Gary's Boring Blog

-why don't more Japanese companies relocate outside of Tokyo to ease the commuter burden and make their employees happier?

Toyota is doing this. They will close their Iidabashi domestic sales & marketing office and move those jobs to sunny Toyota-shi or Nagoya by 2007. I think this is a HUGE mistake (it is the opposite of Lincoln/ Mazda/ Toyota/ Honda/ Nissan/ Hyundai, who are all based in Los Angeles/SoCal.) because they will be far away from their core customer base.

I would not want to be in the countryside. Maybe if i was married and had kids, I'd feel differently, but there are many good reasons to keep your company in the capitol city.

Posted by: gen at April 9, 2004 03:00 PM

-why are the Japanese so fixated with brand names?

Not just the Japanese. All of Asia is fixated with Western brands. But then again the West is fixated on Sony, Toyota, PlayStation, Honda, etc.

Posted by: gen at April 9, 2004 03:02 PM

-how do small Japanese businesses, especially shops, survive?

Loans from banks who can't afford to say no. This is a nation on inefficient small businesses.

Posted by: gen at April 9, 2004 03:03 PM

-jukus (cram schools) - why?

It's like in the ocean. You don't have to be the fastest tuna in the ocean, you just have to be faster than the one that gets eaten by the killer whale/ giant squid, etc.

Jukus are a horrible, horrible way to learn. The Japanese education is like some Kafkaesque nightmare. Until chugakkou, I think Japanese schools are fine. After chu-ichi, it goes downhill from there and never recovers.

Posted by: gen at April 9, 2004 03:06 PM

-why do many Japanese keep so much cash in the house?

Because 24h ATMs are a new, and still rare, commodity, maybe?

-why do Japanese people pretend to be asleep when a really old lady gets on the train and looks around for a free seat?

Dunno why, but I think it's called tanuki-neri (weasel sleep).

Posted by: olivier at April 9, 2004 03:28 PM

The answer to all your questions is "culture".

Posted by: Dirk at April 9, 2004 06:07 PM

Sorry, Dirk, but that doesn't really answer many of these questions. What part of Japanese culture, as opposed to, for example, Dutch culture, means that no facilities are built for parking bicycles?

Why are Japanese, who are usually so polite, often quite obnoxious when behind the wheel of a car? Or when sitting on a train?

Gen,
On living in the countryside, I see where you are coming from. My point is that perhaps the majority of people working in Tokyo are already living in Chiba, Saitama and Kanagawa. If this is true, then shifting office locations to cheaper commuter areas may well be a good thing for a lot of people. As a young, single, foreigner, maybe your views are not representative (just as mine as a married foreigner with half-Japanese child are not representative!)

Posted by: Gary at April 9, 2004 06:45 PM

Damn G, I duno?

Good list of Qs though.

I watch the Japanese news here in the US and it is odd that with all of the conflict inside Japan and outside that the big news is that some Korean actress came to Japan to visit and all of these women were chasing her around Tokyo

Maybe if you ignore it long enough it will all go away? (punn)

Paul

Posted by: Paul at April 10, 2004 06:22 AM

-how do small Japanese businesses, especially shops, survive? All the small, independent shops near my house seem to have 3 times as many staff as customers at any given time of the day.

During my year studying in Osaka I took a few Japanese business courses and we talked a lot about this same problem. The reason a lot of these smaller "mom-and-pop" stores can survive is because the government gives them incentives, tax breaks, and has rules that bigger stores must follow for the sole purpose of helping the little guys.

The Japanese government did this in an attempt to keep it's cities more "Japanese" and to protect the small shop owners that have been a mainstay of Japanese culture long before big chain stores arrived. The other reason these laws are in place is to make it more difficult for foreign companies to open up in Japan.

