J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options.
It all started on a usual family outing in California. It was there that a highway patrolman and his family were driving on the highway, when they realized the accelerator petal was stuck to the floor. After careening through the highway and eventually crashing though a guard rail, the car rolled over a few times and burst into flames.
Toyota has gotten lots of press lately for their recall of cars across America and the so called stuck accelerator problem. Americans have reacted with shock as their top quality car maker has had to recall some of the highest selling models on the American market. But how have the Japanese reacted to this?
Each Japanese newspaper today had a different take on the current crisis at Toyota, its affects on America and the overall financial health of the company.
Click here for the rest of the article, including other Japanese language and culture articles
J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options.
Background: Since becoming Prime Minister last September, Yukio Hatoyama has had a dedicated cabinet. The Prime Minister and his cabinet have stood fast to battle both a horrible economic downturn in Japan and also the many issues arising from an aging population. However in recent weeks concerns have risen in regards to his Finance Minister’s health (aged 77), in particular high blood pressure. The Prime Minister’s initial reaction was to try to keep him on regardless, as Fuji-san is one of his most experienced and capable cabinet members.
Last night however the Prime Minister called a press conference where he caved in to letting Finance Minister Fuji step down. Each newspaper reported a slightly different take on the event:
Yomiuri ” Next Finance Minister Nominated, he’ll share the position…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options.
Background: It was a dreadful night on March 24, 2007. Lindsay Hawker was an English teacher at Nova, a well known language school in Japan. She had met Tatsuya Ichihashi by chance in a café a few days earlier, and that night had agreed to go up to his room. The next day she was found dead in his apartment.
The evidence was overwhelming against Tatsuya Ichihashi. Lindsay’s body had been found in a bathtub on the balcony filled with sand and other materials, which Ichiro had been purchasing from the local hardware store. The taxi cab driver had been told to wait for Lindsay to come back down from Ichiro’s apartment, but she never returned. He also fled the scene…
Click here for the rest of the article, including other Japanese language and culture articles
J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options.
Background: The Japanese economy has had some bad news in past weeks. The index that measures new housing starts in Japan went down 27.1% in October. The historic news that JAL is lowering their retirement payouts still rocks the news, along with institutions posting historic unbalanced budgets, including JTB and the Bank of Japan.
Usually at the forefront of bad economic news are the effects felt from a strong yen. In an export driven economy with the dollar weakening and the yen strengthening, Japanese exports continue to become more expensive when compared with their competition. The newspapers this morning reported on the yen strengthening and the reactions to it.
Asahi Prime Minister Hatoyama exclaims “We must do something quickly…”
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options.
Background: Sushi is a delicacy in Japan, and probably the most famous Japanese food in America. Whenever anyone hears sushi, they think of raw fish, and how adventurous (and healthy) it must be to eat fish uncooked. No one ever thinks it might be dangerous.
The one exception to this is blowfish. To anyone who’s ever lived in Japan or thought about going there, blowfish is famous for its borderline poisonous properties. All restaurants that carry blowfish need special chefs to prepare the fish just right, and if it’s not prepared correctly it can potentially be poisonous. Everyone tries blowfish because of the potential danger and of course unique taste, but no expects to actually…
Click here for the rest of the article, including other Japanese language and culture articles
J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options. 
Economic news seems to be getting better. In the U.S. the Dow seems to be making a healthy recovery, and newscasters are talking about when the economy will recover, not how long it will recess. GDP growth was also positive for the U.S. this past quarter.
Following the good news in America, Japan also released positive GDP figures this morning. Each newspaper had a different take on the event.
Yomiuri “GDP grows by…”
Click here for the rest of the article, including other Japanese language and culture articles
J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options.
Background: The economic news has been hard to swallow this past week in the U.S. Job numbers were the worst on record, hitting the highest unemployment figures since 1983. For Japan it’s not just about the labor market, but the yen’s constant appreciating has been hurting the export driven economy.
The business climate has been suffering as well, as reported by the Bank of Japan earlier this week. Both large businesses and small / medium sized businesses are still finding the economic climate “very tough.” Therefore, the Bank of Japan is looking into buying up some commercial paper to fuse monetary stimulus into the struggling system.
The challenge in the business market today in Japan is evidenced by the cell phone industry. Each newspaper released a story about the big three in the cell phone business.
Asahi “Out of the three big telecommunication companies, Softbank…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options.
Background: The economic news this morning had some light poking through the dark clouds. With the positive GDP growth reported in the U.S. economic news seems to be taking a turn for the better. Investment banks are reporting profits instead of dismal losses, housing sales have gone up instead of down, and “economic recovery” seems to be a phrase that is at least being talked about.
In Japan vs. the U.S., signs of economic recovery differ. Although GDP is important, there are many other factors that drive growth in Japan. Each newspaper reported a different positive economic phenomenon in Japan.
Nikkei: “Steel Exports for September went up for…”
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options.
Background: The Japanese have done a lot to combat the Swine Flu. When it first arrived in Narita they quarantined the whole plane, and did a thorough inspection of each passenger. Afterwards when it started to spread they split Japan into three different zones to better manage potential outbreaks and allocate resources. And finally everyone wears masks, although it’s arguable that the Japanese themselves probably bought the masks without much government encouragement.
