“Problematic Permanent Residency in Japan”
Foster togetherness or Xenophobia? : Problematic Permanent Residency in Japan As to whether to grant permanent resident foreigners the right to vote in local elections has become a major issue, foreigners with permanent resident status are now drawing attention. If the right to vote is granted, it will be given to a total of 910,000 […]
Foreigners Working in Japanese Companies
Speaking English Is Now Prerequisite on Business in Japan “Money talks,” they say. In Japan nowadays, many businesspeople believe money speaks English. Some prominent Japanese firms are adopting English as their official language, most notably Rakuten, an online retail service company, and Fast Retailing, the parent company of the popular Uniqlo chain of clothing stores. […]
A Go-by-the-book Society in Japan
Some regard Japanese people as being rather inflexible. A major reason for this, it’s been said, is an educational system that does not encourage free thinking but it could also be argued that Japanese even from long ago had a penchant for seeking the safest and surest way of doing things. That may be the […]
What is 5S in the Japanese Workplace? (1)
Why the Japanese Have Difficulty Explaining 5S? Most non-Japanese business people especially factory workers must know something about 5S. A Google search will find multiple variations of the definitions of the five concepts, sometimes Seiri = sorting, Seiton = organizing, Seiso = cleaning, Seiketsu = sanitizing and Shitsuke = sustaining. Other times Seiri = organizing […]
LULU, the most famous cold medicine in Japan
LULU Most people in Japan think of LULU when they hear the words household remedy. For nearly 60 years after it first went on sale in 1951, LULU has been enjoyed by the Japanese as a familiar cold remedy. Besides its effectiveness, LULU was also created taking user-friendliness and packaging into account. LULU tablets were thus sugar-coated […]
Where Did Its Aim of “Protecting Children” Go in Japan?
Debate over the Ban on Child Porn Comics in Japan It has Been Turned into a Political Issue at the Convenience of Adults On June 16, 2010, when the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly’s regular session in June was closed, an amendment bill to the metropolitan ordinance for the sound development of youth was voted down by […]
Japanese Job Interview -- (10) Taboo in Japan (What you shouldn't do in an interview)
Japanese Job Interview -- (10) Taboo in Japan (What you shouldn't do in an interview) Lastly, about a taboo at the interview. There are many taboos in interviews. Common sense tells us that things like "The building in your company is old, but is there any problem in terms of earthquake resistance?" or "Isn't this […]
Obscure Obsequies: Japan's Changing Funerals
Japan's Changing Funerals In 1993 actress Takiko Mizunoe held a “living funeral.” She was 78, the end could come any time. Meanwhile she was healthy, vivacious, fun-loving – so why not? Why be a corpse at your own funeral when you can be its host, saying farewell to your nearest and dearest in your own […]
Japanese Job Interview -- (9) Job Interview Techniques
Japanese Job Interview -- (9) Job Interview Techniques in Japan Interview techniques are only common sense. The interviewer is also human, so the evaluation criteria are different from each person. But there are people who are liked by everyone. As proof of that, it is common that one person gets job offers from many companies. […]
What do you do to relieve stress at work?
Stress related to work is common in all countries. Japan is said to be particularly stressful at work. What are the ways to relieve stress in Japan? I think it's different between women and men, so let's see the answers of women this time. What do you do to relieve stress at work? 1. Eat […]