WIT Life #85: New start

Posted on April 1, 2010 by learnjapanesehl

WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

Whereas here in the States today we celebrate April Fool’s Day, April 1st in Japan is a beginning. It is the start of the new fiscal and school years, and the blooming and subsequent falling of the cherry blossoms serves as a way to mark this transition. This morning’s news outlined several changes that will be taking place in accordance with the new year, but whether they will make life in Japan easier or harder remains to be seen.

The child allowance law giving parents 13,000 yen per child per month goes into effect today, fulfilling one of the DPJ’s key campaign pledges. It differs from the previous student allowance in that the amount is higher and it lasts until the child finishes junior high, whereas before it was elementary school. In addition, foreign residents who have lived in Japan for more than a year are entitled to the money regardless of where their children live. The party believes this allowance will help families raise their children so much that they hope to double the amount to 26,000 yen per child next fiscal year, though where this money will come from is still undetermined. Will this help remedy Japan’s decreasing birth rate?
The DPJ will also follow through on its promise to make education free through high school, whereas before the government only covered through the mandatory education age of junior high. This is the case for public high schools, and families with children at private schools will be able to receive a subsidy of 120,000 yen as long as the curriculum is equivalent to that at public schools. Another incentive for families on the fence about having children.
Kanagawa Prefecture introduced Japan’s first ordinance banning smoking in public facilities such as hospitals, schools and government offices. Facilities that are found to be in violation of this will be charged 20,000 yen, and individuals 2000 yen. Governors of seven other prefectures are also considering mapping out their own measures to prevent secondhand smoking, but others have said they expect the central government to enact laws with penalties to prevent passive smoking. Looks like Japan is losing its reign as a smoker’s paradise.

And in a look at the past as opposed to the present, an article in Salon yesterday highlighted a documentary made by a Japanese activist exposing the actions of Japanese soliders in Nanking in 1937. This retired teacher seems to be the Iris Chang of Japan in regard to this issue. This doc had its first screening outside Japan in Hong Kong, and I wonder when it will make its way over here.

WIT Life #84: 国勢調査

Posted on March 30, 2010 by learnjapanesehl

We are rapidly coming up on the deadline for the 国勢調査 (kokusei chousa) or national census, so I hope everyone has already filled in and returned their forms. Every morning during the Japanese news there are advertisements running in Japanese advocating participation in the census as one’s civic duty. Also, I have come across some interesting Japanese language print ads that I would like to share.

The one on the right shows a young girl holding an origami crane, and the accompanying text reads: “You can help improve our community in the time it takes to fold one paper crane.” The one on the left shows someone of an unidentified gender tying おみくじ (omikuji). These are the ubiquitous fortunes of various degrees of luck found at Japanese shrines. It is said that if you are happy with your fortune you can take it home with you, but if not that it is better to tie it to a tree or rope at the shrine in order to avoid having it come true. This poster’s slogan translates as: “Hope for the improvement of our community.”

I haven’t been paying close attention to census advertising targeting other ethnic groups (or average Americans for that matter), but the cultural specificity of these posters really struck me. Not only do their images grab your attention, but they tug at your heartstrings as well by providing a cultural touchstone. Even for me who is non-Japanese but who has spent significant time in Japan, they conveyed a strong message and seem to be a smart way to appeal to Japanese to pick up their pens and be counted.

WIT Life #83: Japan in the news and in film

Posted on March 28, 2010 by learnjapanesehl

WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

The Wall Street Journal had some interesting Japan coverage this week. One article from earlier in the week discusses tactics being employed to get the Japanese populace turned on to fish again, as its popularity has declined due to factors such as smell, price and preparation. It has gotten to the point where fishery officials have started sending instructors to schools in order to teach children how to eat fish with chopsticks, and fish is being promoted in pop culture by characters such as Sakana-kun (on right saying “Let’s eat delicious fish with Sakana-kun!”).

Another article focuses on Japanese-Americans who were interned during WWII, and how they got through this ordeal by forming swing bands. This legacy is being preserved through a tribute band called Minidoka Swing Band, with members who were internees as well as others who have no ties to the camps (check out the video, they’re talented!).

