TAKAMATSU, Japan (Reuters) - Japan is known for its abundance of centenarians and can now lay claim to having the world’s oldest living married couple, with a combined age of 208 - a feat the wife credits to her patience during 80 years of marriage.
Masao Matsumoto, 108, and his 100-year-old wife, Miyako, have been confirmed as the oldest living spouses by aggregate age by Guinness World Records, having been married since October 1937.
“I am so glad. It’s thanks to my patience, really,” said Miyako with a laugh, posing with Masao and other family members in front of a framed certificate at the nursing home where they live.
“I am so grateful that it brings me tears,” she told Reuters.
The Matsumotos never managed to have a wedding as Japan was heading into war and Masao was sent overseas as a soldier, but that was no obstacle to having a big family - including a 25th great-grandchild who was born last month.
“They’ve entered the last chapter of their life. It was a honor (for them) to receive this award. I would love them to continue living a peaceful life,” said daughter Hiromi.
Japanese have among the longest life expectancies in the world, with data from Japan’s health ministry showing they rank No.2 on average at around 84, just a smidgeon behind people from Hong Kong.
Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Japan heatwave: Death toll climbs to 80 after nation declares deadly temperatures a natural disaster
independent.co.uk - Japan’s blistering heatwave has claimed its 80th life, according to authorities in the country where thousands have also been rushed to hospital because of the high temperatures.
Officials have urged citizens to stay indoors to avoid temperatures, which have exceeded 40C in some areas.
The government said it might pay to help state schools install air conditioners and suggested extending the summer holiday, which started this week for many students.
It comes as the Asian nation’s weather agency declared the heatwave, a natural disaster.
“Record temperatures are continuing across the country and emergency measures to protect students and their well-being has become an issue,” chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, told a news briefing.
Public broadcaster NHK has also advised frequent sips of water to keep hydrated and said people should restore salt levels depleted by sweat and stay indoors.
It has also aired videos with instructions on treating victims of mild heat-stroke.
Temperatures came close to 40C earlier this week in many cities, just short of Monday’s record of 41.1C in the city of Kumagaya, northwest of the capital, Tokyo. ContinueReading
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Israel serves Japanese Prime Minister Dessert in Shoe, Causing Offense
- An Israeli chef prepared dinner for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on May 2, but his dessert left a bad taste in diplomats' mouths.
Celebrity chef Moshe Segev served chocolate pralines in a man's shoe—a brogue—and was so proud of his creation that he shared numerous images of the dessert on Instagram over the past week.
The video of the dish received little attention, but Segev’s picture of himself with the diners and a close-up of the dessert attracted dozens of negative comments that spiraled into a diplomatic migraine.
Japanese etiquette is rigid when it comes to footwear, as the Lonely Planet website informs travelers. Shoes are banned from most private homes, as well as some museums and restaurants.
"Never wear shoes on tatami mats," the guide warns, referring to Japan's traditional flooring and bed mats—advice the chef failed to heed, as he served the dessert brogue on a tatami-style table mat.
"There is nothing more despised in Japanese culture than shoes. Not only do they not enter their houses while wearing shoes, you will not find shoes in their offices either. Even the prime minister, ministers and members of parliament do not wear shoes to work…. It is equivalent to serving a Jewish guest chocolates in a dish shaped like a pig."
A Japanese diplomat was also outraged. "No culture puts shoes on the table," the unnamed official told Yediot. He added, "If this is meant to be humor, we do not find it funny. I can tell you that we are offended for our prime minister."
It's clear Segev, who previously created a dessert bearing the silhouettes of Netanyahu and Donald Trump when the Israeli leader hosted the American president, meant no offense. "Great honor to cook for you!" he wrote as a caption to the picture with the two leaders and their partners. ContinueReading
Monday, April 30, 2018
Hiroshima victims' bones reveal how much radiation they experienced after bomb blast
ibtimes.co.in - Hiroshima and Nagasaki stand as a testament to what would happen if a nuclear bomb was ever detonated over a populated area and why it should never be used again in war. A new research has now found out how much radiation victims of the "cruel bomb" experienced.
This study is based on research that started in the 1970s, notes a report by ScienceAlert. Sergio Mascarenhas from the University of Sao Paulo found that X-ray and gamma irradiation led human bones to become "weakly magnetic", this phenomenon was then named paramagnetism.
A jaw bone from a Hiroshima victim was obtained and studied by Mascarenhas in the 1970s to find out how much radiation the bones had absorbed. The recent study also took samples from the same jaw, but used modern methods including electronic spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, notes the report. To get a more accurate measure of the radiation levels the unidentified victim of the bombing experienced, the samples were irradiated back to their original level of radiation that the bone was put through.
"We then constructed a curve and extrapolated from that the initial dose, when the signal was presumably zero. This calibration method enabled us to measure different samples, as each bone and each part of the same bone has a different sensitivity to radiation, depending on its composition," said the study's co-author Oswaldo Baffa, from the University of Sao Paulo.
After scientists completed their analysis, they found that the victim's jaw bone had taken 9.46 grays (Gy) worth of radiation. It only takes 5 Gy to kill a human, noted Baffa. This figure also matches up with the radiation levels recorded in the brick and roof tiles in Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the bombings.
"We used a technique known as electron spin resonance spectroscopy to perform retrospective dosimetry. Currently, there's renewed interest in this kind of methodology due to the risk of terrorist attacks in countries like the United States," Baffa said.
"Imagine someone in New York planting an ordinary bomb with a small amount of radioactive material stuck to the explosive. Techniques like this can help identify who has been exposed to radioactive fallout and needs treatment."
The study titled 'Electron spin resonance (ESR) dose measurement in the bone of Hiroshima A-bomb victim' was first published in the journal PLOS One. ContinueReading
This study is based on research that started in the 1970s, notes a report by ScienceAlert. Sergio Mascarenhas from the University of Sao Paulo found that X-ray and gamma irradiation led human bones to become "weakly magnetic", this phenomenon was then named paramagnetism.
A jaw bone from a Hiroshima victim was obtained and studied by Mascarenhas in the 1970s to find out how much radiation the bones had absorbed. The recent study also took samples from the same jaw, but used modern methods including electronic spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, notes the report. To get a more accurate measure of the radiation levels the unidentified victim of the bombing experienced, the samples were irradiated back to their original level of radiation that the bone was put through.
"We then constructed a curve and extrapolated from that the initial dose, when the signal was presumably zero. This calibration method enabled us to measure different samples, as each bone and each part of the same bone has a different sensitivity to radiation, depending on its composition," said the study's co-author Oswaldo Baffa, from the University of Sao Paulo.
After scientists completed their analysis, they found that the victim's jaw bone had taken 9.46 grays (Gy) worth of radiation. It only takes 5 Gy to kill a human, noted Baffa. This figure also matches up with the radiation levels recorded in the brick and roof tiles in Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the bombings.
"We used a technique known as electron spin resonance spectroscopy to perform retrospective dosimetry. Currently, there's renewed interest in this kind of methodology due to the risk of terrorist attacks in countries like the United States," Baffa said.
"Imagine someone in New York planting an ordinary bomb with a small amount of radioactive material stuck to the explosive. Techniques like this can help identify who has been exposed to radioactive fallout and needs treatment."
The study titled 'Electron spin resonance (ESR) dose measurement in the bone of Hiroshima A-bomb victim' was first published in the journal PLOS One. ContinueReading
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Coca-Cola plans to launch its first alcoholic drink
BBC.com - Coca-Cola is planning to produce an alcoholic drink for the first time in the company's 125-year history - with an alcopop-style product in Japan.
It is keen to cash in on the country's growing taste for Chu-Hi - canned sparkling flavoured drinks given a kick with a local spirit called shochu.
The product is typically between 3% and 8% alcohol by volume.
A senior Coke executive in Japan said the move was a "modest experiment for a specific slice of our market".
"We haven't experimented in the low alcohol category before, but it's an example of how we continue to explore opportunities outside our core areas," said Jorge Garduno, Coca-Cola's Japan president.
