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I don't know if those infallible gentlemen at the weather bureau have yet decided if the 'rainy season' is officially over but the real weather certainly suggests it is. I mean, back on July 20th, Tokyo experienced its all-time highest temperature, with the mercury hitting 39.5c, beating the previous record of 39.1c recorded on August 3rd, 1994. I had to work that day, wearing a tie, and so I can confirm -- it was damn hot! However, one of the things that Japan and Britain have in common is that they never seem to be ready for weather extremes, and with insulation being an unknown thing here, traditional Japanese homes are not designed for summer or winter, and so more than 620 people were taken to hospital with heatstroke! However, at least one sector of the community is happy about this weather. Kyodo News reports indicate that July sales of beer and low-malt 'happoshu' beer have risen 8 to 9% year-on-year. What's more, the 'big 4' brewers (Kirin, Asahi, Sapporo and Suntory) estimate that if you include beer-like sparkling alcoholic beverages, then sales posted a 15% increase. Hey I did my best to help produce those numbers, so d'you think I'll get a discount? Yeah, right after I become Pope! Anyway, let's take a look at what else has been in the news over here . . .

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Let's start on a humorous note, why don't we? Now if you think you've made an embarrassing mistake, consider yourself lucky not to have been on the cockpit of a recent All Nippon Airways flight departing from Narita airport in early July. I mean, turning the wrong way is one thing, but imagine turning your 747 the wrong way and coming face to face with JAL plane that had just landed! I kid you not. Needless to say, the departure was rather delayed. To be exact, ANA flight 2179, bound for Osaka, was delayed by an hour as it had to be towed away from where it had come to a standstill facing JAL flight 948, which had just arrived from Saipan. In case you're wondering, both planes were 747s and the taxiway was too narrow for them to pass each other. I've heard of some good excuses for delaying a flight, but this has to be a real conversation maker!

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Of course, the big news in Japan this month was the latest nuclear accident, this one going so far as to kill someone. To be exact, 4 workers were killed and 7 others severely burned when super-heated non-radioactive steam leaked at the Mihama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture. We are told (reliably?) that no radioactive leak took place. In a classic example of 'doctor-speak', the local hospital reported that they did not know what caused the deaths of the four, whereas witnesses at the plant said the victims had severe burns with their skin and clothes on fire. Tough diagnosis, right? The incident, which is being investigated as a case of professional negligence and has been assigned 110 investigators (I kid you not) is unlikely to help Japan's nuclear power industry, which is already sinking in the opinion of most Japanese consumers. However, as Japan depends on nuclear power for 40% of its electricity, the industry isn't exactly heading for bankruptcy. According to the government's Nuclear and Industry Safety Agency, the steam leak occurred at around 3:30 p.m. at a facility housing the turbines for the No. 3 reactor of the plant, located in the town of Mihama, 340 kilometres west of Tokyo. A 65-year-old woman who works at a canteen in the plant said, "Staff rushed into the canteen, screaming. I put in a container all the ice I could find and gave it to them." The 28- year-old reactor was automatically shut down after the incident and according to its operator, KEPCO, Japan's second largest utility, radiation monitors showed no radioactive leakage. Nonetheless, Hiroaki Koide, an assistant on nuclear engineering at the Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute, stressed that incident was "serious" despite having no radiation leakage given the number of deaths and injuries. What's more, as a member of the Tokyo-based Citizens' Nuclear Information Center said, if as seems likely the company were trying to conduct inspections while the reactor was in operation, this means the workers' safety was disregarded for economic efficiency. Now if they don't give a toss about even their own workers, how do they feel about we consumers? Best not to ponder that too much . . .

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Japan is usually a very welcoming country for Americans, and does its best to make them stay as long as they wish. However, one rather famous (infamous) American recently had his stay extended for slightly different reasons. I refer to the controversial former world chess champion Bobby Fischer. He tried to depart from Narita airport for the Philippines in early July and was immediately detained by the Immigration authorities. Not, I hasten to add, for his unorthodox chess techniques, but for using an invalid passport. Ten out of ten for observation, yes, but it odes make one wonder about which Immigration official let him in on this dodgy passport! The 61-year-old Fischer has virtually been on the run since he won $3.35 million in a chess match in Yugoslavia in 1992. This led a US federal grand jury to indict him as the United States was then banning its citizens from economic activity with Yugoslavia in compliance with UN economic sanctions. He surfaced again in 2001 when he was found to be living in Japan by a Japanese chess player. It seems that whatever he spent his millions on, it wasn't on a top-rate fake passport! It is some 32 years since Fischer became world chess champion after defeating Boris Spassky of the then Soviet Union, but Fischer has managed to remain controversial even when not winning chess matches. The Immigration Bureau reported that it planed to deport him, where presumably a federal trial will be waiting for him.  

