2003.09.06

N. Korea Chemicals Expert Said Detained in China (Reuters). Reuters - A North Korean biological weapons expert has been detained while trying to slip into the Australian consulate in China's southern city of Guangzhou to seek political asylum, an anti-Pyongyang activist said on Saturday. [Yahoo! News - World] 2003.09.06

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Thunder Mountain Silenced (Kyodo)   Well, if you were planning to head out to Tokyo Disneyland this weekend to ride Thunder Mountain you can cancel your trip. 2003.09.06

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Japan's Crime Wave (NY Times) A couple of things that irk us on this subject: 1) We wish authorities when describing the criminals, would say "Asians" or "Chinese" when that is the case instead of "foreigners." Japanese are skittish enough around gaijin without being told by the media and police that everyone is a potential crime suspect. 2) In many stores and markets now there are signs in badly written English on the door or in front of the cashier saying something like "We sorry but regret not make exchange the money." This is a result of a gang of Chinese running around Tokyo pulling the old money change scam. The signs should be in Chinese. How about putting up some signs in English about the merchandise or are foreigners walking through the door only regarded as potential robbers rather than customers? 2003.09.06

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Things That Go Boom (Mainichi) UPDATE Sure glad we didn't live next door to this guy. 2003.09.06

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Iraq Fact-Finding (AFP via Arab Times)   Not sure why the government needs to send an actual person to do "fact finding" -- if you want the facts (i.e. it is too dangerous to send Japanese soldiers to Iraq right now) all one has to do is read a newspaper or turn on the TV. 2003.09.06

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Japanese Female Slain in the Big Easy (Times-Picayune) UPDATE   More details on this case. NHK aired it on its national news yesterday. 2003.09.06

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Koizumi's North Korea Policy (Japan Times)   Considering just how critical of an issue is Koizumi's North Korea policy, it is amazing there are not pieces like this in the Japanese media. But don't get your hopes up too high -- the Japan Times is an English-language publication and has about five percent of the circulation of the major leading Japanese dailies. 2003.09.06

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Carter on North Korea (NY Times)   Here is James Brooke's piece on fmr. President Carter's comments on North Korea. 2003.09.06

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IMF to Japan: 'Get Off Your Duff' (Reuters via NY Times)   The IMF seems pretty good at stating the obvious. But does anyone listen to the IMF anymore? 2003.09.06

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Things That Go Boom (Mainichi)   Latest in this explosive saga from Okinawa that we have been covering. 2003.09.06

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