kanuk comments

Doses of the vaccines developed by U.S. pharmaceutical companies Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. will be administered to individuals who received third shots at least five months earlier.

Once again, no mention of Novavax. Novavax has been approved by Japan, gives longer lasting immunity and fewer side effects.

There is a better vaccine available, and yet it's not even mentioned in the article. If we want this pandemic to end, we need to use the better vaccines, and stop using short term measures like the mRNA vaccines.

Perhaps what he's trying to say is that they will approve Novavax soon. It has longer lasting efficiency in clinical trials than the mRNA vaccines did. I'm hoping this will be the vaccine that ends the pandemic. However, it hasn't been approved long enough in many countries to see the long term data out in the real world. I hope that data starts coming in soon.

Novavax will should be available in Japan soon, if not now. If you haven't had your booster yet, see if this one is available for lasting immunity and fewer side effects.

There is no mention in this article about Novavax, recently approved in Japan. It has a higher 6 month efficiency than the mRNA vaccines. I can see people wanting to get it because it has fewer side effects or some people don't trust the mRNAs because they're new.

I want people to take this vaccine because it offers better immunity, and may (it's probably too early to tell) finally get us to herd immunity and end the pandemic.

If you're going to get a shot in Japan - look into when this one will be available in your area.

Just as bad, when I came in through Fukuoka last week, there was no hand sanitizer before or after the fingerprint machine.

Literally everyone has to touch the same point on the machines. It's a contagion nightmare! They have to let people clean their hands afterward!

Yes, I have emailed immigration about this, but I don't know if anything will come of it.

Talking about the migration of voters... rather than trying to figure out that math, why not look at the polls? The only match-up where a republican wins is Kasich Vs Clinton. In the other match-ups its all democrat.

This link is Trump Vs Clinton, click on the other links near the top of the page to see the other match ups. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_clinton-5491.html

bass, do you see how these things are related?

So you were for leaving a murderous, butchering dictator in power? Actually, it was the sectarian violence overwhelmingly that caused the majority of the casualties.

If the dictator was left in power, then the sectarian violence would not have erupted. ISIS would not have come about. Dictators are good at keeping people under their thumb. Look at what happened in Yugoslavia and Libya when their dictators were no longer there.

I'm not saying having nasty dictators is a good thing, but simply removing them causes other problems too. Is Iraq a better place now without Hussein? I cannot answer that. I doubt many people can without simply taking partisan positions. Some real data on quality of life, life expectancy and safety would be necessary to have a meaningful conversation.

For those looking at iPhones, if you buy from the Apple store, they are unlocked and can be used with any carrier.

You can also buy SIM free phones from http://www.expansys.jp/

I'm thinking about doing this, and switching to an MVNO, but am hesitant because they reportedly have slower LTE speeds. The sites I've looked at comparing speeds have data ranges all over the place, so it's hard to tell what's good.

If anyone with MVNO experience could post their experiences, that would be great.

I believe that is illegal. The handset needs to have Ministry of Communications certification, as shown by a sticker. The police, customs, etc. have the right to seize any unapproved device. Not sure sure whether this regulation has been reformed, etc. - See more at: http://www.japantoday.com/category/technology/view/mobile-phone-service-operators-lift-sim-locks#sthash.bQolHjiK.dpuf

I don't know about this. Expan sys is selling imported phones, and it seems to be a legitimate business. Also, SIM provider IIJmio sells short term SIMS to travelers who bring their phones from overseas.

Tinawatanabe,

-What does Abe being invited to congress have to do with rule of law? -Obama is pro-SK, but he is also pro-Japan. You may have seen the pictures of Abe and Obama walking together in Washington. -Abe should apologize for the sex slaves and the shrine visits. That would be the morally correct thing to do. It's been suggested a thousand times on this site's comments. Follow Germany's lead, show the past for what it was. Tell the younger generation what happened. Then Japan can improve relations with its neighbors. To obscure its past, Japan is less trustworthy. (I'm not saying that China and South Korea are better, they have their own issues). -Which American site did this poll show up on? I've only seen it here on Japan Today, which is a Japanese site.

Ting Zhao,

Really?

Let's assume you're not a troll. Let's assume that you are not an idiot right wing dude in Japan pretending to be a right wing idiot dude in China trying to stir stuff up. You expect people to go and get revenge for a war that finished over 60 years ago? Who are the Chinese to get revenge against? The old Japanese Imperial Army? Most of those people are dead.

Even if you hunted down the living and killed them in their nursing homes... that would be an atrocity. Just like the ones you are wanting to claim revenge for. OR, would you go after the average Japanese citizen? Ones who are sadly unaware of the history that you are upset about. That would be... an atrocity. In either case, would then Japan, by your logic, be entitled to get revenge on China? This could go on forever.

What about the cultural revolution, Tibet, Tienanmen...? People with a better knowledge of history can supply many newer, bigger atrocities committed by the communist government in China. Who will revenge the victims of those?

China is getting aggressive, trying to take from the Philippines, Vietnam and Japan. China is doing now what Japan did in the past. If you chose to object to Japan's past aggression, will you object to China's current aggression?

I don't often comment on Japan Today, but this article made me wince. I agree with "globalwatcher" and JeffLee.

Has the author ever been to Japan? Underground wiring, hundred year old school buildings with no heat or air conditioning. Third world conditions for students...

Bringing buildings and schools up to modern specifications would take care of Abe's trillions easily.

Question, I riddle you this... Where did you get your data that sunspots are at a high?

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2009/01apr_deepsolarminimum/ would suggest the opposite.

World's highest average temperatures this year, while sunspot activity is low. When the sunspot cycle turns, and we haven't reduced any CO2, we'll be cooked.

Is this of any use to us simple country folk not actually in Tokyo? This summer I'll be flying into Haneda, and then leaving Narita. The bus is still best right? This train doesn't really benefit the rest of the country does it?

As I was visiting an elementary school last week, one of the students sent to take me up to the classroom had "World's Greatest Boobs" written across the chest of her T-shirt. Kids/parents really need to check the meaning of what they are wearing.

I agree. Govenments have to change every now and again,to get change and keep it "fresh". Of course the DJP's first words in office will be "oh, we didn't know things were this bad." Time to clean out the cupboards and take out the trash.

He's got every right to run, but the citizenry have every right to vote for the oppostion. However, since he is connected, he could be the best person for getting stuff done. Not because he has experience, but because he has daddy's political weight. I wouldn't vote for him, as I doubt he's the best person for the job, but I don't know who he's up against either.