N. KOREA: Dear Leader overboard: North Korea honors effort to save sinking pictures

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, left, is shown in a photo released this week in which he is said to be visiting a power station construction site. (Korean Central News Agency)

January 22, 2010 | 4:19 p.m.

By John M. Glionna

Seamen who reportedly drowned while trying to save portraits of Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung are proclaimed labor heroes. It's unknown whether the images were saved and hung up to dry.

Reporting from Seoul - Seamen who bravely go down with their ship can attain glory in any nation, but in North Korea, hero status also comes to seafarers who die while trying to preserve images of the Dear Leader.

Today, the autocratic state offered posthumous awards to crew members who reportedly drowned while attempting to save portraits of leader Kim Jong Il and his late father, Kim Il Sung, as a cargo ship sank in frigid waters off the Chinese coast in November.

North Korean state media announced that the captain and chief engineer of the Jisong 5 were proclaimed labor heroes for their valor. Their families were conferred gold medals and the Order of the National Flag First Class.

Five crewmen died and 15 were rescued by Chinese sailors when the vessel sank 90 miles out to sea in strong winds while heading toward the city of Dalian in northeastern China, according to reports.

The efforts of the entire crew were noted, state media said.
The report by the Korean Central News Agency did not specify what the men had done to rescue the portraits or whether the art was saved before the ship capsized.

"The crewmen displayed the spirit of defending the headquarters of the revolution, the heroic self-sacrificing spirit and the revolutionary comradeship in rough wind and waves," state media reported.

Analysts say such awards drive home the sense of personal sacrifice called for by Kim's cult of personality.

"North Korea trains its people in the religion of Kim Jong Il so that they are unconditionally loyal. As part of their policies, people are required to show blind, absolute loyalty," said Cheong Seong-chang, a senior fellow at the Inter-Korean Relations Studies Program at the Sejong Institute near Seoul.

Portraits of Kim and his father, known as the nation's "eternal president," hang in most North Korean homes and public places.

"North Korea has always offered a commendation to citizens who saved portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il when their house was on fire," Cheong said. "People know that even images of their leaders are more precious than their own lives."

Ju-min Park of The Times' Seoul Bureau contributed to this report

View Article in the Los Angeles Times

CHINA: Internet Freedom in China

ANALYSIS    AIR DATE: Jan. 22, 2010

Internet Restrictions Highlight Political, Cultural Divides

SUMMARY

On the heels of a U.S.-China dispute on Internet freedom, Jeffrey Brown speaks with democracy and media experts about the debate over how countries monitor--and sometimes restrict -- access to the Internet.

PART 1: Clinton remarks anger China »

PART 2 Transcript

JEFFREY BROWN: And, for more on all of this, we turn to Michael Posner, assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor, and David Lampton, director of the China Studies Program at Johns Hopkins University.

Welcome to both of you.

JEFFREY BROWN: Mr. Posner, what exactly was Secretary of State Clinton accusing China of when it comes to Internet freedom? What do you see?

MICHAEL POSNER: Well, I see this broader than China.

It's saying that a number of countries in the world are basically restricting the right of people to speak freely through the Internet, through their cell phones, and preventing them from really engaging within their own societies in a dialogue about issues that are important to them.

This is really a human rights and democracy issue. And this is one component of it.

JEFFREY BROWN: Specifically, in the case of Google, and in these attacks on Google e-mail accounts, she asked China to investigate what happened. Now, most experts pointed directly at the Chinese government or Chinese-supported entities. Is that the way the U.S. sees it?

MICHAEL POSNER: Well, I think what we see is that there is a broad pattern of restriction of information in China. Certainly, the government is involved in that.

We're also concerned about personal privacy and the protection of privacy. And, so, there are two issues here. One is making sure that the Internet is free and open across borders, so that people can participate in the global discussion of ideas. But the other is that people who engage in Internet discussion have their personal privacy protected.

JEFFREY BROWN: But are we in essence asking them to investigate themselves in a case like this?

MICHAEL POSNER: Well, I think we have always said that there are constraints in China and other places on these freedoms. And we are -- this is merely the latest chapter in a longer discussion about how we encourage the development of real democracy and free society and empowering the media to have these issues discussed openly within China by Chinese people. This is not about us. It's about the desire of people in China to speak freely.

JEFFREY BROWN: Well, David Lampton, the response, information imperialism, unjustified accusations, something akin to mind your own business, in a way, I mean, did that surprise you?

DAVID LAMPTON: No, because information control is at the heart of the Chinese strategy to maintain social stability.

The Internet provides a vehicle, a pathway for dispersed organizations across a territory as big as the United States to coordinate activity.

And a number of years ago, you may remember, the Falun Gong organized itself essentially electronically to surround the leadership headquarters, unbeknownst to the Chinese leadership, until it occurred.  They are dedicated to making sure that doesn't happen again.

Also, as it gets a middle class that is growing very rapidly, they have rising expectations. People want more control over their destiny. And the Internet is a vehicle by which they can do that.

So, I think -- I would say, in some sense, if you look at what the foreign ministry said, they did say everything you said. They went on to say they want to continue to have good relations with the United States.

JEFFREY BROWN: But do they see this as meddling in Chinese affairs, as another example of the U.S. not understanding China, or respecting China, for that matter?

DAVID LAMPTON: Right. Well, core to the Chinese narrative of modern history is foreigners interfering in their internal affairs. And, so, this fits in.

