Wrangling over planned shake-up of Japan's immigration control law intensifies after government admits to data errors

Abstract: Political wrangling over an envisioned shake-up of the immigration control law has intensified in recent days after the government admitted last week to multiple statistical errors concerning the state-sponsored foreign trainee program. The government wants to pass the legislation by the end of the ongoing Diet session, which is slated to wrap up Dec. 10. The intended revision marks a drastic break with previous policy in immigration-shy Japan, paving the way for an influx of blue-collar foreign workers in some of the most labor-hungry industries for what could become an indefinite period of time. An opposition backlash to the amendment, however, has flared anew over the lapses in preparing statistics, which came to light Friday, leading to a stalemate among lawmakers in the Diet that could derail the government’s intended timeline for passing the amendment. But even so, the ruling bloc could theoretically resort to extending the legislative session to ensure the bill clears the current Diet session — a prerequisite for the new visa system to come into effect in April next year as has been hoped by the government. The Justice Ministry admitted Friday to data inaccuracies in its 2017 probe into foreign trainees who went missing from their workplaces, and issued a number of corrections at an informal gathering of Lower House judiciary committee members. The data errors immediately prompted the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan to submit a resolution seeking to remove Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Yasuhiro Hanashi from his position as head of a Lower House judicial affairs committee, which is tasked with discussing the immigration law. A resolution against Hanashi is expected to be voted down by the ruling coalition in Tuesday’s plenary session, but has succeeded in pushing back deliberations on the amendment by a few days. The inaccuracies in the data included describing those who had decided to leave their workplace because of low wages as having gone missing because they “sought jobs with higher wages.” As a result, the ministry’s original data overstated the number of interns reported to have said their motive for leaving was to seek better pay, rather than to escape from rock-bottom wages or workplace violence. The government had argued that the reason so many foreign trainees exit the program is because they wanted better opportunities with higher wages. On Friday, the ministry revised the number who had gone missing to seek “better job opportunities” from the original 2,514 down to 1,929. On the other hand, the number of people reported to have claimed they had left because they had been disciplined harshly by their superiors more than doubled, with the figure rising from 155 to 362 people. The number of people who claimed they had been subjected to physical abuse also jumped, from 88 to 142. On an NHK program on Sunday, CDP lawmaker Akira Nagatsuma said the faulty data paints an inaccurate picture of what is formally called the Technical Intern Training Program, obfuscating the reality of abuse and exploitation that critics often say underlies the program. “The original data on the missing interns made it look like they escaped in pursuit of higher wages, when in fact that’s not entirely true. Many were desperate to get away because they faced violence or were forced to work for wages lower than the minimum level,” Nagatsuma said. The Justice Ministry attributed the errors to the mishandling of an Excel spreadsheet. But a closer look into the multiple-choice survey also reveals that the ministry lumped together responses such as “wage is low,” “actual wage is lower than contracted wage,” and “actual wage is below the minimum level” into one and presented it, simply, as “seeking higher wages.” Separately, the number of those who deserted employers because they wanted to continue working after their enrolment in the foreign trainee program expired also rose from 392 to 510. Moreover, the report, which surveyed in 2017 a total of 2,870 trainees who went missing from their workplaces that year, showed that 2,664 individuals — or about 90 percent of the trainees surveyed — received a monthly wage below ¥150,000. Speaking on the same NHK program, lawmakers from the LDP-Komeito ruling bloc admitted that the errors were problematic. Still, Norihisa Tamura of the LDP defended the envisioned new visa system, saying it would replace the trainee program as an official source of foreign labor and go a long way toward making it function in a more conventional manner. “The thing about the foreign trainee program is that employers sometimes operate under the misguided notion that they don’t need to give the trainees minimum wages because they are not official workers, but just interns,” Tamura said. “Under the new system, the interns can transition to gain official employment status, which would help them secure their rights as laborers … Once the new system takes hold, the trainee program will then specialize in its original purpose” of fostering foreign talent who can learn and take Japan’s industrial expertise back to their home countries. Nagatsuma, however, said that the government’s effort to pass the bill by the end of the current Diet session — in the absence of proper budgetary measures or thorough soul-searching about the existing problems under the trainee program — will only lead to further problems, and insisted that debates on the law should be carried over until next year. He went on to suggest that the government’s lack of preparation echoed miscalculated immigration policies seen in Germany and France in the mid-20th century that led to those known as guest-workers being alienated from mainstream society. “Those foreign workers are human — not some object you can accept and then throw away once their demand has fizzled out. We need to have a serious think about this in the Diet,” Nagatsuma said.

immigration
labor shortage
foreign labor law reform


Tokyo Stock Exchange to probe Nissan over Carlos Ghosn's alleged misconduct

Abstract: The Tokyo Stock Exchange plans to probe Nissan Motor Co. over alleged financial misconduct by former Chairman Carlos Ghosn, according to informed sources. The TSE will examine the matter in detail, including the background and Nissan’s internal management system, based on the exchange’s listing rules. It also plans to conduct hearings with Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC, the automaker’s auditor. Ghosn and former Nissan Representative Director Greg Kelly were arrested last week for their alleged involvement in underreporting Ghosn’s pay by some ¥5 billion in securities reports over the five years through fiscal 2014. The TSE will consider possible punitive measures against Nissan. Under the TSE’s listing rules, companies that falsify securities reports can be delisted from the exchange. The whole picture of the latest case is not yet fully clear, but at this point many experts believe the automaker is unlikely to be delisted. Even if Nissan escapes delisting, it may be put on the TSE’s watch list if the bourse sees a high need for improvement in the company’s internal controls. The TSE put Toshiba Corp. on the watch list after accounting irregularities at the electronics and machinery maker came to light in 2015. It took two years and a month for Toshiba to be removed from the list. ShinNihon was also the auditor of Toshiba at the time of the accounting scandal. The Financial Services Agency ordered ShinNihon to suspend part of its operations at the end of 2015 for its failure to detect Toshiba’s accounting fraud.

corruption
scandals
nissan
carmakers
tse
carlos ghosn


Japan may extend tax deduction period for housing loan users

Abstract: The government and the Liberal Democratic Party-led ruling camp are considering extending the tax incentive program for housing loan borrowers, in a bid to cushion the impact from next October’s rise in the consumption tax, according to informed sources. The discussion is focused on a proposal to extend the eligibility period for the tax break by up to five years from the current 10, the sources said. The step is under consideration as part of measures to curb an anticipated decline in spending after the consumption tax is raised to 10 percent from the current 8 percent, especially for big-ticket items like houses and cars. Also behind the move are calls for the program’s expansion from the housing industry, which is concerned about a possible fall in demand as condominium prices are on the rise amid surges in labor costs and construction material prices. Currently, the program deducts the amount equivalent to 1 percent of the borrowers’ year-end loan balances from their income tax payments for up to 10 years. The upper limit of the balance is set at ¥40 million. The proposed extension is expected to be implemented in combination with lowering the loan balance upper limit, the sources said. A senior official of Komeito, the LDP’s junior coalition partner, has expressed the party’s readiness to accept a lower upper limit, saying that “it’ll be fine as long as the burden on consumers decreases as a whole.” For fiscal 2018, the program is expected to push down the government’s income tax revenue by some ¥670 billion. Some LDP lawmakers are cautious about expanding the program due to worries over its impact on tax revenues. “The current system already has a certain positive effect,” a LDP lawmaker said.


Singapore serving as a testing ground for halal Japanese dishes prepared in Kumamoto

Abstract: SINGAPORE - Curetex Corp. is using Singapore as a test bed to promote Japanese cuisine permissible under Islamic law as part of its efforts to expand sales of such food products in Japan and Southeast Asia. The Tokyo-based company recently sold both Japanese and Singaporean halal dishes at Isetan Singapore’s Scotts store following the launch of a halal-certified food-processing facility in Amakusa, Kumamoto Prefecture. In May, Curetex began using sauce imported from a restaurant at the Bangi Golf Resort, a luxury resort in the central Malaysian state of Selangor, to produce processed chicken and seafood products at the facility authorized by the Nippon Asia Halal Association. The Japanese association is mutually recognized as a halal-certified body by Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia, its counterpart in the predominantly Muslim country. The Tokyo-based firm has developed around 10 types of dishes, including seafood curry and charbroiled skewed chicken satay as well as Japanese dishes such as a rice bowl with sliced raw fish, all halal-accredited. Muslim tourists to Japan face limited choices of food since Japanese cuisine often uses soy sauce and Japanese cooking sake, which are banned under Islam due to the inclusion of alcohol. Curetex adopted an alternative kelp-based stock to add a unique Japanese flavor, Ayumi Fujishiro, assistant general manager of Ippin PTE, Curetex’s Singapore arm, said at its first halal promotional event outside Japan last week. As the company aims to export its halal food products to Muslim countries, it is establishing a Malaysian unit to sell halal food shipped from the Amakusa facility.


Dollar firmer above ¥113.20 in late Tokyo trading

Abstract: The dollar was stronger above ¥113.20 in Tokyo trading late Monday, helped partly by a rise in Japanese share prices. At 5 p.m., the dollar stood at ¥113.23-23, up from ¥113.01-02 at the same time Thursday. The Tokyo currency market was closed Friday for a national holiday. The euro was at $1.1361-1362, down from $1.1400-1400, and at ¥128.63-69, down slightly from ¥128.85-85. The dollar was driven higher by purchases from Japanese importers and buybacks inspired by a rise in the Nikkei 225 average, traders said. The U.S. currency also attracted “short-covering buying from nonresidents as it did not fall below levels around ¥112.65, a recent low marked late last week,” an official of a foreign exchange margin trading service firm said. “The dollar’s rise also came as uncertainty about Britain’s exit from the European Union receded after EU leaders approved an agreement on the country’s withdrawal,” an official of another foreign exchange margin trading service firm said. Currency market players’ attention has already shifted to a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week as the world’s two largest economies have been locked in a battle over trade, traders said. “It is difficult for currency market players to trade actively until the result of the summit is known,” an official at a major Japanese bank said.


