#nippon — Public Fediverse posts

Shinano River, Niigata City, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Tour from Hakone Yusen SORAKAZE in Kanagawa, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Port City Kobe Waterfront, HyAgo, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

JR Sapporo Station, Hokkaido, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Mount Fuji Kawaguchiko Station, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Motoyawata Station Chiba, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Ryukyu Shimpo, Naha, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Shibuya Koen-dori Shopping street, Tokyo, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Kamikochi Kappa Bridge, Japan live

#Japan #Nippon

Tokachi Ohashi Bridge

#Japan #Nippon

Mount Fuji Kawaguchiko Station, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Sunport Takamatsu, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Metropolitan Expressway Yoga Toll Gate, Tokyo, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Osaka City, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Aso Nakadake and Kusasenri, Kumamoto, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Shin-MidAsuji Freeway, Osaka, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Hozomon Gate Senso-ji, Asakusa, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Niseko Hanazono Resort, Kutchan, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Higashi Honganji Temple Kyoto, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Hayama Port, Kanagawa, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Mount Fuji Kawaguchiko Station, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Odaiba Rainbow Bridge Traffic Tokyo, JP

#Japan #Nippon

Tokyo Tower in central Tokyo, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Tokyo Sunset Chuo City Japan

#Japan #Nippon

A Look Back at Robin #1 (1991)

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1991 to explore a part of the DC Comics shared universe through one very notable comic book featuring Batman’s sidekick Robin.

For decades, the Caped Crusader Batman (who is business tycoon Bruce Wayne during the day) had Robin as his skilled teenage partner fighting countless waves of criminals in many comic books published through the decades. The most notable fact about Robin is that there are three different characters who took the role as Batman’s sidekick…Dick Grayson (who later joined the Teen Titans and became Nightwing), Jason Todd (who died as a result of a warehouse explosion set up by the Joker who beat him mercilessly) and Tim Drake. Behind the scenes at DC Comics, a decision was made to publish a comic book mini-series featuring Tim Drake Robin.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Robin #1, published in 1991 by DC Comics with a story written by Chuck Dixon and drawn by the late Tom Lyle.

Early story

The story begins inside the Batcave. Tim Drake is still adjusting in his new role as Robin and right in front of Bruce Wayne (wearing his Batman costume), he feels uneasy deep inside even though he got the role after wanting it so badly. He just could not tell him how much it scares him.

Even though Tim admits he feels unsure and needs more time, Bruce tells him he is ready to be his partner. Still the new Boy Wonder says he is not sure if he has what it takes. Bruce reminds Tim that he has proven to be smart after figuring out correctly his secret identity as Batman. He tells him that he needs to develop himself more to gain his edge.

Meanwhile in Japan, the deadly assassin Lady Shiva meets the martial artist Koroshi and discovers he has been paralyzed and limited on a wheelchair…

Quality

As a tale strongly focused on Robin, this comic book has a fine blend of action, discovery, intrigue and even elements of culture clash. It gradually dramatizes Tim Drake’s development into Robin showing moments of trial-and-error, getting himself educated far away from home, experiencing humiliation and overcoming the odds while having limitations.

The script written by Chuck Dixon is not limited to presenting how the newest Robin came to be. I enjoyed how Dixon crafted Tim Drake’s private talks with Batman and the butler Alfred Pennyworth. Each interaction with the established characters were rich in details and there is that sense of the new Robin looking up to Batman as his mentor and to Alfred as a guidance councilor.

By going all the way to France to learn from an Asian master, Tim Drake’s journey has some similarities with how Bruce Wayne developed himself into becoming Batman. It should be noted that this tale took place sometime after the death of his predecessor Jason Todd (beaten by the Joker who eventually became the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations) and it is indeed a part of Batman becoming more stable after overcoming the trauma of Todd’s demise.

For those who still find Robin as an unbelievable teenage crime fighter simply because of his youth, there are young gangsters in this tale that symbolically are the opposites of Batman’s sidekick. This was Chuck Dixon’s way of reminding people that there are indeed teenage criminals or youth gangs that exist around the world. Such young criminals or abusers still exist to this day and Robin’s status as a teenage crime fighter is clearly justified.

As a standalone tale, this comic book is pretty good and there is clear coordination between Chuck Dixon and Tom Lyle who did a fine job visualizing the script. Lyle’s art has this fine balance visualizing character development scenes, transition scenes and dynamic action. Historically, Lyle went on to draw the Robin II and Robin III mini-series for DC Comics before moving to Marvel Comics to work on Spider-Man comic books. In this very comic book, you can see how talented Lyle really was on illustrations.

Conclusion

Even though I am not a fan of Robin, I can say that the Dixon-Lyle duo succeeded in making Robin #1 (1991) a really entertaining and engaging read. It definitely is a strong start to a Robin mini-series and also serves as a defining moment for Batman’s sidekick who also got modernized at the time.

Overall, Robin #1 (1991) is recommended.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Itami Airport (ITM), Osaka, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Yubatake hot spring Kusatsu, Gunma, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

New Chitose Airport & Sapporo City, Hokkaido, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Kyoto Station Bus Stop Terminal, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Hozomon Gate Senso-ji, Asakusa, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Akabane Station Kita City, Tokyo, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

https://www.alojapan.com/1522622/powerful-typhoon-nears-okinawa-affecting-daily-life-in-southwestern-japan/ Powerful typhoon nears Okinawa, affecting daily life in southwestern Japan #English #Fukushima #Japan #news #nippon #NTV #Okinawa #OkinawaNews #TV #沖縄 A large and powerful typhoon came close to Okinawa Prefecture and the Amami region in Kagoshima Prefecture on August 7. Typhoon Dolphin brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to southwestern Japan. A maximum instantaneous wind speed of 31.9 meters per second was recorded on Kitadaito Island in

13.9 Million Foreign Tourists Arrived In Vietnam During First 7 Months Of 2026

With tourism industry of Vietnam is undeniably growing rapidly as almost fourteen million foreign tourists arrived there during the first seven months of 2026, according to report by VnExpress.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…

Vietnam welcomed 13.9 million international arrivals during the first seven months this year, up 13.8% from a year earlier, as the country’s image as a safe and stable destination continued to attract travelers amid geopolitical tensions worldwide.

In July alone, the number of foreign visitors to Vietnam reached 1.67 million, down 0.7% year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

Mainland China remained the largest source of visitors so far this year with 3.08 million, followed by South Korea with 2.38 million.

