JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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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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- FT English Teachers for Kids - Osaka
- Kohgakusha Co., Ltd. （株式会社興学社）, Osaka
- Salary: ¥255,000 ~ ¥275,000 / Month Travel Expenses, Encouragement of Japanese learning*
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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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chuckers
Personally, I don't think it will make a whole lot of difference at all.
Many people are screaming and yelling about the "tracking devices." My PASMO card does a better job of keep track of my whereabouts. At least as long as I am on a train line. My mobile phone can easily be pinpointed throughout the country and it is with me about as often as my current gaijin card.
Tracking my whereabouts with the new gaijin cards would take a huge cost in infrastructure by setting up antenna everywhere. Pretty sure that didn't happen. And using current phone antennae would probably not be technically possible.
My DL already has an IC chip in it also, so big deal.
Others are claiming the local cop shops are going to be scanning every foreigner walking by for RFID info. The local constabulary may have copious amounts of time, but honestly, I don't think they have THAT much free time. I am going to keep walking by my local koban every morning on the way to work without so much as a second thought. After the new cards are issued, I will probably be accosted by the boys in blue about as much as I am now. I.e. not at all.
Anyone still desparately paranoid about it can always cut a corner out of their tin foil hats and wrap their wallets in it. And, truth be told, I already have a small sheet of aluminium foil in my wallet in an effort to keep credit card skimmers from scanning my butt in crowded trains.
If that isn't enough, start booking your tickets.
Posted in: Health insurance gets more complicated with new visa law
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chuckers
http://www.sia.go.jp/e/manual/contents-3.html
http://ukinjapan.fco.gov.uk/en/working-with-japan/uk-japan-relations/social-security-agreement/further-details-for-employees
UK persons should apply for a certificate for an exemption from the Japanese system if they want to opt out. They are eligible for a 5 year exemption with possible extension provided they are paying into their system back home.
Are you paying into the NI system "back home" Patrick?
If you find these terms unfair, lobby your member of parliment to get the agreement amended into something more favourable.
I have about 5 more years to go before I am to be considered vested in the Japanese system. I won't have paid into it for that entire period but would still be eligible. Pull out of it for a measly 3 years worth of capped contributions is unfathomable to me.
Posted in: Health insurance gets more complicated with new visa law
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chuckers
If you think you aren't going to be be receiving it, then talk to your home country about forging an equalisation treaty with Japan. Many countries have such agreements:
http://www.sia.go.jp/seido/kyotei/system/index.html
Germany, US, Belgium, Australia, France, Canada, Austria, The Netherlands, the Czech Republic all have agreements with Japan that payments into the Japnese system count towards receiving pension for either country. Members of those countries DO NOT LOSE BENEFITS by paying into the Japanese system. They are able to claim Japanese pension once they have met the 25 year period WHICH INCLUDES WORK IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY.
UK citizens are allowed apply for a 5 year exemption from payments into the Japanese system if they apply for it.
If you are not from one of those countries, lobby your home country for equalisation or don't come to Japan if you are going to break the local laws.
Japanese recipients do NOT receive a "disproportional large benefit" from this because they are paying into it longer. The one's making a disproportional benefit are those people skirting the law and not paying what they owe.
These laws apply to Japanese and foreginers alike. The only difference is that foreigners are allowed to ask for a 3 year capped refund, provided they leave Japan and apply for it. Locals don't have that option. Is that fair?
The pension system is not a tax on gaijin. Period.
Posted in: Health insurance gets more complicated with new visa law
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chuckers
Re: Tax amount
I just dug out my pay slip from last month.
Background: Salaryman in Tokyo 2 dependents Make considerably more than an English teacher
Break down as follows:
Health insurance: 3.2% Pension: 3.4% Unemployment insurance: 0.4% Total Shakai hoken: 7%
Income tax: 14.25% Inhabitance tax: 7.9%
Total tax: 22.15%
Net vs. Gross salary: 29%
Claims of 50% taxation are a bit silly.
Posted in: Health insurance gets more complicated with new visa law
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chuckers
That would be incorrect as well. The payments required to the pension plan are required by all individuals between the ages of 20 and 60 living in Japan. Exemptions are made for students and low income individuals.
