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New EU president wins fans in Japan - as a poet

Taking up herewith Japanese Social Trend News by Media in last week.
Recent Social Trend in Japan will be read via these News.
Interested in "New EU president wins fans in Japan - as a poet", "Ichihashi lawyers slam interrogation methods", "'Nobu' fever: Japan falls for a blind piano prodigy" and etc.

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Nov 21	*New EU president wins fans in Japan - as a poet* (Reuters)
	Herman Van Rompuy, the European Union's new president, may not be very well known around the world but he's already winning fans in Japan - as a poet rather than a politician. Belgium's low-key prime minister is fond of writing haiku - three-line Japanese poems of just 17 syllables - and is building a reputation with Japanese poets less than 24 hours after he got the newly-created job.

Nov 21	*Prefecture serves up nuts to the nation* (Yomiuri)
	The next time you shell out for a packet of peanuts, cast an eye over the small print on the bag and it is highly likely the words "Made in Chiba Prefecture" will figure somewhere. Chiba Prefecture produces more than 70 percent of the nation's peanuts, with Yachimata, in the north of the prefecture, topping the list.

Nov 20

Maria Ozawa, other acclaimed AV actresses on auction as stagnation sticks (Tokyo Reporter)

Buried in the back of Weekly Playboy (Nov. 23) is a report claiming that the lingering recession is resulting in popular adult video (AV) actresses increasingly being auctioned off at top-class sex establishments with none other than starlet Maria Ozawa appearing on the block. A conventional deri heru (out-call) sex service, the tabloid explains, has an image of being inexpensive, but one staffed with AV ladies is quite the opposite, commanding fees between 30,000 and 50,000 yen a pop for run-of-the-mill actresses and three or four times those figures for top-name talents.

Nov 20

Woman linked to Tottori deaths, partner indicted on fraud charges (AP)

A 35-year-old woman with links to six men whose suspicious deaths were recently uncovered in Tottori Prefecture and her 46-year- old male roommate were served fresh arrest warrants Friday for fraud after previously being indicted on separate fraud charges. The six deceased had been acquainted with or had financial troubles with the woman, who was an employee of a bar in the city of Tottori, and police are investigating their deaths with a view to building murder cases.

Nov 20

Man on probation following lay judge trial unaccounted for (AP)

A 21-year-old man who is on probation after receiving a suspended prison term for arson has gone missing, probably the first case in which a former defendant in a lay judge trial has disappeared after going on probation, legal sources said Thursday. Under the newly introduced lay judge trial, several defendants were sentenced to suspended terms and have been put on probation, as citizen judges together with professional ones expect them to rehabilitate in society.

Nov 20

Ichihashi lawyers slam interrogation methods (Japan Times)

Lawyers for Tatsuya Ichihashi urged prosecutors and police Thursday to improve their interrogation methods, arguing that a prosecutor had told the suspect during a grilling that he could be hanged for the 2007 murder of Briton Lindsay Ann Hawker. "It is illegitimate to investigate by making up scenarios," one of the lawyers told a news conference, during which they quoted Ichihashi as saying he was told by a prosecutor at the Chiba District Public Prosecutor's Office that the death sentence is a possibility.

Nov 20	*Beaujolais nouveau hot in Japan - literally* (AFP)
	Japan's craze for Beaujolais nouveau has beaten the global recession, with tourists taking a dip Thursday in a hot mountain spring coloured red with the fruity wine. The Hakone Kowakien Yunessun spa resort celebrated the annual uncorking of the seasonal drop by having a sommelier pour a few bottles into an open-air hot spring bath as holiday-makers enjoyed soaking themselves.

Nov 20

Coin-operated parking zones for motorbikes to open (Yomiuri)

Coin-operated parking zones for motorcycles will open for the first time in the nation along Omotesando in Tokyo on Nov. 30. Under the 2006 revision to the Road Traffic Law, punishments for parking offenses have become stricter, with the result that greater attention has been paid to the maintenance of parking lots for passenger cars. But to date, almost no parking zones have been provided for motorcycles.

Nov 19

Scant welcome for refugees in Japan (BBC)

In a cramped apartment in Tokyo, volunteers are teaching Burmese asylum seekers how to make clothes combining Japanese fashion with their own traditional embroidery. They hope the project will give women like Lu [not her real name] a way to make ends meet. It has been three years since Lu fled Burma, leaving her husband and children behind. She claimed asylum on arrival in Tokyo and was sent straight to an immigration detention centre where she spent almost a year.

Nov 19

Lindsay Ann Hawker suspect attracts support from Japanese women (telegraph.co.uk)

Tatsuya Ichihashi, the man suspected of killing the British teacher Lindsay Ann Hawker, has become a bizarre object of admiration among a number of online communities of Japanese women. Posting on social networking sites such as Mixi and 2Channel, some have even taken to referring to Ichihashi as The Fugitive Prince or Lord Ichi. Others have claimed that he could not possibly have committed the crime because he looks so kind.

Nov 19

'Nobu' fever: Japan falls for a blind piano prodigy (Time)

As Nobuyuki Tsujii finished the last note of Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante by Chopin, the packed audience in Tokyo's Kioi Hall broke into an emotional applause. Executing each piece with energy and concentration, the 21-year-old classical pianist, who has been blind since birth, mesmerized the typically reserved Tokyo crowd in a two-hour solo performance on his latest tour. Kumi Araki, a 25-year-old from downtown Toyko, gushed. "I am so moved. Before I knew it, I was standing to applaud!" she says, wiping at tears.

Nov 19

Man barred from China lives in Japanese airport (canada.com)

Feng Zhenghu's life resembles a movie, but it's not quite as glamorous. For one thing, he's an awful lot smellier than Tom Hanks was when he played the part of an airline passenger caught in the no man's land of an international airport. The environmentally friendly washrooms at Tokyo's Narita Airport are so stingy with the water they apportion at each sink that Feng says he has not been able to have anything resembling a bath for the two weeks he's been living in the international arrivals area, in the space between the airline gates and the immigration booths.

Nov 19	*Fewer Korean residents seek Japanese citizenship* (chosun.com)
	Four out of five Koreans in Japan have no desire to become naturalized Japanese citizens, a straw poll suggests. Japanese Justice Ministry statistics show around 10,000 Koreans became naturalized between 2003 and 2009. Around 62,000 North Koreans and around 486,000 South Koreans have settled in Japan with permanent residency status as of July 2009.

Nov 19

Police determine U.S. serviceman involved in fatal Okinawa hit-and-run (AP)

Police have determined that a U.S. Army serviceman was involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident in Okinawa Prefecture and are seeking the U.S. military's cooperation in urging him to present himself to the Japanese authorities, police sources said Wednesday. The 27-year-old staff sergeant at the Torii communication station in Yomitan, Okinawa, has refused to face Japanese investigators, claiming their investigation is not being carried out fairly.

Nov 19

Ichihashi given nutrient shot after staggering on way to questioning (AP)

Tatsuya Ichihashi, the prime suspect in the 2007 murder of British woman Lindsay Hawker, received a nutritional supplement shot Monday after staggering on his way to an interrogation room, his lawyer said Wednesday. Ichihashi, 30, who is believed not to have eaten anything since his arrest on Nov. 10, lost his balance when he was heading to the room from his cell, prompting the police to give him the injection, the lawyer said after meeting with him.

Nov 19

Acid mishap on Tokyo train injures passengers (Reuters)

Several people were injured when a stone worker riding on a Tokyo subway train accidentally broke a container of hydrochloric acid he was carrying, the fire department and media said Wednesday. Television showed emergency vehicles and rescue workers in protective gear at Nihonbashi station in the crowded center of the Japanese capital. The fire department said three people had been taken to hospital, while media reports said four were injured.

Nov 19

Ex-hostess linked to sleep-induced car crash (Yomiuri)

A deceased man whom police have linked to a former hostess suspected of involvement in the deaths of two other men fell asleep at the wheel and caused a traffic accident after eating a meal cooked by the woman, it has been learned. Kazumi Yabe, 47, was found drowned off Hokueicho, Tottori Prefecture, on April 11, about a month after the traffic accident. Traces of a sedative and sleeping pills were discovered in his body.

Nov 19

Japan's obesity association may revise controversial metabolic gauge (AP)

Japan's obesity research association is considering revising as early as next year the waistline threshold, a key gauge used to diagnose obesity and metabolic syndrome, to better reflect the reality of health conditions among the Japanese, sources close to the association said Wednesday. The Japan Society for the Study of Obesity currently sets the benchmark waist size at 85 centimeters or more for men, and 90 cm or more for women to diagnose obesity. Japan's health ministry has been using the criteria in metabolic syndrome check-ups.

Nov 18	*Tokyo Metro Police create dedicated anti-child porn unit* (Mainichi)
	A special Tokyo police unit to combat the spread of child pornography on the Internet will begin work Thursday. The unit will also operate a 24-hour hotline, hoping that citizens' reports will help expose child pornography violations. The hotline will be the first in the country dedicated to combating the banned material.

Nov 18	*Fan held for stealing pop group's mail* (Asahi)
	An obsessed fan of all-female pop act AKB48 has been arrested on suspicion of stealing mail sent to members of the group by having it fraudulently redirected to his Tokyo home. Kota Shibuya, 28, unemployed, was quoted as saying, "I wanted to get my hands on anything that belonged to members of the group."

Nov 18

Soldier decries hit-and-run probe (Japan Times)

A U.S. Army sergeant suspected of being involved in a fatal hit-and-run in Okinawa has claimed the investigation by Japanese police is not being carried out fairly, his lawyer said Tuesday. The 27-year-old staff sergeant at the Torii communications station in Yomitan has also refused to face Japanese investigators unless a video recording of the interrogation is permitted, his lawyer, Toshimitsu Takaesu, said.

Nov 18

Suspect in murder of British woman administered nutrition (AP)

Tatsuya Ichihashi, the prime suspect in the 2007 murder of 22-year-old English language teacher Lindsay Hawker, was administered nutritional supplements Tuesday as he has not eaten anything since his arrest on Nov. 10, investigative sources said. The Chiba prefectural police called a doctor to Gyotoku police station in Chiba where Ichihashi, 22, is being held to administer nutritional supplements to him, fearing that he may become ill if he continues to eat nothing, the sources said.

Nov 18

Internet cafes to name names / Anonymity leads to increased crime, hinders police investigations (Yomiuri)

Anonymous use of Internet cafes may soon be a thing of the past, partly due to the case of recently captured fugitive Tatsuya Ichihashi. Customers are not currently required to provide proof of identity at some Internet cafes--a situation that can hinder police investigations, as seen in the case of Ichihashi, who was arrested on Nov. 10 on suspicion of abandoning the body of an English language teacher. Ichihashi was on the run for more than two years and is believed to have used Internet cafes during that time.

