JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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- 秘書及び業務サポート
- 加治金属工業株式会社, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥4.0M / Year
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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
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- ALT - Mie Prefecture - Yokkaichi City - June start
- NPO法人グローバル教育推進機構（GLAD), Mie
- Salary: ¥230,000 / Month For a full working month. Some months differ.
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smithinjapan
Yubaru: “How can they make it without us?”
First and foremost, because TV has become a much more popular medium than the movies of late, with many, many top-rate actors making the shift from the silver screen back to the living room screen, and I have very little doubt the Japanese actors from the original show are anywhere near the proper calibre. More importantly, I don't know too many Japanese stars who speak English fluently, and an American audience wouldn't buy it if they were just memorizing lines and trying to read them without accents.
It would be ideal if they COULD put in some Japanese actors, but if the stories taking place in the US it would be hard unless they are bit-roles or extras. Not the biggest Oka fan, either, but it should be interesting to see how this is remade. When Hollywood remakes Japanese movies they are hit or miss, with some a lot better (usually due to budget and actors) and others downright terrible.
Posted in: 'SPEC' to be remade into U.S. TV drama
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smithinjapan
Perhaps the J-press shouldn't be pinning their hearts on their sleeves for one person in the majors, and instead try and report objectively!
"Darvish’s apparent loss of rhythm might be a result of his lack of familiarity with the ball used in the major league, which is considered to be more slippery than that used in Japan, the Yomiuri said."
It's always one excuse or the other, never just a bad performance. Yesterday it was because he wasn't used to the 'higher' mound, today it's 'slippery balls', and one poster is even suggesting it was because he's not used to the catcher. HE DID NOT START WELL, and that's all there is to it. It's no one or nothing's fault but his own. If he can get into sync, as he says, and pitch all the next games like he did later in his first game, he'll improve and become more confident. It certainly doesn't help that the J-media is 'putting their hopes on Darvish to save Japan's image' or whatever they said.
Posted in: Darvish's major league baseball debut gets mixed response in Japan
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smithinjapan
Ben_Jack: "In this case, the first is the result of the second."
Obviously the end result is somewhat the same, but putting a pillow over someone and suffocating them to death is not the same as putting your hands around someone's neck and pressing. The latter can also kill by breaking the wind-pipe, which would require a lot of force and clearly not be 'an accident'.
Either way, I'm glad about the end result for HIM. I was really unsure that would be the case.
Posted in: Life sentence stands for Ichihashi after he loses appeal
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smithinjapan
NeverSumbit: "This stinks of "pre-crime" whereby the police take action before a crime is committed."
How would tightening the current stalking laws be 'pre-crime'? They not going to arrest and charge a stalker with rape or murder before that happens, for sure, but they could MUCH better enforce violation of restraining orders or check in on said stalkers and see if they're stalking, etc.
While of course we would never hear about police stopping a stalker from committing worse crimes, I for one would welcome not having to read constant reports about, "The family/victim had called police 10+ times to warn about the stalker's violent threats/acts, but nothing was done".
So again, while police couldn't arrest stalkers for crimes they haven't committed, they COULD enforce current stalking laws and help PREVENT said crimes from occurring.
"The message we are receiving from the people is that they don’t just want us to respond once an incident has taken place. They want us to take action to prevent these crimes taking place."
Exactly!
Posted in: Police to look into tightening stalker laws
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smithinjapan
Two-ton truck on a one lane road, eh? Probably speeding, too.
Poor girl. RIP.
Posted in: 9-year-old girl dies after being hit by truck in Tokyo's Shinagawa
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smithinjapan
Thank the gods! Good on the high court. Does this scumbag have any more chance for appeals? I hope not.
Anyway, I'm not sure that the murder was 'premeditated', but he definitely intended to kill her when he did it, rather than his lame excuse to 'keep her quiet'. Also, aren't 'suffocation' and 'strangulation' somewhat different? Until now I only recall seeing 'strangulation', which would definitely signal intent to kill.
Posted in: Life sentence stands for Ichihashi after he loses appeal
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smithinjapan
Tap me on the shoulder when they actually DO something about it and aren't just looking into it.
Posted in: Police to look into tightening stalker laws
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smithinjapan
As to warning the ships about possible debris, I see nothing wrong with that either, or any reason for people to compare it with rocket launches from Japan (which fly only over the pacific, not other nations). That said, the ships need to be aware that if it's the MEDIA radio they are listening to the media tends to think the launches occur a day beforehand. :)
Posted in: Japan warns ships about N Korea rocket debris
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smithinjapan
Not their most flattering picture, but at least a real one (not all photoshopped). Good for Kara for doing so well.
Posted in: Karasia
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smithinjapan
gyouza: "What is stopping anyone from buying solar and being self sufficient?"
The problem is the MASSIVE costs involved, in part because it's not being mass-produced (probably because there has been little incentive until now). The government needs to stop subsidizing and/or buying into the big nuke and start massive subsidies and put more money into R&D for making better, cheaper solar and geo-thermal power (plants), as well as wind, of course. Now that they're probably going to be taking a 51% ownership in TEPCO, we'll probably see them push MORE for nuclear power and less for alternatives.
