Setsuko Kamiya, Japan Times reports: “In a country notorious for its exclusive immigration policy, the question of whether to allow Japanese to hold dual citizenship became a surprisingly hot policy topic last year after members of the ruling party breached the issue.
In many other parts of the world, it’s a matter that has already been discussed in great depth, and observers agree that an increasing number of countries are moving toward allowing citizens to become multinational.
As of 2000, around 90 countries and territories permitted dual citizenship either fully or with exceptional permission, …

Here is the second article in a series that deals with immigration in Japan.

What nationality does a baby born at sea or in the air get?
The answer is simple if one of the parents hails from a country that upholds the principle of jus sanguinis, the Latin term for granting citizenship based on the nationality of one’s parents.
Japan is one such country, meaning that if a baby has a Japanese parent, it receives that nationality regardless of birthplace.
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The ”year-crossing temp worker village” was launched in Hibiya Park on Wednesday in front of the Imperial Hotel, one of the country’s most luxurious hotels, to provide free food and shelter for homeless people including laid-off temporary workers who have been forced to leave accommodation provided by their employers.
A temporary tent village set up at a central Tokyo park has drawn more than 300 people without jobs or homes since it was set up on New Year’s eve by volunteers for the New Year holiday period, organizers said.
”People here are …

I mentioned in a previous post that the enka singer Jero would perform on NHK’s 2008 Kohaku Uta Gassen. He pays tribute to his grandmother and has his mother give him a tearful wish of encouragement. Watch the video clip below (double-click on the video to view in a larger screen). 

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Happy New Year! We know all too well that 2008 was a time of difficulty or crisis for many. Some skillfully managed the crisis while others found the path to recovery, or just plain survival, difficult to navigate. Unfortunately, what is often omitted in the bigger story is that many in the world have always had to deal with crisis on a daily basis. 
2009 will be a time to reflect on a myriad of issues that impacted the lives of  many. While we reconsider our priorities, take advantage of various …

Great news for people who a) own an iPhone or iPod Touch and b) never know what kind of topping to get when eating Sushi: Tokyo-based Shogakukan, known outside Japan for its extensive offerings of manga (Ichi The Killer, Ranma 1/2, Crying Freeman etc). is releasing a virtual sushi guide for these devices.
The sushi neta zukan (illustrated sushi encyclopedia) will become available in Japanese within this month but on the product website[JP], Shogakukan promises foreigners will enjoy the app, too, as it will have an English appendix.  It’s going to …

Sankei Digital Inc. began offering for free on Dec. 12 an application by which the entire pages the Sankei Shimbun daily can be downloaded from the internet onto the mobile telephone iPhone 3G and the handheld music player iPod tough, both made by Apple Inc. of the United States.
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Here is a great article on Japanese culture and a recipe for Toshikoshi Soba by Maki at Just Hungry.:
Even though Christmas has become big business in Japan in recent years, the real holiday at this time of year is New Year’s Day. The end of the old year, called shiwasu, is a hectic time, as people are busily celebrating with friends and colleagues at bounenkai, “forget the year” parties - besides wrapping up things at work and getting ready to go home for the holidays.
New Year’s Eve itself, however, is …

Curious to know who is on Twitter or how you, if you use Twitter, rank?
Click here to see Twitter Counter’s Top 10,000.
BTW, Black Tokyo is ranked at 126,264 as of this post date. How long until I crack the Top 100(00)?

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The Japan Times “Readers in Council” Opinion piece below reminded me of my last Tokyo home search: “My wife got a close and personal observation of how gaijin is used in business. We visited a realtor to lease an apartment or a house. The agent made calls to numerous owners and most said no deal in renting to gaijin. Some homeowners would rent to gaijin if my wife (a.k.a. Japanese, safe, and a link to the parents if something went wrong) signed. I said NO to that! However, ONE homeowner …

As of October 1, 2007, the population of Tokyo is estimated to be 12.790 million, or about 10% of Japan’s total population, and it has the largest population among all the 47 prefectures.
At 2,187 square kilometers, the area of Tokyo is 0.6% of the total area of Japan, making it the third smallest of Japan’s 47 prefectures. With a population density of 5,847 persons per square kilometer, Tokyo is the most densely populated prefecture in Japan.
The 23 special-ward area is home to 8.653 million persons, the Tama area 4.109 million, …

Interesting story from James over at Japan Probe:
“Mainichi reports about a new website that uses Google Maps to track the locations of cool and unique manhole covers in Japan:
Contributors can add photos of manhole covers directly from their mobile phones, along with global positioning system (GPS) data to mark its location on the map. The website can be seen here (Japanese).”
I would have never thought that I would (waste) spend 30-minutes looking at manhole covers!

