Big comments

MoonrakerToday  07:20 am JST

What's happening in Japan? After decades of covering the country in ugly, polluting and destructive buildings, cement, roads and factories there is suddenly some interest in preventing it. It's encouraging in some ways that people are waking up to the devastation that has been wrought but it is it that this is a foreign enterprise?

Exactly what I thought. Why now? Which leads me to a similar question, is it because it's a foreign enterprise? Answer: Most likely.

Someone had to sign off on the decision to get rid of floppy discs by faxing a hanko-ed document.

The pace of adoption of new technology, and relinquishing of old, makes Japan look ridiculous. I remember interviewing at a Japanese company overseas in the mid 90s and they had full-time people operating Telex machines.

Teachers are the same as business people in Japan - too much time wasted on useless tasks that benefit nobody (but we've always done it this way so we can't change, sigh).

DanteKHToday  06:02 pm JST

I have almost the same salary as I did 5 years ago, however in 2019, I was able to afford going to trips, hotels, save money, etc. Now the value of my salary almost halfed due to hyper inflation, and I can no longer afford going to hotels, trips, etc. I pay now more than double for food, expenses, etc.

Tell me again how Japan is not becoming a poor country?

I feel for your situation but this is multiple streams of income are important for everybody. Whether it's investments or some kind of side hustle on ebay. Everyone needs to have the ability to earn money from more than one place, or at least have the skills to do it so they can pivot whenever necessary.

There is no environmentally friendly way to stay cool in a Japan summer living in homes with paper thin walls and single glazing. AC on 100% of the time is THE way and ONLY way.

User accountToday  04:37 am JST

With all old hags at the wheel .. soon the yen will be worthless. From the 90ies they have ruined the country. Neither of them have the brains nor the balls to make bold decisions.

100% Spot on

travelbangaijinJune 28  11:30 pm JST

Things can fall fast at this stage - Japan has to make bold decisions now

"Japan" and "bold decisions" is an oxymoron.

If the currency continues like this less foreigners want to come to Japan to work and live (an eikaiwa salary for someone straight out of university is starting to look pathetic); more tourists come because it's so cheap; Japanese people get more frustrated because of the influx of tourists not understanding the rules; yen continues to depreciate; local people paying more and more for daily goods; population shrinking; no reason for foreign professionals and tradespeople to make Japan home because cultural barriers, lack of opportunity, and sizeable lack of rewards for talent. Bye bye Japan.

"Japan seeks global cooperation to solve abduction issue" on the same day as "Japan's hostage justice system". Solve the problems in your own backyard first Japan before seeking global cooperation for anything.

I'm earning in US dollars which makes it a pretty good deal now, but I've been through the opposite during the financial crisis when the yen was much stronger, which was tough. It's swings and roundabouts. But the J government would do better to focus on things that stimulate the economy rather than artificially trying to fix the yen. Make Japan more small business and startup friendly; instead of wasting money on propping up the yen, reward companies with some kind of tax relief when they give employees spontaneous pay rises; start changing the workplace to be performance-based rather than tenure- and compliance-based. At the moment, as advanced as Japan is, the economy operates as manually as an America company somewhere between 1960 and 1980 (banks and bank branches are a perfect example). And the problem in the large companies is all the decision-making employees don't want to work hard, they are just biding their time until retirement. So nothing changes. Exactly the same as in the government.

It's not hard to believe there is low satisfaction. Working within a Japanese organization the individual is just a cog in the machine. It's not a job they studied for, they don't "own" anything they're working on, no autonomy, no recognition for outstanding performance, they are going to moved to another department in two years time, etc. If you belong to a club that only appreciates you for having a pulse, your satisfaction would be pretty low too. The only reason it's 6% and not lower is because most Japanese workers don't understand there is an alternative.

"Any respectable medical organizations suggesting Oreo therapy is the preferable way to manage statins?"

No one is suggesting that. The point of the study was to prove how little benefit statins have on their stated goal.

"PTownsendToday  09:28 am JST

I'm no fan of Suga, but my experience is very few managers in Japanese organizations ever seem willing to take full responsibility for actions of any sort, especially those actions that resulted in creating problems like we have seen come about from the poor response to dealing with he pandemic. Few Japanese leaders are willing to say 'the buck stops here', so shouldn't blame be spread and shared among all those in Suga's LDP faction."

100% SPOT ON!

"Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga came into office pledging to devote himself to tackling the coronavirus, but in the end his response to the pandemic appears to have been his undoing." And here we see the problem with "leadership" in Japan. It's just words. He didn't devote himself to anything. Other than waffling about "devotion" and "tackling" what did he "do" to tackle the virus? Nothing! People are still struggling to book in their vaccine appointments. He should have shown "leadership" in one of two ways.

"I know holding the Olympics is not popular but I will take all responsibility for holding them. The Olympics will proceed, and I will ensure every resident has the opportunity to be fully vaccinated before the opening ceremony."

"I know some people are going to be disappointed but I have decided holding the Olympics will be too risky in the current climate. Freed-up from thinking about the Olympics we will use every energy to ensure all residents have the opportunity to be fully vaccinated by September."

Actual Japanese "leadership": "It's too difficult, and no one appreciates my lack of action, so I will resign."

Apparently truth and facts are too confronting for JT moderators so let me try to reword my removed comment:

Encouragement of global talent to work in Japan will fail because Japanese companies (probably even international companies with an office in Japan) can't adjust their policies to compete with overseas institutions. For example, adhoc performance-based salary increases.

mbuhlayawToday  07:14 am JST

"...a bit vague..."