I think what is interesting, on the one hand, Chinese people are very sensitive, not just the government, but the people, to what is perceived to be interference. But, on the other hand, in the case of Google, you are seeing Chinese people actually show publicly support for their continued access to relatively unfettered information.

They have been, in effect, having people in front of the Google company saying, we love Google, the implication being they want -- so, I think they are ambivalent in this particular case.

JEFFREY BROWN: Well, what leverage does the U.S. have, and what leverage is the U.S. willing to use? I mean, this -- it's interesting. This is even a week in which Chinese officials said something about currency. It affects our stock market. In so many different ways, we are intertwined. And they have a kind of a clearer sense of power, and real power, than ever before. So, what leverage do we have?

MICHAEL POSNER: Clearly, the United States and China are two major powers in the world. We have a range of interests, mutual interests, in the economy, in security, a range of things. We talk about those things.

This another part of the relationship. And there isn't one quick answer to that. But we are going to continue to engage with them on issues that are important to us, issues where we have differences. And this is, for us, part of what mean -- it means to be a stable society in the long-term.

Social stability means also ability of people to operate commercially, to have access to information. It also means, in some cases, that people dissent from government policies, and they make those -- those views known.

JEFFREY BROWN: Is it possible to link an issue like this to other issues, for example, make it a part of a trade issue, technology -- limits on technology transfers. How do you think about -- again, this goes to the leverage question -- how do you think about what we have to link to get their attention on something like this?

MICHAEL POSNER: Well, clearly, we have gotten their attention.

But I think there are a range of ways to look at this. One is that American companies and other companies want to operate in a place where information flows freely. We ought to keep making that point, and American companies, I think, have the responsibility to make that point.

We can use our diplomacy to help push that discussion. We can also help people in China who are trying to make their voices heard, give them some capacity and give them some support as they do this. So, there are multiple strategies here. Not one is going to solve this, but I think we're on the right track. And I think a lot of Chinese people want us to succeed.

JEFFREY BROWN: And what do you see from the Chinese side? Does pressure work?

DAVID LAMPTON: I thought Mrs. Clinton's speech was excellent. And I think one reason was, she called attention to what I think the Chinese know themselves. And that is, they're involved in markets all over the world. They need timely information to promote their own economic growth.

And I think the big leverage we have is, it wasn't just Google that was attacked, as I understand it. It was other -- others that haven't been quite as forthcoming about their concerns. And I think the Chinese business community and traders, they're involved in huge equities and debt -- debt instruments and so on. They need up-to-the-second information and accurate information.

So, I think they have got an internal constituency for this. Also, all the young people are -- this is a wired generation. It has a problem.

JEFFREY BROWN: But do they have real power enough to speak to the government?

DAVID LAMPTON: Well, the criterion for success of the local leader is avoiding incidents, what they would call mass incidents, and destabilization.

So, the degree to which people get concerned, both within the party, from -- maybe there are economic reasons, and then the capacity for young people to be upset, I think, is something they would prefer not to see.

JEFFREY BROWN: Let me just ask you, in our last minute, you started by talking about how this is broader than China. And the secretary talked about many other countries.

To what extent is this now, Internet freedom, a component of human rights and, therefore, U.S. foreign policy? How big a deal is it? And how much will we be hearing about it, and how much action will there be on it?

MICHAEL POSNER: It's critically important. This is the way the world is now communicating. This is the way people are discussing ideas, both within countries and across borders.

In the '70s, late '70s and early '80s, when I started doing this work, we talked about the samizdat. We talked about the Russian dissidents that used homemade printing presses to throw out information. This is so much more powerful than that, because those things could be controlled in the way that the Internet and cell phones can't be.

This is the way that governments are going to be essentially held accountable. And there is going to be an open debate across borders about issues that really matter to people.

JEFFREY BROWN: All right, Michael Posner and David Lampton, thank you both very much.

DAVID LAMPTON: Good to be with you.

View Article on PBS

JAPAN: Tokyo Among Top 4 Cities in the World

Tokyo at night. (photo / Joshua Williams)

October 22, 11:29 PM

By Joshua Williams

New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo are the top four cities in the world according to the newly released Global Power City Index, a ranking of 35 of the world’s top cities by the Institute for Urban Strategies at The Mori Memorial Foundation in Tokyo.

According to the institute, “as half of the people of the world are living in cities, it is necessary to create attractive urban space to pull the people, goods, and money, those who are moving borderless, and to pursue the enjoyable and livable environment.” The index, which is the first of its kind out of Japan, aims to judge the comprehensive power of a city.

The ranking is based on six overall objective factors:

• "Economy,"
• "Research & Development,"
• "Cultural Interaction,"
• "Livability,"
• "Ecology & Natural Environment,"
• and "Accessibility,"

with 69 individual indicators among them.

The institute also expanded its study by looking at the cities from the subjective perspective of five different ‘actors’ (or types of people who influence cities):

• global “Managers,"
• "Researchers,"
• "Artists,"
• "Visitors,"
• and local "Residents."

While the institute’s research is aimed largely at finding ways to improve Tokyo’s future, it strived to maintain a fairness in city rankings. The Global Power City Index, which is in its second year of ranking cities, was released on October 22 (JST).

