At last, an Afghan strategy
After months of deliberation, U.S. President Barack Obama has announced his plans for Afghanistan. As anticipated, Mr. Obama decided to send an additional 30,000 troops to the embattled country over the new few months. And as expected, that decision has not satisfied anyone. His supporters want U.S. forces out of Afghanistan; his critics condemn his deadline for withdrawal of those forces, arguing it will only embolden America's enemies. Both criticisms are wrong, but they underscore the precariousness of Mr. Obama's position: This announcement is only the beginning of a long and arduous process, one in which success will in many ways depend on the support the president gets from his own citizens.
During the 2008 presidential campaign, Mr. Obama called the Afghan conflict "a war of necessity," a sharp contrast to Iraq, which he termed "a war of choice." Yet, as the United States drew down forces in Iraq and strengthened its commitment to Afghanistan, it was not clear what U.S. strategy was: What threat did Afghanistan pose to the U.S., how could it be countered, and how would the world know when the war was won — or lost?
Recession brings with it the 'loneliness of pockets'
"Two men on the subway, both middle-aged and a bit the worse for wear, were reminiscing about what it was like in the furuki yoki mukashi (古き良き昔, the good old days). It made me realize how rare it is to hear anything so positive today. "Yoruto sawaruto fukyōno hanashi (よるとさわると不況の話, Where there are people, talk is of the bad economy)," grandma used to say in the late 1970s.
But these starry-eyed ojisan (おじさん, middle-aged men) were talking about how, as daigakusei (大学生, university students) at posh private institutions in 1988, they used to go to shanpenkyabia bā (シャンペンキャビアバー, champagne and caviar bars), located in what was then the Tokyo hotspot — Shibaura Futo (芝浦埠頭, Shibaura Pier). A glass of pink champagne and one tiny helping of caviar at such a place cost ichimanyen pokkiri (一万円ぽっきり, exactly ¥10,000, taxes included). And when that was consumed, they ushered their dates into cabs and on to swank hotels or a late supper at some upscale dainingu bā (ダイニングバー, dining bar) in another fashionable area, most likely Hiroo.
Sony's finger on the pulse with vein reader
Security point: Sony's new FVA-U1 is a finger-vein reader that plugs into your computer via a USB. The device is meant to protect computers from unauthorized users, externally at least. The rising popularity of vein-reading technology in Japan as a better means of securing data is praiseworthy, but a tad odd considering this country is one of the world's safest. Regardless of unintended incongruity, Sony's device is a league ahead of the usual password protection. The company is promoting the FVA-U1 as the world's smallest and lightest USB finger-vein reader. Sony markets the biometric method used in the FVA-U1 as Mofiria with the user placing a finger on the small screen and an infrared LED checking the veins in the finger. This is then compared to a prerecorded pattern and if they match, the computer is free to use.
Nobody wants to add another device to their laptop package, but at only 33 grams and measuring 70 × 14.5 × 58 mm, the Sony gadget is pocketable. The device only works with Windows XP and Vista operating systems. It's on sale from Dec. 18 and is expected to be around ¥30,000. www.sony.jp/CorporateCruise/Press/200912/09-1201/
Doom and gloom scenarios for lifeboat Japan
Japan is a lucky country. When the global average temperature has gone up by 2 degrees Celsius and most of mainland Asia is ravaged by famines, when civil wars and failed states and waves of climate refugees are the norm from Tehran to Hanoi and from Madras to Beijing, Japan will still be at peace and eating regularly.
However, the desperate people of the rest of Asia will all know that Japan is among the industrialized countries that created the disaster with their greenhouse gas emissions, and that it has nevertheless largely escaped the consequences of its actions. Maybe they will be in a forgiving mood, but maybe not.
U.S. zoo takes Japanese salamanders
HIROSHIMA (Kyodo) Six rare and highly protected Japanese giant salamanders bred and raised at the Asa Zoological Park in the city of Hiroshima were sent last week to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, according to officials of the two zoos.
The two 19-year-old females and four 11-year-olds — two males and two females — were all born at Asa, the only zoo in the world where the species has been successfully bred on a regular basis.
New Jersey's Brodeur ties all-time NHL shutout record
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) Martin Brodeur realized he had a good chance of catching Terry Sawchuk, and his teammates helped made sure he finished with a shutout.
Brodeur tied Sawchuk's NHL record with his 103rd shutout, leading the New Jersey Devils to a 3-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.
Mitsuka, Kaneko don't earn LPGA Tour cards
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Kyodo) Yuko Mitsuka and Ayaka Kaneko fell far short of earning U.S. LPGA Tour cards for the 2010 season on Monday.
Mitsuka shot a 2-under 72 to finish tied for 54th at 7-over 367 in the 90-hole final qualifying event in which the top 20 finishers earned cards.
Secret nuke pact no longer in effect
The Foreign Ministry will acknowledge that while there is a secret agreement that allows U.S. nuclear weapons to pass through Japan, it is no longer in effect because such stopovers are no longer made, ministry sources said Tuesday.
The announcement will be made as early as January, following an in-house investigation by the ministry into secret pacts with the United States on nuclear arms and other issues.
Strong leaders endure criticism, Gorbachev tells Hatoyama
Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev has a piece of advice for Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama: It is a leader's job to stay strong in the face of criticism.
"It is natural that leaders get criticized," Muneo Suzuki, a Lower House member who attended their meeting Monday at the Prime Minister's Official Residence, quoted Gorbachev as telling Hatoyama. "It is your job to withstand (criticism.)"
Households on welfare surge
Households receiving public assistance in September rose to 1.26 million, 1.11 times more than a year ago, the government said Tuesday, with the number relying on welfare due mainly to job losses or pay cuts totaling 169,000, an increase of 1.42 times.
Underscoring the effects of the recession, the number of households living on welfare due to job losses and pay cuts rose in all 18 major cities across the nation, data from the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry indicates.
Finding sparks rethink of Russo-Japan War
Before starting the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, the Japanese government ignored a tip that a Russian politician long considered a key war advocate was trying to avoid the conflict by proposing an alliance with Japan, according to papers uncovered by a University of Tokyo historian.
The finding could lead to a revision of the widely accepted view in Japan that it was goaded by Russia into starting the 1904-1905 war, which stemmed from the two countries' rival imperial ambitions over Manchuria and Korea, experts say.
Eco-point program gets extension
The government decided Tuesday to keep the Eco-point program in place until the end of next year, extending the program that was scheduled to expire at the end of March.
The program is designed to promote the sales of energy-efficient air conditioners, refrigerators and televisions capable of receiving high-quality terrestrial digital broadcasting by giving buyers points that can be exchanged for gift tickets and other perks.
Vodka to retire in March: trainer
Vodka, a record-tying seven-time Grade One winner, will retire from horse racing after competing in the Dubai World Cup in March, her trainer Katsuhiko Sumii said Tuesday.
The 5-year-old mare suffered a nose bleed in winning the Japan Cup on Nov. 29 and will have to miss the season-ending Arima Kinen on Dec. 27 as a result.
Hanshin acquires Rockies OF
DENVER (AP) The Colorado Rockies have sold the contract of outfielder Matt Murton to the Hanshin Tigers.
Financial terms of the deal announced Monday were not disclosed.
Manager Herzog, umpire Harvey elected to Hall of Fame
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Whitey Herzog spent a good, long time stewing about a blown call in the 1985 World Series. So in a strange way, perhaps this fits: He's going into the Baseball Hall of Fame, standing next to an umpire.
Herzog and prominent crew chief Doug Harvey got the call Monday, elected to the Hall by the Veterans Committee.
Koizumi mum about Yasukuni during China trip
Junichiro Koizumi avoided discussing his controversial visit to Yasukuni Shrine during talks with top officials in Beijing in 2001 when he was prime minister, according to recently disclosed government documents.
The documents on the Oct. 8, 2001, meetings, which the Foreign Ministry recently released, show that then Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Premier Zhu Rongji both explained to Koizumi in their respective meetings that his visit to the shrine, which honors the war dead along with convicted war criminals, could hinder ties between the two countries.
