Society
The Last of Taiwan's 'Blind Masseurs'
'Blind massage' was first introduced to Taiwan by the Japanese during the colonial era. More than 100 years later, signs for blind massage parlors remain a common sight in the underground malls and streets of Taiwan but the number of masseurs is declining.
ASIA NEWS BITES: Deadly Earthquake Strikes Sichuan; North Korea Threatens to Launch Missiles at Guam; Japan Warns North Korea Nuclear Threat Has Entered ‘New Stage’
A quick roundup of the most important news from around the region.
How to Ensure China's Elderly are Not Poor
Progress with reform across a whole range of areas is needed, including health care, so that citizens can live longer active lives and avoid falling into poverty once they retire, writes Vincent Koen.
The ‘Home of Overseas Chinese’ Memorializing Emigrants
Taishan County is honoring the memories of emigrants by restoring the pier from which they began their journeys and building a museum for ‘silver letters.’
ASIA NEWS BITES: Samsung Exec Fights Back Tears in Corruption Trial; Japanese Re-Start Air Raid Drills, 70 Yrs on from WWII; Indonesia-Russia Trade Palm Oil, Coffee for Jets
A quick roundup of the most important news from around the region.
China is Getting Older and is Okay with Euthanasia
Instead of pursuing the legalization of euthanasia, the stronger ethical response is to reform China’s public-health system., writes Peter Chang.
Homeless Take Shelter in China’s 24-Hour Bookstore
As rents soar, the city’s homeless, ‘hukou’-less and house poor find refuge between the shelves of a bookstore in China.