JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Sounds like another Ozawa temper-tantrum to try to be seen as something other than a crook about to get cooked in the courts.
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Shumatsu_Samurai
I also agree with notasap, in as far as China is very selective about the historical films it produces. I remember having a discussion once with a fairly bright and pleasant Chinese guy. We were discussing war films and things like the Rape of Nanjing. I asked whether it was healthy to dwell so much on things like that. He said it was necessary to get closure.
So I asked why there were no similar films about the Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution or Tiananmen protests. He said that it would re-open old wounds.
You draw your own conclusions from that conversation.
Posted in: Christian Bale denies Nanjing Massacre film is propaganda
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Shumatsu_Samurai
There are two issues here.
Does the film depict a real historical atrocity and war crime. Yes
Is it almost certain that this film was made for propaganda value. Yes
Just because a film addresses a historical war crime doesn't mean it isn't being used for propaganda purposes. I might be happy to take part in a film showing the repression of my ancestors, but I wouldn't if it was being created with the backing of an extremist group that locks up grannies for complaining about that group's behaviour to the authorities.
Posted in: Christian Bale denies Nanjing Massacre film is propaganda
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Shumatsu_Samurai
How do you define a "child"? Technically anyone under 20 is a child in Japan. Should parents suffer for the actions of 19 year olds?
Sure, there are circumstances where parents have the power to stop their children misbehaving. In such circumstances it might be right for them to pay a fine. But in other circumstances it would be completely inappropriate. Really you just have to look at the situation.
Also given I doubt anyone would argue that parents should go to jail, civil actions could resolve the issue. If, for example, a 7 year old broke a window by throwing a rock whilst with their parent, the property owner could sue the parent. No need to involve the criminal system.
Posted in: Should parents be held responsible if their children commit crimes?
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Yamamoto did not lead the attack. He planned it. It was Admiral Nagumo's decision to call off the attack after the second wave. Indeed in hindsight Yamamoto thought Nagumo had made a big mistake not to attack the naval base's dry docks, fuel stores, etc.
Bebert is quite right. It is not news that Yamamoto was sceptical of the merits of going to war with the US. This has been covered before. Someone also mentioned the film Tora! Tora! Tora!
And, yes, there's nothing contradictory in launching an attack to finish a war off quickly if you wouldn't have voted for war in the first place. Yamamoto was a military man. When a decision was taken to go to war, he took the line of action he thought would benefit his country the most in that war.
Someone criticised Yamamoto for a sneak attack. Huh? You do realise in war that the most effective way of winning is by sneak attacks, right? And he had nothing to do with the late arrival of the declaration of war.
Posted in: Movie shows wartime Admiral Yamamoto in new light
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Giving up a seat - if she's pregnant, it's certainly not outmoded. If she's able, I think she can stand.
Opening doors - it's polite to open doors for everyone.
Moving a chair - depends on the woman. Some love it, others thing it weird. I would act accordingly to the suspected preferences of my lady friend.
Posted in: Do you think that a man giving up his seat on a bus or train to a woman, holding a door open for her or holding her chair as she sits down are outmoded?
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Shumatsu_Samurai
smithinjapan
Political reform won't be achieved through a coup, and it's ridiculous to suggest otherwise. It's also an incredibly insensitive comment given the misery inflicted on Japan (and many other countries) by the military up until 1945.
If anything, I would say that the problem is the reaction to these news stories. As soon as someone or their staff say something wrong, they're expected to resign. Japan needs less revolving-door politics. The only way there will be change is if a couple of governments actually last for several years each, rather than a year at best.
Posted in: Two cabinet ministers censured in Diet in blow to Noda
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Shumatsu_Samurai
If it happened this would be good news. TEPCO needs to be nationalised so it can be reorganised (broken up?) before being privatised again. As a current entity it is deeply flawed.
Posted in: TEPCO shares fall on nationalization report
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Shumatsu_Samurai
No problem. Your new Prime Minister - General Tojo Jr.
First act - total censorship of media and online discussion forums. From now on, only positive comments will be allowed to be displayed.
Second act - abolition of elections.
Third act - militarisation.
Shall I continue?
Posted in: Two cabinet ministers censured in Diet in blow to Noda
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Shumatsu_Samurai
You're being silly. "Bad" people get funding all the time in countries around the world, this isn't limited to Japan or Japanese people. These people are just hedging their bets that Ozawa will beat the rap and remain a powerful back-room politician.
