Se soigner a Osaka / Infos NOVA

Articles en Anglais:

Ex-NOVA boss Sahashi suspected of profiting unfairly from video phone equipment (Mainichi)
Company-funded luxury office of ex-NOVA boss unveiled (Mainichi)

et en Japonais:
「救って」と購入依頼　ＮＯＶＡの猿橋前社長 (Chugoku Shimbun)

Le patron aurait vendu GINGANET et sa societe de voyages NTB en debut de mois parce que dit-il : “les employes le suppliaient en pleurant de les sauver!”

Le site de NOVA a fait une mise a jour et propose trois formulaires a imprimer pour les professeurs souhaitant demissionner ou quitter les apparts NOVA:

Lien des formulaires

A noter que je vous deconseille de vous jeter sur les formulaires avant au moins le 5 Novembre pour les raisons qui ont ete evoquees auparavant sur ce site.
Pour les personnes qui comme moi, ne possederait pas d’imprimante a la maison, je rappelle que les cyber cafe (appeles ici INTERNET CAFE) ont generalement une imprimante de disponible (mais je crois que c’est payant).

Un lien pour les gens qui lisent le japonais: le resultat de la conference de presse du 30/10.

Edit: j’ai trouve des infos pour la manif de demain:

NOVA NEWS FROM THE GENERAL UNION

Dear NOVA union members, teachers, and staff:

After our open meetings for teachers and staff yesterday we have some more information to report. The meetings were very well attended with about 230 teachers and staff attending. We were able to give out the information that we have, gather information from NOVA employees, and answer questions that affect all the NOVA employees.

Rally at Osaka City Hall and Demands to the Osaka City Government.
Thursday, 1 November at 11:00AM – Meet at Yodoyabashi Stn. Exit 1 (Keihan or Midosuji lines)
We will be making demands on this day to Osaka City regarding the following points.

a. Dispatching. NOVA has/had a contract with Osaka city to provide teachers to their public schools. The city will now cancel all these contracts which will throw more people out of work. The General Union has always held that this dispatching is illegal and needs to be stopped. Dispatching is only supposed to be used as a temporary measure, not for the length of times that city governments are using it for.
Our demand: That Osaka city hire all the NOVA dispatched teachers directly.

b. National Health Insurance (KOKUMIN KENKO HOKEN). For the past two years the General Union has made demands on NOVA and the central government for enrolment of all teaching staff onto SHAKAI HOKEN (Employees Health and Pension Insurance). Because the government failed to pressure NOVA to do this, it allowed NOVA to keep up with its JMA insurance. Now, because JMA has cancelled its coverage, teachers have NO medical insurance.
In most cases, those who lose their jobs, can continue on with Shakai Hoken (paying both the employer and employee portions of the health insurance up to about 22,000YEN), or join KOKUMIN KENKO HOKEN through their city or ward offices. The problem with joining KOKUMIN KENKO HOKEN now is that since NOVA employees on JMA were not in a government approved health insurance plan (which is the duty of all residents of Japan), if you register from it now, you will be billed from the time you came to Japan or two years (which ever is shorter). Therefore, unless you are quite new (health insurance coverage is quite cheap for those in their first year), you have the potential to receive a bill for a million or more yen.
Since most NOVA teachers never knew that JMA wasn’t government approved and did not consciously try to defraud the government through non-enrollment, our demands is that Osaka city (and other municipalities) waive this back fee.

c. Public Housing: Osaka city also controls public housing and because many teachers do face eviction our demand is that the city step in and provide public housing to any teacher that faces eviction.

d. Residents’ Tax: Most companies withdraw city tax from your pay so you don’t have to worry about it, well NOVA didn’t and this means that your residents tax bill will be up on 31 October.
Our demand is that the city temporarily suspend the payment of this tax without penalty until teachers and staff have recuperated financially from this bankruptcy.

