiwan as a whole lags behind Hong Kong as a breeding ground for startups, as Hong Kong's companies have a wider reach. Taiwanese startups want less government red tape to make it easier for them to do business, and although they acknowledge the government's financial support, they want regulatory liberation so they can connect themselves to the global market. I found this article interesting because it demonstrates that although Taiwanese companies have great potential, they are looking for market liberalization policies so that they can be competitive on the global stage.
-Ashley Hovorka]]> 2018-10-02 22:11:20 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/288398429 China’s slick new game show aims to get millennials studying Xi Jinping https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/288413736 South China. Oct. 2. 

There is a 5 episode quiz show dedicated to the political doctrine of President Xi Jinping. The show, titled “Studying Xi in the New Era”, is the parties newest effort to shape the minds of the country's millennials. The younger generation is thought to have grown up with too much influence from foreign pop culture and not enough orthodox socialist teachings. This show has taken the evening prime-time slot on Hunan TV, this is a popular channel among the younger generation. The show has a futuristic flare to it that draws people in. This comes after the president extended his term and added it to the constitution. The game show is just one of the ways that the party leader is promoting his ideologies. In the first round of the show the contestants, who are millennials, they were asked anything from basic facts about Marxism to something that Xi supports or said. The show also gives the presidents life story, talking about his journey as a youth. This show is the second season of Hunan TV's ideological education program, before this it was a talk show. 
-Megan P. ]]> 2018-10-03 00:09:01 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/288413736 Seoul to let illegal Thai workers leave gsajewski01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/288421222 Bangkok Post
October 3rd, 2018

Today in South Korea they issued a new pardon for illegal workers from other countries, including Thailand.  There are over 300,000 workers that will be allowed to leave without any trouble supposedly.  They won’t be blacklisted, prohibited to come back, or immediately deported if they go by March 31st of 2019.  Beyond this period, they will be forcefully removed and banned from the country.  They realized it became a problem when people, especially from Thailand, were coming to visit but staying past their welcome and getting jobs illegally.  The two countries are trying to work out a deal to expand the limit on how many Thai workers can come over to South Korea, it being 5,000.  They are also trying to raise the age limit, the number of times they can renew their license, and consecutive years that they can stay.  “The ministry said those who leave on the departure program can go back to work in South Korea through the government to government Employment Permit system.” I found this article interesting because of the issues the U.S. are having with people living here illegally and the way the government is attempting to handle it.

-Gwen Sajewski

]]> 2018-10-03 01:05:25 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/288421222 Air pollution is killing 1 million people and costing Chinese economy 267 billion yuan a year, research from CUHK shows https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/288436240 South China Morning Post
October 2, 2018

A new study by researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong has calculated that a major reduction in public health and crop yields has resulted from air pollution. The two major pollutants studied, ground-level ozone and fine respirable particles, have caused an annual average of 1.1 million premature deaths, with an additional lose of 20 million tons of rice, wheat, maize, and soybean from exposures. One investigator stated that these effects have costed about .7 per cent of China's annual GDP. These pollutants have been coming from areas like transportation emissions, industry, and residences. China has been recently targeting places that are producing these pollutants in the cities, as part of their delayed three-year plan for a blue sky. Others have said that it is important that all aspects that are polluting are covered, with not just one single concentration of one pollutant. This article relates to our class because it brings in the social, industrial, economic, and environmental aspects to historical moments in East Asia. It shows the interwoven connections each of these aspects have on each other. This reminds me of Japan in the 16th and 17th centuries, with the issues of deforestation raising concerns for certain Japanese. This article also was interesting to me, and it should be for many, because of the unbelievable effects that air pollution is bringing in China. It shows the urgency of what needs to be done to help improve China as a whole.
-Andrew Morales]]> 2018-10-03 02:55:59 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/288436240 A strain of hepatitis found only in rats infected a Hong Kong man kshaffer011 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/288440892 Quartz 
October 2, 2018

For the first time a man was infected with a strain of hepatitis E that was previously only found in rats. This recent discovery has put researchers and health care officials on alert for improving the city's environmental hygiene. The man has since been cured of his infection, but it is still unclear how the infection was transmitted from the rat. He did have a liver transplant prior to contracting the infection, but it was ruled out that he could have received the infection from his donor's liver. The best guess for how the infection was transmitted is through rat droppings. It is believed that the man may have consumed food containing rat droppings, and due to his suppressed immune system from his transplant he was more susceptible to the infection. Scientists have noted that there is no imminent threat of an epidemic, but it is a wake up call for the city's officials to focus on cleaning up Hong Kong in order to avoid the risk of infection in the future. ]]> 2018-10-03 03:31:55 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/288440892 China’s Small Farms Are Fading. The World May Benefit. https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/289941370 NYT 
October 5th, 2018

In China, a lot of young people are moving to the cities, as is very common throughout history (rural-urban migration). But in the wake of this move the rural population has thus shrank and now farmers are leasing their land for others to work on. This is a shift from the traditional small family farms that have dominated the rural farming scene for centuries. The article says that this is a good thing for China and the entire Global economy. Mainly being that bigger farms are more efficient and therefore the owners can make more money, and more people can move to the cities thus creating more consumers for other industries.
Even though the Chinese are long ways away from the factory farms that we have in the U.S. this new development kind of lays the foundation for it. Some Chinese citizens feel this will break up their family and alter their culture by threatening their community spirit. But many understand that this is the future, and that if done right there is much many to capitalize onion the growing years. Small farmers bowing out and others will slide in to take their place. 
Molly Donegan]]> 2018-10-06 18:44:49 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/289941370 Interpol Chief, Detained by China, Resigns Under ‘Supervision’ of Party Watchdog https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/290118093 New York Times 
October 7, 2018 

After the president of Interpol, an international criminal police organization located in France, had gone missing on Tuesday, the organization pressed Chinese government for answers. The Chinese Communist Party announced that the missing president was under investigation and currently being detained. Shortly after this announcement, Meng  Hongwei resigned as president. Placing one of China's own citizens at the top post in a global organization was considered an achievement for China and a sign of its international presence. However, this "disappearance" without any notice will surely set back the country's efforts to expand its global presence. Meng's wife had reported him missing on Tuesday after her husband had sent her a knife emoji after arriving in China. His wife interpreted this to mean that he was in danger and has not seen her husband since. He is currently being detained by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection who has detained people for years in the past when conducting investigations. This is all part of President Xi anti-corruption drive. 

-Maddie A ]]> 2018-10-08 02:17:28 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/290118093 Brexit: Japan 'would welcome' UK to TPP says Abe https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/290502336 BBC News. October 8

Prime Minister Abe said that Japan "would welcome" the United Kingdom to t he Trans-Pacific Partnership, "a trade agreement between 11 countries, including Japan, Canada, Australia and Malaysia." Abe said the UK would still have "global strength" without it's connection to Europe. Brexit supporters were encouraged by this news. The UK could only join the TPP if it "left the EU customs union and was able to set its own tariffs." Abe articulated his desire for the UK to avoid a no-deal scenario. He also stated that their would need to be a transition period for Japanese firms to help minimize the negative effects of Brexit. Currently, there are more than 800 Japanese businesses in the UK that employ over 100,000 people. However, leading up to Brexit, many Japanese financial firms and other corporations want to move their EU headquarters out of London and back into Europe. The terms of Brexit and what that means for the future will continue to be discussed at a summit next week. 

