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Michael Kannisto runs a think tank called MindemicLab, which utilizes scenario planning, wargame simulation, and predictive modeling to help organizations develop strategies that will be effective across multiple possible futures. Michael began his career as a research chemist, but quickly realized that while molecules always act predictably and consistently, people rarely do. He has spent much of his career in corporate Human Resources exploring the uncertainty that comes along with having humans in the workplace. Large, successful, well-funded organizations frequently experience failure when purchasing technology or implementing new policies. This is mainly the result of unanticipated changes that occur along the way. Michael started MindemicLab as a resource to help others “rehearse” alternative futures, and thus increase their likelihood of success. Prior/ongoing work in this area includes deep dives into The Future of Work, The Future of Early Career Recruiting and The Future of Disability. Plastic Love by Mayiya Takeuchi Virtual HR Technology Conference

This episode covers the fate of Nimna, aka Mimana or Imna, and the general destruction and subjugation of the various states on the Korean peninsula between Silla and Baekje, along with the rise of Silla as a a true power.  Using references in the Samguk Sagi along with the Nihon Shoki we will try to puzzle out just what was happening in this chaotic but important period. For more, see https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-82   Rough Transcript: Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 82: The Fate of Nimna. Before we get into this episode a few notes.  First off, this episode deals with war and with the trauma that brings, to include issues of death, sexual assault, and enslavement.  I'll try to be delicate, especially where we don't need it to get the larger story, and perhaps reference some of it more fully in the show notes at SengokuDaimyo.com/podcast, so go there for more information.  That said, I don't want to just gloss over it, either—these were violent times and history often deals with subjects we'd rather not talk about.  We just don't have to sensationalize it, either. As we discussed last episode, we are into the reign of Ame Kunioshi, aka Kimmei Tennou.  According to the dates given in the Nihon Shoki, Ame Kunioshi, the youngest son of Ohohodo no Ohokimi, aka Keitai Tennou, reigned from 539 to his death in 571.  Thirty two years is a respectable reign for any sovereign, especially considering that two of his half brothers had taken the throne ahead of him.  Add to this the thought that he may have been co-ruling in some capacity even before then and it is little wonder that he has quite the entry in the Chronicles. And yet, most of his entry is taken up with an almost singular focus on one thing:  Nimna, the polity on the Korean peninsula that is also known as Mimana in Japanese or Imna in modern Korean. We've talked about Nimna in the past, and it is more than a little controversial.  Sometimes it is ignored as a complete fabrication of the Japanese chroniclers, and other times it is equated with the larger Kara confederation.  I suspect the truth lies in a complicated middle ground that cannot be fully explained as we only have external accounts regarding its existence. For my part, I think there is enough evidence to suggest that Nimna was a real place, and a place of some import, as it shows up in things like the Gwangaetto Stele, as well as in some of the Sinitic records as well, so it isn't something that the writers completely made up.  At the same time, any talk of “Mimana Nihonfu” suggesting direct control by Japan or Yamato is just as likely made up to support Yamato's own causus belli, and may have even been included in some of the earlier documents that the Chroniclers themselves were drawing from.  There is also the possibility that the term “Nimna” was no longer in use, but still referenced by Yamato, much as they tended to refer to anything in the Yangtze river basin as Kure, or Wu, referencing an old dynasty that had long since been supplanted by others. A lot of what we read about Nimna comes from the Baekje records that the Chroniclers frequently quoted.  Unfortunately, there is no extant copy of this record, and all that we have is the fragments quoted in the Nihon Shoki, where the Chroniclers frequently embellished the accounts.  They would often equate, for instance the Wa ethnonym—that is the term “Wa” used to refer to people of ethnic Wa descent—as an automatic reference to actual subjects of Yamato.  It is much more likely that there were a variety of ethnic Wa polities—or at least multi-ethnic states with a sizeable Wa population—on the peninsula and the archipelago, outside of those territories directly controlled by Yamato, though by the time the Chroniclers were writing Yamato really was the only “Wa” polity around, at least of any major consequence.  At the time, though, Yamato likely held a place of prominence and even immense influence across the various Wa polities on the archipelago and, possibly, on the peninsula, but things weren't as cut and dried as we tend to think of it regarding states and countries today. It is quite possible—even likely—that Nimna was important to Yamato, and most especially to the trade that occurred between Yamato and the rest of the continent.  Based on various descriptions, Nimna, or the territory defined as such, bordered both Baekje and Silla, and it may have been made up of smaller polities, possibly with a core polity of Nimna at its head.  I could even conceive that there may have been a semi-permanent Yamato embassy set up in Nimna—and possibly with the various other polities as well, though the idea that Yamato was actually controlling these states seems to be too much overreach, to me. Prior to 539, we are told that Nimna had been incorporated into Silla's territory, around 532, and Aston notes that in the Tongkam the name “Nimna” doesn't show up after that date.  This is also one of the dates generally accepted for the end of any independence of the Kara confederacy as a whole, and when Geumgwan Kara is said to have submitted to Silla. As for the presence of ethnic Wa people on the peninsula, that does seem fairly well-established, assuming some accuracy to the Baekje record being quoted in the Nihon Shoki.  There are several members of various families listed in the accounts that feel as if they are clear references to people of ethnic Wa descent.  These are listed alongside other family names—likely of Baekje, Silla, or similar backgrounds.  People like Mononobe no Makamu, who is listed as having the Baekje court rank of “Siteok” and who is being sent by Baekje with another envoy, whose name is something like Chinmu Kwimun.  There is also a “Ki no Omi” who is listed as a Baekje envoy with the Baekje court rank of “Nasol”, who was also sent with other Baekje envoys to the country of Ara, or Alla.  There is speculation by a later commentator that Ki no Omi may have been the son of a courtier who had been sent on one of the expeditions from the archipelago, and a Baekje woman.  Then there is “Charomato”, who apparently was born of a “Korean” mother—likely meaning ethnically from the peninsula, but not of Wa descent.  Charo Mato held the title of Ohomuraji, meaning the head of a prestigious family, but also held the rank of Namanye in Silla and went around wearing quote-unquote “foreign dress”, and yet the records still identify him as being of Wa descent. While we've discussed the possibility that there were enclaves of Wa in the peninsula since ancient times it is also possible that members of families from the archipelago emigrated to the peninsula for one reason or another.  For example, we have Kawachi no Atahe.  This individual is noted in the Chronicles as the “Japanese authority” in the country of Ara, sometimes called Alla, which was one of the polities that was apparently lumped into the larger Kara confederacy.  At the same time, it looks like Kawachi no Atahe may have been someone who had been exiled from Yamato—or somewhere in the archipelago—suggesting that he wasn't actually a “Japanese authority” but rather that he was probably a local official who happens to be of Wa descent.  In the case of a name like “Kawachi no Atahe”, that certainly appears to be a locative in the Yamato area, of course, but the whole story leaves me with questions. Now, as I stated, much of this information comes from the Baekje records that the Chroniclers then embellished.  For example, the Chroniclers couch almost all of Baekje's interactions as being subservient to Yamato, rather than as those of an independent ally, and so as we look at this account, I'm going to try my best to address what is going on without too much of the Chroniclers' biases coming through.  But without independent confirmation from another source, that can be somewhat difficult, as many of the stories here are not found in the remaining records in the Samguk Sagi or Samguk Yusa, for example. Now I'd like to start with something out of the Samguk Sagi, which tells us that in 502 the country of Silla finally came to be known by that name.  Up to that point it had been known as Sara or Saro, evolving as it had from a coalition of about six city-states on the eastern edge of the Korean peninsula. As you may recall, during the reign of Ohodo, aka Keitai Tennou, there was discussion of Yamato hosting talks in Ara around 514.  In reality, those were probably talks hosted by Ara itself, which seems to have risen to some prominence at this point.  We talked about that back in episodes 76 and 77. Later, in 529, Baekje gained access to a port to better facilitate communication with their ally, Yamato.  This is presented as a gift by Yamato to Baekje, but apparently the King of Kara had other ideas.  They had already been on friendly terms with Silla since at least 527, and it seems that after this they turned even more towards Silla's embrace.  