MAQzine

Power spots by Felicity Want to make a bit of money, improve your health or win big at pachinko? Then invest in a copy of comedian/fortune teller Shimada Shuhei’s new book: “ The Definitive Countrywide Guide to Lucky Power Spots .” Being published Sept. 9 the book will tell you where to go in Japan to collect the spiritual energy necessary to achieve life’s more elusive goals. Shuhei’s book is the latest in a recent glut of publications on the power spot topic. A quick look at Amazon Japan reveals that this year has seen no less than 32 new books on the subject go into print. Photo credit:   Ivan Walsh The book that’s received the highest user rating so far is “ This Power Spot is Amazing ,” by guru Teruo Wakatsuki Yuu. To write the book, this spiritual master travelled from Hokkaido to Okinawa and carefully selected 79 energy spots. Wakatsuki Yuu’s other works include a book called “ Become a Spiritual Leader ,” a job he is evidently believes himself to be rather skill...

Vow to wait four years stands despite Kan wanting talks now  - Kyodo News Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama pledged again Monday that he will not raise the 5 percent consumption tax during his four-year term through summer 2013, even though Finance Minister Naoto Kan is saying he wants to launch debate on a possible increase. "I will not raise the consumption tax as I said during campaigning for the Lower House election" last August, Hatoyama said. "I believe that Minister Kan understands that this (promise) must be kept. "I have said that we have to be cautious about the consumption tax . . . as it could contribute to slowing down our efforts to eliminate wasteful spending." SOURCE : The Japan Times online - Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010

Osaka - - - - - - oooo - - - - - - Suntory Holdings Ltd said Monday its joint research team with two partners has developed the world’s first chrysanthemum with blue petals. - - - - - - oooo - - - - - - The joint research was conducted by Suntory, the National Institute of Floricultural Science of the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, and Australian biotechnology company Florigene Pty Ltd, Suntory said.According to Suntory, chrysanthemums come with petals in various colors such as white, yellow and red but lack the gene necessary to produce the blue pigment delphinidin. - - - - - - oooo - - - - - - The blue chrysanthemum was developed by incorporating blue pigment-producing genes from pansies, campanula and other plants. As the petal color has a purplish hue, the research team will work on making it bluer. Source : http://www.japantoday.com/

TOKYO ---- oooo ---- Illegal loan sharks who prey on increasingly desperate borrowers; rampant tax evasion; trolls in cyberspace who recruit group suicides or who serve as middlemen for prostitution by minors, or who arrange services of hitmen. Some sell their family registry data to abet sham marriages with foreigners. “Hakobiya” (mules) smuggle drugs and other illegal substances, assuming the risk of imprisonment for a round-trip ticket abroad and a pathetically small payout. - - - - - -oooo- - - - - - Biweekly magazine Sapio (Sept 9) takes up these and other matters in a 12-page special section titled “Writhing of the ‘Dark Society’ that is Swallowing up Japan.” The title and articles that follow imply Japan is becoming a society where the law of the jungle reigns. - - - - - -oooo- - - - - - The three-page story on tax evasion could well provide inspiration for a remake of “Marusa no Onna.” In fiscal 2008, the National Tax Agency charged companies and individuals with evas...