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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hokkaidoguy
Yep.
The only reason any of these firms are downgrading Japan's debt is to try and pressure them to start selling it off. It's one of the last untapped debt markets - and they want to open it up.
Posted in: Moody's downgrades Japan outlook on national debt
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hokkaidoguy
They're not designed for cars, but if 2370 lm, 91 lm/w isn't enough for your driving needs, I really want to know what kind of driving you're doing.
Those numbers are double most halogens - and on par with a lot of HID xenons on the market.
Posted in: Sharp to introduce high-output LED lighting devices
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hokkaidoguy
Given that the people responsible for unit 731 were given immunity by the Americans in exchange for their data, that's pretty likely.
Posted in: Japan excavating site linked to WWII human experiments by Unit 731
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hokkaidoguy
North Korea? No. People there will never hear about those revolutions, if they even know those countries exist. The government has complete control of all media and all lines of communication. They'll be the last to fall to a people's revolt.
China should be a little worried. I expect there will be a few uprisings in western China as a result - especially if another government falls. Then of course there's the foreign subversion factor: quite a few countries would benefit from China's economy being knocked back a peg or six. Going to be an interesting year...
Posted in: What do you think about the wave of anti-government protests in countries like Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Bahrain, Libya and Iran? Should countries like China and North Korea feel uneasy about it?
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hokkaidoguy
A 3.9% increase in nominal GDP = deteriorating?
Something else seems to have escaped your logic, Smith old chum: China is number two right now. That means that not only have they passed Japan, but they've passed everyone else in the world.
Did they pass Germany because the Germans failed to reform? Was it the fault of Britain's immigration policy? Did they pass Canada because the Canadians Failed To Stop The Rot?
Of course not. They passed those countries because they've got over a billion people. And their nominal GDP will eventually pass the USA as well. Bot even when they manage to achieve that, they'll still have more than 300 million people living in abject poverty.
Posted in: Japan welcomes China becoming world's No. 2 economy
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hokkaidoguy
What?
This comment makes no sense. Russia's Pacific fleet will lose no ability to move - they don't even run traffic between these islands as it is. Everything moves through the central islands. Plus, the 4 islands in question are thousands of miles from Kamchatka.
No offence, but please at least glance at a map before commenting on stories like this.
Posted in: Russian FM talks tough to Maehara on dispute with Japan
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hokkaidoguy
@smithinjapan
Wrong.
Why?
1) If you read the article, you'll see that it's "some of the four" ships that will be deployed to the Pacific Fleet, "in part to defend the southern Kurils." That's different from your alarmist "ARMING the islands".
2) The ships don't exist yet, except in a shipyard. Thus, the Russians aren't actually arming anything at this point, are they?
3) Even if they send all four with a full helicopter compliment, they'll still be about a thousand troops and a few dozen MiGs short of where they were in the 1980s. In other words, this planned action is a very very long way from "ARMING the islands more than ever before".
Posted in: Russia's Medvedev says he's sending weapons to disputed isles
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hokkaidoguy
herefornow:
If you honestly think that Russia will ever be part of NATO's missile shield, I have a bridge to sell you. Apparently you forgot the crisis in NATO-Russian relations surrounding Georgia, despite the fact that it's mentioned in the article.
France arms everyone, always has.
Posted in: Russia's Medvedev says he's sending weapons to disputed isles
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hokkaidoguy
France: Arming both sides since 1860.
Posted in: Russia's Medvedev says he's sending weapons to disputed isles
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hokkaidoguy
I like it on Valentine's day.
Not so fond of it on White day - I work in an office with about a dozen women. Gets expensive. ... to be perfectly honest though, when I cut through the cynicism, I don't mind at all. Every one of them has gone out of their way to help me with something at one time or another - can't think of anyone that doesn't deserve a little present in return.
Posted in: What do you think about the custom in Japan of women giving chocolates to their male co-workers on Valentine’s Day as a form of “obligation,” and then receiving chocolates back from the men on White Day (March 14)?
