I am an ALT and have been teaching in Japan since 2002. What the (Jan. 5) articles states is unfair. ALT work is very, very easy. All those teachers who are complaining know it. You cannot get such an easy job anywhere in the world for the money. Look at the average Japanese salary and working hours.
Yes, we are working from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but we only work for about four hours a day; the rest of the time we spend in the teacher's office, reading our own books. Some of us just stand in the corner of the class reading picture cards to kids.
padi faraji