It was unlikely the drink would be sold outside of Japan, he suggested.
Chu-Hi - an abbreviation for shochu highball - has been marketed as an alternative to beer, proving especially popular with female drinkers.
Japan's big drinks firms including Kirin, Suntory and Asahi all have varieties of the drink, and continue to experiment with flavours.
The most popular flavours are strong citrus ones such as grapefruit or lemon, but the drink can also be made with other fruit flavours like grape, apple and peach.
It is keen to cash in on the country's growing taste for Chu-Hi - canned sparkling flavoured drinks given a kick with a local spirit called shochu.
The product is typically between 3% and 8% alcohol by volume.
A senior Coke executive in Japan said the move was a "modest experiment for a specific slice of our market".
"We haven't experimented in the low alcohol category before, but it's an example of how we continue to explore opportunities outside our core areas," said Jorge Garduno, Coca-Cola's Japan president.
It was unlikely the drink would be sold outside of Japan, he suggested.
Chu-Hi - an abbreviation for shochu highball - has been marketed as an alternative to beer, proving especially popular with female drinkers.
Japan's big drinks firms including Kirin, Suntory and Asahi all have varieties of the drink, and continue to experiment with flavours.
The most popular flavours are strong citrus ones such as grapefruit or lemon, but the drink can also be made with other fruit flavours like grape, apple and peach.
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Japan Just Approved a New Drug That Can Kill the Flu Virus In Just One Day
Fortune.com - As the worst flu season in a decade rages on, a potentially groundbreaking new drug that can kill the flu virus in just one day has won regulatory approval—in Japan.
Japanese officials granted an accelerated approval to the treatment, Xofluza from pharmaceutical maker Shionogi, last week. It could soon prove to be a significant competitor to Swiss drug giant Roche’s Tamiflu, one of the most common antivirals used to treat the flu. But it could also take until at least 2019 for Xofluza to reach the U.S. market.
Xofluza sets itself apart from Tamiflu in several key ways, according to Shionogi. For one, it requires far fewer doses—just a single pill, in fact, compared with the five-day, two-doses-per-day regimen required by Tamiflu. That could be significant given that infections tend to linger if you don’t follow through on the entire prescribed course of a medicine.
And then there’s the timeline. Xofluza was able to kill off the flu virus within 24 hours (compared with the nearly three days it takes Tamiflu to pull off the same feat) in trials. Admittedly, that rapid flu virus destruction doesn’t mean that your flu symptoms will subside just as fast; in fact, complete symptom elimination probably takes about the same time as Tamiflu does. However, symptoms begin to dissipate faster and aren’t necessarily as pronounced with Xofluza treatment, Shionogi says.
The company touts Xofluza’s unique action mechanism as the secret behind its success. Unlike other flu antivirals, Xofluza actually stops virus replication in its tracks by inhibiting an enzyme that the flu virus needs to multiply. That may sound like a major blow to Roche and Tamiflu; but the Swiss drug maker is actually allied with Shionogi, and will have the rights to commercialize the treatment in markets outside of Japan (including the U.S.) if and when it wins regulatory approval abroad.
Flu pandemics tend to put vaccines in the spotlight—especially this year, when the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has found that the current flu vaccine is just 36% effective (and even less so against the nasty, most common strain going around, H3N2). But the development of more effective antivirals for people who have already been infected is a key element of fighting influenza, too. ContinueReading
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Ringing in 2018: The other side of the globe gets this party started
latimes.com - A look at how people around the world are saying adios to 2017 and ringing in 2018:
AUSTRALIA
Fireworks lighted up the sky above Sydney Harbour, highlighting the city's New Year's celebrations.
The massive fireworks display included a rainbow waterfall cascade of lights and colour flowing off the harbor's bridge to celebrate recently passed legislation legalising gay marriage in Australia.
Over a million people were expected to gather to watch the festivities. Security was tight, but officials said there was no particular alert.
Sydney officials said the event would generate some $170 million for the city and “priceless publicity.” Nearly half the revelers were tourists.
NEW ZEALAND
Tens of thousands of New Zealanders took to the streets and beaches, becoming among the first in the world to usher in 2018.
As the new year dawned in this southern hemisphere nation, fireworks boomed and crackled above city centers and harbors, and party-goers sang, hugged, danced and kissed.
In Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city, tens of thousands gathered around Sky Tower as five minutes of nonstop pyrotechnics exploded from the structure's upper decks.
But on nearby Waiheke Island, 20 miles away, authorities canceled the planned fireworks display because of drought conditions and low water supplies for firefighters.
CHINA
Those willing to brave the cold in Beijing will join a countdown at the tower at Yongdingmen Gate, a rebuilt version of the Ming dynasty-era landmark gate at the southern end of the city's north-south axis.
Bells will be rung and prayers offered at temples in Beijing, but the Gregorian calendar's New Year's celebrations are typically muted in China compared to the Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, a time of fireworks, feasts and family reunions.
SOUTH KOREA
After spending an exhausting year that saw a presidency toppled by a corruption scandal and nuclear-armed North Korea firing missile after missile, South Koreans enter 2018 in need of a happy distraction. The upcoming Winter Olympics just might do it.
Thousands of people are expected to fill the streets near Seoul's City Hall for a traditional bell-tolling ceremony to usher in the new year. The group of dignitaries picked to ring the old Bosingak bell at midnight includes Soohorang and Bandabi — the tiger and bear mascots for the Pyeongchang Winter Games and Paralympics in February and March.
INDIA
Security was tight in the southern Indian city of Bangalore to prevent a repeat of incidents of alleged groping and molestation of several women during last year's New Year's Eve celebrations.
Sunil Kumar, the city's police commissioner, said at least 15,000 police officers were on duty and were being aided by drones and additional closed-circuit television cameras.
Last year, police first denied that any sexual harassment had taken place during the celebrations in Bangalore, India's information technology hub. But later, police detained at least six men after several video clips of women being attacked by groups of men spread on social media.
PHILIPPINES
Hours before midnight, authorities had already reported that at least 86 people had been injured by celebratory firecrackers in the Philippines, which has some of the most raucous new year's celebrations in Asia.
Although the number of injuries has tapered off in recent years, largely due to hard economic times and government scare campaigns, the figures remain alarming. President Rodrigo Duterte signed an order in June confining the use of firecrackers to community-designated areas, such as near shopping malls and parks.
Many Filipinos, largely influenced by Chinese tradition, believe that noisy New Year's celebrations drive away evil and misfortune. But they have carried that superstition to extremes, exploding dangerously large firecrackers and firing guns to welcome the new year despite threats of arrest.
TURKEY
Security measures were ramped up across Turkey, which was hit by a New Year's Day attack a year ago that killed dozens.
In Istanbul alone, 37,000 officers were on duty, with multiple streets closed to traffic and large vehicles barred from entering certain districts. Several New Year's Eve street parties were canceled for security reasons.
Early on Jan. 1, 2017, an assailant shot his way into Istanbul's Reina nightclub, where hundreds were celebrating the new year. Thirty-nine people were killed — mostly foreigners — and 79 wounded. Islamic State claimed responsibility.
On Sunday, some 100 people gathered outside the nightclub to remember the victims of the attack.
ROMANIA
Romanians prepared to usher in a new year in which the focus is expected to be an anticorruption fight as the government seeks to push through legislation that critics say will make it harder to punish high-level graft.
Television stations broadcast live from supermarkets full of last-minute shoppers, while beauty salons reported full bookings as revelers geared up for traditional celebrations of copious meals that can run to hundreds of euros.
Others meditated and prayed at Orthodox churches and monasteries. In rural eastern Romania, villagers danced traditional pantomime-like jigs to welcome the new year, wrapping themselves in bear furs or dressing as horses.
