LBW2010 comments

Posted in: Woman’s body found on terminal building roof at Narita airport See in context

Rest in pace, dear lost soul. Me prays is with your.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: How would you rate outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy? Do you think she did a good job? See in context

Her tenure really seemed to reinforce the notion that the Japan ambassadorship is a sinecure. Her duties seemed utterly ceremonial the entire time.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: When you were a child, what profession did you aspire to? And did you actually join that profession when you became an adult? See in context

Novelist. Account Executive.

just kill me

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: Nowhere to go See in context

Why would you stand on that...

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Posted in: Setting the standard for good business See in context

Great article, and Christie seems like a wonderful guy and astute businessman! We need more entrepreneurs with passion like him. And Japan is such a beautiful country to tour.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: Death by overwork on rise among Japan's vulnerable workers See in context

The human costs of Japan Inc.'s conformist, feudalistic, repressive employment policies are great. Another serious cost is the derogation of entrepreneurship and economic vibrancy that such policies engender. Nobody wants to make a start-up. Nobody wants to take a risk on a new business venture. There is no mid-career market, so there is no pool of experienced professionals to help young entrepreneurs. And within major companies there is a complete lack of joy in competition, creativity, and risk-taking. We are already seeing past giants like Sharp and Sony decay due to the entrenched stagnation, inefficiency, and meaningless overwork in their companies.

Work SMART not hard. Don't work unpaid overtime shuffling papers in order to "fit in."

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Posted in: Japan accepts 27 refugees last year; rejects 99% of applications See in context

A very good move by Japan. Wise.

14 ( +31 / -16 )

Posted in: Scholar Donald Keene finds his life intertwined with Japan See in context

@Tamarama, @wipeout

I just don't feel like Keene has done that much to contribute to Japanese society. He has admitted himself that the only reason he is famous is because he stumbled into the world of Japanese literature appreciation at a time when virtually zero other Westerners were doing so.

I don't care if I'm not lauded in the media for my work in Japan. I just think it's rather incongruous that the media and government seem to worship this academic for what are, in my opinion, profoundly pedestrian contributions to Showa and Heisei Japan.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Posted in: Scholar Donald Keene finds his life intertwined with Japan See in context

So Professor Keene decides that he would like to "die in Japan" and is immediately granted citizenship by the government of Japan and also lauded as a hero for moving to Tokyo in the aftermath of Fukushima. Meanwhile the hardworking, sacrificing, suffering foreign citizens of Tohoku, and the thousands of foreigners who have lived for decades in Tokyo, working hard to contribute meaningfully to the Japanese nation, are utterly ignored by the government and by the media.

0 ( +8 / -8 )

Posted in: Toyota exec in Japan resigns over drug arrest See in context

She was an idiot for pulling this stunt, but I feel bad for her.

Can you imagine being arrested in a foreign country that can hold you for 20+ days in jail, WITHDRAWING FROM OPIATES while in jail, and then losing your job and being disgraced in the international press?

Should we put her on suicide watch?

4 ( +5 / -2 )

Posted in: 13-year-old boy jumps to death from tower in Niigata See in context

I was certainly not suicidal or even depressed at 13.

I have gone through bouts of depression in my adult life, but I suppose that is to be expected.

I can't imagine what sort of situation would cause suicidal depression in a 13-year-old.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Posted in: Day of the dolphin See in context

These people need to get jobs.

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

Posted in: Gyoza the great See in context

Nothing like a well-made plate of gyoza!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: A visit to the Guinness World Record-holding oldest hotel in the world – established 705 AD See in context

Ugh. Whatever. Completely misleading. This is just another example of Japan's little-brother, Guiness-Book obsession.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Sony to cut 1,000 jobs in smartphone business See in context

Wow, I would hate to be one of those 1,000. Hope they have some decent non-Sony connections to help with their mid-career job change. Oh, wait, this is Japan...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Modern life See in context

Looks about 8000 times better than the scenery found in NYC's subways.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: What do you think of the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) program? See in context

I think it's a very good program. It is fairly prestigious (in the circles in which it is known), and certainly helps expose rural Japan to foreigners. The pay and medium-term job security is also a plus.

