Every Sunday we gather the week’s weird and interesting Japanese news and present it to you in our Sunday News column. It might not always be hard-hitting news, but we hope that it still informs and entertains you. Enjoy!
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Young Japanese men’s trend: Trying to look pretty: Young, urban men in Japan have been upping their game lately, paying more attention to their looks than ever before. Known as ikemen (イケめん), or “good-looking man”, these dudes have no qualms with undertaking traditionally very feminine beauty procedures, like pedicures and manicures. For once, maybe the US might actually be ahead of Japan. After all, we went through Queer Eye For The Straight Guy and “metrosexuality” craze years ago. There’s hope yet! [via News On Japan, Reddit][/threecol_two] [threecol_one_last]Narcotic designation decided for 4 drugs: Drugs are weird. Modern chemistry and botany are so sophisticated that there’s almost unlimited potential for the number of sensory-stimulating drugs people can create; and the law, always a step or two behind, has to do its best to keep up. Japanese law has done just that, and outlawed four new drugs. All I really request is that the cannibalism-inducing bath salts is outlawed. [via News On Japan]
Photos: Tourists Visit Japanese Dock on Oregon Beach: After visiting my mom last weekend, I was confused about her plans to go to the Oregon coast to visit what is largely a giant piece of garbage. Now I don’t know whether to feel better or worse that people from all over the state have been heading to the coast to see, take pictures in front of and, in some cases, climb all over Japanese tsunami debris. I gotta say, not my dream vacation.[/threecol_one_last]
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Smokers Find New Haven in Japan, But for a Price: Governments around the world have been cracking down on smoking ever since the whole “cancer” thing was discovered; but Japan’s enormous population refuse to go quietly into that smoke-free night. A new business called Ippuku is opening up in Japan, charging for the privilege to take your smoke break indoors. Will it take off? If I know how much Japanese people love to be surrounded by delicious, carcinogenic smoke, I’d say yes.
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She’s Winner! Hatsune Miku’s Chrome ad wins at Cannes: Last year’s Google Chrome commercial featuring the ever-popular Hatsune Miku has earned itself recognition at the esteemed Cannes awards. An impressive accomplishment for a fictional vocaloid character!
Putin And Japan: This week was chock-full of Japanese news about Russia’s favorite hardline president, Vladmir Putin. Not only did fellow judo practitioners and heads of state Putin and Japanese prime minster Yoshihiko Noda exchange judo uniforms, but the governor of Akita offered the Russian President and noted dog lover one of the region’s famous dogs. Good news all around lovers of charismatic, slightly authoritarian leaders! [both via News On Japan][/threecol_one] [threecol_two_last]
Japan’s NICT develops futuristic ‘Daedalus’ cyber-attack alert system: The crazy kind of computer interfaces envisioned in science fiction books and movies like Minority Report are closer to reality each day. This new system, named after the mythological Greek inventor, displays attack information on computer networks with giant, floating globes. It’s the kind of thing you have to see to experience. In my heart though, there will only ever be one true Daedelus, and he is an electronic musician who dresses like a dandy. [via The Verge][/threecol_two_last]
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