mushroomcloud said...

mushroomcloud at 12:53 AM JST - 2nd November

Let's take this even further. What if China did this on purpose with the explicit aim to frighten Japan (hint: they succeeded).

"The health ministry says Japan tested 203,001 samples of food last year and found 1,515 samples that violated standards. The largest number of violations, a third, came from…

Posted in Okada asks Beijing to admit frozen dumplings laced with poison in China at 12:53 AM JST - 2nd November
mushroomcloud at 12:44 AM JST - 2nd November

Hatoyama has a pretty good plan. Creating an East Asian Community, with China as the center, will benefit the regions tremendously as it will allow greater dialogue in all things economic and security related.

The creation of this plan also is acknowledgement, acceptance, and accomodation to China's rise as it…

Posted in Australia ponders place in Japan's East Asian Community at 12:44 AM JST - 2nd November
mushroomcloud at 12:33 AM JST - 2nd November

Japan, as a protectorate of the United States, is playing with fire. As things are going now, there's only 1 superpower (US), and 1 with superpower aspirations (China). If Japan pisses off one, it will have to cozy up with the other for survival.

And we all know that it…

Posted in U.S. retracts announcement of Clinton-Okada talks at 12:33 AM JST - 2nd November
mushroomcloud at 11:55 PM JST - 18th October

"Actually, this is not the case. Japan does not meet the definition of a protectorate."

As a response, a quote from the American Foreign Relations website:

The 1951 treaty between the United States and Japan came closest to the old protectorate concept. By its terms the United States could maintain…

Posted in Japan should keep insisting Russia 'illegally occupies' isles: Maehara at 11:55 PM JST - 18th October
mushroomcloud at 04:19 AM JST - 18th October

Japan cannot legally claim these isles back, since she is a protectorate of the United States with no power to enforce international disputes.

My suggestion would be to check in with the US to see what can be done.

Posted in Japan should keep insisting Russia 'illegally occupies' isles: Maehara at 04:19 AM JST - 18th October
mushroomcloud at 01:37 AM JST - 18th October

Why is Japan so bent on getting the Olympics, especially after China hosted it in 2008?

Perhaps it's all about symbolism in Asia, Japan doesn't want to be viewed as the fading power that it is.

Posted in Ishihara backs Hiroshima, Nagasaki for 2020 Olympics at 01:37 AM JST - 18th October
mushroomcloud at 06:17 AM JST - 4th October

I agree with LouReed.

Now that Tokyo is the loser, will Ishihara go back to spewing his racist rhetoric as the sore loser that he is?

Ishihara will have quite a few sleepless nights while the rest of the world laughs.

Congrats, Rio. Well deserved win.

Posted in Ishihara 'bitterly disappointed' with Olympic bid failure, but won't step down at 06:17 AM JST - 4th October
mushroomcloud at 12:40 AM JST - 3rd October

Tokyo, being out, means that I can say:

Sorry Ishihara. I told you so.

Posted in Hatoyama urges IOC to choose Tokyo as 2016 Olympic host at 12:40 AM JST - 3rd October
mushroomcloud at 11:44 AM JST - 2nd October

I saw the videos of the parade and was struck by how communist looking it was. A bit of a turnoff but then again the parade is mostly about praising their communist system.

Anyways, their equipment was reasonably impressive. They showcased the DH-10 LACM, with a range of 2,500 miles,…

Posted in China's 60th anniversary stirs pride, also unease at 11:44 AM JST - 2nd October
mushroomcloud at 11:36 AM JST - 2nd October

Nothing to see there, and too expensive.

Posted in No. of visitors to Japan fewer than year before for 13 consecutive months at 11:36 AM JST - 2nd October