In his new year message, President Klaus Iohannis praised Romanians who staged the largest protests since the end of communism.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
Tens of thousands of revelers will ring in the new year in Las Vegas under the close eye of law enforcement just three months after the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
Tourism officials expect about 330,000 people to come to Las Vegas for the festivities, which are anchored by a roughly eight-minute fireworks display at the top of seven hotel-casinos.
Acts including Bruno Mars, Britney Spears, Celine Dion and the Foo Fighters will keep partiers entertained before and after midnight at properties across Sin City.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department will have every officer working Sunday, while the Nevada National Guard is activating about 350 soldiers and Air Force personnel.
The federal government also is sending dozens of personnel to assist with intelligence and other efforts.
AUSTRALIA
Fireworks lighted up the sky above Sydney Harbour, highlighting the city's New Year's celebrations.
The massive fireworks display included a rainbow waterfall cascade of lights and colour flowing off the harbor's bridge to celebrate recently passed legislation legalising gay marriage in Australia.
Over a million people were expected to gather to watch the festivities. Security was tight, but officials said there was no particular alert.
Sydney officials said the event would generate some $170 million for the city and “priceless publicity.” Nearly half the revelers were tourists.
NEW ZEALAND
Tens of thousands of New Zealanders took to the streets and beaches, becoming among the first in the world to usher in 2018.
As the new year dawned in this southern hemisphere nation, fireworks boomed and crackled above city centers and harbors, and party-goers sang, hugged, danced and kissed.
In Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city, tens of thousands gathered around Sky Tower as five minutes of nonstop pyrotechnics exploded from the structure's upper decks.
But on nearby Waiheke Island, 20 miles away, authorities canceled the planned fireworks display because of drought conditions and low water supplies for firefighters.
CHINA
Those willing to brave the cold in Beijing will join a countdown at the tower at Yongdingmen Gate, a rebuilt version of the Ming dynasty-era landmark gate at the southern end of the city's north-south axis.
Bells will be rung and prayers offered at temples in Beijing, but the Gregorian calendar's New Year's celebrations are typically muted in China compared to the Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, a time of fireworks, feasts and family reunions.
Authorities throughout China are also on high alert for stampedes or terror attacks at large public gatherings. Police in the central city of Zhengzhou are putting 3,500 officers on duty across the city while residents gather to watch a light show and cultural performance in a public square.
The official Xinhua News Agency reported that President Xi Jinping sent a New Year's greeting to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, saying Beijing is ready to boost cooperation with Russia in 2018.
JAPAN
Many Japanese are celebrating the arrival of the Year of the Dog in the traditional way of praying for peace and good fortune at neighborhood Shinto shrines, and eating New Year's food such as noodles, shrimp and sweet black beans.
Barbecued beef and octopus dumpling stalls were out at Tokyo's Zojoji Temple, where people take turns striking the giant bell 108 times at midnight, an annual practice repeated at other Buddhist temples throughout Japan.
North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes cast a shadow over Japan's hopes for peace, said 33-year-old cab driver Masaru Eguchi, who was ready to be busy all night shuttling shrine visitors.
“The world situation has grown so complex,” Eguchi said, adding that he also worried about possible terrorism targeting Japan. “I feel this very abstracted sense of uncertainty, although I really have no idea what might happen.”
The official Xinhua News Agency reported that President Xi Jinping sent a New Year's greeting to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, saying Beijing is ready to boost cooperation with Russia in 2018.
JAPAN
Many Japanese are celebrating the arrival of the Year of the Dog in the traditional way of praying for peace and good fortune at neighborhood Shinto shrines, and eating New Year's food such as noodles, shrimp and sweet black beans.
Barbecued beef and octopus dumpling stalls were out at Tokyo's Zojoji Temple, where people take turns striking the giant bell 108 times at midnight, an annual practice repeated at other Buddhist temples throughout Japan.
North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes cast a shadow over Japan's hopes for peace, said 33-year-old cab driver Masaru Eguchi, who was ready to be busy all night shuttling shrine visitors.
“The world situation has grown so complex,” Eguchi said, adding that he also worried about possible terrorism targeting Japan. “I feel this very abstracted sense of uncertainty, although I really have no idea what might happen.”
SOUTH KOREA
After spending an exhausting year that saw a presidency toppled by a corruption scandal and nuclear-armed North Korea firing missile after missile, South Koreans enter 2018 in need of a happy distraction. The upcoming Winter Olympics just might do it.
Thousands of people are expected to fill the streets near Seoul's City Hall for a traditional bell-tolling ceremony to usher in the new year. The group of dignitaries picked to ring the old Bosingak bell at midnight includes Soohorang and Bandabi — the tiger and bear mascots for the Pyeongchang Winter Games and Paralympics in February and March.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to flock to eastern coastal areas, including Gangneung, the seaside city that will host the Olympic skating and hockey events, to watch the sun rise on 2018.
INDIA
Security was tight in the southern Indian city of Bangalore to prevent a repeat of incidents of alleged groping and molestation of several women during last year's New Year's Eve celebrations.
Sunil Kumar, the city's police commissioner, said at least 15,000 police officers were on duty and were being aided by drones and additional closed-circuit television cameras.
Last year, police first denied that any sexual harassment had taken place during the celebrations in Bangalore, India's information technology hub. But later, police detained at least six men after several video clips of women being attacked by groups of men spread on social media.
PHILIPPINES
Hours before midnight, authorities had already reported that at least 86 people had been injured by celebratory firecrackers in the Philippines, which has some of the most raucous new year's celebrations in Asia.
Although the number of injuries has tapered off in recent years, largely due to hard economic times and government scare campaigns, the figures remain alarming. President Rodrigo Duterte signed an order in June confining the use of firecrackers to community-designated areas, such as near shopping malls and parks.
Many Filipinos, largely influenced by Chinese tradition, believe that noisy New Year's celebrations drive away evil and misfortune. But they have carried that superstition to extremes, exploding dangerously large firecrackers and firing guns to welcome the new year despite threats of arrest.
TURKEY
Security measures were ramped up across Turkey, which was hit by a New Year's Day attack a year ago that killed dozens.
In Istanbul alone, 37,000 officers were on duty, with multiple streets closed to traffic and large vehicles barred from entering certain districts. Several New Year's Eve street parties were canceled for security reasons.
Early on Jan. 1, 2017, an assailant shot his way into Istanbul's Reina nightclub, where hundreds were celebrating the new year. Thirty-nine people were killed — mostly foreigners — and 79 wounded. Islamic State claimed responsibility.
On Sunday, some 100 people gathered outside the nightclub to remember the victims of the attack.
ROMANIA
Romanians prepared to usher in a new year in which the focus is expected to be an anticorruption fight as the government seeks to push through legislation that critics say will make it harder to punish high-level graft.
Television stations broadcast live from supermarkets full of last-minute shoppers, while beauty salons reported full bookings as revelers geared up for traditional celebrations of copious meals that can run to hundreds of euros.
Others meditated and prayed at Orthodox churches and monasteries. In rural eastern Romania, villagers danced traditional pantomime-like jigs to welcome the new year, wrapping themselves in bear furs or dressing as horses.
In his new year message, President Klaus Iohannis praised Romanians who staged the largest protests since the end of communism.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
Tens of thousands of revelers will ring in the new year in Las Vegas under the close eye of law enforcement just three months after the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
Tourism officials expect about 330,000 people to come to Las Vegas for the festivities, which are anchored by a roughly eight-minute fireworks display at the top of seven hotel-casinos.
Acts including Bruno Mars, Britney Spears, Celine Dion and the Foo Fighters will keep partiers entertained before and after midnight at properties across Sin City.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department will have every officer working Sunday, while the Nevada National Guard is activating about 350 soldiers and Air Force personnel.
The federal government also is sending dozens of personnel to assist with intelligence and other efforts.
Friday, December 1, 2017
Japan sets date for Emperor Akihito’s abdication as April 30, 2019
japantimes.co.jp - A special panel chaired by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday set April 30, 2019, as the date for Emperor Akihito’s abdication, the first retirement of a sitting Emperor in 200 years.
The Chrysanthemum Throne is considered the world’s oldest monarchy.
