Yohan comments

SpeedToday 09:59 am JST

Use the money we spend on these American bases and personnel on rebuilding Japan's military.

I think so too. Why should Japan pay so much for the US military, it should work out a plan to reduce slowly over the coming years payments to the USA and USA in return should reduce more and more the presence of US servicemen in Japan.

proxyToday 09:53 am JST

Don't they have coin operated dispensers of menstrual products?

I was asking the same question myself. Japan has almost everywhere vending machines for almost everything.

There are vending machines for condoms in Japan, so why not for menstrual products?

Driving abroad, outside of Japan, you need the Japanese Driving Licence AND the International Driving Permit.

Both cannot be replaced with the MyNumber card. I will therefore continue to ask and pay for the Japanese Driving Licence. Insurance companies are also asking if the Driving Licence is BLUE or GOLD, what about car rental companies etc. How can they see what kind of driving licence is in the MyNumber card?

Maybe you have to go to a Convenience Store and print these data out, similar to a Hanko Shomei or Juminhyo?

patkim Mar. 14 10:27 pm JST

Now if he had people he could talk to or confide in, like good friends, or family he could feel comfortable talking with, they could empathize with him and make him forget about it. But I guess he didn't, so the breakup stewed inside his head and he couldn't let go of it.

This is a very kind and friendly advice, but I can tell you, for men it will not work. It's not only about women, but about almost every personal problem you might face as a man in your life.

So-called good friends and also co-workers will just laugh about you, expect also some scornful remarks considering you as a loser, and about family hardly any help - parents are not so young anymore and siblings and relatives often have not much contact among each other, and the man himself will remain silent anyway, because being worried to be belittled. As a man in most cases you have to overcome your problems by yourself, alone.

If you look up the social situation, most people who commit suicide are men, most people in prison are men, most people homeless are men ... and not only in Japan but worldwide.

This man has a sick fantasy and is dangerous. To be dumped by your female friend should never result in such hateful actions. He is harming himself severely too, no job anymore and face a prison sentence. For what?

I understand men if dumped by a female friend they are reacting more sensitive than most people might think and feel deeply hurt. It also takes a considerable while to find another female friend and dating as a man, it might also cost him quite a lot of money. To approach women for friendship is not easy and often frustrating if rejected countless times.

In contrast women have very little problem if a male friend is breaking up. It's much easier for them to get over it. Up to about 45 years old, there are always many more men than women registered in every dating site and with introduction agencies etc.. Just waiting and plenty of men will show up by themselves.

However such an unlucky situation cannot be an excuse or justification for what he did. If a woman dumps you and does not want you anymore, there is nothing what you can do about it. Stay calm, pack your things and leave and forget her. Try to start - despite it is not easy - a new life with entire new people.

There is one problem with people who argue against the death penalty: They are also against a whole life sentence in prison to replace the death penalty.

Their argument is always about everybody deserves a second chance and indeed in many countries without death penalty criminals are often released again after only a few years in jail and they commit crimes again against innocent citizens again.

I miss from all such people who feel so sorry for criminals any reference to what to do with their victims.

They show absolutely no compassion, no consideration for victims of crime and their families.

Honest citizens have a right to be protected too. What about them?

If even 14 year old boys manage to log into Rakuten Mobile system and create thousands of fraudulent contracts then something must be wrong with the data security of Rakuten.

It's not only Japan, it's an international problem about data security breach and online shopping/booking/banking going on.

FireyReiToday 02:59 pm JST

So many thumbs down for posts in defence of a victim of a terrible crime.

This is because several judges in several trials came to totally different conclusions.

If even several judges disagree with her, how can you expect that there are no ordinary citizens who will also not agree with all what she says.

Bobby FranksToday 09:32 pm JST

So many thumbs down for posts in defence of a victim …

Like in Freakonomics, we can better understand the “hidden side” when we consider that we have all these blind downvotes of those supporting the victim, Ms. Ito, but hardly any “real voices” critical of her.

I would say it is about 'blind downvotes of those NOT supporting the victim.

You might supportive to her and believe all and everything what she says but out of what evidence?

Solely because she is a woman and the accused is a man or out of what?

Of course you are entitled to your opinion and to believe only her and disregard what the accused says and what judges say.

However why should everybody agree with your opinion?

Judges are often very mistrusting, for example she was accusing him giving her a date rape drug - however the judge and another judge on appeal disagreed with her as she could not offer any evidence that he has done that. Who is wrong - she or these two judges?

If you cannot prove your accusation beyond reasonable doubt in the courtroom the sentence is one of acquittal for the accused and not only in Japan.

iknowallToday 08:12 am JST

Ito said in the statement that in seeking to prioritize the public interest, she decided to go ahead with using part of the unauthorized material, believing it "essential" to conveying the reality of sexual violence and "the only visual proof."

