Posted in: Japan warns of toughening security climate in east Asia See in context
Right wing cretins in the LDP trying to play the "national security" card, with China and NK being portrayed as existential threats.
Obviously lies aimed at tightening their grip on power by creating fear that can subsequently be exploited to push reforming Article 9 of the Constitution, while surreptitiously making one step closer to creating conditions for conflict with China, which means conflict between the USA and China.
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Posted in: Lawmakers press Obama to include currency rules in TPP trade deal See in context
Right
help to create a level playing field for American workers, businesses, and farmers
By "farmers", they mean corporate agribusiness.
The TPP may have some potential with respect to manufactured goods, but with respect to agriculture it is a total wash.
The USA is a floundering empire.
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Posted in: New style of temple: The monks bar See in context
“Japanese people can accept different kinds of religions. Religious practitioners should not force people to believe in one particular set of religious values. Instead we should use religions as a tool to support people,”
Very nice indeed!
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Posted in: Stella show See in context
The British woman looks like a gaunt desperado stuck on so-called heroin chic.
The Japanese woman is clearly a compassionate sentient being.
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Posted in: Obama names Japan expert as top Asia diplomat See in context
Russel has served since 2011 as the White House’s senior director on Asian affairs, helping flesh out the Obama administration’s “pivot” policy of putting a higher priority on Asia at a time that China is gaining in clout.
Obama pays lip service to "American values", but he promotes people with an empire mentality.
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Posted in: JJ Abrams boldly going from 'Trek' to 'Star Wars' See in context
Hollywood sucks, as do the movies discussed in this article.
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Posted in: U.S. hedge fund boss lobbies for breakup of Sony See in context
@presto Yes, that and also having the leverage to exert pressure to force some action on the part of Sony. He is trying to promulgate and exploit a weakness of Sony that he can actually make worse by applying pressure, forcing them to (re)act in response to his high-profile prevarications.
The phrase
analysts latched onto the idea as a way for Sony to unlock hidden value
is indicative of the fact that the finance industry stands to profit if such a course were adopted, but no one else. The so-called "hidden value" would simply be funny money swept up and away in trading transactions, with no impact on the real economy.
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Posted in: Gov't - but not Ishihara - backs away from Hashimoto's comfort women comments See in context
Like all war mongers, Hashimoto is a sociopath.
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Posted in: Japan has never had smooth ties with China: Aso See in context
Aso is still an idiot and he proves to the world that he knows next to nothing about the history of his country or the region.
China and Japan had rather productive relations between the Qin and Tang dynasties, and was particularly influenced by Chinese culture during the Tang dynasty, when many Japanese diplomatic missions were made and many books, etc. were brought to Japan from China.
Students of Buddhism will know that Kukai, Saicho and Esai Zenji all traveled to China and sent time there studying and being ordained, with Kukai being made the leader of the Shingon sect by his Chinese teacher. There are many other examples of positive interaction. China feel into decline toward the end of the Tang, and that is when Japan stopped sending diplomatic missions and scholars, but trade continued.
@House Atreides The 1274 invasion may have been something of a departure, but that was after China had been sacked by the Mongols, who then attempted to invade Japan.
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Posted in: Japan's neighbors cautiously welcome 'Abenomics' See in context
It was obvious that the ridiculously overvalued yen had to (and could) be reigned in.
Noda was a tool, allowing the US Federal Reserve to act in a manner that unilaterally inflated the value of the ye, and Wall St. capitalized on that.
Noda's idiocy allowed the LDP to sweep back into power.
The real problem with Abe is that he is aligned with factions of the US establishment connected to the military industrial complex.
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Posted in: BOJ minutes show some members wary of risks of bold easing See in context
An exchange rate of 100 yen to the dollar is what the policy should be geared toward at present. This is more about international balance than domestic inflation, though the two are obviously connected.
-1 ( +0 / -1 )
Posted in: Abe's 'stealth' constitution plan raises civil rights fears See in context
There's nothing wrong with the Constitution.
These troglodytes don't have the cranial capacity to actually accomplish something within the light of day in the modern world of democracy, so they want to throw things back to the good old days of FEUDALISM!
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Posted in: 'Abenomics' detractors brace for 'I told you so' moment See in context
@kurisupu From the salaries of the newly employed, for one. The overvalued yen hits the manufacturing sector and puts people out of work. That creates added strain on the social welfare system at the same time as resulting in reduced income from taxes. The American QE is all about keeping the economy afloat and reducing unemployment. The Empire Finance sectors of the US and UK and their crony politicos are responsible for the present debacle.
