imacat comments

@northlondon

Yeah, sure, it was a long time ago, but to suggest (as you seem to be) that it is all best left alone is childish and ridiculous. For a start, it's bloody interesting to discuss and debate history.

I think every country has a duty to take a long hard look at what one's fellow countrymen have done in the past. For many it's a very difficult thing to do without trying to put on the rose-tinted spectacles or get out the tin of whitewash.

I think for most people, if they do look back at their country's past in an unbiased and unblinkered way, will find some very unpalatable facts and events. Shameful events. As a Brit I think I could list several episodes in history where I think we have behaved appallingly just off the top of my head. As I am interested in history I have been to some of the places where such events took place... Jallianwala Bagh at Amritsar, for example.

I am happy to speak to anyone about these events, openly and (for example if it were with a person from Amritsar) in a spirit of conciliation, if that were necessary or meant anything coming from me.

Now on the other hand, here we have in Japan a shrine to the war dead (I have no problem with that) but with an official museum next to it peddling a version of history that is pure propaganda. The Yushukan Museum is a disgrace... a ridiculous place. Even the Japanese themselves had to reign it in 3 or 4 years ago and have some of the most extreme and nationalist explanations replaced. It's astounding that such a ludicrous place could be allowed to be open to the public in Japan, with no other similar museum offering an alternative analysis of history.

In the UK we have a director who makes an Oscar-winning movie about Ghandi, the man who did most to topple the British empire. On the other hand in Japan we have a movie about Hideki Tojo, presenting him as not such a bad guy after all!

I think many Japanese have little or no idea of what atrocities Japan committed during the war and basically they are not interested.

Try it. Ask the Japanese people around you.

Perhaps many Japanese people will vaguely say, oh, Japan did bad things in the war, but when you ask "what exactly?" they find it difficult to pinpoint anything. So you might try to mention a few things but then they start saying that, no, that's Chinese propaganda or else something like, well, maybe we did do that but there was XYZ reason, etc.

There seems to be nothing definite for the Japanese to accept as an atrocity. Vociferous right-wing patriotic groups openly question everything... there is no officially accepted truth. Perhaps part of the matter is that a lot of government held war-records have been destroyed or else what remains are not open to the public or researchers.

So for most Japanese there is a cloud of vagueness over any war atrocities that might have been committed by Japan and this allows right-wing groups to easily sow the seeds of doubt.

It seems somewhat unfair. For example, Americans don't deny the atomic bombings or quibble over the numbers killed. They accept the figures and take that as a starting point to debate the rights and wrongs of it.

I think this lack of clarity from Japan about the whole war record is what causes the problems.

This article is just wonderful wonderful news for any red-blooded male with a strong inclination for Japanese women.

The coast is clear! Go get 'em lads...

@USNinJapan2:

So true... I've seen so many guys flashing around their iPhones in bars in Tokyo that it's become a cliche.

People just roll their eyes now as these iPhone charisma men show off another useless app... but my eye is always straying to the iPhone's network signal bars... oh look... 1 bar again... oh wait, damn, kengai...

@gogogo: I was tempted by Docomo's Blackberry too, but in the end I felt it was too big and too business for me.

I mean the iPhone is obviously brilliant but for me I just can't stomach signing up with Softbank. I think if you google softbanksucks you can find an amusing blog about it.

Also the poor Softbank network coverage really puts me off iPhone in Japan.

I have a Google phone already. It's Docomo's HT-03a. I'm typing this post on it. It's a really great phone that I'd recommend to anyone.

There's one major problem with the iPhone in Japan and that's network coverage. Softbank's coverage isvery poor... frequent cut-offs and poor reception.

People complain about Docomo but at least the connection is generally rock solid.

If you are after a much cheaper alternative to the iPhone in Japan certainly have a look at the HT-03a.

Articles like this often misinform people and I think it's up to the likes of us to correct the info

I still think the original article is correct to say that Japanese camera makers are increasingly distinguishing models as domestic or international by marketing Japanese only models in Japan.

This is a trend which I expect all manufacturers will adopt before long as it gives them more control over the market.

Sorry you can't find an English version of the TX1 - perhaps it isn't for the overseas market?

I can find one if I go to a tourist shop in Akihabara, just not in my local Yamada Denki.

'scuse me... are you calling me a liar?

Didn't mean to imply that you were a liar, especially on Christmas day.

What I meant to say was that I don't think it is so easy to find models with English menus in your local Yamada Denki. Some models may have the option to switch Japanese to English but don't count on it. Always best to play with the camera first. And if you are relying on the salesman to show you models with English menus then you are drastically reducing your choices.

