Posted in: Illegal taxis creating quandary for Japan's police, cab monopolies See in context
I live in a small city in Chiba of around 130000 people. Buses stop at 9pm. There are often 30 minute waits for a taxi which costs around 2000 yen for a ten minute drive to my house. I once called the taxi company trying to book a taxi to the station for a flight at around 6 am the next day and they refused to book one as they had no drivers.
The fact of the matter is that the taxis here are overpriced, usually driven by elderly drivers and often just unavailable. Meanwhile in Thailand, Vietnam and other countries Uber clones such as Bolt and Grab offer private rides at any time of day or night for a fair price. It’s no wonder white plate taxis are proliferating and until the government actually moves with the times and breaks up the taxi monopolies , they’re going to see more law breaking.
13 ( +14 / -1 )
Posted in: Japan to ask for electricity saving from Dec 1 to end of March to avoid power crunch See in context
Energy saving is important. I for one am glad because energy saving has been a hobby of mine for many a decade. This year I have deconstructed my “Kotatasu” table and fixed the heater to the ceiling of my bedroom of my 1R residence. I then purchased additional blankets from Nitori, and extended the apparatus of the “kotatsu” so that they envelop the entire room. I did however have to cut a hole for the door, a most onerous task. I have saved fourteen hundred yen (approximately) this year alone. I hope everyone will follow my humble example.
2 ( +2 / -0 )
Posted in: 1 in 4 singles in 30s not willing to marry: Japan gov't survey See in context
i feel sad for this generation, as love and dating are just no longer possible. I myself am still dating but I find the constant mask wearing to be difficult when communicating.
1 ( +4 / -3 )
Posted in: New law enacted to help people pressured into porn See in context
About time! They need to stop the abuse of their performers, but this legislation doesn’t go far enough. I only hope they will enact further laws to improve the quality of adult material produced in this country. As a rather portly gentleman, I rely on this key industry to provide much entertainment in these testing times.
-2 ( +11 / -13 )
Posted in: Japan's outdoor mask relaxation yet to filter through See in context
Japan is the only country to live its life by the moniker “you’ve got a lot of nerve showing your face around here!”
-2 ( +1 / -3 )
Posted in: Tokyo gov't plans to start same-sex partnership system in November See in context
About time! My different-sex partner and I had been living in state of unwedded matrimony for many years until we decided that the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune were just too much to bear on our fledgling relationship. We may be apart now but I can't help but feel that this law would have kept us together.
-1 ( +1 / -2 )
Posted in: Gov't says masks not needed outdoors if distancing maintained See in context
The science of masks is irrefutable and personally I won't be reducing my use of them.
-8 ( +5 / -13 )
Posted in: Danes boycott U.S. goods with fervor as others in Europe do so too
Putin became leader when Tony Blair was PM of UK. Ooh...thats a long time ago.
Posted in: As Trump thaws ties, Russia has a new public enemy number one: Britain
Posted in: As Trump thaws ties, Russia has a new public enemy number one: Britain
Posted in: Mount Fuji climbers to be charged ¥4,000 on all trails