Abbreviations in Furikomi

Take a deep breath... this is dry but useful information.

When making a bank transfer (振込, furikomi) in Japan, information regarding the transfer can only be sent using single-bit (half-width) katakana characters, Latin alphabet letters, numbers, or a small subset of punctuation. When you make a furikomi at a bank or ATM, the system will properly annotate information about the bank and branch you want to transfer to. However, properly entering the beneficiary's name is up to you.

(By the way, spaces are also valid in furikomi data. They count as one character.)

Usually, this is an obvious step: You enter in the name of the beneficiary exactly as he or she has directed you. The katakana used must match the katakana they used for the name on their account exactly, or the furikomi won't go through.

What you may not have known is that there are special abbreviation codes used to accommodate long company names so they fit inside the ATM/furikomi slip's character limit. (In my experience, the limit is often 15 characters.)

For example, if you were in charge of sending a furikomi out to the toy company Bandai, the formal name of the company, 株式会社バンダイ, wouldn't fit within a 15 character limit: ｶﾌﾞｼｷｶﾞｲｼｬﾊﾞﾝﾀﾞｲ

Sixteen characters. Damn. What to do?

The wrong way to handle this situation is to enter as much of the name as you can and truncate the end.

The right way to handle this situation is to use designated account abbreviation codes to eliminate common, long titles, such as 株式会社 (publicly traded stock company). A full list of such abbreviations is available here (Japanese).

In the case of our example, the correct abbreviation for 株式会社 is a simple ｶ. But, the next part of the process is also important. You need to use appropriate delineation to indicate how the abbreviation fits into the title. Because 株式会社 comes at the beginning of Bandai's formal company name, you'd start the name on the transfer out with a ｶ, follow it with an ending parenthesis, then add the rest of the company name, like so: ｶ)ﾊﾞﾝﾀﾞｲ

Similarly, if the 株式会社 bit came at the end of the company name, like in music company Yamaha's name, ヤマハ株式会社, you'd use a beginning parenthesis and a ｶ at the end of the name: ﾔﾏﾊ(ｶ

But, what if the 株式会社 bit comes somewhere in the middle of the name you need to send to? Maybe, in a much more likely example, you're not sending to the company's name as a whole but to a specific department: The account name you're sending to is the general affairs department at Yamaha, ヤマハ株式会社総務部. The answer is fortunately unsurprising: You get to put a parenthesis on each end of the ｶ, to end up with a fantastic ﾔﾏﾊ(ｶ)ｿｳﾑﾌﾞ

OK, so what about when you've used all the reasonable abbreviations for your name, and you still end up with something too long, like this (fictional) general affairs department name at Takeda Pharmaceuticals: 武田薬品工業株式会社総務部. Even after abbreviation, it's still a whopping twenty-two characters: ﾀｹﾀﾞﾔｸﾋﾝｺｳｷﾞｮｳ(ｶ)ｿｳﾑﾌﾞ

In this situation, truncation is the rule of thumb. The bank will match up as much of the beneficiary name you could enter to the actual name on the account and make a decision about whether the transfer is legitimate. If that answer still leaves you feeling queasy, there's a simple but time-consuming way to double check yourself: ATMs at some banks will display the account holder name on their confirmation screens when you try to initiate a furikomi. The account holder name is displayed in single-byte katakana, up to a certain number of characters, just like you'd need to write it in to make a successful transfer. Simply go to such an ATM, start making a cash transfer (where you put money into the ATM to send rather than sending from your bank account), and fill out the beneficiary details up to the confirmation screen. Once you've seen how the name should be written, take a memo, and hit "Cancel" on the ATM so your experimental transfer doesn't actually go through.

May Blog Roundup

May has been and gone now, and taken with it all the pretty colours of spring, leaving us only with the creeping humidity and threatening reveal of dozens of praying mantis eggs.

Anyway, this month saw us pass 100,000 hits since late last year, and the growing AccessJ team provided you lovely readers with some great posts as a thank you.



This month you may have missed:

A post on how to get those pesky ID cards for buying cigarettes, a look at Japanese Hangover Preventatives, the start of our look at the bizarre questions Japanese people ask each other on the internet, and an entry covering the Japanese Fruit Picking Seasons for your picking pleasure.

We also published:

Earthquake
Maps showing the most dangerous places in Japan during earthquakes, and where earthquakes are most likely to occur.

Health and Fitness
How to buy and train with Kettlebells in Japan, and how to register for Distance Running Events.
not forgetting our popular post on the Cost of Giving Birth in Japan, and our big-hitter How to Take a Crap in Japan.

Cars
A detailed look at Vehicle Registration and Licence Plates, and an explanation of how licence plate security works.


Last bus not least, yesterday we talked you through Applying for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test.

There were plenty other posts that didn't make the lowdown here, so be sure to check out our archive links at the top of the page for more.