Sarah W.]]> 2018-10-08 21:53:15 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/290502336 Journalist’s Expulsion From Hong Kong ‘Sends a Chilling Message’ https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/290553688 New York Times
October 8, 2018

A prominent British journalist has been denied a renewal of his work visa in Hong Kong. Mr. Victor Mallet is an Asia correspondent for The Financial Times, a British newspaper. When he returned to Hong Kong last week, he was allowed to enter with a 7-day visitor's visa. This is doubly unusual because British citizens are usually allowed tourist visas that are good for up to 6 months. This seems to confirm the suspicions of many that this is a political move in retaliation for Mr. Mallet's involvement with the HKNP. 
The Hong Kong government has refused to comment on an individual immigration case, but it is suspected that his banning has to do with his connection to a talk given last month by the leader of the now- banned Hong Kong Nationalist Party. Many fear that this points to an increase in the Chinese government's  involvement in Hong Kong affairs. Many in Hong Kong are wary of the authoritarian government's interference in Hong Kong's unique political situation.

- Megan Temple]]> 2018-10-09 03:48:20 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/290553688 Former South Korean President Jailed for Corruption https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/290761568 BBC. Oct. 9.
On Friday October 5, former President Lee Myung-bak (76) was found guilty of bribery, embezzlement, and abuse of power. The South Koreans courts ordered him to pay a 13 billion won fine and 33 years in prison.  One of the major things under investigation was Lee's connection with Samsung and Hyundai officials, along with other industry leaders.  Many claim that pardons for industry leaders were given in exchange for money.  Lee claims these charges are false and politically motivated, but he was not present at his sentences due to his "poor health."  It should be noted, however, that Lee becomes the fourth South Korean leader to be jailed.  The four other former presidents jailed include Geun-hye, Doo-hwan and Tae-woo, who also served jail terms for corruption and treason after leaving office.

- Sarah A.]]> 2018-10-09 14:23:33 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/290761568 Japan space tourist says moon training 'shouldn't be too hard' kshaffer011 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/290781064 Channel News Asia
October 9, 2018 

Yusaku Maezawa paid an undisclosed sum for a ticket to board Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket that will be traveling around the moon as early as 2023. He plans to bring a dozen artists on the trip with him as he is a passionate art collector. It hasn't yet been decided when training will begin for the trip but Elon Musk has assured the training should not be too hard. Maezawa plans to fit the training in with his normal work day. His company has a six hour work day policy and he follows this policy. It is important for him to work, but also have time for personal endeavors. SpaceX has acknowledged that it may not be ready for human flight for at least another five years. When the Big Falcon Rocket was first announced in 2016 is was touted as the most powerful rocket in history, even more powerful than the Saturn V that launched the Apollo missions. Maezawa says he is extremely excited to see the Earth in full view and has acknowledged that this trip has boosted his profile. He is the 13th richest man in Japan and chief executive of Japan's largest online fashion store. 

-Katie S. ]]> 2018-10-09 14:48:30 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/290781064 North Korea wants Pope Francis to visit, South Korea says etizzano01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/290862045 NBC News 
October 9,2018 

South Korea is playing the middle man between North Korea and the Vatican. The South Korean presidential office says that North Korea wants to invite the Pope to highlight peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula. President Moon will visit the Vatican on Oct. 17 and 18 to reaffirm its blessing and support for peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and during this meeting he will relay Kim's message. Kim told Moon of his wishes to meet the Pope during last months summit of the two leaders. North Korea's constitution guarantees freedom of religion as long as it does not undermine the state but no open religious activity is allowed in North Korea. Although this article was very short I think it showcases the growing relationship between South and North Korea. I think right now South Korea is helping North Korea not be so feared. By them extending this olive branch to the pope I think it shows signs of future changes and possiblities for North Korea. 
- Elizabeth Tizzano ]]> 2018-10-09 16:38:35 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/290862045 Trump talks up second North Korea summit https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/290907258 CNN
October 9, 2018
On Tuesday, President Trump offered new details about a potential second summit with Kim Jong Un following the leader's meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over the weekend. According to President Trump, the second summit is "happening" and it "won't be too far away", and he added that this second summit will take place at a new location. Trump boasted of the improved relations between the US and North Korea since he took office, emphasizing the efficiency of his administration in negotiating with the North Korean leader since the historic summit in Singapore. Pompeo's meeting with Kim took place on Sunday and lasted for two hours. After this meeting, Pompeo reported that Kim is "ready to allow international inspectors into a key nuclear testing site", signaling Pyongyang's inching towards a commitment towards the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. This article demonstrates the continued improvement of relations between the two countries and the potential for a historic peace agreement between the Korean nations.

-Ashley Hovorka]]> 2018-10-09 17:39:26 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/290907258 Taiwan hosts Paraguayan leader at military drill amid rising tensions with mainland China https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/290962493 South China Morning Post
October 9, 2018
On Tuesday, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen hosted the Paraguayan President in running a joint military exercise. The exercise simulated a Chinese attempt to attack a Taiwanese airbase. This comes at the time of China slowly taking away Taiwan's allies. Taiwan only has 17 nations as allies, including Paraguay. A defense ministry spokesman says the exercise was done to strengthen and encourage a friendship between the nations of Taiwan and Paraguay. The rest of the article goes on to explain the strained relationship Taiwan has had with Beijing since 1949 and how China has repeatedly done training exercises to intimidate Taiwanese forces. It also shares information on how the United States does not have an official diplomatic relationship with Taiwan in order to please Beijing, but does keep a de facto embassy on the island and close relationship otherwise. I found it interesting that Paraguay and Taiwan were running military exercises together because I had no knowledge of the two nations having any sort of relationship. 

Lauren Gambino

]]> 2018-10-09 19:07:48 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/290962493 North Korean hacking group blamed for attempted cyber heists totaling US $1.1 billion https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/291046997 South China Morning Post
Oct. 8
A cybersecurity firm called FireEye has discovered a North Korean hacking group has stolen from banks around the world in a series of ongoing attacks. The attempted cyber heists have totaled about $1.1 billion over the course of four years. The hacking group has infiltrated at least 16 different organizations in 11 countries. More than $100 million has been stolen. What makes this hacking group unique is that it waits an average of 155 days after getting through a bank or other organization's security systems before stealing the money, and, according to the cybersecurity firm, the organization has knowledge of banking networks and geopolitical factors of their attacks. North Korean diplomats and officials deny any involvement by the country in the cyber attacks. I found this series of attacks to be interesting because it demonstrates an advancement of technical skill and knowledge that other parts of the world do not appear to be able to outdo. While North Korea is largely isolated from the rest of the world, the nation manages to keep up with technology and innovations that allow them to be a world power, or at least worthy of consideration.

-Sara S.]]> 2018-10-10 01:22:29 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/291046997 This Chinese man drove his son to school in a Ferrari, and all hell broke loose https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/291059749 South China Morning Post 
Oct. 9

A father in eastern China dropped his son off at school in a Ferrari and is now facing social boycott. He is becoming an outcast for showing off his wealth, and after refusing to drive a less expensive car he was thrown off the parent WeChat group. The son is a junior in Hangzhou and the father is a senior executive of an unidentified property developing company and earns 4 million yuan a year ($578,000). Apparently, some of the parents complained to the teacher about the fancy car, and the teacher said it could lead to some unhealthy comparisons in class. The dad refuses to back down saying that he has worked had for his money and he deserves to show it off. He goes on to say that if seeing someone else driving a nice car hurts their feelings than they're too sensitive. People on social media voices their opinions and some said that the parents should've taken this as a teaching opportunity for their kids to show them hard work and the value of money. This is sparked by the huge wealth gap in China today.
-Megan P. ]]> 2018-10-10 02:50:39 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/291059749 Referendum to scrap 'Chinese Taipei' officially approved for vote in November https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/291061650 Taiwan News
October 9, 2018

