cechanju comments

Posted in: DPJ leader Kaieda, Ishihara lose seats; Obuchi re-elected See in context

Tamogami didn't win. That's another plus.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Posted in: U.S. Embassy warns citizens about drink spiking in Roppongi See in context

AFAIK it's not just happening in places with touts.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Posted in: Gov't trying to confirm report 9 Japanese have joined Islamic State See in context

Tamogami is an uber nationalist of the highest degree. Giving him credibility about this gives him general credibility. Google "tamogami was japan an aggressor nation" for his views on war time Japan. Scrutinize his motives for this before accepting it.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Posted in: Gov't trying to confirm report 9 Japanese have joined Islamic State See in context

Why on earth is anything Tamogami - the Nanjing Massacre didn't happen - being reported seriously in media. Why give ultra nationalists any air.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Posted in: Cabinet minister denies ties to hate speech group See in context

http://mid.parfe.jp/kikannsi/115.pdf

Not just one picture. She's looking pretty cozy here with Masuki. Not a good look for the cabinet minister in charge of police to be hanging out with people with criminal records. If he were yakuza, she'd be out of a job. But uyuko is ok... sad.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Posted in: Asahi apologizes for erroneous Fukushima, comfort women reports See in context

Asahi is under a lot of pressure because they've been opposing the government on matters such as Article 9 of the Constitution and the Special Secrets Act. Destroying newspapers that oppose the govt. is what fascist governments do.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Posted in: Japanese women retake top spot for life expectancy See in context

Taro Aso got a lot of flack for saying the tubes should come out...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/22/elderly-hurry-up-die-japanese

I wonder if he was speaking from his own experience. For all his failings, he seems more in tune with the reality of some aged care here than his detractors...

Bloomberg's article as a hyperlink.

< http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-23/grandma-on-feeding-tube-without-consent-symbolizes-japan.html>

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Japanese women retake top spot for life expectancy See in context

Bloomberg had a gut wrenching article on force feeding of oldies the other day. Not a situation to take any pride in. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-23/grandma-on-feeding-tube-without-consent-symbolizes-japan.html

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Posted in: No. of suicides drops below 30,000 for first time in 15 years See in context

There are huge efforts being made.

http://www.saving10000.com/

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Chinese media seize on Hatoyama's apology at Nanjing Massacre Memorial See in context

Getting bogged down in arguments about numbers in someway misses the point. Figures vary from it didn't happen to 300,000 (the figure Iris Chang uses).

Jonathon Spence, one of the most reputable scholars on China puts the figure vastly lower. http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/world/china-marks-nanjing-massacre-amid-tensions/story-e6frfkui-1226536439570

The Chinese govt. have very intentionally politicised the new Nanjing memorial. Nationalism and victimhoood of the Chinese state replacing domestic class conflict as the prevailing national paradigm. The old museum was much less nationalistic, and for me much more heart wrenching. The figure of 300,000, emblazoned in very large lettering out the front of the museum is an attempt to write history.

What occurred in Nanjing, must be remembered, alongside atrocities such as Sandakan. Dispute of the number 300,000 is not only the province of extremists.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Posted in: Don’t forget your towel - experiencing mixed public bathing for first time See in context

Mixed onsen are fine unless you find yourself bathing with a group tour of oyaji...

Not recommended.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: Japan halts beef imports from U.S. plant over safety concerns See in context

How simple is it to send the documents... Sure Japan is being komakai, but that's a buyers prerogative. The US processors know the rules. They also know that Japan is very strict about the rules.

The EU demands absolute traceback paddock to plate - and I think Japan now has a similar system domestically. (No doubt someone will correct me if I am wrong on that.)

I don't buy US beef because of the routine use of Hormone Growth Promotants and antibiotics across almost the entire industry. (Not to mention Bovine Somatropins in dairy cattle...)

I wish US consumers / govt were a little more demanding about the quality there.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Posted in: Young people don't think much of elders' manners: survey See in context

Totally agree, the latest subway posters irritate me. It's usually not the teenagers who are the problem.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Posted in: Former PM Abe wins LDP leadership election See in context

I see a Hashimoto- Ishihara- Abe coalition coming on....

