JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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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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- 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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herefornow
So much for the rosy predictions that the economy there would bounce back on the rebuilding efforts in Tohoku. Face it folks, Japan is back in recession and that 2% growth in 2012 is just wishful thinking.
Posted in: Japan's economy predicted to shrink 0.4% in fiscal 2011
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herefornow
PLEASE "strict accountability" does not exist in Japan. Not taking responsibility for anything as an individual, and passing the buck when needed is part of the social fabric there. Group decisions make everyone responsible so no one can get balmed or disciplined accordingly.
Posted in: Okada apologizes for gov't not keeping records of nuclear crisis meetings
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herefornow
Refreshing to see that Japanese advertising will always appeal to the lowest common denominator -- usually via some celeb of the moment. And to think people actually get paid to create this stuff.
Posted in: Mane event
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herefornow
tmarie -- great post. On the one hand, Sony buying a fundamentally sound company, well-positioned in some growth markets like health-care makes sense. But, as you speculate, with Sony closing troubled businesses, likely installing a new CEO, and facing at least two or three more years in the red, is it the best time to divert its attention to solving Olypus' issues? Will be interesting to watch develop.
Posted in: Sony reported to be seeking Olympus stake
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herefornow
Correction -- there is ONE woman in the shot. Wow.
Posted in: Noda vows to tackle debt, calls for end to indecisive politics
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herefornow
LOL. Never going to happen -- unless all out economic failure hits Japan. Japanese politicians are simply not capable to being decisive. The only reason there is any semblence of a working government is because the U.S. imposed a constitution on them. Just look at the picture of the day to see why. It's 2011 for pity sake, and there is not a single woman in that section of the Diet. Thinking that meaningful change will happen there is simply wishful thinking.
Posted in: Noda vows to tackle debt, calls for end to indecisive politics
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herefornow
And the hallowing out of Japan continues to gain momentum, Sony, Panasonic, and now Hitachi. And all folks like j4p4nFTW can do is blame supposed currency manipulators. Conveniently ignoring of course the obvious cause, which is that big Japanese companies become so resistent to change that they cannot respond to changes in the marketplace. As Yubaru points out, this is nothing more than a new phase in Japan's industrial life-cyle, and unless it encourages new companies to form, who can take up the slack for the declining old ones, it will fade further into irrelevancy. Yup, for sure the U.S., and companies like GE, suffered similar problems when they were forced by Japanese companies to get out of the TV business. But GE moved into new areas, and the void left in the U.S. economy was made up for by companies like Apple, Microsoft, etc. Will Japan be able to say the same in twenty years?
Posted in: Hitachi to stop making televisions
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herefornow
j4p4nFTW -- that is a ludicrous post. But, even if remotely correct -- which I hope for Japan's sake it is not, since it implies that Japanese have competely sold out their own historical values -- divorcing for reasons related to radiation is completely a Japanese "side effect" of years of TEPCO and the government ignoring obvious safety warnings and people like yourself willing to just blindly accept what they were spoon fed. This is a tragedy, and instead of trying to blame others for it, you'd be better served by working to make sure those families you claim to value so much have a support system to help them stay together.
Posted in: 'Radiation divorce' enters Japanese vernacular
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herefornow
Yup, just about defines Japan -- close the gate after the horse has left the barn. Anyone who still believes Japan's reputation for meticulous planning and being prepared to handle any emergency is simply delusional. Like so much else there, that is simply myth based on expending hours and hours on meaningless rote/process, but having no fresh thinking.
Posted in: Radioactive crushed stone may have been used in over 80 buildings, METI says
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herefornow
Wow, talk about insulting, but so typical of elected officials and bureaucrats in Japan. First they insult the citizens by doing all this in secret, when one of the DPJ's campaign campaign pledges was "transparency" and returning government to the people. (Like Japan even knows what that means). But then they add insult to injury by assuming the people will believe a BS excuse like "too busy". Just about defines the term arrogance. And these are supposedly "public servants". LOL.
Posted in: Nuclear disaster task force kept no records of meetings
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herefornow
D-Pump -- Precisely. The board could have done the RIGHT thing and fired the then-president instead of Woodford when he brought the fraud to its attention. Then Olympus' brand name would have never been in this "dark spotlight" as you call it. And, as regards corporate CEO's keeping corruption quiet and "taking it to their graves", you have never apparently heard of Sarbanes-Oxley. So, when a new CEO in America takes over he immediately brings any questionable accounting to light, or otherwise he will face criminal penalties. Better to throw his predecesor under the wheels of the bus. It would not go on for decades as it did at Olympus.
