Isn't this just a bunch of sweetness? I found this article on a French-Canadian website. This post's title links to it. 

I kinda had to rub my eyes when I first saw this picture because I believe it's the first time I've seen a smile on the Prime Minister's face. That and Mr. Serious himself was dancing with a man.

If you can't read French, the article basically said that Richard Gere came to Japan to promote his latest movie. This was the Koizumi's first photo op with an American celebrity. As soon as Gere walked into the interview, the Prime Minister (PM) immediately asked Gere if he would mind waltzing. The article also said that the PM has been told he looks like Gere so now both are smitten. Gere called the dance and the PM, "Charming, spontaneous and a wonderful person," to which the PM responded with compliments towards Gere, "An interesting and marvelous person." Awww.

So you wanna be Japanese or at least live here huh? A recent E-mail from Mr. Mike sparked this one. Click on this post's title to go to a Japanese visa page that is short, thorough and to the point. Go you your local Japanese Embassy or Consulate for more info. Japan is notorious for its paperwork redundancy so be sure to apply in advance.


The basic types of visas are:

Tourist Visa - Terms depend on your originating country. US citizens must apply beforehand. Good for short-term language schools or an extended layover in Japan from 72 hours to 15 days.

Working Holiday Visa - Not given to US citizns.

Working Visa - Apply beforehand. There are 14 types:
artist
investor/business manager
professor
religious activities
medical services
journalist
researcher
instructor
legal/accounting services
engineer
entertainer
skilled labor
intra-company transferee
specialist in humanities and international services

Student Visa - Apply beforehand. Some short-term language schools are exempt.

Spouse or Child of a Japanese National Visa - Must be extended after 1 and 3 years.

Permanent Residence Visa - Can apply for after 5 years of living in Japan. No need to extend.

Naturalization - Full-on Japanese citizenship. Must renounce your United States (or any other country) citizenship as Japan does not allow dual-citizenship.

Alien Registration - Not a visa but anyone who is not with the US military must register for this. This is how you open bank accounts with less stress. This card must be with you at all times after 90 days in country regardless of type of visa held.

Diplomatic and Official Visa - If you have to ask then you probably don't rate one ;)

**Don't forget! You can always get US SOFA status by applying for a US government jizzob with one of the military branches. We have bases all over Japan. All you would need to enter the country is a valid US passport and your SOFA orders. I honestly don't know why more people don't think of this. In many cases you get on-base housing or get money to cover all housing costs out in town. Civilian employees starting at GS or FG-09 are considered officer equivalent so you won't be living in the crappier housing.

Over the past couple weeks I have had more and more American tourists/mainland workers ask me about rape and other crimes in Okinawa caused by US military personnel. Japanese newspapers are notorious for giving misinformation about gaijin (foreigners).They give American military personnel an especially hard time because the Okinawan government does not want our bases to be here. Therefore they make a point of printing every little (or yes not so little) indiscretion done by an American when hundreds of crimes committed by Japanese Nationals largely go unwritten.

On the other hand there is a great source for reliable Japanese news in English at http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/ and to make people see the truth I did a simple news archive search using the term "rape" and came up with 239 listings that go back to 2000. Click on this post's title to see the actual search results with links to the articles. Out of the 239 links I found about 35 that are US Military rape related, many are about the same rape like the gangbang in the late 90's. Please take a minute and read through the following titles. Also keep in mind that I didn't list links to the record number of 2,201 reported cases of women molested on Tokyo trains or links to the jp men who kill their wives and elderly mothers or the jp pedophiles, etc., etc.: (some are dupes for some reason)

