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If you have been to Japan, you might have seen Gachapon.  It is also known as gacha, gashapon, or gachagacha.  Gacha is a name trademarked by Takara Tomy A.R.T., while Gachapon/gashapon are names trademarked by Bandai.  The general name for this is capsule toy – not very exciting!  Whatever the names are, they refer to vending machines dispensing capsule toys. It was originally invented (発明する hatsumeisuru) in the US as a gumball machine. There are so many kinds, and you choose what you want, insert (投入するtonyusuru) coins, and turn a knob.  You do not know what you will get, which is a thrill of the game. In Japan, it was targeted to children by offering capsules with colorful yet cheap erasers and such.  And the thrill was at the core of the reward, rather than cheap erasers. From the 1990s, the target audience (標的購買者 hyouteki koubaisha) was expanded and the gachapon has evolved a lot.  You can choose a theme of your choice, say, sleeping toy dogs or bento.  And the quality is superb!!  People spend so much money to collect a series.

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According to the Toy Journal, the capsule toy market has reached ¥40 billion or US$350 million in 2019.  The main driving force (原動力 gendouryoku) has been rather outrageous capsule toys targeting adults.  Some toys are insanely detailed. For instance, realistic furniture, power tools fit in the capsule, and alligator figures of the well-known artist, Keigo, and many many more.  We Japanese tend to be attracted by such fantastical things!  What also attributed to the popularity among the adults is the fact that we could play gachapon to our heart’s content (心ゆくまで kokoroyukumade) with our own money – no parents to tell us “NO!”

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There are many stores with a few gacha machines on the storefront (店頭 tentou), and there are special stores dedicated to gacha machines.  It is so much fun! Some people enjoy creating scenes using capsule toys. If you go to a touristy place, they sure have their gacha machines that dispense capsule toys based on their local specialties. Here is the example of such local capsule toys hand-made and painted by one local artist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oypY0t-TxlU

As my last blog on the vending machines, gachapon machines have kept the nation’s attachment to cash (現金 genkin) alive, although some machines that accept prepaid cards have come to the market recently.  There are so many gacha machines in Narita Airport, for example, targeting international travelers who want to get rid of coins before going home.  On my last visit to Narita Airport, I found the spot, which was not too easy to find.  And I am not sure if the space remains open due to the COVID-19 induced travel restrictions.  If you have a chance to go to Narita Airport, will you check to see if it is still there?

The word gacha – you have no control over what you get – has coined some popular slang. Yami Gacha (闇ガチャ) is a gacha game machine that dispenses unfilled losses (ハズレ hazure) most of time.  It is usually very expensive to play, and bad luck costs you a lot of money.  But that is also a fun aspect when you play it with your friends.  There is a YouTube video in which ¥6000 investments (投資 toushi) turned into two masks. Yami = darkness = losses.  This is similar to gambling, in my opinion, and can be very dangerous to your financial and general life!

Oya Gacha (親ガチャ) has won the new word award in 2021.  It means that children cannot choose their parents, like the capsule toy machines.  Similarly, there is a new word “ko gacha (子ガチャ)” meaning parents do not know what kind of child they will get.  These are not really nice words if you think deeply of them.  But young people who coined these words argue that these are just a play on words (言葉遊び kotoba asobi), that these words should not be taken seriously, and that they use these words just to whine (愚痴をこぼすguchi wo kobosu) among friends.    We all should play more gacha to be happy!

There has been an exhibition (展覧会 tenrankai) in Shibuya now entitled 大嘘博物館カプセルトイ2億年の歴史展 (All Fake Exhibition, 200 Mllion Years of History of Capsule Toys, oouso hakubutsukan kapuseru toi niokunen no rekishiten).  Yes, it is all fake produced by Ryo Fujii.  The exhibition basically “proves” that the capsule toys had 200 million years of history, including a fossil (化石 kaseki) of dinosaurs (恐竜  kyouryu) with a capsule on the head!  And the future section displays that each of our lives would be determined by gacha.  Remember, it is all fake. But it is strangely close to a reality….

Enjoy!

Ancient times – Capsule Toy Civilization

Commercialization of Capsule Toy

Future – conspiracy theorists and future

     

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The most common way is to visit a neighborhood real estate office where you would like to live. Unlike the US, the closer the property is to a train station, the more expensive the rent is.

