HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ra01+@andrew.cmu.edu (Rikiya Asano)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Makoto Ikeda
Date: 16 Oct 92 10:58:41 GMT
Article-I.D.: andrew.Uerl3VO00WBO43sXJ_
	<16OCT199213361468@vxcrna.cern.ch>
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

Makoto,

              Why do you ask if I'm Japanese? I see that your name is
Japanese, so to me it is most likely that you are. You also noticed that
My name is Japanese but since my talking is not as conforming as yours(I
might even go as fas as to say that my talking is agressive, but that
depends on who you are talking to). So, what if you haven't hear a
Japanese talk this way. We can be different and diversified. And, not so
Homogeneous as you think. You were border
line insulting but I forgive you. Not to long ago I did an oil painting
based on
Jean-Michel Basquiat's "Feddy" but I introduced Modern Techniques and
Quite a bit of Comtemprary Creativity coupled with Asian Imagination and
came up with my version in which I called "Makoto". You should see it.
Plus I was thinking of another Makoto - a Chinese-born Japanese whom
I've met here in America. His lifes story is as follows(very generally): 

                                      When Makoto was growing up(I don't
feel that I am breaking any friendship ethics because I want everyone to
know how terrible individuals are treated and that its time to respond)
stress related to ethnic islation was a common factor in his families
life. As a child Makoto, did not care, he couldn't. In fact, his parents
didn't tell his sister and he that they all were Chinese until years
later. Makoto always had trouble grow up. I think that this to a great
extent was due to the fact that his father and Mother were treat bad in
Nippon. I also believe that Makoto was treated unfairly but who can tell
these day why kids do what these do to other kids. I think that they
could tell that Makoto was different. In America, Makoto would have been
lable a trobled child, a runaway and maybe send to an ophanage. but, in
Nihon
he was allow to runaway from his parents at thirteen, live on his own until now
twenty-two, drop in and out of school, get in truoble with the law and nearly
a failer in life(Recklessness). To me its a shame because there were a
lot of times when he should have been found and turn over to his
parents. How is it possible that a thirteen year old child can live on
his own and pay bills, work
illegally, buy a car and more without the supervision of his Parents.
How could this happen in Nihon? I know how. The law and (some of the
people)Said Fuck it! they're Chinese. Let them do what they want, we
don't care. Another child could have been destroy because of them. While
they walk round think we are pure. We
are clean. Makoto, though, being the man that he is worked all by himself until
he made enough money to pay for the entire four years of college and
came here to America. I respect Makoto. His is my champion and my
friend. So, Mr. Ikeda,
i forgive you for your stupidity. But, please try to be more
understanding. You don't know my troubles in life, and like wise I don't
know yours. So, I can understand in your have a problem. Do You?
From: keis@psy.uwa.oz.au (Keis Ohtsuka)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Foreigner's bank accounts in Japan
Date: 16 Oct 1992 12:18:19 GMT
Organization: The University of Westrn Australia
NNTP-Posting-Host: wapsy.psy.uwa.oz.au

robohen@ocf.berkeley.edu (Henry Robertson) writes:

>Hi!  I'm a college student thinking of working in Japan next year.  Are
>foreigners allowed to start credit card accounts over there, and if so,
>is VISA or Mastercard among them?  Also, will they be issued cash cards
>so they can withdraw savings from cash machines?

Although Japanese banks issue VISA or Mastercard, they are not truely
a revolving account as you get accustomed in the USA. In Japan, VISA/
MC is tied to your saving account and the balance you charge each
month will be automatically debited from the balance. 

Assuming you will keep your US bank account and be able to write
a check in US$,
American VISA/MC works fine in Japan so long as you receive monthy
statement in time in your Japanse address. One caveat, though, is
when your VISA/MC expires, most American banks won't send a new
card unless you have an address in the USA. Therefore, that is the
time you have to say goodbye to your bank (at least for a while).
American Express, though it is not a revolving account, seems more
international comparing to VISA/MC and US Amex will happy to
have business with you while you're in japan. In case of Amex and
I suspect for other credit cards, the annual membership fees for
Japanese credit cards, as well as everything else in the country,
are more expensive than those for the US cards. You pay more for
less extended credit. Needless to say, the balance charged on
VISA/MC isssued by Japanese banks will be billed in Japanese Yen.
I think Japanese still use cash for most transactions. One
final warning about ATMs, they shut them down at 7pm or some
rediculously early hour on weekdays, and charge a service fee
if you use them after 5pm or on weekends, or from other banks
than your own bank. It's a disgrace that Japanese have such
a greedy and inefficient banking system. Can't they just leave
a computer on for crying out loud! 

