Comments on: Two foreign families struggle to make ends meet

By: concerned Filipino

concerned Filipino — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:02:53 +0000

10 points for sensitivity.

You really overestimate the influence non-Western foreigners have on the Japanese media. In any case, there’s nothing wrong with a lobby.

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 23:43:10 +0000

Yeah, like the pauper Carlos Ghosn, or the indentured servant Danny Choo, or the poor beggar Yongfook of yongfook.com. How absurd it is to think foreigners might even have a shred of a chance for success in Japan, when clearly such a large percentage of them have ended in ruins; in rags and penniless.

By: Rated R

Rated R — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:39:53 +0000

It’s not only economic dev. in japan, but just the culture as a whole. Anyone with a hint of knowledge of Japan should know that foreigners can only ammount to second rate citizens no matter what a visa or “naturalization” says.

By: Jack Elliot

Jack Elliot — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:38:33 +0000

Probably propaganda to form some lobby of foreign workers. It worked for the Zainichi.

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:47:07 +0000

Right. Maybe they could have gone to the U.S. and invested some money. Then they’d be doing absolutely wonderful now!

They were both able to live what they thought were “stable lifestyles”, but had the rug pulled out from under them, which is what is happening all over the world right now.

How easy do you think it is to anticipate the economical environment 16 years down the road?

By: Rated R

Rated R — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:26:54 +0000

Seems this report wants to be about that, but it isn’t. Those people decided to emigrate to Japan on poor reasons. They are having tough times, based on their poor decision. A dancer/hostess and a factory worker?? Come on.. if they had any real knowledge about Japan, they should have known better than to try to put down roots with little education and littler capitol. If that’s not what this story is about, then they chose some poor SOBs to feature in it. The blue collars get trampled on, and the foreigner blue collars get trampled on, and then kicked while still down. Once the bubble broke, (1991,) buddy Mohammed should have been figuring how to escape Japan. Here it is 2008 and he is crying about running out of savings? Weak.

By: Momonga

Momonga — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 09:41:37 +0000

Like what kind of personal problems?Lack of qualifications-but the guy had qualifications right. Low education?How about my friends with PhD or my hubby’s colleague , again with PhD, who packs and repacks goods to keep his working visa.
oh, maybe they look mean and lazy?
Certainly it is a personal problem-one personality cant get along with the others.
Gimme a break…

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 09:02:06 +0000

Financial problems are common to all. However being denied by an employment agency on the basis of being a foreigner is not going to happen to a Japanese.

By: tzvete

tzvete — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:01:11 +0000

May be it’s not a problem of discrimination,but a personal one.

By: tzvete

tzvete — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:00:27 +0000

I wonder if there are any Japanese families in a familiar situation.May be it’s not a discrimination problem,but a personal one.I’m sure some foreigners in Japan are doing even greater than many Japanese.

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 07:47:35 +0000

“The woman in the clip is Ms. Takamatsu, who came from the Philippines 16 years ago…”

“Mohammed came to Japan in 1988…”

I think they’re way beyond the stages of being F.O.B. This report is not about a rash decision, but about the challenges that non-English-speaking-white-foreigners face in Japanese society, even with two decades of experience in the country.

By: Rated R

Rated R — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 07:26:10 +0000

Wise man say: Look Before You Leap, and Don’t Just Emigrate to a Country on a Whim