episode #11 ELECTIONS
In episode #11, I discuss what happened today with the elections here in Japan for the Lower House of the Diet. Find out if Prime Minister Junichiro Koizume was removed from his position as Prime Minister, and find out why the hell they even had elections with only a one month warning…….
Oh, and today is still Sunday in my book, and yes elections did take place on a Sunday. Why you may ask…… greater turnout at the polls, that’s why! 
common sense, it’s so cool!
Also, the “Japanese Phrases of the Week” are as follow:
ã„ãŸã ãã¾ã™ = itadakimasu = let’s eat / we are going to now eat (listen to the show for proper use)
ã”ã¡ãã†ã•ã¾ã§ã™ = gochisousamadesu = this was a feast / that was good food (listen to the show for proper use)
ã”ã¡ãã†ã•ã¾ã§ã—㟠= gochisousamadeshita = past tense of above
Also as promised, Kris sent me this link to Japander. It’s a website that showcases idiot celebrities that come over here for cold hard advertising cash…. pretty cool! I had never known this existed. Thanks Kris!
Well, as always, if you have any questions, please feel free to shoot me an email at josh@joshinjapan.com, or leave me a comment on the blog.
Until next time,
mata-ne!
September 12th, 2005 at 2:25 pm
Hey, I just came to japan 3 weeks ago, and Im currently living in the Miyazaki prefecture down south on Kyushu, I just wanted to say that I really like your podcast, and prior to departing to the land of the sun.. that.. uh, rises… I downloaded up to episode 7, so forgive me if Im missing something.
I think I recall you saying someone wanted an episode about the high schools here, and, well, me currently being a high school student at a big goddamn private school with no formal japanese training whatsoever, I seem to believe that I can assist you if you;d like.
High School from another gaijins perspective. Seriously there is quite a lot to say, when you dont know what to expect, or how to react to the other kids here.
Also, I heard in the episode about trains you complained about all the fucking high school students who dont work all day and take up priority seating and make loud noises.. I just have to throw in a comment or two regarding that;
In my expirience School is just as tough, if not a bit harder than any job I ever had in Canada. They are a lot more strict, and the hours are very tiring. (Ex. I have to get up at 5am so I can bike to the train station, catch the 6:40 train into Miyazaki City and then the 7:15 train to the station closest to my school, (which is still a 20 min walk away)
We usually arrive there by 8ish..
School starts at 8:15 and ends at 4:20, and our school days extend from monday to saturday.. We study all day, and get a 45 minute lunch break, no long breaks in between, or anything. For me, I sometimes find I dont return home until 7:30 at night.
Schools in the US and Canada are a lot easier, from what Ive seen, and I know that by the time school is over, and we;ve walked to our train station, we are tired and cranky and sore, much like everyone else.
So while I understand how some obnoxious kids can get under your skin, the majority of us are just like you.. you should probably respect us as you^d like us to respect you.
Also, Japanese keyboards are retarded.
Also, I wish you could do an entire episode devoted to Suntory Boss.. Seeing as he IS the boss of them all.. Although I doubt there is that much to say about old suntory…XD I love Suntory Boss.
Anyway, keep up the good work. Like your show. And I hate Natto.
-Mic
September 12th, 2005 at 2:40 pm
Mic,
i emailed you my thoughts on this! Absolutely fantastic idea!
i would love for you to share your insights on japanese high school!
like i told you in the email, send whatever you have my way, and it will definitely get on the show!
thanks, and can’t wait to hear what you have to say!
josh
September 12th, 2005 at 5:09 pm
Right on, this gives me something to do when I’m busy not understanding my Japanese History class! Thanks for the oppertunity!
XD
September 13th, 2005 at 11:14 pm
Yo Josh,
You mentioned in your juban episode that you think japan has an Apple store. Well you are totally right my friend. There is one in Ginza and one in Shibuya, for sure. I think they are planning to have one in Nagoya or they have already built one. Here’s a list of possible locations for the next apple stores.
http://ifoa79.securesites.net/stores/future_japan.html
The list has Yokohama on it ^^. Hope that one comes your way so you can go experience first hand the insanity that is the apple store.
