Japanese

The Japanese Shinkansen was the fastest train in the world until China defeated it. The reason: the “piston effect”

by

In a very summary way, the piston in a four stroke engine It is responsible for moving the air inside to compress it and facilitate the burning or explosion of the fuel or to push it out of the combustion chamber. That is, it is dedicated to pushing the air up or down. Now imagine a train arriving in a tunnel at more than 300 km/h. Suddenly, the train goes from being outside to moving the air inside the tunnel. To push it to the bottom. Your movement It would be very similar to that of a piston. The train moves in a straight line and around it the tunnel would behave like a combustion chamber. That doesn’t seem like a problem. It doesn’t seem like it if we think that the air is simply pushed to the outlet where it is released without further problem. It’s also not a problem if your high-speed lines run over a bridge more than 100 kilometers long. But if you are a mountainous country and you have made the railway your star medium to move millions of people hundreds of kilometers an hour. Yes, you have a problem. Because the piston effect is pure physics and solving it to gain speed is not being easy. When they were the best In 1964, while Spain began to open up to the world, Abebe Bikila won his second Olympic Marathon in the streets of Tokyo. He did it wearing Puma Osaka shoes.nothing to do with the famous 42,195 meters that he covered barefoot in Rome to win four years before. We do not know if Bikila took that first Shinkansen that linked the cities Tokyo and, precisely, Osaka. The bullet train had begun to operate in Japan that same year, promoted by the Olympic Games in the Japanese capital. Then, the two cities were linked by a train that reached peaks of 210km/hbecoming the first high-speed line in the world. More than 60 years later, Japan is no longer the country with the highest number of high-speed kilometers of the world. Today it is China. It makes sense, taking into account that the country is huge, so if this means of transportation were promoted, sooner or later they would surpass their neighbors. Spain, by the way, also surpassed Japan in this area years ago. But it is very likely that something else has hurt Japan more. China is making the bullet train its flag. Its latest advances with the maglev, which levitates thanks to very powerful magnets to avoid friction with the track, has reached a combined speed of 896 km/h at the intersection of two CR450 trains. The problem for Japan is that China has a lot of money. And if it is necessary to build eight of the 10 longest bridges in the world to solve geographical accidents, they get to work. Japan has to deal with a lot of mountains and a more traditional system: tunnels. And that when you want to make a train pass at very high speed is quite a problem. When a train fully crosses the threshold of a tunnel, what is known as piston effecta problem that prevents increasing the walking speed further. The consequences are as simple as they are serious: loud explosions, breakage of equipment… and the eardrums of passengers. Upon entering the tunnel, the air is compressed and the movement of the train moves it towards the exit. However, some of that air rebounds and generates pressure changes that can be especially painful for passengers, even affecting their middle ear. When moving outside, a pressure wave is created that moves at the speed of sound and when the train leaves the tunnel, a shock wave and a sound explosion are created that, it is calculated, can be heard 400 meters away. It is known as tunnel boom. Japan is now experiencing a problem carried over from the past. Their trains are wider than the European ones but their tunnels are narrower. This was to reduce infrastructure costs but also to run less risk of landslides in the event of an earthquake. At first this was not a problem but when the speed of the trains increased they realized that they could not continue moving. In China, trains also use wide tracks like their neighbors but since they do not preserve inherited structuresthe new tunnels built are wider. This reduces the void effect produced with the entry of the train into the tunnel and, therefore, mitigates the problems for passengers. Furthermore, as less resistance is generated when the train passes, energy expenditure is also reduced. The solution for the Japanese is not simple. On the Tokaido Shinkansen, the first high-speed line (the one that connects Tokyo with Osaka), 13% of total kilometers They run inside tunnels. But the Sanyo Shinkansen line runs through tunnels half of the time. and he Hokkaido Shinkansen which is under construction (this line is only partially open) contemplates the roofing of 80% of the layout. The most effective solution that has been found to the problem is to produce trains with a very long and sharp nose. The aerodynamics tries to imitate the beak of the Kingfisher that can dive into the water generating minimal splashes. Following the same concept, the longer and sharper the nose of the train, the less resistance the train encounters at the entrance and the more gradually the pressure wave is generated. The other solution has been expand the section of the tunnel at its entrance. The “door” is wider and also has side openings that allow part of the air to escape. air moved by the train. This escape route generates a lower pressure wave, allowing the train not to cause unwanted discomfort to passengers and to travel faster. It has even been thought of hermetic trains with controlled pressure. During its tests, Japan continues to search for trains that can reach a top speed of 400 km/h. However, the structures inherited from … Read more