Despite these measures Japan this month has had record school closings due to the Swine Flu outbreak. Each newspaper had a slightly different take on the phenomenon.
Asahi “Flu Closings Grew By 1.6 %…”
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com).
Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options. Their main service is private one on one tutoring in the NYC area, and they now also offer group lessons in Manhattan.
Background: Ichiro Ozawa was the main candidate for The Democratic Party of Japan, leading up to the election in September. Then leading up the summer he was rocked by a scandal that put his secretary potentially embezzling funds that he shouldn’t have been embezzling. He resigned, and the now current Prime Minister, Hatoyama, took over the Democratic Party of Japan, and ended up winning the prize of Prime Minister. The election was historic for Japan, in its 50 year history since WWII this was the first time the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) had taken the reigns of power from the Liberal Democratic Party, or (LDP).
Nevertheless, Ozawa-san has managed to hold onto power, both behind the scenes and as now the Secretary General of the Democratic Party of Japan. Each newspaper had a different take on Ozawa-san this morning and his meeting with the American ambassador to Japan, John Roos.
Asahi “We should be frank…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options.
Some of the biggest economic news in Japan, besides the stock and job markets, is always the exchange rate. When the yen gets stronger against the dollar, big Japanese exporters always worry. Their prices become relatively more expensive in other countries, and with that comes a drop in sales.
The newspapers this morning each reported on the reaction to the increase in the yen to 88 yen per dollar. The Asahi focused on this as a headline in their newspaper, where as the Nikkei and Yomiuri decided to list it as second page news.
Asahi It Went Up! Cried Farmers and Factory Workers Alike The Yen, on the morning of the 28th rose to…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options.
In early September Prime Minister Hatoyama and his party the DPJ (Democratic Party of Japan) won a historic election. For the first time since the second world war, the LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) is no longer in power, and the DPJ is now in the driver seat in the Japanese government. How things will change, and what this means for Japanese diplomacy, has yet to be seen.
Prime Minister Hatoyama left Japan with his wife last night for the United States, and for the G20 summit. Each Japanese newspaper reported something different about what policies and goals the Prime Minister would have on his first diplomatic mission.
Asahi “Prime Minister Hatoyama Leaves for the U.S. for his Speech at the G20” The Asahi describes in their first paragraph how the Prime Minister sees this trip to the U.S. as…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options.
Background: Earlier this year in May, the first fatal case of the swine flu was reported in Japan. The man was 57 years old, and he lived in Okinawa. Although panic set in to the point where Japan had to be split off into different zones (infected areas, not infected areas, areas that are starting to be infected), over the summer the excitement died down. People stopped wearing masks, department stores started to see customers coming back to shop, and salarymen went back to their daily routines.
That could all change now with the second fatality from the swine flu now confirmed in Japan. Each newspaper had a different take on how exactly the man died, and the circumstances surrounding the return of the swine flu.
Yomiuri “A 70 Year Old man died in Kobe from the Swine Flu while undergoing Dialytic Treatment” The Yomiuri describes the 70 year old man being infected in the city Kobe, the first city to be hit by the swine flu…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options. 
Background: Yasukuni Shrine is one of the biggest (if not the biggest) diplomatic challenges that Japan has with its neighbors. The shrine exclusively celebrates the Japanese war dead, so naturally when an anniversary of a war comes up the prime minister needs to look patriotic and pay homage to fallen soldiers. The problem is that those fallen soldiers, to neighbors such as China and Korea, also include Class A war criminals that tortured and killed their people. Every prime minister in recent years that has visited the shrine has ended up getting key diplomatic missions cancelled, and on a more extreme level countries will shut off economic and political negotiations entirely.
Prime Minister Aso today commented on Yasukuni, in the background of the anniversary of the end of WWII coming up on August 15th. Each newspaper had a different take on the event.
Nikkei “I’m Against Visiting Yasukuni While in Office” On the evening of August 10th at the Prime Minister’s residence, Prime Minister Aso stated in regards to the anniversary on the 15th of WWII…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). 
Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options. Their main service is private one on one tutoring in the NYC area, where the student chooses where and when to have lessons.
Background: It’s sometimes difficult to report on an international incident. Stories get conflicted, newspapers have to follow leads, and they’re pressed for time to release something to the public as soon as possible. Today’s crash for of a Bangkok Airways ATR72 showed how each Japanese newspaper can create a different story.
They did agree that the accident happened earlier today about 2pm Bangkok time, 4pm Tokyo time (although exact estimates are all different). The crashed happened on the island of Samui, with 72 people on board.
Asahi ”Landing failure in Thailand, the pilot dies, over 40 people injured” The time was 4:10 Tokyo time. As the plane was landing at the island of Samui, it went off the runway…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
The latest victim of economic recession in Japan is people’s lives
Background: During an economic recession news is usually filled with how corporations are posting losses, or how smaller businesses are filing for bankruptcy. On a more personal level news stories are filled with how the unemployed are finding new means of income, and how families might deal with parents having to work night jobs. The social impact as a whole during a recession is rarely commented on, probably mainly because there are no easily interpreted indicators that measure social well being. Deaths could possibly increase, but usually in America this is due to murder rates.
