HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: hiraga@Csli.Stanford.EDU (Yuzuru Hiraga)
Subject: Re: DOES AMERICA SAY YES TO JAPAN? - Off track!!
Followup-To: soc.culture.japan
Organization: Stanford University CSLI
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 01:45:07 GMT

# newsgroups trimmed.

In article <1992Dec28.161735.1344@island.COM> fester@island.COM (Mike Fester) writes:
>In article <1992Dec24.204839.21430@acuson.com> miklg@acuson.com (Michael Goldman ) writes:
>>	As is pointed out in "Trading Places", the Japanese savings rate was
>>	not particularly high until the govt. changed the tax laws to exempt
>>	a certain amount from taxes - sort of like an IRA...
>
>Similarly pointed out in van Wolferen's book. The Japanese tax laws allow a 
>personal savings account of up to (I believe) about $100,000 at the current
>exchange rate with the interest being tax free. There are about twice as many
>such accounts in Japan as there are people eligible for such accounts, and the
>government makes (as yet) no attempt to correct this. 

It HAS been corrected (well, at least changed).  Last year, I believe.
Till then, interest for up to 3-million yen savings was tax free.
Actually, this was not per account but either per person or per bank;
but noone (depositer, bank, government) seemed to take this in a strict
sense unless evasion was evident and huge.
Now, all interests are taxed except for special cases.

As for the original comment by Michael Goldman,
I'm not aware of such an incident (it would have been some time ago anyway),
nor do I think that it would have had drastic effect on the savings rate.

>>	Japanese personal savings are still quite high - on the order
>>	of $70,000 to $100,000.  However, the savings rate has dropped
>>	considerably the last few years, from 20% to 7.5% annually in
>>	1990, and 6.5% in 1991.  Further, Japanese
>>	personal debt now exceeds that of Americans at about $6K-$7K
>>	per person.  The reason for the dramatic change seems to be the
>>	explosion of credit cards in Japan, the high inflation and the
>>	slowing of growth.

To Michael Goldman:
I'm not sure whether the "savings" above refer only to bank accounts,
or other investmental savings as well.
After the so called ZAITEKU boom, much money would have moved to
investments in form of stock (ick!), bonds, monetary funds, MML's, and
high-return short-term insurance plans (eg. YOUROU-HOKEN), all with
higher (and mostly variable) interest rates.
My point is that (assuming this to be the case), the drop in "savings"
can not be all accounted for by consumptive purposes.

>>	The average
>>	personal income is less now than 10 years ago, after adjusting
>>	for inflation.

Regarding that the inflation rate (in Japan) was relatively low these
10 years, I don't think this is the case [no sources, though].

-Yuzuru Hiraga
From: robohen@ocf.berkeley.edu (Henry Robertson)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Don't this sound like Japanese....
Date: 1 Jan 1993 07:59:19 GMT
Organization: U. C. Berkeley Open Computing Facility
NNTP-Posting-Host: headcrash.berkeley.edu

Check it out!  I made a program that generates random Japanese words, it
sounds an awful lot like Noh....

tahe tape ra ku hame regogodo shi
 miru shajo bepigo yamu ba zoto guyugezu
  ho nuchee hokawachu chi ra bo mumo
   so peke danu naja sho pigi nibizeda
    pide ha be tesuhi tochiga n yo
     bejizo yoni shochonuku senu shazogumo ruke mise
      powapo zu guchu tuhapu chi wachi shayu
       ne ze mo michamu sosha cha bo
	bijicho tasho nokodo ye bisu mo ramu
	 saru gicha cheno chajaji ju tataha reete
	  mu rurose eumo ishumo zochosa bo iguye
	   teki so echona sha shazu ose ja
	    shishuemi ko ku ju setaki gukoso u
	     zuuko hei gerita jarabo niosha rapin rache
	      ojako chua turi mupepi yeito ratunoma egebo
	       nushubu ga owo nurera mitosa teyo ridoyu
		pochuru hoa yotasore hemi yo te natuye
		 banua miku nemire kumoba ju shu ni
		  bibi to yochike gari jakopa gibi yabashu
		   wananu shiki ka buzesho michuzujo chebu hibi
From: molenda@i1.msi.umn.edu (Jason Molenda)
Subject: Re: Eigo kara nihongo no jisho
Organization: University of Minnesota
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 00:17:17 GMT

torkel@sics.se (Torkel Franzen) writes:

>  It doesn't quite meet the stated specifications, since there are no
>accent markings. 