These laws usually do more harm than good and they have been under a lot of scrutiny over the past ten years or so. The US and Europe have pressured Japan to ease up on these restrictions to allow more foreign companies into Japan. Critics also say that it is hopeless to try and save the small shops as the big chains will win in the end with their convienence, cheap prices and huge selection of products.

I'd have to say that not all of the things you mentioned are because of Japanese culture, but a lot of them are. I think this problem is purely a Japanese culturual thing. However, why Japanese people are so rude when they drive is beyond me and I don't think it has to do with culture. After living in Osaka for a year, I lived in Nagoya for a year and now I live in the relative countryside of Obihiro, Hokkaido (my wife's hometown). I really miss the city a lot and it's so different than the rest of Japan here.

But anyway, I drive everyday to work here (there are only three train stations in town) and I get to experience it first hand. Japanese drivers, at least in Hokkaido, always start to go before the light turns green, they run red lights all the time, stop in the crosswalks or almost in the middle of the intersections, always seem to floor their car and go as fast as they can even though they have to stop at a red light that is only a few hundred meters away, and always take turns really fast.

While I was a student in Osaka I was hit by a car while walking to school. I was knocked out and two of my ribs were broken and the next five months were really painfull because of this. That's when I realized Japanese people are some of the worst drivers in the world. I've yet to figure out why.

Posted by: Jonah at April 10, 2004 09:53 AM

It is culture because culture can be illogical and against common sense - especially yours. And you're comparing it with your understanding of things.

Why does London still have double decker buses which are 60 years old and blow out thick black smoke? Why do drunk Brits often get violent and urinate in the streets? Why was the British train system never upgraded? Why is British food tasteless (for the most part)? Why do most Bitish houses not have double glazing? Why do the pubs close at 11pm? Why is some of the beer warm? Oh, and in London nobody stops at zebra crossings either and many cars go over red.... the list goes on and on.

Yes, some things are logical, universally true and should be done sensibly. But sometimes they aren't.

Posted by: Dirk at April 10, 2004 10:30 AM

-why do Japanese car drivers never slow down or stop at zebra crossings?
-why don't most small roads have pedestrian pathways.

Well, put these two things together and you get one of my biggest pet peeves, people speeding down ridiculously narrow streets. The street I have to walk down to get to my train station is like this. Is it so hard to slow down? And why speed up anyway when in less than 30 meters you're going to have to brake at the intersection anyway!? Taking a big generalizing sweep, I can't help but think the way people behave in their cars here has a lot to do with how pushed around they are when they're not in them.

Gen commented:
Not just the Japanese. All of Asia is fixated with Western brands. But then again the West is fixated on Sony, Toyota, PlayStation, Honda, etc.

Well, when I was in Hawaii a few months ago I was shocked at how LV has infiltrated there, and not with the expected Japanese tourists either but with the local population (although the tourists could well have started the trend). Not sure LV wants it or not, but it seemed to me that LV was fast on its way to Tommy Hilfiger land: the brand of choice for trailer trash to show the world that they aren't really trailer trash.

Posted by: Kurt at April 10, 2004 12:04 PM

-why do Japanese car drivers never slow down or stop at zebra crossings?

Because Japanese pedestrians don't complain, so the police don't crack down.

-why do many Japanese car drivers think it is OK to stop their vehicle ON zebra crossings? Then look puzzled when I gesture to them to get off the bloody pedestrian crossing...

Because Japanese pedestirans don't gesture them to get off hte bloddy pedestiran crossing.

-why do Japanese bicycle riders never use lights at night?

Because it's a pain-in-the-arse to carry it with you and put it on the bike everytime you get on, then take it off when you get off the bike, lest it be stolen in this wonderful law abaiding nation.

-why, when a large number of the population use bicycles, are there so few facilities for bicycle parking?

I ask "Why are passenger cars even allowed on the roads in areas accesible by trains? When I am walking or riding a bike down the middle of a local (what I call pedestrian) road, I refuse to move when a car comes behind. Someone has to teach them that they can get there faster by train or bus.