Indeed, the Silla annals in the Samguk Sagi tell us that Geumgwan Kara requested a Silla princess around this time, an event that is also recorded in the Nihon Shoki, and would suggest that they were looking for a marriage alliance to cement their position with their powerful Silla neighbor. What began as a marriage alliance, however, quickly turned into outright subjugation by 532.  Ara, likewise, seems to have been in Silla's sphere of influence, if not outright subjugated, by that point, at least if the Nihon Shoki is to be believed.  Many considered this the point at which the Kara confederacy had been dissolved, though some histories consider that the individual polities retained some level of independence, resisting complete absorption for another generation or two, until about the early 560s.  In the current reign, things start out in 540, one year into Ame Kunioshi's rule.  King Seong of Baekje brought together a bunch of representatives of the smaller polities, ostensibly to talk about re-establishing Nimna.  This is sometimes known as the Sabi conferences, named for the Baekje capital where they likely occurred.  Against the backdrop of Silla expansion, Baekje wanted to prop up some of the buffer states in between the two kingdoms.  They urged on Nimna at multiple times to re-establish themselves, promising aid, but Ara seems to have balked and suggested a more diplomatic route.  This may have been because they were already on the side of Silla—Baekje certainly makes that accusation of Kawachi no Atahe, who held some influence in Ara. The Chronicles claim Baekje did this to carry out the whim of the Yamato court.  In fact, however, it is much more likely that they were playing their own chess game with Silla.  The extent to which their ally, Yamato, was actually involved is hard to say.  Certainly we have examples of Baekje and Silla making their own alliances.  For example, in 525, Baekje records that they exchanged gifts of friendship with Silla, though Best, who translated the records, suggests that this may be misplaced, chronologically, as there is no corresponding record in the Silla annals of the Samguk Sagi.  Then of course in 530, the Nihon Shoki notes that Silla and Baekje teamed up against a rogue Wa commander, Kena no Omi, but then in 537, we have Yamato supporting Baekje against a supposed Silla-Goguryeo alliance. All of these shifting alliances make the accounts read like two very different stories that have been intertwined.  On the one hand is the story of Baekje, trying to help the mighty Yamato restore the innocent country of Nimna, despite the pernicious interference of the irreverent Silla.  On the other hand we see friendly—or at least tolerable—relations between Silla, Baekje, and Yamato, each agreeing to meet with each other and even ally with the other as the need arose.  Unfortunately, we aren't given many of the deeper thoughts or reasonings, but I lean towards discounting many of the stories that make Silla out to be the bad guy for everything.  In fact, it is much more believable that, rather than overarching themes it was a much more complicated and even local situation, where alliances were more matters of convenience and where even during war the various states kept up some kind of dialogue.  In addition, we have to remember the biases of Chroniclers who knew what was coming—in the 7th and 8th century it was Silla who was Yamato's rival, and so here we see them, with the benefit of hindsight, building up to that conflict, which may mean an overemphasis on the threat Silla posed at the time. As for ethnic Wa involvement in events on the peninsula, while they were not all the responsibility of Yamato, there may be more than a few that were.  After all, there were those from Yamato who had been sent on raiding parties and in warbands for one reason or another over the past couple centuries.  Then there were various envoys, who could spend considerable amounts of time in a foreign land and even settle down and have kids. There was also likely another reason for people to move from the archipelago, which was the expansion of Yamato's own power.  As Yamato exerted greater and greater centralized control, anyone on the outs with the ruling authorities may have wanted to seek refuge elsewhere, and given the fluid nature of things at this point in time, it doesn't seem unreasonable that they may have moved to Baekje, Silla, or even to some of these states in between.  Once there, if they had administrative experience, perhaps they were able to find a place for themselves in their new home's own government structure.  The Nihon Shoki records plenty of examples of Baekje, Silla, and even Goguryeo people coming to live in the island chain, so why wouldn't some people go in the other direction? This could also explain Yamato's own somewhat laissez-faire attitude towards Baekje's considerable entreaties to get a handle on the various Wa people on the mainland, given that they probably had no way to actually compel them to return, let alone listen to what they said.  This was likely a source of consternation for the peninsula, much as various pirates and similar independent adventurers would be in later centuries, when the central government often could not, or simply would not, rein in the excesses of those on the periphery. The Yamato court may have also endorsed the behavior of these various Wa folks to some extent.  There are hints that they were in close contact with Silla as well as Baekje, though the relationship does feel more tense, in general. We have to remember that our Chronicles are largely from either early Japanese sources or from Baekje sources viewed through an early Japanese lens.  Meanwhile the Samguk Sagi tends to take a very pro-Silla point of view, while the other entities involved don't get much of a voice at all. Speaking of which, there are three other polities mentioned in the attempt to reestablish Nimna and to allow the various members of the Kara confederation to have their independence back.  One of these we know as “Teokkwithan”, which we are told lay between Kara and Silla, and so without aid from a powerful neighbor, like Nimna, it was constantly harassed.  Then there is South Kara, which was small and weak, and without any real allies that it could call on.  While we don't know the exact situation, one assumes it was probably on the coast, again near Kara and Silla.  Then there was the state of Chaksyun, which is frankly depicted as evil and double dealing, and thus basically deserving of their eventual fate. I can't help but wonder if, in a way, these aren't just general stand ins for the stories that happened again and again, both in the peninsula but also in the archipelago.  Smaller polities ended up as pawns, and often became the ground on which the more powerful states would fight.  That meant that most of the damages would accrue to the local lands, and whatever the motives might have been of Silla, Yamato, or Baekje, that was likely disastrous for the local population, and only further hindered their own growth. Now Baekje regularly tried to entreat Nimna to side with them and to effectively break away from Silla control, but there is plenty of evidence that at least some in Nimna were willing partners with Silla.  Baekje complains, for example, about one individual, named Isumi, whom we are told is the Omi in Nimna—possibly referring to his role as a minister, or else a mistranslation of the name Isumi no Omi, I'm not quite sure.  He is accused, by Baekje, of conspiring with Silla to attack. At the same time, recall that Baekje had annexed territory from Nimna, and refused to give it back, claiming that it was necessary as a buffer in case Silla decided to attack them.  Really, I don't see any shining examples of virtue in any of this. Baekje eventually decided to set up its own fortresses along the river between Ara and Silla—presumably with Ara's support.  Tensions were certainly ramping up, and Baekje's own reasoning for setting up the fortresses was to make it impossible for the Silla farmers on the other side of the river—presumably the Nakdong river at this point—to be able to tend to their fields.  The reasoning given is that if Silla found it too difficult they would just give up the fortresses they themselves had erected and the independent buffer state of Chaksyun, which Silla had also swallowed up, could be restored. Here I'd like to give a blow by blow of what happened, but we have too much happening too quickly.  Besides the confrontation between Baekje and Silla over control of the various territories between them, there was still a threat from Goguryeo at the head of the peninsula.  In about 546 a succession dispute in Goguryeo led to fighting between some of the elite factions in the court over their preferred candidates to the throne, leading to massive conflict.  Several years later, Goguryeo was again threatening areas to the south, possibly with the support of some of the smaller polities, such as Ara, who may have been looking to break out from both Baekje and Silla control.  In response, Baekje appears to have requested assistance from Yamato, but the nature of travel across the straits meant that any troops were slow in coming.  This may be why Korean sources like the Tongkam note that Baekje allied with Silla to help stop the Goguryeo threat. This appears to go back to a long standing agreement between Baekje and Silla, to at least 493, where they mutually agreed to push back against Goguryeo, even as they continued to bicker with each other over the territories in their own regions.  During this latest Goguryeo incursion, Baekje even laid some blame on the quote-unquote “Wa authorities” in Ara, whom they blamed for calling Goguryeo to come in the first place.  Yamato, for their part had to deny any complicity—they certainly hadn't egged on Ara to call for Goguryeo to come help.  In fact, Yamato was intending to send their own people to Ara to help repopulate the country. If this all feels like a mess, that really is the sense I'm getting.  There was a lot happening, and things could change at a moments notice.  