JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?
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Confrontation
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U.S. Navy investigating how parts fell off aircraft near Atsugi
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California court to decide if SeaWorld whales are illegal 'slaves'
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Kuroki reported pregnant 2 weeks after denying relationship with Akanishi
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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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zaichik
Interesting, Cleo - despite the proximity of Toyama to Joetsu, where I spent my first two years after leaving uni, I never spent any time there, so I didn't know about the lavish hospitality there.
Incidentally, you can get pretty little boxes to take home any kaiseki leftovers after a full tea ceremony.
Posted in: Doggie bag
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zaichik
I think they mean sock as in wind sock, rather than the things you put on your feet....
Posted in: Koinobori socks with children's photos
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zaichik
There aren't many things more resistant to the cold in this world than a high school girl's legs, particularly in Niigata! It used to amuse me that you'd see them trudging through the snow in Joetsu in Ugg boots, but with an acre of bare leg. Seemed to defeat the object of the sheepskin boots....
Posted in: It is not good for their health if their legs are too cold.
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zaichik
Ah, suddenly everything becomes clear. Hmmmm....if they get more female members, the oyaji-tachi that dominate the shouboudan at present will have to forego the regular drinking parties with paid female companions, which seemed to be their sole motivation for enrolling in these groups, according to my ex.
Posted in: Megumi Yasu serves as poster girl for female firefighter recruitment drive
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zaichik
They're very handy for meetings - means that everybody gets the same version of the structures/notes on there. We have one in our office - think the exec use it quite a lot.
Posted in: Blackboard bonanza
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zaichik
China's getting rid of PHS and Japan's reintroducing it. I thought PHS was now obsolete technology....
Posted in: Rakuten to offer PHS service from April
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zaichik
I don't know about "better", but certainly more appropriate for the Japanese market, which is less likely to know about Shakespeare and the pound of flesh, which is what the English title refers to, I believe.
Posted in: 7 Pounds
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zaichik
I agree that disposable manager-created pop is not unique to Japan. Similarly, not all Japanese pop is disposable J-pop. E.g. Pizzicato Five - non-disposable Japanese pop that stands up to serious appraisal - their single Twiggy Twiggy gets the occasional outing on Mark Radcliffe's BBC Radio 2 show, and the late lamented John Peel played them on his show - it doesn't get more credible than that.
Posted in: J-pop industry taking the music out of music business
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zaichik
Reminds me of the episode of Drop the Dead Donkey where Damien lives rough for a few days. Hope these guys don't find themselves in danger of getting beaten up by local youths wanting to "clean up" the local area....
Posted in: 'Homeless' hone their rough-living skills
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zaichik
I went a couple of times to a hostess bar in Niigata that some of my female colleagues liked. The hostesses there were friendly and I found myself listening to the boyfriend troubles of one. It was quite fun. As someone who doesn't find it easy to make small talk with people with whom I have nothing in common (e.g. most of my in-laws), I've developed a greater appreciation of the abilities required of your average hostess, who has to talk to the punters, regardless of whether they find them interesting or not.
Posted in: Men come here for different reasons, mainly because they want to be listened to.
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zaichik
Black cherry - it's the least artistic of all the blancmanges....
Posted in: Eiko Koike promotes cotton industry
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zaichik
Putin & Medvedev could come to NZ and have their photos taken on Khyber Pass Road in Auckland, perhaps at the Lion Brewery....
Was talking about Afghanistan with Mr Zaichik the other day and came to the conclusion that Afghanistan as a posting was for Russian soldiers what Northern Ireland was for British ones.
Posted in: Russia says it wants to help U.S. in Afghanistan
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zaichik
Hmmm...Pacific Islander (who, let's face it, probably lived in NZ a while - half the population here is a stoner) smokes dope. Is this meant to be news?
Not sure why pot is seen as a problem in rugby - it's not like it gives the team an unfair advantage. Actually, it puts the team at a disadvantage - player is more likely to stand there looking dopily at the ball rather than catching it, talk incessantly to the ref about trivial things, and wander off mid-game to find munchies....
Posted in: Tongan member of Japan's rugby team tests positive for marijuana
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zaichik
Don't be -ist-ist!
Not entirely impressed with the monkey design - I'm sure one could devise something more interesting. Or did she actually have to draw it herself? In which case, she's probably done a damn sight better than I could have (I have the artistic ability of a blancmange....)
Posted in: Eiko Koike promotes cotton industry
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zaichik
Pneumonia in a 36-year-old doesn't ring any particular warning bells, although one wonders why she was not in hospital or being monitored by a doctor.
However, I can understand why people here are questioning whether Ms Iijima might have been HIV+ in light of the fact that pneumonia is a known complication of HIV/AIDS. And one also wonders about the ability/willingness of Japanese hospitals to accommodate patients who are HIV+.
However, even if she was HIV+, I can understand that her next of kin might not want this publicised.
Be careful out there, chaps and chapesses - HIV is still a reality, even in Japan.
Posted in: Ai Iijima died of pneumonia; no foul play, say police
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zaichik
To be fair, this is a problem in many countries - my ex-b/f ended up going over the bonnet of an elderly driver who failed to see him on his bicycle and therefore didn't stop at the junction. Fortunately, ex-b/f only sustained minor injuries, but it could have been much, much worse.
The one time I had to renew my Japanese driving licence (the day after the Chuetsu Earthquake, as it happens), the lecture for renewing drivers contained a warning that one should not turn the wheels in anticipation of turning while waiting to turn, for precisely the reason you cited.
Posted in: Five-car pileup in Tokyo caused by 80-year-old driver
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zaichik
Perfect timing JT - I'm just translating the Tokyu Railways website and this is most handy for the section on the Setagaya Explorer Ticket!
Posted in: Tram tours backstreets of Setagaya
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zaichik
I used to like giving up my seat on the bus in Niigata in the same way I like speaking Japanese to unsuspecting Japanese tourists in NZ - 9 times out of 10 you get puzzlement followed by a smile.
Posted in: Tokyo Metro
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zaichik
I believe Hitachi came up with something like this a few years ago.
We have fingerprint algorithm scanners at our workplace, for logging the times when we clock in and out of work. They're linked to our payroll system. It's not a bad system, but I'm not entirely sure it has been as cost-effective as our financial controller hoped it would be....
Posted in: Sony develops compact high-speed finger vein authentication system
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zaichik
'tis if you spent any time in the UK. Nobody wants our British blood....
Moderator: Stay on topic please.
Posted in: In Japan, you are what your blood type is