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Plan to teach English classes in English prompts worries among educators in Japan
New high school curriculum guidelines calling for English lessons to be taught in English have sparked worries among teachers in Japan, with some doubting that teachers and students will be able to handle the classes. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has explained that “teachers should first display an attitude of actively…
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Masukawa concedes importance of English-speaking ability
Toshihide Masukawa, winner of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics, delivered a speech in Japanese at the Nobel Lectures 2008 held in Stockholm on Monday, but later admitted the importance of English speaking ability. Apparently frustrated at being unable to communicate with other Nobel Prize-winners, Masukawa, 68, said ruefully: “As a scientist, I want to…
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Nova refugees: Where are they now?
‘All the schools are closed.’ That’s the text message I received on the morning of Oct. 26, 2007, from a fellow Nova teacher. I went to my school later that day to find the lights off, the doors locked and no one around. Like most of Nova Corp.’s hundreds of language centers, it was never…
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Japan’s “working poor” at risk as recession hits
When Miwa Takeuchi found out her part-time clerical job had been outsourced to a Japanese temp staffing agency and she’d have to work longer hours for lower pay, she was relieved. At least she was still employed. Three years later, Takeuchi, a single mother and one of Japan’s growing ranks of “working poor” who struggle…
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1 year on, Nova’s failure leaves scars
Even though it has been a year since Nova applied for court protection under the Corporate Rehabilitation Law, the central government has done little to ensure the private language school industry improves its operations. The failure of Nova, which was the largest language school in the nation, has sowed public distrust in the industry. Moreover,…
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Ex-Nova students sue management for compensation
A group of 24 former students of failed language school operator Nova Corp. lodged a suit for damages Friday against former Nova management and two audit companies, seeking a total of 16 million yen in compensation to cover prepaid tuition. It was the first time that former Nova students have filed a class action suit…
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Berlitz strike grows despite naysayers
Historic six-month action is starting to reap dividends Despite scabs, naysayers and second-guessing pundits in the English-language media, Berlitz teachers are making history. With more than 100 teachers striking at dozens of schools around the Kanto region for over six months, the industrial action at Berlitz is now the largest sustained strike in Japan’s language…
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Nova head avoids fresh indictment
The Osaka District Public Prosecutor’s Office announced Tuesday it will not indict the former president of Nova Corp. for failing to pay the salaries of non-Japanese teachers and Japanese personnel. Nozomu Sahashi, 56, is already under indictment for embezzling ¥320 million from reserve funds for corporate workers at the failed foreign-language school chain. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080730b1.html
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Nova chief indicted for embezzling firm’s funds
Nozomu Sahashi, former president of the bankrupt Nova Corp. language-school chain, was indicted Tuesday for embezzling corporate funds, prosecutors said. Sahashi, 56, allegedly diverted around ¥320 million from an employment benefit fund last July 20 to reimburse tuition fees for people who canceled their contracts for language courses. Sahashi has admitted to the allegations, changing…
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Nova’s Sahashi indicted over fund
Nozomu Sahashi, former president of failed language school chain Nova Corp., was indicted Tuesday by the Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office, on charges of misusing 320 million yen from an employees’ mutual aid group fund to refund student fees. The prosecutors decided to stop pursuing attempts to indict Toshihiko Murata, who was the president of…