Not a happy thing.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Posted in: Japan's ambassador-designate to China dies in Tokyo See in context

It's not a good time for there to be no ambassador....

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: Japan's ambassador-designate to China dies in Tokyo See in context

Very odd. Nishimiya was the career diplomat to replace the former ambassador, who was an ex Itochu president and very unpopular with the ministry / Minshuto.

Very very odd.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: Minister's suicide precedes magazine story on rumored affair See in context

Purely personal matters are tricky.

Politicians are absolutely entitled to a private life. In principle I agree with the fact that affairs etc do not affect a person's ability to be a good politician.

Where there is scope for blackmail on account of their activities, it is problematic because it potentially flows into their political life as well. More significantly is where the line between personal and private ceases to exist , as in the case of Ozawa I mentioned previously. If he did flee to Kansai after the earthquake for several weeks, that is very definitely a public matter that his electorate (in tsunami stricken Iwate) is entitled to information about.

There isn't proper scrutiny of the links that influence and compromise decision making by politicians.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Minister's suicide precedes magazine story on rumored affair See in context

Very sad. I am not sure what is the article coming out, but presumably it's true... As regrettable as his suicide is, there should be more scrutiny of politicians. The allegations of Ozawa skiving off to Kyoto after the earthquake which came out in one of the tabloids have never been followed up by the "serious press". The cozy cozy relationship between media and politicians mean a lot of dodgy deals and behaviour happens with zero scrutiny.

Political accountability is very low.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Massive anti-nuclear power rally held in Tokyo See in context

Which streets were shut off? I was on Omotesando and it very definitely was not shut off - police had people herded down in a relatively narrow band - which stretched for a very long way.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Posted in: Boy's suicide over bullying sparks death threats at Shiga school See in context

The boy leapt to his death in October from an apartment building in Otsu, which has one of the world’s highest suicide rates.

What on earth does this mean? Otsu? the apartment buiding? or does it mean Japan for the highest suicide rates?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: 69-year-old man arrested for stealing melons worth Y60,000 See in context

Very glad to see some of the fruit thieves being nabbed.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Posted in: Skype jacks ads into free Internet phone calls See in context

Multi task, have a different screen and it's not an issue I guess. I always have skype credit so not an issue for me anyway...

I wish skype would allow being able to select who you appear on and offline to....

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Posted in: Foreigner-bashing rises amid China's domestic woes See in context

Foreigner bashing on the rise in China and the rest of the world too... sigh.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Posted in: Al-Qaida bomber was CIA informant See in context

If a CIA double agent seeks out Al Qaeda and proposes to be the protagonist in a terrorist act... can it really be said that Al Qaeda is responsible for the plan?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: 84-year-old woman found alive after being buried in snow for 4 hours See in context

But great story.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: 84-year-old woman found alive after being buried in snow for 4 hours See in context

ShinJO deshou.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Death toll climbs as heavy snow grips northern Japan See in context

Pronounced dead is a formal procedure that goes with issuing death certificates. It doesn't mean they weren't dead when they were found.

4 ( +6 / -3 )

Posted in: Couple held over murder in Tokyo linked to arson murders in Yamagata See in context

Tokyo's Edo ward?? Koto ku?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Traveling to the edge: Why tourism in Fukushima makes more sense then ever See in context

Older people whose cells divide slowly are at little risk of developing thyroid and other cancers from radiation. It makes perfect sense to take an onsen trip in Fukushima. Places along the Tadami line (which isn't very close to Iwaki) are stunningly beautiful. I stayed at a minshuku in Miyashita several years back. Such a pretty area. It's my intention to go back soon.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Posted in: Fukushima rice given all-clear after radiation tests See in context

There is no traceback on fruit & veges and rice. It's very easy to relabel - I'm sure it's happening.

This week my supermarket has super discounted Nagano vegies...

But a look at a cesium map shows clearly that there are high levels of cesium in parts of Tochigi, Gunma, Chiba and places in Fukushima where it's much lower. What guarantee is there that food testing positive for cesium will be taken out of the foodchain?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

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