Author Archive

Hachioji, Japan and the Latest ‘Daredemo Yokatta’ Attack

By billywest • Jul 23rd, 2008 • Category: Featured Story, News Of The Mentally Defective

Well, you knew this story was heading right for ‘News of the Mentally Defective.’ I take no pleasure in reporting it and would rather not, but this guy has to be cursed in print somewhere. So here goes:
Here’s a guy who needs to be strapped into a wheelchair, have all of his fingers and toes […]



Saitama Girl Sick of Studying Slays Father

By billywest • Jul 21st, 2008 • Category: News Of The Mentally Defective

This story almost makes me never want to have kids (Well, that plus the fact that they’re noisy, but…). A 15-year-old Saitama girl named (name withheld by law) woke up and decided to stab her father to death on Saturday. She apparently had a dream where her father killed her family so she said, “that […]



A Japanese Baseball Pioneer Calls it Quits

By billywest • Jul 18th, 2008 • Category: Sports

Hideo Nomo made his MLB debut in the US on May 2, 1995. That season saw him selected to play in the All-Star game and he finished the year off by becoming the 1995 NL Rookie of the Year, although it was amid some controversy (Many considered him not to be a rookie due to […]



Living Green in Japan: How Eco-Friendly is Your Lifestyle?

By billywest • Jul 17th, 2008 • Category: Featured Story, The Latest

This isn’t one of those “Hey, I bet you I’m greener than you are” pieces. It’s not even an advice article. It’s just a “Where’re we all at with protecting the environment and all that?” post.
Personally, I know I should do a lot more. Fortunately, most cities and towns in Japan are pretty green when […]



Riyo Mori Hands Over Miss Universe Crown

By billywest • Jul 17th, 2008 • Category: General

Miss Universe 2008 has been crowned. To be honest, I don’t really care who Miss Universe is, but it’s newsworthy in Japan that Miss Riyo Mori, Miss Universe 2007, has passed on her crown. And, this time, the winner is not Japanese; She’s Dayana Mendoza of Venezuela.

Dayana Mendoza
Even though she won the title, ‘Miss Universe’ […]



Hayao Miyazaki’s Latest - A Review of “Ponyo”

By billywest • Jul 16th, 2008 • Category: movies

Hayao Miyazaki is one of Japan’s most beloved film directors and the most celebrated person in Japanese animation. He’s not only an animation god in Japan, though; His films, ‘Princess Mononoke’ (Mononoke Hime) and ‘Spirited Away’ (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi) have won worldwide acclaim. His latest film, “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea […]



The Japan-Related Web: Innovators and Imitators

By billywest • Jul 16th, 2008 • Category: Featured Story, The Latest

When searching the Japan-related web, you’re likely to find a wealth of interesting sites and blogs. For a long time, though, it was difficult to find one source that linked together the best (and sometimes not) in Japan news, blogs, travel info…etc.
Then came along JapanSoc, a wonderful Japan social-networking site created by webmaster Nick Ramsay. […]



“Frightened” Nagoya Man Boots Chihuahua To Death

By billywest • Jul 15th, 2008 • Category: News Of The Mentally Defective

Here’s a guy a who needs to be stuffed into an oversized trash bag and beaten to death with a cue ball wrapped in a sock:
From Mainichi Daily News
Yoshiyuki Tanaka, 44, a company employee from Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, stands accused of destroying property.
He admitted to the allegations during questioning. “I was scared of the dog,” he […]



Out For A Beer In Japan - Where Do You Go?

By billywest • Jul 14th, 2008 • Category: Featured Story, The Latest

It’s summer and there’s nothing better (or more refreshing) on a hot, humid day in Japan than knocking back a few nama biiru with some good friends at a cool joint. However, the price of just about everything has gone up in Japan this year, including beer, so cheap beer options have become more limited […]



Last Harry Potter Novel Hits Store Bookshelves in Japan

By billywest • Jul 14th, 2008 • Category: Japan News

The seventh and final Harry Potter novel went on sale today (Wednesday, July 23rd) in Japan. Fans lined up early at one book store in Hachioji and waited to be the among first to get their little fanboy hands on the earliest-sold copies. The Japanese version of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” is selling […]