September 13th, 2005 at 11:51 pm
dave,
thanks for your post! in episode 11 i talk about me going to the ginza store either tomorrow or thursday! w00t!
thanks for the link, and thanks for listening!
josh
September 14th, 2005 at 12:22 pm
Josh,
Since you are going to Akihabara,
http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/
is a pretty good website just to see what is going on there.
Other good web sites:
Wireless Watch Japan [for cell phone news in English or Japanese]
http://www.wirelesswatch.jp//index.php
Japan Today News [which also has some unusual stories]:
http://www.japantoday.com/
I would be interested in your impression of Mr. Craft [Toy Store]:
http://www.mrcraft.co.jp/top.htm
Finally, I really look forward to your weekly podcasts. They are easy to listen to and always useful for gaining insight into Japan and the culture. Keep up the good work!
roy
September 14th, 2005 at 3:49 pm
hey josh!
we play your promo after the 1st song
and then give you shouts out!
Much love from the KAPC!
September 14th, 2005 at 3:49 pm
of our new show… lol
http://kickasspodcast.com/kapc31.mp3
my bad
September 14th, 2005 at 4:29 pm
i would have made a post, but i can’t remember my login in password for the blog.
i am coming to you not live from the apple store in ginza, japan.
this place is absolutely amazing! i jus wish i could have been here today at 1300 when they did the podcasting lesson. just to see if the Japanese do it a bit differently.
now, i know i won’t be able to authorize this post until i get home to a computer that remembers my login, but still, i thought i’d do something while waiting for my name to be called over at the genius bar for my repair.
i am definitely getting a mac as my next computer. possibly this iMac 20 inch. Very very impressive!
ok, well, adios good people!
September 14th, 2005 at 11:14 pm
Hey Josh
I just wanted to say this is my favorite episode yet. I’m a political science major in College and anything political (education wise) is a real head turner for me. I’ve studied Japanese politics in a comparative politics class and your show was spot on for what I learned. I actually e-mailed this podcast to my girlfriend so she can listen to it in Nairobi Kenya (she’s studying abroad).
Anyways, I didn’t mean to inflate your ego there (lol), but I did have a good question. Now I know video games are big in Japan much like how they are in America (well different types of games but still the game industry is quite strong). American gamers really like the first person shooters (halo, medal of honor, etc.), and I know those games are over there, but how about the WWII games? Especially the WWII games that comment on the pacific theater of the war. Medal of honor: Rising Sun is totally based in the pacific theater (the first level is Pear Harbor!). What’s really questioning me is do those games make it to japan and if they do, do they even sell? I know it’s kind of a loaded question, but it’s kinda neat if you think about it, you know japanese programmed the games.
September 14th, 2005 at 11:18 pm
Sorry, I didn’t finish my comment.
What I was getting at is how do the Japanese see WWII now. Americans look at the civil war as pretty much a good reason to have a re-enactment weekend or to produce a good movie about it (some really good movies
). It’s in the past. Are the Japanese at that point where they can take their past and do things with it for entertainment?
September 16th, 2005 at 5:39 pm
Hi,
Just wanted to say that I really like your show. Thanks for putting in all the effort as each show is interesting and informative.
Liana
September 16th, 2005 at 7:53 pm
Your podcast has been mentioned all arouns so i had to check it out! keep it up.
November 15th, 2005 at 11:12 pm
I’m a recent listener (via iTunes) and have been going through all your back episodes. In this episode, when you were going through your mailbag; you mentioned that you cannot play a Japanese DVD in an Amercian DVD Player. This isn’t entirely true. The vast majority of DVDs & DVD players are region encoded so you cannot do this, but there are DVD players on the market that are region free or that have hacks allowing you to switch the region on the player. Effectively allowing you to play a DVD from any region.