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A long-time Black Tokyo reader offers a few suggestions on stretching your money, and hopefully your stomach, in Japan. Hopefully, those in Japan will take advantage of the yen’s current power!:
Ruby Baby writes, “I think you’ll be better off cooking your own meals. Will you have living arrangements with access to a kitchen? Also, can you cook? If not, choose about five to seven of your favourite foods and learn to make those very well. In any case it’ll probably pay to read up on how to use some of …

Nearly 5,000 public school teachers took a leave of absence in the 2007 academic year because of depression or other mental disorders. If these teachers are constantly stressed out and don’t have anyone to take it out on, the Sakebi no Tsufu could come in handy. This “shouting vase” from Japan is able to reduce stress if a person holds it up to the mouth and clearly articulates (a.k.a. yell as loud as you can) his/her troubles. The pot, which is made of thermoplastic, is able to turn yells into whispers through its …

I have a ton of pictures and video on Japan and never took the time to upload them to Flickr. Now that I revised the website, I have a good reason to share my various pictures of life in Japan. I will try to upload new pictures and video a few times a month!
Click here to view the slideshows. Enjoy!

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I am sure that many of you are aware of the “haken-giri,” or temporary worker cutbacks in Japan (and elsewhere). A majority of Japan’s temporary workers live in company dormitories and without a job, forcing them to leave their home. Temporary workers that do not speak Japanese will find their prospects for re-employment very difficult.
Another group of people with struggling employment prospects are the older, middle-aged generation. A quarter of Japan’s temporary workers are over 45-years-old. Not only do they have children and aged parents to support, but their re-employment prospects are …

Gaman Shinasai! Be patient! That’s the theme of Loco in Yokohama’s post. Check out what he has to say in number 9 of 10 ways not to go loco in Yokohama: 
“The Christians  say, “Be patient, therefore, brothers, … See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You too must be patient.” (James 5:7-11)
The Jews say, “The patient man shows much good sense, but the quick-tempered man displays folly at its height.” (Proverbs 14:29)
The …

Here is an old (but informative) article from Danny Choo on the pros and cons of renting/purchasing a home in Tokyo. I know the economy sucks right now but for those that can afford it, it may be a great time to acquire property in Japan!

“I wrote an article on buying a house in Tokyo a while ago and have been getting mail re the subject ever since. Rather can continue to copy and paste my replies, I thought I would write up something with more beef answering many of …

Another interesting post on housing in Japan. Philip Brasor at the Japan Times writes:

Last spring, when the effects of the American sub-prime loan disaster were being felt but the world economy was still relatively OK, there was an article in the Asahi Shimbun written by one of the paper’s financial reporters who recalled several years earlier a visit from a friend living in the United States.
The friend worked for a real-estate company and he told the writer just before he returned to America that he and his colleagues appreciated the …

This podcast struck a cord with me and brought back some unpleasant memories of when I started my journey to learn more about Africa, Japan and Asia. Actually this podcast really pissed me off because it seems like no matter how hard sistas (and other women/men) try to improve mentally, physically, spiritually or financially, there will always be someone trying to bring them down.
With time I was able to ignore people that seemingly had no other purpose in life than to hate, envy or attempt to “insert another four-letter word …

Check out a young African (Nigerian)-American woman’s perspective on the topic of racism, hate and ignorance in Japan.
View Part 2 here.

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The government said Saturday that it has decided to make 2 million locally registered foreigners eligible for cash benefits it plans to hand out next year as part of its push to spur private consumption.
Foreigners listed on the foreign resident registry as of Feb. 1, 2009, will be considered eligible to participate in the¥2 trillion program, the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry said.The 2 million will include permanent foreign residents, such as North and South Koreans living in Japan, as well as foreigners of Japanese descent who hold residential permits …

Good friend and fellow Detroiter, Glynis “Black Ice” Martin, a.k.a. “G. John Martin” has another reason to smile while he continues to make great music in Tokyo.

His son, Glynis Martin, Jr., commonly known as Lil’ G, and best known remembered as the featured lead singer of the group, “7 Mile” continues to shine on his solo debut single ‘WannaBe.’
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I love Fuji Apples and Apple products. A farmer in Japan made the best of both worlds. Be sure to check out the English and Japanese posts for additional pictures and information.

An apple farmer from Fuji, Japan decided to show off his devotion to Steve Jobs and co. by creating Apple Apples. The orchard owner used custom printed iPod and Apple logo stickers to create the geeky fruit. No word if the apples taste hipper than the Microsoft oranges created by neighbors.
English post
Japanese post
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A bill to revise the National Health Insurance Law was passed on Friday, paving the way for all children aged 15 or under to receive health insurance even if their parents fall behind on premium payments.
The House of Councillors plenary session unanimously approved the revision on Friday. The amendment, which will take effect on April 1 next year, is aimed at helping some 33,000 children of junior high school age or under who have been left without health insurance coverage due to their parents’ failure to pay national health insurance …

I love architecture and design. Business Week has a great story on Jun Aoki, winner of the 2008 top design award in Japan. Check out his story and the stories on the other 15 best designs in Japan.
Every year since 1957, the government-funded Japan Industrial Promotion Organization (JIDPO) has lent its prestigious Good Design logo to a list of new products. Most people tend to associate design with aesthetics. But while high-tech products perennially sweep the top awards—known as the Best 15—the 74-member committee of designers, architects, writers, and academics doesn’t …