U.S. Democrats hit Andrew Wheeler's environmental rollbacks at EPA during hearing

Abstract: WASHINGTON - Acting Environmental Protection Agency chief Andrew Wheeler described himself as a champion of deregulation and the environment at his confirmation hearing Wednesday, even as a leading Democrat called him “just as extreme” as predecessor Scott Pruitt. The Republican-controlled Senate Environment and Public Works Committee was considering Wheeler’s nomination as agency administrator. Wheeler began his testimony Wednesday over the chants of environmental protesters, who shouted “Shut Down Wheeler” in the committee room and the hallway outside. The EPA under Wheeler has moved forward on the Trump administration’s deregulatory aims since Pruitt resigned in July amid ethics scandals. That includes easing the mileage standards that cars and trucks will have to meet, relaxing measures on climate-changing carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants and removing millions of miles of wetlands and waterways from federal protections, among other changes. The committee chairman, Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, called Wheeler “very well qualified” to take the job. But Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware, the panel’s ranking Democrat, said Wheeler’s environmental policies in his six months as the agency’s acting head were “just as extreme” as those of Pruitt. Carper cited the rollbacks in car mileage standards and toxic mercury emissions under Wheeler as examples of unsafe deregulation, saying they went beyond what industries themselves wanted. Sen. Bernie Sanders noted Wheeler had failed to mention climate change in his remarks to the lawmakers. “Do you agree that climate change is a global crisis?” the Vermont independent asked. “I would not call it the greatest crisis,” Wheeler said. “I would call it a huge issue that has to be addressed globally.” Environmental groups also say Wheeler’s lobbying work for coal companies and other interests regulated by the agency should disqualify him. “A coal lobbyist is unfit to run the EPA, period,” said Matt Gravatt, associate legislative director at the Sierra Club. Wheeler worked at the Washington law and lobbying firm Faegre Baker Daniels from 2009 until April 2018, according to his filing with the Office of Government Ethics. His lobbying clients included coal magnate Bob Murray, who pushed hard on the Trump administration to grant a series of breaks for the sagging domestic coal industry. Wheeler accompanied Murray to a March 2017 meeting to pitch then-new Energy Secretary Rick Perry on Murray’s list of desired rule rollbacks and other breaks. Murray had sought some of the EPA’s coal initiatives under Wheeler, which included easing federal regulation of toxic coal ash, removing an Obama rule that pushed electricity providers to move away from dirtier-burning coal plants and targeting an Obama rule limiting emissions of toxic mercury from coal plants. A watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, filed an ethics complaint Tuesday with the EPA’s Office of the Inspector General alleging that Wheeler’s oversight of those and other rollback proposals at EPA may have violated his government ethics pledge to abstain from regulatory decisions affecting his former lobbying client for at least two years. “His failure to abide by ethics obligations and to avoid the reality or appearance of conflicts critically undermines the EPA’s integrity and weakens public confidence in our government,” CREW executive director Noah Bookbinder said in a statement. EPA spokesman John Konkus called the accusation “baseless” and “wrong.” “Acting Administrator Wheeler works closely with career EPA ethics officials and follows their guidance. This is nothing more than a last-second political stunt by a group to try to attack President Trump’s nominee hours before his confirmation hearing and should be recognized as such,” Konkus said. Conservation and environmental groups said Wheeler should also be pressed at Wednesday’s hearing on the environmental and public health effects of the EPA’s proposed regulatory easing. “It’s imperative the senators ask the tough questions about his role in the decisions and the impact he’s going to have” on health and safety, said Collin O’Mara, president of the National Wildlife Federation. Conservation groups objected this week to the Republican-controlled Senate committee holding Wheeler’s nomination hearing during the government shutdown. The grandson of a coal miner, Wheeler worked for the EPA in the 1990s and later as a longtime staffer for Senate Republicans.

andrew wheeler
environment
epa
scott pruitt
coal
wetlands
bernie sanders
u.s. senate
donald trump


Battles expected in many U.S. states over abortion-related bills

Abstract: NEW YORK - On each side of America’s abortion debate, legislators and activists emboldened by recent developments plan to push aggressively in many states this year for bills either seeking near-total bans on abortion or guaranteeing women’s access to the procedure. For abortion opponents, many of whom will rally Friday at the annual March for Life in Washington, there is optimism that sweeping abortion bans might have a chance of prevailing in the reconfigured U.S. Supreme Court, which includes Trump appointees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. Conversely, results of the midterm elections buoyed supporters of abortion rights in several states, including New York, Rhode Island, Maryland and New Mexico. Abortion-rights groups there are now hopeful that lawmakers will pass bills aimed at protecting access to abortion even if the Supreme Court eventually reversed or weakened the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established a nationwide right to abortion. Here are some of the notable bills: Protecting abortion access New York : For years, Republicans who controlled the Senate blocked efforts to codify abortion rights in state law as a bulwark against any undermining of Roe v. Wade. However, Democrats, who have long controlled the lower chamber, took control of the Senate in the midterms, and are expected to swiftly enact the long-sought protections. Rhode Island : Although abortion is readily available in Rhode Island, the state has never removed some decades-old laws that sought to restrict abortion rights. A bill to scrap those old laws, and reinforce the right to abortion in case Roe is reversed, has been reintroduced after failing the past two years. A co-sponsor, Sen. Gayle Goldin, says chances are better this year because the midterms increased the number of abortion-rights supporters in the legislature. Maryland : Democratic House Speaker Michael Busch says lawmakers will take up a constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights, in case protections are overturned or weakened by the Supreme Court or federal government. Maryland passed legislation in 1991 to protect such rights, but supporters of the proposed amendment say it would be a stronger guard against any future legislative efforts to restrict abortion. If the measure wins legislative approval, it would go before voters in a future election. Maine : A new Democratic governor who supports abortion rights, Janet Mills, has succeeded anti-abortion Republican Paul LePage. Mills would likely sign a recently introduced bill that would require Maine to fund some abortions that are not covered under Medicaid. Democrats control both chambers of the legislature. New Mexico : Democratic legislators — who control both chambers — are backing a bill that would remove New Mexico’s criminal ban on abortion. Newly inaugurated Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham — who succeeded Republican Susana Martinez — favors overturning the ban. Restricting abortion access Ohio : During eight years in office, GOP Gov. John Kasich signed more than 20 anti-abortion bills but twice vetoed the most draconian measure to reach his desk — the “heartbeat bill,” which would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. But Kasich has now been succeeded by fellow Republican Mike DeWine, who suggests he will sign a heartbeat bill. And the proposal has finally won the endorsement of Ohio Right to Life, which previously considered it too contentious but now believes it has a chance of prevailing in court. Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina : Lawmakers in these states, where Republicans control the legislature and governor’s office, also have drafted heartbeat bills for consideration this year. Arkansas : Some of Arkansas’ previously approved anti-abortion laws remain caught up in legal fights. But two new measures were filed ahead of the 2019 session. One would toughen requirements for reporting abortion-related complications to state health officials; the other would prohibit doctors from performing an abortion if they know the woman seeks it solely because the fetus is diagnosed with Down syndrome. Indiana, Louisiana and Ohio previously enacted bans on Down syndrome abortions that have been blocked in federal court. Indiana is asking the Supreme Court to review its case. North Dakota enacted a similar ban in 2013 that has not been challenged; the state’s sole abortion clinic says the issue hasn’t arisen under its policy of not performing abortions after 16 weeks into a pregnancy. Oklahoma : A Republican state senator, Joseph Silk, has filed a bill that would include abortion in the state’s definition of felony homicide, potentially punishable by life in prison. Its chances of advancing are uncertain, but lawmakers did approve a bill two years ago that would have outlawed abortion and imposed prison sentences of up to three years on anyone performing the procedure.

