VicMOsaka comments

sangetsu03,

I also drive with both feet. You can stop in half the time it takes to move the right foot from the accelerator to the brake.

One problem with many later model cars now is that they drive by wire. You now use a transponder and start and stop the engine with a start/stop button. This means that you have no physically operated ignition switch. With the normal ignition switch, you can turn the key and cut the engine off.

It is well known that newer drive by wire vehicles can be hacked and and overide the engine computer which controls ABS brakes, transmission and accelerator etc. How do you turn off an engine when you have no ignition key and the stop button won't cut the ignition off ? A car with a mechanically operated ignition switch will always turn off an engine if by chance the accelerator was stuck. Also bear in mind that many later cars also do not have an accelerator cable direct from the pedal to the throttle body as in older vehicles.

Funny how all these problems happen in the USA but not in Japan, and now you never hear anymore on the acceleration problem.Time for the USA to return the money they stole from Toyota.

Raise the consumption tax and give it to Ukraine. What a joke. Help your own people who are suffering in Japan.

If you want some plausable theories, look up " Jim Stone Freelance Journalist. " He used to work at the NSA and has extensive technical knowledge and well versed in the fields of electronics.

gogogoMar. 13, 2014 - 09:25AM JST 3500yen a month increase? Just over 100 yen a day? that is not a pay increase it is an insult. ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

If you based it on a 40 hour week basis, it works just under 22 yen an hour. It is an insult. What about all the people on the minimum wage which is one of the lowest in the civilised countries of the world ? Take in to account some of the highest prices for consumer goods in the world.

Has anyone noticed all the price increases for food items in the supermarkets lately ? Why ? What happens when the tax increases in April ? Unless the minimum wage goes up, a lot of people will be struggling.

Isn't that around 8 yen extra per hour ? Sounds stupid doesn't it. Japan's minimum wage along with the USA is the lowest in the civilised world. Australia, France and New Zealand are at the top. At least prices of everything in the USA are far cheaper than goods in Japan. I guess young men in Japan on minimum wages will still have to live with mummy and daddy.

ApsaraMar. 10, 2014 - 06:53AM JST So the book-ripper's actions actually have had the opposite effect of what he/she intended- there will be more copies of Anne Frank books than ever in Tokyo libraries now, and for a while more peop================================

I would say that it has actually had the desired affect. Is it so hard to figure it out ?

EthanWilberMar. 08, 2014 - 10:07AM JST Have Americans sacrificed enough by putting their hard earned tax dollars to work, creating a secured environment for Japan to pursue prosperity and grow economy with low payment for defense spending? =======================

Who do you think pays for all the military in Okinawa ?

roughneckMar. 07, 2014 - 09:42AM JST Great...this should teach those Japanese greedy companies to move out of that freakland called China and invest in other asian countries.=========================================================================

You mean all those Japanese companies that give jobs to people ? I suppose you think all the workers are Japanese.

To those accusing Japan of wasting taxpayer's money. Recent news--------------------------------------------------------------------

Japan is to give $60bn to the International Monetary Fund's effort to expand its resources, pledging to lead the global effort to ... Only since February, when the Bank of Japan weakened the --------------------------------------------------------------

Would you rather see $200 million help displaced and persecuted people or send billions to the IMF ?

Glad to see that Japan will give help to the Palestinians. I hope more countries help them so that they can repair the terrible damage that Israel has done to them. Finally, the rest of the world can now see how they have been treated. They have land taken from them, their homes and buildings razed to the ground, their water wells poisoned and there fruit orchards ruined.

I know what they should do. Finalise TPP with the original instigators of TPP and sort out the US later on. The US only jumped on the band wagon later and took over the negotiations from the original countries who started it. It probably would be working now if the US hadn't pushed their way in.

I believe that TPP should only apply to the exchange of physical goods and items. That is my definition of trading.

No, it should not be a crime. Good news from Auschwitz.