The Top 10 cities in the world for 2009 according to the Global Power City Index are:

1. New York
2. London
3. Paris
4. Tokyo
5. Singapore
6. Berlin
7. Vienna
8. Amsterdam
9. Zurich
10. Hong Kong

The other cities are ranked as follows: Madrid (11), Seoul (12), Los Angeles (13), Sydney (14), Toronto (15), Frankfurt (16), Copenhagen (17), Brussels (18), Geneva (19), Boston (20), Shanghai (21), Chicago (22), Vancouver (23), San Francisco (24), Osaka (25), Beijing (26), Kuala Lumpur (27), Milan (28), Bangkok (29), Fukuoka (30), Taipei (31), Moscow (32), Sao Paulo (33), Mumbai (34), and Cairo (35).

View Article in the Japan Headlines Examiner

RUSSIA: Burger King opens first restaurant in Russia

18:4421/01/2010

Burger King, the U.S. chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, opened on Thursday its first outlet in Russia's capital to compete with its main rival, McDonald's, the country's media reported.

The restaurant opened in the Metropolis shopping mall in Moscow's north. The operator of the Shokoladnitsa coffee restaurant chain reportedly holds the Burger King franchise.

The Vedomosti business daily said an average bill in the restaurant would cost about 120-150 rubles ($4-5). According to the paper, more Burger King outlets are expected to open in Moscow, as well as outside the Russian capital. Later, Burger King will also open restaurants in other Russian cities.

The first Burger King restaurant opened in Miami, Florida, in 1954.

The company has some 11,700 outlets in the U.S. and in 75 other countries, with about 90% of them being a franchise, while McDonald's has more than 30,000 restaurants worldwide, including 240 in Moscow.

Burger King has more than 37,000 employees serving approximately 11.4 million customers daily.

On Tuesday, Vedomosti said Dunkin' Donuts, one of the world's largest coffee and baked products chains, planned to open dozens of outlets in Moscow more than a decade after it had to withdraw from the Russian market. Ten outlets are planned to open already in 2010.

MOSCOW, January 21 (RIA Novosti)

View Article in RIA Novosti

CHINA: U.S., China Spar Over Internet Freedom

AIR DATE: Jan. 22, 2010

SUMMARY

Beijing warned that Secretary of State Clinton's blunt remarks on Internet censorship could strain the U.S.-China relationship.

PART 1

Transcript

JEFFREY BROWN: And finally tonight: the growing U.S.-China dispute over free access to the Internet.

In 2006, the world's most popular search engine, Google, reached a compromise with the world's most populist country, China. The company agreed to allow filtering of taboo topics, including Tibet and the Tiananmen Square massacre, on searches done inside China.

But, last week, Google declared it would stop filtering results, and it threatened to pull out of China. That followed a coordinated attack on Google e-mail accounts of Chinese human rights activists.

The issue has now touched off diplomatic tensions. Yesterday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for China to conduct a full investigation of the e-mail hacking. In a broader speech on Internet freedom and foreign policy, she sharply criticized countries that engage in censorship of the Web.

HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON: Countries that restrict free access to information or violate the basic rights of Internet users risk walling themselves off from the progress of the next century.

Those who disrupt the free flow of information in our society or any other pose a threat to our economy, our government, and our civil society. Countries or individuals that engage in cyber-attacks should face consequences and international condemnation.

JEFFREY BROWN: In addition to China, Secretary Clinton named Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam.

Today, China's official media fired back. One state-run newspaper charged, Clinton was engaging in -- quote -- "information imperialism." And the foreign ministry issued a response on its Web site, saying: "We urge the U.S. side to respect facts and stop using the so-called freedom of the Internet to make unjustified accusations against China."

Chinese reporting of Clinton's criticism was sparse, but the U.S. State Department took its case directly to Chinese bloggers. The American Embassy in Beijing and consulates in other cities hosted Web-based discussions about the speech.

For its part, Google issued a statement praising Secretary Clinton's speech, and CEO Eric Schmidt said the company still hopes to find a way to remain active in China.

View Article on PBS

TRAVEL: Best Travel Gadgets from the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show

01.22.10

Guestblogger Scott Tharler is a gadget, gambling and travel expert currently based in Biddeford, Maine.

Trekking through this year's Consumer Electronics Show in the vast Las Vegas Convention Center, every three steps seemed to bring another new e-book reader; tales of 3D's impending invasion; or glimpses into the not-so-distant future of home automation.

But we decided to venture away from those cliché categories and take the exhibition aisles less traveled. Good thing we did. Because T+L discovered 10 truly game-changing gadgets to help you better enjoy your journeys.

This first handful of products represents some of the very latest, coolest and smartest innovations and trends. This second handful of products represents different twists on how we do video on-the-go...See the slideshow and prepare to be wowed!

 

Livescribe's Pulse smartpen ($169.95) can aid with travel phrases in, say, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, German or French.

After downloading a language app to the pen, ink a phrase in English on the special paper and you'll clearly hear (from its speaker) and see (on its little screen) the translation! Or use this little high-tech wonder to keep a multimedia journal. Simply write notes while recording what you say, then upload the audio-synched scrawlings to your computer.

 

Photo: Courtesy of Tunebug

The ultra-mobile Tunebug Vibe ($69.95) transforms any flat surface into a speaker.

Just hook it up to your favorite portable audio source, put it down—boxes and other hollow surfaces work best—and rock out. There's also an upcoming Bluetooth version ($119.95) made specifically for affixing to snowboard, skate or bike helmets.

 

Photo: Courtesy of Sanyo

Sanyo's eneloop pedal-assist hybrid electric bicycle (MSRP $2,299.95) could quite literally change the way you travel.

You can pedal it just as a normal bike. Or, allow this synergetic three-speed regenerative bicycle to sense when you need help on tougher terrain and give you a boost of power. Since it recharges along the way, it's definitely a greener, healthier alternative to consider for any short distance trip up to 46 miles.

