Police took action on record 9,088 domestic violence cases across Japan in 2018

Abstract: Japan continues to see a rise in reported instances of domestic violence, with police taking action on a record 9,088 cases in 2018, the National Police Agency said Thursday, marking the 15th consecutive annual increase since the agency began collecting such data in 2003. The NPA said increased social awareness of the issue is believed to have resulted in a rise in the number of people seeking police consultations, leading to arrests and other actions. The 2018 figure was up 666 from a year before. The NPA said there were 77,482 cases of people contacting local police about domestic violence problems, an increase of 5,027. The police suspect two cases of domestic violence led to murder. In February last year, a woman was killed in a house fire in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture. Police arrested a man who was living with her on suspicion he poured a flammable liquid over the woman and set her on fire. In August, a woman in Misawa, Aomori Prefecture, was allegedly stabbed to death by her former husband. They worked in the same meat processing plant and the woman had complained to the police about defamatory postings by the man on an internet bulletin board. There were 109 domestic violence cases involving attempted murder, according to the agency data. While about 80 percent of domestic violence victims were women, the number of male victims nearly tripled from 2014 to 2018 to reach 15,964, the agency said. By age, victims in their 30s accounted for the highest proportion at 28.2 percent, followed by those in their 40s at 24.1 percent and victims in their 20s at 23.4 percent. Spouses or former spouses were perpetrators in 76.1 percent of the cases. Stalking cases declined by 161 from the previous year to 2,464 in 2018, while consultations with police about stalking also declined, by 1,523 to 21,556. Police said a tightening of the anti-stalking law is likely to have served as a deterrent. One stalking case resulted in a murder. In November, a Filipino woman was allegedly stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. The suspect had been warned by police to stay away from her. Nearly 90 percent of stalking victims, or 18,949, were women. Current or former boyfriends or girlfriends accounted for the highest proportion of stalkers at 43.3 percent, while 7.5 percent were strangers. The number of consultations with police regarding so-called revenge pornography came to 1,347 cases in 2018, up 104, according to the agency. Police recognized 253 of them as violations of related laws. Revenge pornography involves a victim that has compromising images of a sexual nature retained, distributed or used as a form of leverage by another person. Women were victims in 93.3 percent of the revenge pornography cases.

domestic violence
violence
npa
women
stalking
revenge porn


After 34 years and a 13-year jail term, 85-year-old finally exonerated in Kumamoto murder retrial

Abstract: KUMAMOTO - In a retrial held decades after his conviction, a court on Thursday acquitted an 85-year-old man of a 1985 murder in Kumamoto Prefecture. The Kumamoto District Court found Koki Miyata not guilty in the murder of his shogi partner Matao Okamura in Matsubase, Kumamoto Prefecture, more than 34 years ago. “There is no evidence that shows the defendant was the culprit and the court cannot accept he committed the murder,” said presiding Judge Yoshihisa Mizokuni in handing down the ruling. “Years have passed since the (initial) ruling was finalized, and it is appropriate to hand down this ruling as quickly as possible.” Miyata was initially sentenced to 13 years in prison in 1986 over the murder and was only released on parole in 1999. He now lives in a nursing facility in Kumamoto as he suffers from dementia and is bedridden. He did not appear at the court Thursday and was told of his acquittal while at the facility. “We are full of emotions as our efforts over more than 30 years bore fruit,” Makoto Saito, a lawyer representing Miyata’s defense team, said at a news conference. One of Miyata’s sons, Makoto, 60, who was in the courtroom for the ruling, said prosecutors “refused until the end” to accept the contradiction between the evidence and Miyata’s forced confession. “It is regrettable it ended without them offering any apologies,” he said at the news conference. The defense team for Miyata requested that prosecutors abandon their right to appeal the ruling. To open the door for a rare retrial, the team in 1993 approached forensic doctor Yokichi Ono and asked him to reanalyze the victim’s wounds and the knife that was deemed to be the murder weapon. The legal process to seek a retrial commenced in 2012, with lawyers for Miyata submitting a new analysis by Ono to the Kumamoto court that claimed the knife believed to have been used in the attack was incompatible with the wounds the victim suffered. The district court decided in June 2016 to reopen the case, saying doubts had been raised about the credibility of Miyata’s confession, a decision that was upheld by the Fukuoka High Court in November 2017 and finalized by the Supreme Court in October last year. “We were able to have a retrial because lawyers, forensic doctors and everyone else involved thoroughly analyzed mistakes,” Ono said before the ruling.During the first and last hearings of the retrial held in February, prosecutors did not ask for Miyata to be convicted of murder, referring to the top court decision. However, in a separate matter, they did seek a two-year prison sentence for violations of the firearm and sword law, and the gunpowder law. The court sentenced Miyata to one year in prison for those two charges, although Miyata will not have to serve the sentence. Okamura, 59, was found dead at his home in Matsubase — now a part of the city of Uki — on Jan. 8, 1985, and Miyata was arrested later in the month after he initially confessed to the murder. He later denied being involved during his trial at the district court but was convicted of murder and other charges based on his initial confession. Japan has seen a slew of retrials held in recent years, stirring concerns about false convictions. In 2016, a court acquitted Keiko Aoki and her former boyfriend, Tatsuhiro Boku, who spent about 20 years in prison over the murder of Aoki’s 11-year-old daughter in Osaka in 1995. In another case, Toshikazu Sugaya, who spent over 17 years in prison over the murder of a 4-year-old girl in 1990 in Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture, was acquitted of the crime in 2010.

kumamoto
murder
courts
koki miyata
shogi
violence
stabbings


Japanese broadcasters call for end to mandatory AM radio due to cost and lack of listeners

Abstract: Japanese commercial broadcasters on Wednesday proposed a revision to the broadcast law that would allow them to ditch AM radio broadcasting due to issues over cost amid a decline in listenership. The Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association asked the communications ministry to implement a system revision by 2028 in order to allow radio broadcasters to focus on FM broadcasting. Under the law, broadcasters are obliged to broadcast on both AM and FM. The request, made at a meeting of a panel of experts at the ministry, reflects the heavy burden placed on broadcasters stemming from updates to facilities and other forms of investment at a time when radio stations’ advertising revenues are diminishing as the number of listeners falls. “It’s extremely difficult for us to renew our facilities while continuing AM broadcasting,” said TBS Radio Inc. Chairman Kiyohiko Irie, who participated in the panel meeting as a representative of commercial broadcasters. He asked for a measure to allow radio broadcasters to convert their AM broadcasting to FM or to maintain both types of broadcasting, according to their own business judgments. Specifically, the broadcasters’ association proposed a test that would halt AM broadcasting in limited areas, possibly in 2023. If no problems arise during the trial, the association would seek the end of mandatory AM broadcasting. Some members of the panel, which is tasked with discussing ways to strengthen commercial broadcasters’ operating foundations, agreed with the idea of ending AM broadcasting, while others were cautious, citing concerns that FM radio waves have difficulty reaching mountainous areas. While AM radio waves reach farther than FM waves, they are more prone to being blocked by tall buildings and tend to have poor reception in urban areas. In addition, AM radio base stations are often built in coastal areas and require investments to protect facilities in the event of tsunami. As a result, 43 of the 47 radio stations making AM broadcasts also have simultaneous FM broadcasts for their AM radio programs.

japan commercial broadcasters association


A rare breed: Akita dog to be honored for coming to the rescue of elderly woman

Abstract: AKITA - Mame, an Akita breed of dog, will be honored for distinguished service after coming to the rescue of an elderly woman in Senboku, Akita Prefecture, on March 23, police said Wednesday. The 12-year-old dog alerted its owner of trouble in the distance while they were out for a walk around 1 a.m. The dog had discovered a woman slumped on the side of the road, according to police. The woman in her 90s was wearing pajamas and unable to give the dog’s owner her name or address. The owner notified staff at a nearby convenience store of the problem and they called emergency personnel, who brought her to a hospital. The Akita dog and its owner will be given a certificate of appreciation for their efforts on Monday. Noting that such an honor is rarely given to a dog, police commended Mame for dealing with the situation in an appropriate manner and assisting the elderly lady. The area around a statue of Hachiko, an Akita dog that lived in the 1920s famed for loyally waiting for his deceased master for years near Shibuya Station in Tokyo, is now a popular meeting spot in the bustling district. Hachiko’s story and the Akita breed gained further global recognition following the release of the U.S. film “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” starring Richard Gere. Last year, during a ceremony in Moscow attended by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Russian Olympic figure skating champion Alina Zagitova received an Akita puppy from a group preserving the breed. U.S. author and political activist Helen Keller (1880-1968) treasured the companionship of dogs throughout her life, including two Akita dogs that in the 1930s became the first of their kind known to have been brought to the United States. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also received a dog as a gift from the Akita Prefecture governor.


