yyj72 comments

Posted in: Chinese naval fleet seen off northern Japan See in context

Navies hold drills together. It's what they do. Unless this the first time China and Russia have done so or there is something exceptional about this event, it isn't news.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Posted in: Widow of famed painter Hirayama concealed assets to avoid tax bill See in context

Payroll tax, income tax and inheritance tax are separate and distinct entities. They each have different payees. Payroll tax is applied to a business unit, income tax applied to the earned income of an individual. Inheritances are an unearned capital gain for their recipient. As these are separate and distinct sources of income/capital gain for different people and/or organizations, they do not constitute double taxation (unless the payee is trying to play a shell game in an attempt to evade paying one of them).

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Asiana to sue over crash names gaffe See in context

Smells like Asiana is grasping for a way to recoup what are sure to be huge losses. Good luck with that.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Widow of famed painter Hirayama concealed assets to avoid tax bill See in context

Inheritance taxes prevent the development of an entrenched aristocracy (as long as they're not evaded via the Cayman Islands). That's why they were created. You can look it up. Seriously. There are stats galore. Why should Duke so-and-so's grandchildren get a head start on life by virtue of birth? What about individual merit and effort? And spare us the libertarian circular claptrap. You don't government, go live in Somalia or Kandahar and see how much you like it.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Posted in: Widow of famed painter Hirayama concealed assets to avoid tax bill See in context

Inheritance taxes are a pillar of democracy. Without them you end up with an entrenched and corrupt aristocracy. In Japan, the current inheritance tax laws were introduced by the US during the post WWII occupation period precisely for these reasons. The goal was to do away with peerage, aristocracy, gentry and oversized landholders so that the common man could become a fuller participant in the economy and political life of the country. The laws were modelled on those in US, where they exist for the same reasons: foster democracy, stimulate economic activity and entrepreneurship, and create incentives for hard work and investment for each citizen in each generation. These laws were established in the US as a direct contrast to those in Europe, from which most American immigrants came in hopes of escaping the likes of royalty, lords, dukes, barons, kaisers and their ilk. Anyone who champions against inheritance taxes, whether they realize it or not, is undermining liberal democracy. Tell your kids to go to school and get a job like everyone else.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Posted in: China says Japan's defense paper 'ignores facts' See in context

I have a suspicion the Senkakus gambit is a diversion for China's real goal: the South China Sea. The SCS is vastly more important to China in strategic terms, on par with what the Caribbean does to the US.

12 ( +12 / -0 )

Posted in: 33% of Japanese think marriage is pointless: survey See in context

Thoughts on factors as to why so many marriages in Japan don't succeed:

married due to social pressure married out of fear of loneliness married mainly because of physical attraction addiction (e.g. to porn, commercial sex, alcohol, tobacco, work, gambling, golf, shopping, cosmetics, dining) rapid societal changes re marriage with little discussion between partners on their expectations for married life ("you wanted a dog and careeer instead of kids?!) sheer laziness ("mendokusai", "taihen", "mukatsuku", etc.)

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Posted in: 33% of Japanese think marriage is pointless: survey See in context

The sex life going south after having kids is hardly unique to Japan. In fact, I would wager that it's universal to one degree or another. There's certainly no shortage of discussion about it in the Anglophone media.

Also, divorce is not something to take pity on another for having gone through. On the contrary, it should viewed as a majorly positive development - it's way better for everyone's happiness, including for those around the couple, if they get out of their bad relationship rather than grind it out to the (very) bitter end. Just ask Louis CK: http://vimeo.com/45396737 For example, a good friend just got divorced from a J-girl who was a candidate for the most selfish, uncouth female on the island (thanks IMHO to slipshod parenting from an uninvolved father and doting timid mother). To borrow a phrase: she ain't pretty, she just looks that way. He was bummed at first, but now is thoroughly relieved he no longer has to pull aside his son from witnessing her petty tirades at customer service workers. You get the idea.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: 33% of Japanese think marriage is pointless: survey See in context

All of this speaks of the dire need for a better balancing of home and work roles between men and women in Japan. The current system of co-dependency and constrained options is killing people's happiness and causing them to misplace their priorities to the long-term detriment of the society. Marriage may not be for everyone, but it should not be seen as a potential prison sentence either.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: Facebook time See in context

More...INTENSITY!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Kanji skills decline in digital age See in context

The argument that kanji are "economical" because they require fewer symbols has been proven false by linguistic experts. Native speakers of alphabet-based languages do not read each letter in a word one by one, rather, they "see" the entire word and recognize its entire pattern visually in exactly the same way as kanji are recognized visually by Chinese or Japanese speakers. What makes an alphabet format superior is that each component of that visual symbol/word corresponds to a specific sound, whereas kanji components do not and usually veer off into abstraction. The Koreans figured this out and wisely ditched kanji for the hangul alphabet long ago (hangul is also nicely compact, and I think it it this "visual compactness" that Chinese and Japanese mistake for "economy"). That said, kanji are elegant and aesthetically pleasing (except when written in neon!).

