Japanese Girlfriends and Better Japanese

A while back, Tofugu wrote an article about why having a Japanese girlfriend (or boyfriend) won't improve your Japanese. Some of the points there are pretty valid. I mean, laziness is the same reason that keeps Pimsleur CDs disappearing into living room shelves without any meteoric rise of polyglots in the English speaking world.

Anyway, in regards to the article, the only point I had any particular problem with was point number 2.

And yes, I did read reason 10. I do understand that the article is written tongue-in-cheek. But it'd be a shame for any readers to nonetheless be left with an impression that code switching is not a means through which significant language learning can occur.

Code switching is similar to the way bilingual children speak before they're aware of possessing two languages. (It just happens to be called "language mixing" when a child hasn't reached a stage of cognitive development in which he or she can discriminate between languages.) But, even after a child understands this difference, it is common for that child to continue a pattern of language switching when in the presence of other bilinguals.

As a language learner, this kind of linguistic playfulness helps you work on foreign vocab words and grammar patterns not present in your native language. You're practicing Japanese vocabulary when you put a word into the middle of an English sentence, and you're internalizing grammar when you rearrange your English words in Japanese order. Great!

After all, different languages have the ability to say certain things more efficiently or precisely than others. This difference between languages is what might cause you to break out into an explanatory paragraph every time someone asks you how to translate the phrase "懐かしい" or "甘える." It's often hard to find a common, simple translation for things we learn and identify with in Japanese--and the same is true for Japanese learners of English. (I mean, I don't buy the idea that any native English speaker is going to pick up an old favorite novel and naturally exclaim "How nostalgic!" into the open air.)

So, when you're with your Japanese girlfriend or whatever, and you feel like saying "懐かしい," then say "懐かしい!" Practice your Japanese! Take advantage of this kind of linguistic understanding. Be proud that you've found a shortcut to expressing some human emotion a little bit more accurately than your native language allows. Even if that word pops up in the middle of an otherwise all-English dialogue.

But, be careful who you code-switch with. Do it too much in public, and you risk looking like a tool:

Im looking for a bento box, it cant be pinku (thats japanese for pink) or any girl color. It has to be of 2 or more kotoba (thats japanese for 2 compartments) and has be be chibi (small) sized. And has to be really kawaii (cute). Also It has to be about 10-20 bux. And you have to post pics of it first (i want to make shure it's kawaii (cute)). And it would be nice if it came with matching chopstick holder (WITH chopsticks). OH! and it CANNOT have any cartoon pictures, or be made out of plastic. It has to be made of ceramic, or something like that. Also it would be nice if it was made in japan. and not in china or corea (korea) or whatever. I have found a bento box similar to the one im describing in e-bay, but it was 1 kotoba, and i dont want my gohan (rice) to touch my other things (it can get wet and i would not like that, plus 2 compartments looks more kawaii)

That's the same reason bilingual kids tend to only code-share with family members and close friends. When you're in an intimate relationship with someone, you talk with them in ways that you wouldn't with anyone else. Code-switching is more available as a tool when you have someone close to use it with. Having a Japanese girlfriend just happens to be one way to make code-switching available as a practice tool.

Now, the problem with code-switching is (and the article at Tofugu bashes on it precisely because of this risk) that it gives you, the language learner, an easy cop out when you encounter anything you don't know how to say in Japanese. I'd say this really boils down to a problem of laziness, though, not code-switching. It's like only wanting to review the ten flashcards you already know and immediately shuffling unknown cards to the back of the deck rather than learning them properly.

If there's an immediate need to communicate, by all means, do whatever necessary to get your point across. But when you're not rushed, get off your ass and look whatever you want to say up in a dictionary! There are so many quick, convenient tools out there, especially if you're anywhere near a computer. Once your point is across, ask the person you're talking with how to say it in natural Japanese. And then write it down. If you're really able to talk with your Japanese girlfriend and instantly remember new words that she tells you, there's no reason for you to be reading this article, and your Japanese is probably already amazing. The rest of us need memos. So keep a mini notebook and write down the new word you hear, or flip out your cellphone and type the word in once and e-mail it to yourself. Do anything to store it, so with any luck you'll find yourself glancing at that word again later and pushing it that much further into your long-term, usable memory.

