Prospective adopting parents who are current or former residents of Japan and are adopting children from countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention) need to be aware that Japan does not have a child abuse registry.

The Hague Adoption Convention went into effect in the U.S. in April 2008.  Japan is not a signatory to the Hague Adoption Convention; however, U.S. citizens who are adopting children from Hague countries (including China and the Philippines) need a child abuse registry check from every country where they have been a resident.  If you are living in Japan or used to live in Japan, you may be asked during the adoption process to get a “child abuse registry check” from Japan; however, Japan does not have such a registry and you must inform the person requesting the check about this fact.  

For more information on adoptions, please visit the State Department website athttp://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/adoption_485.html.

Learn Japanese!

The U.S. Foreign Service is a career like no other; every day U.S. Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) represent the United States to the world, promoting peace, stability and prosperity.  We welcome your interest in this challenging, unique work where you can be involved in the important issues of the world, where you can contribute, and make a difference.

  
The Guide to the Foreign Service Officer Selection Process (263kb, available athttp://careers.state.gov/docs/3.0_FSO_RegGuide.pdf ) is provided for informational purposes only and contains information regarding registration for the test, sample test and essay questions, testing for individuals with disabilities, how to prepare for the test, as well as explanations of the different career tracks and life in the Foreign Service.

The next U.S. Foreign Service Officer Test will be offered at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo on November 6-7, 2008.   

In Japan, the Embassy and Consulates will offer the FSOT according to the following schedule. 

     Fukuoka    November 6-7
     Nagoya    November 6-7 
     Naha    not available
     Osaka    November 7
     Sapporo    November 6
     Tokyo    November 6-7

To register, please go to http://careers.state.gov/officer/register.html

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U.S. citizens should register to vote now for the November 4, 2008, presidential and general elections.  Many states close voter registration on October 4, 2008, which is 30 days before the general election.  Be sure to allow sufficient time for your voting registration forms to reach the U.S. by mail.

Voters who have not yet registered to vote and requested an absentee ballot should complete a Federal Postcard Application (FPCA) on the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s website at www.fvap.gov.  Voters may also pick up a hard copy of the FPCA from any U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate.

You should also complete a new Federal Postcard Application if you have moved or changed your name since the last time you voted.

FPCAs may be mailed to your local voting officials in the U.S. through the regular international mail or from any U.S. Embassy or Consulate.  Some states also accept FPCAs by fax or e-mail.

For more information, review our webpage about absentee voting:  http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7124c.html

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I previously posted about the Yokota AB RAPCON and the citizens living around the base receiving money for noise damage. Here is an update related to both stories:

Flight routes can now be easily set for westward-bound passenger planes from Haneda Airport in Tokyo.

That is because the Yokota airspace, which expands over the west of the airport and is under the air traffic control of the U.S. Air Force’s Yokota Air Base, has now been returned in part to Japan.

The skies over the metropolitan area are now more crowded. Accordingly, it is very significant that new air routes have been secured for flights to and from Haneda.

The Japanese and U.S. governments have also agreed to consider necessary conditions by fiscal 2009 for the United States to return the Yokota airspace in its entirety. We want the two governments to push ahead with talks for specifics about the airspace’s overall reversion.

The Yokota airspace came under the Allied Powers’ control after the end of World War II. After that, its traffic control was transferred to the U.S. military. Since then, the U.S. Air Force, based on the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement, has controlled the air traffic of U.S. military and Self-Defense Forces aircraft to and from the Yokota, Atsugi, and Iruma bases.

In May 2006, the Japanese and U.S. governments agreed on the Yokota airspace’s partial reversion as a step in the process of realigning U.S. forces in Japan. This is the eighth time for the United States to return part of the airspace. This time, however, the United States has returned 20% of the airspace’s area and 50% of its volume.

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Well I guess the New Yorker pulled no punches with the cover but Palins video below should seal the deal:

 

 YouTube: Play Now | Play in Popup | Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Dream homes can come true if you know all the right things

So you are ready to be king of your own castle in Japan. Adios to the days when you, a mere rent-paying tenant of a grotty apartment, worried about landlords taking you to the cleaners for spilling tea on the carpet or making minuscule holes in the walls to pin up framed pics.

Dream home: Be it a log house in the mountains or a condominium in a high-rise, buying a home in Japan requires lots of time, research . . . and money. JAPAN TIMES ILLUSTRATION

Proud homeowners can drill holes willy-nilly and spill coffee or beer to their hearts’ content! Of course, there are other sound reasons for owning your own property, too — that warm sense of “owning,” the often poor condition of rental properties, freedom to park a car, freedom from the invidious “key money” system here . . . and the low interest rates in Japan that almost always ensure that your monthly mortgage payments will be lower than your rent.

