Japan to sink to third-largest contributor to U.N. as China rises

Abstract: NEW YORK - Japan will fall from being the second-largest contributor to the United Nations’ general budget to third place starting next year as China gets set to surpass it, according to diplomats. China’s contribution will rise to 12.01 percent while Japan’s will fall to 8.56 percent for the 2019 to 2021 period, according to the new scale agreed on by U.N. members, which will formally adopted by the General Assembly, possibly Saturday. “According to the new scale of assessments initially agreed upon, starting from 2019, China will become the second-largest financial contributor to the U.N.’s regular budget,” a Chinese delegate said after the committee decision. “For a developing country with about a 1.4 billion population, this is not a small amount.” The shift may fuel fears in Tokyo that the country’s aspiration to become a new permanent member of a revamped U.N. Security Council could fall out of reach. For the 2016 to 2018 period, the scale of assessments adopted for China was 7.921 percent, while Japan paid almost 2 percentage points more at 9.680 percent. Every three years, U.N. member countries must approve the so-called “scale of assessments” based on a complex formula that factors in each nation’s gross national income and debt adjustments, among other variables. Japan’s general budget burden peaked at 20.57 percent in 2000 but has since been declining. The United States, which has been the No. 1 contributor since the inception of the United Nations, will remain in the top spot for the next three-year period at 22 percent. Germany, with its 6.090 percent contribution to the body’s general budget, comes in fourth place followed by Britain at 4.567 percent and France at 4.427 percent. The scale of assessments is determined by a number of factors, including the “most current, comprehensive and comparable data” available for gross national income. However, other variables such as conversion rates and debt-burden adjustments are also factored into the determination of how much each country will pay into the budget for the world body. Debates to restructure the Security Council have gone on for decades with little apparent progress despite Japan’s push for itself along with Germany, Brazil and India to become permanent seat holders. The Group of Four is at loggerheads with another bloc called Uniting for Consensus, which includes such states as Pakistan, Italy, South Korea and Argentina. Meanwhile, the African Group has been pressing to add African nations as new permanent and nonpermanent seat holders, arguing they have long been underrepresented. The latest agreement for the general budget followed a similar change in the rankings for funding peacekeeping operations. Beginning in 2016, Japan slipped to third place behind China and the United States, the top contributor. Meanwhile, a U.S. representative expressed dissatisfaction with the new calculations for the peacekeeping budget for the 2019 to 2021 period, as the U.S. administration of President Donald Trump has been pushing hard for reductions. The U.S. request to have its burden lowered to 25 percent compared with the current more than 28 percent had been rejected in the negotiation process despite intense pressure. The consensus agreement also called on Washington to pay the higher rate. “For the financial health of the organization, the United States firmly believes that no one member state should pay more than one quarter of the organization’s budget,” the U.S. delegate said.

china
united nations
u.n. security council


With six months to go until G20 summit in Osaka, Japan sets out its agenda

Abstract: OSAKA - With six months to go until the Group of 20 summit in Osaka, the basic agenda has been set for discussion on issues of global importance. But with the G20 process increasingly seen as failing and many leaders likely to arrive in Osaka with severe domestic political problems at home, what will come out of the summit in terms of new agreements to cooperate on issues ranging from climate change to sustainable development to strengthening multilateral free trade and investment is increasingly unclear. On Dec. 1, as the G20 leaders’ summit in Buenos Aires closed, Prime Minster Shinzo Abe outlined the agenda of what will be discussed when the leaders meet on June 28 and 29 in Osaka. “At the G20 Osaka Summit, I will set our goal to materialize a free, open, and inclusive and sustainable future society and promote efforts to this end, through our development efforts centered on the sustainable development goals and contributions to addressing global issues, along with driving the world economy through the promotion of free trade and innovation as well as simultaneously achieving economic growth and inequality correction,” Abe told the other leaders. Technological innovation, especially in artificial intelligence and robotics, is another area that Japan will ask world leaders to discuss, along with infrastructure development and global health care. At a time when fossil fuels remain a major source of energy even as experts are warning that the Earth’s climate is warming far more rapidly than predicted just a few years ago, Abe said the Osaka summit would tackle energy and environment issues, although not from a purely environmental view. “It’s necessary for us to actively incorporate private investments in these fields and create a virtuous cycle for the environment and growth, rather than seeing it as two choices between environmental conservation and economic growth,” Abe said. However, Japan will make dealing with plastic waste in the world’s oceans, now a major environmental crisis, a topic of discussion with an eye toward possible new sources of funding and cooperation by the G20. In terms of finance and trade, Finance Minister Taro Aso said in Buenos Aires that Japan’s G20 presidency throughout 2019 would focus on three themes, which will be the basis of discussions in Osaka. These include risks and challenges to the global economy and concrete actions to further medium-term growth potential. Most contentiously for G20 member states, they include policy responses to economic and social changes due to technological advancements and globalization of trade and investment. “Support for an international order based on cooperation and openness, one that brought peace and higher prosperity to the world, is under strain, with growing dissatisfaction with economic inequality,” Aso said. “There is a serious risk that unless a commitment to international cooperation and openness is restored, the world will retreat to one that is closed and fragmented, which history has shown time and again leads to instability and perverse economic outcomes.” “Japan has benefited perhaps more than any other nation from the cooperation and openness that has characterized the seven decades after the end of World War II. Japan has a responsibility and mission to protect the international order,” he said. In Osaka, preparations for the event, which is expected to draw 30,000 attendees, are moving forward in the areas of public security for the leaders and public relations and support for the event itself. Osaka police have been conducting antiterrorism drills. The prefectural government is also planning to ban drone flights in the vicinity of Intex Osaka, the waterfront venue where the leaders will meet, for the entire month of June. The area, with its wide open spaces, often attracts those who like to fly drones. At the same time, recruitment has begun of local student volunteers, especially language volunteers. The business community is expected to use the occasion to promote a wide variety of Osaka and Kansai-area products. For Gov. Ichiro Matsui and Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura, the priority at the G20 Summit is not pushing one particular international issue or even acting as sales agents for Osaka. It’s promoting the recently won 2025 World Expo and securing promises of attendance from as many of the G20 leaders as possible. “The G20 Summit is an important opportunity to convey the ideals of the 2025 Expo to the world,” Matsui said in mid-December. The G20 includes Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. In addition, Tokyo announced last week that leaders from another eight countries would be invited as guests. The leaders of Spain and Singapore have confirmed their attendance.


Most Kyoto firms have no plans to add foreign workers, survey finds

Abstract: KYOTO - The government may be planning to bring in nearly 345,000 foreign workers by 2023, but in Kyoto, a recent survey shows most firms outside the hospitality sector have no plans to discuss adding overseas laborers to their workforce. The city remains a major domestic and international destination despite criticism from visitors and residents that the tourism boom is out of control, with too many people clogging the streets, restaurants, temples, shrines and other attractions, resulting in an exhausting — and disappointing — experience. In 2017, over 53 million people, including 3.5 million foreign nationals, visited Kyoto. Construction of hotels continues apace, with over 10,000 new rooms expected to be available by 2020, according to a report earlier this year by the Kyoto Shimbun. Yet while the number of foreign visitors is expected to increase, local businesses as a whole don’t seem interested in bringing in more foreign workers. The Kyoto Municipal Government received replies from 482 small and medium-size firms in October in the first survey of its kind. Results released earlier this month showed that 75.9 percent of the businesses that replied to a question on their hiring plans said they had not hired foreign workers and were not discussing the possibility of doing so. A total of 12.5 percent said they have foreign workers while another 11.6 percent said they were discussing the possibility of bringing in employees from overseas. Fifty-three percent of the firms that don’t have any foreign workers and haven’t had discussions about hiring them said they could find enough Japanese staffers to do the necessary work. A third of all firms expressed concern about language and cultural barriers for their reluctance, and 34 percent also said it would be tough to train foreign workers to follow instructions. On the other hand, 14 of 22 smaller firms in the tourism industry replied that they were hiring, or were talking about hiring, foreign workers for their special skills, including language skills, and experience. “The central government’s revision of the immigration law to bring in more foreign workers is a positive step to address the severe labor shortage,” Yoshio Tateishi, chairman of the Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told reporters in late November, just before the release of the survey. “But it’s necessary to promote a community environment that makes foreigners feel as if they are among family, and make sure they are working under the same conditions as Japanese workers.”

kyoto
foreign workers
tourism
immigration


'Pokemon Go' maker Niantic is seeking a $3.9 billion valuation: source

Abstract: NEW YORK - Niantic Inc., the company behind the popular mobile game “Pokemon Go,” is looking to catch a $3.9 billion valuation, according to a person familiar with the matter. The San Francisco-based company is planning to raise at least $200 million in a round led by venture capital firm IVP, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private. Samsung Electronics Co. and AXiomatic Gaming LLC are also expected to invest. A spokesman for Niantic declined to comment. Representatives for IVP, Samsung and AXiomatic could not be immediately reached for comment. The Wall Street Journal earlier reported the fundraising effort. Niantic Chief Executive Officer John Hanke appeared at the Samsung Developer Conference last month. In his introduction, Samsung Vice President Thomas Ko said Niantic’s new augmented reality platform, which is being opened up to other developers, is “something Samsung is super excited about, and we are thrilled to partner with Niantic on the ongoing development of the platform.” About a year ago, Hanke signaled that Niantic intends to release its games in China. The company also said it would develop a mobile game based on the “Harry Potter” franchise. Niantic spun out of Google parent Alphabet Inc. in 2015 as a private company with $35 million in funding from The Pokémon Company, Google, and Nintendo.


