The first total solar eclipse that can be seen from Japan in 46 years will occur on July 22. It will only be visible from such southern islands as Amami-Oshima, but efforts are under way to broadcast the celestial spectacle to other parts of the nation.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, blocking almost all of the sun from view. (Yomiuri)
Prosecutors on Friday demanded five years' imprisonment for Nozomu Sahashi, the former president of the failed language school chain Nova Corp., for professional embezzlement involving misuse of the reserve funds of an employees' mutual aid organization.
According to the indictment, Sahashi, 57--acting in conspiracy with a 50-year-old Nova executive in charge of finance--had about 320 million yen transferred from the employee organization's funds to a bank account of a Nova affiliate in July 2007, so as to use the money to keep the firm afloat. (Yomiuri)
Eight companies have agreed to launch a joint effort to develop equipment and facilities to supply hydrogen to fuel-cell vehicles, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.
Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles are regarded as highly eco-friendly because they emit no carbon dioxide. The group aims to commercialize the supply of hydrogen to fuel battery-powered vehicles before 2015. (Yomiuri)
Be careful next time you're about to shuck a fresh oyster at a restaurant - you may be using a knife considered illegal under the Firearm and Sword Control Law. Possessing certain types of oyster knives will be punishable from Sunday, after the moratorium expires on a revision to the law that was implemented in January. (Japan Times)
Rather than forking out money to rent their own apartments, young people struggling during the economic downturn are increasingly moving in with friends or acquaintances as they try to make ends meet.
Many of these young adults used to place priority on having a good time, but are now unemployed or working in low-paying jobs. They appear to be moving toward cheaper, shared accommodation, and with it, finding emotional support in these bleak times. (Yomiuri)
Japanese scientists will have bred a new "super-tuna" within a decade that will be stronger, more resistant to disease and taste better than the bluefin presently in the oceans. Stocks of tuna have declined by as much as 90 per cent in some waters and the World Wildlife Fund has warned that the Atlantic bluefin will have been wiped out within three years unless radical measures are taken to protect stocks. (telegraph.co.uk)
Narika Hama, a professor of economics at Doshisha University in Kyoto, is a sort of Japanese version of Paul Krugman -- if Paul Krugman were a woman with a purple rinse, pink jacket, funky blue jeans, black patent leather pumps, and a vague British accent. Hama, who lived in the United Kingdom as a child in the 1960s, is something of an intellectual celebrity in Japan. (NewsWeek)
The health ministry said Thursday it has detected a genetic mutation of the new H1N1 strain of influenza A that develops resistance to Tamiflu, marking the first case of the new influenza in Japan that did not respond to the anti-flu drug.
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said the Tamiflu-resistant virus was detected in a woman in her 40s infected with the new influenza in Osaka Prefecture. (AP)
In Japan, where the global financial meltdown has especially taken its toll, not all industries are languishing. In fact, one of the most notably resilient industries seems to be 'love hotels' (the kind where one may pay by the hour, rather than by the night), according to CNN. One such establishment, the Bonita Hotel in Isawa, currently enjoys a 257 percent occupancy rate. And the industry as a whole is estimated to take in $40 billion per year. (huffingtonpost.com)
CNN's goinggreen blog has an entry today on the new digital topographical map created by NASA and Japan. It's the most complete map to date.
The map was built from 1.3 million images taken by NASA's Terra satellite. CNN says the images were taken by a Japanese imaging instrument called the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, or ASTER. (baltimoresun.com)
A global boom in infrastructure projects worth more than £200 billion has prompted Japan to launch its most expansive charm offensive in the international game of railway diplomacy.
From Washington to Ho Chi Minh City, via Delhi and Dubai, Japan has embarked on an unprecedented frenzy of salesmanship. (timesonline.co.uk)
Japan's parliament on Friday passed a law asserting sovereignty over four islands at the centre of a dispute with Russia, adding to tensions as the countries' leaders prepare to meet.
