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FIGHT 
BACK! 



or: How to scrsir your emiaoyors aftor they screwed ymi. 
A practical guide for exfilotted fwel&t workma In Japan. 

G. W^lt 



Ck 



RESI5T INTERNET CENiOKSHIP. GET IHFOftMED 



f\ 



Preface 2005 



In the following I have reproduced a brochure I had put out during my time in Tokyo (1989-93). 
Originally 500 were printed and distributed for free. It was initially written to countermand the 
impression a lot of foreign workers in Japan had, that is: Gai/in workers have no rights whatsoever! 

Looking at it again on a rainy Sunday afternoon, 12 years later — not having had contacts to Japan - I 
find tliat I have not mellowed, although I would make changes to the style of writing. By putting diis 
online, I hope to show what teaching conditions in Japan used to be. {And maybe die odd reader still 
finds some useful liints). 

Originally this text was written on a Mac Classic (9" mono-chrome monitor) with a NT -Laser Printer 

(this was the time when one had to buy a separate 40 MB Hard dis to display Jap anes PostScript fonts, 

the whole setup a bargain at close to a million Yen [approx. US$ 12000 in 1991]). Of course the original 

file has long been lost. I have used a scanner and OCR software to reconstruct the text, although I have 

not reproduced the original two-column layout, as this makes for inconvenient reading on-screen.. 

Some minor changes to die text have been made. 

Original page numbers are included in brackets, close to where they appear in the original. Wliere 

originally footnotes (*) were included, I have moved them to die end of the relevant paragraph. 

Superscripted numbers indicate sources in appendix 1 (Bibliography). BEWARE that any phone 

numbers and addresses given in the text are those of 1993! 

The original page numbers and comments added in 2005 are in red type. 

Enjoy, and remember: Unity is Strength! 

This broshure in memoriam to Norm Gallagher and die Builder's Labourer Federation of NSW. 



G. Walt 



Comments or infomiation on current conditions are welcome: 



GemianiaHonyaku(S),freenet.de 

http: / /people, freenet.de /uplifting/ 

This online edition is also subject to the terms of a „Creative Commons License" 

http: / /www, creativecommons.org/ 



^\nybody may freely, reproduce or distribute; by trade or otlierwise; lend, re-seU, hire out or otherwise 
distribute; in any form or by any means, in any binding or cover, store in a database or retrieval system 
any part of this publication, subject to the following conditions: 

- said reproduction or distribution etc. is on a non-commercial, non-profit basis; 

- a notice of intent is sent to the address below, to be received prior to reproduction etc.; 
after pubKcation of said reproduction etc. one copy is forwarded to said address; in case 
of inclusion in a database or retrieval system free and universal access to said system for 
no less then 4 hours must be granted. 

- die Copyright for appendix 2 ("Labour Pains"), and appendix 3 ("English Teachers...") 
remains with die respective copyright owners. These sections may not be included in any 
reproduction, distribution, storage in a database etc., without prior consultations with the 
respective owners. 

- all photographs herewithin ©George Lawler, 1992 

- a similar condition be imposed on die subsequent users etc. 

Except for the situations outlined above ^\11 Rights Reserved, Tokyo 1993 

Appendix 2 is reprinted witii pemiission from "The Tokyo Journal", Copyright The Tokyo 

Journal, 1991. The inclusion of said material in this publication does not mean, that the 

Tokyo Journal endorses the author's position in any ongoing or settled legal dispute with 

employers. 

Appendix 3 is reprinted with permission for 500 copies only from the "Daily Yomiuri". 

copyright The Daily Yomiuri 1992. 

The author would like to thank die "Tokyo Journal" and "The Daily Yomiuri" for their 

permission to re -print. 

Aldiough all care was taken to ensure accuracy of the facts stated here, some inaccuracies y have been 
included, especially with respect to data obtained from third parties. 



Please send any comments, suggestions, abuse, death-threats or requests for additional 

copies to: 

G.Walt 

[Note: old address omitted, to contact author: GefmaniaHonyaku&freenet. de\ 



for additional copies please send a large (C5 minimum) self-addressed, stamped (250 ¥) envelope and a 
litde donation (stamps or cash) to help me with the printing costs (How much do you think diis rag is 
worth?) 

Apologies for the small print in tlie appendices. To keep piinting costs do^vn I had to limit myself to 28 pages. Foi die 
same reason appendix 3 had to be omitted. Contact die Daily Yomiuri for a copy. 

Due to copyright reasons the appendices mentioned have been omitted: 

Contact the Tokyo Journal for the article „Labour Pains" originally m tlie Aug. 1991 
edition. 



Introduction: 

I shall speak not oj men, hut, in abstract, of 
Rights inherent to all, offending none, I 
think, but those, if there be any such, as do 
favour them. That which perhaps may 
most offend are certain quotes of those here- 
within, alleged hj me for other pupose 
than ordinarily they use to be by others. 
But! I have done so with due submission, 
and also, in order to my subject, necessarily, 
as they are the outpourings of the Enemy, 
from they impugn on others freedom. If 
notwithstanding this, you find my labour 
generally decried,you may be pleased to 
excuse yoursef... 
Commence thus: 



STOP 



Do not read any further if, 

you think unionism is an old-fashioned idea, that has outlived its usefulness; you are so glad to have finally 
scored some shitty Job in Japan, after being unemployed in some depressed Western country, that 
you are willing to put up with anything; 

- your name is Thomas |. Nevins; 

- you think Ronald Reagan, Yoshihiro Nakasone, Nick Greiner, and Margaret Thatcher were 
enlightened politicians. 

- This booklet is about fighting back. Fighting back against unjust and often illegal treatment by employers. 
This (first) edition is mainly concerned with people teaching English (in Tokyo); I should like 
to widen its scope if possible, so please (!) don't hesitate to contact me with anything that might be 
relevant, especially if you live in the country, Kansai, or work in fields other than education (Address 
on inside front cover). This edition touches organizing of unions etc. only slightly; odier people 
are experts 

on that (call 03-3434-0669 or 03-3770-3471). This booklet is for your infonnation and I am 
paying for the printing and distribution of this entirely out of my own pocket. Please show it to as 
many of your fiiends as possible. 
|A tatter of fact I paid it out of the ¥ 660000 compensation I got for being fired from Fies] 

Acknowledgements 

First, unfriendly, hostile and obnoxious people, who were of no help at all, or simply couldn't care 

less: 

Anita's brother [who offered me a smack in the mouth when he read this booklet], Joe 
Altwasser; Liz; Stephen and his w ife (take care of the kid, mate), this Israeli, who after being 
fired still is a good friend of the boss (sounds stupid? - Well it is!). 



Secondly - luckily many more people to mention here - the helpful ones: Anita; Mr. Fujihira; 
Severin Head; Thom S.; Mr. Onitsuka; my adorable girl-friend; George Jacobi; Charlie; 
Sarah Keyt; NUGW; Junko; Ken; Da\id B.; Teny; Mg.; Keiko; Claw; Chink; Neil; Mr. Ogawa, Mr. 
Omori, Mr. Kikuichi as well as many others who have given a helping hand or simply listened whilst 
I was vsiiinging. Thanks! The BWIU (NSW) and the BLF (Qld.) deserve a special mention for 
helping in times of trouble and sticking together for mates. 

Notice: Throughout this booklet names may have been changed to protect the innocent. Names of 
schools (or language institutes as a lot of them would like to be called) remain unchanged (Faeces 
being the exception; the terms of my settlement prohibiting me to have anything to do with 
them). This booklet is not a legal guide but for general information only. 
[3] 

Abbreviations used: 

LUL = Labour Union Law 

LSL = Labour Standards Law 

LSB = Labour Standards Bureau 

Rosei = (Municipal) Labour Administration (only in Tokyo-to, Saitama, Kanagawa and Osaka- 

fii) 

The little superscripted numbers refer to books listed in Appendix 1 (p. 23). 

Before you Start, read appendix 2 (page 25) [not included, originally in the Tokyo Journal 8/91] 

Short Note on Visa, Immigration 

The revised Immigration Law of 1990 introduced major changes, basically making it easier to stay 
in Japan for "qualified" foreigners. 

Maybe the most important change was, that the employer can no longer have the visa taken away 
from you, if you stop working for them during the period of stay. Once you have a work visa 
you are pemiitted to remain in Japan until its expiration date* -period. Sometimes, if you change 
jobs your new Company might request a "letter of release" from your previous job. That is no 
longer legally required, but you may want to show it to them anyway. Your old employer cannot 
refuse issuing one (Art. 22 LSL); if they do it is a criminal offense punishable by - don't laugh - 
a fine not exceeding 5,000 ¥. 

[*) If your visa is about to expire wMe you are figlitiug aii (ex-)eraployer of yours call L.AKR (iiuuibers in appendix 4, page 28). Tliey might 
be able to organize a lawyer willing to Sponsor you until die problem is resolved] 

How to strengthen your position from the start: 

a) Get a written contract (English and Japanese preferably), with the company's hanko on it. 
Contracts that are written in a language one of the parties does not under- 
stand are void. 

If the Company Sponsors you, in many cases you will get paid less then it says in the contract they 
give you to take to Immigration. It is best to make copies of all the papers** you are given to take 
there (some places give you their papers in a sealed envelope, telling you that Immigration prohibits 
you from opening it - that is sheer bull...; example: Bi-Lingual). 

**) Copy of your contract, your onginal degree, passport, gaijin-card, application tomi 2 parts (in duplicate). Company tax declaration, 
reasoning for Sponsoring you, letter of guarantee (private or Company), list of foteigners sponsored by the Company, additional 
Information wheie necessary. For extensions your tax-receipt (gensen joshusho) tor the previous year can replace the letter of guarantee. 



Immigration always decides on a case-by-case basis. Therefore, something tliey told your friend a 
week ago does not necessarily apply to you. Do not go to the Otemachi branch, if you can avoid it. A 
Japanese wife of a Bangladeshi said this about the place recently (Japan Times 13.8.92): "It was 
humiliating. We were just trying to explain our Situation and ask questions, but the junior officers 
were shouting, shouting,shouting. This was my first experience being yelled at by anotlier Japanese. ... [4] 
There was no Interpreter, diey used legal terms, talking very fast His Japanese was not good enough to 
understand. I tried to Interrupt to Interpret, but diey wouldn't talk to me." ^\nd the place has in fact 
greatly improved the last few years. My personal Suggestion, if you cannot avoid it: Go there pissed as a 
rat, or high as a kite. Good luck! 



