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jp0009125
|
[
"business",
"financial-markets"
] |
2018/02/18
|
Cryptoprofits are taxable — have you filed?
|
Many people probably gambled on the cryptocurrency investment boom last year, and some might even have been lucky enough to earn a fortune. But any profits come at a price. In December, ahead of the annual tax return season from Feb. 16 to March 15, the National Tax Agency released guidance on how it taxes cryptocurrency profits. Here are some questions and answers about how virtual currency is being taxed in Japan. Who is obligated to pay tax on virtual-currency investments? Basically, if you earn ¥200,000 or more from cryptocurrency trading, you must pay tax. Such profits are considered miscellaneous income. One’s total income is taxed in seven bands, depending on the amount. The lowest band, covering those who earn ¥1.95 million or less, is taxed at 5 percent. The highest band, for those who earn more than ¥40 million, is taxed at 45 percent. Your income is also subject to a residential tax of 10 percent. Together, the maximum tax rate is 55 percent. Do I have to pay tax even if I am only holding coins and not trading them? According to current tax agency rules, no. What if I buy something with virtual currency? You still have to pay tax. Bitcoin is accepted by some stores in Japan and is most likely to be the currency of choice for purchasing products. For instance, if you buy a bitcoin for ¥200,000 and then use it to purchase a ¥1 million item after the coin itself becomes worth ¥1 million, the tax rate is calculated by subtracting the price of the bitcoin when it was acquired, from the price of the product when it was purchased. So the amount of income you would need to report is ¥1 million minus ¥200,000, or ¥800,000. How about trading one kind of virtual currency for another? This scenario, too, is subject to taxation, and the calculation used is basically the same one that would apply if you had purchased a real product. Yasuhiko Sugiyama, a tax accountant knowledgeable in tech-related tax matters, said this is something many people are unaware of because this kind of transaction does not involve real money. I lost money on a cryptocurrency investment. Can I deduct any losses? No. Under the current rules, only losses from real estate, business, asset transfers and forestry income can be deducted from income. What will happen if I don’t pay tax? This will result in penalty taxes other than what is usually assessed when tax payers refuse to pay. These penalties could add as much as 20 percent to what you were originally supposed to pay, plus a penalty for the delay. Sugiyama warned that those who profit from cryptocurrency investments should not think they can get away without paying tax because regulation has enabled the tax agency to identify account holders from reports compiled by the exchanges. Even if you don’t keep records of any transactions, a rough profit figure can be calculated simply by subtracting the amount you invested from your total at the end of December.
|
investments;cryptocurrency
|
jp0009127
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/02/18
|
Fukushima fruit exports to Southeast Asia peachy as contamination fears dissipate
|
Among peaches Japan exported to Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia last year, those produced in Fukushima Prefecture led the way, retaining their No. 1 status for two years in a row. According to the prefectural government, 48 tons of Fukushima peaches were shipped to the three countries in 2017, up 57 percent from the previous year, thanks to efforts by local producers and distributors to acquire new customers. With bans from the Fukushima nuclear disaster still in place around Asia, however, Fukushima officials said they will continue calling on the central government to negotiate with biggest customers of Japanese peaches, Hong Kong and Taiwan, to encourage them to lift bans on produce from the prefecture. According to data compiled by the prefectural government based on Finance Ministry trade statistics and transaction data from local farm co-ops, Thailand topped the list of Fukushima peaches importers for two years in a row, with shipments in 2017 totaling 31.1 tons, or 1.5 times higher than the previous year. Fukushima peaches accounted for 94.8 percent of its peach imports from Japan. Exports to Malaysia reached 15 tons, making up 72.5 percent of its Japanese peach imports, while exports to Indonesia totaled 1.5 tons, or 51.7 percent of its Japanese peach imports. Both amounts more than doubled from a year ago. In Thailand, the number of stores selling Fukushima peaches rose to 70 from roughly 50, mainly in Bangkok, after the prefectural government entrusted a local importer to take steps to bolster sales, such as by dispatching staff to the stores when the peaches are in season. Fukushima Gov. Masao Uchibori visited Malaysia in August to promote the fruit, resulting in a deal to export 15 tons to the nation last year. Produce other than peaches has been making headway in Southeast Asia as well, especially in nations with high economic development and relatively fewer negative rumors about Fukushima. Fukushima exported 77 tons of rice to Malaysia in 2017, up from none a year before, and 16.3 tons of persimmons to Thailand. To accelerate exports of local produce, the prefectural government will put together a new strategy before the end of March. It plans to analyze different preferences and consumers’ purchasing power by nation and region and set target markets for each item. It will then draw up measures to create production systems that meet the needs of those markets and find ways to promote the products. “The efforts of people involved, including producers, farm co-ops and importers, have produced good results,” an official with Fukushima’s division for promoting local produce said. “We will continue working on developing effective sales channels to win the support of overseas consumers.”
|
fukushima;southeast asia;exports;peaches
|
jp0009129
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/02/11
|
Kind act sprouts into grass-roots movement to feed kids
|
Hiroko Kondo is credited with coining the term kodomo shokudō : makeshift eateries for disadvantaged kids that morphed into a national grass-roots movement to address the growth of poverty in Japan. But when the 58-year-old first opened her humble “children’s cafeteria” in a residential backstreet in Tokyo’s Ota Ward in 2012, she did not imagine the concept would take on a life of its own and spawn hundreds of similar diners. The idea was conceived from what she heard back in 2010 from the vice principal of a local elementary school who stopped by Kondo’s organic grocery store to pick up some vegetables. The teacher described how one of her pupils wasn’t eating properly. Her mother was mentally ill and unable to cook, so the child spent a typical day subsisting on her school lunch and a banana. “I couldn’t understand how something like that could be happening in Japan, where you see food everywhere,” Kondo said. “Just imagining that child peeling a banana alone at home tore me up,” the mother of three told The Japan Times in a recent interview. In October 2009, the labor ministry disclosed in a report that 15.7 percent of the population, or almost one in six people, were living in relative poverty in 2007. The report also listed a child poverty rate of 14.2 percent — one of the worst in the industrialized world. The revelation forced the nation to accept the fact that the gap between rich and poor was widening as a result of years of economic stagnation and the slow demise of the lifetime employment system, leading to a surge in lowly paid, temporary workers. Around that time, Kondo had begun selling organic produce after quitting her two-decade stint as a dental hygienist at a Tokyo clinic. She also ran a community space called Dandan at a former izakaya (traditional pub) she was able to rent for a bargain. She figured she could use the venue to serve healthy dinners to poor or lonely children at a discount. But it took nearly two years for the project to take off. By then, the student whose story had moved Kondo had been sent to an orphanage. “I couldn’t do anything and felt pathetic,” she recounted. The diner, which Kondo named Kodomo Shokudo, opened its doors in August 2012. Kondo distributed handwritten leaflets advertising the initiative to mothers who visited her store to buy groceries. “Through word of mouth, around 17 or 18 kids showed up for dinner cooked by volunteers on the very first occasion,” she said. Back then, Kodomo Shokudo operated on a bimonthly basis and Kondo charged ¥300 for children and ¥500 for adults. She used leftover vegetables from her store and cooked meals using organic seasoning and rice sold in her shop. Her cafeteria is now open every Thursday night and kids can enjoy a meal for one coin: ¥5, ¥10, ¥50 or any coin for that matter — even foreign currencies or arcade tokens — that doesn’t exceed ¥100. Kondo could have offered the meals for free — she receives food donations from sympathizers — but decided against it. “I didn’t want kids to feel they are accepting charity. Paying something — anything — helps maintain their dignity,” she said. Her diner is also not necessarily limited to children. Elderly folks, those with disabilities and adults having a hard time getting by, all come in to chat and sit down for a cheap meal. A slightly built sprightly woman, Kondo grew up in a family of farmers in Yasugi, Shimane Prefecture. She recalled how her community made efforts to support people in need. “We were by no means well-off, but we had rice and vegetables that we could offer in exchange for some favors,” she said. “That experience is central to my identity.” Soon after Kondo’s cafeteria opened its doors, similar eateries began sprouting up elsewhere in the capital. Inspired by Kondo, a nonprofit organization in Toshima Ward called Wakuwaku Network opened its own version of Kodomo Shokudo in 2012. The NGO, headed by Chieko Kuribayashi, also runs learning centers and a park for children. In 2016, Kuribayashi, a vocal proponent of community service, spearheaded a nationwide promotional campaign with Kondo to spread the word on how to run so-called children’s cafeterias. Yutaka Kamaike of the Kodomo Shokudo Network, a loosely knit association aimed at sharing information among cafeteria organizers, said the number of these temporary eateries — many of which operate in community centers, restaurants and homes — has grown substantially in the past few years thanks to media coverage and heightened public awareness. “When we launched our network in 2015, we had seven registered Kodomo Shokudo,” he said. “We now have 290 across the nation.” The popularity of the cafeterias also reflects how policymakers are struggling to address the issue of child poverty. As traditional communities hollow out and family ties erode, many disadvantaged people are left to struggle on their own. The government passed a child poverty law in 2013 to address disparities in financial resources and educational opportunities among children, but critics say it lacks specific numerical targets and that the programs organized by the government are underfunded. Grass-roots initiatives like Kodomo Shokudo essentially exist to fill some of that void. The signs of poverty, however, are largely hidden from view, Kondo said, noting that it’s difficult to identify children from struggling households merely by their appearance. She said some kids dine alone because their parents are working late. Some come from single-parent households prone to financial hardships. The health ministry released a report last year that said just over half of such families are under the poverty line. Official statistics also illustrate how children from poor families often find it difficult to achieve higher education and are more likely to end up in low-paying jobs. Kondo’s aim is to present underprivileged kids with alternative role models for the future. “I want them to understand that money is important, but that it’s not everything.” Since late last year, she has been hosting workshops at Dandan in which adults with unique occupations, such as a lumberjack who moonlights as a Christian minister, talk about what they do for a living. She wants to see others who share her vision take part in organizing similar sessions across the nation. “This is one way we can take part in education, outside of school,” she said.
|
children;poverty;kodomo shokudo;hiroko kondo
|
jp0009130
|
[
"national",
"politics-diplomacy"
] |
2018/02/16
|
Japan's next ambassador to U.S. firm on stance against North Korea
|
Shinsuke Sugiyama, the next Japanese ambassador to the United States, said Thursday that he will do all he can to resolve issues pertaining to North Korea’s nuclear arms and missile programs and its abductions of Japanese nationals. “I’ll make my utmost effort to resolve the North Korean nuclear, missile and abduction issues, under strong cooperation between Japan and the United States, and among the two plus South Korea,” Sugiyama, who will arrive in the United States next month, said in an interview with news organizations. The North Korean situation is “far from improving, … even worsening,” the former vice foreign minister pointed out. The current situation “can be called the biggest crisis for Japan’s security since World War II,” he said. “With the maximum pressure policy against North Korea, we’ll continue efforts to convince North Korea that it has no future unless it changes its policy,” Sugiyama said. Sugiyama said the Japanese-U.S. alliance will remain firm on North Korean issues, noting that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump have a “very close and firm personal relationship of trust.” “The prime minister and the president completely share the stance of rejecting any dialogue (with North Korea) unless its denuclearization is a precondition,” he said. “There shouldn’t be disagreements between Japan and the United States, and among Japan, the United States and South Korea,” he said. “My duty will be to regularly confirm this position with the U.S. government and strengthen our ties.” Sugiyama added that there would be a need for talks if North Korea becomes serious about abandoning its nuclear arms and missile programs and resolving the abduction issue. Besides the North Korean issues, the incoming ambassador underscored the need to deepen bilateral economic talks under a scheme led by Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, who doubles as finance minister, and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence. Sugiyama also said he will work hard to gain acceptance of Japan’s position against statues built in the United States, as well as other countries, that symbolize the “comfort women,” or Korean and other females who were forced to sexually serve wartime Japanese soldiers.
|
shinzo abe;u.s .;north korea;south korea;comfort women;nuclear arms;abductions;japan;shinsuke sugiyama;donald trump
|
jp0009131
|
[
"asia-pacific",
"social-issues-asia-pacific"
] |
2018/02/17
|
Blackface in Chinese Lunar New Year sketch draws criticism
|
BEIJING - A comedy sketch that featured a Chinese woman in blackface has drawn accusations of racism after being broadcast on Chinese state television’s Lunar New Year variety show, although some people in Beijing were left wondering why it would be considered offensive. The skit was shown Thursday night on CCTV and depicted the opening of a Chinese-built high-speed railway in Kenya. It featured actors in monkey and giraffe costumes, while the actress in blackface wore an exaggerated false bottom and carried a basket of fruit on her head. The segment was meant to celebrate Sino-African relations, but many viewers blasted it online for cultural insensitivity. The performance was part of CCTV’s annual Lunar New Year gala, which draws an audience of up to 800 million and is said to be one of the most watched programs in the world. The 13-minute segment opened with a dance sequence set to Colombian singer Shakira’s “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” featuring Africans dressed in zebra, lion and gazelle costumes, and actresses playing attendants on Kenya’s new Chinese-built high-speed rail line. The skit then began with a black woman asking the show’s host to pose as her husband when meeting her mother in order to avoid being set up on a blind date. A Chinese actress playing her mother then strides in made up in blackface followed by an actor in a monkey costume. The host’s Chinese wife then appears, ending the deception. But the African mother says she can’t be angry because “China has done so much for Africa.” “I love Chinese people! I love China,” the actress in blackface exclaims. Although the skit, titled “Same Joy, Same Happiness,” was meant to celebrate Sino-African relations, many viewers condemned it online, with some calling it “cringe-worthy” and “completely racist.” But the reaction on the streets of Beijing on Friday was muted, with some saying the criticism was overblown. “It’s normal for Chinese actors to dress up like foreigners when performing a foreign play,” said Zhou Hengshan, 80. “This wasn’t meant to demean any specific ethnic group.” Xue Lixia, 20, said she trusted CCTV’s judgment in assessing whether the skit was racist. “After all, this is a sketch that was broadcast on the Lunar New Year gala. If there was any racism, then it would have already been cut,” Liu said. Chinese society is overwhelmingly dominated by the Han ethnic majority and racial sensitivities are generally much less pronounced than in the West. Blackface is considered especially offensive in the United States because of its strong connections to slavery and bigotry against blacks. This isn’t the first time CCTV’s Lunar New Year gala has come under fire. The show is laden with praise for the ruling Communist Party and its policies, especially on culture and ethnic relations, and its portrayals of China’s own ethnic minorities, particularly Muslim Uighurs from the northwestern region of Xinjiang, have sometimes been derided as crude.
|
china;rights;tv;ethnicity;discrimination
|
jp0009132
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/02/17
|
Kansai executives offer advice on improving nation's diplomacy
|
OSAKA - ‘Track II diplomacy” is the official neutral-sounding phrase used to refer to diplomatic efforts by “nonstate” actors. In thriller films and books, it’s usually portrayed as a game of shadows between powerful but mysterious groups and individuals who may, or may not, be working to save the world. Hollywood-style drama aside, Track II diplomacy, at its most transparent, plays a vital role in a country’s international relations, and involves businesses, NGOs, academic experts, and others. Certainly corporations in Japan are not shy about Track II diplomacy and The Kansai Association of Corporate Executives is particularly vocal, sending missions abroad to discuss Japan’s diplomacy and security. In a report released last month, the association showed it was capable of outside-the-box thinking. The Kansai region has long had stronger trade relations with East and Southeast Asia than the Tokyo region. Kansai’s political and economic leaders have never made their “Asia First” worldview a secret. Such views are reflected in the report when they worry Japanese diplomacy may be too America-centric. A potentially dangerous policy, given uncertainties about the mercurial U.S. President Donald Trump and what Kansai (and much of Japan) sees as a more isolationist U.S. Time to put more emphasis on Asia, is the advice. If the report had stopped there, it would have been dismissed, rightly, as the usual thinking from Kansai. This time, however, the corporate executives offered specific suggestions for more fundamental improvements of the nation’s diplomatic structure as it faces the reality of a rapidly aging society, declining birthrate and the prospect of a shrinking traditional diplomatic corps. The first proposal is to revamp the current national examination system in order to allow more people in the private sector with overseas knowledge and language skills to become involved with formal diplomacy. Their second proposal is to establish a national graduate school that specializes in training students to think more effectively about diplomatic and security issues, with the hope that graduates go on to a career as diplomatic specialists. The Kansai business leaders envision classes attended by Japanese with backgrounds in politics and international relations and being tutored by Japanese and international diplomatic and security experts while networking with foreign scholars from international universities and think tanks. The new graduate school would also offer high-level foreign language training, with an emphasis on the kinds of language and communication skills needed in modern diplomatic negotiations. The proposal is to be welcomed for offering sincere answers to very difficult questions about what, exactly, the structure of diplomacy in 21st century should be, and not only in Japan. Nobody would disagree that diplomats everywhere need all the help they can get. Or that Japanese diplomats, notoriously reticent at international conferences and often quite poor at dealing with the international media, would benefit from increased language and communication training. But the private sector is ultimately responsible only to the needs of a narrow group of shareholders, not the country. Business is about making a profit this quarter. Diplomacy is, ultimately, about the art of preventing war. A corps of professional diplomats who don’t also have complex financial ties and personal loyalties to private firms is a good thing, not a bad thing. In an age where corporations exercise more influence over our lives than ever, it’s easy to assume business types playing a bigger role in official diplomacy is desirable, natural and inevitable. The proposals of the Kansai executives will sound good to many. But attempts by those heretofore involved in Track II diplomacy to jump onto Track I diplomacy without first establishing clear lines of responsibility, high standards of transparency, and strict legal accountability risks running Japan’s diplomatic efforts off the rails.
|
osaka;diplomacy;business lobby;kansai association of corporate executives
|
jp0009133
|
[
"national",
"media-national"
] |
2018/02/17
|
Media reports de-romanticize the cleanup work on the Fukushima nuclear power plant
|
Most of the reliable reporting about the clean-up of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant since it suffered three meltdowns in March 2011 has been from on-site workers. Even when articles appear in major media outlets about the situation at the crippled reactor, it’s usually presented through the anonymous or pseudonymous firsthand experiences of the men on the front lines. Some have become famous. The public would not know much about the situation without Kazuto Tatsuta’s manga series , “Ichiefu” (or “1F” — shorthand for “Fukushima No. 1”), the writings of former letter carrier and cleanup worker Minoru Ikeda , or the books and tweets of a man known as “Happy” who has been working as an employee at the plant. Because these individuals directly address what they and their colleagues have gone through on a daily basis, the work they do has been de-romanticized. It’s not as heroic as initial foreign media reports made it out to be . If anything, it’s tedious and uncomplicated. Workers are concerned about those matters that all blue-collar laborers worry about — pay and benefits — which isn’t to suggest they don’t think about the possible health risks of radiation exposure. Last October , Ikeda talked to the comedy duo-cum-nuclear power reporters Oshidori Mako & Ken on the web channel Jiyu-na Radio about potential false reports on radiation levels around Fukushima , although also touching on health issues that have not been reported by the mainstream media. His main point was that serious illnesses may not manifest themselves until years after workers quit the site and thus no longer qualify for worker’s compensation. In other words, the workers understand the risk. They just want to be fairly compensated for it. In that regard, one of the most common gripes from on-site reporters is the “hazard compensation” ( kiken teate ) workers are supposed to receive. Recently, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. (Tepco), which is both responsible for the accident and in charge of the cleanup, announced a reduction in outlay associated with the hazard compensation, which is paid as a supplement to wages. This compensation can add as much as ¥20,000 a day to a worker’s pay, but now that Tepco says radiation levels have dropped, they will no longer provide the compensation, or, at least, not as much as they have been paying. A special report in the Jan. 22 Tokyo Shimbun attempted to explain how this change will affect workers and the work itself . In March 2016, Tepco divided the work area into three zones: red, for high radiation levels; yellow, for some radioactivity; and green, for areas that had no appreciable radioactivity. Workers interviewed by Tokyo Shimbun say they’ve never liked this system because they feel it “has no meaning.” Rubble from the red zone is routinely transferred to the green zone, where heavy machinery kicks up a lot of dust, so there’s no physical delineation between zones when it comes to radiation levels. On the ground, this reality is addressed by subcontractors who make their employees in the green zone — which constitutes 95 percent of the work site — wear extra protective gear, even though Tepco doesn’t require it. But the workers’ main gripe about the zone system is that most of them ended up being paid less and, as on-site workers have often explained, they weren’t getting paid as much as people thought they were . Contractors advertise high wages to attract workers, but then subtract things like room and board, utility fees, clothing and equipment. And it’s been known for years that the hazard compensation was more or less a racket gamed by the contractors standing between Tepco, which distributes the compensation, and the workers, who are supposed to be the beneficiaries. There can be up to six layers of contractors between Tepco and a worker, and each layer may take a cut of the compensation. In 2014, four workers sued Tepco for ¥62 million , saying they worked at the site but received none of the promised hazard compensation. That situation still seems to be in play, according to Tokyo Shimbun. Several subcontractors told the newspaper they receive the compensation for their workers not from Tepco directly but from the contractor that hired them, and in most cases the compensation has been reduced, sometimes by more than half. One subcontractor said that a company above them actually apologized for the paucity of the compensation they were handing down because their “revenues had decreased.” The man known as Happy told Tokyo Shimbun that Tepco is ordering less work at the site, which means existing subcontractors may cut wages in order to compete for these dwindling jobs. Some contractors have even invested in the robots that are used to inspect the reactor, because they want the work to continue without interruption. It was common practice to rotate out workers toiling in the highly radioactive areas regularly and quickly and then re-assign them to low-radiation areas. After some time they may have been rotated back into the high-radiation area, where pay is more. The man known as Happy says this sort of system now seems to be on the way out, and that makes sense if radiation is actually decreasing. However, he’s afraid that if there is another emergency that requires a sudden influx of workers, they won’t be available. Tepco is obviously thinking of its bottom line, and the man known as Happy thinks the work should be managed by the government, which is contributing tax money to the cleanup . However, it seems only the Japan Communist Party is reading the dispatches from the plant. Last May, Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Taku Yamazoe questioned Tepco President Naomi Hirose about the hazard compensation in the Diet , and why the structure of payments to workers wasn’t clear. Hirose said that while his company intends that the money goes to workers, he cannot say for sure that is the case because of the circumstances surrounding Tepco’s relationships with contractors. With work on the wane, it seems unlikely that those workers will see any of the money that’s owed to them, retroactively or otherwise.
|
employment;fukushima nuclear power plant;fukushima nuclear accident
|
jp0009134
|
[
"national",
"media-national"
] |
2018/02/17
|
The face of immigration is rapidly changing in Japan
|
Over the past half decade, major changes have taken place in the demographics of foreign residents in Japan. Weekly Playboy’s Dec. 18 issue devoted a four-page article to “Research into Vietnamese.” Why Vietnamese? And why now? “Their numbers in Japan have drastically increased,” the magazine rationalizes. Up fourfold from five years ago, they grew by a remarkable 36.1 percent between 2015 and 2016. The Vietnamese population of 232,562 (as of end June 2017) has shot past Brazil to make them the fourth-largest nationality, and they may soon overtake the Philippines (251,934) for third place. Take, for example, the city of Matsudo, a bed town of about 484,000 in Chiba Prefecture served by the JR Joban commuter line, about 21 minutes from Tokyo’s Ueno Station. It currently boasts 15,058 foreign residents, including a growing community of Vietnamese. “Matsudo has lots of Japanese-language schools,” the chef at a local Vietnamese restaurant tells the reporter. “Spread by word of mouth among Vietnamese, the number of foreign students has increased. Still, they don’t stand out much. It’s probably because only a few of them do business around here.” Weekly Playboy’s reporter then traveled to Hiroshima Prefecture, which last year was ranked fourth nationwide in terms of the number of technical trainees from Vietnam. Enough on a proportional basis, he writes with some exaggeration, to make Hiroshima a “province of Vietnam.” Duan, a 32-year-old housewife originally from Hanoi, tells the reporter: “The Japanese I work with are devious. They scare me and I don’t care for them much.” Duan arrived four years ago as a language student, and wound up marrying a Japanese 18 years her senior. The language school where Duan first studied operated a side-business of farming out its students to part-time jobs, and initially Duan labored at a demanding job in a shipping depot for refrigerated items. “One day I dropped a heavy box on my foot,” she relates bitterly. “I could barely walk and had to seek medical attention. Even the day I went to the hospital the company made me work.” To make matters worse, she said, the school arranged with the depot to report her injury as having occurred during her commute to work, thereby making her ineligible for worker’s compensation. Conditions at her second job, at a restaurant, proved no better. Still, she expressed deep affection for her Japanese husband, a “sweet old guy” whom she describes as caring and generous. While not dwelling on negative aspects of immigration, Weekly Playboy doesn’t pull any punches, noting that Vietnamese are already the Japan’s top minority in one unenviable statistic: During 2015, their 2,556 violations of the criminal code exceeded the 2,390 cases by Chinese. A police interpreter working in the Chubu region says roughly half of Vietnamese trainees and students are unable to keep up their school tuition payments and drop out; many turn to crime. According to government figures, the number of legal foreign residents in Japan last year reached 2.47 million, or 1.95 percent of the total population. On a proportional basis that might not seem like a lot, compared to, say, Switzerland, where non-citizens make up 29 percent, or Australia (28 percent). The 34-page cover story in Weekly Toyo Keizai (Feb. 3) titled “Japan, the major nation of hidden immigrants” views the issue from a variety of macro- and micro-perspectives. The issue starts by noting that the total number of foreign residents in the country presently outstrips the 2.31 million population of Nagoya — Japan’s third-largest city — by more than 100,000. So if that’s the case, why does Toyo Keizai use the word kakure (hidden) in its headline to describe immigration? “Depending on the perspective, Japan is already a major nation of immigrants,” declares chief economist Koichi Fujishiro of the Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance Co. It seems that while the government maintains the position that Japan is not open to immigration, according to definitions in use by some organizations, an immigrant is simply “a person who has resided in a foreign country for one year or longer.” If that’s the case, then according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, during 2015 Japan admitted approximately 400,000 immigrants — in substance if not in name — placing it fourth overall among advanced economies, behind Germany, the U.S. and the U.K. The cities with the highest foreign population are listed as Yokohama, with 92,117; Nagoya with 77,668; Kobe (46,831); Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward (which is treated as a separate municipality, with 43,354); and Kawasaki (38,651). While Weekly Playboy focused on Vietnamese, Toyo Keizai played guide to the Chinatown that has sprung up in the vicinity of Nishi Kawaguchi Station, situated on the JR Keihin-Tohoku Line in Saitama Prefecture just across the Arakawa River from Tokyo’s Kita Ward. Inside the station building one can indulge in a Chinese-style breakfast of doujiang (hot soya milk) and youtiao (deep-fried dough crullers). Ethnic groceries sell live turtles and frogs. Roughly half the businesses patronized mostly by Chinese are food and beverage establishments. Within the Chinese community, people from different provinces tend to dominate different types of business areas. While food services are run largely by arrivals from the northeastern provinces, mizu shōbai (bars and related “adult” businesses) tend to be managed by people from Fujian province on China’s southeastern coast. A color-coded map of Nishi Kawaguchi’s Chinatown identifies 28 Chinese-operated businesses, including three retail stores, 20 restaurants and five service businesses — a billiard parlor, two internet cafes, a karaoke outlet and a real estate agency. And where are the accusatory cries complaining of new arrivals taking jobs away from Japanese? Forced to confront a serious and worsening labor shortage, Japan’s politicians and bureaucrats are clearly much less inclined to quibble over the downsides to immigration. That makes it practically the diametric opposite of the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. Which also raises the question: Will some of those deported from the United States possibly wind up in Japan?
|
immigration;foreign residents;vietnamese residents
|
jp0009135
|
[
"national",
"media-national"
] |
2018/02/17
|
'Because I'm a Mom' children's song sends vexed mothers the wrong message
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What was meant to be a much-needed pat on the back for mothers has done more harm than good. In Hulu’s original children’s program “Dai! Dai! Daisuke Onisan!!,” hosted by ex-NHK talent Daisuke Yokoyama, Daisuke Onisan performed a new song titled “Atashi Okasan Dakara” (“Because I’m a Mom”). Written by popular children’s book author Nobumi, the lyrics go like this: “I was living alone before I became a mom/ I wore heels, I painted my nails/ I tried to act strong and tried to prove I could work. Today I cut my nails to play with my kids/ I wear clothes I can run in so I can go to my part-time job/ Because I’m a mom/ Because I’m a mom. I wake up at 5 a.m. feeling sleepy/ Because I’m a mom/ I let you eat my favorite food/ Because I’m a mom/ I memorize names of trains/ Because I’m a mom. It’s always about you, not me. Because I’m a mom/ Because I’m a mom. I used to be thin before I was a mom/ I did what I liked and I bought what I liked/ All I thought about was myself. … If I could go back to before I was a mom, I would go out at night/ I would go to a concert and buy clothes for myself/ But I’ve quit all of that and now I’m a mom/ I’d rather be a mom over all of that. According to the writer, the song is meant to support mothers across Japan and the lyrics were based on stories he heard from real mothers. The song is not about what mothers have to sacrifice for their children, but what they are able to experience because of them, he says. Despite his best intentions, the song went viral across the internet — not for its uplifting message, but instead for placing a “curse” on mothers. “About the ‘Because I’m a Mom’ lyrics that everyone is talking about — if a mother sees this after giving birth, they probably would feel depressed,” Twitter user @ke315 says. “It reminded me of how I developed postpartum depression when I had my firstborn because I tried too hard. … Everyone is saying the song feels like a curse, but it really is true.” The repetitive phrase “Because I’m a Mom” implies that mothers face a burden, furthering the idea that women are expected to give up their lives in order to raise their children. This mentality isn’t just harmful for mothers, it also affects their children, @iroiro_niji says. “As a kid, the most painful thing to hear from your mother is stuff such as ‘I gave up things in my life because I’m a mom, because I have kids, because I care so much about you,’” @iroiro_niji says. “You start thinking, ‘Well, I should never have been born.’” To dispel the belief that mothers are all self-sacrificing saints, Twitter users began using the hashtag “#あたしお母さんだけど,” or “But I’m a Mom” in order to illustrate how women don’t need to give up who they are when they become mothers. “I’m a mom but I sleep in until 9 a.m., I paint my nails, I wear what I like, I want to lose weight and I love to eat spicy food,” says @mrc_0826 . Twitter user @moet_csf suggests going a step further. “It warms my heart that the ‘But I’m a Mom’ hashtag happened so quickly as a rebuttal to ‘Because I’m a Mom.’ Still, we shouldn’t even need to include the ‘But.’ Being a mom and enjoying your life are never at odds.” The “Because I’m a Mom” incident recalls the recent backlash diaper brand Moony received for their commercial portraying a mother struggling to raise her child without much help from her husband. It’s becoming increasingly clear that what Japanese mothers need isn’t praise for the pain they go through but removing the burden placed on them. While creating more day care centers would arguably be a better way of achieving this, it helps when the message presented by the media is “Mothers can take a break as well” instead of “You’re a mother, so it’s your job to endure.”
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japan pulse;daisuke oniisan;nobumi;because i 'm a mom
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jp0009137
|
[
"national",
"media-national"
] |
2018/02/10
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Did press reports of a lawsuit spur an amendment to the welfare ministry's policy on benefits?
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On Jan. 16, the Fukushima District Court ruled in favor of a woman and her daughter who had sued the city of Fukushima for cutting their welfare benefits . When the woman’s daughter was in high school, the woman received a grant scholarship to help her child prepare for university by covering expenses for things such as cram schools. The city office deemed the scholarship to be “income” and subtracted the amount from her family’s government assistance, because children in low-income households that receive benefits are expected to leave the household and find a job after they turn 18 or graduate high school. The court said the city could not deny the benefits and told it to compensate the family. According to the Tokyo Shimbun, initial press coverage of the suit prompted the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, which administers government assistance, to issue a directive in August 2015 and instruct the city of Fukushima to pull back from reducing the family’s benefits . On Jan. 19, after the district court ruling, welfare minister Katsunobu Kato said he would instruct welfare offices nationwide to avoid such problems in the future. Kato’s announcement would seem to indicate a change in policy, but until the Public Assistance Law is amended, local governments can still withhold benefits for children who plan to attend university. One of the conditions of the law is that welfare recipients take advantage of their capabilities in order to maintain a minimum standard of living. In other words, if anyone in a household can work, they must. A child who wishes to continue on an educational path beyond high school forfeits their share of the household’s benefits. The Fukushima District Court decision implies that the government’s condition effectively prevents children of low-income families from getting out of the poverty cycle by means of higher education. The Tokyo Shimbun says a government panel in December recommended that the welfare system be revised so that it doesn’t deny young people the chance to attend university. The government, which plans to revise its welfare policy sometime this year, has taken the panel’s recommendation to heart. It does not plan to change the main structure of the law, but the government announced last week it would provide aid to qualified impoverished students (as opposed to welfare recipients) who wish to continue on to higher education starting this April. In the Feb. 1 installment of its “Jiron Koron” series, NHK explained how “livelihood assistance” (seikatsu fujo) for low-income households is determined . Since 1984, the government has pegged these benefits to the expenditures of the bottom 10 percent of income-earning households in Japan. Presently, the money that a low-income household consisting of a married couple and one child spends to get by (not counting housing) is about ¥136,000 a month, so families that qualify for livelihood assistance are in principle given an equivalent amount in benefits, adjusted for age, location of residence and other factors. The idea is that in order to achieve “balance,” the welfare family should not be given more money than an income-earning family needs to survive. The problem with this system, as NHK pointed out, is that financial circumstances are constantly changing. In 2004, the average annual income for the poorest 10 percent of households in Japan was ¥1.32 million. In 2014, it was ¥1.16 million. Since it follows that the less income a family has, the less it spends, livelihood assistance is constantly being reduced in order to achieve “balance.” This protocol is also used to adjust assistance for housing, education and other specific needs. So when the government carries out welfare reform this year, 67 percent of families who receive benefits at present will have them either reduced or terminated. The plan put forward will save the government ¥16 billion over the next three years, a 1.8 percent reduction in the overall welfare budget. Initially, the government estimated that 10 percent of all welfare households would be taken off the rolls after the revision, but when these households protested, the government said it would limit the eliminations to 5 percent. NHK says that 80 percent of welfare households contain only one person. A Jan. 25 Tokyo Shimbun article reported that about 40 percent of welfare households with children — about 150,000 — will see their benefits either reduced or terminated under the proposed revision . Benefits for the other 60 percent will likely increase. Critics of the system say that it is not fair or balanced because many households that are eligible for benefits don’t actually apply for them. An article in the Yomiuri Shimbun last June said that only 15.5 percent of people designated as being “poor” by the welfare ministry received government assistance of any kind in 2012 . In addition to income, applicants must submit information about assets. If an applicant has savings of more than a month’s worth of benefits, they can be turned down. If the applicant has a car, officials say it must be used for essential travel (driving to job interviews or visiting a hospital, for example). For people living in large cities that is not a problem, but for those living in rural areas, especially applicants with children, a car is often a necessity, but welfare officials may think otherwise. According to columnist Eiji Oguma in the Jan. 25 Asahi Shimbun, surveys show that the majority of low-income earners say they don’t “support” higher welfare benefits because they think it will increase their taxes and social security payments, which are already a considerable burden — this despite the fact that many probably qualify for assistance . Oguma finds this reaction “paradoxical,” and blames the media for spreading the “suspicion” that people who receive benefits don’t deserve them. Coverage of the Fukushima woman’s lawsuit seems to refute that charge, but maybe it’s an exceptional case.
