Who is Chinami Suzuki?

Chinami Suzuki(鈴木ちなみ) is a Japanese glamour model, television presenter and actress.

She became popular among Japanese males for a reporter of "Mezamashi Saturday(めざましどようび)", a Saturday morning show of Fuji TV. Why did she get popular? Because she often appears on the program in the bikini swimsuit and her sexy body attracts male viewers.

Here are Chinami Suzuki's videos on "Mezamashi Saturday."











Her glomour photo book "By the way(ちなみに)" was released on November 2012. It became a best seller in Japan.

Here are clips on making of the photo book.





You can buy the photo book on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.jp.



[Link]
Chinami Suzuki's blog (Japanese)
http://ameblo.jp/suzuki-chi/

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Samsung is not a Japanese company, but a South Korean company.

Samsung is a South Korean based company.

However, many people except Japanese and Korean mistake Samsung to be a Japanese based company. According to the survey by KOTRA(Korean Trade-Investment Promotion Agency) in 2009 (see Searchina's article), 25.9% of foreign people think Samsung is a Japanese company(59.7%: a Korean Company, 10.4%: a Chinese company). Some Chinese people misunderstand it too, even though China is a neighboring country of Japan and South Korea. In China in 2012, Samsung's shop was attacked by Chinese rioters who were frustrated with JAPAN (see dongA.com's article). As said before, Samsung is a SOUTH KOREAN company.

Why do many people think Samsung is a Japanese company? There are three reasons.

First of all, many people don't know Japan and South Korea are SEPARATE countries. If you see the map below, you will get to know Japan and South Korea are separate countries.

Map created from DEMIS Mapserver, which are public domain, and then edited and location names added by the writer.

Secondly, Samsung have actively adopted Japanese technology. For instance, Samsung have picked out employees of Japanese manufacturers, such as Toshiba, Sony, Panasonic, Sanyo, Sharp, NEC and so on. In addition, Lee Kun-hee, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, has a degree in economics from Waseda University in Tokyo. Waseda University is one of leading universities in Japan.

The third, Samsung uses images of Japan for its advertising. For example, Samsung used a ninja(忍者) for its television commercial. A ninja is a kind of spy or assassin who lived in JAPAN beginning in the 14th century (If you don't know a ninja, see wikipedia). Here is the TV commercial.


[Link]
Samsung's website
http://www.samsung.com/

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What is "Funassyi"?

"Funassyi"(ふなっしー) is one of popular "yuru-kyara(ゆるキャラ)"(loose characters) in Japan. (If you don't know yuru-kyara, see what is yuru-kyara?) He (or she?) promotes Funabashi-shi(Funabashi city) in Chiba Prefecture on TV programs, festivals, events and so on."Funassyi" is a combination of two words: "Funa" is short for Funabashi and "nassyi" represents the Japanese word for "pears," or "nashi(梨)." Funabashi is known for production of pears.

Funassyi appeared in TV commercial for "Juroku-cha(十六茶)", a Japanese tea product, with Yui Niigaki(a Japanese actress) and other yuru-kyara, such as "Adu-chan(あづちゃん)","Nishiko-kun(にしこくん)",and so on.
Here is the TV commercial of Juroku-cha.
http://asahigroup.cloudapp.net/contents/movie/16cha_ikiikitoujou_kanto/player_popup/index.php

Funassyi has three notable features.

1. Funassyi is an UNOFFICIAL character.
   Though most of yuru-kyara in Japan are authorized and supported by their own prefectures(都道府県) or municipalities(市町村), Funassyi isn't authorized and supported by Funabashi-shi. Funassyi isn't authorized and supported by any other organizations too. Funassyi does activities at its own expense.

2. Funassyi CAN speak.
   Though most of yuru-kyara in Japan can't let out their voice, Funassyi can do it. Funassyi always speaks in a high voice with adding "nassyi(なっしー)" at the end of its sentences.

3. Funassyi makes ACTIVE movements.
   Though many of yuru-kyara in Japan are placid, Funassyi makes active(sometimes acrobatic) movements.

Here are Funassyi's videos.







[Link]
Funassyi's website
http://terawarosu.jimdo.com/
Funassyi on twitter
https://twitter.com/funassyi

What is "Yuru-kyara"?

"Yuru-kyara(ゆるキャラ)"(loose characters) are cute, friendly and a little bizarre mascots owned by national government organizations, local governments, companies, individuals for the purpose of public relations. In recent years in Japan, more and more local governments(prefectures and municipalities) compete to create their own yuru-kyara. It is commonly called "yuru-kyara boom."

One of the most popular yuru-kyara in Japan is "Kumamon(くまモン)", which is a mascot of Kumamoto Prefecture. "Kumamon" is a combination of two words: "Kuma" is short for Kumamoto and "Mon" represents the local dialect that uses that word for the standard Japanese word for "things," or "mono(物)."

Here are Kumamon's images.

Kumamon standing 

Kumamon running 

Kumamon raising his right hand

Kumamon sitting

Kumamon holding an apple in both hands

Kumamon sleeping

[Link]
Kumamon's official website
  http://kumamon-official.jp/

Wall Street Journal
--- Isn't That Cute? In Japan, Cuddly Characters Compete
  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323717004578156610405635572.html
--- The Mischievous Kumamon: The Life and Times of Japan's Mascots
  http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2012/12/26/the-life-and-times-of-japans-mascots/

Who is Hirocho Nishimura?

Hirocho Nishimura(西村ヒロチョ) is a comedian who is becoming increasingly popular in Japan.

He puts on a one-man stage play, which is very romantic. For example, he performs a fictional drama of a romance between two famous historical figures, such as "Nobunaga Oda and Mitsuhide Akechi", "Ryoma Sakamoto and Takamori Saigo", "Shikibu Murasaki and Kenko Yoshida", the Wright brothers, and so on.

His signature phrase is "Zappaan(ザッパーン)", which has no meaning.
His trademark pose is "Jojo-dachi(ジョジョ立ち)"(Jojo's pose) which are standing poses of characters of a Japanese comic "Jojo-no-kimyo-na-bouken(ジョジョの奇妙な冒険)"(Jojo's Bizarre Adventure).
[Examples of "Jojo-dachi": Google Images]

Here are Hirocho Nishimura's performances.

[Link]

Hirocho Nishimura's blog

http://highdancer-hirocho.laff.jp/

Hirocho Nishimura on twitter

https://twitter.com/ChoChoHirocho

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