In this edition of the Debito.org Podcast, Arudou Debito has recorded his entire speech (a little more than an hour and a half), along with Q&A, given at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan on March 18, 2008. This is the standard speech he gave during his recent three-week-long nationwide tour to promote HANDBOOK FOR NEWCOMERS, MIGRANTS, AND IMMIGRANTS TO JAPAN, so if you missed the tour, here’s your chance to see what he was on about. It’s not all about the book; he also talks about Japan’s lack of an immigration policy and issues of multiculturalization and Japan’s future. If you’d also like to see the powerpoint presentation he used that evening, download it at http://www.debito.org/HANDBOOKmarch08.ppt (note that the order of the slides is different).

Here is the speech write-up, as per the FCCJ archives: (Read on …)

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 Debito.org 4/5/08: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this edition of the Debito.org Podcast, Arudou Debito talks about his upcoming book, HANDBOOK FOR NEWCOMERS, MIGRANTS, AND IMMIGRANTS TO JAPAN. Co-authored with Higuchi Akira and published by Akashi Shoten Inc., Debito tells us what’s in the book, what it’s trying to accomplish, and why he thinks you should consider buying it (Short answer = because it has lots of useful advice about how to secure your visa and job, how to start a business, what you should do if problems arise, how you can plan for your future, and how you can participate in Japan’s Civil Society; in other words, how to live better in Japan, from entry to death. Okay, maybe not such a short answer.)

TPR has already reviewed the book, saying, “Whether you’re a new ‘newcomer’ or an old ‘newcomer,’ the Handbook for Newcomers, Migrants, and Immigrants to Japan is invaluable. The headaches and frustration saved by having accurate information on everything from establishing residency to setting up a business all in one handy volume are incalculable. Best of all, Higuchi and Arudou tackle sticky situations with sound advice that just isn’t available but through experience. Whether you’re new to Japan or looking for guidance on a newfound difficult situation, this book will help cut through the red tape and noise, ultimately helping to get one on a path to productive problem solving. A must-own book for anyone intending to call Japan ‘home’.”

There are also reviews by John Lie, Jeff Kingston, and Alex Kerr, and news of Debito’s nationwide book tour from Sendai to Fukuoka between March 15 and April 1.

HANDBOOK goes on sale from March 15. If you want to order a copy, see details at Debito’s website at http://www.debito.org/index.php/?page_id=582
And he closes out this podcast with a song by Duran Duran which has a distinct Japanese influence…

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 Debito.org 02/26/08: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Arudou Debito issues his second and final podcast from his speech at Waseda dated January 22, 2008, regarding Japan’s multicultural future. Skipping right to the Q and A session, the floor is open for about 40 minutes for feedback from the audience. After 27 minutes, Debito offers six minutes of counterarguments and clarifications, including a brand new idea about Academic Social Responsibility.

Download from http://www.debito.org/index.php/?p=1224

If you want to hear the presentation from Amnesty International Kawakami Sonoko and the feedback from discussant Dr Katsuma Yasushi, the entire two hours of the forum is available at

http://www.debito.org/index.php/?p=1208

And again, no Duran Duran tracks open or close the podcast. Sorry. Next time.

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 Debito Waseda #2: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this edition of the Debito.org Podcast, Arudou Debito speaks at Waseda University’s Global Institute for Asian Regional Integration on January 22, 2008. He is joined by Kawakami Sonoko, of Amnesty International Japan, and Katsuma Yasushi, Associate Professor at Waseda specializing in international human rights.

This segment offers the first 25 minutes of the proceedings (the first couple of minutes were cut off), with Arudou’s presentation. He talks about how Japan has brought in foreign laborers for economic reasons and not taken care of them. He also alludes to the huge growth in Permanent Residents (the surest indicator of real immigration), and how with its lack of a clear policy towards migration, Japan’s economy is the only one of the rich countries to have shrunk overall on average in the past ten years. He makes the case that Japan in fact needs immigration as he stampedes through his alloted twenty minutes.

He will offer the subsequent Q&A session in his next podcast.

You can follow his powerpoint presentation by downloading it from debito.org and also read the paper substantiating his presentation.

And no, this time the podcast does not begin or end with any Duran Duran tracks…

Note: This was recorded live and direct to mp3. The sound is a little quiet in the beginning, but picks up after a couple of minutes.

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 Debito.org 01/22/08: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

DEBITO.ORG NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 19, 2007

1) Debito’s latest Japan Times Column, which came out on December 18, on the beginning of the end: How Japan’s xenophobia and closed-mindedness towards the outside world is now clearly not only hurting non-Japanese residents, but also destroying Japan for everyone - putting its very position as Asia’s leader and representative in jeopardy.

2) James Fallows of the Atlantic Monthly writes more poignantly and succinctly on what’s wrong with fingerprinting at Japan’s border than Debito could ever hope to.

3) TV personality and music aficionado Peter Barakan is attacked by an unknown assailant in public–he and his hosts at a speech are pepper-sprayed, in a clearly-planned assault with even a rented getaway car. Even though the police track down the car, the spray,
and even a person inside, no arrests are made!

Twenty-five minutes. As always, Duran Duran and Tangerine Dream excerpts are included to soothe.

The full newsletter (and much, much more) is available at debito.org.

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 Debito.org 12/19/07: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

After Debito burned himself out last week with a marathon recording and editing session (eight hours, one sitting), he’s back with a shorter Newsletter (two items) and better sound quality.

1) ”JINKEN SHUUKAN”: DEC 4-10 HUMAN RIGHTS WEEK IN JAPAN–WHAT THE OFFICIAL GOALS ARE FOR THIS GOJ-SPONSORED EVENT, AND HOW THEY\’RE FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED.

2) RACIAL PROFILING AT TOYOKO INN HIROSAKI, PART AND PARCEL OF TOYOKO INN’S NASTINESS TOWARDS NON-JAPANESE AND WHEELCHAIR CUSTOMERS. SUGGEST A BOYCOTT.

Plus Duran Duran at beginning and end (and Tangerine Dream between topics)…

Twenty minutes. Have a listen. Arudou Debito in Sapporo
The full newsletter (and much, much more) is available at debito.org.

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 Debito.org 12/08/07: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

FORWARD: ANGER IN THE BLOGOSPHERE

WHAT YOU HEARD:
1) YOUTUBED NHK: KEEP CRITICS AND PROTESTS OUT OF BROADCASTS
2) YOMIURI EDITORIAL: FP JUSTIFIED AS ANTI-FOREIGN-CRIME MEASURE
3) SANKEI ON FINGERPRINTING SNAFUS
4) YOMIURI & NIKKEI MISTAKENLY TRUMPET “FIVE CAUGHT IN NEW SYSTEM”,
SANKEI CONTRADICTS

WHAT GOT MUFFLED:
5) MAINICHI: REFUSERS TO BE INCARCERATED, FORCED TO BE FINGERPRINTED
6) ASAHI: 38% OF US-VISIT DATABASE IS MISTAKES
7) ASAHI: TOKYO & NARITA LOSE PERSONAL DATA FOR 432 NJ
8) YOMIURI: SDF & MOFA LOSE COMPUTER DATA IN JAPAN, BELGIUM

WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE HEARD:
9) MAINICHI ON AMNESTY/SMJ PUBLIC ACTION OUTSIDE MOJ
10) PROTESTS WITH PARODY POSTERS, T-SHIRTS, POSTCARDS, MULTILINGUAL BILLETS
11) FRANCE 24 TV INTERVIEW IN FRENCH AND ENGLISH: “JAPAN’S 1984″
12) NYT: FINGERPRINTING “A DISASTER FOR J BUSINESS”

…and finally…
13) ACCENTURE, MAKER OF THE FP MACHINES, NOW HIRING IN JAPAN,THRU TIGER WOODS!

CONCLUDING STATEMENT: PROGNOSTICATIONS FOR THE PRESENT COURSE:
A HASTENED ECONOMIC OBSCURITY FOR JAPAN

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 Debito.org 11/28/07: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this edition of the Debito.org Newsletter Podcast:

1) JAPAN TIMES: WORKPLACE GAIJIN CARD CHECKS, WALLET-SIZED LAWS
2) FINGERPRINTING UPDATE:
===OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS FROM NARITA AIRPORT
=== KOBE REGATTA & ATHLETIC WANTS IN ON FP PROTEST
=== ACCJ OFFERS THEIR VIEW OF LOBBYING FOR “CONCESSIONS”
=== MORE PROTESTS: T-SHIRTS AT JALT, “WANTED” POSTERS
=== FORMER GIANTS PITCHER MIYAMOTO PROFITEERS, GETS FP FOR MONEY
=== OFFER YOUR FP EXPERIENCES AT IMMIG AFTER NOV 20 AT DEBITO.ORG

3) ECONOMIST: YOMIURI OWNER WATANABE INTERFERES WITH POLITICS, AS USUAL
4) OSAKA REALTOR HAS CATALOG WITH “GAIJIN OK” [sic!] APARTMENTS; WHAT TO DO
5) CRIES DU COEUR FROM INTL RESIDENTS RE POLICE GAIJIN CARD SHAKEDOWNS
6) UN REP DOUDOU DIENE WARNS RACISM INCREASINGLY VIOLENT WORLDWIDE
7) SPEECHES ON JOB SEARCHES, NOVA COLLAPSE AT JALT TOKYO THIS WEEKEND
8) VALENTINE CASE NEXT COURT HEARING TUES NOV 20 11AM
(SAME PLACE AS AMNESTY MOJ FP PROTEST AT NOON–SO DO BOTH!)

…and finally…
9) “NO BORDERS” MEETING NOV 18: KOKUSAIKA AND KEIDANREN LAID BARE

The full newsletter (and much, much more) is available at debito.org.

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 Debito.org 11/19/07: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this edition of the Debito.org Newsletter Podcast:

1) NEW JAPAN TIMES ARTICLE TUES NOV 13 ON NEW WORKPLACE GAIJIN CARDING

2) NJ FINGERPRINTING UPDATE:
A) PROTEST WORKS: NARITA INSTITUTES NEW SEPARATE LINES FOR RESIDENTS
B) RECENT MEDIA: FP “AN UNMITIGATED PR DISASTER FOR THE GOJ”, “INEFFECTIVE”
C) CUTE ANIMATION RE FINGERPRINTING: DOWNLOAD AND SPREAD AROUND
D) TUES NOV 20, NOON, ASSEMBLE AND PROTEST AT JUSTICE MINISTRY

3) JAPAN TIMES: US GOVT FORCED PM ABE TO BACK DOWN RE COMFORT WOMEN
4) LA TIMES: HOW J POLICE IGNORE CERTAIN CRIMES. LIKE MURDER.
5) IHT/ASAHI, METROPOLIS, NUGW ON EIKAIWA NOVA BANKRUPTCY AFTERMATH
6) NOV 17 FED OF BAR ASSOC (NICHIBENREN) MEETING RE DIVORCE AND JOINT CUSTODY

…and finally…
7) UPCOMING SPEECH TOKYO NOV 18, “NO BORDER” GROUP ANNUAL MEETING

The full newsletter (and much, much more) is available at debito.org.

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 Debito.org 11/12/07: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this edition of the Debito.org Newsletter Podcast:

1) DOCUMENTARY FILM ON CHILD ABDUCTION: TOKYO DEC 11 FUND RAISER
2) NJ FINGERPRINTING POLICY FOLLOW-UP:
a) EUROPEAN AND ANTIPODEAN BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS LODGE PROTESTS
b) US MILITARY SOFA EXCEPTED FROM FP LAWS
c) PROBABLE USG INVOLVEMENT IN FP POLICY INCEPTION
d) DIET DEBATES ON ANTI-TERROR POLICY NOT OVER YET
e) MOJ MINISTER HATOYAMA JUSTIFIES FP POLICY THRU HIS OWN AL-QAEDA LINKS

3) THE DRAGNET TIGHTENS: USG: PROVE NO CRIMINAL RECORD OVERSEAS FOR GOJ LONG-TERM VISAS
4) JAPAN FOCUS: “JAPAN’S MULTICULTURAL FUTURE OF MIGRANTS BECOMING IMMIGRANTS”
5) JAPAN TIMES: “JAPAN’S UNSCIENTIFIC HUMAN RIGHTS SURVEY”

…and finally…
6) WE ARE BEING LISTENED TO: ARTICLES ON SUMO AND EXCLUSIONARY SPORTS LEAGUES

The full newsletter (and much, much more) is available at debito.org.

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 Debito.org 11/08/07: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download