Donican Lam from Kyodo:
Yet that single snapshot of Kabosu became the iconic "doge," capturing the hearts of millions with her quizzical expression that was then overlaid with an imagined internal monologue in broken English using multicolored comic book-style font.
After spending more than a decade as an unwitting symbol of internet absurdity, Kabosu died last month at the age of 18. But she has left a legacy unlike any other canine.
Pour one out for a good boy.
Shigeharu Asami from The Mainichi:
A group of four high school students recently received letters of thanks from police here after helping a woman who was being harassed by a stranger.
According to the students, they spotted what appeared to be a couple arguing on the street at the JR Kisarazu Station east exit on the evening of May 26. Because the 20-year-old woman appeared bothered, they asked her what was going on, to which she replied that she didn't know the man. They intervened between her and the man to stop her from being harassed. The group also surrounded the 38-year-old man so that he would not run off and asked a passerby to call the police. The man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of engaging in indecent acts without consent.
This is just one of those stories that you need to see more of in a country (or world, for that matter) that seems to encourage people to ignore those around us. Good that they stepped up and hope their actions spur others to help those in need.
From The Japan Times:
After registering their face photo data and credit card information in advance on a dedicated website, passengers can board trains, without buying tickets, via cameras installed at the ticket gates at stations that recognize their faces. Passengers with commuter passes can also use the system.
No mention of privacy concerns here at all. Also, with FeliCa-based cards so prevalent in the country, this seems totally unnecessary.