Japan’s annual “Cool Biz” energy-saving campaign began June 1, 2008.

The fashion campaign was initiated in 2005 by former Japan environment minister Yuriko Koike. She argued that by getting men out of suits, office building air conditioning thermostats could be raised to 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit) and would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. story

Now, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda leads the way in no-tie short-sleeve work attire. Or does he?

The 71-year-old prime minister seems reluctant to give up that necktie. Asked how he will dress when the campaign starts this year, Fukuda, on May 27 said “I don’t want to look shabby. But there is no need to go against the trend.”

Cool Biz Photos (more…)

This logo clearly indicates the product. What do you think?

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Bye Buy Butter

Thirty-five years ago, it was toilet paper. Now, consumers and bakeries are hunting butter as Japan is suffering a butter shortage.

Supermarkets are limiting butter to one per customer. At OK Mart, Hokkaido butter brand was available, up 100 yen from it’s previous price of 199 yen. Buyers were allowed only one package of the precious gold.

Manufacturers are apologizing as usual.

Bakeries and restaurants have been having butter troubles since late 2007.

Falling butter production in Japan is due to a variety of factors since 2006, including government efforts to maintain prices for local milk farmers, dairy closures, a decline in milk consumption, excessive import tariffs, and worldwide grain-feed price rises.

French bakery chefs are concerned: “We’ve had to come up with some new items that use less butter, like cookies. But you’re talking about flavor. How can you replace butter?” says a pastry chef at a bakery in Tokyo. la times

Butt Shortage Not First

Japan went into “oil shock” in 1973 when Arab members of OPEC set policies that would quadruple the price of oil. Reports predicted a shortage of goods, including (more…)

The Blue Shield

The one-man shelters that many of Japan’s homeless construct from heavy blue tarpaulins can be found in parks, under bridges, and along river banks.

An April 2007 Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare report shows there are 4,213 homeless in Tokyo’s 23 wards, and about 18,500 homeless nationwide. The country has a population of 127 million people. The average age of homeless in Japan is 57.5 years.

The numbers of homeless living in these locations:

Urban parks: 5,702
River bank: 5,653
Highway: 3,110
Station: 910
Other Facilities: 3,189

The Washington Post details how the homeless can get back into the system, and states that compared to US standards of homelessness, being homeless in Japan is “not a bad gig”.

Sometimes the homeless in Japan lose their sturdy do-it-yourself shelters, due to the cops, or the weather. The stories below reveal how some homeless people have opted for improved conditions. (more…)

Military Comic Books Not So Novel

A comic book created by the US Navy to educate Japanese teens and young adults about one of it’s nuclear powered aircraft carriers is ready for distribution in Yokosuka. The city is home to the Yokosuka Naval Base US installation. The USS George Washington is scheduled to arrive in August 2008, to replace the 47-year-old non-nuclear propelled USS Kitty Hawk.

Stars and Stripes reports 30,000 copies of the 200-page Japanese language manga have been published. The comic book, titled “CVN-73″ follows sailor Jack Ohara , an American of Japanese descent, as he gets into all kinds of comic situations all over the ship. He’s mentored by Petty Officer 1st Class Elly Benton. full story

update june 10, 2008: The Navy released the comic June 8. Stars and Stripes reports sailors handed out about 800 copies of “CVN 73″ in three hours in the manga’s first day of distribution. full story. Free download of “CVN 73” in English and Japanese.

The Japan Ministry of Defense published it’s 2007 Ballistic Missile Defense White Paper in a manga version in addition to a standard text document. Read the MOD comic in Japanese about Japan’s Anti-Ballistic Missile capability, or download the MOD pdf version of the manga.

Pickles The Military Mascot

“Prince Pickles is our image character because he’s very endearing, which is what Japan’s military stands for,” said Shotaro Yanagi, a Japan Defense Agency official. “He’s our mascot and appears in our pamphlets and stationery.” full story: AP/IHT

Download the Prince Pickles series from the Japan Ministry of Defense.

Pentagon Uses Its Spidey Sense For the Troops

US psychological operations comic book in the southern Philippines: “Barbargsa — Blood of the Honorable.”

Psychological comic operations

Opposite Directions

Decreasing auto sales in Japan, combined with new laws targeting elderly drivers and other efforts to prevent pensioners from driving, are making it more difficult for auto manufacturers facing a different demographic future.

Newsweek reports automobile sales in Japan have been declining steadily over time. It says aside from minicars and luxury foreign brands, sales of all other types of vehicles are decreasing. Newsweek details a number of factors for the developing disinterest in car ownership.

A 2007 report by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association includes data about the vehicle preferences of people aged 50 years or older. According to the report, “a large number of respondents in this category said they wanted to curb car-purchasing and other car-related expenditures. However, among goods and services they wished to purchase with their retirement benefits, ‘automobiles’ ranked fourth among a total of 19 items.” The research also showed people are keeping their cars longer.

To counter the continuing sales decline in Japan, car makers have been improving marketing strategies. Toyota’s Gazoo website features “Drive Dates” hosted by cute female “idols”. Toyota also developed, built and operates the Tressa Automall near Yokohama.

Nissan’s Cube compact car brand has it’s own artists and music label. Nissan has a whole website of entertainment, including Kid’s Nissan and Nissan origami. Honda is targeting the youngsters with games online at Honda’s ToyTown, which includes popup paper-craft instructions.

License To Shop

Meanwhile, Tokyo city government has been working to get senior citizens to stop driving. Tocho is so concerned about the increasing number of automobile accidents caused by elderly drivers, it is offering incentives to persuade golden agers to quit driving. (more…)

Experiment Confirms Transparent Swimsuit Concern

Swimsuits that can be “Photoshopped” see-through may distract Japanese Olympic swimmers at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

The Shukan Post quotes a spokesperson for the Japan Swimming Federation. The spokesperson says that following the Athens Olympic Games in 2004, official swimsuit manufacturers were asked by the JSF to “ensure their products would not become see-through when filmed in infra-red.”

Asics, Descente, and Mizuno are the official suppliers to Japan’s swim team. Speedo’s high tech LZR bodysuit, which the team may be allowed to wear, is also susceptible to digital manipulation.

Descente developer Toshiharu Tsubouchi told The Shukan Post the Descente swimsuit utilizes polyurethane for adhesiveness, and adds “depending on the way light shines on it, the color can brown a bit. That may make it look a little bit transparent.” He points out a tight fit is essential for athletes, thus some body parts will bulge out more than others.
Shukan Post Via Daily Mainichi: Faustian swimsuit gives Japanese swimmers the edge while revealing the points
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