Japanese Culture

[NaweG]

Originally Posted by Endless Soul

I don't know if English is a required subject in the Chinese school system, but I do know English teachers are in high demand in China.

Please tell me more... I am interested in your newsletter

Seriously, could someone point to links that give the pro/minus to doing this in Japan and/or China?

[NoemiChan]

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

Why isn't English more popular among japanese youth?

Let's compare, us in the Philippines, nearly all item names are written in English, food, restaurant name, news paper, books (even Filipino books has English in it....).

Even little children know more English than the national language. Why so? Childrens' favorites are often said in English, like candy, juice, ice cream and toys.

The learning of English should not only start at school but also in the house. The more they are expose in English at early age, the higher the chances they will learn it more easily, even unconsciously.

Though, it's nice to see that Japan is proud of it's national language, well it has it's downsides, I'm speaking to all languages as well.

[Endless Soul]

Originally Posted by NaweG

Please tell me more... I am interested in your newsletter

Seriously, could someone point to links that give the pro/minus to doing this in Japan and/or China?

I don't have a newsletter actually. This is my wife's friends and family telling me that English teachers are in high demand in China and were actually trying to get me to go over and teach, even though I have no teaching credentials or experience. When I was over there in '05, you'd be suprised at how many people tried to have a conversation with me so they could practice their English.

By the way, my wife was born and raised in Shenyang.

[flying ^]

Originally Posted by genjichan

Let's compare, us in the Philippines, nearly all item names are written in English, food, restaurant name, news paper, books (even Filipino books has English in it....).

Even little children know more English than the national language. Why so? Childrens' favorites are often said in English, like candy, juice, ice cream and toys.

The learning of English should not only start at school but also in the house. The more they are expose in English at early age, the higher the chances they will learn it more easily, even unconsciously.

Though, it's nice to see that Japan is proud of it's national language, well it has it's downsides, I speaking to all laguage as well.

... are ASEAN countries like that these days?

[NoemiChan]

Originally Posted by flying ^

... are ASEAN countries like that these days?

...probably, yes.

[flying ^]

methinks japan needs Carlos Ghosn-type of person/character in their ministry of education to solve the english crisis

[NoemiChan]

Now we talked about English, let's put the entire system of education of Japan.
Question.

Is Japanese Education that hard? Well on a Japanese's points of view.

[Vexx]

Idiot lunacy knows no borders, cultures, etc.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...-exorcism.html

[Guernsey]

*whistles*

And they say Christian fundies in the West are crazy.

[Kudryavka]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Idiot lunacy knows no borders, cultures, etc.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...-exorcism.html

Bad stuff, there. Seems every religion has got something or other to do with hurting other people, except maybe Jainism...

[0utf0xZer0]

Originally Posted by Guernsey

*whistles*

And they say Christian fundies in the West are crazy.

To be fair, still get killed during Christain exorcisms on occassion too.

Although, I've never heard of a western exorcism killing someone after 100+ attempts, which I would assume they could tell didn't work. I mean, seriously, use a few grey matter cells.

[Vexx]

Japan's rural railways .... this made me sad (plummeting population issues) - anyone who has been 'transported into rural Japan' via a Miyazaki film or rural romance anime should worry a bit -

Although a few local lines have been subsidized by local governments or in some cases by local citizen groups who believe that the local rail lines are indispensable to their region, most have fallen victim to the plummeting populations in rural areas. To a lesser extent, they have also fallen victim to road construction in rural areas by some prefectures, despite cut backs in the building of roads on the national level.

http://www.majiroxnews.com/2011/10/1...ocal-railways/

[TinyRedLeaf]

Princess Aiko hospitalised with cold symptoms

Tokyo (Nov 1, Tue): The Imperial Household Agency (IHA) said that Princess Aiko, the daughter of Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, and granddaughter of the Emperor and Empress, was hospitalised today.

Princess Aiko, nine, was admitted to the University of Tokyo Hospital, after suffering from a fever and persistent cough, the IHA said in a statement.

JAPAN TODAY

In keeping with the apparent Japanese custom of treating colds very seriously. That said, a persistent fever is something to be concerned about, I guess.

[SeijiSensei]

Perhaps Aiko is having a bad reaction to her cousin Kako dancing to (gasp) K-pop?

Spoiler for image size:

Otherwise I'd imagine Aiko was briefly outside in temperatures below 5℃.

