Letter trove details Occupation life in Japan

The Japan Times will begin publishing thousands of pages of letters written by a young American woman living in Japan during the US occupation.  Her letters detail the state of many cities after the war, the first appearance of Emperor Hirohito as a man (and not as a deity), and the well-off situations of the Americans living in Japan while most Japanese were scrounging for food.

The man who found the letters, Ken Alley, is hoping to publish them into a book entitled “Love, Betts — Letters Home from Occupied Japan” and he is currently searching for a publisher.

Read the full article here: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20080905f1.html

2008年4月8日: Japan News Update

News:

• Phillapino woman cut into pieces and left in a locker.

• Experienced native English teachers in Osaka offered only 4-month contracts. Teachers call on Osaka governer not to cut the English program.

• As email use becomes more prevalent in schools, it can be both a blessing for student- teacher communication, and it can also open up students to bad situations. After a principal was recently caught for threatening a student by email when she wanted to end a relationship they had been having, this article discusses the current use of email and student-teacher relationships in Japan. Gunma is mentioned.

• Are Japanese people ready for “change they can believe in,” as per Obama’s message to the American people? Not likley:

“With the exception of the dynamic years early in the Meiji Era (1868-1912), and the decade of national restoration following the end of World War II in 1945, Japanese people have steered away from any sort of leadership that appeared genuinely committed to social and political change.”

• Conflict over the showing of documentary about Yasuki shrine is nothing new. Ultra-nationalists use threatening tactics to scare Tokyo theaters into not showing the film:

“[...] four Tokyo cinemas subsequently pulled the plug on the documentary after apparent threats and protests from ultra-rightwing groups.”

• Rather than increasing immigration and providing childcare for families, why not use robots instead?

• Aww, kokusai (international) romance! An interview with a Japanese/German couple.

Trends in Japan:

• Vitamin supplements designed for gamers.

• Do you want your coffee to taste like Tokyo? However, regional coffee blends are only offered in their designated regions…

• The waste produced by disposable chopsticks in Japan is extravagent. Try these new recycled rice eco chopsticks!

2008年4月2日: Japan News Update

Mutangfrog Travelblog finds report that 40% of Japan blogs are spam.

Check out the pervert daikon in Shizuoka.

Japan activist, Debito Arudou, writes about how forums promoting how Japanese and foreigners can live together are often not producing much success.

The Japanese love eels. But what to do about the possible”eel crisis“?

This review of the comic book tale of an assistant English teacher’s life in small town Japan indicates it’s a worthwhile read, though pricey and incomplete. (TONOHARU: Part One, by Lars Martinson. Minneapolis: Pliant Press, 2008, 128 pp., $19.95)

Hostess scams men out of money, by convincing them to buy her dogs which she later returns.

Problems with cyberbullying are becoming more and more prevalent in Japan.

Nova successor angry at other schools for “poaching students.”

Local female assembly women in Japan tops 10% for the first time ever.

No Tokyo theaters will show controversial movie about Yasukuni Shrine.

Puppine, puppy fashion magazine.

Novelty pudding, looks like udon, tastes like pudding!

2008年3月25日: Recent Japan News

Writer blogs her way to top literary prize : Most blog postings in Japanese; “Technorati found 37 percent of all postings were in Japanese — about 1.5 million per day.”

Ministry to hold special courses for handling foreign press : Special training to help Japanese communicate clearly with foreign press.

Hawker’s kin in Japan to prod manhunt : Briton Linsey Hawker’s killer still free.

Placenta 10000 jelly drink is FOSHU for beauty : Beauty drink includes pig placenta.

QR code graves give a “Memorial Window” : Family members and friends can scan barcode on grave.