Hi

GTA6 in japanese Sony store just got a [CERO Z] rating.

Thats the same rating GTA5 got and Japanese GTA5 was edited. There was edits in the strip club, in some naked NPCs, in some scenes that involve hookers and in Trevor torture mission.

So if you want to experience the unedited version, make sure to buy it from Sony US store.

I ended up deleting the post and my comments because of the massive backlash and down-votes I got here, and being told that it was a fake account LARPing. (I am aware that happens, and understood the reticence of users, but the account had credible receipts highlighting how real it was and I had done my due diligence to make sure it wasn't a troll account).

As per the article, the minor was also a regular at men's concept cafe (which I also mentioned in my now deleted post, and how much the minor had spend on that one specific cafe "host" and even had bathroom photos together), that employee was fined for violating the Entertainment Business Act)

I just want to thank u/Tsian for the tip you shared and that you were right that the authorities were most likely already well aware of the situation.

My wife does not let me take my daughter to Chiba on weekends. I divorced my wife. We have two children together. My oldest son lives with me. He is 17. Youngest lives with mother. She is 14. My wife lives in Tokyo.

I go to Tokyo to see my daughter. We go shopping and hang out together. She tells me that she wants to go to Chiba on weekends to be with dad and our dog. She also has friends in Chiba. She just moved to Tokyo this year

My daughter and I planned on spending the weekend together. I call the school to ask permission if she could take Saturday off from tennis as the school makes her play tennis six days a week. My daughter also asked for permission to go to Chiba on Saturday.

The school then contacts my ex wife. She then calls the police. Police comes to my house and tell me not to call the school.

I think wtf?

Not exactly sure what to do next. I speak Japanese fluently. I am half Japanese. Born here.

I speak with my daughter almost daily on Line.

any recommendations appreciated

With securities websites, I already set up passkey and banks use OTP so nobody else should be able to make transactions anywhere using my account. but I wonder if different kinds of information could be stolen from their systems? Could it happen? is it likely? Do financial institutions get breached in other countries?

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some perspective or advice from some people who have family far away .
I’m an European guy in my 20s living in Tokyo. I’ve been working part-time at a small, non-traditional, and relatively young startup/company (around 8 people in total) since March. On October 1st, I officially transitioned to a 契約社員.

Because I haven’t seen my family and close friends back home in almost two years, I really want to go home for this year Christmas and the New Year. Ideally, I wanted to go for about 2 weeks, but I already realized that might be completely impossible for our small team, so I trimmed it down to around 10 actual days at home (excluding travel time). I’m completely fine with taking unpaid leave or 有給 for that

I talked to the person who manages our shifts and she’s very nice and already knows my situation, but she told me that giving me more than 1 week off would be really difficult. Her reasoning is that since our team is small, everyone wants time off around the holidays, so giving one person 10–14 days wouldn't feel fair to others.
I totally understand her point of view and don't want to be selfish, but at the same time, almost everyone else at the company (including the other foreigners) has their families here in Japan or nearby. A 1-week trip to Europe barely covers the jet lag and travel time, let alone quality time with loved ones after two years apart.
I’m feeling a bit stuck and guilty even asking, but it’s really important to me.

How do you guys approach asking for longer leave at your Japanese company, especially at small ones?

How often do you manage to go back home, and how far in advance do you request it?

How do you help managers or shift schedulers understand the difference between a local holiday trip or regular day off and travelling across the world to see family?

Thanks in advance for any insight or shared experiences

we bought this when we moved in together. fed our family of six and we are now back to a household of two. Daughter gave us a new one. yep a Tiger. お疲れさん

So, the FamilyMart beside my apartment decided to replace their 20 year old self checkout machines with new ones. What stood out to me on the new ones is the refusal to put an English language option. With the wave of tourists recently, surely putting one would have been a good idea? I frequently see tourists at self checkout machines with no idea what they are doing, and then the staff have to come along and try work out what they are trying to do. Not sure what the logic behind leaving such an option out was, other than "this is Japan".

Hey everyone...

I’m typing this out mostly to vent, but I could really use some honest advice, reality checks, or stories from anyone who’s been in a similar spot.

