Dave Fair comments

The Israeli forces under the direction of Netanyahu will not stop until the entirety of Gaza is nothing but rubble! They want to leave the Palestinian people with nothing and be done with them! Netanyahu will then let the rest of the world figure out what to do with the refugees he has created. And where is the supposed beacon of freedom, liberty and democracy, the United States? 100% Supporting Netanyahu and supplying him with the means to carry out the atrocities and total destruction.

As an American I believe in the right of the Israeli people to live in peace and prosper, HOWEVER I also believe that they will never be at peace on the path Netanyahu has led them down. Netanyahu's plan was to displace all the Palestinians in Gaza, plain and simple! Does anyone really believe that his plan was to ever eliminate Hamas as there will inevitably be a v2.0 and more brutal. He has only strengthened the hatred of the Palestinian people towards Israel and other around the world and his actions will inevitably lead to generations of young men and women who will seek retribution on the state of Israel and America and far into the future.

Peeping_TomToday 08:44 am JST

Yasuke arrived in Japan, as a slave well into his mid twenties; a bit old to learn the Bokken properly.

Yasuke did NOT arrive in Japan "as a slave". He traveled from India to Japan in 1579 with Alessandro Valignano, an Italian Jesuit missionary essentially serving as Valignano’s bodyguard, employed as muscle because missionaries weren’t allowed to have weapons.

He remained in Japan for 2 years only.

Far too short a time for him to master the Katana, Naginata, the Yumi, Kenjutsu and then proceed to fight and defeat REAL Samurai who usually started training aged 3!

To regard Yasuke as a Samurai is a travesty.

In 16th-century Japan, the title of samurai spoke to rank and was loosely defined as a warrior in the service of a lord or another warrior. Nobunaga employed thousands of samurai—yet Yasuke was the first foreign-born warrior to enter their ranks. He belonged to a very small entourage around Nobunaga, which was probably around 30 to 50 warriors and was by Nobunaga's side when he performed seppuku on June 21, 1582.

The Japanese have all the reason to be pissed off.

and why would that be, that a warrior of African descent ascended to the title of Samurai?

It's always wise to research before sticking ones' foot in ones' mouth ;)

Netanyahu's plan is and has been to raze, reduce to ruins, FLATTEN and annihilate the homes, schools, hospitals, businesses, the social infrastructure, the livelihoods of the Palestinians in Gaza, leave them nothing! For what purpose, so they find refuge somewhere else, becoming refugees and no longer Netanyahu's problem! And then what to do with Gaza, well, trump has said it best.

U.S. expels South African ambassador, saying he 'hates' Trump

There are going to be very few foreign ambassadors left in the United States if that is their policy!

What a shame Japan has never owned up and mended relations with South Korea. All those Yasukuni visits by Japanese Prime Ministers and ministry heads and members of the ruling party just pouring salt into an open wound! Just think of the powerhouse alliance that would be if Japan and South Korea joined hands and where we would be now! The two could create a NATO-like military alliance with other Asian neighbors like Australia, Philipines, Malayasia, Thailand, India and more who fear Chinese, Russian and North Korean aggression. No longer would Japan, South Korea nor other Asian countries have to bow down and accept humiliating terms set by Washington and once again, by the Orange gibbon!

As others have mentioned above, it's time the Japanese to get busy and head to the gym and get in shape, start prioritizing government spending and instead of buying "Made in the USA" ramp up it's own military equipment and weapons capacity. Maybe it's about time to scrap Article 9 of the constitution, maybe consider having nuclear weapons as a deterrent, something I never thought was needed until now. America has lost her way and can no longer be trusted and it's time for us to find new partnerships and wean ourselves off the American teat for good.

Trump halts all U.S. military aid to Ukraine

well, this kinda answers the questions as to why trump and vance blindsided Zelensky and forced a stalemate! Next they will do the same with NATO and the EU leading to a US military withdrawal from Europe and end to NATO membership. Have to wonder what dirt putin has on trump!!

Trump promises Kyiv involvement in peace talks with Russia

What a friend and partner Ukraine has in the United States! Asked what sacrifices Russia would have to make in a peach agreement trump came up empty! No more needs to be said.

59-year-old unemployed man

could it be that this 59 year old is retired? At 59 I guess he could still be living with his parents and unemployed or this is just poor translation or journalism.

Unfortunately, this ceasefire deal won't deter Benjamin Netanyahu from his goal of annihilating Hamas and as many Palestinians as possible, the more woman and children the better in his mind, fewer to deal with later. He will accuse Hamas of violating the ceasefire and right back down the bloody path! And what about trump, well, he will go along with it and side with Netanyahu cause, why wouldn't he!

BertieWoosterJan. 9 06:00 pm JST

I cannot understand why US troops are here in any case. This isn't US soil. Because Japan lost the war 80 years ago means that the US has the right to have Japan host its forces?

geography much? The US troops are here because the Japanese government wants them here and it's the Japanese who can ask them to leave whenever they like! I'm sure trump would be more than happy to bring them all back home, and those in Korea as well as in other regions. But the question is can Japan stand on it's own two feet against China, North Korea and Russia without a YUGE military buildup which would take a decade or more to accomplish? How long do you think it would be before the China moved on the Senkaku Islands?

JapantimeToday 09:01 am JST

This is a good idea. Locals are sick of the foreign tourists littering and making trouble everywhere they go. Hopefully only good tourists will visit now.

maybe if local governments and public establishments would reintroduce trash receptacles trash wouldn't be such a problem! And I used, "reintroduce" as it was once a thing in Japan until the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack happened and then ironically were disposed of.

kwattToday 09:44 am JST

It makes a lot of sense that Japan Steel sues the US government on the merger and acquisition deal. If Japan Steel can't implement the deal, Japan steel would have to pay a lot of penalty money ($565 million) to the US Steel. Both Japan Steel and US Steel have the same penalty agreement of the deal. If the US Steel breaks the deal or can't implement it, US Steel would have to pay the same penalty money to Japan.

Why would NIPPON Steel have to pay if it is the decision of the Biden White House? Nippon Steel didn't breech the agreement. I guess it could be argued that US Steel would be more liable as it's government blocked the acquisition.

Ricky Kaminski13Today 08:23 am JST

Why not just leave the decision to the next administration

There was a deadline for the president to chime in.

"The decision on whether to let the deal proceed was referred to Biden on Dec. 23 after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States failed to reach a consensus, said U.S. Steel.

Biden had 15 days to approve or block the deal after the CFIUS evaluation reached his desk, which prompted Nippon Steel to extend the transaction’s deadline to the first quarter of 2025 from the third or fourth quarter of 2024.

The CFIUS was concerned that, following the acquisition, Nippon Steel could cut the production capacity of U.S. Steel, which would pose a risk to the national security of the United States."

This is why Biden made the decision and was not passed on for trump to make. This following link will also explain the White House decision and the red-tape that NIPPON Steel faces in suing the US Government. I'm sure the incoming trump White House will be even more aggressive in preventing this acquisition so seems like a futile act by NIPPON Steel.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2025/01/03/order-regarding-the-proposed-acquisition-of-united-states-steel-corporation-by-nippon-steel-corporation/

Good luck with that one Japan!

OssanAmericaToday 08:13 am JST

And what alternative solution is Biden offering to save US Steel？Without it, this is a bigger slap in the face for the U.S. than it is for Japan. Nippon Steel doesn't need this sale, it's US Steel that does. The U.S. can not nationalize US Steel, and no American investors are prepared to save it.

A few years down the road US Steel will be in bankruptcy because it can not compete with the Chinese steel companies that are dominatig the global market. I thought US Steel was needed for America's security.

Short sighted decisions today bring bad news in the future.

Heard of the September 2008 Federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two GSEs had outstanding more than US$5 trillion in mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and debt; the debt portion alone was $1.6 trillion that had threatened to disrupt the U.S. housing financial market? The conservatorship action and commitment by the U.S. government to backstop the two GSEs with up to US$200 billion in additional capital? This deal Biden blocked is only US$15 billion, do you REALLY think the US government would allow the steel industry, the backbone of American industrial and military might, to go under? Lastly, do you REALLY think that if the situation were reversed and NIPPON Steel were having a rough go and on it's knees that the J-Gov would sign off on a takeover by ANY foreign entity, even one from the US? Ahhhhh, NO!!! A short sighted decision, no, a strategic long term one, yes!

63-year-old man arrested for failing to pay for food, drink, room fee at karaoke bar

how a story like this gets coverage in today's media is beyond my simple-minded comprehension. Did I miss something in the story that was of merit or value?

The postage for New Year postcards for 2025 has increased by 22 yen, from 63 yen to 85 yen.

maybe had they LOWERED the postage, maybe to 50 yen, they would have at least come out even. My wife decided not to send New Year postcards this year and when I asked why, she said, "the post office raised price so YADA!! I can make my own digital cards and send them on LINE app for free!"

Mount Fuji access fees to be doubled as authorities address overcrowding

If they stated the reason as to create revenue to for infrastructure projects to maintain the mountain and enhance safety at the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site people would get behind that. But what this is all about is to regain the lost revenue due to the restrictions on the number of climbers and a chance to add more to their coffers.

dagonToday 06:53 am JST

It's just good business. They think they can manipulate Trump, because they are smart, and he isn't.

Exactly, and it's been proven time and time again!

The highest price ever paid for a pair of Yubari melons at auction was ¥5 million in 2019, ¥2.5 million for a single melon!!!!

I'm guessing that is not what they are selling for in market around the country! They do this to make interest in the product and trick consumers into thinking it's a premium product, the same way they artificially jack up the sale of this whale meat at auction.

Fighto!Today 06:51 am JST

fetched up to more than $1,300 per kilogram at auction Thursday

What's that about "dwindling demand" for whale meat? There seems to be plenty - if the latest auction is anything to go by!

I wonder who could have been bidding to get that price as high as $1,300 per kilo, now let me guess.........

Japan's food makers eye 'fermentation tourism' for foreign visitors

Next year the title will be, "Japan's food makers eye increasing prices for foreign visitors" and the following year, "Japan's food makers consider banning foreign visitors due to increased complaints from local residents." ol' proverb, "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it."

He is suspected of touching the breasts of the woman in her 20s over her clothes at the club in Roppongi

At the time, he had immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which grants diplomats exemption from arrest.

Soooooo, how much time and money are Japanese authorities going to waste on this in light of the fact that NOTHING is going to come of this on the Saudi end as he had Diplomatic Immunity? Just curious as this is a "he said, she said case" at the end of the day.

JROToday 11:03 am JST

exactly!

63 percent said they would accept higher charges at tourist destinations and other facilities in Japan if they would help ease congestion and protect those cites, up from 43 percent in 2019.

How about asking the tourists how they would feel being charged more or having to pay a tax, well, simply because you are a foreign tourist? Something tells me the results would be like 10% who would be willing. How a question is phrased has a lot to do with the outcome of a survey! "Would you be willing to pay 20% more as a tourist if those funds supported a children's hospital for disabled orphans?" maybe 90% would approve.

vandalize a stone pillar at the shrine, and spray-paint the word "toilet" in English, on May 31. The damage is estimated at 4.6 million yen.

So it cost nearly 5 million yen to remove spray paint? Wonder who got the bid for the cleanup, Yakuza?

maybe they ought to make it a pedestrian toll road, say a 200m stretch with gates on either end and charge like 2,000yen! Residents are free. Then the town makes money off of it.

Ohtani seeks $325,000 worth of baseball cards from his ex-interpreter

ahhh, that ain't likely to be realized!! I'm betting that all of those cards are now in the possesion of bookies as payment on Mizuhara's gambling losses!

The OpinionatorNov. 25 08:16 pm JST

BTW, since you took the time to find out what Level 1 Care entails, could you please share that information, I like to be spoon fed.

The OpinionatorNov. 25 08:16 pm JST

Took me about 30 seconds to find out lv 1 nursing care requirements. A brief explanation would have been easier. Do you really want to be spoon fed everything though?

YES, actually! I don't have time in my busy life to hunt down pertinent information which should have, easily could have been given in such a brief story! So yeah, i DO really want to be spoon fed, at least what is vital to the story!