Through it all, though, Yamato and Baekje maintained good relations, even if they didn't always agree.   By 551, it appears as though Baekje and Silla had pushed back on Goguryeo, forcing them to abandon Hansyeong, aka Seoul and later the area known today as Pyongyang.  In 552, Baekje abandoned Hansyeong and Silla occupied it, and possibly the Pyongyang area as well, setting up two towns known as Utopang and Nimipang. In 553, Baekje was requesting more troops from Yamato, and five months later an emissary was on his way back to Baekje with equipment and promises of troops.  In the meantime it seems that Silla had been busy allying themselves with Goguryeo, and it looked like they were planning to attack Baekje.  And so Prince Yeochyang, son of King Seong of Baekje led troops against Goguryeo. This is one of the first in depths accounts we actually get of the fighting, although it still remains focused on the personal.  In this case the focus is on the prince, who led his troops out to a large plain and set up entrenchments, presumably to await the arrival of their Goguryeo opponents. They were not disappointed.  Local boys, possibly overseeing their herds or tending the fields, had seen the arrival of the Baekje troops and sent word, and overnight an army had appeared.  Prince Yeochyang had heard the sound of instruments in the night, but could see nothing.  He had his own men beat their drums in response and they kept a strict watch. The next morning they saw the Goguryeo troops arrayed around them, with banners covering the fields as a hill is covered with green foliage—or so the Chronicles tell us.  A man approached on horseback, and we are told that he wore a gorget, or neckguard, and was accompanied by two others who carried instruments, like cymbals, and two more that were adorned with leopards tails in some fashion.  This Goguryeo honor guard indicated someone of rank and status who had come for initial parlay. The Goguryeo prince asked whom they were fighting.  Yeochyang answered that he was of the “same name” as they were—that is, he called on his claim to a common Buyeo ancestry with Goguryeo—and mentioned that his rank was that of Hansol, and he was 29 years old.  Likewise the Goguryeo prince responded with his own details, which are not recorded, and then they got things started. First, before the battle, they set up a marked area of the field.  Here the two princes would do single combat before the rest of the battle would commence.  And so the Baekje and Goguryeo princes fought.  Eventually, the Baekje prince knocked his opponent from his horse with his spear, killed him, and cut off his head, raising it on his spearpoint and showing it off to his troops.  This gruesome display was met with joy by his own troops, but I daresay not so well on the other side.  After that, the rest of the forces engaged, and Baekje eventually pushed back the Goguryeo forces. So why tell you all of that?  There isn't a single mention of Yamato, and this is all happening in the north.  Okay, it is in the Chronicles, but why does that matter to us?  Heck, why did it matter to the Chroniclers? Well, we could point to how Yamato used the Baekje records as if they were an extension of their own power and hegemony, and therefore a Baekje victory was a Yamato victory in their eyes. This may also be taken out of context as an effort to support the view that Silla and Goguryeo were allying.  In his translation of the Baekje annals in the Samguk Sagi, Jonathan Best points out that Silla had been attacking Goguryeo only a year or two earlier—would they really be allying against Baekje at this point?  They don't appear to have given up the territory they gained from Goguryeo, and so I have to wonder if this doesn't come from earlier, when a Baekje-Silla alliance took Hansyeong and then the area of modern Pyongyang from Goguryeo control. Regardless, what interests me, besides the fact that it is one of the few accounts of an actual battle, sparse and biased as it may be, is that the form of battle shown here is remarkably similar to something we see later, in the Heian and Kamakura periods, with the rise of the samurai warriors.  It is the concept of single combat, and even the announcing of names.  This was key, particularly in times when you didn't always know who was who on the battlefield.  First things first—is this an enemy in front of you, or an ally?  And where did they come from and what was this all about?  These are not questions easily answered by the dead, and where is the prestige in defeating an unknown enemy? All that said, did it really happen like this?  Did they honestly have these kinds of norms around fighting, at least on the peninsula?  Quite possibly they did, at times, though it is also just as possible that this was more of a literary device than anything else—something to let the reader know what was going on and who was involved. This also seems to kick off the wars in earnest.  Up to this point, a lot of the fighting, assuming it happened, was largely off-screen, so to speak, with a focus on more diplomatic efforts, or simply the building of fortresses.  It is not dissimilar to the early setup in a game, though this was no laughing matter.  Outside of the glory or derision given to individuals in the pages of these historical records, we can't forget that there was a very real and human cost in what was happening.  Fighting meant death and destruction, and displaced people across the peninsula.  We see them coming to the archipelago and being settled in various areas, but we also see people enslaved and offered as diplomatic gifts.  These are people who were forced from their homes and their lives all because of aspirations of the powerful elites who directed soldiers to fight and die at their behest.  We may not always see it, but as we listen to what was happening, let's not forget the human toll around all of this. Coming back off of his victory in late 553, Prince Yeochyang continued his offensive against the Silla, this time taking the fight to them, directly.  They sent for the Wa troops that had been gathered in Tsukushi and Baekje sent a general with Mononobe no O to ask for even more.  In early winter, they were ready to begin their assault.  Baekje and Yamato troops assaulted Silla, but it wasn't enough.  This may account for a record in the Samguk Sagi which claims that Silla seized the northeastern border region of Baekje in that year, incorporating it into its own domain. The records say Baekje sent 10,000 men in their fight to quote-unquote “assist” Nimna, but they needed more, and Baekje sent a request along with gifts to Yamato to presumably help offset the costs. Yeochyang then headed back to the front with Silla and there he built a fortification at a place the records called Kutamura.  King Seong, worried for his eldest son, decided to go to the front to see him there.  The Samguk Sagi says that he assumed personal command of a force of about fifty thousand foot and mounted soldiers, and attacked the fortress of Mt. Kwanson along with “Karyang”, which some have identified as Kara troops, though it could be a reference to any number of troops from the areas in between Bakeje and Silla, I would think.  The Silla military governor of the recently annexed Baekje territories came down to assist.  During the combat, which seemed to be leaning in Baekje's favor, a Silla leader named Todo made a sudden attack which ended up killing King Seong.  This caused the army to break and the Silla troops pursued them.  The records say they beheaded around 30,000 Baekje soldiers and four of the highest ranking nobles. In the Nihon Shoki, they note this battle as well, though not quite in the same detail, simply stating that Silla brought all of their forces to bear on the king.  They also mention that he was captured and beheaded, with Silla keeping his head, but eventually sending his bones back to be buried. Prince Yeochyang, meanwhile, found himself surrounded, and according to the Nihon Shoki it was a man—or perhaps several men—from Tsukushi, aka Kyuushuu, who began to fire arrows so fast that they were able to open a hole in the opposing lines, allowing Yeochyang to escape.  Here, instead of pursuing the fleeing troops, the Nihon Shoki claims they held off because of fear of Yamato, which sounds more like embellishment by the Chroniclers. Following that defeat, Prince Yeochyang sent his younger brother, Prince Kye, to the Yamato court to inform them that their father had been killed and request more troops to avenge him.  Soga no Iname, the Ohomi, consoled Prince Kye.  He then hearkened back to the time of Wakatakeru no Ohokimi, aka Yuuryaku Tennou, and suggested that they should build a shrine to Ohonamuchi no Kami and worship him once more. This last part probably seems a bit odd.  As we'll discuss later, Soga no Iname by this point had been selected to help experiment with Buddhism and Buddhist practices, but a lot of Yamato decisions still balanced elements of practical and strategic thinking with elements of kami worship.  Without the kami on your side, there was very little that you could accomplish. This also would seem to be further evidence of links between the kami worshipped in Japan and peninsular practices.  Aston suggests there is a link here with the peninsular worship of Tankun, the legendary heavenly progenitor of Gojoseon.  Ohonamuchi, as you may recall, had ties with Izumo, but worship of Ohonamuchi may have either come from or spread to the peninsula as well.  The idea of a “Great Land Holder” seems to be a fairly nebulous and not particularly location-specific concept.  Whether or not there is a link with Tankun is, perhaps though, a tenuous assumption to make.   It seems that there was some urging by Soga no Iname to join common worship to help bring about victory, though it is unclear if Prince Kye actually took him up on this suggestion.  