John comments

The sooner they bounce this scum bag and lifetime ban him from here the better

JFC, this is SERIOUSLY depressing.

From the boredom because you never cultivated a actual life or personality beyond work, to having to live on shoe leather and cup ramen cause you’re going to live too long, suggestions of moving an even SMALLER home (Japanese homes are too small IMO), now cramping your kids lives?

What’s the point of living so long of you’re “golden years” are bleaker than the Dark Ages?

CrickyToday  05:38 pm JST

Another North Korean style election by Japan. Wages retarded, cost of living rising but the best bet is the LDP. Come one, Are voters that mentality impaired? Are they thinking after 70 years it will get better? I am thinking they need a total occupation again from a functioning democratic power. Because what’s happening is neither democratic or functioning. Forget articulate 9 let’s get the population to actually think.

Yes, the electorate IS that mentally impaired or straight up obtuse. It's comprised of a bunch of jiji's that don't really care about anything and their sole goal in life is to kick the can down the road until THEY keel over. Time to make a law of over 67 or drawing pension? No more voting for you. Voting is about the future. They are the past

Derek GrebeToday  05:21 pm JST

I'm just waiting for the two perennial tragic news stories in the summertime.

1) Unemployed couple or single parent leaves baby/ toddler in roasting car for six hours while they play pachinko.

2) A senior citizen 80+ years old found dead after insisting on tending their rice field at the hottest time of the day.

Every single year we get these stories. Every single year.

Don't forget the ones of elderly dying of heatstroke because they still think they can tolerate it like "the good old days" or thinking a glass windchime, barley tea, a paper fan and muttering 'atsui des ne' 1000x is going to do the trick.

Folks (young AND old) need to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate (with WATER, not tea) and avoid as much activity in the worst part of the day. Heat stroke ain't a joke!

shogun36Today  08:22 am JST

Did they cuff him and haul him from the school premises? 

That must have been hilariously embarrassing.

Probably not. Bet a dollar they did the elaborate tarp bit. Need to prade his butt out for all to see

I read Jake Adelstein’s book as well as other articles he wrote over the years and I hope this show is just as good. It’s what got me REALLY interested into what goes on in Japan even further. PLEASE let it be good!

YubaruToday  08:15 am JST

Those who disappeared stood at about 3,300 in 2021 as of June, with Vietnamese accounting for the largest number.

Pray tell, how do they "disappear?"

Easy. They just turn off their J-govt LowJack tracker like everyone else. All these govt morons know how to do is paperwork. They are the Bubba (from Forrest Gump) of bureaucracy: you collate the paper, staple the paper, fax the paper, etc. etc.

"People's lives are the most important.”

Is there any evidence that a State of Emergency, or even a Quasi State of Emergency, saves lives?

No. It's just political tatemae to give the appearance (tatemae) that the govt here is "doing" something

At this point we might as well accept the fact of is not IF we get COVID but WHEN we get it. It truly sucks but cowering in fear of every little sniffle isn’t going to help

Soooo, the go-to magic pill of the government here of “blame the gaijin” is beginning to wear off?

Wooooow…Okinawa just HAD to mention that 50 military personnel out of 1175. Shows perfectly where their bias lies…

BigYenToday  07:50 am JST

The USA. A law unto itself, even in other people’s countries.

Well, is there any OTHER kind of REAL law?

It’s idiot is nothing more than a Japanese version of Trump. PLEASE Japan, if you have at least ONE functioning brain cell left, dump this guy at the polls come 10/31!!!

That was one heck of a jolt. I hope everyone is ok.

I had to do a double take to make sure this wasn’t from The Rising Wasabi. This HAS to be a joke

Here’s an insane idea: how about ENDING hazard light “stopping” (blinker light parking)? I can’t count how many folks that think hitting the hazard lights is a cue to park ANYWHERE.

“Both hanko seals and paper documents have long been regarded as important parts of the country's working or administrative culture, but they are now viewed as a major factor delaying digitalization.”

well…duh! It keeps a lot of people “employed”. But…to stay (semi) positive, better late than never I suppose. I guess now is good a time as any to reveal the cracks in Japan’s work culture

RecklessToday  05:46 pm JST

a symptom of the sclerotic, aimless politics that had plagued Japan for much of the decade

Japan will not be happy to hear this. I think he should have bowed even lower.

well, it’s the truth. Japan was changing leadership faster than seasonal fashion and to be honest, why make a deal when there’s a regime change before you put away the Christmas tree? And other one by the time you break out the New Years kadomatsu?

At this point I’m content with anyone BUT trump...

I swear to God if later I read about “local prosecutors declined to pursue the case. No explanation given” I will be convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt Japan’s legal system is trash and beyond repair

Good! I hope he burns the entire Japanese legal system to the ground! This is only an issue cause Japan Inc.’s Pride got wounded when one of their pride and joy companies almost went belly up and he pulled them from the abyss

How about cut down on all the unnecessary bureaucracy and fees if you all are soooo concerned?

Well folks, time to start training/prepping my liver for this extended Golden Week