Nakasone pitched trade with North Korea as part of 1980s appeal to China: declassified records

Abstract: In 1986, then-Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone told Chinese government heavyweight Hu Yaobang that Japan was prepared to trade with North Korea, according to Japanese diplomatic records declassified Wednesday. Despite a lack of diplomatic relations between Tokyo and Pyongyang, Nakasone told Hu that Japan was prepared for bilateral trade, according to the records. Nakasone also aimed to help improve relations between China and South Korea at the same time, the document states, showing how Nakasone tried to leverage his friendly relationship with Hu to work with China in pursuit of peace on the Korean Peninsula. On a November 1986 visit to China, Nakasone told Hu of South Korea’s desire to formally establish relations with China. While trying to serve as a bridge between Beijing and Seoul, Nakasone proposed at the same time improving ties between Japan and North Korea. Hu, who was general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party for much of the 1980s under the rule of Deng Xiaoping, was known for his support of reforms and warmth toward Japan. But Hu said he could not fulfill either request. The effort was covered to some extent by Japanese media at the time, with Kyodo News describing a “failure to work as a bridge between China and South Korea.” China and South Korea ended up establishing relations in 1992, while Japan and North Korea remain isolated from each other to the present day. Nakasone and Hu met in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on Nov. 8, 1986. According to a declassified cable dated the following day, Nakasone told Hu he was asked to pass on a message from South Korean leaders that “even if we cannot attain diplomatic relations with China, we want to expand (bilateral) exchange.” He also communicated Seoul’s wish for bilateral trade with China and the mutual appointment of trade representatives. Nakasone made clear that if Beijing and Seoul set up a trade framework, his administration was “prepared to carry out something similar between Japan and North Korea.” Hu replied that it would be hard to make such a thing happen between Japan and North Korea but vowed to convey the idea to Pyongyang and test its response, according to the file. While Hu said South Korea’s desire to improve relations with China was “a good thing,” he effectively turned down the request by saying China would “need it to be accepted by North Korea and the other socialist countries.” According to the records, Nakasone also told Hu of South Korea’s wish to hold four-party talks with China, the United States and North Korea. Hu responded that the North and South would need to loosely form a union in order for that to happen. They said Hu indicated China was having a hard time dealing with North Korea, prompting anger from Pyongyang by suggesting the North could hold talks with South Korea and the United States. The declassified records also show that Hu told Nakasone about internal affairs in China, revealing his plan to refresh the Communist Party leadership at its 1987 congress by “making the old-timers quit.” Hu also criticized the Soviet Union in front of Nakasone for “lacking common vocabulary” with China on foreign policy, and revealed that East German leader Erich Honecker had told senior Chinese officials that the Soviet Union “should give back” a chain of islands seized from Japan after World War II. Nakasone held talks with Honecker in East Germany in January 1987. The row over the sovereignty of the islands off Hokkaido continues to the present day. Other declassified diplomatic records showed that an Israeli-American political cartoonist secretly passed a request from then-Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres to Nakasone in 1985 to get more involved in the Middle East peace process. But Nakasone decided to turn down the request, deeming it too risky to center Japanese foreign policy on personal ties with Peres. Japan feared protests from the surrounding Arab countries with which it had built deep ties through the purchase of oil. Tokyo’s eagerness at that time to maintain a sense of balance between different parties in the Middle East was echoed earlier this month in its conservative response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Peres’ “secret envoy” was political cartoonist and journalist Ranan Lurie, according to the files. He was sent to Japan in order to deliver Peres’ message without having to go through the foreign minister of the time, Yitzhak Shamir, who took a hard line on relations with the Arab world. The meeting between Nakasone and Lurie on Jan. 23, 1985, was originally explained as having been a discussion about cartoons. But a declassified file dating from the same day says Lurie told the prime minister of Peres’ wish to achieve peace in the Middle East in a way that would not allow Israeli hard-liners to say he had folded to Arab interests. Touching on potential areas for compromise, including the release of the West Bank from Israeli control, Lurie urged Nakasone to lend Japan’s influence as a major neutral country and hold a summit with Peres. But judging that Arab countries would be up in arms over the idea, Nakasone answered that “talks with Peres would be difficult in the current circumstances,” according to the file. Subsequently serving as foreign minister, Peres was part of the 1993 Oslo I Accord between the Israelis and Palestinians and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize the following year along with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

china
north korea
history
south korea
yasuhiro nakasone


Japan downplayed Chernobyl concerns at G-7 for energy policy's sake: declassified documents

Abstract: Eager to maintain its energy policy in the wake of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, Japan made sure concerns about nuclear technology were downplayed at the 12th Group of Seven summit it chaired in Tokyo days after the disaster, according to Japanese diplomatic records declassified Wednesday. References to “radiation” and “concerns” about the nuclear accident that took place in what is now present-day Ukraine were deleted from a draft of the G-7 statement. The final statement instead dubbed nuclear power as “an energy source that will be ever more widely used in the future.” The declassified records show that Japan worked to build an international consensus on retaining nuclear power even while little was known about the cause of the Chernobyl accident or the scale of the damage. Missing a chance to thoroughly debate strengthening safety regulations, Japan went ahead with its nuclear power strategy until the March 2011 Fukushima accident, triggered by a huge earthquake and tsunami, exposed what government-appointed investigators and others have dubbed a “safety myth.” According to a Foreign Ministry official who was involved in the G-7 summit at the time, “There was no awareness in the government or the nuclear industry that Japan’s nuclear plants might be dangerous too, or that we could learn a lesson from (Chernobyl).” After the nuclear crisis on April 26, 1986, the Soviet Union first publicly acknowledged it on April 29 JST, but released very few details as part of its tight control of information in the midst of the Cold War. Among the declassified records is a Japanese government “plan to respond to the Soviet nuclear accident,” dated May 1 and marked secret. The plan centered on “reaffirming the necessity” of nuclear power, while also aiming to set up an international information-sharing system for nuclear accidents. This plan guided the Japanese delegation at the G-7 summit in Tokyo, which began on May 4, and served as a springboard for the statement adopted there the following day. According to a document dated May 3, then-Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone had told senior Foreign Ministry officials that “there is great interest in Japan in the ‘ashes of death (radioactive fallout).’ ” The issue was a particularly sensitive one for the public due to the exposure of fishing boat Fukuryu Maru No. 5, also known as the Lucky Dragon, to radioactive fallout from a U.S. hydrogen bomb test in the Marshall Islands in 1954, as well as the 1945 U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II. The ministry later described Nakasone as having “shown initiative” at the summit. Once the G-7 adopted its statement, Japan’s Agency for Natural Resources and Energy then wrote a memorandum to power companies and local authorities involved with nuclear plants on May 6, explaining that the government would “continue to promote (nuclear power) with a safety-first mindset.” A note in the margin warned the recipients not to release the contents of the memo to the press. Earlier, the Foreign Ministry had ordered Japanese embassies across Europe to gather information on the Chernobyl accident, according to a ministry cable dated April 29 in which it was described as something that “could have a grave impact on Japan’s nuclear energy policy.” The cable also indicates Tokyo was mindful of the accident’s potential to stir up opposition to nuclear power within Japan, including in communities near power plants. It noted that “no marked protest activities have been observed.” The G-7 then comprised of the United Kingdom, Canada, France, West Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States.

fukushima no . 1
chernobyl
nuclear energy
nuclear crisis


Researchers prevent kidney stones on long-term space missions with medication to manage bone loss

Abstract: Research conducted by Atsushi Okada from the nephro-urology department at Nagoya City University Graduate School and others has revealed that the risk of kidney stone disease increases for astronauts who remain in space for a long period of time because diminishing bone mass triggers a rise in calcium levels in urine. However, the researchers also discovered that the malady, which causes severe pain in the upper and lower back, can be prevented by ingesting a therapeutic agent used to treat osteoporosis before taking flight. The professor hopes their latest finding will improve the health of astronauts and ensure their safety. According to Okada, astronauts who stay in space — where they are less subject to the forces of gravity — are in a similar state to those who are bedridden. Their bones weaken easily due to reduced stress, leading to bone loss and calcium oxalate crystals in urine that develop slowly to form urinary stones. This risk was first identified in the 1960s when the U.S., Russia and other countries received reports of its occurrence during space flight or after the astronauts returned to Earth. If even one member develops kidney stones during a mission the astronaut will have difficulty completing required tasks, and this could jeopardize the lives of all astronauts on board. When the human exploration of Mars and similar activities are conducted in the future people will remain in space for much longer periods of time, so the issue of renal stone formation needs to be addressed. The research on prevention measures was conducted jointly by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). They collected data on bone changes for 17 astronauts from different countries who stayed aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for six months between 2009 and 2016, and compared their condition before and after flight. They gave bisphosphonate, a medicine to treat osteoporosis, to seven astronauts once a week prior to their flight and discovered their urine calcium levels was reduced. “The medicine suppressed the loss of bone mass,” explained Okada, a lecturer at the school. Meanwhile, the calcium level increased for the remaining 10, who experienced bone loss. Other reasons for higher calcium levels can be attributed to weaker blood flow to the kidneys in space, and low amounts of urine due to insufficient water intake. The study was the first research that established preventive effects for the risk of renal stone formation for long-term stays in space, and its findings were announced in a conference held in the U.S. in September. Up until now countermeasures mostly involved doing squats and other exercises to build up bone and muscle, but there had been no prevention through medication. “We explained the effects of taking the medicine, including side effects, and more astronauts are taking it . . . I hope this will contribute to the treatment of kidney stones for the general public as well,” said Okada. Calcium, oxalic acid, phosphorus and other minerals in the urine may crystallize to form kidney stones. When they move in the urinary tract, they can cause severe pain and blood in the urine. The number of patients suffering from the disease has increased threefold since 1965, from 43 people per 100,000 at that time to 134 in 2005. Stones with a diameter of approximately 0.5 cm can be discharged naturally, but if they grow to be 1 cm or larger, the patient needs to be treated by breaking the stone using shock waves.


