Thinking globally to save riches of the sea

Given the price a single bluefin tuna can fetch -- one sold for a record $173,600 a few years ago at Tokyo's Tsukiji market -- it's not surprising that the rich, buttery fish is a prized catch. Or that it has prompted a feeding frenzy among international traders. Read here.....
(By Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post)

Japanese nuclear secrets revealed

Japan Herald
Saturday 28th November, 2009  

The credibility of the opposition Liberal Democratic Party in Japan has sunk lower after revelations about secret deals between Washington and Tokyo about the presence of nuclear weapons on Japanese soil.

For decades, authorities had denied that nuclear weapons were allowed in Japan.

It now appears the LDP party, while it was in power, had a pact to allow the US to stockpile and transport nuclear weapons on Japanese soil.

Declassified documents have shown that secret deals between Washington and Tokyo took place with regards to the presence of the nuclear weapons.

Since 1960, the government led by the Liberal Democratic Party repeatedly denied that nuclear weapons were ever present in Japan or that any agreement existed to that effect.

The National Security Archives in Washington released declassified telegrams in October, with details of US nuclear weapons policy in Okinawa and other parts of Japan between the 1950s and 1972.

They show that when Japan and the United States renewed their mutual security treaty in 1960, the principle was established that if US ships and planes carried nuclear weapons they could only enter Japanese waters or air space with prior consultation.

In the wake of the two atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese people were strongly opposed to the presence of nuclear weapons on Japanese soil, but in 1972, just before Okinawa was put back under Japanese control, the leaders of both countries agreed that for the defence of countries in the Far East including Japan, in time of great emergency, the United States Government would require the re-entry of nuclear weapons and transit rights in Okinawa.

A secret document signed by the leaders said the Government of Japan would meet the requirements without delay, if suitable prior consultation was made.

Autosport Young Guns

Tesla may build Model S electric car in California

By Daisy Nguyen, Associated Press Writer

DOWNEY, Calif. — Tesla Motors is close to a deal to build an electric car factory at the site of a former NASA manufacturing plant in Downey, Calif., a blue-collar city south of Los Angeles, Mayor Mario Guerra said Tuesday. Read the story here....

Dollar at 14-Year Low Against Yen

By BETTINA WASSENER
The yen’s strength prompted fresh concerns among Japan’s export giants, and could delay its move out of the deepest recession in decades. Read more here...

Deflation returns to Japan

The curse of defeatism

Nov 26th 2009
From The Economist print edit

Anybody who thinks deflation is no longer a threat should look at Japan and its flailing authorities

JUDGING by the shrill comments from Wall Street, Japan’s biggest problem is its huge public-sector debt, which has grown to nearly twice the size of the country’s GDP. But it isn’t (see article). Far more pressing is deflation.
On November 20th the new government of Yukio Hatoyama acknowledged what has been obvious for months: that prices are falling again after a three-year hiatus. This is worrying not just for Japan; countries such as America and Britain have more similarities with Japan than is commonly acknowledged (see article). Sadly neither the Hatoyama administration nor the central bank has shown any intention of tackling the latest incarnation of the deflationary curse. Read it all right here.....

THIS WEEK'S MAGAZINE FEATURE

The electric revolution
Your next car may be electric. We look at the rapidly developing technologies that will see motoring turned on its head and help store renewable energy to boot.

Do it at home: Train manners in Japan

By Japheth Worthy

I must say that I really enjoy the rail system in Japan. Coming from Motor City (Detroit), that statement can be seen as a form of heresy. When I first came to Japan, though, I would use trains to venture out into the city almost every weekend, but ever since I moved an hour and a half away from my job, I use the train every single day. While riding, it is not unusual to see someone engaging in “inappropriate behavior.” Read more of the story here.....

New subway between Narita, Haneda airports expected to take 59 minutes

Tuesday 24th November, 06:32 AM JST

TOKYO —

It could take 59 minutes to travel between Narita International Airport and Haneda airport if a new subway line is connected with existing railway lines to the two airports, a transport ministry study showed Monday.
   
It currently takes 106 minutes on the fastest rail route to travel between the international airport in Chiba Prefecture and Haneda, which mostly serves domestic flights. The new subway would make it easier to change between domestic and international flights, it said.
   
The new subway extending for around 11 kilometers would link Oshiage and Sengakuji stations in Tokyo and cut the current 90.6-km route between the airports to about 84 km, the ministry said.
   
To make shinkansen bullet train services more accessible for air passengers, the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry is hoping to build a new station adjacent to Tokyo Station that would provide services for Narita in 37 minutes and Haneda in 22 minutes.
   
