(These threads don't deserve "real" titles since they're just the disjointed ramblings of some idiot and since they contain no helpful or entertaining photos. I guess I could call them "Just Be Cause" or something.)
I was in the Ginza Ito-Ya buying some extortionately overpriced whatever when the serenity of the floor was disrupted by a chugokujin chatting noisily on his keitai: Wei-wei! Wei! Wei-wei-wei! The J-shoppers were annoyed, and some gave him the evil eye, but deep down I'm sure they knew what I wanted to announce to all of them: Welcome to the future, bit-CHEZ!
On a related note, one of the reasons for the yen's recent appreciation is the fact that China is apparently buying Costco-sized lots of Japanese Gov't Bonds. Since Japan's national debt of, what is it, 200% of GNP is usually rationalized by explaining that it's owned entirely by Japanese, who are suckers and who don't mind 0.18% annual returns, what are we to make of the fact that a foreign country is making a massive move into the mkt?