Five major Japanese companies said Thursday they have jointly launched an organization to fight global warming by creating a sustainable low carbon society.
Aeon Co., the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Fujitsu Ltd., Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. and Ricoh Co. have founded the Japan Climate Leader’s Partnership, or Japan-CLP, which they said supports the idea of halving global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The launching of the joint body, unique among Japanese businesses, comes ahead of a key UN climate change conference to be held in Copenhagen in December aimed …

This is Emiri Miyasaka, who is representing Japan in the Miss Universe Pageant for 2009, in her all leather Japanese national costume.

The costume was designed by Yoshiyuki Ogata, the designer/owner of the designer brand “Yoshiyuki.”

Kaori Kawamura, a Japanese pop musician, died from breast cancer on July 28th. In 2004, she had surgery on her left breast, and had a period of remission until 2008.

She was half Russian and half Japanese. She debuted on TV with her first song “ ZOO” (written by Jinsei Tsuji) when she was only seventeen years old. The year was 1988. Her boyish face and style quickly got the young people’s attention in Harajuku as her ‘boy’ style took central stage in this place where fashion always happens first.

The new Pokemon movie is a tale of healing.
One of the main ‘new’ characters who appears in the story, Shina, has the power to enter into the hearts of the Pokemons (Pocket Monsters).
She and Satoshi, Hikari, and Pikachu  go on an adventure back in time.  Together, they find the way to Aruseus–a larger-than-pocket-sized pocket monster (320 kg., 3.2 m.)— a God of the Pokemons.
Through healing his heart, they bring harmony back into the present time.
It’s no surprise that a story that has such wide appeal to children goes deep into …

Call for submissions

BionicBong is seeking contributors for its literary magazine on things Japanese. Guidelines are simple. Stories should have a Japanese feel to them, be creative and not more than 1500 words. Deadline for submissions is July 31, 2009.

I found this fan.
I smiled when I saw it. It was like a pun.
The Japanese writing on the fan, 祭,is the kanji for matsuri, which means festival.
Since now is around the time for many summer festivals, I figured that the fan was probably dropped on the ground after a festival.
I remembered a Japanese expression I learned sometime back,
ato no matsuri, which means ‘after the festival.’
It’s used like the English expression “after the fact”.
To give an example of how this expression can be used, I want to tell you something about …

Continuing the celebration of 30 years of Gundam, Cup of Noodle will release a 1/380 scale plamodel(plastic model) Gundam with purchase of a Cup of Noodles on August 31st. So go suck some ramen, fanboy!

Did you know that in most Japanese cities you can enter a booth that transports you to youth, joy and child-like fun for only 400 yen? You choose where you want to go—
into a manga, to outer space, or onto a carousel horse that rides through eternity.

Or you might prefer a bike ride in the countryside of your dreams.

If you are the abstract thinker, you could simply place yourself into a pattern of never-ending dots.

It’s summer and time to get out and meet new friends. This time the party is in prime partying territory, Roppongi! This is a joint party hosted by Hirosuke and Dave Faulkmore.

Different DJs will spin their favorite genres, so expect a mix of music.

Are you tired of exploring parks, temples, or nice restaurants in Tokyo with your partner? Then, I recommend trying something a little different like the Meguro Parasitological Museum.

This museum is literally showing specimens of parasites. You will hardly and hopefully never get the chance of ever seeing these specimens in your normal everyday life…Well unless you are in Meguro, Tokyo or you are scientist or researcher.