The rest of the top 10 were Russia, Taiwan, the U.S., Cambodia, India, Japan, the Phillippines and Australia.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Considering how many foreign tourists it attracted so far this year, do you think Vietnam will eventually hit 24 million foreign tourist arrivals by the end of 2026? Do you think the new Long Thanh International Airport will somehow help attract a large number of overseas travelers once it starts operating this December?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Filipino Housekeeping Services In Japan Gaining Popularity

In Japan, housekeeping services whose workforce involved Filipinos are gaining popularity and public trust as the nation has growing demand for such support, according to a news report by Kyodo News. The report mentioned the cheerful personalities and diligence of Filipino workers.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…

Housekeeping services employing Filipino staff have gained in popularity amid growing demand in Japan for such domestic support, with one provider seeing their workforce roughly double over the past decade.

Since the Japanese government began allowing foreign nationals to provide housekeeping services in national strategic special zones in 2016, workers from the Philippines have been a top choice due to their cheerful personalities, diligence as well as expertise.

In February, a Filipino housekeeping staff member listened carefully to her client’s instructions as she made her on-site debut around a month after arriving in Japan. She assiduously took notes as the client explained in a mix of English and Japanese how to use cleaning tools and the order of detergents.

“(Filipinos) are friendly and easy to talk to and they work seriously, so I can feel at ease,” the client said.

Before 2015, only certain households, such as those of foreign diplomats, had been allowed to employ foreign housekeepers. But a legal change that year, aimed at increasing women’s workforce participation and easing labor shortages in Japan’s housekeeping industry, paved the way for foreigners to work in designated areas.

Following the law revision, Tokyo-based Pinay International Co. launched a business especially employing Filipino housekeepers. It now operates in parts of Tokyo, neighboring Kanagawa Prefecture, Osaka Prefecture and Hyogo Prefecture with more than 200 Filipino staff working as full-time employees.

The company recruits workers in the Philippines and provides extensive training before and after their arrival in Japan, while also supporting their daily life in areas such as housing.

“Foreign talent playing an active role will likely lead to revitalizing Japan,” Pinay International CEO Tetsuya Moteki, 55, said.

According to a survey by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan’s housekeeping services market has been expanding as the number of dual-income households increases.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think more Japanese households will trust housekeeping service providers once they realize their workforce includes Filipinos? What do you think makes Filipino housekeeping workers more trustworthy compared with those from other nations of Southeast Asia?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Japan Sees Urgent Need To Prepare Itself For New Ways Of Warfare

In this age of artificial intelligence (AI), the rising use of drones in military operations and Communist China’s disturbing presence at sea, the Defense Ministry of Japan sees the urgent need to prepare the nation for the new ways of warfare, according to a news article by Jiji Press.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of Jiji Press. Some parts in boldface…

Japan’s Defense Ministry emphasized the urgent need to prepare for what it calls new ways of warfare leveraging drones and artificial intelligence technology in an annual white paper adopted Tuesday.

The 2026 report, submitted by Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi to the day’s cabinet meeting, also displayed vigilance over the Chinese military’s expanding activities in the Pacific, saying Japan should respond with its “comprehensive national power.”

The white paper said that large-scale attacks combining low-cost unmanned equipment and conventional missiles have been conducted on the battlefields of Ukraine fighting Russia’s aggression.

Acknowledging that preparing for prolonged conflicts has become a key issue, the government stressed the importance of securing adequate stockpiles and ensuring sustained operational capability.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you support the idea of Japan tremendously modernizing itself militarily to defend itself while pushing back against Communist China’s military presence at sea? Would you like to see Japan become more sophisticated in the new ways of warfare using whatever state-of-the-art technologies it has? Do you think Japan should approach the United States for more advanced military hardware?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 45

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads from the 1980s to the 1990s.

For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s to the 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.

With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…

1. Tron Arcade Flyer

Remember how dazzling the 1982 movie Tron was when you first saw it? That film had groundbreaking computer-generated graphics and the filmmakers worked very hard to tell a story covering both the real and digital worlds. Along the way, the movie had strong video game vibes which resonated with gamers at a time when arcade gaming was wildly popular in America. Believe it or not, an official arcade game of Tron was released the same year as the movie and it was a massive success. The arcade flyer perfectly captured the vibe and look from the movie and the machine itself had a control stick the same with what was shown to viewers. This old flyer is still great to look at.

2. Green Beret Japanese Arcade Flyer

Konami was a highly prolific game publisher in the 1980s and it had lots of games that became huge blockbusters. During the decade, their game developers were strongly influenced by both Hollywood action movies and the Cold War. In 1985, Konami released the militaristic game Green Beret in Japanese arcades and to promote it, they created an arcade flyer featuring a very stylish artwork highlighting military images of soldiers (including a guy smoking) and warfare. This ad still looks great and it was not surprising it helped the game achieve huge commercial success. Green Beret was released in America as Rush’n Attack.

3. Darius Japanese And North American Arcade Flyers

Released in arcades worldwide in 1987, Darius is a 2D side-scrolling shooter game from Taito which had a science fiction concept of the starship Silver Hawk (piloted by players) which sets on a mission to destroy an evil empire before it could destroy the world called Darius. The game was successful, most notably in Japan and it eventually led to sequels being released later. What I find intriguing is how the arcade game was promoted in Japan and in North America. The Japanese arcade flyer had this intriguing artwork that reflected a blend of sci-fi with a touch of horror. The North American flyer had a strong sci-fi touch with a male and female model wearing costumes (that made them look futuristic) standing beside the Darius machine. Which flyer looks more appealing to you?

4. Data East’s Arcade Alley Print Ad

There is nothing like porting arcade hits to computer systems for gamers to enjoy. In 1988 there in Europe, U.S. Gold released Data East’s Arcade Alley for computer systems and it included ports of popular Data East games like Kung Fu Master, Express Raider, Breakthru, Tag Team Wrestling, Last Mission and Karate Champ. U.S. Gold’s print ad showed a guy in the middle of a video arcade looking on both sides to pick which game to play which strongly emphasized the essence of the game collection (offered in cassettes and disk). This old ad is still amusing to look at.

5. Blasteroids European Print Ad

Blasteroids, the third entry in Atari’s popular Asteroids games series, was released in European arcades by Image Works and eventually landed on computer systems there. For Europe, the ad makers came up with artwork showing a creepy, green space monster surrounded by a few spaceships to emphasize the game’s concept. The said monster eventually appeared on the game covers of the computer ports of Blasteroids later. This ad shows creative adjustments taken to promote games in different parts of the world.

