Lets Japan

Game arcades gaining elderly gamers

MW — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:32:53 +0000

Game centers in Japan are making arcade-game-playing more comfortable for senior citizens and retirees. Almost a fourth of Japan’s population is over the age of 65, and amusement arcade operators are making changes to better accommodate the elderly.

A popular game among seniors is the "medal game" in which coins or tokens dropped into the machine may eventually push jackpot coins over the inner rim and out to the player.

Namcoland Aeon in Kyoto has access restrictions. Those age 15 and under cannot enter after 6:00 P.M. unless accompanied by an adult, and anyone age 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult in order to play a medal game in its "medal corner". The arcade’s theme is "Amusements for three generations."

Namcoland Aeon’s aisles are wider to accommodate strollers and wheelchairs, there are no steps or other barriers, there are more chairs, and the outlet is easy to access from street level.

The in-store sound system volume has been lowered to make it easier for the elderly to hear and the text size has been enlarged on signs and displays.

The Namcoland Aeon staff has been instructed to speak clearly and to make the medal games more user friendly.

Some Adores game centers offer complimentary tea and sweets to customers over age 60 before 10 a.m. Free medal game credits to customers over the age of 60 are also offered by some Adores outlets. The chain also lends out blankets, gloves for wearing while playing medal games, and, if it’s started raining while the customer is inside, umbrellas, if the customer doesn’t have one for the return home.

Some of Konami’s latest arcade games have instructions in larger type to aid readability for senior citizens. Game instructions are also clearly indicated on the machines.

Many game centers have installed massage chairs, and provide reading glasses to customers upon request.

Other retail businesses are catering to the elderly market. The Ueshima coffee shops in Tokyo offers wider aisles an lower tables than the typical Starbucks, and Keio department store provides more chairs, and larger text on signs.

photos: wheelchair; crane games; taito-station; horse racing game; massage chairs.

Top 50 radiation-contaminated foods in Japan 2011

MW — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:58:27 +0000

Japan’s national provisional safety limit for levels of radioactive cesium in food is 500 becquerels per kilogram. Let’s Japan reviewed food-test data issued by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare covering the period from March 1, 2011 – Dec. 21, 2011.

Highest becquerels per kilogram levels

		Becquerels/kg
		Cesium-134	Cesium-137
1.	Spinach	20,000	20,000
2.	Hatsutake ♦	8000	11,000
3.	Sand lance ◊	7100	7300
4.	Broccoli	7000	6900
5.	Shiitake ♦ (dried)	6940	6940
6.	Shiitake ♦ (outdoor)	6400	6600
7.	Beef	4350	4350
8.	Shiitake ♦ (log-grown)	3600	3600
9.	Unrefined tea leaf	3000	3000
10.	Ayu ◊	2100	2300
11.	Parsley	2100	2110
12.	Turnip	2000	2100
13.	Komatsuna †	1700	1700
14.	Japanese mitten crab	1600	1700
15.	Bamboo shoot	1500	1600
16.	Maitake ♦	1300	1500
17.	Cabbage	1300	1400
18.	Yuzu ‡	1100	1300
19.	Refined tea leaf	959	1170
20.	Chestnuts	940	1100
21.	Pacific cod	800	800
22.	Sea urchin	640	640
23.	Wakame seaweed	590	610
24.	Hijiki seaweed	510	590
25.	Goya †	440	580
26.	Kakina †	555	555
27.	Stone flounder	480	550
28.	Cherry salmon	480	510
29.	Mizuna†	450	460
30.	Japanese smelt	410	460
31.	Hatake-shimeji ♦	380	440
32.	Greenling fish	380	400
33.	Ume ‡	360	400
34.	Japanese seabass	300	370
35.	Blue mussel	310	340
36.	Wheat	310	320
37.	Pomegranate	250	310
38.	Righteye flounder	240	290
39.	Sea cucumber	260	270
40.	Naratake ♦	128	155
41.	Nameko ♦ (log-grown)	171	134
42.	Oyster	88	120
43.	Fugu ◊	77	95
44.	Rice	79	84
45.	Buckwheat	71	78
46.	Pacific cod	65	77
47.	Kiwfruit	48	69
48.	Conger	44	63
49.	Sweet potato	39	41
50.	Horse mackerel	29	38
key	◊ fish
	‡ fruit
	† vegetable
	♦ mushroom Japanese mushrooms

photos: radiation measurement; cabbage protesters; checkpoint Minamisoma Fukushima; Fukushima relief effort fundraiser; tsunami destruction; produce-stand

Real life in Tokyo following Fukushima and the earthquake

MW — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 06:19:41 +0000

Shoppers in Tokyo, March 25, 2011

We’ve been having some troubles here in Japan. Maybe you’ve heard. I’ve written some articles about the earthquake and the coverage of the tsunami and the Fukushima nuclear reactors. You can read my reports here:

March 25, 2011
Op-Ed: Tokyo OK, foreign media’s sensational coverage shameful

March 16, 2011
US govt recommends 80 Km Fukushima evac zone; currently 30km

March 15, 2011
US agrees with reactor response ambassador in Tokyo says

March 15, 2011
Higher than normal radiation detected along Japan Pacific coast

March 14, 2011
Shielding possibly damaged by explosion at Fukushima No.2 Tuesday

March 14, 2011
Op-Ed: The earthquake aftermath in Tokyo

March 13, 2011
Rolling Blackouts Begin Monday in Tokyo

March 12, 2011
How I survived the Japanese earthquake

Queen’s Deceased Freddie Mercury Dubbed for Cup Noodle Ad

MW — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 13:25:17 +0000

Freddie Mercury, who was the lead vocalist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen, and who died in 1991, stars in a TV commercial in Japan for Nissin’s Cup Noodle instant ramen noodles. The commercial features Mercury’s performance of Queen’s "I Was Born to Love You" and a dubbed Japanese voice sings the lyrics. The lyrics have been changed and some of the words in the song have been replaced by "Cup Noodle" in English.

The dead-Freddie-Mercury-commercial follows Nissin’s recent airing of a TV commercial of Jon Bon Jovi in concert, singing "You Give Love a Bad Name", also dubbed and sung with altered lyrics in Japanese.