Nov 18	*Users of Net cafes on dangerous ground* (Yomiuri)
	From high school girls to foreign nationals, a growing number of people in downtown Tokyo are taking advantage of the anonymity of certain Internet cafes in dangerous ways. Some people want to conceal their identities and these cafes have given their tacit approval. Others just want to feel safe when using Internet cafes. Will confirming users' identities really become standard at Internet cafes?

Nov 18

Abducted Japanese man still held by Yemeni tribesmen (Reuters)

A Japanese man held hostage in Yemen was not released late on Tuesday because of a last-minute dispute between Yemeni tribesmen and mediators, a provincial official said on Wednesday. The same official had told Reuters on Tuesday night that the tribesmen had handed the hostage to mediators and that the man, an engineer abducted in an area northeast of the capital Sanaa, was expected to arrive soon in Sanaa.

Nov 17

Police suspect arson as fire at mahjong parlor kills 4 in Shizuoka (AP)

Four men were killed and three people were injured and hospitalized in a fire that gutted a two-story mahjong game parlor early Tuesday in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, local police said. The police are looking into the possibility of arson in connection with the fire that broke out at around 3:30 a.m., as it followed a case of suspected arson on Oct. 14 that burned part of the building's outer wall and used tires on the premises.

Nov 17

Marriage fraud case puts spotlight on online dating sites (Mainichi)

A 34-year-old Tokyo woman arrested for marriage fraud has been linked to a string of mysterious deaths of men she met on Internet dating sites. Such sites are a mainstay for marriage hunters: they're cheap, and it's easy to get to know a potential partner by exchanging messages. But they're also open to exploitation, and the diversifying marriage industry is feeling the pinch as a result. There are some success stories. A 43-year-old Kyoto woman ended up marrying a man she met on an Internet dating site after two years.

Nov 17

'Hot spring' claims don't hold water (Yomiuri)

Hot springs resorts across the nation have been found to have misrepresented the amount of actual spring water used at their facilities, but efforts to resolve this problem have ended up being little more than a drop in the bucket. Under a 2005 revision, spa operators must acknowledge whether tap water, heat or spa powder has been added to their hot spring baths. However, the revision does not stipulate how much spring water must be used at a facility that claims to be a hot springs resort. In theory, a facility can become a hot springs resort by adding a single drop of hot spring water to a tap water bath.

Nov 17

Bloody bag handle found near student's body parts (Yomiuri)

A bloodstained plastic bag handle has been discovered close to where mutilated body parts of a 19-year-old university student were found on Mt. Garyu in Hiroshima Prefecture, police sources said. The police believe the bag might have been used to carry the body of Miyako Hiraoka, a freshman at the prefectural University of Shimane from Hamada, Shimane Prefecture, and are conducting a DNA analysis of the item.

Nov 16

2 U.S. Marines arrested for attacking taxi driver in Hiroshima (Mainichi)

Two U.S. Marines were arrested on Sunday for allegedly attacking a taxi driver in downtown Hiroshima, police said. Bradley Arthur Gutierrez, 21, and Ilene Renae Garcia, 20, both belonging to the Marine Corps Air Station in the Yamaguchi Prefecture city of Iwakuni, were arrested at the scene on suspicion of destruction of property and assault, and destruction of property, respectively, according to police.

Nov 16

In binge-tolerant Japan, alcoholism not seen as disease (Reuters)

As liquor consumption grew sixfold over the last 50 years in Japan to match its economic affluence, alcoholism became a growing but poorly grasped problem. Alcoholic beverages are readily available at convenience stores and vending machines, liquor ads are often on evening television and building work ties by going drinking is common. Some 800,000 people, or 0.6 percent of the population, are estimated to be alcoholics.

Nov 16	*Japanese chef scoops top award in London* (AFP)
	Tomoyuki Abe of Japanese restaurant chain Sushizen was named best chef at a sushi awards ceremony in London late Saturday. The Eat-Japan Sushi Awards 2009 featured seven of the world's best sushi chefs preparing their favourite dishes. Invited guests then tasted the foods before picking the winner through a ballot.

Nov 16

Busan gun range fire likely killed eight Japanese (Japan Times)

Eight of the 10 people killed by a fire at an indoor shooting range in Busan, South Korea, were likely Japanese, local fire officials said Sunday. Eleven Japanese were using the shooting range Saturday when the fire occurred - nine from a group from Unzen, Nagasaki Prefecture, that was touring Busan as part of a school reunion, and two men from Fukuoka and Miyazaki prefectures who were in a different tour group.

Nov 15

Japan's reaction to Obama bowing before the Emperor (examiner.com)

During Barack Obama's first presidential visit to Japan, he managed to work in a private lunch with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. The lunch, which lasted about an hour, was reported to have just been the three of them plus one interpreter. While the topics of their lunchtime conversation remain a mystery, the Japanese media delightedly reported on the event, stating how Obama made a polite short English greeting before entering the palace.

Nov 15	*Mouth-watering plastic food at Tokyo restaurants* (AFP)
	In Japan, a good restaurant will display replicas of what's on the menu. Craftsmen perfectly reproduce the food - it takes as much skill as the real thing.

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By J.S. on Nov 25, 2009

[ 2009/11/25 18:25 ] JAPANESE SOCIETY | TB(0) | CM(0)

Engagement with Asia high on list of priorities for Japanese PM

Taking up herewith Japanese Political Trend News by Media in last week.
Political Trend in Japan will be read via these News.
Interested in "DPJ's Diet management under fire", "Ozawa faces fresh donations scandal", "Engagement with Asia high on list of priorities for Japanese PM" and etc.

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Nov 22

DPJ's Diet management under fire (Yomiuri)

The ruling and opposition blocs were at odds last week over a government-sponsored bill to provide financial support for small and midsize companies-a situation that could be attributed to the Democratic Party of Japan's lack of a consistent policy for Diet management. Unable to discern DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa's true intentions regarding Diet management, DPJ members are at sixes and sevens about what to do.

Nov 21	*Fund paid big sum in final days of Aso era* (Asahi)
	A secret discretionary fund operated by the Cabinet Secretariat paid out 250 million yen in cash to Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura in the waning days of the administration headed by Prime Minister Taro Aso, it was disclosed Friday.

Nov 21	*Ozawa looming as 'shadow shogun'* (Japan Times)
	The Democratic Party of Japan's oldest lawmaker recently had a few bitter words for his old friend, DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa. Speaking in Fukuoka earlier this month, Kozo Watabe criticized what he considered the monopolization of party authority in Ozawa's hands.

Nov 21	*Deliberations on 6 bills launched amid boycott* (Yomiuri)
	The House of Representatives began committee deliberations on six government-sponsored bills Friday, including one to inspect cargo being shipped to and from North Korea, but the opposition Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito boycotted the discussions.

Nov 20	*Ozawa faces fresh donations scandal* (Japan Times)
	Ichiro Ozawa, secretary general of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, faced fresh allegations of illegal donations Thursday after a source connected with an engineering firm told prosecutors that unreported contributions had been made to one of his aides when the contractor sought to get in on an Iwate Prefecture dam project.

Nov 20

DPJ rams debt relief bill through committee (Japan Times)

A bill aimed at encouraging lenders to freeze debt repayments for small and midsize companies was set to clear the Lower House late Thursday night after the ruling bloc rammed it through a Diet committee in the first such power play since the Hatoyama administration assumed office two months ago. The government-sponsored bill was passed by the Lower House Financial Affairs Committee despite a boycott by the Liberal Democratic Party, the main opposition force, and its former ruling coalition partner, New Komeito.

Nov 20

Slowly, secret U.S. nuke deals come to light (Japan Times)

Decades since Washington and Tokyo reportedly crafted secret agreements to allow U.S. nuclear weapons in Japanese territory, declassified documents from the U.S. detailing its nuclear presence in Okinawa and elsewhere in Japan during the postwar period are slowly coming to light. The move is creating headaches for both countries as they grapple over military bases in Okinawa and the future structure of the alliance.

Nov 20	*Should we let foreigners vote?* (Yomiuri)
	Moves have been gaining momentum to have a bill submitted to the Diet that would give non-Japanese permanent residents the right to vote in local elections. Is such local suffrage necessary? Granting such a right would involve constitutional issues as well as create problems in terms of local government management and would threaten to change the nature of this nation.

Nov 18

DPJ's foreign policy raises hopes ... and worries (East Asia Forum)

The victory of the Democratic Party of Japan in the House of Representatives election held on August 30 was an epoch-making event in the history of Japan's postwar democracy. The two-party system has actually started to work, giving the Japanese people the option of changing government through elections. Though the Liberal Democratic Party rule had been fraught with problems, the Japanese people had not placed enough confidence in the opposition parties to give them a chance to govern. The historic shift was apparently in part a product of the Japanese people's very high hopes for the DPJ's foreign policy.

Nov 18

There's less to U.S.-Japanese frictions than meets the eye (foreignpolicy.com)

The conventional wisdom in U.S.-Japanese relations is that things were largely fine until the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) upset the apple cart by winning control of Japan's government. Security policy observers appear to accept the idea that the DPJ has strained the close relationship that Japan's former ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) had developed with the United States over the past several decades. A show of bilateral solidarity during President Obama's one-night stand in Tokyo last week has done little to change these opinions. The conventional wisdom has it wrong.

Nov 18

Japan, U.S. to seek swift solution of Futenma issue (Yomiuri)

Japan and the United States agreed Tuesday to seek an early solution on the controversial relocation plan of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture and examine the background to the plan. In their first ministerial-level working group meeting on the issue, attended by ministers and officials in charge of foreign affairs and defense, Japan and the United States also agreed to continue discussions on the Futenma issue at ministerial-level talks as well as at high-ranking working-level talks.

Nov 17

Junior DPJ partner 'plans to launch new party' (Yomiuri)

The People's New Party, a junior partner in the ruling Democratic Party of Japan-led coalition, is seeking to launch a new party with another minor party and a small group of independent lawmakers, party sources said Monday. According to the sources, the PNP, which forms the ruling coalition with the DPJ and the Social Democratic Party, New Party Nippon and a group led by former Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Takeo Hiranuma are discussing a possible merger.

Nov 17	*U.S. welcomes Japan's new aid plan for Afghanistan* (AP)
	The United States has welcomed Japan's new plan to extend up to $5 billion in civilian aid to Afghanistan over five years beginning this year in an effort to combat terrorism. "We welcome the announcement by the government of Japan to provide approximately $5 billion over the next five years to Afghanistan," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement Wednesday.

Nov 17

Outrage in Washington over Obama's Japan bow (AFP)

News photos of President Barack Obama bowing to Japan's emperor have incensed critics here, who said the US leader should stand tall when representing America overseas. Obama on Monday was in China, having wrapped up the Japan leg of his Asia trip two days earlier. But Washington's punditocracy was still weighing whether or not the US president had disgraced his country two days earlier by having taken a deep bow at the waist while meeting Japan's Emperor Akihito.

Nov 16	*Japanese politicians plundered bottomless state fund* (telegraph.co.uk)
	Former officials have come forward to describe a huge safe in the chief cabinet secretary's office stacked with tens of millions of yen that they were able to hand out without providing receipts. The fund was reported to contain Y1 billion but that figure has never been tested as no matter how much they gave to politicians the safe would always be replenished the next day.