World's first test aimed at avoiding drone collisions held in Fukushima

Abstract: MINAMISOMA, FUKUSHIMA PREF. - The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has carried out what it claims to be the world’s flight test aimed at verifying the effectiveness of a collision avoidance system installed on an unmanned helicopter. The test, jointly conducted by automaker Subaru Corp. and others in the city of Minamisoma on Friday, is expected to contribute to the development of technologies designed to avoid collisions between drones and manned helicopters. In the experiment, the unmanned helicopter, flying at 40 kph, succeeded in detecting a hovering manned helicopter near its preset flight route. “As the number of drones is expected to increase further, we want to develop a small sensor that can be mounted on drones,” said Kazuhiko Miyamoto, a project manager at NEDO.


Japan wants more foreign workers but they may not want Japan: poll

Abstract: Days after Japan enacted a law introducing a foreign-worker program to bolster a labor force shrinking due to the aging population, a study showed it could struggle to compete with other developed countries to attract residents from overseas. The Gallup survey showed that the country’s 126 million population would grow just 1 percent if there were global freedom of movement, compared with 147 percent for Canada and 46 percent for the U.S. But Japan would fare much better than South Korea, whose population would shrink 17 percent, it said. The revised immigration law enacted last week is set to come into force in April despite criticism the approval process was too hasty. Japan is scrambling to fill vacancies in sectors including elderly care, construction and agriculture. Following opposition protests, the government issued a forecast of 345,000 workers entering over the first five years of the program — only about a quarter of the number needed to plug the labor shortfall. Japan was only 29th out of 63 countries in terms of ability to attract and develop talent, behind Taiwan and Estonia, in a ranking this year by IMD World Competitiveness Center. The retailing, manufacturing and service industries account for most foreign workers. Yet those who do move to the country may expect a less hostile reception than elsewhere. A Pew Research Center survey found only 13 percent of Japanese respondents said there were too many immigrants in the country, while 58 percent said the current number was about right and 23 percent said there should be more. Thirty-seven percent of U.K. respondents, 41 percent of French and 28 percent of South Koreans said there were too many immigrants.


Japan set to spend ¥1.5 trillion on elementary and junior high school teachers in fiscal 2019

Abstract: The education ministry plans to include ¥1.52 trillion in its budget for fiscal 2019 to cover personnel costs for teachers at public elementary and junior high schools, it has been learned. The sum for fiscal 2019, which starts next April, is down ¥2.7 billion from the previous year, reflecting a fall in the number of schoolchildren and a decline in salary costs due to an increasing number of younger teachers. In an effort to promote work-style reform for teachers, the ministry aims to secure sufficient instructors for English classes at elementary schools. English is expected to become an official subject for fifth- and sixth-graders under a new curriculum to be adopted from fiscal 2020. As part of the reforms, the ministry will spend ¥13.5 billion to hire more outside staff at schools. It will also boost the number of instructors supporting club activities by 4,500 to 9,000 and that of staff members helping teachers to prepare classes by 600 to 3,600. The ministry’s budget plan will also include ¥300 million in spending on a model project in which high schools operate as the center of local revitalization programs and another ¥300 million on an experimental research program in which advanced technologies are incorporated into school education. In a planned fiscal 2018 second supplementary budget, the ministry’s spending is expected to total ¥266 billion, including ¥138.2 billion to promote innovative technologies.


From G20 to 2025 Expo, many challenges lay ahead for Kansai

Abstract: OSAKA - In the moments after Osaka was awarded the 2025 World Expo on the early morning of Nov. 24, there was jubilation, back-slapping, and wide smiles. More than a few eyes glittered at the thought of what senior business leaders hoped would be a major cash cow. You could almost hear the clicking of soroban (traditional abacus) in the air as they began mentally adding up the profits to be made. But after the euphoria and the alcohol wore off, the sobering realization set in that 2025 was not only just seven years away but also that the next six months will be the busiest the region has faced in years, and that the world will be watching. Between now and July 1, Osaka is expected to decide who it wants to run an integrated casino resort, hold local assembly elections that may very well decide the fate of the governor and mayor, and play host to world leaders at the Group of 20 summit in Osaka. Given the increasingly fractious and disunited G20 process, as well as domestic political turmoil in member states like the United Kingdom, the United States, and France, it’s far from certain all 20 current presidents and prime ministers will still be around by the time everyone is supposed to gather in Osaka on June 28 and 29. Forget about what that means for global issues the leaders are supposed to discuss — Osaka is expecting a Tokyo-subsidized party for very specific VIPs. If they send their regrets, that means less media attention, fewer photo ops at the takoyaki (octopus dumplings) stand, and no chance for Osaka to accomplish its main G20 goal, which is to directly confirm with top leaders the participation of their countries at the 2025 Expo. In Kyoto, there are two events of interest. The first is the accession of the new Emperor. In the former capital, there is much speculation as to what related events and ceremonies might be held there. Some have pushed for conducting traditional rites not seen in over 150 years. But from a practical, security perspective, Kyoto officials appear to be more concerned about the city’s tourist hordes not getting in the way. The other Kyoto event has to do with climate change. In May, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change will meet for a week. It’s the last major climate change meeting before the Osaka G20, where climate change is on the agenda. Though technical in nature, it’s likely to draw a lot of interest, especially among international environmental organizations heading to Osaka in June. So for the next six months, the Kansai region will see all manner of foreign diplomats, casino operators and lobbyists, political operatives, environmental activists, NGO representatives, climate scientists, Imperial family members, their courtiers, plus over 20 presidents, prime ministers, and their assorted entourages, as well as members of the international media passing through. A veritable Rick’s Cafe Americain (or “Star Wars” cantina scene) of characters and international intrigue, with Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui replacing Humphrey Bogart as Rick, but sipping red wine with ice cubes instead of gin or Champagne. Is Kansai ready? Politicians and business leaders are only starting to fully realize the size of the tasks ahead and that they must decide quickly how to deal with the G20, make 2025 Expo plans and get a local casino resort deal finalized. The last goal is likely to be particularly contentious as Osaka voters go to the polls in April. As time goes by, can Osaka leaders like Matsui demonstrate the combination of political leadership to get what they want locally and deft international diplomatic skills needed for handling the sensitive egos and dodgy characters one finds in Casablanca nightclubs and G20 meetings? Here’s looking at you, kid. View from Osaka is a monthly column that examines the latest news from a Kansai perspective.

g20
osaka
2025 world expo
kansai region
ichiro matsui


SoftBank finds a week is a long time in social media terms

Abstract: It’s fair to say that commercial enterprises have sometimes struggled to co-exist with social media. Attempts by brands to connect with a meme-savvy young audience can go downhill pretty quickly , while irritated customers certainly don’t hide their displeasure in pointing out bad service on official accounts. However, businesses can also use social media to strike gold when celebrating a success or using their guile to spread anime references . Social media is definitely a double-edged sword. SoftBank Group Corp. pulled off a rare feat earlier this month, managing to be loathed and loved in equal measure online within the space of a matter of days. The communications company experienced one of its worst weeks on social media following a nationwide service disruption on Dec. 6 that inspired a torrent of anger and ridicule from users in Japan. However, the anger was tempered by the release of SoftBank’s new e-cash service. Called PayPay , the application allows users to pay for goods over the counter without having to hand over a physical wad of cash, with a 20 percent discount being offered to users who promote the new service during the campaign. Netizens were quick to praise the release, posting myriad photos of purchases acquired with the new application. It was interesting to see the speed at which feelings toward the company shifted online, offering a reminder of how nuances aren’t really reflected properly in hectic online spheres. Turning back to the network disruption, many of those who could connect to the internet wondered why everything had gone haywire , leading to no shortage of tweets concerning the trouble. Some users found themselves disconnected from technology for the first time in years , with customers swarming toward SoftBank stores in search of an answer, which was often found posted on a sign . SoftBank failed to update its customers via its official Twitter account during the disruption, prompting some to comment on an unrelated post earlier the same day about fried chicken . One of the more viral clips featured a man screaming at store employees over the snafu , although most people expressed sympathy for the workers. Ripples from the service outage were shared prominently online. One YouTube upload captured officials announcing the situation via truck speakers . Concerts by pop acts such as Arashi and Glay were disrupted because many attendees couldn’t access the QR codes that were required to enter the venues. People poked fun at a recent SoftBank ad that referenced not having Wi-Fi in certain places . Some detailed their struggles through an illustration , while others took photographs of Pepper robots that had been deactivated . Things got so rough that some folks had to resort to using those ancient green phone boxes sporadically found on the street. Some didn’t know how to use them. Discussion on the internet went even further, claiming the disruption was an attempt to eliminate Chinese communication devices from the market or evidence of foreign hacking . Farfetched or not, it was a reminder of how the internet now works. Whether by accident or design, the disruption united netizens in anger and frustration at SoftBank’s response to the trouble. And then news of PayPay’s October release spread, which changed everything. PayPay quickly became a trending word online , with online agency IT Media describing the response as “ PayPay fever .” People shared the fact they used the service to make purchases, while others displayed all the goods they picked up with the app’s help. This mania also inspired a stream of tweets describing chaotic scenes at places such as Bic Camera, where electronic items such as iPads and Apple Watches sold out quickly. As it turned out, the campaign proved so popular that PayPay was forced to end it Thursday after customers had taken advantage of all the capital that had been set aside for it. All in all, PayPay has pretty much been a social media win for SoftBank and, less than a week after the service outage, it has actually helped people forget much of the unpleasantness that happened. It’s a timely reminder that online anger tends to fade quickly — especially when a commercial enterprise is practically giving away items for free.

