2003.09.12

Mt. Fuji Shaken but not Stirred (AP)   I guess if we do have a big quake next week they will blame it on this event. 2003.09.12

====================

U.S. Marine Jailed for Rape (BBC)   If the rape conviction isn't bad enough this week for the U.S. forces on Okinawa, another Marine is facing Japanese prison for a mugging AND... Some civilians working for the U.S. military on Okinawa are busted in a pot trafficking ring. 2003.09.12

====================

N. Korea Nixes Demand to End Nuke Program [AP World News] 2003.09.12

====================

Gov. Ishihara Foot in Mouth Disease (Mainichi) UPDATE This incident over the remarks about the Hitoshi Tanaka timebomb attempt is heating up the already simmering feud between Prime Minister Koizumi and Tokyo Gov. Ishihara. Some pol pundits now predict that after Koizumi's expected re-election that Ishihara will team up with LDP dark man Kamei and form a new right-wing party, taking with them a number of LDP and DPJ Diet members. We have seen stranger things happen in Japanese politics. 2003.09.12

====================

JT Cuts (AFP)   The Marlboro Man is falling out of the saddle in Japan 2003.09.12

====================

Tire Fire (Reuters via Forbes)   UPDATE This is having an impact on Japan auto production and looks like no quick respite. 2003.09.12

====================

Earthquake Prediction (Epio) Rumours are sweeping Tokyo which apparently originate with some scientists doing "fringe" earthquake research: A  magnitude seven (Richter) tremor is predicted to strike the Kanto region sometime next week. Japanese language links which give some details and the scientific background on the predictions which rely on monitoring fluctuations with FM signals in the VHF radio band: http://www.geocities.co.jp/NatureLand/8896/index.html http://epio.jpinfo.ne.jp/keireki.html http://www.kansai-cs.com/kusida.htm http://epio.jpinfo.ne.jp/1057/index.html http://www.nikkei.co.jp/pub/science/page_2/magazine/0111/earthquake.html http://www.e-hon.ne.jp/bec/SA/Detail?refShinCode=0100000000000030724724   Nippon Goro Goro note: We are not vouching for the validity of the science, although our analysis is that the people engaged in this research are indeed scientists -- with the caveat that some of Aum's top dogs were scientists.  Those with engineering backgrounds on our NGG staff do not discount that there may be some validity to this theory although we are skeptical of its application to determine locations for possible quakes.   2003.09.12

====================

Navy: Spy plane secrets compromised by Chinese. Navy: Spy plane secrets compromised by Chinese The crew of a Navy spy plane that landed on China's Hainan Island in April 2001 after colliding with a Chinese fighter jet did not destroy all classified materials aboard, and it is "highly probable" that some fell into Chinese hands, Navy investigators concluded. The report, which was released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by Jane's Defense Weekly, blamed the Chinese fighter pilot for the collision and did not fault the Navy crew for failing to complete the destruction of classified information aboard the EP-3. Specifics about the classified materials were deleted from the released version of the report, and the report did not address the possible impact of any compromise of official secrets. [The Agonist] 2003.09.12

====================

N. Korea Nixes Demand to End Nuke Program (AP). AP - North Korea has once again rejected a U.S. demand that it give up its nuclear weapons program, saying it has no intention of disarming itself completely. [Yahoo! News - World] 2003.09.12

====================

'Lost in Translation' (NY Times review)   Elvis Mitchell reviews 'Lost in Translation' (opening today on the U.S. coasts) a nice little movie that takes place in the Park Hyatt Tokyo and surrounding environs. 2003.09.12

====================

American Vultures Compete for Hawks (Bloomberg)   The Daiei Hawks have been on the block for years but there have been no serious offers because of all the conditions attached by the feuding family owners -- including demanding that a white elephant stadium must be part of the package. Now we have a couple of savvy American vulture firms competing to get their hands on the scrawny Hawks. You know Japanese owners are getting desperate when they are willing to sell a well-known asset to Americans. 2003.09.12

====================

Typhoon Maemi UPDATE Typhoon Maemi kills one elderly woman, injures about 100 other people in Okinawa island chain before heading to South Korea. 2003.09.12

====================

Gov. Ishihara Foot in Mouth Disease (Japan Times)   An update on the story concerning Tokyo's neo-fascist governor Ishihara's latest inflammatory remark. 2003.09.12

====================

Burmese in Japan (Japan Times)   Another fine example of the "humanitarianism" of the Burmese military government. 2003.09.12

====================

N.Korea Said to Halt Work at Nuclear Facility (Reuters).  Reuters - North Korea appears to have halted work at its Yongbyon nuclear complex, center of efforts to produce plutonium for atomic weapons, U.S. officials said on Thursday. [Yahoo! News - World] 2003.09.12

====================

© Copyright 2006 The Taisho Cable & Wireless Company.