Top ten Gaijins

[Bucky]

[Iraira]

[nottu]

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

I love how he's taken the Japanese path and selected a list of ethnic and masculine purity (with a token Asian, Pacific islander and a couple of halves thrown in for good measure).
No successful women? Blacks? Non-English speakers?

[Ol Dirty Gaijin]

#8 indicats that they haven't a fucking clue.
Move on.

You got to number 8 before reaching that conclusion?!?

[nottu]

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

However, we'll need Take to get a well-rounded assessment.

I think Take would be delighted at the offer to "top 10 gaijins," the concept of which would probably have slightly more deadly overtones for him compared to how we may interpret it.

[Mulboyne]

What a bizarre list. It looks more like a selection of ten expats you'll find discussed most on Japan blogs.

[nottu]

[American Oyaji]

What a bizarre list. It looks more like a selection of ten expats you'll find discussed most on Japan blogs.

You got it in one there Mul.

Also, how is success defined? Someone mentioned money or women, or is success exposure, i.e. the number of people that recognize you.

[james]

to quote a fark meme, this list is epic fail in so many ways.

I'm guessing the most successful are people we've rarely, if ever, heard of but are prominent within specific circles. my uneducated 2 yen worth.

[omae mona]

What a bizarre list. It looks more like a selection of ten expats you'll find discussed most on Japan blogs.

That was exactly my thought, too.

And we are going to help reinforce their standing with the discussion in this thread.

[Greji]

You got it in one there Mul.

Also, how is success defined? Someone mentioned money or women, or is success exposure, i.e. the number of people that recognize you.

It must be based on exposure/PR. If was based on money, Debito wouldn't be there. If it cost a nickel to go around the world, he couldn't afford to get out of sight...

[Mike Oxlong]

Terrie Lloyd or Robert Whiting or just a few others could be considered successful...

[nottu]

[Catoneinutica]

[Western All Stars]

10. Danny Choo (UK)

I saw a job ad a few months ago from Choo, I think it was on Monster. He was offering something like 800 yen/hr for web-related work. What a douchebag.

[maraboutslim]

i'm sure to most japanese, masayoshi son is a gaijin. and as such, is surely the top of the heap.

[TennoChinko]

I saw a job ad a few months ago from Choo, I think it was on Monster. He was offering something like 800 yen/hr for web-related work. What a douchebag.

That's 400 yen more an hour than you'd get assembling high heel shoes in his father's sweatshop*:

http://www.jimmychoo.com






* His father really is Jimmy Choo.
** In previous interviews, Danny Choo has clearly indicated how he established his own business in Japan without the benefit of his father's money or name - which appears to be accurate. Gotta give the guy a thumbs-up! (Plus I like his Dancin' Stormtrooper shtick)

[Takechanpoo]

why isnt legendary C.W.Nicol listed?

[Catoneinutica]

I saw a job ad a few months ago from Choo, I think it was on Monster. He was offering something like 800 yen/hr for web-related work. What a douchebag.

+1. A douchebag indeed.

[Catoneinutica]

* His father really is Jimmy Choo.
** In previous interviews, Danny Choo has clearly indicated how he established his own business in Japan without the benefit of his father's money or name - which appears to be accurate. Gotta give the guy a thumbs-up! (Plus I like his Dancin' Stormtrooper shtick)

Thumbs down. Way down. He can deny it all he wants, but of course he's coastin' on daddy's name. Do you really think we'd be talking about him otherwise?

[BigInJapan]

No offense to the guy made up this list, but he's just some random blogger that teaches English in Korea. It's one man's opinion, "complete with fun facts and media".
As others have mentioned, time to move on.

[waruta]

why isnt legendary C.W.Nicol listed?

I can't believe I'm typing this, but I have to agree with Take on this point...

[TennoChinko]

I'd definitely add C.W. Nicol to that list. He also happens to be a Jap citizen but does not wear it (out) on his sleeve like that annoying clod Arnold Debuto. And, unlike Debuto, he is actually... successful.

Other gaijin whom I'd add to the list as "having made it" would include:

(kiss-ass Jap apologist) Bill Totten, founding CEO of Ashisuto

Baseball and yakuza writer, Robert Whiting - "You Gotta Have Wa" and "Tokyo Underworld"

Although their achievements probably pale in comparison to Kimuchi Chief, Masa Son of Softbum...

Allen Miner, former Mormon missionary and CEO of Oracle Japan

co-founder and CEO of Fusion System, Michael Alfant ... he sold his firm, pocketed over $40 million and returned to head it again... or something like that

Although probably not well known outside of finance circles:

another former Mormon missionary and head of private equity firm Advantage Partners, Richard Folsom

Also, former Soros fund manager, John Zwaanstra (45), CEO of hedge fund PENTA

http://www.1440wallstreet.com/index.php/comments/the_highest_paid_people_on_wall_street/

John Zwaanstra, New York, Penta Investment Advisers, Estimated Income: $250–$300 million

[waruta]

I'd definitely add C.W. Nicol to that list. He also happens to be a Jap citizen but does not wear it (out) on his sleeve like that annoying clod Arnold Debuto. And, unlike Debuto, he is actually... successful.

One reason why I would vote for him as mayor/governor

Baseball and yakuza writer, Robert Whiting - "You Gotta Have Wa" and "Tokyo Underworld"

Jake Adelstein "Tokyo Vice"

One of the many gaijins on the short list of Yakuza hits, interesting book but the way this guy is promoting it (pimping himself?) is way too annoying as well as the Daily Show interview, I'm surprised that he hasn't made the news yet....in a bad way that is.

[TennoChinko]

C.W. Nicol has a regular column in the Japan Times called OLD NIC'S NOTEBOOK:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fe-cw-all.html

His latest column is here:

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fe20100207cw.html

Sounds like a guy who has seen and done a lot, is still doing a lot, and is very content and happy.

[sublight]

Just off the top of my head, and not knowing much about the gaijin scene before the mid-90s...

[in no particular order]
Robert Whiting
Marutei Tsurunen (Finnish-born member of parliament)
Carlos Ghosn
C.W. Nicol
Any number of athletes who've made it big here, including Konishiki, Akebono, Asashoryu, Hakuho, Kotooshu, Tuffy Rhodes, Alex Cabrera, Ruy Ramos, Zico etc. (hell, just because it would piss him off so much, I'd add Sadaharu Oh to that list)
David Spector (I don't really like the guy, but I have to admit he's spent a long time climbing his way to the upper ranks)
Bobby Ologon
Girolamo


There are probably lots of people more successful than anyone on that first list that nobody's heard of, just because they're not in publicity-seeking careers. My old boss at Interbrand Japan, for example: came here in the '70s to study karate, and after 30-odd years here is a top executive with a multinational consulting firm living in a sweet-ass pad in Hiroo.

[sublight]

And don't forget Edwin Reischauer.

btw, if this list pisses off Debito when he sees Lazlo ranked above him, then at least it will have achieved something positive.

[Christoff]

^ I loled!