Arizona hotel's larger-than-life gingerbread house hits sweet spot

Abstract: MARANA, ARIZONA - Like something out of “Hansel and Gretel,” a larger-than-life gingerbread house made with hundreds of pounds (kilograms) of sugar and spice has been luring in guests at a southern Arizona resort. Much like the fairy tale, they are free to enter and sit down by a roaring fire. But there is no wicked witch. Instead, there’s a server with a three-course menu. A team of pastry chefs at the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, in Marana decided this Christmas to go make a gingerbread building that was more than a display. The 19-foot-tall (5.8-meter-tall) “house” has been operating for the past month as a private dining room and become valuable real estate in terms of the attention. There’s no cost to walk through. But for $150, you can reserve the whole thing. Up to six people can sit down and order meals and beverages from the hotel kitchen. The fireside fee does not include food. The idea of a life-size gingerbread house where people could go in and out drew skepticism, even from some hotel workers. But head pastry chef Daniel Mangione was confident it could be done. “There’s a lot of gingerbread houses out there but usually it’s just a facade and the inside is forgotten about,” Mangione said. “But this year we really wanted to see if we could make it different.” Up since the Thanksgiving holiday on Nov. 26, the house will be coming down after Sunday. But Mangione assured that they will resurrect it in some form next Christmas. “We want to do something a little different. We’re not really too sure what that might be,” Mangione said. “We might do a sushi counter.” Pastry chefs first prepped for construction back in June by making batches of gingerbread daily. They baked them with a reddish hue and cut them into “bricks.” They also pre-ordered massive quantities of ingredients including 200 pounds (90 kg) of ginger powder, 400 pounds (180 kg) of honey, 50 pounds (22.5 kg) of cinnamon and 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of nutmeg. “It’s a much larger project than what we’re working on day-to-day for banquets,” said Marlene Carollo, another pastry chef at the resort. According to Mangione, it took a “baker’s dozen” about four days to tile the exterior. More than 4,000 ginger bricks made of real gingerbread cover the outside walls and the roof. Gumdrops and peppermints adorn each tile in a precise pattern and the windows are framed with candy-cane trim. Mangione said they have had to do a quick check of the house every day to see if anything has gone missing. So far, the only hazards have been children caught licking walls or a few peppermints at a child’s eye-level disappearing. “Parents are very good about controlling their kids,” Mangione said. “We haven’t had any major loss of tile.” The aromatic abode has elicited strong reactions from adults as well. One man asked if he could stay overnight. Another wanted to buy the house for his grandchildren. Anne and Vincent Duffy, who were visiting from Los Angeles, happened upon the house while walking around the lobby. The couple initially thought only the candy was real. “I was really impressed that they made something of this size,” Anne Duffy said. “I love it.”


Hashimoto factor keeps political pundits on edge of their seats

Abstract: OSAKA - Well, that didn’t take long. Less than 24 hours after finishing as Osaka mayor, Toru Hashimoto met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Dec. 19. The purpose was to exchange views on security and diplomatic issues — areas Hashimoto knows little about but has lots of opinions on — and constitutional revisions, a goal both men share. The question for Abe now is how to best use Hashimoto to help achieve constitutional changes. The question for Hashimoto, though, is what’s next? Local pundits and journalists, as well as various political aids in non-Ishin parties, are predicting four basic scenarios. First, Hashimoto could enter the Abe Cabinet as an unappointed minister. Perhaps as internal affairs chief, the ministry that could help make Hashimoto’s goal of merging Osaka a reality. The advantage for Hashimoto as minister is that he would be on the inside and able to build the connections needed to go on to bigger things. The advantage for Abe is that Osaka Ishin no Kai would become a loyal ally on not only constitutional revision, but also other issues (security, diplomacy, education) that Abe wants to push. Potential drawbacks? A high-profile failure. Hashimoto is widely distrusted by Tokyo bureaucrats. The wily Sir Humphrey Applebys in whatever ministry he goes to could turn Hashimoto into a hapless Jim Hacker. And then there’s the money. Before entering politics, Hashimoto reportedly made ¥300 million annually as a television celebrity. As a Cabinet member, he would be under tough restrictions on taking outside cash, restrictions that might be a deal-breaker for entering the Cabinet. The second option has Hashimoto as an outside Cabinet adviser or chairman of a useless but high-profile politically appointed panel. Advantages? Hashimoto could hobnob with political insiders yet still rake in the yen with outside jobs, especially on TV. Public influence and visibility with fewer restraints on private income might sound good. Disadvantages include how seriously he would be taken by political insiders, and whether being an adviser as opposed to a Cabinet member would insulate him better from his enemies. The third possibility is Hashimoto remains out of politics until next year’s Upper House election, and then runs. He would win and that may boost Osaka Ishin’s election results. But does Hashimoto want to be an opposition party fish in the large pond known as the Diet? And if his friend Abe is replaced as prime minister, will he get eaten by the veteran sharks in the Liberal Democratic Party who don’t like him? Finally, there’s the fourth option: Hashimoto stays out of politics. That seems unlikely. But the only thing predictable about Hashimoto, it seems, is his unpredictability. So nobody will surprised if he chooses a fifth option invisible to pundits in the bars of Osaka.


Fukui defies critics of nuclear evacuation plan

Abstract: OSAKA - Last week’s approval by Fukui Gov. Issei Nishikawa to restart two Takahama nuclear reactors, followed by the Fukui District Court’s lifting of a provisional injunction, means Japan will soon fire up its third and fourth reactors since 2012. “I made my decision after the safety aspects had been considered and approved by (the) Takahama township and prefectural assembly, and after considering the general policies of the national government and Kepco,” Nishikawa said, referring to Kansai Electric Power Co. The Fukui District Court ruled that, as there was no clear and present danger to local communities from the reactors, there was no reason for the injunction. Both decisions came less than a week after the Cabinet Office released detailed evacuation plans for dealing with a nuclear crisis at Takahama — plans that critics warn may prove unrealistic in an actual emergency. About 179,000 people live within 30 km of the Takahama plant, and 8,800 live within 5 km of it. Of the 179,000 total, about 54,000 reside in four Fukui towns and another 125,000 are from seven cities in neighboring Kyoto Prefecture. All would have to be evacuated in the event of a disaster. The official evacuation plan is based on three different scenarios. In the first scenario, known as Operational Intervention Level 1, more than 500 microsieverts of radiation per hour are detected. In the second scenario, OIL 2, between 20 and 500 microsieverts per hour are detected, with a base level of half a microsievert set for OIL 3. In OIL 1, evacuation procedures would be put into place within hours of confirming the radiation level. For OIL 2, the time frame is within a day. The plans call for sending more than 46,000 Fukui residents within 5 km to 30 km of Takahama northeast, toward the towns of Tsuruga, Sabae, or Echizen. Roughly 125,000 residents in seven Kyoto cities also live between 5 km and 30 km of the plant, and would have to be evacuated. Within the prefecture, the flow would be directed south and southwest to Kyoto, Uji and other cities, as well as to Kobe and 18 other towns and cities in Hyogo, and to Naruto and two towns in Tokushima on Shikoku. Most of the roughly 8,800 residents living within 5 km of Takahama would be evacuated to Tsuruga, as well as to Sanda and Takarazuka in neighboring Hyogo. About 640 people living in areas of Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, within 5 km of the Takahama plant would be evacuated to Kobe. A key concern local officials have is how the central government will initially respond to the next nuclear disaster. The plan for delivering first responders and relief goods from Tokyo calls for Air Self-Defense Force transport planes at Iruma Air Base in Saitama to fly to Komatsu Air Base in Ishikawa Prefecture (a one hour flight), where their cargo will be transferred to helicopters and ferried to Takahama, 30 minutes away. Yet all the detailed plans are all based on the assumption that the roads leading out of Takahama — which lies in a remote area on the Sea of Japan coast — to the evacuation zones in other parts of Fukui, as well as Kyoto and Hyogo, will not have been damaged; that there will not be mass panic that clogs the roads; and that there will be enough time for residents within 30 km of the plant to get to safety. But what happens if the nuclear incident has been triggered by an earthquake or other natural disaster that has destroyed the roads? Or, what happens if an accident occurs in the midst of a blizzard, where icy roads and hazardous driving conditions can lead to accidents that block them and create long traffic jams? The Cabinet Office’s plans state that, in the event of a natural disaster that makes fleeing by road impossible, residents will be evacuated by ship from the neighboring port city of Maizuru, which has a Maritime Self-Defense Force base. Helicopters will land at about a dozen designated areas along the main roads in Fukui and northern Kyoto that lie within the 30-km evacuation radius. Again, the above assumptions are that the port facilities will be working after a disaster and that residents will be able to get to a dozen locations that have been designated as helicopter landing spots, most of which are in Maizuru. For some local politicians outside Fukui, the evacuation plans represent a challenge and an opportunity. Kyoto Gov. Keiji Yamada met with Vice Minister Yosuke Takagi of the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry earlier this month and asked Tokyo to provide funding in next year’s fiscal budget for improving roads. “There are a lot of issues in regards to infrastructure for areas of evacuation and evacuation routes,” Yamada said, pointing out that funding for road improvements had yet to be guaranteed. However, Shiga Prefecture, which could find itself deluged with panicked evacuees, is also the home of Lake Biwa, the main source of water for 14 million people. A disaster at the Takahama plant could contaminate drinking water sources for not only those towns and cities named in the evacuation plans, but also for those as far away as Osaka. “If there’s an accident, there will be a long-term effect over a wide area of Lake Biwa,” said Shiga Gov. Daizo Mikazuki last Tuesday after Fukui Gov. Nishikawa granted approval for reactor restarts.

nuclear power
shiga
kepco
fukui
takahama plant


Bridgestone considering topping Carl Icahn's increased bid on Pep Boys parts chain