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welfare;poverty;katsunobu kato
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jp0009139
|
[
"national",
"media-national"
] |
2018/02/10
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Gift-giving etiquette in Japan is driving some recipients crazy
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With spring looming, perhaps it’s time to re-think the national obsession with seasonal gifts and souvenirs. Once a virtual national pastime, the cyclical ritual of obligatory gift-giving could be consigned to history within a matter of years , according to a recent survey conducted by MyNavi.jp. According to the survey, close to 70 percent of 1,000 respondents believe that traditional and seasonal gift-giving has become redundant. Summer gifts ( ochūgen ) are regarded as most unnecessary , according to a related survey on online website woman.jp, followed by winter gifts ( oseibo ). Some sites that provide advice on manners and etiquette suggest writing letters in advance to people who might send a seasonal gift that they should not bother. The letter should state politely but firmly that the recipient should refrain from sending a gift. Other sites such as kisetsuseikatsu.com point to the existence of a three-year rule, arguing that it’s acceptable to quit such gift-giving back-and-forths after 24 months without guilt . In the world of business, however, old habits are hard to break , and companies have been sending gifts to clients each summer and winter for as long as one can remember. Fail to send a gift at these times of year and you run the risk of failing to renew a contract . Seasonal gifts are far from cheap, with some users on forums such as 2chan basically describing them as bribes that should be done away with. Buying them can quickly burn a hole in your pocket, with most costing somewhere between ¥3,000 and ¥5,000. Major corporations trying to impress valuable clients may spend as much as five times that amount. Excessive gift-giving can sometimes take a toll on your psychological health. In 2001, celebrity couple Masaaki Sakai and his wife, Miri Okada, ended their 12-year marriage and Okada intimated that the burden of responding to the pile of gifts that arrived each season was to blame. Okada subsequently told reporters in interviews after they divorced that she frequently needed to go through a mountain of gifts, writing thank you notes and buying return gifts ( okaeshi ) as custom dictates. Okada said that she found the process of dealing with the gifts exhausting and reportedly suffered a nervous breakdown as a result . The incident sparked a debate on whether Okada was an ingrate who shirked her wifely duties or a courageous woman who dared to speak up about a tradition that many homemakers find troublesome. Fast forward to the present day and the internet is rife with wives that profess to be stressed out by the ritual. It’s customary for the parents of brides to gift their in-laws once or twice each year — usually twice a year for the first three years — and the in-laws are expected to reciprocate. Wives are often caught in the middle of this exchange, as they are typically required to write letters to both sets of parents and ensure that everything goes smoothly. “ My parents want to quit gift-giving altogether, but I have no idea how to tell my mother-in-law without sounding rude ,” one worried woman wrote on acmena.jp. She was advised to ask her husband to break the news to his mother, as these things “always sound better coming from the son.” And in case you’re wondering, such news is best not delivered with a text message, although an Instagram shot of a weeping wife may just do the trick.
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customs;etiquette;manners;gifts
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jp0009140
|
[
"asia-pacific",
"social-issues-asia-pacific"
] |
2018/02/19
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China's Hui Muslims fear Lunar New Year education ban a sign of further restrictions to come
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GUANGHE, CHINA - For some in China’s ethnic Hui Muslim minority here, a recent ban on young people engaging in religious education in mosques is an unwelcome interference in how they lead their lives. Their big fear is the Chinese government may be bringing in measures in this northwestern province of Gansu that are similar to some of those used in the crackdown on Uighur Muslims in the giant Xinjiang region further to the west. Well-integrated into society and accustomed to decades of smooth relations with the government, many Hui have watched with detachment as authorities have subjected Xinjiang to near-martial law, with armed police checkpoints, re-education centers and mass DNA collection. But in January, education officials from the local government in Guanghe county, which is a heavily-Muslim area, banned children from attending religious education during the Lunar New Year break. That lasts for several weeks around the weeklong public holiday period that started Thursday. It is unclear if the ban, similar to those used by the authorities in the Uighur communities, will continue after the holiday, but it appears to conform to new national regulations that took effect Feb. 1 aiming to increase oversight over religion. Residents in the city of Linxia, the capital of Gansu’s so-called “autonomous” prefecture for the Hui people, about 50 kilometers to the west of Guanghe, told Reuters that similar restrictions were in place there. “We feel it is ridiculous and were astonished,” said Li Haiyang, a Hui imam from the eastern province of Henan who in a widely circulated online article denounced the policy as violating China’s constitution. Such bans had been conveyed verbally in recent years, Li told Reuters, but implementation was uneven and often ignored. The more forceful rollout this year shows authorities are serious about enforcement, he said. The Linxia prefecture government, which oversees Linxia city and Guanghe, did not provide details of the policy, but said China’s Constitution required separation of religion and education. “Religious affairs management … adheres to the direction of the Sinofication of religion, and firmly resists and guards against the spread and infiltration of extremist religious ideology,” the Linxia government’s publicity department said in a fax in response to questions. “Maintaining legal management is the greatest concept in the protection of religion,” it said in a statement that stressed stability. Repeated phone calls to the Guanghe education bureau’s propaganda department went unanswered. China’s State Administration for Religious Affairs did not respond to a request for comment, but the State Council Information Office said China amply guarantees citizens’ right to religious freedom under law, including children. “While safeguarding all ethnic group’s religious freedom and other lawful interests according to law, China will also resolutely prevent and severely crackdown on the use of religion to carry out illegal activities,” it said. The pressure on the Hui from the authorities is far from as intense as the Uighurs face in Xinjiang, where a massive security clampdown followed deadly bouts of ethnic violence the government blamed on extremists. But state media has also reported on the removal of loudspeakers used to broadcast calls to prayer from mosques in Hui regions, ostensibly to prevent noise pollution. In April, the government-run Islamic Association of China said new mosques should reject the “Arabization” of architecture, with its “excessive size and extravagance,” in favor of traditional Chinese designs. In Guanghe and Linxia, antipathy toward the education rules was widespread. “You can’t oppose it. You can only obey,” 46-year-old Ma Shaqing, who describes himself as a “patriotic Muslim,” said in his antique shop near the towering Halal China Mosque in Guanghe. Another man leaving afternoon prayers at Linxia’s New China Mosque said local officials were misapplying Chinese President Xi Jinping’s policies. “Families are afraid to teach their children to have faith for fear it will bring them trouble,” he said. “How can cultural traditions be passed down like this?” China’s image with the wider Muslim community around the world is important to Beijing as it pushes President Xi’s “Belt and Road” initiative to invest billions of dollars building infrastructure linking Asia, Europe and Africa. China has sought to make the more secular Hui, among China’s roughly 20 million Muslims, a face of the project, highlighting it at a China-Arab states expo in the heavily-Hui Ningxia region in September. A man his late 20s, surnamed Zhou, who had been studying for more than 10 years to be an imam in Linxia, said a “very tense political situation” had taken hold in Linxia, and he only agreed to speak to Reuters far away from the gates of his mosque. Zhou said government concerns of extremism spreading among Hui were misplaced. “The possibility of this happening is almost none, because none of us believe this way. We aren’t extremists,” he said.
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china;religion;rights;discrimination
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jp0009141
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/02/19
|
Tobishima is the next tourism hot spot — it just doesn't know why yet
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Tobishima, Aichi Prefecture — a village without a single hotel, ryokan (Japanese-style inn) or souvenir shop — will establish a tourism exchange association in April, in the hope of encouraging local residents to rediscover the area’s appeals and become involved in boosting tourism. The idea was conceived by Michito Takeda, 47, an official at travel agency JTB Central Japan Corp., who helped make the village of Achi in Nagano Prefecture a popular tourism destination by promoting it as the place with “the best starry sky in Japan.” By adopting a unique method that prioritizes interactions with locals, the association hopes to find regional treasures that even some of the villagers are not currently aware of. Monthly workshops in preparation for the launch of the association have been held since October. One night in January, nine men and women gathered at the village office in Tobishima to attend. The participants, varying in age and profession — including a housewife, a teacher of Japanese tea ceremony and an executive of a local chamber of commerce — discussed what kinds of activities can be offered for visitors to enjoy at the village. Using a projector, Takeda showed them a few illustrations that look like paintings by Vincent Van Gogh. “These are all landscape photographs of Tobishima that have been processed with a photo editing app,” he explained. Takeda said the landscape of the village, a coastal wetland, has a lot in common with that of Arles in southern France, which Van Gogh loved. “Let’s look at the positive side of the fact that little development has been made and that a panoramic view of the rural landscape remains,” he said. Looking at the illustrations, Toyohiro Tatematsu, a 33-year-old farmer, said, “I thought they were really Van Gogh’s paintings. It’s surprising that a familiar sight could look like this.” During the two-hour discussion, the participants came up with ideas such as holding a Van Gogh-style painting contest and creating sunflower fields like those depicted in one of his famous paintings. Tobishima, located west of Nagoya with a population of 4,705 as of Jan. 1, is dubbed the richest municipality in Japan in terms of financial power thanks to property tax revenues from large-scale factories and port facilities along the coast. Local residents enjoy benefits offered by village authorities, including trips to the United States for junior high school students and a ¥1 million fund given to every resident who turns 100. But Tokio Kuno, the head of the village, said there is “little to be proud of other than that.” He hopes the association can help create tourist attractions in the village and revitalize the community through interactions with visitors. Takeda at JTB Central Japan has been involved in promoting tourism for approximately 20 local governments in the Chubu region. He places an emphasis on upgrading existing attractions to make them more appealing for visitors, and holds long discussions with residents to discover the main attractions for each area. In the case of the village of Achi, with which Takeda has been involved for the past six years, he heard residents comment on the starry sky during discussions. One resident said they take the starry sky for granted and that it is not something they would pay money to see in a planetarium, while another said his girlfriend from outside the village shed tears when she saw the night sky from the top of a mountain in the village. That inspired Takeda to come up with a tour to experience the breathtaking view of Achi’s starry sky, which has attracted a total of 350,000 visitors to the top of a featureless mountain in the countryside over the six years since. The village of Tobishima plans to hold a ceremony in March to commemorate the opening of the tourism exchange association and announce the ideas that villagers came up with in the workshop. “I want the villagers to be able to imagine the happy faces of the tourists and the future of the village in 10 years,” said Takeda.
|
tourism;jtb corp .;vincent van gogh;aichi;tobishima
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jp0009142
|
[
"business"
] |
2018/02/26
|
Trailblazing Nagoya restaurant that accepts XEM cryptocurrency moves to Tokyo
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A popular restaurant that accepted NEM, a virtual currency, has relocated to Tokyo from Nagoya, where it operated until last October. Regarded as the holy grail among virtual currency fans, it is believed to be the first store in the world to exchange XEM, the cryptocurrency of the NEM platform, for actual goods. NEM became well known to the public after it became the target of hackers last month. Despite the controversies surrounding it, the restaurant owner wants “(people) to not decide right away that virtual currencies are suspicious.” Yousuke Sato, 39, opened St. Arnould as a small restaurant of 20 seats specializing in Belgian beer, with over 200 varieties on offer. It was located in the second floor of a building that sells various items along the Hori River in Naka Ward, Nagoya. In response to the request of a virtual currency user who visited the restaurant, Sato exchanged XEM for a ¥1,200 pizza on June 28, 2016. The XEM is now worth ¥54,000. “I became interested in virtual currencies about five years ago and began tweeting about them. I thought it would be interesting to accept payment in a virtual currency, so I said yes,” Sato said. Word spread through the internet that it was the first store in the world where XEM could be used, and St. Arnould became packed with virtual currency fans. Last fall, after operating the restaurant for eight years, Sato decided to move to Tokyo. He raised ¥8 million by issuing his own new virtual currency, and relocated to Akasaka in November. In January, hackers infiltrated Coincheck, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in Japan, resulting in the loss of ¥58 billion. “I think the operators weren’t strict enough with the management of the currency. There’s nothing wrong with the concept of virtual currency itself,” said Sato. “The market for virtual currency is still young so it’s only natural that it has become a target of speculation, but I think it has potential as a currency that is not restricted by country. I think it’s too early to say what will happen to virtual currencies in the future,” said Sato. Virtual currencies are encrypted electronic data that are considered valuable assets and are traded on the internet. Unlike the yen or dollars, they are not guaranteed by an issuing country. Bitcoin has the highest market capitalization, at around ¥16 trillion, while NEM has around ¥500 billion. The value of cryptocurrency coins is currently skyrocketing due to speculation. The number of stores that accept payment in virtual currencies is increasing in the Tokai region. However, it is still rare to find people who use virtual currency to pay and send money, so it is unlikely it will be widely available like cash and digital currencies. Two years ago, a salon in the Sakae area of Nagoya called Hair Grande Seeek began accepting bitcoin as payment. “Digital currencies became popular all of a sudden, so I thought virtual currencies would become widely used too,” explained owner Yasuyuki Matsubara, 35. However, only three people have opted to pay using virtual currencies so far. “The price of cryptocurrencies keeps changing so it is difficult to use them. Most owners purchase virtual currency speculatively,” he added. Bic Camera, a major electronics retail company, allows payment in bitcoin only if the purchase total is below ¥300,000. According to its press release, “the service is used mostly in metropolitan areas by men in their 20s to 40s.” According to Satoru Kado, a senior researcher from Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co., Ltd. who is an expert on virtual currencies, there are approximately 1 million bitcoin holders in Japan, but “there is little benefit in using bitcoin to make payments or send money.” “Virtual currency carries high risks and it’s almost like gambling, so it does not fit well with the personality of Nagoya citizens, who are prudent,” said professor Toshihiro Uchida from the Department of Economics, Chukyo University.
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nagoya;bitcoin;cryptocurrencies;coincheck;nem;xem
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jp0009144
|
[
"world",
"offbeat-world"
] |
2018/02/21
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German newspaper gets dog registered as a Social Democrat
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BERLIN - Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) were forced on Tuesday to declare that a 3-year-old dog called Lima would not be allowed to vote with party members on a coalition deal with Angela Merkel’s conservatives, despite joining the party. The top-selling Bild daily splashed a photo of a floppy-eared, brown-and-white dog wearing a red scarf, the SPD’s color, on Tuesday under the headline “This dog can vote on the grand coalition.” Bild reported how Lima had received a party card after the newspaper made an application on the dog’s behalf to become a party member on Feb. 6. Personal details on the application included her sex and put her occupation as unemployed and her age at 21, in dog years. “It is not about the dog Lima, but rather about how we at Bild proved how prone to falsification the SPD members’ vote is,” a spokesman for Bild wrote in an emailed statement. “People who wish to manipulate the vote on a ‘grand coalition’ through criminality could do just the same.” All party members are entitled to vote in the postal ballot, which started on Tuesday and will end on March 2, on a coalition pact for Europe’s biggest economy. It could decide the future of Chancellor Angela Merkel. If SPD members reject the deal, the SPD will not be able to share power with the conservatives, and either a new election or minority government is likely. Andrea Nahles, expected to be chosen as SPD leader in April, was forced to respond to the question posed by Bild about whether manipulation of the vote was possible. “A dog can’t vote,” she said, adding that the party would look into legal steps if there had been deception over a party member’s identity.
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animals;germany;elections;offbeat
|
jp0009145
|
[
"asia-pacific",
"science-health-asia-pacific"
] |
2018/02/21
|
Kin of 'world's ugliest animal' hauled from Australia abyss
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SYDNEY - Over 100 rarely seen species of fish were hauled up from a deep and cold abyss off Australia during a scientific voyage, researchers said Wednesday, including cousins of the “world’s ugliest animal” — Mr. Blobby. Scientists spent a month on a vessel last year off the country’s eastern seaboard to survey life lurking up to 4.8 kilometers (2.9 miles) below the surface, using nets, sonar and deep-sea cameras. Over 42,000 fish and invertebrates were caught, with some being potentially undiscovered species. Scientists will gather in the Tasmanian capital of Hobart this week to examine them more closely. The haul includes several blobfish relatives of Mr. Blobby, which was voted the world’s ugliest animal in 2013 by the Ugly Animal Preservation Society and became a global media sensation. Blobby, from the Psychrolutidae family, was discovered off the coast of New Zealand in 2003 and was affectionately named by the scientists who found it. Other species unearthed during last year’s voyage included stereotypical-looking yet bioluminescent sharks with razor-sharp serrated teeth, a haul of frightening lizardfish and graceful tripodfish, which prop themselves on the seafloor with long fins waiting for food to drift within reach. Scientists have previously revealed they also came across an unusual faceless fish, which has only been recorded once before off Papua New Guinea in 1873 by the HMS Challenger’s pioneering crew. Museums Victoria ichthyologist Martin Gomon said the gathering in Hobart was the first systematic attempt to examine life at abyssal depths anywhere along Australia’s vast coastline. “The discoveries provide us with a glimpse into how our marine fauna fits into the interconnected abyssal environment worldwide and, for the scientists, adds another piece to the puzzle of what affects evolution in the deep sea,” he said. “For those of us aboard it was a real buzz to see the amazing fishes that provide this information as they emerged from the nets, and we’re looking forward to the opportunity to take a closer look at them in Hobart this week.” Life at such depths is one of crushing pressure, no light, little food and freezing temperatures, with animals that call it home evolving unique ways to survive. As food is scarce, they are usually small and move slowly. Many are jelly-like and spend their lives floating about. Others have ferocious spines and fangs and lie in wait until food comes to them. CSIRO ichthyologist John Pogonoski described the trip as “frontier science” that is vital for increasing scientists’ understanding of the deep-sea environment. “We are investigating possible new species and fishes never before recorded in Australian waters,” he said. The voyage, an international collaboration led by Museums Victoria, was the first survey of the abyssal waters off Australia’s east coast. Australian National Fish Collection manager Alastair Graham said it -s the largest and deepest habitat on the planet, covering one-third of Australia’s territory. “But it remains the most unexplored environment on Earth,” he said.
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evolution;oceans;australia;animals;biology
|
jp0009146
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/02/07
|
Metro government says Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic venue construction on schedule
|
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s construction of new permanent venues for the 2020 Olympics is currently on schedule, officials said Tuesday. TMG is building seven brand new permanent venues for the July 24 — Aug. 9 games, including the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza badminton and modern pentathlon fencing arena, which was completed last November. The new National Stadium, which is currently scheduled for completion in November 2019, is the responsibility of the Japan Sport Council. TMG gave reporters a tour of four of the venues under construction on Tuesday: the Sea Forest Waterway, the Olympic Aquatics Centre, Ariake Arena and the Canoe Slalom Course. All four venues are located in the Tokyo Bay area. The Sea Forest Waterway in Koto Ward will be used for canoeing and rowing events, and was cleared for construction in November 2016 after Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike decided to abandon a proposal to relocate the events to Miyagi Prefecture. On Tuesday, TMG officials said that the 2,000-meter-long Sea Forest Waterway is 20 percent complete, and is scheduled to be ready by March 2019. The seating capacity is set for around 24,000, which will be reduced to 2,000 after the games. Around 200 construction workers are currently at work on the site, which includes the construction of a dam to keep water levels on the course constant during the competition. “My understanding is that races will be held in the mornings and afternoons, so you need to be able to maintain the water levels,” said a TMG official at the site. “We need to limit the effect of the tides.” The Olympic Aquatic Centre is being built in Koto Ward near the existing Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Center, and will host swimming, diving and synchronized swimming events at Tokyo 2020. It will also host Paralympic aquatic events. TMG says it hopes to hold 100 competitions at the venue annually following the Olympics, and has targeted 1 million visitors each year. TMG Director for Venues Daishu Tone said that construction of the venue is very slightly behind schedule but he is hopeful of getting it back on track. Work on the venue began in April last year and is roughly 25 percent complete. It is expected to be ready by the end of 2019. Tone said that 240 workers were active on the site on Tuesday, down from a peak workforce of 1,000. Tone insisted that workers’ overtime levels are strictly checked to ensure they comply with the law. Last year, labor inspectors determined that the suicide of a 23-year-old man working on the National Stadium construction site stemmed from karōshi , or overwork. The man recorded more than 210 hours of overtime in one month, far in excess of the 80-hour karōshi threshold. “We have supervisors, and in Japan we have contracts with laborers about working times,” Tone told The Japan Times. “We have an entrance gate with electronic security which keeps a record of working times.” Ariake Arena, which will host volleyball at the Olympics and wheelchair basketball at the Paralympics, is another venue that was not given the green light until December 2016, following a review of costs ordered by Koike. The venue, also in Koto Ward, is now 10 to 15 percent complete and is scheduled to be finished by the end of December 2019. “We are confident that it will be ready for the test events,” said Director of Facility Yoshifumi Iizuka. Ariake Arena has a projected seating capacity of 15,000 and will consist of a main arena and a sub-arena. The sub-arena will be used by the public once the games are over. TMG expects Ariake Arena to attract 1.4 million visitors annually. The artificial Canoe Slalom Course is located next to Kasai Rinkai Park in Edogawa Ward, and aims to hold seven annual competitions once the Olympics are finished. Organizers hope to attract 100,000 visitors each year. It is currently 21 percent complete and on schedule.
|
tokyo metropolitan government;tokyo 2020 olympics;paralympics;yuriko koike;sports venues
|
jp0009147
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/02/07
|
Tabloids say possible family financial troubles linked to Princess Mako’s fiance behind marriage delay
|
The abrupt announcement that Princess Mako’s formal engagement and marriage to her fiance will be delayed has sparked speculation of reasons other than the official version. The Imperial Household Agency’s said Tuesday that the princess and law firm worker Kei Komuro, both 26, will wait until 2020, citing “lack of preparation.” She is not the first female member of the Imperial family to postpone marriage-related ceremonies, but most of her predecessors made their decisions amid extraordinary circumstances such as natural disasters. Sayako Kuroda — the former Princess Nori, the only daughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko — was supposed to announce her engagement in November 2004. However, she postponed it to Dec. 18 after a powerful earthquake hit Niigata Prefecture in October, killing 40 people and forcing more than 100,000 others to be evacuated to shelters. After Princess Takamatsu, an aunt of the Emperor, passed away on Dec. 18, the announcement was further pushed back to Dec. 30, after her funeral. Following last year’s torrential rains in Kyushu, the Imperial Household Agency also delayed the announcement of Princess Mako and Komuro’s engagement, which was originally scheduled for July 8, 2017, by around two months. But the unprecedented delay of their wedding ceremony has left many people perturbed, as it has hindered preparation for the ceremony, which had been set to take place on Nov. 4 at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. The princess and Komuro had planned to become formally engaged on March 4 in a traditional court ceremony called Nosai no Gi . The delay comes as news of Komuro’s financial troubles began appearing in tabloids. The weekly magazine Shukan Josei reported in December that Komuro’s mother had borrowed more than ¥4 million from her former partner and hadn’t returned the money yet. The report suggested she had used the money for living expenses and to cover her son’s tuition and expenses for studying abroad. The news also has made headlines this year in the weekly magazines Shukan Shincho and Shukan Bunshun. The magazines also reported that Komuro’s father died when Komuro was an elementary school student, and that his mother relied on her then-boyfriend for financial support. The articles said that after breaking off the relationship, the man issued a written document demanding that Komuro’s mother pay him back. The article said she refused, claiming she had received the money as a gift. The tabloid reports have sparked concerns over the man the princess has chosen to marry, calling into question whether they will tie the knot. Agency official Takaharu Kachi, however, said that the intention of the two to get married has not changed and that the decision to postpone the marriage was not related to the tabloid magazine reports on financial issues surrounding Komuro’s family. Another agency official, Shinichiro Yamamoto, said, “It’s the couple’s decision whether to marry, and we are not in a position to comment on family troubles.” However, a third agency official said the negative reports regarding Komuro have been destroying the festive mood, and “We need to wait until things calm down.” Another senior agency official said the postponement should be seen in a positive light: “If there is any trouble, it should be resolved, and then the two should get married. Time can be used to further strengthen their bonds.”
|
royalty;emperor akihito;imperial family;imperial household agency;empress michiko;princess mako;kei komuro;sayako kuroda;princess nori
|
jp0009149
|
[
"asia-pacific",
"science-health-asia-pacific"
] |
2018/02/09
|
Officials look to stem norovirus outbreak at Olympic Games
|
PYEONGCHANG, SOUTH KOREA - Olympic officials are discussing measures to combat the spread of a virus that causes vomiting and diarrhoea after 42 new cases were confirmed at the games, a Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) official said on Friday. After rising from an initial 32 norovirus cases on Tuesday to 54 on Wednesday, the figure had risen to 128 as of late Thursday, with most of those affected security personnel, the KCDC said. The virus broke out ahead of Friday’s opening ceremony in Pyeongchang and led to some 1,200 security staff being quarantined. Organizers have had to call in military personnel to replace them. As yet, no athletes have been confirmed to have contracted the highly contagious virus. An outbreak at last year’s World Athletics Championship in London forced competitors from several countries to miss events. Su Mun-gyo, a KCDC public relations official, said the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was discussing the issue. “The IOC is meeting right now about the Winter Olympics and countermeasures to the norovirus is one of the topic,” Su said. “We will then announce the results of the discussions and update the number of cases again.” Health agencies are undertaking hygiene inspections at accommodation and restaurants, as well as making checks on drinking and tap water.
|
south korea;disease;norovirus;2018 pyeongchang olympics
|
jp0009150
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/02/09
|
Okinawa tourist numbers top those of Hawaii for first time
|
While Hawaii has long been one of the most popular go-to destinations for tourists from Japan, Okinawa has finally caught up to outshine the rival resort island chain. For the first time, Okinawa overtook Hawaii in terms of tourist numbers last year, according to Okinawa Prefectural Government data released last month. Tourists to Okinawa totaled 9,396,200 in 2017, up 9.1 percent from a year earlier, on the back of an increase in cruise trips making port calls from East Asia and new direct flights connecting Okinawa to other areas in Japan and abroad in recent years. Meanwhile, tourists to Hawaii numbered 9,382,986 last year, up 5 percent from the previous year, according to data released by the Hawaii Tourism Authority on Jan. 31. The latest figure for Okinawa — surpassing the 9 million mark for the first time and marking a record high for five years in a row — is welcome news for the local government and businesses, considering that its tourist turnout was only one-fifth that of Hawaii in 1972 when it was returned to Japan. Cruise ships marked a record 515 port calls in 2017 — up 33 percent from the previous year — thanks to cruise demand from Taiwan, China and other areas in East Asia, the Okinawa General Bureau said in preliminary data. Based on reservations the bureau expects cruise ship port calls to top this record for 2018, increasing 29 percent to 662. The prefecture already has a 9.5 million target for fiscal 2017, which ends in March. Should the current pace of growth continue during the January-March period, this goal can be achieved. Going forward, the prefectural government hopes to attract 12 million people to Okinawa, including those coming to Japan via cruise ships, by fiscal 2021. However, despite a boost in its number of tourists, Okinawa still has much to do to match Hawaii in other aspects. The average number of days tourists stayed in Okinawa in fiscal 2016 was 3.78, while the corresponding figure in Hawaii was 8.95 days in 2017. The gap between Okinawa and Hawaii also remained substantial in terms of average spending per tourist during each trip — ¥75,297 for Okinawa in fiscal 2016 and $1,787.9 (¥196,669) for Hawaii in 2017. Takao Kadekaru, head of the prefectural government’s division responsible for tourism, said that cooperation between the public and private sectors had born fruit in boosting the number of tourists but that they must make more efforts to put the average number of stays and consumption during those stays on a par with Hawaii. “For Okinawa, Hawaii is a model in its quest to be a world-class resort,” Kadekaru said. Satoshi Toyama, chairman at the prefectural hotel association, said they hope to make Okinawa more appealing to tourists so they will be encouraged to stay at least four nights or more — instead of the two-night trips common for most visitors. He also sees tourists as a potential consumer market for Okinawa’s agriculture products. “In Hawaii, there is the spirit that they will earn through tourism,” Toyama said, adding that all sectors in Okinawa should make a concerted effort to shape the prefecture into a tourist island. The Hawaii Tourism Authority announces its monthly data based on five barometers — tourist spending, its impact on tax revenue, number of tourists, the number of flights bound for Hawaii and tourism-related job openings — indicating their strong focus on the economic aspect of tourism. Another reason why Hawaii’s tourism policy has worked is that it has incorporated the views of local residents. Around 15 years ago Hawaii launched a campaign offering discount packages to visitors to keep up with the fierce competition, but this irked residents due to incidents of tourists drinking and littering on beaches. The Aloha State then shifted to targeting the affluent, and succeeded in striking a balance between respecting the lives of local residents and entertaining tourists. “We will be able to welcome visitors more warmly if our policies reflect what the local residents want,” said Ichiro Miyazato, head of a prefectural hotel and inn association labor union.
|
okinawa;tourism;tourist;hawaii;island
|
jp0009152
|
[
"national",
"science-health"
] |
2018/02/08
|
Japan doctors tap health-monitoring app to help diabetics keep dialysis at bay
|
In September 2016, freelance journalist Yutaka Hasegawa touched off a firestorm of criticism after writing in his blog that diabetes patients receiving dialysis should pay for the treatment themselves instead of using public health insurance. He argued that it was their “corrupt” lifestyles that spawned the need for dialysis and that their medical expenses would “ruin Japan.” Many people took to the internet to slam Hasegawa over his misleading and abusive remark (not all diabetes is lifestyle-related). But it also shone a spotlight on the dire financial situation surrounding Japan’s health care system, which is dealing with a rapidly graying population and a swelling ratio of diabetics. According to the health ministry, 10 million people were “strongly suspected” of being diabetic in 2016, up from 6.9 million in 1997. Also, in a report released in July, the ministry said Japan has the highest per capita number of people on dialysis among major countries, with diabetes treatment costing the nation ¥1.2 trillion a year, or 4.4 percent of all medical expenditures. According to the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy, 2,596.7 people per 1 million were on dialysis in the nation in 2016. Dialysis costs ¥400,000 per patient per month, posing “a big challenge for the nation’s medical expenditures,” the report said. Against this backdrop, the government is seriously studying ways to stop diabetes patients from progressing to the dialysis phase. Last month, doctors at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo, with help from medical institutions and health insurance unions across the country, launched what they called the world’s first large-scale clinical study to examine whether using the internet of things is effective in keeping high blood-sugar levels at bay. The researchers, sponsored by the state funding body Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), have recruited 2,000 type 2 diabetes patients who are a step short of receiving dialysis and divided them into two groups: one fitted with a smartphone app and internet-connected medical devices, and the other without. Type 2 covers more than 90 percent of all diabetes patients, experts say. Unlike type 1 diabetes, the cause of which is not known, type 2 diabetes is often associated with overeating, obesity, lack of exercise and stress. During the two-year study, named PRISM-J, which started on Jan. 23, users will be asked to log their health data daily, including weight, blood pressure, kind of meals eaten, number of steps walked, and amount of exercise performed, through Bluetooth-connected devices. The data will be sent to a central database and shared with their doctors. They use a smartphone app called Shichifukujin (Seven Lucky Gods) developed by Dr. Kazuyo Tsushita of the comprehensive health science center at the Aichi Health Promotion Public Interest Foundation. In a previous study conducted by the Aichi institute and covering nearly 200 people, users of the app were shown to be more successful in lowering their blood-sugar levels than nonusers. The app features cartoon characters of seven gods including Ebisu that monitor walking habits, and Daikokuten, which checks one’s diet. They send motivational messages tailored to each user, and alerts if they slack off on exercise or start to veer from their weight-loss plan. In the PRISM-J study, patients will have blood tests taken at their doctors’ offices every three months to have their blood sugar, pressure and fat levels and kidney and liver functions checked. Doctors will also review data sent from the internet of things devices and give advice. The researchers said the ¥1.5 billion project is aimed at keeping patients engaged in treatment; at present, nearly 4 out of 10 diabetes patients drop out of therapy, citing reasons such as being busy at work or school, finding medical bills too costly or not feeling sick (even though the disease might be progressing without major symptoms). The government has set a target of having 75 percent of diabetes patients continue their treatment, which includes advice on exercise, diet and medications. “This is an unprecedented undertaking, in terms of the size and duration of the project,” said Dr. Kohjiro Ueki, director of the diabetes research center at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine and the head of the study. “Previous studies (that explored the use of the internet of things in diabetes care) lasted three months or six months at the longest.” Kazumi Nishikawa, director of the health care industries division at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which jointly manages AMED with the health ministry and the education ministry, argued that the project is the first attempt to establish internet of things gadgets as medical tools, not toys for health and fitness geeks. “Doctors see patients once a month, but cannot manage them between visits,” Nishikawa said. “Wearable devices and apps are handy tools to monitor patients’ conditions, but until now, those devices have not been reliable enough for professional use.” The results of the PRISM-J study will be published in a respectable medical journal in about two years, Nishikawa said, noting that, if the internet of things is indeed proven effective in diabetes care, it could be incorporated in clinical guidelines for treatments to be used by doctors. In the future, specifications for the devices could be standardized and made public so any manufacturer can develop them for clinical purposes. The devices could even be exported to other countries with high-risk populations, such as Russia and China, he said. Dr. Hiroaki Kato, a guest professor at Digital Hollywood University in Tokyo who is versed in digital health, said he is all for promoting the internet of things in medical care and commends the PRISM-J project. He said such devices will be a common tool in many medical fields, citing the success of a smoking-cessation app in Japan. “It’s like taking the doctor home,” he said. The challenge is getting everyone, including patients and doctors, to understand that digital health data cannot be trusted blindly, Kato said. “Even if the data show someone’s heart rate has gone up to 200 beats per minute, it might be just that the person has just run a marathon. The data alone won’t tell you under what circumstances patients were gauged. Everyone should share the awareness that data have their limits.”