So, what do you think? Do you agree? Am I way off the mark?
As always, please feel free to share your opinions and comments below.

WS: Eigo Noto 2: I Can 3

Three sessions may seem like a long time on one grammar point, but "I can" is so important, and has so many uses that it's well worth it.

After learning "can (+verb)" you can introduce more complex things.
I can play, I can play the, I can cook, I can make, I can eat etc.
By keeping the main grammar point constant ("I can" and "can you?") the introduction of these new verbs isn't as conceptually difficult as it may seem.


Greeting Good morning etc.

Chant Using the flash cards from previous weeks, with vocabulary the students already know. I have them chant I can/I can't. Strangely I always find that students can remember how to say "I can" but have trouble remembering "I can't".

New Vocabulary Next I introduce some new verbs. This week we studied; cook, make, ride and eat. We made example sentences and the students repeated them after me. I got them to suggest their own sentences, such as "I can't ride a dog" etc to make it more entertaining.

Activity Eigo Noto 2, page 27, has a space for students to draw pictures of things they can and can't do. Of course you can use a worksheet or even some scrap paper.
I had the students draw 3 things they can do, and 3 they can't.
I asked them to be as creative as possible giving them examples such as, "I can ride an elephant" and "I can't eat a monkey".
I made it clear that the students did not have to know the sentence in English, and could ask me for help. My students were great and came up with some very interesting ideas!
N.B. At this point I asked the students to draw their pictures secretly and not show anyone.

Speech In groups of 4 or 5 (they may already have groups or you might have to make them) I had the students made speeches using their pictures.
Hello, my name is ____________________
I can ____________________________________ x3
I can't __________________________________ x3
Thank you very much.

Activity 2 At this point I got students to collect the textbooks/worksheets in and bring them to me. (Tip: if using textbooks have them leave them stacked open on the correct page!).
I then chose a book at random (Tip: hide the name on the book!).
I then gave hints, I can__________ I can't____________________.
After giving the hints the students should guess whose book it is.
The students whose book it is should not raise their hand.

Problems you might face with this game:
1. Not being able to understand the pictures.
Whilst students are drawing at the begging of the lesson walk around and ask the students what their picture means.  There will be some you don't understand, but my students found it hilarious when I ended up with a pile of 10 books with pictures I couldn't decipher!
2. The students may very well all have the same ideas. I can play soccer, I can't play kendama.
When giving your examples make them as exciting as possible. the students will get a laugh out of it and it will hopefully encourage them to have a go at creating some funny sentences in English. If you are lucky you might get some ideas as interesting as these;

A few of my favorites
I can't ride a dinosaur.
I can't bungee jump from this school.
I can't sleep for 24 hours.
I can't put a car on my head.
I can eat monkey, and cheese and everything is delicious.
I can sew a wedding dress.
I can eat ume boshi on Wednesday.

Credit Card Guide #2: Application Pointers

Some of you veteran expats may have heard that getting a credit card as a foreigner is near impossible in Japan. 


Unfortunately that is not too far from the truth. However, there are various ways to increase your chances for approval. 


Read on...


Like any financial product, getting a Japanese credit card requires wading through paperwork. The following are essential:

• A valid resident status in Japan and alien registration card or drivers license
• A Japanese bank account
• An inkan (印鑑), the same one you use for your regular bank account
• Tax forms, salary slips, and/or utility receipts (not required for all applications)
• A student ID from a domestic university or vocational school (if you are a student)

Choosing a Card
Credit cards are becoming standard fare in Japan and just about every major super market, airline, and shopping mall has their own branded card that has all sorts of points, perks, and goodies attached to it. Banks, of course, also offer their own.


Many department stores have tables were you can sign up on the spot (provided you have and ID and inkan) and just about every retailer has card applications on their website. However, if you apply online you will still have to fill out a form from the credit card company and present a valid ID copy.


Pointers for the Application Process
You may have heard horror stories of foreigners getting rejected purely on the basis of their foreignness. Unfortunately, there is a legal precedent in Japan for rejecting foreigners without permanent residence for financial products due to their potential flight risk. Yes, its unfair and it sucks.


