Actually some decades ago, it was hard to find POOR dentists in Japan. However, it seems to have become a past legend of millionaire myth.

It’s said that dentists numbers are in oversupply situation especially in urban side or big cities.  Therefore the profit they earn is often  much less than the income of standard salaried workers.

1 out of 5 dentist are thought to be working under the annual income of 3,000,000 JPY or about 33000 UDS.  This is really unbelievable figure for us who know how the dentists were enjoying their life with luxury materials like expensive cars or deluxe houses.

That is why applicants for dental courses of Universities are becoming less and less every year, and 50% of the courses have want of applicants in  recent years.

I don’t always go for big gap of income among occupations, but dentists deal with human health or parts of human body, in this category probably the income for them also should be guaranteed at some proper level.   If a dentist needed to work with such low income, guarantee for the patient safety would be one of the anticipated matters.

I never imagined it would be like this for dentists…..when I was a student.

Some or maybe many have suspected this high rate since the crash of American Economy by sub-prime loan crisis. Also some of them even expect much higher Japanese Yen rate, which means US dollar would be much weaker than ever if this negative anticipation would come true.

For us Japanese, strong Japanese Yen is not always good because the most of exporting businesses will be damaged much with the foreign exchange rate. The exporting companies will have to suffer from hard condition for outbound sales from Japan. Indeed, it’s better for people in traveling abroad as they can buy things cheaper in calculation with Japanese currency.

Looking at world economy, or American economy, probably this tendency would not stop and US dollar would be weaker and weaker. 

However,  it would mean a collapse of market economy or capitalism in a broader sense.  In that situation, currency or our daily money will mean different to us, or in a desperate way of thinking, money might have less value than the one we know now.

If so, what could be the next tool for exchanging the value ???

Close to my hometown, there is a popular resort palce, NASU.  Emperor would visit there every now and then, remembering the time of his visit, the roads are crowded with people to celebrate the visit with national flags in their hands.

This summer, emperor and Price visited Nasu respectively. Both visits reminded me of those old days I remember as I spent summer time in Nasu after a long time overseas stay.

For me, nothing is so special even if they come, however, the Nasu town looks totally different with exciting atmosphere everytime it happens.

Usually Emperor or Prince spend a week or so here in Nasu for relaxing.

Now we have, what we call, Obon time in Japan, which is one of traditional national events with consecutive national holidays.  Usually people of Japan enjoy holidays from 13th to 15th of August, and many go back to their hometown.  The reason for their retruning home is mainly the memorial service for the dead by the custom of Japan, which should be what Obon is.  Recently this vacation time tends to expand longer, consequently companies often give workers to have discretion for longer vacation time. Now the trains or highways are all crowded in rush.

Origin of this unique tradition of Japan is not known well as it’s not stated clearly in the history documents either.  As one of the analogies, it’s said Obon comes from custom of Buddhism.

In the genesis of historic time of Japan, or maybe before 8th centry or older time, in the sense of ancestor worship, spirits of ancestors are believed to fall down on the world of ours to visit their descendant twice a year. One of the visits became the ceremony of new years day and the other one became Obon we have now. It’s not known when the present formation was completed as such 2 spirit fall down times, New Years Day and Obon time.

Also the influence of Buddhism can’t explain all the origin and history stream of this national custom, some say that it’s also under the shadow of Shinto of Japan, which is also an original religion that was formed in ancient time of Japan.

It seems true that this Obon used to be held on July 15th each year on the lunar calender ( old calender ) before the solar calender or Western calender was adopted in Japan.

Tomorrow, August 15th, will be the last day of Obon vacation time.  People who went back to their hometown are now on their way to their life places and they need to prepare for their work again with refreshed mind.

As a footnote, around the Obon time, there are many firework events, old style festivals called Omatsuri, visiting graves called Hakamairi, and also memorial events of the 2nd world war.  Especially the last one includes the memorial evens for the termination of the war ended together with a prayer for peace in the atomic bomb city of Hiroshima.

You might see a lot of Japanese tourists in many parts of the world in this term because the biggest number of tourists in a year travels from Japan each year over this Golden Week.

I don’t know how many people constantly read this site update, but just as a notice, I closed the comment message boxes of each post.  There are so many spams every day and I got tired erasing them one by one.

Probably my concern is not such a big issue because not so many people use the comment function here.  If you are a comment user here, I’m sorry for that.

Frankly speaking, those English schools are not such high level schools. All  of them are just companies looking for economic profit rather than giving high strandard of education.

Teachers are from America, UK, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and more other English speaking countries.  Some are nice teachers, but again frankly speaking, many of them are not good teachers.  Male teachers often like playing with girl students after the class rather than teaching in the class including male students.  When we talk with many of the teachers, they aren’t interested in international education, not even in Japanese culture or people either. 

