Apple quick to deny Steve Jobs is a shuriken-equipped ninja warrior

by Steven Mostyn - Sep 15 2010, 07:16

Here at The Tech Herald, we get to sift through a mountain of industry rumours on a daily basis, working on your behalf to separate the spurious wheat from the plausible chaff.

Yet, although we strive to entertain only those whispers that haven’t turned unreliably Chinese after several tellings, every now and again a rumour so irresistibly ridiculous slips beneath our quality gauge.

Case in point, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs was prevented from boarding a private jet at Kansai International Airport in Japan after he was discovered carrying deadly ninja throwing stars. Hi-yaa!

The incident reportedly took place in July as Jobs and his family were returning from vacation in the land of the rising sun. However, things turned sour for all concerned when airport staff unearthed a selection of five-pronged shuriken in dad’s carry-on luggage.

According to Japanese magazine SPA!, Jobs pleaded his case, explaining that it wouldn’t make any sense for a person to attempt to hijack their own plane, but officials were left unconvinced and duly denied boarding.

The report goes on to say that, in the aftermath, Jobs said “he’ll never come back to Japan” in light of the incident.

While we adore the idea of a heavily armed Steve Jobs silently stalking employees along the shadowy corridors of Apple’s offices in Cupertino, we’re somewhat sad to report that a company spokesperson has been all-too quick to pop our ninja fantasy bubble.

Speaking with Wall Street Journal blog All Things D, said mouthpiece labelled the story as “pure fiction,” adding that while Jobs did indeed vacation in Kyoto during the summer, the CEO had “a great time” and hopes to return to Japan in the near future.

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