Pizza Gaijin comments

As usual, it's always the foreign tourists' fault. Problems with rice availability and prices? Blame the increase in foreign tourists. Water shortages in onsen? Well, of course, it's the foreign tourists' fault.

Despite having significantly lower tourist numbers compared to true tourism leaders like Italy, Spain, or France, Japan tends to point fingers at foreign tourists for any issue related to resource management or the environment.

In the case of rice, it's true that foreign tourists consume it, but the per capita consumption among Japanese people is vastly higher. The same applies to onsen: the overwhelming majority of users are locals, and domestic tourism in Japan is far more significant than international tourism.

Blaming foreign tourists for everything is childish. Japan had 36.87 million foreign tourists in 2024. Italy had 458 million tourists in the same year (12 times the number of tourists recorded in Japan) and doesn’t make a big fuss about everything. European countries also face issues related to overtourism, such as the boom of bed and breakfasts in historic city centers and fewer rental homes available for residents. However, they don’t complain about every little thing the way Japan does.

The solution is certainly not to demonize those who visit the country. If there are management issues, the responsibility falls on Japan, on japanese tourism policies and urban planning, not on the tourists themselves.

Wow, what a groundbreaking discovery... not! This is nothing new.

Next, they'll tell us that water is wet!

Yes yes, please stop if you are starting to repeat the boring mantra “But Japan is safe and clean. Women can walk safely at night”. Ok ok, Japan is safer and cleaner compared to many Western countries, but concerning various aspects such as work-life balance, gender equality in society and workplaces, and other aspects not strictly related to women (such as the amount and quality of free time for children, school system innovation) is decades behind.

Marathons are the most boring sport in the world. Just ahead of soccer and basketball.

In the case of a city marathon, the boring level for common participants is rmainly related to the city landscapes. Actually, if we talk about the Tokyo Marathon, there is almost nothing to see during the route. It is the opposite if we talk, as an example, about the Roma marathon, since you can see some of the world's most beautiful historical heritage sites. Indeed, even if you do not like marathons, many participants enjoy the event in Roma as a walking marathon.

Sadly, Japan needs nuclear energy. The urban organization of Japanese cities, and the architecture of Japanese houses, heavily rely on electricity. Just take a look at the multicolor lights in any Japanese city. In Europe, as a comparison, the use of lights is less intrusive and less exaggerated.

Moreover, Japanese houses use large amounts of electricity, especially for air conditioning (both in summer and winter). Many homes in Western Europe (including the most important countries such as Italy, Germany, France, and the UK) rely in winter on central heating systems powered by gas boilers that distribute heat through radiators or underfloor systems. In Japan, heating is based on electricity, mainly electric heaters, kotatsu, and air conditioners (kerosene heaters are a minority and are used in rural areas).

In such a scenario, nuclear energy is the most economical and environmentally friendly energy production (of course if there are no nuclear accidents).

Unfortunately, Japan is also strictly related to earthquakes, and the Japanese nuclear plants are old. And TEPCO is not trustworthy.

There are many reasons, but the main one, let’s be honest, is because life in Japan sucks concerning society and work-life balance. As pointed out by another commenter, it is hard to feel the energy of life in Japan when you work and have a family. The majority of working Japanese (both men and women) are stressed, and near the burn-out point, many housewives are bored and mainly focused on their “to kill time activities” and 女子会. People in Japan are simply too bored and not interested in anything in their (few) free time. Indeed, as reported also in past Japan Today articles, Japanese are not interested in dating or sex. I was surprised, during my first years in Japan, by the number of married couples inside the same workplace. Colleagues get married because it is expected by society, but they do not have time or interest in finding a partner, so they wed co-workers.

Japan is funny for Japanese when they are university students (since up to the university admission exams it is hell with competition and juku). Japan is funny when you are a foreign student. After the start of working life, the quality of life dramatically falls.

Yes, there are also lucky ones (such as foreigners working in a foreign company who experience a more relaxed working environment and rules), but most of the others are gloomy and stressed and just not interested in anything when at home.

I expect downvotes, but I was not surprised. Japanese, both men and women, are very very materialistic, most of them spend money and effort on their outer appearance but are unable to manage relationships or are not interested in relationships. The number of men and women who get married just because it is what society expects, without love and real romantic interest is incredibly high. I was surprised, during my first years in Japan, by the amount of married couples inside the same workplace. Colleagues get married because they want to get married but do not have time or interest in finding a partner. Just take a look at the huge amount of marriage agencies, or events such as machikon/konkatsu party/etc. Not only romantic relationships. Also concerning friendships, most of them perceive friendship just as meeting other people to drink and eat together.

I am not saying that all japanese are such type of person, but the majority of them have the abovementioned idea of romance, and even if they do not like it are accustomed to it.

It is IMPOSSIBLE. Majority of Muslims do not want to respect and assimilate the culture and even the basic rules of the country where they live. Just see what is happening in many EU countries, there are area where the Islamic law (sharia) is applied even if many rules of Sharia are illegal.

letsberealisticSep. 10 09:21 am JST

People refuse to accept that yes, Japan is generally safe from petty crime like mugging and theft, but it is comparatively an unsafe nation for women and children. It's important not to rely on numbers reported alone as, in Japan in particular, they don't tell half the story of what's really going on.

Well said! 100% agree

ReadyfortakeoffToday 09:06 am JST

I hope so, I prefer to have farm products from Fukushima than the crap from a foreign country.

You should study more about food additives regulations. Indeed, in Japan there is a n extensive use of additives. The most strict and safe-oriented regulation about food additives, food labelling and food traceability is in the EU. Not in Japan. Japan is years behind.

Do you know that several additives banned in the EU for health concerns are still used in Japan (and also in the USA)?

Do you know that Japan revised the food labeling rules in order to remove the words “artificial” and “synthetic” associated to food additives, because the consumers tend to shun the products containing such words? Artificial and synthetic additives are therefore used without reporting it.

https://www.foodnavigator-asia.com/Article/2020/08/12/Japan-food-labelling-revision-Artificial-and-synthetic-terms-banned-for-food-additives

I am sorry for your “Nippon Ichi” vision, but Japan is not the guiding light about food quality and food safety.

Another product of the insane competitive japanese school system and the juku system.

Most children in japan struggle and cry inside in silence, accept their destiny, and become the yes-men yes-women drones. Some become mad.

If you want to pay tribute to Mr. Campeol, please replace the picture of that abomination with a real tiramisù. That picture has nothing to do with a real italian tiramisù.

IOC should ban him from the Olympics and his music from the opening ceremony. Bullying is a big problem in many countries, but in the Japanese society and in the Japanese school system it is ENDEMIC and deeply rooted. Therefore, a stern and rigorous response from the IOC is necessary. Especially considering that a child with disabilities was bullied and the Paralympics will start just after the Olympics.

One of the “mantra” always repeated when talking about Japan is “it is a very safe country”. After several years in this land, I can say that “it is a highly safe country if you are an adult male. Lesser safe if you are a kid(boy). It is barely safe (I dare to say enough dangerous) if you are a woman or a girl”.

I am expecting downvotes, but I really cannot see any positive or happy things in this restaurant.

Loneliness must be really high and empathy (also inside the family and between relatives) must be very rare here since so many adults (both male and female) in this country need to pay to hear “gambatte” (do your best) or “otukaresama” (thank you for your hard work today) from a hostess/host/cheerleader to be happy or to feel encouraged and recharged.

I have friends, I talk with with family, when I need to be encouraged.

But yes, it is very common to meet depressed people in Japan. Just take a look at the commuter trains. It is not a surprise this type of café/club is in business. It is a sort of cheaper, sober and "light" kyabakura.

By the way, considering the cheerleader mini skirt, and the high number of perverts here, this café could be a “magnet” for perverts. Indeed, I rapidly looked at the page of the café and on the “recruitment” page is stated “女性用衣装のスカートの内側にはアンダー生地もついているので安心です” (There is under fabric inside the skirt of the women's costume, so do not worry).

Every culture modifies imported foods to their own liking.

Yes, it is common to modify a recipe to adapt to the local taste.

I heard that the most popular pizza topping in Japan is octopus, which is absolutely frowned upon here in the States. Still, I have nothing against modifying the dish to suit local tastes.

Pizza is Italian food.

Nothing personal against the USA, but the genuine (Italian) pizza is something so different from what the Americans are used to eat.

American-style pizza is absolutely frowned upon by Italians.

For Italians, both the Japanese-style pizza (teriyaki pizza, pizza with nori seaweed…) and the USA-style pizza (including the pineapple pizza) are just not pizza.

Similarly, carbonara made with cream, napolitan pasta (pasta sauce made with ketcup and butter).....are absolutely frowned upon by Italians.

No Closed Spaces+No Crowded Places=Leave Japan and especially Tokyo.

Excluding rural area, it is impossible to avoid closed spaces (just think about train for daily commuting) and crowded spaces (trains, buses, stations...) in Japan daily life.

build a statue of a giant squid in the hopes of boosting tourism.

Considering the tentacles…..it might be of interest to hentai anime fans.

Seriously! Are there really people who would travel to visit this statue?

I am trying to imagine this scene.