In fact, a family of 4 can make up to 3.35 million yen a year and only need pay 3/4 of the required amount into the pension system.
The pension system is NOT a tax nor a surcharge on gaijin. It applies to everyone in Japan.
Posted in: Health insurance gets more complicated with new visa law
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chuckers
Yeah, right. He was attempting to flee when they caught him.
Basically, the Japanese government is hoping he will do a runner and say "naughty, naughty" and then refuse him entry on ANY sort of passport at any and all ports.
Posted in: American man accused of grabbing own kids released
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chuckers
For the love of all that is holy and religious, we people please STOP refering to the pension system as a "gaijin tax"?
If it was a "gaijin tax" then the locals wouldn't be expected to pay it. Guess what? They ARE expected to pay it (whether they do or not is seperate issue.)
The re-entry permit? THAT is a "gaijin tax" But that is going away soon, thankfully.
Posted in: Health insurance gets more complicated with new visa law
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chuckers
I am 1.8 metres and 55 kilos. I get caught out by my annual health checkup every year because of it. We aren't overweight, just overtall.
Posted in: Model in altered Ralph Lauren ad for Japan speaks out
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chuckers
I thought it wasn't as BAD as I thought it would be.
I don't particularly like shiso to begin with but I figured I would give it a shot just to see if it really was horrid. It was more "bimyo" than anything else.
Of course, I haven't seen it since. Got it real cheap at a local super market (less than 100 yen I think it was.)
Posted in: Azuki-flavored Pepsi
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chuckers
To be fair, there are some members of the group that were actually born in the (late) 80's which you at least make them "adults" and able to drink.
Granted, an number of them are still 14-15 year old.
Article Unavailable
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chuckers
That will only apply if they decide to prosecute him for something. The article states that he hasn't been officially charged yet. As has been shown, this is a very messy situation and they may not have anything to charge him with and will be required to let him go.
I am sure they are going to try to impress upon him that he should just go back to the US quietly and stop making a fuss or they will find something he can be charged with.
Posted in: American arrested in Fukuoka for kidnapping own kids from ex-wife
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chuckers
That would probably require the child to make that choice as well as a trip to family court to get it approved. Neither of those can probably happen until the child reaches majority.
Posted in: American arrested in Fukuoka for kidnapping own kids from ex-wife
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chuckers
No, when you get married, one party or the other joins the koseki of the other and changes names. They are removed from their previous koseki. Children are listed under the koseki of the parents at the time. There have been a lot of weird cases recently where a child would be listed under the koseki of a previous spouse (or under no koseki at all) because the mother remarried within 300 days of a divorce and the child's biological parent is actually someone else. But they don't have that parent's name. That law is being (has been?) changed. There is also a proposal to change the law so that a spouse DOESN'T have to change names after marriage.
Being gaijin can put a bit of a spanner in to the works because being gaijin means no koseki (unless naturalised but then you aren't "gaijin" anymore etc. etc.) In that case, the spouse either forms their own koseki by breaking away from their family's koseki and starting their own with the spouse's name or they keep their name and list the spouse on the koseki that way. Children are listed under the name of the koseki and it is not uncommon for the children to be listed with an all Japanese name on one set of documents and a foriegn name on another set of documents. Japanese facilities (schools, welfare office) will only accept the koseki name. Foreign-ness of the name doesn't enter into it. It is what the koseki says that counts.
Changing to a foreign name also introduces grief for spouse and/or children when they go to get a Japanese passport. The foriegn name comes out in Hepburn romanization which makes things look horrid. (e.g. "Savoie" would be "SABOA") The way to get around that is to submit another document at the same time which states what the actual spelling should be ALONG WITH documentation PROVING that the spelling desired is correct (such as the spouses passport.) You have to do this as well for children with middle names as they are not recognised as valid under the koseki system. The names are run together as one first name (e.g. "Isaactaro" instead of "Isaac Taro")
Posted in: American arrested in Fukuoka for kidnapping own kids from ex-wife
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chuckers
His name could be on the koseki if his wife took his name after marriage and removed herself from her family's koseki to start her own under that name. Technically, of course, it would be HER name on the koseki and he is just listed as spouse but still.
