Category Archive
The following is a list of all entries from the News story category. Noteworthy entries are filed topmost.
Ako Kawada suicide - mother speaks out
Some of you might remember an article I wrote a couple of months ago about Japan’s suicide rate, and how freelance TV announcer Ako Kawada was the most famous recent one. Well it seems that Kawada’s mother has now come out criticising her daughter’s last relationships, and one in particular. Japan Today has the following article, before my usual critique:
Kawada’s last relationships before suicide draw mother’s criticism
The suicide by freelance announcer Ako Kawada, 29, in May came as a great shock to media insiders and television viewers. While it was reported at the time that Kawada had been suffering from depression, some insiders suggest that problems in her relationships with her two boyfriends might have been contributing factors.
Kawada’s mother recently talked to Shukan Post about her daughter’s relationships with the two men. One was Kawada’s boss, Mr A, and the other was American peace activist Matt Taylor.
Kawada’s mother recalls: “Our family appreciated Mr A’s support at her funeral, although some people criticized him. However, we don’t feel like that toward Mr Taylor. He met her on the day she committed suicide. Apparently, she had talked of suicide before and he knew everything about that. I wonder why he wouldn’t have told us. I just can’t understand it.”
Taylor directed a film on the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, a project in which Kawada helped. At the press preview, Taylor said: “She was a very pure person. We cried together several times when watching the film. I am proud that her name will forever be part of the credits.” However, this has caused some resentment that he is making use of Kawada’s name to get extra publicity for the documentary.
“We don’t want him to use Ako’s name to promote his film,” said Kawada’s mother. “We don’t even want her name to be part of the credits.”
Commenting on the reaction by Kawada’s family, Taylor told Shukan Post: “I promised her that her name would be in the credits. In the American film industry, it is common for film producers to put the names of people involved in the film and loved ones who passed away, in the credits. I think her mother would understand this if she had an opportunity to see my film.”
Another TV announcer caught in scandal; this time no action taken
Another week goes by, another figure in the public eye in Japan is caught doing something they shouldn’t. And this story offers a nice juxtaposition to the story about Mona Yamamoto a couple of weeks ago. This time we have Fuji TV Kazuhiro Watanabe, one of the announcers on Mezamashi TV (a daily morning TV show which isn’t really worth saying any more about as it rarely covers the news stories that should be on the front pages, and reports the more fluffy stories of the day… kind of like a Japanese GMTV!). Anyway, it was reported in the Shukan Asahi (a weekly magazine) that Watanabe had been physically involved with a woman who was not his wife.
The Fuji TV damage control people were quickly mobilized and came out defending him, saying that he would not be withdrawing from any of his TV appearances. Watanabe also came out and made a statement saying that, “A magazine today published details about me concerning a very private matter. I apologize for causing trouble and I hope that I can regain the trust of viewers.” Note that he has not made any comment about the alleged scandal and whether it is true or not. He apologised for “causing trouble” and not for anything he may have done, losing the trust of his wife etc. I am surprised that the word “regrettable” wasn’t used but the way this scandal has been seen in Japan is amusing, especially when you look at it in context to Mona’s encounter with Yomiuri Giants player, Tomohiro Nioka. Mona was removed (well, the reports said she withdrew but it was probably a case of jump or be pushed) from her TV engagements and her co-presenter made a formal announcement on the show, showing the shame she had brought onto the show. Maybe, like Nioka, Watanabe is seen as an important person in the announcing team and so he will be let off from any scandals he is involved in. Who knows, maybe he’ll get his wife making a press announcement, apologizing for the trouble that has been caused!
Mona Yamamoto remains on temporary leave from TBS.
Japan buying sport access to the Olympics
With only 11 days to go until the Olympics start in Beijing, the world media is getting whipped into a frenzy. American news stories seem to still be circling around Beijing’s skies and air pollution, despite Dr Patrick Schamasch, the IOC’s medical and scientific advisor stating that ozone, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide all fell within World Health Organisation limits set in 2005. Japanese news is touching on this, but mainly focusing on its judo stars and table tennis star, Ai Fukuhara (commonly known as Ai chan). That’s natural as they have the biggest chance of coming up with medals for Japan.
