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ISSUE: Jan/Feb 2002 |
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Don't forget to check out the Gaijin's |
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This Month's Topics: |
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Profuse apologies for the late arrival of this 'Empty Seat' but blame it on Internet problems, a busy schedule & old fashioned sloth! However, here it is, the first issue of the New Year. How was your New Year? I was up in Tochigi-ken, which is a bit colder than Tokyo so I was, in a way glad to get back. However, even Tokyo has now experienced sub-zero temperatures some nights, although this pales into insignificance compared with the minus 32c recorded in one Hokkaido town. You really have to love the Northern Hemisphere, right? Anyway, New Years hangovers to one side & here we go with another look at what's been grabbing my attention here in Japan.
As anyone who lives here knows, Japan's image as a crime-free oasis is not exactly accurate, with the cities here slowly becoming less & less safe -- although still a lot more so than other major metropolis! One problem the often painfully inept Police here face is juvenile crime, including motorbike gangs. In an effort to deal with this growing problem, the prefectural assembly down in Hiroshima recently decided to strengthen the prefecture's laws dealing with motorcycle gangs. The new ordinance will be Japan's first real attempt to break the ties linking these motorbike gangs & the Yakuza (organised crime) by imposing punishments, including a maximum of 6 months imprisonment, on anyone trying to force young people to join a motorbike gangs, as well as prohibiting criminals from collecting money from such gangs. This followed an earlier Hiroshima City law banning gatherings of motorcycle gangs, which led to the arrest in November of a group of former motorbike gang members who gathered at a park in the city. Now these motorcycle gangs are not 'Hells Angels' but they are becoming increasingly nasty. The tourist town of Nikko is just one place where they often congregate to race their machines & bother the locals, as well as Tokyo's main ring road. Just as the police here seem to think that narcotics are something that will go away if you don't look, so they often tend to treat these gangs with a worrying tolerance. The local traffic police, better know for their toy soldier uniforms than their effectiveness, really need to be seen & noticed a lot more unless these gangs are to become a lot nastier than most Japanese are willing to imagine they could be!
Another example of Japan's growing
juvenile crime problem was the recent case of a 15-year-old girl who stabbed her
54-year-old father with a fruit knife after arguing over which TV channel to
watch. The attack happened in Ehime Prefecture when a junior high school student
took a knife from the dining table & stabbed her father in the stomach. Not
surprisingly, the girl was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Now if
that doesn't dispel the myth that all Japanese females are soft, gentle 'Madame
Butterfly' types, what does!
A less dramatic example of Japan's changing youth culture was a quote carried in
the Asahi magazine 'AERA'. They quoted an 18-year-old Waseda University student
as saying 'Everyone else goofing off makes you want to goof off too.' He was
explaining why no one pays attention in classes, being too busy using cell
phones or talking to one another. That really gives one hope for the future,
does it not!
Talking of the mistaken image many foreigners have of Japanese females leads me to a recent poll by the British condom maker Durex, which revealed that Japanese couples have sex only 36 times a year on average. Hardly the soft, yielding feminine dream that so many western men think of, ah? This pathetic sex life was explained by Kim Myung Jun, an ethnic Korean sex specialist, who said 'In Japan, a couple see themselves as a mother and a father once they've had kids. That's why foreign couples have so much more sex than Japanese couples.' I must admit that my experience with the local damsels does seem to back that up, with the difference between before & after marriage being even more pronounced than elsewhere. Sad, but consider yourself duly warned!
Not long ago, I mentioned the complaints some foolish foreigners voice about not being able to vote here, & the plans of one area to let convicts vote. If you thought that was weird, then consider if you will the case of Hiraya Village (population 641) in Nagano. The local village assembly, which must a truly riveting place, has just decided to give voting rights to, wait for it, wait for it -- 12-yr-olds. I kid you not! The community is planning to hold a referendum on whether it should seek to merge with a neighbouring village & it thought that junior high school students should take part. Now I don't want to sound too much like an old fogey but remembering how 'mature' I was at that age, I wouldn't trust the average 12-year-old to choose which way was up, let alone the future of a village. However, it will be interesting to see if the chronic apathy that marks most local (& often national) elections here also afflicts the kids. Maybe they'll teach the adults a thing or two about democratic duty after all!