softbank
social media
paypay
japan pulse


Carlos Ghosn's arrest spurs debate on executive salaries in Japan

Abstract: On Dec. 10, Masaaki Tanaka, former vice president of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, told a news conference he would step down as president and CEO of Japan Investment Corp., an entity set up by the government in September to develop new industries through capital investment. Tanaka and eight other JIC board members resigned over the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s decision to pay them less than what it had initially promised. Economy minister Hiroshige Seko has pledged to return a month’s worth of his own pay for approving the original annual remunerations, which were more than ¥100 million if the investment was successful, and it’s not difficult to sense that the salaries might not have been an issue if former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn’s own compensation wasn’t foremost in the news cycle at the time. The conventional wisdom about executive pay is that companies are expected to offer sizeable numbers in order to attract and retain the best talent available, and that the fierce competition brought on by the increasingly global economy keeps driving these salaries higher. A corollary of this narrative is that Japanese executives typically don’t enjoy this benefit due to Japan’s corporate pay structure, and make less money than their foreign counterparts do. Ghosn’s story seems to reinforce this subplot. Until his arrest last month over the alleged underreporting of his income and misuse of company funds, Ghosn had run Nissan Motor Co. in some capacity or another since 1999, but he is not Japanese and demanded what many people in Japan saw as an obscene amount of money in return. According to the weekly magazine Shukan Asahi , five of the eight highest paid executives in Japan are foreign. Sony Corp. Chairman Kazuo Hirai earns the most at ¥2.7 billion, but foreign executives from the Softbank Group account for the next three spots, followed by Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. President Christophe Weber at No. 5 and Toyota Motor Corp. Vice President Didier Leroy at No. 8. Ghosn, who says his salary isn’t as high as most European executives, comes in 14th. Web magazine Litera contends that this preponderance of foreign executives at the top of the pay pecking order is misleading, since Shukan Asahi ranks earnings based on salaries. If you include stock dividends, some Japanese CEOs outstrip Hirai in terms of compensation. Masayoshi Son of SoftBank Group will make ¥10.3 billion in fiscal 2019, according to business magazine Toyo Keizai . Fast Retailing’s Tadashi Yanai, who also doesn’t appear on the Shukan Asahi list, will make ¥8.3 billion. In both cases, dividends accounted for more than 90 percent of yearly compensation, which means in terms of base salary, they do fit into the Japan-executives-make-less corollary. However, they also figure into the global trend of the ever-widening income gap between top management of a company and its average employee. Shukan Asahi reports that Hirai makes 268 times what the average Sony worker makes. Japanese executive compensation used to be more rational, but according to Litera, it started shooting for the stratosphere with the advent of the administration of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in 2001. In that year average executive pay at Japanese companies capitalized at more than ¥1 billion was ¥14.25 million. By 2005, it had doubled to ¥28.1 million. The standard explanation is that from 2002 to 2007 economic growth was robust. But while executive salaries, stock dividends and retained earnings rose, average salaries for workers dropped due to the effect of new policies that allowed for greater reliance on part-timers, temps and contractors. Another reason executive pay increased was stock prices. Traditionally, shareholders of top Japanese companies are other top Japanese companies, who don’t stick their noses in other companies’ business, but with the mini-bubble of the early 2000s more foreign investors entered the picture, putting pressure on Japanese companies to address their demands rather than those of their stakeholders, meaning employees and sub-contractors. They wanted executives who would boost share prices in the short term. These two developments — payroll rationalization and shareholder dominance — are classic attributes of neoliberalism, the core philosophy of the global economy. Japan had joined the club. Litera says that under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe the pay gap is widening more quickly because the government is increasing the consumption tax but not the capital gains tax, while at the same time cutting the corporate tax. Although the media keeps saying that Japan’s inherent revulsion toward high pay such as that collected by Ghosn is what keeps executive compensation in Japan below world standards, they’re avoiding the larger picture. Maybe executive pay is lower on average, but the widening rich-poor gap that’s attendant to the inclination for higher executive pay in the U.S. and Europe is manifest in Japan, and for similar reasons. Given his reputation in Japan as the “cost cutter” who saved Nissan by laying off 20,000 people after 2009, Ghosn is the perfect poster boy for this movement, and he’s clearly the inspiration behind a Financial Services Agency proposal that will oblige listed companies to disclose how they decide executive compensation packages. At present, all listed companies have to do is report total compensation and the names of executives who receive more than ¥100 million. Investors have always been critical of the lack of transparency in Japan, and the new rule will supposedly help them monitor performance and fortify governance, but in general it’s not always specified exactly what an executive has to achieve to justify such huge remunerations. According to FNN , when asked why he demanded so much money, Ghosn reportedly said, “I am worth it.” In a Nov. 22 article about a lawsuit brought by former employees against Nissan over their dismissal, the tabloid Nikkan Gendai wondered if Ghosn really was worth it. Is the higher share price worth the pain inflicted by restructuring? Obviously Ghosn thinks it is, and believes he should be paid accordingly, regardless of whether he needs that much money. It’s what makes him CEO material.

carlos ghosn
masaaki tanaka
nissan
kazuo hirai
masayoshi son
tadashi yanai
wealth


Namie Amuro tops Nikkei Marketing Journal's list of 2018's most popular products and services

Abstract: Described in its choice for the year’s yokozuna (grand champion) as dasa-kakoyosa — something that’s behind the times, but cool nonetheless — entertainer Namie Amuro appeared at the top of the Nikkei Marketing Journal’s 48th annual Hitto Shohin Banzuke (ranking of hit products) on Dec. 5. The Okinawa-born pop diva of the Heisei Era, whose music career began in 1992, attracted 800,000 fans to her series of nationwide concerts in the run-up to her retirement in September. She also sold 2.41 million copies of her albums. The Nikkei Marketing Journal is credited with coining the term “ hitto shohin ” (“hit product”) as a promotional move after the thrice-weekly newspaper covering retailing and distribution was launched in 1971, when its management came up with the novel idea of ranking the year’s most popular products and services using a stylized list of sumo wrestler rankings, called a banzuke , to publicize the year’s bestsellers. The Nikkei Marketing Journal’s banzuke, which appears the first week in December, adorns page one with traditional brush calligraphy in east-west sumo-style rankings, with sumo ranks such as yokozuna (grand champion) and ozeki (champion) assigned to the most popular items. Opposite Amuro’s yokozuna slot, on the banzuke’s west side, was TikTok, the 15-second sound and image application from China that has won over more than 500 million young people worldwide. Some of the standouts on the list were use of smartphones as a cash substitute, in second place; the new Takashimaya shopping center at Nihonbashi, which attracted 2.5 million visitors in the two months since its opening in September (seventh place); and record-setting high temperatures in July, which led to “super heat consumption,” such as demand for air conditioners (1.76 million units sold)(ninth place). Scattered throughout the list could be found famous brands such as Kirin, Toyota, Nikon, Gucci, Shiseido and Takaratomi. Also represented was the successful Japan release of Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody,” tapioca milk tea from Taiwan, facial cosmetics for men; and onigiri -style rice balls made from mochimugi (a type of high-fiber barley). In keeping with the sumo tradition, Nikkei Marketing Journal bestowed three “prizes” — for outstanding performance, fighting spirit and technique — which went, respectively, to Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels (winner of the American League rookie of the year award); Japan’s national team at the FIFA Soccer World Cup; and an award shared between actor Yoshi Murotsu and environmentally friendly paper straws. The year’s booby prize went to cryptocurrencies. Sometimes these hits are just one-time fads, newfangled items whose fame is transitory. Nikkei Marketing Journal strongly insists the hit products it selects should be differentiated from fads, although sometimes the distinction isn’t easy to make. Visible popularity — such as in the form of long queues of customers waiting outside shops — can be a key factor in the choice, but for a product or service to warrant designation as a true “hit,” it should either carve out a completely new type of consumption or at the very least impose change on the direction of the market. One such example was in 1987, when Kao Corp. launched “Attack,” a concentrated laundry detergent in a compact package, making it easier for a housewife on a bicycle to carry home from the store. It also took up less space, needed less water and electricity to get clothes clean, and was environmentally friendly. Attack went from a hit to become the industry standard and a long seller. And what, do you ask, is in store for consumers next year? Certainly consumption is likely to spike during the extended 10-day public holiday from April 27 through May 6. The present Heisei Era will end with Emperor Akihito’s abdication on April 30 and the ascension of the Crown Prince to the Chrysanthemum Throne will herald a new, as yet to be unnamed, era from May 1. Making its debut next autumn at the COREDO Muromachi Terrace in Tokyo’s Nihonbashi will be Taiwan’s Seihin Seikatsu (English name: Eslite Spectrum), specialty stores selling books, sundry goods, soft drinks and a food service. Already being described as Japan’s “first Taiwan-style theme park,” it represents an interesting new departure from the U.S.-style shopping mall. Japan’s hosting of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, from Sept. 20 to Nov. 2, is likely to impact TV sales, among other things. One anticipated stumbling block is that from Oct. 1, the government will hike the consumption tax on goods and services from 8 percent to 10 percent. Some are warning that “vague” handling of tax exemptions or rebates — aimed at lightening the burden on the elderly and certain other groups — is likely to result in confusion. While it’s natural for products to bask in the light of success, weekly magazine Nikkei Business (Dec. 3) took the opposite tack, with a headline that asks, “Mono wa ii no ni, naze urenai?” (“Although the items are good, why aren’t they selling?”). One of the typical failures it dwelt on was products (including travel destinations) billed as Wasei … (something made in Japan). The writer found three downsides to taking this approach. First, the failed product was not particularly original or unique; second, it suffered in comparison to a predecessor, raising the potential risk of customer disappointment; and, third, with the exception of actually being “Japanese,” the products had nothing particularly outstanding to recommend them. Certainly climbing aboard the nationalism bandwagon is no sure formula for success. The same report carried a fascinating section that analyzed how advertising can make or break a new product. For instance, the ad catch copy that boosted Apple’s iPod music player to market dominance went, “You can carry 1,000 tunes in your pocket.” A rival manufacturer had less luck when it boasted its model was “the world’s smallest” — as that immediately raised the question in the consumer’s mind that, “If it’s really that small, can it hold 1,000 tunes?”

namie amuro
nikkei marketing journal
shohei ohtani
2018 in review


A nose for speed: East Japan Railway unveils test version of 360 kph ALFA-X bullet train with dueling noses

Abstract: East Japan Railway Co. unveiled a test car of the next-generation ALFA-X shinkansen, expected to operate at a speed of 360 kph, to media Wednesday in Kobe. ALFA-X is short for Advanced Labs for Frontline Activity in rail eXperimentation. The 10-car silver train with green lines, which is being manufactured at Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.’s plant in the Hyogo Prefecture capital, will be completed in May. It will go through a high-speed trial run on the Tohoku Shinkansen to gather sound reduction data. Car No. 1 of the test train, which was shown Wednesday features a 16-meter nose-shaped front. The nose of the trailing No. 10 car is expected to be even longer, at about 22 meters. JR East will study pressure and sound differences between the two noses when the train enters tunnels. Existing trains, such as the E-5 series Hayabusa shinkansen, have noses measuring about 15 meters. The company is also planning to test the train’s emergency brakes, anti-derailment functions in the event of an earthquake and new equipment that’s designed to limit vehicle vibrations.

alfa-x
bullet trains
shinkansen
east japan railway co .