1) Quarterback dumped from team after rape arrest

2) 'Doctor' arrested for trying to rape 8-year-old

3) Quarterback dumped from team after rape arrest

4) Justice Ministry to hand child sex offender info to police

5) Rapist robber says he needed money to get pilot's license

6) GSDF members nabbed for gang-raping Miyagi woman

7) 'Hysteric Blue' guitarist handed 14 years for rape

8) Accused rapist slapped with fresh assault charges

9) Heinous child rapist admits torch killing to escape jail beatings

10) 'Lonely' boy uses Net to recruit buddies for schoolgirl gang rape

11) Machine tool operator faces 20 years prison for serial rape

12) Habitual sex offender gets 14 years for schoolgirl rape

13) 3 arrested for gang rape following change in law

14) Popular guitarist faces 18 years for multiple rape

15) 'Super Free' gang rapist's appeal against 7 1/2-year sentence rejected

16) Rapist 'deliveryman' handed life sentence for robbery, sex attacks

17) 2 students charged after trying to rape fellow ski club member

18) 2 students charged after trying to rape fellow ski club memb

19) Famous ramen shop operator gets life for multiple rape

20) Rapist nabbed after returning to pick up dropped cell phone

21) Rapist nabbed after retuning to pick up dropped cell phone

22) Devilish dad jailed for 18 years for raping daughters

23) Leader of Super Free gang rape club handed 14-year term

24) Revenge killer bound for gallows

25) Life sentence sought for ramen noodle rapist

26) Life sentence sought for ramen noodle rapist

27) Judge gives rapist longer term than prosecutors sought

28) Local government official busted for attempted rape

29) Saitama sexual attacker collared after 3-year reign of terror

30) Nigerian serial rape suspect collared

31) Mailman busted for raping girl

32) High court dismisses Super Free member's appeal over gang rape

33) Granny's rapist charged with kiddy sex abduction

34) Rapist lab technician subdues victim with chloroform

35) 1 in 20 high school girls a victim of rape

36) Heinous attacker brags about schoolboy killing days

37) Teen admits to 100 rapes and robberies

38) Serial rapist booked

39) Hooded teacher uses stun gun on colleague in rape bid

40) Man who strangled woman in car wanted to rape her

41) 'Super Free' leader faces 15 years behind bars for gang rapes

42) Okinawa court sentences US Marine against victim's wishes

43) 'Rapeman' copycat suspect in over 70 sex attacks on women

44) 'Super Free' gang rapist appeals 7 1/2-year sentence

45) Spurned teacher writes rude graffiti about schoolgirl

46) 'Cancer,' 'excrement' among controversial Japanese name character proposals

47) Super Free gang rapist handed 7 1/2-year prison term

48) Cancer claims Death Row prisoner still pleading innocence

49) First ever appeal filed against family court acquittal of teen

50) Convicted 'Super Free' rapist gets 10 years in slammer

51) Movie director in more hot water over steamy acts with minor

52) Man arrested for raping 10-y.o. daughter

53) Second Super Free gang rapist slapped with prison term

54) Super Free gang rapist now super jailed

55) 'Hysteric' guitarist faces new rape charge

56) Number of apprehended foreigners surges 23% to 20,000

57) Japan set to criminalize gang rape

58) Japan set to criminalize gang rape

59) 'Remorseless' serial rapist faces life behind bars

60) Record number of minors victimized in sexual crimes

61) Grandpa doctor busted for supplying young model with drugs

62) U.S. seaman busted for rape

63) 2003 Japan's terrible teachers run gamut from exposed educators to idiot instructors

64) Japan's Top Stories of 2003 -- No. 5: Best and brightest on rape rampage

65) Famous ramen shop operator confesses to rape

66) Japan to tighten rape laws

67) Internet rumor of tot's rape fuels parents' fears

68) Internet rumor of tot's rape fuels parent's fears

69) Japan's youngest criminal defendant gets jail for rape

70) Todai student busted for part in gang rapes

71) 11 elite students busted over gang rape

72) Famous ramen shop operator faces further rape charges

73) Perverted teacher accused of more monstrous attacks

74) College pair nabbed for injuring woman in rape attempt

75) Cries of terror foil teacher trying to rape fifth-grader

76) Student arrested over rape of Niigata woman

77) Man faces death penalty for burning rape victim alive

78) Gang-raping trio snared in Fukuoka

79) Junior high school boy nabbed for raping woman

80) Ex-elite students admit to gang rape

81) U.S. Marine gets 3 1/2 years prison for rape in Okinawa

82) Woman sues colleague, employer over office rape

83) Police to crack down on Chinese criminals

84) Evil monk busted for rape

85) Teen admits raping over 30 women

86) Juvenile crime hits record high

87) Net date site crimes becoming more violent

88) Leader of rape gang that targeted teens gets 20 years

89) Japan-U.S. at odds over procedures for crimes committed by military

90) Elite students hit with more rape charges

91) Suspected serial rapist nabbed in western Tokyo

92) Meiji Univ. student arrested for date-rape

93) Top LDP man calls foreigners 'murderers and thieves'

94) Tokyo assemblyman convicted of rape walks free

95) College rape gang admits serial attacks

96) Student recalls close encounter with rape gang

97) LDP stalwart lauds college gang rapists

98) University student logs 60 cases of rape

99) Blind school official attempts rape of preteen girl

100) Online dating sites spark teen crime wave

101) Online dating sites spark teen crime wave

102) 5 university students nabbed over gang rape

103) U.S. Marine arrested for rape in Okinawa

104) Gov't demands handover of U.S. rape suspect

105) Sergeant nabbed for teen rape, suspected of serial attacks

106) Assemblyman resigns over hostess rape case

107) Rejected rapist gets life

108) Families of 'Chinese slayers' sue newspapers for libel

109) Serial child rapist charged with accomplice over fourth attack

110) Okinawans tell US base: Your time is up -- get out!

