OPINIONS A Japanese Suicide

Happy Campers Outdoor products maker ColemanBUSINESS

FOOD Ekki Bar and Grill at the Four Seasons

ENTERTAINMENT Children in Post-March 11 Japan

JAPANTODAYrsquoS PREMIER ENGLISH DIGITAL WEEKLY MAGAZINE ISSUE 13 VOLUME 01 OCTOBER 2012

FAMILY Halloween 2012

3INSIGHT ISSUE 13

INSIGHT

Editor in ChiefChris Betros

Art DirectorDesignerThong Van

ContributorsMaki YasudaKen Seeroi

Account ManagersKieron CashellPeter Lackner

Advertisinginsightsalesjapantodaycom

General inquiriesinsightjapantodaycom

PublisherGPlusMedia Co Ltd105-00113-1-1 Minotomi Bld 3FShiba-koen Minato-kuTokyo (Japan)Tel +81 3 5403 7781Fax +81 3 5403 2775Web wwwgplusmediacom

Back Issueshttpinsightjapantodaycominsight-magazine

Insight Magazine is published weekly online and can be read and downloaded to your PC or tablet for free

Content may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from GPlusMedia

copy2012 GPlusMedia Co Ltd

Insight Onlineinsightjapantodaycom

Schools and Family NewsTokyo International School (TIS)Happy DaysGymboree Play amp MusicSaint Maur International School and Ecole franccedilaise

Health and BeautyTsuruki Mita Clinic

Hotels and Japanese InnsANA InterContinental TokyoHotel Okura TokyoOriental Hotel HiroshimaThe Peninsula Tokyo

Outdoors and SportsTokyo Sail and Power Squadron (TSPS)Tsutsujigaoka Country Club

Restaurants and BarsBulldog BBQHei Fung TerraceKimono Wine and GrillPeterSujirsquosThe Irish TimesWhat The Dickens

Professional OrganisationsItalian Chamber of Commerce in JapanLanguage Teaching ProfessionalsThe British Chamber of Commerce in JapanOGA for Aid

BUSINESS

Anyone who goes camping will certainly know the name Coleman A subsidiary of American company Jarden Corp Coleman is the worldrsquos leading manufacturer of camping gear and outdoor equipment including tents lanterns stoves coolers and sleeping bags It has had a presence in Japan since 1976

Heading the Japan operation is Richard Guilfoile who also serves as president of the entire Asia-Pacific region Born in Washington DC Guilfoile first came to Japan when he was a child He was educated in both Japan and the US After graduating from college he worked in the cosmetics business for 14 years and then spent 11 years running the Gillette business in Japan before joining Coleman in 2000

How big is the Asia-Pacific region for ColemanThere is no doubt that we have become the largest and most important piece of the Coleman business worldwide outside the United States We do a lot of innovation Unlike the past where 80 of what we sold was Japan-specific more and more we are developing products here that the US is picking up and as our parent company has strengthened their innovation team we are also picking up more global items

Right now South Korea is a big success story and the fastest growing market in our region China is growing too As we look for additional growth opportunities in the region we can bring our experience from other markets

Doesnrsquot each market have its own unique characteristicsYes and it is important that we listen to consumers in each market In China Irsquom hearing that some of the colors we have chosen for our tent products may need to be modified Another example is our lighting business which is extremely successful in Japan but struggles in Korea

With camping in Korea heavy campers go maybe 30 times a year whereas in Japan theyrsquoll go 10-15 times a year Japanese consumers look at the weather forecast and if there is a hint of rain theyrsquoll give it a miss Koreans will go anyway So there is a different expectation in terms of durability and specs

What sort of a year have you had in JapanThe year has been good so far We finished last year strongly because after the earthquake our lighting products sleeping bags and backpacks sold well

How did Coleman respond to the disasterWe donated a lot of products maybe 30000 sleeping bags and 30000 sets of flashlights and batteries We were able to move very quickly and get those items to the people who needed them

What are your best-selling products in JapanBackpacks sell the most then tents followed by furniture In lighting one of our best-selling products is the Quad LED light In 2013 this will be added to the CPX series which operates on a rechargeable battery It works with 4 D-cells instead of 8 and also has a rechargeable cartridge On low it will run for 60 hours consecutively on high 30 hours Itrsquos got an AC adapter as well

Do you have a big inventoryWe are the largest outdoor in Japan Every year we introduce 200-300 new SKUs (stock-keeping units) We showcased our new products for the coming year at

a trade fair each September Out 2013 catalogue has 100 pages of new items So we carry a large assortment of products but we also have a very good forecasting system to control our inventory levels

What trends do you see in campingOver the last three years we have been focusing on the younger market the ldquoyama-gyarurdquo and those girls have really set the trends in terms of bags jackets hats and other gear for outdoor activities Many of these girls take our gear to rock festivals or trekking and we have made new colors and products to appeal to them That would have been unheard of before at Coleman because everything was always green and beige

There is a growing trend to go camping in the winter In Japan from this year we are also seeing more groups of young women going camping together to show each other how they can cook outside Previously many stores would stop selling outdoor gear right after O-bon in August but wersquove stretched the season to mid-November The biggest month in the whole year for camping is September because there are fewer mosquitoes it is cooler the stars are gorgeous and there is less traffic

In terms of products the key words for Japan are compact light easy to store and easy to assemble

How do you market the brand in JapanWe donrsquot do much advertising though we have done a few videos in subways

