Melanie Burton - The Japan Times

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Jun 28, 2005

Would you want Japan to switch to daylight-saving time?

Narelle Dunn English Teacher, 27 Well, we have daylight saving in Australia and I think it's a fantastic idea. You come home from work and there's still enough daylight to do something like go to the beach or have a barbecue.

COMMUNITY

Jun 21, 2005

Should we hunt whales?

The pro-whaling position anguishes those nations that resent Japan's apparent cruelty.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Jun 21, 2005

Are you for or against whaling?

Yuka Saito Finance, 23 Anti, because I don't think we need whale to eat. I've never eaten whale, but I've heard that it doesn't taste too good. There are lots of other things that we can eat besides whale, I think.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Jun 14, 2005

Do you think violent entertainment leads to real-life violence?

Naomi Kutsuna Art teacher, 32 Yes -- to get ideas, or just to get used to violence. It looks so easy in video games. But it doesn't make people more violent -- people still have their own decision-making abilities.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Jun 7, 2005

Do you believe in ghosts?

Yuma Tejima Engineer, 29 I do, but I haven't seen one yet. There used to be a person who had a strong feeling that she could see ghosts. Her name was Aiko Gibo. I wanted to meet her but she died.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

May 31, 2005

What are your nightlife picks?

Kristi Evans Dancer, 20 For me it's been Roppongi because there's so many foreigners there and it's open all night. In L.A. everything closes at 2, but here things don't start until then. It's been a lot of fun.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

May 24, 2005

Is Japan still working too hard?

Jair Moreno Public Servant, 23 No, it's not solved. All my overtime is unpaid. A friend is so busy that even on a Wednesday, which is "no overtime" day, she has to work but can't get paid.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

May 17, 2005

Are women-only cars a solution?

Mari Kaneko Student, 19 It's good to separate the cars because women feel insulted when they get touched, but women also have to take responsibility when they wear very short skirts. In summertime, some are almost naked.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

May 10, 2005

What you reading these days?

Lisa Jarvis Student, 21 Harry Potter. The whole series is really great, but I'm a big fan of "Prisoner of Azkaban." I have a lot of friends who like it so it's interesting to sit down and talk about it.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

May 3, 2005

If you get married and have children, what will you do with your career?

Miho Yamanaka I.T, 31 I work at a foreign bank and there are lots of women who took maternity leave. If I married a traditional Japanese man -- and he was a millionaire -- and I didn't have to work, then I wouldn't.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Apr 26, 2005

Should teachers be punished for not following government regulations requiring the singing of 'Kimigayo'?

Christine Bullard Art teacher, 27 I think that it should be teacher's choice. If the kids do it in first grade, second grade, third grade, they're going to keep doing it. To be fined is ridiculous. Teachers should be independent thinkers.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Apr 19, 2005

What do you think of the recent anti-Japan protests in China?

Shawn Finn Student, 23 I find the situation comical -- there's a whole generation of Japanese who don't know their history, and the Chinese aren't aware that it's being drummed up to give the government a scapegoat.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Apr 12, 2005

Do you think national health insurance is worthwhile for foreigners in Japan?

Elly Perkins ALT, 24 It has been for me. It's saved me a lot of hassle because I live in a small town up north where no one speaks English. I just have to give them my name and my card.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Apr 5, 2005

What are your favorite Japanese inventions?

Jon Siegel Designer, 26 My "mamachari" (bicycle). It's an orange bike and on the side it says "pretty fashion bike." It's got a basket and it's powerful -- I feel like I'm riding an ancient chariot to Mister Donut.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Mar 29, 2005

Where is the best cherry-blossom viewing?

Masako Marttinen Importer, 26 It's better to go further from Tokyo. In Nerima ward there's one big park, Hikaraigaoka. It's big but doesn't have as many people as parks in the city and the blossoms are beautiful.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Mar 22, 2005

What's the best purchase you have ever made?

Mie Kawano Travel agent, 28 My ferrets. I have three. One of them is an albino. They are so adorable. When they're little, they bite, but you can train them. I can take them for walks on a leash or sitting on my shoulders.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Mar 15, 2005

What are you carrying with you today?

Sean Dimmery Telecommunications, 38 Nothing really, except my camera, a CD, some language handbooks, an empty bottle of water, a Larabar, rail maps and a microzen player with Engelbert Humperdink.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Mar 8, 2005

What should the government do about repeat child-sex offenders?

Nicholas Chase Art assistant, 18 It's a solution to have a list of sex offenders for the police but not the public -- that's insane. It scares people and incites violence. I think that prisoners should be graded on their potential to re-offend.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Mar 1, 2005

Who do you think will take control of Nippon Broadcasting?

Masanori Wakabayashi Sales, 35 It depends on Lehman Brothers. I think Livedoor should win, but the government might help Fuji because they're worried about American hostile takeovers.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Feb 22, 2005

What should banks do about cashcard skimming?

Haruko Iwasaki Accountant, 22 Credit cards have insurance, but cash cards don't. The Japanese banks just say to customers that they will keep their, but they can't promise to protect it.

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