Japan Today

Vanillasludge comments

Posted in: Trump calls U.S.-Japan defense pact one-sided as tariff talks loom See in context

When you have no understanding of how you got to this point it’s easy to make foolish generalizations.

The USA has used Japan as an aircraft carrier for 80 years. It did so to provide a wall of defense around China.

I’m sure a great many Japanese citizens would love to see the US military out of Japan. Perhaps this is the chance.

18 ( +23 / -5 )

Posted in: Unification Church appeals Japan court's decision to revoke legal status See in context

In the states Japanese members of this group are hanging around college campuses asking people to sign petitions for “religious freedom”. You have to press them to admit it’s for the Moonies.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Posted in: Think twice before bailing out of stock market, financial advisers say See in context

I learned the hard way to forget trying to time the market.

During covid we all thought the world was ending but thankfully I was talked off the ledge by my advisor.

Same thing here. Selling now just locks in your losses.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: Think twice before bailing out of stock market, financial advisers say See in context

kiboushaToday  08:15 am JST

Buy high, sell low!

Stop stealing my secrets!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Posted in: U.S. consumers rush to buy big-ticket items before Trump's tariffs kick in See in context

People deluded themselves into thinking he was playing three dimensional chess when it has been checkers all along.

His greatest weakness is his choice of people to surround him. Typical of narcissistic personalities, he requires constant affirmation above all else.

The quality level of some of his advisers is sad. Anti vax nuts, crazy conspiracy peddlers, and Elon Musk…if we all weren’t going to pay for this personally it would be funny.

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Posted in: 8,000 threatening emails sent to politician over menstrual care post See in context

The suspect can be identified by his extremely well developed typing fingers and complete lack of female contacts.

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Posted in: Tsunoda targets podium finish in Japan after Red Bull move See in context

If he can manage this, or even be within 4/10ths of Max it will be a great achievement.

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Posted in: Sukiya beef bowl chain to close most stores from Monday until April 4 after insect found in product See in context

It’s way more common than the industry wants you to know.

In Chicago rats and cockroaches are practically part of the experience in some of the trendy pizza places.

Years ago while waiting for my bill at Uno’s a rat ran across the floor, over my feet and into a gap in the wall under my table.

Another time at the Cubby Bear i noticed people gawking over at our table with weird looks on their faces. I looked behind me and saw a very calm rat sitting in the corner just watching what was going on.

Good times!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Car thefts on rise in Japan; worst in Toyota's heartland See in context

> enmaaiToday  06:05 am JST

My car is a Daihatsu Wake, I wonder if those theives are interested on that model

I think my Mira ES is safe too.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Car thefts on rise in Japan; worst in Toyota's heartland See in context

So Japan had fewer auto thefts than the city of Milwaukee.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: Sukiya beef bowl chain apologizes after rat found in customer's miso soup See in context

I worked in a Big Boy restaurant when I was a teenager and I can tell you this happens way more than you want to know.

We had a lunatic cook who trapped a RAT (not a mouse) and deep fried it.

I quit after three weeks and as a rule never eat at chain restaurants that hide their cooking areas.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Posted in: Finland again ranked happiest country in world; U.S. falls to its lowest-ever position See in context

Oops..Man this quote thing messes me up

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Posted in: Finland again ranked happiest country in world; U.S. falls to its lowest-ever position See in context

blackpassengerToday  12:20 am JST

Looks like Japan is getting better. If my memory serves me well it was around 90th place in 2004.

Congrats,

It’s a joy festival!!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Posted in: Finland again ranked happiest country in world; U.S. falls to its lowest-ever position See in context

bass4funkToday  04:04 pm JST

I’m happy, I can live in both countries, love Japan and the US, love Fukuoka and love Texas, it just all depends on what you make of life and how you see it, most Americans that live away from the West and East Coast and live more in middle America are happier overall. Been to Finland, nice country, but not for me. Each to his own

Ten people taking the time to down vote this very reasonable comment says a lot about “happiness” these days.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Posted in: Land prices up in half of Japan's rural areas for 1st time in 33 years See in context

VanillasludgeToday  05:17 pm JST

We need more information to understand this headline. “Land” is pretty vague. 

Farm land? Given the plans to increase rice production that might make sense.

Sorry, to clarify what I said..Just saying prices are up across the board doesn’t mean much. Residential prices up, from what? Akiya prices?

Also, if half are up, half are not, which is not exactly a raging success.

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Posted in: Land prices up in half of Japan's rural areas for 1st time in 33 years See in context

We need more information to understand this headline. “Land” is pretty vague.

Farm land? Given the plans to increase rice production that might make sense.

