* * * * * * * * * T E R R I E 'S T A K E * * * * * * *<br>A weekly roundup of news & information from Terrie Lloyd.<br>(<a href="http://www.terrie.com">http://www.terrie.com</a>)<br><br>General Edition Sunday, April 22, 2012, Issue No. 659<br>
<br>+++ INDEX<br><br>- What's New -- Overcoming Aversion to English<br>- News -- Rakuten shuts down China online mall<br>- Upcoming Events<br>- Corrections/Feedback -- More Fukushima radiation risk<br>- Travel Destinations Picks -- Ehime and Okinawa<br>
- News Credits<br><br>SUBSCRIBE to, UNSUBSCRIBE from Terrie's Take at:<br><a href="http://mailman.japaninc.com/mailman/listinfo/terrie">http://mailman.japaninc.com/mailman/listinfo/terrie</a><br><br>BACK ISSUES<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com/terries_take">http://www.japaninc.com/terries_take</a>, or,<br>
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e-mail us at <a href="mailto:info@pbxl.jp">info@pbxl.jp</a> or call us at 03-4550-2557<br><br>------------ PBXL is BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS --------------<br><br>+++ WHAT'S NEW<br><br>Back in February (TT-651) we discussed the problem of <br>
rigidity in the Japanese school system and how this is <br>holding back the ability of the country to internationalize<br>-- a critical issue now that Japanese firms need to expand <br>abroad to survive. The outcome of such rigidity is that <br>
kids either get hammered with values and processes so often<br>that they learn to give up OR they learn to hate the <br>system, and this is what has been happening to those <br>learning English. <br><br>A study released by the Japan Youth Research Institute <br>
(JYRI) survey of 8,000 kids across China, South Korea, <br>Japan, and the USA found that just 57.2% of Japanese <br>students are interested in studying abroad and that this <br>was the lowest level of interest out of the four countries.<br>
This study is relevant because it is generally agreed that <br>studying abroad is the best way to achieve fluency in a <br>foreign language, not to mention broadening one's problem <br>solving skills and general awareness. In comparison to the <br>
Japanese kids, 82.4% of the South Korean kids and 62.5% of<br>Chinese ones were interested in studying overseas. As a <br>result, the number of Japanese studying abroad in 2009 fell<br>to just 59,923, compared with a peak of 82,945 kids in <br>
2004. <br><br>Probably what's worse is that the JYRI survey found that a <br>majority of those not wanting to study abroad felt that way<br>because: i) life at home is easier (53.2%), ii) the <br>language barrier (48.1%), and iii) they have a lack of <br>
confidence (42.7%). It's reasons and numbers like these <br>that scare the pants off the Japanese bureaucrats planning <br>the nation's future, since Japan has never needed <br>internationally minded and capable people more than now. <br>
The local economy is headed downwards, and only overseas <br>expansion will maintain the tax base needed to pay for <br>future pensions and loans commitments.<br><br>Indeed, a knee-jerk reaction by the bureaucracy can already<br>
be seen. The Education Ministry is going to almost double <br>its scholarship budget for kids studying overseas from <br>JPY1.9bn to JPY3.1bn. It is also going to allocate JPY40bn <br>over the next 5 years to share out between 40 universities <br>
to get them to encourage more kids to go overseas. We've <br>mentioned before that often university professors want to <br>hold on to their most promising students instead of letting<br>them go. So just like subsidizing rice farmers, maybe the <br>
money will go straight to the profs for entertainment <br>expenses...? <br><br>Anyway, each university will receive between JPY120m and <br>JPY160m a year and will be chosen according to the quality <br>of their plan to increase study-abroad numbers.<br>
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<br>---------- YOUR BOTTOM LINE IS OUR TOP PRIORITY------------<br><br>[...Article continues]<br><br>At the current rate of decline, one wonders where Japan is <br>going to get its English-speakers from, unless companies <br>