Could other netters in Japan update my info if banking regulations
changed since May. Thanks.
From: ay@cs.duke.edu (Akitoshi Yoshida)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Scary in Japan
Date: 12 Oct 92 15:28:32 GMT
Organization: Duke University CS Dept., Durham, NC
In-reply-to: bbs.lar@tsoft.sf-bay.org's message of 10 Oct 92 22:09:14 GMT

In article <4P9FsB1w165w@tsoft.sf-bay.org> bbs.lar@tsoft.sf-bay.org (Larry Greenfield) writes:

   I just want to put in my 2c here... 

***stuff deleted***

     The only place where I ever really felt "stared at" was once on Rebun 
   Island. I had rented a scooter from the youth hostel, and had been 
   driving around thte island. I was away from the city, (it's not that big 
   of an island, but I was in the less-populated area), and it was getting 
   cold and was around lunch time. I stopped ona street that had a small 
   restaurant for curry rice.  For some strange reason, that was the only 
   time I ever felt stared at, but everyone was staring at me insdie there. 
   When the curry rice came, the lady politely put a fork beside me too. 
   Since I've used chopsticks sicne I was a small kid, I naturally just used 
   the chopsticks, and everyone was staring at me.  The ice melted as I was 
   leaving, I decided to ask for directions back into town.  I was kinda 
   lost and it was getting colder.  That seemed to do the trick.
   :::::Larry:::::

   --
   Larry Greenfield (bbs.lar@tsoft.sf-bay.org)
In Japan, .... (sorry for my generalization.)
People usually eat curry rice with a spoon. I have never seen someone
eating curry rice with chopsticks. You must have shocked them. If
I order a cheese burger at McDonald's here and ask for a knife
and a fork. They will stare at me. Although, the situation can be
different in other countries. In fact, I saw some people using them in
Germany. 

Here are more examples.

o Spagetti : use a fork at a regular restaurant. At an elegant place,
             use a spoon and a fork.

o Burgers
  Sandwitches
  Hot dogs : use your hands.

o Curry rice : use a spoon in general. For curry rice with Tonkatsu,
               use a fork and a knife, and an optional spoon.

In general, if the rice in served on a plate, people use a fork. If
it's served in a rice bowl, they use chopsticks. Traditional Japanese
meals are often served with a rice bowl, so they use chopsticks. When
they eat Western or non Traditional meals, they tend to prefer using a
knife and a fork. When they use them, they eat like Europeans (I mean
no switching).  

Aki

P.S. I saw a funny episode from Father Dowling (spell?). There was a
guy who said that he had been in the US for all his life. One day
Father Dowling saw him eating with a knife and a fork without
switching. So, he started to suspect him. He turned out to be a gang
member from Italy.
--
---
Akitoshi Yoshida			$B5HED L@=S(B
Department of Computer Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27706
INTERNET:	ay@cs.duke.edu		TEL	:	(919)-660-6561
From: ra01+@andrew.cmu.edu (Rikiya Asano)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: MR. LUKE..
Date: 14 Oct 92 05:40:37 GMT
Article-I.D.: andrew.4er2BJG00UzxE1L_E8
	<i*#@byu.edu>
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

MR. LUKE,

          YEAH, RIGHT!
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: pantages@bmerh463.bnr.ca (Paul Pantages)
Subject: tourist visa question
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 09 Oct 92 01:45:35 GMT

Hmm. Anyone familiar with the Japanese Govt. policy on tourist visas?

My wife is Thai and must get a visa to vist.  We will enter Japan twice,
once to vist and the second time in transit on the way home.  The visa
officer at the embassy in Ottawa said that he will only issue the first
(entry) visa, and that we would have to apply for the other one
(transit) when we are in Osaka. 

I find this a little strange, and a moderate amount of questioning did
not get an answer out of him (I did not press him too hard at the time,
his English is adequit but not perfect).  I don't see why the Embassy
will not issue a visa for the return flight.  I am concerned that they
will not want to issue the second one, and we will be stuck in Bangkok
with useless JAL tickets.  My travel agent tells me that the embassy
recently refused a transit visa to a Thai student.  She was travelling
Ottawa-Bangkok.  This person was not even staying overnight in Narita,
just changing planes.  She had to pay a 25% penalty for cancelling with
JAL.  This of course makes me very wary-

Anyone had a similar experience? I don't want the hassle and uncertainty of
dealing with government when I am on holidays.