A law calling the four Kuril islands an 'integral part' of Japan was unanimously passed by the opposition-controlled upper house after the lower house also approved it in May when the bill sparked a protest from Moscow. (Straits Times)
Japan's near-silent hybrid cars have been called dangerous by the vision-impaired and some users, prompting a government review on whether to add a noise-making device, according to an official.
The petrol-electric vehicles, which in recent months have become the country's top-selling autos, hum along almost soundlessly when they are switched from fuel to battery mode. (AFP)
The global economic landscape may see a milestone change this year, for China is widely regarded to replace Japan as the second largest economy in the next few months. But for that to happen China's economy has to grow by 6 to 8 percent, while Japan's has to contract further.
Last year, China's GDP was $4.22 trillion against Japan's $4.84 trillion. And even though China's GDP may overtake Japan's, the two economies have major quantitative and qualitative differences. (China Daily)
A plan to increase restrictions on Japan's margin-trading market may drive individual investors away, paving the way for more volatile currency movements, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Japan's Financial Services Agency, which regulates the nation's margin-trading industry, intends to cap the leverage permissible on currency trades at 50 times the amount of cash being committed starting in 2010, and reduce it to 25 times in 2011. (Bloomberg)
Japan's defence ministry is considering deploying troops on an island in the East China Sea near a group of islets that is claimed by Tokyo, Beijing and Taipei, according to a ministry spokesman.
"We are studying (the deployment) so that it could be included in the planned year-end revision of the basic defence programme," the official said, confirming a news report on the plan to send an army unit to Yonaguni island. (AFP)
At 28,000 dollars a year, a popular English language cram school course in Japan doesn't come cheap, but its students hope the rewards will more than make up for the hefty tuition fee.
The class is called "Route H" -- short for "Route to Harvard".
Hundreds of schools like it have opened across Japan in recent years to prep a new generation of students who have their educational sights set far beyond Japan's shores, at the top universities of the West. (AFP)
Taro Aso, the increasingly desperate Japanese prime minister, is appealing to a former stand-up comedian to join his cabinet and save the administration just weeks ahead of the general election. Hideo Higashikokubaru, recently elected governor of Miyazaki Prefecture, initially rebuffed an indirect approach from Mr Aso by saying he would only accept a portfolio if he was listed as the Liberal Democratic Party's candidate for prime minister in the election, which has to be held before Sept 10. (telegraph.co.uk)
Daisuke Arikado believes the government is too easy on foreigners overstaying their visa and this frustrates him. Arikado is a former member of an ultra-rightist group who founded and heads the 30-strong nonprofit organization Movement to Eradicate Crimes by Foreigners.
(Japan Times)
The Diet has begun debate on bills to revise the law banning child prostitution and child pornography, with discussions focused on whether to conform to international standards and completely prohibit the possession of child pornography. (Yomiuri)
This may sound ridiculous first time you hear it, but Japan is thinking about solar power from panels located in space to mother earth, or to be more exact, the nation of Nippon itself. According to the Nikkei, the government plans to ask local technology companies to participate in the endeavor as early as next month. (crunchgear.com)
After four years of stalled negotiations, Korea and Japan are ready to restart free trade agreement talks.
Korea and Japan will hold their third working-level meeting on resuming negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement deal today in Tokyo, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade yesterday.
(joins.com)
The cargo-passenger ferry Eastern Dream arrives in Sakai port in Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture, on Tuesday, inaugurating a new service with calls in Japan, South Korea and Russia. The 14,000-ton ferry, operated by South Korea's DBS Cruise Ferry Co., will start regular service on July 7, linking the ports of Vladivostok, Donghae (South Korea) and Sakaiminato. (Asahi)
The Japanese parliament enacted a law Wednesday to help young people who have withdrawn from society to stand on their own feet, approving it unanimously at a House of Councillors plenary session.
