JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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- Financial Advisor
- Select Asset Management KK, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥100,000 ~ ¥999,999 Paid Training Commission Based
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- Corporate Business English Trainers
- ACT Systems, Inc.（株式会社アクト・システムズ）, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥269,500 ~ ¥280,000 / Month
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- English Instructor (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe)
- Berlitz Japan, Inc. (ベルリッツ・ジャパン株式会社), Kansai
- Salary: ¥125,000 ~ ¥250,000 / Month
1
papasmurfinjapan
That is the funniest quote I have seen for a long time. Most Japanese I know wouldn't touch a Ford with a 10 foot pole.
Posted in: Ford Japan Ltd
0
papasmurfinjapan
@ cleo
I understand your point, but just like political and social ideology, moral ideology changes over time. No matter how hard it is for a person in this day and age to accept that the taking of an innocent life is morally wrong, up until fairly recently in history it has been regarded as acceptable. Even the Bible has stories of Israel's "righteous" murder, rape and pillage of enemies.
Of course to us living in hindsight in 2011 that doesn't make these things right. But I hesitate to condemn people who lived in a different time and age based on my own moral upbringing, at least as far as the a-bomb is concerned. Maybe it saved more lives than it took, no-one will ever know.
Posted in: Do you consider the A-bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to be war crimes?
0
papasmurfinjapan
We don't need to go to a parallel universe to do that.
I agree, which means you can't view the war as suddenly beginning with a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. What provoked the Japanese to attack America? Do you really believe the Americans were just minding their own business when big bully Japan decided to come along and attack them unprovoked?
I really am opening a can of worms here, and am not sure if it will be considered off topic.
Posted in: Do you consider the A-bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to be war crimes?
2
papasmurfinjapan
@ Spidapig24
JT asks every year, and every year it usually turns into a pretty heated debate. There are a lot of well-informed people here (I'm not one of them), so just sit back and enjoy reading the different viewpoints.
Posted in: Do you consider the A-bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to be war crimes?
10
papasmurfinjapan
Brainiac has pretty much summed it all up with the first post.
Basically if it took place today, yes it would be a war crime, but the world during WW2 was, I am led to believe, a much different place. It is impossible to use 2011 morals to debate something that happened over 60 years ago. But here I go anyway:
I think the use of the a-bomb on Hiroshima was fair enough from an allied point of view (I don't 100% agree with it, but I understand the logic behind the decision). However Nagasaki was, I believe, unnecessary. I also think if we are considering the dropping of the a-bombs being war crimes, one must also consider the fire-bombing of Tokyo to be just as morally questionable.
That said, it's easy for the victor to claim justice and defend the righteousness of their actions - after all, they won - who is going to complain other than the vanquished foe? But I think all Americans should consider this - in a parallel universe if Japan dropped a-bombs on Honolulu and SF "to stop the war" and secure a Japanese victory would Americans consider that a war crime? I have no doubt they would.
Posted in: Do you consider the A-bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to be war crimes?
-4
papasmurfinjapan
Critics love criticising Michael Bay, but personally I enjoy watching his movies. I can just sit down for a few hours with the family, turn up the volume on the home theatre, and turn off my brain. Great fun. I can't do that with most of the stuff the critics love.
Posted in: Return of the bots
-4
papasmurfinjapan
wanderlust, you took the words right off my fingertips.
Posted in: Japan ranks first for women's longevity
1
papasmurfinjapan
Actually if a child is found left unattended in a car, they can be charged with child abuse. The problem is the law only states "an extended period of time", and does not specifically mention cars - so if they left their kid for 30 minutes, they could argue that the time they left the child was within reasonable limits.
"児童の心身の正常な発達を妨げるような著しい減食又は長時間の放置、保護者以外の同居人による前二号又は次号に掲げる行為と同様の行為の放置その他の保護者としての監護を著しく怠ること。"
http://law.e-gov.go.jp/htmldata/H12/H12HO082.html
Setting a specific time limit for leaving kids unattended in cars - say 5 minutes - would be a logical step in the right direction. The only problem is it would no doubt be another toothless law - like the rear seatbelt one - meaning the minority of people out there who are idiots will just go on doing what they always do with no fear of enforcement by the police.
