Most Japan Red Cross Donations Have Not Reached Survivors - Peace Boat Japan Sucks Too!

Unbelievable. The Japan Red Cross seems to be doing its best to retain its reputation as a scam. Peace Boat Japan is in second place, close behind. 

HANK WILLIAMS JR. - YOUR CHEATIN' HEART

The big earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster happened more than three months ago, and useless organizations like the Japan Red Cross have seen to it that most of the money collected have not reached the hands of those in need. The papers report that over 55% of all monies collected have yet to be distributed! The incompetence and bureaucracy are mind-boggling. 


The Yomiuri Newspaper reports about personal experiences of some of the survivors:

"We lost our car in the tsunami and we can't buy a new one to get on with our lives without money. I hope the donation money arrives as soon as possible," said a 64-year-old unemployed man who is living at a shelter in Higashi-Matsushima.

The prefecture's social welfare section said many municipalities lost their family and resident registries in the tsunami. Without these documents, it is difficult to decide who is entitled to a share of the donations. "The quake left us with a ton of clerical work, and we're short of staff who can handle making donation payments," one official said.

To be paid, a person needs a disaster victim certificate. To get a certificate, one must undergo an inspection. The problem is that there is not enough staff to handle the issuing of the certificates, which has severely slowed up distribution of the donation money.

Great! We have $1.6 billion dollars... And Red Cross spends $0.17 cents on the dollar for the actual charity programs and these clowns can't hire a few part-timers to do paperwork to get things moving along at a better pace? All the while in the Great Red Cross and General Charity Scam it was reported that the CEO of the Red Cross was reportedly paid: 

"Her salary for the year 2010 was $651,957, plus all personal, medical, & pension expenses. Less than 10 cents of your donated dollar actually goes to the cause..."

Wonderful. People are suffering and they can't get their money "because there aren't enough volunteers" and we have $1.6 billion dollars and can't hire a few people to push papers for a few weeks? 

Yomiuri Newspaper continues:

The Tagajo city government said staff shortages mean it takes at least one week to issue a certificate. But even after a person gets a disaster victim certificate, the city said it takes even more time for them to get paid.

Tagajo resident Ayako Hirayama, 57, visited the city office Saturday to apply for a certificate. She lives in an apartment with her husband and her son's family because their house was flooded by the tsunami. They have no refrigerator, so they have to go shopping nearly every day. She said having a place to store food would be a big help, but a city official told her the donations would not be distributed for about a month.

"Without money I'm just wilting with worry. We're really having to tap our savings, so I'd like to get the donations as soon as possible," she said.

Don't worry, Hirayama san. The checks in the mail.... It's been that way for over three months. Just don't hold your breath.

God, Japan Red Cross is totally useless. People are in trouble now and it takes these idiots over three months to help some of them!?

But I write this post with an eye on objectivity. I think the Red Cross is a crap organization and I believe their track record all around the world shows it. But let us not hold our derision merely for the Red Cross. I am a fair person and am willing to hold another charity in equal distain. There's another that I must insist upon slapping up side the head and that is Peace Boat Japan.

Peace Boat Japan seems to be another shady scam operation.

I will never help Japan Red Cross again and I will not help Peace Boat Japan again. I suggest that you do not either. I am not sure about all of Peace Boat's hijinks, but I imagine that my recent experience is symptomatic of a larger problem. Concerning Peace Boat Japan, and my experience, here are the facts:

On Sunday, June 5, some friends held a charity concert for which the proceeds went to Peace Boat Japan ostensibly to help survivors and victims of the Tohoku disaster. On May 31, I stupidly allowed the Peace Boat Japan people on my radio show to promote the charity and the event.  By allowing Peace Boat on the radio show that gives them a defacto approval from a major Japanese broadcasting station that they are reputable. 


A broadcasting station has a responsibility to the public to protect them, provide them with proper information and to not be scammed. The charity who uses that position of the broadcaster to promote themselves have a responsibility to do likewise. This is not a responsibility to be taken lightly.

This is why broadcasters will not allow, for example, mafia-type of organizations or scams to advertise their services on air with commercials. It's because the station has a responsibility to the public and for the public good. If something bad happens, and the station had promoted that service, product or event, in this country that station has responsibility.

"What's your assessment of Peace Boat, Sargent?"

"It's a clusterf*ck, sir!"