Welcome to Japan.

JCosplayToday  07:19 am JST

You know, I’m a bit surprised that the EU would take this route. I mean don’t you think that some of these mothers are fleeing from their ex spouses because of potential abuse or something? I mean if that’s not the case, then I understand the plight of these fathers. But let’s not get too hasty about applying every international standard that the international community wants.

I mean yes, as much as I support the idea that a child should spend time with both parents, it is a slippery slope. And there is a fine line between helping people in need, and the elimination of any kind of national sovereignty. That’s all I’m saying, no more no less.

Stupid comment. Most of these cases happen simply because Japanese law can't wrap it's head around joint custody and it too medokusai to bother, so the fathers suffer. I'm sure there are cases where mothers are fleeing because of violence, but whatever the percentage of cases that is does not justify denying good fathers the right to see their children. If the shoe was on the other foot and it was father running away with kids you'd suddenly be interested in the each individual cases context, right. I'm assuming you're a western woman without kids, not married to Japanese woman. You can't have it both ways.

Not defending this father because I don't know the full story, but it's entirely possible this article has had a little bit of context intentionally left out or worded in a particular way that it gets readers riled up to comment. I just cannot imagine forgetting my child like that... I'm sure there is some more context that won't necessarily excuse the father but will offer more clarity to how this happened.

expatToday  10:54 am JST

Glad I'm not paying for it...

Ha ha ha!

Where are my masks, Abe, you loser!

Kazuaki ShimazakiToday  01:49 pm JST

Well, of course they do.

Taking the issues from first to bottom, the available information simply does not support any other conclusion other than Ghosn being at least a high probability accused. His lawyer may bluster and complain, but he has also submitted broad-spectrum (not targetted) requests for discovery. This indicates that the material in the case file plus any material he already had access to is sufficient to "cook" Ghosn, and he is praying something is in the material he does not have access to. Or more darkly he's hoping he'll bump into some convenient material he can use for blackmail. Anyway, the court recognized his fishing expedition and refused his request.

Second, people should not conflate "criminal" and "illegal" or "unlawful". Escaping bail might not rise to a crime in Japan, due to the kind heartedness and restraint of the system, which Ghosn ruined I might remind everyone. But breaking a deal is definitely at least a tort.

Third, in common usage, when word criminal covers suspects, accused, defendants as well as convicts. The section the law is in emphasizes this because most of it concerns actions that are only useful to people who have not yet been convicted, anyway. I suggest not trying to knowingly twist language.

The issue is, however, he was never going to, nor will he ever, get a fair trial in Japan.

CrickyToday  01:42 pm JST

I'm sure the Judge will take into consideration that sending them to a country that boasts a 99% conviction rate, would be a dubious idea. And the yearly criticism from world bodies chastising the Japanese treatment and procedures of both accused and found guilty. Japan makes it too easy to deny extradition just on humanitarian grounds.

That's why Japanese government and courts get so frustrated. They don't understand this "humanitarian" thing of which you speak.

Harry_GattoToday  09:12 am JST

If someone arrives today and are deemed to be number 251 do they get sent straight back or do they have to wait and then go to the front of the queue tomorrow?

Hold tight for further announcements. This is Japan after all, it's not like they will leave this kind of stuff vague.

tinky1June 11  07:10 pm JST

i suspect this hasn't been thought through on all levels...

It's not like Japan to implement processes without thinking through all the details

ThonTaddeoToday  11:34 am JST

You're putting the cart before the horse here by starting off by saying that you committed a crime. A better analogy from Ghosn's perspective would be if you showed up at my house because the police were chasing you and falsely claiming that you had robbed a bank, and me arranging a jet for you because I know as well as you do that the police are not going to see things your way.

This line sums it up perfectly: "because I know as well as you do that the police are not going to see things your way." This is a culture where evidence, nuance, and context are seen as excuses (iiwake) so if he had the chance to leave why would he stay knowing he would never get a fair trial.

The bottom line issue for everyone living in Japan should not be whether he is guilty or innocent, but that he would never get a fair hearing... because if it can happen to him it can happen to anyone.

CrickyToday  07:11 am JST

They just can't let it go

Yep. In typical fashion Japan's like a dog with a bone.

BurakuminDesToday  08:25 am JST

The guy has lost his marbles.

You're assuming he had any marbles to begin with :-)

 almost a symbol of its celebrated work ethic 

Work ethic? In Japan? Are you serious? This is the country of harassment at work, low pay and exploitation.

The train is the symbol of Japanese workaholic society

Workaholic, really? Let's look at the labor productivity shall we. So looking at the GDP per hour worked, we find before Japan: Ireland, Norway, Germany, USA, Switzerland, France, UK, Australia, Italy, Spain and Canada. Japan makes barely better than Greece. Yeah sure workaholic, well maybe it's more accurate to say that they pretend to be.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2019/02/05/where-labor-productivity-is-highest-infographic/#5b7b7e6dea44

Spot on! Sitting in the office moving the mouse around and waiting for your boss to go home doesn't make you a workaholic, it makes you an unproductive idiot.

dagonToday  06:49 am JST

Denentoshi Line to Shibuya:Shoulder to shoulder, people pressing against your back. Getting off in Shibuya: in the Mark City concourse all seating is roped off with plastered signs indicating it is due to "social distancing". Hard to see the logic

This is Japan. It doesn't have to be logical. It just needs to look like we're doing something.