7777777 comments

Gyouza, Im all for giving them a chance but a legitimate chance. The homeless & unemployed are very vulnerable to being taken advantage of. My husband was unemployed for 2 long years & was diligently searching for a job all this time, but to my surprise out of the woodwork came all these "do gooders" who would contact him with "opportunities" & when he contacted back what they wanted was for him to do free or very low pay labor or do a weeks worth of work and get a box of cookies in exchange. It is humiliating and degrading for a man to have worked for a good salary and then have people devalue him to this extent. These are jobs that people would pay anyone else good money for but when you are not working all of a sudden people think "you have free time so you can work for me for free"! Yet when he was working no one had the audacity to make such "offers". It would be a terrible insult. Yet that is what unemployed people face. I know lots of other unemployed people who have experienced the same thing. But then take a homeless person and you probably have to multiply that scenerio by a 100. Yes, the homeless are in a desparate situation but that is ALL the MORE reason to treat them with dignity and legitimate opportunities. I doubt they make 150 yen off a magazine. They may get 10-20% off each sale. If they spend their time selling these magazines how are they going to get a regular job? They need real job opportunities to get them back on their feet. They don`t need someone tossing pennies at them and then patting themselves on the back. They may be homeless, but that does not give people the right to take advantage of them.

They are "hired" to do what Im guessing is a full time job by the city but they get no salary? They only get a cut from the 300 yen magazine. How big of a cut? Lets say the city is REALLY GENEROUS and gives them a 50% cut (I doubt it is that big), then they make 150 yen. And then I guess some big sign goes over their heads declaring how the city is "hiring" these homeless people and helping them. In other words the homeless are exploited. If this were a legitimate job, theyd have the dignity of being employees not having the city toot its horn all over the nation that these people are homeless. If I were homeless, I think Id say keep your 150 yen and shove it.

It should be a case by case basis. For example, sometimes you hear stories about parents telling their kids to go in the store & steal or parents that prostitute their own kids or parents that coach their kids on how to physically attack & get revenge on someone. In these cases, of course the parents should be held criminally responsible. Thats a no brainer to me. On the other hand, if a kid gets into trouble on his own, then he has to bite the bullet on his own. He cant throw the blame on mom & dad & society shouldn`t throw the blame either.

Now if we are talking about a 6 year old accidentally breaking the neighbors window with his baseball, this isnt criminal. The parents obviously have to pay up front, but the kid should have to apologize to the neighbors and do chores to repay the parents so the kid learns that his actions and behavior are his responsibility. If the parents assume the responsibility of the broken window then the child doesn`t learn that that broken window is actually his responsibility not the parents. The younger children learn their behavior is their responsibility, the better.

"So, most people are commenting about how they'd like to see the father punished, but I have a simple question: Did he really do this?"

Inverse made a very good observation which I would not have thought of myself, but it is possible this was staged as a way out of his own problems. Maybe the dad didnt have the heart like some people to actually do a crime just to be put in jail so he staged a crime instead. Some people who lose hope do commit crimes just to be put in jail. It happens. Also if the man tried to strangle the baby, why werent there hand marks or bruises on the neck? The report said there were only some scratches from the shrubs on the boy`s face. And if the dad had tried to strangle a 1 year old to kill him, I think he could have done that easily. Why did he fail at that? Even a 5 year old could strangle a 1 year old to death. Anyway, it is a sad and tragic story regardless of whether it was attempted murder or not.

"So,it's the trash...taking out the trash..I can live with that."

I disagree with this statement. Its not the yakuza that are taking out nuclear trash. They are forcing other people including homeless people to do the dirty work for their profit. They dont touch trash they force others to take trash out for them, but I guess that is what happens when people get involved with the Yakuza.

"Japan is actually the bully here when it has territorial disputes with its 3 neighbors. Or are you so blind to that fact?"