-1 ( +1 / -2 )
Posted in: 'Abenomics' detractors brace for 'I told you so' moment See in context
The only thing that Abe has done right thus far is to take on the no-brainer task of addressing the ridiculously overvalued yen. Reversing the damage caused by Noda under the yoke of his Goldman Sachs handlers is the easy part.
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Posted in: Good gardening See in context
Would be nice to have captions for the photos.
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Posted in: Italian judge rejects Nomura funds seizure See in context
Interesting. Where will this go from here?
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Posted in: WTO faces irrelevance: NZ trade minister See in context
This is something I've been pointing out here since the onset of the TPP fanfare.
TPP is a divide-and-conquer wolf in sheep's clothing.
Why can't we work withing the GATT framework? It would seem that the TPP will have to be in conformance with GATT, at any rate.
Tarrifs are not necessarily a bad thing. For one, they protect small countries from larger countries in many ways. That is why GATT has provisions that prevent economies of scale from dictating trade policy.
Neo-liberal free-marketism is a smoke-and-mirrors screening of corporate activity against small enterprise around the world.
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Posted in: Italian police seize JP Morgan records in Monte Paschi probe See in context
shut down the funny money express.
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Posted in: Italian police seize 1.8 bil euros from Japan's Nomura See in context
lock 'em up.
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Posted in: Thatcher's body lies in chapel as funeral debate rages See in context
Like Reagan, she was a tool of the ruling class.
Rest in ...peace?
I doubt it. She had a negative impact on many more peoples lives than she had a positive impact on.
It makes me ill to look at her photos. I loath the sector of Britain she represents.
Sorry to speak ill of the dead, but the pomp was not deserved.
A much more low key affair was in order, and it probably represents partisan opportunism and a lack of respect that it wasn't otherwise.
1 ( +2 / -1 )
Posted in: Organized crime worth $90 bil a year in East Asia, Pacific See in context
The problem with this report is that there is no mention of the collaboration between the crime organizations and Western intelligence agencies interested in leveraging the criminal organizations to destabilize the respective societies alla mode Laissez-faire.
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: West struggles for Syria strategy See in context
Well, the West was aiming to displace a thorn in its side in the form of an Iranian-allied Syria, but the lack of foresight backfired, just like with Iraq.
Now it's a total calamity, and the only way out has to be elections, which Assad will probably win.
So the best the West can probably do is to gain concessions on reform from Assad in return for helping halt the violence.
That's what they should have done in the first place, instead of trying to discredit him.
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Posted in: Hashimoto's feud with Asahi resurfaces See in context
@Hikozaemon
The point you miss is the burakumin and yakuza connection, for which he himself, and not just his father, is well known.
According to most studies on the yakuza, approximately 60% are burakumin.
The main point should have been (if it wasn't) the potential of an organized-crime connected politician rising in popularity.
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Posted in: Assistant judge fired for taking upskirt film See in context
@Mirai Hayashi
He does not get to keep his job, as the Diet impeached him: "dismissal".
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Posted in: An afternoon at the theater See in context
Splendid indeed! I wonder what play they saw.
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Posted in: Japan enthusiastic about Caroline Kennedy's possible appointment as ambassador See in context
What the hell were Roos' qualifications, anyway? "Campaign donor"?
Someone with a legal background is more likely to function in more than a ceremonial capacity.
The liberal/progressive ethos of her father and uncle in politics might be a good fit at present, when nationalism, etc. is increasing in Japan.
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Posted in: Man arrested for trying to kill woman with poisoned shoes See in context
@jj1980
inorganic vs organic acid, or something along those lines.
what a sick story.
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Posted in: Hashimoto says LDP, New Komeito must not win majority in upper house election See in context
@Yubaru
Sure, but he wants to abolish the upper house.
0 ( +0 / -0 )
SMFH. It goes up and it goes down, like all investments. What has that got to do with Trump? JT,…
Posted in: Crypto investors brace for bumpy ride under Trump
Posted in: Tourists in Kyoto cause chaos at railway crossing near Fushimi Inari Taisha
Posted in: Hokuriku region of Japan experiences record snowfall
Posted in: Mass leak of personal, other records hits Hello Kitty park operator