Posted in: Japan reveals 3 sea-based alternatives for scrapped Aegis Ashore plan See in context
Build the new Aegis Ashor platform on Senkaku, solve two problems at once. If Japan is to buy from the U.S. also make it so that the U.S. patrols and protects the installation from aggressive Chinese incursions in territorial waters and air space.
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: Ex-KAT-TUN idol gets suspended term for marijuana possession See in context
Japan needs to get behind the times and begin to change the laws for medical and recreational cannabis. It’s actually unpatriotic to adhere to the current cannabis laws forcibly put in place arbitrarily by the U.S. during occupation after the war. Like article 9, cannabis laws need to be revised with the changing times and environment. Cannabis was brought in by the Jomon people’s from Asia tens of thousand of years ago as sacred plant and also part of Shinto religious ceremonies. Japanese have lost their close affiliation with Cannabis and Hemp culture and more medical and scientific research by Japanese Pharmas/cosmetics industries need to happen to not lose ground from their global competitors. Could be the next cash crop that these older Japanese farmers could cash in on as the rest of the world including many global Pharma and cosmetics industries are actively researching and developing many natural and life changing drugs, etc.
5 ( +9 / -4 )
Posted in: N Korea fires 2 projectiles into sea; says it won't sit down with S Korea for talks again See in context
Kim is more rational than Moon, he’s 1/4 Japanese after all: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ko_Yong-hui
lol, but no kidding aside, had know idea Kim was 1/4 Japanese and his mother loved Japan and sang him and his sister Japanese folk songs since they were children. Perhaps Abe should meet with Kim after all!
2 ( +2 / -0 )
Posted in: S Korea warns of security impact if dropped from Japan's easy-trade list See in context
It's a very unfortunate situation but the way Korean government and how many of its population are certainly acting (setting oneself ablaze, cutting their fingers off, burning Japanese flags, spouting untruths and hate about Japan to the world, etc.) are proving the general conception that many Koreans are indeed irrational, overly emotional, stubborn, unforgiving and hard to deal with in a calm and rational manner. This reputation has been around even before the war according to the old-timers and in fact many of my Chinese friends who come from Northern China near the North Korean border where many ethnic Koreans live seem to agree with their Japanese counterparts about our mutual Korean brethren and certainly don't look at them any more fondly than the Japanese population. Having lived in Los Angeles during the Rodney King riots and seeing first hand how the immigrant Korean population also unfairly generalized and prejudiced the black and latino populations and certainly had bad blood between them, it is certainly rich of them to continue bashing and hating on the Japanese for everything and anything, forever and ever... Japan is now aware over the last several decades is that constant apologizing and placating the Koreans only emboldens them to ask for more unreasonable requests...and can never keep their end of their commitment or international treaty.
Thus: (1) Koreans (North and South) in general hate Japan and always will...2) they will never truly want friendly relations based on mutual trust and civility. (they only want to see Japan crumble into the sea.) So, it's time now to take a more direct and aggressive approach to deal with their immature leaders and treat them the way they treat us... Seriously, the way South Korea is acting only vindicates Japanese nationalists that they were right all along to arm back up, even potentially nuke-up as well. Thank you, Korea for a great job to turn the populace to accelerate a more independent and united Japan that may quickly dump the pacifist constitution and re-arm to become a more powerful force together with the U.S. to keep Russian, Chinese, and NorthKorean aggressive ambitions in check!
5 ( +6 / -1 )
Posted in: Japan rock group Dragon Ash member nabbed for marijuana possession See in context
@gambare Japan https://www.google.co.jp/amp/s/www.globalresearch.ca/the-secret-history-of-cannabis-in-japan-2/5479996/amp as a pro-Japanese you should be for the legalization and rightful legitimization of Cannabis for the sake of Japan’s culture and soul which was robbed and neglected during GHQ occupation after the war. As with article 9, the Cannabis eradication program should also be reconsidered in light of current environment and understanding of the medicinal and spiritual qualities long associated with Japanese Cannabis culture.
5 ( +5 / -0 )
Posted in: U.S. seeks to ease dispute between S Korea, Japan See in context
Finally! About time Japan began to finally counter years of S.Korea's constant Japan Bashing and victimhood vitriol while reneging on mutually agreed international accords. While there at it, they should force Korea's hand to finally agree to resolve the Takeshima/Dokdo Island dispute at the ICJ so all pending disputes between Japan and Korea can be finally cleared so they can both start a new chapter of "real" friendship and mutual cooperation.