Posted in: Ozawa top recipient of political funds for second year in row
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Cricky is correct. 5% and 10% are very low by international standards.
Posted in: Noda's consumption tax hike plan unpopular, poll shows
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Shumatsu_Samurai
There is no reason to believe that Ozawa would stop that if he was in power. Indeed, given his old-style politics I'm sure he'd maintain the status quo - or make it worse.
What their parents have . There's no guarantee it will be substantial.
Posted in: Ozawa criticizes Noda for consumption tax hike plan
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Shumatsu_Samurai
I agree that retired people in Japan need to make sacrifices - either by retiring later or seeing reduced benefits, whether from their pensions or other government spending. But in response to your point about the benefits the older generations have had, retired people could equally argue that when they grew up times were tough and they had to work for their success. Young people now don't have the prospects previous generations did in the 1980s, but few starved either.
A consumption tax increase affects everyone, so it is reasonably fair. Pension/health care reform is possible, but it will require consultation and discussion, which will take time. Whereas raising the tax is guaranteed income that will flow quickly - the government badly needs.
And given Japan has a deflation problem, increasing consumption tax (and therefore prices) might help get people spending again rather than waiting for ever lower prices.
Posted in: Ozawa criticizes Noda for consumption tax hike plan
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Elbuda, you're ignoring the positive steps that are currently being taken in Burma. It's important to encourage the government to keep making concessions - engagement is the only way to do this. Burma is so cut off from most of the world that countries like Japan have no leverage on human rights issues.
By discussing a resumption of aid, Japan can set down what it would want to see from the Burmese government before money started being paid over, whether it wanted concrete actions taken or a roadmap of future reforms set out. If Burma did not deliver, the aid could be stopped. And if Burma gets reliant on donations from Japanese and other democratic governments it will be a lot less likely to back-peddle on its promises.
Posted in: Japan in talks to resume Myanmar aid
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Like Michael Craig, I'm confused by this. If Kamei is a member of the People's New Party, which was set up by crazy former LDP members, why is he going to set up yet another party?
All I can say to Mr Noda is HOLD YOUR COURSE! :)
Posted in: Kamei looking to form new political party to counter DPJ
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Ozawa's plan - more debt paid for by the next generation with a 40% basic rate of income tax.
At least Noda has the courage to propose increasing the sales tax. And before people start whining about taxes, as the Economist recently reported, Japan has the lowest tax take of any country in the OECD, at just 17% of GDP. There is plenty of scope to raise taxes in Japan.
Posted in: Ozawa criticizes Noda for consumption tax hike plan
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Shumatsu_Samurai
If this was the latest step in a very well-known and impartially reported saga, I could understand some of the hysterical responses. But we know very little about this case, and the fact we haven't heard anything from the mother makes it foolish to start screaming and ranting about her. Lots of people flee jurisdictions with their children - sometimes for good reasons, sometimes for bad reasons. We would need to know why this happened in the first place before condemning the mother totally.
But the reaction to this case seems to be that because people don't like the general situation in Japan. So because some parents take their children to Japan and the other parent is then unable to get them back, this means all parents who take their children to Japan are in the wrong? Really?
I think the comment about "vulture grandparents" is completely unfounded and also illogical. Vultures like to pick at dead carcasses - is the allegation that the child is actually dead and they're feasting on her flesh like demons? Grandparents can raise their grandchildren perfectly well.
Posted in: American father wins custody of daughter taken to Japan
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Well done to those three girls for having the courage to apply and appear in public. Maybe that's why there weren't other applicants - they were too self-conscious!
Posted in: Geisha-hunters get their gals
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Shumatsu_Samurai
We need to go further. Old people should be banned from leaving the house. They're a menace to everyone, because if anything goes wrong it is definitely, positively their fault. They're never a victim of circumstance....
Seriously, what is it about some people and those over the age of 70? Why is it that if you're of a certain age people will assume you're a menace to society?
Young people cause far more traffic accidents around the world through dangerous driving, but I don't see anyone proposing that those under the age of 30 be banned from driving.
Posted in: Lost 81-yr-old man, granddaughter, 3, kept warm by their dog until rescued
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Shumatsu_Samurai
No signal? No battery charge? Not working after accident? Disappeared after accident? Left at home by mistake?
Yeah, I'm really sure the old guy had it with him and didn't think to use it.....
Posted in: Lost 81-yr-old man, granddaughter, 3, kept warm by their dog until rescued