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Super Japan News
Super Japan News = slick news and commentary from a local source keeping you updated on the latest in Japanese current affairs. Check back at the end of the thread for regular updates.
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Price of Smokes Could Go Up
Japanese politicians are now trying to pass legislature on raising taxes on tobacco in Japan which would mean the price of a pack would go up to ¥1000. This is about US 9.50. Nationwide, smokers are clamouring over the possibility. Misc: As of now a pack in Japan goes for about ¥300. Super cheap compared to most countries. Japan is the world's third largest tobacco market after China and the US. Smoking is known to cause cancer in humans and rats. Im all for the tax increase. Maybe while they are at it they can lower the beer tax to even everything out. Beer in Japan is obscenely expensive. You dont even get a discount per can for buying a six-pack. |
Tokyo's Subway Just Got Bigger
The largest rapid transit system in the known universe has been extended by one line. The Fukutoshin Line is the first new addition to Tokyo's subway system in 8 years. It runs from Shibuya to Wako, Saitama. The line is meant to relieve congestion on other lines passing through Shinjuku Station. This should be a welcome change. If you have ever ridden a train in to Shinjuku Station during rush hour you'd know it is hella crowded. Misc: To celebrate the Fukutoshin Line's opening Shinjuku's Isetan Department store sold train shaped eclairs. Not to be outdone Takashimaya Department store made a Subway map out of gummy candy, chocolate and diamonds. It is currently on display in a glass case in their Shinjuku store. Trains in Tokyo are notorious for chikan, Japan's homegrown breed of zealous perverts. They take advantage of the crowded commute to rub their genitals against or grope unsuspecting women. Many train lines have female only carriages during rush hour to spare women from the nastiness of these sick men who otherwise can't get any. Additional info: Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line - Wikipedia |
Watermelon Sells for Price of 15 PlayStation3s
Last week a 17-pound Hokkaido Densuke watermelon sold for US 6,100 at an auction in Tokyo. It was purchased by a man who wanted to promote local agriculture. In case you are curious this brand of watermelon usually sells in stores for a modest US 188 - 283. Misc: Watermelons, melons, apples and peaches are really expensive in Japan because they are produced domestically. Pinapples and bananas on the other hand are cheap because they come from the Philippines. Go figure. Japanese have created square shaped watermelons, but for some reason have yet to produce seedless ones. In summer Japanese like to spin around in circles while blindfolded then smash open a watermelon with a wooden stick. Its kind of like smashing open a pinata, only you get fruit instead of candy. They call this practice suikawari. Additional info: FOXNews.com - Possibly World's Most Expensive Watermelon Sells for $6,100 in Japan |
Dante Dethrones Kimutaku
Dante Carver, 31 year-old African American model and actor has risen to prominence in Japan thanks to his spot on a recurring series of commercials for Softbank Mobile. In the commercials he plays the brother in the bizarre White family headed by a cute white dog (hokkaidouken). So popular is his role that last month he overtook Takuya Kimura in an annual Commercial Talento Popularity Ranking Survey. This is the first time in 8 years that consummate silky boy and Johnny’s idol Takuya has not topped the list. Misc: Takuya Kimura actually dropped down to fourth place in the survey, while the actress who plays Dante’s sister in the Softbank commercials, Aya Ueto, ranks second. Aya Ueto is really hot. She is the Japanese girl I want to date most closely followed by Reon Kadena and Aki Hoshino. Other American actors who have come out in Softbank Mobile commercials are Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz and Hillary Duff. They have no shame when it comes to making a quick buck in Japan. Additional Info: レッツ芸能ニュース - ＣＭタレント好感度ランキング Softbank Commercials: Cameron Diaz - ソフトバンクモバイルCM White Family(白戸家)其の1 「予想外な家族」篇 |
iPhone Comes to Japan
The iPhone will be available to Japanese customers through Softbank Mobile beginning on July 11th. 8G and 16G iPhone 3G models will be included in the launch starting from US 199. The Japanese who are all loco for iPods and other miniature gadgets will no doubt line up for the opportunity to own one. Softbank Mobile is hoping the iPhone will boost its sales and steal subscribers away from their larger rivals KDDI and DoCoMo. Misc: Japan is the first Asian country to receive the iPhone. The iPhone will also become available next month in Australia, Canada, Mexico and several European countries. Japanese are obsessed with text messaging. They are much more inclined to send a message than make a phone call. It could also have something to do with the costly minute rates, and phone etiquette while in public. Anyhow, it would not be a stretch to say that the Japanese national passtime is playing with one's phone while riding the train. I am curious to see how the iPhone will impact Japanese phone obsession. Additional info: AFP: Softbank bringing iPhone to Japan |
