Tahun baru Jepun

Tahun baru Jepun jatuh pada tarikh masihi Jan 1. Kalau mengikut sejarah tahun baru mereka bersamaan dengan orang Cina tapi dibubarkan lebih kurang 100 tahun lepas disebabkan mereka tidak mau ada persamaan dengan negara Cina. Maka sekarang mereka mengikut tahun baru masihi untuk perayaan hari raya mereka.

Persiapan: Sebulan menjelang tahun baru, kerja membersihkan rumah sudah dimulakan. Di luar kawasan rumah seperti longkang dan ladang terbiar, mereka bergotong-royong mengumpul jiran tertangga mengemaskan bersama.

Malam tahun baru itu, stesyen TV NHK - sebuah stesyen kerajaan Jepun mengadakan acara pertandingan menyanyi antara lelaki dan perempuan atau The Red and White Show. Hampir 80% rakyat Jepun menunggu acara ini setiap malam tahun baru. Ianya bermula pada 7.30 mlm hingga ke 11.45mlm. Selepas kumpulan yang menang diumumkan jam akan masuk tepat pukul 12 mlm. Maka mereka menyanyi lagu Auld lang syne versi Jepun dan loceng besar dibunyikan.

Pakaian mereka untuk tahun baru kebanyakkan fesyen moden sebab harga kimono satu set boleh mencecah ke jutaan yen. Contohnya yang sederhana berharga antara 300,000 hingga ke 980,000 yen.

Hidangan tahun baru.

Kebanyakkan mereka buat tempahan seminggu sebelum tahun baru, makanan khas untuk tahun baru. Ada juga yang sanggup masak sendiri tapi mengikut trend sekarang, mereka hanya buat tempahan sahaja.

NewYearFood

Hadiah tahun baru.

Mereka menziarah rumah sedara mara dan kebiasaannya mereka siapkan duit dalam kertas sebagai hadiah untuk anak-anak di rumah yang mereka ziarahi.
Rata-rata anak sekolah rendah duit raya antara yen 1000 hinga ke yen 3000 (R96.00) dan yang sekolah menengah atau high school dapat antara yen 5000 hingga ke 10,000(RM160.00).

NewYearGifts

Ada juga yang membawa hadiah seperti sabun, kopi, teh atau minyak makan untuk disembahkan ke "butsudan" atau tok kong nenek-moyang .
Tempat ini dihiaskan dengan pulut puteh dan garam juga jambangan bunga.
Selepas 15 hari, hadiah-hadiah ini digunakan sendiri.

Nota kaki: Rumah ini tidak ikut perayaan tahun baru, kami lakukan seperti hari biasa sahaja. Bila diberi duit tahun baru oleh makcik mereka, anak-anak saya ambil dengan senyuman gembira.
Duit, tak sanggup nak tolak.

anno domini

AD atau anno domini bermakna saya Tuhan.
Ini tertulis pada setiap tahun masihi AD 2004 atau tahun 2004 ada Tuhan.

Setiap hujung tahun saya diberi ingatan dari berbagai manusia melalui emel mengenai tahun masihi AD ini. Tapi kali ini hukumnya sudah dijadikan MURTAD!
Berat sungguh bunyinya.

Di bawah ini salinan surat pekeliling yang diterima dalam kotak emel.


JANGAN SAMBUT 01 JANUARI... KENAPA...???

Kuliah Maghrib yang disampaikan oleh saudara Zulkifli Nordin.

Dibawah ini adalah intipati kuliah beliau yang sempat disalin.
Diantara lain, beliau mengupas ayat 120, surah Al Baqarah, mafhumnya:-
Orang-orang Yahudi dan Nasrani tidak sekali-kali akan bersetuju atau suka kepadamu (wahai Muhammad) sehingga engkau menurut ugama mereka yang telah terpesong itu). ( Katakanlah kepada mereka): "Sesungguhnya petunjuk Allah (ugama Islam itulah petunjuk yang benar". Dan demi sesungguhnya jika engkau menurut kehendak hawa nafsu mereka sesudah datangnya wahyu yang memberi) pengetahuan kepadamu (tentang kebenaran), maka tiadalah engkau akan peroleh dari Allah (sesuatupun) yang dapat mengawal dan memberi pertolongan kepada mu. Beliau juga menyebut hadith Rasulullah SAW yang berbunyi, lebih kurang:

* UmatKu dilalaikan tanpa disedari seperti semut hitam diatas batu hitam di malam yang gelap. Siang ia Islam, malam ia kufur; dan siang ia kufur, malam ia Islam. Yahudi & Nasarah yang tidak redha akan Islam kita akan menggunakan apa saja cara untuk menyesatkan kita. Sekarang mereka menggunakan cara yang begitu halus sampai kita sendiri tidak sedar yang kita telah mengikuti mereka. Tengok saja disekeliling kita ...

