Posted in: Man arrested for voyeurism, says it was a way to relieve stress and frustration at work See in context
@Aly RustomToday 07:53 am JST
"I filmed up her skirt as a way to relieve stress and frustration at work.”
I would recommend weight training and martial arts as a way to relieve stress and frustration at work.
I think it is an outgrowth for the human passion for hunting - snapping the camera at the perfect moment is analogical to pulling the trigger on a deer.
Doesn't make it legal, but that's the motivation.
4 ( +6 / -2 )
Posted in: Tourist arrested in Japan for striking convenience store clerk over 3-yen bag altercation See in context
I'd point out that it's likely the 3-yen charge isn't even the shop's idea, but the government's idea to dissuade people from using plastic bags in the name of Environmentalism (a Western idea).
4 ( +6 / -2 )
Posted in: Ex-lawmaker gets suspended sentence for raping junior high school girl See in context
"The Tokyo District Court found Tamotsu Shiiki, 58, guilty of nonconsensual sexual intercourse."
Which doesn't answer the question at all because the Law requires us to pretend minors (like a 12 year old) cannot give consent.
According to the Japan Times …
—
Shiiki, who had never met the girl before the incident, paid her ¥10,000 for the act.
Well, let's be honest - the girl probably gave her consent. 10000 yen for 20 minutes work is a bargain coming out to 30,000 yen per hour, so you can't even deny it is an intelligent decision. The law just insists it does not count.
That, alongside with civil law country's emphasis on Repentance and Reconciliation ... it isn't surprising.
-3 ( +2 / -5 )
Posted in: Japan to halt funding for U.N. women's rights panel over call to end male-only imperial succession See in context
To be honest, this complaint is at least consistent with CEDAW's purposes. However, this is a last straw for an organization that has also promoted the robbing money from modern Japanese (comfort women issue) and censorship (of the Japanese animation industry). CEDAW is expected to be fair minded on these issues, and frankly it is not.
-2 ( +4 / -6 )
Posted in: New player arrives in U.S. Steel-Nippon Steel takeover saga with goal of quashing it See in context
Ancora Holdings Group, with $10 billion in assets
President Joe Biden blocked the nearly $15 billion acquisition this month
In other words, Ancora is a nobody that can't substitute Japan Steel in this deal even if it uses all its assets.
2 ( +4 / -2 )
Posted in: Japan Post to stop delivery of live reptiles See in context
@virusrexToday 07:43 am JST
Again making this baseless assumption, for all you know everybody used the service once after the reptiles died, or unethical companies letting half die as "transportation costs", etc.
Because if people lose reptiles, it's hard to imagine them not saying anything on say the Internet. Surely someone must be asking "I need to ship my reptile, can I just mail it" and people would be saying "No. I lost my reptile to the post. You'd have to use a service."
https://www.008008.jp/transport/pet/ to give one example.
I don't know whether to thank you or to note that it'd be much cheaper to get a human from Tokyo to Osaka
Letting them die of exposure just because it is convenient is not allowed.
Why are you assuming they died, rather than that being just an abstract possibility?
-1 ( +0 / -1 )
Posted in: Japan Post to stop delivery of live reptiles See in context
@virusrexToday 04:55 pm JST
Hire a service that transport living animals ethically by providing a controlled environment?
Yeah, but if Japan Post was willing to do it, and people have been entrusting their reptiles without losing them, there won't have been demand for specialized services in Japan. Do they even exist or are prevalent enough to be reasonably accessible?
1 ( +2 / -1 )
Posted in: Japan Post to stop delivery of live reptiles See in context
Probably it took the threat of an article in the media "Japan Post routinely kills reptiles"
If anything, it's a sign that almost all these reptiles make it through just fine, and every time it is a convenience to the user. What are they supposed to do now?
0 ( +5 / -5 )
Posted in: Japan eyes more flexible school curriculum to meet diverse needs See in context
Children learn a bit of everything - e.g., literature, writing, art, history, math, physics, sports, woodwork, cooking - so that they can find out what their aptitudes and interests are. Some kids love math. The world does need math and a lot of other skills too.
Fair point. On the other hand, at some point it's going to be clear that some kids just don't have it in them to take jobs that heavily rely on math (or another clearly weak area), but might have a compensating talent. If so, it'd be nice if he can have the flexibility to dump math and focus on what might make him a living.
