Chart of the Day: Japan in triple dip recession...

The global economy has some serious problems.

Obama after dining on $300 sushi in Tokyo: 'That's some good sushi right there'

'That's Some Good Sushi Right There,' Says Obama in Japan

Image of the Day: Japan's new destroyer sure looks a lot like a carrier...

Via the Japanese Ministry of Defense

Japan plans to shoot down next North Korean ballistic missile?

War drums...

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan has ordered a destroyer in the Sea of Japan to strike any ballistic missiles that may be launched by North Korea in the coming weeks after Pyongyang fired a Rodong medium-range missile over the sea, a government source said on Saturday.
Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera issued the order on Thursday, but did not make it public in order to avoid putting a chill on renewed talks between Tokyo and Pyongyang, the first in more than a year, local media reported earlier.
"The defense minister made the order from April 3rd through to the 25th to prepare for any additional missile launches," the source said.
Onodera, the source said, did not deploy Patriot missile batteries that would be the last line of defense against incoming warheads.
Media reports said the North Korean-Japanese talks in Beijing this week broke no new ground, but ended with an agreement for further meetings.

A couple of pictures from my Japan trip...

This meal is called shabu shabu. Beef steak is sliced paper thin and swished in a boiling pot of water. There are also vegetables to cook in the boiling pot. You dip the beef in a vinegar-soy sauce. It is excellent.

The waitress at this restaurant wore a kimono as a uniform.  It is rare to see a women wearing a kimono in Japan anymore. Most of the young women can't even put one on by themselves.

I am on the left. The waitress is in the middle and my friend Ross is on the right.

To my readers...

I will be traveling to Japan for the next 8 days. I will try and post a few items if I have time and a wireless connection. I will resume active blogging when I return.

Best Wishes,

Bluegrass Pundit

Japan and China war of words over disputed islands heats up...

Don't be surprised when this one goes hot...

When Chinese and Japanese fighters met for the first time over disputed islands in the East China Sea earlier this month, Japan promptly declared its right to fire tracers at China's jets.

Though met with outrage by China at the time, Japan continues promoting the live firing which Chinese military academics are calling the "first shot."

The Tokyo AP reports Japan believes it's simply following protocol:

“Every country has procedures for how to deal with a violation of its territory that continues after multiple cautionary measures,” Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Wednesday when asked if tracer shots would be fired against intruding aircraft that refuse to change course. “We have response measures ready that are consistent with global standards.”

If Japan is using the talk of tracer fire to gauge Chinese reaction, the tactic worked.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Sunday his country is on "high alert" and that Japan and the U.S. are ignoring the fact that "the islands are China’s inherent territory."

Demographics: Sale of adult diapers exceeds baby diapers in Japan...

Is this the future of the USA too? 

Two lost decades and massive property- and stock-bubble explosions later, Japan is a one-word cautionary tale. Caught in economic and demographic atrophy—and stewarded by countless false-start prime ministers—the country has become a hub for zombie banks, a generation of disenchanted youth, and fading brands such as Sony (SNE), Sharp (6753:JP), and Panasonic (PC).

Last year, for the first time, sales of adult diapers in Japan exceeded those for babies. Factor in how the strong yen has been making the country’s critical exports more expensive, and you can see why the world’s No. 3 economy (recently pushed into third place by China) has been quicksand for investors; when international markets hit bottom in early 2009, Japan’s Nikkei slumped to levels it hadn’t seen since 1983. A Merrill Lynch survey of global fund managers discovered that their net exposure to Japan is at its lowest in a decade (subscription necessary).

Video: Japan Tsunami debris begins to arrive on U.S. coasts

Via AFP:

As much as 20 million tons of debris is estimated to have washed out to sea when the tsunami struck Japan in March. Now the first traces are appearing on the other side of Pacific ocean, on US and Canadian shores.

Toyota Goes Back To Work In Japan

Of the Japanese, Toyota was hardest hit by the Tsunami. Honda and Ni8ssan were second. Toyota has the most plants in the affected zone. Plus, Japanese auto-parts plants tend to closely surround the auto-manufacturer they are supplying. This week, Toyota will resume production in all plants. They may still suffer from reduced production due to lack of certain parts or rolling blackouts due to electricity shortage.

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. resumed car production at all of its plants in Japan Monday for the first time since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, but said the factories will run at half capacity due to parts shortages.

The world’s No. 1 automaker said it was still struggling to secure around 150 types of auto parts. The magnitude-9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami destroyed parts factories in northeastern Japan, causing severe shortages of components.

Most Horrifying Japan Tsunami Video Ever?

People literally running for their lives ahead of the Tsunami. The interesting part of the video starts at about the 2:00 mark. Be sure to watch the end.

