Due to new professional and personal obligations, there will be no more new Japan Talk episodes for the foreseeable future. My sincere thanks to all of you who have been listening to Japan Talk, especially to those who supported us by filling out the listener survey recently, and my apologies to those of you who are disappointed by this decision. Thank you again, and please accept our wises for the very best to all of you.

Chat with Melissa Pitsch

• We are going on break for the summer.
• Next Saturday podcast will be on September 6.
• We will post our interview with Melissa Pitsch before then.
• Have a nice summer!
  

* Special all IreneB, all Spanish-language music edition

* Blogging an earthquake

* Does IreneB have a Japan connection?

* Japan News Junkie. . . Please join!

Listener Mail
* Ronaldo "Racum" Ferreira (Brazil): Japan/Latin America connection
* Duncan (Hokkaido): Using Japan Talk in the classroom

* What was it like for IreneB being an R&B artist in Spain?

Japan News Roundup
* Woman stabbed in Hachioji in killer's bid for fame
* J-exports fall for the first time in more than four years
* Consumers like Panasonic best
* Newly rich women in Japan
* J-docs avoiding generic drugs
* Press urged to lighten up on Masako
* Acupuncture improves tuna meat
* Frank talk about beans
* Japan recycling more food waste
* Mutt owner dogged by prankster
* Peace demo slated for Yasukuni
* New protein named for Pikachu
* Pokemon bullet train goes into service
* Japan's 62,000 dying communities
* J-cell cameras designed to thwart pervs
* New defendants "rights" in Japanv
* Paul Simon sues clockmaker
* Man arrested for stealing and wearing women's undies

* What are IreneB's plans for the future?

* Where can people go to find out more about IreneB?

Music - All by IreneB
* Mi Realidad
* Me Dejo Llevar
* Un Nuevo Camino

Links of Interest
* Japan News Junkie

* IreneB on Myspace
* IreneB on YouTube

* Mainichi Daily News
* Japan Times
* The Daily Yomiuri
* Asahi Shimbun

* Japan Talk in the iTunes Store
* Japundit

Contact: podcast@japundit.com

* All-Spanish music next week
* Japan News Junkie. . . Please join!

Listener Mail
* Bryan Starchman - Man of Starch
* John Rozewicki - Introducing a new Japanese study podcast
* Imanual Portalatin (Camuyano) - Japan-Latin America connection?
* Melissa Pitsch - weather, marathons, kanji, and garlic
* Camden Basset - Japan-Korea relations

Japan News Roundup
* Korea mad at Japan again
* Eggs and tomatoes thrown at Japanese embassy
* Demonstrators butcher Japan national bird in protest
* Japan-Korea exchange student program suspended
* Japanese condom ads removed from Seoul subways
* Calls for derailing Japanese bid for U.S. Security Council spot
* Taeshima/Dokdo history in a nutshell
* Chinese like Koreans least of all their neighbors
* Nihon University debate club suspended for discrimination
* Toyota trying out ads on new cars
* Commander: Less crime among U.S. forces than general Japanese population
* Japan embraces brain science for English learning
* Cigarettes to 500 yen a pack?
* Pair arrested for selling radioactive cell phone straps
* Shades, makes to be banned at ATMs
* Watermelon good for what's good for you?
* Man sentenced to prison for file sharing
* Man frightened by of Chihuahua kicks it to death
* Contract employee dies of overwork

Music
* Cutting Evil Smile Diablo, by Guitar Vadar　(Japanfiles.com)
* Blind Touch, by Swinging Popsicle (Japanfiles.com)
* Bad, Bad, Bad, by Ketchup Mania (Japanfiles.com)

Links of Interest
* Japanfiles.com

* Japan News Junkie

* Bryan Starchman - Man of Starch
* John Rozewicki - Japan Study Abroad Podcast
* RUNNET - Running in Japan
* Camuyanos Great Adventure

* Takeshima/Dokdo history

* Mainichi Daily News
* Japan Times
* The Daily Yomiuri
* Asahi Shimbun

* Japan Talk in the iTunes Store
* Japundit

Contact: podcast@japundit.com

* New music source: Japanfiles.com
* 382 responses to our listener survey! Thank you!

* Fill out this survey and help us find sponsors

Listener Mail
* Replies to Phillip Black on Japundit
* Melissa Pitsch - WWOOF, a great way to experience Japan
* Amanda (Texas) - Rotary student exchange program
* Deadrat - Regrets about not going to Japan

Japan News Roundup
* Toyota to add solar panels to the Prius
* Homeless man sues Tokyo for welfare refusal
* Violence against railway workers hits record
* Government to restrict color contact sales
* Thieves make off with load of flour
* Japanese college girl apologizes for graffiti
* Japan drops plans for iPod tax
* Two in five Japanese have chronic katakori
* Japanese woman fools burglar with tea
* Chicken labeling food scandal
* Duo arrested for fake Korean-Japanese weddings
* Doggone Olympics
* Court upholds execution Shimonoseki car/knife killer
* Osaka is Japan's sexual assault capital

Music
* Video Killed the Radio Star, by ROCKET K　(Japanfiles.com)
* Forgive Me Now, by IreneB (Podsafe Music Network)
* Fake It, by Brad Sucks

Links of Interest
* Japanfiles.com
* Japanfiles on MySpace
* JapanFiles Radio
* JapanFiles Last FM

* World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF)
* Rotary Club Youth Exchange Student Program