Contohnya, haribulan.

Berapa ramai yang tahu bahawa cara tarikh Masehi ini ada kaitannya dengan tuhan mereka??? 21hb Ogos 2002 AD. Apa maksud AD dibelakang? Makna AD ialah "Anno Domini" bahasa Latin yang bermaksud "Anno" ialah aku/saya dan "Domini" ialah tuhan dilahirkan. Jadi 21hb Ogos 2002 boleh diertikan sebagai "....beberapa hari setelah tuhan aku dilahirkan." Nauzubillah.... Insaflah kita kerana secara halus kita mungkin termasuk dalam kategori umat Nabi Muhammad SAW seperti diatas.
Sebab itulah kita dianjurkan supaya beristighfar selalu.
Bila sampai 31 Disember, berapa ramaikah umat Islam yang meraikan tahun baru? Tetapi sedarkah mereka bahawa telah difatwakan oleh Sheikh-ul-Azhar, Sheikh Tantawi, Sheikh Yusof Qardhawi dan ulama2 contemporary bahawa menyambut 31 Dis. bererti menyambut ulangtahun hari jadi tuhan Yahudi & Nasarah? Bagi mereka yang tidak tahu, hukumnya fasik, tetapi bagi mereka
yang tahu (kita sekarang sudah tahu) hukum nya ialah MURTAD. Nauzubillah.
Sesugguhnya yang baik itu adalah dari Allah swt dan yang kurang serta salah dan silap adalah dari kelemahan saya sendiri.

Wallahualam.

Kurisumasu

Kurisumasu-sebutan Jepun.

Hari ini Krismas tapi di Jepun tidak cuti umum. Memang lebih dari 80% negara dalam dunia ini bercuti pada hari krismas tapi Jepun tidak mencampurkan politiknya dengan kepercayaan ugama sesuatu kaum.

Saya membeli barang dapur di Kanehide yang berlambangkan burung merpati. Hiasan krismas memancar-macar dan lagu krismas bersambung-sambung tidak berhenti. Saya ke kedai sayur pula, di situ juga semak dengan hiasan krismas. Selepas beli sayur, saya menuju ke bank untuk mengeluarkan duit, juga berkelip-kelip lampu hiasan krismas. Seterusnya saya ke kedai roti Jimmy, lagilah rancak hiasan krismas situ. Perjalanan balik dari kedai roti itu melalui mall besar Ryubou, wah seperti persembahan lampu, terang bersilau. Yang peliknya, krismas di Jepun tidak cuti.

Ada juga orang Jepun hiaskan lampu kelip-kelip di kawasan luar rumah, di dahan pojkok, di celah pagar dan dinding tapi mereka bukan berugama kristian.
Pelik tak rasa mengapa mereka sibuk menghias rumah dan hari krismas tidak diberi cuti awam.
Hari krismas ini sangat di komesialkan sekarang. Sebut krisma dan orang Jepun melambangkan dengan pokok krismas, hadiah dan kek strawberi. Pada malam krismas pula setiap hotel penuh ditempah oleh pasangan kekasih. Bermula dengan partu kemudian candlelight dinner dan selepas itu entah apa lagi.

Tadi di kedai sayur, saya berbual dengan Noriko-san, isteri penjual sayur itu. Saya mula dengan memuji kecantikkan hiasan krismas di kedai itu dan terus tanya tahukah dia apa itu erti krismas sebenarnya.

Dia jawab..."saaaa, wakaranai!"
Dia teruskan "krismas wa krismas desu" (krismas tu krismas-la!")
Tahu tak orang kristian sembahyang pada hari krismas?
Wakaranai.
Tahu tak Jesus?
Wakaranai.

Sudahlah, semua tak tahu tapi kedai itu dihias begitu meriah dengan lampu kilat-kilat.