Tokyo stocks rise on repurchases

Abstract: Stocks gained Monday, buoyed by buybacks after the recent drops. The Nikkei 225 average climbed 165.45 points, or 0.76 percent, to end at 21,812.00 after rising 139.01 points Thursday. The Tokyo Stock Exchange was closed Friday for a national holiday. The Topix, which covers all first-section issues on the TSE, closed 3.24 points, or 0.20 percent, higher at 1,632.20. It gained 13.07 points Thursday. The key market yardsticks moved on the sunny side for most of the day Monday. A solid performance of Chinese equities lifted investor sentiment, market sources said. Tokyo stocks attracted buying “on hope for a technical rally of New York stocks” later Monday, Yutaka Miura, senior technical analyst at Mizuho Securities Co., said, referring to the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s recent plunges. An official of an online brokerage firm noted that the dollar’s rise above ¥113 served as a tail wind for the Tokyo stock market. Construction- and transport-linked issues were boosted by news Friday that the city of Osaka was selected to host the 2025 World Expo, brokers said. Yoshihiko Tabei, chief analyst at Naito Securities Co., indicated that the news was a positive surprise to investors, saying it “had not been factored” in the market. Rising issues outnumbered falling ones 1,119 to 915 in the first section, while 78 issues were unchanged. Volume increased to 1.339 billion shares from 1.201 billion Thursday. General contractor Obayashi, logistic service firm Kamigumi and Nankai Electric Railway were among issues that attracted buying linked to the 2025 Expo, brokers said. Other major gainers included clothing retailer Fast Retailing and convenience store operator FamilyMart Uny. By contrast, oil names Japex, Inpex and JXTG met with heavy selling following a tumble in crude oil prices. Employment information service firm Recruit Holdings and drugmaker Shionogi were also on the minus side.


Syrian Kurdish women march to end gender-based violence

Abstract: QAMISHLI, SYRIA - Hundreds of female protesters took to the streets of the Syrian Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli on Sunday to call for an end to violence against women. Some banging large drums and others ululating, they marched through the streets, an AFP correspondent said. “Underage marriage is a crime,” said one sign held up by a protester, on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Another demonstrator held up the picture of a woman with a swollen eye, her mouth covered with one hand. “We must take part in this day in large numbers,” said Hanifa Mohammed, 47, wearing a green jumper and a dark-coloured headscarf. “Women must organize and reach decision-making positions,” she said. “They must determine their future.” Women of all ages carried the portraits of fighters in the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), the all-female branch of the Syrian Kurdish militia. Syria’s Kurds have largely stayed out of the country’s seven-year war, instead setting up semi-autonomous institutions in areas they control in its north and northeast. Local institutions are usually co-directed by a man and a woman. Syria’s Kurds pride themselves in promoting equality of the sexes even in combat, as the YPJ play a key role in the battle against the Islamic State jihadi group. Some protesters lashed out at neighbouring Turkey, which considers the Syrian Kurdish militia to be “terrorists.” Ankara and its Syrian proxies have led two campaigns inside Syria against the Kurds, most recently seizing the northwestern enclave of Afrin in March. Organizers dedicated the protest to the women of the enclave, now under control of pro-Turkey rebels.

syria
women
turkey
domestic violence
kurds
ypg
me too


Taiwanese pro-China party's big win puts Tsai Ing-wen's future in doubt

Abstract: TAIPEI - Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s pro-independence leader, has just over a year to win back public support if she wants to avoid going down in history as the island’s first one-term president. Her Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) suffered a resounding loss to the China-friendly Kuomintang on Saturday. The scale of the defeat was far greater than forecast, with her party losing seven cities and counties of the 13 they held — including its traditional bastions of Kaohsiung and Yilan. Now with just 14 months to go until the presidential election in January 2020, Tsai faces a challenge to turn things around. Although she resigned as head of the DPP after the election loss, Tsai faces no obvious challengers from within who might stop her from seeking a second term as president. “This result demands a response from Tsai, and the obvious change would be to emphasize the DPP’s strengths and the things that got Tsai in,” said Jonathan Sullivan, director of Nottingham University’s China Policy Institute. “Tsai has made a liberal, progressive society a big part of her appeals to the rest of the world to support Taiwan in juxtaposition to an increasingly repressive China.” Saturday’s election saw a “blue wave” sweep Taiwan in a resurgence of Kuomintang after Tsai comprehensively ousted the party from power in 2016. Kuomintang promotes better ties — and eventual unification — with China. A return to power for the party would be seen as a welcome development by the authorities in Beijing, which have frozen all direct contact with Tsai after she declined to accept it’s claim that Taiwan belongs to “one China.” Still, Tsai’s caution regarding key domestic issues such as labor reforms and same-sex marriage — rather than her dealings with China — were seen as key causes for the DPP’s defeat. In a number of referendums held at the same time as Saturday’s elections, voters also rejected marriage equality for same-sex couples and a proposal for athletes to compete under the name “Taiwan” rather than the current moniker, “Chinese Taipei.” “The elections this time did not have much to do with unification with China or Taiwan independence,” said Austin Wang, a political scientist at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “What voters cared about was penalizing the DPP and Tsai Ing-wen.” The star of the Kuomintang’s revival was Han Kuo-yu, who was elected mayor of Kaohsiung City — a seat the DPP has held since 1998. The pugnacious former lawmaker was given little hope of succeeding in one of the DPP’s southern strongholds, even by some in his own party. But a combination of Han’s plain campaign language, his blunt assessments of Kaohsiung’s ills and his promise to bring an economic boom through better ties with China won the city’s residents over, according to Kaohsiung-based radio host and political commentator Chen Tzu-yu. Some of Tsai’s backers attributed the loss to widespread dissatisfaction with her leadership. Her efforts to cut retired public servants’ pensions angered Kuomintang voters, who make up a large portion of Taiwan’s civil service, while DPP supporters said she did not do enough to pursue promised reforms or support progressive referendum proposals. “The electoral results did not mean Taiwanese people have chosen to become closer to China,” said Lai Chung-chiang, head of civil group Economic Democracy Union, which was heavily involved in 2014 protests that thwarted former Kuomintang President Ma Ying-jeou’s attempt to deepen Taiwan’s trade ties with China. “Rather, the outcome marked voters’ dissatisfaction with President Tsai Ing-wen’s governance.” To win back support, several analysts said Tsai should move closer to the U.S., which sells weapons to Taiwan to defend against forceful unification by the mainland. “She will need to express clearly that Taiwan is happy to bolster cooperation with the U.S., while she also needs to make it clear that Taiwan is not trying to lock horns with China” said Jou Yi-cheng, who was once a speechwriter for former President Chen Shui-bian, a DPP member. “Taiwan doesn’t deny its cultural links with China, but instead it is championing the universal values of freedom and democracy.” Nottingham University’s Sullivan said Tsai should take an even tougher stance on China. “It is time to take the shackles off,” he said. “Caution in cross-strait policy has delivered nothing — China won’t work with her and has really stepped up its pressure across the board, so its difficult to see what Tsai loses by pursuing the more robust path the pro-Taiwan base demands.”


Taiwan's same-sex couples put future on hold after vote defeat

Abstract: TAIPEI - After more than three decades together, Wang Tien-ming and Ho Hsiang finally decided to tie the knot when Taiwan’s top court ruled last year that same-sex marriage must be legalized. But those wedding plans are on hold after conservative groups won a referendum battle over equal marriage which couples fear could water down their newly won rights. The original landmark court decision in May 2017 made Taiwan the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage — it ruled the change must be implemented within two years and sparked a wave of optimism in the LGBT community. But almost 18 months have already passed as the government drags its feet in the face of conservative opposition. A referendum on whether marriage should only be recognized as between a man and a woman in Taiwan’s Civil Code won more than 7 million votes Saturday, as did another calling for same-sex unions to be regulated under a separate law. Gay rights activists had proposed that the Civil Code should give same-sex couples equal marriage rights, but only garnered 3 million votes. Ho said that after the original court ruling he believed he and Wang would be granted rights given to heterosexual married partners, including recognition as next of kin. This made the couple think they could at last buy a house together, Wang said, assured that if one of them died the other would inherit. Wang, 57, is also the main caregiver for Ho, 75, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease. He describes their relationship as “love at first sight.” “I want to get married because I want to say to the world: ‘I don’t want to be deprived of what is my basic right,'” Wang said. Although the government has made clear the referendum results would not impact the court’s original decision to legalize gay marriage, which should automatically be implemented next May, pro-gay marriage campaigners worry that their newly won rights will be weakened. The court did not specify how it wanted gay marriage to be brought in, leaving room for conservative groups to call for separate regulations. As Saturday’s conservative referendums passed the threshold of 25 percent of eligible voters, the government must by law take steps to reflect the result. Ho said he would not accept anything less than the amendment of the existing marriage law as laid out in the Civil Code to put gay couples on an equal footing with heterosexual couples. “Having a special marriage law (for gay couples) means we are like second class citizens,” he said, adding that having a two-tier system would dent Taiwan’s reputation as a trailblazer for equal marriage rights on the international stage. “The Taiwanese value equality and freedom. If the gay community is been treated like second class citizens, where’s the equality? This is our soft power,” he said. Taiwan’s government has not yet responded to the referendum result and what impact it will have. Kuo Huai-wen and her partner of 13 years had also been hoping to marry on the first day that the court’s decision was implemented — a day that is yet to come. Kuo, 40, said she was “saddened and disappointed” over the referendum result, but still felt encouraged that 3 million people had backed the pro-gay marriage vote. Kuo is pregnant with the couple’s second child and said they would be forced to accept a union under a separate law for the sake of their children, even though they do not agree with it and want equal marriage rights. “We have to be practical as we have kids and we can’t afford to have all or nothing,” said Kuo. “We will register even if it’s under a separate law, not because we are satisfied with that but because we need immediate protections.”


