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A note from the KI Difficult Stuff We're Glad We Don't Have to Decide by Ourselves Desk (merged with the Laziness Desk due to budget cuts): Japanese treatment of those suspected of a crime but not yet charged nor under trial has received much attention as former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn is investigated for alleged financial irregularities.
Japanese law sets detention limits for a suspect of 23 days. However, authorities can add further charges with fresh warrants, meaning a person can be detained indefinitely if a court approves it, which they usually do, so prosecutors string out charges one by one. This means that most arrested in Japan are incarcerated until their trial (a period during which stress has likely led to a guilty plea).
Kumanichi reports that Kumamoto has in the past few years quite diverged from national trends as local courts are more willing to allow those under charge to be released from detention while awaiting trial. The article notes that this trend has not been without harm - some released have committed further crimes while awaiting trial. The counter argument is how many innocent languish in jail while awaiting trial (and, this being Japan, is invariably a long time).
This article contains much interesting vocabulary, so fire up your Google Translate and Weblio. The blue line on the graph represents an all-Japan average of those released from jail while under investigation, and the yellow that of Kumamoto. And, as much as we all hate the uber-rich, give a thought to Gohsn. What if he's innocent? - William
容疑者の勾留却下率、初の１割超え　熊本県内の裁判所、全国で突出 - 熊本日日新聞 ｜ This kiji is
　警察や検察が逮捕した容疑者を取り調べるため、検察が容疑者の身柄を拘束するよう裁判所に求める「勾留請求」を、熊本県内の裁判所が認めなかった「却下率」が２０１７年の１年間で１０・６７％と、全国平均の４・...

A reminder about the collaboration concert of several Kumamoto musicians, "Concert in the Woods", to be held near the home of our friend, Jeff Cairns, near the entrance to the Kimpozan hiking trail, on Saturday, 12/8. A collaborating organizer, Richard Gilbert, posted recently of a donated piano. I'll コピペ his post below:
"Ahead of our upcoming Concert in the Woods (December 8), we were propitiously (and gratefully) donated a 38-year-old Kawai Diapason upright, through a lengthy search by Jeff Cairns (many pianos were destroyed, sold or given away after the Kumamoto earthquakes a couple of years ago). "Dia" has now been lovingly and expertly maintained and tuned by Furusyo Syoryu, and will be played by Keiko Shiga in our first live and recorded event. There is a feeling of our piano as a living being. In the event, the Greek goddess *Dia* ("heavenly," "divine," "the heavenly one") seems suitable. Our thanks to all involved in making this happen. Our Dia lives."
The weather is forecast to be cool but clear. If you do not have a car, quickly make friends with someone who does. This is not to be missed. - William

Earlier today I was looking at some TV shows I had recorded and saw a report about Chris Broad, a popular vlogger, coming to Kumamoto. As far as I can see, his video about Kumamoto hasn't been uploaded yet but I found his YouTube site (Abroad in Japan), which has over a million (!!!) subscribers:
https://www.youtube.com/user/cmbroad44/videos
While I was looking for Mr. Broad's video about Kumamoto I came across this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JjjfsicBvY
This video by Feel Fukuoka Japan hasn't had a million views but it's had over 100,000, which is pretty darn good.
If I ever find the Chris Broad video about Kumamoto, I'll try to post about it. Or, if any of you happen across it before I find it, I'd appreciate it if you'd post about it here.
-- Kirk
Trip to Kumamoto in Japan
Kumamoto City, situated roughly in the center of Kumamoto Prefecture, is the government and economic center of the prefecture. It has a population of over 73...