A Japanese city has had enough of its neighbors spending the day on their cell phones. So he has set a limit: two hours

by

“When you get on a train in Japan, most passengers are looking at their phones. They don’t do anything else.” Speaks Masafumi Kouiki, mayor Toyoake (Japan) and probably the country’s most recognizable face in the fight against addiction to smartphonesthe sleep hygiene and life away from the screens. The reason is very simple: despite the suspicion on the part of his neighbors, Kouiki has promoted an ordinance that limits the use of cell phones and tablets to two hours a day. The measure was launched October 1 and for now it has served one of the objectives that Kouiki pursued: to move consciences and generate debate. What has happened? That October has arrived with a curious legislative novelty in Toyoakea city of almost 70,000 inhabitants in Aichi Prefecture that in practice functions as a dormitory city for Nagoya. On Wednesday the 1st, a new rule came into force that restricts the time that your neighbors can spend in front of a screen for recreational reasons: maximum two hours. 120 minutes. Not one more. The measure was announced months ago, in Augustwhen it was still a proposal, and despite the huge stir that it generated has managed to move forward: in September it received the endorsement of the municipal assembly with 12 votes in favor and seven against. What does the standard say exactly? Roughly speaking, the ordinance, 2,400 charactersestablishes a limit on the recreational use of smartphones, tablets, consoles and computers. The rule applies to Toyoake residents and sets that limit at two hours a day, not counting time spent studying or working. There is an important nuance, of course: although it is an ordinance endorsed by the municipal assembly, in reality what it offers is a guidelinenot a mandatory rule. No one will check whether the residents of Toyoake conform to that standard or not. No sanctions are foreseen either. This is just a recommendation. Is it wet paper then? At all. To begin with, because Japanese culture exerts strong social pressure to follow official guidelines. Beyond its real impact, the rule has also served to open the debate on the excessive use of screens and its influence on aspects such as sleep. In fact, the same ordinance advises that younger children stop using their devices at 9:00 p.m. and those in secondary school and those under 18 should not drive them after 10:00 p.m. The objective: guarantee your correct rest. That’s all? No. On October 1, coinciding with the entry into force of the rule, the Toyoake Government sent emails to young people and parents in the city to insist on the same message. Primary and secondary school students were in fact urged to “take care of their rest and health hours” and agree with their families how much time they would dedicate to their devices. “The main objective of the ordinance is to guarantee sufficient hours of sleep,” underlines the organism. The City Council has also carried out a survey among 250 residents registered in its monitoring system and wants to find out the real scope of the guideline: whether the use of smartphones during free time, the duration of sleep or the hours of family conversation changes. TO beginning of next yearIn fact, the authorities want to do a new survey among their students. Why have they done it? To change habits. “It’s very sad to end the day looking at your phone all the time at home,” explained a few days ago Kouki a The New York Times. “I hope citizens change their behavior.” Rather than strictly limiting the recreational use of screens to 120 minutes a day, its purpose is to invite “reflection and debate” and make people think about how much time they spend on screens and until what time they do it. In 2024, a state study revealed that, on average, younger Japanese (those in primary or secondary school) invest about five hours up to date on their mobile phones. And not only that. More than 80% of Japanese people between 15 and 24 years old consider themselves “dependent” on smartphones and 14% already show symptoms of addiction. How have people responded? Depends. Not everyone has reacted equally well to Kouki’s attempts to restrict screen use. Although it is not a mandatory rule nor are there fines for breaking it, there are those who believe that the mere existence of the ordinance means an intrusion in the lives of the people of Toyoake.”In one sentence: it’s none of your business”, claims Mariko Fujie, one of the local politicians who voted against. In his opinion, there is no “scientific evidence” to support a norm that, he warns, also does not take into account the perspective of young people. “Many of my supporters find it condescending. This ordinance is complete nonsense.” Is Toyoake a unique case? Yes. And no. The Town Hall assures that theirs is the first standard of its kind in Japan. This is also presented by media such as The Japan Times either The Mainichiwhich have highlighted its pioneering nature. Whether or not this is the case, the truth is that it is not the first attempt by a Japanese public institution to put limits on the use of screens among the population. Especially among young people. A few years ago Kagawa promoted another ordinance that aimed to restrict young people’s access to video games. Their objective: that minors do not dedicate themselves to them more than one hour daily during the week, a margin that the authorities were willing to extend to 90 minutes on holidays. In Yamato, another town, they also prohibited use mobile to pedestrians while they walk. Images | Yifei Wong (Unsplash) and Launde Morel (Unsplash) In Xataka | In Europe we have a problem: we are becoming the Japan of the 21st century

