Zenpun comments

detlef langerMay. 20, 2014 - 03:48PM JST

Martial law is declared by a government (whether democratically elected or not), not by the army)

At the moment Thai has only care taker government. It is also powerless due to lack of support from high court, Arm Force and monarch. Unlike the west, populist government can not survive without the support from dominated elite of Bangkok. Although they are minority, they do not concern the opinion of the rest of Thai.

That care taker government was elected democratically however it has been reduced many members. Former PM even could not use media for communication. She needed to use facebook and twitter for communicating with citizens. If the elected PM has been treated like that in Switzerland, armed civilians (para military) will respond swiftly with their bullets to the thugs.

If it's "declared" by the army, it is a coup. plain and simple.

Military has been waiting patiently for six months for reconciliation between government and opponents. 27 lives have been lost and 107 people have been injured. Although I am not Thai national, I support the Thai military for restoring law and order. It is good for western tourists too. They will not be responsible for civilian administration except security and media. Otherwise there will be more bloodshed and lawlessness. It is not coup. It is restoring law, order and peace from chaos. Plain and simple.

Tohka May. 16, 2014 - 02:12PM JST

It is not true. One Chinese national driving Japanese car was badly bashed. However he did not die. He got some trauma and his brain has swelled. I did not support PRC mobs and their actions. However PRC security force are heavy handed even for foreign journalists. It is good for security and law and order. Thanks God I have the business in PRC and Cambodia. Not in the wild west and lawless Vietnam.

MyJT2014May. 16, 2014 - 02:44PM JST

Burning Japanese factories is ok but it is not ok to burn Chinese factories?

If you refer to Tohka post no Japanese has been harmed in PRC riot. Again your post is exaggerated. Burning Japanese flag has existed. No Japanese factories have been burned. Some Japanese shops have been hit with stones by Mobs. However no Japanese has got scratch like Vietnam riot. Unlike Vietnamese uncivilized thugs and murderers, they did not kill anyone. Vietnamese mobs can not choose which one is Japanese or Korean or Mainland Chinese because they are illiterate for English, Japanese,Chinese and Korean language. What ever you have defended Vietnam, Vietnam mobs have foreigners blood. They will be sent to the local court according local law.

As the Taiwanese news agency CNA reported, the rioters targeted factories “with signs bearing Chinese characters or those with Chinese nationals as managers, many of which are actually Taiwanese companies.” Factories owned by Japanese, South Korean, and Singaporean citizens were also damaged in the riots.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-05-14/vietnamese-mob-burns-foreign-factories-anti-china-riots

MyJT2014MAY. 16, 2014 - 11:06AM JST

Take one to no one, Chinese people went on a rampaged and destroyed Japanese factories. What is the different?

The difference is no one died during PRC riot and one factory has been burned in China. Some Japanese shops, properties and car have been damaged. Scale was smaller than Vietnam riot. Vietnam has over reacted to foreign business. If Vietnam is not happy, they should send navy to Paracel Island. Burning foreign factories will not make any difference for territory dispute.

I guess mainland Chinese authority are more protective for foreigners. In Shanghai, there are many Japanese business people during the riot. They could sleep soundly at night. Vietnamese mobs may be encouraged by local authority.

Paul Laimal-ConvoyMay. 13, 2014 - 05:47PM JST75

As much as the American version may flop, I severely doubt any Japanese can make a live action film that's any good, simply because the majority of Japanese actors can't actually act.

Speed known as Keanu Reeves masterpiece has copied major elements of the Japanese movie called as Bullet Train of 1975. Leading actor of Bullet is Ken Takakura. According Keanu confession Japanese macho actors such as Toshio Mifune, Ken Takakura, Hiroyuki Sanada and Tetsuo Tamba are role models for his action movies characters. Keanu was a fan of that actors. That actors were not fans of Keanu.

Shall we dance remade with US version has also outstanding Japanese actors and actress acting skills. When I watched Gozilla vs Hedora back in 1970s, the ending was so emotional with cinematic climax . Godzilla sadly farewelled young boy and went back inside Pacific Ocean. The young boy keep running and calling loudly Godzilla until it disappeared totally.