Returning, as I am sometime want to do, to the subject of 'Japan's finest', I was interested to read about the case of a 57-year-old man who was arrested in connection with the murder of a couple in northeastern Hokkaido in 1988. Now it's bad enough that it took over 14 years to track this chap down but the frightening thing is that if the police had taken another 10 months to find him, he would have been untouchable. Believe it or not, Japan has a 15-year statue of limitations for murder, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. So if I want to kill my wife or lover (or both), all I have to do is stay loose for 15 years, & judging by this case, that isn't too difficult to do. You see, the police claim that this guy (whom they accuse of stabbing a 61 year old man & his 56-year-old wife in their house in Kitami in October 1988 during a visit to the wealthy couple as an insurance salesman) was questioned by the Hokkaido police but then 'disappeared', although it has been alleged that he was still listed in the phonebook whilst he worked in Tokyo & Saitama prefectures. Maybe the Police didn't have a copy of the phonebook! Anyway, an acquaintance of the accused did the police's job for them & reported him to the Hokkaido police last month, after which they finally tracked him down in Yokohama. How do you do it, Homes?
Now we all know that governments rarely do things quickly but the Japanese have really taken the biscuit this time. It is common knowledge that Japan forcibly imported slave labourers from Korea before & during World War II, but believe it or not, Tokyo is only now going to release the names of those unfortunate 107,911 reluctant immigrants. Now don't think that they are releasing these names willingly, for they claim that the 'Japanese government is not obliged to disclose the names', adding that 'it is not appropriate at present to disclose the list as it includes information that should not be made public under the freedom of information law.' It wouldn't have done so at all but for a request from the South Korean government back in 1990. However, let no-one say that the government here isn't penitent. It went so far as to say that 'it is very regrettable that Japan imposed unbearable pain on them, even in the abnormal situation of war.' Isn't that big of them? I'm sure that makes their next of kin feel a whole lot better -- the ones that haven't conveniently died yet, that is!
He's done it again! Now Ishihara-san may not be the best governor of Tokyo but there is one thing he's expert at & that's upsetting people, which he has proved yet again. It seems that the chivalrous Mr Ishihara recently quoted comments by a college professor that the most harmful thing that civilization has brought about is 'baba,' a Japanese term meaning an 'old hag.' He is also alleged to have quoted a comment that it is sinful for a woman to continue to live after she loses her reproductive capacity. PC, ah? Well, unsurprisingly, more than 100 Tokyo women in their 20s to 70s have filed a damages suit against him for repeating discriminatory comments against women. What's more, the plaintiffs are not just idle old housewives. One of them is a University Professor & another is a senior official at the Japan Accountability Caucus, Beijing. It was the later who retorted 'I am 'an old hag' but Mr Ishihara is not entitled to call me that. I cannot overlook his comments as they could roll back policies for women nationwide.' Women in Japan are still a long way from equality but I guess that even this state of affairs is too progressive for our beloved governor. I used to think I was a true male chauvinist but then I came to Japan & discovered that by local standards, I'm a modern day Sir Galahad!
Say That Again . . .
Now before reading the quote, which the reaction of a Japanese politician to the proposal that public junior & high school classrooms should have air conditioners, you should bear in mind that Japanese school children attend school 6 days a week (except for one weekend a month), do more homework than any other pupils on earth, & often go to 'cram schools' immediately after regular school, often getting home after 10pm. Nonetheless, this particular Diet member felt obliged to say:
' Japanese schoolchildren are among the most privileged in the world. There is no need to spoil them further.'
Hope those kids remember that when they get old enough to vote!
On a different subject, how about this for true love. You have two girlfriends & one of them murders the other one to make sure you are hers. Do you (a) run like hell, or (b) propose to her? Well, in the real life case of killer nurse Tomoko Kaneda, her boyfriend knew exactly what to do. Quote:
'Proposing to her was my way of rewarding her love.'