Abstract: NEW YORK - Bridgestone Corp. will decide by the end of the year whether to top Carl Icahn’s bid for Pep Boys after the billionaire investor raised his offer for the car-parts chain to more than $1 billion. The Japanese tire maker will decide its next move within three business days, spokesman Fusamaro Iijima said Tuesday in an email. Hours earlier, Icahn Enterprises escalated a bidding war with an $18.50-a-share cash proposal, which it said it will be willing to boost even further if Pep Boys does not increase the termination fee in its deal with Bridgestone. The takeover battle for Pep Boys underscores the confidence Icahn and Bridgestone have in the U.S. auto-parts retailing industry, which has benefited from an aging vehicle fleet on American roads. The automotive retailer agreed to a sweetened, $17-a-share takeover offer from Bridgestone last week, following an earlier bid from Icahn. Both Bridgestone and Icahn are seeking to expand their presence in the tire and automotive-repair sector by adding Pep Boys’ 800 locations across more than 30 states. Bridge-stone operates more than 2,200 tire and automotive centers in the country. Icahn, meanwhile, plans to combine Pep Boys with the Auto Plus chain, which he acquired earlier this year. Icahn’s increased offer sent Pep Boys’ stock up as much as 7.1 percent to $18.65 in late trading. Shares of the company, the full name of which is Pep Boys-Manny, Moe & Jack, had already gained 77 percent this year, largely driven by the bidding war. Bridgestone rose 0.5 percent to ¥4,155 as of 2:17 p.m. Pep Boys trades at 64 times forward 12-month earnings, versus the 18 times average for U.S. auto retailers, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The company, based in Philadelphia, said in a statement that Icahn’s proposal was superior and gave Bridgestone until 5 p.m. New York time on Thursday to make another offer or terminate their agreement. Icahn had previously said he is willing to pay at least $18.10 a share and was puzzled by Pep Boys’ board opting for the Bridgestone offer. “We cannot understand the actions of the directors in that they know we were willing to offer a lot more than $17,” he said last week.

carl icahn
acquisition
bridgestone corp .
pep boys
icahn enterprises


Bicyclists have field day as smog-hit Milan bans car use

Abstract: MILAN, ITALY - Bicyclists had free rein of Milan’s streets Monday during a six-hour ban on private cars in a bid to alleviate persistent smog. Pollution levels in Italy’s business capital have exceeded levels considered healthy for more than 30 days straight, prompting officials to ban private cars from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Wednesday this week. Officials said private motorists, who risked steep fines, widely respected the ban on its first day. Rome, which is also battling smog, has been enforcing alternate day driving based on odd and even numbers on license plates, while Florence has announced limits on automobile access to the historic center through New Year’s Eve. The measures have been criticized as insufficient, with some calling for more incentives to use public transport, shutting off school heating systems during the winter break and urging citizens to turn down the heat at home. Milan’s Mayor Giuliano Pisapia said it was a necessary response to an emergency situation. “The ban under way has been, I would say, well respected,” Milan’s top transport official, Pierfrancesco Maran, said in a Facebook post. “In the meantime, it has to be said that the city has a magical atmosphere experienced on foot, bicycle and with public transport.” The lack of rain and winds has exacerbated pollution levels in Italy, particularly in the mostly land-locked and industrial northern Po River Valley where at least 10 cities have limited auto traffic in some way. Milan’s car ban falls during a holiday week, with many residents out of town and many businesses closed, and is accompanied by a measure that allows passengers to use public transport all day for €1.50 ($1.6) on what is normally a single-ride ticket. Health officials say vehicle emissions account for half of the pollution in Milan and 70 percent in Rome, and that the high pollution levels have increased reports of acute cardiovascular disease in recent days.


German dies after blowing up condom machine

Abstract: BERLIN - Police in Germany say a man has died after he and two others blew up a condom machine and he was hit in the head by a flying piece of metal. Officers were alerted to the explosion Friday in Schoeppingen, near the Dutch border, and found cash and condom packets lying on the ground apparently untouched. A local hospital informed police that a 29-year-old had died after being brought in by two other men. They initially said he had fallen down stairs, but police said Monday one of them later admitted the victim’s injuries were related to the explosion. They say the three men apparently got into a car after triggering the explosion, but the 29-year-old didn’t close his door and was hit by debris when the machine exploded.


Eiji Kimizuka, former GSDF Chief of Staff, dies at 63

Abstract: Friends of the Ground Self-Defense Force throughout Japan and the world were saddened to learn about the passing of Eiji Kimizuka, a retired four-star general who served as the Chief of Staff of the GSDF from 2011 to 2013 but perhaps was best known for leading the bilateral response to the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. He was 63. He died Monday of lung cancer after recently being hospitalized. Earlier this month, I received an email from his wife telling me about his hospitalization “since the latter part of November,” but I did not realize it was so serious. I had written to him previously, as part of our long correspondence, this time to ask him some questions about Operation Tomodachi, the massive relief effort led by the U.S. in support of Japan, for a book I am writing. Unusually, it was several days before I got a response, and in this case, from his wife. He had kindly related the answers to her, and she passed them along. I first met then-Maj. Gen. Kimizuka when he was the commanding general of the 1st Combined Brigade (now 15th Brigade) in Okinawa in summer 2004, immediately before I went on a sabbatical from Osaka University to work for the U.S. Marine Corps in Hawaii for one year. After serving as the head of the personnel division in Ichigaya, he moved to the Osaka area in July 2006 to serve as the chief of staff of Middle Army Headquarters and commander of Camp Itami. Our relationship grew during this time thanks to the proximity, but also due to his dedication to community relations. He was promoted to lieutenant general after this and served as the commanding general of the 8th Division, followed by service as the vice president of the National Defense Academy, where my academic adviser, Dr. Iokibe Makoto, had become president. I was able to see him quite often in this connection as well. In July 2009, he became the 34th commanding general of Northeastern Army. Twenty months later, the disaster hit. He had prepared his forces well, and had extraordinary relations with the local community, allowing the response to be comparatively smooth. His close relationship with his U.S. military counterparts was also a key ingredient to the success. When I arrived at Camp Sendai with the U.S. Marines as their political adviser in the forward command element we established within Joint Task Force-Tohoku, or JTF-TH, I felt as if I was rejoining an old friend on the one hand, but also deeply honored to be working under and for him. He, in turn, expressed his relief that I was there. Kimizuka also had a relationship with the head of the U.S. Marine Corps in Japan, Lt. Gen. Kenneth J. Glueck Jr., who had recently arrived for his fourth tour in Japan. His previous time in Japan overlapped with Kimizuka’s in Okinawa; they were counterparts of similar organizations — the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Glueck’s case. Kimizuka was a kind, thoughtful man, although some would say cautious, too. His morning and evening meetings, which often ran two hours each, in the command center ended with his sharing his thoughts or different pieces of information, both to raise morale as well as to instill lessons. He noted one evening about the Emperor’s March 16th message regarding the tragedy to the people of Japan, a message that included praise of the Self Defense Forces’ work. The message, as well as the noting of it, were both especially meaningful at that time when stress and fatigue were setting in among our Japanese colleagues. He was attentive to details. He loved scuba diving, and diving deep. The same could be said of his approach to work — diving deep in the facts, contexts and nuances. He could be stern, but he was never rude. I told him much later that I felt the meetings were almost like a seminar, where the professor summarized things at the end and imparted his or her words of wisdom. As an educator, it was meant as a compliment, although he may not have taken it that way. He was not expected to become the top of the GSDF later that year, but his experience as a commander in the real world was needed and he was chosen. In addition, during Operation Tomodachi he saw firsthand the amphibious capabilities of the U.S. Marines-U.S. Navy team, something Japan desperately needed to develop. He also struggled with getting the SDF to operate jointly and could use tap into that experience to guide the GSDF in the post-3/11 era. Without a doubt, he moved the GSDF forward. I recently arranged for him to give a talk on Nov. 6 at a university in the United States about the disaster. The former president of the Japan-America Society in that city wrote as it finished how “excellent” it was and what a “very impressive gentlemen” Kimizuka was. I could not agree more. Rest in peace, general.


Plaintiffs express shock at bad precedent set by court's decision on shared surnames

Abstract: Plaintiffs contesting family laws that require spouses to choose a single surname expressed shock and anger at Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling, saying it sets a bad precedent and will force more women to suffer the misery of having to change their name upon marriage. In a vote of 10 to 5, the nation’s top court dismissed claims by five women seeking the right to retain their maiden names after marriage. The court said the century-old Civil Code provision requiring couples to share a surname — they can choose which — is “established in Japanese society,” and that the matter should be taken up in the Diet, not the courts. “I’m sad, I’m in pain,” a weeping plaintiff Kyoko Tsukamoto told a news conference in Tokyo following the ruling. She goes by Tsukamoto, her maiden name, although her husband’s name must be used on legal documents. “My name is something I can’t give up.” Fellow plaintiff Kaori Oguni expressed anger, saying the reasoning for the ruling was “horrible.” “This means that future generations of women will be shouldered with the same suffering we have gone through,” Oguni, a 41-year-old mother of a 6-year-old daughter, said. “I’ve told my daughter of (the injustice of) the Japanese marriage system for years. I’m at a loss for how to explain today’s ruling to her.” Fujiko Sakakibara, a lead lawyer in the case, said the ruling reflects Japan’s poor participation of women in society, including in the judiciary. “The percentage of female judges in the Supreme Court is only 20 percent now, which has resulted in this outcome.” In a separate case, the Supreme Court ruled that a Civil Code provision prohibiting female divorcees from remarrying within six months of their divorce is unconstitutional. Tomoshi Sakka, a lawyer representing the plaintiff, a woman in her 30s, said the Diet should swiftly change the law. In its ruling Wednesday, the court said the period in which a divorcee cannot remarry should be shortened to 100 days from the current six months, citing advances in medical technologies, such as DNA tests, which have made the paternity of children much easier to ascertain. For women wishing to remarry within 100 days after a divorce, Sakka said, the government should allow them to do so as long as they have obtained proof from a medical doctor that they are not pregnant. “We request that the government issue a notice allowing such women to remarry, given that the advances in medical and other scientific technologies (in shortening the ban) are cited in the ruling,” Sakka said.

