Moonraker comments

I thought he was gay. Where did he marry?

Time to deport them to China if they love China so much.

Where the fund come from for creating those nice environment if those local government have no population to pay tax?

Same as ever. The LDP politicians funnel taxpayers' money to the regions, usually to concrete something . And that will probably continue to be the criteria for creating a nice environment, because concreting the countryside has worked so well in the past.

Well, that's made everything clear.

If, as you claim, Ukraine is being used as a battlefield to fight Russia then it doesn't matter if Ukraine is winning or not. All the west and Japan have to do is bleed Russia. And Russia is being bled nicely.

I am not looking for respect in society and certainly not by lying and then suddenly attacking my smaller neighbour.

They lost respect long ago. They must be crushed. They can never be equal now. Don't give me history lessons. Hitler will be mine for you.

Frankly, it amazes me that there are people who sympathise with poor put-upon Russia in this world. How much do they pay?

all of this have started back in spring of 2014....if want to talk about consequences need to know reasons first.

Sure. You have an inside track on history, right? Provided by the Russian ministry of free speech. LOL. Sorry, but nobody cares about Russia. It's a flat track bully. Even against its own people for centuries. Go back a bit further. You still have chance to come over to the good side including Japan and the West though.

UA used as battlefield against Russia.

Perhaps. But nihilistic Russia has proven plenty that it needs to be beaten. If it's taken the bait and invaded Ukraine to be chewed up by superior western arms and tactics then it shows it is stupid too. Of course, few believe that was what happened except the credulous and confused Russia sympathisers for whom Russia is both victim and superhumanly clever.

The evidence is anecdotal

It certainly is.

but telling.

Is it? Do people like buy the magazine to read what amounts to tittle-tattle?

But did he really photograph her? That is not clear. It is not as if Japanese won't confess to something they didn't do under threat of violence, only usually it is to the prosecutors. He did eventually consult the police after all.

I won't be buying Hanada for any insight into anything. Looks like the usual, "my impressions and an anecdote regarding ...." And, yes, it is fine to sit in the silver seats if they are unoccupied and vacate them if they are needed.

When you have nothing much else, food and dining becomes something to attract the pretentious and bourgeois. When you have nothing to talk about, you talk about food. It's the perfect meaningless "art".

It's the only place left to ransack. And ransacking is what humanity does best.

How totally patronising.

Measures have to be taken to increase flood protection at those hospitals.

And, conveniently, that means pouring more concrete. Just like all the levees that suddenly were found to be liable to erosion a few years back.

I know of one base hospital that has been known to be a tsunami risk for years yet it's focused on as if there is nothing wrong. There is a certain wilful incompetence about it all.

Any drug or therapy basically only has to beat the placebo effect to be approved. The placebo effect can be very powerful. If it can be induced by people's belief in aromatherapy or in prayer then why not? The cynical nihilists are at a disadvantage.

More blatant hypocrisy from China. You have to admire their ability to keep a straight face each time.

In short, no matter how bad our scheme is turning out to be, you will have to just put up with it.

The great success story of 40 years of neo-liberal economic policy? The country reaps the harvest of managerial incompetence, under-investment, divisive politics and economic disparity. It's been a thorough failure for most, though those who were supposed to benefit have done so.

De Santis is just another unprincipled politician. Who knew? Well, a good few of his voters, of course. He could have been an upstanding communist in another time or place. Even a social justice warrior if he thought he'd get more votes. This is what the system gives us. But, despite this, he will always be skewed towards the money. Because principles and capital can only haphazardly overlap.

Some will never learn. It's an ego thing.

Sounds like another thoroughly rotten company. Throw the book at them. Bring the full force of the law against reprobate companies ... maybe a small fine and at best a suspended sentence, or perhaps a bureaucracy-driven "business improvement order", which looks like something is being done.

Most of Kyoto. Beginning 35 years ago. There are a few nice spots here and there but most of it is generic or substandard city, with shoddy buildings, poles and wires, car parks, ugly signage, etc. In fact, what has been done to it is nothing short of criminal. It would not compare in any way to a beautiful city in Europe which would at least have a large, attractively-kept city centre as well as other sites around.

Well, as many of the Pollyannas say, we will have more space on the bus in future. Just nobody to drive it.

Japans problem, Japan has dealt with it how they felt fit.

A predictable response predicted by "How dare these uncomprehending foreigners investigate the unique entertainment industry in Japan."

Why not let Japan deal with it?

Maybe because in all these years, Japan has just swept it under the carpet.

This is very sad but there seems to be a lot of it about. Has the culture of "mabiki" made a comeback?

A delegation of the U.N. Human Rights Council will investigate abuse in Japan's entertainment industry, starting this week and lasting until early August

"How dare these uncomprehending foreigners investigate the unique entertainment industry in Japan. What's it like in other countries?"