Posted in: Missing truck cabin located in sewer pipe near Saitama sinkhole See in context
You do realize that the walls of the hole collapsed and buried the cabin?
We’re talking about a rescue in those hours before the hole collapsed — before dirt and rubble covered the vehicle and driver.
6 ( +8 / -2 )
Posted in: Missing truck cabin located in sewer pipe near Saitama sinkhole See in context
what "preparation" do you have in mind for them?
Active training scenarios could include quickly (1) Cutting power to a block, (2) Cutting obstructing power lines, (3) Lowering a rescue winchman by helicopter.
Firefighters and coast guard personnel periodically conduct rescue drills and scenarios. These could easily be added.
2 ( +7 / -5 )
Posted in: Missing truck cabin located in sewer pipe near Saitama sinkhole See in context
@Alongfortheride
The cab of the truck was completely covered
No, the cab was not completely covered until several hours after the initial accident.
As @WoodyLee stresses above, “The first 2 hours were the most critical and precious moments to save the driver’s life.”
Excerpt below from the New York Times report.
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The driver was alive immediately after the truck sank into the hole, responding to nearby rescuers, according to the public broadcaster NHK. However, a few hours later, a mudslide inside the hole caused dirt and rubble to fall onto the vehicle, burying it. The man has not responded to subsequent attempts to make contact.
7 ( +10 / -3 )
Posted in: Kanye West's account on X goes dark after hate-filled rant See in context
A week ago, Tokyo Weekender reported that Kanye West was set to lose a $20 million Tokyo Dome deal because investors are reportedly “extremely upset” by his actions prior to the Grammys.
A source in Tokyo commented, “It is highly likely that they will pull the funding for the shows. He has greatly misjudged the tolerance of the Japanese people towards these activities. He’s just not welcome anymore. This will be a big blow for him because he has been living in Japan for around a year now, almost full-time, and I guess he did not see this coming.”
—
https://www.tokyoweekender.com/entertainment/music/kanye-west-set-to-lose-20-million-tokyo-dome-deal/
6 ( +10 / -4 )
Posted in: Legal hurdles keep high-profile rape victim's film off Japan screens See in context
a police detective who spoke frankly with Ito about her criminal case
The detective’s comments were very enlightening.
Viewers may be shocked to learn that four police who had been sent to Narita Airport to arrest Yamaguchi after his arrival were ordered to stand down outside the airport at the last minute by the Tokyo police chief, who afterward was promoted to lead the National Police Agency.
The film gives a good glimpse of powerful people in Japan’s government and security protecting powerful people in the media at the likely expense of a regular citizen.
16 ( +47 / -31 )
Posted in: Legal hurdles keep high-profile rape victim's film off Japan screens See in context
security footage of her being dragged into a hotel by her assailant
This is a film that should be seen. And that security footage of Ito being dragged out of the taxi and into the Sheridan Miyako Hotel by Yamaguchi is very compelling! Moreover, the taxi driver and hotel doorman corroborated her account!
20 ( +52 / -32 )
Posted in: Demi Moore wins at Critics Choice with disgraced rival Gascon absent See in context
crowned "Anora" as the year's best picture.
"Anora”: Very well-crafted and directed with exceptional acting, particularly by Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, and Yuriy Borisov.
Not an easy, fun, family-friendly film, however.
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: Ishiba curries favor with Trump on economic front See in context
After happily giving Ishiba a photo book of the attempted assassination as a gift, …
Japan received a useless photo book after presenting Trump with a golden samurai helmet priced at 168,000 yen. What an enormous waste of our Japanese taxes!
According to the Reagan Library …
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Foreign official gifts over a “minimal value” are considered gifts to the people of the United States, which the recipient must purchase from the General Services Administration at fair market value in order to retain. The White House Gift Unit sees to the disposition of foreign official gifts that the President and First Lady do not retain.
Most foreign official gifts which the President and First Lady do not retain for themselves are transferred to the National Archives by the Gift Unit, and become part of a presidential library museum collection.
1 ( +8 / -7 )
Posted in: Entrepreneur launches support service for international school kids in Japan See in context
Send your kids to Japanese schools.
Good recommendation, Fighto. However, most parents sending their children to international schools in Japan are planning for them to attend college/university outside Japan.
Most Japanese schools don’t have an adequate system or guidance counselor with adequate knowledge to assist a talented student with the many requirements of entry into an elite overseas college/university, the target of most of these parents. Moreover, the quality of most Japanese schools is not known to many overseas college/university admissions officers. Now, this is not the case for all Japanese schools. Some, like Gakugei or Senzoku, are well-known to overseas admissions officers and can handle an application to an overseas university or a Japanese university equally well.
