billyshears's past comments

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  billyshearsMay. 14, 2013 - 10:45PM JST

  Why on earth does he even have to broach this subject? I guess if the sizeable city-tax-paying Korean population in Osaka all had to right to vote for mayor, he would have kept his mouth shut. BTW, if they served such a "necessary role", why didn't they use Japanese women? Of course, the German Nazis did the same thing (see link below); it's justification is all part of the fascist mentality.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_military_brothels_in_World_War_II

  Posted in: Gov't - but not Ishihara - backs away from Hashimoto's comfort women comments

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  billyshearsMay. 08, 2013 - 08:20PM JST

  I wonder if they'll have the guts to take on the conservative establishment and the right wing like they do in the states. There seems to be this culture of 'avoiding conflict' in the Japanese media and anyone who doesn't toe the line gets relegated to the tabloid press. They've hooked up with Asahi. That's your answer right there.

  Asahi is a liberal, left-leaning organization, quite often attacked (verbally and physically) by the ultra right.

  Posted in: Huffington Post launches Japanese edition

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  billyshearsMay. 08, 2013 - 01:23PM JST

  Looks pretty good and already attracting plenty of comments. If your Japanese is not so good, I recommend using "rikaikun" from rikai.com where you can get a drop-down box with English translation when you put your cursor over unknown kanji or hiragana.

  http://www.huffingtonpost.jp/

  Posted in: Huffington Post launches Japanese edition

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  billyshearsMay. 06, 2013 - 02:16PM JST

  I see Tony Ews comments received quite a lot of "thumbs down" judgements, I would guess from trying to defend Chinas US ambassador's somewhat ludicrous comments. However, we should be in no doubt about Abe's intentions. This is from an editorial from the April 28th. edition of the Washington Post:

  Last month, the Cabinet approved a plan by the ruling party to designate April 28 as Japan’s “sovereignty recovery” day, and Sunday’s ceremony was the first government-sponsored event to mark the day. Similar events were previously held privately among ultra-conservative lawmakers, mainly from Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party, and their right-wing supporters.

  Sunday’s proceedings were filled with nationalistic rituals considered symbols of the imperial warship that drove Japan to its 20th century aggression in Asia. The ceremony started with the singing of the controversial national anthem “Kimigayo” (”His Majesty’s Reign”), and ended with “Banzai!” cheers for Emperor Akihito. There also was a huge rising sun decoration on the center stage.

  During the ceremony, Abe urged Japanese to mark the day in their hearts, pledging to make Japan a stronger country full of national pride. He said that 61 years ago, Japanese had high hopes and were committed to making a better Japan, adding that people today must live up to the expectations.

  “We are obliged to make Japan strong and tough so our country becomes one that the rest of the world can count on,” Abe said. He said he was seeking to make Japan a better and more “beautiful nation,” a favorite phrase of his, but one critics say has a nationalistic undertone. The ceremony, held at a parliamentary museum in Tokyo, was the latest in a series of nationalistic events and remarks that have invited harsh reactions from neighboring countries that suffered from Japan’s wartime aggression.

  Keio University political scientist Morihide Katayama said the event was part of Abe’s “cheap gimmick” to build unity under nationalistic symbols, such as the national flag, anthem and military. In an interview published Saturday in the Asahi newspaper, he said the ceremony was meant to convince the public that there is no real independence for Japan without revising the occupation-imposed constitution.

  http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-04-28/world/38885631_1_ceremony-world-war-ii-yasukuni-shrine

  Posted in: China says U.S. should be concerned about Japanese nationalism

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  billyshearsMay. 04, 2013 - 12:05AM JST

  I think this is a big deal because this movie doesn't have "extra footage" for other outlets. A Hollywood big budget movie has been made with the criterion of passing ridiculous "strict censorship", expressly for the lucrative Chinese market. This translates as cinema-goers in other countries having to watch movies with content pandering to the controls of a corrupt regime . Could this be a sign of things to come?

  Posted in: 'Iron Man' shows Hollywood's bent to take on China censors' steely grip

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  billyshearsApr. 30, 2013 - 09:01PM JST

  irrational human rage is a terrible thing

  Posted in: Woman stabbed to death over argument about cell phone bill

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  billyshearsApr. 29, 2013 - 02:23PM JST

  Act too camp and you'll find yourself out of a job. If a gay club becomes too popular the police swoop in and close it down. Try open a gay club in a non-gay area and you'll be consistently denied permission.