6. Dream Team USA Japanese Print Ad

Remember how wildly popular the Dream Team (Team USA in Olympic basketball) was in 1992? With NBA legends Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton and more representing America in the basketball tournament of the Olympic Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain, the Dream Team (a media-led reference for the team) was easily the main attraction not only for basketball fans worldwide but also those who craved for excitement in international sports events. That said, Electronic Arts secured the license to make an official video game about the Dream Team and actually released the game Team USA Basketball within 1992 for the Sega Genesis. As basketball is popular also in Japan, EA released the game there titled as Dream Team USA and came up with a Japanese print ad to seriously capture gamers’ attention. This ad is still effective in delighting both basketball and video game enthusiasts.

7. Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back And Return Of The Jedi Print Ad

Back in the 1990s, there was a resurgence of the original Star Wars trilogy across different forms of media. Apart from the VHS re-releases of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, there was a slew of video games of Star Wars released during the decade and the fans had new stuff to entertain themselves with. Along the way, the company THQ secured the rights to Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi for re-release to coincide with the 1997 “Special Edition” theatrical releases of their respective movies. THQ’s print ad simply used official images of Return of the Jedi and inserted a tiny bit of The Empire Strikes Back, and they did not show any screenshots that could have been helpful for Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Game Boy users. Still, it was smart for THQ to print two excerpts of game reviews to sell the games.

8. Super Mario RPG North American Print Ad

Remember back in the 1990s when Nintendo and role-playing game giant SquareSoft had a very healthy business relationship that proved successful? Before their eventual breakup (related to Square signing with Sony for PlayStation development), the two companies joined forces to make a fully featured role-playing game for the SNES featuring Super Mario and related characters…Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. To promote the game, Nintendo (the publisher) created a mesmerizing 2-page print ad highlighting their characters while emphasizing the role-playing and fantasy aspects of the game. At the time of its release, Super Mario was often identified with platform games and the Super Mario RPG print ad was a serious attempt to lure fans into RPGs which the SNES was already rich with. This ad, which I first saw in gaming magazines in 1996, still looks great.

9. NBA Shootout ’97 Print Ad

If there is anything I miss about 1990s console gaming, it is the fact that there were a lot of NBA-licensed video games that were offered to players with different tastes in basketball gaming. Sony had its own exclusive NBA games series called NBA Shootout and they were pretty aggressive selling its own basketball games along with the PlayStation going up against the likes of Electronic Arts (NBA Live), Sega and others. This is reflected in this 2-page print ad of NBA Shootout ’97 which was a PlayStation-exclusive release. They featured a photograph of Lakers’ Eddie Jones about to dunk and showed screenshots as well as the descriptive text written with excitement. Since it first started, NBA Shootout was basketball in full 3D polygonal graphics backed with motion-captured moves and dunks that players could enjoy only PlayStation. This ad is a reminder that Sony used to make official NBA games and there is a lack of variety and players’ choice of NBA gaming in today’s world.

10. Legend of Legaia North American Print Ad

There was a time when Sony produced Japanese RPGs (JRPGs) exclusive for PlayStation consoles. One of them was Legend of Legaia which had a combat system that emphasized martial arts and it had an interesting fantasy concept. For its 1999 North American release, Sony came up with a very bizarre 2-page print ad that had digital artwork with a very strong horror vibe and the visual designs within the three screenshots shown were clearly not related with it. How this ad was made remains unclear. This is easily one of the most misguided gaming ads of the 1990s.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Japan Determining Lifting Import Prohibition On Fresh US Potatoes

Fresh potatoes from the United States could potentially enter Japan’s markets this year as the authorities are assessing the quarantine risks and the concerns raised by Japanese potato farmers, according to a news report by NHK World. The Japanese authorities received a request from Washington regarding American potatoes which led to the ongoing assessment.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt of the NHK World report. Some parts in boldface…

Japan is taking steps that could lead to it fully opening its market to fresh US potatoes, following a request from Washington.

Japan bans imports of raw potatoes due to concerns over pests and disease, except for some sourced from the United States to be used exclusively for potato chips.

The agriculture ministry is currently assessing the quarantine risks posed by American potatoes, the third step in an 11-stage process before all restrictions can be lifted.

Officials plan to complete the risk assessment as early as this summer, and move on to identifying the pests and diseases that need to be dealt with.

Demand for fresh potatoes is rising in Japan, as domestic production has been on the decline.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think Japan’s agriculture ministry will even allow full market opening to fresh potatoes from the United States? What do you think is the reason why Japan’s domestic production of fresh potatoes has declined?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Philippines Attracts 2.9 Million Foreign Tourists In First Half Of 2026

For the first half of this year, the Philippines attracted 2.9 million foreign tourists and 1.13 million of that came from the United States and South Korea combined, according to a news report by Business Mirror. The figure does not include the 260,717 overseas Filipinos or balikbayan.

When compared to its Asian neighbors’ first-half foreign tourist numbers, the Philippines is still way behind Vietnam which attracted 12.3 million and Japan which attracted 21 million.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Business Mirror report. Some parts in boldface…

MORE relaxed visa entry requirements have enabled the Philippines to attract an increasing number of foreign tourists, lifting total visitor arrivals by 5.41 percent in the first half of the year.

Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed 3.16 million inbound tourists from January to June 2026, of which 2.9 million were foreign nationals and 260,717 were overseas Filipinos. The latter are described as Philippine passport holders permanently residing abroad. This year’s arrivals are 76.5 percent of the 4.13 million total in the first half of prepandemic 2019.

The DOT stressed that the data are based on e-travel records provided by the Department of Information and Communications Technology, and are not final until Bureau of Immigration records are taken into account. E-travel registration is mandatory for those arriving in the Philippines except foreign diplomats, dignitaries, foreign government officials and their delegation, visiting business executives and students  sponsored by the Philippine  government or international organizations, and their immediate family members (9e visa).

Of the total foreign nationals, which were up 6.3 percent from the 2.73 million year on year (yoy), tourists from China and India were the most improved by 64.54 percent and 43 percent, respectively. Residents from both countries have been allowed to enter the Philippines visa-free for tourism purposes for 14 days.

The top 12 source markets of visitors for the Philippines all recorded increases, except for South Korea, with long-haul markets like Germany even showing monthly increases yoy, despite the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, which had jacked up jet fuel prices.

S. Korea plunges 13.7% – The United States continues to be the top source market for the Philippines with arrivals at 581,565 in the first half of the year, an increase of some 6.9 percent from the same period in 2025. Most of the market continues to be composed of Americans of Filipino decent, or Filipino immigrants, who visit the Philippines usually during the holiday season in December and January.

Some 300 Filipino-Americans are currently in the country as part of government’s long-running Very Important Pinoy (VIP) tour, and visiting destinations other than Metro Manila such as Cebu, Dumaguete, and Siquijor.

