Japan Today

Ken Watanabe comments

Posted in: 6,757 aftershocks felt in Japan from March 11 until Dec 31 See in context

Boy, that's a lot. Plus one they had on the New Year's Day.

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Posted in: As Gingrich surges, Romney attacks See in context

It's convincing to me that the US media is leaning toward liberal in the last decade. But it's also true that some media have successfully maintained a high ethical standard of professional journalism (i.e., NPR, PBS), which is now seriously questioned because of the way media corporations and political institutions work on the public affairs today. That's exactly what media conservatives should be aware of in the first place. Unfortunately, there are always some crazy, whacky media celebrities who attempt to shock-jock the people with so much misinformation day and night. And the media corporations are having them to woo the viewers for raising the Nielsen's rating at the expense of professional journalism in news reporting.

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Posted in: Japan to buy up and burn radiation-tainted beef See in context

Industry groups would need to borrow money from banks for the scheme, and the government-funded Agriculture and Livestock Industries Corp would help them pay interest to the banks, the ministry official said.

So the J-government thinks they can persuade local farmers and wholesalers into trusting the meat industries? Man, that's quite an uncertainty. I'm not sure how much the industries are trustworthy. There are so many loopholes in the business and its ethic standard is still questionable.

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Posted in: New York Rep Weiner admits posting crotch photo, but won't resign See in context

Weiner lied about something that is no one's business, something we all do. Anybody asks you something personal about your sex life, you lie.

Molenir is correct. And, you're dead wrong. It can be anyone's business, because he sexually harassed an ordinary citizen numerous times, and then cooked up a story to cover up his misconduct by taking advantage of his status as a congressman. It's pathetic, disgusting, distasteful practice that should be highly condemned!

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Posted in: Palin kick-starts bus tour on back of motorcycle See in context

Palin was in New Hampshire yesterday. She responded to Mitt Romney over health care plan. It's same old, same old Palin who can only use her skills for self-aggrandizement--instead of talking the issue. She could jab at some other candidates--like Pawlenty and Bachmann, but that's all. She's no match to Romney--not even close to anyone.

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Posted in: Politician husband of actress Maki Mizuno spotted cavorting with hostess See in context

A same ole, cut-and-dry story of Japanese politician's secret by a shameless media groper.

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Posted in: Palin kick-starts bus tour on back of motorcycle See in context

This is actually not the case.

Even though she said "the United States need to support the North Korea"(!) in Glenn Beck's radio talk show last year??? Man, that's the worst joke Americans had ever heard. Also, her response to media attack as "blood libel"--regarding the assassination attempt of Gabriel Gifford this early January is another account that questions her character and intelligence as a presidential candidate. None of the political analysts made positive comments on that. Even the Fox News was unable to defend her.

Sorry, when exactly did I ever say any of the women you referred to were not intelligent?

LOL. I never said she (or any woman you refer to) is "not intelligent" in this posting. That's your own assumption. You emphasize with an adjective --"obviously." Speaking of tripping up words.

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Posted in: Tired PM See in context

Kan says: "Uuuuunnnnn, Nemui-yo---. Owattara Dareka Okoshite-ne!"

"I kan't[can't] keep my eyes open. Time to catch z. Zzzzz....."

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Posted in: Palin kick-starts bus tour on back of motorcycle See in context

Her bus tour is keeping her in the spotlight, the same spotlight which is making her tons of money.

Here you go. You infer that she makes a nationwide tour out of her motive to promote herself as a public/political celebrity.

Everyone but the most levelheaded and cool people react when their buttons are pushed. Yes, even the intelligent. You might want to refer to the lib professor who shot up a couple people at her university a year or so ago, when hers were pushed.

Contrary to your dubious statement, most academic scholars and professionals I see at school and through national media as well-- are generally calm and analytical, regardless of their gender. Sure they would react if they were under the attack of anti-intellectualism or academic witch hunting, but they would respond in quite a different (— and more rational) way than Palin does. Moreover, attacks on Palin are NOT the same as those against academic professionals and journalists.

Obviously she was an extreme example, the point is, that an obviously intelligent woman reacting in a hostile, defensive manner when attacked is not unusual.

OK. Please explain your definition of intelligence and what makes a person smart or dumb, if you don't mind asking. And what convinces you to judge she is "obviously intelligent"--in contrast to other female politician (i.e., Gabriel Gifford) or the First Lady (i.e., Eleanor Roosevelt, Barbara Bush)?

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Posted in: Palin kick-starts bus tour on back of motorcycle See in context

Just the constant attacks and belittling of a woman who is quite successful and obviously intelligent.

She owes her success to her skills to promote herself as a political celebrity through media--not as what it takes to be a presidential candidate. I agree with yabits. If she was truly intelligent, she would have never--ever made a series of gaffes--like so many Japanese prime ministers.

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Posted in: Palin kick-starts bus tour on back of motorcycle See in context

I watched the news on the PBS News Hours last night. It's same-ole, same-ole, Palin--too many spectacles and no substance.

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Posted in: Japanese version of 'Saturday Night Live' to debut in June See in context

“Saturday Night Live JPN”

Oh please. It's not a clone of SNL. Not even close.