Taiwan’s Central Election Committee has approved a petition to scrap the term "Chinese Taipei" from further international sporting events, in consideration to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The petition for "Team Taiwan", now having reached the legal threshold for signatures, will now allow for a public vote in November. Disapproval for this possibility of a name change have been expressed from Beijing and the Olympic International Committee. Other officials are worried about the pressure this referendum can bring. Those who are wishing or hoping to remain independent from China's authoritarian government, this will be a nod for Taiwan's independence and for a rejection to Beijing's 'imperialist claim.' The motto for the Team Taiwan campaign is "Let Taiwan be Taiwan". This was interesting in relating to our class because this news story looks both at the functioning of the Taiwanese government and the movement for independence. These topics look to the wider scenario of foreign relations that often create tensions (and worse) between East Asian countries. I found this interesting because it will be interesting to see if this will pass, and if so, what will be the reactions and actions possibly taken towards or against this motion. It is made more interesting by the fact that an international lens is or will be brought in, with the coming of the Olympics in 2020.
-Andrew Morales]]> 2018-10-10 03:08:00 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/291061650 Trump Embarks on Bilateral Trade Talks to Pressure China https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/294126349 The New York Times
October 17, 2018

After securing trade agreements with Canada and Mexico and South Korea, President Trump is attempting to rebrand the TPP to his own liking through pursuing various bilateral trade deals. The TPP aimed at encouraging China to make structural overhauls so that it could join the trade pact, but President Trump views bilateral agreements as a way to constrain the Chinese government's increasing geopolitical, territorial, and economic ambitions. The President is pursuing talks with Japan, the UK, the EU, Vietnam, and the Philippines, all as a part of a strategic plan to limit Chinese influence with new agreements in neighboring and partnering territories. This effort comes from rising economic and national security tensions between the US and China and the cusp of a potential meeting between President Trump and President Xi Jinping in November. This increasing pressure from the Trump administration could increase the tensions between the two nations, as the administration's tariffs on Chinese industry has deepened the rift between the nations. This new method of pressuring the Chinese government can potentially cause more geopolitical tensions in the region between US allies and the aggressive Chinese government.

-Ashley Hovorka]]> 2018-10-17 22:52:37 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/294126349 Zheng Xiaosong Dead After Fall From Tall Building https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/295198620 BBC. Oct. 21.
China's top governing official in the Chinese territory of Macau, Zheng Xiaosong, has died after falling from a tall building.  The Chinese Government released a statement shortly after Zheng's death, saying he suffered from depression and implying that he killed himself.  Many find the state's explanation unconvincing. In recent years, hundreds of "suicides" have been committed by mid-level Chinese officials accused of various forms of corruption.  Many wonder if China's strict new anti-corruption campaign could be behind the rising death rate among politicians. Many find the string of suicides suspicious.  As for Zheng, who was only 59 at the time of his death, there is evidence that he met with the head of a large think tank the day before his death.  This, combined with his age, history, and the fact that all his friends were "shocked" at his untimely death, has increased suspicion around his apparent suicide.

-Sarah A.]]> 2018-10-21 16:34:13 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/295198620 North Korea's box of bones - A mythical king and the dream of Korean unification https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/295251580 Channel NewsAsia October 21.

There is a myth amongst Koreans about the tale of King Dangun. He is said to be the first mythical founder of the Korean Kingdom more than 4,350 years ago. Essentially his story keeps the dream of unification between North and South Korea alive. This tale portrays Koreans as a homogenous group who are destined to live together in harmony.
This story became extremely popular during the Japanese occupation.
During However there is little evidence that this man actually exsisted but officials have gone to great lengths to capitalize on the myth and use it to their advantage. For example, North Korean claims to have found the tomb of Dragon and his wife in Mt. Paektu, and for 100 euros you can look inside a glass box containing what the North Koreans say to be the bones of Dangun and his wife. But his story has prominence in South Korea as well. On the holiday "Foundation Day" South Koreans gather at shrines to make offerings and wear masks with a bearded Dangun on it. Basically this article comes ar a time on increased talks and progress between North and South Korea.

Molly Donegan ]]> 2018-10-21 23:56:37 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/295251580 AI robots may lend hand in Japan's English classes https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/295621008 Japan Today. October 22

English is already a mandatory subject at certain levels in Japanese schools. As of 2020, it will also be required in elementary schools across the country. AI robots are being used to help teach English. The Musio X robots can communicate with the students at different levels of English and even encourage them and let them know if they were correct. The robots were originally only used in homes. They "were first introduced at a private junior high school in Kyoto in 2016 and they have since been introduced at about 30 schools nationwide."  These robots can be very beneficial to both the students and the teachers. The article interviewed some students who said that interacting with the robots was more comfortable for them then talking with teachers, and "it was easier to practice speech." The robots are able to "supplement teachers' roles as conversation partners," ensuring students get enough time and practice with the language. 

Sarah W.]]> 2018-10-22 18:12:16 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/295621008 'Spycam' epidemic seizes South Korea's women https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/295724516 October 22nd

South Korea is in a "spycam" epidemic with covert footage of sex, nudity, and urination posted online without the females consent. The footage is being taken by boyfriends and later used against the girls if the relationship goes south (no pun intended). They can also be taken with tiny hidden camera. They have taken to hiring private firms to take down the videos since they're on the internet forever. The spy camera phenomenon has reached such epidemic proportions in tech-savvy South Korea that tens of thousands of women have taken to the streets to march for action. These videos of women having sex or simply trying on clothes in a store are being sold to porn sites. People are calling for action because the firms set up to help and counsel these people are becoming overwhelmed. 
-Megan Peruski ]]> 2018-10-22 23:05:16 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/295724516 Taiwan train derailment in Yilan County kills at least 18 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/295753298 October 22  
BBC 

The Puyuma Express train derailed on Sunday, killing 18 people and injuring 187. There were 366 passengers onboard and all 8 carriages derailed.  
The incident is Taiwan's worst rail accident in 27 years. At least three children were among the dead.Four of the carriages turned at a 90 degree angle and had the most casualties. A woman, Tung Xiao-ling, lost eight family members who had been returning from her sister's wedding celebration. It remains unclear what caused the train to derail. 
Taiwan's leader, Tsai Ing-wen, arrived at the scene to meet relatives of passengers affected by the disaster.
- Maddie Alexander ]]> 2018-10-23 01:38:39 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/295753298 Man believed to be Junpei Yasuda freed etizzano01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/296068676 October 24
The Japan News 

The Japanese government reported that a man believed to be  Junpei Yasuda was freed. Yasuda is a Japanese freelance journalist who went missing in 2015 while in Syria. This information was given to the Japanese government by the Qatar government, and was told that he will be protected by Turkish authorities until the identity is confirmed. Yasuda was previously captured in  2004 when he was taken hostage in Iraq with other Japanese reporters. But in 2015, when he was captured he was taken hostage with his journalist friend Kenji Goto, killed by the Islamic State group. Yasuda has not been heard from since June of 2015, and he tweeted about how he would no longer share his location because his reporting was being stopped. It has been reported for a year now that Yasuda is possible freed but In one video released in July, the  man believed to be Yasuda said he was in a harsh environment and needed to be rescued immediately. There are currently seven other journalists missing in Syria. I think this shows how all developed nations are targeted in places like Syria not just the ones we hear about in our own country.
-Elizabeth Tizzano 


 
]]> 2018-10-23 16:53:00 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/296068676 China to launch 'artificial moon' to illuminate city streets https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/296227557 October 19
Al Jazeera

China's media officials announced that the nation plans to launch a man-made moon in order to generate light in place of streetlamps. With this, electricity costs are expected to decrease. The plan is supposed to involve the first of these launching in 2020 and have three more to follow in 2022. The first launch will be experimental. According to China Daily, these artificial moons will shine in tandem with the actual moon but be as much as eight times brighter. They would reflect light from the sun and could save as much as $170 million each year in electricity costs by illuminating urban areas. These satellites could also help with rescues during disasters in case of blackouts. China is preparing to launch a lunar probe later this year in hopes of catching up with the space technology of the United States and Russia. I found this interesting because it is so unlike anything other countries have tried to do. As governments are facing more pressure to reduce energy use, innovation such as this could set an example for others to follow.
-Sara S.]]> 2018-10-23 23:33:33 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/296227557 Guns and guards to be removed from Korean 'truce village' of Panmunjom https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/296232691 October 22
The Guardian

North and South Korea and the US run United Nations Command agreed to demilitarize the border village of Panmunjom. Firearms and guard posts will be removed from the truce village, and there will be a “three way joint verification” which will take place over two days to ensure that it is free of weapons. This is the only place on the border where troops stand face to face, and also was the site of the North Korean soldier that defected last December, which made global news. It was a neutral zone until 1976 when North Korean soldiers attacked a work party trying to chop down a tree in the DMZ, which killed 2 American Army officers. This comes after the summit in September and an effort to remove landmines in the DMZ, and the reluctance of North Korea to denuclearize. It is interesting to see how rapidly this area has changed, considering it was the same place there was a gun battle and defecting North Korean soldier. It is also interesting to see how involved the US is in inter-Korean affairs. 

