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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herefornow
Mabo -- Obviously you have not in Japan that long. Promoting mediocrity is the norm rather than the exception in most companies there, as that is a natural outcome of the seniority-based system. Not rocking the boat, and never have taken a chance and risking failure, is what has been the traditional key to getting to senior management. Honestly, women could certainly not be any worse than their male counterparts, and, based on my experience there, likely far superior.
Posted in: Companies that don’t give women leading roles will be left behind.
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herefornow
The unfortunate thing about this article, besides the conclusions it reaches about cancer, is that this is an AP story, which means it will be picked up and run in major newspapers around the world. And when folks in other countries read this, including things like the government aiming to just halve contamination levels in two years, and folks in Tokyo with Geiger counters, the reluctance to visit Japan will only increase. As will the perception that the government does not have this situation fully under control. Unfortunately, the stigma of Fukushima will likely haunt Japan for at least several more years . Which leads me to ask: "How cheap was that electricity now that TEPCO sold everyone on as the justification for nuclear"?
Posted in: Future cancers caused by Fukushima radiation may be hidden
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herefornow
Amazing how simply calling China's bluff, and ignoring all its childish rhetoric -- by announcing that 2,500 troops are going to Australia -- has suddenly changed the tone of discussions. China's 8% needed growth, to maintain domestic tranquility, disappears if the U.S. gets tough on trade/the yuan. And China knows it. Obama can go all-in, because he knows the Chinese have a weak hand.
Posted in: China says it is keen to cooperate with U.S. in region
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herefornow
Don't necessarily share his dire view of the U.S., especially given the options, but at least the U.S., as his movies and ones by folks like Roger Moore demonstrate, is always casting a critical eye on itself and debating where it is headed. (Movies that make millions of those dollars he critisizes others for chasing.) And, he can also point to things like "Occupy Wall Street" where people take action to try to correct the things that they view as wrong.
Posted in: Director Oliver Stone lashes out at U.S.
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herefornow
billyshears -- fair enough point. A comparison between this situation and the TYCO scandal are obvious. But, that was almost ten years ago. And, what remains to be seen whether this and the Olympus scandal will finally make Japan get serious about corporate governance or just muddle on. Sarbanes - Oxley put corporate CEO's, directors, and auditors responsible criminally for any shenanigans. Will Japan do likewise? Doubt it.
Posted in: Former chairman of Daio Paper under investigation for gambling away billions
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herefornow
If it is proven that the yakuza were involved in this incident, it could be a severe blow to Japan Inc. going forward. Foreign companies and investors have always been suspicious of Japanese business practices -- having heard the stories of yakuza members being on-staff to control investors at annual meetings -- but this would potentially confirm the worst of those suspicions. And Japanese companies cannot simply rely on domestic capital if it wants to remain competitive in the future, since the population is shrinking along with the savings base available to the banks. Will be interesting to see how aggressively this is prosecuted, or if it is swept under the carpet for the good of Japan Inc. A huge cross-roads for Japan and its international status/perception in regards corporate governance and ethics.
Posted in: Japanese prosecutors question ex-Olympus vice president
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herefornow
In one sense he's right. It is all the ridiculously high taxes and unnecessary rules and regulations that are an obstacle to doing business in Japan. And why companies are moving regional headquarters to places like HK and Singapore, and why foreign investment in Japan is lagging.
Posted in: Noda tells ASEAN Fukushima not an obstacle to doing business in Japan
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herefornow
globalwatcher -- agree and nice sentiment, but if you understand how Japanese corporate finances work, you'll quickly realize why this problem cannot be "fixed" and will just be swept undr the carpet. Most Japanese companies have their stock owned by other Japanese companies -- that is why Olympus had to start fudging the books in the first place. So if all of a sudden, all these companies came clean, and their stock prices tanked as a result, then the shock-wave through Japan Inc. would be catastophic. It would be an uncontollable snowball. Also, since the Japanese banks own much of the stock, and have huge loans outstanding with these companies, they would crumble as well. And the bureaucrats and authorities know that. So for the "good" of Japan, no severe prosecution of Olympus will be undertaken and no measure passed to change corporate governance in Japan. Once again, the model of Japan Inc. will keep the country from moving forward in the manner needed for the 21st century and continue to be stuck in a broken model.
Posted in: Former Olympus exec launches petition to reinstate Woodford
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herefornow
So much for meeting their Kyoto targets.
Posted in: Japan's CO2 emissions see first rise in three years
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herefornow
And as long as that is the case, and Watanabe is in charge, NPB will continue to wallow in a model that broke at least a decade ago. Both TV viewership and newspaper readership are in decline, but NPD's most powerful team is tied to both.
