| The story below is originally published on Mainichi Daily News by Mainichi Shinbun (http://mdn.mainichi.jp). |
| They admitted inventing its kinky features, or rather deliberately mistranslating them from the original gossip magazine. |
| In fact, this is far from the general Japanese' behavior or sense of worth. |
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| ※ この和訳はあくまでもボランティアの方々による一例であり、翻訳の正確さについては各自判断してください。 もし誤訳（の疑い）を発見した場合には、直接ページを編集して訂正するか翻訳者連絡掲示板に報告してください。 |
Shiga Prefecture's schoolgirls boast of skimpiest skirts in Japan 2007,01,18
Weekly Playboy 1/29 By Ryann Connell
Schoolgirl uniforms in Shiga are so short, they're less hem than ahem,according to Weekly Playboy (1/29).
The Japanese language Internet is awash with rumors that schoolgirls in the central Japan prefecture wear the skimpiest uniforms of anywhere in the country.
Local schoolboys seem to agree, saying one school in particular is known for its micromini uniforms.
"When the girls from the school all get off the train together in the mornings,it's a real sight to see," the schoolboy tells Weekly Playboy, adding that many people deliberately go to look.
"We call it the Schoolgirl Rush Hour in these parts."
Shiga schoolgirls don't deny their reputation either.
"Shiga's the sticks, right? Well, long dresses might be popular in the cities, but it takes ages before the trend gets picked up around here. Besides, Shiga girls always wear minis," one schoolgirl from the prefecture says.
"We look good in miniskirts. What's wrong with that?"
A downside to the propensity for flashing the flesh is that Shiga Prefecture apparently attracts a disproportionate number of perverts who travel from outside the prefecture to track down the short skirts said to be on display.
It's a trend noticeable in the statistics, where 10 arrests for upskirt photo shots were made of non-Shiga residents last year compared to just three in 2004.
Police admit the short schoolgirl skirts are creating problems.
"We don't know whether the rumor on the Internet ahs anything to do with it, but there has been an increase in concealed camera-related arrests and it's a bother," Shigeru Morita, deputy chief of the Shiga Prefectural Police's Railroad Police Division, tells Weekly Playboy.
"We've had cases where people have deliberately come all the way from other prefectures just to take secret snapshots in Shiga."
Shiga education officials are also aware that there are problems.
"We know there was a write-up on the Net about Shiga having the shortest schoolgirl skirts in Japan, but the prefecture hasn't done a survey on anything of that nature. We are fully aware that some of our students have very short skirts," a spokesman for the Shiga Prefectural Board of Education says.
"We are teaching our students to be aware that there is a danger that people will film up their skirts if they keep the hems so short."
Shiga's schoolgirls, however, say that nothing's going to deprive them of their microminis.
"There's nothing wrong with wearing a short skirt," an irate Shiga schoolgirl tells Weekly Playboy.
"What's wrong are those perverts who deliberately look at our panties. Why should we have to change our fashion just because of a bunch of perverted old men?" (By Ryann Connell)
January 18, 2007
