stephen424 comments

"Analysts point to Hyundai’s recent success as an example of how a smart manufacturer can use the pricing power of a weak currency to undercut rivals."

is this considered news?

hm...........on my personal believe, it's ugly.

"The average consumer is going to get hurt with higher food prices for imported goods and increased domestic prices because the already over priced local products are going to go even higher because of higher fuel costs. "

yes, i too think that that prices will go up when the yen get lowered. However, this could bring up inflation, which is what Japan experience ONCE during the Koizumi administration in the last 20 years. Hyper inflation is a problem but with 2-5% annual inflation, it could increase spending and create more jobs (hey, i learned this from college and all the babbling on US Presidential debate on how to create jobs) Even without the export growth, a weaker yen could bring back some low margin manufacturing jobs that are in overseas due to the living standard of other Asia nations are rising, and thus their wages. There is a chance here, we don't know if it it will turn out to be good or bad, but there is a chance, much better than the persistently strong yen that actually do more harm than good to the folks.

"Sounds like a few are ready and want to be poorer. Amazing. Only Japan."

We young folks, Japan future, are already HECKA POOR. Unlike you old folks who saved up enough during the bubble years and enjoying the endaka moments, we have no job and income stability. Basically when we turn to old folks like you, we would be screwed even more than now if this trend is continuing. So rather than waiting for that to happens, we need CHANGE (oops, American Liberals).

but being "poorer"? i'm not so sure about this. You and me are no econ expert, but consider these:

Within Asia, two countries can be said which devalued their currencies the most are Korea and Vietanm. The Korean Kwon was 400 to $1 in the early 90's to 1075 to $1 now, but their living standard has improved vastly. Vietnamese Dong was 10k to $1 in the 90's and now 21k to $1, but also, their gdp has gone up 5 times.

On the other hand, with the persistently strong currencies such British Pound and EU, do you think they are wealthier now compared to before?

of course there are also countries that flourish even when their currency goes up. Take China for an example, the Yuan at 6.2 to $1 now compared to 10 yuan to $1 2 decades ago. However, we have seen how strong yen and it simply didn't work for the J econ growth.

To sum it up, we are POOR WORKING CLASS YOUNG PEOPLE who want CHANGE, unlike some RICH FOLKS here.

ps. to be RICH FOLKS you don't actually needs to be a millionaire, all you need is a stable job with annual saving. What an extravagant thing for us young folks who only got low paid jobs.

Japan is already screwed with the strong yen, i'm all open for alternative economic methods. As Asia in general is still at an unprecedented growth period, demand for high tech/manufacturing goods are still high, a weaker yen policy could help boost the export which create jobs.

STRONG YEN-cheap products from oversea......in exchange for local jobs. You may feel the higher purchasing power now, but in the long run, you'll be poorer without further incomes. WEAK YEN-everything is pricier; however, many are able to keep their jobs. It may be hard toward your pocket in a short run, but you are sure to have a stable job with stable incomes in a long run.

i'm all for the weaker yen, 100-120yen/dollar (around 2008 value)is pretty decent.

Banzai for Mitsubishi. Now show the world about Japan Engineering skills. The business is large enough not only for Boeing and Airbus.

5, #8, and #9 i would think otherwise. For the rest are pretty much alright.

applause for Corithians.

"Why does Abe think it's ok to change his views on historical events repeatedly, as if revising history is even acceptable???"

because he's a politician. Trusting a politician is similar to planting money trees.

"But in Japan it is just business as usual. Is there any other nation that can negate history as fast as this one?"

America for its gun controlling laws. China (coal mines, earthquakes, high speed rail derailment issues that caused hundreds of dead) and the list goes on.................

"My vote was in the form of a plane ticket home. Best decision I ever made."

that's right! you are welcomed to leave. Don't look back, or come back because Japan doesn't need you.

demanding bonus and pay rise on a money losing business=unemployment for some in the next business year. Union leaders sure only think for themselves, not the company, not the employees.

all i see here are a bunch of money slaves, who has no sense of patriotism and nationalism.

oops, i forgot the majority of these commentators here are GAIJIN. well, a GAIJIN will always be a GAIJIN, they just use JAPAN to make money, and RUN when it cause them trouble. I still remember vividly how many chicken asses abandoned the country after March 11 last year. If money is your only motivation, move to china, there are plenty of asses to be kissed.

