Archive for February, 2009

Taro Aso meets with Barack Obama in Washington

Or, as Foreign Policy’s Passport blog puts it, “Dead PM flying“:

“Thank you very much for inviting a foreign official, foreign guest, to the White House, not only foreign, but an Asian,” Aso said, in English.

“We are very happy to be here.”

Aso said that on the premier issue, the economy, “We will have to work together and in hand.”

Unlike previous Prime Ministers, Aso used English. (Although the AFP seems have rendered Aso’s “hand in hand” as “and in hand.”)

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• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)
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Video: Nunchaku Badminton

Remember our post of the nunchaku master in Sapporo who shows off his martial arts skillz at a batting cage? Here’s another video of him:

This time around he:

• does his batting cage thing
• plays golf
• opens a champagne bottle
• plays badminton!

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• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)
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Kano Sisters animated series

Somebody actually made a series of computer animated stories about the Kano Sisters. Here’s the first episode:

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• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)
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“Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto.”

A clip of Kunio Kato giving an acceptance speech after his “La Maison en Petits Cubes” won the Oscar for best animated short:

Japanese network news made the Academy Award wins the top story tonight, but the channels I watched only showed the first few seconds of Kato’s speech. A shame, since there might be some people out there who would have been amused by the Mr. Roboto line.

Mainichi’s articles in English and Japanese completely ignored the mention of Mr. Roboto:

オスカーを手に「ありがとう、支えてくれた皆さん。ありがとう、両親。ありがとう、アカデミー。ありがとう、アニメ」と英語でスピーチ。最後に「どうもありがとう」と日本語で語った。

Kato gave an acceptance speech in English, thanking everyone who supported him, including his parents, as well as the Academy Awards and animated films in general. He wrapped up his speech in Japanese, saying, “Domo arigato (Thank you).”

Various articles around the web have picked Kato’s acceptance speech as one of the best of the night.

[via Watashi to Tokyo]

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• dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)
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Naked mole rats in Japan

Naked mole rats are all the rage at the Ueno Zoo, reports the Yomiuri:

According to the zoo, the rats did not attract much attention at first. However, they began to gain popularity soon after the first airing of Disney animation series “Kim Possible” in 2003. In the show, a naked mole rat appears as the pet of one of the leading characters.

The zoo began selling soft toy versions of the creatures in 2007, and they have become particularly popular among women in their 20s and 30s. Fans of the rats say they are “kimo-kawaii” or yucky-but-cute.

The soft toys also are available at Saitama Children’s Zoo in Higashi-Matsuyama, Saitama Prefecture.

“It has such an awful name and appearance,” said a woman, 31, who said she often visits the zoo. “But it’s this dark side that, contrary to expectations, makes them attractive.”

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Takeshima Day 2009

Yesterday was Takeshima Day in Shimane Prefecture, so TBS news went to Seoul and reported on a new “Dokdo Experience” exhibit in Seoul that is aimed at kindergartners:

It is already common for South Korean elementary schools to teach children that the Liancourt Rocks are undeniably Korean territory. The children shown in the video are mere kindergartners, but they already know the “Dokdo is our land” song and they believe that Dokdo is wonderful. The man in charge of the exhibit believes it is important to teach youngsters about the “value and history” of the islets.

So much for the hope that future generations of South Koreans might be able to treat the territorial dispute as an unimportant issue…

[via Dokdo or Takeshima blog]

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• dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)
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