Posted in: Yomiuri Giants fire general manager Kiyotake over feud with owner
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herefornow
Give the lady a break. This may be the most prestigious award she ever wins.
Posted in: Aya Ueto wins Fur of the Year award
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herefornow
Some -- which as buggerlugs points out eliminates the entire current board of Olympus and those that have served on it in the past decade or so, as well as their auditors. Never thought I'd see the day when their was a petition in Japan to bring back an ousted giajin manager. The REAL showdown will be at next year's shareholders's meeting, since as the article points out, that is the only way he can be formally removed.
Posted in: Former Olympus exec launches petition to reinstate Woodford
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herefornow
spud -- yup, scary indeed that this story is an microcosim of the "brain trust" that is managing the disaster and recovery and how they are dealing with it. But nothing will happen because Hosano has done the perfuctory bow, apology, and given himslef meaningless punishment. Process and ceremony will always trump results in Japan and why Fukushima will haunt Japan for decades.
Posted in: Hosono gives up salary over dumping of radioactive soil by environment ministry official
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herefornow
Too little, and eight months too late. Decisiveness was called for in this situation by Japanese leaders to assure public safety as well as protect Japan's reputation abroad. And, once again, that was a trait completely lacking.
Posted in: Gov't bans sale of rice from part of Fukushima
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herefornow
timtak -- there you go again critisizing the one guy who had any sense of a moral compass in the whole of Olympus management for not being willing to perpetuate a crime. And, because in classic Japanese Inc. "logic" , doing so would have protected jobs. Amazing. So, the ends would justify the means, right? Is that how corporate Japan now defines honor?
issa -- as opposed to the criminal, crybaby board of directors who lost about $1 billion of the shareholders money and then committed fraud to cover up their incompetence. All the while collecting large salaries and perks -- again paid with shareholder funds. And then told bold-faced lies to the press ansd authorities in an attempt to cover their tracks. And you call him "brazen"?
Posted in: Ousted Olympus CEO Woodford to return to Japan next Wed
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herefornow
Very simple, Japanese vehicles, principally cars, were designed for the Japanese market where small size and fuel efficiency are critical, due to the limited land for roads, and the need to import almost 100% of its oil. While the U.S. companies were focusing their energies on building large vehicles -- like SUV's and trucks. And selling tons of them -- so much so that Toyota, Nissan and Honda all have them now in their U.S. lineups. So when the market in the U.S. tuned towards cars/fuel-efficient vehicles, the Japanese were best prepared to take advantage of that. And now that the U.S is finally making quality small cars, they are too far behind in Japan -- where the average person keeps their cars about ten years.
Posted in: Last year, Japan exported 1.5 million vehicles to the United States, while U.S. automakers exported just 8,000. Why aren't U.S. makers selling more in Japan?
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herefornow
pawatan -- huh? Who responded to who's post? Think you have the shoe on the wrong foot. In any case, it is nice to see that you have finally come to your senses and agreed with what dozens of posters have stated for months -- just ban ALL food from Fukushima. And stop relying in what you yourself admit are inadequate tests to prove that it is safe. And that all the government has done by not reaching this CONCLUSION months ago, instead of just putting out a bunch of colorful maps, is needleesly endanger the safety of the public and cause them unneccessary worry. And you only consider me saying that "negativity" is because you knew it was right when first stated months ago, and now even more so.
Posted in: Gov't eyes Fukushima rice ban after high level of cesium detected
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herefornow
smartaus -- for once we agree. Farm-raised catfish, salmon and trout are a good start. Eat them all the time -- guilt free.
Posted in: With overfishing a big issue, what is the best fish to eat in terms of species that reproduce quickly, are still in good supply and are caught using methods that minimize bycatch and damage to the ocean floor?
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herefornow
Interesting that even the other members of Japan Inc. are now turning on Olympus. But, as is always the case in Japan, the banks will jump in and prop them up with more loans, to make up for their incompetence. That's the model, and, besides, if they didn't, the banks would have to write off the JPY 600 billion in loans Olympus is already into them for. Great system. But a system on life support.
Posted in: Top Olympus shareholder Nippon Life reduces stake
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herefornow
Hey pawatan -- don't see your normal knee-jerk, defend Japan at all cost, reponse to this yet. Could it possibly be because the government has done, and continues to do, exactly what I stated in a post earlier this week -- that they refuse to reach any conclusions/make firm decisons from all this data they have? Preferring instead to bury their collective heads in the radioactive soil and hope all the problems will magically go away. Endangering the public's health in the meantime. And you feel good about that?
Posted in: Gov't eyes Fukushima rice ban after high level of cesium detected