|
app;diabetes;internet of things;dialysis;national center for global health and medicine;shichifukujin
|
jp0009153
|
[
"business",
"financial-markets"
] |
2018/02/06
|
Dow sees worst fall since 2011 as Wall Street plummets over 1,100 points
|
NEW YORK - The Dow Jones industrial average plunged more than 1,100 points Monday as stocks took their worst loss in six and a half years. Two days of steep losses have erased the market’s gains from the start of this year and ended a period of record-setting calm for stocks. Banks fared the worst as bond yields and interest rates nosedived. Health care, technology and industrial companies all took outsize losses and energy companies sank with oil prices. At its lowest ebb, the Dow was down 1,597 points from Friday’s close. That came during a 15-minute stretch where the 30-stock index lost 700 points and then gained them back. Market pros have been predicting a pullback for some time, noting that declines of 10 percent or more are common during bull markets. There hasn’t been one in two years, and by many measures stocks had been looking expensive. “It’s like a kid at a child’s party who, after an afternoon of cake and ice cream, eats one more cookie and that puts them over the edge,” said David Kelly, the chief global strategist for JPMorgan Asset Management. Kelly said the signs of inflation and rising rates are not as bad as they looked, but after the market’s big gains in 2017 and early 2018, stocks were overdue for a drop. The Dow finished down 1,175.21 points, or 4.6 percent, at 24,345.75. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index, the benchmark most professional investors and many index funds use, skidded 113.19 points, or 4.1 percent, to 2,648.94. That was its biggest loss since August 2011, when investors were fearful about European government debt and the U.S. came close to breaching its debt ceiling. The Nasdaq composite fell 273.42 points, or 3.8 percent, to 6,967.53. The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks sank 56.18 points, or 3.6 percent, for 1,491.09. The slump began on Friday as investors worried that creeping signs of higher inflation and interest rates could derail the U.S. economy along with the market’s record-setting rally. Energy companies, banks, and industrial firms are taking some of the worst losses. The S&P 500 has fallen 7.8 percent since January 26, when it set its latest record high. Investors are worried about evidence of rising inflation in the U.S. Increased inflation might push the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates more quickly, which could slow down economic growth by making it make it more expensive for people and businesses to borrow money. And bond yields haven’t been this high in years. That’s making bonds more appealing to investors compared with stocks. The stock market has been unusually calm for more than a year. The combination of economic growth in the U.S. and other major economies, low interest rates, and support from central banks meant stocks could keep rising steadily without a lot of bumps along the way. Experts have been warning that that wouldn’t last forever. As bad as Monday’s drop is, the market saw worse days during the financial crisis. The Dow’s 777-point plunge in September 2008 was equivalent to 7 percent, far bigger than Monday’s decline. Stocks hadn’t suffered a 5 percent drop since the two days after Britain voted to leave the European Union in June 2016. They recovered those losses within days. The last 10 percent drop for markets came in early 2016, when oil prices were plunging as investors worried about a drop in global growth, which could have sharply reduced demand. U.S. crude hit a low of about $26 a barrel in February of that year. A drop of 10 percent from a peak is referred to on Wall Street as a “correction.” Wells Fargo sank $5.91, or 9.2 percent, to $58.16. Late Friday the Fed said it will freeze Wells Fargo’s assets at the level where they stood at the end of last year until it can demonstrate improved internal controls. The San Francisco bank also agreed to remove four directors from its board. Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell $1.30, or 2 percent, to $64.15 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the standard for international oil prices, lost 96 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $67.62 a barrel in London. Bond prices tumbled after moving sharply higher on Friday. The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 2.73 percent from 2.84 percent. That hurt banks by sending interest rates lower, which means banks can’t charge as much money for mortgages and other types of loans. The dollar fell to ¥109.70 from ¥110.28. The euro slipped to $1.2399 from $1.2451. Gold declined 80 cents to $1,336.50 an ounce. Silver dipped 4 cents to $16.67 an ounce. Copper rose 3 cents to $3.22 a pound. Stocks in Europe also fell. Leading political parties in Germany, which is the largest economy in Europe, have struggled to form a government. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative Union bloc and the center-left Social Democrats are still in talks about extending their alliance of the past four years. Britain’s FTSE 100 lost 1.5 percent while France’s CAC 40 slid 1.5 percent. The DAX in Germany shed 0.8 percent. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 tumbled 2.6 percent and the South Korean Kospi shed 1.3 percent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index sank 1.1 percent.
|
inflation;oil;stocks;bonds;bitcoin;wall street;dow;u.s. jobs report
|
jp0009154
|
[
"asia-pacific",
"social-issues-asia-pacific"
] |
2018/02/06
|
Chinese government-run paper says diplomatic ties with Vatican inevitable
|
BEIJING/HONG KONG - China and the Vatican will establish formal diplomatic relations sooner or later because Pope Francis has the “wisdom” to resolve problems between the two sides, a state-run Chinese newspaper said Tuesday, amid increasing controversy over the issue. A framework accord between the Vatican and China on the appointment of bishops is ready and could be signed in a few months in what would be an historic breakthrough in relations, a senior Vatican source said last week. But on Monday, Cardinal Joseph Zen, 86, the outspoken former bishop of Hong Kong said the Vatican is selling out China’s underground Catholics and “forcing them into a bird cage,” raising the ante in his recent criticisms that had already sparked a rebuke from the Vatican. An even partial resolution of the thorny issue of who gets to appoint bishops could open the way for a resumption of diplomatic relations nearly 70 years after they were cut during the Communist takeover of China, when missionaries were expelled from the country. Beijing later established the official Catholic Patriotic Association, which does not recognize the Pope, while “underground” Catholic communities that remain loyal to the Vatican have been systematically persecuted for decades. China has so far said little about the talks. However, the widely read tabloid Global Times said a deal between Beijing and the Vatican would be “tremendously beneficial to Catholics.” “Despite the difficult process, China’s vast numbers of non-Catholics have never been strongly against the Vatican. The Chinese public generally respects each Pope,” it said in an editorial in its Chinese and English-language editions. “Beijing and the Vatican will establish diplomatic relations sooner or later … Pope Francis has a positive image with the Chinese public. It is expected he will push China-Vatican ties forward and solve related problems with his wisdom,” it said. The newspaper is published by the ruling Communist Party’s official People’s Daily but, unlike its sister publication, does not speak for the party or the government. The moves have not been without controversy in the church. “Our brothers in mainland China are not scared of losing all their fortunes, being thrown into jail or even bleeding. Their greatest pain is from being betrayed by their ‘family members,’ ” wrote Zen, who vowed to keep speaking out despite the Vatican’s rebukes. He also said the Pope had, during a meeting with him three years ago, agreed that the official Catholic community run by the Chinese Communist Party objectively represents a schism. Another source of friction with China is the Vatican’s maintenance of official ties with self-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing sees as a wayward province to be taken back by force if necessary. “The Taiwan question isn’t Beijing’s top concern in handling its relations with the Vatican as the mainland has many tools to pressure Taiwan,” it said. The Vatican is Taiwan’s sole remaining European diplomatic ally. China has been ramping up the pressure on Taiwan since Tsai Ing-wen of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party won presidential elections in 2016.
|
china;religion;rights
|
jp0009155
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/02/06
|
Japan Tourism Agency aims to draw more Western tourists amid boom in Asian visitors
|
The Japan Tourism Agency launched a new digital advertising campaign Tuesday in a bid to draw more tourists from Western countries, a demographic that has failed to keep pace with Asian tourists who have flocked to Japan in recent years. Currently, three out of four Japan-bound tourists come from South Korea, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, according to 2017 statistics from the Japan National Tourism Organization, also known as the JNTO. The Japan Tourism Agency and JNTO have created online video clips for YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and other social networking services after conducting market research in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Canada and Australia. To mark the beginning of the “Enjoy My Japan” campaign, the two entities sponsored a brief kickoff event at the upscale department store Ginza Six in Tokyo’s Chuo Ward. “Of course we want many tourists from Asia to visit Japan, but we also want people from other places as well, including Europe,” said Akihiko Tamura, a tourism agency commissioner. “We are sponsoring events in Britain and five other countries to raise awareness of this campaign.” The consulting firm Mckinsey & Company Inc. has referred to the reliance on Asian tourism in Japan as a “visitor-portfolio imbalance.” According to an October 2016 McKinsey report, the lagging number of Western tourists can be attributed to low awareness of tourist destinations, a biased perception of Japan as expensive and the lack of an online tourism portal. The event included Dave Spector, a frequent TV commentator, as well as David Atkinson, a special adviser to the JNTO. “The needs of Asian travelers are relatively similar to people living in Japan,” said Atkinson, who also serves as the chairman and president of Tokyo-based heritage restoration firm Konishi Decorative Arts and Crafts Co. “If you come from the U.S. or Europe, you are going to demand more than people from the same region, making it a market that is much more difficult to develop.” “Amazingly, very few heritage sites have any English signage at all, outside of warnings such as ‘don’t smoke,’ ‘don’t eat here.’ But the government is making progress, as more and more of these sites will include English explanations,” said Atkinson, a former Goldman Sachs banker. “One goal of this campaign is to diversify Japan’s tourist market,” he said.
|
tourism;social media;david atkinson;jnto
|
jp0009157
|
[
"national",
"media-national"
] |
2018/02/24
|
Japan bobsled makers miss out on Olympic games glory
|
On Feb. 17, the BBC reported that the Jamaican women’s bobsled team would compete in its “preferred sled” at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea “after a beer producer purchased the craft and donated it” to the team. The main concern had been the departure of the team’s German coach, who was reportedly “legally responsible” for the Latvian-made vehicle. The Jamaican Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation was afraid the coach would take the sled with her after, according to her claims, she was “forced out.” Apparently, she demanded payment for the sled’s use, and Jamaican brewer Red Stripe came up with the money. Everybody was happy. Well, almost everybody. Originally, the Jamaican team was going to use a Japanese-made bobsled, and on Feb. 5, the promotion committee for the Shitamachi Bobsleigh Network Project announced that if the Jamaican team didn’t use the committee’s sled then it might file a lawsuit , since it had a contract with the Jamaicans to supply sleds free of charge. The suit would demand ¥68 million in damages, about four times the combined cost of the development of the sled and related transportation. On Feb. 16, the Yomiuri Shimbun said that the Japanese sled would be on hand in Pyeongchang in case the Jamaican team needed it , but thanks to Red Stripe it didn’t. The Feb. 5 announcement, which was covered extensively by the media, was the first time that most people had heard anything about the Shitamachi project, even though it was launched in 2011 with the idea of designing a world-class bobsled that would draw attention to Japan’s storied small factories ( machi-kōba ) concentrated in the Shitamachi area of Tokyo’s Ota Ward. Since some Shitamachi factories supply parts for high-end motorsports, the committee thought it could adapt its expertise to the manufacture of bobsleds, many of which are designed by automotive powerhouses like Ferrari and BMW . The press became briefly interested in the project when the committee visited Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and he had his picture taken sitting in a prototype . The photo eventually made its way into a new ethics school textbook as an illustration of Japanese workmanship. Jamaica decided to not use the sled following the Bobsleigh World Cup in Germany last December. According to reports, the Jamaican team was unable to use the Shitamachi sled due to a transportation strike that prevented delivery, so they opted to use a sled made by a company called BTC in Latvia. The Mainichi Shimbun said the Jamaican team preferred the Latvian bobsled to the Japanese one — they came seventh in Germany, its best finish ever — and so subsequently chose it for the Pyeongchang Olympics. Latvia is experienced in bobsled technology, having supplied sleds to Soviet teams for many years. In fact, a number of other national teams are using Latvian sleds at the Olympics. Originally the Shitamachi sled was designed for use by Japanese Olympians, but the local bobsled federation rejected it for the 2014 Sochi Olympics and later again for Pyeongchang, so the promotion committee looked for other countries and set its sights on Jamaica, which, due to the popularity of the 1993 Disney movie “Cool Runnings,” has garnered an eternal underdog reputation in the sport. (It doesn’t snow in Jamaica.) The Japanese team offered the Jamaicans the use of its sled for free and would ship it anywhere without charge, so the Jamaicans accepted, but once they discovered how fast the BTC model was, they decided to use it instead and the promotion committee threatened to sue. Last week, business magazine Diamond Online posted an article that attempted to clear up the confusion surrounding the Shitamachi sled , since the matter has kicked up something of a ruckus on the internet. According to Diamond, commenters have blasted the threatened suit as embarrassing, while others have said the committee is only interested in government subsidies. Diamond learned that after the project got off the ground in 2012, the committee raised funds through corporate donations and grants from Ota Ward. It then applied for subsidies from the central government, which gave the committee up to ¥20 million a year for three years. The money was important since the project started with zero knowhow in the field of bobsled design, and because the purpose of the project was to show off Shitamachi’s manufacturing prowess, the committee needed money to exhibit its designs at overseas trade shows. The initial goal was not the Olympics, but while the sled did draw attention at trade shows such as Germany’s Compamed, in the end the design would have to be proven in competition, since that is what bobsleds are for. Enter the Jamaicans, whose aim in accepting the Shitamachi sled is different from the project’s purpose in finding a user. The Jamaicans wanted to win but couldn’t afford equipment from the best, meaning Ferrari or BMW. The Shitamachi project’s aim shifted to getting its sled into the Olympics. Then the Jamaican men’s team failed to qualify for Pyeongchang. The women’s team did well at the North American championships last November with the Shitamachi sled, but at the World Cup, using a different sled, for the first time ever it pulled within a second of the winning team’s time, so the decision to go with BTC at Pyeongchang was a no-brainer. What’s ironic about the affair, according to web TV channel “No Hate TV,” is that BTC has more in common with the legendary Ota Ward factories that used to be lionized on NHK’s documentary series “Project X” than the Shitamachi project does . BTC has only six employees. The Shitamachi sled was developed by several factories and a large number of technicians. The sled itself is fabricated by major materials manufacturer Toray. More to the point, the proposed lawsuit confounds the spirit of competition inherent in the story. As Diamond put it, the Shitamachi project should just “admit it lost the race” and find a new challenge.
|
shitamachi;jamaican bobsled team;2018 pyeongchang olympics
|
jp0009158
|
[
"national",
"media-national"
] |
2018/02/24
|
Success of Pyeongchang Olympic mascots leaves Japan in a bind
|
While the performances of athletes have hogged much of the spotlight at the Pyeongchang Olympics, it’s been hard to ignore the stuffed tigers the winners have received on the podium at the conclusion of their events. In December, the Pyeongchang Organizing Committee announced that medalists would receive a doll of the games mascot wearing a gold, silver or bronze hat and a paper flower . They would subsequently receive their medals at a ceremony held at the end of each day. The white tiger has been named Soohorang and, according to the official Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games website, is said to be regarded as a sacred guardian animal symbolizing trust, strength and protection on the Korean Peninsula. Its name is a portmanteau of the words “ sooho ,” which means “protection” in Korean, and “ rang ,” which, according to the official Olympics website, has a double meaning . ‘“Rang” forms part of “ horangi ,” the Korean word for “tiger,” and is also the last part of “Jeong-seon Arirang,” a traditional folk song of Gangwon, the province in South Korea where the games are being held. Bandabi, the mascot of the Paralympic Winter Games, is an Asiatic black bear with a half moon on its chest . The Asiatic black bear symbolizes strong willpower and courage in Korean mythology, characteristics that underpin the overall Olympic theme of equality and harmony. The name is a portmanteau of “ ban-dal ,” the Korean word for half-moon, and “ bi ,” which stands for celebration of the games. Soohorang has experienced a few wobbles since it first appeared in public to promote the games. First, its designers discovered that it was difficult for the mascot to pass through standard doorways without getting stuck . Then, those charged with wearing the outfit complained that it was hard to see properly because the eyes had been positioned too far apart from each other . Online reactions, however, were mostly positive. “The Soohorang plush awarded to medalists at the flower ceremony is so cute. You can also purchase them online,” says Twitter user @Mpj72610Yukako . Twitter user @chiro_desu celebrated the Olympics by making Soohorang and Bandabi character bentos, which are also known as chara-ben , a creative bento that involves a high level of artistic skill. Twitter user @shiho2626ster , meanwhile, is clearly a Bandabi fan: “The Pyeongchang Olympic & Paralympic mascot characters Soohorang and Bandabi are so cute — especially Bandabi.” Mascots have also been at the center of discussion for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Three design options were revealed in December and, according to the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games website, each set of characters has different meanings . The first options are checker-patterned. The Olympic option is represented by a combination of traditional and neo-futuristic colors, while the Paralympics design has a cherry blossom appearance and possesses supernatural powers. The second options comprise of an Olympic mascot that has been inspired by the sacred foxes of Shinto shrines, while the Paralympic design draws from the shrines’ guardian dogs. The final options consist of an Olympic mascot inspired by a combination of fox and an ancient Japanese curved jewel, along with a Paralympic design derived from the supernatural raccoons of ancient folk tales. While most feedback from the public was initially positive, some have argued that the designs strongly resemble characters from cartoons such as “Digimon,” “Pokemon” and “Yokai Watch.” What’s more, the Tokyo options have come off second best when compared to the mascots at the center of the Pyeongchang Games. “The difference in cuteness is vast,” says Twitter user @in_mi_nim . The Tokyo Organizing Committee asked elementary school children nationwide to vote for the mascot they liked best. The winner will be announced on Feb. 28, with the names being chosen by experts and made public in July or August. “The mascots have been designed to embody the collective will of everyone for the successful hosting of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2018, and experts of various fields contributed to the process,” Pyeongchang Organizing Committee President Lee Hee-beom says . “The mascots will now spearhead our communication activities and marketing initiatives. With today’s meaningful step forward, (the Pyeongchang Organizing Committee) will use the momentum to gain more public support and excitement for the games.” With the mascots chosen to be face of the Pyeongchang Olympic and Paralympic Olympics proving to be popular with fans, one can only hope that the design that is selected to lead Tokyo in 2020 on Wednesday captures the imagination of the public in the same way. The jury’s still out on that one, though. “Soohorang and Bandabi are cute mascots,” Twitter user @qrym10 says. “I want to buy a lot of official Olympic merchandise. I suspect whichever mascots get chosen for Tokyo 2020 won’t be as cute. They probably won’t inspire me to buy a product.”
|
mascot;2020 tokyo olympics;2018 pyeongchang olympics;japan pulse
|
jp0009159
|
[
"asia-pacific",
"social-issues-asia-pacific"
] |
2018/02/23
|
South Korean chat app becomes new outlet for Me Too movement
|
SEOUL - A chat app where South Koreans can anonymously dish the dirt on their misbehaving bosses and colleagues is belatedly stirring the country’s Me Too movement, shedding new light on sexual harassment in the heavily male-dominated corporate culture. Prompted by a recent wave of complaints about workplace misconduct — including a groping allegation made by a South Korean public prosecutor last month — the app Blind has added a new feature: a message board dedicated to a rising number of stories of harassment. “We thought the prosecutor going public would put fresh momentum in the Me Too movement in South Korea, and our Me Too board was definitely inspired by her action,” Kim Sung-kyum, co-founder at Blind’s creator TeamBlind said. South Koreans are wary of being whistleblowers about harassment at family-run conglomerates, or chaebol , that dominate South Korean business. Their big fear: the companies will turn on them for rocking the boat and they will be victimized again. Some 61 percent of South Korean respondents working at private companies said they would bypass in-house whistleblower hotlines, saying they didn’t trust their organization to keep complaints confidential, according to a survey by consulting firm EY. That was significantly higher than the Asia-Pacific average of 37 percent. Instead, South Koreans are turning to Blind, which now has over a million users in the world’s most wired country. “Employees are reluctant to use internal bulletins for fear of reprisals which is part of our country’s corporate culture,” said a banker at a South Korean state-run bank who uses the app. “I think Blind can make people talk more freely, which can’t be controlled by their companies.” In less than 24 hours after the launch of the Me Too board on Blind, more than 500 posts were uploaded, making the app intermittently unavailable due to heavy traffic, the app’s operator says. By Thursday, the board had swelled with more than 1,600 posts, prompting conversations about workplace sexual misconduct ranging from cracking sexist jokes to making unwelcome physical advances. Blind says it encodes personal data and information to protect users’ privacy, and users must use their company email for verification. When the app first came out four years ago, several companies requested Blind take down posts that might be damaging to their reputation. TeamBlind says it has not taken down any posts at a company’s request and has not faced any lawsuits for material posted on its message boards. TeamBlind said it does review posts and has removed some that violated its terms of use, including publishing statements that might be defamatory or breach individuals’ privacy. Globally, the Me Too movement has exposed men accused of sexual assault and harassment in fields including entertainment, politics and business. Dozens of prominent men have quit or been fired from high-profile posts, and police have opened investigations into some accusations of sex assault. But it was slower to catch on in South Korea, which ranked 118 out of 144 on gender equality last year, according to the World Economic Forum. In the case of the public prosecutor — who said her boss groped her at a funeral in 2010 — the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office launched an inquiry into her allegations. The investigation is ongoing but the Prosecutor General has promised to take action to combat sexual harassment in the workplace. In another incident late last year, South Korean furniture maker Hanssem publicly apologized after a post detailing a female employee’s experiences of workplace sexual abuse went viral, sparking a boycott of the company’s products. Earlier this month, posts made on Blind said the chairman of the group that owns Asiana Airlines had made inappropriate physical contact with female flight attendants. Last week, Park Sam-koo, chairman of the airliner’s parent Kumho Asiana Group, issued an apology over the allegations, saying “it was all my carelessness and responsibility.” Park did not respond for requests for comment, and the company said it had taken no action against him. Despite the increased awareness, many South Korean Blind users say they are yet to see significant changes in their workplaces. “Through Blind, I have come to realize there are so many things that need to be corrected in my company. But I haven’t seen any sweeping change yet,” said another user who said he was working for a major conglomerate. “We still have a long way to go.”
|
women;south korea;social media;sex crimes;me too
|
jp0009160
|
[
"national",
"science-health"
] |
2018/02/23
|
'Dreamless' mice in Japan help unravel the mystery of sleep
|
A dream can sometimes stay with us all day, perhaps even longer. Other times we wake up and don’t really remember much of what we’ve dreamed about. But what about other animals? Do they dream? It’s a question we’ll perhaps never be able to answer — but let’s give it a shot. The logo for the International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (IIIS) in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, is a sleepy cartoon mouse curled up next to our planet. It is apt in two ways. First, while sleep is familiar to everyone in the world — and indeed to all animals — there is still a lot we don’t know about it. Second, the institute, based at the University of Tsukuba, aims to solve this mystery by using mice. We spend approximately a third of our lives asleep, but exactly what sleep does for us is a mystery. Scientists assume there is something that builds up during our waking hours that makes us gradually more sleepy. If there is such a substance, however, we don’t know what it is. When we want to investigate disease and general questions in biology, we tend to use animals as model systems. What often happens is that a scientist suspects a particular gene might be faulty and therefore be responsible for a disease, so mutates that gene in a mouse, fruit fly or worm, and then sees what happens. However, Masashi Yanagisawa, director of the IIIS, takes a different approach. Yanagisawa believes that starting with a particular gene in mind immediately biases the processes you are looking at. Instead, his team utilize what is called “forward screening.” In a gigantic research effort, they introduced random genetic mutations in more than 8,000 mice and then examined the animals for abnormal sleep patterns. To do this, they measured the brain waves of each sleeping mouse with electroencephalography (EEG). Let’s just pause and think about this for a second. I know the scientists didn’t build a giant high-tech mouse dormitory with 8,000 tiny beds but, still, their achievement is remarkable. They have become extremely proficient at working with mice and fitting them with electrodes. Plus they have developed software that allows them to automatically screen the EEGs. Yanagisawa’s team discovered two particularly interesting mutations. One made the mouse sleep for an extended period. The scientists called this mutation “sleepy.” Sleepiness was then traced to a gene called Sik3 that is active in neurons in the brain. Another mutation gave mice a shortened and unstable sleep period. Sleep comes in cycles of rapid eye movement sleep and deeper, non-REM sleep where the eyes don’t roll around. Recent research has identified neural networks in different parts of the brain that switch us between wakefulness, REM sleep and non-REM sleep. However, the molecular mechanism regulating these switches was unknown. In particular, the REM part of the mouse’s sleep was disturbed. REM sleep is the part of the sleep cycle where most of the bizarre and vivid dreams occur. Mice without proper REM sleep were called “dreamless,” and have a mutation in the Nalcn gene. As a result, the massive screening process identified genes with roles in regulating the need for sleep and for maintaining periods of dream sleep. The work was published in the journal Nature. While I can get my head around the idea of other mammals dreaming, it’s harder to imagine this in more “primitive” animals, but previous work has found similar mutations in genes related to Sik3 and Nalcn in fruit flies and nematode worms. The discovery that the genes have similar effects in animals as apparently different as invertebrates and mammals shows just how fundamental the process of sleep is. “We hope that the discovery of these key genes is just the beginning of our long journey into the black box of sleep regulation,” Yanagisawa says. “It’s amazing that we know almost nothing about the simple question of what ‘sleepiness’ is physically in our brain. We will start from these genes and try to solve the great mystery.” So to return to where we began: Do other animals dream? Naturally, we have no real idea and as far as worms and flies are concerned it’s impossible to say. What about mice? I bet they do. Why not? They need to process and consolidate their memories, just like us, and they need to imagine the future. Perhaps they even have nightmares where they find themselves trapped in a room surrounded by hungry cats? Perhaps the mice in Yanagisawa’s lab in Tsukuba dream at night of a fabled land where everything is made of cheese? When I asked Yanagisawa if he believed that mice dreamed, he was understandably reticent. “It’s difficult to answer since dreams are a fundamentally subjective phenomenon,” he says.
|
sleep;dreams;dreaming
|
jp0009161
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/02/23
|
Rural areas hit by acute scarcity of nurses, with turnover high among agency-referred staff
|
Hospitals and clinics in rural areas are finding it increasingly difficult to hire nurses on their own, and the amount of referral fees they are paying to private agents are significantly on the rise, a recent research report shows. To employ a full-time nurse the fees were about ¥870,000 ($8,100) on average in fiscal 2016, according to the report released by the Japan Medical Association Research Institute. In the year that ended in March 2017, the total amount of fees paid by 844 medical institutions surveyed had ballooned to roughly ¥1.6 billion, compared with ¥1.1 billion in fiscal 2014, it said. “The results confirmed the costs have placed a heavy burden on hospitals relying on private staff agencies,” said Nobuyuki Tsutsumi, one of the research fellows at the institute who conducted the survey. The report, released in late December, said there were 36 hospitals spending more than ¥10 million on such fees. Despite the additional costs, the report also showed that the turnover rate of nurses recruited with the help of the agencies is higher. In recent years an average of 11.3 percent left jobs within one year, while the overall rate — including those employed without using private employment agencies — was just 6.1 percent. As for the rate of departures within six months, 6.6 percent of nurses hired through the agencies left compared with only 3 percent overall. The institute conducted the survey between May and June last year, contacting some 4,000 hospitals and clinics across the country of which 844 responded online. The study found that the lack of nurses is acute in more rural and less-populated areas. About 50 percent of medical institutions in cities with a population of more than 1 million said there has been a shortage of nurses. For those located in towns with a population of less than 100,000, the percentage experiencing a shortage rises to 75 percent. In depopulated areas, 83 percent of medical institutions admitted to suffering from a chronic shortage of nurses. To better address the difficult situation, the report has proposed that hospital officials actively use “nurse centers” that were set up across the country in the 1990s based on a national law. All 47 of Japan’s prefectures have at least one nurse center. The centers, operated by the Japanese Nursing Association, can provide job-placement services for free. But they are not widely known and their use remains marginal. Masami Kumagai, an executive of the association, said the centers are staffed with veteran nurses, and that she is confident they can provide more detailed advice and information than private employment agencies. As 94 percent of nurses in Japan are women, she said the centers are willing to help them with how best to continue their careers even after they marry and give birth, for example. She added that the association is also prepared to facilitate the re-employment of middle-aged and older nurses who wish to work. “The centers are aimed at assisting each individual to find a job,” Kumagai said. “If the employment situation is stabilized, the quality of nursing and medical services will improve in the long run and that is going to be a very good thing for patients.”
|
nurses;hospitals
|
jp0009162
|
[
"business"
] |
2018/02/12
|
Energy riches fuel bitcoin craze for speculation-shy Iceland
|
KEFLAVIK, ICELAND - Iceland is expected to use more energy “mining” bitcoins and other virtual currencies this year than it uses to power its homes. With massive amounts of electricity needed to run the computers that create bitcoins, large virtual currency companies have established a base in the North Atlantic island nation blessed with an abundance of renewable energy. The new industry’s relatively sudden growth prompted lawmaker Smari McCarthy of Iceland’s Pirate Party to suggest taxing the profits of bitcoin mines. The initiative is likely to be well received by Icelanders, who are skeptical of speculative financial ventures after the country’s catastrophic 2008 banking crash. “Under normal circumstances, companies that are creating value in Iceland pay a certain amount of tax to the government,” McCarthy said. “These companies are not doing that, and we might want to ask ourselves whether they should.” The energy demand has developed because of the soaring cost of producing and collecting virtual currencies. Computers are used to make the complex calculations that verify a running ledger of all the transactions in virtual currencies around the world. In return, the miners claim a fraction of a coin not yet in circulation. In the case of bitcoin, a total of 21 million can be mined, leaving about 4.2 million left to create. As more bitcoin enter circulation, more powerful computers are needed to keep up with the calculations — and that means more energy. The serene coastal town of Keflavik on Iceland’s desolate southern peninsula has over the past months boomed as an international hub for mining bitcoins and other virtual currencies. Local fishermen, chatting over steaming cups of coffee at the harbor gas station, are puzzled by the phenomenon, which has spawned oversize construction sites on the outskirts of town. Among the main attractions of setting up bitcoin mines at the edge of the Arctic Circle is the natural cooling for computer servers and the competitive prices for Iceland’s abundance of renewable energy from geothermal and hydroelectric power plants. Johann Snorri Sigurbergsson, a business development manager at the energy company Hitaveita Sudurnesja, said he expected Iceland’s virtual currency mining to double its energy consumption to about 100 megawatts this year. That is more than households use on the island nation of 340,000, according to Iceland’s National Energy Authority. “Four months ago, I could not have predicted this trend — but then bitcoin skyrocketed and we got a lot more emails,” he said at the Svartsengi geothermal energy plant, which powers the southwestern peninsula where the mining takes place. “Just today, I came from a meeting with a mining company seeking to buy 18 megawatts,” he said. At the largest of three bitcoin “farms” currently operating within Keflavik — called “Mjolnir” after the hammer of Thor, the Norse god of thunder — high metal fences surround 50 meter-long (164 foot) warehouse buildings stacked with computer rigs. The data centers here are specially designed to utilize the constant wind on the bare peninsula. Walls are only partial on each side, allowing a draft of cold air to cool down the equipment. “What we are doing here is like gold mining,” said Helmut Rauth, who manages operations for Genesis Mining, a major bitcoin mining company. “We are mining on a large scale and getting the gold out to the people.” Genesis Mining, founded in Germany, moved to Iceland in 2014 when the price of bitcoin fluctuated from $350 to $1000. Now, one bitcoin is valued at about $8,000, according to tracking site Coindesk, after peaking at almost $19,500 in December. The currency took a hit in January when China announced it would move to wipe out its bitcoin mining industry, following concerns of excessive electricity consumption. Rauth said bitcoin should not be singled out as environmentally taxing. Computing power always demands energy, he argues. “How much energy is needed for credit card transactions and internet research? Cryptocurrencies have the same global impact,” he said. In the capital, Reykjavik, some are more skeptical about bitcoin. The last time Iceland was an international hub for finance, the venture ended with a giant bank crash, making the country one of the symbols of the 2008 global financial crisis. The political turmoil following the crash swept the upstart Pirate Party into Iceland’s parliament, where it currently holds 10 percent of seats. Pirate Party legislator McCarthy has questioned the value of bitcoin mining for Icelandic society, saying residents should consider regulating and taxing the emerging industry. “We are spending tens or maybe hundreds of megawatts on producing something that has no tangible existence and no real use for humans outside the realm of financial speculation,” he said. “That can’t be good.”
|
computers;iceland;arctic;electricity;bitcoins;cryptocurrencies
|
jp0009163
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/02/12
|
Mie and Gifu take delivery of Mobile Pharmacy vehicles to improve medical provision in the wake of natural disasters
|
Demonstrations were held last week allowing residents in the city of Tsu, Mie Prefecture, to explore new mobile pharmacy vans delivered to the prefecture at the end of 2017. Gifu prefecture also received a delivery of the vans, which are equipped with pharmaceutical supplies and equipment, making the service available for the first time in the Chubu region. The orders were made based on lessons learned through the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, when pharmacies and hospitals sustained significant damage. The mobile pharmacy is a modified recreational vehicle, or RV, loaded with medicine and pharmacy tools, which allows pharmacists to head to disaster-stricken areas and attend to the injured. The vehicles are expected to play an important role in responding to emergencies going forward. The vans were developed after the pharmacists association in Miyagi Prefecture, which experienced heavy damage in the March 2011 earthquake, approached Vantech Inc., an RV manufacturer based in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, in 2012. The company modified a small truck into an RV. The sleeping space was left as is, but medicine shelves, pharmaceutical packaging machines, and devices to prepare medicine in a bacteria-free environment were installed in the galley area. Vantech has already delivered mobile pharmacy vans to all seven pharmaceutical associations in Japan, and the product demonstrated its capabilities following the earthquakes in Kumamoto Prefecture two years ago. After the quake, Tatsuya Kobayashi, 42, a pharmacist registered with Mie Pharmacists Association, was deployed to help the village of Minamiaso in the Aso district using a mobile pharmacy van from Wakayama Prefecture. He stationed the van next to a gym that served as an evacuation center, and provided medicine to victims of the earthquakes based on prescriptions given by the medical team. In addition to prescribing medicine to those suffering from high blood pressure or diabetes, who routinely take medication, the facility also served an important role in treating patients with norovirus or influenza quickly to prevent them from spreading their ailments at the shelter. “(The mobile pharmacy) had the basic equipment needed to operate as a pharmacy,” reflected Kobayashi. Mie Prefecture expects heavy damage if a Nankai Trough megaquake occurs, so the prefecture’s pharmacists association purchased the van last December. It cost approximately ¥14 million, with the prefecture providing a 50 percent subsidy. When a natural disaster strikes, cooperating pharmacies in the prefecture will load the vehicle with the necessary medicines and a team of three pharmacists will head to the affected area. The prefecture held a training session last month for approximately 20 pharmacists who will be deployed in the event of an emergency. The training provided necessary information on topics such as using the batteries for emergency power supply and servicing the van properly. In the Chubu region, Gifu Pharmaceutical University also purchased one unit last December, becoming the first university in the nation to operate a mobile pharmacy. “Pharmacists need to bring a large amount of medicine to areas that suffer catastrophic damage,” said professor Tetsuji Yae from Suzuka University of Medical Science. The mobile pharmacy makes it possible to prescribe powder medications and injections, which were previously difficult to provide in disaster-affected areas because they require special equipment. “A mobile pharmacy is like an emergency ambulance for pharmacists and we will see more organizations purchasing them in the future, so we need to teach students to operate from them as pharmacists as well,” he added.
