The country has always been governed by a coalition but today it is governed by a so-called Grand Coalition which is a more polite word for all and sundry.

Once you start buying first aid kits you start having accidents.

There are many non-intellectual countries; Australia is one of the few anti-intellectual ones.

It is often said that the Japanese are extremely clean at home, or inside any house or office, but dirty and untidy outside. 'Go and look at a railway station,' I was told, 'and you'll be horrified.' I went and was horrified; horrified by the cleanliness of the place.

A criminal may improve and become a decent member of society. A foreigner cannot improve. Once a foreigner, always a foreigner. There is no way out for him.

Tel-Aviv airport is still the only airport in the world where each passenger is met by ten relatives.

Japan is, you often feel, an improved version of the United States.