abromofo comments

You may not see extra cash in your hand, but economic growth benefits everyone.

If you want to in on some of these profits, try opening up a trading account and putting a little cash in there each month. That's what the vast majority of the population have been doing all these years.

You wouldn't want to get to retirement and realize the money manager in your household has been "diversifying" your hard earned savings by splitting it over yen savings accounts at all the Japanese megabanks...

They just only teach the wrong things at schools nowadays compared to my time at schools a few decades ago. So it’s just simply an educational issue.

Appallingly ignorant.

Athletes are not under strict quarantine measures. Since Monday this week I have seen groups of people that must be involved in the Olympics walking around the streets in Marunouchi, in cafes, even sitting around chatting with their masks off. I don't have a problem with these people being here, just don't lie about the fact they're roaming around.

Isn't there a more humane way of dealing with the bears? Like using a tranquilizer and transporting it to the mountains or putting it in a zoo or something?

If the animal was in a safe environment (like a zoo enclosure) tranquilizers are an option. In a public place there's more chance of the bear running off, getting even more angry, damaging things, finding someone to attack, before the tranquilizer has any effect.

"Although it’s located 1,000 kilometers north of New Zealand, the recent eruption of the Shinmoedake volcano in Miyazaki Prefecture"

There's more than 1000 kilometers between Miyazaki Prefecture and New Zealand. Its roughly 8,800 kilometers between Tokyo and Auckland...

I can't stand it when has a conversation with the dog in baby-talk and then lets it lick her lips while she makes a kissing noise. It makes me jealous, and I can't stand the thought of getting second-hand dog-germs.

American servicemen on leave in Roppongi seem to be the worst behaved tourists I've seen. Once, one of them walked up behind me, at 10am in the morning, and said something about wanting to bash my head in. I didn't even know he was there at first.

One important thing to take into account is the calculation used for nominal GDP, which is explained in the article. The calculation uses the average USD exchange rates from the chosen period.

Comparing Q1 and Q2 2010, the yen weakened against the USD 1.54%, while the Yuan strengthened 0.06%.

So, using the exact same calculation for the first half of the year, instead of second quarter, Japan's nominal GDP is still higher than China's:

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/T100816003200.htm

In my opinion the fact is that comparing nominal GDP of two different economies using US dollars is not very meaningful. We can do all kinds of other calculations that would put Japan on top if we wanted to. That's what one some people mean when they say "symbolic".

The Yen extremely strong right now relative to the dollar... This is probably going to give a huge boost to the next quarter's nominal GDP figure... Which could well end up being higher than China again in Q3. The point is, the exchange rate influence is very strong.

It's not good for me personally, because most of my income is from overseas.

My guess is its not likely to go beyond 85 yen / dollar, so if anyone wants unreliable currency trading advice, now is the time to buy yen!

Hottie? Argh. She looks like an eccentric old biddy.

I think they should be put down.

In New Zealand, under the Dog Control Act, any dog that bites a human or other domestic animal can be destroyed. I don't think there's a law like that in Japan, though.

Has anyone here actually eaten it? I have, and I like it, so I want to eat it sometimes. If it didn't taste good, there would be hardly any demand for it.

Just as I thought!! Black belts in Aikido and Karate don't necessarily give you the ability to defend yourself. I really think all you get is a bad attitude and inflated confidence.

I've seen the preview for this movie several times, and I have no interest in seeing it at all. Actually I think the big blue aliens are a "turn-off" - not appealing, I'd rather not look at them.

I don't think the purple and black one is a wedding dress. She's the designer. It is, however, extremely hot!

If it looks as bad as every other 3D movie (including the one at the Sony building in Ginza), I won't be buying one. It hurts my eyes.

You people are all just jealous of these pretty girls with unusual taste in fashion.

It really hurts my feelings when you all pigeon-hole people based on looks. I'm a good looking guy, and I can talk a girl's ear off!

They might look alright, but going on a date with one of these would probably be about as interesting as watching paint dry.

Not if my imagination is anything to go by.

Great photo! I loooove Shibuya girls.

What I find ironic is that the same people who would find the animals that the fur comes from, "Gyyaaaaa Kawaii" are the ones who are walking around draped in their hides.

It's actually hypocritical. I share the "Gyaaaaa Kawaii" people's sentiment. So what if people like cute furry animals, and also like wearing fur? I love fur.

It's human nature to use animals for useful things.

I like furry animals, and also I like wearing fur. It's super warm, nice to touch, and I like the look of it.

A disease? Come on now, you can't catch it. It's a condition.

Well I know what you mean, but it fits the definition of a disease. Can be called a disorder or condition as well. The point is, clinical depression is a medical problem.

There are usually two triggers, both of which people have mentioned above. The first is a physiological propensity for depression. The second is environmental / outside factors.

So, a person who has clinical depression is usually affected by both.

A person with the propensity for depression, but a very healthy and stable environment may never develop depression. So loving parents could certainly help, but it's not the only answer.

Yeah I agree. Why not blow them up after handing over the (fake) money and getting the hostages back?

Great photo! Reminds me why I love this country.

Personally I'm not a fan of this picture. Having such a large part of the foreground out of focus is quite distracting to me. I would've stopped it down to keep the foreground in focus, and cropped a lot, leaving the building and people directly in front of it.

The U.S. President is, contrary to what Americans believe, not the king of the world. It appears his ego is also smaller than his countrymen's. It was just a gesture of friendship and respect.

A male, especially gaijin, giving up his seat to any healthy looking woman is considered a blatant come-on. I've never done it, but I've chuckled to myself as other gaijin men, probably tourists, have tried to do this. Some of them were attempting to strike up conversations.

Japanese women are equally ill-mannered on trains. They push and shove, take up too much room, throw themselves through the closing doors. I always laugh at the ones who are convinced that every male within a one metre radius is trying to "chikan" them. The slightest contact, and they jump around with a look of horror. They're usually not that hot. Just 20 year old with bad attitudes.

Personally I'd like to see him given the death penalty. I would feel slightly better if he was snuffed, if I were a family member.

They said buggery!!!

...but a shame that things like kimono relate so little to how people live in modern japan now. need to build a modern identity for yourself as well...

Huh? I guess you're implying that Japanese people are hanging on to an image of themselves that is no longer relevant?

Kimonos are very much a part of modern Japan. Go to a wedding, you'll see guests wearing Kimonos alongside people in suits, western dresses, etc.

Most Japanese women I know wear one whenever they have a chance.

Yeah those guys are really uncool. I'd definitely be relieving her of those shoes too.