Speaking of the internment, this weekend was the 3rd annual New York Peace Film Festival which featured some works dealing with this topic. I attended the event’s kick-off party on Friday night where some of the filmmakers spoke. There we had a chance to preview the second part of a movie called “Twice Bombed, Twice Survived,” which depicts those who lived through the bombings in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The last known double survivor, Tsutomu Yamaguchi, passed away this January at age 93. However, Hidetaka Inazuka, a producer of the film who was in attendance, said in his comments that another one had emerged just two weeks earlier. This 91-year old man will finally be able to verbalize the horrors he experienced over six decades ago. “Twice Bombed, Twice Survived” detailed how due to survivor’s guilt as well as stigma against these double survivors, many have been reluctant to come forth or even discuss their experiences with their families..

Also appearing at the kick-off as a guest speaker was Charles Pellegrino, author of the controversial book Last Train to Hiroshima which featured Yamaguchi. The allegations against him of falsifying information cannot be proved as the source in question has already passed away, but Pellegrino asserted that he only wrote what he had been told. Director James Cameron bought the film rights to the story, and when asked if Cameron has any plans to do a movie based on the topic Pellegrino responded by saying, “He’s a busy man and Avatar 2 looks like a very likely possibility, but when the time is right I know he is still interested.” Cameron was able to meet with Yamaguchi before he passed away, and the double survivor’s dying wish was for Cameron to share what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki with the world.

WIT Life #82: 春分の日

Posted on March 21, 2010 by learnjapanesehl

Happy 春分の日 (shunbun no hi) or Spring Equinox Day! Like as with the autumnal equinox, on this occasion the day and the night should be of equal length. The mere mention of spring makes me feel like I should be seeing flowers popping their heads out of the ground. Unfortunately, here in Michigan where I’m translating at a local law firm there is no sign of greenery, although the snow flurries we had all day yesterday were quite a sight! I heard we’re getting much better weather back home in NYC, and all I can say is I’m jealous…

In Japan spring seems to have sprung, as I have gotten reports of the sakura beginning to bloom around the Imperial Palace. I also just received an email from my former co-worker at the Kumamoto International Center who was kind enough to send pictures of the sakura down south (you can see Kumamoto Castle in the background). Enjoy and happy spring!

Japanese Events New York City – Nihongo Dake Dinner

Posted on February 25, 2010 by learnjapanesehl

The Nihongo Dake Dinner is one of the few regular Japanese events in New York City designed to bring both Japanese and non-native Japanese speakers together. Currently run by Jon Hills for JETAANY (http://jetaany.org/), he’s also the founder of Hills Learning (http://www.hillslearning.com), a language school based in Grand Central, New York City.

The event usually numbers around 20 people, and is designed to be half Japanese, half non-native Japanese speakers. The Japanese participants come from all industries and backgrounds, from JETRO and JLGC to Mitsui and Nomura. There are also Japanese who are artists, recruiters, volunteers and students.

Nihongo Dake Dinner - 02/23/10

The past event held at the Congee Restaurant in Chinatown was a mix of languages, intimacy and fun. As mentioned before, the typical attendance for the Nihongo Dake Dinners is about 20, quite a number for a Japanese language speaking event in New York. This past event only housed 7 people, pushing all participants to try their Japanese skills and get to know each other a little better. Also thanks to our Chinese American participant Ann, we had Chinese translation when ordering and handling the bill.

If you’re involved in the JET organization please be open to signing up for future Nihongo Dake Dinners. If you know someone from JET and would like to go as a friend of JET, it’s also possible to attend. Japanese people who would like to meet English native speakers who have an interest in Japanese are also encouraged to attend. As one of the best Japanese Events in New York City, it’s an event that can’t be missed!

Toyota Brake Recall – Japanese Reactions to the Current Crisis

Posted on February 3, 2010 by learnjapanesehl

It all started on a usual family outing in California. It was there that a highway patrolman and his family were driving on the highway, when they realized the accelerator petal was stuck to the floor. After careening through the highway and eventually crashing though a guard rail, the car rolled over a few times and burst into flames.

Toyota has gotten lots of press lately for their recall of cars across America and the so called stuck accelerator problem. Americans have reacted with shock as their top quality car maker has had to recall some of the highest selling models on the American market. But how have the Japanese reacted to this?

