JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Well that's a plan, solve the economic crisis through more talking, meetings and bureaucracy! After all it's not like there's a finance ministry or anything.......
Posted in: Hatoyama to create economic recovery post
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Shumatsu_Samurai
viking, part of the problem is the bureaucracy, but the main problem are the politicians. The DPJ's plan to increase spending by 17 trillion yen is an example of this. It's not properly funded.
Until Japanese politicians balance the budget (as Fukuda was trying to do but sadly didn't have the chance long-term to do so) problems won't go away.
Posted in: Calls already coming in for fast action after DPJ sweeps LDP out of power
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Shumatsu_Samurai
What I don't understand is why the DPJ say they will form a coalition government. If they gain anywhere near 300 seats they'll have a majority, so why have one of the dingbat smaller parties on board and just make policy making even more complicated than it will be with the competing DPJ factions struggling for control?
Posted in: Voting under way in general election with DPJ favored to end LDP rule
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Shumatsu_Samurai
GW
That's the same in any country. If George Bush had decided he didn't want to leave the White House, declared a state of emergency, put troops on the street and shut down all organised opposition with lethal force, that would be the end of the matter. You could say "it would never happen", but it's no less likely than Japan setting off to conquer all of Asia again.
What I'd like to know is how the DPJ expect Japan to have a more independent foreign policy if they're only willing to participate in military operations authorised by the United Nations, which would give several countries a veto over Japan's foreign policy.
Posted in: Opposition DPJ says it's ready to stand up to U.S.
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Den Den, yes I do. Sponsorship of "state terrorism" is a catch-all expression used by people who don't like our foreign policy but are too lazy to get into specifics. Now if you want to say we sell weapons when we "shouldn't" do, ok. But it's not sponsorship of any such thing.
Also don't bring up every country we've ever sold weapons to. Our current policies are what are important.
So? Do you know how many crackpots bring legal action against the UK every year and lose?
If you're talking about Al-Haq, then I didn't know that they had already got to the ECHR. But if they're that far it means they've failed in the High Court and had the Court of Appeal/House of Lords reject their appeals or even refuse to hear their case in the first place. That's hardly something to be proud of!
Posted in: Japan to relax arms export ban, Nikkei reports
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Den Den, speak for your own country, but those countries are hardly all sponsors of state terrorism. The UK is withdrawing/has withdrawn from Iraq and is in Afhganistan with the backing of NATO and the UN. Now I know that some extremists think that unless you act like Ireland and never embark on any military endeavour you're "evil", but facing reality Japan can easily trade and co-operate with a select group of nations that are at the least less suspect than the rest.
Let's not forget that countries like Sweden have their own defence industry. Or are they a sponsor of state terrorism too?
Posted in: Japan to relax arms export ban, Nikkei reports
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Shumatsu_Samurai
As usual the usual suspects come out because Japan is moving towards become a normal country. Do they complain of arms exports by China, Europe, the US or indeed any other country? No, just Japan because it's "evil".
Stepping into the real world, this is actually a good thing for Japan and its allies. As UnagiDon says, any such change to the rules would be limited. No arms sales to countries like Iran, Syria, North Korea, etc unlike nations like China and Russia. Or indeed sales to Saudi Arabia like the Europeans and Americans make.
Get real, guys. Japan still has a long way to go before it becomes a member of the dodgy arms dealer brigade. Stop moaning because your countries won't be able to sell Japan items at high cost or might have future competition in selling systems to other countries.
Posted in: Japan to relax arms export ban, Nikkei reports
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Shumatsu_Samurai
goodDonkey is right. Yasukuni shouldn't be tied to apologies for the war.
mikejb, if the Yasukuni authorities credibly said that they will never compromise and never allow themselves to be forced to change the status quo, then what? People will be angry and jump-and-down about Yasukuni until the Sun explodes?
How about people take your advice and just move on? Individual families can make complaints if they wish, but otherwise there are far more important issues to deal with, both nationally and internationally.
