JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

nigelboy's past comments

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  nigelboyFeb. 15, 2012 - 11:39PM JST

  Ah yes TEPCO press releases and they have been so factual and timely in the past. Not worth the paper they are written on nigelboy. But you believe them hey!!!!

  Timely? Yes. Factual? Majority of the time, hell yes. I guess "it not worth the paper they are written on" to you since you can't read it but rely on AFP, AP, and other poorly written article to come up with that conclusion. But hey!!!

  Posted in: TEPCO blames high reactor temperature reading on broken thermometer

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  nigelboyFeb. 15, 2012 - 06:10AM JST

  http://www.tepco.co.jp/cc/press/betu12_j/images/120214c.pdf

  Me thinks people need to start reading the summarized reports that is issued by TEPCO.

  Here it states what they had done when the increase in temperature was discovered on one of the thermocouples. To summarize, during a week that this problem was detected, they increased the injection of water on numerous times, checked for Xenon 135 level three times, injected Boric acid three times, and did I mention "increase the water injection". It's as though TEPCO suspected malfunction in the thermocouple from the beginning but since the media will always look for the hysterical scenario spin, they had no choice to to conduct these actions. Result: Two thermocouples indicate a decreasing temperature (which it should!) and one in question started to increase. Logical conclusion... Never mind.

  Posted in: TEPCO blames high reactor temperature reading on broken thermometer

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  nigelboyFeb. 15, 2012 - 02:47AM JST

  When an industry is shut down whatever the reason, it's ipso facto dead. The moratorium means there can be no legitimate commercial market for whalemeat; economically it's dead. It's only our taxes and lies about 'research' that keep it afloat.

  Good. Then remove the moratorium since you claim it's "dead" anyways. Stop the government subsidies and resume the whaling industry.

  I'm all for it.

  Posted in: Confrontation

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  nigelboyFeb. 15, 2012 - 02:43AM JST

  and I find it even more amusing (I can't think of a better word) that domestic holders of Gov't bonds are willing to accept the insanely low rates as an investment device. I guess there is a reason why most of Japan's debt is being held "in country"

  The bulk of the holders are domestic financial institions. They aren't lending so the excess deposits goes to purchase of bonds. Even with the low return on the bonds, it's high enough to pay out the interest to the deposit customers. This essentially is the by-product of the deflationary spiral that Japan is in right now.

  Perhaps increasing the inheritance tax at punitive levels would force these old timers to spend their life savings.

  Posted in: Yen weakens as BOJ eases monetary policy

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  nigelboyFeb. 15, 2012 - 02:22AM JST

  What do you think are the main reasons why U.S. car sales are so low in Japan?

  Fuel efficiency.

  And before sfjp330 and others start comparing U.S. made Japanese vehicles, compare the Japan made fuel efficiency vehicles to that of the U.S. counter parts (like Chevy Sonic). The difference is night and day.

  Posted in: What do you think are the main reasons why U.S. car sales are so low in Japan?

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  nigelboyFeb. 15, 2012 - 02:17AM JST

  You do realise the anti whaling nations where actually whaling nations and founding members of the IWC long before Japan joined. You do realise that dont you, the only difference is they grew up and stopped whaling maybe one day Japan will catch up to the rest of the modern world.

  You make it sound like these dumb anti-whaling nations stopped whaling for "moral" reasons. They simply stopped because it wasn't profitable (oil). Maybe these so-called founding members act like adults and leave the IWC altogether since they no longer support "orderly development of the whaling industry" which is the spirit of the said organization.

  Posted in: Confrontation

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  nigelboyFeb. 15, 2012 - 01:58AM JST

  Ah TEPCO logic at its best, we watched it climb from 95 to 285 degrees and nothing bad happened so all's good again. I wonder if while that temperature gauge was climbing what if any precautions where put in place in case it wasnt just a faultly gauge. Knowing TEPCO probably nothing.

  They tested the Xenon 135 level well below what is required for recricality hence, "nothing bad happened".

