Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by Varezart

Which part of China Hokkien in Johor come from

Varezart — Sat, 18 Jun 2016 19:10:57 +0800

Does anyone know which part of China Hokkien in Johor come from? Be specific about the places like which district/counties instead of just saying it's Fujian or Guangdong.

Fuzhou/Foochowese/Hokchew people kambing

Varezart — Mon, 23 May 2016 10:15:21 +0800

Having ancestry from Fuzhou people,I began research about my ancestor origin and I come across information about this Fuzhou Tanka.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuzhou_Tanka
http://memim.com/fuzhou-tanka.html

I want to know, do we Fuzhou people in Malaysia have ancestry from Fuzhou Tanka? For your information, my Fuzhou grandparents are from Sitiawan. Any Chinese here familiar with ancestry,origin,history of Fuzhou people in Malaysia? Any Fuzhou/Hokchew people here who his or her Fuzhou grandparents still alive? My Fuzhou grandparents already pass away long time ago.

Note: I can't speak Fuzhou dialect.

-EDIT-

Btw,can someone translate for me what does this map says?

And where is Gutian in this map?

Singapore jails Australian journalist Ai Takagi

Varezart — Fri, 25 Mar 2016 21:48:27 +0800

QUOTE

PHOTO: Australian Ai Takagi ® and her Singaporean husband Yang Kaiheng arrive at court. (AFP: Roslan Rahman)

The South-East Asian Press Alliance is alarmed Singaporean authorities have sentenced a pregnant Australian journalist to 10 months in prison for sedition.

Ai Takagi, 23, was the Australia-based editor and owner of The Real Singapore website which enjoyed huge popularity but was shut down after she and her Singaporean husband Yang Kaiheng, 27, were arrested while visiting the island last year.

Singaporean authorities accused the couple of trying to "incite anti-foreigner" sentiments.

"She's broadly been accused of promoting feelings of ill will and hostility, although the number of articles themselves that appeared to have done that is not that many," said Associate Professor Joseph Fernandez, who teaches media law at Curtin University and has been following the case.

"Somewhere I read it was about four articles — and the one that really tipped the balance against her was when she named a particular ethnic group as being responsible for causing some disturbance at a Hindu festival."

Takagi pleaded guilty to four charges including fabricating some stories.

Associate Professor Fernandez said it was surprising Takagi did not realise she was sailing close to the wind.

"It doesn't take long for one, whether you live in Singapore or whether you are in neighbouring country, to know that Singapore and freedom of speech are not really compatible," he said.

Excessive sentence will have 'chilling effect' on other journalists

However, Associate Professor Fernandez said 10 months in prison seemed excessive for something that could not be quantified in terms of actual harm and taking into account the fact Takagi is pregnant.

"Looking back at earlier instances when the sedition provisions were used, people have been given much lighter sentences including probation and severe reprimand, so this is one of the more severe instances of punishment for breaching that act," Associate Professor Fernandez said.

Takagi's husband Yang Kaiheng pleaded not guilty to similar charges as his wife and is due to appear in court next week.

No other journalists are currently in prison in Singapore, but Associate Professor Fernandez said Takagi's sentence would having a chilling effect on other journalists in the country, especially those working for the dozen or so independent news websites.

"There's no doubt that the authorities in Singapore decided to make an example of Ai Takagi and they went for the jugular, picked the most severe of the laws," he said.

The South-East Asian Press Alliance said it was rare for Singaporean journalists to be charged with sedition.

The Alliance's executive director Ed Legaspi said normally journalists were charged with defamation or other softer charges.

"It's more common for the online journalists, bloggers, to run into the law for some reason or another, because they are the ones that are giving vent to the more controversial, the more provocative issues in the context of Singapore and its politics and society," he said.

Mr Legaspi said the Singaporean Government had been trying to regulate news websites because they do not really fall under the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-24/jour...-prison/7275938

Your Lie in April, One-Punch Man Top Sugoi Japan A

Varezart — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 20:38:04 +0800

QUOTE

The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper published the winners of its 2016 Sugoi Japan Awards. The project promoted pop cultural works that fans feel are most deserving of foreign attention. Divided into four categories — anime, manga, light novels, and "entertainment novels" — the awards promote the works that have the "universality," "originality" and "potential" to be big international hits. The time frame is the last 3.5 years, except for anime, which is only from the past year.

