saitamaliving comments

Japan has to put a permanent presence on one of the islets, if possible. Like the phrase says. "Use it or lose it." Mother Nature might make it too treacherous to build something though.

The islands are big enough to build something on there without problems. But that should not be necessary, the islands are Japanese. There exists numerous uninhabited islands in the world that are clear to belong to a certain country. Why not just declare them as a nature reserve area or the like, no buildings allowed. On the other hand, a manned station of any kind would be helpful to define any further attempt from China to steal the islands as an invasion or as an act of war.

Any civilized country would handle such a dispute in a court like the ICJ. Hello China, go there and make your claims! Same goes for Korea with Takeshima/Liancourt Rocks. Japan is willing to settle the arguments by a verdict, why don't you!? Are your arguments too weak?

@Sh1mon M4sada: You still haven't checked how the tax system in the EU works, did you?

@Sh1mon M4sada: You apparently don't know how the EU and taxes there work - and what communism really is. Anyway I don't think this will be the end, it was a first verdict.

Often those konbini bags are used for trash at home. If now these won't come for free anymore, people might actually not buy them or re-use them but for the garbage at home they'll need to buy new ones. I honestly don't think, Japan has a shopping bag pollution problem, especially considering the neat clean-up behavior in public.

So Russia was thrown out because of Crimea, SK should be in because of Takeshima? Just comparing. As long as SK does not accept ICJ decision on conflicts it causes with other members of the group, there shouldn't be any talks about becoming a member. Also I have doubts SK would take economic side with current G7 members when it comes to ties with NK and China. I would call this another "Trump" trying to pave the way for future investment of his companies after his term as president. Unfortunately my argument does not work politically well when considering Trumps' affection for NK and other likely countries.

SK will never grow up when continuously putting such people into high offices. Sadly also that AP ist publishing news from the SK point of view (good work SK) by spreading the information SK was taken of Japans preferential trading list because of a phony forced labor verdict.

It is so sad to see such childish behavor hindering SKn youth to grow up without prejudice. I just wish SK takes responsibility once by accepting an ICJ verdict about the issues they have with Japan. Regrettfully keeping this smoldering conflict going seems to be part of SK politics.

Who knows, maybe this is already the 2nd wave. Just recently a guy in France was proven to be infected by Covid-19 already in December: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52526554 . Maybe the virus was in circulation way before that time already.

As expected the Coronavirus gave Moon a huge push but look at the votes:

Popular Vote:

Moon's Democratic Future Party: 33.4 %

Opponent's United Future Party: 33.8 %

Given Seats:

Moon's Democratic Future Party: 180 (!!)

Opponent's United Future Party: 103 (?!)

What a crooked system! No wonder South Koren citizens are tired of it. At least what I heard last time I visited friends in Seoul - which was early December.

Just some examples of the poor system: Moon's party got 51 seats alone in Gyeonggi and 41 in Seoul by a minor constituency margin and the opponent's party only got 7, resp. 8 seats there although the popular vote was 33.1% vs 33.2% in Seoul and 31.4% vs 34.7% in Gyeonggi. In both Chungcheong provinces it was even turned upside down, as was the nationwide outcome! On the other hand, other "democracies" have the same type of system. One of the biggest also made the loser by millions president.

Taiwan already is an independant, free, democratic and proud country for many decades, no need to further seek what you already have. The shame goes to other countries that rather knuckle down under China's pressure.

Taiwan should belong officially to the UN and as a fun fact, Taiwan (known as as the Republic of China) actually is a permanent member of the security council: https://legal.un.org/repertory/art23.shtml

But since the long overcome world order of the 70ies still takes its toll to todays political games, the best thing Taiwan can do is to continue the silent path between the PRCs threat of "non-peaceful measures" and the acceptance of business by the rest of the world. And if Taiwan gets locked out of important life saving information from the WHO and the like, another country should step in and act (not officially though) on behalf of Taiwan.

Oh, the old blame game. Trump is a disgrace and insult for the whole civilized world.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North fired the two projectiles, presumed to be ballistic missiles, from the port city of Wonsan into the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea.

Slight correction: "...into the Sea of Japan, known in Korea as East Sea".

Always amazed how SK manages to translate their name Donghae into "East Sea" in international press releases but don't do so with the East China Sea aka in Korean as South Sea (Namhae) or the Yellow Sea aka in Korean as West Sea (Seohae).

How about cancelling the IOC Executive Board sole decision to move the marathon to Sapporo? This alone burded additional costs of at least 10 billion, rather 34 billion Yen according to other calculations taking side effects into consideration!

