Asiaman7 comments

As oftentimes is the case here in Japan, a decade later we’ll likely be hearing about how this large new revenue source has become subject to fraud, waste, and abuse.

Would love to see a very transparent annual accounting of how these funds are being used instead of the common vague descriptors such as “to address overcrowding.”

The survey also revealed that only two online casino sites out of 40 selected sites with Japanese instructions showed that access from Japan is illegal.

After reading this article, I would assume the use of online sports gambling sites like DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM is illegal in Japan. Anyone have any experience they’re willing to share?

According to an undercover operation coordinated and broadcast on a recent Michael Lewis “Against the Rules” podcast, successful gamblers are flagged and apparently kicked off those sites. In fact, Lewis joked that the first question you should ask a potential financial planner is, “Do you have a FanDuel or DraftKings account?”

… might cause some economic pain …

Trump continues to wreak havoc on the U.S. economy and the hard-earned savings of so many hardworking Americans, while using his position of power for his own personal benefit.

The conservative-leaning Wall Street Journal exclusively broke news today that Trump is “pursuing a business deal involving a [foreign] felon seeking a pardon from his administration.” The article stressed this deal with Changpeng Zhao would be “an unprecedented overlap of [Trump’s] business and the government” and “would also be a striking expansion of the family’s cryptocurrency endeavors as Trump signs a series of executive orders that benefit the industry.”

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https://www.wsj.com/finance/currencies/trump-family-has-held-deal-talks-with-binance-following-crypto-exchanges-guilty-plea-05b029fa?

Absolutely horrific crime, if the allegations are true.

And in that case, society would most certainly benefit from the removal of these men.

just like how he's crashing the global economy right now.

“Thanks, Obama.” I mean, “Thanks, Trump.”

For devaluing the U.S. stock market.

For devaluing the U.S. dollar.

For devaluing our savings.

Tesla “has lost more than 50 percent of its value — the equivalent of some $800 billion — since cresting in mid-December,” according to the below article on Yahoo Finance.

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https://finance.yahoo.com/news/musk-melts-down-tesla-stock-212504241.html

Also - if bonuses are paid in the same months every year and are merely a percentage ( say, one month) of the basic salary, why should those months rise YoY and not the others? 

Bonuses are often a percentage of basic salary, but that percentage differs annually based on company performance and outlook.

Companies have generally increased bonuses as we have emerged from COVID, but price increases have outpaced total wage increases.

the first drop in three months

This is incorrect.

As the article indicates, Japan’s real wages fell 1.8% in January.

In December, they rose 0.6%.

In November, they fell 0.3%, a fourth straight month of decline.

October's real wages were revised from unchanged to a 0.4% decline.

See the Reuters link below for confirmation.

Moreover, Japan’s inflation-adjusted real wages have fallen *for three consecutive years, *recording zero or negative growth for 34 of the last 37 months. Let’s not pretend otherwise.

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https://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/japan-nov-real-wages-fall-4th-straight-month-inflation-weighs-2025-01-08/

Coughing or sneezing without consideration of their surroundings (e.g., covering their mouths) topped a recent survey ranking annoying behaviors experienced by train travelers.

"Loud conversation and boisterous behavior" topped the survey's ranking of annoying behaviors experienced by train travelers at the hands of foreign tourists. 

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https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/03/06826ee08981-over-60-of-passengers-annoyed-by-behavior-of-foreign-tourists-on-trains-survey-.html

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be.”

Trump once again turns heel!

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https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-speech-congress-address-takeaways-b2709479.html

https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/07/politics/trump-heel-turn/index.html

U.S. President Donald Trump launched a trade war Tuesday against America’s three biggest trading partners, 

“The dumbest in history”—The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board, “Trump Takes the Dumbest Tariff Plunge”

Even Republicans agree.

Perhaps this is why Japan strengthened it from above-155 to below-150 over the past month.

"It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be Peace …”

If so, why did you host him at the White House the other day for the purpose of signing an agreement?

This “he’s not ready for peace” assertion is an “after-the-fact” argument that appeared only after the Trump meltdown (that oddly included a weird rant about Hunter Biden).

"Anora”: Very well-crafted and directed with exceptional acting, particularly by Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, and Yuriy Borisov. Nice to see Sam Baker recognized for his work. And who can forget Madison’s performance! Not an easy, fun, family-friendly film though.

I loved Conan’s “Anora” comment: “I Guess Americans Are Excited To See Somebody Finally Stand Up To A Powerful Russian.”

I guess we’ll soon see the “Anora” bashing by Trump/Vance and their lapdogs: “The Oscars were once again Hollywood trampling on our family values — celebrating strip clubs and transvestites. And how unfunny was Conan! His career continues to tank.”