Anime Series
Your Lie in April
Shirobako
My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU TOO!
Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun
Psycho-Pass movie

Manga Series
One-Punch Man by ONE and Yuusuke Murata
Tokyo Ghoul by Sui Ishida
Haikyu!! by Haruichi Furudate
Twittering Birds Never Fly by Kou Yoneda
Monster Musume by OKAYADO

Light Novel Series
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? by Fujino Ōmori
Saenai Heroine no Sodate-kata (How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend) by Fumiaki Maruto
Amagi Brilliant Park by Shoji Gatoh
Overlord by Kugane Maruyama
SHIMONETA: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn’t Exist by Hirotaka Akagi

Entertainment Novels
The Empire of Corpses by Project Itoh and Toh Enjoe
Kaidantō ("Step Island") by Yutaka Kōno
Alice Koroshi ("Killing Alice") by Yasumi Kobayashi
Man-Gan ("Fulfilled Vow") by Honobu Yonezawa
BEATLESS by Satoshi Hase

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2...results/.100122

Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2016 Announces "Anime

Varezart — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 21:15:10 +0800

QUOTE

Crunchyroll previously reported on the Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2016 announcing the nominees for their "Anime of the Year" grand prizes in the categories of theatrical film and TV animation. Now the winners in each category have been announced.

Love Live! The School Idol Movie nabbed the "Anime of the Year" prize for film, beating out some stiff competition such as The Anthem of the Heart and Mamoru Hosoda's The Boy and the Beast. Meanwhile, Shirobako took home the "Anime of the Year" prize for TV animation, knocking out rivals such as Mr. Osomatsu and One-Punch Man.

The winners of the prizes were determined by vote from a pool of more than 100 anime industry professionals. The Tokyo Anime Award Festival, which originally began in 2002 as part of the Tokyo International Film Festival before becoming an independent event in 2014, seeks to recognize excellence in Japanese animation.

http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2016...he-year-winners

Congratulation to Love Live and Shirobako.

Here are the list of nominees which I posted in previous thread in case anyone miss out.

https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=3878230&hl=

Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2016 Announces "Anime

Varezart — Fri, 26 Feb 2016 13:17:35 +0800

QUOTE

The finalists in the theatrical film category are:

The Anthem of the Heart, directed by Tatsuyuki Nagai.
The Boy and the Beast, directed by Mamoru Hosoda.
Expelled from Paradise, directed by Seiji Mizushima.
Love Live! The School Idol Movie, directed by Takahiko Kyōgoku.

The finalists in the TV series category are:

Mr. Osomatsu, directed by Yoichi Fujita.
Your Lie in April, directed by Kyōhei Ishiguro.
Shirobako, directed by Tsutomu Mizushima.
One-Punch Man, directed by Shingo Natsume.

http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2016...-year-finalists

Good for Your Lie in April and Shirobako being in the finalists. Well deserve.

So any of your favorite in the list?

utorrent and Chrome slow open

Varezart — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 21:59:53 +0800

I've been having problem opening my google chrome. When I double click the browser, it very slow on opening it. Same thing also happen with uTorrent. They did finally open but it took a long time like maybe 10-15 minutes after I double click the browser. I also have the same issues when I try to open Network and Sharing Center.

However, if I open the Microsoft Edge browser, I don't have problem with it.

-EDIT-

The problem with utorrent and google chrome never happen before. I think this problem started 2 days ago when my google chrome had crash when I try to 'save image as'.

utorrent and Chrome slow open

Varezart — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 21:47:55 +0800

Trump voters masturbate to anime - MSNBC

Varezart — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 14:33:48 +0800

[YOUTUBE]FiS6a1XE91M[/YOUTUBE]

A Look at International Marriage in Japan

Varezart — Wed, 06 Jan 2016 23:32:50 +0800

QUOTE

Trends for International Marriages
According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, 21,488 of the 660,613 marriages registered in Japan in 2013 were between a Japanese and foreign national. This works out to be 1 in every 30 newlywed couples. Although international marriages remain a small fraction of overall figures, such unions did increase significantly during the past half century. In 1965, there were only 4,156 international marriages, but the number rose steadily in the following decades, climbing to 20,000 by the late 1980s and then to 30,000 in 1999. The number peaked at 44,701 in 2006 and has fallen dramatically in the ensuing years, tumbling by nearly half to the level of around 20,000 in 2011. While the pace of decline has slowed, the trend remains gradually downward.

