Bank of Japan Still Without a Governor

Ken Worsley executes a fine dissection of a Yomiuri newspaper article on the BOJ woes over at Japan Economy News. Definitely worth a read.

Why was that article allowed to be translated into English in the first place?

Bank of Japan Still Without a Governor

Japan Economy News in the Japan Times

Japan Economy News' Ken Worsley was interviewed for the Times' blogroll (article in English).

As you've probably figured out by now, Ken is a director at TPR (where I sometimes post) as well.

Japan Economy News in the Japan Times

Terrorists, Foreigners are One and the Same...Oh My!

If you arrived in Japan today, then you were one of the first to get fingerprinted and photographed just before shuffling off to collect your bags. Yes, Japan has gone back in time and brought back the xeonphobia of yore in an unexplained and ill-advised attempt to prevent terrorism non-Japanese from re-entering the country after being kicked out for overstaying their visas.

Japan Economy News has a good discussion going on this very topic, so if this issue affects you or someone you know, then please head on over and check it out.

Hey, I have an idea. If they're going to treat us like tourists, then maybe we should pay taxes like tourists!

Just a thought.

Terrorists, Foreigners are One and the Same...Oh My!

NOVA Closes Shop

NOVA appears to have gone belly up. The company has filed for government protection under Japan's Corporate Rehabilitation Law.

The official line is that NOVA is in the red to the tune of about 44 billion yen, but Japan Economy News' Ken Worsley estimates that the company's debt is even more astronomical (perhaps as high as 55 billion yen).

This picture was taken at the Takadanobaba branch at about 5 p.m. today. The customers in the picture were somewhat taken aback that the end had finally come. I heard several comments about how many "points" and how much money (thousands of dollars) had been lost.

"So is the money gone?" they asked somewhat rhetorically. At least the questions seemed rhetorical.

I wish that I had had information about a class action lawsuit that was underway to give them.

Is there one?

NOVA Closes Shop