Join us at JAPAN Forward as we celebrate the end of the year by reflecting on the best of 2023 through the most-read articles on our site. Among the amazing technical advances of the year, did you take the time to learn how Japanese robots are changing medicine?
This week's selection features stories and insights on China's expansionism, Japanese culture, scientific advances, and history, reflecting the technology and topics that held our attention in 2023.
Take a look to find out why your fellow readers navigated to these stories more than any others. And, once again, thanks for following JAPAN Forward!
This article highlights numbers 20 to 16 of the most popular articles of 2023.
25 - 21 | 20 - 16 | 15 - 11 | 10 - 6 | 5 - 1
20. China's New 'Ten-Dash Line' Map Infuriates Asian Neighbors
By Hiroshi Mori
Countries such as the Philippines have lodged protests against China's new map, which includes a "ten-dash line" claiming almost the entire South China Sea.
19. Japan's First Surgical Robot: Technological Innovation in the World of Medicine
Japan is one of the world's leading producers of industrial robots, but its surgical robot development lagged until the introduction of Medicaroid's hinotori.
18. Shein: The Monster Behind the Cute and Cheap
Some things are just too good to be true. Behind the glitz and glamor, Shein has allegedly built an empire on unethical practices and unlivable wages.
17. Comfort Women: Professor Mark Ramseyer Speaks Out as Truth Wins
By Jason Morgan, Reitaku University
"Now, anyone who spends thirty minutes skimming the internet will discover that there's a real debate" about the comfort women issue ー Dr J Mark Ramseyer.
16. A Night Out with Non-Alcoholic Drinks in Japan
From traditional teas to creative mocktails, Japan offers non-alcoholic drinks for all. Quench your thirst and learn about the culture with these rich flavors.
Coming up: the next five articles in our top 25, from 15-11.
RELATED Series: Japan's Trending Words in our 2023 Stories:
- 'A.R.E'
- 'After Four Years/ Cheering Out Loud' （４年ぶり／声出し応援）
- 'Shogi Watching' （観る将）
- 'Global Boiling' （地球沸騰化）
- 'Generative AI' （生成AI）
Author: JAPAN Forward