Original and "Real" Degrees 

Anotlier change in the Immigration Law in 1990 was, that you now have to show your original 
university diploma. That means the original that Mom might have hanging on the living room 
wall. No exceptions to this rule. Photocopies are no longer acceptable. 



Never seen an univeisity fioni die inside? Didn't pass die tinal exam? — Accoiding to "indiistiy" 
sources diere are several people in Tokyo that will supply you widi a "real" certificate. If you get 
caught, theoretically, die niaxinium prison temi is diree vears of hard labour Japanese gaols are 
no fun, by the \vay. See Tokyo Journal 10/1992.) 



b) Unionize 

Join or form a union at your place of work. Don't be intimidated. In Japan being a member of a 
union increases your Job security tremendously. If there is no union at your Company and you 
cannot organize one you can always join a "joint labour union . Call KTUF-NUGW or "Tokyo 
Union" for details. By the w^, no closed shops. Remember one thing: If your boss is a prick, with no or 
little regard for the law, you are going to be in for a long and hard fight -nothing for wimps (see 
NCB below). This can be nervewTecking and exhausting. 



Notice for Illegals 



According to Rosef^, die LSB \vill help you get-ting your \vages and odier rights, but ^viU not report 
you to Inmiigiation. Tliis is spelt out on in LSB-intenial circular only and does not necessarily apply 
to any other govenmient agencies you deal \vidi. (See also appendix 2) ' 



c) Make evidence 

Keep every shred of paper right from the start (pay slips, memos etc.) Take notes aboutwhatwas 

said in meetings with management. If possible always take a friend to 

diose meetings. 

If you want to quit, no matter what your contract says, 14 days notice is all that is required, 

although - theoretically — an "unavoidable" reason is required. (Ait. 627 Civil Code)* 

d) Speak Japanese when dealing with officials, or bring somebody who does. [Readers have commented 
that tliis should be understood, but you'd be surprised how many people speak enough Japanese even afi:er 
years in the country.] 

e) Always appear to be open to discussion (you can always be stubbom when negotiating). 

f) The sooner you start action, the higher are your chances of success. 



Labour Union Law, Art. 7 

Unfair Labour Practice: The employer shall be for-bidden to carry out the following practices: 1) 
To discriminate against a worker by reason of his being a member of a labour union, having 
tried to join or organize a labour union, or having per-formed official acts of a labour union; 
(...) 2) To refuse collective bargaining without (...) fair and appropriate reason; 3) ... )* 

Constitution of Japan, Art. 28: The right of workers to organr^e and bargain and act colkctirefy isg 



Minimum Conditions 

These should be ensured before you start work (some of these are legal minima, others just sensible): For 
details get books 10, 18 in appendix 1. 

a)Sa]aiy 

Immigration guidelines stipulate a minimum salary for foreign employees. This varies for 

different visa categories (Humanities 250,000 ¥, Entertainer 200,000 ¥, generally not less 

than a Japanese in a similar position would receive). 

Your salary must be paid at least once a month on a specified day (Art. 24 LSL). A lot of 

companies have a penalty system whereby, if you are late or break some work-rule they fine you 

a certain amount (classic case here: NOVA). This is perfectly legal, under certain conditions: 

[5] 

- the fme for each single "offense" may not exceed half a day's wages and altogether the fines per 
month may not exceed 10% of your pay (Art. 91 LSL); 

- It is you, who must pay the fme. That means, it is illegal to withhold any part of your contractual 
wages for penalties. They must pay you in full first, you then pay the fine! (Art. 16, 24 LSL)* 
Again the maximal criminal sanction against employers: 5,000 ¥^ 

b) Decent hours 

Most hallway decent schools do not require you to teach more then 25 hours per weeck unless you 
want to. If you value your sanity, you probably won't. 

c) Short travel time 

After you have been on the Yamanote line at 8 am you know what is meant by "Tokyo densha- 
shock". Some schools dispatch you to company classes that require long travel times. Most places do 
not pay you for time spent on trains. At lEC, for example, the travel and waiting time per day can 
easily add up to 3 hours. IPEC paid something like 1,500 ¥/hr., if your travel time exceeded 90 
minutes. 

d) Transportation Allowance 

It is customar^r in Japan to cover all travel expenses of employees. Mr. Nevins in his book^ 
recommends a contractual limit of about 20,000 ¥. How far does tliat get you, if you live in Cliiba or 
Saitama travelling to Yokohama on a daily basis? Bad example: Japan Concept Corp, only pays travel cost 
from their office to the client. Since JCC is in Shibuya and most of their clients are in the city you loose 
quite a bit here. (Their pay isn't tliat great eitlier and hours minimal.) Hitotsubaslii Gaigo completely 
refuses to pay travel for part-timers (just about everybody there). 

e) Health Insurance 

Everybody in Japan for a year or more must have health insurance cover. The Health Insurance Law 
requires employers to pay half the insurance cost for full-time employees. (For a variety of reasons, many 
foreigners are cheated out of tliis). There are two types of health insurance: 



National insurance (Kokumin Kenko Holxn) from your ward/city /prefectural office, which covers 
70% of actual costs for medical treatment. You are eligible to get this insurance the day you receive your 1- 
year resident visa. For tlie first year you will be assessed at the minimum rate (around 1,400 ¥ per 
month). After one year the rate is 107% of the amount of resident (ward/city) tax you paid for the 
previous year. If you paid local tax, expect a big bill (about 5% of your income). You can pay in installments. 
This also includes your contribution to the Employees' Pension Insurance System* (Kokumin 



*) Not much of a chance that you ever get anything out of the pension tiind, since it only pays to Japanese citizens and foreigners 
residing in Japan, after a minimum 25 year's of contributions. (Siirce 1991 tire Japanese Government negotiates an agreement ^vith 
Germany [®Ott't IllCtttiOtt t\)t 36ltt*!fl with the aim of making each others citizens eligible for payments from each other's pension 
funds.) 

Company Health Insurance. Every company having 10 or more full-time employees must 
have its own health insurance plan. These plans usually cover more (90%) of your cost than 
public insurance, but the choice of doctors may be limited. You still may have to join the 
pension fund (Kosei Nenkin). Ask your Company for details. 

At Kanda Language Institute tlie teachers' union has struck a deal whereby the company supplies a basic healdi 
plan (no dental coverage) with payments towards a sever-ance package instead of a pension fimd, resulting in 
savings for employees (up to 30,000 Y/mdi.) and the company (low pre-miums). 

[6] 

You may tliink health insurance is a waste of money, since you are healdiy and are only going to be here 

for a year or two. Consider this: Recently a French Student (on 6- mondis cultural visas, wliich he had 

extended), was assaulted by some punks with knives outside a convenience store near his home. He 

was severely injured and spent two weeks in hospital. The total bill for operations, medicine and 

care came to almost 8 million Yen (Asahi Evening News, 15.7.92) 

Japanese doctors also have the nasty habit of charging people without insurance a lot more tlien 

normal. 

f) Sick pay 

In some companies you will get paid sick days (usually 4-6; or based on seniority), in others you 
have to use your paid holidays or don't get paid at all.** 

**) ILO (International Labour Organisation) convention No. 56 from 1936 bans this practice world-wide. Tlie Japanese government - 
although a meinber of ILO - never bothered to implement this convention. 

g) Overtime 

Legally you are entitled to 125% of your regular rate for overtime. The law is a bit ambiguous 
as to when overtime starts. Art. 32-1 LSL5 "An employer shall not have a worker work more 
than 44 hours per week ..." (quite a few exceptions to this; usually based on written agreement 
with the union or somebody else representing the majority of workers...; in full force from fiscal 
1994). What is not clear is, if you are contracted to work, say, 35 hours, at what rate those 5 
hours difference are to be paid. NCB was trying to avoid overtime pay this way. I have seen a 
contract that stipulated 1,250 ¥ per hour overtime (Asia University) which is way below the 
regular p^. Bi-lingual's office staff, who eam approx. 1,450 ¥/hr., are expected to work 1 hour 
overtime a day unpaid, and receive 800¥/hr. for additional overtime worked! 

Their are currently several plans before the Diet, trying to reduce weekly hours to 40 and increasing 
overtime pay. Business has been lobbying against these changes and there is a fair chance, that 
whatever changes will be implemented will have minimal impact or delay improvements. (Who 



owns Japanese politicians anyway?) 

h) Holidays 

The Standard Japanese holidays are about one week aiDund New Year (usualyDec. 27 to Jan. 3), a few 
days during "Golden Week" in May, and up to one week in August for O-Bon. A lot of companies 
pay their salaried employees (read: Full-timers) on top of your normal paid holidays. Rip-off warning 
Some schools designate "company holidays" exactly in these periods, not paying you at all or requiring you 
to use your paid holidays tlien (e.g. Bi-lingual). You are entitled to 10 paid holidays (+ 1 for each years' 
Service, up to 20) per year (Art. 39 LSL). There are some exceptions to this rule until 1994, but those 
should not apply to you. Part-timers are eligible to a cortEspondingpeirenfage (based on a 6-day week). 

i) Additional benefits 

The best benefit package I have been offered at an interview (conducted by Tom Flynn) so far was by 
Kurdyla. Apart from various pension and Insurance schemes, you get free lunch (and reasonable pay). I 
was surprised to hear tliat these schemes, especially the health/travel package by Nissan Fire & 
Marine are quite ineffective - not to say useless - within Japan. In at least one case Kurdyla - illegally - 
threatened an employee to witlidraw sponsorsliip for her visa unless she provided certain information. 
One employee in Osaka had his visa refused, since tlie contract offered did not meet minimum 
standards. It may therefore be quite a good idea to carefiiUy check what you are really offered. 

m 

Language Schools - Wages and Conditions 

This list shows conditions offered by some schools. It is mainly based on a survey I conducted 
in July 1992 and data published in "Teaching English Abroad" 1991''' and can therefore be 
inaccurate or obsolete in some points. Schools where no city is mentioned are headquartered in 
the Greater Tokyo area. Where two numbers for working hours are given, the first one refers to all 
hours, the second to contact hours, other- wise contact hours only. 

