vanityofvanities comments

I feel Koreans very different from Japanese is that Japanese never reveal or revealed they had comfort women among their families. In Japan, they were called "pan pan," "only-san" etc. They became "comfort women" to GIs during the occupation era to help their families or to save themselves. It was and is a big embarrassment and something never to reveal. Putting statues of "comfort women" and "statues of forced laborers" openly near the Japanese embassy in South Korea and at many places in the world is a big, big embarrassment and disgraceful thing not only to Japan but also to South Korea too.

Good, Suga appointed Kono for the job. Kono is "osagawase man" he speaks straight but he is dynamic and his thinking new. LDP is a group of "ro gai" old folks.

It is a good idea to postpone Tokyo Olympics to 2024.

Japanese government was not positive in increasing PCR tests from the beginning. I guess private hospitals and clinics (80% of Japanese hospitals) are against it strongly in fear of their business will go out when corona patients are allowed to visit their hospitals to receive PCR tests. Other patients will not come to visit them.

If such a situation continues longer and economy collapses, a revolt will happen in Japan.

Japanese government is very conservative in taking strong measures to hold down the pandemic. The government is not given power to control people and society in emergency. Japan is too "democratic." Opposition parties are against a new special law to contain the pandemic which includes punishment.

Tug of war between doctors and businesses.

Mori is so called "ro gai." Problem caused by old people.

It is always nice to see young women wearing beautiful kimono. If you have three daughters, you will go broke.

I heard somewhere that Japan's recipients of "seikatsu hogo" welfare money are 20 to 30% of those entitled. They do not go to offices ashamed of becoming on welfare. Newspapers occasionally report about people who died of hunger without receiving welfare.

All the efforts we are trying may be in vain. The nature is trying to reduce the population of human beings which increased too much.

While eating and drinking businesses are facing hardships, computer related businesses are thriving. Pandemic is not pandemic.

Absence of two Yokozuna is very disappointing. Kakuryu is taking advantage of the special right given to yokozuna - they are not demoted even if they are absent from the tournament. (Hakuho is a rightful absence infected by COVID-19. Kakuryu for his injuries which is too often).

America's real friend in this area is Japan. North Korea and South Korea will incline to China. Geographically it is unavoidable. Taiwan and Hong Kong are part of China.

The worst scenario the government will face is they cannot put an end to "state of emergency" if the situation will not improve in one month and they have to extend SOE until the vaccines are administered and the efficacy of the vaccines proved. It takes a long time.

Photo caption translation is not accurate. The banner says they are against the state of the emergency which (they are afraid) the government will be using it to restrict people's rights in the future. They are left wing activists.

This is a great battle between the virus and human beings. The virus wants to wipe out human beings from the earth. They are angry we became arrogant and destroyed the nature. Glory of human beings cannot last forever. Everything has its time.

Abe issued a one month state of emergency declaration last April. It was successful. But this time, with more lenient conditions and with more positive people, I wonder the state of the emergency will bring the same success or not.

tamanegi

"Shitsugyo teate" financial support for unemployed is handled by Hello Work and "seikatsu hogo" by Welfare and Labor Ministry.

bo

If you are a Japanese, you can apply for "seikatsu hogo" social welfare payment. I think it is about 150,000 yen per month. Anyway, the weaknesses of capitalism is revealed in the crisis. Capitalism hand in hand with individualism requires self responsibility.

Gaijinland

The government is ready to send a new bill to the diet "tokusoho" which legalize punishment to violators. However, the law has to provide compensations for law abiders.

didou

It is not a temple. It is Kanda Myojin Shrine. The shrine is believed to be a god of businesses. Jan. 4 is the first day of work of the year - Shigoto Hajime.

They think businesses as important as their lives.

Suga said the state of emergency will chiefly focuses on eating and drinking businesses. He is saying they have to die.

It is a matter of time cancellation of the Olympics is announced.

Mikoshi in matsuri is the symbol of Japan. Last year, they were all cancelled and this year seems the same. I went to Asakusa before to see the samba. I was disappointed seeing volumeless bodies of Japanese female dancers compared with dancers from Brazil.

They think they can contain the pandemic by issuing "state of emergency" weeks or months. It is an optimistic idea. If the bad situation continues a whole year in 2021, can the government pay compensation money to bankrupt businesses and job losers?

America is facing a crisis. All the merits of American society people believed - democracy, individualism, free economy, human rights, melting races are revealing weaknesses in fight against the pandemic. While China is bragging about their success containing the epidemic quickly under their authoritarian and totalitarian rules. Interesting to see the future in the 21st century.

Japanese people do not want a dictator-like leader. "Wa" is a key word to understand Japan.

It is easy for politicians to warn people about the pandemic and order lock down but they also have to float economy. Did Murakami say any good idea about it?