Nov 16

Engagement with Asia high on list of priorities for Japanese PM (Channel NewsAsia)

Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Sunday said his government places engagement with Asia as one of its top priorities. Mr Hatoyama, who is in Singapore to attend the APEC Leaders' Meeting, was giving a speech on his administration's foreign policy approach at an event organised by the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies. Engagement with Asian countries, and more broadly Asia Pacific countries, is high on the list for the Japanese prime minister.

Nov 16

Hatoyama unveils Asia-focused foreign policy (Yomiuri)

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama emphasized his Asia-orientated foreign policy in a speech in Singapore on Sunday, saying he will make his East Asian community concept the key pillar of the policy. Hatoyama also stressed that the United States would play an important role in the region. In the speech on Asian policy, which he gave in English at a Singapore hotel, the prime minister listed the fields for potential cooperation with other Asian countries, such as the economic measures, efforts against global warming, disaster prevention, sanitation management and antipiracy steps. Regarding the economy, he said negotiations over an economic partnership agreement, or EPA, with Australia, India and South Korea would be accelerated.

Nov 16

Obama takes realistic approach to Asia (Yomiuri)

U.S. President Barack Obama's speech on U.S. policy toward Asia delivered in Tokyo on Saturday clearly indicated Washington's intention to refocus its efforts on improving ties with Asian countries. Obama's stance was based on the notion that the collaboration between Asian countries is necessary to properly address such global issues as nuclear nonproliferation, as well as U.S. domestic concerns including the combat situation in Afghanistan and the recovery of the U.S. economy.

Nov 16	*Does Ozawa run the show as Hatoyama foots the bill?* (Japan Times)
	Only two months in office, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama appears to be losing his political influence primarily because of (1) his failure to exercise leadership in foreign diplomacy and on the domestic agenda, and (2) the extraordinary concentration of power vested in Ichiro Ozawa, whom Hatoyama has chosen to manage his ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) as secretary general.

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By J.S. on Nov 24, 2009

[ 2009/11/24 18:45 ] POLITICAL NEWS | TB(0) | CM(0)

American ups JAL ante to keep Delta at bay

Taking up herewith Japanese Business Trend News by Media in last week.
Business Trend in Japan will be read via these News.
Interested in "Early-bird Uniqlo sale celebrates founding", "American ups JAL ante to keep Delta at bay" and etc.

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Nov 22	*Early-bird Uniqlo sale celebrates founding* (Japan Times)
	The Uniqlo chain held an early-morning sale at about 400 stores Saturday to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of its operator, with more than 2,000 people lining up before dawn outside its flagship store in Tokyo's Ginza district. More than half of Uniqlo's domestic stores, which are operated by Fast Retailing Co., took part in the early-morning sale that started at 6 a.m.

Nov 21

Yamato plans Singapore 'takkyubin' (Japan Times)

Yamato Holdings Co. said Friday it will commence a service similar to its domestic "takkyubin" parcel delivery operation in Singapore in January in light of the city state's good business prospects. Japan's top parcel transport firm unveiled in August a similar service for Shanghai due to start in January, as it aims to expand its business in other parts of Asia, given the poor growth outlook in the domestic market.

Nov 21

Sony head sees big things for 3-D (Japan Times)

Sony Corp. Chairman Howard Stringer forecast 3-D movies, pictures and games will be the electronics maker's next $10 billion business, challenging investors and analysts who say the technology isn't ready to become mainstream. The maker of Bravia televisions and PlayStation 3 game consoles said Thursday 3-D-related products, excluding content, will generate more than 1 trillion yen in the 12 months ending in March 2013.

Nov 21	*6 nonlife insurers' profits grow* (Yomiuri)
	The country's six biggest nonlife insurers announced Thursday large year-on-year increases in their after-tax profits for the April-September period partly due to the smaller-than-usual incidence of natural disasters.

Nov 20

American ups JAL ante to keep Delta at bay (Japan Times)

American Airlines Inc. on Thursday upped the ante in a fierce scramble over struggling Japan Airlines Corp., warning of "enormous risks" if JAL switches to the rival SkyTeam alliance. A day after Delta Air Lines Inc. unveiled a lucrative financial package for JAL, American Airlines, a unit of AMR Corp., struck back as it is readying what sources say could be an even sweeter proposal totaling around ¥130 billion with TPG Inc., a major U.S. investment firm.

Nov 20

Fewer disasters boost first-half profits at major nonlife insurers (Japan Times)

Six major nonlife insurers said Thursday their group net profits in the April-September period rose from a year earlier as insurance payments slipped below projections on a smaller-than-expected number of natural disasters. They also reported pretax profits for the first half of fiscal 2009 after incurring losses from the global financial crisis for the whole of fiscal 2008, indicating the stabilizing of their financial performances on a stock market recovery. But a fast decline in transportation of goods amid the global recession

Nov 20	*Asahi Brewery head seeks soft drink tie-ups* (Yomiuri)
	Asahi Brewery Co. President Hitoshi Ogita has expressed his intention to seek a business tie-up between soft drink affiliate Asahi Soft Drinks Co. and other makers in the industry. Ogita revealed this during a recent interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun when he was asked about Asahi Brewery's merger and acquisition strategy.

Nov 20	*Eco point, eco car scheme extensions eyed* (Yomiuri)
	The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry is likely to extend its eco point program by nine months and also widen the range of items covered under the scheme, which promotes sales of energy-saving home appliances, according to sources. The ministry also has formulated a policy to extend eco-friendly car tax breaks by another six months until next autumn.

Nov 19

Cell phone sites to be checked for illegal music files (Yomiuri)

The telecom and music industries likely will introduce a new system by next year, to automatically check cell phone Web sites for illegal music files that have been entered on them, to prevent such files from being uploaded and downloaded in violation of copyright, it has been learned. The number of illegal music files downloaded annually is estimated at 400 million, about 70 million more than are downloaded from authorized Web sites.

Nov 19

3 Japan firms to contract for Iraq oil field (Yomiuri)

Leading oil distributor Nippon Oil Corp. and two other Japanese firms likely will conclude a basic contract with the Iraqi government as early as this month to obtain the right to develop the massive Nasiriyah oil field in southern Iraq, it has been learned. The area scheduled to be developed by Japan is expected to produce a maximum of 600,000 barrels a day in the future. This would cover more than 10 percent of Japan's consumption of crude oil.

Nov 18	*Delta offers $1 billion to Japan Airlines* (New York Times)
	Delta Air Lines and its alliance partners said Wednesday they are making a billion-dollar offer intended to lure loss-making Japan Airlines from its current affiliation with American Airlines. Delta is "by far the strongest partner for Japan Airlines," company president Edward Bastian told reporters in Tokyo.

Nov 18	*Toyota October car sales up 5 percent, 1st rise in 15 months* (Reuters)
	Toyota Motor Corp's global vehicle sales rose 5 percent in October to about 640,000 units, marking the first year-on-year increase in 15 months, the world's biggest automaker said on Wednesday. Last month, Toyota's sales in its biggest market, the United States, fell 3.5 percent, but grew 15 percent in Japan and 45 percent in China.

Nov 18

Enough tuna on ice to keep costs low (Japan Times)

Fisheries minister Hirotaka Akamatsu on Tuesday dispelled public concerns fueled by an international tuna conservation body's decision to cut the annual tuna catch, saying Japan has ample stocks of frozen tuna due to the recession. Japan has about 25,000 tons of bluefin and southern bluefin tuna in inventory - most in the past decade. Because there is ample inventory, the agency predicts tuna prices are unlikely to rise anytime soon.

Nov 18

Convenience stores hope for just desserts (Japan Times)

In a race to see who gets to take the cake, major convenience store chains have been offering more sweet foods under their own brand names in an effort to beat traditional bakeries and dessert shops. The companies appear eager to release cheaper and more refined products as they regard desserts, which are selling well despite the prolonged recession, as a lucrative way of attracting more women to their stores, especially those in their 20s and 30s.

Nov 18	*Tokyu looking to dump part of stake in JAL* (Japan Times)
	Tokyu Corp., the top shareholder in struggling Japan Airlines Corp., is taking steps toward selling at least some of its holdings, sources said. Holding a stake in JAL "no longer offers synergies," a Tokyu executive said Monday. The conglomerate has been concentrating its management resources on its railway and real estate operations.

Nov 17

Michelin: Tokyo world's top gourmet city (Yomiuri)

Eleven restaurants in Tokyo were awarded the top three-star rating in Michelin's 2010 Tokyo guide, giving the nation's capital the world's largest number of restaurants with three stars, the guide's publisher said Tuesday. Michelin awarded 10 restaurants in Paris three star ratings in its 2009 guide to the French capital. Tokyo and Paris have been close rivals when it comes to the number of restaurants with three-star ratings since the first Michelin guide to Tokyo was published in 2008. In 2009, nine Tokyo restaurants won three stars.

Nov 17

TV shows cutting costs, big-name staff to stay afloat (Yomiuri)

In a desperate bid to cut production costs amid a sharp decline in advertising revenues, major private broadcasters have effectively given the boot to a number of well-known newscasters as part of their programming schedules for autumn. Christel Takigawa, 32, who had worked for "News Japan," a Fuji TV news program broadcast since October 2002, and Baku Owada, 59, who had served as a host for "Wide! Scramble," a TV Asahi information variety program for 11 years, parted company with the respective programs on Sept. 25. Two days later, actress Rei Kikukawa, 31, left NTV news program "Shinso Hodo Bankisha!" after seven years.

Nov 17

Choice, chic, cheap - no one feels fleeced (Japan Times)

Times are difficult for many retailers. Conspicuously not among them, however, is Fast Retailing Co., which posted both record sales of ¥685 billion and operating profit of ¥108.6 billion for the business year that ended in August. Out of all its subsidiaries, Fast's main breadwinner is the Uniqlo chain of reasonably priced casual clothing. Having become a dominant clothier in Japan, Fast Retailing now has the world in its sights, hoping Uniqlo can become the global No. 1.

Nov 17

With stars' clothing, TV show blurs ad line (Japan Times)

An actress starring in a weekly TV drama wrapped up her performance in the first episode Oct. 13 with an unusual plug that sent viewers racing to the television station's Web site. "I have wonderful news," she said. "You can get the clothes we wore in the drama." Those who checked out the home page of Kansai Telecasting Corp. in Osaka, which produced and broadcast the program "Real Clothes," did not find any giveaways. They instead were diverted to a mail order site.

Nov 17	*Laox to open 110 stores in China* (Japan Times)
	Home electronics retailer Laox Co. said Monday it will open 110 stores in China for musical instruments and a variety of merchandise popular in Japan. Laox said it will aim to generate ¥27.5 billion in the year to March 2013 by opening the stores under a three-year medium-term management program worked out after China's Suning Appliance Co. became its top shareholder in August.

