Japan Today

Daemon Ryuou comments

Posted in: It’s the year of the horse, so let’s… eat a horse!? See in context

If you're going to eat pork, beef, chicken, turkey, then you should have no qualms about horse, rabbit, dog, rat! I look forward to to seeing those on the convenience shelves in future years!

The black plague seems like enough of a qualm for me to not want to eat a rat. The others would be ok I guess.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Why does Japan love fictional characters so much? See in context

This article is kinda ridiculous trying to connect the love of anime to the shinto religion, marketing, or some underlying emotional issues. The real reason is simple; people just like it. And it's not just about cute girls, there is more than 1 genre. The characters have very strong and expressive personalities, the stories are deep, and the battles are often bloodrushingly more intense than anything that could be filmed with a real actor. At least, I've never once seen a movie with real actors where the protagonist punches a guy so hard he disintegrates all the bones in his arm, launches a 10 story building across an entire city with a single arm, or grinds their opponent's face along a concrete wall at high-speed. I wouldn't want to either. I have a really weak stomach and couldn't handle something like that, but anime pulls it off.

Pretty much Japan is a kingpin of the entertainment industry and anime is very popular.

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Posted in: Tokyo woman haggles mugger down to Y1,000 See in context

...and that kids, is how I met your mother.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: Abe says it is time to revise pacifist constitution See in context

I don't know enough about this man's character or political power to ascertain whether or not a decision like this is the right choice, but the news lately sounds like China has been putting it's cigarettes out on the back of Japan's neck and Abe is justifyingly asking daddy permission to break to their fingers.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Homeless recruited by yakuza for Fukushima clean-up See in context

@bluesea67 That's a whole different story then. If the government is throwing money to the Yakuza to handle the problem, that's just outright dirty and twisted. I was thinking that perhaps the Yakuza had their own agenda like trying to take back territory sooner that just so happened to have a somewhat beneficial influence.

As far as the education thing goes, there are ways to circumvent that. Eg.

As of 2004, Japan began a scholarship program featuring 2 types of student loans. First class loans are maintenance only, have a 0% interest rate, are academically selective, and offer between ¥32905-47007 /mo depending on whether or not you're living at home and if you'r'e attending a private university. Second class loans can be used for both tuition and living expenses, have a prime rate interest, and aren't as academically selective; but offer ¥75211/mo with an additional ¥225633 for the first month. Both have a 6 month grace after graduation and a maximum repayment period of 20 years.

You can move to the US for 5 years to become a legal citizen, get a government loan to pay for schooling when you go back to your own country on a school visa, then renouncing your naturalization after you finish schooling and paying back the loan. You can additionally apply for a pell grant of up to $5,550 once a year that never has to be repaid.

Marrying a wealthy person who is willing to help pay your way through college. The Nationality act states that a person must live in a country for 5 years to gain citizenship but school and work visa's only last 2 to 4. Considering that it costs around $800 - $1600 for a one-way flight from the US to Japan, there's a chance a person looking to move to Japan could have deep pockets and wouldn't mind coming to a mutual agreement.

If you know the rules, you can beat the game.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Homeless recruited by yakuza for Fukushima clean-up See in context

@daito_hak

I accidentally left out part of my comment and couldn't respond fully do to the stupid comment system on this site, which is that I'm not familiar in any way with how the Yakuza works so I'm seeing this from a generally unbiased viewpoint. Which is why I was asking someone to explain why this is such an upsetting problem as I'm only seeing people working and messing getting cleaned up from a source that to my knowledge isn't backed by tax-payer money.

We're perhaps bound to bash skulls in this argument though because I believe life is about choices, not opportunities. If you don't have a job then you keep filling out applications and talking with people until you get one. If you want to have a career, then you get a loan to put yourself through school and pay back your debt. If you live in a country that's limited to resources, then you use your legs to walk to one with better resources. As far as I can tell, these people didn't have a gun pointed at their heads, they decided to take what they thought was an easier path knowing the risks and no one but them is responsible for their actions.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: Germany urges Japan to deal honestly with WWII past See in context

@Defkosh I couldn't have said it better myself. It pisses me off sincerely when people attempt to demonize any country based on the mistakes of a few. Especially when it's hypocritical.

As a country that has abused it's military strength to enforce it's political views on other countries, betrayed it's allies, barbarically dehumanized it's war prisoners, broke into the houses of civilians and sometimes even raped them, dropped the only 2 nuclear missiles ever used in war in one of the most heavily civilian populated location on earth within just 3 days of each other killing 200,000 civilians, tests drones to people in other countries, and has the audacity to start a war over an individual group's attack and instigate prejudice within it's citizens towards that country; all the while feigning innocence, the US is by far one of the most dishonorable countries there is.

All countries, or rather, people from all countries have made mistakes. Pointing fingers solves absolutely nothing.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Posted in: Homeless recruited by yakuza for Fukushima clean-up See in context

Sorry is it normal to offer make a choice - suffer from hunger or die from radiation ??

How does offering someone a job equate to blackmail? The yakuza aren't starving the people, they just said "hey, if you wanna earn a quick buck put on this hazmat suit and pick up some trash in the Fukushima disaster site. They didn't have to take the job, they could keep looking for something else.

@daito_hak

The same can be said for the people TEPCO is employing. It wasn't but a couple of weeks ago I heard about the workers getting sprayed in the face with radioactive mist without being warned about it or anything. The work environment is the same for both. It's an equally dangerous job for both, but something has to be done about it.