Suga, during a meeting with his staff, said: “About the Olympics and the shortage of nurses, I will say to the citizens that “I’ve heard many nurses are taking time off now. So it should be possible to use them during the Olympics”. What do you think about it?".

And his staff replied: “Yes, it is a great idea! Let’s say it. You are really a great and wise PM”.

Or, this scene

Suga’s staff, during a meeting, proposed: “PM Suga, about the Olympics and the shortage of nurses, we suggest to say “I’ve heard many nurses are taking time off now. So it should be possible to use them during the Olympics”. What do you think about it?"

And Suga replied: “Yes, it is a great idea! I will say it. You are really a great staff”.

Japan will not take seriously the pandemic and will continue to pretend that everything is under control until the end of the Olympics.

Maybe (maybe) after the Olympics governors will wake up.

People do not have enough time, do not have enough money, to raise a child.

It is not difficult to understand. Only governors do not catch the point.

School/Education expenses are insanely high: even if a child attends public schools, the expenses for the necessary materials and the juku are too high. Just think about the crazy prices of the Randoseru (the backpack used by elementary school students).

House costs are high: the most popular house in Japan is the ikkodate (the detached house), which has a high cost (plus the cost for the land) and has a very low price/quality balance (on average, poorly insulated houses). In Europe, buying a house is an investment, you can sell it in the future or you can leave it to your children as an inheritance. In Japan, after 30 years, a house has ZERO value and your children will spend a lot of money to demolish the building and to clean the plot of land if they want to sell the land.

Pensions are low: the Japanese pension system is in an extremely difficult situation, also related to the low birth rate. The average pension in Japan, now, is 150,000 yen ($1,350.01). In the future, it will decrease.

Watch this video (sorry, it is in Japanese) to have an idea:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rlSFiw_RdE

Free time is almost zero: having a child means not only buying things or food. It especially means to follow him/her, to give him/her a child-friendly environment. Parents here have little free time. Children here have little free time (school+juku+bukatsu+exham hell…..).

Of course, governors do not know it since they live a golden life.

Yasuhiro Takahashi, who lives in Tsukuba, has admitted to the charge of disturbing the public peace.

Disturbing the public peace? Why not call it with its real name: sexual harassment? And, are the police ok with it?

He neither dares to admit what he did.

Schoolgirl fetish and over-sexualization of young girls is really a plague in Japan.

HimariYamada

"Sadly for Japan these Olympics have been a disaster from start to finish exacerbated by a failure of leadership"

and Covid had nothing to do with it right?.

Corruption scandals, sexist comment scandals, logo plagiarism, asbestos in Olympic venues, worker rights issues, rising sun flag controversy…….have nothing to do with the covid pandemic but it is all related to Japanese politicians and the Japanese Olympic Committee (almost all the aforesaid issues emerged before the pandemic).

So.....yes, Olympics have been a disaster from the beginning.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concerns_and_controversies_at_the_2020_Summer_Olympics

https://www.thenation.com/article/world/tokyo-olympics-bribery-scandal/

https://apnews.com/article/tokyo-celebrity-coronavirus-pandemic-japan-olympic-games-5c0f6ce3f828e7ef0b0b2f6008e6a581

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/01/tokyo-2020-olympics-logo-scrapped-after-allegations-of-plagiarism

20 million savings may be not enough.

According to 2019 data, the average monthly pension in Japan is 15man yen (150,000 yen, about 1350 USD).

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-economy-retirement-idUSKCN1RM0GP

Really a low monthly pension, also considering the costs of Japanese expenses (food, medical service, electricity/gas/water/phone….).

In the future, the pensions are expected to decrease, due to the aging of the Japanese population, low birthrate, low immigration from outside.

From 2040, the Japanese pension system may be near to collapse. According to the data and the trends, in 1980 there were about 7 workers (persons in their working age) supporting with their taxes the monthly pension of 1 Japanese. In 2018 it became 2 workers supporting 1 Japanese retired. In 2040, 1 worker will support 2 retired, therefore the Japanese system will enter a dangerous state. Consequently, the monthly pension will probably become lower in the future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rlSFiw_RdE

Therefore, 20 million savings will be probably not enough. Moreover, 20 million savings may be impossible for many families with children, considering the very high expenses for educations in this country.

One of the best integrated action against the virus was carried out by South Korea (probably, the best carried out in Eastern Asia).

Korea immediately offered to the population clear behavior guidelines, carried out swabs extensively, isolated the positives cases and their contacts, and assisted the infected with high competence.

1) Identifying the infected, 2) isolating them, 3) treating them, were their correct moves.