Let me make it clear that I have no problem at all with these sorts of charity events (like the one held on June 5) and I think it is great that wonderful individuals get together to help out anywhere they can. I merely have a problem with organizations like Japan Red Cross and Peace Boat. Read on and you'll see why I do have a problem with these organizations. I think anyone with an ounce of common sense will agree with me.

After the Peace Boat event ended, I met with one of the promoters yesterday and asked about the results of the charity. I want to know how much money was collected (actually, as program producer, I have a responsibility to report this to the station) and how it was or will be used. The promoter was upset. He told me that he, too, was angry at Peace Boat. He said that when he inquired about this, he was told that Peace Boat Japan cannot, and will not, give out that information.

Astounding! Something really stinks. Talk about ripping people off! How do we know that these Peace Boat reps didn't just pocket the money? What criminals! They have a responsibility to faithfully and dutifully report income and all usage of these funds!

That an organization like Peace Boat Japan would go on air, using (abusing) the good will of the public and a free broadcaster to make a monetary gain yet not faithfully report the results of their actions and the collective efforts of that promotion is nothing short of scandalous. This cannot be allowed to go without public notice and this simple blog post is a part and parcel of that.

The people at Peace Boat Japan that I dealt with have some questions to answer and, until they do, they will be considered by me as a scam charity in Japan and are banned from ever being on my show again. They also should be made to settle things correctly by other Peace Boat members for these people have shamed that organization.


Trust that, until it is rectified, I will make every effort that other broadcasters are aware of this sham.  

Pardon my French, but, Japan Red Cross and Peace Boat Japan, "Baise toi!"

NOTE: Probably Peace Boat Japan and Japan Red Cross don't care about this blog. Even though it is small, it still gets about 5,000 readers a day. My radio show has over 100,000 listeners a day in Tokyo alone. Both charities have the chance to respond fairly to the charges leveled against them.... Bet you a half a doughnut (spelled correctly in this case) they  are such conceited jerks that they do not respond.


SECOND NOTE: I don't know of many charities that I can recommend in Japan but I do support Rock Challenge Japan and Support Our Kids. I have worked with them and seen what they do and like it. You can trust, though, that if they ever do betray our trust, you'll be the first to read about it here.

Foreign Passengers Using Narita Drops 63% for Biggest Drop Ever!

This information just in that further confirms what the chairman of the Association of Tourism and Representatives (ANTOR) told me the other day. The Yomiuri newspaper reports that foreign passengers using Narita airport are down 63% since the earthquake of March 11. Here's a quick translation:  


Narita Foreign Passengers Down 63%
Yomiuri Newspaper

The number of foreign passengers on international flights using Narita airport in April has dropped 63% compared to April a year earlier. It was the largest ever drop.  

The earthquake, tsunami and problems in eastern Japan along with the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident further reduced travelers using the airport by 34%..



Of course, not all of this drop can be attributed to the earthquake as many international carriers began overseas service out of the more convenient Haneda airport nearer central Tokyo, but this is still a massive drop and a surprise to all.

成田の外国人旅客、６３％減…過去最大

読売新聞 5月26日(木)19時44分配信

　成田国際空港会社は２６日、国際線を利用した４月の外国人旅客数は３２万１６２５人と前年同月比６３％減となり、過去最大の下げ幅になったと発表した。

東日本大震災や福島第一原発事故の影響で、３４％減だった３月からさらに落ち込んだ。

Japan's Insane Tax-At-All-Costs Political Class

This will be my 800th posting on this blog. I think it is fitting that, after all that has happened, as through the short history of this blog, the economy of Japan and most western nations are close to collapse, as Japan's national debt is over 200% of GDP, as the US government has surpassed the legal limit on the debt ceiling for that nation and into de facto bankruptcy, as silver hits a new 31 year high to nearly $44 USD an ounce and gold is knocking at the door of $1500 dollars an ounce, that this 800th blog should be about taxes and the economy.

BEATLES CARTOON - TAXMAN

Once again, the news shows that our rulers never learn their lessons when it comes to taxation and debt. After the disastrous events of the last month starting on March 11th and continuing today, once again, the government of this country shows that their only answer to our financial problems is to raise taxes.

Jiji Press reports:

Tokyo, April 18 (Jiji Press)--Japan is considering raising the consumption tax by 3 percentage points for a limited period of some three years to secure funds to rebuild areas devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, officials said Monday.

   Japan will be able to secure 7.5 trillion in annual tax revenue by raising the tax rate to 8 pct from 5 pct, government and Democratic Party of Japan officials said.

