Not Here, Not There: An Overseas Japanese Case

It does not happen often to me to  talk about life in a serious manner. Our future life. I had such a talk this time in Johor. He, who was born in India and moved to Singapore when he was still a young child, is the most important man who manages the dealings with my client, which is the parent company of his. I had met him in May when I got engaged for the same client. We were driving to a restaurant for dinner and I was sitting in the passenger seat. There seem to him three types of life for a man who is getting old, over 50. Some go into religion and others into charity. Yet another type goes to women. He says none of these seems attractive to him. I agreed. On religion, I said to him, “I don’t have to be religious to be nice,” just as I wrote some days ago. About myself, I told him in essence that I don’t feel settled down yet with nobody to live with. I’m worried thinking that there would be no one to find me if I suddenly collapse. And I have no place to belong to. More specifically, no Japanese comes near me when I’m drinking with friends or acquaintances, say, from Singapore or England. What’s the point of surrounding you with people all from your own country when you live overseas? I said, “I’m not Japanese enough to Japanese, and too Japanese to non-Japanese.” “Not here, not there” is how he described it. He is right. To him, I must be only someone who works as the interpreter for the parent company. That’s because I appreciate him much. He even told me about his family situation. I don’t think I had had this kind of talk with anyone since my Osaka days.

If You Vote for LDP, You Shoud Be Ready for More Than LDP + Senai Trip

Votes are still being counted and we by now know that the LDP is going back to power after more than three years. I have never been enthusiastic about the DPJ, but all of us should understand that voting for the LDP means voting for New Komeito, which is really not new in any sense. It stuns me when Mr. Abe calls New Komeito his party’s 「友党」. We must not allow this 「友党」 of the LDP to sneak into power. On what issues do these two parties agree on? They started cooperating in elections several years ago only because the LDP wanted to secure the majority with New Komeito and this religious party wanted to be in power to prepare for its eventual aim of religious takeover of the country.

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From the four nights from December 10 to 13, I stayed in Senai, Johor, for my interpretation assignment. A lot food and beer at Johor Premium Outlets, “大上海” at Sutera Mall, “二重丸,” Seafood Market at Danga Bay, a bar with pole dancers at The Zon Duty Free, and the enchantingly rural “藍海湾海鮮村,” etc.

I Don't Have To Be Religious To Be Nice

I don’t have to be religious to be nice, and you can be religious and wicked.

No Update for "Beicho Kuchi Makase" Since 18 October

朝日新聞電子版に連載されている「米朝口まかせ」が10月18日を最後に更新されていない。かなり、心配。

Encounter with Major League Players in 1979

Coming home from a haircut and grocery shopping, I suddenly remembered an encounter with Major Leaguers. It was when I was a senior high school kid. It must be 1979. The class went out to Nanzen-ji and there happened to meet a group of all-star players, who were visiting Japan. I got my Rawlings sweater autographed by Steve Garvey of the Dodgers (“Rawlings sweater!”) and John Candelaria of the Pirates. I don’t know where the sweater has gone.

More about My Days in California

November 6 was the election day there. Very surprisingly to myself, I didn’t mention anything about it in my last blog, which, in a way, shows how much I have changed. I would have spent every minute in front of the TV set to follow the results. During a break of the following day, J and I talked some about the reelection of Obama, the Clinton and Bush years, and more generally about the political systems of the US and Japan. I believe that my political view is more evenhanded or more rational now, and this was forced by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and also because of the days I have spent in Singapore.

Also I should mention these: When I went to the front desk of the hotel for checking out, one of the two staff said, “I saw you the other day, with a 6-pack.” I remember a woman was showing a thumb-up to me when I was approaching the elevator. It must have been her. And the other person at the desk was pleased to see my classic Ray-Ban sunglasses.