Don't criticize before experience. (My thought about Bitcoin Confusion)

Bitcoin, bitcoin coin, physical bitcoin, bitcoin photo / antanacoins

Actually, I have a small amount of Bitcoin.

Luckily I didn’t have any damage from the recent collapse of the Tokyo based Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox because I don't have Mt.Gox's account.

Japanese media that have little knowledge of Bitcoin broadcasted as if Bitcoin is a fraud.

But this topic was not Bitcoin's problem, but just one bad company's collapse.
I think that Bitcoin have great potential for development.

Anyway, Don't criticize before experience.

Let's KY (2014)

(This entry is a rewrite of the previous entry.)

Do you know the word KY ?

"KY" is  for short "Kuuki no Yomenai hito" in Japanese.

That means "Person who can't read the atmosphere"

This word is expressed a negative trait of the Japanese very well.

At school, work, home, family, community,

We have been facing invisible pressure "Reading the atmosphere".

Many Japanese people do not like KY.

KY is bullied, depressed, and in the worst case, choose death.

One of the most important skills to survive in Japanese society is reading the atmosphere. 

Doing the same thing, same hobby, watching the same TV show.

For example,

Japanese Recruitment Suit. 

In the job search, companies do not request students to wear a recruitment suit.

But the atmosphere enforces students to wear the recruitment suit.

I was always frightened whenever I watch the news of the initiation ceremony.

Because all new recruits wear the same suits.

However, let's think about

People who changed the world, 

People who are successful,

I believe that they are KY.

Edison ,Einstein, John Lennon, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, etc, etc.

Steve Jobs, Apple's founder, said

Your time is limited, 

so don't waste it living someone else's life.

Don't be trapped by dogma 

- which is living with the results of other people's thinking.

Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice.

And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

They somehow already know what you truly want to become.

Everything else is secondary.

Life is very short.

But we spend a lot of time thinking about other people.

Finally,

Let's think about the first person who ate sea cucumber.

I think he is a KY.

Thanks KY!

Now we can eat a sea cucumber.

I strongly respect the first person who ate sea cucumber.

I want to be them rather than a person in the status quo.

We can live in such a wonderful and fantastic world thanks to such a person like them.

Let's KY!

What is NISA ?

Have you ever been heard the word NISA ?

What does NISA stand for ?

NISA stands for Nippon Individual Savings Account.

NISA is Japanese tax-exempt system which is introduced with reference to ISA, tax-exempt system for a small investment of Britain.

NISA was launched Jan. this year.

Usually, about 20-percent tax will be applied on Profits and Dividend from shares and investment trusts.

But If we use NISA,  About 20-percent tax exempted.

In other words, TAX-FREE.

I will explain four points about NISA.

1. SUBJECT

Subject to NISA are Profits and Dividend from shares and investment trusts.

2. Investment

The amount of Investment is up to 1 million yen a year.

3. Period 

The period during which the investment can be managed tax-free is for a maximum of 5 years.

4. Total Investment

If the investment up to the amount of the limit is made every year, a maximum of 5 million yen non-taxable investment will be made.

For example.

I bought JPY 1,000,000 worth of shares of MAZDA.

After that, my shares of MAZDA become worth JPY 1,100,000.

If I sell them, my profit is JPY 100,000.

And a 20-percent tax is applied on this profit.

After all, I must pay tax JPY 20,000.

But, NISA is TAX-free in this case.

If I invest up to the amount of the limit every year, 

In 2014, non-taxable investment is JPY 1 million.

In 2015, non-taxable investment is JPY 2 million.

In 2016, JPY 3 million.

In 2017, JPY 4 million.

In 2018, JPY 5 million.

A maximum of JPY 5 million non-taxable investment will be made.

Next,

I will show you Frequently asked questions.

Q: Who can establish NISA ?

A: Individual, Japanese, More than 20 years old.