The decision, expected to be approved by the government later this month, will pave the way for Crown Prince Naruhito, the eldest son of Emperor Akihito, to ascend the throne the following day, May 1, ushering in a new era that would end the Heisei Era, which started in 1989.
“It gives me a profound sense of awe that we have taken a significant step toward the throne’s succession,” Abe told reporters in his office after the meeting wrapped up.
“We will make our utmost effort to make sure that the Emperor’s abdication and the Crown Prince’s succession will be carried out with no incident, with the blessing of the Japanese people,” he said.
Abe also noted that Friday’s special meeting at the Imperial Household Agency — held for the first time nearly in 25 years — proceeded without a hitch, suggesting attendees, including heads of both chambers of the Diet, the chief justice of the Supreme Court, the grand steward of the Imperial Household Agency and two Imperial family members, did not object to the proposed date.
The panel’s decision will be discussed by Abe’s Cabinet on Tuesday and rubber-stamped as an ordinance on a later date, reportedly as early as Dec. 8. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the government will “swiftly” formalize the timeline.
Friday’s development represented a significant milestone in Emperor Akihito’s abdication saga, which stunned the nation when it was first reported last year. In a nationally televised message addressing the nation in August last year, the 83-year-old Emperor hinted at his desire to abdicate the throne — an extremely rare action last taken by Emperor Kokaku in 1817 — citing his concerns that his advanced age was interfering with his public duties.
Modern Japan has witnessed the throne’s succession take place only upon the demise of an emperor, as per Article 4 of the current Imperial Household Law. In response to Emperor Akihito’s wishes, the Diet enacted a special one-off law in June enabling him to abdicate.
Initial reports say some in the government had originally called for a March 31 abdication and a subsequent change in Japan’s era name, or gengō, on April 1, on the grounds that these dates will help minimize confusion among the public as they coincide with the start of Japan’s fiscal year, which begins in April.
The change of an era name is significant in Japan, where the custom of gengōis deeply rooted in everything from calendars and official documents to computer programs, and often takes precedence over the internationally used Gregorian calendar.
Suga said, however, that the late April date is the best option due to the early part of the month being regarded as a particularly busy period. April, often the timing of university enrollment and the start of new employment, is synonymous with starting a new life.
He also mentioned that nationwide local government elections, which take place every four years, are also scheduled to be held in April that year, which could lead to a potential surge in political tensions.
Suga added it is “theoretically possible” that the switch into a new era will not coincide with Crown Prince Naruhito’s rise to the throne on May 1, 2019. However, his assertion that the government will minimize public confusion suggests such a scenario is unlikely.
The top government spokesman didn’t clarify when the government will unveil the name of the new era, but he claimed officials will make sure “the life of the public will remain unaffected” by the shift, indicating that the government will give enough advance notice to avoid causing confusion.
Emperor Akihito, who underwent heart surgery and treatment for prostate cancer, is widely regarded by the Japanese public with fondness, due partly to the diligence he often shows in visiting and consoling disaster survivors.
The Emperor is defined by the postwar, pacifist Constitution as a “symbol” of the people and has no political power.
The abdication issue has also sparked debate on whether other reforms are needed for the Imperial succession system.
Concerns over the sustainability of the male-only succession system have been growing because the Imperial family only has one young heir, the 10-year-old Prince Hisahito.
The other seven unmarried children are all women, and six are in their 20s and 30s. Under the law, women are obliged to abandon their Imperial status if they marry a commoner. (ontinueReading
The Chrysanthemum Throne is considered the world’s oldest monarchy.
The decision, expected to be approved by the government later this month, will pave the way for Crown Prince Naruhito, the eldest son of Emperor Akihito, to ascend the throne the following day, May 1, ushering in a new era that would end the Heisei Era, which started in 1989.
“It gives me a profound sense of awe that we have taken a significant step toward the throne’s succession,” Abe told reporters in his office after the meeting wrapped up.
“We will make our utmost effort to make sure that the Emperor’s abdication and the Crown Prince’s succession will be carried out with no incident, with the blessing of the Japanese people,” he said.
Abe also noted that Friday’s special meeting at the Imperial Household Agency — held for the first time nearly in 25 years — proceeded without a hitch, suggesting attendees, including heads of both chambers of the Diet, the chief justice of the Supreme Court, the grand steward of the Imperial Household Agency and two Imperial family members, did not object to the proposed date.
The panel’s decision will be discussed by Abe’s Cabinet on Tuesday and rubber-stamped as an ordinance on a later date, reportedly as early as Dec. 8. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the government will “swiftly” formalize the timeline.
Friday’s development represented a significant milestone in Emperor Akihito’s abdication saga, which stunned the nation when it was first reported last year. In a nationally televised message addressing the nation in August last year, the 83-year-old Emperor hinted at his desire to abdicate the throne — an extremely rare action last taken by Emperor Kokaku in 1817 — citing his concerns that his advanced age was interfering with his public duties.
Modern Japan has witnessed the throne’s succession take place only upon the demise of an emperor, as per Article 4 of the current Imperial Household Law. In response to Emperor Akihito’s wishes, the Diet enacted a special one-off law in June enabling him to abdicate.
Initial reports say some in the government had originally called for a March 31 abdication and a subsequent change in Japan’s era name, or gengō, on April 1, on the grounds that these dates will help minimize confusion among the public as they coincide with the start of Japan’s fiscal year, which begins in April.
The change of an era name is significant in Japan, where the custom of gengōis deeply rooted in everything from calendars and official documents to computer programs, and often takes precedence over the internationally used Gregorian calendar.
Suga said, however, that the late April date is the best option due to the early part of the month being regarded as a particularly busy period. April, often the timing of university enrollment and the start of new employment, is synonymous with starting a new life.
He also mentioned that nationwide local government elections, which take place every four years, are also scheduled to be held in April that year, which could lead to a potential surge in political tensions.
Suga added it is “theoretically possible” that the switch into a new era will not coincide with Crown Prince Naruhito’s rise to the throne on May 1, 2019. However, his assertion that the government will minimize public confusion suggests such a scenario is unlikely.
The top government spokesman didn’t clarify when the government will unveil the name of the new era, but he claimed officials will make sure “the life of the public will remain unaffected” by the shift, indicating that the government will give enough advance notice to avoid causing confusion.
Emperor Akihito, who underwent heart surgery and treatment for prostate cancer, is widely regarded by the Japanese public with fondness, due partly to the diligence he often shows in visiting and consoling disaster survivors.
The Emperor is defined by the postwar, pacifist Constitution as a “symbol” of the people and has no political power.
The abdication issue has also sparked debate on whether other reforms are needed for the Imperial succession system.
Concerns over the sustainability of the male-only succession system have been growing because the Imperial family only has one young heir, the 10-year-old Prince Hisahito.
The other seven unmarried children are all women, and six are in their 20s and 30s. Under the law, women are obliged to abandon their Imperial status if they marry a commoner. (ontinueReading
Friday, October 6, 2017
Work makes you free: A 31-year-old's 'death from overwork' causes Japan to rethink work-life balance
businessinsider.com - In Japanese the word is karoshi, or "death from overwork."
The latest victim to be announced as a case of karoshi is 31-year-old Miwa Sado, who worked for the Japanese news network NHK and reportedly logged 159 overtime hours in one month before she died of heart failure in July 2013. She had taken just two days off the prior month, the Guardianreports.
Japan's government has been trying desperately over the past several years to change the cultural attitudes toward work. In early 2016, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe launched a "work style reform" panel seeking to make time off more alluring for Japanese workers.
Though the results have been mixed, some private companies have started to make changes.
Japanese ad agency Dentsu, for its part, now requires people to take at least five days off every six months. It also shuts the lights off every night at 10 p.m. as an incentive for people to head home.
The move came in response to the death of Matsuri Takahashi, a 24-year-old employee who committed suicide on Christmas Day 2015, after logging 105 hours of overtime in one month. At work Takahashi tried to maintain appearances, but on Twitter she spoke the truth. "It's 4 a.m. My body's trembling," she reportedly said in one post. "I'm going to die. I'm so tired."
