The Nova Situation: Japan Economy News in the Japan Times and on Radio New Zealand

6 Responses to “The Nova Situation: Japan Economy News in the Japan Times and on Radio New Zealand”

1. Garrett on September 25th, 2007 11:36 pm

   Congrats, congrats, and congrats (on Japan, Inc., too.) Since I know you like the lessons to be learned from business, I’ll say the moral here is: Find something you’re good at, do it well, and don’t be afraid of being decisive and you’ll go as far as New Zealand (which is far way, indeed.)

   I hope to see more of you all over the print and audio media in the near future. When will you be on TV?

2. Ken Worsley on September 26th, 2007 2:57 am

   They let ugly people on TV?

3. Alan on September 26th, 2007 11:07 am

   Well we have seen MonkeyBridge on TV, so the answer would be yes.

4. Shane on October 19th, 2007 8:45 pm

   The situation in Japan is desperate. Teachers working for Nova, the largest akiwa school (private English language school) have not been paid their last month’s salary. Many of these teachers were not paid their previous month’s salary until almost two weeks after it was due. The Japanese staff have gone even longer without payment. Many foreign teachers from New Zealand, Australia, The UK, Ireland, Jamaica, Canada, and the U.S. are now facing eviction because they are living in Nova provided accommodation and Nova has not paid their rent even though it’s deducted from their salary. Also, many schools have closed because Nova has failed to pay the rent on these I talked yesterday to a young teacher who started eleven days ago, he came out fresh from Japan and was recruited during these troubled times. His recruiters told him nothing of the terrible situation in Japan. Now he is here facing eviction from his apartment and unemployment as the company faces bankruptcy. When he went home for lunch yesterday his electricity had been disconnected – Nova pays the power on tenets behalf. He has no friends or contacts in Japan and will be stuck, unable to claim unemployment insurance, when he’s made redundant and destitute. To add insult to injury his chances of finding a new job are bleak as he is inexperienced and currently there is a glut in the English teacher employment market as many, many, much more experienced teachers are pacing the Japanese streets in search of new jobs.
   Some instructors borrowed money when they were not paid and were then evicted from their Nova apartments. They were then forced to pay their next month’s salary in its entirety when it finally arrived to secure a new apartment as the upfront deposits cost thousands of dollars. There are now unemployed instructors who have been living on two bowls of instant ramen per day(the cheapest food available) for weeks on end. They are looking gaunt through anxiety and malnutrition and scurvious through lack of fresh fruit and vegetables (supermarket apples can cost in excess of 500 Yen).
   The situation is indeed bleak. For those people who are living in the Western world and who are thinking of doing a stint in Japan, think again! You will be getting yourself into a world of trouble. I came on a wing and a prayer a year ago but those who have just arrived are relying on prayers alone. Think Honk Kong, think Korea, but give Japan a miss. The situation is drastic!

5. Ken Worsley on October 19th, 2007 10:36 pm

   Shane, thanks for your comment. As bad as this situation may be, I would urge anyone not to seriously consider working in an ESL position in Korea.

6. Garrett on October 19th, 2007 10:44 pm

   I’d second that, strongly, and also urge people to not equate Japan with Nova. The situation at Nova is desperate, fatal. The situation is Japan is pretty much steady - same it has been for about a decade.

   That said, if you are looking for an English teaching job, big eikaiwa gakko are not the way forward. Just as in any other field, specialize and get skilled.

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