Prices of Louis Vuitton products to be cut due to strong yen
Japan Today

http://www.japantoday.com/category/business/view/prices-of-louis-vuitton-products-to-be-cut-due-to-strong-yen

TOKYO — Louis Vuitton Japan Co said Friday it will cut the prices of most Louis Vuitton products by an average of 7% effective Saturday due to the yen’s appreciation against the euro.

The price cuts will be applied to thousands of the French luxury brand’s bags and other leather products, accessories, clothing and watches, Louis Vuitton Japan said. The company last cut the prices of Louis Vuitton products in April 2004 by an average of 5%.

Japan resumes whale meat imports
Japan Today

http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/japan-resumes-whale-meat-imports

TOKYO — Japan has bought whale meat from Iceland, the first time in 17 years it has imported the banned meat, a news report said Saturday.

The shipment passed through Japanese customs and was already on the market, Kyodo News agency said, quoting unidentified trade ministry officials. Officials refused to give further details, including how much and what kind of whale meat was involved, Kyodo said.

Japanese fisheries and trade officials were not available for comment Saturday.

Japan last imported whale meat in 1991. Commercial whaling was banned in 1986 under the International Whaling Commission.

Pro-whaling countries, including Japan, Iceland and Norway, say the commercial hunt should be allowed to resume for non-endangered species such as minke whales.

Japan claims the import of the meat does not violate international trade laws.

Iceland resumed commercial whaling in 2006, ending a 20-year hiatus after withdrawing from the IWC. This year, Iceland allowed the country’s whalers to catch up to 40 minkes.

Japan, which conducts research hunts under the IWC, sent a whaling fleet earlier this month to the Antarctic for an annual hunt. Japan kills about 1,200 whales a year in two expeditions.

In recent years Japanese whalers have faced violent protests from the environmental group Sea Shepherd in the Antarctic waters.

The Japanese have hunted whales for centuries and the meat was once widely popular. Today, however, its consumption is largely limited to small coastal communities and as a specialty gourmet.

Ritz-Carlton to launch new global brand in Thailand. Ritz-Carlton is to launch an exclusive new brand extension, The Reserve, with the March debut of the Phulay Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Krabi, southern Thailand.



Set on the shores of the Andaman Sea, Phulay Bay, which opens March 1, 2009, will be a hideaway 54-villa and pavilion boutique hotel with unspoilt views of the towering limestone karsts which make up the beautiful landscape of this part of southern Thailand. Coupled with sandy beaches, a coastline flecked with more than 200 islands, surrounded by a national forest with rugged rock formations and hidden waterfalls, Phulay Bay is a natural wonder.

The essence of Phulay Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve will be about enlivening the senses. Guests will subtly and gently have their senses enriched and stimulated with the resort’s own scent, signature drink, beautiful and stunning scenery both inside the suites and in the environment of the resort, as well as by the sounds of traditional Thai music coupled with the gentle lapping of the sea on the shores of Phulay Bay. This will all be coupled with the environment of tactile natural Thai silk soft furnishings and coverings to help guests truly relax in this unique and special environment.

Nestled on the shore of the Andaman Sea, the resort is the vision of in-demand Thai architect Lek Bunnag and features modern styling and architecture with accents of Thai culture and design to create a harmonious synergy of luxury and tradition to compliment its secluded location. Bunnag draws strongly from Thai traditions and cultural heritage to create an environment where relaxation and enjoyment are the very bedrock of the guest experience.

The architecture, landscape, interiors and accessories fuse to create a marriage of style and design that is completely in keeping with and tied to the natural environment of the location. Oversized beds, pillows, chairs, baths and doorways create a sense of comfort and welcoming that sets the guest at ease and welcomes them into the resort.

Combining contemporary Thai styling in the buildings with preservation of the environment, the natural flora of existing trees and plants relies on the past and tradition to create something sustainable today and for the future. The use of traditional Lanna art forms both in architectural structure and design as well as paintings and artworks on the walls and doors of the villas further create a contemporary setting that draws on tradition to offer a unique and luxurious environment and further enlivens the senses.

“When styling and designing Phulay Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, we were very conscious of the abundant beauty surrounding us which is what makes people fall in love with Thailand,” explained Estelita Sebeto, the resort’s general manager. “We want guests to enjoy and discover the extraordinary diversity and beauty in this part of the country in a setting of relaxation and rejuvenation. So we have worked with nature to maintain a setting that evokes the very best of the natural environment of the hotel and sourced local and sustainable materials in its construction and styling. We see the resort as an ambassador for the local environment and for the tradition of the land here in Phulay Bay.”

With accommodation offering a variety of unspoilt ocean views, private plunge pools, sheltered outdoor baths and showers set among lush indigenous flora the sense of privacy and comfort allows guests to indulge in the scenery and detach from the world during their stay. Coupled with the natural warmth and easy smiles of the Thai people and Ritz-Carlton’s world-famous service, Phulay Bay is the perfect destination to host the first of The Ritz-Carlton Reserve’s exotic, hand-picked hideaways.