Q: Can I transfer funds that I am having to NISA ?

A: No, you can't. NISA is only NEW INVESTMENT available.

Q: Can I invest within tax exemptions of NISA at many times when I sell my share in NISA ?

A: No, you can't use tax exemptions you sold.

Q: How many NISA can I establish ?

A: You can establish only one account per one person in all financial institutions.

    You can't establish multiple accounts

Q: How to establish NISA.

A: Let's go to the financial institutions such as a securities firm or Bank.

   

On this opportunity,

Why don't you start NISA as well?

However, take full responsibility for your investment.

Three important things of public speech

I went to all Japan public speech contest of Toastmasters in Fukuoka last week.

I watched a lot of excellent speaker.

I noticed as one of listener that effective speakers have three things in common.

Vocal , Moving, and Confidence.

At first,  Vocal.

Their vocal is very strong and clear.

All audiences can enter the world of the speech.

Second, Moving.

They used whole stage.

Their speech becomes more impressive.

Third, Confidence.

This is the most important point I think.

All speakers have strong confidence.

Their strong confidence helped their message stronger.

We received their strong message directly.

We left an unforgettable, deep and powerful impression.

How to have the confidence?

I think that the answer is practice.

According to the book "The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs"

Even Steve Jobs who were called genius of presentation,

spent a lot of time of hard practice.

Hours and hours of practice made Jobs look polished, casual, and effortless.




Rome wasn't built in a day.

So Let's practice to be a good speaker.

Haigui in Malaysia

First of all.

Look at this video.

This is the moment soccer Japan representative gain a place in the World Cup for the first time.

This game was held in Johor Bahru southernmost tip of Malaysia.

So it is called "Joy of Johor Bahru " .

Now about 15 years has passed from this game,

Many Japanese are moving to Johor Bahru.

Why?

Malaysia aims to developed country by 2020.

They are promoting a huge urban project called " Iskandar plan " 

Johor Bahru is planning to become the cosmopolitan city like Dubai and Singapore.

One of the highlights of the Iskandar plan is "Education"

This project attracts prestigious school from all over the world.

For example, Marlboro College in England , known as the alma mater of Princess Catherine, opened last year.

So many students in Asia are gathering Johor Bahru.

Many Japanese people also move to Johor Bahru including my old colleague's family.

Husband is a CPA and managed tax accountant office in Iwakuni, Japan.

Through his business, he realizes the decline of the Japanese economy.

He decided to make his children be international.

He works in Japan in order to earn money.

His wife and children live in Johor Bahru for education.

Last month my wife and I visited with his family in Johor Bahru.

This is their condominium.

A lot of condominium building is developing.

About six months have passed since they moved.

They have a variety of friends , Malay, Iranian , Iraqi , Yemeni , and Hong Kong people.

It is impossible to have such a variety of friends if they live in Japan.

By placing them in a diverse environment from an early age I think they will be international .

Everytime we talk about such topic,

Some people say the negative opinion.

" Japanese language is first before English. "

" What is identified as Japanese ? "

I do not think so.

It depends on their parents whether living in Japan or not.

The Japanese education system adapted to the high-growth period and the industrial age.

But recently it does not match because our economic growth have already stopped.

In spite of shrinking our national power for a low birth rate and an aging population, our government's policy still focuses elderly person.

It is sure that many parents don't believe Japanese government.

So they decided to protect themselves.

They decided not to depend on government.

Sea turtle comes back to his hometown after growth . 

In China , Chinese people who have returned to mainland China after having studied abroad for several years are called "Haigui" means sea turtle.

Many Japanese studying abroad does not abandon Japan . 

They are really worried about the future of Japan ,

I expect that most of them will come back in the future like sea turtle "Haigui".

So we must improve better so that Haigui don't abandon our country.

Studying English for near future

This is my 10th speech.

Two years have passed since my first speech. 

I made a speech about my dream that I wanted to speak English in order to become a international person.

