By Sarah Noorbakhsh -- The best dive this side of Izu -- I was thankful to finally step off the ferry and on to my destination. Not because I was eager to leave the Sarubia Maru, whose spacious quarters had been my home for the overnight voyage, but because I had been staring at Hachijo-jima in the distance for the past half hour and was impatient to see what awaited on this small island. We docked and I was met by the welcoming smile of Yoshiyuki Ooishi, long time island resident and dive shop owner. The weather had cleared up from the previous day’s rainstorm, and the blue sky peered down as we cut straight across the gourd-shaped island down palmlined roads. With mild westerly breezes, it was a perfect day for diving.

By Ken Worsley -- Back and Forward is a regular column that takes a slightly irreverent look at some of Japan’s biggest business stories. -- Higher costs, falling profit... -- ...and hotels look at consolidation, overseas operations... -- ...while Seven-Eleven rolls the dice in China... -- ...and Steel Partners swings its hair -- Overtime pay? Is nothing sacred anymore? -- Whale meat imports; where’s the butter?

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