Take a society like Japan, and unfortunately one of the easiest indicators to measure happiness in the country as a whole is the suicide rate. Today the newspapers each reported differently on the news that Japan this year has had record suicide rates.
Nikkei “Suicides break 17,000 in the first half of 2009”
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Asashoryu from the Yomiuri Shinbun
J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com).
Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options. Their main service is private one on one Japanese language lessons in the NYC area, where the student chooses where and when to have lessons. They’ve also recently expanded to include the Korean and Chinese languages.
Background: Maybe fame is finally catching up with Asashoryu. After seeming to be undefeatable in 2007, he became the first Yokozuna ever to be suspended by the Sumo Association of Japan. Asashoryu claimed he was injured and had to return home, later to find out he had participated in a local soccer game in Mongolia. It took quite a while for Asashoryu to return to competition, and so far he’s lost his aura of being undefeatable. Earlier this year he ended the tournament with 2 losses, while his main competitor Hakuhou was undefeated. The newspapers each reported on the recent Sumo Tournament in Nagoya, and how Asashoryu fairs compared with his competition.
Asahi “Asashoryu Continues to Lose, Hakuhou and Shikona Are Able to Protect their Undefeated Titles”
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com).
Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options. Their main service is private one on one Japanese language lessons in the NYC area, where the student chooses where and when to have lessons. They’ve also recently expanded to include the Korean and Chinese languages.
Background: For most Americans, more specifically Americans who come from states not on the Pacific Coast, the most frightening part of living in Japan is an Earthquake. Most people when they travel to Japan experience earthquakes for the first time, and wonder just how fragile the land they’re standing on is. The biggest Earthquake I experienced was a 5+, and it shut down the subway for about 2 hours leaving 2-3 million commuters stranded.
Earthquakes and natural disasters are ubiquitous throughout Japanese media and movies. Dealing with disasters is part of their lives, in particular earthquakes, but also from today’s news articles other disasters as well. Each newspaper wrote about a different tragedy Japanese people are working to overcome.
Asahi “Mountain Expedition Leads to Disaster for 17 Climbers”
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com).
Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options. Their main service is private one on one Japanese language lessons in the NYC area, where the student chooses where and when to have lessons.
Economics Minister Along with Prime Minister Aso
Background: With America still recovering from the worst job numbers in recent memory, Economists are still pondering the question is the economic recession bottoming out, or continuing to get worse? Although there are some signs from America the economy’s taking off like housing sales up and mortgage rates now climbing, overall the picture is still unclear.
Japan’s economic news today offered hopes that perhaps the world’s second largest economy is showing signs of economic recovery. Despite the comparatively strong yen (it’s been hovering close to 90 yen to the dollar) which hurts Japanese exports, the Monthly Economic Report published by the Japanese authorities today had positive comments on the economy. Each newspaper told a different story on the economic climate.
Yomiuri “The Monthly Economic Outlook Revised Up 3rd Month in a Row”
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com).
Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options. Their main service is private one on one Japanese language lessons in the NYC area, where the student chooses where and when to have lessons.
All smiles...but is that a good thing? - Picture from the Asahi
Background: On the conclusion of World War II, Japan was forced to give back a lot of its territory it had received from its imperial reign. However it did manage to hold onto Okinawa, and multiple island chains. The one island chain that was never “given” back to Japan, and remains disputed to this day, are “The Northern Islands”; or the Kurile Islands, according to Russia. Because neither side can concede on who really controls the islands, Russia seeing it as a symbol of their conquest during WWII, a peace treaty has still never been signed between the two countries.
Yesterday President Medvedev and Prime Minister Aso met to discuss this territorial issue. Last October, Medvedev met with Prime Minister Aso and said “this territorial dispute cannot be handed down to the next generation.” This May when Putin came to visit Japan he stated that Prime Minster Aso and Medvedev should explore “every option” this July when they meet in Italy. Despite expectations, the Japanese newspapers reported on the lack of decision this July.
Asahi “The Northern Territories: No New Proposal from Russia…”
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com).
Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options. Their main service is private one on one Japanese language lessons in the NYC area, where the student chooses where and when to have lessons.
Prime Minister Aso, from the Yomiuri Shinbun
Background: The ruling party of Japan and the party of Prime Minister Aso, the LDP (Liberal Democratic Party), is showing signs of cracking. A usual LDP stronghold, Chiba Prefecture, today announced that the recommended candidate from the LDP and Komeito coalition lost a preliminary election for governor. This paves this way for the opposition party, the DPJ (Democratic Party of Japan), to take the governor’s seat.
This election comes in the background of the bigger national snap election, which the Prime Minister could announce at any time. The snap election can be called in the Japanese parliamentary system by the Prime Minister to redistribute power, ideally to his own party. However the signs lately are showing the opposition party gaining, and the Prime Minister losing. The papers this morning each reported something different about the LDP’s losing popularity.
Asahi “We have come from behind. This shows our real strength…”
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: One of the biggest culture shocks for most foreigners who have lived in Japan is leaving the safety of the country. People that have lived there will tell stories of how you can forget your wallet in a café for hours, and then return to find both the wallet and the money intact. Guns are also illegal, so living there people feel a higher sense of security both from petty and violent crimes.
