In an attempt to soften its image in the public's minds, the Yamaguchi-Gumi crime syndicate has signaled the start of a charm offensive with the unveiling of two mangaesque characters. It hopes that cuddly, big-eyed tween gangsters Yumi and Gumi will help people see the gang in a different light.
'At the moment, the public associate us with drug dealing, extortion and human trafficking', a spokesman said at a press conference yesterday, 'and this saddens us. By selling hand towels and document wallets with these two kawaii cuties on them, we hope to demonstrate the gentler side of organised crime.'
A variety of goods featuring Yumi and Gumi will go on sale next week in every convenience store in the country. Some chains were initially reluctant to stock the goods, but agreed to do so after several of their stores burnt down.
Sunday 27 February 2011
Tuesday 22 February 2011
Shikoku Hospital Opens Teen Hatch
Following the controversial opening in 2009 of a 'baby hatch' at a hospital in Kumamoto, Shikoku Prestige University Hospital in Matsuyama last week went one step further and opened a 'teen hatch', where parents can drop off their teenage children if they are having difficulty raising them.
'Many parents find it troublesome when their children grow up and cease to be cute,' explained hospital director Kenji Nakayama. 'In the current bad economic situation, the financial demands of bringing up a teenager can make the situation unmanageable, so we felt it necessary to provide this service for parents.'
There are separate hatches for girls and boys, disguised respectively as purikura and internet booths. In the first week after opening, three girls and fifty-eight boys were deposited; the girls have already started training as nurses at the hospital, while the boys were sent to Johnny's Jimusho talent agency.
Asked about the need to disguise the hatches, Nakayama said, 'Some teenagers may be suspicious of their parents' intentions at first, so the hatches were designed to appeal to their interests in order to win them over. I tested the system using my own two children, and while they were initially very distressed, I hear they're now looking forward to their new careers.'
'Many parents find it troublesome when their children grow up and cease to be cute,' explained hospital director Kenji Nakayama. 'In the current bad economic situation, the financial demands of bringing up a teenager can make the situation unmanageable, so we felt it necessary to provide this service for parents.'
There are separate hatches for girls and boys, disguised respectively as purikura and internet booths. In the first week after opening, three girls and fifty-eight boys were deposited; the girls have already started training as nurses at the hospital, while the boys were sent to Johnny's Jimusho talent agency.
Asked about the need to disguise the hatches, Nakayama said, 'Some teenagers may be suspicious of their parents' intentions at first, so the hatches were designed to appeal to their interests in order to win them over. I tested the system using my own two children, and while they were initially very distressed, I hear they're now looking forward to their new careers.'
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