-Lauren Gambino]]> 2018-10-24 00:00:29 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/296232691 Taiwan Seizing 'Strategic Window of Opportunity' Under Trump https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/296235407 October 23
Asia Times

In the midst of long- existing Taiwanese and Chinese resentments, Taiwan leadership is looking to capitalize on the US- China trade war. As the United States Pentagon sent warships through the Taiwan Strait earlier this week, they sent a clear message of power to China. Because Taiwan is such a contested region, this was a particular smack in China's face, especially considering that most global powers refuse to offer support for Taiwanese sovereignty for fear of China's economic influence. Taiwan's defense ministry has expressed hope to use this moment to capitalize on US support. In past months, the US has increased its arms sales to the Taiwan. This has continued to upset Chinese authorities, who still claim ownership of the island. 
Taiwan hopes to deepen this relationship with the United States by sharing Chinese hacking information. They also hope to continue defense trade by producing computer parts for F16, F15, and F18 for both the US and NATO. 

-Megan Temple

]]> 2018-10-24 00:15:28 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/296235407 Historical jury still out on Japan’s Meiji Restoration https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/296258324 The Japan Times
October 23

This article summarizes the changes that occurred around the time of the Meiji Restoration, which is being celebrated for its 150th anniversary. The event was celebrated on Tuesday, remembering the moment when the samurai overthrew the shogunate, gave a more legitimate office of power to the Meiji emperor, and started the process of modernization and Westernization for Japan. This came from the pressures of the Western powers . The historic overthrowing of the shogunate is popularly depicted in novels, movies, and TV dramas, often with different interpretations and understandings of this event and its impacts. Historians have been wary in thinking that the general Japanese population does not fully understand the restoration because of political influences surrounding the Second World War. One professor emeritus of the University of Tokyo, Hiroshi Mitani, claims that "the removal of the hereditary class system" makes the restoration more of a revolution. And while there is still fascination to the events and figures that created the stories of the Meiji Restoration, other historians are concerned that an ignorant nationalism can glorify events that led to Japanese imperialist mistakes during the 1930s and 1940s. I found this article interesting because it directly connects with what we learned in class and in our readings. It also looks at the historical context and uses a retrospective lens to see the Restoration's long-lasting impact on Japans ince the 1860s. It also considers the historians' outlook on the event and on modern Japanese views on it as well. The 150th anniversary celebration is also just fascinating to consider, and how much has changed for Japan and East Asia since 1868.
-Andrew Morales]]> 2018-10-24 02:12:03 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/296258324 The world’s longest bridge-tunnel brings China even closer to Hong Kong. Not everyone is pleased. gsajewski01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/296259586 The Washington Post 
October 23, 2018

In Hong Kong today, they finally finished construction on a bridge that connects them to the mainland, China.  This was under construction for over seven years so when it was completed the President, Xi Jinping went to Hong Kong to celebrate with a ribbon cutting.  Not only does it span 34 miles but it also cost over $20 billion, though the video said it was all the way up to $120 billion.  There are other routes, but the new bridge cuts the travel time down by 30 minutites which makes many upset as they can not see the benefit after knowing how much time and money went into the projecrt. Mainly since it was the taxpayers, who had to throw in their money for over half of the bill.  I guess their primary goal is to bring more people in but also to connect up to 11 more cities throughout China.  With their 34-mile long bridge opening up today, they have also broken the world record.  I think the craziest part of this whole thing is that regular people, the ones who paid for it, can't even use it.  They have to get a permit to take a private car over into one of the cities, and best of all there are only 5,000 permits.  The main thing that people are thinking is that it was mostly a political move to show power and wealth.  Along with all of that, 19 or more people died in the process, and plenty was injured.    

-Gwen Sajewski 

]]> 2018-10-24 02:19:12 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/296259586 Bong arm of the law: South Korea says it will arrest citizens who smoke weed in Canada kshaffer011 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/296267900 The Guardian
October 23, 2018 

Canada recently became the second country in the world to legalize recreation marijuana. However, South Koreans have been warned by South Korean police not to partake in recreational drug use abroad. “Weed smokers will be punished according to the Korean law, even if they did so in countries where smoking marijuana is legal. There won’t be an exception,” said Yoon Se-jin, head of the narcotics crime investigation division at Gyeonggi Nambu provincial police agency. The South Korean law is based on the concept that laws made in Seoul still apply to their citizens anywhere in the world. Those caught smoking weed while abroad could face up to five years in prison. South Korea strictly enforces drug laws and officials work to project an image of a drug-free nation. Though police have threatened repercussions for smoking marijuana, how they would test those returning from Canada remain hazy. They cannot screen every person coming in from Canada. The idea is that they will focus more on drug traffickers rather than casual drug users. There are currently 23,000 South Korean students living in Canada. 
-Katie S. ]]> 2018-10-24 02:59:13 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/296267900 North Korea Hospital Director Denies Warmbier Torture Charges https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/297785005 Channel News Asia. Oct. 28.
US student Otto Warmbier was accused of theft and jailed in North Korea back in 2016. Shortly after he was released by North Korean officials in 2017 in a "comatose state," he died a due to unknown causes, though there is evidence of beatings and extensive brain damage.  His death is widely credited to have sparked Trump's first summit in North Korea and the beginning of the peace process.  Since Otto's death, however, the Warmer family has pursued various legal suits and accused North Korean officials and organizations of torturing their son.  The latest accusations are aimed towards the Director of the Pyongyang Friendship Hospital, which treated Otto Warmbier numerous times. North Korea claims that Otto left the country in decent health and that he died from a serious case of food poisoning. The fear in many international circles is that the new peace summits concerning North Korea will overshadow their innumerable human rights violations, and that justice for people like Otto and his family will never be obtained.

- Sarah A.]]> 2018-10-28 18:24:07 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/297785005 Hybrids account for nearly 20% of cars in Japan https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/297810529 The Japan News.
October 28th

Amid the frightening United Nations climate change report, gasoline-electric hybrid cars are rapidly increasing in Japan. This stems from the growing environmental awareness that has grown throughout the world. The number of hybrid vehicles on the road has rose from 2.4 percentage points to 19 percent. This also stems from popularity of the Prius. The article also discusses how a number of other countries are strengthening their environmental regulations on automobiles. Britain and France have agreed to ban the sales of gasoline and diesel cars by 2040. Electric cars in general are already popular within the country, and Japan expects that the numbers will keep rising as more people become more environmentally aware. 

