JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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To be healthy, live in the big city
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Japan's nuclear safety standards flawed, says commission chief
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3
Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?
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4
Teacher nabbed for using miror to peek up girl's skirt
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5
From carnivores to herbivores: how men are defined in Japan
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- English Instructor (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe)
- Berlitz Japan, Inc. (ベルリッツ・ジャパン株式会社), Kansai
- Salary: ¥125,000 ~ ¥250,000 / Month
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- FT English Teachers for Kids - Osaka
- Kohgakusha Co., Ltd. （株式会社興学社）, Osaka
- Salary: ¥255,000 ~ ¥275,000 / Month Travel Expenses, Encouragement of Japanese learning*
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- Translator
- ZAIHON, Inc. (日本財務翻訳株式会社), Tokyo
- Salary: ¥6.0M / Year Negotiable
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Shiningfinger
weak-minded, impressionable children have now begun to post here... sigh. K-pop is Unoriginal. It is simply an attempt to capitalize on the back of U.S. pop industry and Japan's past pop music glory days. The only difference is that Korean groups have been selling overly sexualized images of teen/young adult girl groups and calling it "pop music"
These music execs have created an enviroment where glamour, high heels, and make-up cancels the need to be a real vocalist, lyrical genius, and artist. The shelf life of most of these groups are only 3-5yrs max. No staying power because they are not selling music they are selling an image! yes the truth hurts. but i would say these is only K-pop. There are other forms of k-music that is actually good.
Posted in: Asia's K-Pop clones dance to South Korean beat
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Shiningfinger
Duplicate, replicate, imitate and call it talent? K-pop groups for years copied U.S./Japanese acts. Big Bang was even in trouble a few years back for copying lyrics. These groups have now begun to walk on their own but the product they produce is still unoriginal, and weak. They pander to masses of weak-minding, easily impressionable children. Even in Korea this is being seen as a growing problem.
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/03/23/2010032300275.html
there is really a problem when half of all students want to be a singer, or actor.
Posted in: Asia's K-Pop clones dance to South Korean beat
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Shiningfinger
@ka_chan Well Korea is actually number 1 not number 2 if you take into account the size of population divided by the number of deaths, Korea has the highest rate of suicide in the world which has climbed steadily over the past decade while japan has remain steady with slight declines annually. Which would lead me to think internationally other nations are seeing rising numbers. If japan has fallen to 6th.
In Korea, the main reason to address is violence/abuse against women in all forms i.e ,physical, mental,sexual etc. which leads to serve depression, or other forms mental disorders. The government seems indifferent to wide spread abuse that is present in such a society where such large numbers of women commit suicide daily.
In japan suicide seems to be tied more to economic reasons.
Posted in: No. of suicides surpasses 30,000 for 14th year in a row in 2011
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Shiningfinger
Posted in: Nozomi Tsuji reportedly living apart from husband
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Shiningfinger
@Branded wow you never give up when faced with facts or not. It has even been reported a few times in the U.S. that if YOUR CAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN JAPAN and the VIN number shows that, your car is not apart of the recall. There is no reason to replace your accelerator pedal. And that also goes for Japan. CTS supplied manufacturing plants not only in the US but also in Europe,South E.A. and China. The mass recall you are referring to should not include Japan. The only recall I've heard of in Japan was for the 2010 hybrid Prius and that was a software issue not the accelerator pedal. But maybe Branded is really "that slow"
@skipbeat I understand your point but you are also confusing the mass recall with the additional software glitch. I still say that there is no outrageous design/engineering flaws based on a defective part which over time sticks. And a software issue with braking on the 2010prius that gives a driver a delayed sense of reaction when breaking doesn't qualify in books either.
Posted in: Japanese ask: Is U.S. backlash on Toyota a ploy to boost American auto producers?
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Shiningfinger
@Branded who obviously still doesn't understand whats going on. No I mean CTS and independent parts supplier who has their HQ in Indiana but is also spread over other states in the U.S.
http://www.ctscorp.com/hr/where.htm
They make parts for not only Toyota but also companies like FORD. And now they are under a fed investigation.
http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=11925663
But somehow this investigation is getting little attention in U.S. media. And Branded you know what? Some cars made buy Nissan actually does consist of a single guy with a wrench in his hand making the engine. Look up how GTR 35s are made.
Posted in: Japanese ask: Is U.S. backlash on Toyota a ploy to boost American auto producers?