Dua, tiga tahun lepas, kita beraya 2-3 hari berbeza dengan hari krismas. Saya beriye-iye menghiaskan kawasan depan rumah dengan illuminasi lampu berkilat, kononnya nak ikut macam orang kampung, tujuh liku, 10 liku. Hari raya banyak tetamu datang dan ada seorang yang mengatakan saya meniru budaya kristian cara menghias lampu depan rumah. Tetamu itu memberi amaran agar saya jangan mengikut cara kristian sebab ia akan membawa pada fitnah. Katanya lagi, perbuatan seperti itu tidak ditulis dalam hadis. Sememang betul katanya tapi niat saya hanya untuk memeriahkan suasana puasa dan raya seperti budaya orang kampung. Setelah mendengar syarahannya terasa juga bersalah. Perayaan tahun selepas ini, hiasan lampu saya campakkan hingga berabuk.
Mungkin kawan yang memberi amaran itu akan pengsan beruk tengok hiasan lampu waktu perayaan Islam di Malaysia dan Singapore.

Allah's thought

When starting to do something/ Apabila hendak memulakan sesuatu...	Bis-Millah Dengah nama Allah (SWT)
When intending to do something/ Apabila berniat hendak melakukan sesuatu pekerjaan...	Insha-Allah Dengan keizinan Allah (SWT)
When something is being praised/ Apabila memuji Allah (SWT)...	Subhana-Allah Maha suci Allah (SWT), contoh...cantiknya bulan,gunung, laut, dll.
When in pain and distress/ Apabila mengalami kesusahan...	Ya-Allah Ya-Allah
When expressing appreciation/ Apabila memuji seseorang, sesuatu...	Masya-Allah Dengan kehendak Allah (SWT)
When thanking someone/ Apabila mengucap terimakasih...	Jazak-Allah Semuga Allah (SWT) membalas kebaikan
When sneezing/ Apabila bersin...	Alhamdu-Lillah Segala puji-pujian bagi Allah (SWT)
When someone else sneezes/ Apabila orang lain bersin...	Yar-Hamok-Allah Semoga Allah (SWT) melimpahkan rahmat
When repentingof a sin/ Apabila memohon ampun, insaf...	Astagh-Firullah Dipohon keampunan Allah (SWT)
When taking oath/ Apabila bersumpah, mengangkat sumpah...	WallahiBillah Demi Allah (SWT)
When giving charity/ Apabila menderma...	Fi-sabi-Lillah Pada jalan Allah (SWT)
When having love for someone/ Apabila menyintai seseorang...	Lihub-Bullah Semuga Allah (SWT) menyayangi
When parting from someone/ Apabila mengucapkan selamat tinggal, meminta diri...	Fi-Amaan-Allah Semuga dipelihara Allah (SWT)
When facing difficulties,problems/ Apabila mengalami masalah...	Tawak-kaltu-Allah Berserah kepada Allah (SWT)
When pleasantness appears/ Apabila berlaku sesuatu yang dihajati...	Fata-Barak-Allah Allah (SWT) Maha Berkuasa
When unpleasantness happens/ Apabila berlaku sesuatu yang tidak diingini...	Na-Uzu-Billah Semuga dilindungiAllah (SWT)
When getting married/ Apabila berkahwin...	Aman-Tu-Billah Percaya pada Allah (SWT)
When hearing someone passed away/ Apabila mendengar berita kematian...	Inna-Lillahi-wa-Inna-Illahi-Raji'un Dari Allah (SWT) kita datang, padaNya kita kembali.

Tak Semanis Impian

The book title: Tak Semanis Impian written by Sharifah Abu Salem.

Resensi buku.

I have been away from the malay literary world for more than 20 years. The nearest reading material that I came across during that 20 years were some bits and pieces of newspaper clippings and some fashion magazines in bahasa melayu. I have been totally cut-off from the malay language and feel the need to upgrade when I foundout with lots of embarrassment, that I am still following the old spelling system in Bahasa Melayu. Actually, with the support of a very strong and determined person, Sdr Damahum, I found myself sincerely trying to improve myself with bahasa melayu. I have to write this in English (much to the dislike of my said-supporter) as I found myself still trying to climb the ladder of malay words step-by-step.
This is the first novel in Malay after more that 25 years, "Tak Semanis Impian" by Sharifah Abu Salem. From what I understand, this is a follow-up version of the first novel "Tak seindah Mimpi" but I missed reading the first version.

The book tells of the prohibited love of a young girl for her elder sister's husband. The story of the social rankings in the malay society, of the transformation of a village girl into an up-and-coming town girl, of the dealings in the private business world and the comparison of the simple life in the village with the buzzing life in metropolitan city.

