It all ended in tears as the Suzuki Muneo saga finally came to
a head. The embattled politician stubbornly proclaimed his innocence
until the bitter end. But the story provided lots of entertainment
along the way. There have been some glimmers of hope for the economy
though the skeptics still rule.
The extremely mild winter has turned into an equally mild spring.
The soccer season is already underway and baseball is just round
the corner at home and in the US. Oh, and Beat Takeshi is in trouble
with the ladies again.
By the way, a Happy St Patrick's Day to you all! Those of you
in Tokyo or Kyoto will be able to get into the festive occasion
and sink a few pints of Guinness at their respective parades.
It will be Tokyo's 11th and Kyoto's first.
Mark McBennett
Webmaster, Japan Zone
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Contents
1. Japan Zone Updates
2. What's going on in Japan
3. Sports news
4. Gei-noh news
5. Links we like
6. Unsubscribe
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1. Japan Zone Updates
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New profile: He came to Japan as a Christian missionary and now he's entered
the lion's den. Finnish-born Tsurunen Marutei is the first westerner
to win a seat in Japan's parliament.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/tsurunen_marutei.shtml
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2. What's going on in Japan
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Suzuki Muneo Investigation
A whole string of questionable practices have emerged from the
investigation into the activities of Suzuki Muneo (54). With accusations
(one news show referred to 15 different ones!) ranging from tax
dodges to physical assault, it seems that Suzuki has been quite
the tyrant for several years, controlling decisions made both
in his own district of Hokkaido and abroad.
Things came to a boil on March 11th when Suzuki gave sworn testimony
in a Diet hearing. The hearing was broadcast live on almost all
TV channels and drew a huge audience. Several new accusations
were made and the final questioner, Tsujimoto Kiyomi, got Suzuki
angry enough to lose his cool. Having started by saying she shared
the same name as Suzuki's mother and demanding that he be as honest
as he would be to her, she referred to him as a "trading house
of scandals". Suzuki flipped and demanded a retraction of Tsujimoto's
statements.
On March 15th, Suzuki left a meeting of the LDP's ethics committee
and held a brief press conference to announce his resignation
from the party. He apologized for the "meiwaku" (trouble) his
actions had caused, but insisted to the end that he felt he had
done nothing wrong. In tears, he stated his aim of restarting
his political career but the public reaction to the press conference
indicates that this is unlikely to happen. Most people feel he
needs to take the next step by resigning his seat in the Diet,
a step which opposition parties will not doubt push for next week.
Investigations will continue and there is the possibility of Suzuki's
future arrest.
Suzuki's press conference tears seemed to be caused as much as
anything by frustration that he was taking the fall for actions
in which he had been supported by the Foreign Ministry, and that
they had betrayed him. It will be interesting to see whether he
tries to exact his revenge over the next couple of months.
General:
The issue of alleged kidnappings of Japanese by agents of North
Korea has been around for many years. It came up again as a woman
gave testimony about the abduction of a Japanese student in the
UK in 1983. Yao Megumi is the former wife of one of the Red Army
members who hijacked a Japan Airlines plane and took it to North
Korea in 1970. She told how she and others had traveled in Europe
trying to recruit members to their organization, whose aim was
to start a revolution in Japan. North Korean agents also used
the Japanese' identities to infiltrate South Korea.
Five workers died while dredging a sewage drain in Aichi Prefecture.
The five men are believed to have died from hydrogen sulfide poisoning.
From April of next year, the city of Shimizu will be no more as
it will be merged with Shizuoka, the capital of the prefecture
of the same name.
Unseasonably warm weather has seen the cherry blossom season come
early this year. Tokyo registered temperatures of almost 25 degrees
yesterday and some early-blooming cherry trees have already been
spotted.
Princess Aiko, now more than three months old, was taken on her
"miyamairi", or first shrine visit by her mother Crown Princess
Masako (38). The visit took place within the Imperial Palace in
Tokyo.
A 24-member team of Ground Self Defense Forces has been dispatched
to East Timor to participate in peace-keeping efforts. The team
will build and repair roads and bridges and is an advance group
for a 680-member force to be sent in a month or so.
The world's fastest computer, called the "Earth Simulator", was
booted up at the Japan Marine Science and Technology Center this
month. Developed at a cost of 40 billion yen, the computer will
be used to study natural phenomena such as weather and earthquakes.
Leading architect Ando Tadao was awarded the prestigious American
Institute of Architects gold medal earlier this month. He is only
the second Japanese recipient of the award, after the famous Tange
Kenzo in 1966. One of Ando's most famous works is the Church on
the Water in Hokkaido.
