Job centers test comprehensive support

Job placement centers across Japan conducted a trial run on Monday of a comprehensive assistance service for people out of work.

77 job centers in 17 prefectures, including Tokyo and Osaka, offered the trial service along with their regular job-finding services.

At a center in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward, ward officials, welfare workers and lawyers joined the center's staff in offering advice to visitors.

A 62-year-old man who has been living in an Internet cafe received advice on how to find a new job and on how to apply for housing support.

He said he is grateful to be able to get advice on a variety of issues in one place.

Deputy Prime Minister Naoto Kan visited another such center in Tokyo and was briefed about decreasing multiple debts and other matters by lawyers and local officials.

Kan later told reporters that the government will do all it can to prevent people from losing both their jobs and their homes at a time when people are preparing for the new year.

Based on the results of Monday's trial, a government task force will discuss when to introduce the one-stop support service for the jobless.
2009/11/30 14:39(JST)

Matsusaka cow fetches highest price in 4 years

A cow was sold for 20 million 90,000 yen, or about 231,000 dollars, at an auction held in Matsusaka City, central Japan, on Sunday.

The city is known for its high quality Matsusaka beef.

Fifty carefully selected cows were brought to the venue, and researchers from the prefectural livestock research institute examined their muscles and overall appearance.

" Miyukihime No 3", weighing 662 kilograms, was chosen as the best cow.

In the auction that followed, Miyukihime No 3 was sold for about 231,000 dollars, exceeding last year's highest price by more than 57,000 dollars.

It was the first time in 4 years that the highest price had exceeded 20 million yen, or about 231,000 dollars.

People attending the auction cheered when they heard that the cow had fetched the high price, despite the harsh economic climate.

Hadakabo festival held at shrine in Hofu

A wild shrine-carrying festival was held in western Japan on Saturday, with more than 4,000 men taking part.

The Hadakabo festival originated in the early 10th century reception of a scholar and politician, Sugawara no Michizane, by local people when he visited the area.

About 4,500 men dressed in white carried a portable shrine and then dropped it on a stone stairway at Hofu Tenmangu Shrine.

The mobile shrine weighing about 500 kilograms is believed to carry the soul of the scholar and bring good luck when touched.

The participants wrestled one another, yelling and screaming, eager to touch the shrine.
A 36-year-old woman from the area said she could well see how excited the men were. She added that she would have taken part in the event if she were a man.

Hofu Tenmangu Shrine says the event attracted about 110,000 people.

Venus probe Akatsuki unveiled

Japan's space agency has unveiled its Venus explorer vehicle, ahead of a launch scheduled for the middle of next year.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency showed the media the spacecraft nicknamed "Akatsuki", or dawn in English, on Friday.

The agency spent about 15 billion yen, or 170 million dollars, to develop the probe. The small spacecraft measures 2 meters tall by 1.4 meters wide, and weighs 500 kilograms.

Akatsuki will be launched in June 2010 on Japan's H2A rocket. It will take about 2 years to reach Venus, where it will make observations from orbit.

The probe will use 5 separate instruments to carry out observations of the atmosphere, which is mostly carbon dioxide, and the temperature distribution on the planet's surface.

Venus, known as the morning star, is Earth's neighboring planet. As it has a stable atmosphere and a diameter and gravity almost the same as those of Earth, the two are often called "twin planets."

The mission to study the origins of Venus will be Japan's first.

Project Manager Masato Nakamura says Earth and Venus have many aspects in common. He says the probe will look for clues about what dictated the existence or nonexistence of life on the two planets.

Forex counters busy with people buying dollars

The soaring yen has prompted people in Japan to flock to foreign exchange counters to purchase dollars or other currencies.

In Chiba City, east of Tokyo, many people rushed to a bank to exchange money on Friday.

The bank said many people sold between 100,000 and 200,000 yen for dollars or euros. One customer bought about 15,000 dollars.

The bank said it received three times more customers than usual.

A woman in her 60s said she'll travel to the United States during the New Year holidays, so she thought today would be a good time to buy dollars.

A male customer said he's taking his family to Hawaii during the summer holidays next year, so he bought about 2,300 dollars. He said that although the yen's appreciation will have a negative impact on Japan as a whole, he's happy about the purchase.

A teller said the staff has been so busy that they haven't been able to take lunch breaks for 2 days in a row.

