Japan – USMAIL24.COM https://usmail24.com News Portal from USA Fri, 22 Mar 2024 11:35:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://usmail24.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Untitled-design-1-100x100.png Japan – USMAIL24.COM https://usmail24.com 32 32 195427244 FIFA forced to cancel international match due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’ https://usmail24.com/japan-north-korea-fifa-cancelled-liverpool-wataru-endo/ https://usmail24.com/japan-north-korea-fifa-cancelled-liverpool-wataru-endo/#respond Fri, 22 Mar 2024 11:35:15 +0000 https://usmail24.com/japan-north-korea-fifa-cancelled-liverpool-wataru-endo/

FIFA has been forced to cancel an international match due to “unforeseen circumstances”, resulting in several Premier League stars being sent back to their clubs early. The World Cup qualifier between North Korea and Japan on Tuesday, March 26, will not take place in Pyongyang. 1 Endo Wataru returns to Liverpool after Japan’s clash with […]

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FIFA has been forced to cancel an international match due to “unforeseen circumstances”, resulting in several Premier League stars being sent back to their clubs early.

The World Cup qualifier between North Korea and Japan on Tuesday, March 26, will not take place in Pyongyang.

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Endo Wataru returns to Liverpool after Japan’s clash with North Korea was scrappedCredit: Getty

The Asian Football Federation was informed by the North Korea FA of the “need to move the match to a neutral venue due to unavoidable circumstances.”

A report from Kyodo News, via Reutersclaims this was due to “concerns about infectious diseases in Japan.”

The two sides met in Tokyo yesterday for the first of their World Cup qualifiers.

Japan won 1-0 thanks to a goal in the second minute by Ao Tanaka, who plays for German side Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Japan was then scheduled to fly to North Korea’s capital for Tuesday’s match.

The two countries have no formal diplomatic relations.

But FIFA is now trying to find a new date after the plug was pulled on Pyongyang.

It means that Japan’s international breakthrough is already over.

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And captain Wataru Endo now returns to Liverpool for their title challenge.

He is not the only Premier League star in the Japanese squad.

Shocking moment North Korean players clash with referee after 2-1 defeat to Japan as match ends in chaos

Luton’s Daiki Hashioka came off the bench in the first match against North Korea.

Other big names playing for Japan include Sporting Lisbon’s Hidemasa Morita, Celtic’s Daizen Maeda and Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo.

There was also another familiar face in the ranks: ex-Liverpool winger Takumi Minamino also played against North Korea on Thursday.

Japan currently top the World Cup qualifying group with three wins from three.

In addition to defeating North Korea, they have also triumphed against Syria and Myanmar.

However, they had a disappointing Asian Cup campaign early this year, crashing out in the quarter-finals in a 2-1 defeat to Iran.

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Is this the end of the sushi conveyor belt? ‘Sushi terrorism’ forces four of Japan’s ‘big five’ restaurants to ditch self-service after viral videos showed customers rubbing saliva on food https://usmail24.com/sushi-terrorism-forces-japanese-restaurant-chain-scrap-self-service-viral-video-customers-rubbing-saliva-foodo-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/ https://usmail24.com/sushi-terrorism-forces-japanese-restaurant-chain-scrap-self-service-viral-video-customers-rubbing-saliva-foodo-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/#respond Wed, 20 Mar 2024 18:06:23 +0000 https://usmail24.com/sushi-terrorism-forces-japanese-restaurant-chain-scrap-self-service-viral-video-customers-rubbing-saliva-foodo-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/

Grim acts of ‘sushi terrorism’ have forced four of Japan’s ‘big five’ sushi restaurants to scrap self-service after footage showed customers rubbing their saliva on plates. Sushi served on the conveyor belt has long been a favorite among diners, but there are now fears they are on their way out due to the horrific behavior […]

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Grim acts of ‘sushi terrorism’ have forced four of Japan’s ‘big five’ sushi restaurants to scrap self-service after footage showed customers rubbing their saliva on plates.

Sushi served on the conveyor belt has long been a favorite among diners, but there are now fears they are on their way out due to the horrific behavior of some customers.

Leading restaurants in Japan that use the Kaiten – or rotating – serving system are being forced to switch to more traditional methods of serving their raw delicacies as a result of the trends filmed and posted on social media.

Now, only one of the five largest sushi chains in Japan, Kura Sushi, remains committed to keeping its sushi available to customers.

The “sushi terrorism” trend in Japan has customers doing gross things at restaurants, such as licking bottles of soy sauce and eating ginger straight from a communal jar.

A teenager was filmed licking a bottle of soy sauce in Akindo Sushiro, Japan, in an act known as ‘sushi terrorism’

The restaurant grabbed food off the conveyor belt

He was spotted licking communal cups

Sushiro then did away with conveyor belts and opted for large touchscreens to display their dishes

Yoshinoya

In April, footage showed a man, locally named Ryu Shimazu, dining in Yoshinoya, Osaka, using a pair of chopsticks to push large amounts of red grated ginger from a shared black container into his mouth.

According to local reports, he was arrested for conspiring to interfere in the affairs of the popular eatery.

Yoshinoya was subsequently forced to stop offering the band serving position after Shimazu “caused fear and ill feelings among other customers and raised questions about safety and security in the food service industry.”

But the heinous acts of ‘food terrorism’ did not stop there.

A kind of Sushiro

Other footage also shows a teenage diner at Akindo Sushiro, Japan, touching pieces of sushi on a conveyor belt with freshly licked fingers and cups, before leaving them in a pile for other customers to use.

The chain’s owner said the footage led to a sharp drop in shares after it went viral, racking up nearly 40 million views in June.

The Sushiro diner was seen covering his finger in saliva before touching plates of food, an act that left viewers – and the restaurant – in shock

The Sushiro diner was seen covering his finger in saliva before touching plates of food, an act that left viewers – and the restaurant – in shock

According to The Asahi Shimbun, Sushiro then removed the tires and introduced a large touchscreen to virtually show dishes instead of parading plates of food past guests.

A monitor, called Digital SushiroVision, or Digiro, shows animated images of sushi dishes moving around on the conveyor belt at each table and counter that can be ordered.

“Digital technology has helped us create a new way to enjoy conveyor belt sushi,” said Kohei Nii, president of Akindo Sushiro Co, the chain’s operator.

‘Digiro offers a happier and more enjoyable dining experience.’

The creepy clips have not only caused much embarrassment for the popular eateries, but have also increased costs for the targeted restaurants, who have been forced to apologize to their disgusted customers.

Choshimaru

Worried that the wave of ‘sushi terrorism’ in Japan is growing and images of the sickening acts are regularly appearing on social media, Choshimaru, a chain that operates restaurants in and around Tokyo, revealed last year that it would be taking drastic measures to combat the problem. to fight. after a diner stubbed out a cigarette in a jar of pickled ginger.

The chain’s staff initially began bringing condiments and cutlery to tables each time a new group of guests were seated.

But the eatery went one step further, revealing that conveyor belts at all 63 restaurants would be shut down – and more staff would be brought in to manually deliver orders.

While this took away the popular and fun element of ordering sushi, the company reasoned that the absence of plates traveling on a conveyor belt through the restaurant would make it virtually impossible for pranksters to tamper with other customers’ orders.

And a number of other restaurants followed suit.

