Gov. Blinky Ishihara wants to buy the Senkaku Rocks

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Personally, I suspect a very significant factor in Australia's decision came from answering the question of whether it could trust a crucial part of its defence to a country that blatantly lied to it over the whaling ban ruling. Abe shot himself in the foot by betraying the promise to abide by the ruling. Blatant lying is rarely a good way to earn trust.

[Yokohammer]

Personally, I suspect a very significant factor in Australia's decision came from answering the question of whether it could trust a crucial part of its defence to a country that blatantly lied to it over the whaling ban ruling. Abe shot himself in the foot by betraying the promise to abide by the ruling. Blatant lying is rarely a good way to earn trust.

That's: continues to lie about "research whaling" and simply reneged on its promise to abide by the whaling ban ruling.

I agree, and have tried to make this point on numerous occasions, but some people seem to have trouble seeing the connection between acting like a petulant dickhead and failing to gain trust and respect in international affairs.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Personally, I suspect a very significant factor in Australia's decision came from answering the question of whether it could trust a crucial part of its defence to a country that blatantly lied to it over the whaling ban ruling. Abe shot himself in the foot by betraying the promise to abide by the ruling. Blatant lying is rarely a good way to earn trust.

That's: continues to lie about "research whaling" and simply reneged on its promise to abide by the whaling ban ruling.

I agree, and have tried to make this point on numerous occasions, but some people seem to have trouble seeing the connection between acting like a petulant dickhead and failing to gain trust and respect in international affairs.

If that's the case, Australia should just come out and say it. Aussies are a bunch of passive aggressive twats though. Until you get them drunk. Then they're just plain aggressive and violent.

[Yokohammer]

If that's the case, Australia should just come out and say it. Aussies are a bunch of passive aggressive twats though. Until you get them drunk. Then they're just plain aggressive and violent.

If that's your true impression of Australians and you're not just trolling for a reaction (which is what I suspect you're doing because you're painting things with an uncharacteristically broad brush there), then you hang out with the wrong crowd.

The International Court of Justice has already assigned blame in the whaling case. It would be unnecessary and undiplomatic for the Australian government to do so.

[wagyl]

I have it on good authority that Australians are unique, both warm and direct.

[Samurai_Jerk]

If that's the case, Australia should just come out and say it. Aussies are a bunch of passive aggressive twats though. Until you get them drunk. Then they're just plain aggressive and violent.

If that's your true impression of Australians and you're not just trolling for a reaction (which is what I suspect you're doing because you're painting things with an uncharacteristically broad brush there), then you hang out with the wrong crowd.

The International Court of Justice has already assigned blame in the whaling case. It would be unnecessary and undiplomatic for the Australian government to do so.

That was mostly for SDH's benefit.

[Yokohammer]

That was mostly for SDH's benefit.

Thought so.

Now what was I saying about hanging out with the wrong crowd?

(Just kidding SDH!!)

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

That was mostly for SDH's benefit.

Hit the nail on the head.

[Samurai_Jerk]

That was mostly for SDH's benefit.

Hit the nail on the head.

I've found that Australians who aren't of Anglo or Celtic origin are decent people and they're the first to tell you how bad the "real" Aussies are.

[Russell]

That was mostly for SDH's benefit.

Hit the nail on the head.

I've found that Australians who aren't of Anglo or Celtic origin are decent people and they're the first to tell you how bad the "real" Aussies are.

Yeah, yeah, enough for today.

And you didn't even mention the Aboriginals.

[Samurai_Jerk]

And you didn't even mention the Aboriginals.

Never met one.

[kurogane]

Australians prefer helping whales to helping humans. Hmph!

Austria passes tough new asylum laws as attitudes to migrants harden
http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/28/europe/au ... index.html

BTW, just to go back a bit, surely even Australians can grasp that the ICJ ruled that Japan's whaling activities were insufficiently scientific, not that all whaling activities are necessarily illegal or banned? Surely there must be a Big Print Easy English version of the ruling out there for the Australian Diplomatic Corp's edification.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaling_i ... Moratorium
Excerpt from:

The ICJ ruling did not prevent Japan from undertaking further whale research activities in the Antarctic region, but, in accordance with the ICJ's decision, NEWREP-A needs to sufficiently meet two objectives:

Improvement of both biological and ecological data on Antarctic minke whales.
Investigation of the structure and dynamics of the Antarctic marine ecosystem through the development of ecosystem models.[94]