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hokkaidoguy
I'm suggesting that Japan make it as hard for Russians as the Russians make it for the Japanese - and everyone else, for that matter.
Even if that means shaking them down for bribes at every turn - it's nothing more than the Russians already do. Ask anyone else who has done business in Russia - they'll tell you the same. Most companies factor in a few grand into the average travel budget for the inevitable shakedown - let alone what it costs to actually run a company there.
What's good for the goose, and all that.
Posted in: Kan calls Medvedev's isle visit 'unforgivable outrage'
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hokkaidoguy
If Kan wants to get serious about this, he'll make it harder for Russians living on the islands to get in and out of Japanese port cities. Maybe by making the customs and immigration procedures a bit more Russian in the red tape department.
Hokkaido is currently the main source of spare parts (marine and automotive), consumer electronics, groceries, alcohol, fuel, as well as services like dentistry and eye care - to say nothing of emergency health services - for everyone living in the Northern Territories. That will get their attention - because right now the people living their are laughing.
They're subsidized by Moscow for living there, their officials are subsidized by Japanese fishermen who pay to keep the Russian coast guard off their backs, and they have access to relatively cheap goods from Japan.
They rely on cities like Abashiri, Nemuro and Kushiro to supply them with the things that they can't get from Moscow. Which is nearly everything. Make that experience as Russian as possible - say, six weeks on the dock and a thousand dollar bribe for everyone with a name tag. Or forbid exports to the Northern Territories altogether - make them route the stuff via Vladivostok or something.
Posted in: Kan calls Medvedev's isle visit 'unforgivable outrage'
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hokkaidoguy
2010 sales were neither up or down for toyota. Up 6% for lexus. Share price feb 3 2010 to feb 3 2011: up from 73 to 85.
If its perceived value has fallen, it's not reflected in either the share price or sales.
Posted in: Recalls erode value of Toyota's global brand
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hokkaidoguy
Not nearly as bad as the media use of Japocalypse Now style phrases like "deflationary spiral" - especially when they're completely inaccurate.
Japan's inflation rate for 12/2010 was Zero, down a tenth from November. Japan hasn't been in a dangerous deflation position (ie over 2%) since July of 2009. And the rate of inflation hasn't been negative at all since September of 2010.
The current situation would best be described as "An inflation rate hovering around zero per cent". And ultimately that's a pretty decent place to be - it's both good and bad depending on where you are in the economy, but neither is to any extreme.
Posted in: Is the deflationary spiral we are seeing in Japan ultimately good or bad for the economy?
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hokkaidoguy
Everyone says that. I said it. Then you discover the thousands of km of winding seaside roads, the secondary mountain passes, and frankly all of Hokkaido. And then there's trackday, if you really want to open it up.
400 is good. You can have a lot of fun on a 400. A 400 will carry you anywhere you want to go in Japan with a smile on your face... but you'll always find yourself wanting a little more.
Posted in: Jump on my bike
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hokkaidoguy
koriyamaboy:
used CB 400s are everywhere - great little workhorse bikes. very easy to find one in decent shape with all the papers for 25man out the door. or less. might pay a little more for the bol d'or version, but not much. check goobike - tons of them on there.
Posted in: Jump on my bike
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hokkaidoguy
Static electricity.
Posted in: Power of nature
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hokkaidoguy
I don't like this one.
Regardless of whether or not consent was given (hopefully it was, and if it wasn't I hope the photographer gets sued), the composition of the shot is uncomfortably invasive. The DoF, angle and composition make it a bit too voyeuristic for my taste.
Posted in: Pedestrian paradise
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hokkaidoguy
Complaining about inconsequential things.
Posted in: What is one habit that your significant other does or has that you can't stand but put up with anyway?
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hokkaidoguy
I'll have to remember that one...
Posted in: Ambulance, rescue crews summoned for increasingly ridiculous reasons