movieguy comments

Darn! Thanks DaveAllTogether. I meant to put that losing in quotes, but I was typing on emotions. Ha-Ha!

The U.S. was bad for so long that I think people don't know that the U.S. is ranked 13th in the world. There is a big difference between 13 and 4 (Germany), but I think the surprise that people have about the U.S. team and say the U.S. should be proud is something that needs to end. There needs to be more expectation that they should do well and games like this should be criticized. Losing in the last minute like that is unacceptable at this level and I'm sure the players know that.

No... Soccer isn't popular in the U.S. - http://goo.gl/9T2sZa

Hanyu opened the door to this. So was he saying he wanted to help Tohoku by using his notoriety because he was being genuine or because it sounds good as a sound bite? Many celebrities say things because they sound good and I think the criticism here is that he shouldn't have spoken so quickly because some people may believe he just wants to sound good. He seems like a good kid, but I don't think he was/is planning to actually start an NPO or start criticizing anyone in order to get it done. I'm sure he's being genuine in that he wants to help them, but was/is he going to put his words into action?

I like LINE and FB, but they are two separate animals and to say that FB's "messaging service" is as good as LINE's is ridiculous. Of course I'm going to use LINE when I want to get in touch with someone quickly.

Most of my friends in Japan (Japanese and international) say that Twitter is just for talking to yourself. There's very little communication going on. I use LINE when I want to talk with friends or groups of friends quickly and I use FB mail for messages that I don't need a reply right away or just want to send them links.

With that being said, I don't believe that survey taking in Japan has reached the quality and accuracy of North America. The way questions are phrased are usually leading.

This is why I trust hardly anyone over 60.

Dolphin hunting in Taiji has not been long at all. Even "The History of Taiji," published by Taiji town in 1979, says the first recorded dolphin hunt was in 1933, with other hunts happening in 1936 and 1944. It was not until 1969 that dolphin hunting was held on a large scale. The history of the dolphin hunts spans not centuries but only 45 years in total.

I did add to it. You just chose to copy and paste the part where I agreed with you. The part after that talked about the content where you said the content of the tests weren't a problem. The content on the tests are a problem.

Explain how foreign country is not redundant and unnecessary when ALL countries are foreign? Why is it necessary to say foreign when talking about other countries? How does it add to the discourse? Using the word "foreign" is a pejorative by definition and just because something is correct or accepted does not mean it is not redundant or unnecessary. There is a definite connotation to using the word and though this politician might not mean anything by it because it's so fixed in the way he speaks does not mean people should ignore how language is used.

I have no problem in using the term foreign when referring to culture, business, trade, commerce or almost any other noun, but the word country itself refers to any country outside one's own, therefore foreign.

slumdog - Yes, English on the tests is real English, but the tests to enter universities in Japan do not prepare students to communicate with others overseas. So many of the students who do well on the English entrance examinations are not able to have the most basic of conversations. The content on the test is important because they do not measure the ability to communicate. They measure their ability to comprehend grammar and long reading passages, but the tests do not show ability to communicate, so the content or how they are being tested is important. Everyone agrees that interview tests are needed, but no one wants to spend the money nor the time that would require when they only have two days that the tests are administered as they are now.

As for "foreign countries," maybe you shouldn't be commenting on something related to English education. Unnecessary and redundant are synonyms. Saying foreign country is redundant. All countries are foreign. The adjective is unnecessary. Politicians and others use the term to place a negative label on countries that are not their own. We should be using "other countries," but we should NOT be using "overseas countries." You're being redundant again. It should be "overseas" or "abroad." Why is it necessary to label other countries as "foreign?"

Is there such a thing as a "non-foreign" country?

Yes, many people refer to them as their own countries.

My point was would they say actually say non-foreign country when referring to their own country. The term foreign country is totally redundant and unnecessary... See what I did there?

So let me get this straight. The Kawasaki police said the case about the gang rape suspect "was not going to be made public," but the Kawasaki police felt this was necessary to report. Why? Not to say that people being injured on an escalator in public isn't a safety issue, but why wouldn't a gang rape in Kawasaki not be reported?

Is there such a thing as a "non-foreign" country?

He's not retiring. He just doesn't understand the word retire. He's flamed out this past year he's going to take time off. That's all.