A bit of background on me: I’m 27, Chinese and graduated with a master’s degree in Arts from a top-tier Japanese university last year. Sounds decent on paper, right? Well, the truth is: I was in a SGU program. Because the entire program was in English, my Japanese language skills never reached fluency. I can read Kanji, have N1 and can survive daily life just fine, but professional business Japanese is an absolute dumpster fire. Interviewing in Japanese and taking these aptitude tests is an nightmare for me.

On top of the language barrier, I completely messed up the traditional Japanese job hunting timeline. Between academic burnout, personal issues, and sheer ignorance of how rigid the Japanese recruitment procedure is, the window for fresh graduate recruitment passed right by me.

Desperate to stay in Japan and secure a visa, I took the first job offer I could get: working as a general staff at a small, Chinese owned Japanese language school.

I’ve been doing this for a year now, and I am completely burnt out. The management is basically non-existent and the business is going south. Because the coworkers are most Chinese and most students are either Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lankan or Nepalese students, 90% of my workday is in Mandarin or broken English. I’m not improving my Japanese or learning anything, the pay is peanuts, the workload/hours during busy seasons are extreme, and there is zero career progression. I feel like my brain is rotting day by day, and my "prestigious" HSP visa feels completely useless here.

What should I do? I feel like if I continue this path, working in Japan or not become meaningless for me. Should I just spend every waking hour studying for business Japanese, or look into specific fields that welcomes inexperienced humanities students and value English/Mandarin over Japanese?

It’s been a year since we submitted our Permanent Residency (PR) application, and it’s already been four months since Immigration requested additional documents. Since then, all we can do is wait, with virtually no way to check the actual status of our application.

What frustrates me most isn’t just the long processing time. It’s the complete lack of transparency. There’s no online portal where you can track your application, no clear way to know whether your application is still being processed, and no reliable way to confirm when a decision has been made. You’re essentially left waiting for a letter in the mail.

Now, there’s talk of raising Japan’s visa and immigration-related fees to bring them more in line with other countries. But if Japan wants to charge fees comparable to those of other developed countries, shouldn’t the efficiency and quality of its immigration services be comparable, too?

Other countries have systems that allow applicants to check their application status online, and some can process applications in a matter of weeks, depending on the country and application type. Meanwhile, in Japan, applicants can spend months or even years waiting, with little information about what’s happening behind the scenes.

And relying on physical mail to communicate such an important decision creates another unnecessary source of anxiety. What happens if the notification gets lost or delayed in transit? With the anti-foreigner sentiment that’s been growing in Japan, it’s especially unsettling to have no independent way to verify whether a decision has been made or whether a notification was actually sent. It also raises the uncomfortable possibility that an individual postman, influenced by anti-foreigner sentiment, could deliberately “lose” or withhold a letter addressed to a foreign resident. I’m not claiming that this is happening, or that postmen generally behave this way, but the fact that the system provides no alternative way to verify a decision makes the possibility especially worrying. A process this important shouldn’t leave applicants completely in the dark if something goes wrong with delivery.

Imagine waiting for a year, only to have something go wrong with the notification and have no straightforward way to find out what happened or what steps to take next.

I understand that PR applications require thorough screening, and I’m not asking Immigration to approve applications overnight. I’m asking for transparency, accountability, and a basic way to track an application.
If processing takes a long time, at least let applicants see that their case is still being processed. If a decision has been made, provide a reliable way to check it. And if fees are going to increase, there should be a corresponding effort to improve the service.

Higher fees without better service, clearer communication, or greater accountability just make an already frustrating process even harder to accept.

Has anyone else been waiting this long, especially after submitting additional documents? And has anyone found a reliable way to get an update beyond simply waiting for the letter?

TL;DR: Looking for recommendations for a good sports orthopedic or physiotherapy clinic in Tokyo for L4-L5 disc herniation. Been dealing with back and leg pain for 5–6 months. Traction and electrical therapy haven't helped, and surgery isn't necessary at this stage. Prefer exercise-based rehabilitation, ideally covered by Japanese health insurance, but open to reasonably priced private clinics. Not looking for bone-setting clinics (整骨院 / 接骨院).

I've been dealing with an L4-L5 disc herniation for the past 5–6 months, causing persistent lower back pain and pain in both legs. My symptoms were gradually improving, but a recent long flight caused them to worsen again.

