horrified comments

"Meanwhile, ASKAs music label has withdrawn all his CDs from stores and stopped online sales as well."

@CokeBill - I also think this is a bad business model. I wonder if this is part of his contract -- a way to control their performers/investments. Chage and Aska are total sell-outs anyhow.

I wholeheartedly agree. Robert Plant wants to keep it real, and big stadium business is not keeping it real.

Saying it doesn't make it so.

The key to their "syndrome" has something to do with the fact that the two subjects never married. One is 45 and the other is 50.

I don't understand why they waited for more than a month to inspect the premises. Is there that much red tape to go through to carry out an inspection? This is a type of poisoning (intentional or not.)

The system, which has been popular in the West for decades, is not (aimed at) starting a war, but to kill it in the cradle

This is a good thing. Abe will have to make sure he's got enough firepower before trying anything. Unless, Abe's plan is to sacrifice a jet, ship or two so he can play the martyr -- a likely scenario.

This is pretty comedic. Mostly for me because all of my Japanese students (young and old) LOVE the Harry Potter books. This is bound to hit a cultural nerve with the Japanese.

"The cause of war is preparation for war." - WEB Du Bois

The apologies need to keep coming. The problem is that the current leadership is trying to whitewash previous atrocities. So other nations get nervous to watch history repeating itself. This is like a precursor to WWII.

Where is the pole on that stage? It must be just out of camera view...

Nope. This just seems to trivialize or cheapens Mandela and what he went through. He is not a side show or an carnival attraction. Bad taste, indeed.

That's right -- he doesn't have the right to disturb the diet. His time for that has passed. The time to protest this bill was during the last election: the people voted this government into power. Too late now.

To me it is a bit creepy seeing them stagger around and hear them singing about their flings with young girls etc etc.

"Making love and breaking hearts - it is a game of youth." - Mick Jagger, Waiting On A Friend

I'm a fan, but I have to admit, I found one of their more recent concert videos to be quite boring. Having the right medication with a group of fun friends could make the concert enjoyable.

There is currently no law to label or even recognize trans fats in Japan. The Japanese food industry does not want to cut out usage -- too much money at stake. Trans fats (hydrogenated oil) lengthens the shelf life and is cheap. How do you think all that conbini food stays on the room-temp shelves so long?

Also, go to your neighborhood bakery and ask if they are using butter or margarine. Almost all that I asked said they're using margarine as "butter is too expensive." Margarine is trans fat. I heard that many doctors in Japan are still recommending patients switch from butter to margarine. The ignorance is mind-boggling.

Nice, pro photo!

It's a good thing Japan doesn't have any mercury in their pollution, otherwise one could come to the conclusion some of that is domestic.

Well in a house or a big condo this is a really cool product! I want two for BBQ parties!

pochan -

One thing is that if we want the same rights as Japanese people we have to accept the same responsibilities. Too many of us want rights and nothing in return for the society, this seems to me to be immature and selfish and part of the reason there is such as sense of entitlement in many of our home countries. The question is- would we really want the same responsibilities as the average Japanese person?

Responsibilities like what? Paying taxes? Already doing that. Volunteering? Check. There is nothing selfish or immature about wanting to get paid the same as Japanese equivalents.

Where is the Japanese language version of this article? Japanese people need to be more informed about this guy's agenda.

Yep - I've always felt that Japan is in the wrong time zone. They made a blunder with that, and moving the clock two hours would be appropriate. The west coast of Canada sees June sunsets after 9:30pm. Would seem strange to move those daylight hours to early morning.

and assure victims of the March 11, 2011 disaster that they haven’t been forgotten by his government.

"We haven't forgot you. I'm sure one of these years we'll get proper housing for you."

I wish we could view their mugshots like in the USA. This woman deserves the public shame.

sangetsu03 - You are mistaken: 90% of Americans DO support background checks. My goodness, that information is only a google search away. http://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2013/apr/04/lee-leffingwell/lee-leffingwell-says-polls-show-90-percent-america/

"The American people are trying to figure out -- how can something that has 90 percent support not happen?" Obama said. That is the question, isn't it? I'd have to say that something stinks with this whole thing.

Media and university polls show that yes, the great majority of Americans do indeed support background checks. Many polls show higher than 80% support. Some show over 90% support. Google is your friend.

These guys are apparently the coolest people you'd ever meet.

It's true robots will follow orders and march to work despite disasters surrounding them (unless those disasters are in another country, then the Japanese will rush home.)

Smog from China? I'm so glad Japan doesn't produce any smog, or the combination would be killer!

The disaster also destroyed a carefully cultivated myth that nuclear power was cheap and safe - and mobilized Japan’s often apathetic voters in huge anti-nuclear demonstrations during a 2012 summer of discontent.

Only temporarily. The myth is back and the masses are buying it once again.

So if other people are finding levels higher than your world of "everything is safe," than surely they must be using their Geiger counters incorrectly? And that means that children only play from areas one meter off the ground? No child ever gets down on their hands and knees to play in the dirt?