111) Marine accused of rape in Okinawa says fair trial impossible

112) Drunken cop arrested for attacking railway worker

113) Kinky teacher couple busted for lesbian date rape

114) Dating sites a hotbed of child prostitution: NPA

115) Youngest defendant shocks with rape confession

116) Youngest defendant shocks with rape confession

117) Suspected serial rapist nabbed in Tokyo

118) Japan's reputation for safety slipping away fast

119) U.S. military 'crimebusters' live it up at public's expense

120) Assemblyman arrested for raping hostess in love hotel

121) 15-year-old faces rape charges as an adult

122) U.S. military won't hand over major accused of rape

123) Top U.S. Marine faces arrest over sex attack

124) Japan groans under rising crime wave

125) Japan groans under rising crime wave

126) Police sergeant gets 12 years for rape spree

127) 'Mental instability' allows crazed killer to walk free

128) Murder suspect admits to '80s rape, killing

129) Suspected serial rapist refuses to enter plea in court

130) Man nabbed for schoolgirl sex attack may be serial rapist

131) 'Cop' rapes 79-y.o. woman

132) Gov't official abducts schoolgirl for kinky romp

133) Blackman rape trial to commence October

134) TV Asahi serial rapist terrorized up to 20 women

135) Osaka schoolkid killer 'planned mass murder 17 years ago'

