Takahiro Katsumi comments

"Washington hotel room two years ago"

You got your facts wrong. It's a hotel room in Tokyo. The name has been revealed in her book too:

Sheraton Miyako Hotel Tokyo

https://www.miyakohotels.ne.jp/tokyo/english/

Since you got one of the most basic facts wrong, I will examine your article carefully to point out errors.

Can anyone come up with a top 3 of Japanese people who would be recognizable around the world?

Hayao Miyazaki, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Takeshi Kitano? And also Ichiro Suzuki, Godzilla Matsui, Kyari-Pamyu Pamyu, Baby Metal, etc...

They should have chosen one of these three maybe but that would have given away the 2020 OT Director. 'Mario' didn't have to be Abe but without that performance he would find no place to show his presence in the ceremony.

As a Japanese national, I was 'okay' with the performance but didn't really 'like' it. It should have been Governor Koike but she is less well-known compared to 'superman' Abe. Ichiro probably didn't take the offer to do 'Mario', and Director MIyazaki hates Abe so... Abe himself was the only choice we had. Poor us.

I feel sorry to have to make our strongest ally play along with our game of chicken with China when China isn't even bothered by us at all. I just hope Abe won't make a complete fool of us in his address at the U.S. Congress.

Actually, Honda boasts to be a unique company that doesn't only build automobiles, but robots, jets, and even solar systems. In Japan there's a pilot project going on with a whole town involved in building a sustainable solar power grid system that runs public and private transportation and a smart home's electricity. But for this project to become a full-fledged one I think they need more public demand plus advanced level of motorization. Most country haven't reached that point yet, not mentioning the U.S., in terms of the level of electric motorization.

Good. A person who once said this becomes a person in charge of OUR safety. We really feel safe and secure. Thank you TEPCO.

"Approximately 20,000 lives were lost as a result of the earthquake and tsunami, but not one of those who died did so as a result of radiation. And radiation experts believe that no-one will die from radiation."

via CNN http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/05/business/lady-judge-fukushima-japan-nuclear/

Almost 100 of them!? That's quite a loss for ground force of only 160,000 max. What if these were actually poisoned by members of DPRK or something. What a low sense ofsecurity!

It's too bad there is still no internationally or universally accepted definition of terrorism. When the United Nations came close of defining terrorism, about 60 Muslim nations objected and after that it was never realized. And yet, we have many UN Security Council resolutions that punish act of terrorism with sanctions. But one thing is clear: there IS a distinction between international acts of terrorism and domestic terrorism. I think that's where America should start distingushing.

Japan, you bring warmth to my otherwise cold, unfeeling heart.

My response to this closing line says it all, coming from a native Japanese in Tokyo:

I wish I feel the same.

@pumpkin31526

Is it just me, everyone in the picture seems to be smiling?

They are indeed smiling because they are out of vocational school earlier than their competing college graduates. So the article is correct in depicting their scream as 'raising their morale' because that is in fact what they are doing. They're out on the market for early bird shots and they are happy that they can take those chances. They aren't angry at all.

Oh wow...this was the step experts in and out of Japan was telling him NOT to take, including his mentor and senior member of the Cabinet, Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso and even Michael Green of CSIS. Of course, it will wholly depend on the content of the new statement, but I think he will need his new Japanese-version of NSC to make this executive decision (just kidding).

P.S. I'm in agreement that this article does nothing to make progress on the disputes. I only think it was a good demonstration--however unintentional--of how insignificant the issue is, that a writer of a French news service can think a map application may be able to superfluously ease off the minds of hot-headed people on both sides of the globe.

Whatever, cyclemate. I'm Japanese and I think what we're doing is stupid. Diplomacy is not about size anymore. Not in this 21st century world. Look at how Philippines are fighting with the Chinese on South China Sea. If China is thinking it is a kid's playground, then Japan shall not stoop down to that level and start acting like a mature adult. In other words, not to be provoked. What's happening is the exact opposite and I in fact feel ashamed that some prominent public figures, and some hot-headed common people are trying to play the same game. It's no game.

It's actually a good symbolism of truth that THIS is what it's all about--recognition.

Yubaru > I think the assumption in the AP article is that Hashimoto's party will still be led under the umbrella of LDP. AP assumes that even if LDP were to form a coalition with both Hashimoto or any other party, LDP will be the leading party and therefore, the LDP's new leader "would almost certainly become the next prime minister." If LDP were to form a "grand coalition" with DPJ, I think LDP will still take the lead and DPJ would be downgraded to a junior partner status, much like the decade-old coalition with the Komeito Party.

If we ever chose LDP as our governing party again, that will be the end of moderate Japan.

The represetntaives of the protesters did well considering that they aren't professinal activists. Noda couldn't use his eloquent speech to convince the representatives face-to-face as well as the global (yes, global) audience that his plans are more feasible and realistic.

Government's "public comment" survey collected almost 90,000 (87,000 so I heard) reponses where 90% demanded for the "zero-option." In the public hearing seminars, 50% demanded the same. All in all, the people, through government's various public survey system, have spoken.

Zero-dependency by 2030 is likely to become national policy. Once the policy is set, our great industrialized nation does have the capacity to develop, introduce and operatonalize new renewable sources of energy--while decommissioning the npps--that would create new markets and new even new jobs, as outlined in the governments new ambitious national strategy agenda entitled "Green Growth Strategy".

I personally would like to see the "zero-dependency" goal reached by 2015 at the latest as suggested by Ozawa Ichiro's new party as party policy and allow restarts only in the condition that stringent safety standards and practices are put into place and that the current nuclear regulatory framework is completedly scrapped, tailored specifically for the purpose of "zero-dependency". Who can say Japan CAN'T? Of course we CAN.

WE CAN CAUSE ANOTHER MIRACLE ONLY IF WE ARE WILLING TO.

People rarely speak out publicly in Japan. The demonstrations that became a mainstream social phenomenon in Japan is the largest since the post-war protest against US-Japan defense treaty in the 60's, The Japanese people have learned to voice their minds.

Though their rallies may not have a direct impact on national policies, it already impacted national politics, prompting mass secession from the governing Democratic Party and also a birth of a third independent Greens Japan party. A general election is expected this fall following the dissolution of the Noda Cabinet through a vote of non-confidence, and people's policy choices can have a great impact on the outcomes of the election.

So it does have a great sociopolitical impact.

Radium bottles found in Setagaya was located in a BASEMENT 2 METERS AWAY from the reading point of radiation dose with WALLS between it. Does this make sense? Also, the Setagaya hotspot was measured TWICE and it was decontaminated in the FIRST attempt. How could decontamination affect the reading to DECREASE by almost 2 microSv/hr if radium contiued to emit past those walls, 2 meters away, from a basement? The media is omitting vital info on this Fukushima-origin-diffusing reports. We need to remain attentive to these omitted facts.We need to be vigillante.