  Is that all hearsay or are there any documented cases? I wonder what "acting too camp" entails. For example, if you are working in an office, why would anyone feel the need to act too camp? If you open a club in Japan, do you have to designate the sexual orientation of its prospective clientele?

  Posted in: Thousands march for gay rights in Japan's first 'Rainbow Week'

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  billyshearsApr. 29, 2013 - 02:01PM JST

  They could always set them up and ban japanese people from entering

  That would be the sensible route to take, but I don't think that's the intention of this particular lobby group. Tourist-only casinos would generate only a fraction of the necessary revenue not only to make this kind of enterprise commercially viable but also to provide a tangible boost to the Japanese economy as a whole.

  Prefectures in Japan do not now and likely never will have this prerogative

  That's what Hashimoto wants for Osaka prefecture, but not tourist-only casinos. However, a tourist-only casino operation might give a boost to local economies; for example, northern parts of Kyushu might attract Korean and some other Asian gamblers (and their respective gangsters!).

  Posted in: Japan casino lobby prepare for legalization push

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  billyshearsApr. 29, 2013 - 01:11PM JST

  There is a great social cost in having legalized casinos. It is well-documented that casinos open the door to possible gambling addiction to absolutely anyone who steps inside a casino for the first time; housewives, doctors, factory workers and even college students. There are three kinds of people you wouldn't want your child to marry: a drug addict, an alcoholic or a compulsive gambler because all three will lead to the break-up of a family. In addition, all that revenue quoted does not come from nothing; other businesses directly feel the loss. In a few spins of the wheel, there goes the new fridge or the week's grocery money. (what might take all day to lose in a pachinko parlor can be lost in a few seconds in a casino). In some countries, casinos are stringently well-legislated to keep out criminal elements at all levels, but somehow or other, I feel it might be difficult to keep the yakuza out of this kind of enterprise.

  Posted in: Japan casino lobby prepare for legalization push

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  billyshearsApr. 23, 2013 - 01:19PM JST

  What a bunch of shallow-thinking oafs. They think they are all jumping on the vote-catching bandwagon of the renewed feelings of Japanese self-assertion after the popularity of PM Abe. Most of this lot have never been near Yasukuni in their lives before.

  Posted in: 168 lawmakers visit Yasukuni shrine

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  billyshearsApr. 22, 2013 - 11:02PM JST

  >"the investigation does not provide elaborate details on the inhabitants’ daily intake of cesium, which arguably also requires close monitoring." Yes, let's skip over that then. >"the number of food inspections related to radioactive contamination carried out since the nuclear catastrophe comes in at 40,000 cases. The number of food products that exceeded the safety limit totaled 10%. Breaking this figure down further, of 10% of food stuffs that exceeded the safety limit, only 2% reached contamination levels of 100 becquerels per kilogram." That's still 4,000 cases of unsafe, radioactive food. I wonder where it all ended up? And those figures should be more exact...not rounded up or down to nearest ten thousand.

  The number of participants whose levels of radioactive contamination exceeded the WBC upper limit of 300 becquerels formed just 4.7% That's "just" 1,542 people. This is not the first time that this author has constructed an article using highly debatable research from obscure professors at minor Japanese colleges.

  Posted in: Fukushima produces first thesis on effects of internal radiation exposure on children

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  billyshearsApr. 22, 2013 - 10:35PM JST

  Jesus Christ, radioactive rats...it is blatantly obvious that TEPCO does not have the know-how or necessary materials and equipment to deal efficiently with all the very serious problems that remain at Fukushima. It's amazing that the government isn't in full control of this situation and drafting in outside companies and expertise from around the world with no expense spared. This is really not a time to be worrying about saving face.

  Posted in: Fuel-rod cooling halted by rats at Fukushima plant

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  billyshearsApr. 20, 2013 - 01:45PM JST

  Of course, Amazon Prime in Japan is useless. They only offer express delivery. Like Hula, Sky satellite channels, and even McDonalds, it seems that foreign companies here are unwilling to offer to same standards of service to their Japanese customers. Could it be the result of operating in a society which, by and large, does not criticize inefficiency and poor service?