Bill Gates had a tendency to procrastination until he found an infallible remedy: Japanese companies

by

Bill Gates is not only famous for his work at the head of Microsoft, but for its enormous commitment and Requirement in the workplace. This demand reached such extremes that he was even able to Memorize cars registration that they had parked in front of the Microsoft headquarters to know which employees were still in the office and those who had gone home. However, the founding millionaire was not always so diligent with his tasks and, as confessed in his latest autobiographical book ‘Code Source: My beginnings’I had the bad habit of hurry the time to study just before the exam. However, over time, and some help from the Japanese, he learned that postponing the tasks was not viable if he wanted to take Microsoft to fruition. Gates’s youth in Harvard Bill Gates reported in his book how his university years in Harvard were marked by the habit of skipping classes and postponing any academic responsibility. His strategy was to study thoroughly only a few hours before exams, a dynamic that he shared with Steve Ballmer, his partner in Harvard and Microsoft command successor years later. “Steve and I paid very little to our classes, and then” we “furiously” Magnate in his book. Both felt comfortable challenging the limits and seeking to approve with the lowest possible effort investment. Gates came to recognize that they faced each exam as an experiment to check how far the good results could go with the minimum effort. This habit of delaying the tasks did not stay at the university, and soon moved to its professional beginnings after the Microsoft foundation. In his 1996 book, “Way to the future“Gates publicly admitted that That bad habit to postpone the tasks until the last moment became a real problem when the company grows. With his attitude, the millionaire not only slowed his work, but also had an impact on Productivity and motivation of the rest of your team. Delaying decisions began to directly affect the morals, mood and results of those who worked with him. “After Paúl Allen and I founded Microsoft, I discovered that developing the habit of delaying things had not been the best preparation to direct a company,” Gates said in his book. Gates himself estimated that he needed “a couple of years” to overcome what he called an “insane cycle”, in which he was lagging behind and generated an unavailable environment for his collaborators. The impact of Japanese customers Although in those days Gates was already beginning to be aware of his problem with procrastination in his tasks, he finished convincing when Microsoft began working with Japanese clients. In his book he pointed out that the relationship with Japanese companies played a crucial role in the process of changing habits. These companies, known for their discipline and iron control of the deadlines, did not tolerate delays. “Among the first Microsoft clients were Japanese companies so methodical that, as soon as we delayed a minute with respect to programming, they sent someone by plane to watch us, as if we were children. They knew perfectly that their man could not help us at all, but remained in our office 18 hours a day to show us how much the subject cared,” the millionaire wrote. “ Gates remembered that delaying with Japanese companies was “somewhat painful” so that external rigor and the pressure of having a vigilante all day attached like a shadow, was the revulsive that Gates needed to modify your time management. The millionaire assured that the process to leave the procrastination behind required a deep Review of your personal routines and professionals. Gates demonstrated that, although the transformation was not immediate, the Derived learning of those demands and rigor of its Japanese customers It was decisive to redefine both its personal development and Microsoft’s work culture. In Xataka | Bill Gates was so obsessed with driving a Porsche 959 that he managed to change the laws that prevented him Image | Flickr (Statsministerens Kontor)

Honda appeared in a Japanese circuit with a Pokémon motorcycle. Actually hid an advance that goes far beyond the game

by

A video game creature turned into a real motorcycle would not have to get too much attention. But when that creature moves alone on an official track, something changes. That was what happened on August 3 during the ceremony prior to 8 hours from Suzukaone of the most important events of Japanese motorcycling. Honda took a motorcycle designed as the circuit as the Pokémon Koraidon And he made it travel the exit line without driver, at low speed and for about ten minutes, in a showrun scheduled between 11:00 and 11:10. The motorcycle that Honda presented in Suzuka is not just a model based on the character that appears in the ‘scarlet’ delivery of the video game. To make it work, the company combined technologies that it had developed Years ago with your Asimo Robot and with the system Honda Riding Assistaimed at maintaining balance without human intervention and simulate organic movements. According to Nikkei Asiathe unit integrates sensors, cameras and communications to recognize the environment and adjust its movement. An experiment with more ambition than it appears. Honda did not design this motorcycle just to get attention during an event. The company presents it as An opportunity to improve equilibrium technologies and autonomous navigation, with an eye on the future of transport on two wheels. A Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association survey He points out that 26% of motorcycle buyers in Japan are under 40 years old. For Honda, advancing in autonomy and security can help reconnect with a generation that has moved away from motorcycles. The idea of converting a Pokémon into a real vehicle is not new, but until now it had stayed in static models or promotional elements. Toyota, for example, showed an almost real -size recreation of MiraidonKoraidon’s futuristic equivalent in video games. Honda was a step further. What Honda is played with a motorcycle that moves alone. The future of the motorcycle is to convince a new generation that does not end up. A safer and more assisted driving is one of the keys that manufacturers handle. Although this version of Koraidon is a punctual experiment, the technologies involved could move to commercial models, as happened with equilibrium assistance systems developed in the past. For now there is no clear road map to a product, but a declared intention: continue accumulating experience to apply autonomy to the two wheels. Although the show lasted only ten minutes, its message goes much further. Images | Suzuka Circuit (1, 2, 3) | Sling In Xataka | Lamborghini will only manufacture 29 units of its last supercar but you are not in a hurry: they were already sold before presenting

