NOVA経営破綻の責任(Responsibility of NOVA's Bankrupt)

2007年11月11日(日曜)
Sunday, November eleventh, two thousand and seven

NOVAの事業の一部を引き継ぐ企業が決定しましたが、30万人とも言われる生徒全員の救済、元生徒に対するレッスン料返還は、期待できそうにないみたいですね。

新聞によると、このままでは、戦後最大の負債者を抱えた倒産になるらしい。

今年の春、経済産業省は、NOVAに業務改善命令を出し、一部の新規契約業務を停止させた。そのとき、こういった事態になることは予想できなかったのだろうか？NOVAが赤字経営であったことは、周知の事実だったし、業界最大手であることから、万一経営に支障が出て、当時40万人だった生徒に影響が出ることはシミュレーションできなかったのか？『食料品メーカが、不正行為をしたので、営業停止にする』といった処置と同じではないのだ。その会社の事業には、40万人の国民が顧客として関与していたのである。

もちろん、NOVAを経営破綻させた最大の原因は、前社長の猿橋氏と経営スタッフによる、超低レベルの経営マネジメントにあったことは疑いのないところであるが、国(経済産業省)にも、少しは責任があるのではないか？特に、雇用面(外国人教師、日本人スタッフ)・生徒サポートの面で、もっと国はサポートしてもよいのではないか？何しろ、"戦後最大の負債者集団"なのである。過去、不良債権を抱えた銀行に対して、国は公的資金を注入した。これと同じ考え方は、できないのか？今回のNOVAの経営破綻は、30万人がお金を預けていた銀行が破綻してしまったようなものである。国民の30万人が不良債権に悩んでいるのである。これは、不公平ではないか？政治は公平であるべきではないのか？

そういう国、特に政治家に対して、英語の名言を授けてあげよう。

Government is too important to be left to the politicians.
(政治家どもに任せておくには、政治は重要すぎる。)
(＝政治はとても重要なので、政治家に任せることはできない。)
by Chester Bowles US diplomat & economist (1901 - 1986)

国だけでなく、マスコミにも責任があると思う。今回のNOVA問題だけでなく、とかく悪いニュースは取り上げやすいので、マスコミはそういうニュースを安易に取り上げる傾向がある。マスコミ各社は行政処分を受けた直後、NOVAたたきに動いた。NOVAの悪い面ばかりをニュースにしたのだ。NOVAの生徒という立場から見ると、経営面は確かに悪い点が多々あったが、少なくとも私にとっては、週末のNOVAでレッスンを受けたり、VOICEというフリートークルームで、英語でおしゃべりすることは、普段の多忙な生活を忘れさせてくれる絶好の気分転換の場であり、週末の楽しみでもあった。不平・不満は言いやすい、ニュースにとりあげやすいであろう。しかし、肯定的意見も取り上げて欲しい。この不平等な対応は、いかに日本のマスコミが怠慢であるかの証明といっても過言ではない。

少なくとも私にとっては、NOVAは生活の一部、週末の楽しみと言ってもよいほど、重要な場であったのだ。お金うんぬんよりも、そういう重要な場所を奪った、旧経営陣の面々、先見性がなく平等性に欠ける国と政治、とかく無責任なマスコミの対応・・・全員を恨みます。

ともあれ、今回のNOVA破綻を機に、英会話を楽しめる場を、自分で事業として地元に立ち上げてしまおう、と思いつきました。将来、この夢が実現できたら、これは前述の馬鹿モノ達のおかげですね。そのときは、『ありがとう。あなたたちの馬鹿さ加減に、深く感謝します』と申し上げましょう。(^^♪

■余談
mixiに、新しいコミュを作りました。『大阪泉州で英会話を楽しむ会』
できれば、英会話喫茶などを立ち上げて、お金に困っているNOVAの先生達の役に立てたらなぁ、と思ってます。

According to the newspaper, a Japanese company, which manages English schools and cram schools for children, is going to take over part of NOVA's business, however, it's nearly impossible to help out all 30,000 NOVA students and won't refund the lesson fees to them.

The paper says that the bankrupt will bring the largest number of creditors in Japan after the World War 2 if nothing is done.

This past spring, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry gave NOVA business improvement order and suspended a part of its new contract business. I can't believe that the civil servant wasn't able to suppose their decision could cause such terrible situation. Anyone knew NOVA had been suffering from being in the red and was the industry giant. It was easy to guess that 40,000 NOVA students of that time would be in trouble if the company goes under. This case isn't equal to the case that Japanese government suspend its business when a food producer act wrong, because 40,000 citizens were involved in NOVA's business as its customers.

