Posted in: Expenses are rising much faster than the increase in revenue. If nothing is done, our country’s hospital system will collapse. See in context
Government: We're going to increase subsidies for parents looking to start a family. Let's bump up the amount to 500,000 for child birth so that we can help increase the birth rate.
Hospitals: Hmmm, it appears we've been undercharging for child birth, let's increase from 350,000 to 500,000 and start complaining that it is for our own survival.
3 ( +8 / -5 )
Posted in: The percentage of people between the ages of 60 and 64 who want to continue working past 65 is about 70%, and the percentage of people between the ages of 65 and 69 who want to keep working past 70 is about the same. If they continue to work as they desire, we can expect a further boost in the labor force. See in context
MarkX beat me to it. Work should be a hobby at the point of retirement, not a requirement to stay afloat.
But for some reason politicians are able to work past 80, sleep on the job, and still earn like they did in their prime years unlike many private company workers forcing to take a pay cut at 60 despite doing the same work and continuing to work over time.
5 ( +5 / -0 )
Posted in: Ex-lawmaker gets suspended sentence for raping junior high school girl See in context
MiuraAnjinToday 07:13 am JST
Watch how quickly this story drops out of the headlines, then compare with the weeks of outrage over the Nakai and (adult) newsreader scandal.
Who "facilitated this karaoke party"?
Nippon Ishin no Kai?
A-san from Fuji TV probably.
Jokes aside, the law needs serious revision. Just thinking if I was the father of this daughter, I wouldn't let this scum bag walk away without serious repercussion. I'd likely go into debt trying to find the best lawyer out there that can help fight the justice system.
9 ( +9 / -0 )
Posted in: OpenAI announces new 'deep research' tool for ChatGPT ahead of Tokyo meeting See in context
Ah Son-san, the guy that didn't pull out of Yahoo when it was declining, pretty much lost during the dot com turmoil, invested into a vision fund that has massive failures like Wework, who doesn't have the funds to really go all out and yet he helps:
invest up to $500 billion in artificial intelligence infrastructure in the United States.
I respected this man and his intelligence for a while, but nowadays it's hard to see that behind some of the skeptical moves. The Deepseek reveal was a real show and tell from China and it just goes to show what China can do with limited investment. Looks like we are at the start of an AI version of a nuclear arms race.
3 ( +5 / -2 )
Posted in: Starbucks to introduce location-based pricing at some stores nationwide See in context
service areas and airports (categorized as type A), prices will be raised
If I was a conbini owner in these areas, I would take full advantage of this and slightly lower coffee prices to lure in those who just need their caffeine for the day.
9 ( +10 / -1 )
Posted in: Do you have to pay the NHK fee? See in context
I don't answer the door to anyone who comes knocking without an appointment.
10 ( +11 / -1 )
Posted in: Two boys arrested for throwing raw eggs at police box in Shizuoka Prefecture See in context
Did this back when I was 13 to an ars hole property manager that evicted my mom and I from our apartment for absolutely no reason and lended the room to his family members afterwards. We were long time residents too, and he was sneaky trying to give us a short notice when thankfully my mom had a realtor's license and understood the law so we were able to get some compensation. My friends and I had the last laugh.
6 ( +7 / -1 )
Posted in: Japan's jobless rate in 2024 falls to 2.5% See in context
When will salaries double inflation so people can afford to save.
Well apparently mega banks are willing to raise ordinary deposit interest rates to .2 percent so... yay?
https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUB243Y30U5A120C2000000/
4 ( +4 / -0 )
Posted in: Sinkholes in Saitama merge; truck driver still trapped on 3rd day See in context
Hope he was wearing something warm throughout this. There is talks about snow and I hope they are able to figure out a swift rescue before then.
-4 ( +2 / -6 )
Posted in: The gap will likely widen even faster between successful dental clinic operators, who can offer high value-added therapeutic options via capital investment and other means, and clinics forced to close for a range of reasons, including aging staff members. See in context
Isn't this a risk for any industry? Are we supposed to feel sympathy for this specific industry? Maybe stop buying a new Mercedes every shaken year and invest towards new equipment. This business is highly competitive in urban areas, with new dentists popping up on every corner with shiny new equipment and young staff. The only way to remain competitive is to utilize the advantage of already having a client base in that area. Either up your game by offering incentives to help retain your clients, or lose them. Having new equipment isn't the only incentive you can offer, you can compete by offering better service, having better skills (routine cleaning doesn't require new equipment and is a matter of skill), offering free services like coaching, little things like giving clients a tooth brush, offering an area where kids can wait, changing wall paper, etc. You can also lease equipment instead of purchasing, so if there is a particular machine you feel needs upgrading every so often, maybe lease it instead?