He said customers are seeking to profit, following reports on the prolonged recession and deflation.

Police search vehicle thieves' facilities

Police in Japan has searched facilities in Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, for evidence of a series of vehicle thefts.

The facilities belong to a criminal group, 43 of whose members have been arrested or indicted for stealing a large number of vans.

Police believe the group members, including people from Japan, Nigeria and Brazil, dismantled Toyota vans they stole in Osaka, Hyogo and other prefectures, and illegally exported the parts, mainly to Southeast Asia.

Police have searched 10 sites in Hyogo, which include a firm run by the group. Police suspect the firm is responsible for hiding and dismantling the stolen vehicles.

The criminal ring is suspected of stealing some 500 vehicles, worth roughly seven million dollars.

Police say they want to find evidence of the group's exporting of illegal vehicle parts by checking through documents confiscated in the house search

Year-end Kabuki signboards displayed in Kyoto

Kyoto's Minamiza Theatre has posted the names of the Kabuki actors starring in its year-end performances.

The posting of these 2-meter-long cypress boards on the theater facade is a seasonal spectacle dating back more than 300 years. Workers on scaffolding put up the 60 boards on Wednesday.

The actors' names are written on the boards in a font that is unique to Kabuki theatre. Among the performers this year is the living national treasure Sakata Tojuro, winner of the Order of Cultural Merit.

Once the signboards were up, theater staff and spectators threw salt for good luck.

The performances run from November 30th through December 26th.

Year-end lottery tickets go on sale

Tickets for the annual year-end lottery went on sale across Japan on Tuesday.
200 million yen or more than 2 million dollars will be handed out to each of 70 grand prize winners.

At a ticket booth in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district, about 1,000 people had queued up by the time sales began at 8:30 AM.

The booth is very popular as it sold 3 tickets that hit the jackpot last year.

Some people had been in line since Friday.

A woman from Aomori Prefecture, northern Japan, said she had come to the popular booth on the overnight train and bought 500 tickets.

A man in his 20s says he bought 100 tickets and that if he wins a jackpot, he will save the prize money because of the current economic slowdown.

The drawing will be held on New Year's Eve.

Saplings grown from 300-year-old camellias

Horticulturists have succeeded in growing saplings from centuries-old camellia trees from a Buddhist temple in Kyoto.

Several rare types of camellias grow in the compound of Reikan-ji Temple. A variety called "Nikko-tsubaki" dates back more than 300 years and is believed to have been the preferred tree of Emperor Go-Mizuno-o in the 17th Century.

Priests at the temple have been concerned that the trees are old and appear to be weakening.

Last year, plant experts took cuttings from 3 varieties of camellia in an attempt to propagate new plants.

The saplings have grown from 5 centimeters to more than 20 centimeters tall, faster than usual thanks to growth promoting chemicals.

The saplings will be planted in the temple compound in about 5 years after they have grown taller.

Interior of Tokyo Sky Tree shown to media

The interior of Tokyo's new broadcasting tower, the Tokyo Sky Tree, was opened to the media on Sunday.

The tower now under construction in Sumida Ward will replace the existing Tokyo Tower in 2012.

The tower, designed to be the world's tallest at 634 meters, currently stands at 215 meters.

Reporters were shown the tower's main pillar, which is 230 centimeters in diameter, and the outer section that will house elevators to the observatories.

In the summer of next year, the first observatory will be completed at 350 meters and the second one at the
450 meter level will be finished in the winter.

A construction manager said the project is going well and one third of the tower has been completed. He said the higher the tower gets, the more difficult the task becomes. He said his staff take pride in making sure they can work safely.

Large crested ibis flock seen on Sado Island

12 crested ibises released into the wild after being raised in captivity have formed a flock on Sado Island, off the Sea of Japan coast. The flock is the biggest in Japan.

The Japanese Environment Ministry says the 12 birds -- 6 male and 6 female -- were seen eating together in rice fields near Sado City early Friday morning.

Last year, 10 crested ibises were released into the wild but all the females crossed the sea to the main island of Japan while the males remained on Sado Island during mating season.

But this year, after 20 more birds were released in September, the crested ibises have been spending more time together.

Environment Ministry official Kohei Sasano says he want to closely monitor the flock as crested ibises breed from now until spring.

The birds are designated a national treasure in Japan where they disappeared from the wild in 1981.

