Kawasaki

The owners of Kawasaki restaurants pleaded guilty in federal court in Baltimore yesterday, admitting they hired illegal immigrants as low-wage employees at their well-known Japanese eateries and funneled the profits from their labor into expensive real estate and luxury cars. The owners of the three Kawasaki restaurants in Mount Vernon and Fells Point, and at Johns Hopkins Hospital agreed to hand over to federal authorities more than $1.1 million in cash, property and vehicles, authorities said.

Who has the coolest car in Ocean City? Dub Magazine will make the call Saturday as custom cars, trucks and motorcycles gather at the convention center to compete for trophies awarded for all sorts of customizations - best paint job, best interior, best street bike and more. Hardcore fans will want to check out the cars and talk shop with the owners; newbies will want to marvel at all the creativity and maybe start thinking about their own custom conversion. In addition to cars and vendors, including Pirelli and Kawasaki, live music is on tap. Waka Flocka and Youtube sensation REJ3CTZ perform in concert with host Big Black from Fantasy Factory.

This month, foreignpolicy.com listed Japan as one of the "best places to be a senior citizen" for that country's stellar treatment of its older residents. The Japanese government spends lavishly on health care, the Web site says. Businesses are investing in technology -- such as robot dogs -- to keep seniors from feeling lonely. And convenience stores and supermarkets have made price tags larger so that elderly shoppers can see them better. But a group of visitors from Kawasaki, Baltimore's sister city near Tokyo, learned yesterday that we do at least one thing better on this side of the world: senior centers.

John Houser III reviews Nanami Cafe in Fells Point for Friday's Live section. Yes, this is where Kawasaki was. It looks all new and shiny. This is the Ann Street space where Kawasaki used to be. With a great view of the water, Nanami makes for a romantic destination for (sushi) lovers, John decides. Here's a link to his review.

A federal investigation that shuttered three of Baltimore best-known sushi restaurants this week exposes what authorities say is a local and national problem of employing illegal immigrants that should receive more attention from law enforcement. National experts as well as local restaurateurs say too many establishments rely on backroom work by undocumented workers, and they expressed little surprise at the allegations lodged Thursday against the owners of Kawasaki restaurants in the city.

The principal owner of the Kawasaki restaurants in Baltimore received a 5-month prison sentence yesterday for knowingly hiring illegal workers, a relatively heavy penalty won by prosecutors as part of a growing national effort to dissuade employers from violating federal immigration law. In addition to the prison term, Tzu Ming Yang must spent three years on probation after his release, including five months on home detention. "I'm very sorry for what happened," Yang said in U.S. District Court in downtown Baltimore yesterday.

Most sequels aren't as good as the original. But the new Kawasaki Cafe in Fells Point is even better than Kawasaki, the excellent Japanese restaurant on North Charles Street. Of course, better is a relative term -- especially among restaurants. Still, the cafe is younger and hipper than its parent, and more user-friendly. In fact, the staff is incredibly friendly, period. They greet you with a cheery hello when you walk in. They're happy to explain anything on the menu you don't quite understand.

When I heard that Kawasaki on North Charles Street would be opening the Kawasaki Cafe in Fells Point soon, I got to thinking that it had been awhile since the original restaurant had been reviewed. In fact, I found when I searched The Sun's archives, it's been more than a decade.Kawasaki, named for Baltimore's sister city in Japan, boasts that it's the city's oldest continuously open Japanese restaurant. (It opened in 1984.) I can't dispute that. The only other contender that I can think of, Shogun, went through a period when it was Jpn. before it became Shogun again.

* Wilde Lake: 5300 block of Chase Lions Way: Someone tried to steal a 1993 Kawasaki motorcycle sometime between Saturday and Monday.

John Houser III reviews Nanami Cafe in Fells Point for Friday's Live section. Yes, this is where Kawasaki was. It looks all new and shiny. This is the Ann Street space where Kawasaki used to be. With a great view of the water, Nanami makes for a romantic destination for (sushi) lovers, John decides. Here's a link to his review.

