Kanna Hashimoto online buzz in Japan

Fukuoka-based Japanese idol Kanna Hashimoto (橋本環奈) from multi-girl idol group Rev. from DVL was the most trendiest topic in cute obsessed Japan. After she has became popular with lightning speed in Youtube and Twitter in Japan, her fame crossed over to China as some netizens describing her "insanely cute".

Most netizens remain firm in Kanna Hashimoto’s potential to reach for the stars in the idol circuit saying she’s “AKB48 caliber.” Others go as far as saying she’s even beyond being a mere idol and should break out on her own into stardom. 

We’ll have to wait and see what the future holds for this young lady, but already she’s gotten the country’s attention so it’s looking pretty bright. And judging by this last picture we’ll leave you with, she’s looking forward to it with all the determination of a third-world despot looking to crush their rebel foes once and for all!

Source :  Local Fukuoka idol already breaking big across Japanese internet

14 years old Kanna Hashimoto is praised as (potentially) Japan's next top idol as she has gotten Japan's attention. Time will tell is this her 15 minutes of stardom or a concrete fame towards the future.

By the way according to Rocket News, the name Rev. from DVL means “dream” from “DVL”. DVL is an acronym for Dance Vocal Lesson, the Hakata studio that the girl group come out of.

After she has been on the top of searches both in Google and Yahoo, Kanna Hashimoto's agency now is flooded with offers to perform.

Kanna Hashimoto (橋本環奈)

Kanna Hashimoto (橋本環奈) in real life

Kim Yoo Jung and EXO’s Xiumin Jin’s ‘Gone’ Music Video Making Teaser

With only a few days before her debut, Jin released the making teaser of her music video for Gone. 14 years old South Korean actress Kim Yoo-jung and EXO’s Xiumin seen playing a love story in the video. Jin will debut as a solo singer on November 8 with the released of her single. She will join the other girls at Woollim Entertainment for a girl group debut in 2014.

Kim Yoo-jung is a South Korean actress. After her acting debut, she became one of the best known child actresses in Korea. She is now transitioning into teen roles and is best known for Dong Yi, Moon Embracing the Sun, and May Queen.

Xiumin (시우민), born Kim Min-seok, is a member of South Korean-Chinese boy band produced by S.M. Entertainment that debuted in 2012.

Below you can watch Jin's '너만 없다(Gone)' making teaser.

Tokyo Chiba Prefacture PM 2.5 air pollution warning

Can air pollution from China travel all the way to Tokyo in Japan and reduce the air quality to a hazardous level for humans? This was the question asked by many residents of Chiba prefecture east of Tokyo when the government there issued a warning to residents to avoid unnecessary outdoor activity and extended exercise because of unusually high levels of air pollution.

Many speculates that the pollution is coming from China but a Chiba government official said the pollutants travel in the air and can be caused by cars or factories, including those located in Chiba itself, but that the source of the pollution wasn’t clear:

“We aren’t sure what the origin is,” said Motoko Yonemoto, an official with Chiba’s air quality section. “Some might worry that it’s coming from China, but we don’t know for sure if pollutants from China can travel to the (Tokyo) region and have a significant impact.”
Source : Chiba Issues Air-Pollution Warning

Back in March 2013, residents of Kumamoto Prefecture on Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu were asked to voluntarily stay in their homes Tuesday, after air pollution levels surpassed government safety standards. That was the first such warning in Japan after new government guidelines were introduced.

What is PM 2.5?
PM, Particulate Matter, is a definition of particle pollution in the air. There are two kinds of particle pollution, fine particles and inhalable coarse particles. Fine particles are called PM 2.5, because their size is 2.5 micrometers in diameter and smaller.

Surgical masks cannot filter these particles so going out with a surgical mask is pointless when PM 2.5 levels are high. Only N95 masks (masks that can filter 95% of 0.3 micron+ particles) can be effective for PM 2.5 particles. At home, it is better to use aircon instead of natural ventilation.

Back in June 2013, PM 2.5 levels went to hazardous levels in Singapore due to forest fires in Indonesia and N95 Mask stocks were deplated in a day on the small island.

Average PM 2.5 levels were 85 mg per cubic meter in Tokyo Chiba Prefacture between 05:00 and 07:00 AM.

Jetstar Promotion 2013 : More Flights, More Often Sale!

One of the best ways to save on a trip in Asia is to use a budget airline for flights. And the best savings can be done by buying a promotional ticket on a budget airline. Jetstar Asia, a Singapore based affiliate of Jetstar, regularly runs promotions like the other players to fill in their planes and you can enjoy quite cheap flights in the region.

This latest Jetstar Asia promotion named "More Flights, More Often Sale" offers cheap flight tickets from Singapore to many destination. You can buy a promotional ticket until 8th November 2013 unless the tickets are sold out before the deadline.

Some cheap flights from Singapore on Jetstar with this promotion are:

Flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur for $34 or $36
Flights from Singapore to Medan - Kualanamu for $44
Flights from Singapore to Penang for $58
Flights from Singapore to Jakarta for $68
Flights from Singapore to Phnom Penh for $68
Flights from Singapore to Yangon for $68
Flights from Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City for $74
Flights from Singapore to Phuket for $78
Flights from Singapore to Surabaya for $78
Flights from Singapore to Bangkok for $88
Flights from Singapore to Bali for $88
Flights from Singapore to Siem Reap for $88

Flights from Singapore to Manila for $98 or $108
Flights from Singapore to Darwin for $125
Flights from Singapore to Shantou / Jieyang for $148
Flights from Singapore to Melbourne for $299

Jetstar Promotion 2013 : More Flights, More Often Sale!

You can see the details and latest deals at Jetstar special-offers site.

Taiwanese couple caught on camera having sex on train

It seems like young Taiwanese couples like to do it on trains. No, not on sleeper cabins but in public train car seats! Yet another picture of a Taiwanese couple doing it on the train appeared last Friday.

According to Apple News English, a picture showed up on a Taiwanese Facebook group last Friday sparked an online public debate. In the photo a young couple were seen having sex on Taiwan Railways. Although the couple covered themselves with a jacket, but everyone could see what they were doing.

This is not the first time a young couple is cought "doing it" on a Taiwanese train. Last April a video showing a young couple performing oral sex in Taiwan MRT stirred online outcry. Just in September 2013, another photo of a couple having sex on a train in Taiwan has gone viral on the internet.

A local internet user uploaded the photo and said he had taken it while on a train bound for Taitung in eastern Taiwan on the evening of Sept. 7. The photo shows a man with his trousers and underwear pulled down with a woman underneath him. The netizen added that the couple did not seem to care being witnessed by their fellow passengers in flagrante.
Source : Taiwanese couple caught having sex on a train

You can watch the video of the news from Apple News English. Below the video is the photo of the September 2013 sex on the Taiwan train incident.

Sex on the Taiwan train

Amber Kuo Facebook post against gay marriage law created online buzz

"Amber Kuo, starting today, please do not wear Lanvin, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Dior, Saint Laurent, Valentino, Armani, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Michael Kors, Jil Sander, and so distinguished brand, because some of these brands founder themselves as gay. Some current designers are gay, many designers have with their same-sex couples to marry (even have children), but also hope that these brands PR in lending her clothes to consider the multi-Yuan married stance, whether the designer's own willingness to go against each other and the brand's image."

This was what a Facebook user wrote to Taiwanese Mandopop singer and actress Amber Kuo after she has posted a comment in her Facebook account talking about her opposition to legalizing same sex marriage (see below).

The Facebook post received 40,000 likes and a heated discussion on her opposition to legalizing same sex marriage with 778 comments under the post in 21 hours. "SHAME ON YOU" wrote a Facebook user. "I have been a fan of you. You have not only let your gay friends around you disappointed, but also gay fans disappointed."

Below is the entry in Fashion blog calling Amber Kuo do not use brands who are produced by gay people.

Photo from Facebook

Straits Times website down after hacker threat

It seems like 'Anonymous' collective hackers intensify cyber attacks across South-East Asia. Today,
Straits Times website was inaccessible for sometime, 3 days after hacker or hackers called The Messiah hacked its forum pages. The Straits Times site went offline around 9.30 a.m. Singapore time (1:30 a.m. British time) on Monday and came back up around 11 a.m.

"Some users might have had difficulty accessing the straitstimes.com website late last night and some SPH websites today ... The SPH Information Technology Division is investigating the matter", publisher Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) said in response to media queries. (Source : Singapore Straits Times website down after hacker threat)

According to The Straits Times, The Straits Times was not the only website down:

Some Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) websites such as straitstimes.com and AsiaOne were not fully accessible on Monday. (Source : Intermittent access on SPH's websites on Sunday night and Monday)

It is not known whether this last incident is related to Anonymous collective. A hacker or a group of hackers named The Messiah from Anonymous collective has hacked The Straits Times late last week. Hacker(s) from the same collective later hacked some government web sites in Philippines and some business web sites in Australia. Some Singapore government web sites were also down on Saturday but IDA of Singapore has said that that was a planned maintenance.

Straits Times and Asia One websites were down for some today.

What is Anonymous collective?
Anonymous is a loosely associated international network of activists and hacktivists. Originated in 2003, a website associated with the group describes it as "an internet gathering" with "a very loose and decentralized command structure that operates on ideas rather than directives". The group became known for a series of well-publicized hacks and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on government, religious, and corporate websites.