Japan, tsunami, new video,

Fail: Japan Red Cross Has Collected $1 Billion, But Failed To Give Any To Victims Yet

Over $1 billion has been collected, by the Japanese Red Cross, in the first three weeks after Japan's epic disaster, but no funds have been directly given to victims yet.

Japan's Red Cross has collected more than $1 billion in the first three weeks after the massive earthquake and tsunami but has yet to distribute any funds directly to victims, prompting Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano to urge Sunday that the process be accelerated.

Video) Another Explosion at a Japanese Nuke Plant

Can it get any worse for Japan?

TOKYO — Tokyo Electric Power Co. says three workers have been injured and seven are missing after an explosion at the stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant.

Japan should expect new tsunami and large quake within days

Australian seismological expert says Japan should expect a huge aftershock and tsunami withing the next two days.

NORTH-EASTERN Japan can expect another monster earthquake large enough to trigger a tsunami within days, the head of the Australian Seismological Centre says.

The director, Kevin McCue, said there had been more than 100 smaller quakes since Friday, but a larger aftershock was likely.

”Normally they happen within days,” he said. ”The rule of thumb is that you would expect the main aftershock to be one magnitude smaller than the main shock, so you would be expecting a 7.9.

”That’s a monster again in its own right that is capable of producing a tsunami and more damage.”

Inside a Japanese Apartment at Time of Earthquake (Video)

 Could you have remained this calm?

Global Warming Advocates Link Japan Earthquake to Climate Change

Danny Glover blamed the Haitian earthquake on global warming. Now, the President of the European Economic and Social Committee seems to be trying to link the Japan earthquake and tsunami with climate change.

The earthquake and tsunami will clearly have a severe impact on the economic and social activities of the region. Some islands affected by climate change have been hit. Has not the time come to demonstrate on solidarity – not least solidarity in combating and adapting to climate change and global warming? Mother Nature has again given us a sign that that is what we need to do.

Earth quakes are caused by tectonic plate movements. They are a geological feature not a climate feature.

Chris Matthews: Tragedy in Japan Was an “Opportunity for Obama to Remind People He Was Born in Hawaii”

 Is he serious? This may be the strangest spin on a disaster ever.

Chris Matthews: Tragedy in Japan Was an “Opportunity for Obama to Remind People He Was Born in Hawaii”

Monster Earthquake and Tsunami Hits Northern Japan (video)

Japan has been hit with a 8.9 Quake and 13 foot Tsunami. Here is some video.

Obama Takes A Slap At Bush In Japan

Will the campaigning ever end? Will the trashing of America on overseas visits ever stop?

The Politico reported:

In a slap at President George W. Bush, Obama spoke of the importance of "multilateral organizations [that] can advance the security and prosperity of this region."

"I know that the United States has been disengaged from these organizations in recent years. So let me be clear: those days have passed,” Obama said...

Here s a video of 46 world leaders meeting Japanese Emperor Akihito. They all shook hands. Only President Obama seems to need to bow down on overseas visits.

North Korea defies Obama

In an act of defiance against the U.S. and Japan, North Korea launched a multistage missile over Japan. As expected, U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso did nothing. The North Koreans gambled Obama and Aso would be to weak and timid to attempt a 'shoot down' of the missile. They won that bet. The North Koreans declared the satellite launch a success and said the test satellite was in orbit and sending back moronic songs praising their leader Kim Jung Il. According to the U.S. military, the satellite launch failed and the payload is now on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

NKorea launches rocket, defying world pressure

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea fired a rocket over Japan on Sunday, defying Washington, Tokyo and others who suspect the launch was cover for a test of its long-range missile technology. President Barack Obama said the move threatens the security of nations "near and far."

Liftoff took place at 11:30 a.m. (0230 GMT) from the coastal Musudan-ri launch pad in northeastern North Korea, the South Korean and U.S. governments said. The multistage rocket hurtled toward the Pacific, reaching Japanese airspace within seven minutes, but no debris appeared to hit its territory, officials in Tokyo said.

Four hours after the launch, North Korea declared it a success. An experimental communications satellite reached outer space in just over nine minutes and is orbiting Earth, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said from Pyongyang.

"The satellite is transmitting the melodies of the immortal revolutionary paeans 'Song of Gen. Kim Il Sung' and 'Song of Gen. Kim Jong Il' as well as measurement data back to Earth," it said, referring to the country's late founder and his son, its current leader.

But the U.S. military said "no object entered orbit." North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command officials said in a statement that the first stage of the rocket fell into the waters between Korea and Japan, while the two other stages, and its payload, landed in the Pacific Ocean.(excerpt) read more at news.yahoo.com