Era change brings Y2K-like computer dilemma to Japan

Abstract: Companies in Japan have a little more than six weeks to revamp their computer software to respond to the country’s first era change in the digital age when a new Emperor is enthroned on May 1. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, or METI, is calling on companies to check where they use the Japanese calendar in their computer systems, modify necessary programs and carry out tests to detect potential problems. Eras are how Japan defines its history, so drivers’ licenses, newspapers and a host of official documents use it to mark the years, with 2019 currently referred to as the “31st year of Heisei.” The government will announce on April 1 the name of the new era, which will begin on May 1 in line with Crown Prince Naruhito’s accession to the throne. According to the Information-Technology Promotion Agency, an independent administrative agency, systems using the current Heisei and other era names require program modifications. Software and computer systems incompatible with the era change are expected to cause problems in placing or receiving orders online. Excel and other spreadsheet software may become unable to recognize the Japanese calendar. METI expects companies to conduct not only in-house tests but also trials with their business partners, as unsupported external systems connected online could cause trouble. On Thursday, the ministry said that 20 percent of companies surveyed have yet to check the use of the era-based Japanese calendar in their information systems. In a joint seminar with Microsoft Japan Co. in Tokyo in February, the ministry urged companies to be well prepared for the era change. “You have to be careful as information systems have greatly developed, increased in scale and become complicated, compared with the previous era name change in 1989,” a ministry official told some 200 participants in the seminar. Microsoft Japan has started offering a program to update its Windows operating system and set up a special website to draw users’ attention to the era change and explain necessary procedures. The company is scheduled to provide programs compatible with the new era name in April. “We want users to update programs anyway,” a Microsoft Japan official said. The name of the new era is a closely guarded secret and will be formally announced April 1, kicking off the country’s first Imperial succession in more than three decades. By a coincidence of timing and tradition, a character from the prime minister’s surname is being discussed as a contender to describe the new era. “Peace” has been an enduring theme of era names over the centuries, with the current epoch dubbed Heisei, which can be translated as “achieving peace” and the prior one called Showa, or “enlightened harmony.” The first kanji character of Abe’s surname — an — connotes peace and stability. Still, using the character in the era name could be politically awkward for Abe in tradition-conscious Japan, where the Emperor is viewed as above politics. Any appearance that Abe was capitalizing on the process to burnish his own legacy could raise questions about whether he was overstepping his bounds as he prepares to become Japan’s longest-serving prime minister in November. The name is based on a concept proposed by the top spokesman for Abe’s government, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, and then reviewed by a panel of experts and the speakers of both houses of the Diet, which Abe’s party controls. The Cabinet gives final approval.

internet
imperial family
abdication
reiwa


Forget consumption tax hike and give structural reform another try, ex-economy chief Heizo Takenaka says

Abstract: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe should again abandon his oft-delayed plan to hike the consumption tax this year because it risks pushing Japan’s economy into recession and hampering efforts to generate stable inflation, according to former economy minister Heizo Takenaka. “Of course a sales tax hike would increase the possibility of a recession,” said Takenaka, now a professor at Toyo University. “That’s why managing the economy this year is extremely difficult.” Takenaka added that the focus on raising revenues through the higher tax also misses the point that social security reform must come first. Takenaka’s comments come amid growing concern the economy may be highly vulnerable if the sales tax is hiked to 10 percent from 8 percent in October. In August 2012, the Diet passed legislation to double the consumption tax to 10 percent from 5 percent in two stages. While the government has planned more steps to soften the blow from the tax increase than on previous occasions, the economy has a track record of shrinking after hikes. Economists are already warning that the economy may be contracting in the first quarter as China’s slowdown, trade tensions, and the cooling of global tech demand squeeze growth. Takenaka warned that the Bank of Japan doesn’t have much firepower of its own left to stimulate the economy further should it fall into recession. The higher tax rate would only raise a limited amount of funds for Japan’s ballooning social security payments, given the exemptions for essential goods such as food, and use of the revenue to fund free education and promote cashless payment systems, he said. “The largest problem Japan’s fiscal debt faces is its social security conundrum,” said Takenaka, who served in the administration of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. “Unless you cut out the irrational parts of that and conduct reform, nothing will change, barring a sales tax hike up to something like 30 percent.” Given clear side effects from the BOJ’s easing policy, the government must get on with deregulation that can drive economic growth while it has the opportunity, instead of going ahead with a potentially deflationary tax hike, he added. “Japan shouldn’t be raising its sales tax when the 2 percent inflation goal hasn’t been reached, and Japan hasn’t completely escaped from deflation,” said Takenaka. “I don’t think the prime minister wants to do it either.”

consumption tax
taxes
economy
heizo takenaka


Nissan governance improvement panel to release proposals on March 27

Abstract: A Nissan Motor Co. committee tasked with improving the automaker’s governance said Sunday it will release a set of proposals on March 27. The committee, formed after former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn’s arrest in November over alleged financial misdeeds, said it will hold a news conference on that day. The proposals will likely include increasing the number of outside directors on Nissan’s board, according to people familiar with the panel’s discussions. Based on the proposals, Nissan will speed up its process of forming a new management structure. The news conference is expected to be attended by the co-chairs of the panel, Sadayuki Sakakibara, a former chairman of the Japan Business Federation, and Seiichiro Nishioka, a lawyer. Nissan is considering naming Sakakibara as the chief of the board, sources familiar with the company’s reform said earlier. On Sunday, the committee held its fourth meeting in Tokyo since its establishment in December.


Black editor of paper that urged revival of Ku Klux Klan resigns in Alabama

Abstract: LINDEN, ALABAMA - A black woman who took over the helm of a small-town Alabama newspaper that recently called for the Ku Klux Klan to “ride again” has stepped down after a few weeks, citing interference from the newspaper’s owner. Elecia R. Dexter told The New York Times on Friday that she stepped down because of continuing interference from the newspaper’s owner who had published the KKK editorial. Dexter said she wanted to maintain her “integrity and well-being.” “I would have liked it to turn out a different way, but it didn’t,” Dexter, 46, told the newspaper. “This is a hard one because it’s sad — so much good could have come out of this.” Dexter last month replaced Goodloe Sutton as editor and publisher of the Democrat-Reporter of Linden. Dexter took over after a firestorm erupted when Sutton wrote and published an editorial that began: “Time for the Ku Klux Klan to night ride again.” The editorial said Democrats and “Democrats in the Republican Party” are plotting to raise taxes, so the Klan should raid their communities. It was one of many incendiary and racially insensitive editorials published by the paper. Dexter’s appointment was heralded as a positive in the small Alabama town. She said she hoped her appointment would let the community know “this is everybody’s paper.” But Dexter told the Times that Sutton, who had retained ownership of the paper, had continually interfered in operations. Sutton did not respond to the Times’ requests for comment Friday. The paper dates to 1879 and its editorials are consistently conservative and often critical of Democrats. The use of “Democrat” in its name reflects back to the period when nearly all white conservatives in the South were Democrats.


Apple Watch may spot heart problem, but more research needed

Abstract: WASHINGTON - A huge study suggests the Apple Watch can detect a worrisome irregular heartbeat at least sometimes — but experts say more work is needed to tell if using wearable technology to screen for heart problems really helps. More than 419,000 Apple Watch users signed up for the unusual study, making it the largest ever to explore screening seemingly healthy people for atrial fibrillation, a condition that if untreated eventually can trigger strokes. Stanford University researchers reported Saturday that the watch didn’t panic flocks of people, warning just half a percent of participants — about 2,100 — that they might have a problem. But even among those flagged, “it’s not perfect,” cautioned Dr. Richard Kovacs of the American College of Cardiology, who wasn’t involved with the study. People who received an alert were supposed to consult a study doctor via telemedicine and then wear an EKG patch measuring cardiac activity for the next week to determine the watch’s accuracy. Some skipped the virtual check-up to consult their own doctors; overall, about 57 percent sought medical attention. Among those who got EKG monitoring through the study, a third had atrial fibrillation, according to preliminary results being presented at an American College of Cardiology conference in New Orleans. A-fib tends to come and go, and a week of monitoring might have missed some cases, said Stanford lead researcher Dr. Mintu Turakhia. But if the watch detected another irregular heartbeat while someone was wearing the EKG patch, 84 percent of the time it really was a-fib, he said. “This study we believe provides very encouraging evidence that a device, the Apple Watch, can be used to detect a-fib and to point out to people when additional monitoring or testing may be needed,” said Dr. Lloyd Minor, Stanford’s dean of medicine. Other cardiac experts said the study, which was funded by Apple, suggests screening with wearable technology might be technically feasible eventually, but needs lots more research.


Slovakian government critic to face ruling party's candidate in presidential run-off