In second place are tourists from South Korea at 552,860, slumping by 13.7 percent, yoy. This was followed by Japan at 581,565 (+6.87 percent); China at 219,796 (+64.54 percent); Australia at 174,257 (+12.3 percent); and Canada at 156,763 (+15.6 percent), another haven of Filipino immigrants. Air Canada began offering direct flights from Vancouver to Manila in April last year, while flag carrier Philippine Airlines offers nonstop flights between Manila and Vancouver, and Toronto.

Tourists from Taiwan were in seventh place at 111,134, an increase of 11.85 percent; folowed by the United Kingdom at 92,829 (+1.7 percent); Singapore at 78,069 (0.35 percent); India at 60,583 (43.03 percent); Malaysia at 53,437 (+11.5 percent); and Germany at 48,657 (+6.9 percent).

Under the General Appropriations Act of 2026, the DOT committed to attract 6.7 million foreign tourists this year.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Philippines will be able to attract 6.7 million foreign tourists by the end of this year? What do you think are the three most serious problems the Philippines has when it comes to attracting foreign tourists?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Kamikochi Kappa Bridge, Japan live

#Japan #Nippon

Tokyo Waterfront Panorama, Minato, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

@rmblaber1956

Trump, long seen as Putin's puppet, acts as a member of OPEC.

America secretly joins OPEC to screw the world? People are saying.

#uspol #opec #eu #uk #nippon

RE: https://journa.host/@winnipegfreepress/116960849562935682

ICE murdering people on vacation.

America IS NOT a vacation destitination, a business trip, an important meeting.

There is nothing in the US worth risking your life, freedom or dignity.

#eu #cdnpoli #Mexico #nippon #murder

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 147

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.

Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Saints Row 2 Revisited – Having played the original Saints Row on my Xbox 360 console in 2006, I wished for a sequel to happen as I enjoyed the game a lot. Saints Row 2 was released in 2008 but it was in 2010 when I played it as it was locally sold to me with a really low price, and I enjoyed the game a lot. As a direct sequel, Saints Row 2 took place in the fictional city of Stilwater (the main setting of the first game) which has been expanded and modified a lot by Volition to not only reflect the passage of time but also offer gamers a bigger environment to explore and enjoy. Among fans of the Saints Row series, it has been argued that Saints Row 2 is the best to play and I myself enjoyed replaying it the most. There is a lot of inspiration behind the game and you can learn all about it by watching the informative video below. Saints Row 2 was made by Volition long before it turned woke and ruined the franchise with Saints Row (2022).

https://youtu.be/9jB43UhCyuE?si=POESPmYH8vrPqlns

#2 EOM Reacts To Weird Science – If you have seen the 1985 sci-fi teen comedy film Weird Science, did you notice any connects between it and the 1950s sci-fi comic book series published by EC Comics? Did you recognize Bill Paxton, Anthony Michael Hall and Robert Downey Jr. when they were so young making the movie? By today’s standards, Weird Science is very unique when it comes to teen comedy, science fiction and sexiness in cinema. To find out more about it, watch EOM Reacts’ video below.

https://youtu.be/O14wBHYu-64?si=ia0sAmVJcmnZAGa-

#3 The Last Time The Future Felt New – Remember the many technological and creative breakthroughs that happened in the late 1990s? As the world slowly crawled to the year 2000, there were these changes that came with technology and turned out to be futuristic in different ways and in different forms to many people. To understand what I am saying, I encourage you all to watch the video below. Enjoy the discoveries and retrospective.

https://youtu.be/NX1ufkstpuM?si=t3S3wdvCaQaHOkif

#4 A Look At Chichibu in Japan – Here is something for you who intend to visit Japan soon. In Saitama Prefecture is the place called Chichibu is emerging as one of the nation’s most astonishing tourist destinations. It has rich natural beauty, retro streets and lots of hidden gems that are attracting visitors right now. To learn more about Chichibu, watch the informative video of Nippon TV below.

https://youtu.be/z_dmH7wP7ZA?si=h4OjY_QiDaOzMnsM

#5 Reaction Videos Of Live Free Or Die Hard – What do you get when you have the famous action here John McClane (played by Bruce Willis) who is not versed with technology and has to deal with a cyber terrorist who is messing with the entire United States? You get the 2007 movie Live Free or Die Hard (AKA Die Hard 4.0) which was huge box office success and made the Die Hard film franchise relevant in the 21st century and proved that moviegoers love watching Bruce Willis as John McClane. Considering its reputation, it is not surprising that the movie got featured in many reaction videos on YouTube. For your entertainment, watch the selected reaction videos below.

https://youtu.be/ywnMc8vsMw8?si=5psWdz-bNOI5YZy9

https://youtu.be/NH5s-ROB_Kc?si=Xsh360bsvSASCtA-

https://youtu.be/7FYnw1JLN8c?si=zLm9UyWZbMKWoBmt

https://youtu.be/38OJl0jgIPs?si=bJxh5wMNRi-kYOnK

#6 Satoru Iwata Remembered – It has been over a decade since Satoru Iwata died. He is still remembered for rising from working as a video game programmer to reaching the top of Nintendo’s hierarchy by becoming its president and chief executive officer (CEO). Under his leadership, Nintendo achieved strong growth and it stood its ground in the console wars over many years. Considering the frustrating state of modern-day video gaming, Iwata’s wisdom and business savvy are missed. No matter what the trends of gaming and business were, Iwata maintained strong insight about the gaming industry and really stuck to principles. Watch and learn from the video below.

https://youtu.be/97oTFMml25s?si=aGchpIvq5EIGWFP-

#7 Double Dragon Revisited – I have been playing video games since I was very young. While me and my friends played Double Dragon on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and on personal computer (PC), I never had the chance to play the game’s original arcade version. By the time I started playing more games in the arcades, Double Dragon was long gone. In the mid-1990s, a Double Dragon live-action movie was released and it only reminded me that Double Dragon grew a lot as a game franchise. That said, now is a good time to examine the very first Double Dragon game, who made it and what led to its creation. Watch the video below.

https://youtu.be/9xdzfI7U2Mc?si=2Ns7L0-cP5EjETdj

#8 Ranting For Vengeance Slams New Ghost In The Shell – Anyone among you a long-time fan of the manga and the 1990s anime film of Ghost in the Shell? There is a new TV series of it titled as The Ghost in the Shell released recently and Ranting For Vengeance slammed it in a recent video he posted on YouTube. He also has reasons and explanations supporting his stand against it. Watch his video below now!

