perspective comments

adaydream - what's a "free pass"? And how is Israel getting one.

Again, I will reiterate - if Israel's Islamic neighbors wanted to make peace and create a Palestinian state it would have happened a long time ago. Why don't you tell me of one "concession" that has has been made by the Palestinians towards Israel? Simply calling a moratorium on launching rockets is not a concession or a negotiation. If the Palestinians can't stop killing each other, who exactly speaks for the Palestinian side?

But considering a peace agreement would have the greatest chance of stopping Hamas rockets raining down on Israel and increase safety and security for Israelies, I would have to conclude that the pro-Israel lobby and self proclaimed pro-Israel people out there are - very ironically - actually anti-Israel, as the enforcement of their beliefs will never bring about peace. Which could well explain why there never has been peace.

Pretty hard to have peace with a people whose avowed intent is to destroy your country. Do you really think that a negotiated peace settlement is really going to stop Hamas or anyone else from bombing or shelling Israel?

While the US is Israel's friend, do you really think that a nation of Jews is ever going to really trust anyone with their lives after what happened a mere 70 years ago?

Getting their opinions on matters of state, and why not, can't be any worse than his cabinet.

No, actually I'm a pretty focused guy. You can argue all you want about whose land it is, go back some time and it was the Israeli's land. But what is important now is the realization that Israel isn't going anywhere; at the present time, the BEST course of action for all is to find a way to make a Palestinian state that can co-exist with an Israeli one.

What do people here think is going to happen once Israel locates all of the Iranian nuclear facilities and has credible intel that Iran is close to completing a bomb?

Had not past US administrations sponsored israeli foreign policy, which has no respect for anything, New York would have its two towers today, and you know the rest.

A very simplistic, and very wrong, assumption.

If the Islamic countries in the area really cared about the plight of the Palestinians and were sincere about making peace, there would have been a Palestinian state long ago.

^ months IS a little early to make an evaluation and it would be hard to do so given that the Hatoyama administration hasn't really done anything yet.

LFRAgain, it's one thing to try and convict someone as opposed to arresting them. The police have the victim and the guy confessed to doing it which is ample evidence to arrest someone on suspicion of committing the crime.

I'm surprised they didn't use the old "abandonment of a body" crap.

I called this article asinine in my initial response because they're drawing a bunch of conclusions from just a few people surveyed. HOWEVER...

What I will never understand is the Japanese people's acceptance of abuse or control over their lives and their government's unwillingness to do much of anything to improve the lives of its citizens. Take this "custom" of working crazy hours (often with no extra pay) and then being "required" to go out drinking with the boss and co-workers - why can't the Japanese government offer protection from being canned to men who WANT to spend time with their families? Of course, there ARE men who like the current system because, as someone pointed out, marriage is quite often just a business arrangement here and people with little or no love between them get married anyway. But I would imagine that quite a few men would like to spend time with their wives and see their kids grow up and be involved in their lives beyond a few hours on Saturday and Sunday; although that often doesn't happen because the husband is "required" to play golf and the kids "required" to participate at school sponsored activities.

For those of you who criticize the wife for feeling this way - wouldn't you feel the same about spending your life in what amounts to something between single parenthood and indentured servitude for someone you hardly ever see? Although again, why aren't the wives trying to do something to change their society other than the younger generation refusing to get married?

Of all of the asinine articles posted here at times, this one takes the cake.

the I.R.S. is a private corporation and not part of the U.S. Government so the statement "federal tax employees" is not exactly true.

Ahh, Badsey, the IRS IS a federal agency.

Japanese do not like the models of autos that American Car companies import to Japan. They do not do well on the narrow twisting roads of Japan. The people of Japan do not wish to buy them.

I'm sorry, but this just doesn't wash - American cars sell in Europe where the roads are just as narrow due to old cities as they are here. I see Peugeot and Alf-Romeo cars here that are not subcompacts, along with the occasional Volvo, but very few American cars.

The Japanese government does everything that it can to make sure that American cars, and other products that would compete well with Japanese products (rice, anyone?), are not easily imported into Japan. For so many years the American government has just rolled over in trade negotiations because Japan is our "ally". I think that the US ought to enact legislation that calls for reciprocal agreements - in short tit for tat with countries that do not allow the same access for American products.

This is not a problem solely in Japan, this happens worldwide. In the US there are PLENTY of incidences where kids are left alone for long periods of time, especially when the mother is a drug addict. The difference is that in many of our home countries this is a crime that carries real consequences, you could lose your kids for neglect. That doesn't seem to happen here. For those of you who say that this woman will face legal sanction, I can tell you that she won't.