ATP, 250-310,000 ¥/mlli i/% 4,000 ¥p/t, only 5 hoKdays iii first year 

ALA, 5,500 ¥ p/t, main Company Business is telemarketing 

ALC Institute, 250,000 ¥, 5 days 6-10 pm, "live-in"classes, sucks 

Asia Universit)f,l 5,000 to 25,000 US|/yr., 271,900 ¥, 20 hrs./wk., US luring 

ASA**, from 2,500 ¥/lir., major labour problems and court cases in the past; 

strict non-fraternization policy; 150-1- teachers, hired through KKj\SA staff 

centre; see note below Aspect, salarj' varies, 25-30 hrs./wk. ATTY, Osaka, up 

to 11,800 ¥/day (!), hours; daily 13.30 to 20.15 BerUtz, 250,000 Y/mth., 

20 hrs./wk., a lot more if you are keen 

Bi-lingual, 250,000 Y/mtli., 95 hrs./mth., 3,200 Y/hr. part-time, 

unionizing 

for JTs 200,000 Y/mtli., from 1,900 Y/hr., more on them belo"w 

California Lang Inst, 250,000 Y/mtii., 30 hrs./wk. 

Die, 5,000 Y/hr. p/t Dream, Kasltigaya, 3,300 Y/hr. p/t 

EGG, 240,000 Y/mtli., 20 hrs./wk, 136 branches 

ELEG, 378,000 Y/mth. for senior teachers, approx.20 hrs./wk, unionized 

English Academic Researcli, 30 US$/hr. 

English Gircles, Sapporo, 290,000 Y/mth., 35 hrs./wk 

Evergreen, 280,000 Y/mdi., daily 15.00 to 21.30 Fies, 230,000 Y/mth., 30 

hrs./"wk. "no experience necessary" 

Gakken White House, 250,000 Y/mth., 280,000 Y/mth. with i\L\ 

Institute f. Intl. Studies, Fujinomiya, 260,000 Y/mdi., 3 to 4hrs. daily 

Interac, 250,000 Y/mtli., 20 lirs./wk. split sliifts, see related section below 

Interlang, up to 4,000 Y/hr., run by a Frenchman witii a horrendous 



reputation Int. Education Ctr., 369,000 ¥/nith. + bonus semi-annually 

lES, Tokyo & Osaka, 3 million/yr., pay and hours fluctuate greatly, US hiring, 

Sucks 

ILC, 350,000 ¥/mtii., 24 hi-s./wk. 

ISS, from 3,000 ¥/lTr. 

Heans, Chilaa, 250,000 ¥/mth, 19 hrs/wk. 

James, Sendai, 250,000 ¥7mdi., 18 hrs./wk. 

Kanda, up to 8 miBion/yr., 17 lirs./wk, oldest operative gaijiii-uiiion in Japan, 

sadly by now a goyo-kumiai 

Kirby Gakkuin, 250,000 ¥7mlli., 20 hrs. 

Kumon, 4,000 ¥/hr. p/t "nursing experience prefer-able" 

Linguarama, 3,000 ¥/hr., at an interview 1 felt treated like a piece of dirt 

LIOJ, Odawara, 329,000 ¥7mlh., 20 hrs. 

Matsuka Phonics Inst, 6,000 ¥/hr. p/1, 100% health insurance, no paid 

holidays Matsudo Institute, Matsudo, 220,000 ¥/mth., 30 hrs./wk 

Matty's, Yokosuka, 1.5 rmllion/yr. (!), 40 hrs./wk.C) 

MIL, Yachiyo-shi, from 250,000 ¥7mth., 40,25 hEi./\\t 

Mobara Institute, Mobara, 250,000 ¥7mth., 33hrs./wiL 

[8] 

NCB, 250,000 ¥/mth., 23 hrs./wk., conditions to worsen, unionization 

failed because of certain wimps. 

NOVA, part-time 225,000 ¥7mfli., 20 lirs./wk; foll-tme 290,000 ¥, lots of 

hours 

QE, 2.9 milHon/yr., 33 liis./wk 

Rio Grande Uni, 360,000 ¥/mth., unionized 

Seilia, Fukuoka, 250,000 ¥/mlh. 

Shane, Funabashi, 3.3 million/yr., 25-30 hrs./wk. 

Simul, 320,000 ¥/mfli. 

Sundai, 3.3 miUion/yr. 

TFLC, 400,000 ¥7mtli., 20 hrs./wk. .unionized 

TCLC, nationwide, from 3,500 ¥/hr. part-time 

Tokyo Language Inst., 5,000 ¥/hr. part-time, placement in high schools 

TOEFL Academy, 3.1 to 8.1 million/yr., 6,000 Y/hr. P/T, 20-40 hrs./wk. (!) 

Trendy House, 2,500 ¥/hr., if you are lucky; 20 lirs./wk., said to be 

pleasant 

Ways Women's College, 5.5 miUion/yr. 

WIN, Osaka, 215,000 ¥/mfli. 

Yamate YMCA, from 250,000 Y/mth., 40,22 

*) Although AIT has a liistory of treating employees badly, they "were the first school to iiespond to my survey. 
**) ASA was unable meet their payioll sever-al times in summer 92. (May: 3 days late, June: 29! days late, July: 10 days late). 
The personnel manager, T. GabrieH, tried to interfere with a union meeting (July 22nd) and later alleged to police fliat 
he had been beaten up in the process, six witnesses say he "wasn't, hi a phone intervie"w on 18.8.92 an amicable Mr. Gabrieli 
had "no comment". (Afterthought: The Australian Builders Labourer's Federation - before it "was banned used to take 
bolt-cutters to amputate Supervisors' toes in cases like that) Apparenfly ASA reached an agreement "with its bank suspending 
servicing of debts for 6 months in Oct.92, if you stiU "work there you know ho"w long you have to save your atse. 

Dismissals, Non-extension of Contract and Changes of Conditions Without 

Consuhations 

A non-extension of the contract is tantamount to being fired, Japanese lawyers (and recently, courts) 
treat it the same way and you can follow the procedures outlined below. 

Tokyo District Court ruled on 31.3.1992, that a worker on a one year contract can expect it to 
be extended. In this particular case, the school claimed to have sufficient reason to dismiss the 
teacher since he had been late 10 dmes during one year, absent for 13 days, and - the all time 



favourite'- student's parents had compkined. The naling clearly states - and the Company admitted - 
that non-extension is equal to firing. The full Japanese text of this decision, which sets an 
important precedent, can be found in Rodo Kijun Koobo, 3rd. Vol., 11. May 1992, page 20 fif * 

*) A collection of tiaiislated Japanese couit nilings in labour niatteis exists at tlie "Gould Collection o Japanese 
Labour Cases" of tlie Contemporary japan Center, University of Essex, England. Tliey are not 
particularly forthcoming widi assistance inquiries, though. 

Faeces 

Some comments made by former teachers: "The oimen did not care about teachers or students, they onh) cared about 
mmg."; "I was nwMng there for 4 jean part-time andneier receiied the pa^rise promised when I started."; "hike in South America, 
teachers often sud-denJy disappeared without any trace. There was never any explanation... "; "After I had received my last pay- 
packet, ...H. [the manager] came up to me, demanding 1 50,000 ¥ in damages, since the husband of a student...had called and 
threatened she would quit the sclmol because of me. ' ' 

[9] 

Sometime in May 1991 I was hired at Faeces by the then - manager, Liz, under the following 
conditions: starting salary 250,000 ¥ to rise by 20,000 ¥ after 2 or 3 months, 30 hours per week, 
work at the three (out of five) branches closest to my home, attend 12 hours of unpaid "training". 
When I finally got down to actually working there, Liz had quit and a Japanese become managet, 
with me ending up being sent to far-away branches like Yokohama thrice a week. Since I needed 
my visa renewed pretty soon I kept quiet, but pushed H. for a written contract; in this they 
offered 230,000 ¥ and 30 hours/5 days per week in far-away places. It took me 2 hours of hard 
negotiating to get the previously promised conditions. For about 3 months things were reasonably 
satisfactory, with only minor problems regarding under-p^ment of wages (16,000 ¥ one month). 



Wage Calcvilation Sheet 



Part of the contract at Faeces was a "Wage Calculation" sheet, that stipulated the calculation of wages, 
in case one did not work the full complement of hours (incidentally, no mention was made as to the rate 
at which overtime was to be paid). It was formulated so confusingly, that the LSB figured out eight 
different ways of calculating my salary for May. hi the worst imaginable scenario four missed hours 
could have cost me 62,500 ¥. 

Talking to various other teachers about working conditions yielded similar little problems. Not 
being a person who takes tliis kind of tiling lying down, 1 had to com-plain on several occasions. Then, as 
1 anived for work one day (a "meeting" had been scheduled on my day-plan) H. told me:"Well 
let's keep this short - you are fired. ... Sign here and we give you two weeks termination pay." 

^\lthough not fiilly aware of Japanese labour law at this stage, 1 knew that 30 days notice or 30 days 
termination pay are the legal minimum (Art. 20 LSL)^. Only showing them a copy of it convinced 
tliem. They wanted to pay this over two months. This again violated the LSL (Art. 23, gives 
errployers seven days for a iinal settlement). They also refiised to issue a "letter of release" [Art. 22 
LSL], claiming in an unsigned letter, that the Immigration Department had advised them to do 
so (wliich was a lie, of course). About two months before that, another teacher, Sarah, had been fired. 
The statement she gave to help me widi my court case says it all: 

STATE OF WASHINGTON COUNTY OF KING 

1. I, Sarah K., being first duly sworn on oath depose and 



say: I am a US citizen, over 21 years of age, and competent 
to serve as a witness in this matter. I make this statement 
on personal knowledge. 

2. I worked for F. from November 1990 until Jury 1991. I 
began working full-time in February and I was told I would 
receive a raise to 250,000 Yen after three months. When I 
did not receive the raise when it came due in May, I spoke 
with the Manager, Liz, who had Just quit working at F. She 
said I was due the raise and I should talk to H., the head 
receptionist. H. told me I had had a bad teacher evaluation 
and that I would begin receiving the raise next month which 

I did. 

