joyridingonthetitanic comments

Tenno Heika Banzai!

I'm all for this, although I suspect that this pact will eventually end up developing a form of agricultural compensation scheme similar to the EU's CAP, that enables farmers to keep going. Except, instead of supporting France, like the EU does it will support Japan.  Problem is, instead of modernising and adapting, schemes and compensation funds like this only reward inefficiency. In a few years down the line, other members will start to question this and get annoyed if the shcem begins to eat up money and demand more.

Give it a week and Moon will have turned this around to try and sue Japan, loosely trying to link it up with the "comfort womaen" debate and debacle!

I have no problem with this what so ever!

Its their right to withdraw and if they want to why not? The irony about all the arguments saying that Japan is defying a democratic institution is that by being a part of that very democratic institution they have the democratic right to choose to be a member or not! In this case they have decided to leave, good luck to them!

To be honest if you were constantly being lectured to, by self righteous other nations who showed little signs of compromise then you would get pretty annoyed as well. Fair play to Japan for having the courage and fortitude to say enough is enough and were no longer going to hide behind an excuse. You cant criticise them for being honest!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_seaplane_carrier_Wakamiya

As requested!

So an ex axis of evil is rearming? Funny how history continues to be lost on so many supporters on here. Well seeing as it's happening, the countries invaded during the war should demand for reparations immediately. Looks like Japan's got cash to spare.

I suggest you consider your own words there. Lets look at your so called Axis of evil in 2018. Germany has submarines, a modern air force, navy and credible army with special forces and is a very capable and dangerous foe with first strike capability and is included under the nuclear umbrella scheme. Next Italy has its own carrier fleet and pretty efficient air arm with a sizable regular navy and submarines that allow it to conduct operations in the Mediterranean with ease.  Both nations were hostile aggressors and committed atrocities and yet, you would seemingly ignore their military build up and forgive them for having large modern armed forces but are unhappy about Japan even considering having a carrier? 

So before you start throwing around ridiculous accusations that have no grounds in the modern world, actually do some research on what your saying!

Just to point out to the dairy haters that Milk and dairy foods are healthy foods and considered nutrient-rich because they serve as good sources of calcium and vitamin D as well as protein and other essential nutrients. They provide phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, B12, and riboflavin1.

The calcium in milk, yogurt and cheese is significant yet most people don't get enough calcium or vitamin D each day2. Getting the recommended three servings of dairy per day can help build bone mass, leading to improved bone health throughout the life cycle. 

A diet rich in protein and vitamin D contributes to bone health. Due to their high protein, vitamin D and calcium content, dairy foods are a good choice for maintaining strong bones.

A diet rich in fruit, vegetables and low-fat dairy foods, with reduced saturated fat, is as effective as some medications in reducing blood pressure in people with increased blood pressure. It has also been shown to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes!

Cutting a whole food group out of your diet is not always a good thing ,as Omnivores human beings get essential nutrients from different sources. You can cry all you like about animal welfare but until someone comes up with a plan to deal with likely effects of freeing all those animals on farms which would include over population and reduced lifespans for the animals in question as well as the economic collapse of the agriculture industry coupled to mass unemployment and starvation then I will continue to consume dairy and meat to my hearts content.

There is always a group of people who feel this way and its perfectly fine, however don't ruin it for the rest of us!

Considering Japan was the first nation to actually test aircraft carriers and conduct the first flight off of a warship in the early 20th Century I'm glad to see that they will be re-joining the list of carrier nations. Although I cant help but wonder if it would be cheaper in the long run to build a new carrier from scratch. To get the Izumo up to sepc would likely result in the ship being out of commission for years, as she will need new technology, hangers, navigation control, decks, equipment and crew space to be able to function as a true carrier. Also as has been mentioned Japan has not has active carrier pilots for almost 80 years so training will be vital. Considering its taken the UK almost 10 years to gets it new super carriers up to operational capability and to train their crews, I cant see Japan having an operational carrier mission ready much before 2030.  

