Chinese-built port evokes dreams of El Dorado in Cameroon as CHEC expands Africa reach

Abstract: JOHANNESBURG - Every day at sunrise, Alain Eko walks half an hour on a footpath cutting through a coastal forest to the edge of what’s to become the biggest deep-water port in central Africa. Eko, 34, is among hundreds of migrant workers who have pinned their hopes on Cameroon’s most ambitious project since independence in 1960 that’s meant to transform the sleepy fishing town of Kribi into an industrial hub. Built and funded by China, the project is helping Chinese companies gain a foothold in Cameroon, whose oil-dependent economy used to be dominated by French firms, and eased access to neighboring Chad and Central African Republic. A university graduate, Eko has offloaded trucks, wedged bricks into hill slopes and shoveled dirt since he moved to southwestern Cameroon to work as a day laborer with contractors for the company building the port, China Harbour Engineering Co., locally known as CHEC. He hopes that one day he’ll earn enough to bring his wife and child from the interior. “It’s an El Dorado for Cameroon,” Eko said as he stood on a beach and pointed at cranes towering on the horizon. “This is the future.” It’s a rare bit of good news for Cameroon’s government, which is facing insurgencies, widespread discontent with President Paul Biya’s 35-year grip on power and a steep drop in oil income. Amid uncertainty over 85-year-old Biya’s health and a rebellion in the two Anglophone regions of the mainly French-speaking nation, the official opening of the port’s first container and multi-purpose terminals in March was a bright spot. The project has sparked controversy. Environmentalists raised concerns about its impact on the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest tropical rain forest, well before bulldozers began clearing trees by the end of 2010. By the time the project is due to be completed in 2035, tens of thousands hectares of jungle will have been cleared for an entirely new city. “Cameroon has been trying to identify an area to build a deep-sea port for decades,” said commercial director Modeste Jocelin Ako’o. “The port of Douala, where most of our industry is located, is completely saturated. We need a port that’s in line with international standards to boost our economy.” Fishermen in nearby Lolabe village, where Eko lives, so far have refused to move to a specially built town where bulbous street lamps stick out like strange insects in a dark green forest. Delays have also plagued the project. Last year’s bankruptcy of the French logistics company NCT Necotrans meant the government had to postpone the opening of the container terminal it was supposed to operate. It’s now run by a consortium of Bollore SA and shipping-services firm CMA CGM SA of France, and CHEC. Since the initial agreement to build the port at Kribi was signed in 2009, 10 Chinese firms, including CHEC and its holding company, China Communications Construction Co., have obtained concessions to mine bauxite, iron ore and other minerals. Other Chinese companies are constructing office towers in the capital, Yaounde, and stadiums for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament. The Kribi project also highlights CHEC’s rapid expansion on the continent, where it’s won dozens of contracts and is expanding ports from Guinea in West Africa to Tanzania in the east. In Cameroon, CHEC has the country’s largest projects: the first and second stages of the Kribi complex will cost $1.3 billion, while it’s also building a $453 million highway linked to the port, holds a contract to dredge the port of Douala and has signed an accord for a railway to the Mbalam iron-ore deposit. After a slow start, the port shipped almost 3,000 logs of timber from the Central African Republic by June and handled about 80 vessels by mid-July. Once complete, the area should comprise 20 berths, an oil and gas terminal, a 260 sq.-km (100 sq.-mile) industrial zone to process timber, cotton and cocoa, and roads and railways connecting the port to Cameroon’s main cities and mines in the interior. Despite stiff French competition, CHEC managed to persuade Cameroon that it was able to “realize its dream” by carrying out surveys for the Kribi project for free and negotiating funding from the Export-Import Bank of China, Xu Huajing, managing director of CHEC’s central Africa division, said in an interview last year with the Chinese magazine Economic Observer. “The Europeans had been trying to push this project for 20 years, wrote two or three versions of a master plan and conducted eight technical studies,” said Xu, who worked in neighboring Nigeria before Cameroon. “Then, we offered a master plan for free, which left the government speechless.” Despite the sacrifices that local people are having to make, Cameroon needs this kind of development, said Blaise Ivouva, a Lolabe village chief who works for CHEC and helped negotiate compensation for those who are being forced to leave their homes. “Even if our generation won’t see the benefits of this project,” he said, “at least our children will.”

cameroon
africa
china harbour engineering co .
harbor


It's a bird... it's a train... China pigeon racers cause flap with rail ruse

Abstract: SHANGHAI - Two Chinese pigeon racers took cheating to an extreme when they hid their birds in milk cartons and hopped on a bullet train. Their homing pigeons scooped the first four places in the race and total prize money of more than 1 million yuan ($150,000). But the pigeons’ rapid times soon raised suspicions, and Shanghai race organizers turned the men in when the scale of the ruse emerged, the state-run Legal Daily reported. The two men, surnamed Gong and Zhang, attempted to conceal their crime by killing the birds and giving up the prize money, the state newspaper said. But it was too late and a Shanghai court handed the duo suspended sentences of three years for fraud. The court also fined Gong 30,000 yuan and Zhang 20,000 yuan, Legal Daily said, adding that they also broke competition rules by using older pigeons instead of 1-year-olds. The two men went to great lengths to beat the opposition in the race in April 2017 from the city of Shangqiu in the province of Henan to Shanghai on China’s east coast, a distance of about 750 kilometers (450 miles). Gong and Zhang began their nefarious plan a year in advance, raising the pigeons at two feeding points, in Henan and Shanghai, to familiarize the birds with the locations. After handing the pigeons over to organizers in Henan, rather than flying straight to Shanghai, the birds went to the feeding point elsewhere in the province. There, they were concealed in milk cartons for the bullet-train ride to Shanghai, where they were released to the finish line. Gong and Zhang will not serve jail time unless they commit more wrongdoing — forgoing the prize money saved them from time behind bars. Pigeon racing is popular among older people in China and Shanghai is considered the modern-day home of the sport. Speeds vary depending on distance, but racing pigeons can fly about 150 kilometers per hour — fast, but not as fast as a bullet train.


Number of child abuse cases in Japan rose 9% in 2017 fiscal year: health ministry data

Abstract: More than 130,000 child abuse cases were handled by consultation centers across the country in fiscal 2017, on the back of increasing reports of children suffering from psychological damage after witnessing instances of domestic violence, preliminary health ministry data showed Thursday. The figure rose 9.1 percent from a year earlier to 133,778, marking a 27th straight year of increase since comparable data became available in 1990. The ministry attributed the rising number of reports to increased awareness among the public that psychological mistreatment, such as witnessing acts of domestic violence, can also be counted as child abuse. Although the reports included many less serious cases of child abuse, major incidents continued to occur and some lead to the deaths of children. In March this year, Yua Funato, 5, died in Tokyo after being abused and neglected by her parents despite her desperate pleas for them to stop mistreating her. Her case shocked the public, particularly because of the messages left behind in her notebook, including one that said, “Please forgive me forgive me” and another that read, “I promise I will never ever do it again.” Following her death the government compiled emergency measures to tackle child abuse, including a plan to boost the number of child welfare staff nationwide by about 2,000 by fiscal 2022 from 3,253 as of April last year. Welfare workers are increasingly expected to swiftly identify urgent cases among a huge number of reports. “We want to create a system involving not just child consultation centers but also municipal governments to prevent abuse,” said an official at the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. In fiscal 2017 that ended in March, the number of psychological abuse cases stood at 72,197. The total includes children who were ignored, verbally abused or who witnessed acts of domestic violence. A total of 33,223 cases of physical abuse, 26,818 cases of neglect and 1,540 sexual abuse cases were reported. The ministry has not yet released the number of child abuse-related deaths for fiscal 2017. In fiscal 2016, 77 children died due to abuse, including 33 who were under 1 year old. For a total of 28 kids, the parents also killed themselves. The number of child abuse deaths that year dropped by seven from the previous year. In 67.5 percent of the 77 cases, mothers were responsible for their children’s deaths. The ministry official noted one specific case, in which the mother killed her daughter and then killed herself. The mother was known to have had a mental disorder. The official expressed an urgency to hire staffers who specialize in mental illness so that child consultation officials can seek their advice. More than half of the mothers of children who died in cases other than those involving a murder-suicide gave birth to their children after an unexpected pregnancy, the ministry said, calling for support for both pregnant women and mothers. The whereabouts of 28 children under 18 years old remained unknown as of June and at least four of them are feared to be subjected to abuse. Nine of them may have gone abroad, according to the ministry. “We will continue to ask municipal governments to locate their whereabouts and call for their support if the children are in danger,” a ministry official said.


Trump going ahead with tariffs on $16 billion more in Chinese imports

Abstract: WASHINGTON - The U.S. said it will begin imposing 25 percent duties on an additional $16 billion in Chinese imports in two weeks, escalating a trade war between the world’s two biggest economies. Customs will begin collecting duties on 279 product lines, down from 284 items on the initial list, as of Aug. 23, the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office said in an emailed statement Tuesday. The new list covers products ranging from motorcycles to steam turbines and railway cars. It will be the second time the U.S. slaps duties on Chinese goods in about the past month, despite complaints by American companies that such moves will raise business costs and eventually consumer prices. The U.S. levied 25 percent duties on $34 billion in Chinese goods July 6, prompting swift in-kind retaliation from Beijing. China has vowed to strike back again, dollar-for-dollar, on the $16 billion tranche. The total could increase soon. The USTR is reviewing 10 percent tariffs on a further $200 billion in Chinese imports, and is even considering raising the rate to 25 percent. Those duties could be in place after a comment period ends Sept. 6. U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested he may tax effectively all imports of Chinese goods, which reached more than $500 billion last year. A U.S.-China trade war will reduce global output by 0.7 percent by 2020, with China’s economy taking a 1.3 percent hit and U.S. GDP dropping 1 percent, Oxford Economics said in a research note Tuesday before the new list was released. While there’s no major risk of the world lapsing into “damaging stagflation,” the possibility remains of a “bigger blow-up” that sharply reduces trade, as in the 1930s, it said. Still, there’s little sign the trade threat is hurting shipments just yet. Chinese data Wednesday showed imports jumped and exports remained robust in July. Among the products removed from the earlier list on $16 billion of imports were shipping containers, including those used by freight companies. Schneider National Carriers Inc. and other firms testified during a hearing July 24-25 in Washington that there are no U.S. manufacturers and that the containers are almost exclusively made in China. Also removed were splitting, slicing or paring machines. Joseph Cohen, CEO of New Jersey-based Snow Joe LLC, which makes log splitters, had asked that they be taken off the list. The final list did not remove tariffs on fertilizer distributors, which Jane Hardy, CEO of Brinly-Hardy Co. in Indiana, testified on July 24 could be the “nail in our coffin” for her firm after 179 years in business. Over the weekend, Trump said he had the upper hand in the trade war, while Beijing responded through state media by saying it was ready to endure the economic fallout. The U.S. and China have been trying to restart high-level talks that broke off after Trump followed through on his tariff threats. Representatives of U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He are having private conversations as they look for ways to reengage in negotiations, according to two people familiar with the efforts. The two sides held three rounds of formal talks, beginning with a delegation to Beijing led by Mnuchin in May. After Liu visited Washington later that month, the nations released a joint statement pledging to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with China, among other things. But within days, Trump himself backed away from the deal, saying talks would “probably have to use a different structure.” Negotiations broke off after the Trump administration imposed the tariffs on $34 billion in Chinese imports, a move the Chinese said would void any promises they’d made in negotiations. Trump’s mission to reduce the U.S. trade deficit via the threat of tariffs has brought him into conflict with China as well as U.S. allies, roiling financial markets and raising fears of a global trade war the International Monetary Fund has warned may undermine the strongest economic upswing in years.

tariffs
trade war
china
ustr
donald trump
us


Japan's Financial Services Agency set to update cryptocurrency regulations in speculation countermeasure

Abstract: The country’s financial watchdog plans to impose stricter regulations on bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in the wake of the massive theft at Coincheck Inc., a Tokyo-based virtual currency exchange operator, in January and the use of such digital money for speculative investments. In April 2017, Japan revised the Payment Services Act to protect cryptocurrency users, introducing a registration system for dealers who exchange them with yen and other legal tender. The revision assumed wider use of cryptocurrencies for payments and remittances. But speculative investment in cryptocurrencies increased steeply due to sharp rises in their value, making it essential for the Financial Services Agency to create regulations that respond to the situation. With cryptocurrency prices skyrocketing, bitcoin, the most dominant cryptocurrency, temporarily saw its price soar above ¥2 million ($17,700) in December 2017 from below ¥200,000 earlier that spring. Although the price has plunged since then, it is still trading above ¥750,000 this week. In Japan, transactions involving five major virtual currencies totaled ¥69 trillion in fiscal 2017, roughly 20 times the level of the previous year, with the number of cryptocurrency users reaching 3.5 million. But the use of digital currencies for payments as alternatives to legal tender is limited and most transactions are aimed at capitalizing on price gains. “Young users who had previously no connection (with cryptocurrencies) have increased at a breathless pace,” a senior official of a major exchange operator said. The rapid growth of investments in cryptocurrencies can be attributed to an expansion of margin trading, in which investors with little capital could earn huge profits, or sustain massive losses, by borrowing money. While foreign exchange margin trading has a 25 times leverage limit, the absence of such a cap on cryptocurrency margin trading makes it possible for investors to experience wild financial swings, an exchange official noted. As virtual currencies are outside the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, which sets out anti-insider trading and other regulations, trading in them is “unchecked,” an FSA official said. The FSA has focused its regulatory regime on electronic settlements, putting into force the Payment Services Act in 2010 to deal with integrated circuit cards issued by transport service operators, including East Japan Railway Co’s Suica card. The legal revision in 2017 was designed to prepare for a sharp increase in online payments by means of digital currencies, due to concerns that regulations governing individual financial sectors, such as banks and brokerage houses, may not be relevant. The agency devised the minimum necessary legal framework in order to “prevent a situation in which there is no law governing (cryptocurrencies) when they come into wide use,” a senior FSA official said. But the use of virtual currencies has spread rapidly toward speculative investments rather than payments, contrary to the FSA’s expectations. In addition, digital currencies are now finding their way into corporate fundraising. The cryptocurrency theft involving Coincheck exposed the sloppy management of customer assets by exchange operators. In April, the FSA set up a panel of experts to discuss ways to close the gaps between regulations and actual practice for cryptocurrencies. “Virtual currencies should be positioned as assets for investment, while a legal system to protect investors needs to be established as a matter of urgency,” an expert said.


Tokyo Medical University scandal just reaffirmed what many female doctors already knew: The bar was higher for them

Abstract: The admissions scandal in which Tokyo Medical University admitted to manipulating females’ entrance exams did not come as a surprise for many women doctors, but rather was verification of what they had suspected for a long time: Some medical universities set the bar higher for women. That suspicion was backed up by the fact that the ratio of women who have passed the national medical exam consistently stayed at around 30 percent for nearly 20 years. “We heard rumors a number of times that medical universities were placing caps on the number of female students,” said Ruriko Tsushima, an obstetrician and the head of Tsushima Ruriko Women’s Life Clinic Ginza in Tokyo. “Such practices should not be forgiven.” Another doctor who currently works at a private hospital in Tokyo also said it was “common knowledge” among female students who were planning to apply for medical school. “I believe many applicants were aware that the bar is set higher for women at some universities. The subject came up in conversation many times while I was a high school student,” said the woman in her 30s who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “I don’t want to show my understanding of such practices. But I’m also aware of the fact that many women struggle to juggle work and child-rearing, and leave the university hospital,” which could result in a shortage of staff, and was the excuse by which Tokyo Medical University tried to justify the practice. It’s tough to continue pursuing a career in medicine once you have a child, especially in certain departments such as surgery where doctors are expected to work long hours and be on call around the clock regardless of what day it is, some female doctors said. Even though more hospitals these days have created more family-friendly environments that include the addition of nurseries and exemptions for medical staff with small children from late night shifts, the introduction of such measures has been slow at university hospitals where male medical practitioners dominate executive positions, they added. Kyoko Tanebe, an obstetrician and the head of Ladies’ Clinic We! Toyama in Toyama Prefecture, said doctors’ working conditions will improve if female doctors become a majority in the medical community, and if more women take managerial positions. “I believe it will be much easier to work not only for women but also for men. But under the current situation, it’s not likely to happen and I’m furious about it,” Tanebe said. “If you go abroad, 50 percent of doctors are women, and there are many female professors (at medical schools),” she said. “That always made me question the state of Japan, where we rarely see a woman in the professor’s seat.” she said. Japan indeed lags far behind other countries when it comes to the ratio of female doctors. In 2015, the share of female doctors in Japan stood at 20.3 percent, the lowest among 34 countries according to data compiled by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Latvia topped the list with 74 percent, followed by Estonia’s 73 percent, Slovenia’s 62 percent and Finland’s 58 percent. The proportion of females was even lower in departments known for long working hours, such as in surgical departments at 7.8 percent and neurosurgery at 5.2 percent, according to a 2014 health ministry survey. A woman in her 30s who declined to be named said when she told her male boss that she was pregnant, he replied: “You will quit then, right?” “He said it like it was a natural thing for me to do, and there was no room for me to negotiate,” said the woman, now a mother of two. She currently works at a private hospital that allows her to leave at 5 p.m. “It’s a closed world. It’s not like a corporation where you can come back to a position you held after taking maternity leave,” she said. “In a university hospital, your post is decided by the professor’s discretion. Once you leave, there won’t be a career path for you to climb up.” A 35-year-old woman who worked at a university hospital in Tokyo for a year said all the important positions, such as professorships or assistant professorships, were dominated by men. She said there once was a woman in a management position, but she left after having a child. “She was an ace doctor, like a superwoman. Seeing such a talented person leave the university made me think I can’t work there if I have a child,” the woman who now works at a small clinic said. At the university hospital, there was no substitute doctor to cover for staff who took maternity leave, she continued. Considering that taking maternity leave would further burden their already-busy colleagues, it is difficult to stay at the hospital after having a child, she said. Tanebe of the Ladies’ Clinic We! in Toyama said the issue is not that women tend to take leave, the core of the problem is overwork. “They are putting the blame on women. But the problem is medical institutions that cannot change the way doctors work,” Tanebe said. “I’m glad that the university’s scandal came to light because, I believe, it opened a Pandora’s box.”

tokyo medical university
scandals
gender discrimination


Mercury hits record 40.3 C in South Korea as country battles heat wave

Abstract: Japan isn’t the only Asian nation battling soaring temperatures — the mercury in neighboring South Korea also hit a record high 40.3 degrees Celsius on Wednesday as it grapples with a heat wave. The temperature was marked at an observatory in Hongcheon, a town in the northeastern province of Gangwon, at 2:20 p.m., the highest level since 1907, when the country began to compile the data, local media reports quoted the Korea Meteorological Administration as saying. It was just the second time for the country to see recorded temperatures rise above the 40 C threshold, following a reading of 40 in the southeastern city of Daegu on Aug. 1, 1942, according to the South’s Yonhap news agency. At around the same time Wednesday, Seoul also recorded its highest-ever temperature, 38.8, besting a previous high of 38.4 set on July 24, 1994, Yonhap said. The country has been baking under a nationwide heat wave for weeks following the rainy season, with the lack of rainfall coupled with high atmospheric pressure from Tibet attributing to the heat wave, Yonhap said. Japan in the meantime logged its highest-ever temperature — a record 41.1 C — in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture on July 23, while the mercury in Tokyo also rose to a record high the same day, charting a sizzling 40.8 degrees in Ome, according to the Meteorological Agency. Both records came amid a deadly heat wave that has gripped the country. Tuesday, released government data showing that more than 57,000 people were taken to the hospital over the last three months due to the nationwide heat wave, with the figure likely to reach a record high for the year. A total of 57,534 cases of heat exhaustion and heatstroke were reported between April 30 and July 29, including 125 who died from heat-related causes, according to data from the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.