Kura Sushi is confident that they want to maintain their conveyor belt system

Kura Sushi is confident that they want to maintain their conveyor belt system

At Kura Sushi, the plates are equipped with protective screens, while the conveyor belts are equipped with alarms and CCTV cameras

At Kura Sushi, the plates are equipped with protective screens, while the conveyor belts are equipped with alarms and CCTV cameras

Kura Sushi has installed a series of costly security measures in an effort to combat the abhorrent acts

Kura Sushi has installed a series of costly security measures in an effort to combat the abhorrent acts

Hama sushi

Hama Sushi did away with the conveyor belt at the start of the pandemic, when the trend started to become popular in Japan Japan today.

Instead, they now rely solely on the express lanes used by most major chains, where the customer orders via a touchscreen at their seat and the desired dish zooms straight to their table.

Tablets are also being installed in the tables, so customers have less physical contact with the dishes before or after ordering.

Kura Sushi

Yet Kura Sushi takes a stand against the ‘sushi terrorists’ and keeps the conveyor belts alive through the use of technology.

The restaurant had to take special precautions after a customer was caught eating sushi from a moving belt and drinking straight from a communal bottle of soy sauce.

The new measures include installing antibacterial covers to protect the fish from stray saliva droplets and AI camera systems to identify suspicious customer behavior.

They have also added microchips to the boxes the sushi plates come in.

In addition to monitoring how long they have been on the leash, they can detect if the case has been tampered with, so customers can avoid sushi that may have been compromised.

“Conveyor belt sushi is something we are proud of as part of Japanese culture. “We want to ensure that our customers can safely and comfortably eat belt-delivered sushi,” a company official said last year.

“Our company has heard from a large number of customers that they no longer trust us or want to go to conveyor belt sushi restaurants,” Hiroyuki Okamoto, head of public relations for Kura Sushi, told reporters, according to the Mainichi Shimbun.

“This is a crisis not just for our stores, but for the entire sushi industry as a whole,” Okamoto said, adding that using AI would reassure diners even if it meant effectively putting them under surveillance .

But most restaurants seem to have had enough of the stomach-churning “sushi terrorism” and are starting to cut out conveyor belts entirely.

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Princess Aiko of Japan beams as she attends her graduation ceremony at Gakushuin University in Tokyo before taking up a role with the Red Cross https://usmail24.com/princess-aiko-japan-graduation-gakushuin-university-tokyo-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/ https://usmail24.com/princess-aiko-japan-graduation-gakushuin-university-tokyo-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/#respond Wed, 20 Mar 2024 18:04:17 +0000 https://usmail24.com/princess-aiko-japan-graduation-gakushuin-university-tokyo-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/

Princess Aiko of Japan beamed as she attended her graduation ceremony at Gakushuin University in Tokyo. Aiko, the only daughter of Emperor Naruhito, 63, and Empress Masako, 60, wore a navy blue kimono with pale pink sleeves as she braved a storm on Wednesday. The 22-year-old, who studied Japanese language and literature for four years, […]

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Princess Aiko of Japan beamed as she attended her graduation ceremony at Gakushuin University in Tokyo.

Aiko, the only daughter of Emperor Naruhito, 63, and Empress Masako, 60, wore a navy blue kimono with pale pink sleeves as she braved a storm on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old, who studied Japanese language and literature for four years, wore traditional Japanese split-toe shoes called Tabi, which are an important part of Japan’s fashion and history.

The princess appeared cheerful as she walked through the university grounds on her way to her graduation ceremony in Tokyo’s Mejiro district.

She carried a cream handbag and pink flowers in her raven locks to match her colorful kimono.

Princess Aiko of Japan beamed Wednesday as she attended her graduation ceremony at Gakushuin University in Tokyo

Aiko plans to work at the Red Cross after his studies.

Her contractual role with the Red Cross will not impact her official duties, and she plans to perform both simultaneously Kyodo News.

It is believed the princess will commute to the company’s headquarters in Tokyo’s Minato district, although her exact role has not been revealed.

“I am happy to become involved in the work of the Japanese Red Cross,” Princess Aiko said in a statement released by the agency. She added: “At the same time, I feel determined.”

The Japanese Imperial Family has a long-standing association with the charity, and Empress Masako currently serves as honorary chairman of the organization.

Aiko said, “I am happy and humbled to work for the Japanese Red Cross, which I have always been interested in.

‘I continue to learn different things and work hard knowing that I am a member of society. I hope that, even if only on a small scale, I can do something for people and society.’

She carried a cream handbag and pink flowers in her raven locks to match her colorful kimono

She carried a cream handbag and pink flowers in her raven locks to match her colorful kimono

Aiko, the only daughter of Emperor Naruhito, 63, and Empress Masako, 60, wore a navy blue kimono with pale pink patterned sleeves as she braved a storm.

Aiko, the only daughter of Emperor Naruhito, 63, and Empress Masako, 60, wore a navy blue kimono with pale pink patterned sleeves as she braved a storm.

The 22-year-old, who studied Japanese language and literature for four years, wore traditional Japanese split-toe shoes called Tabi, which are an important part of Japan's fashion and history.

The 22-year-old, who studied Japanese language and literature for four years, wore traditional Japanese split-toe shoes called Tabi, which are an important part of Japan’s fashion and history.

The exact nature of the Aiko’s role in the Red Cross is unknown. The princess leads a private life and she previously went through a period of bullying and fear during her childhood, which caused her to leave school.

It comes after Princess Aiko’s aunt, Princess Kiko, reportedly underwent a medical test to determine the cause of her mysterious illness, but to no avail.

Crown Prince Akishino’s wife, 57, underwent an endoscopy at a Tokyo hospital earlier this month, but no abnormalities were discovered.

Kiko has been suffering from an unknown illness since last year The Mainichi.

The royal family has experienced painful symptoms related to the gastrointestinal tract, leaving her unable to eat normal meals.

The mother of two has been advised to “rest and focus on recovery,” the Japanese newspaper said.

The princess appeared cheerful as she walked through the university grounds on her way to her graduation ceremony in Tokyo's Mejiro district.

The princess appeared cheerful as she walked through the university grounds on her way to her graduation ceremony in Tokyo’s Mejiro district.

Princess Aiko is the only child of Japanese Emperor Naruhito (center), 63, and Empress Masako (left), 60

Princess Aiko is the only child of Japanese Emperor Naruhito (center), 63, and Empress Masako (left), 60

Although doctors have advised Kiko to rest, they have suggested she may face painful symptoms in the coming months.

It comes after claims that Crown Princess Kiko of Japan is unable to eat ‘normal meals’ after contracting a mystery illness.

The Imperial Household Agency said the royal mother of two has been unwell since last year, according to the national newspaper The Mainichi.

Doctors have ruled out Covid-19 as the cause of Kiko’s ill health after the princess tested negative for the virus and flu.

Since the cause of Kiko’s illness is still unknown, medical professionals are conducting tests to find a solution.

The princess recently attended the New Year celebrations and appeared to be in a positive mood as she beamed in family portraits released to mark the New Year.

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Megan Fox FINALLY sets the record straight on all her plastic surgery and reveals she’s planning more work: ‘I got the biggest boobs I could and now I want a bum like a circus freak’ https://usmail24.com/megan-fox-plastic-surgery-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/ https://usmail24.com/megan-fox-plastic-surgery-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/#respond Wed, 20 Mar 2024 16:03:33 +0000 https://usmail24.com/megan-fox-plastic-surgery-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/

Megan Fox has finally set the record straight when it comes to her various plastic surgery procedures. For years, the Transformers star, 37, has baffled fans with her ever-changing looks, but she has kept quiet amid the ongoing speculation. In particular, her drastically different outlook at a Super Bowl afterparty last month led to a […]

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Megan Fox has finally set the record straight when it comes to her various plastic surgery procedures.

