We know from practical experience that swimming in Japan is not a particularly pleasant activity, due to the way that swimming pools are policed by imperious lifeguards.

Japan's established parties should be worried about mayor of Osaka Toru Hashimoto's popularity, especially after his earlier strident anti-nuclear stance. He is quite smart, although prone to some bizarre personal values.

Now that the rise in Consumption Tax is all but assured, we think there are some very interesting changes in store for how the Japanese Government and Japanese companies think about making money.

There is one lawyer per 250 people in the USA, one per 390 in New Zealand, 590 in Germany, 1,000 in Hong Kong, 4,119 in Japan, and one for every 5,000 people in China.