According to official documents in the French Republic (institute for the Examination of War‑criminals) the number that died in Auschwitz was: 8,000,000 According to the French daily newspaper "Le Monde" (20 April, 1978): 5,000,000 According to the memorial plaque on the gas‑chamber monument at Auschwitz‑Birkenau (later removed in 1990 by the Polish Government): 4,000,000 According to the "confession" of Rudolf Hoess, the last commandant of Auschwitz. G.V. interrogation record and written statement [under extreme torture by his Jewish Interrogators] before his "suicide": 3,000,000 According to a statement by Yeduha Bauer, Director of the Institute for Contemporary Jewry at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem: 1,600,000 According to "La Monde" (1 September 1989): 1,433,000 According to Prof. Raul Hilberg (Professor for Holocaust Research, and author of the book, "The Annihilation of European Jewry," 2nd. ed. 1988: 1,250,000 According to Polish historians, G.V. DPA ‑ Report of July 1990 and corresponding public announcements: 1,100,000 According to Gerald Reitlinger, author of "Die Endlbsun": 850,000 In the autumn of 1989 the Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev opened Soviet archives, and the public saw for the first time, the complete register of deaths at Auschwitz ‑ which speaks as a key document of 74,000 dead.

U.S.-led Pacific free trade area, ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They didn't even start TPP. Who made them boss of TPP.

tmarieFeb. 19, 2014 - 08:53AM JST Japa has to seriously do something about the cost of food here. The poor people are not going ----------------------

I totally agree. Food prices are outrageous in this country. I quite often shop at the discount outlets where food is much cheaper and quantity is greater. Also, quality is much higher as they supply to restaurants. The imported foods are so much cheaper. I blame supermarkets for excessive markups which is obvious as you can purchase same items cheaper at special stores. Not totally related to food, but look at Daiso 100 yen shops where same or similar items go much cheaper than in places like Konan shops.

I see many of the same items from China that sell here for up to 3 times the amount as in other Western countries. Just look at prices on eBay.

The other big problem is the amount of duty levied on food products like rice, butter, cheese etc. Butter 360%, Rice 778%. I look forward to the day when I can buy cheaper New Zealand Butter, cheese etc. ( if I am still here ) We would love to do more home baking and cooking but ingredients being so overpriced make it not worthwhile.

Someone stated that they would prefer to buy Japanese products. I would also, but it's the problem of price. One thing is for sure. If TPP goes through, stores here will have to drop their excessive markups. We should hopefully be able to buy food buy the kg and not per item.

Eiji TakanoFeb. 17, 2014 - 10:24AM JST Japan has the lowest workers wages among all OECD nations.

And some of the highest prices for food, rent and goods. Ever wonder why so many middle aged kids live at home. Because on such low wages they can not afford to rent a reasonable apartment and pay for everything else and pay into an archaic pension collection system. Never mind, the powers to be, expect mum and dad to pay out of their pensions.

Number one highest minimum hourly rate is Turkey, 2nd is France, 3rd is New Zealand, 4th is Australia. Japan is number 21out of 22 countries. Report OECD 2011.

Take New Zealand as an example. Pension system is collected through tax. Public hospitals free, accident compensation for everyone funded by company employers, Good welfare for people in need. Although GST (consumption tax) is around 20 percent people benefit by not being robbed through other taxes. No death taxes or sales taxes additional to a consumption tax. Food is half the price or better than in Japan and coupled with a good minimum wage, people can live without hardship.

There are many skilled ex workers out of their jobs and now workiing at part time jobs at the miserable hourly rate of 900 or so Yen per hour. I believe that out in the country parts of Japan, minimum wage is under 700 Yen per hour. Why should a minim wage differ in different parts of the country ?

Did someone say " generous welfare"-- what a joke. Go live under a bridge or in a cardboard box.

AdamInOzFeb. 12, 2014 - 09:53AM JST I find it strange that all these posters saying New Zealand has no right asking for an apology are the same ones that support Japan when it complains about China entering its EEZ. -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hardly the same situation is it ?

Stressing the lack of scientific evidence that GMOs cause harm, -------------------------------------------------------------------------

That is a lie. There are many independent studies that show GMO food to be harmful to health. You only have to look at the poor health of many Americans to see that something is wrong.

