Cp comments

What sort of lawlessness? Well, according to Fumiaki Tobayama, head of the Golden Gai Merchants' Association, they included eating without paying, pickpocketing, theft, damage to property and so on. Members have sought means of prevention, but up to now nothing has worked.

Yeah drunk foreigners that take advantage of the perceived kindness of the Japanese. Nothing can really be done but throw the perps in J-jail for the 20+/- days of holding and slapping them with a hefty fine.

As for pissing in public, funny how it's now an issue when it's not a Japanese salary man. How about NO ONE be allowed to urinate or otherwise in public.

Why did she get in the car in the first place???

Don't see why this is comment is being down-voted. Perhaps the guy was being very forceful in the way he spoke with her, but, ultimately, she was not forced in, she got in on her own free will. This does not excuse this guy molesting a minor, but, junior high is certainly old enough to understand that you don't take candy--or car rides --from strangers.

Will never buy another iPhone or Apple product. How they screw over the customer in their ToS is repugnant. You are not allowed to take your phone to an independent repairman or it voids the warranty. Go to the apple store, and they tell you you need to have five other things replaced, quadrupling the price.

True story that happened to me: I went to get my Mac's battery replaced at the Apple Store (it's a 2013 model, so well out of Apple Care). I was told it would cost about 160$. I receive an email telling me my keyboard, touchpad, and some other sensor needed to be replaced as it was EoL. They wanted over 600$. For that amount I could buy a new, decent laptop.

I took my Mac to an independent repair shop and they swapped the battery for a little over 100$. I'm writing this post from that same Mac.... battery works great and all of the 'EoL' hardware is still working fine.

It is difficult or impossible for the westerners to work the same way Japanese salaried men work at Japanese companies. They cannot bring their way of work styles into Japan. Feudalistic ideas still permeate in Japanese companies. So, it was his mistake he joined the Japanese company.

I wouldn't say it's impossible... it's just insane and illogical the way Japanese salary men work. 'Westerners' --though not limited to those from the west--actually value other things than licking their boss' boots.

It's not like the recruiter tells you how much Japan's work-life balance sucks, either.

No one expects childish bullying, micro-aggressions, and constant harassment or I suspect they would've turned down the offer(s) right away.

The big difference will be that Huawei will have a billion + customers ready to support it. Especially if the Chinese gov. gets involved. This is why Google quickly back tracked on the ban--they don't want Huawei to get involved and take away some of that precious OS market share.

As for the spyware, a lot of you must have been born before Eric Snowden exposed that our own governments are the ones we should be worried about. Why would China care about you and your cat or food pictures?

Seems a big dangerous, don't ya think @sensei?

Who needs self-respect when you can have a Louis Vuitton handbag and an iPhone X?

Try as they may, Fukushima will be known for the 2011 nuclear disaster for a very, very long time. Even the Japanese steer clear, so how can the government hope to promote the place to tourists and visitors? If the J-gov really want the world to believe that Fukushima is safe, they should move their families and Diet there.

The J-Village's pitch was her team's home ground, said the 44-year-old, who stayed with TEPCO as an employee after retiring from football.

The money is just too good, huh?

This is an unhealthy way of thinking - believing that the people who are committing these crimes are choosing victims based on their attractiveness. They are not. They are assaulting people who appear vulnerable, isolated/trapped, and/or unlikely to complain or fight back. Absolutely nothing to do with looks or clothing, although people like to victim-blame and shame in this way.

@Maria

Indeed, but I must respectfully disagree, with the last bit you said. There is no victim blaming in saying that you're more likely to be targeted if you hop on the train in a two-piece bikini, than in a construction worker's uniform-hard hat and all. It's a bit of both: everything you mentioned about vulnerability AND a bit of attraction.

Attraction comes in all shapes, colors, and sizes, despite what Instagram is trying to push into the face of society.

This is just common sense, and NO I am not saying people shouldn't be allowed to wear xyz because of the way it makes others feel about them.

It’s interesting to read all these delusions of grandeur from men who think women try to grope them and push up against them. Dreams are free fellas!

I don't see what's far-fetched about it. A minority group is lusted after (where they may be seen as exotic, etc.), and may be seen as taboo. If you think women aren't equally capable of crime, you must be sleeping whilst scrolling through the crime section on this site.

Of course, when we think of chikan, we think of the stereotypical creepy man-- but men can also be victims.

Any unwanted touching -no matter the sex, gender, age, etc.- is wrong.

As we all utilize and enjoy public transport in Japan, it should be the responsibility of every passenger to make sure we are all commuting safely, and respectfully -- this is in part already a norm i.e. bad manners to talk on the phone, put on make-up, etc. let's add chikan/passengers in distress to the list.

Let's stop making excuses. Women only cars are a testament to a lot of things wrong in Japan, and shouldn't have to exist.

People are switching to alternative search sites like DuckDuckGo

Yep. I use DDG because I'm tired of Google tracking and making money off of me.

Those foods are produced in Japan, for example grapes (Yamagata), Potato (Hokkaido) and apples (Akita). They are delicious for Japanese and safe (NO G.M.) Remiving tariffs will impact on the Japanese farmers, who dont have the advantage of cheap mass production and Mexican labor like USA. Its unfair to the Japanese farmers.

Yeah the infalliable Japanese farmers just use cheap labor from China, Phillipines, or other ASEAN countries.... please get real... I used to think U.S. citizens were the most brainwashed, out-of-touch with reality people... until I met people who think Japan/Japanese do no wrong. In fact, how do you know the produce here is not GM? I don't see labels indicating otherwise on most produce I buy that is farmed in Japan.

As for autos. USA should focus on producing cars that Japanese want. Not big, gas guzzling vehicles hard to drive in narrow streets.

The same way Nissan and Mazda doesn't try to sell their tiny 4-cylinder cars in the U.S., I doubt Ford, GM, etc. would try to sell their "gas-guzzling vehicles hard to drive in narrow streets" in Japan.

It's 2019, how can you 'informed' commentators on JT still believe U.S. cars are all gas-guzzling? There are eco-cars, hell, TESLA, who arguably produces the world's most eco-friendly cars, is a U.S. company!

oyatoi, I get a better vehicle and better service at a Japanese car dealer. It is a vehicle that was made from the ground up for service in Japan. Then there is the lack of a dealer network for the American brand cars. Oh Ford is pulling out of the Japanese market thus the current owners are just out of luck.

Trump is wrong it is the American brands that refuse to adapt to the Japanese market. Japanese vehicle makers conformed to the American market.

This makes sense as people in the U.S. don't rely heavily on the licensed dealer to do their car repair or maintenance. Most do it themselves, have family who can, or use local repair shops, etc.

It still bewilders me that people can't see that if Ford, GM, etc. never had a chance to set a foothold in Japan because of high tarrifs, how does anyone expect Japanese people to even know if they like/want to try a product when they haven't had equal exposure?

Japan Auto wrecked the native U.S. auto industry, inadvertently, and just know it is finally being addressed. The one good thing that Trump has done since he's been in office--despite your personal feelings about the guy.

Surprised no U.S.-bashers came to play the same old song of "Japanese people don't need U.S. products" "U.S. fruit is only GMO" etc. etc.

Let's face it: Trump is spot on when it comes to unequal trade between the two countries. Hopefully, we can come to an agreement that leaves both sides contempt, if not happy.

I'd love to have cheaper fruit and veggies from California (grapes), Washington (apples), Idahoe (potatoes).

Maybe she started asking for gokozukai, somebody translated, and he quickly sobered up.

Jokes aside, what a tool -- the both of them.

In March 2011, a massive tsunami caused by an earthquake slammed into Japan, killing more than 18,000 and setting off the worst nuclear accident (in a generation).

Ever. Worst nuclear accident ever.

There is no point in holding a referendum, then.

"We have spent many years holding dialogue with people in the prefecture. We will continue our dialogue so that we can gain their understanding," Abe said. "Reducing the burden of Okinawa is a major responsibility for the central government... we will continue our utmost efforts towards a reduction of the burden related to hosting bases."

Meaningless lip service. Abe doesn't respect the people of Okinawa nor the idea/concept of democracy.

Okinawa accounts for less than one percent of Japan's total land area, but it reluctantly hosts more than half of the approximately 47,000 American military personnel.

Staggering. I believe its the most concentrated place of foreign military members in the world.

Nicholas, that's a lot to go through, I wish you all the best.

This is exactly why I always stop and check for cars, no matter if the light is red or there is a stop sign.

I'm a firm believer that a lot of people here don't give a damn about the law and would rather make rash decisions and say gomen nasai later -- if they even have to do that.

Oh how the mighty have fallen. This seems to be the beginning of the end for the once mightiest empires the world had ever seen. Here's to hoping they can figure something out and get back on track after Brexit, for the sake of all the citizens affected by their politician's hubris.

Is it too much to ask some of these companies to be flexible with its workers? Even if the company 'must' operate through the holiday period, break down the staff to a minimum shifts and give customers notice. Same for hospitals. Limited operating hours or have people work remotely.

I can understand those shops/departments that directly benefit when the masses are off, but why does an accountant need to come into the office?

I love how people are blaming the government and not giving one look at their companies who force them to work through holidays. A lot of those workers will be playing minesweeper or watching the paint peel off the walls.

As municipal governments are responsible for overseeing authorized childcare centers, the official said, local governments should devise their own solutions.

But an official in the municipal government of Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, said, "Nothing really has been decided by us. It would help if the government laid out a course of action."

Translation: Neither side wants to take responsibility.

This is truly why any effort to get Japanese people to have more children will have a tough time gaining any traction. The source of the problem is this awkward employee-to-company loyalty people have here.

Prenups and Post-nups make sense in the case of either side having a business, valued assets, etc.

The contract lists 34 conditions, including Silva's requirement that her husband has no more than two outside drinking sessions per week.

Other terms stipulate that the couple must always spend their anniversary together, and that in the event of a divorce, Silva be compensated 1 million yen.

Silva has used it as a way to legally bind behaviors and personal attributes to her husband, and he to her. I won't be surprised if in a few years, she's 1 million yen richer.

Japan knows they need the US market. With less and less friends in Asia, things are quickly coming to a head, good or bad, and we have Trump to thank for that. This is why Abe was scrambling in the early days of the Trump administration to get on the golf course with Trump.

*Spare a thought for the US auto industry in the 70s when the Japanese put a 40% tariff on US cars while it stole way market share in their home market, resulting in mass layoffs in Detroit.*

So many people don't seem to get this. Japan enjoyed either low/no tariffs all the while and churned out major profits. They were able to build and adapt cars to the American lifestyle while their US counterparts were not.

This is why Japanese people don't 'want' U.S. cars, because they've never had a fair shot at them. Just like with the rice here (California rice is just as good!).

Japan had access to the world's single strongest economy for virtually no cost, and now the gravy train is coming to an end -- unless, god forbid, they agree to trade that benefits both parties Gasp!.

Most people have similar thoughts, but it's 2019 and you're not allowed to feel this way/have had felt this way.

I've had stuff happen to me in JP and felt a certain way about Japanese people until I figured out that I shouldn't/couldn't generalize about millions of people from the action of a few knuckleheads.

People act like racism/bigotry hasn't ever existed. Just over 70 years ago, barely two generations, his thoughts would've been normal, and, in some places, someone would've asked him why he hadn't carried out the deed.

I don't blame Liam, I blame the society he came from/ and our society of today pretending like racism and bigotry is as ancient as the pyramids. Look at despicable Hollywood -- quick to wag the finger! They're one of the most racist/bigoted institutions/groups in the world...

THIS is what it's really all about:

*And in that period and the preceding weeks, shops will pack their shelves with sakura themed merchandise. Pink and white blossoms seem to decorate everything from beer cans to sakura-flavored chips and flower-themed candy.** The season is traditionally celebrated with hanami, or viewing parties, in cherry blossom hotspots, with picnics organized beneath the trees.*

Cherry blossoms are beautiful, but over-hyped/marketed heavily; they probably sell well, because the tree thrives all over Japan. I do enjoy the temperate weather, and beer, though.