Patricia Yarrow comments

It is a pipe dream, but I truly wish JT would put a message on every single cancer-stick carton to be responsible for the end product: the ciggie butt, and to NOT throw in the streets. Take it home and throw it away there. Carry a little kiss-purse to collect them in the meanwhile. Jeez, the street trash from smokers is really discouraging.

That is some hair dye job, Aso. Can't be comfortable with your actual age, how can you be comfortable with actual facts?

Where is the photo of his bride???? Best wishes for their happiness.

Always keep in mind that the sheer numbers of Covid related infections is meaningless! It is now no more dangerous than the seasonal flu/influenza. Does everyone think that masking against flu is also good? Ditch the masks, everyone. They are a panacea, not a real answer.

After a long absence, it was especially thrilling to be out with the very happy crowds on a hot, sultry night. What a show! Grab a cold beer, some street food munchies. See many happy people's faces, couples, kids; made me very glad to be in Tokyo. Wear my "jinbei" summer outfit and ride my bike around.

The links do not take me to the rest of the article. Really tired of this!!! Please fix this, JT.

Here is an idea. How about lifting all Japanese sanctions (whatever they are) against NK, and then do things to help the country. That would remove any impetus to attack Japan.

The stop and stare at the disruptive student is proving to work for me.

Wish I could read the rest of this article, but the external link just goes to a useless gaijinpot webpage, and not the rest of the article.

Great to see C-com return. I have friends at the Transformers booth, so check them out if you are lucky enough to be there.

Bring back the much-needed trash bins. Educate the public not to dump their household waste with yet another "chara cutie" campaign. Done. Everyone happy and Japan joins the freaking first world.

Isn't providing trash bins a government service that Japanese taxes pay for?

Please start in Tokyo with bins throughout the heavily touristed Asakusa area.

Then, everywhere else. Aum is far gone history, so this excuse should no longer be allowed.

Elvis's nihongo line: What's the matter, Mr Luke? Aren't you having lamb curry?

Roy, No one knows what effect our comments have.

Usually, I let the dreary masks photos pass by.

My very reasonable question, which I wish commentors would add their perspective to, is what will it take, what will be the magic tipping point, for Japanese counter and business staff everywhere to go mask-free?

Roy, it is not "hyperfocusing', it is everyday life. The rest of the world has ditched the masking. I wonder what Japanese need to feel safe enough to remove them. Society, little kids growing up, heck, all of us, need the socialization of viewing full faces.

Wet masks...umbrella...walking through mists....Gal on the left has the correct idea--enjoy life--breath free and smile for all the world to see again--enjoy the summer.

How about reducing the demand, then? Never hear about this tactic for reducing/eliminating the "need" for npp in Japan.

Please, a face without a mask!

Happy to see not a personality-erasing mask on anyone.

These days, listening to an audiobook of Moby DIck. EVERY sentence is carefully crafted and full of word play. I recommend it to all who want to elevate their English discourse.

https://www.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/english/topics/2023/documents/0206_01_01b.pdf

Slide 11 "Ginkgo-lined street. The vista of the ginkgo-lined street will be preserved for the formation of a shady green pedestrian space. Tree species planned: Ginkgo, staghorn, camphor, etc."

This strongly implies that the ginkgo trees will be preserved, as in NOT CUT DOWN...but since it does explicitly state that, I am skeptical. If the plan is not to cut them down, why are so many protesting about their removal? This is not adding up.

Here is the address for "Fender Flagship Store".

〒150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Jingumae, 1 Chome−8−10 Ｔｈｅ Ｉｃｅ Ｃｕｂｅｓ 9階

Tokyo (and other cities and towns in Japan) are much too crowded to allow outdoor smoking. JT makes its money, the LDP gets its cut, and everyone's health insurance keeps going up to support their predictably cancerous endings.

Right. As long as women do not want equality, an education, to drive a car, etc.

How about "achieving the understanding" of the local landowners to move the tanks onto their land, thereby saving the fishing industry. Why not build a huge concrete lake bed to store the water in? Just throwing it into the ocean for the next who-knows-how-many-decades seems like a poor choice.

Psychologically, though, humans are meant to view each other's faces.

Only seeing a partial face is not healthy, nor is noting this an "obsession", but entirely reasonable.

Our immunological systems need to get their workout over. Masking weakens the body to fight general daily and entirely normal virus and bacteria.

The rest of the world has dropped the masks, and is doing alright, would you not agree? So again, what will it take for Japan to return to normal?

Looks nice, aside from the face covering. When will Japanese staff finally demask? What is the signal they are all waiting for? Serious question.

Global Times has a thought provoking infographic from yesterday's newspaper:

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202306/1292462.shtml

What's with the boobs?

I asked a university office worker today why all the staff (and students) were still masked. She said it was "safety" and "Japanese culture". What to say to that? What will be the Japanese cultural signal that masking time is over?

The manhole covers show local features, which is fascinating. I love them, myself.