Posted in: What is the best way to settle the Yasukuni Shrine issue?
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Shumatsu_Samurai
It's always a good laugh when the Japan-bashers get excited about something. Doubtlessly if the NK rocket misfired and fell on to Japanese territory killing people, they would be screaming that the authorities should have been taking all steps to prevent against it and the fact they didn't even hold drills meant they didn't care and isn't Japan so horrible blaa-blaa-blaa-blaa-blaa.
North Korea is acting illegally, not Japan. Japan is perfectly justified in trying to prevent against an accident, especially given that North Korean technology is probably the shoddiest in the whole of Asia. Its last missile didn't stay in the air for more than 30 seconds!
In fact Japan should just shoot the thing down and expose North Korean threats as being empty. It's time someone stood up to Kim and his bully-boys.
Posted in: Japan goes into crisis mode for possible N Korea missile launch
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Shumatsu_Samurai
What nonsense. There has been peace because of an end to the military junta and because the Japanese no longer want to start a conflict. Nothing would change if Article 9 were abolished, save for the fact that it could help its friends and participate more readily in peacekeeping and the like.
Then why don't all other countries have similar constitutional restrictions? Because it limits their ability to protect their interests overseas. This isn't the 16th century - a country can be affected by events on the other side of the globe.
Posted in: Japan goes into crisis mode for possible N Korea missile launch
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Shumatsu_Samurai
So, jean, you're in favour of silencing people if you don't like what they say? Ok, I'll buy that. Let's start with you.
You have hereby been found "wrong" by the Japanese Truth Commission and are now forbidden from denying the Japanese government has apologised for the war and that people who deny the true extent of the conflict should be silenced.
BY ORDER OF THE COMMISSION - 25th March 2009
Posted in: Chinese movies on Japan's wartime atrocities clear censors
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Shumatsu_Samurai
TokyoHustla, I think they're talking about roads that don't go anywhere important. So you spend far more money on the road than the economy can benefit from the use of it.
What Japan really needs is more private/personal spending. It's hard for the government to make that happen, but it needs to work on it.
Posted in: Finance minister says Japan needs aggressive public spending
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Shumatsu_Samurai
I didn't see riots in the US or Taiwan - they had unpopular leaders.
Yeah, shame that Japanese are law-abiding and wait until elections to vent their frustration. Of course you forget that if there were riots you might just possibly be on the receiving end.
Posted in: Opposition steps up pressure on Aso to resign
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Shumatsu_Samurai
So that justifies evil regimes of the world doing what they like to Japanese citizens? When will this "international right" expire? In another 20 years? 25? 50? Because I can't think of many countries in the world that haven't "done wrong". If we start abusing people because of past injustices we'd be at war all the time.
Japan has been patient. Giving North Korea rewards for bad behaviour is exactly what got the region into this mess. If Japan doesn't get what it has been promised it has a right not to provide aid.
Posted in: N Korea vows to exclude Japan from nuclear talks
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Hahaha, yeah right!
North Korea will be the one that finds itself without support for its childish position. It made a host of promises that it has backed out of, and it reflects well on Japan that it is insists Pyongyang keep to its commitments whilst other members keep moving the goalposts to suit NK.
Posted in: N Korea vows to exclude Japan from nuclear talks
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Huh? Who do Russia and China represent apart from themselves? No one, that's who.
Posted in: Does Japan deserve a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council?
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Better that violating human rights like China does every day.
Posted in: Does Japan deserve a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council?
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Congrats Japan.
Posted in: Japan, Iran, 5 others competing for seats on U.N. Security Council
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Given Iran has been flouting sanctions there is no way it can be rewarded with a seat. It has to go to Japan.
Posted in: Japan, Iran, 5 others competing for seats on U.N. Security Council
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Shumatsu_Samurai
Incompetant, restrictive and corrupt governments keep countries like North Korea back.
Posted in: Japan urges U.S. to be cautious before removing North Korea from terror blacklist