But the BBC is reporting a story that I doubt will get much coverage here in Japan. This is the result of an investigation into a Japanese domestic cycling sport called the keirin, and it is believed the organisers of this sport have paid sums of money to the world cycling body to promote the sport and eventually give it access to the Olympics. The BBC story from Matt McGrath is below:
Sport ‘bought access to Olympics’
A BBC investigation has raised concerns that a sport may have bought its way into the Olympic Games. Documents given to the BBC suggest that $3m (?f1.5m; 1.9m euros) was paid by organisers of a Japanese cycling event to the UCI - the world cycling body. The payments were allegedly made in the 1990s. The sport, called the keirin, was supported for inclusion into the Games by the UCI, and admitted in 1996. The UCI and its president at the time, Hein Verbruggen, deny any wrongdoing.
The keirin is a rapid and exciting track cycling event an event where riders are initially paced around a track by a motorcycle before sprinting for the line. It is big business in its country of origin, Japan, commanding tens of millions of dollars in gambling revenue every year. But despite its financial clout, the one thing keirin has always lacked is an international profile.
News confirmed: Yomiuri Giants player gets let off scot free
You may have read my article earlier this week about Mona Yamamoto being caught at a love hotel with Yomiuri Giants player Tomohiro Nioka. I commented in that story that a lot of the emphasis seems to have been placed on Yamamoto and very little seems to have been said about Nioka. But it seems that Nioka was the instigator in what went on when they met and what they did afterwards, as this report in Japan Today shows:
Mona takes the fall, while Nioka gets off
Hardly a day has gone by over the last week that the tabloid media hasn’t put the boot into Mona Yamamoto, 32, after she was forced to quit her job as a news program anchor due to a scandal surrounding her visit to a love hotel with a married Yomiuri Giants baseball player. Since Yamamoto had to leave another news program in October, 2006 in similar circumstances, the media have been calling her all sorts of names.
But those who were at the party on the night of the latest scandal say that baseball player Tomohiro Nioka, 32, was hitting on Yamamoto much more eagerly than she was hitting on him. Yet he barely received a slap on the wrist.
“As Nioka got drunk, he started to approach a group of girls who were drinking together. But these girls ignored him, so he started to hit on Yamamoto,” said one of Nioka’s friends who was at the party. “He talked to her, and was whispering in her ear. The distance between them got closer.”
After the party, Nioka left with Yamamoto and looked as if he was pushing her into a taxi around 4:30 a.m. “While he was drunk, he tried to kiss me,” Yamamoto said in an official statement to media. “Mr Nioka asked me to go to another bar on the street, but I refused that offer. Because I didn’t want to make it a big deal in public, I reluctantly went to a love hotel nearby to talk with him until he could sober up. We just had a drink there but didn’t do anything more.”
Nioka married a freelance announcer in 2005, and has a son who was born in June, 2007. He is currently president of the Players Union. Nioka’s wife told Shukan Post: “I heard everything from my husband and I am sorry that he has caused so much trouble for many people.”
One Yomiuri Giants fans says, “He hasnft been in good form these days. If Mona is forced to suspend all activities, Nioka should do the same.”
However, a spokesperson for the Yomiuri Giants says, “His behavior was very senseless. We apologize to our fans. He is sorry for his own actions now. Since he is one of our key players, we decided to let him off with just a verbal warning this time.” (Translated by Taro Fujimoto)
Japanese newscaster involved in another scandal
Well, I say “another” but in the sense that this woman has form with this particular thing! Various news feeds are reporting that Norwegian/Japanese newscaster and tarento, Mona Yamamoto (see below), has been caught at a love hotel with Yomiuri Giants baseball player Tomohiro Nioka over this past weekend. The problem is that Mr Nioka is married and with a 1-year old son. Back in 2006, Miss Yamamoto was dropped by TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System) back in 2006 when she was found to be having an affair with DPJ politician, Goshi Hosono. She managed to salvage her career but it will be interesting to see what comes of her after this setback. Amusingly, one of the employees of the love hotel has told Asahi News that Miss Yamamoto is apparently a regular customer there! Well, when you find one good love hotel I guess you just keep going back…