On an additional, It always astounds that people still seem to be under the impression or belief that Japan somehow wants to re start WW2 and engage in hostile conquest of territory and empire building! I'm sorry but if you believe that this is the so called 'secret agenda and goal' of modern Japan then you need to have your head examined.

In light of growing threats this makes absolute sense and is probably long overdue. Japan has the right to defend itself and sometimes the best defence is a good offence!

Sorry Zucronium, is a well documented and historically verified fact that Korean businessmen and citizens happily cooperated and collaborated with occupying Japanese forces during this period. These men and women are called Chinilpa in Korea.

And no you don't hear about Koreans forcing Japanese women to be comfort women, but you do hear about Koreans forcing Korean girls to do this! Usually for a price and for reward! Its a two way street of responsibility and blame! Yes Korea was occupied and atrocities did occour but there were people on both sides who profited out of such actions! Korea has brough prosicutions against some of those still alive but it rarely, if ever, acknowledges that they had a part in it publically!  

To disregard this as an inconvenient truth also needs to be called out.

Pretty sure Australia is going to revoke Eddie Jone's citizenship soon at this rate!

"We cannot ignore the truth just because it hurts," Moon said this week. "For the sake of sustainable and solid Korea-Japan relations, we must face up to the truth.”

Interesting? does this finally mean that you will be finally willing to face up to the idea that Koreans as well as the Japanese were responsible for this? Or does that truth hurt a little too much and probably best ignored?

Seems Moon is happy to dish it out but like most, cant take it himself when its turned back around at him!

He was not a student in the history class of Walnut Grove Secondary School where the flag was used as a teaching tool, but observed it from the hallway, according to the school board.

The opitamie of ignorance and stupidity! Obvioulsy he was so hell bent on making a political point he failed to actually do his research and find out why this flag was in the classroom! Also I doubt the school had 9000 students, where did all these signatures come from?

Also the school should have stood its ground more and not given in to the pressure, after all its was a teaching aid. This could lead to a dangerous precedent, whats next banning the flag in text books because they could offend? The truth is that, history is uncomfortable and you may not be happy with everything that has gone of happened, but you have to study it to understand it. You cant say "that is offensive remove it" just because you don't like it and pretend like it never existed. If you seek to erase history you are doomed to a life of ignorance and repetition. It happened, it existed, get over it! don't like it, don't look at it! Want to protest against it, fine but do your research first and don't be knee jerking fool!

Couldn't make it up!

what to do with the funds? Simple return them all to Japan, including funds already allocated to so called victims! S. Korea, I suspect has no interest in resolving this matter and likes to keep it as a stick to bash Japan about with as often as possible. Also keeps it alive while the women in question are still alive. The familes of which know they wont have a leg to stand on once they go and don't want to miss out on potential riches as a result. You want to talk about exploitation, the families of these women are the ones exploiting them for profit. Japan has upheld its end of the bargain on many occasions its only Korea who has failed to live up to its end!   

However I fail to see how by cancelling the fund any hope of resolving the issue in the future could be made, as this hardly builds trust and any future deal is going to be increasingly unlikely as Japan will have every right to say "no as you will regain upon it in a few years anyway"

This reeks of Moon and his failing government who want to distract from issues affecting them at home and want to build up the nationalist cause. Pathetic really! Perhaps if Moon needs a lesson in what real atrocities look like he should ask his new friends in the North, or has he been so dellusioned that eh thinks they are a just like the south and never do anything wrong.

People seem to be bemoaning the fact that a lot of the tech on show looks over 40 years old. A lot of powerstation control rooms look this way even today as analogue systems are farmore resistant and in some cases reliable that digital ones. Its not the only power industry that relies on old tech, a lot of high end space technology relies on computer systems that were developed in the 1970s and 80s.

Hubble for instance is using computers designed in the 1990s and is functioning fine and youd be surprised how many other big industrial projects and developments are using technology that by todays standards would be described as archaic at best. Railways, power, utilities, communication all rely a lot on analogue tech to maintain systems and output.