2,000 households in Yamagata told to evacuate amid landslides and flooding

Abstract: YAMAGATA - Thousands of households in Yamagata Prefecture were told to evacuate on Monday as heavy rain pounded northeastern Japan, causing landslides and flooding. The orders were issued to some 2,000 households in five municipalities in the prefecture. Around 910 households in the town of Shonai were advised to flee because the Mogami River, which flows through central Yamagata, might overflow. In adjacent Sakata, about 740 people sought shelter at schools and other facilities, city officials said. A total of 758 residents were temporarily stranded in village of Tozawa, next to Shonai and Sakata, after mudslides and fallen trees made a national road impassable. Up to 4,890 homes lost power Sunday, according to Tohoku Electric Power Co., while the heavy rain disrupted services on the Yamagata Shinkansen Line, East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) said. The downpour in Tohoku started around Sunday noon, with the town of Kaneyama in Yamagata getting a record 312.5 millimeters of rain in a 24-hour period, surpassing its average for the entire month.


Grandchildren of hibakusha and B-29 crewman unite to press for nuclear-free world

Abstract: NAGASAKI - The granddaughter of a survivor of the atomic bombings in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the grandson of the only U.S. serviceman who flew on both atomic bomb missions, have recognized each other’s peace activities and share a determination to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Early last month, Kosuzu Harada, 43, a Nagasaki resident and the granddaughter of Tsutomu Yamaguchi, who died in 2010 at the age of 93, met Ari Beser, 30, who was visiting Japan from Washington D.C., at the Nagasaki Prefectural Government building. As they were updating each other about their recent activities, Beser noted the necessity and significance of an education system that prompts students to contemplate denuclearization voluntarily. Harada agreed, saying, “Students should be taught not only about historical facts, but should be encouraged to think about them by considering how they relate to things with which they are more familiar.” Harada’s grandfather, Yamaguchi, a shipyard engineer, was on a business trip to Hiroshima when the city was bombed on Aug. 6, 1945. Then he survived the second atomic blast in Nagasaki, his hometown, when he returned from the trip three days later. Harada now holds events telling his story with pictures, to convey Yamaguchi’s efforts throughout his life to pass on his wartime experiences. Beser, a filmmaker, has been working to advocate denuclearization through documenting the voices of hibakusha. Ari Beser’s grandfather, Jacob, who died in 1992 at the age of 71, was an army lieutenant and radar specialist who flew on both of the B-29s carrying the “Little Boy” and “Fat Man” atomic bombs. Harada and Ari Beser, who got to know each other five years ago through an acquaintance, share the belief that younger generations have a mission to work to improve the chances of peace, despite the experiences of their grandparents. Ari Beser had told Harada of the difficulty of campaigning for denuclearization in the United States, which is still pro-nuclear. As a third-generation hibakusha, Harada advises him based on her own experiences. Ari Beser said he hopes to explore what they can achieve together. He is planning to produce a documentary film featuring both families, and Harada has said she is willing to cooperate.

hibakusha
nagasaki
atomic bombings
hiroshima
kosuzu harada
ari beser


ICAN champions grass-roots efforts to persuade Japan and others to support a nuclear-free world

Abstract: ICAN, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, has made significant progress in the last year, but according to core member Akira Kawasaki the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize winning coalition is just getting started. ICAN, based in Geneva and launched in 2007, now has around 450 partner organizations in nearly a hundred countries. The process of building itself into a force for peace has had its challenges, but on July 7 last year, this “grass-roots civil society coalition” took one big step toward its mission of “worldwide nuclear disarmament,” Kawasaki said in an interview. On that day in New York, after years of persuading other countries to support the endeavor, ICAN worked with the United Nations and passed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, initially supported by over 135 countries. In order for the treaty to become international law, however, it must be signed and ratified by at least 50 nation-states. So far, 60 nations have signed the treaty but only 14 have officially integrated the treaty into their constitution. None of the world nuclear powers have joined and neither has Japan, which relies on the U.S. nuclear umbrella. Millions will recognize the 73rd anniversary on Monday of that horrific morning in Hiroshima. Public support for the treaty is strong in Japan, with over half of the municipalities pledging their support. The Japanese government, however, has decided to take a passive stance on the matter, stating that “since no nuclear weapon states are involved, the treaty is not practical … (instead) Japan will bridge the divide.” Kawasaki disagrees. “The uniqueness of the treaty was that it prohibited nuclear weapons on humanitarian grounds.” Since Japan is the only country in the world to have experienced the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons on its own soil, “Japan should take the lead in advancing this humanitarian discourse,” he said. By not signing the treaty, Kawasaki believes the government is “undermining the credibility of Japan as a nation.” According to Kawasaki, it is only a matter of time until ICAN’s treaty achieves the 50-nation requirement. Ninety days after that final nation-state signature, the treaty will officially replace the Cold War-negotiated 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The irony of the name is not lost on Kawasaki, since the half-century-old agreement actually “perpetuated” the proliferation of nuclear weapons and caused nations such as India, Pakistan and North Korea to go rogue — or, in Kawasaki’s words, “mirror” the behavior of the United States and Russia — and set up their own nuclear weapons programs. Once ICAN’s treaty becomes international law, the pressure will then shift to countries such as the U.S. and Russia. “In the past,” Kawasaki says, “nuclear weapons were a symbol of power. But now, with a treaty that rejects compromise, nuclear weapons will be a symbol of shame.” Economic sanctions can be enforced, and banks could begin a divestment process similar to what occurred after the Convention on Cluster Munitions Treaty was put into effect in 2008. Kawasaki also mentions the “Don’t Bank on the Bomb” campaign, and says that since the signing of the treaty, “as many as 30 banks ceased to invest in nuclear weapons producers.” As of Sunday, ICAN had secured the ratification of their treaty from Mexico and Austria — the 15th- and 28th-ranked GDP economies in the world, respectively — and Brazil, which is ranked ninth, has also signed to indicate its support. In order for the treaty to gain any traction as far as future sanctions are concerned, ICAN is going to need the help of countries such as Japan, the third-largest economy, if they are to continue to have success. In order for the Japanese government to change its stance, Kawasaki believes several factors will need to be addressed — the first being the continued nuclear disarmament of North Korea. “If both North and South Korea join the treaty, the North will feel obliged to disarm, and the South will be bound by law not to deploy, keep or assist U.S.-related nuclear weapons.” While Kawasaki welcomes the recent peace talks between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, he said “international law will bind the country to their commitment.” Kawasaki urges anyone who lives in a country that has not signed the treaty to spread the word and become involved in their local city councils. In Japan, especially, it will take a grass-roots effort to change what some see as a one-sided government approach. “A vast majority of Japanese people believe they are victims,” Kawasaki says, “and we are calling for a nuclear-free world. But when you look at the behavior of the government … it shows that they are considering the issue only superficially.”

ican
nuclear weapons
akira kawasaki
nobel prize


Patrons recall Hiroshima beer hall that survived A-bombing to bring relief to survivors

Abstract: HIROSHIMA - Hiroshima Parco, a commercial facility popular with young people that’s located in Hiroshima’s Naka Ward, has some old tiles embedded in its walls. Few people know that the tiles used to be a part of an outer wall of a popular beer parlor that survived the 1945 atomic bombing. The Kirin Beer Hall, which opened in 1938, continued operation even during World War II. People visited the glass-covered modern three-story building after work to relax. On Aug. 6, 1945, the atomic bomb detonated about 670 meters from the parlor and destroyed almost everything in the neighborhood, but the ferroconcrete parlor building remained. Masanori Kato, 89, who lived nearby at the time, recalls that after the bombing he returned from a factory in the suburbs, where he worked as a student, and found that his house was gone and his parents and grandmother were missing. Wanting to at least gather their remains, Kato took a hoe and looked for his family under the scorching heat of the sun. The beer parlor was a good place for him to rest. Gradually, people who were searching for clues to missing family members gathered to encourage one another, and some brought rice to make rice balls. Later Kato found the bodies of his family members. “Everyone was going through the same hardships, and (the parlor building) became the only place to gather for the completely ruined community,” he said. The parlor reopened in December of the same year at a makeshift store, and the original building was restored the following year. Kaiso Akamatsu, 90, took over the drugstore business from his father, who died in the atomic blast, and opened a store nearby. He said he frequently visited the beer parlor with friends. “The town was filled with people who lost their families in the blast. We could forget our painful memories only when we were drinking beer,” said Akamatsu. People looked cheerful as they drank pale-colored beer and ate boiled edamame, talking about the professional baseball games that were launched after the war. In the 1960s, more than 200 stores were built in the area, with the beer parlor creating a lively scene at its center. In 1991, the parlor ended 53 years of history when the building was razed during redevelopment of the area. But some of its tiles were kept for the walls of the newly built shopping complex. Standing besides the wall and rubbing the tiles gently with his hand, Akamatsu said he still drinks with his family on weekends. “The beer at the time tasted bitter. The beer I drink now tastes so much better,” he said.

