Posted in: Japanese mom says she kicked wild bear while holding baby in her arms after sudden scary encounter See in context
You couldn't possibly mistake a serow for a bear. Unless it was pitch black (the evening). But you could say 'serow-yon-ara'! :)
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Posted in: Japanese gov't appeals for calm as panic rice buying continues See in context
'Deeply ingrained' – tee-hee. :)
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Posted in: Elderly couple attacked by bear in their home in Gunma Prefecture See in context
They missed a trick there: rather, the bear is on the 'lam(b)'.
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Posted in: Law change lets Japanese police crack down on rule-breaking cyclists See in context
I was told by my motorcycling friend that motorcyclists' helmets have a speaker in them, so why is there so much fuss made about cyclists and their earphones? I really don't think earphones are that distracting unless you are listening to very loud music at a very high volume.
And how is it that cars can have small TVs in or over the dashboard and almost every car has a distracting navigation screen? You can even play music as loud as you want and have potentially five people in a car who you can hold a conversation with you that could be about very stressful subjects that you didn't anticipate having to have before you got in the car. And yet cyclists who are on their own and have far fewer distractions are hunted down by the police for petty infringements. I agree that cyclist should be punished for riding dangerously but not persecuted for these spurious justifications.
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Posted in: Town to block Mount Fuji view from troublesome tourists See in context
There must be thousands of locations in and around Tokyo that are just as good! Ridiculous.
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Posted in: Snake found on bullet train delays service See in context
So what speed was the snake travelling relative to a stationary observer to the side of the track?
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Posted in: Japan decides to strip Unification Church's religious corporation status See in context
If that July 8th 2022 incident never happened, will J Govt let Unification Church to continue doing their business? Especially with many Japanese politician that involved.
**If that July 8th 2022 incident HAD never happened, WOULD J Govt HAVE let Unification Church to continue doing their business? Especially with many Japanese politician that involved.
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Posted in: 85-year-old man arrested for stealing condoms from convenience store See in context
Ridiculous.
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Posted in: Japan moves to criminalize exploitative photo voyeurism See in context
So athletes have to compete in revealing outfits, and we are encouraged to watch them, but now not photograph/film them?
Then why not just stipulate they have to compete in nonrevealing clothing?
And what about the media? Will they have to mosaic shots out now, like how when they film on streets they can't show private residences or cars/people and pretty much everything else? (Switches off the TV).
Then there is the beach during summer time.... Wait, they are already selling boring unisex swim wear; boring and nonrevealing.
This is fine, except that it's just pushing the sexes further apart. No wonder the number of people involved in a relationship with the opposite sex is plummeting here.
Spot on, man.
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Posted in: 16-year-old girl hit, killed by train in apparent suicide See in context
Unfortunately, you don’t have to look far to encouragement. Just look at the Japanese TV programs and movies. It’s right there.
You are not kidding! The number of times you see a schoolkid standing on the roof of a building in some drama contemplating suicide is almost like an ad for it.
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Posted in: Woman dies from brain hemorrhage days after receiving coronavirus vaccine, but link uncertain See in context
The vaccine was a success, but the patient died. :(
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Posted in: Japan struggles to get a grip on social distancing See in context
Us foreigners are usually immune to トナラー but I've experienced it before. They do this not only on trains but also in car and bicycle parking lots, and yes, urinals. Probably the bicycle parking is where I've experienced it the most, because they park next to my bike not knowing it belongs to a gaijin.
Sometimes I had to change my seat at a restaurant because someone sat right next to me when the whole row was empty. Then again, waiters/waitresses working at restaurants usually try to cram you next to others when you walk in, so people probably think that's the "right" way.
You are probably right. I have experienced instances of cramming, which I usually resist. I also think it has something to do generally with Japanese women's fear of men (not always unjustified) and a pervading sense that older men are smelly and irrelevant and a kind of neurotic attitude on the part of many Japanese women to sexual relations. Just the use of the word 'oyaji' makes my skin crawl. And yet face-to-face, younger people are extremely polite and respectful.
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Posted in: Japan struggles to get a grip on social distancing See in context
Mirai HayashiToday 08:13 am JST
Or in the toilet, when every stall is empty, but some lonely heart wants to use the stall right next to yours. Insane! This is actually a real phenomenon in Japan called "tonara" トナラー, where people can't help but to be next to others. I think its a psychological disorder due to social programming and being forced to live in tight quarters.
Surely this is made up or just doesn't apply to foreigners. I've been in Japan for 24 years and it is absolutely the opposite. If there is a choice for a Japanese person to NOT sit next to me (male, average size, middle-aged), they look around and go for another seat, as long as it isn't next to a 'gaijin'. This is even more the case with women. I say, even though I love being in Japanese and love Japanese people and culture generally.
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Posted in: Man stabs himself after fatally stabbing wife
Posted in: On eve of summit with Japan PM, Trump reportedly meets U.S. Steel CEO
No need to vaccinate against JEV if your immune system is functioning properly.
Posted in: Some viruses prefer mosquitoes to humans, but people get sick anyway
Posted in: Trump unleashes a supercharged MAGA agenda and Republicans come aboard