-why do many Japanese people sprint from one train to another every morning?

I never understand this one... especially when the express train stops across the platform from the local train, which CAN NOT leave until after the express train, yet people sprint across the platform as if they may miss it... knocking over all old ladies and children in their path.

-why don't Japanese people open the windows on trains when the train is really stuffy and sweaty?

Afraid of what the person next to them will say?

-why don't more Japanese companies relocate outside of Tokyo to ease the commuter burden and make their employees happier?

Would you want to work in a country bumpkin town? It sounds much more oshyare to work in downtown To Ki Yo.

-similarly, why is flexible time not used more in Japanese companies to ease the pain at rush-hour?

Because Japanese people don't demeand it? I think most things are because their culture frowns upon speaking up for their best interest.

-why don't most small roads have pedestrian pathways.
(I went walking with Rosie last week, and her buggy/stroller, whilst narrow, is too wide to fit between the electricity poles and the edge of the road, forcing us to walk in the road, not the poor excuse for a pedestrian space. As the population gets older, and more people use wheelchairs, this problem is only going to get worse).

Because owning a car is considered a sign of wealth and success. It's portrayed as sexy in TV and magazines (just like cigarttes are). Therefore people want to own cars. Tokyo isn't big enough that everyone can own a car AND have a large apartment, AND have a walkway. No one seems to recognize the fact that a big city, with high population density does not mix well with everyone owning cars. Therefore owning cars is further encouraged. The more cars the more road space is needed. The more road space the less walk space... you get the picture.

-why do many Japanese salarymen, who have a poor ability to drink, routinely attempt to consume large amounts of alcohol. Do they think if they keep practising long enough, they will eventually be able to drink like Irishmen?

I really wonder if most of them are at all happy about drinking with co-workers so much. Maybe they are just afraid to speak up for themselves.

-why don't Japanese people fight each other more on the trains in the mornings?

My question is why can't the London tube fit more poeple in the car? The same goes for the New York subway.

-why are the Japanese so fixated with brand names? Is there some deep psychological reason for this phenomenon? Are they actually more concerned with brand-names than people in other countries? I think so, but have no evidence, apart from the fact that Fendi and Louis Vitton get around 50% of their sales from the Japanese market.

I don't think they are more concerned with brand names. They are more concerned with "rich" brand names, that signify wealth, but Americans are just as conscerned about brands that signify "individuality".

-why do Japanese people pretend to be asleep when a really old lady gets on the train and looks around for a free seat?

Generally, I think the older people are healthier than the younger people. Maybe the younger people should have the right to sit down.

-why do so many Japanese smoke? Yes it's a cheap habit here, but it's cheap in Virginia and North Carolina as well...

Because not enough people complain and stand up for their right to be in a smoke-free environment. IN the US somking lost "coolness" because non-smokers complained. It wasn't because people suddenly realized that they were killing themselves and everyone around them.

-why do many Japanese keep so much cash in the house?

I agree with Gen about the ATMs being almost worthless.

-how do Japanese men get so good at folding those large newspapers? Is it origami practise when they are young? It takes me 2 or 3 minutes, on average, to fold my newspaper, and it still looks like it has just lost a fight with an accounting textbook.

I have particed at home with this one... They are probably tought that when US kids are being tought how to shave.

-how do small Japanese businesses, especially shops, survive? All the small, independent shops near my house seem to have 3 times as many staff as customers at any given time of the day.

This is the one thing I can't figure out. ( I already knew the answers to all the rest of your questions ). I am glad though that some local shops survive. Doing all my shopping at Wal-Mart (Seiyu) does not appeal much to me. I pay higher prices to buy from people I know. If the government is subsidizing these shops, more power to them. I see no reason why they should stop because the big foreign corporations are crying and whining about it.

-jukus (cram schools) - why?

Because people are too afraid to stand up for their kid's right to have a life. They are afraid to have their kid be a little different.

