$10 pair of jeans made in Cambodia is a hot item in recession-hit Japan

$10 pair of jeans made in Cambodia is a hot item in recession-hit Japan

Legs to stand on: Jeans priced at 990 yen are displayed at the Nishikasai g.u. shop in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo, on April 8. MINORU MATSUTANI PHOTO

Cheap jeans fitting well in recession

Uniqlo spinoff g.u. makes a statement with ¥990 dungarees, but profit proving elusive

Wednesday, April 15, 2009
By MINORU MATSUTANI
Staff writer
The Japan Times

Nobody can ever have too many pairs of jeans, and thus the philosophy of GOV Retailing is to make them available on the cheap — a notion that is paying off for the new g.u. chain.
GOV Retailing, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fast Retailing Co., began selling ¥990 jeans at its 69 g.u. outlets on March 10. That's a quarter of what denim pants sell for at Fast Retailing's Uniqlo stores, which have set the new standard for low-priced clothing and are thriving on the recession.

"We are offering the lowest possible prices for a pair of jeans, in the process changing the widely held view that jeans have to cost more," GOV President Shuichi Nakajima said in an interview with The Japan Times.

G.U. is off to a hot start. In the first month, sales of the ¥990 jeans were double what the company had expected, leading the firm to raise its annual target to more than 1 million pairs from its initial goal of 500,000.

If the forecast is met, the jeans sales will probably account for about a quarter of the ¥4 billion in combined sales the 69 g.u. outlets across Japan logged in the business year to last August.

Ultracheap jeans made headlines when Fast Retailing President Tadashi Yanai announced a new product lineup at a news conference last month. His Uniqlo chain had already achieved supremacy in the cheap clothing arena, and it appeared he was on a quest to expand further.

"We first thought of selling jeans for ¥1,490, less than a half of ¥3,990 at Uniqlo. But Yanai told us at a weekly meeting in October that ¥990 would have a bigger impact," Nakajima said. "Everybody in the meeting agreed, and then we began working on it."

Before then, GOV employees had been negotiating with factories in Cambodia with the aim of setting the retail price at ¥1,490, but after this decision, Nakajima and his colleagues paid visits to the factories to negotiate further cost cuts. The company uses fabric from China and manufacturers in Cambodia to make the ¥990 jeans.

GOV Retailing also pursued various cost-cutting measures, including reducing the number of material suppliers and factories producing its clothing.

It also uses the same fabric for as many outfits as possible and shares resources with Fast Retailing, he said, declining comment on further cost-cutting details.

The ¥990 jeans have been a success. "We wouldn't do it if it was losing money," Nakajima said.

Although the profit margin from the jeans may be small, it gives GOV Retailing name recognition and customers who frequent g.u. shops buy other products, Japaninvest Group PLC analyst Mikihiko Yamato said, adding that the Uniqlo connection adds to the ¥990 jeans' reputation.

"Just because they're cheap, it doesn't mean they will sell. But because Uniqlo does it, (the jeans) sell," Yamato said. "Everybody knows Uniqlo for its low prices and decent quality."

The ¥990 jeans are a perfect fit for the recession, when consumers crave cheap goods, he said, noting that the apparel industry has watched sales plunge dramatically since November.

Same-store clothing sales at large department stores fell a record 14 percent in December from a year ago, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The ministry began releasing the monthly data in 1988.

But same-store sales at Uniqlo in Japan, have shown year-on-year rises in every month except October, according to Fast Retailing, whose business year starts in September. GOV does not disclose statistics for g.u.

Fast Retailing started the g.u. brand in October 2006 and has yet to achieve a profit. It posted a group net profit of ¥35.6 billion in the six months to February, up 26 percent from a year earlier, even after consolidating GOV's loss.

GOV Retailing hopes g.u. can turn a profit by attracting customers with its low prices. Other products include T-shirts and polo shirts selling for half or a third the price of their Uniqlo counterparts.

Analyst Yamato believes the g.u.-Uniqlo price differential means the two chains aren't in competition with each other.

"Those buying g.u.'s ¥990 jeans buy them because they put affordability before quality. But those buying Uniqlo's ¥3,990 jeans buy them because they want to buy from Uniqlo," he said, noting, however, that g.u. jeans' quality is "good enough."

Nakajima hopes the ¥990 jeans enhance g.u.'s name recognition. The brand is derived from the term "jiyuu" (freedom).

"Everybody knows Uniqlo, but nobody knows g.u.," he said.

"We created the brand to make consumers ask, 'Why don't we wear clothes more freely?' Because our products are cheap, people can buy them without hesitation. We created the brand to bring joy to our consumers," he said.

