keshii comments

"...Eliminating the factors that cause fear in our society". Hmm, why does that make me feel like they're going to start pinning six-pointed stars on people?

888naff, it was such cultural imperialism, then why were the Japanese Christians willing to die for their faith? If it were an issue of conformity or force by any serious means, they would have felt more loyalty to their Japanese government and their lives than to their new religions.

You do realize that the majority of the world's evangelical Christians aren't in the USA, right?

That really is "convenient". Too bad they don't have such a service at a place where a parent will be spending more time, though, like a grocery store. Or work.

It would make more sense for this article to be titled "mother allegedly stabs 10 year old boy to death; stabs self". It would seem as if the mother had stabbed herself in her grief, but all the evidence makes it seem like that's not the case at all. I hope the poor boy gets justice done after all.

Without using restraint, conversations about sex will destroy your facade of being an adult as well. Carney, BlackFlag, there's no need to be personal here. Let's take an example from, say, Sammi33 and focus on the topic at hand, rather than our personal agendas for a while. Thanks.

BBLeo: My guess is that that the arson wanted a convenient 'out' of the wedding, but still wanted to keep the girl. I can imagine he would tell her after having to cancel the wedding - due to the hotel having burnt down - that "getting married seems like bad luck". Completely ridiculous!

Hmm, as a nineteen year old white female... I imagine I'd end up with more than just a ride in a car if I were to try hitch-hiking. Just going on the trains is bad enough, even when I mind my own business!

Everton2, at least to me, those three months would be worth it.

This title is brilliant. Never mind that when I touch things, I can usually feel it...!

I think I might pay 220,000 yen just to see one of these in action. Ha!

Anyone want to guess why Chicago's getting its name touted for travel? Its economy has gone to the pits! Unemployment there is extremely high. And you're kidding about Chicago being clean, right? Guess what city has even beat out NYC for being dirtiest!

My favorite part of this very short article might be the fact that one quote was repeated only two paragraphs later, and with different capitalization, too.

“Spontaneous broken symmetry conceals nature’s order under an apparently jumbled surface. It has proved to be extremely useful, and Nambu’s theories permeate the Standard Model of elementary particle physics.”

Too bad the second quote didn't clarify things any further than the first time I read it!

Does anyone have an answer to Altria's question? I'm kind of curious, too.

I generally don't trust the 'U.S. servicemen did nani nani perverted thing according to some unreliable witness account' stories, but you have to admit that this one is different. It's a shame that his actions will cast such a negative light on the rest of the military posted here.

USAkuma, you'll find in the time since you've left America for Japan, the American educational system has gotten worse, too. I'd still prefer Japan over the US of A.

Helloklitty, that's what Japanese women say as it is. After living in a Japanese dorm, I've seen firsthand that "pretty" or even kawaii, if you will, requires styled hair and makeup and put together clothes. The girls I lived with would not go out of their room without makeup fully done, even if it meant them being late.

“I was surprised by how finely calibrated every single word was measured,” Obama said. “I wasn’t saying anything that I hadn’t said before.”

Actually, in this speech, he changed his policy, which had included "immediate withdrawal of troops" as soon as he came into office.

Thanks for the perspective check. Just yesterday, one of my friends in America had a burglary. I hadn't heard of the Washington, D.C. BBQ stories or anything like this one, before. That and some of the JT commenters' bar stories really changed my ideas on what would be appropriate courses of action in such a violent situation. So thanks for sharing.

Just by the way, I live out in the suburbs of Mitaka. Of course, inside or closer to the Yamanote loop line, I can see how security and lifestyles might be different.

Agree with noborito. There's not really much left to say on this topic - only that it wouldn't even be an issue if the G-8 was in another location with more rooming options available.

To me, the issue isn't whether it's good for the environment or not. The issue is whether people's convenience and economic payoffs are 'more good' than any good that would be done for the environment.

Does anyone else think that the Japanese girls' obsession with being a "princess" has gone too far yet?

This is definitely an "only in Japan" story, isn't it? For one thing, I can't imagine any elderly burglar in the West being willing to sit down for tea (or coffee, or otherwise) during a robbery. And of course, it's quite common in Japan to keep huge amounts of money at home. I certainly wouldn't have had enough money in my wallet or in my home to pay the guy off like the woman did in this story. Makes you wonder if the story is supposed to be an anecdote, or something that the government wants us to take example from? "Be more Japanese" perhaps?

Theguynextdoor, My guess is that knives have become popular because the public doesn't have easy access to guns.

JeffLee, where do you live in Japan? I have only rarely seen security systems beyond key and bolt locks on doors. In my neighborhood in Tokyo, our neighbor across the street leaves the front door (directly facing the street) open for hours on end in the afternoons. Not that I recommend this, of course...

Addicted and Japanophile1, Japan is acting as the host for their guests. Rule number one of hospitality is make your guests comfortable, and if they don't find futons comfortable, then it's a failure on the part of hospitality to give no options but to sleep on the floor.

No one else has mentioned this, but I go to Starbucks for the atmosphere. It feels exactly the same in Japan as in America when you're inside... which makes it a perfect, safe place for me to teach English to my students. The moment they step inside a Starbucks in an English speaking country, I think they'll feel just that much more comfortable. So, for me, even the price hike is worth it.

Yet another story about a Japanese man perving on schoolgirls. I wonder why we never seem to hear about any unwanted lesbian attentions? Or heaven forbid, stalking!

Also, I'm curious about what age of students this teacher is in charge of... And whether or not he'll keep his job, which he probably will.

He got stabbed at 1 am, but I wonder how long it took before he recieved medical attention, since, after all, he was stabbed in his apartment and the 17 year old ran off to a bookstore somewher. The long time he spent bleeding out is probably why he died, even if the hospital did do their job to the best degree possible. But as Spidey suggests, it's a bit sketchy, isn't it?

Beauty contests.... are not just about appearance. It’s about who we are inside and what we can do. I would like to visit countries where children suffer from the same illness I had and give them a smile.

Way to go, representing Japan, Hiroko. Instead of seeing children suffer and thinking of helping their physical needs, you want to smile at them?

The only time a smile has healing powers is in a Magical Girl anime.

The last line of the article is my favorite. So there's been several similar stories to this one recently, of wanna-be samurai being chased out of convenient stores with dustpans? This reminds me why I love Japan. It's just crazy sometimes.

I tried simulating a purchase from Tokyo to London in that time slot, and the price was nowhere near 50,000 yen.

This is illegal? But how is it any different from all of the magazines that I can buy in the convenient stores?