Posted by: kevin at April 10, 2004 08:25 PM

Must admit, this is a fantastic topic, and even more fantastic thread, with everyone being *spot* on with their comments.
Good one Gary!

Posted by: Cornelius at April 11, 2004 01:53 AM

forgot one:

-why do Japanese bicycle riders never use lights at night?

One of my private students, who wrote an English essay about getting into a bicycle accident with someone who didn't have his light on, explained to me that older riders often don't because it makes it harder to peddle (these are the kind of lights that are attached to the front wheel and are powered by the energy caused by that tire moving). Apparently now many of these older (and probably some younger ones as well) buy lights that can be attached to the handlebars. I find it ridiculous that for a smidgen of extra comfort (c'mon, do these lights really make peddling that much harder?), folks are willing to risk their safety and that of others. Which leads me to....

My single biggest fucking irritating pet peeve in all of Japan: people who ride their bicycles in the rain while carrying an umbrella. Buy a raincoat, or here's a novel idea, WALK!

Posted by: Kurt at April 11, 2004 02:22 AM

One question that I always wondered is; What do Japanese people hold dearly to them? You know like Country or God, freedom their religion? For ex: Many people in the US are willing to die for freedom and the things they believe in(so they will tell you). If you burn an American Flag on the street you are going to get your ass kicked by someone. In England you can get killed for indusulting someone's football favorite. You would weep if someone burned down your church. Japanese just seem not to care, or stand for anything, except for brands and what look good. John Lennon thought that was a good thing...maybe it is...maybe that is why Japan is not as violent as other countries. I do not think the Japanese are tolerant of other peoples beliefs or ideals. I just think they don't care.

You know G you could have a whole blog dedicated to these questions just to let people rant. This has got to be the most replys you have had on your blog.

By the way...what the heck is a zebra crossing? Is that an expresion left from the Britt Empire days in Africa? Just joking no reason to reply European friends of G.

I tried to come up with a list for the US but...I don't think about it that much.

Posted by: Paul at April 11, 2004 03:24 AM

"-why don't more Japanese companies relocate outside of Tokyo to ease the commuter burden and make their employees happier?"

One reason is that recruiting becomes difficult for some companies. Micron Japan used to be located at the Makkuhari Messei and the Country Manager was a friend of mine. He told me that they had a hard time recruiting people. Almost all of their employees lived in Chiba, and since so many of their customers were in Tokyo, they had a hard time finding sales people who wanted to travel from their Makkuhari office into Tokyo everyday.

If your office is more centrally located, you can recruit from several train lines, if it is out of the city, you can only recruit from a couple of train lines.

Obviouly the type of business you operate and where your customers are located plays a large role in your need to be in the city or not.

Posted by: Chris at April 12, 2004 12:37 PM

"-why do many Japanese salarymen, who have a poor ability to drink, routinely attempt to consume large amounts of alcohol. Do they think if they keep practising long enough, they will eventually be able to drink like Irishmen?"

There are two reasons for this.
1. Drinking is fun, no matter how poor you are at it.
2. Everyone wants to be Irish!

Posted by: Chris at April 12, 2004 12:38 PM

Kurt said
My single biggest fucking irritating pet peeve in all of Japan: people who ride their bicycles in the rain while carrying an umbrella. Buy a raincoat, or here's a novel idea, WALK!

Just to add to that - people who ride bicycles in the dark in the rain and have no lights and hold an umbrella and try to talk on their keitais at the same time... I LOVE those people (whatever their race - some foreigners have succumbed to the keitai-and-umbrella-on-bicycle nonsense

Posted by: Gary at April 12, 2004 12:54 PM

jukus (cram schools) - why?

My daughter's school: Public elementary school. The level is incredible low: never homework, slow learning patterns, challenges are avoided (because smarter kids could have an advantage). Even my daughter (who is born lazy) thinks school is a boring affair.

