Japan's Seven & i Brushes Off Quake Impact - Wall Street Journal

TOKYO—Reflecting a broad recovery in Japanese consumer sentiment since the March 11 earthquake, the nation's largest retailer by revenue on Tuesday reported a 4.1% increase in net profit for the June-August quarter and raised its earnings outlook for the full fiscal year.

Seven & i Holdings Co., which runs 7-Eleven convenience stores in Japan and the U.S. as well as Seibu and Sogo department stores and big-box Ito-Yokado stores, reported a net profit of ¥39.69 billion ($517.8 million) during the period, compared with a year-earlier profit of ¥38.13 billion.

The company said the ...

TOKYO—Reflecting a broad recovery in Japanese consumer sentiment since the March 11 earthquake, the nation's largest retailer by revenue on Tuesday reported a 4.1% increase in net profit for the June-August quarter and raised its earnings outlook for the full fiscal year.

Seven & i Holdings Co., which runs 7-Eleven convenience stores in Japan and the U.S. as well as Seibu and Sogo department stores and big-box Ito-Yokado stores, reported a net profit of ¥39.69 billion ($517.8 million) during the period, compared with a year-earlier profit of ¥38.13 billion.

The company said the ...

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Basketball: NBA players could have positive impact on game in Japan

The NBA's ongoing woes could trigger the entire cancellation of the 2011-12 season. And if that happens, nobody would be surprised.

Millionaire players and billionaire owners have had months to work out their differences, and the promise of compromise and a new collective bargaining agreement appear about as likely as spotting a rainbow and Miss Universe every day for three straight weeks.

This, believe it or not, leaves a golden opportunity for an increased importance and relevance for the bj-league here and abroad. The league, despite its reputation for financial limitations, could open its arms for NBA players and give them a chance to play here. Aggressive marketing and sponsorship deals could be worked out if the league office can work quickly and efficiently with power brokers.

Already, around the globe there's been an exodus of NBA players, or those with expired contracts. Hoopshype.com has kept a close eye on the situation, noting that 54 have finalized deals with overseas teams, as of Tuesday. This list features teams in more than 15 countries, including China, but not Japan.

One NBA head coach, reached by The Japan Times who spoke on the condition of anonymity during the lockout because he's prohibited from commenting publicly, said the upcoming bj-league season is a solid option for his players.

"Playing there would be a great idea as long as he has an NBA out (clause) in the contract," the coach said, pointing out that an NBA contract would be the player's first priority once a new labor deal is completed. "It would be good for the league and good for the players because they could practice and play. (It's) a great way to stay in shape by playing in games."

And what about Jeremy Tyler?

The Golden State Warriors forward endured longtime NBA bench boss Bob Hill's grueling workouts last season, beginning with training camp in suburban Dallas before the Tokyo Apache season began. Now, Tyler is able to work out on his own, participate in various pickup games or tournaments, but the daily grind of being on a team is not something he's dealing with right now.

For a 20-year-old rookie, it's best to play and get in as many games as possible. And that's why every team in the bj-league should reach out to Tyler and offer him a spot on its roster for now. He's the bj-league's biggest success story, the first player in league history to be drafted, and would be welcomed with open arms at any bj-league arena.

The league could even pull Tyler's name and team assignment out of a hat. Broadcast the event on BJTV and YouTube. Have a pretty girl conduct the draw and, voila, that's his assignment. The league office could pay 1/20th of Tyler's salary, and each of the 19 teams could pitch in and pay the rest. It could be that simple.

For as many games as Tyler would be back in Japan, it would be a boon for the sport, and a thrill for the rest of the league's players to compete against him — again or for the first time. Knowing that he'll return to the Golden State Warriors after this lockout insanity, Tyler would generate a positive buzz for a league and a sport that needs it here in Japan.

On a related note, Hoop Scoop contacted former Tokyo Apache coach Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, now on a well-deserved break after coaching the Los Angeles Sparks during the WNBA season, and asked him the following: What are the odds that Kobe, his son and the Lakers superstar, would be playing in Italy this season?

After all, the elder Bryant knows all about the fans' admiration and support of basketball in Italy. He was a star there during Kobe's formative years.

Joe Bryant responded by saying, "Good question. We all hope that we will have an NBA season. But Italy is a second home for the Bryant family."

It seems to me if Kobe has asked for his father's advice the previous sentence would service as a reminder that a homecoming can be a special thing.

And who says Kobe can only have one hometown team?

He'll always be known for his extraordinary career with the Lakers. But a short stint in Italy with Virtus Bologna may be a happy chapter — one game, one month, one season — in his illustrious career.

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Abalone to show impact of tsunami 'for years'

The Yomiuri Shimbun

SENDAI--The population of young abalone growing wild in waters off Miyagi Prefecture was massively reduced by the March 11 tsunami, according to a fisheries research center, and the abalone catch is likely to suffer for several years as a result.

Young abalone numbers have fallen more than 90 percent since February, apparently because the edible mollusks were swept away by the tsunami, according to the National Research Institute of Fisheries, based in Yokohama.

The institute conducted research in the Tomarihama district on the Oshika Peninsula in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, and in the Iwaisaki district of Kesennuma in the same prefecture. The study was done in cooperation with the University of Tokyo and the Miyagi prefectural government.

Researchers looked for Ezo abalone up to one year old in the sea off both areas in June, and compared the results to a similar study done in February.

Off Ishinomaki, they found only three young shellfish per hour per person in June, compared to 29 per person per hour in February.

Off Kesennuma, they had found about 10 young shellfish per hour per person in February, but in June they found none.

The survey also found the population of adult abalone in the two areas has fallen 30 percent to 50 percent since February.

Numbers of other edible sea creatures have also been affected--in Ishinomaki, the population of northern sea urchin is down by more than 90 percent compared to February, the study found.

Seabed water in both areas was muddy, according to the researchers. In Kesennuma, the seabed was covered with debris such as fishery equipment, wood and iron frames, they said.

Most abalone culture farms along the Sanriku coast were seriously affected by the tsunami, and it remains unclear when they will be able to resume operations. It is believed the abalone population would be significantly depleted if fishermen continued to harvest them at the same pace as in previous years.

According to the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry, in fiscal 2009 Miyagi Prefecture had the second-biggest abalone catch in the country, and the third-biggest sea urchin catch.

Riichi Miura, 62, a fisherman in Karakuwacho in Kesennuma, went diving for abalone in early August, having replaced two fishing boats that were washed away by the tsunami. Miura found almost no abalone shellfish.

"We'll have to cut down our abalone catch for the next few years while we wait for the young shellfish to recover," Miura said.

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