Ms. Ito is a hero.

Note that no criminal charges have been filed against her, and no civil claim or court order has been asserted against her.

Not sure how to understand this, do you refer only to her documentary film or also to her other publications?

I guess her film is similar with regard to content to her book.

The Japanese high court ordered Ito in 2019 to pay ¥550,000 to Yamaguchi for damages for defaming him by claiming in her book accusing him of giving her a date rape drug with no evidence. The top court upheld the lower court ruling.

The film should NOT be edited and shown in Japan as it is. Any forced editing is censorship and makes no sense as it is possible to see that film in Japan unedited via internet from various sources from abroad.

It's somehow similar to Cassie Jay and her film 'The Red Pill' in Australia 2016 about the Men's Right Movement.

The Red Pill film was shown in USA and various other countries, but Australian cinemas refused to show it. It turned out a good business for the filmmaker, her Red Pill DVDs and downloads from the internet were selling remarkably well in Australia.

To censor a documentary film in Japan which can be seen anyway via internet or DVD is merely a 'negative advertisement' for free for the film maker. It makes no sense.

Editing of Shiori Ito's film will make Japanese consumers only getting more curious to see the original and will order it anyway from abroad.

This dangerous person must never be released, stay in your cell up to end of your life.

Good to know that this violent man is locked away for a very long time.

I don't understand what such criminals are thinking, beating a 90 year old woman to death, for what?

If he enters a home as a burglar and is running away immediately without harming anybody with some stolen items and/or money in case somebody notices him, he would get away with a very lenient sentence.

Absolutely no excuse for what he did, life sentence is fully justified.

Typical Japanese spoiled brat and nothing mentioned about the father in this report.

Parents should never accept such a violent behavior from a 14 year old daughter.

Problems about the smartphone, it should be taken away, number blocked.

Firm discipline is in this case necessary from parents, no means no.

There is no law which says children have a human right to insist that parents must provide mobile phones, computers, pocket money for game center and such stuff for their children.

It is important to find out who is the dealer who is buying these stolen copper cables and what he did with them.

1200 m cables, worth more than 5 million yen, is not something like shoplifting or pickpocketing.

It's organized crime, done by habitual criminals.

About these 2 foreigners, who were stealing them from this power generation facility in a rural area, prison and followed by deportation.

Yen 150.000,- is not really such a big amount and Otofuke is a small city, these people took the money and were running away by foot, they cannot live far away.

If there are any cameras nearby, recordings might be helpful to find out who did this as they took his rucksack too. Not very professional, as experienced criminals always take only the cash money and throw the bag, wallet, ATM card etc immediately away to avoid to be identified.

The best is you carry with you only a minimum of cash money - pay whenever possible with creditcard, debitcard in supermarkets, gas stations and such places. Also keep only a minimum of cash in your home.

garypenToday 09:29 am JST

It's highly doubtful he will receive a 30-year sentence in a country where rapists often receive suspended sentences with zero incarceration, and even murderers receive sentences of only 15 years or even less.

He might be sentenced for 4 crimes and the sentence will be served concurrently.

30 years is the maximum sentence I think. Likely however sentenced to 12 years ( 4x 3 years concurrently), which means out in 3 years or less, something like that - just my guess.

Lot of information is missing, I guess he was attacking these women one by one, over 4 years one woman each year, likely these 4 women did not know each other.

Maybe 3 women remained silent, but the last one did not and was reporting him to police, just my guess.

Anyway, to lock this dangerous man away for the next decade will be the best solution.

Enjoy your retirement in a prison cell.

I would call this a victimless crime. Somehow wasting investigation time, which could be better used for clearing up other more serious crimes.

dbsaiyaFeb. 10 08:51 am JST

Only two things that I can get out of this. The first is don't drink to the point that you lose good judgment or worse, black out. 

This is for sure a good advice to PREVENT certain crimes IN GENERAL.

Many crimes, from pickpocketing up to rape happen only because the victim, (gender irrelevant) was fully drunk, does not remember anything what is going on around him or her.

In Japanese cities, if you walk around in some nightlife areas during late night, you will see many people, from young girls up to elderly men, hardly able to walk or sleeping in the street.

If something is going wrong to cry later on 'they should not do that to me' will not help you.

To say this is not victim blaming, it is about crime prevention.

girl_in_tokyoFeb. 10 09:45 am JST

She didn't drink until blacking out. He drugged her drink.

This is what she says, however the Japanese high court ordered Ito to pay ¥550,000 to Yamaguchi for damages for defaming him by claiming in her book accusing him of giving her a date rape drug with no evidence. 