Although I am not a Japanese, I totally supported nothing can beat Japanese Godzilla Charm, fearlessness and gangster manner . American Godzilla looks more like overweight Lizard and lacking the charms, physical expression and interesting character.

Even western movies made by Italy were more entertaining and exciting than American made cowboys movies. Fistful of dollars and For a few dollars more are still masterpiece as good spaghetti western movies.

“Any ‘abuse’ came in the aftermath, when I was made a scapegoat in order to protect his powerful position,” she added

If Old Clinton is the doctor who enjoyed free oral message from young and naive female patient, he will lose his licence and being prosecuted for misconduct.

However he was the President of USA. Therefore he is completely innocent as Saint. He has dishonored white house with his infamous cigar and dirty coat. However he could get away without any charges. It was the injustice.

tokyo-sta rMAY. 04, 2014 - 05:20PM JST

to practice defending a tiny island with trillions in untapped natural resources

How deep to explore and send the untapped natural resources on the shore from off shore? If the dept is more than 5000 km, no mining company will assume that it is commercially liable. If that off shore mining project will cost trillions for getting back trillions, it is more economic for leaving untapped natural resources under sea instead of herculian effort for untapping. If that island can make trillions, US has not returned back to Japan for administration for commercial interest. Fixed!

armed conflict between these two Asian behemoths could spark an international crisis

Obviously many posters do not realize that PRC and Taiwan ships have come and go there for many decades for fishing interest. Although Japan has been unhappy, it has been impotent for geographic reality. So far no gun shot has fired from all parties. Besides that not many Marines can not land on that rocky island. Without ground force from any nation, anyone claiming as real landlord is largely symbolic. When JT posters get old and grey, media will be still keep inflaming as the world will be ended because of Senkaku conflict.

The tension of that rocky and inhabited island is more about national pride rather than fantasy of getting untapped trillions worth of resources. More likely end of the world may come from Ukraine and Syria which has manufactured blood shed and body bags.

Triumvere May. 01, 2014 - 04:59PM JST

Ukraine will be split nearly in half. Sanctions may indeed prove counterproductive,

Kosovo nightmare has revisited to Ukraine. When the ethnic Albanians of Kosovo wanted to split from Serbia, NATO shamelessly supported with merciless air strikes to the host nation of Serbia. If the ethnic Albanians wanted to join with Albania, they should go back to where their ancestors come from. However west had no concern about Serbia national unity and dignity. They divided unfairly and unjustly Kosovo from Serbia. There are some similarities between Serbia and Ukraine about Super power domination of their domestic politics.

Russia should refrain from intervention to neighbors politics. US should refrain from manufacturing Arab spring or Arab nightmare in anywhere else in the world. Both nations are parasite for war peace and stability.

YuriOtani Apr. 30, 2014 - 12:04PM JST

Putin is very clever when Japan is suffering and Honest Abe is kissing Obama censored,

Well said Yuri! Abe is dreaming about getting some of Islands back from Russia. However he kissed Obama boots instead of Putin. He will not see NT will become part Japan in his lifetime.

Japan economy is in the life support. Japan needs Russia more than other way around. LNG and Wheat are imported from Russia. Not from US. If Russia increase the price of wheat and gas, Japanese residents will shiver in the cold winter. US wants Japan to play the hunger and freezing game for pointless sanction of Russians .

Shumatsu_SamuraiAPR. 24, 2014 - 10:45PM JST

But in this case Mitsui was being sued by the descendants of a now defunct company - which as was pointed out would have been nationalized by the Communists

Octagon is correct. If My company is liquidated or no longer paying outstanding debt, the bank or appointed administrator will seize my company physical assets such as trucks, land and warehouses. In the reality, if I owe you some debt, you will never get back 100% of your money back. It will be luck to get back some of the portion of debt.