136) MSDF sailor nabbed for trying to rape schoolgirl

137) TV Asahi trespasser named prime suspect in serial rapes

138) Arrested sex fiend duped gov't employer to stay on payroll

139) Sentence upheld for habitual rapist of elementary schoolgirls

140) Suspect faces murder charges over body in vehicle

141) Sex crime victims seek info on attackers after release

142) Woman's body found in car of man arrested for sexual assault

143) Okinawa marks anniversary with demand for solution to U.S. base issue

144) 'Baby-faced schoolboy' rapist snared in Tokyo

145) Lawyer gets 18 months for attempted rape

146) Celebrity cosmetic surgeon drugs, rapes model patient

147) Courageous schoolgirl seeks justice against teen rapists

148) Courageous schoolgirl seek justice against teen rapists

149) Cops snare serial rapist

150) Cram school teacher rapes call girl

151) Murderous 'beast' should hang: prosecutors

152) U.S. sergeant jailed for Okinawa rape

153) Pedophile handed life sentence for multiple sex offenses

154) U.S. sergeant jailed for Okinawa rape

155) Bag over head rapist admits to 50 attacks

156) Appeal to hang juvenile rapist-murderer turned down

157) Neighborhood man arrested for slaying newlywed woman

158) Minors feel brunt of rise in dating-site crimes

159) Child sex killer gets 11 years after late confession

160) U.S. sergeant faces 3 years jail for Okinawa rape

161) Child abuse deaths skyrocket

162) Chiba housewife's pantyhose rapist-killer gets life term

163) Confessed rapist charged over schoolgirl sex attacks

164) Crime hits all-time high

165) Pedophile to pay for girl's death

166) Pedophile sentenced to 16 years behind bars

167) Court rules disabled woman's rape accusations lack credibility

168) Policeman rapes teen girl in car

169) GSDF member arrested for attempted rape

170) Hobo killer gets life

171) Killer kowtows to victim's parents

172) Copper pinched for raping women at knifepoint

173) Accused gang rapist wins damages from Fuji TV

174) US military suspect denies rape charges

175) Ex-ASDF man gets 3-1/2 years in jail for raping minor

176) Baker ditches SOFA reform proposal

177) Okinawa awaits ASDF airman's rape verdict

178) 2 GSDF officers, US man held for gang rape

179) Powell denies agreement to revise status-of-forces accord

180) Serial rapist locked away for life

181) US servicemen nabbed for Okinawa attacks

182) Talks line up handover of US military suspects

183) Victim sues rapist mimic

184) Notorious pedophile escapes charges for 1986 attack

185) Chinese women sue gov't over wartime suffering

186) Okinawa Gov. pushes for review of US forces pact

187) Rape sparks demand for review of U.S. forces accord

188) Powell to swing by Tokyo over sex attack, Kyoto pact

189) US rape suspect raced off to prosecutors

190) Gov't to stay put over Japan-US military agreement

191) Powell to visit Tokyo to discuss Okinawa rape case

192) US rape suspect arrested by Japanese police

193) US agrees to hand over rape suspect

194) US agrees to hand over rape suspect

195) Man attacks Foreign Ministry with fire extinguisher

196) Okinawa assembly demands revision of US agreement

197) Obara admits only to drinking binge with Blackman

198) Okinawa assembly demands revision of US agreement over rape

199) U.S. stalling over rape suspect heats up Okinawa

200) Obara admits only to drinking binge with Blackman

201) U.S. airman faces arrest for rape

202) Rape charges to hit only 1 U.S. serviceman

203) Okinawa cops investigate gang-rape angle

204) Military, Kyoto pact, reform top Bush-Koizumi talks

205) U.S. troops tied to gang-rape of Okinawa woman

206) Chipmunk suit pedophile gets 5-year jail term

207) Bizarre juvenile murder trial finally resumes

208) Internet rapists get 10 years

209) Internet rapists get 10 years

210) Serial-rapist charges hang over ex-teacher

211) Expert: Fading hopes leave Okinawans accepting bases

212) Expert: Fading hopes leave Okinawans accepting bases

213) Rapist charged over new threats

214) Court rules man falsely accused of rape

215) Obara formally charged over Blackman's death

216) Gov't eases off on youth punishment

217) Polygamist back in the game - big style

218) 'Evil and cunning' serial rapist gets jailed for life

219) Obara claims sex was 'consensual'

220) MSDF officer arrested for assaulting woman

221) Lucie's mom faces fate

222) Osaka sex offenses skyrocket in 2000

223) Suspicious photo points to Obara

224) US considers giving up arsonist Okinawa soldier

225) Phone calls tie up Obara

226) Cram teacher busted for raping teen

227) Tokyo child rapist gets life term

228) Obara denies raping hostesses

229) Marine in US court for rape

230) Clinton apologizes for crimes by troops

231) Okinawans fire at US military

232) DNA tests accepted as criminal evidence

233) US says sorry as Okinawa rages

234) Group to offer counseling to crime victims

235) Deadly 17-year-olds leave scar on nation

236) New stalking law ambushes first victim

237) South Korean admits to 140 sex attacks

238) Rape furor hits Okinawa

239) Schoolgirl gang-rapists foiled

Japan is full of a bunch of sick men. Many are mama's boys who never learn how to interact with a real women so they wind up raping them. Their society of often violent manga and hentai teach young Japanese men how to interact with young girls inappropriately. Men can get away with murder on those trains and the cowardly police don't do enough to protect these women. Many women are just as much to blame because they allow molestation to happen on crowded trains because they are too meek for confrontation. Japanese porn is largely rape and gang bangs.

Yes there is a large population of Americans in Japan, especially Okinawa. When Japanese people hear about a crime commited by an American they associate that crime with our entire society and think we all act in that manner yet the Japanese government turns a blind eye to their own problems because the gangs are more in charge of Japan than the government is, and also because they are too afraid of change. Maybe now is also a good time to mention that Japan is just the tiniest bit smaller, as far as land mass, than California. Chew on that for a while whydontcha.

My friend let me know about this one. The title above links to a CBS article. The Majority of Japan's earthquakes are way up North in Hokkaido. When i heard about this quake I was surprised that I didn't feel anything even though we are so far away. My friend up at the Sasebo Nabal Base which is two hours away from Fukuoka said it was pretty stong but no damage occured in that area. She said cell phones were out but that was about it. If you click on this picture to enlarge it you will see Hokkaido waaay up north. Fukuoka is on Kyushu island down douth and Fukuoka is on the west coast of that island. Okinawa is the last tiny island to the southwest. You can see Naha on the Map. I live north of there where that first bump shoots out of the western coast, not quite half way up the usland. Okinawa isn't as prone to Earthquakes as the nothern main islands of Japan but we are in a good location for a tsunami. Luckily a major one hasn't his Okinawa in many years.

