The fate of the dozen Japanese kidnapped by North Korea back in
the 1970s and 80s has dominated the news recently. The matter
is still far from resolved. Nuclear reactors hit the headlines
again as more cover-ups of faults were discovered. A major typhoon
caused deaths, injuries and cancellations in transport services.
Mark McBennett
Webmaster, Japan Zone
Contents
1. Japan Zone Updates
2. What's going on in Japan
3. Sports news
4. Gei-noh news
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1. Japan Zone Updates
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Culture: Traditional Japanese footwear may have become less popular than
western styles but geta and zori are still standard for many situations
in daily life. And God forbid you should forget to take your shoes
off when entering a Japanese home.
https://www.japan-zone.com/culture/footwear.shtml
Our new Japan Forum system is leaner and meaner than the old BBS.
You can create your own profile with photo or avatar, and there
is a ranking system depending on how many messages you post. The
Forum also has its own internal email system, and you can leave
instant messages for other members. Anyway, it's all pretty cool
so check it out:
https://www.japan-zone.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi
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2. What's going on in Japan
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The main news story of the last few weeks was the fate of the
Japanese abducted by North Korea. Relatives were upset by several
things: the government's hiding of information received from the
North Koreans; the fact that PM Koizumi waited several days after
his return from Pyongyang before meeting with them; and the lack
of concrete information about the deaths of eight of the 13 known
abductees. North Korean officials claim that the graves of several
of the people they say are now dead were washed away in floods.
The claim has been seen to further erode the little credibility
the secretive country has had.
Following earlier revelations of a cover-up by Tokyo Electric
Power Co of faults at its nuclear reactors, it's been found that
two other companies are guilty of the same thing. Cracks at nuclear
power plants in the Chubu and Tohoku regions were also concealed.
This week, we here in Tokyo were hit by what was called one of
the biggest typhoons since the War. The news shows focused on
nothing else as Typhoon #21 (known elsewhere as Typhoon Higos,
which means "fig" in the native language of the Pacific island
of Guam) blew over the Kanto area and northern Japan. Four people
died and dozens were injured. Two people died in Chiba, near Tokyo,
when they were electrocuted by electrical cables severed in the
high winds. A security guard was killed when a plate glass window
fell on him in Yokohama, and the fourth person was drowned while
trying to secure a fishing boat against the storm in Miyagi, northern
Japan.
PM Koizumi carried out a cabinet reshuffle which seems to have
upset those with vested interests but otherwise was pretty unremarkable.
The focus was on the dismissal of fiscal policy minister Yanagisawa
Hakuo, who had criticized plans to pump public money into major
banks. His portfolio was added to that of Takenaka Heizo.
Homelessness, a relatively minor problem in Japan until recently,
is on the increase. The 2001 figure is 24,090 - up from 20,451
in 1999. Osaka has the highest proportion and the level of unemployment
in the area is over 7%, almost two points higher than the national
average.
An All Nippon Airlines pilot was noticed to be drunk as he went
on board his flight from Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam to Narita Airport.
The pilot (51) claimed he had been unable to sleep the night before
and had gone drinking until six hours before the flight, which
was delayed by seven hours.
A fire broke out on the 113,000 tonne Diamond Princess, a cruise
liner under construction at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard
in Nagasaki. 1,000 workers were on board at the time, but all
escaped safely. The ship was being built for UK cruise company
P&O. The cause of the fire is as yet unknown, as is the fate of
the ship.
Japan Airlines and Japan Air Systems officially merged to become
Japan Airlines System Corp this week. The new airline is the sixth-largest
in the world.
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3. Sports news
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Musashimaru won his 12th Emperor's Cup in the Autumn Sumo Tournament,
beating the recovering star Takanohana on the final day. The victory
was sweet revenge for the Samoan-born giant, who lost to the injured
Taka in the summer of 2001. That injury kept the popular Yokozuna
out for over a year. Meanwhile, crowd favorite Terao has finally
called it a day. One of the smaller wrestlers, the 39-year old
veteran was famous for his flailing, throat-lunging style.
As expected, this year's Japan Series will be between the Yomiuri
Giants and the Seibu Lions. But baseball fans will have to wait
until October 26th before the series starts. For the Giants, it
is their 30th Central League pennant and the Lions are on their
18th trip to the Japan Series. Both the Giants' Hara Tatsunori
and Lions boss Ihara Haruki are in their rookie season as manager.
The series will also see a matchup of Giants star Matsui Hideki
and Alex Cabrera of the Lions, both of whom are gunning for the
batting triple crown. Cabrera is also aiming to break the single-season
home run record of 55, which he equaled this week.
Also as expected, neither Ichiro nor his Seattle Mariners managed
to secure any honours for the season. Ichiro finished fourth in
AL batting average. But he will be joining home run king Barry
Bonds in the "All-Star Series Japan 2002" in mid-November.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/suzuki_ichiro.shtml
Swimmer Kitajima Kosuke broke the ten-year old 200m breaststroke
record at the Asian Games in Korea. He is the first Japanese to
set a world record in the event in 30 years.
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4. Gei-noh news
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J-Pop star Hamasaki Ayumi (23) was one of the biggest attractions
at a concert in Beijing to mark 30 years of relations between
Japan and China. Among the other Japanese performers playing to
the 45,000 crowd were enka singer Tanimura Shinji (53), former
idol Sakai Noriko (31) and singer Gackt (age unknown!). Meanwhile
Hamasaki is said to soon make her movie debut. Actually it's a
40-minute promo video that will be shown at movie theaters.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/hamasaki_ayumi.shtml
Movie director Fukasaku Kinji (72) is to make the sequel to his
controversial hit Battle Royale despite having being diagnosed
with cancer. Battle Royale II is a follow up to the 2000 movie
about high school students killing each other for survival on
a desert island.
Anita Alvarado, the Chilean former bar hostess who has become
her country's biggest celebrity, is to visit Japan for a TV show
in December. Her husband, Chida Yuji embezzled 1.45 billion yen
from a housing corporation in Aomori, and she ended up with a
sizable chunk of the money. She used it to set herself up in Santiago,
where she is viewed as something of a national heroine. She has
made the most of her infamy, appearing on Chilean TV, writing
a book and making a movie. She is able to demand huge sums for
appearances. Meanwhile, with Aomori locals demanding their tax
yen back, it should be an interesting visit.
In the ongoing battle between noh actor Izumi Motoya (28) and
the elders of the dramatic art, Izumi has decided to sue the Noh
Council for 100 million yen. The dispute revolves around Izumi
having brought disrepute upon his profession and the council threatening
to strip him of his "sokei" title. Sokei is the title given to
the head of a particular "school", which Izumi took for himself
without the council's approval.
Johnnys Jr member Yamashita Tomohisa (17) was attacked by a young
man after a concert. The man threw some kind of chemical substance
in Yamashita's face and then drank the rest of it himself. His
condition was listed as serious, but Yamashita was unhurt. Another
man was arrested for posing online as an employee of Johnnys Jimusho
and taking money for non-existant tickets and introductions to
the agency's popular male stars.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/johnnys.shtml
More Bits and Bobs
Popular rock band B'z played in the US for the first time, appearing
at The Palace in LA.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/bz.shtml
Goto Maki (17) has "graduated" from pop group Morning Musume and
will pursue a solo career.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/morning_musume.shtml
Tokyo University graduate, actress and current TV commercial queen
Kikukawa Rei (24) is to to make her CD debut with Universal Music
next spring. She is now on her 21st major "CM" contract.
A contestant on the Quiz Millionaire TV show who was eliminated
despite giving a correct answer is suing the TV station for 6.5
million yen, the additional amount he would have received for
a right answer.
Oscar-winning musician Sakamoto Ryuichi is to release a triple
CD of his greatest hits. The CDs will be titled "US", "UF" and
"CM/TV". Sakamoto's father died just this week of multiple organ
failure.
The September 20th edition of NHK's popular mini-drama Sakura
was accidentally replaced with a tape of the next day's episode.
The show has received a lot of criticism from fourth-generation
Japanese Americans who feel the portrayal of the Hawaiian heroine
who comes to teach English in Japan is way off track.
Ishihara Yoshizumi (40), actor, TV weatherman and son of Tokyo
governor Ishihara Shintaro, has married Inada Sachiko (28), a
dermatologist.
Hollywood ninja actor Sho Kosugi (54) has had a split with his
son Kane (27), who has set up his own agency, stealing many of
his father's staff. The elder Kosugi berates his son's lack of
"giri" and "ninjo" (sense of obligation and humanity).
The animated movie "Spirited Away" (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi)
opened in the US and Canada and has done very well at the box
office. The New York Times even mentioned a possible Oscar nomination.
Major league pitcher Sasaki Kazuhiro of the Seattle Mariners and
his wife are said to be nearing a divorce.
Mika (34), the younger of the "Gorgeous Kano Sisters" is to make
her acting debut as a nurse in an upcoming TV drama. The use of
the word debut is a bit dubious given her rarely mentioned soft-porn
"acting" background.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/kano_shimai.shtml
This year's Best Jeanists are Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (28) of SMAP and
actress Yonekura Ryoko (27).
Actor Ishida Issei (27), who was arrested last year on drugs charges,
is to make a comeback in a movie written and directed by his actor
father Ishida Junichi (47).
Fukuyama Masaharu's album "The Golden Oldies" has sold over 700,000
copies, setting a new sales record for a Japanese cover album.
Onuki Ami (29) of the pop duo Puffy has announced that she is
four months pregnant. She is married to Teru (31), vocalist of
the rock group Glay.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/glay.shtml
The reason for the split between Downtown's Matsumoto Hitoshi
(39) and busty TV personality Yuka (22) has been given as the
fact that Matsumoto doesn't want to marry before 50.
https://www.japan-zone.com/modern/downtown.shtml
In the Heat of Passion
Uchimura Teruyoshi of the comedy duo Uchan Nanchan (38) is said
to be in hot pursuit of actress Iijima Naoko (34). This is despite
rumors of impending marriage between Uchimura and TV presenter
Shimohira Sayaka. Iijima is the ex-wife of Tube vocalist Maeda
Nobuteru (37). Former volleyball players Masuko Naomi (35) and
Asahi Kentaro (26) were photographed together in a romantic clinch.
Actor Yoshioka Hidetaka (32, of Kita no Kuni Kara fame) and actress
Uchida Yuki (26) were spotted on a secret trip together in northern
Japan. Pro wrestler Sakata Wataru (29) and busty TV personality
Koike Eiko (21) are romantically involved.
(I notice that I use the expression "busty TV personality" quite
a bit. But really, there's no other way to describe these young
women. They become popular for one reason, and one reason only)
Oricon Daily Single Chart (October 2nd)
1. Misia - Kiss in the Sky
2. Kuwata Keisuke - Rock and Roll Hero
3. Hamasaki Ayumi - Cyber Trance presents Ayu trance 2
4. The Rolling Stones - Forty Licks
5. Kiss, Dramatic Love Story - Various Artists
Misia made her debut in 1998 and hit the top with the 2000 single
"Everything". She is one of Japan's better R&B vocalists. Kiss
in the Sky is her 4th original album and it went straight to the
No.1 spot. Kuwata Keisuke is the vocalist of the hugely successful
Southern All Stars. His solo career has hit stellar heights over
the last couple of years.
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