By this point, Baekje was fairly well immersed in Buddhism and the ruling elite were practicing Buddhists, though as we will talk about in later episodes, Buddhism doesn't necessarily require that people abandon the worship of local gods, though there often is some amount of conflict between the two. Later that year, back in Baekje, with the mourning ceremonies for the late King Seong concluded, Prince Yeochyang announced a desire to retire from the world and practice religion for the sake of his father.  This practice of taking the robes of a monk and making merit for one's father is not uncommon in some Buddhist traditions.  Certainly in Japan it became the norm for sovereigns to retire and to take Buddhist vows, but that was typically after they had reigned for some period of time—and it was rarely a full withdrawal from the world.  As it was, Yeochyang's own court protested that while it might be the filial and Buddhist thing to do, he had to also think about the state of the nation as a whole.  Instead, they suggested that he have 100 people quote unquote “enter religion”—which would seem to mean that they were forcibly tonsured—on his behalf, presumably to make merit for him and his father while he ran the country. Both the Nihon Shoki and the Samguk Sagi have something of a pause here, at least for a few years.  Baekje had received a pretty terrible defeat at the hands of Silla, and along with internal issues of getting everything back under control, it may have been a period of rebuilding.  In Yamato, they note the arrival of several succeeding envoys from Silla who were basically given the cold shoulder.  Silla seems to have then given up diplomatic relations for a while and worked, itself, to fortify its borders.  The Chroniclers of course note that this was because they feared a Yamato invasion, and there may be something to that—not so much that they feared being overrun, but historically raids by Wa sailors against the Silla coast were not uncommon occurrences. In 561 the Samguk Sagi once again notes Baekje dispatching troops to raid and plunder Silla's territory.  The Silla annals note this in 562, which may simply be the difference between when Baekje began to gather troops and when they actually attacked.  Baekje lost 1,000 soldiers in that debacle. That same year, the Samguk Sagi notes that Kara rebelled and that a Silla force was sent to put down the rebellion.  In the Nihon Shoki, it is said that Nimna was destroyed by Silla this year, and a comment included in the Nihon Shoki states that this included Kara, Ara, Saiki, Tara, Cholma, Kocchi, Chatha, Sanpanha, Kwison, and Imnye—10 states, in total.  Quoting the Tongkam, Aston says that the sources only mention Great Kara, or Daegaya. Here, again, we see confusion in the sources, but it does seem that there was some rebellion, perhaps, in the area that Silla had conquered.  According to the Nihon Shoki, Yamato sent troops to the front lines to help support Nimna against Silla, working with their ally, Baekje, who was just off their own defeat.  To compound matters, an envoy from Yamato to Baekje ended up losing a letter as well as some of the bows and arrows he was transporting along the way, and these fell into the hands of Silla, which gave them crucial intelligence on what was being planned. The Yamato generals for this endeavor were Ki no Womaro no Sukune and Kawabe no Omi no Nihe.  Ki no Womaro appears to have had some early successes, and he encouraged the troops.  Kawabe no Nihe, however, was inexperienced—apparently he was appointed because of his position in the court, rather than his military expertise. During one of the encounters with the Silla troops, he had them pinned down, and they raised a white flag, a symbol—even back then—of a desire for a ceasefire to talk terms and possibly surrender.  Nihe, however, was unaccustomed to warfare, and when he saw them wave the white flag he raised his own white flag in response, apparently thinking that it would stop the fighting.  To the Silla troops, however, it looked like he was giving up as well, and so they lowered their flag and redoubled their efforts.  Silla eventually routed the Yamato vanguard and many were injured.  Some commanders even abandoned their troops, rushing back to the safety of their own fortifications. Nihe survived, withdrawing to a nearby plain, but his troops' confidence in him as a leader was shot, and they stopped listening to him.  With little to no unit cohesion, they became easy prey for Silla forces, who rounded them all up, including the camp followers and Nihe's own wife, who was there with him.  Her name was Mumashi Hime, daughter of Sakamoto no Omi. Here I'm going to take a pause on what happened next.  Let's just say that Nihe continued his less than heroic streak and that his wife paid the price.  I'll have more in the show notes at SengokuDaimyo.com/podcast, but we really don't need to go into the gory details of it all here to get the bigger picture, as I really just want to set up what comes next. You see, in contrast to Nihe's behavior is the story of another man named Mitsugi no Kishi no Ikina.  Ikina refused to submit to Silla.  Threatening him with death the Silla commander made him remove his trousers.  He then tried to force him to humiliate himself by pointing his posterior towards Yamato and crying out, and I quote: “Yamato Generals, Bite my A**!”.  And yes, that is what the Chronicles say happened.  Apparently that phrase is more universal than one might have suspected.  Aston even makes the comment that there wasn't really a good word for “Kiss” in Old Japanese and that “Bite” was probably the equivalent for the times.  Either way, I think you get the meaning.  Anyway, even threatened with death Ikina refused to submit, and instead he cried out “Let the King of Silla Bite my A**!” Well things went downhill from there, and the Silla forces put him to death, along with his son, who had run out to comfort him.  There is a song given for his wife, Ohobako, who had also been captured with him, which comes down to us as:  “Karakuni no / Kinoe ni tatashi / Ohobako wa / Hire Furasu miyu / Naniwa ni mukite” “Standing on the walls of the country of Kara, Ohobako is seen to wave her scarf, turning towards Naniwa” In the end, the sources agree that Silla was victorious.  The rebellious regions submitted and Yamato troops withdrew. There were no more major conflicts noted with Silla after that, at least not during Ame Kunioshi's reign. There is one more martial account, however, and it immediately follows on the footsteps of the disastrous raid of 562.  Thousands of Yamato troops, working with help from Baekje and under the command of Ohotomo no Sadehiko, son of Ohotomo no Kanamura, attacked a city in Goguryeo territory where the King himself was staying.  The king fled, and Sadehiko returned with numerous items of loot.  These included a rich brocaded curtain that had been found in the king's chambers, which was gifted to the sovereign.  In addition, he gifted to Soga no Iname, the Oho-omi, and apparently the most powerful person at court at this point, two suits of armor, two swords mounted in gold, three copper bells with chasings, two flags of various colors, and a beautiful woman and her attendant, who had been captured and enslaved in the fighting.  There was also an iron building—possibly like a shrine—that had been taken from a tower in the city and which was for a while kept in Chouanji temple, but by the time that the Chroniclers were recording the Nihon Shoki nobody was quite sure where that was or what had happened to it. This seems odd to follow on to the disaster of the raid on Silla and the utter subjugation of the various states between Silla and Baekje, and it isn't referenced in the Samguk Sagi at all.  Then again, there is a general lack of any references at this point, so that may not mean as much as it seems.  It could be that this was placed here just to provide some kind of victory in the face of such a crushing defeat by Silla.  Then again, it is quite possible that Yamato and Baekje troops did use the opportunity to attack a Goguryeo that was still weakened and reeling from its losses to the Baekje Silla alliance years earlier. Speaking of which, whatever alliance Baekje and Silla may have had, the annexation of all of the Kara states by Silla had put an end to it.  Now Baekje and Silla shared a common border, with no buffer states between them.  It was clear that Silla was now Baekje's number one rival, as opposed to the weakened Goguryeo.  From the beginning of Ame Kunioshi's reign to now, whether or not Yamato had actually played a significant part in it, it was clear that the balance of power had shifted, and Silla was a rising threat. Still, Yamato had big dreams—perhaps bigger than they could accomplish on their own.  In 571, Ame Kunioshi passed away.  As he lay dying, he urged his successor, Crown Prince Nunakura Futotamashiki, aka Bidatsu Tennou, to continue to fight to re-establish Nimna, which would become something of a causus belli through at least the reign of Toyomike Kashikiyahime, aka Suiko Tennou, with the last reference being made in the second year of Taika, or about 646, a good 75 years later.  Notably, this deathbed request is the only real mention of Nimna in the Sendai Kuji Hongi, and some of have suggested that many of the more florid embellishments may have come from about the time of Kashikiyahime, to help justify her court's own military campaigns. Based purely on the conflict over Nimna and the other states collectively known as the Kara or Gaya Confederation, it would seem like this period was a huge loss for Yamato.  And yet the close cooperation and dialogue with Baekje brought numerous gifts to the islands.  This included further teachings from the continent that would help continue to shape the Yamato court with greater and more effective technologies that would strengthen the central government.  And then there was the introduction of Buddhism, which also had come around this time, and which will be the subject of our next episode. Until then, thank you for listening and for all of your support.  If you like what we are doing, tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website, SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode.