abortion
supreme court
neil gorsuch
brett kavanaugh
democrats
u.s .
donald trump


May gropes for Brexit consensus after deal's crushing defeat in Parliament

Abstract: LONDON - Prime Minister Theresa May was trying to forge consensus in Parliament on a Brexit divorce agreement on Wednesday after the crushing defeat of her own deal left Britain’s exit from the European Union in disarray 10 weeks before it is due to leave. May was widely expected to see off an attempt by the opposition Labour Party to bring down her government, having secured the backing of her own party’s rebels and the small Northern Irish party, which props up her minority administration. The confidence motion, called on Tuesday after lawmakers rejected May’s Brexit deal by 432-202 — the worst defeat for a British government in modern times — will be held at 1900 GMT. With the clock ticking down to March 29, the date set in law for Brexit, the United Kingdom is now in the deepest political crisis in half a century as it grapples with how, or even whether, to exit the European project it joined in 1973. May pledged to work with senior politicians to find a compromise that would avoid a disorderly no-deal Brexit or another referendum on membership but critics said she was not budging from a deal that had alienated all sides of the debate. “The exercise … (is) about listening to the views of the house, about wanting to understand the views of parliamentarians so that we can identify what could command the support of this house and deliver on the referendum,” May told Parliament. Labour’s finance spokesman, John McDonnell, said May could eventually get a deal through Parliament if she negotiated a compromise with his party which wants a permanent customs union with the EU, a close relationship with its single market and greater protections for workers and consumers. But her spokesman said it was still government policy to be outside an EU customs union while May, an initial opponent of Brexit who won the top job in the turmoil following the 2016 referendum vote, insisted Britain would leave the bloc on March 29, leaving little time for a solution to be found. Her crushing defeat, though, appears to have killed off her two-year strategy of forging an amicable divorce with close ties to the EU after the March 29 exit. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said she was now leading a zombie government. Labour says its aim is to win power and negotiate Brexit on better terms. However, many Labour members want to see another referendum with an option to cancel Brexit, and the party says it is ruling out nothing if it fails to bring May down. Sterling jumped by more than a cent against the dollar on news of May’s defeat on Tuesday and was holding close to that level on Wednesday. Many investors see the prospect of a no-deal exit receding as parliament hardens its stance against it. May has said canceling Brexit is likelier than leaving with no deal, but has repeatedly described any failure to carry out the mandate of the 2016 referendum as “catastrophic” for democracy. “Should the next step be a general election? I believe that is the worst thing we could do, it would deepen division when we need unity,” she told parliament. Ever since Britain voted by 52-48 percent to leave the EU in a referendum in June 2016, the political class has been debating how to leave the European project forged by France and Germany after the devastation of World War Two. Companies warned of catastrophic job losses and chaos at ports if there was a no-deal Brexit that would see trade with the EU switch to World Trade Organization rules which many argue could disrupt supply chains relying on friction-free trade. Britain’s top share index ended down 0.5 percent at 6,862 points. “We would now urge ruling out a no-deal immediately as the only option with majority support in parliament,” Britain’s biggest carmaker, Jaguar Land Rover, said in a statement. Other members of the EU, which combined has about six times the economic might of the United Kingdom, called for discussion but indicated there was little chance of fundamental change to the deal May had negotiated. Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said there was not much time left to find a Brexit solution and “the time for playing games is now over. For the EU, already reeling from successive crises over debt and refugees, Brexit is possibly the biggest blow in its 60-year history, though its 27 other members have shown remarkable unity over Britain’s exit. While some EU leaders and many British lawmakers have suggested that Britain might want to change its mind, Britain’s leaders are concerned that to stop Brexit could alienate the 17.4 million people who voted to leave. Brexit supporters anticipate some short-term economic pain but say Britain will then thrive if cut loose from what they cast as a doomed experiment in German-dominated unity. Opponents of Brexit say it is folly that will weaken the West, make Britain poorer and torpedo what remains of its post-imperial clout.

brexit
parliament
theresa may
eu
labour
u.k .


Hours after U.S. troops are killed in Syria, Mike Pence claims Islamic State is defeated

Abstract: WASHINGTON - Islamic State has been defeated in Syria, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Wednesday, hours after Americans were killed in a northern Syria bomb attack claimed by the militant group. Pence did not mention the attack in his address to 184 chiefs of U.S. diplomatic missions who gather annually in Washington from around the world to discuss foreign policy strategy. “The caliphate has crumbled and ISIS has been defeated,” Pence told the U.S. ambassadors and other senior American diplomats, referring to Islamic State. In separate statements later, both the White House and Pence condemned the attack and expressed sympathy for the deaths of the U.S. personnel. The Pentagon said two U.S. service members, a Department of Defense civilian employee and one contractor working for the military were killed and three service members were wounded in the blast in the northern Syria town of Manbij. An Islamic State-affiliated website said the attack was the work of a suicide bomber. Trump made a surprise announcement on Dec. 19 that he would withdraw 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria after concluding that Islamic State had been defeated there. His decision led to the resignation of U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who cited policy differences with the president for his departure. Despite talks of a second leaders’ summit between Trump and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un, Pence acknowledged that efforts to convince Pyonyang to give up its nuclear arsenal had not made headway. “While the president is promising dialogue with Chairman Kim we still await concrete steps by North Korea to dismantle the nuclear weapons that threaten our people and our allies in the region,” he said. The vice president also criticized China’s “unfair” trade practices and loans to developing countries that pushed up their debt levels as it tries to gain greater influence in the world. “The truth is that too often in recent years China has chosen a path that disregards the laws and norms that have kept the world state prosperous for more than half a century,” he said. “The days of the United States looking the other way are over,” he added. Pence said the administration’s foreign policy was based on Trump’s “America First” agenda. “No longer will the United States government pursue grandiose, unrealistic notions at the expense of American people,” he said. He acknowledged that Trump’s foreign policy was “different from what the world has come to expect” and that the United States faced different threats than during the Cold War. “Today we are not up against one super power but several great powers competing with us for preeminence across the world,” he said, saying the United States faced a “wolf pack” of rogue states, including Iran, Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.

syria
mike pence
islamic state
manbij
terrorism
donald trump
u.s. service members


Czechs mark 50 years since Jan Palach's fatal fiery protest against the crushing of Prague Spring

Abstract: PRAGUE - Czechs marked the 50th anniversary on Wednesday of student Jan Palach setting himself on fire in central Prague in a desperate act aimed at lifting the apathy hanging over the country in the wake of the Soviet invasion that crushed the Prague Spring of 1968. Having seen a period of reforms to Czechoslovakia’s communist system snuffed out by the invasion five months earlier, and the widespread public demoralization that followed, the 20-year-old Palach decided to take action. He went to Wenceslas Square on Jan. 16, 1969, poured gas over his head and set himself on fire. Passers-by smothered him with their coats, but the student of economics and philosophy died three days later of his burns. Palach left a letter behind calling for the end of censorship and Soviet propaganda, and for a general strike. “I marched back then with the students (after Palach’s death),” said Robert Gruen, 70, while visiting a commemorative open-air exhibition in Wenceslas Square. “Today I think a man’s life is too important to end it like that.” Dozens of public events were held across the Czech Republic on Wednesday, including a concert alongside the exhibition in Wenceslas Square and the unveiling of a memorial plaque at Charles University, where Palach studied. Marches with lights were planned at several places for the evening. Palach called himself “Torch no. 1” in his letter, giving the impression that he was a part of a larger group which in fact did not exist. But several others followed his example in Czechoslovakia and other eastern bloc countries. “People must fight against the evil they feel equal to measure up to at that moment,” Palach said before he died in a hospital on Jan. 19. The Czechs mourned Palach, but his act failed to overturn the consolidation of power by Soviet-backed hard-liners who brought a period of repression that lasted until the end of communist rule in 1989. On the 20th anniversary of Palach’s death in January 1989, thousands protested in the biggest anti-government demonstrations in two decades. They were violently dispersed by police, but cracks were revealed in the authoritarian system that months later was toppled in the Velvet Revolution. “This was exactly what he wanted, that people speak out, protest, fight for their rights. After 20 years, his story reached a conclusion,” said historian Petr Blazek. Palach’s act was modeled on the 1963 self-immolation of Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thin Quang Duc in Saigon, in protest at the government’s treatment of the Buddhist community. It was later echoed at the start of the Arab Spring revolution in Tunisia, which began after street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in December 2010.

czechs
jan palach
prague spring
communism
democracy


Toll climbs to 21 in Nairobi hotel attack claimed by al-Shabab; Kenya says all five gunmen killed

Abstract: NAIROBI - The death toll from an extremist attack on a luxury hotel and shopping complex in Nairobi climbed to 21, plus the five militants killed, police said Wednesday in the aftermath of the brazen overnight siege by al-Shabab gunmen. Two people accused of facilitating the attack were arrested. The number of those killed at the DusitD2 complex rose with the discovery of six more bodies at the scene and the death of a wounded police officer, said Joseph Boinnet, inspector-general of Kenyan police. Twenty-eight people were hurt and taken to the hospital, he said. In a televised address to the nation earlier in the day, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that the all-night operation by security forces to retake the complex was over and that all of the extremists had been killed. “We will seek out every person that was involved in the funding, planning and execution of this heinous act,” he vowed. In an attack that demonstrated al-Shabab’s continued ability to strike Kenya’s capital despite setbacks on the battlefield, extremists stormed the place with guns and explosives. Security camera footage released to local media showed a suicide bomber blowing himself up in a grassy area in the complex, the flash visible along with smoke billowing from the spot where he had been standing. Of the civilian victims, 16 were Kenyan, one was British, one was American and three were of African descent but their nationalities were not yet identified, police said. Al-Shabab, which is based in neighboring Somalia and allied with al-Qaida, claimed responsibility. The Islamic extremist group also carried out the 2013 attack at Nairobi’s nearby Westgate Mall that killed 67 people, and an assault on Kenya’s Garissa University in 2015 that claimed 147 lives, mostly students. While U.S. airstrikes and African Union forces in Somalia have degraded the group’s ability to operate, it is still capable of carrying out spectacular acts of violence in retaliation for the Kenyan military’s campaign against it. The bloodshed in Kenya’s capital appeared designed to inflict maximum damage to the country’s image of stability and its tourism industry, an important source of revenue. The government said late Tuesday that buildings were secure. However, gunfire continued into Wednesday morning, and dozens of trapped people were rescued overnight. Several loud booms were heard Wednesday as teams sought to clear the complex of booby traps and other explosives. Kenyatta’s announcement that the security operation was complete came about 20 hours after the first reports of the attack. The Kenyan Red Cross said about 50 people were unaccounted for. But many of those were believed not to have been in the complex during the attack. Ken Njoroge, CEO of a company in the DustiD2 complex that offers mobile banking services, said he was unable to locate several employees. “It’s very difficult for the families because the passage of time only makes the problem bigger,” he said. The American killed in the attack was identified as Jason Spindler, co-founder and managing director of San Francisco-based I-DEV International. Spindler’s father, Joseph, said his son worked with international companies to form business partnerships in Kenya that would boost local economies. The Houston-raised Spindler had a brush with tragedy on 9/11: He was employed by a financial firm at the World Trade Center at the time of the 2001 terrorist attack but was running late that morning and was emerging from the subway when the first tower fell, according to his father. He became covered in dust and debris as he tried to help others, the elder Spindler said. In the Nairobi attack, a man who gave only his first name, Davis, described how he had escaped with colleagues by fleeing down a fire escape. “It’s a traumatic experience. It shakes you,” he said. Still, Davis said he was impressed by the “inner strength” and compassion of people who helped each other in the midst of danger. His own thoughts, he said, were: “Get people out and get out yourself. That’s it.”

