Iraqi violence continues unabated - Japanese female soldiers in Iraq

[dArKeR]

A group of female Japanese soldiers stands at attention inside of the Japanese base camp shortly after arriving in Samawa, Iraq on Sunday. Another contingent of Japanese soldiers arrived in Iraq yesterday.
PHOTO: EPA

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/03/23/2003107438

This story mostly talks about the violence but it was the first time I've seen Japanese female combat soldiers so I post it in LBN.

It's just terrible! Japanese girls are so nice! They should be holding me not a rifle!

[Art_from_Ark]

1. Usually I take the Taipei Times with a mountain of salt

when it comes to Japan. In this case, however, I saw one of the female soldiers being interviewed on Japanese TV last night. Unfortunately, I was being distracted at the time so I couldn't hear what she was saying.

[dArKeR]

2. Any facts you'd like to share your 'mountain of salt with?'

Taipei Times is by far one of the most moral and honest media sources in the world. Read it for yourself citizens of the world and decide for yourselves.

Any Democratic honest English publications in Japan? Ha Ha, right! The Japanese Gov. is more of a mafia than the Bush Crime Family.

[Art_from_Ark]

4. For starters, there's the recent headline "Japan panics over lack of beef"

The article was essentially about some truck driver who had two big bottles of beer at a "gyudon" (rice with beef) restaurant (which was just down the road from me, in fact), then got violent when told that there was no "gyudon". One drunken man hardly equates to an entire country panicking.

Then there was the article about McDonald's Japan Ltd.'s losses "rising" from 3 billion yen to 1 billion yen.

Then there was a panic article about how Japan was going to run out of foreign reserves this year. What a joke. Japan has the largest foreign reserves in the world, and has been adding to the total. The country is not going to suddenly start spending them like a drunken sailor.

When it comes to Japan, the Taipei Times tends to exaggerate.

And there are honest English-language publications in Japan, like the Japan Times.
Japan Today is also pretty good. And the Asahi Weekly has had some stinging articles about the Iraq War.

[dArKeR]

6. The Japan Times what a joke. I've seen all kinds of big stories

around the world going on but not a peep of what the current events are being published in the JT.

[Art_from_Ark]

9. Do you subscribe to the Japan Times?

If not, then how are you an expert on its content?

[dArKeR]

7. Here's the Japan currency story from the Liberty Whistle

Japan Reserves on Edge of Collapse

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=114&topic_id=5927

[dArKeR]

8. Japan's foreign reserves to run out by midyear - TT and Yahoo

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=114&topic_id=5790

[Art_from_Ark]

10. It's BS, regardless of the source

Japan's foreign reserves will NOT run out this year.

[dArKeR]

11. McDonald's Japan triples net loss from the last year

AFP , TOKYO
Sunday, Feb 15, 2004,Page 11

The Japanese unit of US hamburger chain McDonald's said Friday its net loss more than tripled last year due to special write-offs, including a severance payout to its founder.

McDonald's Holdings Co (Japan) Ltd said its group net loss surged to 1 billion (US$67.3 million) last year from 3 billion the previous year.

Its recurring profit fell 7.5 percent to 9 billion on sales of 99.8 billion, down 6.5 percent.

For this year, the company forecast a net profit of 9 billion and current profit of 5 billion on revenue of 05.1 billion.

"In an effort to reinvigorate the core hamburger business of McDonald's Company Ltd ... we realigned the organization and resources," the company said in a statement.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2004/02/15/2003098876

[Art_from_Ark]

13. Read the article

Specifically this part: "net loss surged to 1 billion (US$67.3 million) last year from 3 billion the previous year.

Please explain how losses can "surge" from 3 billion to 1 billion. Sounds like a "dramatic decline" to me.

[dArKeR]

12. Loss triples at McDonald's Japan - Business Day

TOKYO - The Japanese unit of US hamburger chain McDonald's said its net loss more than tripled last year due to special write-offs, including a severance pay out to its founder.

McDonald's Holdings said its group net loss surged to ¥7,1bn in 2003 from 2.3 billion yen the previous year. Its recurring profit fell 7.5% to ¥1,9bn on sales of ¥299,8bn, down 6.5%.

For 2004, the company forecast a net profit of ¥2,9bn and current profit of ¥6,5bn on revenue of 305.1 billion yen. "In an effort to reinvigorate the core hamburger business of McDonald's Company we realigned the organisation and resources," the company said in a statement.

http://www.businessday.co.za/bday/content/direct/1,3523,1543817-6078-0,00.html

[PartyPooper]

3. I thought the Japanese voted *against* sending troops to Iraq.

Gee, did I miss something somewhere?

:crazy:

[Art_from_Ark]

5. Yes, you did miss something

There was an important election last November in which the ruling party once again came out on top. They took their victory as voter approval of their plan to send Japanese troops to Iraq.

[democracyindanger]

14. HA!

"Japanese girls are so nice!"

Clearly, you've never met my sister.

[Jack The Tab]

17. Or my mother in law! LOL

my wife is half Japanese and fortunately has not inherited her mother's almost supernatural evil powers.

[Lisa]

18. or me!

(evil grin)

[chenGOD]

15. You'll be seeing the same picture with Korean girls soon...

South Korea is sending 3,000 troops and some are definitely gonna be female.

[Barrett808]

16. kick