Cameron comments

Posted in: Japan's #KuToo movement giving women a leg-up in the workplace See in context

I want to wear a thin, breathable skirt and sleeveless top during the summer months to get some air circulation up there and prevent swamp rot in the brutal heat here. Even a kilt would be fine. Maybe I should start a #kiltyou movement!

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Posted in: Robert Pattinson picked as the new Batman: report See in context

He certainly has the jaw for The Batman.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Offices adding greenery as part of work-style reform See in context

I agree with Strangerland. My former company moved to a new office which the top brass designed. They put in an entire wall of greenery in the lounge, or refresh area (plastic, but hey!) and seven massage chairs around the office. They built space where people can get away to work quietly instead of on “the island”, as well as a lot of “free space” to use for meetings that didn’t need to be booked through Outlook (always overbooked). They also allowed people to use those giant balance balls in place of chairs (many did). There is a garden full of trees and plants (real) on the roof with a picnic table and benches that we used for lunch as well.

They implemented super flex time, “happy Friday”, work from home three days a week and full casual (mind your manners when meeting clients).

It has made made a HUGE difference in the way we worked as well as felt. Productivity definitely improved.

So I wouldn’t suggest “dissing” the plant idea until you have had the opportunity to test it out. Japanese people ARE changing the way the work, friends.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Posted in: Law loosens rules for self-driving cars in Japan See in context

I was in a self driving golf cart at a course near Mt Fuji a few years back. It was very unnerving to see the empty cart drive itself to the putting green to pick us up for the next hole. My score was horrendous but the cart was fabulous!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Posted in: Many Tokyo firms unprepared for Olympic traffic congestion See in context

I am not looking forward to living and working in Tokyo next summer.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Parents win benefits in nightclub worker's death from chugging alcohol See in context

The work-related drinking culture seems to have completely disappeared for me. Now a days, everyone in my company tries to leave as close to 18:00 as possible and just go home. I see almost no more nomikai in the workplace like there used to be. So, it seems that people are changing, albeit perhaps more slowly than might be beneficial for their health. Or maybe they have become “kitchen drinkers”?

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Posted in: Knife-wielding man shot dead by police on Saitama street See in context

What the heck?!? So, yesterday two knife-wielding men died?

this sounds like the man was trying to get someone to come close to see if he was OK. And at that point he would thrust up with the knife and stab. But since the police came instead of a defenseless Good Samaritan, he charged.

Bizarro of the bizarro.

14 ( +17 / -3 )

Posted in: In Japan, Trump leaves allies, enemies and staff guessing See in context

Wow! Mrs Trump is a head taller than our Emperor. Maybe they could have recommended she not wear those amazingly tall high heeled pumps for this photo....

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Posted in: Indonesian man sues after being sent home for lack of Japanese skills See in context

We shouldn’t expect fisher people to speak the foreigner’s language. And yet it is highly probable that there were people who sincerely tried to help him in English, to get him up to speed while he continued to study. Hopefully he actually was studying and immersing himself in the local culture, not hanging with a crowd from his own country and speaking that language all the time. Coming to a country and expecting to work there does require a certain level of proficiency in the language. And if after a period of time he could not reach the level required to be functional in the trade, well, hard decisions sometimes have to be made.

Let’s not jump to “Japanese are racist” conclusions, people. For that in itself is a form of discrimination.

-4 ( +10 / -14 )

Posted in: Abe orders measures to secure road safety for preschool children See in context

If the drivers lose control (for whatever reason) and plow into a bunch of pedestrians, adding people to protect them or flashing “Children crossing!!!” signs is really not going to prevent people from losing control of their vehicle and plowing into a bunch of pedestrians.

“I am losing control of my vehicle! Look! A bus full of children! I have to swerve in another direction and hit those other pedestrians!”

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Posted in: Kono to ask foreign media to switch order of Japanese names See in context

I find it interesting that an article discussing reversing the Japanese names in the foreign media begins, “Foreign minister Taro Kono...”

20 ( +20 / -0 )

Posted in: Google v Huawei hits millions of smartphone users See in context

I wonder if China will loosen restrictions to internet access so that Google has more freedom to search in the country, thus opening up the road for Google to rethink their policy on restriction of services and technology to Huawei? This is going to hurt people and companies, big time, if they actually go through with it. Could Trump be squeezing Google’s sensitive parts? The truth is out there (though likely all we will ever be able to do is speculate and postulate a bazillion conspiracy theories).

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: What it’s like to experience reverse culture shock after leaving Japan See in context

I could write a ten part series on the Shock I get upon returning to Canada to visit friends and family, after living here for 30 years. Quite honestly I do not know if I could acclimatize to the vast differences...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Serious side effects of cancer drug Verzenio suspected in Japan See in context

I work in this industry. It is not as simple as everyone makes it out to be. In actuality it takes more than 10 years for drug development to approval through the clinical trial system. First of all a Phase 1 (PK/PD) study must be conducted and the data must be good enough to proceed. Then a Phase 2 study, followed by a Phase 3 clinical trial. P1 is usually conducted on healthy subjects but with cancer drugs cancer patients participate. This is to determine how the drug affects the body and how the body affects the drug. As Japanese bodies are different from caucasians it must be conducted. It cannot be skipped.

