ScottDRad comments

This is an excellent article. It has inspired me to visit these places. The park looks intriguing.

i hear from an investigator that they are also checking records from country of origin including offenses in Japan if you're a foreigner applying for a teaching position employers are granted a website to check that kind of history through the local police. I personally give it a thumbs up.

if you live overseas for more than 12 months then you need to supply a criminal history record from the country of residence, before you will be granted teacher registration, but that only covers convictions not allegations

Japan should not allow convicted sex offenders to work with children. it must be a one strike and your out. Find a new career, if anyone will employ them

Its not rocket science, Covid 19 needs a host to survive, it is all about access and opportunity. If you provide access then the virus has the opportunity. I hope none of those young people are severely affected in the short and long term.

Iniesta is a great player and I love watching him play. He must also love Japan because 30 million year for a 37 year old player who hasn't won the J League is absurd.

Surely Vissel Kobe can find the 15 million yen to pay for the statute since they are paying Iniesta $80K per day.

The first part of your comment on the Chinese economy was insightful

A lot of Western governments will be watching with interest, as they increasingly adopt Chinese-style policies, overtly or covertly, going forward.

But this is an overstatement after all the west is a mixed bag of command control economies like the French to the *Laissez*** Faire** approach of the US, very hard to make an overarching statement that categories them all. I don't see a Chinese style authoritarian economic approach being adopted 'willy nilly' anytime soon, unless you prefer to live in the anarchy of a post apocalyptic society which is also highly improbable right now.

I do worry about the future of Japan's economy, the lack of tourist numbers recently would have had a massive impact on employment and the budget. I wonder if the tourists will return by 2025?

However, it must be nice to visit some of the tourist spots without being elbow to elbow with other visitors!!!

Once you are convicted, your name is on the public record in the court file so there is no way of maintaining privacy. However, before conviction or pleading guilty, the matter should remain private so that the defendant has access to natural justice.

Japan has to initiate and reinforce an alternative narrative where young people learn they can have a successful, fulfilling and purposeful life outside of the elite pathways. There is too much emphasis on exam taking not enough on developing communication skills and outlets where young people can receive support for their mental health as they make the difficult transition to adulthood. Many societies young people are rethinking the value of a university education because it is no longer a guarantee of employment and income. Japan's minimum wage also needs to increase to provide an adequate income so that young people can support themselves.

Yang obviously feels that he is Japanese and it is suggested he fought for Japan during WWII which many non Japanese did.

What the judges would be concerned with is the fact that Japanese nationality is inherited from your parents and if they created a precedent where non Japanese citizens who fought for Japan had their nationality re-instated what this would mean for the future.

The Japanese people need to develop the understanding that diversity equals good and is not something to be frightened off so that a 99 year old man that fought for his country can die peacefully as a Japanese.

The fate of Megumi and the other abductees has always been a tragedy due to being separated from their loved ones against their will. If Megumi is alive (which is highly unlikely), the North Koreans will not let her go because she must have trained in Japanese language some highly placed North Korean spies at North Korean spy school who are now active in Japan. However, it is much more likely that Megumi and the others are no longer with us and the North Koreans are extremely callous toward the feelings of the Japanese families (which is also of no surprise considering how they treat their own citizens).

Another Brexit success story.

Yeah it has been strange the whole way along, there were so many benefits for British people from being in the European Union but they still voted to leave, it's hard to fathom.

Hard to say if the Brits are worse than the Turks. It's a close call.

Not sure about the Turkish reference though???

Seems unneccessary and kinds of in the some vein that lead to Brexit

They make it look so easy... But the danger is always there.

So true, the gymnasts are doing amazing things in the search for greater and greater difficulty and at the same time there is more risk of serious injury

Wishing her speedy recovery so that she can continue to pursue her dream

The pain of losing a loved one must have been magnified in an incalculable manner by some one claiming the event was a hoax.

I really feel for all the victims and their families, grief is difficult enough to experience without having to put up individuals denying the the incident even took place.

The victims and their families are in my prayers, no amount of money will bring them back, but if this is a means to educate people to act with dignity in difficult times, I truly hope the lesson is learnt.

It is all bout the right to choose.

You have a choice to be vaccinated or unvaccinated.