  Posted in: TEPCO blames high reactor temperature reading on broken thermometer

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  nigelboyFeb. 13, 2012 - 02:40AM JST

  And like I said if the rest of the world were like Japan then Japan likely wud have only had a slightly better lifestyle than the north koreans

  Can we dispense with the melodramatics here? It would help if actually gave an example of what this non tariff barrier is regarding the auto industry.

  And in regards to Motorola, this is a classic example of U.S government pressuring the Japanese government to implement more of the TACS system which favored Motorola.

  Read my previous statement.

  Enforce your own standards by shoving down their throats.

  Posted in: U.S. cars do not fit Japan's market or Japanese consumers' requirements because of size, high fuel consumption and higher prices. They need to have a line-up that suits Japanese consumers' preferences.

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  nigelboyFeb. 12, 2012 - 09:02AM JST

  Jeff Lee,

  In other words, don't abide by the regulations set forth by the market nation you are trying to target. Enforce your own standards by shoving down their throats. Typical ain't it? Did these morons whine because their cars had an unfair disadvantage in regards to the eco point system? What's next? Enforce the Japanese to create bigger roads so that their cars can be competitive?

  Posted in: U.S. cars do not fit Japan's market or Japanese consumers' requirements because of size, high fuel consumption and higher prices. They need to have a line-up that suits Japanese consumers' preferences.

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  nigelboyFeb. 12, 2012 - 05:24AM JST

  Been discussed here ad nauseum.

  http://www.japantoday.com/category/have-your-say/view/last-year-japan-exported-1-5-million-vehicles-to-the-united-states-while-u-s-automakers-exported-just-8000-why-arent-u-s-makers-selling-more-in-japan

  And yet nobody has yet to come up with this so-called "non" tarriff barriers that Japan allegedly imposes.

  Posted in: U.S. cars do not fit Japan's market or Japanese consumers' requirements because of size, high fuel consumption and higher prices. They need to have a line-up that suits Japanese consumers' preferences.

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  nigelboyFeb. 11, 2012 - 02:31AM JST

  The government proudly trumpets its laws about 'not being able to implement/do something without consent of the locals', but only when they agree with what the government wants to do.

  False. The existing plants were build because they indeed got the permission from the locals. They money that they received were too tempting to turn down. If they don't want it, it's these local people and NOT the people of Tokyo have the power to shut it down forever.

  Posted in: Tokyo activists demand nuclear power referendum

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  nigelboyFeb. 11, 2012 - 02:15AM JST

  As opposed to what?.... the constant lies, downplaying, and manipulation by TEPCO and the government that has been proven time and again? Instead of having Edano make any press appearances why not just a cardboard cut-out of him -- like the card-board cut out of the police officer they often have at post-offices -- with a little slit where the mouth is and a pre-recorded message saying, "There will be no further release of radtion. There is no harm to human health" on a continuous loop? It seems that's all he says nowadays, and is constantly proven wrong when the next day TEPCO announces further leaks and problems.

  If the doomsayers' predictions who posted here since March came to fruition half of Japan would of died of radiation by now. Hence, these people have been proven wrong "time and again". End of story.

  Posted in: Water temperature rising in No. 2 reactor at Fukushima nuclear plant

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  nigelboyFeb. 11, 2012 - 02:13AM JST

  The court ruled that ordering teachers to sing the “Kimigayo” did not violate their freedom of thought, which was the basis for the plaintiffs’ claim.

  I think it needs to be pointed out that these teachers don't even have the respect to stand during the playing of the national anthem.

  Posted in: Supreme Court rules making teachers sing 'Kimigayo' is constitutional

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  nigelboyFeb. 10, 2012 - 08:01AM JST

  Agree with borscht. The industry that hires part timers (food service, retail) are already struggling. It's an added expense that these corporations may not be able to absorb.