Abstract: BRATISLAVA - Vocal government critic Zuzana Caputova clinched pole position in round one of Slovakia’s weekend presidential election, according to near complete results of the first ballot since an investigative journalist’s murder dealt a blow to the political establishment. The environmental lawyer secured 40.55 percent of the ballot after 99.88 percent of votes were counted, while runner-up European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic — the ruling Smer-SD party’s candidate — garnered 18.66 percent, the Slovak Statistics Office said early Sunday. Caputova is on course to become Slovakia’s first female president, as a new opinion poll by the Focus pollster said she would win the run-off vote against 52-year-old career diplomat Sefcovic by a landslide on March 30. The 45-year-old liberal thanked her supporters in the race for the largely ceremonial post, saying “Thank you” in Slovak as well as in the languages of the country’s largest minority groups. Running on a slogan of “Stand up to evil,” Caputova had appealed to voters tired of the country’s main political players and vowed to restore public trust in the state. She was among tens of thousands of protesters who took to the streets after last year’s killing of journalist Jan Kuciak, which shocked the nation and raised fears about media freedom and political corruption. They were the largest anti-government protests since communist times in the central European country of 5.4 million people, which spent decades behind the Iron Curtain before joining the European Union, the eurozone and NATO. “It turns out that we want our country to be decent and fair. Zuzana Caputova is exactly the person who can pull Slovakia out of the crisis,” outgoing President Andrej Kiska said in a Facebook video message after the results rolled in. “Slovakia is on the right track,” added the millionaire who backed Caputova. The president ratifies international treaties, appoints top judges, is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and can also veto laws passed by parliament. Turnout was just under 50 percent. The voting did not go completely without a hitch, as a man ran out with the ballot box at the polling station in the eastern village of Medzany and threw it to the ground, scattering its contents on the street. Caputova, a deputy head of the non-parliamentary Progressive Slovakia party, cast her ballot in her southern city of Pezinok. “Slovakia is at a crossroads in terms of regaining the public’s trust,” she said, flanked by her daughters and partner. • ‘Symbol of change’- Journalist Kuciak and his fiancee were gunned down in February 2018 just as he was about to publish a story on alleged ties between Slovak politicians and the Italian mafia. The double murder and Kuciak’s last explosive report, published posthumously, plunged the country into crisis. Then prime minister Robert Fico was forced to resign but remains the leader of the populist-left Smer-SD and is a close ally of current premier Peter Pellegrini. Four people were charged with the killings. On Thursday, prosecutors said they had also charged multimillionaire businessman Marian Kocner with ordering the murder of Kuciak, who had been investigating his business activities at the time. Kocner is believed to have ties to Smer-SD. “With this announcement, the authorities may have wanted to show just how effectively the state functions so it could help Sefcovic gain some points,” Bratislava-based analyst Grigorij Meseznikov told AFP. “On the other hand, this could also be a vindication for Caputova, as she is the symbol of change.” On the streets of Bratislava, several voters said they were impressed by Caputova’s fresh approach. Project manager Nora Bajnokova, 33, said she backed Caputova because “she is a woman, a mother, a lawyer and not involved in active politics,” while 31-year-old voter Ivan Jankovic called her “courageous and open-minded.” But for 41-year-old security guard Oto, who did not give his last name, only Sefcovic was “serious” enough to be presidential material. “Sefcovic is an experienced multilingual diplomat who can immediately represent Slovakia abroad,” said another voter, Milan Perunko, 54. A sports enthusiast and European Commission vice president since 2014, Sefcovic campaigned on the slogan “Always for Slovakia.” Official results will be announced at noon on Sunday.

slovakia
zuzana caputova
elections
maros sefcovic


Yellow vest protest violence flares as demonstrations enter fourth month

Abstract: PARIS - Rioters set fire to a bank and ransacked stores on Paris’s Champs Elysees avenue on Saturday in a new flare-up of violence as France’s yellow vest protests against President Emmanuel Macron and his pro-business reforms entered a fourth month. Police fired tear gas and water cannon as the protests turned violent after weeks of relative calm, during which marches had attracted declining numbers of participants. A Banque Tarneaud branch spewed flames before firefighters arrived and rescued a woman and her infant from the building, with 11 suffering minor injuries, the fire department said. Rioters also set fire to an upmarket handbag store and two newsstands on the Champs Elysees, while scattered bonfires burned on the thoroughfare. Protesters hurled cobblestones at riot police through clouds of tear gas in front of the Arc de Triomphe monument, which was ransacked at the peak of the protests in December. Police arrested nearly 240 protesters as rioters looted stores around the Champs Elysees and wrecked the high-end Fouquet’s restaurant. The canvas awning was later set on fire of the swanky brasserie, known in France as the place where conservative Nicolas Sarkozy celebrated his presidential election victory in 2007. Macron cut short a weekend ski trip in the Pyrenees to return to the capital on Saturday night for a crisis meeting with ministers. “We are attached to constitutional rights, but we’ve got people who through all means quite simply want to make a wreck of the republic, to break things and destroy, running the risk of getting people killed,” Macron said. “I want us to very precisely analyze things and as quickly as possible take strong, complementary decisions so this doesn’t happen again,” he told ministers. Police said 42 protesters, 17 of their own officers and one firefighter were injured. The interior ministry estimated 10,000 people had participated in the protest in Paris, compared with 3,000 on the previous Saturday. Nationwide, protesters were estimated at 32,300, compared with 28,600 last week. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said that although the protest was relatively small, there had been more than 1,500 “ultra-violent” people out looking for trouble. “They decided, perhaps as a swan song, to come attack — and I use their words — Paris,” Castaner said, adding that more than 1,400 police officers were mobilized. A separate, peaceful march against climate change through central Paris drew as many 36,000 people, police estimated. Some 145,000 people marched nationwide. Yellow vest protesters had promised to draw bigger numbers to mark the fourth month since the movement erupted in mid November over since-scrapped fuel tax hikes and the cost of living. Named after the high-visibility vests French drivers have to keep in their cars and worn by protesters, the revolt swelled into a broader movement against Macron, his reforms and elitism. However, the weekly demonstrations, held every Saturday in Paris and other cities, have been generally getting smaller since December, when Paris saw some of the worst vandalism and looting in decades. After the spike in violence, Macron offered a package of concessions worth more than €10 billion ($11 billion) aimed at boosting the incomes of the poorest workers and pensioners. His government ordered police to crack down on the protests in January, leading to complaints of police brutality. The 41-year-old former investment banker also launched a series of national debates aimed at determining what policies people want the government to focus on. Saturday’s protests coincided with the end of the debates.

yellow vest
protests
paris
france
emmanuel macron
taxes


New Zealand PM received gunman's 'manifesto' minutes before attack

Abstract: CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND - New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Sunday her office had received a “manifesto” from the gunman suspected of killing 50 people in two Christchurch mosques minutes before Friday’s attack. “I was one of more than 30 recipients of the manifesto that was mailed out nine minutes before the attack took place,” Ardern told reporters. “It did not include a location, it did not include specific details,” she said, adding that it was sent to security services within two minutes of receipt. Ardern said she had read “elements” of the lengthy, meandering and conspiracy-filled far-right “manifesto.” “The fact that there was an ideological manifesto with extreme views attached to this attack, of course, that is deeply disturbing,” she said. She also said Facebook’s chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, had sent condolences over the shootings, some of which were live-streamed over the social media platform. “Certainly, I have had contact from Sheryl Sandberg. I haven’t spoken to her directly but she has reached out, an acknowledgment of what has occurred here in New Zealand,” Ardern said a media conference when asked if Facebook should stop livestreaming. “This is an issue that I will look to be discussing directly with Facebook,” Ardern said. Facebook said it had removed 1.5 million videos globally of the attack in the first 24 hours after it happened. “In the first 24 hours we removed 1.5 million videos of the attack globally, of which over 1.2 million were blocked at upload,” Facebook said in a tweet late Saturday. The company said it is also removing all edited versions of the video that do not show graphic content out of respect for the people affected by the mosque shooting and the concerns of local authorities. The gunman live-streamed the attacks using an app designed for extreme sports enthusiasts, with copies still being shared on social media hours later. Ardern was joined by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in expressing doubts that current rules go far enough. Morrison said that social media companies had “co-operated” since the attack. “But I sadly have to say that the capacity to actually assist fully is very limited on the technology side.” He said “assurances were given” that once such content was pulled down, a regime would make sure it did not go back up. “Clearly it hasn’t (happened). So I think there are some very real discussions that have to be had about how these facilities and capabilities as they exist on social media, can continue to be offered.” The death toll rose to 50 on Sunday when police found another body, and the bodies of some of the victims were to be released to loved ones for burial. It is customary in Islam to bury the dead within 24 hours, but police did not release the bodies immediately because they were investigating. Thirty-five people were in hospitals, with 12 in intensive care. Police did not believe that three other people arrested on Friday were involved in the attack. Two men faced charges unrelated or “tangential” to the attack, while a woman had been released. One person at the second mosque targeted was being hailed for distracting and confronting the shooter, preventing further deaths. Abdul Aziz, 48, told media he heard shooting and ran outside the mosque, shouting at the gunman and drawing him away from the building. Aziz, originally from Afghanistan, picked up one of the gunman’s discarded weapons and threatened the man, who drove off.

new zealand
christchurch
jacinda ardern
facebook
social media
guns
immigration
mass shootings


Former Chinese energy chief accused of corruption

Abstract: BEIJING - China has expelled one of its most senior ethnic Uighur officials from the Communist Party, the country’s anti-corruption watchdog said Saturday, accusing the former energy chief of abusing his position to live a “lavish life.” Nur Bekri, who was placed under investigation last September and removed from his post a month later, engaged in “family-style corruption,” illegally accepting property directly or through his relatives, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a statement. China’s anti-graft agency said investigations revealed Bekri — described as “greedy and corrupt” by the watchdog — had demanded luxury cars for his relatives, participated in opulent banquets, accepted expensive gifts from those seeking favors and lived a “lavish life” in violation of Communist party principles. He was also accused of trading power for sex. He has been expelled from the party and his case will be transferred to prosecutors for further investigation, the statement added. Bekri worked his way up in his native Xinjiang, eventually rising to deputy party secretary and government chairman in the far-western region, before being appointed the head of China’s energy administration in 2014. He was also deputy head of China’s state planner prior to his fall from grace, making him one of the highest-ranking Uighur officials in the country. The mostly Muslim Uighur minority populates the restive Xinjiang region, where it faces a draconian crackdown in the name of combating terrorism and separatism. Up to a million minorities are believed to be held in extrajudicial re-education camps in Xinjiang, rights groups say. President Xi Jinping has presided over a much-publicized anti-corruption campaign since coming to power in 2012, which some have compared to a political purge. The energy industry has been a particular target, with several top officials at China’s state-owned oil companies coming under investigation in recent years.