Until recently, South Korea banned Japanese films and TV shows, a policy doubtless connected with Japan's horrendous treatment of the Koreans during the years they were Japan's colonial subjects. However, the reverse is certainly not true and Korean TV dramas (= soap operas) are now all the rage here in Japan. Take, for example, the weepy South Korean melodrama 'Fuyu-Sona' ('Winter Sonata') broadcast by the state broadcaster, NHK. Not only has this soap attracted a truly huge audience, it has also led to the sale of 330,000 DVDs and 1.22 million copies of the story in book form — generating an estimated ¥3.5 billion (US$31 million) in revenues for the network. However, such success does have side effects, especially when it comes to Japan's often neglected wives. One salaryman was quoted in the press as complaining that his wife had spent over ¥30,000 (US$272) on a set of DVDs, which required him to spend an additional ¥50,000 (US$454) on a DVD player. As he said, "40% of my summer bonus has be eaten up by Fuyu-sona-related outlays. If I were to just buy even a single golf club for myself, I'd never hear the end of it." Sounds familiar. However, other wives have gone even further, with more than 2,000 women spending between ¥70,000 to ¥120,000 (US$635-1,090) on package tours to Seoul, whose itineraries include visits to locations where the drama was shot. 'Yong-sama' (the nickname given to the drama's blonde-dyed leading actor Bae Yong Joong) is the main reason for this craze, sometimes referred to as 'Yongfluenza'. Around 30 Japanese women a day visit his alleged favourite barbecue restaurant in Seoul, demanding to try his favourite dishes! For those who stay at home, the craze surfaces in different forms. For example, some salarymen are surprised to find their dinners now consist of Korean dishes, and one wife even asked her husband to change his spectacle frames to the same type that Bae wears in the drama. However, when he did so, she told him it didn't work on him! Not surprisingly, this Bae-mania has also reached the bedroom. Most salarymen, even the younger ones, are visibly out of shape but until now, they got away with looking repulsive. Not any more. One man reported that since his wife returned from Seoul, she has refused to make love, saying, "Look at that protruding belly; that's why Japanese men are no good,". However, one man's loss is another man's business opportunity. A large number of marriages are ending in "Fuyusona rikon" (Winter Sonata Divorces), and so one canny businessman has organized a new international matchmaking service that helps Japanese women tie up with dreamy Korean mates. According to an agency staff member, about 100 women a month have been signing up, and the numbers are still rising. However, many are due for a big disappointment, for just as Japan's male sex symbols are very different from real Japanese males, so it is in Korea. However, this should be a very loud wake-up call for Japanese husbands. As one psychiatrist said, when commenting on this mania, "The drama's fans, mainly middle-aged women, are not really treated like women by their husbands." In the west, they might seek an affair or a divorce, but that isn't so easy in Japan. Nonetheless, with the only long-term solution seeming to be that Japanese husbands should treat their wives more like people than servants or possessions, this fad might indeed have a happy ending. Who knows, if the husbands wake up and start acting like husbands should, the birth-rate might start to go up again. However, if local husbands are as 'quick' to reform as the government here, that might take a pretty long time!

