cl400 comments

And how much of the local community does it really help? Just a very, very small group I am sure. The more Japanese people are exposed to this the better. Hopefully more Japanese people will join alongside the foreign community in helping to abolish this awful, unnecessary practice. Keep up the good work activists!

Children should be taught to anonymously inform a teacher or the school about who is being bullied and who the bulliers are.

I liked it. I thought it was funny. They poke fun at Japanese stereotypes too (the not wanting a hug bit). Good English in it too. Seeing Japanese people speak English so well is good! Hopefully it inspires more people to learn English~

How sad. My sympathies to his fellow students, family and friends. More needs to be done for not only the youth of Japan, but everyone, to ensure they receive the proper counseling in times of distress. Don't be ashamed! Speak up!

Very sad. Wrong place, wrong time. Hopefully just an accident and not negligence.

Only 12 years old! Bullying again!? My sympathies go out to her family, friends and the train driver. At least one teacher from every school should be trained in dealing with bullied children, or know where to send them to get the proper counseling/help. Set up a private, confidential help line for the kids or better yet, ask the individually on a regular basis... 'are you being bullied?'. Sometimes being direct with people who are reluctant to respond is the best way to get a response.

Horrible, horrible parents/people. So sad to hear of stories like this when helpless/defenseless children are left alone to die. Thank god their 9-year old son is in better hands now.

The real crime here is that he didn't steal any of their delicious donuts. ; ) Glad to hear that the girl didn't get hurt!

It's sad hearing people here badmouth Chinese people (all the time) based on prejudice feelings. People seem so brainwashed here and scared to form an opinion of their own. Educate about war so we never repeat it.

I used to wonder why they never bother to check if the English they use is correct or not, not only with food, but with signs, menus, instructions. etc. In a way I am glad they don't... it always makes me laugh when I find something new and makes for a good story to tell my family and friends back home.

By far the saddest news I've read on this site all year. : (

As a citizen of Kumamoto city... I have had enough of it. It's everywhere... the Ku-ku-ku... Kumamon song is enough to make anyone crazy. Give (2nd place) Imabari's Bari-San a chance! Great little forgotten city which needs more tourism than Kumamoto does.

Publicity stunt? Yeah he is doing a good job and raising awareness to the situation... but once isn't enough. I hope he regularly volunteers and campaigns to get others involved in supporting the homeless. Fukushima has still left thousands homeless too. I hope more public figures make that situation more aware too.

When will health inspectors walk into kitchens and get them fixed?

I like it how JR covered their butt in case of incompetence.

One of my students is a high school teacher. He himself gets bullied from monster parents. Easy to see how this behavior trickles down to their children. He also mentioned that when a student decides to defy him or act up against him, there isn't much he can actually do, aside from ask them to stop, in which most cases, they don't. I really sympathize with him.

How the F can people here (commenting) condemn the parents actions? It was LUCKY that the kids found the baby. It could have died, especially in this cold weather. The parents should have called the orphanage immediately after abandoning their child, at the very least. The real problem is with the lack of education about what to do in such situations though. Get on it J-gov.

Well done lads! Clearly not a PR stunt. I think whey were just bravely acting on instinct and did a very good deed that many wouldn't even attempt.

Queen, or many other 80's songs. The sad thing is knowing that in 20, 30, 40, 50 years and so on, people will feel nostalgic about Miley Cyrus and Gangum Style. WTF!

Ah I get it. When they all go out for izakaya they need someone to pour their drinks for them. At least that's the reason a few of my friends who go out with their Senpais and colleagues have to do. Though, they don't tend to mind being the 'server' as they don't have to pay for their meal.

To serve and protect or to perv & inspect (...women's panties)?

This story is cute. Sounds like something a Japanese Batman would do.

I gotta start eating more fish...

Surely they can program the cars computer chip to automatically break or slip into neutral when a car suddenly accelerates hard from stand still position. Perhaps only in elderly peoples cars. Another option is to re-test drivers periodically after they reach 60. I'd even advise it for my own parents. I'd prefer they didn't drive if they weren't able to do so at a safe standard.

Wartime history should be taught! The good and the bad. That is just common sense isn't? Teach it as not to repeat it.

Boooooo. Not so bad for us here in Japan, but one of the best things about Sony compared to Xbox is that it's free to play online. Why change that?!

Food mislabeling seems to be quite common here. Even places that are seen as expensive, like the Hyatt, are getting caught up in it.

1) Bad weather isn't 'a reason' to commit suicide. It's all the repression they keep bottled up from living in such a strict (senpai - kohai), non-logical society.

2) Take a leaf out of the Korean subway system. Big wall barriers which doors only open in line with the trains doors, when the train is stationary. It might be hard to adopt a (fantastic) Korean idea... but well worth it if they value the life of their own.

@Tamarama - Race could be the motive. It works both ways as well... when someone non-Japanese does something wrong, their race is always told.

Why do other countries have harsher penalties for everything, constantly remind everyone of them through advertising, training, etc... and enforce them? Why? Because it works and prevents many crimes! But why doesn't Japan do the same?