SoraNews24 —Japan News—

Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.

Featured

Weird
Studio Ghibli
Jobs

Korea (Page 10)

Anti-Japanese protestors “execute” effigy of Prime Minister Abe with ISIS-style beheading 【Video】

Scott Wilson
Apr 3, 2015
Tweet

This is no April Fool’s joke: on April 1, a group of anti-Japanese protestors gathered outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul, Korea to rally against Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe addressing the U.S. Congress later this month.

Things started to get out of control when an effigy with Abe’s face was beheaded ISIS-style, and a Japanese imperial flag was sliced to pieces with a knife. The protest is being called “too extreme” even by those sympathetic to their cause.

Korea
(anti-Japan • beheading • Isis • politics • protest • Shinzo Abe)

South Korean media wants the world to know that “cherry blossoms originated there”

Master Blaster
Mar 30, 2015

It’s that time of year again, when the cold of winter fades away and gives birth to the beautiful pink and white hues of cherry blossoms contrasted against their trees’ elegant dark branches. It’s a season long identified with Japanese culture around the world.

However, news organizations in South Korea are declaring that this has gone on long enough and are calling for a concerted effort to let everyone know once and for all that cherry blossoms are theirs.

Japan, Korea
(cherry blossom • international relations • sakura • spring)

Lost in cultural translation: Korean man’s “get well soon” gift causes raised eyebrows

KK Miller
Mar 10, 2015

Being in the hospital for any period of time can be very dreary and lonesome. The bright lights and lack of color surrounding you can make the minutes to feel like hours, and there’s only so much you can do from your hospital bed before you start feeling a little stir-crazy. It’s enough to make you wonder if you’re destined to spend the rest of your days in that white, disinfectant-scented prison.

But a “get well soon” gift from a friend or relative always makes a hospital stay better. It shows that someone out there cares about your well-being and hopes you will be on your feet and home again in no time. Whether the gift is flowers or a teddy bear, anything will instantly improve your situation.

But how would you feel if you were gifted dog meat while laid up in hospital?

Korea
(attack • dog meat • get well • hospital • US Ambassador)

Forget cat cafes, there’s a cafe in South Korea where you can hang out with sheep!

Joan Coello
Feb 25, 2015

Japan is home to hundreds of animal cafes where guests are able to hang out with cats, rabbits, and even owls as they sip lattes and cups of herbal tea. These establishments give their patrons, often people who live in rented accommodation in urban areas, a chance to interact with animals that they would not be able to keep at home due to a lack of space or strict “no pets” clauses in tenancy agreements.

In Korea, however, one particular cafe has upscaled the experience with something much bigger and fluffier than the common bunny, cat or pup. Check out this unique cafe which houses a pair of beautiful, friendly sheep!

Korea
(animals • cafe • cute • Seoul • sheep)

When K-pop clashes with Sci-fi, singing about PMS suddenly becomes a trendy thing【Video】

Joan Coello
Feb 23, 2015

PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) is something many women and men are familiar with. Women bear the brunt of it on a monthly basis, while some men are indirect victims due to the mood swings of the “PMS-ing” females around them.

I doubt anyone would disagree that PMS is in no way enjoyable, but for once, the monstrosity that messes up our lives on a regular basis is starting to look interesting as Korean pop idol Lizzy teams up with comedian Park Myeong-Su to sing about it. Check out the music video after the break!

Korea
(cute • K-pop • music video • PMS • women)

An early version of Samsung’s next Galaxy phone might have just leaked

BUSINESS INSIDER
Jan 30, 2015

We’ve been hearing for months that Samsung may be designing the Galaxy S6 “from scratch,” but now we might have a better idea of what that actually means. Blog Phone Arena published a photo that reportedly shows an early prototype of the Galaxy S6.

Global, Korea
(Galaxy • Galaxy S6 • phones • Samsung • Smartphones • tech)

We try beer with whipped cream on top…because we’re fancy

Master Blaster
Jan 25, 2015

It’s been said that younger generations of drinkers in Japan just aren’t that into beer anymore. With them opting instead for cheaper and sweeter cocktails, good old ale (or ale-flavored stuff) is gradually being pushed aside.

