MarkX comments

Maybe if JA didn't gouge people with the price of rice, they wouldn't be forced to add furikake to their "white gold". Also, you may disagree with me, but I too find plain white rice rather bland and tasteless. But don't say that too loud or you will be called a heretic!

I don't follow Korean politics, there is enough going on here and back in the US, but I did like the fact that Yoon tried to lower the temperature between Japan and Korea. I thought on that point he should be commended.

The cynic in me see this as a pure marketing scheme, but if true she still believes in Santa, nothing wrong with that, but it just goes to show how bizarre the entertainment industry is that they employ children young enough that they do still believe in Santa. All the while the men who are fans are fantasizing about this young girl!

Maybe he can go and stay with his older sister Princess Mako and her husband Kei Komuro!

I was a bit shocked when my wife told me the cost of her funeral was over 300 million yen! I know she was part of the royal family, but in these difficult times maybe such expenses could have been cut somewhat.

I feel there is a difference between this criminal and the Abe assassin Yamagami, as people felt that due to his mother's donating all money the Unification Church he was deprived. Also, he still hasn't been found guilty, so he can use the money for his defense!

Not dating but casing! And what a great defense," I stole money but not that much". That is not going to help you sister.

Was fortunate to be connected to a local grower, and got 50 kg for Y20,000, even that is Y5000 higher than last year!

So it would have been better to make a song about how wonderful things are in Africa, with beautiful scenes from the Serengeti, and that would get people to donate and send money to starving people. Ok, I see!

Oh no! The foreigners will eat all the rice! What will we do! I also think the headline should really read 3.31 millions visitors visited Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka! That would be more realistic.

This? THIS is the focus of the public’s ire on their PM? Not the scandals, the billions wasted, corruption? But this? It is bad, but, come on Japan, show your outrage over the decades of LDP misrule instead

But this is exactly what happens here in Japan, small thing like proper etiquette, manners, etc are blown out of proportion and people are outraged. Meanwhile graft, theft and malfeasance is taking place, but nobody complains about that. Rather childish if you ask me. Should he be more polite, yes, is he a bit oafish, yes, is he as slick as Shinzo Abe, no, but then again Abe was the crookedest politician in a long time.

And if you asked the majority of people who is in the Ishiba cabinet, they would fail to name more than two or three of them. Why do they keep focusing on the cabinet, it is Ishiba's popularity they are really discussing. I know the PM is not directly elected, but that is what most people are talking about!

And it is good that the people seem to like him, because the press really seems to want to bury him. It is just negative and bad news story daily!

The more I read, the more I am sure that Ishiba was elected as a sacrificial lamb for the LDP! They knew they were going to get hammered for their multitude of scandals, the Abe slush funds, connection to the Unification church, so they picked Ishiba to take the fall. Now he was just voted as PM, and already they are talking about him stepping down, but first please try and fix the money scandal problem on your way out! Poor guy.

I find it funny that while Biden was pushing for electric cars, Trump is going to stop that, all with the help of...... Elon Musk, Mr. electric cars himself. So either Trump lied, which I suspect, or Musk is an idiot.

So this fool Tamaki, who had a handful of members in his party now gets to dictate what goes on in the country, and all his proclamations are taken as gospel.

As others have said, it is failed politicians like him who are the cause of this poor economy and weak yen. Of course he knows that Japan's debt is so huge it will never be repaid, but still he cries for the consumption tax and income tax to be cut, but even more money for pensions and low income people. And Ishiba is going to listen to him and do what he has said, just pushing the economy further into a dark hole!

But the handouts have to be paid to everyone, remember this is Japan, where even the rich get the handouts because it wouldn't be fair and equitable to give it to some and not all! That thinking drives me crazy. I know people will argue about what income level it should be cut off at, but not here.

See this is the problem when you vote for Trump. Sure he is a buffoon, and a used car salesman, but it the the people he is bringing into the gov't that are the real danger! Elon Musk, RFK Jr., Tucker Carlson! They will be the downfall of the country. But once again, this is what the majority of people wanted, so I hope they enjoy the show!