When you apply for a credit card, the card issuer will do a credit check. The Japan Credit Information Reference Center Corp acts as a central clearing house for consumer credit data for all big banks and issuers general check this organization first to see if you have outstanding loans, missed payments, or other financial obligations. 


What sort of credit reporting goes on here isn't exactly clear but it only involves your Japanese credit lines, so if you haven't been in Japan long then your shouldn't have any too much to worry about.




Some of the following factors can effect your Japanese credit worthiness:

• Having a home phone number - it may sounds silly but having a home number in addition to a mobile phone is seen as a big plus on credit applications since it indicates you are staying in the same place for a while. And don't try using a Skype number (anything starthng in 05) since the dialing prefix will give it away.

• Living in the same place - almost every application will ask how long you have lived in your current residence and what type of housing it is. People who live in a rental unit and have just hopped off the plane or changed locations are considered bigger credit risks. It pays to settle down for some time before applying for a card.

• Working for a private company/on a short-term contract - many foreigners in Japan who teach at public schools work for hakengaisha (派 遣会社), or dispatch firms like Interac. Japanese financial institutions tend to view this form of employment as a risk since you can be fired essentially at will and you don't have access to the same benefits as contracted company employees. 

• Permanent Residency/Spouse Visas - Those who have PR will have a lot easier time getting credit due to the fact that you are not seen as a flight risk. Plus, if you are married to a national then you can have your wife apply for you and get a family credit card.

Things to avoid when applying:

• Big Banks - Banks in Japan are big credit card issuers but they are very, very conservative with their credit portfolios. Even if you have been banking with them for ages, there is a good chance you could face rejection just based on your foreignness. Try for an independent credit card issuer instead.

• Alien Card - Most foreigners use the Alien Card as the primary form of ID. However, this card contains the length of your residence status in Japan. If you only have a one year visa, this might be considered a turn off to potential issuers. Try using a driver's license, insurance certificate or other valid ID instead.

• Lying - Don't fib on the application. Japanese card issuers often call your house to verify if you live there, as well as your boss to make sure your job and salary information is in order. Some card companies might even ask you to present proof of income like a tax form or salary slip.

• Applying for Multiple Cards in Short Order - Avoid applying for one card after another. Banks can see your past applications and having a lot of rejections and outstanding applications dings your credit eligibility. If rejected, cool your heels and wait for a bit.

• Big Name Cards - Certain cards such as American Express and some department store credit cards cater to wealthy clientele so it is best to avoid them all together. JCB branded cards have a reputation for being much easier to get than Visa and Master Card brands so try them first. 

Finally, if you are a student, don't forget to check and see if your university has a deal with a card issuers. The University Co-op Association seems to have a deal worked out with Mitsui-Sumitomo Card Co. for a student-only credit card that is relatively foreigner friendly. Other card issuers have similar student cards if you have a valid ID. While these are by no means a sure bet, its a good place to start if you are a student.


The whole application process may seem very intimidating but once you know the basics it gets much easier. 


Don't get frustrated if you get rejected a few times and don't let anyone tell you foreigners can't get credit cards here (this author has two already). 

Check back soon for our next installment where we will show you how to fill out a model application. 

Other Posts in this Series
Part 1: The Basics
Part 2: Application Pointers
Part 3: Filling Out the Application
Part 4: Do You Really Need a Card?

Japanese Pen Spinning Tricks

If you work in a school in Japan, you've probably seen your students flipping their pens around their thumbs or some other such trick. When I was at school, we just punched each other for fun... ah, well.

Anyway, I was curious and looked it up. I like sharing, so here you are.

Read on to not only watch some funky videos, but also find out how to do some tricks yourself.

First thing I found out: there are tons of these tricks.
Second thing: it's kind of dorky. A bit like those mini finger-skateboards that used to be popular.

Here's a popular video of people spinning their pens:



There are tons of instructional videos out there, so just follow this link for a selection on YouTube.

