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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sfjp330
You have to remember that Okinawa is not a country. The Guam Agreement is between two sovereign nations, Japan and the U.S. Japan goverment should work with Okinawa to address local concerns, but it must also make clear that Japanese national security and Asian peace and stability trump local Okinawan convenience and seeking understanding and consensus has its limits. There are cases in which the central government has to take certain actions, even if those actions go against a resolution of a local assembly. Remember that the budget sword cuts both ways.
It is important that both the U.S. and Japan realize that maintaining and strengthening their alliance best serves their respective national interests. The U.S. military in Asia deters those nations that would otherwise try to influence weaker nations through coercive diplomacy or the threat of force. The allies should focus on expanding the two nations’ military relationship to address growing regional and security challenges.
Posted in: Okinawa governor, Nago mayor not happy with U.S. forces plan
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sfjp330
Ben_JackinoffFeb. 09, 2012 - 11:36AM JST. I disagree. I think it is a rant from a person who is tired of being treated differently because they are different. However, expected to be treated the same when you are not is rather unrealistic.
Don't expect Japan to change. You can always go back to your own country and be treated equally.
Posted in: Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?
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sfjp330
WurthingtonFeb. 09, 2012 - 11:22AM JST. We won't send in many ground troops...
Are you sure? Better give those ground troops some more training. They haven't had a considerable challange since Vietnam war. For if they try rolling into Iran as they did in Iraq, they'll turned to disaster.
Posted in: Fears grow of Israeli attack on Iran
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DogFeb. 09, 2012 - 11:05AM JST. Actually the reason for north east Asia being such a hotbed of racism, from Korean elementary school children being taught to hate Japan to Chinese claiming that the Japanese are devils, is because they essentially share a sino culture with minor regionnal differances.
Northeast Asia is not much different than deep south with black and white U.S., South Africa, Europe or Australia. I don't believe this area is hotbed for racism. You look at Muslims living in Germany. I guess you have much to learn.
Posted in: Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?
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sfjp330
Wurthington, the guy got killed along with the secuity person on the car was described as mid-level scientist. Even if you take out one, there are another 399 scientist left. Point is, other than pyscological impact on the remaining workers, very little or no impact on slowing the objectives of Iranians. Then what's next?
Posted in: Fears grow of Israeli attack on Iran
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sfjp330
FarmboyFeb. 09, 2012 - 09:50AM JST. You know torture is wrong, and you know that if it is approved, it won't just be fantasy kidnappers who buried a fantasy kid that it will be used against. It will be used against a lot of innocent people, and you will be part of it.
You live in a nice dream world. Objectives are very similar to U.S. In 2006, there were 2,500 Canadian soldiers in Afganistan for peacekeeping and stability operations. Currently they have close to 1,000. This plays a huge part in the war in Afghanistan. In preparations, soldiers needed to know as much as possible about local customs, culture, and politics, and about the nature and motivation of groups that might oppose the establishment of peace and order. The Afghan mission would only succeed when the Canadian Government could provide data for the needs of its secuity. This is Canadian and NATO approach toward reconstructing the Afghan society.
Posted in: Canada's use of torture data sparks outcry
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sfjp330
WurthingtonFeb. 09, 2012 - 09:38AM JST. I would at this point have to side with Israel and I believe taking out any Iran ability to produce a nuclear weapon as necessary. Like was mentioned on an earlier post... Israel is a one bomb country. One bomb could end Israel altogether. Can the Israelis afftord to let Iran have a bomb.
Then what is your plan? Even the very ability of Israel's military to the decisive strike are doubtful. Most likely, the Iranians have dispersed their nuclear program at multiple sites, some of which are hidden underground. That makes a repeat performance of the clean and decisive blow against Iran almost impossible. The task of locating all of Iran's nuclear targets requires a high degree of intelligence and risk. A hit-and-run preemptive attack can't guarantee much success.
Posted in: Fears grow of Israeli attack on Iran
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sfjp330
napoleancomplexFeb. 09, 2012 - 07:43AM JST. Compare that with Canada (where I am from and living now) and almost nobody thinks anything of you if you're not white. At first glance, most people would assume you are Canadian.. even if you're white, black, asian, brown, purple, whatever. Hell, even if you spoke with an accent it wouldn't make a difference.
