egalite comments

Tourists should not come. Well said Steve! All nations should reciprocate to Japan, in all policies, since they never do. Perhaps that would would make them think twice about discriminating against people. Their xenophobia has irreparably taken roots and tourists should avoid such an unwelcoming place. It’s the new omote’nashi’, I mean nashi! Sure tourists can’t wait to put their masks back on to come and be patronized around by people who still believe they are better :)

Kishida, stay where you are, do us a favour, Corona has shown what Japanese are really made of.

No more hiding behind fake smiles mate !

Japan must educate its youth to avoid mistakes made by men like this one in the past. Good he's gone, he added nothing good to the great history of human race !

Send this moron back to where he belongs!

Covid is only an excuse for the xenophobic Japanese political elite to keep the country isolated.Shut and insular. No foreigners are welcome as we know well. With no proper immigration policy in place, all Japan has to offer is time restricted visas for all: teachers, Family Mart, fruit pickers and cleaners. Fathers, children and dogs. What Keidanren really need is the return of cheap labour, from ¥850 an hour, the only reason why Japan still keeps its borders open, otherwise it would be back to sixteenth century. They have a point though when comparing the 10 days to 5. But there is no hiding any longer. We have all done a great job to let the world know what is going on in undemocratic Japan, Carlos first, and in the process costed the economy billions of dollars, money of all those people that will never come to visit, work or study in the future, because of what they heard. Demonstrations are breaking out in front of Japanese embassies worldwide, there is no more hiding. Omotenashi not !

For those who praise the HKG approach. 'Asia world city' is no longer that ! Expats and locals with strong democratic values are leaving what soon will simply be another Chinese ordinary city, bar the geographical and architectural appeal. 21 days in full isolation has driven people mad and deterred many from travelling, not a recommended approach unless you have in place a zero Covid strategy, like they have in China. They are doing that in HKG to be able to open the border with mainland first.

Someone mentioned present entry rules as being equals for Japanese and foreigners long term residents. Unless recently amended the Japanese government, two weeks ago, was not allowing long term residents to enter from South Africa and a number of other countries in that part of the world, while allowing pure Japanese were to do so, that is what the WHO commented on. Exactly what happened at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, those measures were revised after much criticism from various international bodies. That is in line with other discriminatory measures in place in the country to make life for expats as difficult as possible. As I said before, I recently left and recommend every one to do the same. I will enter on a tourist visa to see my family and stay, there isn't much difference on rights between the two, unless you want to work in Japan, which I don't.

I don’t think I’ll need this for a while, Japan makes it too difficult for its expats. These restrictions are just too much. I had enough of discrimination and blatant racism which became clear with the arrival of the pandemic Left Japan and will not renew my visa, will only visit when need to for family reasons. All money moved out, don’t trust these people anymore

No mention in the article of Fumio's English language level. He must be fluent, just like all the others before him. Abe, Suga, etc. They are all well known at the UN, G7, etc. for their eloquence and rhetorical ability.

It's all to do with how much emphasis the Japanese put on the need to learn a second language.

Let me guess: he can't speak English. Abe wouldn't allow that surely, too dangerous and difficult to control

Laughable! In Japan a pack of cigarettes sells for ¥540, to increase soon to ¥600. Compare that to the UK, EU or USA. Too many distorted interests at play here. Despite that, we have seen a welcome improvement of conditions for no-smokers in public places. As for smoking outdoors, Japan far outweigh the rest of the advanced world. Without taking into consideration the fact that many Japanese lawmakers, primarily aged men, identify with the demographic who most likely are smokers in the country, pricing is a good indication of the ruling elite will to rid society of a health plague.

Sickening reading ! Feel sorry for the Japanese public.

It is enough to look at the photo to get an idea of how different things will be: a number of old men, all dressed alike, no bright colours allowed, no personalities to show, no women afforded a chair, no young faces to be seen. Speaks volumes of what Japan politics is, sadly things will not change until the changes will come from within, from the people, from the streets, from the offices and factories where ordinary Japanese are. Forget this dated elite, you need to go and look for your next leader elsewhere, where people who dare to speak up are. There must be some, somewhere.

How about making a little effort and start translating at least the very important documents, that incidentally only Japanese and no one else can read? Japanese are very reluctant to use other languages, they should look abroad for some guidance, at least English.It would do a great deal of good, primarily to themselves and their younger generations. There's nothing wrong with acknowledging the fact that, for the great majority of foreign workers, learning kanji isn't exactly a priority or something that could one day be beneficial to one's curriculum outside Japan. Let's face it kanji is the biggest obstacle to integration and the biggest enemy of Japan on the world stage. I would relegate it tomorrow to a form of art and replace it with English straight away

Japan will be the very last country on earth to reopen its borders to tourists ! If you're surprised by that, then you don't understand yet how things work and how these 'rulers' interpret the art of government. The only positive out of this news is that they, at least, haven't forgotten about the matter. Four days they view the difference between a vaccinated and non vaccinated person, clearly disregarding science. As for PCR tests, in Japan we will not see the end of it, as well as people wearing masks.Give it at least a few years for PCR and forever, regarding masks. I left as couldn't take the no sense and discrimination any longer and as soon as I landed in Europe, my mental state improved, instantly. It was as if I had entered a purifying shower and exiting it, left behind all the scores accumulated in 15 months during which I was, literally at times, prevented to move freely in and out of the country. As said many times before Japan is a place good only for your holidays, but with this new, clearly disruptive policy, aimed at keeping people still, even the tourist status will become meaningless.

Don't be part of it! These people do not contemplate an immigration policy, do not give you a path to nationality nor decent Visa, but want you to pay their pensions by working your entire life. Take your money out of the system, you can ask them to send all your pension contributions to a bank account abroad, provided you give up living in Japan, I think that is by far the best option when you approach 60. You can then reinvest your money as you like and keep going to Japan as a tourist if you really have to. Your mental health will benefit, the Japanese pension you will get is in most cases a small one.

@lucabrasi Thank you

@KenniG

I wouldn't type the phrases Japanese dream and American dream in the same sentence. First of all there isn't such a thing as a Japanese dream, never heard of. As for there not being an American dream, go and tell that to the likes of Clinton (Bill not Hilary), Obama, Harris, Biden, just to mention a few who came out of nowhere to rise to the highest offices in the land. Here when it rarely happens, see Suga, that PM is still very much a puppet moved by the upper echelon of the party.

@ Bokuda

"Japan must change the law to state that detainees life is worthless.

Good luck trying to lure young workers in the country! "

Bokuda you're right, but sadly all Japan is able to attract now is low quality immigration from emerging economies, young workers from Nepal, Vietnam or Sri Lanka who most likely will not stay, cannot stay and will not wish to stay anyway once they make enough money to go back to a country whose economy will be in a more advanced state that when they left. That is what happened with Thai nationals, they're not coming anymore, why should they now? Europeans of course aren't coming bar a few manga enthusiasts. Soon Vietnamese too will find their currency strong enough to make a stint in Japan worthless and so the JP government will go and look elsewhere, there's an infinite reserve of youngsters in Africa still willing to come. Going back to the present influx of migrants, they don't enjoy freedom of speech or high human rights standards in their own country, therefore Japan to their eyes looks like a much better place to be in. The old dragons in charge here know that full well, that is why they offer those time limited visa to these poor fellas, who unlike us, need to come here and work. and are extremely grateful with their ¥1,000 an hour. Let's face it, not many of us came here in the first place because of a lack of opportunities back home. We came because we liked Japan or had a girlfriend and all looked beautiful. It's only when you start assessing the fairness of the place, the rights afforded to non Japanese nationals that you start wondering how possible it is that the same country you so much loved, is in fact nothing more than a forced and reluctant democracy whose nasty feudal head keeps rearing out! As I said before, this is the best place to be in if you have money enough to stay at home, not working, in a perpetual state of vacation, mentally too. If you stop looking for fairness and leave your ideology behind, you'll be happy here. It's a choice I had to make. By not being a politically active member of society here, you can be a much happier person and at the end, is that not what the average Japanese citizen does? Always withdrawing from expressing one's views, always being boringly alined with mainstream thought? That is political withdrawn. Japanese society is a dream subject for any Western sociologist, but can be a nightmare for an inquisitive, thinking Western mind.

It is plainly clear that Japan is once again, by preventing the release of the video in its entirety, showing how democratic a place it is...not! Japan is not a democracy as we intend it in the West. At best is a mild oligarchy infused with regime like behind the scenes actions, run by a stubborn democratically uneducated elite who is only bent on showing what the country is really not. Thanks to the internet, these attempt at hiding a bitter reality are nowadays a mere confirmation of how things badly work in Japan. More often that not on foreign press websites I read stories depicting the sad face of this beautiful country of which its people are still reluctant to conform to twenty-first century standards on human rights, workers conditions, women rights and the list can go on and on, disabilities, racial minorities are just two of the subjects that spring up to my mind now. Our role as educated, good democratic citizens is to bring these shameful news to the attention of the West, tell your friends, post on social media, write to foreign press entities (newspapers,TV channels, etc).

The most honourable thing the Japanese government should do is, not to release the video, but to terminate the contract of those employees responsible for the death of this young girl, if responsible they were and strap them of their pension rights, just like it would happen in any other mature democracy, which sadly Japan is not.

Let's all forget the politics for two weeks and get behind these games for the good of all our Japanese friends who every day must face unspeakable difficulties just because they are living with a disability. These games can and will make some kids life better and for this reason I'm prepared to put my opposition against this government aside, for two weeks. I did not support the Olympics, but I fiercely support the Paralympics !

It's worth remembering that not all people in Gaza are militants, there are families, elderlies and children who need our help. I would like to hear now from Mr Motegi or someone else in government on how many Afghans we are planning to welcome as refugees. Japan had an embassy in place, that means Japanese companies were doing business there, interpreters were surely employed to assist with everyday operations. It is time to pay back. Japan only accept few applications every year, too few compared to the EU or USA, it must step up to show the world that things can change, even in Abe's backward looking Japan, er sorry, Suga's Japan.

How can 16 years in prison possibly be a commensurate sentence when the man has taken the life of an 18 year old boy and that is because he couldn't care less to abstain from drinking while driving. Should be reviewed and the judge retrained. I doubt he has children

For what matters, I noticed that only one of the Japanese nationals I spoke to recently opted to be vaccinated. I think the locals aren't in a hurry, which is puzzling when I know they all queue up every year for the flu jab

The lowest point touched by Japan... cannot find words to express my disgust at those who drafted, voted, implemented and kept silent about it over the years. We all owe to people with different abilities for the way they were discriminated against. By the way, the great majority of Japanese still have a very long way to go and far too much to learn on the subject. Japan start changing, it's time to catch up !

Feel sorry for those of us who have already started a business here and cannot get out of it. These people do not deserve your money nor your skills, they don't welcome foreign investment here, be it human resources or plain funds. I strongly recommend all expats in Japan to seriously reconsider their position and where no kids involved just flee the place, it's a scam and Western governments aren't prepared to hold Suga accountable for the numerous instances of double standard policy. My advice to all is not to contribute your experience, skills and capital to this racist place. No fairness, no party !

Good! Name and shame the racists, whenever you encounter! No excuses, blatant racism!

Let's not forget for one minute that this specific action, of fleeing with the children, is regularly taken by Japanese women, women who grew up and were socialised here. These people, men and women, do not look at marriage the way we guys do. I can see how contorted and cold my wife's values are on the subject of marriage. Someone once told me that marring a Japanese woman is like marring a piece of furniture.It made me laugh then, but I couldn't agree more now. I know there are lots of exception to what I consider to be the rule. But I can see that here a marriage does not always mean love, sleeping together, walking hand in hand, etc. Then, once you break up, these people, who grew up observing their parents' meaningless relationship, do not think about how the children will feel when papa is not around anymore.They just take the kids away from you. On my personal experience a Japanese wife, unlike in the West, never puts her family interests first, she always looks at what people might think, even what officials might think, other family members,the neighbours, colleagues, etc. We are different. I back this French guy, taking this drastic actions is the only way to create awareness. Our mission, as expats or former expats in Japan, is to make sure that the world knows what the Japanese people really are like. How they look at other people, how they treat people of different races or nationality, people with disabilities, people of various sexual orientation. It's not possible in the age of the internet to let these guys away with murder. There are billions of individuals who know nothing about the double standards of Japan, so let's make sure that number goes down as much as possible whenever we have the opportunity do so. Good on you Vincent, I admire your strength and will keep following your story. I will not hesitate to help you, if I can. Stay strong !

Cameras have been set up overlooking public spaces such as the dining hall, casual dining area, fitness center and recreation space.....

If I were a young girl, following recent events at Japanese schools and train stations, also considering the notorious obsessions of Japanese men with young, very young women, I wouldn't feel particularly comfortable at the presence of cameras everywhere.

To the moderator: for as much as this might sound harsh, please do not delete it. It is not out of topic. I am positively commenting on one of the aspects discussed in the article, the presence of cameras just about everywhere.

I experienced something very similar because of my little children, same kind of person,oldish, heavy smoker, drinker, always at home,once came banging onto our doors after several times on the interphone over a period of time. Finally we went to the police,all of us, they paid him a visit, never seen or heard of him again :) If you are experiencing rude, threatening old Japanese men, please do report them immediately to your local police station. I think the law states that neighbours cannot come to your door, let alone touching you or any of your kids. Do it before it gets out of hand, we also thought our rude neighbour must have been drinking often.

Can not imagine these nations signing up without the same in return.

No country will accept this unbelievable stupid j “government” idea

ARE THEY SERIOUS????? Where is the RECIPROCITY of actions???

I once thought the same, but after living here for ten years, I now understand the logic behind it:

Japanese official: Can you pls allow us to do such and such in your countries?

EU/USA official: Sure, can you reciprocate please?

JP official: Ehmmm , not really ,moshihage gozaimasen (and bows).

EU official to US official wispering: 'Let them have it mate, we need these guys land in case of conflict, we already own the place anyway, moreover these lot are so easily conned, they'll pay any price for our goods, eh eh eh.

That's how it will go this time too. No reciprocity needed, just military bases (paid for by the Japanese) and their Yen. Deal !

Another clear example of how selfishly, a very narrow minded Japanese small elite, can candidly ask for clearly discriminatory measures to be implemented. The only good thing about it, is that it seems to apply to all returnees, but don't hold your breath, maybe someone didn't translate the text well enough and missed the point where it says: gaijin wa dame, nihonjin wa ok desu, Nihon no supirito dakara ! :)))) You've got to laugh at these people

Sadly, this little girl is not the only one currently missing in Japan. These stories are carefully kept, by the media, from public eyes. Japan, with its millions of men fond on young, too young girls, badly need to implement a good grid of CCTV cameras covering every school and surroundings at the very least. In the UK cameras are everywhere and as well as being a good deterrent, they are of great help when looking to solve a serious crime. Japan does not do enough to protect its little girls !