Spotify Arrives and the Ties that Bind Vietnam & Japan

This week we covered Spotify's long-awaited launch in Vietnam and how this will change local listening habits, as well as the impact it could have on the Vietnamese music industry. Then we dive into Vietnam's close cultural and economic ties with Japan. From Doraemon to manga and Saigon's first metro line, Japan's presence is impossible to miss here. But there are flaws in this relationship, as evidenced by recent news regarding Vietnamese workers in the Northeast Asian country. Our interview is with Long Nguyen, an International Relations major at Tokyo International University and co-host of the Bento Bureau Podcast, which covers Japanese culture, history, and current events. We chatted over Skype about what draws so many Vietnamese students to Japan, as well as his experience living there. Find Long's show at bentobureau.com. Finally, we end with Banh Mi Banter.