follow Rakuten's lead and impose English as a requirement <br>to stay employed. It's hard to see this, though, when <br>surveys like one that came out from GABA in February found <br>that 47.2% of people aged between 20 and 49 years old would<br>
quit their jobs if their employer tried to do what Rakuten <br>is doing. Interestingly, it was the people with lower <br>salaries who were more likely to say they'd quit. <br><br>What is important from the GABA survey is that only 16.5% <br>
of the 1,000 people polled reckoned that the English they <br>studied for school was useful in business. A pretty damning<br>message from the man in the street to the Education <br>Ministry.<br><br>English is such a big psychological hurdle to school kids <br>
that it has become a nationwide inferiority complex. A <br>recent Education Ministry survey of 3,225 middle school <br>students found that 70% of kids said that they dislike <br>English! At the same time, though, 85% agreed that English <br>
was important because it would give them an edge in finding<br>a job in the future. Clearly there are some very conflicted<br>kids out there.<br><br>The basic problem is that English language learning up to <br>High School level is there for exams alone, and that those <br>
teaching it as well as the kids coming out of the system <br>can barely use it on a practical level. This exam-oriented <br>approach has and will continue to create a huge level of <br>aversion in students. You might ask why the aversion is a <br>
problem now and not previously, since the school system <br>hasn't really changed in 60 years? We posit that previous <br>generations of students felt more compelled to learn <br>English because the best jobs were in Japan's export <br>
machine. In the twenty years following the Plaza Accord in <br>1986, however, exports became concentrated to a few major <br>firms and the majority of jobs were in the domestic market <br>where English wasn't important. <br>
<br>But now with the forced move abroad by mid- and small-sized<br>companies, perhaps the pendulum is now swinging back the <br>other way.<br><br>For the adults in the job market, the need to learn English<br>is more immediate and unavoidable. So while as half of <br>
employees may say that they will quit if forced to use <br>English, at the same time there was a record number of <br>2.27m people taking TOEIC tests this year. There has also <br>been a dramatic take up in web-video and Skype services <br>
that offer low-cost English lessons with teachers in the <br>Philippines. Hundreds of thousands of people are already <br>using such services such as the one from Cerego, a <br>Shibuya-based company run by local entrepreneurs Eric Young<br>
and Andrew Smith Lewis, which charges JPY10,000/month <br>per subscription. Cerego says it is experiencing heavy <br>take-up of its offering and expects to have 100,000 paid-up <br>subscribers within 3 years.<br><br>We think this resurgence in interest in private education <br>
and testing clearly demonstrates that in the end it's the <br>market that will drive people's attitudes to English. It's <br>not an issue of whether kids these days are wimpier than <br>they were 20 years ago, or that kids are morally weaker -- <br>
which are common points of debate in Japanese media these <br>days. Rather, we think that kids are commonsense consumers,<br>and as they see the job market continue to tighten and <br>English become even more of a prerequisite, then the <br>
numbers of those willing to study abroad will go up again <br>-- especially if the higher value scholarships mean a <br>comfortable life abroad... Now if they could only set <br>things up so a group of kids could all go study in groups <br>
of 5 or 10 best friends, then those kids would have the <br>best of both worlds. ;-)<br><br>*****************<br><br>A last call that <a href="http://www.JapanTourist.jp">www.JapanTourist.jp</a> is running a special<br>promotion for anyone writing travel stories during April.<br>
You can receive one of 70 Solare hotel room nights, for <br>stays in any one of 68 hotels around Japan. More details <br>in the ad towards the end of this newsletter. <br><br>*****************<br><br>And lastly, we are taking next Sunday, April 29th, off. <br>