Japan set to bank ¥40 billion per year for tourism sector with new departure tax

Abstract: From January 2019 Japan is set to impose a ¥1,000 tax on everyone departing the country, to secure funding for tourism infrastructure and promotion amid record-breaking arrivals of international travelers. The inbound tourism industry is one of the few growth sectors in the rapidly graying and shrinking country. The government aims to increase the annual number of international visitors to 40 million by 2020, and 60 million by 2030. To reach the targets, it claims, the nation needs extra funds to upgrade tourism facilities. Although the amount may not be substantial on an individual level some officials in the travel industry have voiced concerns over the levy’s possible impact on their business, saying it could put off inbound visitors — especially those who fly on budget carriers. Here are some questions and answers about the new tax, which is expected to be introduced on Jan. 7, 2019: Where did the idea come from? The idea of taxing travelers as they depart the country surfaced in the summer, when it was reported that the government was considering the policy. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, who has been eager to boost tourism, is said to be the one who proposed the idea. Following the reports, the Japan Tourism Agency convened a panel of experts in September to discuss ways to fund upgrades to tourism infrastructure. After only two months of discussions and hearings involving related industries, the panel compiled a proposal in November advising the government to create a departure tax. The amount should “not be more than ¥1,000” per person and it should be introduced before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, the panel said. Without much opposition, the plan secured approval from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s tax commission and was included in a fiscal 2018 tax reform plan released on Thursday. Such speedy decision-making has prompted questions from experts about whether there was really enough discussion about the necessity for the new tax. Questions have also been asked about whether the government had sought ways to implement tourism measures under the existing budget. In 2016, around 40 million people departed Japan, meaning the new tax could generate about ¥40 billion a year — nearly double the agency’s initial budget for fiscal 2017. Who has to pay? Both Japanese and non-Japanese departing the country will face the ¥1,000 levy, which is expected to be included in ticket prices for flights and sailings. Children under 2 years old and transit passengers who depart Japan within 24 hours of their arrival will be exempt. How will the revenue be spent? Authorities say it will be used to fund tourism-related measures to create an environment more agreeable to international visitors. Although nothing specific has been set out, some of the ideas proposed by the panel included bolstering security checks using the latest technologies, speeding up immigration procedures, installing more free Wi-Fi hot spots and increasing multilingual signs — especially in rural areas. Referring to a survey of foreign visitors conducted by the Japan Tourism Agency conducted in 2016, which found that many struggled with communication at restaurants or other facilities, agency chief Akihiko Tamura said more high-tech solutions should be used. Another idea for making use of the revenue is aimed at helping Japanese who travel abroad. Jiji Press reported that the tourism agency is considering creating a system to quickly confirm the safety of Japanese travelers during emergencies. According to the agency the number of inbound visitors hit a record 24.04 million last year, up 21.8 percent from the year before. This year the number is expected to top 28 million, it said. Along with the surge, spending by inbound tourists grew to ¥3.75 trillion — compared to ¥1.08 trillion in 2012. Do other countries have a similar tax? Many countries have similar systems under different names. Australia charges a AU$60 (¥5,200) departure levy called the Passenger Movement Charge, according to the government. The U.S. collects $14 (¥1,570) from international travelers from countries in its visa waiver program under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). Britain’s Air Passenger Duty (APD) imposes between £13 (¥1,860) and £450 (¥62,600) to departing travelers. The rates differ based on flight distance and cabin class — a system meant to collect more from wealthy travelers. In 2015, the APD brought in some £3.1 billion (¥443 billion). South Korea also imposes a 10,000 won (¥960) departure fee on air travelers, according to the Japan Tourism Agency. Are there other travel-related taxes? The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Osaka Prefectural Government impose a lodging tax, charging between ¥100 to ¥300 per person per day, to finance tourism promotion and related measures. Kyoto, which has seen a surge in the number of international travelers, plans to follow suit starting next October. In fiscal 2016, Tokyo earned a total of ¥2.5 billion from the levy. Osaka, which introduced the accommodation tax last year, is expected to earn ¥1.1 billion per year according to data provided by the Japan Tourism Agency. Some municipal governments also charge a so-called bathing tax of around ¥150 per person.


Five years of Abenomics: The good, the bad and the sluggish

Abstract: Five years since Shinzo Abe came to power, the economy is much stronger, but still falls short of the revolution he pledged to deliver. Aggressive monetary policy has beaten back the deflationary malaise of previous decades and the weak yen is boosting exports, corporate profits and the stock market. Yet much of the promise of the prime minister’s Abenomics program remains unfulfilled. Domestic consumption is tepid, companies are reluctant to raise pay for workers, and businesses and households worry about the future as the population ages and declines. And the nation’s huge debt still casts a shadow over the future. Here is an assessment of progress on some key economic indicators: Bigger economy While the growth trajectory may look modest, and needs to speed up to meet Abe’s target, the economy is ¥56 trillion ($494 billion) larger than when he took office in December 2012. This increase alone is bigger than Belgium’s gross domestic product. Encouragingly, capital expenditure is picking up — pointing to more growth. G-7 laggard The trouble is, Japan could be doing better. While the economy is in its longest growth run since the mid 1990s, many of its peers look stronger and the expansion isn’t surprising in the current global climate. Structural reforms have slowed, and Japan owes a lot to overseas demand for the nation’s products. This comes up month after month in export gains, which aren’t matched in domestic figures for household consumption. Debt trap The national debt has stabilized at around 240 percent of gross domestic product under Abe, according to IMF estimates. That in itself is an achievement, but the burden is still significantly heavier than in many other major economies and the prospects for cutting it seem dim for now. More worryingly, as the population declines, debt measured per capita is still increasing. Back to work A notable success of the last five years has been the rising number of people working, which has jumped by 2.7 million while the ranks of the unemployed have shrunk by 1.1 million. Much of the increase has been from women re-entering the workforce, with more child care playing a big part. But Abe’s early goal of having women take 30 percent of management positions in all fields by 2020 has fallen by the wayside. The percentage of women in the Diet has actually declined slightly, to 10.1 percent, and just two of his 20 cabinet members are women. Wages Conundrum Wages are inching higher but remain a stumbling block for Abenomics. As in many other countries, Japan’s extremely tight labor market isn’t translating into big pay hikes for workers. A Bloomberg survey of economists shows that Japanese employees may see a 1 percent increase in their total earnings next year. Yet much more is needed for household spending to rise and for companies to feel confident about increasing prices. Without either of these, the Bank of Japan will continue to struggle to get inflation to its 2 percent target, though it has ended deflation for now. Productivity and reform Stalling growth in labor productivity is a key failure of Abenomics, according to Bloomberg Economics’ Yuki Masujima. He notes that productivity is up in manufacturing. But in the services sector, which employs 70 percent of the workforce, it fell by more than 10 percent from 2003 to 2016. While the productivity slowdown is a global trend, Abe’s “third arrow” of structural reforms were intended to address this problem in Japan. Masujima’s scorecard highlights some of the areas of achievement, like corporate governance and the ramp-up of inbound tourism, and the pockets of persistent weakness, such as agriculture and innovation. Lowering barriers Donald Trump’s decision to pull the U.S. out of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership regional trade plan was a blow to Japan, but Abe has been tenacious in keeping talks alive for a pact without the U.S. He also sealed a trade deal with Australia and finalized negotiations with the European Union in December on an economic partnership agreement. While he’s closed the door to mass immigration to arrest Japan’s economic decline, Abe has presided over a leap in the number of foreign workers in the country who now number more than a million. With Abe having a good chance of staying in office to 2021, which would make him the longest-serving Japanese prime minister in history, his program still has a long way to run. “This is a rare chance for a Japanese leader to actually get something done — to put the economy back on its feet,” said Masujima. “Abe’s record so far on globalization shows his best effort, but it’s on reform that he’s got to up his game. Ultimately, Abe will probably be judged on whether he increases Japan’s capacity to grow — which would go a long way in helping it cope with its debt and aging population.”