As an contractual obligation, the court can seize my house, car and bank account for honoring the debt. I do not see anything wrong about the court seized Mitsui ships on the behalf of Plantiffs. The only abnormality is it takes too long for settlement and timing is so sudden Dependents of borrower who are still in the business still liable for outstanding debt to the successors of other failed business. The meaning is sate owned company. Not the private company.

Only in China, where the law is whatever the CCP says it is, was this case possible.

The case were filed in the court 1988. It was long before the political tension between two states. Not only in China, Singapore, Qatar and middle eastern nations have state owned company chasing the outstanding debt of their purchased company. Can we say that nations laws are same as PRC law?

Debt will never settle unless repay according the contract even borrower and creditor are no longer alive. In the court, that argument of successor is state owned company not the original private company is invalid. PRC law was copied by HK style British commercial and company law.

@Marcelito

Young people are energetic, smart and heavy liters of the economy. However capital is the creator of job opportunities. Without someone risks his or her money for business, there will be no jobs for that reproductive young people. Japan is struggling to create the jobs for army of young graduates for every year. Young will not be young forever. They will be old too.

US has many young immigrants from south America. However they can barely lift the GDP of US unlike Google, Apple, Sun Micro system and Intel Inc. These co-operations are backbone of US economy. When the young people reproduce the unwanted off spring, US have to foot the bill for medical expense, child care and education.

Japan is not USA which is rich in natural resources and having the vast land. Japan has no Obamacare. Japan has Abenomics which is increasing the cost of living. Immigration is not magic wand for Japan ailing economy and demographic time bomb.

sfjp330 APR. 16, 2014 - 08:43AM JST

This rejection of immigration not only bodes ill for the future of Japan’s retirement system,

US is the most generous nation for immigration. However immigrants caused more burden for US social welfare system. Most of them are opportunists instead of contributors. If immigrants will bring their family with little income, it will put more pressure on infrastructure, health care and environment. During the boom years of 1990s, almost all of the skilled immigrants enjoyed the relatively stable and well paid employment in US. After 2008, there are not many job opportunities for skilled immigrants even highly skilled Americans. Importing skilled people needed investing billions for boosting the economic growth and infrastructure.

country of the pool of workers, artists, scientists and inventors that immigrants represent for the U.S., Western Europe and Australia

Some skilled immigrants contributed the economies of west. However not all of them are successful in the west. Instead of importing skilled immigrants, business immigrants who are cashed up is more desirable for Japanese economy and social welfare. If someone can contribute 10 million dollars for Japanese retirement fund, he or she will be offered as permanent resident. It is win win for both Japan and immigrants.

The real winners are Australian families, rather than our farmers/exporters, as they'll soon be able to purchase family vehicles (needed to traverse our large landmass) at greatly reduced prices (well more or less).

The real losers are Australian families, rather than our farmers/exporters, as they'll soon be realized that cutting 5% duty on small and mid-sized Japanese cars will not make any significant difference for overall sale price of imported Japanese cars. Market will not make special concession for Australian consumers with price. Instead they will supply extra features in their cars with same price. However not everyone will be interested in extra features.

http://www.caradvice.com.au/280688/japanese-car-makers-weighing-up-how-to-pass-on-free-trade-agreement-benefits/

Honda Civic, Accord and Jazz are made in Thailand with Japanese design. Therefore that deal will not make any impact about the cheaper deals for the Honda fans of Australian consumers.

Although it's worth pointing out the irony that much of Australia's large scale ag producers are owned by Japanese firms (ie; Nippon Meats, Dairy Farmers).

Japan has insecurity about the food and energy supply. As you posted, large organization of high volume producers of Australian food industry are owned by Japanese Inc. The outcome is Japanese are partially controlling the Australian food supply chain regardless of FTA. On the contrary, Aussie are powerless to push down the price of Japanese imported cars and consumer electronics.

The winner of the freer trade( Not the free trade) deal is Japan. Not the Australia.

Tokyo was hoping that a free trade agreement agreed with Canberra this week, which will see tariffs on Australian beef slashed, would help bounce Washington into compromises, but U.S. diplomats appear to have stood firm.

