rip-off
Director of the new animated film Moonlight Palace responds to allegations that his movie bears suspicious similarities to Ghibli’s masterpiece, Spirited Away.
Yujiapu, in China’s Tianjin Binhai New Area, was modeled on Manhattan and expected to become the financial center of the world. But it languishes as many wasteful Chinese ghost cities have. At one point it was reported that the Juilliard School had signed an agreement to set up an institute in Yujiapu. And there were plans for a Rockefeller and Lincoln Center as well. But construction in this Manhattan hopeful has ground to a halt.
A replica of the Statue of Liberty in Shenyang, Northeast China, has been making the rounds on Twitter this morning.But this isn’t the first time we’ve seen large-scale replicas of global tourist destinations in China.
The Asian giant with a rich cultural heritage of its own, has also incorporated architectural styles from around the world and in some instances tried to replicate Paris and towns in England.
Shanghai rolled out a “One city, Nine Towns” scheme with small towns built in a different international style.
We compiled 16 spots that China ripped off — admittedly, some of these are part of larger theme parks.
It’s been almost a year since the Windows 8 operating system was released to the general public. Its aim was to combine the convenience of downloadable apps with the familiarity of a PC desktop in a touch-focused environment, giving us what could have been the best of both worlds. Instead, the Win8 app store struggles against its primary competitors, iTunes and the Android app store. It’s doesn’t help that developers focus the majority of their programming prowess on developing apps for the older and more trusted operating systems, iOS and Android.
However, there is one branch of the computer app market where Win8 has a distinct advantage, and that’s its library of highly recognizable rip-offs. Just look at this list of free game apps which make nefarious use of Nintendo’s most popular video game characters!
This is slowly turning out to be quite a week for sightings of unlicensed use of videogame characters. Just yesterday we brought you news of a smartphone game whose lead character looked so much like Nintendo’s green dinosaur Yoshi that the company stepped in and demanded that changes be made, and now our overseas RocketNews24 representative brings us photos of a food vendor in the Philippines whose stand and wares are plastered with a name and character that bear an uncanny likeness to Japan’s beloved dot-munching arcade hero, Pac-Man!
This boxed chocolates vendor was spotted selling from a small booth in the middle of a shopping center in the Philippines’ capital city of Manila. Unless the vendor is somehow affiliated with Namco, this has got to be brand theft! Smelling a story among all of the tasty-looking sweets, our courageous reporter went forth and confronted the sales clerk. Read More
Paying Just $11 a Day, Subcontractors Ripping Off Fukushima Nuclear Accident Decontamination Workers
The Tokyo Shimbun has discovered that workers involved with national government controlled cleanup projects resulting from the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant are being ripped off by subcontractors.
Despite being able to rent lodging facilities from the government and others for free or for very little money, contractors forcibly deduct inflated accommodation and meal charges from workers’ pay. When the 10,000 yen (US$111) a day “danger pay” provided to contractors by the government (read: taxpayers) is taken into consideration, it means the contractors themselves end up forking out a measly 1,000 yen (US$11) a day per worker.
Read More
A lucky Twitter user came across a pamphlet the other day outlining some great deals on smartphone services. These people will go through the painstaking task of installing your smartphone apps for you at the low low price of 1,000 yen (US$12) an app!
In fact, they offer a wide range of useful services, such as installing Facebook, Twitter, or Skype— also for 1,000 yen each! And I always thought those were apps too. Boy, is my face red. I’m going to leave it to the professionals from now on.







Japanese restaurant chain serves Dragon Ball donuts and Senzu Beans this spring
Which convenience store onigiri rice balls are the most popular? Survey reveals surprising results
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Japan Extreme Budget Travel! A trip from Tokyo to Izumo for just 30,000 yen [Part 1]
Skyscraper sized Pokémon cards to appear in Tokyo all year long in Tocho projection mapping event
Japan Extreme Budget Travel! A trip from Tokyo to Izumo for just 30,000 yen [Part 2]
Tokyo street sweets: The must-snack treats of Nakano’s Refutei
Tokyo train stations get new Olympic melodies and signage for the Games
Kraft fuses cheese with Japanese dessert ingredients for something very different
Senkoji: The Japanese temple that’s more like a theme park to heaven and hell
Highest Starbucks in Japan set to open this spring in the Tokyo sky
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Tokyo Skytree turns pink for the cherry blossom season
Yakuzen ramen restaurant in Tokyo is very different to a yakuza ramen restaurant
Shibuya Station’s Hachiko Gate and Yamanote Line stairway locations change next month
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Starbucks Japan adds new sakura Frappuccino and cherry blossom drinks to the menu
Japan’s new “Cunte” contact lenses aren’t pronounced like you’re probably thinking they are
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting the lines at a popular Tokyo gyukatsu restaurant?
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japan Extreme Budget Travel! A trip from Tokyo to Izumo for just 30,000 yen [Part 2]
Tokyo street sweets: The must-snack treats of Nakano’s Refutei
Tokyo train stations get new Olympic melodies and signage for the Games
Kraft fuses cheese with Japanese dessert ingredients for something very different
Senkoji: The Japanese temple that’s more like a theme park to heaven and hell
Extreme Budget Travel! Can you do a trip to Manila with 50,000 yen (US$333)? – Part 1
Is McDonald’s Japan’s new Butterscotch Pie better than Belgian Chocolate?
Conveyor belt yakiniku: Our new favourite way to enjoy all-you-can-eat meat in Japan
Love ballad to Pokémon’s Slowpoke is strangely emotional and romantic【Video】
This one delicious Japanese dessert has at least six different names
Imitation fish sperm appears at 7-Eleven Japan【Taste test】
Crazy-cheap Tokyo lunch: All-you-can-eat curry rice for 220 yen (US$1.40)!
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026