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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Cat from Putin to Akita gov. quarantined at Narita: President of Russia Vladmir Putin, when he’s not practicing sketchy politics, has been exchanging gifts with various Japanese political figures. This year, he exchanged judo uniforms with the prime minister of Japan and received an akita from the governor of the eponymous region. Now, Putin is returning the favor to the governor with a cat which, unfortunately has to be quarantined until it’s deemed to be safe. There’s a Pussy Riot joke in here somewhere, I just know it! [via News On Japan][/threecol_two] [threecol_one_last]Japanese man shows off world’s tallest Mohawk hairstyle: Even though I’m not really a fan of Guinness’s dark, almost syrupy beer, I have a soft spot for its Book of World Records. Carnival sideshows are largely a thing of the past, but Guinness still provides a glimpse into some of the wackiest things imaginable, like this Japanese guy with a mohawk that’s almost four feet tall. Sure, he can’t walk around indoors, but that’s a price worth paying. [via News On Japan]
Japanese Whiskeys, Translated From the Scottish: When I think about it, Scotland exports a hell of a lot more culture than I would give it credit for. I mean, it’s given the world whisk(e)y, golf, and even Sean Connery, a man who hasn’t aged in 30 years. Must be some Highlander thing. [via Reddit][/threecol_one_last]
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[threecol_one]In China, anti-Japan protests over disputed islands get some zing: People in China have been holding anti-Japan protests for weeks now over disputed territory in the Sea of Japan, but the same ol’ methods of protesting, like burning flags and flipping cars, just aren’t doing it anymore. Now protestors are getting more creative with their protests by illegally downloading Japanese porn in an effort to deprive smut peddlers of profits. Evidently, I’ve been protesting Japan for while and haven’t even known it. Go figure.
Japan Centenarian Population Tops 50,000: Spoilers, guys: Japan is getting old; real old. Japan’s aging population is by no means a secret, but it’s astounding that its centenarians – people 100 years old or older – now number over 50,000. And with women comprising 87% of those centenarians, that makes for a lot of baachans.[/threecol_one] [threecol_two_last]
Tsunami “Miracle Pine” Destroyed to be Preserved: When the 3/11 tsunami wiped away a forest of 70,000 trees, people were astonished to see that one “Miracle Pine” still standing. Now, the pine is ironically being destroyed so it can be better preserved; the tree will be cut down in segments, then treated and reassembled so that it might stand stronger than ever. [via Japan Realtime, News On Japan][/threecol_two_last]
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