8 Days to Beijing Olympics

A Beijing Olympics dress rehearsal video shot by Seoul Broadcasting System leaked in the internet. In case you want to take a sneak view. here is the link.


Business suffers from strict visa rules imposed by Chinese authority right before the Olympics.


Surprising! Japanese population increases for the first time in three years, reach 126 million. Returnees and naturalization attributes to the increase.


Japanese embassy in Beijing warns sports fans to curb their enthusiasms.


Have you checked out the Olympics all competitions Schedule Yet?


China's newest fitness phenomenon


Is it an Anxiety Olympics?

9 Days to Olympics

More troubles in China just before the opening of the Olympics


China closes down 30 factories that make illegal drugs to boost athletes performance


It seems the five Fortune Babies (Fuwa) didn't bring doughs to Beijing, three star hotels see only less than 40 percent of rooms are booked.


BBC Chinese website will be allowed to be viewed inside China


Video of Dress Rehearsal for the Opening ceremony


Italian Prime Minister Will not go to Beijing, reason: Temperature over 50C

From Japan With Love

Dear Foreign Students,

Yokoso, Japan welcomes you!

If you have any remote chance of coming to Japan, to presue a degree, hopefully, instead of idling around Harajuku, then you are at a right place. Today, Monbusho, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, has proposed to increase the number of foreign students to Japan, from current 120,000 to 300,000 by year 2020, Yes, that's a 150 percent increase. It means that you might be one of them flying over Tokyo Tower some day, too.

Prime Minister Fukuda seems to be also a big supporter of the plan.

Before you begin packing, consider the following:

1. You have to be excellent. In Japanese, that means you have to be a jinzai, a talent. Are you one of them?
2. Japanese language study. Yes, you do have to speak the language in the country, no matter how westernized you heard about Japan and every corner of Tokyo has a Starbucks. Kanji, Anyone?
3. The plan has to be supported by money. That means the budget request has to get a yes from Japan's congress next year. But, it is never too early to prepare.

As a graduate from a Japanese professional school myself, I can testify that it worths the wait, and the Hiragana education, Japan has certainly more than Sushi to offer you.

11 Days to Olympics

Beijing flexes its muscle, this time in international trade. At WTO's recent meeting in Geneva, China gets the first seat in selecting negotiating group.


Washington, at the same time, slams China and India at the trade talks.


Rice also warns Beijing on security


北京五輪期間中　テロに注意を＝邦人に呼び掛け－日本大使館


北京五輪「テロ突撃隊」、装備費用は1人450万円


北京五輪ホームステイ家庭に、防毒マスク配布

奥运赛场将实现中英法三种语言播报

北京奥运安保严防自杀式袭击及刺杀

Olympics turn woods into enemies

A mass protest and clash break out in Guangdong province, China, a new wave of social unrest just days before the Olympics to be opened raise questions about effectiveness of Beijing's control over local unrests.


Parents of the students who died buried in collapsed buildings in Sichuan Earthquake agreed to be payed 60,000 yuans ($8000 dollars) to settle the dispute with the government.

为奥运草木皆兵？(Olympics turn woods into enemies?)
Beijing Capital Airport will be closed during the Opening ceremony on August 8


Beijing and Tokyo definitely get hotter by day -- China and Japan will have another leader summit, just days after they met in Hokkaido, this time at the Olympics Opening in Beijing, when Fukuda will attend and possible meet Hu Jintao to discuss recent development in Six-party talks.

At the same time, Washington is also gearing up to Asia. Not only Bush will attend Beijing's coming out party celebration, and Condi Rice will follow up to attend the closing ceremony, but Rice will also attend the Six-party foreign minister meet in Singapore at the end of July.

Sarkozy goes--"Correct" Decision

Sarkozy to attend Beijing Olympics opening


How does Sarkozy's decision sound to you? Chinese President Hu Jintao--"Correct"


U.S. spy cases raise concern on China's intentions


Olympics let Beijing recyclers to go away


China says kills five Uighurs seeking "holy war"


Have you seen "The People's Republic of Capitalism" on the Discovery Channel?


Thank goodness, China still lags behind of US in influence


China's silencing season


A British Tibetan is deported in Beijing

Beijing or not?

Who goes, who not? Anyone, Beijing?

As a host of this year's G-8 summit, Japan's Fukuda is eager to show his good will toward Beijing and among the major leaders first to indicate his intention to attend the Olympics opening ceremony on August 8, and he said he would tell the news to Chinese President Hu Jintao next week, when they meet in Toyako, Hohaido for the G-8.

Bush seems to be in the game, too. Even the White House spokeswoman Perino has said the President didn't think a boycott is a good idea, Bush has not said he will go. However, considering the recent development in North Korea, Bush seems to be ready to make a legacy in U.S. foreign policy in Asia. As a major player in North Korea and other issues, China is needed by the U.S. more by day than Beijing needs Washington, so however the short trip it will be, Bush seems to be in the Go camp.

Then there is fence standing camp, French's Sarkozy belongs there. He has said whether go to Beijing or not depends on the recent talks between Beijing and Dalai Lama's representatives. Now, the talks has ended, he is still undecided. Actually, there is not so much time left for Mr. Sarkozy to make up his mind, Chinese official media has indicated that he is not welcomed by Chinese people, since he linked the trip with Tibetan issue, an issue that Beijing considers to be an internal affair.

No Go camp includes German Chancellor Merkel, UN secretary Ban Ki Moon, and Japanese royal family among leaders from former communist party countries such as Poland.

The next week's G-8 Summit may well turn to be a referendum and final stage to define who goes, and who don't.