Happy Campers

4 INSIGHT ISSUE 12

Happy CampersBUSINESS

and JR trains in summer to encourage people to enjoy outdoors We use Facebook and Twitter because it is important that we stay relevant We do a lot of interaction with consumers through our website Online shopping is growing rapidly and we collaborate with a number of Internet sites

Where are Coleman products soldAbout 40 of what we sell goes through sporting goods retailers 20 is through Home Center channels 15 through specialty retailers catering to mountaineering for example and 10 is through our own eight retail outlets

Where do you see growth opportunitiesThe market for children is an area of potential growth We have an incredible product called Puddle Jumper (life jacket) Irsquod like to see this range sold in Toys ldquoRrdquo Us for example

How do you interact with consumersWe have camping events every weekend from the end of March to the end of October Some of those events are for families some are for those with no kids and some are only for kids We also hold a camp college where we teach people how to camp Itrsquos the best way for us to get feedback

How many staff do you haveWe have about 115 full-time staff and around 40 part-time staff who support our stores We have a couple of people who work with retailers and wholesale specific camp-out events where we bring all the new products and explain how to use them Thatrsquos important because when we do the trade show our sales people and wholesalers have to be able to explain every single product themselves

How often do you visit storesI travel two weeks out of every month so I probably spend more time visiting stores outside of Japan than I do here The travelling is not as glamorous as it appears because you are constantly on the go I swore I would never have a Blackberry but now that I have one it keeps me sane

How often do you go campingMaybe four weekends a year Irsquoll show up at a campsite We also have an annual management team campout in Karuizawa

How many Coleman products do you have at homeAbout 30-40 I donrsquot really need more than that

INSIGHT ISSUE 12 5

RICHARD GUILFOILEPresident and Representative Director (Asia Pacific)

Coleman Japanwwwcolemancojp

Happy CampersBUSINESS

and JR trains in summer to encourage people to enjoy outdoors We use Facebook and Twitter because it is important that we stay relevant We do a lot of interaction with consumers through our website Online shopping is growing rapidly and we collaborate with a number of Internet sites

Where are Coleman products soldAbout 40 of what we sell goes through sporting goods retailers 20 is through Home Center channels 15 through specialty retailers catering to mountaineering for example and 10 is through our own eight retail outlets

Where do you see growth opportunitiesThe market for children is an area of potential growth We have an incredible product called Puddle Jumper (life jacket) Irsquod like to see this range sold in Toys ldquoRrdquo Us for example

How do you interact with consumersWe have camping events every weekend from the end of March to the end of October Some of those events are for families some are for those with no kids and some are only for kids We also hold a camp college where we teach people how to camp Itrsquos the best way for us to get feedback

How many staff do you haveWe have about 115 full-time staff and around 40 part-time staff who support our stores We have a couple of people who work with retailers and wholesale specific camp-out events where we bring all the new products and explain how to use them Thatrsquos important because when we do the trade show our sales people and wholesalers have to be able to explain every single product themselves

How often do you visit storesI travel two weeks out of every month so I probably spend more time visiting stores outside of Japan than I do here The travelling is not as glamorous as it appears because you are constantly on the go I swore I would never have a Blackberry but now that I have one it keeps me sane

How often do you go campingMaybe four weekends a year Irsquoll show up at a campsite We also have an annual management team campout in Karuizawa

How many Coleman products do you have at homeAbout 30-40 I donrsquot really need more than that

INSIGHT ISSUE 12 5

RICHARD GUILFOILEPresident and Representative Director (Asia Pacific)

Coleman Japanwwwcolemancojp

FAMILY

How it started

Around 2000 years ago ancient Celtic tribes people in Ireland began celebrating Samhain which in the Irish language means ldquoend of summerrdquo October 31 was actually their new yearrsquos eve with the calendar starting on November 1 This also marked the harvest and with larders full and a last chance to celebrate before the winter - the Celts made Samhain their biggest and most celebrated holiday Cattle were slaughtered and feasts were had to commemorate the passing of the seasons as well as the ancestors and the Celtic deities Matchmaking fortune-telling singing and dancing were just some of the activities synonymous with Samahain

Spirits Ghost and Ghouls

On the evening before the new year began the Celts believed that there was a spiritual gap or chance for ancestors and spirits (both good and mischievous) to travel back to the world of the living for one night Traditions began springing up such as leaving food and drink out for ancestors or building bonfires away from dwellings to lure the more troublesome spirits away from people People also took to the wearing of costumes and masks while outside in case they met a spirit on the road -- they could confuse the spirits that they were with one of their own

As the years went by and Christianity was introduced into Ireland All Saints Day was marked on November 1 to coincide with the pagan tradition and Samhain became known as All

Hallows eve or Halloween The tradition also spread across the world and mixed with other indigenous festivals to become the event that it is today In America Halloween became a festival geared toward young people and the playing of games Trick or treating was introduced to combat the vandalism which would take place on Halloween which proved successful in making the festival more community-based and peaceful

In Japan Halloween has a strong appeal and has in recent years become popular with people of all ages dressing up at Halloween events such as parades parties school events and clubbing at Japanrsquos night hotspots

Looking to get a costume Check Novelty shops such as Don Quixote and 100 yen shops which have large selections of Halloween outfits available

Whether yoursquore celebrating the harvest the changing season honoring the spirits or just looking for a good excuse to party we wish you an ldquoOiacuteche samhain shona duitrdquo or happy Halloween

HALLOWEEN

6 INSIGHT ISSUE 13

FAMILY

Halloween Parades (Tokyo)