Demands to the current NOVA Trustee and the Osaka District Court:
After our demand to city hall union delegates will visit the court to submit demands to the current trustee. These demands are:

a. To guarantee that the payment of all back wages is made if a sponsor for NOVA is found.

b. To start paying wages from the 26th of October (the day the trustee was appointed). This is because no NOVA teacher or staff has been fired at this point, therefore our demand is that wages must be paid. Also, this is the only way to guarantee that teachers and staff who have not already quit stay on so that a possible sponsor may be found.

c. To immediately issue all RISHOKUHYO documents (the separation papers that you need to be able to quality for unemployment insurance) to all those who quit and to those who have already quit. This is to speed up employee claims for unemployment insurance benefits. More on unemployment insurance below.

d. To gather all contact details from teachers and staff who are quitting so that their wages can be paid in the future, or so that the wage protection insurance can cover 80% of their wages in case of bankruptcy. The union is currently doing this work. More information below.

How has the situation changed for NOVA teachers/staff and what is next?
As you can see from the information above regarding our planned rally and demands, the union is not going to sit by and wait for the one month period that the trustee wants to find a possible sponsor, we will continue our protests and demand because we know that pressure creates answers to problems.

a. Unemployment Insurance: According to the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Labour all NOVA employees who resign now are eligible for unemployment insurance benefits since the company’s application for bankruptcy protection was made. If you resign now, you will not have to wait for three month’s for your benefits as a penalty for quitting because the reason for your resignation now is attributable to the employer. Until this application was made, only those who were paid late twice in a row were eligible for this treatment.
NOW, if you have worked at least six months (11 days per month for six months in a row) you are eligible for benefits. The information that we have from the ministry is that WORKING HOLIDAY VISA HOLDERS are not eligible for this insurance.
PLEASE ALWAYS CHECK THIS INFORMATION. YOU CAN DO SO IN ENGLISH AT THE OSAKA EMPLOYMENT SERVICE CENTRE FOR FOREIGNERS AT 06-6344-1135.
If you do not meet this condition, you are not eligible for benefits. If you are completely destitute at this moment and want to return home but do not have funds, we ask that you contact your embassy. The embassies have made some effort to help in this crisis, but not enough, and creating a website for their nationals that lists the union’s telephone number at the top is helpful, but does not put you back home. If you are now stranded, call you embassy.

b. Eviction: It appears that foreign personnel is now back in operation, so if you being evicted, call foreign personnel and have them arrange alternate accommodations. You are still an employee of NOVA until you are fired or quit.

c. Work permits: Our information from those attending the meeting on Monday was that it was still possible to have you work permit renewed last week. We do not know the state of affairs at the moment, but will do some research in the coming weeks about what you can do if your visa is up for renewal.

d. NOVA sponsor and wage protection insurance: The information that we have received and reconfirmed with press reports and the press in person is that NOVA will search for a sponsor for one month. If there is no sponsor, then an application will be made for bankruptcy.
If a sponsor is found, we will need information regarding the type of tie up in order to deal quickly with protection wages, working conditions, and back wages. Remember, you are not fired from NOVA at the moment and therefore our position is that your current time at home must be paid.
If a sponsor is not found and the application for bankruptcy is made, those with unpaid wages will be able to have 80% of their wages recovered through the state wage protection insurance system. Therefore, if you quit NOVA and are moving, please make sure that the receiver can contact you, for the time being, send an email to nova@generalunion.org with your NAME, BRANCH, EMPLOYEE NUMBER, OLD ADDRESS, NEW ADDRESS, TELEPHONE NUMBER, AND EMAIL.
Remember, if the company goes bankrupt and the receiver cannot find you, it will be impossible to retrieve your wages. ALSO, the information we currently have shows that you must have an account open in a Japanese bank to receive your back wages.

Are you better off since the application for bankruptcy protection was made. On one hand, you have now been put off another month, and for those who can wait they can hold on to see if they still have a job. For those who can’t wait, and are eligible for insurance, they can now apply for benefits. Our biggest concern up to this point was that there would be no one left at NOVA to prepare your RISHOKUHYO (separation papers necessary for claiming your unemployment benefits), the trustee has now said that those document will be prepared and we now have someone to talk with about getting the documents done correctly and in a timely fashion.