@danalawton... That's the point and it's modern day slavery in almost every aspect of the employment industry in Japan.

Before reading all of the comments I kept looking for the words "stayed" and "suspended." Does anyone else do that when reading about crimes in Japan?

Modern day slavery and no one questions anything.

You're right Onniyama! Just reading this, isn't it obvious that they SHOULD BE confident? I mean, every decision Abe et al make is to benefit their business and political friends monetarily. Yeah, yeah, I know people THINK if companies are doing well that means the worker will be doing well, but all this means is that vicious cycle is going coming again when companies are going to be saying that "demand and orders are up" and this will be cause to make workers work more and then they'll claim there aren't enough skilled workers to hire to meet the demand which means workers will have to work more. Like Onniyama mentioned when will everyone get a raise? They won't.

After this latest catchphrase of Abenomics doesn't work, we'll be at the other side of the circle where workers will still have to work more, but it will because they will claim "demand and orders are down," but they will be letting workers go then and the remaining workers will have to work more to pick up the slack for the workers they let go and those workers who are picking up the slack still will not be getting raises as has been the case these past 20 years.

Just what I was thinking Mariam. Is the law officially enacted yet and if they would have had time is this something they would have classified as a secret?

@Spudman - Walmart and Target had Christmas things up BEFORE Halloween. Isetan also had Christmas decorations up before that.

And don't believe for a minute that the media didn't know all of this was happening in the lead up to the Olympic vote. All of this stuff is laid out and deals are made to let these criminals set up everything to lessen the impact. This will be dead by next weekend.

lostrune2 - Thanks! I had forgotten he was still under a regular contract, but I was just talking about the ability to play anywhere once a contract is finished. They don't give nine year contracts so as long as they are not under contract any court would say they have the right to go anywhere without the stupid posting system.

toshiko - Let's stay on topic. ANY example I give would fit the scenario, but since you want to show the superiority of Japan let's say a Sony employee wanted to work at Apple. What's Sony, you ask? A washed up, out dated company from the 90s that hasn't done anything, but lose money for decades.

Please tell me why this system exist. I can't understand it. If I work for Toyota and a U.S. auto company wanted to hire me, the U.S. auto company would not have to BID just to talk to me. Give me a contract that beats anything Toyota is willing to pay me and I'll work for you. When is someone in the MLB players' union and a smart owner or two going to step up and say, "We don't have to pay you anything to hire a player." I don't think any court would/could stop it if any of the U.S. teams said, "we're just going to offer him a contract and if he agrees to play he's ours."

Well this writer is from Korea, but it reads just like those sour grapes articles that said that the iPhone would never sell well in Japan and that Facebook would never work over Mixi. Doesn't Japan have a number of records in tweets in various categories?

I'm not sure why PaulInJapan had a "BAD" vote. News from the "experts" when it first came out was TOTALLY about how the iPhone wouldn't sell in Japan. He's exactly right on this guy (Serkan Toto) too.

JeffLee too. The companies in Japan have all tried to control the market in every form of electronics the last 15 years instead of focusing on innovation. Something that Apple risks doing too if they don't start adding more features and just relying on their clever marketing.

@bannedaccstam - I've always liked Jackie too, but I lost some respect for him after his "America is the most corrupt country in the world..." comments. All countries are corrupt in some way, but to make a sweeping generalization about a country that he's made millions of dollars from while ignoring his own is not very classy.

I think it's great that LGBTs are on TV and other forms of entertainment, but doesn't this mean that LGBT characters are OVER represented and not equally represented since there are far fewer LGBTs in society?

ALL countries are "foreign." Why the redundancy???

Sounds like Mr. Lucas is trying to set himself up for a job in Japan. Only three Olympics have made money and this government will not be number 4.

Found??? Really??? Shouldn't that be "STILL?"

@jumpultimatestars - Which is exactly why Corey Monteith died of a drug overdose at the ripe old age of 31, because he didn't need supervision of his parents and went out and had fun and partied. Oh... and discovered drugs to help him party more and lived his own life. All before he even thought about working in the entertainment industry. The brain doesn't mature until age 25; basic psychology. No... teenagers aren't kids anymore...