Despite never having met Brad, there was almost an expected sense of familiarity before meeting. I knew we shared some kind of common background hailing from the same alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin; his firm Texan handshake and relaxed demeanor only served to confirm my expectations. He suggested a Japanese restaurant within…

The Aozora Bank was originally established in 1957 under a different name, that of The Nippon Fudosan Bank and underwent a few changes up to the present. In 2001, the bank finally changed its name to Aozora Bank, Ltd. and converted from  a “Long-Term Credit Bank” to an “Ordinary Bank” in 2006. The head of the International…

How to Get a Japanese Credit Card The eternal question many foreigners have to deal with: how can I get a credit card in Japan? In theory, this shouldn’t be a difficult task considering just how common credit cards are. In practice, however, getting a credit card in Japan can be bit more frustrating, particularly…