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	<title>The Japan Times &#187; Ashley Thompson</title>
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	<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp</link>
	<description>News on Japan, Business News, Opinion, Sports, Entertainment and More</description>
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		<item>
		<title>Before you leave Japan, there&#8217;s an awful lot to do</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/16/how-tos/before-you-leave-japan-theres-an-awful-lot-to-do/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=before-you-leave-japan-theres-an-awful-lot-to-do</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/16/how-tos/before-you-leave-japan-theres-an-awful-lot-to-do/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Sep 2013 14:45:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Preparing to leave Japan can be an overwhelming and time-consuming process, especially if you try to do it in less than two months, as my husband and I did. But regardless how much (or little) time you have to get ready, we learned a few things from our experience that might make yours easier. This [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/16/how-tos/before-you-leave-japan-theres-an-awful-lot-to-do/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Give sufficient notice when breaking an employment contract</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/01/28/how-tos/give-sufficient-notice-when-breaking-an-employment-contract/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=give-sufficient-notice-when-breaking-an-employment-contract</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/01/28/how-tos/give-sufficient-notice-when-breaking-an-employment-contract/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 28 Jan 2013 12:24:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[jobs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[labor law]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Reader JA asks if it&#8217;s legal for an employer to demand compensation if an employee quits their job partway through their contract. &#8220;What about if someone wants to quit their job and break their contract early (say, midway through) but the contract says that if the person doesn&#8217;t give 30 days notice then &#8216;the contract [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/01/28/how-tos/give-sufficient-notice-when-breaking-an-employment-contract/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Myriad options for studying Japanese in the sticks</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/01/01/how-tos/myriad-options-for-studying-japanese-in-the-sticks/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=myriad-options-for-studying-japanese-in-the-sticks</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/01/01/how-tos/myriad-options-for-studying-japanese-in-the-sticks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Reader JA is seeking a Japanese language school in the countryside here for his 18-year-old son. &#8220;He would like to live in rural Japan and study Japanese for three or four months, and then ski Japan&#8217;s famous powder,&#8221; he writes. &#8220;Is there any resource or direction you can point us to?&#8221; Most of the language [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/01/01/how-tos/myriad-options-for-studying-japanese-in-the-sticks/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Sites for J-footy fans; variable service at Softbank</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/12/25/how-tos/sites-for-j-footy-fans-variable-service-at-softbank/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=sites-for-j-footy-fans-variable-service-at-softbank</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/12/25/how-tos/sites-for-j-footy-fans-variable-service-at-softbank/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 25 Dec 2012 00:00:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[In response to our Oct. 23 column, &#8221; &#8216;Prenups&#8217; uncommon but doable; aid for avid J. League fans,&#8221; some of our readers wrote in with their favorite Japan soccer resources. One popular suggestion was the Rising Sun News, a site that covers all aspects of football in Japan, which you can find at www.the-rising-sun-news.com/news. Their [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/12/25/how-tos/sites-for-j-footy-fans-variable-service-at-softbank/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Softbank&#8217;s policies on foreign customers hard to pin down</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/12/04/%life_category%/softbanks-policies-on-foreign-customers-hard-to-pin-down/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=softbanks-policies-on-foreign-customers-hard-to-pin-down</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/12/04/%life_category%/softbanks-policies-on-foreign-customers-hard-to-pin-down/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:01:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Some of our non-Japanese readers are wondering why, when trying to sort out a phone and contract with Softbank, they often seem to be subject to different rules than Japanese customers &#8212; and even fellow foreign residents. BJ writes: &#8220;When getting an iPhone at Softbank, in my experience, a foreigner must pay outright for the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2012/12/04/%life_category%/softbanks-policies-on-foreign-customers-hard-to-pin-down/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Softbank&#8217;s policies on foreign customers hard to pin down</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/12/04/how-tos/softbanks-policies-on-foreign-customers-hard-to-pin-down/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=softbanks-policies-on-foreign-customers-hard-to-pin-down</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/12/04/how-tos/softbanks-policies-on-foreign-customers-hard-to-pin-down/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:00:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Some of our non-Japanese readers are wondering why, when trying to sort out a phone and contract with Softbank, they often seem to be subject to different rules than Japanese customers &#8212; and even fellow foreign residents. BJ writes: &#8220;When getting an iPhone at Softbank, in my experience, a foreigner must pay outright for the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/12/04/how-tos/softbanks-policies-on-foreign-customers-hard-to-pin-down/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ink