Alcoholism In Japan

One of the most alcohol friendly countries in the world, Japan has a strong drinking culture, ranking 6th in the World for the largest consumption of beer after China, the U.S., Germany, Brazil and Russia. From 'Settais' (business dinners) to 'Bounenkais' (end of year parties-or literally 'forget the year' parties), all social occasions in Japan require a large consumption of alcohol to fit in with your peers.. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) survey in 2002, nearly 50% of men habitually consume alcohol (http://www.who.or.jp/AHP/docs/WHOReport_Vol6.pdf).

So it wouldn't be surprising to hear that alcoholism is on the rise in Japan. The latest statistics show that the problem drinking rate in Japan currently stands at 2.4 million according to the National Hospital Organization, Kurihama Alcoholism Center. Even Prince Tomohito of Mikasa, the 61-year old cousin of Emperor Akihito, has admitted that he suffers from alcoholism after repeated hospitalization for the problem. 'I am Prince Tomohito, dependent on alcohol," he said at a speech in July. He went on to say that 'I have been drinking alcohol since my days in university and am dependent on it, so I find it rather surprising that I am seen to have been hit by it now.'
Read the whole story here.....

Enola Gay pilot Tibbets dead at 92

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Paul Tibbets, who piloted the B-29 Enola Gay that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, has died after six decades of steadfastly defending the mission. He was 92.

Paul Tibbets, pilot of the Enola Gay, the B-29 that dropped the A-bomb on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, waves from his cockpit before takeoff from Tinian island. In July 2003 (top), he appears in Dayton, Ohio. NATIONAL ARCHIVES, AP PHOTOS

Tibbets died Thursday at his Columbus home after a two-month decline due to a variety of health problems, friend Gerry Newhouse said.

Throughout his life, Tibbets seemed more troubled by other people's objections to the bomb than by having led the crew that killed tens of thousands of Japanese in a single stroke. The attack marked the beginning of the end of World War II.

Tibbets grew tired of criticism for delivering the first nuclear weapon used in wartime, telling family and friends that he wanted no funeral service or headstone because he feared a burial site would only give detractors a place to protest.

And he insisted he slept just fine, believing with certainty that using the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki saved more lives than they erased because they eliminated the need for a drawn-out invasion of Japan.

"He said, 'What they needed was someone who could do this and not flinch — and that was me,' " journalist Bob Greene, who wrote the biography, "Duty: A Father, His Son, and the Man Who Won the War," quoted Tibbets as saying.

"I'm not proud that I killed 80,000 people, but I'm proud that I was able to start with nothing, plan it and have it work as perfectly as it did," Tibbets said in a 1975 interview. "You've got to take stock and assess the situation at that time. We were at war. . . . You use anything at your disposal."

He added: "I sleep clearly every night."

Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr. was born Feb. 23, 1915, in Quincy, Ill., and spent most of his boyhood in Miami. He was a student at the University of Cincinnati's medical school when he decided to withdraw in 1937 to enlist in the Army Air Corps.

"I knew when I got the assignment it was going to be an emotional thing," Tibbets told The Columbus Dispatch for a story on the 60th anniversary of the bombing. "We had feelings, but we had to put them in the background. We knew it was going to kill people right and left. But my one driving interest was to do the best job I could so that we could end the killing as quickly as possible."

Tibbets, a 30-year-old colonel at the time, and his crew of 13 dropped the five-ton "Little Boy" bomb over Hiroshima on the morning of Aug. 6, 1945. The blast killed or injured at least 140,000.

Tibbets retired from the Air Force as a brigadier general in 1966. He moved to Columbus, where he ran an air taxi service until he retired in 1985.

Tibbets again defended the Hiroshima bombing in 1995, when an outcry erupted over a planned 50th anniversary exhibit of the Enola Gay at the Smithsonian Institution.

Tibbets is survived by his wife, Andrea, sons Paul, Gene and James, as well as a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A grandson named after him is a B-2 bomber pilot stationed in Belgium.

Roger & Gaynor Ridley in Switzerland Report

Prayer Update

October 2007

Roger & Gaynor Ridley

Praise Points

A relaxing and refreshing 10 day holiday at the beach from 29 September- 9 October.

Three other leaders have been appointed within Mosaic Basel/Lörrach - David, Amanda and Christian.

