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.
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Godan
Well said, Hereforenow, well said. :-)
Posted in: Gov't turns to AKB48 to sell bonds
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Godan
AKB48 to the rescue!
And since nothing else has helped fix the "lost decade" (going on 20 years now!) why the heck not? Isn't this thinking outside the box?
Posted in: Gov't turns to AKB48 to sell bonds
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Godan
Amazing to see one of the world's great misogynists surrounded by the women in the pic. The man has absolutely has no shame. :-(
Posted in: Making the cut
-2
Godan
When this news first came out, I figured it had something to do with an escalator. I have seen and been in a number of confrontations with people who purposely stand in the middle of the escalator. Such jerks care about no one and are obviously looking for a fight. Oftentimes, even saying "sumimasen" doesn't work - just sociopaths with vent up rage who they will take it out on anyone. Be careful one and all.
Posted in: Man arrested over knife attack at Shibuya subway station
5
Godan
Nothing has really changed, has it? :-(
Posted in: Gov't to control up to 76% of TEPCO voting rights
5
Godan
First, many in Japan will simply see no need to learn the language.
Second, having traveled the world, I can't remember anywhere else where the speaking of English is as ridiculed and/or laughed at like it is here in Japan. For some reason (revenge?) the media, the general public, and even the education system see nothing wrong with English being equated with games, childish images, ridiculous exams, and othering anyone who speaks the language with some level of competency. It's a real shame as I see many young people excel with their studies and English and really do something with their lives.
Lastly, there is a shocking lack of focus on listening skills and the appropriate use of English. In the former case, what is the point of studying a language that you spend no real time learning how to comprehend? As for the latter, for a culture that places great emphasis on "keigo" and "TPO" - it astounding to me to see how inappropriately many use the language. Say "ohayou gozaimasu" and I get the same back. Say "good morning" and get silence, laughter, or worst of all someone running away. :-( In the end, both are aspects of the curriculum and it almost seems to me that MEXT doesn't really want to foster English speakers.
Posted in: Why are Japanese so bad at English?
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Godan
So much for the AKB48 suicide prevention campaign. Heck maybe it worked and thus the number of young men contemplating suicide went down? Of course, maybe it is also one reason for the increase among young women?
Posted in: Over 25% of Japanese in their 20s have considered suicide
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Godan
If this is so, Dennis, I wonder if Nintendo ever thought about making a phone?
Posted in: Nintendo posts first-ever annual loss
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Godan
Sorry about the mistake:
And maybe victims' rights in change will also improve?
should be
And maybe victims' rights in Japan will also improve?
Posted in: Police gave victims' contact info to father of driver in fatal car accident
5
Godan
Watched this unfold on the news last night. Took me about 1 minute to figure out what was going on as I was shocked that the police would do something so thoughtless and moronic. The father of the pregnant woman who died was really giving it to the police who came to apologize and who could blame him?! I was impressed that the news showed more or less the entire rant at the police. The guy went on and on - good for him! It is sad that it takes such vitriol for change to occur, but maybe this will lead to a more sensitive and caring police force? And maybe victims' rights in change will also improve? On can only hope!
Posted in: Police gave victims' contact info to father of driver in fatal car accident
2
Godan
Give credit where credit is due; Yu did a great job! That is a tough line up, the Yankees have, and it didn't seem to faze him at all. Cool! ERA is down, but pitch count is still up. Hope he stays healthy the whole season!
Posted in: Darvish outduels Kuroda, striking out 10, as Rangers down Yankees 2-0
1
Godan
Just saw this story on the news here and it is so heartbreaking! All over Japan kids and other pedestrians are on these little shoulders on the side of roads with cars, trucks, and whatnot whizzing by at oftentimes dangerous speeds. The road in front of my home is much the same and while many drivers are very safe, there are those jerks who just fly down the road not giving a damn about anyone. TBH, I am kind of surprised this doesn't happen daily in Japan. :-(
RIP Matsumura-san and Mao-chan.
Posted in: Pregnant woman, 7-yr-old girl killed after car hits schoolchildren in Kyoto Pref
2
Godan
Only 58%?! Without a doubt Hashimoto Ryutaro's (and the LDP) bumping up of the consumption tax killed the brief improvement in the economy we were experiencing back in the day. And Japan Inc. hasn't really recovered since.
If the people knew their taxes were gonna be used for social services, I doubt this would be a problem. But few here (very few!) believe that this will be the case and that the geezers in charge will just waste this money on more bridges that aren't needed, repavement of roads that were fine the way they were, and concrete in general. God I wish I had a concrete company in Japan - that is where all the money is!!
Posted in: 58% of companies say conditions not yet ripe for consumption tax hike
2
Godan
What's next? Water that is too wet?
Posted in: Ice cream too hard? No more
1
Godan
Have looked into making an app for the iPad, but I am stymied by the fact that the iPad isn't as popular here in Japan (especially among certain professions) as the iPhone. Why not? People in Japan don't seem to want a "big" and "heavy" iPad. I don't feel it is either, but then being 187 cm and 100 kg makes a difference. So if Apple isn't gonna do it, then I definitely see a market waiting for someone to take advantage of as many people want a 7-inch tablet like the iPad.
Posted in: Rumors swirl of smaller iPad, which Jobs detested
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Godan
I only wish more people in the world were like your husband, Makoto-san. Reminds me of something a smart man once said, "Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind."
If only more in the world were able to look past the differences and more to what binds us as being equally human, I am fairly certain the world would be a better place.
Posted in: Cultural differences, misconceptions and learning
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Godan
It is sad to say, but the people of Japan that I speak to about this issue tend to support Ishihara. And most say the same thing, they are tired of seemingly nothing being done about certain issues: North Korea abductions, Senkaku Islands to the south, the islands to the north of Hokkaido, etc... They wan't something done and all this foot-dragging by the Foreign Ministry, etc...means that popular figures such as Ishihara or Hashimoto in Osaka, are seen as strong and decisive. Tis scary if you think about it. These guys want a return to a "strong" Japan that means the common person is blindly following - this may be a recipe for disaster in the future. Luckily time is on our side with Ishihara nearing 80, but Hashimoto may well be a different story. :-(
Posted in: Ishihara says Senkakus purchase scheduled for April 2013
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Godan
PS Was a shame about King Felix - 12 Ks and 1 walk? Now that's pitching!
Posted in: Darvish in command as Rangers beat Tigers 10-3
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Godan
Watched the first few innings and as Lostrune said he had that killer curve ball set up just right! And I agree about the walks - he's gotta stop that. I think he threw 120 pitches in the game - that's a lot in today's game. But I was very impressed with that curveball of his - had the Tigers stymied. Having said that, with the Rangers' run support, a healthy Yu will surely get 15+ wins this season. The Rangers going all the way, too? We'll see.
Posted in: Darvish in command as Rangers beat Tigers 10-3
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Godan
My better-half also said the same thing. Ishihara sure has a knack for wasting money that isn't his. :-(
Posted in: Ishihara says Tokyo plans to buy disputed Senkaku islands