Stay at hotel after a natural disaster and save!

A merchant association in Toda, Saitama Prefecture, is selling memberships in a kind of disaster getaway package.

Buyers choose an inn or hotel in advance, and, if the Disaster Relief Law goes into effect in the city, members will be provided accommodation up to 300,000 yen in value. The vouchers can be used at lodging in 14 locations around Japan. The annual membership fee costs 10,500 yen for a family of five, and that includes transportation.

And if nothing happens during the one-year membership? You get a free gift! Direct from one of the evacuation area regions. A 3,000 yen value.

Brochure images: blog.kogayabungu.jp

Hidden microphones and cameras are increasingly being used for corporate spying in Japan.

The Daily Yomiuri reports competition has lead to increased snooping.

And many Japanese companies are not sufficiently protected.

So who ya gonna call?

Well information leak control officers at the Tokyo-based, non-profit, Japan Information Leak Control Management (JILCoM) will check for hidden devices.

Bugging devices can be bought for 30,000 yen to 80,000 yen in Akihabara, Tokyo, or Nipponbashi, Osaka.

Other companies that offer bug inspections: NEC Facilities, Ltd. in Tokyo and NTT-Neomeit in Osaka.

Nippon Express Company’s moving services division began offering bug sweeps in January 2008, because many firms have their new offices inspected when they relocate.

Images: Top, Perfect Security ; bottom, Wireless Tsukamoto