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Regular readers may recall that I have previously ridiculed the Japanese law that controls what parents are allowed to name their children, forcing them to choose characters from an authorised list of Kanji (the Chinese characters used in Japanese). Well, in what might just be termed a reform of this censorship rule, the Justice Ministry, a well known bastion of human rights, has decided to propose that the list be increased with an additional 578 characters. However, some of the characters they have seen fit to propose adding are unlikely to get much use. For example, locals may soon be able to name their children 'Buttocks', 'Prostitute', 'Piles', 'Vagina' (bound to be a hit with some Dads) and 'Slur'. However, don't mock this change too quickly. It seems the ministry's relevant  language review panel had decided that it was not its place to make moral judgments, preferring to leave it up to parents to exercise their own common sense. Allowing parents to do so is taken for granted in most countries, so this is a step in the right direction -- sort of. However, the days of name censorship are not over, as the ministry said public pressure had forced it to withdraw 9 of the most controversial characters. So parents wishing to call their offspring 'Rape', 'Excrement' or 'Cancer' will be disappointed! You may think this story is rather silly and inconsequential, but think again. this name censorship extends to adults as well. For example, when I married my Japanese wife back in 1991, she wanted to add her maiden name as a middle name, but was informed by the courthouse that Japanese cannot have 3 names! I kid you not. She got round this by combining our surnames into one rather awkward name, which seemed to be OK with the unimaginative sods who control such things. I believe this law has been changed since then but the government still exercises far more control over people's choices than it should. Oh, and there was an interesting footnote to this new addition to the list. It seems that traditional names like 'Hanako' (a girl's name meaning 'Flower Child') and Manabu (a boy's name meaning 'Studious') have fallen out of favour. Maybe parents are beginning to realise that with Japan's youth heading the way it is, the girls are unlikely to be wearing flowers (smoking some, maybe) and the boys might well decide that studying 'isn't cool'! I wonder if 'slut' or 'moron' are permitted?

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Who says that Japan doesn't punish sexual criminals properly? I mean, examine the facts for yourself. Masao Akasu, the 57 year old president of a corrugated cardboard manufacturer, sexually and physically abused 3 mentally retarded women who worked at the firm in the 1990s.  Well, the Mito District Court certainly threw the book at him -- though it seems to have been a fairly slim book! He was sentenced in March 1997 to 3 years in prison, suspended for 4 years. Talk about cruel and inhuman punishment! However, his inhuman treatment was increased recently, when the Tokyo High Court upheld a lower court ruling that ordered him to pay a total of ¥15 million (US$134,750) to the three workers. Now not only does this make one wonder what sort of moral code that Mita judge follows for his own behaviour, but it also makes you wonder why such a ridiculous case of laxity didn't receive more coverage. Yes, it is true that folks here rarely complain, and so creeps like this guy, and like the stupid judge who let him off so lightly, are likely to continue behaving in the same nasty manner. I know moaning isn't the Japanese way, but things won't change unless someone starts pretty soon!

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Soon after this page goes online, the Athens Olympics will start filling TV schedules around the world and boring folk like me for far too long. Japan will be there, of course, and if there were medals for fashion, Japan might well have a good chance of winning one. The Japanese contingent of 300 athletes and officials, the highest number since the Tokyo Olympiad, will be wearing brand new uniforms, and believe it or not, sports folk will be able to show a degree of individuality. In line with their image, Japan's Olympic athletes used to all wear the same style, but this year, individual athletes can choose their own designs, all scientifically designed to give them a technical boost. For example, the new women's swimsuits designed by Mizuno has tiny protuberances on a part of the breast and shoulder that are said to help reduce water resistance by up to 3%. However, woe betide any athlete who tries to look too sexy. Usually, the sexiest outfits are often those worn by beach volleyball players, usually a form of bikini. However, Japan's beach volleyball players have been given strict orders that they must wear bras under their tank-tops. So much for spectator sports!

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Crime File

• Where's the safest place in any town? The police station? Not in Japan, it's not! Just when you thought Japan's finest couldn't make any more blunders, this happens. Kyodo News reports that back in mid-July, a 25-year-old man was abducted by a group of men right in front of police officers in Soka, Saitama Prefecture. The poor man, who might well question what his taxes are spent on, was later beaten up by his captors, sustaining serious injuries to his arms and legs. The incident took place when the man ran into a police box and asked for help from the officers there. However, the said officers did nothing to try and stop the men taking him away. I suppose he hadn't filled in the right forms before they grabbed him!

• As if that wasn't bad enough, it now seems that police inactivity may have led to a murder! Many here were shocked when details emerged of a mass murder in Hyogo Prefecture, with 7 people being found murdered. However, it now seems that one of the victims, 64-year-old Toshihiko Fujishiro, had previously sought police help without success. It seems that Toshihiko pleaded for help back in 2002 after the man now being held for the carnage, 47-year-old Yasutaka Fujishiro, shoved him following an argument. Reports indicate that the victims had been constantly bothered by Yasutaka, a distant relative. However, the police officer who arrived at the scene shortly after the shoving incident said that they would have to solve the problem themselves as it was a local issue. Maybe he was missing his lunch, or had too much paperwork to catch up with!