Here are some important things to remember:

• Almost all Japanese rentals (賃貸 chintai) come unfurnished– no refrigerator (冷蔵庫 reizouko), no washer (洗濯機 sentakuki pronounced as sentakki), no microwave or (電子レンジ denshi renji). You will need to buy them.
• Japanese homes do not have a clothes dryer (乾燥機 kansoki) or dishwasher (食器洗い機  shokki araiki), so there are no places to put them. If you read a flyer, it always says whether it has a sunny terrace to dry your laundry (洗濯物sentakumono). During the rainy season call “tsuyu” (梅雨), your apartment may get full of washed clothes hanging from the ceiling! Nowadays, you can purchase a front-loading washer/drier combo.

kalhhによるPixabayからの画像

Japanese apartment layout is different from that of the US. In the US, you describe an apartment as, for example, 2 bedrooms with 2 ½ baths. In Japan, it is described differently.  LDK means a living, dining, and kitchen are all in one room. DK type means a dining and kitchen are in the same space with a separated living room.  If you see 1LDK, it means 1 room (possibly a bedroom) and one room which is a combination of living, dining, and kitchen. It looks like a one-bedroom apartment in the US. Japanese toilet is independent of a bathroom, but many budget rentals in Tokyo may come with a unit bath (ユニットバス yunitto basu), which means the bathtub, toilet, and sink are all in one room. There may not be a space or wiring for a washing machine, and you may have to place it outside. AND a very important thing – you cannot put a pin (画鋲 gabyou) or nail (釘 kugi) into the wall!  You pay for your rent, but it is not yours, I guess.

Here is an apartment that this student lived in for 4 years in Tokyo. The monthly rent (家賃 yachin) is ¥40,000.

Here is a high-end 1LDK rental in Tokyo.  Monthly rent ¥120,000, 43.83m² = 472FT².

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2rwXTYVlpU

Now you decided on a rental apartment. Then the confusion time will follow.  You are asked to pay fees such as reikin, shikikin, chukai tesuuryou, which are collectively called the initial costs. The initial costs have been a source of problems between an owner and an international renter.

• Shikikin (敷金): it is like a security deposit and is usually one-month worth of your rent. You will get it back after subtracting costs to make the apartment to its original condition before rent.
• Reikin (礼金): gratitude money, one-month’s worth, to an owner. This one, particularly, has been a source of problems for international renters. Some owners do not require 礼金.
• Mae-yachin (前家賃): a prepayment of the first month’s rent
• Commission (仲介料 chukairyou): payment to a real estate agent
• Songai hoken (損害保険): similar to renter’s insurance

There may be more items, and it is important for you to know them before you sign the contract. Initial costs can be worth the value of five-month’s rent!

Many apartment rooms are rather boring box-type. There are, however, many interesting apartments now available in Japan – some look ridiculous, while others are wonderful. Yukkuri Fudosan is one of my favorite YouTube channels which shows some interesting apartments in Japan. Small apartments do not need to be old and depressing. And there are apartments for those who share some hobbies (趣味 shumi). Here are some interesting ones. They are not for everyone, and I am sure that some apartments will not be approved for occupancy in other countries. By accident, I chose three apartments that require a washer/dryer combo.  In the last video, you will see a space for a laundry pole (物干し竿 monohoshizao) on the veranda. Because you need to have your own washing machine, microwave, and refrigerator, it is important to purchase them in standard size in case you plan to move in the future.

Apartment houses for those who love motorcycles and cars.

Old company dorm (社宅 shataku) for a single employee converted to apartments with shared bathroom, kitchen, and other amenities.

Japanese residential qualities, except for traditional old houses, have been anything but attractive. But when you look, I am sure you will find something that fits your needs. May COVID-19 and the aggressions in the world disappear soon and we can move around the world freely to learn and understand from each other.

       

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• @David In reply to David. Thank you, David, for taking your ... by eriko1
• Thank you very much for showing the apartment video. My wife, ... by David

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René VlakによるPixabayからの画像

In 2020, there were over 4 million vending machines in Japan, which was a 2.4% decline from 2019, according to Ryutsu News. The revenue (売り上げuriage) that the vending machines generated in 2020 amounted to ¥5 trillion (US$43.6 billion). Just for comparison (比較 hikaku), although I could not find comparative data, the US had 7 million vending machines, the largest in the world. Yahoo finance reports the US revenue was approximately US$36 billion.  Japan has the highest number of vending machines per capita (一人あたり hitoriatari).