doesn&#8217;t always cause a stink at the onsen</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/11/27/how-tos/ink-doesnt-always-cause-a-stink-at-the-onsen/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=ink-doesnt-always-cause-a-stink-at-the-onsen</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/11/27/how-tos/ink-doesnt-always-cause-a-stink-at-the-onsen/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[In response to our Nov. 6 column (&#8220;If you need to bring drugs to Japan, sort out the paperwork &#8212; or else&#8221;), regarding how to find tattoo-friendly onsen, a few readers wrote in with their public bathing experiences. &#8220;Apart from private baths as you mention,&#8221; suggested SA, &#8220;one obvious solution would be to go to [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/11/27/how-tos/ink-doesnt-always-cause-a-stink-at-the-onsen/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Occupants can suggest a buyout, but final word lies with landlords</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/11/20/how-tos/occupants-can-suggest-a-buyout-but-final-word-lies-with-landlords/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=occupants-can-suggest-a-buyout-but-final-word-lies-with-landlords</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/11/20/how-tos/occupants-can-suggest-a-buyout-but-final-word-lies-with-landlords/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:00:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Reader AP asked how house and land prices are decided in Japan. &#8220;If a person has lived in a house for over 40 years without any type of contract and either the landlord wants to sell or the tenant wants to buy the land and house, how is the price determined? Is there a special [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/11/20/how-tos/occupants-can-suggest-a-buyout-but-final-word-lies-with-landlords/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>If you need to bring drugs to Japan, sort out the paperwork &#8212; or else</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/11/06/how-tos/if-you-need-to-bring-drugs-to-japan-sort-out-the-paperwork-or-else/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=if-you-need-to-bring-drugs-to-japan-sort-out-the-paperwork-or-else</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/11/06/how-tos/if-you-need-to-bring-drugs-to-japan-sort-out-the-paperwork-or-else/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Nov 2012 00:01:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Reader BM wants to know if morphine can be brought into Japan legally, and if having a tattoo would prevent her from visiting bathing facilities. She writes: &#8220;Due to certain health issues that cause chronic pain, I&#8217;ve been on a prescription of morphine for many years. I read somewhere that because morphine is a controlled [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/11/06/how-tos/if-you-need-to-bring-drugs-to-japan-sort-out-the-paperwork-or-else/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>&#8216;Prenups&#8217; uncommon but doable; aid for avid J. League fans</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/10/23/how-tos/prenups-uncommon-but-doable-aid-for-avid-j-league-fans/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=prenups-uncommon-but-doable-aid-for-avid-j-league-fans</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/10/23/how-tos/prenups-uncommon-but-doable-aid-for-avid-j-league-fans/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Oct 2012 00:00:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Lana is planning to get married in Japan and wants to know if it&#8217;s possible to arrange a prenuptial agreement. &#8220;I am about to get married to a Japanese national and would like to inquire about &#8216;prenup&#8217; agreements in Japan,&#8221; she writes. &#8220;Are they upheld by the court? If we were to write up our [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/10/23/how-tos/prenups-uncommon-but-doable-aid-for-avid-j-league-fans/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Retirees can be rehired, but often under worse conditions</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/10/16/how-tos/retirees-can-be-rehired-but-often-under-worse-conditions/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=retirees-can-be-rehired-but-often-under-worse-conditions</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/10/16/how-tos/retirees-can-be-rehired-but-often-under-worse-conditions/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:01:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Reader PW teaches at an international school in Tokyo and wants to know about Japan&#8217;s retirement laws: &#8220;My school says the retirement age is 60. They will let you keep teaching until age 65, but during that time you lose all retirement pay and raises are frozen. At 65 the teacher must retire. Is there [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/10/16/how-tos/retirees-can-be-rehired-but-often-under-worse-conditions/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Companies liable for drug trial damages</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/10/02/how-tos/companies-liable-for-drug-trial-damages/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=companies-liable-for-drug-trial-damages</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/10/02/how-tos/companies-liable-for-drug-trial-damages/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:00:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[MJ is considering using an experimental drug that his doctor has offered to treat colitis, but isn&#8217;t sure who is responsible if anything goes wrong. &#8220;After many unsuccessful treatments, it seems we are getting close to or have arrived at a last-resort stage. He has offered to put me on an experimental drug that works [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/10/02/how-tos/companies-liable-for-drug-trial-damages/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Gaijin cards valid until 2015 &#8212; but not at the post office</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/09/25/how-tos/gaijin-cards-valid-until-2015-but-not-at-the-post-office/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=gaijin-cards-valid-until-2015-but-not-at-the-post-office</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/09/25/how-tos/gaijin-cards-valid-until-2015-but-not-at-the-post-office/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:01:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Reader