He used an example of Japan as an illustration of why it is important to know the location of the person asking the question.
You seem to be new here (73 days). Note that 'patio11 has been here for 11 years and is one of HNs top posters. Not that longevity makes someone right, but 'patio11's posts have been high quality for many years, and one should assume that he is probably not pulling a reply out of his ass when he does reply.
While not every poster on HN posts high quality replies, most people here reply with a clear purpose. This is not Reddit -- I encourage you to assume that most replies are actually substantive. If you are not sure, check the poster's history -- this will help you get a feel for the potential quality of their posts.
Welcome to HN, and good luck with your endeavors.