Joining the union:
We hope that those who will be remaining in Japan join the union. It’s easy to see why a union is necessary in this industry so we do invite you all to join.
We understand that paying union dues will be difficult for NOVA teachers and staff at the moment so the General Union Executive Committee has passed the following new dues policy for NOVA teachers and staff:
Joining as of 14 October: 1,000YEN per month until you get a new job.
Joined prior to 14 October: FREE until you get a new job.
THIS POLICY WILL BE REVIEWED IN THE THREE MONTHS

You can join the union by visiting this link [url]http://www.generalunion.org/join [/url]
If you wish to pay your union dues using paypal, please call the union office.

Please stay tuned for our next open meeting.
Also, if you have any information regarding any of the above points, please contact the union at 06-6352-9619 so that we can notify as many people as possible quickly regarding any changes or mistaken information.

Sincerely,
Dennis Tesolat
General Union, General Secretary

Aujourd’hui les articles annoncent qu’il y aurait PEUT ETRE quelqu’un interesse pour sponsoriser l’INTEGRALITE de l’entreprise NOVA. Je vous laisse lire les differentes news de la matinee:

en ANGLAIS
Nova in talks with 3 firms over corporate sponsorship (Daily Yumiuri)
Language school chain built on lavish ads, cheap labor (Daily Yomiuri Online)

en JAPONAIS
「お茶の間留学」用機器、猿橋氏会社から数倍価格で購入 (Yomiuri Online)
ＮＯＶＡ支援３社と交渉、来週中の選定目指す…保全管理人 (Yomiuri Online)

Et une info vient de tomber (merci Carole):

Nicolas du consulat d’Osaka vient de me telephoner pour me transmettre des infos ; il existe une aide d’urgence en cas de problemes sanitaires comme la sante, pas de quoi manger, besoin de lunettes, etc… : il faut monter un dossier avec copie de releve bancaire, preuves que vous ne pouvez rien avancer… je crois tout ce que vous pouvez leur montrer ; ils ont un budget annuel pour ce genre de choses qui sera cloture le 10 decembre et tout ce qu’ils pourront donner se fera avant le 7 decembre car apres, le budget sera bloque jusqu’en janvier 2008.
Sachez aussi qu’ils peuvent preter de l’argent en cas de coups durs. A nous de le rembourser plus tard, mais je ne sais pas encore comment…
Si on ne demande rien, le budget a de grands risques de ne pas etre renouvele.

Beaucoup d’interventions, je n’ai malheureusement pas le temps de repondre a tout le monde ce soir. Je vous recommande de lire les commentaires pour avoir le maximum d’infos et de correctifs.

EDIT: pour les personnes qui parlent japonais, un article revelant quelques secret du 20ieme etage du Kintetsu Building!!!
http://www.chunichi.co.jp/s/article/2007103001000680.html
Et une page en anglais sur le compte rendu du meeting du 28 Octobre:
http://www.letsjapan.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=255132

Pour les demarches a faire, elles se font a Hello Works pour la plupart. On va recapituler:

Ou faut-il aller pour:
1/ le chomage:—>Hello work (celui AUQUEL VOTRE DOMICILE EST AFFILIE) > Si vous avez un doute, passez d’abord a UMEDA et on vous expliquera.
2/les salaires non-payes:—> Au LABOUR BUREAU ou Labour Standards Supervision office (RodokijyunKantoku Sho) 労働基準監督署
3/recherche d’emploi:—>N’importe quel Hello Works mais on vous recommande Umeda parce qu’ils parlent anglais.

Rectificatif du message de Karine (desolee pour les malentendus):

petite erreur, dans le mail je pense que je disais le 5 pas le 15, quoiqu’il en soit, IMPOTS LOCAUX: pour ceux que ca pourrait interesser, je suis allee a mon ward office aujourd hui pour leur dire que je ne pouvais pas leur payer le 3e quart vu que Nova ne nous payait pas et ils m’ont gentiment dit qu’ils comprenaient et qu’il attendraient que soit Nova nous paie, soit que je retrouve un travail. Je leur ai demande alors si j’aurais des interets a payer si j’attends et ils m’ont dit que je pourrais en etre exempte vu la situation.
(C’est une bonne nouvelle pour certains!)
Par ailleurs une personne du ward office m’a dit que si j’etais au chomage elle pense que ces impots seraient completement annules. Dans la mesure ou nous sommes toujours employes NOVA maintenant, ce n ‘est pas possible. Cette derniere info est neanmois a verifier.
Par ailleurs, je voulais aussi dire qu’hier a la reunion du syndic. 1 point important de mon point de vue a ete souleve:
notre assurance (JMA ou Interglobal) a prioiri nous ne sommes plus assures a partir du 31 octobre-ce qui a mon avis pourrait compromettre notre situation au Japon!)
et comme le syndic l’a dit si on prend une assurance maintenant on ne sera a priori pris en compte reellement que dans 6 mois.
L’assurance viable, pour ceux qui ne sont pas a la Shakai serait la Kokumin-pour l’instant trop chere a cause de premiums pour quicqonque serait ici depuis plus d’un an. Aussi le syndic organise t-il un “sit-up” devant le city hall jeudi matin a 11h pour demander entre autre, l’annulation des premiums a quicqoncque desirerait s’affilier a la la Kokumin.

