LiveInTokyo comments

I just heard on the news that when they finally got him (he was hiding in a small creek) that more than 100 police had him surrounded! More than 100!! Incredible.

At this late stage I don't t think any excuse will do. I believe he went because he got the attention of someone famous (infamous actually) and he thought he would look cool going to some frontier-like county such as North Korea. "Wow I'm going to look so cool and I can go back home with some really amazing stories to tell", is what was on his mind I bet. But didn't think it through, it's all backfired and he has made himself look like a buffoon of the worst order.

For a reputable English language school, Takeshi speaks pretty poor if not BAD English to even make a CM for them.

I completely agree, his level of English is very poor, but then again he's not selling to a bunch of advanced speakers. ECC is just using his name and pull to get people to their schools. There is no way his English abilities could be used in any shape or form during the Olympics as everything would need to be scripted.

With the seats missing from the bikes, the police had nothing to go on I guess. But they'll probably be able to get fingerprints or something now.

Unless it was the Yakuza, but they don't really kill that often. And when they do they certainly don't leave the body to be found.

I'd love to know from what great experience the writer based that opinion on.

But the article is just full of conjecture, nothing based on factual evidence from this case. It might have been done by someone from China and then it might easily have been done from someone in Japan.

I wouldn't mind betting that this year Japan-China relations will take a real dive. Both nation's courses have been set, and due to national pride (on both sides) neither of them will be able to back down. The rhetoric and provocations will ramp up and something really bad is going to happen.

Mochi probably kills more people per year than fugu, would that be right? For the amount of people that die from mochi each year, maybe the government should encourage people not to eat it? Seriously, you have to warn people to chew their food properly or there is a good chance they might die.

I'm no expert but I think he's making a mistake. The constitution Japan has now should never have been made, but it was. Now, they want a constitution that allows Japan with no Article 9? I think this is going to make Japan the laughing stock of the world. Yes, we were pacifists, but due to our mistakes over the last 50 years we need to rethink that ... sorry world.

Japan is not Germany. Germany, as we all know, caused a lot of suffering to other countries during WW2. Now it can send troops to other countries where they are welcomed due to their efforts to repair their reputation since the end of the war. I truly doubt the same can be said of Japan.

If that TV fell over on you ... you'd be in for a world of pain.

@Tessa, your only focusing on one case though. It seems to me, that you have no idea about other cases in Japan with people putting needles, medicine and other dangerous materials into foods, medicines etc. You should really do some research before putting up posts like you did.

Oh no. I'm well aware that a lot of process workers in Japan are not actually Japanese ... this is one of those times where you're praying please please please don't let it be a disgruntled foreign employee.

Why talk about, "foreign", workers so suddenly here? It could easily be a Japanese worker too. Over the years there have been many blackmail attempts by Japanese people putting needles, dangerous drugs into a wide variety of products at both supermarkets and convenience stores. Actually I would bet on it that the overwhelming majority of these types of incidents have been by Japanese people. It's the typical well one foreign worker (country unnamed of course) did it, so all foreigners must be bad?

I don't think the story has ever been told correctly, by anyone, even in Japan. The original tale has been warped by a multitude of Japanese film makers over the years to make it more heroic than it actually was. But the stories they have produced are still great, great believable stories - great entertainment. Why this new version was done with CG, dragons and some characters that were never there in the first place is beyond me. It has nothing that could make me believe is was set in the Tokugawa period if I were to watch it. I'll give it a pass.

He was only naive in the way he handled the money. Inose was the complete Japanese politician in every other sense due to him being able to rise to the top. This man just worked the system and pumped it for everything he could. Only concerned about his own place in the world. I think the damage he has caused to this great city is quite considerable and will take many years to repair.

More than two years after the event; in a country supposedly advanced as Japan, for a country as rich as Japan ... and we are still doling out charity to these people. In reality nothing has been done for them. After all the time, money and effort spent on the Olympics ... I am truly disappointed in the way we have treated our fellow citizens in the Fukushima.