Christchurch Muslims struggle with shock and fear

Abstract: CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND - A few months ago, Christchurch’s Linwood Mosque proudly laid down new carpets in its halls. On Friday, the light brown carpets were stained red after an gunman stormed the building, spraying bullets at worshippers. “There was blood everywhere. Everything was out of control,” Ibrahim AbdelHalim, imam of Linwood Mosque, told AFP. Like the wider Muslim community in Christchurch, Egypt-born AbdelHalim is struggling to come to terms with the violence wrought upon worshippers this week as he waits to bury the dead. Working together with the local Islamic community, AbdelHalim had sought to refresh the mosque after a trust bought it over in early 2018. Some of the seven worshippers who died at Linwood were among the most enthusiastic contributors, donating their personal time to help in fundraising efforts. One woman, a local Kiwi, fell down beside his wife when she was shot dead, AbdelHalim said. His wife, Falwa El-Shazly, was shot in the arm but survived the attack. Another man, a Fijian-Indian New Zealander who would regularly bring boxes of food from his restaurant during mosque donation drives, was also killed. “They are dear to me, these are people who offer to us work for free,” AbdelHalim said. “It was a very bad day, not just all of us, all of New Zealand.” At Hedley College, the main meeting centre for the survivors and victims’ families, local Muslims from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds shared wordless hugs and fought back tears as they exchanged news about their loved ones. With Muslims making up just 1 percent of New Zealand’s population, some members of the close-knit community raced to the mosques when they heard about the shootings. “I did not go to the prayer yesterday due to work … but received a call from my friends and rushed to the spot,” Mohammad Kamruzzaman, originally from Bangladesh, told AFP. “Five of (our Bangladeshi friends) are still missing, only Allah knows where they are. We have lost … a guardian lady for our community, who taught children the Quran for free. It feels like we have lost a parent.” Fiji-born Azan Ali, 43, who was in the Linwood Mosque with his Auckland-based father when the attack occurred, trembled when he thought back to crack of the gun shots on Friday. “Will I see my parents, my kids, my loved ones again or not? All the people you pray with, you see beside you…” he added, his voice trailing off. “My kids are scared, you know. You just have to work through it as a community.” His father, Sheik Aeshad, who saw a worshipper shot in the neck, said he could not understand how such violence could take part in New Zealand, a small nation better known for its rolling, green hills and snow-capped mountains. “We never thought in New Zealand, this could happen. New Zealand’s so friendly a place, you can leave your door open and go. But not now,” he added. “I’m thinking what’s going to happen the next time… it could be more people targeting somewhere else.” It was a sentiment shared by Sahra Ahmed, a New Zealander of Somali origin and a nurse active in her local community. Sahra said the attacks showed the South Pacific island nation could not escape the global wave of right-wing extremism. “This is a global movement, for better or worst, it’s happened in all parts of the world. And some people like to import ideas from everyone else. So we’re not immune from what’s happening,” she told AFP. “It doesn’t matter where you go, the world is very small.”

christchurch
new zealand
guns
religion
immigration
mass shootings


Families of Christchurch mosque shooting victims wait to bury their dead; toll rises to 50

Abstract: CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND/WELLINGTON - The death toll in the New Zealand mosque shootings rose to 50 on Sunday when police found another body at one of the mosques as families waited for authorities to formally identify victims and release their bodies for burial. Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder on Saturday. Tarrant was remanded without a plea and is due back in court on April 5, where police said he was likely to face more charges. Friday’s attack, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern labeled terrorism, was the worst peacetime mass killing in New Zealand. and the country had raised its security threat level to the highest. Footage of the attack on one of the mosques was broadcast live on Facebook, and a “manifesto” denouncing immigrants as “invaders” was also posted online via links to related social media accounts. The bodies of the victims had not been released to families because investigations were going on, Police Commissioner Mike Bush said at a media conference in Wellington. It is customary in Islam to bury the dead within 24 hours. “We have to be absolutely clear on cause of death and confirm their identity before that can happen. But we are so aware of the cultural and religious needs, so we are doing that as quickly and sensitively as possible,” Bush said. Bush said the body of the 50th victim was found at the Al Noor mosque, where more than 40 people died after a gunman entered and shot at people with a semi-automatic rifle with high-capacity magazines, before traveling to a second mosque. One man at the second mosque in the suburb of Linwood was being hailed for distracting and confronting the shooter, preventing further deaths. Abdul Aziz, 48, told media he heard shooting and ran outside the mosque, shouting at the gunman and drawing him away from the building, the Newshub website reported. Aziz, originally from Afghanistan, said he picked up one of the gunman’s discarded weapons and threatened the man, who drove off. Police then rammed the gunman’s vehicle and arrested him. “Those two police officers acted with absolute courage,” Bush said. “They have prevented further deaths and risked their own lives to do so.” Church services for victims of the attack were held around the country, including at Christchurch’s “Cardboard Cathedral,” a temporary structure built after much of the central city was destroyed in a 2011 earthquake. Thirty-four people were in Christchurch Hospital, with 12 in intensive care, and one child moved to dedicated children’s hospital in Auckland. Greg Robertson, head of surgery at Christchurch Hospital said staff were used to seeing gunshot wounds and severe injuries, but the scale and nature of the attacks was different. “The magnitude of this is the thing that is the most significant issue for people. It’s just comprehending what is the incomprehensible.” At Hagley College, a school across the park from the Al Noor mosque, a support centre was set up with a stream of victims’ friends and relatives arriving. One woman carried sandwiches and falafel. A student, who asked not to be identified, said a friend had been killed. “He was studying to be a pilot and we saw him for morning classes. Then he went to the mosque as usual. And we are not hearing from him,” he said. “I got a call last night from a friend, around midnight, to say he has passed away.” The majority of victims were migrants or refugees from countries such as Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Somalia and Afghanistan. Pakistan’s high commissioner said six citizens had been killed and three were missing. Bush said police did not believe that three other people arrested on Friday were involved in the attack. Two men faced charges unrelated or “tangential” to the attack, while a woman had been released, he said. Tarrant did not have a criminal history and was not on any watch lists in New Zealand or Australia. In a manifesto circulating online, Tarrant described himself as “Just a ordinary White man, 28 years old” who used the spoils of cryptocurrency trading to finance extensive travels through Europe from 2016 to 2018. Ardern said Tarrant was a licensed gun owner who allegedly used five weapons, including two semi-automatic weapons and two shotguns, which had been modified. “I can tell you one thing right now, our gun laws will change,” Ardern told reporters on Saturday, saying a ban on semi-automatic weapons would be considered. New Zealand has in the past tried to tighten firearm laws, but a strong gun lobby and culture of hunting has stymied such efforts. There are an estimated 1.5 million firearms in New Zealand, which has a population of only 5 million, but it has had low levels of gun violence.

christchurch
new zealand
australia
brenton tarrant
immigration
guns
mass shootings


Safety-minded Tokyo bracing for Olympic contingencies of all kinds

Abstract: Cyberattacks, terrorism, earthquakes and heat waves: Tokyo’s Olympic organizers are hoping for the best but bracing for the worst as they make contingency plans for potential catastrophes during the games. Clean and orderly Tokyo has been spared from the terror attacks seen in many Western cities in recent years and is considered a relatively safe bet for the games: It is often ranked as low-risk by insurance and risk-management firms. But that security goes out of the window when it comes to hosting the Greatest Show on Earth, says Shiro Kawamoto, a counterterrorism expert and professor of risk management at Nihon University. “Tokyo’s safeness in normal times cannot be taken for granted during the Olympics when the world’s attention is on it,” Kawamoto said. So Tokyo is pulling out all the technological stops to bolster safety. In an Olympic first, for example, it is introducing a facial recognition system for games volunteers. Organizers are also bracing for a cyberattack similar to the one that blighted the opening ceremony of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, where internet and Wi-Fi access were brought down. “We are preparing on the assumption there will be a cyberattack,” said senior government official Kenji Endo, one the people in charge of Tokyo 2020 preparations. The government has set up an elite unit of police and Defense Ministry experts to counter possible threats. As far as terror attacks go, Tokyo has not experienced a major event since the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult released sarin on the Tokyo subway system in 1995, killing 13 people and injuring thousands. But an attack on New Year’s Eve — where a Japanese man deliberately drove a minicar down one of Tokyo’s best-known streets and ran over nine people — jolted Tokyo out of its complacency. Counterterrorism drills are being conducted regularly and officials are urging the public to be vigilant. With petty crime much lower than in other major capitals, people generally pay little attention to abandoned baggage, for example. “To prevent a suspicious object in a train from suddenly exploding, someone has to spot it and call the police or station staff,” Kawamoto said. The ever-present threat of natural disasters is also keeping officials up at night, with Tokyo being one of the world’s most seismically active capitals and memories of last year’s deadly typhoons, flooding and heat waves still fresh. “As for natural disasters, we think the biggest challenge is to prepare for a big quake that is impossible to predict,” said Akio Sato, a senior official in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Rigid building codes mean even strong tremors often do little damage, but the government estimates up to 23,000 could die if a magnitude 7 quake hit Tokyo directly. Panic and a lack of preparation could cause more unnecessary damage, experts warn. Mindful that hundreds of thousands will be coming from overseas, the Japan Tourism Agency has upgraded its “safety tips” app with information on disasters, evacuation shelters and medical organizations. The 2020 Games will take place “during the most dangerous period — in the middle of typhoon season,” said Nobuyuki Tsuchiya, head of a Tokyo environmental organization. Typhoon Jebi pummeled Japan last year, lashing the country with ferocious winds and driving rain that killed 11 people. If a similar typhoon generates high tides that hit Tokyo, the water “will not be gone for about two weeks,” said Tsuchiya. Tokyo’s eastern lowlands, where roughly 2.5 million people live, will host the Olympic volleyball and swimming venues. Any floodwater could drain into the city’s massive subway system and inundate not only transport, but also underground malls in other parts of the city, Tsuchiya warned. In response, Tokyo Metro, the capital’s largest subway, has been scrambling to set up watertight doors at some 400 entrances to the system in case of flooding. Organizers have had to take expensive measures to combat the heat during the games, which will take place at the height of Tokyo’s sweltering summer. The start time for the marathon was moved to early morning and organizers plan to install heat-busting measures such as water-sprinklers along the route, swelling the event’s budget. Authorities should also study “contingency plans including a decision to suspend the event,” said Toshitaka Katada, a disaster prevention professor at the University of Tokyo. “That kind of decision-making tends to be delayed” if not discussed in advance, especially regarding who decides the cancellation and in which circumstances, he said. Any such decision would be taken by the IOC, while “the Japanese government will give necessary advice over important security issues,” said government official Endo. Tokyo 2020 official Kaho Akiyama said organizers were prepared to deal with a crisis if it arises. “To help deal with any emergencies, we are preparing evacuation plans for each venue, and are considering the offer of multilingual support to facilitate prompt and smooth evacuations,” she said.