C’est tout pour ce soir. Je trierai les liens envoyes demain (en fonction du temps libre).

EDIT: Jerome s’etait charge d’envoyer un message au consulat concernant (entre autre) le fond a disposition pour les personnes en situation de grande precarite (pour leur permettre de rentrer en France). Voici la reponse obtenue:

Merci pour votre message. Il nous paraît en effet nécessaire de faire part aux Français employés par NOVA des informations dont nous disposons nous-mêmes, au fur et à mesure de l’évolution de la situation. Ce suivi se fait d’ailleurs en partie en coordination avec d’autres Consulats généraux européens dans le Kansai et avec l’Ambassade à Tokyo.

Quant à l’information sur les aides financières qui pourraient être allouées aux Français en difficulté, compte tenu de la multiplicité des situations personnelles, des modes d’attribution de ces aides et des critères à remplir pour en bénéficier, ceci ne pouvait être résumé sur la page publiée sur le site du Consulat. Nous avons donc préféré la formule finale “Pour toute question complémentaire ou besoin d’assistance d’urgence”, car elle nous semble mieux convenir pour apporter des réponses précises aux différentes demandes d’aide, en fonction de chaque situation.

Bien cordialement,

Henrique DUPRAT TANIMOTO
Consul adjoint

Pour ceux qui n’ont pas regarde le site de NOVA, il y a une mise a jour concernant l’assurance: a partir de jeudi les professeurs affilies a la JMA ne seront PLUS couverts.
Voir ici: http://www.nova.ne.jp/pdf/regarding_jma_071030_en.pdf

Pour demander d’autres couvertures:

Travelers Trust - http://www.travelerstrust.com/default.asp
Average price: 1 month’s cover, ¥5,200. Can apply on-line, payment by credit card is OK.
Healthone - http://www.healthone.jp/
Minimum 3 months’ coverage. 2 packages available. Price depends on age from ¥10,900 – ¥18,900
Can apply on-line and pay at convenience stores or by bank transfer.
Interglobal - http://www.interglobalpmi.com/
Minimum 3 months’ coverage. 4 packages available. Price depends on package chosen. Prices from ¥12,900. Can apply on-line, payment by credit card is OK.
World Nomads insurance - http://www.worldnomads.com/
Minimum 2 days’ coverage. Price depends on country of origin. Average for four weeks’ coverage: ¥14,900. Can apply on-line, payment by credit card is OK.
Trailfinders - http://www.trailfinders.com/
Minimum 4 days’ coverage. Price depends on country of origin. Average for four weeks’ coverage: ¥14,900. Can apply on-line, payment by credit card is OK.
MedOne - http://www.medone.jp/
Minimum 3 months’ coverage; ¥15,800. Can apply on-line and pay at convenience stores or by bank transfer.

More information on health insurance can be found at:
http://www.bootsnall.com/travel-insurance/global-insurance-benefitsinsurance.html
http://www.moneysupermarket.com/travelinsurance/
http://www.nriol.net/

Edit apres intervention d’Herve:
Cependant, en cas d’inscription au chômage, je recommande à tout le monde de vérifier auprès de Hello Work si le fait d’être couvert par une assurance privée ne posera pas de problème. Théoriquement, il faut être inscrit soit à la Shakai hoken (si on est salarié), soit à la Kokumin. Le syndicat a fait un rappel à ce sujet lors de la réunion du 29 octobre. Une autre alternative pourrait être la CFE (Caisse des Français de l’étranger) : http://www.cfe.fr

Appel a tous les profs francophones de NOVA: On voudrait organiser un barbecue avec le MAXIMUM de profs (et leur famille). Merci de me contacter pour proposer une date, un lieu (genre chateau d’Osaka?) pour qu’on organise ca rapidement. De preference avant le 16 Novembre ce serait vraiment l’ideal!!!

