Japan to start fingerprinting foreign visitors

by Grant Martin on

It’s taste-of-your-own-medicine time in Japan. The Australian paper The Age reports that starting next month, foreigners visiting the Asian country will be subject to mandatory fingerprint and digital photograph collection. This includes not only tourists but the nearly 800,000 foreign residents already living in the country.

What I find particularly delightful is how angry people are getting about the new security measures. The Age writes that “Amnesty International is calling for the immigration plan to be abandoned”, saying “Making only foreigners provide this data is discriminatory.” What the heck do you call the US policy? Why don’t you have a problem with that?

I can see where the Japanese want to get a head start on security and it’s good that they’re taking a proactive approach to anti-terrorism. But isn’t one of the big reasons that reasons America is a target is that we’re the thousand-pound gorilla meddling in other countries’ affairs? Seems that Japan doesn’t subscribe to that sort of foolishness.

They can have my fingerprints. After this post, the DHS is going to do a thorough background check on me anyway, so there’s no hiding anything now (Mom and Dad, please dig up and burn the Romanian money I have buried behind the bougainvillea in the garden).

Note, if you’re connecting through Japan I don’t believe this extra security measure applies.

Big in Japan: Fuzzy breasts are big in Japan

by Matthew Firestone on

With the Christmas shopping season right around the corner, everyone is starting to wonder what this year’s must have toy will be.

Like past greats such as the Cabbage Patch Kids, Tickle me Elmo and Nintendo Wii, it takes a truly special toy to drive yearning kids and their ever-pleasing parents into a consumer frenzy.

Care to guess what the hottest toy in Japan is likely to be this holiday season?

(Hint: no, it’s not a robot. We’re talking about something that is cute, cuddly and slightly pornographic in the kinderwhore fashion.)

Give up? I give you Funwari Milk-chan (??????????????????????), the latest, greatest Japanese craze.

Now, although the verdict is still out on just what exactly this thing is, my initial guess is that it’s some sort of fuzzy breast-shaped plush toy.

What do you exactly do with it? I have no idea.

(And no, to the best of my knowledge it’s not intended to be used as a sex toy).

What makes this fuzzy breast so strange however is that the toy manufacture, JUN Planning, has created an elaborate back story in the hope of justifying its existence.

Allow me to explain:

Once upon a time, there was a place known as Milk Village, which was created by the ancient volcanic eruption of Mt. Milk. The residents of Milk Village, which are known as Milk-chans, speak the Milk language, live in Milk houses and raise little Milk babies.

Are you with me so far? Don’t worry if you’re confused – so am I!

Milk Village is marked by four distinct seasons, which the Milk-chans love to celebrate in the Japanese fashion. In the spring, they eat rice dumplings and watch the cherry blossoms. In the summer, they eat rice dumplings and go to the Milk beach. In the fall, they eat rice dumplings and watch the leaves change. In the winter, they eat rice dumplings and live in milk caves.

Are you with me so far? I’m not sure if I understand myself at this point!

Apparently, each of the Milk-chans has a unique personality and history.

Funwari Milk-chan (center) is relaxed and playful, though she dreams of one day being a larger breast. Can Milk-chan (top left) is the party girl in the group, which is why she decided to be naughty and have an American boyfriend.

Ganguro Milk-chan (bottom left) has a pierced nipple, loves partying, dancing and taking pictures with her friends. Peach Milk-chan (top right) loves fashion, and is something of a snob in Milk Village. Milko-chan (bottom right) is still a baby, but a baby genius at that.

A Milk-chan sell for about 1,000 yen or about US$9, which means that I fully intend to collect the full set, even though I have no idea what you’re supposed to do with them!

Special thanks to my friend Michele for always keeping an eye out for the latest and craziest Japanese trends!

** Photos were taken from www.junplanning.co.jp **

Cell phones keep perverts away while traveling in Japan

by Abha Malpani on

As a woman traveling alone, it’s easy to get whistled at, remarked at, or groped by men — whether you are in a train, waiting for a flight, or even buying the newspaper.

Generally notorious for this behavior are Italian and Spanish men, and even men from India, Pakistan or Bangladesh I find absolutely shameless in trying their luck when a woman is around alone.

Being a foreigner in a country makes you stand out more and ass groping is most common in clubs all around the world. I normally ignore.