I personally go to an old clinic that has a good track record and highly skilled staff. Yes there is a new clinic nearby with a shiny interior and new equipment, but the reviews don't entice me enough to want to use that clinic. If there are clinics closing down, maybe they just weren't that good or were mismanaged?
3 ( +3 / -0 )
Posted in: Weekly tabloid corrects story on Fuji TV official's role in TV host sex scandal See in context
This whole situation is a mess. Story just doesn't add up. Hope "all" of those who are involved are punished.
3 ( +3 / -0 )
Posted in: Climate change cooks up Japanese 'cabbage shock' See in context
The local fields where I live are full of unharvested cabbages because the heads are too small.
Wish I could live where you live. I would gladly pay for those cabbages that are B grade.
2 ( +6 / -4 )
Posted in: Climate change cooks up Japanese 'cabbage shock' See in context
In Japan, the heat has also made lettuce, green onion and "daikon" radish more expensive at the checkout
Also for those suggesting to eat lettuce instead, this is from the article. I can attest from my own experience that yes, lettuce is expensive so I have to find alternatives. It's not that I can't afford the higher costs all around, it's more or less if I don't skimp on things to meet a certain budget, I won't have much left over to allocate towards other aspects of life.
-2 ( +3 / -5 )
Posted in: Climate change cooks up Japanese 'cabbage shock' See in context
Used to be able to buy a whole cabbage for about 88-128 yen where I live in 2023. I don't quite remember when prices rose, but I checked yesterday and it's roughly 333 yen now after prices have stabled. Still, don't see many people buying them as often as before. This used to be a staple food for families looking to get some filling vegetables on a budget. The alternative now is hakusai which thankfully isn't crazy expensive. Didn't know hakusai was edible without cooking until I recently tried it and it's surprisingly good.
6 ( +9 / -3 )
Posted in: Stylish sauna hat See in context
Super glad saunas are becoming popular in Japan. Such a nice gift from Finland.
1 ( +2 / -1 )
Posted in: Letters From Japan: 'We’re dating, but he won’t let me call him my boyfriend. Is something wrong?' See in context
Just ask if you are tsukiatteru or not and go based off that. It's funny how a Japanese man feels about being called "boyfriend" or "kareshi" and perceives that as childish, but is completely fine with calling their wives "mamma".
-1 ( +5 / -6 )
Posted in: Japan wage growth gathers steam as reluctant retailers raise pay See in context
When they say they raise wages, how exactly does it work though? Do all the employees get an announcement that they will receive an incontrovertible raise or do they just give new hires and new grads the increase and claim they've accomplished wage increases? From what I'm hearing how much new grads are making these days, I feel like a lot of us other employees are being undervalued. Guess staying at one company for life is no longer beneficial in Japan. Just wish the job hunting process wasn't an absolute nightmare, otherwise I'd change jobs more frequently for a better wage.
toraToday 08:01 am JST
I think I prefer the good old days of the yen at around 1:1 with the dollar, no inflation and low prices. Everything was affordable here in Japan for the past 30 years and lives were "good" enough.
The world changed after the re-opening up following Covid.
Could not agree more. Life was more simple, stable, predictable, and less stressful.
4 ( +4 / -0 )
Posted in: Man arrested for kicking rabbit on island where 77 animals have died See in context
As someone who grew up with bunnies, this makes my blood boil too Aly.
9 ( +10 / -1 )
Posted in: Coughing and sneezing without consideration for others topped the list of annoying behavior on trains in a survey by the Japan Private Railway Association in 2024. What tops your list? See in context
Does that include "snorting"? When people - always Japanese men - constantly suck in vast rivers of phlem from their nose and seemingly deep into their throats while emitting a loud disgusting sound. They've never heard of tissue paper, decongestants or anti-histimines?
A lot of those people can't help it because of hay fever, but I agree it is disturbing to listen to while on a quite train. Sounds like a pig snorting aggressively.
The inconsiderate coughing is definitely the top of the list for me, but if I had to add something that isn't something that happens often but is quite annoying when it happens, it would have to be people (mainly obasans) who steal the seat that you were standing in front of as you were letting the person getting up pass through you. They know damn well what they're doing.