I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound heartless, but I don't care how remorseful or broken up this mother is, this (and the other weekly occurrences) was an entirely preventable incident. The mother deserves to do some prison time - pour encourager les autres - only that consequence or the loss of their children to child welfeare services is going to drive home the point to Japanese mothers that you don't leave young children unattended.

sfjp330, how many Ford, GM, or chrysler dealerships do you see in Japan? Why do you think that is?

I'm waiting for the (you supply the word) who will come onto this thread and try to justify leaving a 4 year old kid home alone - if the child was in fact home alone instead of just ignored or being punished.

This will continue to happen until Japan starts to make parents pay for their criminally negligent actions in failing to safeguard their children. They should do a study based on child fatalities and ER admissions and publish it. It would be a big wake up call for Japanese just to see statistics from unbelted children in cars - especially when there's no accident involved, just kids flying around in the car after a hard braking.

U.S. propaganda machine that manifests itself through the media

No, I don't think so. While there are television stations, magazines, websites, etc that have decidedly right or left leaning tendencies, I think the US media is much more critical of the government than the Japanese media. Here the politicans don't face as intense of a media scrutiny and get away with things that would be impossible in the west.

common misconception that if the U.S. left, Japan would be very vulnerable

Unfortunately, it's not a misconception, Japan WOULD be vulnerable. But there would be no attack, who wants to risk WW3? It would be more on the order of some strong-arming. For example, the disputed gas fields in the China sea wouldn't be disputed anymore. Now if the US were to leave Korea things would get interesting.

I think the more immediate consequence to Japan would be economic - the US should finally negotiate trade with Japan that is fair and equitable.

The U.S. propaganda machines would have us believe that Japan would be in serious danger of being attacked.

What "American propaganda machine"? What are you talking about? What US government agency has said that it believes Japan will be attacked?

And to answer the question earlier if China, N. Korea would attack if the US left, YES!!!! They will.

Why?!! What would either of those countries have to gain?

finally the writer "Slizzer" proves my point about the absurd comments posted here as he/she has no clue about world politics and or history.

Well, Kinuye, as this is a public board, people with different intelligence levels (to include emotional intelligence), literacy, motivation, and most importantly, sobriety levels post here. I agree with you that the post in question is pretty ignorant.

- I wonder why some americans allways threaten with end the US-J alliance when we talk about re-negotiate the deal. Most likely is related to the civilian idea that the only one that lose is J.

Some of the Americans here indulge in this but I think far more J posters do.

3 - Anyone with some military knowledge understand that the USA have a strategic advantage with the forward bases in J, just under the noses of China, Russia and North Korea. The idea that USA can leave these bases without seriously hurt their military power projection capacity in East Asia, sounds a little dificult to believe.

Very true, but what is that strategic advantage used for? The same thing with Europe?

4 - USA-J have a convenient deal for both sides. In my opinion please the okinawans and relocate the base to other place in J, is not so terrible. I think that Osaka have a nice artificial island available.

I actually agree,although the deal is much more convenient for the Japanese. I think that the same function can be accomplished with bases on the mainland. My only arguments with people on this board that espouse this view is that they focus blame for everything on the US when their beef should be with their own government. Do you really think the Hatoyama government is going to relocate US bases elsewhere in Japan?

perspective... why would you care what the Japanese or Okinawan's do with THEIR land? Are you their colonial overseer?

No, are you? I was asking KO for his thoughts. I am interested in his ideas of what might happen if the US bases were vacated en masse as it seems is his wont.

So KinuyeOshiro, if all of the land for US bases were given back to Okinawa, would the Okinawans just tear everything on the island down, redistribute the land, and rebuild everything to give people bigger houses?

BTW, the article was not specifically about Okinawa.

“When people who live in crowded areas in small houses drive by and see the situation on the bases, some feel angry,” said Hideki Toma, an official dealing with the bases on Okinawa.

Of course, were the bases to be reverted back to the Okinawan government, in a very short time they would be converted to more crowded areas with small houses.

Japan doesn't pay for the golf courses, or any of the MWR facilities on the bases. These facilities return the income generated for use by the bases and are self-sustaining. The sports facilities and fields are important in maintaining a fit military force. The utility companies are Japanese and are being paid by the Japanese government; the construction work done on the bases is performed by Japanese contractors; the workers on the bases are Japanese and provide a continuity in a system that sees the military (2 - 3 year tours) and civilian workers (3-5 year tours) rotate in and out of the country on a regular basis. The Japanese government doesn't pay any of the salaries for the military or US civilian workers, nor for the maintenance/upkeep and operating costs of the ships/planes/equipment, or the fuel needed for training and regular ops. The money that the Japanese government pays for having US bases is being turned back into their own economy not to US companies.

