Japan Today

Amidalism comments

Posted in: Mysterious cat mutilations continue in Tokyo See in context

99% chance that the culprit is 無職 and stressed out. Hope they find him as soon as possible.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Posted in: Revised cost of Tokyo 2020 Olympic stadium approved See in context

The Olympics are going to do more damage than good for the Japanese economy. Not that anyone seems to care here because OLYMPICS!!!!

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Posted in: More security cameras to be installed on shinkansen trains See in context

@Michael: yeah I don't think that chikan are really an issue on shinkansen where people are sitting down 99% of the time.

Do they really think that cameras are the solution to this problem? Is it supposed to deter the next nutjob from lighting himself on fire? The fact that this has only happened once in the past 40 years should be grounds enough to label it as a freak incident unlikely to occur again in the future. Sure what happened was horrible, but installing more cameras seems to be more of an overreaction than a solution.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Posted in: 5 year-old boy killed after camper van flips over in Niigata See in context

They said on the news that people in campers are required to wear seat belts/secured in child seats if they are in the back when it is moving, but it was believed that he was not strapped in. Not really surprising seeing as how lots of parents here don't bother buckling their kids in when they are in a car. I can only imagine the number would be higher for things like camper vans.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Supermarket worker injured after car drives into store in Tochigi See in context

Are there any recorded cases of cars being driven into buildings that don't involve old people mistaking the brake and the accelerator?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Japan frustrated over slow pace of North Korea abduction probe See in context

When is Japan going to realize that the abductees are never coming back? How much time, money and resources have been wasted on pursuing these 8 people? I can guarantee you that not even close to that amount of effort goes into finding missing persons in Japan who have a far better chance of being found. By easing sanctions they are aiding the North Korean government continue their oppressive regime, indirectly sponsoring the mistreatment of thousands and thousands of North Korean nationals. CUT YOUR LOSSES ALREADY!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Court in Japan orders Google to delete past reports of man's arrest See in context

I really don't see why he is going after Google. Does this guy and the judge even understand how Google works? Why isn't he going after whatever news sites that have his information listed to take it down, then it won't show up in Google or anywhere else. Removing it from Google's search does not eliminate the data from the rest of the internet.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Gackt lashes out at Cool Japan: 'Almost no results of Japanese culture exported overseas' See in context

I'd really like to know how much of the Cool Japan budget goes into their garbage TV show where they have a handful of foreigners stroking the Japanese ego telling them how "cool" they think things are in Japan (most likely because they want the paycheck, not because they believe it). I can't stand watching that show for more than 5 minutes.

17 ( +19 / -2 )

Posted in: Woman killed in bullet train fire suicide was on peace pilgrimage See in context

Seeing how filled with smoke the cars were really shows how poorly designed they are to deal with fire. While I'm sure having some form of sprinkler system installed would be too much work, it seems like they could use some better form of ventilation.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Posted in: Cup Noodle maker Nissin asks Italians to rate its new pasta style cups See in context

I don't think the results are all that surprising. Does anyone consider Cup Noodles to be "true" ramen? Probably not. Still makes for a cheap and easy snack/meal though, so why not do the same thing for pasta. Sounds to me like this entire thing was just a PR stunt, which will most likely work out well for them in the long run.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Two boys aged 3 and 4 hit by train in Yamanashi; one dies See in context

The boys lived nearby and apparently often played near the tracks, local residents said.

And nobody ever thought to say anything about this to the children or their parents?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Posted in: Boston Marathon bomber sentenced to death See in context

I'm sure he considers himself a martyr in receiving the death penalty, but at least he won't be wasting tax payers money for the entirety of the rest of his life.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Posted in: Bureaucratic bungling behind butter shortage See in context

other bureaucrats told them not to bother, claiming if consumers could get their hands on more butter they’d hoard it.

Well maybe if there wasn't such a constant butter shortage then consumers wouldn't feel the need to hoard butter. Really wish the consumers would stand up and do something about this dairy industry monopoly.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Posted in: Execs arrested from scam dating sites that had 2.7 mil users and only one female member See in context

Classic example of fools and their money being parted easily. Deiaikei sites have been around for ages and I can't really feel sorry for those who can't realize they are being catfished. Glad to hear that they are making some efforts to shut down these scammers though. You'd figure that some legitimate company would jump at the chance to fill the void in the market here.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: It is now OK for train drivers on JR Central lines to drink water See in context

This is probably the most Japanese thing I have read in ages. How could any customer possibly be offended by someone drinking water? Just another case of trying to prevent unrealistic complaints instead of dealing with a complaint if it came in. Surely it would be an easy dispute to resolve.

Customer: I saw the driver taking a sip of water and it made me angry! JR: Our drivers are humans and need to stay hydrated too. Customer: .......

Problem solved.

JR makes well enough money that they can afford to lose one customer who gets his jimmies rustled over an issue like this. Can the customer afford not to use JR? Probably not.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

Posted in: 4-year-old Toyama boy drowns in agricultural waterway See in context

If there was no fence between the backyard and the ditch then he certainly shouldn't have been playing outside unsupervised at that age.

I know some posters here like to say that you can't watch a child 24 hours a day, but an open agricultural waterway like that is a pretty obvious hazard. Every year we hear about children falling into them and drowning, so there is really no excuse for this. Either a fence should have been put up, a grating installed above the waterway, or someone outside watching him. It is a terrible loss for his parents, but this easily could have been prevented.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: 3 minors arrested after forcing 15-year-old boy into river See in context

Police quoted the boys as saying they didn’t think their friend would be in any danger.