The growing presence of socially withdrawn juveniles and those not in education, employment or training, dubbed NEETs, has become a social issue in recent years. Prime Minister Taro Aso called for legislation to support such people in his policy speech last September. (AP)
More than any other country in the world, Japan is a case study in the triumphs of human engineering. Every Japanese manufacturer prides itself on energy efficiency and zero-landfill waste policies. The train and subway stations are models of precision and the application of information technology. (NewsWeek)
Japan
Mont Fuji Japon
Japan is known equally as a hard working, hi-tech company obsessed with miniaturising everything and as a land of ancient temples, martial arts and origami. Whichever definition appeals to you more, you will find plenty to satisfy you, from the bustling neon capital of Tokyo to the ancient temples and shrines of Kyoto. All set against spectacular natural scenery such as Mount Fiji and bubbling volcanic hot springs. On top of all this, the Japanese people are famous for being friendly and gracious hosts, especially to hotel ists who can expect a warm welcome to one of the most interesting countries in the Far-east.
Currency: Japanese Yen. (¥)
Time Zone: GMT + 9
Language: Japanese
Telephone Services: Country code +81, International access code 001
Emergency Numbers: Tokyo English Life Line 3403 7106, Japan Helpline 0120 461 997
Climate
In general Japan benefits from a temperate climate with cool sunny winters and very hot summers. The most pleasant time to visit is the milder Autumn and Spring seasons. Rain can fall throughout the year but is not generally too heavy. Typhoons can occur during September or October but generally don't last for longer than a day. Okinawa has a sub-tropical climate and Hoikkaido boasts a climate similar to that of Washington with Siberian blasts blowing in during the winter providing great skiing spots. Winter can get very cold with temperatures as low as 2 degrees C and in the North temperatures can drop to below freezing.
BASIC DO'S AND DON'T'S ( adapted from Japan Made Easy, by De Mente as featured in the Travel Japan Bookstore)
DON'T:
Eat food while walking down the street.
Blow your nose in public. Sniffling is okay.
Wear shoes or slippers on tatami mats!
Give someone 4 of anything( or any number that is
"even").The Japanese word for "4" is similar to the word for death.
Smile in formal pictures.
Stick your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice.
Wear shorts to temples or shrines.
Point your feet at anyone when sitting on the
floor. Its insulting.
Be direct.
Laugh with your mouth wide open.
Do:
Slurp while eating noodles.
Give a slight bow when meeting someone who is your peer.
Give a lower bow if they are your elder or boss.
Say "susimasen" after everything you say. It is the
all-in-one politeness word, meaning "excuse me",
"thank you," "hello" etc.
Give your business card, with a slight bow, immediately
when meeting a business colleage.
Give your seat up for children on trains.
Wear skirts or long pants, especially when visiting
temples or shrines.
Give a gift when visiting a Japanese home.
Listen to what is NOT said.
Wash before you get into the tub, and save the bath water
for others.
For more basic tips, go to:
Good Manners.
GIFT GIVING:
Unless you are not meeting with anyone in Japan, be prepared to give gifts. Gifts from your home area are especially appreciated. If there is a number to the items, like candy, try to avoid even numbers, especially "4." If you are meeting with a group, bring a consumable gift so everyone can enjoy it equally and no one is left out. Tee shirts with sayings in English are very popular in Japan. Pencils or pens with company or school name would be admired and plentiful to have enough for an entire group.
GREETINGS:
While some Japanese have become somewhat accustomed to shaking hands, it is still awkward for most. It is best to bow slightly when greeting someone. The lower the bow the more respect. If you are meeting someone for work-related business purposes, it's important to have a business card, preferably with a Japanese translation on one side. After bowing, with respect, extend an immaculate business card from a business card holder, preferably in a breast pocket or purse. When receiving a business card, admire it for a moment and keep it out to refer to. Don't fold it, write on it, or stuff it in a pocket. See this site for further information:
Bowing.
Visitors bowing before entering a temple.
SHRINES: Just a reminder: when visiting these beautiful shrines, please remember they are sacred--be respectful and wear long pants or a conservative skirt (no sleeveless tops or shorts).