So why? Simply, it is convenient. You can buy a can of coffee, hot or cold, anytime you want and consume it. Vending machines have been evolving (進歩するshinposuru). There are vending machines that provide Wi-Fi to much-needed service to the Wi-Fi-deprived country, that give prizes, and that give hot and cold beverages/foods, that dispense toys and knickknacks, you name it!  Vending machines are everywhere – on the street corner of Tokyo, and on the farm roads through the rice fields. Also, it is fun to watch the vending machines that show you how your ordered item is being prepared – after all the Japanese love robots! I inserted money into a vending machine and chose a type of coffee. Then a video started on the vending machine – a video showing your cup of coffee being brewed. And it may sound strange, but I felt somehow more affection to the cup of coffee when I finally held the cup in my hand.  It was as if I watched its little life in a movie.

Some international media point out that the labor cost (人件費 jinkenhi) is very high in Japan,resulting in the popularity of vending machines. But I must oppose this theory. The Japanese average annual income (平均年収 heikin nenshu) is notoriously low. According to Heikinnenshu, the average income in 2019 was US$39,000 (), while the median income (年収中央値 nenshu chuouchi), which probably shows a more accurate picture, was US$24,000 – 31,000 based on today’s rate. It is a sad and upsetting fact that there is a vast salary difference between the genders. The median income for men amounted to US$27,000, while that of women was US$20,000. Japan ranked 14^th in the global median income.

But the number of vending machines in Japan has been declining, mainly because of the stiff competition (競争 kyouso) with combini stores. They are open all the time, and they are also in many places providing more products and services. The continuing decrease in population is, of course, a supporting factor in this trend.  There are other reasons for the continuous decline; 1) heavy dependence (依存 izon) on beverages (飲料 inryo), and 2) the saturation of locations.

I believe, however, the vending machine industry will continue to evolve, not by quantity but by the quality. It is important to touch an important niche (隙間 sukima) area that has been getting so much attention. That is a vintage vending machine as Retro Jihanki (自販機 short for 自動販売機) as Japanese call it. There were YouTubers that had been uploading videos on places with retro vending machines. It has been increasingly popular thanks to nostalgia and better than expected tastes.

Here is one of such nostalgic vending machine paradises.

At these retro vending machine sites, hot dishes are made by the owners or local shops instead of large corporations – foods are prepared every day. If you do not go there early, you will most likely be met by “sold out” (売り切れ urikire) signs. Many of these vending machines are old, and many parts are no longer available.  So the machines are affectionately treated by both the owners and the customers.

My family has had a grocery store for 400 years – of course, it did not start as a grocery store, and it is no longer a grocery store. When it was a full grocery store, I remember my dad had to go to the store every day, even his day-off, to refill the vending machines. There are no automated machines after all.

       

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takedahrsによるPixabayからの画像

The Japanese Valentine’s Day was started and popularized by confectionary companies promoting their chocolates. Japanese Valentine’s Day was very unique. For the Japanese, Valentine’s Day was (emphasizing the past tense!) the only day on which women could confess (告白する kokuhakusuru) their love to men. It was very popular among young girls.

Then another unique Japanese custom came to be popular in the 1980s. That is called “giri choco” (obligatory chocolate 義理チョコ), reportedly another genius (天才的な tensaitekina) invention (発明 hatsumei) by the Japanese confectionary industry to broaden the market.  Women working in offices started to give chocolates to their male colleagues and bosses as a means of communication.

Thanks to these marketing strategies (戦略 senryaku), it is said that 20% of chocolate sales in Japan is registered during the Valentine’s Day period. In 2020, just before COVID-19 changed the whole world, the whole Valentine’s Day market (市場 shijou), including chocolate, amounted to US$1 billion, which was a significant amount for the retailers. Although there is no data available for 2020, the giri choco market reached US$18 million in 2017.

It was a huge “wasted” expense for female employees, and a very stressful time for male employees as the number of chocolates indicated the popularity inside the company. So some companies prohibited (禁止するkinshisuru) the chocolate giving activity entirely.

However, things have been changing in Japan. According to Rakuten, although the ratio of women giving a gift on Valentine’s Day is still higher than that of men, Japanese Valentine’s Day has been getting closer to the Western one. Out of those who would give a gift on Valentine’s Day, 77.8% is to their partners, 27.7% to their children, 26.2% to their colleagues, bosses, and business clients, and 19.8% to their parents. Very little percentages of women and men purchase a gift to a real crush to confess. Also, Covid-19 has contributed to so many social changes in Japan, and giri Choco has become a victim (被害者 higaisha) of the COVID-19-induced social change.

