The two hosts of Eye on East Asia, Fan Yiru and Sha Qingqing, came to Tokyo to chat with Zhao Hui, the host of Present Tense, about the changes in Japan in recent years. The three hosts focused on the "people" living in Japan and
In this episode of Eye on East Asia, we are fortunate to invite Associate Professor Shang Zhaoqi from the Department of History at Fudan University, who specializes in Japanese modern history. Host Sha Qingqing will discuss with Professor Shang, starting from Marius Jansen’s authoritative work on Japanese history, The Making of Modern Japan, and share their insights on the evolution of modern Japan, combining their respective research.
Topics for this episode: 71-year-old Yuriko Koike wins re-election as Tokyo Governor for the third time Irene Saito unexpectedly ranks third; is second place really not good enough? Dark horse Taro Ishimaru gains a large number of young fans through YouTube A spokesperson for the new generation of the internet class Mastering public opinion with frequent quotable lines; the next "Koizumi Theater" is about to take the stage
Topics in this episode: Come experience Japan's prices—truly great! Japanese ride-hailing apps can also work like this The influx of large numbers of tourists touches local nerves The tourism-driven national strategy, waited for 20 years, faces problems due to too many tourists Kyoto's popular tourist destinations see a continuous outflow of permanent residents
When we discuss scientific topics, "falsifiability" is a term frequently mentioned. Why does an obscure theory in the philosophy of science enter public discourse so frequently? Why does Popper enjoy a much higher public reputation in China than other philosophers of science? In this episode, we will discuss the background and content of the theory of falsifiability, the problems it faces, and the reasons for its enduring popularity. Starting May 30, 2024, Leftover Talk will officially launch its "Annual Membership Program." Listeners who join the Leftover Talk Annual Membership will enjoy the following "benefits":
Renovating your own apartment from start to finish is actually a matter with distinct Chinese and contemporary characteristics. The demand stems from the massive expansion of the supply and demand for commercial housing in China over the past two decades, and the extreme lack of standardized services during this process. This makes renovation both an extremely individualized experience and one that can evoke great resonance. In this episode, the three hosts of Leftover Talk share their lessons learned from renovating their homes in recent years. Teacher Sha, the "hands-off boss," had to deal with the procrastination of legitimate companies; legal practitioner Xiao P discovered gaps in his legal knowledge; and Xiao Wenjie wondered if his new home was too "full of water and wealth"...
In Western narratives, true globalization only began with Columbus's discovery of the Americas in 1492. But for the local indigenous people, this was not a 'discovery' but an 'encounter', and not something worth celebrating. Is 'connection' necessarily correct? What does 'globalization' actually mean for each of us? Asia and Latin America are far apart, yet both were drawn into the network of globalization in the last three to four hundred years, and moved towards modernity amidst transformation. What connections exist between Asia and Latin America in the course of globalization? Where will the future of both regions lead?
* This episode of "Eye on East Asia" invites Professor Song Nianshen from Tsinghua University to discuss the origins, evolution, and positioning of concepts such as "Asia" and "East Asia" within global history. In the future, "Eye on East Asia" will continue to invite experts and scholars from various universities and research institutions to join the program. Stay tuned. * The top three listeners with the most popular comments in this episode's comment section will receive a copy of Professor Song's major work, "Discovering East Asia (Revised Edition)." You are welcome to participate in the comments and interaction.
*This episode was recorded on June 6. On June 12, Yuriko Koike officially announced her candidacy for the Tokyo gubernatorial election, seeking a third term.
In this June paid episode, we timely discuss one of the Chinese people's "traditional holidays"—"618" and "Double 11." Since the 2010s, shopping festivals centered around "Double 11" and "618" have been artificially constructed into a nationwide consumption frenzy. Platforms, brands, suppliers, and consumers have all enthusiastically chased growth. In recent years, with shifts in consumption trends, profound changes have occurred in both the landscape of shopping festivals and the e-commerce industry. In this episode, we once again invite the popular Teacher Li Dazang to return, to discuss the history of the evolution of shopping festivals with Chinese characteristics over the past decade, and to share the secrets of the e-commerce industry from the perspective of a retail veteran.
The long-delayed Oriental Cherry Blossom Report is online. This episode features private recommendations for cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan and Tokyo citywalks. This year's cherry blossom season, the coder and Yuting enthusiastically made detailed plans. During this time, in order to find beautiful cherry blossom viewing spots, the two searched every corner of the Ueno area. They even conducted a citywalk following the route where Watanabe and Naoko reunite in Norwegian Wood, discovering many private cherry blossom viewing spots. Unfortunately, Tokyo's climate was strangely variable this year, and the cherry blossoms bloomed late, resulting in the two becoming "cherry blossom refugees." In the final days of the blooming period, in order to achieve a "class leap," the two decisively left Tokyo and traveled far to Kanazawa, unexpectedly discovering that the "Little Kyoto" of the Hokuriku region had its own unique charm. They successfully turned the tables and finally became "cherry blossom aristocrats."
The 2020 retail investor battle against Wall Street was the most dramatic mass movement in the financial sector since the Occupy Wall Street movement of 2011, with aftershocks that have not yet subsided, and meme culture has thereby become a prominent field of study. Last week, Roaring Kitty, the "leader" of the retail investor battle against Wall Street, returned to Twitter after many years. His new tweets garnered over 20 million views, and GameStop stock triggered five circuit breakers in a single day, surging 110%. One week before Roaring Kitty's return, hosts Sha Qingqing and a programmer happened to discuss an episode based on the movie Dumb Money, which was inspired by the retail investor battle against Wall Street, so we urgently released it.