Anchorage, Alaska saw quakes similar to Kumamoto's this morning except reversed - a M7 followed by a M6.5. Froｍ the photos, I realized how lucky we were in comparison: look at that snow! This poor guy will require some time to recover his car. Our thoughts go out to them - William

Here's a bit of news (with a video in Japanese) about the activities of the Kumamoto Jikei Hospital, which is known internationally for the "baby hatch" it has established to save the lives of babies that might otherwise be abandoned by their mothers. First of all, if you are unfamiliar with what the people at Jikei Hospital have been doing, here's a link to a set of Japan Times articles to help you catch up.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/tag/jikei-hospital/
Now, here's the news. A variety of Japanese media are reporting that an international association (The IABB --> International Association of Baby Boxes) has been established and that a web site ("HP") has been built for the association. Though nothing is said in the reports that I've seen about the site being multilingual, I thought that the site might have an English side that I could introduce on this page.
So, I searched, and searched, and . . . well, you get the idea . . . I came up more-or-less empty handed. I was able to find lots of web-based articles that introduce the new web page as their main story -- but NONE of them include a URL! The failure of Japanese news organizations to provide links -- even when the whole point of the news article is to introduce a web site -- never ceases to amaze me.
It was just last month when I had a similar problem finding the web site about tattoo-friendly onsen in Oita that was discussed in an NHK news report:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/2168270769913010
I was ultimately able to get the URL by sending an e-mall to the organization that was mentioned in the story.
Sigh . . .
-- Kirk
P.S. Here's a link to an NHK article about the new baby box website (which doesn't contain a link to it, of course):
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/kumamoto/20181121/5000003947.html
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20181129-00000005-rkkv-l43
ベビーボックス国際団体がＨＰ開設（RKK熊本放送） - Yahoo!ニュース
親が育てられない赤ちゃんを預かる「ベビーボックス」いわゆる「赤ちゃんポスト」の国 - Yahoo!ニュース(RKK熊本放送)

When my kids were growing up, we were blessed with who we called "tonari no ojisan" (the old guy next door). My kids being bereft of grandparents in Japan, he fulfilled that roll to such an extent that I rigged a calling system between our houses so that he could just push a button and I'd be there to help. He became family.
He had a fascinating history. A whiz at mathematics, he was dispatched during the war to the commissary division, but eventually found himself outflanked by allied forces. He talked about how he had to survive on an island by eating insects while isolated as the war enveloped all north of him. (My kids are good at the abacus thanks to him.) He later became a guard for the emperor.
As part of that personality trait, he was a compulsive gambler, and I'd oft see him heading for the keirin (競輪、bicycle racing) bus. Along with pachinko and a few other exotic species, keirin is one of the myriad of ways Japanese can gamble.
Kumanichi reports that repairs to the Kumamoto velodrome, located in the Suizenji athletic park area, have commenced, but will cost ¥ 2.9 billion. That's about ¥ 2.8 billion more than I have. This includes shrinking the veledrome's stands to add more greenery and parking. This Kumanichi article gives details. Tonari no Ojichan always knew his gambling habit was problematic (when he won, he'd give us a melon, but that was rare). I think he would have approved of this. - William
熊本競輪場、再開は21年末以降　雨水処理が検討課題に - 熊本日日新聞 ｜ This kiji is
熊本地震で被害を受けた熊本競輪場。２年が経過してもバンクにはひび割れが目立っていた＝５月、熊本市中央区　熊本市は２８日、熊本地震で被災した熊本競輪場（中央区水前寺）の事業再開が２０２１年１２月以降にず...

New Years is fast approaching, and with it market festivals. Here are two that are musts.
Most are familiar with Kokai Shotengai. It began as a market for lower-class samurai in the Edo era (Kokai Bridge didn't exist then, but it was a "watariba" (渡場 - a location for poled ferries) connecting their lower-class housing with the higher-class east side of Shirakawa; it then thrived as a black market during the rationing period following WWII as a place where farmers could evade price controls by selling directly to the masses. The street maintains that scrappy atmosphere. Their festival will begin from 10:00 on Saturday, 12/1.
Tasaki Market （田崎市場, Tasaki Ichiba - photo below), the main market for produce and fish in Kumamoto, will hold their annual "Thanksgiving Fair" this Sunday, 12/2. As is usual with this market, it begins early, from 06:30, but will continue to the early afternoon (hint: be there at 06:30). If you've never visited this hidden gem, this is the time to do so. It's a rather lengthy but doable walk from the Tasaki terminus of the streetcar. Dress warmly. - William

Wow! There's a halal-certified food-processing facility in Amakusa! -- Kirk
Japanese firm tapping halal Japanese dishes in Singapore
Curetex Corp., a Japanese firm producing halal food at home, is using Singapore as a testbed to promote Japanese cuisine permissible under Islamic law as part of its efforts to expand sales of such food products in Japan and Southeast Asia.