 

I've been a Rufus Wainwright fan for a couple years now and one huge reason I can't wait to get back to the States is so I can go to my first Rufus Wainwright concert....hopefully while he will still be playing in some smaller venues because I feel like I've totally missed out.

A new live CD came out today (well the 15th in the States is still today for the next couple hours I guess) and I'm totally bummed that I can't just run into the closest Tower records to grab a copy. I guess I'll have to settle for iTunes for now.

He's becoming really popular in the U.S and is loved in Canada and Europe. His version of Across The Universe was recently featured in I Am Sam and a Kodak commercial (i think it was Kodak...too busy listening to the music). I better stop now because I could go on for days and days. 

I have a friend who is doing some training up in Mainland Japan in Yokosuka. So lucky! This is a picture he took of Ueno market in Tokyo. Crazy huh? Click to enlarge.
 

A forum on www.gaijinpot.com made me realize that I have never ever posted anything about gaijin employment opportunities, so here goes.

Okay - to get Nova out of the way quickly:

A little "Aurrrgh" goes through my head whenever I think about Nova. Nova is the best-known English school in Mainland Japan. If you ARE a teacher then by all means sell your soul to the devil but if not I would suggest that Nova or any similar teaching school should be looked at as a last resort. The main reason I say this is because I've heard and read that Nova's teachers are not allowed to ad lib. Their lessons are to go exactly by the book and helpful conversations are not allowed with the students. This quickly/highly frustrated those who really love to teach. More often than not Nova teachers leave their experience pissed off at the system.

So where else can an American get work in Japan? I'm going to focus on Okinawa, not just because I live here but because the US military's huge presence means Japanese corporations have had to grow a little to accommodate for the thousands of English speakers living on island, and therefore there is a wider range of jobs available on Okinawa.

A great Okinawan resource is http://japanupdate.com/classifieds/english/ . There is a drop-down box at the top and you can search under help wanted or business ads. This is where Japanese businesses will post their openings. Many are looking for at least a small amount of Japanese comprehension but ifyou are already in Japan I would suggest dropping by because you never know. Japanese are huge on looks so if you are pretty, thin and well-dressed you will score big. Yes, thin helps. To be blunt, the majority of Okinawans are tired of seeing obese Americans, especially women. Many military spouses are overweight and I often hear Japanese people making fun of big Americans that walk by. I can't understand all of it but I catch the important words. Anyway ya, it sucks I'm sure but if you want to work in Japan you need to keep this in mind. If a Japanese male is doing the interview and you are a pretty girl wearing a tasteful but short skirt you are probably in....hate to say it but its true. A degree can help but it is not necessary if you have good, relevant work history on a resume.

Your best bet is trying to get a job with the United States Government. The Marine Corps, Air Force and Army hire continuously over here because of the Permanent Change of Station rate. In other words, families are always coming and going so there is always work. Aviation-related? fugetaboutit. But there are tons of administrative jobs that need to be filled. Nursing is in huge demand. Just go to the civilian website at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/ or to each military branch's civilian employment website, enter your resume info and start searching. Look for bids that are looking for people outside of the US. SOFA status is what allows military civilian personnel to live and work in Japan so look for jobs offering SOFA status. For the admin positions, degrees are preferred but not necessary if you have experience. Civilian resumes have to look a certain way and contain specific information so be prepared to re-write everything.

Imagine If Productions is always looking for actors and actresses to be extras in movies or commercials. www.imagineifpro.com is their website. It may seem out of date but the producres regualrly scour the site. I landed a Japanese bank (Ryugin) commercial this past summer. I was paid 20,000 yen for a half-day's work. It's not a day job but it might land you some extra play money.

If I think of any other useful tips I will ad them to this post below.

Nothing gets rid of those Been-in-Japan-too-long blues like getting lost in the countryside. Actually I wasn't driving and we weren't lost at all but taking shortcuts through the narrow, winding streets through semi-jungley foothills can definitely give one the illusion of being lost. These roads I speak of not only twist and turn but the entire street is only as wide as 3/4 of a single one-way lane in the United states. We had to pull over to let these big omnipresent dump trucks go by. The weather was perfect for the first time in weeks. Where it has been in the high 50s and low 60s, today it was in the low 70s with a slight breeze. My window was open and the jungle on the side of the road almost came into the car. I kept waiting for one of those hand-sized brown recluse-on-steroids-looking spiders that literally chase people in parking lots to spot me and have me for a late lunch.