Thanks to the remote working environment and limitation of after-work drinking, the socialization obligation has decreased a lot, and the need for the giri choco decreased accordingly. Another reason for the decline is that giri choco can be perceived as “environmental sexual harassment (セクハラ sekuhara).” However, the Valentine’s Day market is expected to continue to be strong without giri choco. That is because people have started to spend money on premium chocolates not only to give them to special someone but also a gift to themselves.

Japanese Valentine’s Day cannot be discussed without talking about White Day (ホワイトデイ howaito dei) – another ingenious invention by the Japanese confectionary industry. White Day is on March 14 and began in 1978. It used to be called Marshmallow Day. It is a day when men must return something to women who gave them gifts on Valentine’s Day. A marshmallow manufacturer invented chocolate wrapped in the marshmallow, signifying “I am returning the chocolate wrapped in marshmallow, which is soft like my gentle heart.”  Men must return gifts even for the giri choco. This can be another reason why people are happy that the giri choco culture is on the decline. By researching, I found out that each White Day gift has a meaning.

Here are popular gifts on White Day and their meaning.

S. Hermann & F. RichterによるPixabayからの画像

Candies: Gift to the real crush! As candies do not melt easily, they signify that the relationship will last for a long time. It seems every flavor has added meaning.

Marshmallow: Before the White Day, the day was called Marshmallow Day as I just wrote. But nowadays, it has changed to a completely different meaning. As a marshmallow melts easily in the mouth, it now means “I want to forget about you soon” or the relationship will not last long. But there seems to be a contradicting opinion to this, saying that there was no negative meaning.

Cookies: Cookies signify that “I just want to be a friend.” While it may be a disappointment to receive them, one can use cookies to give to good friends.

There are a lot more on the page, but I feel like I am getting a cavity (虫歯 mushiba) just reading and writing about it! Do people really think about these special meanings? I rather want to doubt it.

       

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woodpeace1によるPixabayからの画像

It is important to point out – many Japanese mix up Eto (干支 eto) and Junishi. I am one of them. When we refer to 2022, for instance, we say this year’s Eto is a tiger. However, precisely speaking, it is wrong! Eto is a combination of Jyunishi and Jikkan. However, in general, we say this year’s Eto is a tiger even on news.

Why “boar” instead of “pig” in Japan? According to Edo no Biboroku by Michifumi Isoda, there were many wild boars in Japan, so there really was no need to domesticate (家畜化する kachikukasuru) pigs. There were some, but the introduction of Buddhism, which disapproved of eating meat, wiped out any need of pigs. Thus, when the Animal Zodiac came from China, “pig” was changed to boar.

Then Dragon – the only imaginary (想像上の sozojono) creature (生き物 ikimono) in the Animal Zodiac. Dragon is transliterated as 龍 (ryuu) or 竜 in Japanese. However, in Junishi, it is 辰 (tatsu). There are many different theories why Dragon was chosen. One of the theories is that it might have been supposed to be alligator (鰐 wani) because 龍 (dragon) also referred to 鰐（alligator.）Another theory is that Chinese people might have believed that dragons did exist.

Here are animals in Junishi

子 （ね）： Rat/mouse
丑 （うし）：Ox
寅 （とら）：Tiger
卯 （う）：Rabbit / Hare
辰 （たつ）：Dragon
巳 （み）： Snake
午 （うま）：Horse
未 （ひつじ）：Sheep
申 （さる）：Monkey
酉 （とり）：Rooster / Cock
戌 （いぬ）：Dog
亥 （い）：Pig / Boar

Many question why there is no cat (猫 neko) in Junishi. You can see a reason in the video below. However, cats are in the Vietnamese Animal Zodiac, replacing Rabbit. Also Sheep is replaced by Goat, and Ox is replaced by Water Buffalo. You can see similar animals in the Animal Zodiac in Thailand.

Here is the interesting folk tale how these 12 animals have been chosen.

You might have been asked by your Japanese friend, “what is your Eto?” Your friend is interested in your sign as Japanese love to associate the Eto/junishi animals to your personal character, just like we always ask people’s blood type (血液型 ketsuekigata). If you are born in a year of the Tiger, you are “brave (勇敢 yuukan), strong, passionate, a perfectionist, full of a sense of challenge, the love of being alone, and hot tempered.

If you are interested in, the website tells you a list of animal zodiac sign and general characteristics.