security
2020 tokyo olympics
cybesecurity


Abe doubles down on constitutional reform and pledges defense buildup in speech before National Defense Academy graduates

Abstract: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe renewed his commitment Sunday to amending Japan’s U.S.-drafted pacifist Constitution, one of his key policy goals and a decades-old pledge of his ruling party. Abe has maintained his desire to amend the supreme law and clarify the status of the Self-Defense Forces to end the debate over their constitutionality, while his ruling Liberal Democratic Party has shied away from the topic due to its potential political impact on a series of local elections in April. “The SDF has now won the trust of 90 percent of the public,” Abe said at a graduation ceremony of the National Defense Academy in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. “Now it’s our turn to make all-out efforts to prepare an environment where SDF members can fulfill their duties with strong pride,” he added. In contrast to his speech at a graduation ceremony last year, Abe did not refer to the threat posed by North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. Sources familiar with Abe’s thinking say he is willing to personally meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in hopes of securing progress on the abduction issue, which involves Japanese kidnapped by agents of the North in the 1970s and 1980s. He said at the ceremony a year ago he would maintain his hard-line stance until Pyongyang gives up its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. In his speech to the graduating students, Abe reiterated his resolve to strengthen Japan’s defenses against new threats, such as cyberattacks. Referring to the new 10-year defense policy established late last year, Abe said his government will accelerate the buildup of defense capabilities to counter both cybersecurity threats and threats from countries utilizing outer space for military ends. “We’ll push forward with reforms at a speed fundamentally different from the past to build defense capabilities for the next era so that our country can maintain its advantage in the areas of cyberspace and outer space, and electromagnetic waves.” Abe hailed the SDF’s past activities, including search and rescue operations after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in the Tohoku region and other natural disasters that hit the country, and mine-sweeping operations in the Persian Gulf. The number of National Defense Academy graduates in fiscal 2018 totals 478, excluding those from abroad. Of them, women account for 48.

constitution
shinzo abe
kanagawa
self defense forces


Student-curated exhibit keeps Filipino 'comfort women' struggle alive

Abstract: MANILA - A month-long art exhibit about Filipino “comfort women” opened Saturday at a university in Manila. The exhibit, titled “In the Spaces We Mend, Inheriting the Unfinished Narrative of the Filipino Comfort Women,” is being hosted by Celline Mercado, a final-year fine arts major at the prestigious Ateneo de Manila University. Mercado, 21, said that in putting on the mixed-media display in a library at the university, she hopes the experiences and struggles of Filipino women who claim to have been sexually abused by Japanese soldiers in the 1940s will remain alive, especially with the younger generation. “I went abroad, where I was exposed to a lot of museums. And they were transferring history lessons and memories about the war in a way that we don’t have yet,” Mercado told Kyodo News at the event. “So, I wanted to do, in my capacity, an exhibit that could sort of emulate that kind of transmission of memories,” she said, adding that it coincides nicely with the celebration of National Women’s Month. The exhibit includes illustrations by some of the comfort women themselves, including Maria Rosa Henson, who, in 1992, became the first Filipina to publicly come out with her wartime sexual slavery experience. Some of her personal memorabilia are also on display. The term comfort women is a euphemism used to refer to women who provided sex, including those who did so against their will, for Japanese troops before and during World War II. In the Philippines, an estimated 1,000 women across the country were said to have fallen victim to the system. Other artworks at Mercado’s exhibit include photographs taken by various artists of the women in their twilight years, a scale model of a house called “Bahay na Pula” (Red House) that served as a garrison of the Imperial Japanese Army where many women were allegedly raped, a video documentary and a video animation. The opening of the exhibit was attended by five former comfort women from Pampanga province, north of Manila. The women, now in their 80s, continue to demand a formal apology and just compensation from the Japanese government as well as historical inclusion of wartime sexual abuse. “(The exhibit) is very important so that those who don’t know our history and the kind of life that we lived will understand us. It is important for them to understand our experiences so they can help us in our demand for justice,” said Isabelita Vinuya, 81, who heads the group. “There are only 28 of us now remaining alive. We hope that our government will hear us out, help us, and support us,” she said. The group had around 90 members when they organized themselves as Malaya Lolas (Free Grandmothers) in 1997. Another organization of former comfort women is called Lila Pilipina (League for Filipino Grandmothers), which had 174 individuals in 1992, of whom only seven remain alive. The women refuse to consider as “official” the statements of apology issued by several Japanese officials in the past, while some of them rejected payments made through the Asian Women’s Fund in the mid-1990s, saying it came from private donors. Mercado said she is targeting high school students in her work on the comfort women issue, which also includes producing a booklet, because the matter is not taught in depth in schools.


Ghosn eager to speak publicly, but are the dangers of entrapping himself too great?

Abstract: Since his conditional release from the Tokyo Detention House earlier this month, former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn has remained tight-lipped about his case and unusual predicament, even ignoring the questions shouted out by the reporters who swarm him when he goes out for walks. His legal team, on the other hand, maintain he is actually willing to hold a news conference. They said one hasn’t been scheduled yet because his health — allegedly affected by more than 100 days in detention — needs more time to recover and their strategies must be hammered out first. Still, a news conference could take place sometime soon. And legal and communications experts not involved in the former Nissan CEO’s case warn he may be wading into treacherous waters, as his remarks pertaining to the allegations against him could be used by prosecutors when he goes to trial. “If (Ghosn) refers to specifics of the cases in a news conference, then it is full of risk and there’s nothing good about it,” said Yasuyuki Takai, an attorney and a former prosecutor at the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office. Junichiro Hironaka, one of Ghosn’s attorneys, told reporters last week that his client is asking for more time to contemplate what he wants to say at a news conference. Hironaka’s office did not return a request for comment from The Japan Times. Takai speculated the 65-year-old French former auto executive is determined to hold a news conference because he wants to tilt public opinion in his favor — a strategy Ghosn apparently thought was effective in helping secure his release on bail. “He is thinking that as he asserts his innocence on more occasions toward the audience both inside and outside Japan, the foreign media’s coverage will (pressure) the country, which would work to his advantage in a trial taking place in Japan,” Takai said. His legal team is well aware of the risks associated with having a news conference, so Hironaka may be reluctant to set one up, Takai said. If it happens, he added, Ghosn will be asked to refrain from talking about the accusations and focus on matters that won’t be challenged in the trial, such as Nissan’s future, the Japanese legal system’s use of prolonged detentions or whether executives at the Japanese carmaker plotted against him. It is rare for a defendant in a criminal case to hold a news conference before trial because of the danger of entrapping oneself, said Shigeru Nakajima, a lawyer based in Tokyo who practices transactional law. Ghosn was arrested Nov. 19 upon returning to Japan and was accused of deliberately underreporting his income in financial documents. Tokyo prosecutors served him two arrest warrants, including one for aggravated breach of trust resulting from the alleged transfer of private investment losses to Nissan during the 2008 global financial crisis. He was released on bail on March 6 after spending 108 days in confinement. While in detention, Ghosn, in an interview with the Nikkei newspaper, challenged the charges made against him and said he had “no doubt” his arrest and ousting were the result of a “plot and treason” by Nissan executives who were opposed to his strategy to integrate Nissan, Renault SA and Mitsubishi Motors Corp., even further. Shin Ushijima, a corporate lawyer, said the legal team’s presence at any conference would reduce the risks to some extent, but won’t necessarily ensure a positive outcome. At the moment, Ushijima pointed out that Ghosn’s legal team doesn’t have full access to all the evidence the prosecutors have. In addition to the legal risks that could result from potentially damaging remarks made by Ghosn, the ability of his legal team to quickly jump in, filter the questions and give proper advice is another concern, he said. The language barrier could also hamper communication, which could be problematic when discussing sensitive legal matters. “When a reporter asks questions in a question-and-answer session, it doesn’t necessarily mean Ghosn will stick to the script discussed in advance by his lawyers,” Ushijima said. In addition to these hazards, how the media will respond to the news conference is another unpredictable element, said Yu Taniguchi, editor-in-chief of monthly public relations magazine Senden Kaigi and an associate professor at the Graduate School of Information and Communication in Tokyo. Citing the media’s obsession with Ghosn’s attempt to leave in disguise when he was released on bail, Taniguchi said the domestic media has a tendency to digress from the main issues at hand. “Even if he holds a news conference, it is plausible under the current Japanese media environment that (domestic outlets) might focus on how he bowed or how he dressed,” she said.