Dollar higher around ¥113.40 in late Tokyo trading

Abstract: The dollar was firmer around ¥113.40 in Tokyo trading late Wednesday, as investors retreated to the sidelines to see the U.S. consumer price index for November, due out later in the day. At 5 p.m., the dollar stood at ¥113.40-40, up from ¥113.11-11 at the same time on Tuesday. The euro was at $1.1324-1324, down from $1.1369-1370, and at ¥128.41-42, down from ¥128.60-61. After moving around ¥113.40 in early trading, the dollar rose to around ¥113.50 in midmorning trading as the benchmark 225-issue Nikkei stock average accelerated its upswing after a strong start. With its topside heavy around ¥113.50, the dollar mostly moved in a tight range above ¥113.40 in the afternoon amid a wait-and-see mood, traders said. “The dollar moved on a solid note thanks to easing of concerns over U.S.-China trade friction” after the reported release on bail in Canada of the chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications equipment-maker Huawei Technologies Co., an official of a major Japanese bank said. But “market players were not in a mood to boost trading actively ahead of the U.S. CPI release,” a currency broker said.


Tokyo stocks rebound sharply on bargain hunting

Abstract: Stocks rallied sharply on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Wednesday, bolstered by bargain hunting following their recent plunges. The 225-issue Nikkei average rose 454.73 points, or 2.15 percent, to end at 21,602.75. On Tuesday, the key market gauge fell 71.48 points. The Topix index of all first-section issues closed up 31.30 points, or 1.99 percent, at 1,606.61, after losing 14.50 points the previous day. Buying outpaced selling as investors stepped up buybacks in view of increased affordability after the Topix hit a year-to-date low the previous day. The market’s strong recovery was also backed by renewed hopes for easing of U.S.-China trade friction, after a positive tweet from U.S. President Donald Trump and the reported release on bail of the chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications equipment-maker Huawei Technologies Co., who was arrested by Canadian authorities last week at the request of the United States, brokers said. Tuesday was the last trading day for investors to sell stockholdings and raise funds for purchases of shares in mobile phone company SoftBank Corp., which will make its TSE debut on Dec. 19. Payments for SoftBank shares will be accepted until Friday. “The market passed a turning point” in terms of the supply-demand balance, an official of a bank-affiliated securities firm said. Higher U.S. index futures in off-hours trading and a weaker yen also buoyed investor sentiment, brokers said. Hiroaki Kuramochi, chief market analyst at Saxo Bank Securities Ltd., said profit-taking gained strength when the Nikkei exceeded 21,500. Rising issues outnumbered falling ones 1,867 to 213 in the TSE’s first section, while 43 issues were unchanged. Volume slightly increased to 1.480 billion shares from 1.476 billion shares on Tuesday. High-tech names gained ground on renewed expectations for progress in U.S.-China trade talks, brokers said. Major gainers included electronic parts maker Murata Manufacturing and semiconductor-related Tokyo Electron and Advantest. Ajinomoto jumped 4.09 percent after JPMorgan Securities Japan Co. revised up its investment rating and target stock price for the major seasoning-maker. Also on the plus side were clothing retailer Fast Retailing, game-maker Nintendo and power firm TEPCO. By contrast, major losers included retailer FamilyMart Uny and railway operator JR East. In index futures trading on the Osaka Exchange, the key December contract on the Nikkei average surged 530 points to end at 21,660.

stocks nikkei markets topix softbank tse


Florida woman reunited with daughter she thought died at birth 69 years ago

Abstract: WASHINGTON - An 88-year-old American woman has been reunited with the daughter she was told had died at birth 69 years ago, The New York Times reported. Genevieve Purinton of Tampa, Florida, 69-year-old Connie Moultroup of Richmond, Vermont, for the first time this month, the newspaper said. Purinton was 18 years old and unmarried when she gave birth to a girl in Gary, Indiana. “I was told it was a girl, but she died,” she told the Times. The newspaper said that in fact, a doctor at the hospital where Purinton gave birth had arranged for the baby to be adopted. Moultroup tracked down her birth mother after taking a DNA test on Ancestry.com, the Times said. She traveled to Florida this month to meet her. “You’re not dead!” Purinton said when they were reunited. “It was a bawlfest,” said Moultroup. “She was so happy to meet me.”

florida adoption pregnancy women parenthood


Kim Jong Un unlikely to visit South Korea before end of the year, Moon's office says

Abstract: SEOUL - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is not expected to visit the South before the end of the year, South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s office said Wednesday. Kim may still travel to Seoul in January for what could mark the first trip by any North Korean leader to the South’s capital, presidential spokesman Yoon Young-chan said in a text message. Yonhap News reported earlier that South Korea ruled out any visit by the North Korean leader to Seoul this month. For several weeks, South Korea has been abuzz with rumors and speculation about Kim’s possible trip to the South, with groups for and against him holding rallies on the streets of Seoul. In September, South Korea’s president met Kim in Pyongyang and agreed to host him in Seoul before year’s end, a move resisted by other North Korean leaders due to security concerns. The two Koreas have taken a number of steps to improve their ties and resume inter-Korean exchanges, including holding three summits, in a dramatic shift from last year when North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests brought the Korean Peninsula to the brink of conflict. Nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea have stalled in recent weeks as North Korea canceled a high-level meeting with American officials at the last minute and doubts have been raised about a second summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump.

kim jong un
south korea
north korea
moon jae-in
north korea nuclear crisis


Detecting child prostitution an increasingly difficult task, survey suggests

Abstract: More than half of youths involved in child prostitution last year in the nation’s three biggest metropolitan areas showed no signs of delinquency, had no criminal records and attended school regularly, according to a survey by the National Police Agency. The findings suggest it is becoming increasingly difficult for parents and teachers to detect behavioral changes in young people, the agency said, while also warning that many juveniles were being victimized by people they had become acquainted with on social networking sites and through the use of smartphones. The survey, released Tuesday, covered the cases of 193 girls and a boy in Tokyo, Osaka and Aichi prefectures in 2017. The victims were aged between 12 and 17, with the average being 15.8. One girl was involved in more than one case. Of those individuals, 57.7 percent attended school every day, compared with 20.9 percent who occasionally skipped school and 16.0 percent who rarely or never attended. Meanwhile, 70.6 percent had no previous criminal record and had never been taken into custody, and 92.8 percent were living with their families. The results were released at a seminar held in Tokyo. Most of the juveniles were involved in prostitution for financial reasons, with 84.5 percent saying they wanted “money for leisure and other activities,” while 5.7 percent and 2.6 percent pointed to “living expenses” and “tuition,” respectively. Other reasons included “out of curiosity” and “invited by friends.” To prevent children from becoming involved in prostitution, the agency is encouraging parents to have their children promise before giving them smartphones that they will not meet with strangers, and to let them know when they use them for something inappropriate. The agency said most of the people against whom action was taken on suspicion of sexually abusing children, in reported cases, were younger than 50. Given that over 70 percent were employed, the police at the seminar asked companies to take more steps to help raise employee awareness about the social issue. Kenjiro Tada of Bond Project, a nonprofit organization supporting young women facing problems, said girls who become victims of child prostitution do not always do so because they want money. Tada said many women who consulted him had sexual relationships because they had trouble at home or school and were seeking a place where they felt they belonged. He called for stricter punishment of those who sexually exploit children.

child prostitution
national police agency
social networking services


Japanese schools adopt therapy 'games' to help kids fight problems that can lead to bullying and truancy