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Posted in: Netanyahu rejects Obama's idea on borders See in context

“What we are in complete accord about is that a true peace can only occur if the ultimate resolution allows Israel to defend itself against threats, and that Israel’s security will remain paramount in U.S. evaluation of any prospective deal.”

It's not uncommon to US presidents to indoctrinate American notion of democracy in the public addresses like this, but none of them has ever expected Israel to behave like a mirror of their country in the 18th and 19th century. Sure, Israel has more enemies than friends across the borders in the Middle East. But it's quite unrealistic for them to work their way to (re-) constitute and maintain democracy exactly the same way the US did at the time of Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War. Israel's got to find its own way out to break with the past for reconciliation and peace settlement.

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Posted in: IMF chief jailed without bail in New York hotel sex assault case See in context

Holy gross! This man gave IMF a bad name--Incurable Male Fart.

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Posted in: Newt Gingrich joins 2012 presidential race See in context

So now he's in the Republican's Pick Your Poison list, huh? This is gonna be another disaster. Top candidates seem to be more interested in talking a convoluted, nonsensical, whacky conservatism into real issues. Some decent folks (i.e., Scott Brown, Mike Pence) are gone. It may be a wise choice for decent Republican voters to support those who are under the radar (i.e., Mitch Daniels, Gary Johnson).

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Posted in: German grandchildren of Nazis delve into past See in context

“You look exactly like your grandfather.”

Ouch! Nothing is more hurtful than this. Too bad there's almost no one but he who can figure out how to save himself from a haunted ghost of his grandfather.

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Posted in: $6.1 mil awarded to Tennessee man in Japan child custody battle See in context

I think the higher problem here is Japans justice system, or lack of it.

There are several metaphors that see best fit for an archaic, convoluted Japanese legal system-- modern day Dred Scott, +100 year dinosaur, Reverse Jim Crow, Kangaroo Court etc.

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Posted in: Bin Laden's sons say U.S. broke international law by killing their father See in context

Make no sense since these OBL's sons belong to the cells of a rouge terrorist network that ignores the international law.

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Posted in: Young acupuncturists get holistic in Tokyo See in context

Interesting. Is holistic medicine getting an increasing trend in Japan, too?

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Posted in: $6.1 mil awarded to Tennessee man in Japan child custody battle See in context

He has repeatedly shown himself to be duplicitous, controlling, and self-centred.

I don't disagree. That's why I'm suspecting they had an irreconcilable issue over parenting. What is missing--and probably will never come out--from the context is Chris' role in parenting and any related family issues. It's very critical because his life choices and decisions are definitely the sources of cultural/gender hegemony that produces the discourse of whiteness. It’s quite menacing—psychologically tormenting her and depriving her of cultural space. There’s no doubt about that.

but I can certainly sympathise with her, and in a similar situation I think I would have acted similarly (not agreeing to the ludicrous US court ruling, but getting the kids and herself out of a very bad situation).

I personally want to sympathize her with the exception that she made a fatal mistake in her choice--(leaving her names on court documents in an attempt to get out of a bad situation, or failing to make an appropriate procedure for addressing her specific concern over the court ruling)

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Posted in: $6.1 mil awarded to Tennessee man in Japan child custody battle See in context

I guess there would be some kind of close-door talks between the US (the Department of State, and/or the Department of Homeland Security, and/or the Department of Justice) and Japan (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and/or the Ministry of Justice) for a plea bargain regarding the case. The problem is that she left her footprints in the legal documentation kept at the state court. That's quite a different situation from leaving her ex while they were still in marriage. Noriko wouldn't be in a hot water if she filed a lawsuit in Japan to keep her ex at bay indefinitely. Most Japanese parents would likely take their kids away from foreign husbands or spouses without any legal documentation. That makes them much easier to walk away from a country they don't want to stay. But, anyway, let's see what happens.

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Posted in: $6.1 mil awarded to Tennessee man in Japan child custody battle See in context

She stood up for herself, and got herself and her children to safety. She won. Complain about it all you like, this man will never get to see those children again, and very glad that Noriko got herself free from the situation.

Yeah, thanks to a country that harbors an individual who made a bad move and terrible mistake that cost her legal immunity under the name of protection.

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Posted in: $6.1 mil awarded to Tennessee man in Japan child custody battle See in context

So you're telling me that Noriko abandoned everything in Japan to take her kids half way across the world so they could initiate a divorce proceeding even though she and her kids didn't have to be there? Please.

He didn't force her to do that, at least. It was all up to her whether she should give up her life in Japan or settle the marital problem while they were in Japan or in the US. She could have said 'no' to Chris regarding the place to finalize the documentation for a divorce. She didn't need bother to ask him a favor to pay through the nose to hire one of the top attorneys in the US for her. She could have won the case easily-- if her attorney had claimed the jurisdiction which is compliant with Japanese Family Law to defend her right to deny Chris' visitation rights to the children.

