Station cat promoted

Tama-chan, the cat stationmaster of a rural Japan train station, has attained the position of Operating Officer.

The stray cat was found in front of Kishi Station on the Wakayama Electric Railway Co. Kishikawa Line in 2007. Named Tama-chan, the kitty was offered the position of Stationmaster and held that post from 2007 until being promoted to Super Station Master in April 2008.

With the appointment as corporate executive Tama-chan becomes the first cat in the world to hold an executive post of a railroad corporation, a company official said.

Tama-chan, 10, will continue to perform stationmaster duties in addition to its responsibilities as Operating Officer. Those additional duties have not yet been determined.

The cat is responsible for an increase in passenger numbers. The company plans to rebuild Kishi Station into the shape of a cat’s face this summer.

Maron, the 9-year-old Yorkshire terrier stationmaster for the Iwate Galaxy Railway Company died the evening of August 29, 2009. The cause of death was bronchitis. The dog had served as Station Chief at Oku-Nakayama Kogen Station, in Ichinohemachi since September, 2000. A funeral service for Maron was held on September 12, 2009.

Analysis

With Tama-chan promoted, and Maron out of the way, cats are poised to pounce on stations throughout Japan. Cat-blogger and star of the Wii game Sukeban Shachou Rena Wii, "Rena" is likely to take over the position formerly held by Maron. Rena is currently CEO of Cat Queen Inc.

It is rumored CQI is a subsidiary of Virtucon Corporation. Following the mysterious disappearance of CEO "Number 2", leadership of Virtucon was assumed by "Mr. Wigglesworth". Police suspect Wigglesworth was involved in the Number 2 case and the sudden death of Maron. Police also link Wigglesworth to the quick promotion of Tama-chan. "We believe this Mr. Wigglesworth cat is the mastermind of these plots," said one police official.

Station employees had originally protested the latest promotion of Tama-Chan, but they denied they were threatened. "A hairless cat wearing a thick leather collar and flu mask did come to see us late one night after the last train had passed", said one employee who refused to be identified. "But the feline was very polite and did not hiss or scratch us," the employee said.

Police continue to investigate possible foul play among the cats. "It is highly unusual to reach a management position in such a short time. Especially for a cat," the police official said.

Virtucon Corporation did not respond to inquiries. In addition to assigning cats to oversee train stations in Japan, it is believed Virtucon Corporation desires to take over the world.

January
Canon Japan employees leave early to make babies

Canon lets workers leave early twice a week to encourage them to have more babies. The 5:30 p.m. lights-out program at Canon addresses the declining birthrate problem while also reducing employee overtime costs.

February
‘Doorplate mania’ man arrested.

A 42-year-old Tokyo man is arrested for stealing about 290 nameplates from house entrances. "I loved to collect plates of rare names. I repeatedly stole nameplates in Tokyo, Chiba and Saitama prefectures from about five years ago," the man told police March.

March
Teacher forced student to wear maid costume

A 51-year-old male high school teacher in Odate, Akita Prefecture forces an 18-year-old female student to wear a maid costume in the school’s art club and makes other club members take pictures of her.

April
Doctor admits lacing tea with sleeping powder

Kyoto University Hospital doctor arrested on suspicion of putting a sleep-inducing drug in a female graduate student’s tea. The doctor said he was fond of the student and wanted to attract her attention.

May
Horror-themed Toilet Paper from Japan Puts You on the Edge of Your Seat

Novel printed on toilet paper rolls. Written by Koji Suzuki, who also authored the horror novel "Ring".

June
Dead tadpoles fall from sky

Ishikawa Prefecture, located on the Japan Sea Coast experiences raining tadpoles. One resident finds 13 dead tadpoles each around 3 inches long, on and around his car. Another reports hearing a strange noise in a nearby parking lot, then finds 100 tadpoles covering cars in the lot.

July
Love hotels not touched by recession.

Japan’s love hotel industry thrives while other businesses suffer. (Love hotel finder.)

August
Elderly American tourist jailed for holding small pocketknife

Man asks Tokyo cop for directions. Cop asks if man has a knife. Man says yes. Man jailed for 10 days.

