The inspiration for today's photo of dogs in the local cemetery this morning? My students are doing their Two-Frame Stories in Documenting Japan class; all of them have been great; one presentation on ohanami in Kyoto concluded with something along the lines of "...at the end of the day everyone wants to pose with a cute dog." (I don't necessarily endorse this position...)

"‘Sailor Moon’ condoms combat syphilis but heroine’s fans flustered by age issue"

Text and image from The Japan Times, 11/25/16.

The superheroine from the popular manga and anime series “Sailor Moon” has emerged once again to fight another evil — syphilis.

As a part of its campaign to raise awareness of sexually transmitted diseases, the health ministry will distribute 60,000 condoms wrapped in pink, heart-shaped packages adorned with the blond, doe-eyed character Usagi Tsukino.

The condoms, which call for STD testing on the wrappers, will be sent to 142 municipalities for distribution at events like World AIDS Day on Thursday and at Coming-of-Age-Day ceremonies in January, ministry officials said.

The ministry will also distribute 5,000 posters and 156,000 leaflets illustrated with the junior high school character and a slogan that says: “I will punish you if you don’t get tested!”

By turning to the popular character, the ministry aims to regain control over syphilis, which has made a rapid return among young people, said Kazunari Asanuma, head of the ministry’s Tuberculosis and Infectious Disease Control Division. He said the STD outbreak is especially serious among women in their 20s and men in their 20s to 40s.

According to the ministry, syphilis cases hit 2,697 in 2015, which is more than four times the 2010 level and the highest since the survey began in 1999. As of Nov. 6, cases were at 3,779 and climbing.

Patients infected with STDs like syphilis and AIDS usually don’t notice the symptoms for weeks or even years. The ministry believes early testing and appropriate use of condoms are effective means of prevention.

Although Asanuma says that “Sailor Moon” is popular with people of all sexual orientations and may prove useful in bringing up STDs among those too shy to discuss them, some Usagi Tsukino fans are upset the junior high school student is being used as the “campaign girl” to broach the topic.

“I don’t like it a bit. ‘Sailor Moon’ was a childhood heroine and a sacred figure for me. I still want her to be distant from this issue,” Twitter user @akaimihajiketa wrote Monday. “But I want the leaflet … I am still looking for words to explain my mixed feelings.”

“Sailor Moon,” created by Naoko Takeuchi, made its TV debut in 1992. The tale of magical schoolgirls has been aired in more than 50 countries and attracted millions of fans from around the world.

Source: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/11/25/national/sailor-moon-condoms-combat-syphilis-heroines-fans-flustered-age-issue/

"Sailor Moon fights against spread of STIs on behalf of Japan’s health ministry"

Image and text from Japan Today, 11/24/16.

As the main star of an anime about magical high school girls fighting to protect the universe from forces of evil, this new collaboration between Sailor Moon and the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to fight the spread of STIs in the community actually makes a whole lot of sense.

According to the official press release distributed by the ministry, the Pretty Guardian will now be appearing on 156,000 A4-sized leaflets and 5,000 A2-sized posters, with part of the star’s catchphrase, “In the name of the moon, I will punish you!!” reworked to read “If you don’t get tested, I will punish you!!” in the poster’s tagline.

The posters and leaflets will be distributed at coming-of-age ceremonies for the nation’s 20 year-olds around the country in January, along with a total of 142 local governments and groups such as the Japan Foundation for AIDS Prevention, the Japan Medical Association, the Japanese Society for Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and the Japanese Foundation for Sexual Health Medicine set to receive the specially marked campaign materials for distribution.

In addition to the posters, the campaign materials will also include heart-shaped packages featuring an image of the sailor-suit wearing star of the anime series, with a free condom tucked away inside. The ministry will be distributing 60,000 of these specially marked packs.

Despite the cute appearance of the campaign, preventing the spread of sexually transmitted infections is an issue that the government is taking very seriously. Cases of syphilis infections are reportedly on the rise in Japan, with records showing 2,697 people were infected with the disease in 2015, which is 4.3 times more than five years earlier, when 621 cases were reported in 2010. Furthermore, from the beginning of 2016 to mid-October, over 3,000 people contracted syphilis in Japan.