For years, the Transformers star, 37, has baffled fans with her ever-changing looks, but she has kept quiet amid the ongoing speculation.

In particular, her drastically different outlook at a Super Bowl afterparty last month led to a frenetic guessing game on social media about what she had recently done — with posters and even plastic surgeons thinking she was getting a nose job, cheek filler and a brow lift.

Now the mum-of-three has detailed the cosmetic procedures she’s had, including spending $30,000 on the ‘biggest breasts that could fit my body’. She also admitted to having a nose job in her early 20s, but denies having the procedure seven or eight times.

Megan went on to dismiss rumors about other procedures she’s had – insisting she’ll never have fat removed from her body because she’s so skinny – as she candidly discussed the work she wants done in the future .

Megan Fox has finally set the record straight about her various plastic surgery procedures, revealing when she went under the knife, what she hasn’t done yet, and her future plans

A photo of the Transformers star, 37, partying with her fiancé Machine Gun Kelly, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce left social media stunned at how much she has changed

A photo of the Transformers star, 37, partying with her fiancé Machine Gun Kelly, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce left social media stunned at how much she has changed

For years the Transformers star, 37, has baffled fans with her ever-changing looks, but she has kept quiet amid the ongoing speculation (pictured in 2004)

Megan pictured in February 2024

For years, the Transformers star, 37, has baffled fans with her ever-changing looks, but she has kept quiet amid the ongoing speculation (left, 2004, right, February 2024)

Ironically, despite admitting that she loves the results of surgery and wants people to think of her as a “circus freak,” she confessed that she has avoided many common procedures because she is terrified of anesthesia.

Speaking about the Call her daddy podcast, she revealed the work she had done to her face — filler and Botox but no facelift or threads — a non-surgical procedure designed to lift sagging skin and stimulate collagen production.

She explained: I’ve never had a facelift, no lateral brow lift Even though I would love one!

Not an ordinary eyebrow lift, I have never done threads before. That’s not because of any moral issue, I just don’t really believe they work and I’m also afraid they will interfere if I need a facelift.

‘I’m very tempted to get rid of my eyebrows completely [back]. I want that look. That seems nice and you can do it during a lunch break and I understand why it’s so tempting,’

She went on to dismiss rumors that she had buccal fat removed (cheek slimming), explaining: ‘I’ve never had that done, I will never have any fat removed.

“I’m a skinny person who doesn’t have enough body fat or fat in my face, so I’ll just put fat in there.”

“I will never remove fat, which leads me to never having liposuction or body contouring or anything like that.”

Now the mother of three has detailed the cosmetic procedures she has undergone

She spent $30,000 on the 'biggest boobs that fit my body' (photo Feb 2024)

Now the mother of three has detailed the cosmetic procedures she has undergone, including spending $30,000 on the ‘biggest breasts that could fit my body’ (L 2012, R 2024)

Talking about her ample breasts and slim body, she said: ‘My boobs have been fake since I was 21 or 22. I had them done between the first and second Transformers. But I had them done conservatively.

‘Because then everyone did the work, but you had to do work that was undetectable.

‘I, always, that little girl standing in the mirror, always thought, “Where are my breasts?” I always wanted big breasts. So I wasn’t happy with the first set.

“I had them redone after I finished breastfeeding my kids because I don’t know where they went, but they went.”

‘Then I had to have them redone recently because with the first set I didn’t have enough body fat to hide – you could see the wavy thing from the implants.’

Megan continued: ‘I don’t like surgery – my body doesn’t respond well to general anesthesia – so if I have to have surgery it’s a really big deal.

‘Going under anesthesia is a risk to your life. So when I had to go in for this set, I thought, “Look, if you’re going to put me to sleep, if I’m going to be sick for two months from the general anesthetic… I better wake up with the biggest boobs you’ve ever seen.” can fit in my body.”

“And that’s what he said he did. And they’re not even that big. It’s a 32D which isn’t that big, they just look big on my body because my body is small.

‘But if he could have gotten bigger, I would have let them get bigger, because I don’t like operations, and because I had to do it, I thought, ‘I want a reward for the suffering I have to go through. I don’t want to wake up with a full B cup.” There’s no point, I won’t do it.

‘I wanted t*tties. I don’t care what’s trendy, give me stripper titties from 1990. And he did it.”

Megan said: 'I'm very tempted to get my eyebrows completely removed [back].  I want that look.  That seems fun and you can do it during your lunch break' (photo 2007)

Users flocked to discuss her shocking transformation - with many theorizing that her new look was the result of surgery.  She has been seen recently

Megan said: ‘I’m very tempted to get my eyebrows completely removed [back]. I want that look. That seems fun and you can do it during your lunch break’ (L 2007, R 2024)

Megan went on to reveal that she also wants a bigger butt but stops people when they look at her, but revealed that this isn’t possible at the moment because she is so slim.

When asked if she had had a Brazilian butt lift or implants, she said: ‘If I could, I would. I have no extra body fat. I’d have it done if I could.

‘That operation is so difficult to recover from. It’s basically like having to lie flat on your face for three months. You’re bruised for an eternity.

“If I ever did that, if I survived that operation, you would give me an a**e, that’s an anomaly.

“Like I’m walking through a park, and I’m going to turn around and everyone’s going to whisper and laugh and talk because they’re like, ‘What? What are we looking at?’ Like a circus freak.

“If I go through that healing process, that’s what I want. I don’t come out with, “Oh, has she actually been to the gym lately?”

‘It’s supposed to stop people. But I don’t have the body fat to do that. But if in the future you can take donated fat from people, I will do that.’

She explained why she had withdrawn from other work that people speculated she had done: “I am very afraid of dying under general anesthesia.

‘So I don’t take surgery lightly and because of that I haven’t had many. So it’s probably a saving grace that I have this paranoia, or this fear, otherwise God knows what I would have been up to.”

Recently, Megan was accused of being ‘xenophobic’ as she tried to defend her shocking new look, comparing herself to a ‘Ukrainian blow-up doll’ in a photo.

The Transformers star responded to critics by attributing the change in her image to a “shady” photo.

However, her rebuttal sparked controversy when she proudly claimed that she “really” looks like a “super expensive real silicone sex doll” from Japan.

“Oh my god, guys, look how different I look…at all,” she began her bizarre post. ‘It turned out to be just a shady cell phone photo of me looking like a Ukrainian blow-up doll. when in reality I look like one of those super expensive real silicone sex dolls that you can only get in Japan.”

Megan previously shared her thoughts on plastic surgery with Allure magazine in 2010, saying it was “amazing” that “we have the technology to do the things we do.”

‘I would encourage anyone to talk to a therapist first, to try to find out where this craving comes from, because it is often not related to your teeth, your nose or your chin – the surgery will not remove that uncertainty. you,” she said at the time.

“Then if you feel like, ‘This is something I want to do,’ then do it. It’s amazing that we have the technology to do the things we do.”

After her breakthrough role in Transformers, Megan admitted in a 2009 interview that she is seriously 'insecure' about the way she looks

After her breakthrough role in Transformers, Megan admitted in a 2009 interview that she is seriously ‘insecure’ about the way she looks

Megan has also admitted that she is very ‘insecure’ about her appearance.

After her breakthrough in Transformers, she told Rolling Stone in 2009: ‘I’m really insecure about everything. I see what I look like, but there are things I like and things I don’t like.

‘My hair is fine. The color of my eyes is of course good. But I’m too short. Overall, I’m not super excited about the whole thing.

