Japan’s Richest People, North Korean Plots, Whales, and More [Sunday News]

by 9 Comments

Every Sunday we gather the week’s weird and interesting Japanese news and present it to you in our Sunday News column. It might not always be hard-hitting news, but we hope that it still informs and entertains you. Enjoy!

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Retractable Tsunami Breaker Construction and First Test Underway off Coast of Wakayama: People in Japan are always working on technology to mitigate the effects of earthquakes and tsunami, but it’s become a much more serious endeavor since the horrific 3/11 disaster. Last month, a brand new, retractable barrier was built and tested out. I have no doubt that these barriers have benefited from years of experience with Japan’s retractable bidet technology.[/threecol_two] [threecol_one_last] Japan’s AV biz to thrive under TPP : A lot of the times, trade agreements between countries have unexpected consequences. It looks like for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement currently being worked on, one of the unforeseen results could be more direct competition between US and Japanese pornography. Finally, the free market can decide which country’s smut reigns supreme.

Japan’s 50 Richest: Without a doubt, Japan has its share of millionaires and billionaires, as proven by Forbes’ “50 Richest” list. UNIQLO tycoon Tadashi Yanai tops the list for yet another year, proving that big money isn’t in oil, finance, or tech: it’s in casual, designer clothing. [via News On Japan][/threecol_one_last]

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[threecol_one]North Korea ‘moves mid-range missile’: As Kim Jong-un gears up North Korea’s military for another round of threats and scare tactics, Japan and other Asian countries are hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. Kim is still only in his second year as leader of the DPRK, so here’s hoping that this is just his terrible twos.

Campaigns on Multiple Fronts Against Whale Hunting: Whaling remains a hot button issue internationally as the U.N.’s International Court of Justice in the Hague hears a case against Japan about whale hunting. While it’s doubtful that anything will be decided for certain (or that anything will change at all), it’s still the most high-level court in which the issue has ever been discussed.[/threecol_one] [threecol_two_last]smoking

Photo by Ismael Núñez

Have Japan’s Anti-Smoking Laws Gone Too Far? Smokers Begin to Feel the Pressure: Japan has long been known as a smoker’s paradise, but the Japanese attitude towards smoking has been changing over the years. Now, smokers are beginning to feel squeezed out, almost discriminated. My advice: take solace in knowing that no matter how stigmatized, unhealthy, and polluting smoking is, it still makes you look cool. Joe Camel told me so![/threecol_two_last]

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  • ZXNova

    The problem with the whaling article is the fact they don’t explain that Japanese people don’t eat whale meat that often. Eating whale meat is like eating squirrel here in America. It’s rare, not often. That article makes it seem like they eat it all the time. Which is wrong. Articles really need to be more detailed about that kind of stuff.

  • http://twitter.com/shollum Shollum

    And like squirrel, not everyone eats it. Honestly though, writers with an agenda don’t mind omitting certain facts and qualifiers.

  • http://twitter.com/Cupucuups Hamyo

    Oh North Korea please Stop!!

    http://okonomikatsu.blogspot.com/

  • bigwonk

    I don’t think it’s all that rare and maybe this reflects Tokyo. I always see whale in my local grocery store. Also, there’s a big restaurant dedicated to whale cuisine in Shibuya, 3 minute walk from Hachiko exit. Big white sign with くじら written in black. They’re not hiding. You can even see it with google street view. Head past Shibuya 109 and there it is and it’s been here for years.

  • http://www.facebook.com/AbigailCamarillo Cam Abi

    It’s never really bothered me what kind of animal meat other countries eat. Just like in America we eat cow in India this could be considered totally outrageous. I only hope that whoever is catching these whales is doing it in a humane way, which is highly unlikely. Also, that they consider the number of whales in the sea so that the species does not go extinct. Everyone has different views on what animal meat we should or shouldn’t eat so I hate pushing my views on others and ask that they do not push their own views on me.

  • http://twitter.com/shollum Shollum

    And my local grocery sells some specialty cheeses. You can bet your socks that most of the people in the area rarely eat cheese that expensive and fancy, yet the store still sells them and they’re always in stock.
    Similarly, they sell soy and almond milk (and another even sells hemp milk, but it’s more of a specialty store, so it doesn’t really count). I’m not knocking the alternative milks (they’re actually quite good in certain things, but calling it milk… man it just tastes wrong to drink it plain, since you’re half-way expecting milk and you get…), but I know good and well that not many people in the area drink them. You can tell because of how little shelf space they get (collectively less than a third of the milk shelf).

    Also, I know quite a few people who have eaten squirrel. I’ve been to restaurants that serve alligator and rattlesnake and I’ve been to places that serve bison. Heck, there are restaurants that sell ‘mountain oysters’ (heads up, there are no oysters in the mountains). I’ve seen places that sell bugs, too.

    My point being, just because it’s there doesn’t mean that it’s particularly prevalent. Besides, 東京 is a big city, so I’m sure you’re more likely to find specialty things there in larger quantities. That’s how it works in big cities.

    Anyway, not trying to start a fight, just pointing out that things can be available and still not be prevalent.

  • Sally

    Problem with whales is, they are already being extremely endangered. And they are very important for the eco-system in the sea. (Also outside, because whales are like an undersea rainforest, they save a whole lot CO2.) The whales caught probably lived a happies live than the cows, pigs, chickens and whatever from massproduction farms. But the discussion about whaling isn’t about animal rights, it’s about destroying the eco-system which would also have an impact on the wellbeing on humankind.
    (‘Cause who cares about animal’s feelings?)

  • http://www.tofugu.com/ Hashi

    The type of whales that the Japanese hunt (Antarctic minke) aren’t endangered as far as I know

  • DAVIDPD

    Nut milks (LOL) are indeed facsimiles of milk. Actually calling them facsimiles is an insult to facsimiles. They are just water that has been stained white. Specialty foods are there because certain people like them. If there was no market for them merchants would not sell them. Everyone has different tastes. Respect. That said, I hate anyone who eats dog. -_-