Abstract: More and more schools are trying out cognitive behavioral therapy “games” to get kids to confront their everyday problems, and in turn lessen the likelihood they will cut school or bully others. Elementary and junior high schools in five prefectures have introduced the psychotherapy regimen, often applied to treat anxiety, depression or other disorders in adults, in an experiment that aims to get children to conquer their fears while having fun. “Let’s do an experiment. I want you to imagine a pink elephant,” Yuto Kikuchi, 29, a teacher at Matsudo Municipal Yakiri Elementary School in Chiba Prefecture, told a group of about 60 sixth-graders during a CBT class in early November. Minutes later, he reversed his instructions. “Please don’t think about that at all,” he said. The children closed their eyes and tried to banish the images of pink elephants from their minds. Tried as they might, many could not. “The pink elephant keeps popping up,” one child said. “How many of you had trouble not thinking of pink elephants?” Kikuchi asked. All raised their hands. The point of the exercise was to become aware of patterns of thought that might occur when they fall into a state of anxiety. “The more you try not to think of something, the more you actually think of it,” explained Kikuchi. CBT works by changing people’s attitudes and their behavior by focusing on the thoughts, images, beliefs and attitudes that are held and how these processes relate to the way a person behaves, as a way of dealing with dysfunctional emotions. For example, by applying the CBT technique in music class, instead of a student thinking “the other kids will all laugh at me if I flop on my recorder test,” the student has a mindset change as a counterargument. “I practiced a lot. … Even if I flop, not everyone in the class will laugh at me.” The students learn they can challenge negative thoughts and the world around them in order to alter their unwanted behavior patterns and overcome anxieties. The 10 CBT classes being conducted at the schools are based on a program created by the Research Center for Child Mental Development at Chiba University. Students perform role-playing games using a workbook about 100 pages long, challenging themselves to become “castles of courage” to express their feelings and learn relaxation methods. The Yakiri school began the CBT classes in April. “When students become convinced that they are being bad-mouthed by everyone, they now can understand that a different self is able to ask ‘Is this really so?'” said the school’s principal, Hiroko Asaoka, 59. Aside from Chiba, the psychotherapy method has also been introduced at schools in Saitama, Kyoto, Tottori and Fukuoka prefectures. Anyone can experience anxiety, but if it becomes excessive there can be possible adverse effects on a person’s daily life, such as in children who become afraid to go to school. According to a survey of about 140,000 elementary and junior high school students who were truant from school, conducted in fiscal 2017 by the education ministry, 33.2 percent said they have “a tendency to feel anxiety” — the highest percentage, and more than those who complained of apathy or relationship problems. Yuko Urao, a specially appointed assistant professor at Chiba University who worked on the concept for the CBT program, said it will not only help prevent truancy but also prevent bullying by getting children to empathize with others. “When children are in trouble because they feel their anxiety grow, (this program) allows them to deal with it themselves before it becomes a mental issue,” Urao said.


NHK fires senior employee over fraudulent receipt of allowances

Abstract: NHK, also known as Japan Broadcasting Corp., has fired a senior employee Tuesday at its broadcasting station in Obihiro, Hokkaido, for fraudulently receiving ¥5,242,160 in allowances. The allowances received by the 51-year-old deputy head of the technical department at the Obihiro office included money intended for employees that were transferred to workplaces away from their homes without being accompanied by their families, the public broadcaster said Tuesday. The dismissed employee was able to receive the allowances for 29 months from July 2016 by forging documents, telling the broadcaster during questioning that the money was needed to partially cover child-rearing expenses, according to NHK. Also on Tuesday, NHK announced a decision to suspend another employee from duty for 14 days for receiving ¥2,242,800 in allowances without meeting the requirements. NHK President Ryoichi Ueda and three other executives will voluntarily return part of their pay to take responsibility for the series of incidents of misconduct by employees. Ueda will have his compensation cut by 50 percent for one month. In a statement, NHK offered an apology and vowed to make all-out efforts to prevent similar incidents.


Kanji of the year, meaning 'disaster,' symbolizes 2018 amid natural and human calamities

Abstract: KYOTO - The kanji sai (災, disaster) was picked as the Chinese character best describing this year’s social mood in Japan, amid a string of natural and man-made calamities, a Kyoto-based kanji promotion organization announced Wednesday. Chief Buddhist priest Seihan Mori of the Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto wrote the character 1.5 meters in length and 1.3 meters in width with a giant calligraphy brush on traditional washi paper at the temple’s annual year-end event, where the kanji of the year was revealed. The selection came after Japan was buffeted this year by torrential rains in the country’s west and an large earthquake in Hokkaido, heightening public awareness of the importance of disaster prevention measures. Japan was also rocked by man-made calamities such as stolen cryptocurrencies and the uncovering of harassment by coaches in the athletic world. The selection of the word was based on characters put forward by the general public. Among a total of 193,214 entries received this year, “sai” ranked first with 20,858, according to the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation. Last year, “north” was selected, reflecting heightened tensions amid North Korea’s nuclear and missile provocations.


Prosecutors seek 10-year prison term for former CEO of bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox on embezzlement charges

Abstract: Prosecutors have sought a 10-year prison term on charges of embezzlement for the former CEO of Mt. Gox Co., once the world’s largest bitcoin digital currency exchange, officials announced Wednesday. Prosecutors told the Tokyo District Court that Mark Karpeles, 33, “diverted company funds for such uses as investing in a software development business for personal interest” and “played a great role in totally destroying the confidence of bitcoin users.” Karpeles, who was born in France, pleaded innocent in the first hearing of his trial in July 2017. “I swear to God I am not guilty,” he said, reading out a prepared statement in Japanese. According to the indictment, Karpeles embezzled a total of ¥341 million ($3 million) of customers’ money that was kept in a Mt. Gox bank account by transferring it to his own account between September and December 2013. Karpeles also allegedly manipulated data on his company’s trading system to pad the balance. In February 2014, Mt. Gox suddenly halted all transactions, stoking panic among its customers across the globe. It then announced that it had gone bankrupt after having lost about 850,000 bitcoins, worth an estimated ¥48 billion at the time. Mt. Gox claimed the bitcoins were likely stolen by hackers. Last June, the Tokyo court issued an order to commence civil rehabilitation proceedings for Mt. Gox, halting its bankruptcy proceedings.


Insurance claims from California wildfires at $9 billion and rising

Abstract: SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - Insurance claims from last month’s California wildfires already are at $9 billion and expected to increase, the state’s insurance commissioner announced Wednesday. About $7 billion in claims are from the Camp Fire that destroyed the Northern California city of Paradise and killed at least 86 people, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in at least a century. The rest is for the Woolsey and Hill fires in Southern California. Collectively, the fires destroyed or damaged more than 20,000 structures, with the vast majority in and around Paradise. On Tuesday, state and federal authorities estimated it will cost at least $3 billion to clear debris. “The devastating wildfires of 2018 were the deadliest and costliest wildfire catastrophes in California’s history,” Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said, adding that “behind the insured loss numbers are thousands of people who’ve been traumatized by unfathomable loss.” There are more than 28,000 claims for residential personal property, nearly 2,000 from commercial property and 9,400 in auto and other claims for the fires. That’s well above the number of claims filed following a series of fires that tore through Northern California’s wine country last year. Losses from those fires were initially pegged at $3.3 billion but eventually grew to $10 billion. The cleanup costs for last month’s fires also will far surpass the record expense of $1.3 billion the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers spent on debris removal in Northern California in 2017. California Office of Emergency Services Director Mark Ghilarducci said the state will manage cleanup contracts this time. Last year, hundreds of Northern California homeowners complained that contractors paid by the ton hauled away too much dirt and damaged unbroken driveways, sidewalks and pipes. The state OES spent millions repairing that damage. Ghilarducci said the state OES will hire auditors and monitors to watch over the debris removal in hopes of cutting down on the number of over-eager contractors. “We learned a great number of things,” last year, Ghilarducci said. He said the U.S. Corps of Engineers was asked to lead the effort last year because state resources were stretched thin after responding to more than a dozen wildfires. This year, he said state officials can manage the cleanup and costs will be shared among state, federal and local authorities. Cleanup is expected to begin in January and take about a year to complete, Ghilarducci said. State and federal officials are currently removing hazardous household materials from the damaged properties.


Tokyo stocks rise further on U.S. strength

Abstract: Stocks advanced further on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Thursday, following an overnight rise on Wall Street on hopes for easing of U.S.-China trade friction. The 225-issue Nikkei average climbed 213.44 points, or 0.99 percent, to end at 21,816.19, after surging 454.73 points Wednesday. The Topix index of all first-section issues closed up 10.04 points, or 0.62 percent, at 1,616.65. It gained 31.30 points the previous day. Market sentiment was buoyed by renewed expectations for progress in trade talks between the world’s two largest economies after a media report that China is considering revising its “Made in China 2025” initiative, brokers said. Investors also took heart from a strong performance of Shanghai stocks, brokers said. “Overseas investment funds that had sold Japanese stocks in anticipation of a decline moved to buy them back following the U.S. rise,” an official of an online securities firm said. The market regained some composure, Yoshihiko Tabei, chief analyst at Naito Securities Co., said, pointing to a rise in recent laggards including shipping firms. The Nikkei grew top-heavy above 21,800 amid a dearth of fresh buying incentives, an official of a midsize securities firm said. Rising issues outnumbered falling ones 1,583 to 482 in the TSE’s first section, while 61 issues were unchanged. Volume decreased to 1.332 billion shares from 1.480 billion shares Wednesday. China-linked issues attracted buying on hopes for progress in U.S.-China trade talks, brokers said. Major gainers included industrial robot producer Fanuc Corp., construction machinery-maker Komatsu and trading house Mitsui & Co. Airlines ANA Holdings Inc. and Japan Airlines Co. were upbeat on the back of the declining trend in crude oil prices. Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. jumped 7.05 percent thanks to a positive rating action by Tokai Tokyo Research Institute Co. on Wednesday. Also on the positive side were clothing retailer Fast Retailing Co. and game-maker Nintendo Co. On the other hand, Showa Denko K.K. dropped 4.48 percent after Citigroup Global Markets Japan Inc. revised down its investment rating for the industrial materials maker. Other major losers included mobile phone carrier Softbank Group Corp. and tire-maker Bridgestone Corp. In index futures trading on the Osaka Exchange, the December contract on the Nikkei average rose 190 points to end at 21,850.