There are two suspicious companies of the theft of critical data of TSMC and none of them is China: the two are Japanese

by

TSMC leadership has a price. This Taiwanese company is The largest semiconductor manufacturer on the planet and has built its success on the tuning of Extremely competitive integration technologies. Your most advanced photolithography is currently The 2 Nm; In fact, it is about to start the large -scale manufacture of chips of this class. All probability of their competitors, they could know their most sophisticated processes, especially those that are linked to their 2 nm node. And, apparently, some of them are trying to get this information. As We explain three days agothe Taiwanese authorities have arrested three TSMC employees because they have allegedly stole commercial secrets of this company. As we can expect, behind this detention is TSMC itself, as He has revealed The Taiwan Superior Prosecutor’s Office in a statement. According to Nikkei Asiathose responsible for this company have realized that two employees and a former employee have been made with critical information about their photolithography of 2 Nm. This information is very valuable. In fact, it could be used by a competitor to optimize its own semiconductor manufacturing processes. Two unexpected suspects: Tokyo electron and rapidus corporation The research has not yet determined if this stolen information has reached another company, but United Daily News ensures that researchers have registered the offices of the Japanese company Tokyo Electron. The latter is specialized in the design and manufacture of wafering processing equipment, and currently its most ambitious project is the tuning of wafering engraving machines by plasma. These equipment are involved in the definition of the pattern that will later be transferred to the wafer. Rapidus is making a chip manufacturing plant in northern Japan in which it plans to produce 2 Nm semiconductors According to SCMPTokyo Electron has confirmed that he has fired an employee of his Taipéi subsidiary (Taiwan) for being involved in the theft of TSMC’s critical information. This Japanese company also ensures that He is collaborating with the Taiwanese authorities They are carrying out the investigation. “That Tokyo Electron is located in the center of attention for this incident is an unfortunate accident,” has declared ASUSHI OSANAIProfessor at the University of Waseda (Japan). However, this company is not the only Japanese company that has been involved in this conflict. And is that Money.udn.com maintains that some of the TSMC employees who have been arrested have delivered to Rapidus corporation Hundreds of photographs and data linked to their most advanced process integration techniques. This company is intended to compete from you to you with TSMC, Intel or Samsung in the chip production market. Interestingly, it is very young: it was founded on August 10, 2022 by the Japanese government with an initial capital of 7,346 million yen (just under 46 million euros) contributed by, and here comes the interesting, Sony, Toyota, Nec, Softbank, Kioxia, Denso, Nippon Telegraph and Mufg Bank. Rapidus is currently putting a circuit manufacturing plant integrated in northern Japan, in the city of Chitose (Hokkaido), in which it plans to produce 2 Nm semiconductor. The first prototypes of these chips are already ready, but large -scale manufacturing It will not arrive at best until 2027. Anyway, as in relation to Tokyo Electron, the possible implication of Rapidus in the theft of data to TSMC has not been officially confirmed. In fact, it is possible that the authors of this crime have acted on their own and have offered the stolen information to Rapidus without this last company having requested or accepted. Those responsible for the investigation will have to settle. More information | Money.udn.com | SCMP In Xataka | South Korea fears US reprisals. To avoid their old lithography equipment, they take dust on a warehouse

Toyota already knows that the gap with Tesla and Byd has its origin in its Japanese company culture