Business have a choice of who they want as customers.

This is freedom of choice in action.

If you chose to be vaccinated there are consequences of your action.

Just as if you chose not be vaccinated you face a range of potential consequences.

Cause and effect.

Choose to, Choose not to, that is your power.

But live with the consequences of your choice.

Great, I enjoy Murakami's novels and short stories

But I have to say that for Kurimizawa to send villagers there as late as 1944 is either absolute stupidity or cruelty seeing that Japan was obviously at defeat's door.

The media was heavily censored at the time so it may have not been clear in rural Nagano, a tradegy all round. Japan was a poor agricultural nation at the time, a way out of poverty is attractive for any second son

This may not be a totally accurate statement

but I don't think the British government ever used germ warfare or biological weapons

There has been some belief that the British used smallpox as a biological weapon to remove the aborigines in Australia after European settlement but this is not proven beyond the balance of probabilities, other theories are that smallpox came from the north, either way smallpox decimated Australian aboriginal populations during the European invasion of Australia.

Well said Murakami san. Are you journalists without a backbone not embarrassed

I agree!

Japan's response to Covid 19 has been surprisingly relaxed, it is great that Murakami has been critical of Japan's leadership, his observations are very accurate.

"If he really saw an exit, his eyes must be extremely good for his age. I'm of the same age as Mr. Suga, but I don't see any exit at all," said Murakami, 72

This is exactly how I feel about Covid, Japan and the rest of the world at the moment, I cant even glimpse the light at the end of the tunnel

He is earning the accolades, good for him, he will be an inspiration for Japanese baseball players for generations to come

It’s just sad reading this article about how he was tricked into coming to Japan and kidnapped by the thugs! Shame on Nissan and shame on the prosecutors who all will face the judgment of God for this!

Totally agree doesn't do much for Japan's reputation as an international business destination. This is just another example of a Japanese company resisting internationalisation and modernisation.

The Western liberal democracies have abandoned the Afghan people to the Taliban. I wonder if this decision will be challenged by future events, but the US and its allies have to let the will of the Afghan people decide their own future. A very stormy sea to navigate....

Japan's justice system is was one that focuses on punishment, it doesn't enable people released from prison to restore their place in society. One you go through it, you are marked and your life is irrevocable changed. This is meant to deter people from crime, but if you cannot get employment then many are left with few options if they want to feed themselves, forcing them to engage in illegal activity to eat and provide themselves with shelter. When he bumpred into the old lady he didnt hurt her, and he admitted to other crimes so there is something in this human deserving of redemption. Japan needs to improve their after prison release programs so that there is less recividism. Their but for the grace of God, go I.

Do deer have a natural predator in Japan? There has been excellent benefits for the environment of returning apex predators to national parks to help with keeping the number of animals in a healthy balance.

What a great innovation. Deer skin is a natural and durable product used for thousands of years. I wonder if there is an export market for this too?

Yamaera is well worth a visit especially in the spring or autumn

Got so much respect for her as a tennis player and human being. Naomi Stands her ground for her beliefs and is hyper successful. What great role model for other Japanese bi racial children!!! I hope she gets the support she needs and finds her path to happiness. Tennis isn't everything if you don't have your health.

This is a strong indicator this company see ongoing value in the Japanese property market, maybe a beginning of a new growth phase for Japan.

Creepy, there will be lots of people signing up for this, I can see the scammers cashing in!!!

"Damn stoners on JT. Don't you know this stuff causes psychotic episodes?". This is exactly why drugs should be sold legally so that the tax revenue from sales can go toward paying for the health costs from using cannabis. Why should the black market operators make all the profit? then the tax payers are left with the bill for people hospitalised due to mental illness from drug use! Not to mention that many people using illicit substances have undiagnosed mental health issues. The term is self medication. Japan has a long way to go in addressing the avalanche of mental illness in its own country derived from a high stakes, high pressure life.

"Good! Anything to stop the exploitation of young girls in Japan is a good thing." I agree! Is there an minimum age to work at a maid cafe? I would've thought you would need to be over 20? On the other hand they seem harmless, unless they are selling sexual services onsite? Would be best to legalise sex work so that exploitation is limited. There are many places that have legalised sex work, but outlawed living off the earnings of a brothel.