Current Affairs

Jan 11 2007 3 Comments

Star Trek track?

Despite a few language problems, the recent meeting between Tony Blair and Shinzo Abe saw the British leader blatantly attempt to persuade his Japanese counterpart to adopt a more central, even left-wing approach. Blair’s bold and easy to understand gesture of a move to the left however was immediately countered by Abe’s forceful and uncompromising thrust to the right.

An approach that won’t have surprised Japan’s neighbours, although the Japanese PM’s unexpected Star Trek-like finger formation has caused more than a little concern, with many analysts believing it represents Abe’s goal to boldly go where no leader has gone before and revise the country’s pacifist constitution.

A voyage into the unknown, and one that if not completed by Abe himself, could well be continued by the next generationâ€¦

Sep 05 2006 7 Comments

Never-ending nepotism?

Prime Minister Koizumi’s reign is almost up, with the wavy-haired one leaving office this month. Yet it wasn’t just Koizumi’s elaborately coiffured mane and Elvis impersonations that enabled his rise to the top of the political tree. No, the Prime Minister trod the familiar Japanese political path of following in esteemed family members’ footsteps — a father who was director general of the Japan Defence Agency and a grandfather who was Minister of Posts and Telecommunications helping to significantly boost the bullish and bouffanted Koizumi’s stock.

The three men hoping to become the country’s next Prime Minister are also, to varying degrees, blessed with influential in-laws and relatives. Current favourite Shinzo Abe is bolstered by a small dynasty of high-ranking dignitaries — his father once being secretary-general of the all-powerful Liberal Democratic Party, and his grandfather former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi. Credentials that more than make up for his conservatively combed crop.

Behind Abe in the polls is Taro Aso, whose formidable family connections could well help turn things around. Like Abe, Aso’s grandfather also held the top job, but he manages to trump his rival due to his wife’s father having also been Prime Minister. And if that’s not enough, his younger sister is married to Prince Tomohito of Mikasa, meaning it was no gallant rise from poor plebeian to powerful politician for Mr Aso. A situation that perhaps explains his arrogant appearance and routinely caustic comments.

Bravely challenging these two political powerhouses is Sadakazu Tanigaki, a man whose father was Minister of Education, and, well, that’s about it. Giving him plenty to shout about in some circles, but not in the higher echelons of Japanese politics.

However the alleged size of ‘tripod’ Tanigaki’s presence in certain quarters appears to at least give him something to smile about.

Jun 30 2006 70 Comments

Whale for sale

With the prospect of Japan getting the go-ahead to resume commercial whaling in the not so necessarily distant future, the people in power are desperately trying to get rid of the nation’s growing stock of scientific research by-products — or whale meat as it’s more commonly known. School children in certain prefectures are being served it for lunch, one restaurant chain is offering whale burgers, and, in a rather desperate measure, dogs are allegedly being fed the stuff, whether they like it or not.

Yet as the sale of the meat helps in part to fund Japan’s very important whale-related research, it’s imperative that the stuff is sold, with these brightly coloured and jolly looking tins surely tempting both dedicated devourers and the uninitiated alike.

And with the addition of an unheralded ‘buy one get as many as you want free’ offer, who could possibly resist? Ideal as a talking point when surreptitiously served at a dinner party, or alternatively as a light snack, perhaps with a bit of veal.

(click image for bigger mammal meal)

May 15 2006 1 Comment

Book bother

Presumably realising that a brief book burning bash would raise more than a few eyebrows, prefectural officials in Fukui city instead opted to simply remove books they disagreed with from a local library.

It appears that those in charge of promoting gender equality in the region felt that some books were too radical. So radical in fact, that the idea of readers making their own minds up was simply inconceivable, resulting in around 150 books being taken off the shelves. Some of the titles deemed dangerous including one on how to divorce, another on the subject of making schools free of gender and the wonderfully named ‘A Theatre Under The Skirt’ by Chizuko Ueno, a Tokyo University professor and expert in gender studies.

However after some assembly members rumbled the dirty deed, the books appear to be on their way back, library head Riyuko Sadaike rather unconvincingly saying, “We removed the books just to check their contents. We will return them to the shelves as soon as possible as we have received the protest.”

All in all a rather unsavoury affair, although as an isolated incident it’s hardly indicative of a return to ‘the bad old days’. No, surely for that to be the case we would have to see the likes of people clamouring for a change in the country’s pacifist constitution, the forcing of public employees to sing the national anthem and high-ranking ministers suggesting the emperor should visit the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine.

Oh, hold on a minuteâ€¦

May 11 2006 5 Comments

Bottoms up

Underwear maker Triumph International has never shied away from cashing in on social or sporting affairs, producing goods marking the creation of a new baseball team, Japan’s energy saving ‘Warm Biz’ campaign and even the issue of postal privatisation. Now however it’s the more penetrating problem of the nation’s overall well-being.

Yet what may initially appear as a garment designed to rebuff possible rear-guard reconnaissance missions, is actually — and quite literally —about more productive forms of activity, namely halting the country’s falling birth rate; Triumph’s pioneering panties reading, ‘stop the birth rate decline’.

A drive that whilst hopefully successful, will not produce too many youngsters like the one pictured above.

Mar 31 2006 7 Comments

Golfing gauge

Thursday saw the Nikkei close at its highest level in over 5 years, indicating that after numerous false starts the Japanese economy is now fairly racing down the road to recovery. But along with the Nikkei and rising land prices proving that Japan’s battered economy is on the mend, another reliable gauge is rather surprisingly golf — or more accurately the sport’s fluctuating club membership fees.

While the game of golf itself is no different in Japan, the leisurely sport has had a few teaks here and there, giving it a very different feel — both physically and financially. To begin with, playing 18 holes from start to finish is simply not possible, as regardless of what time you tee-off, it’s 9 holes followed by lunch and a few drinks. Then with a heavy stomach and a considerably lighter head, it’s out on the course again to finish off the round. Yet any club choice or shot confusion brought about by lunchtime excesses will be gently eased by the wise words of your ‘caddie-san’, a middle-aged lady wearing unusual headgear who will clean your balls, wipe your shaft, and offer words of advice and encouragement during your trials and tribulations. All for a modest fee of course.

However, it’s the aforementioned membership fees that really separate the Japanese game from its international cousins, and as mentioned prior to the digression, they are a good indicator of economic health. Mirroring the rise of land prices, the average membership cost of around 300 courses in the east of the country used to be 2.7 million yen (13,000 pound), but since November that has jumped considerably to a rather more hefty 3.5 million (17,000 pound).

These prices though are at the cheaper end of things, and it’s at the middle and high ranking clubs that a bigger increase has taken place; retiring baby boomers causing costs to more than double from their post-bubble lows. The Tokyo Yomiuri Country Club is a prime example of this trend, as after membership bottomed out at a not exactly insubstantial 18 million yen (87,000 pound) in 2003, it now stands at a mind boggling 43 million (210,000 pound).

Yet even such figures pale into insignificance when compared to the Koganei Country Club — where incidentally the accompanying pictures were taken, although sadly surreptitiously and not during a round. This most exclusive of courses in western Tokyo being the leading barometer when it comes to the overall market, and during the bubble its membership soared to a truly astronomical 450 million yen (2 million pound), not surprisingly making it the most expensive club in Japan. Now, although times have obviously changed, ensconcing oneself in the plush Koganei clubhouse will still currently cost a cool 65 million yen (317,000 pound). A figure that despite its almost other-worldly qualities looks set to continue rising, with analysts keeping a close eye on its movements.

While almost everyone else looks on in open-mouthed disbelief.

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