|
medicine;elderly;aging society;pharmacies
|
jp0009164
|
[
"reference"
] |
2018/02/12
|
Japan's staff-heavy banks downsize and turn to technology for survival
|
These are tough times for banks. As the Bank of Japan’s prolonged ultra-easy money policy weighs on earnings, the emergence of technology like artificial intelligence is transforming the mechanics of financing and threatening to replace thousands of roles with automated systems. The nation’s major banks have announced restructuring measures including downsizing to deal with the situation and are rushing to catch up with digital innovations, but some critics say it could be too late in the game. Here’s an overview of the situation facing the nation’s lenders. How are banks’ earnings? Not too rosy. Negative interest rates introduced by the Bank of Japan in 2016 have been sapping the earning power of banks’ core operations. The combined net core business profits of Japan’s five big banks — Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. (MUFG), Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. (SMFG), Mizuho Financial Group Inc., Resona Holdings Inc. and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. — fell 22.4 percent in April-December from a year earlier, to ¥1.571 trillion. Interest margins between deposits and loans are a key source of bank earnings. But the BOJ’s negative interest rates have kept banks’ average lending rates below 1 percent. Meanwhile, banks are lowering deposit rates to unprecedented levels to reduce pressure on interest margins. “Our business model revolving around traditional commercial banking services is no longer sustainable in its current state,” wrote Nobuyuki Hirano, president and CEO of MUFG, in a 2017 report published by the group. Dozens of regional banks are also feeling the pinch. According to the Financial Services Agency, the combined net profit of regional banks fell 14.7 percent to ¥1 trillion in the fiscal year ending last March compared to the year before. How are banks dealing with the situation? For one thing, they’re looking to downsize. In November, Mizuho Financial said it plans to cut 19,000 jobs by the end of fiscal 2026 and consolidate its 500 branches into 400 by the end of fiscal 2024. MUFG is looking to trim 6,000 jobs from its domestic workforce by the end of fiscal 2023, and its president, Hirano, said last year the group plans to eliminate the workload equivalent of 9,500 positions over the next 10 years. SMFG said last year it plans to streamline 4,000 posts over three years. “People are optimistic about artificial intelligence. There is a lot of manual paperwork that can be done using AI (artificial intelligence),” said Ikuma Ueno, senior digital strategist at Mizuho’s digital innovation department. However, he added that not everyone will appreciate the digital shift. “While managers may be happy with AI, it may be more difficult for the people who are displaced and reallocated to different positions,” he said. How are bankers reacting? The megabanks have said that downsizing should be organic, involving cutting down on new hires and automating mundane tasks. But rank-and-file bankers appear to have read between the lines. According to major recruitment firm Recruit Career Co., the number of those in the finance industry signing up with the company between April and September last year jumped around 30 percent compared to the same period the year before. “We’ve seen a surge in those from the financial sector since the BOJ introduced negative interest rates,” said Chihiro Hara, a spokeswoman for the company. Recruit Career said there has also been a marked shift in where financial workers secured new roles. During the April-September period in 2015, before the BOJ’s move, 43.5 percent found positions in the same field. In 2017, that figure had dropped to 25 percent, indicating how many are moving away from their own sector. What else is behind the trend? Demographics are a factor. Japan’s population is graying and shrinking. Government statistics show that the size of the population peaked a decade ago and is forecast to fall 30 percent by 2065. The BOJ touched on the issue in its Financial System Report released in October. The central bank said the fall in profits can also be seen in other advanced economies where low interest rates have prevailed. “However, even in that situation, the low profitability of Japanese financial institutions is striking,” the report said, adding that “the number of employees at financial institutions and the number of branches may be in excess (overcapacity) relative to demand.” How are banks responding to ‘fintech’? With technology companies like Rakuten Inc. and China’s Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. accelerating their expansion into financial technologies, or fintech, banks are trying to keep pace by seeking partners and launching new ventures. SMFG launched a biometric identification venture called Poralify last year with NTT Data Corp. and Irish biometrics company Daon Inc., eyeing to pitch the technology to e-commerce companies and other businesses to ease online payment transactions. Also last year the company formed a joint venture with Yahoo Japan Corp. to analyze the bank’s client data in order to create new services. MUFG also created its own fintech company last year, called Japan Digital Design Inc., to collaborate with regional banks on research and development. It’s looking to tap AI for consumer loan screening, and provide technology to streamline financial transactions. Mizuho meanwhile launched a fintech company called Blue Lab Co. with venture firm WiL LLC, and aims to offer payment services and products based on blockchain. Banks have also begun embracing cryptocurrencies. MUFG has been developing its own digital currency called the MUFG coin, and reports say it’s working to open its own exchange this year. Mizuho is leading a consortium of banks to develop a cryptocurrency known as J-Coin in time for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, when higher numbers of tourists are expected to visit Japan.
|
banks;lending;ai;corporate restructuring
|
jp0009165
|
[
"business",
"corporate-business"
] |
2018/02/13
|
Billionaire investors Icahn and Deason say Fuji-Xerox deal undervalues company
|
Carl Icahn and Darwin Deason have come out against Xerox Corp.’s plans to cede control to Fujifilm Holding Corp., arguing the deal “dramatically undervalues” the company. “To put it simply, the current board of directors has overseen the systematic destruction of Xerox, and, unless we do something, this latest Fuji scheme will be the company’s final death knell,” the two Xerox investors said in a letter to shareholders Monday. Icahn is Xerox’s second-largest holder with about 9.2 percent of the company’s stock, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Deason holds about 6 percent, according to a filing Monday. Xerox, the once-iconic American innovator that became synonymous with office copy machines, agreed last month to cede control to Japan’s Fujifilm. Under terms of the deal, Xerox would first merge with a joint venture the company operates with Fujifilm in Asia. Fujifilm would ultimately end up owning 50.1 percent of the combined entity, which expands the joint venture to encompass all of Xerox’s operations, the companies said. Xerox holders would receive a cash dividend of $9.80 (about ¥1,068) a share under the proposed transaction. “It really is a remarkable achievement by Fuji. Without putting up any cash, they will acquire majority control and ownership of a venerable American icon,” the two investors said. In an emailed statement Monday, a spokesman for Norwalk, Connecticut-based Xerox said a comprehensive review conducted over “many months” by independent directors and advisers considered several options in detail and concluded the transaction with Fuji “is the best path to create value for Xerox shareholders.” “The transaction provides shareholders with the opportunity to benefit from ownership in a combined company that has enhanced growth prospects and a stronger financial profile to support future value creation, as well as an immediate substantial dividend payment,” the spokesman said. Icahn and Deason demanded a complete and detailed disclosure of Xerox’s efforts to evaluate other indications of interest during the 46 days its spent negotiating the transaction. They also want to see what advice was given to the board about terminating or renegotiating its joint venture in Asia with Fuji in the wake of an accounting scandal there. They also called for new leadership at Xerox and its board to reinvigorate the company. “There is still great opportunity for Xerox to create enormous value for shareholders, and it does not involve selling control to Fuji without a premium,” the investors said. “Rather, it entails freeing the company from the shackles of the Fuji Xerox joint venture and bringing in leadership with the vision and operational expertise to revive the company.”
|
carl icahn;xerox;fujifilm holding;darwin deason
|
jp0009166
|
[
"business"
] |
2018/02/14
|
As Boeing weighs new '797' midsize jet, Delta, in sign of thaw, looks to sign on
|
ATLANTA - Delta Air Lines Inc. is showing no hard feelings after its recent trade spat with Boeing Co. The No. 2 U.S. carrier wants to be one of the first to fly a potential new mid-sized jetliner from Boeing, said Delta Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian. That’s a vote of confidence from one of the most influential aircraft buyers as Boeing decides whether to build the plane, dubbed the 797 by analysts. “You’re going to see us participate in Boeing’s middle-of-the-market campaign,” Bastian said. “I hope that we’re going to be a launch customer on that program as well.” The employee message shows how Delta is looking to play an active role in the development of Boeing’s first all-new jetliner since the 787 Dreamliner. The Atlanta-based carrier recently tangled with the plane maker in an international trade case involving smaller planes and placed a $12.7 billion order last month for Airbus SE’s A321neo — one of the toughest aircraft competitors to Boeing’s next new plane. The airline calls Boeing’s proposed jet “an interesting concept,” said spokesman Morgan Durrant. The plane would be a potential replacement for Delta’s aging fleet of Boeing 757s and 767s on long domestic routes and midrange international flights. “Delta is actively engaged with Boeing on this and we will continue a healthy dialog with them as the program matures,” Durrant said. A Boeing representative said the company doesn’t disclose details of customer discussions. The cost of developing what Boeing calls the “New Midmarket Airplane” probably would run from $10 billion to $15 billion, Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst at Teal Group, said recently. Boeing is considering two models for the new aircraft: a 225-seat version with a range of 5,000 nautical miles, and a 275-seat version with a 4,500-mile range, Dinesh Keskar, Boeing’s senior vice president of Asia-Pacific and India sales, said recently. Bastian’s employee message should relieve concerns that Delta’s dispute with Boeing in an international trade case will push the carrier into the Airbus camp for the long term. Boeing last year persuaded the U.S. Commerce Department to slap duties of almost 300 percent on a new jet from Bombardier Inc., called the C Series. The Canadian plane maker sold 75 of the new planes to Delta at well below cost, Boeing alleged. The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled last month that the sale of the C Series isn’t harming American industry and blocked the duties from being imposed. While Bastian has said the trade case wouldn’t affect Delta’s fleet orders, its decision in December to order 100 Airbus A321neo jets over Boeing’s competing 737 Max 10 fueled industry speculation about whether Delta might shun Boeing for some period. The new Airbus jets will replace at least some of Delta’s older 757s, as well as McDonnell Douglas MD-90 and older A320 aircraft. Boeing’s new 797 would give Delta better range than the A321neo and additional capacity to haul cargo, which is more important for international flights than for domestic ones, said George Hamlin of Hamlin Transportation Consulting in Fairfax, Virginia. “Delta needs both Boeing and Airbus,” Hamlin said. “If it becomes beholden to one, that doesn’t give it much leverage in negotiations.”
|
boeing;airbus;delta air lines;bombardier;797
|
jp0009167
|
[
"business",
"economy-business"
] |
2018/02/14
|
Despite growth run, Abenomics still clouded by uncertainty
|
Despite the longest growth run in nearly three decades, Japan’s economic outlook remains far from robust as uncertainty abounds over wage growth and business investment. Under Abenomics, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s program of radical monetary easing, fiscal spending and vows of structural reforms, the economy grew at an annualized rate of 0.5 percent in the October-December period, marking the eighth straight quarter of expansion. It slowed from a revised 2.2 percent increase in the previous quarter and was below the potential growth rate of around 1.0 percent. Many economists expect the economy to keep growing at a moderate pace this year, but the biggest wild card could be volatility in financial markets after the recent global stock market rout. The key question now is whether domestic demand — private consumption and corporate spending — can pick up further and help the world’s third-largest economy sustain its recent growth momentum, economists said. “Private consumption has been recovering on the back of modest wage growth, but is not solid enough to absorb shocks when something bad happens,” said Yuichiro Nagai, an economist at Barclays Securities Japan Ltd. Economists are focusing on how companies might handle pay hikes in annual negotiations between management and labor unions toward mid-March amid record earnings and the tightest labor market conditions in decades. More robust wage growth is seen as critical for consumers to increase spending and for the government to consider when it will be safe to declare an end to decades of deflation. “If you look at growth in pretax profits, the consumer price index and tightness in the labor market, companies may settle for a pay hike of around 2.3 percent,” Nagai said. That is still lower than the 3 percent hike Abe is asking companies to achieve during this year’s shuntō wage negotiations. Other economists also say 3 percent is a tall order and wage growth will likely be below 2.5 percent. “Even if it is below 2.5 percent, we believe the Abe administration will likely declare a break with deflation by the end of fiscal 2018 (through March 2019),” said Yoshimasa Maruyama, chief market economist at SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. “It will also likely decide to go ahead with another consumption tax hike (as planned). The Bank of Japan, however, won’t be able to start normalizing its (crisis-mode) policy in that time frame,” Maruyama added. Bolstering domestic demand has been a challenge for the export-reliant economy ahead of the planned sales tax increase from 8 percent to 10 percent slated for October 2019. Consumption took a hit after the previous hike in 2014. The latest GDP data released Wednesday pointed to strength in capital spending. Businesses continued to increase investment for the fifth quarter in a row, up 0.7 percent. With borrowing costs low thanks to the BOJ’s bold monetary easing, companies have been stepping up investment to boost capacity amid robust demand for domestic products and to cope with shortages of manpower. Labor shortages are particularly severe in the services industry amid economic growth and a shrinking population, with the availability of jobs across sectors hitting its highest in over four decades. Travel agency H.I.S Co., for instance, is turning to robotics to boost efficiency and save labor. At a hotel that recently opened in Tokyo’s glitzy Ginza district, two humanoid robots serve as receptionists at the front desk. The use of advanced technology such as robotics enables the hotel, called Henn Na Hotel (strange hotel), to manage with roughly a fourth of the manpower needed to operate a hotel of a similar size, a company official said. Strong demand for such labor-saving technology is one reason why economists predict capital spending will remain solid. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will also give a near-term boost. “If you are talking about a time span of a decade or two, the domestic market will get smaller,” Barclays’ Nagai said. “For the next few years, companies will be encouraged to increase spending to prepare for the Olympics and on research and development related to artificial intelligence and self-driving technology.” That still hinges on whether the recent volatility in financial markets is only temporary or something lasting much longer. While the yen’s depreciation against the dollar and the euro has given companies a helpful boost to their earnings, wild swings will likely hurt sentiment and give corporate managers a reason to put off spending. “We will have to monitor how things will go in financial markets,” a senior government official said. “What we have right now is not a high-growth economy but one that has been gradually recovering with the help of recovering domestic demand.”
|
abenomics;gdp;investment;wages
|
jp0009168
|
[
"asia-pacific",
"social-issues-asia-pacific"
] |
2018/02/22
|
Bangladesh preparing barren islet to house 100,000 Rohingya refugees, denies it's a concentration camp
|
DHAKA/BHASAN CHAR/COX'S BAZAR, BANGLADESH - Bangladesh is racing to turn an uninhabited and muddy Bay of Bengal island into home for 100,000 Rohingya Muslims who have fled a military crackdown in Myanmar, and top officials have given conflicting signals about whether the refugees will be stranded there. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Monday that putting Rohingya on the low-lying island would be a “temporary arrangement” to ease congestion at the camps in Cox’s Bazar, refuge for nearly 700,000 who have crossed from Myanmar’s Rakhine state since the end of August. However, one of her advisers told Reuters that, once there, they would only be able to leave the island if they wanted to go back to Myanmar or were selected for asylum by a third country. “It’s not a concentration camp, but there may be some restrictions. We are not giving them a Bangladeshi passport or ID card,” said H.T. Imam, adding that the island would have a police encampment with 40 to 50 armed personnel. British and Chinese engineers are helping prepare the island to receive refugees before the onset of monsoon rains in April, which could bring disastrous flooding to ramshackle camps farther south that now teem with about 1 million Rohingya. Hasina’s adviser, Imam, said the question of selecting Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar to move to the island was not finalized, but it could be decided by lottery or on a volunteer-basis. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said in a statement: “We would emphasize that any relocation plan involving refugees would need to be based on and implemented through voluntary and informed decisions.” Humanitarian agencies criticized the plan to bring Rohingya to the island when it was first proposed in 2015. Aid workers said they remain seriously concerned that the silt island is vulnerable to frequent cyclones and cannot sustain livelihoods for thousands of people. But work on the project has accelerated in recent months, according to architectural plans and two letters from the Bangladesh Navy to local government officials and contractors. A year ago, when Reuters journalists visited Bhasan Char — whose name means “floating island” — there were no roads, buildings or people. Returning on Feb. 14, they found hundreds of laborers carrying bricks and sand from ships on its muddy northwest shore. Satellite images now show roads and what appears to be a helipad. Floating Island, which emerged from the silt only about 20 years ago, is about 30 km (21 miles) from the mainland. Flat and shape-shifting, it regularly floods during June-September. Pirates roam the nearby waters to kidnap fishermen for ransom, residents of nearby islands say. The plans show metal-roofed, brick buildings raised on pylons and fitted with solar panels. There will be 1,440 blocks, each housing 16 families. The Chinese construction company Sinohydro — known for building China’s Three Gorges Dam — has begun work on a 13-km flood-defense embankment for the $280 million project. HR Wallingford, a British engineering and environmental hydraulics consultancy, is advising the project on “coastal stabilization and flood protection measures,” the company said in a statement earlier this month. Omar Waraich, deputy South Asia director for rights group Amnesty International, said there was “no one in the humanitarian community we spoke to who thought this was a good idea. This is a silt island that only emerged into view recently.” Residents of nearby Sandwip Island, which is larger and less remote, say monsoon storms regularly kill people, destroy homes and cut contact with the mainland. However, a senior member of the prime minister’s staff, Director General Kabir bin Anwar, said humanitarian organizations critical of the plan are “absolutely wrong because they don’t understand the topography” of Bangladesh. The government is building cyclone shelters on the island, he said, adding that there are salt-tolerant paddies and people living there could fish or graze cows and buffalo. Anwar also dismissed concerns about delivering basic aid to the island. “We don’t need help from any foreign NGOs or local NGOs. We can feed them,” he said. Bangladeshis living on nearby islands are critical of their government’s efforts for the Rohingya. Belal Beg, 80, who was born on Sandwip island, said there was resistance to settling Rohingya on Bhasan Char because huge numbers of Bangladeshis are displaced by coastal erosion each year with no measures taken to protect them. “We should first care for our own people but the government is deciding to give shelter to immigrants,” Beg said. Many Rohingya also reject the idea of moving to an island even farther from Myanmar, which many of them have called home for generations. Jahid Hussain, a Rohingya refugee at Chakmakul refugee camp in Bangladesh, said he had fled Myanmar to save his life and would not risk it by living on Bhasan Char. “I would rather die right here,” he said. The latest unrest in Myanmar’s Rakhine state began on Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked dozens of police posts and an army base, prompting an army counteroffensive that forced entire villages to flee. They joined about 300,000 Rohingya already in Bangladesh, one of the world’s poorest and most crowded nations, who had fled previous bouts of violence. Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel peace laureate and leader of Buddhist-majority Myanmar, has been heavily criticized by Western nations for not speaking out against what the United States and the United Nations have branded ethnic cleansing. Myanmar denies that ethnic cleansing has taken place and says it has been conducting legitimate operations against terrorists in northern Rakhine. Describing the island, Hasina told a news conference in Dhaka that “from a natural point of view it is very nice” and said although the initial plan was to put 100,000 people there, it had room for as many as 1 million.
|
myanmar;refugees;bangladesh;rohingya
|
jp0009169
|
[
"national",
"social-issues"
] |
2018/02/22
|
Second lawsuit eyed against government over eugenics law, as records in 13 prefectures show sterilizations of children aged 15 and below
|
A Hokkaido man in his 70s plans to file a lawsuit seeking damages from the government over his forced sterilization at around age 20 under the 1948 eugenic protection law, sources said Thursday, as a related investigation unearthed documents showing children aged 15 and below — including one as young as 9 — were also sterilized under the law. The revelations follow a lawsuit filed against the state by a woman in her 60s in Miyagi Prefecture on Jan. 30, seeking ¥11 million in damages over her forced sterilization when she was a teenager. Japan’s now-defunct eugenic protection law authorized the sterilization of people with mental disabilities and illness or hereditary disorders to prevent births of what were feared would be “inferior” offspring. It also allowed for forcible abortions without the consent of the individuals or their relatives. But the 1953 notification had limited the forcible removal of reproductive organs to only cases where there was “a possibility of bearing a baby.” The most recently identified records, released Wednesday, show that at least 13 prefectures documented the sterilization of children aged 15 and below due to mental disabilities and other reasons, with the youngest having been aged 9 at the time of the surgery. This latest find raises suspicions that sterilization may have been forced on young girls despite stipulations in the law against such surgeries being conducted on those who had no possibility of becoming pregnant. According to a tally by Kyodo News, papers listing individual names of people believed to have been subjected to sterilization have been found in 23 prefectures. So far there are records involving 3,402 men and women, with the oldest having been 57 years old. Referring to the cases involving children, Keiko Toshimitsu, a visiting bioethics researcher at a Ritsumeikan University research center, said “it would be surprising if such sterilizations were implemented widely.” “Girls would have had to undergo abdominal surgeries, which are great physical burdens. I suspect that the operations were conducted based on extreme discrimination and prejudice,” Toshimitsu added. In 2016, the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women recommended that Japan adopt “specific measures aimed at providing all victims of forced sterilizations with assistance to access legal remedies and provide them with compensation and rehabilitative services.” The state has not apologized or provided compensation to the around 25,000 people who were sterilized under the now defunct law, saying it was legal at the time. Of the total, 16,500 people are believed to have undergone surgery without their consent. While the eugenics protection law was scrapped in 1996 and replaced by the maternal protection law on abortion, human rights infringements under the eugenic law have drawn renewed attention recently, as in the lawsuit filed in January by the woman in Miyagi Prefecture at the Sendai District Court. The filing by the woman, who has not disclosed her name, is the first such suit over forced sterilizations in Japan, and asserts that the state has failed to legislate for relief measures despite serious human rights infringements. She also claims that the 1948 law denied human equality and the right to pursue happiness and was therefore unconstitutional. In the wake of that lawsuit, bar associations set up call centers in Sapporo and four other cities on Feb. 2 and urged others to join efforts to address the issue. The Hokkaido man currently planning to file his lawsuit was among several people who contacted the call centers, according to lawyers. The man, who was about 20 when he was allegedly sterilized on grounds of having a mental disorder, has said he was unable to refuse the surgery at the time and wants the state to admit to its mistake, they said. He intends to file the lawsuit with the Sapporo District Court after checking if the Hokkaido Prefectural Government has kept records on his sterilization. The prefectural government said Monday it has records on 1,129 people who were sterilized under the controversial law, the youngest being an 11-year-old girl. By prefecture Hokkaido is said to have the largest group, with 2,593 people believed to have been forcibly sterilized under the program.
|
sterilization;eugenic protection law
|
jp0009170
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/02/25
|
Kyoto executives consider making nightlife in Kyoto more tourist-friendly
|
KYOTO - As residents and tourists in Kyoto complain more about higher prices, hotel shortages and crowds at train stations, shrines and temples, Kansai’s corporate leaders are searching for ways to keep visitors coming. One way, they suggested recently, is to ensure people can experience what they call “Kyoto culture at night.” The G-rated, family-friendly version, that is. Earlier this month, a panel of executives at a Kansai economic meeting in Kyoto discussed the need for more things to keep tourists entertained at night. A 2016 municipal survey of Japanese and foreign tourists showed that complaints about tourists spots closing too early was one thing many disliked, though it was far down the list compared to massive crowds, rude bus drivers and other ill-mannered tourists. Though the discussion by the business leaders produced no specific plan of action, the ideas floated ranged from increasing the number of traditional arts performances to designing new forms of evening spectacles designed to ensure that more of Kyoto’s tourists have someplace to see and spend their money at other than bars, nightclubs, pubs and the neon-lit entertainment establishments that line both sides of the Kamo River. The suggestions came with the latest statistics on inbound tourism all pointing upward. Kimiharu Banno, head of the transport ministry’s Kinki bureau, told conference participants that over 12 million foreign tourists were estimated to have visited the six prefectures of the Kansai region last year, with 59 percent of them staying in Osaka and 27 percent in Kyoto. “The number of inbound visitors to the Kansai region has more than quadrupled since 2012,” he said. A survey by the Kyoto Shimbun newspaper earlier this month estimated there were nearly 34,000 rooms available for lodging as of April 2017 and that, with many other hotels under construction, the figure could reach 42,000 by 2020. But concern about maintaining tourism revenue and repeat visitors is growing, and there are also worries about will happen after the city introduces a lodging tax in October. The fear is that once the sun goes down, more travelers may opt to return to Osaka, only 30 minutes by train, with its greater selection of cheaper accommodations and more diverse nightlife. There were also suggestions floated by the business leaders that more evening events would help reduce potential friction between residents and tourists at area watering holes. In a city with a tradition of exclusive tea houses that refuse entry to those who are not regulars, smaller establishments can be reluctant to turn their bar stools and tables over to tourists for fear of alienating loyal customers who might drop by and find the place full of strangers. So, the thinking goes, the best solution is to satisfy tourist desires for more interesting evening events while also placating local concerns. Whether Kyoto can and will develop a new nightlife industry for tourists is debatable. But some influential people in Kansai seem to think it might be a good — and profitable — idea.
|
kyoto;tourism;insights
|
jp0009171
|
[
"world",
"politics-diplomacy-world"
] |
2018/11/03
|
U.S. has political blind spot for right-wing threat, analysts say
|
WASHINGTON - Robert Bowers, accused of massacring 11 Jews in a Pittsburgh synagogue, spewed extreme anti-Semitic invective openly on social media, and had 10 guns registered in his name. Cesar Sayoc, who sent 15 pipe bombs to anti-Trump Democrats and media, tweeted threats to dozens of public figures, including sending a TV commentator a picture of a decapitated sheep. One week after the Pittsburgh attack, Americans are asking why U.S. law enforcement wasn’t aware of either extremist. The number of violent acts by white nationalists, neo-Nazis, racists and anti-Semites has steadily climbed over the past decade, in recent years killing more Americans than Islamic extremists have. But security experts say the government refuses to pursue them problem with equal intensity. “The United States has a problem with far-right extremism and terrorism that we have to face up to,” said Peter Singer a security expert at the New America think tank. “The number of attacks, combined with resistance to talking about the problem, dedicating resources to the problem — it is killing our fellow Americans at a rate greater than even ISIS,” he added, using one of the acronyms for the Islamic State terrorist group. The threat from the right has been clear since extremists killed 168 in the bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1995. After the Sept. 11, 2001, al-Qaida terrorist attacks, U.S. law enforcement concentrated their focus to Islamic extremism. Yet today, more than 70 percent of nearly 300 murders by ideological extremists in the United States in the past decade were by far-right actors, according to data compiled by New America. In 2017, 20 of 34 such killings were perpetrated by the far right. In the same October week as the bombs and the synagogue shooting, a white supremacist shot dead two African-Americans at a Kentucky supermarket, and a Wisconsin conservative activist was arrested trying to buy radioactive material to kill someone. Daryl Johnson, formerly a domestic terrorism analyst in the Department of Homeland Security, says there is a conscious political blind spot toward the extremists on the right. In 2009, he warned in a DHS report of a resurgence of right-wing extremism, after the economic crash and the election of Barack Obama, the first African-American president of the United States. The report drew an intense political backlash, he said. Nobody wanted to hear about the problem, or give it a name. His unit was dissolved. Since then, significant right-wing shootings, arson and bombings have slowly increased, with Democrats and Republicans both responsible, Johnson said. The Obama administration feared antagonizing opponents. The Trump administration doesn’t want to take aim at supporters. “Republicans don’t want to attack them,” said Johnson, now a security consultant at DT Analytics. “That’s part of their constituency.” As a consequence, last year the far-right made an unprecedented show of strength when white supremacists, neo-Nazis, anti-Semites and others joined hands in the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The rally erupted into brawls with counterprotesters, one of whom was killed by a neo-Nazi. Rather than criticize the extremists, Trump prevaricated, insisting that “both sides” were to blame and that there were “very fine people on both sides.” “We have the first president in modern history celebrated by these groups, that these groups believe is on message with them. The political tides are with them,” said Singer. After Charlottesville, Democrats in Congress demanded action, but Republicans refused to hold hearings on right-wing extremism. Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler says that after Pittsburgh, Republicans are again avoiding calls to discuss the problem. “14 pipe bombs mailed in unprecedented political assassination attempt. Deadliest massacre of Jews in U.S. history. Murder of 2 African Americans in KY … All in 1 week,” Nadler wrote on Twitter after the Pittsburgh attack. “All linked by one hateful ideology: white supremacy. We must act.” The FBI pursues violent extremists of any stripe. Punishments for hate crimes have gotten tougher, such as the 25-year prison sentence handed to a Texas man recently for burning a mosque. But the government still will not treat extremism as a singular nationwide threat, critics say. “There is as much a threat from white supremacists and anti-Semites as there is from Islamic extremists. So resources should be allocated appropriately,” said Heidi Beirich, who leads Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks extremism. “It’s not a question of one or the other; it’s both.” The experts say the government has tied its own hands, by being wary of accusations that they are spying on U.S. citizens online. Monitoring potential jihadis is accepted because their acts fall under the official designation “terrorism.” That isn’t applied to other ideological extremists. “There are legitimate civil liberty concerns” about the government monitoring of right-wing extremists, said Beirich. But, she noted, social media is a public place. People “have no expectation of privacy when they post there,” she said. “If you were to try to look for these people or find warning signs about them, you know where they are.”
|
religion;u.s .;barack obama;terrorism;rights;elections;ethnicity;discrimination;donald trump
|
jp0009172
|
[
"world",
"offbeat-world"
] |
2018/11/03
|
South Africans make bricks from human urine
|
CAPE TOWN - South African researchers have made bricks using human urine in a process that could one day help reduce global warming emissions by finding a productive use for the waste product. The gray bricks are produced in a lab over eight days using urine, calcium, sand and bacteria. Fertilizers are also produced. And the bricks do not smell. The bricks are made using urea — a chemical found in urine and also synthesized around the world to make fertilizer. The process of growing bricks from urea has been tested in the United States with synthetic solutions, but the new brick uses human urine for the first time, the researchers said. “We literally pee this away every day and flush it through the sewer networks,” said Dyllon Randall, a senior lecturer at the University of Cape Town’s civil engineering department who is part of the team that developed the brick. “Why not recover this instead and make multiple products?” The bio-bricks are created through a process called microbial induced carbonate precipitation, which is similar to the process that produces coral reefs. Loose sand is colonized with bacteria that produce the enzyme urease. The enzyme breaks down the urea in urine while producing the rocky substance calcium carbonate through a complex chemical reaction. A brick or column of any shape can be made. The bricks are formed at room temperature, cutting the harmful carbon dioxide emitted when making regular bricks that are kiln-fired. One obstacle preventing mass production is that the bricks use huge amounts of pee. To make a single brick requires about 20 liters of urine — a couple of weeks’ worth of wee for a typical adult. “So, I get it from the boys bathroom opposite the laboratory. I put a little sign up and all the university boys contribute to my research,” said Suzanne Lambert, who proved the concept for the research by making the first brick. “I definitely see commercialization in the next decade or two, but there is still a lot of lab work to be done,” she said.
|
pollution;south africa;biotechnology;waste;conservation;chemistry
|
jp0009173
|
[
"asia-pacific",
"crime-legal-asia-pacific"
] |
2018/11/03
|
Pakistan's 'father of Taliban' killed
|
ISLAMABAD - Prominent Pakistani cleric Maulana Samiul Haq, known as the “father of the Taliban,” was killed in a knife attack at his home in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on Friday, his family and police said. Haq’s son, Hamidul Haq, said his father was alone in his bedroom when he was attacked by an assailant, who escaped undetected. “My father has been martyred. … His guard had gone out minutes before the attack, and upon his return he saw my father in critical condition,” he told reporters. Police say Haq, 81, was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died. Yousaf Shah, Haq’s spokesman, said neither the attacker nor their motive was yet known. Soon after his death, scores of Haq’s supporters rioted, damaging shops and vehicles in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Haq’s family appealed to his followers to remain peaceful. A religious scholar with a large following among radical Islamists, Haq was the head of his faction of the Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam (JUI) party. Haq was a revered teacher with vast influence over Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban, many of whose leaders and commanders studied a strict interpretation of Islam at his Haqqani seminary, earning him the “father of the Taliban” title. Sirajuddin Haqqani, the deputy leader of the Haqqani network, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, was one of dozens of Taliban leaders who graduated from Haq’s seminary, located in the conservative Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province on the border with Afghanistan. In recent weeks, dozens of Afghan clerics had appealed to Haq to use his influence with Afghanistan’s Taliban to plot a path to peace that would end the 17-year-long war there. Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned Haq’s killing. “We lost a great scholar and religious leader today,” said Khan in a statement from China, where he is on an official visit. Khan was widely criticized for embracing Haq ahead of Pakistan’s July elections, which put the former cricketer in power. Khan’s provincial government in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa donated millions of dollars to Haq’s hard-line seminary. He defended the move saying he wanted to see Pakistan’s thousands of madrassas, or religious schools, broaden their curriculum. Haq’s funeral is expected to be held Saturday in Akora Khattak.
|
pakistan;religion;murder;terrorism;taliban;maulana samiul haq
|
jp0009174
|
[
"national",
"science-health"
] |
2018/11/03
|
Disaster relief tech: Hand-shaped robot and cybersuit for rescue dogs tested in Fukushima
|
MINAMISOMA, FUKUSHIMA PREF. - A recent disaster-response demonstration in Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, featured tests of a hand-shaped, fire-resistant robot that can remove rubble as well as a cybersuit for rescue dogs. The Friday event was hosted by the Cabinet Office and others. The hand-shaped robot, developed by Tohoku University, has fingers consisting of small ball-like parts, operated through wires running through its length. The robot, which features enhanced fire resistance, is expected to be useful in the event of a plant fire, according to the university. At the test event Friday, the robot removed gas cylinders and rubble from a fire. The cybersuit, developed by the university and others, is equipped with a camera and a GPS device. During the test, a rescue dog searched for missing people while wearing the suit, which uses three-dimensional geographical data. “Disaster-relief robots were used in search operations at collapsed houses after torrential rains in western Japan earlier this year,” said Satoshi Tadokoro, a professor at the university. “I want to proceed with robot development in order to contribute to society.”
|
fukushima;fukushima no . 1;radiation;robots;nuclear energy;nuclear waste
|
jp0009175
|
[
"national",
"politics-diplomacy"
] |
2018/11/03
|
LDP's Seiko Noda goes against custom, addressing lawmakers with honorific suffix san, not kun
|
Former internal affairs minister Seiko Noda, the first female chair of the Lower House Budget Committee, is making headlines for her unconventional style in steering deliberations — calling lawmakers by their names with the honorific suffix san , rather than kun , which is usually used for men. In Budget Committee deliberations, it has been customary for the chair to use “kun” for lawmakers, regardless of their gender. But when Noda, a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, debuted as the committee chair Thursday, she didn’t adhere to that custom, instead addressing all lawmakers with the “san” suffix. “Society normally uses ‘san’ for both men and women. I didn’t really think about it,” Noda told reporters after her first session as the chair on Thursday, adding that it seemed “natural” to address them as such. The Budget Committee deliberates on a number of important issues at the Diet, and committee meetings are often televised live. In steering deliberations, Noda said she was trying to make the sessions easy to understand for the public. At one point during deliberations, she urged Justice Minister Takashi Yamashita to “make it short and simple, please” as he delivered a series of long answers about a bill to amend the immigration control law. Noda, however, is not the first chair to use “san.” In 1993, Takako Doi, who became the first female speaker of the Lower House, also made news when she addressed lawmakers with the suffix. Noda, who formerly served as female empowerment minister, has been known for trying to crack the glass ceiling in Japan’s still male-dominated political arena. She has twice fallen short in a quest to become the country’s first female prime minister, failing both times to get enough intraparty support to even run in the LDP presidential election to challenge Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Still, she has made no secret that her quest for the top post remains a primary goal. Upon announcing in August that she was ending her LDP presidential bid, she noted that there was still plenty of work for her to do within the party. “If the LDP backs a policy of empowering women or making them ‘shine,’ I think we have to prove that ourselves first,” Noda said at the time.
|
lower house;names;seiko noda;budget committee
|
jp0009176
|
[
"national",
"media-national"
] |
2018/11/03
|
Fukuoka enlists artificial intelligence in fight against organized crime
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Advances in artificial intelligence have come along in leaps and bounds in recent years, prompting police in Fukuoka and Kyoto to look into ways of using the technology to tackle organized crime. The Fukuoka Prefectural Police in Kyushu face a particularly daunting task, with some of the country’s most violent crime syndicates operating in their jurisdiction. These groups are so violent they’ve even been known to lob hand grenades — dubbed “pineapples” in yakuza slang — at each other. The Kudo-kai has been particularly virulent in resisting police crackdowns and retaliating against civilians who don’t toe the line. They’re certainly not above murder. In 1998, gang members reportedly killed the former head of a local fishermen’s association after he refused to let Kudo-kai get a cut of the harbor business. Experimenting with new ways of tackling organized crime, police authorities in Fukuoka are trying to create a yakuza attack prediction system based on artificial intelligence. By implementing such technology, the authorities hope to protect witnesses and sources from gang syndicates. Traditionally, the authorities have patrolled the neighborhoods of people who are under their protection. Unfortunately, they can’t be there 24/7 and are looking into ways to predict an attack on a witness or source before it happens. Police who are familiar with organized crime have noticed that gang members typically scout areas they plan to attack in cars in advance. The authorities are therefore looking to tail members of a crime syndicate on a regular basis, paying close attention to their daily activities and the manner in which they are using their vehicles. Police hope to collect data on gang movements, analyzing the patterns on a computer in order to predict when and where an attack might occur so that they can act in real time to prevent it from happening. Police in Fukuoka hope to have a system up and running within the next fiscal year. Police in Kyoto and other prefectures are working on similar systems. One has to wonder, however, whether such a system can really work? Mike Maness, a senior director of TrapWire Inc., thinks so. Maness has served for almost 20 years as an operations officer and field manager with the Central Intelligence Agency. He spent 15 years working undercover against terrorism and organized criminal networks. Using a combination of facial recognition, pattern recognition, artificial intelligence, social media tools and proprietary analytic capabilities, TrapWire created a system that is able to identify patterns indicative of planned criminal behavior and alert authorities in real time. A number of government agencies in the United States use their services, as well as civilian operators. “Not only this is type of system feasible, we’ve been doing it in the U.S. for almost a decade,” Maness says. “The Fukuoka police are taking exactly the right approach: attempting to prevent criminal activity instead of reacting to an event after it has happened. This ‘left of boom’ approach is being adopted by local, state and federal police agencies around the world as they realize they cannot be everywhere all the time.” “Left of boom” is a military term describing the moment before a bomb explodes. By contrast, “right of boom” describes the moment after a bomb detonates. While artificial intelligence is certainly a powerful tool in the fight against crime, Maness warns that it isn’t the ultimate solution. “No single source of intelligence, whether HUMINT (human intelligence) or AI alone, can help predict and prevent crime,” Maness says. “It requires an amalgamation of all these disciplines, plus the addition of social media monitoring, suspicious activity reports from the public and the cooperation of the private sector. “By combining HUMINT with all the other sources of intelligence noted above, police are acquiring a more fulsome understanding of planned attacks or criminal events, and are able to thwart the operation rather than react to the event and pick up the pieces.” I know police officers in Japan who used to joke that they would be out of work if the country’s Crime Prevention Bureau — now known as the Community Safety Bureau — really did its job. Crime prevention has always seemed like something of a pipe dream for law enforcement agencies, but for once real change could actually be on the horizon.