But how to go about getting a mortgage, whether for a new or preowned place in the sun?

Here’s our rough point-by-point guide to buying a residential property in Japan, with insight into some of the head- spinning legal and technical terms that homeowners-to-be must wrestle with. All Web sites referred to are in Japanese only unless otherwise specified.

Have cash ready

Unless you are awash with dearly departed daddy’s dosh, or have just won the lottery, you’ll likely be looking to buy your property through a mortgage. Generally, it’s best to pay 25 to 30 percent of the purchase price in cash (including taxes and other fees), though some lenders offer virtually deposit-free loans. Before they’ll grant you a mortgage, many banks insist your annual earnings are at least ¥3 million to ¥5.5 million.

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The following are the experiences of four foreigners who have ventured into property purchase in Japan.

Jim (American; 45 years old; 17 years in Japan) House for a family of two in Yokohama purchased in September 2008 for ¥65 million.

“I thought it would be difficult to find a rental where I could park a car and a couple of motorcycles, as well as keep a couple of pets. Also, I thought it would be better to invest in property rather than rent. I’m not sure how long I’ll stay in Japan — but I’ve been saying that all along!

“The house is very well constructed, it looks like a ‘house’ (there are some strange designs here), and there is a decent amount of space between it and the surrounding properties.

“I bought it together with my wife. We split a 35-year loan we took out through a bank that the real-estate company introduced. We plan to pay it off sooner.

“The process went very smoothly, no doubt helped by the fact that I’m a permanent resident and we qualified financially. Of course, decreasing property values are a concern, but when you rent you’re spending money that will never return. To help ensure the property value remains high, I chose a location that’s quiet as well as convenient for commuters going to Tokyo or Yokohama. I also think the garage will make the property attractive as it’s a rare feature and will be a big sales point.

“At the end of the day, even if I never turn a profit I’ll be doing quite well if I can live in a nice place for a number of years and get most of my investment back.”

 

Rab (Scottish; 8.5 years in Japan) Land in Saitama Prefecture purchased for ¥14.5 million, and a log house for a family of six being built for ¥30 million.

“We realized that paying money every month in rent would leave us owning nothing when we retired, yet the mortgage payments every month (about the same as the rent) would result in us owning a house and land.

“It had to be a house and land, as we have two kids and wanted space for them to play in and also to fully incorporate some eco concepts into the residence. Having been out to the start of the Japan Alps near Chichibu, we liked that area (countryside, forests, mountains rivers, etc.) and the commute to my work in Tokyo was not too bad.

“The biggest challenge was qualifying for the mortgage. The borrower needs to be in a full-time job and have been in it for at least two or three years. Also, any outstanding loans reduce the amount that can be borrowed.

“I am aware that house prices fall in Japan over time — basicaly for quality reasons. But this is not a factor with log houses as they maintain their structural integrity. Whether the Japanese housing market is aware of this is irrelevant as we don’t plan to sell, but to set up home there for good as we can have low bills, grow food, have access to water, space, beautiful scenery and an eco-friendly lifestyle.

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Foreigners in a market gone from boom to bust and back (a bit)

Foreigners and the Japanese property market — the two sound like unlikely bedfellows, but in recent years their “liaisons” have been the focus of much media attention — and not all of it positive.

 

First it was investments by foreigners driving up land prices; now they’re supposed to be driving them down.

Of course, most of these investments are by foreign-owned or foreign-run corporations, as opposed to your run-of-the-mill individual gaijin. However, the number of foreign residents buying properties in Japan is certainly on the rise, and, like their corporate cousins, these buyers are bringing to the Japanese property market a set of presumptions and expectations that are often very different from the homegrown variety. That can play in their favor, but it can also lead to costly mistakes.

So, before we start construction on the Timeout guide to property-buying in Japan, let’s survey the landscape a little, examining in particular the sometimes troubled but nonetheless ever-closer relationship that’s developed between foreigners and the local property market.

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I seems that Hairfish experienced her first quake in Japan:

So, I’m in bed dreaming and all of a sudden, I’m feel my futon moving, as if someone were pushing it across the wood floor. In my half awake-half asleep haze, I look up to see the curtains swaying a bit, along with the girls’ desks, and my table covered in books and homework. When I awake fully, I notice the entire room is swaying and I pop up from under my covers, thinking, “WTF?!”.

The pix above is of a traditional Japanese wedding. Check out more pix at the Hairfish blog here.

The talented and sometimes funny owarai duo, Tunnels, have recently hooked-up with DJ Ozma (former Kishidan band leader) to form and produce a temporary female trio called Yajima Biyoshitsu (Yajima Beauty Salon). The female trio is actually the three men in drag. Here is the official website.