Dollar flat around ¥113.40 in Tokyo ahead of EU summit

Abstract: The dollar pared early losses to stand around ¥113.40 in Tokyo trading late Thursday, as investors sat on the fence ahead of a European Union summit. At 5 p.m., the dollar stood at ¥113.38, down slightly from ¥113.40 at the same time on Wednesday. The euro was at $1.1382 up from $1.1324, and at ¥129.06, up from ¥128.41. The dollar hovered around ¥113.20 in early trading, carrying over its weakness from overnight trading overseas, traders said. The U.S. currency headed up after a strong start from the benchmark 225-issue Nikkei stock average on the back of a rise in U.S. equities. The dollar approached ¥113.50 toward noon, backed by buying by Japanese importers in midmorning trading. The greenback grew top-heavy around ¥113.50, as buying was held in check ahead of the EU summit and a policy-setting meeting of the European Central Bank later on Thursday, traders said. The dollar fell below ¥113.40 in late trading, due to spillover effects from position-adjustment euro buying ahead of the major events in Europe, traders said. If the EU side makes some concessions in talks about Britain’s exit from the European Union, or Brexit, at the summit, the market would react positively because it fears the country leaving the bloc without an agreement, an official at a foreign-exchange margin trading service said. But the impact of the Brexit talks on the dollar-yen rate will likely be smaller than on European currencies, the official said.

currencies
exchange rates
foreign exchange
forex


Nissan to recall nearly 150,000 vehicles in Japan after faulty inspections

Abstract: Nissan Motor Co. filed a recall Thursday for nearly 150,000 vehicles in Japan after discovering faulty checks had been carried out on brakes and speedometers, adding to the more than 1.14 million units the automaker has recalled over similar issues. Nissan filed with the transport ministry the latest recall of 148,780 units, covering 11 models including the Note and March compact cars as well as the Leaf electric hatchback built at two of its domestic assembly plants between November last year and October this year. Nissan said earlier this month that it will need to re-inspect the brake and steering systems as well as speedometers following the latest instances of quality control mismanagement, which were uncovered even as the automaker had vowed in a report in September to tighten checks to prevent a recurrence. The vehicles subject to the latest recall also include the Elf small-sized trucks built on behalf of Isuzu Motors Ltd. and Canter Guts trucks for Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp. Nissan said in September last year it found uncertified employees had carried out checks on vehicles for years, leading it to recall 1.14 million units across 42 models sold in Japan. The automaker then admitted in July this year to fabricating exhaust emission and fuel economy data on vehicles for the domestic market. Meanwhile, Nissan will also increase the number of independent directors on its board to improve its governance following the arrest of former Chairman Carlos Ghosn for alleged financial misconduct, sources with knowledge of the plan said Wednesday. The move comes as critics say a lack of strong oversight allowed Ghosn, who is credited with rescuing Nissan from near-bankruptcy in the 1990s, to have extensive powers and decide the size of executive compensation at his own discretion.

nissan
recalls
cars
carlos ghosn
carmakers


Sentenced to three years, former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen blasts president for 'dirty deeds'

Abstract: NEW YORK - U.S. President Donald Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, delivered a blistering attack on his ex-boss as he was sentenced to three years in prison on Wednesday for multiple crimes including paying “hush money” to two women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump. “It was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds,” Cohen said as he pleaded for leniency before U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III. Cohen, 52, Trump’s longtime “fixer,” said he was taking responsibility for his personal crimes and “those implicating the president of the United States of America.” Cohen’s lawyers had asked for no jail time after he admitted tax evasion, making false statements to a financial institution, illegal campaign contributions and making false statements to Congress. But Pauley said Cohen — as a lawyer — “should have known better” and sentenced him to three years in federal prison, ordering him to surrender to custody by March 6. “Each of these crimes standing alone warrant considerable punishment,” Pauley said, adding that Cohen was “motivated by personal greed and ambition.” Before the judge passed his sentence Cohen addressed the court. “Today is the day that I am getting my freedom back,” he said. “I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen that I deeply admired,” he said. Cohen referenced a tweet from Trump calling him “weak,” saying his “weakness was a blind loyalty to Donald Trump.” Cohen pleaded guilty to charges brought by federal prosecutors in New York and by the office of special counsel Robert Mueller, the former FBI director who is looking into Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether any members of Trump’s campaign colluded with Moscow. Among the counts against Cohen was making “hush money” payments to silence two women threatening to go public during the 2016 presidential election campaign with claims they had affairs with Trump. Cohen told prosecutors the payments totaling $280,000 to porn actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal were made “in coordination with and at the direction” of Trump. Both women have claimed to have had sexual encounters with Trump before he was the Republican candidate for president and prosecutors have characterized the payments as illegal campaign contributions intended to influence the election. “Cohen deceived the voting public by hiding alleged facts that he believed would have had a substantial effect on the election,” prosecutors said. Trump this week sought to minimize the importance of the payments saying they were a “simple private transaction” and that they were “wrongly” being called campaign contributions. “Cohen just trying to get his sentence reduced,” Trump tweeted. “WITCH HUNT!” In a sentencing memo, the special counsel’s office said Cohen had “gone to significant lengths” to assist their investigation. Last month Cohen acknowledged that he lied to Congress about his contacts with Russia about building a Trump Tower in Moscow. Cohen, wearing a dark suit with a light blue tie, arrived for the sentencing with his wife, son and daughter, who was walking with a crutch. For 12 years, Cohen was vice president of The Trump Organization, the umbrella company for Trump’s real estate businesses, and one of the principal confidants of the New York billionaire. Investigators raided Cohen’s offices and New York home in April and he admitted in August to hiding about $4 million in revenue from his taxi business from the tax authorities.

michael cohen
donald trump
congress
robert mueller
stormy daniels
russia probe


National Enquirer publisher American Media dodges charges with deal to cooperate with Trump hush-money probe

Abstract: NEW YORK - National Enquirer publisher American Media Inc. agreed to accept responsibility for its role in a $150,000 payment to silence a former Playboy Playmate about her alleged affair with President Donald Trump before the election. Under a nonprosecution agreement, the company admitted its purpose was to suppress the woman’s story and prevent it from influencing the election. According to the cooperation agreement with AMI, Trump’s longtime lawyer, Michael Cohen, and another campaign official met with AMI Chairman David Pecker about the scheme around August 2015. That official’s involvement has not been previously reported. The announcement came shortly after Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison, in part for his role in the hush payment, which he has said was directed by Trump. The prosecutors said they’d previously reached a nonprosecution agreement with AMI about its role in making the payment before the 2016 presidential election. “As a part of the agreement, AMI admitted that it made the $150,000 payment in concert with a candidate’s presidential campaign, and in order to ensure that the woman did not publicize damaging allegations about the candidate before the 2016 presidential election,” the prosecutors wrote in a statement announcing the deal. A spokesman for the company declined comment.

national enquirer
donald trump
ami
michael cohen
david pecker
robert mueller
russia probe
hush money


Trump campaign's Russia contacts alarm intelligence experts

Abstract: WASHINGTON - From suggestions of “political synergy” and offers of business deals to contact with more than a dozen people in then-candidate Donald Trump’s orbit, Russian outreach to the Trump campaign has a familiar and alarming pattern to experts in the intelligence field. The attempts by Russians to establish contact, which were laid out in the latest court filings by special counsel Robert Mueller, were persistent, apparently targeted and more frequent than would be expected during a typical presidential campaign, former officials said after reviewing the documents. “This pattern is what the Russians do everywhere else in the world,” said Steven Hall, a former CIA official. “It’s standard intelligence tradecraft.” Mueller has been investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election for more than a year and has not revealed clear evidence of coordination between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. Much of the investigation is still under wraps, but the portrait emerging from court filings and other sources is striking to intelligence professionals. “It’s all vintage Russian intelligence behavior,” said Bruce Riedel, a former senior CIA officer and now a fellow at the Brookings Institution. Trump, who has repeatedly lashed out at the probe, insisted in a tweet again this week that there was “NO COLLUSION” between his campaign and Russia. And it is not unheard of for campaigns to be in contact at times with foreigners. What is “completely unusual” is the number of people involved, said Trevor Potter, who was general counsel for the late Sen. John McCain’s 2000 and 2008 presidential campaigns. Typically, any such communications would be routed through the foreign policy team and the general counsel alerted. Court filings and Associated Press reporting identified contacts between at least 14 people linked to the Trump campaign and Russian nationals. They include a Russian who reached out to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen in 2015 and offered “political synergy” between Russia and the Republican campaign. A person familiar with the matter confirmed that the person is a former Russian Olympic athlete named Dmitry Klokov. Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos and Alex van der Zwaan, a lawyer who worked with Trump campaign associates, have pleaded guilty to lying to federal authorities over Russia-related contacts. Former intelligence officials say the pattern of Russian outreach emerging is similar to the early stage of a Russian intelligence operation. Russian agents or third parties will approach people offering to help improve U.S.-Russian relations or offering a business deal before talking politics, said Hall, a retired CIA chief of Russian operations. Russian contacts with the Trump campaign, which recent court filings from Mueller show, began within months of Trump announcing his candidacy in June 2015. A number of the Russians initiating the contact or proposing business deals were obscure figures with ties to the country’s military or powerful oligarchs. On Trump’s side, Russians made contact with at least 14 individuals ranging from members of Trump’s family and senior members of his campaign to mid- and low-level associates. The range of people in Trump’s orbit contacted by Russian individuals suggest the operation was in its early stages and was casting a “wide net,” Hall said. “This is how Russian intelligence approaches start, in an amenable way,” Hall said, noting that the word “synergy” in the Mueller filing stood out to him in particular. Russian agents or third parties will approach people offering to help improve U.S.-Russian relations or offering a business deal before talking politics, he said. Mark Galeotti, an expert on the Russian security services, said that from what has been revealed so far, he is doubtful the contacts were part of a Kremlin-directed operation. “What I see are greedy and foolish people trying to do business in Russia and thinking it was still the wild 1990s where all you needed was a buck and a Western name to make money,” said Galeotti, who is now a fellow at the Institute of International Relations Prague. Galeotti said it is likely most of the Russians who reached out to the Trump campaign were “self-motivated.” “It’s often that you will have a whole variety of different actors doing what they think the Kremlin would like them to do in the hope that they will be rewarded down the line,” he said. Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said he was surprised by the relative obscurity of many of the Russians identified by the Mueller investigation. “These are not the most prominent businesspeople,” McFaul said. “This is not how Boeing, for example, does business in Russia.” Former U.S. intelligence officials say the “amateurish” nature of the Russians who contacted the Trump campaign could be by design. Russian intelligence agencies often use third parties to initiate contact. “That’s why you’re seeing this weird cast of characters,” Hall said, explaining that individuals like Konstantin Kilimnik fit the profile of someone who would be used by a Russian intelligence agency as a low-level intermediary. Mueller believes Kilimnik — who served in the Soviet military before joining the International Republican Institute in Moscow as a translator — has ties to Russian intelligence. Kilimnik has denied this. The emergence of Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer and fixer, as central to Russian contact with the campaign also fits the mold of a Russian intelligence operation. Cohen’s large debt of over $14 million could be easily identified as a possible leverage point, and by arranging the payment of hush money he demonstrated his willingness to undertake risky behavior. “The goal is assess vulnerability and access,” Riedel said. “Cohen would be an obvious target on both counts.”