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kyoto;yakuza;organized crime;fukuoka;artificial intelligence;kodo-kai
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jp0009177
|
[
"national",
"media-national"
] |
2018/11/03
|
Testing times for students' English-language ability in Japan
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The education ministry last year announced it would change the common testing system for universities, starting in 2020. A major change is expected to be made to the English-language component of the exam. Applicants will be asked to take English tests developed by commercial testing companies for the preliminary evaluation. The main reason for the change is that the ministry wants to emphasize interactive communication, specifically speaking and writing, in the evaluation of students’ English skills. The current English test concentrates on listening and reading. According to the National Center for University Entrance Examinations, the ministry has selected eight companies whose tests they would accept for university admission purposes, which means applicants will have to pay more money in their quest to gain entrance to national schools, anywhere from about ¥6,000 to more than ¥25,000 for each test they sit. In June, the Japan Association of National Universities adopted standards for the English examination portion of the testing process , although these standards are not binding. Any university can decide to what degree the new tests will figure in their criteria for allowing applicants to take university entrance tests. The University of Tokyo, the most prestigious college in the country, subsequently announced in September that it would not require applicants to take the private English tests . The university didn’t state definitively how it will evaluate English ability, but suggested it could look at applicants’ performance in their high school studies. The University of Tokyo decision calls into question the rationale behind the new testing system, which some say isn’t practical or fair. It has also focused attention on how English is taught in Japanese schools. Teachers will be expected to raise the English communication skills of their students if for no other reason than to do well on English tests as part of the admissions process, which is not the ostensible purpose of the new approach to English education, although it seems to be the immediate goal. In covering the matter, two Asahi Shimbun reporters decided to take commercial tests to get a better idea of what applicants should expect . The first thing they noticed was that the three tests they sat — TOEFL ($235), which is administered by Educational Testing Services of the United States, the Cambridge English test (about ¥9,700 to ¥25,300) and Japan’s Eiken test (about ¥5,800 to ¥16,500) — were very different from one another. The TOEFL was designed to evaluate the English abilities of students who want to attend American schools, while the Cambridge test seemed geared toward British English. The journalists reported experiencing significant challenges in the listening and speaking portions. One reporter said she couldn’t understand the recorded lecture on the TOEFL exam. The Cambridge test was difficult because of “rhythms” that the examinees weren’t used to. The Eiken exam was easier if only because the explanations were provided in Japanese. The reporters did OK on some parts of the test and poorly on others. On the six-level Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which the ministry will use to evaluate the results of the private tests, their scores were fairly low, and their conclusions were that the new system would not be effective in judging students’ English communication abilities. Also, applicants can take up to two tests during the prescribed testing period and then submit the results of the test they scored higher on, which means they can game the system. Gaming the system is probably what Japan’s English-language instruction industry wants and whatever improvements the new testing policy will make in terms of language ability in the long run, it is definitely a pot of gold for private education companies — and not just testing services. Last March, Kyodo News reported on an increase in the number of students at English conversation schools who were Japanese elementary school teachers . In 2011, the education ministry approved “foreign-language activities” for fifth- and sixth-year elementary school students. The policy will be expanded to third- and fourth-year students in 2020, while for fifth and sixth graders, English will become an officially graded subject. In response, more Japanese elementary school teachers, who typically cover all subjects, feel they need to sharpen their English communication skills because speaking will be a central part of the program. The issue was discussed on the Sept. 22 edition of the Video News web program. Because high school students who want to enter university will have to take private tests to evaluate their speaking and writing skills, there will be more pressure on junior and senior high school English teachers who are not native speakers. During the discussion, sociologist Shinji Miyadai said that, according to conventional wisdom, native speakers should teach conversation, which means more students will be going to private conversation schools, too, but only for the purpose of getting a good score on the English tests used for university entrance. Masahiko Abe, a professor at the University of Tokyo who recently published a book deriding the government’s approach to English-language study , said during the Video News discussion that making students take private tests only benefits the English instruction industry. As the Asahi reporters noted, the tests are so different in terms of what they evaluate that there’s no consistency from one to another in terms of results when universities decide which students will take their tests. More to the point, Abe said, the government’s approach will not accomplish its stated mission, which is to improve students’ abilities to interact with the English-speaking world. Testing the four language skills separately will not tell the evaluator much about the examinee’s ability to communicate. Such tests can only diagnose specific problems that may need fixing. When you use such tests for university entrance purposes, it effectively makes the process a competition, which means that nothing is going to change after 2020. It will just be more expensive.
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english;english-language education;university entrance examinations
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jp0009178
|
[
"national",
"media-national"
] |
2018/11/03
|
Little buzz in Japan over Canada's move to legalize marijuana
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Japan’s media coverage of Canada’s Oct. 17 announcement that possession and use of marijuana would be legalized — subject to certain restrictions — has been mostly brief and low-key. To access the best source about marijuana in Japanese, I suggest you buy a subscription to the Japan Medical Abstracts Society, which operates Ichushi Web. Enter marifana (marijuana) into the search window and you’ll get 562 hits for research studies and academic papers in which the wacky weed figures. To avoid the outlay, I managed to cajole a professor at the Kobe University School of Medicine to summarize what he found in the database. “In the past, taimasō (hemp) was openly cultivated in Japan,” replies Dr. Naohiro Hohashi. “Its fibers were utilized in the making of clothing, for fishing implements, and even for producing the shimenawa (sacred ropes) that are fastened to the gates of Shinto shrines and so on. Its seeds were added to shichimi (a popular food seasoning) and used for bird feed. “With the implementation of a law prohibiting its use in 1946, however, possession of cannabis sativa, as well as its sale, cultivation and so on became illegal.” Hohashi says the tone of the published medical studies concerning marijuana is overwhelmingly negative, maintaining that users may be susceptible to memory loss and hallucinations. Another concern, he adds, is the ease with which users become listless or emotionally detached, which are characteristic symptoms of the amotivational syndrome. “At present,” he says, “anyone who desires to cultivate marijuana ( taima ) in Japan must obtain the permission of the governor of the relevant prefecture. Presently some 40 individuals (mostly farmers) have been permitted to cultivate the plant, and another 300 or so, including law enforcement officials, have been authorized to use it for research. As the law currently stands, utilization of marijuana-based products for medical use is illegal.” While research into cannabinoid, a biologically active substance present in marijuana, has been ongoing, Japan is the only country among G10 members with an outright ban on use of marijuana for medical purposes. “Research has been applied to such diseases as multiple sclerosis, spinal injuries, diseases of the spine, cancer, AIDS, severe arthritis, epilepsy, among others,” Hohashi says. “It is actually being prescribed to patients. In Japan, however, a fixed view persists that ‘marijuana is bad.’ For such a view to change, evidence of its efficacy, and adverse reactions, from medical and pharmacological perspectives will be needed.” In February 2007, Japan’s Otsuka Pharmaceuticals announced it had licensed the cannabinoid drug Sativex from GW Pharmaceuticals to conduct research, which is done in the United States. In October 2015, Otsuka announced that the results of its latest trials, on treatment of pain in patients with advanced cancer, had been inconclusive. Friday (Nov. 9) was something less than sanguine, reporting on Canada’s move with the headline “Addicts tripping out wander the streets aimlessly: A terrifying future awaits with the opening of marijuana sales in Canada.” At the top of the page was a photo of a long queue of customers outside a branch of Quebec Cannabis Society in Montreal. “Marijuana can impair memory and learning functions and its prolonged abuse may affect the brain, leading to serious health issues,” Dr. Masahiko Funada, director of the Department of Drug Dependence Research at the National Institute of Mental Health, told the magazine, pointing out that unlike many other types of drugs, marijuana can be cultivated without technical knowhow or special equipment. “We’re concerned that legalization in Canada may lead to more Japanese taking interest in it, and after using it in Canada more of them will become habitual users and bring it back to Japan,” he said. Former health ministry official Ryoji Takahama told Friday that prosecutions for marijuana possession in Japan, at about 3,000 per year, have been increasing since 2014. “Interceptions by customs at ports of entry are probably just the tip of the iceberg,” he said. “Usage in Japan is definitely on the increase.” Takahama attributes the recent spread to wider availability of seeds, which he says are easier to conceal yet enable “large-scale propagation.” “There are a lot of transactions going on with people who sell the seeds via the internet,” he added. “At present, investigations have been lagging.” The News Scramble column in Shukan Jitsuwa (Nov. 8) quoted a Japanese journalist based in the U.S., who said: “In Japan, marijuana is treated as a ‘narcotic drug’ together with amphetamines, heroin, cocaine and so on, but in North America it is understood to be different. In Canada there are many who say they have never smoked tobacco but have smoked marijuana, and it’s said to be easier for minors to obtain than alcohol or cigarettes.” In a survey of people aged 15 and above taken earlier this year in Canada, 14 percent said they “had used marijuana within the past three months” and, of these, 56 percent said they “smoked it on a daily or weekly basis.” The basis for Canada’s decision to legalize pot, Shukan Jitsuwa explains, is to cut off the profits being made by criminal organizations by putting distribution in the hands of the state. The move has led the Japanese Consulate in Vancouver to issue a warning to the effect that possession or purchase of marijuana will be treated as a criminal offense, and that the law can affect Japanese not only at home, but in some cases “be applied to those outside the country.” Shukan Jitsuwa concludes: “In countries where it’s legal, chocolates and other types of candy containing marijuana are being sold. Readers should exercise caution not to mistakenly purchase and carry them back to Japan.”
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marijuana;canada;hemp
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jp0009179
|
[
"national",
"media-national"
] |
2018/11/03
|
Shibuya's Halloween havoc may tarnish future festivities
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Less than a decade ago, finding any sort of Halloween celebration in Tokyo would have been tough. Then, suddenly, October revelry was everywhere you looked in the capital. And in 2018, the spookiest event of the year has evolved once again in Japan: It’s now being held up as an example of hedonism by those arguing that society is in terminal decline. Well, not really Halloween per se. Most people still love creative costumes , children dressed up as just about anything and animals getting into the spirit of the event. We’re talking about Halloween celebrations in Shibuya , which exploded online last week after a steady stream of pictures and videos landed on social media highlighting debauchery in the neighborhood. Like many viral stories online, the internet reaction wasn’t only focused on a pop-up party gone wrong with a case of vehicular destruction thrown into the mix. Japanese netizens have always had an uneasy relationship with these types of large unofficial gatherings leading up to and including Oct. 31. There’s a general annoyance at what happens when thousands of people come together to stand around and drink (and inevitably leave a bunch of trash in the streets). Footage from a TV show about then-nascent Halloween happenings remains a meme online, primarily an interview with a guy who thinks it’s all pretty stupid. Still, Halloween celebrations in Shibuya this year gave netizens a series of attention-grabbing images and videos to latch on to. Let’s go down the list: People jumping on cars ; scuffles featuring folk dressed as Waldo ; punters screaming at cops; an older man taking creepy pictures of women ; revelers pouring water into a ticket machine at a ramen restaurant ( they apologized ); trash galore ; police arresting more than a dozen for groping, assault and theft ; and a defining clip that might be associated with Halloween celebrations in Shibuya for years to come: a group of people on Sunday dancing on a truck , flipping it over — and then dancing on it again . In the days that followed, additional footage appeared on YouTube showing the driver actually beckoning people to climb up onto the bed of his truck. As one commenter noted, however, he didn’t urge them to push the vehicle over. These uploads left Halloween bathed in an extremely negative light, even to the point where the usually “awww, shucks”-inducing footage of people (and mascots ) cleaning up the next day failed to cheer folks up. Many posted comments such as “ Japan is over ” under the most-shared clip of the truck being turned over, and numerous others on Twitter expressed similar sentiments . Others compared the scenes to a post-apocalyptic world from the anime “Fist Of The North Star.” A variety of media organizations broadcast this footage to even more viewers, including traditional television networks. Online publications, however, were able to offer the widest perspectives. One popular story, written by a reporter for Spa! but shared on Livedoor News , offered further details from the front lines. Huffington Post Japan really leaned into it, offering summaries of the madness alongside further reports of how officials reacted . Blogos , among others, noted how Halloween doesn’t provide an economic boost for the neighborhood. Yahoo Japan went so far as to label it a mistake . Mainstream media tried to uncover the reasons behind the chaos, while regular online users attempted to identify the people involved. Whereas TV programs blurred faces, Twitter users posted screenshots in an effort to locate those who participated in the Halloween havoc. A few offered suggestions on how to fix Halloween in Shibuya — the most inspired suggestion being to make it more like a traditional matsuri festival. But assessing blame — namely, treating Halloween celebrations in Shibuya this year as an opportunity to push one’s own views onto a situation — took priority. Young people , in particular, received a lot of flak . You’d expect non-Japanese participants to bear the brunt of numerous false accusations, but that wasn’t really the case (with the exception of a few ultranationalists). If anything, many expressed concern about how this would actually look to those visiting the country , with others pointing out that several non-Japanese individuals had actually appeared to try and stop the truck from being flipped over . Many online pointed to a different external source of fear: Saitama . They believed that people living in the prefectures outside of the capital were actually responsible for causing the most damage. The best argument, however, was presented by Roadsider’s Weekly’s Facebook page, which said the main culprit for the carnage was Shibuya itself , having lost any sense of tradition worth protecting because of rampant redevelopment. It feels practically plastic, so who would respect it, especially when pushed over the edge by a few too many Strong Zeros? Blame aside, Halloween celebrations in Shibuya in 2018 appear to have left something of a stink on such celebratory gatherings, and the authorities are likely to take a long, hard look at this next year ( local authorities are already considering charging revelers to take part in festivities in the future ). Some online suggested that it might be better for Japan to embrace the American tradition of trick-or-treating. After all, kids getting candy from police officers does tend to leave a better impression on social media.
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shibuya;halloween;japan pulse
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jp0009180
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/11/03
|
British woman sues Ritsumeikan University over power harassment
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A British woman has filed a damages lawsuit against Ritsumeikan University, alleging that it failed to reprimand male professors who made remarks about her that constituted harassment and prevented her promotion. Blake Hayes is demanding ¥70 million in compensation from the operator of the university. The lawsuit was filed with the Kyoto District Court on Thursday. She became an associate professor of international studies at the university in 2009 and was nominated for the position of professor in 2015. But her potential promotion was voted down after two male professors criticized her at a faculty meeting, saying she is “high-handed” and “presses her opinion on others,” according to her claim. They also made remarks suggesting she had forged her doctorate. The university recognized those remarks as power harassment last year but did not punish the men and also did not hold another vote on her promotion. Hayes left the university the same year. Hayes told a news conference in Kyoto after filling the suit that she wanted the public to know that she is not the only woman being harassed and that it is not something people have to bear. The operator, Ritsumeikan Trust, said Thursday it cannot comment on the matter because it has yet to receive the complaint.
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british;power harassment;ritsumeikan;blake hayes
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jp0009181
|
[
"national",
"history"
] |
2018/11/03
|
Japan Times 1918: Tokyo celebrates the Allies' victory in World War I
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100 YEARS AGO Thursday, Nov. 21 1918 Tokyo celebrates the Allies’ victory in WWI THE JAPAN TIMES Today the citizens of the capital of Japan rejoice with the Allies, of whom Japan has been so important a member, and celebrate the triumph of their common cause. The city will be decorated with a flood of flags by day and illuminations at night and cheers of “banzai” over the glorious termination of the great war will be heard on every hand. Enormous crowds will stream into Hibiya Park and neighborhood especially, and other parts of the city throughout the day. The municipal celebration at Hibiya Park will commence at 2 p.m. Leading citizens and guests specially invited will assemble at 1 p.m. The proceedings will begin with music by the army and navy bands after which Viscount Tajiri, mayor of Tokyo, will read an address of congratulations before the guests, including the members of the diplomatic corps. H.E. the British Ambassador Sir Conyngham Greene, on behalf of the Allies’ ambassadors and ministers, will deliver a congratulatory address, to be followed by the “Kimigayo.” Then, at the instance of Mayor Tajiri, three “banzai” will be given in honor of H.M. the Emperor, to be followed by similar cheers for the rulers of the Allied nations called for by Mr. Hara, premier. Mayor Tajiri will then propose similar cheers in honor of the Allied armies. This will conclude the formal part of the program. Two fine arches have been erected at the Hibiya and Saiwai gates, beautifully decorated with chrysanthemum flowers and Allied flags. A great tent has been pitched over the garden at the back of the bandstand, to be used as a dining hall. Various interesting fancy decorations have been constructed in the park. Interesting entertainments will go on for two days between noon and 9 o’clock in the evening. Among others, there will be kagura and daikagura dances; niwaka dances; juvenile fencing dances; popular theatricals by the Soganoya troupe; comic dances; kappore dances; cinema and moving picture shows; and fireworks at the park. Balloon flying will be held between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. for two days. 75 YEARS AGO Friday, Nov. 26, 1943 Tojo’s daughters lead busy life on home front THE JAPAN TIMES “A worker’s busy life is our life,” says Mrs. Katsuko Tojo, wife of Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, in way of instructing her family. Mrs. Tojo’s daughters, Mitsue, 26, Makie, 21, and the two younger girls, Sachie and Kimie, have taken their mother’s words to heart in an endeavor to show the fighters at the front that the people at home, including the women, are all out to win the war. Mitsue, who is talented in needlework and knitting, has been mobilized by the family for the task of making shirts for father and sweaters for the younger girls. As old clothes are turned into new creations by Mitsue’s nimble fingers, it is no wonder that the prime minister’s family has not purchased new wearing apparel since the start of the war. Makie helps her elder sister with the cooking and it is said that even when visitors are invited to dinner the dishes are prepared at home. Mitsue is the leader of the Kojimachi women’s corps of the Dai Nippon Youth Corps. This summer, she and her younger sister worked in a certain munitions factory for one month, but as they entered under assumed names, no one knew that they were the daughters of the prime minister. 50 YEARS AGO Sunday, Nov. 10, 1968 33% of Japanese men drink nightly: survey THE JAPAN TIMES One out of every three Japanese adults takes an alcoholic drink with supper. And 70 percent of men and 10 percent of women smoke. These are some of the findings obtained in a 1966 health survey conducted by the Health and Welfare Ministry and released Saturday. The survey was conducted in October 1966 on a sample of 240,000 households, or 1 percent of the nation’s total. The survey also showed that two out of three families own refrigerators and the motion picture is the most popular form of entertainment. One-third of the males over 20 years of age drink liquor every night, another one-third drink sometimes and the remainder seldom drink. Nine percent of women drink sometimes, 2 percent every day and others only seldom. Among smokers, 50 percent of men consume 10 to 19 cigarettes a day, and 40 percent of women between five and nine. 25 YEARS AGO Sunday, Nov. 21, 1993 Nakamura comes up No. 1 in place names THE JAPAN TIMES The most frequent place name in the nation is Nakamura, followed by Shinden and Hara, according to a scientist at the National Sciences Museum. Hiroo Kanai, 63, head of the botanical studies section at the museum, picked up all place names, except the names of administrative districts, from 4,422 maps at 1/25,000 scale published by the Geographical Survey Institute. The total reached about 385,000 names. He found 715 places called Nakamura, followed by Shinden at 677 and Hara at 591. The list was followed by Honcho at 423, Hongo at 402, Shinmachi at 396, Tanaka at 376, Kimura at 355, Nakajima at 346 and Baba at 344. Kannai hit on the idea of making an index of place names to facilitate checking labels of plant specimens. He had students list all the place names and had a computer company put the data into a computer. The database facilitates sorting the names by kanji characters and lists of place names containing a particular kanji. The database shows there are 57 name places that include the kanji okami , which means “wolf.” Thirty-two are in the Tohoku region, 10 in Iwate Prefecture.
|
smoking;hideki tojo;alcohol;wwi;world war i;nakamura
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jp0009182
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/11/03
|
Canadian held captive in Syria says Japanese journalist Jumpei Yasuda doesn't deserve criticism
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NEW YORK - A Canadian also held captive in Syria has said that freed Japanese journalist Jumpei Yasuda should not be criticized for doing his job. Yasuda, 44, who returned to Japan late last month after 40 months of captivity, has been criticized by some for putting himself in harm’s way by entering Syria alone. He was almost immediately taken hostage by a warring faction that then demanded a ransom for his release. “I think it is very important for journalists and humanitarians to go to areas where a lot of people don’t or can’t get to,” Sean Moore said in a telephone interview Thursday. “The truth has to be told somehow, and that is a journalist’s job.” “He (Yasuda) wasn’t carrying a handgun or an AK-47. He was there with a pen, and his punishment for carrying a pen was absolutely brutal and unnecessary,” Moore said. “Anybody that criticizes him truly doesn’t understand the situation,” said Moore, 48, a resident of Ontario who was freed in February after being held captive for about a month. Moore also faced criticism when he returned home. “Many said, ‘Sean Moore deserved it and should have been left to rot in hell.’ I was told I took the risk and now I should pay the price,” he said. “It is difficult to read and hear these comments.” Moore was taken hostage while trying to help a Canadian woman bring her two sons home from her ex-husband in Lebanon by taking them through Syria and to Turkey. “He (Yasuda) has been through literal hell. It is easy to put blinders on and walk away,” Moore said. Yasuda has said he and Moore were held at the same location, and Moore said Yasuda may have remembered his name because he said it every time guards threw food into his cell. The captivity was “a living hell,” including beatings, Moore said. He was confined in a 90-cm by 1.5 meter cell which was sometimes flooded, and he was fed rotting food. Moore said he did not see Yasuda at the facility since he was blindfolded and handcuffed any time his captors took him out of the cell. He also said his captors told him on the day of his release that they were Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. That group formed through a merger of several groups including the Nusra Front.
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kidnapping;terrorism;syria;jumpei yasuda
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jp0009183
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/11/03
|
Mahathir and Cheney among those to receive national honors
|
The government said Saturday it will bestow honors at its annual fall event on 4,079 citizens and 135 foreign nationals for their achievements in various fields, including music, politics and business. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and former U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen will be among the foreign recipients from 58 countries and regions who are being recognized for their achievements . Mahathir, 93, who promoted his “Look East” policy of learning from Japan’s work ethic while in office between 1981 and 2003, will receive the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers, the highest decoration that will be awarded. He returned to his former office this year. Cheney, 77, and Cohen, 78, will join other former senior U.S. officials who have been honored by Japan for their roles in enhancing the security alliance between the two countries. Both will be conferred the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun. Among Japanese recipients, Takashi Imai, former president of what is now part of Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp., and Juro Saito, a former president of the House of Councilors, will receive the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers. Imai, 88, also headed the nation’s most powerful business lobby, Keidanren. Saito, 78, presided over the Upper House for five years from 1995.
|
awards;dick cheney;mahathir mohamad;william cohen
|
jp0009184
|
[
"world"
] |
2018/11/04
|
Bahrain opposition chief gets life in jail over Qatar spy case
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DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Bahrain’s appeals court sentenced the head of the country’s Shiite opposition movement to jail for life Sunday over charges of spying for rival Persian Gulf state Qatar, a judicial source said. Sheikh Ali Salman, who headed the now-outlawed Al-Wefaq movement, had been acquitted by the high criminal court in June, a verdict the public prosecution appealed. The latest ruling on Sunday can also be appealed. Bahrain, along with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, severed all ties with Qatar in 2017, banning their citizens from travel to or communication with the emirate over what they say are Doha’s ties to both Iran and radical Islamist groups. Salman is currently serving a four-year sentence in a separate case — “inciting hatred” in the kingdom, which has seen mainly Shiite protests against the Sunni monarchy since 2011. In November, Salman and two other members of Al-Wefaq were charged with working for Qatari intelligence with the aim of overthrowing the Bahraini government. King Hamad has announced parliamentary elections on November 24 in Bahrain. Members of dissolved opposition parties, including Al-Wefaq and the secular Al-Waad group, are banned from running. The Sunni-ruled Persian Gulf state has been hit by waves of unrest since 2011, when security forces crushed Shiite-led protests demanding a constitutional monarchy and an elected prime minister. Opposition movements have been outlawed and hundreds of dissidents have been imprisoned — with many stripped of their nationality. Bahrain last year ratified a constitutional amendment granting military courts the authority to try civilians charged with terrorism, a term that is loosely defined by the Bahraini penal code. In June, the kingdom amended its law on political rights, prohibiting “leaders and members of political associations dissolved for violating the kingdom’s constitution or its laws” from running in legislative elections. Bahrain, a key ally of the United States and home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, accuses Shiite Iran of provoking unrest in the kingdom. Iran denies the allegations. The United Nations and rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have criticized the Bahraini monarchy over its treatment of protesters. Amnesty and HRW categorise Salman and other jailed opposition leaders prisoners of conscience.
|
religion;bahrain;sheikh ali salman
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jp0009185
|
[
"national",
"social-issues"
] |
2018/11/04
|
Aging Tokyo town lures young residents with offers of houses and land
|
An inconspicuous wooden teahouse stands midway on a winding road that connects the center of a remote mountainous town in western Tokyo to a scenic lake that supplies water to the capital. Inside the old Japanese-style residence, there are several mismatching tables and chairs on a tatami mat floor, where hikers and bikers can take a break along the roughly 9-kilometer route between Okutama Station and Lake Okutama. Naoko Ida and her husband, Takayuki, who moved to the town several years ago from Kawasaki, opened the store last year after reforming a 100-year-old house they bought as part of the town’s rejuvenation program. This is the second used home the couple acquired in Okutama through programs aimed at luring young settlers to the town, where half the residents are 65 years old or above. “We were living at my parents’ home and were looking for a place to live on our own,” said Naoko Ida, 45. “We wanted to live close to nature somewhere in the Kanto region and we really liked Okutama when we drove here.” Joined by her 33-year-old husband, their two teenage daughters and 5-year-old son, the family first moved into a town-managed apartment three years ago and soon found a five-room house with a garden under a program in which the ownership of the dwelling and land will be transferred to them when they have lived there for 15 years. Last year, the town also matched the family with the house they turned into the cafe, about a 15-minute drive from their residence. Families with children or young couples planning to have them are welcome additions to the aging town. “Ever since Okutama town was created by a merger in 1955, the population has been continually decreasing,” said Kazutaka Niijima, head of the town’s office for youth settlement measures. The town’s population in 1960 totaled nearly 13,800, but the figure has dwindled to around 5,200 of late. Okutama — formed from what used to be the town of Hikawa and the villages of Kori and Ogochi — sits on the western end of Tokyo and has an area of 226 square kilometers, which equals about a tenth of the land area of the metropolis. The entire town is part of Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, so nature has been preserved. Niijima said Okutama was once a bustling town on the back of the forestry industry, but its fortunes declined as wood prices fell due to the liberalization of imports along with reduced demand for lumber. That fall in demand was due to wood being replaced by other materials, such as steel, for construction work, and by other types of fuel. “People who worked here had to look for other jobs elsewhere,” Niijima said. “As young people left, the older generations were left behind. We have come to a point where the town has only one person in the working-age population for each elderly person.” Nationwide, there were about 2.2 people for each elderly person, or those over the age 65, in 2017, according to the Cabinet Office. Niijima’s office, set up in 2016, is running a number of programs, including the housing plans used by the Ida family, aimed at attracting younger residents in the hopes of increasing the proportion of children in the population and eventually having a larger ratio of young people. The town utilizes donated vacant houses and finds suitable families to live there while offering prospective residents up to ¥2 million for renovations. Some such programs are geared toward married couples aged 45 or below and families where the parents are 50 years old or below with a child who is of junior high school age or younger. The town also offers generous child care support, including subsidizing all medical costs for children through high school. The Idas say they are enjoying their life in Okutama but noted that not everything is rosy. For example, the renovation subsidy for their home has not been enough to cover all the alterations they did, which totaled about ¥5 million. Within Japan, people have come from as far as Hokkaido, and families that moved to the town through the rejuvenation programs have included some who were originally from the Philippines and China. Now the town is about to welcome newcomers from New York — Shinichi Kashihara, 50, his 39-year-old Canadian wife, Samara Stob Kashihara, and their 5-year-old son, Issa. “I had been thinking about changing our environment, as my child was soon school age, and moving to Japan, as my parents there were getting old,” said Kashihara, a fashion business consultant who has lived in New York for 20 years. “That’s when I heard about Okutama’s project from an acquaintance and became interested in it.” He first contacted the town by email in February this year and applied to live in a vacant four-room house that happened to become available several months later. A few visits on, the Kashihara family was given the chance to live in the 50-year-old dwelling. “My job is basically mobile so I plan to continue it even after we move to Okutama,” he said. “With the Tokyo Olympics coming up (in 2020), I’m hoping to be able to engage in international projects from my base there.” Okutama’s Niijima said he hopes to make housing available more regularly, but he said this can be difficult because the programs depend on donated homes. “Vacant houses will become industrial waste if they are not utilized, and we believe using them for our resettlement measures is effective in turning them into resources and preventing them from becoming abandoned,” he said. “We hope people who want to live in harmony with nature will move here.”
|
depopulation;elderly people;okutama
|
jp0009186
|
[
"business",
"financial-markets"
] |
2018/11/05
|
Tokyo stocks tumble on U.S.-China trade friction
|
Stocks turned sharply lower Monday, with investors becoming cautious again over the course of U.S.-China trade friction. The key Nikkei 225 fell 344.67 points, or 1.55 percent, to end at 21,898.99. It jumped 556.01 points Friday. The Nikkei fell below 22,000 on a closing basis after retaking the key threshold Friday for the first time in seven market days. The Topix, which covers all first-section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, closed 18.37 points, or 1.11 percent, down at 1,640.39. It gained 26.71 points Friday. The market came under heavy selling pressure after U.S. National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow denied a media report Friday that Donald Trump had asked senior officials of his administration to draft a possible deal with China on trade. Also, massive selling of Fast Retailing, a heavyweight Nikkei 225 component, helped send the key yardstick sharply lower, market sources said. The clothing chain operator was sold after the company reported Friday a 10.0 percent year-on-year fall in same-store sales at its flagship Uniqlo stores for October. Following Kudlow’s denial of the media report, market participants “have begun to have doubts about whether they can be optimistic” over the U.S.-China dispute, Yoshihiko Tabei, chief analyst at Naito Securities Co., said. A wide range of issues posted losses amid the rekindled worries about trade tensions between the world’s biggest and second-biggest economies, an official of a bank-linked securities firm noted. Shanghai stocks’ sluggish performance Monday battered investor sentiment in the Tokyo market, Hiroaki Kuramochi, chief market analyst at Saxo Bank Securities Ltd., pointed out. “Buying was held in check ahead of the U.S. midterm elections” Tuesday, he also said. Falling issues overwhelmed rising ones 1,372 to 656 on the first section, while 83 issues were unchanged. Volume dropped to 1.489 billion shares from 1.818 billion Friday. Fast Retailing closed 4.76 percent lower following the announcement of the weaker October sales at the Uniqlo brand. Hitachi Chemical was downbeat after unveiling on Friday the discovery of additional cases of product quality inspection fraud. System integration service provider NTT Data and drugmaker Astellas were among other major losers. By contrast, apparel shop operator Adastria was upbeat after reporting Friday that its sales in October rose 2.4 percent from the year before on a same-store basis. Also on the plus side were mobile phone carrier SoftBank Group and beverage bottler Sapporo Holdings.
|
stocks;tse;nikkei 225
|
jp0009187
|
[
"business",
"financial-markets"
] |
2018/11/05
|
Dollar retakes ¥113 in Tokyo but topside capped
|
The dollar rose back above ¥113 in Tokyo trading on Monday, but its topside was capped as market players retreated to the sidelines ahead of the U.S. midterm elections Tuesday. At 5 p.m., the dollar stood at ¥113.17-18, up from ¥112.96-97 at the same time Friday. The euro was at $1.1382-1382, down from $1.1435-1436, and at ¥128.83-83, down from ¥129.18-19. The dollar moved on a firm note around ¥113.10-20 in early trading after topping ¥113 in New York on Friday thanks to strong U.S. job data for October. Later in the morning, the greenback was caught in a tug of war between purchases by Japanese importers and selling sparked by a tumble of the Nikkei 225 average, traders said. The U.S. currency rose above ¥113.30 in the afternoon thanks to purchases for position adjustments before losing some of its momentum in late trading due to profit-taking, they said. “Stepping up dollar buying is difficult as a wait-and-see mood is increasing prior to the U.S. midterm elections,” an official of a bank-linked securities firm said. The official added that dollar buying is expected to take the upper hand after the closely watched elections. Meanwhile, a currency broker noted that while the Republican Party is seen maintaining more than half of the seats in the Senate, the Democratic Party is expected to win the House of Representatives. If this happens and President Donald Trump faces difficulties managing his administration as a result, the dollar could come under selling versus the yen, the broker said.