https://youtu.be/Ow1zba_hZEM?si=yWuUC-FIvcYH0tei

#9 Woke Disease In Video Gaming – Over the past several years, wokeness in video games intensified a lot and ruined gaming a lot. There are woke nuts, social justice warriors (SJWS), feminists, Islamists and LGBTQ activists working as game developers and many of the games they worked on were laced with identity politics and other elements reflecting their beliefs and political agenda. The are also Leftists among video game journalists who work in tandem with woke game developers, and these propagandists distort public perception of video games as we know it. That said, you must guard your minds whenever you read video game news articles, reviews and opinion pieces. Watch and learn from the video below.

https://youtu.be/X1EOo_nWD50?si=q5T3B4jjmwsQMly6

#10 Leftists Love Violence – Let’s be very clear here. Today’s Democrats and their allies are so twisted, they have grown heartless to people who are simply do not share their beliefs and values. Today’s Leftists are so Satanic, they celebrated political violence a lot. Watch and learn from the video below.

https://youtu.be/-SoTEN-JDh0?si=1dghWPTu-3hIC-7s

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Typhoon causes injuries, widespread power outages in Okinawa

Typhoon Bavi wreaked havoc in Okinawa. The storm made its closest approach to the southwestern Japanese prefecture on July 11. According to prefectural government officials, there were reports of at least 15 people sustaining injuries. They included two women wal…
#Japan #JP #Okinawa #English #Fukushima #news #nippon #NTV #okinawanews #TV #沖縄
https://www.alojapan.com/1511567/typhoon-causes-injuries-widespread-power-outages-in-okinawa/

https://www.alojapan.com/1511567/typhoon-causes-injuries-widespread-power-outages-in-okinawa/ Typhoon causes injuries, widespread power outages in Okinawa #English #Fukushima #Japan #news #nippon #NTV #Okinawa #OkinawaNews #TV #沖縄 Typhoon Bavi wreaked havoc in Okinawa. The storm made its closest approach to the southwestern Japanese prefecture on July 11. According to prefectural government officials, there were reports of at least 15 people sustaining injuries. They included two women walking near the coastal area in the city of Miya

@Greguti #UnitedStates #UnitedKingdom #France #Русия #日本 #Nippon #België #Nederland #Deutschland #Italia

Before pouring more money into nuclear power, we should first clean up the mess it has already left behind: dumped waste, contaminated sites, and unresolved liabilities from the past. Any serious “new investment” must begin with responsibility, remediation, and long-term care for the damage already done.

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 145

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.

Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Street Fighter III: New Generation Revisited – Way back in 1994, I had a blast of fun playing Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) plus other Street Fighter II games in the arcades. Naturally, I had a personal anticipation for Street Fighter III. However, Capcom released Street Fighter Alpha (Street Fighter Zero) and follow-up games over the next few years. In the 1st quarter of 1997, I saw Street Fighter III: New Generation in the local arcade and quickly inserted tokens to play it. I was very impressed with its super-smooth animation and enjoyed it. Still, something about the game felt hollow and weird as well which is related to the fact that Ryu and Ken were the only established Street Fighter characters who returned. Indeed, there was something odd that happened behind the scenes at Capcom when Street Fighter III: New Generation was made. Watch and learn from the videos below.

https://youtu.be/L-SzM8xqzZw?si=cCVk5NShDVxX5J_E

https://youtu.be/tvFUkk-3sCI?si=7lrhELujY7SXh_J4

#2 EOM Reacts’ Saving Private Ryan Video – Twenty-eight years ago, Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan was released in cinemas and eventually achieved both critical and commercial success. While its story was not true to life nor a solid record of World War II history, its presentation of the extreme violence of the era and American brotherhood captivated a lot of moviegoers. To find out how much impact the movie has on anyone who views it, watch EOM React’s reaction video below.

https://youtu.be/l5qvVrC9nhA?si=P3egjL2Ic2TK6sYd

#3 Farm-Raised Eels Launched In Japan – In Japanese cuisine, eels are a popular delicacy and they make a great choice of meat to consume with rice. Due to the sharp decline of eels at sea, farms that spent a lot of time and resources of breeding eels provided the alternative for Japanese demand. That said, farm-raised eels were commercially launched recently for public consumption and you can learn so much more about them in the Nippon TV video below.

https://youtu.be/-_KokIB9pYw?si=2flFfbep9yQJRmpW

#4 Shenmue Retrospective – Shenmue, the most defining game ever released on the short-lived Sega Dreamcast, has long been featured in countless articles and retrospective videos over the past twenty-six years. Under the leadership and design of the legendary Yu Suzuki, Shenmue turned out to be a very groundbreaking video game when it comes to exploration, adventuring and interactions with characters (including non-playable characters or NPCs) and items. Now is a good time to look back at Shenmue with the in-depth retrospective video below. Viewing it felt like an adventure.

https://youtu.be/vgP4h-iFlUw?si=JppH2tQ13uh9yGZ1

#5 You, Me And The Movies React To The Philadelphia Story – When was the last time you saw a romantic comedy film released in the 1940s? The 1940 movie The Philadelphia Story is notable not only because it was nominated for several Academy Awards (it won two) but also because it was the successful comeback of actress Katharine Hepburn who had several failures. To find out if The Philadelphia Story is truly impactful and worthy of preservation in the United States National Film Registry, go watch You, Me and the Movies’ reaction video below.

https://youtu.be/WHzYcZAkiUQ?si=GdXfYWNA5M8hQFKe

#6 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To Lethal Weapon 4 – What is there to say about 1998’s Lethal Weapon 4? It is the one film that has Asian superstar Jet Li as the action-packed villain. In addition, it marked significant changes in the respective lives of Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) when it comes to family matters and getting old as law enforcers. I can hardly believe it has been twenty-eight years since I first saw this movie in the local cinema and it was indeed a thrilling viewing experience. To see if it still has any entertainment value and impact, watch and learn from Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video below.

https://youtu.be/aruSpkxOeMQ?si=ObpagaUU0UijyRlH

#7 The 2003 California Recall Election Revisited – Decades after former actor Ronald Reagan led the state of California as its governor, another actor got elected to the same position via a recall election…Arnold Schwarzenegger! Back in 2003, the incumbent governor Gray Davis was very unpopular and a lot of Californians got fed up with the many problems that affected them. When the move to recall Davis grew tremendously, several people filed their candidacies for Governor of California but it was Schwarzenegger who outmaneuvered them. Given the fact that he starred in three Terminator movies – all of which were filmed in California – he would later be called as “the Governator” after taking office. To find out what really happened and what the factors were behind his recall election victory, watch the in-depth video below.