• Remember the old Gilbert and Sullivan classic '3 Little Maids From School'? Well, think again, for if you see some Japanese schoolgirls approaching you, be on your guard. I refer to the recent report that 2 Toyama Prefecture high school girls, both 15, have been arrested on suspicion of stabbing and seriously injuring a man they did not know on a local street in. The incident took place at a town festival (such festivals are part of the usual summer routine here), when one of the two 'young ladies' plunged a kitchen knife into the back of a 21-year-old man. Not surprisingly, police say they are treating it as a case of attempted murder. So much for the innocence of youth!

• It's a nice dream, having your kids help pay for a comfortable old age. However, one evil old woman here took that idea way too far. 64-year-old Teruko Fukasawa was found guilty of killing her 33-year-old daughter Masami by running her over with a car in Saitama Prefecture back in August 1999, just to obtain insurance money. She was sentenced to 18 years in prison. It seems that Teruko was supposedly worried about her daughter's heavy debts and so she planned the murder with 9 other people, including Masami's elder sister and a second-hand car dealer. Sure enough, the murderous mother received about ¥58 million (over US$524,000) in insurance money. What's more, it seems this wicked old hag had tried something similar before, as it was revealed that the dead daughter had been injured when her mother twice hit her with a car in 1998.

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Japan's state broadcaster may not be too good at producing viewable programmes but it seems that one of their senior producers is at least good at one thing -- embezzlement! NHK, or 'Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai ('Japan Broadcasting Corporation') is Japan's only public broadcaster, a huge organisation which, like its British counterpart, has a wide selection of TV, satellite and radio stations. Back in late July, NHK reported to the government that a probe into the behaviour of chief program producer Katsumi Isono. Seems that they discovered a total of ¥48 million (US$431,000+) in 'misappropriations'. The embarrassed NHK officials in charge of the probe reported to the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications their findings as well as the disciplinary measures taken against Isono and his superiors. Remembering how enthusiastically they hammer on my door to try and get me to pay my TV licence, I shall be much less keen on paying in future. After all, wasting money on dreadful programmes is one thing, but subsidising crooks? I think not!

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It seems that I cannot turn on CNN these days without hearing about some American sportsman being in court for some crime or another. However, although naughty sportsmen are pretty much an international trend, one sport I never expected to be affected is that most Japanese of sports, Sumo! However, the Japanese press recently carried reports of just such a crime. It involved the Mongolian yokozuna ('Grand Champion') Asashoryu, who recently won his 4th straight Emperor's Cup in Nagoya. It seems that this somewhat large fighter (184cm/6ft and 140kg/308lbs) got more than a little pissed (= drunk) back on that record hot day, July 20th. Now when you or I get drunk, that's one thing. When a guy who weighs over 22 stone gets legless, things get broken. In this case, the drunken champ broke the glass of the front door of his 'stable' in Taito-ku, Tokyo. This led neighbours to call in the cops, not something that has pleased his oyakata (coach). Now this may sound like a simple case of 'boys will be boys', but Sumo is a pretty conservative sport, and one former Yokozuna had to resign because of violent behaviour. Although his oyakata is pretending that nothing happened, Asashoryu may be facing a similar situation. It's not as if this were his first case of 'un-Sumo like behaviour'. Asashoryu, who is due to marry a Mongolian lady in his native land at the end of August, has been already made a contract with a TV station to televise his wedding, without consulting his oyakata. As one Sumo aficionado said, sumo custom dictates that income generated from all events of a stable must be shared with the oyakata, and this includes weddings which generate a huge amount of gifts in cash. What's more, the TV station is likely to pay at least several million yen for exclusive rights, and Asashoryu is required to share this with his oyakata. Seems like the big guy might well have a bit of a hangover even before the stag night!