|
exchange rates;forex;currencies
|
jp0009188
|
[
"business",
"corporate-business"
] |
2018/11/05
|
Iris Ohyama makes first foray into Japan's TV market
|
Household product maker Iris Ohyama Inc. said Monday it will start selling television sets later this month in the firm’s first foray into the TV market, aiming to boost its consumer electronics business. The Sendai-based company plans to roll out its Luca-brand TVs on Nov. 22, the company said. The lineup will include four 4K options, including a 55-inch model. Prices will range from ¥79,800 to ¥148,000, about 30 to 40 percent cheaper than comparable models offered by major competitors. In addition, three other high-definition models will go on sale, and the company said it will consider new releases in 2019 after examining the sales results for the seven models to be released this month. Iris Ohyama plans to design the TVs and outsource production to a Chinese maker. The company also announced it will open a new office in Tokyo at the end of this month as a hub for research and development, as well as for sales. The move is part of the company’s effort to double its annual sales to ¥1 trillion by 2022. “We need to handle (TVs and other electronics products for entertainment) to achieve ¥1 trillion (in sales),” Iris Ohyama President Akihiro Ohyama said in an interview. But he added the company “has no plans to sell goods with very short product cycles” such as personal computers and smartphones. Iris Ohyama previously focused on storage, pet and gardening products. In 2009, the company started selling consumer electronics goods. In 2017, it released air conditioners. The company has been active in hiring engineers formerly employed at major electronics makers to develop and design its own products.
|
tvs;iris ohyama;home electronics
|
jp0009189
|
[
"world",
"crime-legal-world"
] |
2018/11/05
|
Reputation precedes Mexican drug lord 'El Chapo' as U.S. trial nears
|
NEW YORK - He is accused of having a hand in dozens of murders, of using his drug cartel to smuggle more than 200 tons of cocaine into the United States, even pulling off running the massive operation from behind bars. That’s when he wasn’t busy escaping from jail — twice. The mythical criminal pedigree of Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who was extradited in 2017 to face U.S. drug conspiracy charges, has sparked security concerns at his upcoming New York City trial that at times have drawn as much attention as the case’s sensational allegations. A look at those concerns for a trial that is starting Monday with jury selection. Opening statements are likely Nov. 13. ___ WITNESSES IN THE CROSS-HAIRS Prosecutors say Guzman was in the habit of ordering the killings of anyone who got in his way during his heyday in Mexico as boss of the Sinaloa cartel. In his way now is a lineup of government witnesses who survived the wave of violence and are expected to give details about the ruthless way he kept power for 20 years in the cutthroat world of international drug trafficking. The defense says the witnesses are the true bad guys whose testimony shouldn’t be trusted. The names of the witnesses have been blacked out on court documents with prosecutors saying their identities need to be protected because their cooperation could put them in the cross-hairs of a vengeful cartel. According to court papers, some are being held in special jail units for their protection, while others are in witness protection programs. The list of people who could turn up on the witness stand is long. Two standout possibilities are twin brothers Pedro and Margarito Flores, former Chicago-based narcotics wholesalers who did business with Guzman before their arrest in 2008. They agreed to cooperate and record phone conversations with Guzman about the size of shipments smuggled on boats and airplanes. In one, a voice identified as Guzman’s asks, “How much can you get rid of in a month?” The now imprisoned brothers paid a steep price for flipping: Prosecutors say in 2009 their father was murdered in Mexico by a cartel hit team. ___ FORTIFYING THE COURTHOUSE At pretrial hearings leading to the trial, heavily armed federal officers and bomb-sniffing dogs patrolled outside. Anyone trying to attend the hearings was put through airport-style metal detectors at the courthouse entrance and at the door of the courtroom itself. The judge also agreed with prosecutors that the jury for the case should be kept anonymous, a measure typical in terrorism or mob cases where jury intimidation is a concern. No one’s hiding the ominous nature of the case from potential jurors. Questions for them on an initial screening form ask if they’ve ever heard of “El Chapo” along with, “Have you, or has anyone close to you, ever felt fearful of or threatened by people who you thought were associated with drug crimes?” Jurors also will be escorted to and from the courthouse by federal officers and sequestered from the public while inside. As a reason, the judge cited prosecutors’ contention that Guzman’s cartel “employs ‘sicarios,’ or hit men, who carried out hundreds of acts of violence, including murders, assaults and kidnappings.” ___ KEEPING AN EYE ON EL CHAPO After Guzman was brought to New York, authorities here decided he should be housed in solitary confinement in a high-security wing of a federal jail in Manhattan that has held notorious terrorists and mobsters. Central to that calculation was Guzman’s history of giving directions to his lieutenants from Mexican jails and credentials as a two-time escapee there. The second time was via a mile-long (1.6 km-long) tunnel dug to the shower in his cell. The logistical problem for his keepers: The case is being prosecuted across the East River in federal court in Brooklyn. For pre-trial hearings, authorities opted to transport him to and from jail by shutting down the Brooklyn Bridge to make way for a police motorcade that included a SWAT team and an ambulance, all tracked by helicopters. The judge indicated he thinks the time and expense involved would add up to a logistical nightmare — and an inconvenience for New Yorkers who rely on the bridge to commute — for a trial expected to last as long as four months. He said there would be adjustments, but didn’t elaborate. There’s now speculation that a special cell for Guzman has been set up in the bowels of the courthouse where he will spend the night after his days in court. But no one is saying. For security reasons, of course.
|
murder;drugs;cocaine;joaquin el chapo guzman
|
jp0009190
|
[
"national",
"politics-diplomacy"
] |
2018/11/05
|
Mitsubishi Materials near to finalizing compensation fund for wartime forced labor in China
|
BEIJING - Mitsubishi Materials Corp. is in the final stages of setting up a fund that will be used to pay compensation to thousands of Chinese people forced to labor in Japan during World War II, it was learned Sunday. The fund represents the final hurdle in a settlement that the Japanese company reached with the main groups of Chinese claimants in June 2016. Under the agreement, Mitsubishi Materials will pay 100,000 yuan (about $15,000) to each of the victims and their families. In accordance with the settlement, the fund will manage the money paid from the company to the 3,765 victims, and confirm eligibility for bereaved families with inheritance rights. The company aims to have the fund up and running by the end of the current year, which marks the 40th anniversary of the peace and friendship treaty between Japan and China, according to sources close to the arrangements. The fund, to be called the Historical Human Rights Peace Fund, will be jointly launched by Japan and China, the sources also said. Given the number of victims, the total settlement will reach into tens of millions of dollars. Those from China forced to work in Japan by Mitsubishi Materials, which was known at the time as Mitsubishi Mining Corp., labored at coal mines. They were among some 39,000 Chinese nationals brought to the country against their will between 1943 and 1945 in line with a Japanese government decision to use them to compensate for a shortage of domestic labor. Due to deprivation and the conditions of their work, 6,830 of them died. Starting in the 1990s, Chinese survivors of forced labor and their families filed a series of compensation lawsuits against the Japanese government and firms involved. So far, Mitsubishi Materials has paid compensation to around 10 survivors. But as an organization to handle investigations regarding inheritance rights has yet to be established, no payments have been made to bereaved families. The discharge of those payments is likely to strongly influence other postwar compensation cases. In South Korea last week, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court decision that ordered a Japanese steel firm to pay compensation to former forced laborers. The development brings into sharp contrast the differing approaches to wartime compensation in China and South Korea. According to sources familiar with Sino-Japan relations, a civic organization on the Chinese side has so far identified more than 1,000 bereaved families. Besides tracking down survivors and bereaved families whose whereabouts are unknown, Mitsubishi Materials also agreed to construct memorials at the sites where the company’s mines were located and organize memorial ceremonies. In the initial disbursement, Mitsubishi Materials is to pay ¥100 million (about $883,000) to cover the cost of constructing memorials and ¥200 million to fund probes into those who were forced into labor during the war but have not been officially accounted for in records. In the settlement agreement, Mitsubishi Materials expressed “painful reflection” and pledged to set up the fund for a “permanent, comprehensive solution” of the forced labor issue and “pass on the facts to future generations” by building memorials. However, the bereaved families of some victims have indicated that they plan to continue litigation against Mitsubishi Materials, with one lawyer saying that the plaintiffs represented in the case number over 100. After the end of World War II in 1945, Japan’s Foreign Ministry compiled an investigative report on Chinese forced labor that listed the names of all Chinese males who were brought to Japan.
|
wwii;forced labor;mitsubishi materials
|
jp0009191
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/11/05
|
More Japanese women turn to doulas for maternity support
|
The country is seeing an increase in the number of nonmedical professionals known as doulas, who provide emotional and physical support to women before, during or after childbirth, amid a rise in nuclear families and mothers coping with solo parenting. The tasks performed by a doula — modern Greek for female helper — range from offering advice and comfort to taking care of household chores. About 180 doulas are active in 26 of the 47 prefectures, according to an association of such women. “Family lifestyles have become more diverse and so have the concerns of family members,” said Kimiko Nishi, a 53-year-old doula and former child care worker. With more couples working, and their parents too, Nishi has come across many mothers who don’t know how they will cope with child-raising. One such is Mami Tanaka, a pseudonym for a 36-year-old mother of two in Tokyo. Once a week for three hours, Nishi takes care of Tanaka’s 2-year-old son and 5-month-old daughter, and cooks while the art teacher paints in a different room. Tanaka sought help from a doula after returning to her job two months after giving birth. She could not expect her husband to help out with housework, child care and applying to nursery school because he works at a restaurant until midnight. Her mother, who lives in western Japan, did not wish to get involved in child care duties and in any case she and Tanaka are always fighting. “If I’d had my mother to help me, I think both us would have gone nuts,” Tanaka said. “We are like ‘escort runners’ for child rearing,” Nishi said, alluding to the guide runners who encourage and support visually impaired athletes. “Creating a situation where a mother can be herself will bring smiles to the whole family.” Doulas have already taken root in Europe and the United States, and were fully introduced to Japan in 2012, when the Japan Doula Association was established, providing classes and certification training. About 360 women have taken the courses to learn about the physical and emotional changes associated with pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, as well as to hone their household chores. Doulas charge ¥2,000 to ¥3,000 per hour for their services, and some local governments in the Tokyo metropolitan area subsidize the cost. “We want to create a system that helps someone who wants to rely on others to do so, which we are doing by cooperating with municipalities and businesses,” said Kasumi Ushida, a director of the association.
|
women;maternity
|
jp0009192
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/11/05
|
Superrealistic face masks by Japan firm attract attention from facial-recognition system developers
|
Superrealistic plastic face masks produced by a firm in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, have recently attracted attention at home and abroad, from facial-recognition system developers to a Saudi Arabian royal family member. “Look, it makes your heart pound, doesn’t it?” says Osamu Kitagawa, 60, president of Real-f Co., as he shows off a face mask. The masks — called Real Face — are made of plastic resin roughly 1 to 2 millimeters thick. Kitagawa says he came up with the idea of making realistic masks more than a decade ago, when he was developing copy machines at a major printing device manufacturer. “I wanted to make copies of human beings,” he said. “I wanted to make two-dimensional pictures into three dimensions. That would be more interesting.” After he left the firm in 2009, it took him two years to develop the unique technology to produce masks before establishing his own company. A mask prototype is first created by plaster using 3D facial data taken from photographs that is captured by a technology Kitagawa says is a trade secret. Details are then engraved on the plaster mask using a chisel, and plastic resin is stretched over it. It takes about two weeks to complete a mask, which replicates every facial detail, including skin color, pores and the eyes’ capillaries and irises. The company of five employees sells more than 100 masks a year. Its customers have included an advertising agency that uses masks of actors at promotional events. Facial-recognition system developers also order masks of their employees to test out their systems during the development stage. Additionally, a member of the Saudi Arabian royal family made an order so the family could put the mask on display as if it were a portrait. Kitagawa said he has also received orders from medical workers and people who have facial scarring due to accidents or surgeries so they can cover the markings. But the firm has not been able to respond to the requests because it has not yet developed a technology that makes it possible to produce the masks using soft materials such as silicone. “I hope to achieve this somehow,” he said. The mask costs ¥300,000 for the initial model and ¥60,000 each for additional copy. For details, contact the firm at 077-548-8808 or 090-5054-7291.
|
shiga;otsu;masks
|
jp0009193
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/11/05
|
Malicious descriptions about North and South Korean groups temporarily displayed on Google Maps
|
Malicious descriptions, such as one targeting the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, or Chongryon, were displayed temporarily on Google Maps, it was learned Sunday. Chongryon’s Tokyo headquarters was described as criminal on the online map, while the former Tokyo headquarters site of the Japanese opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) was indicated as the Japan chapter of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. The descriptions were deleted by Friday, and their author remains unknown. On the map, the Mie Prefecture branch of the pro-Seoul Korean Residents Union in Japan, or Mindan, was labeled as an anti-Japan South Korean base. Chongryon’s Human Rights Association for Korean Residents in Japan said that the descriptions were “discriminatory and cannot be justified” and that Google’s responsibility as the map’s provider can be pursued. The SDP said, “Malicious postings should be restricted.” Inappropriate descriptions by users have temporarily appeared on Google Maps several times in the past. In 2015, three people were accused of posting information on the map describing the Atomic Bomb Dome in the city of Hiroshima as a nuclear test site. At the time, Google said it was strengthening its ability to detect inaccurate information and prevent incorrect descriptions. Information technology journalist Yo Mikami said that Google Maps is a public service used by many people and that Google has a social responsibility to ensure its accuracy and prevent expressions of hate. Companies and groups need to watch for improper descriptions on their websites by themselves, Mikami said. A Google spokesman said that steps are “being taken continuously to ensure that (Google Maps) is used safely.” Google will modify or delete inaccurate information on the map if it is notified, the spokesman said.
|
google;sdp;chongryon
|
jp0009195
|
[
"business"
] |
2018/11/02
|
Kansai Electric attaches delivery lockers to power poles to gauge demand
|
SEIKA, KYOTO PREF. - Kansai Electric Power Co. said Thursday it has attached delivery lockers to power poles in Seika, a town in Kyoto Prefecture, to assess demand for such a service. The utility company intends to hear from users and examine the convenience of such lockers as it mulls whether to fully launch the service. The trial service will continue until March 15. Kansai Electric collaborated with Tokyo-based major delivery locker-maker Fulltime System Co., the Seika Municipal Government and delivery service firms Yamato Transport Co., Sagawa Express Co. and Japan Post Co. Delivery lockers were installed on three power poles on the sidewalk facing condominiums and within the grounds of the buildings. Some 30 families living in three condominium buildings in the town can use the service. If parcels are delivered to lockers while a registered user is not home, an email is sent to notify the user of the delivery. The user unlocks the locker and receives the parcel with a password or types of smart cards often used with transportation services. Delivery lockers at power poles will be useful when no space or power source is available to install such equipment at condominiums, people involved in the trial service said. In areas where Kansai Electric operates, there are some 2.7 million power poles. A Kansai Electric official said the service could make good use of power poles. It is the first time in Japan that power poles have been used for such a purpose.
|
delivery;kansai electric power;yamato transport;sagawa express
|
jp0009196
|
[
"business",
"financial-markets"
] |
2018/11/02
|
Nikkei jumps above 22,000 amid receding trade friction fears
|
Stocks rebounded sharply on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Friday amid receding jitters over U.S.-China trade friction, sending the benchmark Nikkei above 22,000 for the first time in over one week. The 225-issue Nikkei average soared 556.01 points, or 2.56 percent, to end at 22,243.66, the first finish above 22,000 since Oct. 24. It plunged 232.81 points on Thursday. The Topix index of all first-section issues closed up 26.71 points, or 1.64 percent, at 1,658.76, after shedding 14.07 points the previous day. The Nikkei average retook 22,000 briefly in the morning following Wall Street’s advance Thursday, as concerns receded over the U.S.-China trade friction following telephone talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, market sources said. The key market indicator pared its early gains due to selling on a rally in early afternoon trading. But later, its gains expanded to over 600 points temporarily after a news report that Trump asked senior officials to draw up a possible deal with China on trade. “A compromise has come into sight” between the two countries, Mitsuo Shimizu, chief strategist at Aizawa Securities Co., said, referring to the news report. Market participants have waited for such a deal “for months,” Shimizu also said. He attributed Friday’s sharp rebound also to “purchases inspired by upward revisions” to earnings forecasts announced by major Japanese companies recently. In addition, investors bought back telecommunications issues that tumbled Thursday, brokers said. Rising issues overwhelmed falling ones 1,495 to 561 in the TSE’s first section, while 55 issues were unchanged. Volume rose to 1.818 billion shares from 1.782 billion shares on Thursday. China-linked issues, such as industrial equipment manufacturers Fanuc and Yaskawa Electric, were buoyant. Mobile phone carriers NTT Docomo, KDDI and SoftBank Group were also upbeat a day after their plunge. Semiconductor-related names, such as Tokyo Electron, Sumco and Shin-Etsu Chemical, were strong after their U.S. peers fared well in New York on Thursday. Railcar-maker Nippon Sharyo went limit-down with a 16.87 percent loss after announcing Thursday that an express train it made that crashed in Taiwan last month failed to meet part of the specifications set by the Taiwanese railway operator. Other major losers included automaker Suzuki and technology giant Sony. In index futures trading on the Osaka Exchange, the key December contract on the Nikkei average skyrocketed 690 points to end at 22,230.
|
stocks;nikkei;topix
|
jp0009197
|
[
"business",
"financial-markets"
] |
2018/11/02
|
Dollar slightly firmer around ¥113 in late Tokyo trading
|
The dollar was slightly firmer around ¥113 in late Tokyo trading Friday, supported by hopes that the United States and China may begin moving to resolve their damaging trade war. At 5 p.m., the dollar stood at ¥112.96-97, up from ¥112.89-90 at the same time Thursday. The euro was at $1.1435-1436, up from $1.1359-1359, and at ¥129.18-19, up from ¥128.24-24. The dollar was sluggish versus the yen throughout the morning after the Institute for Supply Management’s U.S. manufacturing index for October turned out weaker than expected Thursday, traders said. In the afternoon, the U.S. currency took a sudden upturn to top ¥113 following a news report that U.S. President Donald Trump asked senior officials to make a draft of a trade deal with China, the traders also said. In late trading, the dollar fluctuated narrowly around ¥113. The dollar-yen pair is unlikely to move much prior to Friday’s announcement of U.S. jobs data for October and Tuesday’s U.S. midterm elections, a Japanese bank official said. An official of a bank-linked securities firm said that the dollar “is expected to be capped at a technically important level of around ¥113.30.” “China may not necessarily accept a U.S. proposal for a deal,” an official of a foreign exchange margin trading service firm said, warning against making a premature judgment on the course of the two countries’ trade friction.
|
yen;euro;dollar;forex
|
jp0009198
|
[
"world"
] |
2018/11/02
|
U.S. sanctions set to bite in Iran, but what will happen next?
|
WASHINGTON - Six months after U.S. President Donald Trump bolted from a nuclear deal on Iran, the United States from Monday will try to strangle the country’s economy with sweeping sanctions, but doubts abound on how effective the campaign will be. The United States has vowed to end all sales of Iranian oil, the country’s crucial export, as well as international banking transactions, snapping back sanctions lifted by Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama. But much has changed since the Obama administration targeted Iran’s economy in 2012. Obama won broad, if at times begrudging, international support as he set a goal of bringing Iran to the table to end its nuclear program. Iran — led by a more moderate president, Hassan Rouhani — has, according to U.N. inspectors, abided by the 2015 agreement, which is still supported by European powers and Russia and China, which all signed the nuclear deal. “This is not 2012, when the world was united behind sanctions against Iran. This is the Trump administration trying to force the rest of the world to go along with a policy that most countries do not accept,” said Barbara Slavin, an Iran expert at the Washington-based Atlantic Council. “The U.S. has had some success in terms of frightening away major corporations. The sanctions hurt a lot. But Iran is still going to be able to sell oil,” especially to China, she said. The United States has accepted that it will need to issue waivers to countries that do not fully stop buying Iranian oil, with friends of the United States such as India and South Korea looking for sanctions exemptions, and Tehran may keep up clandestine sales. The Trump administration has sent mixed signals, swerving between saying it will send Iranian oil exports to “zero” and dangling waivers that could allow some to keep buying. A senior administration official said this week that the U.S. has agreed to let eight countries — including Japan, India and South Korea — keep buying Iranian oil, but only temporarily. The European Union has gone so far as to protect businesses that operate in Iran. It has announced plans for a legal framework through which firms can skirt U.S. sanctions, although few major corporations have been eager to risk the wrath of penalties in the world’s largest economy. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has issued a list of demands for Iran that go well beyond the nuclear program that was the focus of Obama’s deal. He wants the Shiite clerical regime to withdraw from war-ravaged Syria, where it is a critical ally of President Bashar Assad, as well as to end long-standing support to regional militant movements Hezbollah and Hamas. Pompeo has also insisted Iran cut off backing for Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who are facing a U.S.-backed air campaign led by Saudi Arabia. In a recent tweet Pompeo crowed that the International Monetary Fund is predicting a 3.6 percent contraction of Iran’s economy next year. “That’s what happens when the ruling regime steals from its people and invests in Assad — instead of creating jobs for Iranians, they ruin the economy,” he said. But experts see no rapid turnaround from Iran’s leaders — especially the military and clerical establishments, for whom resistance to the United States has been an article of faith since the 1979 Islamic Revolution overthrew the pro-U.S. shah. “It’s basically magical thinking. The Iranians have been able to continue their support to regional proxies and allies for 40 years despite economic pressure,” said Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group. He said the Trump administration believes that a constrained, struggling Iran will see its influence erode. But the final goal, he said, is unclear. “I think the end game depends on who you’re asking. The president himself is interested in having a broader, better deal with the Iranians, but I believe that most of his national security team are interested in either destabilizing Iran or assuring a regime change in Tehran,” Vaez said. Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, is a long-standing hawk with ties to Iran’s armed, exiled opposition. One European diplomat believes Trump is following his playbook on North Korea, with which he is negotiating only a year after threatening “fire and fury.” “It’s the same war plan as with Kim Jong Un and North Korea — sanctions, maximum pressure and then ready to negotiate,” he said. The United States says it is exempting humanitarian goods from the sanctions, although Europeans say they have received no guidance on how to avoid penalties. Another Western diplomat said that Iran is more dependent on the outside world than the country’s conservatives would like to think. “In truth there are starts of a panic as there’s beginning to be a shortage of medicine. We’re heading back to the old war economy, which is tightly controlled.” Complicating Trump’s effort, Saudi Arabia — Iran’s regional rival, which has long pressed Washington to get tough — is increasingly unpopular after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom’s Istanbul consulate. But Tehran has been winning few friends, with France and Denmark recently accusing the clerical state’s intelligence agencies of plotting to attack Iranian opponents in Europe.
|
u.s .;trade;eu;nuclear weapons;iran;donald trump
|
jp0009199
|
[
"world",
"offbeat-world"
] |
2018/11/02
|
Can music make cheese tastier? Swiss Emmental maker experiments
|
BERTHOUD, SWITZERLAND - When searching the perfect chunk of cheddar or Parmesan, cheese aficionados have probably never grilled vendors over what kind of music was played to their cheeses. But a Swiss cheese-maker has embarked on an experiment to test the impact of music on Emmental, one of the most famous cheeses in Switzerland. Marching through his 19th-century cellar in Burgdorf, a town also known as Berthoud, on the edge of the Emmental region in central Switzerland, Beat Wampfler shows off hundreds of perfectly formed circles of the holey classic maturing in neat rows. A veterinarian by day but consummate apron-wearing cheese enthusiast at night, Wampfler’s love for Emmental has aged well over the years. In one corner of his impeccably clean cellar, nine open wooden crates sit with wheels of Emmental inside, and small music speakers directly below. Since September, the cheeses have been blasted with sonic masterpieces from the likes of rock gods Led Zeppelin to hip-hop legends A Tribe Called Quest. The project hopes to show that the power of music can influence the development, characteristics and even flavor of the cheese. “Bacteria is responsible for the formation of the taste of cheese, with the enzymes that influence its maturity. I am convinced that humidity, temperature or nutrients are not the only things that influence taste,” Wampfler said. “Sounds, ultrasounds or music can also have physical effects.” Parts of the scientific community have spent years analyzing the effect of sound on plants, and some moms-to-be believe playing classical music to their unborn child makes it smarter. Is testing whether hard rock stimulates Roquefort or Queso is a follower of flamenco really so far-fetched? The University of the Arts in Bern does not think so, and is helping Wampfler conduct the experiment. “At first we were skeptical,” admitted Michael Harenberg, the university’s music director. “Then we discovered there is a field called sonochemistry that looks at the influences of sound waves, the effect of sound on solid bodies.” Scientists have experimented with sonochemistry, in particular looking into how ultrasound can affect chemical reactions. With Wampfler’s cheeses, the sounds played to them also include techno beats, ambient choirs and Mozart’s “Magic Flute.” “We are trying to … answer the question: In the end, is there anything measurable? Or something that has an effect on the taste?” Harenberg said. Students at the university are helping to conduct the project as part of a program launched last year to bring communities in the region together — in this case agriculture and the arts. “At first we were a bit scared,” laughed program director Christian Pauli. “We never thought we would find ourselves one day in a cellar in Burgdorf concerned about cheese.” For now, the Emmentals age bathed in their respective genres, maturing their flavors in potentially alternative sonic-induced ways, awaiting tasting in the new year. “Will the cheese taste better? It’s hard to say,” Wampfler said. Mulling over the different music styles, he couldn’t predict a winner but had a favorite: “I hope that the hip-hop cheese will be the best.” A jury of expert cheese tasters will assess whether there is a hole in this Swiss cheese experiment on March 14.
|
music;food;switzerland;cheese
|
jp0009201
|
[
"asia-pacific",
"social-issues-asia-pacific"
] |
2018/11/02
|
U.N. agencies' report says hundreds of millions of adults, children in Asia's booming cities are undernourished
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BANGKOK - Hundreds of millions of children and adults in Asia’s rapidly expanding cities are undernourished, and will remain so without “inclusive, sustainable and nutrition-sensitive” urban planning, United Nations officials said Friday. The Asia-Pacific region has the world’s highest rate of urbanization and is home to more than half the world’s 821 million undernourished people, four U.N. agencies said in a report released in Bangkok. “Progress in reducing undernourishment has slowed tremendously,” said the regional heads of Food and Agriculture Organization, the U.N. Children’s Fund, the World Food Program and the World Health Organization. “As migration from rural to urban areas continues apace, particularly involving poorer families, urban malnutrition is a challenge facing many countries,” they said in a statement. World hunger rose in 2017 for a third consecutive year due to conflict and climate change, jeopardizing a global goal to end the scourge by 2030, the United Nations said in an earlier report. At the same time, more than 1 in 8 adults are now obese, with the Asia-Pacific region recording the fastest-growing prevalence of childhood obesity, fueled by easier access to processed foods rich in salt, fat and sugar. Rapid urbanization is a key factor in both, the rising levels of malnutrition and obesity, in Asia and the Pacific. China and India, the world’s most populous countries, are expected to account for more than a fourth of the projected growth in the global urban population by 2050, adding about 690 million to their cities. Historically, urbanization has been seen as a sign of social and economic transformation, associated with higher standards of living, including better health and nutrition. “However, if not managed well, rapid urbanization can also lead to dysfunctional food systems, resulting in undernutrition and obesity occurring within the same city or even the same household,” the report noted. “It is therefore important to ensure that the rapidly expanding cities in Asia and the Pacific are planned in an inclusive, sustainable and nutrition-sensitive manner.” The challenge is exacerbated by the rising numbers living in slums. About one-third of the urban population is in slums with limited access to welfare benefits and safety nets, which impacts on their food security, nutrition and livelihoods. In addition, informal food markets and street vendors that provide cheap and convenient meals to the urban poor are increasingly under attack in many Asian countries including Thailand and Malaysia. Urban food policy in the region must take into account transport, infrastructure, housing, education, and water and sanitation for greater impact, the report noted. “Urban planners must become new nutrition partners,” it said. “The world cannot meet the 2030 target of zero hunger if Asia and the Pacific is not leading the way. The sense of urgency cannot be overstated.”
|
poverty;development;hunger;cities
|
jp0009202
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/11/02
|
Freed journalist Jumpei Yasuda expresses gratitude, apologizes over Syria ordeal
|
Journalist Jumpei Yasuda, who returned to Japan last month after being held by militants in Syria for more than three years, said Thursday that he did not hold any grudge toward the Japanese government over his ordeal. “I believe the government officials did everything they could,” given their stance of not paying ransoms to terrorists and that gathering information on the situation in that region is difficult. “I owe an apology to all those who did their utmost to secure my release, and I’d also like to say that I’m deeply grateful for all the efforts” that led to the release, he told a jam-packed news conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo. “I’m really sorry for involving, and thus endangering, the government.” Addressing a recent barrage of criticism, mostly online, which claimed that Yasuda should take personal responsibility for entering a war zone, the journalist said that he deserved it. “You enter conflict-stressed zones on your own responsibility, and you can blame yourself if something happens to you,” he said. Yasuda, who after returning to Japan spent several days in a hospital, said he was still recovering from the traumatic events. Yasuda was abducted soon after he entered Syria from Turkey via a mountainous route on June 22, 2015. He believes he may have been deceived by people who were meant to be helping him cross the border. Yasuda said he did not know for certain the name of the group that held him. However, based on conversations he was part of or heard while in captivity, he concluded that the group may be the al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or the Levant Liberation Committee. The group was formed from a merger of the Nusra Front and other militant groups. He said he could keep track of the events because he was allowed to keep records in a diary. Yasuda said that in late July 2015, the militants informed him that they had demanded the Japanese government pay a ransom. The group was reported to have been seeking $10 million (¥1.1 billion). Apparently the militants had high hopes that Tokyo would respond to their demand, and they allowed Yasuda to watch television and treated him to sweets and local delicacies while keeping him under surveillance during the first months of his ordeal. Yasuda said the militants informed him that the government was willing to pay. But in the closing days of December that year, they told him that Tokyo had ceased negotiations. “During that time, I clung to the idea that the government was trying to buy time,” he said. Yasuda, who was transferred to various locations over the period of his 40-month detention, was held alongside other hostages. They included Pakistanis and an Italian man, who like Yasuda appeared in a video wearing orange jumpsuits begging for help. Yasuda said that to scare him and prevent him from leaking information about his whereabouts or the militant group, he was often forced to listen to other hostages being tortured. He mentioned that Uighurs were among the militants keeping him under surveillance in the last months of his ordeal. Militants suspected him of spying, and later played with his emotions by keeping him in a room where he wasn’t able to move, he added. He said he was given script for most of the videos that militants released for negotiations, some of which were disclosed by media in Japan. Before filming, he said, he was often required to eat chili peppers because the militants wanted him to appear tearful. “They assured me they wouldn’t kill me,” he said. He also said his captors repeated promises of a prompt release numerous times, but in the last weeks he felt desperate and told the guards to “either let me go or kill me.” Looking ahead, Yasuda said he had no idea whether he would return to Syria or neighboring countries to report. “I go to such places when I want to get information, when I have questions,” he said. He also stressed that “the role of journalists reporting from conflict-stressed zones is indispensable,” as they observe events impossible to cover and hard to comprehend from the outside. For example, he said that in Syria he was hoping to obtain documents concerning members and the structure of the Islamic State group, which in 2015 wielded power in the nation and posed a significant threat to the world. “At that time I wanted to see how the world of Islam works there, whether an outsider can grasp how it works and what problems exist in that society,” he said. “I still want to learn more about Syria and convey the voices of people living there.”
|
terrorism;syria;al-qaida;jumpei yasuda
|
jp0009203
|
[
"national",
"history"
] |
2018/11/02
|
Articles published during wartime by former Domei News Agency released online in free-to-access archive
|
The Japan Press Research Institute has started releasing online articles published mostly during wartime by the Domei News Agency, the predecessor of Jiji Press and Kyodo News. The articles released Thursday were those compiled in “Domei Junpo” news booklets issued between July 1937 and January 1941. According to the institute, which is chaired by former Jiji Press President Yutaka Nishizawa, “Domei Junpo” was published every 10 days from July 1937 to January 1943. In booklets’ subsequent form, rebranded “Domei Jiji Geppo” and released monthly, publication continued until March 1945. A total of 225 issues — with about 26,000 pages and containing some 300,000 articles — were published in total. The materials released Thursday make up half of the archive. On a dedicated website , viewers can search for articles by their headline, year, dateline and other details. The articles, in PDF format, are available to download for free, and may be quoted in magazines or other media as long as the source is cited. The articles include a report on the Marco Polo Bridge incident on July 7, 1937, in which Japanese and Chinese troops clashed in a suburb of Beijing, triggering a full-scale war between the two countries. In February, materials from the booklets issued between January 1941 and March 1945 will be released, including an article on the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii by the Imperial Japanese Navy on Dec. 8, 1941, which plunged Japan and the United States into war. Photo news distributed to schools, English news published for overseas readers and weekly photo magazines will also be digitized in 2019 and coming years. An official at the institute said the trove of articles is of great value as a historical source, and they expressed hope that the online release will contribute to research into the history of the 1926-1989 Showa Era and media in the period. The Domei News Agency existed between January 1936 and October 1945. Its roles included helping with the implementation of Japan’s national policies. With a staff of about 5,500, Domei News Agency distributed articles and photographs to some 200 organizations in Japan, including newspaper publishers, and published Japanese-language newspapers in many locations in Asia outside Japan. At its peak, the agency maintained a total of 68 branch and other offices across Japan, in addition to its head office in Tokyo, as well as branches in China and Singapore. It also translated news about Japan into languages including English and Chinese for distribution on shortwave radio.
|
world war ii;online;domei news agency
|
jp0009204
|
[
"national",
"crime-legal"
] |
2018/11/02
|
Man arrested in Hamamatsu over fatal stabbing of Filipino ex-girlfriend
|
SHIZUOKA - A man was arrested Friday on the suspicion that he had fatally stabbed his Filipino ex-girlfriend the previous night at a restaurant in Shizuoka Prefecture, local police said. Yasumasa Yamaguchi, 45, allegedly stabbed Rowena Casimiro Haga, 48, at around 11:20 p.m. Thursday at a restaurant they used to frequent in the city of Hamamatsu. Haga had complained of being stalked by Yamaguchi, according to the police. Yamaguchi was warned not to approach Haga by the police in June after he tried to force his way into her home. Haga was found lying on the floor with multiple stab wounds to her chest when a paramedic arrived at the restaurant, according to the local rescue service. Yamaguchi fled in a car but was arrested around four hours later on a road about 2 kilometers from the crime scene.
|
stabbing;shizuoka;police
|
jp0009205
|
[
"business"
] |
2018/11/20
|
Airbnb to remove listings in West Bank settlements
|
JERUSALEM - Short-term rental company Airbnb Inc. said it will remove listings in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, enclaves that most world powers consider illegal for taking up land where Palestinians seek statehood. “We concluded that we should remove listings in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank that are at the core of the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians,” a statement on the Airbnb website said. “Our hope is that someday sooner rather than later, a framework is put in place where the entire global community is aligned so there will be a resolution to this historic conflict and a clear path forward for everybody to follow.” An Airbnb spokesman said Monday that the decision, affecting some 200 listings, would take effect in the days ahead. There was no immediate response from the government of Israel, which captured the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war, nor from Palestinian authorities. Some 500,000 Israelis live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas that are also home to more than 2.6 million Palestinians. Oded Revivi, mayor of the West Bank settlement of Efrat and a representative of the umbrella settler council Yesha, described the Airbnb decision as contrary to its mission, as stated on the website, of “help(ing) to bring people together in as many places as possible around the world. “When they make such a decision, they get involved with politics, which … is going to defeat the actual purpose of the enterprise itself,” he said.
