DP812 comments

This is a good step, but more needs to be done. The tax system that incentivizes married women to stay home needs to be reformed, companies need to be forced to change their insane work culture and provide more flexibility so young people aren't too exhausted to have a social life and so parents can better care for their children. Expand flextime and remote work. Suggesting or even incentivizing change isn't going to cut it—laws with real penalties need to be imposed on these companies if anything's going to change.

And of course, more childcare centers. Which means increase the wages for childcare staff. Caring for young children is one of the most difficult jobs a person can do, yet these people are paid a pittance.

People are getting bent out of shape over nothing. These women were ASKED what they didn't like about Christmas overseas. Are all the people bashing these women saying that if they were asked what they didn't like about Christmas in Japan that they would have absolutely NOTHING to complain about? I think not. Every last one of you who bashes these women would run off a whole litany of things you hate about Christmas in Japan, but would other people be justified in telling you "STFU or GTFO"?

A lot of people in these comments have an overly romanticized view of Christmas and bashing Japan's supposed over-commercialization of Christmas. Do any of you actually remember what it's like to be in America during the time of year from November 1st to December 31st? Japan has a long way to go before they can come close to topping America's crass commercialization of the holiday season.

Ever been to a Black Friday sale and seen the absolute worst that humanity has to offer?

Nope. In this day and age, the reality of pursuing peace is to form alliances based on adherence of international law while at the same time being prepared to defend your nation as well as your key allies.

I'm sorry, but what do visiting a shrine devoted to war criminals, appointing far-right loons who deny WW2 atrocities, raising the specter of changing the comfort women apology, and ramming through a highly questionable secrecy law have to do with defending the nation? It's not just Article 9, many of Abe's actions are worrying to anyone who supports a free and open democracy.

Abe has shot himself in the foot. China's a threat, but Abe's way of going about it has been all wrong. What he should have done from the beginning is make the apologies for WW2 and not raise questions about "well, we don't know if that's ACTUALLY what happened..." That, coupled with his far-right appointees, his repeated visits to Yasukuni, his secrecy law of highly questionable legality, and his reinterpretation of Article 9 have only served to drive people further away from Japan.

If he were smart, he would have played this more strategically and not played cowboy. Then he could have gone to South Korea (and the rest of the world for that matter) and said, "look, China's not making any sense. Everything they say is in direct contradiction to the things I've done."

Instead, he's chosen to play right into China's hands, acting more and more like the militarist the Chinese claim he is.

I believe that they have brilliant minds and they can ignore your short- mindedness. Those of you who are very critical of them will also become old. How would you feel if all of your grandchildren feel the way you do about their ages although you may be keen and active individuals.

If I act as racist and xenophobic as these bastards, I would hope my grandchildren would knock some sense into me.

Why, the LDP's response with an apology was appropriate.

Bull. This was a total non-apology. His misogynistic comment was that she should get married. Then look at his so-called "apology":

“I recognize that there are women who want to get married and can’t, and those who want to have children and can’t. My comments were lacking in concern towards people like that.”

He's saying that if you're a woman who makes the decision not to marry or have children, then he doesn't care if you're offended by his remarks. He's clearly saying that he believes the ultimate goal of women should be to become a wife and a mother.

It's misogynists like Suzuki and the whole of the LDP that continue to hold back Japan.

LDP – The Party of Sexism, Cronyism, and Racism. Haven't these fossils already done enough damage not only to the nation but also to Japan's image abroad? It's long past time to bury them.

Wait until April, then it will be more like 99% see no benefit.

A lot of the complaints here don't seem like they're specific to Japanese wives, but more like they apply to people who married someone who wasn't right for them.

If you're in a relationship, you need to communicate about any number of things, and one of the most important of those is your future. If you don't want to stay in Japan working as an English teacher for the rest of your life, then you'd better damn-well make sure the woman you're planning to marry knows that. If you expect your wife to work and the woman you're thinking of marrying expects to become a housewife after marriage, then that's something you should communicate.

Are there Japanese women who are shrews and who treat their husbands like dirt? Absolutely. There are also Japanese women who are wonderful and treat their husbands great. Just like there are American women who treat their husbands poorly or properly, or English women or Canadian women or whatever.

Look, if your marriage to your Japanese wife went sour, then I'm sorry about that. But if you start peddling stereotypes about all Japanese women because of your anecdotal experience, then you've lost my sympathy.

China is by no means the good guy in this situation. But Japan certainly isn't helping its situation. Has anyone defended Abe looked at his recent record? The draconian new state secrecy bill is just the tip of the iceberg. Let's not forgot his desire to change the curriculum in schools so they indoctrinate nationalist pride in children (and before anyone asks "what's so bad about nationalism"—keep in mind that patriotism is not the same as nationalism), and his desire to revise the war-renouncing Article 9 of the constitution. Not to mention his continued Yasukuni visits, and if anyone for a second believes his crap about "I didn't know it would offend anyone," then I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

China is dangerous, but let's not downplay how dangerous Abe is. He's practically itching to go to war with them.

Clarify historical facts?

Oh yeah, this will end well. Hashimoto's recent flak will look like nothing once these "clarified" historical facts cause such a massive international and domestic backlash. The only good thing to come of this is that it will probably mean Ishin No Kai ends up crushed.

Mayor Hashimoto did the brave thing in not quitting, after all only the Japan Restoration Party is capable of bringing meaningful change!

And tell me, what meaningful changes are they proposing? All I've seen is a whole lot of saber-rattling at China and historical revisionist BS.

Unfortunately, Hashimoto has said he's staying on because it's too close to the Upper House election. Hopefully they'll get thrashed there as well, and then he'll leave.

Hashimoto did not say sex slavery was necessary, he said comfort woman as a meaning of prostitute was necessary. AFP should educate Ms.Yamaguchi not to use newspaper for agitation.

Hashimoto has been causing agitation on his own since he stepped into the limelight. The man's a dinosaur who needs to go. Fortunately, seems he's decided to hang his own noose.

More and more benefits for the wealthy. Obama forgot who elected him and he's been throwing them under the bus in order to appeal to a group of people who will never approve of a single thing he does.

Oh yeah, this was a good idea...

They are whining at mr Hashimoto for a simple reason. They angered that Japan is becoming free from the US- imposed political influence . This is a good sign. I believe someday Japan will wake up and clean a japanese territory off american invaders, kicking them back to their side of Pacific.

No, we're angered that people like Hashimoto, Ishihara and others are trying to rewrite history and take Japan on a backwards path to the road of imperialistic nationalism, which was what led to the Pacific War in the first place. These are dangerous, evil men who care nothing about the rights of other people. They have proven that already, such as when Ishihara wanted to round up foreigners in the event of a natural disaster or when Hashimoto said that public servants shouldn't expect any rights.

CH3CHO, you're trying to distract from the issue.

Here is what you said:

Forced sex is called rape. Japan had fair share of rapes during WW2. I feel sorry for that just as you feel sorry for your share. But we are talking about "comfort women", aren't we? "Comfort women" was a system of paid sex or prostitution run mostly by brothel owners licensed by the army. Prostitution is different from rapes.

Human trafficking, since you are obviously clueless on its meaning, is the use of forcibly conscripting people into slavery. These days, it is primarily sexual slavery, for them to be used in prostitution.

If you truly believe that the sex trade in Japan, either in the past or in the present, doesn't rely on slavery for its workers, then you are either ludicrously naive or disgustingly and willfully ignorant.

Most of the commenters who against Mayor Hashimoto, dont understand what he meant or don't see the fact and just respond whatever superficial things emotionally or hypocritically because what he is saying is reasonable enough.

No, we do understand it. You're pettifogging. Hashimoto is saying that men can't control themselves and need outlets for those sexual frustrations. He's perpetuating a culture of misogyny and by extension, perpetuating an environment that enables rape and sexual slavery to continue to thrive.

You should know the book "The Rape of Nanking" has so many errors and incorrect statements. It is too naive to believe it is an evidence of Japanese atrocity.

And you should know that The Rape of Nanking is not the only source documenting that tragedy.

Really, Abe? What, were you jealous of all the attention Hashimoto was getting?

Exactly, lincolnman. Ignore the comfort women for a moment and just look at what he's saying in general—men can't control their urges and women are nothing more than objects for men's sexual gratification. It's misogynistic crap.

Assuming that Americans are the ones mainly responsible for said crimes........ Whats wrong with wanting to reduce sex crimes?

First off, rape is more often than not about power, not sex. So providing brothels wouldn't necessarily reduce sex crimes. Have soaplands, delivery health, and the like stopped rape in Japan? Absolutely not. It's still a massive problem.

Second, why do you think Japan is a major destination for human trafficking? Where do you think those victims end up? Forced prostitution.

Third, it's blatantly misogynist, because it suggests that women are nothing more than objects for men to vent their sexual frustrations. Instead, we need to stop brushing this kind of thinking as "boys will be boys" and that includes changing the horribly sexist culture that exists within the military. If you can't find a consensual sexual partner, then you were born with two hands—pick one.

You clearly miss the point here. Germans had an identical system during WWII and they used Polish, Ukrainian and Russian women. South Korea was securing a similar brothels for US Army until 1990. Not to mention Vietnam where it even became a subject which you could see in almost every film about that war. So more or less each war saw prostitutes doing 'favors' for soldiers.

Moral equivalency is not an excuse.

Forced sex is called rape. Japan had fair share of rapes during WW2. I feel sorry for that just as you feel sorry for your share. But we are talking about "comfort women", aren't we? "Comfort women" was a system of paid sex or prostitution run mostly by brothel owners licensed by the army. Prostitution is different from rapes.

Ever hear of human trafficking? To believe that all prostitution is a willful choice shows either extreme naivety or willful ignorance. Yes, there were and still are women who choose to be prostitutes (mostly out of desperation), but there are also ones who forced into prostitution against their will. This is called human trafficking. It was a problem for Japan back then and it's a problem that still exists today.

You can tell by this comment that Hashimoto was not trying to talk about prostitution, but rather Japanese sex industry or "fuzoku", which is quite different from the American definition of sex industry. This was the misunderstanding that he was apologizing for.

No, this is not a misunderstanding. When Hashimoto is talking about fuzoku or mizu-shobai, he is absolutely talking about prostitution. Soaplands, delivery health, all elements of mizu-shobai have workers offering sex for money. And Hashimoto himself knows this, because he was paying a hostess for sex.

What you're talking about is a legal loophole—"it's not prostitution because if sex occurs, it's a private arrangement." That is absolute NONSENSE. Sex for money absolutely occurs in the mizu-shobai. It's an expectation. There's a reason Japan is a major destination for victims of human trafficking.

Hashimoto is trying to act like the mizu-shobai doesn't involve actual prostitution.

I guess he thinks that hostess he was paying was sleeping with him because of his sterling personality and not his yen.

"But he did it, too!" didn't work as an excuse when I was a child and it doesn't work for Hashimoto.

It doesn't matter what country you're from or whether or not you're in the military. Rape is rape. It's reprehensible, vile, and evil, no matter who you are or where you're from.

Hashimoto's attempts to try and justify his comments continue to expose his incredibly misogynistic views. He believes that men can't control their urges and that women are nothing more than objects for men's pleasure.

Even if you're not going to stay in Japan for a long time, it will still make your life a lot easier if you learn Japanese. The whole novelty of being a native English speaker tends to evaporate after you've been here for a few years, unless you go somewhere else.

If you're going to live in any country for any length of time, it's always a good idea to try and learn the language as much as possible. It's just common courtesy I think. You may never become fluent, but you should still make the effort.

And why shouldn't they use hookers? There is nothing morally wrong. Japanese males use them every day . Right, there's nothing morally wrong with prostitution. Except, you know, for the fact that Japan is a major destination for victims of human trafficking.

Open your eyes, sexual slavery is alive and well in Japan. If you really think there's "nothing wrong" with it, then you need to do some serious research.