Machi Mobi offers a safer and more environmentally friendly way to see the tourist sites.
For many overseas tourists in Tokyo, a tour around the city on four wheels means joining a fleet of go-karts. What many tourists don’t know, though, is there’s an alternative tour that’s safer for both drivers and the environment, and it’s called Machi Mobi.
▼ Machi Mobi (“まちモビ”) combines the Japanese word for “town” with “mobility”.
According to organisers, the Machi Mobi experience is a new way to explore the city that sits somewhere between walking tour and sightseeing bus. The pace is slow and relaxed, and there are two modes of transport to choose from – rickshaw or Rodem. A Rodem is an electric mobility vehicle that can easily be operated by a wide range of people, including the elderly and those with mobility impairments.
Operating out of the Tokyo Midtown Yaesu shopping and business complex, this sightseeing experience offers guided street tours that take you around the Nihonbashi area. Each Rodem tour lasts around 90 minutes, with tickets costing 2,000 yen (US$12.46) on weekdays and 2,500 yen on weekends and public holidays, so you can take in the views at a leisurely pace.
After hearing about the Rodem experience, our reporter Natsuno Futon was keen to try it, but at the time it was Golden Week, a busy holiday period, so every tour was fully booked. She managed to make a reservation for a later date, but as luck would have it, it fell on a June day that happened to be pouring with rain. As the tour still operates on rainy days (as long as it’s not too rainy), Natsuno didn’t have to miss out for a second time, but that did mean she had to contend with the weather while she scooted around town.
It was a weekday afternoon so the streets weren’t too busy, and the meeting point was conveniently located right next to Tokyo Station’s Yaesu Exit. When she arrived, she was pleased to find that the staff had raincoats prepared for participants.
According to staff, some people do cancel when it rains, so they were happy to see Natsuno, who was joined by a few others on the day. After a quick briefing on the route and a rundown of the safety instructions, it was finally time to hop aboard the Rodem.
▼ With its rounded shape and low seating position, Natsuno felt as if she was riding on a giant ladybug.
▼ The controls were simple: a single hand-operated joystick lets you move forward, reverse, and steer.
As the tour group received instructions from the guide, Natsuno noticed that they received curious looks from passersby. Had she not known about the tour, Natsuno too would’ve been curious, because like the onlookers around them, she’d never seen such a cute mobility scooter before.
▼ Natsuno’s test ride was so fun it had her grinning like a Cheshire cat.
In reality, the scooter moves much more slowly than it does in Natsuno’s GIF, so she felt safe, secure and confident when the group finally took off.
▼ Sitting in her cute Rodem, the rain couldn’t dampen her spirits.
As the group moved slowly along the sidewalk, this familiar street now felt somehow new to her.
Simply being on a Rodem changed how everything looked to her, and she was able to even enjoy the beauty of the roadside flowers as she trundled by.
Because the scooter moves much slower than walking pace, you naturally start noticing buildings and other details you’d normally overlook.
With staff members riding at the front and back of the group, Natsuno felt well looked after as she admired the city. The guide’s commentary was also really engaging, and she lost count of how many times she found herself surprised by what she’d heard.
▼ The guide’s commentary is delivered through bone-conduction earphones like the ones shown here.
Natsuno learned why there are no power lines or trees along the street known as Chuo-dori, and she also heard about the history of the Nihonbashi area and how redevelopment is steadily reshaping the neighbourhood, giving her a new appreciation for the area.
▼ About 15 minutes after departure, they arrived at the famous Nihonbashi bridge.
After stopping for a few photos, and to answer questions from passersby who wanted to know what they were riding, the tour continued on.
They heard more fascinating stories about the ornamental finials on the bridge (known as “giboshi” in Japanese) and the Nihonbashi River cruise. Natsuno has decided to leave out the details, though, so as not to spoil the experience for any future participants.
As they made their way further, like languid snails traversing the streets, Natsuno glanced up at the sky and realised the clouds had parted, blessing them with sunny weather.
▼ It was perfect timing as they were now nearing their next stop: Fukutoku Shrine, a lucky power spot.
Here, they were able to actually hop off their Rodems and pray at the shrine, which is famous for granting prayers pertaining to lottery wins, particularly for tickets to live concerts and stage performances.
