hokkaidoguy comments

@Geoff Gillespie

IF O'Barry has broken any law I would be happy to see the back of him. I have the nagging suspicion, though, that that's not what this is all about and that it is actually payback.

The law: (Denial of Landing) Article 5　Any alien who falls under any of the following items shall be denied permission for landing in Japan. (xii)　A person who organizes, or is a member of, or is closely affiliated with any of the following political parties or organizations: (a)　A political party or organization which encourages acts of violence or the assault, killing, or injury of officials of the Government or of local public entities for the reason of their being such officials (b)　A political party or organization which encourages illegal damage or destruction of public facilities (c)　A political party or organization which encourages acts of dispute such as stopping or preventing normal maintenance or operation of security facilities of a plant or place of work (xiii)　A person who attempts to prepare, distribute, or exhibit printed matters, motion pictures, or any other documents or drawings to attain the objectives of any political party or organization prescribed in item (xi) or the preceding item.

Source: http://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/law/detail_main?id=173&vm=2&re=

That's the law. You are aware of what Ric O'Barry does for a living, right?

@schopenhauer

Suppose the islands are returned to Japan, who want to live there? Nobody but some fishermen

Implying that fishermen are irrelevant?

I know at least a dozen families who still technically own land in the NT. Some are Japanese, who would love the chance to return and restart the family farm. Others are Ainu, who would also love the chance to return and restart in their ancestral lands.

But hey, they don't matter, do they?

The statue is a protest.

That's the sole reason that it exists. It was put up by the group that organizes the weekly protests demanding apology and compensation.

If the apology and compensation are accepted, why the need for ongoing protests?

Japan should follow the UK's lead. At the very least we'll see a decrease in stories about vending machines and robots...

@disillusioned

Under the current legislation it is nearly impossible to become a Japanese national, which is the whole point of this article.

Nearly impossible?

Getting Japanese citizenship is dead simple. Live here for 5 years. Speak and read Japanese at an elementary school level. Don't have a criminal record. Have an income. Pay your taxes.

That's it. It's easier than getting PR.

@smithinjapan

The bomb was placed inside the ceiling, an area considered off limits by custom and practice. Hence the charge.

LOL.

Google South Korea, whaling and bycatch. Plenty of whale meat for sale in South Korea.

Surprising how few people know how widespread Betamax was in the broadcast and film industries.

yoshisan88

The Tourism Body of Japan may need to address this issue of 'Foreign visitors with tattoos' visiting onsens and bath facilities very soon as Japan is to host the Rugby World Cup in 2019. Lots of rugby players have tattoos. The last thing the organiser of the cup want is news headline like 'All Black players refused entry because of tattoos' or 'Wallabies cannot take a bath!

So... Rich White People demand that Japan change their cultural aversion to their fashion statement.

There was a news item a couple of days ago about an Australian in India. The locals didn't appreciate his hindu deity tat on his shin, and a mob gathered demanding he remove it. Not cover, remove. With a knife. The cops eventually intervened and he had to write a letter of apology and cover his tat.

Yeah, tats are fashion in some western countries. Canada's new PM has one. They're as rebellious as a t-shirt from Hot Topic. But if you're grown up enough to get one, you should be grown up enough to realize that not everyone appreciates them, not everyone is interested, and some people find them offensive. Entire countries, in fact.

Demanding that centuries old cultures be forced to change to accommodate the fashion choices of western youth is both petulant and arrogant, and smacks of neo-colonialism.

Got ink? Good for you. There's a shower in your hotel room.

pukey2

I wonder how the captain fits into Abe's vision of a beautiful country.

A well educated, well spoken Japanese citizen who has made a massive contribution to Japan internationally and at home, and become a role model for young athletes?

I think "perfectly" is the answer you're looking for.

Shame on them for practicing their religion!

@smithjnjapan

Hope when issue comes up with human rights violation, history, or nuclear plants etc., comes up they don't throw a hissy fit and threaten to stop funding.

Are you talking about Japan or Ukraine here?

@freshmeat

The secrecy only extended to the negotiations.

The agreement is currently being formatted and translated into all party languages. Then it gets sent to the party states. I think the timeline for release is three weeks. Probably start to see leaks of the actual doc within the week, though.