Nov 16

Nissan Leaf included in Time Magazine's 50 best inventions of 2009 (allcarselectric.com)

Nissan changed the game for automakers planning electric vehicles in August when it unveiled the Leaf. The all-electric C-segment vehicle travels at speeds up to 90 miles per hour and goes 100 miles on a full charge. Nissan says it will only take 30 minutes to charge the batteries to 80% of their capacity at a high-power charging station. The Leaf is expected to sell for between $35,000 and $45,000. The car won't hit production lines until the fall of 2010, but that didn't stop Time Magazine from calling it one of the best inventions of 2009.

Nov 16

Sony CEO sees no electronics rebound (Reuters)

Japan's Sony Corp (6758.T) has seen no sign of a recovery in the consumer electronics market, Chief Executive Howard Stringer said in an interview published on Sunday. It was difficult to say if world economies have returned to solid growth, he told Il Sole 24 Ore, Italy's leading business daily. Sony posted its fourth consecutive quarterly loss last month but narrowed its full-year loss forecast.

Nov 16	*American Air's oneworld partners crafting incentives to retain JAL* (Japan Times)
	American Airlines' partners in oneworld, the industry alliance that includes British Airways, are devising incentives to help keep Japan Airlines Corp. in the group. Each carrier is crafting its own offer, which will then be sent to JAL and the Japanese government as one proposal, oneworld managing partner John McCulloch said in an interview. JAL has applied for a government bailout.

Nov 16

Hitachi to raise up to $4.5 billion: sources (Reuters)

Hitachi Ltd, Japan's biggest electronics firm by revenues, plans to raise up to 400 billion yen ($4.5 billion) by issuing new shares and convertible bonds to shore up its battered capital base, two sources familiar with the matter said. The sources, who asked not to be identified ahead of an official announcement anticipated as early as Monday, said Hitachi plans to sell about 300 billion yen worth of shares and another 100 billion yen in convertible bonds.

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By J.S. on Nov 23, 2009

[ 2009/11/23 18:30 ] BUSINESS | TB(0) | CM(0)

New York City Dining: Japanese Restaurants

Taking up herewith Japanese Cusine News by Media.
Japanese Cuisne Trend will be read via these News.
Interested in "Michelin awards Tokyo most 3-star restaurants in blow to Paris", "Fish-tastic feast" and etc.

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Michelin awards Tokyo most 3-star restaurants in blow to Paris

Nov 17, 2009 by Telegraph.co.uk

Michelin director Jean-Luc Naret (L) of France introduces the three star chef Kazuichi Nagumo (C) of Hamadaya and owner Keiko Mita (R) during a presentation of the 2009 Michelin Guide Tokyo Photo: AFP

Mr Simon said: "Even the croissants are better [in Japan] than in France most of the time." The Japanese have given global cuisine some unique dishes - from ...

New York City Dining: Japanese Restaurants

Nov 22, 2009 by City Guide Magazine

Ichiumi - NY's largest all-you-can-eat buffet with the freshest, finest Japanese cuisine. Artfully prepared sushi & sashimi along with traditional favorites ...

Dining Review Fusing Japanese with American Cuisine in Bay Ridge

Nov 19, 2009 by Brooklyn Daily Eagle

The focus of the cuisine is fusion Japanese. Gyotaku has taken Americanized sushi and transformed the food into something they claim cannot be found even in ...

Fish-tastic feast

Nov 22, 2009 by Malaysia Star

For the uninitiated, the manga begins with Tozai News celebrating its 100th anniversary. To commemorate that, its publishers have commissioned the creation of the Ultimate Menu, a model meal embodying the heights of Japanese cuisine. This momentous task has been entrusted to the reluctant journalist Yamaoka Shiro, a cynic with refined taste buds and an acutely honed knowledge on food. With assistant Kurita Yuko along for the ride, the pair travels throughout Japan in search of dishes that will be part of the Ultimate Menu. ...

Councilor: New Hope For Burned Fenway Businesses

Nov 22, 2009 by Boston Channel.com

Other restaurants displaced by the fire include Rod-Dee Thai Cuisine, Greek Isles Restaurant, Umi Japanese Cuisine and Sushi Bar, Sorento's Italian Gourmet ...

Maki Maki Owners Charged With Hiding Millions From State

Nov 16, 2009 by KESQ

The couple operated Maki Maki, California Japanese Cuisine with restaurants at the Irvine Spectrum and at The River at Rancho Mirage. ...

Owners set rebuild pact in Fenway

Nov 20, 2009 by Boston Globe

The fire displaced El Pelón, Thornton's Fenway Grille, Greek Isles Restaurant, Rod-Dee Thai Cuisine, Umi Japanese Cuisine and Sushi Bar, Sorento's Italian ...

Japanese resto bares plan to open express counter

Nov 23, 2009 by Philippine Star

While the well-known healthy preparation of Japanese cuisine has gained interest and has successfully won over the Filipino palate, Kawakami said she and ...

Lunch in Mumbai, Packed and Delivered

Nov 20, 2009 by New York Times

On occasion, LoveLunch participants receive e-mail previewing the day's menu, which might include dishes like green Thai fish curry or Japanese teriyaki ...

The Review: Eva Restaurant in Los Angeles

Nov 17, 2009 by Los Angeles Times

At Leatherby's Café Rouge, Gold indulged his interest in Japanese cuisine, and here he's doing a stunning Japanese-inspired first course of a gentle dashi ...
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By J.S. on Nov 23, 2009

[ 2009/11/23 09:18 ] JAPANESE CUISINE | TB(0) | CM(0)

Oden / Japanese Winter Food

Today it's cold at Kobe, Japan.
It's very good to enjoy Oden with Japanese Sake in winter season.
Of course, many Japanese is enjoying Oden Recipe with Japanese Sake at home.

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Winter is the best season to eat oden in Japan. Oden is one kind of Japanese stew, which includes fish cakes, boiled eggs, daikon radish, konnyaku (yam cake), and more. Various ingredients are simmered in a kelp-based stock for several hours. Japanese families often cook oden at home in winter. At home, oden is usually cooked in a big pot on the table. It is fun and warm to eat oden around table with others. Oden is even sold in convenience stores too. Japanese love oden!!

Also, as the autumn arrives, many oden yatai (stalls) begin their business on many Japanese cities' sidewalks. Yatai sell various food and drinks. You can find yatai around train stations and entertainment districts. A yatai usually has a small counter with a few chairs. It is inexpensive to eat in any yatai.

How to Make Oden (Japanese Assorted Stew)

Oden goes good with sake. Businessmen on their way home from work often stop at oden yatai and sip sake. People order their favorite ingredients from a large oden pot with beer or sake. You can eat oden at Izakaya bars too. There are a number of receipes for oden, but this is my receipe. It is very easy. Enjoy cooking and eating oden!

~ Oden (Japanese Hotpot) Recipe ~

1. Find your favorite ingredients.

Daikon (white Japanese radish)
Potato & Carrot
Boiled eggs
Konnyaku (transparent yam starch cake)
Fried tohu (ganmodoki or atsuage)
Any kinds of fish-paste cakes available (chikuwa, hanpen, gobouten, okazuten, etc..)*You don't have to get all of the above.

2. Make soup stock. (4 servings)

Boil 5 cups of water in a large pot.
Add 1 tsp of soup seasoning (chicken or fish based)*You may find oden seasoning at some stores.
Add 2 tbsps of sake.
Add 2-3 tbsps of soy sauce
Add 1tsp of sugar.

3. Cut the ingredients into bite-sized pieces (except boiled eggs) and add to the soup stock. Peel the boiled eggs and add to the the soup too.

4. Simmer for a couple hours. Add water and soy sauce as needed.*The longer you cook oden, the better the taste.

Oden is served with Japanese hot mustard (karashi.) Please put a tiny bit of karashi on each bite of ingredient. Be careful not to use too much karashi mustard at a time. I hope this oden will keep you warm during the winter.

By J.S. on Nov 21, 2009

[ 2009/11/21 14:35 ] JAPANESE CUISINE | TB(0) | CM(0)

Solar collectors in space could finally solve Earth's energy problem

Taking up herewith Japanese Electronics and Science & Technology Trend News by Media in last week.
Electronics Trend and/or Science & Technology Trend in Japan will be read via these News.
Interested in "Five Japanese mobile phones we'll never see in the West", "Japan's Softbank to launch Google phone in spring", "Solar collectors in space could finally solve Earth's energy problem" and etc.

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Electronics

Nov 13	*Branded barcodes cheer Japanese shoppers* (telegraph.co.uk)
	While most Western manufacturers focus their marketing on the front of a product, a growing number of Japanese firms are branding the barcodes on the reverse as well. The black and white etchings contain sufficient detail to be recognised by scanners, while also incorporating the firm's logo or an image associated with the product.

Nov 11	*Year-end sales of flat-screen TVs in Japan forecast to jump 40-50%* (AP)
	Year-end sales of flat-screen televisions in Japan are expected to grow 40 to 50 percent in volume terms from a year earlier thanks to a government sales incentive program, a market research firm said Wednesday. In value terms, sales of flat-screen TVs in November and December are likely to increase 30 percent, BCN Inc. said.

Nov 11

Five Japanese mobile phones we'll never see in the West (telegraph.co.uk)

With the sheer level of technology found in every single handset in Japan, phone producers have been forced to produce some pretty special stuff to separate themselves from the competition. In Japan going shopping for a good phone is like walking into the future. You may have thought that getting google maps on your phone was exciting, but that is old news here. Every single phone has a TV tuner, at least a 3 megapixel camera and a massive screen capable of twisting and turning as if your phone is some sort of miniature Transformer.

Nov 10

Japan's Softbank to launch Google phone in spring (Reuters)

Softbank Corp, Japan's No.3 wireless carrier, said it will add to its lineup its first phone using Google Inc's Android operating system in the spring, following similar launches by NTT DoCoMo and Verizon Wireless. Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son declined to say on Tuesday who will manufacturer its Android phone, but said the phone would feature an OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screen and that it had yet to go on sale.

Nov 10	*Paperless systems costly, underutilized* (Asahi)
	Once hailed as a paperless path to increased convenience for citizens, electronic forms for government applications are underutilized and a massive drain on taxpayers, an Asahi Shimbun investigation has found. Huge amounts of public money have been spent developing and maintaining systems that allow official forms to be submitted via the Internet, rather than in person at a government office.

Nov 07

Japanese URLs no big deal (Japan Times)

Being able to use kanji, hiragana and katakana for Web site addresses would not greatly enhance convenience for Japanese because many are familiar with English and search engines such as Yahoo and Google already enable searches in Japanese, Internet industry experts said. It is unclear whether having been able to use Japanese letters in second-level domains since 2000 has made the Internet more accessible for older Japanese who feel uncomfortable typing English.