nairobi
al-shabab
kenya
dusitd2
jason spindler
u.s .
terrorism


U.N. approves mission to shore up Yemen truce at key port of Hodeida

Abstract: UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved Wednesday the deployment to Yemen of up to 75 monitors in a new mission to shore up a fragile cease-fire and oversee a pullback of forces from the flash-point port of Hodeida. The observer mission was agreed during talks last month in Sweden between the Saudi-backed government and Houthi rebels and an advance team is already on the ground in the rebel-held city. The unarmed monitors will be sent to Hodeida city and port as well as to the ports of Saleef and Ras Issa for an initial period of six months. The port of Hodeida is the entry point for the bulk of Yemen’s supplies of imported goods and humanitarian aid, providing a lifeline to millions on the brink of starvation. The U.N. says a cease-fire that went into force on Dec. 18 in Hodeida has been generally holding despite some clashes, but there have been delays in the redeployment of rebel and government forces from the city. The Houthis control most of Hodeida, while government forces are deployed on its southern and eastern outskirts. The resolution calls on U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to “expeditiously” deploy the United Nations Mission to support the Hodeida Agreement (UNMHA), led by retired Dutch Gen. Patrick Cammaert. Guterres has described the mission as a “nimble presence” that will report on violations in Hodeida, which for months was the front line in the war after pro-government forces launched an offensive to capture it in June. Since the Saudi-led military coalition intervened in support of the government in March 2015, the conflict has unleashed what the U.N. calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Nearly 10 million people in Yemen are on the brink of famine, according to U.N. aid officials, while 80 percent of the population — 24 million people — are in dire need of humanitarian aid. The United Nations separately announced that the warring sides had agreed to allow aid agencies to reach the Red Sea Mills food warehouses in Hodeida, which hold enough food to feed 3.5 million people for a month. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Cammaert will propose a plan to the Houthis and the government to allow aid convoys to go to the warehouses and pick up the 51,000 metric tonnes of food commodities. French Ambassador Francois Delattre described diplomatic gains made in Yemen with the Stockholm agreement as “fragile” and stressed the importance of moving toward ending the war. “The goal is to build on the current momentum, to make it irreversible and bring the full weight of the Security Council behind the process,” said Delattre ahead of the vote. U.N. envoy Martin Griffiths has told the council that a follow-up round of talks that were to be held later this month was pushed back to February, diplomats said. International Crisis Group expert Dan Schneiderman said the resolution was “a step in the right direction” and singled out U.S. support for the measure as a sign that the administration sees value in the new peace process. “Lowering the temperature in and around Hodeida is critical for making broader peace talks accessible,” said Schneiderman, a former U.S. national security council director for Yemen.

yemen
hodeida
houthis
conflict
famine
u.n .
saudi-led coalition


Thailand deports 'sex seminar' Belarusian model who claimed to have evidence of Trump secrets

Abstract: BANGKOK - A model from Belarus who was arrested during a “sex training seminar” in Thailand and then claimed to have evidence of Russian interference in U.S. President Donald Trump’s election was deported on Thursday. Thai authorities said Anastasia Vashukevich, 27, two other Belarussians and five Russians were being sent to their home countries two days after they pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy and soliciting. Vashukevich drew world attention last February when she said she had hours of audio recordings that could shed light on links between Russian officials and Trump’s election in 2016. She offered to release the recordings in exchange for asylum in the United States, but never produced evidence to substantiate her claim and later said she had no plans to release anything. Thai immigration chief Surachate Hakparn told media all eight deportees were willing to return to their countries. The deportations were being coordinated with Belarus and Russia, he said. Vashukevich made no comment at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. Last year, she had said she feared that she would be sent to Russia. Self-proclaimed “sex guru” Alexander Kirillov, 38, a fellow Belarussian among the deportees, told media the group had been seeking deportation since last March. “If you have been to a Thai prison, you are not afraid of anything,” he said. They were arrested at the beach resort of Pattaya during a seminar on seduction techniques. Vashukevich, who is also known as Nastya Rybka, said she had recordings of conversations on interference in the U.S. election through an association with Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. But Deripaska’s representatives have accused her of fabrication and said she was never his mistress. Deripaska is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and is a onetime associate of Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Moscow sought to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election to boost Trump’s chances of winning. Russia has denied meddling and Trump has said no collusion took place.

thailand
sex
belarus
donald trump
anastasia vashukevich
prostitution


Three novelists picked for Japan's Akutagawa and Naoki literary awards

Abstract: Three novelists were selected Wednesday to receive the country’s prestigious Akutagawa and Naoki literary awards for their works that covered a range of contemporary and historical topics. Takahiro Ueda and Ryohei Machiya won the Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors, while Junjo Shindo won the Naoki Prize for popular fiction, the selection committees said. In his novel “Nimuroddo” (“Nimrod”), the 39-year-old Ueda depicts relations between the advancement of science and humanism with a focus on cryptocurrency. Machiya, 35, tells the tale of a struggling professional boxer in his novel “Ichi Raundo Ippun Sanju-yon Byo” (“1 round 1 minute 34 seconds”). Ueda had failed to win the Akutagawa award in his two previous nominations, while Machiya was nominated for the prize for the first time last year. Shindo, 41, won the Naoki Prize on his first nomination with the mystery novel “Takarajima” (“Treasure Island”), which depicts the lives of young people in Okinawa for 20 years through 1972, when the island reverted to Japanese control from the United States. He made his debut in 2008. The awards will be presented at a ceremony in Tokyo in late February, with each author receiving ¥1 million. The Akutagawa Prize was established in 1935 in memory of Japanese novelist Ryunosuke Akutagawa. The Naoki Prize, created the same year, was named after author Sanjugo Naoki.

takahiro ueda
ryohei machiya
akutagawa prize
junjo shindo
naoki award


No-peel appeal: Novelty banana grower is showcase for integration of mentally disabled workers in Japan

Abstract: OKAYAMA - On a farm employing a sophisticated technique to develop special bananas in Okayama Prefecture, people with disabilities play a major role in the routine work of watering, fertilizing and removing yellowing leaves from the plants. Every morning, several mentally disabled workers come to the banana plantation of Chieko Saito, 54, in the city of Okayama, a 30-minute car ride from the welfare facility where they live. In the harvest season in the fall, more people from the facility pick fruit there. The workers cannot communicate well with others, but one of them said they found weeding “enjoyable.” Saito, a former nursery teacher with no prior farming experience, established Okayama Ohisama Farm in May 2017, hoping to promote the social integration of people with disabilities by providing them with jobs growing bananas. Saito used to work with children with disabilities in Gifu Prefecture, and even after quitting that job she always thought about the future of those children. She then came up with the idea of doing something to find employment for those with disabilities. After getting married, she moved to Okayama, which is known as the “kingdom of fruit” and is famous for its grapes and peaches. One winter day, she was invited to visit a local banana grower who had adopted a special method of cultivating bananas in nontropical areas. With the “freeze-thaw awakening” technique, the tropical fruit can grow in the prefecture, where the temperature can drop below zero in winter. That method, developed by Setsuzo Tanaka, 69, director and technology chief of D&T Farm Inc. and a native of Okayama, involves freezing banana cells to minus 60 degrees Celsius for half a year and then thawing them inside a greenhouse Bananas are one of the most popular fruits in Japan, but domestic bananas, which are grown in such prefectures as Kagoshima and Okinawa, are rare, and the country is almost totally dependent on imports from such tropical producers as the Philippines and Ecuador. “It was like I was in Southeast Asia. I was shocked to learn that bananas could be grown in Okayama,” Saito said of her first encounter with the bananas. “I thought these bananas could help attract attention to the welfare of people with disabilities.” Saito is now a member of the Women Who Farm project organized by the agriculture ministry, which connects female farmers from around Japan and links them with private companies and schools supporting the industry. “(Welfare) facilities and those with disabilities are not good at sales and marketing, even if they make good products,” Saito said. “If companies can back them up, that builds a win-win relationship.” Saito said she wants to help welfare facilities make profits so they can better finance living expenses for people with disabilities. Those institutions are basically run on government subsidies. At her 4,000-square-meter greenhouse, 10 kilometers from the Okayama city center, the bananas are grown without the use of pesticides and herbicides, enabling their skins to be also eaten. Saito and workers at her farm planted seedlings in November 2017 bought from a local grower. The chemical-free cultivation of bananas is laborious as workers have to remove grass and pests by hand from more than 220 plants at the farm. Each plant yields 150 to 200 skin-edible bananas in a typical harvest. Online sales of the farm’s bananas by retailers started in late December, and Saito plans to launch a direct internet shopping site in the near future, setting the price at ¥600 ($5.40) for a single banana. The taste of the bananas is richer and sweeter compared with conventional ones. The fruit from Saito’s farm is currently only available online, but she plans to expand sales outlets to some shops and department stores. Saito said her business has been maintained thanks to her hard-working staff. “When weeding, they really try hard and their skills are high,” she said. “Even if they feel hot, they work silently with patience.” The president of the farm said she heard the parents of children with disabilities were very happy when bananas their children had grown were featured in magazines or mail order catalogs. “I really feel it’s worth doing,” Saito said of the banana project. Workers with disabilities sometimes take the bananas back to the facility to make cakes and jam. They occasionally sell slices of banana cake for ¥200 and bottles of jam for ¥1,600 at the welfare institution and a cafe in the city. In early December, “banana butter,” one of the processed products made by the farm, was certified by a local chamber of commerce as a brand-name fruit item. Since the full-fledged sales of bananas only began recently, Saito’s business is still in the red, with expenses and salaries for those with disabilities covered out of her own pocket and by donations from her friends. She said she plans to promote the bananas and processed items through exhibitions at trade shows and by posting photos on social media. She eventually aims to export the bananas overseas. At an Okayama cafe that employs people with disabilities, customers can enjoy smoothies made from bananas and their peels procured from Saito’s farm. “At first, customers were surprised when they heard the smoothie was made of banana peels,” said the cafe owner, Kazuki Ochi. After drinking it, however, they said the beverage “tasted rich” or was “full of dietary fiber,” he added. Saito said she believes Japan — which is suffering from a serious labor crunch amid a graying population — should promote employment of people with disabilities in addition to accepting more foreign workers. “I think foreigners are necessary, but I also hope that more workplaces for people with disabilities will be provided. That would also help resolve” the labor shortage, Saito said.