'The doctor would not listen': Japan faces off against over-prescription of drugs for seniors

Abstract: There’s no denying that, as you grow older, you are likely to visit doctors more often and have more medicine prescribed. According to 2014 data from the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, the amount of prescription drugs patients are given goes up as they age, especially after they turn 60. As they get older, many people develop chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and osteoporosis, for which they can be on medication for years. In fact, it’s not uncommon for seniors to make rounds of two or three doctors regularly, causing a situation where local clinics turn into chanomi saron (tea salons), a venue for social gatherings rather than a provider of health care. A 2015 ministry survey covering some 1,800 people with at least two conditions from a set list — high blood pressure, diabetes, high blood fat and dementia — showed that they were prescribed 5.8 medications on average. But nearly 30 percent of respondents were given seven medications or more. Among people with dementia and another chronic condition, 12.9 percent were prescribed 10 medications or more. And that doesn’t include the number of over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements people might be additionally taking. But the problem with medicine is that more is not always better. Concerns are mounting that some seniors are over-drugged, making them more vulnerable to a range of drug-induced health problems, including depression, memory lapses, falls, constipation and loss of appetite. Older people are also known to be more sensitive to certain drugs due to their slower metabolism, so doctors are being urged to start from smaller doses and monitor drug effects more carefully. It is against this backdrop that a panel of experts under the health ministry is working to create comprehensive guidelines on how to prescribe to the elderly, and how to systematically cut back on “polypharmacy,” where the concurrent use of multiple medications causes adverse drug interactions. The panel met last Friday, discussing a working draft for the guidelines set to be finalized next March. The guidelines, targeted for use by doctors, dentists, pharmacists and nurses, aim to facilitate coordination among medical professionals so patients undergoing care at different hospitals are evaluated based on their total medication intake and can receive guidance on how to stop polypharmacy. At the meeting, panel member Keiko Higuchi presented results of a survey of 5,145 mostly healthy people over 65 that her nonprofit group conducted in September and October. The survey, in which 69 percent of the respondents were female, showed that 25 percent wanted more explanation about the side effects of their drugs, while another 20 percent wanted the volume of their medications reduced. One respondent wrote, “After I received surgery for a forefoot deformity at a university hospital, I was given nine medications. I said I didn’t need sleeping pills, stomach medicine and painkillers, but the doctor would not listen.” The group’s survey also showed that many of the drugs end up not being taken. Nearly half of the respondents said they sometimes forget to take their medications, deliberately skip them for fear of side effects or save them for future use. Higuchi, 85, who is a well-known social critic, said elderly people themselves are worried about polypharmacy, though they also depend on medications to maintain their health. “For elderly people, medicine is something they cannot do away with; it’s almost like a traveling companion for their aging journey,” she said at a separate event in Tokyo held earlier this month. “Yet little has been known about the relationship between them. Do we really need handfuls of pills? Many are worried about side effects.”


Number of foreign students studying in Japan reaches record high

Abstract: The number of foreign students enrolled in Japanese schools totaled a record 267,042 as of May, with most coming from Asian countries, a government affiliate said Wednesday. The number of students registered at universities or language schools in Japan rose 11.6 percent from a year earlier, according to the Japan Student Services Organization, an independent administrative body affiliated with the education ministry. “With more Japanese companies operating in Asia, it seems that people in the region feel familiar with (the idea of) studying or working in Japan,” said an official of the organization. The number of students studying at universities or higher educational institutions stood at 188,384, up 10.1 percent from a year before, while those studying at language schools came to 78,658, up 15.4 percent. By country and region, the largest number of students came from China at 107,260, followed by Vietnam at 61,671, Nepal at 21,500, and South Korea at 15,740. Separate data released by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology showed that in 2015 Japanese students studying at foreign universities or attending regular programs totaled 54,676, down 236 from the previous year. The United States was the most popular destination, with 19,060 students. China came second with 14,085, followed by Taiwan with 6,319.


Women in Nagoya form group to promote and communicate in sign language

Abstract: Women with children in Nagoya have new opportunities to converse using sign language, after the creation of a new social group. Called Defu Mama Saakuru mimi (Deaf Mothers Club ears), the group was established by two mothers, one of whom has a hearing disability. The women discuss topics such as giving birth and actions to take in the event of a natural disaster. The club welcomes mothers with or without hearing problems, and currently has 22 members from Nagoya, Toyota, Komaki, Inazawa, Nisshin, Obu, and Togo, all in Aichi Prefecture. The group meets about once a month, usually at Midori Sports Center in Nagoya. One of the group’s founders is 34-year-old Yukako Kiichi, a mother of two with a hearing disability. She had previously joined a parenting group in Midori Ward, where she lives, but she could not follow their conversations, so she joined a group called Tete to learn sign language three years ago. After discussing the idea of creating “a group to use the sign language that they have learned” with the group’s leader, 36-year-old Satsuki Miyama, the two decided to establish mimi in March 2017. Both groups allow mothers to bring their children with them. The theme for last month’s gathering, on Nov. 16, was giving birth. The women were surprised when a mother with a hearing disability revealed that she was not able to wear her hearing aid during her cesarean section, so she could not hear her baby cry. She explained that doctors were afraid that the electromagnetic waves from an electronic knife used in the surgery would damage the hearing aid. “You cannot tell that someone has a hearing disability just by looking at the person. This group allows me to put myself in their shoes and learn the difficulties they face, which will also be useful when I go back to work,” said Erika Takagi, 33, an elementary school teacher from Obu who is on maternity leave. When the group was discussing disaster prevention, another mother, who was living in Tokyo during the Great East Japan Earthquake, shared her story. When the train she was on finally started moving, she could not hear the announcement, so she asked a passenger nearby to communicate with her in writing. Some of the women in the group pointed out that it is necessary to bring spare batteries for their hearing aids when they evacuate. Mayumi Hattori, 57, who taught Kiichi when she was attending Aichi Prefectural Chikusa School for the Deaf, explained that “most people do not realize that hearing difficulties change depending on the location and number of people involved.” “When talking one on one, they can follow the conversation by reading the other person’s lips, but it is hard to do so in a group, like the parenting club,” Hattori said. “I think it is important for people to understand what (those with hearing disability) go through by spending time with them and communicating in sign language.”


Bitcoin bubble and bond boom shaped 2017, which brought mixed results for stocks

Abstract: NEW YORK/HONG KONG - It was a great year to hold bitcoin, but a bad time to have been invested in the Uzbek som. As 2017 winds to a close, a look at the winners and losers around the globe shows that, broadly speaking, the riskiest assets performed well, with bullish sentiment on display in stocks, emerging-market sovereigns and corporate debt. Securities generally seen as the safest and least volatile bets — think Japanese government bonds — trailed behind. There was perhaps no investing idea that attracted more attention in 2017 than cryptocurrencies, from Jamie Dimon’s dismissal to Katy Perry quizzing Warren Buffett about the subject. Bitcoin soared almost 1,500 percent while smaller counterparts such as ethereum and litecoin gained at least 6,000 percent. Of course, the surges were accompanied by no shortage of pessimists calling a bubble. Here’s our wrapup of the best and worst performers in various asset classes over the past year: Equities Bulls in Ukraine had a good year after the International Monetary Fund said in May that it sees “welcome signs of recovery” for the economy and “a promising basis for further growth.” It was part of a broader rally in emerging markets as investors flocked to developing nations in hopes of higher returns. It wasn’t a good year, however, to have bet on stocks in Qatar. The Persian Gulf country was thrown into chaos midyear when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and transport ties. In Pakistan, the index was coming from a high base, but also suffered from foreigners pulling money out of the market. Note that we excluded the Venezuelan stock exchanges 3,865 percent gain this year because it’s almost entirely due to the effect of a rapidly devaluing currency. Bonds The three-decade bull run for fixed income rolled on in 2017, defying yet again predictions that faster inflation and tighter monetary policy would bring it to an end. The bond world’s best performers were yesteryear’s losers, with Greece and Argentina among the standouts. It took effort to lose money on bonds this year — the Japanese central bank’s stitch-up of its government-debt market, and Venezuela’s economic collapse made those two the worst performers in the developed and emerging categories, respectively. Tiny Belize earned top marks in the emerging government-debt category after an upgrade from Moody’s Investors Service in April. Turning to the corporate-debt world, U.S. high-yield securities saw a wide dispersion of results, from high-flying food-and-beverage, retail and transport companies to trauma for holders of bonds sold by commercial printer Cenveo Corp. In the emerging-market corporate debt category an Indonesian energy company topped the list, while securities tied to Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht SA — which is embroiled in a corruption scandal that stretches across South America — proved to be ones to avoid. Commodities Palladium, which is typically used in pollution-control devices for gasoline vehicles, led gains in precious metals this year by climbing more than 50 percent as investors bet on increased usage in vehicles. Copper and aluminum bulls also had a great year. Those gains were largely tied to better economic prospects across the globe, which would mean higher usage of industrial metals. On the down side, sugar and natural gas had a bad year. The sweetener has been falling on concerns of a global surplus, while natural gas recently hit a 10-month low following two warm winters that left stockpiles at high levels. Currencies The biggest gainer in the currency space is a bit on the obscure side: the Mozambique new metical. The East African country has struggled to control inflation following a debt crisis, but the central bank has said it wants to achieve a lower and more stable rate. On the down side, the Uzbek som tumbled after the gold-rich republic removed the currency’s peg to the dollar.


