Subject:  American Community Update - February 2005

Welcome to the February newsletter!  Here are the topics for this month:

     --  Upcoming Holidays
     --  Security Situation
     --  IRS 2004 Exchange Rates
     --  Suspect Phone Calls
     --  Tsunami Tips
     --  Foreigner Slain in Roppongi
     --  2005 Foreign Service Written Exam
     --  Asbestos Removal Project in Osaka
     --  About Marriage, Citizenship and Babies
     --  Caution for Seoul
     --  Public Announcement - Thailand 
     --  Malaysia - Dengue Fever
     --  Unsubscribing


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Upcoming Holidays
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The Embassy and our Consulates will close for-

     --  National Foundation Day February 11 (Friday)

     --  Washington's Birthday February 21 (Monday) 

     --  Training Day (Tokyo only) March 1 (Tuesday).


Please remember that the days just before and just after a holiday are usually exceptionally busy and you can expect significantly longer waiting times.  Visit us outside of these times and you should have a shorter wait.

A full list of all of our holiday closings is online at http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-holidays.html.  

If you do come to see us at the Embassy in Tokyo, note that we have two lines to enter the building; a (usually) longer line for visa applicants and a much shorter line for customers coming for American Citizen Services help.


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Security Situation
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The security situation in Japan remains the same with no new credible threat information; however the Government of Japan has taken heightened security measures at key facilities and ports of entry, as counter terrorism precautions linked to the increased role taken with the deployment of Japanese self defense forces to Iraq.  The September 10, 2004 Worldwide Caution Public Announcement we distributed via this channel remains in effect (you can always read the most current information at http://travel.state.gov). 


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IRS 2004 Exchange Rates
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The IRS provided us with the following information on exchange rates for use withy our 2004 Federal tax forms:

IRS will not post an exchange rate schedule on its web site.

Instead, here is the US Treasury rate from Financial Management Service (FMS): 

        Jan - March 2004:   104.02 
        April - June 2004:  110.19 
        May - Sep 2004:     108.82 
        Oct - Dec 2004:     103.11 
        Average 2004:       106.54 

Other options:  http://www.oanda.com provides exchange rates.  People using that site should obtain the average exchange rate using the 'interbank rate' for the period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004.  You input that information and the site automatically gives you the average rate for that period for any currency in the world.  Per Oanda, the average exchange rate was 108.170.

If you go to http://www.newyorkfed.org/markets/fxrates, you can download the daily rates into an Excel spreadsheet and have the spreadsheet compute the average rate as 108.164.

Any of these rates could be used and accepted.  If the IRS were to examine the return and ask how the exchange rate were computed, the individual would need to be able to show how the rate they used was computed.  Since any of these are obtained from legitimate sites, they would be accepted.


Note that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) office serving Japan is located in Philadelphia, and provides U.S. Federal tax assistance to Americans in Japan. The IRS office at the American Embassy in Tokyo closed on June 18, 2004. There is no one at the Embassy or our Consulates who can answer tax questions.  However, a lot of information, including a list of paid tax preparers, is on our web site at http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7126b.html.

In addition, the IRS Home Page, http://www.irs.gov, has a lot of information available to answer many questions. Go to 'Individuals' and then 'Overseas Taxpayers' you will find a section of FAQ, which will take you to IRS Publication 54. Many questions of overseas taxpayers can be answered from that source.

In addition, if you have tax law and/or other general questions, you can contact IRS via e-mail via http://www.irs.gov/help/page/0,,id=133197,00.html.


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Suspect Phone Calls
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From December 6 through 14, the Embassy's security office received six different reports about a female phoning U.S. businesses and requesting information regarding American and other foreign employees.  The caller falsely represented herself as an employee of AmEmbassy Tokyo.  Japanese police are investigating the matter.

If you are ever in doubt about whether a caller is truly from the American Embassy, simply take down his/her name and call back through the Embassy switchboard operator at 03-3224-5000.


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Tsunami Tips
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Tsunamis are ocean waves produced by earthquakes or underwater landslides. The word is Japanese and means "harbor wave," because of the devastating effects these waves have had on low-lying Japanese coastal communities. Tsunamis are often incorrectly referred to as tidal waves, but a tsunami is actually a series of waves that can travel at speeds averaging 450 (and up to 600) miles per hour in the open ocean. In the open ocean, tsunamis would not be felt by ships because the wavelength would be hundreds of miles long, with an amplitude of only a few feet. This would also make them unnoticeable from the air. As the waves approach the coast, their speed decreases and their amplitude increases. Unusual wave heights have been known to be over 100 feet high. However, waves that are 10 to 20 feet high can be very destructive and cause many deaths or injuries.

The devastating tsunami that struck Asia on December 26, 2004 is a reminder of the need to prepare ourselves in earthquake-prone Japan.  Learn more from our web site at http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-tsunami.html


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Foreigner slain in Roppongi
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According to information assembled through a variety of sources, including the media, US military reporting and the Azabu Police Station in Tokyo, around 0400 on January 3, 2005, a foreigner was stabbed to death at a club called "Wall Street House," also known as "Wall Street II," at Roppongi 5-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo.  The victim's passport showed he is 26 years old, and from Uruguay.  However, there is a possibility that the passport was fake.