If you have any info, email will be fine --> pantages@bnr.ca

Thanks, P. Pantages
From: ra01+@andrew.cmu.edu (Rikiya Asano)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Shameless Japaness must recognize and apologize for Invasion China
Date: 16 Oct 92 06:12:41 GMT
Article-I.D.: andrew.oergrNq00WBL01hsV8
	<1992Oct15.203537.8302@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu>
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

Mr. Lee,

            Why don't you give us a chance to apologized? Is it that you
need an enemy to hate? Give you a direction in life? Tell me my friend?
What hurts you so? You can say? Maybe, I'll Start Off for you. Yes, the
Japanese invaded China and killed many innocent people. Men, Women and
especially children. It was horrible. I wish that if I said sorry it
would heal the wounds, but it won't. Sorry, will not take away the pain
that the Japanese caused for I must suffer
for the crimes that "others" did. It does not matter how long because
time won't
back their dead back. So, I wish that I will be able to endure this suffering
until I can find a way be it though intelligence, friendship, the power of God,
humanity and/ or hope to make everyone to come together to heal and work
on the mutual respect of humanity. So that this does not happen again.
Mr. Lee
talk to me. Just don't blame me. Unless that is your punishment.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: mccullou@cae.wisc.edu (Mark McCullough)
Subject: Kendo
Organization: U of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering
Date: 16 Oct 92 21:13:47 CDT

  I am wondering if anyone knows about any up-coming Kendo tournaments in either
New York or Los Angeles. I heard that there will be a Sei Bei Taikai in Los
Angeles in November, and another tournament in New York in late spring. The
Midwest Kendo Federation held their Fourth Annual Tournament last weekend in
Chicago. The UW-Madison team took first place in the team division, and we did
well in all other divisions also. Go Kendo Badgers! 8^) Any information would 
be greatly appreciated. Thanx in advance.

             Keith Booton
From: smittie@beach.csulb.edu (Smittie)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Politics
Date: 8 Oct 92 19:41:08 GMT
 f.gov><2222@usna.NAVY.MIL><SMITTIE.92Oct6133235@tui.csulb.edu><BvqpAz.K95@worl
 d.std.com><SMITTIE.92Oct7111428@beach.csulb.edu><HARKCOM.92Oct8185615@spinach.pa.yokogawa.co.jp
Organization: Cal State Long Beach

Al, I can always count on you to keep me on my toes.

Fair trade is, in my opinion, an extremely illusive concept since we must first
define "fair" in a manner that all sides will agree on. I suspect that this is
an impossible task.

Your question is a fair one but I think it supposes that "Fair Trade" is
possible. I don't think it is because I seriously doubt that the global
community can come to agreement on the meaning "fair."

If forced to respond I guess I would say that the ONLY fair trade is completely
unrestricted free trade.

smittie
--
___________________________________________________________________________
GEnie, MCI, AOL:Smittie   All of these accounts except MCI will die on or
smittie@beach.csulb.edu   about Dec 31. UNIX will be forwarded for 2 weeks.
___________________________________________________________________________
Lines: 39
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 92 11:43:37 MDT
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Buddhist Sects
Organization: Brigham Young University, Provo UT USA
From: luke@newt.ee.byu.edu (David Luke)

In article <1bj7goINNb4l@agate.berkeley.edu> robohen@ocf.berkeley.edu (Henry Robertson) writes:
>OK, so we all realize Buddhists are not Asian skinheads.  So then, since
>Nichiren Shoushuu and Soka Gakkai are rapid-growth industries in Northern
>California, can someone explain the difference (or is N-S a subsidiary
>of S-G)?  Otta sign up when Soka Gakkai gets around to campus interviewing.

NS is the sect -- a particular sect of Nichiren Buddhism, which was started
by a guy named Nichiren back in the Kamakura jidai.  There are other flavors
of Nichiren, but NS is the biggest.  Their main rival is called just 
Nichiren-shuu, I believe.  SG is kind of an activities group or organization
which is based on and believes in NS; so you could believe NS and not belong
to SG.