The tricky thing Is that of course, subjects participating in trials are chosen for success, thus the strict inclusion/exclusion requirements. But, once a drug is approved by the PMDA for a certain (and often extremely narrow indication), the physician can decide whom to treat with the drug. Drug companies cannot promote anything outside of the specific indication, but in the end it is entirely up to the doctor to decide.

This is why, I’m spite of “success” in clinical trials, Serious Adverse Events (eg. the lung cancer above) can occur once the drug is on the market. This is because it is no longer a test and inclusion/exclusion conditions no longer apply. And this is also why for 10 years following approval, drug companies are required by law to submit ALL adverse events that happen, in the country and in the world, to the PMDA.

And then the PMDA and likewise other Health Authorities around the world have the responsibility to determine whether to stop marketing. Which, is often affected by the super rich drug company lawyers and lobbyists. And therein lies the rub, folks. Ethics, and transparency can take a back seat to profits at this point.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: End of 'Big Bang' stirs debate over future of TV comedies See in context

Sorry. “Nangun I” — bangumi

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: End of 'Big Bang' stirs debate over future of TV comedies See in context

If the masses did not tune into this it would never have lasted 12 seasons.

For me, after living in Japan so long and always hating, but being forced to the exposure of the Japanese “tarento warai Nangun I” (I never laugh), my sense of humor is so messed up that there is not a single American Sit-com I find humorous. While my American friends are guffawing away, I am left scratching my head and asking, “why is this considered funny?” My mom, however, loved the series. Even Seinfeld seemed terribly mundane and not at all interesting.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Gov't to urge firms to hire employees until age 70 amid labor crunch See in context

@ mu-da

Unfortunately there are already not enough youth working to pay for my retirement when I hit 60 or 65 or even 70. We don’t pay into our own pensions here as I am sure you are aware; we pay into the funds that are paying those currently receiving pension. So I will HAVE to work at 70 in order to avoid living in a cardboard box in Shinjuku. And so will everyone my age and below. It is daunting.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Posted in: Health insurance law revised to limit coverage to Japan residents See in context

I am over 50 and have been living here and paying into for 30 years. I agree with all the other posters; no way it is 30%. Also I save way more money here than my friends do in Canada.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Posted in: Japanese seniors turning to flea market apps to declutter See in context

I am glad to see that more people of the upper age group, who generally are not entirely comfortable with the internet (and often far too trusting), are beginning to use the auction sites.

I use Sugamo as a transfer station on my daily commutes. I can think of many descriptors for the area but “trendy” certainly isn’t one of them.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Posted in: Nissan profit nose-dives 57.3% See in context

If Ghosn has been “actively” diverting funds to his own pockets for years, you would think it would have shown up in statements like this years earlier. Interesting how after cutting him off completely from everything they suddenly report such a financial problem! Me smells a stinky fish!

14 ( +15 / -1 )

Posted in: Foreign tourist warned for flying drone over Shibuya scramble crossing See in context

There are many legal areas. There are also many illegal areas. And size also matters. Before flying anything, just look into the laws and follow them.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Posted in: Foreign tourist warned for flying drone over Shibuya scramble crossing See in context

Ignorance of the law is no excuse. This is especially true of driving in foreign countries.

14 ( +17 / -3 )

Posted in: 91-year-old driver who hit pedestrians killing one, gets suspended sentence See in context

Cars don’t kill people, people kill people.

Or or something like that.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Japanese man jailed in Ecuador for trying to smuggle out insects See in context

We do NOT need insects that are not indigenous to Japan. If they do not exist, there are likely no known predators therefore they will expand beyond a natural balance and environmental problems will abound. The biodiversity will become imbalanced. Probably one of the worst things you could do to the ecosystem.

Unless of course they were all already dead (which is not stated).

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Posted in: Two of Ghosn's former aides escape indictment through plea bargain See in context

It is fascinating how the prosecutors continued to keep Ghosn in prison by claiming that he “could tamper with evidence”. And now, months after this dog and pony show, two other people who have not been retained, and likely could have tampered with evidence, are being allowed to provide “evidence” against Mr Ghosn. Does anyone smell a rat?

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Posted in: Pierre Taki’s trial on drug charge to start on June 5 See in context

Incredible how fast it went from arrest to trial! Recent arrests and detention of other unnamed high profile figure is dragging on forever with no trial in sight.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games ticket sales open for Japan residents See in context

I hope our company allows full teleworking for these two months of madness....

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Posted in: Fast-food chain Yoshinoya to sell beef bowl without rice See in context

The two women wanted the rice.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Fast-food chain Yoshinoya to sell beef bowl without rice See in context

A group of five of us from work went and the three guys all wanted to order this. But they don’t offer it until after 13.30. Weird.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Amazon to open first Go store that accepts cash See in context

Why do we have to label this as “discrimination”? Can’t people who want to pay by cash just visit a different store? It is a concept that Amazon wants to use in their stores, so I really have trouble seeing why we have to bash them for this.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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