Big comments

"PTownsendToday  09:28 am JST

I'm no fan of Suga, but my experience is very few managers in Japanese organizations ever seem willing to take full responsibility for actions of any sort, especially those actions that resulted in creating problems like we have seen come about from the poor response to dealing with he pandemic. Few Japanese leaders are willing to say 'the buck stops here', so shouldn't blame be spread and shared among all those in Suga's LDP faction."

100% SPOT ON!

"Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga came into office pledging to devote himself to tackling the coronavirus, but in the end his response to the pandemic appears to have been his undoing." And here we see the problem with "leadership" in Japan. It's just words. He didn't devote himself to anything. Other than waffling about "devotion" and "tackling" what did he "do" to tackle the virus? Nothing! People are still struggling to book in their vaccine appointments. He should have shown "leadership" in one of two ways.

"I know holding the Olympics is not popular but I will take all responsibility for holding them. The Olympics will proceed, and I will ensure every resident has the opportunity to be fully vaccinated before the opening ceremony."

"I know some people are going to be disappointed but I have decided holding the Olympics will be too risky in the current climate. Freed-up from thinking about the Olympics we will use every energy to ensure all residents have the opportunity to be fully vaccinated by September."

Actual Japanese "leadership": "It's too difficult, and no one appreciates my lack of action, so I will resign."

Apparently truth and facts are too confronting for JT moderators so let me try to reword my removed comment:

Encouragement of global talent to work in Japan will fail because Japanese companies (probably even international companies with an office in Japan) can't adjust their policies to compete with overseas institutions. For example, adhoc performance-based salary increases.

mbuhlayawToday  07:14 am JST

"...a bit vague..."

Welcome to Japan.

JCosplayToday  07:19 am JST

You know, I’m a bit surprised that the EU would take this route. I mean don’t you think that some of these mothers are fleeing from their ex spouses because of potential abuse or something? I mean if that’s not the case, then I understand the plight of these fathers. But let’s not get too hasty about applying every international standard that the international community wants.

I mean yes, as much as I support the idea that a child should spend time with both parents, it is a slippery slope. And there is a fine line between helping people in need, and the elimination of any kind of national sovereignty. That’s all I’m saying, no more no less.

Stupid comment. Most of these cases happen simply because Japanese law can't wrap it's head around joint custody and it too medokusai to bother, so the fathers suffer. I'm sure there are cases where mothers are fleeing because of violence, but whatever the percentage of cases that is does not justify denying good fathers the right to see their children. If the shoe was on the other foot and it was father running away with kids you'd suddenly be interested in the each individual cases context, right. I'm assuming you're a western woman without kids, not married to Japanese woman. You can't have it both ways.

Not defending this father because I don't know the full story, but it's entirely possible this article has had a little bit of context intentionally left out or worded in a particular way that it gets readers riled up to comment. I just cannot imagine forgetting my child like that... I'm sure there is some more context that won't necessarily excuse the father but will offer more clarity to how this happened.

expatToday  10:54 am JST

Glad I'm not paying for it...

Ha ha ha!

Where are my masks, Abe, you loser!

Kazuaki ShimazakiToday  01:49 pm JST

Well, of course they do.

Taking the issues from first to bottom, the available information simply does not support any other conclusion other than Ghosn being at least a high probability accused. His lawyer may bluster and complain, but he has also submitted broad-spectrum (not targetted) requests for discovery. This indicates that the material in the case file plus any material he already had access to is sufficient to "cook" Ghosn, and he is praying something is in the material he does not have access to. Or more darkly he's hoping he'll bump into some convenient material he can use for blackmail. Anyway, the court recognized his fishing expedition and refused his request.

Second, people should not conflate "criminal" and "illegal" or "unlawful". Escaping bail might not rise to a crime in Japan, due to the kind heartedness and restraint of the system, which Ghosn ruined I might remind everyone. But breaking a deal is definitely at least a tort.

Third, in common usage, when word criminal covers suspects, accused, defendants as well as convicts. The section the law is in emphasizes this because most of it concerns actions that are only useful to people who have not yet been convicted, anyway. I suggest not trying to knowingly twist language.

The issue is, however, he was never going to, nor will he ever, get a fair trial in Japan.

CrickyToday  01:42 pm JST

I'm sure the Judge will take into consideration that sending them to a country that boasts a 99% conviction rate, would be a dubious idea. And the yearly criticism from world bodies chastising the Japanese treatment and procedures of both accused and found guilty. Japan makes it too easy to deny extradition just on humanitarian grounds.

That's why Japanese government and courts get so frustrated. They don't understand this "humanitarian" thing of which you speak.

Harry_GattoToday  09:12 am JST

If someone arrives today and are deemed to be number 251 do they get sent straight back or do they have to wait and then go to the front of the queue tomorrow?

Hold tight for further announcements. This is Japan after all, it's not like they will leave this kind of stuff vague.

tinky1June 11  07:10 pm JST

i suspect this hasn't been thought through on all levels...

It's not like Japan to implement processes without thinking through all the details

ThonTaddeoToday  11:34 am JST

You're putting the cart before the horse here by starting off by saying that you committed a crime. A better analogy from Ghosn's perspective would be if you showed up at my house because the police were chasing you and falsely claiming that you had robbed a bank, and me arranging a jet for you because I know as well as you do that the police are not going to see things your way.