Just because we live in the 21st century doesn't mean everything is up to date.

Does anyone know of any divorce that has ended with one side getting exactly what they want with out compromise?

Compromise is hard and those saying its not good enough or it needs to change are those not prepared to put in the effort to make it work. At this stage, its best to get something in place and get the best out of it. A hard break would be catastrophic for both sides this is not perfect but its better than nothing and is about as good as its going to get.

Love that Showa era charm! In the ultra modern world of glass and steel, this is a nice little reminder of a simpler more delicate time! Great idea!

Just because an "automatic" return has been ruled out, does not mean some sort of phased handover is out of the question.  With all the negativity surrounding Russia at the moment, don't be surprised if a sudden diplomatic move towards Japan is initiated, to show good nature and also to drive a huge wedge between Japan and the US. I suspect in exchange for the islands Japan will be required to open up to trade and possible military hardware purchases from Russia. Clever really!

No problem with this!

Another tragedy and waste of life! Yet still, the NRA and the government will claim that America doesn't have a gun problem!

Ah ha! so with the negotiations about "comfort" women going nowhere, Korea has decided to try a new tack, Lets drum on about forced labour, perhaps that's a new and revenue stream we can extort from Japan!

Japan is not a cash cow they can just pressure for money, once again it sound like last ditch attempts by relatives of those who were used as labour to get some cash out of the Japanese government before these relatives die and their cause looses yet more significance! Its pathetic really! Perhaps instead of agrivating and alienating its neighbours Korea should concentrate on building stronger alliances against its Northern counterpart. 

Oh sorry I forgot, according to Moon, Kim Jung Un is really a nice guy now isn't he and the North is not a threat anymore because he's met him a few times and they shared a joke?  You want to talk about forced labour Moon, bring it up with your new best friend and see what he says? What Japan did in Korea compared to the North's human rights abuses is minor in capacity!

I suspect Kyoto is stuck int he same situation that places like Venice and Dubrovnik find themselves in. Cities that generate a huge amount of their income from tourist practices yet lack the infrastructure and capacity to manage it. They cant turn visitors away for fear of jeopardising revenue, nor can they sustain crowds at their current levels. Its a difficult situation to manage, although simply moving the crowds around, will, in the long term not be practical or sustainable.

As long as both sides respect each others rights to be there, its should be no different to NATO observing Russian military exercises. The problems usual arise when one side or the other gets twitchy and over sensitive to the presence of the other, that's when the real danger of something going badly wrong can happen.

Russia military may look impressive but it knows and is fully aware that a full scale confrontation with the west would be suicidal as while a major land power its forces would not be able to counter a combined NATO response. Its sabre rattling and a show of force, nothing more.

Well done! Lets get this moving! Change is good and these are long overdue!

Kobayashi Maru!

Japan will not want to lose face and repeal sanctions against Russia for fear of upsetting its international allies, mainly the US and UK and wont discuss the idea of repealing unless territorial changes are agreed first!

Likewise, Russia will not contemplate the loss of territory unless sanctions are repealed and wont negotiate unless they are!

As both sides are "technically" at peace it seems to me a little strange that this is such a hot topic. Formal treaties that symbolise the ending of wars seems a little passé now!

Are they there in an official capacity or in a personal one? if its personal then they have nothing to be ashamed of, its their choice and their right to attend. If its official as representatives of the government, then perhaps some decorum should have been expressed, but its by no means wrong! A countries leaders paying respects to those that lost their lives fighting for what they believed in and for their homeland is an act that is played out all over the world at cenotaphs and memorials.

Yes there are war criminals interned here, and that is unfortunate, but the souls of the remainder of those there, still deserve the right to be remembered. To forget them dishonours them and makes their sacrifice worthless.

I have no problem with this. Its his right and choice to pay tributes at any shrine of his choosing. Don't let the naysayers and the haters put you off Abe! Well done!

Duh?