As part of the Japanese government's efforts to "increase awareness" of the risks of terrorism, new signs and stickers are being placed everywhere. Nobody asked me, but driving to work I noticed two (really) old guys getting ready to plaster what is actually one of my walls.

I asked what they were intending to do with the stickers and was ignored, so I asked if I could have two for "my shop". "Which shop?" "This one" "Oh!"

We ended up receiving two stickers. We are on alert! We are now suitably terrified and paranoid of an imminent terrorist attack! The yellow sticker says "tokubetsukeikaijisshichuu". Special measures are now in place. I'm not sure what the special measures are supposed to be. The white sticker is a little more calm with its "bouhan patrol". Anti crime patrols. What kind of patrol is something of a mystery.

Not having any intention of using them as stickers, we have put them to good use.

To previous page

"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind
is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention,
but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza." - Dave Barry

© Declan Murphy - All rights reserved.