Many other schools in Japan, however, are severely lacking, and most wealthy parents don’t want poor support staff impeding their child’s future.
5 ( +13 / -8 )
Posted in: Over 40% of Japanese want to use original family names at work after marriage See in context
Over 40 percent of Japanese want to keep using their original family names at work after they get married …
So use them!
I personally don’t know of a Japanese company that doesn’t allow someone to keep using their original family name. And the article certainly doesn’t mention any.
6 ( +11 / -5 )
Posted in: Sinkhole traps car on road in Nagoya; no one injured See in context
In the Yashio case, … the male driver remains missing.
Hopefully the Nagoya driver didn’t need help getting out of the hole. Otherwise, they might still be in there, as in the case in Yashio.
9 ( +18 / -9 )
Posted in: Entrepreneur launches support service for international school kids in Japan See in context
While international schools in Japan are expensive options, they have become more democratized in recent years. The declining birthrate in the country means more money can be spent on one child.
With financial support from grandparents, more middle-class families are able to afford such schools. The cost can vary widely, from 1.5 million yen to up to 10 million yen, including dormitory fees, such as in the case of Harrow.
This is a service for very very few people — not applicable to more than 99.9% of Japanese.
12 ( +26 / -14 )
Posted in: Men arrested over alleged prostitution for inbound tourists in Tokyo See in context
Uh, no. Other media report they recruited the women while they were already selling themselves at Okubo Park at night.
"uncovered"? LOL. If the cops were astute, they wouldn't have to "uncover" anything in "the heart of Shinjuku." It's pretty much in the open in that part of town. You see it every night at Okubo Park, nearly all of it catering to Japanese men. Why did the cops target this niche aspect of it instead of a full fledged crackdown -- if prostitution is so bad?
Exactly! Prostitution is rampant in Kabukicho! Everybody knows it. Japan Today has even published articles on it.
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“Backstreet stories: Small Kabukicho park has become a haven for hookers”
https://japantoday.com/category/features/kuchikomi/backstreet-stories-small-kabukicho-park-has-become-a-haven-for-hookers
18 ( +31 / -13 )
Posted in: Ex-lawmaker gets suspended sentence for raping junior high school girl See in context
This is just speculation as I have no other information but it could be that she was in a different booth singing with friends, etc, as this is a pastime of many young people. Maybe she stepped outside to go to the bathroom, take a break or something, and was then sexually assaulted in another area possibly.
According to the Japan Times …
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Shiiki, who had never met the girl before the incident, paid her ¥10,000 for the act.
According to prosecutors, an employee at the karaoke parlor spotted a half-naked Shiiki and the girl through a window and reported them to the police.
Shiiki allegedly denied involvement at the time of the incident.
“I did not do that. You will know if you ask the girl,” he allegedly said.
7 ( +7 / -0 )
Posted in: Ex-lawmaker gets suspended sentence for raping junior high school girl See in context
However, the court deemed a suspended sentence appropriate, noting that Shiiki had already apologized and paid compensation.
A suspended sentence for the rape of a 12-year-old girl by a 58-year-old former Nippon Ishin no Kai lawmaker???
Absolutely disgraceful!
64 ( +71 / -7 )
Posted in: Homegrown vegetables, cheap substitutes: Japanese get creative to fight soaring food prices See in context
… indoor farming at home …
I have tended to multiple indoor and outdoor “farms” inside Tokyo, and I have never found them to result in much cost-savings, particularly after including all the related costs. Moreover, I was often left with oversupply, which led to me giving a lot away to colleagues, friends, and neighbors.
Perhaps I did benefit, however, from the goodwill generated.
7 ( +22 / -15 )
Posted in: Crowds welcome sumo's newest grand champion in ancient ceremony See in context
Nice to see Japan Today publishing a few sumo-related articles over the past week, obviously the impact of Hoshoryu’s promotion to yokozuna.
Japan Today used to upload stories/results during the six two-week tournaments held annually, but apparently shifted away from coverage a few years ago.
As the sport becomes more popular internationally, let’s hope it receives more attention in this Japan-themed media.
1 ( +8 / -7 )
Posted in: Efforts continue to clear debris in sinkhole, rescue trapped truck driver See in context
… it may have been possible to lower a special forces extraction team into the hole with a helicopter hoist or extraction rope.