‘I never think I’m worth anything. I have a sick feeling that I am constantly being mocked. I have a lot of self-loathing.”

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A trainspotter’s fantasy! Inside the breathtaking hotel that overlooks Tokyo’s main bullet-train station (which is linked to the hotel by a secret underground passageway) https://usmail24.com/a-trainspotters-fantasy-inside-breathtaking-hotel-overlooks-tokyos-main-bullet-train-station-linked-hotel-secret-underground-passageway-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/ https://usmail24.com/a-trainspotters-fantasy-inside-breathtaking-hotel-overlooks-tokyos-main-bullet-train-station-linked-hotel-secret-underground-passageway-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/#respond Tue, 19 Mar 2024 11:31:41 +0000 https://usmail24.com/a-trainspotters-fantasy-inside-breathtaking-hotel-overlooks-tokyos-main-bullet-train-station-linked-hotel-secret-underground-passageway-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/

They’re bullet trains, but not quite in bullet mode. Rather than shooting along at speeds of up to 200mph (320kph), these glossy marvels of engineering are trundling in and out of Tokyo Station. I’m watching this scene from my room at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo At Marunouchi, both a boutique sanctuary and a trainspotter’s fantasy […]

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They’re bullet trains, but not quite in bullet mode.

Rather than shooting along at speeds of up to 200mph (320kph), these glossy marvels of engineering are trundling in and out of Tokyo Station.

I’m watching this scene from my room at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo At Marunouchi, both a boutique sanctuary and a trainspotter’s fantasy fulfilled.

My room, a Deluxe King, overlooks the eastern side of the station, which sees more than 4,000 arrivals and departures each day. As well as a commuter hub, it’s Tokyo’s main Shinkansen (bullet train) terminal, serviced by the majority of the eight major high-speed lines, including the ever-popular Tokaido line, on which bullet trains rocket past Mount Fuji towards Osaka and Kyoto at up to 177mph/285kph.

A Four Seasons representative can greet you from your train, ushering you from the platform to the hotel in under five minutes via an underground passageway.

Ailbhe MacMahon checks into Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo At Marunouchi where she watches bullet trains slowly pulling in and out of Tokyo Station. Pictured: The view from a Deluxe Premier Twin room at the hotel

Ailbhe stays in a Deluxe King room, like the one pictured here, overlooking the eastern side of Tokyo Station, which sees more than 4,000 trains arrive and depart each day

Ailbhe stays in a Deluxe King room, like the one pictured here, overlooking the eastern side of Tokyo Station, which sees more than 4,000 trains arrive and depart each day

The intimate 57-room hotel, which has been welcoming guests for two decades, occupies the lower seven floors of the glass-walled Pacific Century Place tower in the Marunouchi district in dazzling downtown Tokyo.

While east-facing hotel rooms offer ample opportunity for train-track-gazing, the prize for the best view goes to Maison Marunouchi, the Michelin-recommended restaurant on the seventh floor, where a corner table looks directly onto the Shinkansen platforms.

During dinner, I watch as Shinkansen passengers swarm into carriages, marshalled by white-gloved conductors.

The prize for the best view goes to Maison Marunouchi, the Michelin-recommended restaurant on the seventh floor, where a corner table (pictured) looks directly onto the Shinkansen platforms, writes Ailbhe

The prize for the best view goes to Maison Marunouchi, the Michelin-recommended restaurant on the seventh floor, where a corner table (pictured) looks directly onto the Shinkansen platforms, writes Ailbhe

Monkfish from Japan's Hokkaido region in a spiced lentil and curry velouté sauce at Maison Marunouchi

Japanese 'kegani' crab in a brioche bun with a fish broth at Maison Marunouchi

LEFT: Monkfish from Japan’s Hokkaido region in a spiced lentil and curry velouté sauce at Maison Marunouchi. RIGHT: Japanese ‘kegani’ crab in a brioche bun with a fish broth at the restaurant

British chef Daniel Calvert oversees the menu at Maison Marunouchi, which Ailbhe describes as 'a Parisian-style bistro with teal leather booths and Art Deco room dividers'

British chef Daniel Calvert oversees the menu at Maison Marunouchi, which Ailbhe describes as ‘a Parisian-style bistro with teal leather booths and Art Deco room dividers’

The hotel gives children the chance to dress up as a conductor and play with a Takara Tomy Plarail toy train set as they watch the trains go by at the hotel, says Ailbhe

The hotel gives children the chance to dress up as a conductor and play with a Takara Tomy Plarail toy train set as they watch the trains go by at the hotel, says Ailbhe 

JAPAN’S SHINKANSEN BULLET TRAIN LINES 

Tokaido line. Maximum speed – 177mph/285kph: This connects Tokyo with Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka.

Sanyo line. Maximum speed – 186mph/300kph: This takes travellers from Osaka to the city of Fukuoka, stopping along the way in Kobe, Himeji, Okayama and Hiroshima.

Tohoku line. Maximum speed – 199mph/320kph: Japan’s longest Shinkansen line, this links Tokyo with Aomori in the north.

Joetsu line. Maximum speed – 161mph/260kph: This winds from Tokyo to the coastal city of Niigata further north.

Kyushu line. Maximum speed – 161mph/260kph: This links the cities of Fukuoka and Kagoshima on Kyushu Island in southerly Japan.

Hokkaido line. Maximum speed – 199mph/320kph: This travels from the city of Aomori on the island of Honshu to the city of Hakodate on Hokkaido Island, moving through the Seikan Tunnel.

Hokuriku line. Maximum speed – 161mph/260kph: This links Tokyo with the city of Kanazawa, stopping along the way in Nagano and Toyama. It’s also known as the Nagano Shinkansen.

Nishi Kyushu line. Maximum speed – 162mph (260kph): The newest line to open, this runs between the hot spring town of Takeo-Onsen and Nagasaki.

Source: JR Pass/Hitachi

The trains themselves line up like bullets in a belt of ammunition, ready to set off right on time – Shinkansen are rarely delayed.

My waiter tells us the view is especially popular with children, with staff occasionally having to clean mini fingerprints off the windows.

Taking note of their fascination, the hotel created a package that gives children the chance to dress up as a conductor and play with a Takara Tomy Plarail toy train set as they watch the trains go by.

But this trackside vantage point isn’t the only ace in the hotel’s hand.

It has cut through the high-stakes culinary competition in Tokyo and become a big player in the city’s gastronomy scene with its two-Michelin-starred restaurant Sézanne, where British chef Daniel Calvert masterminds classically-derived French fare.

Calvert also oversees the menu in the more casual Maison Marunouchi, a Parisian-style bistro with teal leather booths and Art Deco room dividers.

There I have Japanese ‘kegani’ crab meat in a brioche bun, steeped in a moreish fish broth (3,800JPYyen/£20/$25), followed by buttery monkfish from Japan’s Hokkaido region (6,300JPY/£33/$42) and a delicate strawberry mille-feuille (3,000JPY/£16/$20).

I sample another slice of Calvert’s wares at breakfast the following morning with a serving of avocado on Sézanne’s light yet crunchy sourdough bread (3,000JPY/£16/$20).

The Surrey-born chef’s deft touch is also seen in the savoury section of the afternoon tea menu (7,600JPY/£40/$51), while jewel-like desserts such as a ruby-red strawberry tart are crafted by Executive Pastry Chef Patrick Thibaud.

Afternoon tea is served in the seventh-floor Bar and Champagne Lounge, a space filled with elegantly dressed Tokyoites, asymmetrical sofas and a colourful stacked-ball sculpture by British artist Annie Morris.

