Voices in Japan

We conclude our conversation with Jamie Coventry about all things rugby in Japan. Among other things, we talk about the quality of Japanese rugby and how it has improved significantly over the years. We also get into an interesting chat about head trauma in rugby and other sports such as American football and MMA. Jamie tells us about tackling rules and techniques. He also gives us an insight into his main job as an agent for rugby players and coaches, and his day to day tasks involved in that position. Enjoy!

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Excitement continues to build in Japan for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which kicks off on September 20! Games will be held at 12 locations across the country, with the final match taking place on November 2 in Yokohama.

Jamie Coventry from New Zealand joins the podcast in this two-part episode to give his insights on rugby in Japan. He is a former player and coach, and also the current manager of the Hokkaido Barbarians rugby club - three time winners of the All Japan Championship and the current No. 1 ranked club team in the country! The Barbarians chairman, Mr. Inao Tajiri, is also the chairman of the Hokkaido Rugby Football Union, and was a major proponent in Sapporo’s successful bid to get two of the 2019 World Cup games to take place at Sapporo Dome.

Jamie also runs a rugby agency representing New Zealand players in Japan’s Top League and a small sportswear business. Listen now to learn about how the popularity of the sport has jumped following Japan’s 2015 victory over South Africa in the “greatest World Cup shock ever,” a preview of what is to come with Japan hosting the event this year, and much much more!

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Website:

http://podcast.voicesinjapan.com

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Jordan, a former resident of Sapporo and friend of the podcasters from California, joins this episode to interview four groups of young Japanese women at the Sapporo Odori Beer Garden – Japan’s largest outdoor beer garden taking place for one month during the summer with seats for 13,000 people!  Listen now to find out the characteristics of the ideal partner for Japanese women in this episode!

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Website:

http://podcast.voicesinjapan.com

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On today’s show we conclude the conversation we had with Harry Bissell about his life working as an interpreter for Japanese professional football club, Consadole Sapporo.

We also go off on a bit of tangent and get into Harry’s experience in preparing for and fighting in amateur mixed martial arts and boxing in Japan. Enjoy the show!

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Website:

http://podcast.voicesinjapan.com

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Harry is an interpreter for the J1 league football club Consadole Sapporo in Hokkaido. He gives us his insights on what life is like being part of a Japanese professional football team. 

Among the many things that we discuss, Harry shares with us the differences of football in the Japanese league compared to European leagues, how he got his job, the daily routines of the players, how the Japanese media treats the players, and much much more. Enjoy the show!

You may hear a bit of background music from the bands playing next door at the studio, so please accept our apologies if you find it distracting. We still need to find a better recording venue. Sorry!

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Website:

http://podcast.voicesinjapan.com

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Japan is facing critical population-related problems.  Most notably, it has an aging population due to a declining birth rate.  As a result, people in the country are growing increasingly concerned about the future of Japan, the stability of its social insurance programs and, believe it or not, whether or not the Japanese race itself will be around in a couple hundred years.  Despite those concerns, there is some pushback against the immigration programs that the government is introducing in an effort to increase the size of the labor force, and people feel they have stronger reasons not to have more children.  How do these podcasters see these issues affecting their own daily lives in Japan, listen to find out now!

Conversation highlights:

• Chit-chat about the quality of McDonald’s food in Japan versus overseas, and also the very polite service of the Japanese staff
• The Sapporo Beer Festival has begun, and it’s interesting to see the large number of families and older couples enjoying the festival
• The Japan government is encouraging companies to hire employees until age 70 due to the labor crunch
• After retiring, many employees work part time at the same company to help supplement their pension income, or to just stay active
• Japan’s population has been decreasing for several years, so the government is taking measures to encourage more foreign workers to come to Japan
• As the requirements for permanent residency continue to loosen, certain people are obtaining it after living in Japan for only five years, whereas in the past, it was only being approved for people who had been living in Japan for 10 years
• Individuals designated as “highly-skilled foreign professionals" are able to obtain permanent residency on a fast track of one year
• The number of immigrants in Japan has been increasing for the past six years, with an increase of 167,000 people in the last year, for a total 2.2 million people, or approximately 2% of the total population (For comparison, immigrants in the US make up 14.4% of the population.)
• Although residents in Japan are required to pay into the national pension system, it is possible to get exemptions or reduce your contribution amount based on your living situation (low income, students, etc.)
• As some people believe they will not be able to receive pension distributions when they retire, they are not willing to make contributions.  However, the pension system promotes the point of view that pension contributions are meant to support current retirees, not your own future.
• Burke unsuccessfully tries to compare the decreasing population problem in Japan to the problem of climate change
• Ben explains that population issues are a no-win situation: the decreasing population problem is creating issues for society, but over-population with the world’s limited resources is also a problem
• The conservative mentality of not wanting to dilute the Japanese race and culture may be contributing to the decreasing population problem, and there are concerns that foreigners cannot understand the “Japanese mentality” that is necessary in the workforce
• While Japan has been utilizing immigrant work programs, especially with southeast Asian countries, many of the workers will disappear into society and overstay their visas, and others might be subject to abuse in their jobs or a dangerous wo

