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Sad and troubling times. We wait to see whether the ongoing crisis
in Afghanistan will spill over again into our own backyards. Japan
is struggling not to be seen yet again as a bystander in the fight
against the free world's latest enemy. Many of you in Japan are
subscribers to ISP Global Online, hit recently by two different
kinds of loss.
On a more positive note, Ichiro has proved that he's the real
deal. While in local baseball, it's the end of an era but some
old habits die hard.
Mark McBennett
Webmaster, Japan Zone
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Contents
1. What's going on in Japan
2. Sports news
3. Gei-noh news
4. Links we like
5. Japan Zone updates
6. Unsubscribe
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1. What's going on in Japan
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The government has been making what some in the media have described
as desperate attempts to be seen to be actively supporting the
US. Prime Minister Koizumi consulted Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda
Yasuo the day after the September 11th attacks about dispatching
the Self Defense Forces. Koizumi is a shrewd enough politician
to know that the circumstances would not allow a repeat of Japan's
seeming inactivity in the Gulf War. But decades of conflicting
ideas on the nature of Japan's military capability have shaped
party policies that, even within the ruling coalition, make dealing
with the issue very tricky. In typical Japanese style, lot of
debate and some degree of compromise is inevitable before any
action can be taken. Deadlines mentioned in the press include
having to do something before military action is taken (already
too late) and having something concrete to show to President Bush
during his scheduled visit to Japan later this month (still on?).
The government has introduced two new bills, an Antiterrorism
Bill to allow the SDF to provide logistical support for US or
international forces, and another which makes changes to the SDF
Law. The former would still limit Japanese military activity considerably
and would expire after two years. The latter includes allowing
the SDF to protect US bases and such important buildings as the
Prime Minister's residence and the Imperial Palace, duties which
currently are in the domain of the police. The government hopes
to have the bills passed by the October 20th opening of the APEC
summit in Shanghai. But opposition parties' demands for changes
to the bill threaten to make Japan's actions again seem like "too
little, too late".
Two items concerning Global Online, the ISP probably most familiar
to foreigners in Japan. First, I was very sad to hear of the death
of GOL founder Roger Boisvert. Roger was the victim of an armed
robbery in Los Angeles on September 30th. I only actually met
him once, but I was impressed with his energy and, needless to
say, the success that he made of Japan's first real ISP. He will
be sorely missed by many in Japan.
The second item regards the filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
in the US by GOL's parent company Exodus Communications. GOL's
homepage states that this will not affect the operations of Exodus
KK in Japan or GOL's customers. As a long-term GOL subscriber,
I hope things work out. You can read more about Roger Boisvert
and the Exodus situation at:
http://home.gol.com/index_e.html
Fears of an outbreak of BSE (mad cow disease) continue to hurt
the nation's beef industry. There has still only been one confirmed
case to date. It is generally believed that the source of the
disease was meat and bonemeal (MBM) cattle feed imported from
Europe. Imports have been banned and supplies burned. Some retailers
have pulled products that use beef extracts from their shelves.
Over a third of schools have removed beef from their lunch menu.
A tragic aside to the death last month of a handcuffed 12-year
old junior high school girl left at the side of a highway in Kobe:
the driver of the truck which struck the girl, after she had allegedly
jumped from the car of her abductor, hung himself during a break
in police questioning. It seems police were dealing with the driver
as they would in any hit and run case.
As if the world wasn't getting him down enough, the average salaryman
in the private sector saw his salary drop again last year from
1999 to 4.61 million yen, including an average bonus of 800,000
yen. This marked the third decrease in a row.
On October 1st, NTT DoCoMo launched the world's first 3G mobile
phone service. The Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access (FOMA)
service allows i-mode access at up to 40 times the speed of previous
services. As a result, video phone has become a practical reality.
Units including a video camera sold out at many outlets in the
first day. The service is initially only available within 30km
of central Tokyo and is due to be expanded to Osaka and Nagoya
in December.
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2. Sports news
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In sumo, maegashira 2-ranked wrestler Kotomitsuki won the Autumn
Tournament just one year after being promoted to the top level
(makuuchi). An impressive 13-2 record included a win over struggling
Yokozuna (Grand Champion) Musashimaru, who finished a disappointing
9-6. I attended the 9th day of the basho (tournament) with my
wife and father-in-law. Yokozuna Takanohana was out through injury
as were several other top wrestlers, an increasingly common situation
that has led to calls for reducing the number of tournaments,
perhaps back to 4 a year. There has been a noticable drop-off
in enthusiasm for the sport recently and it badly needs some new
young heroes.
https://www.japan-zone.com/omnibus/sumo.shtml
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/musashimaru.shtml
Marathon runner Takahashi Naoko proved that her Sydney gold medal
was no flash in the pan when she set a new world record in the
Berlin Marathon on September 30th. She also broke the 2-hour 20-minute
barrier by some 14 seconds. The feat is bound to elevate Takahashi's
already sky-high popularity. The record, however, only lasted
a week as it was broken by a Kenyan runner in the Chicago Marathon
last Sunday. Takahashi has a chance to get it back in the Sydney
Marathon on October 28th.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/takahashi_naoko.shtml
Yokohama F Marinos and national-team goalkeeper Kawaguchi Yoshikatsu
is set to transfer to Portsmouth in the English Premier League
later this month. He will be the third Japanese player to join
the English league this season. Kawaguchi put in another fine
performance in Japan's 2-2 draw in a friendly against Nigeria
on October 7th.
The Japan Women's Open golf tournament was won by Shimabukuro
Miyuki on September 30th with a score of 14-over. It was the highest
ever winning score in the 34 years of the event.
The end of the US and Japanese baseball seasons is proving to
be an interesting time. The Japan Series will feature Central
League champions the Yakult Swallows against the Kintetsu Buffaloes
of the Pacific League. Other stories:
Fuji TV received over 10,000 telephone complaints when an episode
of a popular TV drama was interrupted to show baseball's Yakult
Swallows possibly clinch the Central League championship against
the Hanshin Tigers. The game went to extra innings and ended up
a draw, meaning a no decision in the championship race. Following
the complaints, the network ended up switching over to the next
Yakult game just one minute before they became CL champions. It's
hard to imagine either the complaints or the resultant scheduling
if a Giants "yusho" had been on the line.
The (welcome) end of an era. Yomiuri Giants manager and - they
would have you believe - the most beloved man in Japan, Nagashima
Shigeo has finally called it a day. A hero since the Giants' golden
age in the 1950-60s, only Nagashima could combine inarticulacy
with incompetence as a manager and remain hugely popular. Though
many "anti-Giants" across the country are no doubt glad to see
the back of the No.3 shirt for once and for all, such blasphemy
is taboo in the mass media. Hopefuly the post-Nagashima Giants
will receive slightly less unequivocal adoration from the media
(then again, probably not). By the way, Nagashima was just one
of four managers (out of 12 in all) to announce this as their
last season.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/nagashima_shigeo.shtml
The other half of the famous Nagashima-Oh combi, Daiei Hawks manager
Oh Sadaharu, has lived up (or down) to expectations. Oh is famous
as the holder of the Japanese career home run record. He is also
infamous for not letting his pitchers give American player Randy
Bass a fair chance to equal that record while manager of the Giants
in 1985. This season, Tuffy Rhodes of the Kintetsu Buffaloes tied
the record and faced Oh's Hawks in one of the last games of the
season. Rhodes saw one strike in 18 pitches, was walked twice
and hit by a pitch. Hawks battery coach Wakana Yoshiharu claimed
the manager had no say in the matter but added that "there was
no excuse for letting (Rhodes) break the record. We did this out
of consideration for the manager. The thought of a foreigner breaking
the record is distasteful." The fact that Oh is half-Taiwanese
makes the last statement somewhat ironic. In a historical first,
the baseball commissioner issued a statement criticizing the Hawk's
lack of fair play. (See TIME magazine article below)
Speaking of foreigners breaking records, Seattle Mariner Suzuki
Ichiro has continued to raise the bar for himself in the MLB.
His Japanese record for hits in a season was 210 (1994) and he
easily beat that mark with 242 hits this season (admittedly after
playing more games). Ichiro broke the 90-year old record for hits
by a rookie and had the most hits in the majors since 1930. To
top it off, he had the joint-best batting average (.350) and most
stolen bases (56) in the majors. Stud.
Meanwhile Nomo Hideo ended up with the most strikeouts (220) in
the AL. Still, the number pales in comparison to that of NL leader
Randy Johnson - 372.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/suzuki_ichiro.shtml
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/nomo_hideo.shtml
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3. Gei-noh news
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SMAP member Inagaki Goro, arrested last month for trying to escape
an illegal-parking ticket, will not be prosecuted. It was decided
that his actions were not "malignant". Also, though Inagaki was
supposed to be confined to his home, it seems he's been living
it up at a hotel since his arrest. Meanwhile, the remaining four
members of the band appeared on stage at their Tokyo Dome concert
wearing Inagaki T-shirts. The popular SMAPxSAMP TV show, which
recently has been replaced by reruns and specials, is to go ahead
with the four members. A comeback for Inagaki within the year
was opposed by Johnny's Jimusho vice president (and sister of
the president) Mary Kitagawa. But the chairman of NHK has said
that he has no problem with Inagaki appearing on the public network.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/smap.shtml
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/johnnys.shtml
Other bits and bobs:
- Rumours abound that Ohnuki Ami, one half of pop duo Puffy, is
pregnant and planning to marry Teru of rock band Glay. Meanwhile
Glay have announced a "5-dome" tour between December 13th and
next January.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/glay.shtml
- While many artists have announced donations to victims of the
US terrorist attacks, bad-boy singer Izumiya Shigeru (53) sang
an anti-war song and vented his spleen on the US military action
during a promotion for his latest album. Whatever moves the product...
- Singer Makihara Keisuke is set to make a TV comeback later this
month after his arrest last year for stimulant abuse.
- Young actor Ishida Issei has appeared in court on multi-drug
related charges. His shaved head and complete remorse should help
the court look more favorably on the case. His bail was set at
5 million yen.
- Popular young stars Kato Haruhiko and Uchiyama Rina are the
latest hot couple.
- TV personality Kazama Kampei had to retire from the 250km Athens-Sparta
Spartathlon ultra-distance race after 140km. Kazama has run in
many long-distance charity races in Japan.
- Performer Henmi Mari (51), mother of popular actress Henmi Emiri,
remarried this week to a jewellry designer 14 years her junior.
- Actress Mizuki Arisa is said to be living with a Chicago resident
and the couple plan to marry next spring.
- Transvestite TV personality Carousel Maki has been refused access
to bra and panties while in a male detention center on charges
of marijuana use.
- Miyazaki Hayao's animated movie "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi"
(Spirited Away) has broken the 16.8-million record for cinema
attendance previously held by Titanic.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/miyazaki_hayao.shtml
- Hamada Masatoshi, of the popular comedy duo Downtown, is to
be prosecuted for his involvement in a traffic accident last month
in which the other driver, a doctor, was injured.
- The reason for the divorce of comedian Higashino Koji is said
to be his playboy activities with Yoshimoto Kogyo sempai and Downtown's
bachelor half, Matsumoto Hitoshi.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/downtown.shtml
- Popular NHK announcer Kubo Junko has recorded her final edition
of Pop Jam before taking maternity leave.
- It seems that Ohyama Nobuyo, voice of the famous animation character
Doraemon, has been in treatment for rectal cancer.
- Postponed due to the current international situation: "Johnny's"
boy band Arashi's first foreign concert, scheduled for next month
in Hawaii; the scheduled October 14th broadcast of the Arnold
Schwarzenegger movie "End of Days"; Mariah Carey's planned visit
to promote her widely-panned movie Glitter.
- Musician Komuro Tetsuya and his wife Asami have had a baby daughter.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/komuro_tetsuya.shtml
- It was announced that actress Akino Yoko divorced on September
17th.
- The "Silly Award" Award goes to actress Yonekura Ryoko for looking
good in leather that she was named this year's "Best Leather-nist".
Really, that's the name of the award. Runners up are SMAP's Kusanagi
Tsuyoshi and Hamasaki Ayumi, named this year's "Best Jeanists"
(3rd and 2nd year running respectively).
The latest Oricon CD singles chart
1. Hamasaki Ayumi - Dearest
2. ZONE - Secret Base, Kimi ga kureta mono
3. Yaida Hitomi - Buzzstyle
4. GLAY - Hitohira no Jiyu (Freedom of a Leaf)
5. Will Call - Robou (Roadside)
Hamasaki Ayumi, of course, is the ruling Queen of Everything in
Japan these days. She also has two of the top three albums. Although
I find myself hating her more and more every time I hear that
nasal, fake-cute voice of hers, I actually liked one of her new
songs (Evolution). Not this current single, mind you. Don't know
anything about ZONE but their single has been around for two months
so I suppose it's a "grower". Yaida Hitomi is one of the more
original female singers in the charts. GLAY continue to sell to
a wider audience than just about anybody.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/hamasaki_ayumi.shtml
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/glay.shtml
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4. Links we like
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Absolute Japan
For those who didn't check out this site when I mentioned it some
time ago, Frantisek Staud's collection of photos of Japan is about
the most impressive I've seen. Beautiful.
http://phototravels.net/japan/photo-gallery/
Time Magazine
A Whole Lot at Steak: mad cow disease pops up in Japan, and as
the government fumbles, causes a consumer scare.
http://www.time.com/time/asia/news/magazine/0,9754,178476,00.html
From Tokyo with Love: The Kano sisters flog style, glamor and
attitude, making them two of Japan's hottest commodities.
http://www.time.com/time/asia/arts/magazine/0,9754,178478,00.html
Sashimi: Japan News Raw. In a changed world, there's nothing as
American as baseball in Japan.
http://www.time.com/time/asia/news/column/0,9754,177256,00.html
Asiaweek Magazine
Dateline: High Risk Reform. Can Koizumi carry out reforms without
pushing Japan deeper into recession?
http://www.asiaweek.com/asiaweek/magazine/dateline/0,8782,176572,00.html
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5. Japan Zone updates
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Profiles of sports stars, big and small. From Sumo's giant:
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/musashimaru.shtml (Musashimaru)
...to marathon's imp:
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/takahashi_naoko.shtml (Takahashi Naoko)
Following lots of requests for info on Japan's climate (hey, some
people have homework to do!), here it is:
https://www.japan-zone.com/omnibus/climate.shtml
And a new page on general info on the country:
https://www.japan-zone.com/omnibus/facts.shtml
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6. Unsubscribe
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