Woman Hospitalized With Burns After Exposure to Sunlight

An elderly woman in Shizuoka was hospitalized yesterday with severe burns after her skin was accidentally exposed to sunlight. Fuyuko Hakujin, 83, remains in intensive care, but her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

Mrs Hakujin was wearing tights and leggings tucked into knee-high boots under loose pants; a long-sleeved undershirt, elbow-high gloves, two high-collared blouses, a neckerchief and cravat; a balaclava, a visor, a welder's mask, and a sombrero with a two-foot long veil sewn on by hand.

According to witnesses, Mrs Hakujin bent over to pick up a one-yen coin she had noticed, but as she stretched a small gap was created between her cuff and glove. The exposed skin immediately ignited, and the burning spread quickly across her hand and up her arm, blackening the skin like lit newspaper.

A Japanese woman enjoying the sun yesterday

Fortunately the smoke alerted passers-by, who were able to dunk Mrs Hakujin in a nearby fountain and call emergency services.

Doctors warned In Other News of the need for vigilance against exposure to the sun. "Being superior, Japanese skin is easily flammable," said senior burn surgeon Makoto Hanabi. "I recommend a full bodysuit, a wetsuit or, ideally, staying indoors during sunny weather with all doors and windows shuttered."

NHK Impartiality Questioned After 'Handsome Abe' News

Concerns about the perceived politicisation of Japan's national broadcaster NHK came to the fore yesterday, after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was gratuitously praised throughout its evening 'NewsLook' show.

A story about new subsidies for concrete producers began with the phrase 'Handsome and honourable leader Shinzo Abe showed that he is better than everyone else', while in other stories he was variously described as 'intelligent' five times; 'cool', 'strong' and 'kind' three times each; 'definitely not racist' twice; and 'stylish' and 'buff as a Calvin Klein model' once each.

Light of the world, Dear Leader Shinzo Abe

NHK has defended itself against accusations of partiality in its coverage. 'It's not true that we're influenced by our wonderful, enlightened - I mean, by the government,' said spokesman Abeno Ningyo. 'When we described noble - when we described Prime Minister Abe as a radiant beacon of goodness, we did so in completely neutral fashion.'

Next month sees the debut on NHK of Shin-Kun-Sen, an animated childrens' show about 'Shinzo the cute patriotic train, defending Nippontown against Hank the Noisy American Train, Chang the Stupid Rude Chinese Train, and Vlad the Evil Russian Train.'