Apple Downplays Steve Jobs Ninja Stories - ‘Pure Fiction’

Apple has officially responded to claims that its chief executive officer had tried to smuggle ninja throwing stars inside the US, also dismissing rumors that Steve Jobs had second thoughts about returning to Japan.

The New York Post reports that Steve Jobs went on record to say all this was “pure fiction”.

The Post seems to indicate that the Japanese magazine reporting the original story actually said screeners at Kansai International Airport had spotted the weapons inside Jobs’ carry-on luggage back in July.

Other reports go to mention that Takeshi Uno, a spokesman at Kansai airport, said that a passenger using a private jet was stopped at the end of July for carrying Ninja throwing stars, or shuriken.

Uno reportedly declined to identify this “passenger” because of the airport’s privacy policy. However, he did mention that this person had thrown away the blades, upon being spotted by Japanese authorities.

According to the Post, Apple insisted that reports saying Steve Jobs was furious for having his Ninja stars confiscated were utterly false.

“Steve did visit Japan this summer for a vacation in Kyoto, but the incidents described at the airport are pure fiction,” an Apple representative reportedly said, according to a post at AllThingsD. “Steve had a great time and hopes to visit Japan again soon,” Apple claims.

According to the original story, Steve Jobs became furious when passing through security
at the Kansai Airport on his way out of the country.

He was returning from a quiet vacation near Kyoto with his family, according to several reports.

According to the translated version of the SPA! magazine article, Steve Jobs was red with anger, and said: “I’m hardly planning to hijack my own private jet! What a country! I’m never coming back!”