Hello and Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu to everyone. We hope you had a really fun New Year’s blast — we certainly did, although it was a little bizarre. We’re here in San Diego, so we had a pretty traditional (for America) celebration, with champagne, funny hats and the Times Square countdown on TV. But we didn’t want to give up our Japanese-style Dec. 31st experience, so we ate traditional toshi-koshi (“crossing into the new year”) noodles and mochi (the oddly named ‘rice cakes’ which is just white rice pressed into squares that are heavenly toasted and covered with soy sauce). For the first time in ten years we were unable to watch the big JPOP extravaganza Kohaku, the most-watched show of the year in Japan, but we’ve got it waiting for us on the DVR at home.
The subject of Japanese banks is an interesting one. There are two kinds of traditional Japanese banks, the so-called “city banks” like Sumitomo or Tokyo-Mitsubishi, which are well-known national institutions; and the hundreds of small and medium-sized provincial banks that serve the regions outside of Tokyo. The banks do pretty much what you’d expect them to do — hold deposits, make loans and offer various financial services — but there are some big differences. First of all, Japanese banks are the most conservative in the world, and they are terrified of new ideas; as a result Japan’s online banking world is a decade behind the likes of Wells Fargo. While most businesses try to differentiate themselves from their competitors, Japanese banks nearly always compete by trying to be exactly like their peers, right down to the interest rates offered, which are so low you’d laugh (one of the best rates offered by our local bank is 0.1% on a 5 year CD). This seems to be related to the concept of shinrai, or trust — if a bank acts exactly as you expect it to, it earns your trust more quickly.
There are two external forces at work on Japan’s banking world right now. One is Japan Post, the soon-to-be-privatized post office. In addition to delivering the mail, Japan Post acts as the largest bank in the world, securing the deposits of millions of Japanese families with an unbelievable $3.5 trillion in cash — about equal the annual GDP of Japan itself. Despite the reality that Japan has a perfectly healthy banking sector that could provide these services, the government-backed postal savings system plays the part of the proverbial 800 lb. gorilla and interferes with the normal functioning of banks — and pays no taxes by the way. The other force Japan’s banks have to contend with are the gaishi-kei, foreign and foreign-backed banks that are the principle source of actual competition in the banking world. Some, like the all-online Shinsei Bank, even have — gasp! — gaijin CEOs! From offering much higher returns on investments (a full 1.25% rate on a 5 year CD) to providing innovative products like dollar or euro accounts inside Japan, to slashing the outmoded fees that normal banks charge (such as $7 to transfer $50 to someone a few miles away), these young instutions are finding many new ways to entice consumers.
At J-List, we’ve always been fans of the unique PC dating-sim games, and you can choose from an incredible selection of interesting games (including many games by download). We’re happy to announce that Enzai – Falsely Accused, the very first PC yaoi game ever, has gone “golden master” and will be shipping soon. If you haven’t preordered this great game yet, we hope you’ll do so soon, to show your support for this fascinating new genre of interactive adventure games from Japan. Set in Napoleanic Europe, Enzai is the tale of Guys, a young man in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, a fascinating multi-scenario mystery that you have total control of.
J-List currently has an amazing lineup of 3000 products from Japan, a truly mind-boggling selection of items for every taste. Did you miss checking through our 2006 anime, JPOP and gorgeous idol/actress calendars, with newly reduced prices? Looking for something wacky but fun from Japan, like our authentic tabi “ninja boots” or Japanese headbands? How about our amazing selection of Japanese snacks or gum? Or a downloadable dating-sim game for your PC? You’ll always see a new side of Japan every time you browse J-List’s products. To browse all our products in order of last update, click here
Remember that J-List is having a great sale on our close-out T-shirt designs, which we’re getting rid of older shirts to make room for new creations. In addition to the reduced prices, you also get free shipping in the U.S. and Canada (or half price shipping for international customers). It’s the last chance to buy such wacky designs as It Is Forbidden to Commit Seppuku, so check out our selection now!
Every month we present a new JAV star as “this month’s girl.” The selection for this month is the delightful indies idol Izumi Hasegawa, a gorgeous starlet who acts on the Moodyz label mostly. Born on March 12, 1983 in Tokyo, her “three sizes” are 88 (bust), 59 (waist) and 85 cm (hip). She’s acted in a wide range of works, playing the cute girl-type, then an elegant female teacher (complete with glasses, gotta have the glasses), then taking on a mass of big black men from the USA. Her blood type is O, and her interests are karaoke, shopping, and going to hot springs (onsen).