20 years on, the Kyoto Protocol initiated awareness

Abstract: OSAKA - In the midst of serious news about North Korean missiles and constitutional revision, as well as a steady diet of BLT (bright, light and trite) stories and corporate propaganda that clog our intellectual arteries, it’s easy to lose track of what developments are critical to life itself. No, it’s not the statements of Kim Jong Un or the tweets of U.S. President Donald Trump. Rather, as a seminar in Kyoto last week reminded everyone, it’s global climate change due to man-made greenhouse gas emissions and how human populations deal with it. The occasion was the 20th anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol, that much-praised, much-maligned document that forced developed nations (but not China or India) to cut their greenhouse gases by a fixed amount. Whatever arguments there are (and there are plenty) about whether the Kyoto Protocol did any good, it forced people to think seriously about environmental issues and act. Including those in the home of the Kyoto Protocol itself. Kyoto Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa told attendees the city had been doing well in reducing its greenhouse emissions until the 2011 Tohoku quake, which forced Japan’s nuclear power stations offline and the restart of thermal plants. By 2015, emissions were 3.2 percent below 1990 levels, although Kyoto still held onto its goal of a 25 percent cut in emissions by 2020, compared to 1990. Pro-nuclear advocates, naturally, argue that existing and yet-to-be-built nuclear power plants are needed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in cities like Kyoto. Their logic looks convincing on PowerPoint. The reality is that Japan’s regional governments are pursuing environmental goals that rely little, or not at all, on that power source. Last week’s decision by the Hiroshima High Court barring the restart of a nuclear reactor due to volcano risks is likely to strengthen their belief nuclear is the past not the future, which makes the government’s stated nuclear power share nationally of 20-22 percent by 2030 look too high. Local green measures include promoting renewable energy sources, reducing electricity consumption, and policies to increase efficient energy use. In Kyoto, Kadokawa noted, total energy consumption declined 26 percent over the past two decades partially due to such efforts. Of course, it wasn’t all good news. While the percentage of people in Kyoto using cars since 2000 had declined from 28 percent to about 22 percent as of 2016, the percentage of those using trains and buses jumped from 22 percent to nearly 28 percent. That’s led to some of the worst traffic jams in the country, although residents are no doubt grateful that taxis, cars and buses idling at red lights belch far less smoke into the air than two decades ago. Other regional governments throughout Japan have also been pursuing ambitious environmental plans designed to reduce local emissions. The Environment Ministry’s most recent statistics show some prefectures appear to be doing better than others. In 2014, reported emissions of carbon dioxide and five greenhouse gases from major enterprises amounted to over 582 million tons for all 47 prefectures. Yet just nine prefectures accounted for half of that, and Chiba Prefecture alone emitted 9.3 percent of the total. Nara Prefecture, with just 0.1 percent, was the “greenest,” with an emissions level less than even prefectures with a clean and green image such as Hokkaido (3.9 percent), Mie (2.6 percent) and Nagano (0.5 percent). National action remains critical to mitigate the impacts of climate change. But cities worldwide, including in the U.S., have been far ahead of their central governments in terms of a green policies despite, or perhaps because of, the political clout of the fossil fuel and nuclear power lobbies in the halls of central governments. Getting local governments to go green may yet be the Kyoto Protocol’s enduring historical legacy.

osaka
global warming
kyoto protocol
cop3


Why do some old men age disgracefully?

Abstract: It’s a universal belief that life is unfair, though there are many ways in which people manifest this belief. Some withdraw from the world, while others engage with it in an attempt to correct imbalances. Sometimes this engagement takes the form of anger. The grumpy old man is a cliche that requires no explanation. In the Nov. 24 issue of the weekly magazine Shukan Asahi , a neurologist says the layer of the brain that moderates rational thought deteriorates as we age, and thus the filters we use to maintain decorum fail. It’s why older people get angry more easily than younger people do, especially in public and with strangers. The article submits another, less physiological factor: Once a person retires they are less beholden to behavioral restrictions dictated by social norms. The article tries to come to grips with a phenomenon called “ buchigire rōjin ,” or “old people who fly off the handle,” which seems to be a problem right now, judging by the amount of media attention it has received. Asahi gives several examples of the phenomenon, including an old man who loudly scolded a young woman on a train because he thought her daughters were “laughing too loud”; and older people waiting at a hospital pharmacy for their medical bill screaming at the clerk because they are being made to wait. The clerk, who, according to the terms of the social contract, is “lower” than the elderly people yelling at her, responds to the abuse with increasingly desperate apologies, which provokes their anger even more. The comic potential of such a scenario is ripe, but the psychological toll this behavior takes on that part of the workforce charged with being the public interface for organizations has become a serious matter, apparently. An essay on the subject in the Dec. 3 issue of the Asahi Shimbun references a story by novelist Keishi Nagi about minds infected with “poison,” and how these poisons are ejected in words and actions “so that the person can remain alive.” By definition, someone or something must be the receptacle of these poisons. Often, they are loved ones, but increasingly, claims the editorial, it is strangers whose job is to be on the receiving end of toxic exchanges. The essay cites a survey, conducted by the UA Zensen labor union, of 50,000 people working in retail. More than 70 percent of the respondents said they had been the target of “malicious complaints” often couched in “abusive language.” Many were threatened, and some were even forced to bow and scrape ( dogeza ) before their interlocutor. The examples provided are chilling. A customer calls a store about returning defective merchandise and keeps the operator on the phone for nearly an hour, continually calling the person “stupid.” A long line at a cash register is not moving as quickly as one customer would like, so he starts yelling at the cashier and doesn’t stop, even after concluding his transaction. Fifty percent of the people surveyed believe that such extreme behavior is on the rise, and, according to Asahi Shimbun the main source of this “poison” is older men. An article in the Nov. 28 Tokyo Shimbun advanced the theory that “society is becoming more intolerant” with even scarier examples. A customer asks a store clerk to check the price of a particular item, and when the clerk leaves his station to do that, the customer starts ranting, “Don’t make me wait.” He continues the tantrum for three hours, prohibiting the clerk, and other employees in the vicinity, from leaving until he’s done. Mentioning the same UA Zensen survey, Tokyo Shimbun enumerates the forms of such abuse — threats, condescending lectures, sexual harassment, even extortion. According to UA Zensen, the abusers tend to be educated men with fairly good incomes but who are somehow “dissatisfied with society.” Under normal circumstances, customer complaints are valuable to companies because they are used to improve products and services, but in these abuse cases there is no intention of making a bad situation better, only the raw expression of an entitled grievance. “The perpetrators pick on weaker people in order to release their frustrations produced by everyday existence,” says Tokyo Shimbun. These people, who have been dubbed “monster customers,” were also covered in depth by NHK with a panel discussion on a Dec. 2 news show. One pundit quoted the old Japanese saying, “The customer is God.” Abusers understand that service people will meekly absorb their scolding. One university communications instructor said that social media has fed the phenomenon by “encouraging frankness,” and an NHK reporter blamed the incivility on a perverted sense of omotenashi , Japan’s seemingly unique brand of hospitality, which, he says, requires service employees to humor bullies. The panelists agreed that these men act abusively because they no longer wield authority now that they’re retired. Most appear to have held management positions, and when they see something amiss their impulse is to immediately set it right. One woman in the studio said her retired father spends all his waking hours dialing toll-free customer hotlines to complain about anything that strikes his fancy. “We used to direct our anger at the TV,” said the instructor, adding that such vehemence was safe because TVs are inanimate. Now there are innumerable outlets for our displeasure that respond, and those who can’t countenance feedback seek out interlocutors who do not have the power or permission to talk back. The panel made it sound as if this latter aspect were uniquely Japanese. One participant commented that Japanese complain about the insufficient courtesy of service people overseas, but as long as they are doing their jobs, he said, why do we demand they be so solicitous of our feelings? The neurologist in the Shukan Asahi article recommends that grumpy old people get more sleep, which sounds like common sense. Another possible piece of advice, but to the victims of monster customers: Ignore them.

nhk
shukan asahi
omotenashi
silver generation
tokyo shimbun
dogeza
buchigire rojin
ua zensen


Getting to the bottom of a slippery game show gone viral

Abstract: No aspect of Japanese pop culture titillates the world more than the country’s game shows. From references on “ The Simpson’s ” to inspiring Western riffs on subjects such as “ Banzai ” and “ I Survived A Japanese Game Show ,” the idea of wacky creations bordering on torture have played a central place in foreign perceptions of Japan. One of my first exposures to Japanese TV came from a clip of a program where contestants were socked in the testicles . A reminder of this fascination popped up in November. The YouTube channel Just Wow Me uploaded a clip titled “ Funny Japanese Game Show Slippery Stairs — Just Hilarious ,” featuring footage from the 2016 edition of TBS’ “All-Star Kanshasai” variety show, wherein six celebrities try to climb up a staircase covered in lubricant. Two days later, tech writer Juan Buis tweeted a clip of the show that went viral , spreading across the platform and then being aggregated by web sites across the internet. However people shared the segment online, the language used to describe the clip had a familiar ring to it, with adjectives such as “ insane ” and “ diabolical ” being applied liberally. In the tradition of bagel heads and used underwear vending machines, the segment allowed folks online to indulge in “weird” Japan. And yet, it was the first time “wacky Japanese game show” footage (alongside tweets about a “game show” in which participants in an apartment try to figure out with their teeth what’s chocolate and what’s not ) went viral in the context-allergic atmosphere of the internet in 2017, showing just how much misinformation can spread. The event, though, does deserve the accolades. It’s a funny contest and often tips into ridiculous territory (though, c’mon, Human Tetris still beats this). TBS clearly knows this, too. Nuru nuru (slimy) events have been part of the “All-Star” show since 2006, initially via sumo wrestling but transforming into “Nuru Nuru Treasure Hunter” — “Slippery Stairs” as it was incorrectly called in English — in 2016 (with the same general idea appearing on other shows previously ). They brought the segment back in 2017 . Does TBS have a dedicated budget for lubricant? But here’s where things get murky — the viral clip comes from 2016 and it’s not clear why this particular version ended up on Just Wow Me’s YouTube channel. Yet the moment it started gaining online traction, it became something seemingly every blog felt compelled to comment on. This is how internet media operates today: Everything is a reaction and it needs to be fast, even at the expense of details or facts and preferably full of hyperbole. The situation gets even more slippery when you factor in the topic of conversation playing out in a different language. English posts about the segment form a sort of broken puzzle of information that, when put together, reveals about 30 percent of what’s going on. Most call it an independent game show, when it’s really a mini-game on a variety program that’s primarily a quiz. Many carry an only-in-Japan tone, save for Vice TV hosts Desus and Mero, who correctly call it “the most adult version of (U.S. kids game show) ‘Double Dare’ I’ve ever seen.” They still call it “Japan’s weirdest game show,” which is still less eye-rolling than GQ labeling it “ humanity’s greatest creation .” All of this is mostly harmless airballing. But certain recurring elements — which have long accompanied Japanese TV footage — present it in a more exoticizing light. Numerous sites such as Deadspin reference Sisyphus, a Greek story involving eternal punishment, promoting the misleading idea that Japanese programs punish regular contestants and hide a sadistic side (in reality, everyone taking part is a willing celebrity). There’s also a mocking attitude to a lot of it, summed up best by Just Wow Me’s own video description — “Japanese people never fail to make us laugh.” Many Japanese have expressed surprise at the overseas perceptions of the show. Maybe that’s because this kind of programming — a blend of goofy game and prank — pops up as part of variety shows somewhat regularly? Or maybe they wish TV here was as consistently entertaining as the stairs game? Many of the variety shows in Japan feature people eating food, so the idea that Japanese TV is steps above the rest of the world might be the most misleading element of all.

