■Justice
Sex book leads to indictment
A prosecutor has indicted a Japanese man for importing a controversial guidebook for sex-tourists in Taiwan's two biggest cities, officials said yesterday. Prosecutor Chen Hung-ta (陳宏達) from the Taipei District Court told reporters the guidebook was imported by Daisuke Sekine, the former chief of Japan's Kinokuniya bookstore in Taipei. Graphic photos in the book contravened Taiwanese obscenity laws, Chen told reporters. He said Sekine had defended himself by claiming the book simply depicted Taiwan nightlife and was not aware it was illegal. Sekine is since believed to have been transferred by his employers to Sydney and any punishment will be handed out in absentia. Under Taiwanese law, Sekine could be sentenced to up to three years in jail but legal experts said he is likely to be fined or given a probation. The book, which was published by a Japanese publishing house, sparked an outcry here last year. Since then the Japanese publisher has recalled the books after a protest from the Taiwanese government.
■ Globalization
Taiwan slips in ranking
A study by A.T. Kearney and Foreign Policy magazine published yesterday ranks Taiwan as the world's 34th most globalized nation, two positions behind its ranking last year. The study said that the 10 top countries meeting its annual globalization index are, in order: Ireland, Switzerland, Sweden, Singapore, the Netherlands, Denmark, Canada, Austria, the UK and Finland. The US ranked 11th, followed by France, Norway, Portugal, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Germany, Malaysia, Israel and Spain. China ranked 51st. Ireland is the "most global nation" for the second year in a row, thanks to its ability to socially integrate and maintain robust trade and investment with the rest of the world. According to A.T. Kearney, a global management firm, and Foreign Policy magazine, the globalization index measures economic, social, political and technological integration in 62 countries that represent 85 percent of the world's population and are responsible for 95 percent of the world's economic output.
■ Justice
Lo allowed to leave country
The Taipei District Court granted former legislator Lo Fu-chu (羅福助) permission to leave the country conditionally two days ago, despite the fact that the court is still preparing cases accusing him of fraud, breach of trust and other charges. According to a CNA report, Lo's lawyer, Chung Yung-sheng (鐘永盛) was reported as saying yesterday that Lo is traveling to Hong Kong to handle matters related to the extension of a bank loan.
■ Weather
Cold front expected
While rainy weather let up yesterday and temperatures rose, forecasters from the Central Weather Bureau said another cold front is expected to reach Taiwan tomorrow. According to the bureau, Tamsui was the coldest place in Taiwan early yesterday morning at 11.1°C, followed by Chiayi at 12.1°C, Taichung at 12.3°C and Taipei at 13.1°C. In the day-time, temperatures rose to 19°C in northern Taiwan, 23°C in Central Taiwan and 24°C in the southern areas. The bureau forecasts improved conditions for today, but it is expected the cold front will move south tomorrow. The front will not bring as cold weather as the previous front, and the lowest temperatures will probably hover around 12°C. The front, which will bring dry weather, will remain for approximately two days. Another cold front is forecast to arrive on Jan. 15.
An increase in Taiwanese boats using China-made automatic identification systems (AIS) could confuse coast guards patrolling waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and become a loophole in the national security system, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook page created by enthusiasts who monitor Chinese military activities in airspace and waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast, on Saturday identified what seemed to be a Chinese cargo container ship near Penghu County. The Coast Guard Administration went to the location after receiving the tip and found that it was a Taiwanese yacht, which had a Chinese AIS installed. Similar instances had also
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
VIGILANCE: The military is paying close attention to actions that might damage peace and stability in the region, the deputy minister of national defense said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) might consider initiating a hack on Taiwanese networks on May 20, the day of the inauguration ceremony of president-elect William Lai (賴清德), sources familiar with cross-strait issues said. While US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s statement of the US expectation “that all sides will conduct themselves with restraint and prudence in the period ahead” would prevent military actions by China, Beijing could still try to sabotage Taiwan’s inauguration ceremony, the source said. China might gain access to the video screens outside of the Presidential Office Building and display embarrassing messages from Beijing, such as congratulating Lai
Four China Coast Guard ships briefly sailed through prohibited waters near Kinmen County, Taipei said, urging Beijing to stop actions that endanger navigation safety. The Chinese ships entered waters south of Kinmen, 5km from the Chinese city of Xiamen, at about 3:30pm on Monday, the Coast Guard Administration said in a statement later the same day. The ships “sailed out of our prohibited and restricted waters” about an hour later, the agency said, urging Beijing to immediately stop “behavior that endangers navigation safety.” Ministry of National Defense spokesman Sun Li-fang (孫立方) yesterday told reporters that Taiwan would boost support to the Coast Guard