Free trade agreement should be zero tariff without any bias for import and export. If there is still have some tariffs, it should be called as freer trade agreement. However Aussie farm industry still have to pay some tariff for their beef export. The biggest loser is Aussie dairy producers who still have to pay the same old rate of 29.5% tarriff.

Japan gets zero tariffs on Japanese cars immediately, Austrailan exports get tariffs reduced to only 20% to 23% over a 15 year period.

Some farmers may be no longer alive when Aussie export gets less tariffs in the future. It is such a joke for Canbarra for singing unfair trade agreement for narrow political agenda. Japan needs Australian gas, food and commodity like thristy man needed water. It is not the other way around for Aussie for buying Japanese cars, cameras and TVs. Therefore Washiton needs to stand firm for getting better and fairer deal with Japan unlike weak Canberra. Washington is not Canberra.

Japanese farmers make the sweetest and tastiest rice on that earth. No rice can beat Japanese rice for making the Sushi. However it has the high GI. Therefore it is not healthy as brown rice.

Thanks to Riki Hashizume for making tipping free zone in NY.

Tipping is the corruption or robbery of waiters like politicians. If waiter is expecting more tips for favorable treatment for particular customer, it is like the ransom demand or black mailing driven by greed. If waiter is demanding more from customers, it is the robbery against the customers will.

Some former British colonies such as Australia, HK and Singapore has Independent commission against corruption for monitoring Bureaucrats and public servants indecent income from corruption. The same theory should apply to low paid staff for controlling their greed. Being the waiter means he or she can not expect the income of Neurosurgeon.

In US, tipping is the entitlement mentality for low paid workers like Mitt Rodney example of 43% who have never paid Tax and expect some welfare and concessions from authority. Putting the food on the table is not super human effort. It is morally and culturally corrupted custom.

YuriOtani Mar. 20, 2014 - 12:02PM JST

Japan becoming dependent on Russian gas/oil. So Abe will you look after Japan's best interests or be an apple polisher for America?

Well Said Yuri! If there is no more wheat from Russia, there will be no more noddles and breads can be made cheaply in Japan. Of course, Japan can import wheat from other nations. Russia is the door step of Japan. Importing from Russia is cheaper than others.

If Russia want to punish Abe, they will increase the price of Gas, Oil and Wheat. If Abe does not want to pay more, he has to make other Fukushima nuclear power plants. US is the burden of Japan foreign relation for energy and food security.

Japan, the way they're going may soon need help from Korea to buy their debt. Does that answer your question about Korea?

If the trend is unchanged for another decade and there are no natural disasters or wars in both Japan and ROK, Japan will be new Greece of Asia and ROK will become Germany of Asia which will help Greece.

three Chinese military planes that flew near Japanese airspace, defense officials said.

China and Japan are near by neighbours like US and Canada. US expanded ADIZ as very large size. It has been overlapped with Canada air space. Therefore Canada planes have to fly very near US air space. US has never shot down Canada military plane so far.

It is also true that Japan has never shot down the PRC military plane which flew near Japan ADIZ so far. Japan is smaller than Montana state. However Japan ADIZ is five times larger than Montana. If PRC plane fly near the Japan air space, it is not the fault of their planes. It is the fault of Japan which has expanded unreasonable large Air zone.

Russia needs to respect International law and return all of them back to Japan

US has no moral ground to lecture Russia about respecting international law. US by itself has never respected international law for invading and bullying smaller nations. Currently Obama has been killing innocent babies and villagers of Yemen, Pakistan, Afgan and Somalia with drones. It is not according the international law.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/25/world/asia/pakistan-us-drone-strikes/

Before Irag war UN security council against the US fabricated WMD for invasion. However US stubbornly went a head of invading Irag without the resolution of UN. It is against the international law.