Each Japanese newspaper today had a different take on the current crisis at Toyota, its affects on America and the overall financial health of the company:

Asahi – “Although the Nikkei Average Climbs, Toyota’s Stock Falls” – The Asahi talked about how for the past three business days the Nikkei Average has gone up. Yesterday following the recent rise in American and European exchanges, Tokyo’s stock exchange also went into the black.

Despite this, the Asahi claims that “the environment of multiple complaints” from the Pirus Break problem have lowered Toyota’s stock. Since yesterday it dropped 5.8%, or 205 yen.

Nikkei – “Toyota’s Sales Drop 15% in the U.S.” The car market in the U.S. has recently shown growth of 6% compared with last month, according to the Nikkei. Despite this, Toyota’s new car sales slumped 15%.

The effects can be seen from looking at Toyota’s competition. According to the Nikkei, for the first time in 7 months Ford replaced Toyota as the #2 car seller in America. Sales of both Ford and GM have gone up, where as Toyota when comparing with Jan 2009 has had sales slip almost 14%.

Yomiuri – “The Vice President of Toyota Talks about the Response to the Crisis” – After meeting with various heads of the Japanese government, Toyota’s Vice President announced today that “Toyota will be able to make changes to their brake computer.” Also adding “we will investigate each case one by one.”

The Yomiuri focused on how much Toyota has been collaborating with the Japanese government to work out a countermeasure that will hopefully restore the public’s trust in Toyota’s cars.

Finance Minister Fuji Resigns – First Blow to Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama

Posted on January 6, 2010 by learnjapanesehl

Since becoming Prime Minister last September, Yukio Hatoyama has had a dedicated cabinet. The Prime Minister and his cabinet have stood fast to battle both a horrible economic downturn in Japan and also the many issues arising from an aging population. However in recent weeks concerns have risen in regards to his Finance Minister’s health (aged 77), in particular high blood pressure. The Prime Minister’s initial reaction was to try to keep him on regardless, as Fuji-san is one of his most experienced and capable cabinet members.

Last night however the Prime Minister called a press conference where he caved in to letting Finance Minister Fuji step down. Each newspaper reported a slightly different take on the event:

Yomiuri ” Next Finance Minister Nominated, he’ll share the position with Sengoku Yoshito” The Yomiuri reported that the Prime Minister had allowed Finance Minister Fuji to resign, and commented (like every other paper) that this is Prime Minister Hatoyama’s first resignation of his cabinet. There was an interesting word choice however used by Yomiuri in its text at the end, stating Sengoku Yoshito will be “forced” to share the position with the new finance minister. (兼務させる）

Asahi “The Prime Minister Announces the Finance Minister’s Successor” The Asahi mentions that Sengoku Yoshito, in order to relieve the burden on the Finance Minister’s successor, will “help with his duties.” They also reported that after long deliberation, the Prime Minister allowed the Finance Minister to resign his post. They also added that his successor, Mr. Kan, is well versed with the DPJ (Democratic Party of Japan) and his experiences with their Manifesto, etc.

Nikkei “Next Finance Minister will share responsibilities with Sengoku Yoshito” The Nikkei give a different spin on the event vs. Asahi. The last comment they made was that the Finance Minister had a large role in the administration, and his departure might have a huge impact on the Prime Minister’s administration.

New Years in Japan – How to Celebrate

Posted on January 4, 2010 by learnjapanesehl

So it’s holiday season in Japan. Christmas and New Years are both coming up, and it’s the time for gift giving, partying, being with family right? Yes, but not like the typical American would expect. Christmas is actually party time in Japan, where companies and friends hold get together’s. Maybe for a small few presents are given (namely Christians in Japan), but the majority of presents given on Christmas are more of a potluck style. New Years, however, is a time for serious family get together and celebration.

Celebrating New Years is a three day event in Japan. The first day, Jan. 1st, comprises eating special food called “osechi ryori”: http://hillslearning.com/2009/12/22/osechi-new-years-food-in-japan/ When you wake up on January 1st you’re supposed to eat crab, shrimp, specially prepared roots, potatoes, etc. Each combination of food will bring you a different kind of luck in the new year. These baskets of specially prepared food can be bought at your local department store, and generally run about 100 dollars or so.