Topics for this episode: Information sources that may not be entirely true but are highly authoritative and "opinionated" The future trajectory of the LDP's governance The Abe faction's audacity following the "party ticket" incident Kishida's focus on economic indicators and foreign policy, while ordinary citizens feel no tangible impact Why contemporary young people neither vote nor express themselves: the cost of trial and error is too high
This April, the television series 'Fallout,' adapted from the classic video game of the same name, premiered. Beyond the discussions about whether it is "faithful to the source material," we might also broaden our perspective to the wasteland literature that has given birth to countless films, television shows, and video games. As an era-defining imprint left by Cold War nuclear panic, wasteland literature encapsulated the fears and fantasies of that era regarding power struggles between regimes, atomic technology, and survival in the apocalypse. Similarly shrouded by the threat of nuclear war, what different imaginations did the United States and the Soviet Union, on opposite sides of the Iron Curtain, possess? How did the governments of both countries reassure and mobilize their populations, and formulate civil defense policies? Beyond nuclear fear, what other cultural commonalities characterized this era? Welcome to listen to the insightful sharing by Sha Qingqing and Professor Mai!
At the end of 1932, the Nazi Party became the largest party in the Reichstag in the German federal elections, but did not secure an absolute majority. With the support and indulgence of various right-wing forces, Hitler was appointed Chancellor by President Hindenburg on January 30, 1933. In February, the Nazis orchestrated the so-called "Reichstag Fire." In March, the Weimar Constitution was effectively abolished. The winter of 1933 became a turning point in German history, and the Nazis seized control of nearly the entire country within just two or three months. During this period, how did the community of writers and artists within Germany view the changing situation? When the wheels of history ground before their eyes, what choices would they make? And what price would they pay for them?
The top two commenters in the comment section will each receive a copy of the guest's new book. Participation and interaction are welcome.
Crypto is risky: proceed with caution (personally, I would advise staying away). In this episode, the hosts take you into the Wild West of finance—crypto—and look at the blow-ups of recent years. We explain how a Ponzi scheme reached a scale of US$60 billion; why a star hedge fund hailed as the “pride of Singapore” suddenly collapsed; how a tech unicorn endorsed by sports stars became a vehicle for fraud; and how hackers from a certain place approached their prey in the dark and stole their money. Lambda also shares the story of his own turn as “The Big Short”: how he predicted the coming wave of blow-ups and “successfully” bet against the market. This episode focuses on crypto and finance, but there is no need to worry: we have added explanations of the terminology to the show notes to make it easier to follow.
Topics for this episode: The “Red Yeast Rice” products under the well-known brand “Kobayashi Pharmaceutical” face a scandal How to handle the aftermath? Lawsuits are difficult to fight! Rapid economic development during the “baby boom” led to frequent food safety issues The 1955 Morinaga milk powder lawsuit lasted for 70 years Sponsoring the Winter Olympics in 1998, scandal erupted in 2000, and the Snow Brand collapsed instantly
The Three-Body Problem tells an unsettling story of the “Farmer Hypothesis.” The story imagines that scientists among turkeys observe the farmer’s feeding habits and deduce a great cosmic law, only to be caught and slaughtered by the farmer on the day they announce the law, which happens to be Thanksgiving. With the adaptation of The Three-Body Problem into film and television, the Farmer Hypothesis has sparked more confusion and unease in people’s minds. However, unlike the horror conveyed in the novel, modern science was born in a theistic environment. This episode uses the Farmer Hypothesis to discuss details of the relationship between modern science and religion, aiming to break the simplistic, either-or, binary narrative on this topic.
Anything that persists despite repeated bans perhaps taps into certain laws of human nature—"scalpers" are one such example. From judicial scalpers before 1949, to the "dazhuang mozi" (shills) in the early days of Reform and Opening Up, to the queueing armies we are now familiar with, active at the launch sites of various limited-edition products, the presence of scalpers has never faded. Some people detest scalpers because they create shortages and drive up prices; others view scalpers as a useful special service. In this episode, we invite Mr. Li Dazang, who revealed the secrets of the outlet industry in Episode 66, for a surprise return to take us deep into the murky waters of scalping in the retail industry.
*The screening of Hayao Miyazaki's new film, How Do You Live?, mentioned at the end of this episode (April 3), has sold out all its tickets. Please understand! And please stay tuned for the next screening event. Thank you for your support!
Topics for this episode: Waseda University wins against Keio University again Teacher Xiaomai converts from a skeptic to a fan—Shohei Ohtani The "Two-Way" genius who changed Major League Baseball "I am a gear attracted by Ohtani" The peak era of top-star active players
Do you remember when you last went to an outlet mall? It may surprise many, but nowadays, many outlet malls in China often experience such a frenzy on weekends that parking spaces are hard to find. In today’s highly developed digital economy, why do “outlets” still retain their unique charm? What exactly is the difference between “outlet goods” and “store goods”? And what is the story behind “outlet-exclusive” products? This episode features a veteran industry insider who offers a detailed analysis from an “insider’s perspective.” Additionally, we will naturally share some practical “tips for avoiding pitfalls.” Leftover Talk has launched a mailing list (newsletter)! Every week, we will deliver the latest podcast content via the newsletter, and occasionally publish event announcements and articles written by the hosts. Everyone is welcome to subscribe.
The blockbuster film Seoul Spring in South Korea has provided a new narrative version of the "December 12th" story of 1979, and also reflects the attitude of a new generation of South Koreans toward this history, where good and evil are ambiguous. In this episode, we will trace the history of military intervention in South Korean politics since 1960. Since the Second Republic, how have graduates of the Korea Military Academy and intelligence agencies become the core of South Korea's upper politics? What kind of factional struggles lay behind Park Chung-hee's classic rule of playing one faction against another? Looking back at today, have these negative political legacies truly gone away? Welcome to listen to the wonderful sharing brought to you by Liu Yi and Sha Qingqing!