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Same-sex prostitution business technically legal in Japan, goes untouched by police

A gaping loophole in Japan’s already grossly outdated law means any same-sex oriented part of the sex-industry can technically operate with total impunity.

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New interview series with China’s unmarried women shows, shrinks attitude gap between generations

Follow-up interviews to the dramatic Marriage Market Takeover documentary shed light on the beliefs of China’s “Leftover Women” and their parents’ eroding difficulties in accepting them. 

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Backlash as Japanese police tweet warns women to not ride elevators alone with men

A tweet made by Osaka police in response to a molestation case has resulted in severe backlash and cries of victim shaming.

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“Don’t let pressure dictate your life”—China’s unmarried women speak out in heart-rending video

This video documenting the pressure China’s “leftover” women are under to marry will kick you squarely in the feels.

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Which sex do Japanese gamers pick for their video game characters? The results may surprise you

In the fight between skirts vs. vests, who reigns supreme?

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Fire Emblem Fates’ controversial “gay conversion therapy” scene to be cut for western release

Nintendo says a scene contained in the Japanese release of Fire Emblem Fates, which could be construed as advocating “gay conversion therapy,” will not appear in the English release.

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  • Dec 12, 2015

Boys Lash — “Straight false eyelashes for dressing up as a man”

If you want to cosplay as a beautiful boy from an anime or manga, then this may be exactly what you need to recreate that cool, long-lashed look!

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Three reasons why it’s okay to be a girly girl in Japan

Want to wear Hello Kitty accessories and still be taken seriously? In Japan you can. Here’s why.

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What Japanese women really think about the gender gap in Japan【Video】

During our Women in Japan series, we discussed some of the powerful reasons to be a woman in Japan. From a Westernised viewpoint, it’s sometimes hard to accept the fact that, while Japan is still very much a patriarchal society, many women (not all, but many) here don’t actually want to be out there smashing glass ceilings and “leaning in” at the office when instead they could be doing things that women were traditionally appreciated for in Japan, namely cooking, housekeeping and raising the kids.

If you’re still in doubt as to exactly what Japanese women think of the gender gap in their country, this informative street interview video from YouTuber Yuta Aoki should provide some answers.

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Japan Self-Defense Force’s official magazine causes a stir for featuring gravure idols

For the past couple of years, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces have been put under the spotlight as politicians debate approving a re-interpretation of the country’s constitution, allowing the JSDF more freedom to take action should the need arise. The motion eventually passed last month, followed by a spectacle of chaos and outrage that became worldwide news.

But lately people have started talking about something else surprising: an official Self-Defense Force magazine catering to military enthusiasts and featuring gravure model spreads.
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Nadeshico Sushi restaurant challenges gender roles with all-female staff clad in kimono

How many times has a woman made sushi for you at a sushi bar in Japan? If you answered ‘never’, you’re certainly not alone as the world of sushi is one that’s traditionally been dominated by men. While a number of female sushi chefs are working hard to change societal norms and stereotypes, there’s one special restaurant in Akihabara that’s taking things even further, with a sushi bar staffed entirely by women. From purchasing ingredients to preparing fish and making sushi, these ladies are looking to challenge the male-dominated profession, and they’re doing it all while dressed in traditional Japanese clothing.

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Facial recognition website decides how masculine or feminine you are, suggests famous look-alikes

Ever wanted to know who your celebrity look-alike would be? Wonder no more – there’s a website that will tell you! By uploading a selfie, facial recognition technology will guess your age, gender, and celebrity doppelganger.

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What do you think of when you imagine a “cute girl?” The term seems like it should be straightforward enough, whether you’re using the English word “cute” or the Japanese equivalent, kawaii. But one Japanese Twitter user claims that guys and girls use the word to mean vastly different things, and has even shared an illustration diagraming what she feels is the difference between what men and women mean when they talk about a “cute” girl.

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For a large chunk of Japan’s history, there wasn’t much time to think about the future. Instead, most people’s days were filled with more immediate concerns, like trying to figure out how to survive the civil wars that were all the rage in the country during most of the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries.

Things finally settled down in the early 1600s, though, and ordinary Japanese citizens entered into a long period of internal stability. Finally having enough time to muse about things to come, they came up with a list of predictions about Japan’s future, some of which are nowhere near how reality has turned out, and some of which were spot on.

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Are Women-Only train cars illegal in Japan?

File this one under things we hope don’t fall into the wrong hands: Those Women Only train cars in Japan aren’t actually enforceable under the law.

All foreign men in Japan can recount their first harrowing experience of obliviously stepping onto a train, only to find that literally every single other passenger was a woman. There’s a moment of confusion and, if you’re lucky, a good Samaritan politely explaining that wieners don’t belong here, followed by the terrible realization that you’ve broken not only an official rule set forth by the train company but also an unwritten social rule, which is kind of almost worse. But, from here on out, you can rest assured that even though you’re committing a social taboo, you’re not breaking any laws!

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Middle-aged Chinese man’s “stomach pains” turn out to be his first period as a woman

While many people view gender as a black-and-white issue, the reality is there is a lot of grey of the spectrum from man to woman. From young men who feel more comfortable dressed a pretty girl to a handsome transman fighting for equality in the Philippines, the world is full of people who don’t quite fit into a rigid gender binary.

Recently, a 44-year-old Chinese man found this out recently when he went to the doctor after some concerning stomach pains and finding blood in his urine. Worried about the source of the bleeding, the doctor ordered a CAT scan that turned up the surprising cause—the man had a full set of female reproductive organs and had begun menstruating.

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Nearly half of all the people who play video games are women, but you wouldn’t know it by the video game industry’s biggest conference.

Only five women presented on stage at the major press events at E3, the video game industry’s huge conference, which took place in LA this week.

Sadly, that number won’t be surprising to anyone familiar with sexism in the tech industry, and the particularly appalling way women are treated in the video game industry.

But here’s the really shocking part. E3 actually featured more severed heads on stage than women: eight heads.

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Japan slowly begins to openly discuss crossdressing men in heterosexual relationships

Crossdressing and genderbending are not only long-time staples of Japanese anime and manga, but also of TV and celebrity culture. From this, anyone would think that Japan was one of the most open and accepting countries when it comes to people who don’t fit into traditional gender roles or relationships. However, the reality outside of media and entertainment is often quite different. Family and work life are both still clearly divided down gender lines, and men who engage in anything that blurs or crosses these lines are generally shunned. But could the girl who dumps a guy just because he turns up to a date in a dress be the one who’s really missing out?

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Are you a guy wanting to try out makeup for the first time? Well Japan, the land where anything goes, has just the thing for you. Allow us to introduce the ‘my first makeup set’ especially for otokonoko! Otokonoko is written with the kanji character for ‘man’ and ‘young woman’ or ‘daughter’, and is a word used to describe men who look and dress like women.

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Dude for a day – Japanese women describe the things they’d most like to do if they were guys

What would you do if you could be a member of the opposite sex for a day? I for one would make it my first priority to get on those “women only” cars on Tokyo’s rail network and see how sweet it really is, as well as observe how all the female commuters act without men around. Next, I’d walk into any store frequented by hardcore otaku and freak the guys out just by being there, then I’d spend the evening hitting the bars I usually frequent and see how many free drinks I can score.

Posed with the same question, a group of 300 women in Japan aged 21-33 shared their thoughts on the matter, their answers ranging from the usual “pee standing up” to some surprisingly saucy suggestions.

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