Here is another use of Eto in Japan. If you know one’s Eto, you can easily calculate his/her age.  It used to be so easy for Japanese high school students to purchase alcoholic beverages even though there was a law against it. There was no system of carding.  But if you got caught (捕まる tsukamaru), there were consequences. So teenagers aimed themselves with some knowledge to lie (嘘をつく usowo tsuku) their age. Police officers would ask which Japanese year (和暦 wareki) you were born. You answered Heisei 30, for instance. Then the police officers would ask which western year (西暦 seireki) you were born. You answered 2018. You were  relieved – homework paid off (報われるmukuwareru). Then the police officers asked you what eto you were! If you could not answer, then you got caught!

Nowadays, it has gotten much harder for those who are under 20 years old to purchase alcoholic beverages. Some stores ask for IDs, but many stores have an age calculation chart with Japanese year, western year, and eto to ask customers to get their real age.

Saiful AnwarによるPixabayからの画像

A year of the Tiger is characterized as a year of growth (成長 seicho) and a year of beginning (始まりhajimari). Let’s hope the prediction is the right one!

       

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https://blogs.transparent.com/japanese/new-years-cards-年賀状/

https://blogs.transparent.com/japanese/a-month-even-a-priest-must-run-part-1/

https://blogs.transparent.com/japanese/a-month-even-a-priest-must-run-part-２/

For a non-Christian country, Christmas is a huge event even though it is not a holiday (祭日saijitsu) in Japan. Shopping streets are decorated with illuminations starting at the beginning of November.

The Christmas season starts early in Japan. Christmas markets are open and get so many visitors. On Christmas Eve, many have dinner at a fancy restaurant, or at home with a Christmas cake. And there is something that you must have at home Christmas dinner or parties. Of course, it is Kentucky Fried Chicken! You must reserve (予約する yoyakusuru) your dinner by 12/17 and designate a day and time to pick it up. Not only the fried chickens, KFC offers a whole roasted chicken, a roasted thigh, and roasted breast meat along with the side dishes such as French fries, biscuits, and nuggets. Forget such traditional Christmas side dishes as mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, and green beans!  It seems it is very competitive to make the reservation online, and many people post their frustration on Twitter that they cannot make reservations, and that the Christmas package sold out (売り切れる urikireru).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZhxw4lWSTE

When you go down to the basement of department stores, affectionately called デパ地下(depachika), there are so many gourmet stores with ready-made food. And you may have tasty roasted chickens in your local stores as well. Why do you have to have KFC?  I believe it is a triumph (勝利 shouri) of KFC Japan’s marketing.

I wanted to share just a snippet of the most famous J-Pop Christmas songs released in 1980.  According to Takashi Odajima, a columnist, this song transformed Christmas in Japan from a children’s event to the most important and romantic event for lovers (恋人 koibito).

Unlike the US and many countries that celebrate Christmas, Christmas Eve is considered more important than Christmas Day itself. It is more “romantic.” Not much going on Christmas Day as it is just a regular working day. After 12/24, many Christmas items are sold at a deep discount (割引 waribiki).  There was really a bad joke going on back in the 90s in Japan, referring to a 25-year old woman as “Christmas cake.” Fortunately, many young people have no idea what this joke means as even the Japanese society has progressed (進歩する shinposuru) and women are not in any hurry to get married or even not get married at all.

k mによるPixabayからの画像

After Christmas Eve, the whole country shifts a focus on New Year. The Japanese government instituted the New Year holidays to be 12/29 to 1/3 in 1988.  So, for many companies, the last day of business is on 12/28 . It is called Shigoto Osame (仕事納め) or Goyo Osame (御用納め). And the first day of business in the new year is called Shigoto Hajime (仕事始め) or Goyo Hajime (御用始め), and it is 1/4 in 2022.  Although there is not a definition, the middle of December to the last day of December is called 年末 (nenmatsu) and January 1 to 3^rd is called 年始 (nenshi). The term used so often, 年末年始 (nenmatsu nenshi) loosely refers to this period.

