Hyogo governor says major Tokyo quake would boost economy in western Japan

Wednesday 12th November, 06:19 AM JST

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romulus3 at 01:57 PM JST - 12th November

a major earthquake in the Tokyo area would provide a ‘‘chance’’ to prop up the economy in western Japan including his prefecture

what a dumb thing to say. with this kind of heartlessness from public servants its no surprise that society in general is showing the same lack of compassion towards each other.
illsayit at 02:00 PM JST - 12th November

well i dunno...he seems to be after monies....and if it were say, give it to us, rather than spend on projects of folly, like testing earthquake resistant technologies, id say that his chance of pulling through with results would come up with the higher odds, considering we all know the facts about a earthquake(and how low the numbers they are quoting on deaths/damages/etc)
norinrad21 at 02:14 PM JST - 12th November

whats a stupid thing to say. All major economies across the globe are concentrated in usually the big cities and this is unlikely to change anytime soon.

What a retarded and an irresponsible thing to say
timorborder at 02:19 PM JST - 12th November

Know the politician Ishihara as opposed to the populist knee-jerk reaction xenophobe Ishihara (actually the same person), I think there will be pay back for this comment in spades, if not straight away. Just wait until these guys face off at the next national governors meeting. I would assume the Ishihara will do a serious hatchet job on this guy's reputation, or worse still, using Tokyo's backroom power to make sure that Hyogo slides down the list when it comes to receiving largesse from Tokyo/the central government.

In addition to all his other foibles, old Shintaro can also be vindictive.
Potsu at 02:37 PM JST - 12th November

Wow ! Just Japanese caring about Japanese as usual...Why are these people so cold to each other ?? No real compassion here at all.
Wakarimasen at 03:02 PM JST - 12th November

Genius!!! Next we will have politicians saying a missile attack from N Korea on Tokyo would benefit the provinces.....
dennis0bauer at 03:19 PM JST - 12th November

Hmm, the outrage at that essay by that General did not in the least make him consider the effect of ones statements?
memyselfI at 03:28 PM JST - 12th November

Yes, he made some bad comments. And yes he is comments are realistic and true.Yes, Tokyo in the future will experience the mother of all earthquakes. Millions of rich and poor people homeless. People will be fighting on the streets, small riots and mass riots. People fighting for scraps. I really do not want to be on a JR Train when this happens. But, rest assured this old man's dream will come true someday. But if Tokyo is crippled, it will effect the world and Hyogo. Does he really think an Eathquake will benfit him. These Tokyoites will be relocated to his prefecture. His hospitals will be overrunned, western Japan would feel the fiancial impact from the Earthquake. Narita airport will open for emergency only and Haneda too if the runways are not destroyed. He shouldn't wish or even think about it.
memyselfI at 03:31 PM JST - 12th November

If Tokyo shuts down all of Japn will shut down from the Earthquake. He should apologize.
Schoolboyerror at 08:16 PM JST - 12th November

Regrettable though these comments are, I've heard far worse from Japanese politicians. Saying "at least they're virile" of a gang of rapists, for example.
nandakandamanda at 08:47 PM JST - 12th November

Japanese joke. You can all laugh now!
isthistheend at 09:30 PM JST - 12th November

Yes. Sounds like the guy who wrote the essay on "The True History of Japan." This one is titled, "What we really think about each other". With subtitle, "We ain't all that related anyways so when your boat sinks ours will rise. Or something to that effect. But of course, the apologies and the downplaying of any unintentional bad feeling this comment MAY have generated will be forthcoming....or not.
Pukey2 at 10:10 PM JST - 12th November

I see Tokyo governor Ishihara made a comment on this. If he had his way, he'd been using the Tokyo earthquake as a chance to shoot dead all Chinese and Koreans.
tako10 at 10:18 PM JST - 12th November

Someone should write an essay titled, “Iceland melted, and I burned my a$$ too”. Then it would give a good lesson to the governor.
usaexpat at 01:23 AM JST - 14th November

open foot insert mouth. Not exactly the most tactful thing to say now was it.