U.K. watchdog to probe China state media over role in 'confession'

Abstract: LONDON - A British fraud investigator has asked the country’s media regulator to revoke Chinese state media’s broadcast license for helping to stage his allegedly forced confession and subsequent jailing in China. Peter Humphrey, who was sentenced to over two years in prison by a Shanghai court in 2014 but released seven months early and deported, wants the British watchdog Ofcom to punish China Central Television (CCTV) for its alleged role in the episode. “CCTV journalists cooperated with police to extract, record, make post-production and then broadcast his confession,” the letter of complaint states. Humphrey accuses Chinese authorities of drugging him and locking him in a chair inside a small metal cage to conduct the confession. “China Central Television (CCTV) journalists then aimed their cameras at me and recorded me reading out the answers already prepared for me by the police,” his complaint added. It added the images were then released worldwide through its international channels. Humphrey told AFP this was the first legal action he has launched against any of the Chinese entities involved in his incarceration. “It will not be the last,” he added. A spokesman for Ofcom confirmed it had “received a complaint which we are assessing as a priority. “If, following investigation, we find our rules have been broken we would take the necessary enforcement action,” he added. Ofcom has the power to fine broadcasters for breaching British rules, and can revoke their licenses in the most serious cases. Humphrey’s complaint notes Ofcom previously revoked the license of Iranian state media after ruling it had collaborated with police to record and then broadcast the forced confession a Canadian-Iranian journalist. Humphrey and his wife Yu Yingzeng, a naturalized U.S. citizen, were linked to a corruption case in China involving pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The couple ran an investigative firm which was hired by GSK to probe a sex tape of the company’s then China boss and other issues shortly before the British pharmaceutical company itself became the target of a Chinese government investigation.

china
media
u.k .
torture
cctv
broadcast license
ofcom
peter humphrey


Japan's ancient castle walls drawing tourists but not enough masons to keep them up

Abstract: Castle walls have recently become popular with tourists, especially rekijo (female history buffs) who like to view them even when the castle itself is no longer there. Since the Meiji Era, however, the number of masons who repair and preserve the stone walls has been on the decline, and many walls have collapsed during disasters. The government has set on fostering young masons and introducing cutting-edge technology to conserve castle walls, which are regarded as cultural assets. In late October, several visitors were seen climbing a long flight of stone steps leading to the ruins of Iwamura Castle in Ena, Gifu Prefecture, known for a tragic female castle lord. Although the castle keep was razed in the Meiji Era and only the moss-covered stone walls remain, the site has been attracting many tourists. “It is interesting to imagine how such massive stone walls were built so high up on the mountain and what kind of lives people led there,” said Fumiho Hagino, 44, who came from the city of Gifu. The place was ranked 10th in TripAdvisor’s top 20 best castles to visit in Japan this year, higher than more famous castles in the neighboring prefectures, including Nagoya Castle and Hikone Castle in Shiga Prefecture. “After World War II, the place was full of weeds and nobody paid attention to it,” said Yasuo Sasaki, 78, who works at a historical museum at the foot of the castle, adding it is quite surprising that the place has become so popular. Castle ruins grew popular after the Takeda Castle ruins in Asago, Hyogo Prefecture, became known as tenku no shiro (castle floating in the sky) because of the way it appears over a sea of clouds on foggy autumn mornings. Thanks to its appearance in TV commercials and other media, visitors to the ruins skyrocketed to 224,000 in fiscal 2017, from around 33,000 in fiscal 2005. Visitors to the Naegi Castle ruins in Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture, known for its scenic view, increased 5.5 times last year to 77,000, compared to those logged four years ago. The Sawayama Castle ruins in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, which had been the residence of Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s right-hand man, Ishida Mitsunari, attracts many history fans although only a couple of stones remain of the castle. “More people are beginning to think they can better feel the atmosphere of the times (at castle ruins) rather than seeing reproduced castle towers and buildings,” said Yoshihiro Senda, 55, an archaeologist specializing in castles. However, many castle walls nationwide are becoming fragile due to the lack of masons to manage them properly. The walls of Kumamoto Castle in Kumamoto Prefecture collapsed following a major earthquake and those of Marugame Castle in Kagawa Prefecture were damaged by heavy rain. In 2009, the Cultural Affairs Agency designated castle wall-building as a traditional skill that needs to be preserved, and created a manual for stone wall conservation in 2015 to support the fostering of young masons. Cutting-edge technology was also adopted to restore damaged walls, using computers to analyze the photographs of the walls before collapse and putting back stones within an error range of a few millimeters. As for Nagoya Castle, the Nagoya Municipal Government plans to build a wooden castle tower to replace the concrete tower built after World War II, but the project is at a stalemate, as experts are voicing strong opposition to the prioritization of castle tower construction over preservation of the stone walls. The stone walls of Nagoya Castle are regarded as having high cultural value, being in relatively good condition. But 400 years after the completion of the castle, the walls have started deteriorating, with the north side swelling. The city checked the walls and submitted a report to an expert panel in July saying they “are more or less stable.” But the report was met with strong criticism from the panel, forcing the city to postpone submission of the construction plan to the Cultural Affairs Agency that was scheduled for this fall. The city is seeking advice from masons to come up with a convincing plan to restore both the castle tower and the stone walls, which is likely to become a model for restoring other aging castles nationwide.

history
nagoya
gifu
preservation
castles
iwamura castle


Taipei faces tension in ties with Tokyo after Taiwan passes 'political' referendum to maintain food ban

Abstract: TAIPEI - After voters in Taiwan approved Saturday a referendum to maintain a ban on food imports from five Japanese prefectures, imposed after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, concern is stirring about the impact of the result on bilateral relations. About 7.8 million of Taiwan’s 19.76 million eligible voters approved the measure — more than the 25 percent needed to make the outcome valid. The result immediately prompted speculation about why the referendum had succeeded, and what happens next. The vote was initiated by the main opposition force, the Nationalist Party (KMT), whose motives were largely political. There is little to indicate the party truly favored continuing restrictions on food products from Fukushima and nearby Ibaraki, Gunma, Tochigi and Chiba, the five prefectures nearest the catastrophe-struck Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant. Not only did the KMT make little effort to promote the initiative in the run-up to the vote, but the party even once advocated lifting the ban. Speaking on behalf of his party during a televised debate two weeks ago, KMT legislator Lai Shyh-bao said he was not against relaxing restrictions as long as all food imports from the region pass a zero-tolerance check for radiation. That was the same demand made by the Democratic Progressive Party in 2015, when it was in opposition and looking for ways to embarrass the then ruling KMT. On that basis, some observers suspect the main motive for the referendum proposal could have been revenge. As Lai put it, he wants to see the DPP apologize for its policy U-turn — suggesting that if the party had been more reasonable in the past, the Japanese food ban would have been lifted long ago. Right now the DPP would benefit from an end to the ban, as it seeks to offset worsening relations with China by cultivating closer ties to Japan. In Tokyo on Monday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga commented on the outcome of Taiwan’s referendum. “It’s extremely disappointing that Taiwanese consumers have yet to be fully convinced” about the safety of food products from the five prefectures, the top government spokesman said. “We will use every opportunity available and keep asking (Taiwan) to lift the ban at an early date,” he added. Rather than admit their role in allowing the situation to develop, the ruling DPP has read a more nefarious motive into the referendum. Taiwan’s representative to Japan, Frank Hsieh, has criticized the initiative as “a KMT scheme aimed at undermining bilateral relations between Taiwan and Japan.” He also warned before the vote that if the referendum was approved, Taiwan would have a “grave price” to pay. That “grave price” could include Taiwan’s bid to join a Japan-led trade pact, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. On numerous occasions, Taiwan has expressed its desire to participate in the second-round of accession talks. The CPTPP, which currently comprises 11 member states, is on track to come into force by the end of this year and start accession talks with potential new members next year. Hsieh did not clearly say that the KMT initiated the referendum just to cause trouble for the DPP. But his message was clear: Taiwan needs to maintain close relations with Japan as it seeks ways to protect itself from an increasingly belligerent China. Despite that, the KMT was able to persuade the Taiwanese public that food products from those five prefectures are unsafe and that the DPP government would be unable ensure their safety were the ban to be lifted. So now that the referendum has passed, what happens next? As the referendum is legally binding, the DPP government must honor the result: the comprehensive ban on food products from the five prefectures must remain in place. Government officials indicated on Sunday that the will of the Taiwanese people would be respected. Cabinet spokeswoman Kolas Yotaka said the Executive Yuan, as the Cabinet is known in Taiwan, will ask the Ministry of Health and Welfare to continue inspections of imported Japanese food products to ensure public safety. Hsu Fu, director of the Executive Yuan’s food safety office, said the office respected the referendum result and will work closely with the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the matter. But the result puts the Tsai administration in a bad spot, after having advocated relaxing the restrictions when that now appears to be impossible. One potential way out of the impasse would be to hold another referendum, hoping for the opposite result. As the 2020 presidential and legislative elections are approaching, the DPP has time to convince the Taiwanese public that food products from those five Japanese prefectures are safe and that it can ensure their safety. However, the DPP could again fail to secure voter approval in a second referendum to lift the ban. And no sensible party would want to mount a referendum that not only was uncertain to help it score political points but could significantly harm its reputation, by suggesting party interests were being put ahead of public health, for example. But there may be another solution. While the Referendum Act stipulates that the president or government agencies responsible for the ban must “take necessary steps” after a referendum passes, there is no punishment if they do not. In other words, if President Tsai decided to relax the restrictions of food imports from those five Japanese prefectures, she may have political repercussions to deal with but would suffer no legal consequences, according to lawyer and political analyst Lu Chiu-yuan.