And coming up next month will be the return of our popular Being an ALT series, as well as tips on how to not sweat like an animal during the forthcoming hot summer. We'll cover all about ETC cards, give you some Japanese learning tips and bring you fresh content from a brand new writer who will cover Japanese cell-phones in minute detail. Stay tuned.

Applying for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test

Recent changes in the JLPT mean that it's now easier to take the test in Japan than it previously was. You can now take any level test twice a year (previously only the two highest levels were available twice). In celebration, here's a brief guide on how to apply.

If you are applying and taking the test outside of Japan, you can apply online when the time is right, but you may well have to travel quite far to find your test site. There are around 100 sites in 20 countries atm. Here's a list of locations.

Applying in Japan

1. Go to a big bookstore, like Kinokinuya or Maruzei.
2. Ask for, or find, the form. It should be either with the language learning books, or in front of the service counter. 
1. NB: This form can sometimes sell-out, so it may be a good idea to get it early, or call the store before you leave and ask them to keep one back for you.
2. It is sometimes possible to find these forms on online bookstores, like amazon.co.jp or rakuten.co.jp. However, make doubly sure that you have the right one, as they continue to stock out-of-date forms.
3. Pay 500yen (or steal it because you didn't realise you had to pay, like I did...)
4. Fill it out and send it off.
1. The form is in English, and thankfully comes with a detailed guide on how to complete it.
2. You will need to include a passport-sized photograph of yourself.
3. If you make a mistake you will not be enrolled in the test, so be careful.
4. You need to pay (5,500yen) via bank transfer before you mail the application, and include your receipt in the envelope.

Application dates

1. Dates within which you can apply for each test during the year are not fixed, so you will have to check the website for current dates. Applications generally close about ten weeks before the tests (the two being early July and December).

What level should I aim for?

1. Dunno, man. Have a look at the sample questions on the JLPT website for each level and see what you can manage.

WS: "Was and Were" JHS 2nd G

This Sunday's worksheet is a nice little story knocked together by my talented 婚約者, Laura. It makes use of a typically English scenario (easily converted to your home country) to practice the appropriate use of "was" and "were".



Here's the sheet to download. Depending on ability it will take something around 10-15+ minutes.

As always, use this as many times as you want, but please don't redistribute anywhere else.

While you're at it, why not check out some of our many other Worksheet Sunday entries?

Japanese Ability to be Linked to Visa Extensions?

This article is a bit dated, but I only stumbled across it fairly recently: In May of 2008, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hinted in a press conference that it would like to start taking Japanese language ability into consideration when issuing visas to or renewing landing permissions for foreign residents.

(A Youtube video of the press conference is also available; there's no particular variation between it and the written record, but of additional interest on Youtube are the scathing comments in Japanese about former Minister of Foreign Affairs Masahiko Komura and his "antinational" proposals.) 

Of course, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tends to say a lot of things, and some number of its proposals don't actually make it through Japan's legislative bureaucracy and into effect. However, last year you may have noticed on TV or elsewhere news reports of the first 5-year landing permissions being granted to foreign residents in Japan. (Until that time, landing permissions were typically limited to 1- or 3-year durations.) This is all part of a major rollout of immigration policy change decided upon in the 2009 Partial Amendment to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act.

As a recap: The old 1-year and 3-year periods continue to exist, but individuals deemed by the Immigration Bureau to have desirable qualities (such as stable work history or skills in need) may be eligible to receive a 5-year landing permission upon entering the country or to upgrade to a 5-year status on their next extension.

Anyway, NHK gave some coverage of this last year as the first 5-year extensions began to be issued. What I hadn't garnered from the news reports, but which was apparently hinted at in the 2008 press conference above, is that period of stay decisions could also be influenced by Japanese ability of the applicant.

In the press conference, the Ministry was careful to point out that any change would be a loosening of restrictions: Individuals who were previously eligible for 3-year stays will not lose their ability to get another 3-year extension because they can't speak any Japanese. However, individuals who were approved for a 1-year landing permission last time might get a boost to 3- or 5-years on extension if they have high-level Japanese skills.

At the time of the press conference, it was unclear how the Ministry intended to evaluate individuals' abilities when making their extension decisions. And since the statement 3 years ago, there has hardly been a word on the matter, or at least nothing ready to be found on Google. But, I'm dying to know more about how this went down and whether the Ministry is really still planning to base (or actually making) extension decisions on applicants' Japanese ability.

So, is this still simmering away on the Ministry's back burner? Will future applications include some kind of Japanese test or option to submit some kind of certification to be considered along with the application? If you know any more about this, please share in the comments below!

How to Take a Crap in Japan

Japanese toilets come in three guises.

