JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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- Translator
- ZAIHON, Inc. (日本財務翻訳株式会社), Tokyo
- Salary: ¥6.0M / Year Negotiable
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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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Richard_III
Yes, I was taught manners. But in the trains in Tokyo, manners are not necessary, that's why you have to live within yourself.
Of course, occasionnally I do like to show the locals manners by offering my seat, or showing some decent courtesy. But the longer I live here, the less I do this. Why? because no one shows any manners or courtesy to anyone else. It's a spiral of decline.
As IvanCoughalot noted, the fixation with phones is a really corny obsession given that the lack of general manners elsewhere are simply appalling.
Posted in: 70,000 commuters delayed by quarrel over cell phone on train in Chiba
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Richard_III
As I have lived here for a few years now, I have practically gone native in my manners.
That is, on a train I live in my own world. No other people exist except myself. If I walk, I walk as if no-one else exists, meaning that I knock and charge as is necessary for me to escape the train.
If there is a queue, then because it is only I that exists, I can freely push in, and get on before other people have got off.
If there is a seat available, then I take it. This is regardless of whoever is around me, be it a pregnant lady or an invalid. I simply don't see them.
This is the only way to be here. Ignore everyone and everything, and you'll have a stress free journey to work, otherwise you'll go crazy with all the zombies & morons that drive other people nuts.
The person who pressed the alarm was a bit of an idiot: firstly for over-reacting. Secondly, for even caring about other people. That is not the way a commuter behaves in Tokyo.
Posted in: 70,000 commuters delayed by quarrel over cell phone on train in Chiba
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Richard_III
I'm not sure what Wikileaks objective is, but even though many of the releases have been interesting, I fail to see why they should be published. They threaten to undermine the practice of diplomacy and this latest batch seems particularly irresponsible.
Assange seems to have some idealised notion that openness in and of itself is a good thing. I'm increasingly skeptical and am slightly worried about the implications of all these leaks - especially if countries are no longer able to trust or work with each other.
Posted in: WikiLeaks release gives hit list to al-Qaida, says U.S.
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Richard_III
The only exposure I have to J-pop is the Japan Record of the Year ceremony which I have to sit through and endure with extreme disinterest and indifference each year.
Thankfully, I will be abroad this year in a deliberate effort to avoid such television shows.
That said, some of the melodies can be quite interesting and are certainly different to pop music in the West. I often go to live houses, a lot of Japanese bands can be quite talented - it's a shame that none of them seem to progress to the larger market.
Posted in: Does J-pop really suck?
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Richard_III
We had the same experience. The chaps that were showing us around had very little information on what they were trying to sell us. Information on housing was also very poor. It was a purely cosmetic exercise based solely on the appearance of the property; and the immediate vicinity.
The only thing the realty guys were certain of was that "everyone is buying now, and you should make your decision quickly". It was not a situation suited for the rational purchase of a house. We got out.
Posted in: Real estate in Japan: A good time to buy or not?
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Richard_III
Have to agree about the Ginza-Akasaka Mitsuke section of the Marunouchi line. That is always a pleasure.
As for the Chuo Line, there are simply too many awful, colourless, and lifeless salarymen to make a comment; it is simply awful.
Also, I frankly cannot believe that there are any train lines in the greater Tokyo area where the passengers have manners. This bit of the article was pure fiction.
Posted in: Which of Tokyo's commuter rail lines have the best babes and worst habits?
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Richard_III
This is very true.
I was thinking of buying here a couple of years ago and was hearing this all the time from the Realty chaps I was dealing with. I'm actually glad that I didn't buy in the end. There might be some savings in comparison to rent but depreciation is a big worry.
Aside from design issues with newly built houses (I'm not that keen on a lot of the designs on pre-fab housing here) there is the issue of quality. As is noted by Mr Dillon, the absense of any insulation or central heating in newly built homes means basically that you have to source your building contractors etc. and design the building yourself. I can imagine that this would be very difficult trying to introduce new ideas (insulation is only really a new idea to Japan nowadays) with contractors, and you probably have to get your materials from overseas.
These factors, plus the depreciation, detered me from making the purchase. I also have some long term worries about the future of Japan which has added to the uncertainty.
Posted in: Real estate in Japan: A good time to buy or not?
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Richard_III
Going to America has been a ball ache for some time. I'm increasingly reluctant to go there and will avoid it if I can.
A lot of this stuff in the media is hype, but it's not nice going there, either the queues, the questions, and the general level of miserableness of trying to enter the country. Once you're in though, it's nice.
Posted in: TSA chief calls for understanding; pat-down leaves Michigan man covered in urine
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Richard_III
I sat on an interview panel recently for freshmen and all the men were wearing these suits. One to the next, cheap black suit, white shirt, dark blue striped tie. It was purely miserable seeing this but I can forgive them as they are just young and straight out of university.