I wanted to try something new — and learned with the astonishing abruptness of a smack in the face that I am old. The something new was a motorcycle training course. My only experience with a motorized two-wheeler was cruising around Bermuda on a scooter for a week with a girlfriend's arms around my waist 22 years ago, when I was 48. I turned the sharp corner of 70 in March. The two-day course started innocuously enough with a 21/2 -hour classroom session that consisted mostly of videotapes of motorcycle riders in various scenarios depicting accidents about to happen and how to avoid them.

After the death of John Travolta's 16-year-old son this month, speculation about possible causes blossomed in the print and broadcast media and blogosphere, including discussions of Kawasaki syndrome. This disease - an inflammatory, autoimmune disorder - typically affects young children and, in some cases, can cause serious heart damage, says Stacy Fisher, a cardiologist at MidAtlantic Cardiovascular Associates. Before last week, little was written in the media about Kawasaki syndrome, which is also called mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome.

This month, foreignpolicy.com listed Japan as one of the "best places to be a senior citizen" for that country's stellar treatment of its older residents. The Japanese government spends lavishly on health care, the Web site says. Businesses are investing in technology -- such as robot dogs -- to keep seniors from feeling lonely. And convenience stores and supermarkets have made price tags larger so that elderly shoppers can see them better. But a group of visitors from Kawasaki, Baltimore's sister city near Tokyo, learned yesterday that we do at least one thing better on this side of the world: senior centers.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes from police reports in Baltimore and Baltimore County. Baltimore Eastern Robbery -- When an employee of a Citgo station in the 1900 block of Belair Road opened the office door to retrieve a broomabout 5:40 a.m. Wednesday, a man forced his way into the station booth and stole $300. Central Robbery -- Two men assaulted a woman, 21, as she walked in the 1700 block of N. Charles St. about 2 a.m. Tuesday and robbed her of her purse containing cash and property - all valued at $250.

The principal owner of the Kawasaki restaurants in Baltimore received a 5-month prison sentence yesterday for knowingly hiring illegal workers, a relatively heavy penalty won by prosecutors as part of a growing national effort to dissuade employers from violating federal immigration law. In addition to the prison term, Tzu Ming Yang must spent three years on probation after his release, including five months on home detention. "I'm very sorry for what happened," Yang said in U.S. District Court in downtown Baltimore yesterday.

The news last year out of some of Baltimore's best-known Japanese restaurants shocked the city's sushi-loving diners: illegal immigrants working for substandard wages and without tips so the owners of Kawasaki restaurants could buy expensive cars and homes in the suburbs. Now, the defendants get their say. In court papers filed for today's sentencing in federal court, the owners - Tzu Ming Yang, his wife, Jui Fan Lee Yang, and their business partner, Jack Chang - appear contrite, community-minded and fully ready to make more than $1 million in restitution for their crimes.

POLICE LOG* Ellicott City: 8700 block of Town and Country Blvd.: A black 1994 Kawasaki ZX7 MC with Maryland tags 7486D3 was stolen either late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, police said.

Police logLaurel: 9200 block of Livery Lane: A red 996 Kawasaki ZX600 motorcycle, Michigan tags QJ458, was stolen between July 29 and 2: 30 p.m. Friday.Laurel: 9300 block of Harvest Way: A light blue 1989 Ford Escort, Maryland tags CTN-160, was stolen between 9: 30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday.Pub Date: 8/13/96

The owners of Kawasaki restaurants pleaded guilty in federal court in Baltimore yesterday, admitting they hired illegal immigrants as low-wage employees at their well-known Japanese eateries and funneled the profits from their labor into expensive real estate and luxury cars. The owners of the three Kawasaki restaurants in Mount Vernon and Fells Point, and at Johns Hopkins Hospital agreed to hand over to federal authorities more than $1.1 million in cash, property and vehicles, authorities said.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday against the owners of Kawasaki restaurants, a collection of well-regarded Japanese establishments in Baltimore whose proprietors are accused of hiring illegal workers and pocketing customers' tips the employees earned. Tzu Ming Yang, 48, his wife, Jui Fan Lee Yang, 49, and business partner Jack Chang, 41, all of Clarksville, were originally charged by criminal complaint. The indictment formalizes the charges, which include conspiracy to harbor illegal immigrants, unlawfully employing them and conspiracy to commit money laundering.