Of course, I bet the principal factor responsible for NOVA's bankruptcy is due to the poor business operations of the previous president Sahashi and board members, but Japanese government and the ministry also have a part of the responsibility for the bust-out, especially in the employment(for foreign teachers and Japanese staff) and the support for the customers, because the number of creditors would be the largest one in Japan after the World War 2. In the past, Japanese government decided to deploy government money for some big banks that had a lot of bad loans. Why don't they do that again for NOVA's teachers and customers? This bankruptcy is like a bank's collapse in which has 30,000 people save their money. 30,000 citizens are suffering from the credits! I absolutely think it's unfair! Politics must be fair!

Let me give an English witty remark to such stupid government and politicians.

Government is too important to be left to the politicians.
by Chester Bowles US diplomat & economist (1901 - 1986)

And also, I personally think Japanese mass media has a part of the responsibility because they often picked up the bad sides of NOVA and hardly picked up the good sides, such as....

すいません。m(_ _)m
これ以上、前述の日本語を英訳するのは、私には難しすぎます。あきらめます。(ToT)
とにかく、私はNOVAでのレッスンやVOICEが大好きです。

Sorry.... it's too difficult for me to translate all the above Japanese sentences into English. Let me give up......

Anyway, I LOVE English lessons and VOICE at NOVA SOOOOOO MUCH!

P.S.
I've just made an online community in mixi, the most popular SNS in Japan, that's called "The community of having fun with English conversation in Sensyuu, Osaka."
If possible, I'd like to start a new English cafe around here and help out NOVA teachers who are hard up for money.

Wedding and NOVA(結婚式とNOVA)

2007年10月27日(土曜日)
Saturday, October twenty seventh, two thousand and seven

今日は、親戚の娘さんの結婚式のため、大阪市内に出向きます。大阪はあいにくの雨模様ですが、若い人の門出を見るのは、とても新鮮な気持ちになるので、年寄りの私にも良い気分転換かもしれません。(笑)

ところで、私が通っている英会話スクールのNOVAは、昨日、社長を解任し、「会社更生法の適用」を申請しました。1ヶ月以内に支援企業が見つからない場合は、破産手続きをするそうです。仕方ないですね。既に支払った私のレッスン料がどうなるか不安でもありますが、それ以上に外国人の先生達・日本人スタッフの方々の生活が心配です。彼らになにかしてあげることはないか、日々頭を悩ませています。もちろん、それは私の仕事ではないけど、先生達と一人の生徒という関係以上に、とても仲良くなった人もいるので、何かしてあげたいのです。一番よいのは、私自身が新しい英会話スクールを経営する、というアイデアかもしれませんね。(^^♪ 土地と資金は、なんとかなります。一番の課題は、その運営と内容でしょうねぇ。事業計画をまとめる時間をなんとか作りたい。日本の諺に、『災い転じて、福となす』というのがありますが、そんなにうまくいくわけないですよね。(^_^;

I'm going to Osaka city today in order to attend a wedding reception held for a young lady of my relatives. It's a pity it's raining in Osaka now, however, it will make me feel fresh to see a departure of the youth, so it would be a good change of pace for old me. :D

By the way, an English school NOVA, at which I sometime take English lessons, removed the company president and applied for "assistance under the Company Resuscitation Law" yesterday. If the company can't find supporting organizations within one month, they will commit an act of bankruptcy. It can't be helped. I'm anxious about my lesson fee already paid but really worried about non-Japanese teachers' and Japanese staff's livings more than my money. I have been considering what I can do for them everyday. Of course it's not my business but I made friends with some of the teachers, I mean, the relationship between us isn't only the one between teachers and a student. That's why I'd like to do something nice for them. It might be the best idea to manage a new English private school by myself. :) I guess I can prepare the fund and the land somehow. The most important issues would be how to manage and the contents. I want to make the time somehow to write up the business plan. A Japanese proverbs says "Wazawai Tenjite Fukutonasu", that means "to turn the potential disaster to one's advantage", "to turn a misfortune into a blessing", or something like those, however, the new plan would never go well like that. :p

Why don't I quit NOVA?

Wednesday, October seventeenth, two thousand and seven

Many NOVA students are eager to quit NOVA and be refunded their lesson fees, but apparently the stupid president's company cannot afford to pay them back the money so far. Some friends asked me why I don't quit NOVA soon actually. However, I won't quite it as long as the school exists. One of the reasons is that there are many nice teachers at the branch I belong to now, and another one is that I tend to behave differently from other people, that's to say, I'm sort of perverse. (^_^) The other one is that I'd like to observe how NOVA would get through the recent tough business situation if the airhead could. Actually, I'm in charge of my factory's business management, so I might have such kind of serious circumstance someday, I mean, I'd like to learn lots of ways to get by in poor business environment. I must be lucky that I'm a NOVA student now, because I can study not only English but also how important corporate managements are!