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Many countries have trouble ensuring their laws keep up to date with the rapidly changing world we live in. Sometimes it is genuinely because life changes too fast, but sometimes its because the nation is run by old farts who welcome change as one would welcome a rabid leper. Which is Japan? I'll let you decide, but consider the fact that history was made here back on July 28th -- in Naha, Okinawa, of all places! You see, a few days before that, a new law came into effect that enabled people with 'gender identity disorder' to change their sex in their family registry under certain conditions. So it was that the Naha Family Court approved an application by a transsexual to alter her officially registered sex from male to female. A little piece of paperwork but it does place Japan ahead of many other countries. For example, till very recently, British law said that whatever you were born as, you stayed as, meaning that someone who was to all intents and purposes a women might have to go to a male prison, for example. British law did change (last month, thanks to EU pressure) and so has Japanese law. It is true that I would still feel very uneasy dating a woman who'd been born a man, but that doesn't mean that transsexuals should be forced to live in a state of legal limbo, between the gender in which they were registered at birth and the gender in which they are now living. However, although this move deserves a 'well done, Japan!

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Regular readers of this column may remember that many Japanese school teachers, especially here in Tokyo, have been punished for failing to stand up and sing the national anthem, 'Kimigayo,' during school ceremonies. Well, taking more than that one step from the sublime to the ridiculous, Kyodo News reports that the Tokyo metropolitan board of education has now started a mandatory training program for these sinful teachers, despite a recent court ruling which said (in a suitably vague manner) that "Should an identical training program be forced repeatedly on teachers and their freedom of thought infringed, it may violate the Constitution or law." As if this city didn't have other problems more deserving of official attention, the 'Tokyo Metropolitan School Personnel In-service Training Center' said the 'training to prevent a recurrence of service accident' program was designed to raise teachers' awareness about their role as public servants and to urge them to reflect on their actions. Erring teachers, along with the principals of the schools they belong to, will be given lectures on their obligations of service and legal provisions, according to the center. At the first one-hour lecture, given to around 60 teachers, no mention was made of the 'Kimigayo' issue, concentrating on how teachers should fulfil their obligations as public servants. I wonder if those teachers who molest or sexually assault their pupils will also get a lecture on 'their obligations'?

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While Tokyo loses sleep and wastes money on 'unpatriotic' teachers, other school areas are facing more real problems. Take, for example, the Kadoma school area, in Osaka Prefecture. A teaching consultant, an official who is sent by the local education board to advise principals and teachers and to supervise school education, was recently arrested, not for failing to stand for the 'Kimigayo' but for allegedly producing and hiding around 10,000 pornographic photos of about 90 underage girls he had sex with. This 47-year-old pervert,  who taught social studies at a junior high school in Kadoma until becoming a teaching consultant in April 2001, made history in a way, as he was the first person to be arrested for violating the revised child prostitution law, which only took effect on July 8th, which makes it illegal to produce child pornography even if it isn't for sale or display. However, this bastion of the educational system was hardly a newcomer to the police, as he earlier been arrested for an indecent act with a minor. According to police, he paid a 3rd-year junior high school girl to have sex with him for ¥40,000 (roughly US460) at a hotel. He was initially arrested for indecent conduct with a 1st-year senior high school girl, for which he paid ¥50,000. Not that this is anywhere near as heinous as failing to show respect to the flag, of course, but it is worth remembering just how incredibly cheeky this creep was./ Believe it or not, he was quoted by the police as saying that he would "enjoy looking at the pictures afterwards." I can't even try to follow that!

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A very sad sign of the times, of how Japan is losing its ultra-safe image. Japan's most profitable company, Toyota Motor Corp, has announced that it will soon begin sales of cell phones equipped with a security buzzer system -- like the anti-mugging alarms carried by so many in the West. The phones, developed jointly with DDI Pocket Inc and Kyocera Corp, will let out a loud buzz if the user pulls a strap on the back of the handset. However, thanks to the wonders of Japanese technology, the new phone will also automatically make calls to pre-registered phone numbers whenever the security buzzer is activated. Sounds like a very popular item for some overseas markets but sadly, it should also do very well over here. The combination of less discipline in the home, more leisure time, and an increasingly oblivious police force will soon mean that Japanese women may consider their outfit incomplete without this device. Sad, but such is the way of the world! 

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Say That Again . . .

