David K Anderson comments

A very impressive win. What stood out to me was Japan's adaptability. This team doesn't normally cede possession and play in a low block, waiting to hit on the counter. But they realized this would be a tactical plan well suited against Spain and executed it ruthlessly. They were well prepared and disciplined.

Norway will be a very different challenge: not as technical as Spain, but a much taller, stronger team than the Nadeshiko. Defense on set pieces will be critical. But Norway as been hot-and-cold in the tournament so far while Japan has been consistently at top form.

And that heavy bump on CR goalkeeper Solera looked really bad. She was down for the count. No free kick, in fact Japan got a corner??? How's that???

When I looked at the replay, it seemed to me that the heavy contact on Solera was from her own defender.

The Nadeshiko did seem to take their foot off the gas in she second half, and the timing of some substitutions further killed momentum. But I'm guessing that was a decision the coach made to conserve players for the long haul since it looks like this team is capable of a deep run in the tournament. The final group match v Spain to decide the group winner may not be a big priority for either side now, since both have advanced to the knockouts. Still...bragging rights and a (theoretically) easier match in the round of 16 are at stake.

Go Nadeshiko!

Portlander here, and while the city isn't the dystopian nightmare some folks (who, invariably, don't live here) like to paint it, there are definitely widespread serious problems. Homeless people, many of whom are in serious need of mental health care, are everywhere. The police (who are NOT "defunded") have reacted to greater levels of civilian oversight by largely not bothering to do their jobs: it's almost impossible to get a car theft investigated, they do nothing to stop street racing "takeovers," traffic enforcement consists solely of revenue-generating speed traps, and so forth. The city government is comprised almost exclusively of incompetent, pandering simpletons. They get re-elected because no one capable runs for office: their opponents are for the most part even more hopeless. The city's not what it was, and that's a shame. I'm not in the least surprised there was this sort of racist assault.

FWIW, soon-to-be Sapporo-ite here...

KyoAni made some of my favorite shows ever, and I'm not gonna lie: I want to see that guy swing.

Salute to Nobuhiko Akaike. He died in the act of trying to protect his constituents.

"Nationalism does nothing but teach you to hate people you never met, and to take pride in accomplishments you had no part in whatsoever. " - Doug Stanhope.

Monsters. They should swing.

I weaseled out with "maybe" because while I don't really like the idea, I could see there being circumstances in which it would be okay.

Not gonna lie: while I generally oppose capital punishment (because there's no "do over" if the system gets it wrong), in cases of overwhelming confidence of guilt and for a sufficiently heinous crime, I'm all for it. From everything I've read about the case against Aoba, this is such a situation. I'll cheer out loud when this mass murderer swings.

And, what are you going to do about it?

Two things...and Jack just left town.

Given the recent Xi/Putin meeting, China needs to shut it.

I've had some great pour-over coffee at The Roastery in Harajuku. Expensive, but damn, it's good.

Big name? Lol ...

How to say you don't follow womens football without saying you don't follow women's football. No team in Europe has been more successful over the years than Lyon, who have won the UEFA Women's Champions League 8 times.

I live in one of the world's epicenters for the women's game, Portland, Oregon, USA. Well before the current worldwide surge in popularity for Women's football, Portland Thorns FC of the NWSL, the US women's 1st division, had absolutely unheard-of attendance for a women's pro side (21k+ per match, when "big name" European sides like Olympic Leon were lucky to get 3500). Women's soccer's a big deal here. I've been a season ticket holder since the team started and have been watching the women's side of the sport for a long time. I vividly remember that "golden age" Japanese team and their World Cup win. They were legendary.

They've been in a rebuilding phase for a while now as the golden age players have aged out, and the reduction in support from the federation hasn't helped. But the thing is, the team is going in the right direction. Most of the players are pretty young - and that shows sometimes - but their technical ability is at least as good as the previous generation's was. More Japanese players than ever are playing in Europe and the US (Thorns FC brought in Hina Sugita from INAC Kobe Leonessa last year, and she's been terrific). At the recent cringe-y named She Believes Cup, Japan finished 2nd behind the US, but were really the best team in the tournament (but dropped matches to the US and Brazil because of bad finishing - which green players do sometimes - despite outplaying them); they stomped on Olympic Gold medalists Canada 3-0. Despite the neglect, it's a team on the rise and they deserve better.

It might be worth it if it stemmed what has become an absolute avalanche of advertising on the platform. But of course, it won't.

"Why don’t men understand?”

They understand perfectly well. They just place being able to ogle underage girls' legs over the health and safety of those girls.

As with so many advances, it's a mix. Personally, I think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages (by a lot), particularly if, as another poster mentioned, you make sure it's you controlling your devices and not the other way 'round.

By fax.

How to tell me the perp is Japanese without telling me the perp is Japanese.

"...denied intent to kill when he started the fire"

Who cares about this idiot's intent? Regardless of that, he put this woman and her family at grave risk, as well as firefighters and other emergency responders. He needs to do time.

That strategy doesn't make sense to me. Why not play your absolute best lineup against what is likely the weakest team in the group? Get all three points and you're going through. Get one and you've got a great chance. Now you need a result against one of the best teams in the tournament.

Trains in Japan are like morgues - deathly quiet and full of zombies. Awful atmosphere.

Who rides a train for the "atmosphere?" The quiet is one of the attractions of train travel in Japan. I'll take not being subjected to someone's garbage taste in music or bellowing conversation any day.

I have zero work-related stuff on my phone. We're a remote-only company, and heavily use Zoom, Slack, etc...but I deliberately don't have those apps installed, and my employer has no problem with that. We just don't have a work culture that demands off-hours work/availability except under genuinely special circumstances...and that's what the laptop is for.

Ludicrous.

"Don't shout at the match...but go ahead and pack yourselves onto the train getting to and from."

No problem. Visiting another country and thinking you don't have to follow the rules there is toddler-tier asshattery.

"Elected" lol...

Nightmare Fuel-kun

Recreational cannabis has been legal here in Oregon for six years (longer for medical use). Not only have there been no increases in various societal problems once attributed to "the devil's lettuce," but the thriving legal cannabis industry has contributed millions to state tax coffers. Japan's attitude towards weed is stuck in the 1950's

The ROC is Taiwan.

ROC = "Russian Olympic Committee," since Russia is banned for doping (a ban which will now likely be extended after that debacle with Valieva).

No one with a hint of a clue should be suggesting that Japan doesn't have the sovereign right to regulate its borders as it sees fit. The issue is that these restrictions have little to do with increasing Japan's safety and a lot to do with the ruling party pandering to its aging, xenophobic voter base.

Third arrest? It's time to try and convict these pervs and lock them up.

I define it as "successful marketing." Now get out there and CONSUME!