Along with Maison Marunouchi and Sézanne, it’s been dreamt up by Hong Kong interior designer André Fu, who says he wished to cultivate ‘a sense of escape from the city’ for diners.

Toronto-based firm Yabu Pushelberg designed the rest of the hotel, with lustrous black-walled hallways leading to spacious guest rooms.

Simple in design, my room has mint carpet underfoot and a sweeping headboard, with slate grey pyjamas left thoughtfully during the turndown service.

The hotel has cut through the high-stakes culinary competition in Tokyo and become a big player in the city¿s gastronomy scene with its two-Michelin-starred restaurant Sézanne. Pictured: The restaurant interior by day

The hotel has cut through the high-stakes culinary competition in Tokyo and become a big player in the city’s gastronomy scene with its two-Michelin-starred restaurant Sézanne. Pictured: The restaurant interior by day

Chef Calvert masterminds 'classically-derived French fare' at Sézanne, pictured by night

Chef Calvert masterminds ‘classically-derived French fare’ at Sézanne, pictured by night 

Afternoon tea at the Bar and Champagne Lounge, with desserts by Chef Patrick Thibaud

Ailbhe samples the 'delicate' seasonal strawberry mille-feuille at Maison Marunouchi

LEFT: Afternoon tea at the Bar and Champagne Lounge, with desserts by Chef Patrick Thibaud. RIGHT: Ailbhe samples the ‘delicate’ seasonal strawberry mille-feuille at Maison Marunouchi

Panoramic windows are the star attraction, with triple-glazed glass reducing the lull of train traffic to a faint rumble.

The understated luxury continues in the bathroom, with a deep limestone-edged bathtub and Epsom salts to sprinkle in it, along with Diptyque toiletries and thick bathrobes.

The hotel sets out to be a peaceful haven away from Tokyo’s high-energy streets, and you feel this sense of calm the most in the spa, a bijou space with an ‘onsen’ hot spring bath and steam room.

Ailbhe says the hotel is 'just the spot for a luxurious night’s stay before you catch a bullet train to your next destination'. Pictured: The bathroom in the Chairman’s Suite

Ailbhe says the hotel is ‘just the spot for a luxurious night’s stay before you catch a bullet train to your next destination’. Pictured: The bathroom in the Chairman’s Suite

The hotel sets out to be a peaceful haven away from Tokyo’s high-energy streets, Ailbhe says, adding: 'You feel this sense of calm the most in the spa, a bijou space with an "onsen" hot spring bath (pictured) and steam room'

The hotel sets out to be a peaceful haven away from Tokyo’s high-energy streets, Ailbhe says, adding: ‘You feel this sense of calm the most in the spa, a bijou space with an “onsen” hot spring bath (pictured) and steam room’

Those who are too relaxed to leave the hotel can sightsee from the comfort of bed, watching as one of Japan’s most iconic sights - the Shinkansen bullet train - parades below the window, says Ailbhe. Pictured: An early morning bullet train passes by her bedroom window

Those who are too relaxed to leave the hotel can sightsee from the comfort of bed, watching as one of Japan’s most iconic sights – the Shinkansen bullet train – parades below the window, says Ailbhe. Pictured: An early morning bullet train passes by her bedroom window

TRAVEL FACTS

Ailbhe MacMahon was hosted by Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo At Marunouchi, where rooms begin at 158,000JPY (£838/$1,057) per night. For more information visit www.fourseasons.com/tokyo/.

PROS: A one-of-a-kind view of the ‘Shinkansen’ bullet trains, Michelin-starred and Michelin-recommended dining, calm-inducing spa facilities, walking distance from the Ginza neighbourhood and attentive and warm staff.

CONS: Bedrooms may be too simple in design for certain tastes. Rooms are quite expensive. 

Rating out of five: *****

There I try a ‘Dermadrop’ facial (23,908JPY/£127/$160), during which a wand gently sprays ‘supercharged ingredients’ onto the skin.

After the treatment, my skin rosy with the promise of boosted moisture levels and elasticity, I’m invited to relax with a steaming cup of ginger and lemon tea and crepe-wrapped ‘wasanbon’ sugar sweets, a Japanese delicacy.

My whole stay is underpinned by service that’s ultra attentive but never overbearing, which Four Seasons says is based on Japanese ‘omotenashi’ – a centuries-old culture of wholeheartedly looking after guests. 

One staff member shares advice for sightseeing in the nearby Ginza neighbourhood, kindly pointing me in the direction of the Kengo Kuma-designed Kabukiza Theatre and the stellar seafood and crockery stalls of the Tsukiji Outer Market.

Meanwhile, those who are too relaxed to leave the hotel can sightsee from the comfort of bed, watching as one of Japan’s most iconic sights – the Shinkansen bullet trains – parade below the window.

If you’re using Tokyo as a jumping-off point for exploring the rest of Japan by rail, this is just the spot for a luxurious night’s stay before you catch a bullet train to your next destination – with superior gastronomy, spa facilities and service making the ride all the more memorable.

BULLET TRAINS – FAST FACTS 

The first bullet train, built by Hitachi, began operating on October 1, 1964, between Tokyo and Osaka.

If bullet trains are more than one minute behind schedule they are considered officially ‘late’.

If bullet trains are more than five minutes behind schedule, the company operating them must explain themselves to the government.

The average bullet train delay is around 30 seconds.

The bullet train network passenger fatality record – in 55 years of operation – is zero.

Hitachi, which has been building bullet trains since the 1960s, brought bullet train technology to the UK. In 2009 it introduced the country’s fastest domestic train – the Javelin – which runs at 140mph between London St Pancras International and Kent.

Bullet trains aren’t just quiet for passengers on the inside – they’re quiet when they speed past for people on the outside too. They never exceed 75 decibels while running. For comparison, a passenger car travelling at 65mph, 25 feet away makes 77 dB of noise.

East Japan Railway is currently testing the newest Shinkansen, the Alfa-X, which it hopes to operate on the new line at speeds of up to 224mph/360kph, which would be the fastest train in service in Japan.

Shinkansen carriages are 0.3metres wider than high-speed trains in Europe.

The latest bullet trains use about half the electricity that a Eurostar uses.

The network is wired up to earthquake sensors. If a tremor is detected, the bullet trains stop automatically.

The summit of Mt Fuji has been considered sacred since ancient times and bullet train staff have been known to bow to it as the train passes.

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Ohtani makes South Korean fans forget about the rivalry with Japan https://usmail24.com/ohtani-japan-south-korea-html/ https://usmail24.com/ohtani-japan-south-korea-html/#respond Tue, 19 Mar 2024 10:06:02 +0000 https://usmail24.com/ohtani-japan-south-korea-html/

Shohei Ohtani is a soft-spoken 6-foot-2. He’s a unicorn: one of baseball’s best players and pitchers, the first to dominate both in nearly a century. He could one day be considered the best to ever play the game. He is also from Japan, the former colonizer of South Korea. Relations between nations are still characterized […]

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Shohei Ohtani is a soft-spoken 6-foot-2. He’s a unicorn: one of baseball’s best players and pitchers, the first to dominate both in nearly a century. He could one day be considered the best to ever play the game.

He is also from Japan, the former colonizer of South Korea. Relations between nations are still characterized by tension and intense rivalry. But that hasn’t stopped South Korean baseball fans from idolizing a fellow East Asian player whose feats are so rare they almost defy imagination.

Fans say they admire his mix of understated charm and tremendous athletic skill, which earned him a record $700 million to play with the Los Angeles Dodgers for a decade.