Bangladeshi asylum-seeker's cuffed visit to Japanese hospital sparks online debate

Abstract: Photos of a Bangladeshi asylum-seeker being taken to a Japanese hospital while roped and in handcuffs have sparked an online debate on the treatment of foreign people detained at immigration centers. The images of a cuffed Mahruf Abdullah walking inside a hospital accompanied by uniformed immigration officials, with one of them holding a rope tied to Abdullah’s waist, were taken by a hospital visitor in October and have since been posted on social media by Asahi Oda, a supporter of immigration detainees. Abdullah, 36, agreed to be named and to have the images shared, saying he hopes to let people know how people like him are being treated. “I am not a criminal,” he said, saying the handcuffs and rope were humiliating. The asylum-seeker had his waist and knees examined by a doctor, and the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau said the handcuffs and rope were necessary to prevent him from fleeing. The images have so far drawn more than 1,000 responses online, including likes and shares. One user commented, “I find it cruel given he is not a burglar or a murderer,” while another said, “We need restraints to some extent if it is feared he’ll flee.” Japan can keep asylum-seekers without a legitimate visa status at immigration detention centers as preparation for deportation. Those who are clearly deemed not to meet the requirements, or who have applied many times for asylum in initial screenings, can be detained. The Immigration Bureau said it applies handcuffs and a rope to detainees in accordance with a Justice Ministry ordinance, but it also takes measures to prevent detainees from being seen in public in such restraints. In the photos, Abdullah’s handcuffs were covered. The bureau said the images in question made it appear as if he was exposed for some time to public view but that they only captured one scene from the visit. In 1995, the Osaka District Court ordered the state to compensate a Japanese defendant in a criminal trial who was taken to hospital in handcuffs and a rope, recognizing it as a violation of personal rights. The ruling was later upheld by the Supreme Court. The Justice Ministry’s Correction Bureau said it tries to keep hospital visits by inmates and detainees away from public view by making its officials change out of uniforms and enter medical institutions through back doors. “The human rights (of those held at immigration centers) should be protected as much as or even more than criminal defendants” who are presumed to be not guilty until courts find them otherwise, said Yasuzo Kitamura, a professor of international human rights law at Chuo University’s law school. The detention of foreign nationals at immigration centers is based on administrative rather than criminal procedures, he said.

immigration
mahruf abdullah
immigration bureau
rights
internet
refugees


Japan and U.S. vow to cooperate on North Korea and in space and cyber domains

Abstract: WASHINGTON - Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya and acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan agreed Wednesday to cooperate in new domains of warfare like outer space and cyberspace in a veiled response to China’s quest for military supremacy in such areas. Iwaya and Shanahan also affirmed full enforcement of U.N. sanctions on North Korea as a way of compelling it to abandon nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, the Japanese minister told reporters after their meeting at the Pentagon. They agreed that deterrence by the two countries plus South Korea is “indispensable” for the security of the region despite ties between Tokyo and Seoul souring over an alleged radar lock-on incident involving a South Korean warship and a Japanese plane. It was the first meeting between the two ministers since Shanahan took the post on Jan. 1 following the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. The talks came a month after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet adopted a new 10-year defense policy and five-year midterm defense buildup program, both of which are intended to further strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance. In the meeting, Shanahan “acknowledged the key role Japan’s new National Defense Program Guidelines and Mid-Term Defense Program will play in strengthening the alliance,” the Pentagon said in a statement. “The leaders reaffirmed the long-standing defense relationship as the cornerstone of regional security policy,” it said. Earlier Wednesday, Iwaya sought to establish close ties between the U.S. Space Command — which President Donald Trump has instructed the Pentagon to set up in response to the growing space capabilities of rivals such as Russia and China — and Japan’s envisaged space unit, an entity to be established by fiscal 2022 in line with the latest defense guidelines. In a speech in Washington, Iwaya also pushed for deeper coordination in the cyberspace domain with the U.S. Cyber Command, as he outlined a Japanese plan to set up a cyberdefense unit under the command of the defense minister by fiscal 2023. “For space, we will monitor situations in space all the time and develop capabilities to disrupt an opponent’s command-and-control and information communications,” he said, referring to the proposed unit. The envisaged cyber unit “will drastically enhance cyberdefense capabilities, including those to disrupt an opponent’s use of cyberspace in an armed attack against Japan,” Iwaya told the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank. Citing threats posed by North Korea, Iwaya urged firmer operational cooperation with the U.S. military and said the planned introduction of the land-based Aegis Ashore missile system in Japan will lead to a “tremendous increase” in its ballistic missile defense capability. “We cannot overlook the fact that North Korea’s nuclear and missile capability continues to be a serious and imminent threat to our security,” he said. “This fact makes it even more important for Japan-U.S. cooperation to be rock-solid.” In the Pentagon meeting, Iwaya and Shanahan underscored their opposition to attempts to alter the status quo in the East and South China seas, and pledged to cooperate in promoting the rule of law and the freedom of navigation there. The move was an apparent criticism of China’s militarization of outposts in disputed areas of the South China Sea and Beijing’s attempts to undermine Tokyo’s administration of the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. Iwaya and Shanahan affirmed close coordination in providing capacity-building assistance in maritime security to developing countries as part of efforts to advance the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific — a concept seen as designed to counter China’s rising clout and assertiveness in the region. “In order to establish the desired security environment for the Japan-U.S. alliance, it is essential to strengthen the presence of Japan and the United States in the Indo-Pacific region and we will continue our efforts to that end,” Iwaya said. Iwaya said he and Shanahan confirmed that Tokyo and Washington will push forward a plan to relocate U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma within Okinawa Prefecture so as to achieve an early return to Japanese control of land in a crowded residential area of Ginowan. The central government maintains that relocating Futenma from Ginowan to the less-populated coastal district of Henoko in Nago is the “only solution” for removing the dangers posed by the air station without undermining the deterrence provided by the Japan-U.S. alliance. Despite fierce local opposition, reclamation work started last month for the construction of a replacement facility for Futenma. Iwaya, on a five-day visit to Washington and Hawaii that began Tuesday, had a separate meeting Wednesday with Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton.

space
defense
takeshi iwaya
patrick shanahan
cyberspace
japan-u.s .


Russia calls on Japan to recognize outcome of World War II

Abstract: MOSCOW - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denied on Wednesday that Moscow was imposing an ultimatum on Japan in talks to end a decadeslong territorial dispute, but called on Tokyo to recognize the results of World War II. Japan is seeking a peace deal with Russia it hopes will end a dispute over islands off Hokkaido captured by Soviet troops in the last days of World War II, a disagreement that has long soured bilateral relations. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has launched a diplomatic campaign to strike a deal with Moscow, but Russia says Tokyo must recognize Russian sovereignty over the islands before progress can be made in peace talks. “These are not pre-conditions, it’s just an effort to understand why Japan is the only country in the world which cannot say: ‘I accept the results of World War II in their entirety,'” Lavrov told a news conference. Foreign Minister Taro Kono held talks about the territorial dispute with Lavrov in Moscow on Monday and Abe is set to have discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Jan. 22. Lavrov has said a Russian desire to normalize relations with Tokyo meant it agreed to step up talks about the territorial dispute and the peace deal, but that significant differences remain between the two sides. Opinion polls show most Russians oppose handing back the islands to Japan, and Russian nationalists plan to stage a demonstration in Moscow this weekend calling on the Kremlin to keep the territory.

territorial dispute
russia-japan relations
sergei lavrov


Panel slams Japan's labor ministry for years of sloppy data that shortchanged 20 million people

Abstract: Government panel members Thursday slammed the labor ministry over irregularities in its monthly labor survey used to calculate unemployment benefits and gross domestic product. The faulty labor and wage data over more than a decade have resulted in the underpayment of benefits to more than 20 million people. “A serious problem has occurred,” Kiyohiko Nishimura, who chairs the internal affairs ministry’s Statistics Commission, said, urging the ministry to switch to an appropriate statistical method and take other necessary steps immediately. “This is an unprecedented scandal shaking public trust in government statistics at large,” another member of the commission composed of academic experts, said at an emergency meeting. The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry the same day began a full-scale probe into the matter by convening a meeting of an inspection team involving lawyers, with the main focus on whether bureaucrats tried to systematically cover up the misconduct regarding a key survey of the country’s employment conditions. “This is an extremely serious incident,” labor minister Takumi Nemoto told the meeting. The government is expected to reprimand the labor ministry’s top bureaucrat and some other officials, a government source said Thursday. For the Monthly Labor Survey, the ministry is required to review all businesses in Japan with 500 or more employees. In 2016, the labor ministry informed the internal affairs ministry that it covers all business establishments with employees of 500 or more in its monthly labor survey. But it admitted last week that it collected data from only a third of the roughly 1,400 such companies in Tokyo since 2004, resulting in the statistics showing nationwide wages as lower than the actual figures. Recent revelations also showed that there had been a manual authorizing a sampling survey inside the labor ministry, updated every few years and passed on to those in charge of the issue. It included phrases such as “accuracy (of the data) can be ensured without surveying all businesses.” But such descriptions have been deleted since 2015, a possible sign ministry officials were aware they were doing something wrong and had sought to conceal the fact. Labor minister Takumi Nemoto admitted to reporters Thursday that the descriptions in question had been removed from the manual that year. Given that changes to government statistics methods need approval from the internal affairs minister, the labor ministry may have violated the Statistics Act, sources familiar with the situation said. The government plans to retrospectively pay the shortfalls in the benefits.