The Yajima Biyoshitsu new song ties into a new Lotte chewing gum commercial (the CM schedule can be found here) starring actress Masami Nagasawa. The debut song, “Nihon no Mikata - Nevada Kara Kimashita,” debuted on TV the day before and saw a reportedly 14,000 chaku-uta (ringtone) downloads in the hour after its premiere, taking the #1 spot on the Recochoku daily charts.

 

 Commercial: Play Now | Play in Popup | Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Press Conference: Play Now | Play in Popup | Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Now I do not mind comedy but I do mind the direction that the group, Avex and Lotte took in putting this commercial together.

According to the story line, the trio is supposedly made up of a family from Nevada, consisting of a 36-year-old former stripper named Margaret Yajima (played by DJ Ozma) and her two daughters, the 17-year-old Naomi and the 11-year-old Strawberry both played by Tunnels. The mother a.k.a. Black Bolt (her stage name at the shake joint) brought her daughters to Japan to look for their father, a Japanese barber or beautician named Yajima. 

I worked with the Tunnels twice in the late 90’s and their current comedy to me is mediocre at best. These guys are known for pushing the envelope or being over-the-top when it comes to stereotypes. To see DJ Ozma come out of retirement to do this gig is sort of a disappointment since I have been a fan of his since he was a leading the band Kishidan. Additionally, I have done a print, television and internet campaign for Lotte’s restaurant chain, Lotteria. 

Now unlike the Gosperats, no black face is involved in this current CM and it seems that men (on television) dressing up as women in Japan is sort of a norm. What I find extremely distasteful is the description of the faux black women, the implied teenage pregnancy and the husband that left the US (his family and his business) to return to Japan. What’s up with that?! Read the rest of this entry »

 

 YouTube: Play Now | Play in Popup | Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

No BS in this response! Go Jack!

Japanese telecommunications carrier KDDI will start offering from October 1G bps (bits per second) fiber-optic Internet hook-ups for less than the current price of a connection one tenth the speed, it said this week.

The Hikari One Home Gigabit service will cost ¥5,460 (US$51.40) per month and provide an upstream and downstream connection at 1G bps. Internet-based telephone service and cable TV service can be added to the connection for an additional fee.

It will be available to single-dwelling homes and apartment buildings up to three floors high in the Tokyo area and Hokkaido island in north Japan. KDDI’s current fiber-optic service for such buildings tops out at 100M bps and costs ¥6,615 while the broadly available 10M bps DSL (digital subscriber line) service costs around ¥4,599.

Japanese Internet users already enjoy some of the fastest and cheapest Internet connections in the world. Aggressive investment by carriers in fiber-optic networks and the country’s densely packed cities leave many homes and buildings within easy reach of a fiber optic connection.

As of the end of June subscriptions to fiber-optic Internet services totalled 13 million whereas those to DSL services stood at 12.3 million, according to figures from Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Cable Internet services, where speeds of up to 160M bps are available in some regions, had attracted 4 million subscribers to bring the total number of high-speed connections in the country to 29.3 million.

Source

Welfare for Wall Street? Not really but the latest compromise on the $700 BILLION bailout is finally out for the public to see. The legislation is still being negotiated and elements of the bill could still change as shown in by the brackets “[ ]” in the document. The House is expected to vote tomorrow and the Senate no later than Wednesday.

Among the provisions of the draft bill:

• The $700 billion would be disbursed in stages, with $250 billion made available immediately for the Treasury’s use.
• Curbs will be placed on the compensation of executives at companies that sell mortgage assets to Treasury. Among them, the bill would limit golden parachutes to executives at companies that participate; they will not be able to deduct the salary they pay to executives above $500,000.
• An oversight board will be created. The board will include the Federal Reserve chairman, the Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, the Federal Home Finance Agency director and the Housing and Urban Development secretary.
• Allow for the Treasury to receive the option to take ownership stakes in participating companies under certain circumstances.
• Treasury may establish an insurance program - with risk-based premiums paid by the industry - to guarantee companies’ troubled assets, including mortgage-backed securities, purchased before March 18, 2008.

Some say do not bet on a bailout payday!

The financial market reaction on Monday will be interesting in Asia, Europe and in the United States. So far the markets in the US have been hyperventilating, up and down that it is. Those brave souls engaged in day-trading have made a good buck if they read their tea leaves correctly (yeah for me and  Fannie Mae) but it has been trying times for all investors.

You can read the tentative bailout agreement here. Additional information here. 

37 DAYS UNTIL THE US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE?

More on the Generic Eikaiwa. Man, talk about a racket. I actually feel sorry for the kids, parents, and especially, the native (Japanese) teachers. The junior high kids know that they’re getting into a scam and it takes a real intrepid hard-core teacher to cut through their cynicism. This is one of the reasons why the classes of the older kids (14 and 15 year olds) have only one or two pupils.

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