[10] 

3. Everything was fine during June but in July F. suddenly 
began changing my schedule. I had a meeting with H. to find 
out why. She told me the receptionist had given me bad 
evaluations and she showed me the evaluations. Two 
receptionists had given me a "B" and two, including herself, 
had given me a "C" . 



4. When I asked why I was given "C's" she became very vague. 
She said some students had refused to take my classes. I 
asked which students. She said young, very low level 
students who had been coming to the school for 2 or 3 years 
had complained that my classes were boring. I found this 
Strange for two reasons: (1) F. does not have any young 
students who are still low level after attending the school 
for 2 or 3 years, and (2) I got along very well with the 
beginning level students. H. also said that these students 
preferred to take classes from two other teachers, whom she 
named. The teachers were the two most popular teachers in 
the school. 

5. I was also told that one of the receptionists had 
complained that I used the wrong level of materials in 
class. Because of its interest level, some of the material 
in the more advanced books is used with students of all 
levels by most of the teachers. Obviously, a receptionist 
should not be making Judgements on what a teacher does in 
class. 

6. I asked if I was going to be fired and H. said no. I asked 
if I should be looking for another job. She said, no because 
if F. should ever decide to fire me they would give me two 
weeks severance pay. 

7. Everything seemed to be worked out but one week later I was 
let go. This time H. told me that a receptionist had 
complained that I wasn't putting enough energy into work. 
When I asked what that meant she told me I was arriving at 
the school only 15 minutes before class began. My contract 
stated I had to be in the school at least 10 minutes before 
class time. 

8. I asked the particular receptionist about this and she 



was upset. She said she had not complained and had in fact 
given me a good evaluation. 

9. I was given the choice of not coming into work the next 
day and being deemed fired or working into the next week and 
being considered Frasquito's so I could get a favorable 
letter of release. I continued to work until the, next 
week. I was paid in full for the time I worked but I was 
not given the promised severance pay. 

[Thanks again for that one, Sarah] 

I suppose this has given the reader a fair idea what was going on there. Sometime during the week after I 
was fired, an article in the Asahi Evening News announced a seminar on "Foreign Workers 
Rights" to be held. At this event a lawyer gave some enlightening hints about how to use your 
rights as a worker in Japan (the biggest surprise being, that you actually do have rights). If 
you read about a similar event in the future - attend! Even if you have no trouble now, the 
knowledge gained will help you some other time. 



Some unorthodox advice I was given while I kept fighting: 

- get a couple of Iranians in Yoyogi park and let tliem beat up the boss;- 

- hire some Yakuza (the problem is that you don't know wliich way they will fiick you over); 

- rent a right-wingers' sound truck and have them set up shop in front of the school. According to 
die Japan Times some of die smaller groups are available from 20,000 ¥ per day. 

[11] 

The first step to take, if you have trouble at your Job or simply do not like some conditions, get in 
touch with NUGW-KTUF at 3-21-7 Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Fax (03) 3433-0334, Tel. (03) 3434- 
0669 (EngUsh spoken, if you are lucky), for advice. Unfortunately, some of the people that took 
over after Ben Watanabe's retirement seem to take their basic philosophy irom Hobbes and not 
Kropotkin as one would expect from cooperative enterprise. Another union that will render 
assistance mainly in Japanese, and which is a bit better organized is "Tokyo Union", Dogenzaka 1-19- 
10 4F, Shibuya-ku, Phone (03) 3770-3471, Fax 3770-0874. They also have phone hotlines every 3 
months or so. Also try to talk to others about it and organize your workplace. Unity is strength! 

Unions are most effective before you have been fired; afterwards it may not be in their best 
interest to fijlly support you. 

Secondly, if you need some sort of redress against your employer, the official Japanese place to go 
to is the Labour Standards Bureau (LSB); they are supposed to help you (don't count on it, 
though). The LSB is organised on a regional basis (by prefecture, with sub-districts). You first 
must find out which office is in charge of the area in which your employer's main office is 
registered. This is the only branch that will deal with your case. 

Two wamings about them: (1) unless you are lucky enough to deal with the Tokyo main 
branch, they speak Japanese only; (2) they are slow and that means reeeal slow. Also, they work 
in a very Japanese, consensus-seeking way. They are the only govemment agency that has legal 
enforcement powers, but official policy is not to use them unless absolutely necessary. Don't expect too 
much help. 



The best way to deal widi the LSB might be to make a written complaint (in Japanese, make sure the 
translation is flawless). If the official in charge of your case thinks it is wordi his while, a date for a hearing 
will be set to which your employer is "invited". In case you also attend, bring an interpreter and all 
information you have against them. This official will then produce a final report about 6-8 weeks later, in 
which your complaint may be tumed down or your employer will be "advised" to improve things (a bit of the 
old "administi^ative guidance" here). As a mle, the LSB will not help you to get you your job back, nor 
determine if your dismissal was justified; for that you have to sue for unfair dismissal and breach of 
contract. The whole process is radier tedious, but having their report makes a good impression, 
especially if you really go to court. 

Tlie only area where tlie LSB is very effective is, if you have been fired/ dismissed/made 

redundant/given the boot etc. and your (former-) Company refuses to pay termination pay (minimum 30 

days) or out- standing wages. In that case tiiey will come down on the Company like a ton of bricks. Labour 

Inspectors have the same enforcement powers as the poHce in their field [Ast. lOl.lOZLSL]^. 

Another office that mediates, but has no enforcement powers is Rosei (currently only in Tokyo-to, 

Saitama, Kanagawa and Osaka-fu). Apparendy they can be quite [12] effective as mediators (Not if 

your Company refiises to talk, though. Then stronger tactics are necessary). For addresses, dieir foreign 

language phone service (English, Korean, Chinese in Tokyo) and other information see appendix 4. If tiiey 

cannot help you, they will send you to somebody who can.. 

The Nagoya City Hall also seems to run a similar service, although no details are available (Phone: 052- 

972-3193/9?) 

If you have formed a union at your place of work and your employer engages in unfair labour practices 
(Art. 7 LUL) or refuses collective bargaining the place to take your grievances are the Labour Councils. 
For details call NUGW, Tokyo Union, Rosei or your local LSB.- 

Lawyers 

If you want your job back or at least decent compensation* you must sue your Company. Either for breach 

of contract (Civil Code) or unfair dismissal (Labour Law). You can sue the day after you have received your 

notice, although you might first want to collect your last pay, termination pay** (30 days) and file a 

complaint with the LSB or Rosei. Once more: The sooner you Start action the higher your chances of 

success! 

The next step would be hiring a competent lawyer. Ideally he*** should satisfy the following conditions: 

- located near die court m question; 

- speak English (or whatever else your native tongue happens to be); and 
-be cheap. 

For information on the first two conditions contact KTUF, Tokyo Union, me or the relevant numbers listed m 
the back (App. 4). The price might take some shopping / around. Do not accept any lawyer that wants 
any kind of up-front payment In my case 1 paid 20% of die compensation the court ordered paid to me as 
fee, the lawyer spoke excellent English, having served over ; 30 years as legal adviser to the US base in 
Yokosuka. Apparendy there are |apanese-,only Speakers who work for a 10% cut. Certain embassies liave 
been known to suggest lawyers that take such cases on a pro-bono basis 

*) You can expect tiom about halt a million up to one years' salaty. 

**) Tltey must pay you witlim 7 days (Ait. 23 LSL) 

***) My apologies to all radical teminists, but there are almost no temale la^vyers in tins country. 



If you still have not read the relevant books on Labour Law etc. (esp. numbers 6, 8, 10, 18 in 
appendix 1) do it now! 

The first tiling your lawyer will do for you is to send a le tte r to your (ex-)employer, explaining his view of 
the story and advismg diem to some legal points regarding labour and/or civil law, or simply inviting them 
for a "chat" to his office. Apparendy about half the companies contacted this way chicken out there and 
then. This happened with one of the schools discussed in greater detail below, three times early in 1992 
in Osaka. The Company then either pays some compensation for unfair dismissal or rehires you (see 
related section NCB), in which case they pay your lawyer's fees. 

A short warning: Do not expect quick results. You should have another job or substantial fiinds lined up. 

If It comes to a fight it will take at least 3 months, possibly much longer (remember die Minamata victims - 

it started in 1959, final claims were setded in 1991. This kind of thing often just turns out to be an 

endurance test 

[13] 

Court 

If you really want your Job back, first try and get an injunction forcing your employer to re -hire you 
at least temporarily. (If you get re -hired wind them up enough, so they 
will be glad to pay you off...) 

Before your case actually reaches a court you will have to go through some kind of mediation You 
should attend all Hearings (expect a minimum of 4), well dressed; with an interpreter, if necessary. 
Try to be the innocent victim. Bear in mind the fol-lowing: 

- One year employment contracts are not meant to be broken by either party, altiiough in 
practice employees get away with it; 

- - Most employers will argue that you were unbearable for some reason. Either because students 
complained about you, or you were late (see related section "Toms"), or you did not follow 
Orders. The argument against all this is, that it is the employer's duty to train and "guide" you 
appropriately. (Confucian ethics (jA^A^^/^aj are coming in here. Loyalty of subordinates in exchange 
for benevolence from superiors. For more read book 26.) 

- If it is necessary to lie through your teeth, do it! (But make sure they caimot prove olherwise) 

- - No holds barred! You are fighting some-one who has grown rich by exploiting you (by paying often 
ridiculously low wages; e.g. Matty's, Nouvelle Ecole, ATT\') and 

the students (by charging outrageous fees for lessons). 

The Japanese Court System for Civil Matters 

A diagram on the next page gives a short overview of tlie System. If your case gets as far as the 
District Court expect to be in it for the long mn. Example: Early in 1992, the Supreme Court ruled, 
that the dismissal in of a worker at Hitachi for refusing to work overtime in 1967 was justified. 

Some quirks in the Japanese legal system: 

- There is no legal requirement to have a lawyer at any stage in the court system. 

- An award of legal costs never includes lawyers' fees; these have to be settied by each party at 

their own expense. 