@ Tessa

we do in America. There are plenty restaurants here offer either discounts or really cheap course menu for lunch nowadays.

yeah right, and the next and the next and the next bond movies will have him as the leading role there. Just another tricky negotiation skills for the next movie's share.

"China reserves the right to take strong countermeasures"

what rights? who authorized? who supported?

J tax auditors...........audit this guy please.

@ flowers

"Other countries you mentioned also have very good relationships with China"

at least not VIETNAM, THE PHILLIPINES, AND INDIA.

"China has become a responsible citizen of the world. "

for examples?

"Since it’s opened its border China has never invaded another country for the sake of its own ideology, toppled a government, or interfered with other countries’ internal affairs. "

KHMER ROUGE any idea?

"China is still growing and changing for the better so human rights are just a part of the growing pains. Every country suffered through that even in the US, remember black slaves."

it's true that every countries have experienced that; HOWEVER; not a single country EXPORT that. google CHINESE OWNED COMPANIES OPERATIONS IN AFRICA. Oops...i forgot google isn't searchable in china.

"Japanese cars are reliable but not durable nor stylish or fun. They're made for owners, not drivers

German cars are durable, timelessly stylish, fun to drive but not reliable (except anything made in the heyday of the 70s and 80s) and require regular maintenance."

how to become reliable without durability?

Japan chickened out on this one. Then, Japan is just another weakling similar to those in southeast asia (chinese policy makers). Thus, prepare for more agreesive acts from the chinese side from now on.

I'm here to announce that the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize goes to NATO, congratulation!!

"And where were you when the ppl in Greece demonstrated, and Spaniards and the Occupy Wall St., Occupy Berkeley etc?? Obviously the Chinese ppl decided that one of the ways to show their anger is by renouncing Japanese products, eg. cars etc"

good point there, you leave me wondering why i haven't seen any protests/demonstration toward the government CHINA since the TIANMEN SQUARE incident? i guess china is such a paradise to live in, and everybody loves the government (oops, the party) so much that existence of any grievances are basically nonsense.

these ultra nationalists don't represent every single chinese. they are not ME, MY FRIENDS, MY FRIENDS' FRIENDS, AND THEIR FRIENDS. we enjoy our japanese and german brand cars, we all own either a nikon or canon, and we often dine out at sushi establishments. however, these MAFIASOS BEHAVIOUR surely has an effect on customer choices inside china. for an instance, if you purchase a japanese brand car, and the chance that your vehicle would get vandalized or damaged are so high that would eventually turn away a great number of prospective buyers.

"Aside from political maneuverings by Japan, Taiwan, S.Korea, China which have each forked out big $$ for newspaper ads, it's the NYT that's reaping big advertising gain."

its' true though. so far in this conflict, the one that gain the most are neither japan nor china.

"Not really. If you google it, Japan's export to China is +21% of Japan's total exports, whereas China's exports to Japan is +9% of China's total exports."

not really, the above figure doesn't show anything. We all know that china is a manufacturing base for many foreign firms, thus it is impossible to calculate the exact the total value of the FINAL GOODS.

think about this, you purchase a sony lcd tv made in china, parts of the tv is made in japan, shipped to china, further manufactured and assembly in china, then ship to the whole world (japan included). So, the part that made in japan is considered to be japan exports, and the one that ship to japan is china exports. what about the world wide shipments???

also, japan isn't known to be a strong exporter to begin with. japan and usa total export only at around 15% of its gdp at max. compared to that germany (30%), korea (50%), china (almost 30%). some countries like vn, exports valued at 80% of its gdp. the total value of trade between japan and china at 2011 is around 360 billions usd, which roughly around 180 bil for each country, a pretty fair trading it seems.

"But white rice is pretty nutritionally void, high energy, empty calories"

Rice has calories. Anything that you consume which produce energy has calories. Maybe a mistypo from you?

izakaya french fries are the best IN JAPAN.

Stuff like this do happens and i've seen quite a few, not at Japan though. Basically it was the same as the author described, people standing around, watching, offer no help, police only came after the incident is over, blah blah. HOWEVER, i could easily spotted at least a few camera's video function are on, news like that got on newspaper frequently, and arrest are made soon afterward due to PUBLIC PRESSURE. (at East and South East Asia)

If this incident is true, with hundreds of people watching, at a busy station like Ikkebukuro, it would have spread all over the net.

1 note though, once i saw a young man rushed into Shinjuku station's toilet with his face covered in blood. So , no matter how safe Japan is compared to others, take cautions.