September
Blue lights soothe suicidal in Tokyo train stations

Blue lights installed on train platforms in Tokyo to prevent people from jumping into oncoming trains. "Blue lighting was selected because there are claims the color blue calms emotions," an official from East Japan Railway’s Tokyo office said.

October
Airline passengers told to use toilet before boarding

All Nippon Airways positions staff near the boarding gates in terminals to ask passengers waiting for their flight to relieve themselves before boarding the aircraft. ANA claims empty bladders means lighter passengers, which in turn means lighter aircraft and lower fuel use. ANA said that it may expand the October toilet-trial if results are positive and it is well received by passengers.

Dead pets come back as bracelets

A Shiga, Japan company advertises it will pickup a dead pet, mix its ashes with the clay from the bed of nearby Lake Biwa, and bake the ashes into jewelry for the owner of the deceased pet. The clay from Lake Biwa is commonly used to produce traditional Shigaraki pottery and stoneware.

December
Hotels with train view entice train spotters

Hotels near stations try to attract railway fans with rooms marketed as having a "rail view". There are estimated to be 20,000 railway buffs in Japan. (Odakyu hotels rail fan stay plan; Keikyu hotels rail fan stay plan.)

Community bicycles intended for short distance travel are now available in downtown Tokyo. The Community Cycle program trial is sponsored by Japan Travel Bureau and the Japan Ministry of the Environment.

Five Eco-Port community bicycle lots will be set up about 300 meters apart in the experiment area that covers small parts of the Otemachi, Marunouchi, and Yurakucho business districts in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. The route is between Tokyo station and the grounds of the Imperial Palace. Eighty-five bicycles are available for rental. The bicycles can be dropped off at any Eco-Port lot.

Riders must first register at the JTB branch in Marunouchi or at Travel Gate in Yurakucho. Registration requires the rider’s credit card number for purposes of preventing theft of the bicycles. If the bicycle is not returned within 24 hours, the user’s credit card will be charged for the cost of the bike. The registration fee is JPY1000.

The first 30 minutes of bike use is free. After 30 minutes, it costs JPY100 per 10 minutes. If bicycles are kept longer than 3 hours, the cost rises to JPY100 per 5 minutes.

To rent a bicycle, users swipe a contactless card over a terminal at each bike. When the card is verified, the parking port device releases the bicycle. The system utilitzes FeliCa contactless IC cards, FeliCa-equipped cellphones, or the special community bicycle contactless IC card issued by JTB.

Enrollment campaigns will target corporations located in the Otemachi and Marunouchi areas.

Bicycle helmets are not offered with the bike rental.

Sapporo conducted a 10-day community rental bicycle trial from Sept. 20-30. Over 100 users participated in the test. The event, nicknamed "Porokure", utilized 7 bicycle ports for Sapporo’s blue bicycles. There was no charge to participate.

Nagoya will conduct a community bicycle-lending trial Oct. 20 to Nov. 18. The experiment will use 300 bikes. Users must preregister and answer a questionnaire after the trial.

Edogawa ward in Tokyo began a short-term community bicycle rental trial on Sept. 1

photos Sankei; Okamot.com; Porokuru; Poro-cle

Train stations on a major route in Tokyo are the most recent in the country to have blue lighting installed on platforms. The blue LED ceiling lights at the ends of platforms are intended to prevent people from jumping into oncoming trains. The blue lights will operate with the existing standard fluorescent lights.

"Blue lighting was selected because there are claims the color blue calms emotions," an official from East Japan Railway’s Tokyo office said. The railway also believes the blue lights will reduce graffitti and minor crimes.

Blue light-emitting diodes will be placed on every platform on the JR East Yamanote line which circles central Tokyo. All 29 stations on the line are expected to have the lights by the end of October. The Yamanote line will be the only route in Japan that has blue lighting at every station.

On the Yamanote line, there were 9 suicides by jumping off platforms in fiscal 2006, 15 in fiscal year 2007, and four in 2008. As of August 31, 2009, 18 suicides had occured at Yamanote line stations. On all routes managed by the JR East Tokyo office, there were 68 platform suicides in fiscal 2008.

On all West Japan Railway lines managed by the Osaka office, there wered 70 platform suicide jumpers in fiscal 2008.