Molly Donegan ]]> 2018-10-28 21:31:22 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/297810529 China-Japan ties at ‘historic turning point’ after Shinzo Abe’s visit, but can the goodwill hold? https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/297874738 South China Morning Post 
October 28th 

Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe's recent visit to China seems promosting for the relations between the two countries. China and Japan have a history of having a difficult relationship due to things such as territorial disputes and geopolitical rivalries. It marks the first official visit by a Japanese leader since 2011. Both sides agreed to set aside their political differences and vowed to boost economic ties and promote free trade amid growing global uncertainty. The visit changed the relationship between the two countries from competition to collaboration. Many speculate that this new relationship was fostered as a reaction to Trump's White house and the uncertainty that comes with it. It is also believed that Abe extended an invite to Xi to visit Japan, which would make it the first visit by a Chinese leader to Japan since 2008. The trip is believed to hold more symbolic significance since no actual breakthroughs on bilateral issues were made.
-Maddie A]]> 2018-10-29 04:50:50 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/297874738 China to begin building first permanent airfield in Antarctica https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298142400 SCMP. October 29th.

China is beginning to build it's first permanent air strip in Antarctica. It will be 1,500 meters on an ice cap 28 kilometers from Zhongshan Station. The airstrip will allow for "operating of large aircraft, creating multiplane services, and building an Antarctic air traffic network in the future." The new airstrip would also "connect scientific research to the country's Antarctic strategy." This project is scheduled to begin later this week. The airstrip, the facility, and the terminal are expected to take a few years to complete as the snow at the location "has to be compacted to form the airstrip." In the beginning, there will only be one plane using the facility. China has already built two temporary airfields, two permanent stations, and two seasonal stations, and are planning to build a fifth station. China will join 15 other countries who have already built over 50 permanent airfields or skyways in Antarctica, including the United States, Russia, and Britain.
Sarah W.]]> 2018-10-29 17:00:58 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298142400 A creepy video shows how China warns its citizens to behave or get punished by its nationwide social credit system kshaffer011 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298238701 Business Insider 
October 29 

A recent announcement on a train traveling from Beijing to Shanghai shows how the future of China could be dominated by people living in fear of a nationwide social credit system. The social credit system will work as an extension of a person's financial credit score, which will be mandatory nationwide by 2020. Citizens will not only be ranked on their financial performance, but on things such as their trustworthiness as well. 
In the video a female voice announced over the intercom that people who travel without a ticket or "behave disorderly" would be "punished according to regulations, and the behavior will be recorded in individual credit information system." It is not clear what the orders and regulations are. Past government notices have focused on transport-specific offenses such as loitering. The program is scheduled to begin in 2020 but various cities have already launched pilot programs. People have already been punished and rewarded based on this system. One college student was denied a parking spot because his dad was blacklisted for not paying off a bank loan. Other people have been  given perks for good scores such as having their dating profile boosted online. 
The eastern Chinese city of Jinan also started enforcing a social credit system for dog owners last year where registered owners have to purchase a license, and have points on it deducted if they don't clean up after their dog or walk their pet without a leash. Those who lost all their points had their dogs confiscated and were required to pass a test on regulations required for pet ownership. The Chinese government has said that the goal of this system is to enforce the idea that "keeping trust is glorious and breaking trust is disgraceful". 
-Katie S. ]]> 2018-10-29 19:28:50 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298238701 South and North Korea complete removal of outposts and firearms from JSA https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298743519 The Hankyoreh
October 29

North and South Korea have jointly verified to remove outposts and firearms in the Joint Security Area (JSA) has been completed. This process, which was signed in a joint effort from September with the UN Command, has now removed all firearms and military personnel in the JSA. By demilitarizing the JSA, there are now hopes and expectations for tourists and visitors to be able to enter the area freely and safely. The continuation of establishing "new guard posts and surveillance equipment" will help to ensure these safe travels, which are to hopefully begin in November or within the next year. This article relates to our class because it brings up the efforts of two East Asian countries (here, it is North and South Korea) to slowly make efforts together in resolving issues. While this demilitarization of the JSA is not the largest major breakthrough in the North/South Korea tensions, it does provide opportunities for growth or at least a more friendlier neutrality. I additionally thought this article interesting because of the opportunities it presents for tourists and travelers to live and encounter the changes occurring literally between North and South Korea.
-Andrew Morales]]> 2018-10-30 20:27:52 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298743519 Pick up poo or we take the dog: Chinese city rolls out 'social credit' system for pet owners gsajewski01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298781099 The Telegraph 
October 29th 

In Jinan China, they have already inforced a new way of controlling dog owners.  The owners are forced to get a license and when they do their dog starts with 12 points.  Typically there is a fine attached to each time that points are deducted from the original 12.  If they don't pick up after their dog, walk it without a leash, or even just being reported by someone for a disturbance, points will be deducted.  They are enforcing other strict laws like the leash has to be less than 1.5 meters long, the person walking the dog has to be 18 and up, and they are not allowed to enter many places with the dogs including public parks.  If the owners are reaching the max for the point deduction, then they can earn some back by working in the kennels.  But if those people lose all of their points, then they will have their dog taken away, and they won't get them back until they can prove they are ready with an exam.  Honestly, this seems entirely unnecessary to me personally, but there was one lady who thought that it led to fewer attacks since China came in second for the number of rabies cases.  So, maybe this is a good idea, but it seems too harsh especially taking someone's dog away.  

-Gwen Sajewski]]> 2018-10-30 23:06:54 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298781099 South Korea’s Leader Vouches for Kim’s Sincerity, as Critics See Deception https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298787974 New York Times
October 30

President Moon Jae-in of South Korea has described Kim Jong-un as a "young and candid" strategist who's "ready to bargain away his nuclear arsenal to secure economic growth for his impoverished nation." President Moon has been a staunch advocate for Kim Jong un's negotiating abilities, successfully painting a new image of the North Korean dictator in ways that other South Korean leaders had failed to do in years past. However, skeptics have criticized the sincerity of this new characterization, referencing Kim Jong-un's dictatorial behavior as evidence of his unwillingness to actually denuclearize. However, President Moon's new characterizations of Kim Jong un legitimizes a shift in his image from a nuclear madman to a skilled negotiator. This isn't the first time President Moon has praised Kim; he previously endorsed him as a "leader of good faith." However, these comments demonstrate a concrete shift in perspective and signal definitive efforts towards denuclearization on the peninsula.


Ashley Hovorka]]> 2018-10-30 23:45:20 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298787974 Mental Health in Hong Kong at Worst in 7 years https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298800660 South China Morning Post
October 29th

Mental health in Hong Kong has been rated at the lowest level in seven years, according to an annual survey. The survey was conducted in June, where 1007 calls were placed to those 15 years of age and up in the evening hours. The survey used the WHO Well- Being index, which asks those being surveyed to rank various statements like “i have felt calm and relaxed in the past 2 weeks” on a scale of zero to five. After all the questions are asked, it is scored out of 100 and 52 points is considered to be “passing” the survey. The average score this year in Hong Kong was 50.2 points which dropped from 59.75 last year, and is the lowest score recorded since the beginning of the survey in 2012, which had the average score of 56.25. The article also mentions this is the first time the average score fell below the passing mark.  One error of this survey may be that the survey was conducted in the evening, and that people may have answered more positively during the day. This survey shows the deteriorating state of mental health in Hong Kong and the increasing working hours and stress of those that live in Hong Kong. The Government is using it to boost awareness of mental health across the public. I found it interesting that they only survey a certain amount of people are interviewed and that those with family and loved ones to take care of were happier overall. I also compared this to the articles we’ve seen about the increase in work hours in Japan and the toll that has taken on Japanese people. 
-Lauren Gambino]]> 2018-10-31 00:53:22 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298800660 Statutory paternity leave for Hong Kong fathers extended to five days after marathon 13-hour Legislative Council debate etizzano01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298801566 October 25
New fathers in Hong Kong can now have up to five days of statutory paternity leave from next year after a fierce debate in the city’s legislature. This change causes an increase in the time allowed from 3 to 5 days, their counterpart wanted to raise the leave to 7 days which was not passes. This new law will become legal after the lunar year in February. During the debate it took almost 13 hours for lawmakers Charles Mok said it was embarrassing for Hong Kong to keep discussing five days of paternity leave when Facebook offered their staff four months.Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-nor had earlier announced in her policy address she would extend the statutory maternity leave from 10 weeks to 14 weeks. This doesn't really surprise me that this is an issue in Hong Kong considering it is still an issue in the US. In the US California is the only state where men are offered 12 weeks of paid leave. 
-Elizabeth Tizzano


