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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amerijap
The numbers can rise as far as they go. The government says the situation is stable--yet it is "stable'' by “hanging on the cliff with fingernails,” as a Japanese American physicist Michio Kaku says. This is the choice the government agency and TEPCO made. It's been more than 5 months the reactors got crippled and began emitting radioactive substances. If they were unable to find the way to turn off the ducts, fix the cracks on suppression chambers, and de-contaminate the tons of water without any leak, they would end up toxifying not only local economy and environment but also the infrastructure of other regions.
Posted in: Fukushima cesium leaks 'equal 168 Hiroshima bombs,' says report
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amerijap
They knew it but ignored because that's the only choice they were able to make. Imagine these idiots throw up their hands and say in English: ''We are the basket case. It can't be helped.''
Or you may hear them whining something in Japanese. (like what? Ma--, sho-ga-nai-na---)
You can translate it in any way you want.
Posted in: TEPCO knew of tsunami threat: nuclear agency
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amerijap
I don't know how many of those actually made such an utterly stupid remark in the wake of 3/11, but I do know one female WNBA player twitted a nasty remark about people in Japan. She even responded to one of her respondents like, ''Excuse me, are you JAP??'''
Posted in: Rare quake rattles eastern U.S. seaboard
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amerijap
Some of his off-color, sarcastic jokes are as comparable to David Letterman or Jeremy Clarkson. But his conduct off the stage makes him far worse than these folks. I'm no fan of this SOB, whatsoever.
He's a pathetic, sore loser. Glad Yoshimoto got rid of him for good.
Posted in: Comedian Shimada quits show business over reported ties to yakuza
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amerijap
Encouraging the companies in what way?--moving their headquarters out of Japan? It sounds more like the plan to facilitate industrial hollowing-out to me.
And where does the loan come from?--Taxpayers money.
Posted in: Japan announces $100 bil program to deal with strong yen
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amerijap
Nanotechnology, ergonomics, environmental engineering, etc.
Posted in: In what technological or scientific fields is Japan still ahead of the rest of the world?
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amerijap
The title implicates the authority's justification for destroying local communities under the pretext of land takeover. The same thing happened to Kobe and its neighboring towns at the time of 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake. Very sad.
Posted in: Gov't may buy land within 20-km radiation no-go zone
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amerijap
Remember these three cities are NOT covered in the Red Zone--a.k.a. 20k NO-GO area. There is a place in which local school was designated as an evacuation site in spite of its proximity--just 6 miles off from the crippled reactors. Students are not staying there anymore. But they were stuck in a wrong place until the school principle got the news about the overflow of radioactive substances, and decided to re-locate the students to a safe place.
It should be warned that it takes many years (i.e., 14 years for the Three Miles Island, 25 years for Chernobyl) to detoxify the nuclear radiation. This means that children’s health risk needs to be monitored regardless of the radiation level which is considered non-problematic.
Posted in: 45% of children tested near Fukushima plant have radioactive elements in thyroid glands
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amerijap
While I disagree with author's generalized statement in the beginning, I can understand his frustrations in communicating with people in Japanese to some extent. In my lifetime experience, I sometimes encounter the moments I get confused when I talk to some of my friends in Japanese--which is my first language (!). To be honest, talking to people in Japanese is just like bringing me to a different planet. I lose track somewhere in the middle, and get baffled when people suddenly shift from one topic to another without any cue. What's more complicated is, as some westerners point out, Japanese people seem to focus more on smoothness/touch rather than content on conversations. This becomes more credible when you work with Japanese co-workers at traditional Japanese workplace. In my experience, I didn't get the heck of any idea what my former co-workers or peers were looking for in the first place.
I'm living in the US many years and I don't see any Japanese in my community, so I don't have to do a code switching. While I'm in Japan, I talk to people in English -- except for my parents and Japanese store clerks and staff at public office. I don't switch a language unless my partner asks me to do so. It's not because I use them for a mere practice of my English. (I'm far way better than that). That's just my personal choice.
Anyway..., my point is 1) you need to deal with the moment that makes you baffle in a situation like this; 2) there is nothing wrong in opening up your feelings honestly; and 3) Your reaction to author's behavior in the article is completely a different issue from what the author exactly encounters in his experiences.
Posted in: Was I a date, a friend or just a potential English teacher?
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amerijap
It's just 8 days after they had M6.0+ aftershocks in Fukushima last time. I think it's time to reconsider the extension of evacuation zone. Fukushima city and Minami-Soma city are already exposed to radioactive substances--and their proximity to the Sanriku coastline is of concern to remaining residents if the big aftershocks keep rocking the Tohoku region.
Posted in: M6.8 quake jolts Fukushima, Miyagi prefectures
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amerijap
Found something odd? --Yup, it's “the US Department of the State.” Got mixed it up with Clinton, my bad.
