Still time to get a ticket to Isla de Salsa the upcoming big beach bash in Momochi! International bands and dancers perform continuously on stage for two days and nights. This year Isla welcomes 13 time Latin Grammy Award winner Juan Luis Guerra for his first time to Japan. Seeing him alone is apparently worth the price of admission – but there’s lots more too! More info at: www.isla-de-salsa.jp And… be sure to drop by the Fukuoka Now booth for a free photo souvenir!

Union Keeps an Eye on the Law

It’s been a month of upheavals in immigration law. First, a bill to rescind the Alien Registration Act passed in the Diet. The good news? Within three years resident foreigners should be eligible for five-year visas and unlimitedre-entry: no more permits! The bad news? Unregistered foreigners will be unable to claim any kind of benefits. For more see the Japan Times’ report: http://tinyurl.com/j-alien. Chris Flynn, a leading figure in the Fukuoka General Union, alerted us to another change: from April 2009 foreigners renewing visa must have national health insurance. The Union say that disreputable companies already encourage their foreign workers to enroll in inadequate types of insurance in order to save the company money. There’s a detailed report on this complex on the Now Blog at fukuokanow.wordpress.com

Fukuoka Now Canada Day Party

Flags were flying at Fukuoka Now’s annual Canada Day party. The Dark Room was decked out in multitudes of maple leaves and served up tasty Canadian specialities like grilled salmon, poutine and “Barenaked Ladies”. Thankfully for non-Canucks the threatening rainclouds didn’t deliver, and so the rooftop patio was packed until the early hours. Thanks to everyone who came and made it a great night! Check out the photo gallery: www.fukuoka-now.com/gallery