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Posted in: Freed anti-whaling campaigner Paul Watson arrives in France See in context
Whatever it is, it's clear this time Europe has taken the side of a criminal.
Whatever the political theater behind the scenes (which only makes a hash of European claims to Rule of Law), the Danish excuse was really quite thin.
It's true that Danish (and for example German) penal codes specifically mandate consideration be given for time in custody. I'd also point out, however, given the potential severity of Watson's charges, any reduction on that basis can be compensated for by taking a slightly dimmer view on his Handlungsunwert and Erfolgsunwert.
Unless the plan, had Japan given a "satisfactory assurance", been to keep him in Europe on extradition appeals (Europe making excuses to not hand over criminals on "human rights" grounds) for years until they can plausibly release him on the grounds he has been in the system so long he has gone over a plausible sentence would have been.
7 ( +21 / -14 )
Posted in: Major Japanese city is abolishing extracurricular activities at all of its middle schools See in context
Assuming coaches outside of school never physically or verbally abuse the kids in their charge.
It'd help. Right now the contest in case of any dispute is Student versus Teacher, and faculty will have a motive to defend the Teacher. In the new system, the Student can freely bring up any problems they have to the school, and it is Their Student versus Outsider Coach, so the school is likely to be the Student's Advocate.
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson released after 5 months in Greenland prison See in context
@Asiaman7Today 06:46 am JST
Let be supplement that idea by quoting the section in Danish Penal Code:
§ 86 (1) Where the convicted person has been arrested, remanded in custody or hospitalized for mental examination, the length of the imposed imprisonment shall be reduced by a number of days proportionate to the length of time he was in custody or in hospital. Custody for less than 24 hours does not entail reduction. Where the convicted person has been isolated while in custody according to a decision by the court, a number of days are furthermore deducted corresponding to one day for every commenced period of 72 hours, during which the convicted person has been isolated. The sentence shall contain information concerning the duration of the custody, hospitalisation and isolation, which entail reduction. In exceptional cases, the court may decide that the whole penalty must be regarded as having been served, even though the sentence imposed is longer than the time that the convicted person was in custody or in hospital. Where an appeal fails or is withdrawn, such a decision shall be made by the resolution of the superior court. Where a fine is imposed, it shall be decided in the judgment that the whole fine, or a part thereof, shall be considered to have been paid.
-2 ( +0 / -2 )
Posted in: Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson released after 5 months in Greenland prison See in context
@JayToday 09:24 am JST
The justices in this affair are mixed. The IWC is supposed to allow controlled whaling, but was politicized by antiwhalers. A 10 year moratorium (and the word moratorium means it should have been lifted at the end of ten years) was continuously extended regardless of the actual health of the whale population.
The "science whaling" thing is a bit of a quiet understanding that allowed life to continue and kept the Harmony. Japan would quietly be allowed to catch a limited number of whales under the scientific whaling aegis to feed the few people who still wanted whales, while Japan won't enter into an open break with an organization that's doing the reverse of what it is meant to do.
The ICJ's judgment is probably legally valid, but ignores the broader justices in the case as well as the politics. The confrontation that could be managed was put in the open and Japan left the IWC.
BTW, I don't care how few people really want whale. If even one person on the planet wants whale and can pay the cost (or just goes to get it himself), he should get to eat whale. The only justification otherwise is an actual, concrete necessity to avoid the extinction of the whale population.
-2 ( +2 / -4 )
Posted in: Man arrested for setting cardboard boxes on fire in front of store See in context
sakurasukiDec. 11 07:03 am JST
Since he ended up burning up the building too, I doubt that would be acceptable even in Canada.
-1 ( +0 / -1 )
Posted in: Man arrested after crashing his car into high school boy on bicycle See in context
Please don't tell me you are unaware of even the possibility ramming a bike with a car might cause the biker's death. And if you do, you already have conditional intent. Now that this point of law is clarified, I suggest pleading guilty and hoping you'd get a punishment in the lower range (the kid didn't die, was apparently not seriously or permanently injured).