That being said, I've seen it turn into sort of a career black-hole for some people. Nobody really makes connections / relationships via JET that turn into better job opportunities. Most JET participants have to start another career completely from the ground-up, while they are finishing JET or afterward. It's hard to transition into another job from JET.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Posted in: Why is Japan such an unpopular tourist destination? See in context

Lack of publicity Poor reputation for English signage and English-friendly services. Lack of truly world-class tourist destinations in Tokyo and Osaka. (Bad museums, a lot of the old cultural centers have been destroyed, paved over, and filled with post-modern office buildings) China is more "fashionable" as a destination these days. Environmental degradation / poor urban planning in many areas. (Compare Yoyogi to Central Park, or compare Ginza to Park Avenue)

8 ( +19 / -11 )

Posted in: Uniqlo under fire for dealing with Chinese factories accused of putting workers at risk See in context

Regardless of their labor practices, I've found that the quality of Uniqlo garments bought in Japan is absolutely horrendous. Pockets ripping off of cardigans after one use, holes wearing in the seams of sweaters and dress shirts. Buttons popping off of pants. I've never bought clothes anywhere that became useless so quickly. Except maybe Gap.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Posted in: Yakiniku sauce poured into post boxes See in context

That saucy fellow.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Posted in: A quick study - Unilever Japan See in context

They've got that mug.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Mother suffocates 4-month-old daughter to death See in context

Uh...buy some earplugs...?

Subhuman.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Posted in: The pay increase at the BOJ is another good sign that a virtuous cycle of Abenomics is spreading in Japan. Wage increases in the government and at the BOJ will promote raises at private companies. See in context

The only reason BOJ pay increased is because it's a para-governmental institution and they were probably ordered to do so by the bureaucracy.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: On a clear day... See in context

Beautiful. I love how Tokyo gets those blue-sky days all through winter. Makes up for the summers...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Japan's war on deflation faces its toughest battle See in context

200,000 is fairly normal but that doesn't mean it's good. It's minimal. I've had jobs where I make 300,000 and that doesn't really leave much money for saving and nice vacations either, unless you're just eating ramen for lunch every day and rarely going out to dinner.

Call me a spoiled brat, but I'm not going to work 60 hours a week for 200,000 to 300,000 a month, especially with Tokyo prices and Tokyo rents.

People above me have said it correctly--Japan has created an environment where people work insanely long hours for little pay, all while surrounded by sky-high prices and rents. Some of this is geographic--Japan relies on a lot of imports, and there's not a lot of land to go around with 100 million people. Some of it is also because of weird economic policies--a lack of competition among Japanese firms and international firms, often brought on by non-tariff barriers. And, of course, the Japanese populace's complete inability to complain about anything.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Young Japanese worry about future amid recession See in context

I had a contract in Japan once for a job at an advertising company in Tokyo--¥30 Man a month for basically being an unlimited, disposable overtime slave. No real chance of advancement or a long-term position. Terrible work, too. I told them they could stuff it. Much happier and better off now financially, too...

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Posted in: Common habits of Japan’s low earners - What this survey tells us, and what it doesn’t See in context

Good analysis and rebuttal. Always nice to see other people thinking properly.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: What do you think are some of the main differences in the way Japanese and U.S. media report the news? See in context

U.S. media are much more opinionated, on the whole. Opinionated and/or sensationalized. Just compare, say, CNN or NHK. CNN actually makes you feel like the world is ending. And certainly the rhetoric at Fox or WSJ or NYT is vastly more bombastic than what you see in Japan's more biased publications, like Yomiuri or Asahi.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Posted in: Lottery ticket line-up See in context

What a lame way to spend your weekend.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Red warning lights flashing for global economy See in context

@Jimmy Alegre

...what?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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