  Posted in: More part-timers to become eligible for health insurance, pension programs

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  nigelboyFeb. 10, 2012 - 07:43AM JST

  I LOATHE being told I use chopsticks well, or hearing the, "eeeeEEEEEHHHH??? You can eat raw fish?" or other statements I've heard in the many, many years I've been here, but in cases other than those where people should know better (ie. people I've known since coming here or soon thereafter) I always keep in mind, as others should, that for some it is the first time they've seen you as such (using chopsticks/eating sushi), and it's just a way for many of starting a conversation.

  So to continue, any person that brings up about your ability to use chopsticks after the conversation simply means that the language ability of foreigner in questionis below par.

  The funny thing with speaking Japanese... the better I speak the language... the less I'm complimented on it

  @Wurthington

  So true.

  Furthermore, the better you speak the language, the less questions about your home country and dare I say more "normal" conversations.

  Posted in: Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?

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  nigelboyFeb. 10, 2012 - 07:36AM JST

  collecting signatures has no meaning...any doubt? confirm with people of Okinawa !

  It has no meaning simply because there are no nuclear plants in Tokyo.

  Posted in: Tokyo activists demand nuclear power referendum

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  nigelboyFeb. 10, 2012 - 12:43AM JST

  Amazing how a well-managed company can actually succeed despite facing the same challenges others are using as excuses for missing their profit forecasts by billions of dollars.

  http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/atmoney/enterprises/manda/20120209-OYT8T00366.htm

  The exposure to Thai is quite small for Nissan compared to Honda and Toyota.

  Toyota: 240,000 cars affected

  Honda: 260,000 cars affected

  Nissan:33,000 cars affected.

  Posted in: Nissan quarterly profit rises despite floods, strong yen

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  nigelboyFeb. 09, 2012 - 11:56PM JST

  SOME Japanese (not all) most certainly DO behave differently around foreign people. In many cases they go out of their way, at least on the surface, to try and help foreign people (particularly if they think/know the foreign person is new to Japan or seem lost, etc.) where they might not with other Japanese.

  smith

  This is true during the "initial" stages. But this again boils down to language ability. And this, I will say, is universal.

  Some of the quotations above do indeed smack of insecurity or a kind of negative reaction to what is perceived as different treatment, but different treatment DOES exist. The first person quoted who complains that the people at his bento store 'still treat him badly' doesn't seem to take into account the possibility they might trying to be making him feel more comfortable at their own expense, not trying to treat him differently, per se, or undermining his language ability.

  Again, not saying that "different treament" doesn't exist. Most of it has to do with that individual ability to communicate. And let's face it. Most foreigners, especially from Western nations, don't speak the language well enough. That's why such perception exists.

  I LOATHE being told I use chopsticks well, or hearing the, "eeeeEEEEEHHHH??? You can eat raw fish?" or other statements I've heard in the many, many years I've been here, but in cases other than those where people should know better (ie. people I've known since coming here or soon thereafter) I always keep in mind, as others should, that for some it is the first time they've seen you as such (using chopsticks/eating sushi), and it's just a way for many of starting a conversation.

  Sorry but I don't buy this at all. First and foremost, your first interaction with a certain individuals starts off with an actual conversation BEFORE the use of chopsticks. Hence, that individual can determine from the very start based on that conversation assess how long you've been here or how well you adapted here in Japan. Therefore, if the initial conversation leaves no doubt that you are fluent, the most you get out of it is "xxxsan wa nihon nagai desuka?"

  Posted in: Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?

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  nigelboyFeb. 09, 2012 - 12:47PM JST

  “At first, I was happy when Japanese people gave me compliments like ‘You are good at using chopsticks’ and ‘You speak Japanese very well.’ However, now that I have been in Japan for a long time, these sort of compliments sound like that they are looking down at me.”

  Yes. They are looking down on you.

  本音: After all this time, You're still not good at chopsticks. Your Japanese isn't that good.

  Posted in: Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?

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  nigelboyFeb. 09, 2012 - 12:10PM JST

  Reformedbasher,

  I wasn't talking about being treated well. The issue here is about being treated differently, me thinks.

  Posted in: Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?

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