Japan's youth, especially the females, can often seem a pretty sorry bunch, torn between the conservative values of their parents and teachers and the lure of designer clothes and western ideas. An extreme example of their mixed-up mindset is the recent craze for near-death experiences. As one proponent explained:
"'Risuka' (wrist-cutting) causes less damage and you don't ruin your status at school much."  
To think my parents got so worried about me sneaking a cigarette!

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However, for those who don't feel like sampling the delights of slashing their wrists, there are alternatives. Take the one outlined by one 17-year-old girl:
"Quite often, I feel like dying. When I feel that way, I let my cell phone die instead."  
It seems that whenever her boyfriend dumps her, she 'resets' her life by changing her cell phone. Hey, compared with wrist-slashing, it sounds almost sensible!

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Remember when every business bookshop contained several books on how great Japanese management was? Well times sure have changed. If you don't believe me, just ask McDonald's Japan president Eiko Harada, who recently announced a plan to hire 5-6 foreign executives. He gave as his reason:
"I hope they will fill what is lacking in management by Japanese." 
Talk about history going round in circles, back to the Meiji era and the 'foreign experts'.

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Now I always knew that miniskirts were good for society, especially me! However, it's always nice to have one's views given scientific backing. However, that's what economic analyst Haruhiko Sato has done, claiming that the present miniskirt boom has reinvigorated Japan's economy. He said:
"When women buy a miniskirt, they want to go out and show it off. If women go out, so will guys. This leads to more encounters, which in turns provides a boon for the food and leisure industries." 
So come on, ladies. Help the economy -- dig out those miniskirts and wear 'em!

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Living in Tokyo can often make the rat-race look a stroll in the park, and this stressful way of life was recently picked on the Governor of Iwate prefecture, who has sagaciously been promoting a 'go-slow' lifestyle, saying:
"In Tokyo, life consists of working, eating and sleeping. Here, I want people to go home early, take a walk with their family, and talk to neighbours."
Sounds good, huh? The downside is, it can reach -10c (14f) in Iwate, with snow up to your fleshy bits! 

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A young friend of mine is studying medicine at Tokyo University. However, it seems that he and his colleagues are very choosy about where they go when they graduate. Hokkaido doesn't seem to be very high on their list, alas! For as the director of one Hokkaido hospital said:
"The doctor will come and work for you if you provide a brand-new TV and a washing machine." 
Sadly, that's another reason why Iwate's relaxed way (see above) of life is less than irresistible!

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 The Asahi Shimbun newspaper recently reported on a new fad whereby women dry their wet hands with their hair instead of handkerchiefs. They quoted one 31-year-old woman, who explained:
"I can dry my hands and fix my hair at the same time."
In case you're wondering, virtually no public toilet here, even in posh department stores, offers any way of drying one's hands. Paper towels or hot-air dryers are still pretty damn rare here!

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Maybe you saw the violent and unsporting scenes that followed Japan's victory over China in the Asian Cup football competition. Now we all know that old Japan did plenty to merit such hostility, and some present day politicians seem determined to encourage it, but it was very unpleasant. However, this being the cyber age, disgruntled Chinese fans did not confine themselves to throwing things at the Japanese team. China's official newspaper Wen Wei Po reported that 1,900 Chinese 'geeks' hacked into more than 200 official websites in Japan and Taiwan. Sites that were hit in Japan included the Foreign Ministry, National Police Agency, Japan Coast Guard and Defense Agency, with some official websites being shut down, the report said. The hackers are believed by some to have been organized by a Chinese group that seeks sovereignty over the Senkaku  or Diaoyu Islands near Taiwan. Now I watched most of that game and the result, though unpalatable to some, was justified. Japan deserved to win. Now remembering the age of most of the Japanese team, it seems doubtful whether even their parents had any role in the Pacific War, and with so few young people bothering to vote her, the team certainly had little to do with the jingoism of the present regime. China and other previously occupied Asian nations do have some just grievances against Japan, but let's keep them out of sport, OK? Politics may often seem a lot like a game but football's a lot more fun to watch! 

