Tokyo Times

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Tyson the good

Mike Tyson has recently been making a lot of appearances on Japanese TV (although all of it filmed in the U.S., as he isn’t allowed into the country). And after reading this over at Hammersuit, I now know why.

But for reasons unknown, on these shores Tyson seems to have gained the reputation of being a thoroughly decent fellow. An example of this was as at school yesterday. The students were involved in a game that had them writing a short story in English. To my surprise, one of the groups started their story with the line,

“Mike Tyson is a very nice boy.”

It has to be said, that certainly makes a change from the usual descriptions aimed in his direction.

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Mike “nice boy” Tyson with a close friend last week

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Mildly amusing Japanese-English #4

Hole-in-one

If this was used on the golf course it wouldn’t be amusing at all, but when you hear it chanted in a football stadium, it does have a certain novelty value.

I’m not sure if it’s a chant used by all Japanese football fans, as I only go and watch FC Tokyo, but every game I’ve been to it’s been sung (shouted?) at least once. Yet despite my best efforts, I still can’t work out its meaning. No event on the pitch as far as I’m concerned has warranted a cry of hole-in-one. Nor do I ever expect one to.

Admittedly I could find out by simply asking somebody, but then the mystery would be gone. And quite possibly the amusement factor too. Because not only is the chant entertaining in itself, but it is often accompanied by fans making an “O” shape with their arms. The “O” presumably depicting a hole.

Work that one out.

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A footballing saviour?

Japan’s long and desperate search for a consistent and quality striker may at last be over. How FIFA will react to the news is as yet unknown, but the Japanese Football Association must barely be able to control their glee.

The Sony produced Qrio certainly looks the part, although programmers are apparently having problems getting the young upstart to gesticulate wildly at officials, and dive at the slightest hint of contact.

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Minor league, major mistake

“CLEVELAND — Indians minor leaguer Kazuhito Tadano is asking for forgiveness for what he called a one-time mistake — his appearance in a gay porn video in which he engaged in a homosexual act.”

If a football player in England came out with such a confession, I dread to think what kind of heckling (at the very least) he would have to endure week in and week out.

For Kazuhito Tadano’s sake, I hope baseball’s minor league fans are a little less malicious.

Somehow I doubt it.

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An all too familiar political stunt

Japan’s wavy haired Prime Minister obviously felt no shame yesterday in having his picture taken with the nation’s favourite baseballing son, Hideki Matsui. No doubt Koizumi is hoping that some of Matsui’s immense popularity will rub off on him.

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But does he really believe that donning a Yankees jacket and smiling at the camera will cause the whole nation to forget that Japanese troops are now stationed in Iraq? Or that people simply won’t see through this transparent stunt?

Having said that, his rumoured game of naked tennis with Anna Kournikova tomorrow could be an altogether different story.