Japan News for June 18, 2007

This morning’s Japan-related news links:

Sexless Japan: Results of this year’s Durex Global Sex Survey have come out and once again the Japanese have come dead last when it comes to sex among over 26,000 people from 26 countries across the world. [Link]

It’s On: Takeru Kobayashi says he will go for his 7th consecutive Nathan’s hot dog eating championship next month. [Link]

NOVA Not Dead Yet: Nails keep getting hammered into the still-open coffin with the name NOVA written on it, reports Trans-Pacific Radio. [Link]

Obvious: Former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone admitted in a recent interview that U.S. warships carrying nuclear weapons may have sailed through Japanese territorial waters during the 1980s when he was in office. [Link]

Voice Of Freedom: The government will launch a shortwave radio program as early as on July 9 aimed at Japanese abductees possibly surviving in North Korea, Kyoko Nakayama, the prime minister’s adviser on the abduction issue, said Saturday. [Link]

Defense Tech: Japan and the U.S. plan to allow private defense contractors to share information and technology to speed up the development of new deterrents, a Japanese newspaper reported Sunday. [Link]

Currency Swap: India and Japan may finalize currency swap agreements by the end of this year and have already completed two rounds of negotiations, the Economic Times daily reported on Sunday, citing sources close to the development. [Link]

Taiwan-Japan NGO’s: Former president Lee Teng-hui and former premier Frank Hsieh yesterday affirmed Taiwanese and Japanese non-governmental organizations’ efforts in hosting joint events as essential to enhancing mutual cooperation and maintaining regional peace. [Link]

Offering Prayers: DailyIndia reports on Japanese tourists visiting the World War II memorial in Kohima, the Imperial Japanese Army’s farthest point of advance into India. [Link]

I Like Me: Japanese university students have as much self-esteem as students from the United States and China, according to the latest survey by psychologists. [Link]

Hiroshima’s American: An article discusses the recent decission by Hiroshima to hire American Steven Leeper to reinvigorate its Peace Culture Foundation, which runs memorials and museums. [Link]

MLB Opener: The Pittsburg Pirates chief executive officer, Kevin McClatchy, who toured China recently with several other Major League Baseball executives, would like to see his team play 2008 exhibitions there late in spring training, then go to Japan for a season-opening series, USA Today reported Friday. [Link]

Massive Bust: Miyagi prefectural police on Saturday confiscated about 15,000 child pornographic DVDs in Sendai. The DVDs were seized from a mansion in what officials believe to be the single largest DVD seizure from one location. [Link]

Elite Strawberries: A theme park in Hokkaido has enjoyed good sales of its luxury strawberries in spite of their hefty price — 500 yen apiece. [Link]

Afternoon Update:

Kabul Bombing: Three Japanese were hurt Sunday in a blast in Kabul that left at least 35 people dead, the Afghan government said. It was among the deadliest explosions to hit Kabul since the Taliban fell from power in 2001. [Link]

Chinese Spies? Yomiuri TV has offered an on-air apology for accusing Chinese journalists of being spies: it said it had not interviewed the journalists nor confirmed facts before implying they may be spies during the April 22 episode of “Takajin no Soko Made Itte Iinkai.” [Link]

Economic Recovery: The Japanese government gave an upbeat assessment of consumer spending last month and maintained its view that the economy is recovering, according to its monthly report released today. [Link]

Shady Dealings: A company run by the daughter of a former Public Security Intelligence Agency director general suspected of making a false land deal for the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), purchased land and buildings in Tokyo from a former real estate company president who mediated the Chongryon deal, according to sources. [Link]

War Widows: The Japanese government failed to pay 41 billion yen in special benefits to a total of 21,000 women who lost their husbands in World War II, and the statute of limitations on claiming the benefits has already expired, the health ministry said Sunday. [Link]

Blame It On Tamiflu: The number of people confirmed to have behaved abnormally after taking the flu prescription drug Tamiflu has risen to 211, according to Japnan’s Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. [Link]

Princely Victory: Yuki Saito threw one-run ball over 5 2/3 innings and Makoto Onozuka hit a two-run homer Sunday as Waseda University beat Tokai University 4-1 to win its first national collegiate championship in 33 years. [Link]

No. 1 Wooden Barrel Soy Sauce: Fundokin Soy Sauce Co. said Sunday it is set to start selling soy sauce that has aged for three years in the world’s largest wooden soy sauce barrel this week. [Link]

Porno Robbery: An adult entertainment shop owner was robbed of a bag containing the shop’s takings of about 700,000 yen after being assaulted by two men with a pole in Gifu early Sunday, police said. [Link]

Rasslin’ Cromartie: Warren Cromartie’s professional wrestling debut was a hit. The former Montreal Expos outfielder took Tiger Jeet Singh down with a home run chop, pinned him to the mat and celebrated with his trademark cheer of “Banzai!” [Link]

Beer-gut Dancing: Japanese guys looking to fight fat are getting into belly dancing, according to Shukan Bunshun/WaiWai. [Link]