Recent Comments on All Posts

  • 0

    Upgrayedd

    Thomas

    What nigelboy is doing is what the Neo-Nazis always do... keep denying atrocities until everyone stops talking to him. It's pointless to point facts and evidence at him because he doesn't care for facts and evidence. There's plenty of evidence that the "comfort women" were forced:

    The main difference between the comfort woman issue and Nazi war crimes is that unlike the Nazis, there isn't a single piece of physical evidence in existence that collaborates the testimony of surviving comfort women. Not one slip of paper.

    There are whole warehouses full of documents detailing the Nazi Holocaust and even other Japanese war crimes but there isn't a single piece of paper that has even been found that suggests that the Japanese military had a systematic system of kidnapping and sexual slavery in place. In fact, the only physical evidence in existence regarding comfort women are Japanese military orders not to employ women who were kidnapped.

    Posted in: Hashimoto says S Korean troops guilty of wartime sex abuse

  • 0

    genjurofoff5848

    excellent post shallots

    Posted in: Hashimoto's party 'faces extinction,' some media say

  • 0

    shinhiyata

    Great musician from a great band during a pivotal time for society. Never saw Ray on stage but I caught Robbie Krieger live with Blue Oyster Cult twice! Roadhouse Blues!!!

    Posted in: The Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek dies at 74

  • 0

    sandiegoluv

    Such a sad thing to see. Hate is a waste of time.

    Posted in: Bad eggs

  • 0

    Maria

    A good article, thank you.

    I do feel bad when I take a cab a short distance, especially when the driver's at a rank. I always make sure to apologise. And I always say to keep the change too, if it's small coin. They are always taken-aback and a bit pleased.

    Posted in: The secret slang of Japanese cabbies

  • 1

    Moonraker

    According to this poll, so far 1 in 8 do!!

    Posted in: Do you agree with Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto's comments on comfort women?

  • 0

    OldHawk

    1) Take an Obama policy/topic/whatever.

    How about we take Obama himself? His influences, his mentors, his role models? Everybody he has ever looked up to or modeled himself after? They've all been Communists (with a capital C), Marxists, and Alinskyites.

    Or maybe we (meaning: you) should consider his record as a senator, when he was ranked as the "most liberal", also known as "furthest to the Left." Can you find a Washington politician further to the Left than Obama? Maxine Waters? Nancy Pelosi? Debbie Wasserman-Shultz? (All of whom talk-the-talk very well, but never walk-the-walk in their own lives. Typical of Left-wing leaders, of course.)

    Obama's policy proposals are limited by what he can get through congress. Even then, he has trouble getting truly center-left members of congress to vote for his proposals. But Obama as a person? His core beliefs? He can't even see the center from where he's at politically.

    Fortunately, that's another thing that means he's no Nixon. At least Nixon was near the center.

    Posted in: White House: Obama is no Nixon

  • 1

    shallots

    I thought Hashimoto's party wanted to cut government spending on everything and get rid of government agencies (redundant or otherwise), like the U.S. right wing, while the LDP's Abenomics is basically Obamanomics, i.e. print and spend lots of money? Almost everyone says the JRP is indistinguishable from the LDP. If I'm wrong on these details then I'm wrong, but it seems to me that major differences like these are glossed over because the media here never got it or cared in the first place. Having said that, Hashimoto probably never really cared in the first place either, being the demagogue that he is. If he really believed in austerity, he would have been Abe's harshest critic (like the U.S.'s libertarian right). I know what you're thinking: why look for substance where there is none?

    Posted in: Hashimoto's party 'faces extinction,' some media say

  • 0

    pizzatime

    Wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy BETTER than dubbed movies/voice over. Now that's annoying!

    Posted in: What do you think of the quality of Japanese subtitles on English movies shown in Japan?

  • 0

    sandiegoluv

    I hope to see Hashimoto out of politics soon, but such a thing I fear is not going to happen. He is trying to become popular by stroking nationalism and giving historical events a sad excuse for occurring. He is a demagogue and will prosper in Japan for a very long time. He is not interested in helping his country out. He is too short-sighted and doing what a lot of politicians do. Looking out for himself and not his country.

