JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
-
- 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
-
- 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*
-
- Translator
- ZAIHON, Inc. (日本財務翻訳株式会社), Tokyo
- Salary: ¥6.0M / Year Negotiable
-1
herefornow
Good. About time shareholders here started asserting their rights. This kind of corporate malfeasance is the rule rather than the exception in Japan, and is another in the long list of reasons Japan's corporations have a hard time becoming truly competitive on a global scale without all the government protections, especially of the stock market and acquisitions. Shields them from having to deliver decent profits and adhere to strict accounting methods. Which makes all this sort of ironic, since a Britsih company would likley have found it virtually impossible to make acquisitions in Japan. Bet the Chairman wished he'd never called that board meeting to oust Woodford. Shows how much he does not understand about Western mentality in that he apparently thought he'd just slink off quietly to his new non-executive position and keep the truth to himself, like any good Japanese executive would do.
Posted in: Shareholder groups call for investigation into Olympus deals
-7
herefornow
Oh yes, the wonderful Japanese Christmas "traditions" of KFC, Cakeeee, and a romp at a love hotel. Truly inspiring.
Posted in: Haruka Ayase kicks off KFC's Christmas campaign
-4
herefornow
Will all the geeky guys be able to get close enough with their cameras and phones to try to take pictures up the waxworks skirt? If so, this exhibit will be a HUGE success.
Posted in: AKB48 plus one
-1
herefornow
typo. Should read "his lips are moving".
Posted in: Olympus discloses $687 mil advisory fee amid row over CEO's ouster
-2
herefornow
Kikukawa defines the expression "How do you know when a Japanese leader is lying? Simple, is lips are moving'. Anyone who invests in Japanese companies because they believe what management is saying has obvioulsy done no due diligence. Simply is not in the corporate DNA.
Posted in: Olympus discloses $687 mil advisory fee amid row over CEO's ouster
-1
herefornow
Between this and the Olympus story, the truth about Japan and how it defines honor and responsibility is once again exposed as nothing but a lovely romantic myth. May have existed hundreds of years ago with the samurai, but has absolutely zero presense in today's Japan. And this is all setting a terrible example for the generations of future "leaders" who are observing all this. Very sad that Japan's core values could basically disappear within a couple of generations.
Posted in: Saga governor says he won't resign over fake email scandal
-1
herefornow
No chance. Japan will never fully come to grips with its past again. Its post-war success, and rising to becoming such an economic powerhouse, made it become arrogant and too inwardly-focused. So, it can never take a step back and allow itself to be humble, even though it needs to if it ever wants to be truly respected on the world stage.
Posted in: South Korea urges Japanese leaders not to forget history
-4
herefornow
Good thing Japan has such a great education system. Otherwise it would produce idiots capable of making stupid comments all the time.
Posted in: Hirano under fire for calling tsunami victims 'idiots'
-3
herefornow
Good thing they warned him. Otherwise foks would think the JSA doesn't get this kind of thing seriously. Hopeless and clueless.
Posted in: Sumo stablemaster warned for beating wrestlers with golf club
-2
herefornow
Anyone who thinks this is the exception rather than the rule when it comes to Japanese corporate accounting/governance is simply kidding themselves. There are very few companies listed on the Nikkei that could pass muster if subject to a stringent accounting investigation by an outside firm. Which is probably why so few Japanese people invest in stocks. They work for these companies, and they know the truth. But with all the cross-holdings, no one is going to demand strict accounting, since the whole house of cards would fold. "Thick as thieves" is very appropriate to describe the situation.
Posted in: Olympus shares continue slide amid fall-out from British CEO's ouster
-2
herefornow
Ivan -- spot on. Everybody knew that Japan's money would trump any actual attempts at enforcing meaningful quotas. Just a shame that these "bunch of selfish, greedy, corrupt babies" is going to manage to wipe out whole species of fish thousands of miles away because it is their "cutural right".
Posted in: Far more bluefin sold than reported caught, with Japan consuming 80%: report
-1
herefornow
Did Kikukawa and the board really think the truth would not come out? How long will Japanese companies still try to keep an island mentality in the face of the Internet and immediate world-wide access to information? For a technologically advanced country, they sure seem to ignore its obvious impact repeatedly. And if this were the U.S. a share-holder suit against Kikukawa and the board would already be in the works. An over 40% drop in the stock in two days is clearly fiduciary malfeasance anywhere but in Japan.