Some people take a day or two vacation days to make this a longer break to go Hawaii, the number one destination for the New Year holiday. Before people started going abroad for the 年末年始break, they used to go back to their home town (故郷 kokyo). And those of us who called Tokyo as the home town could enjoy the less-crowded city. Due to COVID-19, however, international travel is still very restricted. JTB, one of the major travel agencies in Japan, forecasts (予測する yosokusuru) that the number of domestic travelers for 年末年始in 2021-2022 will increase 180% to 18 million from the comparative period of 2020-2021. In 年末年始in 2019-2020 (prior to the COVID-19,) it was 29 million. In October, the State of Emergency was lifted, and it was hoped that the number of domestic travelers would increase drastically during 年末年始. However, the Omicron strain seems to have dampened that hope. Approximately 75% of companies have reported that they would not hold 忘年会 (bonenkai, literally forget the year party). I am sure that many employees are happy about that as 忘年会 are regarded as an obligation. At the same time, 75% of parents also responded that they would spend Christmas at home with a cake and chicken.

Whatever holidays you celebrate, happy holidays to you. My 2021 was unexpectedly a bad year as I lost my canine hiking and life partner suddenly and unexpectedly.  May 2022 bring you a lot of happiness.  Enjoy every trail.

       

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• You graduate from college and continue to look for a job = 就職浪人(shushoku ronin). 浪人 (ronin) is a wandering samurai without a lord. So 就職浪人 is a wanderer without a job.

• You stay in college and continue to hunt for a job as a college student = 就職留年 (shushoku ryunen). 留年(ryunen) means to repeat a year at school.

Here is a TV commercial that was criticized (批判するhihansuru) as too realistic (現実的 genjitsuteki) for those struggling in the job hunting reality.  It was broadcast in February (2014), when many students were getting 内定（informal job offers.）It has caused an uproar (騒動 soudo). Even if the story is realistic, nobody wanted to hear it from a large corporation. If you are interested, here is the story.

Today, there are more options. You can start your own business. Some decide to be in agriculture, some choose not to get a permanent job to pursue what they want to do, some go to graduate schools (大学院 daigakuin), and some decide to study abroad (留学 ryugaku). But most college students choose to get a permanent job right after college.

就職浪人

Kamarulazman ShamsuddinによるPixabayからの画像

There are several reasons for people becoming 就職浪人. Some might have wanted to work in popular industries such as mass media but did not get in, and some might have failed in the civil servant exams, for instance. So they wait another year to try. However, there is a big pit hole. If you did not start working right after college, you are not regarded as “new graduates (新卒 shinsotu)” and are most likely not suited to apply for jobs that are offered only for new graduates. Because of this, 就職浪人 must compete for a job with those who already have experience, and those who have special skills earned from studying overseas. But I hear things are changing, albeit slowly.

So it may be better to remain in college as 就職留年since you can repeat your job hunting activities and apply as a new graduating student again. I know it may sound absurd – staying in college and paying for tuition (学費 gakuhi) just to apply for a job as a new graduating student. Fortunately, things are changing for the better. Some large corporations have started to allow those who graduated within 3 years and have no permanent work experience to apply to new graduating student positions, responding to the new government guidelines (指針 shishin).

There is another feature in job hunting among college students in Japan. They apply to a company, not to a particular job. During the new employee initiation ceremony on April 1, you will be given an official letter of appointment, which will inform you in which department you will work. It is called 配属辞令 (haizoku jirei). Some companies may rotate you in a few departments to find the most suitable job in the first few months. Of course, if you majored in chemical engineering, for example, it is more likely that you can apply to a particular job related to your major.

Remember, Japanese corporations are not raising specialists, but rather generalists. So in March, employees are given a formal letter of new appointment (人事異動 jinji ido) every few years to rotate to other departments to gain experience and learn a new part of the business. The appointment will start in April, the new fiscal year. This is a very typical Japanese corporate system.

I was asked about this by my client at a Japanese university. He was researching these generalist vs specialist issues. I told him that we applied to a specific job, not to a company. My company does not tell me to rotate to another department. Both systems have pros and cons.  In the Japanese system, your interest and your forte are not the most important focus on a job. That may be very unsatisfying and stressful for some, but one can learn a wide variety of job functions and learn about the company as a whole. On the other hand, the US system raises specialists who have abundant experience and knowledge on certain issues, but they may not be used in other positions.

Even the conservative and slow-changing Japanese society has generated many entrepreneurs.

Some corporations are willing to accept students three years after graduating from college to new graduate jobs. But most college students are strictly controlled by this job-hunting schedule. Ironically, the COVID-19 pandemic has some positive effects to drive adventurous ones to do something different.

       

Comments

• @Claudia In reply to Claudia. A grad school was also my ... by eriko1
• That's exactly how I felt after graduating from college — ... by Claudia

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