LATEST UK – JAPAN REPORTS
London , Tokyo Top Wealth List
The UK capital topped the list as the city with the most multi-millionaires in the world , while Tokyo was in second place , according to a list issued by Wealth Insight Ltd on 8 May .
London boasts 4,224 multi-millionaires ( individuals worth more than £ 19mn ), while Tokyo has 3,525 multi-millionaires .
Singapore came in third ( 3,154 ) and New York City fourth ( 2,929 ).
As for mere millionaires — those who have net assets of $ 1mn , excluding their
Media Firms Share TV Content
Japan International Broadcasting Inc . has signed a deal with Virgin Media Inc . to bring the NHK TV channel to Virgin customers , according to a press release issued on 13 May .
The 24-hour channel provides Englishlanguage service for viewers worldwide , offering news and a broad variety of main home — London was in third place ( 281,000 ), New York City in second place ( 389,000 ) and Tokyo in the top spot ( 461,000 ).
The wealth analytics firm believes that the ultra-rich are drawn to London for a number of reasons , including its status as a financial hub , location in a convenient time zone and quality of life .
The US has the most millionaires in the world ( 5,231,000 ) followed by Japan ; the UK ( 675,000 ) is in fifth place .
programming from Japan , the Asian region and other parts of the world .
Virgin Media will now have full use of NHK ’ s global network , while viewers of the UK cable TV service will be able to watch Japanese news , music and cooking programmes .
Most Popular Nations Poll
The UK is the third-most positively viewed country in the world , while Japan is in fourth place , according to the BBC World Service Country Ratings Poll , issued on 23 May .
More than 26,000 randomly selected people in 25 countries were surveyed face-toface and by telephone in the annual poll .
Respondents were asked to rate 16 countries and the European Union on whether their influence in the world was “ mainly positive ” or “ mainly negative ”.
Germany took the top spot , with 59 % rating it positively , while Iran was , once again , the most negatively viewed nation .
Germany displaced Japan , which saw its positive rating drop from 58 % to 51 %, and its position fall from first to fourth place .
The UK saw a bigger increase in positive ratings than any other country . It climbed to third place in the table , possibly in part because it had hosted the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games .
Brum Pupils Make Film on Death Row Man
Two students from Birmingham ’ s King Edward ’ s School have made a film about a prisoner in Japan who has been on death row for 45 years , according to a press release issued on 10 May .
The nine-minute film tells the story of Iwao Hakamada , a former professional boxer who was sentenced to death in 1968 for the 1966 murder of four people .
Hakamada is currently waiting to hear whether he will be granted a retrial . He has testified that he was beaten by police and forced to sign a false confession after he had been interrogated .
The film features pupils and staff members of the school talking about notable events that have happened in their own lives , with each of the 45 years Hakamada has been on death row represented .
The student filmmakers are both members of the Amnesty International society at the school . Members of the human rights organisation are helping to publicise the film .
Oldest , Rarest Whisky for Sale
The Number One Drinks Company has launched Karuizawa 1960 — Japan ’ s oldest and rarest whisky — at the Tokyo International Bar Show , Harpers Wine & Spirits Trades Review reported on 8 May .
The Nagano Prefecture maker of the mature whisky , Karuizawa Distillery , was set up in 1955 but ceased production in 2000 .
However , the UK firm bought the remaining cases of the whisky from the distillery in order to bring alcohol from smaller , independent distillers to a wider international audience .
Modelled on traditional Japanese puzzle boxes and handmade by a British cabinet maker , the Karuizawa 1960 box is adorned with pieces from the original ex-sherry cask head . In addition , the bottle and packaging have been designed by an Edinburghbased studio .
Only 41 bottles of the 53.2 % single malt are available and are priced at £ 12,500 each .
8 | BCCJ ACUMEN | JUNE 2013