Regular readers of this site (that's right, you over there!) will know that I recently commented on the way the Japanese language is being swamped by foreign words & phrases. Well I am not the only one to have noticed this trend, as the National Institute for Japanese Language has now asked government departments to avoid using English or English-like terms, like 'informed consent,' 'capital gain,' 'barrier free' & 'analyst' in their Japanese-language documents. They listed 63 examples of recommended Japanese expressions to replace these imports. The institute plans to conduct a public opinion poll to see how much people understand such foreign terms. Now I have just resumed studying Japanese again (not easy at my age) & one reason I've been able to live here this long with only minimal Japanese is the number of foreign terms in common usage here, but even so, I would be sad to see any language become diluted into extinction -- even though it would make my studies that much easier!
At last, a truly practical use for the keitai (cell phone)! A 27-year-old man in Nagoya recently had good reason to be glad he had a keitai when a cell phone in his shirt pocket stopped a bullet from piercing his chest after he was shot by an armed robber! No kidding! The lucky man, a supermarket submanager, was shot in the chest as he & 2 others were chasing some robbers across the store's parking lot after they had just stolen the day's takings of about ¥10 million. The shot hit Miyazaki in the chest, but the bullet bore through a memo pad & pocket calculator in his chest pocket & lodged in the cell phone which was immediately behind it. The victim said that he thought it must have been a toy gun as he did not feel any pain even though he had been shot, & that he kept chasing the assailant & managed to subdue him together with the two others. He was naturally somewhat surprised when told that the gun was real! However, his boss wasn't so lucky, being shot in the side & suffering a serious injury, police said. He obviously wasn't a keitai man!
Poetic justice! Pachinko, as some of you may know, is a kind of bagatelle pinball game that is close to being a way of life here, with a large majority of Japanese men spending large amounts of time & money sitting in smoky, noisy parlours flicking metal balls around. Well, someone decided to do to one such parlour what it does to so many customers -- it was robbed! It seems that someone broke into a pachinko cashier office in Tokyo's Katsushika Ward, stabbed & tied up a female employee with tape (bad job choice, I suppose) & escaped with about ¥30 million. Now as the government claims that pachinko is a game & NOT gambling, how come there was 30 million to take? Well, form over substance. Not even salarymen would tolerate this game unless there was a slight (very slight) chance of making money, & whatever the government may try to claim, pachinko is gambling. The office that was robbed is where the parlour offers cash in exchange for balls won by playing the game. Now I naturally sympathise with the unfortunate 38-year-old woman who was hospitalised with stab wounds to her chest & other parts of her body, but I have to say that I won't exactly be losing sleep over a pachinko parlour being robbed. The biter bit, it seems to me!
Fancy a bit of fish? How about ¥6 million worth? Bit rich for you, ah? Well, Japan is pretty fond of fish, what with sushi & sashimi & whatnot, & tuna is especially prized. Therefore, the first auction at Tokyo's huge Tsukiji fish market is always something of an event & this year, a single 228kg blue fin tuna was sold for ¥6.38 million. Promisingly, this is a big jump from last years tab of ¥2.80 million. However, it is still puny compared with the 2001 figure of ¥20.2 million. I kid you not! However, before you frown & tut-tut at Japanese extravagance, it is worth remembering that a tuna like that can feed around 6,000 people with sushi or sashimi. However, it still makes a handful of newspaper-wrapped fish & chips seem a real bargain. Pass the vinegar!
No matter how angry or frustrated you may get with life in Japan, never forget that Japanese jail is NOT a place you want to be. It may not be 'tenko' but its bad enough, as was revealed by a rare government publication that actually listed deaths & injuries sustained by inmates in Japan's detention facilities over the New Year period. Japan's jailbirds obviously did not have a happy New Year -- 9 of them died! The unexpected openness was prompted by the recent indictment of 5 Nagoya Prison wardens on charges of tying a restraining device around the abdomen of a 30-year-old prisoner, leading to internal bleeding & 70 days of medical treatment. The inmate died in the prison in May. However, he was not alone. Of the aforementioned 9, 7 died of illnesses & the other 2 choked to death. One of the so-called 'sickness' deaths involved a man in his 40s who died in Hiroshima Prison from liver failure stemming from liver cancer. Seems he was put in a protective cell after cutting his wrist. When his condition deteriorated, he was taken from the cell & given medical treatment but he died shortly afterward, according to the ministry. Japan has around 68,700 people in 189 such institutions across the nation, of which 59 are prisons, according to the ministry. Now if that isn't a good reason to bite your tongue & swallow your pride, what is!