During Kosovo war, NATO led by US supported KLA which were the terrorists with Air strike. Before the war, they were black listed by Washington. However it became the darling of west suddenly. Due to unfair intervention of west, Serbia has been integrated as many states. Of course Albanians are majority in Kosovo for making the liberation. According the same logic, Russians are majority in Crimea. If they want to make referendum for choosing their destiny, It should be allowed as Kosovo.

Russia is doing the same thing as US before. Although it it questionable that it is lawful or not, US by itself has never respected international law and other opinions. It has double standard about making wild-west adventure by itself. If US want Russia to withdraw from Crimea, using the force is only the solution. Economic embargo and trade sanction will be retaliated by Russia with natural gas weapon. Russia also has major trading nation like PRC which market size is larger than EU.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/07/opinion/putin-western-hypocrosy/

More tigers, less pandas, please.

Some pandas can entertain people with dance if they have been trained. Pandas do not maul the zoo keepers, villagers, cattle and babies like Tiger. What is the contribution of Tiger to the society? Life of Pi?

More Pandas, Less Tigers, please.

Beijing’s spending could match that of Washington by the 2030s, the International Institute for Strategic Studies said in February, but added that its capabilities, expertise and ability to project power would require several more years to catch up

In 2030, more than 65% of adult population of US will survive with food vouchers. Due to the low birth rate of white women, most of the service men will be Latinos and Asians. Their loyalty are questionable for Washington. Due to high unemployment and very low tax, Washington will reluctantly sell aircraft carriers, fighter jets and Sub Marines to Beijing with discount price.

As usual bargain hunter Beijing will refurbish them like the new ones. Beijing strategy is not spending fortune for research and development. They will pirate the technology. They will buy dump goods of Russia and US with discount price. After refurbishing them, Beijing will show off second hand goods blue water navy to the world.

Correction to Athletes post as

Half the people there are Albanians in Kosovo. Not the Mexicans.

In other words, put me back in power, dammit!

He is democratically elected President as Obama. If he is corrupted, he can be prosecuted in the court. Other option is the making independent commission against corruption. According the common law, everyone has presumption of innocence.

Many nations have forced their elected leaders with Mobs on the road. If Mobs can change the government, that nation is ruled by lawless gangsters.

Why does Korea keep moaning about issues that have been mutually resolved? They are like spoilt children.

Why does Japan keep revising about issues that have been formally apologized? Revisionists and Deniers have offended and down-graded that all old women as willing prostitutes. That issue is pride, dignity and honesty of women who gave evidence before. Now they have become Con Artists according J government.

Japan revisionists should grow up with maturity.

Korean soldiers raped Vietnamese ladies during Vietnam war. Unlike J revisionists, Korean government and media never denied that they were Angles who have been transported to earth by Sun Goddess. There will be rotten tomatoes in every society.

Honesty is the most precious thing on that earth.

sfjp330FEB. 27, 2014 - 09:19AM JST

The objective is to not to find the truth but what’s right for you. Your superior is always right in China.

It is very true in US congress, white house and Virginia house of delegates. They have been heavily influenced by powerful lobby groups NRA, wealthy business men and cashed up Korean nationalists for winning votes and donations.

In US, many powerless citizens lobbied for safety of children for not being butchered . However their truth has not been prevailed due to the superior mentality of NRA intervention.

Canada never even trailed in Sochi while winning its record ninth Olympic hockey gold medal — its first outside North America since 1952 — and joining the women’s team to complete Canada’s second straight Olympic hockey sweep

O' Canada! Congratulation for winning both men and women hockey golds. It is rare for any nation winning consecutively. Canada defense was solid as great wall. However I am not convinced that gold keeper can use the hand for catching a puck. He should be suspended from the game.

That victory is more glorious for Canada becasue it is not in North America soil.

Gj Sotnikova , I am so glad that she won .

No offfence to her fans. In my humble eyes, her landing is not very neat and decent. It is doubtful she won with merit.

heynong Feb. 18, 2014 - 11:28AM JST

Thanks a lot for sending Scholarly research link which is very informative. It has more credible and balanced because the research was based on Japanese scholar too.