shinzo abe
ldp
family
civil code
marriage
supreme court
surnames


Japan's top court upholds same-name rule for married couples, overturns remarriage moratorium for women

Abstract: The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the constitutionality of a controversial Civil Code provision requiring married couples to use the same surname in official matters. The decision was a blow to campaigners who sued the state, asking the nation’s highest court to declare the rule unconstitutional. The matter is contentious in Japan, with opponents calling it an infringement of women’s fundamental rights and conservatives regarding shared names as a central pillar of the family unit. The top court did, however, declare that a law prohibiting female divorcees from remarrying within six months of their divorce is unconstitutional. In response to the ruling on the ban on remarriage, Justice Minister Mitsuhide Iwaki responded Wednesday evening by pledging a swift legal revision. Noting the ruling suggested the ban be shortened to 100 days, the ministry issued a notice to its regional bureaus nationwide that women wishing to remarry 100 days after a divorce should be allowed to do so even before any legal revision takes place, Iwaki said. Both rulings relate to family laws dating from the Meiji Era (1868-1912). Campaigners who brought the pair of lawsuits alleged discrimination against women. One suit, filed in 2011, involved a statute requiring Japanese spouses to choose which single family name — the husband’s or the wife’s — to adopt in legally registering their marriage. The plaintiffs argued this amounts to gender discrimination because being forced to choose a single surname infringes on personal dignity and the freedom to marry. Presiding Justice Itsuro Terada said sharing a single family name is a system “deeply rooted in our society” and is meaningful in that it “enables people to identify themselves as part of a family in the eyes of others.” Although admitting that being pressured to forfeit a maiden name often works to women’s disadvantage professionally — and may even trigger an identity crisis — Terada said such hardships can be mitigated, since women are free to use their maiden names in daily life. However, campaigners cite inconveniences in the workplace as a significant reason for their opposition to the rule. Some say when a woman known professionally by her maiden name has to adopt a new one it creates major complications. Meanwhile, the top court similarly rejected the plaintiffs’ appeal for a combined ¥6 million in compensation. Noting that the law gives couples the freedom to decide which surname to adopt, Terada said it is not discriminatory in itself. However, studies in the past 40 years show more than 96 percent of Japanese couples have opted for the husband’s name. Some of the plaintiffs reported emotional distress in the form of depression and difficulty sleeping. Coming at a time when the global trend is increasingly toward allowing the use of separate names, the ruling is “anachronistic,” said Masayuki Tanamura, a professor of family law at Waseda University. “The ruling will not encourage women to remain in the workforce after marriage and childbirth,” Tanamura said. “As the circumstances surrounding a family and public perceptions of it are evolving, the Civil Code provision, based on an outdated view of the family, must be changed.” He added that the Diet should not take the ruling as an excuse for inaction, but should promptly revise the law. Waseda Law School professor Mutsuko Asakura also lambasted the ruling. Noting only three female judges on the 15-member Grand Bench of the top court that examined the case, she said the ruling underscored the gross lack of understanding by male judges toward inconveniences long imposed on women. It even risks further cementing the international community’s perception of Japan as a country “intolerant of diversity” and “insensitive to human rights,” she said. Meanwhile, in response to a lawsuit filed by a 30-something female divorcee from Okayama Prefecture, the top court recognized the unconstitutionality of a separate statute prohibiting women from remarrying within six months of their divorce. The court, however, rejected the woman’s appeal for ¥1.65 million in compensation for emotional distress. Critics call the measure outdated in an era of early pregnancy detection and of DNA sequencing, which can identify paternity to a degree of accuracy unthinkable a century ago. Terada said the ban represents an “excessive restriction” on women’s freedom of marriage. Yet reducing the ban to 100 days would pose no constitutional problem, he said in reference to a related clause that says a child born within the first 300 days after a divorce is legally a descendant of the former husband, while a child born at least 200 days after the second marriage is deemed to be that of a new partner. Debate over whether to revamp the Civil Code, which dates from the Meiji Era, flared up in the 1990s following Japan’s ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in 1985. In response to public calls for change, a legislative panel of the Justice Ministry proposed amendments in 1996 to legalize having separate surnames and to shorten the six-month ban on remarriage. It provoked fierce opposition from conservative lawmakers, and the proposals were shelved, defeating what would have been the biggest postwar overhaul of family laws. Even today, resistance to the idea of spouses retaining separate names remains particularly strong among lawmakers within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Despite Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s push for “womenomics,” or the greater inclusion of women in society and economic life, the party opposes allowing separate surnames on the grounds that it would destroy “the sense of family unity.” Public opinion is divided, too. A survey conducted by the Cabinet Office in 2012 showed that respondents were split, with 35.5 percent in favor of allowing separate surnames and 36.4 percent against. A survey conducted by public broadcaster NHK last month also showed that 46 percent of respondents support the idea, while 50 percent oppose it. The U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women has repeatedly urged the government to take “immediate action” to amend the law.


Olympics to generate up to ¥30 trillion for economy: BOJ

Abstract: The 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics are expected to generate from ¥25 trillion ($208 billion) to ¥30 trillion in sales and revenue for the economy from 2014 to 2020, the Bank of Japan said Monday. The estimates reflect an increase in infrastructure investment related to the sporting extravaganza and tourism, the central bank said. Tourism has been surging, and visitors to Japan are expected to reach 33 million in 2020 if the current trend continues, surpassing the government’s goal of 20 million by that year, the BOJ said. “This is a reasonable estimate,” said Koya Miyamae, an economist at SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. “There is no doubt that the Olympic Games is good news for the BOJ” as it will boost demand, he said. Preparations are already beginning. Tokyo will spend ¥45.2 billion on fuel-cell vehicle subsidies and hydrogen refueling stations for the Olympics as part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s plan to reduce Japan’s reliance on nuclear power, a city official said in January. The central bank said the sporting events are projected to lift gross domestic product by around 1 percent in 2018, when construction investment will peak, compared with 2014. That corresponds to about ¥5 trillion to ¥6 trillion. The BOJ estimated ¥10 trillion will be spent on the main Olympic stadium and related facilities, as well as infrastructure, by 2020. In addition to those economic effects, further growth can be expected from tweaking the government’s growth strategy to take advantage of the events, the BOJ said. It also said more than 700,000 workers will be needed altogether in sectors from construction to tourism for the event, raising the need to better utilize Japan’s women and elderly. But the BOJ also warned that the figures were subject to change. “These are rough calculations,” a BOJ official said. Tourism is climbing at a dramatic pace. In the first 11 months of the year, there were nearly 18 million visitors, up 47.5 percent from the same period last year and representing all-time high, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. Their spending totaled ¥1 trillion from July to September, up 81.8 percent from the same period last year. Chinese travelers, who account for the bulk of the tourists and whose heavy spending has inspired the slang term bakugai, or explosive buying, also spent the most in the quarter, dropping ¥466 billion in Japan. While economists deny tourism alone is large enough to become a key driver of the economy, they acknowledge it is a positive factor in an economy with few strong engines. “Inbound tourism should contribute to revitalization of local economies,” said Hideo Kumano, chief economist at Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, referring to one of Abe’s stated priorities. “I think demand from inbound tourists will benefit areas that have popular tourist destinations.”

bank of japan
gdp
2020 tokyo olympics
inbound tourism


Cow dung patties selling like hot cakes online in India

Abstract: NEW DELHI - With the holiday season in full swing, Indians are flocking to the online marketplace in droves. But one unusual item is flying off the virtual shelves: Online retailers say cow dung patties are selling like hot cakes. The patties — cow poop mixed with hay and dried in the sun, made mainly by women in rural areas and used to fuel fires — have long been available in India’s villages. But online retailers including Amazon and eBay are now reaching out to the country’s ever-increasing urban population. Some retailers say they are offering discounts for large orders. Some customers are asking for gift wrapping. “Cow dung cakes have been listed by multiple sellers on our platform since October and we have received several customer orders” since then, said Madhavi Kochar, an Amazon India spokeswoman. The orders come mostly from cities where it would be difficult to buy dung cakes, she said. In India, where Hindus have long worshipped cows as sacred, cow dung cakes have been used for centuries for fires, whether for heating, cooking or Hindu rituals. Across rural India, piles of drying cow dung are ubiquitous. Radhika Agarwal of ShopClues, a major online retailer in India, said demand for the cow dung cakes spiked during the recent Diwali season, a time when Hindus conduct prayer ceremonies at their homes, factories and offices. On a recent day, ShopClues’ website showed that the patties had sold out. “Around Diwali, when people do a lot of pujas in their homes and workplaces, there is a lot of demand for cow dung cakes,” said Agarwal, referring to rituals performed during the popular festival. “Increasingly, in the cold weather, people are keeping themselves warm by lighting fires” using them, she said, adding that people who grew up in rural areas find the peaty smell of dung fires pleasant. “It reminds them of the old days,” she said. The cakes are sold in packages that contain two to eight pieces weighing 200 grams each. Prices range from 100 to 400 rupees ($1.50 to $6) per package. Dung cakes are also used as organic manure, and some sellers are marketing them for use in kitchen gardens.