When he landed in Seoul on Friday for a series of games that will open the Major League Baseball season, so was he greets at the airport by a crowd that looks like one that might arrive for a K-pop idol.

“It doesn’t matter if he’s from Japan,” said Yoo Jee-ho, a veteran South Korean sports journalist. “If you’re a baseball fan, you appreciate that kind of talent.”

For what is billed as the Seoul Series at Gocheok Sky Dome, tickets quickly sold out to see the 29-year-old phenom play for his new team, the Dodgers. The series includes the first MLB regular-season games in South Korea, with the Dodgers playing the San Diego Padres on Wednesday and Thursday.

When Kim Sohye, a 15-year-old from Busan, arrived in Seoul on Sunday for the Dodgers’ exhibition game against a South Korean team, the first thing she did before entering the stadium was to buy a Shohei Ohtani jersey.

“He’s handsome,” she said, laughing shyly and blushing a little. “He’s tall and he’s really good at baseball.”

Ohtani’s 2023 season was one for the ages. He struck out his then MLB teammate Mike Trout and led Japan to victory at the World Baseball Classic.

A fan on Reddit described Ohtani as “not a human being” after his performance at the tournament, which included crushing a double 118 miles per houra feat of incredible strength, and stealing third base, which requires remarkable speed.

“What he can do seems impossible,” the fan wrote.

His season ended early due to a injury to his throwing elbow. Still, he became the first player to win baseball unanimously Most valuable player Awarded twicewhich he celebrated in typically low-key fashion by high-fiving his dog on camera and not speaking to the media.

When Ohtani played in his new team colors against the Kiwoom Heroes on Sunday, Lee Suhyeon, 41, was there.

“I barely got a ticket after someone else canceled,” said Lee, a longtime baseball fan from Daegu, a city about two hours from Seoul, who had never cheered for a Japanese athlete before. He managed to secure a seat for $45.

“It’s not just about his skills,” Lee said, “but also about his personality, his attitude, his mind control, his professionalism.”

The South Koreans’ embrace of Ohtani coincides with the thawing of diplomatic relations with Japan. President Yoon Suk Yeol announced last year that South Korea would stop demanding reparations from Japan for wartime forced labor. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida then traveled to Seoul for a bilateral meeting, the first visit in twelve years.

And perhaps the pain is finally starting to fade after South Korea’s loss to Japan in the 2009 World Baseball Classic championship.

“Japan and Korea have always had a great rivalry,” Ohtani acknowledged at a press conference in Seoul on Saturday. “I always watched the Japan-Korea matches,” he added, “and always respected, I looked up to Team Korea and the Korean players.”

Ohtani was previously in the South Korean capital as part of Japan’s 18-and-under team when the country competed in the 2012 World Cup. South Korea was “one of my favorite countries” at the time, he said, and he was happy to see returns.

At least some of the demand for tickets for the games in Seoul is being fueled by fans of the South Korean players returning home, such as the Padres’ Ha-Seong Kim, who won the championship last year.He was the first Asian-born infielder to win a Gold Glove, given to the best field player at any position in any competition. Many South Koreans are also fans of the Dodgers, for which Chan Ho Park, the star pitcher, once played.

But South Korean passion for the Japanese star is real. a YouTube short about Ohtani on a South Korean fan’s account was viewed at least 5.9 million times.

South Korean players have also praised him. “What sets Ohtani apart is his mental strength,” said Park, the former Dodger The Japan Times. “Now we have some great young players in Korea who aspire to be like Ohtani.”

The rivalry between the national baseball teams of Japan and South Korea is one of the fiercest in any sport. South Korean fans have long seen Japan as a target to be surpassed.

The attitude towards Ohtani is in stark contrast to how fans might remember Japan’s Ichiro Suzuki, a star player 20 years ago who was often booed by South Korean fans.

“Ichiro said some things that the Korean fans didn’t like,” said Yoo, the South Korean sports journalist. By contrast, Ohtani has been “quite respectful,” he said. “I think Korean fans appreciate the kind of talent he is. I don’t think there is much hatred for this man.”

Aspiring South Korean baseball players have also seen Ohtani as a hero who defied Western stereotypes of Asian athletes, said Barney Yoo, director of international operations at the Korea Baseball Organization, which governs South Korea’s top brass.

“There is a stereotype, which may be partly based on truth, that there is a certain barrier that Asian players cannot overcome,” Yoo said. “But Ohtani is writing new history,” he added. “He has given a lot of motivation and hope.”

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Japan is raising interest rates for the first time in seventeen years https://usmail24.com/bank-of-japan-interest-rates-html/ https://usmail24.com/bank-of-japan-interest-rates-html/#respond Tue, 19 Mar 2024 04:36:10 +0000 https://usmail24.com/bank-of-japan-interest-rates-html/

Japan’s central bank on Tuesday raised interest rates for the first time since 2007, taking them above zero and closing a chapter in its aggressive bid to stimulate an economy that has long struggled to grow. In 2016, the Bank of Japan took the unorthodox step of cutting borrowing costs below zero, an effort to […]

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Japan’s central bank on Tuesday raised interest rates for the first time since 2007, taking them above zero and closing a chapter in its aggressive bid to stimulate an economy that has long struggled to grow.

In 2016, the Bank of Japan took the unorthodox step of cutting borrowing costs below zero, an effort to revive borrowing and lending and stimulate the country’s stagnant economy. Negative interest rates – which central banks in some European economies have also adopted – mean savers pay to leave their money in a bank, giving them an incentive to spend it instead.

But Japan’s economy has recently begun to show signs of stronger growth: After years of low inflation, inflation has accelerated, boosted by larger-than-usual wage increases. Both are indications that the economy may be on a path to more sustainable growth, allowing the central bank to tighten its interest rate policy, years after other major central banks quickly raised rates in response to a jump in inflation.

Even after Tuesday’s rate hike, Japan’s interest rates are far behind those of the world’s other major developed economies. The Bank of Japan’s policy rate was raised to a series zero to 0.1 percent of minus 0.1 percent.

The bank said in a statement on Tuesday that it had concluded that the economy was in a “virtuous cycle” between wages and prices, meaning wages rose enough to cover rising prices, but not so much that they would limit corporate profits. Japan’s headline inflation rate was 2.2 percent in January, according to the latest available data.

The central bank also scrapped a policy of buying Japanese government bonds to control how high market interest rates can rise, encouraging companies and households to borrow cheaply. The bank had slowly eased policy over the past year, resulting in higher debt yields as the country’s growth prospects improved.

The bank said negative interest rates and other steps it had taken to stimulate the economy “have fulfilled their role.”

In many countries, a rise in inflation has troubled consumers and policymakers, but in Japan, which has often suffered from growth-sapping deflation, the recent price rise was welcomed by most economists. The Japanese stock market, buoyed by the bullish economy and corporate reforms that favor shareholders, has attracted large sums of money from investors around the world, causing the Nikkei 225 index to recently break a record high since 1989. The Nikkei rose slightly on Tuesday after the Bank of Japan’s announcement.

The move away from negative interest rates, which should help shore up the country’s weak currency, is seen by investors as another key step in Japan’s turnaround.

“It is another milestone in the normalization of monetary policy in Japan,” said Arnout van Rijn, portfolio manager at Robeco, who set up and led the Dutch fund manager’s Asia office for more than a decade. “As a long-term Japan follower, this is very important.”

Bets on a rate hike intensified this month after the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, the country’s largest association of trade unions, said its seven million members would get pay increases averaging more than 5 percent this year, the biggest annual negotiated increase since 1991. contributed to an average wage increase of approximately 3.6 percent in 2023.

