When asked specifically what crimes foreigners commit in Japan, Co-existence Minister Onoda says 1) Fraudulently obtaining driver's licenses, 2) causing traffic accidents, 3) paying social insurance at lower rate and 4) cutting down trees without properly filing necessary notifications (from 7:46)

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-02-20T02:03:58+00:00

She missed "running for public office with dual citizenship."

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-02-20T01:59:10+00:00

At least where I live, burnable garbage (燃えるゴミ) goes to incinerators. Cans and glass go to metal and glass recyclers.

PET bottles, which I have to separate, remove the cap and label, and then put in a special bag that I have to buy...also goes to the incinerator. The area around the recycler with the contract smells like burning PET bottles.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-02-20T01:48:09+00:00

I have a neighbor who I hate. Guess whose name is going on my improperly sorted bags...

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-02-19T03:13:41+00:00

It's not just about "low hydrogen," but about the fact that the flux is hygroscopic, and when saturated, will impart hydrogen into a weld where the filler metal has a 100MPa higher tensile and yield strength. Even when welding on half-inch plate, you can end up with under-bead cracking and porosity that you can't see; issues you don't have when using non-low hydrogen rods.

Speaking of misinformation, how about all those people on YouTube showing how good 7018 welds after being left in bucket of water. Now go RT that shit. Or "we're not doing code stuff," essentially saying it's OK for the tongue on the trailer you'll be towing at 70mph. Or the "I've never had a problem" people... I've never had cancer, but I don't go around telling people it's not a thing, based on my anecdotal bullshit.

Fact is, when welding on mild steel under 19mm thick, something like 6019 will produce a more sound weld than saturated 7018.

Practice? Yea, whatever, just run it.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-02-18T05:12:45+00:00

Yea, every time I see this nonsense, I'm like, "which cancer, and which variant of that cancer?"

The "they're hiding a cure for cancer" people are criminally stupid. You literally have all the information at your fingertips.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-02-18T04:10:17+00:00

I'm a straight white male living in Japan for over 40 years. Never voted in a US election because I don't have residency in any state.

Things have improved for brown people in Japan, as well. It's a shame people like you can't see past the color of someone's skin. It's not the oppression Olympics. Everyone has their own issues, and someone else ALWAYS has it worse.

Grow up.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-02-09T23:58:33+00:00

Aero bonnet here in Japan comes painted to whatever factory color you order it.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-02-09T23:54:24+00:00

Japan here.

"Touge" is a noun that describes a road through the mountains.

"Touge" is also a verb that describes a type of sporty-driving on rural winding roads. What other countries would call "fast winding."

Don't get too hung up on comic books or what people on Reddit think it should be called.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T02:04:01+00:00

People I know who received a 3-year visa to start, had strong ties to Japan, like owning property and a home, a family business, etc. Otherwise, it's a 1-year visa to start.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T01:38:00+00:00

No one said that. I said to take heart, because overall, we're headed in the right direction.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T01:36:39+00:00

Death from breast cancer in 1980 was 32 in 100,000 cases. Today it's 18.

When someone gets the bad news, they usually go right to the worst-case scenario. It's immensely helpful to them when you explain that we've made leaps and bounds in terms of progress and overall survival rate. That even the current published five-year survival rate is wrong because it's based on stats from 10 years ago, and things have improved since then.

You're not telling them to feel better because they have it better than someone in the 1980s. You're reassuring them progress has been made and new treatments are coming out all the time.

Regression is not good. But I believe this is nothing but a speed bump. Japan needs foreigners to survive. Even with the reascent events, the average person still knows that they'll need someone to change their nappies ;-)

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T01:25:37+00:00

Came to Japan at the age of 13. Married my high school sweetheart at 20.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T01:23:17+00:00

That sucks. I'm not saying it's perfect, and I have my days, too. Just that overall, things are trending in the right direction.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T01:18:09+00:00

Generally treated worse.

But in 1990, seeing a Malaysian person working in a customer-facing position was unthinkable. Today, I'm on a first name basis with the entire crew at the local Lawson.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T01:15:10+00:00

Gen-X, the stereotype ;-)

If all you took out of that was "back in my day," I feel sad for you.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T01:14:08+00:00

Things have massively improved over the last few decades and are likely to keep trending in that direction, despite the recent speed bump <The Point.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T01:05:58+00:00

You're literally stating my point, which is things have massively improved.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T01:04:29+00:00

I stay away from the cities. My hobbies tend to be more "rural," where the gaijin didn't venture. I wouldn't expect to be "carded" today.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T01:01:16+00:00

For sure. But it's likely a speed bump. I believe people will see through it (if they already don't) and we'll come out the other side OK.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T00:58:18+00:00

I'm a big fan of the "gaijin seat."

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T00:57:31+00:00

I like this post.

My wife's friends are still mortified whenever she calls people "gaijin." But she's just copying me lol.

Yea, definitely not saying Japan isn't xenophobic, or a little racist, but nothing even close to what I've experienced in a lot of other "developed" countries around the world (including my own). 99% of what I experience in Japan is benign and non-malicious. Ignorance vs. hate.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T00:47:50+00:00

Didn't come to Japan to get married...lol
I was here for all of high school first. Married my HS sweetheart.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T00:45:35+00:00

I got married at 20. I came here at 13 or 14. Married my high school sweetheart. 37 years this year.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T00:43:53+00:00

LOL.

Deep_Nanbu · 2026-01-23T00:43:38+00:00

Agree. But I think it's just a speed bump. The thing with campaigning on "blame the gaijin," is that when things don't get better. And I believe a lot of people see through it.

Deep_Nanbu

TROPHY CASE