Photography

There have been suggestions in the past that Japan’s falling birth rate and the increase in pets are connected. The growing legion of little dogs, it is said, are more than merely companions, they are child substitutes.

Now how true this is it’s hard to say, but there’s no denying that these pooches are generally pampered way more than your average pet. They are continually cooed over, and clothing is practically compulsory, ranging from colourful winter woolies to rather more stuffy school uniforms. The odd one or two even wear wigs.

And as for walkies, well, that could tire the poor tyke out. Much better for master to take care of that.

When Typhoon Roke — or plain old No. 15 as it’s also known — indifferently passed through Tokyo yesterday, there was no denying it brought some wet and especially windy conditions. And yet despite the howling and the horizontal rain, it was hard to appreciate just how strong a force it was. Or at least it was from the comforting shelter of an apartment complex.

However, having seen the staggering amount of debris scattered over the streets this morning, it’s clear that the winds Roke brought were very strong indeed. So powerful in fact that trees were uprooted all over the capital.

And old men, much to their dismay, were even forced to curtail their constitutional bike ride.