Dr Kaifu's analysis backs an earlier study of the hobbit's brain cases by Prof Dean Falk of Florida State University in 2005 and 2007.

BBC: Study backs 'hobbit' island dwarfism theory

By measuring some of these large bubbles, Norio Kaifu, the head of the project in Hawaii, hopes that Subaru will provide astronomers with a clearer idea of what, if it actually exists, the dark matter really is.

ECONOMIST: Japan��s new telescope

Interestingly, an incident of this sort occurred near the end of last year when Prime Minister Kaifu made public reference to a possible assistance-for-islands deal with the USSR only to have the notion walked back by the Ministries of Finance and Foreign Affairs.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy