Richard_the_First comments

The most astonishing thing about this article has been commented on. The networks make 700 million yen per week from ads. Think about that, and wonder where all of the money goes as it certainly doesn't go onto funding quality programming.

In my experience, they are pretty awful. I once got in a taxi in Roppongi and asked to go to Mita 1-chome, which to anyone who knows the area is basically next to Azabu-Juban station. The halfwit then had the temerity to ask how to get there. I and and my friend promptly got out and walked.

If Google, MS and so on turned up with a pile of cash that would make the owners billionaires in an instant, who wouldn't? I would...

Me thinks she has a bun in the oven.

And as to the arguments regarding why unconditional surrender, was the only choice the allies would accept. Think back to post WWI and the mistakes made in allowing Germany to rebuild its war machine. The Western allies along with the Soviets didn't want another war with an armed Japan at any point in the future.

Potsdam made it clear, but it fell on deaf ears. First Hiroshima, and they were still suffering from hearing problems. Then Nagasaki and they were STILL deaf, dumb and blind to the obvious.Then the Soviet Union declared war and still they didn't surrender until a week or so after that. Most Japanese get swept away by the victim mentality, but the truth is that the war ending like that did Japan a huge favour in terms of a historical perspective as had the war gone on and on, the Japan we enjoy today would not be the same place had it been carved up, German style, by the USSR., the US. and GB.

Pedestrians are crazy at times. Cars are highly predictable, noisy objects, that rarely change direction suddenly. People on the other hand, do. Just last week, I was turning right at an intersection and a woman decided that she would try to run in front of my car to make the crossing, as it had just turned red for her, but I was already mid turn. I hit the brakes, and thankfully didn't hit her. Legally, I was in the wrong as we must yield at all times, and she was on the crosswalk but it doesn't absolve her of her stupidity. I think its part of the reason why hit and runs are common here as drivers know what will happen to them if they so much as graze a pedestrian.

Sad indeed. If it was a DUI then the driver should be punished. With that said though, and without knowing the full facts of the case, it may have been a simple accident. The law here is draconian in terms of the driver bearing 100% responsibility regardless of the circumstances. He/she should have stopped though and offered assistance.

It's true that the driver is at fault, but the law, I hate to say this, encourages such acts. If a person wanted to kill themselves by jumping in front of a car, I mean literally doing so, a driver would have no chance to avoid the collision. If that person successfully committed suicide, the law says that the driver would possibly go to jail and be criminally responsible.The person might also lose their job.

If we think about such, is it any wonder that people drive off? The law needs changing in terms of making peds, cyclists responsible for their actions IF at fault. As one of the above posters rightly said, cars are highly predictable machines. Peds and cyclists are not.

Hit and runs will be a way of life here until the law changes to apportion blame to the injured party IF they are to blame in some way. As it stands, from what I know, the driver is 100% criminally responsible regardless of the circumstances. Imagine driving along, within the speed limit and some obachan on her bike flies into your path, without notice. You hit her, and that's it. You will be arrested, may even go to jail if she dies. Of course it's wrong to drive off, but for some the realisation that they may lose their job and possibly their liberty for what may be a blameless accident is the motivator for such incidents. If he was drunk, then it's another story...

Apple didn't invent but refined the various concepts into mind share. That's Apple's killer move. They make superb products backed up with superb marketing, which led them to where they are today. The iPhone may be just another smart phone but it will overtake RIM's phones given time. It's a game changer, like the iPod was. This tablet could do the same.

The point is that the law here put 100% blame on the driver in all situations. It's ludicrous as it absolves peds of any responsibility for their own actions. As a driver in Japan, its the scariest thing, in my opinion. I don't worry about being hit by another car whilst in my car, but I do about some idiot who rushes into the road. You can end up in jail here if you hit somebody who jumps out in front of you, and subsequently dies. Madness. The law needs to acknowledge the fact that drivers are human beings too and, in some circumstances, cannot be blamed completely, all of the time.

So the law as it stands means Mr Plod is to blame.

I hope he gets punished in the same manner that any other person would.

Good riddance to the taxis, I say. They clog up the roads as it is. I bet around 60 to 70% of all cars on the road in Tokyo at night are taxis.

The ATM thing is odd. Anyway, Citibank, Post Office and 7-11 machines will accept foreign issued VISA cards.

I have had my card refused in Yodabashi camera on two occasions. It's quite embarrassing actually and annoying when you consider that as kirakira25 said, the lack of chip and pin causes these problem yet the locals can get away with not having to sign at all in many places, yet foreign cards that do feature modern security measures may get flagged to prevent fraud.

Also don't bother using your VISA card in regular ATMs as it won't work. Get your magnifying glass out and notice the sticker that says 'Japan issued card only' Ahh, old fashioned banking in Japan.......Priceless

Or is that Mastercard.