hiroshima
beer parlor
atomic bombings
wwii


'Black rain' radiation from 1945 Hiroshima A-bombing can still be detected on survivor's shirt: study

Abstract: Scientific tests on a shirt worn by a 16-year-old girl who was exposed to rain containing radioactive materials that fell after the Hiroshima atomic bombing on Aug. 6, 1945, known as “black rain,” continue to detect slight amounts of cesium 137 more than 70 years after the attack. The girl, Toyoko Kubota, washed the shirt for physical education classes a number of times on a washboard, but could not remove the dark stains left after her exposure to the rain. After marriage, she changed her surname to Matsumiya. She is now 89 and lives in Mihara, Hiroshima Prefecture. At the time of the bombing she was a student at Nishi Girls’ High School, which was closed after the nuclear attack. When the bomb fell she was on the second floor of her school building, which was located in Higashikanon-machi, now part of the city’s Nishi Ward, about 1.3 kilometers from the hypocenter. The teen was trapped under debris from the building but managed to free herself despite injuries. After that, she was exposed to the black rain near the school. Fatigued and with a high fever and anemia she lay down to rest, but managed to survive. Kiyoshi Shizuma, 69, a professor emeritus at Hiroshima University and an expert in radiation physics, has been studying the radioactive fallout from the bomb — including the radioactivity of the black rain that was triggered by the bombing. The storage room at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum holds many A-bombed artifacts that show traces of the black rain. In 2016, Shizuma received permission from the museum to measure the radiation found on four pieces of A-bombed clothing at Hiroshima University. In addition to the girl’s shirt, a small amount of cesium-137 was also detected on a sailor-style school uniform, a burned shirt and a loincloth. The items were believed to have been exposed to the black rain in present-day Naka Ward and Nishi Ward. It is thought the black rain and its radioactive fallout affected a wide area of the city, not only downtown Hiroshima. How far it reached and what impact it had on humans are still debated. Shizuma later reported his findings from the radiation tests to a study group focused on A-bombed artifacts at the museum. He also shared the results in an article in the group’s journal. “I would like to uncover the facts that have yet to be clarified, as much as possible,” said Shizuma, whose grandfather was killed in the atomic bombing. The professor’s father was also exposed to radiation as he entered the city center shortly after the attack. This monthly feature focuses on topics and issues covered by the Chugoku Shimbun, the largest newspaper in the Chugoku region. The original article was published on June 25.

black rain
hiroshima peace memorial museum


Hiroshima mayor marks 73rd A-bomb anniversary with indirect call to sign U.N. nuke ban treaty

Abstract: HIROSHIMA - Marking the 73rd anniversary of the U.S. atomic bomb attack, Hiroshima once again fell silent Monday morning while traffic came to a halt in remembrance of those lost, with dignitaries urging world leaders to strengthen efforts to abandon nuclear weapons and highlighting the slow progress toward abolition. In the city’s annual Peace Declaration, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui urged world leaders to make the landmark U.N. treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons “a milestone along the path to a nuclear-weapon-free world,” but stopped short of calling on Tokyo to join the 2017 pact. The mayor also touched on the rise of self-centered nationalism around the world, alluding to the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and warning that with 14,000 nuclear warheads remaining worldwide, “the likelihood is growing that what we saw in Hiroshima after the explosion will return, by intent or accident, plunging people into agony.” The ceremony came just weeks after Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promised “to work towards the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.” Matsui called on the Japanese government to be a manifestation of the Constitution’s pacifism to give effect to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons by leading the international community toward dialogue and cooperation toward a world without nuclear weapons. The historic U.N. treaty was adopted by 122 countries in July last year. But Japan, the only nation to have been attacked with atomic weapons, refused to join it, siding with the nuclear powers in light of its reliance on America’s nuclear umbrella. As Matsui concluded his speech, dozens of doves were released over Peace Memorial Park in a symbolic gesture of peace. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who attended the ceremony, stressed that both nuclear and non-nuclear states need to work together toward achieving a nuclear-free world. “Maintaining its three nonnuclear principles, our country is determined to make strenuous efforts to serve as a bridge between both parties and take the lead in such efforts on the global stage,” Abe said, pledging his commitment to working toward a nuke-free world. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted in a speech delivered on his behalf by a U.N. representative that progress on moving disarmament forward has stalled, pointing to rising tensions between nuclear-armed states. “World leaders must return to dialogue and diplomacy, to a common path towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons and a safer and more secure world for all,” he said. “What occurred in Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 cannot and must not ever happen again. The future of our children and of our children’s children depends upon it.” A minute of silence to pay homage to the victims was observed at 8:15 a.m. — the time when the atomic bomb dubbed “Little Boy” exploded about 600 meters above Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945. The Allied forces would drop another one on Nagasaki three days later. Representatives from 85 countries and the European Union attended the ceremony, with officials from Myanmar and Turkey appearing for the first time, according to the municipal government. Among the nuclear states represented were the United States, Britain, France and Russia, along with de facto powers India, Pakistan and Israel. Hiroshima invited 157 countries to take part. City officials said around 50,000 people attended. Families of hibakusha said that world leaders should make more efforts to abolish nuclear weapons. “As the only country that suffered atomic bomb attacks, Japan should lead the way toward no-nuke world but it’s stance is too vague, which is frustrating for Hiroshima residents,” said Megumi Matsuo, 53, who came with her 56-year-old sister to mourn their mother, who recently died from cancer at age 78. Matsuo’s mother was 5 when the bomb was dropped, and lived 2.5 km away from ground zero. “Now that the weapons have been modernized, if one was dropped once again, the damages would be severer than 73 years ago,” she said. “I wonder why people use nuclear weapons to compete on the political stage. Why can’t we stop arguing, fighting in wars, killing each other and make effort to co-exist without weapons.” American tourist Kelly Jean Norris, 38, who adjusted her itinerary to attend the ceremony, said she wanted to honor and remember the victims and pray for peace. She said she was concerned about recent developments in U.S. defense policy. “It’s a very frightening time,” she said, referring to Trump administration policies that she said could strengthen the role of nuclear weapons. Gist of Hiroshima peace declaration With over 14,000 nuclear warheads remaining, the likelihood is growing that what we saw in Hiroshima that day will return by intent or accident. Hibakusha are ringing an alarm against the temptation to possess nuclear weapons. Certain countries are proclaiming self-centered nationalism and Cold War-era tensions are rekindled. If history is forgotten, humans could commit a terrible error and global leaders’ intelligent actions are needed in eliminating nuclear weapons. Global leaders must make the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons a milestone. The Japanese government needs to manifest pacifism in the Constitution and lead the world toward dialogue and cooperation for a nuclear-free world.


Man with mental health issues kills mother and sister near Paris; Islamic State group claims attack

Abstract: PARIS - A man stabbed his mother and sister to death and seriously injured another person in a town near Paris on Thursday before being shot dead by police. The killer had serious mental health problems and had been on a terror watch list since 2016, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb told reporters after visiting the scene in the town of Trappes. The motive for the violence remained unclear despite a claim by the Islamic State group (IS) that it was an attack by one of its fighters responding to the terror organization’s propaganda. Collomb said the attacker was “mentally unstable, rather than someone who was committed, who would respond to orders from a terrorist organization, in particular Daesh,” using another name for IS. Regular French criminal prosecutors are investigating the case rather than anti-terror specialists, Collomb stressed, although checks on the man’s phone and computer were under way. Experts have urged caution about recent IS announcements because the group has lost credibility after claiming responsibility for seemingly unrelated violence as it faces defeat on the battlefield in the Middle East. Social problems The killing spree began early on Thursday in Trappes, a poor town with a large Muslim population about 30 kilometers southwest of the capital. Armed police responded to reports of violence and were threatened by the man who had stabbed his mother to death in her home, Collomb added. “He walked towards the police with his knife,” he said. “Police then opened fire.” The assailant has not yet been named. Only a short drive from the wealthy area of Versailles, home to a world-famous palace, Trappes is known for its social problems linked to poverty, drugs and hard-line interpretations of Islam. About 50 locals are suspected of having left France to fight for the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, French security sources have previously said. The man had been on a terror watch list since 2016 after expressing extremist views, according to a security source. BFM television reported that he had serious alcohol and drug problems. France remains on high alert after a string of jihadist attacks since 2015 that have claimed the lives of more than 240 victims. IS claimed the Trappes attacker was one of its fighters. “He carried out the attack in response to calls to target subjects of the countries of the coalition” fighting IS, the group said a statement on its propaganda channel. The leader of the extremist group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, had called on Muslims to wage “jihad” in a purported new audio recording released Wednesday. The group claimed responsibility for a massacre in Las Vegas last year that saw a wealthy accountant open fire on a crowd in one of the deadliest mass shootings in recent U.S. history. U.S. investigators concluded that there was “no evidence of radicalization or ideology to support any theory that (Stephen) Paddock supported or followed any hate group or any domestic or foreign terrorist organization.” French terror expert Jean-Charles Brisard, head of the Center for the Analysis of Terrorism (CAT), said it was “too soon to say” if IS had a hand in the violence in Trappes. “But remember that in 2017 we had three claims of responsibility that were outlandish by Islamic State… above all the massacre in Las Vegas,” he said.