16 ( +20 / -4 )
Posted in: Record amount of stimulants seized in Shizuoka; 7 Chinese men arrested See in context
Perhaps Japan should execute them as the Chinese have done to Japanese smugglers for far smaller quantities.
1 ( +4 / -3 )
Posted in: Record 3,500 people involved in cannabis cases in Japan in 2018 See in context
Agreed should be legalized. It was part of Japanese religious Shinto culture and was taken away and demonized during American occupation. Now that the U.S. is starting to legalize for recreation in majority of the states and Canada as well not to mention the many health benefits of CBD oils. Japan really needs to repeal the archaic laws in 大麻 and think would help with the depopulation and other social ills such as recluses and suicides and depression. Also, Japan makes some of the best agricultural produce, imagine the economic revitalization opportunity in the country side if shifting focus on making high quality orgamic 大麻 second to none.
6 ( +7 / -1 )
Posted in: Japan steps up claim to S Korea-held islets at 'Takeshima Day' event amid tensions See in context
Simply, Korea has no intention to settle the matter once and for all at ICJ in a civil professional manner as recommended by the U.S. Japan perhaps should just re-take Takeshima by force if necessary as that seems to be the only course of action to bring Korea to the table. Unfortunately, this is probably the only cards left that Japan has for Korea to understand the seriousness of this matter and if it escalates so be it... (Its not like South Korea wants friendly relationships with Japan anyways...nor do they want to consider historical academic evidence to discuss any issues be it comfort women, Takeshima/Dokdo, or East Sea renaming of Sea of Japan, or complaining about the Japanese rising sun flag on clothing art, etc..) Seriously... Japan has been too lenient and calm hoping that Korea could take a more mature, calm stance on any historical perspectives between the two countries.
1 ( +3 / -2 )
Posted in: Activists file suit to stop dolphin hunting in Japan See in context
@RealCDN There is plenty of dolphin to eat if you know where. Sotobo Chiba is the easiest from Tokyo. However, I would stipulate that dolphin is a bit gamey/smelly to be served sashimi style like whale IMO and better in stew and personally prefer whale over dolphin. I've had dolphin maybe a dozen times in various places in Chiba in (hidden menus) at various eateries concentrated along the coast in the last 15yrs on the way back from surf trips. They actually used to sell them in the back of trucks like sweet potatoes in some fishing village locales hawking them over speaker announcing イルカ, イルカ! FYI: If the whale meat is rather inexpensive and tastes a bit more pungent than you remember, it might likely be dolphin. (Dolphin is edible but wouldn't quite say its good while whale is generally delicious!) I would compare dolphin to dog meat I ate in Seoul, and as is typical there they don't generally advertise it widely and need to go with local person to find dog meat specialty restaurants and generally cooked in stews masked by spices/garlic, etc.
-5 ( +6 / -11 )
Posted in: Activists file suit to stop dolphin hunting in Japan See in context
Living on the Pacific coast of Chiba prefecture: there is plenty of historical and archaeological evidence of Japanese people's close relationship with both Dolphin and Whales from the Jomon period and have had both Dolphin and Whale cuisine celebrated by many that have lived out here for generations. http://www.gepr.org/en/contents/20140217-01/ Having also heavy Native American heritage (BlackFeet) and influence as well on my American side of heritage, the traditional Japanese were much more similar to Native Americans in terms of respect and spirituality with the animals they hunted. As many Native Americans now who have been devastated culturally by the loss of the West by the Europeans sitting on reservations collecting welfare and eating processed foods getting overweight, etc. Unfortunately, too few Native Americans now can even practice hunting in their traditional areas and prey. (Buffalo herds devastated by building of the railroads, Macah Indians on WA coast being harassed for their annual whale hunts, etc..) I pray Japan resists the cultural imperialism and bullying of the western nations to lose their traditions of sustainable and respectful whaling practices. Japan's culture is unique and loved by many from around the world because they modernized on their own without being colonized and retained a unique Japanese aspect to their culture and traditions. In the grand scheme of things there are so much larger world and Japan issues to tackle besides a few small whaling dolphin hunting traditions being kept alive in isolated villages in Japan.
-2 ( +13 / -15 )
Posted in: Itochu worker detained in China for 1 year over espionage See in context
It's about high time Japan returns in kind instead of turning a blind eye as usual considering all the espionage the Chinese do to Japan and the U.S. Also, where is the facts and proof on the espionage charges on this Itochu guy?
-1 ( +3 / -4 )
Posted in: Japanese gov't urged by lawmakers to take action against S Korea See in context
@SJ I would tend to agree with you that the Japanese population nowadays in general especially post WW2 are a little too easily manipulated and obedient to its U.S. masters. I think it is time for them to realize that Japan needs to make their own destiny as that had many times before and becoming more independent or true equal footing partner with the U.S.: Think about how Japan was able to resist 2 attempts of a combined Mongolian/Chinese/Korean invasion by Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan and never ever capitulating to China's influence, one of very few fortunate countries to resist colonization for centuries while the rest of Asia/non-European peoples fell one after another, after Commodore Perry with his gunboat diplomacy, Japan then quickly modernized and adapted overturning unequal treaties and then went onto win the first major war where a non-European power defeated a major European power in the Russia-Japan war in early 1900s, Right or wrong Japan would have swept Asia conclusively within its domain without U.S. intervention, Japan rising from the ashes of humiliating defeat of WW2 (First ever, in its history) to become the 2nd largest economy (now 3rd) even with limited population and natural resources. (Its people/culture alone are Japan's greatest asset)
IMO: As Japan had awakened the sleeping Giant (The U.S.) during WW2, I think Korea's constant attempts to antagonize Japan constantly will backfire and awaken Japanese to the truth that Japan will need to become more assertive towards Korea. One thing about the Japanese, they are patient and tireless and have composure to a degree the Koreans will never be able to approach, this in their DNA and culturally ingrained. I pity what will happen to Korea and its people if Japan really begins to systematically turn their united population and attention to the detriment of Korea, let alone an all out war. The ferocity and fearlessness of the Japanese in battle has been well documented historically even back to the punitive war expeditions of Hideyoshi driving the retreating Korean forces all the way to Pyongyang and only with the combination of huge Chinese reinforcement was finally able to drive Hideyoshi's troops back to Japan.
Also: Following is an excerpt from the book "The Comfort Women" written by Korean professor Sarah Soh who has done extensive research in this matter should be required reading for all the Korean advocates on this forum:
Despite their historic contributions, the approach of South Korean activists and their supporters has obscured the continued ubiquity of grave human rights violations of women, especially those working in the sex industry in postcolonial South Korea. Although activists and their supporters have successfully publicized sexual violence and atrocities committed by the Japanese military, the way in which they have framed the story as exclusively a Japanese war crimes issue has diverted attention from the sociocultural and historical roots of women's victimization in Korea, which Japan colonized from 1910 to 1945.
9 ( +10 / -1 )
Posted in: Japanese gov't urged by lawmakers to take action against S Korea See in context
@SJ “It is ironical that despite the spread of the internet and all cutting-edge communication technology, it becomes easier for political leaders to brainwash and instigate the people, especially in Japan.”
I think it’s the other way around that it’s Koreans who are brainwashed by their political leaders and false testimonies and agendas by various politically motivated groups. A thorough research on the comfort woman issue as well as japan’s Annexation of Korea during WW2 is much more complicated than the typical vitriol spewed and championed in South Korea.
