WhatMeWorry comments

My father was highly allergic to cats, developing rashes on his neck from contact. Problem was his girlfriend had cats. After four visits to the acupuncturist and was cured. He later had a cat that liked to sleep on his chest while my father read the newspaper.

Oh, I went to the Kohaku Uta Gassen with a benjo on my knee!

She's pregnant and just got "early retirement."

I agree with everyone, great article, great interview, a real actress with real, interesting, independent opinions that are outside of the accepted norm. A Japanese in the limelight who sees the farce that is Japanese media and society.

He probably read about a similar incident in a manga and thought he could pull it off. Too bad she wasn't on the "same page." BUSTED!!

I just assumed that that's what the high school baseball players were being trained for. They're marching and yelling cadence outside my window as I type now.

I think this points to the whole issue of workers' rights in Japan. Look at any industry and you will see workers are overworked, underpaid and abused so the fat cats upstairs can make more money. Worker and consumer rights in Japan are weak for the second largest economy in the world.

God bless Tamaki Matsuoka for her tireless, fearless work. Not only did she persevere, but she did so against her own country history and culture of ignoring what's in front of you. There are those out there who give a s.

First runner up Momoka Yoshida is smoking! Probably failed in the talent division.

I'll tell you what...few Japanese take English education very seriously. Most teachers and students rely too heavily on katakana pronunciation that when and if they do go abroad, no one can understand them. That's why so many go on group tours. My main role as an English teacher in schools is to offer native pronunciation. And what happens is I say a word, the teacher repeats it in katakana and the students repeat after the teacher. Flush. I will attest that New Yorkers DO seem angry and talk fast. I'm intimidated when I travel there.

As a foreigner, when we are signaled out, we feel it's because of who we are. When, upon further reflection, we see that even Japanese are signaled out for the same behavior. We probably just miss it because we're self-absorbed in our protective, "It's o.k., she's just a foreigner. We'll let it pass," bubble. I get away with so much because of this bubble. Why do you think Japanese are so uptight and then obnoxious when they get drunk and can finally let loose? They were raised under all the social rules and あかん's and だめ and stand up, sit down. They've learned to toe the line and stare straight ahead and not cause a scene. Although some/many do. To take it further, have you ever been descriminated against or felt signaled out because of your foreigness and thought about how it must feel for foreigners back "home?" It's much easier to be foreign here than in most places. Much easier.

SiouxChef is right. Most commentators don't think before they write. Of course, no one could imagine mutilating much less killing someone. But, if it's in your capacity, might as well try to deter detection and get rid of any and all evidence.

Becky is beautiful, cute and the realest tarento on TV. Most female tarento are so fake, it makes me want to punch them or worse, ignore them. The only female tarento I'd take over Becky would be Mori Izumi.

Elephunk: I thought your post was well balanced and accurate. You showed sensitivity but hit the nail on the head, so to speak. As a recipient of the ostracizing that is used in Japan as social control, I can tell you first hand its powerful effects. One's only choice is to conform with a forced smile on your face, a quick "hai," scurry to everything you do, and keep that "shigatenai" attitude. As a foreigner, at least I can wake myself up from the haze and say "f this." But you assessment is accurate and wasn't cruel as some posters are. I think many Japanese would also agree is they were honest or felt safe expressing their true feelings. Shigatenai.

This is the best news I've read on this site! It's wackiness broke the cold ice off of what is known as Japan, which has no real sense of humor.

Go for quads. But, if you don't execute them well, you will be deducted points and may not win, cry baby!

Signing the Hague Treaty is just one step to meliorating this problem. It still won't change the authors stated facts regarding domestic divorce. It will only protect foreign parents whose children are taken back to Japan. Japanese laws must change to allow joint custody. After exhaustive research, the problem is the courts have no teeth in Japan to enforce any custody ruling. So, even if they did offer joint custody, the Japanese spouse could still deny visitation and the foreign spouse would be hard pressed to get justice. This is where it stands. Continue the fight for the Hague Treaty signature but also begin and "level up" the fight for changed domestic laws as well!

The thought just occurred to me, they really ought to chuck the female school uniform. They're of no use anymore. Cold in the winter, too enticing, abused by their wearers. Put everyone in slacks and maybe some of these guys will cool down and chase older women.

I appreciate what bobbafett has to say. I'm glad there is at least one success story out there. Good for him and more importantly, good for his kids. What I would like to see along with Japan signing the Hague Convention treaty is for Japan to update its family law. Allow joint custody; make provisions to enforce divorce agreements in particular visitation rights and not 2 hours per month--significant visitation so children can be with both parents. I had to rug pulled out from me as well. I was very supportive, helped with childcare, cleaning, etc. and was emotionally and verbally abused (foreign male). Everywhere I turned, I found no help. I had to stick around and suffer or leave and lose my son. I eventually chose the latter after death threats. When I went to a lawyer, he laughed, not at me, but because he knew there was nothing I could do. Muri. The story goes on, but I just wish Japan would change its domestic family law for the children's sake.

Stream of consciousness thoughts: I think Japanese people and their society are way too uptight about all the social rules and observances that one must keep. Housewives are more interested in toeing the line and keep up appearances than living a relaxed, carefree life. I don't think Japanese get bent out-of-shape over a lack of sex--I watched a home reform show where the seemingly hip parents showed-off their separate bedrooms. In many households, parents and kids share the same bedroom until 7 or 8. Sir Isaac Newton was abstinent. It seems sex in Japan has two aims: to snare a husband and have a child(ren). Then, you're on your own. Unless you live in a metropolitan area, get a broadband connection and a box of tissues.

She'll leave him once she gets what she came for, a baby.

5SpeedRacer5--Big lol!

He could make more money passing out tissues for a week.

But he doesn't like the cold. Plus, that would cut into his pachinko time. There's this one machine that I SWEAR is gonna pay off soon...just gotta keep the knob turned to just the right angle and...

These comments felt like a drug binge; At first I was giggling. Then, I was laughing out loud and felt like I could tackle any challenge that came my way. Then they started to take themselves and this sad/stupid story WAY too serious and I started crashing. By the end, I was depressed again and had to look to score another JT story fix hopefully with some good comments.

It being an affair aside, the guy was dumped after 10 years and not sure what the circumstances were. But, I'm sure he's heartbroken and wants to talk and reconcile if possible. Obviously, she doesn't. He probably ran into financial difficulties and couldn't afford her anymore. Just a hunch.

I agree with MoBass4u, before are too quick to criticize Japan when in their own country a similar situation is far worse. The article says she may have been first stabbed in a car, thus the wounds to the legs (argument, driver reaches over and stabs legs repeatedly). He's violent, drags her up to the apartment (trail of blood), throws her on the floor and stabs her in the back, in a fit of rage, shame, out of control, jumps out of window.

BTW, what's "tosh?"

Good book. Read this review, ordered it. Definitely a page-turner.

Many advocate not eating farmed fish for carcinogens found in their bodies, including the chemical given farmed salmon to give them their orange color. Fish was once considered the best "meat" and now all are considered contaminated to some degree with mercury.

I couldn't find it anywhere on the web and I'm probably misspelling it, but when my wife is pissed, like the layman juror in this article, she says something like "harakatatsu" followed by the ever popular, "kuso."

She's part of the outer shell that is the Japan façade. You've all said it: just visiting, signing up for distance learning, probably an assistant will actually do the coursework. Such a weird story beginning to end.