Category: News (1-6 of 6)

Regulating the Japanese cyberspace, one step at a time
Thursday, December 27, 2007
With little fanfare from local or foreign media, the Japanese government made significant moves this month toward legislating extensive regulation over web content, mobile phone access, and file sharing. (continue reading)
Voices of the Precariat: MayDay for Freedom and Lives
Thursday, May 3, 2007
On April 30th, the group of people referred to as the "precariat" -- freeters, part-timers, day workers, homeless, people forced into lives with neither security nor stability -- participated in "MayDay for Freedom and Lives" held in Shinjuku, Tokyo. (continue reading)
Accenture, JAPAN-VISIT, and the mystery of the 100,000 yen bid
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Just under one year ago, revelations emerged that a contract for a new biometric immigration system had been awarded by the Japanese government to Accenture Japan Ltd., a corporation previously hired in the role of "advisor" for the same project, at a price of only 100,000 yen (less than 900 USD). Key documentation related to the mystery of this "low-price bid" has been translated and summarized here. (continue reading)
Japanese personal savings fund development loan program
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
In their Spring/Summer catalogue, People Tree Japan featured an article, translated and summarized here, on research by environmental activist Tanaka Yu exposing the web of connections by which money from private citizens' savings accounts is used by Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) Program to finance yen-denominated loans for third-world countries. (continue reading)
Peace march in Tokyo against occupation in Iraq
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Protest marches in Tokyo and across Japan on March 21st marked 4 years since the outbreak of war in Iraq. (continue reading)
Schools across Japan may switch to Linux
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported late last week that the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry plans to introduce the open-source operating system Linux for use within classrooms across the country in the near future. (continue reading)