JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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To be healthy, live in the big city
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Japan's nuclear safety standards flawed, says commission chief
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3
Teacher nabbed for using miror to peek up girl's skirt
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4
From carnivores to herbivores: how men are defined in Japan
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Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?
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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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yabusama
This isn't your run of the mill grunt looking to join the military because there's nothing else on the outside.. He is/was a highly respected, high level member of the air force. If he did it it's good they caught him before he could cause any more damage. R.I.P. to the murder victims and I hope the assaulted ones can find some happiness.
Posted in: Top Canadian military official charged with 2 murders
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yabusama
Ooh...brings back memories
Posted in: The dumbing down of Japanese students
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yabusama
ratpack: the man in front of the red arrow and the flashing lights and the red witches hats telling you it is safer to walk this way or that way.
MAN? I don't know where you are but every construction site I've seen has at least three of them directing foot traffic for a total of 20 yards.
Michaelqtodd: can you think of another country that "needs" someone to push a button in the elevator? The lack of elevator operating knowledge in this country is scary.
Has anyone read Dogs and Demons by Alex Kerr? Sums up the country nicely. Pretty disturbing though but answers a lot of questions as to why the Japanese are the way they are. Great chapter on the education system too.
Posted in: The dumbing down of Japanese students
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yabusama
I don't think you'll hear from Toyoda again. Even if and when he steps down.
The reaction to this problem is hardly a surprise. Toyota knew what was going on but like most situations here you do not admit a mistake, you find ways to shift the blame. Only when you are cornered do you offer a vague apology about how the situation was regrettable and unfortunate. It wasn't until the heads of two countries forced him to acknowledge the situation. Otherwise they wouldn't have said a thing.
I think Toyota will fix the problems they are having and will bounce back somewhat. But people in the rest of the world, not necessarily here in Japan, will always remember this and think twice about buying a Toyota.
Posted in: Toyota is in the soup and doesn't seem to know it
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yabusama
In the headlines no, even if it is a matter of fact. The nationality of the person can be mentioned in the body of the story. Mentioning it in the headlines does nothing but create hysteria and hype.
Posted in: Do you think it is appropriate for newspaper headlines to include the nationality of defendants or suspects wanted for questioning by police?
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yabusama
If you learn the language of the country you're going to then of course you're going to have more job opportunities. But it doesn't necessarily mean you'll take them. I have personally met two native english speakers of Japanese ancestry from the States who chose to work at Family Mart and a 100 yen shop for less money than they would have earned being a teacher. Didn't ask why they didn't teach though.
Where I'm from the Japanese students who take part in the working holiday program almost always work in Japanese restaurants, speak Japanese unless they are in school, and eat Japanese food. They REALLY take advantage of learning about and experiencing another culture.
I personally have struggled, and continue to struggle at times with the thought of the Eikaiwa industry being a business rather than an opportunity to learn English. But that's exactly what it is first and foremost. I can understand why some would say the industry is a scam but it depends on how you look at it. Ultimately if the customer/student is happy then whether they've learn something, or rather retain what they have been taught is secondary.
Posted in: The state of the language school industry
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yabusama
That's part of the reason kp123. There is no media in Japan, just talking heads regurgitating whatever someone in a higher position tells them to.
I was talking to a friend today who works for Nissan. He said Toyota's way of thinking and management structure is quite different than other auto companies. According to him, and he is in upper management so fairly credible as a source I believe, Toyoda the C.E.O. is like the Emperor, the figurehead. His "underlings" are the ones who truly hold the power at Toyota. They would be the IHC, always telling what the C.E.O. should do.
My friend also said it's quite possible Toyoda did not fully understand what's been happening in the States as lots of info may have been kept from him.
Posted in: Japanese media criticize Toyota chief for slow response
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yabusama
I could have saved my rant and read Bam Boo's post. Good call mate.
Posted in: The dumbing down of Japanese students
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yabusama
Take away the internet and see how true this is.
The Japanese school system is perfect. For Japan that is. Teaching students how to be Japanese during the day and only what they need to pass an exam into high school or University in jukus at night produces a work force willing to sacrifice everything and anything for the company.
