Smartphones detecting bad breath and radiation, twistable remote controls and a super-thin tablet computer were just some of the gadgets on show at Asia's biggest tech fair in Japan Tuesday. Around 600 firms unveiled their innovations at the Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies (Ceatec) technology exhibition in Chiba, near Tokyo, which is expected to draw 200,000 visitors during its five-day run, organisers said. Japan's Toshiba showcased what it calls "the world's thinnest and lightest" tablet computer, equipped with a 10.1-inch display that is just 7.7 millimetres (0.3-inch) thick and weighs 558 grams (19.5 ounces). 4 Oct It's a familiar nighttime routine: You are out in Shimbashi, drunk, and the last train has passed. What to do? While pondering the predicament a young Chinese gal materializes on a nearby corner. "Excuse me, sir?" Thus begins a survey of quickie sex services from weekly tabloid Shukan Asahi Geino (Sept. 15), which finds that prices are plummeting in the current deflationary environment. "We can get you a room for 5,000 yen," she continues. "Ah, but I've only got 3,000 yen," the crafty writer counters. In Tokyo's entertainment areas, below-the-belt services for 5,000 yen are in abundance, but many lucky lads are getting away with much less. (Tokyo Reporter)
4 Oct
The Asahi beer is ice-cold. Naoki Doi takes sips from it between bites of curry. The bespectacled tour guide has asked me and my family to eat fast: he's taking us around some of Kyoto's outstanding shrines and temples, and there's a lot of them to see. He is, he says, relieved to have some business again. In March this year, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck off the coast of East Japan, sending a devastating tsunami towards the shore. The tsunami wiped out entire towns across the country's Pacific coast, and caused a meltdown at the Fukushima Daichi nuclear plant. But while Japan has rebuilt large parts of the damaged areas, tourism in the country took a huge hit. Kyoto may be 500 miles south of Fukushima Prefecture, but it still felt the impact. (guardian.co.uk)4 Oct More and more riders of fixed-gear bikes--racing bicycles without brakes--are being ticketed by police for riding on public roads. Riding a bicycle without brakes on a public road is a violation of the Road Traffic Law. The number of cases in which police have taken action against such bicycles--known as "fixies" in the West and "piste bikes" in Japan--has also increased. "Piste" is a French word meaning race track. Piste bikes have fixed gears directly linking the rotation of pedals to the rear wheel and are primarily used for track racing. (Yomiuri)
3 Oct
Increasing numbers of Japanese are falling victim to scams in Shanghai, being lured into paying exorbitant charges for minimal services, according to Japanese consular officials. This year alone there have been 70 Japanese who have fallen to Shanghai scams, costing them close on 10 million yen (around $130,000). Most of the victims have been men, but some women have also fallen into the trap. Japanese consulate officials said the majority of scams are being pulled off in restaurants, clubs and bars in popular tourist areas along the Bund. (majirox news)3 Oct
The town of Futaba is either a place without people or a group of people without a place. Japan's nuclear disaster contaminated the town's 20 square miles, leaving the land uninhabitable, perhaps for decades. The disaster also forced the evacuation of 7,000 people from the town, with many of them still living at an abandoned high school more than 100 miles from home. For months, those people waited to hear about their chances of returning home. But now that a return to Futaba - on the doorstep of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant - seems almost inconceivable, town officials have recently composed a new plan: They'd like to rebuild Futaba somewhere else. "What we are trying to do is unprecedented," said Oosumi Muneshige, a chief assistant to the mayor. "We're looking for a place where everybody can live together, basically a reconstruction of what we had before." (Seattle Times)
Ashley Young's cross was deflected into the net by West Brom defender Steven Reid to clinch a 2-1 victory for Alex Ferguson's side.At the start of United's quest for a 20th English title, Wayne Rooney gave United an early lead.But renewed questions were raised about new goalkeeper David de Gea after the 20-year-old Spaniard allowed Shane Long's angled strike to go under him as West Brom leveled before halftime."It was just a bit of concentration there but welcome to English football," Ferguson said. "He came in for it in the second half and I thought he should have been protected more by the referee, but it was a good experience for him. It's all a learning process."While a moment of late good fortune spared de Gea's blushes at the Hawthorns, there was no such luck for Villas-Boas.In a frustrating start to Premier League management, the Portuguese coach's side was held to a 0-0 draw at Stoke with several penalty appeals turned down."I can't be pleased with a point but it's one of the most difficult grounds to play at," Villas-Boas said. "For our title challenge I would say one point at Stoke is not bad. It's not the greatest start to the Premier League of course."That stalemate followed draws for Arsenal and Liverpool on Saturday. Manchester City's season doesn't start until Monday when the big-spending club hosts Swansea.United's victory at West Brom came at a price, with Rio Ferdinand sustaining a hamstring injury in the match that will sideline him for six weeks and fellow center back Nemanja Vidic faces two weeks off after being substituted with a calf injury.United will also be without right back Rafael da Silva for the first 10 weeks of the season after injuring a shoulder in training ahead of the season opener.At least Rooney is off the mark already, latching on to Young's pass and shooting into the bottom corner from 20 meters in the 13th minute."The first 25 minutes we were superb, the movement of the ball was great, but then we slowed and lost momentum," Ferguson said. "We lost a goal which David should have done better with."MADRID — Cesc Fabregas is finally returning to his boyhood club Barcelona.The Spaniard's long-awaited transfer from Arsenal finally materialized Sunday when the two clubs announced they had reached a preliminary agreement for the 24-year-old midfielder.The deal would be completed once Fabregas signed his contract and underwent a medical exam on Monday, the clubs said.Spanish media reports put the price of the transfer at around ?40 million ($57 million).Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said the club was reluctant to let Fabregas go."However, we understand Cesc's desire to move to his hometown club and have now accepted an offer from Barcelona," the Frenchman said in a statement on Arsenal's website.Fabregas will return to the club that nurtured him before he joined Arsenal in 2003. He went on to become Arsenal's youngest ever starter only one month later at 16 and was made club captain in November 2008."It's been costly, a saga of two years. It's like when a son returns home because we consider him one of us," Barcelona president Sandro Rossell said.The 24-year-old playmaker could make his debut Wednesday at the Nou Camp as the Spanish champions welcome Real Madrid for the return leg of their Spanish Supercup series, after a 2-2 draw in Sunday's first leg."Tomorrow is the presentation and after that we see," said Guardiola, who didn't believe relations between the clubs had soured because of the protracted and sometimes awkward negotiations for Fabregas."Last year we made an offer and they said no. All the time this situation is happening, it was tough negotiations," Guardiola said from the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.