Autumn leaves decorated with lights

The decoration of autumn leaves with lights has begun at Oyama mountain in Kanagawa prefecture, near Tokyo.

The local tourism organization started running the annual event 4 years ago.

People decorate about 150 trees with red maple leaves at Oyama temple, which dates from the 8th century.

During recent cool days the leaves have turned a deep red. Now is the time to enjoy the sight.

Illustrated scroll of Tale of Genji on display

An exhibition of illustrated scrolls of the Tale of Genji, a masterpiece of ancient Japanese prose, has opened at an art museum in Nagoya, central Japan.

The Tokugawa Art Museum is showing to the public 2 of the 15 Tale of Genji scrolls in its possession. The scrolls date to the Heian era from the 8th to 12th century. The oldest picture scrolls in Japan are designated as national treasures.

On display is the scroll called Bamboo River, which illustrates the main character Kaoru paying a New Year's visit to the residence of an aristocrat, and depicts a graceful New Year atmosphere. The scroll features Kaoru being made fun of by women.

The other scroll, Eastern Cottage, gives insights on the life of ancient court ladies with a scene in which Kaoru is reading out a story to a woman who has become tired of love.

The exhibition runs through November 29th.

Visitors enjoy virtual-reality Asuka capital

Visitors to an old village in Nara Prefecture, western Japan, are enjoying views of Japan's ancient capital more than 1,200 years ago, using 3-dimensional virtual-reality devices.

Special goggles display computer graphic images of the Asuka capital. People using the goggles can see temples and a burial mound of the time superimposed on the actual scenery.

The device was developed by a team led by Professor Katsushi Ikeuchi of the Institute of Industrial Science at the University of Tokyo.

CG images include that of a mural and the interior of the Takamatsuzuka Tomb and the image of Kawaradera Temple, which no longer exists.
They also depict Amakashi hill in the village.

The goggles were made available for visitors to use on Saturday.

Tourists were seen enjoying the re-created views of the ancient capital. A woman said she felt as if she were actually in the Asuka Period.

Elderly workers make New Year straw ornaments

The production of lucky charms for the New Year holidays is in full swing in the city of Hitachioota, north of Tokyo.

Straw ropes, called "shimenawa", represent people's wishes for good health and safety. They are hung on the gates or entrances of houses at the New Year.

A center for the elderly has been making straw ornaments for shrines throughout Japan for more than 30 years.

The ornaments are made from local rice seedlings that are harvested in summer.

Some elderly people work in pairs to braid a rope about 7 meters long and 20 centimeters across. Others twist straws on their palms to make an ornament, called "takarabune", that resembles a ship and symbolizes people's hopes for a rich harvest.

One of the elderly workers said it's a shame that there are few young people who will be able to continue the traditional art. Another said they will all do their best to make good decorations for the New Year.

Sommelier contest held in Osaka

A contest to choose the best sommelier in the Asia-Oceania region has been held in Osaka, western Japan.

The event was organized by an international association of sommeliers for the first time in the Asia-Oceania region, to promote wine appreciation.

On Wednesday evening, 20 sommeliers from 10 countries showed up on stage in a hotel. 3 of them were chosen as contestants in the final.

The 3 sommeliers were tested about their knowledge of wine, and had to guess where a selection of wines came from.

Satoru Mori, who works at a French restaurant in Tokyo, was chosen the best sommelier in the region.

Surgical-style masks fail to fully shut out flu

Japan's National Consumer Affairs Center is warning people not to rely too much on surgical-style masks for protection against new influenza viruses.

The center tested 15 types of masks on the market, and found that none perfectly fits the user's face, even those that claim to shut out 99 percent of airborne viruses.

The center has urged manufacturers to change their labeling to avoid misunderstanding among consumers.

The outbreak of H1N1 influenza has heightened consumer worry about the effectiveness of the masks.

Inquiries to the consumer affairs center have jumped to nearly 600 as of the end of September, from the 80 in the year that ended in March.

Risa Yoshida of the center's product testing division says masks work for people with coughs, but that hand-washing and gargling are more effective for warding off flu viruses.

Suicides in Japan top 30,000 for 11th year in row

The annual number of suicides in Japan has topped 30,000 for the 11th consecutive year.

A government white paper on suicide says 32,249 people killed themselves in 2008.