With a large number of females being infected with STIs like syphilis, the ministry wanted to find a way to connect with young women, ranging in age from teens to 30s, which resulted in them seeking out the cooperation of Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi for the new campaign. While it might seem like an unlikely collaboration, using the familiar face of the Pretty Guardian, who speaks to a wide generation of women across the country, might actually be the perfect way to help protect the population after all.

Source, image: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Press Release

Source: https://www.japantoday.com/category/health/view/sailor-moon-fights-against-spread-of-stis-on-behalf-of-japans-health-ministry

At least the government is finally doing something. But is cute manga/anime the cure for everything? Happy Thanksgiving!

Funny/Weird Japan-related Videos

"Can you spot what’s odd about this Japanese classroom?"

From Japan Today, October 23, 2015

So what about this commercial? It looks so normal at first; it’s just a bunch of high school girls hanging out in a classroom, playing a guitar, reading, whatever. But then, right in the middle, something happens. Watch it for yourself and see if you can figure it out before the reveal.

...

In the end this was a SHISEIDO makeup commercial, and they finish with the tagline “anyone can be cute.” Hear that guys? There’s nothing wrong with a little exfoliation/moisturization in your life.



Source: http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/can-you-spot-whats-odd-about-this-japanese-classroom

"Oita lures travelers with wonderful montage of synchronized hot spring bathing"

From Japan Today, October 24, 2015

For prefectures to separate themselves from the rest and showcase what makes them special, they have to do something grand. In Oita Prefecture, this means presenting their world-famous hot springs with a synchronized swimming team in what can only be known as “synchronized bathing”.

Oita is one of the nine prefectures that make up the island of Kyushu and is most famous in Japan for its diversified selection of natural hot springs, or onsen. People around the country travel to Oita and soak in water that is heated by volcanic activity. To show off a number of their its best onsen, Oita recruited the help of a professional synchronized swim team. You’ve definitely never seen hot springs enjoyed quite like this.

The women travel all over the prefecture, stopping at all styles and kinds of hot springs. This includes a visit to Oita’s famous sand baths and mud baths in Beppu.



Source: http://www.japantoday.com/category/travel/view/oita-lures-travelers-with-wonderful-montage-of-synchronized-hot-spring-bathing

Short Documentary: "Die for Japan: Wartime Propaganda Kamishibai (paper plays; 国策紙芝居)"

Professor Jeffery Dym from Sacramento State recently announced his interesting visual project on H-Japan:

We live in an increasingly visual culture and I believe it is important for us as scholars to become involved in creating and adding scholarly contributions to it and not just as talking heads in a documentary. Thus, I have embarked on a road I call "visual scholarship."

I would like to announce the publishing of an eighteen minute documentary--Die for Japan: Wartime Propaganda Kamishibai (paper plays; 国策紙芝居)--I recently completed. The film examines Japanese propaganda from a unique angle and the film could be used to spark classroom discussion, particularly if paired with an American wartime propaganda film like Know Your Enemy Japan.

Here is the text included with the YouTube version:

While American World War II propaganda often focused on killing the enemy, Japanese propaganda focused more on dying for the nation. This film exams Japanese World War II propaganda as depicted in kamishibai—Japanese paper plays, a form of street entertainment popular in Japan at the time.

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFavUjEYc7Y

Vimeo link: http://vimeo.com/35458335

I think this film is a great example of visual anthropology - using visual methods to explore visual aspects of culture. The film is tightly edited and has lots of good examples to illustrate the various uses of kamishibai. Related to the last VAOJ post, there is some mention of the the strong use of the Japanese flag as a powerful symbol in Japan's wartime propaganda. There are even examples of the use of cuteness in Japan - cute characters fighting battles and cute bunnies signing up for military service. While the film might be historical in nature, it certainly illustrates political and cultural values that continue to the current time.

Cute "Subway Manners"

A reminder to mind your manners on the train, even if you have been drinking...

Image from today's Japan Today's "Picture of the Day."
Link: http://www.japantoday.com/category/picture-of-the-day/view/subway-manners

UPDATE 2/3/12:

Another poster in the series...

Link: http://www.japantoday.com/category/picture-of-the-day/view/good-manners

Chinese Coke Vending Machine in Kobe's Nankin Machi

Many tourists were posing in front, reaching up at the panda...