1 ( +5 / -4 )
Posted in: Shibuya’s Hachiko statue will be covered up for New Year’s Eve, pedestrian barricades installed See in context
@virusrexToday 06:06 am JST
locals are there, obviously agreeing with the measures
Give the man his due. Your original statement was "put forward by representatives of the local shopping districts", making the "local shopping districts" as the active party. "Obviously agreeing" (passive) is a significant downgrade from being the active initiator, especially in Japan. It might mean enthusiastic support (I grant you this possibility) but it can also range down to Grudging Acquiescence.
However, there is a reason to suspect these measures are not as universally popular, even within Shibuyans, as you'd like them to be. If whoever is behind this sincerely believes this is genuinely popular, they won't be salami slicing. If anything, they'd be showing their speed and decisiveness of motion, not salami slicing. Here, they are saying "It's only for December 31 2024". Do you think they are seriously thinking in December 31 2025 they'd be resuming it, or are they just trying to slow boil the frog?
mayor being reelected after clearly reducing the street drinking at the location
His popularity dropped by over 20% since he "reduced the street drinking". It just hadn't gotten to the point where he lost his lead, at least not by 2023. And 2023 is before this latest offensive. We'd have to wait until 2027 to see how many more percent he'd lose over this.
-1 ( +0 / -1 )
Posted in: Shibuya’s Hachiko statue will be covered up for New Year’s Eve, pedestrian barricades installed See in context
@virusrexDec. 10 11:12 pm JST
they all depend on your intention to force the locals to do something without justification.
If you insist. I'd point out that you are painting this in a much more negative light than is usual. For example, anti-discrimination laws force employers, landlords and shopkeepers to contract with people they otherwise (reasonably or not) would prefer not to contract with. They are violations of personal autonomy. Yet this coercion aspect is rarely brought up, if you bring it up often you become the "bad guy", and Japan is constantly criticized by the West or the United Nations for not implementing such coercions into statute.
people can be forced to stop playing the piano when they become a nuisance
How do you define "nuisance"? Does nuisance start as soon as the piano leakage is detectable on instruments? When it's manifestly audible to the naked ear? When you can make out the tune? When you can't have a conversation anymore?
practice in a proper place
Again this needs definition. Most apartments (in Hong Kong or Japan) are not large enough to put the piano in a dedicated room, so this requirement will disqualify many people from starting piano. If you mean a soundproof room (and I've never seen Yamaha put up ads for soundproof rooms in any place but Japan) - a soundproof room big enough to hold a piano costs more than the piano itself.
since this is something that actually is protected as an activity
If your criteria is that it is "protected" as an activity, then do remember that assemblies are constitutionally protected activity (and no one said they MUST be political). And they don't have to be quiet about it. If anything, it's harder to find the exact place in legislation where "kids playing" is a protected activity.
On the essence of the issue, I'd point out in general, learning to live and let live increases the overall happiness of society. My neighbor is happier that I'm not challenging him on his piano, and I'm happier that he's not challenging me on my recent purchase of a digital piano (which had to go in the living room, occupying half a large table). If I'm like some Japanese and force him to build an enclosure ("proper place") for his piano, even if he complies he won't be tolerant with mine (and honestly, if I have to build soundproof then I can't play). Do you see how tolerance makes for a happier society, and thus has intrinsic worth, than intolerance?
You just proved that his actions were so well received that he increased his popularity
How did you come to this conclusion given the information provided? He starts with 36%. He allows parties. His popularity rises to 75%. He is now less friendly to parties (but he can use COVID as an excuse). His popularity drops to 51%. The correlation seems to be that allowing parties strongly increases his popularity, and disallowing them decreases it.
-2 ( +0 / -2 )
Posted in: Shibuya’s Hachiko statue will be covered up for New Year’s Eve, pedestrian barricades installed See in context
@virusrexToday 05:41 am JST
First, a declaration of interest. I am NOT one of those who joins street festivities, in Hong Kong, Japan, or elsewhere. The most valuable part of a festival to me is the associated holiday - if it doesn't come with a holiday, it's not special to me. I spend holidays lounging at home. But I do think this is one of those "I might not agree with how you party, but I will defend your right to do so" moments.
But about that holiday. You might notice that in Japan, New Year comes with a holiday. Halloween is a workday. This indicates the Japanese place much more value on New Year than Halloween. Halloween is an event for a minority, while almost every "Wajin" at least gives a nod to New Year (and I think most cultures give a nod to January 1st in some way). Thus it is much less socially acceptable to openly go against New Year (even if they have comparable nuisance levels), and that may be why they cannot say it is actually popular this time around.