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is something I'd always associated with military veterans and thus far removed from my life, but my response to the quakes has provided me an inkling as to the phenomenon. It is of course triggered by ground movement such as nearby construction that shakes the house. This morning, though, I noticed it could be triggered by mere sound: a vehicle producing sound in the same frequency as that preceding a large quake caused my arm hair to rise.
My response is subdued - I don't panic, my pulse rate doesn't rise, but I become instantly, intensely aware of my surroundings.
I'd like to hear similar stories from those who experienced the quakes. Please comment below. - William

This is not about Kumamoto but Takachiho is right on our border with Miyazaki. -- Kirk
Body found in river after 6 people killed at Miyazaki house：The Asahi Shimbun
TAKACHIHO, Miyazaki Prefecture--Police are investigating the deaths of seven people here as a possib

Today's Google Doodle caught my eye, so I checked it out. It was Fujita Tsuguharu (藤田 嗣治, ふじた つぐはる), apparently a famous painter who lived between 1886 and 1968. Particularly well-known for his paintings of cats and women, he spent 1913 - 1933 in Paris, enduring WWI there; a serious Francophile, he was naturalized French in 1955. He was also quite a funny-looking fellow.
The reason I mention this is, though he was born in Tokyo, he moved to Kumamoto with his family at age 7 and lived here for four years, attending Kumamoto University Fuzoku Elementary School. So there is a connection. His paintings are delightful; Google them. - William

Kumamoto's pop-up escape room is open again in December. You have one hour to solve the puzzles, break the codes and find all of the hidden treasures. Teams of 2-6 players must work together to escape before time runs out. Although there is some English reading involved, there are plenty of hints available along the way. So far, a Japanese family team and a team of English teachers share the lead, with a break-out time of 1 hour 3 minutes. No-one has managed to escape in under an hour...yet. There's a prize for the first team to do so!
The game costs 1000 yen per player (500 yen for elementary/junior high school students). There is a 20% discount available if you can send the answer to a puzzle with your booking. To make a reservation, check opening times or find out more information, please visit the ESCAPE FROM BRITZ Facebook page.
Fiona

Kumamoto Booklovers are still going strong, heading into our 15th year! This is what we'll be reading and talking about over our monthly dinners in 2019. New members are always welcome, just join the Kumamoto Booklovers Facebook group to keep up with what we're doing.
January City of Thieves, David Benoiff
February Reservoir 13, Jon McGregor
March Commonwealth, Ann Patchett
April In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
May The Last Samurai, Hellen DeWitt
June What it means when a man falls from the sky, Lesley Nneka Arimah
July Alias Grace, Margaret Atwood
September The Gangster We Are All Looking For, Lè Thi Diem Thúy
October My Year of Dirt and Water, Tracy Franz
November Clothes clothes clothes music music music boys boys boys, Viv Albertine
Fiona

Kirk had asked me about the photo of deer on the beach in Akune, and I thought the response deserved a separate post. A 15-minute walk from the JR Orange Line station will bring you to Shin Akune Port, from which a 10-minute ferry ride, uh, ferries you to the uninhabited Akune Ooshima. It's a rather large island but lacks water - hence, the "uninhabited" part. The island has been selected in both "Top 100 Coastal Pine Trees" and "Top 100 Beaches" sections of list-crazy Japan, but it's also home to a large number of deer who say,"Hey, Hal, do you wanna eat grass, or shall we visit the tourists on the beach, who will feed us unhealthy snacks?"
One can guess how Hal responds.
There are facilities on the island, including lodging, but they are highly seasonal, though the island is open year-round. A call to their tourist center might be wise before a visit. Info is at the link. - William
http://www.akune-oshima.com/