My Northern office, like my regular office is within rock skipping distance of the ocean except in this area a small cliff overlooks the ocean. It was low tide and the water was turquoise and perfectly clear. The coral was highly visible and the water was almost totally calm. I really need to start toting a camera around more often.

During our entire two hour outing I saw new everything; areas I hadn't been in before, new shops, housing, Japanese signs and a base that I had never been on before. It was very cool and made Japan seem just a little bit new again.

My husband sent this bouquet to my office yesterday. The card read in Japanese, "Happy White Day from your boyfriend." He had the florist translate for him. I was surprised he knew what White Day was. 

The guys from our main office all chipped in and gave each girl a box of Godiva and my boss gave me a box of marshmallows stuffed with chocolate :)

First I wan't to apologize for however blogger manages to botch up the formatting of this post ;) I've been having bad luck with Blogger lately.

I'm sitting here watching reruns of America's Top Model on VH1 and I'm watching
the 4th Japanese episode. At first I was expecting it to be lame with a bunch of
cliche foreigners tearing through town making a fool of themselves but that
wasn't exactly the case. After spending their first night in a businessman's
hotel which consists of a bunch of cubicles roughly the size of coffins and
lockers to put your shoes and other belongings in, they had the opportunity to
stay in a traditional Japanese home. For one of their challenges they donned a
Kimono and learned the ins and outs of the Japanese Tea Ceremony. The winner and
a friend were able to go to one of the hot springs outside of Tokyo to
experience the ultimate relaxation. To top it all off they learned about Tokyo
street fashion and the all-to-popular Harajuku girls, then posed on a motorcycle
in the middle of Shibuya.

As I watched these episodes I found my self a little jealous and nostalgic and
longed to recapture that first time feeling here in Japan. I wouldn't say I'm
jaded because I find myself taking in the moment and taking mental snapshots of
new sights and experiences on a daily basis but at the same time I feel the urge
to move on. Next year I will be able to say that my time spent in Japan tied
with North Carolina as far as living in one place for the longest time since I
moved from New York to California in high school. North Carolina wasn't exactly
home to me but I began to feel very comfortable in that area and sometimes I
find myself wanting to go back there just to recapture that sense of familiarity
and comfort. After spending 3 years in Japan, not once have I felt at home or
comfortable. Not once have I arrived home from work and exhaled. Some days when
I go out in town I am just too exhausted to play the role of the knowledgeable,
always courteous resident of Japan so instead I just play the smiling and
nodding gaijin and put on that blank stare so store employees and others won't
want to engage with me because to be honest, sometimes the stress of not messing
up, whether it is language or customs and courtesies is just plain Exhausting.
How I wish I could come into a lot of money so I could leave my job and family
for a month or two, fly up to Tokyo and just immerse myself in 5 star hotels and
just be a tourist to regain my spirit. I think I'm just bitter because I haven't
been home, wherever that really is, in 3 years.

Then there was that one girl, the tallest of the bunch that was frustrated
because while shopping for a clothing shoot, she quickly discovers that Japanese
clothing lines, while occasionally forgiving for those of us who are a little
tubby, don't make clothes for taller foreigners. I felt her pain and it reminded
me of another reason I would like to go home: to be able to buy clothes that are
cute and fit at the same time. I'm only 5'5'' and Japanese jeans come up to
somewhere between the bottom of my calf and slightly above the top of my ankle.
Japanese shirts don't take into account boobage. If you are bigger than a B cup,
you can just forget it. This especially sucks because I've really grown to love
or at least "get" Japanese style over the years.

Every day I realize how lucky I am to be living in Japan and working on their
economy and I'm not trying to sound unappreciative. I guess I'm just tired.
Whether what I really need is a change, I have no idea.

This is the lip gloss ad I was talking about and to me it epitomizes Japanese advertising. I will try to find ads from the two other types that I mentioned before - the Japanese businessman and the cartoon ads for unlikely products.

Click on this post's title above to go to the T'estimo homepage. Click on the picture to enlarge.

Japan is tremendously particular about subtleties. Once slightly annoyed by that trait I now get it after discovering T?estimo Enamel Rouge Gloss by a Japanese make-up company called Kanebo. I am a confirmed lip gloss addict. I currently rotate through over 20 different colors and most are kept at work. I have extras of my faves which I keep at home for the weekends. Up until recently my favorite gloss has been Clinique?s Glossware. It?s a little on the sticky tacky side but all is forgiven because of the huge array of colors that are available. It all started when I read that J Lo uses the Honey Bee color. I ran out and bought it right away and although it didn?t look the same on me because I?m so pale, I could tell that line was a keeper.