Exactly what I was thinking!
I also noted those multiple power lines. Those could have been removed, but likely not fast enough in those first few hours before the mudslide that buried the vehicle.
But definitely by Day 3 it could have been done by a competent team.
3 ( +12 / -9 )
Posted in: Efforts continue to clear debris in sinkhole, rescue trapped truck driver See in context
I found the New York Times article on this topic to be far more informative. Excerpt below.
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The driver was alive immediately after the truck sank into the hole, responding to nearby rescuers, according to the public broadcaster NHK. However, a few hours later, a mudslide inside the hole caused dirt and rubble to fall onto the vehicle, burying it. The man has not responded to subsequent attempts to make contact.
Rescue efforts have been complicated by the fragility of the ground around the hole. A second hole that emerged nearby on Tuesday merged with the first one early Thursday, forming a larger sinkhole. The collapsed area now stretches approximately 65 feet in diameter.
A fire department official said on Thursday that the hole had deepened, and that the front section of the truck, where the driver is believed to be trapped, was no longer visible. “The situation is extremely dangerous, and we can’t send many rescuers,” he said. “We will try to rescue him as soon as possible.”
Firefighters are considering the use of heavy machinery to clear the dirt and debris in order to access the trapped driver. On Wednesday, a large crane was able to lift part of the truck’s cargo bed to the surface, but the driver was not found in that section of the vehicle.
15 ( +21 / -6 )
Posted in: Ad giant Dentsu fined ¥300 mil over Tokyo Olympics bid-rigging See in context
In the trial, Dentsu admitted to rigging bids for contracts worth over 500 million yen to plan and run pre-games test events …
¥200 million = 500 million in contracts - 300 million in fines
Dentsu netted ¥200 million. Is that a deterrent?
20 ( +26 / -6 )
Posted in: Japan to halt funding for U.N. women's rights panel over call to end male-only imperial succession See in context
Japan to halt funding for U.N. women's rights panel over call to end male-only imperial succession
A bit hypocritical, Japan.
In the days before Princess Kiko’s pregnancy was announced in 2006, the Diet was making moves to end the country's male-only imperial succession rule.
1 ( +31 / -30 )
Posted in: New sumo grand master vows best behavior after promotion See in context
If Kotozakura, a Japanese wrestler at the second-highest rank of ozeki, had won this past tournament and been promoted to yokozuna, would we be seeing articles comparing him to all the previous Japanese bad actors in sumo — the ones who have been tossed out for gambling, violence, etc.?
I sincerely doubt it.
6 ( +11 / -5 )
Posted in: Sumo avoids chasm at top with yokozuna promotion See in context
@Hito Bito
As for Hoshoryu, his "qualifications" are sub-standard at best. Kachi-koshi records only in 2024 (never winning a single basho) …
You are mistaken. Hoshoryu has attained a “kachi-koshi” winning record in each of the last 19 consecutive tournaments stretching back to January 2022, winning the July 2023 and January 2025 bashos.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C5%8Dsh%C5%8Dry%C5%AB_Tomokatsu
2 ( +6 / -4 )
Posted in: Sumo avoids chasm at top with yokozuna promotion See in context
Congratulations to Hoshoryu!
His three-consecutive victories on Sunday were certainly thrilling, and his yokozuna promotion will continue the streak of foreign-born wrestlers continuously holding the yokozuna rank since March 1993.
Hoshoryu’s final bout on Sunday was against Oho, repeatedly described by NHK and print media as “the 24-year-old grandson of former yokozuna Taiho.”
Sumo followers have noted how NHK commentators and print media are going to extremes to describe Oho as the grandson of former yokozuna Taiho instead of the son of his own father, former sekiwake Takatoriki, who won the spring 2000 tournament and had seven victories over former yokozuna Akebono.
Why? Well, Takatoriki was dismissed from the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) in 2010 for his role in an illegal gambling scandal and has since started his own YouTube channel, on which he not only offers sumo insights but also frequently criticizes the JSA.
However, if DNA is important, Oho has significantly more DNA from his father than his grandfather.
Known as the bad boy of sumo, Asashoryu frequently clashed with the sport's authorities …. He was forced to retire in 2010 after breaking a man's nose in a drunken brawl outside a Tokyo nightclub.
Similarly, we often see Hoshoryu compared to his ill-behaved uncle Asashoryu.
But Hoshoryu, like Oho, is his own man with his own journey.
Congrats again, Hoshoryu! Looking forward to seeing how your journey plays out.