For seasoned salarymen who continue to wear these suits in combination with white shirts and blue striped ties it is simply unforgivable.
It is even worse if they try and spice things up with brown shoes or pointy shoes.
Fit lass.
Posted in: Best dressed
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Richard_III
While talking on the phone is a bit irritating, it no way compares to being shoulder barged, trodden on or treated like a non-entity by people on the trains here. That kind of behaviour really does deserve a beating.
Other than this case above, the general lack of aggression in this society is probably why manners have deteriorated to such a shocking level. People can just get away with it.
Posted in: Woman arrested for using spray on bus passengers in Chiba
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Richard_III
Also, there are a lot of totally useless underemployed men who always stand around telling you where it's safe to walk etc. in Japan. They're a blemish on normal society.
These men could be put to better use by collecting rubbish, or cleaning the beaches. I would rather pay my exorbitant taxes on this, than getting irritated like crazy cause some moron told me not to walk in a certain area.
Posted in: Why are there so few benches and garbage bins in public places in Japanese cities?
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Richard_III
I often think that benches are a mark of civilisation, allowing you to sit down, reflect, relax or just watch the world go by. Occasionally you can meet someone and have a chance encounter learning something new.
Japan is a poorer country for not having any benches.
I'm glad the Japan Times and now the Japan Today have started featuring articles about this; even though it will have no effect.
Posted in: Why are there so few benches and garbage bins in public places in Japanese cities?
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Richard_III
"Top marginal rate of 80%"
No one with such earning potential will stay in Japan. Taxes here are already too high.
Renho could be doing a better job in cutting public expenditure. There are so many men employed in jobs that don't need doing - I counted 12 men near Shinjuku South Exit with batons telling people where it was safe to walk.
I went to the library - there were three people to hand out one book.
The argument is that public expenditure could be severely cut back to get rid of these worthless jobs. Once taxation is lower and people are motivated to work and create businesses then that will take up these newly found unemployed.
Short sharp shock. It worked in Russia, it can work here.
Posted in: What do you think is the fairest method of income tax?
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Richard_III
Ozawa is said to be a master political strategist but I find his standing against Kan to indicative more of vanity than anything, which has the potential to be extremely damaging to the DPJ but also for the image of Japan overseas. He is describing it as a last stand, almost as an act of martyrdom.
I read today an interview in the Asahi Shinbun and his policy outlines seem very half baked. It seems to be that greater financial autonomy for regional government combined with some increased spending towards SMEs will revive the Japanese economy. He surely needs to come up with more than that if he is serious about trying to improve the lot for the average Japanese. He seems conservative on the fiscal deficit and seems to think that increased power for politicians vis a vis bureaucrats will enable bolder reforms. Either he is being coy or he has no real substantive plans, but I wasn't impressed by what I read at all.
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201009060235.html
Posted in: How do you think Ichiro Ozawa will do as prime minister if he wins the DPJ leadership election on Sept 14?
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Richard_III
She probably doesn't have much talent, but kudos to her for kicking up a fuss with these management types. I kind of respect her for that.
Of course, it will all fail. Too many vested interests, outmoded way's of thinking about "this how we've always done it", and many young starlets waiting in line for their next turn who can easily replace Ms Sawajiri.
Sadly we just have to resign ourselves to the fact that this crap that passes for entertainment on the TV is going to be with us for generations. It'll probably get worse too, if that's possible.
Posted in: Erika Sawajiri: Inside the head of Japan's outspoken star
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Richard_III
These game consoles are turning people into zombies. You can't walk around and play a game at the same time.
The mother should have more responsibility and not let her kid use these games.
Posted in: Boy falls onto train tracks while looking at handheld game console
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Richard_III
Should I have children, the little blighters might be a "half" but they will grow up in full knowledge of the great ancestry and tradition surrounding their English roots.
Such knowledge, and the great swell of pride that derives from it that is familiar to all those lucky enough to be born in England, will allow them to overcome any such racism or hostility they might encounter with a contemptously disdainful sneer.
Posted in: The Hafu Project: Exploring the question of what it means to be Japanese
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Richard_III
No offence to ex-military types, but I wouldn't want them teaching my kids.
Posted in: Bringing thousands of JETs to Japan is not a good investment for the country's taxpayers in this day and age of an already globalized world.
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Richard_III
There is a massive failure of parental responsibility regarding that kid's clothes.
Posted in: Karate kid
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Richard_III
This guy sounds like he's straight off the boat. I gained a lot of good knowledge from senior expats when I first arrived. Downplaying such experience seems foolhardy.
This made me laugh. Tokyo's bar scene is now worse than when I first arrived. There have been some new additions but they are mostly quiet affairs. Lots of new restaurants, but Tokyo is one hell of a boring city to live in, in my very humble opinion.
Posted in: If a longtime expat starts offering you advice, walk the other way