The book mentioned much on the word "MasyaAllah" and I found the meaning in the book quite confusing with the actual meaning of this word that I know of.
The original meaning in Arab is "dengan kehendak Allah (SWT)" or "Allah (SWT) has willed it".
(Menyebut "masyaAllah" apabila memuji seseorang atau sesuatu), when expressing appreciation of someone or something for example.
"MasyaAllah, comelnnya anak itu" or masyaAllah, your wife is pretty.
We give praise to Allah (SWT) first before praising the subject or things mentioned.
But the malay language has taken a wrong version of the actual meaning of this beautiful word for example as noticed written abundantly in this book.

MasyaAllah! Mak tak terjaga subuh tadi!"

"Abang tak suka Seha duduk kat rumah abang agaknya!"
Suara Seha semakin hiba.
"MasyaAllah! Mengapa Norseha fikir macam tu?"
Razif makin tidak senang dengan Norseha".

I conclude with the shallow knowledge of the malay literary world, the word "masyaAllah" is confused with *masaalah=enigma (a person, thing or event that is strange or mysterious and difficult to understand or explain) or *masalah=problem.

This book also conveys the peculiar way some of the carry-ons are done in the business world. An inexperienced girl from a village being trust with the accounting of a successful firm, a previous-maid housewife being allowed to mingle and handle the decision-making machine of her husband private business. Maybe the writer has the intention of making this as a simple subplot but in reality this is obviously contradictory.

Some of the dialogue the characters used in English are grammatically disappointing like "You should have to be proud of her!" (pg 483) and "Dan I will spying of you!" (pg 484).

The writer has an effective way of showing the character's emotion, when Norjinah feels badly treated by her step-father. This emotion is strongly shown in the book and I have to force my tears from flowing during the death-bed speech when the father calls for his step-daughter
"Ji...mari dekat ayah nak!" (pg 533), at last acknowledging his step-daughter's kindness.

Being away from the malay community for more than 2 decades, I find this novel brought me back the nostalgia of the malay culture. Like having mid-afternoon meal. I realized that the malay has 4 meals a day, breakfast, lunch, mid-afternoon meal and dinner. Some of the writer's menu for the mid-afternoon meals are baked ubi bengkang (pg 43), pisang goreng and kuih (pg 373).

I write not with the intention of hurting the writer's feeling or giving criticism just for the sake of criticising. I write because I feel the writer needs to know that readers now are much more vocal and influential regarding their books and writings. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and what I have written here is just my own humble opinion.

Wassalam,
Halela bte Abdul Razak
Okinawa, Japan.
21.12.2003

domo

I can go through the whole day at home without saying anything except for "domo-domo". The thing is I can get through the day perfectly with just "domo-domo".

This is life in Japan. This magic word is vague but will get anyone, anywhere. My shopping trip will take me to 3 or 4 malls and shops at one time. I will get the usual "Irashaiimase", then pay for my goods. The cashier would mentioned the amount of cash given and mentioned the amount of change with "okaishi shimasu"(returning your change). Then, "mata okoshi kudasai" (please come again) with a big "arigatou gozaimashita". When you are blocking the way while browsing in the aisle instead of saying "excuse me, please" the staff there would shout "irashaimase", making you jump aside to let them through. Very polite way to say "get out of my way"! I can go through the whole day, not smiling or saying anything to anyone at all.

I remember while in Malaysia, Johore Bahru. I often shopped at Pelangi Plaza, the mall called Kerry's (not there anymore now). I went there regularly and the checking staff there were quite familiar with me after few visits. They made friendly conversations while checking my items like "your scarf is colourful today or you are all pink today". Then, I started to make friendly conversations as well. But not the usual case in Japan. You only speak when you cannot find anything or for price inquiry, which frequently happened to me.

In Japan "QUITE" has a very different meaning. When you ask a typical Japanese something he cannot understand, he will go quite. When he disagrees with your point of view, he will go quite. When you embarass him, he will be quite. When he finds you strange with strange foreign habit, he will be quite.
Quite also shows advance stage of intimacy. When lovers very much in love, they are quite. Lovers don't even hold hands in public.
You don't see loving couple kissing on escalators or young couple hugging waist while walking. Loving couples are very quite!