1. a toilet
2. a hyper-toilet with loads of buttons etc (well founded stereotype)
3. squatty potty

In times of old (20 years ago or something), most number 2s were done in number 3s. Nowadays, you'll still find squatties in most train stations, country schools and other public facilities. Some people go on about squatties being good for your rectum or something, but to be honest I think you'll be fine either way. At least with a regular toilet there's little risk of urinating in your own pocket.

Anyway, below is my deftly illustrated guide on how to correctly operate over such a thing.

Step 1: Get totally naked. This is optional, but my friend couldn't go any other way for fear of messing himself up.

Step 2: Squat facing the raised end and fittings.

Step 3: Poop. Peeing is also acceptable.

Step 4: Flush. Wiping is also a popular preceding step.

Job done. Get dressed if necessary.


As an addendum, you would do well to note two things:

1. We Westerners are not well adapted to the flat-foot squatting which Asians do a lot. Luckily, the metal fittings on the front of the toilet serve well as handles should you need them.
2. Those same metal fittings are reflective. Do NOT look at them unless you want to see the very worst your body has to offer.

Happy shitting!

Vehicle Registration and License Plates in Japan

Registration of cars in Japan is handled by the District Transport Bureaus, or 地方運輸局 (ちほううんゆきょく). These bureaus were previously known as 陸運局 (りくうんきょく) before a restructuring of the Ministry of Transport* and are still colloquially referred to as such. In conversation, or within the scope of this guide, the names are interchangeable.

Today we'll learn about what exactly the District Transport Bureaus handle, what they don't handle, and, down there at the bottom of the article, how to find your nearest branch.

*Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism
Doesn't it realize how obnoxiously long its chosen English name is? This is the same country, mind you, that has gobs and gobs of application forms that don't accommodate anyone with a full name longer than 6 characters, including plenty of online forms that return a "your name is too long" error.




Anyway, when you buy a car, the District Transport Bureau is the place where you take said car to have its registered name changed (if you bought from an individual) or to have it newly registered in your name (if it is a new car from a dealer or if the dealer removed the previous owner's name and plates from the car before selling). This is the authority that issues the coveted 車検証 (しゃけんしょう) and Japan's vehicle registration plates (a.k.a. license plates, registration plates, ナンバープレート).

However, the bureau only issues these items for full-sized vehicles. Yellow-plate Kei cars report to a different authority: The Light Motor Vehicle Inspection Organization, or 軽自動車検査協会 (けいじどうしゃけんさきょうかい). In most areas, the Light Vehicle Organization will have it's offices located nearby the larger District Transport Bureau, so effectively the place you need to go to is the same, just the desks you wait at and the paperwork you fill out differs. Registering a Kei car is also, I hear, a quicker process than that of a full sized auto.

By the way, if you buy a car from a dealer and ask them to take care of the plates for you, this is exactly the same place that the dealer must bring the car. In fact, the vast majority of people waiting in lines and sitting on benches at these offices are car dealer employees. When you ask a dealer to do it for you, you pay for the employee's time and transport, whereas if you change plates yourself, the processing fees usually don't exceed the 2500-3000 yen range. (Of course, it also costs you your time.)

Unlike the DMV in the U.S., the issuance of driver's licenses and vehicle registration plates are handled by separate authorities in Japan. A driver's license in Japan comes from the Driver's License Center, 運転免許センター (うんてんめんきょせんたー). In regions without a Driver's License Center, some procedures (renewal, change of name, change of address, etc.) may be handled by a local police station, but the initial license is always issued by the Driver's License Center.

If you want to try your hand at "self-shaken," the District Transport Bureau is also the place to go for that. One of the buildings in the bureau will have a large auto pit where cars can be taken for shaken inspection. Garages and mechanics that offer shaken services are licensed by this bureau and perform the same set of inspections on each vehicle. The difference in price between hired shaken and self-shaken is a matter of knowledge and convenience. To do a self-shaken you don't need to know a terrible amount about cars, but you do need to know how to go through the procedures at the bureau. More importantly, you will need the time (during weekdays, usually applications are accepted from about 9:00-16:00) to take your car to the bureau and have the inspections done yourself. A garage or a mechanic, on the other hand, may do it on a weekend and hang on to your car until it's convenient for you to pick it up.
Has anyone else noticed a trending in Japan for people to pay to have something done rather than learn how to do it themselves?

The region a District Transport Bureau or a Light Motor Vehicle Inspection Organization administers isn't exactly proportionate to a prefectural government (as it would be in, say, the U.S.). That's why there are more types of vehicle plates in Japan than prefectures; if you live in the right area you can have your vehicle plate say something cool like 富士山, 六本木, or 鈴鹿.

Usually there will be several bureaus in a prefecture based around its centers of population. If you live in the boonies, unfortunately this could mean that the bureau that administers your area is a two or three hour drive away. Check out these handy websites for a complete listing of all branches of the District Transport Bureau and all branches of the Light Motor Vehicle Inspection Organization, including access maps and operating hours.

