Bruce Chatwin comments

Yet another idiotic proposal from the incompetent Ishin no Kai.

Aso is giving Trump a run for the money for the title of world's biggest idiot politician. Of course, it's a crowded field, what with Johnson, Trudeau, and Morrison also all being gold medal candidates.

The Japanese media (but apparently not Yomiuri or Sankei) is reporting this as a quick search of 麻生が謝罪 reveals.

The last thing Canada needs are these representatives of an anachronistic and parasitic system that should be consigned to the rubbish heap.

According to Kyodo News reporter Tomoyuki Tachikawa

they were taught at school about the Japanese empire's colonization and aggression before the end of World War II in a neutral manner, unlike their Korean and Chinese counterparts.

It seems abundantly clear that being Japanese colours Tachikawa's perceptions, and his reporting.

I wonder how this will affect bail applicants of less substantial means. Negatively would be my guess.

I'm pretty sure that such considerations never crossed Ghosn's mind.

With so many other options out there, I will give my business to stores other than 7-Eleven.

Bugle Boy of Company B

By "we" I take it that you mean Americans.

FWIW, some examples of hate speech laws from various countries include

It is an offense to advocate or promote genocide, which is defined as killing members of an identifiable group, or inflicting conditions of life on a group which are calculated to bring about the physical destruction of the group. 

It is an offense to communicate statements in a public place which incite hatred against an identifiable group, where it is likely to lead to a breach of the peace. Iit is an offense to willfully promote hatred against any identifiable group, by making statements (other than in private conversation).

It is an offense to publicly mock, defame, denigrate or threaten a person or group of persons by comments or expressions of another nature, for example by means of pictures or symbols, for their nationality, colour, race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity, or disseminates such materials.

It is an offense to publish or distribute "threatening, abusive, or insulting ... matter or words likely to excite hostility against or bring into contempt any group of persons ... on the ground of the colour, race, or ethnic or national origins of that group of persons"

Kazuaki Shimazaki Today 10:13 am JST

This one does. It's usually termed as "inciting separatism" (basically, separatism is anything the CCP finds sufficiently annoying).

You are correct. My mistake.

I found the following regarding China and its hate speech laws:

In 1997, China amended its criminal law and added two articles that are relevant to hate speech.

Article 249 of the Criminal Law provides that:

Whoever incites ethnic hatred or discrimination, if the circumstances are serious, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention, public surveillance or deprivation of political rights; if the circumstances are especially serious, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than 10 years.

Article 250 of the Criminal Law provides that: Where  a publication  carries  an  article  designated  to  discriminate or humiliate an ethnic group, if the circumstances are flagrant and the consequences are serious, the persons who are directly responsible for the offense shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance.Public Security Administration Punishments Law [治安管理处罚法] also punishes hate speech of a minor nature.

Article 47 of the Law provides that:

Anyone who incites ethnic hatred or discrimination, or publishes any content discriminating or insulting any ethnic group in any publication or on the Internet, shall be detained for not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days, and may be concurrently fined 1,000 yuan.

expressing a hate, or especially a dislike, for a person, group, or thing, even if it IS on the basis of race, religion, or anything else, IS protected under free-speech provisions of constitutions

Not in enlightened countries such as Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Oh really? Improved society, such as in China, Saudi-Arabia, Pakistan, the Soviet Union, or Nazi Germany?

Neither China, nor Saudi-Arabia, nor Pakistan have hate speech laws. Neither the Soviet Union, nor Nazi Germany exist today.

Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom all have hate speech laws in one form or another. Funnily enough, none of these countries have the death penalty.

On the other hand, the US, China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Iran all have capital punishment; with the United States being the only Western country to still use the death penalty.

It is a shame on the International community, particularly UN and USA that they all look the other way and contunue to trade with China

According to Japan's Ministry of Finance, in 2018, bilateral trade between Japan and China amounted to 34.8 trillion Yen, while in the same period, bilateral trade between Japan and the US amounted to 24.7 trillion Yen.

https://www.customs.go.jp/toukei/shinbun/trade-st_e/2018/2018_216e.pdf

That's right. Japan does more trade with China than it does with the US.

China is Japan's largest export market, but it's a good thing that Japan doesn't continue trading with China like the UN and the US.

Name the miscreant.

Weinstein is an ACTUAL SEXUAL PREDATOR and criminal. No correlation whatsoever. The only "crime" President TRUMP has committed is "obstructing" Crooked Hillary from another illegitimate White House occupant like BO.

Trump has been accused of rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment, including non-consensual kissing or groping, by at least 23 women since the 1980s.