The only way to change it after that would be to go to family court and argue that it should be changed back. Usually only happens in divorce.
Posted in: American arrested in Fukuoka for kidnapping own kids from ex-wife
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chuckers
"The dolls are then disposed of"
Heaven forbid they should be given to needy children.
But then I remember that Japanese believe that there is a spirit that inhabits the dolls after being with their owner for a while and it doesn't take kindly to changing families.
Maybe send them on an exchange trip somewhere, then?
Posted in: Dolls' day
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chuckers
He wants to avoid stereotype roles but he is going to be playing an African exchange student marathon runner.
No contradictions there.
Posted in: Dante peaks
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chuckers
No, they are fighting over their children.
Posted in: American father arrested in Japan had asked Tennessee court for help
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chuckers
The story I told is based on the legal transcript of the divorce proceedings.
He would have had a huge uphill battle in the divorce in Japan because of his admitted infidelity. Being a white male is a red herring. He could have sued for custody. He might not have got it but he could have at least tried. The infidelity would have been strike against him.
Noriko could easily sue for pain and suffering in the divorce in Japan and would likely have gotten it due to the infidelity admission. Granted, not likely 800gs but still something. That is how it works.
The divorce not being recorded in Japan is a red herring from the government of Japan to try to cover their back sides. Paperwork for the divorce should have been submitted after divorce proceedings in the US completed at the local consulate in Tennessee. That should have been something Noriko should have done to keep her family register up to date.
Should he be in jail for abduction? Only if she should. And then both parents would be in jail and the kids would be even more screwed. This has been a screw up from the get go. And, again, the only people getting my sympathy are the kids.
Posted in: American arrested in Fukuoka for kidnapping own kids from ex-wife
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chuckers
flyingfish:
Haven't you been saying numerous times that they weren't divorced?
And "own volition" could be seen as a bit of a stretch. Think about it like this:
Christopher, after cheating on his wife, wants a divorce. Getting a divorce in Japan (the country he originally married in) means that he won't be able to have access to his kids because he as admitted to infidelity and that makes him the bad guy in the divorce.
What does he do? He flies back to his old homeland (old in that he was granted Japanese citizenship but now wishes to ignore that out of convenience.)
His wife, stuck in Japan with 2 kids and presumably minimal income has now been left in the lurch. Her cheating husband has flown back to the US and she can't get a divorce in Japan without his signature/stamp on the paperwork to turn into the city office.
He calls her up and says that if she wants a divorce, she should come to Tennessee with the kids and they will settle it there (this is evidenced by the court documents that she "knew" what she was flying into.) No real choice in the matter. She can't get on with her life without a divorce and she can't get a divorce unless she flies to a foreign country with her children.
So, she packs up and flies to the US to go through an unfamiliar justice system. She gets $800,000 for her troubles (no small sum by any means) but now her kids are effectively being held "hostage" in a foreign land they barely know because their father has been a bit of a scumbag. She has custody except for 2 weekends a month. Scumbag dad is living it up in his former homeland with his lover/ new wife while she is trapped in a foreign land looking after their kids. She could have done that in Japan. And thus forms an idea in her mind.
Is she justified in "abducting" her own children? Probably not. But I can certainly understand why she did it.
Was the husband justified in trying to "re-abduct" his own children? Again, probably not. But I can also understand why he would attempt it.
This is a brutal and ugly divorce. From what I understand, all divorces are brutal and ugly. Especially to the children. And the children are the only ones in this case that are going to get any of my sympathy.
Posted in: American arrested in Fukuoka for kidnapping own kids from ex-wife
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chuckers
One year AFTER filing the divorce.
Christopher and Noriko lived in Japan until 2008. Christopher then left for TN in January with the wife and kids arriving in June of that year. Soon after arriving, Noriko was served with divorce papers. Divorce proceedings completed in January 2009 and Christopher soon re-marries.
I fail to see how the children's Habitual Residence can be considered to be Tennessee when they were just off the plane.
Posted in: American arrested in Fukuoka for kidnapping own kids from ex-wife