ninjaboy comments

Betting - yes, I agree. The Philippines is to the Japanese what the Costa del Crime is to the Brits. Anyone can disappear, get a new identity etc. This guys is already way beyond the reach of the keystones.

"My company fired me!" The new catchphrase and/or famous last words for every knife-wielding maniac in 2009!

copy-cat crime?

They don't look all that busy... they're just standing there as if they've never seen a fire before. Perhaps they forgot the fire drill or are having a meeting to decide what to do. Could be their lunch break perhaps..?

The world needs a modern-day Captain Nemo in charge of a Nautilus! No 'rotten butter bombs... just one torpedo to rid the oceans of the barbaric whale killers. And if we can't fight them in the oceans, then we'll fight them on land with an international boycott of all Japanese products world-wide, as suggested above.

This is Japan - home to 88 percent of the world's child pornography. FACT

The easy answer.. DIVORCE!

Sounds like a Japanese version of "Tough Guys" (1986) with Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster.

It probably goes without saying that talent agencies are, in actual fact, advertising agencies, or at least, tied very closely to them. Award shows on Japanese TV are only serve to raise a 'talento-san's' celebrity profile, thereby simultaneously raising the profile of the products they become synonymous with too. I remember reading an article not so long ago (perhaps featured on Japan Today?) that the salaries of so-called 'TV talents' are actually one of the lowest in Japan, not much more than a convenience store clerk.

Agree with "noborito" above. Japan has never been out of a recession since the early 90s! This is old news.

Dam! I wish I had thought of that!

Apart from contaminated milk, the authorities in China do not utter one single word about possible contaminated products. I live here and have to rely on foreign media for any/all information regarding what products not to buy.

Even when products are identified as potentially dangerous, there are no products recalls, nor are they ever removed from supermarket shelves. Such examples include baby food, peanut butter, paint, and a brand of mercury-laden toothpaste that killed 27 (-?) people.

Yet, these products are still openly on sale in many high street supermarkets and local stores. Nothing has been mentioned about rice either, and yes, it continues to sell as normal.

Immigration should be in charge of catching and detaining this 'illegal migrant!'

-They'd have him in custody in no time!

Another Japanese killed in a violent/unusual/ritualistic/-self-inflicted manner. Next obvious news from Japan... ?

Japan is the world's biggest talent graveyard. Even highly qualified/educated and fluent-speaking non-Japanese are turned away from jobs. Don't waste your time with this dying country. Contribute your skills/knowledge to other countries that value you!

This system will not work in Japan. Japanese are, by their very nature and culture, discouraged from thinking critically - or perhaps that should be thinking critically independant of the group. Any accused brought before them is going to be 'guilty' whether that be the case or not. Then, of course, there are reprisals from the police and/or authorities should any 'accused' be found innocent. Who would want to serve on a jury? Even if Japan starts to give the outward appearance of bringing its justice system into the 21st century by claiming to have a more 'fair' or 'just' system, high conviction rates will continue regardless.

The only challenge (and not a serious one) the iPhone faces in Asia is from all the laughable copies available at every street market. You should see all the iPhone copies around Shanghai markets. Just 'normal' phones with a crudely stuck Apple 'iPhone' sticker & logo on the front. Its comical to be offered one of these by street vendors who go out of their way to convince you its the real thing! I think Steve Jobs would find this hilarious if he visits Shanghai. Or, at least, he could do what Giorgio Armani did when he wandered around a so-called plush 'Armani' store on the Shanghai waterfront when he learned, much to his surprise, that his own company had allegedly opened their first 'flagship store' in China! Needless to say, the staff who work there had no idea who he was.

Robots can offer some good advice on foreign policy.

Peach sake anyone?

taj - "new godzilla perch" Yes! lol!!!

It's true this could have become something more than just a joke threat. Japan's in danger of becoming too unpredictable. There used to be a time when you knew exactly what was going to happen, and when... sometimes even time your watch by it. Things were a lot safer for everybody when Japan was nice and boring.

The "Guinness Book of Asinine Comments". This should become a whole new blog (???)

My personal favourite is: "Oh, I'll fetch you a knife and fork" by one obviously very confused waitress. Just as I announce to the whole restaurant: "Excuse me miss, I left my chopsticks at home.., do you have any that I may borrow?"

This guy's doing a great job! More foreigner freindly services in Japan please!! This man deserves an honour!

"Gaijin" and the equally annoying "Gaijin-san" is offensive. I hate this word! I would never go around calling Japanese people "Nipponjin-san".

Was in the office on the 32F when the building started to shake in my city, near Shanghai. Managed to get the lift out of the building (yeah.., like thats a great idea - using the lift during a major seismic event). My Chinese collegues didn't budge in spite of my warnings about getting the hell out and asking 'whats happening?' later!!

It's cool to hang with Hu! Everyone's going to be making friends with China (perhaps convieniantly forgetting recent problems) as Japan is left out in the cold at its own party.

A man visits a women's home. He rapes her. 'No crime' has been committed under Japanese law because she voluntarily allowed him to enter her home. A women visits a man's home. He rapes her. 'No crime' has been committed under Japanese law because she volutarily decided to enter his home.

This is the Japanese legel system at its worst.