umbrella said...

umbrella at 07:35 PM JST - 12th May

Is japanese easy or not?? Well all I can say is that I struggled to learn Mandarin to a reasonably decent level. Then I came to japanese and I felt it to be quite a step down in the "difficulty" stakes. So I would agree that"easiness" is subjective.

Posted in Should Japanese language ability be a factor in determining the maximum length of stay on visas for foreigners? at 07:35 PM JST - 12th May
umbrella at 03:29 PM JST - 11th May

Do they do an IQ test when taking on new cops??

Posted in Cops under fire for giving cigarette, lighter to kerosene-soaked man at 03:29 PM JST - 11th May
umbrella at 01:12 PM JST - 11th May

This speculative oil market makes money for a few but just pushes up the price of everything for the rest of us. Shouldn't be allowed. The answer is to ban the futures trading in oil. Only the spot market to be allowed. Thus if you buy oil you take actual…

Posted in Japan to strengthen monitoring of speculative money on oil market at 01:12 PM JST - 11th May
umbrella at 02:22 PM JST - 10th May

capone exactly. There's absolutely no reason why a skilled foreigner would ever have the remotest reason for wanting to come to japan. Why they even consider you a criminal at the airport and demand your fingerprints. Much better places in Asia to go to

Posted in Gov't to study accepting more highly skilled personnel from abroad at 02:22 PM JST - 10th May
umbrella at 10:37 PM JST - 8th May

Does she have to clean up after the horse as she progresses??

Posted in Londoner to embark on 4-year horse trek to Tokyo at 10:37 PM JST - 8th May
umbrella at 07:00 PM JST - 6th May

imacat that's far too emminently sensible an idea, thus can never happen.

Posted in Gov't looks to immigrants as population shrinks at 07:00 PM JST - 6th May
umbrella at 02:25 PM JST - 6th May

All the japanese people I ever talk to say that basically 3 things stop them having kids/more kids. Main one is the slave hours expected of Taro the salaryman. The salary man has to give up his life to the company and accept that he has no personal life whatsoever…

Posted in Gov't looks to immigrants as population shrinks at 02:25 PM JST - 6th May
umbrella at 12:09 AM JST - 5th May

Patrick exactly. The foreigner in japan is ALWAYS guilty, no matter what. I've even heard it said that the foreigner has to accept that he will be demasculated in japan as he CANNOT fight back.

Posted in A punching bag on the Odakyu line at 12:09 AM JST - 5th May
umbrella at 04:58 PM JST - 3rd May

terrible, just terrible. Such a shame, just 15 years old....

Posted in 15-year-old girl found murdered in Aichi field at 04:58 PM JST - 3rd May
umbrella at 04:09 PM JST - 3rd May

hato mate, get a PR then you don't have to bother with visas. Still have to get the criminal fingerprints at airports and pay gaijin tax re-entry visa though.

Posted in Foreign residents proficient in Japanese to be allowed to stay longer at 04:09 PM JST - 3rd May