JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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- Corporate Business English Trainers
- ACT Systems, Inc.（株式会社アクト・システムズ）, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥269,500 ~ ¥280,000 / Month
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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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herefornow
GW and tkoind2 -- great posts. Japan is plunging deeper and deeper into cultural irrelevance except for gamers and folks who are into anime/idolizing teensage girls. And it wonders why no one visits here.
Posted in: AKB48 members to appear on stamps
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herefornow
beowolf -- nonsense. What happened to Olympus is unique to Japan due to its system of inter-holdings, large/inside boards of directors, and no governance/sense of fiduciary responsibility. Sure, corporate greed exists everywhere, but institutionalized cheating to cover-up the real numbers is part of Japanese corporate culture because they believe that is what made the country a great economic power. They are run like private companies, not publicly traded ones. Respectfully, if there was real corporate governance in Japan, and real auditotrs went in and threw open the books for public scrutiny, a huge percentage of Japanese stocks would face delisting. And the powers that be know it, which is why things will never change, and Japan will continue to fade away. A victim of its own group think and isolation. It has gone on too long.
Posted in: Olympus shares dive 20% as investors fear delisting
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herefornow
In other words: "Japan has cleverly cheated on every single International Agreement it has signed so we can't assume they'll do any different here, since it is basically instiutionalized. And with Japan fading into obscurity, it may not be worth the bother of trying to force them to open up for their own good". Not good for Japan. It's history of stalling and doing nothing to open its markets, all the while exporting its way to prosperity, have come home to roost. And if anyone thinks this is just a U.S. feeling, guess again. It is why Japan has no meaningful FTA's in place. Japan has zero credibility when it comes to international trade.
Posted in: U.S. lawmakers wary of Japan joining TPP pact
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herefornow
Since this movie is about baseball, it should do well in Japan. But since it focuses on using new techniques to win, rather than simply drilli, drill, drill, and folks in the movie actually don't treat baseball like some kind of religion, one has to wonder if the Japanese will get it.
Posted in: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie arrive in Tokyo
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herefornow
If Kamei is against it, it must be a good idea. His middle names are "No Change" and "Special Interests".
Posted in: Anti-TPP groups, lawmakers step up pressure on Noda
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herefornow
Thank you, Olympus. You lived down to my lowest expectation of a Japanese company and demonstrated conclusively what myself and others have been saying for years -- that the Japan system of inter-holdings, with strictly inside directors and little or no real governance, is a cancer that will never allow Japan to compete on a global basis for capital. Japanese people know this. That is why they'd rather put their savings in Japan Post and make .25% interest than put it in a 401K that involves stock ownership. Japanese "profits" are all illusionary because of all these stock ownerships. Ghosn knew that. And that's why he got Nissan out of all these deals as one of his first order of business.
Posted in: Olympus admits hiding losses dating back to 1990s
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herefornow
Part of me kinda hopes this is true. At least the bathroom encounter part. Would make me re-think my opinion that he is just a little flat-chested momma's boy a little.
Posted in: Spokesman says Bieber will take paternity test
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herefornow
Cain's beginning to approach Tiger numbers. Count is now at four -- and growing.
Posted in: Cain sex accuser goes public in New York; he denies it on late-night TV
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herefornow
Beats the heck out of a couple of weeks of guys standing on top of trucks with white gloves on and a bunch of posters hung outside public buildings, like in Japan. May be tedious, but at least there is an honest debate of the issues and time for folks to make an intelligent choice, not just a beauty/popularity contest. If Rick Perry were running in Japan, he would have won in a landslide. But since he had to actually answer questions/debate his opponents, the voters fould out he is nothing but a well-rehearsed empty suit, like most J-pols.
Posted in: What do you think of the drawn-out U.S. presidential election system whereby electoral votes determine who wins one year from now?
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herefornow
Wishful thinking. The difference between #24 and "the world's top players" is HUGE. Call me when he breaks into the Top 10. Then there might be something worth discussing.
Posted in: Nishikori jumps up ATP rankings after Swiss Indoors final loss
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herefornow
kurisupisu -- good point. It is also possible that Nagasawa-san suffers from the usual Japanese arrogance and isolationism. Just because he feels foreigners should be flocking back to Tokyo does not make it reality. Tokyo has always been perceived as being too expensive and too crowded, so many foreigners, especially business people, came here only because they had to. Now, with the economy in continued doldrums, and tourists concerned about safety, travelers have even less reason to visit Tokyo.