Domo for reading this :)

Driving

Driving in Japan is quite complicated and expensive. Those who cannot
read the language will have trouble understanding road signs. Highway
tolls are assessed at about US $1 per mile. City traffic is often very
congested. A 20-mile trip in the Tokyo area may take two hours. There is
virtually no roadside parking. In mountainous areas, roads are often
closed during the winter, and cars should be equipped with tire chains.

Foreigners should be alert to traffic on secondary roads, which does
not come to a full stop at traffic lights or stop signs. Roads in Japan
are much narrower than those in the United States. Vehicular traffic
moves on the left. Turns at red lights are forbidden unless specifically
authorized.

Japanese compulsory insurance is mandatory for all automobile owners
and drivers in Japan. Your local auto insurance taken from your own country likely does not provide
coverage in Japan.

Accidents and Liability:
Japanese law provides that all persons who drive in Japan are held
liable in the event of an accident, and assesses fault in an accident on
all parties.

Drivers stopped for driving under the influence will have their
licenses confiscated. Laws passed in late 2001 make persons found guilty of
"drunken, speeding or blatantly careless driving that results in death"
subject to up to 15 years in prison, tripling the previous maximum
sentence. Japanese police, under these new laws, will also be permitted to
contact financial institutions directly to determine an offender's
financial status to combat evasion of payment for traffic violations.

Kemalangan jalan raya

Kenapa agaknya purata kemalangan di negara Jepun rendah dibandingkan dengan negara lain. Pembayaran saman atas kesalahan undang-undang jalan raya kadang-kadang dikenakan sampai 30 tahun. Atau harus mengadaikan rumah membayar duit ganti-rugi bila tertuduh bersalah dalam kemalangan jalan raya.

Bukan pembayaran saman aje, lesen juga boleh dilucutkan dari pemandu. Untuk mendapatkan lesen terlucut itu, harus mengambil ujian memandu semula secara asalnya.

Tolakan mata bagi pemandu yang melanggar undang-undang yang ringan seperti salah meletakkan kereta atau tidak memakai tali keselamatan. Setiap kesalahan yang mengurangkan mata akan dikira dan jika mata itu habis, pemandu harus mengambil ujian memandu semula untuk menghidupkan lesen memandu.

Saya disaman atas kesalahan meletakkan kereta di depan bangunan Balai Raya. Waktu itu saya masuk ke kolam renang. Waktu saya berenang, ada terdengan pengumuman nombor kereta dan dihendakan tuan punya kereta mengalih kenderaannya. Saya tidak pasti nombor itu, padahal selepas ketahuan saman itu, barulah saya sedar nombor itu kereta saya!
Setelah habis berenang, saya menuju ke kereta tapi kereta saya tidak ada di situ lagi dan di tapak kereta dilekatkan nota, menyuruh saya ambil kereta di balai polis Naha. Kesemua pembayaran termasuk harga mereka menarik kereta saya ke balai polis dan bayaran letakkan kereta di tempat khas termasuk saman berjumlah yen27,000!

Serik rasanya dan selepas insiden ini, saya berjalan dan tidak memandu lagi ke kolam renang.

Setiap pelanggaran jalan raya, kedua belah pihak menanggung kesalahan. Pihak polis akan menjatuhkan purata kesalahan. Jika yang melanggar bersalah 70%, dia harus membayar harga kerosakan pada kereta yang dilanggar itu sebanyak 70%. Semua ini diuruskan melalui syarikat insurans, tidak ada duit tunai bertukar tangan.

The Japan Times: Nov. 27, 2003
(C) All rights reserved

SAPPORO (Kyodo) The Sapporo District Court on Wednesday ordered a woman who hit and killed a 9-year-old boy with her car in Hokkaido to pay around 54 million yen in damages to his parents.
The money will be paid in monthly installments that coincide with the date of the boy's death.

Presiding Judge Kazushi Teranishi ordered the 52-year-old woman to issue payments on the 18th of each month over a period of 30 years.

The ruling is partly in keeping with the demands of the parents of Toshihiko Doba, the fourth year elementary school student who died in the accident on Aug. 18, 2001.

Kazuhiko Doba, 45, and his wife, Kumiko, 38, sought damages of around 75 million yen.

They had also asked that the payments be made on the same date as their son's death, saying they did not want the woman to forget that a precious life had been taken.

The woman was convicted of causing injury and death through negligence and sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison. Her car veered onto a sidewalk in the city of Kitahiroshima, plowing into four boys riding their bicycles.