- The presence of a party at a hearing is not required. In cases of no-show the court will accept 

the written pre-trial submissions of the non-appearing party as evidence. If both parties do 
not attend, the court will deem the suit to have been withdrawn, unless either party files a 



Statement to die contrary within 90 days. 



Supieme Qitut 

Saikosaibansho, ft ^ ^ #!J 0f 



■^fit^-f<tfj^y..frwt,ivr*i i-i n i.mfi: ■ > ■-■ ■> ■yi'ii^^yv^ W 



T vV 



! High Courts (8) ' j 

I Kootoosaibansho,^ ^ M. ^\ ^ 



I 



t _ ...J 

Family Courts (507| [Districi (Ziiiirts (50, 1 
242 branches) H 242 j 

Katcisaibansho, i ibranches};Chihosaib: 



' >>3^-■r .»« 



— i 



an-sho 




I 575 Summary Courts I 

iKan'isaibarnho.DlS ^ ^ l^j Bf for quick scttkmcnB! 
'I and small cUinu up to 900,000 ¥.{Or if >wu vioLace the J 
^ Polidcal Funds Connioi Law) 



The following section is kept deliberately short, since conditions in each case and location will vary 
widely. Your first time in a Japanese court wiU certainly come as a surprise to you, particularly if you have 
ever been m a Western court before. 

My first two (mediation) Hearings were in a room, tliat looked like a store room, which had not been 
painted for 20 years. The judge was dressed very informally. You and the opposing party will present 
your arguments altemately, whilst the others are wait-ing in the hall. This will be repeated several 
times over through several hearings until the judges decide. 

[14] 

In my case an unusually quick decision was reached after four hearings within 3 months. A rough 
translation of the main points of the final decision: 

Case number etc. - 

Names and addresses of opposing parries - 

1. The respondent is herewith ordered to pay the plaintiff 220,000 ¥, in addition to this for 

months of Feb. through May 1992, 110,000 ¥ each montii. Payable on die last day of each 

month. 

2; The contract between the parties is dissolved 

3; The respondent has to bear all costs. - Given by... 
^\nd I Hved happily ever after ... 



"io ii^iLiifjitirr 
€^npsE rmtr Tvtt 

*) Tins headline has absolutely notliiiig to do "with "what follows. 

NCB-Special 

Sometime in 1986 a group of students com- . plained strongly and repeatedly about what tliey perceived as 
decline in the quality of instmction at NCB. Management ignored these complaints completely. At least 
one of the people involved (a Todai law Student), who had taken about 200 lessons up to this stage, filed a 
complaint with the Japanese version of die Better Business Bureau. NCB was ordered to refund a large 
part of his tuition. Unlike in other companies, it appears, that NCB's management has learned 
from this incident and they are now engaging in negotiations with teachers, who are opposing the current 
(July 92) attempt to worsen working conditions. In this process a union was formed, their demands 
being ratiier moderate (e.g., certain guaranteed overtime rate, no increase in hours). At the time of this 
writing die negotiations drag on. This union itself is quite tame.**" Only time will tell if diey can resist 
management stalling tactics and achieve something. 

**) My advice to the Devils Advocate: Ho^v about descending to the Hell of labounng at a building site m Australia or the US East Coast 
for a crash course m effective industrial action? Tliere are situations ^vhere it is "worth it to "walk out over a burnt-out light-bulb. 

[15] 

A bit of trivia: While NCB is trying to reduce overheads by worsening conditions for employees, 
tlieir business forecast predicts a 10% increase in profits for this year. Earlier in 1992, NCB had tried 
to force at least two teachers to leave the company. In one case tliey succeeded, mainly because the 
person concerned did not have the will to stay in Japan and fight back. He is now working in a 
coffee-shop in New York. In tlie other case, the employee concerned took action against the company 
and when given the choice opted for reinstatement. She is now being constandy harrassed by 
management for minor things ("dresscode" violations etc). Apparently students are deliberately misled 
by NCB salespeople (The cute girlies you see in most major book shops), when they sign on for 
lessons ("All our teachers have A L\s.") 

November update: The tameness of the union, which I mentioned when I wrote the section above 
5 months ago, also led to its demise. When the union decided to go on a 1 hour strike after 
management refused to negotiate honestly witii them, only 40 % of die teachers participated. The rest 
was afraid to "offend management" - Thats what striking is all about you twats! The "Devils' 
Advocate" then turned into the devil and offered to management to form a compliant union of 
slimeballs, which never got of the grounds. Various cases against NCB are presently pending 
before the Labour Commission and in court. 

Tom's (Roppongi) 

[recentiy renamed to Camel] As a restructuring measure, the management of Tom's decided to cut back 
the number of fiall-time teachers they employed. They were therefore looking for reasons to fire 
people. Wlien Claw, who had been working there for about 2 years, turned up late one day, 
management had found its reason ("constant tardiness"). They sacked him with -rather generous - 
two months notice. He felt treated unfairly, since it had been for the first time in quite a long time that 



he had been late. Claw sought some advice, found a competent lawyer, who proceeded to write Tom's a 
letter explaining the legal situation. The school settled by paying 500,000 ¥ compensation. The 
management certainly learned its lesson from this incident; these days, if they want to get hd of 
somebody, they pay substantial amounts of hush-money and throw in visa-sponsorship. IVtliich certainly 
did give me ideas] 

A Hiroshima University 

An ^\merican lecturer, who had been teaching there for 13 years, was fired by the university president. 
The lecturer alleged that her dismissal was overly racist. The court handling die case agreed after 
21/2 years of deliberations and die universit)' had to pay a large amount of compensation. The trustees, 
who administer tliis university were so embarrassed by this judgement, that they forced the president, who was 
seen as the main cause of this embarrassment, to resign (Managers beware!) 

"The Cup o' Noodle Diet" 
International Education Service (lES) 

Some quotes: "I wound up a temporary pauper."; "I have perfected the art of liiing cheaply in Japan, and at this point 

I could survive on a desert island. "; "The planners at lES should be the first against the wall when the revolution 

comes. " 

lES has about 60 teachers in Tokyo and 20 in Osaka. It is mn by two Japanese women in 

conjunction witli their foreign husbands. 

[16] 

One of them, Mr. Malian, was quoted in the April 1992 issue of the Japan International Journal 

as follows: "Malian cites lack of both initiative and business experience as shortcomings 

common to most foreign teachers arriving in Japan the first time."* lES hires most of dieir 

teachers in the US. These teachers usually have no business experience when they come to Japan 

for the first time on lES' invitation. So much for that.. 

*) Otlieis ascnbe to Imn quotes like "ciybaby" aiid "aisehole". 

Wlien people are hired at tliis Company they are given vague verbal promises regarding help with housing, 
flight home etc. Most employees complain about broken promises or delayed payments especially with 
regards to housing/hotel expenses. Transportation is paid from the head office to the client only. Most 
new teachers receive only a tiny salary (well below 200,000 ¥) for the first few months. At that time most 
of them are struggling to repay debts incurred for paying key-money as well as paying their biUs (lES does 
sub-let apartments to some teachers; it appears to me, that this is done in a way whereby the company 
makes a profit on deposit and/or key-money). Standard practice seems to be the "starving out" of 
teachers (by giving them a minimal amount of hours), if they complain. (Example: One teacher had 8,000 
¥/wk. to kve on; another lost 35 lbs. because he could not afford any food apart from Cup o' Noodles). 
Another management practice along the same lines, is to hold on to teachers' money as long as possible 
by delaying payment for expenses, plane tickets etc. People were actually forced to teach on the day their 
flight left, before receiving their tickets. Contracts included illegal indemnity clauses (Art. 16 LSL), 
stipulating fines of 200,000 ¥. The Company deducts "compulsory housing insurance" from teacher's 
pay against their wiU, thereby violating Art. 24 and 26 LSL. From the material I have it would be possible 
to go on for several more pages, but I think I have given any reader a pretty good idea about one place 
you certainly would not warn to work for.- 

Recently lES has been advertising in The Ticonomist for staff (Unable to spell their own address 
right. But that's just by the way). Apparendy their reputation is too bad by now to hire locally. 



Song Frank Zappa:" J J J Wke up and make 
a decision - be a moron and keep your posi- 
tion, you oughta know now ... you gonna 
wind up working in a gas station, ... pumping 
the gas every ni^t* ...J J J 

"The Lunatic [Fringe 

in Labour Relations" 

Bi-Iingual Special 



Since my arrival in Japan I have been living with/near people that are/were employed at Bi-lingual. 
Wliile I was compiling Liformation for this booklet, their name kept pop-ping up frequently. I 
therefore have a special interest in this company, especially since there are quite a few things which 
strike me as rather odd: 

Till N^YSIC^ and The Lady 

Bi-lingual was set up in Kyoto 1981 by Ms. Minami (The Lady) and appears to have led the 
existence of your average "Mickey Mouse" school until in the late 80s it expanded suddenly. 
(Where did the cash come from? - Persistent and as yet unsubstantiated rumors have it, that the 
Moonies [Unification Church, To'itsii kyokaij are behind it.) 

[17] 

Art. 5 LSL4: "The employer shall not Force workers to work against their will by means of violence, intimidation, 
imprisonment, or any other unfair restraint on the mental or physical freedom of the workers. 

Art. 117 LSL': "Any person who has violated the provisions of Art. 5 shall be punished with penal servitude not 
less than 1 year but not exceeding 10 years, ... (fines)" ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^m^ ^^^ m 

What is Bi-lmgual? - In short, it is pink. Everything is pink. Walls, curtains, chairs, the semi- 
pornographic ads on the trains, the ribbon. The Lady's dress - all are pink. That is the first thing you 
notice if you go for an interview (The Tokyo Journal had a great report on that around spring 
1991. For a good laugh - get a copy**). When you are finally seated, they first Force you to watch 
the Video. It is about the fabulous success of The Lady having won some insignificant prize, her 
speech etc. It also teils you, that you will learn to bow Japanese-style to your students, apart from 
serving them tea (lest you forget - you are applying for teaching Job not a waiter's). If you are still 
awake after 25 minutes (eyes glowing pinkish) you are supposed to make some witty comment about 
the whole pathetic thing. In case you get hired expect this: 

*) Oi clieckiiig tickets ill a ciiieiiia, foi tliat iiiattei.. 