    Posted in: Hashimoto's party 'faces extinction,' some media say

  • 0

    pizzatime

    Why do they think Japan likes eggs so much?

    Posted in: Bad eggs

  • 1

    Thomas Anderson

    Your typical day in one of these Asian countries: China, South Korea, Japan. Always the same. I guess nationalistic people have a lot of free time. Your governments are just playing with you, guys. Their nationalistic propaganda is necessary to distract you from inner issues in your own conuntry. Try to wonder why these countries have still strong economic relations. If your goverments were coherent, they should break every kind of economic relation between your countries immediately. But they don't do it. This is hypocrisy. And you are blind.

    It's funny how the right-wingers just hate each other... they can never seem to get along. The same thing happens with the far-right Islamist radicals and the far-right Americans.

    Posted in: Bad eggs

  • 0

    Get Real

    Cleo,

    Looks like it's one delivery of 2 cans per month for 6 months.

    Cretinous if they're supposed to be 非常食. What if the tsunami strikes just after your first delivery?

    Overpriced, frivolous garbage for gullible idiots to add to their clutter and wonder why they've no money. Bet it tastes like shi†e.

    Posted in: Canned bread with flavors of 6 Tohoku prefectures

  • 0

    sandiegoluv

    Asaya, what planet would that be on?

    Posted in: Hashimoto's party 'faces extinction,' some media say

  • 0

    calr751

    OssanAmericaMay. 22, 2013 - 04:39AM JST

    "That the investigation was carried out by qualified South Koreans"

    OssanAmerica,

    qualified? and what makes him a qualified expert on comfort women issue? just being a professor at a university gives him the qualification?

    Posted in: Hashimoto says S Korean troops guilty of wartime sex abuse

  • 0

    Thomas Anderson

    Obama is right-wing, congrats.

    Posted in: White House: Obama is no Nixon

  • 0

    calr751

    OssanAmericaMay. 22, 2013 - 04:39AM JST

    That the investigation was carried out by qualified South Koreans

    OssanAmerica,

    qualified? and what makes him a qualified expert on comfort women issue? just being a professor at a university gives him the qualification?

    Posted in: Hashimoto says S Korean troops guilty of wartime sex abuse

  • 1

    flpat1

    Europeans are laughing. Guys. This is embarassing. Wars come with rapes, systematic or not. Millions of women were raped by troops of all sides during WWII in Europe. Lucky ones lived to tell about it. It's time to put the pains of the past behind us.

    Posted in: Hashimoto says S Korean troops guilty of wartime sex abuse

  • 0

    toshiko

    UpgrayeddMay. 22, 2013 - 07:55AM JST

    However, his fans are dieing out.

    You mean his late brother's fans are dying out :)''''''''''[[[[[[[[' Shintaro worried about Yujiro and when an actress wanted Shintaro to make Shinraro's novel 'Taiyo no Kisetsu, Shintaro made Yujirp tp play a bit part but that was the beginning. The actress who wanted to make Shintaro;s novel was 'Takiko Mizunoye" On the stage, she yelled 'Ore wa mizunoye no Turkey da' and Japanese female fans loved tha then t. (I am Rurkey if Mixunoye) Anyway, Yujiro was rescued by Shintaro to be a top male movie star, then, He died with Oral Cancer after he became top star. A long time ago. Shintaro was a top writer then. No politic yet. There was Shintaro-gari (men's hair cut style then, After WW II Turkey (first female who dressed as a man I head) nurtured Yujiro I heard. shintaro had so many novels and he helped Yujiro to be an actor than a playboy in Tokyo. They were not We used to read Shintaro;s novels as soon as bokkstores sell them. . i

    Posted in: Ishihara advises Hashimoto to stop tweeting

  • 0

    Moonraker

    This is a familiar strategy by the government that was widely seen in the Minamata cases that dragged on for decades and numerous other compensation cases. First they arbitrarily divide the compensated. Then, after lengthy court cases they are divided again. Ideally the time taken to travel through the purposely-glacial justice system takes so long that bunches of uncompensated agree out of court and no legal precedent is set.

