Posted in: Misdirected U.S. strike kills 18 allied fighters in Syria See in context
Trump's finally figuring out politics - the bigger the bomb the bigger his ratings will bump up - regardless of who he bombs....I suppose we should be thankful that no one is bombing us (the US that is) now that we have a Mussolini wannabe in the White House - I've finally stopped trying to even attempt to defend the actions of my gub'mint....a (deadly) farce.
2 ( +3 / -1 )
Posted in: 'Comfort woman' statue at Sydney church upsets Japanese-Australian community See in context
Sorry no dice - the statue is located at a church, not the Intl. Arrivals lobby and in addition it is a statue of an innocent girl not a North Korean propaganda poster of someone bayoneting a baby.
The comfort women are a fact not a myth, and if that's discomforting for some Japanese tourists then, well - rough life, imagine what is was like for those forced into sexual slavery
Reality is becoming more and more distorted around the world by professional spin. Japan will be more successful at revising it's past so personally I think it's good that there are reminders. AND this does not blame Japanese individuals for actions the country took in a war 70+ years ago.
I hope they rule to allow the statue to stay.
(And I care very much for Japan - just not it's revisionist history right-wingers)
16 ( +21 / -5 )
Posted in: Trump tapping Washington, Wall Street veterans for top jobs See in context
Surprise, surprise, surprise..
As Johnny Rotten said, "Ever get the feelin' you been cheated?!"
His half brain dead supporters will realize they got scammed eventually, the hardcore "fans" will just keep on believing in the Donald.
Textbook demagogue - Trump was all talk about draining any DC swamps
4 ( +4 / -0 )
Posted in: Trump gets third intel briefing, far fewer than predecessors See in context
I love some of the Pro Trump comments above - as if listening to experts is somehow a bad idea!?!....What else should he do? he doesn't read, spends all his time on Twitter being an idiot and relies on his "very good brain" for understanding an extremely complex and dangerous world...we are so stuffed, it's already happening - what some had predicted, he'll be the PR master who knows nothing about governing and he'll leave all the real work to Pence (a hard right politician) ....I don't think he ever really wanted the job and now he has it, Drumpf is overwhelmed
5 ( +6 / -1 )
Posted in: Philippine president assures Japan his visit to China was all about economics See in context
The very real problem with populism and democracy in general is that lunatics like Duterte are genuinely popular with their citizens...through out due process and just start massacring 'drug users' - the whole thing is insane. Yet, the crowds keep applauding...The US may have its multitude of faults but you think China has got Pinoys best interests at heart?! !? Seriously - he could do real damage - say goodbye to an independent South China Sea - or should we call it the Glorious PRCs Xi Central Sea with bases up and down the length of it. Duterte can 'assure' Japan all he wants - he's with China now
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: Philippines leader likens himself to Hitler; wants to kill millions of drug users See in context
So he wins the award for Greatest Nutjob of the Year as an elected leader - this is exactly what wise people before warned against for decades ( Orwell, Huxley)
It's not that democracy is on the ropes but the voters are so ignorant and easily manipulated they will vote for the worst of the worst (hint hint - think yellow hair, loud mouth, love Putin, law and order)
Duterte - just awful statements coming from this guy - also, China will definitely take advantage of the discord he stirs up between his country and the U.S.
13 ( +13 / -0 )
Posted in: New police commissioner aims to make Tokyo world's safest city See in context
I know I have an obsession with how ridiculous Japanese police behave but Tokyo is already probably the safest big city in the world...owing not to the cops but Japanese society -
It'll be the same for the Olympics and no doubt this old timer will take credit for it while it'll be the citizens who deserve the credit - as people wrote above, hopefully this doesn't mean more spot checks - I caught one after being in Tokyo about an hour! !
2 ( +2 / -0 )
Posted in: Actress Mika Mifune files property division suit following divorce from rocker Joji Takahashi See in context
Don't worry he'll be selecting from any number of junior idol group members for wife number 2 in no time - we should take bets, I bet the next Ms. Takahashi is under 20 years old! Any takers?
