Bizarro said...

Bizarro at 07:53 AM JST - 2nd August

In response to akaguma's comment.

1) For what it's worth, Tran Anh Hung is a very serious director. His past films like The Scent of Green Papaya and The Vertical Ray of the Sun have been quite beautiful and made him one of the more critically acclaimed directors worldwide.

2)…

Posted in Haruki Murakami's 'Norwegian Wood' coming to big screen at 07:53 AM JST - 2nd August
Bizarro at 11:08 PM JST - 18th June

Some interpret this as Tokyo "winning" the vote, but am seeing that 58% (on a site focusing on Japan) would like to see the Olympics in a location other than Tokyo. That non-Tokyo vote happens to be split among other cities. Would be interesting to see a head-to-head vote between…

Posted in Which city would you like to see get the 2016 Olympics? at 11:08 PM JST - 18th June
Bizarro at 12:47 PM JST - 9th June

I agree with other posts here. If you return something someone else has lost, your "reward" is simply the expectation that if you lose something it will also be returned to you. This is the social contract among civilized people (and one of the very nice things about Japan). To…

Posted in Lost and found in Tokyo and London at 12:47 PM JST - 9th June
Bizarro at 11:12 PM JST - 31st May

FYI there was a related article in the May 11 Washington Post by a former Yomiuri Shimbun reporter who for years covered organized crime in Japan.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/09/AR2008050902544.html

The article explains the activities of yakuza in the US that were of legitimate interest to the FBI. It also claims the Japanese…

Posted in U.S. hospital provided liver transplants to 4 Japanese gang figures, including gang boss at 11:12 PM JST - 31st May
Bizarro at 11:51 AM JST - 24th May

Funny one, timorborder!

Got your message, illsayit. To all pregnant women - JUST STAY HOME (or within walking distance of home. And if one of you would like to have at least some semblance of her normal life and go somewhere that requires a train once in a while, you're…

Posted in Giving birth in Japan at 11:51 AM JST - 24th May
Bizarro at 12:40 PM JST - 21st May

This however is in a medium-size conservative city. Maybe in the big cities, people are afraid of getting their butts gang-kicked.

Having lived in a small Japanese city in addition to Tokyo, I have found the opposite. I saw more "gangs" and overall rudeness from young people (including smoking on…

Posted in Giving birth in Japan at 12:40 PM JST - 21st May
Bizarro at 08:19 AM JST - 21st May

Historically low C-section rates in Japan seems to me a plus compared with the US, where malpractice fears probably play a role in the high rates of surgical births. Our hospital here in Japan has a philosophy more on the natural side, and we have been happy with the care.…

Posted in Giving birth in Japan at 08:19 AM JST - 21st May
Bizarro at 08:44 AM JST - 6th May

What I see the problem that will arise is the xenophobia that will occur.

Hmm, as opposed to now? Generally I believe that more contact with outsiders decreases xenophobia, not the opposite.

There will be Japanese who will not accept the foreigners who work here, and inevitably they will face…

Posted in Gov't looks to immigrants as population shrinks at 08:44 AM JST - 6th May