JIN-408 -- Catching a Kubariya with His Hand in the Mail Slot

I had never seen a 'kubariya,' but I knew they existed. For me the kubariya was an unidentified mysterious animal (UMA) in which I fervidly believed, just as some Japanese believe in the existence of the 'kappa,' a mischievous water sprite with a saucerlike object on its head. It was perhaps 10 years ago...

JIN-407 -- Happy Broadcast Day!

Yes, today is Broadcast Day. It marks the day in 1925 when the Tokyo Central Broadcasting Corporation (NHK's predecessor) began broadcasting from a temporary radio studio in Shibaura, Tokyo. Broadcast Day was established by NHK in 1943. On March 22 NHK awards the 'Broadcast Culture Prize' at NHK Hall. Can't make it to NHK Hall? Well...

TT-414 -- Tamiflu

The nurse filling out the prescription said that they would give our daughter Tamiflu. We were concerned at hearing that, since we'd heard the media reports about the drug and didn't want to take any chances. But the nurse told us that the alternative drug was "sold out" because everyone was looking to switch from Tamiflu. So it was either the Roche drug...

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TT-413 -- Hedging against the fall of the US dollar

Ever since the Chinese overtook Japan as the largest holder of foreign reserves, the US in particular has started to realize that having a bunch of foreign governments you're not necessarily friendly with holding your debt isn't such a good idea. While only Hillary Clinton has so far come out and said that the foreign holdings are a risk, perhaps she should have gone further and said...

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JIN-406 -- A Postscript on the Comfort Women

The previous JIN advocated the impaneling of a multinational commission to investigate the facts concerning Japanese government involvement in the sexual exploitation of Asian women during the Second World War, the so-called comfort women. The day after JIN was posted, Prime Minister Abe endorsed an investigation into the historical facts. I'm not suggesting the Prime Minister reads JIN. For one thing...

WW-161 -- NTT DoCoMo and McDonald's establish mobile payment and marketing platform

NTT DoCoMo and McDonald's Japan will jointly start an e-marketing initiative based on DoCoMo Osaifu-Keitai e-wallet services. Both companies agreed to establish a joint venture to plan and manage e-marketing promotions to McDonald's new membership club, and the introduction of DoCoMo's iD-platform for mobile-phone credit cards and ToruCa e-coupon service at McDonald's stores.

TT-412 -- 5.5m vending machines

Japan is rightfully known as the land of vending machines. It's hard to say why there are so many, given that there are already plenty of little specialty shops down every alley. But perhaps one reason why there are no fewer is the simple fact that this relatively law-abiding society doesn't see vending machines as...

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MMW-109 -- Japanese Mobile Music Providers Returning Home from Overseas

Having been involved for the past five years in bringing Japanese mobile music services to overseas markets, I've developed a deep interest in the differences between mobile content (and music in particular) between Japan and other countries. In fact, the very first issue of this newsletter...

JIN-405 -- A Truth Commission to Exorcise the Ghost of a War Past

Chewing the cud with the two European friends in the car the other day the conversation turned to the comfort women controversy. One friend, a Brit, remarked Europeans seldom talk about the war, and wondered why it still simmered as an issue in East Asia. I can think of two reasons. One is...

WW-160 -- New carrier targeting mobile broadband access market with cheap flat rate services

EMOBILE, a new carrier, unfolded its service plans and terminal line up for the domestic market. The company will offer flat rate mobile broadband services and voice. EMOBILE is member of the eAccess Group - an ADSL wholesale provider. Goldman Sachs and TBS, a Tokyo-based broadcasting company, are financially backing EMOBILE's market expansion. Initially, only mobile data services are offered. EMOBILE's flat rate mobile broadband data services...

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