Teachers are such, but more than teachers terrrible qualification, the school owners are much more terrible.  The employers for such teachers are the owners of schools who take much money from students with such low level class by such teachers.

Why do I think so ?

It’s because I’ve ever worked for one of the schools.  It’s about 20 years ago, but still rememer how terrible the teaching level was and I was surprised at little knowledge of teachers about Japan, and more interestingly they could not explain well about their own countries matter if they were asked.  What they could do was just speak English.

If I were a student learning English, I would need a teacher who has good knowledge about international relation, if it’s not possible, at least I would rather like a teacher who likes Japanese culture or in a broader sense international cultures like movies, music, animation, food, fashion, etc. as common basic knowledge because I would be able to enjoy conversation with the teacher. 

What could I talk with a teacher who can do nothing but speak English ?

I really think these English schools in Japan should close soon and stop fishing students just like fraud.

Nowadays, we can find this food anywhere in Japan. But some decades ago, Takoyaki was a regional food that was found only in Western parts of Japan.  Osaka is the most famous place for Takoyaki culture.  Osaka has many Takoyaki barrows on the streets, and they are all good !

 Surprisingly, today’s news says that Takoyaki will appear in Shanghai international Expo at Japan pavillion.  Probably for Chinese people, this is a little hard one to accept as a good food.  Maybe some brave mind will be needed to try it.  But if you try it at least 2 or 3 times, I’m sure you will understand how Tokoyaki is a charming food.

Okonomiyaki is more famous than Takoyaki in some countries, but for me, Takoyaki is more tasty food than Okonomiyaki.

Hi, Chinese people,  enjoy Takoyaki !

But it’s always a serious matter for people of Okinawa bceause there has been many troubles concerned with the American military base.  I don’t like to pick the problems up for the topic of this blog.  As far as I know, the problems are always caused by the people working in the base.

But this matter exists more in the basic discussion if the base was really needed in Okinawa or in Japan.

As most of the prople of the world know, Japan is a kind of colony of the USA after the war. Constitution was given by the USA, political parties were formed by the USA ( from the back of the stage we know),  education, industry, fiscal system, and the military system were all led by the USA after the war.  Japanese politicians can’t say NO to US government.

This time, the new leading party of Japan tries to change the system given by the USA after the war. That’s why Japan is beaten by them recently. Maybe this is the common understanding among Japanese people about recent US-Japan relationship.

I don’t think Japan wants to break the relation with the USA, but probably the NEW Japan wants to say what they think.  Actually many of Okinawa people think they don’t need the base in Okinawa.  American government often say ” what if you Okinawa is faced with military invasion from others ?” ” Who would protect you ?”.

If Okinawa or Japan is ever invaded,  it’s the fate of Japan. Japan need to judge if they fight back or surrender. That’s all.  Not only Japan but many of the countries would face the same thing if the same situation happens.  Japan must protect Japan herself.  This is what we all think.

If the US base is gone, Japan will firstly face serious change in military balance. But it’s also the fate of Japan as the others have the same fate.

Many of Japanese don’t know why the USA  wants to stay in Japan in this situation as Okinawa says “No More”.  If they don’t stay in Japan, they can save more money and they don’t have to risk American life outside America. We don’t know why they want to keep staying in us.

Even without the military base in Japan, I think we can keep good relation with the USA.  Probably my idea is wrong when it comes to the matter of countries, matter of money, or matter of the world ruling.

Maybe there will be a concern about crops in this summer if this cold weather continues.  About 15 years ago, there was a serious food shortage time because of the long rainy weather, then rice supply was really in shortage.  We survived by importing rice from Thai, or some other rice producing countries then.

We need more Sunlight for more food, and we need to care of food production inside Japan.  Japan has only 40% self-supply for food consumption, also this estimate is based on the data when we have enough oil energy supply. Again, Japan has little oil energy. If the oil is not supplied enough, the food self-supply rate goes down to only 4%.

I think Japanese economy had already hit the big time and we should think our next life stage.  If we could live slower than ever, we will probably notice how the present life style of ours is out of the human way that it should be.

I don’t know how the statistics was made, but it’s not a bad state of mind to hear that story because it’s a good one.

But I want to know why people think Japan has good influence in the world.  I suppose it’s because Japan is not influential (?).

This is a little tricky thought but I really think so.  Japan is not affecting the world, but try to obey the world rule somehow without saying much complaint. So Japan is a good puppy in the world.

More or less, big country or powerful countries are assessed bad sometimes because they are doing both good and bad and their behavior stand out really.

America,Russia, China, Israel, or India are not included in the top GOOD group.  It’s maybe because they are too influetial to the world. People know they arenot always right but they can’t say NO to those big power. 

We should be proud of the result anyhow, but I suppose the reason of this result does not always mean that Japan can lead the world.  Mmmm, yes it’s true, I think.