Here's a summary of some of the basic moves to get you started, from some pen nerd going by the name KTrihn93 on YouTube:

Thumbaround

Finger Pass

Sonic

Charge

Get Your Japan Grocery Fix in the UK

So you lived in Japan, or you went on holiday to Japan, and you fell in love with some of the delicious foods and drinks.

But now you're home (in the UK)... and you just can't quench your craving for dried octopus suckers, or have a burning thirst for the sickly sweet Royal Milk Tea.

Well look no further. The Japan Centre, based in central London, has an online shopping service as well as a Physical Store (in Real Life).


While we all know about sites like J-List, where you can order all manner of snacks and tat, the Japan Centre seems more focused on practical goods (though you can still get your treats) like tofu and alcohol.

Their online store features foods such as Japanese curry roux, senbei, and even those little koala biscuits they sell in 7/11 as well as chilled items (Kimuchi and natto included). You can also buy in bulk if you are really craving Asahi Superdry or desperate for 20kg of white miso...

There's also a wide range of non-food produce: kitchenware, rice cookers, magazines and books in both Japanese and English and a variety of gifts and omiyage. Don't forget their Japanese learning resources.

Happily the site also has a wide range of recipes - from takoyaki to meals and snacks using natto.

Japan Centre links in this article do not generate any revenue for AccessJ, so click away knowing we're not using you!

WS: Eigo Noto 2: I Can 2

This is the second lesson teaching 'I can'. You may wish to introduce 'can you' at this point, but I found that due to time restraints, and a two week gap in my being at this school, the students couldn't remember 'I can' as well as I would have liked. So I stuck with it for another week


Greeting - Hello, How are you? What month is it now?

I can - Review vocabulary from last time "I can fly/run" etc.

• Then, introduce new verbs. "I can play basketball, soccer etc."
• Next, "I can play the piano, the guitar, etc."
• We repeat this as a class a number of times before I stop and ask students to guess why you say "I can..../I can play..../and I can play the..."
• After studying this I show some pictures of other things (instruments, sports etc.) and get them to tell me if it is play, play the, or just I can.

I can game - If you're in a regular classroom, students should be already in lines of 4-6 students. This will be their team today.

• Have the first student from each team come to you, and give them a verb flashcard. They should keep this card a secret.
• Next, have the student stand, facing one team. This should not be their own team.
• The student with the flashcard has 2 seconds to gesture what is written on their card.
• They should make the gesture as difficult as possible, they do not want the team to guess!

After making their two second gesture (it's best for you to time it and have all students present their gesture at the same time), the team gets to guess what the player was doing. They should say, as a team 'I can .....'
The student who presented the gesture should answer "I can ..." Or  "I can't..." If the team was correct, they get one point.

Repeat until all students have had a turn at giving a gesture.

Fruit basket - As played a few weeks ago.

• Students make  circle with their chairs. There should be one less chair than players. (I usually start myself to ensure this).
• The student in the middle will say "I can ......" or "I can`t...."
• The students sitting who have the same answer will stand up and change seats. The student left without a chair starts the next round.
• Saying "fruit basket" means all students have to change seats.

Finish - see ya.

Credit Card Guide #1: The Basics

For our next AccessJ super-feature, we will be thoroughly covering the Japanese credit card system. We'll also offer a guide and tips for getting your own Japanese credit card.

Read more for an introduction to the credit card system of Japan.

One of the things that travelers in Japan tend to notice is how many stores outside of major shopping districts do not accept credit cards. While this trend is changing, expect most small shops and eateries to only handle cash. Even then some older credit card terminals have a hard time handling Western debit cards and certain types of international credit cards. 

The Basics

The Japanese credit card system is extremely dissimilar to other developed countries. Credit cards, by default, work a lot like a charge card or debit cards found in the Western world. Basically, you just charge up to a set limit and you are billed for the balance at the end of the month. 

Just about every major credit card brand is available here including Visa, Master Card, and American Express. JCB is also a major brand but it is not often seen outside of Japan (however American Express in the US has a deal to process JCB cards at some terminals and vice-versa). Most stores simply require signatures will while others use a chip-and-pin set up similar to UK credit cards and debit cards.