Ito appealed this ruling, but on appeal different judges again ordered Itō to pay Yamaguchi ¥550,000 for defamation.

djv124Feb. 11 12:07 pm JST

This is going to be really unpopular, but I just want to play the Devil's advocate here and ask a few questions about this situation.

> I welcome constructive conversation about this topic, and please, no hate. This is Devil's Advocate talk only, to spark discussion.

There is nothing wrong with asking questions.

The case of Ito/Yamaguchi is a very exceptional confusing case, as various judges of different courts in different trials were unable to agree and came to different conclusions and made contradictionary rulings.

Yamaguchi therefore was never convicted in a criminal court, but ordered to pay compensation in a civil trial.

The case of Shiori Ito is confusing, as various judges in Japan in various penal and civil trials over years came to totally different conclusions. Both of them, Ito and Yamaguchi, filed lawsuits not only against each other, but also lawsuits against other people who disagreed with their statements related to their case.

Noriyuki Yamaguchi was acting stupidly. He should have helped her back to the hotel entrance and ask the staff to bring her to her room and say good bye.

About the film, I see no reason why it should not be released as it is.

People in Japan who want to see it should be allowed to see it and make up their own opinion about it.

Even if not allowed in Japanese cinemas, it can be seen uncensored via internet or ordering a DVD from somewhere abroad anyway.

This is plainly crazy. If you have a serious problem with your partner, just leave. Osaka is a wide area, easy to disappear.

Start a life with entire new people. No reason if one relationship fails to kill and/or to commit suicide.

the clerk says the other man struck him, opening a cut near his left eye

The cut near his left eye of this clerk is for real, it cannot be ignored and this is now the problem for this foreign tourist.

In Japan there are now not many shops which are offering plastic bags for free, the only shops I know are some bakeries and restaurants if you buy bread or order food for take out.

However as far as I know it is not only in Japan where shops are charging you for plastic bags.

BakabonPapaToday 09:00 am JST

Why didn't he just avail himself of the nearest urban red light district?

No need to walk around with a mobile phone taking pictures. You can find plenty of such stuff, international and domestic, for free download on the internet.

What a stupid man, risking a criminal record and his job for doing such a nonsense action.

A pedestrian bridge should be constructed over this railway crossing to make it possible for people to cross over the railway tracks even when the poles are down and trains are approaching.

How many times and for how many minutes is this railway crossing closed because of oncoming trains from both directions?

No intention to kill? If true why not to throw some eggs at him if you don't want to injure or kill him? However using a self-made bomb which debris were found even 60 meters away is attempted murder. No way to deny it.

sakurasukiToday 07:05 am JST

had already apologized and paid compensation.

It will give message that anyone can do the same thing in the future, with less consequence?

Why, because this is Japan.

Not only in Japan, almost everywhere, worldwide.

USA for example has the rather controversial plea bargain.

If the criminal has a lot of money and is willing - usually with lawyers acting on his behalf - to negotiate an agreement out of court and the victim accepts compensation money in return before sentencing, claiming the matter is settled, forgiven and forgotten, the chance for a very lenient sentence is very high.

For sure, not all criminals get the same sentence for identical crimes.

Of course for such a crime a suspended sentence is a joke. He should be sent to jail.

Legal loopholes which make this possible to escape prison for such crimes like in this case should be removed, change the laws. Such lenient suspended sentences should be impossible.

However in Japanese law to be willing to pay compensation (in general how much is not disclosed) to the victim before being sentenced plays a major role.

If the victim (and in this case the parents) accept compensation, it will result in a much more lenient sentence.

This is the dilemma for the victim like in this case to decide, either accept compensation and forgive the crime and to receive money in return at once - or to refuse and insist on long imprisonment for the criminal but face a long and often costly legal fight to receive compensation in a civil trial sometimes over years without any guarantee that the criminal who is serving jail time is even able or willing to pay after his release.

Likely lawyers for this man were able to convince the parents of this girl to accept compensation money and the parents agree to it, just my guess.

A serious crime. Whatever the reason, the man who did this has to be sent to jail for a long while. No justification, no excuse for what he did.

Such cases are frequently reported in the news, banks also warn about online scam all the time and I do not understand how a person can be so stupid and transfer yen 18 million to somebody she never met in her life.

How did she transfer this money and to which account? To abroad? Even if police find out who did this, I guess she will hardly see even a part of her money again.

MarkXToday 08:23 am JST

I've been here for 32 years and have never once seen anything like that, nor even heard of them.

I am living in Japan (Tokyo and Okayama) since 44 years and I also have never seen them, I did not even know that they exist.

I guess they are located in red-light districts with host/hostess/nightclubs and love hotels,  in areas I never go for a walk.