metropolis-1093

Seismologists say the pressure
being exerted by tectonic plates off
the coast of northeastern Japan has
returned to levels last seen before
the March 11 disaster.
the small print
BY STEVE TRAUTLEIN
LINGO BOX
Urikireta ( 売 り 切 れた) = Sold out
Shinfuzen ( 心 不 全 ) = Heart failure
Osusume (おすすめ) = Recommend
Shoshinsha ( 初 心 者 ) = Rookie
Tsufu ( 痛 風 ) = Gout
“IT IS AN IMPORTANT MISSION OF OURS TO REFLECT
ON THE FACTS OF THE PAST AND CONNECT THEM TO
THE HISTORY THAT IS TO COME” —From a statement by Tokyo
Governor Yoichi Masuzoe, at a ceremony commemorating the more than 20,000
Japanese soldiers who died in the Battle of Iwo Jima
YOU DON’T SAY
⊲According ⊲ to Japan Railway officials, tickets
for this weekend’s inaugural running of the
Hokuriku shinkansen sold out in just 25 seconds.
⊲The ⊲ Consumer Affairs Agency has ordered
four companies to stop saying their insect repellents
are, you know, actually effective at
repelling insects.
⊲Authorities ⊲
with the Chiba police and the
Japan Racing Association have completed an
investigation into a horse’s failed post-race
doping test in December—the first such case in
21 years. They say the animal had high levels
of caffeine in its system because it ate feed
imported from the U.S.
⊲Headline ⊲ of the Week: “Hiroshima Torn Over
Oyster Restaurant Near A-Bomb Dome” (via Jiji)
CLOSE TO HOME
⊲In ⊲ the wake of the Middle East hostage crisis,
officials at the Japan Table Tennis Association
kept their members home from this month’s
tournaments in Kuwait and Qatar.
at a glance
BY RODGER SONOMURA
⊲Authorities ⊲
at the Immigration Bureau
deported a Nepalese man who allegedly
helped dozens of countrymen find work by
teaching them how to forge applications for
refugee status.
⊲Led ⊲ by its acquisition of Beam Inc. and
strong sales of Premium Malt’s beer, Suntory
has become Japan’s leading brewer in terms
of sales.
⊲The ⊲ government has pledged more than ¥43
million to a Thai NPO that works to remove
land mines along the border with Cambodia.
MILESTONES
⊲Kazumasa ⊲ Hirai, author of the famed sci-fi
manga series Genma Taisen, died of heart
failure in Kamakura at age 86.
⊲In ⊲ what’s being called a “rare” move, JR Hokkaido
issued a bullet-train license to a rookie
driver in his 50s.
⊲After ⊲ 63 years, construction work has begun
on the Yuba Dam in central Gunma. The
project had been delayed because of “sharp
divisions” in the local community.
stats
6 Percentage of respondents to a newsservice
poll who feel that Abenomics has
benefitted rural areas
70 Percentage who say the gap
between rich and poor is widening
16,094 Cases of foreign objects found
in food products in Japan since fiscal
2009, according to the National
Consumer Affairs Center
⊲For ⊲ the first time, the TMG hired a woman to
lead one of its four mobile investigative units.
The squads, which operate around the clock,
“are usually the first at the scene of a robbery
or murder.”
FINDINGS
⊲Japanese ⊲ researchers say that people are at
a higher risk of developing gout if they have
certain gene variations that weaken the body’s
ability to release uric acid.
⊲A ⊲ University of Pennsylvania survey ranked
the Japan Institute of International Affairs
13th in the world in terms of “achievements
in research and analysis and the impact of [its]
research on society.”
⊲Discount ⊲ mega-chain Don Quijote announced
it would accept seven types of foreign
currency at 20 stores around the country.
INCREDIBLY SHRINKING JAPAN
⊲Officials ⊲ at the education ministry say about
half of all elementary and junior high schools
have fewer students than recommended by
government guidelines.
⊲Analysts ⊲ at the internal affairs ministry found
that just seven of Japan’s 47 prefectures had
a net population inflow last year.
⊲Tokyo ⊲ picked up the largest number of new
residents (73,280), while Hokkaido saw the
biggest decline (8,942).
⊲Researchers ⊲
at the trade ministry say it should
be possible for Japan to cut its energy consumption
by more than 10 percent by fiscal 2030.
Small Print Updated Weekly
→ METURL.COM/SMALLPRINT
Compiled from reports by AP, Japan Today, The Japan Times, Jiji, The Tokyo
Reporter, The Mainichi, The Japan News, AFP, Reuters and Kyodo
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