Roppongi Hills Halloween Parade Sat Oct 27 2012Put on Your Costume and Join the Parade Join the parade of the cutest witches and ghosts yoursquove ever seen Free candy treats for all costumed kids in the parade

Place Roppongi Hills ArenaTime 1100 - 1330 (tentative) Admission Free

Web wwwroppongihillscomenevents

Omotesando Hello HalloweenPumpkin ParadeSun Oct 28 2012Omotesando Avenue is closed to traffic so kids under 12 can parade in costumeAssembly Piazza assembly hall building (elementary school Jingumae Shibuya)

Also at Space O Omotesando HillsTime 1300-1415 (Parade)

Web wwwharajuku-halloweencom

Kawasaki Halloween ParadeSun Oct 28 20123500 people take to the streets of Kawasaki Children must be 6 years and older but it will be mostly adults in this parade

Place Cinecittarsquo street at LA CITTADELLATime 1430-1630 (Parade)Events and costume competition from 1030 onward

Free entry

Web lacittadellacojphalloween

Halloween Spooktacular PartySat Oct 28 2012Place Biervana AkasakaTime 1800 until lateWeb biervanacom

Hosted by OGA for Aid Help OGA continue their valuable work in support of those still working to rebuild their lives after the devastation of the Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami

Web wwwfacebookcomevents178833432241183

Live Music ScheduleOct 26 Sluggo Monster Rock

Oct 27 Steve Gardner amp The BottleneckBlues Band

Oct 28 Jazz Torch Song Classics and Oldies

Oct 30 Burnymphet (New)

Oct 31 Dickens Bicentennial Halloween Party Happens only once every 200 years on a Wednesday Featuring Rebel Yell M80

Nov 1st Business and Social Networking wwwwhatthedickensjp

Jazz With

Anna Mackie

(Vocals) with

Mieko Yagi

(Keys) and

Huw Lloyd

(Clarinet)

7INSIGHT ISSUE 13

FAMILY

Halloween Parades (Tokyo)

Roppongi Hills Halloween Parade Sat Oct 27 2012Put on Your Costume and Join the Parade Join the parade of the cutest witches and ghosts yoursquove ever seen Free candy treats for all costumed kids in the parade

Place Roppongi Hills ArenaTime 1100 - 1330 (tentative) Admission Free

Web wwwroppongihillscomenevents

Omotesando Hello HalloweenPumpkin ParadeSun Oct 28 2012Omotesando Avenue is closed to traffic so kids under 12 can parade in costumeAssembly Piazza assembly hall building (elementary school Jingumae Shibuya)

Also at Space O Omotesando HillsTime 1300-1415 (Parade)

Web wwwharajuku-halloweencom

Kawasaki Halloween ParadeSun Oct 28 20123500 people take to the streets of Kawasaki Children must be 6 years and older but it will be mostly adults in this parade

Place Cinecittarsquo street at LA CITTADELLATime 1430-1630 (Parade)Events and costume competition from 1030 onward

Free entry

Web lacittadellacojphalloween

Halloween Spooktacular PartySat Oct 28 2012Place Biervana AkasakaTime 1800 until lateWeb biervanacom

Hosted by OGA for Aid Help OGA continue their valuable work in support of those still working to rebuild their lives after the devastation of the Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami

Web wwwfacebookcomevents178833432241183

Live Music ScheduleOct 26 Sluggo Monster Rock

Oct 27 Steve Gardner amp The BottleneckBlues Band

Oct 28 Jazz Torch Song Classics and Oldies

Oct 30 Burnymphet (New)

Oct 31 Dickens Bicentennial Halloween Party Happens only once every 200 years on a Wednesday Featuring Rebel Yell M80

Nov 1st Business and Social Networking wwwwhatthedickensjp

Jazz With

Anna Mackie

(Vocals) with

Mieko Yagi

(Keys) and

Huw Lloyd

(Clarinet)

7INSIGHT ISSUE 13

FOOD

Ekki BAR amp GRILL at the Four Seasons Hotel Marunouchi - Elegant all-day dining right by Tokyo station

BY MAKI YASUDA

EKKI BAR amp GRILL

The Four Seasons Hotel Marunouchi is a perfect little boutique hotel that exudes privacy and exclusivity and feels more like a club than a hotel With just 57 rooms (including nine suites) it is the smallest hotel for the Four Seasons brand and has a unique character that makes it a favorite stay in Tokyo for international business executives and other well-heeled guests Set in a rather unlikely location on the Yaesu side of Tokyo Station (great if you have plans to use the station or want to be near the Marunouchi business district) the hotel occupies floors 3~7 of the 32-story Pacific Century Place defiant of the tendency for five-star hotels in skyscrapers to be perched on the highest floors This setting affords all of the rooms a dynamic close-range view of the bullet-train tracks of Tokyo Station a dream view for railway fanatics as well as parents who find that their kids can occupy themselves for hours just watching the trains come and go and perhaps jaded five-star travelers who are tired of more typical Tokyo skyline views The renowned Canadian interior designer Glenn Pushelberg has created a modern interior for the hotel that is plush and welcoming but with a touch of artistic edge an alluring balance of style and comfort

