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Japan’s Number One Hostess Crowned in Hostess Election Event: I shouldn’t be surprised that Japanese hostesses have pageants, but somehow the idea of “Japan’s Number One Hostess” had never occured to me. I wonder if this is an elegant Miss America-type pageant where a crooner sings to the winner, or if a Japanese hostess pageant just tries to keep people there and buying drinks as long as possible.
[/threecol_two] [threecol_one_last]Man arrested for biting ‘snake-possessed’ son to death: Even though Japan has the lowest rate of gun ownership in the world, people still find new, bizarre, and original ways to kill each other. This one is the strangest I’ve seen in a long time: biting and headbutting somebody to death because you believe they’ve been possessed. Next time, call a priest.

New Head Priest of Controversial Yasukuni Shrine Appointed: A new head priest has been appointed to Japan’s Yasukuni Shrine, the Shinto shrine dedicated to Japan’s war dead. I’m sure the new priest’s time at Yasukuni will be quiet, uneventful, and completely uncontroversial.[/threecol_one_last]

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[threecol_one]Bank of Japan Reignites Currency War Debate: With the LDP back in power in Japan, monetary policy has been just plain wacky. The yen has been in freefall since last year’s election, and people are starting to talk about currency wars. It’s all about the Fukuzawas, baby. [via News On Japan]

Japanese Finance Minister: Government Should Let Old People ‘Hurry Up And Die’: With politicians, there are gaffes, and then there are gaffes. You can say something that might be misconstrued, or you can say something that’s so blatantly wrong or offensive that it’s a miracle if you stay in office. Telling the elderly to die quicker? Probably the latter. [via Reddit][/threecol_one] [threecol_two_last]

Book That Popularized Concept of “Hikikomori” Translated into English: In the last decade or so, the conept of hikikomori, or social outcasts who rarely, if ever, leave their homes, has been catapulted into popular culture. Now, the book that started it all is finally getting an English translation. Fortunately, with Amazon and two-day shipping, you won’t have to go outside to buy it.
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Bonus Wallpapers!

Ever wanted a desktop background of Finance Minister and former Prime Minister Taro Aso fighting an old Japanese lady in a Mortal-Kombat-like scenario? Well, you’re in luck!

Our always awesome illustrator Aya whipped up a few wallpapers for a bunch of resolutions. Enjoy!

1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

As much as I want to be outrageously snarky in this post, I don’t think I can bring myself to do it. After all, social anxiety disorder is pretty serious stuff, especially in Japan, the birthplace of the hikikomori (引き籠もり or “pulling away”) phenomenon. In an attempt to help out those who are uncomfortable in social situations, Avex has introduced a DVD titled Miterudake (ミテルだけ) or “Just Looking”. The DVD is labeled as “interactive”, but there are really only two activities that users are expected to perform:

1. Choose one of fifty relatively-diverse women

2. Endure them staring at you for about a minute (eyes up, boys)

[yframe url='www.youtube.com/watch?v=A12dH72757U']

3. Repeat (does this count as an activity?)

So basically, the only purpose of the DVD is, as its creator states, 「人と目を合わすこと」, or to help people “adapt to others”. As weird and pointless as it may seem, I can’t deny that there are people out there who do have a major fear that they’re constantly being judged by others. Still, I think it might be more cost effective to just realize that most people aren’t actually staring at you in real life (especially not in Japan, where a lot of “normal” people still find sustained direct eye contact to be rude) than to go and buy a $25 DVD. Or you could just find a picture of the Mona Lisa.

But hey, whatever floats your boat. I’m certainly not one to tell other people how to manage their neuroses. One thing I can say for sure about this DVD, though, is that it’s bound to act as inspiration for many x-rated spin-offs. You just wait and see–in the next few months, scores of new AV DVDs will hit shelves of sketchy Akihabara porn shops with similar premises and similar titles (“Just ____ing”). Come on, it’s Japan. You know it’s true.

Anyway, sorry this article was a bit boring. To make up for the lack of entertaining sarcasm, here are some links to more Miterudake clips and spoofs on the Youtube and NicoNico Douga. You can also find more clips on the Miterudake website (as well as links to the personal blogs of some of the women, which is kind of creepy).

EDIT: Here’s a video from Koichi. Thanks, Ko.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muGL99W6v6o']