youtube
tbs
japan pulse
game shows
variety shows


South Korean panel says there's no proof cash from Kaesong industrial park was diverted to North's arms program

Abstract: SEOUL - There was no evidence North Korea diverted wages paid to its workers by South Korean firms in a now-closed border industrial park to bankroll its weapons programs, an expert panel appointed by Seoul’s Unification Ministry said Thursday. The investigation by the panel reversed the contention by the previous South Korean government that most of the cash that flowed into the jointly run Kaesong complex was diverted to North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. South Korea laid the claim when it pulled out of the joint venture in response to the North’s launch of a long-range missile last year. But in July, two months after liberal President Moon Jae-in was elected, a South Korean government official said there was no hard evidence to back up the assertion. About 120 South Korean companies paid about double the $70 a month minimum wage in North Korea for each of the 55,000 workers hired in Kaesong. The project resulted from the first inter-Korean summit meeting in 2000, when leaders of the two Koreas vowed reconciliation and cooperation. Until its closure last year, it was the last remaining symbol of inter-Korean rapprochement amid frosty cross-border ties. The decision to suspend the Kaesong project was “unilaterally and verbally” made by Moon’s predecessor one day after the missile test, without any formal discussions within the administration, the panel said. “The presidential office inserted the wage-diversion argument as major grounds, yet without concrete information, sufficient evidence and consultations with related agencies, mainly citing defector testimonies that lack objectivity and credibility,” Kim Jong-soo, a priest who heads the panel, told a news conference. “This impairs the decision’s legitimacy and could constrain our ground over a future restart of the complex, while hampering the companies’ rights to protect their assets due to the hasty pullout process.” Moon has pledged to reopen the industrial park if there is progress on the North’s denuclearization, but political tensions and Pyongyang’s aloofness have tied the president’s hands.

north korea
nuclear weapons
south korea
north korea nuclear crisis
kaesong


Japan and Oman seek to ensure maritime order as China's assertiveness grows in the Asia-Pacific region

Abstract: MUSCAT - The Japanese and Omani foreign ministers agreed Wednesday that the two countries will work together to maintain maritime order amid China’s growing assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region, Japanese officials said. The agreement was reached as Foreign Minister Taro Kono and his counterpart Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah met in the Omani capital of Muscat, about 500 kilometers southeast of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes for crude oil. Japan significantly depends on the region for oil imports. During the talks, Kono explained Japan’s policy to pursue a “free and open Indo-Pacific” region — encompassing Asia, the Middle East and Africa — which has been advocated by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to realize maritime order based on the rule of law. Kono said after the talks that the Omani minister sought Japan’s involvement in Oman’s port and harbor development. He said the two were able to share an understanding over the strategic importance of port facilities. Kono is on a six-day trip to the Middle East, in which he also visited Jerusalem following U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to recognize the city as Israel’s capital. Local media reported Monday that Kono invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a four-way meeting in Tokyo with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Jared Kushner, Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, in an effort to restart peace efforts. Netanyahu has reportedly conditioned his participation on approval from the Trump administration, the Jerusalem Post said. It was not immediately clear whether the Trump administration gave approval for Kono’s move to make the proposal. An Israeli government source said authorities are waiting to hear from the United States on the issue. Israel has long claimed Jerusalem is its “eternal and undivided capital,” while the Palestinians hope East Jerusalem, which was occupied by Israel in 1967, will be the capital of their future state. Japan supports a two-state solution to the conflict and takes the position that the final status of Jerusalem should be resolved through negotiations between the parties.


LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai invites Xi to visit Tokyo next year amid warming ties with Beijing

Abstract: BEIJING - A ruling party heavyweight has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Tokyo next year, as the two countries show promising signs of strengthening their sometimes strained relations. The invitation was made on Thursday by Toshihiro Nikai, secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party, during his meeting with Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, according to a Japanese lawmaker traveling with him. Xi smiled but did not give any reply, according to the lawmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “It is true that there were cold days in Japan-China relations but we overcame them,” Nikai told reporters after the meeting. “Today, we can feel spring-like warmth.” China’s official media quoted Xi as calling for more party-to-party exchanges and cooperation between the two countries when he met with a delegation led by Nikai. Next year marks the 40th anniversary of the two countries’ treaty of friendship and peace, and Japanese government officials are hoping to arrange reciprocal visits by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Xi. Since becoming head of the Communist Party in November 2012, Xi has never visited Japan. For years Sino-Japanese relations were unsettled by a territorial dispute and disagreements over wartime history. But they have greatly stabilized since Xi further consolidated power in October’s twice-a-decade congress of the party and began his second five-year term as leader. Nikai, known for his close ties with China, last met with Xi in May. This time, he is on a six-day visit through Friday with other lawmakers from Japan’s ruling coalition to discuss bilateral issues with a number of senior Chinese officials, including Song Tao, head of the Communist Party’s external affairs department. Just before meeting with Xi, the delegation and State Councilor Yang Jiechi, China’s top diplomat, held discussions on the North Korean nuclear issue and Beijing’s ambitious initiative of building a network of trade routes along and beyond the ancient Silk Road. Earlier in the day, in a rare speech given by a Japanese lawmaker at the Chinese party’s school to train future elites, Nikai called for future-oriented cooperative relations with China. Nikai said it is “now or never” for the two countries to open a new type of relationship as both sides have “strong leaders.” He said China and Japan, the world’s second- and third-largest economies, have great responsibilities for shaping the future together, and that the two countries under a “new era” should move on from a “mutually beneficial relationship” to one that can substantially contribute to peace and prosperity in Asia and beyond. The LDP grandee said there is plenty of room for the two countries to cooperate on infrastructure projects in other parts of Asia, with an eye to Xi’s flagship One Belt, One Road initiative. Speaking at the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, he also cited intellectual property and the environment as other possible areas of cooperation that could be increased.

ldp
china-japan relations
xi jinping
toshihiro nikai


Ailing Ome museum dedicated to samurai novelist Eiji Yoshikawa on the brink

Abstract: A museum dedicated to Eiji Yoshikawa — famed author of the samurai epic novel “Miyamoto Musashi” — in Ome, Tokyo, is facing closure due to low attendance, it says. The museum is so far in the red that the Yoshikawa Eiji Cultural Foundation, which runs the Yoshikawa Eiji House and Museum, decided in March to propose donating it to the Ome Municipal Government as a last resort. A spokesman for the city says it has been carefully scrutinizing the offer, including the financial burden it would have to bear. The foundation has not decided what it will do if Ome declines its offer, but it seemingly has no choice but to close. “To cut the annual operating costs of around ¥20 million, I have been agonizing over whether to either close the museum or end a number of prizes bearing his name, which the foundation is also in charge of,” said Eimei Yoshikawa, the novelist’s eldest son and director of the museum. He said that it was impossible to end the historical prizes, some of which are over 50 years old, so he thought it would be better to give up on the museum. The museum, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, has over 20,000 items on show, including manuscripts of “Miyamoto Musashi” and rare paintings by the author. Situated next to his old house, where he spent the longest portion of his life, the museum used to receive over 170,000 fans each year in the late 1970s. Although his books are still widely known, attendance fell below 10,000 this year. Yoshikawa said the drop is also attributable to the decline in tourism at Ome, which used to be famed for its plum blossoms. According to the Ome Municipal Government, around 2.45 million people visited the city in 1995, but that plunged to 1.95 million in 2013 and has been falling ever since. “Around the time when the museum opened, the city was occupied with making as many parking lots as possible for dozens of buses packed with tourists from all over Japan. Now, I hardly see any buses coming into the city,” Yoshikawa said. His father, a historical novelist who lived from 1892 to 1962, rose to fame with the publication of “Miyamoto Musashi” in 1935 — a highly fictionalized account of Japan’s legendary 17th century swordsman. The abridged English version, titled “Musashi,” was published in the United States in 1981 and soon became a best-seller, which at the time was unusual for a foreign work of over 1,000 pages. But many Americans were already familiar with Musashi’s book “Go Rin No Sho” (“The Book of Five Rings”), which had been published seven years before and also became a big hit. “The Vendetta of Ako,” the English version of Eiji Yoshikawa’s novel “Shin Chushingura” — a story about several samurai on a mission to avenge the death of their master — appeared in serial form in The Japan Times from 1942 to 1943, a time when it was under severe censorship. The intention behind the story’s publication remains unclear. Eiji Yoshikawa stopped writing after Japan lost the war, and led a quiet retirement at his house in Ome. But he later resumed writing and published another historical novel, “Shin Heike Monogatari” (“The Heike Story”), which cemented his fame. “The house was special not only to my father, but also to my mother, who devoted her life to being the director of the museum until she passed away,” said Eimei Yoshikawa. “I feel guilty for giving away the museum as it is against my mother’s will. But it cannot be helped.” The Yoshikawa Eiji House and Museum is temporarily closed for the winter and the director has not decided whether it will reopen, pending the Ome Municipal Government’s final decision, which is likely to be made by March.