WS: Language Games JHS 1st Grade

Towards the end of the first grade textbook (New Crown), language games are introduced. You know, like when you have

STAND

I

and the answer is...

"I understand." Great, right? ...

I was asked to come up with some, but for first graders it's pretty tough. My favourite stroke of genius was

ら +

= ??????

Ramen, of course. But that was pretty much the only good one I could think of. Plus, not even the teachers guessed it.

Anyway, I decided to show the kids examples of how we play with language in everyday life. The best example of that is text/online messaging, where we shorten and otherwise mess with spellings to make things quicker (or cooler).

I produced this worksheet. You needn't use New Crown to find a use for it, I'm sure.

Just give it to the kids and tell them to work out what the answers are. Before they start, go through one together; showing how you sound out the letters/numbers to make the words. They may find it tough, but the reveal at the end is interesting to them if they hadn't worked it out anyway.

As always, this sheet is now your property, but please don't redistribute or otherwise misuse it.

Q&A: Runaway

This guy saw some programs on TV about underage girls who run away from home, a social issue that gets significant media attention in Japan, and now he's got some questions about them. It's for research purposes. Purely out of curiosity. Promise.

On TV recently there is a lot of coverage about girls who run away from home. Are there any people like that in Tokyo?
Like, they lived in the countryside, but being at home was unbearable so they come to Tokyo. Then not having anywhere to go they stay with men, moving from place to place in exchange for their bodies.

---

Yeah there's a ton of them.

If you hang out downtown in like

 Shibuya or Shinjuku you'll see.

By the way, 

there are like 

100,000 missing persons reports filed every year,

and most of them are from underaged kids 

running away from home.

---

They probably run away after finding someone to stay with online, right?
But, when things don't work out with that person they're left hanging.
Or, like, they were living with their boyfriend but broke up or something.


The reason they can't stand being at home is something like the parents got divorced and the kid is left to fend for herself, or there's stress from living with a new stepparent, or there's too many kids in the family and so they're desperate for attention, etc.


I don't think they're selling their bodies for a place to stay. It's more like the two of them are just using each other.


And, it's not just limited to Tokyo. The big city just makes for a good story so the TV programs give all their examples from there. I think the girls move around to places they're familiar with.

---

If you leave your house you're a runaway.


For example, even if you're just sitting on a swing at the neighborhood park, not even one mile from your house, and you're telling yourself that you've run away from home then you're a runaway.
There's a million of kids like that, both girls and boys.


But of all the "girls" posting online that they're looking for a man to "save" them, probably 90% are fakes.


Pretty much all of the dating sites with cons and decoys on them have been wiped out now, so SNS sites and bulletin boards are the new place where that type gathers.
Because SNS and BBS are still shady sites of course they can't be openly advertised, but if a TV program comes along that says "there's people like this out there!", then of course a bunch of viewers are going to wonder about it and try to find out about it online.
And when they do that, that's when the lines and lines of results for "girls waiting for you!" show up.

Shoudoshima Island

Shoudoshima 小豆島 is a small island South-East of Okayama, just East of Shikoku. Despite being largely empty and dotted with several burnt out or abandoned hotels and buildings, it has some great sights off the beaten track. It's a famous location for soy sauce production. In fact, the whole island literally stinks of it 24/7.

It's very cycle friendly (the island bus is pretty infrequent anyway), and it's definitely worth renting bikes to see the sights. The Hostelling International place rents out granny-bikes for 300 yen a day. Cars can be rented from several places, but book ahead in high season.

Pick up a map at the port you come in to (usually Tonoshou), but don't expect much English help there.

Sights

• Shoudoshima was the site of the first successful olive plantation in Japan. The predictable result of which is an obsession with olives and olive trees. You can visit the (huge) olive grove along the main (only?) road which runs along the south of the island. Amongst the many trees and beautiful paths is a park and windmill, showing off the heavy European presence, with a picturesque sea view. There's also a spa, and botanical garden. You can't miss it, and the bus stops at two points from which you can enter. 
• The film Twenty-Four Eyes was filmed here, and the film set still stands at the Eastern end of the island. It's an interesting site with exhibitions, shops, a pond filled with extraordinary varieties of salt-water fish, and restaurants. If you visit in the summer, beware of the baking heat and find shelter in the old houses perfectly preserved from the very start of last century, including the schoolhouse now containing ancient camera equipment used in making the film.
• Another point of interest is the soy sauce museum, again along the main road running West to East along the Southern coast. My girlfriend hated it, but I thought it was very interesting. It explains the old-time method of soy sauce production, allows a glimpse at modern production in progress, and even gives a free bottle with the 220yen entrance fee. Outside you can try the surprisingly tasty soy sauce ice cream.