AM informed us that Japan Post no longer accepts alien registration cards as valid identification. &#8220;Even though alien registration certificates are valid until 2015, Japan Post decided effective July 9, 2012, to no longer accept such cards. Please see this website,&#8221; he writes. &#8220;I found this out when needing to show identification for receiving [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/09/25/how-tos/gaijin-cards-valid-until-2015-but-not-at-the-post-office/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Unlike giving blood, becoming an organ donor easy</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/09/18/how-tos/unlike-giving-blood-becoming-an-organ-donor-easy/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=unlike-giving-blood-becoming-an-organ-donor-easy</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/09/18/how-tos/unlike-giving-blood-becoming-an-organ-donor-easy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Sep 2012 00:01:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Bob is wondering if the blood donation rules, which we covered in &#8220;Less-than-fluent foreigners may have trouble giving blood&#8221; (April 3), also apply to organ donors. &#8220;I am carrying, and have for years, a donor card to donate my organs in case of my death here in Japan. But, am I allowed to donate organs [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/09/18/how-tos/unlike-giving-blood-becoming-an-organ-donor-easy/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Self-sponsored visas: a passport to freedom or a world of pain?</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/09/04/how-tos/self-sponsored-visas-a-passport-to-freedom-or-a-world-of-pain/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=self-sponsored-visas-a-passport-to-freedom-or-a-world-of-pain</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/09/04/how-tos/self-sponsored-visas-a-passport-to-freedom-or-a-world-of-pain/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:01:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[In response to our July 31 column, &#8220;How would changing jobs affect my visa?&#8221; S.E. asks: &#8220;I have heard of foreigners sponsoring their own visa, but is this true? If so, how can I go about this?&#8221; Yes, it is possible to sponsor your own visa, if you meet several conditions and provide the right [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/09/04/how-tos/self-sponsored-visas-a-passport-to-freedom-or-a-world-of-pain/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>How would changing jobs affect my visa?</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/07/31/how-tos/how-would-changing-jobs-affect-my-visa/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=how-would-changing-jobs-affect-my-visa</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/07/31/how-tos/how-would-changing-jobs-affect-my-visa/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:01:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[S.E. has been working at the same English school for 16 years but is thinking of leaving her job and moving to another part of Japan. &#8220;My visa is &#8216;Specialist in Humanities&#8217; and will expire in October 2013. I don&#8217;t have a job but a friend of mine is going to open an English school [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/07/31/how-tos/how-would-changing-jobs-affect-my-visa/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>From baby massage to fostering pets, many options for volunteers</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/07/24/how-tos/from-baby-massage-to-fostering-pets-many-options-for-volunteers/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=from-baby-massage-to-fostering-pets-many-options-for-volunteers</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/07/24/how-tos/from-baby-massage-to-fostering-pets-many-options-for-volunteers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Jul 2012 00:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Reader M.S. is looking for volunteer opportunities in Tokyo that don&#8217;t require fluent Japanese ability, as many &#8212; if not most &#8212; do. In particular, she&#8217;d like to work with animals. Though volunteering opportunities in Japan were covered extensively after the March 11, 2011, disasters, there are a few options for animal lovers in Japan. [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/07/24/how-tos/from-baby-massage-to-fostering-pets-many-options-for-volunteers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Complex rules in place for safety&#8217;s sake, but Red Cross still wants your blood</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/07/10/how-tos/complex-rules-in-place-for-safetys-sake-but-red-cross-still-wants-your-blood/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=complex-rules-in-place-for-safetys-sake-but-red-cross-still-wants-your-blood</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/07/10/how-tos/complex-rules-in-place-for-safetys-sake-but-red-cross-still-wants-your-blood/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jul 2012 00:00:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Some readers may have misunderstood the intent of our May 22 column, &#8220;Foreigners disqualified as blood donors for wide range of reasons,&#8221; which was meant to illustrate, through readers&#8217; responses, that if a foreigner is turned away from giving blood in Japan, it happens more often because of standard health and safety reasons than Japanese [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/07/10/how-tos/complex-rules-in-place-for-safetys-sake-but-red-cross-still-wants-your-blood/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Local orphanages may be best bet for volunteers</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/06/26/how-tos/local-orphanages-may-be-best-bet-for-volunteers/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=local-orphanages-may-be-best-bet-for-volunteers</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/06/26/how-tos/local-orphanages-may-be-best-bet-for-volunteers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:01:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/06/26/%community_category%/local-orphanages-may-be-best-bet-for-volunteers/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[L.P. would like to volunteer at a Catholic orphanage in the Tohoku region, near the March 11 disaster areas, but isn&#8217;t sure how to get started. I contacted Living Dreams, a nonprofit organization