This house invasion trend is scary as there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for the attacks. It is not like they are targeting super wealthy individuals, and they are willing to resort to physical violence or ever murder to get a small amount of money. The idea of safe Japan is quickly dying.

And the funny thing, is that unlike other countries, Japan didn't close their schools for long periods of time, it was much shorter with far fewer online lessons. So why they aren't motivated is not purely because of the pandemic.

TaiwanIsNotChina, I agree with you, the parents just let the kids stay home? Are there no rules or discipline in these houses?

Again, another scare mongering article that the sky is falling because the LDP is seen to be losing it's iron grip on power. Nothing Abe/Suga/KIshida did helped pay down the debt, or improve Japan's economic situation. It was all platitudes and wishful thinking.

I really hate this kind of scare mongering that takes place whenever the LDP slips. I think this is a great sign that maybe just maybe Japan has a functioning democracy and not one party rule by a group who can do whatever they want! But perhaps Mr. Yamamoto doesn't like it when the people have a true say in what is going on in the country!

Tamaki thinks he is sitting in the drivers seat holding all the cards, but just wait, this will backfire on him. His party and the LDP have nothing in common, and his election promises were so egregious cutting the sales tax, lowering income taxes, free education. Nice ideas but where does the money come from? Japan has the highest debt in the world!

The LDP will use him and then discard him when the time is right! Enjoy your 15 minutes Mr. Tamaki!

Another sad case of big business being able to run roughshod over anything and anybody. When will Japan realize that Tokyo doesn't need another ton of concrete structures but a livable space!

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This headline is so sad. It just goes to show how petty and mean Japanese can be to each other. Instead of feeling happiness or respect for someone who has had a baby and wants time off to help his wife, he is faced with disdain and anger for not being there for the company/co-workers. Hire a damn temp to help out if there is such a work load, and let people live their lives without the constant fear of what their colleagues think and feel.

It is very easy for this buffoon Yamamoto Taro to say scrap the consumption tax as he knows he will never have any power and it is a populist thing to say. Like it or not the gov't needs this money to pay for the things that even many foreigners claim they love about Japan, cheap and easy healthcare, pensions etc.

I'd love to see corporate tax rates rise, but we know that is a fantasy, so the average Taro will get stuck paying more income tax!

I've been to Subway here in Japan a few times and it is nothing like the namesake in the US or Canada. They are so light on the vegetables and meat and they have a number of rather strange sandwiches. And they are pretty expensive for what you get! 3000, not going to happen!

I think what we will see if the election goes as many have predicted the LDP losing seats as well as Komeito, thus losing their majority. Ishin will swoop in and become the third partner to prop up the gov't as the DPJ, and other smaller parties will not be able to work together.

Or, as stated above, if Noda can miraculously find a way to unit all the other smaller groups to support him, every single bill would be a vote of non-confidence, and another election would be needed.

リッチ

Not sure where you have been living, but the cost of eggs has really gone up, and there was just another case of bird flu in Hokkaido, so expect them to go up more. Also flour has also seen a huge rise in price, as the Ukraine is one of the bigger wheat producers and Russia keeps attacking, and stealing their wheat.

I feel for these small shops trying to make it, but I'm not sure how subsidies can help. We are all caught in this endless trap of raising prices, but not salary increases.

I know exactly what is going to play out. These disgraced LDP politicians are "exiled" from the party and have to run as independents, but with the secret backing of the LDP as this article states, and probably a lot of help from Komeito's religious members, then once they win they will be welcomed back into the fold like nothing happened!

And people wonder why the opposition parties can never win? The game is stacked against them at all times.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I find Japanese are slaves to best before dates. My family will chuck almost anything regardless of its condition if the date has gone over. I have to hide things or scratch of the date so we can continue to use it!

So these small companies know this and they prey on Japanese people's sense of food security, but they are only trying to enrich themselves.