JONAR COWAN WRITES — It has been little longer than a year since the start of the pandemic and the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter. As vaccines are given out, the world seems to be slowly returning to normal, especially for moviegoers. Movie theatres are…
VALERIA GURROLA WRITES — April 30th, 2021, marks US President Biden’s first one hundred days since taking office in January at the height of the Coronavirus pandemic in the United States. He has wasted no time setting the tone for the future of North Korean relations. North Korea must denuclearize—or…
JONAR COWAN WRITES — In Japan, with the pandemic at hand, many businesses are slowing down and closing down. And as more family-owned businesses and restaurants are closing down, one form of entertainment is doubly impacted: Arcade centers like Sega, which has to sell around 85 percent of their arcade business…
GREGORY BENNETT WRITES – By now, we are all accustomed to watching sporting events with cardboard cutouts of faces in the stands and the sounds of exciting, virtual crowds blasting from stadium speakers. But is it really as exciting as an in-person experience? Will these teams be able to support…
Asia Media International podcast on Chinese Feminism Podcast Transcript: Cristina Pedler: Hello, and welcome to Asia Media International podcast. I’m your host, Cristina Pedler. Thank you for joining us. In today’s episode, we are going to dive into the world of #MeToo in China. I’ll discuss how internet censorship hasn’t…
JAMES HANSON WRITES — How important is your surname to you? Mari Inoue and Kotaro Usui, a Tokyo couple, were denied a marriage certificate during the pandemic because Mari Inoue wanted to keep her legal surname. Article 750 of Japan’s Civil Code requires that married couples adopt the same surname. In…
ALEX DASHWOOD WRITES — Students from China who have received degrees in higher education overseas—a phenomenon that was promoted as being a leg-up in the job market in China—are currently facing employment struggles in their home country. These graduates are known as “sea turtles,” and are “Chinese people who have…
YOLANDA NOSAKHARE WRITES — Imagine your favorite “Star Wars” film mating with the “Wizard of Oz” in the year 2092- quite an interesting concept, right? Director Jo Sung-Hee seamlessly accomplishes this with his new sci-fi-thriller “Space Sweepers.” While the Korean film came out February 5th of this year, it is…
HEATHER CREAMER WRITES — It’s a short 25-minute train ride from Central Station in Hong Kong to Quarry Bay, a tightly packed neighborhood on the Eastern side of Hong Kong. The number of commercial buildings in this district has increased exponentially over the past two decades, and more buildings go…
AUDIE LAYARDA WRITES — In December 2020, word of forced labor, among other atrocities, in Xinjiang, China, surfaced. While forced labor in China isn’t new, the fact that the Xinjiang region supplies 20% of the world’s cotton pressured powerful figures to make statements. Amid allegations of torture and rape, the…
SKYLER GALLARZAN WRITES — Last week, I had sent a text to my grandma and grandpa: “Hi Mama and Papa, I am sure you have been seeing the attacks that have been happening to Asian Americans in the news lately, especially older citizens. I just wanted to let you know…
TOM PLATE WRITES — It is still true, even in this speed-freak era of AI and machine-learning, that international diplomacy needs governments to station quality representatives in foreign capitals, and for international organisations to listen and learn, soak up the ineffable atmosphere, and interact with real people, especially those with “issues”,…
SKYLER GALLARZAN WRITES — On April 14, 2021, the United States Senate voted on a bill that would speed up the review of reported attacks related to COVID-19, establish new methods in reporting these incidents and keep citizens safe. The bill’s name? The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. A report conducted…
MELANIE MARGARYAN WRITES — Armenians have always rooted for their country and their people. Through several wars and devastating natural disasters, they have joined together with a passionate sense of national pride. This year, they have yet another reason to be proud. The Armenian national soccer team, currently in the…
On 16 April 2021, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng spoke with Ken Teizo Moritsugu of the Associated Press (AP) at an exclusive interview. The following is a transcript of the interview: Ken Teizo Moritsugu: First of all, thank you very much for taking the time to be with me…
ANDREW DAHI WRITES — Imagine quarantining in the middle of a civil war for an entire year. Never leaving your house or having outside human interaction. Your wife, who is healthier and a good 10 years younger, goes out for necessities, giving you no good reason to leave the house. Still,…
