borrowing money

[Steve Bildermann]

Japan has very few regulations regarding lending to individuals. Each company has it's own contracts which are subject to wide intepretation. If you sign (or hanko) a contract *that* company is responsible for recovering the money not the law. They can and do change the rules if they think you are getting risky.

Some will say that private borrowing is unwise but if you *really* intent to pay the money back *and* you have a solid plan to do so *and* you can afford the high interest you can get a loan quite quickly and pretty easily so it will cover you until better times arrive. If you don't have any of the above you will soon find youself in very deep and *forget* all thoughts about splitting without paying up. It's been tried many times and they are up to all the tricks.

I've borrowed from individuals, banks and institutions and have never had much trouble because I always pay back according to the letter of the contract. Getting started as a borrower may be difficult unless you have some upstanding individual willing to co-sign.

Good luck.

[cstaylor]

...and we'll be watching for your name in the news.

[American Oyaji]

Debt is a cycle that repeats itself.

Instead of borrowing money. Eliminate all non essentials from your daily life. When I got ill, I cancled my cable and my cable internet. Believe you me, that hurt a lot.

When facing financial trouble, first cut out anything that you can live without. Don't watch so much TV or don't watch TV at all to save on electrical bills. Take a shower every other day if you can do it. (some peoples odor is not so strong. Others MUST shower everyday.)
Walk to work instead of driving or take public transportation (not really an issue in Japan).

I learned a lot about debt and financial trouble in the past few months.

[American Oyaji]

some people know the scent of their own bodies.

Others do not. I had a strong odor when I got to Japan.

But after I got married and ate only Japanese food, my odor left.

It returned after I came back to the states.

[Taro Toporific]

...try this. Get out your dirtiest clothing, scrub mud all over your face and laydown with a sign (printed in Japanese) saying money for a broke ass Gaijin. DONT MOVE until they give you some money.

Better yet... put on your best 'honest' face and ask ex-pat housewives in Hirro for "500yen for train fare" 'cause you lost your wallet. IT WORKS EVERY TIME FOR ME!