**) Special gteetings to Miss MiUs. Quote Zappa "I am a monn and this is my wife... we are so dumb, they're lining up at our door... " [moioii: A 
feeble iniiided peisoii or meiital defective who lias a potential mental age between 8 and 12 yeais and is capable of doing repetitive 
wodi iindei supervision. - Webster's 9tli Ed 

b) Company policy, " Standard Schedule of Remuneration" 

Their very short contract contains the 

phrase: "I will raise no objections should I be discharged from Bi-Kngual resulting from a violation of 

company policy." This most certainly infringes on tiie of basic rights of workers, since Rules of 



Employment (called "company policy" in this case) can be drawn up unilaterally by employers and 
die newly hired person has no influence on diem* Before you start working at Bi-ligual, you must 
make yourself available with-in a certain time-frame. Although you are given a monthly schedule, it is 
not possible to refuse additional work within tiiis time-frame, even on the shortest notice. If you 
refuse only once, you will be fired! On the other hand, if you want days off, you must apply for them 
ten days before a new schedule is issued, which can mean up to six weeks in advance. Holidays must 
be applied for 3 months in advance. Before actually starting to teach at Bi-lingual you must attend 
training sessions, which take the best part of a week. The company finally decides, if they want to 
hire you at the end of the "training"; in which case you will be paid 10,000 ¥ for having attended, 
3 months later (!) 

c) Intra-company Organisation 

Teachers are grouped and ranked within die 
Company as follows: 

Foreign Employee Ranking System: 

- Main Foreign Manager, presently J. Crumb 

- - (21) branch head-teachers 

- Level 4: Teachers co-opted by management 

- Level 3: Teacher must apply for this ranking and should do so within 1 year after starting. 

- Level 2: Run-of-the-mill, visa received. 

- Level 1 : In training no visa 
[18] 

Branches are organized m so-called blocks (5 m Tokyo plus cities m Kansai), whereby teachers are assigned 
classes at various schools withm their blocks. 

Bi-lmgual has 21 branches with about 40,000 students within japan, their student per branch ratio is 
therefore much higher than then "ma)or"schools (EGG 1 36/22,800; .\EON 180/30,000). 

d) Evaluation System and Performance 

Bi-lingiial has a System whereby every student evaluates his/her teacher (grades A to D).In THE 
VIDEO they say:"We do not want D grade staff ", read: If you average D, we give you the boot. It is 
doubtful, if this System constitutes an effective way of assessing a teacher's ability. Academic 
research in the US has shown that students, unless trained in assessment and with a proper 
professional background, are incapable of forming an objective judgement of their teacher. At Bi- 
lingual you are also evaluated by head-teacher conferences, which by informed sources have been 
described as "indoctrination sessions." Bi-lingual has a "Quality Control Department" (at least they 
make it clear that you are only a commodity) to figure out the averages. "A"-grade teachers receive a 10% 
bonus on their salary as well as more favourable class-schedules. As of June 1992 more than 44% of Bi- 
hngual's teachers were A-grade. Noticeable is the discrepancy between Japanese nationals, 
averaging 35.33%, as opposed to foreign teachers averaging over 50%. Depending on the location, 
this discrepancy increases to 1 1% vs. 60%. Maybe this has to do with die fact, that the Japanese Teachers 
(JT's in Bi-lingualese) have to slave under conditions even worse than foreigners'. (Bi-lingual part-time 
starting wage for JTs is 58% of the foreigner's rate.) These d^s, according to the mass- 
circulation magazine "Friday", Japanese A-grade teachers receive their performance bonus in the form 
of towels and karaoke-tickets. 

Bi-kngual regularly changes work rules and conditions (usually for the worse) without: consultation and 
agreement of its employ-ees. The normal way is announcement By memo. Quote: 'We are phased to announce the 
folhmng^nijmm mhkh niE make it easierfm^m 6) manag om^da^-to-da)i sdjedubig chalknges. "or "... tav new programmes which ivill 
alhw us to take further steps towards making Bi Engual the best and mostprofismndlmgicg sdml cmpvbae"- Good luck with 



that, But you are still a long way off. 

*) Changes to die Rules ot Employment require the consent of a ma)onty of workers or their union. (Art. 89 to 93 LSL) 

[19] 

Some work mles (quotes from memos): 

- "Effective immediately all Company Class Reports must Be postmarked no later than 16:00 on 
the first of the month." What if the mailbox doesn't get emptied before 5 pm? 

- Envelopes received after the designated deadline will be fined ¥1000/day." I wonder how many 
envelopes have paid the fine? Kurata-san might want to attend some classes at a Better and more 
professional' English school. 

- "The base hours and salary for first year Full-Time Instructors will rise from 81/¥220,000 per mondi 
to 92/¥250,000* respectively. ... Due to the changes mentioned above, you wiU ... attend a meeting ... 
During the meeting you will sign a new contract ... These changes are designed to increase job satisfiiction 
and working conditions." The way this change was handled clearly violates the LSL. The "increased 
. . . working conditions [sic]" amount to a pay-rise of 1 .35 ¥ per hour (!) 

- "Many changes have occurred within the Company in the last year. ... These are attempts to improve 
the quality of our product [sic] while holding down costs; ... I never expected anyone to jump for joy ..." 
Well Air. Crum, how many of these changes have been reached without intimidation (implied tiireat of 
dismissal) and m accordance with Japanese laws (not your personal mtei-pretation of them, by the 
way)? 

- For the final word in tins section agam A-Ir. Crum: "I would like to emphasize that this should be a 
cooperative enter-prise and that we all have mutually beneficial interests, if not tiie same goals. ... 
Now's your chance: put up or shut up." 

Well, Mr. C. missed another solution -Fight back and achieve your goals against intimidating, harassing 
and money-grabbing management. 

*) Tliis was cliaiiged to 95 lioiiis,late 1992; effectively a pay-ciit 

**) Two yeais is die time limitation ou action to be taken under die LSL. 



"ShukanJosei"-A£fair 



Although the details about this are a bit sketchy, it gives you an idea how their management works. Sometime in 
late 1989 Shukan Josei ("Women's Weekly") ran an article on how foreigners (mainly English teachers) had been 
picked up by Japanese girls and what happened afterwards ... Apart from those short stories the picture of each guy 
was shown (about 10 altogether). Amongst those people were four Bi-lingual teachers, who after having been 
recognized by management, were pressured into signing a letter of apology /explanation to the school. So much for 
the freedom of expression, 



If you are reading this as a Bi-lingual teacher: Now's your chance: Don't put up with it - don't 
shut up ! Join die Bi-lingual union and fight back! My recommendation to anybody who has been iked or did 
not get his/her contract extended within the last two years** is: Initiate Iqjd action immediately! 

Late in 1992 Bi-lingual paid compensation to two people, whom they had dismissed (unfairly), to 
the order of 3 million and 750,000 Yen respectively. 

PostScript (Dec. 1992): Apparently a new round of pay-cuts and increased working hours are in 



die making, tliis time including dieir most loyal employees (Level 4). By the time you read diis working 
conditions will dierefore have deteriorated even further. [I always preferred working at Cunnilingual ;-)) ] 

Interac 

Interac (same owners as Selnate) advertises almost every week in the Japan Times for 
"FOREIGN LANGUAGE CONSULT.\NTS". It is mn by a group of Japanese Mormons, winch have 
been described as"tough capitalists". Most clients are companies. According to people inside die 
company hiring practises have changed recently, diey now seem to prefer the just-out-of-college type not 
likely to stay more than a year. Previously the sales pitch of their approx. 45 salesmen was something 
along the lines of:"... and here we have Mr. Smith, Ph.D. mature and very experienced ..." Interac does 
not seem to like long-term employees [20] 

any more. Non-management staff staying longer tend to get forced out. Interac's first major 
corporate client about 14 years ago was a major Japanese steel manufacturer. This steel maker 
has since started to operate its own in-house school, but still kept some of Interac's classes. Quite 
recendy, Interac did not extend die contract of a "consultant", who had been assigned to teach a very 
senior manager of the steel maker. This manager found out about it through a third party, 
assigned one of his assistants to investigate die matter and ultimately had all remaining contracts 
with Interac cancelled. This is a very typical reaction of Japanese corporate clients - they bail out at die 
slightest indication of trouble. (The teacher concerned was taken on by the steel manufacturer on a free- 
lance basis.) According to one of their salesmen, Oxford University Press sued Interac for gross Copy- 
right violations. The case was settled with Interac paying compensation. An apology is also 
supposed to appear in major newspapers. 

Sadly, not a fairy tale: Once upon a time, a group of seven Canadians were hired in L.A. to teach 
English in Japan. After their arrival, they were posted to Gunma, where they cleaned toilets. After 
one month of this, they decided they had enough of it, went to their embassy, who helped two of 
them with tickets home. The others were referred to a lawyer who took the case on a pro-bono 
basis. Their damages suit for ¥ 100 million is currently pending. 

Obituary 

IPEC, the only English school listed on the stock-market went bust on Oct. 13 [1992], with 
speculative debts of 18.6 billion Yen. The owner and liis secretary have disappeared. In case you see 
them, please let them know, diat their friendly neighborhood yaku2a and the MPD would like to talk 
to them .. 

The Life of Brian: Brian, a qualified high-school teacher, arrived in Japan in March 92 and pretty 
soon scored a Job at ASA. Just as his first pay was due, j\SA was "enamntering difficulties, hut trying their best to 
pay their staff". Brian was not stupid enough to believe that. He quit (without being paid until 
much later) and almost immediately obtained anotiier Job - at IPEC. Again, just before pay-day, as he 
came to the office, he found it locked. Brian left Japan after 5 months.... 

Also bust: Lexington - speculative debts from investing in golf-club memberships. Here the 
students fomied an organization trying to get their pre-paid tuition back. The system worked like 
tills: A student signs on for a certain number of lessons (say 200), and pays up-front. Since few people 
have enough ready cash, Lexington got them a loan through a finance company, and collects 
the entire fee at once. The students tiien pay off the loan, while taking lessons. Now Lexington is 
bankrupt and the students still pay the loans.... 