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Japan ranked 7th in the Bloomberg Health Care Efficiency Index in 2018. This index sought to rank countries that provided the most cost efficient medical care. Ben’s home country, the U.K., ranked 35th, whereas Burke’s, the U.S., was in 50th place. (Fees in Japan are controlled and set every two years based on negotiations between the Ministry of Health and JMA - the organization representing physicians.) This episode provides lots of information that most of you will find useful. Enjoy the show!

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Conversation Highlights:

• There are two main types of health insurance, employer and national, with monthly premiums being approximately 5% of your income.
• Most people do not have their own general practitioner in Japan, and it is therefore up to the patient to find a doctor or specialist for their specific illness/injury, which can be quite stressful.
• Due to the very affordable cost of medical services, many Japanese people take advantage and use them for minor conditions, which is one of the reasons for the national health system becoming unsustainable.
• Burke shares an experience of being in an ambulance.
• call 110 for police emergencies.
• 119 for ambulance/fire.
• Emergency number for foreigners #7119 in Hokkaido (CAUTION: has not been tried!)
• Ben shares his experience of going to the hospital because he thought he had the flu.
• Flu shots/injections are common in Japan, but the shots are only effective for specific strains, so it is still possible to catch the flu after receiving a shot.
• People are admitted to hospitals longer than usually required
• The hospital food for inpatients is very healthy, nutritionally balanced and delicious.
• Hospitals have to compete for business with some offering special services/perks such as massages and beauty therapy for women, or candle lit dinners for couples after giving birth.
• For childbirth, the government distributes an allowance of approximately $4,000 dollars, so depending on the hospital, it is even possible to receive money back.
• There is also a private supplementary health insurance option (approx. 2,000 yen a month for a person in his or her early 40s) which covers more procedures and reduces costs.
• When people turn 40, everyone has to pay nursing/home care (Kaigo) insurance which is 2% of income.
• Special life insurance is required when applying for bank loans to purchase a house or apartment.
• When Burke first came to Japan, a language school he worked for put him on travel insurance, which can be considered illegal.
• Although it is mandatory for everyone who resides in Japan for over three months to be enrolled in the health insurance system, it is said that approx. 10% of the population is not enrolled.
• People who have not paid health insurance will be subject to a penalty of two to three years of back payments.
• Japan has poor standards when it comes to healthcare for mental health issues.

Website:

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Over the years, there have been many TV dramas and movies about Yakuza (organized crime syndicates originating in Japan) that often times romanticize membership in the organizations.  While Yakuza have a negative reputation in general, it is not uncommon to come to know a current or former member of one of the clans if you live in Japan, simply because Yakuza are involved in many businesses or other parts of everyday society, and for the most part, they tend to come across as good people.  A close friend of the podcasters and fellow martial artist, Damien, joins this episode to share some of the experiences he has had with Yakuza through jobs that he had during his early years in Japan, and it’s interesting to hear his take on the unique place the Yakuza hold in society.  Please check out Damien’s website that is scheduled to start reselling Japanese sweets and other merchandise from August 2019 (domodomocandy.com), and as always, thank you so much for listening to and supporting the podcast!

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Conversation highlights:

• Damien’s motivation to come to Japan to study judo and chiropractic treatment after practicing judo in his native country of France
• The history of the Yakuza going back to the feudal 1600s in Japan when Burakumin (an outcast group at the bottom of the social order) came together to form organized gangs
• The difficulties that Damien faced with finding work when he first came to Sapporo, and how that eventually led to an introduction and job interview with a former Yakuza lieutenant, Mr. “S.”
• The background of Mr. S, his position with the Inagawa-kai (one of the largest Yakuza groups in Japan based in the Kanto region), and the reason he could speak French
• The way that Mr. S came to acquire a moving company where Damien became employed during his early 20s in Sapporo
• The reason why some Yakuza choose not to get irezumi (traditional Japanese tattoos done by hand, using wooden handles and metal needles, and special “nara” ink), and the difference between irezumi and normal tattoos
• Yakuza removing a piece of their finger for dishonoring the group, failing at group objectives, or money-related issues
• Damien tells a story of a “job” he was asked to participate in, where nothing too serious occurred, but it led him to start questioning his involvement with the group of Mr. S
• The first signs that Damien started to notice that hinted at Mr. S being Yakuza
• A comparison of Yakuza with gangs in other countries, and the businesses in which they are involved, in general and in Sapporo specifically
• The ways that Yakuza have contributed to society, such as protection against petty crime and sending volunteers to areas affected by natural disasters, and the questions of their true motivation in doing such acts
• The guys talk about their regular interaction with current or former Yakuza in their everyday lives