https://youtu.be/slZSl5ufmXk?si=aUkZMJaozvMaRAGm

#8 The Remake Trend Of Video Games – Like Hollywood, the video game industry has an obsession with remaking video games. The difference is this…the obsession on remaking video games is pretty strong as video game publishers need something “new” to sell to gamers while their other game projects could not be completed fast enough. Still, there is something twisted or intriguing behind the game companies’ focus on remaking games and you can find out more by watching the video below.

https://youtu.be/AO90OiaPNBk?si=xMHQTGLd73_fZwX4

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Osaka City, Japan

#Japan #Nippon

Mount Fuji climbing season opens as officials debunk false eruption rumors

Mount Fuji officially opened for the 2026 climbing season on July 1, and climbers set off for the summit from the Yamanashi side early in the morning. The mountain began to brighten shortly after 4AM. At around 4:40AM, the sun ro…
#Japan #JP #MountFuji #English #Fukushima #MountFujiNews #news #nippon #NTV #TV #富士山
https://www.alojapan.com/1506690/mount-fuji-climbing-season-opens-as-officials-debunk-false-eruption-rumors/

https://www.alojapan.com/1506690/mount-fuji-climbing-season-opens-as-officials-debunk-false-eruption-rumors/ Mount Fuji climbing season opens as officials debunk false eruption rumors #English #Fukushima #Japan #MountFuji #MountFujiNews #MountFuji #news #nippon #NTV #TV #富士山 Mount Fuji officially opened for the 2026 climbing season on July 1, and climbers set off for the summit from the Yamanashi side early in the morning. The mountain began to brighten shortly after 4AM. At around 4:40AM, the sun rose above a sea of clouds. On the Yamanashi side, c

Odaiba Marine Park, Tokyo

#Japan #Nippon

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 44

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads from the 1980s to the early 2000s.

For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s to the 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.

With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…

1. Berzerk Arcade Flyer

Could you imagine being trapped deep within a maze surrounded by dangerous robots (plus one other unstoppable enemy) capable firing laser blasts at you? This was the concept behind the design of Berzerk, an arcade game released by Stern Electronics in 1980. Released at a time when science fiction became wildly popular in American entertainment, Berzerk was immersive for gamers and the multidirectional gameplay feature was captivating for many. To promote the game, Stern Electronics came up with a customized visual design that blended 2D sprite elements with a photograph of two people and some hand-drawn art pieces. The front of the flyer emphasized accurate the core concept of the game while the rear explained the technical details. They even played with their company name with the line “Stern goes berzerk!”

2. Rush’n Attack North American Arcade Flyer

During the late stages of the Cold War, Konami made a lot of military-themed video games which resonated not only with those who were already aware about the global conflict but also with gamers who craved for action and excitement. One of those games was Rush’n Attack (alternative title: Green Beret) which was released in American arcades in late-1985. Konami came up with an arcade flyer showing four people (looking like an American family) having a good time in front of an arcade cabinet, and three screenshots of the game were displayed on the lower half. Rush’n Attack – which was deliberately titled to resemble the phrase “Russian attack” due to its obvious Cold War setting – went on to succeed commercially and critically. One notable game review compared Rush’n Attack favorably with the movie Rambo: First Blood Part II.

3. Turbo Out Run North American Arcade Flyer

Following the massive success Sega achieved with Out Run in 1986, the company went on to release the follow-up Turbo OutRun three years later. As seen in their North American flyer, Sega emphasized the in-game locations, the look of the machine with the driver’s seat and steering wheel, and the excitement they can expect. Turbo OutRun went on to become successful in the arcades worldwide and it got ported to a variety of consoles and computer systems in the years that followed. On its own, the arcade flyer sparked excitement for gamers.

4. Air Duel Japanese Arcade Flyer

Released in Japanese arcades in 1990, Air Duel from Irem is an intense and fast-paced 2D sprite vertically scrolling shooter that attracted a lot of players. It had a war theme and its aesthetic has a mix of military and somewhat futuristic science fiction elements. The game’s arcade flyer featured a very intriguing artwork by Takashi Yamasaki showing two aircrafts flying over a city heading towards a massively large enemy in the distance. In my opinion, the artwork alone is pretty engaging to see and it’s more than enough to make me think about playing the game.

5. Spellbound Adaptor Print Ad

Remember back in the old days when there were hardware lockouts on game consoles that prevented users from playing games imported from different regions? In Europe, a special cheat and regional bypass cartridge called the Spellbound Adaptor was released and it allowed Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) users to bypass the lockouts and play games from overseas. The Spellbound Adaptor was notably advertised in European print media showing two sexy ladies posing with the adaptor itself (on the SNES), the television and many SNES games. The ad even includes a promo of buying the adaptor with a game of choice for only £69.95. The ad is still impactful to look at.

6. Contra III: The Alien Wars North American Print Ad

By the time the SNES was launched in America in 1991, a lot of gamers who enjoyed Contra games on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) have been craving for a sequel on the newer console. Their dreams finally came through in early 1992 when Konami released Contra III: The Alien Wars on the SNES, and it was a lot more than visual upgrade as it had groundbreaking features connected with the game developers’ clever use of the console’s technology. Konami was already aware of Contra’s huge following in America, so they came up with an aggressive looking print ad promoting Contra III: The Alien Wars. With a red-and-black background, the ad had a variety of screenshots that were tilted to look 3D (showing what the game offered) and used a minor space for the descriptive text and image of the game box. This old print ad is one of the finest ways to promote a sequel while also emphasizing the next-generation experience fans can enjoy. This ad is a classic!

7. Apocalypse Print Ads

Believe it or not, Hollywood legend Bruce Willis actually starred in the ambitious video game titled Apocalypse. Before its 1998 released on PlayStation, Apocalypse started with the player character having an AI-controlled partner named Trey Kincaid to be played by Willis. Publisher Activision signed a multi-million Dollar deal with Bruce Willis to use his likeness and voice for the Trey character. Eventually the Trey Kincaid role was modified to be the playable character. Given the huge deal signed with the super star and the additional costs that came with game design revisions, Activision launched an aggressive marketing campaign for Apocalypse and they heavily used Bruce Willis’s name and imagery. Ultimately the game sold less than one million copies and yet Activision was satisfied with the sales which convinced them to go back to Apocalypse developer Neversoft for a new project.

8. R-Type Delta North American Print Ad

R-Type, the long-running series of 2D side-scrolling shooters by Irem, fully embraced 3D polygons with R-Type Delta on PlayStation in 1998. To promote the game in North America, Irem and their partner Agetec went all-in emphasizing their series shift into 3D polygonal graphics while promising new in-game weapons. Very smartly, they included positive quotes from Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM), PlayStation Magazine (PSM) and Official PlayStation Magazine (OPM) to show credibility. In recent times, an enhanced version of R-Type Delta (R-Type Delta: HD Boosted) was released on modern game console and PC.