Merci a TOUS!!!!

Bonjour tout le monde. On a du nouveau. Je vous fait part des differents temoignages que j’ai recu.

LE MEETING de LUNDI

D’abord Erika et Guillaume nous font part que le Syndicat organise une manifestation jeudi matin a 11:00 a Yodoyabashi pour negocier plusieurs points, dont certains nous concernent (assurance maladie). Erika precise que c’est au sujet de la kokumin houken pour ceux qui seront obliges de payer s ils veulent rester au japon.
Lien donne par Guillaume.

Ensuite Erika disait dans les commentaires:

bonjour! je suis allee a la reunion a 1h30 de l union, qques infos pour ceux qui n y etaient pas:
- Pour le salaire du mois d octobre, si on a le courage d attendre, devrait nous etre paye a 60% car nova nous a demande de rester a la maison.
- La situation actuelle (depot de bilan) fait qu on est pas oblige d attendre 3 mois pour toucher le chomage, il faut absolument demissionner pour le toucher0!
- Le nouvel employeur s il y en a un, ne paiera pas les salaires non payes, il s agit d une caisse a part prevue ds ce cas.
-les gens qui sont ds les apparts nova peuvent demander a leur proprio de leur fournir directement le loyer sans passer pas nova, les proprios peuvent accepter surtout s il s agit de vieux apparts.
- La reponse pour savoir s il y a un sponsor, n aura lieu que ds UN MOIS et non 10 jours, dans 10 jours ils auront seulement decide de ce qu ils vont faire de l argent qui reste a nova.
- 2 solutions pour nous, soit demissionner de suite et toucher le chomage soit attendre un mois et ne pas etre sur d etre reembauche et decider de ce qu on fait, soit rentrer en france soit rester et toucher le chomage tt en payant la kokumin kenkou houken (secu)

Karine dit: “Attention, on ne peut pas demissionner le 5 sinon il faut attendre les 3 mois!! Apparement il y a eu confusion/mensonge sur les 10 jours. D’apres le syndicat, NOVA n’a pas depose de demande de banqueroute. Ils ont pour l’instant un dossier de demande de protection de banqueroute qui est a l’etude pendant 1 mois par un trustee nomme par la cour, avec recherche de sponsor. Ca change la donne pour nous. Lundi prochain, on connaitra juste le bilan de NOVA mais on sera toujours employes NOVA et ils seront a la recherche d’un sponsor. Si NOVA ne nous paye pas le 15 novembre, le 16 on pourra demissionner et aller a Hello Work en disant qu’on a 2 salaires en retard et on n’a pas a attendre les 3 mois obligatoires en cas de demission volontaire. D’apres le syndicat, l’attente des 7 jours se fait a partir de la date de la demande [note de la webmastrice: je dirais meme “a partir du DEPOT du dossier”].”

FRANCE INTER

Jerome m’a fait part qu’il etait passe sur France Inter a 8h20 pour evoquer le probleme de NOVA.
Vous pouvez ecouter l’emission sur le site officiel de France Inter et voir les liens de quelques expats au Japon.

NEWS des JOURNAUX

Voici les infos envoye ce matin par Tang:

Si vous voulez rigoler, la dessous y a un formulaire (nouvelles version depuis 2001 apparemment) et quelques explications en japonais du fameux formulaire pour le chomage

http://homepage2.nifty.com/kskt/risyokuhyou.htm

Sinon les news du matin: les patrons de Rakuten (portail internet) et Eon (supermarches comme Max Value, Saty …) ont officiellement REFUTE toute intention de leur part de soutenir le lapin

article du Chunichi (confirme aussi par le Asahi papier de ce matin)