This translates to 23.7 suicides per a population of 100,000, making Japan's suicide rate the highest among the world's 7 major industrialized countries.

Of the roughly 23,000 suicides whose cause could be pinpointed, 65 percent were traced to health problems, 32 percent to economic woes, and 17 percent to troubles at home.

This year's white paper introduces tips on how to prevent people from taking their lives.

It also calls for increased scrutiny on how alcohol may be linked to suicide, noting that men in their prime tend to drink too much to ease their stress.

Juvenile living fish fossil discovered

A Japanese aquarium says it has successfully filmed a juvenile coelacanth in waters off Indonesia.

The coelacanth is a living fish fossil that has undergone little change since prehistoric times.

Aquamarine Fukushima says its research team captured the footage161 meters deep in Manado Bay off North Sulawesi Province.

The team was conducting research using a remote control underwater camera on October 6th when they made the discovery.

The fish is 31.5 centimeters long and appears to be a
newborn. They compared it to a 30-centimeter one that was found dead inside a female coelacanth in Mozambique in 1991.

The aquarium has been studying the fish since it opened 9 years ago. It says it is the first time that a live juvenile coelacanth has been found since the species was discovered in 1938.

Director of the aquarium Yoshitaka Abe says the life history of the coelacanth is enigmatic. The aquarium will continue its research to unravel the fish's biology.

Japan: no ban needed on bluefin tuna trade

Regarding the agreement to slash next year's catch quotas for Atlantic bluefin tuna, Japan, a major tuna consumer, says the cutback, if observed, would be enough to protect the fish from extinction.

On Sunday, an international commission of 48 members agreed to cut next year's catch quota of bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea by about 38 percent from this year.

The government and experts say they do not expect an immediate increase in retail prices, as there are stocks to satisfy demand for some period, and also as demand for the expensive fish remains low amid the recession.

Concerning an international move to impose a total ban on the trade in blue tuna, Japanese officials say a trade ban aimed at protecting the fish is unnecessary, now that a major cut in its catch quota has been decided.

Last month, Monaco proposed a total ban on trade in bluefin tuna from the Atlantic Ocean under the Washington Convention. The convention regulates international trade in endangered species.

Japan hopes to persuade other nations to join it against Monaco at an international meeting to discuss the proposal, scheduled in March.

The latest fishing quota cut would have a major impact on Japan, because it consumes up to 80 percent of the bluefin tuna landed worldwide.

Percentage of Japanese men smoking at record low

A government survey says the percentage of Japanese men who smoke has fallen to a record low.

The health ministry surveyed about 8,100 men and women around the country in November.

The percentage of men smoking was 36.8 percent, down about 10 percent from 5 years ago and the lowest figure since the survey began in 1986. The percentage of women smoking was 9.1 percent, a 2 percent drop.

Of the male smokers, 25.3 percent smoked more than 20 cigarettes a day, a 7.4 percent decrease over the last 5 years. Of the female smokers, the percentage of women smoking more than 20 a day remained at around 9.2 percent.

Among smokers, 28.5 percent of males and 37.4 percent of females said they wanted to quit. That's an increase of 3 to 4 percent since the last survey.

The ministry says the results are due to a decrease in smoking space and wider awareness of how cigarettes cause harm

Latest findings related to Himiko shown to public

Many people have gathered at an archeological site near the ancient capital Nara to view the recent discovery of what may be the palace of a legendary ruler of Japan.

Archeologists recently found the remnants of a large structure that dates to the early third century, at the Makimuku ruins in Sakurai City.

Some experts say the find may be the palace of Queen Himiko, who governed the Yamatai Kingdom in that period.

The Yamatai Kingdom is mentioned in ancient Chinese records. The location of the ancient kingdom has been a matter of dispute among Japanese.

Some claim that it was in the Kyushu area, adjacent to the Korean Peninsula, while others say it was in the Kansai area where the Makimuku ruins are situated.

On Saturday, people viewed the remnants of a structure that contained two kinds of posts to make it symmetrical along a line running east to west.

A local woman said she was assured that Queen Himiko had been there, while a man from a different prefecture said he expects the discovery to end the long-standing dispute over the site of the ancient kingdom.

54% of single parent households in poverty

A government survey shows that more than half of Japan's single-parent households were living in poverty in 2007.

