ReformedBasher comments

@Scrote

If that's true, the train would have derailed at the next curve, which is even more pronounced (basically 90 degrees) than the curve where the crash occurred. Or maybe the driver intended on doing a hard brake at the last moment?

@Everyone

The executives were ultimately to be blame, and I'm all for it, but to say the driver was a victim is a stretch. Despite his age, only an idiot would value keeping his job over the lives of the passengers and other unfortunates, including himself

I do not hear reports about Abe wanting to talk to Trump about missiles

So you seriously think the issue isn't addressed? What else do you assume due to not being privy to it? The mind boggles thinking how absurd this line of "reasoning" is.

Nothing to do with Japan which was your point

See the above comment.

Either you lack imagination or are so focused on badmouthing Japan that you've lost touch with reality.

I was curious as to the exact location, as I pass by on the Fukuchiyama Line sometimes.

The original building still shows on Google Maps, on the left side of the first curve after Tsukaguchi Station on the way to Amagasaki Station.

I'll try to post a link.

https://www.google.co.jp/maps/place/Amagasaki,+Hy%C5%8Dgo/@34.7430977,135.426505,80a,35y,180.99h,73.08t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x6000efb488f2c329:0x93978126e69f7a8d!8m2!3d34.7337339!4d135.4063757

Japan isn't pushing the abductee issue as the only issue. 

Actually they are

You seriously believe such fluff? The people of Japan don't care that nuclear missiles can be fired at their country?

Hang on, I'll just ask my co-workers... um, apparently you're wrong. I'm shocked.

Your points 2 and 3 are absurd and have nothing to do with Japan, who is raising this silly issue that nobody else cares about

Both Trump and Moon have acknowledged the issue publicly as mentioned on this website. Try scrolling up and reading the article again, assuming you did in the first place.

3 points.

Point 1

Japan isn't pushing the abductee issue as the only issue. To suggest so is beyond ridiculous.

The world is on the doorstep of denuclearizing NK and you bark like a chihuahua about this 4 decades old problem you did nothing about when it happened

But the successive people in power over the years have been constantly active, since at least 1991, when is when I arrived here and started watching and reading the news. Do you even live here or are your eyes and ears defective? Or perhaps you think the MSDF, coastguard and/or police should have magically predicted the abductions in advance and had all of their members line up along the entire Japanese coastline?

Point 2

As mentioned on this site the other day, several South Koreans, and people of other nationalities, have been abducted too. Moon is doing the right thing by them, as showing responsibility as a member of the triple alliance. Without reciprocal cooperation by all members, the alliance loses meaning.

Point 3

North Korea can score some brownie points by making sincere efforts by trying to resolve the issue as a matter of goodwill. It would definitely be beneficial in re-establishing diplomatic relations that would help the North Korean shake off it's pariah image and lead to economic recovery.

Wang said his visit was in response to Japan's positive attitude towards China.

Wang is the first Chinese foreign minister to visit Japan in a bilateral context in the nine years.

The fact that the meeting was held in Japan says a lot. Although things can always reverse, here's hoping to improved ties.

It would be interesting to know the terms of the loan. Also that of others loans that Japan has made in the past, along with details of how the money was spent and how much has been returned since the loans took place.

My guess is the barrier-free access room is the first in the carriage so, theoretically, there's no need for a wheelchair bound person to go down the corridor. Too bad if more rooms are required, but physics. You can only do so much with the space allowed. Note that the other regular rooms share the same width. I would suppose the entire carriage is designed for couple or families, single travellers probably sleep in a carriage designed solely for them.

It looks like lovely sleeper carriage. Another wonderful thing to experience in Japan.

I've yet to ride in one, but there are some truly elegant looking trains here. Maybe one day...

And there are thousands still alive today struggling with the terrible after-effects of the Sarin.

The authorities should have literally given the arrested members of Aum a non-lethal dose of their own "medicine". Maybe after a decade or two, their pleas for mercy would have some meaning.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, his ratings battered by a scandal over suspected cronyism, is hoping a series of summits including one with U.S. President Donald Trump will restore his popularity ahead of a crucial ruling party leadership contest.

"Hoping". Did he actually release a press statement saying this is his plan?

They say that they will stay in Japan forever.

I don't blame them.

Good hope they and other gun manufacturers go bankrupt and out of business too

Amen.

Experienced climbers.

The article says "A local alpine guide said the route they had taken was one used by experienced climbers."

Personally, I don't think it's a good time to climb. A lot of climbers head to Yatsugatake about now for the thrill of "Winter climbing", because there's still plenty of snow and it's not as cold as mid-Winter. Unfortunately the warm conditions increase the potential for avalanches etc. Not so bad on the Northern side, but the Southern peaks are a different story.

Ok so after reading this I realized some people survived a 100m fall.

Probably not a direct drop. Enough for serious injuries or death though.

Plenty of foreign cars in Japan. US manufacturers should produce cars that are an attractive option for local buyers, rather than complain at failing while others succeed.

Gun deaths in overall deaths were only #12. (1.3%)

So, only 12,000 people... appalling that anybody would consider this inconsequential.

If they were all drunk, and he and Walken were arguing as claimed, it's possible that she tried to get in the dinghy to escape the noise (literally and/or melodramatically), but fell in. If that happened, it's also possible she hit her head on either vessel when she surfaced and knocked herself out. I've seen a drunk fall into the water from a small boat, and if he had of hit his head, he probably would have drowned. It does happen. Night only makes it worse - inebriation, darkness and small boats are a bad mix.