After enjoying some time in this spiritual oasis, the group stepped back into their scooters and continued their tour through the city.
They listened to the tour guide’s food recommendations and interesting backstories about the history of various shops, before returning to the starting point about 90 minutes after the tour had begun.
Riding a futuristic-looking vehicle while exploring a city with roots going back to the start of the Edo period in 1603 made for a very memorable, and oddly fascinating, experience.
Despite having no particular interest in history, Natsuno found the tour to be incredibly insightful, and she reckons it will be even more enjoyable for history buffs. Regardless of whether you’re into history or not, the Rodem tour offers a completely different perspective on the city. It made Natsuno more aware of things she wouldn’t normally notice in Tokyo, like changes in sidewalk elevation, the pace of pedestrians, and how many people are actually looking at their phones while walking.
▼ Seeing Tokyo from a new perspective.
Each Rodem can accommodate either one person, or a parent and young child, making it a great activity for young families looking for a fun and relaxed way to see the sights. As a tour that can be enjoyed by a wide variety of ages, the Machi Mobi is a fun activity for both locals and overseas tourists, and a safer and more environmentally friendly alternative to Japan’s controversial go-karts.
Tour Details
Machi Mobi
/ まちモビ
Address: Tokyo-to, Chuo-ku, Yaesu, 2-1-4, Yaesu Central Square, Tokyo Midtown Yaesu
東京都中央区八重洲2-1-4 東京ミッドタウン八重洲 八重洲セントラルスクエア
Open: 9:30 a.m.-5:30p.m. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Tour times: Three departures daily (except Tuesdays and Wednesdays) at 10 a.m./1 p.m./3 p.m.
Tour Duration: 90 minutes per tour
Price: 2,000 yen (weekdays), 2,500 yen (weekends and holidays)
Bookings: Online reservations required via the official website
Website
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The FBI says it has already seized multiple drones and made at least one arrest since World Cup matches began last week, warning that individuals flying aerial devices near event sites could face fines of up to $100,000.
TIJUANA, June 17 — Iranian forward Mehdi Torabi has received a visa for the United States that will allow him to play the rest of the tournament there, a team official said Tuesday.
Torabi, who sat on the bench in the squad’s opening 2-2 draw with New Zealand, had originally only been granted permission to enter the country once, setting the team scrambling to find a solution that would allow him to return to face Belgium on Sunday.
“Following efforts by the Football Federation and coordination with Fifa, the player was issued a new multiple-entry visa today,” a team official said.
“With this visa now secured, Torabi will have no issues accompanying Iran’s national team in its upcoming matches and will be available to travel with the squad throughout the remainder of the tournament.”
Iran’s final group game is against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
The visa issue was the latest complication for the Iranian team in the run up to the World Cup.
Team Melli’s participation had been in doubt since the United States and Israel launched a bombing campaign against Iran in late February.
Tehran hit back at US allies in the region, targeting infrastructure and closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil passes.
A plan to station the team in Arizona was scrubbed at the 11th hour, with a new base camp being established in Tijuana, Mexico instead.
US officials denied visas entirely for more than a dozen support staff, meaning they could not travel to the games.
Coach Amir Ghalenoei complained Monday that Iran was the “most oppressed team in the World Cup” after his players were suddenly informed they must travel back to Mexico immediately after their opening game ended.
“They delayed our arrivals, (now) they are forcing us to go back early without time for recovery,” Ghalenoei told journalists.
“They are making the situation more and more difficult, facing us with more hurdles, but we’re not going to let that stop us from doing our best.” — AFP
The right-wing (plus some alleged liberals cough Singal cough) assault on trans kids is genuinely horrifying. Literally hundreds of anti-trans bills – most focused on trans people under 19 years old – are proposed every year, and some succeed in becoming law.
Unfortunately, it’s obvious which side the conservative majority of the Supreme Court is on. Earlier this month, regarding California’s policy of not outing trans students to their parents, the Court ruled:
Gender dysphoria is a condition that has an important bearing on a child’s mental health, but when a child exhibits symptoms of gender dysphoria at school, California’s policies conceal that information from parents and facilitate a degree of gender transitioning during school hours. These policies likely violate parents’ rights to direct the upbringing and education of their children.
In her dissent, Judge Kagen noted that the conservative majority’s concern for parents’ rights has been inconsistent.
