> Cels with bids and then near the end of the 
> auction the bids are gone and the minimum
> bid is raised to a high amount.  Is this 
> normal?  

In this instance it is because the seller has 
placed a reserve on the auction. Unlike ebay, if 
the reserve price isn't met at the end of the 
auction (or as it draws near to the end) Yahoo 
Japan seems to cancel out bids which are below 
that price.... at least that's how it seems to 
me.  Maybe I'm wrong, but I am fairly certain 
that's what is happening. 

Also, another feature about Yahoo which is kind 
of nice is the "buy" price - the sellers can set 
a price which will automatically close the 
auction to the first person who bids it. :) I 
really wish ebay had that feature - though I 
guess once it gets to that point a seller can 
close the auction early ^_^