CH3CHO

In year 2000, how many of defendants have survived? At the end of World War II, the Japanese military destroyed or withheld many documents on the comfort stations system.Nevertheless, some important documents survived, such as the one uncovered in 1992 by Professor Yoshiaki Yoshimi. Lawyers have to research for months and years for their thesis for getting post graduate degree. They have to travel to the relevant locations too. Lawyers research are more real because they have to show their documents in the court. They can not cheat or lie to the international court. If they have done, it will be professional misconduct.

It is from heynong link. I have read it for five times because it was come from Japanese comfort station record.

In 1992 by Professor Yoshiaki Yoshimi, the author of a book entitled Comfort Women. 3 This memorandum,entitled "Matters Concerning the Recruitment of Women to Work in Military Comfort Stations" ("Recruitment Memo"), 4 was sent on March 4, 1938, by adjutant in the Japanese War Ministry to the Chiefs of Staff of the North China Area Army and the Central China Expeditionary Force.*

Most of the rape cases were before the rape of Nanking. Japanese soldiers were committing rape indiscriminately and on a large scale, they often contracted venereal diseases and other illnesses.These diseases caused loss of strength and required expensive medical treatment before soldiers and officers could resume their war duties. Military oversight of the comfort stations, even where the facilities were run by private operators,included medical examination of the women by Japanese military doctors to assert their virginity and health, thus reducing the incidence of venereal diseaseand the attendant loss of manpower and expense of treatment.

That horror of Rape of Nanking reached Emperor Hirohito, who was appalled by the negative image of the Imperial Army that the incident had created. According to Japanese historians, the Emperor asked his Ministers,Counselors and Military Chiefs to devise ways to restore the "honor of Japan"and stop the condemnation by the international press. The Emperor's aides proposed two ideas. The first was a reform of the Military Code, a task in whichthe Emperor as well as his Army and Navy Commanders, and his Ministers were involved. The second was the creation and systematic extension of what the Japanese military euphemistically called "comfort stations."

Comfort stations are for long term pleasure machines supported by emperor. Gang rape cases which were committed by individual were not authorized by emperor. Although it was free, emperor worried about the sexually transmitted deceases and bad publicity.

Both major political parties have for two decades pursued policies of economic liberalisation to make Australia’s economy more competitive in a global market, says Peter Reith, a senior minister under former PM John Howard

The fact that Au is uncompetitive in a global market is done by Au politicians by themselves. Current PM Tony Abbot pay check and perks are so generous for international standard. He is the role model for public. He should be competitive too. If he asks the question for himself such as Does I deseve to receive such a generous pay and condition? Can I make Au GDP rise to 7.5%? Can I lift the export? Can I make Au unemployment rate below 2.5%? The same questions apply to Au work force as whether they are competitive or uncompetitive.

“Mining is slowing down,” he added. “If that slowdown continues and intersects with layoffs in manufacturing, then I think the government is going to face a very difficult situation in the medium-term.”

Mining is the backbone of Au economy. Successive Au government hopes that mining boom will last forever. Reality is not. Government did not save money during boom time and spend surplus for political gain. When the good time is over, the government have to sell public assets for paying the salaries and bills. If there are no more public assets left over, government have to sell the land piece by piece. It is also the fault of politicians who have made band aid approach for fixing the economy.

Government is the doctor. Economy is the dying patient. For saving the patient, Government needs to be brave and making the extremely touch desicion such as amputation.

Generally Au has four weeks paid leave. For teaching and health care staff, they may be entitled for five weeks. For new staff of manufacturing industry is entitled for five days of paid sick leave. The longer the service, the longer he will receive the paid sick leaves. Politicians who are role model takes holidays more than a month. Au PM pay is half million for a year. It is more than US and UK head of state.

In Melbourne plant, some workers take sick leave on Friday and Monday. Therefore they will get long weekend. If there is any public holidays near the weekend, they will get extra long weekend. For blood donation, many workers take half day off on Friday with pay. They are entitled for pay for their hand washing time too.

Where can workers soon will be unemployed can find the such a luxury factory in any part of the world?