Volcano erupts in southern Japan but no evacuation warning issued

Abstract: A volcano erupted on a remote island in southern Japan on Thursday, the Meteorological Agency said, but the warning level was kept below the threshold that would require an evacuation. The agency said the volcano on Kuchinoerabu Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, erupted at 9:20 a.m. Live images showed thick black smoke billowing out of the mountain. The eruption released pyroclastic flows, or flows of super-heated ash and gas, but the flows did not reach residential areas. No injuries were reported, according to the Kagoshima Prefectural Government. After Thursday’s eruption, the Meteorological Agency maintained the island’s volcano warning level at 3 on a scale of 5. Level 3 warns climbers not to scale the mountain but advises residents to go about their lives as usual. A series of large-scale eruptions occurred on the island last month. The same peak erupted explosively in 2015, sending ash and smoke thousands of meters into the sky and releasing potentially deadly pyroclastic flows that reached the sea. All of the island’s residents were evacuated at the time but eventually returned. Some 100 people now live there. Japan has 110 active volcanoes, 47 of which are under constant observation.


Mayor of Japan's 'city of shogi' has a dream: A place 'where every citizen is able to play' the game

Abstract: TENDO, YAMAGATA PREF. - The city of Tendo in Yamagata Prefecture, known for being the largest producer of shogi pieces in Japan, is sounding the alarm over the waning popularity of the board game in the nation’s “city of shogi.” With the diversification of recreational activities, the number of people who enjoy the chess-like traditional Japanese board game in the city has decreased, and many elementary and junior high school students do not know how to play the game. A survey conducted by the Tendo Municipal Government in December 2017 found that 60 percent of students attending elementary and junior high schools within the city did not know how to play shogi. The decline in the passion for shogi among younger generations sent a shock wave through the city. In response, Tendo Mayor Shinji Yamamoto proclaimed that he “wants to make the city (a place) where every citizen is able to play shogi.” Hoping to spur a renewed interest in the game, the Tendo government held an event in which 4,000 people, including residents, played shogi in October last year. The event was listed in the Guinness World Records as featuring the most games of shogi played simultaneously in one location. Although the board game’s popularity has been boosted nationally by the eye-catching performances of 16-year-old Sota Fujii, the nation’s youngest professional shogi player and holder of the rank of seventh dan, the city’s pressing task is nurturing next-generation shogi players. The city is considering inviting instructors from the Japan Shogi Association’s Tendo branch and other organizations, as well as holding classes for children at all community centers in the city, beginning in fiscal 2019. The Tendo government hopes to produce the city’s first professional shogi player through initiatives such as once-a-week classes taught by pro players and others for some talented children. Chihiro Honma, 36, whose 6-year-old daughter Shuri attends a local shogi class and wants to become a professional player, is enthusiastic about the idea of his daughter receiving classes from professional players. He said he is “happy” that shogi in the city will be invigorated through the measures. “The city of shogi will gain strength if strong players who are also great people are developed (in Tendo),” Yoshimi Oizumi, head of the national association’s Tendo branch, said. The Tendo Chamber of Commerce and Industry is also working on measures to promote shogi. With help from Shokei Gakuin University located in Natori in neighboring Miyagi Prefecture, the organization has developed a shogi game using a board of 36 squares, instead of the conventional 81, in the hope of spreading interest in shogi to many people. The new game is shorter in duration than a regular shogi game and the organization is considering commercializing it. A Tendo city official noted that people “will need shogi pieces if the shogi population increases.” The official also voiced the expectation that a rising number of shogi players will attract more tourists to the city. Meanwhile, Yuriko Goto, deputy chief director of the Shogi Pieces Makers Cooperative Society of Yamagata, said that while Fujii had sparked a boom, local areas linked to shogi “should also get into the spirit.” “There aren’t any other cities where you are surrounded by shogi pieces,” she added.


Kobe marks 24th anniversary of Great Hanshin Earthquake, with pledge to keep stories and lessons alive

Abstract: KOBE - The city of Kobe and neighboring areas on Thursday marked the 24th anniversary of the deadly Great Hanshin Earthquake, with residents and family members of the deceased remembering those that were lost and pledging to ensure that their stories and lessons learned from the disaster are passed on to future generations. A moment of silence was observed at 5:46 a.m., the time the 7.3 magnitude quake struck the Hyogo Prefecture capital on Jan. 17, 1995. The temblor killed 6,434 people. Almost a quarter of a century after the quake there are concerns that the disaster could be forgotten by people who didn’t live through it. “I fear that the lessons we learned from the earthquake, and our memories of it, are waning,” Hyogo Gov. Toshizo Ido said at a memorial ceremony held by the prefecture. Last year, among those living in public housing in the prefecture accommodating the disaster victims, 70 residents, most of whom are elderly, died alone. The tally brought the total number of lonely deaths since 2000 to 1,097, when the prefecture began taking such a survey. “We will keep the experiences and lessons acquired from the disaster alive,” Kobe Mayor Kizo Hisamoto said. Also Thursday at Suwayama Park, a trumpet performance was held to commemorate the anniversary. But due to the aging of the organizer, this year’s performance will be the last. Akira Matsudaira, 76, plays trumpet for the event almost every year. “It is regrettable that we have to end this event but I want to continue my commemorative performance in various places,” Matsudaira said. Some young people are eager to learn more about the disaster and the lessons that can be taken from it. At another park in the prefecture, Oka Yanagawa, a senior high school student, said that because he is in the generation that didn’t experience the disaster, he wants to learn about it. At the ceremony held by Hyogo, the governor also highlighted the importance of being prepared for emergencies, particularly after a series of natural disasters struck Japan last year and with experts warning of a possible megaquake along the Nankai Trough, which extends southwest from central Japan along the Pacific coast. “I want to convey to the younger generations how we recovered by building deeper bonds with each other,” Daisuke Shibata, 31, said at the ceremony as a representative of the bereaved families. He lost two younger brothers in the quake, which destroyed or caused damage to some 640,000 homes. In addition to the 6,434 killed, the magnitude 7.3 quake left some 43,000 others injured. As many as 310,000 people evacuated to emergency shelters. Thursday’s memorials were the final ones of the Heisei Era, which began in 1989. The era name will be changed when Crown Prince Naruhito accedes to the throne on May 1.

kobe
anniversaries
great hanshin earthquake
earthquakes
hyogo


Osaka officials meet residents near G20 site to discuss traffic restrictions and other measures ahead of June meeting

Abstract: OSAKA - Residents near the venue for the June 28-29 Group of 20 leaders’ summit will face traffic restrictions immediately before and after the meeting, Osaka officials said Wednesday evening, but the exact measures are still being worked out. About 200 residents of the city’s Suminoe Ward, near the waterfront, gathered to hear the first of four presentations by officials this month on the local impact of the first-ever G20 summit in Japan. The event is expected to bring about 30,000 people to the city, including over 20 world leaders, the heads of various international organizations, and up to 3,000 members of the media. The venue for the summit, Intex Osaka, is an aging complex by the city’s waterfront district. There are two subway lines that lead from the center of the city to the area, as well as the Hanshin Expressway. Officials said Wednesday evening there would be traffic restrictions at the time of the summit. But they gave few specific details on how subway service would be affected and which roads near Intex Osaka will be closed when VIP motorcades arrive at and depart from the venue. Many leaders are due to stay at luxury hotels in the northern part of Osaka, over a dozen kilometers away from the venue. Specific restrictions, residents were told, will be decided in cooperation with the central government within the next few months. Officials also announced that the police would conduct an anti-terrorism drill in the area on Feb. 5. During the question and answer period, concerns were raised about the extent to which local schools and public parks would be shut down before and during the summit. Some parents sought to ensure school and sports schedules in the area were not disrupted around the time of the summit, and suggested the city make alternate arrangements for their children to attend schools or play sports in areas of Osaka that will not be affected by the added security measures. Afterward, some residents complained they learned little at the meeting. Others said that, despite potential security concerns, they were looking forward to the G20 coming to their neighborhood. “It will be quite exciting to see people from all over the world in this part of Osaka, but I have to admit that, of all of the world leaders, I’m really hoping to see U.S. President Donald Trump,” said Yusuke Fukumoto, who lives in the Suminoe area.