Ex-Toshiba President Nishida, who played key role in success of Dynabook notebook computers, dies at age 73

Abstract: Former Toshiba Corp. President and Chairman Atsutoshi Nishida died of acute cardiac infarction at Toshiba General Hospital in Tokyo on Friday afternoon. He was 73. Nishida joined Toshiba in 1975 and held executive posts at European and U.S. units, before becoming head of the parent company’s personal computer business in 1995. Nishida played a key role in making Toshiba’s Dynabook notebook PCs the world’s top brand. He also maintained friendly ties with Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates. In June 2005, he became president of Toshiba. He took proactive steps to expand the electronics and heavy machinery giant, including the acquisition of U.S. nuclear plant giant Westinghouse Electric Co. and massive investment in semiconductor operations. He resigned after Toshiba incurred heavy losses in the year ended in March 2009 due to the global economic downturn triggered by the collapse of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers in September 2008. Nishida, also former vice chair of the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, was among the former presidents now blamed for large-scale accounting fraud that came to light in 2015. In the scandal, Toshiba was found to have padded profits by hundreds of billions of yen. He gave up the post of adviser following criticism that he had pressured junior officials to achieve profit targets. The development was followed by the collapse of Westinghouse in March this year. Some critics say Toshiba’s current crisis, which has led to the sale of flash memory, television and other major operations, has its roots in Nishida’s strong management style.

scandals
electronics
toshiba corp .
atsutoshi nishida


UN rights chief says Myanmar 'planned' Rohingya attacks, possibly 'genocide'

Abstract: GENEVA - The U.N. rights chief said Monday that Myanmar clearly “planned” violent attacks on its Rohingya minority, causing a mass-exodus, and warned the crackdown could possibly amount to “genocide. “For us, it was clear … that these operations were organized and planned,” U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said in an interview. “You couldn’t exclude the possibility of acts of genocide. … You cannot rule it out as having taken place or taking place.” Doctors Without Borders said Thursday that at least 6,700 Rohingya were killed in the first month of a Myanmar army crackdown on rebels in Rakhine state that began in August. And more than 655,000 of the Muslim minority have fled across the border into the Cox’s Bazar district in southeastern Bangladesh since the army campaign began. Myanmar has consistently denied committing atrocities in Rakhine, saying the crackdown was a proportionate response to the Rohingya militants who attacked police posts on Aug. 25, killing around a dozen officials. But Zeid said the evidence did not seem to support that, pointing to an upsurge in violence last year that had already prompted some 300,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. His office, which has not been granted numerous requests to access northern Rakhine, published a report last February after speaking to refugees in Cox’s Bazar who spoke of “horrific, horrific crimes, the hunting down of children and cutting their throats,” Zeid said. “My suspicion was that the first (smaller) operation was a dry run for the second,” he said. If the crackdown on the Rohingya was “organized and planned, it wasn’t incidental violence that resulted from a counterinsurgency operation,” he said, also pointing out that civilians were clearly targeted. “Why go after a little child if your actual target is an insurgent?” he asked. The U.N. rights chief stressed that it would be up to a court to determine whether or not genocide had occurred, but “we don’t believe you can exclude it and write it off as a possibility.” He voiced hope that perpetrators of the violence would eventually be held accountable. “Those who are committing crimes now and believe they have security, they have the support of great powers, well times will change,” Zeid said, warning that the perpetrators “shouldn’t feel so self-assured about this.” Asked about what level of responsibility for the violence should be attributed to Myanmar’s civilian leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, he said that too would be up to the courts to determine. “To what extent could she have said the right thing or prevented this? You also have the crime of omission: if you’re fully aware that these developments were taking place and did nothing to end them you could be held responsible,” he said. “A court will have to determine to what extent she had power over the military. She had power to recuse herself, to resign and not to be associated in any way with these developments, and the evidence will point eventually to who’s culpable and who isn’t.”

myanmar
u.n .
bangladesh
genocide
rohingya
rakhine


U.S. aims to slap steep duties of nearly 300% on Bombardier jets after Boeing beef

Abstract: WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commerce Department on Wednesday finalized steep anti-subsidy duties on Bombardier Inc.’s CSeries jets, setting up the next round of a fierce international trade dispute between the United States and Canada. The move announced by the department to impose duties of nearly 300 percent stems from a complaint by rival Boeing Co. that Bombardier had been unfairly and illegally subsidized by the Canadian government, allowing the plane maker to dump its newest jetliner in the U.S. market below cost. “Today’s decision validates Boeing’s complaints regarding Bombardier’s pricing in the United States, pricing that has harmed our workforce and U.S. industry,” Boeing said in a statement after the department decision. Delta Air Lines, the second largest U.S. carrier by passenger traffic, has an order for 75 of the 100-to-150 seat CSeries jets. The aircraft starts at $79.5 million, according to list prices, or some $5.9 billion for the total order, but carriers typically receive steep discounts. If imposed, the duties would more than triple the cost of a CSeries aircraft sold in the United States, based on Boeing’s assertion that Delta received the planes for $20 million each, well below an estimated cost of $33 million and what Bombardier charges in Canada. The Commerce Department’s penalty against Bombardier will only take effect if the lesser-known U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) rules in Boeing’s favor, as it so far has, in its final decision expected in early 2018. In its two-part complaint, Boeing called for countervailing duties of 79.41 percent to offset what it described as harmful Canadian subsidies to Bombardier. It also identified a “dumping margin” of 80.5 percent, based on the unpublished prices at which it claims Bombardier sold the CSeries planes to Delta. The department decision follows Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross’ pledge to aggressively police unfairly traded imports to help shrink U.S. trade deficits. The move comes as the United States, Canada and Mexico are involved in a three-way negotiation to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The rift between the two plane makers could, however, move to a larger stage as Canada weighs a complaint to the World Trade Organization or through NAFTA regarding the dispute. At a contentious Monday hearing of the ITC, Canada warned that a positive finding of material harm to Boeing by the group could represent a possible violation of international trade agreements and prompt a formal objection. Canada earlier this month scrapped plans to buy 18 Boeing Super Hornet fighter jets, underlining Ottawa’s anger over the trade challenge. Boeing has said it considered all potential risks before deciding to launch its trade case. U.S.-Canadian trade relations have also chilled recently over disputes over Canadian softwood lumber and U.S. milk protein products.

u.s .
boeing
canada
delta
nafta
wilbur ross
bombardier
cseries


Australian lawmakers approve same-sex marriage

Abstract: SYDNEY - Gay couples will be able to legally marry in Australia after a same-sex marriage bill sailed through Parliament on Thursday, ending decades of political wrangling. There were loud cheers, hugs and sustained clapping in the 150-seat lower House of Representatives when all but four MPs voted in support of marriage equality, after the upper house Senate passed the bill 43-12 last week. “What a day for love, for equality, for respect! Australia has done it,” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told the House. “Every Australian had their say and they said it is fair, get on with it!” The historic reforms will commence on Saturday, when same-sex couples can a lodge a notice to marry. They will then have to wait a month before tying the knot. Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten hailed the passing of the bill as a uniting moment for Australia, adding: “Now is the time for healing. “A time to build, a time to love, and is now at last a time for marriage equality,” he said. Same-sex marriage campaigners converged outside Parliament in the nation’s capital Canberra to celebrate the historic occasion, which sees Australia join more than 20 other countries in recognizing such unions. “We came, we saw, and love finally conquered,” co-chair of the Equality Campaign Alex Greenwich told reporters. “We thank all Australians for their support for saying yes, we thank all those who have campaigned for many years, for over 10 years, for fairness and equality.” The bill was introduced in Parliament by the conservative government after Australians last month endorsed the reforms in a controversial voluntary postal vote. Nearly 80 percent of eligible voters took part in the poll, and almost 62 percent of the 12.7 million people who participated chose “yes” on their ballots. The vote had been called by Turnbull, a moderate who backed gay marriage, in the face of opposition from hardliners who refused to back a national plebiscite on the issue. It was opposed by proponents of same-sex marriage, who wanted direct legislative action and argued a poll would expose gay people and their families to hate speech. Just under 5 million people voted “no,” with conservative politicians using their rejection as a catalyst to push for religious exemptions to be included in the bill. But after lengthy debate, both houses of Parliament knocked back any religious freedom amendments. Leading “no” campaigner Lyle Shelton said it was “deeply disappointing” day. “The Australian people were promised that their freedom of speech, freedom of religion and parental rights would be protected in any same-sex marriage legislation, and this has not happened,” he said. The House vote took place on the last sitting day of Parliament for the year, with more than 100 MPs speaking on the bill this week. Queues of people lined up to watch the debate from the public gallery, with some dancing and cheering. In moving scenes, the entire Parliament burst into song after the bill passed, belting out the lyrics to the “I Am Australian” song: “We are one, but we are many; And from all the lands on earth we come; We’ll share a dream and sing with one voice; ‘I am, you are, we are Australian.'” Several parliamentarians who supported the changes wore rainbow-colored socks or ties, including Warren Entsch, described in local media as a “fiercely heterosexual … crocodile-farming, bull-catching Liberal.” MPs have paid tribute to Entsch over the pass few weeks for his efforts, with the veteran Liberal MP speaking passionately about his “very lonely” journey in support of equal rights on the conservative side of politics. “This bill will take from no-one; it simply makes our nation a kinder and a fairer place,” Entsch told Parliament this week. One highly anticipated wedding will be the Liberal Party’s Tim Wilson, who proposed to his partner Ryan Bolger while speaking on gay marriage on the floor of the House earlier this week. Same-sex marriage is now recognized in more than 20 countries, of which 16 are in Europe. It was most recently authorized on Tuesday by Austria’s top court by 2019 at the latest.

