Japan

The death in February of a killer-whale trainer at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida, made headlines all over the world. As has been widely reported, Dawn Brancheau, an experienced orca trainer, was dragged by her hair into the whale's pool, where she died of traumatic injuries and drowning. The incident has led to a chorus of disapproval about keeping cetaceans in captivity, and debate about whether captive animals should be freed. Anti-whaling campaigners from the United States who complain about Japan's whaling program might want to reflect on how their own country treats cetaceans next time they criticize Japan.

Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda is considering taking part in a 24-hour endurance race in Germany in mid-May as a member of the Lexus LFA supercar's racing team, as he did last year, Toyota officials said Monday. Toyoda, who is spearheading the automaker's efforts to regain consumer trust in its vehicle quality after a series of safety problems, may take the wheel if Toyota's global recalls continue as planned, industry observers said.