by

We are living the future. The transition to the electric car and how this is being carried out will define what we will see in the coming years. With a changing political environment, hard emission regulations for Europe And a Chinese market that seems to Just look at borders insidethe investments that are made and the focus of how the future is faced will be key. Right now, saying what will be the design of a traditional car brand to ten or fifteen views is little less than adventurous. There are those who assume that Tesla has reached her roofthat Chinese manufacturers have complicated to follow Breaking barriers (economic and psychological in consumers) and that Toyota, very conservative, is the one who is playing the smartest game. And there are those that defend with cape and sword that Tesla has created a new way of understanding the vehicle, based on software. Also that China carries the front and that it is only a matter of time that we embrace throughout Europe the Byd, Nio, Xpeng and, of course, Xiaomi proposals. They are usually the same as they point out that Toyota is only taking the first steps of their decline or, at least, a logical setback given its brand strategy. Be that as it may, decade and a half will have to know who is right. However, we must recognize the latter who, in part, Toyota is concerned about how things advance internally. Also that you are taking measures to solve it. And that your business culture is key. The software as an example of a major problem We counted a few weeks ago that in Toyota they were worried about the way of working in the company. In their collaboration with Byd in China they had discovered that the company of the neighboring country worked at a devilish pace implementing changes in record time. They explained then in Reuters that much of the secret were in the evidence that each new change passed before being approved. While European manufacturers made thousands of kilometers before giving green light to each small modification, Chinese brands preferred put it as soon as possible on the street And, if necessary, apply changes when the vehicle development phase was already very advanced. That cultural shock is even more pronounced with Chinese manufacturers. Consulting specialized in the automobile market have already advanced to Toyota and the rest of Japanese manufacturers that their business culture, in which it is about working on the same concept and repeatedly improve it in search of perfection, is outdated. Then the Caseoft company already encouraged them to expedite the deadlines and think about electric cars from scratch and not only as a purely electric alternative of their combustion cars. This would allow them to save on components (applying plastic instead of more noble materials) and directly eliminate some of them (such as reinforcements that make sense not to transmit vibrations inside the car but lack them when what moves the vehicle is a combustion engine). On that path to adapt to the new times, Bloomberg Explain that Toyota has hired Code Chrysalisa Start Up based in Tokyo specialized in software development. That consultant says that Toyota has already understood the importance that software will play in the future but “remains slow.” Code Chrysalis is organizing intensive camps in Silicon Valley to improve the programming knowledge of Toyota employees With the latest ads about its upcoming electric cars and plug -in hybrids, Toyota confirmed that had worked in software completely renewed and anticipated that they would show more details when these cars are launched to the street. In the presentation of the new TOYOTA RAV4 It was specified that we were facing “the first step towards vehicles fully defined by software.” Already in May, Financial Times He echoed that Toyota had put a greater effort to evolve his software, understanding that in the future it will be a purchase value (if it is not already). With them, we knew that Toyota looked at Chinawith the aim of evolving and learning from those who have revolutionized the interior of their vehicles. Now we also know that, by the hand of Code Crysalis, the company is organizing camps in Silicon Valley to learn coding intensively and then try to replicate what they learned in its future models. However, in Bloomberg They point out that part of these chosen employees are disappointed Because they understand that efforts are still insufficient. In fact, the media indicates that the division designed to develop software has not been directly integrated into the vehicle development chain and that, among hands, have digitalization projects that affect the entire company. For some of the workers, the strategy is still too conservative. In your information, Bloomberg He explains that the company follows a too conservative philosophy in which those who have a long curriculum within the company are greatly rewarded and the labor harmony over risks. They put as an example the case of a worker interested in autonomous driving who, however, when he entered the company, he was doing a quality control of low importance quality. It is just another example of what Toyota defends as Kaizen philosophy. A business culture directly linked to a philosophical posture in which it is preferred to improve until the exhaustion is known before taking a new product and starting from scratch, on a blank paper. It is not accidental, therefore, that the company’s strategy is (at least for the moment) strikingly conservative. Toyota does not stop repeating that they will sell the proper car (electric, plug -in hybrid or combustion vehicle) In the right market. At the same time, what is undeniable is that they have a five years being the company that sells the most cars. The big doubt is whether in decade and a half we will be talking about the first steps of its stagnation or the winning strategy in front of a competition that launched into the arms … Read more

Japan has been teaching tsunamis evacuation routes for years for years in the most Japanese way possible: with video games

