Photographs from a small group of islands
I’m not aware of a recent rift between George W. Bush and Tony Blair, but judging by the picture below, the U.S. President seems to have a new pet. A nice wavy haired Japanese poodle by the name of Koizumi.
From all accounts it’s as well trained as its British predecessor.
Walkies!
Coming from Britain, I’m still surprised by Japan’s somewhat liberal approach to tobacco. Unlike my home country, cigarettes aren’t outrageously priced, and they are readily available everywhere. Even in bars they are the same price as those bought from a shop. Not like the ridiculously overpriced vending machines found in British pubs
Also, the packets don’t contain graphic warnings about smoking giving you a vast array of unpleasant diseases. The warnings in Japan (if indeed you could class them as warnings) suggest that you try not to smoke too much. And if you can, try and put the cigarette out before you get right to the end. But more significant than any of this, is the observation of smoking manner.
Japan Tobacco’s recent campaign is a perfect example of the approach to smoking in this country. There’s clearly no need to do anything as drastic as giving-up. Heaven forbid. Rather, just brush up on your smoking manners and you’ll be fine. And perhaps most important of all, smile!
With such a lax attitude, anybody would think that the government has connections with the tobacco industry.
What’s that? Oh right.
At the end of last year, The Washington Post published an article on Japan. Declaring it the coolest country on earth no less. It would seem that as far as the writer of the piece was concerned, Japan is the now the world’s number one trendsetter. Unfortunately the feature is now archived, and has to be paid for, but here is a short extract which gives you the gist of the article.
“Even as this country of 127 million has lost its status as a global economic superpower and the national confidence has been sapped by a 13-year economic slump, Japan is reinventing itself–this time as the coolest nation on Earth. Analysts are marveling at the breadth of a recent explosion in cultural exports, and many argue that the international embrace of Japan’s pop culture, film, food, style and arts is second only to that of the United States.”
If this all sounds a bit over the top. Think again. As one look at these hipsters pictured in Osaka over the weekend will surely dispel any doubts.
Pretty cool eh?
Tokyo’s used underwear industry was in a state of shock today, as it has been reported that the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly intends to put a stop to used underwear trading. The new regulations – when they come into effect – will admittedly only stop the selling of panties worn by teenage girls, but with sales of middle-aged men’s undergarments not the strongest, the industry it is feared could be damaged beyond repair.
Rumours of frantic bulk buying since the news surfaced has been denied, but insiders are said to be expecting a marked increase in orders over the coming weeks. One even predicting that some schoolgirls could be going through three or four pairs a day to keep up with the demand.
It would seem that the hullabaloo surrounding Fifa president Sepp Blatter’s comments on women’s football have begun to die down.
For anybody unaware of this story, Fifa’s illustrious leader decided to weigh in with his suggestions on how to make the women’s game more popular. Mr. Blatter is quoted as saying,
“Let the women play in more feminine clothes like they do in volleyball.”
And just in case there was any doubt as to what he was proposing, he went on to say that,
“They could, for example, have tighter shorts. Female players are pretty, if you excuse me for saying so, and they already have some different rules to men – such as playing with a lighter ball. That decision was taken to create a more female aesthetic, so why not do it in fashion?”
Now generally I don’t agree with most of Mr. Blatter’s utterings, but the picture below made me think that this time he might just be on to something.