"It's just a coincidence that the economy is in recession. But we will continue to provide low-priced clothes even when the economy is good."

University student Saki Obi, 18, hanging out at a g.u. shop in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo, after school recently, said, "Jeans are a type of clothing we cannot have too many of, so it helps a great deal that they are so cheap."

She said it was just a matter of time before she bought a pair, but added, "My mother bought them."

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Cambodians seek closure from trial

Cambodians seek closure from trial

Many Cambodians hope the tribunals will deliver justice to those killed by the Khmer Rouge [AFP]

Wednesday, April 15, 2009
By Tom Fawthrop in Phnom Penh
Al Jazeera

"The tribunal is important step to ending the culture of impunity" - Mouen Chean Nariddh, Cambodian writer

Three decades after the fall of the Khmer Rouge from power, a joint United Nations-Cambodian tribunal has finally begun the first trial of former regime officials.
Based in the outskirts of capital Phnom Penh, the court was established in 2006 to indict senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge and bring some accountability for the 1.7 million Cambodians who died under the regime.

Many pundits had forecast that the tribunal would never happen, following years of delays and wrangling.

In the years following the Vietnamese invasion in 1979 that forced the Khmer Rouge from power, Western governments blocked attempts to organise an international effort to prosecute the perpetrators.

Many, including the US and Britain, even supported a Khmer Rouge-led coalition and backed the group's guerrilla war against Vietnamese troops defending the new Phnom Penh government.

The first to go before the joint panel of Cambodian and international judges was Kaing Guek Eav - also known as Duch - the former director of the S21 interrogation centre where more than 14,000 prisoners were detained, tortured and executed.

Four other former senior regime officials are expected to go before the court in 2010.

When Duch's trial began in late March, live coverage of the proceedings was followed closely by hundreds of thousands of Cambodians on television and radio.

"We have been waiting for a long time. Now our hopes have become a reality," Thun Saray, chairman of Cambodian human rights group ADHOC and a veteran activist, told Al Jazeera.

The failure to punish or account for the biggest crimes in the country's history means that many Cambodians today have little respect for the law, he says.

Like many Cambodians over the age of 40, painter Hen Sophal vividly remembers the horrors of forced labour, pitiful rations and the constant fear of death under the Khmer Rouge regime.

He had all but given up hope of ever seeing any justice.

"I didn't expect that it would happen. But even after 30 years it is not too late," he says.
Culture of violence

The three decades without any closure on the national trauma has left Cambodia's deep scars open and unhealed, undermining the ethical foundations of normal society and spawning a culture of violence, lawlessness and impunity.

"The Khmer Rouge shadow looms over Cambodia to this day," says Hen Sophal. "There is still a Khmer Rouge influence in Cambodian society, still lots of violence and lack of human respect."

He is also worried about the slow pace of progress.

"I am concerned about many delays because the Khmer Rouge leaders are getting older and could die before their trial starts."

The start of the trial, he hopes, "can lessen the suffering of the victims and provide lessons for the young generation".

Sin Putheary is a recent graduate from Phnom Penh University who now works for Youth for Peace, an NGO attempting to bring information about the tribunal to people in the countryside.

Even today, she says, many accused murderers brought before Cambodian courts see no reason why they should be punished.

Citing police reports, she quotes one suspect telling investigators recently: "I only killed one person, but Khmer Rouge leaders killed so many and they were never punished."

Mouen Chean Nariddh, a local writer and journalist, has been making the same link for years.

"The tribunal is an important step to ending the culture of impunity," he told Al Jazeera, adding that he hopes the trials will act as a model and help establish the foundations of a proper justice system for Cambodia.

Local courts are known to be mired in corruption but, with the eyes of so many Cambodians and the international media on the Khmer Rouge tribunal, he notes that the Cambodian lawyers "show much more integrity working in the tribunal".

"Cambodian judges and lawyers will use the tribunal model, and transfer from the KRT the example to a fair trial and rights of the accused to the local courts."

Collective grief

Another common theme is that by bringing a sense of closure to the darkest chapter of Cambodian history, the tribunal will help to address the collective grief of a nation.

On the opening day of Duch's trial, all 500 seats in the public gallery were taken and 80 per cent were Cambodians.

But far from everyone is gripped by the most important trial of all time for Cambodians.

More than two thirds of the population is under the age of 30 and have no recollection of life under the Khmer Rouge.

With little or no teaching of recent history in Cambodia's schools, most Cambodian youth have little knowledge of Pol Pot's regime or its alleged crimes.

The single nationwide survey about the tribunal, published by the University of California, showed that more than a third of respondents had no knowledge of the trials.

