Perusal.

All of my email at work is, not surprisingly, in Japanese. This means I can hardly understand any of it so I have resorted to using Google Translate to quickly get a rough idea of what an email is about. If the topic appears important enough for a more careful translation, I'll start looking up individual words and picking apart the grammar into understandable chunks. Although the Japanese to English leaves much to be desired (it is in beta), what comes out is almost always amusing. Here is today's translation.

The web [kurieitazu] September edition of July 29th sale has reached. “The design part 62 which with main special edition style seat &JavaScript is expressed” “WEB chestnut thornback tar second life enrollment” giving brown machine side, the magazine rack it leaves upper. Perusal.

Benifits of Living Alone

Japan's summer weather — hot and humid — makes the commute home from work in long pants and long sleeves a little bit miserable (although I'm lucky enough to not have to wear a suit every day). One of the good things about living alone, however, is that after I'm home, pants (and all other clothing for that matter) is strictly optional.

社長

On our second day of work, the company president treated Richard and I to lunch. Along with the President's secretary, the CTO, and one of the division managers, we headed up to the 25th floor of our neighboring building. Once inside the restaurant, the chef came to ask what he should prepare. Kimura-san, the president, asked the chef to make foods that foreigners could enjoy. We were not disappointed. The meal included some tempura, grilled eggplant, a few unidentified items, and the most delicious sashimi I have ever had in my life. The pieces were large and thick, a beautiful deep red color, and a taste that was simply too amazing to describe. This was definitely one of the best meals I've had in Japan, right up there with the Bing lunch and dinner. In addition to our amazing food, we chatted (mostly in Japanese) about our experiences in Kyoto and what we wanted to do in Tokyo. It was relaxed and pleasant; a nice way to meet the president. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to work at KBMJ. Since it is such a small and young company, there are a lot of opportunities that wouldn't be available in other places — I don't think most people get to eat lunch with their company's president on the second day of work!

自己紹介

Every Tuesday morning KBMJ holds a company-wide meeting. Everyone more or less works in a single open room so such a meeting is fairly easy to hold — a portable PA system is set up and people stand in front of their desks to listen to announcements and introductions. Everyone tends to pay close attention (as you might expect in a Japanese company), so it was very noticeable when Richard and I walked in a few minutes late to our first real day of work. Unfortunately, this embarrassment didn't save us from the task of giving short self introductions very shortly thereafter. (Hello, my name is Jeffrey. I'm a 3rd year student at Stanford majoring in computer science. I'm from Utah. doozo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.) After the company-wide meeting was over, I was shown my desk and introduced to my supervisors. I had barely sat down when a brand new MacBook was handed to me, mine to use for the summer. I don't think I could have been more excited to get started! The only bad thing about this is that I'll have to give it back in 2 months. I spent the rest of the day configuring my new computer, installing software, and learning to type on a Japanese keyboard (ALL of the punctuation is in a different place and THERE IS NO BACKSLASH). I was also given the task of learning Ruby, a programming language that has gained some popularity recently, and my neighbor, Shin, helped me get my computer set up for developing in Ruby on Rails, KBMJ's framework of choice for writing web applications. Altogether it was a good first day of work.

First Day at KBMJ

This will be my second time in Tokyo, the first coming at the beginning of Golden Week a couple of months ago. I still remember my first impressions of the city as the Shinkansen made its way into Tokyo. The gentle female voice announcing in proper British English that "very soon we will be making a brief stop in Shinagawa before arriving in Tokyo" stirred me from my sleep and as I awoke, I took a look outside the window. The Shinkansen had already slowed to snake its way through the giant glass and steel buildings, beautiful and impressive in the early afternoon sunlight. Little did I know that in a couple of months I would be working in one of those buildings! KBMJ, my company, has offices on the 14th and 16th floors of the Shidome Sumitomo Building (汐留住友ビル). After getting off the train in Shinagawa, correctly Transferring to the Yamanote Line, getting off on the wrong stop, getting back on the train to get off at the right stop, navigating nearly a mile of poorly marked underground pedestrian walkway, we made it back to the impressive building we passed on the Shinkansen. Mr. Moriwaki from the HR department met us and after taking care of some paperwork and a brief introduction, we were sent to find our apartments in nearby Akihabara.

Japan & Energy Reform

I have just finished my final paper for Professor MacDougall's class, Japan in Contemporary International Affairs. The paper, Japan's Quest for Energy Security: Reforms and Responses since the Oil Crises of the 1970's is available if you would like to read it. Comments are appreciated.

"An Odd Couple"

The national systems (of Japan and the United States) are extraordinarily disparate, to the point of incompatibility. Japan's penchant for explicit planning, for administrative guidance, and for collective national action could not be further from the norms and preferences of the United States.

And yet...

Sharing between Japan and the United States remains a possibility primarily because it is so difficult to picture a set of events in the future that would effectively reduce the interdependence between them. Japan appears to have few options other than to live alongside the United States, even if in constant discomfiture. Except for the possibility of a sporadic unfriendly gesture, the United States is unlikely to block Japan's choice to remain in the American camp, as long as the Japanese elect to remain there. The two countries seem doomed to continue as the odd couple, sharing little in habits, values, and aspirations, yet unable to make any other choice but to accommodate themselves to one another's existence.

Raymond Vernon, Two Hungry Giants.

Word of the Day

trilemma

Yes, it's exactly what you think it is. The definition, from the OED: A situation, or (in Logic) a syllogism, of the nature of a DILEMMA, but involving three alternatives instead of two.

I am currently working on my paper for Professor MacDougall's class and after encountering trilemma in one of my sources, I am seriously considering making an attempt to work the word into my own paper.

Can you hear me now?

Today, I received this message on my phone:
"Thank you for using SoftBank. Your recharge account expired on 2007/06/26. You are not able to make calls. Recharge now and enjoy more our prepaid service."

Interestingly enough, in Japan, most cell phones receive calls for free, but now that my prepaid credit has expired, I can't make calls or send emails. Fortunately, recharging is just a few clicks away on SoftBank's website.

Phrase of the Day

Today, while riding on the bus on my way to school, I stood next to a woman who was reading a book for learning English. The book had one conversation for each day of the year and today's conversation was between a pair of travelers. It went something like this:
A: Beautiful day, isn't it?
B: Yeah it is. You're up early.
A: I had some time so I repacked my backpack
B: I see. Well, I can't hike on an empty stomach so I bought some beef jerky. Want some?
A: No thanks, I'll order room service

I couldn't help smiling at the very Japanese-like English conversation, and be impressed with this woman's determination to learn English. I can only imagine what I look like when I whip out my kanji flashcards on the bus to practice for the next day's quiz.