   The nation is preparing the first supplementary budget for fiscal 2011 with the spending amount of some 4 trillion yen. The budget will be covered without new debt issuance.

   Tokyo is likely to compile more budgets for the current year, as many in the government and the ruling party believe that more than 10 trillion yen should be spent in total on the reconstruction of the disaster-devastated areas.

   To finance the second and later budgets, the government will issue reconstruction bonds. Many think that the revenue from the envisioned tax hike should be used entirely to redeem the reconstruction bonds, the officials said.

It says in the first paragraph, "Japan is considering raising the consumption tax by 3 percentage points for a limited period of some three years..." Sure. Only three years, right? And after that, we're supposed to believe that the Japanese government will have their financial house in such good order and fine shape that they can cut taxes? What planet are these people living on? Has the Japanese government ever cut taxes? How, pray tell, are they supposed to be able to do that when the economy is so bad and, as I mentioned, our public debt has surpassed 200% of GDP?

History also shows us what happens when sales taxes are raised. There will be a correlating drop in sales equal to the percentage of the sales tax; raise taxes by three percent and sales will drop by three percent. And who winds up paying for this kind of sales tax hike? Not the ultra-rich or corporations who have all sorts built-in tax advantages. The rich only have to spend a few percentage points of their income for basic foodstuffs. The average middle class household is spending 15~25% or more just for survival. Hit them with a sales tax increase and you hit them below the belt. 

The good example goes like this: Say, average millionaire wants to buy a new yacht? No problem. It's needed to entertain guest so it is a business and tax write-off. But, say, the single mother with a two kids whose husband has run off and doesn't pay any alimony, is not buying yachts and diamond necklaces, she is scrimping and saving to buy milk, eggs and rice. and the basics she needs to survive.

A 3% hike in her grocery bill hits hard. 

The average household is is also expected to carry the burden of massive public debt created by the government. It is this government who arbitrarily decides to tax one class of poor people to give to another class of poor people (in this case, the average Japanese family gets taxed to pay for the suffering and reconstruction of the poor who suffered in the Tohoku disaster) all the while the government takes a margin for delivering these services and gives no-bid reconstruction contracts to their cronies.

Nikkei 225 at ¥9441 on April 19, 2011

The economy is already in desperate shape. Japan's credit rating has been downgraded in the last year and the Nikkei 225 is wheezing away at under 9,500 (it is at 1/4 the amount it was at the height of the bubble economy) and it has also been reported that 15.7% of Japan's population now live below the poverty level. Think about that. 

And, with all of that, with all of this suffering and misery caused by badly thought out government policies, these people want to raise taxes? They must be completely insane.


Japan owns trillions of dollars in US government bonds that were bought with tax monies taken from the public. The value of these bonds have lost some 40% over these last 10 years due to the rapid decline of the US dollar, yet, even with this, the Japanese government has painted Japan into a corner whereby we cannot unload this debt without causing a quick rise in the yen and hurting Japan's export economy.

Silver & gold price explosion is flashing warning signs about the economy

Gold breaks new record to $1503 the day of the posting of this article

Not only that, at least twice in the last 365 days, Japan (and most recently foreign central banks) has intervened in the dollar x yen rate and flushed billion of yen (billions of US dollars) in foolish attempts (that haven't worked) in order to lower the value of then yen.


The fact of the matter is that, for reconstruction, as Peter Schiff points out, Japan should want a stronger yen as that would make our buying of oil and raw materials as well as other items needed to rebuild the ravaged areas cheaper.


But, no! As usual, when it comes to doing something about the economy, the government cannot admit its errors and try to strip them away. As is the case now, and has always been the case, the government of Japan's answer to financial problems is not to cut spending or to sell poorly valued and foolishly bought US government backed securities (that lose value every day), but the answer is, and always will be to spend and raise taxes.


That is why our economy has been so messed up for this last 20 years and that's why is is so easily predictable that our economy will be messed up for at least the next decade or more as Mish Shedlock so skillfully points out.


The politicians who live on dead and proven failure Keynesian economic policies are leading this country down the road to ruin. It will be soon enough, at this rate, that Japan will be like the Philippines. Throw this situation in with how the youth of this country have no where near the dedicated and hard work ethics of their fathers and grandfathers and you have a chemistry that spells out for a very grim economic future indeed


When we look back at what happened in twenty years from now, we'll not be surprised for a second that Japan will be jokingly referred to as the Northern Philippine archipelago.