 

Photo: Courtesy of Scosche

In a similarly green vein, Scosche's solCHAT II solar Bluetooth speakerphone ($99.99) initially charges directly via USB or car adapter.

But then, suctioned to your windshield or clipped to your visor, sunlight continually recharges the unit. With one-touch voice dialing and voice announce caller ID, it's a great, environmentally friendly way to stay hands-free without having something clunky stuck in your ear.

 

Photo: Courtesy of Hybra Advance Technology

Avoiding clunkiness is part of the thinking behind Hybra Advance Technology's amazing O.R.B. ($129 suggested retail).

In one position, it's a ring that can worn on a thumb or finger and display incoming caller IDs, text messages and pre-programmed reminders. Twisted open, it's a wireless headset that fits comfortably over the ear. It's certainly more fashionable and functional than the average Bluetooth earpiece. But it also uses advanced technology to create a more discrete, natural listening and speaking experience that doesn't isolate you from the outside world.

 

Photo: Courtesy of Nikon

Nikon's pocket-sized COOLPIX S1000pj ($429.95) allows you to project the 12-megapixel stills and 30-frame-per-second videos you just shot onto a nearby surface with an image size from 5 to 40 inches.

The 5X wide-angle zoom and myriad other smart features allow you to capture great shots. But that projection clearly adds another dimension to sharing them on the spot.

 

Photo: Courtesy of iTVGoggles

When you really don't want to share, it's time to strap on a set of lightweight ITG-Vidix goggles ($289.99).

Just like other multimedia goggles, you can plug into an outside video source for a big virtual screen with instant privacy from Nosey Nellie in the next seat over. But what makes these babies great is that they have 2 GB of internal memory and a micro SD card slot. So you can also load your movies, photos, music and e-books right into the goggles for easy viewing, without having to lug around a separate DVD or other media player!

 

Photo: Courtesy of iLuv

iLuv's i1166 portable multimedia player ($269.99) boasts a similarly economical architecture.

Open up the device and pop in any standard CD or DVD—or best of all, your whole iPod! While docked inside the i1166, your iPod can charge and you have full control with a user-friendly graphical interface. You can also slide in an external memory card or USB drive to experience TV or movie files through its stereo speakers and bright 8.9-inch widescreen display.

 

Photo: Courtesy of Liquid Image

Should your travels take you underwater, you'll definitely want one of Liquid Image's video masks (from $109.99 to $309.99).

Even casual snorkelers can shoot decent video hands-free and 5-megapixel stills. (No more shelling out for subpar disposables!) And serious recreational divers can get all the wide angles, filters, lights and high definition they can handle. At whatever your preferred depth, no trip to the Great Barrier Reef (or your backyard pool) is complete without one of these fun masks.

 

Photo: Courtesy of Avaak

Lastly, you've probably wondered at some point in your travels what's going on back at the ranch. Avaak's Vue personal video network ($299.99) can help you find out, with zero technological intimidation.

Easily positioned little low-power wireless cameras send signals to a gateway connected to your router. So from any Internet browser—even on your iPhone—you'll be able to view, save and share live video clips indicating what shape the house is in, if the cats are still alive and what the kids are up to.

View Article in Travel + Leisure

CHINA: 'Confucius' filmmakers pay homage to the man

 

Chow Yun Fat and his wife Chen Hui Lien offer incense at a ceremony yesterday paying tribute to Confucius at the Confucian Temple in Qufu, Shandong Province.

2010-1-23

Source: Xinhua

THE stars and crew of the new Chinese biopic about Confucius paid their respects to the ancient philosopher at his birthplace yesterday, as the film opened in cinemas nationwide.

The ceremony was held in a Confucian Temple, in east China's Shandong Province's Qufu City. Yu Pinhai, chief coordinator of the film, led the tribute and chanted a scripture.

Hong Kong actor Chow Yun Fat, who played Confucius; director Hu Mei; and playwright Chen Han knelt and presented bouquets to the statue of Confucius (551 to 479 BC) in tribute.

Chow knelt to Kong Demao, 93, a direct descendent of Confucius, at the January 14 premiere in Beijing. Chow said he had to muster his courage to play such a great man.

"The movie's screening indicates that Confucianism is playing an increasingly significant role in today's China," said Kong Dewei, 73, another descendent of Confucius.

In the past 2,500 years, Confucian thought evolved and has become an important symbol of Chinese culture, Kong Dewei said.
Some of his ideas were indeed truth, such as "don't do unto others what you don't want others to do unto you," said Kong.

"If every one adheres to those words, we can really build a harmonious society."

"We had to read The Analects of Confucius time and again," Hu said. "It was an inspiring experience as we learned how he is connected to so many aspects of our daily life."

Harmony was the core of Confucian thought, which coincided with the Chinese government's stated goal of building a harmonious society.

"Confucius," also starring mainland actress Zhou Xun, had a 150-million-yuan (US$22 million) investment and set a record in Chinese film history for having 2,500 prints, assuring that the film eventually will get into all Chinese cinemas.

View Article in the Shanghai Daily

JAPAN: Japan MP questioned over scandal

Page last updated at 11:43 GMT, Saturday, 23 January 2010

Prosecutors in Japan have questioned one of its most powerful politicians over an alleged funding scandal.

Ichiro Ozawa is considered a kingmaker in the ruling Democratic Party and is known in Japan as the "Shadow Shogun".