Eat-in areas on the rise in Japan’s convenience stores and supermarkets

Abstract: In the quest for next-level service, convenience stores and supermarkets are increasingly keen to experiment with “eat-in” lounge areas. Some are even setting up adjacent cafes where the same clerks who handle convenience store customers also serve coffee and cake. Eat-in areas allow customers to consume their purchases without leaving the premises. Here is a look into the recent boom of eat-in areas and how convenience stores and supermarkets are tapping into their potential: Is the number of eat-in areas on the rise? Yes. Most major convenience store operators — Seven Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart and Circle K Sunkus — said they have increased their number of eat-in spaces over the years. FamilyMart, for example, said it has “strategically” increased eat-in areas, boosting their number more than fivefold from 580 in February 2013 to the current 3,200, in response to their popularity among customers, spokeswoman Akiko Tsuse said. Circle K said that of the current 300 outlets with eat-in spaces, 100 were established over the past year, according to spokesman Naoto Shinozaki. Seven Eleven and Lawson said they don’t keep a tally, but that they are in line with the current upward trend. Ministop has eat-in space in almost all its outlets, unless local regulations and other conditions preclude their presence. What’s driving the increase? Most convenience stores said the increase reflects a diversification of consumer demand. Circle K spokesman Shinozaki, for one, cited a gradual change in his firm’s customer base. They now see more female and elderly customers, as opposed to middle-aged businessmen, who previously accounted for an overwhelming majority of their patrons. Shinozaki said female customers, for example, would rather sit and eat an onigiri rice ball, as opposed to eating while walking. The eat-in spaces, he said, come in handy for such people. Elderly customers appreciate in-house eating areas because it affords them a place to rest before returning home, he said. What can customers do at eat-in areas? Convenience stores and supermarkets are exploring their potential. The Circle K group, for example, runs 13 K’s Cafe establishments, many of which are located next to their stores nationwide, Shinozaki said. They aim to accommodate customers in a manner fundamentally different from eat-in areas, which cater primarily to customers in need of space for a quick meal. K’s Cafe, he said, offers a more leisurely break. The cafes sport elaborate interior designs featuring “Japanese-style modernity” in a bid to carve out a following among women in their 30s and 40s, he said. Similarly, Ministop customers can use eat-in areas not only to consume what they purchased but to socialize, spokesman Kimikazu Sugawara said. Midsize supermarket chain Inageya Co. said it also wants to stand out from its rivals by creating “a hub of communication” in areas around their shops, according to spokesman Takuya Okuda. Inageya has introduced high-quality sofas, tables and chairs in many of its lounges to make customers feel more at home, while in some FamilyMart outlets customers can recharge their smartphones. Going a step further, FamilyMart announced last month that the eat-in space at its new outlet in the Osaka city of Suita will be open to performances by professional stand-up comedians. The firm said this is part of its collaboration with a local merchants’ association to lure more people to the area and reinvigorate local businesses. Are convenience stores planning to increase eat-in space? FamilyMart said it plans to further increase such spaces from the current 3,200 to 6,000 nationwide by the end of February 2018. Although Circle K has no set target, it too may introduce them into more of its outlets. Seven Eleven, meanwhile, is more cautious, saying it will weigh customer demand and floor space in each outlet before deciding, spokesman Katsuhiko Shimizu said. Lawson has no plans as of yet. Will the consumption tax rise in April 2017 affect eat-in areas? The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner Komeito agreed in the tax reform outline released earlier this month for the next fiscal year to keep “foods in general” levied at the current 8 percent rate, to mitigate the financial blow to households of the overall sales tax hike to 10 percent in 2017. The ruling coalition, however, made an exception: the 8 percent tax rate will not apply to “foods served in eating establishments.” The tax rate for food consumed in eat-in areas will vary depending on packaging, possibly creating confusion among both consumers and retailers. Bento boxed lunches and other packaged foods that can be brought home will continue to be subject to the 8 percent rate. These disposable products will be considered as being merely “sold” by convenience stores, and therefore categorized as “foods in general.” If meals are served on plates that must be returned, they will be levied at 10 percent, based on the premise that they are “provided” by stores and thus regarded as “foods served in eating establishments,” according to the outline.

taxes
convenience stores
consumption tax
eat-in


U.S. gender experts slam Supreme Court ruling backing same surname for spouses

Abstract: NEW YORK - U.S. gender equality experts on Wednesday criticized a ruling by Japan’s Supreme Court upholding a law requiring spouses to use the same surname, describing the law as outdated. “Having the same name as her husband is not necessarily against her self-interest, but it should be up to her to choose,” said Marsha Freeman, senior fellow and director of the International Women’s Rights Action Watch. “For many, it is a matter of having begun to establish a business or professional identity prior to marriage; changing it is detrimental to her professional life and well as to personal identity,” she said. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court ruled that a provision of the Civil Code requiring married couples to have the same surname is constitutional, noting that using one surname for family members is a practice “well-established in society.” In Japan, it is customary for a wife to take her husband’s surname, although the law does not say which of the partners must give up their surname on marriage. Freeman said the court is mistaken in its conclusion that a woman’s use of their preferred name in all circumstances is a challenge to culture. “Culture is a living thing that changes with time and the influence of information, education, and economics,” she said. Antonia Kirkland, legal adviser of Equality Now, a group working for the protection and promotion of women’s rights, said the ruling symbolized gender inequality in Japan, adding men were often seen as more powerful in the country’s traditional culture, leading many wives to give up their maiden names. CNN reported the ruling, saying that many women, gender equality experts, and even a U.N. committee have said the law was “discriminatory” and “outdated,” with its headline reading “Japanese women lose fight to keep their surnames.”


Experts say surname verdict reflects top court's gender, age makeup

Abstract: The Supreme Court ruling Wednesday that upheld the constitutionality of a law that requires spouses to choose a single surname dealt a heavy blow to advocates who want to see change. They worry Japan may have missed a chance to join the global trend of allowing married couples to have separate legal surnames. The ruling also raised the question of whether a better gender balance among the top court’s 15 justices might have resulted in a different outcome. Of the court’s 15 members, only three are women. “If there was a better gender balance of the judges, it may have led to a different ruling,” said Mari Miura, a political professor at Sophia University. Shuhei Ninomiya, a professor of family law at Ritsumeikan University, said opinions may have varied among the judges based on their understanding of the pain of changing one’s surname and the problems that stem from it. In the ruling, all three female justices out of 15 were in favor of the plaintiffs. In their opinions, they cited women who suffered disadvantages and inconveniences from changing their surnames, such as the case of researchers who had already published research papers under their maiden names, and other examples where the building of a career after marriage was made more difficult by the change. “Women shoulder almost all the burdens — the obstacles and loss of self-confidence — that come from (changing surnames),” one of the opinions said. “It is hardly a system that ensures individual dignity and gender equality.” According to a government survey, more people tend to oppose separate surnames as they age. The 15-member justices were all in their 60s. “The fact that more elderly people sympathize with a single surname may have been reflected in the ruling,” said Ninomiya of Ritsumeikan University. The ruling stated that the disadvantages that come with a change of surname could be mitigated by expanding the use of maiden names in some situations. According to a survey by the Institute of Labor Administration, a private research group, 64.5 percent of firms that responded allowed the use of maiden names at work in 2013, up from 17.8 percent in 1995. “I was really excited before the ruling. But now, the debate (over allowing separate surnames) may lose momentum,” said Etsuko Kuzuya, 43, who works in Tokyo’s Toshima Ward. Kuzuya has used her maiden name at work since she was married, but she has to use her husband’s surname for official documents such as rental contracts, elections and other administrative procedures in her municipality. “There is no legal backing for common names,” Kuzuya said. “It seems (the judges) don’t understand the reality.” According to the Justice Ministry, there are no other countries that ban separate surnames.Lawmakers from the Liberal Democratic Party say the top court’s decision must have been well received by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Predominantly conservative lawmakers’ group Sosei Nippon (Japan’s Rebirth), headed by Abe, is essentially opposed to the change, and says it will work to keep the law unchanged in order to preserve the unity of the family. One Cabinet minister said Abe was taking a realistic stance to appeal to a wider audience outside his conservative base. “Abe’s administration is pushing for a greater role in society for women, but upholding laws that force couples to choose a single surname will only hinder achieving the goal,” said Ritsumeikan’s Ninomiya. “Instead of backpedaling the debate, the government should push forward to (change) the legislation.” On Wednesday, Tomomi Inada, policy chief of the ruling LDP, said the ruling was “reasonable.” Inada also said measures were needed to make it easier to use maiden names at work, adding that the party should consider whether a law revision is necessary. Meanwhile, Katsuya Okada, who heads the opposition’s Democratic Party of Japan, said the party planned to submit legislation in the regular Diet session to be convened next month that would allow couples to have separate legal surnames. “Just because the (Supreme Court ruling) said it was constitutional doesn’t mean (lawmakers) don’t have to do anything,” Okada said.