From what I've seen, NS (at least the SG version of it) seems pretty weak
on doctrine.  The basic idea is that you chant the ... what do you call it?
not really a prayer, ... anyway, chant the chant, and that gives you health
and wealth and salvation and anything else you want.  (In the US, do they
translate it into English, or teach it in Japanese?)  Their chant is
"namu myouhou renge kyou", which is something like "praise to the mysterious
lotus sutra".  They revere the Lotus Sutra as the true writ of Buddhism.
You don't have to read it, or understand it, just say the chant for it.

SG was started up, I think, in the 1930s.  Not too long before the war,
anyway.  The founder and first leader died in prison during the war.  He was
in for opposing the militarism.  The current leader is Ikeda Daisuke(?),
who is the third.  SG believes in "shakubuku", a head-on form of 
confrontational proscelyting that consists basically of saying, "we're right,
and you're wrong, and that's all there is too it."  It also may consist of
threats, harrassment, breaking-and-entering, and lots of other not-so-nice
things.  They used to have their own political party, which is now officially
disjoint, but SG members still support it and make nuisances of themselves
at election time bugging all their neighbors to vote for their candidates.
They are not generally well-liked in Japan, but they are the largest single
religous group in Japan.
-- 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|  David Luke                      "There's nothing worse than a brilliant     |
|  luke@wombat.ee.byu.edu           image of a fuzzy concept."                 |
|                                                               -- Ansel Adams |
From: robohen@ocf.berkeley.edu (Henry Robertson)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Andrew Sung Hyun Kim,
Date: 16 Oct 1992 05:26:09 GMT
Organization: U.C. Berkeley Open Computing Facility
NNTP-Posting-Host: bigbang.berkeley.edu

Any more bullshit and the nukes are on Korea.  Ha ha ha.       
As Buddha say, Life is Suffering.
From: bluelobster+@CMU.EDU (David O Hunt)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Researchers at U Tsukuba
Date: 14 Oct 92 13:38:40 GMT
Article-I.D.: andrew.4er9BUG00WBOI65eAh
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

Hi!

I'm going to be applying to the NSF Summer Internship in Japan, and I'd like
to contact someone at U.T. who is in the Mechanical Engineering Lab.

I'm working on Design-for-Manufacture and Design-for-Assembly...

Thanks,



David Hunt - Graduate Slave |     My mind is my own.      | Towards both a
Mechanical Engineering      | So are my ideas & opinions. | Palestinian and
Carnegie Mellon University  | <<<Use Golden Rule v2.0>>>  | Jewish homeland!
====T=H=E=R=E===I=S===N=O===G=O=D=========T=H=E=R=E===I=S===N=O===G=O=D=====
Email:  bluelobster+@cmu.edu    Working towards my "Piled Higher and Deeper"

"If the liberties of the American people are every destroyed, they will fall
by the hands of the Clergy." -- General Marquis De Lafayette, 1789
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: hiraga@Csli.Stanford.EDU (Yuzuru Hiraga)
Subject: Northern Islands (flash news)
Organization: Stanford University CSLI
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 16:19:37 GMT


I have just overheard the following in a news broadcast feed from Japan:

Yeltsin stated (in the Russian congress?) that he'll be considering
returning two islands (the Habomais and Shikotan) to Japan.
The points I picked up were:
* My[=Yeltsin's] visit to Japan had to be cancelled/postponed because
  Japan was making the absurd claim that all four islands must be
  returned [at once?].
  [So yes of course, the reason was not doubt against Japanese
   security conditions.]
* However, recently Japan has softened its position to first accept
  the return of the two islands, and postpone further negotiation
  until the Peace Treaty is signed.
* The return of the two islands are acceptable.
* I will be willing to visit Japan to discuss our problems.
* The return of all the islands [i.e. in particular, Kunashiri and Etorofu]
  is still out of the question.

We are yet to hear the Japanese reaction to it, so I'll refrain from
making extensive commentary.
Some preliminary observations:
* The statement above does not differ from the existing conditions/
  observations before the cancellation of Yeltsin's visit.
* Thus the cancellation can be induced to be either a mere tactic
  or (more likely) making time for internal adjustments.
* It may be possible that Russia is actually intending to yield more,
  although observations are split on this point.
* The return of Kunashiri and Etorofu will be difficult not because
  of reasons of principle, but because of practical reasons (strategic,
  economic, what to become of settled residents, etc.).