paris
islamic state
stabbings
terrorism
france
crime
domestic violence


U.N. warns of 'lost generation' of Rohingya children as half a million languish in refugee camps

Abstract: GENEVA - The United Nations warned on Thursday of what it described as a lost generation of Muslim Rohingya children, with half a million in refugee camps in Bangladesh facing dangers including disease and floods and those still in Myanmar lacking access to proper education. One year since 700,000 Rohingyas fled a violent crackdown by Myanmar security forces in Rakhine state, the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) gave a bleak assessment of the outlook for children on either side of the border. “We are talking about risking the loss or the potential loss of a generation of Rohingya children,” UNICEF spokesman Simon Ingram told news conference in Geneva after spending six weeks in the camps in Cox’s Bazar. “It isn’t just the half a million children or so on the Bangladeshi side of border but it’s also those who are still left behind in Rakhine state, whose access to education is patchy at best and highly limited,” he said. The U.N. estimates that 530,000 to 600,000 stateless Rohingya remain in Rakhine state, including some 360,000 children, he said. The U.N. has limited access there. The Rohingya, who regard themselves as native to Rakhine state, are widely considered as interlopers by Myanmar’s Buddhist majority and are denied citizenship. Myanmar’s military launched the crackdown in northern Rakhine a year ago in response to militant attacks. The civilian administration of government leader Aung San Suu Kyi defended what it described as a legitimate counter-insurgency operation. The administration has said it is ready to accept back refugees. Suu Kyi said on Tuesday spaces have been mapped out for the resettlement of people who fled. Ingram said the prospects for their return to Myanmar anytime soon were bleak, despite a voluntary repatriation agreement signed by the Yangon government and U.N. agencies in June. He said conditions in Rakhine remained unsafe. UNICEF said it was expanding education programs in the camps in Bangladesh, currently for children up to the age of 14, to try to meet the needs of older children.

rohingya children refugees bangladesh myanmar rakhine unicef


Diary tells of Emperor Hirohito's anguish in final years over blame for war

Abstract: Emperor Hirohito, posthumously known as Emperor Showa, said during his final years that he did not wish to live much longer as he would only experience more anguish at sad personal events and being blamed for his role in wars Japan fought during his reign, according to the diary of a close aide newly seen by Kyodo News. The diary kept by late Chamberlain Shinobu Kobayashi, details of which were made public Wednesday, reveals that the aging Emperor was haunted by talk of his wartime responsibility following the Sino-Japanese War and World War II. “There is no point in living a longer life by reducing my workload. It would only increase my chances of seeing or hearing things that are agonizing,” the Emperor was quoted as saying in a diary entry dated April 7, 1987. The Emperor, who died in 1989, was 85 at the time. The entry recounted the Emperor’s remarks made to Kobayashi, who was 22 years his junior, while Kobayashi was on duty at the Emperor’s residence in Tokyo. The Imperial Household Agency had been considering ways to reduce his workload at the time. “I have experienced the deaths of my brother and relatives and have been told about my war responsibility,” the Emperor also said, according to the diary. Emperor Showa had lost his brother, Prince Takamatsu, in February of that year. The diary shows Kobayashi tried to console the Emperor by telling him that “Only a few people talk about (your) war responsibility.” “Given how the country has developed today from postwar rebuilding, it is only a page in history. You do not have to worry,” Kobayashi told the Emperor, according to the diary. The emperor was once considered divine and under the prewar Meiji Constitution was invested with supreme control of the army and navy. The emperor is now defined under the postwar Constitution in Japan as “the symbol of the state” with no political power. Another diary by a senior chamberlain, Ryogo Urabe, which has already been made public, supports Kobayashi’s accounts, stating that Kobayashi had “tried to soothe” the Emperor, who said “there is nothing good in living long,” in an entry dated the same day. Kyodo News borrowed the diary from Kobayashi’s family and analyzed it together with writer Kazutoshi Hando, an expert in the history of the Showa Era, and nonfiction writer Masayasu Hosaka. The rare document brings to light the Emperor’s anguish at a time when his son, Emperor Akihito, will turn 85 this December and is preparing to abdicate next year, bringing to an end the current Heisei Era. A diary entry dated May 27, 1980, said the Emperor wanted to convey his regret over the Sino-Japanese War to visiting Chinese Prime Minister Hua Guofeng, but that other senior officials of the agency opposed the idea for fear of a backlash from rightists. Kobayashi’s diary does not detail who talked about the Emperor’s responsibility for the wars or when, although in March 1986 there was a fierce exchange of words between the late Seiji Masamori, a Japan Communist Party lawmaker in the House of Representatives, and then-Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone. During a budget committee meeting, Masamori said, “Who drove Japan to the brink of collapse by starting a reckless war?” Nakasone denied the Emperor bore any responsibility. In December 1988, Nagasaki Mayor Hitoshi Motojima also said that the Emperor bore responsibility for the war, stirring controversy again. Emperor Showa fell ill during a party celebrating his birthday on April 29, 1987, and later underwent an operation in September. He recovered but fell ill again about a year later, and died on Jan. 7, 1989. Kobayashi, who became the Emperor’s chamberlain in April 1974, kept a diary almost daily during his 26 years in office until June 2000, when the Emperor’s wife, Empress Kojun, died.


Two years later, Japanese soldier's nephew receives second wartime Hinomaru

Abstract: YOKOHAMA - A Yokohama man rejoiced Wednesday after receiving the second Hinomaru carried by his late uncle into battle during World War II. Hisashi Abe, an 80-year-old Yokohama resident, received the flag that was signed by family and friends of his uncle, Masamoto Abe, after it was mailed from the United States last week. Two years ago, Hisashi Abe received the first of his uncle’s national flags through the cooperation of the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry and the Obon Society, a nonprofit organization that has returned more than 200 flags to Japanese families who lost relatives in the war since its foundation nine years ago. “Just one flag was enough to surprise me, but I’m totally astonished because I’ve got another one,” the nephew said. The flag is in good condition with no significant damage and Hisashi Abe said he can recognize the names of relatives on it. “I bet my uncle treasured this, thinking of them.” However, he regretted that none of the relatives would be able to see the flag. “It would have been better if this had come back to Japan while some of them were alive,” he added. His uncle went to war with two Hinomaru, which were recovered with his body in New Guinea. A U.S. Army veteran took one of the flags, signed by co-workers at Nippon Carbon Co., to Portland, Oregon. That flag was returned in 2016. For decades, the second flag was on display in Washington state. In April, Ralph Wood, 85, contacted the Obon Society on behalf of the Gold Bar, Washington, post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars to determine whether “the mysterious flag” on the club’s wall was authentic. When the organization received the paperwork, they recognized the name on the flag and quickly confirmed with their Japanese scholars that the flag belonged to the same Masamoto Abe of Kanagawa Prefecture, whose other flag they had returned in 2016.


Illinois attorney general sues Trump Tower Chicago for river environmental violations

Abstract: CHICAGO - Illinois’ attorney general announced a lawsuit on Tuesday against Trump Tower in Chicago, alleging the violation of environmental laws and a threat to fish in the Chicago River. The lawsuit filed by Attorney General Lisa Madigan in Cook County Circuit Court said the Trump International Hotel & Tower releases millions of gallons of water into the river each day in order to cool various systems in the building. It also says the 92-story residential tower and hotel has failed to conduct federally mandated studies on the impact of the water’s release into the river, and that the water’s release poses a threat to aquatic life. “Trump Tower continues to take millions of gallons of water from the Chicago River every day without a permit and without any regard to how it may be impacting the river’s ecosystem,” Madigan, a Democrat who has held the post since 2003, said in a news release. The Trump Organization’s properties worldwide have come under increasing scrutiny since Republican Donald Trump was elected U.S. president in 2016. Trump resigned from the company, and appointed his sons Don and Eric to run his business in January 2017. “We are disappointed that the Illinois Attorney General would choose to file this suit considering such items are generally handled at the administrative level,” a representative for the Trump Organization said in an email. “One can only conclude that this decision was motivated by politics.” The Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club and Friends of the Chicago River said in June they intended to sue the Chicago Trump Tower over alleged violation of the U.S. Clean Water Act. Sierra Club and Friends of the Chicago River representatives said they would work with the attorney general’s office.

illinois
trump tower chicago
chicago river
trump organization
donald trump
pollution
environment


Modi says India will send manned flight into space by 2022

Abstract: NEW DELHI - India will send a manned flight into space by 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Wednesday as part of India’s Independence Day celebrations. He said India will become the fourth country — after Russia, the United States and China — to achieve the feat, and its astronaut could be either a man or a woman. The space capsule that will transport India’s astronauts was tested a few days ago. Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to travel in space, aboard a Soviet rocket in 1984. As part of its own space program, India put a satellite into orbit around Mars in 2014. Stepping up its rivalry with China, India has invested heavily in its space program in the past decade. It is aiming to send an unmanned mission to the moon in January, the Indian Space Research Organization announced last week. The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter will aim to put a craft with a rover onto the moon’s surface to collect data. Design changes to the craft forced the space body to push the launch back from this year. Chandrayaan-1, launched in 2008, orbited the moon and sent a probe to the surface in a controlled crash landing. India also launched an orbiter to Mars in 2013 that is still operational, and in 2017 launched a record 104 satellites in one blastoff. Modi’s 80-minute speech, broadcast live from the historic Red Fort in Delhi, comes months before national elections. Amid concerns about lack of jobs and rising violence against the Muslim minority, Modi listed his government’s achievements in the past four years in reforming the country’s economy, reducing poverty and corruption. He announced a health insurance scheme for 500 million poor people providing cover of 500,000 rupees ($7,150) per family a year. He said India will become a growth engine for the world economy as the “sleeping elephant” has started to run on the back of structural economic reforms. He said its economy was seen as fragile before 2014 but was now attracting investment. India is the sixth-largest economy in the world, and Modi said international institutions see India as giving strength to the world economy for the next three decades. He said the structural reforms like a national tax replacing various national and local taxes, bankruptcy and insolvency laws, and a crackdown on corruption have helped transform the economy. In his speech, Modi said the pace of building highways, electrifying villages and building toilets has increased since his landslide 2014 election win, which devastated the main opposition party, Congress. Critics say Modi’s tenure has been marred by violence against Muslim cattle traders and economic jolts through a countrywide ban on high-value notes and the botched launch of the unified taxation system. Congress, which had ruled India for decades, is now trying to unify the opposition to challenge Modi, whose personal ratings remain high despite recent election setbacks. India won independence from British colonialists in 1947.


