Nippori Nick comments

If you want healthy food, either buy it and make it yourself. Better yet, grow your own

True enough, but most residents in Tokyo are not blessed with an abundance of land and garden space.

Well Trump did wrestle at Wrestlemania once. Perhaps he will trot into the 土俵 and give us all a show to remember.

Seize his vehicle and ban him from driving forever, it'll save lives

He already was banned in the technical sense from driving since he never had a licence. Did not deter him at all.

What do you mean "save lives". He never killed anyone behind the wheel.

I like Nakano....and any wrestling fan should of course visit Bull Nakano’s bar.

Have to admit after those bombings I certainly have no desire to vacation in Sri Lanka.

We have stayed at home for ten days with walks around the countryside or down to the beach to watch all the people picking shell foods. I didn't spend a single yen during the time. Same cash in my pocket at the end as what I had at the start.

10 days living without spending a single yen? No wonder the economy is moribund.

I don't know where wisteria originated, but I loathe that mess in USA. An invasive species that takes over forests! We have to fight it at a summer camp in Japan too

 30 seconds on google:

Wisteria is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae (Leguminosae), that includes ten species of woody climbing vines that are native to China, Korea, and Japan and as an introduced species to the Eastern United States.

Headline should read "How to waste you life and money on a useless endeavor"

Not at all in my book. It keeps her fit, gives her some purpose.

I don't really see it different than photographers who go birding or similar and spend all kinds of money to get the latest and most sophisticated photographic gear.

Too many people's only photographic hobby these days seems to be taking selfies.

8% to 10% is not a big increase

Actually, it is ...25% to be exact.

How long does it take someone in Japan in a typical job to earn 25% more in wages?

If it's proven that they damaged property, then the proper punishment is financial compensation to the damages dealt. How hard is that?

What if they have no assets and no ability to pay? Then what do you do?

What if they are super rich and any monetary fine is viewed as "cost of having fun". Rich people don't worry about fines.

The only time I ever saw one was when my bank in the US gave me one as part of the yen that I requested before a trip to Japan. Once I got to Japan, my friend was shocked to see it and wouldn't let me spend it.

I once bought yen in Canada for a trip to Japan..and was given about 25 2000 yen notes. I knew they might present an issue, so just told them to give me 5,000 yen notes instead. All of the 2000 yen notes were crisp and brand new. Kind of wonder how they got them.

You know in my home country I cannot really recall situations of family members just "abandoning the body" in the house....yet every few weeks a story like this is printed. Why is this so common in Japan? It surely has to be more than "keeping the pension money" (which would not be the case here since mother was 46).

What kind of 23 year old son acts in such a manner?

Ok HG-what punishment do you feel is appropriate?

Hmmm. spend 25 nights at a reasonable hotel, or eat 2 mangos..What to do, what to do.

Cane him like in Singapore? He deserves harsh treatment? So dumb. Yeah he vandalized property, there are appropriate punishments for such crimes

Personally I feel a few strokes of the cane would get his attention and encourage him to amend his anti-social behaviour. You'd practically be doing him a favour.

I know y'all are mad but you gotta admit, the guys got talent.

Surely you jest. There's not a smidgen of talent in that graffiti.

You can't even claim that the graffiti in the photo is "art". It is out and out vandalism and destruction on other people's property.

This is one of the few times I wish Japan had Singaporean style justice for vandals like him.

Seems a bit unusual to consider a retired person as hikikomori .

I would use that word for an able bodied person who just stays home without a job and won't go out or get a job...but when you are retired you have paid your dues and worked for decades. Maybe you just want to sit in the house and enjoy peace and quiet.

If someone is having a nightmare and suddenly wakes up at 2 am. He/She can go to nearby 7-11 and relax there with some beer and food

Actually I can that right in my own kitchen without bothering to get dressed and go out.

Handsome and poor....likely to remain poor, but the handsomeness will fade away

Bald and rich-will stay bald (barring hair transplants) and likely to remain rich.

10 to 14 year olds generally don’t die so this shouldn’t be a huge surprise.

Just looked up stats in my home country. For that age group the leading causes of death are cancer and accidents. Definitely not suicide.

A store isn't very convenient if it's not open 24/7.

Sure it is...in many countries convenience stores have no need to be open 24/7/.

I would imagine most of us are not prowling around at 3am looking to by snacks, cosmetic items and magazines. I know I certainly am not.

Dude should get a part time job in a shoe store.

Or maybe a bowling alley where they rent out shoes..it would be heaven for him

Tokyo is far more expensive than Osaka-who makes this stuff up?

Subway rides in Osaka are more expensive than Tokyo for same length of ride.

“Every treatment,” complains one dentist, “brings me closer to bankruptcy.

Then charge more for your services.

Next time I am at Hakata station I am definitely stopping at this place. Oh , yeah!

So California does not have the death penalty and the crime rate is soaring.

How do you explain places where the crime rate is soaring and they do have the death penalty?

Crime rates are driven more by demographics and poverty than any other reason.

Is the girl a victim？No. No debate

To me she is a victim. Maybe if she were your daughter or sister you might think a little differently?

Strangerland-your comment "Dude she was 15..etc" is the exact comment in my head when I read that orginal remark about tax evasion.

Seems to me some need reminding that at age 15 your brain has not yet fully formed and you are still legally a child. Talking about tax evasion is just weird/

Some of the slowest traffic in South Asian? Note to self-don't' go there.