[Sangetsu]

I can't complain about the exchange rate when it comes to travel, but I can complain about a few other things. First, exchange rates are usually transferred to the cost of goods being imported and exported. With the current exchange rate, goods imported from Japan into America have become 16% more expensive. The inverse should be true, American items should be 16% less expensive than they were a year or so ago, but that hasn't happened.

For instance, an Ipod costs 25% more in Japan than it does in America. I wanted to buy a pair of Bose QC headphones, but found that they cost than $100 more in Japan than they do in America. Japan has not lowered the prices of any imported goods to reflect the changes in the exchange rate.

Another amazing thing is the cost of televisions. A Sony LCD television costs at least 1/3 less in America than it does in Japan. I have yet to figure out how they are able to do that, being that the cost of shipping must be included in the price of items shipped from Japan to America. I wanted to by a new Nikon flash unit for my camera. The price in America is about $219, the price in Japan is 32,500 yen (about $350). It's amazing that Japanese products cost more in Japan than they do in America.

End of rant.