|
israel;palestinians;west bank;airbnb
|
jp0009206
|
[
"business",
"financial-markets"
] |
2018/11/20
|
Tokyo stocks plunge on Wall Street fall
|
Stocks turned sharply lower Tuesday, hurt by an overnight plunge in U.S. equities. The Nikkei 225 average dropped 238.04 points, or 1.09 percent, to end at 21,583.12 after briefly sagging nearly 300 points in early trading. On Monday, the key market gauge rose 140.82 points. The Topix, which covers all first-section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, closed 11.94 points, or 0.73 percent, lower at 1,625.67. It gained 8.31 points Monday. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index tumbled 3.03 percent and hit the lowest level in nearly seven months Monday due to growing concerns over sales of Apple Inc.’s new iPhone products, dampening market sentiment in Tokyo, brokers said. Investors were also concerned about the course of the U.S. economy after a weak housing market index released by the National Association of Home Builders. There was little positive news flow, an official of a bank-affiliated securities firm said, suggesting that high U.S. long-term interest rates are taking a toll on the world’s largest economy. “Foreign investors are already in a holiday mood” ahead of Thanksgiving Day in the United States on Thursday, an official of a Japanese brokerage firm said. “Given limited market participation, buying interest is unlikely to increase significantly,” the official said. Mitsuo Shimizu, chief strategist at Aizawa Securities Co., expressed hopes for Black Friday this week to be a positive turning point for stock prices. Falling issues outnumbered rising ones 1,294 to 734 in the first section, while 84 issues were unchanged. Volume increased to 1.430 billion shares from 1.286 billion Monday. Nissan dived 5.45 percent after Chairman Carlos Ghosn was arrested the previous day for allegedly underreporting his executive remuneration. Mitsubishi Motors, for which Ghosn also serves as chairman, dropped 6.85 percent. But Ghosn’s arrest had only a limited impact on the overall Tokyo market, brokers said. Technology names met with selling after their U.S. peers fared poorly overnight. They included Apple-linked Murata Manufacturing and Alps Electric, semiconductor-related Advantest and Sumco, and game maker Nintendo. Other major losers included mobile phone carrier SoftBank Group and clothing retailer Fast Retailing. By contrast, Toyota gained 1.59 percent after JPMorgan Securities Japan Co. raised its investment rating and target stock price for the leading automaker. Also higher were power firm Tepco and railway operator JR East.
|
stocks;tse;nikkei 225;forex
|
jp0009207
|
[
"business",
"financial-markets"
] |
2018/11/20
|
Dollar lowers to around ¥112.50 in late Tokyo trading
|
The dollar was weaker around ¥112.50 in Tokyo trading late Tuesday, dampened by weak stock prices. At 5 p.m., the dollar stood at ¥112.50-51, down from ¥112.75-75 at the same time Monday. The euro was at $1.$1458-1459, up from $1.1407-1411, and at ¥128.95-97, up from ¥128.62-62. The dollar traded at around ¥112.40 in early trading. The greenback rose to levels around ¥112.60 in midmorning trading, as the Nikkei 225 stock average trimmed losses after a weak start, traders said, adding that dollar buying by Japanese importers also gave a boost to the U.S. currency. In the afternoon, the dollar’s topside grew heavy as the Nikkei moved deeper into the red, traders said. The dollar was “firm” against the yen even after a risk-averse mood strengthened due to lower stock prices, a currency broker said. “Some traders sold the dollar on speculation that interest rate gaps between Japan and the United States will narrow” as they expect an end to U.S. Federal Reserve rate hikes, an official of a trust bank said.
|
exchange rates;forex;currencies
|
jp0009208
|
[
"business",
"corporate-business"
] |
2018/11/20
|
Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn arrested over allegations of 'grave' financial misconduct
|
Carlos Ghosn, chairman of the alliance between Nissan Motor Co., Renault SA and Mitsubishi Motors Corp., was arrested Monday over the alleged underreporting of his income and misuse of company funds, in an unprecedented scandal that sent shock waves through one of the world’s top automaker groups. Ghosn, 64, is expected to be relieved of his post Thursday at a meeting of the company’s board of directors, Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa told a news conference later in the evening, adding that Ghosn’s long reign had negatively impacted the firm’s governance. The carmaker said it had initiated an internal investigation after a report by a whistleblower revealed misconduct by Ghosn and Nissan Representative Director Greg Kelly, alleging that the two executives had conspired to underreport Ghosn’s salary for a number of years. The Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office had questioned Ghosn earlier in the day and arrested him and Kelly. Together, the amount of their underreporting amounted to some ¥5 billion over five years between 2011 and 2015, sources said. The automaker said its investigation also exposed other wrongdoings, including using the company’s assets for personal purposes. At the hastily organized news conference, which ran late into the evening, Saikawa apologized for the trouble he said had been caused by Ghosn, who has long been seen as the public face of the automaker. “We cannot go into details today, but we have confirmed that this matter is totally unacceptable as a company. Experts have also said this misconduct is grave enough to relieve (Ghosn and Kelly) from their posts,” Saikawa said. “We are deeply sorry and regret the betrayal of trust of various related people, shareholders and suppliers who have supported us for many years because Ghosn was leading Nissan,” he said. Nissan has been providing information to prosecutors and has been cooperating fully with their investigation, Saikawa added. He said he will propose to Nissan’s board of directors that Ghosn be removed from his positions as chairman and representative director as well as Kelly from his position as representative director on Thursday. Asked why Nissan had been unable to identify Ghosn’s alleged malfeasance earlier, Saikawa said the misdeeds had “not really come to the surface,” an indication of the chairman’s grip on power and apparent to stymie transparency within the company. Still, Saikawa also praised Ghosn’s leadership, noting that it had made Nissan stronger. Asked about how Ghosn’s reign had collapsed as if by a “coup d’etat,” Saikawa stressed that there was no such intent behind the internal probe. “That is not my understanding and I am not explaining this case in that way,” he said. Ghosn is one of the best-paid executives among Japanese companies, a fact that has often been a target of criticism. His reported salary last year fell by some 33 percent from 2016, to ¥730 million — the first time in four years that his pay had not hit at least ¥1 billion. In 2016, his salary was ¥1.09 billion and in 2015 he received ¥1.07 billion. After the news broke, Renault shares took a nosedive on the European market, briefly dipping more than 10 percent compared with Friday’s closing. Beyond his role as Nissan chairman, Ghosn also chairs the alliance between Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors. Saikawa vowed that Ghosn’s arrest would not affect the alliance, adding that board members would be closely communicating on the issue. The arrests also left the general public stunned. Interviewed by The Japan Times on Monday evening, Toru Takahashi, a public official from Tokyo who was testing Nissan cars at the firm’s Yokohama headquarters, voiced incredulity. “I’m worried about the company’s future,” he said. “If I were considering buying a Nissan car now, I’d probably have second thoughts.” Ghosn, a rare foreign top executive in Japan, is well-regarded for turning Nissan around from near bankruptcy. He came to the company in 1999 as chief operating officer to lead the carmaker’s turnaround under a capital alliance with Renault. Becoming president of Nissan in 2000, he spearheaded a recovery with plant closures and other drastic restructuring measures, shocking the Japanese business community and cementing his reputation as a cost-cutter. His management style stood out as he set numerical “commitment” targets and carried out aggressive reforms. Under his nearly two-decade tenure, Nissan moved away from conventional practices in the Japanese auto industry. For instance, it negotiated aggressively with steel-makers to lower steel sheet purchase costs, triggering fierce competition among major steel mills. In the first half of 2018, the Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors alliance became the world’s largest auto seller, outflanking major rival Volkswagen in a neck-and-neck race. The alliance sold 5.54 million vehicles worldwide in the first six months of this year, up 5 percent from the same period last year, according to data from the three companies. The figure outstripped the 5.52 million vehicles sold by the Volkswagen group, which grabbed the top spot in global sales for the second straight year in 2017.
|
fraud;nissan;carmakers;carlos ghosn;police
|
jp0009209
|
[
"business",
"corporate-business"
] |
2018/11/20
|
Carlos Ghosn arrest: Key events at Nissan since 1999 restructuring
|
The following is a chronology of major events related to Nissan Motor Co. October 1999 The firm unveils a drastic restructuring plan including closing a major factory in Tokyo and slashing over 20,000 employees. May 2001 Posts record group net profit for fiscal 2000. May 2009 Incurs group net loss in fiscal 2008, hit by the financial crisis triggered by the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers. The firm falls into the red for the first time since Carlos Ghosn became chief operating officer in June 1999 May 2012 Group net profit exceeds that of Toyota Motor Corp. in fiscal 2011. May 2016 Agrees to bring Mitsubishi Motors Corp., hit by a fuel economy data manipulation scandal, under its wing. July 2018 The alliance of Nissan, Renault SA and Mitsubishi Motors becomes the world’s largest auto seller, surpassing the Volkswagen group. Nov. 19 Chairman Carlos Ghosn is arrested by Tokyo prosecutors on suspicion of understating his salary in Japan by ¥5 billion ($44 million).
|
scandals;nissan;carmakers;carlos ghosn
|
jp0009210
|
[
"business",
"corporate-business"
] |
2018/11/20
|
Carlos Ghosn's arrest stirs anger and dismay among Nissan employees
|
Nissan Motor Co. employees reacted with anger, surprise and dismay Tuesday to the arrest the day before of charismatic Chairman Carlos Ghosn for allegedly underreporting his income. Despite criticism directed at the 64-year-old Ghosn for his alleged long-running financial misconduct, some employees gave him credit for rescuing Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy in the 1990s and turning it around through drastic reforms. The high-profile arrest also surprised Cabinet ministers, triggering calls for Nissan to take a fresh look at its system of governance that allowed the wrongdoing to take place. At Nissan’s headquarters in Yokohama, many tight-lipped employees in suits shunned reporters’ questions as they hurried into the building. “It all comes down to one man’s rule, after all,” said a male worker who agreed to give his take on events. Tokyo prosecutors arrested Ghosn on Monday, along with Nissan Representative Director Greg Kelly, on suspicion of underreporting the chairman’s salary by around ¥5 billion ($44 million) over five years from 2011, or about half of the amount he earned. “They are the only ones reaping the benefits and it’s unacceptable,” a male worker in his 20s said on his way to a Nissan factory in Tochigi Prefecture. “Our management should have a sense of responsibility following a recent string of scandals.” Nissan’s brand image had already been hurt after it admitted in September last year that for many years uncertified employees had checked vehicles produced in Japan, forcing it to recall over 1 million units sold domestically. The automaker reported this year that data from emissions or fuel-efficiency tests had been falsified at its domestic plants. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the arrest is “truly regrettable” and vowed to “closely watch the situation” to gauge its economic impact. After news broke of Ghosn’s arrest, Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa told a late-night news conference Monday that an independent panel will investigate the chairman’s misconduct. Saikawa acknowledged that a lack of transparency and governance was partly to blame. “There is a view that one of the factors (behind the misconduct) is the concentration of power at the top level. We urge Nissan to seriously discuss ways to ensure governance at a third-party panel,” industry minister Hiroshige Seko told reporters after a Cabinet meeting Tuesday. Saikawa said what he feels about Ghosn’s arrest “goes beyond regret” and is akin to “resentment and disappointment.” A male employee at the Tochigi plant who has worked for Nissan for four decades shared those feelings, but also demanded that employees be given a full explanation. Meanwhile, another male worker dispatched to the plant from Nissan’s headquarters said Ghosn is irreplaceable. “Nobody but Ghosn could have gotten the company back on its feet,” he said. “We have a lot to lose.” On Monday night, another man working at the assembly plant said, “To be honest, I’m disgusted with a series of misconduct” involving Nissan, apparently referring to recent scandals over quality checks. “I want the company to be responsible.” Meanwhile, a crowd of reporters, photographers and TV crews gathered Monday evening outside a high-rise condominium building in Minato Ward, Tokyo, where Ghosn lives when he’s in Japan. “Is it true?” asked a woman who said she has seen him in the elevator there. “As he has received a huge amount in remuneration, I think he does not need to underreport anything.” Japanese fans of Nissan cars were also stunned by the news. A 47-year-old woman in Tokyo who has owned Nissan cars for 17 years said, “I might consider purchasing from outside Nissan when I replace the current one.” Yasuyuki Nakayama, a 36-year-old civil servant living in the city of Akita, said: “I’m shocked, but I want to keep driving Nissan cars because I like them. I don’t want the brand’s reputation to be hurt.” In Suita, Osaka Prefecture, Reiko Takebayashi, 72, said she had believed Ghosn was “an incredible person” due to his remarkable business achievements. “I don’t think the incident has anything to do with (product) quality, but still it makes me worried. The image of the carmaker itself has been tarnished,” Takebayashi said. A car dealer in Osaka Prefecture said the news came “out of the blue.” He said he is usually informed by carmakers beforehand when a recall is to be announced, but he had not heard “anything this time.” “I don’t know what my customers will say,” he said.
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fraud;scandals;nissan;carmakers;carlos ghosn
|
jp0009211
|
[
"business",
"corporate-business"
] |
2018/11/20
|
Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance seen surviving the arrest of Carlos Ghosn
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The arrest Monday of Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn, who is widely credited with turning around the struggling Yokohama-based automaker and forming one of the world’s most powerful auto groups, has sent shock waves through the industry and left observers wondering what will become of the firm’s cross-border alliance. The fate of the alliance between Renault SA, Nissan Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp., which sold over 10 million vehicles worldwide in 2017, may appear unstable without the longtime charismatic leader at the helm, but analysts interviewed by The Japan Times said the three companies will likely try to maintain their current relationships since they can’t afford to scrap established joint cost reductions and development initiatives amid rising competition. Also, while Ghosn may have been the face of Nissan, his departure’s impact on business overall could be limited, as in recent years he did not appear to have been heavily involved in daily operations. On Monday, it was revealed that an internal probe carried out by Nissan discovered alleged misconduct by Ghosn and Representative Director Greg Kelly. The two executives were accused of conspiring to underreport Ghosn’s salary for a number of years and using company assets for personal purposes. The Tokyo Public Prosecutor’s Office arrested Ghosn and Kelly on Monday for allegedly underreporting some ¥5 billion between 2011 and 2015. The news left its mark on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Nissan shares tumbled 5.45 percent to close Tuesday at ¥950.7, while Mitsubishi Motors plunged 6.85 percent to ¥680. Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa told a news conference Monday night that he will propose to remove Ghosn, 64, from the chairman position at a board of directors meeting Thursday. Seiji Sugiura, a senior analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Institute, said the path forward remains unclear, as Ghosn may deny the allegations. Renault, where Ghosn holds the CEO and chairman positions, will also hold a board meeting to discuss the allegations, local reports said Tuesday evening. Still, Sugiura said the three-way partnership is likely to end up mostly unscathed. “Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi all see merits of the alliance, which is formed in a quite complicated way with overlaps of various management members,” he said.Rather than reviewing this complex system, it’s more rational to keep it, he said. During the news conference Monday evening, Saikawa stressed that the incident will not shake up the alliance. Sugiura also noted the industry trend in which automakers have been expanding loose partnerships with rivals to survive growing competition with not only carmakers but also tech firms due to new technologies, such as autonomous driving and connected vehicles. Company officials have said the firms have been increasingly enjoying the benefits of the partnership, with the cost-saving synergy logging a record €5.7 billion (about ¥730 billion) in fiscal 2017. The alliance also says the firms have reduced costs for research and development through unifying related functions, adding that similar logic applies to auto parts procurement and negotiations. A midterm strategy dubbed “Alliance 2022” says the firms aim to boost the synergy figure to €10 billion by 2022. The alliance’s “efforts to cut costs through joint platforms have been going quite well. I don’t think they would want to abruptly destroy it and let Nissan go on a separate path,” said Arifumi Yoshida, an auto analyst at Citigroup Global Markets Japan Inc. Recently, Ghosn had been saying that he was thinking of reviewing the framework of the alliance to make it sustainable even after he departs the leadership position. The nearly two-decade old cross-shareholding alliance has steadily grown, but possible changes in the power balance have also attracted media attention in the past. Earlier this year, overseas media reported that Nissan was aiming to purchase more Renault shares from the French government. Another report said the two firms were discussing a merger. Nissan holds 15 percent shares of Renault while the French automaker owns 43.4 percent of Nissan. In that sense, it is natural that Ghosn’s arrest has clouded the future of the tie-up, Yoshida said. But the firms may not be willing to go through the trouble of drastically reviewing the framework without Ghosn, he added. Still, some degree of uncertainty remains with Mitsubishi Motors, which joined the alliance in 2016 when Ghosn gave a helping hand to the Tokyo-based automaker after it found itself mired in a fuel-efficiency scandal. Mitsubishi Motors, still in the early stages of its revival, is taking advantage of the alliance and “it must have been expecting Ghosn’s leadership,” Yoshida said. The fact that Ghosn and Mitsubishi Motors CEO Osamu Masuko were close allies also helped form the partnership. Regardless of the tumultuous road ahead, Sugiura said Nissan’s sales are unlikely to be damaged by the Ghosn news. “I don’t think consumers buy Nissan’s cars because of Ghosn. … I think the news will hardly impact Nissan’s sales performance,” Sugiura said. As for Nissan’s business itself, it is true that Ghosn has been the face of the company, but the impact is expected to be minimal, analysts said. Yoshida said Ghosn has been a busy business leader, so his involvement with the Nissan’s operation must have been quite limited.
|
scandals;nissan;carmakers;mitsubishi motors;renault;carlos ghosn
|
jp0009212
|
[
"business",
"corporate-business"
] |
2018/11/20
|
Honda apologizes after dealership mocks rival Nissan on Twitter over Ghosn scandal
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A prominent Nissan marketing catchphrase was turned on its head after a rogue Honda dealership took aim at the rival automaker on Twitter over the arrest of Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn, forcing Honda to apologize Tuesday. Honda Motor Co. apologized a day after the official Twitter account of one of its dealerships mocked Ghosn’s impending arrest over financial misconduct allegations. “We believe that we have made everyone who saw our tweet feel uncomfortable and we are deeply sorry for that,” Hajime Kaneko, a spokesman for Honda Motor Co. told The Japan Times by phone, confirming the authenticity of the questionable tweet. As news about Ghosn’s alleged misconduct dominated the headlines Monday evening, the account of Honda Cars Osaka Higashi tweeted a photo of Ghosn with a comment that appeared to spoof a catchphrase used in a series of Nissan commercials featuring Japanese rock superstar Eikichi Yazawa in 2015. “So you did it, Nissan, Carlos Ghosn has been arrested!” (Yatta ze Nissan Carlos Ghosn taihō!) the tweet said. やっちゃえ日産 やっちまったなホンダ pic.twitter.com/aZ847yOO9o — 獅子の魂@ブルーブラッド (@Nekodamashi_Leo) November 19, 2018 Honda’s Kaneko said that the account belonging to its Osaka Higashi dealer in Higashi-Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, posted the tweet at around 6 p.m., about 30 minutes after the news emerged but deleted it by 8 p.m. The dealer’s Twitter account had apparently been deleted since the contentious tweet. Kaneko said the firm warned its workers, including those at subsidiaries and affiliated firms, not to post similar comments about Nissan, as such practice could hurt Honda’s image. “We’re now more cautious in instructing (workers about the use of social media),” so they don’t publish these kinds of harmful comments anymore, Kaneko said. He also explained that the distributorship agreement between Honda Cars Osaka Higashi and the parent firm is the pair’s only tie-up and that the two do not have any capital relationship. Kaneko said the Nissan scandal would not have any impact on Honda’s sales and that the firm had its own measures to gain and maintain the trust of its customers. “Having effective corporate compliance is an obvious thing to us,” so it’s unlikely Honda will become embroiled in a scandal similar to the one involving Nissan, he said. “We’ve been doing our best to make it work on a daily basis,” he added.
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scandals;nissan;carlos ghosn
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jp0009213
|
[
"world"
] |
2018/11/20
|
Trump dilemma: Preserve Saudi alliance or declare prince a murderer
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WASHINGTON - The Saudi assassination of a U.S.-based journalist has put President Donald Trump in an intractable bind. Does he preserve a close U.S. ally and accept whatever Riyadh says about the murder? Or does he risk a rupture and embrace the conclusion of the Central Intelligence Agency that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country’s de facto leader, ordered the killing? The U.S. president has refrained from attacking Prince Mohammed ever since Jamal Khashoggi, a veteran Saudi journalist who had been writing articles critical of Riyadh for The Washington Post, was killed and dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. With Riyadh under international pressure, the Saudi prosecutor announced the arrest of 21 suspects and charges against 11, saying five will face the possible death penalty. At the same time, Washington announced sanctions on 17 Saudis allegedly involved, including two top aides of the prince. Neither side though named the mastermind of the operation. But, according to the Post and The New York Times, the CIA is certain that it was Prince Mohammed himself. That puts the U.S. president in a bind. He has formed a deep alliance with the Saudis over a mutual dislike for Iran and a shared interest in keeping global oil prices steady. Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner has sealed the relationship through a close personal connection with the prince, known as “MBS.” For that reason, until now, Trump has appears loathe to finger Prince Mohammed for Khashoggi’s murder, saying he hasn’t seen the evidence. He said on Sunday that he will likely only be briefed on the CIA conclusions by Tuesday “Trump has only two options,” said Michele Dunne, a Middle East expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “He can agree with the intelligence evaluation and go along with what Congress wants to do, which means indicating publicly or privately that the U.S. will no longer work with MBS.” Or, she said, he can go against all that and try to protect the White House’s relationship with the prince. In either case, the risks are high. Severing relations with the son of King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz al-Saud Salman is an extreme step, but would not necessarily mean a complete bilateral rupture, said Dunne. “Saudi Arabia is not MBS, and MBS is not Saudi Arabia.” Yet it risks spurring changes in the hierarchy of the Saudi royal family, with the outcome unpredictable for Saudi-U.S. relations. On the other hand, if Trump refuses to condemn Prince Mohammed, an angry Congress could take action that would damage the relationship, such as freezing arms sales to the Middle East giant. Senior Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who is close to the president, does not mince his attacks on the prince over Khashoggi’s death. “I believed from day one that 15 people, 18, whatever the number was, they don’t get on two airplanes, go to Turkey and chop a guy up in the consulate who’s a critic of the crown prince without the crown prince having known about it and sanctioned it,” Graham told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. The White House appears divided. Kushner has been quiet about the case and his friend the prince. But on Friday, Kirsten Fontenrose, a White House official who advocated a tough stance, resigned her position, according to the New York Times. Trump himself has waxed hot and cold on the issue. One day he denounces it as “one of the worst cover-ups” in history and a “total fiasco.” The next he stresses the importance of the alliance and repeats that Prince Mohammed has personally denied to him that he ordered the assassination. Suzanne Maloney of the Brookings Institution think tank said Trump’s equivocating is risky for the relationship. “The Saudis aren’t getting the signal that this kind of activity is damaging,” she said. “The signal that they’re trying to send is that business can go on as usual with the senior leadership.” However, she said, a direct, public accusation against the prince will not work either. “You wouldn’t go out in public and say that your crown prince needs to go!” The best alternative is to make the point behind the scenes, and make it clear to the Saudis that they have gone too far. “That’s what a genuinely competent administration would do,” she said.
|
u.s .;murder;washington;saudi arabia;riyadh;donald trump;mohammed bin salman;jamal khashoggi
|
jp0009214
|
[
"world"
] |
2018/11/20
|
French universities to offer more courses in English to attract foreign students
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PARIS - France wants to boost the number of foreign students at its universities by more than half over the next decade and will offer more courses taught in English to attract them. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, announcing the plan on Monday, said increasing the number of foreigners studying in the country would help build French influence overseas. Home to centuries-old universities such as the Sorbonne in Paris and some leading business schools, France is the world’s top non-English speaking student destination, but it ranks behind the United States, Britain and Australia. The number of foreign students at French universities fell by 8.5 percent between 2011 and 2016 and the country has seen increased competition from Germany, Russia, Canada and China, the prime minister’s office said. “Many countries are already building global attractivity strategies, linking studies, the job market, tourism, which explains the influence of Asia or monarchies in the Gulf,” Philippe said in a speech unveiling the strategy. “In this field just as in other economic ones, the world’s balance of power is shifting. That’s why we need to welcome more foreign students.” Under the plan, France will simplify student visa regulations but will also increase tuition fees for students outside the European Economic Area in order to be able to provide better facilities. However, fees will still be much lower than in Britain and other neighboring countries. From March 2019, foreign graduates with a French master’s degree will be able to get a residence visa to look for work or set up a business in France. “We are constantly compared, audited, judged among 10 other possible destinations. In an age of social media, no one can rest on its reputation only,” Philippe said. French officials said current fees of around €170 ($195) a year for a bachelor’s degree in France or €243 for a masters’ — the same as those paid by French students — was interpreted by students in countries like China as a sign of low quality. From September 2019, non-European students will be charged €2,770 annually to study for a bachelor’s degree and €3,770 a year for masters and PhDs. “That means France will still subsidize two thirds of the cost of their studies,” Philippe said. “And the fees will remain well below the €8,000 to €13,000 charged by the Dutch or the tens of thousands of pounds paid in Britain,” he said. Some of the extra revenue will be used to boost the number of scholarships offered by the foreign ministry. The number of courses taught in English, which have already been increased fivefold since 2004 to 1,328, will be boosted further, Philippe said. More French classes will also be on offer for foreign students and student visa applications will be made available online.
|
france;universities;english;students;french;languages
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jp0009215
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/11/20
|
Licensed private lodgings top 10,000 in Japan, concentrated in cities
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The number of licensed private lodgings for tourists in Japan topped 10,000 in early November, but the facilities were concentrated in urban areas, the Japan Tourism Agency said Tuesday. Since a new law legalizing “minpaku” lodgings took effect in June, private home rentals in Japan have continued increasing by over 1,000 per month from 2,210 in the first month on the back of a growing number of foreign tourists. As of late October, there were 3,444 lodgings in central Tokyo’s 23 wards, followed by 1,211 in Sapporo and 1,055 in the city of Osaka. Lodgings in the three popular tourist destinations accounted for nearly 60 percent of the total number of 9,726 in Japan at the time, according to the agency. On the other hand, the number of private lodgings registered in rural areas remained small, with only five in Akita, six in Fukui and eight in Yamagata prefectures. “More foreign tourists are traveling to rural areas and we see potential demand” for private lodgings there, an agency official said. The agency is planning to promote private home rentals in the countryside by introducing cases in which such accommodation helped revitalize areas, the official said. The central government, which aims to boost tourism as a pillar of its growth strategy, expects private lodgings to make up for hotel room shortages ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. About 23.47 million tourists visited Japan in the January to September period, up 10.7 percent from a year earlier. Japan aims to welcome 40 million foreign visitors by 2020.
|
tourism;japan tourism agency;inbound tourism;minpaku
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jp0009216
|
[
"national",
"social-issues"
] |
2018/11/20
|
As foreign labor system evolves, education has to play catch-up
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Japanese-language education is becoming more important for children of foreign residents in Japan at a time when the government is planning to introduce a new visa system to increase the number of foreign workers. Elementary and junior high schools accept children with almost no conditions regardless of nationality. When it comes to high school education, however, they must pass entrance exams, including those on the Japanese language. In many cases, foreign students give up on advancing to high school because of the language barrier. Language education for foreign students is often inadequate and depends on nonprofit organizations and volunteer teachers. In one of its classes, the nonprofit Multicultural Center Tokyo is currently teaching Japanese to 10 students aged 15 and older from China, the Philippines and Nepal. A boy from China initially attended a night junior high school but left because he was uncomfortable with the teaching methods. After attending a Japanese-language school at the center, the boy, 17, now goes to high school and aims to someday find a job in Japan. Weng Yuxiang, a 25-year-old student at Sophia University in Tokyo, learned Japanese at the center and now serves as an intern there. “Children have no other choice but to depend on their parents,” he said. “When I came to Japan, I felt anxious because I didn’t know the Japanese entrance examination system.” “Entry into high school is very important for expanding options” for foreign children who will live in Japan for many years, said Noriko Hazeki, representative of the center. “We want to offer as many opportunities as possible for them to be in touch with Japanese society,” she said, stressing the value of Japanese-language education at the center. There were 2.2 million foreign residents in Japan at the end of 2017, excluding permanent residents with special status, an all-time high and up around 580,000 from five years earlier, according to the Justice Ministry. The number of children who come to Japan with their parents has been on the rise. The education ministry reported that 34,335 foreign children needed Japanese-language education as of May 2016. But less than 70 percent of foreign children of elementary and junior high school age attend public schools, according the education ministry. Some children have lived in Japan for more than 10 years without acquiring adequate Japanese-language proficiency. Public educational institutions that accept foreign children are in short supply, as are Japanese-language teachers. Although some elementary and junior high schools teach Japanese to foreign students separately from regular classes, the shortage of opportunities to learn the language remains serious. As of November 2017, there were only 28 NPOs across Japan providing Japanese-language education to foreign students. Some children have to travel more than one hour each way to attend classes. Japan “urgently” needs to address the challenge of teaching Japanese to foreign children now that the population of non-Japanese has increased sharply, Hazeki said. “Japanese-language education has a very long way to catch up (with actual needs).”
|
children;education;language;volunteers;students
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jp0009217
|
[
"national",
"politics-diplomacy"
] |
2018/11/20
|
Japan's justice minister apologizes for erroneous data on foreign interns, blaming Excel mishap
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Justice Minister Takashi Yamashita apologized Tuesday over errors to data related to foreign technical interns and how they were presented. However he denied claims by opposition lawmakers that the mistakes were intentional and aimed at facilitating ongoing debate over a controversial bill that will introduce more blue-collar foreign workers to the country from April. Yamashita also said he has set up a project team within the ministry to examine the operations of the Technical Intern Training Program and recommend improvements to any problem areas identified. “The mistakes in compiling data, based on interviews (by security officers) of interns who fled their jobs, that came to light recently shouldn’t have happened and I express my sincere apologies,” he told a news conference. “People have pointed to problems involving the Technical Intern Training Program ever since its introduction (in 1993), including some cases of violation of labor-related laws and regulations, such as nonpayment of wages to interns and paying them lower than the minimum wage, as well as the disappearance of interns,” Yamashita noted. He claimed the errors arose due to incorrect data calculations in the Excel spreadsheet software. The data were from a survey of interns who had abruptly left their jobs before November last year, when a new law on proper implementation of placements under the Technical Intern Training Program came into force. The Technical Intern Training Act is designed to reinforce the supervision and management of organizations that train interns. It also introduced punishments for human rights violations against trainees. According to copies of interview records the ministry showed to some lawmakers, many complained of long working hours and low pay. The records included a case where an intern was paid ¥100,000 per month for 100 hours of work per week at a farm — 40 hours more than he was told beforehand. The Justice Ministry had earlier said that about 87 percent of interns who left their jobs said they were seeking better wages, but corrected that to instead say that about 67 percent had, in fact, fled due to low pay, after opposition Diet members pointed out that the records did not contain any wording that indicated the interns were seeking better pay. Yamashita said the expression had been used by the ministry around the summer of 2015 to explain the circumstances of fleeing interns. He went on to say that it was then copied and pasted onto future documents, including those shown to a group of Diet members in June and at the ongoing extraordinary parliamentary session — where the bill to expand the acceptance of foreign workers in Japan to include blue-collar workers, in job areas where there is a serious labor shortage, is being discussed. “I am sorry that (the ministry) has shown to lawmakers and others documents that include incorrect data and expressions, and that I gullibly believed such inappropriate documents and as a result gave incorrect explanations in the Diet,” the minister said, adding that he will make any corrections as needed. The project team, which held its first meeting Monday, is headed by Parliamentary Justice Vice Minister Hiroaki Kadoyama and includes members of the minister’s secretariat as well as the Immigration Bureau.
|
immigration;visa;trainees;takashi yamashita
|
jp0009218
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/11/20
|
Local governments in Japan prepare to accept more foreign workers
|
As the Diet plans to start substantive deliberations on a bill to expand acceptance of foreign labor, local governments are beginning to prepare for the expected influx of foreign workers. Addressing labor shortages is a pressing matter for local governments. The Chiba Prefectural Government, which is facing a shortage of caregivers, is pinning its hopes on Vietnamese nationals, who among the various groups of non-Japanese working in the prefecture have established a good reputation as a source of manpower. During a visit to Vietnam, Chiba Gov. Kensaku Morita was scheduled to inspect a facility that provides Japanese language education and sends technical interns to Japan, as well as hold a meeting with the mayor of Ho Chi Minh City. Speaking to reporters at Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture before his departure Thursday, Morita noted that while the central government decides the outline of programs, it is difficult to work out the details of the policy. Morita added that deciding those details is a task for local governments. He said that he hopes “to pave the way” for an exchange of memorandums and other agreements with the Vietnamese government after the Chiba Prefectural Government “thinks hard” and makes progress. The Yamagata Prefectural Government is conducting a survey to understand issues relating to foreign workers, hoping to promote their employment. The survey covers 2,000 companies in the prefecture within a variety of industries, including the manufacturing, construction and nursing care sectors. After understanding issues relating to foreign workers, such as the need for training and education, as well as procedures for immigration and skills certification, the prefectural government will consider moves to address them. The measures will be included in the prefectural government’s draft budget for fiscal 2019. Meanwhile, the Yokohama City Government plans to subsidize part of the school expenses and rent for nursing care trainees from Vietnam who are on Japan’s technical intern training program. The city government has exchanged memorandums with three municipalities, as well as junior colleges and other institutions, in Vietnam. While moves by local governments to secure foreign workers are expected to accelerate, many officials from those authorities have expressed concerns. Some cited worries about a scramble between local governments over foreign workers, while others voiced apprehension about inadequate progress in constructing systems to accept such workers.