Dentsu President and CEO, Tadashi Ishii, announced his resignation in March 2016.
Other companies have opted to shift their allowable overtime hours to the morning. The trading house Itochu Corp. opens its doors at 5 a.m. for anyone who wants to avoid staying late at the office. Employees who show up early get treated to a light breakfast and earn the same extra wages they would have gotten at the end of the day.
But as Abe's reform signals, the country has larger issues related to overtime that it must address for the sake of public health.
A 2016 report examining karoshi cases and their cause of death found that more than 20% of people in a survey of 10,000 Japanese workers said they worked at least 80 hours of overtime a month. In the US, 16.4% of people work an average of 49 hours or longer each week. In Japan, more than 20% do, according to the report. Half of all respondents said they don't take paid vacations.
As per the report, many of the overwork deaths were caused by suicide, heart failure, heart attack, or stroke — all of which can be brought on by excessive stress.
Other companies have gotten creative with how they encourage people to work less. At the Tokyo-based nursing care business Saint-Works, employees wear purple capes that display the time they should leave the office — an effort to erase all doubt when the day is over.
According to the South China Morning Post, people at the company are working half as many overtime hours since 2012, while profits continue to grow year-over-year.
The research into productivity suggests other firms would see similar gains if they required people to work less. After a certain threshold, extra time spent on tasks doesn't equate to extra output. As Sachio Ichinose told the SCMP, the extra hours make people more burned out.
"New ideas do not pop up after meetings are extended an extra two to three hours," he said. "Work becomes productive when it is balanced out with your private life."
If the new measures are successful, both employers and their workers will come to take that sentiment to heart. (ontinueReading
Thursday, September 14, 2017
India's first bullet train project fast-tracks Japanese ties
AHMEDABAD: Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday inaugurated India's first bullet train project - a US$19 billion line in the home state of Indian leader Narendra Modi intended to revitalise the country's vast but dilapidated network.
The initiative is seen as emblematic of fast warming relations between New Delhi and Tokyo, who are seeking to combat China's growing influence.
It is also a new beginning for a rail transport system plagued by accidents and chronic delays.
The line, using Japanese trains and technology, will link Ahmedabad to India's financial capital Mumbai and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2023.
The 500 kilometre (310 mile) journey will be cut from eight hours now to just over two hours when services start.
"I hope to enjoy the beauty of India through the windows of the bullet train with Modi on my side when I come to India in a few years," Abe told a ceremony in Ahmedabad.
"It marks the beginning of a new chapter in ties between India and Japan."
Abe's visit comes just after a border standoff between India and China in a disputed and strategically important Himalayan area. The two prime ministers both hailed the strengthened ties between their countries.
"The Indo-Japan relationship is not just about bilateral trade. It has developed into a strategic and global partnership in the Indian-Pacific region," said Abe.
Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/india-s-first-bullet-train-project-fast-tracks-japanese-ties-9216056
The initiative is seen as emblematic of fast warming relations between New Delhi and Tokyo, who are seeking to combat China's growing influence.
It is also a new beginning for a rail transport system plagued by accidents and chronic delays.
The line, using Japanese trains and technology, will link Ahmedabad to India's financial capital Mumbai and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2023.
The 500 kilometre (310 mile) journey will be cut from eight hours now to just over two hours when services start.
"I hope to enjoy the beauty of India through the windows of the bullet train with Modi on my side when I come to India in a few years," Abe told a ceremony in Ahmedabad.
"It marks the beginning of a new chapter in ties between India and Japan."
Abe's visit comes just after a border standoff between India and China in a disputed and strategically important Himalayan area. The two prime ministers both hailed the strengthened ties between their countries.
"The Indo-Japan relationship is not just about bilateral trade. It has developed into a strategic and global partnership in the Indian-Pacific region," said Abe.
Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/india-s-first-bullet-train-project-fast-tracks-japanese-ties-9216056
* * * *
Related: India, Japan cannot challenge China: Chinese daily:
BEIJING: As Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visits India, a Chinese daily has said that close ties between New Delhi and Tokyo posed no "grave threat" to Beijing.
Read more at:
economictimes.indiatimes.com
economictimes.indiatimes.com
Sunday, August 6, 2017
On 72nd A-bomb anniversary, Hiroshima highlights Japan’s refusal to join U.N. nuke ban
via japantimes.co.jp HIROSHIMA – Hiroshima on Sunday marked the 72nd anniversary of its atomic bombing by the U.S., with Mayor Kazumi Matsui using the annual memorial ceremony to call on the central government to help make a treaty banning nuclear weapons a reality.
This year’s ceremony at Peace Memorial Park near ground zero follows the adoption by 122 U.N. members last month of the world’s first treaty to comprehensively ban nuclear weapons.
The treaty’s preamble uses the term hibakusha in mentioning “the unacceptable suffering” experienced by the survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki A-bombings, which had killed an estimated 214,000 people by the end of 1945.
But Japan — together with the world’s nuclear weapon states and other countries under the U.S. nuclear umbrella — refused to participate in the U.N. treaty.
In the city’s annual Peace Declaration, Matsui stopped short of demanding that Japan join the treaty, but urged the government to “manifest the pacifism in our Constitution by doing everything in its power to bridge the gap between the nuclear weapon and non-nuclear weapon states, thereby facilitating the ratification.”
He said the countries that adopted the treaty “demonstrated their unequivocal determination to achieve abolition,” and that now is the time for all governments to “strive to advance further toward a nuclear weapon-free world.”
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe avoided any mention of the U.N. nuclear weapons ban treaty in his speech at the ceremony.
“For us to truly realize a ‘world without nuclear weapons,’ the participation of both nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states is necessary,” he said.
Later in the day, after meeting with representatives of seven local hibakusha groups who protested Japan’s refusal to participate in the U.N. treaty, Abe defended the decision to stay out, saying “a realistic approach” is needed to reach the goal of having a world without nuclear weapons.
“We think (the treaty) must not result in the distance between the nuclear weapon and non-nuclear weapon states being further widened and the realization of a world without nuclear weapons getting further away,” Abe said at a news conference.
“By firmly maintaining our three non-nuclear principles and continuing to appeal to both sides, Japan is determined to lead the international community,” Abe said in his speech, referring to the government’s policy of not producing, possessing or allowing nuclear weapons on its territory.
At the news conference, however, Abe said he did not see any need to turn the three-point policy into law.
About 50,000 people came to the park for the ceremony, at which 80 nations plus the European Union were represented.
Nuclear states Britain, France, the United States and Russia sent representatives, as did India, Israel and Pakistan, which are also known to possess atomic weapons.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for all states to work toward a world free of nuclear weapons “in their own ways,” in a message read on his behalf by Izumi Nakamitsu, U.N. undersecretary-general and high representative for disarmament affairs.
“Hiroshima’s message of peace and the heroic efforts of hibakushas have reminded the world of the devastating humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons. … The United Nations stands with you in our shared pursuit of a world free of nuclear weapons,” the message said.
A moment of silence was observed at 8:15 a.m., when the atomic bomb dubbed “Little Boy” exploded about 600 meters above Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, leaving an estimated 140,000 people dead by the end of the year.
A second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki on Aug. 9 and Japan surrendered six days later, bringing an end to World War II.
Matsui demanded in his speech that the government give more compassionate assistance to elder hibakusha, as well as to “the many others also suffering mentally and physically from the effects of radiation.”
City officials said “the many others” reference includes people affected by the March 2011 triple core meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
This year’s anniversary is the first to follow the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, whose predecessor, Barack Obama, last year became the first sitting U.S. leader to visit Hiroshima. Trump had suggested before his election that Japan and South Korea should acquire nuclear weapons in the future, and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson refused to rule this out in a U.S. interview in March.