If you want to educate your child, don't count on the public schools. Japan is creating a dual society: public schools don't offer the minimum education anymore. Three solutions. 1. Teach yourself your kids at home; 2. Send your kids to an expensive and exclusive private school; 3. Or, pay for the juku.

Can't explain more here. More about the incredible stupid education policy of the current gorvernment: 'Japan Unbound' from John Nathan. It explains why cram schools are, after all, unavoidable.

Posted by: vincent at April 13, 2004 12:15 AM

-why do Japanese car drivers never slow down or stop at zebra crossings?

A lot of cars do slow down in residential neighborhoods, but most national capitals have this problem. This is just a big city issue, and is not connected to Japan. Basically, they're in a rush.

-why do many Japanese car drivers think it is OK to stop their vehicle ON zebra crossings? Then look puzzled when I gesture to them to get off the bloody pedestrian crossing...

Ask your wife about this one. I bet she can tell you why they’re puzzled by your gesturing.

-why do Japanese bicycle riders never use lights at night?

Do you bicycle at night? I used to, and the reason I never used lights is because it is loud and makes it much harder to pedal. Of course the police stopped me once for not using them, so there is some effort at enforcement.

-why, when a large number of the population use bicycles, are there so few facilities for bicycle parking?

Tokyo is crowded! There's no room.

-why do many Japanese people sprint from one train to another every morning?

To get to work on time. I did this for a few months when I worked mornings after I first came to Japan. You don't want to leave the house until you absolutely have to, so you try to minimize the commute time. People aren't so different in New York.

-why don't Japanese people open the windows on trains when the train is really stuffy and sweaty?

Sometimes they do. But the main reason consideration for other passengers who might be concerned about messing up their hair, or who might feel too cold. People express a large amount of concern for the feelings of others, which might be different from Europe or the States. (Akashi, a former U.N. Undersecretary General, tells a story about his experience studying abroad in the States. His roommate would always open the window, even when it was freezing cold. He would never ask if it was okay or show any concern for Akashi. This was evidently fairly baffling American behavior.)

-why don't more Japanese companies relocate outside of Tokyo to ease the commuter burden and make their employees happier?

Company offices aren't decided based on commuter issues. This is a problem in many nations.

-similarly, why is flexible time not used more in Japanese companies to ease the pain at rush-hour?

Flex-time is becoming more common.

-why don't most small roads have pedestrian pathways.

The roads predate cars in many cases.

-why do many Japanese salarymen, who have a poor ability to drink, routinely attempt to consume large amounts of alcohol.

In a lot of cases there is social pressure to do so. At least they don't get violent like in some countries.

-why don't Japanese people fight each other more on the trains in the mornings?

Should they?

-Are they actually more concerned with brand-names than people in other countries?

Luis Vitton is indeed way too popular. This is one of the stupider trends in my opinion.

-why do Japanese people pretend to be asleep when a really old lady gets on the train and looks around for a free seat?

Why do the old ladies not wait in line to get on trains? Those old ladies can be vicious you know! Young people work hard and are tired as well.

-why do so many Japanese smoke?

This is a problem. But try living in China. It's much worse. Isn't Europe pretty awful as well in this regard?

-why do many Japanese keep so much cash in the house?

Because there are so few 24 hour ATMs and a lot of shops don't accept credit cards. It used to be safe, though this is changing.

-why don't most dentists and hospitals use an appointment system?

I like the system actually. You can come anytime and don't have to wait a month like in the States. When you are sick or need serious dental treatment, you don't want to make an appointment, you want to go now. You can make appointments though if you like.

-how do Japanese men get so good at folding those large newspapers?

Practice.

-how do small Japanese businesses, especially shops, survive?

In my neighborhood I've seen about five such businesses go under. In some cases they are family owned and only the grandparents or wife run the business while the husband brings in the main income through working at a company. In the cases of liquor store, futon stores, and tatami stores they do most of their business in bulk to other businesses, so even though they look empty, they may be selling quite a lot.