    Of course, TEPCO should be liable and not the taxpayer, but they were not insured for this disaster and there was no legal obligation that they should be. As in almost everything in Japan, the taxpayer has to step in and no one seems to wonder why there was no insurance (whether it is for industrial pollution or foot and mouth disease on farms). Meanwhile, large sums can always be found to bail out companies but the government fights tooth and nail to avoid compensating individuals.

    Posted in: Hundreds of Miyagi residents seek equal compensation as Fukushima

  • 0

    DudeDeuce

    In critical condition but was able to identify him? She will make it I think, ganbatte ne!

    Posted in: Man stabs ex-wife, then crashes car during getaway

  • 0

    OldHawk

    Wonder how the other venues with views have fared with visitor numbers? Tokyo Tower, Tokyo City View (Roppongi Hills), etc.

    I hit all four (including Skytree) during my visit last year. Hey, just trying to do my part during a down economy. Even though the exchange rate was pretty brutal then.

    When the Tokyo Skytree was first proposed, I had misgivings. I knew it was necessary, for digital broadcasting, but wasn't really excited about it. Then I saw a documentary on the construction. And then I saw it in person. I rather like it now.

    And if you take time to get a snack at the cafe, try the Skytree Roll. Usually, any food named after the tourist spot is terrible, but this pastry is actually very good. Of course, it could have been the altitude... ;)

    Posted in: Tokyo Skytree marks first anniversary

  • 0

    ebisen

    cool article. As a fairly heavy taxi user, I've had my good share of lousy drivers, cheating (or trying to) drivers and plain head cases. Every time is a new adventure :).

    Posted in: The secret slang of Japanese cabbies

  • -1

    ebisen

    genjuro - yeah, I was expecting much more.. At least one or two severed fingers, and some harakiri... They should learn from their fathers how to do things properly...

    Posted in: Bad eggs

  • 0

    Moonraker

    That's right, Yubaru, it is not foreign direct investment, it is portfolio investment.

    Posted in: Gov't panel warns of dangers if debt not addressed

  • 0

    ka_chan

    Are radios obsolete? Do people still go to the movies? Is television obsolete? BTW, aren't PCs where apps are written for Android and iphones.

    Posted in: Global PC units in the first quarter fell by 14%. Will PCs soon be obsolete?

  • 0

    Matthew Simon

    They are standing on and ruining their own signs they worked hard to make. Quite an accomplishment.

    Posted in: Bad eggs

  • 1

    zichi

    What was it again, TEPCO lawyers stated in a Tokyo Court, TEPCO isn't responsible for any radiation beyond the borders of its Fukushima plant? Guess they still believe that?

    Posted in: Hundreds of Miyagi residents seek equal compensation as Fukushima

  • 0

    Alejandro Dela Cruz

    Urgh! If they ate those eggs, they would've been healthier...

    Posted in: Bad eggs

  • 1

    BertieWooster

    Asaya-san,

    If you pick out only the good things that China has given Japan and the worst things that Japan has done to China, of course you can make the scales tip this way.

    General statements that push forward certain facts and ignore others are what upset people.

    This is what Hashimoto does.

    He makes broad sweeping statements that ignore certain things and push forward his own (ganko oyaji-based) opinions.

    It doesn't resolve the problem.

    It just adds fuel to the fire.

    Posted in: Hashimoto's party 'faces extinction,' some media say

  • 0

    Get Real

    Twitscape

    Posted in: Ishihara advises Hashimoto to stop tweeting

  • 0

    oikawa

    This is getting more and more hilarious everyday!

    Please oh please keep tweeting Mr Hashimoto! You have nothing to fear but yourself.

    Posted in: Ishihara advises Hashimoto to stop tweeting

  • 0

    paulinusa

    Wonder how the other venues with views have fared with visitor numbers? Tokyo Tower, Tokyo City View (Roppongi Hills), etc.

    Posted in: Tokyo Skytree marks first anniversary

  • 0

    Yubaru

    lost his one main stage......

    Posted in: Ishihara advises Hashimoto to stop tweeting

  • 0

    Yubaru

    Ishihara lost his one man stage when he quit as Tokyo's mayor, now he is just one of a few hundred, and technically wasn't even elected "directly" by any constituency, proportional representation is how he got this meal ticket.

    Thankfully he's been silent of late, but he sure seemed to know when to shut up, unlike his protoge'.