(ontinueReading
Friday, May 19, 2017
Japan cabinet approves bill allowing emperor's abdication
- The Japanese government on Friday approved a one-off bill allowing ageing Emperor Akihito to step down from the Chrysanthemum Throne, in the first such abdication in two centuries.
The bill is likely to receive swift final approval in parliament, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet signed off on the legislation.
Abdication must take place within three years of the bill becoming law.
Earlier this year reports suggested that 83-year-old Akihito could step down at the end of December 2018 and be replaced by Crown Prince Naruhito on January 1, 2019.
Reports of his desire to retire surprised Japan when they emerged last July.
In August he publicly cited age and declining health, which was interpreted as his wish to hand the crown to his eldest son.
But current Japanese law has no provision for abdication, thus requiring politicians to craft legislation to make it possible.
The status of the emperor is highly sensitive in Japan given its 20th century history of war waged in the name of Akihito's father Hirohito, who died in 1989.
Revered as a demigod before and during the conflict, Hirohito was reduced to a mere figurehead as part of postwar reforms.
Akihito has won plaudits for seizing upon the constitutionally-prescribed role of national symbol and there is wide sympathy for his wish to retire.
He has been treated for prostate cancer and also had heart surgery. And though he has cut back on some of his duties, he still maintains a busy official schedule, including occasional overseas visits.
A majority of the Japanese public supports a permanent law on abdication and they have also expressed support for the current bill to help enable Akihito's smooth transition from the throne.
"He hasn't had a way to retire, but I think he should be able to and enjoy his golden years," 75-year-old Seio Ichijo told AFP as he strolled outside the Imperial Palace with his wife.
- 'Real danger' -
The leading opposition Democratic Party has argued the law should be permanently changed to ensure stable future successions, but has reportedly agreed to the current one-off bill after talks with the ruling bloc.
Some scholars and politicians have argued that changing the law to allow any emperor to abdicate would risk Japan's monarchs becoming subject to political manipulation.
While abdications are far from unknown in Japanese history -- the last one was in 1817 -- some people still believe being emperor is a lifetime job.
Akashi Kiyomiya, 81, who was also walking near the palace, said he was taught as a child that rulers serve until the end.
"I don't want him to retire. I want him to be emperor until he leaves this world," he said.
The abdication issue has highlighted concerns over a potential succession crisis in one of the world's oldest monarchies.
A government panel in April issued a warning over the dwindling number of male heirs.
Only men are allowed to become emperor under current law, though Japan has been ruled by empresses in past centuries.
Female members of the imperial family must give up their royal status when marrying a commoner, a convention highlighted by news this week that one of Akihito's granddaughters plans to marry her college sweetheart.
When Naruhito, who has a daughter but no sons, ascends the throne, his younger brother Akishino will be next in line, followed by Hisahito, Akishino's 10-year-old son.
But after that there are no more eligible males, meaning the centuries-old succession would be broken if Hisahito fails to have a son in the future.
Many Japanese believe the issue can be solved by allowing for female succession, but traditionalists vehemently oppose the idea.
Other ideas floated include allowing women to retain royal status upon marriage -- meaning their male children would be eligible -- or reinstating the titles of families stripped of their ranks under cost-cutting reforms during the US occupation of Japan after World War II.
"The sustainability of the imperial system is in real danger," Takashi Mikuriya, head of the government panel on the abdication issue, told the Mainichi Shimbun daily after the body released recommendations last month that the succession crisis needed to be addressed quickly.
The bill is likely to receive swift final approval in parliament, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet signed off on the legislation.
Abdication must take place within three years of the bill becoming law.
Earlier this year reports suggested that 83-year-old Akihito could step down at the end of December 2018 and be replaced by Crown Prince Naruhito on January 1, 2019.
Reports of his desire to retire surprised Japan when they emerged last July.
In August he publicly cited age and declining health, which was interpreted as his wish to hand the crown to his eldest son.
But current Japanese law has no provision for abdication, thus requiring politicians to craft legislation to make it possible.
The status of the emperor is highly sensitive in Japan given its 20th century history of war waged in the name of Akihito's father Hirohito, who died in 1989.
Revered as a demigod before and during the conflict, Hirohito was reduced to a mere figurehead as part of postwar reforms.
Akihito has won plaudits for seizing upon the constitutionally-prescribed role of national symbol and there is wide sympathy for his wish to retire.
He has been treated for prostate cancer and also had heart surgery. And though he has cut back on some of his duties, he still maintains a busy official schedule, including occasional overseas visits.
A majority of the Japanese public supports a permanent law on abdication and they have also expressed support for the current bill to help enable Akihito's smooth transition from the throne.
"He hasn't had a way to retire, but I think he should be able to and enjoy his golden years," 75-year-old Seio Ichijo told AFP as he strolled outside the Imperial Palace with his wife.
- 'Real danger' -
The leading opposition Democratic Party has argued the law should be permanently changed to ensure stable future successions, but has reportedly agreed to the current one-off bill after talks with the ruling bloc.
Some scholars and politicians have argued that changing the law to allow any emperor to abdicate would risk Japan's monarchs becoming subject to political manipulation.
While abdications are far from unknown in Japanese history -- the last one was in 1817 -- some people still believe being emperor is a lifetime job.
Akashi Kiyomiya, 81, who was also walking near the palace, said he was taught as a child that rulers serve until the end.
"I don't want him to retire. I want him to be emperor until he leaves this world," he said.
The abdication issue has highlighted concerns over a potential succession crisis in one of the world's oldest monarchies.
A government panel in April issued a warning over the dwindling number of male heirs.
Only men are allowed to become emperor under current law, though Japan has been ruled by empresses in past centuries.
Female members of the imperial family must give up their royal status when marrying a commoner, a convention highlighted by news this week that one of Akihito's granddaughters plans to marry her college sweetheart.
When Naruhito, who has a daughter but no sons, ascends the throne, his younger brother Akishino will be next in line, followed by Hisahito, Akishino's 10-year-old son.
But after that there are no more eligible males, meaning the centuries-old succession would be broken if Hisahito fails to have a son in the future.
Many Japanese believe the issue can be solved by allowing for female succession, but traditionalists vehemently oppose the idea.
Other ideas floated include allowing women to retain royal status upon marriage -- meaning their male children would be eligible -- or reinstating the titles of families stripped of their ranks under cost-cutting reforms during the US occupation of Japan after World War II.
"The sustainability of the imperial system is in real danger," Takashi Mikuriya, head of the government panel on the abdication issue, told the Mainichi Shimbun daily after the body released recommendations last month that the succession crisis needed to be addressed quickly.
Monday, December 5, 2016
Japanese prime minister plans landmark visit to Pearl Harbor
- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Pearl Harbor with President Obama later this month, becoming the first Japanese leader to travel to the site of the attack on Hawaii 75 years ago that thrust the United States into World War II.
The joint visit comes after Obama went to Hiroshima with Abe in May, becoming the first sitting American president to visit the site where the United States dropped one of two atomic bombs in 1945 to force Japan’s surrender.
Abe said Monday that he will visit Hawaii on Dec. 26 and 27 to “pay tribute” to military personnel from both sides of the Pacific who died during the war.
“This visit is to comfort the souls of the victims. We’d like to send messages about the importance of reconciliation” between the two countries, Abe told reporters in Tokyo.
The 75th anniversary of the attack falls Wednesday.
The White House welcomed Abe’s decision, confirming that Obama would accompany Abe to the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor to honor those killed.
“The two leaders’ visit will showcase the power of reconciliation that has turned former adversaries into the closest of allies, united by common interests and shared values,” Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, said in a statement.
“The meeting will be an opportunity for the two leaders to review our joint efforts over the past four years to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance, including our close cooperation on a number of security, economic, and global challenges,” he said. (FullText)
Monday, November 28, 2016
Skating rink’s fish floor causes backlash in Japan
Social Justice
TOKYO - An amusement park in western Japan sparked an uproar after it displayed about 5,000 dead fish in the ice at a skating rink, forcing the park to close the attraction.