To be fair though there was a similar story with Bill Wyman of the Stones who married his 16 year old bride when he was even older!
6 ( +6 / -0 )
Posted in: 9 Ibaraki beaches reopen after being closed a year ago due to shark sightings See in context
Agree with all comments above - what's also a bit comical and goes along with the 'NATURE IS ABUNAI' theme so popular in Japan is the fact that these sharks aren't particularly dangerous to begin with...back home Great Whites near beaches prompt a closing of a day or two (which are often ignored anyway) not an entire YEAR?! - anyway, good the beaches will be open.
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: TEPCO admits delay in declaring 'meltdown' was cover-up See in context
Sorry yakyak but unfortunately sorry DOES work with these guys in Japan - nothing has happened to them, a paltry 10% paycut!? It's obscene.
What about the people that hung themselves because their family farms were radioactive, the hundreds of thousands put out, displaced, made homeless, the health concerns and stress, increases of cancer cases (wait til those get explained away as 'regrettable' or not attributed to accident)
So frustrating - and those of us who thought as much and posted as much here were often seen as being "anti-Japanese"
Vile behavior and the fact that it goes unpunished is really really sad and guarantees further rotten behavior on the part of TEPCO as well as other utilities, or corporations for that matter -
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Posted in: DiCaprio deposition ordered in 'Wolf of Wall Street' lawsuit See in context
That's why it's always based on a true story, rather than a documentary - doesn't even use his real name - no go!
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Posted in: 2 police officers arrested for drunk driving in Hokkaido See in context
Man, hate to chime in here - but then again, the cops in Japan provide such easy targets! I've known a couple absolute jokers who joined the police force - won't go into specifics but their acceptance led me to believe that the J cops do not attract the best and the brightest....
Living in Japan, you have to be very grateful that it is the society rather than the cops that keeps people honest here - these guys weren't just drunk driving, they were
a) drunk driving - sounds like several rounds of it b) involved in a hit and run and c) trying to cover up evidence.
I predict that they will be forced to apologize in a heartfelt manner with a 'moshi wake nai' and perhaps even forced to clean up around the police station for a month or two before being fully reinstated with honors. Too good a story and yes! we really should have a J-cop/crimes section as smithinjapan mentioned above!
11 ( +12 / -1 )
Posted in: Obama's Hiroshima visit stirs differing views across Pacific See in context
I haven't posted on Japantoday in a while but this is just a fascinating story - it's one of those things that never goes away - I remember first arriving in Japan (I'm American) convinced that the US was very wrong for having dropped the atom bombs - but then reading much more about the issue and talking to an uncle who had liberated Europe from the Nazis and was sure he'd die in Japan in the planned invasion - the bomb bizarrely saved lives in the long run. Okinawa was a bloodbath for civilians and soldiers....
In addition, all this suffering was because Hirohito wanted to save his own skin - he could have surrendered beforehand - abdicated - the war carried on weeks or possibly months longer than it needed to so he could stay on as emperor which is truly a crime. MacArthur saved his life afterwards and created the (still believed) lie that he had nothing to do with the war - nonsense! The other allies all wanted to hang Hirohito for war crimes
The point is I would be against an apology but perhaps an acknowledgment of the terrible suffering of the civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. War is hell for everyone involved but dropping the bomb was a complex issue - and Japan was not an innocent victim
6 ( +7 / -1 )
Posted in: Trump's bluster is heard around the world See in context
I love it - the guy with an immigrant mother, multiple immigrant wives (younger and younger with each marriage) and who has benefited financially from bankruptcy protections and govt. money is a raving anti-big govt., immigrant bashing loud mouth. Really, I wish the media would stop giving this joker all the attention he craves -
2 ( +5 / -3 )
Posted in: Gackt lashes out at Cool Japan: 'Almost no results of Japanese culture exported overseas' See in context
Amen, SenseNot SoCommon
It's hard to take seriously a dude named "Gackt" but that aside, how often has the best of any culture been represented by govt. bureaucrats ?
Talent (not talento) rises to the top - in the 50s Japanese film was the best in the world - the majority of Japanese pop culture and film is pretty piss poor these days - if it wasn't more people would flock to it internationally with or without MITI's help - the success of HBO and other cable shows show that people are itching for quality acting, directing, writing, etc...when was the last time you saw a Japanese TV drama that was up to international standards?
There are probably a lot of great bands for example that could do with more exposure but that's true anywhere. The fact that the govt wants to use AKB48 for the Olympics' opening ceremony show a bit how clueless they are when it comes to what is 'cool' anyway -
7 ( +8 / -1 )
Posted in: Author Murakami chides Japan over WWII, Fukushima responsibility See in context
Great work, Murakami san! That's what we need - popular figures who stand up to the right-wing whitewashing....once again, the concept that the wrongs of the past doom the present seem to be lost on the far right in this country.
10 ( +12 / -2 )
Posted in: Man arrested for kidnapping 5-year-old girl See in context
My god - finally a story where the Japanese police didn't completely bungle everything! Good work! It was lucky she was found before reaching this nutters apartment - also very lucky she didn't get in a vehicle with him but he dragged her through the streets.
2 ( +2 / -0 )
Posted in: Trade, justice ministers quit as Abe loses 2 of his 5 women ministers See in context
I love that one of the ministers with ties to fascist right wingers was NOT among the women resigning....great work.
-1 ( +0 / -1 )
Posted in: Newspaper wars inviting permanent reader alienation See in context
Throughout this battle, the Asahi has been criticized for the mistakes made by one man. Reading the Yomiuri they make it out as if he alone had all proof and therefore all reports on the comfort women being forcibly taken are lies, RIDICULOUS!
If you think it's all a lie go travel to the countries that suffered under Japanese occupation. The Right, Yomiuri, LDP, by basing all their whitewashing on the Asahi's mistake attempt to claim it never occurred in the first place. This is insane.
After over a decade in Japan I see it lurching heavily to the right and towards more conflict with it's Asian neighbors over its past! Really sad all around - perhaps Asahi will now start fact-checking the Yomiuri's articles and we can have more newspaper wars.
4 ( +7 / -4 )
Posted in: 400-year-old garden in Okayama to be replaced with condominium complex See in context
How typically depressing. The next time someone back home begins to lecture me about the Japanese love of nature I'm going to throw up. Seriously, can't the city step in - Okayama is a great place but has more than enough condos, sprawl, used car lots, would be a crime to let this beautiful park turn to some banal suburban crap.
5 ( +5 / -0 )
Posted in: Tokyo 2020 leaders reject notion of old boys club See in context
Between this article and the Tokyo election it seems that no matter what happens elsewhere on planet, Japan just doesnt EVER change. I thought three years ago that the disaster would bring (gasp) new thinking, more young people and women in politics and as leaders that Japan desperately needs -
Seriously, Mori head of the Olympics committee??? I can imagine them thinking in their all-male boardroom somewhere, let s just stick with old, xenophobic and male Yes, of course - its the safest course of action. Also no suspicious English speakers either! They may be siding with the enemy (of 70 years ago)
5 ( +6 / -1 )
Posted in: New NHK head's 'comfort women' remark stirs controversy See in context
Really agree with JTDanMan's break down above. Many older Japanese (and increasingly younger, including students I teach in their 20s) feel that Japan didn't do anything wrong at all in the war, and it's 'war is war' nothing to be ashamed of.
They feel anything related to 'comfort women' is anti-Japanese propaganda from China / Korea....fine, these old dinosaurs can be ignored perhaps but the young people are increasingly buying the whitewash...
