JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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- 秘書及び業務サポート
- 加治金属工業株式会社, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥4.0M / Year
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- English Instructor (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe)
- Berlitz Japan, Inc. (ベルリッツ・ジャパン株式会社), Kansai
- Salary: ¥125,000 ~ ¥250,000 / Month
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- ALT - Mie Prefecture - Yokkaichi City - June start
- NPO法人グローバル教育推進機構（GLAD), Mie
- Salary: ¥230,000 / Month For a full working month. Some months differ.
0
Cos
The problem with such experiment is the same as with the hen and the egg. Do people think that way because of the language... or do people that thinks that way end up using a language in a certain way ? They have a large choice of words for snow in Inuit, I was told... now, teach Inuit to Tahitians. and go back a few years later to see if they keep using the words for snow... When they defined the Anglo-Saxon vs Latin behavioral patterns, they linked them to languages. French speakers were said Latin. And French people matched the Latin behavior (in average). But when they took, among the Swiss, the Canadians, the Belgians, those that speak French, they could no longer find that result at all, many were totally in the Anglo-Saxon pattern. If you want to go a little further, these pattern can be taught and learned. And there are enough gurus to tell you that if you are trained at such patterns, your inner soul, mind, system whatever will change. They have as much scientific evidence for them the homeopathy, reiki, etc.
"If people learn another language, they inadvertently also learn a new way of looking at the world. "
I only meet the cases that are immune to that phenomenon.
"When bilingual people switch from one language to another, they start thinking differently, too.”"
I switch between 3 languages on a daily basis, I have a few more in the closet that I use more occasionally. I'd really get headaches... What mostly change is the reaction of people. My sister : "Please stop talking Japanese, that scares me when I don't understand what my sister says...". And the big family gag, when my smily teddy bear grand-dad suddenly switches to German and becomes serious, all the idiots that don't speak German jump away : "Aaaah, he is so angry your grand-dad ! -No, it's a poem about little birds, it's so sad, see how his face darkens...". I say idiots not because they didn't learn German but because they dare judging a person in language they don't know at all. As if among people with harsh German accents there were not totally cute and delicate persons, and as if among speakers of the soft syrupy Mexican Spanish there were not those thugs that shoot whole families in tourist resorts...
"My American friends who have never been to Japan often like to observe that “Boy, the Japanese sure are weird!” But those same people – superficial differences aside – are far less likely to comment on how strange, say, Australians, who also speak English, are. This can’t possibly be a coincidence, can it?"
Your White friends noticed the Japanese were not White. I don't say they are intentionally racist, but people feel proximity/weirdness due to physical appearance... as long as they are not used to meet many types of people. What do they say when they meet ( English speakers) from India or Cameroon ? Or even if the Australians you bring them are Aborigenes or of Asian ethnicity ? I know the answer. Whenever I've been in the US, nobody had a second of doubt, they talked to me in English (or Spanish) expecting answers in the same language and the (thick) accent never troubled them as I could be from the other coast or inventing myself a genre. 5 minutes after boarding in JFK, I already had those Texan farmers convinced I was the airport staff in charge of guiding them. They all made a superb effort to understand me, never asked me to repeat... That happened many times. But a British friend (with a Chinese face) was meeting the same persons as me. They hesitated, fewer people would talk to him. Then they would try English, and when he answered as his accent was not 100% American (but still more than mine), they concluded he was not from New York's Chinatown. With a foreigner, they could go commando and shoot at him : "Where you from ? Wow that accent...can you repeat ? Oxford, yeah, but before ? London, and before ? But why you look like a Jap (anese) ? Adopted ? Ah, your parents, from Hong-Kong... so you a Chinese Commie ? You won't eat my dog ? " He has heard everything from all those peeps that think they don't need a passport. Not everybody did that, there were many degrees of it, and I don't mean that's only Americans.The same model can be found in many countries, including mine. In Japan, that will be the contrary, that guy will be considered Japanese at first sight.
"the Japanese to refrain from levying blame"
I had no idea. You can even buy animated dolls that "moshiwakenai" for you... I should get one for my kanrinin, she is always accusing us of the worst crimes against humanity (like taking out the PET bottles on the day of plastic gomi !).
