JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?
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Confrontation
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U.S. Navy investigating how parts fell off aircraft near Atsugi
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California court to decide if SeaWorld whales are illegal 'slaves'
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Kuroki reported pregnant 2 weeks after denying relationship with Akanishi
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- Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) in Kanto region
- RCS (RCSコーポレーション), Kanto
- Salary: ¥180,000 ~ ¥250,000 / Month includes performance bonus
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- Assistant Language Teacher - TOKYO - late-March start
- Interac, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥230,000 ~ ¥255,000 / Month
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- Assistant Language Teacher - Kanagawa Prefecture - late-March start
- Interac, Kanagawa
- Salary: ¥230,000 ~ ¥255,000 / Month
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Bizarro
Nice to see some U.S. stars dressed respectfully for one of these events here. Not the usual jeans and sneakers.
Posted in: Love at first bite
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Bizarro
Nor does decent grammar, it would seem.
Posted in: Japan prepared to 'get ugly' against Australia in World Cup qualifier
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Bizarro
I would not mind seeing Japan allowed to continue commercial whaling, under the condition that the government must stop subsidizing the practice. Stop the charade of "research" and make it openly commercial, but it would have to support itself economically. If that happened I predict it would stop naturally within a few years, due to insufficient demand to make it a sustainable business. Whaling is an issue only because the government makes it so.
Posted in: Japan resumes whale meat imports
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Bizarro
Good for her traveling like that. She must be in great condition and it sounds like fun.
Cheers,
Posted in: Takami Yoshimoto tells of her cycling adventures
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Bizarro
Tangentially related: My favorite sign for an establishment is a pet grooming salon in Austin, Texas that goes by the name, "Doggy Styles".
Cheers,
Posted in: Bread shop
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Bizarro
Wouldn't call it "Engrish", actually, since it is based on French. Something like, "talking bread"? Will be interesting to see the comments of our native French-speaking readers.
Cheers,
Posted in: Bread shop
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Bizarro
Never heard of him, but it's nice to see an American celeb dress respectfully for one of these events instead of looking like he just rolled out of bed the way so many others have.
Article Unavailable
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Bizarro
In response to akaguma's comment.
1) For what it's worth, Tran Anh Hung is a very serious director. His past films like The Scent of Green Papaya and The Vertical Ray of the Sun have been quite beautiful and made him one of the more critically acclaimed directors worldwide.
2) I think the film should be seen as completely separate from the book. Of course the book is nearly always better, but for that reason it can stand on its own and has nothing to fear from the film. Therefore I see no reason for charges of "sellout".
3) This notion that talented artists somehow ought to live in poverty to comply with someone else's notion of a kind of purity, while the rest of us seek our fortunes, is hard for me to grasp.
Cheers,
Posted in: Haruki Murakami's 'Norwegian Wood' coming to big screen
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Bizarro
Some interpret this as Tokyo "winning" the vote, but am seeing that 58% (on a site focusing on Japan) would like to see the Olympics in a location other than Tokyo. That non-Tokyo vote happens to be split among other cities. Would be interesting to see a head-to-head vote between Tokyo and, say, Rio de Janeiro.
I don't think Tokyo needs the Olympics. Like New York or Paris, it is already established as a major world city. In '64 it made sense, Tokyo needed to make it's name. But why now? Fukuoka would have made more sense. And recent Olympics seem to cost too much money and lead to facilities that don't get adequately utilized in the long term. I don't see it as a good thing for the city.
Posted in: Which city would you like to see get the 2016 Olympics?
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Bizarro
I agree with other posts here. If you return something someone else has lost, your "reward" is simply the expectation that if you lose something it will also be returned to you. This is the social contract among civilized people (and one of the very nice things about Japan). To receive anything more is a happy bonus, to expect it is greed and selfishness.
If something is returned to me, on the other hand, I will look for an appropriate way to show gratitude.
Cheers,
Posted in: Lost and found in Tokyo and London
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Bizarro
FYI there was a related article in the May 11 Washington Post by a former Yomiuri Shimbun reporter who for years covered organized crime in Japan.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/09/AR2008050902544.html
The article explains the activities of yakuza in the US that were of legitimate interest to the FBI. It also claims the Japanese national police share nearly no information on the yakuza with US law enforcement.
Posted in: U.S. hospital provided liver transplants to 4 Japanese gang figures, including gang boss
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Bizarro
Funny one, timorborder!
Got your message, illsayit. To all pregnant women - JUST STAY HOME (or within walking distance of home. And if one of you would like to have at least some semblance of her normal life and go somewhere that requires a train once in a while, you're a BAD MOTHER.
I'm curious to know if you would say the same to the elderly or handicapped, that they should just stay off the trains because, after all, "what is the dire need or riding it?" and "rude riders have a purpose." If not, then why are pregnant women different?
Posted in: Giving birth in Japan
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Bizarro
Having lived in a small Japanese city in addition to Tokyo, I have found the opposite. I saw more "gangs" and overall rudeness from young people (including smoking on the trains) in the small city, and relatively very little here in Tokyo. Japanese friends have also said that there are more such problems with youths in the smaller cities and countryside. Maybe not enough constructive things for them to do; I don't know.
I'd better get back on topic, though. I was surprised to see the author write that eating raw fish is "widely accepted" for pregnant women here. My (Japanese) wife knew from the beginning that she should generally avoid it during her pregnancy. She didn't go completely cold turkey, but probably cut back more than 90% on raw fish (not that we ate it so often before anyway) and basically 100% on tuna.
On a separate note, when a pregnant woman wants to go out for a meal it can be a challenge to find a non-smoking place here. And if you settle for a place that is not non-smoking but at least has nobody there actually smoking, sometimes a group will come in and make no hesitation about lighting up next to an obviously pregnant woman. But that's their right, and I think some people simply aren't aware of the danger. So we just ate at home much more.
Cheers,
Posted in: Giving birth in Japan
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Bizarro
Historically low C-section rates in Japan seems to me a plus compared with the US, where malpractice fears probably play a role in the high rates of surgical births. Our hospital here in Japan has a philosophy more on the natural side, and we have been happy with the care.
Just curious about this one...
You do realize that in cities many people don't have cars and can't afford the luxury of riding in taxis for several months, right? What is the recommendation, exactly?
Cheers,
Posted in: Giving birth in Japan
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Bizarro
Hmm, as opposed to now? Generally I believe that more contact with outsiders decreases xenophobia, not the opposite.
Again, this situation already exists to some extent. What I would agree with is that if the government encourages only an influx of low wage laborers (and not more educated professionals, etc.) it could have negative effects. We would have a stratified society where the foreigners are nearly all doing low wage work, and foreigners could be increasingly looked down upon. A foreign population that more mirrors the Japanese population is healthier for society overall, in my opinion.
Anyway, I don't think it's a question of immigration vs. no immigration. Immigration is necessary; the question is how to control it in the best way for both Japanese society and the immigrants.
Cheers,
Posted in: Gov't looks to immigrants as population shrinks