The Yakuza may not be operating legally in this situation and it is a shame that these people are by far underpaid, but you have to understand that these people chose to put themselves in that situation. All I'm saying is that they're solving issues that currently little is being done about...in their own dirty way I suppose.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Posted in: Homeless recruited by yakuza for Fukushima clean-up See in context

Could someone explain to me what the problem is here? It's not like they're forcing the homeless to work...those people are well aware of the risk and they choose to take it. If they die from radiation poisoning then it's by their own hands.

It seems to me like the Yakuza are actually doing something beneficial in this situation. They're putting the jobless to work, cleaning up the disaster site, and paying out of their own pocket thus reducing the amount of tax payer money that will be spent.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Posted in: Germany urges Japan to deal honestly with WWII past See in context

I'm not justifying the actions of Japan during WWII, but how is it that deeply apologizing numerously, putting war crimes on trial, and trying to make up for their mistakes is nullified by not making this a major subject in public education? In America, I think I maybe studied WWII for a week in school, most of what I know from it stems from documentaries, films, and books I read out of my own curiosity.

Japanese culture has always been deeply tied with honor; the greatest reference of which being the bushido code. Informing students about the mistakes that were made is one thing, but expecting their children to carry the responsibility and dwell intensely on the dishonorable political mistakes their great great grandparents made is rather rash and demoralizing.

Furthermore, Japan didn't wake up one day and say, "Let's kill the Jews!" In fact, they could care less. What truly happened was that they were at war with China several years prior to WWII and was getting pushed back, so they allied with Germany to get the upperhand with engineering. The only mistake that was made was just choosing the wrong people to ally with.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Posted in: China's UK envoy compares Japanese militarism to Voldemort See in context

Never thought I'd see the day when china would try to defeat japan with magic wands.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Posted in: Don’t call them fat; call them Marshmallow Girls See in context

While society is definitely in the wrong for breaking down these girl's self-esteem, they are partially to blame. You either choose not to listen to what people say or you do something about it.

No matter the factors involved, it is possible to maintain a healthy weight if you truly put your mind to it. Not just an easy route doing 10 sit-ups a day, but pushing your limits and challenging yourself. I have a very slow metabolism; and despite being overweight I've always been a healthy eater. I dedicated 5 days of my life to and intense workout schedule that included a half an hour of cardio at a target BPM each day on top of 2 mile walks and an hour of muscular workout before breakfast every morning each day; drinking a lot of water, and a cup of green tea with every meal. Granted, I was in pain for pushing myself to such extremes, but in those 5 days I lost 12lb and I continued to lose an additional 10lb gradually during the next 3 weeks afterwords just riding off the boost my body received. That's 22lb in a month; or rather; 22lb in 5 days worth of effort.

If you're comfortable being a marshmallow, then I'm glad for you. There are some people like my brother who prefer girls with meat on their bones (browser history thus referenced), and you shouldn't care what other people think anyway. But if you yourself are uncomfortable with being overweight, stop procrastinating or making excuses and do something about it.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: Girl rejected by boy she never actually met takes revenge See in context

This story seems fishy to me. It's not a matter of gender, 31 people don't jump into a fight because some guy says "no thanks."

There was provocation; an insult or offensive comment was made. Things then most likely escalated when the guy thought it was necessary to trade fists rather than walk away.

Not saying this was justifiable in any way, only that both sides are to blame.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Tokyo police take 13 underage girls into custody for 'JK walking' See in context

Gosh, wouldn't it be easier to legitimately ask a person out on a date rather than dishing out ¥5,000 to spend the 30 minutes as an underage girl's pet? Have some dignity people...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Fukuoka man ordered to pay over Y1 mil for peeing in elevator…every day for half a year See in context

I kind of have to agree with this. During pre-War or early post-war Japan, public toilets were pretty scarce, so it was okay to just whip it out and pee on a tree or on a side of a building. Unfortunately, that habit hasn't gone away and has transcended down through the generations, and it has become almost culturally accepted to pee in public.

I prefer using an urinal, but I don't see anything wrong with taking a leak behind a bush or on the side of a building as long as it isn't culturally offensive or involve indecent exposure.

Elevators are a different story though. It's a rather expensive 4x4ft box I would rather not having smelling like urine when I step into.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: Why you shouldn’t learn Japanese See in context

I thing this article is just stupid. There is nothing wrong with wanting to learn the native language of a country you're visiting. As someone who lives in an english speaking country, it aggravates me when people make my life more difficult by not speaking english when they move here. It's out of respect that if I'm visiting a japanese speaking country that I will at least attempt to communicate with them in japanese.

The mindset of the author of this article is very egotistical. It's as though they feel they're entitled to be awe'd at by people who speak english and japanese simply because they themselves speak english and japanese. If you're going to learn any language, you should do it for the right reasons; like being able to have more relaxed conversation, closer relationships, better opportunities, a sense of independence, or for academic purposes.

As for the question of difficulty, Hiragana and Katagana aren't difficult at all. I actually learned to read and write Hiragana in just 3 days just by repeatedly writing them in sets of 5. As for kanji, yes it is difficult, but let it register in your head that Kanji is not only used by Japanese, but also Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. You're essentially killing 4 birds with 1 stone. No one expects you to learn every kanji character; and just like english you can often determine the meaning of something you don't know from context.

There's also the matter of the assholish demonization of Japan in this article. Oh? You actually had to work to eat? Am I supposed to be surprised or sympathetic about this? This is true no matter what country you live it, it's a fact of life. Don't get pissy and badmouth another country because you had dreams of partying 24/7 without a care in the world and got a reality check.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

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