Bullying, humiliation, ridiculous targets, rubbish goods, stress, shame – a toxic cocktail often suffered in the sales environment.  We often get into sales by accident.  There are no varsity courses in sales.  There is training available by companies like ourselves, but often this is not offered by the employer.  The assumption is you look after yourself.  We won't invest in you and we will fire you if you can't make your numbers.  “Churn em and burn em” is the dominant ethos.  The successful salespeople ride the favourable market through to the inevitable downturn.  If they survive that experience, they often wind up being the sales manager.  Battlefield commands come on the back of your officer being killed off. There is a high turnover rate in sales both when people fail or succeed.  In either case, you are out the door and off to somewhere else.  The survivors who don't want to move on the greener pastures, often become the bosses. They continue the toxic culture regardless of how stupid it is, because that is all they know.  The client in all of this is the “mark”, to be harvested, to have their cash extracted and then abandoned to their own devices thereafter.  Often in bad sales organisations, area salespeople have to cover big territories. This is because they can only hit that one market once.  They are selling a lie.  Their product is not matched by quality against price and they have to scarper with the cash and get out of Dodge.  They are like sharks, which have to keep swimming around in order to breathe.  They move from town to town, fleecing the rubes and riding off into the sunset.  They are 100% commission pirates who have allegiance to no flag, except the skull and crossbones of short sighted, selfish salesmanship.  The successful move up in the organisation and the rest move on. Who decided it would be like this?  Not the salesperson.  They join a company and then discover the disconnect between the cost and the value, between the rhetoric and the reality.  By this time they have already left their previous job and are treading water to make commission and not drown in debt.  They are always just one week from financial oblivion, so they have to keep dancing while the music is playing.  The evil ethos is the company's making and this is where the blame should lie. Bad companies are inevitably run by bad sales managers.  The reason is simple – “birds of a feather, flock together”.  Good sales managers don't want to be involved in a business where they have to survive by fleecing the buyers.  They see a bigger picture, they have ability and talent and a war chest of funds to offer them choices.  Old Japanese saying – “the fish rots from the head”.  Consequently your company's bad sales boss, environment, culture and ethos stinks.  If you are a “good” person in sales, swimming in toxic cocktail of sales hell, then get out.  You are not in a position to reform that business or management.  It didn't get that way by accident.  Now you may not be able to move immediately, but for the sake of your health and mental well-being, don't put up with crap from idiots.  As soon as you can, move.  In the interim, educate yourself.  There are tonnes of books, free videos and podcasts on how to do a better job serving clients.  Access them.  Feed your mind with the positive, because for sure you are being killed by the negative environment surrounding you.  If you have the funds then get yourself into training.  By whatever ethical means, make yourself more skillful and valuable.  I often refer to kokorogamae, which I translate in this case as our “true intentions”.  Don't let any toxic environment or people corrupt your true intentions.  We should have a very clear guiding light and that should be to serve the best interests of the customer.  That means we have their success as the catalyst to our own success.  This is not instant and means a different type of client relationship with a longer sales cycle.  The share of wallet increases when there is a good track record and strong trust. The lifetime value of the customer becomes an integral part of the equation.  This type of sales environment only exists in companies with a correct kokorogamae.  If your company is not like that then do not become a lifer pirate, get out and save your career, health and mental well being. Action Steps Decide that your time in this toxic environment must come to an end Study sales diligently while you are arranging your escape Make your kokorogamae a clear vote in favour of serving the client  