by

The memory is fragile, especially under the panic of a tsunami alert. But the Japanese have shown that they are prepared to evacuate the coastal areas. It is no accident. Japan has been exploring innovative methods for years to train its citizens. Context. He Magnitude earthquake 8.7 near the Kamchatka Peninsula He has put on the entire east coast of Japan, forcing almost two million people to evacuate their homes. Although the waves did not exceed the meter and a half, the sirens reminded the Japanese an uncomfortable truth: when the water approaches, every second and each decision tells. And that is precisely the problem of drills: people do not always pay their attention. Given this challenge, several Japanese universities have been developing and perfecting a solution that unites the most vital need in case of Tsunami with one of the largest passions in the country: video games. The 2011 memory. To understand why Japan has been trying to “gamify” the evacuations, you just have to look back, to the 2011 earthquake. That disaster, which left more than 22,000 dead and missing, revealed the critical failures in the evacuation plans. More than 60% of the evacuees used their car, convinced that they would reach a safe place faster. The result was a predictable chaos: monumental traffic jams that caught thousands of people in flood areas. The reality is stubborn. Although the authorities usually recommend evacuating on foot, recent surveys showed that about 50% of the Japanese would come back into the car against a Tsunami alert. This creates an incredibly dangerous scenario, where pedestrians and vehicles compete in a race desperate for survival. It is in this context where digital drills make more sense. They can recreate the chaos of a mixed evacuation of cars and pedestrians to levels to which a physical simulation does not arrive, managing to train citizens for the real dangers they will face. Virtual reality and unreal Engine. The Nippon Institute of Technology developed a simulator with an aseptic name: application of evacuation training against Tsunamis. Based on real evacuation techniques, it is not an action video game, but a virtual reality application based on the Unreal Engine 4 graphic engine that puts the user in real Japan locations with a high risk of Tsunami. The simulator asks you: “What should you notice in this situation?” and the user must touch on the screen the element that considers a risk or an opportunity. It can be a traffic light, a tall building designated as a refuge, a pedestrian about to crossly cross or a car that skips a stop. To motivate users to practice daily, the app incorporates gamification elements, such as a stamps system for completing training with constancy. Do you really work? To validate their effectiveness, the researchers conducted an experiment with 25 citizens of Nishio. First, the participants carried out a virtual evacuation in an immersive simulator, equipped with a virtual reality helmet (HTC Vive Pro Eye) for foot evacuations and a car wheel. Their behavior was measured and asked what they considered important during an evacuation. The results, published in the magazine GeosciencesThey were revealing. After using the app, the participants were much faster and more effective when identifying immediate hazards in their surroundings, such as pedestrians or other vehicles. However, they still had difficulty detecting important but distant elements, such as a hospital or a high building that served as a refuge. Their attention focused on what they had right ahead, especially the elderly, who took longer to respond and had lower success rates.

A Japanese politician has tried to ‘hack’ the elections disguising himself as a villain of ‘Gundam’. Bandai has not taken it well

by

Politicians want our votes at all costs. When there are elections, Applicants enter campaignand these last years have taken advantage of new technologies to get the attention of those young voters or who do not consume the traditional media. It is something that happens throughout the world, but when we turn our heads and look at Japan, the thing goes down and we see dozens of “politicians” disguised as … whatever. The problem is that one of them has done Cosplay next to a Gundam. And it is something that has not made Bandai funny. Short. A few days ago, the Japanese politician Taro Yamamotoex-actor and founder of the party ‘Reiwa Shinngumi’ He disguised himself as a Aznable Chara character of ‘Mobile Suit Gundam‘. Interestingly, he was the antagonist of the series and dressed as such to give rise to Maya Okamoto. Voice actress, Okamoto put the voice to the character of Emma Sheen in ‘Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam’, so the entire campaign seemed to make enough sense. You can see the video of both, posing and launching their proclamations, in front of a Unicorn Gundam to real size in Odaiba: The politicians’ mask. The video became very viral in xso the objective achieved, but it is not really so rare to see Japanese politicians trying to capture the attention of voters in this way. In fact, it is not the rarest, nor the most shameful, which can be seen in the Japanese political scene. On this occasion, a hole is sought in the Japan Counselorsbut in the last elections in Tokyo you could see several minor parties candidates disguised as characters like the Joker (maybe not the most appropriate) or Like the girl of ‘The Ring’. Others decided to partially undress and, as we say, it is a usual practice due to the Japanese broadcast system. NHK public television should allow each candidate to have time to appear before the voters, but as there are so many candidates between serious parties and others much more ‘casual’, for qualifying them in some way, the applicants seek the best way to get attention. In addition, some have no intention of presenting themselves, they simply look for a hole in the advertising fences to jump to fame. The case of Reiwa Shinngumi is serious because they do not look for the show for the show or for a matter of fame. Protecting pop culture. The message in X from Yamamoto not only we have the video, but also the explanation of what he was looking for disguising himself in that way. He states that “Parliament is full of people who only want to be parliamentary, but the important thing is not to become a parliamentarian: it is to take a step to protect pop culture.” He assures that such a profile is rare, “a species in extinction”, and what he tries to achieve is to attract the attention of that 50% of the electorate that does not go to the polls because he thinks that “the world cannot be changed.” This speech focuses on anime, ensuring that they are going through a crisis, “a crisis of Japanese culture and a crisis of small and medium -sized companies in Japan” and that, to protect that Japanese pop culture, you have to vote for Maya Okamoto. It is a curious statement, since part of the Possible anima crisisE is an endemic problem of endless days and bad working conditionsespecially in the larger studies. The actress, on the other hand, influenced the idea that such an action “can reach sectors that are normally disconnected from politics”, and not only commented that the show industry is in trouble: also autonomous, family businesses, small and medium enterprises that represent “99% of Japanese businesses” due to a measure called “mandatory electronic turnover” that entered into force in 2023 very unpopular among certain professionals because it has caused a increase 10% in taxes they must pay. Reactions found. The measure has sat down unequal form in Japan. There are those who have described Yamamoto as “clown“, as Minoru oginopolitician who is Vtuber and knowledgeable of manga and anime cultures. And some Gundam fans do not seem too comfortable with the figure of a politician disguised as Char, with comment like “In the end, she tries to cause a nuclear winter. Do you really know who is imitating?” Or “it is clear that the costume was put without knowing what Chaznable Char did in the original story,” Assuming that should have been disguised as another character. In the YouTube video we find reactions of all kinds, with numerous samples of support and comments such as “I will definitely vote.” Others have taken action as a positive campaign by presenting ideas in a fun way, something away from the traditional seriousness of conventional and biggest parties. Bandai doesn’t want to know anything. Voters will speak at the polls, but those who have already manifested, and totally seriously, are responsible for … Gundam. Bandai, in a releasesaid they had not approved these actions: “In the elections of the Chamber of Counselors of 2025, there were candidates who did activities using cosplay costumes that remind the characters of the ‘Gundam’ series. It is not approved by Bandai Namco and we do not support specific candidates.” In the end, it is the most normal for a company to detach from this type of political actions for more than obvious reasons: there will be part of its audience that votes to a party or another and what Bandai does in this case is to protect their own interests so that its brand is not related to the ideology of those who use it. South Korea is more of the same. But well, this of using elements of popular culture or something that is extremely fashionable is not something new or exclusive to Japan. South Korea is another example of how to use mass entertainment pieces to reach the youngest. Something that passionate South Koreans … Read more