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Last Sunday was, of course, the 59th anniversary of the of the end of World War II. To mark the event, the Japanese government sponsored a memorial ceremony at Nippon Budokan to commemorate the 2.3 million military personnel and 800,000 civilians who died in the war. The ceremony was attended by about 5,000 family members of the war dead as well as the Emperor and Empress, heads of both houses of the Diet, and representatives of the government and business circles. At the ceremony, Prime Minister Koizumi claimed he would "make my utmost efforts for Japan to actively contribute to global peace and further gain world trust". Fine words, but how much weight can we put on them when, despite the feelings of Japan's neighbours, this same 'peacemaker' recently promised that he would yet again visit the controversial Yasukuni Shrine. It is also worth remembering that he has rigorously opposed efforts to establish a less controversial war shrine and has ignored protests from China and the Koreas. Oh, and it goes without saying that Tokyo's Governor, PM wannabe Shintaro Ishihara, visited the shrine. What's more, he even went so far as to suggest that Emperor Akihito should visit the Shrine next year on the 60th anniversary of Japan's defeat, to "fulfil the great responsibility to the country." I sincerely hope the Emperor has enough wisdom to treat that suggestion with the contempt it merits. Nonetheless, as I'm sure the media would agree, it just wouldn't be VJ day without the Gov doing something totally indecorous! It seems that whereas criticising his and Koizumi's shrine visits is interfering with domestic affairs, criticising the behaviour of Chinese football fans is fair comment. Confused? Join the club! 

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As Japan's economy continues to improve, it might seem timely to examine the salaries of those responsible for keeping 'Japan Inc' on course. In a recent issue of the Nikkei financial newspaper, it was revealed that directors of 100 Japanese public companies are paid around ¥32 million (around US$289,000) per year, whereas the highest director payouts were at Nissan Motor, with an average of ¥200 million (app. US$1.8 million). Now that may seem a hell of a lot, especially when compared with the frugal salaries of Japanese executives in the past, but looking at Toyota's performance, I doubt if many would object. However, the gap between the pay of directors and workers remains relatively narrow here in Japan, with CEOs getting approximately 5-8 times the salary of their average employee. In comparison, the figure for US CEOs is approximately 56 times. Spot the difference? But why are executives content with what seems a much smaller pay-packet? Well, one answer is tax. Back when Japan's economic miracle began, tax rates could be as high as 80% or more, and even today, when you add in local taxes and social security, it can still reach around 65%. So most directors are all too willing to opt for low wages but high extras. For example, most Japanese executives enjoy chauffeured cars, company-paid housing, cheap mid-quality health care, company-paid overseas travel and few ever need to buy a meal. What's more, although things are changing, most executives are still pretty much guaranteed jobs for life, especially with such a timid and undemanding bunch of shareholders. What's more, when they retire, they can receive a lump sum 'thank you' payment that sometimes reaches a billion yen, or over US$9 million. Not that retirement means no more salary. Many ';retired' directors are kept on the books as 'komon' or advisers, for which they are naturally well paid. Oh, and in case you're wondering, the average salary for an employee of Japan's biggest companies is about ¥8 million (app. US$72,000)p.a., whereas the national average is about ¥4.5 million (app. US$40,600) p.a. And what about my pay-packet? Hey, the taxman might read this, so forget it!

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Gaijin's Tip:

'If, like me, you have a dog staying with you in Japan, please remember that due to some weird logic, dogs are not allowed in taxis, buses or trains unless inside a proper pet box. Nauseous drunks, yes, but dogs, no! Therefore, if you have a dog and no car, learn to enjoy walking!'
(For more like this, please visit the 'Gaijin's Guide to Living in Japan')

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Gaijin's Where-to-Go

'If you would like to see some fish that are alive rather than being served with rice, there are some aquariums close to Tokyo. For example, there is the Sunshine International Aquarium (Sunshine Kokusai Suizokukan) in Higashi Ikebukuro (Sunshine City Bldg), with over 400 kinds of sea creatures in 73 tanks. Telephone 3989-3466. (There is also the Tokyo Sea Life Park (Tokyo-to Kasai Rinkai Suizoku-en), Japan's biggest aquarium, near Rinkai Koen Sta. (Keiyo Line). Open 9:30am to 4pm. Closed Wed. Telephone 3869-5152. For the less adventurous, there is the Tokyo Tower Aquarium (Suizokukan), with large tanks mostly at a child's eye-level. It also has a large collection of tropical fish for sale. Kamiyacho Sta. (Hibiya Line). Telephone 3433-5111.'

(For more suggestions, check out the 'Gaijin's Guide to Enjoying Tokyo')