Random Japan

SCREAM AWAY, KIDS
Bullet trains running between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka have introduced “family cars” for people with kids in tow, allowing them “to feel more at ease traveling with rowdy or crying children.”

The education ministry announced that nearly 5,500 Japanese schoolteachers took sick leave for depression and “other mental disorders” during the past academic year.

An anonymous donor left ten randoseru knapsacks worth a total of ¥300,000 at a children’s welfare facility in Maebashi on Christmas Day.

Officials at the Saitama Children’s Zoo gave their capybaras—large rat-like creatures from South America—a hot yuzu-filled citrus bath on winter solstice.

Stats
7.96 million
Foreigners who visited Japan between January and November 2010, an increase of nearly 30 percent from the year before, according to the JNTO

141,774
Foreigners studying in Japan, a record high, according to the Japan Student Services Organization

66,833
Japanese studying abroad in 2008, according to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, a 10 percent drop from the previous year

1,300
Shareholders who reached a settlement with former managers of internet company Livedoor, resulting from a 2006 accounting scanda

SPORTS TICKER
A year-end poll revealed that Seattle Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki was Japan’s top-earning athlete in 2010, with a salary of $18 million. Naohiro Takahara of Shimizu S-Pulse was the highest-paid soccer player, at just ¥160 million a year.

In a possibly related matter, Japanese soccer players said they want a pay raise when representing their country, and suggested that they’ll boycott matches to protest their low salaries. JFA boss Junji Ogura responded by saying, “We’ll go on with the players who want to play.”

All-conquering yokozuna Hakuho was named winner of the Japan Professional Sports Award for 2010 after a year that saw him dominate in the raised ring, including putting together a 63-bout winning streak.

The management team of Olympic gold-medal figure skater Kim Yu Na lodged a complaint with NTV after the broadcaster aired hidden-camera footage of her practicing in Los Angeles.

It's An Historic Building So Tear It Down

Corporate Stupidity At Work

A Corrupt Politician

How Novel

Busted

Over The Naked Truth

2011/01/14
Soon after the Democratic Party of Japan took power in September 2009, doubts, confusion and even ridicule emerged over the lofty promises in its campaign manifesto. Still, party leaders clung to the contention that they could find the money needed to carry out their vows. They tinkered with the projects, whittled down other programs and scrounged everywhere for funds.

But this week, in a possible sign of maturity--and still nearly 13 trillion yen ($156.6 billion) short of its target--the DPJ leadership acknowledged defeat.

"We will create a party organization after (Thursday's) party convention to conduct a more thorough examination of our manifesto," DPJ Secretary-General Katsuya Okada said at Wednesday's meeting of all party lawmakers.

Little interest on street for reshuffle
Public expresses impatience with frequent ministerial changes
By ALEX MARTIN and MIZUHO AOKI
Staff writers　
Prime Minister Naoto Kan's Cabinet reshuffle Friday was greeted with indifference on the streets of Tokyo, with many expressing hope that the administration will settle down and pursue policies to revive the economy.
Friday's reshuffle included several key changes, including the replacement of Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku with Democratic Party of Japan Deputy Secretary General Yukio Edano, as well as the appointment of ex-Tachiagare Nippon (Sunrise Party of Japan) member Kaoru Yosano as economic and fiscal policy minister. Yosano, a former finance minister, will also be in charge of social welfare and tax reform