Space World received a flood of criticism on social media after opening the rink on Nov. 12. It was closed Sunday.
About 25 different kinds of fish could be seen under the 820-foot-long ice circuit. The park in the city of Kitakyushu opened the “Ice Aquarium” as an “attraction never heard about.”
Japanese broadcaster NHK showed the fish frozen in ice on a blue floor, so it looked like they were swimming below the ice. Some formed a school to spell out “HELLO” or make an arrow-shaped sign in the ice.
The general manager of Space World, Toshimi Takeda, said many critical messages were posted on social media, some condemning the concept as abusing living things.
Takeda said that the fish in the ice had been intended “to give the feel of the ocean to the ice skating rink,” and that the amusement park is “extremely remorseful to have invoked such unpleasant feelings.”
Space World said the fish were purchased from a fish market, and were dead before the water was frozen. The operator plans to hold a memorial service for the fish once they’re taken out of the ice.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Under strict gun laws, Japan's mass killers must rely on knives instead
There goes the narrative..
(USAToday) - His only weapons were a few knives and some straps to tie down his victims. Yet in less than an hour, he had killed 19 people. That's as many homicides as most districts in Japan see in five years.
Japan’s homicide rate makes the United States look like a war zone. Consider that Tokyo is five times larger than Chicago. And yet, in 2014, Tokyo tallied a mere 11 homicides. Chicago racked up 416 — a difference of more than 3,500%.
When mass killings do strike Japan, the killer is unlikely to carry a gun. He is invariably armed with a knife. It's one of the few lethal weapons that a homicidal Japanese person can acquire. Tuesday's tragedy occurred in Kanagawa, a pristine prefecture between Tokyo and Mount Fuji. The killer broke into a center for the disabled where he reportedly used to work, which is alongside a tree-lined river.
His name, according to Japanese media, is 26-year-old Satoshi Uematsu. In the early hours Tuesday, he targeted residents with mental disabilities as they slept and stabbed as many as 50 people, 19 fatally — killing or injuring almost a third of the center's 150 patients in a matter of 40 minutes, the Associated Press reported.
It was Japan’s deadliest mass killing since World War II.
Unlike the Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof, Uematsu was not a racial supremacist. Unlike attackers in Brussels and Paris, he was not linked to religious extremists. His motive, confessed to police, was to purge disabled people from society.
Several of Japan’s mass killings — rare as they may be — have also involved misanthropes with knives.
In 2008, a man “tired of life” killed seven in a hip Tokyo shopping enclave with his speeding truck and a knife. As a shopper told The Guardian at the time: “Japanese people are not used to this kind of thing. This isn’t the U.S.”
In 2001, a man “sick of life” fatally stabbed eight children at an elementary school. And in 1995, Japan reeled from its most infamous mass murder — a sarin gas attack, set loose in a subway by a doomsday cult, that left 12 dead.
There is a reason none of these attacks involve guns: Practically all types of firearms are outlawed in Japan, which has practiced strict gun control since its post-feudal era in the late 1800s.
Want a handgun in Japan? Possession can land you in prison for 10 years. How about a rifle? Only if you acquired it before 1971 — and when you die, your kids must hand it over to the police.
Legal firearms in Japan are largely limited to shotguns. But buying one requires submitting to a regulatory gauntlet that would cause NRA devotees to palpitate.
You have to undergo a battery of shooting tests, written exams and a yearly gun inspection by the police. The cops also insist on knowing exactly where you keep your weapon inside your home.
There’s also a hurdle that would likely have prevented the Kanagawa killer from ever obtaining a shotgun: a mental health evaluation. Earlier this year, according to The Japan Times, he was forcibly admitted to a mental hospital under suspicions that he wanted to harm others.
The Kanagawa attack is extremely gruesome and arrives amid a seemingly nonstop spree of mass killings in the United States and Europe. Yet on the macro level, Japan, like the United States, is seeing murder rates fall.
One of Japan’s leading news outlets, NHK, posted frequent updates from Kanagawa. But alongside reports on the massacre, another breaking crime story appeared. The reported offense? A purse snatched from a 22-year-old girl distracted by "Pokémon Go" — a crime worthy of nationwide news in one of the world’s safest countries.
(USAToday) - His only weapons were a few knives and some straps to tie down his victims. Yet in less than an hour, he had killed 19 people. That's as many homicides as most districts in Japan see in five years.
Japan’s homicide rate makes the United States look like a war zone. Consider that Tokyo is five times larger than Chicago. And yet, in 2014, Tokyo tallied a mere 11 homicides. Chicago racked up 416 — a difference of more than 3,500%.
When mass killings do strike Japan, the killer is unlikely to carry a gun. He is invariably armed with a knife. It's one of the few lethal weapons that a homicidal Japanese person can acquire. Tuesday's tragedy occurred in Kanagawa, a pristine prefecture between Tokyo and Mount Fuji. The killer broke into a center for the disabled where he reportedly used to work, which is alongside a tree-lined river.
His name, according to Japanese media, is 26-year-old Satoshi Uematsu. In the early hours Tuesday, he targeted residents with mental disabilities as they slept and stabbed as many as 50 people, 19 fatally — killing or injuring almost a third of the center's 150 patients in a matter of 40 minutes, the Associated Press reported.
It was Japan’s deadliest mass killing since World War II.
Unlike the Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof, Uematsu was not a racial supremacist. Unlike attackers in Brussels and Paris, he was not linked to religious extremists. His motive, confessed to police, was to purge disabled people from society.
Several of Japan’s mass killings — rare as they may be — have also involved misanthropes with knives.
In 2008, a man “tired of life” killed seven in a hip Tokyo shopping enclave with his speeding truck and a knife. As a shopper told The Guardian at the time: “Japanese people are not used to this kind of thing. This isn’t the U.S.”
In 2001, a man “sick of life” fatally stabbed eight children at an elementary school. And in 1995, Japan reeled from its most infamous mass murder — a sarin gas attack, set loose in a subway by a doomsday cult, that left 12 dead.
There is a reason none of these attacks involve guns: Practically all types of firearms are outlawed in Japan, which has practiced strict gun control since its post-feudal era in the late 1800s.
Want a handgun in Japan? Possession can land you in prison for 10 years. How about a rifle? Only if you acquired it before 1971 — and when you die, your kids must hand it over to the police.
Legal firearms in Japan are largely limited to shotguns. But buying one requires submitting to a regulatory gauntlet that would cause NRA devotees to palpitate.
You have to undergo a battery of shooting tests, written exams and a yearly gun inspection by the police. The cops also insist on knowing exactly where you keep your weapon inside your home.
There’s also a hurdle that would likely have prevented the Kanagawa killer from ever obtaining a shotgun: a mental health evaluation. Earlier this year, according to The Japan Times, he was forcibly admitted to a mental hospital under suspicions that he wanted to harm others.
The Kanagawa attack is extremely gruesome and arrives amid a seemingly nonstop spree of mass killings in the United States and Europe. Yet on the macro level, Japan, like the United States, is seeing murder rates fall.
One of Japan’s leading news outlets, NHK, posted frequent updates from Kanagawa. But alongside reports on the massacre, another breaking crime story appeared. The reported offense? A purse snatched from a 22-year-old girl distracted by "Pokémon Go" — a crime worthy of nationwide news in one of the world’s safest countries.
Sunday, July 24, 2016
Trade Wars: Beijing slaps Japan, EU with steel duties
(business-standard.com) - China on Sunday said it has started imposing anti-dumping tariffs on certain steel imports from the European Union, Japan and South Korea, as Beijing itself comes under fire for similar trade practices.
Duties on the materials, used in power transformers and electric motors, will range from around 37 to as high as 46.3 per cent, the commerce ministry said on its website.
The measures are intended to prevent the sale of the product at below cost, a practice known as dumping, it added. The world’s second largest economy, which makes more than half the world’s steel, finds itself under attack by EU countries for allegedly flooding world markets with steel and aluminium in violation of international trade agreements.