    Posted in: Ishihara advises Hashimoto to stop tweeting

  • 0

    ka_chan

    He also reflects the current situation in Japan noted in a 2012 US State Department report.

    Japan is a destination, source, and transit country for men and women subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking, and for children subjected to sex trafficking.

    In addition, traffickers continued to use fraudulent marriages between foreign women and Japanese men to facilitate the entry of these women into Japan for forced prostitution. Japanese organized crime syndicates (the Yakuza) are responsible for some trafficking in Japan, both directly and indirectly. Traffickers strictly control the movements of victims, using debt bondage, threats of violence or deportation, blackmail, and other coercive psychological methods to control victims.

    Japanese men continue to be a significant source of demand for child sex tourism in Southeast Asia, and, to a lesser extent, Mongolia.

    The Government of Japan has not officially recognized the existence of forced labor within the Industrial Trainee and Technical Internship Program, a government-run program designed to foster basic industrial skills and techniques and to provide opportunities to acquire practical skills and techniques.

    The Government of Japan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking

    http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2012/192367.htm

    Posted in: Do you agree with Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto's comments on comfort women?

  • -1

    Upgrayedd

    So you don't have a source?

    BTW the link you posted about Japansse textbooks doesn't match your original statement.

    Posted in: Hashimoto says S Korean troops guilty of wartime sex abuse

  • -3

    kimuzukashiiiii

    Tepco is bankrupt. There is no money.

    I wish it was not the case, but we can't give compensation to every single person along the east coast of Japan for what happened at Fukushima.

    Posted in: Hundreds of Miyagi residents seek equal compensation as Fukushima

  • 0

    gaijinfo

    If you can make money, this question becomes irrelevant.

    But since most high school kids can't make squat, this question is irrelevant.

    Posted in: Should we let wunderkinds drop out of high school?

  • 0

    BertieWooster

    Generally speaking, things in Japan are done because "that's the way they are done," with no more thought about it.

    The purpose of an activity is not even looked at.

    The purpose of a road system, surely, is to enable people to get from where they are to where they want to go in the shortest possible time.

    The first point to look at is that in order to get between these points in space, they need to know where they are. With no system of street names and house/building numbers, working out a route, or finding a destination can become very complicated and time consuming. It often ends up with people driving round blocks, looking at a cell phone, address on a slip of paper or car navigation system and not concentrating on what is in front of them.

    Streets need to be named and the name of the street prominently displayed on each corner. Houses/buildings need to be numbered and these numbers prominently displayed so that people can work out where they are and where to go.

    Otherwise, you get problems like this cell phone conversation:

    I can't seem to find your place.

    Are you in 3-chome?

    I don't know. I can't see it written anywhere.

    I'll come and pick you up, where are you?

    I don't know. How do you tell?

    Then, for road use, it makes sense for vehicles to travel on the same side of the road. Because if they don't, the chances of them bumping into each other are very great. This is particularly true on a corner when, if one vehicle is on the wrong side of the road, his/her view is obstructed by the corner until it's too late.

    The question is whether a bicycle is a vehicle or a pedestrian. It's very difficult to classify as one or the other because you have kids racing around at breakneck speed on the one hand and obasans slowly making their way to the shops and back. What's greatly missing here is road sense. Instead of just spewing out more or less the same "education" as their forebears had, educators should take a look at what knowledge and skills are needed in the 21st century.

    Living in the country in East Anglia as a kid, I loved to watch the cars go by. About ONE every half hour! In that place and at that time, road sense wasn't particularly important. It is now. I haven't been back for tens of years, but I'll bet that same street has cars, trucks and vans whizzing past at a steady rate and gridlock at "rush" hour.

    When I was a teenager, I was living a couple of miles from my school. A long walk. But not a long bicycle ride. Students who wished to ride to school had to pass a "Cycling Proficiency Test." Instructors would come and lecture about road safety and rules and a playground was set up with pedestrian crossings and so on. It was an excellent idea.

    This should be part of the school curriculum.

    With this knowledge and these skills, bicycles should be able to share the road safely with powered vehicles. But without these things, it's rather leaving too much to chance, don't you think?

    And then people would be able to get from where they are to where they want to go, rapidly and safely.