Over the previous three decades, Trump and his businesses have been involved in 3,500 legal cases in U.S. federal courts and state court. The topics of the legal cases include contract disputes, defamation claims, and above mentioned allegations of sexual harassment. Trump's companies have been involved in more than 100 tax disputes, and on "at least three dozen" occasions the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance has obtained tax liens against Trump properties for nonpayment of taxes. On a number of occasions, Trump has threatened legal action but did not ultimately follow through.

Trump is every bit the criminal that Weinstein is.

Japanese regular employment is similar to US civil service or military employment. Most of US employment is contingent.

The Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training: In Japan, the term Regular Employee is generally considered as an employee who is hired directly by his/her employer without a predetermined period of employment, and works for scheduled hours. In other words, it can be summarized as open-ended, full-time, direct employment.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics' most recent data describes 128 million US workers as full-time and 27 million workers as part-time.

On top of the bridges and tunnels, are elevated highways, water/sewage treatment plants, power plants, dams, etc.

More than a third of the Japanese workforce were working in non-regular positions in 2017. For that year, non-regular employees made up 37.3% of the overall workforce. According to research conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the number of non-regular employees increased to 20.4 million in total in 2017. There were 17.2 million non-regular employees aged 15 to 64 in 2017. The number of workers 65 and older with nonregular jobs rose to 3.2 million.

As Serrano notes, these employees do not receive bonuses. Or for that matter, many other benefits that regular workers enjoy.

Today's news: Japan's retail sales tumbled at their fastest pace in more than 4-1/2 years in October as a sales tax hike prompted consumers to cut spending, raising a red flag over the strength of domestic demand.

What a sad joke.

One universal pension plan for all workers, part-time and full-time, would solve the problem.

Likewise, one universal medical plan for all workers, both part-time and full-time, would solve be a huge benefit for the Japanese economy.

Taro Aso is Japan's representative to the IMF.

We're doomed.

The consumption tax is a regressive tax disproportionately affecting people with lower incomes.

According to the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Japan spent $46.6 billion US in 2018, ranking it in the top 10 countries for military spending.

Hey Abe! How about focusing on the steadily declining conditions of workers in Japan instead of distracting us with constitutional reform.

@Justanotherhuman

As sales tax punishes the lowest wage earners disproportionately it is considered worldwide as a REGRESSIVE tax. Fitting then that Japan has chosen to implement such a scheme, rather than PROGRESSIVELY taxing those that take maximum advantage from the government and can absolutely afford to pay their fair share - the ultra wealthy corporations for one.

I wholeheartedly agree, but to be fair, most countries (or states/provinces where applicable) have regressive VAT/sales/consumption taxes. Individuals are increasingly being forced to pay more while corporations pay less. For example, I believe the corporate tax rate in Japan in 2009 was 40%; today it is 31%. In Canada, the corporate tax rate decreased from 31% in 2009 to 27% today. In the UK, the corporate tax rate decreased from 28% in 2009 to 19% today. In the UK, the VAT (i.e. consumption tax) increased from 15% in 2009 to 20% today.

No increase in my salary in over 15 years despite a 100% increase in the consumption tax rate in that time. Also, despite the protestations of the government, there has been a substantial increase in the cost of living in the past 15 years, yet no increase in salary.

it may be completely normal in your home country — fellas! — to relieve yourself outside, in an alley or on the side of building, whereas here the keisatsu (police) may stop you for defacing private property or indecent exposure.

Really? In Osaka men of a certain age piss just about wherever they like.

@Samit Basu

Japanese never protest.

Labour unions and political parties protest. Human rights activists, environmentalists, anti-war groups, and groups demanding the closure of US military bases in Okinawa also regularly protest in Japan.

In 2011, the basic monthly salary for a Diet member was ¥1,300,000 and his/her yearly bonus amounted to ¥5,500,000. Each lawmaker is allowed ¥1 million a month for tsushin kotsu taizai-hi (communications, transportation and lodging expenses). Lawmakers are not required to submit receipts showing how they spent this money, so that’s an extra ¥12 million a year, tax-free. That’ a total of over ¥33,000,000 a year.

Also, if the politician belongs to a parliamentary group that is working on a specific issue, he/she can receive an extra ¥650,000 a month in legislative administrative expenses (rippo jimuhi) while the group is operating.

According to the national tax agency, the average salaryman working for a private company in Japan earned ¥295,000 a month in 2010, and received yearly bonuses of ¥580,000.

"Japanese lawmakers' income averaged 26.57 million yen ($245,000) in 2018"

That is it? Chump change compare to America.

The median net worth of a US senator was $3.2 million, versus $900,000 for members of the House of Representatives. A LDP dietman at $245,000?

There is a difference between income and net worth. The figures for Japan are for yearly income while you are talking about net worth of US politicians. They are completely different beasts.

Japanese lawmakers' income averaged 26.57 million yen in 2018.

No wonder they're not worried whether or not their pension will be sufficient to see them through retirement.