-Yuzuru Hiraga
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan,soc.culture.china
From: peterp@yang.earlham.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: there may be some hope!
Date: 11 Oct 92 19:20:08 GMT
Organization: Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana


 I think that what you said is very true. Although I dont know you from Jack
I can understand where you are coming from.  I happen to be a black student
studing Nihon no bunka/Nihongo, at a small school in indiana.  My point is 
that you cant just sitt around and make asumptions(sp) about people just 
becouse of their ethnic background, I my self know severale(sp) people of 
Japaneses ethnic background who are not rolling in the bucks.  Although I 
think I got most of what you said, I am sure that some of it passed right 
over my head, but I have to comend you on what you are doing for others who
are not as fortunet as you, and for what you are learing from comming in to
contact with those individualls(sp) that might not otherwise come into 
contact with, keep it up, I my self belive that there is some hope out 
there, we just have to find it.
From: kenji@tom.astem.or.jp (Kenji Rikitake)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Mr. Asano
Date: 16 Oct 92 06:46:39 GMT
Reply-To: kenji@tom.astem.or.jp (Kenji Rikitake)
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5

Henry Robertson (robohen@ocf.berkeley.edu) wrote:
: And please remember, most overeducated Japanese who go abroad never try
: to encounter reality either, but enjoy mainstream smugness.

Sounds true. So? :)
// Kenji
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: d-itasak@nmit.mt.nec.co.jp (Daisaku Itasaka)
Subject: Re: Old Sake...
Keywords: Sake
Organization: NEC Microcomputer Technology Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
Distribution: world 
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 04:43:32 GMT

In article <Bw4ps3.CnE@world.std.com>
	psybeast@world.std.com (The UnKnown Beast) writes:

>I recently got some old hand crafted decanters filled with sake & plum
>wine, and I was wondering how long can the two last before they go bad??

I have no idea about how long sake lasts. (I guess not so long.)

But I have ever tasted 13 years old one.
When I was in Brisbane (Queensland, Australia) and dropped by my friend's
parents house, they served us Gekkeikan, a famous Japanese sake brand,
supposed to be 13 years old. At that time, we knew the following fact.

	Sake turns to be raochu after 13 years.:-)

Raochu is Chinese sake, usually red-colored. The Gekkeikan just looked like
that. The taste was completely different, though. ;-<

# You guys remember? > Loretta and Danny?

-- 
A wrong guy in a wrong place at wrong time...
						 Daisaku Itasaka
				      d-itasak@nmit.mt.nec.co.jp
				NEC Microcomputer Technology Ltd.
From: mrc@Ikkoku-Kan.Panda.COM (Mark Crispin)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: the Rikiya Asano rants
Date: 11 Oct 92 23:06:32 GMT
Organization: University of Washington
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Mime-Version: 1.0

Wow.  I am truly impressed by the careful research made by Rikiya Asano.
Asano mimics the racist propaganda of Dai-Nippon Teikoku of 50 years ago very
well.  It takes a look of hunting through musty old papers to dig that sort of
stuff up.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: k3amichi@student.business.uwo.ca (Kentaro Nakamichi)
Subject: Re: Mr. Asano
Organization: University of Western Ontario
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 05:42:16 GMT

kenji@tom.astem.or.jp (Kenji Rikitake) writes:

> Mr. Asano is a typical example of undereducated Japanese who encountered
> the reality after he went abroad for "studying something."
> 
There's a framework that's often used in explaining people's behavior 
when they go into a new culture.
        1. Fascination with the new
        2. Coping with reality
                a) Rejection
                b) Regression
                c) Recovery or Withdrawal/isolation
        3. Adaptation

As I see it, Mr. Asano came to America with the idea that it was a free 
country offering great opportunities, had a bad experience as he started 
to cope with reality and is now stuck at the regression stage, which 
often involves criticizing others and claiming that they are racists or 
other such obscene remarks.  I hope that Mr. Asano can straighten himself 
out and move to recovery and adaptation. 

k3amichi@student.business.uwo.ca (Kentaro Nakamichi)
Western Business School  --  London, Ontario
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 09:57:21 -0400 
From: Rikiya Asano <ra01+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Victor Yuencheng Lee

 Mr. Lee,

              I apologize for this cover-up. I hope that I the future
you will have sympathy on those who call not accept that those
individuals didn't
have the humaness to respond to the pain of others. I wish that you
would let me respond to your pain. Because I am ashamed.