Police are investigating whether Mr Ozawa took bribes from construction firms to invest in property.

Ichiro Ozawa has denied intentional wrongdoing in the affair.

He submitted himself voluntarily to questioning and later issued a statement insisting he had not received any illegal funding.

Earlier this month three of Mr Ozawa's current or former aides were arrested on suspicion of improperly reporting donations.

But in his statement, Mr Ozawa said: "I have never received illegal money and I am sure neither have my office staffers."

Backroom bruiser

Mr Ozawa, 67, attend the questioning voluntarily at a Tokyo hotel.

He had not been obliged to do so but had come under mounting political pressure.

At issue is the purchase in 2004 of a plot of land in Tokyo for around $4m by Mr Ozawa's political fundraising organisation.

Prosecutors have been investigating the source of the money.

Reports in Japan say they suspect construction firms seeking public contracts may have been involved.

Mr Hatoyama has been standing by Mr Ozawa, who has huge influence in the party.

The BBC's Roland Buerk in Tokyo says Mr Ozawa is a backroom bruiser credited with masterminding the Democratic Party's victory in elections to the lower house of parliament in August. The win ended half a century of conservative dominance.

But our correspondent says the whiff of scandal is undermining government support ahead of elections to the less powerful upper house in July.

The Democratic Party has been dogged by corruption allegations since coming to power.

In December Mr Hatoyama apologised after two former aides were charged with misreporting millions of dollars of donations.

View Article in BBC News

MACAU: MGM To Relaunch Macau Brand

Jan.22, 2010

As casino operators struggle to bring in revenue from Chinese gamblers beyond Baccarat, analyst say MGM Grand, a subsidy of MGM Mirage (MGM: 11.62 +2.65%) consistently lag in market share because the luxury casino resort does not appeal to their taste.

However the gaming company is focusing on making changes necessary to fill the resorts bars, restaurants and spas.

MGM Grand Paradise Ltd. President Grant Bowie says, “We need to make it a China brand…that’s my role.”

Bowie says the company plans to relaunch the Macau brand soon with a new marketing campaign geared towards upper middle class Chinese patrons.

He declined to go into more specifics on the relaunch but offered an example of such tweaks by saying the Rossio restaurant will offer a more traditional buffet, which could help generate 80% more business over time.

Other examples given were making the casino’s elaborate main entrance more accessible so taxis can conveniently drop off guests.

Bowie hopes such changes will help frame their growth on the Cotai Strip, as the joint venture between MGM Mirage and Pansy Ho look to launch their Hong Kong IPO.

View Article in Casino Gaming Stock

HONG KONG: HK firms increasingly upbeat

2010-1-23

Source: Xinhua 

MANY sectors expect a favorable business outlook for the first quarter of this year, particularly the financing and insurance field, followed by the retail and the real estate industries, according to a survey released by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government yesterday.

Up to 29 percent of respondents forecast their business situation to improve while only 10 percent expected it to worsen, compared with 17 percent in the fourth quarter last year, the Census and Statistics Department's Quarterly Business Tendency Survey showed.

Respondents also expect a rise in their volume of business output, particularly in the financing and insurance, retail, real estate, and professional and business services sectors.

More respondents in the finance and insurance, real estate, construction, retail, and transportation, storage and courier services sectors expect an employment increase in the first quarter. However, more respondents in the manufacturing sector expect a fall.

There were more respondents in the real estate, finance and insurance, trade and wholesale sectors expecting their selling prices or service charges to rise in the first quarter than those expecting it to fall.

View Article in the Shanghai Daily

S. KOREA: Korea Air Returns to Profit as Travel Picks Up in Asia

January 23, 2010

By BETTINA WASSENER

HONG KONG — Passenger and air freight numbers rallied in the Asia-Pacific region in December, and Korean Air returned to profit during the last quarter of 2009 — fresh evidence that the global economic recovery was starting to lift the battered airline industry’s prospects.

The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, which includes 17 carriers in the region but excludes many of those in mainland China, said Friday that passenger numbers in December 2009 were 8.5 percent above those in December 2008, when the financial crisis was prompting many tourists and businesspeople to scale back travel plans.

For the year as a whole, however, A.A.P.A. members flew 5.7 percent fewer passengers — a total of nearly 133 million — than in 2008. The effect on airlines’ sales was aggravated by the fact that high-yielding first-class and business travel was hit especially hard.

Air cargo, a main source of business for many A.A.P.A. member carriers, sagged 11 percent last year, despite a sharp rebound in December, when companies around the world raced to replenish their stocks.

Much of the airline industry continues to be very cautious about the prospects for this year, and the International Air Transport Association believes that global industry losses could total $5.6 billion in 2010.

Still, the recovery has begun to help some carriers back to profitability.

Korean Air, the largest cargo carrier among the world’s commercial airlines, posted a net profit of 122.3 billion won, or $106 million, for the fourth quarter of 2009. The airline had racked up a 644 billion won loss during the period a year earlier.

View Article in The New York Times

CHINA: Debt Burden Now Rests More on U.S. Shoulders

A Lender Steps Back

Published: January 22, 2010

By FLOYD NORRIS

The United States government borrowed more money than ever before in 2009, but its largest lender — China — sharply reduced the amount it was willing to lend.

The United States Treasury estimated this week that during the first 11 months of last year China raised its holdings of Treasury securities by just $62 billion. That was less than 5 percent of the money the Treasury had to raise.

That raised its holdings to $790 billion, leaving it the largest foreign holder of Treasury securities — Japan is second at $757 billion and Britain a distant third at $278 billion. But China’s holdings at the end of November were lower than they were at the end of July.