Japan has 3 areas but China has about 13 territorial disputes. So who is the bully? Personally I think both Ishihara and China are both wrong. Both are provoking and the people who ultimately will suffer from these childish squabbles are the citizens. Moms, wives, children, friends, brothers and sisters care more about the well being of the men they love than some dumb little islands. People dont want to send their loved ones to fight and die over a tiny island. People want peace, safety, and comfort in life. They want to enjoy life and their families. But politicians dont care. They are willing to shed their peoples blood over a tiny island. I think both Japan and China need to back off and stop this nonsense for the benefit of their own people. These islands arent worth the lives that could be lost over it.

"Just get foreign military OFF these islands. Enough, already."

Easier said than done. Kick America out and China is next in line to take her place. Korea has a grudge to bear against Japan too and would like a piece of the pie if she doesnt have to contend with China so Korea is 2nd in line. Russia wouldnt mind having her fair share either. Russia is 3rd in line. There are a lot of hungry, grudge bearing lions salivating and waiting for the chance to leap and devour once the US is gone. If Japan had not made so many enemies throughout Asia, it would be easier to kick the US out, but the fact is Japan has no friends but a lot of enemies all around her so she depends on the US to maintain some degree of national independence.

This sounds to me like someone who will just get out and do it again. She has MAJOR mental problems. Someone suggested putting her in an insane asylum which was my first thought as well, but after rethinking it, I think it would put the helpless mental patients at risk. I think she would find a way to target them. This woman should not be allowed around old, sick, or weak people or children, but if she lies on job applications and there is no system to find the truth, she will just be doing this again in no time.

The whole idea seems tacky to me and deragatory of Christianity. I mean a morning after pill and Christmas just should not go together, maybe New Years but not Christmas. Christmas is a holy day and should be respected as such. Theres a lot of muslims in England. I wonder how muslims would feel if the goverment said "lets pass out condoms for Ramadan". Its just kind of insulting I think.

"China tries to assert power in Asia, the more the rest of Asia and the rest of the world will turn around and boycott them, or turn to the USA etc..to keep the Chinese from invading their land, their waters etc.."

Who is boycotting China? People complain all the time that all the jobs are going to China, everything is made in China, and gross human rights violations in China, but when it gets down to it most people are not boycotting. If people boycotted, the shelves in stores would be practically empty and what was left would be much higher priced than the boycotted items so even though people don`t like the idea of practically everything being made in China and they feel uncomfortable with China puffing its chest out more and showing off its muscles, the pocketbook speaks and people like the cheap prices too much to boycott.

Another thing is countries are tightly tied to China in banking, debts, industries, etc. So to just walk away, which may be what needs to be done, isnt that easy. To walk away means cutting MAJOR losses and the governments and companies are too invested that they arent willing to do that.

As for turning to the US, I think it is a gamble. One person in Obamas administration said her hero was chairman Mao; Obamas mentor was a staunch communist; and Obama allowed a Chinese pianst to come in the White House for an official event and play an anti-American, communist victory song, so Obamas loyalties may lean more to China based on these things. I honestly dont know how committed he would be to helping Japan or S. Korea if China struck. Also America is spread fairly thin right now military wise. Forces in a poor country like Afghanistan is a lot different than a full out war with China. With just Afghanistan it costs Americans millions of dollars and that doesnt count the military contributions from other countries. The economy in America keeps getting worse so I think it would be economically difficult for America to be fight a full blown war with China. I dont think Asia should be counting too much on America because America may not pull through.

You said look at Vietnam. I also say look at Vietnam and NK. America didn`t win either of these wars with these tiny countries. China is much more powerful.

Anyway, I dont think we should worry about the "what ifs" in life. China is undeniably showing aggression, but I hope good diplomatic measures will be taken to prevent anything from escalating. I never want my children to see or experience war so I hope leaders can be diplomatic enough to avoid trouble. The earthquake and nuclear disaster are more than enough trouble for me!

"As Smith correctly points out, Japanese act the way they do simply because they dont like criticism. I have to watch speaking out while watching the news while the wife is around as she sometimes flies off the handle when I fire some criticism, & thats even when she AGREES WITH ME!"