Before the results of the wage negotiations were announced, investors had expected the Bank of Japan to wait longer before raising interest rates.

Accelerating wage growth is a crucial sign to policymakers that the economy is strong enough to generate some inflation and is able to withstand higher interest rates. Like other major central banks, the Bank of Japan targets annual inflation of 2 percent; the rate is already almost at or above that level two years.

The increase in wages indicates that companies and employees expect higher prices to continue, Van Rijn said. “People no longer believe that prices will fall, so that trickles down to wage demands.”

The Bank of Japan concluded in its statement that “it is very likely that wages will continue to rise steadily this year, following strong wage growth last year.”

Shizuka Nakamura, 32, a resident of Yokohama, a port city south of Tokyo, said she had seen prices rise. “I feel the rising cost of living,” said Ms. Nakamura, who has an administrative job at a construction company. She recently had a child.

“My friends who are around my age and have had children all say things like diapers and baby food are getting more expensive,” she said.

The Bank of Japan’s interest rate move was also significant because it was the last major central bank to abandon its negative interest rate policy. They and central banks in Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland and the eurozone have broken monetary policy taboos by pushing interest rates below zero – essentially meaning savers pay banks to hold their money and creditors get less back than lend them out – in an attempt to spur economic growth after the 2008 financial crisis. (Sweden ended negative rates in 2019, and the other European central banks followed in 2022.)

Negative central bank policy rates have rocked global bond markets, with more than $18 trillion of debt trading at negative yields at its peak in 2020. Now that inflation and economic growth have returned and central banks are cutting policy rates, have increased – usually much more aggressively than Japanese – virtually none – debt now has a negative yield.

Rising interest rates in Japan make investing in the country relatively more rewarding for investors, but the Federal Reserve’s target interest rate is still about five percentage points higher and the European Central Bank’s four points higher. While foreign investors have started to funnel cash into the country, yields abroad are still attractive for Japanese investors, even as the Fed and ECB are expected to cut interest rates, prompting a rapid repatriation of cash to Japan is hindered.

Central bankers in Japan have also suggested a slow shift in policy, wary that raising rates too quickly could undermine growth before it takes hold.

Kiuko Notoya reporting contributed.

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I’ve dated men in 25 countries around the world — here are the best, worst and weirdest places for romance, from ‘magical’ New York to ‘chivalrous’ London and ‘chauvinistic’ Mexico https://usmail24.com/anne-marie-hagerty-dating-travel-tiktok-romance-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/ https://usmail24.com/anne-marie-hagerty-dating-travel-tiktok-romance-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/#respond Sat, 16 Mar 2024 11:32:36 +0000 https://usmail24.com/anne-marie-hagerty-dating-travel-tiktok-romance-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/

From getting picked up in the pouring rain in Milan to taking a helicopter ride over Central Park, this American woman traveling the world in search of love has certainly had her fair share of interesting dates. Anne Marie Hagerty began a “global search” to find her husband two years ago after splitting from a […]

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From getting picked up in the pouring rain in Milan to taking a helicopter ride over Central Park, this American woman traveling the world in search of love has certainly had her fair share of interesting dates.

Anne Marie Hagerty began a “global search” to find her husband two years ago after splitting from a man she thought she was “going to marry.”

Since then, she has visited 25 countries, exploring the dating scene in each country and collecting anecdotes such as souvenirs. She posts her dating adventures on her TikTok account (@annemariehagerty), where she has amassed 50,000 followers.

The 28-year-old spoke to MailOnline Travel about her international encounters and shared details about the most romantic spots and places that failed to capture her heart.

Anne Marie Hagerty (above) has dated in more than 25 countries on a ‘global quest’ to find a husband. She is pictured above in Mykonos, Greece

MailOnline Travel spoke to Anne Marie about her dating adventures.  She told us about the most romantic places in the world and places that didn't capture her heart.  She is pictured above in Petra, Jordan

MailOnline Travel spoke to Anne Marie about her dating adventures. She told us about the most romantic places in the world and places that didn’t capture her heart. She is pictured above in Petra, Jordan

Before her dating quest, Anne Marie was certainly no stranger to travel. She moved from a small town in North Carolina to New York, has flown everywhere from Japan to Panama, and even lived in India when she was 18. But, she said, dating abroad opened her eyes to a “whole different side” of travel. .

The most romantic places, she claimed, are New York, Italy and Croatia. Anne Marie described New York as her “number one” place so far. And said it’s a “big part” of why she moved there.

She explained: ‘The serendipity of the city is magical, plus the fact that you are surrounded by millions of people, but when you find one special person it feels like you are living in a super romantic movie.

“I love grand romantic gestures and unique experiences, and New York is the best place in the world to make those things happen. For example, I scheduled a meeting with a man to fly in a helicopter with doors over the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and Central Park.”

New York is Anne Marie's 'number one' place to find men.  She said it

New York is Anne Marie’s ‘number one’ place to find men. She said it “feels like you’re living in a super romantic movie.” She is pictured above in the West Village

Anne Marie said dating in different countries opened her eyes to a

Anne is pictured above on a beach in Split, Croatia

Anne Marie said dating in different countries opened her eyes to a “whole different side” of travel. She is seen in the photo on the left in Plitvice National Park, Croatia, and on the right on a beach in Split, Croatia

And Italy also left her swooning with delight. There she experienced one of her ‘best dates’. In Milan, Anne Marie was picked up by a stranger in the pouring rain. “He walked up to me and said, ‘I think you’re beautiful, I’d like to take you out to dinner,’” she said.

Lake Como was another passionate place. She said it is “hands down the most romantic place I have ever been in my life.” But overall, she claimed it was difficult to find dates in Italy.

Meanwhile, Croatia, she said, was just as romantic and easier to meet people than Italy. She explained: ‘It has the charms of Italy, with a more off the beaten track feel. And people were generally friendlier and open to dating early on.”

Although not as romantic as some places she has visited, Anne Marie said London was one of her favorite places so far.

Anne Marie is pictured in Notting Hill, London.  She claimed that the city is one of her favorite places in the world so far

Anne Marie is pictured in Notting Hill, London. She claimed that the city is one of her favorite places in the world so far

Anne Marie has not enjoyed the dating scene in every country.  She found it difficult to meet men in Switzerland.  She is pictured above in Lucerne, Switzerland

Anne Marie said: 'I noticed that the Swiss are more insular'

Anne Marie has not enjoyed the dating scene in every country. She found it difficult to meet men in Switzerland. She is pictured on the left in Lucerne, Switzerland. Anne Marie said: ‘I noticed that the Swiss are more insular’

ANNE MARIE HAGERTY’S DATING EXCLUSIONS BY COUNTRY

NEW YORK: ‘Being surrounded by millions of people, but finding one special person feels like living in a super romantic adventure movie.’

ITALY: ‘Lake Como is without a doubt the most romantic place I have ever been in my life. It’s literally in the air.’

CROATIA: ‘Has the charms of Italy with a more off-the-beaten-path feel – and people were generally more friendly/open to dates early on.’

MEXICO: ‘I’ve had a lot of machismo experiences with guys who were quite chauvinistic and pushy.’

BELIZE: ‘I met some great expat friends, but many of the locals I met gave off the air of a big player.’

SWITZERLAND: ‘The men are friendly and kind, but isolated.’

ARGENTINA: ‘The men are so exaggerated and aggressive, almost like a love bombing.’

LONDON: ‘The men are an interesting combination of weird, stylish, reserved and chivalrous.’

