The LETSaholic Twist
- Everything you always wanted to know about LETS
... but didn't know who to ask.
About the book

This is the information James Taris shared with LETS groups all over the world on his international LETS tours between 2002-2004.

You can help support LETS-Linkup.com (and James) by purchasing a copy of his book, The LETSaholic Twist, now available in hardcover, softcover and ebook.

Why not buy a printed copy and rotate it amongst your LETS members?

CLICK HERE for more information about The LETSaholic Twist.

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LETS-linkup to
Japan

Emperor:
Akihito (1989)

Prime Minister:
Junichiro Koizumi (2001)

Area:
145,882 sq mi
(377,835 sq km)

Population (mid-2005 est.): 127,417,244
(average annual rate of natural increase:
0.2%);
birth rate: 10.0/1000;
infant mortality rate:
3.9/1000;
density per sq mi: 869

Capital and largest city (2000 est.):
Tokyo, 34,750,000 (metro. area)

Other large cities:
Osaka (2000 est.), 17,800,000 (metro. area);
Yokohama, 3,307,136 (part of Tokyo metro. area);
Nagoya (2000 est.), 5,100,000 (metro. area);
Sapporo, 1,719,000;
Kobe, 1,501,000 (part of Osaka metro. area);
Kyoto, 1,456,000 (part of Osaka metro. area);
Fukuoka, 1,263,000;
Kawasaki, 1,196,000 (part of Tokyo metro. area);
Hiroshima, 1,099,000

Monetary unit:
Yen

Language:
Japanese

Ethnicity/race:
Japanese 99.4%,
other 0.6% (mostly Korean)

Religions:
Shintoist,
Buddhist,
Christian

Literacy rate:
99% (1970)

Background:
While retaining its time-honored culture, Japan rapidly absorbed Western technology during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After its devastating defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become the second most powerful economy in the world and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth.

Coastline:
29,751 km

Geography - note:
strategic location in northeast Asia

Garu
Tomakomai City and its suburbs
TEL/FAX: 0144-34-2385 (Thu 13:00 to 20:00)
email: ishikoro@hokkai.or.jp

Kuro Net
Kuromatsunai Town
TEL: 0136-72-3124
FAX: 0136-72-3838
email: zun96@anet.ne.jp

... Tohoku ...

Bee's ring
Sendai City
email: michinoku@pos.to

LETS Aizu
Aizu area (Fukushima Pref.)
email: kurasige@akina.ne.jp

... Kanto ...

Peanuts
Chiba Pref.
TEL/FAX: 043-206-7726
email: born@jca.apc.org

COMO
Tama Area, Tokyo Pref.
TEL: 070-5456-1886
email: office@como.gr.jp

Poran Exchange Ring
Tachikawa City and its neighboring area
TEL: (042)523-7112
FAX: (042)523-7113
emai: kenji-gakkou@ma.neweb.ne.jp

... Koshinestu & Hokuriku ...

MORINO
Fujimi Takahara, Yamanashi Pref.
On this form
web: http://homepage1.nifty.com/manabiya/maildec.html

Danny
South Shinshu (Nagano Pref.)
TEL: 0265-53-5980
FAX: 0265-53-5983
email: tekuteku@avis.ne.jp

YU
Hara Village, Suwa-gun, Nagano Pref.
TEL/FAX: 0266-74-2616
email: kazenomori@swm.root.or.jp

Yatsugatake Daifukucho
Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi Pref.
email: tom@gardencity.or.jp

Heart Money Azumino Ring
Azumino, Nagano Pref.
email: shalom@ultraman.gr.jp

Mayu
Ueda City, Nagano Pref.
email: info@uedasi.com

... Tokai ...

LETS Namo
Nagoya City
TEL: 052-933-5380
FAX: 052-933-5382
email: tokai@kankyoshimin.org

LETS Chita
Chita Peninsula, Aichi Pref.
TEL/FAX: 0569-29-4315
email: miea@chitanet.or.jp

Port
Yokkaichi City, Mie Pref.
TEL: 0593-63-4990
FAX: 0593-63-4989

... Kansai ...

Ohmi
Kusatsu City, Shiga Pref.
TEL/FAX: 077-562-1153
email: ohmi@kaikaku21.com

Kyoto LETS
Kyoto City
TEL: 070-5651-3206
FAX: 075-723-7415
email: kyoto_lets@geocities.co.jp

Momo Money
Suita City, Osaka Pref.
TEL: 06-6337-8330
FAX: 06-6337-8331
email: momonoie@jp.bigplanet.com

... Shikoku ...

Time Dollar
Several parts of Ehime Pref.
email: webmaster@timedollar.or.jp

Seto
Takamatsu City
email: tn-satou@pop21.odn.ne.jp
or yoshinaga-takeshi@nifty.com

... Kyushu & Okinawa ...

Yoka yoka
Fukuoka City
TEL: 092-263-7787
email: futami@comenu.com

YUFU
Yufuin Town, Oita Pref.
TEL/FAX: 0977-85-5003
email: yufukiri@fat.coara.or.jp

Coal
Omuta City, Fukuoka Pref.
TEL/FAX: 0944-56-9417
email: brian@io.ocn.ne.jp

Pearl LETS
Northern part of Nagasaki Pref.
email: tosmat@try-net.or.jp

... Others ...

Rainbow Ring
Mainly Kanto Area
TEL/FAX: 0468-37-8649
email: info@rainbow-ring.net

Volunteer Human Resource Network
Central: Osaka City
TEL: 06-6583-4006
FAX: 06-6583-4115
email: v_rougin@d4.dion.ne.jp

WAT liquidation system
Throughout Japan.
The founder lives in Yokohama city.
email: info@grsj.org

The Q-project, which employs the LETS-type local currency called "Q," has started actual trading in December 2001. More than one hundred people have already joined as member, and the number is grwoing rapidly.

The members can use Q as the "local" currency regardless of where they live. This is made possible by the online system called "winds_q" developed by one of the project members to settle Q-tradings. All participants sell and buy goods and services on the Internet.

Article on LETS by Makoto Nishibe (the leader of the Q-project)

http://www.nam21.org/~overseas/onLETS.html

RELATED LINKS

Alternative Economy ...
(by Miguel Yasuyuki Hirota)
Another study on the alternative economy, proposed by Silvio Gesell, so that we can get rid of both communism and capitalism. Including local money movements in Japan, RGT in Argentina and Community Currencies Interactive.
web: http://www3.plala.or.jp/mig/econ-uk.html

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