There are several other things to do, including scaling a local mountain by ropeway and seeing a bunch of temples, so check out the Shodoshim town website (English) for more.


More

• The island is split into two halves. The lower, and larger half is Shoudoshima city, and the upper section is Tonosho town. Between lies... well, nothing really. 
• The total circumference is 126km.
• There are a couple of high-end hotels, and one or two drastically lower-end hostels on the Shoudoshima city side of the island.
• Don't expect many good restaurants. Or many at all, in fact. We survived on solely convenience store food when we visited, simply because we couldn't really find anywhere to eat without a long commute. However, there must surely be a few izakaya, yakitori etc places hiding in the local neighbourhoods off the main road.

Map

View Shoudoshima Island (www.accessj.com) in a larger map

WS: "It's Paul's Bike." JHS 1st Grade

Very early in first grade you'll be teaching "Is this/that your...". Around the same time, you'll teach His/Her/Paul's.

This is a sheet I made which covers that in a fun puzzle style.
I actually got the idea for this (although it wasn't their's originally) from JHSEnglipedia. The version on that site is ugly and over complicated. I completely reworked it and the results are what you can download here.

The idea is pretty self explanatory. Give each pair of students one copy of the sheet with the full images (or one each if you want), and one copy each of the answer sheet. Students have to work out what the snippet represents and write the sentence in the box. The lines around different objects dictate their owner, so the first snippet would be "It is Paul's dog." Of course, you can change it to "This is Paul's dog" if that's what you've been asked to do. Both are covered consecutively in my textbook.

As always, this activity is now yours to keep, but please don't redistribute it anywhere else. Link to us!

Q&A: Look it Up Yourself

In today's Q&A, we learn, yet again, that the Internet makes people lazy. And those lazy people are a driving source of fuel for other people to get spiteful and go out of their way to write long, angry rants. Apparently this fact of Internet-life applies no matter what language you use.

Let's get right down to our venting!

Hi.


I got a e-mail.


It said, "I'll let you know in a 一両日."


What does "一両日" mean?

---

For questions like these, you should get into the habit of searching for the answer yourself.

If you're able to use this site, then you should be able to use a dictionary site, too.

If you look for a word or a phrase in a dictionary, it'll certainly be there.

It'd be good for you to have at least enough of an appetite for learning to open a dictionary by yourself.

Anyway, some people don't know about the existence of dictionaries, so I'll leave the address for you below.

If you click the link, the answer to your question will appear, OK?

---

Thanks.


I see. I should use a dictionary function next time, huh? When I did a normal Google, it was hard to find the answer. Thanks for the good idea!

---

By the way, for those hoping and not clicking, 一両日　（いちりょうじつ） means "a day or two." :)

Anti-Theft License Plates

If you've ever looked closely at a car's rear license plate in Japan, you may have noticed something funny about one of the screws holding it in. At first glance, it just looks bigger than the others. And with a really close look, you might notice that it's inscribed with a kanji corresponding to the prefecture or licensing region of the car's plates.


These seals, always fastened at the top-left of the rear license plate of full-sized vehicles* (普通自動車) registered in Japan, are anti-theft measures, and they're protected by law. Removing one without explicit permission (such as changing the plates on a car, having a car sent out of country, or having a car destroyed) is illegal. However, if you relocate to a different prefecture of Japan, it is your duty to have your plate changed at the appropriate office.
*(In other words, they aren't issued for kei cars.)

The seals actually are just a thin metal covering for a normal screw inside. The "nest" for the seal acts like a giant washer, slipped around the screw before you screw it in. To remove one, it's as easy as puncturing the seal with a screwdriver or another sharp tool and prying the metal away until you can reach the screw easily with a driver. The satisfaction of jabbing the seal is almost worth the otherwise obnoxious rigmarole of a trip to a Japanese Land Transport Bureau--and maybe the cocktail party story you can share with some Japanese friends (who will nod their heads in approval if they've shared the jabbing experience).

By the way, when screws for a new license plate are issued, the seal isn't handed to the owner of the vehicle. In standard procedure, your shakensho (vehicle registration document) is kept in custody of the Land Transport Bureau until you've screwed on the plates yourself. Then, they'll come and check your car, looking at vehicle identification numbers printed under the hood and on the body, and when they're finally satisfied that it's really the car identified in the shakensho, they'll pop the seal into place themselves.

The Cost of Giving Birth in Japan

I hope this doesn't excite my family too much, but recently I've been looking into the logistics of childbirth in Japan. Hence the forthcoming post on maternity leave (see next week).

It seems that the Japanese process typically involves a 6+ day stay in hospital for mother and baby, during which time you learn about aftercare for your newborn etc. Understandably, this isn't a cheap period of your life. Luckily, provided you're paying the shakai hoken (social health insurance) you can expect to get the vast majority of that money back, if not more.