About a month ago I found a lip gloss that is 10X shinier and the sticky factor is non-existent. It?s not the least bit tacky but isn?t slippery at the same time so it wears for a long time. The shimmer in this gloss is subtle enough so when you look at your lips close-up in a mirror your lips look like tinted glass without that confetti effect. The shimmer is SO perfect that it really makes your lips look fuller when worn generously with out looking sloppy and this is where Japan?s perfection with subtlety comes into view. This stuff is truly amazing. The brush is smooth and perfectly shaped and tapered. It?s a little more expensive than the Clinique sold at the PX for $11.00. T?estimo Enamel Rouge is \1,800 yen or close to $20.00 but it is money well spent if you are a lip gloss fan. The nail polish is extra vibrant too and the new spring collection has that pink color at the bottom of the picture (PK-135). I actually bought it for my 4 year old who has been bugging me for pink polish. This does have serious gold and opalescent glitter and is all her. The lip gloss and nail polish seen above looks a little darker and a little less vibrant than it really is. For instance the lip gloss on the right, PK-10 is actually a sheer light pink, closer to the color of the pink on the left, PK-08. PK-10 is, in person, the most perfect bubble gum-pink ever. Unfortunately is goes on a lot sheerer than I wish it would but I still say it was a good buy. I actually own everything you see above.

When you go to the site above you will notice that it's mostly in Japanese. Hopefully if you are a fan of my blog you have already installed the Japanese language settings on your computer. If you don?t know how you can drop me an E-mail and I will help you out. It?s a Flash site so make sure you have flash installed beforehand. The page takes a little while to load but luckily it is mostly English-friendly. If you are a poor soul with a dial-up Internet connection, you might as well take a bathroom break and make some popcorn because it will take a while. Skip the intro and go to "Line Up" to the bottom right of the main picture. Next select "Rouge". Here is where the Japanese comes in or you can just look for the lip gloss tube. For those who are interested and whose computers are set up for Japanese, lip gloss is simply ??? , or gurosu in katakana on that page. Or just click on the tube and you will see the full array of colors available. This brand isn't on Sephora or Beauty.com but I did see a listing or two on E-bay. Happy Hunting!

BTW, did you notice the picture on the homepage? Isn't it beautiful? That is typical Japanese advertising at its best, all pastel and airy. In Japan, if advertising doesn?t look like that it contains cartoon characters. It's like one or the other pretty much. Oh then there are those beer and other manly commercials that use overly-exasperated Japanese men in dark business suits but I try to ignore all those ;) If you let the T?estimo intro run all the way through, there is a similar picture that's even prettier. Or maybe the two pics show up randomly, I can't tell, but I think the green one is prettier than the pink one. In fact I might just post part of it :)

The chatroom I promised is up. Click the link above to access. It's a very siple layout for now but I plan on making a nicer webpage using Dreamweaver when I get a little extra time. If enough people access this room I will buy a domain name for it. For starters I'm gonna get the word out by putting it in all of the major search engines and Free For All boards and finally an ad in Japan Update and any other overseas military advertisements that I can find. It will take about a week for search engines like Google to index it but hopefully there won't be too much of a delay.

If that link doesn't work for some reason and you have already installed Java VM on your machine from Java's website, let me know and then go to this extra link to the chat room.

I apologize for getting off track as this post has nothing to do with Japanese families and domestic violence but it is a topic that I’m considering writing about in the future.

Recently, since this past Christmas or so I’ve been seeing a lot of abusive situations on base. Husbands yelling at their wives or seriously controlling them and vice versa. Men who call their kids names in public (and I’m sure women do too but I haven’t seen it yet). If this kind of behavior is going on in public, I can just imagine what happens behind closed doors. On AFN Radio I’ve heard commercials by the Victims’ Advocates Group and they are in need of on-call volunteers. I think this might be a good way to give back to the Overseas community and I’m seriously considering becoming a volunteer. I have a feeling that the average civilian who has had no real ties to a military community would be surprised at how much domestic violence occurs in military families, especially in peace time when daily stress isn’t quite as high.

The military has a “No Tolerance” policy on any form of domestic violence whether it is physical, sexual or emotional spousal or child abuse. While stationed in Japan there are basically three options:

1. Military police are called out to a serious fight. Family Advocacy and the military member’s commanding officer are notified immediately. This can end a military career.

