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  • Having known a lot of people working in kitchens here and having seen some kitchens here, I really wish Japan would step up random inspections and enforcement. The owner (at least, maybe others as well) are required to be re-certified yearly with courses (also available online since corona at least), but I've not seen much of anything to enforce the conditions on the ground after the test unless there are customer complaints. Rats and roaches are far from unique to Sukiya, especially in places like Tokyo.

  • I don't know about 'a lot' but these are definitely in recently-renovated stations and buildings, at least in areas with high traffic. I definitely still see many that are only vaguely better than the US outside of Tokyo and the other big cities.

  • In a broad sense yes, but in narrow ones, no. Japan leads in certain things like some robotics and elder support technology. Faxes are still required to do even get internet through NTT here. We're slowly being able to do more electronically, but definitely have a long way to go there. I had to go in to get help with my taxes and they had me do it all on my smartphone, which I think started in the last couple of years.

  • I mean, the OP mentions using a technology, not understanding everything that underlies it. I grew up entering programs on the C64 and such, but I certainly didn't understand exactly how everything worked under the hood then nor has knowledge of assembly or even circuits really done anything super helpful in my life that isn't hobby-related. At some point, it becomes less important for most people to know the level below and be able to use well the level they need (or to develop it).

    When I posted, I was thinking more about things like using the technologies of social media and, probably not yet but eventually, things like AI assistants to their advantage regardless of any device or OS. It's too soon to say for sure, but I'm thinking beyond the chip-filled boxes themselves. This of course also ignores other technologies that are more mechanical, but I think that would be going too far into the weeds.

  • I don't think that's necessarily the right way to look at it. We understand computers very well, but desktop computers are not the end-all be-all of technology. What is happening here happened in Japan before because they did the leap straight to smart devices well before the west with computers outside of offices being a very expensive and nerdy niche hobby. Their proficiencies lie in other technologies in which we fall behind as our parents typically do for technologies that we know.

  • This pissed off numerous pilots, per other sources, and actually did damage to morale. Adding the wrong person to a group chat is probably the most relatable mistake that could have been made. It was also found that there are other opsec failures. This isn't some n-dimensional chess move; this is just the result of complete idiots.

    Edit: "pissed off" not "pissed of"

  • Accidentally driving onto the Ambassador Bridge to Canada from the Detroit-area is a common mistake. Locals say it's an area that is always under construction and can be confusing.

    I drove on trying to get to the Japanese consulate in detroit for my visa before coming to Japan. Thankfully, I noticed soon enough and saw a little turnaround, but I think past that point, one would be stuck.

  • Both the US and Japan have extremely varied costs of living depending upon where you're talking about. I live in the countryside and things are generally fairly cheap, though inflation has been hitting hard since corona and a poor rice harvest last year. I studied the language a bit before I moved, came over as a language student (probably second-oldest there in my 30s), and found a job a few months later. I'm conversational, but my reading is pretty crap. I generally do all my own medical stuff and the like, though definitely run documents by my wife to make sure of some things (particularly government and finance). We basically only speak Japanese at home.

    Tokyo can be expensive or not totally depending upon the experience you want to have. No need to own a car so no inspection, tax, insurance, gas, and parking spot cost. I lived there for 8 years without driving at all but did end up getting a motorbike after moving to the suburbs. I had to get a car when we moved to the countryside. Houses are going to be much smaller and much closer than most of the US. I earn well above the median salary (which is something like 4-6 million JPY/year for someone in their 40s) and pay roughly 26% of that out to pension, taxes, etc. Healthcare is far cheaper than in the US but not free at point of service like other countries. There are out-of-pocket maximums over some periods and tax rebates on the year if you go over 100k yen.

  • Everybody learns the Latin alphabet and English in school (used to be Jr high but pushed back to elementary recently). Proficiency levels are low, especially in speaking and listening, and shyness/fear of mistakes are factors. However, reading can be pretty decent. Of course, people very good at English also exist.

    Could also be that many use machine translation, at least for the output side.