Not since 2001, when China was still a relatively minor investor in Treasury securities, had the country shown a decline in holdings over a six-month period.

During the full year of 2009, the volume of outstanding Treasury securities owned by the public — as opposed to United States government agencies like the Federal Reserve or the Social Security Administration — rose by $1.4 trillion, a 23 percent gain, to $7.8 trillion. In dollar terms, that was the largest annual increase ever, but as a percentage increase it slightly trailed 2008.

With this week’s release of the November estimate of foreign holdings, China is on course to lend just 4.6 percent of the money the government raised during the year. That compared with 20.2 percent in 2008 and a peak of 47.4 percent in 2006.

The falloff in Chinese purchases did not necessarily cost the American government a lot of money, as interest rates did not soar during the year. Short-term rates actually fell. The yield on 10-year Treasuries rose to 3.6 percent, from 2.2 percent, a substantial increase but still a low rate by historical standards.

Some economists have feared what could happen if China ever decided to unload the Treasury securities it owns, but the reduction of Chinese purchases probably did not result from any decision to do that, said Robert Barbera, the chief economist of ITG, an investment advisory firm.

Instead, he said, China’s main determination now was to prevent the rise of its currency against the dollar, and the country needed to buy fewer dollar-denominated securities to accomplish that goal, as the Chinese trade surplus with the United States declined.

The figures on foreign holdings estimated by the Treasury Department include both official and private holdings. In China, that is mostly official, but in some other countries many of the holdings are owned by investors or money managers who could be managing portfolios on behalf of people from yet another country. It is possible that some Chinese purchases appear to be from other countries.

Other countries took up part of the slack left by the reduction in China’s purchases. Hong Kong, which is counted separately, took up more than 5 percent of the increased borrowing by the American government, and Japan provided nearly 10 percent.

But total foreign purchases in the 11 months financed only 39 percent of the borrowing, leaving American investors to purchase the remainder. As recently as 2007, foreigners were buying more Treasuries than the government was issuing, enabling Americans to reduce their Treasury holdings even as the government borrowed hundreds of billions of dollars.

View Article in The New York Times

JAPAN: Rural escapes

Published: 3:32PM GMT 21 Jan 2010

Japan is famous for its bustling modern cities - but it's also home to some of the world's most stunning areas of natural beauty.

Kappa Bashi Bridge, Kamikochi

The thrill of seeing Mt. Fuji for the first time, its perfect, cone-shaped symmetry rising majestically against a blue sky, is a travel memory you are sure never to forget.

Japan is famous for its cherry blossoms in spring, but equally stunning are its irises, wisteria, hydrangea, and many other blossoming plants and trees, not to mention its maples which blaze a fiery red across the country in autumn.

Mountains beckon with hiking trails in summer and top-rated skiing in winter (Japan has hosted the winter Olympics twice), while Japan's hot-springs spas - among the most numerous and varied in the world - have been soothing aches and pains for more than 1,000 years.

Nagano

Mountainous Nagano prefecture is a great place to discover Japan beyond the neon lights - see traditional rural villages and experience Japan’s great outdoors.

Choose from hiking in the stunning Japan Alps, rambling along old trails from the days of samurai in the Kiso Valley or see the cheeky snow monkeys in Yudanaka.

In winter (Dec - March), the area offers world-class ski resorts just two hours by bullet train from Tokyo.

Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa

Kanazawa

This historic castle town has beautifully preserved samurai and geisha districts. It is also home to one of Japan’s prized three most beautiful gardens, Kenroku-en Garden.

Other sights include Ninja-dera, a temple from the samurai days that earned its nickname because of its many deceptive defences and hidden escape routes, and Omicho Market, the region’s largest fresh food market

Mt. Fuji in autumn, Hakone

Hakone

Just 90-minutes from Tokyo, Hakone is a great base for exploring the Fuji Hakone Izu National Park. In the summer months (July and August), you can climb Japan’s highest and most iconic mountain, Mt. Fuji.

For those who would prefer to admire it from afar, the Hakone area offers a range of traditional inns where you can experience living like a local – sleeping on futons, sitting on tatami mats and relaxing in onsen hot spring spas while gazing out over Mt. Fuji.

View Article in the Telegraph

CHINA: China reports brisk expansion, and rising prices, to close 2009

A vendor sells fish at a market in Hefei in China's Anhui province. The Chinese economy grew 10.7% in the last quarter of 2009 compared with the same period in 2008, but prices for goods and materials also climbed. (AFP / Getty Images / January 21, 2010)

7:10 PM PST, January 21, 2010

The nation records its largest quarterly growth since the global economic crisis began. But there are troubling signs of inflationary pressure on food and other commodities.

By David Pierson

Reporting from Beijing

China's economy finished 2009 with a flourish, registering its greatest quarterly growth since the global financial crisis began more than two years ago.

But underlying the 10.7% economic expansion in the final three months of the year from the same period in 2008 are signs of growing inflationary pressure that could send the price of food and other commodities higher.

Government figures released Thursday showed China's consumer price index, a gauge of inflation, rose 1.9% year-over-year in December, building on an increase of 0.6% a month earlier.

The producer price index -- a gauge of how much domestic producers pay to make their goods -- rose to its highest level since 2008, registering 1.7% year-over-year growth in December. A month earlier, the index went in the other direction, falling 2.1%.

The source of the increases, economists say, is the record new bank lending and stimulus money that flooded China's economy last year, orchestrated by the government to keep growth rates high.