The ministry is planning to come up with the total cost of the project by the end of the current fiscal year next March, it said.

Japan gearing up to acquire F-35 fighters instead of F-22s

Monday 23rd November, 07:00 AM JST

TOKYO —

The Defense Ministry is making arrangements to select the F-35 as Japan’s next mainstay fighter jet, sources at the ministry and the Self-Defense Forces said Sunday. The ministry will embark on the full acquisition process in December and prepare to make budgetary requests for the stealth plane in the fiscal 2011 budget, the sources said.
The ministry is looking to buy 40 of the next-generation jets, which can evade radar and are estimated to cost about 9 yen billion each. The move apparently means priority has been put on strengthening air-defense capabilities as neighboring China makes efforts to enhance its air force by developing its own next-generation aircraft, analysts said.
The ministry, however, may postpone budget requests for the F-35 until fiscal 2012, due to a view in the government that a contract should not be concluded before the jet’s actual capabilities can be confirmed. The F-35 is set to be deployed in the mid-2010s.
The F-35 is being jointly developed by the United States, Britain, Australia and other countries. Japan is not participating because doing so would conflict with its principle of banning weapons and arms-technology exports.
Japan initially wanted to acquire the U.S. F-22 stealth jet to replace its aging collection of F-4EJ fighters, which are still used alongside F-15s and other planes, but the United States prohibits the export of the F-22, and plans to halt production have already been announced.
Japan passed on other models, such as the U.S. F/A-18 and F-15FX and the Eurofighter, which is made by a consortium of European manufacturers.
The plan to acquire the F-35 is likely to be incorporated in new defense policy guidelines and a medium-term defense buildup plan to be adopted in December 2010.
The government led by the Democratic Party of Japan decided in October to delay its adoption by a year, partly to reflect the policies of its coalition partners.

Air Canada to begin non-stop Calgary-Tokyo flights

Air Canada is to launch non-stop flights between Calgary and Tokyo. The airline will operate three times weekly flights to Tokyo’s Narita International Airport beginning March 27, 2010 in time for summer peak travel.
To promote its new Calgary-Tokyo route, Air Canada is offering introductory fares starting from C$598 round-trip before taxes and other charges.
“The introduction of the only non-stop service between Calgary and Tokyo is great news for customers traveling between Alberta and Asia on business or leisure as well as for freight forwarders,” said Ben Smith, Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer. “Air Canada’s new non-stop Narita service will provide Albertans direct access to a major Asian gateway that offers one convenient connection point with our Star Alliance partners to key destinations throughout Asia including Hong Kong, Manila, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Bangkok, Taipei, several points across Japan among others. Our initial schedule of three weekly flights during the 2010 summer season is the first step towards building year-round, daily flights.”
In addition to offering efficient connections at Narita to points throughout Asia with Air Canada’s Star Alliance partners, ANA, Asiana, THAI and United Airlines, Air Canada’s Calgary-Japan flights are timed to offer convenient connections to and from communities across Alberta and Western Canada served by Air Canada.
Air Canada’s Calgary-Tokyo flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, departing Calgary at 12:20 p.m. and arriving in Narita the following day at 2 p.m. Flights will depart Narita on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 4 p.m., arriving Calgary same day at 10:45 a.m.
Air Canada will operate the new non-stop service with fully refurbished 211-seat Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft offering a choice of Economy Class and Executive First service featuring 24 lie-flat bed suites.
The new Calgary-Tokyo service will complement the carrier’s daily non-stop flights to Tokyo from both Vancouver and Toronto. Next summer, the carrier will offer up to 17 flights each week from Canada to Tokyo’s Narita International Airport.

In Japan, 'Herbivore' Boys Subvert Ideas Of Manhood

November 25, 2009

The sensitive New Age man has finally arrived in the land of the salaryman. But there is a catch — a particularly important one in Japan, where the declining birthrate has caused alarm: The new Japanese man doesn't appear to be interested in women or sex.
In Tokyo on the weekends, the trendy area of Harajuku is a melting pot of urban tribes: Lolita goths bat their fake eyelashes, while the punks glower.
Away from the strutting are the retiring wallflowers, a quiet army of sweet young men with floppy hair and skinny jeans. These young men are becoming known as Japan's "herbivores" — from the Japanese phrase for "grass-eating boys" — guys who are heterosexual but who say they aren't really interested in matters of the flesh. Read & Listen to the story here.....

Industry News

November 24, 2009

SEMA Board approves creation of industry product data pool
SOURCE:

The Board of Directors of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) voted unanimously to approve funding for the creation of a uniform, all-industry product information data pool.

Read more

Collectible Cars

Slide Show: Fastback Cars

The fastback look may seem new to some consumers, but its origins go back decades.

