JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
-
- Core Developer - コアディベロッパー
- Midokura Japan K.K. - ミドクラジャパン株式会社, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥4.0M ~ ¥10.0M / Year Negotiable
-
- Translator
- ZAIHON, Inc. (日本財務翻訳株式会社), Tokyo
- Salary: ¥6.0M / Year Negotiable
-
- 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
0
archiebald
Why??
It is perfectly possible to manufacture with minimal pollution. As one example, the bulk of China's pollution and CO2 emissions is coming from the generation of electricity by coal fired power stations being completed at something like 1 per week.
Not simply coal powered but lacking in any form of scrubbing equipment.
In the UK and Germany there are many coal fired power stations but with currently available technology it is possible to reduce emissions enormously.
Posted in: China: Importers need to share blame for emissions
0
archiebald
Just a question, am I right in saying that the taxpayers money AIG received was part of the payout made by Bush in 2008?
If so, they were obviously sleeping and forgot to attach strings.
Posted in: Obama berates AIG and vows to try to block bonuses
0
archiebald
Sorry, it is not me missing the point.
My (small Japanese) company has a factory in Shanghai that was set up about 7 years ago. We had to jump through hoops of red tape and bureaucracy. All the approvals came from the Chinese because they know its good for their economy. Before you ask, the main reason we set it up was not for low cost but because China is a major market for us and it made sense to build a local production unit that lowered transport costs and gives better local service, rather than to export everything from Japan.
As for Chinese companies that are competing on the world market, they are doing it simply for profit, not as a favor to the rest of the world. As such they are wholly responsible for their manufacturing practises. The reason they are polluting so much is due to profiteering.
Personally, I have no problem paying higher prices for better quality products made in Japan or the UK where they will certainly be more stringent pollution controls and better conditions for workers.
Posted in: China: Importers need to share blame for emissions
0
archiebald
So typically Chinese.
We are making money, exploiting our workers with low pay and horrible conditions and we are polluting the planet. Oh.....and by the way, its not our fault.
Posted in: China: Importers need to share blame for emissions
0
archiebald
Actually I think you'll find that Cuba is well known as having some of the best health care in the world.
As far as the UK is concerned, the NHS system is overloaded but provides some of the best FREE emergency service that you could wish to encounter. Or you can use your insurance to go private for non-life threatening trestment. At least you have the choice.
The US is okay IF your medical insurance decides to cover you. How many times have we heard where people have been denied live saving attention due to money - or lack of it.
Posted in: Obama forecasts record $1.75 tril deficit in his 1st budget
0
archiebald
A residual force will have very little to do with Iraq, it will be there to keep an eye on Iran and quick support for Afghanistan. Especially necessary since Kyrgyzstan closed its doors to the US.
America still has bases in Europe and Japan, it's all about regional power and security.
Posted in: U.S. to be out of Iraq in 19 months; U.S. soldier killed in police attack
0
archiebald
Just to lighten up a bit, I'm not sure if any non-Brits reading this know who the "real" Alf Garnett was. (try a Google search)
All I can say is, AlfGarnett, thanks for taking on that nickname whoever you are and keep up the excellent posts in the spirit of the original character. It takes me back to my childhood listening to your rants, what's more they work perfectly for this topic.
Posted in: Baby-faced dad, 13, raises 'broken Britain' fears
0
archiebald
I hate it when I hear these stories.
Just one more thing that proves there is no god.
RIP little one
Posted in: Body of missing 6-year-old girl found in pond in Fukushima
0
archiebald
Cat5,
You obviously are not British and you don't understand the way the laws have changed over the last 30~40 years in the UK. Human nature means that people will always grab all they can get unless there is some form of control. In the case of social welfare and crime and punishment, successive governments in the UK have been totally inept. There are so many examples that I don't know where to begin. Here is just a taster;
1) The recent paltry sentence of 3 years given to a dangerous driving truck driver for killing a family of 6 is just a part of this.