In fact, even if you don't stay the full time, or even don't go to hospital at all and find your own midwife, you'll still get that money (approx. 420,000yen depending on your area).

For more, here's an extract from a recent article in the Japan Times:

Expected costs of childbirth in Japan
A 2009 health ministry-funded survey of 2,886 hospitals and clinics showed that the average cost of delivery was ¥423,957 nationally, and ¥459,260 in the Kanto region. The cheapest area in which to give birth was the Kyushu- Okinawa region, where the average cost was ¥393,671.The average length of stay was 6.28 days nationally. Prices are higher if you choose a single room, give birth at night or on a weekend and ask for an epidural.Women covered by the public health insurance scheme can get up to ¥420,000 of their costs subsidized by the government.Costs of prenatal visits to doctors and midwives also vary, but many municipal governments issue vouchers for free prenatal screenings at hospitals, clinics and midwife-led birth centers.

• If you decide to do a home or private birth, you may need to find a midwife. A good place to start on that route is the Midwives Association of Japan (most of the important stuff is in Japanese).
• Beware that the regular Japanese birthing process may be culturally different from what you may expect. If  you have "special" requests, such as the father being allowed in the room during birth, no painkillers, sleeping in the same room as the baby in hospital etc, you will have to find a doctor/hospital that is okay with those.
• A great community site to help you with the raising, matriculation, health care etc of your child in Japan is Japan With Kids.
• A useful personal account of having twins in Japan can be found on this website.
  
• I came across this excellent article from the Alien Times, which I've pasted in full here just in case it ever vanishes:
   

• Pregnancy and Giving Birth in Japan

  Author:Anna Hamakoji, Issue: November 2001, April 2007 Topic: Children

  Going through pregnancy and giving birth is difficult enough in one's own country, so going through that in a foreign country makes it all that much more difficult. The following is a brief description of what you need to do and what to expect if you are having a baby here in Japan.

  Once a doctor has confirmed your pregnancy, you must register your pregnancy at your nearest health center.

  Take your Alien Registration (AR) Card and fill out a form with your name and address, giving the name of the doctor and the name and address of the medical institution he or she is affiliated with. (You can also ask the clinic/hospital to give you a "certificate of pregnancy" to give to the health center). The center will give you a Mother-Child Book (boshi techo), in which will be recorded the course of your pregnancy and the birth, as well as your baby's growth and immunization records. Be sure to take it to each prenatal visit and, of course, to the birth. You can choose to have bilingual copies. Tsukuba City has the following: English/Japanese, Korean/Japanese, Chinese/Japanese, Tai/Japanese, Portuguese/Japanese and Tagalog/Japanese

  Included in the "boshi techo" is a packet containing local information and immunization schedules. Also included are two coupons that are for health check ups, one in early and one in late pregnancy. There is also a form that will give you a Y1300 reduction on the HIV test (required for all pregnant women).

  After registering your pregnancy, you will need to think about what kind of birth you want or need and where and how you are going to have it. In choosing the place of birth, you will need some idea of what kind of birth you want/need considering your physical condition, Japanese language ability, financial situation, etc. In Japan, fathers are not always permitted at the birth. At some facilities, fathers are allowed only into the labor room, but not the delivery room. At others he can only wait in the waiting room. Some places though, encourage fathers to participate and sometimes, if you have communication problems, they might even allow you to bring a friend who can interpret and assist you. Always ask for such information. Developing realistic expectations and making adequate preparations will help you to have a safe and satisfying experience.

  For foreigners in Tsukuba, there are several places to choose from. I will here only comment on the ones I know personally. There might be others that are good as well. If you have any information please write to the Alien Times.

  The most popular clinic is probably the Shoji Clinic in Yatabe. Dr Shoji and his wife, who is the pediatrician, have lived in the U.S. and both speak English well. Dr. Shoji and his staff are used to foreigners and they always try their best to accommodate each person's special needs. The name is Shoji Sanfujinka Clinic and is located at Yatabe 1562 (Tel: 029-836-0405). It is closed on Mondays, Thursdays, and the 1st, 3rd & 5th Sunday and national holidays. On Mondays there is a female doctor available (as of March 2007), Dr. Saito.

  Then there are two hospitals that are seeing a lot of foreign women -- Tsukuba Gakuen Hospital and Tsukuba University Hospital.

