In The News! Help Wanted: Japanese Prime Minister

This in the first in what will be a weekly look at news from Japan and occasionally Korea. One thing you’ll discover your not the only ones with strange people, weird events and idiot politicians

Rewarding the punished

Kyoto City’s board of education gave the title of “super teacher” to a 52-year-old city-run high school teacher in 2005 even though he had been repeatedly reprimanded for corporal punishment, board officials admitted Saturday.

When in doubt reward teachers who abuse their students.

The Dynamic Duo

Former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda and Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Taro Aso clashed over issues surrounding North Korea and Tokyo’s war-related Yasukuni Shrine as they kicked off a dove-versus-hawk duel Saturday for the Sept 23 party presidency election to succeed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

One thing you can say about Japanese politics and its political leaders its all about as exciting as a grass growing contest in winter.

Money and Politics its like having an affair: All wine and roses until your found out.

Some fund-management and other organizations headed by Diet members used part of their funds to provide questionable donations to lawmakers, according to Diet members’ political fund reports made public by the government.

According to the reports for 2006 released Friday, People’s New Party deputy leader Shizuka Kamei received 25 million yen in donations from his own political organization that manages his political fund.

The Political Funds Control Law prohibits political organizations from donating money to individual politicians.

Just before Shinzo Abe resigned as Prime Minister he reshuffled his cabinet. The person he appointed as Agricultural Minister lasted a whole week before resigning. The one before him lasted about month before he resigned in July. Finally the the person before him committed suicide in May. Everyone of these guys were in trouble due to campaign financial misconduct.

No receipts for half of political funds
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

More than half of spending reported by Diet members’ fund management groups in 2006 carried no receipts nor details on where the money went.

But the groups were not required to explain those expenses. Under the Political Fund Control Law, no details are needed for office operating expenses or political activities costing less than 50,000 yen for a single payment.

The Cook, the Beast, the Vice and its Lover
A disgusting and twisted restaurant in the Tokyo entertainment district of Roppongi is enticing warped rich folk with the opportunity to figuratively have their cake and eat it, too — with animals, according to Jitsuwa Knuckles (9/25).

Roppongi’s bestiality restaurant is being regarded by its main nouveau riche patronage of young company presidents and venture capitalists as a decadent practice only possible among the wealthy.

Using English the Japanese way.

Japan, known for holding the record on the World’s Largest Orgy, is one of the most sexually aware countries around. So it was of little surprise when we learned that the newest hip shop, that all the girls love in Shibuya, Tokyo, was named “Beaver”