Being such a small and intimate hotel there is only one restaurant the appropriately named all-day dining ldquoekki BAR amp GRILLrdquo on the seventh floor ldquoEkkirdquo means ldquostationrdquo in Japanese and like the hotel rooms floor to ceiling windows all along one side of the restaurant offer views of the train tracks The restaurant has the air of an uber-stylish high-end diner upscale but easy-going Charcoal grey sofa seats and dark brown zebrawood tables set a chic color tone accented with chairs upholstered in lime green One may not usually come up with the Four Seasons when thinking of a place for a casual dinner but it is actually a very convenient place to know about for business or personal occasions in the Marunouchi-Tokyo area (itrsquos also perhaps not as expensive as one might expect)

The current menu is the first to be presented by Head Chef Sotiris Ananiadis who just arrived at ekki this summer Chef Ananiadis is an affable young chef originally from Greece with training in Michelin-starred restaurants in France as well as experience at the Four Seasons Beirut and other hotels in such exotic places as the Maldives This is his first time in Japan and the menu offers an eclectic selection of contemporary international fare with emphasis on fresh Japanese products He

personally sources the fish on the menu from the Tsukiji market as represented on the menu by the ldquoTsukiji Market assorted sashimi platerdquo The menu is not extensive but there is surely something for every mood ranging from delicate dishes such a ldquofoie gras torchon with champagne jellyrdquo to hearty pastas vegetable curry and ldquowagyu burgerrdquo (with truffle mayonnaise)

The menu is big on ldquofreshrdquo with five kinds of salad each very distinct On my visit I decided to try the ldquoGreek Salad- presented in a bentordquo which is basically the ingredients of a Greek salad all presented separately lined up immaculately in multiple porcelain boxes At first glance it made me wonder what the point of the dish was but

8 INSIGHT ISSUE 12

9INSIGHT ISSUE 13

the pure taste of the various kinds of tomatoes and selection of different olive oil answered for itself ldquoQuick seared langoustinerdquo was plump sweet and succulent and five of these precious shellfish was a generous number for a single serving Seafood risotto which the chef personally recommended was divided among four of us at the table and was just the right amount for a dish in a multiple course meal another testament to the generous portion size (I confirmed that it was indeed one portion that was shared) ldquoOven baked turbot with Dried Fruits Crustrdquo for my main was also nicely done picture-perfect on a well-heated plate Overall the cuisine is all expertly prepared and of a good

hearty size and although presented beautifully with intricate garnishes and sauces is not very fussy to eat which is a big plus for business occasions

As for wine ekki has a boutique New World wine list and is also currently doing a promotion of Australiarsquos Penfolds for which they offer several kinds by the glass including the legendary ldquoGrangerdquo (2006) After champagne and a nice Chardonnay from the Penfolds list the main wine of the night selected for us was ldquoDeaf Galah 2011rdquo from McLaren Vale a blend of Shiraz Grenache Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo It had been a while since I had a good fruit bomb of a wine and the Deaf Galah reminded me of how delicious (and fun) they can

be If yoursquore ever in the mood for fine dining with great New World wines ekkirsquos boutique selection is sure to please

The choose-everything-yourself dinner courses at ekki start from 5800 yen ndash your selection of one appetizer main and dessert from the menu inclusive of coffee ndash which makes it a surprisingly good deal considering the superior service quality of food and elegant setting Ekki has two private rooms in the back a wonderful venue for a special occasion that will surely impress guests The smaller one can cater to 16-25 guests while the bigger one can handle up to 60 guests The rooms have double flat-screen displays hidden inside the cushioned wall making them well equipped for business meetings Afternoon tea is also a specialty of ekki and judging from the selection of intricately prepared plates of desserts I sampled including a lemon-grass scented pannacotta raspberry cake and earl grey macaron it should be pretty amazing

Ekki BAR amp GRILLFour Seasons Hotel Marunouchi 7th floor1-11-1 Pacific Century Place Marunouchi Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 100-6277 Tel 03-5222-7222

Breakfast 630am ndash 1030amLunch 1130am ndash 230pmBrunch (Saturday and Sunday)1130am ndash 200pmAfternoon tea (Monday to Friday)200pm ndash 500pmAfternoon tea (Saturday and Sunday)230pm ndash 500pmDinner 530pm ndash 1000pm

wwwfourseasonscommarunouchi

FOOD

9INSIGHT ISSUE 13

the pure taste of the various kinds of tomatoes and selection of different olive oil answered for itself ldquoQuick seared langoustinerdquo was plump sweet and succulent and five of these precious shellfish was a generous number for a single serving Seafood risotto which the chef personally recommended was divided among four of us at the table and was just the right amount for a dish in a multiple course meal another testament to the generous portion size (I confirmed that it was indeed one portion that was shared) ldquoOven baked turbot with Dried Fruits Crustrdquo for my main was also nicely done picture-perfect on a well-heated plate Overall the cuisine is all expertly prepared and of a good

hearty size and although presented beautifully with intricate garnishes and sauces is not very fussy to eat which is a big plus for business occasions

As for wine ekki has a boutique New World wine list and is also currently doing a promotion of Australiarsquos Penfolds for which they offer several kinds by the glass including the legendary ldquoGrangerdquo (2006) After champagne and a nice Chardonnay from the Penfolds list the main wine of the night selected for us was ldquoDeaf Galah 2011rdquo from McLaren Vale a blend of Shiraz Grenache Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo It had been a while since I had a good fruit bomb of a wine and the Deaf Galah reminded me of how delicious (and fun) they can

be If yoursquore ever in the mood for fine dining with great New World wines ekkirsquos boutique selection is sure to please