-why do so many Japanese want to learn English? Is English conversation a necessary skill for daily life in Japan?

Easy for you to say being a native speaker. (Me too.) Of course it's not necessary for everyday life, but it brings a lot of work opportunities and makes foreign travel a lot easier.

-jukus (cram schools) - why?

This is part of a larger problem. I have a lot of complaints about the school system in Tokyo. It seems necessary to go to a juku in order to pass the examinations to get into a decent junior high school then high school, university, and eventually company. The whole system is flawed.

Posted by: Quinlan at April 13, 2004 11:23 PM

Congratulations!

-why do Japanese bicycle riders never use lights at night?

I think in case of a old-type bicycle, lights make SPEED slow down. The source of lights is the friction between light and tire. This light-up system is similar to clockwork one. So we have to ride stronger than usual as you know. I hated it.
Otherwise, in case of new-type one,we only have to turn it on. But most people don't turn it on?
It's likely that japanese are more careless than others to car drivers.

Posted by: WOMBAT at April 14, 2004 12:34 AM

Read: sarcasm. bitter. sarcasm. need. wide. world. view. Adaptation skills are veerrry important, ladies and germs.

My answers to questions you've been wondering for a while.
-why do Japanese car drivers never slow down or stop at zebra crossings?
because we pay honor to the zebras.

-why do many Japanese car drivers think it is OK to stop their vehicle ON zebra crossings? Then look puzzled when I gesture to them to get off the bloody pedestrian crossing...
because we don't want no white men wavin' and hollerin' at us.

-why do Japanese bicycle riders never use lights at night?
because we secretly want to emerge from the darkness and kill you.

-why, when a large number of the population use bicycles, are there so few facilities for bicycle parking?
because we want to overload the land so that the marines would leave.

-why do many Japanese people sprint from one train to another every morning?
because unlike americans, we are busy, hardworking people.

-why don't Japanese people open the windows on trains when the train is really stuffy and sweaty?
because of hopes of trying to suffocate any americans who might be on the train.

-why don't more Japanese companies relocate outside of Tokyo to ease the commuter burden and make their employees happier?
because tokyo IS the center of the damned world.

-similarly, why is flexible time not used more in Japanese companies to ease the pain at rush-hour?
because we want to overthrow the empire.

-why don't most small roads have pedestrian pathways.
(I went walking with Rosie last week, and her buggy/stroller, whilst narrow, is too wide to fit between the electricity poles and the edge of the road, forcing us to walk in the road, not the poor excuse for a pedestrian space. As the population gets older, and more people use wheelchairs, this problem is only going to get worse).
well forget the strollers, CARRY YOUR LITTLE BABIES WITH YOUR ARMS! have enough courtesy to relocate your old parents to coutrysides with WIDE ASS ROADS.

-why do many Japanese salarymen, who have a poor ability to drink, routinely attempt to consume large amounts of alcohol. Do they think if they keep practising long enough, they will eventually be able to drink like Irishmen?
it's called HAVING FUN.

-why don't Japanese people fight each other more on the trains in the mornings?
because we are great, calm people.

-why are the Japanese so fixated with brand names? Is there some deep psychological reason for this phenomenon? Are they actually more concerned with brand-names than people in other countries? I think so, but have no evidence, apart from the fact that Fendi and Louis Vitton get around 50% of their sales from the Japanese market.
why do all the brand fashion trends come from HOLLYWOOD?!

-why do Japanese people pretend to be asleep when a really old lady gets on the train and looks around for a free seat?
because you won't give her YOUR seat and you're looking at other people pretending to be asleep.

-why do so many Japanese smoke? Yes it's a cheap habit here, but it's cheap in Virginia and North Carolina as well...
why do so many OTHER PEOPLE IN THE WORLD smoke too???