Japan seems to have come up with a different way to deal with this problem: Japanese women are flashing a text message that says: “Did you just grope me? Shall we head to the police?” to deal with being groped by perverts without attracting attention.

What I imagine: man pinching backside of woman, woman looking for “anger” button on phone that downloads a message, woman turning around and shoving a phone in face of groper.”

I don’t know if that’s better than shooting him a dirty look and ignoring — as it sounds like bit of a delayed reaction — but the cell phone application has recently been ranked in the top ten.

I suppose if you were a foreigner living in Japan, this would be perfect until you learned to speak the language — but I think dirty look followed by ignoring is universal language that says “bugger off you sick pervert,” no?

GADLING TAKE FIVE: Week of October 20-26

by Jamie Rhein on

The time of year when there is a convergence of holidays is upon us. Halloween is in less than a week away. My son couldn’t wait to carve our pumpkins so, now they are rotting on our porch. And here Matthew’s already brought up Christmas in his post on fuzzy breast-shaped toys, all the rage in Japan. In addition to the Halloween build-up, and the beginning hum of holidays yet to come, I’ve noticed a range of posts that offer up the kind of chit chat information you might toss out at a party. Did you know that. . . ?

  1. You can fight global warming by eating chicken.
  2. Pigs can be trained to jump through fire.
  3. Chewing betel nuts does a real number on your teeth.
  4. Sex is the word that is Googled the most in India, Egypt and Turkey.
  5. There is a way to pee in privacy on the side of the road.

And one more…

Philadelphia has the least attractive people. (Sorry again to Philadelphia, as this can’t possibly be true.)

Big in Japan: Camouflage yourself as a Coke machine

by Matthew Firestone on

Afraid of walking the mean city streets at night? Not sure what to do if you’re being followed?

Fear not as Aya Tsukioka, a 29-year-old experimental fashion designer from Tokyo, is about to start selling her new line of urban camouflage.

At a fashion show earlier this week, Ms. Tsukioka shocked the audience by removing a large sheet of red cloth from beneath her skirt. She then proceeded to show how a woman being pursued by assailants could easily disguise herself as a vending machine.

Japan never ceases to amaze, eh?

Although street crime is virtually non-existent here in Japan, personal safety is never taken for granted. The Japanese public is increasingly becoming more and more concerned about crime, even though statistics suggest that rates are actually on the decline.

Perhaps this is why Ms. Tsukioka’s clothing is expected to be such a huge hit.

At the fashion show, she also revealed plans for kimono that folds into a vending machine as well as a manhole shaped bag that can be laid down on the street to hide your valuables from would-be muggers.

While Americans are more partial to self-defense devices such as mace, pepper spray, tazers and even pistols, Japanese sensibility calls for a bit more tact.

Don’t believe me?

Consider the fact that one of the most popular items on the market here in Tokyo are knife-proof high school uniforms made of Kevlar!

According to Ms. Tsukioka, Americans want to protect themselves while Japanese favor camouflage and deception. “It is just easier for Japanese to hide,” Ms. Tsukioka said. “Making a scene would be too embarrassing.”

She then proceeded to explain how her vending machine disguise was inspired by the ninja, who used to cover themselves in black blankets at night. Since vending machines are so common on Japan’s streets, Ms. Tsukioka realized that she had stumbled across the perfect design motif.

To date, Ms. Tsukioka has sold about 20 vending machine costumes for about 100,000 yen or $800 each. If you think it’s a bit pricey, consider the fact that each disguise is printed and sewn by hand.

And of course, can you really put a price on your personal safety?

For the little ones, Ms. Tsukioka is also planning on rolling out a special children’s line of disguises, which will resemble Japan’s diminutive red mail boxes.

After all, it’s never too early to teach the kiddies to take care of themselves.

Ms. Tsukioka concluded her press conference by discussing Japan’s willingness to indulge the imagination. “These ideas might strike foreigners as far-fetched,” she added, “but in Japan, they can become reality.”

Perhaps there is some truth to that, though I’m sorry to say that these costumes wouldn’t quite cut it in New York City or Los Angeles, unless of course you were to weave them out of Kevlar.

Special thanks to my friend Michele for always keeping an eye out for the latest and craziest Japanese trends!

** Photos were taken by Torin Boyd/Polaris for The New York Times **