This video is of a TV show that was a prequel to a contest that was held today. I caught the end of it on NHK and was very impressed with the performance of the school from Yatsushiro. They won! You can get a taste of their winning technology about 19 minutes into this video.
I think the level of the competition is really amazing. The field is obviously moving forward quickly.
At any rate, congratulations to all Robocon Club members from Yatsushiro Kosen (熊本高等専門学校八代キャンパス)!
https://ynctdenken.web.fc2.com
-- Kirk
サイエンスZERO▽高専ロボコン直前SP 今年はロボット同士の華やかな空中戦！

Before expressway existence, the only way to travel between Kumamoto and Kagoshima was Route 3, an arduous journey in those days, and the small towns that dot that route - Ashikita, Minamata, Izumi, Akune, Sendai, Kushino - profited from the weary travelers. Of course, those days are long gone, and their other staples, farming and fishing, aren't doing much better. Except for a white elephant here and there, they're frozen in time - and losing their young rapidly.
Akune (阿久根) is particularly interesting. According to Wikipedia, the 「阿久」refers to the fisheries and the 「根」to the reefs. It was a popular way-stop, half-way between the cities, and with its onsen and beaches, often a destination in of itself. I recommend a visit; it is accessible by the JR Orange line. It was also important for the "hidden Christian" population in the Edo era. It's population, like other towns in the region, is plummeting.
I attend the Oe Lutheran church whose pastor, Tateno Sensei, is also responsible for the Akune church. Due to physical constraints limiting one to a single existential location, he's set up streaming video so that the handful of (mostly elderly) Lutherans remaining in Akune may join their Kumamoto brethren in worship on Sundays. This morning, he proudly announced an upgrade.
Technology will grow increasingly important in linking the elderly remaining in Japan's depopulated hinterland to its burgeoning cities. Below: Deer on a beach in Akune (obviously). - William

One has to be careful to distinguish between a butsudan (仏壇), generally an elaborate cabinet related to Buddhism used to pay respects to family members who have passed away; and a kamidana (神棚), spice rack-sized household altars related to Shinto used to enshrine a Shinto kami (god). Most every family - meaning extended - has the former, which is usually found at the house of its leading member, and when extended family member return "home," first is to pay respects there (even if you're not a family member, if you're close, it is considered polite); the latter is a bit more unusual and, in typical Shinto aesthetics, is very simple and hung high on a wall. Wikipedia has English-language articles on both for those interested. They're quite fascinating.
The reason I mention this is that the Kumamoto Prefecture Shinto Bureau (熊本県神社庁熊本) will be distributing free of charge 500 kamidana on a first-come, first-serve basis on December 2nd between 3:00 and 5:00 pm. The location is the former Mr. Donuts on Kamitori.
You may not need a kamidana and may want to spare them for those who do, but in addition, there will be a performance of gagaku (雅楽, traditional court music), a display of kamidana styles, and a DVD movie of Isejingu (伊勢神宮), the most sacred Shinto shrine, located in Mie Prefecture.
On a personal note, I'm not a big fan of Shintoism, finding it retaining much of the nationalism it acquired between the Meiji era through the end of the Pacific War - that is, it is tolerant of non-Japanese but not exactly welcoming. Below is a photo of the kamidana to be distributed (warning: to receive one, you'll have to fill out a "simple"questionnaire in Japanese), and more info can be found at the link. - William
https://www.facebook.com/%E7%86%8A%E6%9C%AC%E7%9C%8C%E7%A5%9E%E7%A4%BE%E5%BA%81%E7%86%8A%E6%9C%AC%E4%B8%89%E6%94%AF%E9%83%A8-1145788322169459/?__xts__[0]=68.ARCdkXlOmV0MDnzW7UUfhhi6zHewidimxfqkMHQzMveZy7dyTHMLKTQy8pVGRyzyvce6pMDM-7JgV4e62QAAWvUOixKeMUuKsqP33MNN4y_F788JMKY3L2SDdhf08c7bAOWX8NBr9Ynp4ymJ32B0gOjuOS2Oz8Ts2Nk3kE9u6n5KwItVTqOvto8IoJWbIOtHnlDSnZHalanmPnxZr0APGF4NlBFIyrpNDg-Hhh57x9XPUaRLvO9TAcosXXlQodxkOMcYruA6HVQwXlhhd6hixE9FcXa9vHFhG2j86NJ2tcqKNFg99XmguQ3-Da8Q8gaJx3IOrDYWT3b5QwBgNpxm8weD3w&eid=ARAy49eqnmwWeDf1fSuqZs2nTITxQ1PBiPyG14c68341ml8w9oL7xDjnkVzfacaE89kw9S73B2obPBmv