Singaporean linked to Tokyo's 2020 Olympics bid gets week in jail for lying to anticorruption agency

Abstract: SINGAPORE - A Singaporean man linked to Tokyo’s bid for the 2020 Olympics was sentenced to a week in jail Tuesday for lying to officers from Singapore’s anti-corruption agency who are investigating his company’s shady financial transfers. Tan Tong Han, 35, owner of the now-defunct Singapore-based consultancy firm Black Tidings, was found by the court to have lied to Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau officers who were probing the firm’s money transfers in 2015. Tan had been charged in court in February last year at a time when media speculation was rife about his firm’s alleged links to Tokyo’s bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics and to an extortion and doping scandal involving Russian athlete Liliya Shobukhova and the International Association of Athletics Federations. After a yearlong series of closed-door hearings, he formally pleaded guilty at Tuesday’s court session, which was finally opened for media coverage, and was swiftly sentenced. Details revealed in court showed that Tan enjoyed a close relationship with Papa Massata Diack, a Senegalese national and a former marketing consultant for the IAAF. He is the son of disgraced former IAAF President Lamine Diack, a Senegalese businessman, sports administrator and former athlete who is the subject of numerous investigations into corruption during his 1999-2015 tenure as the association’s chief. Deputy Public Prosecutor Jiang Ke-Yue told the court that the junior Diack had instructed Tan to issue an invoice for a sum of 547,819.53 Singapore dollars (about ¥43.97 million) to his firm Pamodzi Consulting for work done by his company. On the same day, Pamodzi Consulting wired the money to Black Tidings. Soon after, Tan carried out Diack’s order for him to transfer almost all of that money to Igor Shobukhov, husband of the Russian distance runner who was involved in the doping scandal. Tan “issued an invoice even though no such work was carried out,” Jiang said. In November 2015, Tan admitted to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau that he had earlier lied to its officers when asked about the transfers. He told the bureau that Diack had instructed him to say he was tricked into transferring the funds if interrogated by Singapore investigators. The investigation bureau had said in May 2016 in response to an email enquiry from Kyodo News that it was working with French authorities when asked about the Tokyo 2020 Olympic bid issue. Japanese Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda, who headed the 2020 bid committee, had said in a statement in 2016 that payments of S$2.8 million to a Black Tidings bank account were legitimate expenses paid for contracted consultancy work by him. However it has recently come to light that Takeda has been under formal investigation by French prosecutors for suspected corruption in connection with Tokyo’s successful bid to host the Summer Games.

singapore
corruption
tan tong han
black tidings
tokyo 2020 olympics


Okinawa activist launches hunger strike to protest cities staying out of vote on Henoko U.S. base plan

Abstract: Backed by about 93,000 signatures from residents of Okinawa, Jinshiro Motoyama and his civil organization pushed the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly last year to hold a referendum on a controversial plan to relocate a U.S. military base to the Henoko area by reclaiming land in an area with endangered coral reefs. In his latest move, Motoyama has launched a hunger strike in front of the Ginowan City Hall to express discontent over major municipalities in the prefecture, including Ginowan, not participating in the nonbinding referendum, slated for Feb. 24. “We have met with and kept telling the mayors and municipal officials that we demand a referendum that allows all the people in Okinawa to join,” Motoyama said in an interview Thursday with The Japan Times. “But they have not changed their stance. So, it came to the point where I needed to begin a hunger strike as a last resort.” The 27-year-old native of Ginowan — home to U.S Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, which is slated for relocation to Henoko, also in Okinawa Prefecture — took a year off from his graduate studies at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo in April last year to organize the Association for the “Henoko” Referendum on the Construction of a New U.S. Base in Henoko. Motoyama, who began his hunger strike on Tuesday, said he feels a bit dizzy, as he only consumes water. But he also says he is more cheerful than ever thanks to reports of citizens from municipalities staying out of the vote supporting his cause. Believing their rights have been ignored, many citizens are infuriated, he said. Daisuke Muramoto, an outspoken member of a comedy duo called Woman Rush Hour, paid a visit to Motoyama and told him he was motivated by his courage to speak out for local residents, Motoyama said. Muramoto’s hometown of Oi in Fukui Prefecture has also experienced controversy, the comedian noted, as the prefecture is home to a number of nuclear power plants. The five cities declining to participate in the referendum are Ginowan, Ishigaki, Miyakojima, Okinawa and Uruma — which together account for around 30 percent of the prefecture’s population. Some municipal leaders in those cities say their lack of participation stems from their local assemblies rejecting related budgets. Motoyama’s hunger strike is expected to last until the leaders of the five cities agree to participate in the referendum — or until a doctor intervenes to stop him — according to his supporters. “As a local citizen of the city of Ginowan, I have been part of this referendum process from the very beginning. I want to let both Japan and the rest of the world know about this absurd situation,” Motoyama said.

okinawa
henoko
jinshiro motoyama
referendums
futenma
u.s. bases
nago


After yearslong fight, Osaka subway drivers win court case over Toru Hashimoto-era beard ban

Abstract: OSAKA - A district court ruled Wednesday in favor of two subway drivers who sought compensation from the Osaka Municipal Government, claiming they received poor performance reviews for refusing to comply with internal regulations banning beards. The Osaka District Court ordered the city to pay the men a total of ¥440,000, saying that setting a blanket ban on beards goes beyond the scope of service discipline because having beards is a matter of “individual freedom.” The men filed the suit in 2016, seeking ¥4.4 million and recognition from the local government that workers are not obligated to shave beards. Beards “cannot be taken on and off” and restricting them in service disciplines “will affect private lives,” presiding Judge Hiroyuki Naito said in the ruling. He also said it was “illegal” that the drivers were given lower scores in performance reviews and were told by their bosses in interviews that they would be punished for not abiding by the internal regulations. The two drivers had had beards for more than 10 years when the Osaka transportation bureau introduced grooming standards in 2012 under which men were prohibited from growing beards under a policy promoted by then-Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto. They did not follow the rules and were poorly assessed in their performance reviews in fiscal 2013 and 2014, according to the ruling. The court recognized in the ruling that setting internal regulations urging employees to shave beards was reasonable on the grounds that people with them are not necessarily broadly accepted “positively” in society. But it noted that the regulations should have been used to seek “voluntary cooperation” on the issue, rather than used as an “order.” The plaintiffs’ suit has argued that beards are part of “individual freedom, similar to choosing clothes or hairstyles.” The city defended its position by saying it had received complaints from citizens who found beards to be distasteful. It said it did not force the drivers to shave them off but only made a request. One of the plaintiffs, Eiji Kono, told a news conference later in the day that having a beard is part of his individuality. “I have grown beards for more than 10 years; if I shave, that’s not me,” said Kono, 56, adding that he hopes for fair treatment. The Osaka subway is no longer run by the city and there are no internal regulations banning beards. Kono and the other plaintiff, whose name was not provided, continue to work as drivers and both have beards. The local government said it will consider its next action after talking with Osaka Metro Co., the current operator of the subway system.

osaka
subway
toru hashimoto
beards
lawsuits


Female Imperial family members to be barred from key succession rite in line with Japanese law

Abstract: The government decided Thursday that only male adults of the Imperial family will attend one of the key ceremonies to mark Crown Prince Naruhito’s ascension to the throne on May 1, following the example set by Emperor Akihito’s enthronement in 1989. The government will allow only male adults from the Imperial family to attend the ceremony because the Imperial House Law stipulates that only males can ascend the throne and members who are minors customarily do not take part in succession rites. But excluding female members could be viewed as being out of touch with the times. In contrast, the government will allow female Cabinet ministers to participate in the rite on the grounds that they are unrelated to the Imperial succession and would be attending as observers. Currently, the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has only one female minister: Satsuki Katayama, who is in charge of regional revitalization. When Emperor Akihito ascended the throne in January 1989 following the death of his father, Emperor Hirohito, the attendants were all male. The Cabinet at the time, under Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita, had no female ministers. The 58-year-old Crown Prince will ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne a day after Emperor Akihito, 85, abdicates on April 30 as the first living Japanese monarch to do so in about 200 years. The Kenji to Shokei no Gi ceremony, in which a new emperor inherits traditional regalia such as the sacred sword and jewels as proof of accession to the throne, will commence at 10:30 a.m. on May 1 at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, with Cabinet ministers, Diet leaders and the chief justice of the Supreme Court taking part. Prince Akishino, the 53-year-old younger son of the Emperor, and Prince Hitachi, the 83-year-old younger brother of the Emperor, will be the only participants from the Imperial family. But in the Sokui go Choken no Gi ritual, or the new Emperor’s first audience ceremony after the accession to be held later on May 1, female adult Imperial family members will be allowed to participate, along with senior Diet and government officials and municipality heads. The government committee on the Imperial succession rites led by Abe also decided Thursday to use a convertible model of Toyota Motor Corp.’s luxury sedan Century for a parade scheduled for Oct. 22 to celebrate the new Emperor’s enthronement with the public. Among five candidates, the panel picked Toyota’s Century, typically the sedan of choice for the Imperial family and company executives, for the parade due to its safety and fuel economy. Other candidates were Nissan Motor Co.’s Cima, Honda Motor Co.’s Legend, Rolls Royce’s Dawn and Mercedes-Benz’s S560 Cabriolet. The government also sounded out BMW, but it did not present a proposal, officials said. In a Feb. 24 ceremony at the National Theater to commemorate 30 years since the enthronement of Emperor Akihito, Fukushima Gov. Masao Uchibori and former Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi will offer words of gratitude to him as representatives of the public, according to the outline of a series of succession ceremonies. The Emperor, who has undergone heart surgery and treatment for prostate cancer, signaled his desire to step down in a video message in 2016, citing concerns that his advanced age and weakening health could prevent him from fulfilling his duties. The Diet enacted a one-off law in June 2017, allowing him to pass his status to his elder son. The special legislation was necessary as the Imperial House Law lacks a provision for abdication.

imperial family
emperor akihito
imperial house law
abdication
women
discrimination
emperor naruhito


Tiffany to disclose info on diamond origins amid concerns over 'conflict' stones

Abstract: NEW YORK - Tiffany announced Wednesday it would identify the origin of diamonds, a transparency initiative to assure customers worried about “conflict diamonds.” Starting immediately, Tiffany will provide sourcing information for diamonds 0.18 carats and larger and will in 2020 share information about the “craftsmanship” journey of the jewel, such as cutting and polishing workshop location. “Diamonds, formed up to 3 billion years ago and brought to the Earth’s surface by a miracle of nature, are symbols of the most important moments in our lives,” said Tiffany Chief Executive Alessandro Bogliolo in a news release. “There should be nothing opaque about Tiffany diamonds.” In cases where a diamond’s provenance is unknown, such as with stones that predate the policy, Tiffany will assure that the diamond was sourced with industry leading practices, the company said. The move was praised by Human Rights Watch, which had last year launched the #BehindtheBling campaign to pressure jewelry companies to be more transparent. Aside from war, diamonds may also be tainted by forced or child labor or environmental harm, said a statement from Jo Becker, advocacy director for the rights organization. “Tiffany’s announcement is another step forward, and we encourage others, particularly diamond mining companies, to provide their clients with information on the origins of the diamonds they sell,” Becker said.