Your time is better spent learning more kanji or jukugo instead of
learning pitch accent.  Although I think it is good to have some basic
grasp of where the pitch should rise/fall in a sentence (especially
with highly regular words like -masu verbs), memorizing individual
word's pitch accents is largely a waste of time.  The pitches are only
relevant to one particular part of Japan (typical textbooks use the
To^kyo^ area pitch accents) and are of limited use in the beginning
student.  There are areas of Japan (extremely rural, I will admit)
which don't use pitch accents.

For people who want to become NHK commentators or somesuch thing, it is
important, but for someone who wants to learn ``where is my train?''
your time is better spent elsewhere.

For a good time, get someone from the Kanto^ region and the Kansai
region in the same room and ask them to explain which 'hashi's are
which. (bridge, chopsticks, bluff?  I forget all three right now.)

I'll be happy to cite references to back this up if people are not
convinced.
-- 
Jason Molenda, University of Minnesota, Supercomputer Inst., Technical Support
SGI Iris Admin        molenda@jason.msi.umn.edu       DoD #1867     '77 CB750F
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: fester@island.COM (Mike Fester)
Subject: Re: DOES AMERICA SAY YES TO JAPAN? - Off track!!
Organization: /usr/local/rn/organization
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 18:47:21 GMT

In article <1992Dec29.014507.20882@Csli.Stanford.EDU> hiraga@Csli.Stanford.EDU (Yuzuru Hiraga) writes:
># newsgroups trimmed.

Much deleted; Mr Hiraga makes some good points.

>>>	The average
>>>	personal income is less now than 10 years ago, after adjusting
>>>	for inflation.
>
>Regarding that the inflation rate (in Japan) was relatively low these
>10 years, I don't think this is the case [no sources, though].

Yes, Japan has indeed had a very low inflation rate. However, salary growth has
tended to lag slightly behind it, average wage increases being on the order
1-2%, compared to inflation rates of 1-3%. Not a severe dropoff in real income,
but then realize that along with this, some people are moved into higher
tax brackets, etc. Of course, some of this is offset by the increased value of
the yen, making some foreign goods cheaper (does anyone know if import price
fluctuations are included in calculations of inflation?).

In short, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that average real income is a bit
lower now than before.

Mike
-- 
Disclaimer - These opinions are not so much opinions, as pearls of wisdom. Any-
one disagreeing is obviously either a) a snivelling, whining, mentally-
deficient, weak-willed, inconsequential, namby-pamby tool of some vague but
conveniently defined conspiracy, or b) my wife.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: hiraga@Csli.Stanford.EDU (Yuzuru Hiraga)
Subject: Re: brainwashed
Organization: Stanford University CSLI
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 00:53:03 GMT

In article <1hqj38INNe8a@shelley.u.washington.edu> yoichi@carson.u.washington.edu (Yoichi Ii) writes:
>>>  >Whats-her-face on the Fuji network news ...
> ...
>For those of you who might care, her name is Andou (don't know her
>first name). People usually refer to her as Andou-san or Andou kyastaa.

Aw right, aw right -- enough :-)

The name is ANDOU Yuuko, and she is on FNN "Supertime" (aired 6:00pm).
The other one (in sequences from the 11:00pm? news) is
JOUGASAKI Yuuko.
The one who leads the FCI network sequence (US distribution) is
IWASE Keiko.  For those Iwase-fans back in Japan wondering where
she is, she is in NY.
And when Andou is on leave (on vacation or as a reporter);
younger Fuji announcers like KONDOU Sato and [gosh, I forgot the
other one's name] stand in.
On those occasions, I'd wish Andou-san wouldn't return :-)

As for Moritaka Chisato, yes, James, I agree with you --
and besides her "legs" and appearance, she has an eccentricity
which molds her unique, creative style (style, costumes, choreography);
which differentiates her from the idol-puppets.

phew.

-YH
From: keis@psy.uwa.oz.au (Keis Ohtsuka)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Using 110V,60Hz equip on 100V,60Hz??
Date: 22 Dec 1992 17:15:17 GMT
Organization: The University of Western Australia
NNTP-Posting-Host: wapsy.psy.uwa.oz.au

hiraga@Csli.Stanford.EDU (Yuzuru Hiraga) writes:

>The short answer is, no problem.

I second Y. Hiraga's short answer based on my experience of
using a NEC multispeed laptop for the US without any modification.
I used a power supply for 115V/60Hz in Tokyo area (100V/50Hz).

