The Moped Ronin: My World Wide Weird

Women Making Marks in a Man's World

Congrats to these two ladies. It’s not so often that Japanese women are celebrated in Japan. In fact, many Japanese women left Japan to start their own companies in the 90s because it was too difficult for them to do so in Japan, simply because of their gender. I think that’s changed some a bit, but not by leaps and bounds.

High school girl picked in draft for new Kansai professional baseball league — I’m not a sports fan at all, but I think it’s great this girl is being recognized for her skill. Frankly though I think she should consider going to university first. What happens if she screws up her arm? Then where is she? Bottom rung baby, bottom rung.

37-year-old mother set to become 2nd Japanese female in space — This is especially cool considering that most women over the age of 25 aren’t considered good for anything other than staying at home in the kitchen and staying up late to wait for their husbands so they can reheat the meal they made for the family six hours earlier. Fly high Ms. Yamazaki!

Hit-and-Drag Crimes in Japan

Everyone knows what a hit-and-run is. Like every other country, Japan has its fair share. Recently however, the hit-and-drag crimes seem to be coming to light. There is no one who thinks that this is new, but for some reason it has captured the attention of the Japanese media and pubic, perhaps because, unlike its cousin the ‘and-run’, it seems that much more heinous. I mean, to actually DRAG someone along for several kilometers KNOWINGLY…

In the end, the real kicker seems to be that it happens much more often than people realize. This month alone three incidents have been reported, each time the distance people were dragged to their inevitable deaths increased from two kilometers to six! Gruesome.

While each of the suspects has been caught and charged (one guy after he dumped the vehicle at his former work place and then ran off to become a host at a bar for rich playgirls in Osaka), most have claimed they were drunk and (quite possibly) didn’t understand they were dragging a person along. These people weren’t driving Mack trucks mind you, in fact, at least one was a compact vehicle. Needless to say bullshit sirens have all but deafened the general populace to suspect-sympathy.

Carpenter arrested in hit-and-run
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

TONDABAYASHI, Osaka Prefecture—A carpenter was arrested Sunday on suspicion of involvement in a fatal hit-and-run in which a 16-year-old boy was apparently dragged for about six kilometers after he was hit.

Tatsuya Higashigawa, a newspaper delivery boy, was riding a motorcycle when he was allegedly hit from behind by a minivehicle driven by Tamotsu Ichikawa, 41, in Tondabayashi around 2:50 a.m. Sunday, police said.

Higashigawa’s body and Ichikawa’s minivehicle were found around 8:30 a.m. at a parking lot in Kawachi-Nagano, Osaka Prefecture, about six kilometers from the accident site.

Ichikawa told police he fled because he had been drinking alcohol. (IHT/Asahi: November 17,2008)

Cell Phone Novelist "Misa" Arrested After Fondling High School Girl

Cell phone novelist Misa (real name Misako Yokomori, female, aged 35) was arrested by Hyogo Prefectural Police after a high school girl (aged 16) accused her of fondling her at a hotel. Yikes!

I like how they throw this little tidbit in to chum the waters: novels have been criticized for being sexually explicit and amateurish. I have never read a single news article ever criticising cell phone novels of sexuality until now. Fair enough I am sure they are, but it’s a little late to start getting imperious over it.

Cell phone scribe held over molesting girl
The Yomiuri Shimbun

KOBE—A cell phone novelist from Omitama, Ibaraki Prefecture, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of molesting a high school girl of Hyogo Prefecture who was a fan of her novels.

According to sources, Misako Yokomori, 35, a part-time worker, is suspected of fondling a 16-year-old girl at a hotel in Kobe between July 11 and 13.

Cell phone novels have become popular among middle and high school girls. But some media experts warn that some authors could take advantage of their readers.

Yokomori had posted a romantic story to a cell phone site under the pen name Misa. The girl became a fan after reading the novel in February, and became acquainted with Yokomori on a bulletin board of the cell phone site.

Yokomori sent nearly 100 e-mails to the first-year high school student, writing messages like, “I want to see you soon,” or “Hug me.” The author is believed to have approached the girl by dedicating a new novel to her.

Because the girl’s behavior seemed unusual after she met Yokomori, her family contacted Akashi Police Station in Hyogo Prefecture. The student told the police, “I trusted [Yokomori], but she betrayed me.”

Yokomori was arrested on suspicion of violating a Hyogo Prefecture ordinance protecting juveniles.

Cell phone novels can be posted by anyone registered on a cell phone site. Readers can also post their thoughts on the novel to its bulletin board. The novels gained popularity a few years ago after a flat-rate pricing system on the transmission of packet data, such as text-messaging, was introduced.

There are even prizes for cell phone novels. In September, Jakucho Setouchi, who translated the 11th-century novel “The Tale of Genji” into modern Japanese, revealed that she had posted a cell phone novel under a pen name.

Half of the top 10 bestselling novels released in 2007 were printed versions of cell phone novels, according to Tohan Co. “Koizora,” by Mika, which originally was a cell phone novel, became a bestseller and was adapted into a film and TV program.

However, the novels have been criticized for being sexually explicit and amateurish.

(Nov. 13, 2008)

Original Japanese article (used for reference) here.

Play Free Online Slot Game and Catch Criminals!

Holy hell! This is one of those only-in-Japan moments I live here for. A free-to-play digital slot game dispenses information on the crime and criminal, and just how the average Taro Tanaka can cash in:

“The game is like a typical slot machine but with mug shots instead of cherries or lemons. When three of the same mug shot line up, the player wins. The jackpots bring details of the suspect and the crime, as well as how to give tips to police and the amount of any reward offered, company official Takashi Saito said.”

And though not thrilled by the idea of the game, “The National Police Agency said Friday that while authorities appreciate the sentiment, the game inappropriately uses police property for entertainment and could distress victims. … [Yet] police stopped short of outlawing the game and … thought it might still help - and would also be a hit.”

“Be a hit”!? Probably. The game “has already been played by more than 100,000 people.”

Read the complete story here: Mug shots featured in new Japanese game


In this photo released by Tokyo-based Japanese software maker Famista Inc. Friday, Nov. 14, 2008, a screen image of an Internet-based slot machine game featuring mug shots of suspects on Japan’s wanted lists is shown. Famista said Friday it launched a free, Internet-based game to publicize the facial photographs of fugitives in high-profile murder cases. The game features a dozen photos of suspects in Japan’s most notorious cold cases, including Katsuya Takahashi, right, one of three members of the doomsday cult behind the 1995 Tokyo subway gassing and Tatsuya Ichihashi, left, and center, an alleged killer of a British woman found dead in a sand-filled bathtub last year. (AP Photo/Famista Inc.,HO)

Note the “東部警パチ” (Police: Eastern Division Pachinko) title at the top. It is a play on “西部警察” (Police: Western Division), a famous cop show from ‘79 to ‘84 featuring over-the-top violence, including the destruction of 4,680 cars and 320 buildings, rooms and structures during its run. Check out the production page of different cars, weapons, and characters featured in the show. (Japanese language ability not really required to enjoy.)

Play the game Jackpot Police (claims to be an English site, but crime information was still in Japanese). Flash required. (Start with 200 credits. Each spin costs 4 credits. Left-hand button is a Settings button for Volume, Replay and Reset.)