" English speakers" "the Japanese"
Mike, you don't see a bug in your theory here.... For instance me, you put me in what box ? I've learned English and Nihongo. So when I go to your country I become an English speaker, and here in Japan, I am Japanese ? Honestly I don't see the slightest difference between the 2 languages and their speakers, native or second language.
"the infamous Japanese concept of “sho ga nai”"
Explain me the difference with the infamous "sh*t happens", sometimes.
Posted in: How language defines us
5
Cos
"they just could not call them an obstruction and quietly move them"
If they move them without a paper from a judge, the cops will be called dictators.
"France/EU can&t stop preaching equality,"
They are applying it. When I was a teen, we'd gather 70 of us with skate-boards in a street, the cops would move us away too. Same for everybody.
For those that misunderstood : The prayers are allowed, they can do them in any location like their mosquees and if there are not enough, they can rent for free or very cheap a hall, a gym, a stadium... 98% of French Muslims and 100% of other religions find places for regular gatherings that are not the streets, When anyone, Catholics, Jewish, etc, held occasional street events and they always ask local authorities approvals months(and even years) in advance, and whenever it is refused, they change their plans. It is the choice of some religious extremists to do it in streets.
Posted in: France herds Muslim faithful off streets after prayer ban
0
Cos
Media should ignore him. If he has something to say, he should talk to the Courts.
"So what will he say? "
A few years ago, he got trials for mishandling Social Security money to fund his party (don't imagine he'd use his own gazdillions of euros), and at the end, the trials were aborted due to lawyer's tricks to sideline witnesses and exploitation of loopholes, prescription and a convenient change of law voted by his buddy... He came to say : "So I am a victim, innocent and falsely accused... no, I have no comment on this insurance affair, the trial is over... respect my rights, I am here to talk about my next election campaign....". Idem this time. I bet he'll avoid talking about the facts and will give a lecture about his rights to privacy and having his innocence proclaimed (as long as he is not convicted) not respected, blah, blah...
His wife is one of the most famous TV show host and BFF of his interviewer. A number of French journalists have already apologized to him. The won't squeeze him with embarrassing questions. But few people doubt that he did it, at least a couple of times. If not rape, at least harassing women that had not the means to reject him nor complain.
Posted in: Strauss-Kahn to break rape case silence on French television
0
Cos
@Ojiu
In every country there are restaurants that adapt foreign cuisine. That doesn't mean you don't have "authentic" cuisine too. There are even some shops that gives you a choice, with a part of the menu "classics", and some creations for local taste. Even if they add a natto mayo pizza on a side of the menu, that won't affect the quality and authentic baking of their margherita. If the baker has meron-pan in the same shop as the bagels, the baguettes and the ciabattas, they don't get contaminated. Surely you don't find all the cuisines of the world, but I have never seen a place like Japan where you find a so big density of restaurants that import the chef and a team of cooks (or send theirs to train abroad), the equipment and necessary ingredients, or even start producing them especially. It's usually easy to know which doing the classic, which is not, before entering, ordering... if you know what the authentic looks like, tastes like, it's very obvious.
" Authentic is the operative word."
That's your personal problem if you are so traditionalist. I really care more about the quality and freshness of ingredients and the talent of the cook. For instance, Mc Donald, KFC, Subway, I'm sure it's authentic. Idem if I see a Yoshinoya abroad.
"If they can't cut it, they shouldn't even try. "
But why ? I see no problem at all with adaptation and fusion. After, you like it or not... Surely Wiener Schnitzel is more authentic than tonkatsu. So what ? Nobody is forced to go to a tonkatsu restaurant.
Posted in: Living in Japan, which food or drink item do you miss most from your home country?
-7
Cos
That's funny to read. If someone that never came to Japan read the huge problems the Brits here have to find proper food... they'd get convinced that it's so much worse than in North Korea. Well roughly, for so many, the thing is you have never walked further than the first supermarket, and never bothered to check that the second had their burger buns, "cereals", pork skin, you name it.
"authentic ethnic cuisine without the "Japanese touch" "
No, what you want is foreign cuisines adapted to your country's taste (or lack of).
Posted in: Living in Japan, which food or drink item do you miss most from your home country?