13 ( +21 / -8 )
Posted in: Kurds living in Kawaguchi repeatedly find themselves in the news See in context
Is it hate or prejudice or racism or intolerance to expect immigrants to behave themselves?
Love everything Michael Hoffman writes — 25 years and counting!
Perfectly perceptive, ideally insightful.
1 ( +9 / -8 )
Posted in: Loyalty tests and MAGA checks: Inside the Trump White House's intense screening of job-seekers See in context
Trump officials have made no secret of their intention to fill the administration with hires sharing the president’s vision.
Husbands who go grocery shopping with their wives are likely on the “Do not hire” list.
On his Thursday night show, Fox News’ Jesse Watters took exception to Doug Emhoff accompanying his wife, former Vice President Kamala Harris, to a store, asking viewers: “What kind of husband goes grocery shopping with his wife?”
2 ( +10 / -8 )
Posted in: Japan preparing to use rice reserves amid soaring prices See in context
According to Asahi, rice prices are around 60 percent higher than they were a year ago.
And “some farmers are apparently holding off on selling their newly harvested grain in the hope that wholesale prices will rise even further.”
Farm minister Taku Eto told a Dec. 20 news conference that while the surge in price of newly harvested rice was somewhat extreme, “it would not be right for the government to intervene in the market price.”
If hoarding and price gouging are occurring, perhaps the government should intervene, particularly since the Japanese government subsidizes rice production to control the amount produced.
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https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15559987
10 ( +20 / -10 )
Posted in: Japan wage growth gathers steam as reluctant retailers raise pay See in context
Real wage growth would be welcome to offset the zero or negative growth in inflation-adjusted real wages Japan has recorded for 33 of the last 35 months.
-3 ( +19 / -22 )
Posted in: Sumo to stage event in Paris as part of global push See in context
Only a decade or so ago a few people were bemoaning the "waning interest" in Sumo - boy, were they wrong!
Three decades ago, sold-out sumo tournaments were common.
Now, about 15 years ago, sponsors were pulling out of tournaments, but that was because a gambling and ticket scandal. Info in the AP article below.
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Scandal slams sumo tournament broadcast
NHK cancels live broadcast over illegal gambling
BY GAVIN J BLAIR, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
JULY 6, 2010
TOKYO — Pubcaster NHK is to cancel live broadcasts of the Nagoya Sumo tournament that begins July 11, due to a scandal involving wrestlers and trainers betting large amounts of money in illegal gambling on baseball games through a syndicate run by the Japanese mob.
Sponsors have already pulled out of the tournament, and a high-ranking wrestler and his trainer have been banned from the centuries-old sport for life. Eighteen other wrestlers have been suspended for the tournament, and dozens of officials and trainers punished for gambling on professional baseball through bookmakers linked to yakuza crime organizations.
NHK has received more than 11,000 phone calls over the issue and is pulling live coverage for the first time, though it will still show a highlights digest program.
“Although more than 60% of the messages we received were in favor of not showing the tournament, there were still a lot of people who supported it being broadcast, and many others who are looking forward to watching it,” NHK spokesperson Marina Iwamura told The Hollywood Reporter. “That’s why the decision to stop the live broadcast but show the digest program was taken.”
NHK is sumo’s biggest benefactor through its buying of exclusive broadcast rights, although the pubcaster doesn’t disclose how much it pays for them.
In a separate scandal at the end of May, an entire sumo training stable was disbanded after tickets for VIP ringside seats found their way into the hands of senior members of the largest Japanese yakuza gang, the Yamaguchi-gumi.
The gangsters are believed to have wanted to sit ringside as a show of solidarity for an imprisoned gang boss, who would have been able to see them during the tournament broadcast on NHK, which they are permitted to watch in jail.
2 ( +4 / -2 )
Posted in: Sumo to stage event in Paris as part of global push See in context
Their org has hunted down every highlights reel on every platform for years. All while being unwilling to put out one of their own in a timely fashion.
NHK uploads videos (in Japanese) of each bout minutes after it occurs. Link below.
https://www.nhk.jp/p/ts/Z8WRRJ9K96/blog/bl/p781bLebx4/
8 ( +10 / -2 )
Posted in: Gutting aid, U.S. cedes soft power game to China
Posted in: Gutting aid, U.S. cedes soft power game to China
Lose what, a war? How do you think that will effect NATO? How long do you think it will take…
Posted in: What would happen if Japan is attacked?
Posted in: Missing truck cabin located in sewer pipe near Saitama sinkhole