Japan has stipulated that it will only kill whales if non-lethal methods of data collection and biopsy sampling fail to meet the plan's objectives. Furthermore, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) has declared that information on the number of Antarctic minke whale "data deficient".[94] In early October 2015, Japan's ambassador to the UN, Motohide Yoshikawa, announced that Japan does not accept the court's jurisdiction over research, conservation, or exploitation of marine life and would proceed with NEWREP-A, without waiting for the court's approval. On 1 December 2015 Japan sent a fleet to the Antarctic Ocean with the aim of catching 330 minke whales.[96][97] The fleet included the ship the Nisshin Maru and three smaller boats. The move was met with objections from the Australian and New Zealand governments, who complained that the complexity of the language used and the timing of the announcement at the height of billabong and barbecue season constituted a sneak attack by the Japanese intended to prevent a coherent rebuttal. [97]

So, back to more important stuff:

I finally found a use for Trump's presidential bid. Recently a few of my Japanese friends have said they really hope we don't elect Trump. I replied he's pretty much like Ishihara. That's the first time I've been able to get Tokyoites to understand what a fuckwad Blinky is/was.

I agree, but did they actually get it in YRHOMO? Do these people know you and your politics well enough to just nod and ignore you? I have tried similar tactics over the years and been at the sharp end of some very, very agitated responses from otherwise pretty reasonable, decent people. Suggesting he is not the Saviour come to Earth is like trying to convince a 30dumbthing Otaku that Livedoor's Horie is also actually a crook and a douche.
Still, nice to hear of small victories.

[matsuki]

I finally found a use for Trump's presidential bid. Recently a few of my Japanese friends have said they really hope we don't elect Trump. I replied he's pretty much like Ishihara. That's the first time I've been able to get Tokyoites to understand what a fuckwad Blinky is/was.

I agree, but did they actually get it in YRHOMO? Do these people know you and your politics well enough to just nod and ignore you? I have tried similar tactics over the years and been at the sharp end of some very, very agitated responses from otherwise pretty reasonable, decent people. Suggesting he is not the Saviour come to Earth is like trying to convince a 30dumbthing Otaku that Livedoor's Horie is also actually a crook and a douche.
Still, nice to hear of small victories.

Very different than SJ's crowd but the youngins I know, even the ones that were getting nationalistic, have not exactly been too excited by Abe and what he's doing lately. I think it started when that whole secrecy bill was forced through but then there are the nuke plants and the whole media muzzle...throw in a Chuuhgoku mitai for a litmus test

[Yokohammer]

BTW, just to go back a bit, surely even Australians can grasp that the ICJ ruled that Japan's whaling activities were insufficiently scientific, not that all whaling activities are necessarily illegal or banned? Surely there must be a Big Print Easy English version of the ruling out there for the Australian Diplomatic Corp's edification.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaling_i ... Moratorium
Excerpt from:

The ICJ ruling did not prevent Japan from undertaking further whale research activities in the Antarctic region, but, in accordance with the ICJ's decision, NEWREP-A needs to sufficiently meet two objectives:

Improvement of both biological and ecological data on Antarctic minke whales.
Investigation of the structure and dynamics of the Antarctic marine ecosystem through the development of ecosystem models.[94]

Japan has stipulated that it will only kill whales if non-lethal methods of data collection and biopsy sampling fail to meet the plan's objectives. Furthermore, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) has declared that information on the number of Antarctic minke whale "data deficient".[94] In early October 2015, Japan's ambassador to the UN, Motohide Yoshikawa, announced that Japan does not accept the court's jurisdiction over research, conservation, or exploitation of marine life and would proceed with NEWREP-A, without waiting for the court's approval. On 1 December 2015 Japan sent a fleet to the Antarctic Ocean with the aim of catching 330 minke whales.[96][97] The fleet included the ship the Nisshin Maru and three smaller boats. The move was met with objections from the Australian and New Zealand governments.

Yes Kurogane, Australians who have taken the time to study the ruling understand it perfectly well. (I removed your idiotic addition to the Wikipedia entry in the above quote, because it is idiotic.)

You really need to take a good look at your own reading comprehension skills. Actually, I think it's more that you just don't give a fuck about facts and get your kicks from splooging up and down every thread with baroque, curlicued prose that is somehow meant to compensate for your lack of substance.

