Japan in the News 2

by About Japan Editors The following human-interest articles have been carefully selected from English versions of prominent Japanese newspapers for their use in the K-12 classroom.   They can be used in a variety of ways: to introduce current events in Japan or as a basis for comparison with the United States.  For each article, we've included a brief description and/or relevant excerpt.

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Film on double-hibakusha set for July release (Japan Times)
January 20, 2011 - "a film about the life of the world's only recorded survivor of both atomic bombings, Tsutomu Yamaguchi (1916-2010) is in the works. Yamaguchi lived to a ripe old age, though he and his family both suffered from the aftereffects of radiation."

Territorial dispute between Japan and Russia continues (Japan Times)
January 18, 2011 - "no end in sight for controversy over ownership of the Russian-held islands which changed hands with the USSR's victory in WWII."

Purportedly dead Japanese abductee may yet live (Japan Times)
January 20, 2011 - "abductions of Japanese nationals by North Koreans have proven a contentious issue in Japanese politics"

Teens abandon PCs for cell phones to access internet (Asahi)
January 19, 2011 - "teens have all but ceased using computers to browse the internet, opting instead to access from their cell phones." Will US youth follow this trend? Is constant exposure to the internet a good thing?

Job offers to graduates-to-be at record low (Japan Times)
January 19, 2011 - "Japan's economic woes increase, with fewer college graduates able to secure employment. Will the US follow a similar path? How can conditions be improve?"

Leading in 3-d TV, Breaking Japan's Glass Ceiling (New York Times)
January 17, 2011 - "Toshiba researched Rieko Fukushima is helping pioneer new entertainment technologies, challenging entrenched stereotypes all the while"

Tiger Mask Phenomenon Continues (CNN)
January 11, 2011 - "a huge number of anonymous donations have poured into welfare centers across Japan since Christmas, all signed as being from the secret identity of old superhero Tiger Mask. What prompted so many to donate anonymously?"

Shell fossils lead to discovery of oldest species of 'pupillidae' snails ever (Mainichi Shimbun)
January 20, 2011 - "The fossils were discovered in Ishikawa Prefecture, and could make for a great segue into a lesson on archaeology."

Keio University to stop using standardized entrance exam (Daily Yomiuri)
January 17, 2011 - "Keio is to stop using the National Center Test and find its own way to screen prospective students. Standardized testing is the prime determinant of university entrance in Japan - what factors gave rise to such a system? How is it different from the US'? What are the relative merits and disadvantages?"