That is not the case with Nong Visoth, who works as a travel consultant in Phnom Penh. He lost 15 relatives on his mother's side of the family to the Khmer Rouge.

Closely following the tribunal every day, he says the tribunal is important to his family "because it can reduce our pain and suffering".

But for him and many other survivors of the Khmer Rouge, the most pressing concern is that real justice may still be thwarted - not by political meddling, but by the simple passage of time.

Pol Pot, the former supreme leader of the regime, died more than 10 years ago.

His deputy, Nuon Chea, and the regime's foreign minister, Ieng Sary, are now both in their 80s and in poor health.

"I worry they will die before the verdict, before they are sentenced," says Nong Visoth.

"If the leaders die before justice, before their trial is completed, Cambodian people will still suffer for the rest of their lives."

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Portrait of KRouge prison chief emerges at trial

Portrait of KRouge prison chief emerges at trial

Wed, Apr 15, 2009
By Patrick Falby
AFP

PHNOM PENH - As his trial began at a UN-backed war crimes court, the former Khmer Rouge prison chief apologised for the atrocities he committed - but few Cambodians are likely to grant him forgiveness.
Duch, 66, told the court trying him for crimes against humanity that he felt "regret and heartfelt sorrow" for the murders of around 15,000 people between 1975 and 1979 at Tuol Sleng, also known as S-21.

"I would like to emphasise that I am responsible for the crimes committed at S-21, especially the torture and execution of people there," said Duch, whose real name is Kaing Guek Eav.

Duch, who became a born-again Christian before his arrest in 1999, went on to add that he would like to leave "an open window to seek forgiveness".

Few Cambodians have said they will grant that wish, and even though Duch accepts the allegations against him, lawyers spent the first two weeks of his trial sparring over how much responsibility he bears for atrocities.

The tribunal, established in 2006, resumed last last month in the Cambodia capital, and is seen as a last chance to bring the Khmer Rouge's leaders to justice.

The joint trial of four other Khmer Rouge leaders being held with Duch is set to start later this year after his case is complete.

The former maths teacher's apology came after prosecutors described him as central to the Khmer Rouge's iron-fisted rule, which disastrously enslaved the country in collective farms as it attempted to enforce a communist 'Year Zero'.

"The policy was that no one could leave S-21 alive," co-prosecutor Robert Petit told the court as he laid out his case that prisoners were tortured "under the accused's direct orders and sometimes by his own hand".

Inmates had toenails and fingernails pulled out, had plastic bags tied over their heads, were stripped naked and had electric shocks administered to their genitals, Petit said.

Most prisoners were killed by a blow to the base of the neck with a steel club, then had their bellies sliced open, he added.

A former Tuol Sleng guard is expected to later testify that many prisoners were drained of their blood.

"Victims would be strapped to a bed, hooked up to an IV and literally have their life drained out of them," Petit said.

Duch is charged with war crimes, crimes against humanity, premeditated murder and torture. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in jail.

But he has denied personally executing anyone, and has only admitted to torturing two prisoners.

Duch told the court he feared for his life and his family, and acted under orders from superiors in the Khmer Rouge - a regime which killed up to two million people through starvation, overwork, torture and execution.

His defence team has indicated it thinks judges could go easier on him after his demonstration of contrition and cooperation. Yet it will be hard pressed to counter the emerging image of him as an exacting executioner.

To better understand Tuol Sleng's organising structure the court last week heard about M-13, which Duch ran during the 1971-1975 Khmer Rouge insurgency against the then US-backed government.

Francois Bizot, a French anthropologist who was nabbed by Khmer Rouge fighters in 1971 and accused of spying for the CIA, told the court Duch was terrified of his superiors but admitted to torture.

Bizot, who wrote the best-selling book 'The Gate' about his experiences at M-13, said: "Until then I thought I was in the right part of humanity, that there were monsters (like Duch) whom I would never resemble."

The next witness, 72-year-old Ouch Sorn, said he was arrested in 1974 on suspicion of espionage and held shackled in a pit at M-13 for two months before being released to work there sweeping and digging graves.

"I dared not to have any contact with (Duch). I was so afraid of him I dared not to look into his face," the former rice farmer said, adding that at least three prisoners died every day in the year he was at the jungle prison.

He described dogs carrying away prisoners' remains as well as multiple beatings and executions, including one in which a woman was buried alive. Duch, however, disputed the testimony.

"When I interrogated women, I never let a detainee see it. Number two, I never beat any female detainees and third, when detainees were beaten, no one else was helping me to beat that person," Duch said.

The trial is due to continue on April 20, and is expected to last several months.