Posted in: We have no problem with transport or food products. Basically, Tokyo is back to normal but I don't know if the message has got out to foreign countries yet.
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herefornow
Steve Williams needs to just shut up. He is hurting his current employer, Adam Scott, with his stupid comments. He is paid to carry a golf bag and became famous -- and rich -- only because he was fortunate enough to be hooked up with the greatest golfer of all time. He needs to lose his arrogance and realize how lucky he is and could be gone tomorrow from the tour, and no one would miss him.
Posted in: Tiger Woods racism row moves to Sydney
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herefornow
edojin and globalwatcher -- nonsense. That "bum" was the only PM in two decades who understood that Japan has become dangerously uncompetitive due to massive structural inefficiencies, like Japan Post, that suck capital out of the economy that could be better spent to foster growth, and tried to do something about it. He also capped borrowing by the government. But as soon as he left office the old-guard in the LDP, and now the DPJ, reversed all his reforms, and returned the country to nothing but a policy of continuing to do nothing, but borrow more money and raise more taxes to protect all the vested interests. Japan is on life-support, and until folks like you recognize that fact, the world will continue to leave Japan in its wake.
Posted in: U.S. seeking to boost its clout in Asia through trade
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herefornow
globalwatcher -- as paulinusa says, this comment is simply way too over the top. Same with zichi's. What you are both missing is that Japan has to finally make a decison as to its priorities, because the other countries of the world are finally calling Japan's bluff. For decades now Japan has tried to have its cake and eat it to -- rely on international trade/exports to drive its economy, but sheltering its own economy, and dinasaurs like Japan Post and its agricultural sector, behind protective tariffs. And they got away with it. But now, since the world is moving to a global economy, and countries like South Korea, have been faster to adapt to the changing reality, Japan cannot continue to play this game. So, globalwatcher, the other side of the coin is that if Japan does not join TPP, the hallowing out of Japan will inevitably continue, and at a accelerated pace. And then folks won't need to worry about higher insurance costs, because they won't have jobs to pay premiums anyway.
Posted in: Japan to join TPP talks, media report
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herefornow
Unlikely either way, since even members of the royal family rarely interact with the emperor. And even though I think the position of the emperor and the whole Imperial Family and agency are a collosal waste of money -- and precious green space -- I wish him a speedy recovery. I genuinely admire him as a preson and believe his heart is in the right place.
Posted in: Emperor hospitalized for bronchitis
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herefornow
Not encouraging in a country well-known for not being able to really grasp the scope of problems and being able to agree on a radical way to deal with them -- because too much focus is on process and gaining consensus. Especially since the country is basically broke.
Posted in: Japan's new crisis: radioactive waste disposal
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herefornow
pawatan -- not "pitiful", just, willing to let your future, especially your financial future, be determined by a government that has shown time and time again that it is almost completely inept, and failed for over 20 years to solve these kinds of issues before they became such huge problems, and, throwing your lot in with a people that don't do a darn thing about it, other than shrug and say "shoganai" and take a perverse pleasure in knowing they live in the most expensive country in the world. Simple choice of priorites. As much as I dislike the Tea Party, Japan could use a dose of that kind of activism. But it will never happen. So prices will just go up at least another 5%, on top of the other tax increases.
Posted in: Japan to double consumption tax to 10%, G20 action plan says
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herefornow
Gee, pretty much what all us "alarmists"/"fear-mongers" have been saying for months and the Japanophiles have been denying for that long. But other that that, TEPCO and the government have done a bang-up job, right? And, gaijinTechie, you are spot on. Principally because to do so would require Japan to take an honest look at itself and truthfully report the conclusions. And we all know that can never happen.
Posted in: U.S. task force lays out priorities for post-quake Japan
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herefornow
So glad I don't have to justify that sort of "logic" anymore. Especially since "shoganai" is not the only answer.
Posted in: Japan to double consumption tax to 10%, G20 action plan says
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herefornow
I think I said this week that we could expect to see the red ink at Sony continue fort at least another three years. Looks like S&P smells the same possibilities.
Posted in: S&P puts Sony on negative credit watch