The drop in international unions from 6.11% of all marriages in 2006 to 3.25% in 2013 cannot be attributed solely to an overall decline in the number of people marrying. While annual marriage figures have trended down over the last decade, after peaking in 2006 at 730,971, they did in fact see a slight uptick in 2008 prior to decreasing again.

The Impact of New Immigration Rules
Changes made to the Immigration Control Act in 2005 have been pointed to as a prime cause for the decline in international marriages. The revisions were introduced to improve public safety by tightening requirements for certain types of visas. This has made it harder for Filipino women, who account for a significant percentage of foreign spouses, to obtain entertainment visas allowing them to live and work in the country. The resulting decline in Philippine nationals coming to Japan to work has limited opportunities for Japanese men to meet potential marriage partners, pushing down overall figures for international unions.

According to the health ministry statistics, there were 5,771 marriages in 1992 between Japanese men and Filipino women. In 2006 this number grew to 12,150, but began declining steadily following the revision of the immigration law, dropping to 3,118 in 2013. Another factor affecting figures for international unions is the increased efforts by the government to crack down on fake marriages involving Chinese women.

Interest in Foreign Spouses High

Although international marriages in Japan have steadily decreased over the past few years, they still remain a significant percentage of unions in Japan. Some experts point to this fact as well as the significant number of Japanese marrying foreign nationals overseas as proof that international marriages are rapidly becoming a normal aspect of society.

There continues to be strong interest among Japanese in the topic of international marriage. An abundance of Internet sites exist to help potential suitors find foreign spouses. And there have also been TV programs regularly aired that focus on the lives of international couples. Japan’s public broadcasting company, NHK, is currently running a morning TV drama titled Massan that tells the story of a Japanese-Scottish couple’s efforts to establish a whisky distillery in Japan. The story is based on the lives of Nikka Whisky founder Taketsuru Masataka and his Scottish wife Rita. At the end of each episode, a photograph appears on screen featuring an international couple under the heading: “Happily Married International Couples.” Books featuring Japanese married to foreign spouses, such as Wade Mika’s My Sweet Husband is British, have also become much sought after items, with publishers releasing new works regularly.

Chinese Women Top Marriage Partners
In 2013, there were 15,442 international marriages involving a foreign bride, compared to 6,046 where the groom was non-Japanese. A large number of the foreign women wedding Japanese nationals were from neighboring Asian countries. Chinese were the overwhelming majority of marriage partners at 6,253, or 40.4% of all female spouses; Filipino women were second with 3,118 brides, followed by 2,734 Korean spouses.
Koreans were the most popular marriage partners for Japanese women, with 1,689 unions, or 27.9% of all male spouses. American men were second, at 1,158, followed by 718 Chinese spouses. The high percentage of Korean nationals as marriage partners is due in part to the large number of ethnic Koreans, who were born in Japan but retain South or North Korean citizenship. The data also shows that Japanese women have a stronger tendency than their male counterparts to marry partners from the United States or European countries.

http://www.nippon.com/en/features/h00096/

Justin Bieber kiss AKB48 Takahashi and Kojima

Varezart — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 15:13:07 +0800

QUOTE

http://www.sbs.com.au/popasia/blog/2015/12...ers-while-japan

QUOTE

Last month, Justin Bieber asked people to pray for Japan, under the mistaken belief that some tragedy had recently befallen the country. Still, the concern for the nation’s well-being was appreciated, and likely earned the Canadian pop star a little bit of goodwill among the Japanese people.

But at least one segment of the population isn’t feeling so friendly toward Bieber this week, after he planted his lips on two of the country’s most popular idol singers.

