Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

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Tire terror

As the amount of books on the subject testifies, there are numerous ways of dealing with and countering stress. Some people exercise, others watch films, and many simply soak themselves in alcohol.

However 54-year-old Osami Arikawa found a somewhat unconventional approach to his stress problem. For over 2 ½ years he went on a car tire slashing spree. Taking out his tension on an impressive 7,600 vehicles.

Unfortunately for Arikawa-san, his stress busting technique may cost him dearly, as prosecutors are proposing a 12-month sentence. One lawyer said that Arikawa, “gleefully and brazenly committed these crimes. If the damage he caused to each vehicle targeted is calculated at 10,000 yen (51 pound), the cost of his crimes comes to 76 million yen (393,800 Pound).”

Mr. Arikawa has pleaded guilty to the charges, and confessed he did it to “overcome the stress I was feeling because my family were pressuring me for being unemployed.” Yet it would seem that he couldn’t have done otherwise, as a raid on his home unearthed a set of notes so detailed that it gave the dates, times, number of cars attacked, and even the weather conditions.

It was this attention to detail that eventually led to Arikawa’s downfall. A supermarket shopper who found the tires on his car punctured, spotted a suspicious looking man taking notes in the car park. This description eventually leading to the stressed yet diligent Arikawa’s arrest.

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Better than a room full of bubble wrap?

Categorized: Odd

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Minimizing molestation

Groping on trains isn’t exactly a rare occurrence in Japan, and especially not on Tokyo’s busy commuter trains. Even the introduction of women-only carriages by some train operators hasn’t reduced the problem enough. As a recent survey has shown that a third of women in their 20s and 30s want more similarly limited train cars. Plus the introduction of them by train companies who have yet to offer the service.

The statistics clearly spell out their concerns, as 66% of 632 women interviewed said they had been groped on trains or at the station. That’s a hefty number it has to be said, and as well as adding women-only carriages, perhaps operators also need to try and fathom out what it is about trains and stations that causes so many men to behave this way.

Surely it can’t be the rank smelling toilets and vomit splattered platforms that cause such out of control behaviour can it?

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Non-compulsive cleaners

A few years ago I saw a TV programme about people who were incapable of throwing things away. And I don’t just mean stuff like old clothes, magazines, electrical stuff etc. No, I mean everything. Whether it’s an old pizza box, an empty can, or the remnants of last night’s dinner, some people it seems are simply incapable of discarding rubbish.

The show in question treated those afflicted with a mixture of sympathy and sensation. And admittedly the apartments they visited were both disgusting and fascinating at the same time. It’s difficult to explain, but literally tiny passageways had been carved out amongst the huge mass of rubbish and unused items. Likewise, little clearings were created for sleeping and eating. I dread to think what those abodes smelled like, and as a place to live they looked absolutely vile. Not to mention uncomfortable.

Now whilst not exactly Mr. Tidy, I’ve been to some houses that I would class (and I’m being kind here) as something of a mess. But compared to those homes shown on the TV, their owners could almost be described as sufferers of a compulsive cleaning disorder.

So is there a point to any of this? Well yes. Sort of. Out and about the other day I came across a house that reminded me of the aforementioned TV programme. The neighbourhood it’s situated in has an area for leaving the daily/weekly garbage literally just around the corner, but the front garden looks like this.

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What it’s like inside is anybody’s guess, but as appalling as it probably is, for reasons unknown I’d like to have a quick look around.

I think.

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Mildly amusing English usage #5

Amongst most Japanese kids, foreign celebrities are arguably just as well known (if not more so) than their homegrown counterparts. As an example, just the merest hint of the word soccer invariably produces spontaneous and excited chants of “Beckham! Beckham!”

But all these foreign (and at times difficult to pronounce) names can get a little confusing. Or so it would seem after a class I had last week.

Practicing the riveting and overly used “What/Which _____ do you like?” I asked the class what sports they enjoyed. Thankfully one young student made the effort to answer, and he managed to blurt out that he’s a keen basketball fan. Deciding to abandon all caution and forge full steam ahead, I took the plunge and asked him which player he liked as a follow-up question.

Unfortunately this was the moment when the confusion arose and everything went pear shaped. Proud of his extensive basketball and NBA knowledge, the young fella excitedly told us that his favourite player is the one and only Michael Jackson!

Needless to say, after a brief pause to take in the magnitude of his mistake, we all guffawed loudly. Just long enough to make him cry and never want to study English ever again.

Ok, that last bit is not true, but his better-informed classmates found it hard to conceal their laughter. As it has to be said did their English teacher.

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Michael “NBA” Jackson yesterday giving a big thumbs-up after wowing fans with yet another flamboyant slam-dunk.

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Disrobed driver

Unfortunately it’s not unusual to read or hear stories about traffic accidents. And a recent crash in Osaka that killed a cyclist and injured 4 pedestrians wouldn’t normally have caught my eye.

But after the accident, which saw a car career down a narrow road and only stop when it crashed into the hedges of a house, the driver told police he had temporarily lost consciousness. However whether this had anything to do with the fact that he was naked wasn’t disclosed.

Yes, although the report failed to elaborate on it (could such behaviour be common?), the 23-year-old driver was found to be completely unclothed.