City's plan to farm sea urchins may make Japanese delicacy available in offseason

Abstract: AOMORI - The city of Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture, has been working on a project to farm sea urchins, an expensive delicacy, by making use of cabbage thrown out by supermarkets. The project is aimed at securing a new source of income for local fisheries when they are not harvesting wild sea urchins, which grow by eating seaweed and come into season between April and July. Natural sea urchins do not grow well in winter as there is not much fresh seaweed. A fishery cooperative from the city’s Ohata area that usually halts sea urchin operations in winter is participating in the project. “We want to create a new business model that can give hope for fishery operators,” said Mutsu Mayor Soichiro Miyashita. The challenge started after officials learned about the idea of cultivating sea urchins with cabbage during a visit to the Kanagawa Prefecture Fisheries Technology Center in Miura last June. The edible interior lobe of the sea urchin, a small, creature with a round prickly shell usually found on the seabed, is among the most popular items for sushi. After carrying out an experiment between September and December, the city and the fishery cooperative learned that sea urchins raised using leafy vegetables were almost equivalent to those collected in high season — and they also tasted good. The farmed urchins contained amino acids such as glycine and methionine, which make up the seafood’s characteristic savory flavor. Officials are hopeful they can start putting cultivated sea urchins on the market during the offseason as soon as this year. The city received favorable feedback on the vegetable-fed urchins when it held a tasting party earlier this year. “In the future, we want to expand the scale of the farming and make it a tourist attraction,” said Kazuo Tachibana, head of the Mutsu Municipal Government’s Ohata Office.


The week ahead for March 18 to March 24

Abstract: Monday Finance Ministry to release preliminary customs-cleared trade statistics for February. Japan logged trade deficit of ¥1.42 trillion ($12.7 billion) in January, the widest margin of red ink in nearly five years amid steep fall in exports to China. Focus is on to what extent exports increase this time to gauge future economic growth. Tuesday Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry to release land prices across Japan. Japanese Olympic Committee to hold board meeting. Focus is on if JOC chief Tsunekazu Takeda will announce his retirement amid French bribery probe. Japan Tourism Agency to release number of foreign people that visited country in February. Wednesday Japan to mark 24th anniversary of sarin gas attack on Tokyo subway system by Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult. Bank of Japan to release minutes for Jan. 22-23 policy meeting. Cabinet Office to release monthly economic report for March. Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics to open 2019 Major League Baseball season at Tokyo Dome. If veteran Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki plays, it will be his first game in Japan since 2012 and his first major league game since last May. Figure skating world championships to be held at Saitama Super Arena through March 23. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu, who sustained a right ankle injury in November, to take part in men’s competition along with Shoma Uno, who claimed his third straight national championship in December. Women’s competition to feature Japanese teenager Rika Kihira, who has won six straight international tournaments this season, joined by compatriots Kaori Sakamoto and Satoko Miyahara. Thursday Spring Equinox Day national holiday. Second game of 2019 Major League season-opening series to be held between Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics at Tokyo Dome. Mariners rookie pitcher Yusei Kikuchi to make his Major League Baseball debut as starter. Official campaigning to start for nationwide gubernatorial elections in Hokkaido, Kanagawa, Fukui, Mie, Osaka, Nara, Tottori, Shimane, Tokushima, Fukuoka and Oita, which are seen as prelude to House of Councilors election this summer. In Osaka, Gov. Ichiro Matsui and Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura, who have tendered their resignations, to seek election for each other’s posts. They both aim to reorganize Kansai’s largest city into metropolitan government system similar to Tokyo’s. Friday Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to release national consumer price index for February. 100th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Poland. Japanese men’s soccer team to take on Colombia in friendly match at Yokohama’s Nissan Stadium. Saturday Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai to deliver keynote speech in Tokyo at W20 meeting, engagement group that proposes policy recommendations for Group of 20 major economies. National High School Baseball Championship to begin at Koshien Stadium. Sunday Spring Grand Sumo Tournament to end in Osaka after 15 days.

the week ahead
olympics
tsunekazu takeda
ichiro suzuki
boj
weekly events
schedule


Plea deal talks with Nissan executives over Ghosn charges began month prior to his arrest

Abstract: Tokyo prosecutors and Nissan Motor Co. executives began negotiations on plea-bargaining deals in connection to charges against Carlos Ghosn, former chairman of the automaker, in October, informed sources said Saturday. Ghosn, 65, was arrested on Nov. 19, a few weeks after the Nissan executives agreed to provide prosecutors with information about his alleged financial misconduct. Part of the evidence that the prosecutors have disclosed to Ghosn’s defense team, in accordance with pretrial procedures, is believed to contain testimony by the executives, which the defense side is analyzing in preparation for the trial. Nissan opened a full-fledged internal investigation into Ghosn’s alleged misconduct in June after a whistleblower was purported to have come forward, sources familiar with the situation said. A non-Japanese Nissan executive close to Ghosn and a former chief of the automaker’s secretaries’ office, who is Japanese, started providing information about Ghosn’s alleged wrongdoing during the in-house investigation. During the internal probe, the executives hinted at their involvement in Ghosn’s alleged underreporting of his executive pay and fraudulent purchases of overseas real estate using company funds. The executives told in-house investigators that they would disclose further details to the prosecutors if they could secure a plea deal, the sources said. In plea negotiations, the prosecutors agreed not to indict the executives in exchange for their cooperation in the investigation. Ghosn was released on bail on Wednesday after 108 days in detention. He was indicted for the underreporting of his income. The sources said the plea deals also covered Ghosn’s allegedly fraudulent purchases of overseas real estate. But the prosecutors have yet to make a case against the matter due to a lack of evidence, they said. Meanwhile, Nissan, Renault SA and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. plan to form a new organization to lead their alliance in an effort to avoid concentrating power in the hands of one executive. It will take over the functions of the former alliance board. Informed sources said Sunday that the new body, which will be attended by top executives, such as Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard, Nissan President and Chief Executive Officer Hiroto Saikawa and Mitsubishi Chairman and CEO Osamu Masuko, is expected to deal with a broad range of issues, from parts-purchasing and research and development to ways to strengthen the alliance.


Fujitsu's imaging technology to speed up restoration of quake-hit castles

Abstract: Fujitsu Ltd. says it is developing an image-sensing technology system that will greatly speed up the restoration of stone walls on quake-hit castles and other cultural assets. With the technology, which the electronics company aims to put into practical use by the end of next March, the original locations of stone fragments that have fallen from walls can be determined by analyzing the shape and surface of the stones. The company also expects it may be used for restoration projects on historic structures outside Japan, such as the pyramids in Egypt. Fujitsu’s priority at the moment is to use the system to restore Kumamoto Castle, which is undergoing extensive repairs after two powerful earthquakes jolted central Kyushu in April 2016. Full restoration of the castle, built in 1607, is expected to take 20 years, with 30,000 stones needed to be restored back into the structure’s famous stone walls. Through conventional methods, a stonemason would only be able to specify the locations of several dislodged stones a day. But in a field test last year, it was determined the Fujitsu system could locate the proper placements of 101 to 123 stones per day. The technology may see strong demand in the country, which is plagued by earthquakes and other natural disasters. As castles are often important tourist attractions, residents in areas hit by natural disasters often call for the quick restoration of such sites. “There are many inquiries about this kind of system,” a Fujitsu official said. Stone walls at Komine Castle in Fukushima Prefecture also collapsed in the massive earthquake that hit northeastern Japan in March 2011. Last year’s torrential rain in western Japan also damaged the walls of another castle in Kagawa Prefecture.


In, out or limbo? Brexit endgame scenarios abound

Abstract: LONDON - The tortuous Brexit saga is culminating in a crunch week that either sends Britain sailing nervously out of Europe — or sets the stage for it staying put. The House of Commons will hold up to three votes between Tuesday and Thursday as the country races toward the March 29 Brexit date. Their outcome will ultimately determine the future of a 46-year relationship that Britons voted to end in a 2016 referendum, surprising much of Europe. May’s deal The idea of Prime Minister Theresa May’s deal with Brussels making its way through parliament seemed fanciful when lawmakers voted against it by a historic margin last month. But Tuesday’s vote on essentially the same set of proposals should be a closer affair whose outcome hinges on last-gasp talks with the EU. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier on Friday announced on Twitter a new package of concessions intended to resolve the contentious issue of the Irish border backstop, a policy intended to ensure there is never a need for a “hard” land border between the U.K. and Ireland. Barnier’s most striking idea was to allow the backstop to apply just to Northern Ireland, rather than the whole of the U.K. But May has long said this would be unacceptable, and negotiators had already rejected it Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the talks. The EU also offered to strengthen other provisions in the deal — on arbitration and good-faith clauses — but the U.K. side said it wasn’t enough. British politicians worry that the U.K. could be trapped against its will in the backstop and bound by EU trade rules potentially forever. U.K. Cabinet Minister Andrea Leadsom on Saturday rejected the European Union’s latest plan to break the deadlock but said Parliament will be given more chances to vote on the deal if the bloc improves its “disappointing” offer before it is too late. Two factors are suddenly playing in May’s favor. One is that Brexit backers are gradually realizing that May might be offering their best — and quite possibly last — chance to split from the bloc. And EU officials would like to see Britain’s status settled by the time the newly elected European Parliament throws open its doors in July. This might make EU bosses offer a last-minute concession that is just good enough to convince parliamentary holdouts to back May’s plan. London bank strategists surveyed by Bloomberg put the chances of the agreement being approved by the end of March at 37 percent. No deal May last month upturned her strategy that “no deal is better than a bad deal” by offering Parliament a chance to take the dreaded “no-deal” Brexit off the table. A vote on whether Britain should leave without the so-called Withdrawal Agreement will happen Wednesday if the deal itself is voted down the day before. May had long argued that fear of Britain simply crashing out should be used as motivation for getting everyone to rally around her plan. But the idea of trade routes clogging up and the U.K. pound crashing were too much for a growing faction of May’s team to bear. More and more have openly spoken of rebelling if Britain is headed for that outcome. The parliamentary vote would only be advisory — but carry plenty of political weight. Bloomberg’s bankers now put the odds of a “no-deal Brexit” at less than 1 in 10. Brexit delay The third vote on Thursday, if the first two have been rejected, would tell May to ask EU leaders to approve a delay of Britain’s departure date. May has spoken of a possible delay until the end of June but the Financial Times said some lawmakers are thinking much longer — nine to 21 months. The Guardian said the longer option was also backed by Brussels, although it leaves the prickly question of whether Britons would get to vote in European Parliament elections in May. EU leaders have the final say on whether there should be any delay — making their March 21-22 summit in Brussels particularly significant. The bankers put the odds of Brexit being postponed at 54 percent. Second referendum What such a delay might be used for is one of Brexit’s great unknowns. There are few reasons to think the different sides will suddenly stumble on a solution that had evaded them during two previous years of talks. But two forces are expected to spring into action: groups backing a much closer EU-U.K. union — and ones that simply want to call the whole thing off. Demands for a second referendum rang out the moment EU skeptics narrowly won the first. Polls show Britons still sharply divided about both Brexit and the democratic merits of holding another vote. A second poll would also take a long time to organize and require parliamentary support. May’s adamant refusal to back one means there would probably need to be a change in government and possibly early elections. And few London bankers dare to put any odds on what might happen then.