Posted in: Olympus shares plunge 24% following British CEO's ouster
-2
herefornow
Simple. Japan did not have any concerns about potentially risking the safety/lives of their own citizens in their haste to build nuclear plants, why would they have any moral or ethical qualms about doing the same to citizens of other countries?
Posted in: Some people are asking: Why is Japan trying to export something it rejected at home?
-2
herefornow
. What utter bullsh*t. First off, I can take you to hundreds of bars in any decent size city in the U.S. that are "half as cheery". And, the big diffrence is that these folks are there actually enjoying/celebrating life, not simply having a ritualistic "nighlty drinking bout". Second, folks in the U.S. are often times doing this with the spouses, girlfriends, partners, etc. instead of avoiding their families -- "no time to see family of friends", what a crock. Celebrating a custom that encourages husbands to deceive their wives and have excuses for not being real fathers, but just wage-earners, is stupid, IMO.
Posted in: Sneaky salarymen scheme, skim and hide cash from their wives
-2
herefornow
Brilliant article. Have made many of the same points on various posts here regarding the TPP and agricultural reform. (Possibly because I took Michael Porter's class many years ago. Got the equivalent of an "A".) But, unfortunately, all this will fall on deaf ears, since you can bet no one in Japanese government truly understands international economics or how to make Japan more competitive. They are too busy being told what to do by JA and the Ag. Ministry. Bye, bye, Japan. Your "15 minutes" of fame and influence on the world stage is about over, and you have no one to blame but yourselfs, for sitting on your hands for the last two decades. Because now the list of problems -- at least six according to the Japan business heads -- is simply too big for Japan to surmount, and the required change too great. The land famous for incremental change refused to adopt this to their own society, and now it cannot absorb the complexity of the task facing it.
Posted in: Japan must draw on vitality of global economy
-2
herefornow
zichi -- fair enough. So how about "looking" at the parts of the film that you are conveniently ignoring. Like the Japanese obsession with diet and luxury brands; or the depletion of the world's tuna stocks to feed their cultural right to cheap sushi; or the high suicide rate? No doubt, you are right, Japan does many things well, certainly caused by its small land-mass and lack of natural resources. But Japanese people are certainly wasteful in their own way. And that is all the film is saying.
Posted in: Quirky video shows the 'real Japan'
-2
herefornow
GW -- exactly. Because they know they can just join the long list of other zombie companies being supported by bank loans -- from banks that own their stock -- and, if that fails, be bailed out by the government. Just look at how much bank lending goes to companies that are already way too much in debt.
Posted in: Olympus ousts British CEO after 6 months due to conflicts
-4
herefornow
LFRAgain -- huh? Please re-read my post. I NEVER mentioned profit in regards to JA. I simply referred to them as an "entrenched interest" which wields way too much influence. Which they clearly do. I will state again, this argument has nothing to do with economics, or even self-sustainability, except for the JA and the Agriculture Ministry. Those entities refuse to change, or more importantly, lead the agricultural industry in a direction that would make them competitive and allow Japan to join the 21st century. But, still, you refuse to address the central issue, which YankeeX, the previous poster also notes -- how come SK can do it but Japan can't? And, the "basis for proof" for stating Japan has a feudal system in regards to agriculture is in zichi's argument, supporting your case. That being that most farms are like one hectacre and only make a profit becuase of government subsidies and tariffs. No more proof needs be offered.
Posted in: Japan to decide on joining TPP by next month
-3
herefornow
j4p4 -- does that include the years of neglecting safety concerns so Japan could enjoy cheap power? Which is, according to most objective experts, a principal reason Fukushima experienced the severe damage it did, and why Japan is now facing a nuclear crisis and years of re-building. What's the difference?
Posted in: Kyushu Electric execs under fire for not resigning over fake email scandal
-1
herefornow
No surprise/news here. Move on. Japanese electric companies have been ignoring almost all findings they don't like for decades. With a wink from the government, because the politicians, bureaucrats and business leaders all felt it was best for Japan Inc. Until that unhealthy three- way alliance is broken once and for all in Japan, the country will never prosper again, and the citizens will always be paying for this kind of nonsense.
Posted in: Kyushu Electric execs under fire for not resigning over fake email scandal