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New year in thailand

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Khmer Krom celebrate Khmer New Year under Vietnamese oppression

Traditional beauty: Performers from Anh Binh Minh Art Troupe offer a taste of Khmer tradition during the Chol Chnam Thmay (New Year) Festival that has begun in the Mekong Delta. — VNS Photo Huynh Su

Khmer performers pull out all the stops

14-04-2009
VNS (Hanoi)

TRA VINH — The Anh Binh Minh Traditional Art Troupe of the southern province Tra Vinh has lined up a range of shows to celebrate the Khmer New Year, Chol Chnam Thmay, from April 13 to 15.

Dozens of its artists have fanned out around Tra Vinh, Soc Trang and Ca Mau provinces for performances based on the culture and lifestyle of the Khmer.
Dressed in traditional ethnic clothes, young and veteran performers sing and dance, but also perform serious plays focusing on the religion, traditional customs, and arts of the Khmer people.

"Our performances showcase the beauty of the Khmer spirit," said Meritorious Artist Kim Thinh, head of Anh Binh Minh, one of the province’s leading art troupes.

"We hope our shows enable young people to improve their knowledge about tradition, understand the greatness of their country’s rich culture, as well as learn useful lessons about love, life and people," he said.

In Ca Mau, Thinh and his colleagues have visited remote districts like Thoi Binh, Tran Van Thoi, and U Minh, performing in front of several thousands of people.

"We’re not looking to make a profit from these shows but we hope to encourage young people to love their culture more," said Thinh, who often travels with his staff by boat to remote areas to meet their fans.

"Chol Chnam Thmay is a time for people, especially youth, to celebrate after a year’s hard work and studies," Phan Huu Hung, a farmer in Thoi Binh District, said.

"We love to see Anh Binh Minh artists because their shows are quality and feature our Khmer culture," he added.

As in past years, the troupe along with many others is putting up free performances during the festival.

There are nearly 1.3 million Khmers in the Mekong Delta, chiefly in Soc Trang and Tra Vinh.

Local residents and visitors have flocked to participate in music programmes, traditional games, and sports competitions launched at the beginning of this month by local authorities.

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This Year, a Blood Goddess To Protect Cambodia

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
14 April 2009

Cambodians joyously celebrated the first day of the New Year early Tuesday, in celebrations that began at 1:36 am with fireworks exploding over Phnom Penh.

The nation’s 14 million revelers brought in the Year of the Ox, the 2553rd year of the Buddhist calendar, preparing for three days of celebrations and ritual.
“Not specifically for this year, but every New Year, Cambodian citizens must prepare flowers, fruits, Baysei [religious decorations], water and drink offerings to the goddesses, who come down [from the sky] annually to protect human beings,” said Miech Ponn, adviser to the board of Khmer customs at the Buddhist Institute in Phnom Penh.

“The preparations for the goddess must also respect the preferences of the goddess, what kind of fruit she eats this year,” he said. “For example, if the goddess eats bananas, it is mandatory that believers must have bananas.”

Seven goddesses of the Kabel Morha Prumh rotate from the sky to watch over the country, he said. This year is for the third goddess, Reak Ksaksar Devy, who has a predilection for blood—denoting a year of possible bloodshed, such as in war and accidents, he said.

While appeasing the goddess, Cambodians will also undertake Buddhist rituals, meditating for their ancestors and washing statues of Buddha, while also engaging in tradition folk games that include hiding a scarf for the Leak Kanseng and others.

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20 Arrested Following New Year Violence

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
14 April 2009

Battambang provincial authorities detained around 20 people who threw stones at a border casino Tuesday morning, following a confrontation at a New Year concert in Thailand.
Two Cambodians were injured in fighting between Cambodian and Thai revelers, who began scuffling while dancing to ring in the New Year.

Angered by the fighting, some 60 people then entered the compound of a casino owned by a Thai, on the Cambodian side of the border, and began throwing dozens of stones at the main building’s windows, Kamreang district’s police chief, Chhim Kim Hong, told VOA Khmer.

“We arrested around 20 people and confiscated a truck full of stones,” he said. “During the intervention, two police were wounded and a military police truck was damaged.”

Cambodia and Thailand are engaged in an ongoing border dispute at Preah Vihear province, far to the east, but tensions have remained high across the frontier.

In 2003, Cambodian mobs burned and looted the Thai Embassy and other Thai businesses, following rumors that a Thai actress made remarks about Angkor Wat.

Battambang Police Chief Sar Theth said the police were called in to prevent disorder.

“We cannot tolerate their illegal activity,” he said, adding that the suspects were being held at the district police station as a report was compiled for the courts.

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