Japan News for June 25, 2007
Today’s Japan-related news links:
Will Fujimori Run? Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, under house arrest in Chile and facing extradition to Peru, said Friday he will decide by the end of the month whether to run in the House of Councilors election next month. [Link]
Give Me Three Years: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged Sunday to revise the Constitution in three years, making constitutional revision one of the key issues in the July 29 House of Councillors election. [Link]
Meaningless Gesture? Prime Minister Shinzo Abe indicated Saturday he may offer to return part of his summer bonus to take moral responsibility for the Social Insurance Agency’s pension record-keeping blunders. [Link]
Pension Disposal: The Social Insurance Agency has revealed that log books containing information on 830,000 corporate employee pension accounts from the 1940s to 1950s were illegally disposed of, possibly causing 120,000 beneficiaries to lose pensions for that period. [Link]
Visa Lawsuit: A Bolivian man living with his wife, who is of Japanese descent, has filed a suit with the Tokyo District Court against the government, stating that it unjustly turned down his application to renew his long-term residence status. [Link]
Dangerous Ride: Police investigators have detected a crack on the wheel axle shaft of a roller coaster which had been operated alternately with the roller coaster involved in a fatal accident at Osaka’s Expoland amusement park in May. [Link]
Flag Raiser: An American businessman is on the quest to recover the remains of Sgt. William H. Genaust, who died two days after he filmed the raising of the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima, Japan, in 1945. [Link]
Common Sense: A committee comprised of the country’s five medical societies has compiled a draft guideline that stipulates doctors should perform a blood transfusion during surgery on patients under 15 years of age even if their parents are Jehovah’s Witnesses and refuse it because of a Biblical injunction. [Link]
Building Bridges: Japan, as an accolade, will construct earthquake proof world highest bridge in the world in Pakistan. [Link]
World Cup Roster: As if it showed pride, dignity and a bit of anxiety, Team Japan revealed its Hinomaru-colored red-and-white jersey ・and its 45-man strong roster ・for the 3rd IFAF World Championship on Saturday morning at Kawasaki Stadium’s clubhouse. [Link]
Rugby Defeat: The Junior All Blacks have thrashed Japan 51-3 in Tokyo to finish the Pacific Nations Cup rugby tournament with a perfect record of five wins from five matches. [Link]
Gillette In Japan: Master stylist Takashi Tobita is on the front line of Gillette’s campaign to conquer the one major world market it has failed to dominate: Japan. [Link]
Billy-san: Sweating, panting and some groaning, 400 Japanese worked out on Sunday with U.S. fitness guru Billy Blanks, whose military-style exercises have become a huge hit in a country where waistlines are bulging. [Link]