Some 20 years ago it seemed like common knowledge that the imperial forces treated civilians horribly, today it's all a 'myth' and 'anti-Japanese sentiment' - would be interesting to have a poll about what people think in their 20s and 30s about comfort women, I'd bet you half or more of younger people don't think it was sexual slavery. which is exactly what it was.
0 ( +3 / -3 )
Posted in: Asylum-seeker dies after collapsing at detention center while doctor at lunch See in context
18 accepted out of over 2000 requests for asylum, that about says it all.
I'm surprised that oppressed/desperate people even attempt to come to Japan with such statistics and lack of concern for their fellow human beings -
Really sad story
7 ( +8 / -1 )
Posted in: Cop arrested for filming up woman's skirt in Yokohama See in context
Keystone cops strike or is it stroke? again and again and again
1 ( +3 / -2 )
Posted in: Police bust sex home-delivery service using overweight women See in context
If they had been thin and pretty however....that would have been completely acceptable.
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: More protests planned over acquittal in black teen's murder See in context
While the case was complex and I believe most would agree a tragedy - the protests, have people targeting their own low-income neighborhoods and trashing local stores, businesses and vehicles ...it's happening right now in my home city, including assaults and beatings on people who had a) nothing to do with the case in itself and b) who take a risk in 'dangerous' neighborhoods and try to build up the community, bringing jobs etc...these guys will leave and again the community goes into decline. Whatever you think of the verdict the violent protests achieve nothing...
3 ( +3 / -0 )
Posted in: No. of highly skilled foreign professionals in Japan remains low See in context
Ha ha Badmigraine - perhaps you're describing Kyushu!? Your post made me laugh out loud - pretty accurate unfortunately.
If this article mentions that only 400 or so people used this points system, why even bother - what a joke.
It could be taken seriously if tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of highly skilled foreign workers were coming in -
Japan, love it or hate it, hasn't changed much over the years - unless you have a Japanese spouse, there's a very good chance you don't have a future here.
2 ( +3 / -1 )
Posted in: Tokyo police hold events to help stamp out molesting on trains See in context
Amen, Disillusioned! Ridiculous - always with the damn mascots - I've never understood why they don't look at actual policing the way it goes on in other developed countries and adopt some sane, professional practices here - a friend actually grabbed one of these gropers and the station-master stood there as he ran away from them - actually watched him go. Great work.
3 ( +5 / -2 )
Posted in: NTV punishes TV producer for sexually harassing newscaster Mai Yamagishi See in context
Reminds me of the S.F. consulate staffer who beat his wife repeatedly, was jailed (because it occurred on U.S. soil - fortunately) and all the Japanese consulate said was it was a 'personal matter' - sexual harassment seems to be more of an embarrassment for the superiors in Japan at worst rather than any kind of crime. And always transferred, no matter what institution with no punishment or loss of pay. Lame.
2 ( +3 / -1 )
Posted in: TEPCO seeks permission to dump groundwater from Fukushima plant into ocean See in context
Something so infuriating - and there is too much to be p-ssed about in this situation - is that somehow TEPCO and Abe govt. behave as if this crisis will only effect local fishing, completing ignoring the global impact.
All along there has been no shame or responsibility about the effects of this true disaster on the entire Pacific - it's all somehow 'out there' and 'none of our concern' - I hate to say it but it's a very corporate Japanese view of the world - the local fishing guys?! My heart goes out to them but this is a much much larger problem.
The international community should put pressure on Abe to STOP this immediately...what a sick joke. Build the tanks, it's a national emergency! It can be done and must be - don't cop out and make others across the sea pay the price. Arrogant b-s-trds.
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Posted in: Japanese foreign minister asks Rubio for exemption from Trump tariffs
Posted in: Japanese foreign minister asks Rubio for exemption from Trump tariffs
Posted in: Japanese foreign minister asks Rubio for exemption from Trump tariffs
Posted in: Trump team makes confused start to Ukraine diplomacy