Japan has a curious problem when it comes to its public broadcaster NHK. On the one hand, they will claim that anyone who owns a TV (or a smartphone capable of downloading the NHK streaming app) must pay a yearly fee of approximately 13,000 Yen (130 USD). On the other hand, they do nothing to […]
Quick…What is the first things you think of when I say “Hawaii”? If you are from most of the Western world, images of pristine beaches, blue ocean waters, and maybe a nice margarita will shoot through your mind very quickly. But if you are Japanese, you think of pancakes. Yes, pancakes. Because somehow, through years […]
I often joke about how the Japanese people are basically automatons, who mindlessly shuffle through their days, responding to stimuli much like one of Pavlov’s dogs, predictably and without spontaneity. Well, this actually isn’t a joke in most circumstances. Each morning I arrive at my desk around 7:45. I do this primarily so the vice […]
Here in good old Nippon, where much of the burden of caring for the elderly is placed on sons and daughters, the realities of such dynamics are clearly evident in the workplace. And even though it is seen as an honorable thing to care for one’s family, missing a day of work can easily wipe […]