Now unfortunately I can't speak English fluently. I am not a international person.

But I think that my English skills have improved since two years ago.

For example, now my TOEIC score is over 700, while two years ago it was about 400.

One of the reason I can keep studying English is Social Network, Twitter, Facebook, Blog.

Twitter friends studying English motivate me a lot.

I also started studying online and I went to Philippines to study English thanks to them.

You may think Twitter is shady.

But even if we've never met, we feel like we have long known each other because we have a clear and common purpose to study English.

I posted the script of my first speech to my English blog.

At that time, a college student commented on it and we became Twitter friend.

Now she is a business person working in Tokyo, and I met her the other day when she came to Hiroshima on a business trip.

She's good at English, her TOEIC score is about 900.

I felt that she was full of hope and strong confidence.

She said that English changed her life.

English changes our lives.

At this moment a large number of people all around the world are studying English to change their lives.

Globalization continue spreading further.

The days of Japanese having business with Japanese using only Japanese language are coming to an end.

Jobs that anyone can do will be taken by foreigners.

For example, Chinese whose salary is one-tenth of the Japanese have a call center business for Japanese customers in Dalian.

We are facing the hyper competition with excellent and hungry people in emerging countries.

Moreover this trend will further accelerate in the next generation.

The education gap between advanced countries and emerging countries will be eliminated by the Internet.

There are many courses that anybody can attend for free on the Internet from prestigious universities in the United States.

Recently an 11-year-old Pakistani girl completed the artificial intelligence course of Stanford University with excellent results.

A 15-year-old Mongolian boy completed the electronic circuit course of MIT with excellent results.

It is a great thing for the human race. Such talents would not appear without the Internet.

But it means that the advantage of "education" the advanced countries had will be eliminated.

Hyper global competition has began among our children.

Recently my friend's family has moved to Malaysia to have their children study at a prestigious British school.

With such an event like this taking place around the ordinary domestic person like me, I realized that globalization is rapidly coming.

I think that the day will probably come when we can't keep current level of living without English ability.

So I must keep studying English for upcoming future.

Online English lesson

Many Japanese want to be able to speak English.

So we are studying English.

But most of us have little opportunity to speak English.

What should we do ?

Make foreign friends?

- Umm, difficult.

English Conversation School?

- Umm, difficult.

The lesson fee is very expensive.

And it is a very hard to continue to go to the lesson after work.

We need a strong willpower.

What should we do ?

Today, 

Let me show you one of the good way.

This way is 

"ONLINE ENGLISH LESSON"

This is the lessen using the Skype that is free Internet TV phone.

We can study at home whenever we choose.

We can learn English on a one-on-one basis.

We can continue the lesson easily.

In addition,

This is very low price.

Online one-on-one lessons takes 25 minutes a day, it costs about 5,000 yen per month.

On the other hand, if we learn same lessons for the same amount of time at English conversation school, it costs 150,000 yen.

One thirtieth lower price !

Why ?

What is the gap ?

The answer is Phillipines.

This lesson is connecting Japan and the Philippines on the Internet.

English teacher is Filipino.

Filipino labor cost is one-tenth of Japan.

Maybe you have the question.

Is Filipino's English OK ?

-Okay.  No problem.

English is the official language in Philipines.

As well as college graduate, supermarket clerks, taxi drivers and many people can speak English.

In addition, Now Philippines is the number one call center agent provider in the entire world, overtaking India.

Filipino answer the phone from many customers of the United States companies such as Microsoft, IBM, Citibank, JP Morgan, and so on.

This fact proves Filipino's high level English ability.

So online English lesson service is improving rapidly for the past few years, Leading company Rarejob have 150,000 Japanese members.

Now, there are more than 100 online English lesson service in Philippines.

They have free trial for non-members.

If you want to have opportunity to speak English, 
Get Skype, Google it, 

And Try it,  anyway.