based in Tokyo that supports children living in orphanages (children&#8217;s homes) in Japan, and they suggested La Salle Home, affiliated with De [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/06/26/how-tos/local-orphanages-may-be-best-bet-for-volunteers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Safe blood requires strict, and detailed, standards</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/05/29/how-tos/safe-blood-requires-strict-and-detailed-standards/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=safe-blood-requires-strict-and-detailed-standards</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/05/29/how-tos/safe-blood-requires-strict-and-detailed-standards/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 May 2012 00:01:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/05/29/%community_category%/safe-blood-requires-strict-and-detailed-standards/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In last week&#8217;s column, several people living in Japan explained that whether they were able to donate blood was primarily determined by health or safety concerns rather than Japanese language ability, which we originally discussed in our April 3 column, &#8220;Less-than-fluent foreigners may have trouble giving blood.&#8221; In response to Lou, who wrote in to [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/05/29/how-tos/safe-blood-requires-strict-and-detailed-standards/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Foreigners disqualified as blood donors for wide range of reasons</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/05/22/how-tos/foreigners-disqualified-as-blood-donors-for-wide-range-of-reasons/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=foreigners-disqualified-as-blood-donors-for-wide-range-of-reasons</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/05/22/how-tos/foreigners-disqualified-as-blood-donors-for-wide-range-of-reasons/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/05/22/%community_category%/foreigners-disqualified-as-blood-donors-for-wide-range-of-reasons/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[From the many responses to our April 3 column, &#8220;Less-than-fluent foreigners may have trouble giving blood,&#8221; it seems that Japanese language ability is an issue at some centers, but not all. Other factors sometimes took precedence, such as medical conditions and other rules. For some, language was clearly the reason for refusal, such as in [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/05/22/how-tos/foreigners-disqualified-as-blood-donors-for-wide-range-of-reasons/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Will I have trouble re-entering Japan if I lose my gaijin card?</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/04/24/how-tos/will-i-have-trouble-re-entering-japan-if-i-lose-my-gaijin-card/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=will-i-have-trouble-re-entering-japan-if-i-lose-my-gaijin-card</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/04/24/how-tos/will-i-have-trouble-re-entering-japan-if-i-lose-my-gaijin-card/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:01:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/04/24/%community_category%/will-i-have-trouble-re-entering-japan-if-i-lose-my-gaijin-card/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Rosie lost her alien registration card while abroad. &#8220;How do I re-enter Japan if I lost my alien card in the Philippines, and are there any additional requirements?&#8221; she asks. Officially you are required to have your alien registration card with you when re-entering Japan, but in reality not everyone is asked to present the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/04/24/how-tos/will-i-have-trouble-re-entering-japan-if-i-lose-my-gaijin-card/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Less-than-fluent foreigners may have trouble giving blood</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/04/03/how-tos/less-than-fluent-foreigners-may-have-trouble-giving-blood/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=less-than-fluent-foreigners-may-have-trouble-giving-blood</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/04/03/how-tos/less-than-fluent-foreigners-may-have-trouble-giving-blood/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:02:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Julian recently visited a Red Cross blood donation center in Kagoshima to donate blood, but was refused because he can&#8217;t speak Japanese. They also told him he couldn&#8217;t donate blood even if he brought along a native speaker. &#8220;I was so surprised, I couldn&#8217;t believe it,&#8221; he writes. &#8220;I&#8217;d like to know why the Japanese [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/04/03/how-tos/less-than-fluent-foreigners-may-have-trouble-giving-blood/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Suginami Ward &#8216;informers&#8217; just doing their job</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/03/27/how-tos/suginami-ward-informers-just-doing-their-job/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=suginami-ward-informers-just-doing-their-job</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/03/27/how-tos/suginami-ward-informers-just-doing-their-job/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:02:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/03/27/%community_category%/suginami-ward-informers-just-doing-their-job/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Several residents of Tokyo&#8217;s Suginami Ward contacted us in response to C.W.&#8217;s experience, which appeared in our March 6 column, &#8220;Immigration &#8216;informers&#8217; call on foreigners in Suginami Ward.&#8221; Victoria admits she was also concerned at first: &#8220;I live in Suginami Ward and have already been visited by two &#8216;officers&#8217; regarding the upcoming changes to the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/03/27/how-tos/suginami-ward-informers-just-doing-their-job/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Import tax: a complex, seemingly arbitrary minefield</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/03/13/how-tos/import-tax-a-complex-seemingly-arbitrary-minefield/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=import-tax-a-complex-seemingly-arbitrary-minefield</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/03/13/how-tos/import-tax-a-complex-seemingly-arbitrary-minefield/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:00:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Paula writes: &#8220;What are the rules regarding taxes placed on imported purchases &#8212; for example, a pair of boots? I live in Kobe and had to pay taxes of &#165;5,400 for a &#165;9,000 purchase. I paid more than half the cost of what I bought in taxes.