Saw canned Japanese soy beans in the shops with distinct label " Non GMO " I hope everything gets labeled.

Has anyone noticed that a lot of food items have risen in price recently ? Fortunately, I buy from one of these special low price markets that carry Japanese and overseas food items. Miles cheaper. It is hard to believe that they can sell the same goods as in the supermarkets much cheaper, yet their buying power would not match the larger supermarket chains.

JeffLeeJan. 31, 2014 - 07:38AM JST They're on the wrong track. The accident was due to failures in the cooling system. Whoever designed and sited the main and backup cooling systems are the ones who should be punished.---------------------------------------------------------

The reason there were failures in the cooling system and power supply to the pumps was due to the Stuxnet virus which was planted in the system.There was no critical damage from the tsunami or earthquake.The public have been fed a lot of disinformation over Fukushima. Contrary to what most people have been told, the generators never got swamped by water.

I recommend people search " Jim Stone." He is very well versed on nuclear reactors and design and has special information on the Fukushima power plant and it's design. I will have to archive this as JT in the past has deleted my contraversial posts. The information is extensive.

People certainly won't feel any benefits while the Japanese minimum wage is one of the lowest in the civilised world coupled with the most expensive food in the world.

The 900 Yen charge for the Hanshin in Osaka is pure highway robbery. The Kinki is only 500 Yen and you can travel a long way which seems a reasonable cost for such a road toll system. Reminds me of the greedy parking fines of 15,000 yen for around 3 minutes or as fast as they can stick a ticket on the window.

These exorbitant charges only hurt everyone in the end through increased prices on goods. I would like to know how much traffic uses the Hanshin expressway now, compared to before. I know that I avoid using the highway as much as possible for my business travel. I would spend at least 10,000 yen less per week now.

They could at least start by legalising nutrional hemp seeds and other hemp products that can't even be smoked. Marijuana should be legalised especially for health use as it is well known to alleviate pain and beneficial for cancer sufferers.

Which is worse. Go to a shrine or kill people in other countries ?

How come they never pick on the other well known whaling nations ?

" The other TPP nations are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru and Singapore."

These countries were the initial instigators of TPP. Somewhere along the way, the USA inserted itself and became boss. I think Canada might be a new addition. What scares me about Canada and USA is that they will use TPP to force other countries to accept their GMO foods along with the laws that protect themselves and their products.

Sell them somewhere else.

Many workers in Japan are poor because they can only get part time work at a miserable hourly rate that does not even compare with other civilised countries. I know people, even people with special skills who are forced to succumb to such a system. They also work hard and are deserving of much better pay.

They certainly dont have time for surfing the net and wasting time. You cant blame people for having a bit of a splurge on lotto tickets- it`s probably the only hope they have. Anyway, buying stocks is just another form of gambling. That is poor advice for people who can not even manage to pay in to the archaic pension system which is just another tax in disguise.

darnnameNov. 04, 2013 - 05:55PM JST Since most manufacturing workers who need raises the most are now low-wage, no-benefits, no-vacation, part-time workers from "dispatch" companies, they won't be seeing any raises.---------------------------------------------------------------

Exactly right. The whole employment system in Japan is a disgrace. Employers just want to employ people part time without any benefits enjoyed by other workers in civilised countries at a miserable 800 yen or so hourly rate. Out of that, they have to pay in to the pension fund which is just another tax in disguise. Is it any wonder that 30 year olds have to live with their parents.

And, I bet the girls were riding 3 abreast at night with no lights on their bicycles. I don't condone what the man did, but people on bikes should obey traffic rules- for their own safety as well.

I come across them all the time when I am driving and they just don't budge and make you pass on the other side of the road. On the other hand, most boys on their bikes ride in single file and pay more attention to the cars coming from the rear.

HonestDictator.

These Marijuana smoking people you refer to that have problems, it's because they had their demons before they started. Plenty of people with mental problems who don't even smoke the stuff. Being homeless is not an indicator of smoking Marijuana-- If they do smoke, it's probably the only pleasure they have in their miserable lives. Plenty of homeless people in Japan but they aren't users of the stuff.