Another contrast—this time, between this case and United States v. Skrmetti (2025)—is also striking. In Skrmetti, several parents challenged Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The suit raised claims grounded in both equal protection and substantive due process. As to the latter, the parents in Skrmetti, similarly to the parents here, asserted a right “to make decisions concerning medical care for their minor children.” …And in support of that right, the Skrmetti parents relied on the same precedents the Court does today. But the Court, when deciding to grant certiorari in Skrmetti, limited its review to the equal protection issue: It would not even hear the parents out on their substantive due process claim.
This is typical of Republican hypocrisy – in the courts, but also in the way everyday Republicans talk about parental rights. As journalist Chris Quinn put it, “Republicans always say the parents know best, except when the Republicans know better.”
Some Republicans square this circle by saying that gender affirmative care for minors is child abuse (a claim they support with lies about what the research shows), and child abuse is the exception to parental rights.
But necessary medical treatments, supported by the overwhelming majority of experts and legitimate medical organizations, aren’t child abuse because Republicans arbitrarily declare it so.
Even if you, dear reader, happen to be a centrist weenie who can “see both sides” of this issue, that in and of itself is an argument for keeping gender affirmative care for minors legal. If this issue is complex and multifaceted, that’s even more reason that a minor’s medical care needs should not be decided by random Republican legislators.
Republican legislators don’t know Sam Examplekid; they don’t love Sam Examplekid; they have no familiarity with Sam’s needs or background or condition or individual circumstances. The decision should lie with people who know Sam and are committed to Sam Examplekid’s well-being – Sam, Sam’s parents, and Sam’s doctors.
TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON
This cartoon has for panels, showing two women talking as they walk through a hilly park. The woman in front has dark hair and is wearing a red t-shirt; the person in the rear has light brown hair and is wearing floral pants. I’ll call them TSHIRT and FLORAL.
PANEL 1
Tshirt is listening as Floral lectures.
FLORAL: Of course teachers should be legally required to “out” trans kids to their parents. Because of parents’ rights.
PANEL 2
FLORAL: It doesn’t matter if it’s outing trans kids, or vaccinations, or what books teachers are allowed to assign. It should always be up to the parents!
PANEL 3
Close-up on Flora, who is pounding a fist into her palm, very intense.
FLORAL: Parents’ rights are sacrosanct! Period!
PANEL 4
Tshirt turns to ask Floral a question; Floral replies cheerily.
TSHIRT: What if parents want their trans kid to have gender affirming care?
FLORAL: Fuck parents’ rights.
CHICKEN FAT WATCH
“Chicken fat” is a long-obscure cartoonists’ term for unimportant but amusing details slipped into the art, which I want to bring back. (“Stop trying to make fetch happen!”)
PANEL 1: A grinning kid is hanging upside-down high in a tree. A notice nailed to the tree shows a sad-looking robot and says “NOTICE: Background gags weren’t made by A.I.” On the ground, Steamboat Willie (the earliest form of Mickey Mouse, now copyright-free) is fleeing from a vicious cat.
PANEL 2: An evil-looking bunny is behind the bush, smoking a cig. High in a tree, a rat has disguised itself as a squirrel by taping a big leaf to its real end, and is trying to pass itself off to a real squirrel. A notice nailed to the tree has a picture of an evilly grinning robot and says “NOTICE: Then again isn’t that what an A.I. would say.”
PANEL 3: On top of a cloud, a cloud-colored person with a mohawk is lying on their back and reading their phone.
PANEL 4: A basset hound is in the hole in the tree. A sign below the hole says “Home Sweet Hole.” The robot from the notices in panels 1 and 2 is hiding behind the tree. Steamboat Willie’s lifeless corpse lies in the grass. A notice nailed to another tree shows a picture of a vague shadow shape, and says “MISSING: Small robot which functions as a visual representation of A.I. in background gags. Extremely hackneyed, but functional.”
T-SHIRT: In panel 1, the t-shirt has a logo of a piece of cake. Panel 2, it’s a peace sign. And in panel 4, it’s a chess piece.
This cartoon is by me and frequent collaborator Nadine Scholtes.
In December 2025, Representative Sarah McBride – who is herself trans – commented about her Republican colleagues:
They are obsessed with trans people. I actually think they think more about trans people than trans people think about trans people.