Nov 06

Nearly 70% of Japanese families have digital broadcasting receivers (AP)

The government said Friday an estimated 69.5 percent of Japanese families had acquired televisions or tuners to receive terrestrial digital broadcasting signals in September, up 8.8 percentage points from March. The increase came as the government offered "eco points" for purchases of new TVs designed to receive such signals as well as new air conditioners and refrigerators under its economic stimulus package and allowed consumers to exchange the points into gift tickets or the like.

Science & Technology

Nov 14

Language no barrier for Japanese translation specs (Reuters)

It's the latest in eyewear for the linguistically challenged: Japanese computer-maker NEC has created a pair of glasses that double as a translator. The Tele Scouter integrates spectacle frames with a personal mini-computer and a head-mounted display unit, allowing two or more people with no language in common to hold a conversation. Conversations are, with the press of a button, recorded and sent to a remote server where they are analyzed and translated.

Nov 13	*Development of supercomputer to be frozen* (AP)
	A key government panel on cutting wasteful spending on Friday sought to freeze a project to develop a next-generation supercomputer, for which a 26.7 billion yen budget has been requested. Riken, an independent administrative body under the Education, Culture Sports, Science and Technology Ministry, is working with private companies to develop the computer with the world's highest capability.

Nov 13

High-tech World War II Japanese attack subs found off Oahu (Honolulu Advertiser)

The remains of two high-tech World War II Japanese submarines designed to attack the United States mainland have been found off Oahu. The announcement was made this morning by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Undersea Research Lab at the University of Hawaii-Manoa and the National Geographic Channel. The submarines - the subjects of a National Geographic special, "Hunt for the Samurai Subs" - were part of a top-secret Imperial Japanese Navy plan to attack cities on the U.S. mainland, including New York and Washington, D.C.

Nov 12

Satellite glitch briefly suspends Japan's weather observation (AP)

Japan's weather observation went out of service for three- and-a-half hours from Wednesday night to early Thursday due to an unknown glitch in satellite Himawari No. 6, the Japan Meteorological Agency said Thursday. The service was restored at 1 a.m. Thursday by switching to the backup orbiter Himawari No. 7, after Himawari No. 6 became unable to control its position to keep its camera trained on earth and also to transmit signals around 9:25 p.m. Wednesday.

Nov 12

Natural predators enlisted as bug-busters (Asahi)

Plagued by insects that are increasingly resistant to pesticides, farmers across Japan are enlisting the help of creatures that love nothing better than to munch on pesky bugs. A growing number are using predator species to eradicate the pests that feed on their crops. This allows them to use smaller amounts of agricultural chemicals, which provides the added benefit of helping them advertise their produce as safer for consumers. The use of predatory insects has spread widely in Kochi Prefecture, the nation's top eggplant-growing region.

Nov 11	*3 fuel cell cars begin 1,100-km demonstration run* (Kyodo)
	Fuel cell-powered vehicles from Toyota Motor Corp, Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. leave the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Tokyo on Nov. 11, 2009, for a 1,100-kilometer run to Fukuoka to demonstrate that they can go as far as gasoline-powered cars on a single fueling. Toyota's FCHV-adv, Nissan's X-Trail FCV and Honda's FCX Clarity will be used in the event.

Nov 11	*New icebreaker begins voyage to Antarctica* (Japan Times)
	Families bade farewell Tuesday as crew members embarked from Tokyo aboard the new icebreaker Shirase on an Antarctic expedition. The 12,500-ton Shirase, the country's fourth icebreaker, departed from Harumi Pier in Chuo Ward. The ship is expected to reach the Showa Base in Antarctica in mid-December.

Nov 10

Protecting bluefin tuna (Asahi)

While the estimated population of Pacific bluefin tuna has remained low but stable, the number of Atlantic bluefin tuna has dropped drastically to one-third of what it was 30 years ago. Especially in the eastern Atlantic, including the Mediterranean Sea, tuna farming, the method of fattening up small tuna in large cages, has become so widespread that fishermen are catching even young fish before they spawn.

Nov 10	*Prospects dim for Japanese asteroid probe's return home* (AP)
	Prospects of return to Earth have become dim for the Japanese asteroid explorer Hayabusa as all but one engine has stopped, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said Monday. JAXA pins its remaining hopes on the possibility that the probe, which aims to return home in June 2010, may have collected some dust particles thrown up when the probe touched down on Itokawa in 2005.

Nov 10

Solar collectors in space could finally solve Earth's energy problem (dvice.com)

The Japan Space Agency, along with Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and IHI Corp., are getting even closer to next big thing: harnessing the power of the sun with a solar collector in geostationary orbit. Now there's cold hard cash involved. The plan is to drop $21 billion into a solar power generator that beams electricity to Earth via microwaves. The 1-gigawatt solar station will gather sunlight with a gigantic array of solar panels that is 4 square kilometers big.

Nov 07

Flu cases reach alert level, set to top 6 million (Japan Times)

The cumulative number of people infected with influenza, in most cases H1N1 swine flu, since early July reached an estimated 5.85 million as of Nov. 1 and is set to top the 6 million mark soon, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases said Friday. An estimated 1.54 million people infected with influenza visited medical facilities nationwide during the latest reporting week of Oct. 26 to Nov. 1.

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By J.S. on Nov 20, 2009

[ 2009/11/20 18:03 ] SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | TB(0) | CM(0)

JAL lost \131 billion in half, skips forecast

Taking up herewith Japanese Business Trend News by Media.
Business Trend in Japan will be read via these News.
Interested in "JAL lost ¥131 billion in half, skips forecast", "Employer faces business cutbacks after reporting suspect Ichihashi", "Nike Japan to open flagship store in Harajuku" and etc.

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Nov 14

Big Japanese banks show signs of recovery (New York Times)

Mizuho Financial's first profit in five quarters and the doubling of profit by its rival, Sumitomo Mitsui, signal that major Japanese banks are recovering from the economic crisis, albeit slowly, Reuters reported. Japanese lenders have suffered smaller credit losses than their Western rivals, but they have also taken longer to rebound, hampered by rock-bottom interest rates and dependence on domestic lending.

Nov 14

JAL lost ¥131 billion in half, skips forecast (Japan Times)

It represents JAL's worst first-half loss since it merged with Japan Air System in 2002. JAL also said sales for the half fell 28.8 percent to ¥763.9 billion compared with a year ago. Battered by the global financial crisis and the H1N1 swine flu pandemic, Japan Airlines Corp. on Friday posted a hefty group net loss of ¥131.2 billion for the April-September half and said it has applied for out-of-court debt restructuring as a stopgap measure to stay aloft.

Nov 13	*Employer faces business cutbacks after reporting suspect Ichihashi* (AP)
	A construction company that reported to police it had employed Tatsuya Ichihashi, the suspect in the 2007 murder case of a British woman, has been experiencing contract terminations and suspensions, a company official said Friday. The company's business partners have been critical, saying it failed to thoroughly check their employees' identity, according to the official.

Nov 13

Chinese cyberspace abuzz over Japanese investment in networking site (AP)

Chinese Internet forums are abuzz over an investment by Japanese investment company Softbank into a popular Chinese social networking site, state media reported Friday. After finding out about the venture, some users have closed their accounts on Renren.com, a social networking site popularly known as the Chinese Facebook, with some college students spreading the word among peers to delete their personal information on the site, China Daily reported.

Nov 13

Nike Japan to open flagship store in Harajuku (Mainichi)

Major sportswear maker Nike Japan will open its largest flagship store in the country in Tokyo's fashion Omotesando district this weekend. With the demand for running shoes and sportswear showing relatively steady growth despite the slow consumption, casual apparel manufacturers, including Uniqlo, have begun advancing into the sportswear market. To compete against the move, sports equipment suppliers are establishing new sales bases in stylish shopping areas in a bid to promote their high-fashion items.

Nov 13

Skynet Asia to offer discount airfares for foreign tourists (Japan Times)

Skynet Asia Airways Co. said Thursday it will start offering a discount one-way fare for foreign tourists from Dec. 1, enabling them to fly on all its eight domestic routes each at a flat rate of ¥10,000. The Visit Japan fare is up to 65 percent lower than regular fares. It is the first time a Japanese airline has offered a discount fare aimed only at tourists from abroad, according to the Miyazaki-based budget airline.

Nov 12

Japan's FamilyMart in talks to buy am/pm (Reuters)

FamilyMart Co (8028.T), Japan's third-largest convenience store operator, is in talks to buy smaller rival am/pm Japan Co, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The Nikkei business daily reported earlier on Thursday that FamilyMart Co (8028.T) and its top shareholder Itochu Corp (8001.T) would likely buy am/pm Japan Co from its parent Rex Holdings Co for 10 billion yen ($110 million).

Nov 12	*Subaru: Japan's hottest car company* (BusinessWeek)
	Over the years, Subaru, the automotive unit of Japan's Fuji Heavy Industries, has carved out an image as a carmaker that goes its own way. While larger Japanese rivals have won plaudits for building reliable but sometimes dull cars, Subaru has specialized in making sporty all-wheel-drive cars and SUVs powered by turbocharged boxer engines.

Nov 12

Credit card data leak may affect 230,000: Alico (Japan Times)

American International Group Inc.'s Japan arm, at the center of the country's worst fiasco involving fraudulent use of credit cards, admitted Wednesday that 230,000 of its card-holding customers may have had their data leaked to unauthorized outsiders and a Chinese service provider may be involved. The significant leap from the 18,000 cases announced by Alico Japan in September came to light after the insurer expanded the scope of its internal investigation to other types of credit cards that were not subject to an earlier probe, company officials said in Tokyo.

Nov 11

Aeon goes with plastic to hawk ¥980 Beaujolais (Japan Times)

Supermarket chain Aeon Co. has said it will sell Beaujolais Nouveau wines, set to be released nationwide Nov. 19, in 750-milliliter plastic bottles for as little as ¥980 at Jusco and other outlets to attract thrifty consumers. While the French red wine from the Beaujolais region generally retails for around 2,000 to ¥3,000 in Japan, Aeon said this will be the first time it has sold the product for less than ¥1,000.

Nov 11	*Japanese women still hitting a glass and bamboo ceiling in the boardroom* (Japan Times)
	Japan ranks 31st out of 35 countries in terms of the percentage of female board of directors, falling below Jordan, Oman and Kuwait, a U.S.-based nonprofit group said Tuesday. According to the latest report by Corporate Women Directors International, there are only 17 women among 1,198 directors in large Japanese companies.

Nov 10

Japan government finalizing rescue plan for JAL (CNN)

Japan's government is finalizing a rescue plan for Japan Airlines Corp. which could see the former national carrier obtain bridge loans and reduce unfunded pension obligations, while it prepares to release its latest earnings report this week. Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii Tuesday hinted that the government's compilation of rescue measures could even be concluded by the time JAL reports its fiscal first-half earnings on Friday. "Based on common sense," he told reporters, the possibility "is likely."

Nov 10	*Japan's ANA to sell business-class meal in economy* (MarketWatch)
	Japanese air carrier All Nippon Airways plans to allow economy-class passengers to pay extra for business-class meals or use of ANA airport lounges, starting in December, according to a news report. ANA, which hopes the move will increase revenue by 1 billion yen ($11.1 million) a year, began offering snacks served in business class to economy passengers on a trial basis in October.