donald trump
russia probe
2018 u.s. presidential election
espionage robert mueller


Theresa May's victory in party no-confidence ballot is a vote against a no-deal Brexit

Abstract: LONDON - Conservative lawmakers in the U.K. voted on one question, but decided another. Their choice may not make the path for an orderly Brexit any easier, but it may make a disorderly Brexit a little less likely. The ballot presented to 317 Tory members of Parliament on Wednesday night was straightforward: It asked them whether they had confidence in their party leader, Prime Minister Theresa May. The result — she prevailed by 200 votes to 117 — shows that many clearly don’t. But if the verdict offers May little comfort personally, it shows that MPs understood the real question they were being asked was somewhat different. Were they willing to gamble on Britain exiting the European Union without a deal? It is hard to see their answer as anything other than a vote of no confidence in the hard-line Brexiteers who have been pushing for months to replace May with a leader who would champion a no-deal Brexit. The result suggests the Tories want to hold the center ground, which is where May has belatedly sought to lead them. Unfortunately, she has squandered much good faith along the way and now leads with diminished authority. There have been missteps, reversals and a disastrous election that complicated things for her party enormously by forcing it to rely on the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party for its majority. But it speaks volumes that those failures weren’t enough to persuade the majority of her MPs to throw in their lot with the hard-line Brexiteers who had been threatening a no-confidence vote for months until they finally got the 48 letters necessary to trigger it this week. The only reason to cling to May now is that the alternative leadership is clearly a bigger risk. Her position as leader cannot now be challenged again from within her own party for 12 months. What doomed the Brexiteers’ arguments against her leadership was the growing realization in recent months that they had no plan of their own. Their vague strategy to withhold some of the divorce payment, deny the problem of the Irish border, seek to reopen negotiations and hope that German carmakers make a fuss wasn’t just unconvincing; it was so ridiculous as to make transparent their real aim of leaving without a deal. No deal is what happens when every other option has failed — it isn’t an outcome anyone runs toward with glee. Most Conservative MPs seemed to realize that on Wednesday. But fighting on all fronts has cost May more of her already much-diminished authority. She has now said she will not stay on to fight the next election, which will come as a relief to many in her party. That leaves the all-important question of what Wednesday’s vote means for Brexit itself. And here little has changed: her party is divided and the fate of Brexit is undecided. There is still no parliamentary majority for Theresa May’s deal, which she will bring to a vote most likely in January, and no majority for holding a second referendum. That means the hard-line Brexiteers haven’t lost entirely. The default, if Parliament doesn’t agree another course of action, is that Britain leaves the EU, deal or no deal, at the end of March. May will continue to seek concessions from the EU that might make her deal more palatable to MPs, but there are plenty in Parliament who want to see her fail, either because they want no deal or because they want it to go to a second referendum or, as in the case of the opposition Labour Party, new elections. All her victory has proved is her deal has, possibly, 200 supporters — in a Parliament of 650. There now comes a three-way fight. May acknowledged earlier in the day that the exit negotiations might have to be extended if a new leadership selection process was under way. It’s now more likely that she will need to request that the Article 50 timetable be extended to allow the U.K. more time to resolve Brexit; but that requires unanimous EU approval, something that would likely only be granted in the event of a referendum or general election. The best that can be said is that Wednesday’s vote cleared the air and sent a message to one wing of the Conservative Party that their time has not come. That is a blow to the hard-line euroskeptics to whom May mistakenly pandered early on, but one should never underestimate their determination to fight on. A change of leader, MPs realized, would be little more than a distraction and another risk. Britain doesn’t need either right now.


Having survived confidence vote, Theresa May seeks EU compromise to save Brexit deal

Abstract: BRUSSELS - Bloodied but not yet beaten, Prime Minister Theresa May will go to Brussels for the second time in three days on Thursday, battling to save her Brexit deal and her career. The British leader, who survived a confidence vote staged by her own party’s MPs late on Wednesday, now needs to turn a narrow victory on home turf into an unlikely away win. May’s 27 counterparts will join her in Brussels for a European Union summit less than three weeks after a November 25 meeting at which they approved the Brexit divorce papers. The accord was hailed as the end to a 17-month negotiation, and leaders dared hope they had saved Britain from crashing out of the union on March 29 with no ongoing trade arrangements. But when May brought the hard-fought compromise back to Britain she ran into renewed opposition from hard-line Brexiteers on her own back benches and balked at putting it to parliament. Now she wants Europe to sweeten the offer with “reassurances” that the so-called “backstop” — measures to prevent the return of a hard border with Ireland — will not last indefinitely. Negotiators said the leaders would listen to May and see what they can offer her in terms of a statement, but insist the 585-page withdrawal agreement itself can not be renegotiated. “The margin is really tight, it will be an exercise in presentation,” one senior European diplomat confided Wednesday. They will, however, hear May out, setting aside time on Thursday during a summit they had hoped would deal with migration, budgets and eurozone reform to talk about Brexit once again. “The discussions in Britain… do not make the situation any easier, but we should nevertheless do everything we can to avoid a hard Brexit,” Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said. Austria holds the rotating EU presidency and Kurz arrived in Brussels ahead of the summit to talk with host Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, about the agenda. “It is clear that the withdrawal agreement will not be opened up and amended but there are, of course, other ways of moving towards one another that are in the interests of both sides,” Kurz said. After May made a desperate three-capital European tour on Tuesday to seek assistance from fellow leaders, Tusk had said he would love to help her, but “the question is how.” On Wednesday, Kurz suggested the secret may lie in the question of the backstop. When asked what could be clarified, he said: “For example the question: ‘When does the backstop end?'” “I think there is a certain room to move towards each other.” But determined to remain loyal to continuing member Ireland, European officials insist in public and in private that the backstop must stay. “The idea of a sell-by date won’t stand,” one said. And any modification or addendum to an agreement on plans for future U.K.-EU relations will not be legally binding, negotiators say. Anything May does come away with must convince her own party, its angry Northern Irish allies and a majority of British MPs to back the deal if and when it returns to Westminster. If the agreement is still found wanting not only would Britain and its main trading partners face economic chaos, but May could be finished off by a parliamentary vote of no confidence. On Thursday, May won the backing of 200 Conservative lawmakers, but 117 voted to oust her — and only after she had conceded she would step down before 2022 elections. She said she wanted to “get on with the job of delivering Brexit,” and to see “politicians on all sides coming together.” But her hard-line opponents claimed the vote against her had been higher than expected and that most back-back members — who do not hold jobs in May’s government — want her gone. “She ought to go and see the Queen and resign urgently,” leading Brexit rebel Jacob Rees-Mogg told the BBC. Euroskeptics hate the divorce deal agreed last month, which they fear risks tying Britain to the bloc for years after Brexit. Their confidence vote followed the prime minister’s decision on Monday to postpone a planned vote in the House of Commons in the face of what May feared would be a crushing defeat. She has promised to hold that vote before January 21 — when she may yet still lose, plunging the Brexit process into fresh crisis.

theresa may
eu
brexit
trade
immigration
u.k .


Despite gene-editing flap, Chinese scientists still aiming for supremacy in experimental Crispr tech

