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Berlitz loses suit over union teacher strikes
The Tokyo District Court on Monday rejected a lawsuit filed by Berlitz Japan Inc. that sought damages from union executives and its teachers for waging strikes and causing substantial damage to the company.
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Nonregulars at record 35.2% of workforce
The ratio of nonregular workers in the labor force in 2011 hit a record average high of 35.2 percent according to data compiled by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry.
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Four years after ‘Nova shock,’ eikaiwa is down but not out
The instructor describes the current Nova management as “extremely poor,” and while it was not especially good at the old Nova, he feels that the people running the branches now are “much worse.”
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Fear for jobs ignites “English crisis” in Japan
Japan’s foreign language education market is growing, with learners more than willing to fork out plenty of money on lessons, DVDs or e-learning. Gaba says that on average, a student spends about 50,000 yen ($654) a month [on English conversation lessons] — against an average 36,500 yen allowance for Japanese businesspeople.
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Japan’s ratio of education spending to GDP lowest among OECD nations
Japan’s expenditure on education as a percentage of gross domestic product in 2008 remained the lowest among 31 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development…[and] pointed out that “other factors that influence the quality of education need to be taken into account,” such as improving teachers’ salaries and working conditions in Japan.
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Expats in Japan face hard choices
Radiation leaks, contaminated crops and water, plutonium released into the air and ocean, have made expats in Japan question whether to stay or head back home, especially in the face of pressure from family and loved ones.
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Nichii Gakkan Company to Launch Takeover Bid for Shares of Gaba Corporation
Nichii Gakkan Company announced that it has decided to launch a takeover bid for shares of Gaba Corporation.
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Nichii Gakkan To Launch Tender Offer For Gaba
Nichii Gakkan Co. said Friday it will begin a tender offer to purchase shares of Gaba Corp., an operator of English-language conversation classes, in a move to bolster its education business. Nichii plans to spend up to 10 billion yen to make Gaba a wholly owned subsidiary.
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Cashing in on the time change
The possible power shortages caused by the March 11 earthquake could signal a shift in language, from “after five”–referring to personal time after the workday ends at 5 p.m.–to “after four” to reflect the new hours due to daylight saving time.
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Industries left short-handed after foreign workers flee Japan following nuke accident
Tens of thousands of worried foreign workers left Japan shortly after a crisis at the nuclear power plant that was crippled by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, causing serious labor shortages in some industries.