Nov 10

Japan trend spotter: Wear your dead pet (metro.us)

With its string of pastel pink beads and sparkly diamante clasp, the necklace would not look out of place in any Tokyo fashion store. However, this is no ordinary jewellery: Mixed inside the small clay beads are the cremated remains of deceased pets. A new company has been launched in Japan specializing in allowing bereaved owners of deceased pets to immortalize their ashes in the form of necklaces, bracelets, picture frames and even lamps.

Nov 10

U.S.-Japan collaboration on high-speed rail (Japan Times)

Traveling at up to 300 kph and boasting an impeccable safety record, the Shinkansen exemplifies Japan's technological prowess. It could also become a new frontier in the U.S-Japan partnership. With the Obama administration committed to developing high-speed rail, and the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) looking to achieve a more equal relationship with the United States, the time is ripe for bilateral cooperation on an American shinkansen.

Nov 09	*Japan Airlines executives to forgo pay in December* (AFP)
	Japan Airlines (JAL) said Monday its executives would receive no pay in December as the struggling carrier needs to cut costs in the face of massive losses. The move will affect JAL president Haruka Nishimatsu and some 70 other company officials, a spokesman for the airline said.

Nov 09

Time to decouple from Japan (Forbes)

For Akio Toyoda, a man with a passion for sports cars, disbanding Toyota Motor's F1 team was a painful choice, but like a playboy billionaire who has hit hard times, his money-losing company had to empty its garage of the expensive toys. Toyota burns through $500 million a year to compete at the pinnacle of motor sports, and beyond a creaking trophy shelf, it has gained little from its involvement. It's not, however, going to be enough to stem Toyota's bleeding.

Nov 08	*Innovation feeds on growing flux in male looks* (Japan Times)
	From their bases on opposite sides of the Pacific, Japanese and American menswear labels have begun to rip up the rule books and reinvent how men think about fashion. Long gone are the days when ostentatious Europeans, such as heavyweights Armani, Gucci and Dior Homme, dominated the industry.

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By J.S. on Nov 18, 2009

[ 2009/11/18 18:25 ] BUSINESS | TB(0) | CM(0)

Japan embraces pedophiles and incests in manga world

Taking up herewith Japanese Social Trend News by Media.
Social Trend in Japan will be read via these News.
One topic is "Japan emperor says history vital as past haunts Asia". Already 20 years has passed since the Emperor's enthronement.
Regarding the News "Japan suspect in Briton's murder stays silent: police", I hope and expect the recurrence to be prevented from now on.
And interested in "Japan embraces pedophiles and incests in manga world".

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Nov 15	*Mouth-watering plastic food at Tokyo restaurants* (AFP)
	In Japan, a good restaurant will display replicas of what's on the menu. Craftsmen perfectly reproduce the food - it takes as much skill as the real thing.

Nov 14	*2 infants die in apartment fire in Ibaraki Prefecture* (AP)
	Two infants were killed in a fire that engulfed part of a five-story apartment complex in Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, on Friday night, police and firefighters said Saturday. Kyoya, the 2-year-old son of Toshiyuki Yamaguchi, and Sora, his 1- year-old daughter, were found near the entrance of their residence and confirmed dead later at a hospital, the police and firefighters said.

Nov 14	*Activist's Narita sit-in enters day 10* (Asahi)
	A Chinese human rights activist who has been refused re-entry into his own country entered the 10th day of his sit-in at Narita Airport on Friday. Feng Zhenghu, 55, has been living in the restricted area outside the immigration gate since Nov. 4, according to airport officials and his supporters. He has been subsiding on biscuits he was carrying and drinking tap water in a bathroom.

Nov 14

Japanese men are no 'peril' (guardian.co.uk)

Tatsuya Ichihashi, the prime suspect in the murder of Lindsay Hawker, has been caught. Perhaps the process of achieving justice for the family of the British teacher can begin at last. However, the Hawkers are not the only victims of this sad episode; others will suffer, albeit indirectly and to a much lesser extent, from the ensuing cultural fallout. This is because the mainstream media has seized on the crime as an excuse to indulge in practically the only form of overt racism still tolerated today - the demonisation and denigration, en masse, of Japanese men.

Nov 14

Japanese smokers given plenty of new options (independent.co.uk)

With the smoking rate declining among both men and women in Japan, tobacco companies are releasing new brands in the country to keep the smoking public happy. A study released November 9 by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare showed that the smoking rate among men has fallen to 36.8 percent - the lowest level since such surveys were started in 1986 - while the figure for women came to 9.1 percent, below the 10 percent threshold for the first time since 2001.

Nov 14

Nature is indeed a creepy thing (Japan Times)

Something was fishy. Whenever I heard a knock at the door, no one was there. When my cell phone rang, no one was on the other end. In addition, there was no record of anyone having called. I told the island policeman about it, thinking he might need something to do. He took note, but told me not to worry. After all, on a Japanese island of just 666 people in the middle of the Seto Inland Sea with zero crime last year, the likelihood of trespassers was small. A visit from the devil, however, was a possibility.

Nov 13

4 Japanese arrested for drug trafficking in New Zealand (AP)

Four Japanese nationals have been arrested in New Zealand for allegedly smuggling 6 kilograms of methamphetamine with a street value of up to NZ$6 million (US$4.4 million), police said Friday. Police and customs officials said that with the interception, which marks the largest methamphetamine haul in New Zealand this year, they have likely disrupted a major methamphetamine importing operation with links to Malaysia.

Nov 13	*Death sought for suspect in Ibaraki stabbing spree* (AP)
	Prosecutors sought Friday the death sentence for a man indicted for deadly stabbings in Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Prefecture, that left two people dead and seven others injured. At the Mito District Court, the prosecutors said Masahiro Kanazawa, 26, "wanted to end his boring days" with the death sentence he thought he would get by going on the stabbing spree at Arakawaoki Station in March 2008.

Nov 13	*Painting by Japanese artist Nara fetches $434,500 at N.Y. auction* (AP)
	A painting by Yoshitomo Nara, a contemporary Japanese pop artist known for sculptures and paintings of doe-eyed figures, fetched $434,500 at auction in New York Wednesday, Christie's said Thursday. The bid for "Runaway Baby," painted in 1995, was well above the estimated $200,000 to $300,000, the auction house said, adding the painting was sold to a private collector in the United States.

Nov 13	*Passengers, crew rescued from listing ferry in Pacific* (AP)
	All 28 passengers and crew members were rescued Friday from a ferry after the vessel listed while in operation in the Pacific off Kumano, Mie Prefecture, the Japan Coast Guard said. The 7,910-ton Ariake went aground and fell on its side after the seven passengers and 21 crew members were rescued. One passenger and one crew member sustained injuries in the incident.

Nov 13

Japanese man shot dead by hired assassin in Philippines: police (AP)

A Japanese man was shot dead by a hired assassin earlier this week along a highway in a west-central part of Luzon Island, north of Manila, police said Thursday. Police identified the victim as Koji Suzuki, a man in his 60s hailing from Yokohama, and said he died from a single gunshot wound to the head. They said investigation shows that a Filipino man who owed Suzuki money had hired the gunman who killed him.

Nov 13	*Man extradited from China, arrested by Kanagawa police* (AP)
	Police said Thursday they arrested a 34-year-old man who had been hiding in China after being placed on the wanted list for a 1999 robbery case in Yokohama. Chinese authorities handed over Masao Fujie in the first extradition from China to Japan through diplomatic channels, according to the Kanagawa prefectural police.

Nov 13	*Japan police widen body part search in 'psycho' murder* (mysinchew.com)
	Japanese police planned to deploy up to 500 officers Friday to scour a mountainous area for more remains of a woman whose head and other dispersed body parts have been found since last week. A mushroom collector last Friday discovered the severed head of 19-year-old college student Miyako Hiraoka, who went missing last month after leaving work at an ice cream parlour in Shimane prefecture.

Nov 12

Japan emperor says history vital as past haunts Asia (Reuters)

Japanese Emperor Akihito, whose efforts to soothe Asia's bitter wartime memories have been central to his 20 years on the throne, said his biggest worry is that future generations in his country will forget the past. Akihito also told a news conference marking Thursday's anniversary of his ascension that he thought his father, the late Emperor Hirohito, was reluctant about the war that was fought in his name and memories of which still bedevil ties with China and other Asian countries invaded, occupied or colonized by Japan.

Nov 12

'Tokyo Vice' author was offered $500,000 to cut liver transplant scoop (Tokyo Reporter)

The shocking revelation that Japanese yakuza gangsters received liver transplants in the U.S. over a four-year period might not have ever come to light had crime reporter Jake Adelstein accepted a six-figure compensation payment to kill the story, the writer said Wednesday at a press luncheon. The upper echelon of the gangster organization involved was worried that the transplant scandal, which involved a top yakuza executive making a back-door deal with the FBI, would create chaos within the group once the story went public.

Nov 12

Japan embraces pedophiles and incests in manga world (examiner.com)

Manga is popular Japanese comics that allows many Japanese people to escape from a stressful reality. Anything from pedophilia to incest is not only allowed but also endorsed or embraced in manga world. Needless to say, the international community was outrageous when Japanese government conveniently left its manga industry out of the category of child pornography when criminalizing child pornography, Even when banning them, Japanese government had to bite the bullet and made a reluctant decision under the pressure of the international human rights organization. In an effort of protecting its sizable comics industry, Japanese government therefore made a clear distinction between manga/anime and child pornography.

Nov 12	*Blackman warns Hawker's parents of 'long process' ahead* (AP)
	The father of slain Tokyo hostess Lucie Blackman warned the family of murdered English teacher Lindsay Hawker on Wednesday of the "long" legal process ahead of them. Writing in The Independent newspaper, Tim Blackman said he was "happy" to see the suspect in Hawker's murder arrested but added that many challenges lay ahead for her parents, Bill and Julia.

Nov 12	*Face of slain student likely subjected to great force* (Yomiuri)
	The face of a 19-year-old university student whose head and torso were found on Mt. Garyu in Hiroshima Prefecture may have been pressed with great force, it has been learned. As Miyako Hiraoka, a University of Shimane freshman of Hamada, Shimane Prefecture, sustained burns to her body, the joint investigation squad of the Shimane and Hiroshima prefectural police suspect she had been tortured.

Nov 12

20 years on the Imperial throne (Japan Times)

The government-sponsored ceremony on Thursday (Nov. 12) to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Emperor's enthronement serves as an occasion to express people's respect and affection not only for the Emperor but also for the Imperial couple and the rest of the Imperial family. By ascending to the Chrysanthemum Throne on Jan. 7, 1989, just after the death of his father, the Emperor Showa, the Emperor became the first to do so under the postwar Constitution. Article 1 of that document says, "The Emperor shall be the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people, deriving his position from the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power."