2) The UK has a vast number of professional scroungers who contribute nothing to the system and take as much as they can. This is a failing of the government policy 3) Prisons are more akin to holiday camps. 4) As a result of 3) being no deterrent, prisons are overcrowded so the political solution has been to....wait for it.... reduce sentences. 5) Drug use is a well known cause of crime but what do we see in the UK? Drug traffickers face no consequences for their crimes and addicts are treated as patients with an illness rather than the criminals they are. 6) Teachers are not even allowed to verbally discipline rowdy pupils for fear that they will be taken to court for causing "emotional distress" to the little git. 7) There is no responsibility placed on the parents of children that run amok. The criminal age of responsibility is (or was) 12 years old so if a kid commits a crime, he gets off scott free. I have no problem with that, but the parents should be made responsible for the under age actions of their kids so that maybe they provide a more disciplined upbringing.
Oh, and by the way, some of this CAN be blamed on Europe - Ever heard of the European court of human rights? It interferes and can over-rule the law of the land.
No-one here is blaming any other country, you made that up yourself to suit your own agenda. The problems in the UK that most ex-pat Brits complain about are home made.
You are talking utter nonsense. The people commenting here, including myself have all gone overseas for various reasons, but not to run away. In my case the original plan was 3 years, but after being away for only 2 years, I was suddenly aware of all the things that had changed for the worse in my absence. Now, 17 years later, when I visit the UK I feel more foreign there than I do here in Japan. It is an alien culture that has gone from bad to worse. Why should I return to a country where me or my family are more likely to suffer from crime and where our tax money will go to wasters like the families in this story.
It saddens me to see what has become of my country but that does mean to say that I must make my family suffer by returning there out of some sort of duty to financially support idiotic government policies that allow the disintegration of British society.
Why are you hurling insults? Whatever the UK did in the past is not relevant to this situation.
Moderator: All readers, please keep the discussion civil.
Posted in: Baby-faced dad, 13, raises 'broken Britain' fears
0
archiebald
The Ironic thing about this story is that the headline includes the story from The Sun newsp... no scratch that, The Sun toilet paper which has probably done more to destroy morality in the UK over the last 30 years.
By paying ridiculous sums of money for this story, they are demonstrating that being anti-social pays dividends.
Posted in: Baby-faced dad, 13, raises 'broken Britain' fears
0
archiebald
taiko666,
I spent most of my time in Suffolk and the last couple of years of my time in the UK was in Peterborough. Not exactly well known hotspots of crime but I've got friends all over the UK. It doesn't really matter where you go - crime in the UK is everywhere.
Murder took place in Dunblane (yes - the infamous school shooting), my friend's 5 year old son. The muggings happened in the midlands, burglaries happened near Blackburn and in Lowestoft. My Mother was burgled in Suffolk, my brother's business was broken into in the same town, three of my friends had cars stolen, I forget how many times friends have reported car windows being smashed, my wife's rental car was stolen in the Lake District when she visited by herself one time, my rental car was keyed on two separate occasions in different locations during one visit.....
Need I go on...??
There are ratbag families like those in the story that live in the same street as my Mother in Law, she caught 5 and 6 year olds from one particular family from hell breaking into her house on two occasions.
The country HAS gone to the dogs and the blame is on the Nanny State and liberal do-gooders.
They should bring back hanging, the birch, national service and let the police and school teachers crack some heads.
Japan's crime rate may be increasing and the morality decreasing, but I don't think it will ever get as bad as the UK within my life-time.
Posted in: Baby-faced dad, 13, raises 'broken Britain' fears
0
archiebald
Whitepocky, Agreed - I left the UK in 1992, have lived in Asia since - mainly in Japan. As part of my employment contract, I have a home leave every 2 years but after the first time returning there, I lost all desire to go back. I'm still in regular contact with more than 50 friends and family members and over the last 17 years since I left - WITHOUT EXCEPTION - every one of them has at some time been a victim of crime including murder, street violence, mugging, burglary, car theft or vandalism.
When I was at school back in the mid 70's I had an old crusty teacher whose favorite phrase was, "The damn country is going to the dogs!". I never did understand what he was talking about until after I moved overseas then returned for home leave.
