🚀 go-pugleaf

Chiaki> I don't know if Japan has taken advantage of immigration policies of
Chiaki> other countries (except for this MITI or somebody's stupid idea of
Chiaki> promoting the stay of retired (and presumably rich?) people in foreign
Chiaki> coutnries like Spain, etc. I couldn't believe they talk about it with
Chiaki> straight face!) My grandfather's brothers emigrated to Canada, but it
Chiaki> was long time ago, and then Japan was a poor country. I don't know if
Chiaki> we should make a judgement here. 

In fact, there are people immigrating. I don't have any data now, but great 
parcel of Japanese living in USA came after 1964 (Would be Japan classified
as "poor" that time?). 

Many times when I talk about rights to foreigners living here, I heard 
the same phrase: "Japan is not America" (in the sense that Japan is not
a country for immigration). I wonder who will be paying their pensions
50 years after... Well, I'm not speaking that would be better to have
immigration, but I think if there are people here NOW,they would have to
assure some rights like make easier to have "permanent resident" status 
or naturalization, protect against abuses and make mechanisms to those
people join the society preserving their original cultures.  

Chiaki> Re Trade policy, for sure! Today's Japan is a workhorse of world
Chiaki> economy and undue restrictions about import to the country is
Chiaki> inexcusable!

Yes, I think you're completely right. I think it's time to stop to think
about Japan as an "exporter country without resources", and make
improvements to correct this situation. My grandfather always said
"it's very easy to be the second". I think Japan continues thinking
about themselves as "the second", because they don't have to take
the charges and responsabilities to be the "first" (in economics,
at least...). This is very sad, because create a "vacuum" in the
world economics, in my opinion. 

# 2 yens worth???
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| Claude Huss          | Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. Tokyo Research Labs.|
| Network Researcher/  | Mita 5-13-2, Minato-Ku, Tokyo 108, JAPAN            |
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Every man is as God made him, ay, and often worse.
		-- Miguel de Cervantes