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Shiningfinger
And people might not realize this but I wouldn't be surprised that future buyers of Toyota, Honda, Mazada, Nissan, Japan Inc etc before purchasing asked for a vehicle on the lot that was made in Japan exclusively parts and all. I doubt people will stop buying Japan Inc ever aside from maybe the baby boomers. In the end the U.S. media might be hurting more American jobs than anything.
Posted in: Japanese ask: Is U.S. backlash on Toyota a ploy to boost American auto producers?
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Shiningfinger
The recalled Toyota vehicles in the states are being recalled because of a defective part. Not because of some outrageous design/engineering flaws. This is seen in the fact that they have traced the defective part supplier to Indiana. Yet the media companies in the U.S. and maybe Branded made a point are taking turns bashing and implying greater problems than what actually exists. Yet many owners are standing by their cars. I seriously doubt that would be the case for other Car companies.
Posted in: Japanese ask: Is U.S. backlash on Toyota a ploy to boost American auto producers?
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Shiningfinger
@ Nigelboy I'm still waiting for the U.S. govt to hold their own auto part manufacturers accountable. That has yet to be seen. I guarantee if these pedals were the product of lets say China the U.S. media would be having a field day no matter who ultimately used them. I've seen that too often in the past. And I'm still waiting to see these problems in Japan. Because of the media Toyota cars aren't "safe" aka U.S. made toyota cars. But somehow buying Mexican/Chinese made GMs and Fords are safer. Is this really the image U.S. media want to project. This is sad. I can not even remember any other recalls that received this much attention from the media.
Posted in: Japanese ask: Is U.S. backlash on Toyota a ploy to boost American auto producers?
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Shiningfinger
And Yes there is a campaign going on right now to undermine Toyota. I believe CBS is leading it. They have used more time to report sensationalized reports regarding the toyota recall and haven't even mentioned the fact that Japanese made Toyota cars were not included in the recall. Those are cars beginning with the vin JT83494... ABCnews i think have been pretty fair with its reporting. And now Dealership commercials are going all out to throw Toyota under the bus so they can sell their Fords, Kia, GMs, and Hyundais =/
Posted in: Japanese ask: Is U.S. backlash on Toyota a ploy to boost American auto producers?
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Shiningfinger
For Toyota models produced in the US there was a mass recall but for models produced in japan there no recalls for the "sticky pedal" Simply because the autoparts supplier who manufactured the pedals is based in Indiana. And the japanese made cars used auto parts produced in japan. The American parts manufactured stated that they built the pedals according to the specifications they received from toyota. But I wonder why the J-cars pedals aren't having the same problems should they have also been made to those same specs.
Posted in: Japanese ask: Is U.S. backlash on Toyota a ploy to boost American auto producers?
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Shiningfinger
I only wish he wasn't released from custody until at least 3months not 3weeks. Spending the holidays in jail would have been perfect for him. Both children deserve to be with their natural birth mother without question. If wanted to visit them he should have sought that right but not full custody. Noriko was never deemed an unfit parent. So raising her japanese born children in japan is her right first and foremost. As a man he should understand that divorcing her and leaving the marriage gives up certain rights like the right to full custody. Men like this sicken me.
Posted in: American man accused of grabbing own kids released
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Shiningfinger
There is ALOT of ((speculation)) but very few facts being posted here. Some people think that the U.S. is fully prepared to fight the DPRK. haha Again the title of this article states "Army chief says U.S. able to fight" LOL that is totally different from fully prepared or able to fight,defend,and Win. The fact of the matter is the U.S. doesn't want to defend S.Korea. I'm not saying the U.S. won't give some support but the U.S. is not preparing to do anything significant.
Fact: The U.S. is currently on a time-table to hand over Defense Command Authority to S.K forces by 2011. This includes troop withdrawal from Seoul
There has already been a slow reduction in troops from originally about 40,000 to presently about 28,000.
This is why : "American defence officials no longer believe that either country should be devoting major resources to a replay of the first Korean war. The US contends that North Korea would employ its missiles, long-range artillery and special forces to bypass traditional invasion corridors and directly target major cities and military facilities throughout the southern half of the peninsula. The redeployment of US forces is therefore designed to limit potential American vulnerabilities in a future conflict, and – in conjunction with vastly strengthened South Korean forces – to exploit US technologies and operational concepts to degrade North Korean capabilities."
http://www.iiss.org/publications/strategic-comments/past-issues/volume-9---2003/volume-9---issue-5/american-forces-in-south-korea/
There have been official statements that increasing troops in S.korea is "NOT Needed" because there is has been no significant change on the peninsula. This is simply false and mis-leading.
