JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?
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Confrontation
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U.S. Navy investigating how parts fell off aircraft near Atsugi
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California court to decide if SeaWorld whales are illegal 'slaves'
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Kuroki reported pregnant 2 weeks after denying relationship with Akanishi
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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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- Assistant Language Teacher - Kanagawa Prefecture - late-March start
- Interac, Kanagawa
- Salary: ¥230,000 ~ ¥255,000 / Month
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chardk1
1) I agree, this makes Obama look like a hypocrite. And I say that as an Obama supporter. This is bad.
2) I totally agree with people who say the U.S. should be like many other countries (including Japan) and allot airtime and forums to candidates running for the same office. The U.S. needs to look hard at not just elected officials but the system in general -- a lot of federal court appointments granting judgeships for life go to prominent donors who are often undistinguished lawyers or not even lawyers . . . it's not just elections that are bought.
Posted in: Obama says he won't take public campaign funds
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chardk1
Which will certainly be helpful in getting to New York from Japan.
Posted in: JAL introduces improved first class and business class seating
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chardk1
I think whatever we think of Southeast Asian girls who come to work as "entertainers" in Okinawa and her parents who claim they thought she was going to be playing the piano or something, such women have very little to gain by stirring up trouble, so she is probably telling the truth. But the parents who are demanding justice is a bit obnoxious . . . of course prostitutes don't deserve harsh treatment, but the risk is there and hardly a secret?? Of course the offender should be punished but can the parents really act like butter wouldn't melt in their mouth when they sent their daughter to do this and pocketed her pay?
Posted in: Mother of Filipino allegedly raped by U.S. soldier in Japan appeals for help
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chardk1
http://career.jp.msn.com/article2/kakutoku/001_1.htm
Average earnings for Japanese women who work full time remain constant from age 25-39 and drop after age 40, significantly after age 50. Their male counterparts on the other hand can expect a consistent increase in earning power from age 20 to 54, peaking between ages 50-54. By middle age, men working full time make almost three times as much as women working full time.
Here is data from research in Japan showing even though there are more women than men attending university, 97% of Diet members, 92% of lawyers, 90% of all corporate managers and 85% of doctors are men:
http://www.gender.go.jp/english_contents/women2004/statistics/s01.html
If sexism is just a stupid cliche in Japan, how do you explain these statistics? Oh, but you have ANECDOTAL evidence as a foreigner that you don't feel that disrespected! Well, that certainly trumps everything else.
Posted in: Stereotypes ’R’ Us
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chardk1
And it will continue to raise prices for them, no doubt.
Posted in: United Airlines adds iPod, iPhone connectivity to flights
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chardk1
You have to think if scientists could get more dates this research would be less of a priority.
What does the bible say about human-robot relationships, is that more or less of an abomination than same sex relationships?
Posted in: In 2050, your lover may be a robot
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chardk1
I guess, but the bitter, angry, lazy, socially awkward young men of low income are kind of a tough bunch to reach or sympathize with. If anything Japanese society coddles such people much more than the U.S. (my other point of reference), what with the tolerance of NEETs and hikikomoris and the ready supply of soaplands and porn and video games and instant foods and doting mothers, etc. What they need is MORE of a kick in the pants, if you ask me.
Posted in: Blog shows insight into Akihabara murder suspect's mind
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chardk1
They really should have done this the other way, bump up prices slightly and give discounts for having less baggage. $15 isn't such a big deal especially considering fuel prices, but this kind of nickel-and-diming just seems desperate and petty. For God's sake we pay hundreds of dollars in airport use fees that get jacked up all the time and we have no say. That's the real outrage, the KIX's of the world that were built on taxpayer money, made a bunch of politicians and crooked contractors rich, and now charge travelers a mint to barely stay in business.
Posted in: United joins American in charging $15 for first checked bag
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chardk1
It's e.e. cummings' new favorite hotel no doubt. Or would be if he (and being deliciously unconventional by not using uppercase for proper nouns) hadn't died about a hundred years ago. But seriously, so the mammoth Starwood Hotel conglomerate launched yet another niche brand in Montreal . .. so? I heard they're shuttering the Hooters Casino in Las Vegas, why isn't that front-page news too?