Bieber was in in Japan, and made a stop at the TV Asahi studios to appear on popular weekly program “Music Station.” Also on the program was idol megagroup AKB48, including veteran member Minami Takahashi, who tweeted the above photo along with the message: “Thank you to everyone who watched us on Music Station! This was my final live studio performance as an AKB48 member. It was also a moving experience to be able to talk with Justin about many things. He’s a very laid-back, silly, and wonderful person. I’m glad we were able to meet each other.”

As alluded to in her tweet, the 24-year-old Takahashi will soon be leaving AKB48, or “graduating,” to use the group’s preferred term. This may explain why she felt comfortable sharing the picture of the backstage smooch herself, rather than towing the line of pure public chastity that the Japanese idol industry generally demands.

Bieber was apparently feeling generous with his kisses, as he also made a move to kiss the cheek of Haruna Kojima, another AKB48 member, who shared the following photo through her Instagram account along with “Thank You???❤”.

Apparently there’s at least some overlap between fans of Bieber and AKB48 fans, as more than a few online commenters reacted positively:

“Too cool. And I think Justin is definitely into Minami.”
“What a lovely photo (*⌒▽⌒*)”
“Awesome! Minami looks so cute!!!”

There was also a bit of good-natured envy.

“Justin, you bastard! You can have all of the others, but hands off Minami Takahashi!”

Still, the idol industry being what it is, this display of physical affection produced a swift backlash among a certain demographic of the Japanese Internet.

“And to think I trusted her…”
“I’m disappointed. He’s not a good man.”
“Are you picking a fight with the Beliebers? Whoa, Minami Takahashi, your career is over.”
“LOL You just made enemies of the millions of Beliebers around the world. I can’t believe you shared this photo on your own. Nobody would think that’s OK.”

And, since idol fandom includes a number of…extra-passionate…individuals, some of the opposition was even more vehement.

“Shave your head bald and make a public apology tomorrow!”
“Ugly Minami, you’ll be killed by all of the Justin fans.”
“Where do you get off saying ‘Thanks’ after being kissed? Try to keep your white guy fetish under control!”

Perhaps because of the greater prevalence Twitter has than Instagram, it seems the majority of the online chatter has been centered on Takahashi. Perhaps the bitterest was this rant: “I’m seriously pissed. I hate you. Go home. You’re ugly. You’re short. Your face is too big. Just disappear.”

We understand what he’s trying to say, but it seems like such a waste of words, when his true feelings were also captured in a much more concise, mature, and honest manner by the commenter who just said:

“I’m jealous. (*^-^*)”

http://www.japantoday.com/category/enterta...t-popular-idols

Anime producers apologize for Islamic call to

Varezart — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 14:10:04 +0800

QUOTE

The producers of a Japanese TV anime series apologized Saturday for using what sounds like the Muslim call to prayer in the program’s background music.

A source related to the producers of “Noragami Aragoto,” a polytheistic battle fantasy literally meaning “Stray God, Rough Style,” said a person claiming to be Muslim complained that the call to prayer was mixed in with the show’s music, which aired on television.

The recording in question was purchased from a licensed source, according to the producers of the series.

“There was never any intention to insult Muslims or blaspheme Islam,” the producers said in a statement posted on the program’s official website. “The sound was recorded and published without examining its meaning, which resulted in the (inadvertent) lack of consideration to Islam and its followers.”

“We deeply apologize that the use of the sound in the work has potentially caused offense to Muslims and related people,” the statement said.

The producers pledged to prevent the reoccurrence of a similar mistake by deepening their understanding of Islam and ensuring they pay more attention to the content of future programs.

Further shipments of the program’s soundtrack, which went on sale Nov. 25, will be canceled and the existing compact disc inventory will be removed from stores.

The sale of DVDs and Blu-ray discs will be postponed from the originally scheduled Dec. 18 date to allow for the offending music to be replaced.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/12/0...c/#.VmPQe-N95PM

79% fear Paris-type terror attacks could happen in

Varezart — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 15:22:56 +0800

QUOTE

TOKYO —
Nearly 80% of responding Japanese are fearful that terror incidents such as the recent attacks on Paris could take place in Japan, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday.

In the wake of the Nov 13 Paris attacks, claimed to have been carried out by the Islamic State militant group, 79.7% of respondents said they believe similar deadly incidents could occur in Japan.