  Posted in: Amazon nears debut of original TV shows

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  billyshearsApr. 16, 2013 - 07:27PM JST

  @smithjapan

  The only thing you can really be sure of is that it won't be available at iTunes Japan because they are jealous of his success.

  Strange thing to say...both his songs are available for 250 yen each at the Japanese itune store. Also all his Korean albums. And anyway, I'm sure apple wouldn't let any imagined jealousy stand in the way of some easy profits.

  Posted in: Psy's 'Gentleman' video smashes YouTube records

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  billyshearsApr. 14, 2013 - 09:13PM JST

  America is not the Aggressive in this Instance. It is a spoilt Little Young North Korean President With very little common sense

  Do you really think he is in full control? I could be wrong, but I think his uncle and aunt and the military leadership are pulling all the strings and using him as a puppet (because they have to maintain that kind of Kim heritage, God-like figurehead for the brainwashed, idolizing masses).

  Posted in: Kerry arrives in Japan to discuss North Korea

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  billyshearsApr. 14, 2013 - 07:51PM JST

  This is some serious $hit! If Mr. Kerry had to go directly over to BEIJING, and warn the CHINESE that the USA was not going to just stand around and let the North Koreans get away with murder

  Really? What is the USA going to do then? I reckon "just stand around" with the usual threat of even more sanctions. Has there ever been a case of sanctions actually being successful in deposing a despotic regime?

  Posted in: Kerry arrives in Japan to discuss North Korea

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  billyshearsApr. 14, 2013 - 07:46PM JST

  I don't think there's any way China wants to "defuse" the situation. North Korea is totally dependent on China to survive, so China could have pulled the North Korean leadership strings a long time ago should they have wanted to. in fact, the Korean's level of military armament development and nuclear technology could not have been achieved without China's help and permission. Kerry will get no "concrete action" from the Chinese. North Korea will launch another missile which will be followed by the usual rhetoric on all sides. You almost get the feeling that the Chinese leadership and their North Korean counterparts are laughing together behind Kerry's back.

  Posted in: Kerry arrives in Japan to discuss North Korea

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  billyshearsApr. 09, 2013 - 11:50AM JST

  Two years after the worst nuclear disaster in a quarter of a century, TEPCO is struggling with breakdowns and glitches in its jerry-rigged cooling system to keep reactors and spent fuel pools in a safe state known as cold shutdown.

  Looks like they could do with some outside help. I'm not sure exactly what's happening behind the scenes, but it seems the government should have more control over this situation and be enlisting expert advice and experienced companies from around the world to see if they can deal with this situation. The bottom line seems to be TEPCO just do not have the ability as a company to sort the mess out but are still being left in full control.

  Posted in: TEPCO may run out of space for radioactive water

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  billyshearsApr. 06, 2013 - 03:12PM JST

  With fabric "fresheners", I think what you have to be careful about is actually inhaling the spray itself (while applying). Once it has been applied to a specific area its odor is not dangerous. If you use an air-freshener, you should be very careful not to inhale any of the spray while it is still airborne. Similarly, the fumes of liquids for dealing with mold, like the very popular, "kabi-killer", are extremely dangerous to inhale, but those dangers are very clearly labeled on the package. The NCACJ would like to see these kinds of warnings on deodorizing sprays. Interesting and informational article here:

  http://www.silentmenace.com/-Air_Fresheners_.html

  Posted in: Fabric fresheners potentially harmful to health, warns consumer center

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  billyshearsApr. 02, 2013 - 06:02PM JST

  Moriyo Kimura, a doctor and also Technical official for the Ministry of Health and Welfare sheds some light on the possible cause: "..... there is concrete scientific evidence to suggests smoking is hazardous to one’s health. However it is peculiar is that smoking should rank so highly among the numerous social problems that await resolve.”

  Peculiar? I suppose it is not completely impossible that this guy has his sights set on floating down on a golden "amakudari" retirement parachute into the plush executive lounge at Japan Tobacco?

  Posted in: Have Japan’s anti-smoking laws gone too far?