A couple of interesting links.

https://scholarsinenglish.blogspot.jp/2014/10/summary-of-professor-park-yuhas-book.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Yu-ha

The unit is made up of about 20 personnel in Tokyo with about another 20 based in Japanese diplomatic missions abroad and concentrated on four areas: Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and North and West Africa.

What unit? There's nothing mentioned about any unit in the story previously. Was this story copied and pasted?

Just what do their duties involve? Intelligence regarding terrorist activities? Hostage negotiation?

Why don't the Islamic countries take in any refugees

A lot do. There's far more refugees in the Middle East than Europe and elsewhere. The Gulf states have not done much, but Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey have very large numbers of refugees.

Aaaand they'll still never grant me citizenship

Why? Have you applied and been rejected?

or treat me like I belong here

You poor dear.

Cars and motorcycles are only part of the problem. There's also trucks, trains, planes and ships, not to mention heavy machinery like earth-moving or mining equipment that uses fossil fuels.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1229857/How-16-ships-create-pollution-cars-world.html

Hooking up you car to a power point overnight or swapping batteries is great, but for the really big stuff, you will need something readily available and powerful enough to move it at an acceptable speed.

True, they signed up for it in the first place, but I imagine a lot of these situations entail pressure from their parents, who want to shave a little off the money their daughters bring in.

It amazes me how many armchair experts completely overlook the fact that (at least some) girls around the world actually like singing, dancing, etc.

"a lot of these situations" = what exactly? Most? Roughly half? Unless you know the girls, and their parents personally, you are just writing fluff.

Imagine how poorly some of the commenters would do on a debating team or in a court of law.

Japan has no friends within Asia

Considering you visit this "news" site on a daily basis, it would seem you need to keep up with certain current events.

People around the world join armed forces, police, emergency services etc. To do so, they must show devotion and willingness to obey the rules. If the pay isn't great and conditions are strenuous (including a very real possibility of killed), we can assume they are doing it because they want to.

Girl wants to join AKB48 because she likes to sing/dance/be seen as cute or whatever, and has conditions that she agrees to enforced, in return for membership, and suddenly it's exploitation and slavery.

It's not like they've been thrown in a van on the way home from school or university. They sign up because they want to. They continue because they want to. When they no longer want to, they can quit. I assume they are not locked in cages every night.

There's more than a few people in the entertainment industry (not just in Japan) who have it much worse, and they put up with crap living conditions because they want to make it big.

nigelboy

Puzzling comment.

In a normal context, I'd agree, but considering the source, I'd be inclined to expect it. And be proven right again.

Getting back to the article this is a dumb move. There is a reason why Australian manufacturer industry became a dumpster.

I agree this is a major concern for the reason you have stated.

There are also rear-view camera and screen kits that people could buy and install on their cars.

Better not to rely on these.

To the “Alte Kameraden” (old allies) who gave their lives in the two world wars, the band performed a medley of traditional music.

If this is supposed to mean that Germany and Japan were allies in both world wars - they weren't.

I for one am glad the Allies won the war and Germany and Japan lost. Japan assured all out war and they got it.

I am glad the Allies won too, but gloating over deaths of any nation's populace is sick.

People should look at what happened with Italy during the war. There were fascists who rose to power control in the 1920s, and there were people who opposed them from the start. Ultimately the latter had enough of an upper hand to gain control from the former. Very fortunate, and Italy by and large escaped the kind of consequences suffered by the other Axis powers. There was also opposition also in Germany, Japan and other countries, but there was not sufficient numbers of people, at least with any real power, to have any effect, and it guaranteed being shipped to a camp and/or executed. But they did exist and their existence should not be glossed over as if it didn't matter.

At the same time, there were many volunteers from a number countries, including those from countries of the Allies, around the world who willingly sided with the Axis powers, much like the situation with foreign fighters for the Islamic State today. Anybody glossing over their existsence? No.

In the end, it's always a matter of who was/is in power and what control they have over the rest of the population. It should be obvious that not everybody is going to agree with them, so stereotyping a nation one way or another is silly. You can however make general comments about those in power based on their policies and actions.

They target Japan as invaders but Japan joined last as one of the colonial powers in China. Show the map of colonized China by western colonial powers.

Not remotely comparable in terms of scale of military involvement, area of territory or number of Chinese deaths caused.

True, but when you include death tolls from other countries, Western Powers don't look so rosy. Especially when you consider they still committed atrocities after WW2 had finished. Yet, nobody was tried as war criminals.

Japanese people like Yoshida Shouin (whose school is one of the sites registered as World Heritage) had the impression that Europeans, and their descents, were invading, enslaving, or force selling drugs to the rest of the human race

And he was 100% right. Imagine Asia and Africa still under European rule.

Some 57,900 Koreans were forced into slave labor at seven of the 23 sites, including coalmines, shipyards, and steelworks, during the Japanese colonial rule (1910-45). Ninety four of them died and five others went missing while building warships, weapons and producing supplies for the Japanese military.

1 in 585, considering the work done, does not sound particularly "brutal" to me, especially for 1940s era safety standards, and during a war. I wonder how this compared to Japanese labourers who were dragged into service too.

If I were a woman, then China. Much more likely to be taken seriously.

Mainland China?

Assuming you weren't aborted, had an education, and were well connected enough to get a job that didn't involve menial labour... yeah, good luck with that.

Because China stands out as a beacon of gender equality! Japanese women are tripping over themselves to move there in the hopes of a better life, right?

Hong Kong or Macau? Yeah, I'd consider a quick trip if my wife insisted. Live there? No thanks, unless I got a really good job offer. Even then, I'd move back here once finished.

Mainland China? Been there on business. I'd pick Greenland first.

No guys, jokes have to be funny. This is just plain sad.