2. Military member can force a civilian spouse into the Mental Health ward of the Naval Hospital for a short stay.

3. Military member can force a civilian out of the country in lightening speed, often with a military escort to the airport. When this occurs the military member is not obligated to provide the military spouse with any money or State-side living arrangements. This can happen whether the civilian was at fault or not.

The civilian’s fate lies in the hands of the military spouse. If he or she says the spouse has to go then the spouse leaves, plain and simple. In a way this makes sense because you can’t just send the military member to another station. If both halves were military then they would simply get separate housing and perhaps a restraining order if criminal charges were filed. The reality is that almost all civilian spouses make less money than their military husbands or wives while stationed overseas. Add in a couple of kids (or more!) and a fight and what happens? The civilian with little to no savings is kicked out on their asses with no money and lots of kids. Back to the States they go because living out in town is not allowed by the Japanese government once you lose you’re SOFA status. (Status of Forces Agreement contains what we the visiting country can and can not get away with ? laws that are different in each sponsor country) You lose your right to be in the country and Japan expects you to be deported at once and they will hunt you down. Holiday Visas can be obtained but not in the short amount of time needed and also because most people are required to go back to the states to get this visiting VISA and then have to fly all the way back to Japan.

Sounds harsh? I think so. The military and its community programs like Marine Corps Community Services and the Navy’s Family Advocacy department think they can solve problems by offering marital counseling and conflict resolution classes but more often than not they fail the civilians involved while overseas because abusive situations must be reported and then the civilian goes home. Either that or the military spouses can send away the civilian spouse before he/she knew what was coming. Now the civilian is being sent home with no money and many times with no place to stay as it’s not the military’s responsibility to worry about the civilian and what becomes of him or her afterwards.

Is there any middle ground? No. If a civilian commits physical, sexual, emotional abuse or child neglection, then I think they should leave Japan in an instant, however my point is that innocent civilians should be protected by a group on-base. A group that knows the inside and out of military regulations and life in general but also has ties to the real world back home whether it be free temporary lodging or seriously discounted daycare for a limited time. Currently on base there are no 100% confidential settings whether it’s weekly meeting or online chat rooms for those concerned about domestic violence. What if someone is in denial and they want to know if abuse is occurring or not? If they are afraid of being kicked out of their house and host country then they are out of luck. Also, many abused civilian spouses are afraid to report the incident in fear of hurting the military career of the abuser. If the abuser isn’t separated from the military, he/she can look forward to slow promotions for the rest of his or her stay in the military. Something needs to be changed and maybe if I volunteer I can at least give my opinion.

The reality of living with your military spouse overseas is that it’s a privilege that can be easily taken away for numerous reasons. If the civilian is at fault, by all means enforce the rules and regulations already set by military rules and regulations and SOFA laws. If the civilian is innocent and gets sent away there should be limits set in place to protect them from the wrath of the military member. Since a large number of my blog’s readers are former military I was wondering how many of you have encountered abuse in public on or off base or personal abuse experiences (overseas only please only because of the crazy way abuse is handles overseas) in Japan or any other host country. If you don’t feel comfortable posting your story anonymously here, you can E-mail me at lynneblogs@gmail.com ? since I’m slightly computer savvy I might learn how to make a permanent chat room online since I believe this could help a great number of people out there 24 hours a day and most importantly, confidentially.

When I left the United States in 2002 I left behind my seemingly archaic cell phone, in retrospect. It was a small Sprint Nokia with a monochromatic screen which I paid top dollar for when I originally bought it in 2001. During this same time in Japan, 1 in 3 people owned cell phones (statistic taken from an old CNN article online). When I arrived in Japan, the cell phones I had to choose from all had full-color screens with Web interface. It was like stepping into the future! Some even had international calling capabilities and all of the casings were hella cute. Today it seems like every single person in Japan owns a cell phone. AU cell phones now come with a cameras a standard option. The cell phone cameras have been available since I first got here but now they come standard on all phones not just higher end models. Japanese cell phones are cuter than ever and do more and more each year. I?ve also learned how to turn any sound file into a ringer so I don?t have to waste money on cheesy-sounding rip-offs. Right now though I only have airplane black-box recordings from real crashes as my ringer. Ya it sounds bad I know.

I haven?t seen an American cell-phone close up since I?ve been out here so I thought I would post some pictures of what AU is selling here in Japan. I chose AU because it is a subsidiary of the company I work for and they cater to Americans as well as Japanese.