On a wet day at the end of March, Universal Studios Japan opened its doors to the public. Following on from Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Orlando, the name Universal Studios Osaka was mooted but when it was pointed out that the site for the theme park was not actually in Osaka and that the initials of Universal Studios Osaka spelt 'USO' ('uso' in Japanese means a lie), it was felt more appropriate to call the park Universal Studios Japan. USJ has much the same attractions and general feel as its American counterparts but on a smaller scale. USJ has proved popular amongst Japanese in its opening months but without the lure of the characters that Disney has to keep the kids coming back, it remains to be seen if this will continue. Ticket prices range from 2,950 Yen for children and 5,500 Yen for adults and it's open 365 days a year! For more information on Universal Studios in Japanese, English and Korean take a look at http://www.usj.co.jp/index1.html .

Speed Bug

Speeding: I announce, with some regret, (but a fair amount of joy and happiness...) that a member of the International Office was caught speeding in his 'people carrier' last week on one of Japan's highways. This is the first such offence for the, as yet, un-named recipient of a 15,000 Yen fine and two points on his previously clean license. "I've been driving since I was 17 and it's the first time I've had any kind of driving offence against my name dammit" said the long haired bearded man.

The driver was caught doing 104 km/h in a 80 km/h zone by a police patrol car on Monday afternoon. The driver claimed that he didn't see the sign that changed the speed limit from 100 km/h to 80 km/h - "the bl**dy sign was probably too small to see anyway" he said in an Australian drawl (though he fortunately didn't actually say this to the policeman - only to me). 6 points is enough to get you banned in Japan, and as parking violations also count (2 points per violation), two more slip ups and there'll be one less driver in the International Office.

That would leave me in an unenviable position that my predecessor, Euan was not in: that I can drive........

This weeks interview is with Winnie by guest interviewer Brett Robson, with interjections from Lilla.

Brett: Hi Winnie, can I interview you for the newsletter?
Winnie: Isn't that Jon's job?
B: ...apparently... But he's gone to Hong Kong on business so I'm standing in for him.......So where are you from and what course are you doing?
Lilla (winnie's roommate): Can I be in the interview as well?
B: I think you were interviewed for the catalog weren't you?
Lilla: Yeah, I forgot about that.............

B: So Winnie where are you from etc?
W: I'm from Hong Kong and I'm studying in the AJIP, I started in October last year.

B: Why did you want to study Japanese?
W: I love studying languages and I think Japanese is useful in Hong Kong.

B: What other languages do you speak?
W: Cantonese and English, I understand a bit of Mandarin.

B: What were you doing before you came to Yamasa?
W: After university.....

Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter/student_int_14.html

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Visiting Toyota

Living in Okazaki, only a 15 minute drive away from the headquarters of Japan's largest car maker you can't help but notice the roads are dominated by one make of car - Toyota.

Toyota Motor Corporation is Japan's largest and the world's fourth largest carmaker (after General Motors, Ford, and DaimlerChrysler). The Toyota Motor Co. Ltd was first established in 1937 as a spin-off from Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, one of the world's leading manufacturers of weaving machinery which were run by Japan's "King of Inventors" Sakichi Toyoda. The patent rights to one of his machines was sold to Platt Brothers (UK) and provided the money for the development and test-building of Toyota's first automobiles.

Production systems were improved in the late 1950s, culminating in the establishment of the 'Toyota Production System.' It became known as TPS in 1970 but was established much earlier by Taiichi Ohno. Based on the principles of Jidoka (Automation), Just-in-time (Lean Production) and Kaizen (Continuous Improvement), the system is a major factor in the reduction of inventories and defects in the plants of Toyota and its suppliers, and it is a part of Toyota's operations across the World.

Toyota launched its first small car (SA Model) in 1947. Production of vehicles outside Japan began in 1959 at a small plant in Brazil, and continued with a growing network of overseas plants. Toyota localizes its operations, and also customizes the vehicles to provide customers with many models to choose from. Many of the models you will see in Japan are not available in other countries. And of course in Japan, Lexus is just Toyota.

In Aichi prefecture, the economy is partially supported by Toyota Motor Company, its subsidiary companies and the other companies it supports and deals with through its operations. The bulk of the design, research and development and other key jobs are based here, so there is more stability in times than in many other parts of the country.

Today, Toyota is the largest Japanese automotive manufacturer, producing more than 4.5 million vehicles per year, equivalent to one every six seconds. In the time it has taken you to read this paragraph, they have produced at least another two or three cars! The other fascinating thing...

Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter/japan_guide_16.html

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5. ABOUT THE YAMASA INSTITUTE'S AICHI CENTER FOR JAPANESE STUDIES

The Yamasa Institute is committed to providing high-quality education in the Japanese language.  We are a non-profit organization, a part of the Hattori Group.  We are accredited by Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education - APJLE, accreditation number B302 - and "the only Institute in the Mikawa region with the appropriate programs, systems, curriculum and facilities required for quality Japanese language education" according to the Ministry of Justice. Further, in recognition of the excellent quality of our programs, we are in the top tier of 'Appropriately Authorized Japanese Language Education Institutes' - in fact, the only school in the Mikawa area with this prestigious recommendation.  For full details see the accreditation section on the homepage at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/accreditation.html

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6. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

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