Erwin McManus spoke at a gathering of Mosaic Alliance Europe in Zurich at the end of September. It was good for us to get together with like minded people and be encouraged in this way.

A group of 3 couples and 2 children visited for 10 days from Texas. We were encouraged by their visit and also were optimistic about their input and what they learnt about our ministry.

We are continuing to make good contacts, particularly in Basel and at the English Club ‘Centrepoint’.

A surprise visit from Gaynor’s niece Bethany and her husband Jeremy (both Doctors from Perth, but travelling through Europe for 4 months). They were with us 2 nights.

For the back prayer and friendship we receive from you all in Australia - thank you.

Prayer Points

Wisdom as we continue to move forward with Mosaic Basel/Lörrach and being true to our calling (as evangelists and outreachers) with what we are trying to do here.

Roger will be speaking at the FeG Youth Night on 16 November, the topic being “Reaching Out” - what it means to be sent out.

‘Fridays at Galerie Weibel’ continue and although we aren’t getting huge numbers (average 4-5 people) we are forming good friendships with those who come regularly and particularly the Galerie owner Fritz and his 24 yr old son Adam (studying to be a lawyer).

Winter seems to have arrived a tad early and we would value your prayers for continued good health.

The Texas team spoke at 2 small schools, followed us to places were we meet folk and led a Texas event, pray for the follow up of their contacts.

That some young people who attended the Texas Tour event will be interested in joining Mosaic as we do not yet have youth in our team or meetings

Rice loses steam in Japan

By Lori Arata

The Washington Post

NIIGATA CITY, Japan — Challenged by trendy culinary newcomers such as croissants and spaghetti, baguettes and French fries, per capita rice consumption among Japanese has fallen to half of what it was in the late 1960s.

In response, farmers and retailers are scrambling to find new ways to keep people loyal to the tender grain that remains a national symbol of prosperity and self-sufficiency.

Akinori Hokari, 35, who took over management of his family's rice shop in Niigata 10 years ago, is one of those giving the frumpy product a makeover. Read the whole story here......

Permanent resident or not, you'll be lining up

Although Japan did away with fingerprinting of foreign long-term and permanent residents some years ago, the practice is about to make an intrusive reappearance as of November 23, 2007. A 2006 Immigration law will come into effect that will require EVERYONE other than "special long-term residents" (meaning 2nd and 3rd generation Koreans) to join the tourist line at immigration and undergo fingerprinting and retinal scanning. While such procedures are used elsewhere for tourists, in Japan, even people who have been resident for decades, will, as foreigners have to stop using the Japanese entry lines at immigration and switch to the visitor ones. Those with Japanese families will not be exempted. Nor, apparently, will aircrew. ***Ed: We're sure that as this comes into effect, there will be a big stink among the senior businesspeople in the foreign community and from the various Chambers of Commerce. We hope the foreign press will also carry news of Japan's retrograde treatment of its foreign residents, because this procedure offers no differentiation between a tourist just in for a week of fun and a foreign Mom or Dad who has a Japanese national spouse and kids, and who owns land and pays taxes here.** (Source:TT commentary from immi-moj.go.jp, Sep 25, 2007)
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/keiziban/happyou/Outline_070925.pdf

Roger & Gaynor Ridley

Prayer Update

July 2007

Roger & Gaynor Ridley

Praise Points

• Extension of our visa, yet to be officially pasted into our passports. As yet we don’t know how long it is for - but probably 2 years.

• Good conclusion to the 6 week S.H.A.P.E. course we did with our Mosaic Team.

• We asked you to pray for us as we met with the team to discuss ‘Where to from here’ last month. Thank you. Praise God for a profitable Team Meeting last Sunday to discuss important core issues (theological basis/missional practice) as we move forward.

• Roger had emergency surgery by an Oral Surgeon in Lörrach on 10 July to have a back tooth removed that was very infected. We want to praise God for the skill of the surgeon and his follow up treatment of Roger.

• Our family in Melbourne – Tim and Amy, Jocelyn and Glenda & Tom. Thank God that Jocelyn has found permanent accommodation in Thornbury and seems to be happily settled there now.

Prayer Points

• Our ‘one off ’ support is dropping. If we don’t maintain this we are going to have to look at ‘creative ways’ of raising money to keep us here in Germany!

• We begin ‘Fridays at Galerie Weibel’ on 3 August from 18:00. We hope to run these every Friday with some Mosaic Team members who will also fill in when we are not able to be there.