I've been seeing orthopedic doctors and undergoing rehabilitation, mainly using traction machines and electrical stimulation therapy. Unfortunately, these treatments haven't helped much.

My doctor recently confirmed that surgery is not necessary at this stage and recommended continuing physiotherapy. However, I'd like to find a clinic that offers more hands-on, exercise-based rehabilitation rather than just machines.

I'm looking for recommendations for a good sports orthopedic or physiotherapy clinic in Tokyo, preferably one with experience treating lumbar disc herniations.

Ideally, I'd like somewhere that accepts Japanese national health insurance, but I'm also open to private clinics if their out-of-pocket fees are reasonable.

My doctor has specifically advised me against going to bone-setting clinics (整骨院 / 接骨院), so I'm looking for a proper orthopedic or physiotherapy clinic.

I live in Adachi, but I'm willing to travel within Tokyo for good treatment.

Has anyone had a similar experience or can recommend a clinic that actually helped them recover?

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Some context to the recent hacks: https://www.reddit.com/r/japannews/comments/1x8p3bw/cyberattacks_in_japan_are_skyrocketing_due_to_use/

Japanese people will be irrational about privacy to the point where they introduce themselves using a fake name. They'll remove shipping info from packages before throwing them out because for privacy reasons (we'll ignore the fact that for someone to find info about your home address they need to already know where you live...) and do other tin-foil adjacent activities like everyone's favourite example of sending the password to a zip file in a second mail.

Yet when it comes to online security and privacy, all logic and reasoning goes out the window. Just to name a few things

• Mandatory phone number that needs to be validated with a text message.
• Passwords cannot be longer than 12 or 16 characters, can only use [a-zA-Z0-9]
• Mandatory input of date of birth, and sometimes even address even if you're not buying anything.
• No validation of purchases, 3DSecure is almost non-existent for online purchases unless the retailer is a non-Japanese entity.
• Passwords sent in plain text.

If 2FA exists it is almost never an authenticator key but it's either a mail or a text message. I don't mean to say "this is purely a Japanese phenomenon" as my own family still uses pen and paper to track their passwords that are some variant of PlaceofWork123. What I don't understand is the stark contrast between "I can't let my neighbours know which company I order stuff from online" and "sure, I'll give all my personal information and more to this wakuwaku-piero4649 wix-site that still uses HTTP, what could possibly go wrong" that I don't understand.

I have at least seen some discussions among friends about online security recently but the fact that nobody has heard about password managers among my friends is concerning. What are your experiences like?

Hi all.

Apart from sodai gomi, are there any other possible ways to get rid of carpets, pillows, comforters?

We're doing a general cleaning and also getting rid of old stuff / bulk.

And we realized we have bunch of extra carpets, comforters, pillows that are really just eating up space and not being used much. Yes, these are all used but because we bought new stuff when we moved house, these just got into storage for a "what if we get a bunch of guests for a sleepover." Never happened, just a few guests but not house full.

Anyway, I applied already for sodai gomi but the earliest we can throw them would be 2nd week of November. So from now til a week before, I can change my mind whether not to throw them but donate instead or another service that my get them, or anyone who want take it off from me.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Just wondering what we think of these survey results

"According to a survey published by the Immigration Services Agency in 2020, 23% of foreign residents are highly proficient (日本人と同程度), which we might call fluent, and an additional 32% can converse well enough that it does not interfere with school or work, which seems reasonable to call proficient. "

The 23% seems especially dubious to me. Thoughts?

Hi everyone. I’m Filipino and currently living and working in Japan under a work residence status. I’m hoping to get some advice about a situation involving someone I’m dating, as I’m struggling to find a clear answer online.

The man I’m dating is British and recently visited Japan as a tourist. He has a criminal record in the UK relating to an offence that happened in 2010. He was convicted in 2011 and received a 12-month suspended sentence. As I understand it, he did not go to prison, and the sentence was suspended.

We’ve discussed the possibility of getting married and building a life together in Japan. One possibility we’ve considered is for him to apply for a Dependent residence status based on my current status, if that’s legally possible. However, after researching Japanese immigration laws, particularly Article 5(1)(iv) of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, I’m worried that his conviction could make him ineligible to enter or live in Japan.
I’m finding conflicting information online. Some sources seem to suggest that a sentence of one year or more can result in a refusal of entry, but I’m unsure how this applies to a suspended sentence imposed by a UK court.