australia
lgbt
sexuality
same-sex marriage


Cosmetic surgeon Katsuya Takasu pays $275,000 for Emperor Hirohito memoir at NY auction

Abstract: High-profile Japanese cosmetic surgeon Katsuya Takasu won an auction for the only-known World War II memoirs of Emperor Hirohito, besting the competition with a bid of $275,000 (¥30 million) in New York on Wednesday. The price was nearly double the higher end of pre-auction estimates, which ranged from $100,000 to $150,000, according to auction house Bonhams. Takasu is widely known in Japan because he has sponsored a number of TV programs for years and is featured in commercials aired almost every day. The 173-page, two-volume document he bought is widely known in Japan as “Showa Tenno Dokuhakuroku” (“Emperor Showa’s Monologue”) . When the transcript was first published by monthly magazine Bungei Shunju in 1990, it caused a national sensation because Emperor Hirohito, posthumously known as Emperor Showa, frankly discussed in the record various political events and war in the 1930s and 1940s. The document auctioned this week was the only known copy of the memoir, which covers World War II and the era leading up to the conflict. “I really wanted to see the original because the published text could have been edited. On top that, I slightly felt something like indignation because it was sold in an overseas auction,” Dr. Takasu said in a phone interview with The Japan Times on Thursday. “I believe what belongs to Japan should be kept in Japan,” said Takasu, adding that he is now considering donating the documents to the Imperial Family. An Imperial Household Agency spokesman told The Japan Times that the agency has not yet been contacted by Takasu. The spokesperson said that in general, under the Imperial Household Finance Act, the Emperor is not allowed to receive gifts beyond a total value of ¥6 million a year. Takasu runs Takasu Clinic in Tokyo and four other group cosmetic hospitals in Japan. He drew public attention earlier this year when the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights group, claimed that Takasu praised Adolf Hitler and denied the Holocaust and the 1937 Nanking Massacre in social media messages. On Twitter, Takasu wrote on Oct. 18, 2015: “I believe both Nanking (Massacre) and Auschwitz are fabrications.” Takasu told The Japan Times on Thursday that he just believes the number of victims in the Nanking Massacre has been exaggerated. He added that while he accepts that people were killed and abused by the Nazis, he believes “toxic gas” was not used to kill victims at Auschwitz. “I’m not a sympathizer of Nazism and don’t agree with their ideology, either,” Takasu said Thursday. Emperor Showa’s Monologue was prepared in apparent preparation for the postwar International Military Tribunal for the Far East, better known as the Tokyo Trial. The record was dictated by the Emperor to several of his aides soon after the war and transcribed by senior diplomat Hidenari Terasaki. The document in question was originally discovered in Terasaki’s belongings when they were being held by his daughter, Mariko Terasaki Miller. The Emperor discussed topics such as Japanese politics at the time, Japan’s assassination of Manchuria warlord Zhang Zuolin in 1928, and the nation’s surrender at the end World War II in August 1945. The Emperor’s frank discussion about the history of the war has fueled heated debate among historians, including the extent to which the leader himself was responsible for key political decisions during Japan’s wars and conflicts in the 1930s and 1940s.

wwii
douglas macarthur
ny
emperor hirohito
manchuria
bonhams


Japanese high school girl quiz and, er, 'florida'

Abstract: A quiz on words that high school girls in Japan use in conversation or when texting attracted plenty of attention online earlier this week, with the hashtag #JK用語クイズ (JK yōgo quizu, or JK words quiz) topping Twitter’s trending list for much of Tuesday. “JK” is short for joshi kosei , the Japanese term for high school girls. The quiz, which was compiled by Yoza Hikaru at Japan Buzzfeed, attempts to determine if you’re able to hang out with high school girls or not. In the quiz, respondents are asked to choose identify the meaning of a word from three options that are provided. For example, one question asks respondents whether “テンアゲ” (“ tenage “) is short for “天ぷら” (“ tempura “), “テンションあげる” (“ tension ageru ,” or “getting excited”) or “１０回つぶやく” (“ jyukkai tsubuyaku ,” or “tweeting 10 times”). The answer? Tension ageru . Another question asks respondents whether “スタ爆” (“ sutabaku “) means “スタート失敗” (“ sutato shippai ,” or “failing to start”), “スタートダッシュ” (“ stato dashu ,” or “dashing start”) or “スタンプ爆撃” (“ sutanpu bakugeki ,” or “sending lots of stickers on LINE”). The answer? Sutanpu bakugeki . One of the toughest questions involved “フロリダ” (“ florida “). Is this southern U.S. state short for “お風呂に入るから離脱する” (“ ofuro ni hairu kara ridatsu suru ,” or “leaving a LINE group conversation to take a shower”), “ブロックして離脱する” (“ burokku shite ridatsu suru ,” or “blocking a person or group on LINE”) or “お風呂でダンス動画をとる” (“ ofuro de dansu dōga wo toru ,” or “taking a dancing video in the bathroom”)? And the answer? Ofuro ni hairu kara ridatsu suru . The responses on Twitter came thick and fast. Some thought the quiz was too easy. “ Got 10 out of 10, even though I’m not a JK ,” @Xvoice_of_redX posted, while @Rethinking_Man found it amusing that the quiz suggested that he was actually as young as a high school girl . Many, however, were completely baffled by the quiz. “I just took the JK words quiz and didn’t understand most of them,” posted @_aoto_himazin. “ I can’t keep up with JK these days .” If you’re interested in finding out where you stand, visit bit.ly/JK-quiz to take the quiz.


Without an official father, kids can be stateless

Abstract: On Nov. 29, the Kobe District Court dismissed a suit against the state filed by a woman in her 60s who claimed that the law that allows only men to deny paternity of a child is unconstitutional, since it discriminates against women. She said the law meant she was unable to register her daughter as the child of her second partner, because the law presumed her estranged husband was the father. The judge explained his decision by saying the law in question “represents a compromise between the need to match biological and legal fathers, and ensuring stable paternal relations by determining them promptly.” In other words, it makes the government’s job easier, and the government has the final say in deciding who the father of a child is. It also implies that women can’t be trusted. In an interview that appeared in the Nov. 15 Mainichi Shimbun , Masataka Endo, one of the leading experts on Japan’s koseki (family register) system, which is what was at issue in the Kobe case, pointed out that the koseki’s main function is “moralistic” in that it designates the Emperor’s subjects, sets the parameters of an individual’s family and defines who is Japanese. It has no practical purpose — it cannot be used for census-taking or identification — but rather positions a person in a “virtuous line of descent,” thus unifying the nation. This concept of “pure blood” Japanese is a “legal fiction” that is “out of step with current realities,” Endo says. And yet the koseki is deemed irreplaceable, and so by extension poses a serious problem for the minority of Japanese who don’t have them. Masae Ido has made a career out of figuring out ways for people without koseki to get them. As a former reporter and Diet lawmaker, the controversial Ido, who has written two books on the subject of mukoseki-sha (people without koseki), understands that the media needs to publicize her work if it is to make any sort of difference, but the press tends to find koseki an arcane topic, unless it involves high-profile individuals, such as former Democratic Party President Renho, whose nationality was questioned last year . Moreover, mukoseki-sha exist at the margins of society, so the general public doesn’t care about them. This apathy, born of prejudice since most mukoseki-sha are seen as being the products of broken homes, makes them even more reluctant to come out into the open and solve their problems, which, as Ido points out, are bureaucratic in nature, even if many believe it has something to do with character. The greatest myth the media has perpetrated with regard to mukoseki-sha is that they cannot participate in society. They are told that without a koseki they cannot access to social services or gain employment or get married. In her writing and interviews Ido has tried to disabuse the media and the public of these notions. After all, foreign residents don’t have koseki, and they belong to national health insurance and pension plans, hold jobs and attend public schools. As long as you have a jūminhyō (certificate of residence), you can receive social services, and you don’t need a koseki to get a jūminhyō, though some local governments may say you can’t. There are drawbacks to not having a koseki. The government won’t issue you a passport, for one. But Ido has successfully helped mukoseki-sha legally gain koseki, and in many of these cases the reason they didn’t have koseki is the issue of paternity. The main instrument of the government’s control over paternity is Article 772 of the Civil Code , which states that a child born to a woman within 300 days of the finalization of her divorce is deemed to be the issue of her ex-husband, since it is possible they could have had sex on the eve of their divorce. Ido understood this situation firsthand. She had been separated from her husband for a long time before finally getting a divorce and then marrying a different man. She got pregnant by her new husband and the baby was born prematurely, before the 300-day cutoff point. When she brought the birth report to her local city hall to get her child a koseki, the clerk rejected the report because it had the name of her new husband in the “father” space. In order for the real father to be confirmed as such by the authorities, she would have had to ask her previous husband to disavow his own paternity, but she had no desire to communicate with him, so she sued her present husband to “acknowledge paternity” ( ninchi chōtei ) of the child. This legal recourse is usually taken by women who want the fathers of children born out of wedlock to confirm their responsibility. She even went to the justice ministry and presented her scheme to them. At first they seemed puzzled but eventually agreed that it was legal and, in fact, encouraged her to file the suit. During the first court session, the judge expressed doubt about the suit since “paternity is determined by the state,” and in this case he was being asked to take her word that her husband was the father. (The husband, for obvious reasons, did not put up a defense.) Eventually, the judge ruled in her favor, creating a precedent that the justice ministry has promoted. Unfortunately, the media hasn’t. Since then, Ido has helped more than 1,000 people gain koseki using similar kinds of legal schemes. As she told the business magazine, Toyo Keizai , in March 2016, “There are many reasons why a child does not have a koseki. In some cases, the parents’ financial situation or environment prevented them from submitting a birth report, but that’s not a justification for depriving a person of a koseki. These children are being neglected and abandoned by society and the state.” The fact that Ido has to jump through legal hoops in order to secure justice for those who seek her help proves how unfair Japanese family law is, and while she continues to assist people who don’t have koseki get them, she knows that it would be better to change the laws so that women have as much right as men to determine the paternity of their children, even if that means getting rid of the koseki altogether.