I can empathize with the Japanese government wanting to look at expenses, especially in light of the fact that they pay more than other countries, but I think they lose sight of the fact that those other countries are obligated by treaty to provide military support for themselves and others in the alliance that Japan's constitution doesn't allow. I can't empathize however when people have complaints about having restaurants and recreation facilities on base - can you believe how petty it is to complain that there's a Taco Bell on the base? Think about the mindset of someone like that, begrudging something as small as having a fast food restaurant - and these very same people are probably the ones that complain when the Americans patronize local establishments. Of course, you never see stories in the paper about the living conditions for sailors aboard the ships even while in port, or any understanding of what it must be like to live in a foreign land, or any of the good things that Americans do in the community.

I think a good counterpoint to articles like this would be to publicize the financial and human costs to Japan if they were to assume 100% responsibility for their own defense.

I agree with perspective. That would make more sense. She probably did forget about her kid then when she remembered, called the cops. This story just doesn't add up. Wouldn't an autopsy be able to pinpoint the time of death?

An autopsy will also determine if there was water in the kids lungs. if not, he didn't drown and really points suspicion towards the mother for something other than neglect.

What a bunch of crap - Mom wasn't watching kid, kid went outside the home at who knows what time, Mom called the police when she finally got around to wondering where her child is.

In my opinion: Best Italian food: Japan. Best Chinese food I ever had was in Osaka. Best hamburger in the world: Tokyo, and yes, it had bacon. Best Korean food: Japan. Best Indian curry: Japan. Best Japanese curry: COCOichi. Best pizza: Japanese izakaya in Nagoya, close tie with Escape from NY in San Francisco. Best bread: Japan. Best tea: Japan. Best poured beer: Japan's Asahi Super Dry (not only the beer, but the way its poured and glass chilled).

C'mon, let's be real here. Japan has some of the WORST pizza I have ever eaten, and they don't imitate a lot of foreign foods very well unless the "chef" is school trained. The best Korean food I have ever had was in Korea. The average Italian restaurant in New York City or north Boston is better than anything I've experienced in Japan.

Traditional Japanese food is great and it's prepared and presented better here than anywhere else in the world. I don't eat sushi or sashimi anywhere else, I simply don't trust the quality. The best food experience I had here was a kaiseki breakfast at an onsen ryokan in Hakone.

As far as beer goes, anybody can dip a glass mug in water and put it in the freezer to have a really cold beer, but some of the best beers in the world are served room temperature. I really like Kirin Shibori, but it pales in comparison to German beers or English ales, as do almost all of the American beers. And it doesn't take much skill or practice to be able to pour a beer from bottle or tap to either have no head at all or a lot.

My lasting impression of Japanese food is that without shoyu to dip it in it is pretty bland. It is true that Americans eat WAY too much saturated fat and HFCS and our health statistics reflect this in the amount of cardiovascular disease; the Japanese eat WAY too much salt and their health statistics reflect it also - stroke city.

we yet realize that America's leadership and prestige depend, not merely upon our unmatched material progress, riches and military strength, but on how we use our power in the interests of world peace and human betterment.

AW, have you ever known a military general that LIKED war? Or anyone that has experienced it that relishes the opportunity to do so again? There have been movies that have had this theme, the dishonest arms manufacturer that the hero exposes, and it is not really something new.

Two things to think about. The arms industry has made war too "humane" - when it is anything but. People now expect the US military to use munitions on a target in a precise surgical manner and then decry when there is collateral damage in the house next door, of course never criticizing the enemy for locating military equipment in civilian areas on purpose. Those shots of missiles approaching and hitting targets in the Gulf war were impressive but created unrealistic expectations. War is a bloody dirty business, that's why people should not want to engage in it.

The US ability to manufacture equipment and supplies for its forces and those of our allies, and maintain the supply trains to maximize our ability to project our forces, was what won the second world war, and what brought about the end of the cold war. This may seem simplistic, but we didn't fight the USSR militarily, we outspent them. I think anyone would agree that Europe is a lot better off because of it.

The quote above is from Eisenhower's speech - I think that the world, while not perfect, is a lot better place than it was during his time. I think that the United States, again while not perfect, does have the goal of human betterment.

Christ, now I'm getting homework assignments?!! Ok, I'll look at it.