As long as people outside of the location are not trying to force themselves on the locals they don't have to be bad.
If you can't at least slightly trepass on other people's tranquility, you won't be able to even play the piano (I'm not talking about heavy metal guitar or drums) in your apartment, which obviously can put a dent in an aspiring musician's growth. I know the sound from my neighbor's piano does penetrate quite well into my flat. Kids won't be able to play in the local park or bare ground - which is likely to stunt their proper psychological and physical development. The potential harm from intolerance is not insignificant.
As for "outside of the location" remember that localism is relative. Are they Shibuyans? No. But they are Tokyoites. One ring further out they are Kanto-ans, and another ring out makes them Japanese. Also, with this one being New Year's, the number of Shibuyan participants is likely to increase, unlike Halloween.
The simple fact that nobody is rushing to replace Shibuya shows the negative image these events have for the locals, pretending you have a right to impose the events is what would be trying to correct a wrong with another wrong.
It's NIMBY.
The mayor has been reelected (for his third term) after putting in order these measures
Mayor Ken Hasebe was re-elected for the third time in April 2023, coinciding with the time when Shibuya could no longer use COVID as a reasonable excuse to not suffer public assemblies. Also, in his first election in 2015, he barely edged out his opponents (36%, the next man having 32.5%). For SoraNews:
This wasn’t always the case. Starting in 2016, the world-famous Shibuya Scramble intersection in front of Shibuya Station would be shut down on the night of December 31 and turned into an official street party venue, with appearances by celebrities and vending booths from sponsoring companies. By 2018, crowds as large as 120,000 people or so would gather to ring in the new year.
After this, in 2019, he got 75% of the vote. In 2023, he retained only 51.4% (in pure numbers he lost about 15K votes - Shibuyans who were deprived of their party, perhaps?). So, are Shibuyans necessarily anti-party? Is it the idea of "representatives of the local shopping districts", meaning shopkeepers and mall-owners which is only a fraction of the population of Shibuya?
I might also note 120K people is more than twice as many Japanese than supporters of Ken Hasebe even in his strongest vote.
0 ( +1 / -1 )
Posted in: Thousands rally in Georgia's 12th day of pro-EU protests See in context
Frankly, my sympathy is not with the Georgian authorities on this one, regardless of possible Western involvement in the protests.
1) Deciding that any "NGO" that receives 25% or more foreign funding is suspect? Reasonable.
2) Saying no other country has the right to determine whether or not the Georgian government is validly elected? Perfectly respectable.
3) You didn't have to push your luck by immediately deferring ascession talks to the EU. I have heard a version that the EU would soon be the one stopping talks .... well, if so let them be the one to take the initiative.
-1 ( +0 / -1 )
Posted in: Shibuya’s Hachiko statue will be covered up for New Year’s Eve, pedestrian barricades installed See in context
@virusrexDec. 9 03:38 pm JST
What slippery slope? Shibuya somehow banning events at any other place of Tokyo? The local government listening even more to what the locals want in the ward?
I believe the last event they banned, the article at least mentioned that it was claimed to be popular to the locals, but not this article.
But in any case, the same issues continue, and you might also give value to how they are salami slicing these bans. It's hard to not see a line out of these dots and predict their final goal is to ban any bit of public fun on Shibuya. If that is indeed the case, the honest thing to do is to lay this motive up front, but they are banning one event at a time, hoping people would go "Oh well, Halloween isn't THAT popular in Japan, doesn't have THAT long a tradition". Now, in less than one year we are going after New Year Festival.
The way you are phrasing your defense, you don't believe these events are bad for Tokyo, or Japan as a whole. From that premise, those events should be held SOMEWHERE. Yet they can't be if we allow "Local Autonomy" to allow every ward to go Not In My Back Yard and refuse these events. The only way we can hold these events in the age of increasing parochialism is to deprive wards of the right to ban these events on their own initiative.
-2 ( +1 / -3 )
Posted in: Kyodo News penalizes top editors after false report on Yasukuni visit See in context
That's a relief. We can all sleep safe and sound knowing that he was 'hauled over the coals' while the other 4 lower guys get the stiff end of the whip.
Well ... officially a reprimand is less heavy than any salary reduction. Those 4 lower guys ARE out of the promotion race though.