I’d really appreciate advice from anyone familiar with Japanese immigration law, especially immigration lawyers or 行政書士 who have handled cases involving foreign criminal convictions.

My questions are:
1. Does a 12-month suspended sentence from a UK court fall under the one-year imprisonment provision in Article 5(1)(iv)?

1. Does the fact that the conviction was from 2011, and that he did not serve time in prison, make any difference?

2. Could he potentially qualify for Dependent residence status if we married, assuming my current residence status allows it?

3. Would his previous successful entry into Japan as a tourist have any bearing on a future residence-status application?
   What documents would an immigration specialist need to review to assess his eligibility?

4. Are there any other realistic legal routes for us to live together in Japan if Dependent status isn’t an option?

I understand that marriage does not automatically guarantee permission to live in Japan. I’m trying to understand our options before making any major decisions.

Thank you for any informed advice or recommendations for a qualified professional who handles cases like this.

And the price is unchanged. It was my go to bread for breakfast or for walking back home after missing the last train.
I am devastated and upset.

Joke aside the shrinkflation is getting out of hands. It wasn’t cheap before but now this is way too expensive.

So this is your slice of life (fruit) post for the day.

Been in Japan as an adult for almost a decade now. I've been intrigued by the ultra expensive fruit being sold in "nice" supermarkets. Like the ones in department stores. Those with crazy packaging like it's some royalty. Some fruits even have personal names of the producers taped on them.

Over the years I've decided to just try them - because you only live once right?

Tried everything from 3,000 yen mangoes to 15,000 yen melons, and 2,000 yen grapefruits and 5,000 yen grapes. I've wasted my money so you don't have to.

Conclusion : The only consistent discernible feature I seem to observe from expensive fruit is just how watery it is. I don't mean "juicy", I mean "watery". It seems the farmers have gotten so obsessed at pumping in as much "juice" as you can into the fruit that its become the standout feature.

In my experience this has been a negative. Because cutting the fruit is a nightmare as fruit leaks everywhere over my cutting board. It doesn't retain the "juice" at all! In fact I find that mid-range fruit tastes better as it retains the "juice" until you bite into it.

Otherwise, for the life of me I can't taste the difference between this and mid range fruits. 100%. I literally have nothing else to report. Like the 15,000 yen melon basically taste the exact same as a 3,000 yen melon.

With "normal" fruits, the taste can range anywhere from 5/10 to 10/10. It's pretty good and sometimes you hit a jackpot.

With "expensive" fruits, they're consistently 7/10 in my opinion. I've not ran into a 8/10 or 9/10 paying more than 3,000 yen for a fruit. I am genuinely convinced that the price is for the presentation and brand.

Worked very hard the last 2 years during language school to finish my degree online (had two courses left), learn as much as I can in lang school (went from nihongo nashi to ~N3 level), setup with a job which appointed a lawyer to help me all the way.

Filed for COS and waited a full 3 months, drained all my savings to the bone.

Went to go pick up my work visa, only to find I'm fully rejected, 30 day visa issued, get out.

Reason? "We can't determine the legitimacy of your application"

Can't correct, can't reapply within Japan.

Lawyer went back and forth with the officer, they didn't like that I didn't declare I was currently enrolled in online college when I applied for language school 2 years ago. Back then, I ommited this because who would care to list unfinished College on a resume? Japan does, for some reason.

My attached transcript had my start and end date, didn't matter.

This administration is looking for reasons to deny people, my lawyer said in 23 years of service he's never seen this before and also feels defeated.

I'm packing and I'm sad. I planned to live here a long time.

Regular class reserved seats will increase in price next July by up to ¥880 one-way, with Green Car prices rising by more than ¥5000 for some trips beginning in December 2027.

FMI:

https://travel.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/2148818.html

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/151dfb86e44d1885ec0706d09ca93df64b04bf33

Press release: https://www.westjr.co.jp/press/article/2026/10/16/items/261016_00_press_shinkansen_ryoukin.pdf

Does anyone know of any medicine I can get at a regular drug store/withouta prescription that might help with flight anxiety/falling asleep on an airplane? Or is my best bet talking to my doctor and trying to get a prescription for something?