Nov 11	*Japan suspect in Briton's murder stays silent: police* (AFP)
	Japan's only suspect in the killing of a British woman who was arrested after more than two years on the run has stayed silent during initial questioning, police said Wednesday. Tatsuya Ichihashi, 30, who underwent plastic surgery during his life as a fugitive, was arrested Tuesday in connection with the death of 22-year-old British teacher Lindsay Ann Hawker in early 2007.

Nov 11

Quentin Tarantino stars in Japanese SoftBank cell phone commercial (examiner.com)

Quentin Tarantino has become "Uncle Tara-chan" in popular "White family" Japanese SoftBank commercial series. It was revealed at a SoftBank press conference on November 10th that Tarantino has acted in an undisclosed number of commercials to be aired within the next few months for the mobile giant. The cute, but rather bizarre, commercial series revolves around a Japanese family of four named The White's.

Nov 11

Drug conviction for Japanese singer reflects growing trend (telegraph.co.uk)

A Japanese singer and actress famous for her girl-next door image has been convicted of drug offences in a case that highlights how celebrities in Asia are copying the bad behaviour of Western stars. Noriko Sakai, 38, was found guilty of possessing and using amphetamines in August and was sentenced to 18 months in prison yesterday, suspended for three years. She is the latest of many "talento" to be caught out for emulating the poor role model image more commonly blamed on foreign stars.

Nov 11	*Lindsay Hawker's family express 'relief' at Ichihashi's arrest* (AP)
	The father of Tokyo language teacher Lindsay Hawker who was found dead in 2007 said Tuesday that his family "got justice" after Tatsuya Ichihashi, the prime suspect in the case, was arrested by police. Bill Hawker, 56, said the battle was "now over" to find the man who was wanted in connection with his daughter's death in Chiba Prefecture in March 2007.

Nov 11	*Fat in Japan? You're breaking the law* (telegraph.co.uk)
	In Japan, being thin isn't just the price you pay for fashion or social acceptance. It's the law. Concerned about rising rates of both in a graying nation, Japanese lawmakers last year set a maximum waistline size for anyone age 40 and older: 85 centimeters (33.5 inches) for men and 90 centimeters (35.4 inches) for women. Those who fail to meet the waistline requirement must undergo counseling.

Nov 11	*Tokyo-based photographer's office, home raided over nude photo shoot* (Japan Times)
	Police investigators searched the office and home of Tokyo-based photographer Kishin Shinoyama on Tuesday on suspicion of public indecency over the shooting of nude photos for his book of photos "20XX TOKYO." Shinoyama, 68, allegedly took outdoor nude shots of the models in Tokyo from mid- to late August 2008 in situations where anyone could see them, the police said.

Nov 11

Police arrest Ichihashi, suspect in murder of British woman (AP)

A Japanese murder suspect who spent two years and seven months on the run and who altered his appearance through cosmetic surgery was arrested Tuesday in connection with the 2007 slaying of a British woman after his identity was confirmed by fingerprints. Police said they formally arrested Tatsuya Ichihashi, 30, after seizing him in Suminoe Ward, Osaka, in the evening and taking him into custody. He had been wanted on a technical charge of abandoning the body of language school teacher Lindsay Hawker, who was 22 at the time of her death, at his apartment in Chiba Prefecture.

Nov 11	*Mogi failed to declare ¥400 million* (Japan Times)
	TV anchor and brain expert Kenichiro Mogi failed to declare some ¥400 million in taxable income for the three years through 2008, sources said Tuesday. The Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau notified Mogi, 47, about his failure and he has reportedly submitted an amended tax return, the sources said.

Nov 10

Japan's 'Black Widow' serial killer accused of killing six men (telegraph.co.uk)

Details of how six men met their untimely ends, allegedly at the hands of a woman the Japanese media has dubbed the Black Widow, are shocking the public here - not least because of their inventiveness. Police in the southern Prefecture of Tottori have revealed that the death of a manin August 2007 was initially declared an accident, but was now being treated as a suspicious death that was carefully arranged by former bar hostess Kanae Kijima, 35.

Nov 10	*U.S. Army serviceman in Okinawa in custody over fatal hit-and-run* (AP)
	A U.S. Army serviceman is in custody on a base in connection with the death of a local man in a suspected hit-and-run accident, the commander of the U.S. Army in Okinawa said Tuesday. The commander gave the information to the authorities of the village of Yomitan, where the body of 66-year-old Masakazu Hokama was found bleeding from the head on Saturday evening.

Nov 10

'Soba' slurper's 399 bowls too tough to beat (Japan Times)

Japanese food fighter Takeru Kobayashi, famed for his success at the annual Coney Island hot dog-eating contest - step aside. The new bottomless pit just slammed down dozens of small red "wanko" bowls of "soba" buckwheat noodles. After wolfing down 399 bowls of the traditional noodles in 10 minutes Sunday, Hatsuyo Sugawara, 45, beat other contenders in the annual All-Japan Wanko Soba Eating Championship held in the city known for the noodles. Like Kobayashi, she calls herself a food fighter. Her nickname is "the Witch."

Nov 10

Tea ceremony making comeback among men (Japan Times)

The tea ceremony, long a key component in premarriage training for women, is gradually drawing interest among men in search of healing after a hard day's work, bringing yet another weapon into the Japanese war on stress. One Monday evening in Tokyo in September, more than a dozen men of various ages gathered in a spacious Japanese-style room at a house in Shinjuku Ward for a tea ceremony. Compared with other weekdays, men outnumbered women conspicuously.

Nov 10

As status symbol, it tops the rest (Japan Times)

The commercial-residential complex of Roppongi Hills opened six years ago, boasting offices, a museum, cinema, condominiums, restaurants and shops, becoming a popular tourist destination and a high-status residence in a part of central Tokyo otherwise known for its nightlife dens. The complex became a symbol of developer Mori Building Co.'s concept of an urban center of work, culture and residence coexisting.

Nov 09

Men's smoking rate in Japan at record-low 36.8% (AP)

The smoking rate among men in Japan has fallen to a record- low 36.8 percent since the survey of its kind was launched in 1986, while the rate among women stood at 9.1 percent, dropping below 10 percent for the first time since 2001, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said Monday. The rate among the men and women in total was 21.8 percent in the survey conducted a year ago, down 5.9 percentage points in five years.

Nov 09

Japan pop star Sakai gets suspended jail term for drug use (AFP)

Japanese pop star Noriko Sakai was on Monday handed a suspended jail term of 18 months for illegal drug use in a case that sparked a media frenzy and had thousands gathering outside the court house. Sakai, 38, is a former teenage pop idol turned actress with fans in Japan, China, South Korea and Taiwan, who parlayed her girl-next-door and later perfect-mom image into top acting roles and lucrative advertising deals.

Nov 09

3 found dead, 1 unconscious at farm house in Kumamoto (AP)

Three people were found dead Sunday afternoon at a farmhouse in Ueki, Kumamoto Prefecture, police said. In addition to the three, who are believed to be a man in his 20s and a couple in their 60s, a woman was found unconscious with serious injuries, according to the police. The man in his 20s, believed to be a Chinese national who worked on the farm, was found hanged in the garden, while the couple, who had external injuries, were found collapsed nearby, the police said.

Nov 09

Insider reveals the secrets of winning a fuzoku femme's favor (Tokyo Reporter)

In its latest weekly installment of the ongoing memoirs of a veteran writer covering the pink trade, Nikkan Gendai (Nov. 5) suggests that when it comes to scribes who scribble about sex, seniority is certainly significant. Why? While not citing his source, the writer claims that about 40 percent of female sex industry workers come from broken homes, and of these, a vast majority, perhaps over 80 percent, grew up without a father in the household.

Nov 09

Torso found near severed head of missing Shimane woman (Japan Times)

A human torso was found Sunday at a mountain in Hiroshima Prefecture near the site where the head of a missing 19-year-old woman from neighboring Shimane Prefecture has been found, the police said. A joint investigation squad of the Shimane and Hiroshima prefectural police said they believe the undressed torso belonged to Miyako Hiraoka, a first-year student at the University of Shimane, who went missing after finishing her shift at a part-time job on the evening of Oct. 26.

Nov 09	*Okinawa police investigate possible hit-and-run involving U.S. military vehicle* (Japan Times)
	Okinawa prefectural police said Sunday they have begun examining a vehicle used by U.S. military personnel in connection with the death of a man in the village of Yomitan in a possible hit-and-run accident. The vehicle was brought to a garage close to the site where the man's body was found. The police said hair was found on the broken windshield of the vehicle.

Nov 09

Student dies from archery arrow wound (Japan Times)

A 16-year-old boy who fell unconscious earlier this month after being struck between the eyebrows with an arrow, shot by a 17-year-old boy from the same high school archery club, died Sunday at a hospital where he had been treated, police said. The 17-year-old boy, who called for an ambulance after shooting the 70-centimeter carbon arrow, has been quoted as saying by the police that he accidentally shot the arrow when he aimed it at the 16-year-old boy.

Nov 09

Black widow strikes? Marriage fraud suspect Kanae Kijima linked to six deaths (Tokyo Reporter)

Wearing white gloves, seven or eight plain-clothes cops stormed into an apartment building in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district one recent morning. Their destination was the 14th-floor residence of Kanae Kijima, a 34-year-old native of Hokkaido who has been arrested for marriage fraud and is under investigation for the deaths of six men, reports Shukan Post (Nov. 13). "The officers stayed for a week, working 24 hours a day, and they took her wine-red Mercedes," a resident of the building tells the tabloid.

Nov 08	*Yoko Ono in a minute* (timeslive.co.za)
	When I think of Japan I think of food. I miss the Japanese spirit, the culture and civilisation that we had and lost.

Nov 08

Akihabara killer sends apology letter (Japan Times)

The man indicted for the fatal stabbing rampage in Tokyo's Akihabara district last year has sent a letter of apology to one of the victims, saying, "My crime deserves death," informed sources said. In a six-page letter to former taxi driver Hiroshi Yuasa, who was seriously injured in the attack, Tomohito Kato, 27, said, "I believe I will be executed, but I want to explain everything without becoming defiant."

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By J.S. on Nov 16, 2009

[ 2009/11/16 18:05 ] JAPANESE SOCIETY | TB(0) | CM(0)

Obama meets Hatoyama in Japan

Taking up herewith Japanese Political Trend News by Media.
Top News is of course Obama's visiting Japan.
This time, Obama only stayed in Japan around 23 hours before he left Japan for visiting Singapore.
I hope as one of the Japanese that Obama will have a chance to visit Hiroshima and/or Nagasaki for the first time as US President in the near future.