Posted in: Gov't gives preliminary OK to restart 2 reactors at Oi plant
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smithinjapan
Retiring 10 batters in a row is a good fete, but man was he ever rough at the beginning! Four runs and four hits (plus walks)... he's lucky he didn't get called off then and there. Let's hope that the way this game played out for him is going to be how his career in the MLB does: a bit rough around the corners at first, but settling into a good rhythm once he gets used to it.
Posted in: Darvish wins major league debut after rough start against Mariners
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smithinjapan
For a split split second I thought MAYBE Zimmerman was asking for the donations in order to give the Martin family some for of compensation and to show remorse, but I should have known better from this scumbag. He's now asking for donations and playing the victim when EVERYTHING that transgressed that night did so because of his own actions.
warallthetime: "I wasn't that is why I reserve judgement until the facts come out."
I agree with you about media bias on BOTH sides, but when, pres tel, are the 'facts' going to come out? Why aren't we seeing photographs taken by EMTs of Zimmerman's injuries? It sounds like nothing is going to cleared up and it'll all be hearsay since one person is dead and we have to take the other's word, and since others on the scene have conflicting stories.
"If his side of the story is correct should he have just let somebody bash his head in? Would you?"
I wouldn't have stalked a man because of his ethnicity then confronted him for picking up skittles and iced tea, so I never would have put myself in that situation, which is what Zimmerman did. Zimmerman took an absolutely NON-dangerous situation and turned it into this horrible incident, whether you think the shooting was self-defense or not. What kind of neighbourhood watch person goes around INSTIGATING violence?
Posted in: Watchman who killed black Florida teen asks for donations
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smithinjapan
I would imagine a lot of the 'riches' or what have you to be found in the Titanic site have been taken, and those that haven't should be taken and kept by historians, museums, or what have you. This is not at all the same as the USS Arizona, where many bodies still remain from the horrible attack on Pearl Harbour, so I don't quite agree with the graveyard thing, so long as the site is treated with respect. My only concern would be treasure hunters, but they have a right to go and explore any ships not claimed by other treasure hunters/governments, so what can you do? If a government claims the rights to the remains perhaps they could allow treasure hunters there under certain conditions and with accompaniment.
The TItanic sunk LONG ago, and while some relatives may still live who had family that went down with the ship, like it or not it is a pretty big historical incident. It's natural for people to be curious, and want to see the real thing, learn more about it, and I don't think they should be denied. Hell, if that weren't the case, why did the movie (and even the 80s "Raise the Titanic") do so well? I don't see why we should celebrate learning more about some ships and salvaging their goods than others.
Posted in: Should the site of the Titanic wreckage be off-limits to everyone -- including explorers, filmmakers, treasure-hunters and so on?
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smithinjapan
Oh my! Just when NK is going to launch its rocket, eh? Obviously convenient timing, and that's what this is all about for the nations who feel 'threatened' by what NK is doing: it's just a convenient excuse for an arms race in the area, and those that sell are pimping it for what it's worth.
Posted in: British PM Cameron in Japan to discuss defense weaponry trade
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smithinjapan
Is that three stories so far today with the keystones?
Posted in: Former Miyagi police chief caught driving drunk
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smithinjapan
What a horrible way to go, and while I feel awfully sorry for the family and the granddad, who was probably just trying to show grandson some fun, he should have known better. When I was a kid I used to sit on my dad's lap as we went around the lawn on a riding mower, but there was no way I could have been exposed to the blade if I fell (unless he willingly turned around and went over me). But even THAT was probably not too smart.
Anyway, RIP.
Posted in: 4-year-old boy dies in tractor accident
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smithinjapan
Assad is REALLY pushing it.
Posted in: Syria fires over borders with Lebanon, Turkey
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smithinjapan
tamanegi: "Note to JT： You definitely need a seperate section for crimes by the Keystones!"
I've been saying this for years, or that they should at least combine the 'Crime' section with 'Police'. This is yet ANOTHER example of not only how poor the recruiting process must be, but how lowly and inadequate many police are here, to put it mildly.
Posted in: Policeman in schoolgirl uniform arrested for flashing
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smithinjapan
Why am I not surprised? Japan wants all the benefits that would come from the TPP, but they don't want to hold up their end. It's so typical Japan, whether it's the TPP, getting oil from Iran but asking to be exempt from US punishments, or anything else.
Posted in: Japan trying to clear up 'U.S. misunderstandings' over TPP
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smithinjapan
"saying the full upgrades will take up to three years."
Well then they should not be restarted for as long as it takes to FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS, if at all! And I like Edano's 'more or less' fit the requirements and the 'tentatively'. And you'll notice already moving away from the "We will not restart any reactors without the consent from the locals", to, "...local consent is not a legal requirement".
The government wants them back on? they'll go back on, rest assured, despite the will of the people.
Posted in: Gov't gives preliminary OK to restart 2 reactors at Oi plant