De plus, dans le Asahi (papier) de ce matin, NOVA considerait l’argent recu des etudiant a 45% comme recette et a 55% comme paiement anticipe. Donc la semaine derniere on calculait qu’il faudrait rembourser environ 40 milliards de yens de paiement anticipe. Malheureusement, NOVA ne pouvant assurer les cours pour des raisons de :
1) manque de profs (depuis assez longtemps)
2) fermeture de branches
3) depart precipite des profs
4) fermeture du centre
5) faillite
il reste donc un paquet de lecons en rab’ et donc d’argent qui avait ete comptabilise en “recette” qui va donc devenir “a rembourser” si NOVA n’a pas de repreneur (et si elle en trouve un, ca lui rajoute encore du manque a gagner)

a vue de nez, les remboursements (et on ne parle pas des condamnations, prejudices divers…) atteindrait alors la bagatelle de 70 milliards de yens (Nova avait pour 50 milliards de dettes donc on rajoute 70-40=30) ca nous donne donc un total approximatif de 80 milliards de dettes, ca donne pas forcement envie de se porter volontaire…

Voila, la reprise hypothetique du groupe semble un peu plus compromise, je vous conseille donc de chercher du boulot en attendant (ca ne fait pas de mal de se renseigner). Normalement les papiers necessaires nous seront donnes pour toucher le chomage (pour ceux qui y ont droit) mais pour les remboursements de salaires, comme le disait si bien Cecile, comptez entre 6 mois et un an. Pour ceux qui sont juste au niveau du porte-feuille, commencer a trouver une porte de sortie est vivement recommande (meme en cas de reprise par un sponsor, apparemment selon les dernieres infos du site de Cecile, celui-ci ne paierait pas les salaires impayes, je ne vois pas alors l’interet de bosser pour lui, a moins d’etre vraiment desespere et pret a se refaire avoir, bien sur si un tel repreneur existait …)

Aujourd’hui, quelques articles:

en ANGLAIS
Rakuten, Aeon rule out trying to help save NOVA (Mainichi Daily)
Nova crash adds to ‘eikaiwa’ wage woes (The Japan Times)
‘Egotistic’ Sahashi’s interference prompted Nova coup d’etat (Daily Yomiuri)
Returnees’ wages considered (Daily Yomiuri)
Ex-NOVA president, family sold off majority of stake in failed school (Mainichi Daily)
Teachers caught in Nova crash (Press.co.nz)
School’s closure in Japan exposes tough times for foreign teachers (Christian Science Monitor)

en JAPONAIS
「ＮＯＶＡ支援難しい」　イオン、楽天両社長 (Asahi)
ＮＯＶＡ：楽天・三木谷、イオン・岡田社長が支援否定 (Mainichi jp)
ＮＯＶＡ負債膨らむ恐れ　前払い受講料７００億円か (Asahi)

traduction amatrice du premier article du Asahi:

TRANSLATION
NOVA’s damages could swell. Including 70 billion yen in prepaid student tickets.
Original Date Posted: October 30th 7:36 am

We have learnt that the English Language School NOVA, which has applied for corporate restructuring has already fixed damages to students at approximately 30 billion yen; however, there is a possibility that this could swell to a total of 70 billion yen. The reason it has become necessary to adjust the accounting for this is because students were unable to take lessons and part of their prepaid tickets were counted as sales rather than as liabilities. It is looking as if this might have some effect on finding a sponsor.

The receiver for NOVA at a press conference on the 26th said that “The amount of prepaid tickets might exceed 40 billion yen.” They are also saying that if they look into it carefully, that the amount might reach somewhere between 60 and 70 billion yen.

The cause of this increase is NOVA’s method of handling its finances.

They count 45% of the entire value of all their prepaid contracts as sales. The remaining 55% is filed as debts into their account books. It isn’t a problem if the students take their lessons as planned but in the event that students can’t take lessons, then it is necessary to adjust the accounting so that money that was originally entered as a sale becomes a liability.

Before NOVA underwent corporate restucturing, there was a lot of action surrounding students who cancelled their contracts part way through. In addition, there were problems raising capital, securing enough teachers, and with schools closing down. There is a big possibility that a lot of that money that was counted as sales will have to be changed to a liability.