With her edible organic roses, Saitama entrepreneur tastes success at an early age

Abstract: FUKAYA, SAITAMA PREF. - The life of 25-year-old Ayaka Tanaka is busy, to say the least. As head of a fast-growing organic rose producer, Tanaka routinely checks her farms on the outskirts of Tokyo, picks rose petals herself at harvest time and meets prospective clients during her days in the capital. She does all that while studying economics at university and taking English lessons with an eye on her business’ future overseas expansion. Rose Labo Co., with slightly more than a dozen employees, has been producing edible organic roses at a 3,300-square-meter farm in Fukaya, Saitama Prefecture, since it was established in 2015. She grows her plants hydroponically, avoiding soil so as not to require chemicals or pesticides. Her rose petals are used as cake decorations, and the company’s processed products, including jams and cosmetics, are sold at major department stores and other shops in Tokyo, as well as online. Roses have been a part of Tanaka’s life from early childhood, sometimes in the form of designs on plates and cups used at home, other times through the saying, “Roses make a woman strong,” repeated by her great-grandmother, whose love for the fragrant flower was well known in the family. But little did she imagine that the quiet but constant presence of roses in her life would transform her, taking her from a passive university student who always avoided challenges because of uncertainty about her abilities and future direction, to a woman with a plan. It was a casual living room conversation with her family when she was a college freshman that led to her life-changing moment. “My mother said, ‘You know, there are roses you can eat,’ and it blew my mind,” said Tanaka. “I was surprised that I didn’t know about edible roses.” The discovery about the flower she thought she knew so well made Tanaka realize she had blindly assumed many things in life, and cast a light on the many unexplored possibilities of roses, and herself, she said. “I had a sense of inferiority because everyone seemed to have firm dreams and goals that they were pursuing, but when I encountered edible roses, it made me think about their potential and how, maybe, I can achieve things too if I try,” she said. It was not long until she quit her international politics studies at university to work at a rose farm in Osaka Prefecture and learn about how to grow the flowers. “As soon as they found out, a family meeting was called,” Tanaka said with a laugh, adding that it was all the more shocking because she was the first in her family to take up farming. In the rapidly aging farming industry, Tanaka’s move is rare. As of 2017, the farming population in Japan stood at 1.8 million and the average age was 66.7. Of the 55,700 people who joined the farming businesses that year, women aged 44 or younger only accounted for 4,600, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. “Producing cabbages or other products without detailed plans and selling them without knowing where they go is okay in one sense, but you are likely to end up with reduced profits and a poorly run business, which the next generation will be reluctant to take over,” Tanaka said. “I want to let many people know of the potential in farming,” she said, adding she considers it crucial to add something special to one’s products and secure solid sales channels to make a sustainable farming business. Now Tanaka holds lectures at various universities to share her experience as a young entrepreneur and farmer, as well as her views on the future of the sector. Being a young woman without a family history of farming, which she once considered a weakness, has turned out to be a strength that helps her reach out to different people, she said. Her business has not always been successful. In the first year she started growing roses, none bloomed, she recalled. Out of desperation, she sought help from an agricultural college to relearn techniques, and then her rose bushes not only started blooming but also produced many more flowers than she needed. Being reluctant to waste her cherished flowers, Tanaka made them into jam and hatched a plan to process excess rose petals for sale. Processed rose products, including confitures, teas, soaps and other cosmetic products, have since proved a valuable revenue source and now account for about 70 percent of company sales. Her annual sales stood at ¥1.5 million ($13,000) in the first year but surged to ¥100 million by the third year, according to Tanaka. Tanaka said this is only the starting point for her business as she looks toward selling her products overseas. She said she has had interest and offers from people in South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan and elsewhere. “I used to live passively, as if I were just killing time, but now I feel that I am walking on my own two feet … and I am also not just thinking about everyday things but also about the future,” she said.


Federation of Japan auto labor unions won't seek unified base pay hike

Abstract: A group of Japanese automobile workers’ unions decided Thursday that each union should set a specific monthly payment target for the annual labor-management wage talks this spring, instead of seeking a unified base pay rise as it has done in recent years. The decision by the Confederation of Japan Automobile Workers’ Unions came as a labor union of the industry’s trendsetter Toyota Motor Corp. is considering engaging in the upcoming shuntō spring negotiations without presenting a specific base pay hike target, which has so far served as a bellwether for other companies. Small and medium-sized companies in Japan generally refrain from raising base wages by more than Toyota does, which critics say may lead to the cementing of existing disparities between the pay of employees of larger and smaller companies. The confederation decided that placing too much emphasis on base pay hikes may not necessarily benefit its members, as the level of the monthly base salaries is already different according to company size. It is the first time since the spring wage negotiations in 2014 that the confederation, joined by federations of unions of Toyota and other major automakers and with a membership of around 779,000, will not set a numerical target for a pay-scale hike. In the previous spring wage negotiations, it decided to demand a monthly base wage hike of ¥3,000 ($27) or more. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been calling on companies to raise wages to beat the country’s chronic deflation and ensure the revival and sustainable growth of the economy. In December, Abe again asked companies to hike wages on the back of concerns that the October sales tax hike from the current 8 percent to 10 percent could dampen consumer spending and business investment. But many companies remain cautious about reducing their cash reserves to increase wages.

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Japan farming co-op federation to resume Niigata rice exports to China this month

Abstract: YOKOHAMA - The National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations (JA Zen-Noh) will resume sales of rice produced in Niigata Prefecture to China later this month after a break of nearly eight years. Niigata rice exports were suspended following the triple core meltdown at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant due to the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. JA Zen-Noh, the business and marketing arm of the Japanese agricultural cooperatives group (JA), will resume Niigata rice sales in Shanghai later this month on a trial basis. The group aims to expand Japanese rice sales in the massive Chinese market amid falling domestic consumption. China, which has a population of more than 1.3 billion, lifted its ban on Niigata rice in November last year. The export resumption is “a landmark event” that will be appreciated by producers, agriculture minister Takamori Yoshikawa said at a ceremony in Yokohama on Tuesday to mark the occasion. JA Zen-Noh President Genichi Jinde said he regards the resumption as “the first step” in efforts to expand rice sales overseas. JA Zen-Noh will sell a total of 500 bags each containing 2 kg of polished Niigata rice in Shanghai, targeting wealthy consumers. The organization plans to expand its Chinese sales network to cover Beijing and other cities. China introduced its import restrictions on Japanese farm and fishery products in April 2011. The regulations still affect products produced in 10 prefectures including Fukushima. China also maintains import restrictions on Niigata products other than rice. The government aims to increase Japan’s annual exports of farm, forestry and fishery products plus food to ¥1 trillion in 2019. The exports totaled ¥807.1 billion in 2017, of which rice accounted for only ¥3.2 billion.


For sale: The Chrysler Building, New York's Art Deco icon

Abstract: NEW YORK - The Chrysler Building, an Art Deco masterpiece that has been a defining image of New York City’s skyline for decades, has been put up for sale, a minority owner of the building and a broker hired to market the property said on Wednesday. The 77-story stainless steel-clad skyscraper, briefly the world’s tallest building after it was finished in 1930, is 90 percent owned by the Abu Dhabi Investment Council, a sovereign wealth fund, with developer Tishman Speyer owning the remainder. “It’s exciting. I’m getting inquiries from all over the world,” said Darcy Stacom, chairman and head of New York City Capital Markets at brokerage CBRE Group Inc. The 1.26 million-sq.-foot building underwent a $100 million renovation after Tishman acquired the property in 1997. Tishman later reduced its holding. The sovereign wealth fund paid $800 million when it bought its stake in 2008. The building’s brand and its location on 42nd Street just east of Grand Central Terminal, a major Manhattan transportation hub, are ripe for greater retail exploitation, Stacom said. The building’s occupancy rate is in the low 80 percent range, below the city average, according to CBRE. Stacom declined to reveal the asking price for the building. Stacom declined to give the vacancy rate at the Chrysler Building or the asking price. Buildings on average are 50 years old in Midtown and many store-fronts are empty, hard hit by e-commerce. With the new Hudson Yards district on the far West Side attracting major corporations, concerns have been raised about Midtown’s appeal. But Midtown remains a favored business destination. JPMorgan Chase & Co. plans to build a new headquarters on nearby Park Avenue. One Vanderbilt, a marquee office tower, is rising just west of Grand Central. Age could be a selling point, too, as seen by the popularity of Midtown South, which has the city’s lowest vacancy rate and companies such as Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Facebook Inc. occupy century-old structures. The decision to sell a property is driven by numerous factors, not often due to unsatisfactory performance, said Patrice Derrington, director of the real estate development program at Columbia University. “New York City constantly offers an appropriately varied array of formats for office tenants, creating a complementary ecosystem,” she said.