Reported 2.23.2009 Fact: "...The report also said Pyongyang has increased its special forces by about 60,000 to 180,000, apparently to help facilitate infiltration of the South with improved firepower and mobility.
The total number of North Korean troops increased to 1.19 million, an increase of 20,000 from 2006, it said.
``North Korea has put great effort into increasing its special operations at night, in mountainous areas or for street to street fighting, given the operational environments on the Korean Peninsula,'' said Brig. Gen. Shin Won-shik, deputy of the ministry's policy planning bureau.
The North's navy has added one combat squadron and 10 submarines, as well as new torpedoes and ground-to-ship/ship-to-ship missiles, it said. Its air force has upgraded its radar detection capabilities and upgraded launch pads for SA-5 and SA-2/3 long-range missiles, it said.
North Korea's army could have war reserves, including gas and ammunition, enough for it to engage in war for about two months, it said. "
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/05/205_40116.html
I would think 2 months is all the DPRK would need to get the job done. And apparently 3months is what the U.S.would need to get there.
Now What do you think the U.S. is preparing to do for S.korea?
Posted in: Army chief says U.S. able to fight N Korea if necessary
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Shiningfinger
The Politicians, Military, and all the higher ups in Japn know that N.Korea is not a real and serious threat to the nation at present. But by pushing the issue hard they can make real gains in securing more funds and public opinion for their own nuclear development program/missle defense programs, and making future amendments the constitution. Japan has to look at the longterm situation with other growing threats like China. N.Korea is only a real threat to South Korea. Kim Jung-il is not actually as crazy as he pretends to be. But he gains as much from the image of being crazy as he does from having the world's largest arsenal of short/long range missles.
Right now N.Korea is making huge advancements in their missile/nuclear technology and they are maximizing the time that they have to test their technology aka. "Shadow boxing" for future use. I would imagine sometime shortly after the U.S. withdrawal from South korea and the military defense handover from the U.S. to the South koreans the north will look for some reason to create a confrontation similiar to the naval confrontatins of 1999 2001.
North korea gains nothing from a military conflict with Japan. Therefore there will be none. Japan has a declared self defense military and attacking another nation is unconstitutional everybody knows that. But they have much to gain from a short military conflict with south koreans without any outside military interference. And being a nuclear power with long rance missle technology will make any nation think twice before entering in a conflict with the "crazy" kim jung-il.
Posted in: How much of a military threat is North Korea to Japan?
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Shiningfinger
The prosecution should push for death penalty if not he should recieve a life sentence (no parole). And his friends should recieve some jail time or a fine. They should be seen as accomplices because they were present at the scene and didn't prevent the deadly assult, even though in a logical sense the 3 of them had the power to do so.
Posted in: Man beats pedestrian to death in Kanagawa; says it didn't matter who
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Shiningfinger
Propoganda and the spread of misinformation is what the South Korean govt seems to be good at. They are repeatedly giving press statements and telling the north that Japan is preparing to destroy anything that North Korea fires. The S.Koreans are so weak and pathetic that the only thing Pres. Lee MyungBak can do is carefully word lies in an attempt to create more tension between Japan and N.K. Japan didn't attempt to shoot down the last missle why would they attempt to shoot down anything now. The S.K govt is childish and weak and one day things like this will come back to bite them in the ass.
"the South Korean leader also voiced understanding of Japan's "intention to shoot down anything that flies out of Korea." This, as the Japanese government has the responsibility of protecting its citizens from the object which will travel through Japan's airspace and could fall into its territorial waters." -- http://www.arirang.co.kr/News/News_View.asp?nseq=89124&code=Ne2&category=2
"Over the news that Japan has instructed its Self Defense Forces to intercept any North Korea object that flies over its territory, President Lee said he understands Japan.
``That's a decision made by the Japanese government with the sole purpose of protecting its own citizens,'' Lee said." http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/03/116_42275.html
Posted in: N Korea warns Japan that intervening in rocket launch will be act of war
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Shiningfinger
this article reminds me back when I was in college and a japanese student from my class finished drinking her water and then began her quest to find a recycling bin. Another student looked out the window and said something like "wow, she really went out of her way to recycle that bottle" lol we laughed but now after living in South Korea for 2yrs I understand and admire the Japanese mindset when it comes to trash,recycling, and a clean enviroment. Japan has to be one of the cleanest countries in the world.
Posted in: Japanese teach Parisiens about street tidiness