'Forbidden city' tells of secretive German history from kaiser to Hitler and Soviets

Abstract: ZOSSEN, GERMANY - Werner Borchert grinds out a cigarette with his leather boot, zips up his down jacket and unlocks a rusty door with a sign reading “Do not enter.” He is entering anyway. Borchert is stepping into the heart of the forbidden city, a huge abandoned military complex hidden inside a fenced-off pine forest in eastern Germany. “The kaiser, Hitler, the Soviets — all of them were militarily active here, one after the other,” said Borchert, 67, a guide offering tours of the Haus der Offiziere officers’ complex in the Wuensdorf neighborhood of Zossen, some 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Berlin. He flicks a light switch in the darkness to turn on the cold, fluorescent lamps that light up seemingly endless hallways with numerous rooms branching off to the left and right. The complex, inaugurated in 1916, has housed the military of German Kaiser Wilhelm II, served as the Nazis’ military command center during World War II — and then headquartered the Soviets’ military high command for East Germany during the Cold War. “This was ‘Little Moscow’ on German ground,” Borchert, who grew up in the area, said during a recent tour. There was a theater, a museum, shopping facilities, a swimming pool and many barracks for the about 40,000 soldiers who were stationed here. “It was the cultural center for the Soviet Army in Germany,” he said. In 1994, several years after the fall of the Iron Curtain, the reunification of Germany and the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the last Russian soldiers left the compound, a 6-square-kilometer (2.3-square-mile) area enclosed by a 17-kilometer-long (10.5-mile) concrete wall. The complex is now under the auspices of the state of Brandenburg, but no money has been invested and no new owner has been found. The ravages of time have taken its toll. The faded yellow plastering is flaking off the facade, windows are broken, a fuse box dangles off a wall, and wild animals such as martens have left trails of excrement on the dusty floors. The forbidden city got its name during Soviet times because German locals were rarely allowed in. Today it is mostly off-limits for the public, though tours can be booked with Borchert’s group. Some of the vacated rooms inside the three-story officers’ complex recall the glory years of the Soviet Union’s power in East Germany. One pale mural aggrandizes communism, showing a powerful hydroelectric power station and muscular workers operating tractors. Outside the main building entrance gate, there is still an oversize statue of the Russian communist revolutionary lader Vladimir Lenin. Some 20,000 visitors come to Wuensdorf every year to check out the town’s military history. Aside from the forbidden city, the area also still has traces of the Nazis’ Third Reich reign — including an elaborate and secretive system of bunkers. Known as Maybach I and Maybach II, the Nazis built fake country houses out of concrete. The houses were supposed to disguise underground bunkers that housed the military and army high commands, where much of the planning of WWII was developed. Most of the Maybach complex was destroyed after the end of the war by the Soviets, but the huge underground bunker known as Zeppelin, which served as a communication hub, is still accessible. It is also home to several above-ground air-raid bunkers known as Spitzbunker, which were rarely used but were a draw to the area for military buffs. “This was already secretive during the Nazi times. People who lived here of course knew that it was somehow related to the military, but they didn’t know the details,” said Sylvia Rademacher, another tour guide, referring to the Zeppelin bunker. “Under Russian times this was just as secretive or, one could say, exterritorial — the German territory ended at the walls,” she said, adding that the Soviets, too, used the bunker for communication purposes during the Cold War. Reflecting on what Wuensdorf’s military history means to her personally, Rademacher paused for a moment looking at the destroyed Maybach bunkers and said, “For me it’s a memorial, a warning that one has to teach young people that all of this shall not happen again.”

history
germany
military
nazis
cold war
wwii
russia
espionage


Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders lead Iowa poll of 2020 Democratic field

Abstract: CHICAGO - Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont lead the field of prospective and declared 2020 Democratic presidential candidates in an Iowa Poll of voters likely to participate in the first nominating contest 11 months from now. Biden, who is still trying to decide whether he wants to run for a third time, has the support of 27 percent of likely participants in the Iowa caucuses. He’s closely followed by Sanders, who unsuccessfully ran for the nomination against Hillary Clinton in 2016, at 25 percent. The early polling, sponsored by the Des Moines Register, CNN and Mediacom, is as much about name recognition as anything. Still, it shows that lesser-known candidates have considerable work to do if they want to compete with Biden and Sanders. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who like Sanders represents the most progressive wing of the party, drew the support of 9 percent. She’s followed by Sen. Kamala Harris of California at 7 percent. Beto O’Rourke, the former U.S. House member who gained a national following during his unsuccessful 2018 bid for the Senate in Texas, received support from 5 percent. He’s yet to join the race, but is believed to be close to doing so. Two other senators, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, each received support from 3 percent in the poll. The survey tested a total of 20 declared and prospective candidates and all others registered at 1 percent or less. The caucuses are scheduled to be held on Feb. 3, 2020. The quaint and quirky tradition will play out in school gymnasiums, fire stations, community centers, and other meeting places in nearly 1,700 precincts. The survey, conducted from March 3 to 6 by Selzer & Co. of West Des Moines, Iowa, included 401 likely Democratic caucus participants. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points on the full sample, larger on subgroups.

joe biden
bernie sanders
u.s .
elections
donald trump
elizabeth warren beto o'rourke


Canadian golden boy Trudeau tarnished by political scandal as elections loom

Abstract: OTTAWA - Justin Trudeau rose to power in Canada as a champion of feminism and indigenous rights, quickly earning him golden boy status at home and abroad as a progressive leader. But a major political scandal that sparked the resignation of two of his ministers — both women, one indigenous — has tarnished his image just seven months before national elections. Pundits say the 47-year-old premier faces a tough battle just to stay in office, with the latest polls showing his Liberals trailing the Conservatives for the first time. For weeks, Trudeau’s government has been rocked by accusations of meddling in the criminal prosecution of engineering giant SNC-Lavalin, which was charged with corruption over alleged bribes paid to secure contracts in Libya. His attorney general, Jody Wilson-Raybould, who said she experienced “consistent and sustained” political pressure to shield the company from a trial, stepped down. Budget minister Jane Philpott followed suit, as did longtime Trudeau friend and top aide Gerry Butts. On Thursday, Trudeau addressed the allegations head-on, telling reporters in Ottawa that he had learned “lessons” from the crisis — but denying any wrongdoing. For the opposition, that wasn’t enough. On Friday, they renewed their calls for Trudeau to resign. “Trudeau is facing a serious crisis of confidence in his leadership,” said Stephanie Chouinard, a politics professor at the Royal Military College of Canada. “Seeing not one, but two members of his cabinet slamming the door like that, it’s unheard of for many years in Canada and it augurs very badly for him ahead of the October elections.” The Liberals built their brand around the handsome young Trudeau, a one-time bartender and snowboard instructor with Hollywood good looks and a father who was widely admired when he served as premier. Trudeau brought rock star energy to the job, and his brand of progressive politics — he made bold statements on climate action, legalized cannabis and helped refugees make a new life in Canada. The Liberals’ 2015 victory marked the return of the party, which had governed for most of the last century before being relegated to third-place status in a 2006 ballot. Trudeau was hailed. Now, his “virtue is being questioned,” Chouinard said. “He promised to do politics differently and introduce real change, but (in many eyes) has showed himself to be a politician like any other.” SNC-Lavalin was charged in 2015 with corruption for allegedly bribing officials in Libya between 2001 and 2011 to secure government contracts during the rule of former strongman Moamer Kadhafi. The Montreal-based firm openly lobbied the government for an out-of-court settlement that would result in a fine and agreeing to compliance measures, saying a conviction would lead to job cuts. But Wilson-Raybould, Canada’s first indigenous attorney general, refused to ask prosecutors to settle, and the trial is set to proceed. She later testified to lawmakers that she had received “veiled threats” over her stance — and Trudeau’s inner circle came under suspicion. Since the crisis erupted a month ago, Trudeau has seemed “disconnected” and “not in control” of his government, said Eric Montigny, a politics professor at Laval University in Quebec City. The resignations of two tough, successful women who embodied his values have prompted Canadians to re-examine his bona fides, especially his commitment to women and indigenous people, he said. Another female Liberal lawmaker, Celina Caesar-Chavannes, from the Toronto area, said in an interview with The Globe and Mail that Trudeau had turned his wrath on her after she said she would not seek re-election in October. “He was yelling. He was yelling that I didn’t appreciate him, that he’d given me so much,” said Caesar-Chavannes. While he later apologized, she said Trudeau was hostile on other occasions. Trudeau’s office denied the characterization, saying in a statement on Saturday: “The prime minister has deep respect for Celina Caesar-Chavannes. Discussions they had in February were direct but not hostile.” It was yet more bad press undermining Trudeau’s credentials as a progressive leader following the resignations of his attorney general and budget minister, both women, one indigenous. Caesar-Chavannes said Trudeau asked her to delay announcing her decision after Wilson-Raybould had just stepped down. In addition, apparent contradictions in Trudeau’spolicies, such as pushing for carbon emissions cuts while buying an oil pipeline in support of Canada’s energy sector, are getting more attention. “It strikes at the heart of the Trudeau brand,” Montigny said. “It also becomes more difficult for the prime minister to tell voters to trust him when two senior ministers say they have lost confidence in him.” For a hint of how things might play out, many will look to the March 19 federal budget vote. If Liberals, who hold a majority in parliament, break ranks, it could trigger snap elections. Marcel Chartrand, a communications professor at the University of Ottawa, is nevertheless optimistic that Trudeau’s party and Canadians in general will forgive his missteps. “He is young, he learns from his mistakes and I think Canadians will give him the benefit of the doubt,” he said.