]]> 2018-10-31 00:57:50 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298801566 Gov't to resume U.S. base construction in setback for new Okinawan governor https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298812020 Japan Today 
October 30.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe suggested that the government will resume landfill work for the transfer of a key U.S. military base within Okinawa after the land minister decided to suspend the recent effort to block the work. The defense ministry said that any further delays in moving the Marine Corps Air Station from a crowded area to a less populated coastal district would hurt the Japan and U.S. alliance. In August the Okinawa government suspended the work for the base transfer by taking back their approval, saying that the old governor made in 1996. They have entered into many legal battles, but now the U.S. military and the Japanese government have the right paperwork and once the paper work is handed in they can start.
-Megan P.  ]]> 2018-10-31 01:45:52 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298812020 How a World War II-Era Reparations Case Is Roiling Asia https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298824598 The New York Times
October 30, 2018

The South Korean Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a Japanese steel company pay reparations to its Korean workers from 1941 to 1943. The workers suing the company claim that they were forced into slave labor for the company during World War II and Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula. These workers raised this lawsuit originally in 1997, and the case has been passed between courts, seen appeals,  and been delayed (sometimes intentionally) for over two decades now. 
This case is even more significant today because it raises memory of lasting pain from many decades ago. The Japanese company does not want to pay the reparations, and many argue that the diplomacy agreement made in 1965 between Japan and South Korea settled issues such as these. For two nations whose relations are often strained as a rule, this is particularly concerning for those in the international community involved in ongoing efforts to denuclearize North Korea. This ruling is expected to set a new precedent for cases involving Japanese exploitation of Korean workers. 
-Megan Temple]]> 2018-10-31 03:06:50 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298824598 Taiwan's Gay Pride Parade Draws Thousands, as Votes on Same-Sex Marriage Near https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298833636 The New York Times
October 27

Taiwan is home to the largest annual gay pride event in East Asia. On Saturday, this year's parade took place with an estimated 137,000 people in attendance. Previously, Taiwan's constitutional court gave the government until May of 2019 to legalize same-sex marriage, and this year's parade had both optimism and disappointment in attendees because the deadline is now just over six months away. Gay rights activists are largely disappointed with the lack of action taken by President Tsai Ing-wen in the year that has passed since this ruling took place. The LBGT vote was important in electing her as president, but her support for this community seems to have wavered since her election. Local elections are to take place in November, and measures both for and against same-sex marriage will appear on ballots. If measures of each variety pass, the government will struggle with what to do next. Because the president is expected to seek reelection in 2020, people speculate she will continue to talk more about compromise than she did during her previous campaign. 
-Sara S.]]> 2018-10-31 04:15:36 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/298833636 Fatal Chongqing Bus Plunge Caused by Fist Fight https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/300078056 BBC. Nov. 2
Security footage from a bus in China has revealed that the driver was fighting with a passenger moments before plunging into a river.  The bus fell 164ft off a bridge into the Yangtze River in Chongqing on Sunday killing at least 13 people. Early reports said the bus had swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle, but some new recovered footage shows the driver was being hit by a passenger and then struck her back. Police said the 48-year-old woman with the surname Liu, was angry that the bus had missed her stop. Apparently she hit the driver, named Ran, with her mobile phone when he refused to stop and let her off. The driver struck her back in retaliation. The bus then turned into the opposite lane and smashed through the bridge's safety barriers before falling. Chinese Police have said the fight was the cause of the crash. No survivors have been found, despite a massive search. 

- Sarah A.]]> 2018-11-03 15:54:49 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/300078056 Inside China’s training camps, where boys are learning how to be men https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/300201480 South China Morning Post
11/04/2018

In China, there is much outcry over the lack of masculinity in young boys. Many people think that the softness and female-like appearance of modern male celebrities has had a negative impact on the masculinity of young men in China. A former physical education teacher by the name of Tang Haiyan began a Boys' Club where parents send their sons on breaks or weekends to courses that aim to rescue them from their "day-to-day, all-female environment and prevent them from being 'oversensitive, vulnerable, whiny, petty or irresponsible.'" Within the course the children refer to each other as comrade, and learn competition and cooperation through various activities. Some of those activities being: American Football, trekking for a week across a desert, climbing mountains, and more. The article cites multiple success stories from the courses. Since her son has been attending the courses, one mother stated that “I am relieved of all the duties after so many years of attending to him. He is completely independent in life and in study. If he plans to play video games for 30 minutes every week, he will put away the game when the time is up. I don’t need to remind him at all.” That's crazy how in China gender is so structured and lacks the fluid that it has in America. 

Molly Donegan ]]> 2018-11-04 16:20:01 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/300201480 Japan may loosen immigration rules for blue collar workers https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/300668960 BBC
November 2
Due to a labor shortage in the country, Japan's cabinet is trying to loosen immigration laws for blue-collar workers. The proposed legislations would create two new visa categories for foreign workers to enter the country in sectors suffering from labor shortages. Workers in the first category are allowed to live in Japan for five years and bring their families, if they have a certain level of skill and proficiency in Japanese. The second category of visa would allow higher skilled workers to live in Japan and eventually apply for residency. The labor shortage in Japan is due to the imbalance of population. The birth rate in Japan is 1.4 (down from 2.1 in the 1970's) and the country has the world's highest life expectancy at 85.5 years. The labor force is older, and there are less people to replace these elderly workers. With this creates a lack of people doing farming and factory jobs, which are crucial to Japan's economy. The Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, however, reiterates that this legislation is not an overhaul of the stringent immigration system in Japan, and that it is only to aid the labor shortage in places that need extra help. It is interesting to hear about how desperate the situation is in Japan, considering they are so strict on letting foreigners immigrate into Japan.

Lauren Gambino]]> 2018-11-05 19:02:57 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/300668960 Why desperate Chinese mother offered her triplets for adoption on social media site https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/300679317 SCMP. November 5

The 27 year-old woman from Eastern China, known as Li, married 36 year-old Zhao in 2013. She became pregnant with triplets in 2017 and then learned that her husband had stopped working and had made a $14,000 (US) gambling debt. When the babies were about four weeks old, the husband left. She did not think she could care for her children, so she "offered her sons for adoption on a live-streaming social media platform" called TikTok. The post went viral and many people donated baby supplies to help her out. She eventually took her sons to her aunt's house, and her aunt rented a room for Li, who is unemployed, and her sons. Li's in-laws, who have four houses, refused to help "as they had to take care of Zhao’s son from an earlier marriage." The in-laws had also sold one house and were in the process of selling another to "clear some of Zhao's debt." Li's husband eventually returned after the media got ahold of Li's story, and the posts were taken down. 
-Sarah W.]]> 2018-11-05 19:17:38 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/300679317 US, Taiwan: Washington Ponders a Military Presence on a Taiwanese Island https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/300806796 Stratfor
November 5

Enhanced security cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S. could expand as they work to fight against China's increased military presence in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. On November 5th, the Defense Minister of Taiwan told legislators that his government would consider granting the U.S. Navy access to Taiping Island if the U.S. requested it. Giving the U.S. access to the Taiwanese island would further challenge the status quo while the U.S. Navy continues to increase its presence in the Taiwan Strait; U.S. warships have twice passed through the strait in a possible attempt to standardize patrols and pave the way for an aircraft carrier to pass through. If the Taiwanese government allowed the Navy to have access to this island, the presence of U.S. military in Taiwan would seriously provoke China, as they would view any U.S. presence in Taiwan as a threat to Chinese sovereignty. Access to Taiping would give the U.S. greater mobility in the South China Sea, and would provide ammunition for rivals to undermine China's territorial claims. Although the agreement is not finalized, this presumption would prompt China to increase its military presence in the region and increase pressure against Taiwan.