-2
Cos
"I would like to be able to buy:- Fresh Artichokes, Swede, Beetroot, Rhubarb, Gooseberries,"
Department stores underground vegetable shops. Red beetroot is available year round. Not sure which you call swede, parsnip... but they have many sorts, depends on season. Rhubarb and artichokes (not nice ones) in season. For cheaper options, there are farmer's markets. There are also farmers that sell directly and mail, but you cannot choose exactly what you will get and when. In suburbs, many amateur gardeners put produce on tables in the street and sell cheaply.
Never seen those berries in a shop and I don't know anyone that have them in gardens here.
"Hummus"
Ask for "hiyoko-mame" (sometimes labeled as garbanzo or chick peas). Most supermarkets, mame-ya, import food stores, Indian stores, on line... It's a bit more effort to find the small ones (tastier in my opinion), but not impossible at all.
"There were very few foreign import shops compared today, now there are a couple of chains, and the number of stores is increasing. But the demand isn't from the foreigners, it's from Japanese travelling overseas."
You are talking about what country ? I don't see the North-Korean importing much from "home". Japan has foreign import shops at every corner of street. It's for Japanese and residents living here, whether they travel or not.
"All imported food stuff will cost higher than home grown stuff. "
It is not the case. Most cheap food is imported. Japanese produce tends to be more expensive. Case by case...
"So many come here and expect to find foodstuffs from their own countries? "
I find nearly everything. My country is a big export country.
"It depends what you consider real Chinese food."
Pate chinois, fortune cookies, chinois aux amandes... If that was gastronomy from China, that wouldn't be called "Chinese food".
Posted in: Living in Japan, which food or drink item do you miss most from your home country?
-1
Cos
"Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) sought to withdraw from the Fukushima Daiichi plant on March 15 "
They should have been dismissed, sidelined, on March 12th or 13th and Tepco taken totally in charge by Japanese authorities. Even if that had not been a business with a criminal record, that was a total nonsense to let the total control to the company. When a nuclear accident happens, that's more than the responsability of the plant management. Emergency public requisition is the way to deal with it.
"There was no time for consensus building in the back rooms "
That was not the alternative at all. Japan had been prepared for State intervention in such cases, years ago when nuclear plants were handed to private operators. Kan being too busy, OK, but another minister, chould have called the different services and put them to deal directly with Fukushima... Instead, he told them to shut up and refrain from intervening, prevented anyone to access to the data.
"Then foreign countries could say ‘We’ll do it’"
Yes, Mr Kan, experts from over the world would have come without delay, and they'd have worked with all the teams of nuclear and disaster that exist in Japan to replace Tepco management...if you had not let the clowns that had already failed countless times keep the total control and prevents others to step in. You're a big liar as you came to tell us that Japan was accepting the international expertise.
The Tepco dudes and yourself have lost months at accumulating blunders and hiding them under the carpet. It's very likely that maintaining them has worsened the damages and exposed the plant workers more than necessary.
Nothing new. For me, Kan had no business being the head of a country. His refusal of international intervention is ridiculous pride. Especially in Japanese case, well another debate, but come on, you ate the American food in 1945, you'd have accepted a little help on that and Japanese pride would have recovered.
Hypothesis 1 : Kan discovered Tepco and their "criminal record" after the disaster, he discovered nuclear plants were not safe, he discovered everything that existed about nuclear safety in Japan including the existence of nationwide radiation monitoring ... all that months after the accident. The staff that prints the safety and prevention leaflets at the kuyakusho and my kanrinin knew more than their Prime Minister. Hypothesis 2 : As I don't believe that nobody would have told him about all that : He knew. And that doesn't make sense if he feared for Tokyo to trust so few people from a private organisation. Why his weird choices ? Ego or corruption ? Anyway, he seems totally dishonest.
Posted in: Kan forced older nuclear plant workers to stay on duty after tsunami: report
1
Cos
What kind of question is that ? Parents totally know the difference between discipline and abuse. Nobody ever confused "do your homework, or you can't play electronic games" or "do all the house chores or you won't have food and you'll be locked in the washing machine the whole week-end.", The former are cases read in the news here, and the parents knew that was weird. If they still do that, they need professional help from psychologists and they can't keep the kids before they get cured.