That being said, there are some important differences that you may come across when trying to apply for and/or use a credit card in Japan. 

Bunkatsu Barai (分割払い)

Bunkatu barai literally means "split up payments" or "installment payments." When using a credit card, be it foreign or domestic, the teller will ask something to the effect of "how many times do you want to divide this?" ("nankai deshou ka?") or "will this be in one payment?" ("ikkatsu wa yoroshi deshou ka?"). If you are using a non Japanese credit card or debit, always answer "one time" ("ikkai " or "ikkatsu") or else your transaction will be rejected. 

Japanese credit cards always include this system of splitting up payments, usually in 2-12 installments. Some credit card issuers have specials where 2-3 installments are interest free but picking up any more installments will incur interest on each payment. Credit card companies will usually have a rate table available on their brochures and websites. 

Ribo Barai (リボ払い)

Ribo Barai is short for "revolving payments" and it resembles something closer to a Western, pay-as-you-go credit system. This option takes your balance for the month and divides it into pre-determined payments plus a finance fee attached to each payment. Like bunkatsu barai, this option only works with cards issued in Japan and only if your card issuer thinks that you are credit worthy enough to not duck out on your payments.

There are two ways of using this system: 

a) punch the ribo barai  button on the credit card terminal or ask the sales person if they can make your purchase ribo barai

b) call up your card issuer or go to their online terminal and request that your remaining balance be split into ribo barai

Kyashingu (キャッシング)

The Japanese take on the English word "cashing," this service is essentially a cash advance or loan. You can take money out at most convenience store or institutional ATMs but expect a hefty interest charge plus possible ATM fees. Some companies require separate applications for domestic kyashingu and international kyashingu.

This service can be handy for withdrawing money overseas where Japanese bank cards are as about as useless as monopoly money. However, when it comes to daily purchases, it is good to avoid unless you want to be up to your eyeballs in debt with heavy interest. Most card issuers give you the option of not signing up for this at all and it is usually a smart move, especially if you are a first time credit card user in Japan.

Multi-Use Cards

Some banks and brokerages offer a single card that combines your bank card and your credit card. They have similar functionality to a stand alone credit card save for the fact that you can use them at ATMs for deposits and withdrawals. Like all credit cards, you have to fill out and application and be approved. Banks may also set certain conditions such as having a certain balance or charging an annual service fee.

Well, that about covers the basics. Stay posted for our next installment where we take a look at getting your very own Japanese credit card!


Other Posts in this Series
Part 1: The Basics
Part 2: Application Pointers
Part 3: Filling Out the Application
Part 4: Do You Really Need a Card?

The Japanese Straight Perm

You may think that your hair is straight after using a straightening iron, but you don't know straight until you have had a Japanese straight perm! And gone is the frizz of humid Japanese summer!

A Japanese straight perm, or "thermal reconditioning" as it is also known, is a technique developed in Japan in which the internal hair bonds are first broken, and then reconditioned into a straight style; giving glossy, soft and easy to manage hair.


Treated hair will stay permanently straight with only the re-growth needing touching up. Generally you will only need a touch-up every six to ten months, depending on how quickly your hair grows and how curly your hair was originally. It works equally well on all hair types.

I have had my straight perm for a 3 months now and have absolutely no sign of re-growth and in that time I have not had a single bad hair day!


Be prepared, a Japanese straight perm can take from 4 - 6 hours. Make sure you book in advance and take something to read.


The procedure

• Your hairdresser should assess your hair. 
• You can choose between 'natural straight' or 'hard straight'. Hard straight is almost inhumanly so, which is why I recommend the natural version.
• Thorough shampoo and condition of your hair. 
• Deep conditioning treatment can be used on your hair should it require it, to prevent breakage during the treatment. 
• Creme based relaxer will be applied to your hair, which will then be wrapped in cling-film. 
• This may be left on for around an hour. 
• A second shampoo and condition. 
• At this point your hair will look terrible. The bonds inside have been broken and it will be a frizzy horrible mess. Don't cry at this point. 
• Hair will be dried and straightened within an inch of its life. I had 2 hairdressers straightening mine for over 30 minutes. 
• At this point the style should be decided. If you want a parting etc now is the time to say so. The hair will be set into this style, and there's no going back. 
• A neutralizer will be put on the hair. Finally setting the hair into position. 
• Be prepared to be wrapped in cling film again.
• A last shampoo and condition. 
• The hair will be allowed to air dry for a short time (if you are in Japan this is most likely the time you will get your complementary head and shoulder massage).  
• Depending on the salon your hair will be left to dry naturally or blasted with a hairdryer.
  