Responding to McBride’s comment, Vera Eikon wrote:
This is true. My transition is long since over and rarely figures much in my life any more. I really only think about being trans because obsessed creepy Republicans can’t help themselves.
Reading those comments inspired this cartoon, but I’ve heard sentiments like this from many trans people for years.
At least ninety percent of trans-related controversies are created by right-wingers’ refusal to just mind their own business and let other people be. The sheer irrationality of it boggles my mind.
Other issues are real issues. Even if Republicans didn’t deny the existence of climate change, how to address climate change would remain a real issue that needed to be debated in Congress. Even if Republicans didn’t have an abiding and vicious hatred of immigrants, we’d still need to figure out immigration policy and there’d be good-faith policy questions to work out.
But most trans issues would never be discussed at high levels of government if conservatives would just live and let live. There’s no need, at all, for the White House to decide what specific health care a fifteen year old trans kid needs. Why not leave that for the fifteen year old to decide with her doctor and her parents?
Part of it is just the grift. Republicans need hate to fundraise and be elected. Blaming problems on marginalized groups like immigrants and trans people is extremely practical for a party whose top priority is making rich people richer, but which also needs to pretend to be addressing ordinary people’s problems.
But it’s not just a grift. There’s sincere spite and bigotry – and, as Representative McBride said, obsession – behind the deluge of anti-trans legislation and activism we’ve seen.
TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON
This cartoon has four panels, each showing the same central character, a fortyish redheaded woman, in a different setting.
PANEL 1
A woman wearing a red cardigan over a white t-shirt, and a cross necklace, is handing a brown paper lunch bag to her daughter. The daughter is rolling her eyes.
WOMAN: Schools are hotbeds for trans groomers! Don’t let any of them talk to you.
PANEL 2
Four women, including our main character (who is currently speaking), are having a meeting on Zoom.
WOMAN: I found a petition supporting this week’s new bills banning trans heath care. I’m sending the link so we can all sign.
PANEL 3
A woman with short brown hair is washing her hands in a public restroom. Nearby, our main character watches the woman suspiciously.
WOMAN (thought): Short hair… Might be trans? I better call the manager!
PANEL 4
The woman lies in bed. It’s nighttime, but she’s wide awake.
WOMAN (thought): Why is the left obsessed with trans?
CHICKEN FAT WATCH
“Chicken fat” is ancient, mostly forgotten cartoonist-ese for fun but needless details in the art.
PANEL 1 – The dog is rolling its eyes, just like the daughter. The daughter’s t-shirt says “Plants are gooood!” with a picture of a lit joint.
PANEL 2 – One person on Zoom is drinking with a mug with a picture of Jesus grinning and with his thumb up, a reference to the Kevin Smith movie Dogma. Another zoom person has dozed off, and the cat in her lap is anxiously taking notes. And a third zoom person is knitting a sweater with three sleeves, a reference to a famous Charles Addams cartoon.
PANEL 3 – The short-haired woman has a tattoo of Mr. Cupcake from Five Nights At Freddy’s.
PANEL 4 – The dog is wearing a sleep mask and pajamas with little hearts. Also, there are four books lying on the bed, which are:
Ahh, who doesn't love the summer? Summer vacation is when we all get to loosen up a little, schedules fall away, rules get bent — and a little bit broken — and no matter who you are, you're supposed to be able to unwind a little bit. Of course, that's easier said than done when your family vacation goes completely off the rails.
SINGAPORE: A dashcam video showing a Malaysia-registered Nissan Teana running a red light at a school zone along Ubi Avenue 1 has gone viral. As of writing, the video has racked up nearly 90,000 views, over 100 shares, and more than 350 reactions since it was posted on the Facebook page SGRV ADMIN.
According to the post, the incident occurred at around 8 a.m. on June 11, with the footage showing the Nissan Teana overtaking the dashcam vehicle in an apparent attempt to beat the red light, before failing to conform to the signal altogether.
School zones in Singapore are subject to stricter speed limits precisely because of the high volume of young children crossing roads on their way to and from school. Running a red light in such an area carries heightened risk, given how easily a child crossing on a ‘green man’ signal could be caught off guard by a vehicle barrelling through against the light.