Posted in: What advice would you give to stressed-out parents of young children so that they don’t resort to abusing their children as a means of discipline?
0
Cos
As long as I don't what Al-Qaida is actually, that kind of question has no interest. Then the events of that day has become so insignificant... compared to the reaction to them. That's really as if you ask me what I think about Pearl Harbor... 9/11 or not, Pearl Harbor or not, the wars that followed were already scheduled.
Posted in: Ten years on, do you believe al-Qaida was responsible for the events of 9/11?
3
Cos
Elbuda, stop shouting. That did not happen as you said. Wakayama is not getting a different treatment. The actual problem in the rescue of Tohoku was the weather, awful during days. Helicopters couldn't fly everyday, they did whenever they could. You can surely find hours of archive videos of heli delivery in Tohoku as I remember seeing them at the news so many times. In this case, a few hours after the typhoon, the sky was clear. 100 dead, that's bad enough.
Posted in: More than 100 dead or missing after typhoon as rescue work continues
1
Cos
" those boomers were paying in huge amounts of money, far more than was needed to pay out pensions for the boomers' parents."
In your imagination. Or in other countries.They never ever paid one yen more.
Japanese pension system has always been a "pay as you go system". That means the current active generations pay for the current retired generations.
There never was any promise to warranty a level of income to elderly. The only promise is that what the next generation will pay will be shared between the Japanese payers when they retired. The foreign payers -since they want us in the system to pay but not to receive pensions -may or may not (nothing promised) be given back a lump sum based on what they contributed (special case), like 2/3 (which makes less as it is not corrected with cost of life and minored by loss of files).
Normally, the system should balance itself and not take on the income of the current active generation a bigger % than they took from the previous generations. To get the balance, the age to receive can be set older, and premium reduced.
Logically, given the demographic + immigration + the economy we have had in Japan for a while... if from now, the active generation doesn't pay in more than the holy baby-boomer, either payment of pension should start at the age of 80, or they should be half or less than half (in average) of what it is now.
Now do the citizens of Japan accept that, or do they want that the active generations (that already have an average post-tax and contribution income) much lower than the average pensioner pay more to keep the allow the retired baby-boomer to live on 300 000 yen, while a young couple will do with 150 000 (and they'd better make kids to pay for them later, raise them, pay their uni) ? It's a choice.
About health spending, that's roughly the same. You have a 80 / 20 pattern. 80 of expenses for the retired. And 80% of the premiums paid by the others.
Japan is not the only country with such problems... but it is the one with the least hope of progress.
Posted in: Each one of us must be willing to contribute to society
1
Cos
Cleo, precisely, it's not unlikely at all that you live till age 104. When the current system was established, people lived till age 65, a few till 75, centenarians were rare. They paid to cover that number of years after retirement. Then they lived till 75, and a few till 95, there are centenarians in every town. Also, the number of years of payment have already been increased for our generation. For health expenses, costs can climb quickly with new high-tech treatments, or add up with multiple drugs you need during 50 yrs. The figure is given by Feldman, the macro-economist. He is said to have collected data on Japan for a while. I don't see why he would make it up. He has no interest. I think you have to combine the different systems to get the scale of the problem. Younger employees get less in salary to cover for their retired sempai, and we know well that the State takes the relay if the corporate insurances are failing. Have any other economists, from Japan, from abroad, ever found that Japanese system was not in systematic deficit for pensions + health insurances ? Is it not in an increasing deficit ? The last 30 Prime Ministers admitted that was the case. Otherwise, why these recurring talks about increasing the consumer tax ?
And that's not an investment for the future of Japan, it's only paying debts of the past as they appear. That's true there are other sources of debts (the airports...), but they are not so big, and progressing.
"for less than 200,000 yen per month."
In 2011, if they get a full time baito (many have less) it's about 110 000 per month. Minus the tax and contributions, they live with 100 000 yen. Increase taxes, these people lose buying power. They will have to live on 90 000 yen. They will feel it much more than the riches. They =we. And in 5 years, we're here again as the deficit keeps growing. So let's raise taxes again, and they will get 80 000 yen. Till we arrive at zero ? That's not a permanent solution.