On possible antiterrorism measures to be taken by the government, 46.2% said it should enhance immigration controls at ports and airports while 38% called for gathering more information about terror activities.

The opinion poll also found that the support rate for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet rose to 48.3% from 44.8% in October, while 40.4% said they do not support the cabinet, down from the previous 41.2%.

The survey was conducted over the phone on Saturday and Sunday on 1,440 randomly selected households with eligible voters, collecting valid responses from 1,014 people.

As Abe and his ruling coalition did not accept opposition calls for convening an extraordinary Diet session this fall by citing his busy schedule for foreign trips, 56.3% of respondents were critical of the decision.

Opposition parties had urged deliberations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement involving Japan and 11 other countries, which will increasingly expose farmers to global competition, as well as on the recent reshuffle of Abe’s cabinet.

Even among those who supported the cabinet, more than a third said Abe’s handling was “no good.”

The cabinet support rate was apparently on the mend, after hitting 37.7% in July, the lowest since Abe took office in December 2012, after the ruling bloc voted on the controversial security reform laws in the absence of opposition parties at the House of Representatives.

By political party, Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party was supported by 36.7%, down 0.1 percentage point from the October poll, while 10.2% backed the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, down 0.2 point. The results showed 35.9% were not in favor of any particular party.

“We have to win next summer’s House of Councillors’ election” to further strengthen the foothold of the governing parties, Abe said Sunday at a ceremony in Tokyo that marked the 60th anniversary of the launch of the LDP.

He also said the TPP trade deal can be seen as an opportunity to get Japan’s agricultural products more competitive in overseas markets and prompt the country’s economic growth.

Amid a recent feud within the DPJ over how to promote realignment in the opposition camp and counter the ruling bloc, the poll showed 45.2% believe the DPJ should disband, with 42.3% saying it should not do so.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/nationa...n-in-japan-poll

The 11 Highest Rated Anime According to Japanese F

Varezart — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 15:56:45 +0800

QUOTE

11. K-On!! (season 2)
10. Fate/Zero
9. Chihayafuru
8. Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
7. Clannad: After Story
6. The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya
5. Bakemonogatari
4. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
3. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2
2. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (season 1)
1. Steins;Gate

http://goboiano.com/list/3696-the-11-highe...o-japanese-fans
http://www.anikore.jp/pop_ranking/

EY announces 20 Top Nominees for the EOY 2015

Varezart — Sat, 21 Nov 2015 17:04:42 +0800

QUOTE

The EOY 2015 Malaysia Top Nominees are:

Emerging Entrepreneur category

Mr. Tan Aik Keong - Agmo Studio Sdn Bhd
Dr. Lucas Chia - Apex Clinic Sdn Bhd
Mr. Matthew Chong - Brandker Group Sdn Bhd
Mr. Paul Tan - Driven Communications Sdn Bhd
Mr. Timothy Tiah - Netccentric Limited
En. Ahmad Khalif - Tujuan Gemilang Sdn Bhd

Technology Entrepreneur category

Dato' Ir. Muhamad Guntor Mansor Tobeng - Gading Kencana Sdn Bhd
Mr. Edwin Lim - K-One Technology Bhd
Dr. Saw Khay Yong - Kuala Lumpur Sports Medicine Centre Sdn Bhd
Mr. Liew Choon Lian - MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd
Mr. Sam Ooi - OCK Group Bhd

Woman Entrepreneur category

Ms. Jerrene Pang - Coolblog Group of Companies
Ms. Agnest Chan - Mexcomm Sdn Bhd

Ms. Anne Tham - Sirius International (M) Sdn Bhd

Master Entrepreneur category

Mr. Lee Thiam Wah - 99 Speed Mart Sdn Bhd
Mr. Lau Kee Von - Cocoaland Industry Sdn Bhd
Datuk Tan Say Jim - IRIS Corporation Berhad
Mr. Song Hoi-See - Plaza Premium Lounge Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Dato' Sri Ir Chong Ket Pen - Protasco Bhd
Mr. Law King Hui - Sasbadi Holdings Bhd

http://www.ey.com/MY/en/Newsroom/News-rele...OY-top-nominees

Racism Runs Deep in Malaysia

Varezart — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 23:17:38 +0800

[YOUTUBE]M6P8bWMVv2I[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]DBM8Vln09tk[/YOUTUBE]

Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

Varezart — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 12:19:30 +0800

http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/CERD/StatRatCERD.pdf
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CERD/Pages/CERDIndex.aspx

What does no action here means? All other countries, Japan, Europe, Indonesia, USA, China, Vietnam are State Party.