Bankruptcies fall to two-year low
Corporate bankruptcies fell for a fourth month in November to their lowest level in almost two years, a sign that government measures to support smaller firms are working, Tokyo Shoko Research Ltd. said Tuesday.
Business failures slid 11.4 percent from a year earlier to 1,132 cases, the fewest since December 2007, it said.
Lending by banks rises 0.1%
The average daily balance of bank lending rose 0.1 percent in November from a year earlier, the slowest growth since December 2007, reflecting companies' sluggish demand for borrowing money for capital investment and operations amid the stagnant economy, the Bank of Japan said Tuesday.
The loan balance managed to increase for the 46th straight month to ¥400.51 trillion, but the pace of increase slowed for the 11th consecutive month and marked a sharp slowdown compared with the previous month's rise of 1.5 percent.
76ers drop 10th straight
PHILADELPHIA (AP) The A.I. Show took center stage again in Philly.
And the early returns have Philadelphia 76ers fans in love with the revival as much as the original.
Main points
The government plans to:
• Cover a ¥3 trillion decline in national tax revenue grants to local governments.
Hidden climate change bill haunts developing nations
COPENHAGEN — After the debate over emissions reductions targets, but very much connected to it, the question of how much it will cost to mitigate environmental disasters in the poorest countries — and how much money will be needed to help them get technology and financing to adapt to worsening weather patterns — is a key element of the Copenhagen climate talks.
The U.N. wants rich nations to put up $10 billion annually between 2010 and 2012 for climate change mitigation. Japan, under the Hatoyama Initiative, has pledged more than $9 billion, according to Environment Minister Sakihito Ozawa, but the exact amount is still being discussed.
Record ¥53.5 trillion in debt to be issued
Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii said Tuesday the government will issue a record ¥53.5 trillion in debt this fiscal year, causing bond sales to exceed tax revenue for the first time in 63 years.
"Japan's fiscal situation is very severe," Fujii said at a news conference. "We will do whatever it takes" to contain bond sales from the next year, he said.
Trooper wanted blood test for Tiger
WINDERMERE, Fla. (AP) A Florida trooper who suspected Tiger Woods was driving under the influence sought a subpoena for the golfer's blood results from the hospital he was taken to after crashing his SUV, but prosecutors rejected the petition for insufficient information, according to a police report released Monday.
A witness, who wasn't identified in the report, told trooper Joshua Evans that Woods had been drinking alcohol earlier. The same witness also said Woods had been prescribed two drugs, Ambien and Vicodin.
Albirex earn sweep
Tyrone Levett scored 20 points and Antonio Burks had 18 as the Niigata Albirex BB defeated the Tokyo Apache 84-82 on Tuesday and completed a two-game road sweep in Yamato, Kanagawa Prefecture.
Center Paul Butorac, who scored a game-best 32 points on 13-for-16 shooting for Niigata on Monday, added 12 points and 14 rebounds in the down-to-the-wire triumph.
Big business skeptical of stimulus package
Business leaders expressed hope Tuesday that the measures in the fresh ¥7.2 trillion stimulus package will prop up the weak economy, but skepticism remains over its effectiveness in combating such problems as deflation and the stronger yen.
"We hope they will be effective in supporting the regional economies and (broader) economic conditions," Tadashi Okamura, chairman of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said in a statement, citing measures to improve employment conditions and corporate financing of small and midsize firms.
Japan says China cuts must be binding
COPENHAGEN — Japan's pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions continues to hinge on whether China and other major developing economies make legally binding reduction commitments, and Beijing's current negotiating stance does not meet that condition, according to Japanese delegates at the U.N. Climate Change Conference.
"We have to bring China into the fold," a Foreign Ministry official involved with the negotiations said. "They're still on the outside with their insistence their plan to cut emissions per unit of gross domestic product by up to 45 percent by 2020 is voluntary. But it can't be just voluntary,"
Southpaw starter Fujii joins Giants
The Yomiuri Giants signed free agent left-hander Shugo Fujii on Tuesday to a one-year contract worth ¥60 million plus performance bonuses.
The Japan Series champions hope Fujii will fill the rotation spot left by Hisanori Takahashi, who aims to pursue a career in the major leagues.
Packers win fourth straight
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) A month ago, the Green Bay Packers were worried that their season was slipping away.
Now they've won four straight after beating the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night.
No truth to Harrington-Thomas trade talk
NEW YORK — The mind boggles and the mouse googles:
A comedic acquaintance, poetically licensed to twist the truth, finds it incredulous the Knicks supposedly would consider swapping essentially Al Harrington for Tyrus Thomas.
Hatoyama: Futenma decision inching closer
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said Tuesday the administration is coming closer to forming a policy on where to relocate the Futenma military airfield, an issue that has grown into a row threatening to sour the alliance with the U.S.
"We've come fairly close to saturation point," Hatoyama said after discussing the matter with Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano and the defense and foreign ministers, who are in charge of negotiating with the U.S.
Taiwan out in cold on climate issue
TAIPEI — A sightseeing train stands abandoned on a mountainside in southern Taiwan. The railway in Alishan, a popular destination for Japanese tourists, should be taking thousands of visitors every day past red cypresses for panoramic views.
But no tourists can get there because the road leading up to the alpine resort was swept away by mudslides when Typhoon Morakot devastated the area in August.
Students drive turnaround in city inn profits
FUKUI — Packing in students has led to big profits for an inexpensive inn run by the Fukui Municipal Government that was teetering on bankruptcy.
"Students are not influenced by economic trends, and as five or six of them stay in one room, the profit rate is higher than individual tourists," said Eiji Nakanishi, sales director at Nihon Travel Center Co. in Osaka.
Cabinet OKs move to pursue World Cup
The Cabinet on Tuesday approved Japan's bid to stage the 2018 or 2022 World Cup soccer tournament, saying hosting the global event would not only promote sports and international exchanges but give the public some much-needed upbeat news.
Japan Football Association President Motoaki Inukai, who is leading the charge as committee chief to host the World Cup, is expected to file official papers with FIFA this week.
Five Heisman Trophy finalists announced
NEW YORK (AP) In a year when star quarterbacks were supposed to dominate the Heisman Trophy race, two running backs and a defensive tackle made as good a case to win college football's most prestigious award as any of the marquee passers.
Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy were named Heisman finalists on Monday along with running backs Mark Ingram and Toby Gerhart and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
Jakarta slams lack of CO2 progress
JAKARTA — With the much-awaited Copenhagen climate change talks having started Monday, Indonesia, the world's third-highest emitter of greenhouse gases, has criticized Japan and other rich countries for hiding behind the United States' failure to commit to carbon dioxide cuts and not yet expressing their own willingness to agree on a legally binding framework to slash emissions.
"It's right that Japan has announced its emission cut target, but it didn't say it will sign it as a legally binding commitment during the Copenhagen talks," Agus Purnomo, head of the secretariat of the National Council on Climate Change, said in a recent interview.
¥7.2 trillion stimulus plan is unveiled
After haggling with a junior coalition partner over the size, the Cabinet of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Tuesday announced a ¥7.2 trillion economic stimulus package aimed at lifting the sagging economy and overcoming deflation.
Some economists, however, doubt the set of new measures will have a sufficient impact and worry that the administration may be deviating from its efforts to rebuild finances that are believed to be burdened with the world's largest public debt.
Haneda could see major boost in daylight flights
Transport minister Seiji Maehara indicated Tuesday that daytime flights linking Japan with North America and Europe may become available at Tokyo's Haneda airport as the government eyes turning it into a 24-hour hub for international flights.
Haneda, which currently has only chartered international flights to cities such as Hong Kong, is expected to boost its capacity substantially after it opens its fourth runway next fall.
Current account surplus up 42%
The country's current account surplus grew 42.7 percent in October from a year earlier to ¥1.398 trillion for the third straight month of improvement, helped by an expanding trade surplus, the government said Tuesday.
The current account, the broadest gauge of Japan's trade with the rest of the world, stayed in the black for the ninth month running, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report.
