JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

sf2k's past comments

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  sf2kJun. 04, 2008 - 09:46PM JST

  If the rate is 32K per year, then 84 a month attributed to hydrogen sulfide gas isn't many if Japan is looking at literally 87 people a day. Only something like 0.2% are choosing this method, so the media fasination with it doesn't do justice to the other 99%.

  So much more can be done, including just planting some trees or gardening. Yes, it does help to have pleasing vistas to look at, and green is soothing. Also in such articles, english or japanese, it's a best-practice to place suicide hotline information into the article. Obviously you're not promoting suicide but want to stop it, right? Often if people have someone to talk to, this reduces the rate. Also if someone has a concern about someone else, they can get tips on how to open up the topic. What has been the government response?

  It's not just about stopping people, but giving people a reason to live. I don't get how nobody notices the missing 87+ people a day? Also, what's the demographic (age-range)? The likelihood is also that this is under-reported.

  All in all, quite tragic.

  Posted in: 34 evacuated from apartment as man commits suicide with poisonous fumes

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  sf2kJun. 04, 2008 - 02:48PM JST

  Weird article, I find the statistics used here inflamatory.

  final minus initial divided by initial is a crime rate of 38% over 26 years. 38 is not that close to 50. Also the population demographics have changed over 26 years, hence you can probably guess the age group causing the most crimes are over...26 years old. There would be a top cutoff age too, but the article doesn't say. Also statistics on mental health are not available nor are they unlikely to be compared in crime stats in Japan due to cultural bias. I don't get the impression of clinical depression being diagnosed anywhere. If no one can seek mental health help, why would anyone recover? Obviously those susceptible to acting out do so.

  Also the number of police officers in uniform per 100,000 over the last 26 years is not mentioned. That's an odd omission here since we're comparing crime from 26 years ago. It would be good to know if it's up or down. If down by half, then that would explain the arrest statistic also down by half.

  Some flaky reporting, reading like a sales brochure for T-shirts (maybe it is)

  A T-shirt isn't going to make you feel safe. This society for all it's wonder and beauty is killing itself by either not giving people the mental health that they need, nor by preventing karoshi. Those two stats would be unique to Japan and of no comparable value to the international news, as it would never be better.

  It's also not clear as well how Japan rates in the world over the same time period with other countries in similar areas, again leaving you with a feeling of thinking this is important. It might not be.

  At any rate these stats are scary. Include the recent surge in suicides and it would seem that these stats are saying that Japanese have literally nothing to live for or life is meaningless. shakes head

  Depression is a disease. You can put yourself into it, or without the right coping mechanisms find yourself thinking that you're useless or life would be better if you or someone else weren't around.

  How we answer and deal with these things is learned and a matter of training. Succuming to paranoia doesn't help anyone except the companies in this article.

  Article Unavailable

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  sf2kMay. 27, 2008 - 05:58PM JST

  a life lived and ended too short. The best that can be for any actor

  Posted in: Director Sydney Pollack dies of cancer at 73

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  sf2kMay. 19, 2008 - 02:47PM JST

  Yes Peak Oil will change it all. Japan is more insecure due to so many oil imports that it depends upon. As the middle east continues to destabalize and world oil drops, Japan's plastic existense will come to it's end as well as elsewhere. USA is in for as much a mental change as anyone else, but at least Japan has more town-like social connections.

  The good news is there's a lot of land not in use in Japan that was one fertile and supported a variety of produce. But unfortunately such a plan would take actual work. I'm not sure the freeters would be inclined.

  Time to leave oil before oil leaves you

  Posted in: Gov't warns low food self-sufficiency, global shortages may lead to drastic diet changes

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  sf2kMay. 13, 2008 - 07:29PM JST

  my first reaction: are you freaking kidding me??

  How are Japanese to ever relate to anyone outside of Japan, if they don't know what happened outside, or inside for that matter.

  Reminds me of the fashion industry in the '90s or so coming up with Jewish holocaust clothes as 'new' fashion only to be hounded down by foreign media that this is 'bad'. This is just a continuation.

  What qualifies for modern international education these days? If not respect for history or languages, are we just reduced to beer commercials? This is getting worriesome.

  For Japanese readers here, you have a deep culture and tradition with many interesting stories and dramas. It's not all scary but would be rewarding as it relates to other stories around the world. That's what international people's education creates. Then bridges are made in everyone's perspective, thus creating a kind of shared humanity.

  I decry the loss of education here. I hope things get better, also so that when important world anniversaries occur they get noticed and remembered on their own merits. (ie: Israel's 60th bday)

  Posted in: 'What are Nazis?' Today's kids can't handle movie subtitles

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