Posted in: World's 1st aloft hotel opens in Montreal
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chardk1
This is hilarious -- they make it sound like something momentous happened when in fact it's just the introduction of a new hotel chain. I didn't realize "world's first" was a synonym for "now open for business."
Posted in: World's 1st aloft hotel opens in Montreal
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chardk1
Saying I like izakaya but not the ones where people smoke is like saying I like steaks, just not the ones from animals. :) Just kidding, I know exactly what you mean, Japanese smokers in restaurants drive me nuts. A cigarette after the meal, fine. But seriously most Japanese smokers will smoke like 2 cigarettes before the food arrives, 2-3 WHILE EATING, and after they're done polish off another 2-3 cigarettes while chatting. I mean what happened to a "moderate" pack a day? These people go through half a pack in an hour! When this is one person at the next table it is barely tolerable but get 1/2 dozen salarymen next to you and it's practically a four-alarm nicotine-tinted fire. Man, I won't be sorry when they double cigarette prices!
Posted in: Izakaya: The Japanese Pub Cookbook
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chardk1
Shimajiro,
Yes, unfortunately in this case the strawman is our two-term president. Here are some quotes from George W. Bush:
"I am driven with a mission from God. God would tell me, 'George go and fight these terrorists in Afghanistan'. And I did. And then God would tell me 'George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq'. And I did. And now, again, I feel God's words coming to me, 'Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East'. And, by God, I'm gonna do it."
"Every nation in every region now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."
What do you base your assertion that few Americans believe their country is a paragon of virtue? Have you tried living in the Red States or even the more conservative or rural areas of Blue States? I have for 30 years, I went to church and have friends who joined the military and became cops. I lived in a town with a seminary. I can assure you there are no shortage of Americans who believe America IS blessed by God and if not perfect, at least too good to deserve the criticism of other countries. Not in a belligerent way, but the belief runs deep. There are people commenting on this thread who clearly fall into this category. Bush doesn't represent every American but he closely represents the way a lot of them think. That is why he is a two-term president. And many others, while they might feel otherwise, are not inclined to strongly challenge such views because they are afraid of seeming unpatriotic.
Here's another quote from Bush:
"America is a Nation with a mission - and that mission comes from our most basic beliefs. We have no desire to dominate, no ambitions of empire. Our aim is a democratic peace - a peace founded upon the dignity and rights of every man and woman."
Once you set that as the bar for your foreign policy, how can you complain about double standards. Don't talk the talk, and you don't have to walk the walk. I don't see how being called out as a hypocrite constitutes a "double standard."
Posted in: Anti-Americanism at record levels worldwide, report shows
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chardk1
Shimajiro - I appreciate the insight. I was really talking more in terms of how I think Americans as individuals and as a society should approach interaction with people of other countries, rather than national policy.
Either way, I don't think the American government or Americans should be obsessed with being "popular," just reasonable and practical. America and Americans at their best are a rare and winning combination of pragmatism and idealism, and I feel we need to get back to the difficult task of balancing our ideals and interests and shed the attractive but delusional dogma that America cannot be bad, so by definition it can do whatever it wants. Of course America is not as awful as its detractors assert, but claiming it is doing nothing but God's work on Earth, as some Americans (Dubya) do with no perceivable irony, is going to draw a lot of criticism and rightly so. You can't claim the moral high ground AND complain about being held to a higher standard.
Posted in: Anti-Americanism at record levels worldwide, report shows
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chardk1
skipthesong, I'm not saying that people aren't hard on America. I do feel that America is as well-meaning a dominant world power as there ever has been, lots of countries including many of its most virulent critics have benefited greatly from their association with the U.S., China and Russia are much more self-serving and make far less positive contributions to the global society and still get cut a ton more slack, etc. These things are all true and Americans should feel free to point them out.
