Ben Read comments

We don't need a "normal" parade (normal, wtf does that mean). You aren't discriminated against on a daily basis. This is ONE DAY that people of the LGBT community get to celebrate who they are without being made to feel any shame of who they are by other "normal" people. But no, you shouldn't be able to do that cause I don't know how to explain it to my crappy kid.

Are trains still running?

sensei258, nice! Blame the victim! Bet you are a guy. Besides, I dont think the guy would kill himself if he had nothing to feel guilty about.

Stupid noob question as I am new to Japan, but is there a site that says when and where these protests will be?

As a musician who used to be signed to an arm of a major label, I can say that unless you are in the top tier of musicians/artists, you do not make very much from album sales (if anything). Most of the revenue from album sales goes to the label who own your music. Instead, the musician/artist makes money from touring and merchandise (merchandise NOT produced by the label that is), so this is nothing more than a last ditch attempt by major labels to get as much as they can before the whole industry changes. This is futile. Artists are realising that there is no real advantage to being signed to a major label, but the disadvantages are numerous. Not owning your own songs is a huge one. Thanks to the internet, it is fairly easy to get great exposure to your core fan base. Sure, you might not have huge advertising campaigns (which are ALWAYS recouped by labels from album sales - among many other things), but if you are talented, people will check out your music, buy a t-shirt, come watch you play when you are in town. After 10 years of working with various labels, and watching the advancement of the internet/technology, I have decided that being independent musician is a far more rewarding, fulfilling prospect. I have full creative control, I own my music, and I can choose to put it out for free. After all, the greatest reward as a musician is to have people listen to and enjoy your music.

Anyway, kind of got off track, but long story short, things like this are the death-throes of a dying industry, one that is long overdue for a complete overhaul. That being said, as a foreigner in Japan, I an very worried about the consequences of this.

Wow, so many judgmental people in here! Most people that get (good) tattoos don't ever regret them. Yep, one day I'll be old and wrinkly, but by that stage I won't be too worried about having saggy colourful skin as opposed to saggy skin coloured skin. I must say I have been surprised by the lack of Japanese people judging or looking down on me for having tattoos. Seems they are more accepting than you lot for the most part. Why judge others for making different choices than you? What a boring world that would we if we were all the same.

Yep, seems that way. So noisy here in Yokohama, the winds are crazy!