Wednesday February 15, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

Would-be Japanese space tourist wants $21 million back

National Nov. 23, 2008 - 05:46AM JST ( 23 )

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23 Comments

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bcbrownboyNov. 23, 2008 - 06:21AM JST

Uh-oh, we'd better be careful when we sign up for a spacewalk. I was thinking about it, but luckily now this timely caveat emptor came along.
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OssanAmericaNov. 23, 2008 - 06:22AM JST

Sorry but I can't really feel sorry for a guy whose got so much money coming out of that he can afford to spend it on being a tourist in space. That kind of money could be put to much better less selfceneted purposes. Besides the whole business sounds lke a retarded scam to start with.
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some14someNov. 23, 2008 - 07:21AM JST

Enomoto’s lawyers declined to make their client available for an interview. A Space Adventures spokeswoman also declined comment.

concerned partys do not want to comment, but since i read this article and have spent a minute, my comment to J-space tourist is to re-read Contract Terms.
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kjunluc2Nov. 23, 2008 - 08:55AM JST

****This guy is spaced-out to begin with. He lives in a vacuum.
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StatisticianNov. 23, 2008 - 11:04AM JST

If he had that much to spend he could have bought an economy class ticket on a JAL flight.
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mcheekyNov. 23, 2008 - 11:22AM JST

It would be a mistake to let companies take so much money without providing the service they were paid to provide. To heck with the fine print, especially as companies are getting better and better at ripping us off by means of intentionally hiding unfair clauses in there among other things. Basically, they are not making the contracts in good faith in the first place, and that counts for more than fine print, make no mistake. Naturally, all expenses should be deducted, but the company has no right profiting for what it never did.

They should have dropped him the minute the kidney stones were found, and kept him dropped until he was cleared.

Don't just think of this as him and them. Think of what the precedent could mean for you and all of us.
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romulus3Nov. 23, 2008 - 12:56PM JST

Japanese millionaire Daisuke Enomoto had planned to dress up as his favorite cartoon character in outer space and spent $21 million to make it happen

what a jerk
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zaichikNov. 23, 2008 - 06:37PM JST

Silly boy should have bought space-travel insurance :-) (Can't wait till my company starts providing assistance services for those policies! "No, sir, the kidney stone was a pre-existing condition, so we can't cover the non-refundable deposit")
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YoudontknowNov. 23, 2008 - 09:41PM JST

I'm with the tourist on this one. If Space Adventures knew he had a chronic kidney stone problem, why then did they keep taking his money if they knew they weren't going to put him into space?
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AzraelNov. 23, 2008 - 09:52PM JST

If he wasn't given what he paid for, why isn't he given a refund? This sounds like highway robbery to me - and the amount is certainly not a trifle.
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HammersNov. 23, 2008 - 10:39PM JST

I think he deserves this because if he REALLY wanted into space he should have said he would dress as Astro Boy.
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bobcatfishNov. 23, 2008 - 11:10PM JST

gee - i wonder if all the people ripped of by livedoor want their money back. live by the sword, die by the sword.
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romulus3Nov. 23, 2008 - 11:43PM JST

Space Adventures lawyer John Villa said that Enomoto refused doctors’ advice to treat the kidney stones aggressively and was well aware throughout the process that the kidney stones could disqualify him

this in a non alcohol flight sir
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mcheekyNov. 24, 2008 - 12:07AM JST

i wonder if all the people ripped of by livedoor want their money back.

They effectively ripped themselves off by panicking the minute the investigation started. All their rights went out the window when they sold the stock, and keep in mind they got money back, and everybody knows stock prices fall, no mystery.

This guy has not received any money back. Its totally different.
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RakishGadflyNov. 24, 2008 - 03:25AM JST

In space, no one can hear you serve a subpoena.
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YuriOtaniNov. 24, 2008 - 11:17AM JST

Any agreement with Russians is a waste of time, paper and money!
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unscrejectsNov. 24, 2008 - 11:42AM JST

YurioOtani: Russians? Since when are the Russians refusing to refund?
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romulus3Nov. 24, 2008 - 02:26PM JST

Russians? Since when are the Russians refusing to refund?

nice sarcasm. ask the Thai government.
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eze666Nov. 24, 2008 - 02:55PM JST

how do the lawyers who work for this company live with themselves? a brick in the face would..... well, do nothing constructive, but i do feel many lawyers deserve a taste of what it's like to be done over with no recourse
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techallNov. 24, 2008 - 04:28PM JST

how do the lawyers who work for this company live with themselves

Very easily, they enforce the contract.

well aware throughout the process that the kidney stones could disqualify him
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Richard_the_FirstNov. 24, 2008 - 05:57PM JST

if you are stupid enough to squander 21 million on flying into space for a jolly, then you deserve to lose your money.
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usaexpatNov. 25, 2008 - 12:25AM JST

Enomoto should definitely get his money back. A health condition that bars him from going up is a pretty sleazy way to steal the guy's money. I could see a deposit not being refunded or something but the whole amount? Guess that's a major case of buyer beware. I won't comment on the idiocy of space toursim as that would take far too long. I just look at this in terms of fair business practices.