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Stabbing Spree in Akihabara
A man originally from Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture flipped out and rammed a rental truck in to pedestrians on a crowded intersection in Akihabara. He then jumped out an stabbed over a dozen people with a dagger he had bought two days before. The police had him surrender at gun point, but not before he killed 6 men and a woman. He is now in custody and will likely be sentenced to death by hanging as is the case with these types. Misc: This stabbing took place on the anniversary of another stabbing spree that occured 7 years earlier at an elementary school in Osaka. The man's parents publicly apologized on national TV for the crime their son committed. They felt ashamed that they could not raise him better. The Japanese government is now considering restricting the sale of certain types of knives. Akihabara, incidentally, is the otaku capital of the world. Otaku are best described as Japanese geeks who get off on hentai, anime based figurines, chicks in maid outfits and the sexualization of minors. Understandably, the word carries a very negative stigma in Japan. Additional info: Akihabara massacre - Wikipedia |
Yet Another Mario Game
In the ongoing business practice of milking their most successful franchise, Nintendo is releasing Super Mario Stadium Family Baseball (aka Mario Super Sluggers) for the Wii. This is a follow up to the Player’s Choice title Mario Superstar Baseball on the Game Cube. Commercials for the game are currently airing 24/7 on Japanese TV while prepubescent kids everywhere rejoice. I’m sure there are even a few adults who are dying to play the game. That is Nintendo’s current sales strategy. They are targeting consumers of all ages with their latest console. Super Mario Stadium Family Baseball comes out a week from today for the suggested retail price of 5,800 yen. Misc: Nintendo’s Mario series is the gaming industry’s most successful franchise in terms of total sales (over 285 million units). No other franchise even comes close. Mario is so famous that he is recognized even in the information vacuum known as North Korea. Shigeru Miyamoto created Mario for the original Donkey Kong arcade game. Back then he was called Jumpman. The name Mario was later taken from Mario Segali, the landlord of Nintendo of America’s office building. Apparently, the two shared a striking resemblance. As far as video games go I’m still bitter that GTA4 has not yet been released in Japan. This is the one place that got stiffed because of Capcom (the series’ Japanese distributor) habit of delaying their localizations. Damn you Capcom! Damn you to hell! Additional info: Mario Super Sluggers - Wikipedia Game Commercial: Mario Super Sluggers/スーパーマリオスタジアム ファミリーベースボール Japanese CM 1 |
Konami Cancels Launch Events in Response to Massacre
The Akihabara Massacre has caused a media storm in Japan. Many are quick to point out that this is just the latest in an increase of nationwide violent crime involving knives. Amid this fiasco, gamemaker Konami has decided to cancel three launch events for their new title Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. The game is an 3rd person action shooter with scenes of graphic violence. One of the launch events was planned for Akihabara. Misc: Metal Gear Solid 4 was released today for the PS3. I would really like to play it but Im too poor to get a PS3. According to former school classmates, Tomohiro Kato (the wacko assailant) had frequently visited Akihabara since the summer of 2003 to buy video games and other items. In my opinion, violent video games do not cause massacres of this nature. Deranged pent up individuals cause them. Additional info: AP News : National : DAILY YOMIURI ONLINE (The Daily Yomiuri) |
Monta Mino is a Machine
The hardest working man in the Japanese entertainment industry has again broken the record for most hours of live television in one week, a whopping 22 hours and 15 seconds back in April. Monta Mino has accumulated such hours by regularly hosting 11 TV programs. If you were to factor in his pre-recorded television appearances his weekly average total comes to about 35 hours. Not bad for a 63 year old. Last week his feat was recognized with a Guinness World Record certificate. Misc: Mino is living proof of the notion that there is no such thing as celebrity overexposure in Japan. His 40 year showbiz resume is unprecedented. It could quite possibly shame any other entertainer in to retirement. Not suprisingly Mino is the highest paid TV-star in Japan. He is the host of the Japanese version "Who Wants to be a Millionaire". Thanks to him the English catch phrase "Final Answer" has entered the Japanese lexicon. Additional info: AP News : Arts Weekend : Features : DAILY YOMIURI ONLINE (The Daily Yomiuri) |