-Ashley Hovorka]]> 2018-11-06 03:07:27 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/300806796 North Korea's Kim Jong-un gets 'first official portrait' https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/301072145 BBC 
November 6 

Kim Jong-un has unveiled his first official portrait. The extremely large painting was displayed during a visit by Cuba's president. The portrait is hoped to lift the Kim Jong-Un's status  who has long been viewed as a successor rather than a leader in his own right. The portrait is a strong hint that the regime could be beginning to take steps to develop the Kim Jong-un personality cult.  The portrait looks very similar to portraits of the past, with Kim smiling, looking towards the left and wearing a western style suit and tie. Since taking power in 2011, Kim's image has gradually changed from and inexperienced successor to a strong leader. His string of international visits of largely contributed to this image change.
-Maddie A ]]> 2018-11-06 16:25:29 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/301072145 AI technology eyed to ease tourists’ stress etizzano01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/301129723 The Japan News 
November 5 

In Hiroshima, the government will be implementing an experiment using AI technology to help predict traffic jams and visitor congestion.  This project is supposed to help visitors have something to reference when planning their trip. A record high of about 4.56 million people visited the island in 2017 and this number is only expected to keep growing. Most people come to the island by car and the port Miyajimaguchi often has traffic jams. They hope this information will allow visitors to see estimated times of arrival using different transportation forms, and parking lot vacancies will be notified by sensors, when busy season is happening visitors will encouraged to take public transportation. On the island cameras will show how crowded certain areas are like the Itsukushima Shrine and then the AI technology will be able to predict what it is going to be like in 1-2 hours and share that information with tourists. They hope this will encourage visitors to see other parts of the island so that they are not wasting their time and it will cause their satisfaction with the trip to be increased. 
-Elizabeth Tizzano ]]> 2018-11-06 17:54:28 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/301129723 Hong Kong NGOs can apply for up to HK$60 million to transform vacant government sites, lawmaker says https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/301197548 South China Morning Post
November 6

In Hong Kong, the  Democratic Party’s Roy Kwong Chun-yu has disclosed information that the government will place a cap of US$7.7 million for each non-government organization to help revitalize initiatives to transform abandoned buildings and lots. The Department Bureau is discussing these caps as part of a total subsidy to make groups concerned with art, community recycling, the youth, and animal rights eligible to occupy and repair old government sites. The concern, however, is that this cap will only be enough to sponsor 17 projects completely, when there are 830 vacant sites in Hong Kong. Additionally, the monetary support may not be enough, since things like plumbing can cost tens of millions of dollars. The hope will be that the government will be flexible in "setting the cap on a case-by-case basis." I thought this article relates to our class because it offers an insight into social projects supported and encouraged by government in East Asia. Things like the arts and other cultural/social movements have been seen to gain their momentum (or suppression) in Japan, China, and Korea as each tried to find their place in the world of modernity. This action of the government to try to help with these projects also shows their willingness (or partially when we see the funding cap) to help their society and culture grow and maintain itself. I also found this article interesting because I am curious to see what will become of these abandoned government sites when they are given the repairs and transformation to sponsor new NGO projects. 
-Andrew Morales]]> 2018-11-06 19:44:21 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/301197548 U.S. and South Korea Resume Military Drills Ahead of Denuclearization Talks With North Korea https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/301259861 TIME
November 5

This week, the United States and South Korean militaries began carrying out joint military exercises again. This comes after a hiatus amidst sensitive denuclearization talks with North Korea. Exercises like the ones this Monday have not occurred since serious talks between Kim and Trump at the summit in June. The exercises include 500 soldiers, including U.U. Marines. The North Korean government has accused the U.S. of having "double- dealing attitudes" and refusing to remove military pressure as they ask North Korea to get rid of its nuclear arsenal. Experts are concerned that these developments will compromise talks between the U.S. government's Mike Pompeo's talks with North Korean officials. North Korea has threatened to restart its nuclear weapons program if the U.S. does not remove economic sanctions. Some might wonder whether the U.S. and South Korea have restarted these joint military exercises in attempt to increase pressure on North Korea or if they are beginning to loose confidence in the effectiveness of ongoing denuclearization talks among the three nations. 
-Megan Temple]]> 2018-11-06 22:19:36 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/301259861 U.S., North Korea Toughen Stance Ahead of Nuclear Talks https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/301287045 WSJ
November 6

The U.S. prepares to resume nuclear negotiations with North Korea, and both sides are hardening their positions. People are now saying that there is not hope for a compromise. North Korea wants the United States to reciprocate their demands. Last week, Pyongyang threatened to resume building up its nuclear forces if the U.S. doesn't remove sanctions or provide other ways to improve relations. The lack of progress in the talks worries not only United States Officials, but also North and South Korean diplomates. They are still talking about whether or not Kim Jong Un will keep his promise about denuclearization. Both sides are very eager to sit down for another meeting. They want to work things our and urge the two leaders to sit down again and hash things out. 
-Megan P.]]> 2018-11-07 00:39:52 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/301287045 New Taiwan performing arts center billed as largest in the world kshaffer011 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/301311716 NY Daily News 
Nov 5 

A complex consisting of four theaters has opened in Southern Taiwan and is being billed as the largest performing arts center in the world. The National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts houses a 1,981-seat concert hall, a 2,236-seat opera house, a play house and a recital hall under a single roof covering 8.2 acres. The opening season consists of a variety of performances including the opera "Paradise Interrupted" and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The center opened last month and took eight years to construct costing $350 million US dollars. It was built on the sight of  a former military barracks in Kaohsiung, a southern city of about 2.8 million people. The design by Dutch architecture firm Mecanoo reflects the port city's tropical location and maritime links. It includes an undulating white roof and a large public space with hoists and other cargo ship features.The concert hall hosts the biggest pipe organ in Asia with 9,085 pipes. The center also includes an outdoor amphitheater.
-Katie S. ]]> 2018-11-07 02:48:19 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/301311716 Pilot Pleads Guilty to Being Drunk at Heathrow Minutes Before Flight gsajewski01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/301319203 The New York Times 
November 2nd

In London, a group of pilots and co-pilots were headed to board a flight and had to take a bus to get there.  On the way over the bus driver noticed one of the co-piolits was acting a bit off and when he confronted him, " he could smell the alcohol on his breath."  So, after the police were called, Katsutoshi was detained to keep him away from the flight he was supposed to be catching.  The legal blood alcohol limit for poilits is 20mg per 100 ml, and he blew a whole 189 mg which was close to 10x over what he should have been at.  He told the authorities that he had five beers and two bottles of wine.  Katsutoshi pleaded guilty and is now awating trial.  The government will hopefully create stricter laws about flying and alcohol consumption.  This has been a reoccurring incident on a couple of different flights but nothing as severe as this case.  Not only does this make me worry about flying but for the airlines mentioned in the article, it is bad publicity.  I definitely won't choose to fly those airlines knowing that my potential pilot could be drinking and putting everyone aboard in danger. 