Toshiba to end TV production, shrink staff, sell assembly plants overseas

Abstract: Toshiba Corp. is planning to withdraw from TV manufacturing by selling its factories abroad, a source said Wednesday. It recently came to light that the struggling conglomerate is considering consolidating its loss-making PC and white goods businesses with those of other companies, a source said Wednesday. Several hundred job cuts are anticipated as a result of drastic streamlining measures affecting Toshiba’s three loss-making businesses: the assembly of TVs, PCs and white goods such as refrigerators and washing machines. Restructuring efforts are thought to have been impeded by accounting irregularities that surfaced earlier this year, apparently obscuring faltering earnings that had been plaguing these divisions. Toshiba’s retreat from TV manufacturing highlights the company’s growing focus on nuclear power infrastructure and other business-to-business operations and a shift away from its consumer businesses. It also marks the increasing relapse of Japanese manufacturers in the global home electronics market, losing ground to overseas competition. Toshiba in 1959 became the first company in Japan to produce a color television. The TV business has since been a centerpiece of its operations, best known in recent years for the Regza series of liquid crystal displays introduced in 2006. But the division has been bleeding money since 2011 in the face of intensifying competition from South Korean and Chinese manufacturers. In 2012, Toshiba shut down its domestic TV factories. It currently assembles TVs overseas, including in Indonesia and at a jointly owned operation in Egypt. The Tokyo-based company is expected to announce by the end of this month plans to sell these facilities to other companies abroad and to pare back its workforce, the source said. Toshiba controlled 13.4 percent of Japan’s LCD TV market in 2014, the third-biggest after Sharp Corp. and Panasonic Corp., according to research company BCN Inc. Its domestic sales suffered a setback after demand for units geared for terrestrial digital broadcasting ran its course a few years ago. The Regza brand appears to be up for sale to an overseas manufacturer, the source said, leaving the possibility that the brand may survive and continue to be sold in Japan even after Toshiba’s exit. Toshiba is considering a plan to merge its PC business with those of Fujitsu Ltd. and Vaio Corp., a former Sony Corp. unit. Its white goods operation may be sold to Sharp under another plan. In the semiconductor business, Toshiba has already decided to offer early retirement and to transfer jobs to other divisions, affecting around 1,200 workers. Part of the chip operations will be sold to Sony. Toshiba reported ¥90.49 billion in consolidated operating loss for the semiannual period through Sept. 30, suffering a blow particularly in its home electronics divisions such as its TV, PC and white-goods units. The Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission recommended on Monday that the government’s Financial Services Agency assess a record ¥7.37 billion fine for falsifying earnings reports. Accounts in the TV business and elsewhere were manipulated by dubious practices such as overstating or understating costs. Toshiba and a group of shareholders have filed separate lawsuits against former executives over damages that resulted.


Teen tests fire-spitting, turkey-roasting drone

Abstract: MILFORD, CONNECTICUT - A young Connecticut man has cooked up a flame-throwing drone that roasts turkeys, but his latest foray into unmanned flight has drawn the attention of the law — again. Austin Haughwout, 19, made headlines last year when a young woman attacked him for using a drone to film her, and earlier this year he got into trouble when he modified a drone to fire a handgun. The Clinton, Connecticut, man this week posted a YouTube video showing him using a drone equipped to shoot flames to roast a turkey in a wooded area of his family’s backyard. Police said they were looking into the matter, but the man’s father said the aerial turkey roast was carried out safely. “We had a lot of fun, it was something different to do and there was no danger at all,” said the father, Bret Haughwout. He said he and his son had fire extinguishers, hoses and buckets of water on hand for the flight. “We didn’t break any laws,” the elder Haughwout said. Clinton Deputy Police Chief John Carbone agreed with that assessment on Wednesday, but added, “The laws just haven’t caught up with this kind of technology yet.” In July, the younger Haughwout was charged with two counts of assault on a police officer when he was summoned to the local police station for questioning about a video showing the drone he had modified to fire a handgun. He is still awaiting trial on that charge, which police said resulted from his driving away from officers who were trying to question him. He also made headlines last year when police charged a woman with assault after she confronted him about flying a drone at a state beach and intruding on her privacy. He recorded the encounter with his cellphone camera as the two engaged in a scuffle that resulted in charges against the woman, but not him. The head and founder of the state Drone Pilots Association said that Haughwout risked giving the aircraft, used by hobbyists and professionals, a bad name. “Mr. Haughwout has once again displayed his willingness to use a drone to perform an irresponsible and unsafe act,” said Peter Sachs. “Whatever talent he has in creating these dangerous contraptions is far surpassed by his immaturity and lack of sensibility. The only thing he has truly accomplished has been to fuel the public’s unwarranted fear of drones.”


Curtain finally falls on the 'Toru Hashimoto Show'

Abstract: “Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” — attributed to Mark Twain On Dec. 18, the “Toru Hashimoto Show” concluded its nearly eight-year run in Osaka with applause, tears and calls for an encore performance among its fans, and expressions of relief among its critics. With his tenure as Osaka mayor finished, Hashimoto leaves behind a supporting cast led by his faithful understudy, Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui, who finds himself ringleader of the political circus known as Osaka Ishin no Kai. They love a good show in Osaka, especially if the act contains a good dose of fiery, populist (read: anti-Tokyo) rhetoric. Who in the cheap seats really cares if, behind the curtain, the script is penned by old men in the corporate world who see Osaka not as a municipality of citizens with democratic rights and individual freedoms, but as a business with troublesome employees in need of placating? Over the years, I’ve often been asked by friends and strangers outside Osaka why Hashimoto remains popular despite the fact he is often contradictory and tactless. Given statistics showing Osaka’s overall economy hasn’t greatly improved under Hashimoto, they ask, what on earth keeps him — and his friends — in power? The answers are complex. It’s difficult for outside observers to fathom the anger in Osaka with status quo politics when Hashimoto took office in early 2008. The region’s deep pride was heavily wounded in the two decades of decline Osaka experienced following the collapse of the bubble economy in the early 1990s. The under-40 crowd was particularly angry. Many were undereducated and not economically well-off. They wanted a leader who could find scapegoats in the bureaucracy for their lot in life. Others, especially younger doctors and lawyers, or business consultant types and smaller business owners, were also upset — not at being poor, but at not being super rich compared to friends in Tokyo. Nothing makes ambitious types earning ¥10 million a year in Osaka feel cheated more than hearing about similar types in Tokyo earning ¥20 million annually. Hashimoto, a lawyer who sounded like a street fighter but raked in boatloads of money, appealed to both groups. Yet he was astute enough to understand he needed the support of conservative, right-wing, status-quo oriented old men in order to get what he wanted. And it worked. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was an early Hashimoto enthusiast (and still is) for his views on constitutional revision and patriotic education. Former Tokyo Gov. and right-wing octogenarian Shintaro Ishihara loved Hashimoto so much he got politically married to him for a while, before “irreconcilable differences” with Hashimoto led to a divorce. And what of Hashimoto’s Ishin movement? It would be easy to write off separate efforts outside Osaka to form Ishin parties as doomed to failure. But given how weak local chapters of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party often are, and the fact that younger residents in other parts of Japan are also anxious for reform, Osaka Ishin’s aggressive push for greater local autonomy has more support elsewhere than is commonly understood. Even if those other prefectures don’t want to be controlled by an Osaka-centric party. Thus, the LDP and the established parties could eventually be forced to borrow, or at least improvise, Osaka Ishin’s hymns about local autonomy and deregulation for their own act in order to keep disgruntled younger voters from Hokkaido to Okinawa from booing them off the political stage in favor of local Ishin performers. Hashimoto’s greatest legacy may not be that he created the Ishin movement, but that the movement forced political performers in other parties to change their tunes.

shinzo abe
shintaro ishihara
toru hashimoto
osaka
ichiro matsui


Cherishing Okinawa's diverse marine life

Abstract: Diving in Okinawa this summer, I came face to face with my favorite undersea creature: the octopus. I was diving at Maeda Point on the main island when my guide directed my attention to something that was right in front of me. I stared but could only see coral. I made an open-palm gesture, as if to say, “I can’t see anything,” and the movement caused what I had previously thought to be a rock to burst into life. Now on the move, the octopus’ skin started changing color as it swam over the rocks. It soon found a narrow crevice and squeezed itself inside. Upon approach, all I could see was a solitary eye — with its alien-like horizontal pupil — peering out. The color of the octopus’ skin throbbed vibrantly. Octopuses and other cephalopods such as squid and cuttlefish have remarkable eyes. In eyes of vertebrates, the nerve fibers route in front of the retina, blocking some light and creating a blind spot where the fibers pass through the retina. In cephalopods, however, the nerve fibers are wired the other way round, routing behind the retina so that the image appears brighter and there is no blind spot. I’m always glad to see an octopus when diving, but I was particularly pleased to see one on this trip because I was primarily in Japan to visit the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), and it was during my trip that scientists published the octopus’ genome sequence. Arguably, the most impressive thing about these animals is their intelligence. Although octopuses are essentially a mollusk, they have been around for approximately 300 million years — primates are believed to have been around for 65 million years or so — and, perhaps not surprisingly, are extraordinarily smart. As Nobel laureate Sydney Brenner, founding president of OIST, said when the octopus’ genome sequence was published, “They were the first intelligent beings on the planet.” Octopuses have the biggest brains of all invertebrates relative to their body size. Some cephalopods hunt fish, which requires cooperation. The tentacles give octopuses extraordinary dexterity; they are able to manipulate objects and even use tools. Each tentacle, it seems, has its own “brain” — its own dedicated part of the central nervous system. Incidentally, the plural of octopus is not octopi. The English word for octopus comes from a Greek word and, therefore, it’s preferable to refer to more than one animal as octopuses (or even octopodes). Things might be different if the word had Latin origins — but it doesn’t. The octopus genome includes several large gene families that may hold a clue to understanding the animal’s unique central nervous system. Individually, these gene families are known to assist brain development in other animals, but octopuses have more than most. OIST scientists also detected hundreds of genes that are common in cephalopods but haven’t been found in other animals. Some of these genes are believed to assist color change. Cephalopods primarily change color to hide, but also when engaging in courtship or trying to ward off an attack by a predator. Another extraordinary finding relates to a mysterious genetic feature called transposons. Most of the genes in our genome only duplicate when instructed to by the cell that they’re living in, but transposons are mobile genetic elements that have a life of their own. About half of the octopus’ genome — a huge amount — is made up of these rogue transposons, and many of these relate to the brain. OIST and University of Tokyo scientists have now sequenced the genome of another unusual marine animal, a brachiopod called Lingula. This mysterious mollusk-like creature, collected from the Amami islands north of Okinawa, has changed very little in appearance since it evolved more than 400 million years ago. Charles Darwin called them “living fossils,” but the brachiopod’s genome sequence shows that while the marine animal’s appearance hasn’t changed, it has been genetically evolving. Noriyuki Satoh, head of OIST’s Marine Genomics Unit, said the study shows that animals appear to take independent evolutionary paths. “Conserving the natural habitat for animal diversity is important,” he says. “This research illustrates the well-nurtured tradition of zoological studies in Japan.” The waters around Okinawa are scientifically important insofar as coral is concerned but, until recently, the marine ecosystem hasn’t been monitored as well as it could have been. OIST has helped to create a targeted system in order to collect data on such marine information as salinity, temperature and oxygen content. Marine biodiversity is under threat, with a recent study showing that more than 17,000 species around the world have little or no protection. I was surprised by the diversity of life I saw during my dive in Okinawa last summer. Often these days, you see bleached, dead coral and few fish during dives, but Okinawa appears still to be thriving. Long may it continue.

okinawa
marine biodiversity
octopuses
brachiopods
genetic sequencing


British astronaut Tim Peake calls wrong number from space

Abstract: LONDON - Anyone can dial a wrong number, but few do so from outer space. British astronaut Tim Peake tweeted an apology on Christmas Day from the International Space Station after calling a wrong number. He wrote “I’d like to apologize to the lady I just called by mistake saying ‘Hello, is this planet Earth?’ — not a prank call — just a wrong number!” The 43-year-old former army helicopter pilot did not say who he was calling. Since he is Britain’s first publicly funded astronaut and the first Briton to visit the space station, millions of Britons have been following his mission closely. Peake has also used Twitter to send Christmas greetings.