-why do many Japanese keep so much cash in the house?
because we are so rich we like to burn them at night when candles go short.

-why don't most dentists and hospitals use an appointment system?
can you tell that you're going to get sick exactly in 35 hours?

-how do Japanese men get so good at folding those large newspapers? Is it origami practise when they are young? It takes me 2 or 3 minutes, on average, to fold my newspaper, and it still looks like it has just lost a fight with an accounting textbook.
we feel sorry for your indexterious fingers.

-how do small Japanese businesses, especially shops, survive? All the small, independent shops near my house seem to have 3 times as many staff as customers at any given time of the day.
we all like checking out young girls.

-why do so many Japanese want to learn English? Is English conversation a necessary skill for daily life in Japan?
because we'd like to fuck the british people someday.

-jukus (cram schools) - why?
because we want to get in Waseda and PARTY.

I swear I don't like picking fights with married old men. I don't like causing controversy! What? I swear! I hope I enlightened the world a little bit. The last Waseda part.

Posted by: yk at April 14, 2004 12:53 AM

What I really want to know is why is bacon in Japan so lame? Is it precooked? Why doesn't it get crispy?

(Good news! Costco has frozen American bacon!)

Posted by: Chris at April 14, 2004 06:49 PM

Hey Chris,
No adding your own questions! Get your own blog if you want to do that!

Yuki, Less of the 'old' if you don't mind. Need to add another question - 'why are college kids in Japan so cheeky/sassy/namaiki...'

(just kidding, in case anyone was wondering)

Posted by: Gary at April 14, 2004 07:06 PM

why do Japanese car drivers never slow down or stop at zebra crossings? coz pedestrians are poofs.....step out risk your neck and glare at the fuckers. power to the pedestrian!
-
--why, when a large number of the population use bicycles, are there so few facilities for bicycle parking? .......to provide jobs for those old soldiers who protect us from the parked bikes.

-why do many Japanese people sprint from one train to another every morning? ......this is not a relaxed country. when i go back to the states everyone looks comfy in their skin, lots of folks here are not. there are still lots of militaristic overtones in japan.

-why don't Japanese people open the windows on trains when the train is really stuffy and sweaty? .....coz they fear they dont have the strength to pull down those windows...have you tried it? takes a bit of oomph

--why do so many Japanese smoke? ....this is easy, when we came to japan 8 yrs ago there were TV!! ads for fags. beautiful blondes smoking on the beach. mountain climbers puffing on the peak. the japanese government controlled the production of cigs until recently. advertising works! btw i've quit smoking!

-why do many Japanese keep so much cash in the house? for the chinese lock pickers to steal...allegedly.

-why don't most dentists and hospitals use an appointment system? .......you can bribe to get to the front of the queue. i did it once!! my japanese friend slipped some cash and i slipped to the front. felt a teeny bit guilty but what the hell, when in rome.

Is English conversation a necessary skill for daily life in Japan?....... have you seen the ads for schools here? every-friggin-where arent they? have you ever seen an ad for language schools in the uk outside of central london? great for people still in the eikawa biz.

-jukus (cram schools) - why?...... do you know the big school kumon? well its taking over the uk too. theres one in my backyard in liverpool.

daves midnight rambling

Posted by: dave long at April 15, 2004 12:30 AM

I live a few clicks from the US base at Yokosuka. Driving in Japan must be a nightmare from US service personnel. They have to drive on the "wrong" side, and constantly watch out for those kids on scooters that pass on the inside. So many kids on scooters have bit the tarmac in the Yokosuka area they are starting to be a bit more careful. And at intersections, almost everyone continues to cross after the lights turn red, while others "anticipate the word of command" and move off before the lights go green. Pure Darwinism: Survival of the fittest, or in this case non-survival of the thickest. Still, there are 127 million of um.

Posted by: Jason at October 8, 2005 09:39 PM