But the odd twist to this is I think this only applies to criticizing their own. When mad cow disease was the scare, I was in a grocery store and a Japanese man picked up some beef. His wife asked where it was from, he read the label "America" and right in front of me she tossed it with a disgusted face and said " We wont buy any of that stuff". He made no argument and the got some Japanese beef and left. Im an American and felt very embarrassed by this. Im not going to buy Fukushima food but I wouldnt do that in front of someone I thought could be from Fukushima.

Another incident is the recent article about Japanese protesting Korean dramas. They don`t protest their own bad dramas but will openly and unashamedly show disgust at Korean dramas.

I have had some very rude Japanese say and do things to me and my friends that they would never have the audacity to say or do to one another.

I am not saying this to bash Japan because my spouse and children are Japanese so a part of me is Japanese as well, but I do think culturally it is okay to critize others where the Japanese would more careful among themselves.

Awful idea. See the size of the tusk! Just imagine the size of the mammoth. Something like that running around would cause lots of deaths. Even elephants cause lots of deaths to humans much less a mammoth, but I doubt the mammoth would get the option of living the joy of a free life. Instead it would be put in a miserable cage by itself with no other mammoths to relate to. It would be created to live in solitary confinement other than scientists poking and jabbing it with needles to study and gawkers coming to stare at it. Why create something to have just a miserable life? It is terribly wrong.

In my area, the parking lot attendants, floor sweepers, and buggy gatherers are the elderly. I sometimes look at them and wonder if they are people like those described in the article. Men who had good jobs, were forced to retire, and now are forced to do menial labor.

I have no idea what P2P is and I dont download movies, but I think its a real shame that the police went after these people rather than real criminals who really hurt other people. I have a friend whose 7 year old daughter was flashed by a man and he foddled himself in front of her. The family lives in public housing and the man who did it lives in their block of houses and it was done in the public housing park where a lot of children play. The parents told the police & the police said a 7 year old must be making that up! They did nothing until several other children also reported the same thing about the same man. Finally a report was taken but the man still lives there. Now none of the kids can play in the park. My point is people sharing music and TV shows aren`t hurting anyone. In fact, they are probably making people happy so why bother them when there are a lot worse and truly harmful people out there.

" Even if parents are unable to escort them they could hire an adult escort to be with them either when they are in group or individually. Would be safer and in the meantime a lot of jobless could earn some money. "

As a parent I would never hire an escort to take my child around especially a jobless person. You just don`t know what sort of people would be attracted to this job. I sure it would be a dream job for molestors. Molestors always go for jobs that put them in contact with children.

Actually walking home from school should be safe. Children in Japan have walking groups, and in my town we have paid traffic guards on every main street the children walk home on. These guards know each child by face and name. Once my son missed a day of school and the guard knew it and inquired about him. They are excellent. We also have volunteer community patrol who patrol the neighborhood and smaller streets while the children come home from school. But even with all of this if you have a mad man with a knife who is determined to hurt a child, even a paid escort or parent may not be enough to protect the child.

Ben4short, as a parent, Im glad stories like this are given much attention because it makes parents more aware and if I lived in that area I would especially want to know what dangers might be out there for my children. Moreover, a foreigner living in that area that cant read Japanese may not know this happened unless they read something about it in English or their native language. This kind of news is VERY important to know especially when the criminal is still on the loose. This isn`t sensationalism. This is information sharing to make people aware, and not just in that area. It reminds parents all over Japan that if this can happen to a small child in Chiba just walking home from school in the broad daylight, it can happen anywhere in Japan so parents must not get too comfortable thinking Japan is such a "safe" country. This reminds parents to remain vigilant. This news is very important news to report.

If they go after Bush they have to go after most politicians and retired politicians all over the world who basically all have very dirty hands and some with MUCH more dirty hands than Bush.

"Sad to say but why are non-christians forced to take days off when their own religious holidays aren't honoured?"

In Japan, that doesnt apply. The only religious holidays here are Shinto and Buddhist related. Im not a part of either of these religions, but I ENJOY the day off! I suggest that you enjoy your day off as well. You don`t have to celebrate a Christian holiday but you can always enjoy a day off from school or work!!!