Aiko was apparently removed from school for a while because she was bullied and has since been accompanied to school by her mother, Crown Princess Masako. More troubling is this comment about Masako's mental health:

Masako would understand her daughter’s mental plight. She [Masako, presumably] has been suffering from a stress induced mental disorder for nearly 10 years, which has taken the Crown Princess out of official duties almost entirely. Lately, she has been focusing on Aiko, accompanying her to school to ease her daughter’s anxiety. According to doctors, Masako’s health remains the same as it was in February.

Back then, it was described that the Crown Princess was still unstable but was making some recovery.

Some in Japan are calling for a press conference where doctors would talk about Masako’s mental health in-depth.

Poor lady. Just what she needs is to have her problems trotted out in a press conference for no reason other than public titillation as far as I can see.

[Sumeragi]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

In keeping with the apparent Japanese custom of treating colds very seriously. That said, a persistent fever is something to be concerned about, I guess.

Indeed, I have a feeling this could be something more serious than just a cold.....

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

Poor lady. Just what she needs is to have her problems trotted out in a press conference for no reason other than public titillation as far as I can see.

Japan is different from the scandal-loving Brits in this particular aspect: This is closer to worship than gossip-sipping.

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

Perhaps Aiko is having a bad reaction to her cousin Kako dancing to (gasp) K-pop?

Spoiler for image size:

The joke was pretty bad

That being said, time has really passed. I never expected to see Kako-chan this grown up so soon..... Or maybe I'm just living in the past too much....

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

Perhaps Aiko is having a bad reaction to her cousin Kako dancing to (gasp) K-pop?

Spoiler for image size:

Otherwise I'd imagine Aiko was briefly outside in temperatures below 5℃.

Aiko was apparently removed from school for a while because she was bullied and has since been accompanied to school by her mother, Crown Princess Masako. More troubling is this comment about Masako's mental health:



Poor lady. Just what she needs is to have her problems trotted out in a press conference for no reason other than public titillation as far as I can see.

I've never considered Masako to be "mentally ill" .. its more like the Royal administrators being insane and trying to box in a smart and talented woman. Seriously, the royals are prisoners of these nut-cases as far as I'm concerned.

[Mystique]

Originally Posted by Vexx

I've never considered Masako to be "mentally ill" .. its more like the Royal administrators being insane and trying to box in a smart and talented woman. Seriously, the royals are prisoners of these nut-cases as far as I'm concerned.

Funny you mention that, it rings similar to the opinions an elderly couple gave me when we compared the british royal family (namely, prince williams wedding) and the royal family here.

Masako is a very intelligent, bright lady but they deduced that she is depressed just cause she is boxed indoors, told how to live and obey and cannot go anywhere without guards or being watched.
It'd make any strong, independant woman crazy.

But what is sad and what I feel for the girls was a country not accepting them as the potential future of the nation. I was in Japan the day the baby boy was born and saw the relief and sheer happiness of thenatives and thought
'if i were the sisters, i'd have complexes about this'

(I am reffering to the right bunch of siblings, right?)

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Mystique

Funny you mention that, it rings similar to the opinions an elderly couple gave me when we compared the british royal family (namely, prince williams wedding) and the royal family here.

Masako is a very intelligent, bright lady but they deduced that she is depressed just cause she is boxed indoors, told how to live and obey and cannot go anywhere without guards or being watched.
It'd make any strong, independant woman crazy.

But what is sad and what I feel for the girls was a country not accepting them as the potential future of the nation. I was in Japan the day the baby boy was born and saw the relief and sheer happiness of thenatives and thought
'if i were the sisters, i'd have complexes about this'

(I am reffering to the right bunch of siblings, right?)

Aye, I still hope they open the succession up to the girls.. Japan has *had* female rulers in its history and its just bullshit the way the nationalists quavered and whined when it looked like they might have to change it. I have read that some of the alarm was due to the way inheritance works amongst the nobility and wealthy in Japan. Men may have the power but women control the assets... or something like that.

Anyway, I keep hoping the younger members of the Royals tell the 'house staff' to Stuff It over time and modernize the system so it has a chance of surviving. I'm frankly a-ok with symbolic aristocracy as part of the culture despite my "Murrican Secularist Egalitarianism".

[subwaygyal]

their culture its just too awesome

[Vexx]

Princess Aiko turns 10 this month:
http://newsonjapan.com/html/newsdesk/article/93424.php
I hope she's able to force more change for royal women when she grows up for her mother's sake. The bureaucracy that controls the royalty is going to be the demise of the royalty if they don't evolve.