A famed Japanese candy company, which survived even after World War Two, has succumbed to inflation. Sakuma Seika has decided to close its doors after more than a century as the country's economy sours. #SakumaSeika #Candy #Inflation

We speak to a lovely US-based couple, who are in the process of purchasing an older, super-cheap holiday home in Japan!

Read the transcript at patreon.com/learnenglishwithben Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

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https://youtu.be/gt05Ghvo9Mk

Link to article: https://bit.ly/3AjUYFkThese days, side hustles are more common than ever. But one firefighter in Wakayama, Japan is being punished for his double life as a gaming YouTuber.According to Mainichi and AFP, the 33-year-old firefighter uploading 314 videos between December 2020 to October 2021. The fire-fighting YouTuber typically played multiplayer strategy games, and had around 15,000 subscribers.An investigation was launched due to an anonymous tip that “there may be a firefighter who might be moonlighting on YouTube.” Since the firefighter did not show his face on YouTube, officials only had his voice and what he said to go on. One local official had to go through the clips one by one to accumulate clues proving the firefighter's identity. When confronted, he admitted to the allegations.The issue wasn't streaming, but rather, making money off it. During that ten-month period, the firefighter earned nearly $10,000 in ad revenue.Support the show (https://bit.ly/2XdAlJC)

My guest today is Tim Romero (@timoth3y). Tim is the founder and host of Disrupting Japan. Which is the first and largest startup podcast in Japan. He is also the Head of Google for Startups Japan.  In this conversation, we cover the Japanese startup ecosystem, why Japanese companies seem to IPO earlier, and his experience running a podcast. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Tim Romero. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page on  https://compoundingpodcast.com/ep14    ------   Show Notes: [00:00:32] - [First question] - What made Tim fall in love with Japan? [00:02:19] - How Tim got involved in the startup scene  [00:03:09] - Biggest changes in the scene over 20 years? [00:06:03] - Where the startup ecosystem in Japan can improve [00:07:53] - What sectors Tim is excited about [00:09:02] - Why do Japanese startups tend to IPO earlier? [00:10:53] - Why Japan is often overlooked [00:11:54] - Softbank  [00:13:45] - Old Japanese companies innovating [00:15:36] - Japanese bubble popping and the lingering effects [00:18:28] - Japan's obsession with quality products [00:22:07] - Disrupting Japan the podcast [00:28:45] - Most undervalued life experience ? [00:30:29] - Influential books? [00:32:38] - If Tim was 18 today?   ------   Connect with Tim: Follow Tim on Twitter: https://twitter.com/timoth3y  Disrupting Japan: https://www.disruptingjapan.com/  Connect with Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timromero/     ------   Mentioned/Recommended Content: The Secrets of Closing the Sale by Zig Ziglar: https://www.amazon.com/Zig-Ziglars-Secrets-Closing-Sale/dp/0425081028   ------   Stay up to date on the podcast by signing up to Curated by Kalani, where I share what I've been reading, learning, and watching for that week. I compress to impress and aim for maximal return on your time invested. Sign up at https://kalanis.substack.com    ------   Connect with Kalani: Sign up for "Curated by Kalani": https://KalaniS.substack.com/  Visit the Compounding Curiosity PODCAST: https://CompoundingPodcast.com/  Join the DISCORD: https://discord.gg/NPVNPVsCYb  Follow Kalani Scarrott on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ScarrottKalani/

Welcome to this very special relaxation bedtime story. Tonight we start with a short guided body relaxation to help you release stress and tension (NOTE: You can skip over the guided relaxation if that's not your thing by navigating the chapters in the episode show notes). Then we will journey together into the world of imagination as I narrate an old Japanese Tale called the Moon Maiden. This is a modified version that includes a mish mash of a variety of versions I found online as well as my own little creative version that I also added to it! I really do hope you like it!  There will be soft restful sleep music playing in the background to help you fall deeper into a sound sleep.  The soft music will continue to play for a little while as the story comes to an end and then it too will gently fade away. But for those of you who prefer a more quiet storytelling experience, here is the no music version linkAnd so, lights out, lie back and let's get sleepy together!Sweet dreamzzz...Joanne ❤         Did you know that I have a YouTube channel with over 171,000 subscribers where I help thousands of people fall asleep each and every night with my bedtime stories, sleep meditations and ASMR relaxation? Feel free to pop over to visit me on YouTube and be sure to say hello :)   www.youtube.com/relaxforawhilePlease consider leaving a rating or a review on Apple Podcasts as this can  really help me grow my audience. It also helps me know how I'm doing :)You can support me with a donation that will help me continue to spread sleepy vibes around the globe at no cost. You can make a donation by clicking the link in this description.  Thank you so much!If you like the podcast and find the bedtime stories helpful, please subscribe on your favorite podcast app and share with family and friends or whoever you know that may benefit.To learn more about the Drift Off Bedtime Stories Podcast, you are welcome to come visit my podcast website :) Hope to see you soon! www.bedtimestoriesforsleep.com

A 118-year-old Japanese woman will be carrying the torch for the Tokyo Olympics. Listeners comment on getting old. 24000-year-old zombies and a cheater playing baseball for the Giants.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 118-year-old Japanese woman will be carrying the torch for the Tokyo Olympics. Listeners comment on getting old. 24000-year-old zombies and a cheater playing baseball for the Giants.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Take a look at my original Hokusai manga, a 300 yo handwritten Japanese book of poetry and the FINAL chapter of The Wonderful Wizard of OZ!Join us for our stream Mon-Wed-Sat at 10pm Malaysian time LIVE!Facebook: I'm not wearing pantsYoutube: Jay SheldonTwitch.tv: JaySheldonNoPants

Host Deanna Woo talks to Anton Wormann about one of his greatest accomplishments in life - completely renovating and building an old Japanese house basically on his own. They discuss the inspiration behind it, the struggles and hurdles, and how the undertaking has allowed him to grow as a person and also assimilate more into Japan. Check out this episode and be inspired. 