 Website:

http://podcast.voicesinjapan.com

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Dual nationality has been in the news lately. The professional tennis player, Naomi Osaka is about to reach her 22nd birthday, when she will have to decide (by Japanese law) which citizenship to have, Japanese or American. We have a very interesting, albeit sensitive, conversation about mixed race issues, citizenship, and national identity. Enjoy!

Conversation highlights:

• A little chit chat on what the hosts have been up to.
• Naomi Osaka has to decide between US and Japanese citizenship by her 22nd birthday.
• From the age of 22 onward, Japanese nationals cannot have more than one citizenship, unlike some countries such as the UK and the US.
• However, even though this is law in Japan, it has never been officially enforced, so many residents do have dual citizenship.
• An example story of someone being informed, at immigration, of having dual citizenship yet was not forced to choose one. This shows how relaxed Japan is on this law.
• “Hafu” or mixed-race Japanese people are not accepted as being Japanese.
• A half Iranian half Bolivian 16 year old, born and raised in Japan has been threatened with deportation because he is not considered a Japanese citizen by “jus sanguinis” (right of blood), instead is classed as a foreigner overstaying his visa.
• Mixed-race Japanese who have lived all their lives in Japan, but may not look Japanese face discrimination.
• Does Burke get treated differently in Japan as someone who is half Japanese and half American?
• Does Ben get mistaken for being Japanese and does he feel more accepted because of his Asian heritage?
• The hosts discuss the difficulty for foreigners to make friends with Japanese people and the reasons why.
• When have our hosts felt the most immersed into Japanese society?
• Do the hosts feel that they have been accepted into Japanese society?
• Being a foreigner in Japan feels special because of the (mostly positive) treatment and attention they receive. 
• Some Japanese who have lived overseas, once they return to Japan, struggle to adapt to Japanese society.
• Word of the day (proverb): Ichi-go ichi-e

Website:

http://podcast.voicesinjapan.com

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Japan is undoubtedly a leader when it comes to technology development, from high quality electronic devices to robots and machines that are widely used in manufacturing plants around the world.  However, in everyday life in Japan, it is not uncommon to see certain technologies that one may remember from the 1990's or early 2000's in other countries.  It can be quite confusing for a foreigner who arrives in the country after binge watching their favorite Japanese anime with a robot or futuristic theme.  Find out about some of the baffling tech devices our podcasters have encountered while living and working in Japan in this episode.

• A recent earthquake in Niigata and the huge blunder made by the nuclear power plant company in the area
• The widespread use of outdated facsimile technology in schools and businesses
• The lack of personal email accounts in Japanese companies and outdated operating systems running on company computers
• Reasons for why Japan lags behind overseas economies in adopting the latest technologies
• The effect that the very high percentage of small and medium sized enterprises in Japan, and also the conservative mindset that prevails in those companies, has on technology adoption
• How old tech kills productivity at Japanese companies
• The factors that help to promote Japan’s image of being a very technologically advanced society
• The amazing invention that is the Japanese toilet and the many features that our podcasters have come to value and appreciate
• The inconvenient operating hours of bank ATM machines, which can lead late night partiers stranded with no money to pay for a taxi home
• Stamp taxes leading banks to start encouraging people to utilize online banking
• Pockets filled with cash on the everyday person walking down the street
• High fees charged by credit card companies deter many stores and businesses from implementing credit card payment devices
• Our podcasters embarrass themselves by being completely clueless about modern digital payment technologies 
• The fear of exposure to the outside world can cause certain companies in Japan to avoid cloud computing and file sharing
• Ben explains why his distrust of tech and governments has led him to stop using his personal Facebook account
• How Japan used to lead the world in advanced mobile phones
• 1800’s technology of personal stamps, or “inkan” (印鑑), that is utilized almost everywhere in Japan instead of signatures

Let us know your opinion!

Website:

http://podcast.voicesinjapan.com

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