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: Shibuya’s Hachiko statue will be covered up for New Year’s Eve, pedestrian barricades installed See in context
Watch the creeping advance and slippery slope.
-1 ( +2 / -3 )
Posted in: Japanese elementary school installs standing sleeping pod for students to nap in See in context
The entire point is that you don't get to sleep too deeply, so you get a power nap. The problem is, can I get to even a shallow sleep while standing up?
7 ( +8 / -1 )
Posted in: Australia eyes $30 mil fine for social media flouting under-16s ban See in context
I wonder what the Aussies would do if all the big-time SNS providers respond to this by simply not providing services to Australians - Australia isn't that big in the big scheme of things. Give the SNS people too much aggro and they might just cut them off.
-3 ( +2 / -5 )
Posted in: China-made tram may transport hikers to Mount Fuji, source says See in context
Bad idea, just use electric trams, way cheaper, way simpler .
I'm imagining an electric trolleybus, only being automatically guided by magnetic markers.
1 ( +2 / -1 )
Posted in: Doujinshi manga/anime chain announces moratorium on Visa/Mastercard credit card payments See in context
Sadly, it is pretty widespread for about the past year when it isn't clear if Trump would win. DLSite is another victim. Paypal is no longer serving Booth (of Pixiv). I love this bait and switch by American companies - get you to trust them and use their services under the belief they only have commerce (money) in their hearts. Then they weaponize it.
It actually is better for Japanese - at least they can use debit cards or a number of in-country alternatives. As for me, I'm stuck, because I have only one of those two big companies and out of country.
-1 ( +0 / -1 )
Posted in: Halloween crowd control tight in Tokyo's Shibuya, Shinjuku districts See in context
@virusrexToday 05:33 pm JST
One function of the government is to not listen to every demand. Consider the case of nearby residents or shopowners complaining about the noise emanating from a school. Yes, those residents may collectively pay a significant amount of taxes while the schoolchildren, of course, pay none. Nor are kids voters, while the adult residents are. Do you think the government should go and stunt the development of children by telling the school to find ways to shut them up?
The ones trying to find excuses are those that try to get people with nothing invested in the location to impose their wishes on the locals without any actual valid reason to do it.
Funny, aren't judges usually supposed to be people who have as little as possible invested in a particular case, in order to maintain neutrality and to not have a conflict of interest?
0 ( +1 / -1 )
Posted in: Halloween crowd control tight in Tokyo's Shibuya, Shinjuku districts See in context
Once we allow this idea that a municipality's locals can abuse their authority to deny a once per year event, other municipalities will follow. Halloween does have a significant following, but not enough they have a "home base" where they hold a majority. Every other region probably does not Net-Benefit from their presence, and the only thing that keeps them quiet is the ingrained sense that we have to allow people to exercise their rights.
Shibuya is now taking a sledgehammer to this psychological barrier on which so much of our freedom depends.
3 ( +9 / -6 )
Posted in: Celebrations subdued in Tokyo's Shibuya district on weekend before Halloween See in context
perhaps with friends in someone's house
Won't work for the same reason the authorities are siding with the "locals" in the first place. In fact, it 's the same reason as many other things foreigners don't love about Japanese culture - such as paternity leave or overtime.
Your party's noise will carry to the neighbors, and Japanese prioritize the Duty to Refrain way too much over the Duty to Suffer. The Japanese literally prefer no one to have fun than for some mutual tolerance of the side effects of each other's fun.
-1 ( +0 / -1 )
Posted in: 40% of men in Japan feel awkward at work after taking paternity leave: survey See in context
It's part of a bigger issue of Japanese culture. Despite importing the Western idea of rights, the idea that they may only be used to the extent they do not bother others is too heavily emphasized, while the idea that people have a duty to suffer other people exercising their legitimate rights is not well ingrained. When the latter is properly ingrained, it won't even feel like suffering. But it isn't so instead of people thinking "I want my paternity leave too at my time, so I'd happily accept yours" it becomes "We both don't take paternity leave and suffer."
It goes beyond leave and overtime at the office. A similar mentality affects everything from Halloween parties to even playing piano in the privacy of your home. I strongly advocate change.
7 ( +7 / -0 )
Posted in: Tokyo world athletics party can make up for Olympic lock-out, says CEO
Posted in: Man arrested for killing pigeon