Senior Chinese monk accused of sexual misconduct, Shi Xuecheng, quits post

Abstract: BEIJING - One of China’s most high-profile Buddhist monks has resigned from a top national post following reports of sexual misconduct, a religious association said Wednesday. The Buddhist Association of China said its president Xuecheng (SHWEI’-chung) had passed his duties to a deputy. The case, which was covered widely in the Chinese press and discussed on social media, was seen as a sign of the #metoo movement’s growing momentum in China. A small but increasing number of academics, civil society activists and one of China’s best known television hosts have been called out for inappropriate behavior, although the movement has yet to percolate into government circles. The announcement of Xuecheng’s resignation was included in a report about the Buddhist association’s regular meeting and did not mention the controversy surrounding the powerful monk. Fellow monks accused Xuecheng earlier this year of harassing and demanding sexual favors from nuns at his Beijing monastery as well as embezzling funds, allegations that Xuecheng has denied on social media. Xuecheng has not commented publicly on his resignation. One of China’s best known monks and authors, Xuecheng was an influential political adviser to the central government while heading the national Buddhist association. His monastery in the outskirts of northwest Beijing, Longquan, is popular with educated Chinese, including many who give up high-paying jobs to devote their lives to religious study. Two long-serving monks compiled a 95-page dossier on Xuecheng this year and turned it over to Beijing police. The document, which included alleged screenshots of the abbot’s text messages to nuns and the monastery’s financial statements, leaked on Chinese social media in July and became a national sensation. Xuecheng has dismissed the records as fabrications. China has roughly 250 million Buddhists. That number is likely growing fast at a moment when some young Chinese are turning increasingly spiritual — and embracing Taoism, Christianity and Islam as well. The powerful State Administration of Religious Affairs, which regulates religion under the Communist government, announced an investigation into Xuecheng last week. The agency reposted the Buddhist Association of China’s report on its own website on Wednesday but did not carry additional comment or provide updates on its investigation. Separately on Wednesday, lawyers representing Zhu Jun, a high-profile host on state-operated China Central Television, said they were suing social media users who posted and recirculated allegations of harassment against Zhu by one of his former interns. Zhu, the host of CCTV’s Spring Festival evening gala and one of China’s most recognizable faces, has denied the allegations. Zhu’s lawyers posted their intentions on the popular Wechat social media platform.


In betrothal ceremony, Princess Ayako formally gets engaged to commoner Kei Moriya

Abstract: Princess Ayako, the youngest daughter of Emperor Akihito’s late cousin, became officially engaged Sunday to commoner Kei Moriya at a traditional ceremony in Tokyo. The betrothal ceremony, called Nosai no Gi, is the first in a series of rites leading up to the wedding on Oct. 29 between the 27-year-old princess and the 32-year-old employee at shipping firm Nippon Yusen K.K. During the ceremony, a messenger from Moriya visited Tokyo’s Takamado residence with gifts, including sake and sea bream, to formally convey the proposal. The couple met last December when they were introduced by Princess Ayako’s mother, Princess Hisako, who had known Moriya’s parents for a long time. Moriya’s mother died years ago. Princess Hisako was hoping to spark her daughter’s interest in international welfare activities through the meeting with Moriya, who is a board member of a nonprofit organization that supports children in developing countries. Princess Ayako, the third daughter of the late Prince Takamado and Princess Hisako, graduated from Josai International University in Chiba Prefecture and earned a master’s degree there in 2016. She is currently working as a research fellow at the university’s Faculty of Social Work Studies. Moriya is well-traveled, having gone to kindergarten in Paris and attended schools in Switzerland and Britain before graduating from Tokyo’s Keio University. He enjoys participating in marathon and triathlon races. After marriage, Princess Ayako will leave the Imperial Family as the Imperial House Law stipulates that women lose their royal status after marrying a commoner. Last year, the Imperial Household Agency announced the planned engagement between Princess Mako, the eldest granddaughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, and Kei Komuro, a commoner who is her long-time boyfriend. But in February, their formal engagement and wedding were postponed until 2020, due to “lack of preparation.” After the marriages of Princess Ayako and Princess Mako, the number of Imperial Family members would fall from 19 to 17 and that of female members from 14 to 12. Kokki no Gi, or the rite of announcing the wedding date, will be held on Sept. 19 at the Takamado residence. Following the ceremony, the payment to be given to Princess Ayako under the law will be decided at a meeting attended by the prime minister and the speakers of both houses of the Diet. Sayako Kuroda, the only daughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, received about ¥150 million when she married Tokyo Metropolitan Government employee Yoshiki Kuroda in 2005. Noriko Senge, an older sister of Princess Ayako, was given around ¥100 million when she tied the knot with Kunimaro Senge, a senior priest of Izumo Taisha, a Shinto shrine in Shimane Prefecture, in 2014.

princess ayako
engagement
imperial family
kei morita


Japanese household product maker Lixil launches plumber training program in India

Abstract: NEW DELHI - Lixil Group Corp., Japan’s leading manufacturer of household products, has launched a training program for plumbers in India to help fill a shortage of such workers while improving professional standards. Dubbed “Project Nadee,” the program aims to produce 50,000 commercially licensed plumbers in the next five years, said Bijoy Mohan, CEO of Lixil Asia Pacific, at a launch event in New Delhi last week. Lixil Asia Pacific is a group division based in Singapore. The program employs mobile learning and in-person training. It is designed to improve plumbers’ earning power by giving them certified skills. Plumbers in the South Asian country do not usually receive formal technical training and generally make poor wages. Mohan said the Japanese group will help expand business opportunities for certified plumbers to boost their earning potential, by hiring them for its own operations and dealerships while also referring them to developers and e-commerce platforms looking for professionals for their home services. The Indian Institute of Plumbing, established as a training arm of the Indian Plumbing Association, says on its website that the quality of plumbing work has long been an issue in India. “Plumbers are often unqualified or have graduated from being casual laborers with no education or training,” it says. As part of efforts to expand overseas, Lixil inaugurated a sanitary equipment plant last week in Bhimadole, in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh — the company’s first such manufacturing plant in India. It said early this year it planned to invest $65 million for the acquisition of local company Sentini Sanitarywares Pvt., along with the plant, which has been converted into a state-of-the-art facility to bolster Lixil’s production of ceramics. Lixil plans to achieve full-scale ceramic production within two years and then eventually double the plant’s output from the current capacity of 1 million units a year. The Tokyo-based firm is planning to scale up its distribution network in India, from around 250 stores to 1,000 by the end of the business year ending in March 2019 and then ramp up to 10,000 in next five years, Mohan said.


Officials test sprinklers on Tokyo street as city looks for ways to keep Olympic athletes and spectators cool

Abstract: The Tokyo Metropolitan Government on Monday tested sprinklers on a street in the capital to see how effective it could be in countering scorching heat as officials look for ways to keep athletes and spectators cool during the 2020 Tokyo Games. The experiment, conducted on a pedestrian walkway along a road where competitive walking will be held during the games, showed sprinkling water will keep the temperature on the street surface up to around 5 C cooler than the air temperature. The metropolitan government carried out the test using perforated hoses that are typically used by farmers to irrigate crops. Some locations had their sprinklers activated from 4 a.m. while sprinklers elsewhere were activated at 7 a.m. At some test areas, sprinklers weren’t used at all. In areas where sprinklers were used from 4 a.m., the surface temperature was about 5 degrees lower than the air temperature. Other locations that were sprinkled also recorded temperatures between 27 and 29 degrees, even as the air temperature soared above 30. In areas where no water was sprinkled, the surface temperature was higher than 30 degrees. It was cloudy when the experiment was conducted and an official in charge of the experiment said the results could be different in sunny conditions. Tokyo is already planning to install mist showers and special pavement coverings to reduce road surface temperatures. Heat has been a major concern for organizers of the games as the country endures a scorching summer that saw the mercury soar to a record high of 41.1 degrees last month in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture. Over 130 people died and 71,000 others were taken to hospitals due to heatstroke or heat exhaustion between April 30 and Aug. 5.