6 ( +7 / -1 )
Posted in: Japan gasoline price hits 17-month high of ¥185.10 on subsidy cut See in context
Diesel better not stay high for too long or we'll have problems. The logistics business will have to pass down the extra costs.
8 ( +8 / -0 )
Posted in: Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner elected to Baseball Hall of Fame See in context
How was Ichiro not unanimous?
6 ( +7 / -1 )
Posted in: Bank of Japan poised to raise rates to highest in 17 years See in context
Japan's export-reliant economy.
Export-reliant where? I couldn't care less if Toyota is selling better in other countries if it means we have to pay a higher price for energy and other goods/ services.
raise its price forecasts on growing prospects that broadening wage gains will keep Japan on track
Better hope so.
-1 ( +4 / -5 )
Posted in: Is there any item with 'older' technology you still use because you are not interested in the modern version? See in context
Clothes in general. Don't need to throw out perfectly useable clothes to go buy new ones every year.
3 ( +3 / -0 )
Posted in: Ichiro in Hall of Fame See in context
Well deserved. Have great memories of the 2009 WBC and Ichiro's clutch hit in the 10th against S. Korea. Still wish we can see him play today.
5 ( +5 / -0 )
Posted in: Tokyo governor wants to start study abroad grant system, including monthly activity allowance See in context
50% of current jobs being rendered obsolete within the next two decades or sooner.
A lot of jobs are already rendered obsolete, especially the silver jobs and, ahem, city ward office jobs. The reason why they exist is to lower unemployment and allow for pensioners/ house parents/ etc to earn a supplementary income.
1 ( +3 / -2 )
Posted in: Tokyo governor wants to start study abroad grant system, including monthly activity allowance See in context
This is encouraging. When I have my child, I would love for the opportunity to send them to a university abroad. Little things like this help, and hopefully this extends past Tokyo.
4 ( +6 / -2 )
Posted in: Man fired after ditching work 633 times to go to the gym See in context
Not defending the guy at all, shame on him as a civil servant with a questionable job. But people are allowed to have an accumulated total of 1 hour per day on smoke breaks, but people aren't allowed to have an exercise break? Should we start considering those "ditching" work to go smoke?
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: What are self-defense laws in Japan? See in context
For example, hitting an attacker with a metal bat might seem like self-defense if the attacker approached you with a knife. However, the validity of your actions would depend on factors such as the size of the knife, the proximity of the attacker, and why you chose to use a bat.
Yes, because in a situation between life or death, we all get to hit start, go to the menu screen, look at our inventory, choose a bat to use against the attacker, hit start to resume, notice the attacker is using a smaller knife, hit start again, choose a sasumata because this best suits this scenario and you have it in your inventory, hit resume. Now use that pole to not harm the aggressor, but to keep them from getting closer. Continue to do this until you have reached a Koban to which you may now report this incident without any legal repercussions on your end. After the Koban has dealt with this aggressor and some time has passed, the aggressor is now free to go since the person has inflicted no harm and thus doesn't receive a long prison sentence. The aggressor now wants revenge and is coming back to finish what he had started. Repeat the same process even if the aggressor now has a much more lethal weapon.
7 ( +8 / -1 )
Posted in: Influenza cases soar in Tokyo See in context
I'd like to get the input of virusrex on this one, as he (sorry, presumptuous to assume gender) seems to be on the ball with medical related stuff. Is there any connection between catching influenza and heating the inside of buildings (shops, homes etc.) to psychotic levels? Something I've long noticed living here - they sure like to pump up the heating to almost painful levels. Sometimes I visit a particular camera store in Tokyo, and come the winter I can usually make it about 5 minutes before I have to leave, as the heating is turned up to infinity plus one.
I stopped wearing my coat because I’m only outside for a short time going to and from work. I don’t like having to take it on and off in trains and buildings, constantly lugging it around. Too hot in buildings/ etc.
As for influenza, it's likely easily transmittable during this season because people spend more time indoors and in closer proximity. Had it last year and don't want it again so I'm taking extra precautions this year. It seems some people want to come to work despite looking very sick and coughing all over the place without consideration on trains and workplaces. It sucks that this is unavoidable, but will have to stay cautious. Stay safe everyone and happy holidays!
6 ( +9 / -3 )
Posted in: Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi drop their talks on business integration
Posted in: Explosion at Taiwan department store kills 4; 26 injured
Posted in: Explosion at Taiwan department store kills 4; 26 injured
Posted in: Is DOGE a cybersecurity threat?