Read the quote that you yourself posted again ... sloooowly if necessary. It might help if you mouth the words as you do so. After you have done that a few times the core issue of the quote, which is that Japan simply refused to accept the court's jurisdiction (after going through the hearing and promising to abide by the court's decision) and happily went whaling again without waiting for or even seeking the court's approval, might sink through that one-way skull of yours. They reneged on their promise, Kurogane. If you give enough of a fuck about the issue to dig up evidence to the contrary rather than tossing nutrition-free word salad all over the place, please do so.

You posted it, you really should read it too (if the print isn't big enough for you your browser probably has a magnification function of some sort).

[matsuki]

April 2014
http://www.japantoday.com/category/poli ... on-whaling

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Wednesday he will abide by the court ruling that banned the nation’s controversial Antarctic whale hunt.

The conservative leader told Japan’s chief whaling negotiator that he would respect the judgement issued this week by the International Court of Justice.

“It is a pity and I am deeply disappointed,” Abe was quoted as saying by Japan’s chief negotiator Koji Tsuruoka during a meeting at his office.

“But I will follow the ruling,” Abe said, according to Tsuruoka, who spoke to reporters after meeting the premier.

Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said Japan had promised to abide by the court's decision and uphold the rule of law, but it had backed away from this position.

and then...

In early October 2015, Japan's ambassador to the UN, Motohide Yoshikawa, announced that Japan does not accept the court's jurisdiction over research, conservation, or exploitation of marine life and would proceed with NEWREP-A, without waiting for the court's approval. On 1 December 2015 Japan sent a fleet to the Antarctic Ocean with the aim of catching 330 minke whales.

Japaneeeze sutairu!

Why Australia doesn't send a few military ships to greet them is beyond me. No shots need be fired and what is Japan going to do? Escalate the situation further by sending their own...not likely.

[Yokohammer]

April 2014
http://www.japantoday.com/category/poli ... on-whaling

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Wednesday he will abide by the court ruling that banned the nation’s controversial Antarctic whale hunt.

The conservative leader told Japan’s chief whaling negotiator that he would respect the judgement issued this week by the International Court of Justice.

“It is a pity and I am deeply disappointed,” Abe was quoted as saying by Japan’s chief negotiator Koji Tsuruoka during a meeting at his office.

“But I will follow the ruling,” Abe said, according to Tsuruoka, who spoke to reporters after meeting the premier.

Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said Japan had promised to abide by the court's decision and uphold the rule of law, but it had backed away from this position.

and then...

In early October 2015, Japan's ambassador to the UN, Motohide Yoshikawa, announced that Japan does not accept the court's jurisdiction over research, conservation, or exploitation of marine life and would proceed with NEWREP-A, without waiting for the court's approval. On 1 December 2015 Japan sent a fleet to the Antarctic Ocean with the aim of catching 330 minke whales.

Exactly.

Matsuki is capable of digging up the facts without showing off or insulting people, and he's not even Australian!
Just goes to show that vocabulary does not make the man.

[Samurai_Jerk]

I finally found a use for Trump's presidential bid. Recently a few of my Japanese friends have said they really hope we don't elect Trump. I replied he's pretty much like Ishihara. That's the first time I've been able to get Tokyoites to understand what a fuckwad Blinky is/was.

I agree, but did they actually get it in YRHOMO? Do these people know you and your politics well enough to just nod and ignore you? I have tried similar tactics over the years and been at the sharp end of some very, very agitated responses from otherwise pretty reasonable, decent people. Suggesting he is not the Saviour come to Earth is like trying to convince a 30dumbthing Otaku that Livedoor's Horie is also actually a crook and a douche.
Still, nice to hear of small victories.

Very different than SJ's crowd but the youngins I know, even the ones that were getting nationalistic, have not exactly been too excited by Abe and what he's doing lately. I think it started when that whole secrecy bill was forced through but then there are the nuke plants and the whole media muzzle...throw in a Chuuhgoku mitai for a litmus test

I don't really talk politics much with the locals but they've been bringing Trump up a lot. They seem to get it and one guy has even stolen that from me and uses it regularly himself. However, they also usually say that they kind of liked Ishihara.

[wagyl]

Japaneeeze sutairu!

Why Australia doesn't send a few military ships to greet them is beyond me. No shots need be fired and what is Japan going to do? Escalate the situation further by sending their own...not likely.