Tweet requests public understanding for ambulance crews' need to hydrate

Abstract: Amid a sharp rise in ambulance dispatches caused by this summer’s deadly heat waves, a Twitter post by the Nagoya Municipal Fire Department is attracting attention for asking the public to show patience with the ambulance crews’ convenience store breaks. On July 26, the department’s official Twitter account posted: “When an ambulance is dispatched continuously, crew members sometimes stop in at convenience stores or other places to buy beverages in between calls. Even during these times, they are always ready to be dispatched. We kindly ask for your understanding.” The tweet had been retweeted more than 62,000 times by August 13 and drew more than 78,000 likes. 猛暑の影響で救急出動が急増し、通常より救急隊を増やして対応していますが、1日の出動が22件となった隊もあります。 そのため出動が連続し消防署に戻れない時は、救急車でコンビニ等に立ち寄り飲料水等を購入する場合があります。 その際も、出動態勢は維持していますので、ご理解をお願いします。 — 名古屋市消防局【公式】 (@NagoyaShobo) July 26, 2018 According to fire department officials, ambulance calls rose in sync with a spike in heat exhaustion and heatstroke cases. Dispatches topped 500 a day between July 17 and 25 and peaked at 664 on July 23. The average for this year up to July 31 was 366. One crew was dispatched 22 times in a single day, they said. The fire officials said they decided to post the tweet because the department had been criticized by residents who saw ambulances being driven to stores for shopping. When ambulance crews don’t have enough time to return to the fire station between dispatches, they are allowed to take their meals and breaks outside, the officials explained. “Usually, we tell crew members not to stop anywhere when they are in ambulances or fire engines, but they should at least be given time to stay hydrated,” one official said. The official said the department was both surprised and relieved to see many Twitter posts saying crew members should be able to take care of themselves as well. The department’s Twitter account also received a lot of feedback when it posted “We will definitely save you” before participating in search and rescue operations in the flood-hit Mabicho district in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, last month.

ambulance
heat waves
twitter
nagoya
heatstrokes


Statue of child clad in protective suit met with criticism in disaster-hit Fukushima

Abstract: FUKUSHIMA - A statue of a child wearing a protective suit near Fukushima Station has sparked criticism that it gives the impression that residents still need such gear following the 2011 nuclear crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 plant. The 6.2-meter-high statue, called “Sun Child,” was made by contemporary artist Kenji Yanobe to express his wish for a world free from nuclear disasters. The statue indicates the surrounding air is “clean” as the child is holding a helmet and a radiation counter on its chest reads “000”. Yanobe apologized on his website Friday for “unsettling” some people with his artwork, which was installed in the city of Fukushima on Aug. 3. “I wanted to make a work that encourages people (in Fukushima) … and made the statue of a child standing up bravely and strongly against any difficulties it faces,” he said. “The clothing looks like protective gear, but it is also armor to confront major issues and, being like a space suit, it also carries a futuristic image.” But he admitted that his earlier explanation of the artwork — such as calling the clothing “protective gear” and the device on the statue’s chest a “Geiger counter” — may have led to misunderstandings. Critical views were posted on Twitter and the Fukushima Municipal Government received calls demanding the statue’s removal. “The statue will encourage harmful rumors to be spread because it gives an impression that people in Fukushima cannot live without protective gear,” one person said. Yanobe said he wants to discuss what to do with the statue with the city. Others argued the statue was “unscientific” because it indicates that it would only be safe for someone wearing protective gear to take off their helmet when the radiation level falls to zero. Radiation levels are typically above zero even in areas not affected by nuclear accidents due to natural radiation. Yanobe said in a statement, “I should have paid more attention to the fact that accurate knowledge about radiation is needed much more now than before the disaster.” In a Twitter post, Fukushima Mayor Hiroshi Kohata called for peoples’ understanding, saying, “Contemporary art is abstract expression, unlike science.”

statue
fukushima
sun child
kenji yanobe
radiation


Former South Korea presidential hopeful acquitted in sex abuse case

Abstract: SEOUL - A former South Korean presidential contender was found not guilty on all charges on Tuesday in a trial stemming from allegations he raped a female aide several times, prompting immediate controversy. The case involving Ahn Hee-jung — who before the scandal was widely seen as a strong candidate to replace President Moon Jae-in when his term ends in 2022 — is by far the highest-profile in the country’s growing #MeToo movement. Ahn was acquitted of forced sexual abuse, sexual intercourse by abuse of authority and other charges by the Seoul Western District Court. “I am sorry and I am so ashamed,” he said on the courthouse steps. “I have disappointed many. I will make efforts to be born again,” he went on, as women’s rights activists shouted “It’s not over yet!” at him. South Korea remains socially patriarchal despite its economic and technological advances, with a male-dominated legal system often accused of handing out verdicts favoring men in sex abuse cases. Ahn was governor of South Chungcheong province when his aide Kim Ji-eun told a television interview earlier this year that he had raped her four times after she was hired. Fighting back tears, she said she had been unable to reject her boss in the rigid hierarchy of her office. The 53-year-old politician issued a formal apology, stepped down from his post and was later indicted, but has always insisted the sex was consensual. The court said it saw “little evidence” that Ahn used his authority to force Kim into sex, adding the evidence presented by the prosecution — which had demanded four years’ jail for Ahn — was “not enough to prove that Kim’s sexual freedom was violated against her will.” “There are also many things that were questionable and incomprehensible in the victim’s testimony,” the court ruling said. In a statement read out by her lawyers, Kim said she would “not feel defeated by today’s unjust result.” “I will fight … until the day when those using their power to sexually abuse others are held accountable under the laws,” she added. As the verdict was delivered dozens of women’s rights campaigners condemned Ahn outside the court building, while the politician’s supporters cheered for him. “Repent, Ahn Hee-jung! What you did was sexual violence!” the activists chanted in unison. A coalition of dozens of women’s rights groups slammed the closely-watched verdict and urged prosecutors to appeal. “The court failed to recognize the basic reality faced by the victim, in which she had to choose between resisting Ahn’s order or losing her job and livelihood,” they said in a joint statement. “The verdict will be interpreted as a signal that female aides working for powerful figures in politics, economy or other fields should remain silent even when they are sexually abused,” they added. The scandal was an astonishing fall from grace for Ahn, who had enjoyed huge popularity among young, liberal voters thanks to his wholesome image and good looks. He came second to the current head of state Moon Jae-in in the contest for the ruling Democratic Party’s presidential nomination last year and was seen as a favorite for the next elections. The #MeToo campaign against the abuse of women swept the South this year after Seoul prosecutor Seo Ji-hyeon defied convention to speak out on television about the abuse she suffered at the hands of a powerful superior. Her move opened the floodgates, prompting more women to come forward to accuse powerful figures in politics, arts, religion, education and entertainment of abuse.

south korea
sex abuse
rape
ahn hee-jung
courts
sexual assault


Shipments of air conditioners in Japan hit a record high in July amid heat wave

Abstract: Shipments of air conditioners in Japan hit a record high in July, an industry body said Wednesday, due to brisk demand as an unprecedented heat wave swept over the country. The volume of shipments last month rose 10.9 percent from the previous year to 1,763,000 units, the highest level on a monthly basis since 1972 when comparable data became available, according to the Japan Electrical Manufacturers’ Association. The country logged its highest-ever temperature of 41.1 degrees in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, on July 23, prompting the Meteorological Agency to call the heat wave “a natural disaster” and warn the public to take precautions to avoid heatstroke and heat exhaustion. Government data released earlier this month showed the heat wave has sent more than 70,000 people to hospitals across the country over the last three months. A total of 140 people have died as a result of the heat wave. The shipment value of air conditioners stood at ¥137.9 billion ($1.2 billion) in July, up 12.2 percent from the previous year and the highest for the month in 10 years, according to the association. The total value of home appliance shipments increased 7.2 percent to ¥281.1 billion in the reporting month, buoyed by growing demand for refrigerators, washing machines and vacuum cleaners.


Japan lifts more than decade-old ban on use of Tamiflu for 10- to 19-year-olds

Abstract: The health ministry has lifted a ban on the use of the flu drug Tamiflu — introduced over a decade ago after some people who took the drug reportedly demonstrated abnormal behavior — for patients 10 to 19 years old. The ministry on Tuesday instructed the maker of Tamiflu to remove a description in a note attached to the drug saying that patients 10 to 19 years old should, in principle, refrain from using it. The ban had been in place since 2007 after a series of cases involving abnormal behavior by patients who took the drug, such as jumping off high buildings, stoked public concern. However, ministry researchers and others have found no causal link between that behavior and the use of Tamiflu. A subcommittee of the ministry’s Pharmaceutical Affairs and Food Sanitation Council had recently lobbied for Tamiflu to be treated the same as other flu remedies.


Government agencies allegedly padded hiring stats for disabled workers by over 3,000

Abstract: Government agencies may have padded their hiring records for people with disabilities by well over 3,000 people, informed sources said Saturday. That accounts for more than half of the some 6,900 disabled who were reportedly hired by the government as of fiscal 2017 ended in March, the sources said. The government is set to disclose more details at a meeting of relevant ministers Tuesday. It plans to compile preventive measures by October. On Friday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told labor minister Katsunobu Kato to act swiftly to address the issue. Japan’s companies and state agencies are required by law to ensure disabled people account for a certain ratio of their hires. According to labor ministry data from December, the ratio of disabled people working at government agencies came to 2.49 percent of the nation’s workforce in fiscal 2017, higher than the 2.3 percent required for the year. But the actual rate is now believed to be much lower, the sources said. Companies that fail to meet the required hiring rates are subject to fines, but government agencies are exempt from such penalties. “The government violated the rules after enacting them. This is an unprecedented scandal,” a support group for people with disabilities said. The government now plans to launch a probe into the hiring of disabled people by prefectural and municipal governments, officials said. An Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry official suggested the nationwide probe during a hearing by opposition lawmakers about the employment data scandal. A number of ministries and agencies, including the labor ministry itself, are suspected of falsifying their employment rates for disabled people to meet the statutory target. Similar cases have been also revealed at prefectural and municipal governments. To get a report from the central government on the matter, the ruling and opposition parties agreed to hold an executive meeting of the House of Representatives Committee on Health, Labor and Welfare on Tuesday. Also on Friday, a group of regional assembly members with disabilities submitted a written demand to the labor ministry demanding that it investigate the issue thoroughly while promoting the employment of disabled people.