9. Racing Lagoon Japanese Print Ad

Released in 1999 for PlayStation only in Japan, Racing Lagoon was one of many games SquareSoft made for a genre other than role-playing games (RPGs). Released at a time when the PlayStation already had lots of racing games available from around the world, Racing Lagoon was a racing game that had role-playing elements mixed in. To promote it, SquareSoft made a print ad that had a night-time city vibe and they showed some screenshots with a unique visual style. The in-game story was influenced by the illegal street racing trend that happened in Japan during the 1980s.

10. Resident Evil – Code: Veronica North America Print Ads

When Resident Evil – Code: Veronica was released on the Sega Dreamcast in Japan in February 2000, it delivered a next-generation survival horror experience to die-hard RE fans and it was easily one of the must-have games for Dreamcast owners of the time. Along the way, RE fans and Dreamcast owners in America were already anticipating the game. Capcom had an aggressive ad campaign for the game with US gamers in mind and this particular single-page print ad showed the fan-favorite characters Claire and Chris Redfield on one corner, six selected screenshots and quotes from the published game reviews of Game Informer, Next Generation and the Official Dreamcast Magazine. The 2-page print ad had the same elements but had the Redfield siblings on the 2nd page. I remember seeing these ads on a few gaming magazines and they made me think about buying a Dreamcast just to play RE – Code: Veronica. These old ads emphasized the strong business trust between Capcom and Sega (which itself lost a lot of money and credibility with the Sega Saturn consoles and many add-on devices released years prior).  

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 143

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.

Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To Minority Report – If ever the science fiction concept of pre-crime becomes a reality, would you support it if ever it gets implemented by the national government to fight crime? Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report tackled that concept very well and Tom Cruise was almost perfect as the cinematic law enforcer who became a fugitive. Minority Report remains cerebral and entertaining by today’s standards and it is not surprising that it got featured in many YouTube reaction videos. As such, I urge you all to watch Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video of the 2002 movie.

https://youtu.be/2Dm7iXsxdGM?si=CfX-hGSENaP0E2cX

#2 Close Encounter Of The Third Kind Retrospective Videos – If you are disappointed with Steven Spielberg’s latest science fiction film Disclosure Day, now is a good time to revisit his much older works with similar concepts. His 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind continues to impact viewers and YouTubers which only proves there is something very unique about it. In addition, the movie shows what kind of visionary and storyteller Spielberg was when he was much younger. That said, now is a good time to watch the following retrospective videos – including movie reactions – of the sci-fi film.

https://youtu.be/-ERnTGce7zM?si=k8opuh6oXDycw7Zv

https://youtu.be/3xAXvzGi44o?si=q9QFjTO0cIoLDR0O

https://youtu.be/Gor9b8T9ISY?si=fjSIdltHHzAkNZvd

https://youtu.be/CmMTOOcBuzk?si=z5-67WN2y_BLN6jc

#3 Sega Dreamcast – PlayStation 2 “Rivalry” Revisited – When Sega launched the Dreamcast console in the late 1990s, the company went through years of financial losses as well as tarnished reputation with both gamers and their business partners. To be fair, Sega learned from their mistakes with the Saturn console and simplified their business model to avoid the confusion they caused by releasing many add-on devices. The Dreamcast was indeed a high-quality game console and had features that were ahead of its time, although the technologies used were nowhere as advanced as what Sony came up with in the PlayStation 2. To see the so-called rivalry between the two consoles, watch the video below.

https://youtu.be/Y2si5uIPwrM?si=QoCaTIb7UPOZbShh

#4 Japanese Businesses Growing Their Own Food – Economic challenges in Japan are compelling businesses their to grow their own food supplies. For some time now, Japan’s rice supply has been in a crisis and that alone affects a whole lot of food joints, stores and other enterprises involved. The supply chain of vegetables, fresh meat and fish and key ingredients is also getting strained. As such, many Japanese companies have gotten involved in agriculture and fisheries. Ultimately, the video of Nippon TV below will show you what has been happening and what is Japan doing to ensure food security.

https://youtu.be/Jtx8sXuDKKI?si=Daw1EelL79A4-b-7

#5 Spider-Man: Maximum Carnage Comics Revisited – What is there to say about the Maximum Carnage comic book storyline Marvel Comics published in 1993? It was a 14-part storyline that was published temporarily in the four monthly Spider-Man series and in two issues of the quarterly Spider-Man Unlimited series. It was released at a time when Venom and Carnage were wildly popular and it was also an opportunity for Marvel to get the Spider-Man fans and collectors engaged when Image Comics and Valiant Comics was challenging them. For a comedic look back at Maximum Carnage, watch the video below.

https://youtu.be/55QIGiNcN9Q?si=Il0a6p5E0Fx3DcF7

#6 Ranting For Vengeance Talks About Resident Evil Veronica And Slams Woke Nuts Online – There definitely is something wrong with people who have turned woke. For some reason, they want to claim the Resident Evil game franchise as their own and they have been posting their distorted opinions about it for some time now. As Capcom formally announced Resident Evil Veronica (the remake of 2000’s Resident Evil – Code Veronica), the woke (including the gay pride zealots) are once again attaching themselves to anything Resident Evil. In his recent video, Ranting for Vengeance shared his impression about Resident Evil Veronica before slamming the woke. Watch the video below and pay attention to the details.

https://youtu.be/mbOAPfIeHvI?si=TV-_TsZqAvewxjUI

#7 Obscure JRPGs Revisited – Have you ever enjoyed a Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) that many gamers other there did not play? As seen over the past few decades, there are lots of JRPGs released on consoles and computers that did not sell massively and had been forgotten. Many of them were only released in Japan. Those are the obscure JRPGs and in recent times, retro gamers and RPG enthusiasts had to literally search hard and dig deep to play them. Last December, Gaming Broductions posted a video focused on obscure JRPGs, and there are a lot featured and explained in detail. That said, go watch their video below.

https://youtu.be/kTuFf6E4ngY?si=QeHV63N6LakdyfWi

#9 You, Me And The Movies React To Resident Evil: Damnation – Can’t get enough of Resident Evil? While live-action Resident Evil movies featured Milla Jovovich and had stories that were not faithful to the games, Capcom in Japan proceeded to produce their very own computer-generated RE movies to delight the fans while conveniently expanding the lore. Following the release of Resident Evil: Degeneration, the Japanese came up with Resident Evil: Damnation which featured again Leon Kennedy and had the popular Ada Wong included in the cast. That said, you have to see You, Me and the Movies’ reaction video of RE: Damnation and see how it impacted them.

https://youtu.be/gNo1oTg9dnQ?si=pJElFPMUibgEPtlF

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 142

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.

Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Retrospective Videos Of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – Back in 2000, I was fortunate enough to have seen Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in the local cinema here in the Philippines. Directed by Ang Lee, the film was a dramatic martial arts film set in ancient China. Apart from having established Asian actors Michelle Yeoh, Pei-Pei Cheng and Chow-Yun Fat, the movie’s huge success made Zhang Zhiyi an instant star as she carried a very important role. Its importance in the history of global movies was realized when it earned ten Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. To this day, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a highly admired film and it is not surprising to see it being featured in many YouTube videos. What I posted below are for your enjoyment and enlightenment. Observe how the film impacts YouTubers in their reaction videos.

https://youtu.be/5dR34L1Kj7M?si=24LYnvQ9rVyDdrd1

https://youtu.be/6KlLH3uTDCM?si=Qc_pJ-Mn6jJYzEAo

https://youtu.be/kkjN4Pu9aOw?si=WoJxFI32-Wt9veQB

https://youtu.be/G7mrjFdFLXw?si=fVIGc5Lg4UZizF_8

#2 EOM Reacts’ Minority Report Video – If you love Tom Cruise and if you want his best collaboration with Steven Spielberg, you cannot go wrong with Minority Report. By today’s standards, Minority Report is still very engaging to watch and it also has Spielberg’s clever approach on storytelling as elements of science fiction, suspense and film noir were blended nicely on-screen. That said, you must see how the movie impacts EOM Reacts’ in his reaction video posted below. Go watch it!

https://youtu.be/Hyn0AhXqP38?si=l8vbX9PzEWtiOjFY

#3 The Resident Evil Trilogy On PlayStation Revisited – When I was very young, I was fortunate enough to play Resident Evil, Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis on the PlayStation. The survival horror genre Capcom started with the first RE game really grew not only in popularity and commercial sales, but also in clever game design that included cinema-like storytelling strongly focused on the zombie apocalypse. By the end of 1999, the RE trilogy on PlayStation positively impacted video gaming as a whole and the characters Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield became wildly popular with gamers. Considering how old the first three Resident Evil games are, do you think they have aged well and are they playable enough for gamers who born after those games were released? Watch and learn from the retrospective video below.

https://youtu.be/IZb54l7ZIwo?si=qtGsUYIczlOblvIl

#4 Ranting For Vengeance Slams Insomniac’s Wolverine Video Game – Anyone who closely followed the life and times of the iconic Wolverine in comics should be concerned about how he is presented in the upcoming Insomniac-developed Marvel’s Wolverine video game. This early, there are clearly signs of wokeness in the said video game and those are signs that show that Insomniac does not give a damn about the literary legacy of Wolverine. You can learn more by watching Ranting for Vengeance’s video and each time he slammed Marvel’s Wolverine, he backs it up with facts and details. Watch his video now!

https://youtu.be/TnIyE5x251g?si=sFqzbRVB7WdDkk2q

#5 You, Me and the Movies React To Showdown In Little Tokyo – I was a teenager when Showdown In Little Tokyo was released in local cinemas here in the Philippines way back in 1991. I never saw it on the big screen back then but I do remember the aggressive pre-release promotions that include previews and an in-depth behind-the-scenes making on TV. The local buzz in 1991 was this…the film was entertaining and the team-up between Dolph Lundgren and the late Brandon Lee (son of Bruce Lee) was well-received. Considering how old the action movie is, one has to wonder if it has aged well. You can find out by watching the reaction video by You, Me and the Movies now.

https://youtu.be/RI0ygeLC3vk?si=8lqbRG7O9izN4BV5

#6 Tokyo-style Pizza Attracts Many – Have you ever heard of the Tokyo-style pizza? One food joint in Japan started it and already it has attracted a lot of foreigners as customers. Pizza has its Italian origins but in Tokyo, the ways to customize it, cook it and make it truly distinct from the rest of the world have been realized. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.

https://youtu.be/_Qu2oKPkwMA?si=dbm_Y-eRp8xWimz1

#7 Japan’s Military – Under the leadership of Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, Japan has emerged as a military powerhouse and it will soon export military hardware to nations that need them. Japan is still operating with its pacifist constitution but that will not stop it from becoming a valuable partner to nations that need their military expertise and technologies. The Self-Defense Force (SDF) of Japan is highly trained and very efficient with military operations as seen in the Nippon TV video below. Watch and learn.

https://youtu.be/VpYvX-eFRNM?si=hbgcU__IrTiwfJV_

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Source #Japan #Nippon

Culture and Etiquette when Visiting Japan’s Top Tourist Spots

https://forestwoodfolkart.wordpress.com/2026/06/14/culture-and-etiquette-when-visiting-japans-top-tourist-spots/

Goldene Tore!

#turendonnerstag #DoorsDay

#japan #nippon #tokyo #tokyocameraclub #travel #travelphotography #city #photography #panasonic

Japan’s Steelmaker To Invest Up To $2.5 Billion In America

The steel industry of the United States will receive a much-needed boost as Japanese steel giant Nippon Steel Corp. will invest up to $2.5 billion in the Pennsylvania-based Mon Valley Works over the next three years, according to a news article by Jiji Press.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Jiji Press news article. Some parts in boldface…

Nippon Steel Corp. plans to invest up to 2.5 billion dollars in United States Steel Corp.’s Mon Valley Works in Pennsylvania over the next three years, the U.S. steelmaker said Monday.

“The total investment may range from approximately 2 billion to 2.5 billion dollars, more than double the original commitment” of the Japanese steelmaker, which acquired U.S. Steel last year, the Pittsburgh-based company said.

The investment includes construction of a new hot strip mill, set to replace an 87-year-old facility to produce high-value steel products such as those used in automobiles, U.S. Steel said.

The U.S. steelmaker said that the investment would generate 1.7 billion dollars in economic impact and create up to 6,381 jobs in Pennsylvania over three years.

The investment will deliver “lasting benefits to Pennsylvania workers, businesses, and communities,” U.S. Steel said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think this major investment pledge by the Japanese steel giant will be economically beneficial to the steel workers, small businesses and local communities in the state of Pennsylvania? Do you think more Japanese investment in America will lift up the nation’s economy as long as the ties between US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae remain strong?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Bandai Bridge Niigata from Media Ship, Japan #Japan #Nippon