However there is crime in Japan, and although sporadic as it may be, most of the crimes I can remember are either quite bizarre or shockingly violent. Some examples are the Akihabara hit and run where a laid off disgruntled worker decided to randomly try to run over 4 or 5 people in Akihabara in the morning. There are also cases of overworked salarymen coming home and killing their whole family.
The newspapers this morning in their headlines all had reported robberies, and interestingly enough each newspaper had reported a different incident.
Asahi “Couple Charged w/ Stealing 2.6 million yen ($26k) from Pachinko…”
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com).
Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options. Their main service is private one on one Japanese language lessons in the NYC area, where the student chooses where and when to have lessons. They’ve also recently expanded to include the Korean and Chinese languages.
Background: The business news today is full of negative headlines for corporations, such as: the necessity to let people go, the difficulty of being in the red, fear of bankruptcy, sales at record lows, etc. Reading the American news it feels as if America is the country being most affected by the Recession. After all, the credit crisis developed from bad sub prime loans mainly being held by U.S. banks, insurance companies, and other unfortunate entities.
Image from "The Nikkei"
Reading the headlines from Corporate Japan today, however, the dismal economic world seems like a small one. Each newspaper reported a different aspect of Corporate Japan that was getting embattled by the current economic crisis.
Yomiuri “Japan Made 40% Less Cars…”
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com).
Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options. Their main service is private one on one Japanese language lessons in the NYC area, where the student chooses where and when to have lessons. They’ve also recently expanded to include the Korean and Chinese languages.
Today’s Article:
Background: One of the most amusing parts of Japanese politics is the willingness for politicians to get involved in comedy shows. Although this might sound familiar in terms of American politicians joining Saturday Night Live, David Letterman, or Obama at Jay Leno, the Japanese air tons of comedy and game shows everyday, most of which do not have the star quality of a light night talk show. It is here where the “Talent” Governor, Hideo Higashikokubaru, appears so much that the average viewer wouldn’t recognize him as a governor.
A former comedian turned politician, Higashikokubaru-san uses the television to increase his popularity and discuss his political life. Today he was encouraged to be a candidate for the Diet by Koga-san, the head of the electoral commission. Each newspaper reported a different take on the event…
Asahi “Higashikokubaru: If I were a candidate…” The Asahi reported more detailed commentary…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Scene from "The Grudge"
Background: Japan is a perfect example of how the internet’s reach has gone global. One way to measure popularity of the internet is how many websites have been translated to other languages besides English, and Japanese has no shortage of translations in cyberspace. The internet in Japan has become a popular tool for commerce and social networking.
However, Japan is relatively new to abuses of the internet. Although sometimes incidents such as the Akihabara hit and run (06/08) were written about on blogs before the event took place, big websites such as Wikipedia have not seen abuse yet from users. The newspapers each had their own take on the “Wikipedia Incident”, the first documented arrest for abusing the Wikipedia website in Japan.
Asahi “3 Boys Charged with Writing Death Threat Articles”
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: Living in Japan one of the things you notice is how different your natural surroundings are. Coming from the east coast of the U.S., I was not used to Earthquakes waking me up at 4 in the morning. Or just turn on a nature show and you’ll hear about the Zumebachi, the vicious bees that are a couple inches long and supposedly have some poison associated with their sting.
The collection of articles today tries to capture the different threats from nature that are experienced in Japan. The newspapers each focused on a different phenomenon; some strange, some more common.
Asahi “Tadpoles Fall from the Sky…”
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: Prime Minister Aso’s approval ratings have been quite low on average this year. From the slow moving stimulus package to many scandals within his own cabinet, the Prime Minister has had a tough year. In fact one of the only political honeymoon’s he’s had is the fact that the opposition party had a scandal, therefore making him look a little better, and more in control.
The honeymoon is over with the latest scandal to face the prime minister: the reappointment of Nishikawa. The former Japan Post president’s reappointment is causing controversy and in some ways is showing Aso’s inability for leadership. On the one hand, Aso wants Nishikawa to be reappointed, he’s a strong ally and is favored by the still popular former Prime Minister, Koizumi. However his own government, namely Hatoyama (head of internal affairs) says he needs to step down. The gridlock and confusion each day makes Prime Minister Aso look worse in the public’s eye.
Nikkei “Recent Approval Ratings Drop to 25%, the Dismissal of Hatoyama is Inappropriate…”
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: Although articles about school closings and the threat of the swine flu have abated in the U.S., in Japan they’re still going strong. Effects from the economic downturn have been exacerbated by the spread of the swine flu, which has scared some consumers into shopping more through the internet than at their local department stores. There have also been articles from international news sources claiming that the threat of swine flu in Japan might prompt the WHO to raise the world alert level.
The last frontier, the “West” of Japan was hit today by the Swine Flu. The big news was that the northern island of Hokkaido had its first case. The flu has already spread and affected most of Honshu, Japan’s most populous island. Each newspaper reported the incident.
Asahi: “In Hokkaido, the First Infection of the New Virus Has Been Found.”
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Tsukiji-san, taken from today's edition of the Yomiuri Shinbun
Sample themes from this blog are “the economic woes facing Japan,” “The flu in Narita,” “Car crash kills one,” so today I decided it was better to report on accomplishments from Japan. The Japanese who are successful abroad are adored back home, just go to a Yankees game and look at all the Japanese corporate sponsors lining the stadium.
