＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳 | 団塊世代が雑学や面白い話を発信しています
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49）さん / X
Recently, I heard that Takuya Kimura and Naomi Watanabe of Japan have posted on Weibo, a Chinese social networking service, and have become the talk of the town.
What exactly is a “weibo”? In this issue, we would like to delve into this topic.
１．What is “Weibo”?
Weibo, officially known as 新浪微博（Sina Weibo）, is China’s largest social media platform operated by Sina Corporation.
The “微” stands for “micro” and “博” for “blog.
Weibo is also called “China’s version of Twitter” because of its similarity to Twitter, which has a 140-character character limit and uses fewer characters to communicate.
Currently, there are 700 million users and 139 million daily active users (people who actually use the service). It is said that 90% of these users are logging in from mobile phones, suggesting that social networking and smartphones are even more widespread than in Japan.
“微信(WeChat)” is a social media platform similar to Weibo. It is also called “China’s version of LINE.
Weibo is “outward transmission” while WeChat is “interaction in a closed space.
Weibo is spread rapidly by “転発(retweeting)”.
２．SNS Situation in China
China is a “word-of-mouth powerhouse. In the modern era, social networking services such as “Weibo” play an important role.
Actors, actresses, and cultural figures almost all have “Weibo accounts,” where information on everything from fashion, new goods, idols, and subculture information to health information and core information on Japanese tourist attractions is disseminated.
It is also used by Japanese celebrities and Japanese companies as a “window for sending information to China.
Popular artists such as actor Tomohisa Yamashita, AKB48, and EXIILE, as well as the yurukyara character Kumamon, have opened accounts.
Companies in the apparel industry, airlines, travel agencies, electronics manufacturers, cosmetics companies, and others are using the site for “cross-border EC” sales promotion and “inbound” promotions.
３．Speech Control and Censorship by Chinese Authorities
In China, there is a “crackdown on the democracy movement” as symbolized by the “Tiananmen Square Incident” that occurred on June 4, 1989.
There is also censorship and control of speech by the authorities. Recently, in February 2018, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) announced an amendment to the Constitution to remove the article that limits the term of office of the president of the state to two terms of 10 years. This means that President Xi Jinping can remain in office beyond 2023, when his term expires.
This sparked a critical discussion on Chinese social networking sites, so the Chinese authorities tightened Internet censorship in one fell swoop.
The “censored expressions” include.
‘do not agree, immigration, overseas migration, re-election, election period, constitutional amendment, constitutional provisions, self-proclaimed emperor, Winnie the Pooh.’
The last one, “Winnie the Pooh,” may seem a bit puzzling to many. In fact, it is a nickname given to Xi Jinping by Internet users, and in many cases it is used in a derogatory way.
It’s like, “He’s gone this far.” As can be seen from the human rights violations and repression of the Tibetan people in the “Tibet issue,” China under Xi Jinping’s leadership seems to be even worse at controlling and censoring speech than it was at the time of the “Tiananmen Square” incident.