I agree its too late because the damage is already done. Shutting them down isnt going to stop the problem that already exists. Shut down is good, but it seems to me the governor is grasping for straws to hold on to his job. If he thinks shutting down the plants will now make everything grown and made there safe, hes wrong. If he thinks, shutting down the plants will mean everyone can go back to their old lives and have no health consequences, hes wrong. I think he should be pushing to get people relocated out of the area and farmers given new farms in other prefectures.

Christmas without Christianity is like Ramadan w/out islam or Passover without Judism. You can go through the motions of it but the meaning and origins of the occassion are why it exists and everything points to it. For Christmas, people may not know why the star and angels are on the tree, the presents, the lights, a lot of the music, etc, but it all points to Christ. If someone started asking they`d find it wrapped in Christianity. Likewise someone can have the Passover food and candles and enjoy it without giving it any thought, but if anyone asks "why this food?" it will point to Judism. A few questions reveal the true source and purpose.

"Why, because babies who were aborted don't deserve to be protected by ojizo-san?"

No, thats not what I am saying. Realistically speaking, these jizous are paid for by people. If no one gives money, then they are not made. If you see one on a roadside where a baby was killed in a car crash, someone paid for that through a donation to the temple. All these jizous are primarily paid for and kept up by parents that lost their children. Therefore, they are represented by the people that pay for them, and I think that is mostly parents who lost their babies by natural means. If jizous mostly represented babies from women who had abortions, I doubt there would be many jizous because I doubt these women would be paying to have statues made to represent a baby`s life that they never believe existed in the first place. It just makes no sense.

Bluewitch, I agree that many aborted babies could be represented by the jizou but honestly do you think the majority of women that go to an abortion clinic would have a jizou statue set up or go to one to remember her baby? I think they just let the doctor do whatever he wants with the aborted baby. If he throws it in the trash can, most dont ask or care. If he sends it to a science lab to be all cut and smashed up for research purposes, that is no concern to her. How many women have an abortion and ask to take the remains of her baby home for a funeral? Very few I would guess. I think the majority of women who have or visit a jizou are women who truly loved and wanted their babies but tragically lost them by means of miscarriage, still birth, SID, or some other infant death. So the jizou, in my opinion, represents women/fathers who loved their babies, not aborted them. They represent women who recognized and valued the life of their baby, as opposed to abortion where life is not recognized. Why would a mom have an abortion and then visit a jizou? It makes no sense to me. If she considered her baby a life, she wouldnt abort it, right? So there would be no reason to visit a jizou. She had a medical procedure and that is all. From my understanding the jizou represents a guardian in hell to protect babies who caused their moms pain by dying early. What mom would send her baby to hell? With this thinking, I dont think many jizous are represented by aborted babies, but miscarriages are actually very common. Lots of women have had not one but multiple miscarriages so it is just my opinion and nothing more, but I think jizous represent mostly babies that were lost by natural means.

The 12% difference could be explained by the fact that Japanese women are going for older men and that would make sense since the younger men aren`t dating. Maybe it is only when they get a little older and more financially settled do they think of starting a relationship/family.

Foxie, its a 2 way street, the "otaku men" arent the only problem. The woman that have strong "obaterian" traits are also a problem. It starts young. My son and some other friends who have sons in other school districts talk about the aggressive girls. These girls attack boys physically and verbally. We expect the boys to be much worse than girls but sometimes girls can be much worse than boys, and that too can be just as much of a turn off as "otaku".

I agree w/Fadamor, we have to be careful about extremism. Its easy to see a case like this or another extreme bullying case and say "Lets lock up and try all bullies as adults". But hes right that there are many levels of bullying and also its not uncommon to see the kid that was bullied last year to bully someone else this year. And sometimes the bullies are not bad kids. They just have not matured socially and they are finding their own power in the social group. Some of these bullies just need stern correction and to be made to recognize how their actions hurt another person. So to write a broad sweeping law that throws all bullies in prison is extreme. Bullying should be handled on a case by case basis with common sense.