13 ( +19 / -6 )
Posted in: Amid tensions with Japan, S Korea to boost world awareness on wartime sex abuses See in context
@Jimi Good you concur kids in Korea are taught to hate Japan. However, kids in Japan are not taught to hate Korea and it is evident in the popularity of Kpop and Kdrama, etc. We also have a fairly large population of Koreans and Korean ancestry Japanese residing in Japan, majority are good people well integrated and identified with Japan and Japanese culture. In fact, I personally know so many who maintained a fairly strong Korean identity even whilst being born in Japan due to their parents and attending N Korean schools, etc. but had encountered extreme prejudices while living in or visiting S. Korea in their young adult lives and have now switched their citizen to full Japanese and have really questioned the "rabid foaming at the mouth vitriol" that some S. Koreans have towards Japan as being completely unwarranted. In fact, many have privately said it is embarrassing that Korea continues to harp on how Japan dishonored Korean Comfort Women when it is quite plainly evident that you will see many illegal and legal Korean prostitutes continuing to hustle in every Japanese city in the Korean quarters on the guise of massage parlors and other 水商売 establishments. This is true in every major U.S. city I have lived at as well. Many Americans and Japanese are quietly and fairly disgusted with the way Koreans continues to play-up the victim-hood towards Japan while not being transparent about their own hand in the comfort woman issue and continued participation in forced prostitution and other illicit activities in this area throughout the world. https://voicesofny.org/2011/09/korean-prostitution-in-the-us-out-of-control/
2 ( +2 / -0 )
Posted in: Osaka court dismisses Chinese citizens' wartime forced labor suit See in context
Like the Korean claims and cases, its highly focused on being a smear campaign against Japan and its people organized rather than about justice. It’s laughable really given all the atrocities and forced labor during the Great Leap Forward which I am sure would be squashed severely within China. Japan is at the cusp of changing its constitution to better defend itself and this China and Korea’s to prevent and stall Japanese autonomy.
0 ( +1 / -1 )
Posted in: Families of detained Yasukuni Shrine protesters seek China's help See in context
@akie didn't China just throw an old Japanese guy in jail for allegedly spying not to mention many more for similar alleged charges? Not to mention those that got caught trying to smuggle drugs out of China into Japan that were executed a few years ago... Regardless, I am sure the stupid protesters will get release in due course but starting a fire in a public place like Yasukuni, they knew that was not gonna go unanswered. I can't imagine what China would do if a Japanese national tried to start a fire to protest at the Nanking memorial saying that the numbers of those massacred were far less or never happened, etc.. Yeah, let's see what kind of treatment a Japanese political activist will get in China under similar circumstances.
7 ( +8 / -1 )
Posted in: Dual nationals feel cast adrift in Japan See in context
@ossan Having both U.S. and Japanese passports, this is how you do it and nobody has raised a question in the last 15-16yrs. Going to U.S. from Japan: Check-in with U.S., leave immigration with Japanese, enter U.S. with U.S. Going from U.S. to Japan: Just leave with Japan and enter Japan with the same. No questions, no fuss on both sides. (Just make sure your U.S. and Japanese passports match name for name for ticketing purposes.)
6 ( +6 / -0 )
Posted in: LA mural seen as symbolizing Japan's wartime army to be removed See in context
Ridiculous... Korean activism going too far... Besides the fact that the mural has a somewhat remote resemblance to the rising sun flag which is so what... But really, banning or protesting the rising sun flag is indeed ridiculous. For some people that suffered under various wars or regimes in the past the U.S. flag, British flag, etc. could all evoke negative feelings but given the fact that the protesters in the U.S. (Korean Americans) was likely not even born during WW2 their unreasonable knee jerk reaction is distasteful to say the least. The flag has been in use way before WW2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rising_Sun_Flag and is unquestionably a beautiful and striking pattern from an artistic point of view to many around the world thus its use in many products, clothing, etc.. This is actually reverse hate by Korean activism to smear anything with Japanese symbolism (even as far fetched and remote as that L.A. mural) and should be fought aggressively and head-on.
20 ( +22 / -2 )
Posted in: Japan seeks 1st aircraft carrier to deploy stealth fighters See in context
Japan is surrounded by hateful/vengeful neighbors besides Taiwan. (China, Koreas still salty about WW2 and Japan historically never capitulating to China and having its own unique culture loved and appreciated by the world over and Russia who really never got over getting defeated and losing territory to Japan in 1901.) Good on Japan to begin building some defensive and potentially offensive capabilities. Japan has shown historically they can come together time and time again to face challenges and overcome them.
6 ( +7 / -1 )
Posted in: Foreign couple detained after newspaper set on fire at Yasukuni Shrine See in context
Stick him in jail with some Uyoko as fitting punishment for a few weeks and then flag him to ensure he can never re-enter Japan.
7 ( +11 / -4 )
Posted in: S Korea may freeze Japanese firm's assets if it doesn't negotiate over forced laborers See in context
Glad this is happening, will certainly bring to light that continued capitulation to South Korea's demands over the years only embolden's them.
