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sk4ek said...

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  sk4ek at 10:40 AM JST - 27th September

  While there was a court settlement, I kind of doubt if it was "amicable." And aside from how strange this all sounds, who would want this money in the first place, considering how it was generated?

  Japan needs a RICO act.

  Posted in Top gangsters agree to pay Y97.5 mil to relatives of bar shooting victim at 10:40 AM JST - 27th September

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  sk4ek at 05:39 PM JST - 26th September

  Well I think the other point this brings up is that the reaction of certain politicians is awfully convenient, and almost as near-sighted as the original remark. The Ainu are a tiny minority (but of course I applaud their woefully belated acceptance into the the class of officially recognized ethnic…

  Posted in Nakayama apologizes over gaffes, but opposition demands dismissal at 05:39 PM JST - 26th September

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  sk4ek at 11:34 AM JST - 26th September

  Of course, kanji themselves are mainly a matter of rote memorization. What throws a wrench into the wheel is the combination of three writing forms, approximately 3,000 kanji, and multiple ways to read each character depending on context. That makes it difficult to tell someone who is very popular (大人気＝だいにんき）from…

  Posted in How difficult or easy is Japanese to learn, compared to other languages? at 11:34 AM JST - 26th September

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  sk4ek at 08:37 AM JST - 26th September

  I'm a native English speaker, and found the spoken language relatively easy to master on the daily conversation level (standard level of politeness), but a little more difficult on the business level (more complex politeness rules). Pronunciation, verb conjugations, grammar, etc. I don't think are much more difficult than English,…

  Posted in How difficult or easy is Japanese to learn, compared to other languages? at 08:37 AM JST - 26th September

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  sk4ek at 01:16 PM JST - 16th September

  With demand for new condo sales in the metropolitan area down almost 85% in the second quarter, I don't know that the Japanese housing market has weathered much of anything, yet. Tough times ahead.

  On the bright side--it's a buyer's market!

  Posted in Japan's housing market weathers subprime crisis at 01:16 PM JST - 16th September

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  sk4ek at 07:34 AM JST - 16th September

  I would disagree. If NGOs from countries with domestic problems all stopped participating in global activities, where would we be?? Certainly Japan has issues to address at home, including those you mention--but aren't many of them supposed to be the purview of the government, which collected taxes from the people…

  Posted in Japanse NGOs strengthen presence worldwide at 07:34 AM JST - 16th September

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  sk4ek at 01:54 PM JST - 15th September

  PWJ has done some remarkable work in "hot spots" around the world, working hard and fearlessly both in disaster relief and in conflict resolution and post-conflict rebuilding. They number among their collaborators several of the world's leading experts in those fields, and even their front-line workers are known for their…

  Posted in Japanse NGOs strengthen presence worldwide at 01:54 PM JST - 15th September

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  sk4ek at 12:46 PM JST - 12th September

  mothers who do not wear seat belts and their unborn babies than among those who do wear belts and their unborn babies.

  A truly bizarre piece of translation... the mothers are wearing seatbelts and their unborn babies??

  It would have sufficed to say "pregnant women," who, by definition, "wear" an…

  Posted in Police request pregnant women to fasten their seat belts in cars at 12:46 PM JST - 12th September

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  sk4ek at 11:44 PM JST - 9th September

  Can you imagine having to listen to Ishiba every day at PM press conferences??? "Pendantic" is putting it politely--I think the populace would revolt just to get him away from a microphone.

  Posted in Koike, Yosano declare candidacies for LDP presidential election at 11:44 PM JST - 9th September

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  sk4ek at 09:18 AM JST - 4th September

  Yes, I actually like mugi-meshi better than regular rice--more flavor, and more nutritional value, too. Not that I'd go to prison to get it.

  And the implication of the article that these foreign prisoners intentionally get themselves arrested to take advantage of the monthly stipend is a little bit ridiculous--I…

  Posted in Cozy prisons coddle foreign inmates at 09:18 AM JST - 4th September