A few interesting links today.

First up, Tokyo has overtaken Paris as the best place to eat… OFFICIALLY! (well, OFFICIALLY according to the Michelin guide).

Now, I can quite easily agree with that. I used to love some of the places I went out eating to in Japan… even the cheaper places.

However, things aren’t so great in Japan… when you are a foreigner.

Today, Japan starting it’s foreigner fingerprinting regime… something I’m not looking forward to enduring at the airport next week :(
Even without the related privacy issues, and impression being given out by the J-Govt that us foreigners are a bunch of criminals… it’s just going to be a pain in the arse with all the queuing. I guess Yuko will be waiting for me long after collecting our luggage.

Some more links on the story here, here, and here.

Some mixed feedback from Japanese here.

Finally, looks like a bunch of foreigners have started blogging about it too.

Also in Japan

The BBC has started an interesting series on Japan’s Population issues.
Article 1 (Monday)
Article 2 (Tuesday)