Beating a red light is a serious traffic offence under Singapore law, given its potential to cause high-impact collisions at junctions. This risk is amplified further when the junction in question sits within a school zone.
The video drew strong reactions from commenters, many of whom expressed concern over the safety implications of the manoeuvre.
“A split-second failure to conform to a red light can cost a child’s future. Red means stop, especially when little lives are crossing. Do not fail the light,” one commenter wrote.
Others pointed towards the appropriate course of action. “Please report this to the Traffic Police via their online submission for disciplinary action, especially since it’s a school zone,” another user said.
Some comments leaned more cynical, questioning whether enforcement would actually follow through given the vehicle’s foreign registration. “This one is VIP, lah,” one commenter remarked sarcastically, while another added, “He knows the traffic police cannot do much to Malaysians, that’s why he did it.”
Ultimately, incidents like this tap into something most road users can agree on: running a red light, especially near a school, isn’t a matter of bad luck but a split-second decision that can have life-altering consequences.
It’s this shared understanding that explains the strength of the reaction online. Regardless of where a vehicle is registered, the expectation that drivers stop at red lights, especially in school zones, is one that cuts across nationality and background. The collective call from netizens to report such incidents reflects less an anger directed at any one driver, and more a broader, widely shared insistence that basic road safety standards shouldn’t be up for debate.
This article (‘Do not fail the light’ — Netizens react to Malaysia-registered car getting caught beating red light at school zone) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.
KOTA KINABALU, June 7 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sabah has restructured its leadership lineup as part of efforts to strengthen the coalition’s operations and prepare for the next general election (GE), its chairman Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said.
Speaking at a press conference after the PH Sabah Annual General Meeting here on Sunday, Mustapha said the reshuffle was aimed at leveraging the experience of senior leaders while reinforcing the coalition’s organisational machinery.
“We have just concluded the 2025 PH Sabah Annual General Meeting, during which we discussed the restructuring of several key positions within the coalition. One of the reasons for the restructuring is that we want to make the best use of the experience of our senior leaders. We also need to strengthen the operations of PH as we prepare for the next General Election,” he said.
Mustapha, who is also PKR Sabah liaison chairman, will remain PH Sabah chairman, assisted by DAP Sabah chairman Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe and Amanah Sabah chairman Datuk Lahirul Latigu as deputy chairmen.
The meeting also agreed to appoint former senior civil servant Datuk Ruji Ubi as PH Sabah secretary, while Datuk Chan Foong Hin will continue to oversee information affairs as information chief.
Irwan Shah Mustapa of Amanah was named treasurer, while Zaidi Jatil remains youth chief, Datuk Jannie Lasimbang women’s chief and Datuk Peto Galim election director.
Mustapha said Ruji’s vast administrative experience would be an asset to the coalition.
“As we all know, Datuk Ruji is a former secretary-general in several ministries and we hope he can help strengthen PH Sabah from the operational aspect,” he said.
Although the next General Election may only be due next year, Mustapha said the coalition could not afford to be complacent given the evolving political landscape.
“We have only recently recovered from the state election and have had enough time to rest and regroup. From today’s discussions, I can see that the spirit and enthusiasm have returned and we must be ready for the next General Election,” he said.
On his own political future, Mustapha said he would defend the Sepanggar parliamentary seat if given the mandate by the party leadership.
“If the President and the party leadership continue to place their trust in me, I will defend the Sepanggar parliamentary seat. I believe Datuk Chan (Kota Kinabalu MP) will do the same. PH Sabah will defend the seats it won the the last general election,” he said.
Asked whether PH Sabah component parties would contest under their respective party logos in the coming GE, Mustapha said discussions were ongoing and they will take into account the latest developments before making any decision.
Mustapha also downplayed the impact of recent defections involving PKR leaders in Sabah, saying only two divisional chiefs had left the party so far.
“Based on our records, including those discussed at the PKR State Leadership Council meeting this morning, only the Tuaran and Semporna division chiefs, together with several committee members, have left the party,” he said.
He stressed that the departures had not affected the operations of either division.
When asked whether he expected more PKR members in Sabah to leave and join a new political party, Mustapha said the initial exodus was unlikely to be repeated on a larger scale.
“We cannot underestimate the possibility, but based on the first wave, only two divisional leaders have left the party,” he said. — The Borneo Post pic
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