tmarie comments

Nope. Ryokan goes under after poor planning, management, and investments. Get ready for the headlines of this virus being the reason for all issues here.

“Authorities in Hokkaido are investigating how the boys, neither of whom had been overseas lately, contracted the virus.”

This is why I have so little faith in authorities here. It’s clearly being spread from Japanese to Japanese yet they still want to link it to big bad gaikoku.

The handling of this has been appalling. When nations start evacuating their citizens from a country it’s because they do not trust the country said citizens are in to look after their citizens. People here were smug about Japanese being evacuated from China. Now nations are doing the same from Japan. It speaks volumes.

If my girl got harmed by said "sexual predators", then the culpability is on said predators. If nothing happens well then the damage is minimal.

The girls attending the same school will now have to wonder if their boys is being posted online without their consent. Do you actually believe that is minimal damage? Culpability is on the predators but it should also be on those who are making comments like "boys will be boys" because it's that attitude that creates boys who believe women are less than equal and turn into abusers. "Boys will be boys" is a statement that says so much about the person who is making it. Thankfully those rarely understand what it says.

“This is news why? Just kids being kids.”

Wow. This is why women don’t trust most men to do the right thing.

I would advise my girls to avoid getting into such compromised situations.

So you plan on keeping them locked at home where they'll be safe from men when they have a drink? Oh wait, women get raped in their homes too. How about this, expect better of men. Nah? Didn't think so. Heaven forbid men hold men accountable.

So many bitter and angry messages from middle aged men over a 17 young woman trying to save the planet. Amazing.

If Koike wants the marathon in Tokyo, I propose she needs to accompany the athletes from start to finish with no AC. Set up a little kei truck with a treadmill on the back of it. She can run (heck, let's be nice and let her walk) on the treadmill while the kei truck follows behind the slowest runners. She can get water breaks when the pack she is following hits a water stand. Pretty sure she'd need medical attention once finished. There might be an ambulance left for her after they've carted everyone else to medical care.

A lot of men up in arms here about this - and while I get it, let's be honest, how many of you are the primary parent? How many of you actually take your kids out alone without the help of your partner packing things and preparing. I'm guessing so many of you will claim you do this all, are really involved but come on. We all know that for most, the mom is the majority parent and very few dads in Japan are anything more than weekend dads. Yes, including you guys who aren't Japanese. I work with guys who want a pat on the back for taking their kids to swimming lessons once a week and whatnot. I get the frustration with this, I get it isn't good but this is the state of parenting in Japan for the most part. If you don't like it, do something about it beside ranting on JT today.

The claims of incompetence ring loud from those who weren’t there, and only know the barest of details, yet still feel confident enough to decry someone they don’t know. 

It wasn't until the car was about to be taken away did someone notice - I'm guessing the staff dealing with the car. Not their job and they aren't trained for that level of trauma. There is zero excuse for what happened and I hope the family of this women take the cops to court over this.

It's fine living in Japan for irresponsible man-boys.

I agree. Also an issue abroad but it seems to be a bigger one here. Men get screwed in the cases of custody but at the same time, man-boys get away with taking zero responsibility. I kind of feel the like solution lies with those in power - being men. How many are kids have to die?

A two year old alone for three days? How? Did the neighbours not hear this poor child crying? Japan needs to step up and support these parents better - too many kids are dying at the hands of unfit parents.

2) If yes, then she must use hoikoen/daycare to drop her?

Or not. Maybe she left the kid alone while she worked? I know plenty of moms who leave kids sleeping to go pick up other kids, go shopping... Not like this women was winning mother of the year.

And I'm going there. This kid clearly was the result of a male being involved. Where is he? Was he helping pay for this child? Was he involved? We always blame the moms for everything but where was the father? Single mom or not, men need to start being held accountable for the kids they help create.

I'm so torn on this. I don't doubt the mother was a victim as well but how on earth do you allow this to happen to your child? Any child for that matter. The entire system failed this little girl and only the dad will be held responsible?

I get the outrage but let’s be honest, anyone who thinks their government is going to give them a lovely pension plan for the rest of their life needs a wake up call. I started doing personal investments when I got my first real job at 22 because even back then I was smart to know there is no way in heck a government pension would be enough to survive on.

Japan has the added “opt out” type issue as well. All those contract workers? Though legally supposed to, many aren’t paying. Pension, along with healthcare, should be taken out if paychecks of all. None of the numbers game that goes in here. And let’s not forget all the dependents who haven’t personally paid into the system in decades but who get a cut. How does that make sense? The system is collapsing and yet people not contributing get a cut? “They raised their kids” some will cry. Yes, but so do working parents.

The system needs to be redone but you know it won’t be because greedy rich folks will not agree to it and non-working, non paying dependents won’t agree to it. Do yourselves a favor and invest abroad and get your hard earned money out of Japan.

I propose a #zutoo where women are forced to wear stuffy trousers and suffocating ties on hot days rather than their usually breezy skirts blouses. 

For the sake of everyone maybe we could just away with torturous formal wear and allow office workers to work in comfort.

You seem to want to blame women for the dress code MEN has insisted upon. Women aren't often in power positions so aren't the ones who have enforced these kind of rules. I think ties and jackets are silly on hot days. I think your average woman would agree. Perhaps go and speak to management at your company. You know, the men at the top.

And perhaps you might actually understand why every OL has a sweater and/or blanket at the office if you wore what you described. Because most are freezing because the men have the AC jacked up.

I really don't understand why women get attacked on these threads when all they are trying to do is make their lives better. Don't like the dress codes where you work? Great. Take it up with your company rather than bash women who are trying to make changes.

Part of this issue is parenting here. What other country has this issue - China and Korea? Usually sons are the issue. Stop allowing your sons to be entitled lazy bums who are over 23 and not working. Mental health issues? Get them help and screw everyone who might shame parents for trying to help. Too many parents here lack communication with their kids and are scared of upsetting their sons. Short sighted and the future doesn’t get better by allowing them to sit in their rooms all day and do nothing productive.

Concerned, how do they have it very good here? You've pointed out numerous issues. I'd add in juku/juken starting are far too early and kinds not really have a chance to grow up and play outside.

Not enough time with parents working FT - isn't juts dads on this. FT working women often work the same hours as FT working men - then are expected to do most of the domestic labour.

1/6 kids in poverty. The lowest (or second lowest - only to the US) for any OCED nation.

Lowest level of government spending on education.

Outdated teaching methods and expectations.

Divorce isn't the issue - better to be raised by a single mother than grown up watching an abusive relationship and thinking that is the norm or growing up watching two parent who don'T like each other stay together. The issue is the stigma of divorce and the courts not allowing joint custody or giving the other parent visiting rights, allowing dads not to pay for child fees that they are supposed to.

Child abuse in deed but I disagree with that Japan is " tackling this vigorously." They're doing nothing but creating laws that have no punishments. Much like "womenomics" this means nothing and nothing will change for the kids who are abused.

Someone who actually calls a spade spade. Children welfare in this country is pathetic. More about protecting adults than anything.

Another loser male with no friends and no life. When was the last time a loner woman ran out and started stabbing people? Many will blame mental health issues - and yes, that plays a role - but until we start discussing this a a male problem, we won't see an end to it. It has happened here many time - Akihabara, Ikeda - and many times in China. ALL men. Let's talk about getting men better support so they don't end up this full of rage and target the most innocent.

Tosa are fighting dogs and anyone who owns four, let alone anyone who cages them, is clearly not a dog lover. I’m guessing they’ve been abused and are rather scared of strangers. This old guy should never have been left alone to feed them. And they should not be caged as they were. Think about. Huge dogs in that size cage with a guy coming only to feed them? Abuse. Poor man lost his life due to the owner. And the dog will be put down. So that dog lost his life as well due to the owner. The other three should be taken from him but I’m not convinced they won’t be put down or left with the owner.

Alex, like it or not, English is the EFL of the world. Japanese is used in... Japan. Chinese is used in China and other countries/areas with large pockets of Chinese but nah, it is NOT a dominate language. Why be stubborn about it? Nearly every non-English speaking country is trying to improve their English levels. Including Japan.

And yes, the Chinese tourists I see use... English.

And using JLPT as an indictor is useless because there is no spoken component of the test. Chinese and Koreans do very well on the test itself and many struggle to continue a conversation. I've had Korean and and Chinese friends talk about how useless the test is for them for their daily lives - but it was certainly good to get that student visa.

Japan can remain stubborn on this issue if it wants. Hurts themselves in the end.

Dis, that's just it though. Japan really, and truly does seem to think that English is useless but look at their economy and business. How are Japanese companies doing globally besides a few? Not well. Why? Because Japan really doesn't get that they aren't all that important and refuse to change with the times. Start using English, start realizing that foreigners have great ideas and rather than try and squish them if they work in a J company, work with them. Yeah, yeah, we all know that is common sense and it won't happen. Pride truly kills anything in this country when things aren't working out.

Japan needs to seriously deal with the fact that their language really isn't a priority in the world. They want foreign workers to come here and work. How about they find a language that most people CAN see a benefit to using - like English. Japan honestly can't expect these foreign workers to come here, work their butts off for three to five year and become fluent in Japanese. AND THEN GET SENT HOME! There is no need to force these people to any decent standard of Japanese if Japan wakes up and starts using English to deal with foreign workers. Japanese have years of English eduction so it isn't like they are forced to learn something new (I'm laughing, as yes, I know) to accommodate these workers.

We've seen this issue numerous time - anyone remember how many non-Japanese passed the Japanese language test when that program was set up about a decade ago? I think the number was four. Japanese language really and truly is used as a way of keeping non-Japanese in check when it comes to employment.

"This is Japan" many of you will cry. Yep. It is. And it has a serious population issues, a serious shortage of staff and if it wants to lure hardworking folks here, it is going to have to meet people somewhere in the middle. Language will have to be one of those places. These people are clearly disposable to Japan so why force them to study something that really and truly will benefit them very little in the long run? Japanese is for Japan only. English would be a much better bet but that would take effort on the part of the locals who desperately need staff.

I hope this guy wins but let's be honest, practically no chance he will.

licensed attendants / nurses presence should always be required during examinations

Because male doctors can't be trusted? What's the reasoning?

Don't know about the boonies but it is quite easy to find female doctors in Tokyo.

Not everyone lives in Tokyo. And it's not easy, even in large cities. More so if you are getting a medical provided onsite and don't have much say in who examines you.

If the first girl would have said something to her employer right after her exam then maybe the other three girls would not have visited that doctor. If they were groped why didn't they stop the examination and say something to the doctor our call the police ?? Hard to prove he did anything wrong, He just maybe a good doctor. They could have asked for a female nurse to be in the room during the exam.

Victim blaming at its finest. Its the fault of the women because their male doctor can't control himself?

In 2016, women accounted for just 21.1% of all doctors in Japan, the lowest level among all OECD nations.

https://www.nippon.com/en/features/h00261/too-few-female-doctors-japan-ranks-last-among-oecd-nations.html

Try to find a female doctor next time.

Do you have any idea how difficult that is in this country? More so in inaka places? How about instead of putting the onus on women to find a female doctor, everyone expects male doctors to be professional and not grope women they examine?

1000s of DV cases, child abuse cases, groping cases, and assault cases and this is what the police decide to use their time on?

Why are people celebrating this? This has Hashimoto all over it. These guys are rightwingers who want to crush anyone who doesn’t agree with them. Being “young” doesn’t make themany less evil than the old gits in power. Banning of tats, no dancing after certain hours, illegal surveys and attempts to fire people due to them. These guys are from Hashi’s “Japanese people need a dictator” loins. This is not good for the people of Osaka.

Women with young sons need to realize that they have the power to change the situation by raising their sons differently, and that they have it in their power to do so.

Yes, because we all know it’s just the mothers who should be raising their sons to be better.

This IS the issue. Why it is always left up to women to teach men how to behave? Men aren’t stupid. These guys knew their behaviour is wrong. Where are the men calling out poor behaviour and teaching their sons, friends, dads, not to be jerks?

Why is it that even when some men think they’re being “good” they still can’t see the sexism they display? Women see this. It’s constant. Men, expect men to be better and stop putting this stuff on women to fix.

the bottom line is if women dont want to risk this type of behaviour dont get involved with these guys in the first place

Guy gets arrested for breaking the law and yet you still want to blame women for being victims? Seriously?!?! How about teaching men how to behave rather than blaming women for being victims of men who break the law?

"All of that ^ said, marriage is a business contract of a sort - a promise to create a family, have and raise children together - a 25-year financial commitment as well as a lifetime commitment of upbringing and care."

I normally agree with you Maria but not on this. Marriage is indeed like a business contract of sorts but I don't agree with your view of that contract. Many married can't and/or don't want kids. Including gay couples. This ideology of what marriage is supposed to be is why many state that LGBT should not get married. The "contract" is what the couple decides themselves. Let's be honest, in Japan it often seems that "Man goes to work and provides financial support, woman is the domestic worker and looks after home and kid." Many men here cheat. Many women here cheat and frankly speaking it seems to "work" based on how many view that contract - as long as no one is slacking in the agreed upon duty they're supposed to perform.

To me, the idea of suing the third party is laughable. People cheat for all kinds of reasons. I'm not sure it's always a sign that the marriage isn't working - men having mistresses was always acceptable until recently. If the marriage breaks down, I think it is a sign of larger issues within the marriage, not that someone is off with someone else. Someone wasn't happy and went elsewhere but it still means someone wasn't happy.

And I have to ask, what exactly IS cheating? Physical? Mental? I know a lot of guys who visit soaplands and the like but don't actually have an emotional connection with the women. I know a lot of men and women who have an emotional connection with someone but nothing physical. I'd deem the emotional connection "more dangerous" than paying to get your rocks off by a sex worker but that's just me.

Is this happening to her because she's been so high profile? I don't recall any British male who did the same being stripped of their citizenship - or had so much publicity around it happen. More than happy to admit I don't know if men have had the same things done to them when they've expressed interest in returning home.

I'm torn on this. I think she made many, many poor decisions but think the knock on effect actually just fuels those who are like her in the UK - lost, unable to fit into society and looking for an excuse for their rage. Would this not just help recruitment? Why not take her back and try and "reform" her as best they can? There are many cases in the US of this happening and I think it would be a better line to go down.