Miyako fishermen, divers come to agreement on support fees
Fishermen don’t like divers messing in their waters, but divers contend their livelihood is made in the same ocean areas, leading to a years-long feud over who?fs right. Now, the two sides have compromised, and agreed to work together.
The Miyako Jima Fishermen’s Association, Irabu Island Fishermen’s Association, Ikema Island Fishermen’s Association, the Miyakojima Diving Work Association and the Miyakojima Marine Business Resort Association have signed a pact that seems to have both sides satisfied. More than 40 diving companies will pay the fishermen’s associations support money, a fee of Y500 per diver.
Most of the diving companies have been making the Y500 payments for quite a while, but some had balked at making the payments. They didn’t like the informal agreement, saying “this is a nonsense agreement. Why should we pay the fishermen’s associations? It’s not fair to us.”
The fishermen have been asking the Y500 fee as compensation for divers using the waters in which they make their livings. The new agreement formally decrees that the fees will be used only for exterminating poisonous crown of thorns starfish, and not go to the fishermen’s associations.
Dive companies say this is fair, as the money goes to protecting the natural environment and to promote the fishing industry.
Fishermen’s associations agree now that the diving companies are working with them to promote their industry while protecting the environment by getting rid of poisonous star fish. Both sides say they’re happy to share use of the oceans in southern Okinawa.
Man killed by brake handle
Read this today in Japan’s favourite online tabloid, the Mainichi.
Cyclist killed after brake lever pierces brain through eye
A Tokyo man has died in a cycling accident after the brake lever of another bicycle speared his eye and entered his brain, police said.
The 40-year-old company employee was hospitalized for 10 hours after the freak accident in Edogawa-ku before he was declared dead on Monday.
Police said the man was cycling home one-handed while using the other hand to pull along another bicycle he had left at a nearby restaurant and gone to pick up on Sunday night.
But the man fell off his bicycle and his head slammed into the handlebars on the other bike he was pulling, with the brake lever piercing his right eye and probably driving into his brain.
A female pedestrian found the man lying in a pool of blood beside the two bicycles on a roadside at about 8 p.m. Sunday and called for an ambulance.
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I can certainly think of a lot better ways to sign off this earth than a brake handle through the eye. It’s certainly something you should keep an eye out for in the future (pun intended!).
Japanese pensions: The government messes up again
Well the Japanese government have done it once again. They are stating now that 10m of the 50m pension record information that was never recorded may now never be traced back to their original owners. This was one of the election pledges of the ruling coalition and now they are coming under increasing fire from opposition parties and members of the public for going back on their promises. Shinzo Abe said repeatedly that the pensions issue would be resolved, “until the last person is identified”. The government has responded by stating that they didn’t know how big the problem was when they made these promises. Not the best excuse really, is it? Calls are getting much louder for Health, Labour and Welfare Minister, Yoichi Masuzoe, to resign.
It looks like this is going to leave a huge black hole in an economy already suffering slowdown. Reports are that a new SIA will come into action in 2009, with plans to divert a larger amount of government income into pensions and social security. Possibly the entire consumption tax will be used for this, and prefectural taxes are also expected to rise to cover the shortfall. 150bn yen has been paid in by foreigners, and that is money which cannot be reclaimed by them, and they also expect in the future that $1bn will be paid annually by foreigners which will help to cover the shortfall, but this really does seem like a drop in the ocean.
As the society ages in Japan and increasing pressure is placed on the government for social security and pensions at the end of peoples’ working lives, things are not looking too bright for the future of Japan.
Oceanic & Aeris recall regulators due to drowning hazard
Forwarding some information to you out there as I know a fair few people who visit this site are divers themselves. It comes from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and without furter adue, here is the message in full:
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NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 11, 2007
Release #08-127
Firm’s Recall Hotline: (888) 636-9390
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
ROMI Recalls SCUBA Regulators Due to Drowning Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Oceanic and AERIS SCUBA Regulator First Stages
Units: About 6,000
Manufacturer: ROMI Enterprises, of San Leandro, Calif.
Hazard: An internal component that seals air between the high pressure first-stage and the intermediate pressure second-stage can fail. This can result in uncontrolled flow of air to the diver and pose a risk of serious injury or death.
Incidents/Injuries: ROMI has received two reports of units malfunctioning during diving and six reports of units malfunctioning while being tested by dealers prior to delivery to consumers. No injuries reported.
Description and Models: The recall involves the following regulator first stages:
Oceanic Regulator First Stages:
Model CDX5
Certain serial numbers from 30202856 through 51312641 and purchased from May 2006 through October 2007
Model FDX10
Certain serial numbers from 51408026 through 51411813 and purchased from May 2006 through October 2007
Models CDX, DXi, DX3, DX4, and TDX5
All serial numbers and serviced from May 2006 through October 2007
AERIS Regulator First Stages:
Model AT400
Certain serial numbers from 30200036 through 51311560 and purchased from May 2006 through October 2007
Balanced Diaphragm
All serial numbers and serviced from May 2006 through October 2007
The model and serial numbers are stamped on the side of the body or on the body’s rubber covering.
Sold at: The items were either sold or repaired at authorized Oceanic and AERIS retailers nationwide from May 2006 through October 2007. The items sold for between $300 and $500.
Manufactured in: United States and Taiwan
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled regulator first stages and take them to any authorized Oceanic or AERIS dealer for a free replacement part.
Consumer Contact: For further information or to determine if your specific unit is affected, contact ROMI toll-free at (888) 636-9390 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday. Oceanic customers can send an e-mail to service@oceanicusa.com or visit the firm’s Web site at www.oceanicworldwide.com. AERIS customers can send an e-mail to info@diveaeris.com or visit the firm’s Web site at www.diveaeris.com
To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08127.html
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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15, 000 types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC’s web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.asp. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov
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This is a large number of regulators so if you own any of these models or know anyone else who does, please pass on the information. Take care and dive safely.