The three other boys sustained injuries.

In a separate ruling in July, the Tokyo District Court ordered a 59-year-old truck driver to pay damages in a similar fashion. The truck driver caused an accident on the Tomei Expressway in Tokyo that resulted in the deaths of two girls, aged 1 and 3.

Digital TV era

Kalau Malaysia ada digital broadcasting, setiap negara yang setaraf kemajuan digitalnya dapat tune TV 3 atau RTM. Setakat ini orang dari luar negara Malaysia sudah boleh mendengar digital radio dari ERA dan RTM.
Sesudah disiapkan kemudahan digital broadcasting, TV analog tidak berfungsi lagi. Sesiapa juga di luar Jepun boleh layar laman dan menikmati rancangan TV Jepun hanya dengan masukkan alamat urlnya sahaja.

By YURI KAGEYAMA
The Associated Press

With signs that say "Digital is coming!" hanging in stores packed with new TV models promising dazzling imagery, Tokyo's bustling electronics shopping district in Akihabara is one place in Japan that's gung-ho about digital television broadcasting that began Monday.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (at microphone) and representatives of Japan's key TV broadcasters mark the start of terrestrial digital broadcasting.

But the buzz has yet to catch on elsewhere.

Digital broadcasting will still reach just parts of three major cities, and potential viewers are estimated at 12 million households. But with reception for some channels poor because of Japan's mountainous and cramped terrain, the tally may be half that -- and actual viewers even fewer, at about 300,000.

The government is determined to make digital broadcasting the nation's standard, and has vowed to phase out analog broadcasting by 2011. So officials say digital TV, despite its likely slow start, is here to stay.

The economic perks are expected to total 200 trillion yen over the next decade, according to the telecommunications ministry, as people rush out to buy digital TVs, broadcasters invest in equipment and new kinds of services blossom.

The government is investing 180 billion yen to help get the system started, and is targeting the end of 2006 for making it available nationwide.

The air waves for analog TVs and digital TVs are basically similar. But using digital signals allows for relaying larger amounts of information. A digital TV has twice as many lines on a screen to create images as an analog TV, delivering a more vivid and theaterlike picture. Digital broadcasting can also relay hundreds of channels in less dazzling video quality.

Another feature of digital TVs is viewer participation, including surveys, contest balloting or educational programs, although such programs were scarce Monday. The television can also receive data that pop up as words on the screen, including player statistics for a baseball game, or local news headlines and weather reports targeting specific areas.

In the future, commuters will be watching digital TV programs on mobile phones and other hand-held devices, although a disagreement over patents has delayed that launch in Japan.

The advent of digital TV is symbolic of a larger move toward "a network society" that delivers information catered to each individual instead of a dominant mass media that acts as opinion leader, said Tatsuo Inamasu, a professor at Hosei University in Tokyo.

"It means nothing other than the dismantling of TV by the Internet. Information is now becoming a two-way street," Inamasu said. "The connections among individuals are going to be (horizontal), rather than controlled (from) the top."

Japan has had satellite digital broadcast since 2001, drawing 4.7 million households so far. The new system is terrestrial and won't use satellites.

The United States has had terrestrial digital broadcasting since 1998, and other nations, including England, Sweden, Australia and South Korea, also already have it. The reception has been mixed. Spain's commercial terrestrial digital broadcasting network went bust.

In Japan, sales of cathode ray tube, or CRT, TVs still outpace plasma and liquid-crystal display TVs. But that's beginning to change.

For the first nine months of this year, LCD TV sales totaled 980,000, up 41 percent from the same period a year ago, while plasma TVs sales totaled 140,000, up 29 percent. And data show Japanese who are thinking of replacing their old TV sets are opting for LCD or plasma -- and for going digital.

The pace at which LCD and plasma TVs are selling rivals the speed with which black-and-white TVs gave way to color sets in the 1970s in Japan, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, a major business daily, reported last week.

Digital broadcasting requires a tuner, which costs about 80,000 yen here. But fully enjoying its advantages requires a new TV set. Some models come with the tuner inside for an extra price. Interactive features require hooking the tuner to a phone line.

Prices on the TVs vary, but one with a 50-inch plasma screen, which delivers the visual splendor of a home theater, costs 800,000 yen.

"I want one but it's too expensive," cab driver Toshiaki Araki said. "The prices will drop once sales pick up."

The Japan Times: Dec. 2, 2003
(C) All rights reserved