Recently, I saw a documentary about child prostitution in Cambodia. It was very sad, of course, but this is not a problem that only hurts the developing world! Sorry to disillusion those who have a Panglossian view of Japan but according to a report by the National Police Agency (NPA), child prostitution is rising in Japan, thanks to the growing use of the Internet by teenagers soliciting sex. Believe it or not, a total of 666 cases of child prostitution relating to online dating sites were filed between January and November 2002, up 286 on 2001. According to the NPA, 40% of Japan's over 3,000 pornographic Internet sites contained images of minors. In 1998, international investigative agency - Interpol - estimated that 80% of Internet sites with child pornography also originated in Japan. Surprising? Not if you live here & keep your eyes open. The law doesn't help. As things currently stand, adults involved in child prostitution face only a fine, but the police have been pressing for stiffer penalties for both clients & teenagers offering sex over the Internet. Japan has more than 550 Internet-based dating services & many involve schoolgirls. These, plus 'specialist' hostess bars, panty-less coffeeshops & the fact that many schoolgirls dress like trainee hookers, make sure that this a problem that won't go away. After all, how else can they pay for those designer handbags & makeup? Delivering newspapers?
Lastly, & sadly this should come as no surprise, Koizumi-san has done it again. North Korea seems to be looking for an excuse to blast a neighbour, China is getting more powerful by the day, so what does our glorious leader do? He visits the highly controversial Yasukuni Shrine, dedicated to Japan's war dead, including war criminals, an act he knows full well will piss of China both Koreas. So why did he do such a stupid, unproductive thing? Well, he claimed (& I recommend a large pinch of salt) 'I want to cherish peace and wanted to offer my prayers with the thought that we will never launch another war.' More likely is his need for a stronger powerbase & thereby a need to please the dinosaurs who still run the ill-named Liberal Democratic Party. Previously, he has visited that beautiful but unpleasantly designated shrine on the August 15 anniversary of the end of World War II, but he changed the date, seemingly thinking that this would calm his critics. Oops, think again! To me, that's like trying to please your wife by choosing an older girlfriend. The principle remains the same, pal. If you want good relations with your neighbours, forget Yasukuni Shrine on this or any other day. Simple enough?
'If your local library lacks a good
selection of English books, then try an area where there are many foreign
residents, like Minato or Setagaya wards. Registration is free & you don't
have to be a local resident, just a resident of Tokyo. Take some form of ID.'
(Taken from the 'Gaijin's
Guide to Living in Japan')
&
'As the weather is still rather cool, why not visit one of Tokyo's many unusual museums. The Ryogoku area has quite a few, including the Alloy Casting Museum (display of original alloy casts), the Battledore Museum (look it up), the Fireworks Museum & the Safe & Key Museum. For more information, call the Sumida-ku City Office at 5608-6212.'
'For more information, check out the 'Gaijin's Guide to Enjoying Tokyo'
Miss last month's 'Empty Seat'? Not to worry. You can check out the Gaijin's previous ramblings as easily as clicking below.
Well, as winter makes it grip on Tokyo all the more noticeable, & as even the less industrious of our executives get back into the swing of things after the New Year break, you might not feel like venturing out much. Therefore, if you happen to be in the Internet neighbourhood around the middle of February (sort of), then feel free to feast your eyes upon another month's worth of odd news & even odd views -- you will certainly be most welcome! Whenever you next pop round, take care of yourselves & may the wind (preferably a warm one) be always at your back.
The Gaijin
Don't forget: If you want to know when the next 'Empty Seat' is online, or just want to contact the ol' Gaijin, you can use the Guestbook link below. Everything will be read & then . . . Well, we'll see!
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on Japan's buses & trains know that the seat next to a foreigner
will usually remain empty, even during the rush hours. This can rankle at first but should really be seen as a relief in a place where space is hard to find. It is also amusing to see a tired 'salaryman' torn between sitting next to a foreigner or remaining on his feet! |
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