I'm not sure if Kumamoto is unusual, but it seems to have at least its share of nuts and kooks. The most famous case is Asahara Shoko, whose cult committed Japan's most infamous domestic terrorism attacks. Then there was the case of the "13-year-old girl [who] was suffocated by her father and a monk who were trying to expel an 'evil spirit'":
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/cultbustersgalactica/nakayamashingoshoshu-buddhist-cult-japan-deadly-ex-t983.html
That one struck quite close to home for me. The family's home was quite near ours and I had met the little girl in happier times.
Now this. :(
-- Kirk
------ Start quote ------
The LDP branch received the donation from a woman who heads a religious corporation based in Kumamoto Prefecture on Oct. 17, 2017, according to a 2017 political funding report of the LDP's branch in the Tokyo No. 11 constituency released by the metropolitan election administration commission on Nov. 21.
The Nagoya District Court ordered the religious body and its head in April 2012 to pay approximately 6.1 million yen in compensation to a woman for having the plaintiff pay a massive amount of money to the organization by telling her that she was possessed by the spirit of a miscarried or aborted fetus and fueling her concerns. The ruling pointed out that the practice was antisocial and illegal."
------ End quote ------
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20181122/p2a/00m/0na/011000c
LDP branch headed by ex-education minister received donation from 'psychic' - The Mainichi
TOKYO -- A ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) branch here headed by former education minister Hakubun Shimomura accepted 100,000 yen in a political

Now that the dilapidated housing across the street has been cleared, construction has started on a mansion all the neighbors agree is far too ambitious for the lot. As it will require a strong foundation, deep holes are being dug using a collection of monstrous machines which I'd seen before but didn't know the name of in any language. So I ventured over to ask.
The young worker who kindly responded to my beckoning said 「チヤック」- "chuck" -and, noticing my confusion, gave me its more formal name: 「全周回転機」(ぜんしゅうかいてんき). A somewhat prolonged Google search provided it's English translation: "casing rotator." (It's also called a "chuck" in English.) Basically, a huge pipe with teeth is lowered into a gigantic rotator to dig, and an immense crane drops a weight with a device at the tip that looks like a stork beak that snaps shut when it hits the bottom and is raised to empty its contents, and the process repeats. The casing will be left in place, filled with concrete, and - voila!- a foundation.
The problem is that it creates localized tremors equivalent to maybe M2 repeatedly, all day. My dog loathes earthquakes, so he is not a happy pup. Below is a schematic of the apparatus and links to a Youtube video of how it works and an English-language explanation. And I learned some new words today in two languages. - William
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=87&v=6MY7XqvoNcs
http://www.n-sharyo.co.jp/business/kiden_e/topic20120709.html

My favorite bakery, a shop called Biggi, which is run by a lady who learned her craft in Germany, bakes bread for these hungry athletes when they are in Kumamoto.
For more about the bakery:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1842977225775701
-- Kirk
German squad tests their 2020 pre-olympic training location in Japan
The 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo are less than 630 days away and a German squad traveled to Japan to test their Olympic pre-camp-location in Kumamoto, Japan. Kumamoto is located less than a two-hour…