yessir comments

Happy to no longer live in the USA. Thank you Japan for having gun control.

Send the soldiers and their bases to Senkaku Islands, three problems solved.

If a girl acts like this, she's one-night-stand material. I'd never bother afterwards.

The sample of participants here is quite limited, don't you think? Mostly 20-somethings here for a week. Who cares what young tourists think? They don't see the same Japan that your readers (who probably live here) do.

Tokyo is great for the charm and grace of the Japanese people, it's safety, and wonderful variety of foods, cafes and restaurants. But visually it's limited to small pockets of 'finds'. Although it can be a great tangle to navigate, and tiresome if you have to go across town, it can be done relatively quickly without the frustration of street-scammers, delays, and strikes. It all works well. BUT it's not pretty like San Francisco, Paris, Prague, Barcelona, or Rome. I guess you can't have it all, but I can work with this and appreciate what's here.

Public idiocy is a major prerequisite to be a politician in all countries.

Perhaps, just maybe, the cart was put in front of the horse. What a shock that the J-gov can't or doesn't want to subsidize airfare for gaijins.

Both parents working at 9pm? And leaving the kids home alone while so young. Sounds like a tragic wake-up call to the parents.

I'm 53 and healthy, with 25 years experience and can't even get an interview, much less hope for a chance at a job. I thought the Japanese constitution says one cannot discriminate against gender, age, creed or color, but yet it's a daily practice.

Wow...what an interesting assortment of comments. To the westerners, this seems pretty obvious, but the study shows how oblivious many Japanese can be about relationships. The work ethic in Japan seems to be held higher than any other priority, and becomes the basis for a 'common sense'. The excuse of 'I have to work' is never doubted, and everyone seems to engage in the practice at the expense of socializing with friends and family. New Years, a wedding or a funeral is the only time many show their faces.

As a westerner married to an even-keeled Japanese woman, I don't have the complaints of some here, but I too have observed the falling off of affection after our first child was born. However, it happens in many cultures, and my US and European friends complain about it loudly. There's definitely a psychological change many women of ALL cultures go through once their equipment converts from recreational to reproductive.

Having been married previously to an American-born nut-job, I recommend documenting the behavior (video, audio, witnesses, AND photos) and getting out whether you have kids or not as soon as your 'sweety' makes threatening gestures or wishing death on you. I was too young to know how to deal with my previous situation, and it just got worse. The kids will suffer in this environment more than if you're not there. Or take the kids with you and leave the country. One could attempt to make the in-laws aware of the situation, but chances are that their behavior is being echoed by their son or daughter, it's just the way that 'the Tanakas' carry on in private.

My heart goes out to those that are suffering through this. No one could blame them if they hook-up with someone else, but it's not going to solve their more immediate and bigger problem.

It's very possible that the seat belt was unknowingly released by the other child or a bag or parcel set on top of the latch. I've personally had this happen a few times and always check my kid's car seat. I live in Gunma, and I'm surprised how many moms and dads let their little ones stand freely in a moving vehicle (and sometimes while eating dango or yakitori off of skewers). It's only a matter of time before another little one is going to be ejected from a car.

I'm American. Do I want a US-made car? Never did, thank you. Do I want one to drive in Japan when gas is almost $8/gallon, where the car wouldn't corner well in most Japanese cities and towns, and parking would be a real pain? Again, no thanks.