I am not the fan club of the author, but the question is important. I don't understand what he proposes concretely. Well, at least with his activities, he creates a few jobs here and there and he risks his own money at betting on the future of Japanese economy (they are probably less risky ways to make his fortune grow.). So OK, he does his share. And he wants others to do theirs...yep, but we do what ? Not sure most people can help. I promise that if my sales increase, I'll hire staff (don't worry, I'm lazy), but now, ahem... I should find something to sell to the Chinese tourists or old Japanese riches that hang out in 5 star hotels, as I see nobody else with money to spend in Kansai. Everybody wants to do that.
Nicky
"Who is going to hire a single mother with full benefits? "
Companies. Companies hire single mothers, single without-kids, married father and any qualified worker... as long as there are companies in activity. Then "with full benefits" in Japan... In case the single mothers (or anybody) can't find a job and have nothing to eat, they can go to the city hall, where a social worker gives them a bag of rice and powdered milk, that they can hide in a Jusco handbag to look like a bourgeoise. That impresses nobody and certainly not themselves. They want a rice-winning job, not a bag of rice, nor a furikomi nor any charity. Because anybody wants to feed their kids from their own work. It's the first role of parents, anywhere on earth. And if they are permanently unable to do it, it's terrible psychologically. That mother will have what image of herself ? She'll tell what to the kid ? to the teen ? We read the suicide and kill kids stories too often. That's why I think some type of welfare does more bad than good. But, there is no miracle. You have that woman with no money, she needs the rice today, or she starves. What I wish is that we ( the society) plan a way to give her a job tomorrow, instead of piling the bags of rice to hand out.
Posted in: Each one of us must be willing to contribute to society
-2
Cos
"Tell everybody who's worked their whole lives (and been promised X amount of benefits the whole time) that they are going to get stiffed? Sorry, there goes your votes politicians. "
Yes. And the demography makes that the over 65 (that will receive) are more numerous than the 20~50 (that will pay for present decisions for the next 1/4 of century). It's as if younger generations had no right to vote. I think people over a certain age should no longer vote. That would be fair. You're entitled to 45 years of vote, then shut it up. Or there should be a coefficient, to be sure the vote of over 65 counts for 30% maximum.
Posted in: Each one of us must be willing to contribute to society
-2
Cos
When a real expert writes a post, that gives headaches to JT readers.
"Is Hori trying to say that the over-65s are getting benefits in the form of pension and health care to the tune of 30 million yen a year each? "
For those that slept during the economy class in Junior High school :
Not a year. In a lifetime, in average retired people (in 2011) receive 30 M more than they paid in the 20 to 30 years they contributed. The "deficit" is a debt for Japan (or indirectly for Japanese companies doing their own insurances). So the children at birth have to pay 60 M (in a lifetime) to cover this. That's in addition to what they will need to pay for their generation's needs (health, public services, new hospitals unless they find those build in 1950 are enough until 2100), the education of their kids and maybe their own retirement. So that makes an additional 1.5 M per year, per Japanese worker, either taken as tax/contribution or reduced salaries as the companies will contribute.
Oh yes, you will contribute 40 years or more, but the eldest generation did not as the system started later than their career. And average means the temp blue-worker and farm staff contributed more than the small bit they get during their fewer years of retirement, while the elite sarariman that will live to 100 (getting the top notch health insurance) receives way more than 30 M of "present" . And can enjoy touring the ryokans at 70 000 yen in a shiny Toyota, as every 3 years, he gets a new car and 15 luxury week-ends in present.
Japan has a choice : 1. the collapsing of natality, drop of level of education (senmon gakkos and daigakus are closing at a fast pace not only because of the natality, it's because more cannot afford), drop of economic dynamism, lack of doctors and nurse for the superb hospitals, lack of investment in start-ups and innovative businesses.... because they keep rewarding the glorious generations that invest in their hobbies and in bluechips like Tepco. 2. rethinking the system and giving retirement benefits on different criteria (taking into account actual needs). Making in sort that education and research level in maintained, and enough money is going to business creation.
