European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 1, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pace 16 o stars and stripes sunday april to catch a thief no crime even a missing Bike is too Small for the Tokyo police by Bruce Wallace los Angeles times Tokyo this Story begins with a crime under Normal circumstances there is no reason anyone would want to steal my Bike if s a Basic Getahoun Down Model that Cost it was the biggest bicycle a japanese department store car ried and its still too Small for me it has a Bell but no night Light As required by japanese Law which As youll see is a Mise Meanor that the japanese police choose to enforce but the Guy who stole my Bike from outside a Tokyo train station one recent saturday night want looking for anything flashy he was drunk it was payday and he had Over celebrated he had slept Well past his Stop and was kicked off the last train of the night at the last station on the line it was a crime of necessity steal the wheels or walk my bicycle was available be cause i never lock it not even when in Leav ing it outside a Busy train Sta Tion overnight this is Japan nobody steals your stuff Here Saf est place in the developed world you can look it up in the guidebooks i was More embarrassed than angry when i went Back to get my Bike that Sun Day morning and found it gone but i was so surprised i thought the eve efficient Tokyo bicycle attendants might have impounded it for not being parked in a designated bicycle rack i was still contemplating a visit to the impounded Bike lot a Day later when an officer from a neighbouring Ward office of the Tokyo metropolitan police called me at Home officer Shinya Yoshioka had re covered my Bike and captured the thief officer Yoshioka works out of a tiny two room outpost called a Koban a Staple of Community policing in Japan these substations Are scattered across japanese neighbourhoods a Way for the police to keep an Eye on the comings and goings and in theory at least quickly respond to a crime or Acci Dent the most common sight at a Koban is a uniformed officer hunched Over his desk map trac ing a route with his Finger for a confused citizen but it was from his Koban in Sug Inami Ward about three Miles from my Home that Yoshioka had spotted the Bike thief it was after Midnight and the cops were on the Lookout for suspicious behaviour the Guy on my Bike was obviously very drunk a crime in itself Yoshioka explains the big Knap sack on his Back also attracted at Tention it could have held tools for breaking into Homes and the Bike had no night Light so Yoshioka ordered him to Stop incredibly the thief did after determining he want carrying anything to Jimmy open a window or door the officers turned their attention to the Bike where did he get it the Crook opted to take his chances on talking his Way out of trouble i bought he told the cops for mistake too much detail no body Sells a Bike for the offic ers told him they took him in for questioning and 40 minutes later had a confession Yoshioka knew the Bike was Sto Len As soon As he checked the registration num ber on the Little yellow sticker that is slapped on every Bike Frame sold in Japan one Call to the com Puter Center and Yoshioka knew that i was the bikes owner knew where i lived and for some reason knew How old i am he called me at Home when could i pick it up find ing a time that worked for both of us took a Little work All negotiated Over several phone Calls through Hisako Ueno a los Angeles times reporter and translator when i finally get to the police station Yoshioka int there in introduced instead to Nobuo Taguchi the regional Sta Tion chief who will do the paper work necessary to free my Bike Taguchi Ushers Hisako and me into a Small windowless room he punks a file folder with the Case paperwork onto the table he slides two Polaroid pictures across the desk at me i sign a document asserting that the Bike was being returned with out major damage and acknowledging that the thief was feeling sorry about what he had Taguchi seems pleased Ive come to claim the Bike he wheels my Humble two Wheeler out of storage and hands it off to me like a proud father to a son at Christ Mas i Point out the lock wrapped under the seat and we share a laugh Taguchi bows As i walk it out Joan los Angeles times correspondent Bruce Wallace holds his Bike outside the Koban retirement japanese style japans Workaholic baby Boomers shift gears for their Golden years by Joseph Coleman the associated press Ito Japan the Way Masahiro Shimizu sees it he and japans other postwar baby Boomers built the coun try into an economic powerhouse and now if s time to enjoy the fruits of their labor Shimizu will leave his Job in the department store business next year having become one of some million japanese Boomer employees who will reach the Stan Dard retirement age of 60 Over the next three years the retirement of the Boomers which kicks off in april with the Start of the fiscal year is a Signa Ture event for Japan symbolizing a rapidly aging society a looming fiscal crunch and the emergence of a roaring Gray Economy fun eled by free spending retirees the Impact of mass retire ments is expected to be limited at first but the debate which to some extent mirrors the one in the United states Over social Security and longevity is in full swing and the retirement age is already edging upward Shimizu 59 and married could have stayed on until 65 in fact the government would be delighted if More Boomers made that Choice and softened the social Security Burden but Shimizu int interested up till now its been All about the he said while visiting an exhibit of a retirement Village planned in the resort town of Ito South of Tokyo now my son and daughter Are on their own so i want to be Independent and do what i bom Between 1947 and 1949 before abortion Laws were Loos ened to prevent overpopulation the estimated 7 million baby Boomers grew up As Japan re built itself after world War h and moved into the Job Market As the Economy took off they hit their prime in the 80s just As the Economy peaked now they Are entering their Golden years As Japan confronts the potentially dire social and eco nomic consequences of societal aging and moves to Reform employment and pension plans last year the government started requiring companies to gradually raise the retirement age to 65 or find other work for aging employees the qualifying age for pension benefits also will slowly increase from 60 to 65 to keep the system solvent already More than 20 percent of the population is 65 or older and that will Rise to More than 30 percent by 2050 Boomers account for an estimated per cent of the work Force and their sudden disappearance from japans offices and factories would be a blow to the Economy at a time when the Overall labor Force is shrinking this has spurred concern about the loss of labourers but also the loss of a highly skilled highly capable group of said Atsushi Seike a Keio University economist and adviser to the government on social Security and aging issues planners expect Over half the Boomers to stay productive Well past 60 and the government wont Hazard a guess As to How Many will retire this year but nip Pon life insurance co estimates some million will leave the work Force Over the next three years although that s less than a Quarter of the over60 workers japans Boomer retirement wave is coming much harder and faster than americas japans baby Boom started later than americas and lasted three years compared with 19 in the says John Rother policy director at Harp the has a healthier Economy a growing population aided  Center reacts after Kayoko Tok usage left hit a bulls Eye on a shooting game As Kazue Yamamoto looks on while they take part in a demonstration for a retirement Village construction project in to West of Tokyo below Masahiro Shimizu reacts to entertainment during a dinner who other baby Boomers and visitors photos by Junji Kurokawa a by immigration and retirement institutions like social Security that although now Are under pres sure could be strengthened by Small he said in an interview that is not the Case in but Japan has an advantage it has a Lon term care program and everyone has a Rother said whats obvious is that were going to have to spend More on health pregnancy a problem Call women clinic in Guam Usa confidentiality assured military Welcome visit our website at get legally married while deployed Usa marriage certificate 1 recognized by military no travel required completed in 3 weeks 1 personalized service do the right thing Contact Sam or Barbara Call 0016103535381 toll free 8774822406