Venezuela's Juan Guaido calls for massive protest as blackout drags on

Abstract: CARACAS - Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido on Saturday called on citizens nationwide to travel to the capital, Caracas, for a protest against socialist President Nicolas Maduro as the country’s worst blackout in decades dragged on for a third day. Addressing supporters in southwestern Caracas, Guaido — the leader of the opposition-run Congress who invoked the constitution to assume an interim presidency in January — said Maduro’s government “has no way to solve the electricity crisis that they themselves created.” “All of Venezuela, to Caracas!” Guaido yelled while standing atop a bridge, without saying when the planned protest would be held. “The days ahead will be difficult, thanks to the regime.” Activists had scuffled with police and troops ahead of the rally, meant to pressure Maduro amid the blackout, which the governing Socialist Party called an act of U.S.-sponsored sabotage but opposition critics derided as the result of two decades of mismanagement and corruption. Dozens of demonstrators attempted to walk along an avenue in Caracas but were moved onto the sidewalk by police in riot gear, leading them to shout at the officers and push on their riot shields. One woman was sprayed with pepper spray, according to a local broadcaster. The power flickered on and off in parts of Caracas on Saturday morning, including the presidential palace of Miraflores, according to Reuters witnesses. Six of the country’s 23 states still lacked power as of Saturday afternoon, Socialist Party Vice President Diosdado Cabello said on state television. “We’re all upset that we’ve got no power, no phone service, no water and they want to block us,” said Rossmary Nascimiento, 45, a nutritionist at the Caracas rally. “I want a normal country.” At a competing march organized by the Socialist Party to protest what it calls U.S. imperialism, Maduro blamed the outages on “electromagnetic and cyber attacks directed from abroad by the empire.” “The right wing, together with the empire, has stabbed the electricity system, and we are trying to cure it soon,” he said. Several hundred people gathered at the rally in central Caracas for a march to denounce the crippling U.S. oil sanctions aimed at cutting off the Maduro government’s funding sources. “We’re here, we’re mobilized, because we’re not going to let the gringos take over,” said Elbadina Gomez, 76, who works for an activist group linked to the Socialist Party. Julio Castro, a doctor and member of a nongovernmental organization called Doctors For Health, tweeted that a total of 17 people had died during the blackout, including nine deaths in emergency rooms. Reuters was unable to independently confirm the deaths or whether they could have resulted from the blackout. The Information Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Clinics in the sweltering western state of Zulia, which suffers chronic regional blackouts, had scaled back operations after nearly 72 hours without power. “We’re not offering services and we don’t have any patients staying here because the generator is not working,” said Chiquinquira Caldera, head of administration at the San Lucas clinic in the city of Maracaibo, as she played a game of Chinese checkers with doctors who were waiting for power to return. Venezuela, already suffering from hyperinflation and shortages of basic goods, has been mired in a major political crisis since Guaido assumed the interim presidency in January, calling Maduro a usurper following the 2018 election, which Maduro won but was widely considered fraudulent. Maduro says Guaido is a puppet of Washington and dismisses his claim to the presidency as an effort by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to control Venezuela’s oil wealth. Former mayor and exiled opposition activist Antonio Ledezma on Saturday called on Guaido to seek United Nations intervention in Venezuela by invoking a principle known as “responsibility to protect.” The U.N. doctrine sometimes referred to as R2P was created to prevent mass killings such as those of Rwanda and Bosnia and places the onus on the international community to protect populations from crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing. “President @jguaido, (you should) formally request Humanitarian Intervention, applying the concept of R2P, to stop extermination, genocide and destruction of what’s left of our country,” Ledezma wrote via Twitter. At the opposition rally, Guaido said he would not invoke an article of the Venezuelan Constitution allowing Congress to authorize foreign military operations within Venezuela “until we have to.” “Article 187 when the time comes,” Guaido said. “We need to be in the streets, mobilized. It depends on us, not on anybody else.” Trump has said that a “military option” is on the table with regard to Venezuela, but Latin American neighbors have emphatically opposed U.S. intervention as a way of addressing the situation.

venezuela
juan guaido
protests
blackouts
nicolas maduro


Trump signed Bibles. Heresy? Many religious leaders say no

Abstract: PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND - President Donald Trump was just doing what he could to raise spirits when he signed Bibles at an Alabama church for survivors of a tornado outbreak, many religious leaders say, though some are offended and others say he could have handled it differently. Hershael York, dean of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary School of Theology in Louisville, Kentucky, said he didn’t have a problem with Trump signing Bibles, like former presidents have, because he was asked and because it was important to the people who were asking. “Though we don’t have a national faith, there is faith in our nation, and so it’s not at all surprising that people would have politicians sign their Bibles,” he said. “Those Bibles are meaningful to them and apparently these politicians are, too.” But the Rev. Donnie Anderson, executive minister of the Rhode Island State Council of Churches, said she was offended by the way Trump scrawled his signature Friday as he autographed Bibles and other things, including hats, and posed for photos. She viewed it, she said, as a “calculated political move” by the Republican president to court his evangelical voting base. Presidents have a long history of signing Bibles, though earlier presidents typically signed them as gifts to send with a spiritual message. President Ronald Reagan signed a Bible that was sent secretly to Iranian officials in 1986. President Franklin Roosevelt signed the family Bible his attorney general used to take the oath of office in 1939. It would have been different, Anderson said, if Trump had signed a Bible out of the limelight for someone with whom he had a close connection. “For me, the Bible is a very important part of my faith, and I don’t think it should be used as a political ploy,” she said. “I saw it being used just as something out there to symbolize his support for the evangelical community, and it shouldn’t be used in that way. People should have more respect for Scripture.” York said that he, personally, would not ask a politician to sign a Bible, but that he has been asked to sign Bibles after he preaches. It feels awkward, he said, but he doesn’t refuse. “If it’s meaningful to them to have signatures in their Bible, I’m willing to do that,” he said. A request for comment was left the White House on Saturday, a day after Trump visited Alabama to survey the devastation and pay respects to tornado victims. The tornado carved a path of destruction nearly a mile wide, killing 23 people, including four children and a couple in their 80s, with 10 victims belonging to a single extended family. At the Providence Baptist Church in Smiths Station, Alabama, the Rev. Rusty Sowell said the president’s visit was uplifting and will help bring attention to a community that will need a long time to recover. Before leaving the church, Trump posed for a photograph with a fifth-grade volunteer and signed the child’s Bible, said Ada Ingram, a local volunteer. The president also signed her sister’s Bible, Ingram said. In photos from the visit, Trump is shown signing the cover of a Bible. Trump should have at least signed inside in a less ostentatious way, said the Rev. Dr. Kevin Cassiday-Maloney. “It just felt like hubris,” said Cassiday-Maloney, pastor at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Fargo, North Dakota. “It almost felt like a desecration of the holy book to put his signature on the front writ large, literally.” He doesn’t think politicians should sign Bibles, he said, because it could be seen as a blurring of church and state and an endorsement of Christianity over other religions. It would have been out of line if Trump had brought Bibles and given them out, but that wasn’t the case, said James Coffin, executive director of the Interfaith Council of Central Florida. “Too much is being made out of something that doesn’t deserve that kind of attention,” he said. Bill Leonard, the founding dean and professor of divinity emeritus at the Wake Forest University School of Divinity in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, woke up to Facebook posts Saturday morning by former students who were upset about Trump signing the Bibles because they don’t view him as an appropriate example of spiritual guidance. But, Leonard said, it’s important to remember that signing Bibles is an old tradition, particularly in Southern churches. Leonard said he would have viewed it as more problematic if the signings were done at a political rally. He doesn’t see how Trump could have refused at the church. “It would’ve been worse if he had said no because it would’ve seemed unkind, and this was at least one way he could show his concern along with his visit,” he said. “In this setting, where tragedy has occurred and where he comes for this brief visit, we need to have some grace about that for these folks.”