Alan said...

Alan at 10:45 AM JST - 25th October

She wasn't in a "sex show." She had a tenuous involvement in a show in which sex was discussed. Amazingly, the judge seems to have acquitted her but sentenced her to a prolonged torture session anyway.

Posted in Saudi female journalist gets lashes for sex show at 10:45 AM JST - 25th October
Alan at 09:51 AM JST - 25th October

According to Japanese media reports, she was found dead in the burned out apartment, but a post mortem exam revealed that she had died before the fire. There was also evidence of stab wounds, but no knife was found in the apartment.

Posted in Chiba University student found murdered in apartment at 09:51 AM JST - 25th October
Alan at 12:36 PM JST - 24th October

Out of all the millions of passenger trips on Japanese trains each day, how many result in cases of indecent assault? I suspect the ratio is vanishingly small. Video cameras will be expensive and ineffective and will merely increase the cost of tickets and add yet another layer of surveillance…

Posted in Police to request installation of security cameras on trains at 12:36 PM JST - 24th October
Alan at 12:12 PM JST - 24th October

Improving healthcare + low retirement age + reduced birthrate = a growing aged population supported by welfare paid for by a shrinking work force. I wonder why no-one in Japan's government foresaw the obvious long-term consequences of their policies back in the 60s and 70s.

Posted in Social welfare benefits hit record Y91.43 trillion at 12:12 PM JST - 24th October
Alan at 05:56 AM JST - 24th October

I find Tokyo very easy to live and move around in. Public transport is excellent. But one negative for Tokyo is the positioning of ward offices. They all seem to located as far as possible from train stations, as does the Immigration Bureau in Shinagawa. Is this some kind of…

Posted in Tokyo 4th in city functions in global city ranking at 05:56 AM JST - 24th October
Alan at 05:40 AM JST - 24th October

Whoops. Having a bit of trouble with quote button there. Here's my comment: Japanese has a word "hamono," which is a generic word for any tool or weapon with a blade. If they don't know what kind of weapon was used, they just say "hamono." I don't know of any…

Posted in Armed man leads police on 10-km chase in Okayama at 05:40 AM JST - 24th October
Alan at 05:39 AM JST - 24th October

..wats with this bladed jargon Japanese has a word "hamono," which is a generic word for any tool or weapon with a blade. If they don't know what kind of weapon was used, they just say "hamono." I don't know of any English equivalent.

Posted in Armed man leads police on 10-km chase in Okayama at 05:39 AM JST - 24th October
Alan at 05:34 AM JST - 24th October

Decisions made by these and other JR executives about train timetables and safety equipement ultimately led to the tragic accident. The people concerned then demonstrated their lack of remorse by interfering in the investigation. They should be transferred to new jobs in a prison laundry, and they should stay there…

Posted in JR West to fire 2 execs for treatment of accident probe at 05:34 AM JST - 24th October
Alan at 06:30 PM JST - 23rd October

Extremists of every hue should be encouraged to spout their nonsense in the full glare of TV studio lights. They need to be out in the open where we can keep an eye on them.

By trying to suppress free and democratic discussion, the yahoos who broke into the BBC…

Posted in Anti-fascist protesters breach security at BBC at 06:30 PM JST - 23rd October
Alan at 07:48 AM JST - 22nd October

"Bleeding around the brain" sound a little odd. According to Japanese news reports she died from a subarachnoid hemorrhage, which I think is a kind of stroke. Whatever the cause, it's very sad.

Posted in Actress Yoko Minamida dies at 76 at 07:48 AM JST - 22nd October