Today the papers reported on the achievements of a pianist, an athlete, and a novelist, all of which have international fame and recognition. Each newspaper chose a different figure to focus on.
Asahi ” Olympic Swimmer Returns to Active Duty…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
The news articles this morning had conflicting stories of how the Japanese are being affected by the economic downturn. The Asahi ran a miraculous headline stating “record catches of black tuna found in Ishikawa Prefecture.” They also stated, although not in a headline, that the Nikkei average had bounced back over the past couple days.
Despite some exceptions, the headlines this morning each told of a different part of the economy sputtering. Looks like in Japanese economic news, what still catches reader’s eyes follows the old saying “if it bleeds it leads.”
Yomiuri “Record Bankruptices” …
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An image from the movie, "Soredemo Boku Wa Yattenai."
J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
To understand the differences between the American and Japanese justice systems one needs to watch the movie それでも僕はやってない (soredemo boku wa yattenai). It’s a chilling tale about how a boy gets accused of harassing a girl due to false testimony, ends up in jail and gets his life tarnished forever. The movie states figures such as 95% of the people accused of crimes are convicted.
The difference is the Japanese judicial system assumes you’re “guilty until proven innocent,”…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Remember what it was like to first get your license? It’s both exciting and nerve racking to be driving around on your own free will. This is probably what the 18 year old university student was thinking last night as he was driving through the streets of Yokohoma.
Unfortunately, he did not think to check the light as he was heading for the intersection. As he went through the red light, his car was side swiped by another, and pushed up onto the sidewalk. Waiting on the sidewalk were three female pedestrians…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
The U.S. economic news hasn’t been that bad, lately. Just last week was released some of the most promising consumer confidence numbers since the recession began, and the stock market has been slightly gaining over a period of time. In fact minus the effects of the Swine Flu, and some people might say the U.S. economy is showing signs of recovery.
Not so in Japan. The effects of the recession that have already taken hold have been exacerbated by…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: SMAP is one of the most popular boy bands in Japan. Anyone that’s been to Japan and done Karaoke will probably tell you about their songs. Just turn on the TV and you’ll see the very popular Smap Smap variety show. According to Wikipedia SMAP leader Nakai was the highest tax payer of any entertainer in Japan in 2003.
In late April of this year, SMAP member Tsuyoshi Kusanagi was arrested for indecent exposure in a public park. He was found not guilty by authorities, and is scheduled today to return back to showbiz on the show Smap Smap. The Japanese newspapers each had their own account of the Smap member’s return.
Yomiuri He’s Back As Popular Than Ever This summary of the article basically sums up Yomiuri’s reporting of the return of Tsuyoshi Kusanagi. They quote him by saying “I’m happy to have my job and start from square one. I apologize for any inconvenience caused to my band members, and I also thank the fans for all their encouraging words.” The “encouraging words”, according to Yomiuri, were about 45,000 letters sent by fans during his one month absence. Yomiuri paints a picture of Tsuyoshi both as popular as ever, and also as busy as ever. After his debut on Smap Smap tonight Tsuyoshi then is scheduled to appear on “Waratemoii” the following day.
Asahi He Has Risen and Reformed The Asahi fails to mention the massive fan mail and rigorous schedule of Tsuoyoshi and instead…
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Scene from the movie "Faceoff"
J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: Earlier in the year Mr. Ozawa, the leader of the main opposition party in Japan called The Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ, resigned. Although Mr. Ozawa of the DPJ didn’t directly admit it, his resignation was probably influenced by the Nishimatsu Construction scandal, where his secretary was accused of embezzling money. Since the DPJ has elected a new leader, Mr. Hatoyama, to lead them into battle over the snap election that is highly rumored to take place this summer. The first confrontation between Prime Minister Aso and Representative Hatoyama took place last night on the floor of the Diet. Each newspaper took sides.
Asahi “Hatoyama is a Man of the People” The opening paragraph of a political article gives the background, and the second paragraph tells who the newspaper thinks was victorious. The Asahi, reporting on the commentary about “Money and Politics”, quoted Hatoyama in their second paragraph: “While Prime Minister Aso’s power is bureaucratic, the DPJ is a party where we derive our power from the national populace, the local citizen, and the everyday average person.” The Asahi doesn’t even mention Aso’s response until their third paragraph, where they claim “his response was abstract, and commented about the financial crisis and the North Korean problem.”
Nikkei “The Prime Minister Calls for Responsibility” While the Asahi focused on the articulate words of Hatoyama and his criticisms of bureaucratic power
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background Earlier this year in April North Korea did two long range missile tests, aimed at the two bodies of water bordering Japan. Although North Korea claimed the rockets were designed to launch a satellite, these launches were widely condemned by the United Nations as acts of aggression. North Korea in response to the U.N.’s condemnation said it would start testing its nuclear facilities again and continue to do more long range missile tests. Yesterday North Korea put words into action by conducting a nuclear test. The Japanese newspapers this morning reported different world reactions to the North Korean nuclear testing.
Asahi “Korean Foreign Minister: 3-4 Times the Size of Hiroshima” In response to the nuclear testing conducted by North Korea, the Asahi reported that Korea has determined the blast was 3-4 times the size of the bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Yu Myonfan, the foreign minister, claimed this in an interview in front of the Korean cabinet. Although these numbers are alarming, the Asahi does point out that the Defense Minister, Lee Sanghi, claimed the day before that the blasts were not as big as the Hiroshima blast.
Why are the opinions differing between the Defense Minister and Foreign Minister? The Asahi offers this troubling thought: “According to scientists, both the defense and foreign ministers would have had a different perspective on the bomb blast. If they were in different parts of the country when the nuclear bomb went off, they would’ve felt a different earthquake-like wave.”
Nikkei “Russia: A Strict Resolution is Inevitable” The Nikkei reported the commentary by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background With the threat of the Swine Flu unabated in Japan, government agencies are going to great lengths to come up with forward-thinking policies to prevent an overall pandemic. Both on a local and national level Japan is rethinking its quarantine and treatment practices. Each newspaper reported a different policy being taken by taken by each level of government.
Asahi “The National Response: Split by Region” The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced its policy of a splitting the country by region if the flu is to spread further. According to the Ministry this policy would give them “room to maneuver” in their policy reactions per region. The regions suggested would be “Confirmed Region”, “Infected Region”, and “Unborn Region”. The unborn region is a region where no cases of the flu have yet been reported. The confirmed region is a region where cases of the flu have been reported, but only one by one, where the spread from person to person within that area has not yet occurred. The Infected Region is a region where it’s spreading from person to person. A statement from a ministry official said “we’re trying to revamp our policies this week as much as possible.”
Nikkei “New Policy for Small Hospitals” Within infected regions such as Kobe City, the Japanese government is looking into a policy …
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: For companies who produce consumer products in Japan there are two times a year they contemplate releasing their new product lines: summer and winter. This is because summer and winter are when the massive consumer base in Japan receives their biannual bonuses. Docomo has gotten a contract to produce a phone using the Google Android, while Softbank will be 
producing the iphone. The newspapers ran headlines this morning about the preparation being done for the anticipated battle between Softbank and Docomo this summer, and which side is going to be triumphant.
Asahi: “Docomo Releases for the First Time a Google Cell Phone. Softbank Increases Animation…” This headline alone from Asahi makes it quite obvious which cell phone provider they support. Each paragraph in their article on the release of cell phones details the Docomo phone, and how it will utilize Google’s superior android technology, along with their “easy to use” email capability. Google’s also sold over 1 million of their smart phones, the Asahi adds, and Docomo’s president stated “This phone will make a big impact.”
The selling point for the Softbank phone, which the Asahi doesn’t mention until their last paragraph in the article, is the fact that it’s solar-powered. The Yomiuri elaborates.
Yomiuri: “Softbank Releases a Solar Powered Cell phone” Yomiuri doesn’t even mention Softbank’s rival…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: It’s been over a couple weeks since the first suspected case of Swine Flu appeared in Japan’s airport. Although internationally Japanese citizens have reacted swiftly to any threat of contamination, including flying employees home, evacuating to safer countries and sending out blast warning emails through embassy channels, domestically the fever of swine flu had not yet caught on. This past weekend the main newspapers were littered with headlines on reactions to the swine flu. The reported cases are both in Osaka and Hyogo prefecture. Government officials as high as the Prime Minister are making public commentary, while stories of schools closing and international conferences being cancelled are becoming common place.
Asahi “135 Reported Cases of Infection” Over half of the headlines on the Asahi this morning told of the penetration of Swine Flu into Japan and Japanese society. The headliner read “135 reported cases, not just young and old people but bankers, shop keepers…” As in New York City however, Japan’s also finding that the majority of cases are being reported from Junior and High schools both within Osaka and Hyogo prefecture. Students with infected classmates are finding their schools being shutdown. The Asahi tells of the banker, who was just “going about their daily job” when a reported older man came in to get money and possibly infected her. Or the convenience store worker, who had diligently been wearing a mask but still managed to contract the flu from one of his customers.
Nikkei “A National Policy Response is Necessary” While the Asahi reports about the already infected inhabitants and their schools and communities reactions, the Nikkei tells of how everyone else is preparing for the worst.
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: The two leading headlines for politics this morning in Japan are the election for the new head of the DPJ, and another political scandal involving the ruling party, the LDP. Since I’ve been covering Japanese politics there have been quite a few scandals, including misappropriation of funds that eventually brought down the head of the DPJ, and a scandal at the G7 where the finance minister was reportedly “drunk”. Each newspaper talked differently about the embarrassing acknowledgment from former Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, Kounoike Yoshitada, that he took a young girl for a ride on the JR line using his government issued pass.
Nikkei “We Left on a Romantic Getaway” The Nikkei states in their first paragraph that the accusation is “roughly true”, according to the general secretary of the LDP party. The rumor that Kounoike took his JR pass that’s supposed to be used for cabinet members and used it to go out with a girl on a “romantic getaway” was verified by the general secretary last night in a news conference.
In response, Prime Minister Aso stated that a pass being used for anything other than its intended purpose is extremely regrettable. He then said, ” I now have to make a new appointment for the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary.” The current state of Kounoike, adds the Nikkei, is that he’s in the hospital.
