Suicide by detergent

A 14-year-old Japanese girl killed herself by mixing laundry detergent with cleanser, releasing fumes that also sickened 90 people in her apartment house.

Authorities say none of the sickened neighbours in Konan, southern Japan, were severely ill, although about 10 were hospitalized.

The deadly hydrogen sulfide gas escaped from the girl’s bathroom window and entered neighbouring apartments.

The girl’s suicide Wednesday night was part of an expanding string of similar deaths that experts say have been encouraged by Internet suicide sites. (story)

Japanese male hosts not such a glamorous life

According to a CNN report last week, a growing number of professional women in Japan are splashing out US$1,000 ($1,360) to US$50,000 a night for the companionship of these male equivalents of the geisha.

The money buys them the undivided attention of their male hosts, who shower them with compliments, pour them ridiculously overpriced drinks, and engage them in mindless chit chat to help them forget the stresses of their regular lives.

As a result, thousands of these clubs have sprung up all over Japan, with many concentrated in Tokyo’s Kabukicho sex district. (story)

Singapore ranked at the bottom of corruption survey, that’s good.

The Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (Perc) expects corruption to emerge as a hot-button issue in Asia this year as slowing growth, rising food prices and political campaigns feed a groundswell against graft.

But Singapore is unlikely to be tainted as expatriates surveyed by the Hong Kong-based group once again rank it the least corrupt economy in the region.

The annual survey also rated Hong Kong and Japan highly among 13 Asian economies.

The Philippines was deemed the most corrupt for the second consecutive year.

Thailand, China, Indonesia, India and Vietnam fared poorly too.

The 1,400 expatriates surveyed in January and February this year were asked to grade the extent that corruption detracts from the attractiveness of the business environment they work in.

Singapore scored with its ‘no-nonsense approach to corruption’, the report said. (story)

China made dumplings deliberately poisoned

Japan’s health minister on Tuesday said China-made dumplings may have been deliberately poisoned with pesticide as the number of Japanese reporting illness reaches the thousands.Pesticide was detected on the package wrapping and the frozen meat dumplings, triggering a nationwide scare that led major foodmakers to recall all food made at the factory near Beijing.

‘Taking into account the circumstantial evidence we have so far, we cannot help suspecting crime,’ Health Minister Yoichi Masuzoe told reporters.

A total of 3,742 people have said they became sick after eating the dumplings or other frozen food, the health ministry said in its latest figures, although it noted only 10 were diagnosed with pesticide poisoning. (story)

BT Group to buy Frontline Technologies

British telecoms giant BT Group said yesterday it has agreed to buy Singapore IT firm Frontline Technologies for S$202mil, as it seeks to boost its presence in Asia.

BT has sizeable operations in Japan, South Korea and Australia, but buying Frontline will give it greater exposure to China, India, Taiwan and South-East Asia as it looks to transform itself into a global IT services provider.

“Nothing is enough – it’s a good step,” BT Asia Pacific president Allen Ma told Reuters, when asked about future acquisitions in the region.

BT will pay 24.5 Singapore cents for each Frontline share, a 17% premium to Frontline’s price on Monday before its shares were suspended. (story)

Godiva recalls chocolate over metal debris

Godiva Chocolatier (Asia) Ltd has notified the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) that it is recalling its 16-piece Christmas Carre Gift Box containing Christmas Milk Caramel Carre chocolate squares, following two reports in Japan of a small strand of metal found in the chocolate. No injuries have been reported.

A statement from AVA on Friday said the recall is a voluntary one.

AVA has directed the importers to recall the affected product from the market immediately.

These gift boxes, carrying the produce code 5000059, are only available in Godiva-owned retail stores in Singapore. About 40 boxes of the chocolates have been sold. (story)

Foreign Minister to visit China, Japan

Foreign Minister George Yeo will visit China and Japan from Thursday to Saturday for for informal consultations on Myanmar, said a statement from the Foreign Minstry on Wednesday. Mr Minister Yeo will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Friday in Beijing and Japanese Foreign MinisterMasahiko Koumura Saturday in Tokyo.

He will exchange views with his counterparts on how regional countries can support a genuine process of peaceful reconciliation in Myanmar and support UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor Mr Ibrahim Gambari in his mission as mediator.

Myanmar will be an important item on the agenda during the East Asia Summit on Nov 21 in Singapore.

Minister Yeo will be accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

(source)