perverse: ひねくれた、あまのじゃくな

My Branch to Closed

September twenty seventh, two thousand and seven

NOVA, the most biggest private English school in Japan, has a big financial problem now as many Japanese people know. I saw an article in the newspaper, that mentioned the company's future. According to the newspaper, the school was planning to close some branches to slash expenses. I hoped that Kishiwada branch, which I belong to now, wouldn't be shut down. Against my expectation, one of my study buddies, whose name is Hiro*** and who studies English at the same branch, made a phone call the day before yesterday to let me know the branch is going to be closed next month. Holy shit!!! .... Pardon my French. m(_ _)m
Anyway, I have to move to Namba branch or Wakayama branch soon. I'm going to move to Wakayama branch so far. The reason isn't just because it's closer from my house than Namba. Actually I visited there the other day as I've post an article here before. I like the atmosphere in the lesson rooms, the teachers and the stuff. They looked very friendly at that time. Besides there are many amusement spots around there - such as bars, bars, bars and bars.... :D

Typhoon No.4 Hit Japan

Sunday, July fifteenth, two thousand and seven

A big and powerful typhoon caused rainstorms almost all over Japan yesterday. Now it already passed by Osaka and is going near Tokyo. Fortunately, my family and I didn't have any serious problems. I personally think most typhoons tend not to bring terrible damage to Osaka, so we are very lucky. :) However, Kyusyu area, the southern part of Japan, got damaged seriously, according to the newspaper. As far as I know, the part is tendency to sometimes have heavy rain during typhoon seasons. Apparently, two people, including an elementary school student, were killed due to the flooding in Kagoshima prefecture, which is one of districts in Kyusyu area. I'm really worried that many of the recent typhoons could be bigger and more powerful than they had because of global warming.

Rainy Season

Thursday, June fourteenth, two thousand and seven

Apparently, the rainy season of this year has just started in Japan. As the temperature in my factory was relatively cool today, I felt comfortable in today's job. In addition, rain sometimes makes me feel relaxed because of the negative ions generated by the weather.
Speaking of "negative ion", Japanese people often say "minus ion" instead of "negative ion". According to my dictionary, "minus ion" is a strange English word made in Japan and "negative ion" is correct. Actually, tons of strange English words made in the country often drive me bananas these days. Since I was born in Japan, it's no use complaining though.


negative ion: マイナスイオン(minus ionは、和製英語)

NOVA in Trouble

Wednesday, June thirteenth, two thousand and seven

According to the newspaper, the Japanese government has just given some business improvement orders to NOVA, the most biggest private English school in Japan. The newspaper says that the school often told lies to the new customers when they contract with NOVA. Since some consumer affairs bureaus have been swamped with complaints related to the agreement between NOVA and its students. I'm worried about taking my English lessons in the future but I'll go on studying English there as long as the staff provide sincere services. To be honest, I don't want to mention this affair any more. I really feel sorry for the teachers as they might be at a loss in spite of their leader's blunder.


business improvement order: 業務改善命令
be swamped with complaints:　苦情が殺到する
consumer affairs bureau: 消費者センター
blunder: 失態

Cherry Blossoms in Wakayama

Sunday, April first, two thousand and seven

You can see lots of beautiful cherry blossoms almost all over Japan this week. I personally think this season is the best one to visit Japan. Basically, most cherry trees in Japan blossom out at the beginning of April, however, this cherry blossom season has started kind of earlier than usual, because the last winter was the warmest one in history as far as Japan Meteorological Agency has recorded. Anyway my family wanted to go somewhere to see cherry blossoms, I couldn't help but drive them to a famous spot today even though I'm a little tired. We decided to go to 紀三井寺(Kimii Dera) in Wakayama prefecture, which is a famous temple as having a lot of cherry trees. We could see a large number of marvelous cherry blossoms. They aren't full bloom though... I suppose they are 80% or so... Let me post some pictures I took there on this blog space. Don't you think they are wonderful? (^_^)v


Japan Meteorological Agency: (日本の)気象庁

Toilet with MP3 Player

Thursday, January twenty fifth, two thousand and seven

TOTO, the toilet manufacturer giant in Japan, has just released a new type of toilet. It reportedly has some advanced technologies. The most interesting function to me is that it can play MP3 music! After you did something on the toilet, it sounds some kinds of relaxed music. And also, you can install other kinds of sound you want to listen to during doing something into the toilet... Now I remember, ... the restroom in bar60 that I sometimes go for a drink sounds nicely after I did something... :)

You can see the new toilet's picture on the following URL.
http://kaden.watch.impress.co.jp//cda/parts/image_for_link/5491-385-1-1.html

Umm... the recent my diaries tend to be very short..... :(