Erik Returns to Japan

-- OSAKA/KANSAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Japan

Once again, Erik had to evade several well-trained Special Operations Solders (SOS) from the Japan Self Defence Forces (SDF) to get back to his home in Japan (JP).

"Well," a visibly exhausted Erik told a horde of reporters and random women waiting at Kansai airport, "first there was the fricking ticket agent in Los Angeles."  Apparently the ticket agent refused to give Erik a free upgrade to first class.  "Why couldn't I get first class," Erik wondered, when "so many other people are sitting up there?"

After boarding the plane, Erik found himself sitting next to a Japanese couple.  Through "careful observation," Erik learned that they were "newlyweds.  Just what I needed."  According to Erik, they were kissing and caressing one another throughout the 12 hour flight from LA to Osaka.  "At first it was kind of interesting," Erik confessed, "but eventually it was pretty gross.  Especially when I figured out that they weren't going to let me join in.  Oh, well."

Erik was awake for about 30 hours on this day which took him from Tucson, Arizona, through Los Angeles where he spent a short, fun time with his parents, and then over the Pacific Ocean.  He had been in the US on a tour of new potential Love HQ sites in Tucson and Santa Barbara, California.  (See Related Story)

Once arriving in Japan, he still had to evade the well-trained Customs Agents.  "And I'm pretty sure Koizumi instructed those guys to keep me out of Japan."

In fact, ENN has learned that Koizumi has allowed Erik to return to Japan on the request of his wife and his daughters.  No details were given by the anonymous source in the Japanese government.

Stay with ENN as we chronicle Erik's last four months in Japan and his triumphant return to the homeland in August, 2003.