VISITING IN THE JAPANESE HOME:
The Japanese will expect that you will be from another culture, but keeping these tips in mind will help the visit go more smoothly. The host family will want to "spoil" you, basically. They will want to have thought of your every need. If they realize you need something not already provided by them, they will be disappointed. Its best to graciously make do with what is provided and be thankful. If anything inconveniences your host, be apologetic. Before entering the house, you will leave your shoes where the others have left them outside the door. Then you will wear slippers provided or just your socks. Before entering a room with tatami mats on the floor(likely to be the main, multi-purpose room), its important to remove your slippers so as not to damage the mats.
For more information, see:
Customs in the Home.
A room at a Ryokan, a Japanese inn. Notice the tatami mats on the floor.
Golden Pavillion
Things to see and do
Unlike most cities, Tokyo is not a city littered with interesting or ancient architecture. Having been almost completely rebuilt after the heavy damage sustained during the Second World War the skyline is dominated by modern hi-rise skyscrapers. While in the suburbs some tradition clings on by its fingertips, certainly central Tokyo can be described as nothing short of a modern metropolis. Most visitors spend a lot of there time in the Ginza shopping district which contains boutiques, shops and galleries of all kinds. Its fashionable status does make Ginza somewhat expensive so unless you want to blow your whole trip's budget in one day it is best to take it easy here. Some of Japans finest museums and galleries are located around the Ueno-Koen park including the Tokyo National Museum and the National Science Museum.
After experiencing the new Japan in Tokyo there is no better place to discover a taste of old Japan than Kyoto. The city boasts literally hundreds of temples, shrines and gardens and was even the nations capital for over a thousand years. Although even here, modern buildings have started to encroach on the tiled roves and pebbled gardens of the temples there is still plenty left to see. There are a number of suberb temples including the Kinkaku-ji temple and the Sanjunsangen temple which houses 1001 statues of Kannon the Buddhist goddess of mercy. Also worth a look is the Imperial Palace in central Kyoto and the Himeji-jo Castle located just outside the city itself.
Those with a penchant for modern history often visit Nagasaki, the city decimated by the second nuclear bomb dropped on Japan during Worl War Two. The city has now been rebuilt as a prosperous example of Japanese urban life but its grisly past is recorded in the A-bomb museum situated at Urakami, the centre of the explosion. Also of interest in the city is the Fukusai-ji Zen Temple, Glover Garden and the Hypocentre Park which has a monument to mark the exact centre of the blast which decimated Nagaski.
Travel
When travelling in the mainland of Japan, it is dubious if the distances warrant air travel, however when travelling throughout the Islands it does become a viable possibility. Several airlines offer domestic flights throughout Japan and its islands including Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airlines and Japan Air Systems. Tickets can be bought from hotel operators, or at the airports from both airline counters and automatic ticketing machines in the larger airports.
Japan Railways Group is the rail operator throughout Japan. The service is one of the best in the world with some of the most hi-tech trains in existence. Many travellers will be familiar with the famous "bullet trains" which reach speeds in excess of 300km/h, which serve the busiest lines on the Japanese network with some routes offering as many as six trains per hour. Other lines run limited express, express or local services, generally each type of train ryokanries a different supplement with a further supplement being charged for travel in the first class "green" ryokans, seats on which must usually be reserved in advance. Tickets can be bought from stations, most commonly from automated vending machines. For some short distance, local trains, this is the only way to obtain a ticket.
A "Japan Rail Pass" is available, which is usually purchased through Japan Airlines or a hotel operator which is only available to foreign hotel ists. This pass allows unlimited travel on Japan Rail trains, buses and ferries. Passes start from £150 for a 7 day pass and are without a doubt one of the most economical ways to get around in Japan.
Bus travel is highly developed in Japan, but in most cities has been superseded by the underground metro system for local travel, similarly the rail network has mostly replaced the inter-city bus network. Services do still exist in appreciable numbers but the fare system are confusing and almost always highly automated so for most travellers it is wisest to just stick to the train.