On Friday, Premier Li Keqiang told a group of visiting leaders from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and other organisations that China “will not engage in a trade war or currency war”.
Nevertheless, the EU sees itself under attack. Earlier this month in Beijing, EU Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker pledged to defend the group’s steel industry against China using “all the means at our disposal”.
He also said there was a “clear link” between the steel issue and the EU’s decision on whether to grant China “market economy status” — a prize eagerly sought by Beijing. China has been pressing the EU to grant it the status — which would make it harder for the bloc to levy anti-dumping tariffs — before the year’s end, citing World Trade Organisation rules. China’s announcement is the latest in a tit-for-tat fight with other countries over the special metal known as oriented electrical steel.
In May last year the EU imposed similar duties on imports of Chinese oriented electric steel as well as products from other countries, in a move which Bloomberg News said was intended to curb competition for EU producers.
The decision prompted China to launch an investigation into imports from the European manufacturers.
China has imposed such duties before. In 2012 the World Trade Organisation ruled that Chinese duties on high-tech steel from the US violated trade rules. In 2015 the organisation censured Beijing for continuing the practice despite the judgement against it. (Full Text)
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Japanese Emperor Akihito 'wishes to abdicate'
(BBC) - Japan's Emperor Akihito has expressed his desire to abdicate in the next few years, public broadcaster NHK reports.
The 82-year-old, who has had health problems in recent years, reportedly does not wish to remain emperor if he has to reduce his official duties.
But a palace spokesman denied that there is any official plan for the monarch to abdicate in what would be an unprecedented move in modern Japan.
Crown Prince Naruhito, 56, is next in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne.
An unnamed government source told Japan's Kyodo news agency that the emperor, who plays a largely ceremonial role but is respected deeply by many Japanese, has been contemplating the move for about a year.
His family had accepted his decision, an unnamed palace source told NHK.
However, both palace and government sources say the Imperial Household Law would have to revised to allow for the abdication to take place.
A change to the Imperial Household Law, which stipulates the rules of succession, would require approval by Japan's parliament.
Despite a categorical denial of the reports by imperial palace spokesman Shinichiro Yamamoto, the emperor's reported wishes are being given prominent attention in the Japanese media.
The 82-year-old, who has had health problems in recent years, reportedly does not wish to remain emperor if he has to reduce his official duties.
But a palace spokesman denied that there is any official plan for the monarch to abdicate in what would be an unprecedented move in modern Japan.
Crown Prince Naruhito, 56, is next in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne.
An unnamed government source told Japan's Kyodo news agency that the emperor, who plays a largely ceremonial role but is respected deeply by many Japanese, has been contemplating the move for about a year.
His family had accepted his decision, an unnamed palace source told NHK.
However, both palace and government sources say the Imperial Household Law would have to revised to allow for the abdication to take place.
A change to the Imperial Household Law, which stipulates the rules of succession, would require approval by Japan's parliament.
Despite a categorical denial of the reports by imperial palace spokesman Shinichiro Yamamoto, the emperor's reported wishes are being given prominent attention in the Japanese media.
Friday, May 27, 2016
In Hiroshima 71 years after first atomic strike, Obama calls for end of nuclear weapons
HIROSHIMA, Japan — Nearly 71 years after an American bomber passed high above this Japanese city on a clear August morning on a mission that would alter history, President Obama on Friday made a a solemn visit to Hiroshima to offer respects to the victims of the world’s first deployed atomic bomb.
In the Hiroshima Peace Park guest book, Obama wrote:
“We have known the agony of war. Let us now find the courage, together, to spread peace, and pursue a world without nuclear weapons.” In later remarks, he said that scientific strides must be matched by moral progress or mankind was doomed.
Obama’s visit, the first to Hiroshima by a sitting U.S. president, had stirred great anticipation here and across Japan among those who longed for an American leader to acknowledge the suffering of the estimated 140,000 killed during the bombing on Aug. 6, 1945, and its aftermath. That figure includes 20,000 Koreans who had been forced by the Japanese military to work in the city for the imperial war machine.
Three days after the Hiroshima bombing in 1945, a second U.S. atomic bomb hit Nagasaki, killing a total of 80,000, including another 30,000 Koreans. Most of those killed in both cities were civilians. The Japanese emperor announced his nation’s surrender a week later.
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Kerry apology for Hiroshima bombing not on table: US official
Hiroshima (Japan) (AFP) - John Kerry will not apologise for the US atomic bombing of Hiroshima during his visit to the city for weekend G7 talks, a State Department official said Sunday.
Speculation has been building that Kerry's planned visit to a Hiroshima blast memorial on Monday could see the US secretary of state issue a first-ever apology for the wartime attack.
But a State Department official said a formal apology from America's top diplomat was not on the cards.
"If you are asking whether the secretary of state came to Hiroshima to apologise, the answer is no," the official, who asked not to be named, told reporters travelling with Kerry.
"If you are asking whether the secretary and I think all Americans and all Japanese are filled with sorrow at the tragedies that befell so many of our countrymen, the answer is yes."
Kerry is the first secretary of state to visit the Japanese city, which was obliterated by a US nuclear bomb on August 6, 1945 that killed 140,000 people, including those who died afterwards from severe radiation exposure.
Three days later another blast killed some 74,000 people in Nagasaki, in the closing chapters of World War II.
Kerry's landmark trip is widely seen as paving the way for Barack Obama to possibly become the first serving US president to visit the city, when he heads to Japan next month for a Group of Seven summit.
Kerry and other G7 foreign ministers are meeting this weekend to discuss a range of global hotspot issues, including the Middle East, the refugee crisis, the conflict in Ukraine and global terrorism.
Speculation has been building that Kerry's planned visit to a Hiroshima blast memorial on Monday could see the US secretary of state issue a first-ever apology for the wartime attack.
But a State Department official said a formal apology from America's top diplomat was not on the cards.
"If you are asking whether the secretary of state came to Hiroshima to apologise, the answer is no," the official, who asked not to be named, told reporters travelling with Kerry.
"If you are asking whether the secretary and I think all Americans and all Japanese are filled with sorrow at the tragedies that befell so many of our countrymen, the answer is yes."
Kerry is the first secretary of state to visit the Japanese city, which was obliterated by a US nuclear bomb on August 6, 1945 that killed 140,000 people, including those who died afterwards from severe radiation exposure.
Three days later another blast killed some 74,000 people in Nagasaki, in the closing chapters of World War II.
Kerry's landmark trip is widely seen as paving the way for Barack Obama to possibly become the first serving US president to visit the city, when he heads to Japan next month for a Group of Seven summit.
Kerry and other G7 foreign ministers are meeting this weekend to discuss a range of global hotspot issues, including the Middle East, the refugee crisis, the conflict in Ukraine and global terrorism.
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Japan slaughters pregnant whales, Australia warns of legal action
(Sydneymorningherald) - Japanese whalers have shipped home 333 dead whales - including about 200 pregnant cows - prompting Australia to declare anew it is considering legal action over the slaughter.
The whalers, who claim their annual whale hunt is for "scientific research", admitted some of the harpooned minke whales had been expecting twins.
Japan's Institute for Cetacean Research said the prevalence of pregnant whales indicated the health of the population.
Japan defied a ruling by the international court to stop whaling, resuming its hunt over the summer months in the face of international condemnation.
The court had ruled Japan's whale hunt illegal in a case brought by Australia, but Tokyo announced new guidelines in November to justify killing more than 4000 whales in the next 12 years, and has since withdrawn from the court's jurisdiction.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Australia would continue to push for Japan to comply with its international obligations and the principles set out in the International Court of Justice's judgment.
Asked about the prospect of Australia taking further legal action, Ms Bishop said the government was "considering all avenues to achieve compliance with the court's decision".
Japan's insistence on the right to kill whales coincides with the country's drive for closer ties to Australia.
Tokyo is bidding for the multibillion-dollar contract to build Australia's fleet of 12 submarines to enhance what Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called a "special relationship".
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