civil code
paternity
mainichi shimbun
renho
koseki
masanori endo
masae ido
mukoseki-sha
article 772
toyo keizai


Women unimpressed with advice on how to spend time alone

Abstract: Women’s magazine Ginger Web created a stir in late November by publishing an article that offered single women advice on how to spend time alone. In a Nov. 26 article titled “ Techniques for watching a movie alone without seeming sad ,” author Mariko Okura lamented the fact that women often needed courage to go to a movie theater by themselves, offering up a few tips on ways to survive a solo outing. The tips included such tactics as entering the theater after the movie had started, bringing an absorbent handkerchief to mop up tears (presumably sparked by the film on the screen in front of them and not loneliness) and making a speedy exit during the final credits before the other viewers started to discuss the movie with their partners. Internet users didn’t appreciate the advice, with many insisting that the recommendations would only create more of a disturbance to fellow movie-goers. Others went so far as to argue that the tactics are redundant because there’s no shame in being alone in public. A term used in the article — “ dokujo jikan ,” loosely translated to “single-woman time” — became a trending hashtag on Twitter. “ I can’t get used to the term dokujo jikan ,” wrote @buribuli. “I guess people think it’s sad to see a woman by herself. I’ve been going to the horse-racing track and mahjong parlors on my own since my 20s. I also go to live shows by myself. When I go to Blue Note on my own, I can sometimes get a front-row seat at the last minute.” Twitter user @oguri_sakura, a TV personality with a special interest in history, was more proactive in her criticism. “ Dokujo jikan is starting to trend (online), but I get the feeling women who are history lovers tend to spend a lot of time being independent ,” she wrote. “I don’t find it lonely at all. I love going to historic sites, the movies, shopping and karaoke on my own. At movies, I’m the type to stay until after the credits, expecting to see bonus scenes.” Twitter user @yuka, meanwhile, found the notion disturbing. “ A woman’s magazine that makes women cower by shamelessly posting articles on the assumption that it’s depressing for women to engage in solo activities ,” she wrote. “I want to call it the ouroboros phenomenon, where the snake eats its own tail. I thought Ginger was supposed to be a magazine that mature readers can enjoy without having to hang out with other people.” In response to the backlash, online women’s magazine Joshi Spa! conducted a survey of 200 women, aged 25 to 39, to find out what kind of activities women do alone . The web magazine also asked them to identify the occasions they might feel self-conscious about being by themselves. According to the magazine, 42.5 percent of respondents said they had gone to a movie by themselves. What’s more, just 12 percent of respondents said they might feel awkward about doing this. Reports show nearly 1 in 4 men and 1 in 7 women in Japan are still unmarried at the age of 50. And as contributor Kaori Shoji reported last week, a number of women have recently complained that they are too tired to date . Okura writes that it is becoming more common for single women in their 30s to spend time on their own and, judging from the backlash spurred by the advice, it appears women are perfectly fine being alone in public and enjoying ordinary activities without the social security of a partner or friend.


Bustling Haneda shines as a New Year's traveler hub

Abstract: Every New Year’s, the nation’s airports are jammed with travelers heading to their hometowns or overseas to spend the holidays — and Tokyo’s Haneda is the busiest one. As a global gateway, Haneda handled around 1,220 flight slots a day, and more than 80 million passengers in 2016, according to the transport ministry. The figures are exceptionally high compared with other airports in Japan. During peak hours, aircraft land and take off in tight time slots just like rush-hour trains. From the airport’s huge observation deck, visitors can see planes landing and waiting for takeoff. Haneda, which has four runways and three terminals, is just 15 km from central Tokyo. Also known as Tokyo International Airport, Haneda has been awarded the 5-Star Airport rating by Skytrax, a British-based air transport research company, for four years in a row, gaining the highest rating for its service, comfort and cleanliness. Its international terminal, opened in 2010, is easy to navigate and incorporates the latest universal designs and environmentally friendly features. The terminal also has unique facilities. The departure lobby has a shopping arcade resembling an Edo Period (1603-1868) street. There are also restaurants and shops selling merchandise from popular anime that even nonpassengers can purchase. To celebrate the new year, the airport will hold its Haneda Edo Festival from Jan. 1 to 3, offering a rice cake-making ritual called mochitsuki (rice-pounding) and food and entertainment stalls. There will also be an oiran gyoretsu (high-class courtesan parade) and traditional street performances. The re-created wooden Nihonbashi Bridge from the Edo Period is among the features at Haneda’s international terminal. | SATOKO KAWASAKI Haneda handled about 1,220 flights a day in 2016, according to the transport ministry. | SATOKO KAWASAKI A shopping arcade resembling an Edo Period street is seen on Dec. 15 at Haneda. | SATOKO KAWASAKI People can watch aircraft take off and land at Haneda airport from neighboring Jonanjima Seaside Park in Ota Ward. | SATOKO KAWASAKI Aircraft are seen parked at Haneda airport near the heart of Tokyo on Dec. 15. | SATOKO KAWASAKI Thousands of travelers flow through the international departure lobby at Haneda every day. | SATOKO KAWASAKI


Debate grows over the plight of foreign staff at convenience stores in Japan

Abstract: Launched in 1993, Japan’s Technical Internship Training Program for foreign nationals hasn’t had the best reputation. The program was created to help visitors from developing nations live and work in Japan for as long as three years under the protective umbrella of Japan’s labor laws. Two decades on, however, it’s become something of a metaphor for the country’s labor woes. Since 2015, there have been disturbing reports of abuse and scams aimed at foreign workers, triggering a move last month to modify the program and protect their rights. In some instances, however, these modifications have actually made the lives of foreign employees worse, according to a recent report in the Asahi Shimbun . The companies hiring the workers failed to meet the new standards or even fill out the necessary paperwork, which led to foreign nationals being unable to renew their visas. Many have had no choice but to leave the country. In an interview with the Asahi Shimbun, Lawson President Sadanobu Takemasu suggested broadening the program by adding convenience store work to its list of “technical” skills . “That way, when foreign interns return to their home country and decide to go into retail, they’ll already know how to do it,” Takemasu said. The convenience store industry is plagued by its own acute labor shortage but Takemasu denied that understaffing at his own company had anything to do with it. In the same Asahi article, the Japan Franchise Association echoed Takemasu’s suggestion, and expressed an intention to file a request with the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labor in January. A step in the right direction? Not quite. Online comments exploded, with many calling the Technical Internship Training Program, to quote one commenter, “ nothing but an incubator of slave labor. ” The word “ dorei ” (“slave”) featured in close to 100 comments and it’s clear few Japanese are fooled about working conditions for foreign staff in convenience stores in Japan. More than one commenter pointed out that foreign workers are sometimes offered as little as ¥400 per hour, while Japanese employees were paid twice that amount. Convenience stores once formed the bastion of part-time jobs for Japanese students, but are now avoided by young Japanese as the ultimate “ black” part-time job, with grueling graveyard shifts and countless detailed tasks that are a struggle to keep up with . Worse still, as mentioned in a Big in Japan contribution recently, is having to deal with often unreasonable complaints from Japan’s rapidly graying, increasingly cantankerous clientele . “I would never work in a convenience store again,” one commenter wrote. “Having to deal with the dotty elderly took everything out of me. I guess it’s easier for the staff if they don’t speak much Japanese, because then they won’t have to listen to all that nonsense from the elderly.” The unanimous opinion was that convenience stores totally sucked as a place to work, or even to operate as a manager (another can or worms entirely). “Only the very desperate Japanese would go there to make a living,” one person wrote. “It’s impossible to subsist on convenience store wages and most of them turn into hikikomori (recluses) anyway.” Language appears to be another bone of contention. While some online commenters said they prefer going to a convenience store manned by an all-Japanese staff (good luck finding one), others expressed guilt at being served by foreign workers, knowing that the language barrier probably affected their pay and that they were likely living in “the most miserable conditions.” There were a plenty of comments about how terrible things had become recently. “I can’t imagine anyone with a shred of ambition or self-respect wanting to live and work in Japan, one commenter wrote. “Don’t waste your time learning Japanese, use your resources to learn English and move to the United States!” Others wrote that the 24-hour convenience store was on its last legs anyway. “It’s a hotbed of misery and crime,” one commenter wrote. “The number of convenience stores should be cut by 50 percent or at least replaced by something like Amazon Go.”

convenience stores
foreign workers
lawson
technical intership training program