No Americans were involved, though Americans have been known to frequent the club.  At least one American has reported that his passport was stolen from him in this same club in the past.  There appears to have been no relationship between this murder and the December 2, 2004 murder of an American Citizen nearby at Roppongi 7-chome.


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2005 Foreign Service Written Exam
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Interested in joining the U.S. State Department as a Foreign Service Officer? The U.S. Embassy and Consulates will administer the 2005 Foreign Service Written Exam on April 23, 2005. Application deadline for overseas test centers is March 16, 2005.  Register online in the Employment/Officers section of the State Department's website. http://www.careers.state.gov/officer/register.html.  Study guides available online.

To be eligible for the written examination, an applicant must be:

-- Between 20 and 59 years old on the date of examination. Appointment to the Foreign Service must take place before the candidate's 60th birthday 
-- A citizen of the United States 
-- Available for worldwide assignment, including Washington, D.C.


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Asbestos Removal Project in Osaka
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An asbestos removal project will be conducted at the US Consulate General in Osaka during late winter and early spring of this year.  Exact dates have not yet been fixed.   We estimate that the project will take from one to two weeks for our visa floor and the same amount of time for our Citizens Services floor.  The two areas will be dealt with sequentially.  We will update our web site to keep you advised of our most current information.  During this time we will be conducting limited visa operations and emergency American Citizen Service operations in the same area.  Although we will be open for business, our waiting area will be very crowded and there will be limited or no seating.  We encourage all of our clients who can conduct business with us by mail to do so.  In addition, those who can defer business with us should consider doing so until we can offer you a more comfortable reception area.


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Things People Always Ask Us About Marriage, Citizenship and Babies
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Q:  If I get legally married in Japan, am I also married in the U.S.?
A:  Yes.

Q:  Do I need to register the marriage in Japan with the Embassy or my home state?
A:  No.

Q:  If I get married in the U.S., am I also married in Japan?
A:  Yes.  If your spouse is Japanese, s/he will need to register the marriage on his/her family registry (koseki).

Q:  Do I need to register the marriage in the US with the American Embassy?
A:  No.  If your spouse is Japanese, s/he will need to register the marriage on his/her family registry (koseki).

Q:  So how do I get married in Japan?
A:  First, find the right person.  Then, you can learn more about how to marry in Japan at http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7114.html


Q:  If I get married, do I automatically become a Japanese Citizen?  Does my spouse become an American?
A: No and no.  Becoming a citizen of another country after marriage requires a separate process called naturalization.  For the U.S., your spouse must first become a legal permanent resident of the U.S., a green card holder.  Learn more at http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/visa/tvisa-ivgeneral.html.  For Japanese citizenship questions, please contact the Japanese Immigration Bureau.


Q:  How come you won't tell me about how to become a Japanese Citizen on your web site?
A:  We can speak only for the U.S. side.  For any questions about Japanese government matters, such as citizenship, spouse visas or taxes, you need to talk to the Japanese side.


Q:  My Japanese spouse is already a legal permanent resident of the U.S., a green card holder.  I work here in Japan for a big U.S. company and so he can't meet the residency requirements that say he has to live in the U.S. to naturalize.  Is there anything we can do?
A:  For many foreign spouses whose American husbands or wives work for U.S. companies in Japan, or who serve in the military, the naturalization process can be expedited. "Expeditious Naturalization" refers to the fact that you will not be required to wait until you have three years residence and physical presence in the United States and you do not have to wait until you have been married for three years.  The details are at http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-exped.html


Q:  We just had a baby and I want to get him a US passport, but my wife says he should not go outside the house for at least a month.  Is there a deadline for applying?
A:  It is important to start this process as soon as possible after your child is born. In the case of urgent, unexpected travel, your child will need a passport. In addition, you may need to secure a Japanese visa for your child, which also requires a passport.  That said, the only "deadline" for completing this process is before your child's 18th birthday.


Q:  I'm American and my spouse is Japanese.  Will our children be American or Japanese Citizens?
A:  Most likely your children will be dual nationals, citizens at birth of both the U.S. and Japan.  There are potential complexities, but you can learn more at http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7118.html


Q:  OK, so my kids now have both US and Japanese passports and we are going to Hawaii for a vacation.  Which passports should they use to travel?
A:  U.S. law requires American Citizens to enter the U.S. on their U.S. passports, so when checking-in in Japan and going through Immigration in the airport upon arrival in the U.S., your kids should use their American passports.  While we cannot tell you what is best regarding Japanese law, many dual national children enter Japan on their Japanese passports.


Q:  Can the kids remain dual nationals forever?
A:  The U.S. does not require people to declare or give up a second nationality; see http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7118.html.  Japan does have such a requirement.  You can read more at http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7118b.html.


