Japan News for July 22, 2007
Japan-related news links for today:
LDP Woes: The ruling coalition is in danger of losing its majority in the July 29 Upper House election, while the main opposition party could become the largest force in the chamber, an Asahi Shimbun survey showed. [Link]
New Scandal: The Japanese Communist Party (JCP) has accused Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki of claiming 13 million yen in unspecified office expenses, and has challenged him to explain how the money was spent. [Link]
Another New Scandal: Farm minister Norihiko Akagi, already mired in a political funds scandal over an office located in his parents’ home, booked 12.15 million yen in operating expenses for a Tokyo office over the seven years to 2003 even after it relocated in 1996, his political funds reports showed Saturday. [Link]
Shelter Problems: The floor of a school gymnasium being used as a shelter for residents hit by the major earthquake that struck Niigata Prefecture on July 16 is in danger of collapse, a government survey has found. [Link]
North Korean Threats: Japan will court “disaster” if it continues to demand an accounting of its abducted citizens, North Korea’s top nuclear negotiator said today. [Link]
Kotomitsuki Advances: Kotomitsuki all but secured promotion to the second highest rank of ozeki with his 12th win and stayed tied for the lead with Asashoryu, while Hakuho suffered his second loss at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday. [Link]
Australia Defeated: Australia has been bundled out of its first Asian Cup campaign after losing in a penalty shoot-out 4-3 to defending champions Japan in their quarter-final match in Hanoi, Vietnam. [Link]
Right-Winger Jailed: A self-proclaimed right-wing activist was sentenced to 10 months in prison Friday for throwing a Molotov cocktail at Nikkei Inc.’s headquarters in Tokyo last July in protest at a report in the business daily on Emperor Hirohito’s view of the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine. [Link]
Immigration Scammer: A Chinese woman has been detained at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau for allegedly selling forged employment certificates to two Chinese to enable them to remain in Japan under a fraudulent visa status. [Link]
Illegal Chinese Banker: A Chinese man who operated an underground bank in Japan, illicitly sending money to China, has been arrested and referred to public prosecutors, Aichi Prefectural Police investigators said Saturday. [Link]
Nigerian Fraudsters: Three Nigerians were arrested Thursday in Tokyo on suspicion of fraud after they allegedly used forged credit cards in what is believed to be an internationally organized crime. [Link]
Drive-Thru Scanning: Electronics giant NEC announced it has developed the world’s first automated border control system that uses facial recognition technology capable of identifying people inside their automobiles. The system is already in operation at checkpoints on the Hong Kong – Shenzhen border. [Link]
Drunkards: About half of male drivers held for drunk driving are suspected to be alcoholics, according to a survey conducted by the Kurihama Alcoholism Center in Kanagawa Prefecture. [Link]
Online Auctions: Almost three in ten Japanese users have had trouble with net auctions, according to a goo Research survey. [Link]
Joyfull China: Joyfull Co., the Oita-based operator of an around-the-clock restaurant chain, is considering running a similar restaurant chain in China. [Link]
Super Express Death: A Shinkansen train hit and killed a man near Kita-Yono Station in Saitama on Friday afternoon, resulting in the suspension of all Shinkansen services on northbound lines from Tokyo for about 110 minutes. [Link]
