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Here is Gaby’s report from Kyoto

Media:
Word spread like wildfire through internet and NGO networks, especially IMC
Japan , Sloth Club < http://www.sloth.gr.jp/ >, and anti-war groups. Not much reaction so far from mainstream journalism since no-one was out on the street in Tokyo, it’s off their screen! Only one magazine, the left independent Shuukan Kinyobi (Friday Weekly)<
http://www.kinyobi.co.jp/Recent > will carry a story on BND. But at least in Kyoto, we had brought our own media- photo cameras (Markuz, Taro), video cam (the Nishidas), and independent media savy! In past year’s, newspapers refused to carry our story because they thought it was not a message they want to put out there when the economic situation is not good. (Kyoto Shinbun).

So this year we put into our press release that BND is good for the economy: “the fair trade economy! the organic and local economy!”, and quoted a business owner, “BND is good for all of us!” But I guess they only care about the GDP after all (and whatever happens in Tokyo).  So more than ever I think- BND and the Big Question Campaign

http://adbusters.org/campaigns/question/ ("economists must learn to subtract") need to go together! Again and again: When people go isnt it bad for the economy? We have to ask back: Is the economy good for us?

Actually, the biggest BND media event was the un-commercial
http://adbusters.cool.ne.jp/schedule.htm broadcast on the Discovery Japan channel in Tokyo and Yokohama! Three cheers to Taizo (also the brains and muscles behind the adbusters japan website) who pulled it off again!

Network: 
Helps to have a well-maintained website with our own fancy domain!http://www.bndjapan.org

NGO networking is tops: the emerging Slow Life movement, the popular antiwar movement as well as the brand-new Indymedia Japan are our natural allies- and we’re starting to get hooked up ! Vocal support from and for fair trade and organic food ­ both business and NGOs (endorsements from Tengu Natural Foods
http://www.alishan-organic-center.com/
and Global Village http://www.globalvillage.or.jp/ ).

Mailing List: Lots of new mailing list sign ups (Japanese and English lists)- now we’re up to combined 260 people from all over Japan, up 60 from Mid-October! Website was crammed with posters, flyers and stickers for downloads, some of which even got used hahaha!

http://www.bndjapan.org

Photos from Kyoto, Messages to Zenta Claus, voices from the streets,
participant reports from Okinawa and Osaka- all up on
http://www.bndjapan.org
(easier than wading through these long messages of mine...)
Still expecting more reports and photos from you guys out there!
Gabi
PS: dutch BND also picked up some of our pix. http://www.koopniets.nl/