How does this affect Japan? Along with South Korea and the USA, Japan is one of the primary targets of North Korea’s aggression. North Korea has before “tested” its missiles into the Pacific Ocean toward Japan, at least twice sending missiles that flew over Japan in 1998 and 2009. There are many reasons why North Korea chooses its enemies, mostly because they feel threatened by the other countries. Japan may be a target because of its alliance with South Korea and the USA, but also because of hostilities against Korea (which then included South Korea as well) during World War II.

Of course Japan is one of the first countries to step up to condemn these attacks on South Korea, with Prime Minister Kan calling the attack “an intolerable act of barbarism,” and pointing out that “we have been strongly condemning North Korea and this stance will stay unchanged.”

Kan went on to say when addressing the Japanese government, “I believe that the lives of Japanese people will not immediately be influenced. But to make sure that will not be the case, I’d like you all to make efforts.”¹

Japan and the USA are currently pressuring China to step in and condemn the attacks, as China has some economic and political influence over North Korea. China has long remained reluctant to take an official stance on the North Korea vs. South Korea issue, however, and has possibly even leaned toward supporting North Korea in the past for political reasons. Meanwhile, South Korean and American troops stationed in South Korea are currently practicing military games in the region in order to show North Korea how prepared they are for a fight, should it come to that. So far, North Korea has not proclaimed war, merely citing retaliation for one perceived attack.

What do you think of this week’s attack on South Korea? Should China be made to step in? Should the UN? Can either have an impact on North Korea? What should Japan do?

¹ “Kan, Lee to work closely following N Korean attack.” Japan Today. 24 November 2010. <http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/japan-on-alert-after-n-korea-fires-shells-at-s-korea>.

So while Japan has made no commitment to changing its custody policies, you may be wondering why another country would go so far as to draw attention to Japan’s legal system, especially when the U.S. considers Japan an ally and Japan is one of the world’s richest nations. What’s going on in the Japanese legal system when it comes to divorce?

It can be very difficult to divorce in Japan if the couple isn’t in mutual agreement, especially if one member of the coupling is a Japanese citizen and the other is a foreigner. (Conversely, if the couple can reach an agreement, all they need to do is file some paperwork and the divorce will happen much more quickly than it does in other nations.) If the couple can’t agree, the one who initiates the divorce must provide a legally valid reason for divorce, such as adultery, abuse or criminal activity, in order to receive any alimony (although more often than not, the alimony will be a lump sum payment).

More often than not, the Japanese citizen will receive full custody of any children (especially if the Japanese citizen is the mother) and the foreigner parent will only have visitation that’s not really enforced, making it easy for the ex to simply refuse to let the foreigner parent see the children. This is assuming the foreigner parent can stay in Japan–there’s little chance that the foreigner parent can hope that the Japanese law will force his or her ex to send the children to another country for visitation.

Strangely, though, Japan’s refusal to allow foreigners to see their Japanese children extends even to non-Japanese citizens in Japan. According to Japan Today, an American man’s American ex-wife with no Japanese ties moved to Osaka with their American daughter and he can’t get the cooperation of the Japanese government to have his daughter sent back despite the fact that his ex broke the custody agreement.

Do you know anyone who divorced in Japan? Did they experience difficulty if there were children involved?

¹ “U.S. lawmakers pressure Japan on child custody rights.” Japan Today. 30 September 2010. <http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/us-lawmakers-push-japan-on-child-custody-rights>.

Hatoyama was adamant after his approval ratings dropped that he has no intention of resigning. Yet just a few weeks later, he did exactly that. Granted, he didn’t resign over horrible fashion attire, no should anyone have expected him to. (The “his bad fashion shows he’s not in touch with the common Japanese citizen” argument notwithstanding.) The actual reason he gave had to do with his failure to close the U.S. military base on Okinawa, which he promised to do during his campaign. While one could argue that he hadn’t served long enough to enact this change, Hatoyama did sign an unpopular treaty in late May with U.S. President Obama to ensure the continued existence of the U.S. military presence in Okinawa. This was mostly due to increased tensions between Japan and North Korea and Hatoyama’s desire for U.S. aid if need be.

Besides the failure with Okinawa, Hatoyama was also accused of perhaps having knowledge of a money scandal involving a top member of his party, the Democratic Party of Japan (not quite the same as the U.S. party of the same name). Facing summer elections, Hatoyama’s party asked him to step down to increase their chances of performing favorably at the next election.

Hatoyama was replaced by Kan Naoto, Hatoyama’s former deputy. Kan is actually Japan’s seventh prime minister in a decade. Why so many changes? Hatoyama’s not the first to resign by any means; it’s a much more common occurrence in Japan than in countries like America, where only one president has resigned in history. The other part of the reason for so many changes in leadership is that the nation’s prime minister is not directly elected by the Japanese citizens. Instead, Japanese citizens vote for their representatives in the Japanese parliament (the Diet). In turn, the members of the Diet elect the prime minister. The more seats a party has, the more likely that party is going to win the position, for which they usually nominate their elected leader. However, this somewhat disconnected way of electing a prime minister does seem to lead fewer Japanese people to be passionately political than many people in other nations.

Do you think Hatoyama should have resigned as soon as he failed with one campaign promise? Do you think the Japanese system of electing a leader would work in your country? Why or why not?

Yoshida, nicknamed “Nakkuru Hime” “(“Knuckle Princess”), actually already knows what it’s like to whiz past gender boundaries, as she became Japan’s first female professional baseball player in 2008 at the age of 16, when still in high school! (Her actual debut was in March 2009 at the age of 17.) She was drafted into the Kobe 9 Cruise, one of four teams in the Kansai Independent Baseball League (comparable to Minor League Baseball here). Yoshida, a pitcher, helped lead her team to victory in the first game with her sidearm knuckleball. She played in eleven games with the Kobe 9 Cruise before coming to the US joining the Arizona Winter League, a short-season independent professional league, in late 2009.

While playing in the Arizona Winter League, Yoshida caught the attention of the Chico Outlaws (Chico, California) and was offered a contract to play on the team in the Golden Baseball League, an independent ten-team baseball league. She’s spent the past spring training and just recently debuted in her first official game with the team.

Yoshida’s training experience was made more special for her because Boston Red Sox knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield came to help her train at the Boston Red Sox’s minor league training center. Yoshida credits Wakefield for her style, as videos she saw of his pitching are what inspired her to adapt her trademark “knuckle princess” pitching style.

Yoshida is currently the only female professional baseball player in the U.S. and is only the second female professional U.S. baseball player in history. She’s also now the first female baseball player to play professional in more than one country.

Her first game with the Chico Outlaws took place on May 29^th and she helped lead to the team to victory when she pitched for three innings.

Because of the increased interest in Yoshida’s debut, the Chico Outlaws are streaming their games online. If you want to watch Yoshida in action, check out the Outlaws’ website.

Have you ever heard of Yoshida Eri? Have you seen her play? Do you think it’s fitting that a Japanese woman is making baseball history in the U.S.? Why or why not?

Nevertheless, Japan is supposed to keep its whale meat sold domestically, as it is illegal to export the meat to other countries. However, recently Japan Today reported that illegal whale meat from Japan has been found in sushi restaurants in South Korea and the U.S. Interestingly, scientists could prove the meat came from Japan due to DNA testing on the sashimi meat that matches the DNA of meat sold legally in 2007 on the Japanese market; in other words, this meat was not just from the same species of whale, it was from the exact same whale.

The restaurant in the U.S. (The Hump, formerly in Santa Monica, California) was forced to close in response to the study and is facing criminal charges. The study, overseen by the Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Science Center, was a private study performed by opponents of whale hunting, but their discovery of illegally exported whale meat may influence the International Whaling Commission’s consideration of making commercial whaling legal (with restrictions), which has long been an aim of Japan. Opponents of legalizing commercial whaling fear that the whale population will suffer greatly and that illegal activity will continue. However, proponents believe that commercializing and regulating the activity will help decrease the illegal trade.

Do you believe Japan should stop whaling? Do you believe in Japan’s reasoning that it’s for scientific study, particularly when whale meat is such a delicacy? Do you think that making commercial whaling legal with restrictions will help quell illegal activity or make the problem worse?

America first took over Okinawa in 1945 after the end of World War II as America watched over Japan’s reconstruction. Although control of the country was signed back over to Japan in 1972, 18% of the main island effectively remains American soil in the form of American military bases. Japan has sought more control of the territory for decades—Japanese lawmakers were even worried that the problems with Toyota cars in America would impede some of the current negotiations about surrendering rights to Okinawa (read more here)—so next week’s transfer of air rights is a monumental occasion for Japan.

The decision was originally reached in 2004 to be completed by 2007, but the transfer of air traffic control took some detours as negotiations were ongoing and transfer of the technical system, called the Kadena RAPCON, hit some setbacks, so in 2008, the new deadline of March 31, 2010 was arranged.

Currently, air traffic control towers on U.S. military bases handles all military and civilian flights into an area about 56-mile radius of the Kadena Air Base on the main island of Okinawa as well as air space over the nearby smaller island of Kume.

Civilian traffic into the Naha and Kume Island airports will be surrendered to Japanese control via the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry, but U.S. military traffic onto the base will remain under U.S. control. The civilian portion of the Kadena RAPCON system will now be known as the Naha Approach Control.

Negotiations between the U.S. and Japan continue over surrendering more land and control of Okinawa to Japan. However, Foreign Minister Okada Katsuya believes this is an important next step for finding a way for the American military to continue operations, albeit at a reduced capacity, in Okinawa. “Although there are various tasks related to U.S. forces in Japan,” stated Okada, “I would like to overcome each issue so that the Japan-U.S. security arrangements will be operated more smoothly and effectively.”¹

Do you think that returning civilian air traffic control in Okinawa to Japan is a good idea? Why do you think the U.S. held on to control for so long?

¹ Associated Press. “U.S. agrees with Japan to return Okinawa air control on March 31+.” Breitbart. 18 Mar. 2010. Breaking News. 20 March 2010. <http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9EH08D80&show_article=1>.

Hiroshima is about a 4 to 5 hours’ journey west of Tokyo (depending on whether or not you take the bullet train). Once you arrive in Hiroshima, you may want to head to Peace Memorial Park and the Genbaku Dome-Mae (A-Bomb Dome), which is just 15 minutes south of the JR station by trolley. This Genbaku Dome, which was built in 1915, was one of the last remaining buildings to survive the bombing—almost everything else you see was built after the war.

The Genbaku Dome remains largely as it was left after the bombing, with minor construction done occasionally to keep the dome from falling down. It is a World Heritage Site that is supposed to be preserved indefinitely.

Around the dome is the Peace Memorial Park, where you can see memorials dedicated to the victims and to the ideal of world peace. The entire park is about a mile in length and at the opposite end of the Genbaku Dome is the Peace Memorial Museum, where you can see artifacts, photographs and interviews of the attack and its victims. It can be a disturbing but educational experience.

Besides memorials to the attack, Hiroshima has a number of other sites of interest, including the Hiroshima Castle, which was actually destroyed during the bombing but was rebuilt to be virtually identical to the original 1589 castle during the reconstruction efforts. Not only is the castle visually stunning, but you can find a museum dedicated to the history of the city within.

Have you ever been to Hiroshima? What were some of your favorite stops? If you visit Japan, would you like to visit one of the sites of the atomic bombings? Why or why not?

The categories in which the Japanese won medals this year are:

Ladies’ Figure Skating: Silver, Asada Mao

Men’s Figure Skating: Bronze, Takahashi Daisuke

Men’s 500 M Speed Skating: Silver, Nagashima Keiichiro and Bronze, Kato Joji

Ladies’ Team Pursuit Speed Skating: Silver, Tabata Maki, Hozumi Masako, & Kodaira Nao

It’s interesting to note that the 4^th Place Finisher in Ladies’ Figure Skating, who turned heads for her performance, is Japanese-American Mirai Nagasu, who, as a 16-year-old, is a dual citizen of both Japan and the US. (Japan doesn’t allow dual citizenship after the age of 22.) Although she represented America in the Olympics, she’s somewhat well known in Japan and has been featured on Japanese TV on numerous occasions.

Japan’s relatively successful representation at the 2010 Olympics shouldn’t be a surprise. Many people unfamiliar with Japan don’t realize that the northern part of the country has harsh winters on par with nearby Russia. In the northern part of Japan, called Hokkaido, snow accumulation average snowfall in the mountain area is about 45 feet per winter!

Ski resorts in Hokkaido that offer skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports are popular destinations for winter sports enthusiasts from around the globe. You can even rent a sled and a pack of dogs and take dog sled lessons from a professional! Despite the frigid 10˚F to 25˚F temperatures, open-air hot springs are still a popular stop at these resorts, too. Bathing in hot water in cold air is a refreshing experience that helps soothe sore muscles after a day of skiing downhill.

Did you watch the 2010 Olympics? Did you see Japan compete in any of the events? Have you ever been to Hokkaido?

Location of Okinawa relative to the main island.

While all of Japan is essentially a series of islands, most of the inhabited parts are reachable by train and car once you land in Tokyo. However, to get to Okinawa, you’ll have to take a plane or boat, even from the main islands. Okinawa Island is too far from the mainland for bridges.

Okinawa Island is the most populous area of Okinawa, but Okinawa Prefecture actually consists of hundreds of smaller islands called the Ryukyu Islands that curve southwest of the main island of Japan for roughly 620 miles. The tropical climate of the Ryukyu Islands makes Okinawa Island a popular vacation spot even for native Japanese, as temperatures are warm year-round and swimming, surfing, scuba diving, fishing and other water sports are frequent activities at Okinawa’s many beaches. You can expect temperatures to drop no more than 68˚ F. In the summer, temperatures are more frequently in the 80s and 90s.

Besides the many pleasant beach activities, Okinawa is home to many historical sites that showcase classic Japanese architecture, such as Shuri Castle and Nakagutsu Castle. Parks, caves, and capes are popular destinations for tourists looking to relax and explore. The Churaumi Aquarium, the second largest aquarium in the world, features enormous whale sharks and mantas.

There are four U.S. military bases in Okinawa, making this the most likely stop for any U.S. serviceman or woman who’s stationed in Japan. This is a rather contentious point with the Japanese government, as these bases were established after World War II as part of the US’ decision to “keep an eye on” the Japanese due to their role in the war. Obviously, times have changed, but the U.S. presence remains. Although the U.S. has agreed every few decades to give up more of its territory, U.S. law and land still makes up 18% of the main Okinawa Island.

Did you know that Japan had tropical islands? If you won an all-expenses paid vacation to either Tokyo or Okinawa (but not both), which would you choose and why? Do you think the U.S. should still have so much military presence in Japan?

The Avalon, Camry, Corolla, and other models are affected by the recall.

If you’ve been paying attention to car news—and I certainly hope you have if you own a Toyota—Toyota is calling for massive recalls after discovering a glitch with the gas pedal in some models of its cars that causes the accelerator to become stuck, overriding brakes and causing accidents, injuries, and deaths across the globe. While this is no doubt a serious problem for which the Japanese automaker must take action and face the consequences of a huge sales drop, some lawmakers in Japan are worried that this problem in the private sector will become a “global issue.”

Japanese Foreign Minister Okada Katsuya has been quoted as saying, “I’m worried. It’s not just the problem of one company but a domestic issue.”¹ He’s not alone. The US is the largest buyer of motor vehicles and so it has the largest number of recalls associated with this problem. Toyota CEO Toyoda Akio has been subpoenaed by the US Congress to testify before a congressional committee about the company’s safety procedures.

But what does this, the matter of a private company, have to do with Japan’s relationship with the US as a nation? Well, Japanese lawmakers are already having a difficult time negotiating with the US over the relocation of an American marine base in Okinawa after the new Japanese Prime Minister, Hatoyama Yukio, halted negotiations as part of his party’s promise to “reexamine” existing ties with the US. The Japanese government has also been asked by the American government to be more lenient with “green” tax laws for vehicles that benefit Japanese cars in Japan far more than American cars.

Lawmakers fear that on top of these problems, if the Toyota heads appear unfriendly or unwilling to work with the American Congress at these hearings, this could spark a tense tax-related “trade war” with America similar to one the countries experienced in the 1980s and 90s. However, not everyone is that concerned, pointing out that this is the matter of a private company and they believe that Toyota will do its best to comply with the US Congress’ wishes.

Should the problems of one private company in a foreign country be responsible for “tension” between the two nations? Would any American expect, for example, Japan to start a trade war with the US over the mistakes of Microsoft in their country? Or, does it make a huge difference because Microsoft’s products are less likely to cause injury, even when they fail, than that of Toyota’s?

¹ Associated Press. “Japan worried that Toyota’s problems cut hurt U.S. ties.” Japan Today. 14 Feb. 2010. Politics. 15 Feb. 2010. <http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/japan-worried-that-toyotas-problems-could-hurt-us-ties>.