JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Why Did Japan Alone Keep Two Layers of Kanji Readings?
Languages can be stubborn things. You can see this clearly in Japanese, where multiple layers of kanji pronunciation exist to this day.
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JAPANESE LANGUAGE
WOMEN
The K-Pop Fashion Trend Protecting Japanese Women from Upskirt Photography
Japan's latest festival wear isn't just cool and comfortable: some women say it's the perfect protection from perverts.
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Why Does Japan Have So Many Last Names Compared to China and Korea?
Why does Japan have hundreds of thousands of surnames while China and Korea rely on a handful? The answer lies in a…
LIVING IN JAPAN
“Katakana Hell”: The Culture Shocks Japan’s Asian Immigrants Actually Face
What surprises Asian immigrants in Japan? From corporate jargon to the country's famously indirect "no," there's a lot to navigate.
WOMEN
In Japan, Sanitary Pads Are Getting Pricier. In Korea, They’re Going Free
A viral post blamed Japan's first female prime minister for higher pad costs, highlighting a highly controversial political topic.
INSIDER
How “Cool Japan” Ruined Japan’s Cool
Japan could have won big by embracing "Otaku Japan." Instead, it tried to redefine a cool it already had. Here's how it…
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Kanji Forever? Why Japan Still Uses Chinese Characters, But Korea Mostly Doesn’t
Japan spent a century trying to abolish kanji, from an 1866 petition to the shogun to a postwar novelist who wanted Japan…
LAW & CRIME
GPS Trackers on Stalkers? Japan’s Ruling Party Pushes Solution to Rising Problem
Japan may soon fit stalkers with GPS ankle monitoring devices that would alert their victims when the offender draws near.