Tiny Japanese political party takes new name in bid to reverse its fortunes

Abstract: A small opposition party established last year by conservative lawmakers, including former Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara, renamed itself Monday in an attempt to change its dismal fortunes ahead of this summer’s Upper House election. Jisedai no To (Party for Future Generations) is now Nihon no Kokoro wo Taisetsu ni suru To (Party for Japanese Kokoro). Kokoro means heart, mind or spirit. The party, with only four members in the Diet, decided to change its name after voters crushed it in last year’s Lower House election and in local races, said Masashi Nakano, its secretary-general. The new name was proposed by party chief Kyoko Nakayama, a former member of the Cabinet Secretariat who advised Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the abduction issue from 2006 to 2007. Set up in August 2014, the conservative party’s main campaign goal was to draft a new Constitution, but it struggled for support. In the Lower House election last December, the party won a mere two seats — compared with 19 before the election — causing supreme adviser Ishihara to end his political career. The party currently has only four Diet members. A monthly NHK survey earlier in December showed its support rate at zero for the second consecutive month.

shintaro ishihara
opposition
jisedai no to
kokoro
kyoko nakayama


Joso disaster prompts ministry rethink of flood control, prediction policies

Abstract: On Dec. 11, the land ministry released a new policy vision for dealing with floods in response to September’s typhoon-triggered breach of the Kinugawa River, which inundated residential areas of Joso, Ibaraki Prefecture, stranding thousands for hours, and some for days. The policy vision calls for wide-ranging measures to change the way floods are dealt with both at the national and local levels within the next five years. They include expanding existing embankment projects, training municipal leaders on when to issue evacuation warnings, and improving flood hazard maps. Here are basic questions and answers on Japan’s flood management policy: How serious was the Kinugawa flooding? Typhoon Etau, which hit eastern Japan on Sept. 10 and 11, brought unprecedented levels of rain in many areas, including in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, which saw 551 mm of precipitation over a 24-hour period. Along the Kinugawa River, which runs through Tochigi, Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures, banks overflowed and ruptured, flooding 40 sq. km, a third of the city of Joso, for days. Two people were killed in Joso, thousands of houses and other structures were destroyed and 4,300 residents were rescued by authorities, including hundreds who were airlifted. While floods are seasonal occurrences in Japan, the number of people who were unable to escape in time was unprecedented in recent history, the land ministry report says, adding that it took 51 drainage pump cars working around the clock for 10 days to remove all the water from the flooded residential areas. Is the Kinugawa the only river vulnerable to floods? No. The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry said in the vision report that climate change has increased the chances of rain overwhelming river banks nationwide. The ministry also concedes that its longtime policy of aiming to prevent floods by containing all rainwater within the rivers is no longer realistic. For decades, the land ministry has taken the “hard” approach to flood control, under which it has tried to prevent floods by building dams upstream, dredging riverbeds and constructing levees. “We need to share the awareness, across the entire society, that we cannot rely on past experiences, that the anti-flood facilities have their limits … and that we need to be proactive in dealing with disasters,” the report said. What are the key points of the new vision? The new vision breaks down into two major issues: “hard” and “soft” measures. The hard measures are a continuation of existing river embankment projects, through which 3,000 km of banks will be fortified within the next five years to improve their ability to withstand downpours. Measures include covering the top layer of the existing levees with asphalt and reinforcing the bottom section of the banks with concrete blocks to make them less prone to ruptures. The soft measures, meanwhile, call for better coordination among officials on evacuation planning and sharing of real-time information with residents to alert them to the possibility of flooding. The ministry said it will establish regional councils made up of representatives from river management agencies, prefectures and lower-level municipalities to coordinate their emergency responses. Kei Yoshimura, a hydrologist at the University of Tokyo’s Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, said the move to create regional councils is commendable, as coordination is key in disaster management. “It’s good that (the ministry) calls for improved awareness of all stakeholders,” he said. Also, in an apparent response to criticism that the city of Joso was late to issue evacuation orders in September, the ministry said municipal heads will be briefed in advance, by the next flooding season, on exactly how to utilize flood alerts provided by river management agencies when they issue evacuation orders. By the end of fiscal 2020, all 730 flood-prone municipalities are to have prepared detailed evacuation plans and carried out drills. Currently only 216 municipalities have such detailed plans in place. The report also said flood hazard maps should be improved. What’s wrong with current hazard maps? Municipalities are mandated by law to draw up flood hazard maps. But most residents are not aware of the maps or not sure how to use them, as they are not detailed enough to point out the exact levels of danger for each household and where and when each resident should evacuate, experts say. The land ministry, in a separate move on Dec. 10, launched a new committee of outside experts to guide municipalities on how to revise such maps to make them more user-friendly. Is the vision good enough? Yoshimura said he thinks it’s significant that the ministry has clearly acknowledged the limits of trying to prevent floods and calls for a range of measures that do not rely on massive public works projects. He added, however, that the report fails to mention the need to improve the accuracy of flood forecasts. Long-term flood forecasts would help people prepare for evacuations, he said. The government currently forecasts basic flood risks, based on past rainfall data and monitoring of water levels in rivers. “Why aren’t there flood forecasts just like weather forecasts, which predict weather conditions days ahead?” he said. “Right now, authorities can predict floods only hours before they occur.”

floods
disaster prevention
kinugawa river


Japan pushes new policies to reboot startup sector

Abstract: When asked to name globally recognized Japanese firms founded within the last decade, many people would be hard-pressed to list any. Toyota Motor Corp., Sony Corp. and Nintendo Co. are all more than half a century old, with a lack of new firms reflecting the tough situation for startups. Industry experts say Japan has a long way to go to increase the number of new firms and stimulate investment to ensure their growth. However, positive factors, they say, include a new government strategy and more support from big firms. Following are questions and answers on the situation surrounding fledging startups and related industries in Japan. What is the new government strategy for startups? According to an April 2014 report by a government panel looking at stimulating the growth of startup companies, few new businesses have been launched in Japan due to a lack of interest and lack of support for such firms, and thus not enough money to finance and maintain growth for new companies. Responding to the report, the government looked to create an environment to support new industries, said Yoshiaki Ishii, director for new business policy at the industry ministry. The government had taken steps to support new businesses since the mid-1990s, but it was now focusing on how to also support related startup industries, including venture capital. Moreover, it aimed to change the mindset of young people who tended to avoid taking risks or challenges and instead took jobs at larger firms where they believed it was a more stable career path. Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, an organization that studies startups, offered a breakdown of the early-stage entrepreneurial activity rate by different countries in a 2014 report. This rate is a percentage of people aged 18 to 64 who are about to found a startup or people who already run companies under 3½ years old. The rate in Japan stood at only 3.8 percent, compared with 10.7 percent in Britain, 13.8 percent in the United States and 15.5 percent in China. How can venture capitalists be increased? Ishii said cultivating human resources was essential. For instance, the government was looking into providing entrepreneurial lessons in the education curricula at some schools. He also said venture capital investment needed to be recognized as an option by a larger number of investors. The government planned to work with the Japan Venture Capital Association to come up with more organized data on new industries, Ishii said. He noted that one good trend was young venture capitalists were trying to energize startup companies. Yoshihiko Kinoshita, who heads Tokyo-based Skyland Ventures, is one such capitalist. Along with venture capital firm East Ventures, Kinoshita, 29, created a collaborative space called HiveShibuya, in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, in July that startups backed by the two firms can use as an office. They also frequently host events for young entrepreneurs to network. Kinoshita said he hoped more young people, especially those under 30 years old, join the venture capital industry, as they have more energy to accomplish their goals. To that end, Kinoshita said venture capitals needed to make efforts to get them interested, such as by offering internships. “I think it’s critical that we provide experiences in which young people can get to know (how venture capital works) and how significant it is,” he said. How much money is going to startups in Japan? According to the Entrepreneurship at a Glance 2015 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, about $1.86 billion was poured into startups in Japan in 2013, which is the latest available data. The U.S. figure was $49.53 billion in 2014. As a percentage of gross domestic product, the figure in Japan is low with the amount of investment standing at about 0.04 percent of GDP. In Israel, which has the highest investment-to-GDP ratio, it is 0.38 percent. The figure is 0.28 percent in the U.S., while it is 0.06 percent in South Korea. What about the role of big firms? Major firms are increasingly investing in and collaborating with startups. Ishii said the industry ministry had hosted matching events involving large firms and new firms in the past few years and pairings were increasing. Some firms, including major mobile phone carrier KDDI Corp., started mentoring programs for startups to accelerate their growth in recent years. Big Japanese firms traditionally tend to do everything on their own, but “I think they have realized that this policy won’t work anymore and they need ideas from outside to be innovative,” said Ishii. What do Japanese startups need to become globally competitive? They need to eye the global market from the beginning, experts said. Because Japan has a relatively large domestic market, companies tend to focus on that market, said Ishii, adding there were also language barriers. However, there are new firms that have been actively expanding overseas, such as Mercari Inc., which makes an app that enables users to sell and buy their possessions, and SmartNews Inc., an app which curates must-read news for users.