New Tokyo Tower Becomes Tokyo Sky Tree
To meet the city's future demand for digital broadcasting, NTT and five other broadcasters are working together to erect a massive 610m tower on the east side of Tokyo. Until recently the project was called the New Tokyo Tower. However a vote was held and it has now become the Tokyo Sky Tree. Pretty lame if you ask me. They should have gone with the second place name of Tokyo Edo Tower. Construction will begin next month and end in December of 2011. Misc: If completed as scheduled, the Tokyo Sky Tree will be the largest free standing tower in the world. The CNN tower in Toronto currently holds the title at 533m. If completed today it would be the worlds tallest structure. However, that honor will go to the Burj Dubai which is to be completed next year. That skyscraper is planned to reach an incredible 818m. Tokyo Sky Tree will make Tokyo Tower look like a small fry with its 277m height advantage. Additional info: World's tallest communications tower to be 'Tokyo Sky Tree' |
Quake Hits Iwate Prefecture
The Japanese archipelago is again struck by a natural disaster, this time in the prefecture of Iwate in the north of Honshu. The 6.8 quake caused 5 reported deaths and a power outage to 29,000 residences. The goverment responded quickly by sending in troops and police officials to search for survivors. Misc: One of the victims was killed after running out his house during the quake. He was hit by a truck. The earthquake was felt as far away as Tokyo. I can vouch for that because it woke me up this morning. This earthquake was not nearly as devastating as the Kobe disaster of 1995 in which 6,400 people died. Additional Info: 5 dead as quake shakes northern Japan - Asia-Pacific - MSNBC.com |
Suicide by Hydrogen Sulfide
Another young woman in Kochi Prefecture committed suicide today by using Hydrogen Sulfide. Several people were evacuated to a gym to avoid exposure to the toxic fumes produced by the deadly concotion. Dating back to last year this method of suicide has become increasingly popular in Japan because of the painless and effective manner in which the person dies. Unfortunately, it has also caused several other related deaths because the fumes linger and can kill rescuers. Misc: This method is fast replacing Carbon Monoxide poisoning (tailpipe with hose affixed that feeds to the inside of a car) as the prefered way of commiting suicide in Japan. Instructions for how to commit suicide with Hydrogen Sulfide are available on several websites. Hydrogen Sulfide fumes by themselves are harmless. It is only when the chemical is mixed with certain common household products that it becomes lethal. Additional Info: Briquettes are out, hydrogen sulfide in as latest suicide method |
Few Deaths in Tohoku Quake
The death toll for the recent earthquake has risen to 9 people. Moreover, the amount of buildings destroyed total 12. This is in stark contrast to the Great Hanshin earthquake that occured in 1995. Both of these quakes measures 6.8 on the moment magnitude scale, however in Hanshin 6,434 people lost their lives (mostly in Kobe) on top of 200 billion dollars in property damage. Experts believe the region's sturdy buildings prevented collapses during the shaking. This is because most buildings in the area adhere to the Building Standards Law that calls for structures to withstand earthquakes of the upper 6 point range. The local architecture is also robust as a means to deal with the heavy snowfall that occurs every winter in the northern Japan. Other reasons for the low death toll include the time of the disaster. It was at 8:43 in the morning when most people were at home. This quake also had a low seismic wave frequency (1.0) which is less destructive than the higher frequency of 1.5 sec. Misc: During and after earthquakes that occur in cities, most people die from building collapses and the resultant gas leaks and fires. Japan has the strictest earthquake building regulations in the world due to the high frequency of seismic activity throughout the entire country. The Tohoku Earthquake was much smaller and less devastating than the recent Sichuan Earthquake in China. By comparison that quake measured 8.0 on the moment magnitude scale. Additional Info: Building damage surprisingly low : National : DAILY YOMIURI ONLINE (The Daily Yomiuri) |
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