This is one of 4 weeks a year that we don't publish. We<br>will be back on May 6th. Please have a good Golden Week.<br><br><br>...The information janitors/<br><br>***------------------------****-------------------------***<br>
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-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>+++ NEWS<br><br>- Tourist numbers close to pre-Fukushima volumes<br>- Hospitals form buying group<br>- Rakuten shuts down China online mall<br>- Government employees to start Cool Biz on May 1st<br>
- NTT DATA to start software co. in Myanmar<br><br><br><br>-> Tourist numbers close to pre-Fukushima volumes<br><br>While there is still concern about future earthquakes and <br>radiation from Fukushima, it's not enough to keep away <br>
tourists who are interested in Japan. The Japan National <br>Tourism Organization (JNTO) announced that there were <br>678,500 visitors in March 2012, just 4.4% less than the <br>same period in 2010. Tourist numbers have increased from <br>
most countries other than South Korea, which is still down <br>11%. In a similar trend, a record number of Japanese also <br>traveled abroad, totaling 1.73m people. ***Ed: No doubt <br>the outbound folks are capitalizing on the high yen, while <br>
the inbound ones are taking advantage of promotional <br>discounts -- it's a good time to travel.** (Source: TT <br>commentary from <a href="http://japantimes.co.jp">japantimes.co.jp</a>, Apr 21, 2012)<br><br><a href="http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120421b4.html">http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120421b4.html</a><br>
<br>-> Hospitals form buying group<br><br>In what may not be good news for medical suppliers already <br>under pressure from shrinking government procurement, 60 <br>hospitals around Japan, including the Japan Red Cross <br>
Ishinomaki Hospital, have teamed up to co-buy equipment and<br>supplies. The group is expected to initially focus on <br>high-margin products such as pacemakers, catheters, and (we<br>presume) stents. The Nikkei says that the combined buying <br>
power of the group is around JPY30bn annually. (Source: TT <br>commentary from <a href="http://e.nikkei.co.jp">e.nikkei.co.jp</a>, April 20, 2012)<br><br><a href="http://e.nikkei.com/e/ac/tnks/Nni20120419D1904A08.htm?GID=59">http://e.nikkei.com/e/ac/tnks/Nni20120419D1904A08.htm?GID=59</a><br>
<br>-> Rakuten shuts down China online mall<br><br>Rakuten has been aggressively expanding globally, which <br>means expanding risk as well. To CEO Mikitani's credit, he <br>knows when to stick around and fight and when to fold. This<br>
has been the case with China, where Rakuten says it will <br>pull out of an online shopping mall venture with China's <br>largest online search provider, Baidu. Rakuten says that <br>tough competition and lots of red ink are behind the move <br>
and that in pulling out it will write off the entire <br>investment of JPY860m. Baidu has not said what it will do <br>with the company and staff yet. ***Ed: This has to be a <br>black eye for Rakuten in China, and particularly given that<br>
they are pulling out from a joint venture with such a major<br>player as Baidu. We imagine they won't be welcome back <br>there for a while...** (Source: TT commentary from <br><a href="http://e.nikkei.co.jp">e.nikkei.co.jp</a>, Apr 20, 2012)<br>
<br><a href="http://e.nikkei.com/e/ac/tnks/Nni20120420DNJ06EEA.htm">http://e.nikkei.com/e/ac/tnks/Nni20120420DNJ06EEA.htm</a><br><br>-> Government employees to start Cool Biz on May 1st<br><br>The official nod to no ties and short sleeved shirts will <br>
start early this year, on May 1st and run through to <br>October 31st. The government says that it wants to ensure <br>minimum power usage (in this case air conditioning) and so <br>wants people to dress for the warmer weather longer. The <br>
temperatures in Tokyo for next week are expected to range <br>from 14 to 22 degrees, so not exactly sweat-inducing <br>weather. (Source: TT commentary from <a href="http://mainichi.jp">mainichi.jp</a>, Apr 20, <br>2012)<br>