Posted in: Olympus scandal triggers Japan shareholder activism
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herefornow
Amen to that. And that won't change for decades, as there is no mechanism in Japan for teaching the concept of fiduciary responsibility there. The Japan Inc. model is institutionalized there, including in the business schools. And, unfortunately, twenty-six well-intentioned lawyers are never going to change that.
And, seesaw,
IMO, it won't be Olympus or the current board. Their stock price has tumbled and they will find it very difficult to get it back to where it was previously, at least for several years. Plus they are likely to have to pay Woodford a significant settlement to avoid a public airing of his lawsuit. And, it won't be Japan Inc. either, since if Woodford's case does come to trial, the shady business practices and debt-ridden company model would be exposed to the light of day. And, even if it doesn't, these companies are going to find it very, very difficult to raise foreign capital in the future, as the lack of corporate governance in Japan has raised serious concerns. The idea that a board would leave in place a president it is suing for fraud is simply incomprehensible to outsiders.
Posted in: Olympus scandal triggers Japan shareholder activism
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herefornow
gogogo -- hardly. But it does define the graduates from the elite universities in Japan who go to work for a ministry or top company and expect to have a cushy existence for the rest of their life -- just because they did well on some sillly exam.
Posted in: Entitlements are not rights
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herefornow
Repay over $55 BILLION. LOL. Good luck with that. Residents in Japan will be carrying this burden for decades.
Posted in: Plan calls for TEPCO to be nationalized for at least 10 years
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herefornow
Yukio -- wishful thinking. But ratings agencies have to do their job based on reality, especially recent trends. And as many other posters have noted, Japan's recent performance has been fairly dismal. How many more "kicks in the ass" do they need? Over 200% debt to GDP ratio! Flat-line economy for over two decades! Shrinking/aging population! But not a single meaningful change -- except those Koizumi pushed through, that then got rolled back! Sorry, but IMO the complacency you mention is way too institutionalized in Japan for any sort of meaningful change to occur in any of our lifetimes.
Posted in: Moody's lowers rating on Sony, Panasonic
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herefornow
What a farce. Everyone knew they'd never de-list a high-profile part of Japan Inc. Olympus owes too much money to the big banks and other institutions. Plus the cross-holding of their stock stretch too far. But a lousy $100,000 fine is simply absurd. That is not even a slap on the wrist -- more like a love tap.
Posted in: Tokyo Stock Exchange to keep Olympus listed
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herefornow
Wonderful. Winter is about half over, and now they have concluded that the firewood should not have been burned. Typical Japanese bureaucrats being proactive.
Posted in: Firewood ash at Nihonmatsu homes found to contain high levels of radioactive cesium
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herefornow
Yukio -- rubbish. Moody's is well-respected in the world financial community as literally billions of dolars ride on the ratings they give companies' bonds. So no "pompous wankers fresh out of college" are entrusted with that kind of responsibility. But, since you are so expert, why don't you enlighten us on all the positive things you see for either Sony's or Panasonic's earnings over the next few years. You are just P.O.'d because Moody's is simply formally recognizing what others have seen for a year or more -- the decline/hallowing out of Japan is accelerating because many large Japanese firms don't have the flexibilty to respond quickly enough to a global, 21st century market. And their inflexibility will cost them billions as they try to re-structure. Meanwhile, the more nimble companies from SK, and China will be moving even further ahead. Not a pretty picture for Japan Inc.
Posted in: Moody's lowers rating on Sony, Panasonic
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herefornow
Yea, good luck with that. Two years for Noda would be a miracle given recent history in Japan.
Posted in: U.S. gov't hoping Noda can stick around for awhile
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herefornow
Great role model he presents for Japanese teen males -- knock up some "talento"; have a shot gun marriage; apparently cheat on her; separate and basically abandon the kids; and, now, head stateside so you can make an obscene amount of money and spread your sperm around a foreign country. No wonder he is and will be even more the media darling there.
Posted in: Yu Darvish divorces TV celebrity wife Saeko