European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 1, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes monday August 1, 1988 racist remark sets off new Tokyo stir Tokyo a a senior politician s insulting re Marks about Blacks in the United states have once again touched Oft debate Over racist sentiments in this country. Michio Watanabe policy chief of the governing lib eral democratic party suggested that . Blacks frequently use credit cards but care Little about paying their Bills. Among those Guys Over there Are a lot of Blacks and so on who would think without concern we re bankrupt. Now we Don t have to pay anything Back Wata Nabe said july 23 to party members. The senior politician is widely believed to aspire to the premiership. Watanabe made the comments at a time when Japa Nese advertising for consumer goods often portrays Blacks Only As sexy dancers and Good athletes Sug Gesting a widespread patronizing attitude. The . Embassy said it deplored any disparaging comment that consciously or unconsciously uses de meaning stereotypes of any american to make a  Watanabe apologized saying two Days later that he regretted his misleading and inadvertent comments. The Sogo department store in Tokyo also Drew Firefox displaying men s clothing on two Black Manne quins in dance poses with crossed eyes and huge red  was absolutely no intention of creating any racist display said the store s Deputy manager hide Kinoshita. To us they were Lively and  the store dismantled the mannequins after two weeks As planned and does not intend to put up other such displays in the near future Kinoshita said. Sanrio a major gift manufacturer had sold since 1985 a pair of Black dolls named Sambo and  company also markets Bibina a wide eyed Black doll with a red lipped Grin. There were no racist sentiments behind them said Sanrio spokesman Kazuo Tomatsu. Our corporate policy is to promote love and Friendship but some people found these products offensive so we have cancelled their  the move will Cost Sanrio about $11.5 million to Matsu said. Sanrio s annual sales total $615 million. A gondolier and his passengers on a canal in Venice Wear masks to avoid the stench of rotting algae. Tons of rotting algae causing disastrous situation in Venice Venice Italy up the mayor of Venice saturday said the stink of rotting algae pervading the Lagoon City has caused a disastrous situational the height of the tourist season. Mayor Antonio Caselotti told the state run television network very Little has been done to improve the situation despite a $1.85 billion pollution Clearing program approved by the regional Council. Press photographs published saturday showing tourists in a Gondola and the gondolier Wear ing face masks during a trip across the Lagoon brought the problem Home to other italians. The stink of rotting algae clogging the Lagoon because of Industrial pollution has worsened steadily during Italy s july heat wave. Experts estimate at least half a million tons of algae Are clogging about one fifth of the Lagoon and much of it is rotting in the summer heat. Boat Crews working 11 hours a Day cleared 300to 500 tons of algae from the Waters in 24 hours. Takara Japan s no. 2 to maker also makes Dekko Chan an inflatable Black doll with big eyes and red lips. It was Japan s top Selling toy when introduced in 1960, so Takara made it its corporate logo. The Japa Nese still buy 100,000 of them a year. Watanabe s Gaffe recalls former prime minister Yasuhiro Nakasone s remark in 1986 that the . Intellectual level was Low because of the Large numbers of lacks puerto Picans and mexicans. Nakasone subsequently issued an apology to the United  this year Seisuke Okuno was fired from his Cabinet Post As director general of the National land Agency for saying that Japan was not an aggressor in world War ii but fought to protect itself at a time when the White race had turned Asia into a  Kuniko Noguchi professor of International relations at Tokyo s Sophia University says that. Interns of fashion Blacks Are in and stylish in Japan. It s similar to How japanese were once stereotyped by americans Buck toothed with glasses and slanted eyes. Most japanese simply Lack awareness of Black  world today 3 fog caused Chain accidents in Brazil kill 13, injure 45 Sao Paulo Brazil a thick fog blanketed sections of the main Highway linking Sao Paulo with Rio de Janeiro and police said the fog caused three Chain accidents Early saturday in which 13 people were killed and 45 injured. The accidents involved dozens of cars trucks and buses and were near the town of Jacari 48 Miles North of Sao Paulo according to Highway patrolman Joao Goncalves. He gave this account six people were killed including four from one fam ily in an Accident involving at least 25 vehicles. Two Miles away a truck Driver was killed in a five vehicle pileup. Six people perished when four cars were engulfed in flames in an Accident involving two trucks and five cars. Goncalves said fog covered most of the Paraiba Val Ley Early saturday and turned several Miles of the Busy Dutra Highway connecting two of Brazil s main cities into a deadly  grand canal in China overflows sinking 1 10 ships Hong Kong a the rain swollen grand canal in East China has overflowed sinking 110 cargo ships and killing at least one person a pro Beijing newspaper reported. The chinese language to Kung Pao said the ships Sank several Days ago when torrential rain caused water to spill Over a Sluice Gate on the canal at Taietz Huang causing a flood downstream. Taie Zhuang is 370 Miles Southeast of Beijing and Borders on i angst and Shandong provinces. To Kung Pao thursday said the flood stranded 600other vessels. The newspaper said a Fleet of More than 1,000 boats earlier was unable to sail for a month from Pel Xian 20 Miles Southeast of Taie Zhuang because the canal was dry from a drought. To Kung Pao said that since july 17, the boats were Able to sail up the waterway and vessels caused a 19-mile traffic Jam. Wife of slain airman arrested in murder plot Angeles Philippines up the estranged philippine wife of a . Serviceman and her Lover have been arrested after they confessed to plotting her husband s execution style killing in Abid to Cash in on his insurance policy police said sunday. Tech. Sgt. Richard Blackmer 31. Of Rook Park Ohio was slain july 26. A gunman drove up behind him and shot him in the Back As he was walking his two dogs a mile from the . Clark a so Miles North of Manila. The dogs also were killed in the assault. Blackmer s widow Maria Del Rosario,30, broke Down during questioning Fri Day and implicated seven soldiers an civilian military personnel said it. Col. Amado t. Espoo jr., the Angeles Mili tary District commander. Neighbors of the married couple said they had separated in 1986. The neigh Bors said the two frequently argued when Blackmer who they said had moved in with another filipina woman came this former Home. Espino said Rosario s Lover Rollie Reyes of the philippine constabulary was in custody and also had confessed to arranging the killing. He said the couple will be charged formally with murder on monday. Six other suspects including the gunman lookouts and other collaborators have been identified but have not been named pending negotiations for their surrender Espino said. Angeles police investigator Marcelin Ivanez said the two lovers arranged for Blackmer s murder in the Hope of getting the 156,000 payoff on his life insurance Cofiey