In the future if a sponsor appears to support NOVA and if the contracts with students are continued, then they can relocate the path for students taking lessons purchased with prepaid tickets. In this case, the sponsor company would assume ALL working capital for teachers and for the schools themselves and “Moreover, having a large number of stock holders, if the liabilities were to increase, would also make it difficult to support the company.” (Quote from Kinyuu)

It has become clear that the receivers are looking at companies which the previous president NOZOMU SAHASHI was in negotiations with such as RAKUTEN, YAHOO, and the grocery store company AEON to discuss any possible support. “It will all be decided in one short month.” If they don’t get anyone to sponsor them then it looks like it will all be over and they will begin to liquidate the company and declare bankruptcy.

Je vous fait part d’un mail recu de Luc:

j’ai de cela quelques temps demande a l’ambassade de France au japon de retirer les pubs NOVA et autres de certains lieux en France pour les raisons que vous connaissez.
Voici la reponse que j’ai recu ce matin:

Bonjour,

Suite à votre courriel adressé à l’ambassade de France le 21 octobre dernier, nous avons essayé de contacter par téléphone le bureau de recrutement de NOVA à Paris. Il s’avère que ce bureau est en cours de fermeture, et qu’il ne recrute plus d’enseignants pour le compte de NOVA en France.

Pour ce qui est de la situation actuelle de NOVA, nous avons pris connaissance samedi dernier d’un n° de téléphone mis à votre disposition par les autorités locales: Osaka Labour Bureau, Osaka Employment Service Centre for Foreigners: (06) 6344-1135. Ce n° pourra peut-être vous être utile, ainsi qu’aux autres professeurs étrangers employés par NOVA.

Bien cordialement,

Henrique DUPRAT TANIMOTO
Consul adjoint
Consulat général de France à Osaka et Kobe

Par la suite, j’avais redige un autre e-mail leur soumettant l’idee qu’ils n’etaient pas tres reactif sur leur site en comparaison des ambassades canadiennes australiennes etc…
Voici finalement leurs reactions:
http://www.ambafrance-jp.org/
ou plus directement ce qui nous concerne:
http://www.ambafrance-jp.org/article.php3?id_article=2084

On va essayer de mettre a plat les infos que nous avons de la situation. Les liens pour les procedures avaient deja ete donnees mais visiblement, la plupart des gens n’ont pas lu attentivement les informations. La procedure pour obtenir le chomage et la procedure pour demander les salaires impayes sont completement differentes. Lisez tres attentivement ce que vous devez faire.

Sources infos (redige par l’ambassade Australienne je crois).
Ou se rendre a Hello Work? Pour les gens d’Osaka, nous vous conseillons d’abord d’aller a Umeda si vous ne pouvez etre accompagne de qqun parlant tres bien le japonais. Voir le lien pour adresse et horaires.
Edit (merci Aurelie):
Voici le numero de tel de la Payroll Section :
Tel : 06 6213 1252 (ou vous pouvez demander votre Employment Insurance Number).

Pour le moment, tous les employes de NOVA sont au chomage technique jusqu’au lundi 5 Novembre 2007. Apres quoi, NOVA sera en mesure de nous fournir les papiers necessaire a la demande de chomage : le RISHOKUHYO　離職票

1. LE CHOMAGE

How long does it take to receive unemployment insurance benefits and how do I request them?
In the event of employer bankruptcy or dismissal, benefits can be received 8 days after submitting an application to Hello Work. Hello Work will then need to confirm your unemployed status. (Unemployment means the condition in which a person is out of employment and cannot obtain employment in spite of the will and ability to work.)
In order to receive this benefit, go to the Hello Work office nearest to you, located via the website http://www.tfemploy.go.jp/en/coun/cont_2.html, and register with them in order that they can find you suitable employment. You must take the following items with you when registering:
1. Separation notice “RISHOKU-HYO” (2 forms provided by your employer which detail personal and employment information and is required to be given to you by the employer upon becoming unemployed) 離職票　
2. Insurance card (given to you by the employer either at commencement of employment, or upon becoming unemployed)　離職証明書（りしょくしょうめいしょ) ?? pas sure de moi la, donc si qqun peut confirmer le terme…
3. Seal (if you have one) (often referred to as ‘Hanko’ or ‘Inkan’)　印鑑
4. Documents that confirm your address and age (e.g. Japanese driver’s licence, registered identification card - commonly referred to as ‘Gaijin Card’, etc.)
5. Two recent colour photographs (3 x 2.5 cm)
6. Bank passbook. Benefits will only be deposited into a known Japanese Bank account. Post office accounts are acceptable after October 1, 2007.
7. Passport (While it is not required, we would recommend you take your passport with you.)