I don't know what these boys' definition of "friend" is, but I don't beat up my friends and force them into a river naked.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Posted in: Live-action Hollywood 'Beyblade' film is in the works See in context

Of all the shows they could choose from to make into a live action movie they thought this was their best bet? I'm sure this will flop harder than the live action Dragonball movie.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: 700-kg kite plunges into crowd, injuring 4 people See in context

With a kite of this size I really don't understand why the viewing area had to be so close. Surely these people could have enjoyed this massive kite in the sky from a safer distance.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Tokyo governor hits out at 'ridiculous' bill for 2020 Olympics See in context

I hope the Olympic Committee takes this unorganized gong show into consideration next time Japan applies to host the Olympics. There was absolutely no reason for them to bid on the Olympics if they were not prepared to deal with the cost and infrastructure.

With only 5 years left, I highly doubt we will see Fukushima and the rest of Tohoku recovered as promised either.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Posted in: Man arrested for assaulting common-law wife's 6-year-old son See in context

did you ever consider before posting that comment that the mother probably works full-time?

Umm, I'm sorry Trevor, but regardless of working full-time she is still responsible for her child's well being. A 6 year old child is not old enough to be left at home alone and working full-time does not absolve her of this responsibility.

Also if the bruise was enough for the neighbour to notice and call the police, I'm sure the mother was well aware of it.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: 'Minister of Toilets' aims to transform Japan's public loos See in context

Not only is she saying that it’s good to make them comfortable, clean and safe, she’s seeking to transform toilets into a ‘space in which a person can feel serenity.’

...mentioned such ideas as “to invite corporate sponsors to post advertisements on the walls

Ah yes, nothing says serenity like having advertisements in your face wherever you go.

These are the kinds of ideas that could only come from females,” he said. “Ms Arimura is to be praised for her foresight.

Does anyone else feel they are trying to focus too much on the fact that she is female? I mean, could these ideas really have only come from females? Do only women enjoy clean toilets?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Posted in: Working to death in Japan: Health warning over 'no overtime' law See in context

Supey has it right. If companies were required to be paying more money for overtime you can bet that they would be doing their best to crack down on it even if it required them hiring a extra workers. It has been proven in studies that worker production drastically drops the longer the work day is. Lowering overtime hours by hiring extra workers would benefit the salarymen, companies, and country.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Posted in: 2 dead, 480 hospitalized due to heat exhaustion in one week See in context

Cool biz hasn't started in my region yet, but that hasn't stopped me from wearing short sleeve shirts already. I'm an adult and can determine what clothes to wear based on the weather. Too bad so many others are incapable of doing this and follow the dress code to their graves.

2 dead and 480 hospitalized in one week and it isn't even June yet? What a joke. Hot weather is nothing new to this country, statistics like this are constantly reported on the news on top of all the campaigns they run across the country telling people to keep cool and stay hydrated, yet this still happens every year. Can't say I feel too sorry for the majority of these people as it is entirely their own fault for not having common sense.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Posted in: 37-year-old woman gets 11 years for fatal assault of runaway girl See in context

Classic child welfare authorities. Why do we never hear about anyone trying to do something about their ridiculous incompetence? We hear the "we went but nobody was home" excuse so frequently that you would figure the victims families would start protests. How hard would it be to have a welfare official stay at the location until someone showed up, or at least post a police officer there? This poor girl's death is on their hands. I hope they have trouble sleeping at night.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: Teacher reprimanded for taking fingerprints of 6th grade class See in context

Besides, again, while I doubt the teacher meant any harm by it, who's to say that he might not have actually used the fingerprints for ill will in the future? Unlikely, but it ultimately still relates to identity and privacy being taken.

How exactly do you think the teacher could possibly use the children's fingerprints for ill will in the future? Is he going to go all spy movie and make fake fingerprints for himself from the children's and then go out and commit crime with the aim to set them up for the crime? Get real.

This teacher shouldn't be reprimanded, but commended for trying to actually do something about bullying instead of turning a blind eye to it like so many other teachers here do. I'm sure these impossible to please parents would be up in arms if the child who was being bullied decided to commit suicide as a result of it, complaining that the teacher could have prevented it but didn't.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: S Korea opposes Japan's bid for heritage status of industrial sites See in context

I think that BECAUSE slavery played a big part in these factories it should be listed as a world heritage site. This is something that needs to be remembered and taught to generations to come. As long as there is extensive information provided on the slave labor that occurred there instead of just glorifying them as driving the industrialization of Japan, then I see no problem. I don't know why the Koreans aren't fighting for that instead of just trying to block it all together in a childish fashion.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Posted in: Man jumps to death from 4th floor of Nagoya police station See in context

Maybe the dude had something else to hide like a skeleton in his closet that he was collecting pension payments for. There have been cases in the past in Japan where people being questioned by police for one thing have killed themselves, only for it to be found out later that they had done something even worse unrelated to the original questioning.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Last Aum defendant sentenced to life in prison See in context

Perhaps now that the final suspect has been charged they can move along with stopping these cultists from wasting our tax payer money with a series of short drops.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: Abe offers 'eternal condolences' for Americans killed in WWII See in context

Listening to Abe stumble his way through his speech in English was painful.

-9 ( +6 / -15 )

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