Abstract: SHANGHAI/HONG KONG - Chinese scientists are pressing ahead with their attempts to perfect human gene-editing technology, even after one of their compatriots drew a global backlash for editing the genes of twin girls. In recent weeks, the work by Shenzhen-based researcher He Jiankui — controversial because he claimed to have used the gene-editing tool Crispr on the twins when they were embryos — was met with criticism globally and at home. But in the less controversial use of Crispr in adults, Chinese researchers appear determined to keep pushing to get the lead. While the technique was invented in 2012 in the U.S., the Chinese have been first at many junctures — from using it successfully in monkeys, testing it on lab embryos not intended for live births, and using it in adults with cancer. In an interview last week, oncologist Lu You at China’s Sichuan University said a trial he is leading, which used Crispr on 10 lung cancer patients, is done and the data will be ready for submission to a scientific journal next month. Meanwhile, at the Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital in Beijing, the head of the biotherapeutic department said it is proceeding with five Crispr-related trials in adult cancer patients. The continued push by Chinese researchers gives the country an edge in harnessing a potent technique with the potential to transform businesses from pharmaceuticals to agriculture. For decades, China has trailed far behind the U.S. on scientific innovation, but the speed at which the Chinese are moving on genetic editing finally sets them up to go head to head with the American biotechnology industry. China isn’t close to eclipsing the U.S. as yet, but has “done a remarkably good job at taking what is one of the world’s most complex industries that the U.S. has dominated and gone straight to the forefront,” said Evercore ISI analyst Ross Muken. “It ran past Europe remarkably quickly.” The Crispr technique, in providing a relatively simple way to alter the DNA of living things, has unlocked new possibilities for improving everything from medications to the food we eat. Scientists are experimenting with creating low-fat pigs, malaria-resistant mosquitoes and higher-yielding rice crops. At Sichuan University, Lu’s team was the first to test Crispr in a human in 2016, according to the journal Nature. Lu has been public about his efforts, and his work has been allowed because it doesn’t involve changes to reproductive cells that can affect future generations. “Our trial went through a deep and serious ethical approval process, and is nothing like He’s,” said Lu, whose team activated immune cells using Crispr and infused them back into patients to fight lung cancer. He declined to say what the trial data showed. Even though the Chinese have been moving quickly on Crispr, so far their research hasn’t revealed conclusive results to show that their trials have worked, said Ja Lee, senior intelligence analyst at CB Insights. China’s ascent in the space has also been bolstered by looser regulations than in the U.S. and Europe. As part of its push to dominate the technologies of the 21st century, Beijing has since 2016 unleashed dramatic regulatory reforms in the pharmaceutical industry that are now reshaping the local and global landscape. That opening up is aimed at giving the Chinese middle class access to the best health care and its researchers an edge in the global biotech race. Yet in some cases, it has also granted an intoxicating freedom to a research community that is in its infancy. News of He’s trials raised concerns there may not be sufficient checks on the industry. Crispr is still a nascent technology and all its side effects aren’t fully known. “There’s an environment, and social pressure, to really move fast with this technology, and it may have pushed some people too far,” said David Bikard, a microbiology researcher at Institut Pasteur. China’s government has said He’s work flouted 2003 regulations governing in vitro fertilization, which bans the use of gene-manipulated embryos for reproduction. But Chinese law is relatively silent on gene editing in adult humans where changes won’t affect future generations. The U.S. doesn’t allow the use of Crispr for editing the germ line. And although U.S. regulators haven’t banned gene editing of adult humans, the FDA has paid special attention to these proposals, placing months-long holds on the trials for regulatory scrutiny. Besides the Sichuan University and Beijing army hospital trials, there are at least six other Crispr-related studies ongoing in China at present. “We are doing everything according to law, so why shouldn’t we continue?” said Han Weidong, head of the biotherapeutics department at Chinese PLA General Hospital. “We are not afraid, as we have all the relevant approvals and laws on our side. He’s case doesn’t affect us.” The hospital is using the technique to activate patients’ immune cells to fight their cancers, focusing on leukemia and lymphoma. Still, Chinese researchers expect that the global outcry from He’s experiment will lead to tighter regulations at home or even put the brakes on a further opening up. Lu expects new rules on gene editing in China. “We are waiting for a message from Beijing to come,” he said. “In the meantime, we continue our work.”

crispr
he jiankui
china
genetics
biotechnology
in vitro


In effort to curb costs, Imperial agency looks to scale down some facilities for Daijosai ceremony

Abstract: The Imperial Household Agency plans to scale down the temporary Omi no Akusha facilities used in the Daijosai ceremony, one of the rites related to Crown Prince Naruhito’s enthronement next year, from those used in the last such ceremony 30 years ago, informed sources said Thursday. Omi no Akusha facilities will be set up for use by male members of the Imperial family during Daijosai, in which a new emperor prays for good harvests and peace for the country and its people. The plan to reduce the size of the facilities reflects a fall in the number of male Imperial family members, as well as efforts to cut the costs of holding the ceremony, according to the sources. The plan is expected to be formally adopted as early as next week at the third meeting of a government panel for a series of Imperial ceremonies related to the succession. The last Daijosai ceremony took place in November 1990, after Emperor Akihito acceded to the throne in January 1989 following the death of his father, Emperor Showa. For the 1990 ceremony, the Daijokyu complex of about 30 structures, including Yukiden and Sukiden, was built within a 100-meter square area in the East Garden of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. These temporary structures will also be set up for the next ceremony, scheduled for Nov. 14 and 15 next year, after Crown Prince Naruhito assumes the throne on May 1. The Omi no Akusha facilities will be installed south of Yukiden and Sukiden at a smaller scale than for the previous ceremony, the sources said. Only two male Imperial Family members—Prince Akishino, the second son of the Emperor, and Prince Hitachi, the younger brother of the Emperor — are slated to attend the forthcoming ceremony, down from six for the previous Daijosai. The number of guests for the 2019 ceremony is set to be reduced by about 200 to some 700. Costs related to the previous event totaled some ¥2.25 billion. For the 2019 event, the agency is eager to reduce expenses in the face of rising prices for building materials and labor. The Daijokyu structures will be disassembled after the ceremony. Plans to re-use building materials for the facilities are being examined, the sources said, noting that one idea is to donate them to national parks. Emperor Akihito is scheduled to step down on April 30 next year, the day before Crown Prince Naruhito’s enthronement. No succession from a living emperor has taken place for about 200 years. Prince Akishino will be first in line to the throne after the Crown Prince’s enthronement.

daijosai
imperial family
emperor akihito
abdication


Japan's Justice Ministry reveals 174 foreign technical interns died between 2010 and 2017

Abstract: A total of 174 foreign nationals working as part of the technical intern program died in the eight years between 2010 and 2017 due to accidents, illness and other reasons, the Justice Ministry said Thursday. The labor ministry also said the deaths of 125 foreign workers, including trainees, over 10 years were work-related. The figures were disclosed during a meeting put together by lawmakers from opposition parties that have been urging the government to investigate technical interns’ deaths, pointing to the possibility they were subjected to harsh working conditions. The revelations raise questions about the working conditions of foreign trainees at a time when the country is preparing to accept more overseas workers from April to address the nation’s labor crunch. The opposition parties are demanding the government improve such situations before many of the workers switch their statuses under the new visa system. Of the 174 who died, 132 were men and 42 were women. The deaths included suicides and cases in which the cause of death was not clear. By nationality, 98 were Chinese, 46 were Vietnamese and 12 were Indonesian. Other people who died were from the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Mongolia and Laos. People in their 20s accounted for the largest portion with 118, followed by 48 people in their 30s. Five were teens and three were in their 40s. Many of the deaths resulted from accidents that happened while workers were operating factory machines such as metal cutters or timber processing equipment. Among the reasons not related to accidents, health problems such as heart attack and stroke were most common. There were 13 suicides. Two technical interns died in the March 2011 tsunami triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake. The data comes a week after an opposition lawmaker disclosed the deaths of 69 foreign trainees between 2015 and 2017 based on a Justice Ministry tally. The ministry has said it will look into the matter. Japan introduced the training program for foreign nationals in 1993 with the stated aim of transferring skills to developing countries. But the program has been criticized for providing cover for companies to import cheap labor. As of the end of October last year, about 258,000 foreign trainees were working in Japan.


Glass fragments embedded in Hiroshima hibakusha are grim reminders of the day the atom bomb dropped

Abstract: Fragments of glass that pierced her skin as a result of the U.S.’s atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945 are still lodged in the right arm of Mineko Yonezawa, now age 86. She said the glass penetrated deep into her arm and muscles developed around them. “These pieces of glass are reminders of my experience of the atomic bombing. I will take them with me to the after life,” Yonezawa said. Yonezawa was 13 when the city was hit by the atomic bomb. Back then she was a second year student at Yasuda Girls’ High School. Along with her fellow second year students, Yonezawa was mobilized to work at the Homare aircraft factory in the town of Kusunoki in Nishi Ward, where they were assigned to sharpen aluminum bars. On the morning of Aug. 6, 1945, Yonezawa went to the factory as usual, donning a white headband. After a morning assembly at 8 a.m., she went to her lathe station to start working. But the moment she sat down, the brick wall behind her collapsed, and fragments of shattered glasses pierced the right side of her body. She was covered with rubble, but Yonezawa crawled frantically from the debris, moving toward the direction where she saw light. The factory was located about 1.8 kilometers from the hypocenter. Once she got out of the rubble, Yonezawa saw people walking with their skin hanging from their arms and soldiers whose hair had disappeared except for the part that had been covered with their caps. Without knowing what was going on, Yonezawa headed north along the Otagawa River to Oshiba Park, where she saw a woman covered in blood running and screaming, before collapsing in front of her. A little boy came running and clung onto the woman, crying. But the woman shook the boy off and started running again. “I believe she was the boy’s mother. It was hell on Earth,” Yonezawa said. After spending the night at a school in Furuichi (now part of Asaminami Ward), Yonezawa was finally able to return home to the town of Uchikoshi (now part of Nishi Ward). Until the moment they finally reunited, Yonezawa’s parents thought their daughter might be dead. In notes written by her father, who died in 1993, he said he searched for his daughter with a heko-obi (a soft thin cloth like a waistband) so he could carry her body on his back. Yasuda Girls’ High School lost 315 students and 13 teachers in the A-bombing. The surviving students went through hardships after the war. The school building, which was in the town of Nishihakushima (now part of Naka Ward), located 1.4 km from the hypocenter, was demolished. When the decision was made to relocate the school to the nearby former military barracks for the army corps of engineers, the students were mobilized to help clean up the rubble. “All of us were terrified when the skeleton of a soldier was found beneath a collapsed wall,” Yonezawa recalled. After the war, Yonezawa’s parents renovated their tilting home and opened an inn called Marunaka Ryokan that accepted demobilized soldiers. In 1952, film director Kaneto Shindo and his crew stayed at her parents’ inn while they shot “Children of the Atomic Bomb,” a masterpiece about the tragedy of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. In the film there is a scene where its protagonist, who is an atomic bomb survivor, touches her right arm and says she would like to keep the pieces of glass embedded in her body in order to “remember August 6.” The line was based on a conversation the film director had with Yonezawa. Yonezawa and her husband, Minoru, 91, who is also a hibakusha, took over her parents’ business, but they closed down the inn in 1994. Their eldest daughter and her Guatemalan husband now run a restaurant at their home, serving okonomiyaki (Japanese-style savory pancakes). As people from various countries come to the restaurant, Yonezawa hears different languages every day. “I hope people from different countries can speak freely, like they do at the okonomiyaki shop, and to help one another instead of having animosity,” Yonezawa said.

hiroshima
atomic bombings
mineko yonezawa
wwii