Purely political move against the Trump-abhorrent EU and its friendly neighboring countries that joined Schengen. No reason why the UK (not in Schengen but still EU free travel) with almost the same amount of people compared to the US confirmed infected on a much smaller territorry. Except passport checks there is no basic difference in EU free travel and Schengen - any EU citizen can still enter the UK without restrictions). And no bans for other Asian countries e.g. the much more affected South Korea? Naw, Trump ist just doing his business as usual, blaming others.

"a person who appears to be younger than 18"

This vage description also lead to problems in other countries with this kind of law. Either the person is an adult and therefore can choose whatever eligible job to pursue - or just because of looks is not allowed to maybe star in an erotic movie? Numerous erotic stars well in their twenties might look younger than 18 to a conservative eye hence they are forbidden to do their job?

Usually this kind of vage laws were (or sometimes still are) used in communist or dictatorship countries to harass people politically.

What an odd question. Why should hotels actively inform about something not concerning the guest? Do other countries with also few cases do that? Haven't heard of any. If there was an outbreak, ok, but now?

Well, this is the seed of populist leaders... no need to mention names, ey.

The pro-Korean sentiment in this paragraph speaks volumes about the "normalised" anti-Japan propaganda which is seemingly accepted as part of journalism these days. Well let's break it down shall we....

Thank you for putting it straight. Saves me some time to do it, great detailed job!

Please also contact other international news agencies to inform them about their misstatements, which are taken over unchanged by many newspapers unaware of the wrong content. Often They don't even realize they're wrong.

I had success with a couple of papers already to not just copying SK views anymore but e.g. to actually call the Sea of Japan by its name instead of East Sea and Liancourt Rocks instead of Dokdo. Sometimes you can't blame the agencies for making mistakes since SK net activists are very industrious to use any kind of publication possibility to change the view. For example in public map services like OSM, which is used as a basis for many international free map products, the Liancourt Rocks and Sea of Japan are altered to Korean names only in any language, to not even allow the Japanese name for explicitly marked Japanese textfields.

Unfortunately Japan ist too decent in this matter for decades, not able to fight back as sneaky since it simply is sincere.

I once stumbled into this movie rather coincidentally. Now I learned it was nominated and even won, which is great - Me too, I recommend to watch this sneaky movie, the plots and twists are great.

For those who don't like subtitles don't worry, I assume a Hollywood remake will become available soon ^^;

A pharmacy near JR Shimbashi Station in central Tokyo posted a warning that it would sell each customer or group no more than two bags of surgical masks

Already too many, one pack would be sufficient. People can just go to the next store if needed more. But it would prevent becoming sold out by few.

THERE AEE SOOO MANY UNEDUCATED PEOPLE IN ASIA.

Can wearing a medical face mask protect you against the new coronavirus?

If it's a regular surgical face mask, the answer is "no," Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious-disease specialist at Vanderbilt said.

I'd put those uneducated people more in the west. Especially there they belive it would protect them. No, the main part is to avoid infecting other people of one's own cold, and many people are aware of this! If you happen to carry (the) a (Corona) virus and you wear a mask - even just out of precaution, you helped other people most likely not to get infected.

Masks are useless, besides which the virus will get into you via your eyes and ears. People don't cover them do they?

No, but people who are infected spread the virus by caughing and sneezing. There the mask helps preventing others to get infected and usually people are aware of this. It's a courtesy to others. If everybody wore a mask, the spreading of the virus or a cold would be much less just because of helping others not to get infected.

In the west it's rather common to let everybody participate in your cold by caughing and sneezing around in the supermarket and on the trains, only sometimes using hands to cover the mouth and nose when caughing or sneezing, just to hand other people this hand afterwards... I prefer the masks!

Here is the video the article mentions at the end about a guy who sent a chikan flying:

https://twitter.com/senaizu_hiyori/status/1209049998844821504

As you can see: Nobody interferred. The young girls were also helpless, they caught up but didn't do anything but continue running after him when he got back up. Therefore I go with most of the comments here warning about getting involved as a foreigner - you might just shout out chikan to the others hoping somebody will do something. Personally if I saw a chikan in the act on a train and I was at least 1m away, I would call to the girl loudly if everything is ok. Then it's up to her and the chikan might stop because of the awareness of the others. If closer just try to push him away. I could advice to nothing more than that because it will be you in the end in trouble. Reasons see other comments above.

Like I noted before, it's nothing unusual to do this. Japan is just more open to facts compared to other nations: https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=de&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww1.wdr.de%2Fwissen%2Ftechnik%2Ffukushima-radioaktives-wasser-meer-100.html

More explanation from my side one can find in numerous articles' comments about this before... I'm not going to write it down again.

