Paul Laimal-Convoy comments

I was going to mention the selfishness of the locals in the article, JCosplay, but unfortunately, such behaviour has manifested itself globally. However, I think the secrecy about treatment and testing centres is linked to a desire to avoid such public reactions, which is MORE concerning for me, and seems to me as being more of a Japan-centric way of behaving.

Although it was unfortunate that the outbreak wasn't dealt with effectively (which is understandable, under the circumstances), it's commendable that the hospital helped the Covid 19 patients.

Facebook? Isn't that like 4-chan, but with adverts, or something?

I read that charging customers actually INCREASES the amount of bags used, as customers feel justified that there are paint for the bags, which covers their "guilt".

I also read that simply removing the bags and supplying alternate bags works far better.

I was also told today that the gov has removed the saving you get from using a card to pay for shopping, at the same time as this "bag tax".

The best radio station I listen to in the car is "BBC Radio1", via the "TuneIn Radio" App, a phono cable or radio transmitter dongle and/or a charging cable via the cigarette lighter port.

Then, it's like being back home.

Lol. No surprises here, just Japan as normal. Move along, people.

None. They're all cr@p, with too many ads, sponsored content and dj talk-time over a smattering of musical content. The Leno of quality Japanese music, compared to foreign content, is another factor.

Most people simply use Spotify, Y-Music/YouTube, streaming radio apps or other music streaming apps. Heck, can even podcasts are better quality than Japanese radio.

That's terrible. I'm not surprised by Japanese law though, as it seems to be even worse than the state of the law in other countries.

Although the UK's broadband might be below some other countries, it's adoption of digital services has, and continues to be, better than Japan's.

I don't think the Japanese government deserves to host it now, due to their refusal to test our deal with the virus prior to the IOC deciding to postpone it, and the lack of testing afterwards and the lack of substantial treatment, excessive deaths figures, transparency and lack of lockdown measures, etc.

I applaud the need to rethink about the names of places, and the importance of statues, etc. I think it's a bit more complex than "remove it" though. Some ideas include:

keeping the offending item/name, with a plaque explaining why (at the time) it was created, and why many/some people think it should/should not be removed (or why the person commentated did not deserve it). A "warts and all" approach.

moving the offending plaque/Street sign/statue/etc to a museum, where its history can be explained.

"One stock owner appeared to speak up for Ghosn, stressing Nissan had lost people’s trust after ousting him without giving him a chance to defend himself over problems that might have been solved internally, instead appearing to collude with prosecutors and government officials."

THIS

I thought they would enact a SOE again (in Tokyo) if it reached, or exceeded 50?

I'm not surprised. At "Crayon Kids International", in Yachiyo, Chiba, there were a fair few accidents reported to me. They used to push tables and chairs against the only other alternate fire escape, forget to close the faulty front door (that was done by the school manager, in one of the incidents), which itself wouldn't always lock, etc. I saw staff preparing lunch near to dirty nappies, kids climbing makeshift barricades and all manner of safety problems. Wheneve they were reported to the manager, she said "It's ok" and then give some form of excuse.

I feel, with the dearth of adequate child care facilities in Japan, that there are many, badly run ones, receiving government money, to "fill the gap".

Ahh, Nishi-chiba, so it's near Chiba University then.

Good for them, although I wish they had come up with a better alternative name. For them to have been treated in such a bad way by the country music scene is disgusting, and serves to strengthen the stereotype of "ignorant, nationalistic, hill-Billy bigots", which is not really true.

At "Crayon Kids International", a day care centre in Yachiyo, Chiba, they employed the "teachers" as freelance, and didn't pay insurance, etc to them. They also tried to take their legal, 1-hour break from them and sacked one worker (with little or no warning) due to a "lack of new kids" in her class. They teacher was so hard working, they used to stay up to 3am, planning and making content for their classes. The company thanked them for their hard work by sacking them during the pandemic and that teacher couldn't get any unemployment aid.

"Media have also reported that the panel refrained from saying in a March statement that the virus could be transmitted from asymptomatic people - those with the virus who do not show symptoms - as the government asked it not to do so to avoid causing panic."

This is why I don't trust the Japanese government, especially with relation to Covid 19.

At my workplace:

~ one colleague told me he's been partying in Shinjuku/Kabukicho last weekend.

~ many colleagues don't wear their masks while on their breaks together, in the same room.

~ teachers touch (high-five, cuddle, touch their faces) the kids every day.

~ social distancing between pupils and staff isn't really followed.

This behaviour is fine by foreign and Japanese staff alike.

"These staff members attended the rally but were wearing masks during the entire event."

Masks, like social distancing, lockdowns and hand washing, only really protect people if EVERYONE is doing it.

I've had discussions with 4 year old kids from Japan, China and Russia and even they think stuff from Trump sounds idiotic.

Why? As much as I deplore the eating of dogs, there's no correlation between dogs and Covid 19.

And so can China. Your point?

These days, free music is so easy to access online. I've got an Android TV device connected to my TV and hi-fi, my phone with headphones, and both a phono cord and a radio transmitter (which plugs into the cigarette lighter for power) for the car.

Using either "Jango" (a free music service, like Spotify, but I'm not sure if it's still working), "Ymusic" (a free YouTube music app) or "Tune in Radio" (free app that can get most free radio stations from around the world), I can listen to "BBC Radio 1" commuting to and from work, don't the housework at home, or in the car, with my girlfriend.

Who in their right mind would listen to local/domestic Japanese radio stations?

I've never had that burger in the UK. Client they have just imported something better from McDonalds outside Japan?

How about better customer service, including allowing customers to choose ANY dipping sauce with their chips/fries or mayonnaise? Even better, allow customers to use "food hacks" or customise their burgers, like most other international Macky-D's.

I read that Japanese radio dj's talk over more of the song than other dj's (globally) due to increased monopolies from Japan's music industry, making it almost impossible to hear most of the song (and thus coerce people into paying for the music instead). The amount of adverts and "paid promotional" content (said by the DJs) is due to the revenue stream.

I read that must Japanese people, unlike most other countries globally, abandoned listening to radio, creating more need by the stations for advertising revenue, etc.

Basically, Japanese radio and TV is dog sh*t.

@Bernard Marx

It was all overblown anyways, as the data now show us.

Incorrect.

Data on Covid 19 in Japan is sparse, due to a lack of testing and "Total Excess Deaths" stats, meaning no clear conclusions can be made regarding the current state.

Please refrain from inaccurate opinions.

What splendid idea. It's amazing that Japan is basically how Trump wants to run America, esp. with regards to Covid 19.

"Behold! The virus has disappeared!"

I think what is more surprising is that a public toilet in Japan had SOAP. Usually, only ones in private establishments do so, while ones inside/around train stations or at public parks do not.

The sad fact that, even in the age where (probably) Fox News would hesitate to release something like this, NHK "needs" additional training on something so basically and common-sensical, that is practically "TV producing 101"...

@JCosplay

Although it is an issue (see: - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_child_abduction_in_Japan ), there is also the issue where the non-Japanese court has given rights to the non-Japanese parent and denied the Japanese parent full rights to the child. In one case, restrictions were put into place due to the Japanese parent being suspected of intent to abduct (which they did). Japan also has additional clauses to its interpretation of abuse (including "ignoring" or not replying to a Japanese partner, who, say, is shouting at their partner), which itself is open for abuse by Japan.