Archive for October, 2010

DPJ Politician: Raise Men’s Salaries, Keep Women at Home

Japanese women’s groups are protesting after a senior DPJ politician told an international conference of female entrepreneurs that Japanese women like to :

Yoshikatsu Nakayama, vice minister of economy, trade and industry, made the remarks during the Women’s Entrepreneurship Summit on Oct. 1 in the central Japanese city of Gifu, which was jointly hosted by Japan and the United States.

“Japanese women find pleasure in working at home and that has been part of Japanese culture,” Nakayama said during the conference attended by around 300 businesswomen and other participants from the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

“That should be given more credit through (raising their husbands’) salaries, but it has become impossible as the situation surrounding men became severe,” he said.

The 65-year-old politician who holds the third-highest position at the industry ministry also said that Japanese women hold the power behind the throne, and repeated that it was part of Japanese culture for them to stay at home.

Nakayama must have not been very smart if he thought these kinds of statements would be well-received at a conference for female entrepreneurs.

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Japan Considers Limiting Foreign Land Ownership

The Yomiuri reveals that Japan basically has no laws in place that can prevent foreign entities from buying up land around self-defense force bases and other facilities that are vital to national security:

The Alien Land Law of 1925 authorizes the government to regulate land acquisition in areas important to the defense of the nation. However, the government ordinance that designated specific areas as subject to such restrictions was abolished just after the end of World War II, rendering the law effectively toothless.

“Issues may include how to differentiate between land important to national security and, for example, land in [Tokyo's] Ginza that can be bought by [foreign entities],” the prime minister told the committee.

“Another issue is how the Alien Land Law could be brought into play. I want these matters studied,” Kan said.

Objections to domestic land purchases by non-Japanese have been raised following a South Korean citizen’s purchase of a hotel neighboring a Self-Defense Forces facility in Tsushima, Nagasaki Prefecture.

Critics have said such purchases could pose problems for national defense.

However, imposing restrictions on such deals is seen as problematic because of potential clashes with the Constitution, which guarantees all individuals and groups the right to own assets, and the potential to discourage investment from overseas.

Some Korean nationalists claim the island of Tsushima as part of Korea, which makes the issue of buying land around the SDF base on that island particularly sensitive. Although it seems unlikely that the Korean owners of the resort hotels near the base would be capable of harming the national defense of Japan, there probably should be some legal mechanism in place to designate and protect areas that require some extra security.

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Japanese Coast Guard Encounter Swimming Boar

A Japanese coast guard ship was patrolling the waters off Nagasaki prefecture and encountered a wild boar:

They followed the boar until it reached Fukushima island. Judging by the course it was swimming, the boar probably swam for at least 2.5 kilometers.

Google maps view of the area:

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Oracle Japan Hires Dog

Oracle Japan has “hired” an old English sheepdog puppy as a regular employee:

Candy the dog will visit company offices once a week to visit the human employees and help raise their morale. When asked for a comment, Candy chewed up the microphone.

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Japanese Celebrity Undergoes Avatar Transformation

[via Moviecollection.jp]

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Behind the Scenes Look at North Korea’s 65th Anniversary Celebration

On Wednesday, ATV news aired this segment that gave a sort of behind-the-scenes look at the 65th anniversary celebrations that took place in North Korea a few days ago. It gives a rare and interesting look the semi-private lives of normal Pyongyang residents:

• North Koreans performing an ostrich dance – Ostrich farming and other forms of poultry farming are celebrated as a sign of the DPRK’s grand economic progress.
• A human sea throwing fish into the air – Three women who were part of the sea are interviewed. They are normal citizens, not professional performers, and they seem very happy about what they are doing. A university student says he is proud to perform in tribute of the Dear Leader.
• In the crowd watching the rehearsals a young couple’s public display of affection.
• The interior of a factory that is said to produce CNC (Computer Numerical Controller) technology. Kim Jong-un is credited with promoting the use of computers in North Korean industry.
• Street stalls throughout Pyongyang held special sales. (thanks to Kim Jong-un, of course)
• Soldiers in the military parade wave at the people watching. A young woman in the crowd enthusiastically tells the news camera that she would like to marry a soldier.
• At a soccer game held in Pyongyang, one can see a spectator filming the game with a digital camcorder.

By inviting foreign reporters to film its 65th anniversary celebration, the North Korean government was aiming to show the world that it is making economic and technological progress. This report gives us a view of how things are in Pyongyang when the government has time to prepare things for the cameras, but it obviously does not show the full picture of a country where many people live in poverty and have to deal with harsh political repression.

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