With an emphasis on personalized, bespoke experiences, guests can design or tailor make their visit to perfectly suit their needs and desires. A light BBQ lunch in your favorite area of the resort? A meditation class in a local monastery? Elephant trekking to a remote pick nick spot? A sea plane tour of region’s dramatic scenery? No problem. The resort will tailor-make your visit and personalize your experience, to make it a truly unique and one-of-a-kind visit.

Hearing her vibrant new single, "Koi wa Groovy²" ("Love is Groovy²"), it would be hard to guess that such an experience would be the inspiration. "It's about getting ready to love again," she remarks warmly.

Ito moved to Japan five years ago from Hawaii, where she was brought up by her Japanese father and Korean-American mother. Now 25, she has always worn her heart on her sleeve. Singles such as 2006's "Faith" and "Precious" and this year's duet with Celine Dion, "A World to Believe In," have tagged her as something of an accomplished balladeer. And since her debut in September 2005 with "Endless Story," Ito has reeled off 11 consecutive top-20 singles in Japan. Her debut album, "Heart," topped the charts last year, and this year's followup, "Wish," went to No. 3.

Sat on a sofa at Sony Music Japan's office in Ichigaya, Tokyo, she is the first to admit that September's single "Miss You" was written and recorded at a time when her personal life was less than rosy.

"It was the first time for me to say 'No, don't leave me, where are you going?' " she says. "Of course, there was my share of (blame for) it not working out. But once you've been there, there's nothing else to be afraid of in life."

The new single, however, paints a completely different picture: that of a rejuvenated young woman who is excited and ready to fall in love again.

"It's saying that you get your heart broken, you cry, you drink too much, you do all kinds of (crazy) stuff and when you get over all of that, it's about finding your heart again."

The release also continues Ito's collaboration with American clothing retail giant Gap, which oversaw the sleek party video that sees her jump out of her real-life billboard advertisement for the company. Renowned for its advertising that has featured more than 300 celebrities, such as Mary J Blige, Madonna and Audrey Hepburn, Gap flew Yuna Ito to New York in February of this year to shoot her for an ad campaign starting this month in Japan.

"I was so excited and couldn't believe they chose me," she says. "I've been a fan of Gap since high school, where everyone had the Gap-logo sweater. I think I had a white one. I haven't seen the billboards across Tokyo yet, but I've been getting calls from friends saying it's huge!"

Ito says she takes a hands-on approach to picking which songs to record and release, with a strict selection process that reflects her own intimate emotions.

"If I don't feel anything, it won't happen," she claims.

Upon the release of her first album, "Heart," which featured a symbol of a heart with a small imperfection, she claimed that love is never perfect.

"Maybe one day, when I get married, that will all change, but for now I'm still that chipped heart — though it's not exactly a negative thing," she explains.

"Koi wa Groovy²" picks up on the more dazzling side of Ito that first appeared on her fourth single, 2006's "Stuck On You." "It's a party song, because I didn't want to be serious and release another message song."

Usually found in jeans and a casual top, Yuna is used to hearing comments on her own tomboyishness. "God forbid I wear a skirt!" she exclaims. "You can't even sit in them!" That attitude comes through in her personality and eventually into her songs too.

"When I was recording the lyrics (to "Koi wa Groovy²"), they were actually "Hey boy," but when I was recording I was thinking, wait, I'm not out to go to clubs to get laid! The point is to go out with your girlfriends and have a great time, and if you find someone, then (you hit) two birds with one stone. So (I changed the lyrics to) "Hey girl.' "

Clearly frustrated at the differences between American and Japanese culture when it comes to the female sex finding new love, she elucidates, "We are telling the girls of Japan that Friday night is not the time to sit at home! (And) if you just stand there, do you think he will notice you? You have to do something!"

"When I see a group of girls out in Japan, they usually look so bored, wondering why there are no guys there (with them). You can't just sit there and expect guys to come to a whole gang of girls. We are not cave people!"

Despite her success, Yuna is also keen to point out that life for her is mostly just like it is for anyone else. She says that working in entertainment "is like a glitter ball, and people want to get in because it is glamorous. And it is glittery, but it's not real. My friends keep reminding me of it, and if I were to say anything even slightly big-headed, they'd kick me in the butt."

The really groovy moments for her, though, are on stage, when she feels that she can truly live the dream. "When you are on stage, you can be a princess, have all the power in the world, be anything you want to be during that song.

"It's overwhelming, wonderful and nerve-racking. All my life, I wanted to be on stage and have everyone in the audience be a fan of mine. Every night (on tour), during the last song ("Precious"), I burst into tears and got really emotional. What you have to remember is that off stage you are a just (another) little girl."

"Koi wa Groovy²" is out Nov. 26.