New York Times 1/17

火曜日のThe New York TimesにLivedoorの記事が載っていた。強制捜査翌日ってことで情報量は少なめ。ホリエモンの写真として宇宙旅行計画を発表したときの写真が使われていた。

Japan Investigates Internet Portal Operator

Japanese prosecutors raided the offices of a popular Internet portal, Livedoor, and the home of its founder as part of an investigation of possible violations of securities trading laws. It was not immediately clear whether the investigation was focused on the company's 33-yar-old founder and chief executive, Takafumi Horie, left, who has become widely known for challenging corporate Japan's stuffy ways. Mr. Horie is an outspoken entrepreneur whose casual style and confrontational tactics have repeatedly angered the country's business elite. [C4.]

とりあえず、気に止まった所だけ書くと、
彼はその奔放な物言い、カジュアルなスタイル、敵対的な戦略で日本のビジネスエリートたちを何度も怒らせてきた。彼は、日本の閉塞した状況への挑戦者として良く知られる。ダークタイとスーツといった日本の標準的な格好では無く、Tシャツと時にはハーフパンツを着ていた。
だそうで、何となく定型文な気もしなくもない。「お前はオレを怒らせた」？ この翌日の新聞とかにもう少し載っていたのかな？

単語

prosecutor

検察

raided

強襲 (する)、強制捜査(する)

violation

違反、違法行為

outspoken

歯に衣着せずにものを言う

entrepreneur

起業家、企業家、経営者

confrontational

対立的な

suspicion

感づく事、気づく事

issuing

発行の

luxury

豪華な

rise to prominence

有名になる

hostile

敵意に満ちた

takeover

乗っ取り

parliamentary

議会の

candidate

候補者

setback

失敗

Japanese prosecutors raided the offices of the popular Internet portal, Livedoor, and the home of its founder on Monday as part of an investigation of possible violations of securities trading laws.
It was not immediately clear whether the investigation was focused on the company's 33-yars-old founder and chief executive, Takafumi Horie, who has become widely known for challenging corporate Japan's stuffy ways. Mr. Horie is an outspoken entrepreneur whose casual style and confrontational tactics have repeatedly angered the country's business elite.
In a brief statement, the Tokyo district prosecutor's office said that Livedoor was being investigated on suspicion of spreading false information about a security, but it did not elaborate. Media reports in Japan said the company was accused of issuing false news release to drive up the share price of a marketing subsidiary. Livedoor executives did not immediately comment.
More than a dozen investigators raided Livedoor's offices and mr. Horie's condominium, both of which are in a complex of luxury high-rises in central Tokyo. The raids were the lead item on local news broadcasts. Investigators searched both locations for several hours.
Livedoor is one on Japan's most heavily trafficked Internet portals, offering everything from news and tavel tips to popular blog written by Mr. Horie. The company has used money raised through stock sales to acquire other companies and expand its business group.
Mr. Horie rose to prominence two years ago, when he was rebuffed in effort to by a professional baseball team in Japan. He grabbed headlines again last year when he started a hostile takeover bid, still rare in confrontation-averse Japan, for one of the country's biggest media conglomerates, Fuji Television Network.
He failed in that bid, and in September he lost in parliamentary elections, runnning as as reform candidate against a prominent old-guard politician.
Despite the setbacks, Mr. Horie became a frequent figure on telebision talk shows and the lecture circuit. He also stirred controversy for favoring T-shirts and sometimes short pants, instead of the standard dark tie and gray suit of Japan's business world.