jpesquire comments

I guess he wasn't a Smooth Criminal cause he couldn't Beat It.

Noda said on Aug. 13 that there should be no retreat from a pledge to double the sales tax to 10 percent by the middle of the decade. I predict other tax hikes as well.

Spidapig,

Cigarettes are now $15 a pack in NYC. Alcohol also has high taxes. However, fast food and junk food remain cheap. If people are going to eat unhealthy foods that increase the overall cost to the healthcare system, why should they not pay more to support it? Smokers and drinkers already pay high taxes for this reason. Make people pay $5 dollars for candy bars. Perhaps high taxes on junk food, a “fat-tax” will help reduce obesity, as people might actually spend time to cook themselves healthy food. I hate to request high taxes on such foods, but the facts are that obesity is become an endemic problem in the United States not only for the healthcare system but for soon to be 50% of the population whose lives and health will be deteriorated from what is essentially just over consumption

Actually he is 25.

Its funny, Japan was suppose to be the underdog according to all the news I read (outside Japan). Even the bet makers gave the odds to Sweden. However, Japan is ranked higher then Sweden and in the last four meetings between the teams, Japan won two and tied two. In fact Sweden has not beaten Japan in 15 years.

When I watched the match, although the score was only 3:1, it was clear beyond a doubt that Japan was the stronger team.

These girls are are great roll models for young Japanese girls. Best of luck to them.

I saw on the news, that government officials are requesting people not to celebrate cherry blossoms this year, in light of whats going on. However, it depended on which government (prefecture or city) in Japan had control of the park. So some parks where ok and others not. One notable park they were asking people not to celebrate in was Ueno.

Pachinko parlours are not owned by the Yakuza. They are owned by the Koreans. In fact if you believe the claims of many, some of the money from the pachinko parlours goes to North Korea.

I have also read that the pachinko industry has a close relationship with the Japanese police. Donating to police pensions and offering jobs in the pachinko parlours to retiring police officers.

Not only are they slowing shipments, when I came into Hong Kong from Macau a week ago they were pulling all the Japanese out of the line at customs and going through there stuff. They pulled my wife aside and told her that her Japanese passport was fake and detained her while they confirmed it was real. Meanwhile they refused to looked at any evidence I had that showed she was my wife and told me with my US passport to just go through (never checked my bag). It could have just been chance, but we felt it had to do with everything that was going on (we saw the anti-Japan ralley while we were there).

FREE KOBAYASHI!!!!!

I would love to know how many Japanese police are arrested every year stealing women's panties!!! It seems every week a police officer is arrested.

@northlond

According to other news articles Nike paid:

Y 150 million (1.7 million US) for naming rights

Y 450 million (5 million US) for renovation of the park

Y 17 million

The park is not that small and it is easy to see how Nike will probably spend US 5 million in renovation. While I wish that Nike's name was not on the park. I am happy they have taken the initiative to come in a renovate the park into a space people can use, instead of its current state. Shibuya ward may be one of the richest in Japan, but US 5 million is still a lot of money that could be spend else where, and the fact is if Nike did not come in, this park would continue to languish in its present state.

I cannot understand these protests at all. Currently the park is a blighted hole. It stinks like pee, and is covered in empty beer cans and trash. No one would go there to relax and my wife feels unsafe walking there. In fact it could be argued that in its present condition it is not actually open to the public, but has been taken over by people who feel they have a right to the park.

On the other hand, recently the government has torn down several of the old skateboard parks in Tokyo. Our son who loves skateboarding has no where good to go unless he takes the train atleast an hour away.

While I can understand peoples concern that the park is being named Nike park, the fact that Nike is taking over is for the best.

@northlondon's comments actually the cost of constructing the park will cost several million US dollars to construct, all of which will be paid for by Nike. The fact that Nike will pay Y17million (I agree they probably could have got more) will help with the upkeep and the running of the facilities and will allow the skatepark to be free instead of the public having to pay. Nike for years has paid for and maintained nice basketball courts in Yoyogi Park. Nike does not profit directly from these projects, for them it is all about publicity.

While I disagree about some of Nike's practices and do not buy there shoes, I am happy that they will come in and build this type of thing. In the current economy the Shibuya-ku government probably can use all the finacial help it can get. I am sorry if some homeless people will have to move there homes to Yoyogi park, but as it is I find it hard to even call this place a park.

I have to say I find it almost comical that every week the crime section articles are about police breaking the law. Perhaps Japan would be safer if they just locked up all the police. Someone suggested that I go to the police station when my old rusty bike was stolen. I told them it was a waste of time since it was not that vaulable and they would never find it. However, looking back I probably should have gone, becuase it was probably parked around back the police station, stolen by one of the police officers. Haha

I would not hire this woman to clean my toilet, let alone any job that requires any sort of intelligence. If your 5 year old child needs a complicated type of surgery do you go the “down-to-earth” and “inspiration to all patriots” doctor or do you go to the best doctor possible, with experience, skill, and intelligence. Being president of the United States requires vast amounts of problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, and intelligence. When I hire someone I do not look for someone “down-to-earth” and “inspiration to all patriots”, I look for someone who can get the job done. Why should electing a president any different. This woman may have a good heart, but she is not qualified to be in any type of leadership position that could affect the lives of people. I have been a Republican for 54 years and I know there are highly intelligent Republican leaders out there. However, Republicans can never hope to hold the presidency if we continue to hold out such morons as this woman as our leader.

I would not hire this woman to clean my toilet, let alone any job that requires any sort of intelligence. If your 5 year old child needs a complicated type of surgery do you go the “down-to-earth” and “inspiration to all patriots” doctor or do you go to the best doctor possible, with experience, skill, and intelligence. Being president of the United States requires vast amounts of problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, and intelligence. When I hire someone I do not look for someone “down-to-earth” and “inspiration to all patriots", I look for someone who can get the job done. Why should electing a president any different. This woman may have a good heart, but she is not qualified to be in any type of leadership position that could affect the lives of people. I have been a Republican for 54 years and I know there are highly intelligent Republican leaders out there. However, Republicans can never hope to hold the presidency if we continue to hold out such morons as this woman as our leader.

A note to the author of this article. Cyclones and Typhoons are regional terms.

hurricane (the North Atlantic Ocean, the Northeast Pacific Ocean east of the dateline, or the South Pacific Ocean east of 160E)

typhoon (the Northwest Pacific Ocean west of the dateline)

severe tropical cyclone(the Southwest Pacific Ocean west of 160E or Southeast Indian Ocean east of 90E)

severe cyclonic storm (the North Indian Ocean)

tropical cyclone (the Southwest Indian Ocean)

However, if you use of the word tropical cyclone was in its meaning as the generic term for a non-frontal synoptic scale low-pressure system over tropical or sub-tropical waters with organized convection, then my apologies for pointing this out.