Keihin Electric Express Railway installed some blue lighting on some platforms and at some crossings in December 2006. Seibu Railway has placed blue lights at some crossings. JR West put in the blue LEDs in selected spots in February 2008. The JR East stations Ogikubo and Nishi-Ogikubo in Tokyo on the Chuo Line utilize blue fluorescent lamps.

The stations with the blue lights as of Sept. 17, 2009
Gumyoji Station in Minami Ward, Yokohama. (Keihin Electric Express Railway Co.) Kita-Ageo, Okegawa and Kitamoto stations in Saitama prefecture. (JR Takasaki Line) Ogikubo and Nishi-Ogikubo stations in Suginami ward, Tokyo. (Chuo Line) Shinbashi, Shinagawa, Yurakucho, Osaki and 3 other stations in Tokyo. (Yamanote Line)

More calm blue lightning
Some crossings on the Hanwa Line. (West Japan Railway Co.)

photos: Kobe Shimbun; Sankei; IT Revolution (large); Asahi Shimbun; Chunichi Shimbun; Iza-Sankei; Shinjuku station

related: Families of platform suicide jumpers billed by railway companies in Japan: urban myth? Glocom; New York Times; Summary

• Japanese suicides rise as world recession hits country’s businessmen
• Now suicide has become a political issue, how will Japan address it?
• Forget the suicide stereotype
• Can Blue-Colored Light Prevent Suicide?
• Reinvent Wheel? Blue Room. Defusing a Bomb? Red Room.
• Design: Spatial Color

Monkey celebrates year of freedom

Where is the monkey? That is the question Tokyo residents are asking today on the one year anniversary of the appearance of the lone roamer monkey of Shibuya station.

On August 20, 2008, a macaque monkey dashed into Shibuya train station in Tokyo. Morning rush hour commuters watched as dozens of police officers arrived and began efforts to capture the ape. The monkey hung around long enough for TV news crews to get there and record video of the scampering monkey.

The macaque was adept at eluding its pursuers and escaped the green butterfly nets of the law. Monkey-chase video was broadcast on TV stations worldwide and posted on TV and newspaper websites.

Where are you monkey-san?

The monkey has been seen several times in different areas of Tokyo since August 2008. The last reported sighting was in October 2008. Television newscasters were wondering if more than one monkey was roaming the city after reports of a monkey on the loose in Itabashi, Tokyo, in early November 2008.

The monkey claims to be living in an internet cafe and has been posting updates since January 2008 under the name "Makawaii" via the social networking service Twitter. We believe the twittering simian resides in Tokyo. However it is unlikely the macaque is doing the writing. We believe the macaque is paying a cyber cafe resident to type the twitter posts.

Monkey may be horny

The summer high temperatures, often over 30 degrees celsius, and the high humidity of Tokyo should not adversely affect the hardy Japanese macaque. In summer, macaques shed their winter coat for a lighter covering of fur. Macaques have a lifespan of over thirty years.

Taro Suzuki, Chief Profiler of the Missing Monkey Unit of the Association of Primates Special Hunting Team has been profiling the loose macaque. He says these monkeys are innately group oriented. "Without a female companion Makawaii is most certainly craving companionship. No doubt he is a loveless monkey searching for a troop. Therefore the isolation has probably caused the lonley macaque to spank the monkey frequently," Suzuki said. "The Shibuya monkey is also suffering from dementia," he added.

Monkey armed and dangerous

Tokyo police believe the wayward ape has turned to crime in order to survive. "It is likely the monkey is now disguising itself as a foreigner in Roppongi and is pushing drugs," said a police source who declined to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the subject. "We must catch the monkey soon in order to prevent evil acts, such as late-night naked romping in a park," the source said.

A blogger in Japan concurs on the monkey’s criminal intent. "I think it will become evident that Noriko Sakai, the singer and actress arrested on suspicion of possessing stimulant drugs, was in fact covering for the monkey", said Nick at JapanSoc. "Rather than turn him over to the authorities when they discovered his hidden stash of narcotics in Sakai’s home, they fled to a safe treehouse in the mountains before she eventually gave herself up and claimed the drugs as her own," he said.

Another blogger in Japan believes the monkey is dead meat. This barbecue meat image was provided by Lee at Loneleeplanet.

