Sumo Wrestling Still Big In Japan

I suppose it can be considered a stereotype of sorts but I remember that as a child, whenever someone mentioned Japan and sports in the same sentence, I thought of sumo wrestling. A child does not know any better right? Still, today, ages after sumo wrestling began in Japan, the sport still attracts as many people as it used to.

You might be thinking that it is but a natural thing. After all, many kinds of sports are ageless. Think basketball, football, and baseball. The thing is, you may not know that the world of sumo wrestling has been suffering from various setbacks.

One, there is the lack of homegrown talent. In the old days, you could not even begin to imagine that there would be non-Japanese sumo wrestlers. However, these days, you should not be surprised to see Americans, Russians, Mongolians, and other nationals on the mats. Two, sumo wrestling in Japan has been rife with scandals. Three, sumo wrestling has had to compete with the popularity of other “imported” sports.

Still, it seems that this age-old sport has managed to retain its allure and people actually pay considerable amounts to watch live matches. And that is a very good thing. In this age of globalization, it is a sad thing to sit back and watch some old traditions die in many nations. In the cutthroat world of sports, sumo wrestling is one honorable tradition that should not suffer the same fate as other things.

Japanese Youth Wow Golfing World

The country of Japan is made up of countless talented individuals – and we’re not talking solely about technology here. In fact, this nation has made its contribution in many other sectors such as arts and sports. This time, a young Japanese national is making waves in the world of golf.

Ryo Ishikawa is already known all over Japan as the newest hit in golf. Pretty soon, he just might make history if he breaks into the international scene. He was recently featured at Golf Online:

The prodigious talent, who won the Japan Tour’s Munsingwear Open KSB Cup when he was 15, has already been asked to appear at three US PGA Tour tournaments in the run up to the Augusta showpiece.

“We see this as an opportunity to expose an emerging talent on a world stage and fulfil our objective to grow the game.”

Indeed, “the Bashful Prince,” which is the English translation of his Japanese moniker Hanikami Ōji, is someone that the whole nation can be proud of. And even people from outside his country are starting to take notice. I wouldn’t be surprised if we hear more from the Prince in the near future.

Greenhouse Gas Satellite Launched By Japan

Japan is known for so many things – the nation’s excellence in technology and affinity for the environment are among of the most notable. On the 23rd of this month, Japan as once again shown leadership in both fields as they launched the first ever satellite meant to monitor greenhouse gases. ENS-Newswire published this report on that day:

The first satellite dedicated to monitoring greenhouse gas emissions as part of global efforts to combat climate change was launched into space today from Japan.

The IBUKI, which means “breath,” will circle the globe every 100 minutes at an altitude of some 670 kilometers (416 miles) and will monitor the levels of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane at 56,000 locations.

The satellite will acquire data covering the entire planet every three days and this data will be shared with other space and scientific organizations.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA, launched the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) at 12:54 pm Japan Standard Time from the Tanegashima Space Center.

So how is this satellite important? Now really, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that greenhouse gas emission is one of the most significant factors in the degrading of our environment. If the emissions can be monitored closely, together with the analysis of their impact on the environment, perhaps measures can be taken quicker and more effectively. Of course, this means that everyone in the world should have to be cooperative in this respect. Now that’s another matter altogether, isn’t it?

Lonely? Get Yourself A Pekoppa Toy

Do you live alone? Do you NOT relish the thought of coming home to an empty apartment without anyone to interact with? Or maybe, you live with other people who you do not really get along with, prompting you to go directly to your bedroom.

If so, then you might want to get yourself a Pekoppa toy, one of the newest hits in Japan. It is just like a small plant which is merely beginning to grow. Unlike any other plant, however, the Pekoppa toy can respond to the sound of your voice. Speak and you will be delighted to see its two leaves flutter or its stem bend towards you, as if acknowledging what you are saying.

The Pekoppa toy is the brainchild of Japanese company Sega Toys Co. Ltd. Since its release in September of last year, more than 50,000 units of the Pekoppa toy has been sold, attesting to its popularity. According to Minako Sakanoue, spokeswoman for Sega Toys, the Pekoppa toy serves as a psychological buffer for interaction for people of all ages. She is quoted as saying “If you have no subordinates who would listen to your grumbling in the office or no children who would talk with you, Pekoppa will be by your side, gently nodding.”

Though in truth, you know very well that the toy does not understand a thing you say, I can very well see how it can help some, psychologically. Later on, in June of this year, they will also be releasing a flower version dubbed Hanappa.

The $100,000 Tuna

I love tuna – it is perhaps my all time favorite everyday-eating fish. I don’t think that I would ever be able to pay this astronomical amount for tuna, though. An auction was held today in Tokyo, where a bluefin tuna weighing in at 282 pounds (128 kilograms) sold for $104,700! And who were the fortunate men who got the prized fish?

Two sushi bar owners – competitors at that. The Associated Press ran this story today:

The 282-pound (128-kilogram) premium tuna caught off the northern coast of Oma fetched 9.63 million yen ($104,700), the highest since 2001, when another Japanese bluefin tuna brought an all-time record of 20 million yen, market official Takashi Yoshida said.

Yoshida said the extravagant purchase — about $370 per pound ($817 per kilogram) — went to a Hong Kong sushi bar owner and his Japanese competitor who reached a peaceful settlement to share the big fish. The Hong Kong buyer also paid the highest price at last year’s new year event at Tokyo’s Tsukiji market, the world’s largest fish seller, which holds near-daily auctions.

So why were they so willing to part with that much money for a “mere” fish? Before I answer that, let me remind you that this no mere fish – it is a bluefin tuna native to the Japanese waters. This kind of tuna is very much sought after both in Japan and in the international market. And think about it, once these sushi bar owners sell sushi made from the tuna, they are going to double, even triple, the money that they spent! Now I know I would love to get a taste of that fish!