songwillem2011 comments

Posted in: Chinese ship spends an hour in disputed waters See in context

It was written in an Australian newspaper a while back that I read either as an opinion or an intention of Australia (I can no longer remember) that the world should rather than start a panic every time this happens simply accept this sort of behavior as an otherwise harmless act of saber rattling on the part of China roughly akin to an angry old neighbor who yells a lot but doesn't actually do anything. All in all perhaps a wise course of action.

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Posted in: Virus-attacking necklaces recalled for attacking humans See in context

I think this is the most amusing article I've read on this website ever.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Japan executes three death-row inmates See in context

Apologies for the ambiguity of my comment in hindsight but basically I'm just noting in a round-about fashion that no human rights activist I've ever known has argued "for" the death penalty based on the belief that it's more humane than life imprisonment.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: Japan executes three death-row inmates See in context

I think it's worthwhile noting that Japan was one of the earliest nations to abolish the death penalty in recorded history. This happened in 818 under the reign of Emperor Saga and lasted until 1156 marking a period of 338 years which I believe still holds the record!

I can see a lot of good arguments for and against the death penalty but despite my own support of it based on everything from the pursuit of justice to taxpayer burden I do see the validity in the argument concerning wrongful convictions. However this article here:

http://voices.yahoo.com/life-without-parole-2801676.html

Made me reassess some of my views particularly concerning the pursuit of justice and taxpayer burden. I mean if putting someone in prison for life or until they're let out after being found innocent after the fact is so horrible one has to wonder however briefly if perhaps it might have been better if they had just executed in the first place. That and the fact that in places like Marylands it actually costs more to execute criminals than keep them alive for life. I have no idea what it's like in Japan but that's interesting, I never thought executing someone could be more expensive than keeping them in prison for life but if what if life imprisonment basically amounts to "throwing them into a hole filled with other dangerously criminals and throwing a bucket of gruel in every now and again" well then that makes sense.

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Posted in: Researchers close in on stem cell trial See in context

Now this is what I want to read about on the national page of Japantoday first thing in the morning. Not government controversy, public scandals or faulty tech pushed forward by corrupt businessmen and politicians but classically advance "Made In Japan" stuff breaking boundaries to forward mankind.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Posted in: Abe to meet Obama in Washington on Feb 22 See in context

@sfjp330 Unless you mean "respect" in the sense of not taking Japan's security seriously I would dispute your statements somewhat. It's true that American interest in Japan has waned but I think that's for two reasons. One America doesn't need Japan to help against the Soviet Union anymore and is only recently starting to reconsider it for China and North Korea and Two America is no longer afraid of Japan buying it out like it did before the 90s. By contrast if polls I've read mean anything Japan is "the" number one most respected and trusted nation in the world with most nations overall expressing the highest positive sentiment for Japan itself and its soft power and trust in its policies and world influence. This is apparently a combination of public and government opinion and it's rather well above the U.S. and China and even countries like Australia, Canada, South Korea and Germany. But you're probably right if you're saying that if Japan ever called for help the rest of the world would probably not take it seriously.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

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