Asahi “ Kounoike’s in the hospital, where it is I don’t know”
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: Last night sumo’s match was an upset for the returning champion sumo, Asashoryu. After an accusation from the sumo authorities for “playing soccer in Mongolia”, among other charges, he was officially banned from sumo for an extended period of time in 2007 to 2008. Now this year he’s back along with his arch rival, Hakuhou. While Hakuhou was undefeated last tournament, Asashoryu racked up two losses. Last night also demonstrated that Asashoryu is not going to be able to come out of this tournament unscathed. Each newspaper had a slightly different take on Asashoryu, Hakuhou, and the tournament last night at Ryogoku, in Tokyo.
Yomiuri “Asashoryu hits the floor, Hakuhou racks up a third win.” The Yomiuri, compared with the other two papers, focuses on Asashoryu’s loss and him literally “hitting the floor.” His rival, Aminishiki, pushed him out of the ring by a well positioned start. The Yomiuri then describes this defeat as the seventh time Aminishiki has beaten a sumo champion. Hakuhou on the other hand, as they describe in their second paragraph, has racked up his third consecutive win.
Nikkei “Asashoryu’s first defeat, Hakuhou and Haruma win” The Nikkei cleverly gives the spotlight in their headline for a win to both…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: Representative Ozawa of the Democratic Party of Japan announced his resignation today. The DPJ, or Democratic Party of Japan, has gained unprecedented political prominence in recent years. Just earlier this year it was highly rumored that the DPJ was going to unseat the ruling party, the LDP or Liberal Democratic Party, for the first time since the Second World War. Then, amidst a scandal where Ozawa’s secretary was accepting illegal campaign contributions, Ozawa and the DPJ abruptly started losing public favor. Each newspaper took a slightly different account of Ozawa’s resignation speech and how they viewed his departure from power.
Asahi A Political Soldier, “I did it for the Unification of my Party”. The Asahi reports that Ozawa’s main focus in his resignation was to unify his party, and continue the political battle. It’s almost made to seem as if a soldier has just retired from the battlefront. “Not only am I doing this to pave the way for a transition of power, but beyond that I’m doing this for sake of political solidarity.” The Asahi then adds that Ozawa still feels that “winning the snap election is of the utmost importance. I will continue along with my party to fight till the end.”
Nikkei A Vulnerable Threat, “The Party was Unstable“. The Nikkei focused on very different commentary…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: Car companies are part of the corporate identity of Japan, and at the head of the pack is Toyota. With car sales higher than GM, they’re the number one car company in the world. What the economic crisis has taught both America and Japan, however, is that being big isn’t necessarily always best. The newspapers released today the most dismal earnings forecasts that Toyota has had in its 70+ year history.
Yomiuri “850 billion yen for two years” Yomiuri states in their first paragraph that Toyota’s debt forecast will reach a whopping 850 billion yen (8.5 billion dollars), the largest debt on its balance sheet history. According to the Yomiuri, due to the economic slowdown in the world car market, next year’s debt will be twice as much as this year’s.
Nikkei “550 billion yen” The Nikkei paints a very different picture of Toyota…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: May 5th is Children’s Day in Japan, the day to celebrate the youth and energy of the country. Local inhabitants hang large carp streamers outside their houses called koinobori, which represent famous warriors and other heroes recognizable to children.
Unfortunately, Japan’s population is shrinking and getting older. The Statistics Bureau on May 4th published their annual estimate of the population of children in Japan. The newspapers reported the news. (please note “children” are identified as 14 or younger).
Asahi “And the prefecture with the least children is…” The Asahi reported that from last year there has been a decrease of 11,000 children. This sounds alarming, but even more so is their dismal statistic that the population of children has been decreasing for 28 years in a row since 1982.
They then split the statistics by prefecture (drum roll please). The prefecture with the most children is Okinawa, while the prefecture with the least children is…
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Scene from the movie, "The Blob"
J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: All three newspapers headlines ran a story about the woman from America who was diagnosed potentially with a strain of the “flu.” Whether this is the Swine Flu or not is something that has still not been made public. At about 330pm in Narita Airport a woman who was flying on Northwest Airlines was taken in for the first level of quarantine testing, and tested positive for the A strain of the flu. She is now currently undergoing a second level of testing that will confirm whether or not this is the Swine Flu. Each newspaper gives its take on the situation.
Yomiuri “The War on the Virus is at our Shores.” This was Yomiuri’s closing quote from their article but it pretty much sums up their diagnosis of the situation. While both the Nikkei and Asahi newspapers give brief descriptions of what happened at Narita, Yomiuri gives detailed events that show a war on the virus is coming to Japanese shores. They point out that the WHO had just raised the alert level to 5 from the National Infectious Diseases Research center in Shinjuku. The newspaper in their preceding paragraph tells the reader about how diseases, if undiagnosed, transcend national borders.
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: In Hyogo Prefecture, Ono City, Miyuki Otsuka was arrested yesterday on charges that she left her child’s body in the freezer. According to the police, Miyuki showed up the police station and said that she was hiding her baby’s body in the freezer. Both the Yomiuri and the Asahi Newspapers tell this gruesome tale differently, and interestingly enough neither paper speculates on how or why the baby was killed.