• Gaynor continues with her ‘Girl’s Night’ once a month and the next one is this Thursday. Pray that Gaynor will be a real shining witness of God’s love to these women as she seeks to serve them in this way (preparing a dinner and sharing our home with them).

• Glenda began teaching again today (23 July) at Brentwood Secondary College in Melbourne. Please pray with us that she will settle back into teaching smoothly.

• We have been asked by our Youth Pastor at our German Church to go on the 10 day Youth Camp at the end of August. Please pray as we prepare for this.

• Gaynor has not had good health this past month. We think the shingle virus is still in her system. She has just started to see a Doctor who also practices homeopathy. So this will be a lengthy process, but hopefully very beneficial in the long term.

Emergency appeal: Operation Niigata

By KEN JOSEPH

The Japan Emergency Team, a nongovernmental disaster relief group — in its 77th mission since its founding in 1987 — is currently carrying out "Operation Niigata" at sites affected by the 6.8-magnitude quake on June 16.

JAPAN EMERGENCY TEAM PHOTOS

With many injured and thousands still in emergency shelters, the need is extremely great.

The team has just finished operations in the Wajima area of Ishikawa Prefecture. Ten team members have been on site assisting in the disaster centers, bringing in food, medicine and supplies.

The following supplies are needed:

Canned and instant food Water Emergency medical kits Rice Used laptop computers Towels Camping supplies Towels Sleeping bags Soap (No blankets are needed at the current time) In addition, the team operates a "disaster-relief vehicle" — a 10-meter emergency motor-home that goes to disaster sites to provide food, medical assistance, drinks, showers and other emergency help to victims.

The vehicle, which is normally on standby in the Tokyo area in case of disasters, was put to good use after the disaster at Usuzan in Hokkaido, for example.

As they prepared for the journey to the quake site, the team had a disaster of its own — a major "systems failure" prevented the disaster relief vehicle from being taken to the site to assist as usual.

Due to the specialized nature of the vehicle, the cost of repairing and replacing parts is estimated at some 2.8 million yen.

As a nonprofit organization 100-percent dependent on donations, the team is urgently requesting assistance from the international community.

Supplies should be sent, with the contents clearly marked, to:

Operation Niigata Box 65 Tokyo Japan 106-8691 Donations can be made online at www.jhelp.com or by postal transfer to: Yunbin Furikae 00160 7 162438, Nihon Kinkyu Enjotai (The Japan Emergency Team)

Donate to Niigata quake victims

Friday, July 20, 2007

Japan Times Staff report

The Japan Emergency Team, a nongovernmental organization now carrying out relief activities in the areas hit by the July 16 Niigata earthquake, is asking for donations of emergency relief supplies.

Items urgently needed include mineral water, canned and instant food, emergency medical kits, rice, towels, soap, used laptops, camping supplies and sleeping bags. (Please do not send clothes or blankets).

Emergency supplies should be sent with the contents clearly marked and 1,000 yen in each box for handling to: Operation Niigata, Box 65, Tokyo Azabu Yubinkyoku 106-8691.

The team is also soliciting monetary donations for dispatching its Disaster Relief Vehicle, a motor home that provides food, medical assistance, drinks, showers and other emergency help. The dispatch will cost at least 2.8 million yen.

Monetary donations should be sent by postal transfer to: Yunbin Furikae 00160 7 162438, Nihon Kinkyu Enjotai (The Japan Emergency Team).

'Mochi ice cream' finds U.S. niche

Confectioners duke it out as demand increases all over the country

By MIWA MURPHY

NEW YORK (Kyodo) When Lotte Co. launched its Yukimi Daifuku ice cream encased in soft rice flour pastry in 1981, it was looking for a year-round product to strengthen its foothold in a domestic ice cream market long dominated by dairy companies.

An American family eats "mochi ice cream" at their home in New Jersey. KYODO PHOTO

More than two decades later, Lotte's blockbuster confection and its spinoffs are winning the hearts of Americans as "mochi ice cream," combining the Asian love of glutinous rice cake with the American passion for ice cream.

Following Lotte's path, a few confectioners in the United States have managed to perfect the technology needed to keep the chewy rice dough soft at freezing temperatures, turning the East-meets-West dessert into a supermarket staple.

read the whole story here......