Chiba to issue nonbinding certificates recognizing same-sex and common-law couples

Abstract: The city of Chiba plans to issue nonbinding certificates recognizing same-sex as well as common-law couples starting in April next year, following similar moves by Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward and other municipalities across the nation. Chiba will be the first municipality to offer partnership certificates beyond those recognizing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender couples, the city says. “I hope it can take everyone a step forward to question what a family and a partnership is about,” Chiba Mayor Toshihito Kumagai said at a news conference Thursday. The city had initially planned to issue certificates to LGBT couples only. But it decided to widen the scope when local LGBT groups asked that the policy not be limited to sexual minorities. To apply, couples must be unmarried, must not be blood relatives, and must be residents of the city or have plans to move there in the near future. “These are just preliminary requirements, which are subject to changes based on the public comments we will receive next month,” said an official at the city’s Gender Equality Division, who asked not to be named due to department policy. The city will accept public comments from Sept. 1 to Oct. 1. Despite the fact that the certificates are not legally binding, the city said it’s willing to ask hospitals and businesses to cooperate, with the details expected later. That could help couples who aren’t legally married sign surgical consent forms on behalf of partners who are incapacitated and can’t speak for themselves or rent housing limited to those who are married.


TikTok video app has become a petri dish for youth culture

Abstract: It’s a question that haunts almost everyone over the age of 30 as they grow older: What exactly are the kids into today? If you put this question to young people in Japan this summer, the answer appears to be La Bouche’s 1995 smash hit “Be My Lover.” A popular online dance craze sees teenagers — and a few daring adults — busting out moves to a Eurodance track that is in many cases older than those dancing to its brisk beat. Contextually, the moves come from a viral clip by American YouTuber Roy Purdy, while the recent domestic resurgence of Eurobeat led by Da Pump’s “U.S.A.” has perhaps helped fuel interest in the track. Look more closely at the domestic interest in the dance craze and it’s worth noting the platform that is being used to share the loose-limbed moves. Short-video application TikTok has become something of a petri dish for online youth culture in Japan over the past 12 months or so, with high-school students in particular uploading 15-second clips that sometimes go on to become viral hits. TikTok was launched by Chinese company Bytedance in late 2016 (the app is known as Douyin in China). The app gradually became a hit across Asia, making inroads in English thanks to a “Riverdale”-inspired meme titled “ Karma Is A Bitch. ” The meme subsequently attracted a little attention on Twitter , but TikTok has remained a force across the continent ever since. The app has been especially popular in Japan, becoming the most downloaded free app on the App Store in a matter of months. Indeed, 30 percent of TikTok’s downloads now come from Japan. The app is not in and of itself anything new. Six-second video app Vine was popular with teenagers in Japan from when it was launched in 2012 until when uploads were disabled in 2016, resulting in a number of funny clips and memes . Video platform MixChannel took over where Vine left off, attracting a new generation of users looking to share dance moves and memories with followers nationwide. And then there’s Musical.ly, which is well known in the West and is built around lip-syncing videos. Musical.ly was acquired by Bytedance and merged with TikTok earlier this year. Livedoor News believes TikTok rose to prominence in Japan because Bytedance was able to adapt to the domestic market, most critically offering a wide variety of J-pop clips that users can select from the creation screen. An online survey earlier this year found that a quarter of teenage girls used TikTok, with many respondents praising the app’s song selections and simplicity of use. Such factors set it apart from MixChannel, where many users use other video editing apps for their clips. It’s probably worth remembering that TikTok is also the newest option available, and one constant with teenagers throughout history is that they are extremely fickle. Over the course of a year, TikTok has been home to all sorts of things that young people find amusing. Clips in a style that aren’t so different from Vine remain popular, while bits mined from Japanese comedy routines can spread quickly . Dances tend to dominate, whether it be shuffling , clapping or finger movements . Even footage of a child placing his head on the palm of someone else’s hand seems to merit a video. Part of the charm of TikTok from a casual viewer’s perspective — and this probably applies to a lot of short video content created by young people — is just how detached from time it all seems. This is certainly the case with music. This year, popular TikTok soundtracks have included 2015’s “ Slow & Easy ,” forgotten Maroon 5 cuts and the aforementioned La Bouche. Koda Kumi has just released a new album, but the J-pop star’s 2018 will most likely be defined by a song she put out in 2010 , which mutated into a TikTok mega-trend and has even been picked up by Japanese media . TikTok has created a whole new digital ecosystem in Japan. A handful of “influencers” have emerged from the site, and they often appear in compilations devoted to ikemen (good looking men) and kawaii (cute) women . One of the more surprising names to emerge from TikTok in Japan is a Russian adolescent named Rodi Kun , who is popular enough to be mobbed by groups at parks — the sure sign of digital age success. Meanwhile, bona fide celebrities have also started migrating to it, from Hikakin to Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (who also did an ad for them … hmm). Music videos now appear to be conceptualized so that they eventually become memes . Even other sites rely on TikTok content. YouTube is packed with clip compilations, while YouTubers recently indulged a new trend wherein they would put some liquid in their mouth and then watch random TikTok uploads , trying not to spit it out. Even haters get in on it, with challenges to see how long you can last watching teens sing and dance . For the time being, there’s no better online space than TikTok to figure out how Japanese teenagers view pop culture. Like all trends, however, it might not last. Many have observed this month that more and more 40-year-olds are using TikTok , the same problem that ultimately sunk MixChannel. Worse still, it isn’t even an attempt to blend in with the teens , but because they are documenting their own children . But never fear, for a new platform is bound to arrive and dictate the pace of pop culture in Japan soon enough.

tiktok
youth culture
teenagers
trends
social media
japan pulse


Suicide prevention group slams YouTube celebrity Logan Paul over controversial video

Abstract: A video shot in a forest near Mount Fuji infamous for suicides has triggered a firestorm of criticism, including from a suicide prevention group in Japan. The video was posted online Sunday by American celebrity YouTuber Logan Paul. Paul, whose YouTube channel has over 15 million subscribers and who enjoys a huge following among young people, has apologized after getting slammed for a video he shared that appeared to show a dead body in a well-known suicide spot in a Yamanashi Prefecture forest. He took down the video on Tuesday. Critics say what was offensive was Paul’s giggling and joking about the body. The video shows Paul on a trek with friends in the expansive forest at the foot of Mount Fuji. He seems aware that the site is sometimes chosen for suicides, but acts surprised to come across what appears to be a victim. He posted an apology on his Twitter account Tuesday, saying, “Where do I begin. Let’s start with this. I’m sorry.” By the time the video was removed, however, the damage had been done. The clip had been reportedly viewed by 6 million people. Jiro Ito, who runs the Tokyo-based youth suicide prevention group Ova, told The Japan Times on Wednesday that Paul’s act “raises serious issues from the point of suicide prevention” and is in clear violation of the World Heath Organization guidelines on how the media should report on the issue. The WHO urges members of the media to show restraint when covering suicides, both committed or attempted. Though Paul is not part of the news media, he should have acted more prudently given his huge influence on YouTube, Ito said by email. “It is totally unacceptable to show someone who was driven to suicide as if it’s humorous content,” he said. In his apology, Paul said he had wanted to raise awareness about suicide and possibly save lives, and denied his goal was to drive clicks. “I thought I could make a positive ripple on the internet, not cause a monsoon of negativity,” he said in his Twitter post. Ito criticized Paul’s statement following the uproar, too, saying “it is Logan Paul himself, not other members of society, whose level of awareness about suicide prevention should be raised.” A spokesperson at Google, which owns YouTube, confirmed to The Japan Times on Wednesday that Paul’s video “does violate” the video-sharing site’s policies, adding that it was taken down by the YouTuber himself. “Our hearts go out to the family of the person featured in the video,” the Google press team said. “YouTube prohibits violent or gory content posted in a shocking, sensational or disrespectful manner. If a video is graphic, it can only remain on the site when supported by appropriate educational or documentary information and in some cases it will be age-gated.” Japan’s suicide rate is among the highest in the world, according to the latest government white paper on suicide measures released in May 2017. However, the rate has been in decline since peaking in 2003. In 2016, the number of people who took their own life declined to 21,897, the lowest total in 22 years. But the figures also show that suicide was the top cause of death among people in five age groups from 15 to 39, a trend that stands out amid a decline in other generations. The number of suicides surged in the late 1990s and remained above 30,000 for more than 10 years, including a high of 34,427 in 2003. The figure has remained below 30,000 since 2012. Since mapping out its first policy principles on suicide countermeasures in 2007, the government has taken a series of steps, including strengthening research on the medical and social causes of suicide, setting up more hotlines, holding seminars for municipal leaders, and beefing up support for people who attempted suicide and for their next of kin. Paul posted a more sanguine video on YouTube on Monday, showing him romping through a Tokyo park, talking about his apparel brand, visiting gadget stores and running around city streets wearing a Pokemon outfit.

suicide
logan paul
mount fuji
japan
aokigahara
suicide forest