<br><a href="http://bit.ly/I1Q2at">http://bit.ly/I1Q2at</a> <br><br>-> NTT DATA to start software co. in Myanmar<br><br>If like us and you've been mystified as to why the generals<br>in Myanmar have suddenly permitted a political thaw and are<br>
pushing to open up to the world, some of the pieces will <br>have fallen into place over the last few weeks. On Friday <br>the government announced that it is forgiving JPY300bn of <br>loans and debt as well as extending new annual financial <br>
assistance to develop that nation's economy. Hard on the <br>heels of this development, NTT Data has announced that it <br>will set up a software company in Myanmar, and will use it <br>as a base for business directed at (surprise, surprise) the<br>
government and public agencies. ***Ed: Clearly NTT Data is <br>no slouch when it comes to offering its services to a <br>country with very little IT infrastructure and fresh <br>promises of home-team aid. You've got to admire, no matter<br>
how grudgingly, how Japan Inc. works...** (Source: TT <br>commentary from <a href="http://4-traders.com">4-traders.com</a>, Apr 20, 2012)<br><br><a href="http://bit.ly/HWES7p">http://bit.ly/HWES7p</a><br><br><br>NOTE: Broken links<br>
Many online news sources remove their articles after just a<br>few days of posting them, thus breaking our links -- we<br>apologize for the inconvenience.<br><br>***------------------------****-------------------------***<br>
<br>----------- Earn a Solare Hotel Room in April -------------<br><br>Last call. If you can write 350 words and take 3-5 photos, <br>then you should try your hand as a writer for Japan <br>Tourist, Metropolis' fast-growing Japan travel megasite.<br>
<br><a href="http://www.japantourist.jp">www.japantourist.jp</a> is in fact the fastest growing English-<br>language travel site in Japan, and it's getting that way<br>because more than 250 people have signed up to contribute.<br>
<br>For April only, Japantourist.jp is a bonus 70 hotel rooms <br>(offered on a sweepstakes basis) for articles written this<br>month. This means you have a 1-in-3 chance per article of <br>receiving a hotel room anywhere in the Solare network in <br>
Japan.<br><br>Register at: <a href="http://japantourist.jp/register/">http://japantourist.jp/register/</a>.<br><a href="http://www.japantourist.jp">www.japantourist.jp</a> for more information.<br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>***------------------------****-------------------------***<br><br>+++ CANDIDATE ROUND UP/VACANCIES<br><br>=> BiOS, a Division of the LINC Media group, is actively<br>marketing the following positions for customers setting up<br>
or expanding in Japan, as well as other employers of<br>bilinguals.<br><br>** HIGHLIGHTED POSITION<br><br>BiOS is urgently looking for a Desktop/Branch Support <br>Engineer to work at our client's office in the Shinagawa-ku<br>
area. The candidate will be responsible for Level 2 <br>Resolver Group Services, IMAC services, Desktop Support for<br>Hardware and Software, as well as carrying out <br>hardware/software upgrades and maintenance. You will also <br>
be responsible for providing support for ATM systems at the<br>client's branches onsite around the Kanto region, and <br>performing data security tasks.<br><br>Due to the technical nature and demanding work environment,<br>
this position is suitable for someone with at least 3 years <br>of solid desktop or user support experience, and preferably<br>with experience in finance or banking industry, and IT <br>asset management. In addition, since this role requires <br>
direct coordination with both regional and global IT teams,<br>business English and fluent Japanese will be required.<br><br>Remuneration is JPY4m -JPY5m depending on your experience <br>and skill level.<br><br>** POSITIONS VACANT<br>
<br>- Web Designer, large hotel/resort franchise, JPY 5M ・7M<br>- Data Center Engr (Break/Fix), global bank, JPY 3M ・4M<br>- Admin Assistant, systems integration firm, JPY 2M ・3M<br>- Asset Management Admin, global systems IT firm, 3.6M ・4M<br>