This line sums it up perfectly: "because I know as well as you do that the police are not going to see things your way." This is a culture where evidence, nuance, and context are seen as excuses (iiwake) so if he had the chance to leave why would he stay knowing he would never get a fair trial.

The bottom line issue for everyone living in Japan should not be whether he is guilty or innocent, but that he would never get a fair hearing... because if it can happen to him it can happen to anyone.

CrickyToday  07:11 am JST

They just can't let it go

Yep. In typical fashion Japan's like a dog with a bone.

BurakuminDesToday  08:25 am JST

The guy has lost his marbles.

You're assuming he had any marbles to begin with :-)

 almost a symbol of its celebrated work ethic 

Work ethic? In Japan? Are you serious? This is the country of harassment at work, low pay and exploitation.

The train is the symbol of Japanese workaholic society

Workaholic, really? Let's look at the labor productivity shall we. So looking at the GDP per hour worked, we find before Japan: Ireland, Norway, Germany, USA, Switzerland, France, UK, Australia, Italy, Spain and Canada. Japan makes barely better than Greece. Yeah sure workaholic, well maybe it's more accurate to say that they pretend to be.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2019/02/05/where-labor-productivity-is-highest-infographic/#5b7b7e6dea44

Spot on! Sitting in the office moving the mouse around and waiting for your boss to go home doesn't make you a workaholic, it makes you an unproductive idiot.

dagonToday  06:49 am JST

Denentoshi Line to Shibuya:Shoulder to shoulder, people pressing against your back. Getting off in Shibuya: in the Mark City concourse all seating is roped off with plastered signs indicating it is due to "social distancing". Hard to see the logic

This is Japan. It doesn't have to be logical. It just needs to look like we're doing something.

Should have had him under surveillance before this happened. No 35 year old man with any self respect lives at home with their mother.

zichiToday  06:13 pm JST

We received our postal application last week with payments made next month. I think the delays are caused by the local governments not the central one.

The fish rots from the head down. The blame rests with Abe. It's being run like a Japanese business. The company president can't decide what he wants. When he finally makes a decision he offers no leadership or logistical support to roll out what his "decision".

klausdorthToday  04:11 pm JST

If it was me to decide, how about the governor of Osaka?

Young, ideas, always present, speaking the "people's tongue".

But who am I to decide?

He would be a good leader, compared to Abe at least. However, he's not part of the LDP -- but even if he was, the LDP is never going to choose someone young with ideas who wants to change things. "Young", "ideas", and "change" are against everything the LDP stands for. Not to mention, Kanto generally seems to stuck up to want a national leader who hails from Osaka.

MontyToday  07:13 am JST

What is the difference between Osaka and Tokyo according the daily life?

A major difference? Space. Despite being a busy city, Osaka has nothing on Tokyo. Ever tried to change trains between JR and Ginza lines at Shinbashi station in peak hour? You're up close and personal with the hairs on the next person's neck all the way from the wicket, down the stairs, to your next stop. Plus, Tokyo commute times are loooonnnggg.

Such a backward culture. In every way it's always "us v them."

AlexBecuToday  12:47 pm JST

Japan is doing better then most countries. Fact

Unless, through some hospital or government policies, deaths which could be attributed to COVID-19 are not being reported as such. Having lived here for more than a decade it wouldn't surprise me if there was some policy that says if the patient was admitted with a broken leg and subsequently contracted COV-19 the death has to be attributed to the broken leg.

justasking Today  08:03 am JST

Doesn't matter anymore. Any findings this government will soon find out was already studied, researched, and addressed in other nations. Japan is just too slow to act on this one. They are just too afraid to be wrong.

Just to correct one sentence:

"Japan is just too slow to act."

This is criminal. People need money now. How this national government has been dilly-dallying to get to this point is a model of incompetence. I live next to a river and at least two people have suicided last week. I fear this is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

Whatever they do I wish they would just do it. I'm so tired of this Japanese way of messing around and lack of transparency. Just make a decision and do it for God's sake!

Perfect example of Japanese culture getting in the way of facts and practicalities. I can just imagine as he laid out facts and context to the court the magistrates thinking to themselves, 言い訳！

Yawn... every Japanese production is the same tired actors all the time.

Lived in Japan for 14 years and lack of testing was most definitely about the Olympics. The fact the media doesn't seem to have been relentlessly questioning the government about it would be frustrating if it wasn't just one of those things I've come to expect about Japan.

The thing that has me really confused is why the hospitals haven't been bombarded with critically ill people like overseas. They can cover up the numbers by not testing, but they can't cover up the number of people requiring critical care.

Agree @StevieJ, postpartum depression is very real and probably more common than the public knows. A caring loving environment and treatment staff is needed for new mothers and families. The idea of not taking responsibility as a family and country is the heart of the problem.

Agreed. I think postpartum depression is a serious issue in Japan (probably due to a lot of Japanese cultural factors colliding) and mental health isn't taken seriously here at all. I have heard people in Japan describe depressed people as "weak" to their faces.