However, our intrepid reporter Meg has found a way to reinvent beer to younger folks appealing to their sweet-tooths. It comes from South Korea where it’s called “Saengkeulim Maegju” or “Cream Beer” and is basically beer with some whipped cream on top. It’s so easy you can make it at home…so we did!

Japan, Korea
(beer • food • taste test • whipped cream)

Funny Dachshunds and gyoza dresses – Korean retailer’s unique item names tickle our funny bone

Joan Coello
Jan 23, 2015

I love shopping online; nothing beats shopping at a mega sale sans the crazy crowds and long queues. In fact, I’ve gotten so accustomed to shopping for clothes, accessories, appliances and even manga online, these days when I step into an actual store I feel kind of lost and confused.

Having purchased from various online retailers based across the globe, I think I’ve had my fair share of browsing through all sorts of web stores, yet none of them managed to crack me up like this Korean online shop I stumbled upon a couple of days ago. Think along the lines of kidney bean shoes and dresses with gyoza necklines. Sounds ridiculous, but it’ll all make sense when you see the pictures after the break!

Internet, Korea
(business • fashion • funny • online shopping)

Sailor Soldiers assemble! Pullip’s line of Sailor Guardian dolls is now complete

Kay
Jan 23, 2015

Okay, we know there are plenty of Sailor Moon goods out there, but for those of you who can’t get enough of the pretty soldiers, we have some more moon prism power studded goodies to share with you! This time, they’re additions to the line of precious looking Sailor Moon Pullip dolls that we’ve previously introduced, and we think the dolls may captivate you with their charm even if you’re not a Sailor Moon fan!

Japan, Korea
(Cheonsang cheonha • doll • Pullip • Sailor Moon)

Playing ‘League of Legends’ is way harder with your cat around【Video】

Fran W
Jan 13, 2015

Three things about cats that everyone knows: they are super cute, incredibly contrary, and love to play League of Legends.

Er… Nope, we didn’t know about that last one either! But as this video of a kitty in South Korea fighting with his owner for screen time shows us, there may be (adorable) downsides to cat ownership we’d never even considered. It turns out, some cats love touchscreen games as much as humans do!

Korea
(cat • cute • gaming • league of legends • video)

Intense photos of South Korean Special Forces training in the snow

BUSINESS INSIDER
Jan 9, 2015

About 200 South Korean Special Forces are taking part in ten days of grueling winter weather combat training.

With a constant threat from North Korea, South Korea’s Army Special Warfare Command (SWC) is responsible for special operations in the country. SWC soldiers frequently work closely with US Green Berets and their modus operandi include guerrilla warfare, assassinations, and counter-terrorism.

Every year, members of the SWC must participate in winter warfare training in the mountains of Pyeongchang, east of Seoul. Conditions in Pyeongchang generally include temperatures as low as negative 22 degrees Fahrenheit and deep snow.

Korea
(snow • Special Forces • training)

Tony Stark will have a see-through Samsung phone in ‘The Avengers’ sequel

BUSINESS INSIDER
Jan 8, 2015

Earth’s mightiest heroes will rely on a bunch of Samsung gear in “The Avengers: Age of Ultron” this summer.

Samsung is showing off a bunch tech developed for the sequel at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) currently taking place in Las Vegas.

CNET’s Shara Tibken snapped a few shots of the devices ranging from a see-through phone for Tony Stark to smartwatches that will be worn by the Avengers team.

Global, Korea
(Iron Man • Samsung • smartphone • Tony Stark)

Scandal as hospital staff take selfies, play games & hold parties while patients lie unconscious

Oona McGee
Jan 6, 2015

If you’ve been reading up on our international medical news recently, you may have stumbled upon the shocking story of staff posing for photos during surgery on a patient at a hospital in China. While the news was disturbing to say the least, it seems they’re not the only ones fooling around in the operating room, with a new set of images from a clinic in South Korea showing medical staff enjoying birthday cake, games and unabashed selfies, even with the patient lying unconscious in the medical chair.

Korea
(clinics • plastic surgery • South Korea)

See what it’s like to use a computer in North Korea

BUSINESS INSIDER
Jan 3, 2015

When former Google employee Will Scott had the chance to visit the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, he also purchased a copy of North Korea’s “Red Star 3” operating system before returning to America.

