Archive for April, 2009

Fearing swine flu, Japanese tourists rush to buy masks

As Japanese head out of the country for the Golden Week holiday, many are purchasing masks to protect themselves from swine flu:

A drugstore manager said sales of the masks are about 30 percent higher than usual and that stocks are running out for a particular type of mask which is believed not to allow the virus to pass through it.

“Since around yesterday, the number of those who are buying masks due to concerns over swine flu has increased,” the manager said.

A 50-year-old woman from the city of Saitama heading to Switzerland bought six masks and said, “I rushed to purchase these masks just before departure as the infection seems to be spreading worldwide.”

In other swine flu news: Trading companies are sending their employees masks and Tamiflu & the Japanese government thinks it can have a vaccine ready by autumn.

• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)
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Crying baby sumo 2009

Another year, another crying baby sumo competition:

During the contest on Sunday, 82 babies born last year took part as they were lifted up by members of Nihon University’s sumo club. In a bout between two babies, the one who started to cry the fastest or loudest was declared the winner.

While university sumo wrestlers were trying hard to hold up babies until they started to cry, some babies kept sleeping or burst out laughing, which drew laughter from the crowd of some 2,000 spectators.

A couple more photos can be found on DayLife and video from the event can be viewed on YouTube.

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Cartoon deer replaces Tsuyoshi Kusanagi

After having to pull commercials and posters for digital terrestrial TV broadcasting that used Tsuyoshi Kusanagi as a spokesman, the Japanese government has decided that they will now use a cartoony mascot in their next round of advertisements:

[via IT Media]

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Rapping salaryman drinks Jinro

Salaryman rapper DJ Real Liquor raps about nommunication (drink+communication) in this Jinro commercial airing on Japanese TV:

[via JapanSoc]

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Akiba Mikoshi

Japan’s otaku prayed to the gods by having a matsuri of sorts in Akihabara on Sunday with a portable shrine covered with geeky decorations:

The meter-high “Akiba Mikoshi” is decorated with a personal computer, a vacuum tube, video game software and figurines of anime characters.

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Nearly nude American guy raps about Kusanagi’s nudity

JournalRhythm, a YouTuber who raps about the news, has posted him himself rapping about the Kusanagi Tsuyoshi drunken nudity scandal:

This is a departure from what I’m used to doing, since I don’t rap or use English at all, but it was an interesting story and a good opportunity to reach out to the Japanese audience.

Kusanagi Tsuyoshi, a well-respected member of the longtime pop sensation SMAP, tarnished his wholesome image Thursday morning when he was found drunk and naked in a Tokyo park, singing Korean songs and being belligerent. Companies and government agencies using his image in their campaigns immediately pulled their advertisements and nullified their contracts with the star. Kusanagi is expected to make a public apology and reflect on his actions.

A write-up of the lyrics can be found in the video’s description.

[via 世の中を生暖かく見守るブログ]

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