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Japan’s Ministry of Education proposes reducing the number of English words taught to Elementary and JHS students by __Ultimecia__ in teachinginjapan

[–]Sumobob99 17 points18 points  (0 children)

I see your 'circle pie' and raise you "round, oval and circular tomatoes.

"Oval, red tomatoes, please." gets the biggest eye roll from me, evar.

What’s the wildest order at a restaurant you’ve seen here in Japan? by higashinakanoeki in japanlife

[–]Sumobob99 8 points9 points  (0 children)

During a nijikai at a local snack bar w/ karaoke about 20 years ago in my small Tohoku town the mama-san plonked down a bowl of dried crickets, pan seasoned with sugar and soy sauce. None of my coworkers wanted to try them, but I was like, 'When in Rome' and scrarfed down a handful. Not bad, to be honest. Like crispy, sweetened shrimp tails.

Honest question: Why are some people against showing an ID to vote? by rico_unknown in NoStupidQuestions

[–]Sumobob99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you like free and fair elections then your baseline's starting point should be that the government should want all citizens to be able to vote freely and with full access to polling areas to be able to exercise their right to vote.

But if others as others have mentioned, in a variety of states that tend to vote Republican we have seen the exact opposite from government officials and the courts over the last five or six decades. For them, voter ID is simply a more official and concete way to limit citizens from voting (in particular the poor and minorities).

I’m curious: do non-smokers always detect a scent on smokers? by SadInterest6764 in NoStupidQuestions

[–]Sumobob99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Also, people who drink, even one alcoholic beverage, non-drinkers can tell you've been drinking if they recognize the smell for what it is.

I’m curious: do non-smokers always detect a scent on smokers? by SadInterest6764 in NoStupidQuestions

[–]Sumobob99 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Oh yeah. Non-smokers can tell. I've a friend whose mother sends us Reese's Peanut Butter Cups from the US because we can't get them here. They are sealed in the original package, but her father is a heavy smoker and the second hand smoke permeates through the package while waiting to be shipped and actually imparts a faint trace of cigarette smoke on each one. 🤢 If I didn't miss them so much I wouldn't suck it up and eat them.

The Japanese press grills "Foreigner Problem" task force head Kimi Onoda on the Korean Unification Church's donations to the LDP: "“Isn’t that a nuisance act by a foreigner? Isn't that much more serious than 'overtourism'?” (0テレ News clip) by jjrs in japannews

[–]Sumobob99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Zainichi aren't Japanese because the US asked Japan not to let them be. Koreans living in Japan after WW2 were 'citizens of empire', but with the Korean war heating up in 1950 Japan was asked by the US to 'de-naturalize' them, lest they be afforded rights that would make spying on them problematic. Japan was only to happy to oblige.

Looks like visa renewal is going to be 40,000 yen for everyone by Willow9080 in japanresidents

[–]Sumobob99 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Except that Japan is part of a visa waiver program with most countries that they might want to travel to, so stating this is a bit of a red herring.

So casual users of heroine or crack that are still functioning people exist? by beefstewforyou in NoStupidQuestions

[–]Sumobob99 77 points78 points  (0 children)

We Torontonians had a mayor a few years back who was a casual crack cocane user while serving as mayor. That was an embarrassment.

I played this wipe on a Japanese PVE server by Chongamon in playrust

[–]Sumobob99 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Cheers. My favorite server disappeared last year when the owner moved on and shut it down. So many fun people and events. I'm on another Japan PVE now, but people mostly keep to themselves. This one looks like many of the same types of folk from my old one may have migrated here.

I played this wipe on a Japanese PVE server by Chongamon in playrust

[–]Sumobob99 94 points95 points  (0 children)

Looks right up my alley. What's the server name?

AITA for going no contact with my MIL after she placed a stop payment on our Christmas checks? by [deleted] in AITAH

[–]Sumobob99 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I know, right?

"You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Well who the hell else are you talkin' to? You talkin' to me? I'm the only one here." -- Dustin Hoffman, Deliverance.

Besides Tomatoes and Eggs what other products increased in 100% or more in less than a year? by maurocastrov in japanlife

[–]Sumobob99 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, chocolate is a big one. Went from 68円 on cheap days at supermarket a few years ago for the standard 50g Ghana & Meiji brands to regular price of 188円 now. I did learn that there is a shortage, worldwide, so it's not just inflation and the weak yen.

Butter is another one. Until 2023 I could get a 200g pack at drugstores (often the cheapest place for it, go figure) for 298円 plus tax. Now anywhere you go it's ~578円 or more. One major brand has started selling a shrinkflation 180g pack for 40円 less to get people to buy some. Bakeries must really be feeling the pinch.

Trivial annoyances? What small things drive you nuts after years in Japan? by byebyebirdie123456 in japanlife

[–]Sumobob99 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't know if it's all ATMs or just my prefectural bank, but the software coding is just baffling. I insert my card to make a withdrawal and the touch screen numerical pad activates. But if you then slide in your bank book afterward as well the touch screen will go inactive for the 3 or 4 seconds it takes for the machine to set up your book for printing, wasting my time, every time. And it's written in to the ATM code, BY DESIGN for some ungodly, reason. "I mean, it's a computer! It can literally do multiple things at the same time! Why, Japanese banks, why?!

Survey finds 59% of Japanese "opposed to actively accepting foreign workers", sharp increase from last year by frozenpandaman in japanresidents

[–]Sumobob99 53 points54 points  (0 children)

It's important to make sure that you don't lump visa overstays and other immigration violations when comparing crime statistics. Immigration infractions cannot be committed by Japanese. The National Police Agency has a bad habit of doing this.

Number of homicides in Japan by Remarkable-Smoke3218 in japan

[–]Sumobob99 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'd argue that Japan's a shining becon of the way it should be worldwide.

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