Photographs from a small group of islands
For a brief spell during the 1970s, the Sex Pistols were the scourge of the establishment with their fervour and foul language.
But the passage of time can be a powerful force, as now, 30 years down the line, they have been kindly given the cute treatment; Japanese toy maker Medicom producing a Sex Pistols version of its popular Kubrick line of models.
Johnny Rotten’s spiky and brightly coloured hair looking especially adorable.
With the World Cup just around the corner, Japanese supporters can purchase all kinds of tournament related paraphernalia, ranging from T-shirts to teacups, and bras to breeches.
Yet for the truly fevered football fan hell-bent on forking out a fortune, department store Takashimaya has a ball for sale made of pure gold. And at 22 centimetres in diameter it’s the same size as the conventional balls set to be used in Germany, although weighing in at 3 kilogrammes, it is somewhat heavier.
Plus a little more expensive, boasting a price tag of just over 20 million yen (95,500 pound).
However due to a spate of injuries, including several stubbed toes and a chronic case of concussion, Takashimaya has been forced to issue warnings concerning usage of the product — particularly in regards to heading.
With summer almost upon us, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases has warned that this year could see the worst outbreak in a decade of ‘pool fever’, a virus that generally strikes young children who swim in public pools. Early reports claim that the number affected could be 10 times greater than in 2004, resulting in officials urging people to wash their hands, gargle and not share towels.
Yet despite such suggestions, the authorities remain unclear as to why Japan is so susceptible to this particular virus,
although research is still ongoing.
Clearing out an apartment after a tenant had been evicted, the unfortunate real estate employee assigned to the task stumbled upon rather more than a few bits of discarded underwear and some unwashed dishes — the bodies of 100 or so dead cats.
The woman who was forced out from the second floor apartment in March for not paying her rent is said to have kept stray cats there — presumably of the live variety — but the dead ones were found in plastic bags stored in either drawers or cardboard boxes; although whether the animals died naturally on the premises, were brought in inanimate, or were actually killed there isn’t clear.
The latter is arguably the least likely though, as the financially strapped feline fanatic had lovingly written the cats’ names on each bag.
Which was a nice touch.
I suppose.
Pictured below is a poster for an exhibition in Tokyo detailing the lives of children during the Showa era (1926-1989) — focusing primarily on the years after the war. An event that should prove nostalgic to those brought up during the period, and a source of interest to much younger viewers, allowing them a peek into a relatively recent yet radically different world.
However regardless of its obvious educational merits, the deranged and disturbing dolls on show look set to put off even the most valiant of visitors.
(click image for heightened horrors)
“I wanted him to keep working but I’ve accepted now he’s going to come home. I’m just going to spend more time out of the house. I’d divorce him, but it’s too much trouble at my age.”
Hatae Ishizaki expressing distinct reservations about her 59-year-old husband’s impending retirement.
Well, virtual stranger glimpsed late at night or in between games of golf her husband may be, but numerous years spent enjoying long luncheons and trips with friends means that yes, divorce probably is ‘too much trouble’. Come next year however, when the law changes and allows women up to 50% of their husband’s retirement benefits, it might be a very different story altogether.
A situation that means Mr Ishizaki and millions more like him had better realise that it’s time to start talking and taking an interest, or alternatively it’ll be time to take up cooking lessons and work out how that contraption in the corner that cleans clothes works.