-Gwen Sajewski]]> 2018-11-07 03:35:24 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/301319203 No-fly zone, military-drill ban near Korea border take effect https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/301330313 Al Jazeera
Nov. 1

A no-fly zone and ban on all military drills near the border between North and South Korea took effect on Thursday. This demilitarization was part of the two nations' efforts to ease tensions between the two. The agreement to demilitarize this zone was part of a military accord signed at a summit in Pyongyang in October. The United States showed concern that this could leave South Korea vulnerable since progress on North Korea's denuclearization has been slow. Both North and South Korea have taken action to follow these accords, but since this article was written, the agreement has been broken. This story points to tensions that continue to be close to worked on but not quite successfully. I think it's interesting that nations other than North and South Korea continue to have influence in East Asia, just as the West has historically had strong influence in this region. While it remains largely autonomous, the views of the West are still considered relevant.
-Sara S.]]> 2018-11-07 04:46:59 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/301330313 S. Korea sends tangerines to North in return for mushrooms https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/303425021 Associated Press News
Nov 12
In September, North Korea sent 2 tons of pine mushrooms to South Korea, as a gesture of good will and diplomacy during the Korean summit. Pine mushrooms are considered to be a delicacy across Asia, and have been sent as good will gestures in the past (notably 2000 and 2007 after summit talks). Now, South Korea is returning the favor by sending 200 tons of tangerines. This comes at a time of diplomatic stalemate in regard to North Korea's nuclear armament and shows a desire on South Korea's end to keep a strong diplomatic relationship with North Korea that will lead to an eventual peace. The article also talks about other peace keeping efforts between the two Koreas, including Kim Jong Un's gift of rare North Korean dogs to President Moon Jae-in, to taking away armed guards in the DMZ and removing mines near the border. It is interesting to see the conscious effort of both North and South Korea to keep this relationship strong and how rapidly their relationship has changed even over the last year. It will also be interesting to see where their relationship goes in the future, especially considering the United States' hand in the Korean conflict. 

Lauren Gambino]]> 2018-11-12 18:57:49 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/303425021 Man arrested for stealing 868 pairs of women's shoes in northern Taiwan https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/303519988 Taiwan News
11/12/2018

Over the course of 5 years, a 42-year-old man from the northern Taiwanese town of Keelung stole 868 pairs of women's shoes from more than 33 victims. When he would see new shoes he liked outside his neighbor's apartments he would steal them to fulfill his fetish with women's footwear. He claimed it was "' purely for viewing purposes.'" His own family thought he was selling the shoes and never even questioned it. The 42-year-old man confessed to the crimes, and was then sent to the psychiatric ward of the Chang Sung Memorial Hospital where doctors came to the conclusion that he was not right in the head. He was sent to 6 months in prison and fined the equivalent of $5,800 USD. Honestly when you think someone is strange, there's always someone stranger. That is the case with this article.

Molly Donegan ]]> 2018-11-13 00:12:08 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/303519988 Japan PM faces backlash after trying to open doors to mass immigration for first time in country’s history https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/304458504 The Sun  
11/14/2018 

Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, is about to drastically change Japan's immigration policy. The PM admitted that the country will allow up to 340,000 foreign workers in the next five years into the country. He hopes that the influx of immigrants will offset Japan's disastrous decline in population. The population decline has been atributed to the Japanese having too few children. Also, unskilled and low-income jobs tend to be unappealing to well-educated people creating a job gap. However, this announcement has been met with a lot of criticism, specifically from conservatives. They fear that the rise in population will create a spike in crime and increase pressure on social security. This dramatic shift in immigration policy is set to be introduced next April. If it is passed in parliament, an amendment is said to set in place that will allow visas for foreign workers with "specified skills," however those skills have not been described.
-Maddie A]]> 2018-11-14 18:17:47 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/304458504 North Korea's Secret Missile Bases Are Fake News https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/304533946 Politico. Nov. 14.
On Monday, the New York Times reported that various satellite images revealing 16 hidden ballistic missile bases in North Korea. President Trump stated that he and his administration knew about these bases and that the article is another example of "fake news" but if it proves true, then the disarmament talks between the USA and North Korea could face new problems. Though Pyongyang has still not made promises to fully denuclearize without serious concessions from the USA, North Korea has continued to make improvements at most of their missile sites. Trump and his administration, in turn, has said there will be no relief from sanctions against North Korea until the country is fully denuclearized. Whether not the news about hidden missile bases is fake, the idea of ulterior motives behind North Korean disarmament is very present in the minds of many Americans.

- Sarah A.]]> 2018-11-14 20:18:42 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/304533946 Hong Kong democrats fail to regain veto power in crucial by-election https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/308048978 uk.reuters.com
November 26 

Pro-establishment candidate Chan Hoi-yan took control of the remaining seat in the Kowloon West constituency after winning in Hong Kong's by-election which was held on Sunday. This is a huge loss for the opposing democratic party which will now lose some of its veto power. The loss has been credited to the fact that another democrat, Fredrick Fung, who ran as an independent might have spilt the vote. The democrats are strongly supported by a public that is weary about China's encroaching control over Hong Kong, however they still were up against a far larger and better funded pro-Beijing camp. Also there were several moves by authorities to curb electoral freedoms. Pro-democracy activists in the past have been charged with nuisance charges while several other promising democracy activists were barred from various polls after being "deemed ideologically unsuitable for public office." 
-Maddie A ]]> 2018-11-26 22:12:32 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/308048978 China baby gene editing claim 'dubious' https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/308071986 November 26. BBC News.

Professor He of The Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen claimed to have edited the DNA of twin girls when they were embryos to make them immune to contracting HIV. His claims are not verified and have led to outrage in the scientific community. Gene editing is very controversial and strictly regulated in many countries, with most having laws that state gene editing cannot be used "in embryos for assisted reproduction in humans." Professor He claims that his work is designed to help prevent children from suffering from certain diseases, not create designer babies. Many organizations have denied any involvement with He, and the university he works at is opening an investigation. Many scientists came out against He, claiming what he did was unethical and risky. The long term effects of gene editing are still largely unknown.
-Sarah W.]]> 2018-11-27 00:12:22 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/308071986 Japan Is Giving Away Vacant Houses all Across the Country https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/308120455 Thrillist
November 26

The Japanese government is forming a program that will help fill about 8 million abandoned homes across the country. They are selling these houses for little to no cost, in the hopes of having Japanese move out into the country and out of the smaller apartment buildings in the urban areas. These concerns seem to be legitimate; the   Nomura Research Institute (NRI) states that "by 2033, Japan could be looking at 21.7 million abandoned homes -- nearly a third of all the homes in the country." The only detraction is the rumor or fear of hauntings due to the circumstances (natural disaster, violent deaths) that these many homes were abandoned. It seems then, especially among the younger Japanese generation still tending towards the metropolitan cities, that these homes will be hard to sell. This has a relation to our course because of the urban flight movements in the 20th century in Japan that is continuing. The urbanization of Japan is also reflected by this article. I found this article to be interesting, as there are just so many houses with no one living in them, yet people are seriously deterred to living in these homes. The countryside does not seem to have attractions for settling families in Japan.
-Andrew M. ]]> 2018-11-27 04:54:37 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/308120455 D&G: China shopping sites pull products in ad backlash gsajewski01 https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/308577786 BBC News 
November 23rd 2018 

The infamous Italian brand Dolce & Gabbana has been pulled from quite a few retail outlets because of their racist commercial. The video shows a Chinese model attempting to eat pizza and pasta with chopsticks which promoted stereotypes and in general is entirely uncalled for. Dolce and Gabbana were one of the most popular high-end fashion lines when people started to comment question their choices; they simply responded that their Instagram was hacked. They did that in response to hateful and racist comments supposedly written by one of the co-founders but low and behold that was not true... the fact that they were hacked and not that the comments weren't made by that source, which is just repulsive. In response again, they tried to salvage what was left of their image and put out a PSA about how sorry they were but in actuality all they did was, "confuse and showed the public that they didn't understand the Chinese people at all." Sadly, this isn't the first time the company has offended other groups of people either.  
- Gwen S.]]> 2018-11-27 23:21:50 UTC https://padlet.com/WoodpeckerOwl/69pwya4w9n0s/wish/308577786