Japan News for July 03, 2007
Japan-related news links for today:
Missing Foreigners: A total of 9,607 foreigners, mostly Asians, ran away from job training sites in Japan between 2002 and 2006 in an apparent attempt to look for better working conditions elsewhere, according to the Justice Ministry’s Immigration Bureau. [Link]
Bailing Out NOVA? Major travel agency H.I.S. Co is considering extending assistance to Nova Corp, a scandal-tainted operator of foreign language schools, in the form of a business tie-up or financial assistance, sources close to the matter said Monday. [Link]
Blind Eye: The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry issued a document in June 2002 that tolerated English conversation school industry leader Nova Corp.’s controversial practice of minimizing refunds of students who terminated their contracts, according to sources close to the issue. [Link]
Climbing Season: Mount Fuji marked the beginning of the summer mountaineering season on Sunday, with about 200 people gathering at the summit to welcome the sunrise. [Link]
Broke Governor: Miyazaki Gov. Hideo Higashikokubaru had virtually no personal assets when he was elected governor in January this year after he had lent 55 million yen to his showbiz company, an asset report released on Monday shows. [Link]
Rich Governor: Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara made about 14.29 million yen in business income as an author in 2006, following a year without earnings as a writer the previous year, income figures released Monday showed. [Link]
Settled: A group of asthma sufferers who said Tokyo air pollution made them sick accepted a 1.2 billion yen (US$9.75 million) out-of-court settlement from automakers and the government Monday. [Link]
New Bullet Train: The Type N700, a new bullet train jointly developed by Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) and West Japan Railway Co., made its debut Sunday on the Tokaido Shinkansen and Sanyo Shinkansen lines. [Link]
Not Invited: Five groups representing Nagasaki atomic bomb victims faxed a message of protest Sunday to the Defense Ministry asking Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma not to attend a peace ceremony which is held annually on Aug 9, the anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the city. [Link]
Gangland Hit: A man was arrested on suspicion of breaking into the home of gang member Takashi Tsuchiya in Kuki, Saitama Prefecture, early Sunday and fatally shooting him. [Link]
No Oil: A rush by Japanese homeowners to convert their houses to run solely on electricity has put them in the vanguard of efforts to cut back on oil use, but also risks driving up coal and gas imports if nuclear generators falter. [Link]
Rainy: Heavy rain drenched Yamaguchi Prefecture and northern Kyushu early Monday, flooding Shimonoseki City Hall and triggering landslides and other damage over a wide area. [Link]
The End Of Japanese Sumo? Sumo’s status as Japan’s national sport has been jeopardized further as no one applied for the tests for new recruits for the first time ever, sumo officials said Sunday. [Link]
MLB All-Stars: Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki and Los Angeles Dodgers closer Takashi Saito were elected as All-Star players, major league baseball said Sunday. [Link]
Capsulated: A “cabin” hotel, inspired by Japanese capsule hotels and luxury airline travel, has been launched at London’s Gatwick Airport to provide “stylish yet affordable” accommodations for travelers. [Link]
It’s Your Money: Japanese taxpayers’ hard-earned money is being used to subsidize a nude news program, according to Shukan Shincho . [Link]