Yomiuri “He was already dead when I got home.” Miyuki claims that she made her son stay at home while she went out. After she returned home, she found her son dead. The Yomiuri mentions some interesting details surrounding this, like for example Miyuki is unemployed. Also, they point out that the body was found in a vanilla bag, wrapped up. They end their article saying the police are currently doing an autopsy to find the cause of death, but the scene they set makes you wonder how it couldn’t be Miyuki.
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: Japanese companies with operations in Mexico are in a quandary about how to respond to the outbreak of Swine Flu. Through intelligence gathering and working together with government authorities, companies are deciding whether to send their workers home or to the U.S., or just to increase security measures at their Mexican offices and plants. The Japanese newspapers this morning each told a different account of how businesses are dealing with the threat of the Swine Flu.
Nikkei “Electronics Companies Prohibit Travel.” The Nikkei points out that both Sony and NEC have called for restrictions on business trips to Mexico. While Sony has just called for restrictions on Mexico City, NEC has called for restrictions on travel throughout the country. Not only has NEC prohibited trips into the region, but they’re also looking at sending people who reside in Mexico home.
Yomiuri “Financial Companies React by Emergency Evacuation.”
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
Background: All three newspapers were filled with headlines this morning showing the Chiba Government Office being flooded with police. The mayor Chiba was arrested today on charges of bribery in a construction scandal. The police claim that Mayor Tsuroka Keiichi received about 1,000,000 yen (10,000 dollars) in 2005 as bribe money when new orders were being placed for public works projects. Each newspaper added different sides to the story.
Nikkei: “The Mayor Claims he’s innocent” The Nikkei’s opening paragraph descr
ibes the accusation that is being brought on the mayor, and then the second sentence abruptly states “and he claims he’s innocent.” The Nikkei also mentions that the Public Works Construction Company involved in the scandal is using the defense that the statue of limitations on bribery is three years, and three years have elapsed since the event.
Yomiuri: “The Mayor had a Motive” The Yomiuri paints a vivid picture…
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
The year was 1998, in Wakayama-ken. In Japan it was called the “Curry Incident”, where four people were killed eating poisoned curry. Hayashi-san was charged with murder, and had appealed all the way to the Japanese Supreme Court. Today in Japan, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, and sentenced her to death. Each newspaper reported the account differently.
Nikkei Defends the accused The Nikkei focused on the court proceedings, and how under the 3rd Petty Bench of the Supreme Court, all 5 judges ruled unanimously that Hayashi-san was guilty. The Nikkei claims “she insists she’s innocent, and her and her lawyer are applying for a retrial”. The most alarming part of the Nikkei article came at the end, stating “there is actually no direct evidence linking her to the crime. The focus is instead on circumstantial evidence.” This adds new meaning to the Japanese legal philosophy: guilty, until proven innocent.
Yomiuri Condemns the accused The Yomiuri’s headline ran “The Death Penalty has been decided.” It then goes on to describe the event as the “Tragedy that took place in the summer festival”. According to the Yomiuri, in 1998 at an outdoor festival held by the Wakayama City Park Service, someone emptied poison into the curry rice. 4 people died, and 61 people sustained injury from the poisoned rice. If you weren’t feeling bad for the guilty yet, they added that Hayashi-san was a “door to door insurance salesman.”
Asahi Also fights for her innocence The Asahi as well points to the fact that the evidence pointing to Hayashi-san is all circumstantial. It then gives a full account of the appeals process, how the smaller court in Wakayama had given her a guilty sentence, but both her and her lawyer had appealed to the Supreme Court. Although the Supreme Court had ruled that she’s guilty, the Asahi does not give any examples of what the judges ruled, and instead closes their article with the arguments used to defend Hayashi-san. “The expert testimony in regards to arsenic poison cannot be trusted. The witness’s account of seeing Hayashi-san near the curry rice could have easily mistaken her for some other woman. And at any time, other people had access to the curry rice.”
J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options.
The Japanese political system is parliamentary democracy. One of the main differences when compared to the American system is politicians can decide to call a “snap election,” in other words they can call to dissolve the parliament and try to realign political alliances to their advantage. The snap election is the general buzz term of the year in Japanese political news, and every Japanese newspaper reports political commentary to try to predict when the snap election will be held.
This weekend the focus was on commentary made by the Secretary General of the LDP’s coalition party, the Komeito party. The Komeito party’s important because both the LDP and the Komeito’s policies should be politically in sync. Here’s what the newspapers reported about Komeito’s Secretary General, Kitagawa-san.
Nikkei “The chance for a snap election is when the economy bottoms out” The Nikkei reported that Kitagawa-san said, “The bill for the 2009 budget needs to be passed before we try to do a snap election.” As to exactly when that timing would be, the Nikkei hinted at the commentary made by Kitagawa-san. “In August, we’ll get the numbers for the GDP for April to June. Once we have the feeling that the economy is bottoming out, that is our chance for a snap election.”
Yomiuri “The snap election will be either in August, or afterwards” The Yomiuri reported a slightly different take on the Secretary General’s words…for the rest of this article please visit http://hillslearning.com/blog2.aspx
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