She found an ‘interesting combination of men’ in the British capital, and wAlthough she had some “weird encounters,” she said most were “sweet, reserved and quite chivalrous.”

What made it stand out? She said: ‘There is a sense of global connectedness and the ability to connect with the world in some way.

‘There’s something sweet about British culture for me too. There’s tea, there’s Sunday roasts, it’s just very sweet and very family oriented.”

But Anne Marie was not impressed by the places she visited. She said Colombia is an “amazing country” with “cool food” but the dating scene is “not for me.”

She explained, “There’s a little bit of this throughout Latin America, but it’s a very machismo culture that I don’t buy into.” Mexico was another place where she found men “quite chauvinistic and pushy.”

She also struggled to connect with men in Switzerland, where she said it was “difficult to get to know people more deeply.”

She added: ‘I discovered that Swiss people are more isolated and tend to stay within their group. I respect it and they are very nice, but they are not the most welcoming to newcomers.”

While Anne Marie visited dozens of countries with the intention of finding a husband, she has not yet found one.

For now, she’s enjoying the process, meeting new people and exploring connections without “high expectations.”

For more from Anne Marie visit her TikTok www.tiktok.com/@annemariehagerty or Instagram www.instagram.com/annemariehagerty.

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Meet the ‘AIRLINE nepo baby’: The 23-year-old son of a United employee lifts the lid on the WILD benefits he enjoys – revealing he’s flown for free since BIRTH, regularly gets first-class upgrades and last- You can book minute trips to exotic destinations without paying https://usmail24.com/airline-nepo-baby-free-flight-perks-united-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/ https://usmail24.com/airline-nepo-baby-free-flight-perks-united-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/#respond Fri, 15 Mar 2024 21:00:24 +0000 https://usmail24.com/airline-nepo-baby-free-flight-perks-united-htmlns_mchannelrssns_campaign1490ito1490/

When your parent works for an airline, traveling around the world is easy, as a self-confessed ‘airline nepo baby’ has revealed. Joshua Crawford, 23, from New Jersey, has built a growing social media following thanks to his globetrotting content – ​​which he admits is due to the fact that his father works as an Aircraft […]

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When your parent works for an airline, traveling around the world is easy, as a self-confessed ‘airline nepo baby’ has revealed.

Joshua Crawford, 23, from New Jersey, has built a growing social media following thanks to his globetrotting content – ​​which he admits is due to the fact that his father works as an Aircraft Tools, Calibration and Support Equipment Supervisor for United, which means that his son can board flights for free.

In a TikTok post, Joshua – whose father worked for the airline for 24 years – showed how he has amassed 260,212 miles over the past five years, after flying 123 flights to more than 30 cities around the world.

In another upload, he outlines the other benefits of being an airline ‘fake baby’ – besides being able to fly for virtually nothing.

Joshua Crawford, 23, from New Jersey, has built a growing social media following thanks to his globetrotting content – which he admits is down to his father working for United

He has amassed 260,212 miles over the past five years, having completed 123 flights to more than 30 cities around the world.  Pictured above on a recent trip to Paris

He has amassed 260,212 miles over the past five years, having completed 123 flights to more than 30 cities around the world. Pictured above on a recent trip to Paris

The first plus he mentions is that international travel is ‘easy’. This is because it has Global Entry, which includes TSA pre-check.

Although he didn’t get Global Entry for free, he said Business insider Thanks to his father’s job, he got a discount.

Then Joshua says he can score free upgrades – including to first class – on all flights if there are seats available.

In one photo, he shows how he landed a $7,000 fully flat seat in United’s Polaris business class cabin at no extra cost.

And in dozens of other clips, he can be seen enjoying dinner in luxurious cabins, with glassware and silver cutlery in view.

The third benefit of being an airline nepo baby, Joshua says, is that he gets access to airport lounges so he never has to spend money on food in the terminals.

In 2023, the influencer visited four continents, traveling through the US, Europe, Australia and Japan.

At United Airlines, employees’ children have their flight privileges revoked when they turn 26.

However, since Joshua is listed as his father’s “main companion,” he has managed to maintain the VIP treatment.

Joshua says he can score free upgrades – including to first class – on all flights if seats are available

Joshua says he can score free upgrades – including to first class – on all flights if seats are available

Another benefit of being an airline nepo baby, Joshua says, is that he gets access to airport lounges so he never has to spend money on food in the terminals.

Another benefit of being an airline nepo baby, Joshua says, is that he gets access to airport lounges so he never has to spend money on food in the terminals.

While Joshua can fly across America for free by standing by, he has to pay taxes on international flights, but he says this is a fraction of what a full-price ticket would cost.

For example, he only had to pay $70 for a last-minute flight from Japan to the US

He told his TikTok followers that he feels “blessed.”

In addition to his posts, other airline nepo babies have weighed in.

One of Joshua’s fans wrote, “My mom works at Delta and my dad works at Southwest. I have had so many wonderful experiences because of it.’

Another revealed: ‘It really is a blessing to be able to hop on a flight when you need to. I used Delta like I used Uber in college.”

Like Joshua, a TikToker said her mother, who works for JetBlue, made her a “flying partner” so she wouldn’t lose the benefits when she turned 24.

“Truly the most amazing privilege,” she added.

Joshua currently lives in California.

After earning a degree in marketing, he is looking for work while working part-time at Trader Joes.

In his TikTok outlining the pros of being an airline nepo baby, United Airlines commented, exclaiming, “We love this for you!”

Joshua hinted that he might be interested in following in his father’s footsteps by pursuing a career in the aviation industry, replying, “I love you guys to my core. I’m also looking for a job.’

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Technical problems reported at McDonald’s in Japan, Australia and elsewhere https://usmail24.com/mcdonalds-outage-html/ https://usmail24.com/mcdonalds-outage-html/#respond Fri, 15 Mar 2024 08:53:25 +0000 https://usmail24.com/mcdonalds-outage-html/

McDonald’s customers in Australia, Japan and Hong Kong reported Friday they were having trouble ordering from the fast-food restaurants, as some operators cited technical problems with ordering systems. In a message on X, McDonald’s Japan said his restaurants were having technical problems due to a system glitch.” Later, a separate post said there are “many” […]

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McDonald’s customers in Australia, Japan and Hong Kong reported Friday they were having trouble ordering from the fast-food restaurants, as some operators cited technical problems with ordering systems.

In a message on X, McDonald’s Japan said his restaurants were having technical problems due to a system glitch.” Later, a separate post said there are “many” stores across the country suspended operations because of the problem, without saying how many. Japan has about 2,900 McDonald’s restaurants, the third largest in the world after the United States and China.

McDonald’s Hong Kong said on Facebook that it was also experiencing a “computer system glitch,” stating that “the mobile ordering and self-ordering kiosks are not functioning” and asking customers to order directly from restaurant counters.

People in Australia posted photos on social media showing signs on the doors of some McDonald’s stores, apologizing to customers for causing inconvenience. Australian news outlets reported that some restaurants had closed, while others had returned to an analogue approach, with some employees taking orders with pen and paper.

On Friday evening, some restaurants in Australia appeared to be back at full capacity.

At a restaurant in Richmond, Melbourne, customers ordered shakes and burgers, crowded around self-service ordering machines and lingered over shared fries. Employees at the restaurant said the outage lasted about two hours and customers paid in cash.

Jeremy Ruz, a customer in Newcastle, Australia, had been at the drive-through to pick up dinner for his children when their plans were thwarted by a system glitch, he said.

“People came out with a pad and a pen and said they couldn’t take cards,” he said. “There was a line a mile long.”

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