The fact of the matter is that Noriko was too naive to grasp the situation surrounding her. It was obvious that she had an issue with Chris over his domineering role in family matters--possibly parenting and education-- and that's why she got so annoyed when she saw him and his new wife taking her kids to hang out with their friends and extended family. If Chris’ approach to the kids was her prime concern, she could have refused to go to the US with her kids, and demanded him Chris to come to Japan to file for divorce, instead. If she needed financial support for child support and education, she could have her ex wire-transfer money from Tennessee to Fukuoka City. She didn't take that option, either. The deal was done in the US--not in Japan. If you don't want to see your ex for the rest of your life, forget it. You can't both have a cake and eat it, too. Period.

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Posted in: $6.1 mil awarded to Tennessee man in Japan child custody battle See in context

Although I'm not a fan of Chris, I don't have any problem putting him in the list of American fathers fighting for a despicable crime of stealing children and any related social injustices revolving around the Japanese legal system. Yes, JP legal system is damning on non-Japanese citizens pretty bad, giving them a lot of BS.

I'm glad that the man (I believe it's him) provided a couple of important sources right here on this thread. It's easy for the suckers to impugn the man for misleading his ex while shackling up his new girlfriend. However, as CJS made it very clearly, they already reached to the point where their relationship was completely irrevocable while in Japan, and it was quite unlikely they were able to sit down and talk all over again. It was his ex-wife who chose the US over Japan regarding the jurisdiction. And, regrettably, it was Noriko who took advantage of permission for temporary vacation in a way to mislead the court judge by fleeing the US with two kids. That's no excuse for violating a state court order.

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Posted in: $6.1 mil awarded to Tennessee man in Japan child custody battle See in context

That forced Noriko to live in Tennessee.

Um, actually she could have lived anywhere in the US or Canada if she didn't feel comfortable by getting bothered with the shadows of Chris and his new wife. Still, she would need to file the documents to the state court for that, though.

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Posted in: $6.1 mil awarded to Tennessee man in Japan child custody battle See in context

American courts are not fair to Japanese people,..., [s]o all the American courts need to do is make silly awards like this to force the Japanese parent in compliance.

Ditto to Japanese court system which is utterly damning on non-Japanese including Americans--and even Japanese husbands (!)--regarding the child custody case. The JP family law is just like the US Constitutions in the 19th century. There's no such word as 'fairness doctrine.' "You have no rights to claim your kids for custody because you're NOT a Japanese citizen." "You will be detained for the right to meet your own kids." It's just so terrible as Dredd Scott case and Plessy v. Ferguson. If Japan is still hesitant to sign the treaty now, that's fine. But, without revising Japanese family law and registration system, there's no door open for the people dealing with the issue.

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Posted in: $6.1 mil awarded to Tennessee man in Japan child custody battle See in context

There is nothing that can force Japan into signing away our sovereign rights.

Well if this is the direction the Japanese government takes, I would not hesitate to give up my Japanese citizenship in the future. This country really needs to change its law on family and registration system. It's not just right to shut down the people on international marriage.

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Posted in: $6.1 mil awarded to Tennessee man in Japan child custody battle See in context

This case could be one step for those who are in a very similar situation, and serve as a catalyst for Japan's move for signing the Hague convention. It's a moral victory for International Child Custody, while I have less sympathy with Savoie today than it was 20 months ago. Most mainstream media in the US(and some of those in Japan) create Savoie as brave, gallantry heroic figure who is fighting for legal entanglement and social injustice. They failed to mention that an inadequate deliberation by the Tennessee state court was the reason for allowing the defendant to flee the US with children. Instead, they only faulted inflexible Japanese Family Law for this legal entanglement. Remember it was Chris who brought his ex-wife to the US and set up his agenda as child abduction case.

I agree that the defendant cannot (and should not) be innocent for her failure to comply with the state jurisdiction. It was her choice to come all the way to the US, although reluctantly, I guess, to finalize an estranged marital relationship with Chris. She should have known better than anybody if that choice made her comfortable--regarding her ex-husband's motive. It was apparent that Chris had an ulterior motive to humiliate her pretty bad with his new girlfriend, and through legal entrapment, since he made his choice to get back to Tennessee to close out a broken marital relationship in his own country.

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Posted in: BIN LADEN BURIED AT SEA AFTER BEING KILLED IN FIREFIGHT WITH U.S. FORCES See in context

One evil man taken down. Who's next?

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Posted in: Shoppers' appetite for spending is being restrained by a feeling that it is inappropriate when nearly 28,000 are dead or missing and more than 180,000 survivors huddle in shelters. What effect do you See in context

Shoppers' appetite for spending is being restrained by a feeling that it is inappropriate when nearly 28,000 are dead or missing and more than 180,000 survivors huddle in shelters.

This assumption is weird. What makes consumer’s choice appropriate or not in relation to the earthquake? No doubt this devastating quake will have a significant impact on regional/national economy, and hence influence consumers’ choice in spending. But does it discourage ordinary Japanese from going to the shopping malls for spending? I doubt it. Consumers make their own choices based on their capital indicating their purchasing power and their standard for each individual lifestyle. If the people feel a pang of conscience toward those afflicted with the quake and nuclear crisis, I think it’s more on consumption behavior than the spending in general.

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