The Tohoku Rakuten Eagles beats Yomiuri Giants 3-0

Japan’s Cinderella baseball team, The Tohoku Rakuten Eagles (simply called Rakuten (??)), has beaten Yomiuri Giants 3-0 in the deciding Game Seven of the Japan Series on Sunday night. The Tohoku Rakuten Eagles is from the region (Miyagi Prefecture) which was by the 2011 quake-tsunami-nuclear disaster and this is the first championship of the region!

Sunday’s win also allowed  star pitcher Masahiro Tanaka  to end on a high note his memorable season. Tanaka is expected to follow fellow Japanese star pitchers like Yu Darvish of the Texas Rangers and Koji Uehara of the Boston Red Sox, and jump next season to Major League Baseball in the U.S:

"The Tohoku Rakuten Eagles captured the first Japan Series title in their nine-year history, blanking the defending champion Yomiuri Giants 3-0 in a decisive Game 7 on Sunday night at Kleenex Stadium Miyagi. Manager Senichi Hoshino added a special twist to the historic victory when he sent out ace Masahiro Tanaka to pitch the ninth inning, a day after the right-hander threw 160 pitches while being dealt his only loss of the season. 

Tanaka, who had a 30-game winning streak ended Saturday night, gave up a leadoff single to Shuichi Murata and a two-out single to nemesis Jose Lopez, but kept his cool to strike out pinch-hitter Kenji Yano and finish up a five-hit shutout."
Source : Eagles blank Giants to capture 1st Japan Series title

Weekend did not start good for Rakuten. 22-time champion Giants has won against them on Saturday.

Sendai celebrated on Monday as the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles advanced to their first Japan Series by clinching the Pacific League Climax Series Final Stage with an 8-5 win in Game 4 over the Chiba Lotte Marines.

Rakuten was hard hit by 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Miyagi Baseball Stadium was badly damaged during the tusinami.

Vivian Hsu to wed Singapore based boyfriend Sean Lee

Taiwanese singer, actress, and model Vivian Hsu (徐若瑄) will be the next famous bride coming to Singapore. 38 years-old singer, who is quite popular in East Asia (particularly Japan and Taiwan) has announced she will wed her Singapore-based boyfriend, Marco Polo Marine chief executive Sean Lee.

By this announcement both the wedding plans and the relationship was confirmed. The couple were recently photographed going to a Vera Wang bridal boutique according to Taiwan Apple Daily. The couple was dating for the last 7 months.

Who is Vivian Hsu with boyfriend? According to Taiwan Apple Daily Sean Lee, 36, is the CEO of Marco Polo Marine in Singapore and was born in Indonesia but came to Singapore to study from the age of 8. He is said to have completed university studies in Australia before returning to take over his family business as chief executive in 2003. The company has an estimated worth of over $23 million. The news agency reported that Lee has 2 daughters from a previous marriage.

Vivian Hsu with boyfriend photographed entering
Vera Wang bridal boutique in Taiwan

Vivian Hsu was previously rumoured to have dated various celebrities including Stephen Fung, Japanese guitarist Sugizo, and Van Ness Wu, who is newly married to Singaporean Arissa Cheo.

Jang Geun Suk EXO member Kris actress Lin Xi Ya leaked photo scandal

Yes, yet another leaked nude photo scandal in Asia. This time Korean actor Jang Geun Suk (Jang Keun-suk - 장근석 or 張根碩) and EXO member Kris Wu Yifan (吴亦凡) are in the photos with a mainland Chinese actress named Lin Xi Ya (林西婭). According to ET Today, a large number of photos were leaked from a mobile phone which was sent to repair. The photos show Jang Geun Suk EXO member Kris in bed with Lin Xi Ya sleeping topless or having sex (or at least it seems like that):

According to Chinese media reports, it was rumored that Lin Xi Ya’s smart phone had been hacked into, and photos of several Chinese celebrities, including Jay Chou, Kenji Woo, Zhang Han, and Peng Yu Yan were discovered and shared online. Some of the photos were reported to be sexual. Among the Chinese celebrities, rumors that there were also photos of Jang Geun Suk and Kris started to spread online. 

One photo shows the actress and a sleeping man’s face that has similarity to Jang Geun Suk. Some netizens took note of the time stamp on the photo and pointed out that Jang Geun Suk was in China at that time.
Source : Jang Geun Suk and EXO’s Kris Caught Up in Scandal with Chinese Actress

All these are currently pure speculation since it has not been confirmed that Jang Geun Suk or Kris were involved with Lin Xi Ya.

Lin Xi Ya (林西婭) and a man (allegedly Jang Geun Suk) seen in the bed
in this leaked photo

Chinese actress and model Lin Xi Ya (林西婭) is who is currently planning to debut in a Korean girl group, under the name “Shi Ya.”