Government:
Another political casualty is Kato Koichi (62), former LDP Secretary
General and faction leader. Kato announced his intention to resign
from the party on the same day as Suzuki. His decision followed
the arrest on tax evasion charges of Sato Saburo (61), his former
top secretary. The two men have enjoyed a close working relationship
for more than twenty years. Kato has been one of the LDP's biggest
fundraisers for several years and much of the credit goes to Sato
and his aggressive style. "It is to make Kato prime minister",
he is reported as saying. Along with current LDP Secretary General
Yamasaki Taku and PM Koizumi, Kato was part of the YKK alliance.
The fall of Suzuki and particularly Kato has further eroded the
position of Koizumi's government.
Fallout from recent political scandals will be gauged over the
next month as several gubernatorial and by-elections are due.
Several are in the constituencies of key senior politicians in
the troubled Hashimoto faction, led by former PM Hashimoto Ryutaro
(64). Hashimoto, who underwent heart surgery early in the month,
is the leader of the LDP's biggest faction, which also contained
Suzuki Muneo.
Crime:
A 43-year old taxi driver was arrested for an arson attack at
a branch of Takefuji credit company in Aomori Prefecture last
May. Five people died and four were injured in the attack. Kobayashi
Mitsuhiro bears a striking resemblance to the identikit picture
included in free tissues distributed nationwide by Takefuji over
the last ten months.
Kobe police arrested Sato Takayuki (38), leader of a gang affiliated
with the Yamaguchi-gumi, the nation's biggest yakuza syndicate.
Sato was arrested for the murder of a student following a dispute
over a parked car. Mobsters beat two doctoral students, one of
whom managed to report the incident to the police. Despite the
fact that one gang member visited a local police box with blood
on his clothes, a proper investigation did not take place until
some time later. By this time, 27-year old student Uranaka Kuniaki
had been tortured, killed and his body dumped in a local river.
A couple in the city of Kita-Kyushu were arrested for the detainment
and abuse of several children. The eldest, a 17-year old girl
escaped and notified the police that the couple were holding four
other children from 4 to 9 years old. It seems the couple were
so-called yonegiya (literally "nighttime escape artists"), people
who help others "do a runner" from creditors and were looking
after the children of several such people. The subject has been
a popular topic for recent TV dramas.
Former Finance Ministry bureaucrat Matsuo Katsutoshi (56) was
given a seven-year sentence for embezzlement of secret funds held
by the ministry. Officials still at the ministry have recently
repaid some 240 million yen of the funds.
Tokushima governor Endo Toshio and an aide were arrested on bribery
charges involving public works projects. After initially denying
the charges, Endo confessed and resigned his post and an election
will be held next month. One person considered a strong candidate
is TV star and former baseball pitcher Bando Eiji. Bando is a
local hero from his high school baseball days and a 12-year career
with the Chunichi Dragons and is currently a regular on TV variety
shows.
Police searched the offices of GO Group, named after entrepreneur
and founder Ogami Genta (39), in connection with fraud charges.
The company recruited some 400,000 investors in a mail-order sales
system and raised billions of yen. The flamboyant and hugely egotistical
Ogami used hundreds of millions yen to produce an action movie
and calendars featuring himself. At a press conference, Ogami
passionately claimed that movie sales and other businesses would
help balance the accounts.
New cases of false labeling of meat and chicken products continue
to crop up this month, with the kind of meat and its region of
origin being the most commonly altered details. Usually foreign
products were labeled as domestic indicating consumers tendency
to favor the latter. The latest scandals may change that trend.
The economy:
Some signs of an improvement in the economy. The unemployment
rate for January showed a drop for the first time in 11 months,
to 5.3%. The travel industry is showing levels of activity up
from last year for the first time since dropping drastically in
September. The government has revised upward its forecast for
the economy in the belief that the recession has bottomed out.
Much depends on how banks deal with their bad loans, the recovery
of the US economy and the yen exchange rate.
However, many investors are suspicious that recent surges in the
yen, bonds and the Nikkei stock index are the result of government
intervention and are meant to temporarily prop up banks prior
to the end of the fiscal year this month. But the World Bank stated
that the possibility of a financial crisis may be abating for
now, but is still dependent on the swift and effective disposal
of bad loans by the nation's major banks.
This year's "shunto" (annual spring labor offensive) has focussed
more on saving jobs than getting pay increases. Unions have opted
for work sharing or even pay cuts to avoid the job losses. Bucking
the trend, Toyota announced that it would be agreeing to its union's
request for a record 2.2 million yen annual bonus to employees.
Plans were announced to launch the nation's first "bridge bank"
before April. The bank would be a holding center for the deposits
and assets of bankrupt financial firms. One of the first candidates
may be the troubled Shizuoka-based Chubu Bank, which recently
filed for insolvency and came under government control.
A slump in public works projects was the main cause behind the
collapse of Sato Kogyo, the country's 10th largest general contractor
based in Toyama Prefecture. Withdrawal of support by its backers,
including Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, led to the decision to file for
bankruptcy. Another second-tier construction company, Tobishima
is considerably downsizing its operations and seeking help from
leading firm Taisei in an effort to avoid the same fate.
America's Wal-Mart has moved into the Japanese market, buying
a 6.1% stake in the major Seiyu supermarket chain for about 6
billion yen. Wal-Mart has an option to buy a two-thirds stake
in the company before 2007.
There is an increasing likelihood of Japan taking the case of
US steel import tariffs to the World Trade Organization. Talks
between the countries have so far failed to resolve the issue.
The foreign community:
It was reported that John Muwete Muluaka, personal secretary to
Suzuki Muneo, has been using a fake diplomatic passport for the
last several years. "Big John", who is married to a Japanese and
gained permanent residence last year, looks set to be another
of the casualties in the whole Suzuki investigation.
Seven Afghan men, from a group of 22 who appealed against a deportation
order, were released by the Tokyo District Court after months
of legal wrangling that indicate Japan's general unwillingness
to accept refugees.
The Japan Times newspaper pulled a story on its website by its
soccer reporter Fred Varcoe about a theme bar in Pusan, Korea.
Varcoe described the bar as "cool" and as having a "laid-back
atmosphere". He also wrote, "So, what's the problem? Er, only
one: Recht's motif is the Nazi swastika. It's hard to dislike
the place, but it's still uncomfortable being there."
Any soccer hooligans planning a summer visit to Japan might want
to avoid flying with ANA. The airline, recently voted the world's
fifth safest, is to have security guards on board many of flights
during the World Cup. The plain-clothes "sky marshalls" will be
supplied by the company that provided security for the 1998 event
in France.
Over 15,000 people became naturalized Japanese citizens in 2001,
more than two thirds of whom were of Korean origin. The number
was down by more than 500 from the previous year.
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3. Sports news
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The J-League season is underway. It's still early days but last
season's second stage winners Jubilo Iwata are off to a strong
start again. Also win two wins under their belt are newly promoted
Vegalta Sendai. Struggling again and without a win are the once
dominant Tokyo Verdy 1969.
The final round of World Cup ticket sales for people in Japan
has been announced. Between March 22nd and April 7th, applications
can be made by telephone for about 100,000 tickets left over from
previous sales. Results will not be announced until May. For more
information, visit the FIFA ticket site (www.fifa-tickets.com).
Yokozuna (Grand Champion) Takanohana, still carrying a knee injury,
is to sit out the sumo haru basho (spring tournament), making
it the fifth in a row he will miss. Talk of his retirement is
inevitable. Ozeki (Champion) Tochiazuma, who won the last basho
and is vying for promotion to the top rank, suffered two losses
in the first week to seriously dent his chances. The tournament
is currently being led by Yokozuna Musashimaru with a perfect
7-0 record.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/musashimaru.shtml
Formula One debutant Sato Takuma failed to finish the Australian
Grand Prix in his Jordan Honda. He retired after 12 laps with
gear trouble. The Toyota team, also in its debut, did better with
up-and-coming Finnish driver Mika Salo finishing sixth.
Celes Kobayashi (24-5) lost his second defense of the WBA super
flyweight title to Alexander Munos of Venezuela. The fight was
stopped in the eighth round after Kobayashi was knocked down for
the fifth time.
Japan's major leaguers have been mostly impressive in preseason
games. In one game, Montreal Expos pitcher Oka Tomokazu (26) started
against fellow countryman Nomo Hideo (33), who was relieved by
Ishii Kazuhisa (28). Ishii is a major league debutant and still
needs to deal with his nerves. Seattle's Suzuki Ichiro (29) has
carried on from where he left off last season, with an 11-game
on-base streak. The addition of some extra power has also helped
him hit a couple of home runs. Ichiro also features more prominently
than ever in the Mariners' advertising.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/suzuki_ichiro.shtml
Tom O'Malley, a former favorite with Hanshin Tigers and Yakult
Swallows fans, has been signed as a batting instructor by the
Tigers for the upcoming season. O'Malley batted over .300 in each
of his six years in Japanese baseball and won the MVP award during
his Japan-Series winning season with Yakult in 1995. The Tigers
have had an excellent preseason and hopes are high for an improvement
on their last four cellar-dwelling seasons.
Noguchi Mizuki (23) made a winning debut in the Nagoya international
women's marathon.
15-year old Takahashi Daisuke won the men's gold medal at the
World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Norway.
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4. Gei-noh news
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TV star and movie director Kitano "Beat" Takeshi (55) is in trouble
again. This time the scandal is his affair with actress Taike
Yuko (30), revealed by the gossip magazine Friday. Taike has appeared
in Kitano's last three movies. The couple are said to share a
penthouse apartment in Tokyo and have made little attempt to hide
their affair. Kitano had a child during a previous affair in 1991.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/kitano_takeshi.shtml
The Avex record label in its latest announcement said that sales
of CDs by star Hamasaki Ayumi (23) accounted for 12% of the company's
total. This compares with 40% in 2000 and 23% last year. The company
attributes the drop to the increased popularity of its other artists
but maybe the Ayu boom is coming to an end. That having been said,
she has won the Gold Disk award for last year's best-selling artist.
She is just the third artist to win the award two years in a row.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/hamasaki_ayumi.shtml
More Bits and Bobs
One of the more interesting couples around are leggy divorcee
Esumi Makiko (35) and the much younger kabuki actor Ogami Kikunosuke
(24). Esumi has been a spokeswoman for 30-something working women,
particularly in her leading role in the comedy series Shomuni.
Sayaka, the 15-year old daughter of Matsuda Seiko (40) has graduated
from junior high school and is set to make her gei-noh debut with
a CD release in May.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/matsuda_seiko.shtml
The 20th Century Fox studio has announced that it plans to make
a live-action version of the hugely popular Dragonball manga and
anime. The movie is due to be released in 2004.
Illusionist Hikita Tenko has said that her Hollywood star boyfriend
will be coming to Japan in May. The mystery man has long been
believed to be bad-boy action star Jean Claude Van Damme (aka
The Muscles from Brussels), though he has flatly denied the rumors.
Fuji TV sports announcer Sakurai Kenichiro (28) is back at work.
He was on compulsory leave after his involvement in a fatal traffic
accident last February.
Singer/songwriter Oda Kazumasa (54) has become the oldest artist
to enter the Oricon charts in the Top 3. Oda beat the record held
by the late Ishihara Yujiro when his new single KiraKira entered
the chart at No3.
Mizuho and Maiko, both 15-year old members of currently hot Hokkaido
group ZONE were delighted to learn that they'd passed their high
school entrance exams.
Actress/singer Moritaka Chisato (32), wife of actor Eguchi Yosuke
(34), is expecting her second child.
Naito Tetsuro (34) of the hugely talented drumming group Kodo
has announced that he will be quitting the group after their annual
Earth Celebration festival in May. Naito is currently dating actress
Ishida Yuriko (32).
Rock group Siam Shade ended their six and a half year career with
their final concert before 15,000 fans at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.
Former Yomiuri Giants pitcher Makihara Hiromi (38) is now a sports
presenter on the new TBS show "J Sports".
Yuuki (15), of the pop duo EE Jump has made his comeback after
seven months absence. The younger brother of Morning Musume member
Goto Maki, he wanted to quit last year due to the stress of fame.
Wedding Bells
TV talent Aihara Yuu (34), previously romantically linked with
sumo star Akebono and now based in New York, married American
Fergus McFarry last December; Komai Chikako (36) a reporter on
Nippon TV's The Wide afternoon magazine show married a reporter
from TV Asahi's Super Morning show; Oh Rie (32), sports reporter
and daughter of baseball legend and Daiei Hawks manager Oh Sadaharu
(61), has remarried; Kogi Ippei (27) a reporter on the Wide! Scramble
show is to marry his high school sweetheart; Buyo (traditional
dance) artist Hanayanagi Kinnosuke (34) is to marry a 28-year
old OL (office lady).
... and Heading the Other Way
Super producer Komuro Testuya (43) is rumored to be about to divorce
singer Asami (27), his wife of just ten months. The couple had
a baby girl in September of last year. Komuro's busy trans-Pacific
work schedule is said to be the main cause of the split; Actress
Saito Kozue (34) announced that she had divorced her American
husband Randy St Louis in January. She was flanked by friend Mikawa
Kenichi (54), with whose help she has recently lost some 25kg;
TV talent Paul Maki (60) announced that he divorced his wife Chiyoko
(53) last June.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/komuro_tetsuya.shtml
Entertainers Behaving Badly
Suguro Hajime (26), a former actor and eldest son of actress Ozora
Mayumi (61) and ex-husband actor Suguro Homare (61), has been
arrested for amphetamine use. He was reported to the police by
his mother.
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5. Links We Like
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Monkey Heaven
Remember a show called Monkey (or Monkey Magic for some)? It gained
quite a bit of popularity abroad in the late 1970s. If you were
a fan, revisit your past at this site.
http://www.monkeyheaven.com
Artelino
This is a general site for art buyers but it has a lot of interesting
stuff about Japanese art, and ukiyo-e in particular.
http://www.artelino.com
News on Japan
For up-to-date news in English on what's happening in Japan, this
is a useful site.
http://www.newsonjapan.com
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6. Unsubscribe
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