site banner

Transnational Thursday for April 17, 2025

Transnational Thursday is a thread for people to discuss international news, foreign policy or international relations history. Feel free as well to drop in with coverage of countries you’re interested in, talk about ongoing dynamics like the wars in Israel or Ukraine, or even just whatever you’re reading.

2
Jump in the discussion.

No email address required.

Rare that this doesn't get even one hit? I'll go first.

The Japan expo in Osaka (I guess the Osaka Expo) with its bizarre mascot that looks like a walking pathogen has begun. No Japanese person I know (admittedly I stay home a lot) is going or has any interest in going. But Japan is choc-a-bloc with foreigner tourists now. Drives me nuts.

Bizarre! When bird flu hits us with an unexpected mutation!

Btw, do you know of any good japanese vloggers on YT or elsewhere with interesting stuff to say? Whether positive or negative about Japan.

Look up Dogen on YT - he’s a language teacher cum comedian and has a lot of funny anecdotes (with English subtitles). Particularly recommend the video on the 10 (?) kinds of bows.