Melanie Burton - The Japan Times

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Dec 20, 2005

How do you deal with missing Christmas dinner?

Katherine Stuart Teacher, 23 The other day, I went to a British pub with some friends and we ordered a turkey. We were all so excited that we ate it all, and then they brought another one and we ate that too. It was-all-you-can-eat. I think they made a loss on us.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Dec 13, 2005

What is your purpose of studying Japanese?

Stuart Kirby Teacher, 30 My main reason for studying Japanese is to understand my karate sensei when he's yelling at me, and, obviously, if you're going to live here a while, then you're missing out on a lot by not studying Japanese.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Dec 6, 2005

How do you ease the hangover pain?

Chisako Ambiru Editor, 23 I drink as much water as possible and take half a day off, if it's during the week. On the weekend I sleep in and have a big breakfast. I take multivitamins everyday, but I definitely need them when I have a hangover.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Nov 22, 2005

Do you think it's necessary to fingerprint foreigners?

Mike Trees Director, 43 I disagree. I did my masters on discrimination against foreigners and fingerprinting Koreans was a big issue. I agree with the ID cards, but fingerprinting is for criminals, unless they're going to fingerprint everyone, Japanese included.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Nov 15, 2005

What's your approach to starting a cross-cultural romance?

Krystle Hara Exchange student, 20 I don't have a line. But I've got, "Do you like anime?" a few times. Something that tends to work for me is when a guy says "I speak English," because it makes choosing which language you are going to speak in less awkward.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Nov 8, 2005

Does Japan have a drug problem?

Tori Bentley I.T., 24 No. I'm from the U.K. and most people I know have tried drugs. Whenever I ask people my age here, the textbook response is drugs are very bad and they haven't tried them. There's no drug culture, especially compared with the U.K.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Nov 1, 2005

How will you save money after the consumption-tax hike?

Isabell Handler Student, 29 I go shopping in sales, but don't go shopping very much and eat the lunch specials. I don't spend a lot of money, but I try to buy high quality goods, like leather shoes, not like the plastic ones that you can buy in Tokyo.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Oct 25, 2005

How did you end up in Japan?

Paul Tronsgard Teacher, 26 My coming and living here was basically an accident. I was living in Hong Kong and thinking about moving on. I was debating where to go to next and my friends said, "Come to Tokyo" so I did and I've been here almost a year now.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Oct 18, 2005

How would you spend 20,000 on a shopping spree?

Dave Jamieson Teacher, 27 If I got my hands on 20,000 yen I think I'd buy some glasses. I want to get new frames because I managed to break my last pair when I fell off my bike. I want to get some plastic, square-framed ones -- Weezer-style.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Oct 4, 2005

What are you doing to protect the environment?

Katharina Mueller Au pair, 19 I unplug things, hand wash dishes and I hang washing outside. People should rely less on all of the conveniences like dishwashers, turn the lights off and try opening the windows instead of the air conditioner.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Sep 27, 2005

What do you watch on Japanese TV?

Daunt Lee Teacher, 28 I know the three guys screaming the weather in the morning. It's too intense so I don't watch it. The only things I've seen that are kind of funny are the eating competitions with huge piles of food. You don't need much language for that.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Sep 20, 2005

What's on your portable music player?

Peter Durfee Translator, 35 I'm listening to Massive Attack's newest album. I also have the Beethoven Symphonies that the BBC made available a few months ago. And Antony and the Johnsons, because I went to kindergarten with the bassist.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Sep 13, 2005

How would you match up these crimes and punishments?

CRIMES & PUNISHMENT: Refusing to show gaijin card: 2 months detention, 16 months suspended Murder: 3 years Using (not possessing) stimulants: 18 months Selling dodgy investments to old people: 2 years suspended Selling dodgy cures to old people: 12 years Passing fake coins: 7 years Stealing Peko-chan:...

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Sep 6, 2005

What would you do if you were Prime Minister of Japan?

Edwin Webb English teacher, 24 There's too much money being spent in the outer prefectures on concrete. I would focus on promoting tourism. I've seen too many natural features defaced with concrete.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Aug 23, 2005

What will you do if or when the 'big one' hits?

Paul Jones Golfer, 33 Run! With the work I do, I'm not usually near any buildings. I just tend to look up, always worried about what's going to come down on me. I'd still be trying to run somewhere.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Aug 16, 2005

What do you think of the issue of privatizing the post-office system?

Shinichi Onogi Salaryman, 37 I don't really care, because it will happen regardless of what I think. That's how politics work. Even though I vote, I'm still powerless. I don't support Koizumi because he does nothing.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Aug 2, 2005

Do you support the recent addendum to the Kyoto Protocol?

Fabien Gravot Scientist, 28 If there are no time constraints, countries are not going to respect it very much. Even with the Kyoto Protocol, industrialized countries have difficulty following it. I'm not sure that the greenhouse effect is as big as it's made out. I don't think humanity is done for, but...

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Jul 26, 2005

What diet do you think works best?

Joanne Nolan Translator, 28 Weight Watchers. It worked because I put in the effort. You learn to prioritize. You can have your cheesecake, but you have to eat carrot sticks for the rest of the day.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Jul 12, 2005

Are you worried that Tokyo could be a target of terrorism?

Mike Hora Teacher, 34 No, not at all. It's the same as an earthquake. If something's going to happen, it's going to happen. I'm much more afraid of Mount Fuji erupting or the earth splitting beneath me.

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Jul 5, 2005

What do you think of file-sharing on the Internet?

Shannon Clark Teacher, 32 People don't think it's stealing because they don't go into a store and pocket something, so there's no guilty feeling, but most of the people who do it wouldn't steal from a store.

author

Meta

Podcast

Longform

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER

In your social network

In your inbox

In your social network

In your inbox