Japan News 12/23/07

今週の日本

Japanese Minster of Defense: OK to fire on godzilla.

NY Times

Japan's sea-based anti-missile defense system works in tests with US military.

Guardian

Police crack down on Yakuza (Japanese mafia).

Japan Times

Japan cancels humpback whale hunt after international pressure.

BBC

Humping on Tokyo's Yurikamome Line: an exhibitionist reveals all.

Mainichi

Tatsuya Ichihashi, the prime suspect in the murder of Briton Lindsey Ann
Hawker, is still on the lam.

Mainichi

A video look at Tokyo.

Washington Post

Japan's food "crisis" in pictures.

BBC


Last week's Japan news

Japan Statistics

Financial assets held by Japanese households rose to 1.54 quadrillion yen by September 30, 2007. These figures include shares, insurance polices, government bonds, bank deposits and cash.

Source: Bank of Japan

Japan ranks third in donations to the International Development Association (a World Bank affiliate) behind the USA & UK. Japan will donate US$3.2 billion over a 3-year period beginning July 2008.

Source: Finance Ministry

The planned defence budget for 2008 will fall to 4.78 trillion yen. A drop of 0.5%.

Source: Finance Ministry

Membership of the doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo (renamed Aleph) has fallen to about 1,500 people.

Source: Public Security Intelligence Agency

Osaka Prefecture tops the list of prefectures yet again for purse-snatchings with 4,303 so far by November 30 this year, well ahead of Tokyo with 1,700. Osaka has topped the ratings for 32 consecutive years, with a high of 10,973 purse thefts in 2000.

Source: Osaka Prefectural Police

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