I agree wholeheartedly. This is a great book that is truly terrifying because Dick is constantly subverting the characters’ (and reader’s) perceptions of reality. He does this to an even greater degree in The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch.
I was lucky enough to study in the same lab as the author while he was doing his doctorate. Graham has a real talent for explaining complicated concepts in a way that's easy to understand. He's also strongly committed to putting as much of his code and data as he can online so that anyone can play around with it, including people who aren't academics.
My experiences during my first job at an investment bank were very similar to with what you described. I was surprised by how high the turnover was, but also by how easily it was to get re-hired. It seemed very common to switched to another firm for a few years and then decide to come back.
Upon reflection, I definitely felt that the first few years were a test to see how much of your time you were willing to let the job consume. There was overt pressure to work long hours and come in on weekends, but ultimately people who wanted to maintain better balance between work and personal time ended up leaving of their own volition rather than being forced out.
I don't think it's so surprising that personality and likability are valued so highly for entry-level hires. These institutions are so large and bureaucratic that there's a real limit to what one person can do, especially early in their career.
Thank you for the links, they were very informative. I also found the article a bit cursory. I was particularly surprised that they didn't mention Japan's construction industry. It makes up a much larger part of the economy than in countries like the United States or the United Kingdom, and it exerts a lot of political power. A large number of the laws promoting new construction over renovation or purchase of existing buildings benefit the construction industry more than property owners.
I recommend Alex Kerr's Dogs and Demons for a more detailed discussion of real estate and zoning laws in Japan.
It becomes prohibitively expensive to own cars for a long time here in Japan because the government mandates regular inspections, which can cost up to $1000 USD. The period of validity for the inspection depends on the type of vehicle, but in general an inspection on a new car is valid for two to three years and must be done every year or two after that.
The decision not to manage "nicknames" (通称名) under the new immigration law because they aren't necessary from an administrative standpoint is illustrative of the disconnect between the people making these laws in Japan and the people that are subject to them. I realize that this is inevitable because foreign residents can't vote, but it's frustrating that the government doesn't seek input from them when formulating new policy that will have large effects on them.
Because of the difficulties in using foreign names with Japanese computer systems and paperwork that you mentioned, 通称名 ("nicknames") are essential for many foreign residents. Some groups have been using them for decades now, so even a cursory attempt to get feedback on the new laws would have identified this problem.
Still, some groups of special permanent residents have organized and successfully overturned some of the more odious aspects of the immigration law, like the fingerprinting requirement for alien registration. In particular, the Korean special permanent resident community has some degree of influence on policy because of their size and organization.
Given the general ignorance of the central government (and the immigration bureaucracy as a whole) towards the real needs of foreign residents, I see this decision as ignorance on the importance of 通称名 rather than an attempt to quash the rights of foreign residents. In my experience the local governments tend to be more sympathetic towards the actual needs of foreign residents, perhaps because they have more prolonged interaction with them. (Though as with every government organ in Japan, the interpretation of the law varies wildly depending on which clerk you interact with.)
Troubles like the ones you describe are a large part of why I registered 長瀬ダニエル as a 通称名 and use it for everything I possibly can.
Anyone who lives in Japan can register a legal alias, regardless of their citizenship. The special permanent residents that you mentioned (who typically hold North / South Korean or Chinese citizenship) are probably the most common users, but some Japanese people who are divorced use them, too.
An alias with Kanji is really useful for living in Japan. I'm an American citizen but I use an alias with a Kanji last name for just about everything I can (including my job, bank account, and apartment contract). Immigration paperwork and credit cards are just about the only things where the alias can't be used.
Thank you for this! I've heard similar things from a friend who is knowledgeable about wine. Enjoying good wine seems similar to enjoying good coffee or beer; price is more of a reflection of the limited markets for specialized styles and costs of transporting from the country of production than a simple function of quality. You certainly don't need to spend much to find something good if you are willing to look around a bit.
It's also almost exactly like coffee and beer in that it tastes terrible the first time you try it, but as you learn to enjoy it, it becomes almost a necessity.
Another good book on North Korea is B.R. Myers' "The Cleanest Race." While it's not focused on history or defectors specifically, it does offer unique insight on the formation of the North Korean state and the rationale behind its actions.