Posted in: 1-yr-old baby girl dies after being left in car for 6 hours while parents play pachinko
7
papasmurfinjapan
No, if it was an "accident" they wouldn't be charged with "criminal negligence resulting in manslaughter" would they? I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be charged with murder in Australia for this either - it would be a similar manslaughter charge.
The problem in Japan is not with the charge, it is with the lenient sentencing.
Posted in: 1-yr-old baby girl dies after being left in car for 6 hours while parents play pachinko
-1
papasmurfinjapan
They should use some of it a yakiniku party for the TEPCO executives.
Posted in: Japan to buy up and burn radiation-tainted beef
0
papasmurfinjapan
Probably, but who cares, right? Whatever the cops might try and charge you with, the child's life is more important. I think the media and general Japanese public would totally understand as well.
I agree. Some parlors do have added "警備員" who walk around checking cars, but it should be made mandatory. God knows those pachinko joints make enough money... they can afford a few extra baito folk during the summer months... they can even advertise themselves as "family friendly pachinko".
Posted in: 1-yr-old baby girl dies after being left in car for 6 hours while parents play pachinko
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papasmurfinjapan
But I can guarantee you she won't be working in kabuki.
Posted in: Ebizo, Kobayashi have baby girl
-2
papasmurfinjapan
@ ssway Yes the last quip about boycotting everything Japanese was in jest.. but if you are worried about radiation I'm serious about the other electronics. It's not just car manufacturing that has been affected by the disaster... some major electronics companies such as Canon have only just started getting back to normal too.
Posted in: Japan automakers output on the mend after disaster
-1
papasmurfinjapan
@ ssway
You probably shouldn't buy a Japanese TV or Japanese camera or Japanese stereo too then - lots of components are made in the Northern region of Japan. Just to be on the safe side, it might be best to just boycott Japanese products altogether.
I wish you the best of luck with brands from other countries.
Posted in: Japan automakers output on the mend after disaster
-3
papasmurfinjapan
here is a slightly higher res pic
http://designyoutrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/potd17.jpg
So you are saying Mr. Nogi has duped the folks at Getty Images? I thought their standards would be higher.
Posted in: Flower girl
-2
papasmurfinjapan
@BlueWitch
of course you are right, even after signing the convention in reality I doubt Japan's stance would change one iota. I'm sorry to hear of your husband's troubles.
Posted in: Invoke Pinkerton Rule to get back abducted children
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papasmurfinjapan
aww, so cute...
Posted in: Flower girl
3
papasmurfinjapan
@ chewitup
Though you may be right about Coke's motives (I can't think of any one truly altruistic business), the company is more than just it's signature product. They sell plenty of teas, fruit juices and other "healthy" beverages for the kiddies.
http://www.cocacola.co.jp/products/list.html
Coke isn't marketed at the kids, it's primarily marketed at young adults. If you worry about caffeine then you'll have to ban your kids from drinking coffee and green tea as well - Just become a Mormon - problem solved.
Personally I'll take my coke with caffeine in it, thank you very much.
Posted in: Coca-Cola Japan to contribute Y1.5 billion to reconstruction of schools in quake-hit areas
0
papasmurfinjapan
This is heart-warming news. She deserved the win, and her generous gesture will be well appreciated. Let's not forget Mika and Momoko who are also a part of the charity foundation as well.
Posted in: Ai Miyazato pledges Evian winnings to Japan's quake victims
1
papasmurfinjapan
I'm sorry, the article is too confusing for me at this time on a Monday morning. Is this a corporate donation of 2.5 billion yen, 1.5 billion yen of which is being used for construction of schools? If so, then kudos to Coke... no more Pepsi for me!
However, I find this sentence confusing:
"with the funds being extracted from the 2.5 billion yen collected for reconstruction of the affected areas in the Great East Japan Earthquake"
"Extracted from the 2.5 billion yen collected for reconstruction? Collected by whom? Coca-Cola? Did the do a charity drive to collect this money, or have they donated profits from their business?
Posted in: Coca-Cola Japan to contribute Y1.5 billion to reconstruction of schools in quake-hit areas