bruinfan comments

Good riddance. Now looking forward to a World Cup winner that hasn't won in at least 20 years (if ever) !

"Subsidies is different than giving someone welfare and entitlements because some people don’t want to work."

Tender pork is tender pork. Cut the fat!

Japan is a clean country overall. Having said that Mt. Fuji had a problem with trash even when 97% or more of the climbers were Japanese.

Too little too late in any case. I think they have arrived in at least 3-4 prefectures in Japan.

So sad that imperial Japan sacrificed so many Okinawan citizens then. May the truth not be forgotten.

Well at least Messi can take his paycheck to the bank after all is done. Is he overrated ? I canʻt say...

A grass roots movement is needed by the 72% non-smokers in this country (especially those bringing children to restaurants). Give restaurants without a true non-smoking section a miss and tell them why. Take a stand!

Now that there are plenty of tourists coming to Japan, they should have the tourists pay this too. (or at least give people living in Japan some breaks in prices like so many other countries around the world do).

This will not be an easy match for Japan, despite what some have said.

At first I thought that they meant travelers with *any unpaid medical bills (i.e. even in their own country). Now I see they mean people who have unpaid medical bills from a previous visit to Japan ...

_Don't do it just to just to bring in more tourists.

I agree. On the least worth UNESCO site in Japan, I would say Iwami Ginzan in Shimane.

As it has been said before... Paid publicity for the retail buyer.

Japan should have raised the age to receive a national pension to 65 or 68 back in 1990. Some may not like to hear this but part of the deficit is from giving too generous of benefits to "permanent" full time housewives (without much being paid in).

Most NRA members would like to have some required background checks, but the top leaders donors are against it.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/377455-poll-most-nra-members-support-comprehensive-background-checks

How bad is this problem (how much is this costing/year)? Does anyone know ?

Kobe, Yokohama, Nagasaki and Hakata-Tenjin are my favorite cities. Saitama has some good places to live (Kumagaya, et. al.) if you can work near home and not have to commute into central Tokyo. Having some good friends live within 20min. helps to make wherever you live a better place.

with

I don"t know the NRA members, but the NRA leadership has some views which even most of the members disagree.

The police are guilty too. The world would be better if this woman was shamed as a liar.

What does he mean by "swagger"?

"What idiot sets a summer temp. at 28? Against common sense."

If it is a humid 28C (as is often the case) the heat index will be equivalent to 30C (dry).

"we know all of our neighbors in a very wide direction. If I'm on the street brushing up the leaves all will say hello and many will stop for a chat." ...................

I envy you. I wish it were like that in the city I live in.

Zichi,

Thanks again for the link.

Interesting to note that Japan is one of the few countries (I know) that basically gives tourists the discounts (JR passes, tax-free goods) and charges residents + citizens more money left and right . In this case it is the same, However, if you go to a number of countries the residents of those countries pay a smaller departure tax then visitors. Also admissions to places such as the Taj Mahal (India), the Johor Bahru Sultan Palace and Angkor Park (Cambodia) are cheaper or even free for their residents. In Guam residents get a card giving them discounts on hotels, etc. that the tourists don't get. Well I guess Singapore charges only residents (and not tourists) to go in their casinos. . .

In Chuuk and Palau the residents of each pay a lot less for this tax.

Yes, See Kurosawa's "Ikiru". Great movie. Nurse is a good choice for women in the current climate, but hopefully oppportunities will continue to increase for women. Small business owner ?

Disgusting.

Yokohama is a suburb? Anyway, I agree that "retail" is a better word, Kohaku.

Actually when I traveled around to Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden, I realized more that the yen was quite weak.

jim4790:

...

Thanks for sharing. You are right on!