@sensesocommon

On this website? It's always black and white. Sorry for pointing out the grey.

@wakarimasen

What's stopping you now? There's half a dozen jeep dealers in the Tokyo area.

Japan, the lowest minimum wage out of all the OECD countries surveyed recently.

Looks like the middle of the pack to me.

http://www.businessinsider.com/minimum-wage-around-the-world-2015-5

Not a good thing, but there's no need to make things up.

@sensenotsocommon

JA-zenchu doesn't support the LDP, at least not unilaterally. For proof of that, see the local elections back in April.

The LDP support in agricultural-focused regions tends to be found on the agricultural processing and services side, which makes up the majority of non-farming jobs in agriculture heavy areas. Most of the farmers I deal with are DPJ, and always have been.

I'm all for the dissolving of JA, personally. That and TPP will be good for my business.

I just find it funny that so many posters who are so vehemently anti-Abe and anti-conservative in general routinely adopt such a right wing, hard line on this issue. It's not often that the left calls for a union to be dismantled.

@sensenotsocommon

Odd how the lines get blurred.

The agricultural co-ops are the last bastions of the rural left, and the main opposition to TPP. Yet the foreign "left" wants them destroyed completely, a move that even the Japanese far right calls a step too far.

Which side are you on?

@whatsnext

They should show the stinking document before implementing it. Why do they get to decide our future in secret. This is total contempt for citizens of the world. Disgusting. This is some neo corporate fascist crap.

Here's the timeline: 1) negotiations 2) agreement 3) ratification

Step three is where every nation involved gets to take the agreement to their respective populations.

Until an agreement is reached, there is no document to show. All that exists are shopping lists of what each country wants.

@marcelito

Have you seen the state of the Russian economy lately?

GDP down nearly 5%, inflation around 15%, average income around $450US/month. They're tanking very hard right now, and there are precisely zero chances of it improving in the near future. A little extra trade with Japan would be welcome.

And if not, no matter. Abe doesn't have to solve this. When Putin finally leaves public life (by resignation or revolution) a new Russia will emerge. Japan can negotiate with them.

@Scrote

It is Japan's intransigence and refusal to compromise that has kept the two nations from signing a peace treaty. When Japan surrendered at the end of the war it lost all claim to the islands.

Are you seriously suggesting that the Soviet Union's refusal to sign the Treaty of San Francisco is Japan's fault??

The signs read: “We will not let anyone’s children get killed * "

Except in the case of foreigners tasked with protecting Japan, Japanese citizens abroad, or Japanese business interests.

@strangerland

Yes and no.

If you have no license on you, the cop doesn't know if you have one or not. So the charge is driving without a license.

They will usually write a ticket at the very least - which you can have torn up by showing up at the police station with your license (if the cops are nice) or later on in court. It's a very easy charge to have thrown out - but the charge is still driving without a license.

@Cleo

With an international license, it's not valid unless you have your original license and your passport/ARC along with it. Those three things together = license.

If a cop asks for your license and you can't produce it then and there, unless you know the cop personally you're going to get a ticket for driving without a license. Please, tell me where in the world that isn't the case.

@williB

For an International License to be considered valid anywhere in the world you MUST present both your current license from your home country and passport. If you don't, you can be charged with driving without a license.

That's true everywhere in the world. When I've got mine here in Japan, they've explained that to me. When I had one issued in Canada, it was explained to me. Pretty sure its even written on the license itself.

If they cops wanted to harass, he would have been given a fine for driving without a license and deported. As it stands, they held him until someone produced his passport - which is the same treatment you or I get if you can't produce your passport or ARC.

Yeah, I get it. You love those dolphins. But there comes a point where you have to be just a little rational.

@smithinjapan

The WBSC - the governing body of baseball and softball - lists 141 member nations and over 65 million athletes.

I find it extremely ironic that Japan accuses Koreans of bribing the 2002 world cup

when and where was this accusation made?

Play the anthem at university graduations?

Damn. This country is turning into Canada.

@Robert Dykes

As much as japan loves shaved ice (kakigori) they desperately need introduce Italian shaved iced (gelato).

Gelato isn't shaved ice (nor is it rare by any stretch in Japan). Are you thinking of granita maybe?