The choose-everything-yourself dinner courses at ekki start from 5800 yen ndash your selection of one appetizer main and dessert from the menu inclusive of coffee ndash which makes it a surprisingly good deal considering the superior service quality of food and elegant setting Ekki has two private rooms in the back a wonderful venue for a special occasion that will surely impress guests The smaller one can cater to 16-25 guests while the bigger one can handle up to 60 guests The rooms have double flat-screen displays hidden inside the cushioned wall making them well equipped for business meetings Afternoon tea is also a specialty of ekki and judging from the selection of intricately prepared plates of desserts I sampled including a lemon-grass scented pannacotta raspberry cake and earl grey macaron it should be pretty amazing

Ekki BAR amp GRILLFour Seasons Hotel Marunouchi 7th floor1-11-1 Pacific Century Place Marunouchi Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 100-6277 Tel 03-5222-7222

Breakfast 630am ndash 1030amLunch 1130am ndash 230pmBrunch (Saturday and Sunday)1130am ndash 200pmAfternoon tea (Monday to Friday)200pm ndash 500pmAfternoon tea (Saturday and Sunday)230pm ndash 500pmDinner 530pm ndash 1000pm

wwwfourseasonscommarunouchi

FOOD

ENTERTAINMENT

10 INSIGHT ISSUE 13

Communities in northeastern Japan are still struggling to come to terms with last yearrsquos compound disasters But what about the children of the region Are they able to move on and look ahead to the future That is the question behind the upcoming short documentary ldquoKore Karardquo (meaning ldquofrom now onrdquo in Japanese)

11INSIGHT ISSUE 13

The 30-minute film brings together profiles of children and teens living in Kesennuma Miyagi Prefecture one of the many areas that were hit hard by the March 11 tsunami

ldquoOriginally the purpose of the film was to point out the necessity for more attention to childrenrsquos needs and counseling following a natural disasterrdquo says Tokyo-based journalist Kevin Mcgue who is producing the film ldquoBut after meeting some kids in the affected areas we discovered they have a powerful message to share not only with other children in Japan but with the worldrdquo

The focus of the documentary changed to a more positive stance Rather than having the children recount their traumatic experiences of March 11 2011 the filmmakers asked them to talk about their hopes and dreams for the future

ldquoMeeting these brave kids was an eye openerrdquo says director Ivy Oldford ldquoMost of the responses we got from them were different from what I expectedmdashin a good wayrdquo Having survived the disaster many of the children express wishes to become nurses or rescue workers in order to help others

Despite living in an area that is still rebuilding more than a year after the devastating tsunami the children featured

in the film urge a positive attitude ldquoI want people to treasure each dayrdquo says a high school student in the film ldquoPeople want to put things off until tomorrow but for some people lsquotomorrowrsquo didnrsquot come because of the natural disaster So you have to value todayrdquo

The filmmakers plan to make the documentary available with multilingual subtitles to schools both in Japan and around the world They hope teachers can share with their students the powerful message that even the youngest members of society can overcome a natural disaster and see beyond to the bright future they create for themselves

The filmmakers also plan to hold screenings in affected areas in Tohoku and in Tokyo They are raising funds to cover costs relating to holding screenings and making DVDs and teacher guides at httpwwwindiegogocomkorekaraproject

Screenings are planned for Tokyo in December and January Screening dates will be posted on the Facebook page as they are set

ENTERTAINMENT

For more information on the documentary visit wwwfacebookcomkorekaraproject

11INSIGHT ISSUE 13

The 30-minute film brings together profiles of children and teens living in Kesennuma Miyagi Prefecture one of the many areas that were hit hard by the March 11 tsunami

ldquoOriginally the purpose of the film was to point out the necessity for more attention to childrenrsquos needs and counseling following a natural disasterrdquo says Tokyo-based journalist Kevin Mcgue who is producing the film ldquoBut after meeting some kids in the affected areas we discovered they have a powerful message to share not only with other children in Japan but with the worldrdquo

The focus of the documentary changed to a more positive stance Rather than having the children recount their traumatic experiences of March 11 2011 the filmmakers asked them to talk about their hopes and dreams for the future

ldquoMeeting these brave kids was an eye openerrdquo says director Ivy Oldford ldquoMost of the responses we got from them were different from what I expectedmdashin a good wayrdquo Having survived the disaster many of the children express wishes to become nurses or rescue workers in order to help others

Despite living in an area that is still rebuilding more than a year after the devastating tsunami the children featured

in the film urge a positive attitude ldquoI want people to treasure each dayrdquo says a high school student in the film ldquoPeople want to put things off until tomorrow but for some people lsquotomorrowrsquo didnrsquot come because of the natural disaster So you have to value todayrdquo

The filmmakers plan to make the documentary available with multilingual subtitles to schools both in Japan and around the world They hope teachers can share with their students the powerful message that even the youngest members of society can overcome a natural disaster and see beyond to the bright future they create for themselves

The filmmakers also plan to hold screenings in affected areas in Tohoku and in Tokyo They are raising funds to cover costs relating to holding screenings and making DVDs and teacher guides at httpwwwindiegogocomkorekaraproject

Screenings are planned for Tokyo in December and January Screening dates will be posted on the Facebook page as they are set

ENTERTAINMENT

For more information on the documentary visit wwwfacebookcomkorekaraproject

OPINIONSA Japanese suicideBY KEN SEEROIKen Seeroi is a professional writer photographer and occasional English teacher living in Japan

I met Shun and Makiko one morning as I was standing in front of my apartment drinking coffee and wondering what the hell I was doing with my life teaching English in Japan When they came out of the apartment two doors down from me they introduced themselves and we small-talked for a bit Then they went off to go clam digging but not before inviting me to dinner that Friday night

