MichaelJP comments

Does this cult qualify for tax exempt status in Japan?

This happens all the time in the Japanese TV and entertainment industry, but most young "talent" consider it part of the career development process.

The government should simply cut back on its massive spending. Problem solved. We all no there's no chance of that happening though.

Regarding Japan wishing to double-tax Amazon.com, making them effectively pay tax both in the U.S. and in Japan and therefore putting them at a significant competitive disadvantage, this could make their business -- based on slim profit margins -- untenable here. It would be a pity if they pulled out of Japan since it would impact many local businesses that benefit from Amazon sales... e.g. package delivery services, local producers who resell via Amazon, etc.

LOL, I've seen exactly this false accusation on a train. A girl pushed against then yelled at some likely looking meek middle-aged guy and the JR staff at the next station nearly pulled him off but fortunately an older lady who was sitting down had witnessed it and she said something angrily and the younger girl suddenly ran away (interestingly there was a younger guy with her who also ran for it). That old guy was very thankful and I bet he would have been in lots of trouble if not for someone standing up for him.

Chen was quoted as telling Nikai that Beijing took note of Japan’s high level of interest in the issue.

That's a non-statement if ever I heard one!

Where are they even getting the resources to build these missiles and nukes? Its not like they have much disposable income, and I doubt you can construct WMDs from starving peasants and propoganda. Actually, I wonder if the nuke was a distraction and any attack on South Korea would involve chemical weapons instead? Chemical weapon development certainly would be helped along by ready access to large numbers of starving test subjects.

In certain cases, surely torture is justified just like the death penalty. If you are caught red-handed participating in terrorist activities, then you should consider it part of the risk and not cry like a spoilt Westerner.

And if truth serum really worked, I bet law enforcement would use it all the time.

I seriously need one of those “Hadaka ni natte, nani ga warui?” shirts with a pic of that guy who jumped naked into palace moat and climbed to wall.

Re the surcharge, from another story:

Flying with budget Australian airline Jetstar just got a little bit cheaper after it decided to scrap some if its fuel surcharges. Thanks to lower oil and jet fuel prices, fuel surcharges will be dropped from all international flight aside from tickets that are sold in Japan.

So it is only tickets sold in Japan that still have the surcharge. Maybe if you purchased online indicating you were from Australia then the surcharge wouldn't apply.

Its ok when the LDP does it. Wasn't there a recent statement that no LDP member would be charged for violations of the political donations law and it only applied to opposition parties?

NK claims everything is an act of war or a hostile act, usually prior to multi-way talks in an attempt to get more free stuff from the West and from Japan.

And so the rage is maintained across generations and hatred inflamed once again. There will never be peace when those in power use history to instill hate against other nations.

concessions aimed at pacifying a spreading Taliban insurgency there.

That's like trying to pacify lung cancer by stopping medical treatment and taking up smoking.

"Something like this was innevitable" says NASA. Yeah, because there's not much space in... space?

A "Buy American" initiative is not illegal under NAFTA, and they could just as well call it the "don't buy lots of low-quality crap" policy. Encouraging competition based on quality rather than price is a very good thing because it reigns in excessive consumption -- and hence pollution -- and serves to lift the overall value of the production industry.

The officers lead by example, and it appears the example they are setting is rather bad indeed, yet they get away with it.

Japanese police found some crazy talk on the Internets? No way, that's unpossible!

Hamas are too stupid to get the message and keep provoking Israel, so they shouldn't act surprised at retaliation. They are like a retarded child who keeps poking a hornets nest. Fundamentalist religion rots the brain and should be treated as a psychological disorder or disease of the mind.

Men seek power and glory, and religion provides a convenient justification and, in some cases, a purpose for those who may start out reluctant to fight and die for the benefit of the political elites.

The police officer fired a warning shot... but a shot of what? I don't think they mentioned a gun.

This could be some new Roppongi thing at the police-style love hotels:

Lady: "My company fired me, I can't wear this uniform any more!"

Man: "Oh yes baby"... and fires a "warning shot"

RIP, very sad news at any time, but especially on xmas eve.

She seemed to have more brains and certainly more real-world experience than the typical mindless bimbo talent polluting Japanese TV these days.

Buy AUD while the Yen is strong and get a good term-deposit rate in Australia!

Downloading movies is not theft, its a copyright violation. But there will always be thieving corporations who attempt to turn back the tide of human progress rather than adapt their business model to changing times.

This is a very important topic, but as soon as religion-backed groups become involved, there can be no sensible discussion. The problem is that their morals and ethics are based on interpretations of dogma laid down millenia ago mixed up with ideas of supernatural retribution, rather than on the very real matter of suffering and the human condition.

This is great, I love how Japan is blamed for everything that is wrong in North Korea, as if Kim is a Japanese agent inflicting horrors upon the people at the behest of his Japanese masters. Face it, the only people who can fix problems in North Korea are those in power in North Korea.

ai_sumo: Japan and other nations should stop all aid to North Korea to hasten the downfall of the cruel regime. Aid goes straight to the military and senior party members, perpetuating the repression of the people and propping up the evil maniacs at the top.

Its on!

Iranian training, Chinese-supplied ammunition, Syrian and Iranian agents fermenting trouble, Mullahs encouraging ethnic and religous hatred, Pakistani intelligence services helping al-Qaeda and the Taliban...

I doubt the troubles in that region will end anytime soon.

He was guilty as hell, but not of suicide, that's for sure.