Residential? I don’t see rural residential property as an enticing investment for foreigners as there is more of it available than can be used. Also, Japan isn’t on the BS “home appreciation cycle that has crippled the markets in the USA. Homes go DOWN in value here.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Posted in: Aum cult member's widow speaks 30 years after subway attack See in context

YubaruMar. 17  06:37 pm JST

This is why cults are so bad. 

All religions are cults, and all should be closely monitored, taxed, and kept separate from the "state". All people who join are brainwashed into believing one thing or another!

Absolutely right! A “religion” is a cult that has stuck around long enough to build a political power base. They are all just praying on people looking for direction in their lives.

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Posted in: Number of foreign residents in Japan hits record high for 3rd year See in context

GuruMickToday  07:14 am JST

Shimo San.....sounds like the time of Admiral Perry and the Black Ships, by your description.

Japan is slowly dying demographically, so need some new thinking about "foreigners

We can also consider that a decrease in population does not mean the country will end.

Japan had far fewer people than today for all of its history until the 21st century.

Population decline is an issue across the developed world. Governments and corporations need to reconsider how success is measured. Focusing on productivity per person vs gdp is a start.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

Posted in: Japan's trade minister fails to win U.S. assurance on tariff exemptions See in context

One thing I can absolutely guarantee…No amount of negotiations and tarrifs will sell American trucks in Japan. They simply don’t fit the market.

America is reverting to a commodity based economy, selling natural resources and unprocessed goods. This won’t change until American workers and companies are willing to be paid what Chinese/Vietnamese/etc workers are for the same amount and quality of labor.

I’m not holding my breath waiting for that to happen.

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Posted in: Trump says he will buy a Tesla to show support for Musk See in context

The kind of people who are in the market for an electric car will not be impressed by Donald Trump buying one.

The kind of people who are impressed by Trump supporting Tesla are probably older, white, rural voters who are very unlikely to buy an electric car.

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Posted in: Japan auctions emergency rice reserves as prices soar See in context

The type of rice Japan prefers has a lot to do with the prices.

The price of short grain rice in the USA is equal to or higher than in Japan. I wonder where this type of rice could be purchased for import at a lower cost?

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Posted in: SpaceX's Starship explodes in space, again raining debris over Caribbean See in context

Poor Elon. It’s not easy being a Bond villain.

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Posted in: U.S. auto industry could be collateral damage in Trump's trade wars See in context

You can replace “could” with “will”.

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Posted in: Prices of 2,343 food and drink products going up in March See in context

> 藤原Today  11:14 am 

Higher prices = Higher consumption tax revenue for the Government

This is quite correct. Also, in countries that run massive budget deficits inflation has the effect of reducing the real cost of the debt by increasing revenues and reducing the value of the debt already accumulated.

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Posted in: Prices of 2,343 food and drink products going up in March See in context

> WeiWeiToday  11:13 am 

> That is false. Wages NEVER keep up with inflation, anywhere in the world.

I encourage you to do a bit of research and you will see there have been many eras of wage growth that matched or exceeded inflation, both in Japan and elsewhere.

Inflation is a basic part of a capitalist system, particularly in a deficit economic model.

Keeping it within the guardrails of the spending power of the public is the key. Japans economy is unique in the world for its inflation resistance, to its detriment.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Posted in: Prices of 2,343 food and drink products going up in March See in context

Inflation is only a problem if wages don’t keep up and that’s the primary issue with the economy.

Actually, the Japanese economy and resulting price increases have stagnated ridiculously since the bubble burst. (ex: I recall paying 199 yen for Meiji chocolate almonds in 1992 and they are barely above that price now.)

Incentivizing companies to increase wages relative to inflation is a way to get big corporations off the dime and regain some balance

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Posted in: AI robots may hold key to nursing care for Japan's aging population See in context

It’s both cool and horrifying at the same time.

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Posted in: Foreign visitors to Japan in January surge 40% to monthly record 3.78 mil See in context

I’ve noticed that “over tourism” is a block by block phenomenon. Walk three blocks away from Dotonbori and it’s beautifully quiet.

Same here in Matsumoto. The Castle and the surrounding block gets the activity and after that, crickets

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Posted in: Senior Taliban officials make 1st known visit to Japan since takeover See in context

I suggest taking them for a visit to Kabukicho. Let’s see if their strict morals will then keep them from accepting a handout from “heathens”. I think they’ll still take the cash.

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Posted in: After scrapping Honda merger, Nissan may struggle to find new partner See in context

I just don’t see the Japanese government letting them fail.

They got here by running the same way Stellantis did…Bad product decisions, constant budget cuts and silly tie ups to sub-par European makers

In the US Nissan has the reputation of being the car you buy when your credit score is sub 500. That’s hard to shake even if you do start making competitive products.

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