South Korean lawmakers visit disputed Takeshima islets, stoking anger in Tokyo

Abstract: SEOUL - A group of South Korean lawmakers on Monday visited a pair of islets controlled by South Korea but also claimed by Japan, drawing a formal protest from Tokyo. The eight-member bipartisan group, led by Na Kyung-won of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, intends to inspect security facilities on the islets, known as Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in South Korea, the group said. Monday’s trip to the disputed islets in the Sea of Japan followed a similar visit by another group of South Korean lawmakers on Oct. 22, which was led by the chairman of the National Assembly’s Education Committee. The Japanese government immediately lodged a protest with the South Korean government through diplomatic channels both in Tokyo and Seoul as Japan views Takeshima as an inherent part of its territory, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. Kenji Kanasugi, director general of the ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, conveyed to a senior South Korean Embassy official in Tokyo that the lawmakers’ visit is “totally unacceptable” to Japan, according to the ministry. Na’s group, formed to support South Korean security personnel stationed on the islets, had increased the money it was spending on repair and upgrade work at the facilities following its previous visit in August, according to the group. South Korea has stationed security personnel on the islets since 1954 and constructed lodgings, a monitoring facility, a lighthouse, and port and docking facilities. The islets are located roughly an equal distance from the Korean Peninsula and Japan’s main island Honshu.

disputed islands
takeshima
south korea-japan relations


Cafe opens with robot waiters remotely controlled by people with disabilities

Abstract: A cafe featuring robot waiters remotely controlled from home by people with severe physical disabilities has been launched in Minato Ward, Tokyo. Five robots measuring 1.2 meters tall, controlled by people with conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a form of motor neuron disease, took orders and served food as the cafe opened Monday on a trial basis. The cafe will be open until Dec. 7. The OriHime-D robots transmit video images and audio via the internet, allowing their controllers to direct them from home via computer. “(The robots) enable physical work and social participation,” said Kentaro Yoshifuji, CEO of Ory Lab Inc., the developer of the robot and one of the three entities organizing the cafe. Ten people with ALS will earn ¥1,000 an hour controlling the robots. The three entities, including the Nippon Foundation and ANA Holdings Inc., aim to launch a permanent cafe by the time the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics roll around. The organizers said Monday they have also formed a partnership to further promote employment assistance for people with disabilities by utilizing remotely controlled robots. “(Avatar robots) have potential … for transportation and communication,” ANA Holdings Chairman Shinichiro Ito said.


Casino advocate Wakayama Gov. Yoshinobu Nisaka beats only challenger to secure fourth term

Abstract: WAKAYAMA - Wakayama Gov. Yoshinobu Nisaka, who is aiming to host a casino resort as a way to revitalize the economy of the prefecture, secured a fourth consecutive term Sunday according to exit polls, beating a challenger backed by the Japanese Communist Party. The 68-year-old governor won another four-year term with the help of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito as well as opposition parties the Democratic Party for the People and the Social Democratic Party. Achievements highlighted during the campaign included disaster prevention measures. Nisaka said he will seek to host a casino resort in the prefecture to spur tourism, after the Diet passed a bill in July authorizing the establishment of casinos as part of “integrated resorts” that comprise hotels, conference rooms and shopping facilities. The first integrated resorts will likely open in the mid-2020s after the government selects locations, with Nagasaki, Osaka and Wakayama prefectures as well as Hokkaido having expressed interest so far. Nisaka’s sole challenger, Masayoshi Hatanaka, 66, who works for a citizens’ ombudsman and was supported by the Japanese Communist Party, voiced opposition to hosting a casino resort citing concerns about gambling addiction.

election
casinos
wakayama
yoshinobu nisaka


Time running out for Osaka leaders seeking to push city-prefecture integration plan

Abstract: OSAKA - When Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui and Osaka Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura left for Paris early last week for one final lobbying effort for the 2025 World Expo, they left behind a city and prefecture that remain deeply divided over their most basic political goal — the integration of Osaka Prefecture and the city of Osaka. Earlier this month, the two leaders and their local political group, Osaka Ishin no Kai (One Osaka), had hoped a joint prefectural and municipal committee of elected officials from all political parties would discuss a report prepared by researchers at Tokyo-based Kaetsu Gakuen. Their conclusion was that if the city of Osaka abolished its 23 wards and integrated itself into four semi-autonomous zones, the economic effect over a decade would be more than ¥1.1 trillion, much of that from savings due to a more streamlined local bureaucracy. But it was a conclusion that the local chapters of the Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner Komeito, which have long opposed Osaka Ishin’s integration plan, scoffed at. “This figure is fake. All the governor and mayor are trying to do is make things up, and we have no desire to get on board with them,” Osaka Prefectural Assembly member Mitsuyoshi Hanaya, of the LDP, told reporters on Nov. 12. An angry Yoshimura defended the figures. “It’s clear these are not arbitrary but objective. Unlike the previous effort (in 2015) to draw up a plan, the economic and statistical results are explained,” he said. Komeito, with which Osaka Ishin must cooperate to form a majority in the municipal and prefectural assemblies, is also skeptical of the ¥1.1 trillion economic effect, saying that the report offered no clear proof. The party, along with the LDP and all of the other opposition parties, boycotted a mid-November meeting set up to discuss the report, drawing anger from both Osaka Ishin leaders. “The opposition parties should listen to the opinions of the experts and debate the issue, but that didn’t happen with parties who say that there’s no economic effect from integration,” Matsui said after the meeting, which was cut short when only members of Osaka Ishin showed up. Matsui had originally wanted to hold a referendum on the plan by this fall. When that became impossible, he pushed the goal to May 2019. “That’s still the target. It hasn’t changed,” he said in early November, before the boycott of all other parties to discuss the report of a purported ¥1.1 trillion economic effect. The problem for Matsui, Yoshimura, and Osaka Ishin is that their effort to hold the referendum is dependent on next year’s political events. Despite last week’s win of the 2025 World Expo, a victory that could strengthen Osaka Ishin’s political hand, opposition among LDP and Komeito members remains strong. In April, elections for the prefectural and municipal assemblies take place. The Osaka integration project is expected to be the main local issue in both elections. But without clear progress, voters could rebel against Osaka Ishin. Further losses of the party’s plurality in April would make it even more reliant on Komeito. It’s even possible that, if the LDP were to pick up enough seats in those elections, the local chapter of Komeito would abandon Osaka Ishin for good and cooperate with the LDP to form a majority in one or both assemblies, a prospect that would be welcomed by the national leaders of both parties. If that were to happen, it’s unclear how well Matsui and Yoshimura’s national party, Nippon Ishin, would fare in the projected July Upper House election. Setbacks in April and June would then leave Matsui and Yoshimura in a weak position come November 2019, when the gubernatorial and mayoral elections are expected to be held. While both men can enjoy the strong wind at their backs now because of the 2025 Expo bid victory, their merger efforts are likely to continue to face rough weather in 2019.

osaka
ichiro matsui
osaka ishin no kai
hirofumi yoshimura
2025 world expo


Foreign Ministry official arrested in Kabukicho over possession of illegal stimulant

Abstract: A Foreign Ministry official has been arrested in Tokyo’s famous Kabukicho nightlife district for allegedly possessing an illegal stimulant drug, police said Monday. Yasutoshi Tanimoto, 46, is suspected of having 0.6 grams of the drug on him on a street in the district of Shinjuku Ward on Saturday afternoon, the police said. Tanimoto, deputy director of the Passport Division, has admitted to the allegation and was quoted by the police as saying, “I was stressed out. I bought it online to use it for myself.” Tanimoto was questioned after he moved away from a police car on patrol in the district and the police said they found the drug inside a small clear bag that he had in his wallet. He tested positive for the banned stimulant in a urine test, the police said, adding that they suspect him of having used it. “It is regrettable that one of our staff was arrested,” the Foreign Ministry said. “We will strengthen our discipline.”


Tokyo stocks continue to slide on U.S. market weakness

Abstract: Stocks lost further ground on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Wednesday following an overnight tumble on Wall Street. The Nikkei 225 slumped 75.58 points, or 0.35 percent, to end at 21,507.54, after losing 238.04 points on Tuesday. The Topix index of all first-section issues finished down 9.78 points, or 0.60 percent, at 1,615.89. It had fallen 11.94 points the previous day. The Tokyo market got off to a weak start on the heels of a setback in U.S. stocks the previous day. The Nikkei briefly lost over 300 points early in the morning. But both indices trimmed losses throughout Wednesday’s session, backed by bargain hunting mainly of semiconductor-related names, brokers said. Investors were reluctant to tilt their positions significantly ahead of Thanksgiving Day in the United States on Thursday, an official at a bank-affiliated securities firm said. Yoshihiko Tabei, chief analyst at Naito Securities Co., said the Tokyo market’s losses were limited due to a lack of futures-linked arbitrage selling. Resource-related issues such as steel-makers, shipping firms and trading houses were major losers. “Investors were concerned about the outlook of the global economy,” an official at a major brokerage firm said. Falling issues outnumbered rising ones 1,431 to 596 in the TSE’s first section, while 85 issues were unchanged. Volume decreased to 1.392 billion shares from 1.430 billion shares on Tuesday. Oil names were downbeat after the key West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures contract hit its lowest close since October last year. They included JXTG, Showa Shell, Cosmo Energy and Idemitsu. Square Enix sagged 3.98 percent after Credit Suisse Securities (Japan) Ltd. revised down its investment rating and target stock price for the game maker. Other major losers included clothing retailer Fast Retailing, Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal, and shipping firm Mitsui O.S.K. On the other hand, semiconductor-related issues attracted buybacks after recent declines. Major gainers included Tokyo Electron, Advantest, Screen and Sumco. Also on the plus side were mobile phone carrier SoftBank Group and power firm Tepco. In index futures trading on the Osaka Exchange, the key December contract on the Nikkei average dropped 20 points to end at 21,520.