Grateful to ancestors ? Oh yes, like Antigone, dig your tomb and bury yourself for your ancestors, that solves it all, that's smart. And well, those we are talking about, they should get reward for... their contribution to the development of Manchuria, Korea, Nankin... ? And the next generation is proud of having build so much, reward for how they wrecked our planet with their waste of energy, car lifestyle, the extinction of whales and Asian forests, nuclear power-plant in the most quake and tsunami prone places, the on-going wars (now "off-shore" there in Middle-East), the unfair trade, etc ? And my generation, it's the same. Kids of the future, you won't owe us anything. Just be better than the old farts that lived before.
Then for those that don't believe a developed country can't fall back into Third World as its economy shrinks due to bad choices, look at Argentine over 20th Century.
Posted in: Each one of us must be willing to contribute to society
0
Cos
18% refused to answer to the insulting question and shouted at the baitos doing the survey : "Oh can you dare suggest I'd trust those guys ?" .
Posted in: 82% distrust gov't after disaster: AP-GfK Poll
-1
Cos
Why does that quote singles out Japanese women ? 98% of food photo on the net are not from them. It's a common hobby over the world. There are also people that make videos of their cats.
"Probably because women ,who usually in Japan don't work, have more time and will to maintain blogs "
What kind of inaka are you posting from ? Suprising you have the internet there. Most women in my city work (80% of those between 22 and 60, last time they counted), many post photos and have hobbies. I have always worked, a lot. I have posted thousands of food photos. 1% for my job, 99% for my pleasure. That said, in restaurants, I take quick snapshots with a mini camera for memory. They are usually not good enough for my blog. I don't mean the food, but the light conditions. And I don't want to disturb anyone by bringing high-tech photo stuff. It's possible some exagerate and their taking photo is a nuisance. There is no smoke like cigarette, no noise like telephones conversation and ringing, so that's not so common other customers even notice the next table is taking a photo (they have to spy them to see that). It's the job of the staff to ask them to stop those that pass the limit. But shooting the food is rarely problematic. The issue is photos of people, staff, other customers and even other guests with you. They may not want too see their mugs on tweeter. Their privacy should be respected.
Posted in: Why do so many Japanese women take photos of their food at restaurants and post it on Facebook or their blogs?
4
Cos
I'm really tired of seeing peaches from Fukushima everywhere in Osaka now. I had never seen one before this Summer, as so many peaches are produced in closer prefectures. I can't tell how many they sell, but there seem to be people buying. That's not even cheaper. So you can't say customers calculate "Hey, I'm 99... or I'm a heavy smoker, so I take Fukushima food to save 500 yen now. " . They really want to do it to "help". And peaches... what an essential food ! We can't skip one season of peaches ? That will be the same for rice. They'll ship some here. Do they count on a % of people that think that helps ? And they are are wrong. That helps the cover up and the lack of responsabilities. We are collectively wrong. We should all have refused to take the Fukushima risk, farmers should have refused to plant, parents refused to say with kids under 16 (and older kids are able to go on their own to study in other prefectures), teachers refused to teach there, school shokudos refused to serve. Waiting that Government tell us to leave, tell us to avoid food is a very bad idea.
Posted in: Rice shipped from Fukushima Prefecture
1
Cos
Nothing can protect us. So what ? We all leave Japan ?
Posted in: People should stop thinking that they will be safe. Japan is a quake-prone country. I recommend that each of us should visualize how to protect ourselves from the collapse of something if a quake strikes.
0
Cos
" have never heard of this charge anywhere else in the world."
I think the concept was invented in the US. Casey Anthony got a slap on the hand for *abandoning the body" of her toddler. They couldn't prove the kid did not die of old age. Like in this case, now, how can you prove this woman and her son did have a simultaneous heart attack ? I'm joking, but that's true that even if suspicion that he murdered them are huge, they can still have died accidentally or killed each other without his intervention. The guy can be only totally crazy but not a murderer. How many people kept mummies of the grand-dad in a closet ?
Posted in: Suspect admits dumping body parts in Osaka park
1
Cos
"The world is big and there is no reason why anyone should feel obligated to stay in any one place anymore."
What ? A kid is not a reason ? If so, you're not a parent. End of the story. Full custody of the children to other relatives, or to an adoptive family.
Posted in: American man, Japanese wife settle dispute over son, 8