The marriages of Japanese women with South Korean men have shot themselves. There is a word that explains it: Hallyu

by

Last June Japan I had a lesson For the world after years of pro-nature policies, although a very little encouraging lesson: its fertility and the number of births continued to fall. All kinds of proposals had passed along the way, Even money and husband For women who opted for the countryside instead of the capital. However, what few could expect is that marriages are shooting, but those of Japanese with South Koreans, and not vice versa. An unexpected boom. Yeah, Nikkei had That, in recent years, marriages between Japanese women and South Korean men have experienced unpublished growth, with an increase of 40% only in the last year, reaching their highest point in a decade. Reasons? Apparently, the phenomenon is framed within a broader tendency of international marriages In South Korea, which represents about 10% of all unions, in contrast to the general drop of 30% in the total number of marriages in the country during the last decade. Although most of the international marriages In Korea they are with people from Vietnam or China, Japanese unions have grown up 13% between 2019 and 2024far exceeding the rhythm of other nationalities. This trend is driven not only by cultural and demographic factors, but also by a symbolic transformation into bilateral relations, in which romance becomes an unexpected route of approach between two peoples historically marked by tensions. Hallyu as a catalyst. The rise of these marriages has its origin, to a large extent, in the cultural phenomenon of the Hallyu U “Korean wave”, which since the early 2000s has radically transformed the perception that Japanese women have from South Korea. Here are phenomena such as Winter Sonata television dramaissued in Japan in 2003, starting point for a transgenerational fascination that is today manifested in passions by the K-Pophe Korean cinema and the Seoul fashion. For many Japanese, interest began In adolescence with school series and musical idols, and It has been transforming in an attraction for the South Korean lifestyle as a whole. This process has resulted in deep affective ties With Korean cultureto the point that moving to South Korea and marrying a national becomes for many a personal and cultural fulfillment, not just emotional. Cross perceptions. Plus: both Japanese women and South Korean men manifest favorable perceptions of the other. The means that the Japanese value that the Koreans express their affection with greater intensity, are more attentive and emotionally close, they maintain frequent contact by phone and surprise with details. South Korean men, meanwhile, see in Japanese women educated, dedicated, discreet and with a strong sense of family duty. Despite cultural differences, both parties seem to find in the other an idealized version of what they do not find in their own country. These opinions arise not only personal interviews, but According to Nikkei, Also of marriage advice and palpable samples on social networks, where testimonies and publications of happy couples that portray their joint life abound. New globalized romance. There is much more, since in the heat of this trend they have emerged specialized services that facilitate these unions. Applications to match Japanese with South Koreans, online games, social networks and marriage agencies have turned what was previously an occasional crossing into an increasingly common path. Hanny Marriagefor example, it is a company founded in 2024 by a married Japanese with a South Korean who met in language exchanges, and that detected a growing demand for South Korean men interested in marrying with Japanese women. The previous experience of religious agencies such as The Church of Unification In the 1980s and 1990s it has been replaced by more modern forms, mediated by technology and by business initiatives with cultural sensitivity. History with deep roots. He marriage exchange Between Japan and South Korea it has Historical history complexes, from Korean marriages with Japanese at the time of Japanese economic boom, to organized group weddings For religious sects. That said, what distinguishes the current phenomenon is its voluntary, individualized and mediated character For pop culture. What began as an admiration for idols and dramas has become a wave of human connections that demolish ancient barriers. The presence of reality shows as Premarital Lovewhere we see group quotes between Korean men and Japanese women, it is another sample of how this type of relationship is not only accepted, but celebrated and even commercially driven. In a context where demography and the fall of marriages They worry to both countriesthese unions represent a Unexpected ray of hope, both for those who are looking for a couple and for those who want history between Japan and Korea to advance in a more optimistic tone. Image | Cambodia In Xataka | In South Korea offered 14,000 euros to young people in exchange for them to get married. Young people did the same In Xataka | Seoul is so desperate to activate his birth rate that he has had an idea: give € 700 to those who marry