Matsumoto was sentenced last year to three years in prison

Do the lawmakers receiving these slush-fund kickbacks ever get sentenced to prison? Or is the blame only directed at the accountants?

the Tokyo District Court ruled some actions of the staff at the immigration center were illegal

Illegal behavior by Japan’s immigration-center staff is just WRONG!

As I stressed the other day, this is a film that should be seen. And that security footage of Ito being dragged out of the taxi and into the Sheritan Miyako Hotel by the accused is very compelling! Moreover, the taxi driver and hotel doorman corroborated her account.

The detective’s comments were also very enlightening. Viewers may be shocked to learn that four police who had been sent to Narita Airport to arrest the accused after his arrival were ordered to stand down outside the airport at the last minute by the Tokyo police chief, who afterward was promoted to head the National Police Agency.

The film gives a good glimpse of powerful people in Japan’s government and security protecting powerful people in the media at the likely expense of a regular citizen.

This forum would be a much better place without votes.

Can’t agree more. But traffic would plummet without them, negatively impacting the revenue of this business.

May as well scrap capitalism, I guess.

Top management at most companies view their employees as being fairly compensated. Top management views the company owners, i.e., the shareholders, as the ones who should benefit through dividends when the company records a profit. 

Part of the compensation of most top management is significant stock remuneration, so, in essence, management greatly benefits from a good company performance while employees generally don’t. 

As a result, the wage gap expands between the haves and the have-nots.

Meanwhile, Japan’s inflation-adjusted real wages have fallen for three consecutive years! These are mostly the wages of the have-nots.

The have-nots would definitely benefit from some societal reform.

Terribly crowded and chaotic — so much so the museum’s own website recommends visiting before 08:30 or after 17:30!

On an average day, a visitor will encounter large masses of students, often aged 12-14, quickly and loudly pushing into each museum room. Every 5-10 minutes, each room fills with a new flood of jostling, playful students. Their attention is generally on each other. Teachers loudly encourage them to keep quiet out of respect for older visitors, creating even more of a disturbance.

If you desire a more peaceful visit to such a museum, the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum is much less busy.

Very interesting theory.

First reported last June.

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-06-09/reduction-in-shipping-pollution-has-increased-global-warming

Japan sees no fault in embassy's response

Iwaya earlier said the woman asked the embassy last summer about issuing passports to her children, but the embassy told her that the former husband's consent was required.

The embassy’s response was appropriate. It should abide by the Hague Abduction Convention and not be assisting in the international abduction of children.

Hungarian police have decided to take disciplinary actions against five police officers for failing to properly investigate the woman's case.

Local police failed this woman, not the Japanese embassy.

I wonder whether the use of online sports gambling sites like DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM is illegal in Japan?

It’s probably best if it is because successful gamblers are apparently kicked off those sites quickly, according to an undercover series coordinated and broadcast on the latest Michael Lewis “Against the Rules” podcast.

Lt Gen David Miller Jr, commander of U.S. Space Operations Command, gives an interview in Tokyo on Feb 10. 

“Rock Miller,” as it’s written on his uniform in the photo above, looks a whole lot like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

What about the 83.5% of workers in Japan who are not part of unions?

WoodyLee

@Aslaman7...

""What’s going to stop these transshipments if Japan is granted an exemption?""

Steel is NOT the only product being processed that way, sever industries in Japan are doing it where they repackage then Label as Made In Japan then sell it to Europe, Canada, USA and the rest of the world. 

Many Electrical and Electronics are being processed with several Chinees components then sold as a Japanese product.

Excellent point, Woody! — probably the most astute comment so far on this thread.

itsonlyrocknroll

Asiaman7, 

China's trade practices come under fire... from 2021 

In 2024 the abuses continues unabated

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-58991339

The government of Japan is willing to come to the table and negotiate.

You seem confused, unaware of how to appropriately respond — similar to what I occasionally see from Chat GPT.

@OssanAmerica + @itsonlyrocknroll

You both still don’t seem to get the full picture.

Yes, Japan is a great friend to the U.S. and was thus granted duty-free quotas under the Biden administration.

However, Trump imposed this tariff on Japan, in addition to Canada, Mexico, and South Korea, to close the transshipment loophole that China has been exploiting.

itsonlyrocknroll

If President Trump sees fit to inflict 25 percent tariffs on Japan steel, aluminium, a loyal trusted ally, whose Prime Minster is prepared to be at his beckoned call, shame on him

You constantly rail against China. Yet, here you encourage a tariff loophole for Chinese steel.

What gives?