Shinzo Abe mulls visits to Netherlands, Uruguay and Paraguay in December

Abstract: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is considering visiting the Netherlands, Uruguay and Paraguay, in addition to a planned trip to Britain, in December, government sources said Tuesday. Abe is mulling the travel to the four countries through Dec. 7 after attending the two-day summit of the Group of 20 advanced and emerging economies in Buenos Aires from Nov. 30, the sources said. He may visit more countries during the tour, according to the sources. In the Netherlands, Abe will meet with Prime Minister Mark Rutte for discussions on the their countries’ cooperation to promote free trade, following the signing of the Japan-European Union economic partnership agreement in July. Abe will aim to boost Japan’s economic relations with Uruguay during his meeting there with President Tabare Vazquez. He also hopes to build relations with Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benitez, who took office in August, the sources said. Abe would be the first Japanese prime minister to visit the two South American countries. In Britain, Abe will meet with Prime Minister Theresa May and call again on the country to ensure that its planned exit from the EU will not affect Japanese companies operating there. Abe and May are expected to exchange views on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement, which is seen entering into force late this year. Britain is believed to be interested in joining the free trade pact agreed between Japan and 10 other countries. Abe is slated to leave for Argentina on Nov. 29 to kick off the tour. The prime minister is expected to make a final decision on his travel details while taking into account matters related to the Diet, according to the sources, as the current extraordinary Diet session is scheduled to end on Dec. 10.

shinzo abe
britain
eu
netherlands
g20
uruguay
paraguay


Diplomats take aim at delay in U.N. Security Council reform

Abstract: NEW YORK - Diplomats expressed frustration Tuesday during a U.N. General Assembly session about long-overdue negotiations to reform the Security Council. Japan’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Koro Bessho, was among those who highlighted the lack of tangible progress so far. “If we fail to make significant headway in this coming session, I fear that the legitimacy and viability of the IGN process itself will come into question,” he said, referring to the intergovernmental negotiations on the reform of the powerful 15-member council. “We believe that the current IGN process should be reviewed,” Bessho said. “If we need consensus for decision-making, it gives a de facto veto over the process to just a few countries, which we believe is not the will of the great majority.” The negotiations have been going on for the past 10 years with various groups representing different positions on how reform should be manifested and has relied on a consensus-based decision-making style. The council is currently made up of five permanent members with veto powers — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — and 10 nonpermanent members who are elected from regional groupings for a two-year term. The Group of Four comprising Brazil, India, Germany and Japan believes that it is necessary to enlarge the council by adding more permanent and nonpermanent seats. Uniting for Consensus, a grouping that counts countries such as Italy, Pakistan and South Korea among its members, has been pushing only for increasing the number of nonpermanent members, although it has proposed extending their term beyond the current two years. In his remarks presented as the G-4 representative, Indian Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin described how “little progress” has been made despite the fact that next year marks four decades since the issue was placed on the General Assembly agenda. “Talk now needs to be followed with action to achieve credible progress in the 73rd session of the U.N. General Assembly,” he said, adding that text-based negotiations must begin.


British women protest as their pension age rises to meet men's at 65

Abstract: LONDON - Millions of British women feel “betrayed” and many are facing poverty, campaigners said on Tuesday, as the age they can claim the state pension rose to 65 to match that of men. The government is accused of failing to give women enough warning of the steep rise in the state pension age, which experts say leaves women poorer than men because it amplifies the effect of lower lifetime earnings. “For some women it’s absolutely devastating,” said Debbie de Spon, a spokeswoman for the campaign group Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI). “We are angry that we have been treated this way having gone through our lives doing what was expected of us. … A word we often hear is ‘betrayed.’ ” The government said means-tested support was available for those struggling to manage. “The decision to equalize the state pension age between men and women was made more than 20 years ago and achieves a long-overdue move towards gender equality,” said a spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions. In the past, British women were able to claim their pension at age 60, while men had to wait until they were 65, but the government has moved to gradually equalize their positions. The overall pension age for both sexes is also due to rise to age 68 by the mid-2030s to offset longer lifespans. A decision was first made in 1995 to lift the women’s pension age by 2020, but WASPI says many women were not informed for more than a decade afterwards. The government then decided to speed up the process in 2011. The changes particularly affected about 3.8 million women born in the 1950s who were approaching their pension age as the changes took place, said WASPI. Some will have work six years extra, it said. It is calling for a lower bridging pension for women born in the 1950s during the extra years they have to work or compensation for those who have reached pension age but have suffered as a result of the way the changes were introduced. Experts said the move will leave women worse off than men because they usually have less saved for retirement. A study carried out by pensions and asset management firm Aegon last December found that at age 50 women have an average pension fund of £56,000 ($73,220) — half that of men. The firm’s director Steven Cameron said it was “hard to argue against equalizing state pension ages,” but there was no doubt it left older women at a disadvantage to men. “It has just made the gender pension gap overall bigger because up until now the one thing women had that men didn’t have was an earlier state pension age,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.


Tokyo stocks turn down on growing concerns over U.S. elections

Abstract: Stocks closed lower on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Wednesday, as investors grew concerned about the results of the closely watched U.S. midterm elections. The key 225-issue Nikkei average fell 61.95 points, or 0.28 percent, to end at 22,085.80. It gained 248.76 points Tuesday. The Topix index of all first-section issues finished down 6.92 points, or 0.42 percent, at 1,652.43. It rose 18.96 points the previous day. The Nikkei average briefly dipped into negative territory in early morning trading following media reports that the Democratic Party was likely to win back a majority in the House of Representatives, leading to a divided Congress. The key market gauge soon swung back into the sunny side and extended the gain after Republicans’ lead in the House race was reported, market sources said. In the afternoon, however, both Nikkei and Topix indexes turned to head south as vote counting progressed and Democrats’ victory in the House contest became certain, the sources added. Democrats’ regaining of control of the House will prevent smooth enactment of bills introduced by the administration of President Donald Trump, brokers said. Wednesday’s market downturn came as “expectations receded” for the realization of further tax cuts and other Republican economic policy measures, said Masahiro Ichikawa, senior strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management Co. Meanwhile, Yutaka Miura, senior technical analyst at Mizuho Securities Co., offered the view that stock transactions were led by short-term players. Democrats’ reported victory in the House was “not much surprising,” Miura also said, indicating that it had largely been factored in. Falling issues outnumbered rising ones 1,095 to 939 on the TSE’s first section, while 77 issues were unchanged. Volume grew to 1.683 billion shares, from 1.342 billion shares Tuesday. Nonferrous metal producer Mitsubishi Materials Corp. closed 8.33 percent lower after revising down its operating profit forecast for the year through March next year. Other major losers included pharmaceutical company Astellas Pharma Inc. and air conditioner-maker Daikin Industries. By contrast, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. finished 4.85 percent higher as investors took heart from its brisk earnings results and rosy forecasts, as well as a plan to buy back own shares. Also buoyant were semiconductor-related Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. and clothing store chain operator Fast Retailing Co. In index futures trading on the Osaka Exchange, the key December contract on the Nikkei average sagged 80 points to end at 22,120.


Dollar weaker around ¥113 in Tokyo trading

Abstract: The dollar eased to around ¥113 in Tokyo trading Wednesday, dampened by media reports predicting that the U.S. opposition Democratic Party would regain a House majority in midterm elections. At 5 p.m. the dollar stood at ¥113.06-06, down from ¥113.33-33 at the same time Tuesday. The euro was at $1.1453-1453, up from $1.1413-1413, and at ¥129.49-49, up from ¥129.34-34. After moving around ¥113.40 in early trading, the dollar fell below ¥113 following media reports that Democrats took the upper hand over Republicans in the House of Representatives race. Later in the morning, the greenback shot up to around ¥113.80 as Republicans were reported to be catching up with Democrats to keep their control of both chambers of Congress. But the dollar bowed to stepped-up selling after it became certain that the House would be controlled by Democrats and the Senate by Republicans, traders said. The U.S. currency “met with selling to square dollar-long positions built on the positive speculation for Republicans,” a Japanese bank official said. The dollar was also pressured by a drop in long-term U.S. interest rates, according to a securities firm official.


Citizens' group leader Fumiko Hiyoshi, who worked for sufferers of Minamata disease, dies at 103

Abstract: KUMAMOTO - Fumiko Hiyoshi, who headed a citizens’ group and supported Minamata disease sufferers for more than half a century, died Wednesday due to old age at a nursing home in Minamata, Kumamoto Prefecture, a person close to her family said. She was 103. Hiyoshi, who was an elementary school teacher before serving as a city assembly member of Minamata for 16 years from 1963, campaigned for the predecessor of chemical company Chisso Corp. and the government to accept responsibility for the disease, which is caused by mercury poisoning. The company had released mercury-tainted industrial wastewater into the sea, and local residents who consumed contaminated seafood developed neurological symptoms from the poisoning. The disease also caused birth defects. Hiyoshi established the citizens’ group in 1968 to support the patients and their families. The same year the government recognized Minamata as a disease caused by pollution.