Nobel prizes, unlocking universe's mysteries just another day's work at Hamamatsu Photonics

Abstract: When employees at Hamamatsu Photonics KK found out their high-precision light sensors had helped win this year’s Nobel Prize in physics, they treated it just like any other day at the office. Far from unusual, it was the fourth time Hamamatsu’s sensors had contributed to projects worthy of the most prestigious award in science. The devices — used by Takaaki Kajita in his 2015 prize-winning analysis of subatomic particles called neutrinos — also helped confirm the existence of the Higgs boson, the so-called God particle, in research that led to the 2013 award. “The next day was the same as usual” after the prize was announced in October, Akira Hiruma, the president of Hamamatsu, said in an interview at the firm’s headquarters in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. “There was no special celebration.” For Hamamatsu shareholders, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate. Apart from helping to advance our understanding of the universe, the company’s sensors play important roles in everything from X-ray machines to DNA sequencers and pollution monitors. Hamamatsu has a 90 percent global market share in the devices known as photomultipliers and a stock price that’s jumped more than four-fold since early 2009. Equity analysts, meanwhile, are more bullish on the company than at any other time in four years. With a ¥538 billion ($4.4 billion) market value and a 20-year streak of positive earnings since going public, Hamamatsu is a standout among the hundreds of skilled manufacturers scattered across Asia’s second-largest economy. Like Shimano Inc. for bicycle parts and Minebea Co. for mobile phone backlights, the company’s reputation for high-quality production has helped it dominate a niche global industry, all from a sleepy city known more for its tasty eels than as a manufacturing powerhouse. Hamamatsu’s route to Nobel success started three decades ago in an abandoned zinc mine 315 km west of Tokyo, where scientists set up an underground laboratory to research cosmic rays, pieces of atoms that rain down on Earth from outer space. In a set of experiments they called Kamiokande, a complex detector made with about 1,000 of Hamamatsu’s photomultiplier tubes was placed deep in the mountain and filled with thousands of tons of water. It was able to detect cosmic neutrinos, a particularly difficult particle to observe, for the first time in history. The discovery won University of Tokyo scientist Masatoshi Koshiba the Nobel Prize for physics in 2002. Hamamatsu made more than 11,000 improved sensors for Kajita’s experiments, which began in 1996 and found that neutrinos oscillate and have mass. The 2013 prize was given to Francois Englert and Peter Higgs after the world’s largest particle accelerator used Hamamatsu’s photomultipliers to confirm the existence of the Higgs boson, which gives mass to other particles. The fourth Nobel-winning project to use the company’s sensors was awarded in 2008 for work on a part of subatomic physics called broken symmetry. Hamamatsu’s photomultipliers, which look like light bulbs and can detect individual photons by converting light signals into electrical ones, account for about 76 percent of the company’s operating income. With sales to academic researchers comprising just 5 percent of the total, a majority of revenue comes from medical and industrial applications. In X-ray machines, they check the exposure time or dose. Pollution monitors employ them to observe the content of car exhaust fumes. They’re even used in drilling for oil wells to determine the density of the rock. Demand for photomultipliers has helped Hamamatsu turn a profit every year since it listed shares on the Tokyo stock exchange in 1996, including a record ¥16.6 billion in the 12 months that ended in September. The company’s operating profit forecast of ¥23.2 billion for this fiscal year “looks conservative and could yield some upside,” according to SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. Hiruma, for his part, is taking the long view when it comes to boosting his company’s profitability. Unlike some Japan Inc. peers, Hamamatsu is hunting for opportunities to increase returns via more capital spending. Hiruma says he’s interested in research on dark matter, a hitherto invisible part of the universe that he sees as a candidate for future Nobel-winning research. “We have this word in Hamamatsu, yaramaika ,” said Hiruma, 59, a graduate of Rutgers University in the U.S. “It means ‘Let’s do it.’ It’s the spirit of just giving something a go. You can calculate the risk of doing something to some extent. But there’s also the risk of not getting future business opportunities if you don’t.”


Japan lawyers' group slams 'inhumane' death penalty, calls for suspension, national debate

Abstract: The Japan Federation of Bar Associations on Wednesday condemned capital punishment as “inhumane” and called on Justice Minister Mitsuhide Iwaki to set up an panel of experts to review the policy. It said the body should start a national debate about a practice already abandoned in Europe and elsewhere. The lawyers’ group, an influential body representing Japan’s legal profession, said the panel should include people for, against and neutral toward the death penalty. The secrecy surrounding executions in Japan has been criticized at home and abroad, with neither death row inmates nor their lawyers and families given advance notice executions, which take place by hanging. It is also unclear what criteria authorities use in deciding when inmates are to be executed, as some remain on death row for years. Making its case, the group noted that 140 countries have abolished the death penalty by law or in practice as of the end of 2014. It also cited a recommendation by the U.N. Human Rights Committee that urged Japan to “give due consideration to the abolition of the death penalty.” The group said: “The death penalty is one of the most important human rights problems facing Japan.” Moreover, it called for a suspension of executions while the nation debates the policy. “We have called for public debate over the abolition of capital punishment,” the group said. “It is because the death penalty is an inhumane punishment and it eliminates the possibility of rehabilitating those who commit crimes.” It added: “Trials always carry a risk of misjudgment, and if a wrong judgment leads to capital punishment, it cannot be corrected.”

death penalty
lawyers
executions
mitsuhide iwaki


U.S.: Iran's test-firing of unguided rockets 1,500 yards from carrier in narrow strait 'unsafe, provocative'

Abstract: DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - The U.S. on Wednesday accused Iran of launching a “highly provocative” rocket test last week near its warships and commercial traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz, exposing how tensions between the two countries could escalate even after a landmark nuclear deal. The strategic Persian Gulf waterway, which sees nearly a third of all oil traded by sea pass through it, has been the scene of past confrontations between America and Iran, including a one-day naval battle in 1988. But Saturday’s incident brought no immediate response from Iranian officials or media, while French authorities downplayed its danger. Military vessels taking part in the war against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria also pass through the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman. On Saturday, the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman,destroyer USS Bulkeley and a French frigate, the FS Provence, were passing through it, said Cmdr. Kyle Raines, a U.S. Central Command spokesman. As they passed, Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessels, hailing other ships in the strait over maritime radio, announced they’d be carrying out a live-fire exercise, Raines said in a statement. After 23 minutes, the Iranian boats fired “several unguided rockets” about 1,370 meters (1,500 yards) from the warships and commercial traffic, he said. While the rockets weren’t fired in the direction of any ships, Raines said Iran’s “actions were highly provocative.” “Firing weapons so close to passing coalition ships and commercial traffic within an internationally recognized maritime traffic lane is unsafe, unprofessional and inconsistent with international maritime law,” he said. A French military official, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to be publicly named, confirmed the rocket fire took place Saturday. However, the official said the French military did not consider it to be a threatening event as the rocket fire clearly wasn’t directed toward the Western fleet. The French frigate is now escorting the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which is launching airstrikes against the Islamic State group, the official said. NBC News first reported news of the Iranian rocket fire. Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, responded to Saturday’s incident with renewed criticism of the nuclear deal with Iran. “A rush to sanctions relief threatens to embolden an increasingly aggressive Iranian regime that has no intention of normalizing relations with the West or of retreating from a malign policy intended to destabilize the Middle East,” McCain said in a statement released Wednesday. “We need to ensure that U.S. forces are postured to respond to Iranian aggression and finally adopt a comprehensive strategy to counter Iran’s malign influence in the Middle East.” The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that the U.S. Treasury Department was preparing sanctions against several individuals and companies in Iran, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates related to Iran’s ballistic missile program. Treasury and the White House declined comment on the Journal report, which was attributed to anonymous U.S. officials. The Strait of Hormuz is only about 33 km (21 miles) wide at its narrowest point. Ships traversing the choke-point have even less room to maneuver. The shipping lane in either direction is only 2 miles (3.22 km) wide, with a 2-mile (3.22-km) buffer zone between them. The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet is based in nearby Bahrain, on the southern coast of the Gulf. It conducts anti-piracy patrols in the greater Gulf and serves as a regional counterbalance to Iran. U.S. and Iranian forces clashed in the Strait of Hormuz in the 1980s, during the Iran-Iraq war. On April 18, 1988, the U.S. attacked two Iranian oil rigs and sank or damaged six Iranian vessels, including two naval frigates, in Operation Praying Mantis. That came after the near-sinking of the missile frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts by an Iranian mine. A few months later, in July 1988, the USS Vincennes in the strait mistook an Iran Air flight heading to Dubai for an attacking fighter jet, shooting down the plane and killing all 290 passengers and crew onboard. The shoot-down of the jet came shortly after the U.S. vessel reported coming under fire from Iranian speedboats. Tensions have persisted in the strait even into this year. Iran sank a replica of a U.S. aircraft carrier in February near the strait and it earlier tested “suicide drones” it said could crash into naval vessels. Iran seized a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship and later released it in May after its forces had earlier surrounded a U.S.-flagged cargo ship transiting the strait. That caused the 5th Fleet to escort commercial ships traveling in the Gulf for a short time. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that the U.S. Treasury Department was preparing sanctions against several individuals and companies in Iran, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates related to Iran’s ballistic missile program. Treasury and the White House declined to comment on the Journal report, which was attributed to anonymous U.S. officials. Iran and world powers led by the U.S. agreed to a landmark nuclear deal earlier this year to limit Tehran’s enrichment of uranium in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. Iran has always denied seeking nuclear arms. The deal reached with moderate President Hassan Rouhani’s administration has been panned by Iranian hard-liners, and in the months since, Iran has conducted missile tests criticized by the U.S., as well as aired footage on state television of an underground missile base. Saturday’s rocket fire should be seen as part of a pattern by Iran since its naval loss in 1988, said Eugene Gholz, an associate professor at the University of Texas who is an expert on the use of military power in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran wants to portray itself as the region’s major power, but doesn’t want to directly battle U.S. naval forces again, he said. “Theater is a good word for it,” Gholz said. “You build a set, you carry out activity on the set, you send actors — in this case (Iranian Revolutionary Guard) special forces — and you hope people are watching and really paying the price of admission.”

