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Bill Gates among 117 foreigners to be decorated by Japan

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Where's my recognition for 18 years of service to Japan?!

13 ( +13 / -0 )

Why would they do that?

The headline talks about the 117 foreigners; it is natural to assume that the article will mention at least a few of them.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

They couldn't name a few more foreign names?

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Doesn't seem so special when there are 117 foreigners nominated, and several thousand Japanese.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

What a joke, if that’s the case, Tim Cook should be decorated.

how many people has Tim Cook helped in poor countires, Gates has pledge to donate most of his wealth to charities when he dies, how much has Tim Cook pledged!?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

It is not to the private immensely rich people to decide what is good or not for the society or the world in general.

We got free from the kings and emperors centuries ago and they are just back with even more power.

They just need to pay their fare share of taxes so that the society can decide what the best usage of it is.

I am fed up with all these disguised charities by "philanthropists" using so-called non-for-profit foundations to reduce their taxes while maintaining, or even increasing their political influence by looking "super good".

4 ( +5 / -1 )

It seems like you have to be over 70 to get an award in Japan. They must all be spitting feathers that Bill Gates gets his at the youthful age of 64. The cheek!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

This is what made Gates and Allen billionaires, not because their product was best.

Not quite. They opted for a system based on open and common technical standards, by which every manufacturer could take part, and hardware that could be made easily from off-the-shelf parts. The result of zillions of computers for all people and industry, with a vast choice of systems and competitive pricing. Today, business, industry and science overwhelmingly run on Windows computers. You'll find Windows laptops on the Space Station.

Apple did the opposite, sticking to closed proprietary systems, whereby the consumer would have limited choice and pay premium prices. At the end of the day, Microsoft cofounder Gates decided to give nearly all his money away to humanitarian causes, for which he is being recognized in Japan. . Apple cofounder Jobs decided to hoard just about all his money. No Cordons of the Rising Sun for greedy people, I'm afraid.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Bill Gates among 117 foreigners to be decorated - but we only name ONE. Great reporting JT, hats off to you!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Why would they do that?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

If you're ever in Seattle, visit their museum, whose theme is global inclusion through education (science does not discriminate). https://www.gatesfoundation.org/

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Of the 4,181 Japanese to be decorated, 412 are women, the highest number since the honors system was reformed in 2003. A total of 1,944 are from the private sector.

Less than 50% from private sector and less than 10% women in total...

100% accurate snapshot of the actual Japanese society: old - bureaucrats - men "leading" the country being awarded!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Microsoft Corp cofounder Bill Gates will be among 117 foreigners recognized by the Japanese government in this year's spring decorations for their notable contributions to relations with Japan, the government said Wednesday.

I, for one, would like to know more about the nature of these "notable contributions". It's a rather vague commendation...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Apple cofounder Jobs decided to hoard just about all his money.

In his own philosophy, Jobs didn't believe in philanthropy. One of the first things he did when he re-took over Apple a 2nd time was to end all of Apple's charitable foundations.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

JeffLee: "You'll find Windows laptops on the Space Station."

That explains a lot. haha.

"No Cordons of the Rising Sun for greedy people, I'm afraid."

Well, that's not something he would consider a loss, were he still around. These kinds of honors for people like Gates or world-famous people are simply self-promoting affairs to make the giver seem more important, be it Japan or if let's say JeffLee decided to announce an award of honour for them, just as an example. I doubt very much in this case it's something Gates sought, knew about, or cares about, although it may well be something nice.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

...real factual data and research available to prove that Bill & Linda Gates as chairs of the Gates Foundation are behind the coronavirus...

Even if the rest of your comment is 100% correct, it wouldn't make the above statement true.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

This is a joke, right?? Gates is a friend of the Chinese dictatorship and therefore an enemy of democracy. Just listen to his newest nonsense about how the PRC (the responsible party for the pandemic, together with the highly corrupt WHO that Gates also supports) were somehow the victim and criticism were exaggerated. A regime that lets people (yes, human beings) disappear for stating their opinion or even plain facts. I get it that Japan's current government holds ideals that are equally immoral and that maybe Abe and his people would love to have their own dictatorship. But this is a slap in the face for all people who believe in freedom and humanity. Gates is a very problematic person and should be treated as such.

0 ( +9 / -9 )

zichiApr. 29  08:24 pm JST Bill Gates warned in a lecture in 2015 about a pandemic. We should have listened to him.

Enough of this factoid. Gates simply gets credit when every epidemiologist working at the time knew this to be true but didn't get the chance to bloviate on it in a TED Talk.

Gate isn't some rare intellect. Microsoft was very good at avoiding antitrust prosecution which allowed it to restrict competition from other operating systems. This is what made Gates and Allen billionaires, not because their product was best. Otherwise, his ideas about global health are pedestrian and his ideas about education are damaging.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

While Gates might be sincere in his philanthropy, with him and those like him there are usually strings attached. There's no free money. The recipient is always servant to the giver.

No thanks.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

I love how they think it's an honor. No doubt Gates was like, "Really? Oh... hmmm... I guess that's nice. Tell them I'll send someone to pick it up. Oh, and tell them thanks. I guess."

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Concerned Citizen: Hogwash. The "strings" you talk about are people doing their part to for the environment and what not. I'd rather have strings like that attached and put money where it is sorely needed than take a personal bribe to ensure drilling companies have the rights to wildlife preserves, or a company can start owning the world's water, or what have you. So, speak for yourself when you say not thanks -- I'd rather Bill Gates do what he's doing and help the world than people who are doing nothing but making it worse shun him out of misplaced pride or to make the world a worse place through their own actions and deeds.

And if it is as you say, that nothing is for free, what does that say about this "honor" bestowed upon him by Japan?

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Objection!! Mr Gates and his wife contributions to the world Health Organization and other humanitarian causes around the world can't even be measured, specially when you compare them to the other recipients.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

What a joke, if that’s the case, Tim Cook should be decorated.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

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