Kinda embarassing Malaysia being grouped together with North Korea by United Nation.

PREMIER LEAGUE: Henry - Scholes the best PL player

Varezart — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 07:51:05 +0800

QUOTE

Speaking to Sky News, the French striker had little hesitation over who is the greatest footballer in the English top flight following its re-branding in 1992.

"I would have to go Paul Scholes," the 38-year-old told Sky News’ Kay Burley.

"I don’t think people have given him the credit he deserves. One of the best, if not the best, I’ve played against, he could do anything.

"Unfortunately for him, when he was playing for the national team, for England, sometimes people didn’t see it like that.

"If I had a Paul Scholes in my team, everything would be around him."

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/esp-premie...59097--sow.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/new...scholes-6722152

University lecturer calls out his lazy Japanese

Varezart — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 12:29:18 +0800

Read the highlight/bolded part for tweet mentioned by the lecturer.

QUOTE

Japan places a tremendous importance on education. Many would even argue that studiousness is part of Japan’s national character, and diligent students are seen as source of pride and an object of respect in Japanese society.

Nevertheless, a lecturer at one of Japan’s renowned universities is calling out the lazy Japanese youths he says he encounters in his classes, while praising his hard-working Chinese and Southeast Asian pupils.

Koji Watanabe has worn many hats in his professional life. After graduating with a degree in literature from Waseda University, one of Japan’s top institutes of higher learning, Watanabe has been a musician, copywriter, video game journalist, and author. He’s also a part-time instructor in at his alma mater.

It must feel good to help students at the same school he attended, but Watanabe laments that some of them don’t seem at all interested in their teacher’s assistance. In a recent tweet, he said:

“When I give undergraduate or graduate lectures, it’s almost entirely exchange students from China and elsewhere in Asia sitting in the front rows of seats. Even the ones who aren’t so proficient with the Japanese language enthusiastically take notes and ask questions once the lecture is over.”

“The back rows are occupied by Japanese students who are playing with their cell phones and munching on pastries. Those guys don’t even show up to class if it rains, in which case it’s just the students who sit in the front rows.”

Considering that he’s speaking from his own experiences, it’s hard to dispute what’s happening in Watanabe’s classes specifically. Some other Japanese Twitter users, however, took issue with his scathing dismissal of his unenthusiastic Japanese students as being simply lazy.

“In impoverished Asian nations, it’s only the elite of society who go to university. Japanese people can get into university as long as they can write their name. I think that’s all that’s going on here. People like you, who feel like you’re better than others and say ‘I’m so cool and socially aware because I can disparage Japanese people’ make me want to puke.”

A student from Tokyo University added:
“Isn’t this just a case of your Japanese students deciding ‘There’s no point in taking this lecture seriously’? If it’s a poorly designed lecture that they’re just taking because they have to get the units, students will naturally lose motivation.”

Not having sat in on any of Watanabe’s classes ourselves, we can’t speak to his skill as an educator. The claim that anyone who can write their name can get accepted by a Japanese university is pretty far off, though, given the notorious difficulty of the country’s college entrance exams (and Waseda’s test is no exception).

On the other hand, there is some validity to the comment about international students often coming from backgrounds where financial success, many times built on a foundation of scholastic achievement, is expected. There’s also an additional factor in that Japan has much higher costs of living and education than its Asian neighbors, meaning that many foreign students see their time at Japanese universities as a serious investment that they hope to earn a return on.

As such, it’s hard to say that the disparity in effort Watanabe is observing is strictly a product of his foreign students putting more effort into their education. Still, those kids in the back row might want to put down their snacks and take some notes now and again.

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2015/10/14/univ...g-chinese-ones/

What Japanese Girls Think of ACTUALLY Dating Forei

Varezart — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 11:06:46 +0800

[YOUTUBE]NTlDDE8DRAg[/YOUTUBE]