After registering and in the case of employer bankruptcy, you will be issued with a ‘notice of unemployment’ by Hello Work. Only upon the issuance of this notice will you be eligible for unemployment benefits. The 7 days there after are considered a ‘waiting period’.
In the event that your unemployment is due to a) voluntary resignation on your part or b) dismissal due to serious misconduct, then there will be restrictions placed on your unemployment benefits e.g. 3 month delay of payment.

2. LES SALAIRES IMPAYES

Note: comme c’est le remboursement du gouvernement, certains articles sur le net laissent a penser que l’entreprise est trop grosse pour le gouvernement et que par consequent, il n’est pas impossible qu’il refuse purement et simplement de nous aider. Dans tous les cas, cette demarche prendra entre 6 et 1 an au mieux. Vous ne POURREZ PAS etre rembourse sur un compte a l’etranger. Il faudra apres cette demande, s’assurer que quelqu’un puisse retirer l’argent de VOTRE compte japonais et vous le faire parvenir a l’etranger. Est ce clair?

This benefit is coordinated by the Japan Labour Health and Welfare Organization (JLHWO). This benefit is paid by the Japanese government on behalf of the employer. Please refer to the JLHWO at
http://www.rofuko.go.jp/kinrosyashien/miharai2.html (Japanese only). Unfortunately, unlike Hello Work, this organisation does not have a reference point in English.

Who is eligible for the unpaid wages benefits?
• Japanese and non-Japanese employees
• part-time and full-time employees
• people who have resigned 6 months prior to a company announcing bankruptcy and up to 1.5 yrs after
the company announced bankruptcy
• if your claim is more than 20,000yen

How long does it take to receive unpaid wages benefits, and how do I request them?
In the event bankruptcy has been declared;
Unpaid wages are on average, received within 30 days of a successful application being made. See below details about applying.
We recommend you consult your nearest Hello Work office http://www.hellowork.go.jp/html/info_1_h.html (English) which will advise you on where and how to apply. While Hello Work can provide assistance, this benefit will be processed by the JLHWO. Eighty percent of unpaid wages will be reimbursed in the case of company bankruptcy. Please see the following table.

Hello Work will advise you to contact and visit the Labour Standards Supervision office (RodokijyunKantoku Sho) nearest you.
1. The Labour Standards Supervision office will ask you to obtain a certificate from the company administrator or the administration office of your local district court (Chi-hou-Sai-bansho).
2. This certificate will contain information regarding unpaid wages benefit conditions and the amount of unpaid wages you are owed. It is recommended that you take some form of identification with you such as a passport or Gaijin card.
3. There are 2 parts to the certificate – the right side will/should be completed by the administrator; the left side should be completed by the employee.
4. This certificate is in Japanese and consists of 3 sections. The top section is the formal request for unpaid wages. The middle section is for your Japanese bank account details and the bottom section is a statement for the tax office. This certificate will require your inkan (hanko) or your signature in the event you do not have an inkan.
5. The completed certificate should then posted to the Head Office of the JLHWO:
Japan Labour, Health and Welfare Organisation
Solid Square Bld
580 Horikawa-cho, Saiwai-ku
Kawasaki-Shi, Kanagawa-ken
Japan 212-0013
6. Subject to review - all processes and documentation being in order, the JLHWO will process your request for unpaid wages into your Japanese bank account.
7. Notification of the payment will be sent to your address by post. Please notify the office if you change address or bank account details during this time. Naturally, you may return to Australia or continue your travel abroad within this time period. Japan Post does not mail-forward to an overseas mail address. As such, we recommend you mail-forward to a known address of a known person willing to accept mail on your behalf, who resides in Japan.
If you are unable to establish a forwarding address in Japan, contact AACE by email at the address itr@aace.net.au