On Jun 4, 6:16 am, CL <flot...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Back when it was still a fish wrapper but for a much better grade of
> fish, The Japan Times did an April Fools edition with a letter to the
> editor that went something like:
>
> "Some of my friends are real pranksters.   The Public Prosecutor was
> just here with the police and they found that a few of my old buddies
> from the construction industry stopped by and told my wife that they
> were going to fix the sagging floor in my tatami room.  They did a real
> good job and the floor feels solid.  Imagine my surprise when the Public
> Prosecutor pulled back the tatami and found that the repair guys had
> filled in the space with gold bars.  What wacky friends.  Always good
> for a practical joke ... "
>
> Just tried  to Google at the JT site and didn't find it.  I had heard
> that their back numbers had been clipped heavily at the request of their
>   owner, who was angling for a post in Keidanren.  So it is either there
> and I don't remember the magic words and secret dance or the Long Knives
> got it.

Or it might have been the ... uh... unofficial issue of the Japan
Times (Motto: "Without Flair or Flavor") that appeared on April 1 some
time ago. I do have a copy of it, but it'll be packed away in storage
(I hope... otherwise I'll be annoyed at losing it---it was a very good
pastiche).