What's up Psychathletes, welcome to podcast episode 24. In this episode Mitch and Ryan discuss the importance of always giving 100% both on and off the field. We also talk about how to navigate a team setting where being the "try hard", player on the team will always beat out the other kids who think it's cool to not try and to not always give all out effort. ALSO- If you guys have any questions you want to ask us in our podcasts make sure you join our mindset group using the link below! Every other Saturday we host a live podcast we stream on discord and answer all your guys questions live. So click below and don't miss out! Join our Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/855861778595993 Mindset Group Link: https://discord.gg/NKfzdXNvdx Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychathletes/

When people say stuck in their ways, they should show a picture of an old Japanese guy, cause they really don't know how to work with women! The UAE come a close second, which is definitely unfortunate for Princess Latifa. Charisma Carpenter dropped some bombs, then the rest of the cast have jumped in, BUT not really with any collaborating stories. SO, what really happened on the 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' & 'Angel'. Justin Timberlake and the media are really doing that whole BS apology business to Britney Spears, just waaaaaaay late. And Gina Carano social media shenanigans have ended her time in a galaxy far far away, so no season three of 'The Mandalorien'. These and more on today's #EFTV PLUS, we decided to take a look at some Canadian TV over on Amazon Prime and watch the ten episode 'Avocado Toast the series' from Sam Coyle, Perrie Voss & Heidi Lynch. Which was looking to redefine the way we talk about and view sex and age! AND, our Audible of the week, is book one in @sabaatahir four part #Ember series, 'An Ember in the Ashes'. This week: - Old Japanese men don't learn, first their Olympic Chief and now, LDP Secretary General shows no respect to females in the organisation!! - She went missing in 2018, but now the West act like they care about Princess Latifa - WTF actually happened on the sets of Buffy and Angel!?! - Everyone suddenly wants to apologise to Britney!!! - Gina Carano fired from The Mandalorien for her social media shenanigans! - Chin check REVIEWS & RECOMMENDATIONS - TV: Avocado Toast the series - Season One - thoughts AUDIBLE - An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir *(Music) 'Who Dat' (feat. Solé) by JT Money - 1999

[Recorded 27 February 2019] Old Japanese is the name given to the stage of the Japanese language as it was spoken during the eighth century CE. The corpus of written text that is understood to encode this language is small but of considerable qualitative significance for students of language, literature and ancient history. My talk will first introduce, briefly, some visual materials which help to illustrate how Old Japanese literature was encoded in writing and transmitted through time to the present day. After this, it will explore one dimension of Old Japanese texts which, more than any other, ties them to the oral traditions by which they are underpinned – rhetoric. In particular, the discussion will focus on the role of repetitive sound textures in Old Japanese rhetoric and, in the process, will highlight one area in which historical linguistics may be fruitfully deployed in support of literary analysis.

Could your gran chin a fully grown bear to actual bits? Find out how, in your midweek dose of Abroad in Japan...If you want to get in touch, send us a message as abroadinjapanpodcast@gmail.com. BANG! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Paul and Kimberly Fradale talk here about their amazing project to restore an abandoned Kominka Country House in Japan into a stunning home while building good relationships with neighbors. Support this podcast

The origin of The peoples Elbow has been revealed, Undertaker explains what went on and how he felt about the Montreal Screw job, 22 yr Old Japanese wrestler takes her own life due to cyberbullying and Matt Hardy talks about working with NJPW someday soooooooooooo much more! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lee-bentz2/message

Normally we say 1月、2月、3月（January, February, March) in standard Japanese. But we used to use lunar calendar before, and at that time, we have other words to describe month of the year. For example, 弥生（やよい、yayoi) =March, 皐月（さつき、satsuki）＝May, 葉月(はづき、hazuki). My favorite one is 神無月(かんなづき, kannazuki, meaning=God, no, month). Only Shimane prefecture where Izumo-shrine is they call 神在月（かみありづき、kamiarizuki, mean=God, there, month) ☆ Akari's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/m/akari_japanese ☆ Akari's italki online lesson: https://www.italki.com/teacher/916033 ☆Akari's website: https://akarijapanese.com

Kris and Evan introduce the show and discuss the ramen scene in Los Angeles and Orange County.LinksDeep Sauce (deepsauce.net) - The predecessor to Ramen Night.The Cultural Significance of Ramen - Huffington Post Behind the Scenes at Sun Noodle's Ramen Factory in LA - Serious Eats Ramen ReviewKopan Ramen - Buena Park, CASolid ramen in an accessible location with minimal wait times. An ideal spot for large groups of friends to get ramen together.Rank: A - For the complete list, go to ramennight.com/rankings

News McDonald's Teases Bring back Szechuan Sauce Weird Science Wifi-Enabled Dildo with Endoscope Camera Can Be Easily Hacked Weed Based Anal Lubricant is the Newest and Sexiest Way to Get High Creature Feature Man Found Inside 23-Foot Python, Yes He's Dead Dumb Decisions Man Texts His Ex-Girlfriend the Same 3 Words Each Day NRA Employee Shoots Himself at Gun Safety Event Say Whaaat? 80-Year-Old Woman Busted by TSA For Having a Sword in Her Cane Self-Proclaimed Witch Performs Exorcism at Scene of Car Crash That Killed 4 People Sexy Story of the Week Japan's Oldest Porn Star Calls It Quits at 80 Game: Trick-or-Tweet