Another thing to consider about bullies is in some ways it is UNFORTUNATELY a part of growing up. I mean it can almost be guaranteed that someone is going to make fun of the fat, weak, or dumb kid just like it can almost be guaranteed that the 2 year old is going to just grab another kids toy without asking. But this is why they need adults to teach them this is wrong. Adutls should be there to quickly identify and correct bad behavior. Teachers and parents should always be on the look out for bullies. We shouldnt treat bullying like "oh, this is something only a horrible criminal could do". Instead we should be more level headed and realize any child could bully or be bullied so all kids have to be watched because it is part of the growth process of learning how to socialize and use one`s power. But for the kids that refuse to be corrected and the bullying gets secretive and out of control like in this case, then it has to be taken to the next level by involving the police, but the police should not be the first option. The first option should be using this as a teaching/sensitivity opportunity for minor bullying.

The underwear rule could make sense if the employee is required to wear a white skirt or pants as a uniform. In that case, dark underwear or underwear with cute pictures or words can be seen through the clothes especially in a well lit place, and in that case there would not need to be an underwear inspector, the obvious would be seen by everyone. So this could be a rule for the benefit of both the employee and company to save both from unnecessary embarrassment. I would place my bets on this being the case.

Pointofview, I`m not defending the current system b/c I think federal governments all over the world tend to take care of their top politicians first, and the people who feed these politicians last. So I would also prefer to see more local care in social systems too, but my point was b/c the system is federalized and people are forced to buy into this system, then if you, me or anyone else here who has paid into the system, and we suddenly found ourselves in real need (hopefully that will never happen to any of us) then we should be able to collect because we paid for this with our own money. I am not speaking of the ideal social system but the system we presently have. I mean it would be rather foolish to pay unemployment and disability taxes, find yourself unemployed or disabled with no source of income, and then not collect on what you paid into the system. I also feel the people who lost everything in the tsunami should be able to collect whatever benefits they can since they had paid into the social welfare system. But of course, I think as soon as they get back on their feet they should stop collecting, and they should be encouraged to seek work outside this area rather than just sitting in shelters waiting for the government to come in and rebuild their towns and lives.

"People are too dependent on the government. Why does everyone need them to babysit you? Gov'ts shouldn't be in the business to make jobs. Fed gov't is too big and inefficient."

I agree with this except when you have a system that requires you to pay into it to ensure your financial security. So when someone does fall into economic hardship, they expect to get back what they paid for. It is a form of insurance that people pay for with their tax money. I don`t think government is the best manager of money, but since people are required to buy this "insurance", then they should be able to collect when they need it.

However, I dont think divorcees should qualify (I know I will get a thousand thumbs down for saying that!). But divorce and women having multiple children out of wedlock is what made the welfare figures skyrocket in America. And it will do the same in Japan if people think they can walk away from marriage and get a free ride off the backs of hardworking taxpayers. Divorce isnt a reason for welfare. It is a situation one creates by choice in most cases unlike disability, insanity, sickness, or ones company suddenly closing when one is 55 years old. Therefore the divorcees should support themselves and if they cant then they shouldnt divorce or they need to rely on their family for support, not other peoples families.

The solution to this problem should be common sense. If a cyclist is riding like a madman on a sidewalk, he should be stopped by the police & sent to a one day bicycle safety class. We should not throw all the cyclists out on the street because of the bad cyclists. To put cyclists out on the street is the worst thing they could do because Japanese cyclists dont know which side of the road to ride on, dont wear helmets, often don`t have lights, & often just swerve out in front of traffic without looking. So they will end up getting hit but the drive will do the time. In my town most of the streets are narrow and conjested but the sidewalks tend to be wide so it makes sense to keep bikes off the street unless the bike is going fast, then they should stay off the sidewalk. Slow lane for bikes should be the sidewalk and fast lane should be the street.

This is true for the older generation but the 40s and younger will get in your face as face worse than any Westerner Ive ever known. The 40ish age group "obaterians" can really be loud and forceful.

People can use alternative and natural medicine without monetarily supporting islam in which the article admitted some of these healers were terrorists and recruiting centers for terrorism. I`d rather die than think my money was used to promote the death of thousands of others and oppression of millions.