  Gakuen hospital is popular maybe because there are several female doctors to go to for checkups. Dr. Sato and Dr. Kawasaki are especially popular because they speak English. Dr. Sato sees patients on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.Dr. Kawasaki on Monday mornings and Thursdays. You cannot know, however, whether they will be available at the time of your delivery. If not, you will just have to do with the doctor who is on duty. Husbands are allowed into the delivery room if they have attended birth classes at the hospital. Tsukuba Gakuen Hospital is located at Kami Yokoba 2573-1 (Tel: 029-836-1355). For appointments call the appointment center 836-6688

  Tsukuba University Hospital is often the place to go to if you are in need of special care or if there are complications during your pregnancy. It is also the cheapest of all hospitals, although the cost difference between clinics and hospital isn't that much. The total cost depends on your situation, the time of delivery (night & weekend are more expensive than "office hours") how many days you stay after delivery, whether it is a private room or not, etc. The university hospital has several doctors that can speak various levels of English, they also have female doctors and if you ask for it they will try their best to make sure you are examined by a female doctor. You can however not request one to be at your birth, but most days there is usually a female doctor on duty. Husbands are not allowed into the delivery room. Tsukuba University Hospital is located at Amakubo 2-1-2. You need to call 029-853-3570 for an appointment (or go to the appointment counter between 8:30am and 11am.)

  Another option is a midwife clinic. There is one in Ina City (about 20 min. from Tsukuba) that accepts foreigners. It is called Baby Healthy Mirai and its address is Ina-Machi, Minami Ohta 500-1 (Tel: 0297-58-3708). It is closed on Fridays. This is a perfect place for someone wanting an "at home birth" atmosphere.

  Typically, a prenatal visit costs between Y3,500 and Y10,000 depending on the place and how many tests are performed. At some facilities, ultra sound is routine and included in the fee. Other places might do them only once or twice and charge extra. Other tests, such as amniocentesis, can raise the fee as well. The average cost of a normal delivery and a 5-7 day stay is currently Y350,000-Y450,000.

  For the pregnant foreigner, it can be advantageous to join the National Health Insurance scheme. It provides some special benefits for pregnant women. Depending on your taxable income, you may qualify for this help. For a couple with no kids, the income limit is Y4,010,000/year. For each additional dependent, add Y300,000.

  Some of the most common benefits are free medical care for pregnant women and assistance for childbirth expenses given to the woman after the birth. You need to apply for this aid at the city office.

  So what do you need to do after the baby has come? First, before the birth, you should contact your embassy and find out the procedure for obtaining a passport for the baby. After the birth, the hospital will give you a birth certificate. The left side of the document will already have been filled in by the hospital and you need to fill-in the right side and submit it to the city office. The document has to be written in Japanese and the person at the city office is forbidden to do it for you so you need to find someone who can help you write it.

  Take this document, both parent's passports and alien registration cards, the Mother-Child book and go to the Sakura branch of the City office. Your child will be registered and an alien registration card will be issued.

  If you have National Health Insurance, you also need to enter your child's name on to the insurance card, and depending on your income, you can apply for "marufuku," which is free medical care for infants.

  You can also apply for the "bunben hiyo haraimodoshi" which is the assistance for child birth expenses. Bring your bankbook with you (not just your cash card (ATM card)) and if you use a "hanko" seal, don't forget to bring that too.

  There is also child benefit called "jidouteate" for low income families. It is Y5000 per month, (Y10,000 per month from the 3rd child.) Ask at the child welfare counter.

  All of these procedures can be done in one visit to the city office if you bring all the necessary documents. The city office, however, will not give you any official copies of the birth certificate on the same day that you apply for it. For some reason you have to wait at least one day. An official copy of the birth certificate costs Y400. Remember to ask your embassy how many they require.

  The hospital may also, at your request, write a document in English stating that "Ms xxx had a baby girl on month/day". This document has no legal meaning in Japan and the father's name is not included, so make sure you get official copies of the Japanese version since that is the only legal document concerning your child's birth.

  You have to apply for a visa (residence permission) within 30 days of the birth. To avoid any penalties, you have to apply within 30 days whether you have got the child's passport or not. If you have applied for a passport but haven't got it yet, bring the document showing that you have applied with you to the immigration office. You also need to bring your child's Japanese birth certificate and alien registration card for child, mother, and father. And a "certificate of alien registration" where all family members are included is recommended. After you have been to Mito you need to go back to the Sakura branch again and they will write the new information on your child's alien registration card.

  After all of this, you are finished with the "paper work" and can concentrate on the parenting, but that is another story. Good Luck!!

WS: "The most..."JHS 2nd Grade

I'm on a roll with this kind of worksheet, so here's another in the vein of my "Did you...", "Do you know how to...", "Can you" and "Will you" sheets, and yet again is a perfect example of not being afraid to reuse ideas for different grammar points.

Students decide which of the three options you (as the teacher) think is the most (adjective) of the three. They circle their answers, then ask you. Play bingo. If they got it right, they get a circle. If not, an X. Give some kind of reward, or you could even use the betting money cards from a couple of weeks ago to make things more interesting.

On the back are some lines for writing up sentences if you need to fill more time (the front should take 15-25 minutes depending on how you play it/drag it out).

Here's the sheet.

As always feel free to have as much fun as you want with this, but please don't redistribute it as your own.