If you live in Japan you know just how rare this is People go decades without ever speaking to their neighbors and to be invited into someonersquos home is nothing short of miraculous Soon we were hanging out a couple times a week Irsquod go over to their apartment for curry and beer theyrsquod come to mine for shochu and this dried octopus I buy at the convenience store Once in a while Shun and I would go out together and hit a cheap izakaya Shun and Makiko also had a two year-old daughter named Ai-chan who used to scramble to high-five me every time we met

This went on for a few months until I decided I ought to actually attempt cooking something in return for all the delicious food Makiko had been making I figured Irsquod invite them over the next time I ran into them Only problem

was I didnrsquot see them for a good three weeks I was a bit concerned Wersquod been planning to go to karaoke together

Around midnight on a Saturday just as I was wondering if it was worth crawling all the way to the fridge for another beer the doorbell rang I got up and there was Shun

ldquoHey howrsquos it goingrdquo I said ldquoHavenrsquot seen you in a whilerdquo

ldquoYeahrdquo he said as he stepped in and took off his shoes I could see that something was wrong

ldquoIrsquoll get you a beerrdquo I said ldquoWhatrsquos up

ldquoYou got the landlordrsquos phone numberrdquo

ldquoYeah somewhere in this pile of papers Grab a seatrdquo

He sat on the floor with his beer ldquoWherersquod your little table gordquo he asked Then ldquoYou

seen Makiko latelyrdquoldquoNo whyrdquo I said ldquoI havenrsquot

seen either of you in foreverrdquoldquoI hope shersquos not deadrdquo he

said He dialed the landlord ldquoHersquos not answeringrdquo he said

ldquoWell itrsquos after midnight Dead Why Dude Makikorsquos not deadrdquo

It turned out theyrsquod had a fight a week ago and Shun had packed his bags and left for his motherrsquos house I was like ldquoDonrsquot you have a keyrdquo and he looked thoughtful and said ldquoI was pissed so I gave it back to herrdquo Then apparently little Ai-chan had been dropped off at her grandmotherrsquos house three days ago and no one had heard from Makiko since

We went outside and looked at the door ldquoDoesnrsquot it smell kind of funnyrdquo Shun asked We sniffed at the exhaust fan ldquoI dunnordquo I said ldquomaybe itrsquos

garbage or somethingrdquo We went back into my place then out to the balcony He only lived two doors away I stood up on my air-conditioning unit and looked around the partition If you stepped onto the railing you could hold onto the partition and swing around to the next apartment Do that twice and yoursquod be there I looked down four floors to the ground and reflected on the small pile of beer cans Irsquod just drunk It was really high

ldquoMaybe we should call the copsrdquo I said and stepped down Shun got onto the air conditioner and stood there for a moment Then without a word he stepped onto the railing and balanced there I thought itrsquod looked dicey before but when I saw him up there it was way worse If he fell hersquod be dead for sure

He twisted his body around the partition and dropped onto the nextdoor neighborrsquos porch then began working his way onto his own balcony It occurred to me that maybe the sliding glass door wouldnrsquot even be open

ldquoCan you get inrdquo I yelledldquoHang onrdquo he said ldquoItrsquos

dark I think I see herrdquoldquoOpen the front doorrdquo I

said ldquoWhen you get in open the front doorrdquo

I went inside then out my own front door In about one second the door to Shunrsquos place flew open and he fell out screaming ldquoShersquos dead Shersquos deadrdquo He dropped to the concrete as I caught him saying ldquoNo she canrsquot be Howrsquos that possiblerdquo He was crying and shaking ldquoI thought she was asleep Shersquos cold shersquos coldrdquo I held him in my arms and he wouldnrsquot stop

crying just wailing I was like what do I say in Japanese What would I even say in English I know Japanese stuff like ldquowell thatrsquos too badrdquo for when your bike gets a flat tire or ldquoIrsquom sorry to hear about your lossrdquo for when your granny dies but what do you say to a guy when his wifersquos just committed suicide I said nothing

Shun was babbling and almost incoherent and suddenly seemed to be all wet and I wondered if it was tears sweat or hersquod peed himself ldquoCall the policerdquo he said I was shaking so badly I could hardly hold my phone

ldquoWhatrsquos the numberrdquo I stammered ldquoThe number whatrsquos the numberrdquo

ldquo119rdquo he said which in Japanese sounds like ten-one-nine I knew that I started to dial

ldquoWhere the hellrsquos the ten buttonrdquo I cried ldquoI canrsquot find the ten buttonrdquo I was shaking like mad Then I thought maybe Irsquod made a mistake in my Japanese so I tried to calm down and check my numbers Shun and I are laying on the concrete and hersquos pale and wet and crying and Irsquove got my left arm tightly around him and a phone in my right hand and Irsquom counting One two three four five until I get to ten and I still canrsquot figure out where the hell the ten button is so I start over again One two three

ldquoI donrsquot know how to dial the phonerdquo I said I pressed it into his hand and he managed to get it dialed and passed it back A police dispatcher answered Suddenly I didnrsquot know what to say again

ldquoHellordquo I said Then ldquoTherersquos a dead personrdquo

ldquoWhatrsquos the personrsquos namerdquo she asked I couldnrsquot remember so I told her who I was ldquoWhatrsquos your locationrdquo she said I couldnrsquot remember

ldquoJapanrdquo I said

OPINIONS

INSIGHT ISSUE 1112

ldquoThey bagged up all of Makikorsquos clothes and possessions and laid them among the trash And then it was like shersquod never existedrdquo