- Bilingual Desktop Engr, global IT firm, 3.6M ・4M<br><br>** BiOS Job Mail<br><br>Every 2 weeks BiOS sends out a regular communication to its<br>job seeking candidates, called BiOS Job Mail. Every edition<br>carries a list of BiOS's current and most up-to-date<br>
vacancies, with each entry featuring a short job<br>description and a direct link to the main entry on the BiOS<br>home page. Regardless of whether you are unemployed and<br>searching, thinking about a career change, or just curious<br>
to know if there is something out there that might suit you<br>better, the BiOS Job Mail newsletter is an easy and<br>convenient way for you to stay informed. If you would like<br>to register for the BiOS Job Mail, or to find out more,<br>
please email <a href="mailto:tomohiro.kimura@biosjp.com">tomohiro.kimura@biosjp.com</a>.<br><br>Interested individuals may e-mail resumes to:<br><a href="mailto:tomohiro.kimura@biosjp.com">tomohiro.kimura@biosjp.com</a><br>
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company in Tokyo, BiOS offers some of the most competitive<br>services available to multinationals whether large or<br>small.<br><br>Data Center staff and managed services, Help Desk, desktop,<br>and network support. Server virtualization, cloud computing<br>
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Web: <a href="http://www.biosjp.com">www.biosjp.com</a><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>***------------------------****-------------------------***<br><br>+++ UPCOMING EVENTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS<br>
<br>---------------- Start a Company in Japan -----------------<br><br>Entrepreneur's Handbook Seminar 2nd of June, 2012<br><br>If you have been considering setting up your own company,<br>find out what it takes to make it successful. Terrie Lloyd,<br>
founder of over 17 start-up companies in Japan, will be <br>giving an English-language seminar and Q and A on starting <br>up a company in Japan.<br><br>This is an ideal opportunity to find out what is involved,<br>and to ask specific questions that are not normally <br>
answered in business books. All materials are in English <br>and are Japan-focused.<br><br>For more details:<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com/entrepreneur_handbook_seminar">http://www.japaninc.com/entrepreneur_handbook_seminar</a><br>
<br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>--------------------- Operation Tohoku --------------------<br><br>Still working assisting the over 300,000 still in temporary<br>housing. Supplies urgently needed include rice, canned and<br>
instant food, shampoo, towels, used laptop computers, hot<br>water pots, gas and electric stoves and more. Volunteers<br>urgently needed for a day or more.<br>Information at <a href="mailto:team@jhelp.com">team@jhelp.com</a> to support Postal Furikae<br>
Account 00160 7 162438, The Japan Emergency Team<br><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>***------------------------****-------------------------***<br><br>+++ CORRECTIONS/FEEDBACK<br><br>
In this section we run comments and corrections submitted<br>by readers. We encourage you to spot our mistakes and<br>amplify our points, by email, to <a href="mailto:editors@terrie.com">editors@terrie.com</a>.<br><br>*** More Fukushima radiation risk...<br>
In Terrie's Take 658 we described how we were <br>cautiously optimistic that the nuclear threat to Tokyo was <br>passing, and that there are now trusted foreign reports <br>coming in that show this. HOWEVER, an alert reader sent us <br>
the link below, which points out that the risk factor from <br>Fukushima is still very high and will remain that way for a <br>while to come. Specifically, until December next year, the <br>spent fuel in Reactor Building 4 cannot be moved as the <br>
gantry crane collapsed into the fuel pool. This means that <br>if there was a major aftershock and the spent fuel pool <br>cracked open -- a strong possibility since it would have <br>been weakened in last year's quake, then there would be <br>
threat of a meltdown of the spent fuel rods and thus a <br>major radiation release... Hmmm, not good.<br><br>See the video or simply read the transcript here:<br><br><a href="http://bit.ly/I1Yqb5">http://bit.ly/I1Yqb5</a> <br>