Taxis are plentiful but they can be veery expensive, especially at night but if you are travelling in a group and can share the cost they could be a good transport option.
hostel, guesthouses in Japan are sub-divided between Western and Japanese style hostel, guesthouses. While the Western style hostel, guesthouses are much the same as those found in Western Europe the Japanese style ones are a unique experience. On arrival guests are given kimonos and rooms are decked out in traditional Japanese style complete with paper sliding doors and Japanese bathtubs. These Japanese style hostel, guesthouses are known as "ryokan and the Japan Ryokan Association can be contacted for more information. For general information on all kinds of hostel, guesthouses the Japan hostel, guesthouse Association can provide further information.
There are over 400 youth hostels in Japan which are regulated by Japan Youth Hostels Inc. In general guests must be a member of the International Youth Hostel Association although guest passes can be obtained from Japan Youth Hostels Inc's headquarters in Tokyo or from some hotel operators.
Health
The provision of healthcare in Japan is excellent, easily on par with the standards of the US or western Europe. The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers will provide English speaking doctors where appropriate and all western medications are widely available. Treatment costs can be extremely high in Japan so it is essential that you have adequate insurance cover when planning a visit to Japan.
There are no special precautions or vaccination recommended before visiting Japan, food and drink is considered safe and normal everyday precautions should be observed when buying food from street traders.
A valid passport and a return ticket is required by all visitors to Japan. Visas are not required by US or EU nationals for a stay of up to three months. Further visas and visas for other nationalities are issued at the local Japanese Embassy or Consulate and their exact validity and price varies widely with nationality.
Addresses
Visa and immigration related enquiries should be directed to the nearest Japanese Embassy of Consulate;
Embassy of Japan
101 Piccadilly
London
W1V 9FN
Tel: (020) 7 465 6500
Fax: (020) 7 491 9348
If you require UK representation while in Japan you should contact the British Embassy;
British Embassy
No 1 Ichiban-cho
Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 102-8381
Tel: + [81] (3) 5211 1100
Fax: + [81] (3) 5275 0346
embassy@tokyo.mail.fco.gov.uk
The first total solar eclipse that can be seen from Japan in 46 years will occur on July 22. It will only be visible from such southern islands as Amami-Oshima, but efforts are under way to broadcast the celestial spectacle to other parts of the nation.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, blocking almost all of the sun from view. (Yomiuri)
Prosecutors on Friday demanded five years' imprisonment for Nozomu Sahashi, the former president of the failed language school chain Nova Corp., for professional embezzlement involving misuse of the reserve funds of an employees' mutual aid organization.
According to the indictment, Sahashi, 57--acting in conspiracy with a 50-year-old Nova executive in charge of finance--had about 320 million yen transferred from the employee organization's funds to a bank account of a Nova affiliate in July 2007, so as to use the money to keep the firm afloat. (Yomiuri)
Eight companies have agreed to launch a joint effort to develop equipment and facilities to supply hydrogen to fuel-cell vehicles, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.
Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles are regarded as highly eco-friendly because they emit no carbon dioxide. The group aims to commercialize the supply of hydrogen to fuel battery-powered vehicles before 2015. (Yomiuri)
Be careful next time you're about to shuck a fresh oyster at a restaurant - you may be using a knife considered illegal under the Firearm and Sword Control Law. Possessing certain types of oyster knives will be punishable from Sunday, after the moratorium expires on a revision to the law that was implemented in January. (Japan Times)
Japanese scientists will have bred a new "super-tuna" within a decade that will be stronger, more resistant to disease and taste better than the bluefin presently in the oceans. Stocks of tuna have declined by as much as 90 per cent in some waters and the World Wildlife Fund has warned that the Atlantic bluefin will have been wiped out within three years unless radical measures are taken to protect stocks. (telegraph.co.uk)
In Japan, where the global financial meltdown has especially taken its toll, not all industries are languishing. In fact, one of the most notably resilient industries seems to be 'love hotels' (the kind where one may pay by the hour, rather than by the night), according to CNN. One such establishment, the Bonita Hotel in Isawa, currently enjoys a 257 percent occupancy rate. And the industry as a whole is estimated to take in $40 billion per year. (huffingtonpost.com)
CNN's goinggreen blog has an entry today on the new digital topographical map created by NASA and Japan. It's the most complete map to date.