 Other bloggers in Japan contacted by Lets Japan refused to speculate on the macaque’s status citing the risk of a police request for a urine drug screening test.

Sources report police dispatched investigators to Karuizawa and Nikko National Park to search known monkey hangouts in order to get a lead on the lawbreaking ape.

Police believe the monkey is preparing to stroll through Shibuya station again soon. Police sources cite recent activity on the monkey’s credit card. In addition to charges for Shinkansen bullet train "green car" tickets to Karuizawa and Nikko, the macaque had also been shopping in Shibuya. "The monkey purchased underwear at a Shibuya department store and wire cutters at a Shibuya hardware store. We think the monkey plans to hide the cutters in its underpants and cut our green nets if caught," a source said. "It is a clever monkey," the source added.

Tokyo police continue to advise against getting close to the monkey. "If you see this masked, drug-dealing, bloomer-wearing, gal-groping, elderly-swindling, hidden-camera-picture-taking fugitive macaque, do not approach it," warn police.

Police expressed their determination to catch the monkey. "He stole an officer’s hat during the chase last year," said one officer who spoke on condition of anonymity. "No one steals a cop’s hat and gets away with it. Especially a monkey."

A monkey scampered through a residential neighborhood in Ibaraki City, Osaka prefecture, and ate a dried persimmon.

A passerby called police around 2:30 p.m. Feb. 13. "There is a big ape in the East Ota neighborhood," the woman told police. The Japanese macaque monkey snacked while police kept watch. The police pursued the monkey as it scampered along rooftops and power lines.

Around 5 p.m., the monkey jumped onto the Hankyu Kyoto Line railroad tracks and fled across the border into the Takatsuki City limits. The police lost sight of the monkey.

It is unclear if the Ibaraki City monkey is, or is related to, the Tokyo Shibuya monkey. If the Shibuya monkey travelled to Ibaraki City by train, it would have had to pass unnoticed through several stations, a difficult task for a dirty, smelly, yen-less, stressed monkey.

The appearance of a second monkey running wild in an urban area in Japan could be cause for concern. The Shibuya monkey apparently is stealing food and supplies. The Ibaraki City monkey stole a persimmon. The Shibuya monkey uses Tokyo train routes without paying fares. The Ibaraki City monkey also utilized public transportation facilities. An influx of lawbreaking, mass-transit-riding impish monkeys would divert police from other efforts, such as their never-ending campaign to inform every person over the age of 65, in person, twice, about frauds targeting the elderly.

The Ibaraki City monkey is on the police Most Wanted list for fruit theft now. Scientific studies have proven that stealing persimmons leads to a desire for stronger fruit – fresh ume and aomikan for example. The monkey could eventually become addicted to ginnan nuts.

Perhaps police have reason to worry. If the Ibaraki monkey teams with the Shibuya monkey, it would be another organized crime gang to be put down. The monkeys could take over the illegal ginnan nut trade.

We don’t believe the lovable Shibuya monkey could turn to a life of crime. However, if the two meet, the influence of the Ibaraki monkey may be too strong. Monkeys high on wild ginnan may dare to call senior citizens, convince them a relative is a monkey, and swindle cash for the monkey’s ultimate fix: bananas.

An ad campaign by the Bicycle Association of Japan advises bicycle buyers to look for the BAA-approved safety sticker on new bicycles. BAA ads focus on bicycle brake response and night visibility.

Laws in Japan requires seatbelts be worn by all occupants in vehicles.

A regulation requires helmets be worn by riders of motorized bicycles and motorcycles.

Laws ban sidewalk bicycling in principle. Activities illegal while riding a bicycle: Wearing headphones, using an umbrella, using a mobile phone, carrying more than one person (some exceptions apply), and ringing the bell too much.

According to a Nov. 2008 review of road traffic laws by East Asia Forum, parents are obliged to instruct kids under age 13 to wear bicycle helmets. But there is no penalty for violating the rule. The law permits bicyclists 13 or over to ride a bicycle without wearing a helmet.

related:A Crash Course Guide to Bicycle Safety; photos: Red lady; kid no helmet; suits; kid helmet.

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The macaque monkey that appeared unescorted at Shibuya train station in Tokyo in August 2008 remains free. The monkey outsmarted police and escaped into the city. Cops have been responding to the occasional monkey-sighting, but have failed to catch the chimp.