A Todai Law Graduate, who didn't make it 

The National Translation Institute of 

Science and Technology 

[21] 

NATIST - the acronym this institute is known by, was founded in 1967 by Tadashi Koretsune, a graduate 
(class of 1949) of the prestigious law faculty of Tokyo University (where all the corrupt MPs come from), 
a fact of which he is immensely proud. The institute specializes in correspondence training courses for 
aspiring translators. Upon completing the course, students are awarded a professional certificate. NATIST 
does not have the required permission from the Ministry of Education to issue such certifications - in 
short, It IS an illegal operation. Somehow Mr. Koretsune managed to get Ins - rather small - organisation 
affiliated witii UNESCO's translator's organisation, FIT, another fact of which he is immensely proud, 
just about every piece of stationary he puts out alerts you to die fact. So far, so good; if it wasn't for the fact 
that this institute has been technically bankrupt for several years. Jvlr. Koretsune keeps luring and firing 
"instructors", most of whom never get paid in fill or in time (most people leave in disgust). I have met 
people, who were ripped off 12 years ago. The director is a very arrogant and stubborn man and so far 
nobody really has stood up to him. Currently one complamt is pending at the LSB against him. If it will 
get the person the wages owed or force NATIST mto finally admitting bankruptcy is to be doubted. If 
you feel like working at this institute, apply to tiie following address: 3-1-1-705 Ikejiri, Setagiya-ku, Tokyo. [Mr. 
KoiEtsune died in 2001. His organisation had been excluded finm FTT for non-payment of dues in 1999. That 
membeiship has been taken up the jAT, anodier bunch of upti|^it idiots.] 

The Last Word 

Expect a lot more trouble with language schools, as competition increases and more companies get 
into financial difficulties (e.g. ASA, Evergreen) due to excessive overheads (EGG spent roughly 90,000 
¥ per enrolled student on advertising in 1991). Management will try to cut costs. One way will be by 
replacing long-term, experienced teachers on relatively high salaries with newly arrived people most 
of whom have no idea of what is going on. It is tlierefore very important that all employees stick 
together and fight back. You can make the difference. 

Start by doing die following things: 

1) Unionize your place of work. If tiiat is impossible join an independent union. 

2) If you get fired, or do not have your con-tract extended, sue the Company for all they are wotth. 
After tliey have lost several cases they may leam. 

3) Show this booklet to as many people as possible. 

If you work at a shitty place write to me or call. I know, tliat there are many more companies that 
deserve a not-so-honourable mention. 

For additional copies of diis tremendous piece of literature (Cough...), or any questions you migjit have, send a 250 
¥ stamped retum envelope widi a small donation (please), to the address below. 

G.Walt 

[Contact 2005: GermaniaHonyaku@freenet.de] 

[22] 



Appendix 1 
Recommended Reading 

This IS an annotated list of texts that readers might find helpfial. Where, m the main text, I have quoted 
firom the materials below, they are identified by their respective numbers m this list. 

1) Engels, Friederich: Die Lage der arbeitenden Klassen in England (English title: The Condition of the 
Working Classes in England), 1st Ed. 1848, many re-prints in various languages. This book is 

still very relevant to anybody employed for wages today. Amazing parallels. 

2) l^eviRS,Thomas L: Labour Pains and the Gaijin Boss, Tokyo 1984; (The Japan Times) approx. 3,400¥ 

3) Nevins, Thomas} . : Taking Charge in Japan, Tokyo (The Japan Times), 5, 1 50¥ 

Books 2 and 3 are written by a libertarian "expert on Japanese personnel policy and practices." They 
advocate the rutiiless exploitation of workers in the pursuit of profits. Stomach churning - but gives 
you a good idea of how the enemy thinks. 

4) EHS Law BuUetm: Labour Standards Law dr Enforcement Ordinance Thereof, Tokyo 
(Eibun-Horeisha) 1956,1985 Ed 

A mediocre translation of the Japanese Labour Standards Law. At 3,500 ¥ definitely overpriced, but a 
useful reference. One word of warning: Kinokuniya sells currently only the outdated 1985 edition, 
although they told me an updated re-print would be available soon (that was in Sept. 91,1 am still 
waiting). Do not buy the old editions since major changes have been made. Instead obtain number 5 or 
1 0, below. Many other abysmal translations of Japanese laws are available in this "EHS Law BuUetm" series. 

5) Labour Administration Division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government: Pamphlet for Trade Unions, 
Tokyo 1990, 1991 Ed. 

An abridged version of the Labour Standards Law in Japanese and (superb) English. Apart from being 
veryup-to-date the best thing about this booklet is its price: Free at the Tokyo Government Building No. 1, 
31 St floor. 

6) Labour Administration Division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government: The Foreign Workers'Handbook, 
Tokyo 1991 

Again a free booklet in EngKsh and Japanese that covers many critical points in Q & A formal. It also touches 
Immigration regulations. 
6b) Labour Administration of 'the Tokyo Metropolitan Government: The Foreign Workers'Handbook, Tokyo 1992 
An Update on the 1991 edition; some minor changes. The section on Immigration has been replaced by a 
translation ofparts of the LSL. 

7) The Tokyo Journal (8/91): Labour Pains, re -printed in appendix 2, a rich and absolutely essential source of 
information. 

8) Sugeno, Kazuo: Japanese Labour Law, 736 p., Tokyo 1992; University of Tokyo Press 12,360 ¥ 
Legal theory by a slightly pro-management (ex-Ministr)^ of Labour) law professor. Heavy reading. 

9) Kanagawa-ken Labour Administration Office: Guide for Foreign Nationais Working in Japan 

Pretty much the same as 6 with a slightiy different angle. Apparentiy only available in single copies on personal 
application at the Naka-ku ward office, Yokohama; free. 

10) Beck: Labour Laws of Japan, Tokyo 1990, (Institute of Labour Administration) 8,000 ¥ 

The full English text of most labour-related la"ws. Available at: Rosei Bldg, 1-4-2 Higashi Azabu, Minato-ku, 
Fax: 03-3584-1698 
II) Shin Roku Ho, SixNewLaws, Sanseido, 1992, 1050¥ 

12) Sekiguchi, Chie: Zairyu Tokubetsu Kyoka (Special Permission for Residence), Tokyo 1992, Akashi Shoten, 
2060¥ The story of a Bangladeshi- Japanese couple fightmg for the husband's residence permit; with 
general advice. 

In Japanese, English edition planned. 

13) Ventura, Ray: Underground in Japan, London 1992, (Jonathan Cape) £7.99, 2,880 ¥ The story of a 
Filipino Illegal. Excerpts appeared in the TJ 7/92. 

14) Gould, William B.: JapansReshaping of American Labour Law, Cambridge Mass., 1st pb Ed. 1988, 
(MIT Press), 2,760 ¥ 

15) Griffith, Susan: Teaching English Abroad, Oxford 1991, (Vacation Work) The only person to get rieh 
from this book will be the author. 

16) Jones, Stephanie: Working for the Japanese, London, 1991, (Macmillan), 7,220 ¥ 



Mainly concerned with working for Japanese companies in England. Uninspiring. 

16b) Another book with the same title authored by J. and S. Fucini exists in the US. It is concerned with 
working conditions at an American Mazda plant (The Free Press, 1990, 19.95$, 4,190 ¥) 

1 7) Woodiwiss, Anthony : Law, Labour & Society in Japan - From Repression to Reluctant Recognition, 
London 

1992, (Routledge), £35.00, 12,600 ¥ An excellent book, unfortunately overpriced. About 200 pp. 

18) Study Group, Immigration Bureau, Ministry of Justice: Qcf A Employment of Foreign National*, Tokyo 1990, 
1 ,400¥ A bilingual guide that contains all relevant information regardmg immigration rules. It also Usts 
Immigration intemal guidelines for granting a visa. 

18b) Japan Immigration Association: A Guide to Entry, Residence and Registration Procedures in Japan 
for Foreign Nationals, Tokyo 1991, ISBN 4-8178-2004-7, 1 ,500 ¥ Based on the Study Group's text 
more or less the same as 1 8, but revised and slightly more comprehensive. 

19) Osaka Bar Association: Human Rights Handbook for Foreigners in Japan in 18 Languages, Tokyo 
1992, (Akashi Shoten), 4,330 ¥ 

This is not a typo: 18 - mostly Asian - languages, amongst them English, Korean, Burmese, Vietnamese, 
Farsi etc. This book covers every aspect of living in and running into trouble m Japan. It also has a 
comprehensive listing where and how to get assistance. 

20) La Botz, Dan: Troublemaker's Handbook, Detroit 1991, (Labour Notes) ISBN 0-914093-04-5; The title 
says it all. 

21) Parker M. , others: Choosing Sides - Unions and the Team Concept, Boston 1 988, (Labour Notes) ISBN 0- 
89608-347-0 Book 20 and 21 are available at 7435 Michigan Ave., Detroit, MI 48210, USA 

22) Hanami, Tadashi: Labor Relations in Japan Today, Tokyo 1979, (Kodansha), pb 1981, 950 ¥, 5.25 US$, 
ISBN 0-8701 1-492-1 Written by an ex-Labour Commissioner. Comprehensive, but anti-labour. 

23) Labour Relations Bureau, Ministry of Labour: Labor-Management Relations in Foreign Affdiated Firms 
in Japan, Tokyo, 4th Ed. 1988, (Business Intercommunications), 10,000 ¥ Government Statistics, badly 
translated and overpriced. 5th out by now. As expensive, as pathetic. 

24) Koike, Kazuo: Understanding Industrial Relations in Modern Japan, London 1988, (Macmillan), 4,320 
¥; boring 

25) Mailand, Stephen: The Birth of the Japanese Labour Movement, Honolulu 1989, (Univ. of Hawaii Press), 
27$, 5,670 ¥ In one word - pathetic. The author might be clever but most certamly never held a blue-collar job. 

This deficiency shows in his book and makes it very poor reading, indeed. 

26) Fukuzawa Yukichi: Fukuo Jiden - Fine autobiographishe Lebensschilderung [in German], Tokyo 1971 
(Keio-Tsushm) This is the life story of the "greatest" Japanese educator (the gentleman on the 10,000 ¥ note). 