&#8221; Japan&#8217;s import taxes can be a bit tricky [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/03/13/how-tos/import-tax-a-complex-seemingly-arbitrary-minefield/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Immigration &#8216;informers&#8217; call on foreigners in Suginami Ward</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/03/06/how-tos/immigration-informers-call-on-foreigners-in-suginami-ward/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=immigration-informers-call-on-foreigners-in-suginami-ward</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/03/06/how-tos/immigration-informers-call-on-foreigners-in-suginami-ward/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:01:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/03/06/%community_category%/immigration-informers-call-on-foreigners-in-suginami-ward/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[C.W., who lives in Tokyo&#8217;s Suginami Ward, recently received a notice about the upcoming resident law changes and was informed that an &#8220;officer&#8221; would visit him and other foreign residents in the area. He is concerned about the intent of these changes and wondering why &#8220;officers&#8221; are only visiting the foreigners in his ward. We [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/03/06/how-tos/immigration-informers-call-on-foreigners-in-suginami-ward/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ill-prepared schools put returner, family in tough spot</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/02/21/how-tos/ill-prepared-schools-put-returner-family-in-tough-spot/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=ill-prepared-schools-put-returner-family-in-tough-spot</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/02/21/how-tos/ill-prepared-schools-put-returner-family-in-tough-spot/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:02:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/02/21/%community_category%/ill-prepared-schools-put-returner-family-in-tough-spot/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In response to our recent two-part series on education (&#8220;Rejoining school system in Japan after time away can be tough&#8221; and &#8220;Acceptance &#8212; social and otherwise &#8212; a crucial issue for Japan returnee kids,&#8221; Jan. 10 and 17), Rosie decided to share the story of her daughter&#8217;s difficulties entering the Japanese school system in junior [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/02/21/how-tos/ill-prepared-schools-put-returner-family-in-tough-spot/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Facing up to alcoholism in foreign land can help or hinder recovery</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/01/31/how-tos/facing-up-to-alcoholism-in-foreign-land-can-help-or-hinder-recovery/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=facing-up-to-alcoholism-in-foreign-land-can-help-or-hinder-recovery</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/01/31/how-tos/facing-up-to-alcoholism-in-foreign-land-can-help-or-hinder-recovery/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:02:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/01/31/%community_category%/facing-up-to-alcoholism-in-foreign-land-can-help-or-hinder-recovery/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A reader has a query about alcoholism in Japan: &#8220;How is it generally perceived and what kind of help is available for foreign alcoholics who speak little to no Japanese?&#8221; It will come as no surprise to any Japan resident to hear that alcoholism is a problem in this country, just as it is in [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/01/31/how-tos/facing-up-to-alcoholism-in-foreign-land-can-help-or-hinder-recovery/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Acceptance &#8212; social and otherwise &#8212; a crucial issue for Japan returnee kids</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/01/17/how-tos/acceptance-social-and-otherwise-a-crucial-issue-for-japan-returnee-kids/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=acceptance-social-and-otherwise-a-crucial-issue-for-japan-returnee-kids</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/01/17/how-tos/acceptance-social-and-otherwise-a-crucial-issue-for-japan-returnee-kids/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/01/17/%community_category%/acceptance-social-and-otherwise-a-crucial-issue-for-japan-returnee-kids/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last week we addressed academic issues and the timing of school enrollment in response to Floyd&#8217;s question regarding his son reentering the Japanese education system after living abroad for several years. In this week&#8217;s column we look at potential social issues, being accepted to a good high school, and communication. One factor to consider for [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/01/17/how-tos/acceptance-social-and-otherwise-a-crucial-issue-for-japan-returnee-kids/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Rejoining school system in Japan after time away can be tough</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/01/10/how-tos/rejoining-school-system-in-japan-after-time-away-can-be-tough/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=rejoining-school-system-in-japan-after-time-away-can-be-tough</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/01/10/how-tos/rejoining-school-system-in-japan-after-time-away-can-be-tough/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:01:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ashley Thompson</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/01/10/%community_category%/rejoining-school-system-in-japan-after-time-away-can-be-tough/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Floyd hopes to move back to Japan but is worried about his 11-year-old son fitting into the Japanese school system and being accepted at a good high school: &#8220;He lived in Japan from birth to age 5. He has kept up with his Japanese skills, but the person I spoke to thinks you need to [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/01/10/how-tos/rejoining-school-system-in-japan-after-time-away-can-be-tough/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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