The welfare ministry conducted the survey based on disposable income of households and released for the first time in October a part of the findings that shows the country's overall poverty rate was 15.7 percent.

Further analysis of the findings released on Friday shows that the poverty rate for single parent households was 54.3 percent, 44.1 percentage points higher than that for households with 2 or more adults raising a child or children. The poverty rate for that group was 10.2 percent.

A welfare ministry official said many single-parents are non-regular or part-time workers, and that the situation will not improve unless a system under which such people can work full-time is established in Japan.

Japanese comic books going global

A major Japanese publisher is to sell electronic versions of Japanese comic books overseas to compensate for declining domestic sales.

Industry sources say that Shueisha will offer e-books via a Microsoft website that allows users to download software to mobile phones. It plans to begin the service next spring.

The site will be accessible in 28 countries and regions including Japan, the United States and India.

Shueisha intends to offer Japanese and English versions of 20 to 30 popular comics, including Dragon Ball.

The publisher will become the first Japanese firm to operate a full-scale e-book business for overseas customers.

Japanese companies have previously offered limited services due to concern about copyright infringement.

But increases in Internet security and mobile phone functions are contributing to the expansion of the global electronic book market.

Ozawa hints govt-bill on suffrage for foreigners

The secretary general of Japan's governing Democratic Party has hinted that the government may submit a bill granting foreign permanent residents the right to vote in local elections for the Diet early next year.

Ichiro Ozawa on Thursday met Chung Sye Kyun, the leader of South Korea's opposition Democratic Party, who's visiting Japan to attend a memorial event for former South Korean President Kim Dae Jung. Chung strongly called for passage of legislation on foreigners' suffrage.

Ozawa said the government should introduce such a bill, and suggested that the government may do so as early as in next year's ordinary Diet session, but not in the form of lawmaker-sponsored legislation.

Ozawa has been entrusted with handling the issue within the government and the governing party.

The party is studying the possibility of granting foreign permanent residents, many of whom are Koreans, the right to vote in local elections as asked for by South Korea.

Nori seaweed harvest begins in Tokyo Bay

In Japan, fishermen have begun to harvest "nori" seaweed off the coast of Tokyo.

On Tuesday, about 100 fishing boats from a fishing port in Futtsu City on the coast of Tokyo Bay took fully grown seaweed from floating culturing nets.

A producer says some of the nets were broken by Typhoon Melor early last month but that good quality seaweed has grown this season.

In Tokyo Bay, harvesting begins at this time of the year when the seaweed reaches maturity as seawater temperatures fall. It continues until early spring.

Seaweed grown in the area called "Edo-mae nori" is famed for its high quality in Japan.

NHK Poll:54% support tobacco tax hike

An NHK poll shows that 54 percent support a
government-proposed tax hike on tobacco.

The tax increase is one of the key issues in next year's tax reform.

About 1,100 people aged 20 and older responded to the phone survey from November 6th to the 8th.

Asked whether they support a tax increase on tobacco, 54 percent responded yes, while 20 percent said no. 20 percent were undecided.

When asked about a proposed tax to help cut greenhouse gas emissions, 34 percent said they support it, while 23 percent said they do not. 36 percent were undecided.

Regarding the atomic-bombed cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki jointly bidding to host the 2020 Summer Olympics, 36 percent were for it and 18 percent were not. 39 percent were undecided.

Defendant in Akihabara rampage apologizes

A man who killed 7 people and wounded 10 in a random attack in Tokyo's Akihabara shopping district last year has sent a letter of apology to one of the victims.

In June of last year, former part-time worker Tomohiro Kato went on a stabbing spree after ramming a truck into a crowd of pedestrians at a crossing in the district's vehicle-free zone. He has been indicted on murder and other charges.

On Friday, former taxi driver Hiroshi Yuasa, who fell temporarily unconscious after being attacked, received the 6-page letter through Kato's lawyer.

The letter says the defendant truly apologizes and has no excuses for his actions.
It also says that Kato's regrets and apologies could never make up for what he did and he deserves to die 10,000 times for his crimes.

The letter gave no motive or background reasons, saying only that Kato hardly remembers the incident.

Yuasa said he gained the impression from the letter that Kato was a decent young man and that he cannot understand why he caused such an incident.

He said he plans to send a reply to Kato and ask him to tell everything he knows to prevent a similar incident from happening again.