Society
Flouting the Rules Abroad: A Marathon Bike Cheat and a Pokémon Look-Alike
Two separate items were discussed together in Japan under the same frame of 'China bending rules and intellectual property.' A Chinese fitness influencer was found to have used a bicycle during the Berlin Marathon and apologized, calling it a rule violation with no excuse. Around the same time, a Chinese RPG with visuals strongly resembling Nintendo's Pokémon launched in Japan and spread online. Reaction ran from exasperation to a notable strand of caution against calling things 'rip-offs' too easily.