The country is absolutely falling apart and one day, if I ever end up leaving Japan, I'll be making sure that I do not return there. I find it truly sad that I have to say this about my country of birth.
Posted in: Baby-faced dad, 13, raises 'broken Britain' fears
0
archiebald
People with pancreatic cancer do not get better - I know, this took my Mother.
Take a look at the survival rates.
The clock is ticking.
Posted in: U.S. Justice Ginsburg undergoes pancreatic cancer surgery
0
archiebald
I don't think it can be worse than watching CNN.
If I want to watch a true International TV station, then BBC World is the only one that ticks all the boxes.
Posted in: NHK to launch all-English international TV broadcasting service
0
archiebald
likeitis,
Ain't that the truth.
This sounds like a perfect piece of policework, hats off to the undercover female officer for putting herself on the line!! She deserves a commendation.
Posted in: Student arrested after threatening undercover policewoman with box cutter
0
archiebald
tkoind2, Then you need to change companies or I must simply be one of the lucky ones working for a Japanese company here in Nagano.
My company operates on a standard week of 39 hours with no requirement or pressure for compulsory overtime. If overtime is worked, it is paid at standard overtime rates up to the level of section manager, above that you are salaried with a "position allowance" and an expectation of "reasonable overtime" which is up to a maximum of 45 hours per month as stipulated in the labor regulations.
Staff here take holidays more or less at their convenience and even the Japanese workers may take a week off, and on occasion even two weeks.
A couple of years ago, my colleague was diagnosed early with leukaemia due to the excellent annual 人間ドック system (free of charge full medical once per year, paid for by the company). Took six months off for chemo / radio therapy and came back to work for a short stint. Then was told he required a bone marrow transplant, took another 18 months off work. Our standard company regs state a maximum of 360 days sick leave with guaranteed job return, but as this was the first case they encountered exceeding the normal regs, they changed the entire company rule book just so he could return later without stress. They gave him a new job working as a section manager in a stress free office (was previously in sales)
Read the above and in addition, when my Mother in the UK was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a couple of years ago she went downhill quick. My company provided air tickets to the UK for me and my family with compassionate leave so I could nurse her through her last 6 weeks of life and attend her funeral. And there was a generous wad of condolence money waiting for me on my return, mostly from the company itself.
I'm pretty much committed to this company for life, but only because they earned my gratitude and respect.
Posted in: Companies angry over thoughtless students amid economic downturn
0
archiebald
I work here as a full time employee under Japanese regulations, so I am in a different case to these workers. Although my job is as secure as anyone's is right now, I came here on the full understanding that I may need to leave one day due to circumstances outside my control.
Therefore, I fail to understand why everyone is claiming these workers were somehow duped into coming to Japan for cheap labor. Let's be honest, they chose to come here so they could earn more than they could at home back in Brazil, and with increased opportunity, it is natural to suffer some increased risk. That's the way of the world and its happening all over the globe right now, not just in Japan. If they wanted better rights, then they could have applied for permanent residency or citizenship at any time in the last 20 years. But even that would not have guaranteed their employment any better than the thousands of Japanese contract and full time workers who are already out of work and a home.
Posted in: Brazilian workers protest layoffs
0
archiebald
Before it gets buried in other people's bickering, I would just like to congratulate tkoind2 on a fantastic couple of posts.
I wish I could have said it like that!!!
Posted in: Red star rising: With global capitalism on ropes, communism gains in Japan
0
archiebald
As an enka singer he is excellent by anyone's standard. If you like that sort of thing of course.....
Posted in: Jero makes acting debut in upcoming movie 'Donju'
0
archiebald
My mother died a couple of years ago and she loved the Hollywood greats. In her latter years her major source of upset was seeing all her heroes and heroines dying off one by one.
Seems like the same thing is happening to me - another sad loss in the acting world.
I'll always remember him as Khan,;
"To the last, I will grapple with thee... from Hell's heart, I stab at thee! For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee!"
Posted in: Actor Ricardo Montalban dies at 88; Patrick McGoohan dead at 80