>Polarization itself is also not a problem: it only indicates what
>side the ground is on.
>However, one possible minor problem is that if you have a polarized
>plug, it is likely to not fit in the non-polarized, Japanese plug-ins.

Also please note the Japanese plug has no ground hole. If your 
Canadian plug is similar to the US counterparts, you may need
an adapter for no-ground hole type outlet.

>If you're still worried, look for converters and adaptors in your
>local electric appliance store.

There is a store that sells all sorts of transformers in Akihabara.
It is north of Soubu line off west side of a main street. I think
that the store was in the basement of a building.. A Japanese
word for a transformer is "toransu" if you ever need it. Good luck.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan,soc.culture.jewish,soc.culture.latin-america
From: faype@bcvms.bc.edu
Subject: *** PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS CROSS-CULTURAL SURVEY!!! ***
Organization: Boston College
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 17:59:02 GMT

****************************************************************
*                  REQUEST FOR SURVEY PARTICIPANTS             *
*         CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY ON SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ABUSE    *
*                BOSTON COLLEGE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK          *
****************************************************************

*********************  I NEED YOUR HELP !!!!! ******************

My name is Peter Fay and I'm a graduate student in clinical
social work at Boston College and I am asking survivors of child
sexual abuse to be volunteers to fill out a questionaire on sexual 
abuse.  You will be helping a research project find out more about 
sexual abuse, how it affects people of different cultures and how 
they recover from it.  As a clinician and survivor, I have a vested 
interest in helping expand the inadequate knowlege base on abuse 
and recovery in order to help survivors.

*********************** CONFIDENTIALITY ************************

All information will be kept under lock and key and not accessible
through any computer network.  No identifying information will 
be kept with questionaire responses.  All information will be
sent through U.S. Mail, and responses will be anonymous.  All work
will be overseen by Dr. Nancy Veeder, School of Social Work,
Boston College.  

I was a "founding member" the alt.sexual.abuse.recovery newsgroup 
and set up the first anonymous posting service two years ago and 
had no breaches of security or anonymity while I ran it.

****************************************************************

To volunteer to fill out the questionaire (or for more info),
please send me your name, address (and if possible phone #). You
may contact me through mail, e-mail or phone.  Thank you.

                      Peter Fay
                      7 North Bend Road
                      Worcester, MA 01602, USA
                      (508) 757-3125

                      E-mail: 
                         Internet: faype@bcvms.bc.edu
                         Bitnet:   faype@BCVMS
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: hiraga@Csli.Stanford.EDU (Yuzuru Hiraga)
Subject: Re: Comfort girls?
Keywords: rape of nangking
Organization: Stanford University CSLI
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1993 10:40:41 GMT

In article <1992Dec29.172407.2499@island.COM> fester@island.COM (Mike Fester) writes:
>In article <1992Dec28.214852.25986@leland.Stanford.EDU> underdog@leland.Stanford.EDU (Dwight Joe) writes:
>>The Japanese gov't does not authorize history books to lie about WWII;
>>instead, certain events in the war are simply not mentioned.  Some
>>examples off the top of my head are the massacre in Nanjing, the
>>biological experiments, etc.
>
>"simply not mentioned" is, of course, nonsense. They were ordered removed from
>the testbooks. The author of the texts sued, and by the time the case finally
>reached the Supreme Court, the ruling was "yes the government was wrong, but 
>the statute of limitations has expired, so nothing should be done about it".

For the record:
The author was Ienaga-Saburou, and the ruling was against the rewrite
opinion (OK, effectively an order) by the textbook board. It was not about
whether either of the positions/interpretations was correct.
That is, textbooks completely conforming to the government guidelines
was not rules as incorrect, nor was the inspection process itself
deemed as illegal.
In short, the court order was to allow more liberty on the author's side.

Although WWII-related issues were highlighted, that was not the only
point of dispute (although I'm not sure whether all of them were carried
to the supreme court).  And while the Ienaga-trial triggered the
textbook controversy, much of the issues are not about his book,
but of other (and later) books.

Also, "simply not mentioned" in Dwight Joe's sense is both right and
wrong, but in a different sense.  There are no outright lies in the
published versions (actually, this is what the inspection is primarily
about, and Ienaga's original text itself contained many trivial erros
that were pointed out), and those he points out (at least the Nanjing
massacre) are actually mentioned, albeit in a softened or diminished manner.
This, IMO, is within the range of interpretation (which also includes
the position of Ienaga and those opposed to the orderings).
Note that I'm not advocating the government's rulings -- actually, I'm not.