Another camera I'm interested in at the moment is the Sony TX1... of course the Japanese model doesn't have any English option in the menu...

I bought a Lumix camera two years ago from my local Yamada Denki (cheaper than BIC Camera) and had no problem finding one with an English menu.

I don't think this is true. I think the article is correct. Makers are increasingly offering Japanese only firmware on their cameras. The best thing to do is to play with the model on offer in Yamada Denki or wherever. Have a look at the menus, if you can find an option to change it to English then all well and good, if not well you'll have to find an international model in Akihabara. I can say for a fact that the Japanese version of the Lumix LX3 on sale in your local Yamada Denki in Japan does not allow you to change the menus to English.

As people have noted above, nobody in that region wants Japan there. ALL of the countries nearest to the Antarctic are opposed to whaling. EVERY SINGLE ONE!! Count them on your fingers... Argentina, Chile, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand... these are the countries nearest to the Antarctic and hence naturally feel a close affinity for the region. How arrogant of Japan to ignore EVERY SINGLE ONE of these countries and greedily grab whales there... and for what?! To protect their "food culture"!! Since when did Japan's culture start to include the Anatarctic too?!

In japan they have a concept called "meiwaku". This means that you try to look around you and make sure you are not being a "meiwaku" to other people, make sure you are making good relations with people and not stepping on people's toes. Well, judging by Japan's attitude to whaling then for the Japanese this concept only applies in Japan between Japanese people. Foreigners are different it seems and the meiwaku concept can be ignored in dealing with them...

"Argentina, Chile, South Africa, Australia, NZ... you can all go to hell. we don't give a damn about you... we just want whale steaks for our ojisans in izakayas... that's the most important thing for us..."

That's how Japan's attitude to whaling appears to the rest of the world.

If Japan is going to continue shoving this "food culture" stuff down our throats then Japan would do much better to take the whales in the seas surrounding Japan. And you know what... according to the Japanese government there are plenty of whales in the seas around Japan!! More than enough for this tiny tiny niche market.

Remember the only people who have (tragically) died in the Antarctic have been Japanese whalers as a result of (it seems) sloppy seamanship.

Remember the big fire on the Nisshin Maru which left that huge whaling factory ship dead in the water? ... one poor soul dead and a near disaster to the pristine Antarctic wilderness. It's very easy to imagine the fire getting out of control and the final result being a massive oil spill into that wonderful natural environment. Would the Japanese be sending a clean up operation?! Oh wait... there is no clean up operation!

Get this dangerous fleet out of there, Japan.

The Japanese always give "food culture" as the main reason for their continued whaling. Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada also brought up "culture" when talking about Japan's whaling recently.

So what people are wondering is: How the hell can Japan's culture include the Antarctic?!

I really do want to know. If some Japanese people posting here could please explain the connection between Japan's culture and the Antarctic I would be very interested to hear it.

Frankly speaking, I think it is very greedy and arrogant of Japan to include a pristine wilderness area on the other side of the globe as a part of their culture.

At a news conference in Tokyo on Friday, Okada defended the whaling program and the right of Japanese to eat whale meat, noting that food is part of a nation's culture"

He's stated the Japanese position very clearly

Now, could someone please tell me how on earth the Antarctic is part of Japanese culture? I really want to know...

Whales, dingos and Kangaroos are all animals that inhumananly harvested/culled/killed.

A basic rule when debating is to compare like with like. Even high school debaters know this

So compare kangaroos killed in Australia with deers culled in Hokkaido... they are similar things.

A massive armada of killing ships burning 1000s of tonnes of fuel, sent to a pristine wilderness area on the other side of the globe to grab resources in the name of food culture(!)... that is something different.

How does Japan's "food culture" include the Antarctic? Please explain that.

Hard to sneak away from a place you swaggered arrogantly down to.

Watch the Japanese do it... you'll soon see their methods.

Not unlike the Alaskan/Artic sanctuaries

Going back to comparing like with like... how about if the Ozzies and Kiwis sent huge armadas up to these Alaskan sanctuaries, in the face of opposition from all the countries that considered this region to be their neck of the woods? How about if the Ozzies and Kiwis ignored all of those countries and just grabbed resources to protect their "barbecue culture"? Could you imagine it? If you could, that is how arrogant and greedy the Japanese are being with their Antarctic whaling.

The funny thing is that according the Japanese government's data there are abundant whales in the seas around Japan! More than enough for a tiny niche market.