Toxic Sales   Bullying, humiliation, ridiculous targets, rubbish goods, stress, shame – a toxic cocktail often suffered in the sales environment. We often get into sales by accident. There are no varsity courses in sales. There is training available by companies like ourselves, but often this is not offered by the employer.   The assumption is you look after yourself. We won't invest in you and we will fire you if you can't make your numbers. “Churn em and burn em” is the dominant ethos. The successful salespeople ride the favourable market through to the inevitable downturn. If they survive that experience, they often wind up being the sales manager. Battlefield commands come on the back of your officer being killed off.   There is a high turnover rate in sales both when people fail or succeed. In either case, you are out the door and off to somewhere else. The survivors who don't want to move on the greener pastures, often become the bosses. They continue the toxic culture regardless of how stupid it is, because that is all they know.   The client in all of this is the “mark”, to be harvested, to have their cash extracted and then abandoned to their own devices thereafter. Often in bad sales organisations, area salespeople have to cover big territories. This is because they can only hit that one market once. They are selling a lie. Their product is not matched by quality against price and they have to scarper with the cash and get out of Dodge. They are like sharks, which have to keep swimming around in order to breathe. They move from town to town, fleecing the rubes and riding off into the sunset. They are 100% commission pirates who have allegiance to no flag, except the skull and crossbones of short sighted, selfish salesmanship. The successful move up in the organisation and the rest move on.   Who decided it would be like this? Not the salesperson. They join a company and then discover the disconnect between the cost and the value, between the rhetoric and the reality. By this time they have already left their previous job and are treading water to make commission and not drown in debt. They are always just one week from financial oblivion, so they have to keep dancing while the music is playing. The evil ethos is the company's making and this is where the blame should lie.   Bad companies are inevitably run by bad sales managers. The reason is simple – “birds of a feather, flock together”. Good sales managers don't want to be involved in a business where they have to survive by fleecing the buyers. They see a bigger picture, they have ability and talent and a war chest of funds to offer them choices.   Old Japanese saying – “the fish rots from the head”. Consequently your company's bad sales boss, environment, culture and ethos stinks. If you are a “good” person in sales, swimming in toxic cocktail of sales hell, then get out. You are not in a position to reform that business or management. It didn't get that way by accident. Now you may not be able to move immediately, but for the sake of your health and mental well-being, don't put up with crap from idiots. As soon as you can, move.   In the interim, educate yourself. There are tonnes of books, free videos and podcasts on how to do a better job serving clients. Access them. Feed your mind with the positive, because for sure you are being killed by the negative environment surrounding you. If you have the funds then get yourself into training. By whatever ethical means, make yourself more skillful and valuable.   I often refer to kokorogamae, which I translate in this case as our “true intentions”. Don't let any toxic environment or people corrupt your true intentions. We should have a very clear guiding light and that should be to serve the best interests of the customer. That means we have their success as the catalyst to our own success.   This is not instant and means a different type of client relationship with a longer sales cycle. The share of wallet increases when there is a good track record and strong trust. The lifetime value of the customer becomes an integral part of the equation. This type of sales environment only exists in companies with a correct kokorogamae. If your company is not like that then do not become a lifer pirate, get out and save your career, health and mental well being.   Action Steps   Decide that your time in this toxic environment must come to an end Study sales diligently while you are arranging your escape Make your kokorogamae a clear vote in favour of serving the client   Engaged employees are self-motivated. The self-motivated are inspired. Inspired staff grow your business but are you inspiring them? We teach leaders and organisations how to inspire their people. Want to know how we do that? Contact me at greg.story@dalecarnegie.com   If you enjoy these articles, then head over to www.japan.dalecarnegie.com and check out our "Free Stuff" offerings - whitepapers, guidebooks, training videos, podcasts, blogs. Take a look at our Japanese and English seminars, workshops, course information and schedules.     About The Author Dr. Greg Story: President, Dale Carnegie Training Japan In the course of his career Dr. Greg Story has moved from the academic world, to consulting, investments, trade representation, international diplomacy, retail banking and people development. Growing up in Brisbane, Australia he never imagined he would have a Ph.D. in Japanese decision-making and become a 30 year veteran of Japan.   A committed lifelong learner, through his published articles in the American, British and European Chamber journals, his videos and podcast “THE Leadership Japan Series”, he is a thought leader in the four critical areas for business people: leadership, communication, sales and presentations. Dr. Story is a popular keynote speaker, executive coach and trainer.   Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate and is currently a 6th Dan. Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道-both pen & sword) is his mantra and he applies martial art philosophies and strategies to business.   leadership, communication, sales and presentations. Dr. Story is a popular keynote speaker, executive coach and trainer.   Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate and is currently a 6th Dan. Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道-both pen & sword) is his mantra and he applies martial art philosophies and strategies to business.    

Talking to Kerri Russell about the Oxford Corpus of Old Japanese. About A Minute is an amuse-bouche for podcast listeners. No long intro and outro. No waffling on. No adverts, competitions, arguing, or begging for iTunes reviews. You get to listen to an interesting person chat for about a minute – that’s it! Get About…

With Heather and Dustin once again unable to make the show this week, the remaining crew recruited friend of the show Eric Snedeger to fill in. Due to the recent 125th anniversary of Nintendo, the three take it upon themselves to talk about their personal histories with the company. Donate to our Extra Life charity at: http://www.extra-life.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=92599 Follow the crew on Twitter @TheDustinThomas @BygJuce @HeathaSonYo @FakeChrisCramer As always, don't forget to rate and subscribe to the show on iTunes and/or Stitcher.

Hr 1 - Lots of sports discussion to start this week's pre-winter-storm edition of the podcast live from Moonshine Philly. We had out milk, butter, eggs and toilet paper all ready to weather the hype. NBA has become more drama filled than Basketball Wives with the Warriors now involved in petty, bitchy bickering. Sixers unsheathed their new and improved line-up and proceeded to blow a 16-pt lead and lose in Orlando. Process Trusters are flummoxed. We broke down the NFL East mess and determined if Washington finds a way to beat Houston at home on Sunday, they would only need to win 2 of their last 6 games to clinch the NFC East and proceed to be quickly bounced in the playoffs. LeVeon Bell is gone, but his former Steeler team-mates raided his locker like they had just bought a unit on Storage Wars. We had TAPE. We mocked 5-million dollar man Mike Francessa for his Stan Lee stupidity on NYC sports radio and broke the news porn lawyer Michael Avenatti had been busted for allegedly assaulting his estranged wife. We also pointed out he is "innocent until proven guilty" something he didn't deem necessary in an attempt to destroy life and career of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh with several fraudulent witnesses. Miss Robin had great updates on a Florida Man who was NAKED and Not Afraid and a 35-yr Old Japanese dude who dropped tons of cash to marry a 16-yr old Anime Hologram because that's what the wacky Japanese do to derive immense pleasure.  #NBA #NHL #NFLDraft #MLB #NFL #Comedy #Entertainment #Podcast Join us now and every, Wed, from 7-9p EST Host: Tony Bruno w/: Miss Robin & Luigi Curto and don't forget Jack in the Back! Sponsored by: Skye Energy Drink - ThinOPTICS - Switchboard Live - Domenicos - MDWinery Join the conversation on Facebook LIVE, Periscope, YouTube and Twitch.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tony-bruno-show/donations

Hr 2 - Lots of sports discussion to start this week's pre-winter-storm edition of the podcast live from Moonshine Philly. We had out milk, butter, eggs and toilet paper all ready to weather the hype. NBA has become more drama filled than Basketball Wives with the Warriors now involved in petty, bitchy bickering. Sixers unsheathed their new and improved line-up and proceeded to blow a 16-pt lead and lose in Orlando. Process Trusters are flummoxed. We broke down the NFL East mess and determined if Washington finds a way to beat Houston at home on Sunday, they would only need to win 2 of their last 6 games to clinch the NFC East and proceed to be quickly bounced in the playoffs. LeVeon Bell is gone, but his former Steeler team-mates raided his locker like they had just bought a unit on Storage Wars. We had TAPE. We mocked 5-million dollar man Mike Francessa for his Stan Lee stupidity on NYC sports radio and broke the news porn lawyer Michael Avenatti had been busted for allegedly assaulting his estranged wife. We also pointed out he is "innocent until proven guilty" something he didn't deem necessary in an attempt to destroy life and career of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh with several fraudulent witnesses. Miss Robin had great updates on a Florida Man who was NAKED and Not Afraid and a 35-yr Old Japanese dude who dropped tons of cash to marry a 16-yr old Anime Hologram because that's what the wacky Japanese do to derive immense pleasure.  #NBA #NHL #NFLDraft #MLB #NFL #Comedy #Entertainment #Podcast Join us now and every, Wed, from 7-9p EST Host: Tony Bruno w/: Miss Robin & Luigi Curto and don't forget Jack in the Back! Sponsored by: Skye Energy Drink - ThinOPTICS - Switchboard Live - Domenicos - MDWinery Join the conversation on Facebook LIVE, Periscope, YouTube and Twitch.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tony-bruno-show/donations