Little was publically known about Red Star 3.

North Korea used to use Windows, but it has since created Red Star 3, which is designed to look a lot like Apple’s Mac OS X operating system.

From stunning and picturesque wallpapers to removing South Korea from the available time zones, here’s what it’s like to use a computer in North Korea.

Korea
(computer • North Korea • operating system • Red Star 3)

Samsung claims rival LG exec purposely broke its washing machine display model in Germany

Casey Baseel
Dec 24, 2014

A trait of good business leaders is that however high they rise in the company, they never overlook the organization’s frontline operations. It’s important, even for presidents and CEOs, to understand how low-level employees go about their tasks and the manner in which products are purchased and used.

According to accusations from Korean electronics maker Samsung, though, a senior executive from rival LG Electronics got a little too zealous in his point-of-sale activities when he stopped by a retailer and broke one of Samsung’s display models.

Korea
(business • crime • electronics • LG • Samsung • weird)

Hand-stitched cards are leading the trend in Korea this Christmas

Joan Coello
Dec 23, 2014

What comes to your mind at the mention of a handmade card? Something drawn, painted, or put together with some form of paper craft? The latest trend for handmade cards in Korea incorporates an entirely different kind of handicraft to create personalised designs – sewing! Check out these stitch message cards!

Korea
(cards • Christmas • greetings • handicraft • handmade • sewing)

Korean Air chairman admits he failed to raise his ‘nut-rage’ daughter properly

BUSINESS INSIDER
Dec 13, 2014

On Friday, Korean Air and Hanjin Group chairman Cho Yang-ho bowed apologetically and blamed himself for the outlandish behavior of his eldest daughter and former airline executive Heather Cho.

The younger Cho landed in hot water last week after she ordered a flight she was on to return to its gate at New York’s JFK International Airport. Why? To kick off the head flight attendant due to unhappiness over how she was served macadamia nuts.

Korea
(apology • Korean Air • nuts)

Here’s how the CEO of Sony tweaked ‘The Interview’ after North Korea threatened war

BUSINESS INSIDER
Dec 11, 2014

Sony’s film studio, Sony Pictures, was hit by a massive hack that resulted in the leaking online of a huge trove of documents from the company.

Re/code reports that one of the files posted online was the email archive of Amy Pascal, the company’s co-chairman. Her inbox contained emails sent by Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai in which he instructs Sony Pictures staff to make an important change to the ending of coming comedy “The Interview.”

Internet, Korea, USA
(Kim Jong-un • North Korea • Seth Rogan • The Interview)

South Korean ferry disaster: Rescue ship was fitted with salmon-fishing sonar

Fran W
Dec 11, 2014

Criticism of South Korean naval authorities has intensified as it is revealed that the country’s only salvage and rescue ship was equipped with a fish-finding sonar instead of military-grade equipment.

ATS-II Tongyeong, a naval rescue vessel, was completed in 2012 at a cost of 159 billion won (US $150.7 million). But when the Sewol ferry sank on April 16 this year, Tongyeong was back in the construction yard, unable to be deployed to the rescue mission.

Now, defence suppliers face allegations that in the weeks following the ferry disaster, they knowingly attached a commercial sonar only suitable for salmon-fishing to Tongyeong, and tried to pass it off to the navy.

Korea
(corruption • military • Sewol ferry disaster • South Korea)

Korean Air vice president throws fit over getting nuts in a bag, orders plane back to gate

Casey Baseel
Dec 9, 2014

While I don’t think of myself as the world’s most patient person, I generally don’t get too riled up about air travel. Part of that is thanks to my strategy of getting to the airport early enough to enjoy enough beer that I’m sleepy and relaxed, yet not so much that I’m surly and combative. Mainly, though, it’s because living in Japan and having family in the U.S. means I’ve been on plenty of long flights, and after a while you learn to roll with the punches of a few inconveniences along the way.

So you’d think someone with even more experience flying, like, say, the vice president of Korean Air, who is also the daughter of its owner, would be even more serene when taking a plane from point A to point B. Maybe she ordinarily is, but that certainly wasn’t the case last week, when Cho Hyun-ah went nuts over a bag of nuts.