And all without closing any productive or business activities (except for schools, gyms and cinemas, which were soon reopened), and without the confusing recommendations or ridiculous measures consisting in closing bars/restaurants only in the evening carried out in Japan.

Japan made mistakes and is doing mistakes, both due to the incompetence of the rulers and the stubborn desire to hold the Olympics.

I am aware of the historical rivalry between Japan and South Korea, but this time Japan should learn from the Koreans and follow their path.

"Reducing the flow of people is key to preventing infections," she said.

Obviously! It is clear from the start.

However, deleterious actions which increased an uncontrolled flow of people (such as the "Go to travel campaign") combined with low tests were applied (and Go to travel was suspended after the damage was been done).

Whenever there is an increase in the rate of infection, they say "we will consider taking stronger measures" or something similar. However, the measurements are always the same and essentially limited to the evening closing time of restaurants (from morning to evening nothing effective is applied).

As long as the government's priority is to pass off the situation in Japan as "totally under control", instead of forcefully tackling the problem, nothing effective will be done (because stronger and more rigorous measures and higher number of tests risk breaking the “everything under control” facade prepared for the Olympics).

Tons of hypocrisy!

It was ok to criticize Valentino for his mistake, but I also notice tons of hypocrisy from Japanese net users suddenly scandalized and offended. Many Japanese offend their culture, trample on their traditions, by replacing Japanese traditions with western traditions on almost every occasion (and an online revolt never happened).

I bet that 90% or more of Japanese netizens that felt offended by Valentino are also persons who preferred to wear a western one-piece dress (maybe from an Italian fashion designer, maybe Valentino) in place of Japanese kimono during a wedding party as a guest, or persons who whore a western white wedding dress in place of traditional Japanese wedding kimono during their own wedding ceremony.

If the Japanese really love their traditions and kimono, they should also celebrate wedding ceremonies in Japanese temples, officiated by a Japanese Shinto priest, wearing traditional wedding kimono, instead to celebrate in fake catholic chapels, officiated by a fake catholic priest, and wearing a western white wedding dress.

I think it is very disrespectful for their country and culture to transform the most important day of a couple into a cosplay event, and to cancel every sign of Japanese traditions from the event. Yes, because western-style wedding ceremonies in Japan are just cosplay since everything is fake and arranged only to take the photo.

The truth is that most Japanese, on many occasions, prefer to trample on their traditions and roots just for vanity and only to follow trends. The abovementioned wedding ceremony is only an example. Just see also the countless girls that modify their eyelids from "almond" (Japanese) shape to round western shape.

I do not want to offend anyone, I think it was ok to criticize Valentino for his mistake.

However, I repeat, I also notice tons of hypocrisy from the Japanese netizens.

I do not want to offend Ms. Matsuda, but it is disturbing to see a 59yo woman obsessed with plastic surgery, botox, camera filters, acting like an adolescent. Yes, this is her career and the icon she created. It is surely a winning character in the Japanese music marketplace, considering the common obsession for young girls and childish behaviors, but I think that the "disturbing" limit was exceeded.

She hasn’t aged a bit since the ‘80s

I do not think so. The signs of time and the evidence of plastic surgery on her skin are visible.

I hope her fear of aging has not mined her self-confidence, because soon or later her real age will emerge, soon or later the plastic surgery will not be able anymore to overcome her aging and she will enter in the oblivion. Common people's features gradually change, common people have time to gradually get used to the new appearance. Instead, she will suddenly jump from the state of young skin and admired “eternal idol” to the state of an old lady. If she will not be able to bear it, there are high possibilities that something tragic will happen.

No one has a right to judge.

Japan too often acts like a spoiled child. If japan does not like an international agreement it signed, then it resigns or just ignores what was signed before. Indeed, Japan acted in this way not only about whale hunting but also about international children abduction. A big shame for the country that entitles itself as “the most correct and honorable country”.

When the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling went into effect in 1986 Japan continued to hunt whales and to eat whales using the scientific research provision in the agreement (the entire world know that it was a justification to continue the commerce for the "sushi" business). Then, since it was criticized for its behavior, Japan left the IWC in 2019.

Too easy to sign international agreements or to join international commissions, and then say “I will do as I want”.

I will never forget when, many years ago, when I was still living in my home country, I met two freshly graduated Japanese enjoying a two weeks long vacation around Europe. They said “probably this is our last long vacation until retirement. In April we will start to work and we will be able to enjoy again a two weeks travel when we will be old”. I always think about them when this season of the year arrives.

Of course, we can’t forget about the tiramisu element, which sang out strong through the bittersweet espresso sauce as it casually oozed its way through the middle section

As an Italian, I really cannot stand the word “tiramisu” associated with this abomination cake.