Nothing has been proven yet, but I after spending 20 years in this country and having my own experiences here, I believe her. I am truly glad someone is finally doing something.

In a group oriented country like this one, I can't imagine the situation getting better. If you are not a member of a the group, you are an outsider and that can make you liable to criticism and or attack. As we've heard so many times before, the nail that sticks out will get hammered down, which means groups will try and make you conform to their standards. If that black sheep accepts it, they can become accepted. However, for people who don't want to become a member of certain groups but are forced to associate with them (e.g. schools, marriage or workplaces) or if the group thinks that person is not a suitable member, the outcome will not be pleasant.

I really can't see any change in this situation until there is a cultural change in this country.

You've got it right Cleo. I think traditionally Christmas ends in about the middle of January, or maybe early January? This is what I mean about consumerism. As soon as Christmas ends at midnight, the decorations come down and the next set for New Years go up. It is celebrating something for the sake of doing it, which is completely meaningless. Even back home Christmas has changed I guess, more of a family day than the religious side now, but at least (I feel) it has meaning and the people celebrate it with purpose.

Very sorry, but I find absolutely nothing I enjoy about it. Seems ridiculous to have a day where you swap presents with someone, eat KFC, go on a date but go to work. If people don't know what the day is really about, what is the point of celebrating it? Consumerism and self-indulgence at its worst.

I used to watch him in the Professionals every Saturday night during the early 80s back home. It was such a great such with a great cast and that Ford Capri was very cool. I've never really enjoyed Saturday night tv since then that much. Some good shows around of course, but nothing equals the Professionals. Actually I think he would have been a great James Bond, a 80s version of Daniel Craig.

This just makes me so furious. On one hand we have people like Crystal Takigawa bragging about Japan's endless so-called hospitality, and then we have companies like this.

How come no HANDSOME MEN in tight-fitting skinny pants are ever featured? Bunch a phobes.

Mini was the only booth to have an equal number of guys modelling. I prefer looking at the girls, but I have to admit that it was refreshing to see men up there with the women.

Does anyone actually go to these shows to see the cars? I went to one once, and it was most certainly to look at the women.

I went on the Thursday for my blog. I got a few pics of the cars, but let's be honest ... not many people want to see them. Everyone likes to see the girls and they are what I shot a lot of. The model's outfits though at the Motor Show are quite conservative, so it's the Auto Salon that you need to go to.

I was there today and saw that car being demonstrated. It could almost turn on a dime and looked fun to drive. However, there were a lot more cooler vehicles on display that could have been used for an article here.

When I first came to Japan in 1991, I can't remember seeing any really obese people. Saw a few a little overweight, but not grossly so. In the last 5 years or so, I've started seeing some quite overweight people on the streets. Very recently I've seen some morbidly obese people. Not to the level of my own country, but I see them daily in Tokyo now.

With all this fast food in Japan now combined with all the all-you-can-eat deals, this problem is just going to skyrocket. I really am worried about the health of Japan. Its future is starting to look very grim.

Seriously now, have the right people been chosen to do this job?

We average Joes will never know. But they probably have the best people they can find at this current point in time. Not that I'm saying that is a good thing ...

So we anything we've eaten over recent years in Japan could potentially have been something else? If it has been happening at some hotels in Hokkaido for the last five years, what does that say for the real situation? It is absolutely horrendous.

I'm pretty happy to see this. Like many people here we are seeing what we have suspected for so long. So much about the Japanese service industry is completely and utterly rotten. It's been a long time coming, but finally the truth it out for everyone is see.

You should see the video which is on YouTube. If you think this pic is cool, the video is just amazing!

I think most people would doubt the honesty of many involved in this banking industry.

I hope the Supreme Court is really acting due to social opinions in Japan and not because of the UN

We all hope so, but to be honest I think every society was probably the same at some point in its history. But we all had to start somewhere, and with Japan ... better late than never.