25 years ago, Europe was close to panic at the barbarism of Japanese motorcycles. So Japan limited them to 299 km/h

by

The 90s were one of the golden times of motorcycling. A time when there was no Electronic controls, Anticontamination regulations No concern for security. Where now we see chaos and lack of control, a few years ago motorcycle manufacturers saw a test field to launch the fastest vehicles in the world. So much so, that the brands themselves had to put a limit to stop competing fiercely between them. What was happening. The motorcycle market has changed. Currently what is sold the most They are scooters and comfortable motorcyclesl, the SUV made motorcycle. In the 90s, the icons were the Japanese sports of Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki. There came a point where virtually great street sports car reached vertigo speeds. In the early 90s, Honda launched her CBR900RR Firebladeone of the fastest production motorcycles in the world. It soon being overcome by the kawasaki ZZR1100 and later by the Hayabusa. A race to step on the grass of the neighbor that ended up uncontrolled. The 300 km/h. Motorcycles like Hayabusa ranly passed the 330 km/h, and in fear that governments imposed new regulations and prohibitions against such powerful vehicles, the industry decided to self -control with A gentlemen pact. The industry wanted to continue selling supercardives, but I did not want to intimidate the regulatory agencies with motorcycles that began to get closer to the barrier of the 400 km/h than to that of the 300. A secret pact. The gentlemen’s pact among motorcycle manufacturers is an open secret, although given the nature of the agreement there were never official statements. It is rumored that BMW began conversations with both Japanese and Italian manufacturers. Interestingly, when BMW did not have a single motorcycle capable of competing for being the fastest. Be that as it may, in the early 2000s the pact began to be fulfilled: the motorcycles launched by manufacturers, such as the Kawasaki ZZR1200 Or Honda’s proposals, did not exceed 299 km/h. But the sports market demanded speed and muscle, flying through the air the pact. It didn’t last long. Just seven years later, Italian as MV Agusta They left the pact in the air, with models such as the F4 R exceeding 300 km/h. It is something that BMW itself also did with its S1000R And, again, the fastest sports race began. Honda CBR1000RR-R-SP, much more than 299 km/h, although the scoreway says otherwise. What remains of the pact. Although there are numerous street motorcycles that exceed 300 km/h, the Japanese keep the pact alive. Manufacturers like Honda do not mark speed beyond 299 km/h, although the motorcycle is really running beyond her. The same happens with Yamaha. Versions such as the New Hayabusa or the Kawasaki H2, motorcycles that could touch the 400 km/h, remain electronically limited to 299 km/h. The Japanese respect and tradition keep the pact almost intact, maintaining the exceptions for circuit such as the Kawasaki H2R and its 400 km/h … with the house motorcycle. There are also those who dedicate themselves to prepare motorcycles to pass from 440 km/h. Luckily, they can’t step on the street. Not only in motorcycles. The pact among Japanese giants was not the only one decades ago. In the 80s and until well entered the 2000, manufacturers such as Nissan, Honda, Subaru and Toyota They signed a pact so that their cars had no more than 280 hp nor exceed 180 km/h. It is especially striking to upload a Japanese of almost 300 hp, and see that Your marker is tarado in those 180. The measure arose in response to the growing concerns for road safety in the country, an agreement not formalized before the public, but evident when analyzing car after car. This is still the limitations at 250 km/h in large part of current sports. Image | Austin Hervias In Xataka | Chinese motorcycles are sweeping in Spain: who is who in this brand puzzle

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.