Shumatsu_Samurai said...

Shumatsu_Samurai at 09:00 AM JST - 18th November

Is Ozawa related to Ishihara by any chance?

Posted in Ozawa won't retract remarks on Christianity at 09:00 AM JST - 18th November
Shumatsu_Samurai at 09:00 AM JST - 18th November

Several tens of billions of yen have already been spent on the project and another approximately 100 billion yen is seen to be necessary.

Oh for God sake, that's like, what, $1 billion? Chicken-feed - and it has a use, as SpeedR says.

Posted in GX rocket project to be scrapped as gov't waste cutters continue work at 09:00 AM JST - 18th November
Shumatsu_Samurai at 03:31 AM JST - 15th November

Jesus, mountains made out of molehills as usual on JT.

He bowed deeper than he had to - so what? At least he was aware he should bow and didn't try to do the minimum protocol required.

Posted in Meet and greet at 03:31 AM JST - 15th November
Shumatsu_Samurai at 04:54 AM JST - 11th November

If the US is willing to renegotiate, fine. If it isn't, Japan is bound by it. Unilateral withdrawal would damage Japan's negotiating power around the world, as any country could retort "but what's to stop the LDP reversing this once they get re-elected?" and demand more concessions.

Posted in Should the Japanese government stick to the 2006 agreement over the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, which the previous government and the U.S. agreed upon? at 04:54 AM JST - 11th November
Shumatsu_Samurai at 08:53 PM JST - 10th November

There seems to be the usual false logic displayed here that because the "only alternative", more conventional bombing, would have been worse the atomic bombings were ok. First, even if the atomic bombings were a necessary evil, they were still evil. You can't say it's ok to blow up a…

Posted in Obama tells NHK he's willing to visit Hiroshima, Nagasaki while in office at 08:53 PM JST - 10th November
Shumatsu_Samurai at 08:39 PM JST - 10th November

Hmm, sour grapes from some people methinks.

Afghanistan needs aid to rebuild itself, and there's no evidence that aid will automatically be wasted. If Tokyo spends the money on specific projects (as reports suggest it will) rather than drops it on Karzai's lap it could be very, very useful.

Posted in Cabinet endorses plan to offer $5 bil in aid to Afghanistan at 08:39 PM JST - 10th November
Shumatsu_Samurai at 08:37 PM JST - 10th November

Given the fact he looks very different in this picture I hope the allegations of racism (no one turning him in when he was SURELY so recognisable) and ineptitude (how could the Police not find him given he was SURELY so recognisable) will cease.

Well done to the Police for…

Posted in ICHIHASHI ARRESTED BY POLICE IN OSAKA at 08:37 PM JST - 10th November
Shumatsu_Samurai at 01:00 AM JST - 1st November

The cabinet approved two bills Friday separately designed to freeze the planned sale of shares in Japan Post Holdings Co

Great, another potential source of income to reduce the national debt flushed down the toilet. But I hear Hatoyama's money tree is coming along well - soon we'll have that…

Posted in Cabinet OKs bills to freeze Japan Post share sale at 01:00 AM JST - 1st November
Shumatsu_Samurai at 12:53 AM JST - 1st November

Well smith, I guess the government could rack the national debt up to 250% of GDP and risk default on loan repayments so you pay less in tax. If the country goes to pot at least you have a foreign passport to flee on.

Posted in Gov't may delay some promised tax cuts until fiscal 2011 or later at 12:53 AM JST - 1st November
Shumatsu_Samurai at 04:37 PM JST - 28th October

can japan stop other G8 countries from selling weapons in africa?

I'd say G20 rather than G8 these days.

Posted in Japan vows more active role in resolving conflicts in Africa at 04:37 PM JST - 28th October