Japanese Emergency ResponseShun and I were still laying there when the paramedics ran up the stairs followed shortly by the police Soon there was a swarm of stretchers oxygen masks medical bags and police of every sort

You know unless you live near a row of bars which I didnrsquot Japanrsquos really quiet at night I could only imagine what the neighbors were thinking with all the sirens and police and ambulance crews A policeman squatted down beside us and started asking questions This went on for about 10 minutes and I knew a solid hundred people in the neighboring apartments could hear every word A lot of the questions were personal and for the first time it occurred to me that this was a criminal investigation I thought shouldnrsquot this be happening at the police station Instead we were just collapsed in a heap on the concrete I was a mess Shun was a disaster

Finally I said letrsquos at least take this into my apartment The policeman said nothing but kept asking questions for another 20 minutes Other cops came by and asked things Shersquod been holding her phone and texting someone when she died Who was that person Wherersquod she gotten the pills she took The ambulance crew went in and out and the medical examiner arrived to take away the body I suggested moving into my apartment again and finally the suggestion took Wersquod been outside for nearly an hour in a crumpled pile on the concrete

When we got inside it occurred to me I had a different problem My place was a holy mess There were dishes in the sink and little stacks of garbage and empty beer cans and everywhere were enormous piles of laundry Soon a dozen police

were in and out asking every possible question of Shun and me What time did Shun arrive Why didnrsquot he have a key How long had she been depressed Was there infidelity How had he broken into the apartment How many beers had we had This went on for hours sitting on my floor

Somewhere around 4 am things got a bit stranger Makikorsquos parents showed up Shun broke down when he saw them and with tears streaming down his face got on his hands and knees and bent his head to the ground apologizing over and over Her parents were crying I was crying The policeman was sitting there with his notebook and he was crying I started madly stuffing laundry into the closet and put on some tea I looked in my cabinet and all I could find was one tea cup a plastic McDonaldrsquos glass three wine glasses and a Rirakuma coffee mug so thatrsquos how everyone got their tea

Then Makikorsquos other children showed up Other children Apparently shersquod been married before and had two children aged seven and 12 They were bawling having been woken in the middle of the night to the news that their mother had killed herself I gave them wine glasses full of tea Shunrsquos mother showed up I gave her a beer mug full of tea

Sometime after dawn everyone left except Shun who asked if he could stay We unfolded the futon and passed out When I woke up a couple hours later he was gone

The Morning AfterI stepped out on the porch Christ it was a beautiful day This is where Irsquod met them a few months ago and now Makiko was dead I felt like hell I decided to go for a run to clear my head The night before therersquod been an emergency roomrsquos worth of

medical devices on the porch along with every type of police and medical personnel yoursquod ever imagined Now it was all gone except for a small flyer for a pizza place laying in front of the apartment where they used to live

It was so strange Theyrsquod cleaned everything up except for this one ad for a pizza joint I picked it up I couldnrsquot believe theyrsquod never live there again My friends were gone For some strange reason I tried the door handle and it turned I opened the door

Surprise party Everyone was in the apartment ldquoHellordquo they all happily shouted at once and Shun jumped up and ran to me ldquoCome in come inrdquo he said Holy Christ I closed the door Shun opened the door and grabbed me by the arm ldquoEveryonersquos waiting for yourdquo he said Everyone was in black suits I looked down and all I could see were my bare legs and these tiny running shorts I went in and everyone was smiling I was still holding the flyer for the pizza place since I didnrsquot have any pockets in my shorts I looked down again and to my shock there was Makiko laying dead on a futon in the middle of the room Shouldnrsquot the coroner have taken her away Why the hell was she still there She did not look very good

ldquoWersquore putting make-up on her nowrdquo said Makikorsquos mother Irsquod never noticed how many earrings Makiko had before

ldquoThatrsquos uh goodrdquo I said Again I had no idea what to say

Somehow theyrsquod run out in the early hours of the morning and already gotten a glossy 8times12 framed portrait of Makiko and laid it by her head then whipped up a bowl of her favorite meat stew and placed it beside here along with a bowl of rice It wasnrsquot even 10 am yet A pair of chopsticks were sticking straight up from the rice

ldquoCome and sit beside herrdquo said Shun That was about the last thing I wanted to do but as I had no choice I knelt beside her dead body with my running shorts and pizza flyer and looked at her and her family and wanted to cry But since no one else was I didnrsquot The whole thing was already weird enough Everyone thanked me incessantly for the use of my apartment the previous night After half an hour I made my goodbyes I couldnrsquot figure what else to do so I went for a run by the river Such a beautiful sunny day

Makikorsquos body lay there for another two days until they finally carried her away surrounded by flowers Shun said he didnrsquot sleep the entire time He was wracked with guilt He started cutting his arms with razor blades He must have had a hundred cuts all up and down them

Then on the third day they started cleaning the place out They threw away everything and I mean everything Makikorsquos parents came by and gave me a case of beer Shun gave me their microwave and a bunch of dishes including some tea cups I figured those would come in handy It took them exactly two days to throw out all the furniture appliances and traces of their life and then clean the place

After it was done I went into the apartment and it looked like nothing had ever happened All that was left was an enormous pile of trash in front of the building No sentimentality no mementos They bagged up all of Makikorsquos clothes and possessions and laid them among the trash And then it was like shersquod never existed