<br>***------------------------****-------------------------***<br><br>----------- Experienced Biz Dev/Interpreter --------------<br><br>Ex-investment banker, venture capitalist and current biz<br>dev expert seeks part-time work as interpreter and market<br>
development consultant. Knowledgeable in finance, web,<br>technology, and media sectors, with additional experience<br>in other areas. Good at analyzing problems, creating<br>strategies to get into target firms, and just getting the<br>
job done. Native Japanese, high-level English, competent<br>presentation skills.<br><br>Based in Tokyo, available for immediate assignment, OK <br>with short-term projects. Contacting me for a preliminary<br>meeting and quotation for services is free.<br>
<br>For more information, contact: <a href="mailto:bigred461696@gmail.com">bigred461696@gmail.com</a><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>***------------------------****-------------------------***<br>
<br>+++ TRAVEL DESTINATIONS PICKS<br><br>=> Maegami-ji Temple in Saijo, Ehime-ken<br><br>Mt. Ishizuchi, or Ishizuchi-san as it' s known in Japanese,<br>dominates the scenery of Saijo. Maegami-ji temple stands in<br>
a valley between the foothills of Ishizuchi in Saijo. The <br>mountain itself is revered as a god or kami, and Maegami-ji<br>means "the temple in front of god". Buddhism and Shinto <br>have been closely interrelated over the centuries, and in <br>
layout of the grounds and architectural appearance of its <br>main hall, this temple has a lot in common with Shinto <br>shrines. A visit to the nearby Ishizuchi Shrine only <br>confirms this impression. In fact, Maegami-ji used to be <br>
the headquarters of the Shinto cult of Mt. Ishizuchi before<br>Ishizuchi Shrine was formed in the Meiji period.<br><br><a href="http://japantourist.jp/view/maegami-ji-temple-in-saijo">http://japantourist.jp/view/maegami-ji-temple-in-saijo</a><br>
<br>=> Island Camping at Zamami Beach, Okinawa-ken<br><br>Just a short domestic flight from Tokyo, Zamami feels a <br>world away from the pace of life in the metropolis. Nobody <br>on the island is in a hurry; schoolchildren and elderly <br>
islanders greet visitors that are passing through. <br>Surrounding the village, Zamami is a nature lover's <br>paradise of jungle-covered hilltops, soaring cliffs and <br>deserted beaches.<br><br>Most visitors come to this island for the world-class <br>
snorkeling and scuba diving, as the water is renowned for <br>visibility and an abundance of coral, fish and turtles. <br>From January to March Zamami is also a prime spot for whale<br>watching. Each view-point on the island is punctuated by <br>
observation decks, used for sighting the whales' <br>movements.<br><br>The campsite is just a fifteen-minute walk from the harbor <br>(maps available from tourist information). Here you can <br>camp in the shade of the trees for as little as JPY300, or <br>
JPY1,000 if you need to hire camping gear. I recommend hiring<br>a BBQ set from the campsite and rounding the day off by <br>cooking up some of the fresh local seafood.<br><br><a href="http://japantourist.jp/view/island-camping">http://japantourist.jp/view/island-camping</a><br>
<br>***------------------------****-------------------------***<br><br>***********************************************************<br>END<br><br>SUBSCRIBERS: 8,080 members as of Apr 22, 2012<br>(We purge our list regularly.)<br>
<br>+++ ABOUT US<br><br>STAFF<br>Written by: Terrie Lloyd (<a href="mailto:terrie.lloyd@japaninc.com">terrie.lloyd@japaninc.com</a>)<br><br>HELP: E-mail <a href="mailto:Terrie-request@mailman.japaninc.com">Terrie-request@mailman.japaninc.com</a><br>
with the word 'help' in the subject or body (don't include<br>the quotes), and you will get back a message with<br>instructions.<br><br>FEEDBACK<br>Send letters (Feedback, Inquiries & Information) to the<br>
editor to <a href="mailto:terrie.lloyd@japaninc.com">terrie.lloyd@japaninc.com</a>.<br><br>ADVERTISING INFORMATION<br>For more information on advertising in this newsletter,<br>Contact <a href="mailto:ads@japaninc.com">ads@japaninc.com</a>.<br>
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