According to his own admission he is also a liar, forger, cheat and thief Gives great msights into Japanese 
mentality. Any major bookshop has English translations. 

27) von Wolferen, Karel, The Enigma of Japanese Power, about 5,000 ¥. A must-read.. Classic Japan bashing 
with a lot of truth in it. Not everybody agrees with his conclusions. 

m 

|Pags2S-Z7: 

Appendix2 LabourPains fiom the Tokyo |aumal8/1991 

Appendix3:2Eii^iTeadTeis"finnilheII)ai^Yomiufl 

have been omtlEd fcurcopya^Tt leasons.] 



Appendix 4 

NotiffiTlTedatabelowis,^ pubMied inl993'^Ithasnotbeaiaxilknedlhatanyoflheoig«iisatiQnsn^ 

leached af the addiesses orphone numbeis mentjoned 

Helping Hands - Usefiul addresses and phone-numbers 

The following abbreviations for languages are lised: E = English, Ch = Chinese, Fi = Tagalog, Sp = Spanish, P = Portuguese, K = Korean. D = German, Bah = 
Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia, Fr = French, J = Japanese 

1) Unions, Professional Organisation« and Information for Workers 

Asian Labor Solidanty (ALS no kai), Nagoya, (052) 935-9448 

Asian Worker's SoUdanty Ass., Hirosliima: (0849) 23-0047 

Association of Foreign Teachers in Japan, 9.00-17.00: (03) 3238-3909 (E) 

CALL Network (Co-operative of Asian Labourers for Liberation),uiiion: (03) 3357-5507 

Casa de Amigps: (0559) 93-6425, 86-8155 (K,ChJ,E,Sp,P) Edogawa Union, Tokyo, (03) 3653-2211 Foreign Labourer's Emergency Number, 1st and 3rd Saturday: 

(045)201-1350 

Foreign Migrant Worker's Connection Clnba, Tliursdays 10.00-20.00: 

(0472)24-2154 
Hamamatsu Overseas Labourer's Solidarity: (053) 434-2660 Fligoro Union, Osaka, (06) 942-0219 Kaisha Society, association of foreigners in Japanese companies: 
(03)3668-3095 (E) 

Kanag^wa City Union, Yokohama, (045) 575-1948 Labour Counselling Centre for Foreign Workers, Kokubunji: (0425) 23-6100 
NIKKEIS Employment Service, Mo-Fr. (03) 3836-1087 (P) NUGW (National Union of General WoAers, South Tokyo), JCTUF 
(Kanto Teachers Union Foderation) is affiliated with dns union, a most 
efrective Oig^iisation if you liave labour problems, dieir main aim is to 
uniom2e work-places, memberslnp 20,000 ¥ /yr: (03) 3434-0669 0, 
sometimes E) 
Tliai Workef s Support: (0566) 76-2486 (Tliai) Tokyo Union, laglily efSaent when it comes to labour problems. Phone: (03) 3770-3471, Fax: (03) 3770-0874 0); 
membersliip 1500 ¥/indi. 

Rosei - Tokyo Metropolitan Government Labour Administration, medi- 
ators only, no enforcement power, but lots of good-wiil and very help- 
hil. If possible appear in person widi a Japanese Speaker 

Office, Address, Phone 

Main 31F Sliinjuku Tokyo Government Building 1 (03)532M110 

Shibuya 1-19-8 Jinnan, Slnbuya-ku (03)3770-6110 

Chuo 12F Central Plaza, 1-1 Kaguragislii, Slmijuku-ku (03)3267-6110 

Sliinjuku 3-18-1 Toyama, Sliinjuku-ku (03) 3203-6110 

Sliinagawa 2-1-36 Hiro-maclii, Sliinagawa-ku (03)3776-6110 

Tachikawa 3-7-10 Akebono-macl-u, Tadiikawa-slii (0425)25-6110 

Kameido (Cliinese Fr 14.00-16.00) (03)3637-6110 

Eng^h spoken at all diese offices Mo and Tliu 14.00-16 00 

Main brancli daily during office hours. Qiuo also Cli on Tue 

Labour Standards Bureau (LSB), Ministry of Labour, E daily except Wed, 10.00-16.00 (diey go for lunch): (03) 3814-5311 ext 327 (E), Foreign Worker's 
Affairs Office, (03) 3593-1211 ext. 5478 (E); call diese numbers to find outwliiciiLSB brancli is in cliarge of your area AH odier branches Japanese only (Kanagawa: 
045-651-1351 ext. 322; Aichi: 052-951-8561 ext. 217; Osaka: 06-942-6231) 

2) Legal Advice 

Centre for Foreigner's Human Rights, English Tliu. 10.00-16 00: (03) 3581-2136 

Foreigners Crimal Case Bar j\ss. in Tokyo: (03) 3591-1301 Human Rights Counselling, Tul-Tliu 13.30-16.00: (03) 3214-0424 (EJ3) Ch oiiMo. 

Immigration Departaient, Tokyo, Mo-Fi 9.00-17 00, (03) 3213-8111 (E,Ch,K,Sp,P) or (03) 3213-8523/7 0): Yokohama, Mo-Fr, 8.30-17.00, (045) 681-6801; Osaka: 

(06) 774-3409 

Japan Bar Association, Legal advice in Japanese only, income Statement necessary and case must be a sure winner. Avoid! (03) 3581-6941 

Kaigai Nikkei Koryu Centre, for people of Japanese ancestry: (03) 5256-5301 

Lawyers Association to Suppon Refugees in Japan, advice for Illegals: (03) 3503-8765 

LAFR - Lawyers for Foreign Labourer's Riglits, mainly in Japanese: (03) 3357-5506 Fax: (03) 3357-2207 Legal Affairs Bureau, justice Ministry, toes a stdctiy 

govenmient line regarding civil liberties, Tu, Tli 13 30-16.00: 3214-6231 (ext. 2422/23) 

Legal Aid Association, J only: (03) 3580-2851 

Legal Concilliation Centre, J only, Mo-Fr 13.00-16.00: (03) 3581-3839 

Niclii Ben Ren, Law Support Association, legal advice. Mo- Fr 13-00-15.00: (03) 3580-2230 Second Tokyo Bar Ass., specialising in hiunan riglits, Mo-Fr 9.30- 

15.00(03) 3581-2255 0) 

Tokyo Bar Assoaation, legal aid service, Mo-Fr 10 00-17.00: (03) 3581- 

2201 0). E, Ch on Tliu 

Tokyo Co-operative Lawyers Office: (03) 3341-3133 

3) General Counselling and Help 

jAMDA Medical Lifo Service: (03) 3706^243, 3706-7574 

^\sian Fnmdsliip Flame, Slnkoku: (0886) 23-6618 

^\sian Fneiids, Osaka, 19.00-21.00: (06) 634-2127 (J,E,K,ai,Tliai,Sp,P) 

Catla (for Latin Amencans), Mo-Fr 15.00-19.00: (03) 3770-0735 (Sp,PJ) 

QiibaPrefectural Government, Mo-Fr 9.00-16.00: (0472) 23-2414 

Concern tor Foreigners, Kumamoto: (096) 352-3030, 324-6749 Q,E,Fi) 

Filipinas RoomMScF, from 21.00: (0484) 33-5729 (Fil,E) 

Foreign Residents Advisory Centre, Mo-Fr 10.00-16.00: (03) 5320-7744 

Foreign Students Ctr, introductions for work and housing, males: (03) 

3951-9103, females: (03) 3359-5997 

Forum on Asian Immigrants, Tokyo: (03) 3816-0161 

Fonim on Asians in Slnzuoka, Mo-Fr 9.00-17.00: (054) 273-3884 

Gay Helpline: (03) 3453-1688; 



International Lesbians, P.O.B 1780, Tokyo 100-91 

HELP-Asian Women's Slieltei; daily 10.00-17.00: (03) 3368-8855 

Japan Consumer Ass., 9.30-17.00: (03) 3553-8601 0) Japan Helpline, referral Service, 24 lirs : (0120) 461-997 (EJ) 

Japan Hotline, general info Service about Japan, Mo-Fr 10.00-16.00: (03) 3586-0110 

JISS -Japan Intl. Soaal Service: (03) 3312-6661, (03) 3777-7245 

Kanagiwa Prefectiiral Govenunent, Mo-Fr, 9 00-17.00: (045) 324-2299 

Kobe Intemational Community Ctr: (078) 322-0030 

Living in ^Asia j\ss, Fukuoka, (092) 716-0577 

Medical Network, Nagano, (0268) 38-7119 Nov^here Culture Club: (03) 5380-5262, requests for info got me nowhere 

Okinawa Nikkei Ctr Tu-Fr 10 00-20 00: (098) 946-2111 (J,E,Sp,P) 

1 19 Network for Foreigners, Saiuma, (048) 834-0236 

Pag-Aga Community, Kyoto: (075) 822-2369 (EJ3J) 

Plulippino Women's League: (03) 3783-1033, (03) 3777-7245 (Fi,E?J) 

Saitama Prefectiiral Government, Mo-Fr 8.30-17.00: (048) 647^175 

Sliinagawa Tenant Leases Ass., for trouble widi your landlord, membership 5,000 ¥, Wed-Fr: (03) 3786-6047 (small chaige for some of dieir services) 

Society for Protection of Foreigner's Riglits, Hokkaido, (Oil) 552-5579 

Tacliiyon (Asian Women): (03) 3463-0752 

TELL, Tokyo English Life Lme, referrals, 9.00-16.00, and 19 00-23.00: (03) 3264-4347 (E) 

Tocliigi International Life Luie (YMCA), Mo-Fr 10.00-18.00 (E,ai,Fi^p,Tliai3ali), (0268) 24-2546 

Tsukuba Solidanty with Asian Migrams: (0298) 55-5743 (|,E) 

Women's Councelling Ctr., Tokyo: (03) 3355-1551, Osaka: (06) 725-8511 

A comprehensive listing of Japanese "alternative" organisations can be 
found m tlic quarterly: RAIN, Vol XII, No.l (spnng 1986) "Tlie Other 
Japan", obtainable from the Center of Urban Education, 3116 N. 
Williams, Pordand OR 97227, US of A