The map was built from 1.3 million images taken by NASA's Terra satellite. CNN says the images were taken by a Japanese imaging instrument called the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, or ASTER. (baltimoresun.com)
Japan's parliament on Friday passed a law asserting sovereignty over four islands at the centre of a dispute with Russia, adding to tensions as the countries' leaders prepare to meet.
A law calling the four Kuril islands an 'integral part' of Japan was unanimously passed by the opposition-controlled upper house after the lower house also approved it in May when the bill sparked a protest from Moscow. (Straits Times)
Japan's near-silent hybrid cars have been called dangerous by the vision-impaired and some users, prompting a government review on whether to add a noise-making device, according to an official.
The petrol-electric vehicles, which in recent months have become the country's top-selling autos, hum along almost soundlessly when they are switched from fuel to battery mode. (AFP)
The global economic landscape may see a milestone change this year, for China is widely regarded to replace Japan as the second largest economy in the next few months. But for that to happen China's economy has to grow by 6 to 8 percent, while Japan's has to contract further.
Last year, China's GDP was $4.22 trillion against Japan's $4.84 trillion. And even though China's GDP may overtake Japan's, the two economies have major quantitative and qualitative differences. (China Daily)
Japan's defence ministry is considering deploying troops on an island in the East China Sea near a group of islets that is claimed by Tokyo, Beijing and Taipei, according to a ministry spokesman.
"We are studying (the deployment) so that it could be included in the planned year-end revision of the basic defence programme," the official said, confirming a news report on the plan to send an army unit to Yonaguni island. (AFP)
At 28,000 dollars a year, a popular English language cram school course in Japan doesn't come cheap, but its students hope the rewards will more than make up for the hefty tuition fee.
The class is called "Route H" -- short for "Route to Harvard".
Hundreds of schools like it have opened across Japan in recent years to prep a new generation of students who have their educational sights set far beyond Japan's shores, at the top universities of the West. (AFP)
Taro Aso, the increasingly desperate Japanese prime minister, is appealing to a former stand-up comedian to join his cabinet and save the administration just weeks ahead of the general election. Hideo Higashikokubaru, recently elected governor of Miyazaki Prefecture, initially rebuffed an indirect approach from Mr Aso by saying he would only accept a portfolio if he was listed as the Liberal Democratic Party's candidate for prime minister in the election, which has to be held before Sept 10. (telegraph.co.uk)
Daisuke Arikado believes the government is too easy on foreigners overstaying their visa and this frustrates him. Arikado is a former member of an ultra-rightist group who founded and heads the 30-strong nonprofit organization Movement to Eradicate Crimes by Foreigners.
(Japan Times)
This may sound ridiculous first time you hear it, but Japan is thinking about solar power from panels located in space to mother earth, or to be more exact, the nation of Nippon itself. According to the Nikkei, the government plans to ask local technology companies to participate in the endeavor as early as next month. (crunchgear.com)
The cargo-passenger ferry Eastern Dream arrives in Sakai port in Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture, on Tuesday, inaugurating a new service with calls in Japan, South Korea and Russia. The 14,000-ton ferry, operated by South Korea's DBS Cruise Ferry Co., will start regular service on July 7, linking the ports of Vladivostok, Donghae (South Korea) and Sakaiminato. (Asahi)
More than any other country in the world, Japan is a case study in the triumphs of human engineering. Every Japanese manufacturer prides itself on energy efficiency and zero-landfill waste policies. The train and subway stations are models of precision and the application of information technology. (NewsWeek)