Japan isn't the only country sending "rescue flights". Heard it from France, Thailand, US, Sri Lanka... Nevertheless, it is China's decision to allow this. If there are people leaving the Wuhan quarantine area, then maybe they must wait the incubation period (which is 1-10 days, 5 medium, not exceeding 14 days) in a seperate quarantine until being allowed to proceed further. The other solution would be, people get on the plane directly and after landing in their home country quarantine takes place. Either way, a risky undertaking but up to the governments how to handle it. The worst thing they can do is to just fly them out and have no further quarantine like: If you start to feel ill, try to see a doctor (asap).

If the water is cleaned from radioactive particles, only tritium will be released. Like it is done by any other nuclear power plant around the world - of which some release more Bequerel than now planned at Fukushima. The undertaking is basically nothing but an image problem which of course will be exploit by some countries or people.

Here is a neutral fact report about it: https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=&sl=de&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww1.wdr.de%2Fwissen%2Ftechnik%2Ffukushima-radioaktives-wasser-meer-100.html

Once the release started, there will be numerous NGOs measuring the radioactivity, there will be numbers and they will be tiny - if at all sticking out of random noise - but boosted up by certain people.

Really, tho, why would it? I mean if they are "broadcasting" online (streaming?) then everyone in the world with internet access can see it, so are they planning on billing everyone else as well?

I don't think so, the original news mentions something about a check so only subscribers can watch it and it should only be complementary to the broadcast: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20200115/k10012246811000.html . So I don't think it could trigger a payment for everybody having internet access (within Japan). Additionally I assume it will get some kind of IP check? Anyway, trial should start from 1st of March, then we'll know more.

Just wanted to point it out again (some here don't seem to grasp the message):

Moreover, they were taught at school about the Japanese empire's colonization and aggression before the end of World War II in a NEUTRAL manner, unlike their Korean and Chinese counterparts.

What happened to the predicted economy crash due to South Korea's actions by some commentators here? Anyway, good to know bussiness is doing fine.

I must keep repeating this since otherwise some wannabe-commentator-experts will cause further stultification: Releasing the tritium water into the ocean is what other countries do for many years already, sometimes with much more becquerel than planned here. The difference is just that Japan is open about this and the other governments or operators don't shout it out from the rooftops.

Here is a very scientific article from even nuclear sceptic Germany: https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=de&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww1.wdr.de%2Fwissen%2Ftechnik%2Ffukushima-radioaktives-wasser-meer-100.html . Main point: "Dangerous especially for the image" and don't worry, Japan sceptics will try their best effort do fullfill this prevision.

Tom Doley

Also, a group of U.N. human rights experts said the 2015 agreement was flawed and asked Japan to address the issues.

https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=17209&LangID=E

Lol, I read it. It is mainly about discrimination against women generally an the "experts" said, it might "fall short of the demands of the survivors". Of course! For their demands it will never be enough! Remember one saying once that at least the Japanese emperor had to kneel down before her, kissing her feet and beg for forgiveness? Right on! The article also states that "the South Korean Government agreed to consider the removal of a statue commemorating the ‘comfort women’ built in front of Japan’s embassy in Seoul. Both governments agreed to refrain from accusing or criticizing each other in the international community on this issue. " Never seen anything happening into that direction. For those arguing the text reads "consider", in diplomatic terms it means "will do". The Japanese part was fullfilled as I can recall. That those "experts" are also "deeply concerned" about removing a statue - without accepting its real purpose, rather playing it down - shows that they are defenitely either not independant or have no knowledge of what they are talking about. I think the latter was proven already by others above.

Good morning, now that everybody had their say I can tell how it was:

SK: We demand an apology for taking us off the White List!

JP: Sorry, we can't do that.

SK: OK, thank you, see you!

JP: ... ok, cya....?

--- next day ---

SK: Horray, we won. Japan apologized to us!

JP: ...???!?

All commentators: Yey, they did, no they didn't, did too, did not...

JP: We didn't apologize!?

SK: Yes you did, you said sorry. We release a press note you did and that you are a liar, always were and we were right and you never apologized... we mean, you apologized and... who cares. The truth is ours! World, hear us poor people etc etc...

sigh

I'm glad all the nuclear experts from around the world are gathered here in this forum. I agree that it would be a good move to let 3rd party officials check on the water before releasing. As mentioned in earlier discussions, La Hague or Sellafield do this on a routine basis with sometimes even more bequerel levels than at Fukushima. As this article from German public TV states: It is "Dangerous especially for the image". Here is the article via Google translate:

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=de&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww1.wdr.de%2Fwissen%2Ftechnik%2Ffukushima-radioaktives-wasser-meer-100.html