JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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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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- Assistant Language Teacher - Kanagawa Prefecture - late-March start
- Interac, Kanagawa
- Salary: ¥230,000 ~ ¥255,000 / Month
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smartacus
This guy should run for Tokyo governor.
Posted in: Rainbow of hope for Japan
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smartacus
It's wonderful to have children helping in these evacuee centers. I'm sure she and her family are evacuees on the island too, so it gives her something to do. I saw on NHK the other night how children were helping at another evacuee center, by giving back rubs and shoulder massages to the elderly people. Really nice to see.
Posted in: Beautiful flower
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smartacus
I think all the wards in Tokyo should be included in power blackouts. Everyone must do their share of sacrifice, including the imperial palace and the prime minister. It is unfair to exclude the 23 wards.
Shops should also open earlier, at 9 a.m. instead of 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. in some places (Tokyo Midtown Galleria, for example), and then close at 6 p.m.
As for daylight saving, it's a good idea but Japanese workers won't leave the office to go home while it is still light outside. They just won't, for some reason.
Posted in: What is the fairest way to deal with the expected summer power shortage?
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smartacus
In the first few weeks I could understand it, but now there is a desperate need to get the economy going, and that means holding events to get consumers spending. In Tokyo, restaurants, hotels, shops and many other businesses are suffering. Look at the economic fallout in the local area from Tokyo Disneyland being closed since March 11. And the 5-star Shangri-La Hotel in Tokyo has closed its doors until April 16. That is unprecedented.
So far, I have seen postponement notices for new product launches, movies, fashion shows, sports events, concerts, and even hanami parties, which people desperately need to do to lift the spirits. JT even ran a story last week about the August Tokyo Bay fireworks festival being canceled. That was an overreaction.
I think even the evacuees themselves would like some diversion from the worry of their monotonous days. I'm sure that if they had access to a TV, they'd like to watch baseball, soccer and so on.
It's not disrespectful to the victims or survivors to hold events. And at some, like Cyndi Lauper's concert, fans can be encouraged to donate money, if they so wish.
But the economy has to get moving as quickly as possible, otherwise there are going to be a lot of businesses going bust by summer.
Posted in: Do you think sporting, entertainment and cultural events scheduled for the next few weeks should be canceled out of respect for the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami?
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smartacus
It must have been scary to be on that bus. I wonder if the passengers got out and jumped into the water carrying the bus along before it ended up in that position.
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smartacus
The president and the entire board will have to go. I'd like to see a foreign CEO and some foreign nuclear physicists join the company, too, but that's unlikely. Greater transparency is needed and my guess is that whoever takes over is going to find a nest of defective parts in many reactors, unreported malfunctions and so on.
If the government were competent, I would say nationalize the power companies.
Posted in: In the future, what should the government do about Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO)? How do you think that company should be run?
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smartacus
I wonder if the recycling facilities can handle the millions of tons of rubble. Maybe they will have to just load it all onto barges and dump it at sea.
Posted in: 2 weeks after disaster, 27,000 dead or missing; gov't faces task of clearing rubble
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smartacus
It's very poignant that they salute coffins, as if they are saying farewell to fallen comrades.
Posted in: Rest in peace
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smartacus
This is not necessary. They are starting to cancel too many events. People have to be encourages to get out and spend money. Restaurants, stores, entertainment and leisure facilities are all struggling now and the effects on the economy are going to be catastrophic by summer, if we all don't make an effort to get things back to normal.
It is not disrespectful to victims to go to a movie, eat out or watch fireworks in August.
Posted in: Tokyo Bay fireworks festival, set for Aug 13, canceled out of consideration for quake victims
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smartacus
Most likely an inside job.
Posted in: Y40 mil stolen from tsunami-cracked bank vault in Miyagi
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smartacus
Stories like this put a human face on the tragedy for me. When I read reports of 20,000 dead or missing, it is just a number. I don't stop to think that they all had lives, loves, dreams, hopes and problems.
Posted in: Missing U.S. teacher's body located in Ishinomaki
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smartacus
As I understand it, the question about visiting Japan was brought up but since his visit was planned a few weeks ago, and because New Zealand and Australia are commonwealth countries, the decision was made for him to go there. Besides, it is way too early for any visiting foreign dignitary to visit the Tohoku area.
Japan has its own imperial family, and they have already expressed a desire to go at a time when it will cause minimal disruption to relief operations.
Oh, and benhur, Princess Diana - if she were alive today - would not have been on the next available flight to Japan after the tsunami. Please don't make stupid statements. She would have sent her condolences as the queen has done.
Posted in: Prince William visits flood-hit Australian towns
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smartacus
It's too bad that so many buildings seemed to have been made of wood in those coastal towns.
Posted in: Life goes on
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smartacus
It gets to be a bit too much after awhile. Last night, for the time in more than a week, I actually turned off NHK and watched a DVD. I imagine it must be hard for young children, who miss their usual programs.
Posted in: How do you feel about the nonstop television coverage of the earthquake, tsunami and ensuing nuclear crisis? What effect do you think it has on the public?
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smartacus
Very touching news. I'm sure a lot of celebrities, sports stars and business tycoons will make huge personal donations, though we probably won't hear about it. I have heard that stars like Russell Crowe and Johnny Depp often make donations to disaster relief and insist there be no press release. So Ivan, Charlie Sheen may donate without your hearing about it.
Anyway, good for all those who can help, whether it is $1 or $1 million.
Posted in: Eastwood, Bullock each donate $1 million to earthquake relief
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smartacus
It is incredible to think that water can do that much damage.
Posted in: One week later
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smartacus
Last night I was watching NHK and the earthquake warning system was triggered. But it came only about 5-10 seconds before the aftershock struck.
Posted in: How can earthquake and tsunami warning systems be improved?
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smartacus
Despicable but I'm not surprised. There are always vultures who see opportunities in a disaster. I saw three people standing on the street near my home yesterday, with a box for donations. They had some sign saying something like "Local neighborhood committee for raising funds for earthquake relief." Who knows if they were genuine or not?
Posted in: Police warn of bogus e-mails, phone calls seeking earthquake donations
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smartacus
I wonder if in the future humans will ever have the technology to control the forces of nature like earthquakes, hurricanes, rain, temperatures and so on. The story is correct in saying that Japan is probably better prepared than most earthquake-prone countries; yet its defenses still ended up being puny.
Posted in: In classic battle of Man vs Nature, Nature wins again
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smartacus
Why are Tokyo's 23 wards being let off? That's not fair. Everyone in every ward should do their bit, including the emperor.
Posted in: Kan calls quake worst crisis since World War II; OKs power outages