The monkey is now living in an internet cafe. The little simian was last seen in Tokyo Nov. 6, 2008. A chimp claiming to be the Shibuya monkey "Makawaii" has been posting updates via Twitter.

A primate specialist says monkeys that escape into urban areas become stressed and usually seek a quick return to their quiet hometowns. Taro Suzuki, Chief Profiler of the Missing Monkey Unit of the Association of Primates Special Hunting Team says monkeys that become lost in a city will make great efforts to return home. Distrusting public transportation, loose monkeys often hitchhike home.

Suzuki believes the Shibuya monkey was traumatized by the police attempts to catch the monkey. "As the nets were green, the monkey has probably developed a phobia about green. The countryside has much greenery and the monkey is afraid of returning to a forested area," the APSHT profiler said.

A review of photos of the monkey confirms Suzuki’s theory. The macaque is pictured in gray areas. One video shows the monkey fleeing from greenery in Tokyo.

Suzuki also studied Makawaii’s Twitter post archive. On Jan. 15, the monkey posted "Designing futur netcafe-it will be tiled room and have concret flors for ez cleening with hose". On Jan. 20, "jumping around and bouncing off the walls!!". On Jan. 27, the monkey wrote "hding under desk chewing fingernails."

"My analysis of the the monkey-posts indicates the monkey is suffering from dementia. The Shibuya monkey has taken shelter in the safety and comfort of an internet cafe. I recommend this as short term solution. As you can see, the confined space and fear of green is having a detrimental effect. I hope the monkey seeks treatment soon," Suzuki said.

Tokyo police would not comment on efforts to catch the monkey. Lets Japan has learned computer security experts are using traceroute data to locate the monkey. A source says the missing monkey appears to be using off-the-shelf software to create phantom computers to mask the source internet protocol address. Police are also using coordinates from spy satellites.

Lets Japan asked passers-by for ideas about apprehending the Shibuya monkey.
How do you catch a monkey?

I will spank the monkey.

He should stay indoors. It is cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.

I’d like to get my stinking paws on that damned dirty ape!

A drunken donkey will not remember the monkeys bite.

After 20 years, Japan Airlines has stopped publication of it’s calendars that feature pictures of cabin attendants. The wall and desktops calendars were first offered in 1989 and have been sold in bookstores, on the internet, and in JAL catalogs. Demand peaked in 1993, with about 100,000 copies printed. For 2009, JAL printed 50,000 of the flight attendant photo calendars. JAL cancelled future editions due to the low demand. The status of JAL’s "World of Beauty", "Fleet" and other calendars is unclear. The cabin crew calendar costs JYP 1500.

For calendar collectors who cannot obtain the final JAL flight attendant calendar, public TV channel NHK sells a 2009 calendar featuring NHK-TV female news anchors, for JPY 1600. Our favorite NHK weathercaster Sae Nakarai appears in the NHK calendar.
related: NHK announcer profiles (J).

The Shibuya monkey is living in an internet café. These images and a video clip from a cell phone camera were sent anonymously to Lets Japan. These photos show the monkey entering a cyber café.

The story of the Tokyo Shibuya monkey began August 20, 2008, when the unaccompanied Japanese macaque monkey ran wild in Shibuya train station during morning rush hour. Surprised commuters gaped at the ape as it led dozens of cops and reporters on a chase through the station, then raced outside and outran its pursuers.

The monkey has been seen several times in different areas of Tokyo. In early November 2008, TV newscasters were wondering if more than one monkey was roaming the city.

The January glimpse of the monkey in front of the net café is the first report of the mini-macaque in 2009. It has also been learned the monkey - nicknamed Makawaii by the media - is using the popular internet social messaging service Twitter. We have been following the monkey’s writings for several days. According to its Twitter posts, the monkey is out searching for food and sightseeing during the day and returns to its rented PC-and-sleep-space at night. Makawaii also seems to watch a lot of Japanese television and often plays online games. The ape displays an odd sense of humor, and may be slightly crazy.

Tokyo police continue to search for the monkey. Now the cops can also follow Macawaii on Twitter. http://twitter.com/Makawaii related: Cyber cafe offers home to homeless