If it is beyond you, then you don't understand diplomacy. I don't think this needs military escalation. Currently, Japan looks petulant and intransigent, and they are all unforced errors. Why do anything to stop that theatre, and distract attention?

It is not as though the whaling is taking place in an exclusive economic zone. And I think the Navy has better things to to.

[Russell]

Japaneeeze sutairu!

Why Australia doesn't send a few military ships to greet them is beyond me. No shots need be fired and what is Japan going to do? Escalate the situation further by sending their own...not likely.

If it is beyond you, then you don't understand diplomacy. I don't think this needs military escalation. Currently, Japan looks petulant and intransigent, and they are all unforced errors. Why do anything to stop that theatre, and distract attention?

It is not as though the whaling is taking place in an exclusive economic zone. And I think the Navy has better things to to.

Barbecuing?

[wagyl]

Japaneeeze sutairu!

Why Australia doesn't send a few military ships to greet them is beyond me. No shots need be fired and what is Japan going to do? Escalate the situation further by sending their own...not likely.

If it is beyond you, then you don't understand diplomacy. I don't think this needs military escalation. Currently, Japan looks petulant and intransigent, and they are all unforced errors. Why do anything to stop that theatre, and distract attention?

It is not as though the whaling is taking place in an exclusive economic zone. And I think the Navy has better things to to.

Barbecuing?

At least they know that the prawns are fresh.

[kurogane]

April 2014
http://www.japantoday.com/category/poli ... on-whaling

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Wednesday he will abide by the court ruling that banned the nation’s controversial Antarctic whale hunt...............

...........on the grounds that it was not scientific research activity, which is not only not banned but is not even bannable under the treaty that bans whaling, which means if it is adjudged to be scientific research activity then nobody gets to say doodly squat, because IT ISN'T A BANNED ACTIVITY

Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said Japan had promised to abide by the court's decision and uphold the rule of law, but it had backed away from this position.

Couldn't find a less easily impeached source?

and then...

In early October 2015, Japan's ambassador to the UN, Motohide Yoshikawa, announced that Japan does not accept the court's jurisdiction over research, conservation, or exploitation of marine life and would proceed with NEWREP-A, without waiting for the court's approval. ......

........of their Brand New and Vastly Improved! Cetacean Scientific Research Expedition (you think it's a coincidence the acronym has NEW in it?). Now, once again, and in as simple a phrasing as I can manage, is not now nor ever was banned by anybody except subliterate PETAphiles that think thinking something makes it law. The sad part is it also creates sympathy for the Japanese position by highlighting the hypocrisy of the Western Cultural Imperialists: even when Japan abides by the letter of the law as they are doing here the Great White Man claims that is not enough, and now they must abide by its Great Spirit. IOW, Whitey wants it his way win or lose, as usual.

Anyhoo, I agree with Wagyl. Japan is so busy publicly shooting itself in both feet there is no need to do anything, Australia doing anything would just make them look petulant, while doing nothing makes them look like the adults, and the better neighbours. And any proper Australian knows what happens with good neighbours................Besides, watching peope that don't speak English much out-parse and out-quibble those who claim to is quite entertaining. I find it hilarious the Australian authorities feel comfortable allowing these simple simon emocentric PETAphiles like your cited Mr. Whishy-Washy to pronounce on matters they plainly don't comprehend. Whaling under the guise of Scentific Research is allowed, and this NEWREP is purported to be exactly that. And don't forget, I am opposed to the whale hunt in all its forms. The only real shame here is that dem widdle Minkey whales are being slaughtered.


SJ,
Velly Intalesting. What they still seem to think of Ishihara jibes with my experience. Even when he slagged their mothers and wives he was simply Speaking His Mind, and that pissy pleb routine he does really does strike a chord, even with people edumacated enough to know better.

[matsuki]

April 2014
http://www.japantoday.com/category/poli ... on-whaling

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Wednesday he will abide by the court ruling that banned the nation’s controversial Antarctic whale hunt.

...........on the grounds that it was not scientific research activity, which is not only not banned but is not even bannable under the treaty that bans whaling, which means if it is adjudged to be scientific research activity then nobody gets to say doodly squat, because IT ISN'T A BANNED ACTIVITY

OK...but we all know calling it "research" is a joke and...