After eating, Jan 1st through 3rd are the most important 3 days of the year for a Japanese shrine. Families get together, dress up in formal wear such as a kimono, and visit their local shrines (and larger famous ones, depending on your preference) to bring in the New Year. While at a shrine on New Years everyone buys an arrow, a symbol of good luck for the coming year. As a foreigner myself, I always forgot to do the second part of the ceremony, and that was bring your old arrow in from last year and burn it in a communal fire. After receiving the arrow, every visitor needs to line up and pray for the coming year, and ring the bell of the shrine for good luck.

Culturally celebrating New Years in Japan is a unique experience, but of course any article about celebrating New Years wouldn’t be complete without teaching how to say “Happy New Year.” In Japanese, it’s three words: akemashite omedeito gozaimasu.

1 – A KE MA SHI TE (A as in HA sound, KE as in OKAY, MA as in WOMAN, SHI sounds like SHE, TE as in LATTE)

akemashite represents the coming of the new year, literally “opening”

2 – O ME DEI TO (O as in hoe, ME as in MAY, DEI as in DAY, TO as in TOTAL)

omedeito means congratulations

3 – GO ZAI MA SU (GO as in go, ZAI as in Zaion, MA as in WOMAN, SU sounds like SUE)

gozaimasu is a word that adds formality to the expression

So the expression literally means “I formally congratulate you on the opening of a new year”

I hope you enjoyed learning about how to celebrate new years in Japan. Next time you have the opportunity to ask a Japanese person about celebrating the new year in Japan, please say “akemeashite omedeito gozimasu” and ask about their experiences with osechi ryori and shrine visits. Culturally and linguistically it should be an interesting conversation!

Konbini – Convenience Stores in Japan

Posted on December 29, 2009 by learnjapanesehl

Oh, how I love the konbini (コンビニ: it’s short for “convenience store” in English). Whether it’s Lawson, 7 Eleven, AM/PM, or Family Mart, they’re a reliable place in Japan for late night snacks, booze, and even a full meal. Plus you can also pay your bills there! Items are packed just so, and potentially embarasing hygiene items are double and even triple-bagged using opaque brown paper so that no one will be the wiser. I now present to you a brief rundown of some of my favorite konbini foods. There are tons more, but these are some of the first things that popped into my head.

	Nikuman (肉まん) Often translated as “pork buns” in English, these are kept warm in a special heated box, usually located by the register. Other varieties include pizza-man (filled with marinara sauce and cheese), anman (filled with red bean paste), and karee-man (curry pork buns).
	Onigiri (おにぎり) Rice balls stuffed with a variety of items and wrapped in crispy nori seaweed. Fillings include fish, umeboshi (sour pickled plums), fish eggs, miso, and more. My personal favorite is the tuna filling mixed with mayonnaise. The triangular ones are usually packaged in a double layer of plastic so as to keep the nori fresh and dry until just before eating.
	Purin (プリン) Very similar to packaged Spanish flan, this thick yellow custard comes packed with a caramel-flavored brown layer at the bottom. They’re sometimes topped with whipped cream.
	Milk tea (ミルクティー) Well, it’s just as the name implies. Sweet tea mixed with milk, and usually served chilled. I’m partial to the Royal Milk Tea variety (why is it called “royal?” I don’t know. Maybe because it’s English tea?).
	Calpis (カルピス) This unfortunately named drink is marketed as “Calpico” in the US, though I’ve never actually seen it sold anywhere except in Asian markets. It’s a kind of yogurt soda drink, but the taste is hard to describe. I also remember it fondly since I won a contest the company was holding last time I was in Japan. The prize was just a pair of t-shirts spouting nonsensical German (which roughly translated to “I am the eternal Milky Way”), but as it’s one of the few contests I’ve ever won, Calpis gets an “A” in my book.
	Korokke (コロッケ) A Japanese version of the French croquette, these are served warm or chilled, and stuffed with a diverse array of meats and vegetables. My favorites include mashed potato and curry korokke, and they’re usually served with worcestershire or tonkatsu sauce.
	Cup Noodle (カップヌードル) Basically just instant ramen in a styrofoam cup, but the huge number of flavors in Japan keeps boredom from setting in. My favorite is the Curry Noodle by far, with hunks of meat and spicy yellow curry broth.
	Chuuhai (チューハイ) A super-sweet canned drink with alcohol contents ranging from 5-8%. The liquor used is shouchuu (焼酎), which is made from barley, sweet potatoes, or rice. There are tons of flavors from the original lemon to lime, grapefruit, pineapple, kiwi, peach, and more. Since there’s no English on the can labeling it as alcohol, I’ve seen several hapless foreigners accidentally drink this, thinking that it’s regular soda. Last time I was in Japan, prices were around 100-150 yen per can ($1-2).
	Jagariko (じゃがりこ) Little hollow, crispy potato straws flavored like consumme, pizza, butter, nori, cheese, and more. My favorite though is the “salad” flavor, which tastes nothing like salad. Though that is probably a good thing.