Roundabouts would solve many problems, but create some too. Selfish drivers who flaunt the right of way, even if they don't have it for example. That would cause chaos at roundabouts.

Regarding speed limits, they are too low on some roads, yet others that require traffic calming measures like speed bumps or chicanes, well, such things are nowhere to be found. For example, on the decline of a road like Hakone shindo, I think it's almost impossible to adhere to the posted limit as otherwise you would be riding the brakes the whole time. Also, in Japan AT cars are the norm yet engine braking is not as strong as that found in MT cars, which makes it even harder at times keep to one speed. My car is MT so I can put in 2nd if I wish but don't want to as why should I grind my gearbox and waste fuel, just so I can 'cruise' at 50kph on a road with no peds or cyclists. The issue isn't speed but intelligent use of speed limits. Yes, enforce those lower limits in built up urban areas, but don't punish drivers for moderate speeding on wide open, multi lane carriageways. For example, the Odawara Atsugi road has a limit of 70kph. Anyone who has driven there will probably agree that it's ludicrous limit for such a road.

I think it's hard to find good driving roads due to the way they always line them with trees. A safety issue no doubt to stop people screaming round corners as they can't see well, so will ease off a bit.

I have been there, done that. It is very expensive and time consuming. Another racket as most will take the easy but costly path over the cheap but near impossible police test at the prefectural licence centres.

Yep, I agree there. They way they bully you on expressways is not acceptable but might is right, as far as they are concerned.

I think most Japanese drivers are good with indicators. Apart from Taxi drivers who feel that hazards lights on means you can stop anywhere at any time. They really piss me off.

Insurance is a necessary evil. Nobody wants to pay, but then again nobody wants to pay for a wrecked car if T-boned etc, by some tit who thinks that running red lights is okay.

Shaken is a racket designed to encourage new cars sales. Of course, safety is important too.

A good idea on the whole but the lack of on street parking is annoying. You should be able to park in P60 spaces at night without fear of getting a ticket.

Tolls are another racket. Way too expensive, bordering on the insane really. If a road is paid off it should be free or very cheap.

The police are not too militant here, I feel. Japan is thankfully 'speed camera on every corner' free, unlike my country. Being pulled for speeding isn't difficult as the limits are ludicrously on certain roads.

Watch out for the grannies. They are the worst.

The subtitling is bizarre. I was told it is for deaf people but if true, they would subtitle the whole show, not just selective bits. I think it's the Manga influence, or just that Japanese seemingly need information for everything. Just look at the way they clutter the four corners of the screen with garish text most of the time.

Cooking shows are the worst. Actually they are not cooking shows but just shows with food as the theme. They normally follow this routine: Food = delicious. That's it really and a revelation it is too.

Good. I wish they would keep their dirt hands away from me as I am not their 'friend'.

KnowBetter,

Have you ever had the flu? I have so don't want a repeat, and particularly during a period of mass hysteria which is bound to follow once this thing grips hold of the nation. I do hope the govt. has sufficient stockpiles of Tamiflu.

Amazing that Japan is now fourth, and the only country not in N.America too. It will be second or top by the time this thing is over. The govt must be scratching its head wondering how this has happened, as it seemed that the country was rather smug about the lack of cases a few weeks ago, but now look. Wildfire...

The older lady is beautiful. She's a bit of queen though, isn't she, and tries to defend her looks. I recall she appeared in some drama or the like and had to play an elderly lady but refused make up and just slapped on a grey wig. It looked ridiculous...

LostinNagoya,

I see, but I am talking about driving schools, NOT the prefectural licence centres run by the police. 95% of Japanese drivers graduate from driving schools and as such practice parallel parking. Well, I did anyway at my school in Futakotamagawa.

Sorry to tell you that side-parking is required only when a J is trying to obtain a manual transmission license, or 1 out of 10 licensees. The 9 others will have to reverse during the test. No side-parking for the automatic transmission test is required.

Well, I attended a driving school last year and everyone, MT or AT, had to practice parallel parking. Of course whether it came up on your test was pot luck, and in my case it was reverse parking but I still had to know how to do it just in case.

Anyway, reverse into spaces, it's the safest way.

The test that 95% of Japanese take to get a licence includes parallel parking. I personally think that Japanese are, on the whole, great at parking as they are not lazy and tend to back into spaces which is safer than nose in. Parallel parking is unpopular due to the narrow nature of the streets and the fear of holding people up if several attempts are needed. I personally don't like doing it for the above reasons and for fear of whacking my car against a kerb. If the roads were wider it would be okay.

A tragedy for all involved.

Japan's problem is that there are too many middle men taking a slice.