Gaijin stat of the day

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Why do Japanese students often switch off during explanations of games or grammar in English?

In Japan modelling is always used after/instead an explanation, so the explanation is not so important. In some schools, explanations in English are also followed by the same explanation in Japanese, so it usually is unnecessary to listen to the English version. There is also generally more tolerance for students not paying attention to the teacher in Japanese schools than in most Western ones.

More of this ilk in Japanese Education explained and Japanese English explained.

Why is Japanese coming of age day on January 15th?


More on Seijin no hi on the relevant page on the right

Japanese stat of the day



Much more Japanese coming of age stuff on the Seijin no hi Explained page on the right

New look advice needed

Have changed the look of the blog on the advice of a reader (thanks!). Feedback on the readability of this version gratefully accepted.

No new entry today, but have updated the Japan by Numbers

Why are there so many pylons everywhere in Japan?

The industry has no incentive to change as burying them is more expensive, and the government agency staff they take out to expensive Ginza hostess bars is not likely to force them. And again, the explanation of earthquake problems is totally bogus- during the Hanshin (Kobe) earthquake falling electrical wires caused a major danger by blocking roads.

More on this in Japanese architecture and town planning explained

Why, despite the hardworking and serious nature of the average salaryman, are there so many accidents, spillages and safety problems in Japanese nuclear facilities, food companies, chemical companies etc. etc?

Firstly, that hardworking salaryman is tired and overworked and cannot possibly do everything he is asked to do by his boss. If missing long term safety inspections are going to be the thing he is least likely to get bollocksed for, those are the things that are going to be missed. A lack of a whistle-blower culture also doesn’t help (over 90% of Japanese employees say they would not report their company if they realized it was doing something illegal).

More of this on the Japanese Business Explained page.






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