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Posted in: Australia harpoons Japan's whaling program at U.N. court See in context

@Dilbert - not to mention filling the world's roads with cars and motor bikes and atmosphere with CO2.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Posted in: Tokyo delighted by positive IOC report on Olympic bid See in context

Definitely going to Istanbul, although nice of the IOC to offer bromides to Japan. Anyone remember Korea in the 1980s? Gwangju massacre in May 1980 followed by eight straight years of massive student riots and pitched anti-government street battles across the country, yet the Seoul '88 games went on as planned. The current fracas in Turkey pales in comparison to what was going on in Korea in the 1980s. Fact is, the IOC wants a games in the Middle East to follow the Americas (Rio '16), Europe (London '12), East Asia (Beijing '08) and Oceania (Sydney '00). Can you say Tokyo 2024?

<>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-05-24/news/8702080246_1_seoul-south-korea-president-chun-doo-hwan<>

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Hashimoto, Ishihara to stay on as Japan Restoration Party leaders See in context

It's just a flesh wound!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Zaccheroni under scrutiny after Japan exits Confederations Cup See in context

After failing to account for the weakness of the Asian pool, Japanese sports media are victims of their own over-hyping of the team and are now just using coach Maccaroni as a scapegoat.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Posted in: Social network gaffes plague Japanese politicians See in context

This imperious attitude is evidence stems from the fact that many of these leaders occupy positions due to family ties and pedigree rather than through superior skills of persuasion and dialogue. #nepotism #stop bullying.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

Posted in: Korean campaigns for removal of Japanese flag from French stores See in context

German military still uses the Iron Cross and marches to "Erika", a march tune composed for the Waffen SS in the 1930s. American military still uses Native American names for units and equipment (eg "Blackhawk" helicopter). British still use the Union Jack and Royal Coat of Arms to endorse their products and you don't see Indians shopping in Seoul department stores complaining about it. Unlike the Nazi flag, neither of these Japanese flags were created by a specific Japanese political party for its government regime. Like the above examples, these two flags can be associated with Japan's aggression in Asia in the 1930s,, but not exclusively.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Posted in: Japan losing diplomatic banquet battle to China See in context

Working level diplomats from developed democratic countries have a prestigious occupation no doubt, but anyone who thinks they are living high on the hog is carrying an image from a bygone era. They are most certainly not the 1%.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Japan losing diplomatic banquet battle to China See in context

The food at these events is supposed to be the representative cuisine of the country, but in most parts of the world it's tough to find authentic Japanese ingredients so the stuff is imported from Japan, adding to the cost. With Chinese food on the other hand...any old stir fry will suffice for the foreign palate - read up on the origins of "chop suey" for a classic example.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Posted in: Spielberg, Lucas warn of film industry 'implosion' See in context

In other words, the studio oligarchy is crumbling. Boohoo.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Posted in: Asia's low fertility rate opens opportunities in IVF market See in context

Vic, you forgot the #1 reason: it hurts like hell!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Stalker gets death sentence for murdering 2 relatives of his victim See in context

Stalking is rampant in Japan because young men rarely get taught the difference between stalking and "ganbaru-ing". Add it to the list of educational failings in the area of mental health and gender equality.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Handling nasty questions from nasty people See in context

If you don't know the answer, then say so and advise that you will look into it and promise to get back to them as soon as possible.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Middle-aged males suffering from epidemic of wife-induced disease See in context

One aspect of daily life in Japan that stands out for me is the degree to which tradionally masculine endeavour has been engineered out of existence. The country, especially in the cities, is so "safe" and "convenient" that it's often a complete bore. Pain in the arse though they may be, activities like shovelling snow, fixing a leak, changing a tire, building a fire, repairing a roof, chooping a fallen tree, etc. are rewarding, for men especially. I suspect many guys here feel emasculated and coddled. The buildup of frustration from this leads them to engage in all sorts of negative behaviour. Japan really needs a Fight Club.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Australia defends decision to leave asylum-seekers' bodies in ocean See in context

For the record, corpses do NOT pose a health risk. This comes straight from the Red Cross: <>http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/misc/health-bodies-140110.htm<>

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Facebook users in Japan losing interest See in context

Facebook users everywhere are losing interest. We didn't sign up for a rolling billboard.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Girls, girls, girls See in context

Got to admit, the Koreans gals have it when it comes to shapely legs.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Posted in: Japan to hold unprecedented military exercise in U.S. See in context

Although nobody actually does amphibious attacks anymore thanks to the helicopter and STOL aircraft like the Osprey. Former Defense Secretary Gates went so far as to openly question the need for the Marine Corps given that they were essentially performing Army infantry missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Posted in: Crazy, beautiful cafes in Tokyo and Yokohama See in context

Any places like these in Kansai readers can recommend?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Aging Japan complains over the noise of children See in context

It would help if it weren't the case that every single outdoor surface in a Japanese city is noise (and heat) amplifying. More trees and grass would dampen the sound and cool things down (including tempers).

4 ( +5 / -1 )

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