"This is quite serious," said Arthur Kroeber, managing director of Dragonomics, a Beijing-based economic research firm. "We now know they poured too much money into the system."

Kroeber said the consumer price index could be growing by a 5% clip by spring.

A harsh winter has damaged produce supply, sending prices up. Chinese are especially vulnerable to these shifts because they rely extensively on fresh groceries.

Shoppers at a Beijing Wal-Mart complained that rising costs were straining their budgets.

"Food prices have gone up so much, especially after the big snowstorm," said Chen Songhui, 35, an interior designer. "I've heard talk about inflation in China this year. I think the food prices will continue to go up. If costs double, I don't think I'll be able to accept it anymore. But what choice do I have? I still have to eat. If that happens, I'll just have to cut my expenses on other things."

Forestalling inflation will not be easy, policymakers readily admit.

"The year 2009 might be the most difficult year of the Chinese economy. 2010 could be the most complicated year with uncertainties," Liu Mingkang, chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission, said in Hong Kong on Wednesday.

Keep too much easy credit and stimulus money flowing and China risks soaring inflation and an expanding real estate bubble.

Rein in lending too tightly and growth may be stymied in a country where more than half the population of 1.3 billion still lives in poor, rural settings.

"They're walking a tightrope," said Ben Simpfendorfer, an economist for the Royal Bank of Scotland.

So far, the strategy has been to nudge the economy toward a safer path. Interest rates for three-month and one-year central bank bills were raised, new restrictions were placed on home buyers, and the central bank said new credit would be capped at levels 30% lower than 2009.

Kroeber said it's possible the central bank will restrain lending even more if inflation climbs too high.

Government investment was the most significant driver of growth in 2009. Beijing spent about $600 billion on infrastructure last year, 44% more than 2008.

Real estate also played a major role. The amount of new residential floor space sold in 2009 rocketed 35% compared with 2008, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co.

But with an expected pullback this year in loans and stimulus, China will have to rely more on domestic consumption to keep its GDP figures aloft.

This may be a tall order considering Chinese consumers' penchant for saving and their low wages in comparison to corporate profits.
Currently, private consumption accounts for 40% of China's GDP, significantly less than the 70% to 80% seen in developed countries.

To encourage spending, planners have renewed for the year several subsidies for consumers who purchase low-emission vehicles and home appliances.

Some economists are skeptical the products would sell well without the subsidies.

"They're hoping for households to help pick up growth but there's not much prospect of that," said Alistair Chan, associate economist at Moody's Economy.com.

Thursday's figures showed retail sales increased 17.5% year-over-year in December largely on the back of automobile sales. China surpassed the United States last year as the world's largest auto market.

Tommy Yang and Lily Kuo in the Times' Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

View Article in the Los Angeles Times

JAPAN: Shiseido pulls the plug on working late at night

January 21, 2010

(Mainichi Japan)

At 10 p.m. at the head office of Japan's leading cosmetics maker Shiseido Co. in Tokyo's Ginza district, all the lights are switched off.

The system was introduced in April last year as part of the company's efforts to reduce excessive overtime. Employees will be stopped by security guards and required to give their names and departments if they fail to leave the office before the lights-out time. The same rule has been applied to four other branch offices, including those in the Shiodome and Gotanda districts.

"Staff members tend to feel uncomfortable about leaving the office when their colleagues are still working and stay late. We felt it was necessary to introduce some kind of forcible measures to end the bad practice," said Yuki Honda, an advisor to the human resources department.

Those who fail to comply with the rule will have to submit a written apology to their superiors, explaining the reason why they had to stay at the office until late. The number of violations by each department will be reported during a monthly managers' meeting, allowing each other to compare and evaluate working hours.

Only those employees who are engaged in certain tasks, such as system checking and overseas operations, that need to be done at certain periods of time, will be allowed to stay after 10 p.m. with prior notice.

The company hopes that the strict time limit will encourage its employees to use their time efficiently. When the system was first introduced, many employees failed to finish their work by the set time. However, now that they are accustomed to it, few workers break the rules.

During its "work-life balance week" last November, the cosmetics maker set the finishing time at 8 p.m. on a trial basis.

"Some apparel makers and securities firms close their office at 7 p.m., and we are far behind them," said Honda.

Under the leadership of President Shinzo Maeda, Shiseido has also engaged in promoting a working environment in which female workers can strike a balance between career and family life. In 2007, the company introduced its "kangaroo staff" system, in which part-timers take over the work of Shiseido beauty attendants with children to make it easier for them to take maternity leave. The initiative contributed to reducing the number of child-care-related resignations to almost none. The company further aims to improve its support system for elderly care.

Click here for the original Japanese story

View Article in The Mainichi Daily News

TAIWAN: Taiwan looks to China for nip and tuck boom

Woman gets facial laser treatment in a cosmetic surgery clinic in Taipei

21/01/2010 01:21:00

Amber Wang

Beijing entrepreneur Li Jinxun’s first trip to Taiwan was a life-changing experience, but not because of the sightseeing.
The 46-year-old took advantage of a short trip to the island last month to undergo minor cosmetic surgery at a clinic in Kaohsiung city, something he said had made him feel younger and better looking.

“I’m very satisfied. I feel better already,” he told AFP.

Li, who runs a construction firm, is among a new wave of affluent Chinese eager to fit some nips and tucks into their trips to Taiwan, where they can expect to find better medical staff and facilities than back home.

