this post was submitted on 28 May 2024
57 points (95.2% liked)

World News

39019 readers
2249 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News [email protected]

Politics [email protected]

World Politics [email protected]


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

Takeshi Fukumoto, from Nara prefecture, obtained a working holiday visa in November and moved to Toronto, where he works at a restaurant kitchen.

He makes 22 Canadian dollars ($16) an hour and averages 40 hours a week. "Despite my short hours, I earn a lot," he said. "Including tips, my monthly income is over 400,000 yen."

He said he keeps living costs down by cooking for himself and has saved more than 1 million yen.

top 8 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 20 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

weak yen

looks

They're not joking.

https://www.tradingview.com/symbols/JPYUSD/

In the past 12 years, it looks like the yen has lost half its value in dollar terms.

I wonder what's driving that?

kagis

Ah.

https://apnews.com/article/japanese-yen-dollar-currency-exchange-rate-2226ed50c429c6faf76da05bcab77c0c

The yen has long been under pressure as the Bank of Japan kept interest rates remarkably low to encourage more inflation in its economy. Only last month did it end its policy to keep its benchmark interest rate below zero.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 5 months ago

I went to Japan earlier this year.

On one end, I was extremely amazed at how far my money went.

On the other end, watching shitty tourists treat Japan like a playground was disheartening.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago

Love that you Kagi'd the answer!

[–] [email protected] 13 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Shit must be really bad in japan if this dude is doing OK making just over minimum wage, in the highest (or second highest) cost of living cities in canada....

[–] [email protected] 12 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Also if he calls over 40 hours a week short hours…

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago

That made my eyebrows want to climb above my face.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

I mean, compared to the sterotypical salaryman hours, it is short

[–] [email protected] 13 points 5 months ago

I once looked at a job listing for something with very specialist technical knowledge in specific programming areas, for a Japanese company based in Tokyo (pre-covid so remote wasn't really a thing yet). Pretty niche stuff and needed at least basic Japanese language skills too, so I assumed it would pay ok - even if it wasn't good or great in comparison with jobs where i was.

After conversion it worked out to be around USD$40k a year, which is probably just over 1/3 of what it would pay at minimum elsewhere. More like 1/4 or less for Silicon Valley type locations, but the rent for a tiny Tokyo shoebox is about the same price even if food is a cheaper. There was no way I was applying for that.

It isn't just about a weak yen, it's much more about hugely underpaying people.