Ringing in the (fiscal) new year

Happy fiscal new year, Japan! April 1st is really when things kick off here. People start new jobs, enter school, finalise mergers and acquisitions, and engage in all sorts of fun business stuff.

I was sitting in a courtyard having lunch the other day when a column of young adults (early twenties - I later found out they were all exactly 22) strode past me. I wish I took a picture. They were all dressed exactly the same and were grouped by gender (i.e. the boys and girls walked separately). Couldn't really figure it out until I realised that they were attending an entrance ceremony for work. Large companies, like the one my wife works for, will have these mass ceremonies to welcome in their new recruits. They all join at the same time (right after university is done) at the same age (22) and wear the same attire, as dictated by their new company. It might seem excessive, but it's a huge source of pride for people who have made it as they have likely been preparing since their early teens to specifically enter their company. Especially in this economy where huge numbers of university grads are out of work, it's an enourmous accomplishment.

Schools do this too. Similar to companies, high schools and universities are often quite competitive to get into. Students do hours of cram school and studying every day to ensure that they make it. And when you're in, it's party time:

(Okay, the above pictures are probably quite old and are a more extreme example, but I think they get the point across.)

This fiscal year we are treated to a special event: a Tokyo gubernatorial election. I don't vote here so the most I can do is sit back and enjoy the campaign speeches. This might not seem like a lot, but for someone with as many Canada-induced grievances about democratic process as I have, it's quite refreshing to take a look at how Japan goes about this process.

I'll admit, most of what I've seen by way of campaign speeches here resembles someone being forced to speak to a camera while held at gunpoint by hostage takers. It looks a bit slapped together and few people try to hide the fact that they're reading off teleprompters. At least when I'm watching something with such low production value I know that thousands of dollars did not go into writing some flattering speech to sway the masses. The Japanese approach may be barebones, but no one can accuse it of being style over substance. That isn't to say that some people don't put a little flare into their pitch, though...

Gosh, 2007 was a great year... Unfortunately, Mr. Matayoshi hasn't run for 2011. Here's another fellow I wish I got to see this year:

Not everyone's this intense. Some politicians do the best they can to ensure a joyful election experience, like this fellow, who actually did run for 2011:

And finally there's this dude:

Mr. Matsushita ran for Nagasaki in 2010 and got 3000 votes.

Happy New Year, everyone!