-Yuzuru Hiraga
From: ra01+@andrew.cmu.edu (Rikiya Asano)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: 1992 All-Time Xmas Songs
Date: 26 Dec 92 17:45:30 GMT
Article-I.D.: andrew.AfDGPOG00iV4A20Xlw
	<1992Dec26.143029.22900@Csli.Stanford.EDU>
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

Friends,

.

   This is the All-Time 1992 Christmas Songs:

5. Grandma got ran over by a reindeer.(?)
4. A Christmas Song-N.K. Cole(Father)
3. A Chrstmas Song-N. Cole(Daughter)
2. This Christmas-Donny Hathaway
1. What do the lonely do on Christmas-The Emotions(Barry White's female band)
From: dcroz@twics.co.jp
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Not a Myth at All
Date: 25 Dec 92 11:26:13 GMT
Organization: TWICS, Tokyo, Japan

In article <BzqHKC.7En@ncifcrf.gov>, masuda@fcs280b.ncifcrf.gov (Michiaki Masuda) writes:
> In article <34005@twics.co.jp> dcroz@twics.co.jp writes:
> 
>>    Besides, you don't have to be Einstein to spot the racism in Yokosuka;
> 
>    Aaaa, Yokosuka ne...
> 
>>     What--you think if you were plonked down in a town full of people who
>>regarded you as an unwelcome racial inferior you couldn't figure it out?  You
>>think it would take you more than a couple of years to tumble?  Or are you just
>>presuming that "Navy guys" are inferior in intelligence and comprehension?
> 
>    Most Japanese rather suffer from an inferiority complex towards Americans.
> If there is a racism among Japanese against navy servicemen, I'd assume
> that there WAS something that converted the attitude of Japanese in Yokosuka
> from inferiority complex to hostility or despise.
> 
>>>>People who do stupid things like shoplift in Akihabara or steal train rides
>>>>because they think they're bigger and stronger than the Japanese so they can
>>>>darn well do anything they please are the ones who create and perpetrate
>>>>slanted attitudes about foreigners among the Japanese people.
> 
>>     Without wanting to defend thieves in any way:  these people probably serve
>>in some way to give the perpetuation of racist attitudes a boost, but no way do
>>they create them.  They are created by the culture itself and all its
>>manifestations:  the family, the play group, TV, textbooks and teachers, and
>>all the rest.
> 
>    Puke! How sickening! 
> How much can you tell about Japanese culture from which you segregate yourself?
> 
>>>>They have no right to complain about any kind of racism
> 
>>     No right?  My, what a novel concept:  a person can forfeit his human right
>>to be free from racism because of unrelated obnoxious or criminal behavior.  A
>>startling insight.  I wonder where it will lead us?
> 
>    Nothing novel. If someone has a biased view based on racism,
> that person should not whine about someone else's racism. That's 
> what I understood from Mr. Luke's posting, and I think that it is a 
> reasonable argument.
>  
>    By any chance, do you have access to an account at CMU? Your style
> reminds me of someone.
> 
> --Michiaki
From: jcliu@four-lab4.Berkeley.EDU (James C. Liu)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Pin-up Calendars (was Re: brainwashed)
Date: 29 Dec 1992 23:10:54 GMT
Organization: UC Berkeley Dept. of Nuclear Engineering
NNTP-Posting-Host: four-lab4.berkeley.edu

In article <1hqj38INNe8a@shelley.u.washington.edu> yoichi@carson.u.
washington.edu (Yoichi Ii) writes:

  >You know, I wasn't trying to start a "Japanese Female Newsperson Beauty
  >Contest".  I guess Andou-san isn't the most beautiful woman around, but
  >my point was that I like her snappy "hai's", self confident style, and
  >timely humor.

Well, pin-up calendars are much more fun to talk about. IMHO.

  >As for this "Chisato-chan" person, I don't know who the _heck_ she is.
  >So there. :-)

Pitiful.  Some of the best "ashi" west of the international date line!
The calendar was a bit over priced however, and nothing risque, and
somewhat cheezy.  However, it was preferable to Nakayama Miho's
poster calendar.  Moritaka Chisato produced the album "Rock Alive" with
the top ten hit, "Watashi ga Obasan ni Natte Mo."  You'll probably see
her on the Red and White Sing-out New Year's Eve.

Moritaka Chisato has the best cheerleader-style hand movements of any
Japanese female vocalist I've seen...even better than Mi-Ke's trio of
cuties. :-).