Perhaps Japan could counter Australia for thier inhumane kangaroo and dingo culling

If the Antarctic whales were swimming around Lake Biwa, comparing them to kangaroos would make sense.

They are not.

The whales are being grabbed from a pristine wilderness environment... a precious and unique part of our world that is relatively untouched.

Does that mean anything to Japan in the 21st century?

Many perhaps don't know of the Madrid Agreement. This agreement signed by the international community pledges to preserve the Antarctic solely for peaceful scientific research. It even bans mining for resources down there. What a beautiful and amazing thing that countries could agree to that!!

So does Japan decide to adopt the spirit of the Madrid Agreement in regards to other activities in the Antarctic?

No it does not!! It just swaggers arrogantly down there, grabs the whales and sneaks them back to Japan... making sure the nostalgic ojisans get their whale steak is all that matters to Japan!

Japan just sees this beautiful natural wilderness as a place to greedily grab resources... it has no interest in the value of this environment as an area of wild beauty... just grab, grab, grab... that's the Japanese mentality here.

“I think food is an important element of culture and therefore there is a need to mutually respect and recognize each other’s culture,” Okada said

This is exactly what I've been saying. When the topic whaling comes up, the Japanese start talking about their very precious "food culture".

How the hell does Japan's culture include the Antarctic?!

This is just arrogant and greedy... there is no other way to describe it. According to the Japanese government's data there are an abundance of whales in the seas around Japan... more than enough for this tiny tiny niche market.

The government of Japan's policy is dragging Japan's name through the mud and it's sickening to watch. For a Japan-lover like me it is just incomprehensible and almost tragic.

One of the admirable Japanese traits is that they like to look around and be careful about becoming a "meiwaku". That means that they don't want to offend other people or tread on other people's toes. It's a very nice and traditional Japanese trait. I like it very much.

So how about whaling in the Antarctic? How about the fact that every single country nearest to the Antarctic opposes Japan's whaling down there. Every single one!! Chile, Argentina, South Africa, New Zealand. These countries in the southern hemisphere nearest to the Antarctic naturally feel an affinity for this region.

How on earth can Japan, with its traditional concept of being careful not to be a "meiwaku" just ignore all these countries!? Does it hate them? Does it want to make enemies? Are whale steaks for Japanese ojisans in izakayas really more important than friendships with these countries?!

Japan's whaling policy has been hijacked by nationalist extremists.

I think most people, me included, have no problem with Japan taking whales in the seas around Japan.

The problem is these greedy and arrogant expeditions with a massive Victorian era style fleet to the furthest reaches of the globe to grab resources from a pristine wilderness environment... Japan really needs to think again!

Don't sweat it. Japanese women didn't post the messages. They are just imbecile comments from 2ch cherry boys posing as women. They post any old cr#p on there to provoke a reaction.

People who get angry at kids.

Just wait until you have kids, then you'll realize what a silly a@# you were to get angry....

This will lead to a lot of soul-searching by the Japanese police as to why he could escape and then evade capture for so long.

The reference to Troussier is funny.

Ahh... poor little Japanese soccer players... did big bad Troussier give you a verbal bashing when you messed up? Had to blink back the tears?

This is hilarious! Well done Mr Hatoyama for speaking the truth.

I tried a piece of whale sushi that was circling on the conveyor belt in the local kaiten-zushi shop... it tasted awful to be honest. No wonder the market for whale meat in Japan is just a tiny tiny niche market.

It is Japanese housewives who decide what goes on the family table. Speak to almost any Japanese housewife and will you find someone eager to put whale steaks on the menu? No way! It would be hard to find a group of people more apathetic towards whale meat than Japanese housewives...

But the point to remember is... what on earth are the Japanese doing in the Antarctic?

Have you ever heard Japanese middle-aged men speak about whaling? If you have then you will know that they will always talk about their "food culture". For the Japanese, apparently their "food culture" is very very important.

So people are wondering, how can Japanese culture stretch all the way to include the Antarctic? What is the connection between the Antarctic and Japanese culture?! If there are any Japanese people posting here then please enlighten us (and I mean real Japanese people, not bogus posters such as Nihonryu who have been created by david@tokyo).

Also bear in mind the Madrid Agreement, which countries have signed to preserve the Antarctic for "peaceful scientific research". Are Japan's massive Victorian-era style whale-grabbing expiditions to the pristine Antarctic environment in the spirit of the Madrid Agreement?

The truth is they are completely out of step with the wonderful sentiments represented by that agreement. Japan by its own admission has an abundance of whales on its doorstep. It would do well to stick to them to preserve its very important food culture.

Its time for Japan to stop imposing its culture and values on the Antarctic.

Which is suspended since the signage and implementation Antarctic Treaty. It's flat out violation of the current treaty in force if Australia claims EEZ.

I see that you are confused. It was claimed before the treaty. The treaty simply ignores all such claims. As I said, it's a controversial claim... just as Japan has a controversial claim to an EEZ around Okinotorishima.

An island is a naturally formed area of land

So could you explain why Japan has poured 1000s of tonnes of concrete on to Okinotorishima? Is that natural? Your points are laughable really.

The fact is that the Aussies have a controversial claim in the Antarctic and Japan also has a controversial claim around Okinotorishima.

without regards to population abundance

Do you have trouble reading English? In my posts I have pointed out that Japan claims there is an abundant number of various whales in the seas around Japan. Indeed more than enough to satisfy this tiny niche market. The fact of the matter is that the greedy, whale grabbing Victorian-era style expeditions to the pristine Antarctic are insane... Japan can get its whales on its own doorstep, and that's according to its own data!

However, if they properly requested,

This is hilarious! So the aussies should have to request to fish there, even if they disagreed with Japan's very controversial claim (involving 1000s of tonnes of concrete). By the same token the Japanese government should ask the Ozzies if it could fish in their claimed EEZ off the AAT even if they disagreed with it.

Moderator: Readers, please stay on topic. Okinotorishima is not relevant to this discussion.

Look, NihonRyu, you brought up "Japanese culture" in regards to whaling. Please explain clearly for me your understanding of how Japanese culture stretches to include the Antarctic. I really want to know.

Frankly I think Japan is imposing its culture and values on the Antarctic and this kind of behaviour is becoming more and more unacceptable in this day and age. It's making Japan look greedy and arrogant on the world stage, especially when Japan's own government claims that there are abundant whales in the seas around Japan.

You only mention the Aussies, which is funny because they are always david@tokyo's target... are you sure you aren't really him? You were suddenly created today, almost seems that you were specially created to take part in this thread... strange.

But anyway, it's not just the Aussies is it? In fact it is every single country located nearest to this environmental wilderness wonderland. Argentina, Chile, South Africa, Australia and NZ... every single one of them opposed to whaling. How considerate of Japan to think of the opinions of all these countries.

You also mention EEZs. Australia has a claimed EEZ off the AAT. It's a controversial claim no doubt, but a claim nevertheless.

Japan also has controversial claims. Its claim to a massive 400,000sqkm EEZ around a tiny speck of coral called Okinotorishima is very controversial.

How would Japan feel if Ozzie fishermen sailed up to the seas around Okinotorishima to grab sea creatures for their "barbecue culture". I think we all know that Japan would send ships and airplanes to kick them out.

Perhaps Japan might want to start to think of things from other people's point of view for a change.

Anyway do tell me, why does Japan need extra whales from the Antarctic when (according to the Japanese government) there are abundant whales in the seas around Japan, more than enough to satisfy this tiny niche market? I really would like to know why extra whales from the Antarctic are necessary for Japan.

Japan was able to modernize without being colonized and dominated by Western traditions and belief systems

This comment made me laugh out loud, especially when I think about the young people I see and hear and speak to around Tokyo.

I do believe our culture of eating whale...

Does your culture stretch to include the Antarctic?

Many foreigners (me included) have no problem with Japan taking whales in the seas around Japan as reported in this story.

What we can't understand is Japan sending a massive Victorian-era style fleet of killing ships to the furthest reaches of the globe to greedily grab yet more whales from the Antarctic. How far does Japanese culture stretch?! If you keep crying "Our whaling food culture! Our whaling food culture!" then inevitably people around the globe will wonder what the hell has the Antarctic got to do with Japanese food culture.

These Antarctic whale grabbing expeditions make Japan look extremely greedy, arrogant and selfish on the world stage. Here is the Japanese government telling everybody about the abundant supply of whales in the seas around Japan and then yet it sends this huge killing armada to the precious and unique Antarctic environment to grab more. Japan likes to tell the world about it's "unique food culture"... well how about Japan start to think more about how unique the Antarctic is.

And how about all the 100,000s of liters of fuel burnt to get this enormous fleet down to the Antarctic. If you have an abundant supply of whales on your doorstep (as the Japanese government claims) then why emit all that greenhouse gas unnecessarily?

And don't forget how dangerous this fleet is. Anyone remember the terrible fire on the huge factory ship the Nishin Maru? It killed a poor Japanese sailor and left that massive ship dead in the water in the pristine Antarctic. Imagine if the fire had got out of control and resulted in a massive oil spill... would Japan be sending a clean-up operation? Oh, wait... there is no clean-up operation.

People are getting more and more angry at the danger being posed to this unique and precious environment. There is also the whole mistaken spirit of the Japanese Antarctic whale-grabbing. Many people won't have heard of the Madrid Agreement. In this wonderful document, countries have agreed to preserve the Antarctic for peaceful scientific research and also have banned mining down there. What a beautiful and amazing thing that countries could agree to that. So what does Japan bring to the Antarctic table? A huge killing fleet intent on greedily grabbing resources... yeah, well done Japan, that really does follow the spirit of the Madrid Agreement.

To put Japan's Antarctic whaling into perspective, consider that every single country nearest to the Antarctic opposes whaling!! Every single one! Count 'em... Argentina, Chile, South Africa, Oz, NZ... the five countries circling the Antarctic and countries that naturally consider that area to be a part of their neck of the woods... how can on earth can Japan just ignore all of them and grab the whales down there... is it a deliberate provocation?

So how about it NihonRyu? You are OK with this local whaling... do you also want to greedily grab more whales from the Antarctic for your "whaling food culture"?

(I am very kind and assume you are who you say you are, and not a bogus poster created by david@tokyo, but be aware that others may not accept you for real... I do notice you were created today).

JMannGod might be right. Perhaps she was asking for a slapping.

Some wives exert mental torture on the husband and that can result in a physical response. We don't know the whole story. At least this guy is admitting his mistake... perhaps the wife needs to admit some of her mistakes too.

Yep, just as I thought, a bit wet and windy and nothing more.

Another typhoon disappointment.

I am a bit surprised by some of the comments on this board. It seems that people are openly cheering for a major typhoon to hit the country, cause massive damage, perhaps, dislodge thousands of people, and maybe even claim some lives.

Well, frankly speaking, I am all for massive natural disasters. They're awesome. Of course I don't want anybody to get killed.

It will just be a bit wet and windy out.

Typhoons have always been a major disappointment as far as I'm concerned. On TV they predict the end of civilization as we know it and then all you actually get is some HS girls struggling with their umbrellas and a few trains cancelled.

Ishihara said. “Young hot shots have to go into the core of the IOC or we will always be considered outsiders.”

I wonder whether he sees the irony of this comment.

“I believe the people in Tokyo still want to host the Olympics,”

What does he mean "still"? They didn't want them this time. At best, there was extremely lukewarm support among the Japanese for the games (good to see that ordinary Japanese people have their priorities right!). I think opinion polls were putting support at just over 50% in Japan, the lowest of the final 4 bid cities. The Japanese Olympic Committee then pulled out a figure of 80% support which was obviously fake and nobody believed it anyway.

I thought Iceland had closed down... must have reopened for business. Nice of Japan to help them out.

It does seem that Japan is finally wising up to how ridiculous its Victorian-era style whale-grabbing expeditions to the pristine Antarctic are making it look and finally investigating other avenues.

What is difficult to understand is why Japan doesn't utilize the whales around its own waters more. That would fit in much better with Japan's constant cries about how important its whaling "food culture" is. And according to the Japanese government's own data there are an abundance of whales in the waters around Japan.

This sounds very suspicious.

Just a few weeks ago we had "data" claiming the Sony Walkman was outselling Apple's iPods in Japan for the first time in years. Now we have a similar report claiming the PS3 is outselling the Wii.

I frankly don't believe it and think these reports may have been prepared with the help of Sony's PR department.

It may be hard for some to accept (me included) but al-Megrahi was almost certainly framed by the CIA.

There were two main pieces of evidence against him... a fragment of a circuit board for the bomb timer, found in a Scottish forest and a Maltese shopkeeper who testified that al-Megrahi had bought the clothes that were in the suitcase containing the bomb.

The fragment of circuit board was placed in the forest by the CIA, probably with help of the British secret service. An engineer for the company who made the circuit board was paid money to supply it. There are many irregularities surrounding this piece of evidence.

As for the Maltese shopkeeper, he was paid a fortune by the Americans for his evidence and apparently now lives the life of Riley in Australia.

Just read up about it on the internet. The more you read the more incredible it seems that al-Megrahi could ever have been convicted. There are so many unexplained and downright suspicious aspects, especially in regard to the Swiss company that made the circuit board.

To it me it seems likely that Flight 103 was blown out of the skies by the Iranians in retaliation for the Americans shooting down Iran Air Flight 655. The Americans probably accepted this retaliation but still needed someone brought to justice. For various reasons Libyans fitted the bill.