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U.S.-China trade tensions impacting Japanese firms, BOJ warns

Abstract: The Bank of Japan warned Thursday that risks to the global economy, including heightened trade tensions between the United States and China, are beginning to have an adverse effect on Japanese companies. In a quarterly report on the nation’s regional economies, the central bank said the impact of the ongoing trade war between the world’s two largest economies has been limited so far but that “a gradually increasing number of firms are pointing to some effects, such as a decline in orders.” The BOJ, meanwhile, upgraded its assessment of two regions that have been recovering from a series of natural disasters last year: Hokkaido, which was hit by a magnitude 6.7 earthquake that caused an island-wide blackout in September, and the western Chugoku region, where flash floods killed more than 200 people in July. It kept unchanged its assessments of the rest of the country’s nine regions: Tohoku, Hokuriku, Kanto-Koshinetsu, Tokai, Kinki, Shikoku and Kyushu-Okinawa. The central bank cited a number of companies across various industries voicing worries over the trade battle, which has already seen the United States and China raise tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars in each other’s products. “Orders from China have been slowing. We’re concerned that if the U.S.-China trade friction becomes more intense, demand will continue to weaken,” a manufacturer of production machinery based in the Kanto-Koshinetsu region was quoted as saying. “We’ve postponed investing in capacity expansion due to concerns of a further Chinese downturn,” said an electric machinery-maker in the Chugoku region. The Sakura Report, named after its cherry blossom-colored cover, is released every three months following a meeting of the BOJ’s regional branch managers. It is the Japanese equivalent of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s Beige Book. At the meeting, BOJ Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda said Japan’s economy is expected to continue expanding moderately as wage increases lead to more spending. The central bank will continue to keep interest rates extremely low until inflation rises to its 2 percent target, he said. “We will continue to make the necessary policy adjustments to maintain momentum toward our price stability target … while inspecting the relevant risks and assessing economic, price and financial conditions.”


VW and Ford to reveal deeper alliance next week in tech quest amid trade frictions, sources say

Abstract: HAMBURG, GERMANY/DETROIT - Volkswagen AG and Ford Motor Co. will unveil a deeper alliance next week that goes beyond cooperating in commercial vehicles in a move meant to save the automakers billions of dollars as they develop new technologies, two people familiar with the plan said on Wednesday. Ford and VW have been exploring closer cooperation as trade frictions force carmakers to rethink where they build vehicles for Europe, the United States and China, and as software companies prepare to launch their own self-driving cars. “A global alliance is expected to be announced,” one person said, adding that the pact will be unveiled next Tuesday during the Detroit auto show. The companies have previously said any alliance would not involve a merger or equity stakes. The expanding alliance highlights the growing pressure on all global automakers to manage the costs of developing electric and self-driving vehicles, as well as technology required to meet tougher emissions standards for millions of internal combustion vehicles they will sell in the years to come. Slowdowns in the world’s largest auto markets — China and the United States — have ratcheted up the pressure to cut costs. The scope of the alliance is still being determined, the people said, as talks about cooperation in the area of electric and autonomous cars continue. The sources asked not to be identified because the negotiations are ongoing. “Talks are going well,” the second person said. The framework of the alliance would include the pooling of resources in autonomous technology and VW investing in that Ford business, and Ford licensing Volkswagen’s MEB electric vehicles platform, the person added. When the commercial vehicle alliance is announced next week, the companies will also say they are close on deals covering the autonomous and electric vehicle businesses, the person said. VW officials have talked about gaining access to Ford’s Transit commercial van and the Ranger midsized pickup truck, as well as building their vehicles in Ford plants. Ford reiterated on Wednesday it has been talking with VW about potential collaborations in a number of areas. “It is premature to share additional details at this time,” Ford said in a statement. “We look forward to sharing an update soon.” VW had no immediate comment. Ford shares were up 3.9 percent at $8.70 on Wednesday afternoon. VW shares gained 2.4 percent to close at €146.48. In June, Ford and VW unveiled a pact in commercial vehicles including vans, adding that they were investigating “several joint projects. In December, VW Chief Executive Herbert Diess said, “We are in quite advanced negotiations and dialogue with Ford Corporation to really build up a global automotive alliance, which also would strengthen the American automotive industry.” At the time, Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr. told reporters that talks with Volkswagen about an alliance were going “very well.” Diess has talked openly about the savings and greater efficiencies that Europe’s largest automaker hoped to achieve through the potential alliance. VW officials also have repeatedly emphasized the only way to make electric cars a mass-market product is through economies of scale to make them as affordable as diesel vehicles. The alliance with Volkswagen serves as a big bet for Ford CEO Jim Hackett since he took over in May 2017 from the ousted Mark Fields with the mandate to speed up decision-making and cut costs. Some analysts and investors have been frustrated by Ford’s laggard stock price and a perceived lack of details from Hackett about the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker’s $11 billion restructuring. Ford officials had called the commercial vehicle program a “quick win” and discussed how a broader tie-up would allow the No. 2 U.S. automaker to reduce the number of different vehicles it builds and shrink manufacturing, engineering and purchasing costs. An alliance would help Ford achieve its goal of doubling global pretax profit margins to 8 percent by 2020, up from 4.4 percent in the third quarter of 2018. In July 2018, Ford created a separate unit to house its self-driving vehicle operations and was seeking outside investors in a move similar to one made by General Motors Co. with its Cruise Automation self-driving unit. Ford said then it would invest $4 billion through 2023 in its newly formed Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC, including the $1 billion it previously had earmarked for Argo AI, the Pittsburgh-based self-driving start-up it acquired in 2017. Ford expects to launch self-driving vehicles for sale by 2021, when a new vehicle architecture designed specifically for autonomous vehicles is expected to be ready. The Detroit auto show runs from Jan. 14 to Jan. 27.

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Source says prosecutors will indict Carlos Ghosn again on Friday, as current detention period ends

Abstract: Prosecutors plan to indict former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn on two more charges of financial misconduct on Friday, a person with knowledge of the issue said, bringing the total number of charges against him to three. Interrogation of Ghosn has been suspended, one of his lawyers had said earlier on Thursday, because the former Nissan chief had been experiencing a high fever since Wednesday evening and was prescribed rest by a doctor. Ghosn, who has been detained since his initial arrest on Nov. 19 and whose current detention period is set to end Friday, is now expected to be formally charged on the day with aggravated breach of trust for temporarily transferring personal investment losses to Nissan in 2008, as well as for understating his compensation for three years through 2018. The charges, which have been widely expected, add to an earlier charge of under-reporting his income by around half through 2015. At a court appearance earlier this week, Ghosn said all accusations against him were “meritless” and “unsubstantiated.” Nissan also faces an indictment over the latest compensation reporting issue, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. The Nikkei daily earlier reported that prosecutors planned to charge Ghosn for aggravated breach of trust on Friday. It also reported, citing unidentified investigation sources, that Ghosn had discussed the possibility of extending a ¥3 billion ($27.81 million) loan to a business run by a Saudi acquaintance who later provided collateral for a personal investment. When contacted by Reuters, both the Tokyo Prosecutor’s Office and Nissan declined to comment. Earlier this week the Tokyo District Court rejected an appeal by his lawyers to end his detention. It is uncommon for defendants in Japan who deny charges to be granted bail ahead of trial — a tendency which has drawn widespread criticism, including from Ghosn’s defense team. A member of Ghosn’s legal team said Thursday that they would apply for bail for Ghosn after his current detention period ends Friday, but that his release would come on Tuesday at the earliest should the court accept the application. Speaking with reporters Tuesday, Motonari Otsuru, who leads Ghosn’s Japan-based legal team, said he expected prosecutors to take at least six months to prepare for trial.


Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, world's richest man, to divorce wife MacKenzie after 25 years

Abstract: BANGALORE, INDIA - Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos, the world’s richest man, and wife MacKenzie Bezos are divorcing after 25 years of marriage, the couple said in a joint statement on Twitter on Wednesday. Bezos, 54, has a fortune that has soared to as high as $160 billion thanks to his stake in Amazon, which again became Wall Street’s most valuable company this week, surpassing Microsoft Inc. The couple decided to divorce after a long period of “loving exploration” and trial separation, and expect to continue as partners in joint ventures and projects, according to the statement. Reuters was unable to determine any further financial details of the planned divorce. Amazon did not immediately return requests for comment about the status of Bezos’s ownership stake or about what impact if any the divorce might have on the company. MacKenzie Bezos, 48, is an author who grew up in San Francisco, according to a 2013 profile in Vogue magazine. She attended Princeton University and met her husband when interviewing for a job at a New York hedge fund. The two were engaged after three months of dating and married three months after that, according to the magazine. The pair have four children. Speaking at an event in Berlin last April, Jeff Bezos said MacKenzie’s support was instrumental when he founded Amazon as an online bookseller in 1994, and that she did the accounting for the company in its first year. “When you have loving and supportive people in your life, like MacKenzie, my parents, my grandfather, my grandmother, you end up being able to take risks,” he said at the event. Jeff Bezos in September committed $2 billion through the Bezos Day One Fund for helping homeless families and starting pre-schools for low-income communities. He had solicited ideas on Twitter in 2017 for ways to donate some of his wealth. Last January, the couple donated $33 million to fund college scholarships for U.S. high schoolers with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, an Obama-era program protecting young immigrants brought to the United States illegally by their parents. In 2012, they donated $2.5 million to a Washington state campaign to legalize same-sex nuptials there. Amazon shares were down 0.2 percent in midday trading on Wednesday. The divorce should have no material impact on the company and its shares, said Thomas Forte, an analyst at DA Davidson & Co. From modest beginnings as an online bookseller, Bezos and Amazon branched out into almost every product category available, ending up taking on established retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Under Bezos, Amazon launched the Kindle e-reader and revolutionized the way books are distributed and read. The company has also been a pioneer in cloud computing. In November, Amazon picked America’s financial and political capitals for massive new offices, branching out from its home base in Seattle with plans to create more than 25,000 jobs in both New York City and just outside Washington, D.C. Jeff Bezos also founded space company Blue Origin in 2000, and is funneling $1 billion a year of his own fortune into pulling it out of start-up mode and into production. He also owns the Washington Post, which has been a target of criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump.