Gerald F. Shields Jr. comments

Honestly, I wish I can go to Japan if just to have the opportunity to make those mistakes . . . or not! (LOL)

"The surveillance cameras showed nothing suspicious, police said, adding that the office had not been ransacked."

Which means an employee may had done this. Employees would know where the money is and how the security was and could exploit any observed security weaknesses at will.

North Korea bull**** us again.

You might as well count China in too (Through they are loathe to admit so).

Compromise is often a dirty word, but in truth, that word make sense given that no one will be satisfied with the deal.

I hate to say this, but it's time to move on. This subject was one of those toxic, radioactive subjects were whatever the outcome, no-one will be either satisfied nor happy. Moreover, there's a lot more pressing problems between these two countries that need more attention. It's sad that this happened in history and no money will ever be complete atonement for what happened. However, it's time to turn the page. The victims don't have to forgive or forget, thus.

Okay, so buy some pencils from overseas! Problem solved.

I don't buy it. This is one of those subjects where deeds haven't outran words. Stop talking about passing sensible gun control laws and do it already!

I don't buy it. In the end, it's about the apps and what you use the phone for. There are plenty of apps I use for my iPhone that are of immense help to me and my studies at a college I'm attending. It isn't all Facebook or Line. The other day, I was using an app called Office Lens to snap shots of what my instructor was writing on the whiteboard so I can remember what the lecture was about. Also, I was "experimenting" with Evernote to take notes that I can share and collaborate with my fellow students. Thus, nice try.

To be honest, speaking as someone who's never been to Japan, I don't think there's a definitive solution. Where I live, we have some "Nut to Butt" Mass Transit crowding too, but we don't often have the issues that Japan seems to have. Part of the problem to me is that there aren't more trains and buses arriving and departing within a certain span of hours. Less of that and you end up with a lot of people crowding up a bus or/and a train and then you have to opportunity to misbehave. Less crowding and there's some space and thus less opportunity to grope.

Well, the solutions are fairly simple: Make it "brain-dead" inexpensive for families to have and raise babies or/and support more immigration. I doubt the later will happen though. The Japanese fear of foreigners is legendary.

Wow. Just make more babies huh? Easier said than done with regards to Japan! ;)

Taking selfies isn't necessarily a problem. Moreover, one shouldn't look at the logic and motive in taking selfies. However, people do need to practice some common sense. Naturally, if you're going to take a selfie, you should glance at the environment around you before you do so and if you're, say in an unstable environment or location, there are other things to think about besides satisfying one's narcissism.

To be honest, it was bad day in Japan. However, it was most probably for the best. For decades, Japan has been neglecting their own national security and has effectively used American Armed Forces as a " Defensive Crutch". The so-called "Pacifism" that the those protesters are expressing comes at a price: American military bases in Okinawa and Sasebo. Folks in this forum have describing Prime Minister Abe as a "American Pawn". This from a guy who's been wanting to militarize Japan again?! I hate to say this, but if that really did happen, then why the need for American military installations?

Damn Republicans! They are wasting time. To be honest, anyone who says the Iranians do not want peace don't know what they are talking about.

I hate to say this, but it doesn't really matter where the U.S. bases are in Japan. In a perfect world, there wouldn't be any military bases at all. However, the world isn't perfect and in a war, there isn't any "safe place" at all. Also, I understand why the people of Okinawa wouldn't want any U.S. Military installation at all. It would take an awesome event to "undo" the last 70 years of crime, jet noise, and militarism and almost all of that was unpunished due to the SOFA. To be honest, if the Japanese were to remove the words "Self-Defense" from their armed forces labels, it would go a long way towards getting rid of those bases.

But we don't pray to it. How can you separate religion from prayer? I mean, if you don't believe in God, who are you praying to then?

Yourself, your friend, your family etc.? However, I don't buy into Japan being one of the least religious countries. Shinto and Buddhism are Japan's two major religions, with Confucianism and Christianity taking up the rear. Also, there's the Bahá'í Faith, Taoism, Judaism and Islam as well some "folk" religions in the Ryukyuan (Okinawa) and Ainu (Hokkaido) regions of the country.

Kinda reminds me of an old Furuhata Ninzaburō episode in which a bomb expert who taught at a university decided to bomb a Ferris Wheel in a amusement park because it blocked the view of a university watchtower he liked. The only time in which Furahata-san assualted (heck, he "bitchslapped" the bitch!) a suspect in the series!

Honestly, it's basically silly to talk about an event that (1) Occurred before most anyone here were born and (2) Anything that happened in a war before yours or almost anyone's time. War by it's very nature is stupid. It's something that you learn about in history and hope you, your friends and even your enemies don't have to experience. I'd rather think about today and tomorrow. Those you do have some control over.

Weird. Death by mishap.

Drilling is one thing, but 'slanted drilling [aka horizontal drilling]': Okay, your drilling in somebody's 'back yard" from your yard. Isn't that illegal?

The props were ridiculous, but IMHO, the whole "security" thing is about China and not helping the U.S. Moreover, to be blunt: If the U.S. bases weren't there in Japan, would there be any resistance to Abe's moves? If the United States weren't there, they're would there be such a thing as the "Japanese Self-Defense Forces"! No. It would be a Japanese Army and Navy and those bases in Okinawa would be occupied by said Army and Navy.

Wow, these folks are talking about Japan being entangled in US-led wars? Never mind that they could pull US in with the issues concerning China ;)

Well, on the positive side, it's better than him hitting his G.F. ! ;)

This is a good example for folks to make good "cultural" and "litigation" checks before going to Japan or any other country. From the prospective of an American like me, this seems to be a crazy thing that the Japanese authorities did. But it doesn't seem that way either to the Japanese or the expats living there. Live, learn and don't do what this person did ; I'll always say.

@trinklets2, @toshiko: To be honest, I don't want a war to happen either ; No one does. However, Japan has a military; a very good one by the way and war is part of the job that any military does. I find it extremely baffling that the people in Japan (with Okinawa leading the way) complain about the U.S. Military presence and the U.S.–Japan Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) (Though I conceed some of those complaints are valid.), but then won't "take ownership" of their nation's security needs by making said military "More Offensive and Less Defensive", if you understand that meaning.

I've always wondered if it's just better to run more trains? More trains means less crowding and less crowding means less opportunity to grope.

What?! They were punished for that?! They were just "clowning"!!!

Life is just plain unfair at times . . .

What a jerk.