Home | Friday 14th March 2008 | Issue 624

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NIPPON IT IN THE BUD

In a possible foretaste of what’s to come at the G8 this summer in Japan, a left-wing German activist, Dr. Martin Kraemer, has been refused entry by the Japanese authorities. He has been ordered to stay put in the Panama vessel BM-2, which had brought him from Sakhalin, Russia on Friday, 7th of March. He had already been detained and questioned by the Russian FSB (not just the KGB rebranded, honest). After spending 66 hours waiting in the port of Otaru he was finally refused landing permission. Normally German residents can stay in Japan for up to 90 days without a visa, according to the oldest member of the Otaru immigration department this refusal is an all-time first for the port of Otaru.

Dr. Kraemer is now in limbo as his visa for Russia has been cancelled - so he can neither travel on to Japan nor return to Russia! But he’s not taking it lying down he says: “No matter whether it’s a Russian or Japanese Big Capital dictatorship - when G8 approaches they seem all united to kick us into the Pacific Ocean! We won’t stay under water for long, though, Japan, we are coming!”

That told ‘em... More on the G8 in Japan: http://a.sanpal.co.jp/no-g8

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