Distance Running in Japan

If you're an avid runner and like to compete in marathons, 10ks etc, then I have a useful tip for you.

Runnet.jp is a database and registration site covering all of Japan. You can register for events of all lengths - 5k, 10k, half marathon, full marathon, ultra marathon and more.

It's all in Japanese, so here's a guide to help you through using it.

Guide

• Near the bottom of the Runnet page you will find this icon:

新規会員登録 
登録無料、自分専用ダイアリー

This is the link to sign up. It's free.

• Scroll down to the bottom of the signup page and click the red button.
• On the next page, check the option marked 利用規約に同意する
• Next, enter your email address in both of the boxes and click the red button.
• Click the next red button and you will be emailed an activation link.
• Go to your inbox and click it.  
• You have 30 minutes to do this. After that, you will have to re-apply.

So, on to part two. Here you have to put in your full details - address, name, etc. It all has to be done in Japanese, which can be a bit of a headache.

The best way I can think of (if you don't understand enough Japanese) is to have a version of the page open in Google Translate, and one in the original Japanese (the translated version often doesn't work properly when you try to submit it). Cross referrence to fill out the form.

Possible errors:

• Password needs to contain numbers
• The furigana (ふりがな) version of your name (in the boxes under where you first write your name) has to be written in Katakana.

Searching for races
It helps if you know the kanji for the prefecture in which you're searching, better still the city. If not, you'll have to look it up.

Once logged in, click on the option with the magnifying glass at the top of the page.

Now a box will appear with another magnifying glass at the top.

Submit, and you will be presented with a list of events, presuming they exist. You can view this page in Google Translate if it's easier. Clicking an event will take you to some more information, along with an エントリー (entry) button:

Click this and you'll find a list of entry prices. Click エントリー　again here and you will need to enter some details (varies per race/type but usually past/expected times, t-shirt size etc).

After sucessfully completing that, you'll be sent to the payment page. You can pay by card or convenience store. The site charges between 100 and 200 yen commission per entry.

Click next, then the submit button at the foot of the confirmation page. You've done it all right when you see this message:

In short, it's a challenge to get through, but it's worth it.

Kettlebells and KB Training in Japan

For those of you versed in the intense world of kettlebell training, moving to Japan may prove slightly taxing if you want to continue your training at a high level. More details follow:


High quality kettlebells ARE available, but you're going to pay top dollar for them. If that's what you want, then this Japanese guy sell imported Dragondoor bells. Prices are not totally unreasonable, but expect to pay around 35,000yen for a pair of 24kg bells.

Other than that, you can contact IKFF Japan's Mark Atkinson. Mark has been at the forefront of Asian KB training for a while now, and is a friendly, helpful guy. He sometimes has pro-series bells made to sell to those interested, and at a lower price than his Japanese competition above. I just bought two 28kg bells from him for 30,000yen. Mark's "gaijinkettlebell" blog resides here. The legendary Steve Cotter also posted a short video interview with Mark on Facebook.

There is a small Crossfit presence in Japan. I know of one in Tokyo (Chakara Crossfit). I contacted them just recently and discovered that they now have a wide selection of KBs which they use regularly. Well worth checking out if you're in the area.

Buying Cheaper Kettlebells in Japan
A good solution to no kettlebells is, surprisingly, Amazon.co.jp. Searching for ケトルベル there will throw up several pages of products, including some frankly hilarious-looking DVDs. I bought 2 of the silver (ALEX) 20kg bells, and one of the 32kg ones. I can honest say that the quality is pretty bad. The handles are rough like dumbells, and even thinner. With a tough file I was able to make them usable.

AccessJ's Pick:
A much better budget solution is the sports store Xebio, who you can shop with online here. Xebio stock a limited range of weighted KBs. They aren't superb quality, but the handles are a good size and the overall feeling is fantastic for the price. Maximum weight is 25kg, of which I bought two for under 10,000yen, although the price seems to have gone up a bit now (about 13,000).

Miraikan Science Museum, Tokyo

This cool family science museum on the artificial Daiba islands of Tokyo houses the ground-breaking ASIMO robot, who comes out twice a day to woo crowds.

ASIMO is enough of a reason to pay the 620 yen entrance fee, but there are many other cool features of the museum for all the family to enjoy. Theres the "intelligent seal" which adores being tickled and stroked, the binary version of the internet reenacted with black and white balls, the hands-on keyhole surgery, the deep-sea diving capsule, the space rocket engine and capsule, the stunning magnetic liquid exhibition, a huge library of Japanese language video documentaries and a fascinating theatre to name just a few things.

Those with a passion for such places could quite easily spend all day here.

Access
Just a short walk from the Telecom Center elevated train station on the Yurikamome line (well signposted). Just over half an hour via several trains from Shinjuku.

Map

View Miraikan (www.accessj.com) in a larger map