But that doesn't change the fact that Anti-American sentiment is on the rise. Yes, perhaps some of it is irrational, yes, perhaps a lot of it is harsh. But as Americans we should care about why people think what they do about us even if we disagree with the "what." The opinions of people who dislike you may not be correct, but they are almost never uneducational. That is of course making the large assumption that one has any interest in learning something (Dubya, I'm talking to you).
Posted in: Anti-Americanism at record levels worldwide, report shows
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chardk1
I think it's kind of funny that the writer says that the izakaya is unique to Japanese culture, and then turns right around and says "it's basically like a tapas bar." Which it is. Lots of cultures have places where you drink and eat a light meal. I suppose you can argue that the izakaya is unique because it has a Japanese spin to it, but that seems like a pretty circular argument. I get it, the author likes izakayas and wants to sell books. But let's not go nuts.
Posted in: Izakaya: The Japanese Pub Cookbook
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chardk1
Well, there are different kinds of arrogance. While putting other people down is the most obvious kind, to disregard criticism as being irrelevant because you are secure in your conviction that anyone who is criticizing you 1) has no right to do so; 2) doesn't know what they're talking about is probably at least a LITTLE arrogant. This kind of smug contempt toward outside criticism is characteristic of many Americans, and I say so as an American. It's like the expression Americans love to use, "let's agree to disagree." It sounds kind of concilatory, but most of the time what it really means is "I think you are a twit and you will never persuade me of one single thing, but I don't want to waste any more of my time on you." Nevertheless, people who use this expression all the time seem to be certain that it shows how open-minded they are. Saying "Americans are not arrogant, but obviously we don't have to pay attention to silly outsiders who are just bitter and jealous and don't really understand all of our good points" and seeing no contradiction seems to pretty much exemplify the lack of self-reflection that many Americans (quite naturally, when you look at the thought process or lack thereof) claim does not exist.
Posted in: Anti-Americanism at record levels worldwide, report shows
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chardk1
That's a great attitude, and so typical of why Anti-American sentiment is increasing. This arrogant, ignorant and dismissive world view, typified by Still-President Bush, is that anyone who disagrees with America or dislikes America is stupid or motivated by some selfish agenda, so there is no "valid" anti-Americanism. And anyway, it's the job of the people who don't like America to see the light and realize America is great. This method of dealing with problems has worked out so well.
Posted in: Anti-Americanism at record levels worldwide, report shows
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chardk1
I would think that the Iraqis would think it is kind of important, but who cares what they think. Not McCain, that's for sure.
I don't think McCain is a terrible person, but he clearly has zero patience with the notion that the American President must be the world's leading statesman as well as commander in chief of its most powerful military and domestic chief executive. That is just what he is whether you like him or not, and we simply cannot have another President like that after eight years of Dubya.
Posted in: McCain says setting Iraq withdrawal date 'not that important'
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chardk1
Certainly at least part of the problem is that Americans will do everything to make the country secure except compromise the right to bear arms. In any case, two-thirds of Americans don't even own passports so you can't expect such people to care about customs procedures.
Posted in: Scanners that see through clothing installed in U.S. airports
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chardk1
It's not about beef, any more than Takeshima is about an uninhabitable rock in the middle of the ocean. There's a lot of pent up anger and frustration in Korea, a lot of it frankly due more to insecurity and hubris than any actual wrongs suffered. They have developed a deep-rooted fantasy of Koreans being smarter and better than those lazy Americans or those decadent Japanese and constantly live in disappointment that life refuses to imitate art (if D-Wars can be called that) at the nation-state level, so they tend to get pissed off and riot over stupid crap that they perceive as disrespectful to the Korean culture and people.
I really don't understand what this crap is all about, and I was born in Korea. No, Korea is not special and you can wish about magical dragon warriors all you want, it won't make Korea the center of the universe. Yes, we got our asses handed to us by the Japanese 100 years ago. Yeah, we have to bend to Washington, just like every frigging body else. But other peoples, other nations get over these things, why can't we? What does rioting and hating on your supposed closest allies accomplish? It's totally irrational.
Posted in: 80,000 rally against U.S. beef in South Korea