Japanese News and Culture Blog Roundup: 12/17/09-12/23/09

Posted on December 24, 2009 by learnjapanesehl

JetWit.com

12/23/09: WIT Life #64: Kit Kat comparisons
Japan has a huge selection of seasonal goods, with new candies and drinks hanging around for a only a few weeks, then disappearing as suddenly as they arrived. One such candy is Kit Kats, with many unusual flavors being released each year. Read this post for reviews of ginger ale, azuki (red bean), Uji maccha (green tea), jasmine, and yuzu (grapefruit) Kit Kats.

12/21/09: WIT Life #63: The Lonely People
A post about a recent talk given in New York about loneliness in contemporary Japan. Issues “include karo-jisatsu (suicide by overwork), sekkusu-resu (sexless marriage), kateinai-rikon (in-house divorce) and hikikomori (complete social withdrawal).” An article in the New York Times noted that sometimes those suffering from depression simply have no one to talk to about their problems, and turn to suicide as the answer.

Tokyo Times

12/17/09: Japanese Special Attack Units training centre haikyo
A haunting photo essay of a visit to the abandoned Japanese Navy Torpedo Boat Training School in Kawatana, which dates to WWII. “Special Attack Units” in Japan referred to all manner of suicide soldiers, including Kamikaze (“Divine Wind”) pilots, Shinyo (“Sea Quake”) speed boats, Fukuryu (“Crouching Dragon”) divers, and Kaiten (“Change the World”) torpedoes. The last three were all trained at Kawatana in the late days of the war in a desperate effort to defend Japan from a potentially devastating invasion.

Japanese Pod 101

12/18/09: Learn Japanese Kanji – Everyday Kanji (Japanese Vending Machines)
Ah, the ubiquitous Japanese vending machine. From hot coffee to tea, cigarettes to beer, and flowers to fresh eggs (yes, seriously), there are plenty of vending machines for whatever your desire. Need batteries late at night? There’s a machine for that. Need instant ramen? You can grab that, too. Check out this helpful kanji tutorial to learn what you need to know to get your item NOW.

Japan Probe

12/21/09: Can tongue surgery improve English-speaking ability?
Really? Some parents in South Korea apparently think that their children have difficulty pronouncing English because their tongues are “too short,” so a surgery is offered called a lingual frenectomy. The post points out that the clinical claims of the surgery are dubious at best, and that the length of one’s tongue has nothing to do with what languages you can and cannot pronounce (well, unless your tongue is missing or cut terribly short). A later post talks about another surgery in South Korea that will alter the lines on your palms with lasers to make them more “auspicious.” Bizarre.

F*cked Gaijin

12/23/09: Joint History Review Can’t Agree on Nanjing
The Japan-China Joint History Research Committee, composed of scholars from both countries, cannot agree on the Nanjing Incident in terms of the number of victims, or even reasons for the Second Sino-Japanese War. Unsurprising, but it doesn’t make for a very useful report.

12/17/09: New gazillion-yen Ibaraki Airport has only 1 flight a day
Coverage of an article in the Yomiuri about the new Ibaraki Airport that will have no domestic flights, and only one international round-trip flight to Seoul per day. Why was this airport even built? It has been unable to lure domestic airlines, and has become a huge expense for the prefecture. Though knowing the Japanese government, that construction money had to be spent somewhere, even if it was for a useless project. Well, at least it’s not another dam?

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