Chris Alvis comments

Quite interesting. I have been collecting (well, I don't spend them if I find them) 10 yen coins for the past ten years and have 520 yen worth, but I only have two of the Showa 33. I really like the font on the old 5 yen coins, and like how they used the old kanji for 国（國) I wish all the coins used a kaisho type font instead of gothic. The floating 1 yen coin is also quite cool because many Japanese people I mention it to don't believe me until I show them. It also makes for a really nice photo if you have a macro lens.

I saw this many many times when working in Omiya. Never thought of taking his photo and uploading it to Japan Today.

Blarf

Pure pimp. I want one. This kind of thing would be perfect for Japan. I wonder how cost efficient it is.

Time to call the Angry Birds.

FAIL. I bet he felt like a champion admitting to making the whole thing up.

I totally dig this kind of news. So interesting. I hope they do keep looking.

I will be waiting for the Canon version, but the Nex-5 I already have is more than enough for now. Mirrorless is definitely a welcomed advance in technology.

Here's the photo http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6076/6151387143_d8888f88be.jpg

Awesome. I am surprised they printer her name and city.

Nasty... Karina is hot, though.

Per the Kojien (Japanese Dictionary), the definition of "Gaijin" are as follows: (Japanese text didn't work...)

Someone who is not a friend. An estranged person. Someone who should be looked upon as hostile. Foreign (country) person. A different person. The opposite of a Japanese person. The definitions for "ijin" don't look that good either...

Most people, both Japanese and non-Japanese, are quite surprised the first time they actually look the word up. I do understand that the meanings that words have tend to change over time, but that is no excuse for ignorance. If people actually look the word up and understand the meaning it holds and choose to use it anyway, that is their choice. In the end, I think that if the people the word is referring to find it offensive, it should be avoided. Politically correct terms are around for this purpose.

With that said, I know this isn't my country, and I can always leave if I don't like it. I still don't think that it makes it right, and I personally dislike the word. Just my two cents...