iran
rockets
strait of hormuz
uss harry truman
republican guards


Woman beats drunk-driving charges with claim that her body is a brewery

Abstract: ALBANY, NEW YORK - Drunken-driving charges against an upstate New York woman have been dismissed based on an unusual defense: Her body is a brewery. The woman was arrested while driving with a blood-alcohol level more than four times the legal limit. She then discovered she has a rare condition called “auto-brewery syndrome,” in which her digestive system converts ordinary food into alcohol, her lawyer Joseph Marusak said in interviews this week. A town judge in the Buffalo suburb of Hamburg dismissed the drunken-driving charges this month after Marusak presented a doctor’s research showing the woman had the previously undiagnosed condition in which high levels of yeast in her intestines fermented high-carbohydrate foods into alcohol. The rare condition, also known as gut fermentation syndrome, was first documented in the 1970s in Japan, and both medical and legal experts in the U.S. say it is being raised more frequently in drunken-driving cases as it becomes better known. “At first glance, it seems like a get-out-of-jail-free card,” said Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University. “But it’s not that easy. Courts tend to be skeptical of such claims. You have to be able to document the syndrome through recognized testing.” The condition was first documented in the U.S. by Barbara Cordell of Panola College in Texas, who published a case study in 2013 of a 61-year-old man who had been experiencing episodes of debilitating drunkenness without drinking liquor. Marusak contacted Cordell for help with his client who insisted she hadn’t had more than three drinks in the six hours before she was pulled over for erratic driving on Oct. 11, 2014. The woman was charged with driving while intoxicated when a Breathalyzer test showed her blood-alcohol content to be 0.33 percent. Cordell referred Marusak to Dr. Anup Kanodia of Columbus, Ohio, who eventually diagnosed the woman with auto-brewery syndrome and prescribed a low-carbohydrate diet that brought the situation under control. She is currently free to drive without restrictions. During the long wait for an appointment, Marusak arranged to have two nurses and a physician’s assistant monitor his client for a day to document that she drank no alcohol, and to take several blood samples for testing. “At the end of the day, she had a blood-alcohol content of .36 without drinking any alcoholic beverages,” Marusak said. He said the woman also bought a Breathalyzer and blew into it every night for 18 days, registering around .20 every time. The legal threshold for drunkenness in New York is 0.08. While people in cases described by Cordell sought help because they felt drunk and didn’t know why, Marusak said his client had a different reaction. “She had no idea she had this condition. Never felt tipsy. Nothing,” he said. Marusak submitted medical evidence of his client’s condition to the judge, who dismissed the drunk-driving charges Dec. 9. Assistant Erie County District Attorney Christopher Belling said the matter is being reviewed and his office doesn’t comment on open cases. Marusak declined to name the woman, citing medical confidentiality laws. He said the case has been sealed since the charges were dropped. The Buffalo News described her as a 35-year-old school teacher, and quoted the arresting officer as saying she had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and failed several field sobriety tests.


Bridgestone backs out of bidding war over auto parts retailer Pep Boys

Abstract: NEW YORK - Bridgestone Corp. said Tuesday it will not increase its offer price for the acquisition of U.S. auto parts retailer Pep Boys-Manny, Moe & Jack, after U.S. activist investor Carl Icahn sweetened his proposal. While Bridgestone awaits a final decision from the Pep Boys board of directors, the announcement indicates that the Japanese tire maker has effectively backed out of the bidding war with Icahn Enterprises LP. On Monday, Icahn raised his offer to $18.50 per share, topping Bridgestone’s bid of $17.00 a share offered last Thursday. In October, Bridgestone, one of the world’s largest automobile tire makers, said it will buy Pep Boys for $835 million through a takeover bid to bolster its U.S. sales network. The bidding war between Icahn and the tire company began after the investor, who has a 12 percent stake in Pep Boys, jumped in this month, ultimately raising share prices more than $3.00 from Bridgestone’s initial offer of $15.00 per share. Based in Philadelphia, Pep Boys has more than 800 shops — mainly in the United States.


Little Myanmar thrives in Tokyo as more residents arrive

Abstract: In the hustle and bustle of Tokyo’s Takadanobaba district there exists what might be termed Little Yangon, with a number of restaurants and shops catering to the growing community of residents from Myanmar. Although not as big or as well-known as Chinatown in Yokohama and Koreatown in Shin-Okubo, Little Yangon is becoming recognized thanks in part to increased coverage of Myanmar-related news around that nation’s recent, historic general election. On the north side of JR Takadanobaba Station, scattered among the eateries, bars and entertainment venues are shops and restaurants with signs written in the script used in Myanmar. One outlet is Bagan Myanmar Store, located on the eighth floor of Tak 11 building, a three-minute walk from the station. “Please come in,” a shopkeeper says in Japanese. Inside the narrow, dimly lit store, a range of food items are for sale. Shinjuku Ward resident registration figures show that 1,663 people from Myanmar lived in the ward as of Nov. 1, up from 1,042 three years ago. These residents are the store’s regular customers, seeking out tastes from back home. The most popular item is a packet of dried shrimp, beans and tea leaves — ingredients for salads. It sells for ¥350. Along the crowded Sakae-dori street, the Swe Myanmar restaurant stands out, with a young Japanese man selling ethnic bento boxed lunches outside. “This place is the best around here,” said Tomoaki Inui, a student helping out at the restaurant. Inside, a painting and a calendar showing pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi hang on the wall, making the restaurant’s national origins unmistakable. The most popular dish is dan pouk , a type of chicken rice, according to Than Than Kyaing, who runs the restaurant with her husband. Stewed chicken on steamed rice is not hot to taste. It is a typical home cuisine beloved of people from Myanmar, Kyaing said. She smiled gently as she spoke, using fluent Japanese. “The Japanese people are very kind, and streets are clean,” she said of her first impression of Japan when she came 25 years ago. She said the differences between Japan and Myanmar include the lack of a health insurance system in Myanmar, so it is hard for poor people when they get sick. “I want to go back to Myanmar some day, but I want my son to stay in Japan and work,” she said, referring to 11-year-old Thet Lin Swe. “And I want to come and go freely between Myanmar and Japan,” she said, adding that the meaning of the restaurant’s name, Swe, is “friends.”

myanmar
at a glance
takadanobaba
little yangon


Four opposition parties pick first common candidate for summer election

Abstract: KUMAMOTO - Japan’s four opposition parties, ranging from advocates of small government to the Communists, said Wednesday they have selected their first common candidate to challenge the ruling party incumbent in the House of Councilors election next summer. Running nominally as an independent, lawyer Hiromi Abe, 49, will pit herself against Yoshifumi Matsumura, 51, of the Liberal Democratic Party in the Kumamoto prefectural constituency, where one seat will be up for grabs in the triennial contest, they said. She is the first candidate jointly chosen by the main opposition coalition — made up of the Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party, the Japan Innovation Party, which seeks a smaller government, and the Social Democratic Party — as they strategize to avoid cannibalizing each other’s vote in the coming national poll. The joint effort is aimed at constituencies where candidates will fight for a single seat now held by a ruling party member of either Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s LDP or its coalition partner, Komeito. Similar moves are afoot in other constituencies, including in Ishikawa Prefecture. In Kumamoto, the JCP has withdrawn its candidate, announced in July, to be part of the joint attempt to defeat Matsumura, who has said he will seek his third six-year term. Abe was picked for her efforts against the security legislation, pushed by the prime minister and passed in September. The laws, which cleared the Diet despite massive public protests nationwide, have made it possible for the Self-Defense Forces to come to the aid of allies under attack. “The politics of today will make disadvantaged people suffer even more,” Hiromi Abe told a news conference in the city of Kumamoto. “The security legislation is about to put citizens to the sword.” “We would like to elect Ms. Abe so we can force the government to withdraw its decision to let Japan exercise its right to collective defense, as well as abolish the security legislation,” said Satoru Kamata, Kumamoto prefectural chief of the DPJ. LDP Secretary-general Sadakazu Tanigaki, however, voiced criticism of such moves by the opposition. “They are united only in a sense that they are anti-LDP,” Tanigaki told reporters Tuesday.


Studio Ghibli on a roll with licenses for new toys

Abstract: If you’re still wound up about Studio Ghibli more-or-less leaving the animation industry , there are some new toys that may help ease the pain. Toy company Nibariki has a new “pullback collection” of figurines that will race forward when wound up. Certain items are downright adorable while others are just creepy crawlers. On the cute side, Nibariki has three “My Neighbor Totoro” vehicles, including the blue vehicle that Mei and Satsuki cling to during moving day, and the city bus their father takes to work. (Sorry, no Catbus though.) There is also a wooden buggy made from a tree that’s driven by a Totoro. On the gross side, there are the huge worm monsters from “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” that roll with such realistic movements that it may bug you out. And just like in the movie, the red-eyed beasts will dart forward while blue-eyed ones go at a much slower speed. All items are available on Ensky Shop’s website and cost ¥2,300, making the perfect stocking stuffer this season for your anime-loving friends.

anime
studio ghibli
my neighbor totoro
japan pulse
nausicaa of the valley of the wind