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Caution for Seoul
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The U.S. Embassy transmitted the following information through the Embassy's warden system as a public service to all U.S. citizens in the Republic of Korea.

Recently, inflammatory sexual content was posted to a website for English language teachers in Korea.  That posting together with subsequent postings were taken by some to demean Korean women.  We have noted recently, strong reaction in the form of web postings threatening attacks in the vicinity of Hongik University and the Sinchon area against Americans and other foreigners who speak English.  All Americans and their families (especially young adults) are encouraged to exercise prudence and caution when visiting these neighborhoods.  The Embassy advises that inappropriate social behavior in public may be seen as provocative by Korean nationals.   


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PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT - THAILAND 
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This Public Announcement advises American citizens that travel to Phi Phi Island and much of the Khao Lak resort area in Phang Nga province in Thailand remains difficult or impossible due to extremely heavy damage caused by the December 26 tsunami, and to urge American citizens hoping to assist in recovery efforts not to travel to the disaster zone unless they have made specific prior arrangements with an organization operating in the area. This Public Announcement expires on February 6, 2005. 

A series of tsunami waves caused by a severe earthquake struck southwestern coastal areas of Thailand on December 26, causing great loss of life and destruction to buildings and infrastructure in the popular resort areas of Phuket, Phi Phi Island, Krabi, and Phang Nga. Facilities on Phi Phi Island and in most of Khao Lak were largely destroyed, making travel to those areas extremely inadvisable. Services in most other affected areas, however, including hotels and telephone services, are generally operating again, and many parts of Phuket and Krabi suffered only minimal damage. No parts of Thailand other than the southwest coast were affected by the disaster. 

Organizations and government agencies from around the world are conducting extensive recovery operations in the disaster area. So that these operations can function as smoothly as possible, Americans are urged not to travel to the area in hope of volunteering their services unless they have been informed in advance that their skills can be put to use. 

Americans living or traveling in Thailand are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok through the State Department's travel registration website at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs, and to be sure to let their families and friends know that they were not harmed by the tsunami. American citizens may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada, and 317-472-2328 from overseas.  Further Department of State travel information, including the complete text of the Consular Information Sheet for Thailand, is available at the Department of State's web site: http://travel.state.gov. 


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Malaysia - Dengue Fever
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Malaysian media are reporting a significant increase in cases of dengue in Malaysia.  According to a January 13, 2005 report by the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), there has been an increase in Selangor from the normal average of 120 cases per week to 350 cases per week, in the Federal Territory from 100 to 250 cases per week, and in Penang from 20 to 50 cases per week.  According to the Ministry of Health, an annual spike in dengue after the rainy season is common, and Malaysia is also at a natural 10-year peak in the periodic dengue cycle. While the rise in cases is within normal parameters, it is always important to be aware of the possibility of dengue and the ways it can be prevented.

Dengue Fever is a viral illness transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti and albopictus mosquitoes. The mosquitoes that transmit dengue bite during the day, unlike malaria mosquitoes that bite at night. Only about 5 to 40% of those infected with the dengue virus develop symptoms, which is typical for most viral infections. Mortality from dengue is extremely low in developed regions like Malaysia. In 2002 the fatality rate was 0.1%; in 2003 it decreased to 0.05%.

The single most important preventative measure is elimination of stagnant water around your house and environment. This eliminates the mosquito's breeding ground. Most of us have balconies and pots and containers around our homes that should be kept clear of stagnant water that can collect after rains or watering gardens.

When outside, wear long sleeves and long pants. Many people elect to use insect repellents. This is most important if you spend significant time outside or in the "rain forest environment." Repellents containing DEET are the most effective. Products containing DEET list the percentage of concentration. The recommended concentration for adults is 30% or less. For children use 10%. Use DEET repellents sparingly for children under the age of 6 and not at all for children under 2 months old. The period of time DEET remains effective is relative to the percentage of DEET contained. 10% is effective for about 2 hours; 24% for about 5 hours. Select the percentage according to the amount of time spent in the environment. DEET is not water-soluble and you should never apply it more than once a day. Don't use DEET with combination sunscreens because sunscreens are frequently reapplied if they wash off.

Dengue fever is characterized by flu-like symptoms. There is a sudden onset of fever, chills and headache. This is often followed a short time later by general bone and muscle aches. A rash may appear after about 4 days. Dengue sufferers can also develop bleeding gums, nosebleeds, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cough and abdominal pain. After a few days the fever will disappear and hypothermia (low body temp) will occur. Shock can then develop.

The treatment for dengue is supportive. Oral or IV fluids are given along with acetaminophen (Tylenol, Panadol). Aspirin should not be taken. There are no medications or vaccinations for dengue. If you develop significant flu-like symptoms accompanied by a sustained fever, you should be seen by a health care professional. 

You may consult the following websites for additional information about dengue fever and the current outbreak: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/submenus/sub_dengue.htm and the World Health Organization:  http://www.who.int/topics/dengue/en/


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Unsubscribing
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