  Done!

Well, not quite done. The bonds of the hair are still not set in their final position. You should follow your hair stylists advice on how to care for your hair in the few days after the treatment.


General after care advice

• Do not wash your hair for 2 days. 
• Do not put clips or hair ties in your hair for 2 days. The hair may set in this strange position, leaving kinks. 
• The first few times you wash your hair after treatment use a hair dryer to dry it completely straight. 
• Use a shampoo and conditioner recommended for use with a straight perm.  

The price
Price is another thing which can vary salon to salon. I personally paid 12,000 yen, (about 95GBP/160USD). Not cheap, but not unreasonable for something so significant.

I hear that it can be even more expensive outside of Japan. If anyone has any experience of this, we'd be glad to hear from you in the comments.

Why Kanji is the Best Thing for Studying Japanese

It's natural to be scared of kanji at first. They're complicated collections of what look like random lines with various readings and meanings.

Over time, though, you will hopefully come to realise how useful the kanji are for learning new vocabulary. Read on for a full explanation.

As I mentioned in a past article, dumbly staring at a flashcard with one kanji character on one side, and a list of the various different readings on the back is virtually useless.

If you want to learn the appropriate way to read kanji you need to see them in context. And that's not hard, presuming you're studying vocabulary utilising those kanji. When you study a word, study it in kanji. Don't be scared, dive straight in. You'll be surprised that it isn't actually as hard as you thought. As I said, the best site for this is readthekanji, and the best programme is Anki.

And, once you have studied a few words with the same kanji, you have seen how and where different readings are used. More about this is the aforementioned article.

Next step: new words. You study some new vocab and find the same kanji cropping up again and again. If you have seen and studied those kanji in context, you know the sounds they are likely to make. Now, not only can you read the word even before being exposed to the hiragana reading, but often you can even work out the meaning itself.

As you become more advanced in your kanji learning, you'll begin to notice other patterns in individual characters, too. You'll see how different kanji elements go into constructing each character in a way that will often allow you to work out the meaning, and sometimes even the pronunciation. We'll cover that in a future entry here on AccessJ.

WS: Eigo Noto 2: I Can

Lesson 4 attempts to teach a lot, and I find this is another lesson which needs to be spread over 3 if not 4 periods. Even with this much time I find it impossible to teach all of the vocabulary and grammar from the textbook.

In my lessons I mainly concentrate on; I can, I can play, I can play the and Can you...?
Greeting - Hello, How are you, What month is it now?

I can - Flashcards with various verbs: fly, climb, swim, run, jump, and tell the students what I can and can't do. If you are lucky a student will cotton on to what you are on about and translate. If not, explain what I can means. (either in Japanese yourself [できる・できない], or get the HRT to help).

Next, students should repeat the sentences - "I can fly" etc.

I can ... game -  using this worksheet we complete the first three animals as a listening activity.
"Lion-san can run" etc. The students wrote a O for can and X for can't.

The remaining animals were completed by the students themselves, guessing if the animal can or can't.

I then read the answers ("monkey-san can climb") and the students marked their own prints.

Originally I didn't like this lesson plan, but after playing it, much to my surprise, the students actually really, really enjoyed it!

Let's listen 1 - Page 24 of Eigo Noto2. Using the CD the students listened to 3 animals talking and answer which animal it was in the book. Fast but fun activity due to the funny voices used!

Let`s listen 2 - Page 25. Another listening activity in which students listen to the CD and find out what two children can and can't do. This is a difficult activity, the information is given very quickly and with lots of unimportant information mixed in. This is very good for the students listening skills but means listening to the CD at least 3 times and perhaps the ALT reading it though slowly a few times.