People speak of the internet and the opportunities to search for information but how many actually use it for that purpose? Why, after 150 years or so having opened their doors to the rest of the world are the Japanese barely aware of anything outside of Japan? The Japanese are their own worst enemy. Ignorant in history? No kidding. What do you expect when the government won't allow students to know what all happened in WW 2 or other major historical events. Don't read books? Why would you when you can surround yourself with kawaii creatures in a video game on your keitai,psp,nintendo DS, or feel yourself getting dumber by watching any of the overwhelmingly bad "TV programs" Japan has to offer. Treat the population with kid gloves and that's exactly what you get. A country of children who can't do anything for themselves and have to depend on someone to tell them what to do. As I said their education system is perfect and they will succeed as long as they don't try and compete outside Japan. Unfortunately the rest of the world will pass them by and Japan will be forced to play catch up.
Posted in: The dumbing down of Japanese students
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yabusama
Yet another reason not to watch the coverage here in Japan. Thank god for the internet.
Posted in: SMAP singer Masahiro Nakai to be TBS' main commentator for Winter Olympics
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yabusama
Norman Bates is alive and well in Japan!
Posted in: Man arrested after leaving body of dead mother in house for 6 months
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yabusama
My thoughts exactly. What if in the 200 yards he was driving were he to hit someone or a group of people? I'd like to know how the police would explain that one.
Pinheads the lot of them.LUCKILY...he didn't hit anyone and hopefully won't be driving again any time soon. Then again this is Japan.
Posted in: Man arrested after applying for driver's license renewal while drunk
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yabusama
What makes you think he doesn't know anything about teaching? Because of your alleged experience in Osaka?
My point was he,The owner and C.E.O. actually sits down at a desk in front of a computer and teaches students who show up for his lessons and walk away, not just satisfied, but happy. Hence the fact the company has been growing in new student numbers unlike the big Eikaiwas and fly by night operators out there.
Posted in: The state of the language school industry
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yabusama
kanadamanada- was that the view of upper management before the sale or after?
Posted in: The state of the language school industry
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yabusama
Yes it is a good observation Orchid64. But does it really matter what the student is coming in for? If they want the cultural experience then fine give it to them. That's part of the whole sales idea. Give the customer what they want. But if the customer/student wants to seriously learn the language you need to have the teachers that are able to teach.
Posted in: The state of the language school industry
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yabusama
The Eikaiwa industry in Japan has become a necessary evil. Lots of people need it to conduct business, evil because of the way it has manipulated this necessity by hiring those who couldn't care less about their students and ripping off both those teachers who are committed to giving quality lessons and students.
DMA, SALA, and Hummingbird recognize this and are doing something about it.
TMarie- all native speakers at DMA are required to teach including management. They don't just talk the talk.
Quest-your comments highlight the reason why the Eikaiwa is in the situation it is. While the kind of teachers you speak about do exist, it's hardly fair to lump us all in the same pile.
Posted in: The state of the language school industry
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yabusama
I'm really interested as to what pressure the U.S. is willing to exert on the Japanese to get them to act on this issue. On the surface it would seem the U.S. has so much leverage over the Japanese but they don't use it. Start with, as the poster above me mentioned, with the NK abduction issue. But maybe those who were abducted were born to a NK parent. Perhaps they were running away from a abusive Japanese spouse.
Posted in: U.S. warns Japan child custody laws could harm bilateral ties
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yabusama
So at the high end there is a difference of 100000 people. Jpn says 200 000 China says 300 000. Are these people for real?
Japan: we admit to brutally killing 200 000 people. But don't you dare say it was 300 000. That's just irresponsible.
China: You must admit to your past activities. 300 000 died.
Japan; But we only massacred 200 000. please be reasonable,
China: well lets agree to disagree. Let's have some tea. Hey that rhymes!
Japan: well it's not quite the quality of a haiku but I guess it's ok.
Posted in: Japan, China still at odds over 'Rape of Nanking'
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yabusama
congratulations to all the winners!!! I hope this brings you that much closer to a life of fulfillment and happiness!
Posted in: Miyuki Hatoyama, Becky, Saki Fukuda among best jewelry wearers
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yabusama
I personally don't care whether he has an english menu. But he's trying to hammer home the point that his "burger" shop is not the typical American chain deal but a traditional Japanese burger shop. Here's a news flash...HAMBURGERS ARE NOT JAPANESE! FRENCH FRIES,no matter what oil you cook them in, ARE NOT JAPANESE! The only thing Japanese about this place is the name, the guy making the food, and the attitude towards Western culture.
Putting avocado or pineapple on a burger has been done ad nauseum. It's nothing new and doesn't make it gourmet. Mos Burger's negi miso burger is a better example of a Japanese style hamburger than this guy's.
Posted in: Setagaya burger master goes for traditional touch