“I think the doctors in Taiwan are more skillful, the clinic is comfortable and the service is more cordial” than on the mainland, he said.

The 30 members of Li’s tour group paid 100,000 Taiwan dollars (3,125 US) on average for a nine-day trip covering sightseeing and cosmetic enhancements, according to the Kaohsiung Aesthetic Medical Tourism Promotion Association.

They opted for simple procedures, such as tooth whitening, botox injections to smooth wrinkles and surgery to remove bags under the eyes or create double eyelids–a popular procedure in Asia aimed at making the eyes look bigger.

“The demand from China is much higher than what we’d expected, and the visitors just keep coming in,” said Chen Chun-ting, secretary-general of the association, which plans to host three 100-member mainland groups in January.

“As China gets richer, more and more people are paying attention to their appearance and are willing to spend money in this area,” Chen said.

The growing interest in medical tourism coincides with an influx of Chinese visitors to the island, under more relaxed rules introduced since Beijing-friendly President Ma Ying-jeou took office in 2008.

More than 480,000 tourists arrived from the mainland from January to November 2009, nearly five times as many as during the same period in 2008, according to government figures.

Industry watchers are upbeat that Taiwan, which has been promoting medical tourism for two years, can hold its own against competitors in the region such as Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.

The prospect is greatly boosted by Taiwan’s advantage in attracting Chinese clients. Their common language, the island’s geographical proximity and competitive pricing all help, they said.

“We had a late start compared with our competitors, but we’re confident we can achieve as much. There is a lot of room for growth,” said Shih Chung-liang, head of the bureau of medical affairs at the island’s health department.

In 2008, around 5,000 visitors came to Taiwan for health check-ups and cosmetic surgery, creating an industry worth 40 to 50 million US dollars, according to Shih.

“Our main target has been mainland Chinese since cross-Strait ties improved,” he said. Shih said the island’s medical tourism market was expected to grow by 20 percent annually.

Private sector forecasts are even higher, with one group of 30 hospitals expecting its business to more than double to 95 million US dollars this year, according to its chief executive officer Wu Ming-yen.

The potential clientele from the mainland is huge, as there are now around 100 million Chinese who can boast spending power equivalent to the average consumer in Taiwan and Hong Kong, Wu said.

“China is picking up in surgical skills as its economy rises but it still trails behind Taiwan in services. Unlike China, most hospitals in Taiwan are private and very competitive,” he said.

Li, the 46-year-old Beijinger, is already planning his second visit to Taiwan, this time bringing along his wife.

“As we get older we need to look after ourselves more carefully. I want to have my teeth whitened and get a face-lift for my wife.”

View Article in Macau Daily Times

CHINA: Traditional treat

Women enjoy laba porridge yesterday at a temple in Nanjing, capital of eastern China's Jiangsu Province. It is a Chinese tradition, origin from Buddhism, to gather and share the porridge on the eighth day of the 12 month of the Chinese lunar calendar. It is part of the prelude to the month-long Spring Festival celebration. Having the special porridge is supposed to bring blessings and health. The dish usually contains glutinous rice, beans, peanuts, lotus seeds, longan, jujube and other dried fruits.

View in The Shanghai Daily

JAPAN: More Japanese dying alone

Friday, January 22, 2010

Mark Willacy reported this story on

Listen to MP3 of this story ( minutes)

TRANSCRIPT

ELEANOR HALL: The Japanese Government is under pressure to pay for the cremations of the escalating number of people in Japan who die penniless and alone.

Once, this was a country where you were seen off with a lavish funeral worth tens of thousands of dollars.

But at many funerals now, the only people turning up are the workers at funeral homes.

In Tokyo, North Asia correspondent Mark Willacy reports.

MARK WILLACY: It's a lonely send off, no family, no friends, just three funeral home workers.

They didn't know the 78-year-old man lying in this casket, nevertheless, they tenderly place white flowers over his corpse and say a prayer for his soul.

The old man died in hospital, and when no family could be found the Government stumped up $2,000 to have him cremated.

"Obviously it's best if family and friends can see off the deceased rather than us," says this funeral home worker. "Every day society seems to get a little lonelier," he says.

With the marriage rate slumping, along with the birth rate, and the population ageing rapidly, more and more Japanese are finding themselves alone at the end of their lives.

Often, in this crowded country, people can die and lie undiscovered for weeks, people like Hiroshi Yamanochi.

"There were no numbers or contacts in the mobile phone we found inside his home," says Yamanochi's cousin Kiataka Sato. "It appeared he had no friends at all," he says.

The 57-year-old Yamanochi was once a successful builder, but the recession 20 years ago finished off his business and left him a broke and broken man. When he was finally found, alone and dead in his apartment he had just 596 yen, or seven Australian dollars.

"It's hard, it's sad," says his cousin Kiataka Sato. "At his funeral there were just three of us, while nearly others were being seen off by dozens of people," he says.

Hiroki Sato knows she won't be seen off by dozens of people. The widow has no children and no close friends, despite joining many hobby clubs.

"I just want someone to talk to," says Mrs Sato. "No-one looks after me when I'm sick, I am all alone. So I need to battle this all out on my own," she says.

(Sound of Hiroki Sato sobbing)

And in waging that battle Hiroki Sato has written out her will in a notebook and signed a contract with a company that will conduct her funeral.

"Of course it would be good to have a lavish funeral," she says. "But I don't want to cause trouble for anyone. Just a few flowers will be fine," she adds.

This is Mark Willacy in Tokyo for AM.

View Article on ABC News