If your in big metropolitan areas like Vancouver, Ottawa, or Toronto, sure it doesn't matter. But if your in a small town like Kelowna with 90 percent white people, most people behave differently since you look different and at the same time, they are not exposed to other cultures (not necessary in a bad way).
Posted in: Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?
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sfjp330
Article states: I’ve been in Japan for 3 1/2 years. Generally speaking, Japanese people are prejudiced against foreign people who don’t look like Japanese. Japanese people think that no foreigner can speak Japanese. Staff at a bento shop that I’ve visited for 3 years still treat me like I cannot speak Japanese.” (Belgian man)
Well same thing can be said if your a Asian in small town in midwest or east coast of U.S. The Japanese people are no different than South Korean or Chinese people in communication skills with foeigners. I don't see anything special about western or American people anyway. Most are very self centered.
Posted in: Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?
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sfjp330
Japanese politics have never listened Okinawan people's opinions about the relocation of US military personnel or bases. Rather Japanese politics utilizes Okinawa land because they do not care Okinawan people as much as Japanese people in mainland Japan because Okinawa used to be not a part of Japan long time ago. Actually Okinawa is not dumping place like garbage. Also, locating US military base in somewhere in Japan make them comfortable as they are protected from surrounding countries, especially North Korea. This means that Japanese politics totally depends on US politics instead of thinking protecting the nation by themselves.
Posted in: U.S., Japan announce agreement to send Okinawa Marines to Guam
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sfjp330
Israel have a nuclear bomb and not a party to the NPT, so is not obliged to report to it. Neither are India or Pakistan, both of which have developed nuclear weapons. The IAEA called on Israel to join the NPT and open its nuclear facilities to inspection. The resolution said that the IAEA expresses concern about the Israeli nuclear capabilities, and calls upon Israel to accede to the NPT and place all its nuclear facilities under comprehensive IAEA safeguards. Israel refuses to join the NPT or allow inspections. It is reckoned to have up to 400 warheads but refuses to confirm or deny this.
Posted in: Fears grow of Israeli attack on Iran
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sfjp330
WilliBFeb. 08, 2012 - 11:13AM JST. Tiny Israel is a "one nuke country".... one single nuke on Tel Aviv would make the country`s existance unfeasible. The huge islamic republic of Iran,on the other hand, could not only absorb several nuclear explosions, but is also perfectly willing to, if this is necessary in the path of the holy war agains the Jewish state. So, this argument does not float at all. Why do people keep bringing it up?
So what is your solution? You don't have any.
Posted in: Fears grow of Israeli attack on Iran
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sfjp330
With the decrease in tabacco tax revenue, Japan government will probably keep increasing the tax and more people will stop smoking. It's getting too expensive and some people cannot afford the continue the habit.
Posted in: Japan’s 'polite' tobacco war rages on
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sfjp330
It's not very likely for the US or Iran to directly start a war. Neither side really wants it. The US economy is just starting to recover, the US public, but especially Democrats, don't really want another one, the Pentagon is nervous about the secondary problems that would be created by a war and the Iranians know that their military couldn't last very long in a fight and that their nation would suffer a lot of infrastructure damage. Since Iran doesn't have nukes yet, everyone would rather settle this with alternative means.
The problem is Israel - Israel is massively paranoid about Iran for good reason. They're not exactly on the best of terms with each other. Israel desperately wants to take military action against Iran, and it's been pressing for a U.S. invasion for over 6 years now, and the U.S. have been tiredly saying "No" to them ever since. For that matter, Saudi Arabia also wants the US to invade Iran, as do a lot of other Gulf States who hate their Persian neighbour (Arabs and Persians don't really like each other a whole lot). As much as Israel and Saudi Arabia dislike each other, I can absolutely imagine the Saudis allowing Israel to use their air-bases for a covert strike on Iran. The Saudis have said that if Iran gets a bomb, they'll get a bomb, and they'd rather avoid pouring in the expenses necessary to make and maintain nuclear weapons.