The ICJ ruling did not prevent Japan from undertaking further whale research activities in the Antarctic region, but, in accordance with the ICJ's decision, NEWREP-A needs to sufficiently meet two objectives:

Improvement of both biological and ecological data on Antarctic minke whales.
Investigation of the structure and dynamics of the Antarctic marine ecosystem through the development of ecosystem models.

Then you have the Japanese rep dancing around the logic black hole with:

Japan has stipulated that it will only kill whales if non-lethal methods of data collection and biopsy sampling fail to meet the plan's objectives. Furthermore, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) has declared that information on the number of Antarctic minke whale "data deficient".

While stating:

Japan does not accept the court's jurisdiction over research, conservation, or exploitation of marine life and would proceed with NEWREP-A, without waiting for the court's approval. On 1 December 2015 Japan sent a fleet to the Antarctic Ocean with the aim of catching 330 minke whales.

Basically, they're only going to kill whales if they can't achieve the court mandated research goals with non-lethal means...but also they're just going to ignore the court's jurisdiction and plan to go get us 330 more whales regardless. huh?

Does the fleet actually have any legit marine scientists with it or at least a Shunsuke Fujimoto who magically received a PHD in marine biology from Wareware Nippon University in Kaigaiikenkankeinai-ku? (or do they even bother feigning "research" at all?)

I don't really talk politics much with the locals but they've been bringing Trump up a lot. They seem to get it

You sure about that? More often than not, it's followed by "scary" and "what will you do?!" If questioned why he's scary, they don't have much and we all know there isn't much one can do...just like there's not much Trump will be able to do on his own besides make America Great(ly more embarrassed)

[wagyl]

purported

Keyword.

Are you aware of the actual changes made to the program of purported research?

[kurogane]

Oh, I couldn't care less, but surely they're no more or less gratuitously facile and cyncial than the original plan that was ruled against by the ICJ? I think you might agree, but this looks to me like little more than a giant Wink & Nod middle finger flipping exercise intended to bolster domestic political support for these sorts of pissy caveman policies the Abe-ites are so enthralled by. And as that poll result shows, most Japanese support the idea that they can hunt whales if they so choose. I actually agree they should be able to if they want to, I just wish they didn't want to. It's a trivial issue: the minkeys are not endangered and the Japanese don't agree they're special. This ranks up there with transgender bathroom access as a non-issue that excites too many people far too much. Besides, most PETAphiles are card carrying dumb bells, so if it agitates them it's good.

[Takechanpoo]

on the other hand, aussies have pretended to see nothing about overfishing of Krill in antarctic because they are neither high intelligence nor humans friend. and then now like this...
http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/2 ... -oil-habit
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... guins.html
what a bunch of hypocrites

[Yokohammer]

on the other hand, aussies have pretended to see nothing about overfishing of Krill in antarctic because they are neither high intelligence nor humans friend. and then now like this...
http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/2 ... -oil-habit
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... guins.html
what a bunch of hypocrites

Take-Chan,

Read the articles carefully, please. Nowhere in either article you posted does it say that Australia is over-fishing krill. There is information about a large American pharmacy chain (Walgreens) selling a krill omega-3 supplement in the first article, and the second article indicates that the krill are declining primarily due to climate change, and that fishing accounts for a very small percentage (I have no concrete evidence for the last bit, just the information in the articles you posted).

Just because there is fishing going on in the southern ocean doesn't mean that Australia is doing it. Remember, that's where Japan is hunting for whales, not Australia.

So same advice to you as to Kurogane: if you're going to post something that's supposed to support a stance you're taking, read it carefully first.

[Wage Slave]

Tacky can't read English to save his life - and nor can his sources. Remember that allegedly suppressed document that proved comfort women had a choice whether or not to work?

[Russell]

Now that the connection has been made between the hunting of those whales and the non-sale of those submarines by Japan, I can't get it out of my head that whales pretty much resemble submarines.

Could it be that Japan insists on doing research on whales in order to design better submarines? It suddenly started to make sense...

[wagyl]

Could it be that Japan insists on doing research on whales in order to design better submarines? It suddenly started to make sense...

Surely if they want to study the methods of locomotion of whales, it is better not to kill them. They don't even tag and release to study range.

[Coligny]

Now that the connection has been made between the hunting of those whales and the non-sale of those submarines by Japan, I can't get it out of my head that whales pretty much resemble submarines.

Could it be that Japan insists on doing research on whales in order to design better submarines? It suddenly started to make sense...

Must...

Not...

Make...

Yomama...

Joke...