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chiba;foreign workers;local governments;yamagata
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jp0009219
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/11/20
|
Japan looks to make power harassment prevention mandatory at the workplace
|
The labor ministry said Monday that companies should be legally required to take steps to prevent so-called power harassment, or abuse of authority at work by superiors against their subordinates. The ministry made the proposal at a meeting of a subcommittee of the Labor Policy Council, which advises the labor minister. The ministry aims to submit related legislation to the ordinary Diet session starting early next year. The ministry defines power harassment as behavior by those taking advantage of their superior position in a way that goes beyond the necessities of conducting business and causes physical or psychological pain. The ministry hopes to require companies to stipulate a ban and penalties on power harassment in their work regulations or other rules, prepare consultation systems and take appropriate follow-up measures. The ministry also sought a review to the law for securing equal employment opportunities between men and women, in order to strengthen measures against sexual harassment, calling for the prohibition of dismissing employees who come forward with claims of such harassment at work. The ministry also said guidelines set under the law should clearly stipulate how companies must respond to cases in which workers suffer sexual harassment from clients and other people outside the company. As for the law to promote greater female participation in the workplace, the ministry aims to expand the scope of companies currently obliged to compile action plans, from those with at least 301 workers to those with 101 or more workers.
|
harassment;jobs;power harassment;mhlw
|
jp0009220
|
[
"national",
"crime-legal"
] |
2018/11/20
|
Nissan's Carlos Ghosn suspected of using firm's overseas houses for free without reporting benefit as income
|
Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn is suspected of having used multiple residences owned by the automaker without reporting that benefit as part of his income, sources familiar with the situation said Tuesday, as details begin to emerge regarding allegations against him over financial misconduct. The new details — over his use, without charge, of properties in the Netherlands and three other countries — were revealed the day after a dramatic fall from grace by the 64-year-old, who has been a towering figure in the automotive industry. Tokyo prosecutors believe the costs shouldered by Nissan should have been reported in securities reports as part of the remuneration he received from the company, according to the sources. The revelation came after Nissan released a statement Monday saying it had found “significant acts of misconduct” by Ghosn, such as “personal use of company assets.” Ghosn, who is also chairman of Renault SA and Mitsubishi Motors Corp., was arrested Monday on suspicion of violating the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act by understating his pay package in Japan by a total of about ¥5 billion over five years from 2011. In the five-year period, the prosecutors believe Ghosn actually received a total of nearly ¥10 billion in salary, but Nissan’s annual securities reports show that his remuneration amounted to about ¥4.98 billion. Prosecutors and Nissan officials have struck a plea bargaining agreement under which the authorities could decide either not to indict, or to pursue lesser charges or seek lighter penalties, if suspects or defendants cooperate in investigations, according to the sources. It is believed to be the second time the system has been used since Japan’s revised criminal procedure law entered into force in June this year. In July, prosecutors elected not to indict Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Ltd. after reaching a plea bargaining deal with the company over a case involving bribery by one of its employees of a Thai public servant in relation to a local power plant project. On Monday, Nissan said it intends to dismiss Ghosn, one of Japan’s highest paid executives, and Representative Director Greg Kelly, who allegedly conspired with the chairman, at a board meeting to be held Thursday. Nissan said Ghosn’s wrongdoing and Kelly’s “deep involvement” were uncovered by an internal investigation conducted over the past several months following a whistleblower report. One analyst said the dramatic arrest of the two top executives seems to have been well prepared in advance. “It looks like a coup d’etat, orchestrated by insiders who are against” the leadership of Ghosn and Kelly, the analyst said. Kelly, a former lawyer who entered Nissan’s North American arm in 1988, had tremendous influence within the automaker as a confidant of Ghosn, according to company officials. At a news conference Monday, Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa said Kelly “continuously acted as a close aide of Ghosn” and “controlled the company” backed by the chairman’s authority. Kelly, 62, became a corporate officer in 2008 before eventually assuming the post of one of the firm’s three representative board members. The Tokyo prosecutors have not disclosed whether Ghosn and Kelly have admitted to their allegations. The violation of the financial law could entail a punishment of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to ¥10 million or both. Under the law, a company could face a fine of up to ¥700 million. In 2010, Japan began requiring listed firms to disclose how much they were paying board members if their remuneration exceeded ¥100 million. Ghosn has been well-regarded for turning around Nissan, which was on the verge of bankruptcy in late 1990s, through a capital alliance with Renault. Known as an aggressive cost-cutter, he was appointed chief operating officer of Nissan in 1999 and became president the following year. The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office’s special investigation squad has raided Nissan’s headquarters in Yokohama as part of the investigation.
|
nissan;carlos ghosn;houses;plea bargain;overseas
|
jp0009222
|
[
"business",
"corporate-business"
] |
2018/11/18
|
Miyazaki finds solution to IT labor crunch thousands of kilometers away
|
MIYAZAKI - Like many of Japan’s smaller cities, Miyazaki has been hit by a growing labor crunch, a trend highlighted by the mere 56.8 percent of high school graduates that chose to remain in the prefecture to work — third-worst among the 47 prefectures. In the hard-hit information technology sector, the city has been encouraging firms to run businesses there to help energize the area, said Tsugunobu Ogino, president of KJS Co., a Miyazaki-based IT firm that makes e-learning systems. “But they are struggling to find engineers, since many move to Tokyo,” he said. Now, the city in the southern Kyushu region may have found an unexpected solution, one thousands of kilometers away: Bangladesh. The South Asian nation faces a scenario that is almost the complete inverse of Japan — there are simply not enough jobs for its ample working population. “From our hiring experience, (Bangladeshi engineers) can finish jobs really quickly,” said Ogino, who has hailed the workers as diligent and fast studies of Japanese. His firm started hiring Bangladeshi workers in May last year and now has two full-time and two part-time engineers from the country. Today, turning to the South Asian nation is not altogether unusual for small and midsize IT firms in Miyazaki, with more firms welcoming engineers from the country under a program hosted by the quasi-government Japan International Cooperation Agency. The project, known as the Bangladesh-Japan ICT Engineers’ Training Program, dubbed B-JET, is expected to help ease the labor shortages in Miyazaki and provide jobs for young Bangladeshis, serving as a win-win situation for both countries. For years the Bangladeshi government has been focusing on fostering IT human resources in a bid to bolster its economy. But “even college graduates with outstanding academic records cannot find jobs,” said Akito Takahashi, director of JICA’s South Asia division. Since 2014 Ogino’s KJS has been working with the Bangladeshi government to provide e-learning materials for engineers, and officials there asked him how young Bangladeshis could get jobs. After consulting with the University of Miyazaki, the city office and other local businesses, a plan was formed to bring Bangladeshi engineers to Miyazaki, Ogino said. The problem, however, was how to help them adapt to life in Japan when many companies simply do not have the ability or knowledge to aid foreign workers. That’s where JICA has come in. Its B-JET program provides free Japanese language and business manner training for three months to a select few before they come to Japan. In addition, the University of Miyazaki has created language education material specifically for those who will be working as engineers in Japan. After they undergo training in Bangladesh, they come to Miyazaki, where they are given an additional crash course in Japanese and survival tips at the university that gives them valuable time to adjust to the new environment before actually starting work. The B-JET program, which kicked off in November last year and runs through 2020, selects 90 to 120 students every year, dispatching Bangladeshi engineers to regions throughout Japan. “It’s difficult for small and midsize companies in the countryside to go out and look for workers,” said Takahashi. “So we think this kind of initiative is effective in spurring job mobility.” Since JICA offers language training and better prepares workers for settling in Japan, companies are also relieved of the burden of what would likely be an arduous hiring process. The workers’ skills are also guaranteed to be top notch, having gone through the rigorous screening process — the latest program saw 2,668 applicants and only 20 engineers have been accepted. “The fact that they have been selected for this program proves that they are very good. I wasn’t really worried,” said Yuichiro Sakurada, who heads Miyazaki-based Future Junction, which runs an online matching service for real estate experts. In fact, Sakurada — who first tried to outsource the operations of his online service with Japanese vendors — was so impressed when he visited Bangladesh in December to meet B-JET participants that he decided to hire an engineer. “It has turned out well . . . he was fresh out of college, so it took some time to gain experience, but his work is solid,” Sakurada said of his new employee, adding that he was now looking into hiring several more workers from the country. For their part, the Bangladeshi engineers appear satisfied with their experiences. “From childhood, we grew up with Japanese products, cars, games and computers,” said Arif Uddin, a 26-year-old engineer at KJS. Japan has a very good image among the Bangladeshi people, he added. Despite difficulties with some ultraspecific Japanese business terminology, the language has not really been an issue since programmers share the same programming languages. Uddin said adjusting to life in Japan has gone quite smoothly for him. As a Muslim, one of Uddin’s chief concerns had been access to halal food. But because most Japanese products are clearly labeled and access to halal food online is but a click away, it hasn’t been a big issue for him. “I studied the language and learned about everyday life of Japan (through the B-JET program), so I knew what to expect a little bit,” said Marzia Hajera, another engineer from Bangladesh who works at Skycom Corp. in Miyazaki. “People in Miyazaki and at my work are very kind. They help me when I don’t know what to do,” Hajera said, adding that she is happy to see more fellow Bangladeshi people coming to Miyazaki.
|
bangladesh;engineers;foreign workers;jica;miyazaki;kjs
|
jp0009223
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/11/18
|
Exports of Fukushima-brand alcohol hit record in fiscal 2017
|
Exports of sake, liquor and other alcoholic beverages produced in Fukushima Prefecture reached a record high of about 296,000 liters in fiscal 2017, or 3.2 times that of fiscal 2012, when the Fukushima Trade Promotion Council, in charge of supporting business activities among local companies and municipalities, began monitoring the figures. The total value of alcohol exports was ¥363.37 million, up 16 percent from the year before. The Fukushima Prefectural Government plans to further promote the safety and attraction of local alcohol, aiming to rebuild its reputation after the nuclear meltdowns at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in March 2011. In fiscal 2017, the amount of sake exported rose 11.9 percent from a year earlier to 179,000 liters, worth ¥204.69 million. Other alcohol, including whiskey, plum wine, and shōchū (spirits) jumped 23 percent to 117,000 liters, worth ¥158.68 million. The United States imported 118,000 liters — 77,000 liters of sake and 41,000 liters of other alcohol, accounting for 40 percent of the prefecture’s alcohol export. France imported 53,000 liters — 2,000 liters of sake and 51,000 liters of other alcohol — accounting for 18.1 percent. South Korea imported 39,000 liters of sake, accounting for 13.2 percent. Out of all the sake produced in Fukushima, 43.1 percent was exported to the U.S. To take advantage of the trend and the popularity of Japanese cuisine in America, the prefecture will launch an antenna shop in New York to sell Fukushima-brand sake by the end of March. The prefecture will also release about three PR videos with English subtitles on YouTube to promote local sake to English-speaking consumers. Fukushima aims to increase its alcohol exports to 500,000 liters, worth ¥700 million, by the end of fiscal 2020. It also plans to reinforce sales by focusing on five countries and regions including the U.S., France, where sake is becoming increasingly popular, and Hong Kong, where there are a number of Japanese restaurants. However, out of the 58 breweries in the Fukushima Prefecture Sake Brewers Cooperative, only 24 had exported their sake abroad. To achieve the prefecture’s goal, the next thing they will need to do is to increase the number of sake exporters. “It was the result of each maker’s efforts to improve the taste,” Yoshihiro Ariga, chairman of the cooperative, said in referring to the record exports in fiscal 2017. But he also said further support will be needed. “It costs a huge amount of money and effort to export sake,” Ariga said, urging municipalities to provide further assistance to small breweries. According to the Finance Ministry, 23,482,000 liters of sake were exported in 2017, breaking the record for an eighth consecutive year.
|
fukushima;sake;alcohol;exports
|
jp0009224
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/11/18
|
Survey finds Japanese less active, prefer more family time and fewer working hours compared to three decades ago
|
Japanese prefer spending more time with their families and less time in office meetings and working late compared with 30 years ago, but are not necessarily hoping for longer vacations, according to a survey by Citizen Watch Co. The online survey, which was conducted on Sept. 25-26 on 400 adults 20 years old or older, shows that people seem to have become “inactive” on the back of the long sluggish economic situation, according to an expert studying the relationship between people’s lives and time. The Japanese watch company compared the results with those of a similar survey conducted in 1989, when Japan’s asset-inflated bubble economy was at its peak. The collapse of the bubble economy was followed by a prolonged recession known as the “lost decade.” In the latest survey, workers said they thought the time they spend in office meetings was “just about right” at 40 minutes, about half of the amount that respondents answered in 1989. They also said they prefer spending less time wining and dining with clients. Time spent on office automation equipment like computers more than doubled to 2 hours and 53 minutes from 1 hour and 17 minutes in 1989. The percentage of men who said they do not use such equipment at all dived to 2 percent from 22.8 percent. “The era of using a pen and paper in the work area has ended,” Citizen said. The amount of monthly overtime has decreased to 12 hours and 39 minutes from nearly 16 hours, and in a further sign that more people seem to prefer spending less time at work, daily family time increased 11 minutes to 1 hour and 49 minutes. Regarding family life, the time in which couples felt like newlyweds shortened to around 15 months from 18 months, while the right amount of summer vacation is now said to be 8.2 days, shorter than the 9.0 days preferred 30 years ago. “People probably think it is pointless to take so many vacation days. There’s less time spent going out for drinks and it’s become harder to spend compared to the past,” said Yoshio Arai, a professor at the University of Tokyo. “Time spent having fun has probably shortened and I have the impression that people have become inactive as a whole.”
|
survey;work;lifestyle;citizen watch
|
jp0009226
|
[
"business",
"financial-markets"
] |
2018/11/27
|
Dollar firmer above ¥113.50 in late Tokyo trading
|
The dollar was firmer above ¥113.50 in Tokyo trading late Tuesday after concerns over U.S.-China trade friction receded somewhat. At 5 p.m., the dollar stood at ¥113.58-59, up from ¥113.23-23 at the same time Monday. The euro was at $1.1311-1311, down from $1.1361-1362, and at ¥128.48-48, down from ¥128.63-69. With its topside versus the yen limited in early trading after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested plans to raise tariffs on Chinese imports, the dollar weakened to around ¥113.40 toward noon. The greenback rose to around ¥113.50 in afternoon trading thanks to a solid performance by the Nikkei 225 stock average. In late trading, the U.S. currency moved narrowly around ¥113.50 before briefly rising above ¥113.60 following a media report that the United States and China have reached a mutually satisfactory trade agreement, traders said. With some market players being skeptical about the media reports in the absence of follow-up reports, the dollar failed to stay above ¥113.60, an official of a bank-affiliated securities firm said. The official noted that the dollar could extend its current upward trend and test ¥114 next week. But an official of a major life insurer said that “dollar purchases are unlikely to grow as long-term U.S. interest rates are not rising.”
|
exchange rates;forex;currencies
|
jp0009227
|
[
"business",
"financial-markets"
] |
2018/11/27
|
Tokyo stocks advance further on futures-led purchases
|
Stocks continued to rise Tuesday, lifted by futures-led buying. The Nikkei 225 average closed 140.40 points, or 0.64 percent, higher at 21,952.40, after retaking 22,000 for the first time since Nov. 12 on an intraday basis. It gained 165.45 points Monday. The Topix, which covers all first-section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, closed 11.96 points, or 0.73 percent, higher at 1,644.16 after rising 3.24 points Monday. Both indexes finished higher for the third consecutive session. After opening firmer following a strong rally on Wall Street, the TSE lost much of its earlier gains later in the morning due to selling on a rally, market sources said. In afternoon trading, futures-led purchases gave renewed strength to the market, pushing the Nikkei briefly above the 22,000 line. Chihiro Ota, general manager for investment research and investor services at SMBC Nikko Securities Inc., said, “A wide range of issues attracted small-lot buying from individual investors in Japan.” Tokyo stocks easily attracted purchases on declines as they were increasingly seen as undervalued following the recent drops, an official of a midsize securities firm said of the afternoon gains. Masahiro Ichikawa, senior strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management Co., indicated that the yen’s weakening against the dollar improved investor sentiment. But “it’s difficult (for the Nikkei) to end above 22,000 until (investors) see the outcome of the summit” between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week, Ichikawa added. Rising issues outnumbered falling ones 1,509 to 526 in the first section, while 80 issues were unchanged. Volume edged down to 1.325 billion shares from 1.339 billion Monday. Line surged 12.94 percent following a news report that the free messaging app provider will offer Chinese visitors to Japan smartphone-based financial settlement services starting next year in collaboration with major Chinese information and technology firm Tencent Holdings Ltd. Other major winners included semiconductor-related Tokyo Electron and mobile phone carrier SoftBank Group. By contrast, discount store operator Don Quijote closed 3.79 percent lower due to selling after recent jumps. Also on the minus side were daily goods manufacturer Kao and drugmaker Takeda.
|
stocks;tse;nikkei 225
|
jp0009228
|
[
"business",
"corporate-business"
] |
2018/11/27
|
Line and China's Tencent link up to push cashless payments in Japan
|
Line Corp. said Tuesday it has teamed up with Tencent, China’s largest messaging app provider, to allow Chinese travelers in Japan to make cashless payments via smartphone. Line, Japan’s messaging app giant with 78 million users, is stepping up its bid to become a major cashless payment platform by targeting Chinese tourists, who represent the biggest group of foreign travelers to Japan. During a Tokyo event, Line also said it will offer a banking service with Mizuho Bank. Line will own 51 percent of the planned joint firm and aims to launch services in 2020. Tencent operates WeChat, a messaging app with 1 billion users, and provides a smartphone payment service called WeChat Pay, a widely used platform in China that uses QR codes. “Demand by inbound tourists will surely surge from this point on, and Line Pay will enable stores to be ready for that,” Hisahiro Chofuku, chief operating officer of Line Pay, said during a news conference. Line said WeChat Pay users will be able to purchase items with WeChat Pay at stores in Japan that accept Line’s mobile payment platform known as Line Pay starting next year, but the exact timing is undecided. Some large stores popular among Chinese tourists already accept WeChat Pay, but many smaller retailers do not, so Line will aim to spread Line Pay and WeChat Pay to such outlets, Chofuku said. “More Chinese people are visiting Japan in recent years,” said WeChat Pay Vice President Freedom Li. “I am sure WeChat Pay will bring value and help Japanese retail stores. “With this strategic partnership, we’d like to contribute to promoting cashless and mobile payment in Japan through inbound tourism,” he added. Japan has been lagging in terms of cashless payments compared with other nations, including China and South Korea, and the government is aiming to boost the ratio of such payments to 40 percent of all settlements by 2027, from 20 percent in 2016. Line also said it has partnered with South Korea’s Naver Corp., Line’s parent company, to enable Naver users to make cashless payments. Naver operates Naver Pay, a smartphone-based service that has about 24 million users. In addition, while Line Pay services in Taiwan, Indonesia and Thailand — where Line is dominant — have been limited to local use, customers from those places will be able to make payments with the app in Japan starting next year. Combining Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia and Thailand, the number of Line Pay users totals about 40 million. With hundreds of millions of potential customers in Asia, “we think there are hardly any reasons not to accept Line Pay now,” Chofuku said. Line has been eagerly promoting its Line Pay service over the past several months. It allows users to make payments by scanning QR codes, plastic cards or smartphones equipped with FeliCa chips. In June, the firm said it would boost the number of Line Pay-ready stores to 1 million this year, and Chofuku said Tuesday that goal has already been met.
|
china;line;mizuho bank;tencent;wechat pay
|
jp0009229
|
[
"business",
"corporate-business"
] |
2018/11/27
|
Carlos Ghosn allegedly shifted investment loss of ¥1.7 billion to Nissan; CEO Saikawa set to double as chairman
|
Ousted Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn is suspected of shifting some ¥1.7 billion ($15 million) of losses from personal investments to the automaker in 2008, adding to allegations of financial misconduct against him, sources said Tuesday. According to the sources, the Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission was aware of the alleged misconduct in relation to Ghosn’s derivatives trading and notified the bank involved in the transaction of the possibility that he had committed an aggravated breach of trust. The SESC told The Japan Times on Tuesday it does not comment on specific cases. Nissan shouldered the losses incurred amid the global financial crisis in 2008 after Ghosn could not secure adequate collateral, the sources said. He was arrested last week for allegedly violating the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act by underreporting his remuneration by around ¥5 billion over five years to March 2015. He received nearly ¥10 billion from the firm during that period. According to the sources, the former Nissan chairman admitted not having included in the securities reports part of the remuneration he was set to receive when he retires. “There is no need to include them as their payments have not been settled,” Ghosn was quoted by the sources as saying. Ghosn is also suspected of using one of Nissan’s business jets for private trips, the sources said. The 64-year-old allegedly traveled aboard one of Nissan’s leased planes for nonbusiness purposes. The jet, which was set aside for Ghosn’s dedicated use, flew to countries where the automaker has no major bases. Destinations included Beirut, where Ghosn allegedly used for free a residence the Nissan group spent several hundred million yen to purchase, the sources said. After the home was renovated four or five years ago, Ghosn reportedly visited the site almost every month. According to a private website that shows routes of planes around the world by capturing their flight signals, the Nissan jet has flown to Lebanon several times since last month. The jet traveled from Lebanon on Nov. 19, when Ghosn was arrested upon his arrival at Tokyo’s Haneda airport. The plane, manufactured by Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. and bearing the registration number N155AN, is a high-end model priced in the billions of yen and boasts one of the fastest and longest distance flight capabilities available in a business jet. Ghosn was ousted as chairman last week by the Nissan board of directors along with Greg Kelly, a former Nissan representative director, who is suspected of conspiring with Ghosn. Nissan plans to appoint CEO Hiroto Saikawa to double as its chairman at a board meeting next month, sources with knowledge of the situation said Tuesday. The board plans to meet Dec. 17, the sources said, where three independent directors will nominate a candidate for chairman from among the six other directors. Ghosn and Kelly remain on the board. Saikawa had been slated to be named Nissan’s chairman on an interim basis at an emergency board meeting Thursday but the plan has been put on hold over concerns that it would anger alliance partner Renault SA, of which Ghosn is still chairman and CEO. The leadership vacuum increasingly appears to be turning into a power struggle. Both Ghosn and Kelly are currently in detention but have yet to be charged. They have denied the allegations against them, according to investigative sources. The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Ghosn has concluded a contract with renowned U.S.-based law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. The firm representing major U.S. financial institutions will defend Ghosn against allegations of financial misconduct in Japan, the newspaper said. Details of the firm’s role are unknown. Brad Karp, chairman of the law firm, and Michael E. Gertzman, a partner of the firm, will take charge of Ghosn’s case, according to The Journal. Meanwhile, the Tokyo Stock Exchange plans to probe Nissan over alleged financial misconduct by the former chairman, according to informed sources. The TSE will examine the matter in detail, including Nissan’s internal management system, based on the exchange’s listing rules. It also plans to conduct hearings with Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC, the automaker’s auditor. French Finance and Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire has said he believes it is preferable for the tripartite alliance to continue to be led by a person from Renault. Ghosn, sent to Nissan from Renault as chief operating officer in 1999, turned around the Japanese automaker’s fortunes, dragging it from the brink of bankruptcy through drastic cost-cutting measures. Renault, which owns 43.4 percent of Nissan, is expected to push for one of its own executives, rather than Saikawa, to succeed Ghosn. Nissan holds a 15 percent stake in the French automaker and a 34 percent stake in fellow alliance member Mitsubishi Motors Corp. Japanese industry minister Hiroshige Seko told a news conference Tuesday that the government will not comment on the makeup of Nissan’s new management team, given that it is not a shareholder of the company. On Monday, the board of Mitsubishi Motors also voted unanimously to dismiss Ghosn as its chairman. The Brazilian-born executive, who also holds Lebanese and French citizenship, is also suspected of having used company funds to purchase and renovate lavish homes spread across four countries, and to have shifted ¥1.7 billion in personal investment losses to Nissan, according to the sources.
|
scandals;nissan;carmakers;investments;renault;carlos ghosn;hiroto saikawa
|
jp0009230
|
[
"asia-pacific",
"crime-legal-asia-pacific"
] |
2018/11/27
|
China bars U.S. family members from leaving country in bid to force bank exec to return and face charges, NYT reports
|
BEIJING - China on Monday said that it has barred three reported U.S. citizens — a woman and her two grown children — from leaving the country because they are suspected of “economic crimes.” According to The New York Times , Chinese-born mother Sandra Han and her children, Cynthia and Victor Liu, were prevented from leaving the country after they arrived in June. The children say police are preventing them from returning home to compel their father, a former executive at a Chinese state-owned bank, to return to China to face criminal charges, according to the Times. Their mother is allegedly being held in a secret site known as a “black jail,” the Times reported. The siblings told American officials and family associates that they were prevented from flying home despite not having been charged with a crime, the newspaper said. China’s Foreign Ministry on Monday defended the decision. “As we understand it from the relevant authorities, these people you have mentioned all have legal and valid identity documents as Chinese citizens,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular news briefing. “They are suspected of having committed economic crimes and have been restricted from leaving China by Chinese police.” Chinese law does not recognize dual citizenship. While China is known to bar naturalized foreign citizens who are former Chinese nationals from leaving, it is rare that one of those being held was born in the United States. The U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory in January, warning its citizens about the use of “exit bans” to compel American nationals to resolve disputes or compel family members or colleagues to cooperate with Chinese authorities. U.S.-born Victor, 19, was set to start his second year at Georgetown University while his sister, Cynthia, 27, was heading back to work with consulting firm McKinsey & Company, according to the Times. They have unsuccessfully tried to leave three times and have been moving between cities and living with an uncle, the paper reported. The siblings claim they are innocent and are being used to pressure their father, Liu Changming, a wanted man in China. A former executive at the Bank of Communications, Liu is accused of helping to carry out one of the country’s biggest bank frauds, in which $1.4 billion in illegal loans were issued to property developers. He fled China in 2007 and his children say he is estranged from the family, cutting off ties in 2012. The U.S. State Department said it was in “close contact” with Victor and Cynthia Liu. An official said: “U.S. citizen siblings Victor and Cynthia Liu have been unable to leave China since June 2018 due to an exit ban. “U.S. officials, including the Secretary of State, regularly raise the issue of exit bans with the Chinese government.” The official added: “We routinely call for a more transparent process and fair treatment for U.S. citizens.”
|
china;u.s .;rights
|
jp0009231
|
[
"national",
"science-health"
] |
2018/11/27
|
Japanese and U.S. researchers say allergy shots for pregnant women may protect babies for life
|
A group of researchers based in Japan and the United States believe that administering allergy shots to women during pregnancy could prevent their unborn children from developing allergies after birth and throughout their lives. The researchers believe the special shots, which prevent offspring from producing specific antibodies that trigger allergic reactions, could effectively halt the development of human allergies including atopic dermatitis, asthma, pollen and food allergies. The teams hope the treatment could be commercialized within five to 10 years. The scientists, who come from Japan’s National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo’s Jikei University School of Medicine and the California-based La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, have performed related experiments on mice. “We discovered that preventing infant (mice) from creating antibodies would effectively diminish the risk of allergies in their adult lives,” said Hirohisa Saito, deputy director at the National Center for Child Health and Development, who is one of the leaders in the research. In a phone conversation on Tuesday, Saito, an expert in immunology and cell biology, explained that allergies occur when people develop antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE), which combine with allergens and trigger allergic reactions. Saito said that depending on the environments to which infants are exposed, they may produce such antibodies within the first three or four months after birth. “Researchers agree that fighting them within that period is critical,” said Saito. “Once they appear in our immune system, it’s impossible to cure allergies.” Saito explained that injecting allergy shots during pregnancy can effectively kill so-called mast cells, which release chemicals that interact with allergens and cause allergic reactions. Since adults already have a large number of IgE antibodies in their immune system, such shots would not be effective for them, he said. According to the health ministry, about half of the population of Japan struggle with some kind of allergy. The nation has also seen a rise in the incidence of hay fever. By injecting shots that counteracted IgE and killed the mast cells in pregnant mice, the researchers succeeded in preventing IgE antibodies from developing for six weeks. According to Saito, that would be comparable to a period of around five months in humans. Saito said that anti-IgE medicine injected into expectant mothers could immunize unborn babies and would be effective in preventing all kinds of allergies. “Such medicine has already been used to ease symptoms of asthma in pregnant women and has been proven safe for the fetus,” said Saito. “Injecting it into the mother could have the same effect as injecting it directly into the child.” Referring to rising calls for caution over giving allergy shots to newborn babies, Saito said the latest research would alleviate those public worries as the shots would be administered to the mother during pregnancy. No side effects have been reported so far, according to the researchers. Saito and the late Kimishige Ishizaka, the immunologist who in 1966 discovered IgE antibodies, are the architects for the two-year project, which launched in 2016. Ishizaka passed away in July. The results of the study have been published in the November issue of “The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology,” a monthly U.S. medical journal.
|
medicine;pregnancy;children;allergies;hirohisa saito
|
jp0009233
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/11/27
|
Akita ranks 2nd for Japan prefecture searches abroad thanks to dog breed
|
The northeastern prefecture of Akita came in second, behind Tokyo, in a ranking of Japanese prefecture names searched on the internet abroad, a survey by a digital advertising company has found. The result was unexpected, with Akita coming ahead of such prefectures as Kyoto and Osaka, both of which are popular tourist destinations, according to the Tokyo-based firm, Info Cubic Japan. Searches for Akita apparently increased because many people tried to obtain information on Akita Inu, or the Akita dog breed, amid the increasing popularity of the dog, an official at Info Cubic Japan said. The breed is drawing attention overseas partly because an Akita puppy was presented to Alina Zagitova, a Russian figure skater who won gold in the women’s singles at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in February this year, the official said. Info Cubic surveyed prefecture names searched in English on Google in 13 countries and regions for the year up to March 31, 2018, in a bid to understand any link between the number of searches and that of foreign tourists to Japan. The survey showed that Tokyo topped the list, with 359,700 searches, followed by Akita, with 350,310. Coming third was Hiroshima, with 214,120. Osaka came fourth, with 205,400, and neighboring Kyoto seventh, with 139,100. According to the Japan Tourism Agency, the number of foreign visitors who stayed overnight or longer in Akita in 2017 totaled about 100,000. It ranked 43rd among all Japanese prefectures. The number of searches of “akita inu” started to increase abroad around 2010 and recently reached levels twice as high as that for Mount Fuji, said Shin Osuka, 45, an official at a local group promoting tourism on the back of the popularity of the Akita. “I think that Akita is being actively searched by people who came to know, following the popularity of the dog species, that it is the name of a place,” Osuka said. “I want to take this opportunity to attract visitors to the prefecture.”
|
internet;animals;tourism;akita;dogs
|
jp0009234
|
[
"asia-pacific",
"crime-legal-asia-pacific"
] |
2018/11/11
|
Woman arrested over Australian needles-in-strawberries spiking case
|
SYDNEY - Following a crisis that sparked panic across Australia recently, a woman has been arrested after a “complex” investigation into an incident in which needles were found stuck into strawberries, police said Sunday. Queensland state authorities offered a large reward and the national government raised jail terms for such crimes after sewing needles were found in plastic boxes of the fruit sold in supermarkets in September. Since the first case came to light after a man was taken to hospital with stomach pains after consuming strawberries, more than 100 alleged incidents of pins and needles found in fruit, mostly strawberries, were reported in September around the country. One incident was also reported in neighboring New Zealand. Police said a 50-year-old woman was arrested Sunday afternoon “following a complex . . . and extensive investigation” into the contamination case. “The (Queensland Police Service) coordinated a national investigative response with multiple government, law enforcement and intelligence agencies,” they added in a statement. The woman was set to be charged Sunday evening and will appear in court in Brisbane on Monday. Police did not reveal any further details, including what the charges will be or the reasons and motives behind her alleged involvement. The sabotage crisis led supermarkets to pull the fruit from the shelves and saw farmers dump tons of the unwanted berry. The government raised the maximum prison sentence for fruit tampering from 10 to 15 years.
|
australia;health;crime;brisbane;strawberry
|
jp0009235
|
[
"national"
] |
2018/11/11
|
North Korean paper raps Japan's reaction to South Korean court ruling on wartime forced labor
|
BEIJING - The newspaper of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party carried an editorial Sunday supporting a recent South Korean court ruling ordering a Japanese company to pay compensation for wartime forced labor. The editorial in the Rodong Sinmum lambasted objections to the ruling by Japanese government officials as “barefaced impudence.” It is possible that North Korea will in the future push its demands for compensation for Japanese colonial rule by referring to the same ruling. The newspaper criticized by name Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who called the ruling “unbelievable” and indicated Tokyo could take the case to the International Court of Justice. “More than 8.4 million people were kidnapped, abducted and forcibly transported to battlefields and backbreaking workplaces, and 200,000 women were forced into sexual slavery,” it said. “Our people must accept Japan’ apologies and compensation a thousand times over.” On Oct. 30, South Korea’s Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that ordered Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp. to compensate four South Koreans for forced labor during Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. Japan maintains that the issue of compensation related to the period was settled under an agreement attached to a 1965 treaty that established diplomatic ties between Japan and South Korea. The Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration of 2002 states that both sides agreed to discuss the issue of property and claims in talks to normalize their ties “pursuant to the basic principle that when the bilateral relationship is normalized both . . . would mutually waive all their property and claims and those of their nationals that had arisen from causes which occurred before August 15, 1945.”
|
wwii;north korea;history;courts
|
jp0009236
|
[
"business",
"financial-markets"
] |
2018/11/29
|
Dollar falls below ¥113.30 in Tokyo trading
|
The dollar fell below ¥113.30 in Tokyo trading Thursday after U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell signaled a possible slowdown in the pace of interest rate increases. At 5 p.m. the dollar stood at ¥113.24, down from ¥113.86 at the same time Wednesday. The euro was at $1.1383, up from $1.1277, and at ¥128.91, up from ¥128.42. In overnight trading abroad, the dollar hit two-week highs around ¥114 before losing ground on Powell’s comment in a speech at a New York conference Wednesday. The impact of his remark lingered in Tokyo on Thursday, sending the U.S. currency below ¥113.30 temporarily, traders said. A momentum to buy back the dollar was “sluggish,” a currency market broker said. The greenback is unlikely to stay above ¥113 if the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield falls below 3 percent, the broker added. Minutes of the U.S. Federal Open Market Committee meeting early this month will be released later on Thursday. Regarding this, an official at a major life insurer said “a sense of caution is growing” among currency market participants following Powell’s dovish remark. Meanwhile, a major Japanese bank official said the impact of the minutes on the currency market “will be limited” after a series of comments by senior Fed officials.
|
exchange rates;foreign exchange;forex;currencies
|
jp0009237
|
[
"business",
"financial-markets"
] |
2018/11/29
|
Tokyo stocks up for fifth session on Wall Street surge
|
Stocks closed higher for the fifth straight session on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Thursday following an overnight surge in U.S. equities. The 225-issue Nikkei average rose 85.58 points, or 0.39 percent, to finish at 22,262.60. It advanced 224.62 points Wednesday. The Topix index of all first-section issues closed up 5.81 points, or 0.35 percent, at 1,659.47, after climbing 9.50 points the previous day. The Tokyo market opened firmer following Wall Street’s rise after U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell signaled in his lecture Wednesday that the pace of interest rate hikes may slow, market sources said. The Nikkei average gained more than 250 points briefly after the opening bell. In afternoon trading, the Tokyo market cut much of its earlier gains in line with the yen’s strengthening against the dollar. An official of a bank-linked securities firm indicated that receding concerns over the U.S.-China trade war following a New York Times report Tuesday were behind Thursday’s advance. According to the report, a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping expected for Saturday could lead to “a truce” in the trade war. Commenting on the Tokyo market’s sluggishness in the afternoon, Masahiro Ichikawa, senior strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management Co., said investors “found it difficult to step up purchases before the (U.S.-China) summit.” An official at a midsize securities firm said selling on a rally weighed on the market’s topside. Rising issues outnumbered falling ones 1,301 to 730 in the TSE’s first section, while 86 issues were unchanged. Volume fell to 1.302 billion shares from 1.388 billion shares on Wednesday. High-tech names, including Sumco Corp. and Murata Manufacturing Co., were buoyant after their U.S. peers fared well in New York on Wednesday. Mobile phone carrier SoftBank Group Corp. and air conditioner-maker Daikin Industries were among other major gainers. By contrast, Osaka Titanium Technologies Co. met with selling after announcing Wednesday a decision to withdraw from the polysilicon business. Cosmetics maker Shiseido Co. and supermarket and convenience store operator FamilyMart Uny Holdings Co. were also downbeat. In index futures trading on the Osaka Exchange, the key December contract on the Nikkei average inched up 10 points to end at 22,240.
|
stocks;tse;nikkei 225
|
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