    Posted in: Road traffic laws in Europe and the United States are simple, whereas in Japan pedestrians are always exposed to the risks of bicycles bumping into them from all directions...It is time for us to go back to the original point of the road traffic law, where bicycles and cars share the road.

  • -2

    SuperLib

    If Obama is not a Socialist - what is he?

    Center-left. Really, that's what he is. You guys just keep getting yourselves all worked up and you push him from center-left to radical left. It usually goes like this:

    1) Take an Obama policy/topic/whatever. 2) Distort it. 3) Tell us it's evidence that he's a socialist or that he loves big government or he wants to destroy America.

    Here's an example:

    1) The Deficit 2) Ignore the recession, say it's because he spends too much. 3) He loves big government.

    And Another:

    1) Terrorism 2) He apologizes for being an American, ignore drone strikes, killing Osama Bin Laden, etc. 3) He hates America.

    **And Another: **

    1) Benghazi 2) Hold endless hearing that produce nothing of value (but still necessary) 3) He's covering something up.

    And Another:

    1) Wealth Redistribution 2) Ignore the fact that all of the wealth distribution has gone directly to the rich 3) Evidence he's a socialist

    **And Another: **

    1) The Debt Ceiling 2) Say he wants to tax us more, ignore the 1% and the spending cuts 3) He will destroy America with his spending.

    The lists are endless. Now you guys just jump right to number 3 so you don't have to waste time with numbers 1 and 2: Obama is a big government loving, socialist America hater who is covering up the deaths of diplomats while spending us into bankruptcy.

    Posted in: White House: Obama is no Nixon

  • 0

    sfjp330

    UpgrayeddMay. 22, 2013 - 08:21AM JST Source?

    Keep reading your Japanese textbook. It never happened.

    Posted in: Hashimoto says S Korean troops guilty of wartime sex abuse

  • 0

    Bogi

    The more Hashimoto yammers on like a fool, the less likely he is to get (re)elected to any meaningful position of power, I hope.

    Unfortunately, this is not usually the case in Japanese politics.

    Posted in: Ishihara advises Hashimoto to stop tweeting

  • 0

    Upgrayedd

    Source?

    Posted in: Hashimoto says S Korean troops guilty of wartime sex abuse

  • 0

    paulinusa

    What are the odds of a high school dropout becoming a billionaire? Probably about a billion to one.

    Posted in: Should we let wunderkinds drop out of high school?

  • 0

    Moonraker

    He should care cos he was sitting in the priority seat. That's why!

    Even then he has no obligation to stand up for you; at least no legal one, only some kind of nebulous social one, like the women-only cars. No conductor could enforce the suggestion to stand up.

    I have some sympathy with you and your predicament. When my wife was pregnant she would complain every day about people failing to stand up. But I definitely draw the line at violent behaviour to force someone to stand up. Sadly, quite a few people here do not.

    Posted in: Transport ministry to unify rules for baby strollers on buses, trains

  • 1

    sfjp330

    Prior to 1970, there was no open denial by the Japanese regarding the atrocities. In fact, there were a number of Japanese books, many were confessions or diaries by Japanese soldiers, which confirmed and gave detailed accounts of the atrocities. The denial of the atrocities started around 1972, when the right-wing political force in Japan began to rise. The Japanese denial of the atrocities in Asia can be divided into three broad categories: 1. Complete denial of the massacre. 2. Disputes on the number of people killed in the massacre. 3. Distortion and rewriting of history. The Ministry of Education has never admitted that the distortion of history is a mistake.

    Posted in: Hashimoto says S Korean troops guilty of wartime sex abuse

  • 0

    Leon Tsunehiro Yu-Tsu Tai

    This dude never learns anything.

    Posted in: Hashimoto hits back at polls showing majority disagree with his comments

  • 0

    Mirai Hayashi

    One loose cannon telling another loose cannon to stop being so loose...LOL

    Posted in: Ishihara advises Hashimoto to stop tweeting

  • 0

    genjuro

    How disappointing. Not because they're protesting, but because Koreans can do better than this. They're known worldwide for their behavior, especially during demonstrations. They're slipping.

    http://www.who-sucks.com/people/the-exciting-world-of-south-korean-protests

    Posted in: Bad eggs

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