JR Hokkaido, a Japanese rail firm, is poised to fully launch its dual-mode bus and rail vehicle. The bus-train has both rubber and steel tires, allowing it to switch between regular roads and railroad tracks with ease. The company debuted a test model nearly three years ago, and a set up a test line in the Shizuoka Prefecture city of Fuji late last month -- but JR Hokkaido will be conducting commercial tests on the Semmo Line near Shiretoko in April 2007. This crazy dual-use machine is meant to be a way to replace train cars that run on local lines where ridership is down to under 500 people per day (that's 30 percent of JR's lines). While you probably won't be able to get your hands on one unless you're a running a Japanese rail company, these new hybrids will cost ¥20 million ($170,735) apiece, which apparently is about one-seventh the cost of a traditional diesel-powered train car. At such bargain basement prices, Japanese rail riders might be seeing these pretty soon -- that is, unless the hovercraft-train-bus triple-threat comes to market first.
Japanese pilot succeeds with belly landing KOCHI, Japan, March 13 (UPI) -- The pilot of an All Nippon Airways turboprop commuter flight safely made an emergency landing Tuesday in Kochi after the front landing gear failed to deploy. The unidentified pilot of the Bombardier DHC8-Q400 circled the airport for more than an hour to burn off fuel, which is standard procedure, the Mainichi Shimbun reported. The pilot landed the craft using only the two rear wheels and kept the aircraft's nose high until its forward speed had decreased. The report said there was a shower of sparks but no fire as the plane rolled safely to a stop. The runway had been sprayed with fire-retardant foam and the plane was hosed down by fire crews before the doors were opened. None of the 56 passengers or four crew members were injured, airline officials said. Passengers told reporters there was no panic during the ordeal and said they all broke into applause when the plane stopped moving.
'Letters from Iwo Jima' earns Golden Globe The Spielberg production of "Letters from Iwo Jima" has been awarded the Golden Globe for "Best Foreign Language Film" (the film, despite being a U.S. production, is of course presented entirely in Japanese). Steven Spielberg earned the honor along with his fellow producers Clint Eastwood (also "Letters' " director) and Robert Lorenz. His win for "Letters" marks Steven Spielberg's third personal Golden Globe win to date, preceded by a Best Director Globe each for "Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan." "Letters" has also earned recognition from the National Board of Review ("Best Picture of the Year"), the Los Angeles Film Critics Association ("Best Picture"), the Chicago Film Critics Association ("Best Foreign Language Film"), and as an American Film Institute Official Film Selection for 2006. Congratulations to the producers and all of the men and women who helped bring "Letters from Iwo Jima" to audiences.