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Posted in: Many South Korean people mistakenly believe Japan hasn’t apologized over the comfort women issue. Japan also should not just obstinately insist the issue has been ‘resolved,’ but rather more actively convey a message that acknowledges public opinion in South Korea. See in context
This issue will never be resolved no matter how much Japan publicly apologizes... there are those in Korea that want to continually use this issue for their own political agenda. Also, it has been brought to light that many of the so called comfort women were forced into testimonies that were untrue or left out the fact that they were taken advantage of by their own parents or Korean brokers. Many more were also common prostitutes that profited and refuse to acknowledge this. Frankly, most Japanese are quiteq tired of the constant bleating of this issue for political or personal financial gain by some.
-1 ( +0 / -1 )
Posted in: Keeping up with Kardashians See in context
They're not particularly interesting but all have great curves though, nice change from what you see all to often in Tokyo.
-12 ( +3 / -15 )
Posted in: Japan rejects S Korean mention of wartime 'comfort women' at U.N. See in context
The root of the problem is that there were some maybe quite a few tragic cases of misled Korean girls and ladies by Korean brokers that sent them to the front-line brothel system on fake promises or outright trickery. No doubt that occurred as it does today all over the world by unsavory types promising young vulnerable women a chance at a supposedly better life. During that time many were sold by their own family (fathers) who were desperately poor to feed an extra mouth, etc. This happened to Japanese as well. But also many of the Korean women and Japanese women were clearly simple prostitutes as well. It is hard to fathom that there were no economically motivated women that were part of the comfort women system as there is ample evidence that there was..
Even today, in a time when S.Korea is economically much more prosperous, there are so many, many Korean women working as prostitutes all over the world, here in Japan, U.S. Europe, Canada, Australia with ample evidence. (All the massage parlors they have set-up all over is an e.g.)
7 ( +9 / -2 )
Posted in: Japan pro-whaling documentary wins award at London film festival See in context
@ClippetyClop Please point to the evidence that the meet is being stored due to lack of demand. The film points to the lie that Taiji residents are being poisoned by mercury as well which is not true.. I am willing to bet that the whale meet sits unsold due to lack of demand is also more of the propaganda and falsehoods that is exposed in this film so please watch it before denouncing it and provide Japanese unbiased sources on the whale meet sitting in freezers due to lack of demand... Thanks!
-3 ( +6 / -9 )
Posted in: Japan pro-whaling documentary wins award at London film festival See in context
I saw this on Netflix and encourage all of those who are for or against whaling to view this film with open minds. I believe the film did a great job exposing some of the hypocrisy of the western ethnocentric and often racist point of view to bash Japan for their desire to return to sustainable whaling and the rudeness and insensitivity of the sea Shepard’s attitude towards the people of Taiji and Japanese peoples cultures and traditions. The film will also detail the long history and culture whales had with The japanese and the respect they had towards the animal both spiritually and ensuring they use every part of this magnificent creature when they were taken.
-1 ( +8 / -9 )
Posted in: Abe to seek S Korean support for fleeing Japanese in event of trouble with North See in context
The problem is S.Korea will dislike Japan’s dispatching it’s SDF force in S.Korea to help our own citizens to safely escape the Korean Peninsula in case there is war.... s.koreans despise the Japanese more than N.koreans attacking them..lol..
7 ( +12 / -5 )
Posted in: AirAsia to crew Aceh flights with men only after hijab rule See in context
Sounds like a nice place to visit...
5 ( +5 / -0 )
Posted in: Museum opens in Tokyo, displaying documents to defend claims to disputed isles See in context
It’s about time Japan did something about conveying the evidence of the rightful owners of those said territories in contention. Staying silent and polite only emboldens Korea and China. Didn’t find a link to the new Museum but would love to visit and take some Korean and Chinese friends to show japan’s perspective and ratuonal evidence for the territorial disputes.
2 ( +4 / -2 )
Posted in: 7-Eleven's turnaround plan requires heavy lifting to stop Couche-Tard's $47 billion takeover
They are part of a 4 country alliance with you to maintain security (as you would like to see it)…
Posted in: Australia to invest billions of dollars in nuclear submarine shipyard
Posted in: Australia to invest billions of dollars in nuclear submarine shipyard
Posted in: Voters in Noto hit by quake, rain call for support to rebuild