Tokyo Medical University to accept applicants rejected due to rigging

Abstract: Tokyo Medical University on Wednesday announced measures to rectify the situation for applicants who were rejected in 2017 and 2018 due to a rigged admissions process. A total of 101 students, many of them women, will be allowed to attend classes from the start of the next school year if they so desire. There are 32 such applicants from last year and 69 from this year. “We were notified that we acted inappropriately on matters relating to entrance exams. We deeply apologize to everyone who was affected,” Yukiko Hayashi, who became the university’s first female president after the scandal came to light this summer, said at a news conference. An independent committee report said in October that 69 applicants who took the general entrance exam and a common admission test used by most universities in 2017 and 2018 would have qualified for admission if the process had been fair. Of these, at least 55 were women. Tokyo Medical University admitted in August that it had been deducting points from exam scores for over 10 years to curb female enrollment. It also said it deducted points for men who had failed the exam previously. The discriminatory practice was discovered amid a bribery investigation involving Futoshi Sano, a high-ranking education ministry official, and Masahiko Usui, former chairman of the university. The education ministry is currently investigating other medical schools nationwide to see whether they have also manipulated the student selection process. So far, 81 schools nationwide have been probed. Last month, Showa University revealed it had padded scores for applicants, while Juntendo University also announced it will set up a panel to investigate allegations of bias against female applicants.

scandals
gender discrimination
tokyo medical university


Bridge collapse costs Genoa companies €422 million in damages: Chamber of Commerce

Abstract: MILAN, ITALY - The collapse of a bridge in Genoa, which claimed 43 lives, has cost companies in the Italian city around €422 million ($482 million) in damages, the Genoa Chamber of Commerce said. The chamber’s estimate was based on a survey of hundreds of companies affected after the bridge operated by a unit of Italy’s Atlantia collapsed on Aug. 14. The survey was aimed at helping firms claim relief from state disaster-aid funds, but could also be the base for future lawsuits against whoever is found responsible for the collapse. Damages to properties, buildings, machinery and stocks were estimated at 63 million euros, while higher costs and lower profits reported by some companies due to the collapse amounted to a combined €359 million, the Chamber of Commerce said. The government has blamed Atlantia’s unit Autostrade per l’Italia, which operated the bridge, for the disaster. The company and its top managers are under judicial investigation, along with transport ministry officials, for culpable homicide. Autostrade has denied any wrongdoing, saying regular, state-supervised inspections had indicated the aging bridge was safe. The transport ministry has also said it had no responsibility. Italian freight forwarders, who say their business has been hurt by the bridge collapse, told Reuters they were taking legal advice and considering whether to sue toll-road operator Atlantia if the group is found responsible.

italy
damages
insurance
chamber of commerce
genoa
bridge accident


Nikkei falls back on lack of incentives following powerful rally

Abstract: Stocks turned lower Friday on the Tokyo Stock Exchange following selling prompted by a 401-point surge the previous day. The key 225-issue Nikkei average fell 236.67 points, or 1.05 percent, to end at 22,250.25 after jumping 401.12 points on Thursday. The Topix index of all first-section issues lost 8.27 points, or 0.49 percent, to end at 1,672.98, after climbing 28.82 points the previous day. After fluctuating around the previous day’s closing levels in early trading, the key market gauges headed south later in the morning as investor sentiment was battered by sluggish performances by Chinese stocks, market sources said. The yardsticks remained in negative territory in the afternoon as selling of mainstay issues continued, the sources said. The Tokyo market was affected by weakness in other Asian stocks “in the absence of fresh incentives in Japan,” Ryuta Otsuka, strategist at the investment information department of Toyo Securities Co., said, adding that the yen’s fall against the dollar failed to offset the downward pressure. Otsuka indicated that Tokyo stocks fell more sharply than he expected while selling incentives were limited. An official at an online brokerage pointed out that selling pressure grew when the Nikkei approached 22,500. “It is difficult for investors to take risks” before Japanese companies are set to release their scorecards at the peak of the earnings reporting season, the official added. Despite the falls of the key indexes, rising issues outnumbered losers 1,047 to 971 on the TSE’s first section and 94 issues were flat. Volume decreased to 1.447 billion shares from Thursday’s 1.537 billion shares. Shiseido tumbled 4.99 percent after investors were disappointed by the major cosmetics maker’s announcement Thursday that it left its earnings projections for the full year to December unchanged. Nonferrous metal producer Sumitomo Metal Mining met with selling following a downward revision to its earnings estimates for the year to March 2019, also released Thursday. Lower crude oil prices weighed on oil wholesalers Cosmo Energy and JXTG. By contrast, automaker Suzuki, food producer Meiji Holdings and convenience store operator FamilyMart Uny were upbeat. In index futures trading on the Osaka Exchange, the key December contract on the Nikkei average fell 230 points to 22,270.


Dollar slightly firmer above ¥113.80 in Tokyo trading

Abstract: The dollar was trading slightly above ¥113.80 in late Friday trading in Tokyo after cutting some of its earlier gains in the face of position-adjustment sales ahead of the weekend. At 5 p.m., the dollar stood at ¥113.84-85, up from ¥113.69-70 at the same time Thursday. The euro was at $1.1336-1337, down from $1.1435-1435, and at ¥129.06-06, down from ¥130.02-02. The dollar moved around ¥114.00-10 in early trading, inheriting its overnight strength abroad and reflecting hopes that the U.S. Federal Reserve will raise interest rates at its next policy meeting in December on the back of its upbeat view of the U.S. economy. At its two-day meeting through Thursday, the U.S. central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee decided to keep its federal funds rate target range at 2.0-2.25 percent. But in a policy statement, the Fed indicated its plans to continue raising its rate target gradually, saying economic activity has been rising “at a strong rate.” After the early firmness, however, the greenback fell below ¥113.90 toward noon Friday in Tokyo, pressured by profit-taking and sales induced by a decline in the benchmark Nikkei stock average, traders said. “Selling on a rally grew when the dollar rose near one-month highs around ¥114,” an official of a foreign-exchange margin trading service firm said. Still, the dollar “was hunted around ¥113.80 on expectations for a wider gap between U.S. and Japanese interest rates” following the Fed statement, the official said. The dollar’s topside was capped amid concerns about possible economic slowdowns in Europe and China, and uncertainty over fiscal conditions in Italy, market sources said.


Huge lizard that terrified Florida neighborhood caught

Abstract: DAVIE, FLORIDA - Florida authorities have caught a huge lizard that terrified residents of a suburban Miami neighborhood for months. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Thursday the Asian water monitor lizard measures more than 8 feet (2.5 meters) long. The lizard is an escaped pet. It was first reported loose in August in a Davie neighborhood. Residents said it lurked in their backyards and scratched at their patio doors. Wildlife officers and Davie police officers caught it Tuesday after getting a tip from a resident who said the lizard frequently appeared on his property around midday. A wildlife commission statement says the lizard will be returned to its owner, who received a criminal citation for its escape. Owners must have cages to keep these lizards as pets. It is illegal to release nonnative species in Florida.


A sad legacy of postwar upheaval, neglected graves hinder safety works in Okinawa

Abstract: The area around the banks of the Hija River in the town of Kadena, Okinawa Prefecture, is dotted with graves that are left unattended with no one to inherit them, posing a growing problem for urban development and safety works. Ownership of 90 percent or more of the 116 graves within nearby Yarajoseki Park, which is operated by the town and is soon to undergo renovation work, is currently unknown. Carved into the cliffs below housing operated by the prefecture, where work is being urgently conducted to prevent rockfalls or the cliff collapsing, graves where the identities of the owner and the remains interred are unclear have left authorities at a loss regarding how to proceed. In Okinawa, many graves are overseen by family members, and those with knowledge of the situation point out that amid Japan’s low birthrate and graying population, cases of graves no longer being maintained are likely to increase. Designated a park in 1979, Yarajoseki is scattered with graves that appear to have been made after World War II. In order to conduct large-scale works in the park, the Kadena Municipal Government judged that the graves would need to be moved, and in fiscal 2016 about ¥11.55 million was spent on establishing whether or not they were in use. Despite making inquiries and monitoring the graves during occasions such as Shimi — an observance in April when Okinawan family members gather in front of the family tomb — there was no sign of any owner for 107 of the graves, 30 of which contained bones or funerary urns. In the Mizugama neighborhood near the park, a number of graves of unknown ownership are located at the foot of a high-rise prefectural housing building. The prefectural housing division is keen to proceed with engineering work to roll out safety measures in the area, due to the risk of the cliff collapsing, but despite erecting signboards and publishing notices for a number of years, the division has not received any information about the graves. Under the Graveyards and Burials Act, landowners of unmanaged graves can transfer them for reburial if they receive no response for a year after publishing a notice seeking ownership information in the central government’s official gazette. Town authorities published notices in April of last year and posted signs in front of the graves. But, while the legal arrangements for transfer and reburial have been made, those responsible for the work remain concerned and note that “the extent of the cost of reburials for a large number of graves is not yet known.” Prefectural authorities in charge of taking safety measures on the cliffs below the prefectural housing, on the other hand, take the view that while the work has been postponed until now, the risk of rockfalls has increased due to factors such as the effects of typhoons, making further delays no longer possible. As a last resort, the policy has been to proceed with safety works while trying to avoid activities directly above the graves. Years of neglect So far, municipal authorities within the prefecture have been at a loss as to how to deal with neglected graves in cases where there are no longer family members to manage them. The situation within the prefecture contrasts starkly with the rest of the nation, where it is much more common to set up graves within cemeteries, such as those operated by temples. It is all too easy for graves to become unmanaged or abandoned for many years in Okinawa, where a preference remains for individual graves within a family resting place. There are also many unauthorized graves, to the extent that it is unfeasible for most municipal or prefectural authorities to accurately assess the scale of the issue. In addition to having a negative effect on their surroundings, neglected graves cost time and money if they are reburied at an alternative location. “We know there are a lot of them in the mountains, but we have no way of finding out who is connected with them,” said a town representative from the north of the prefecture. “Unless there’s a problem with them, it’s hard to get involved,” they added. In urban areas where residential land development is underway, the need for effective measures is urgent. Seven years ago, the Urasoe Municipal Government in the prefecture estimated that of around 7,000 graves in the city, 300 or so had not been maintained for many years. The Okinawa Municipal Government receives inquiries about four to five times each year from building contractors or residents regarding unknown graves found on newly purchased land. While the Naha Municipal Government estimated 16 years ago that among the around 17,000 graves in the city, roughly 1,100 were unattended or unused, “the numbers are definitely growing higher than that now,” an official said. In principle, landowners are responsible for paying any costs incurred to perform reburials for neglected graves. Since such graves are also found on privately owned land, parties involved are often concerned over potentially escalating costs, as well as delays of at least a year due to procedures such as the publishing of notices in the official gazette. Chaotic postwar years Well-versed in the city’s history, Kadena’s former Superintendent of Education Katsuo Iha, 79, believes that many of the graves located across the Hija River area were likely to have been erected in the chaotic postwar years, without permission from landowners. “Graves are thought to have accumulated in the area at a time when land was requisitioned for U.S. military bases and there wasn’t anywhere to live,” he said. “In most cases the family members who attended them may have passed away, or the graves may no longer be used after remains were transferred elsewhere,” Iha suggested. According to Hajime Kinjo, a consultant specializing in grave-related issues, “it typically becomes hard to find a successor to manage individual graves in family tombs after around three generations.” “The only solution is to prevent the graves from becoming neglected by erecting them together in cemeteries that are managed by authorities or private companies,” he added.