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Nov 15

Obama touts Asia-Pacific ties / Speech in Tokyo stresses strength of Japan-U.S. alliance, work with (Yomiuri)

U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday called the United States an "Asia-Pacific nation" and vowed to strengthen bilateral relations with Japan and China, as well as multilateral engagement in the region. In a major speech on U.S. diplomatic policies on Asia, made at Suntory Hall in Akasaka, Tokyo, Obama also said the United States would seek to further the prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region and to improve security in the region through "deeper and broader engagement" in multilateral organizations, such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

Nov 14

Obama meets Hatoyama in Japan (BusinessWeek)

Since taking office in September, Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has said he wants a more equal relationship with Washington. The tough talk wasn't a bluff. Hatoyama immediately called for a reexamination of the bilateral security alliance under which the U.S. stations troops in Japan. He pushed for a renegotiation of the countries' security agreement, put plans to move a U.S. military airfield by 2014 on hold, and said he would review U.S. plans to reorganize its 47,000 U.S. troops in Japan.

Nov 14

Trips to Venus shake up women's role in Japan (MSNBC)

For Japan's media, politics has suddenly become a whole lot more interesting because there has never been a Japanese first lady quite like Miyuki Hatoyama. If there was a premier league for first ladies, she'd be right up beside Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni, the wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, except that as far as I know neither of them has ever traveled to Venus. That was the extraordinary claim Hatoyama made in a recent interview. More precisely, she said her spirit had flown there in a UFO, and that it was a beautiful place, very green.

Nov 13	*Hatoyama, Obama plan antinuke initiative* (Yomiuri)
	Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and U.S. President Barack Obama will agree at their talks Friday to make joint efforts to realize a nuclear weapons-free world, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned. A communique they will issue will announce a plan to hold a meeting of Asian nations in Tokyo in January to prepare for the Global Nuclear Security Summit to be held in the United States in March.

Nov 13

U.S. lawmaker voices concern over Hatoyama's East Asian community (AP)

A U.S. congressman expressed concern Friday about Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's call for an East Asian community, saying a bloc excluding the United States would threaten American interests in the region. A deal "that excludes the U.S. would be very damaging...," Rep. Kevin Brady, a Republican on the trade subcommittee of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, said in response to a question at a press conference.

Nov 13	*Japanese base workers' union fears pay cuts* (Stars & Stripes)
	Plans by the new Japanese government to review the salaries it pays Japanese workers on U.S. bases have angered union leaders and stoked fears of a second pay cut since 2008. The new Administrative Reform Council began reviewing 447 spending projects Wednesday, and one of its targets is the salaries the government pays roughly 23,000 workers on military bases in mainland Japan and Okinawa.

Nov 12

US, Japan to agree on climate, disarmament (Reuters)

Japan and the United States will agree at a summit on Friday to work together to rid the world of nuclear arms and to fight global warming, Japanese media said, as they strive to put a strained alliance on a firmer footing. U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama are expected to turn down the heat in a feud over a U.S. Marine base that has frayed ties between Washington and Tokyo's new government, which has pledged to steer a diplomatic course more independent of its key ally.

Nov 12

Fresh aid to Mekong signals rivalry with China -- experts (australia.to)

There is more to Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's pledge last week to extend at least 500 billion yen (5.6 billion U.S. dollars) in fresh assistance to the Mekong region than meets the eye, or so observers think. Japan's underlying intentions toward the Asian economies, especially in the Mekong delta regions, have not changed significantly, said Tomohiko Taniguchi, a foreign policy analyst and professor at the prestigious Keio University.

Nov 11

Hatoyama says his asset management 'sloppy' as born in privileged family (AP)

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama admitted Wednesday that his handling of his own individual assets was "extremely sloppy" after his management office the previous day submitted a correction on the assets for seven years through 2008 with the House of Representatives. Hatoyama failed to report his holdings of stocks and other securities in each of the years, and the total amount of their face values of the undeclared assets exceeded 300 million yen.

Nov 11

Obama, Japan PM to agree on alliance review: report (Reuters)

The United States and Japan will agree this week to review their decades-old security alliance to tighten ties long term, a Japanese newspaper said Wednesday, as the two countries struggled to keep a feud over a U.S. military base from spoiling their leaders' summit. Tokyo and Washington are expected to turn down the heat in the row during President Barack Obama's two-day stay from Friday, the start of an Asian tour, but recasting the alliance as the partners adapt to China's growing clout will be tough.

Nov 11	*Ozawa lashes out with scathing remarks on Christianity* (Japan Times)
	Ichiro Ozawa, secretary general of the Democratic Party of Japan, criticized Christianity on Tuesday, saying the religion is "exclusive and self-righteous" and that Western society is "stuck in a dead end." Ozawa also said "Islamism is also exclusive, although it's somewhat better than Christianity" regarding exclusiveness.

Nov 11

Other nations may rap govt's Afghan assistance (Yomiuri)

The international community may criticize the package of aid measures primarily for Afghanistan that the government announced on Tuesday as lacking "visible aid," because it makes no provision for sending Self-Defense Forces personnel to that turmoil-ridden country. The new measures are partly designed to show the international community that Japan is willing to make contributions to the world in place of the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean.

Nov 10	*Obama says he wants to visit Hiroshima, Nagasaki* (Mainichi)
	U.S. President Barack Obama has said he would be honored to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese cities devastated by atomic bombs during World War II. Obama made the comment in an interview with Japanese public broadcaster NHK on Monday, ahead of his planned visit to Japan.

Nov 10	*Japan pledges five bln dlrs for Afghanistan* (AFP)
	Japan's government decided on Tuesday to pledge five billion dollars in new aid over five years from 2010 to help rebuild war-torn Afghanistan, an official said Tuesday. Media reports said the government also pledged two billion dollars in assistance for neighbouring Pakistan in a decision that came days before US President Barack Obama visits Tokyo on Friday and Saturday.

Nov 10	*Are Japan's rookie lawmakers being treated like kids?* (Reuters)
	Name tags on their chairs so their "teachers" can take attendance; instructions on how to greet their elders politely; orders to turn up on time. Rookie lawmakers in Japan's ruling Democratic Party are, critics say, being treated like first-grade students instead of a talent pool the government can draw on to tackle tough policy problems from a bulging debt to strained ties with Washington.

Nov 10	*India, Japan renew commitment to develop defence action plan* (The Hindu)
	India and Japan on Monday renewed their commitment to "develop an Action Plan to advance security cooperation." An accord on these lines formed the centrepiece of a joint press statement issued by Defence Minister A.K. Antony and his Japanese counterpart, Toshimi Kitazawa, after their talks in Tokyo.

Nov 09	*Demo of 21,000 people demand closure of Futenma air base* (Japan Times)
	Around 21,000 people protested against the planned relocation of a U.S. military airfield within Okinawa Prefecture on Sunday ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Japan, in a sign of growing local frustration over the new Japanese government's vague stance in reviewing the transfer plan.

Nov 08	*Japanese FM says no base deal during Obama visit* (AP)
	Japan's foreign minister said Sunday that no deal on relocating U.S. troops on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa can be expected during President Barack Obama's visit this week, saying the issue needs more time to resolve. Obama is scheduled to arrive Friday, and a meeting with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is on the agenda.

Nov 08

Reading between the lines of Hatoyama's far-sighted 'vision thing' (Japan Times)

The prime minister's keynote policy address in the Diet affords the nation's leader an opportunity to present their overall thinking to the people - as its name in Japanese, shoshin hyomei (declaration of convictions), would indeed suggest. Shigeru Yoshida delivered the first of these "state of the nation" orations in 1953; Eisaku Sato made a whopping 13 between 1964 and 1971; while the last encumbent, Taro Aso, managed just one, in 2008.

Nov 08

Japan's roundabout road issue (Japan Times)

One of the most contentious components of the Democratic Party of Japan's manifesto is the pledge to make all expressways free. In media survey after media survey, the portion of respondents who don't support the proposal has been consistently between 60 and 65 percent. The Liberal Democratic Party has used this perceived anxiety to reinforce its portrayal of the new ruling party as dangerously spendthrift.

Nov 08

Japanese town stages anti-US base protest (AFP)

Thousands of residents of Japan's southern island of Okinawa Saturday staged a protest against the presence of the US military on the eve of a major rally against a controversial airbase. Some 2,500 people living in Kadena town, which already hosts a large US Air Force base that frequently provokes complaints over the noise of jet planes flying day and night, protested a government proposal the city accept another US military installation.

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By J.S. on Nov 16, 2009

[ 2009/11/15 18:30 ] POLITICAL NEWS | TB(0) | CM(0)

Aeon to sell Beaujolais wine in PET bottles for Y980

Taking up herewith Japanese Kitchen News by Media.
Recent Japanese Kitchen Trend will be read via these News.
Interested in "Japanese subs found off Hawaii could have changed World War II", "Aeon to sell Beaujolais wine in PET bottles for Y980" and etc.

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Japanese subs found off Hawaii could have changed World War II

Nov 12, 2009 by Christian Science Monitor

Why did her galley feature gourmet cooking equipment (including an ice cream machine)?" he writes. "Why deluxe porcelain plumbing fixtures in the heads? ...

Seoul food
Nov 10, 2009 by Boston Herald

Korean food combines the intricate preparations of Japanese cuisine with the spicier, more intense flavors found in regional Chinese cooking. ...

Vook Launches First Cookbook
Nov 9, 2009 by Publishers Weekly

With its combination of Japanese ingredients and Western cooking ideas, The Breakaway Japanese Kitchen fit. “Great authors help, but Vook also looks for ...

Aeon to sell Beaujolais wine in PET bottles for Y980
Nov 9, 2009 by Japan Today

Aeon to sell Beaujolais wine in PET bottles for Y980

As for using it in a stew / for cooking, I dont see how this would work. You want a full-bodied wine for cooking. PLUS If you dont like the way a wine ...

Good noodles needed for excellent fried saimin
Nov 11, 2009 by Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Familiarize yourself with the seasonings and the basic cooking technique, buy the right noodles -- the rest is up to you. "I am looking for a good/excellent ...

Ramble On: It's time to call out the jerk food judges
Nov 12, 2009 by Anderson Independent Mail

The judges who bastardize that grand tradition in the many American cooking competition shows out there now. Take a look at the culinary competition shows ...

Give me beef brisket noodles, anytime — Ong Sor Fern
Nov 11, 2009 by The Malaysian Insider

There is also the misleading idea that fine cuisine equals French cooking. The visit to Hong Kong where Chinese cooking reigns supreme also made me realise ...

Trips to Venus shake up women's role in Japan
Nov 13, 2009 by msnbc.com

More recently she described herself as a "life composer," or sort of a lifestyle guru, writing several macro-biotic cooking books. ...

China Teetering On the Brink ?
Nov 11, 2009 by Lone Star Times

The Japanese could not be stopped until they had purchased or controlled every square foot of US soil. The truth was there for those who wanted to see it. ...

Top five reasons to ski in Japan
Nov 12, 2009 by Sydney Morning Herald

Cheap and cheerful ... hit the powder in Japan. Photo: Chris Hocking

In the traditional feudal ski town of Nozawa Onsen in Nagano, 'foot onsens' line the streets for weary ski boot feet and the village's cooking onsen is ...
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By J.S. on Nov 15, 2009

[ 2009/11/15 14:33 ] JAPANESE CUISINE | TB(0) | CM(0)

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