Even if you're not cute, you can make big yen in Japan...

(Image borrowed from Guesthouse Yougendo)

In 2010, Japan will celebrate the 1,300th Anniversary of the Nara Heijo-kyo capital. And what is the best way to do this? Create a cute mascot, of course. But the mascot for this important celebration has committed the ultimate sin in the land of Hello Kitty and Ebi-chan, he isn't cute... With all the controversy of Sento-kun not being cute (where did they go wrong with a little boy Buddhist monk with deer antlers?), he has become quite famous and gained commercial notoriety. According to The Daily Yomiuri, the coverage of his unpopularity has given him a commercial value of 1.5 billion yen. The article concludes by noting the mascot made much less than the new governor of Osaka, Toru Hashimoto. Does this mean the governor is cuter that Sento-kun?

Read the whole story at The Daily Yomiuri On-line:

Link to Unpopular mascot scores 1.5 bil. yen in publicity
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080420TDY02307.htm

Here are some more links for stories about Sento-kun and how unpopular he is...

Link to "Horny" mascot for ancient Nara capital named "Sento-kun"
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080416p2a00m0na033000c.html

Link to Mascot of Nara at Guesthouse Yougendo:
http://yougendo2.blogspot.com/2008/04/travellers-planning-to-visit-nara.html

Link to New Mascot for Nara Heijo-kyo Anniversary at Tokyomango:
http://www.tokyomango.com/tokyo_mango/2008/03/new-mascot-for.html#more

Are we really sure he is not so cute? Or maybe he is growing on us? Some people seem to be having fun with him at YouTube:





Who is to say who or what is cute? Is cuteness static or subject to semiosis? Is Sento-kun pushing the envelope? Is he really such a bad mascot? How would you create a symbol of Nara to celebrate the ancient capital?
(Image borrowed from Mainichi Daily News)

Cute Trash: Not Enough Tots for Toys?

It's burnable trash day here in Kadoma City, Osaka, Japan. It is a challenge to figure out exactly what garbage is considered to be burnable, what is plastic, and what falls into other special categories. It is said that 80% of Japan's garbage is burned, so the separation of various types of trash is especially important, and complicated. Japan is moving towards more recycling, simply because it needs to. Luckily, the separation of garbage/recyclables in Kadoma is not as complicated as it is in Yokohama. See the following story and be sure to view the accompanying slide show as well.

Link to How Do Japanese Dump Trash? Let Us Count the Myriad Ways
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/12/international/asia/12garbage.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

In Kadoma, we put out bottles and cans on Mondays, burnable trash on Tuesdays and Fridays and plastic trash on Thursdays. Wednesday changes every week; sometimes it is for PET bottles, sometimes newspapers and cardboard, sometimes glass, sometimes large items. See the rules in detail below.

Link to Kadoma City Garbage/Recycling Schedule (in Japanese)
http://www.city.kadoma.osaka.jp/service/gomi0.html



But which day does one dispose of toys? How sad to see toys being tossed. Is this a consequence of the declining birthrate? Not enough kids to play with toys? As the society grays, is there no longer a need for toys? See the sources below for information about Japan's population.

Link to Japan child numbers at record low
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6624049.stm

Link to Statistical Handbook of Japan, Chapter 2, Population
http://www.stat.go.jp/English/data/handbook/c02cont.htm#cha2_2



Is there a cute trash day? Cute is more than a "boom" (passing fad), some have argued that Japan has a "culture of cuteness." But with less children, even cute things need to be tossed. Is it only me, or isn't it heartbreaking to see such a stuffed animal (Pooh-chan!) get thrown away?

Link to Cute sells in Japan
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13320352/

This post went off in many tangents - all this caused by mere observations of garbage... It goes to show that you really can tell a lot about a people by the things they throw away.

Post Script: As mentioned above, 80% of Japan's garbage gets burned. What happens to the rest? It gets buried and/or exported to poor South-East Asian countries. For more information on garbage disposal in Japan see the following sources:

Link to "Free Trade Cannot Include Toxic Waste" on the Basel Action Network webpage (2007)
http://www.ban.org/ban_news/2007/070216_toxic_waste.html

Link to "Garbage Disposal in Japan" on the Trade and Environment Database website (2001)
http://www.american.edu/TED/japan-garbage.htm