Tokyo tops Paris in Michelin Guide

Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009

Bloomberg

The Michelin Guide gave top billing to 11 restaurants in Tokyo on Tuesday, vaulting the Japanese capital over Paris as the city with the most three-star eateries.

All but one of the nine Tokyo restaurants that won Michelin's highest accolade last year retained the rating this year.

Hamadaya, which serves traditional Japanese cuisine, lost one of its three stars.

Three restaurants, Esaki, Sushi Saito and Yukimura, were promoted to three-star status after getting two last year. Paris has 10 three-star restaurants, Michelin said.

The 2010 Tokyo edition, Michelin's third for the city, goes on sale Friday.

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New Dorman Product Information

Outrage in Washington over Obama's Japan bow

2009/11/16

News photos of President Barack Obama bowing to Japan’s emperor have incensed critics here, who said the US leader should stand tall when representing America overseas.
Obama on Monday was in China, having wrapped up the Japan leg of his Asia trip two days earlier. But Washington’s punditocracy was still weighing whether or not the US president had disgraced his country two days earlier by having taken a deep bow at the waist while meeting Japan’s Emperor Akihito. Read more here....

Mercedes buys controlling share of Brawn F1 team

Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: A computer-generated model of a Mercedes F1 car

In just one year of existence, Brawn has risen to the top of Formula One. But next season they'll compete under a new name - Mercedes - and likely without their number one driver, Jenson Button.

1958 Plymouth Somewhere in Japan

Photo courtesy of Acars Magazine

Do you have product you would like to sell in Japan?

Startline has a two story 15,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Shin Kawasaki waiting to act as your receiving and shipping station in Japan. Did you know that the greater Tokyo Metropolitan area is still the world's most populous and prosperous? With over 30 million population, your product can reach these consumers by the equivalent of UPS ground in one-day for a very affordable price.

Until now and for the past 20 years Startline has specialized in importing and selling American and specialty car parts from Hokkaido to Okinawa. With 450 dealers in Japan our network is extensive. We welcome your automotive possibilities so please contact us if you have product you want to sell in Japan.

With the recent worldwide downturn in automobile sales we have been experiencing a downturn in sales and so now we are looking to other product areas to import, warehouse and distribute throughout the Japanese archipelago.  If you have any ideas or products give Ken Nielsen a call.

STARTLINE

3918 East Main Street, Suite 114, Mesa, AZ  85205-8545

Tel: 480-807-2074  Fax: 480-807-2076

My office: 619-285-1149

Mobile: 619-218-5486

Skype Name: nirusen

email: ken@startlineusa.com

HOT ROD SHOW IN DECEMBER

日 時：2009年12月6日 (日)
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Readers in Asia: Share Your Thoughts

---

November 13, 2009, 1:11 m

Readers in Asia: Share Your Thoughts

By THE NEW YORK TIMES

Jason Reed/Reuters; Charles Dharapak/Associated Press; Cliff Owen/Associated Press
 

To foster discussion of President Barack Obama’s trip to Asia, the Times is inviting readers living in the countries he is visiting to share their views with us via video. If you live in Japan, Singapore, China or South Korea, we would like you to film yourself telling us what you believe Mr. Obama could do for your country.

Readers may send their videos — shot on whatever sort of camera is available — to us using this e-mail address: video@nyt.com. Please state your name and your location in your video. For readers who prefer to send text comments, please use the comment box below.

Looking Back

The Way We Were in 2004

Industry Demonstrates Resilience in Face of Uncertainty

Despite uncertainty in the overall economy, the 2009 SEMA Show demonstrated the resilience and determination of the specialty-equipment industry.

More than 1,700 businesses committed to their futures by exhibiting at the 2009 SEMA Show. And those businesses were not just along for the ride, but were actively innovating. Collectively, they showcased more than 1,400 new products.
And as a result of increased floor space and a new location for the New Products Showcase, buyers made a record-high 65,000 scans, requesting additional product information.

Overall, 120,000 members of the industry attended this year’s show, with the largest number ever coming from outside the United States. Roughly 24% of registered buyers came from outside the United States, demonstrating the increased global reach of the specialty-equipment industry and the ability of the SEMA Show to connect buyers and manufacturers across global lines.
The media reach of the SEMA Show was also larger than ever, bringing the industry’s products and style to an ever-growing audience. This year, for example, enough showgoers posted items about products and vehicles to their Twitter accounts to push the SEMA Show into Twitter.com’s Top 10 trends.

“One hundred percent of the businesses who attended the SEMA Show put it all on the line,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “This is an excellent indicator that buyers, manufacturers and services in this industry are ready for an active 2010.”

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