Finish - bye bye

Mobile Phone Guide #8: Renting and Roaming

So you are planning a short trip to Japan but you don't want to invest in a pre-paid phone and a contract is out of the question? 


Never fear, there is another way (two, in fact)- the Japanese rent-a-phone, and overseas roaming.

Rental SIMs

There are two basic types of rental services: rental SIMs and rental handsets. 


The former is simply a SIM card that you borrow and stick in your W-CDMA enabled phone. 


This option requires that you have a phone that is compatible with Japanese frequencies (2.1ghz) which includes most non-North American phones. North American users (Mexico, Canada, USA, etc) must make sure they use a phone that is compatible with this bandwidth as opposed to the non-standard frequency used in that area of the world (usually 1.9ghz). Consult your phone manual. 


Also keep in mind that unless you handset is Japanese then you may not be able to use many services like text and mail. 


Reantal handsets
Rental handsets are simply a phone and SIM package that does not require you to bring your own phone.

Many of the major phone companies like NTT DoCoMo and Softbank have their own services with counters located at most major international airports. You can pick up an order or sign up the day of arival. 


There are other third party companies like Rentafone Japan, Cellular Abroad, and Japan Cell Rentals offer services such as blackberry rentals, mobile data rentals, delivery to overseas address, and even sending the kit right to your hotel. The per minute rates, reservation fees, length of contracts, and services available differ widely by company so do you research. 


Often, companies with higher reservation fees charge less for calls and some companies don't allow for internet and texting unless you pay more cash. For the most part incoming calls are free.

Payment

One thing that all of the rental phone and SIM services have in common is that they only accept credit cards. Most companies will place a temporary credit hold ranging from 100-300 USD as a short of temporary escrow to make sure you don't skip out on your bill so don't be surprised to find a big chunk of cash taken out of your debit account or credit line, but you can expect to get this back if you behave yourself.

Roaming

An alternative to renting. Many networks around the world have agreements with one or more Japanese service providers to offer service while allowing you to keep your local number active. However, what services are available, cost, and terms all vary widely by carrier. Do your research.

The downside to roaming is that it can be very, very expensive. If you have a smart phone make sure to disable the data services overseas because these phones are always checking for e-mails and using data even when they are on stand-by.

Well that just about concludes AccessJ's mobile phone super feature. If you have any other mobile phone related topics you would like to see covered don't hesitate to drop a line!

Other posts in this series:

Part #1: The Basics

Part #2: Important Paperwork

Part #3: Pre-Paid Phones
Part #4: Post-Paid Phones 
Part #5: Paying Your Bills

Part #6: Mobile E-mail Guide

Part #7: Multi-Lingual Phones

Part #8: Renting and Roaming

Maternity Leave in Japan

Worried about not being able to have kids with your "part-time" English teaching job? Well, I've got some news for you which I hope will make you as happy as it made me.


As long as your employer allows time off as maternity leave (paid or not), and you have the shakai hoken health insurance deal (many companies make you pay this by default, and JETs, BoE ALTs and some dispatch ALT employees will find themselves paying (a lot) for this every month) the government will pay you around 2/3rds of your daily salary for a period of up to 98 days. The schedule seems fixed to starting 42 days before the birth, and ending 56 days after. Not overly generous, but better than nothing.

If your company does pay for your maternity leave (though why would they when the government will do it for them?), then the government will only grant you payment if your company pays less than 2/3 of your regular wage (in other words, they will make sure you get 2/3rds of your wage as a minimum).

You can read more about the small-print on the (now defunct, but still accurate) Social Insurance Agency website:

How to Claim Your Benefit
To claim your benefit, you need to file the “Application for Maternity Allowance” (SHUSSAN TEATEKIN SHIKYU SHINSEISHO) to the Social Insurance Office (including one in a Social Insurance Bureau). We need certification by your employer and comment by your doctor on the Application form. For your first application, you need to submit photocopy of evidence such as your “payroll book” (CHINGIN DAICHO) and “attendance book” (SHUKKINBO). The deadline to file the claim is determined for each benefit payable day. You need to file a claim within 2 years from the next day of the day for which your benefit is payable.