I separate his accomplishments from what he said about people of Okinawa. I personally don’t have any problem with his new book release or the criticism of the Japanese government over the US military bases. But, the way he described Okinawans—as ‘’lazy,’’ “masterminds of extortion”-- out of his experiences in bi-lateral talks, in his keynote address at American University, is way off the line. It’s quite inappropriate, irresponsible, and irredeemable. He was out of touch. The incident could have been averted. The State Department and US Ambassador John Roos would never make an apology, if he was smart enough to avoid taking swipes at Okinawans.
Posted in: Maher says 'nobody' in Japan gov't was in charge early in nuclear crisis
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amerijap
This man is a rat. It's still a fresh memory to Japanese that he got sacked from the director for an allegation that he badmouthed Okinawans on March 10, the day before the 9.0 earthquake hit the eastern Japan. He was not happy with the US Department of Secretary for barring him from holding/attending a press conference regarding the issue. Not surprised to see his move.
Welcome to the Whistle-Blower's/Muckraker’s Club!
Posted in: Maher says 'nobody' in Japan gov't was in charge early in nuclear crisis
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amerijap
I wonder what they mean stable “cold shutdown” by January. What are the requirements to meet this stable condition??
Here are the things I come up with.
I don't even know where they are now, and how much little progress they will make from now if given 4 more months.
Posted in: Gov't, TEPCO reiterate goal to bring Fukushima plant under control by January
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amerijap
These so called 'jihadists' place their mindset similar to sickos who bungle up their lives in this country or elsewhere. They don't have any clue but spew the bile off from their guts 24 hours a day to harm anyone/anything they hate. (i.e., Jews, Catholics, Hindus, Mormons, Buddhists, moderate Muslims sympathetic to westerners, and/or those who attempt to liberate Muslim women.)
Posted in: Jihadist calls for David Letterman to be murdered
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amerijap
I am thinking of sending my letter of rant to the Tokyo Metropolitan Office, if I were privileged to do so.
Here's the sample:
Dear a paranoiac Tokyo Governor
If religious conservative is the requirement for what you call 'patriotic' Japanese citizens, you are dead wrong. I was/am a permanent resident of Tokyo, and I always pray for those who are suffering from catastrophic disasters and various forms of social injustice. But I will pity those political hypocrites and some local/state authorities –just like you(!)—for deliberately misleading the people into the façade of Shinto war shrine for glorifying a shattered God!!!
End of my rant
aj
Posted in: Ishihara calls Kan, cabinet 'not Japanese' for not visiting Yasukuni Shrine
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amerijap
Here's the punch line for the Republican candidates:
"We're gonna cut Meds and education, but we're not gonna raise taxes to corporations to solve the debt problem. Why? Because "corporations are people who can bring money to Americans for better life!"
Typical of GOP politicians who call for a change in Washington are still obsessed with the relics of Reagan‘s economic policy in the 80s. I wish this is not the common understanding among all candidates, but they will likely weed out the odds.
Posted in: Obama hits Republicans on anti-tax stance
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amerijap
It's a dog-eat-dog world. PP(Poor Paw Lent Tea) was getting out of line after the debate. He's just not a fit-in. Odds are likely to be pulled out as an evil Redneck Platypus (Texas gov.) pitches in. Who's next? Cain, Bachman, or Huntsman?
Posted in: Republican Tim Pawlenty ends White House bid
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amerijap
@SamuriBlue:
No it’s not. The people’s perception has changed since an owner of the shrine—private company—added the 13 names of soldiers classified as Class A war criminals in 1978. Late emperor Hirohito told the owner NOT to honor them because he was well aware that that would change the meaning of war shrine for good. But the shrine ended up adding the names—against his will. He refused to visit the shrine since then. That's a smoking gun. The onwer screwed the shrine, period.
@Kentaro75:
The caption doesn’t say these two men are war veterans. They look way too young in the photo. It’s been 66 years after the war ended. Many veterans are over 80 now.
This is exactly what the right-wingers(or imperial regime sympathizers) say for the justification of war. Pity the vast majority of Japanese people do not see that way. It’s hypocritical to say that Japan fought for freedom of Asia, regarding that they put utmost interests of the emperor/imperial government and invaded many countries in the Pacific.
Posted in: Paying their respects
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amerijap
Her win makes sense partly because her social/fiscal conservative ideas draw similar concerns with some Iowans, although they are not Tea Party sympathizers. She gained an upper hand over Pawlenty after an ugly swipe contest with him. I also praise Iowans' sensible choice for saying no to Mitt Romney, who began to show his true colors as an evangelical libertarian by saying that "corporations are people."
I personally don't like Rick Perry at all due to his hypocritical politics on the state economy and education. His recent agenda on silent prayer at public school is another twist to distort religion for conservative politics.
Posted in: Bachmann wins Iowa straw poll; Perry enters GOP race
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amerijap
What kind of program is that? Quiz show!? Anyway, it's so stupid. It's quite unlikely to get one if the rice is truly tainted with radioactive materials. The local farmers typically harvest and ship rice in fall--not spring.
Posted in: 'Radioactive rice' joke causes trouble for Tokai Television