OPINIONS

INSIGHT ISSUE 11 13

Japanese Emergency ResponseShun and I were still laying there when the paramedics ran up the stairs followed shortly by the police Soon there was a swarm of stretchers oxygen masks medical bags and police of every sort

You know unless you live near a row of bars which I didnrsquot Japanrsquos really quiet at night I could only imagine what the neighbors were thinking with all the sirens and police and ambulance crews A policeman squatted down beside us and started asking questions This went on for about 10 minutes and I knew a solid hundred people in the neighboring apartments could hear every word A lot of the questions were personal and for the first time it occurred to me that this was a criminal investigation I thought shouldnrsquot this be happening at the police station Instead we were just collapsed in a heap on the concrete I was a mess Shun was a disaster

Finally I said letrsquos at least take this into my apartment The policeman said nothing but kept asking questions for another 20 minutes Other cops came by and asked things Shersquod been holding her phone and texting someone when she died Who was that person Wherersquod she gotten the pills she took The ambulance crew went in and out and the medical examiner arrived to take away the body I suggested moving into my apartment again and finally the suggestion took Wersquod been outside for nearly an hour in a crumpled pile on the concrete

When we got inside it occurred to me I had a different problem My place was a holy mess There were dishes in the sink and little stacks of garbage and empty beer cans and everywhere were enormous piles of laundry Soon a dozen police

were in and out asking every possible question of Shun and me What time did Shun arrive Why didnrsquot he have a key How long had she been depressed Was there infidelity How had he broken into the apartment How many beers had we had This went on for hours sitting on my floor

Somewhere around 4 am things got a bit stranger Makikorsquos parents showed up Shun broke down when he saw them and with tears streaming down his face got on his hands and knees and bent his head to the ground apologizing over and over Her parents were crying I was crying The policeman was sitting there with his notebook and he was crying I started madly stuffing laundry into the closet and put on some tea I looked in my cabinet and all I could find was one tea cup a plastic McDonaldrsquos glass three wine glasses and a Rirakuma coffee mug so thatrsquos how everyone got their tea

Then Makikorsquos other children showed up Other children Apparently shersquod been married before and had two children aged seven and 12 They were bawling having been woken in the middle of the night to the news that their mother had killed herself I gave them wine glasses full of tea Shunrsquos mother showed up I gave her a beer mug full of tea

Sometime after dawn everyone left except Shun who asked if he could stay We unfolded the futon and passed out When I woke up a couple hours later he was gone

The Morning AfterI stepped out on the porch Christ it was a beautiful day This is where Irsquod met them a few months ago and now Makiko was dead I felt like hell I decided to go for a run to clear my head The night before therersquod been an emergency roomrsquos worth of

medical devices on the porch along with every type of police and medical personnel yoursquod ever imagined Now it was all gone except for a small flyer for a pizza place laying in front of the apartment where they used to live

It was so strange Theyrsquod cleaned everything up except for this one ad for a pizza joint I picked it up I couldnrsquot believe theyrsquod never live there again My friends were gone For some strange reason I tried the door handle and it turned I opened the door

Surprise party Everyone was in the apartment ldquoHellordquo they all happily shouted at once and Shun jumped up and ran to me ldquoCome in come inrdquo he said Holy Christ I closed the door Shun opened the door and grabbed me by the arm ldquoEveryonersquos waiting for yourdquo he said Everyone was in black suits I looked down and all I could see were my bare legs and these tiny running shorts I went in and everyone was smiling I was still holding the flyer for the pizza place since I didnrsquot have any pockets in my shorts I looked down again and to my shock there was Makiko laying dead on a futon in the middle of the room Shouldnrsquot the coroner have taken her away Why the hell was she still there She did not look very good

ldquoWersquore putting make-up on her nowrdquo said Makikorsquos mother Irsquod never noticed how many earrings Makiko had before

ldquoThatrsquos uh goodrdquo I said Again I had no idea what to say

Somehow theyrsquod run out in the early hours of the morning and already gotten a glossy 8times12 framed portrait of Makiko and laid it by her head then whipped up a bowl of her favorite meat stew and placed it beside here along with a bowl of rice It wasnrsquot even 10 am yet A pair of chopsticks were sticking straight up from the rice

ldquoCome and sit beside herrdquo said Shun That was about the last thing I wanted to do but as I had no choice I knelt beside her dead body with my running shorts and pizza flyer and looked at her and her family and wanted to cry But since no one else was I didnrsquot The whole thing was already weird enough Everyone thanked me incessantly for the use of my apartment the previous night After half an hour I made my goodbyes I couldnrsquot figure what else to do so I went for a run by the river Such a beautiful sunny day

Makikorsquos body lay there for another two days until they finally carried her away surrounded by flowers Shun said he didnrsquot sleep the entire time He was wracked with guilt He started cutting his arms with razor blades He must have had a hundred cuts all up and down them

Then on the third day they started cleaning the place out They threw away everything and I mean everything Makikorsquos parents came by and gave me a case of beer Shun gave me their microwave and a bunch of dishes including some tea cups I figured those would come in handy It took them exactly two days to throw out all the furniture appliances and traces of their life and then clean the place

After it was done I went into the apartment and it looked like nothing had ever happened All that was left was an enormous pile of trash in front of the building No sentimentality no mementos They bagged up all of Makikorsquos clothes and possessions and laid them among the trash And then it was like shersquod never existed

OPINIONS

INSIGHT ISSUE 11 13