Israel have said that they are seriously considering a military strike on Iran this year, much like their strike on Iraq's nuclear reactor. Personally, I think any Israel military strike would be foolish - they could certainly bomb Iran to a limited extent (Iran's airforce isn't very scary), but they couldn't actually destroy the hardened, fortified structures under the ground - it would just piss off Iran, kill Iranian civilians and drive Iran to finish their nuclear project even faster. And on the off-chance the air-strike did work, think of how much radiation would be spread around!
I don't want Iran to get a bomb - but I honestly think that there are other ways to solve this problem. Even if Iran does get a nuclear weapon, Israel also has nukes and just needs to aim a few at Iran - if any nuclear attack goes of in Israel, the Israelis will make it clear that they'll nuke Iran no matter what, instantly. If the USA and the USSR could depend on the doctrine of MAD, why not Israel and Iran?
Posted in: Fears grow of Israeli attack on Iran
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sfjp330
News reported: "Makiyo, who rode in the taxi with Tomoyori, held a Saturday press conference along with Tomoyori to claim they had worn their seat belts while in the taxi and charged that the taxi driver touched Makiyo's breast when returning change to them which led to Tomoyori's attack on Lin. The language barrier also played a role in the dispute, Makiyo added. The 27-year-old actress said she was intoxicated at the time of the incident Lin's family has since refuted these claims, charging that Makiyo did not even pay the taxi fare, let alone have any change returned to her."
Makiyo got a major problem making up stories. So is hot temper Tomoyori. They should go to same court proceedings and if found guilty, spend some time in Taiwan jail.
Posted in: Taiwanese-Japanese star implicated in beating of taxi driver in Taipei
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sfjp330
Problem is Iran is not Iraq. It can become a major problem in the middle east. The attack on Iran could produce dynamics that would push either or both sides to escalate the conflict even if neither had an interest or an initial intention to do so. Increase in Iranian civilian casualties could provoke Iran to step up its response. This becomes more likely as the scale of a U.S. attack increases. Downed U.S. aircrews could lead to search and rescue operations that could become significant military actions in their own right. The need to restrike targets that were missed or inadequately damaged could also prolong the conflict and involve additional forces. As the conflict developed, political pressures could press both antagonists to escalate the fighting.
Posted in: Fears grow of Israeli attack on Iran
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sfjp330
Asia remains volatile as well as nuclear armed, and China reshaping regional power balances. It would be a poor time to signal any weakening of U.S. resolve there. But there are less expensive ways to do it. If Japanese domestic politics and military force U.S. to relocate many functions of the airbase in Okinawa and scale back troop numbers there, U.S. can retain capacity for rapid deployment to East Asian contingencies in other ways. The Marines could stay in Hawaii or California. But duplicate equipment could be stored on ships, based perhaps in Sasebo, Japan, where the Marines already have ships. This approach would actually improve U.S. military responsiveness for most key contingencies in Asia and at lower cost of Okinawa airbase and Marine Corps relocation plan.
Posted in: Japan, U.S. discussing revised plan for relocating Marines from Okinawa
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sfjp330
yabits Jan. 24, 2012 - 07:11AM JST. You can try selling that crap somewhere else. TransCanada already acknowledges the pipeline will raise gas prices in much of the area covered by PADD II.
They are. Harper and Canadian goverment is negotiating with China on building pipelines from western Alberta to B.C. Bye Bye Obama and U.S. on the pipelines.
Posted in: Obama rejects contested Canada pipeline
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sfjp330
Dodge has best value with their 5.7 Hemi 390hp. and is the best trucks. Dodge trucks look the best and as for 1/2 ton pickups I think dodge wins because i think the 5.7 liter and 6.0 liter is a better engine then any of the other 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton engines. The 5.7 and 6.0 hemi in the newer dodge 1500's wins.
Posted in: Ford blasts GM 'apocalypse' ad for Super Bowl; Chrysler also under fire
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sfjp330
WurthingtonFeb. 03, 2012 - 10:47AM JST. Over 20% below would be something to complain about. Just my opinion...
Then your talking about every manufacturer? Why point the finger at Honda only?
Posted in: California woman wins suit over Honda hybrid mileage per gallon