Jaa, James
=======================================================================
James C. Liu |    KARAOKE Addict!     Karaoke: You're the STAR!!!!    |
             |    Wanna go? Need someone who sings worse than you do? |
             |    Know about a cool karaoke bar? send e-mail          |
=======================================================================
Xref: sparky soc.culture.japan:12831 sci.econ:9515 soc.culture.usa:9353 soc.culture.african.american:13234 sci.electronics:21530 misc.consumers:21162 misc.education:5544 misc.entrepreneurs:3744
From: dhesi@cirrus.com (Rahul Dhesi)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan,sci.econ,soc.culture.usa,soc.culture.african.american,sci.electronics,misc.consumers,misc.education,misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Re: DOES AMERICA SAY YES TO JAPAN?
Date: 23 Dec 92 21:03:22 GMT
Organization: Cirrus Logic Inc.

In <1992Dec22.162623.3860@acuson.com> miklg@acuson.com
(Michael Goldman) writes:

>No one, get that, not a
>_single_ one of them, would say that Japan is an open
>society in terms of trade.

This is, however, a non sequitor.  The question is not how much free
trade there is in Japan.   There are restrictions on free trade both in
the US and in Japan, and restrictions are generally greater in Japan in
most areas, but greater in the US in some areas.  Try importing manhole
covers or shirts, for example, without applying for an import quota
from the US government -- you will be in the slammer very quickly.

The question is whether Japan's success in the market is due to its
restrictions on trade.  The answer is a clear no, in my opinion.
Insightful people have been predicting Japan's economic success for
about twenty years -- and these predictions were based on the
observation that the quality of Japanese manufacturing was steadily
climbing, and was soon going to surpass the quality of US products.  US
products aren't bad, mind you; but Japanese products are as good or
better.
-- 
Rahul Dhesi <dhesi@cirrus.com>
also: dhesi@rahul.net
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: underdog@leland.Stanford.EDU (Dwight Joe)
Subject: Re: SEXISM IN JAPANESE WORKPLACE!!!!
Organization: Miners for a Heart of Gold
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 92 02:29:19 GMT

In article <1992Dec24.012201.16509@leland.Stanford.EDU>
harumi@leland.Stanford.EDU (harumi ito) writes:
>I have this stereotyped idea that many, if not most, Japanese husbands
>expect to wake up in the morning smelling misoshiru from the kitchen
>and to have nice and hot dinner prepared when they go back home from
>work.  I admit that it is a streotype.  Sorry if I am wrong.  But, you
>get my idea.  If I went to an "omiai" and told the other party that (1)
>I will be in school next couple of years, (2) I have no idea where in 
>the world I will be working after getting my degree ( my fingers are 
>crossed ), and (3) I usually go back home sometime between 8 pm and 3 am, 
>what would the chance that this "endan" would go forward.  If I were male, 
>things might be different. So, please just don't give me "oh, situations 
>are changing in modern Japan" kind of crap.  

I won't want people thinking that Ms. Ito's assertions are typical of
Japanese women.  I know some who say just the opposite; in fact, they insist
that _their_ thinking is typical of Japanese women.

They, for better or worse, do insist that "oh, situations are changing
in modern Japan."  Even though I insisted that Japan is about 20-30 years
behind the USA with regards to social thinking (equality of women, race
relations, etc), these Japanese women insisted that Japan is only 10 years
behind, at worst.

------------------------------------------------------------------+------------
Jinsei no imi wa nan desu ka.                Sister, can you      |   \|  |`
Shitte itara oshiete kuremasen ka.           spare a coin?        |    | -+-
                                                                  |   /| / \
Copyright 1992.  Disclaimer:  1 + 1 = 3                           |
------------------------------------------------------------------+------------
From: bgt@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (barbara.tongue)
Subject: Comfort girls?
Organization: AT&T
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 14:34:03 GMT
Followup-To: soc.culture.japan
Keywords: rape of nangking

folks,

just recently i read about the rape of nangking and the japanese use
of "comfort girls" (women forced into prostitution for the soldiers).
amazingly (maybe not), my high school education never revealed this
period of history, nor did i take any eastern history courses in 
college.

given what's happening with the women of bostnia and croatia, such
atrocities are commonplace in war.  however, the news has recently
carried articles about the japanese admittance to "comfort girls"
(which had been denied for sometime).

i'm interested in knowing all sides of the issues.  any information
is greatly appreciated.  does japan teach its students about this
period of time?  does china?  what is the "official" story from both
sides?
-- 
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%%   The Speaking Tongue, AT&T   %%  C Code.  C Code Run.  Run, Code, RUN! %%
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Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan