Bizarro said...

Bizarro at 08:45 AM JST - 20th July

What this woman did is totally inexcusable, and clearly the author had the misfortune of encountering the proverbial "bad apple". Extrapolating that into a condemnation of Japan's baseball fans in general seems a stretch, however. I have been to a number of games and never encountered anything negative like this.…

Posted in The cheering gets nasty at a pro baseball game at 08:45 AM JST - 20th July
Bizarro at 10:59 PM JST - 20th June

Ex-Australian POW

Shouldn't that be, "Australian Ex-POW", or did he give up his Aussie citizenship?

Posted in Ex-Australian POW, son of Scottish POW disappointed at no apology from Aso over wartime labor at 10:59 PM JST - 20th June
Bizarro at 10:57 PM JST - 12th June

popularly called ‘‘Kawaii (pretty) ambassadors’’

"Kawaii" properly translates as "cute", not "pretty" (and especially not in this case).

My conclusion: Japan wants foreigners to impregnate their women?!

I suspect the opposite - these three were chosen by the government in a clever effort to put off foreign guys and prevent…

Posted in 'Kawaii ambassadors' head overseas to promote Japanese pop culture at 10:57 PM JST - 12th June
Bizarro at 10:58 PM JST - 1st June

I don't actually mind JR having smoking cars, since I can just avoid them. What I would prefer to see them do is get rid of the smoking area in the middle of the shinkansen platform. I have to walk through those regularly (unavoidable and the smokers spread out across…

Posted in Total smoking ban starts on JR limited, express trains on Honshu at 10:58 PM JST - 1st June
Bizarro at 07:42 PM JST - 16th May

This quote from yesterday's Japan Times was telling:

"While Okada is favored in national opinion polls and is gaining support from the anti-Ozawa faction, Hatoyama reportedly has the backing of Ozawa and his followers, placing Okada at a likely disadvantage."

In other words, it doesn't matter who is more popular…

Posted in Hatoyama wins DPJ leadership to succeed Ozawa at 07:42 PM JST - 16th May
Bizarro at 11:57 PM JST - 3rd April

I don't know about that particular station, but just the other day I witnessed a dangerous situation at another station that could have easily resulted in people getting pushed onto the track. People were shouting, "abunai! abunai!" The platform is narrow and there is only one exit (staircase). Simply not…

Posted in Man falls to death in front of train at Tamachi Station in Tokyo at 11:57 PM JST - 3rd April
Bizarro at 10:11 PM JST - 6th March

Nice to see some U.S. stars dressed respectfully for one of these events here. Not the usual jeans and sneakers.

Posted in Love at first bite at 10:11 PM JST - 6th March
Bizarro at 10:33 AM JST - 11th February

“Complacency and arrogance doesn’t come into the same sentence as us.”

Nor does decent grammar, it would seem.

Posted in Japan prepared to 'get ugly' against Australia in World Cup qualifier at 10:33 AM JST - 11th February
Bizarro at 08:00 AM JST - 24th December

How about urging the Japanese to wrap presents Japanese style? Nowadays stores just use layers and layers of new wrapping paper and bags. Another good tradition has been lost.

Posted in Britons urged to wrap their Christmas presents Japanese-style at 08:00 AM JST - 24th December
Bizarro at 12:16 AM JST - 30th November

I would not mind seeing Japan allowed to continue commercial whaling, under the condition that the government must stop subsidizing the practice. Stop the charade of "research" and make it openly commercial, but it would have to support itself economically. If that happened I predict it would stop naturally within…

Posted in Japan resumes whale meat imports at 12:16 AM JST - 30th November