TV Asahi cancels performance of K-pop group BTS over member's Hiroshima A-bombing T-shirt

Abstract: TV Asahi Corp. said Thursday it had canceled a live performance by K-pop group BTS amid a furor over a member having worn a controversial T-shirt, said by some to celebrate the use of atomic weapons against Japan during WWII. The controversy erupted over photos of BTS member Jimin wearing the T-shirt, which commemorates the day the Korean Peninsula was liberated from Japanese colonial rule in 1945. But the design, which has drawn flak from many Japanese, also includes a photo of an atomic bomb exploding over Japan. @BTS_twt This is an atomic bomb t shirt dropped in Japan. It is a group that also works in Japan, so please have a little more consciousness. I am sorry just because I like Jimin and I am supporting bts. pic.twitter.com/xRm4tADLBs — . (@iGkmPqdcpB10C6L) October 30, 2018 Tokyo-based TV Asahi said it decided to call off BTS’s Friday night performance on its “Music Station” program, and has asked the band’s agency to explain the member’s intention in wearing the shirt. The broadcaster’s statement also apologized to viewers over the cancellation. Company spokesman Shinya Matsuki declined further comment. For its part, BTS apologized in a statement to its Japanese fans for not being able to make the appearance, without elaborating. Universal Music said it will continue to support BTS and confirmed that their appearance scheduled for Friday was canceled. The A-bomb T-shirt was one of the top trending topics on Twitter Friday morning. ‘Music Station’ is one of Japan’s most prominent music programs, and one of TV Asahi’s main shows. Some Japanese fans of the band expressed disgust on Twitter that their show was canceled over a T-shirt, while other users of the social network described the group as making light of the atomic bombings. The incident comes as ties between Tokyo and Seoul are once again strained over historical issues. The latest controversy follows a recent decision handed down by South Korea’s Supreme Court that said Japanese firms can be held liable for forced labor that occurred before and during World War II. Work by seven-member boy band BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, has reached No. 1 on the Billboard chart. The group has also collaborated with Japanese American DJ and musical artist Steve Aoki.


Keio University submits research plan with goal of performing Japan's first womb transplants

Abstract: A Keio University team hopes to carry out Japan’s first clinical research into transplanting wombs to women who do not have the organ, according to sources. The team submitted the research plan to the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology on Wednesday, asking for its input. The society will start discussions on ethical and safety aspects. The plan was produced by the team led by Iori Kisu, specially appointed assistant professor at the university. Under the plan, five women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuester-Hauser syndrome, which caused them to be born without wombs, would receive operations to transplant wombs donated by their mothers or sisters. The team would inject drugs to suppress the women’s immune systems to avoid rejection responses, and put externally fertilized frozen eggs back into the wombs so that the women can become pregnant. Womb transplant operations have already been carried out in some areas in the United States and Europe, resulting in successful pregnancies. So far no such operations have been conducted in Japan. Issues that need to be examined include the effects of drugs to suppress the immune system on fetuses in wombs, risks to those who donate wombs and whether it is appropriate to receive organs despite not suffering from a life-threatening disease.


Kyoto University performs world's first iPS cell transplant for Parkinson's

Abstract: KYOTO - Kyoto University said Friday it has conducted the world’s first transplant of induced pluripotent stem cells to treat Parkinson’s disease. Nerve cells created from the artificially derived stem cells, known as iPS cells, were transplanted into the brain of a patient in his 50s in October in a treatment researchers hope to develop into a method that can be covered under Japan’s health insurance system. “By also cooperating with companies, we want to develop a mass production system that enables us to deliver nerve cells derived from iPS cells to all over the world,” said Jun Takahashi, a professor at the university’s Center for iPS Cell Research and Application who led the research team, at a news conference. Parkinson’s disease reduces dopamine-producing neurons in the brain and results in tremors in the hands and feet and stiffness in the body. While there are treatments to relieve the symptoms, there is currently no cure for the disease. In Japan, an estimated 160,000 people suffer from the progressive neurological disorder. Many patients develop symptoms when in their 50s or older, and the number of patients is rising due to the graying of society. The clinical trial was carried out by the research center and Kyoto University Hospital, with doctors verifying the transplant’s safety and effectiveness. Shinya Yamanaka, who heads the center, won the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 2012 for discovering iPS cells, which can grow into any type of body tissue and are seen as a promising tool for regenerative medicine and drug development. According to the treatment plan, the nerve cells transplanted into the patient’s brain were created using iPS cells derived from people who had types of immunity that made them less prone to rejecting transplants. The nerve cells are expected to supplement dopamine-emitting neurons. During a course of treatment that will be monitored for two years, immune suppressor drugs will be injected to reduce the possibility of rejections. The transplant performed last month is aimed mainly at verifying the safety of such a therapy, by checking whether any tumors develop in the brain. So far, no hemorrhages within the brain or other harmful symptoms have been found, according to the university. At the news conference at the hospital, Takayuki Kikuchi, a surgeon, elaborated on the process of the three-hour operation he performed. “We made a hole in the frontal part of the left side of the head and transplanted some 2.4 million cells,” he said, adding that the patient smiled with relief after the operation. The study will involve seven patients in their 50s and 60s, who fulfilled the criteria of having received drug treatments without effective results and having suffered from Parkinson’s disease for more than five years. “Having heard the news of the first trial, I feel the research is steadily moving forward step by step. We are all looking forward to hearing a positive outcome,” said Hisao Hiramine, a 70-year-old who suffers from the disease and chairs a Tokyo association of patients and their families. Asked about his eventual goal, Kyoto University’s Takahashi said, “The best scenario is to see patients improve to the extent they do not have to take any medicine.” He added: “For surgeons, the result is all that matters.” Outside Japan, nerve cells from aborted fetuses have been transplanted into patients’ brains in clinical research conducted since the 1980s. Although the method proved effective to a certain extent, it entailed ethical problems and side effects in which patients’ bodies moved unintentionally. The iPS cells used in this study are of high quality, for clinical use, and could also be prepared in a large volume. The application of iPS cells to health treatment follows the world’s first clinical study by the Japanese government-backed Riken institute to transplant retina cells grown from stem cells to treat patients suffering from serious eye problems. Among other clinical trials related to regenerative medicine, Osaka University is planning to transplant heart muscle cell sheets derived from iPS cells into the hearts of patients who are suffering from serious heart failure. Another research team at Kyoto University is expected to begin a blood transfusion test using platelets created from the stem cells in order to treat patients with aplastic anemia.

medicine
ips
kyoto university
disease
parkinson 's disease


New foreign worker status raises hopes in industries short of staff

Abstract: The envisaged new status for foreign workers in Japan is raising hopes in industries facing severe labor shortages, such as the restaurant and manufacturing sectors. The new residence status “will help us hire more talented foreign workers,” an official of a major izakaya (traditional Japanese pub) chain said, welcoming a bill to revise the immigration control law as the restaurant industry has been struggling with chronic labor shortages. “It’s good for both Japanese and foreign staff as we can learn languages and customs from each other by working together,” an official at a major hotel operator said, hoping for synergies that will help improve service quality. In the manufacturing industry, Isuzu Motors Ltd. President Masanori Katayama said that it will be good to have more hiring options, as his company is suffering from a shortage of workers, . “Many Indonesian people are already playing a major role and we would face problems without them,” an official in the shipbuilding industry said. Companies in the industries that are expected to be covered by the planned new residence status are eager to actively hire foreign workers, sources said. The government submitted the bill to revise the immigration control law to the Lower House, last week. The bill is designed to accept more foreign workers in Japan, including unskilled workers, to resolve labor shortages. It calls for creating two types of new residence status. The government is considering giving Type 1 status to foreign workers with certain levels of knowledge or experience in 14 industries, including the agriculture, fishery, restaurant and hotel sectors. Type 2 status would be granted to highly skilled foreign workers in some five industries, including construction and automobile maintenance. Faced with a drop in the aging farmer population, the agriculture industry is welcoming the policy of accepting more foreign workers. But there are cautious opinions as well. Toru Nakaya, head of the Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives, or JA-Zenchu, said there are concerns about problems involving foreign workers and the deterioration of public security. “It’s necessary to dispel such concerns and provide a friendly environment for foreign workers,” Nakaya said. Currently, some companies in Japan accept foreign workers under the country’s technical intern training program. But the program has been plagued with problems. Abusing the system, some companies refused to pay wages to their trainees, while some interns have gone missing. “It’s our mission to create a work environment allowing each worker to utilize their capabilities regardless of nationality and gender,” said Noriaki Horikiri, president of major Japanese seasoning-maker Kikkoman Corp.

agriculture
manufacturing
foreign workers


Time employed under new visas won't count toward working period requirement for permanent residency

Abstract: The Justice Ministry does not intend to count time spent employed under one of two new visas set to be introduced next spring when checking whether those who apply for permanent residency status meet requirements, government sources have said. One of the prerequisites for permanent residency in Japan is having five years of work experience in the country. But according to the sources, those working under the new proposed visa status — which will be available to individuals with considerable knowledge or experience in areas where human resources are lacking in the nation — will not be able to cite time spent under this status as working time when they apply for permanent residency. The new visa, along with another type intended for individuals with more seasoned skills in areas similar to those under the first type, is aimed at making up for labor shortages in certain job categories, and will open the door to more foreign blue-collar workers. In the meantime, the ministry is still considering how to handle time spent working in Japan under the second type of visa, the sources said. Last week, the government submitted to the Diet a bill that would revise related laws to establish the two new visa types in April. Under the bill, those who fall under the first category will receive renewable visas for periods ranging from one to five years, for a combined total of five years, but will not be allowed to bring their families with them. The second new visa type will also be renewable, pending necessary checks, for as long as one’s employment contract is renewed. It will also let the recipient bring their spouses and children to the country. Both statuses require applicants to have adequate Japanese language proficiency to get by in daily life. Those in the first type can apply to change their status to the second type, if they fulfill the requirements. In Friday’s first meeting of the Lower House Committee on Judicial Affairs, Justice Minister Takashi Yamashita said the bill, if passed, would enable employers suffering from serious labor shortages to secure staffers who can immediately contribute to the workforce. Those applying for permanent residency under the ministry’s guidelines must fulfill requirements including good behavior, having adequate assets and skills to live in the country, and 10 or more years residing in Japan including at least five years under work visas. The time under the first new visa type will be counted toward the residential requirement, but not the working period requirement. The bill to introduce the visas has already been deliberated in Lower and Upper House budget committees, where opposition lawmakers criticized the legislation for lacking clarity on details — including which industries would be within scope for the new visas and how many people were expected to come to Japan. “We will proceed with preparing the environment and compile a comprehensive set of measures by the end of the year toward realizing a society in which Japanese and foreigners can coexist,” Yamashita said. Yamashita repeated Friday that the new systems are not meant to promote immigration, noting that they will not directly lead to permanent residency. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference that the Justice Ministry is currently considering how the new visa types will be handled when considering applications for permanent residency. He said the decision on approvals will basically continue to rest with the justice minister in consideration of the situation surrounding each application.

immigration
justice ministry
visas
foreign workers


Foreign trainees tell Diet hearing about poor work environments in Japan

Abstract: At a joint hearing conducted by major opposition parties Thursday, foreign trainees in Japan complained of low wages, long working hours, violence and power harassment at their workplaces. A Chinese woman who arrived in Japan in 2015 and worked at a paper mill in Shizuoka Prefecture said she had developed depression after experiencing discrimination and bullying at her workplace. She said she tried to commit suicide when her request for a transfer was rejected. Another trainee who attended was a Vietnamese man who came to Japan in 2015, to gain skills in handling reinforcing rods and creating molds for concrete at construction sites. He claimed his job at a construction company in Fukushima Prefecture mostly involved decontamination work after the 2011 nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Fukushima No. 1 plant. The man said he’d wanted to learn expert skills but that never happened, adding that he’d also realized his hopes would never be fulfilled three years after his arrival in the country. The joint hearing was held after the government last week submitted a draft revision to the immigration control law, to accept more foreign workers in order to ease labor shortages. Among the participating politicians were Akira Nagatsuma, acting leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), and Kazuhiro Haraguchi, Diet affairs head of the Democratic Party for the People. In an statement drawn up Thursday, the CDPJ said the proposed revision may “further deepen and prolong problems arising from the technical intern training program.” The government is aiming for the revision to be passed during the current Diet session, which is set to end in December. The CDPJ said it cannot accept the government’s position as the revision will create a source of significant difficulty in the country’s future. At a press conference, JCP leader Kazuo Shii said his party will endeavor to get the bill scrapped through Diet debates.

the constitutional democratic party of japan


Chinese trainee wins compensation from Japanese farm after overtime pay amounted to ¥400 per hour

Abstract: MITO - A Chinese trainee won compensation Friday from a Japanese farm after being underpaid, in what is the latest incident of abuse involving a program often accused of being a cover for importing cheap labor. The Mito District Court ruled that a father and son who run a farm in Ibaraki Prefecture must pay the Chinese trainee ¥1.99 million ($17,500) for wages owed, and a similar amount as a fine. The 32-year-old woman started working at the vegetable farm a month after arriving in Japan in September 2013, according to the complaint. The court recognized that her overtime pay was ¥400 per hour, calculating that she bundled 200 bunches of Japanese basil an hour and was paid ¥2 per bunch. The ruling said that she worked every day until 9 or 10 p.m. and occasionally until midnight. The wage paid to the trainee was far lower than the minimum hourly wage of around ¥700 at that time set by local labor officials. “A ¥400 hourly wage is wrong and there are many similar cases in Japan,” said Shoichi Ibuski, her defense lawyer and expert on foreign labor issues. “It is the reality for trainees that they cannot claim their rights or protest,” he said, criticizing the vegetable farm for taking advantage of the situation. The court dismissed the woman’s damages claim over alleged sexual harassment at the farm, and against the foreign trainee supervisory organization that arranged her employment there. The training program was introduced in 1993 with the goal of transferring skills to developing countries.

courts
expats
foreign trainees
foreign workers
mito district court
shoichi ibuski


Tokyo stocks end higher for sixth session

Abstract: Stocks extended their winning streak to a sixth session on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Friday, as buying increased after the recent drops. The 225-issue Nikkei average climbed 88.46 points, or 0.40 percent, to finish at 22,351.06, the best finish since Nov. 8. It rose 85.58 points Thursday. The Topix index of all first-section issues closed up 7.98 points, or 0.48 percent, at 1,667.45, after gaining 5.81 points the previous day. Stocks moved without direction in the morning amid a wait-and-see mood ahead of the closely watched meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to be held on the sidelines of the two-day Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires from Friday, market sources said. In afternoon trading, the Nikkei average firmed as mainstay issues, including drugmakers and some automakers, attracted purchases after their recent falls, according to the sources. Chihiro Ota, general manager for investment research and investor services at SMBC Nikko Securities Inc., said that the market’s firmness came as “Chinese stocks moved on a relatively firm note.” Behind Friday’s rise was “hope for progress” in trade negotiations between the United States and China, an official of an asset management firm said about the Trump-Xi meeting. The official indicated that futures-led purchases on the back of the speculation that the world’s two largest economies would reach a certain agreement on trade buoyed the market. Meanwhile, an official of an online brokerage firm warned that the Nikkei average could fall close to 21,000 in the near future if the Trump-Xi talks fall apart. Rising issues outnumbered falling ones 1,311 to 737 in the TSE’s first section, while 69 issues were unchanged. Volume rose to 1.819 billion shares from 1.302 billion shares on Thursday. Among automakers, Honda and Suzuki were upbeat thanks to buybacks, a market source said. Drugmakers Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma and Shionogi were also buoyant. Electronic parts supplier Murata Manufacturing closed 2.52 percent higher, as investors took heart from its bullish earnings targets for fiscal 2021 released Thursday, brokers said. By contrast, Seiko Epson lost 5.70 percent after SMBC Nikko Securities revised down its stock target price for the printer-maker Thursday. Also on the minus side were clothing retailer Fast Retailing and air-conditioner-maker Daikin. In index futures trading on the Osaka Exchange, the key December contract on the Nikkei average rose 110 points to end at 22,350.


Dollar slightly firmer above ¥113.40 in Tokyo

Abstract: The dollar was slightly firmer above ¥113.40 in late Tokyo trading Friday, supported by position-adjustment buying. At 5 p.m., the dollar stood at ¥113.46, up from ¥113.24 at the same time Thursday. The euro was at $1.1379, down from $1.1383, and at ¥129.12, up from ¥128.91. The greenback moved narrowly around ¥113.40 throughout Friday, with its downside supported by purchases from domestic importers and position-adjustment buying, traders said. Active trading was held in check ahead of the closely watched meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping this weekend, market sources said. An official of a major securities firm predicted that the U.S.-China trade fiction “won’t improve drastically” after the meeting. Currency market players “are expected to buy dollars” next week after the Trump-Xi meeting and congressional testimony by U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Wednesday, an official of a bank-linked securities firm said.