* Brad Sucks website
* Brad Sucks video project

* Mainichi Daily News
* Japan Times
* The Daily Yomiuri
* Asahi Shimbun

* Japan Talk in the iTunes Store
* Japundit

Contact: podcast@japundit.com

* G-8 Summit coming to Japan this week
* Gaijin House Japan
* Featured artist: Kayoko Takamichi

* Fill out this survey and help us find sponsors

Listener Mail
* Jorge: Saludo desde México
* Sam McKoon: Learning katakana and hiragana
* Jordan Cassady: Weather north of Tokyo
* Phillip Black: Wants to come to Japan

Japan News Roundup
* Rinko Kikuchi on being Japanese in Hollywood
* Aiful to sue Lehmen for bad assessment?
* Ramen noodles are a'changing
* J-embassies told to economize
* Megumi Yokota book to be published in English

* Cops tried to cover liability in suspect immolation
* Another food scandal
* Train crew rapist charged
* Group defrauds woman of 4.5 million yen
* Child porn sites ignoring watchdog group

Music (Podsafe Music Network)
* Vegas Hard Rock, by Charlie Crowe
* Open Your Eyes, by Kayoko Takamichi
* Wakatta Tsumori, by Kayoko Takamichi

Links of Interest * Gaijin House Japan

* Kayoko Takamichi on MySpace

* Mainichi Daily News
* Japan Times
* The Daily Yomiuri
* Asahi Shimbun

* Japan Talk in the iTunes Store
* Japundit

Contact: podcast@japundit.com

* A day late
* Featured artist: Kayoko Takamichi

* Fill out this survey and help us find sponsors

Listener Mail
* Pete Bohan: Diabetes in Japan
* Nate: Japan relations with Korea and China
* Amanda in Texas: I like the music!

Japan News Roundup
* No disclosure on Nork nukes?
* 963 apply to become astronauts
* Space weddings coming soon
* Night

* Ninja sighting closes New Jersey school
* Ambulances used as taxis in Japan
* No Fishing Day. . . But who cares?
* Emergency butter imports planned
* More foliage whacked
* Photos fool vending machine age verification system
* Man arrested for dogging convenience stores
* Local school district refuses government tests
* Japanese tops as tourists
* Japanese tourists from hell

Music (Podsafe Music Network)
* Vegas Hard Rock, by Charlie Crowe
* Haru, by Kayoko Takamichi
* Night, by Kayoko Takamichi

Links of Interest
* Japan Diabetes Society

* Kayoko Takamichi on MySpace

* Mainichi Daily News
* Japan Times
* The Daily Yomiuri
* Asahi Shimbun

* Japan Talk in the iTunes Store
* Japundit

Contact: podcast@japundit.com

* The rainy season cometh
* Heavy rains in Kyushu

* Fill out this survey and help us find sponsors

Listener Mail
* Itobun: It's Miyagi no Mie!
* Zichi Lorentz: Head of household on a koseki
* Yesterday 87: Listening to Japan Talk while working security
* Riyu: Border customs question answered

Japan News Roundup
* Tsutomu Miyazaki executed
* Sanrio (Hello Kitty) to create a new character series
* World facing third oil shock?
* Japan to target 10% foreign population
* WWII bomber crews honored!?!
* Police arrest Greenpeace members

* Japan to force citizens to slim down (Good luck!)
* TV Asahi warned over false weight loss claims
* Government to press for higher minimum wage
* Homeless man arrested for robbing ramen shops of food
* Woman dies after hospital pumps food into lung
* Clean diesels on the horizon
* Fisheries co-op accused of false labeling of eels
* Baseball support group sues Japan Pro baseball
* Record number of elderly suicides
* Fansubbers to be targeted by Japanese rights organizations
* Government worker blames groping on "sexual arousal"

Music (Podsafe Music Network)
* Vegas Hard Rock, by Charlie Crowe
* Love Survives, by Love Spirals
* Mad Cult, by The Volume Brothers

Links of Interest
* Tsutomu Miyazaki
* Border check discussion on JAPUNDIT

* Mainichi Daily News
* Japan Times
* The Daily Yomiuri
* Asahi Shimbun

* Japan Talk in the iTunes Store
* Japundit

Contact: podcast@japundit.com

* Major earthquake rocks Tohoku, Tokyo

* 240 listener surveys submitted
* Many thanks!
* Still need a few more

* Fill out this survey and help us find sponsors

Listener Mail
* Riyuu: Border customs questions
* Kayako Takamichi: Greetings again from Cat In The Rain
* Yesterday87 (Missoula, Montana, U.S.A.): Japanese Family Registry (koseki)

Japan News Roundup
*Akihabara Massacre
* North Korean and Japanese stances softening?
* Japanese companies raided for trading with North Korea
* Tokyo Sky Tree

* Korean Supreme Court upholds right nipple pinching by military
* Lawmakers call for tripling of ciggie tax
* Hospital apologizes for operating on wrong eye
* Thief caught when he tries to cash in a hot lotto ticket
* Woman sues over repatriation to North Korea from Japan
* Cosplay event canceled when oldster complains
* Man arrested for staying in restaurant for 3 days without paying
* Judge charged with stalking co-worker
* Teacher slapped on the wrist for 20-year pedo spree

Music (Podsafe Music Network)
* Vegas Hard Rock, by Charlie Crowe
* Love Survives, by Love Spirals
* Drinking For England, by The Volume Brothers

Links of Interest
* Japanese family register system (koseki)
* Kayoko Takamichi on MySpace

* Mainichi Daily News
* Japan Times
* The Daily Yomiuri
* Asahi Shimbun

* Japan Talk in the iTunes Store
* Japundit

Contact: podcast@japundit.com