日本擁有1200年歷史的櫻花資料庫迎來新主人（2/2）

Recently the New York Times reported the following:

Japan’s Cherry Blossom Database, 1,200 Years Old, has a New Keeper (2/2)

The remarkable catalog of dates is one of the longest-running records of climate change. Its creator died, setting off a search for a successor.

The NYT - By Hiroko Tabuchi - Hiroko Tabuchi covers pollution and the environment for The Times. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years in Tokyo and New York.

Published April 17, 2026

Updated April 18, 2026, 10:43 a.m. ET

(continue)

Slowly, the snippets of everyday life became records of the changing climate. Cherry blossoms need a period of winter cold to break dormancy, followed by warmer days to trigger blooming.

His data showed that, for roughly 1,000 years, peak bloom dates tended to fall around mid-April, with fluctuations in response to natural climate variations. But starting around 1820 to 1830, cherry trees began to bloom earlier, as Kyoto urbanized and humans burned more fossil fuels, releasing planet-warming gases into the atmosphere.

That trend has accelerated sharply in recent years. In 2021, the peak bloom in Kyoto happened on March 26, its earliest arrival in 1,200 years. That represents a shift of nearly three weeks compared to the historic average.

Using computer modeling, Prof. Aono estimated a general temperature rise of 3.4 degrees Celsius, or about 6 degrees Fahrenheit, on average in the Kyoto area over the past 170 years. He also examined the effect of Kyoto’s urbanization on local temperatures, because buildings and roads trap heat, which drives up local temperatures in a phenomenon researchers call the heat island effect.

His research still clearly indicated the effects of global warming. Climate change was making extremely early blooming events, like the record-early 2021 season, many times more likely, researchers at the British meteorological service found in a 2022 study coauthored by Prof. Aono.

Dr. Katata, his soon-to-be successor, said he aimed to further disentangle the distinct effects of global warming, urbanization, and natural variability on cherry trees. “That’s important to separate out to accurately see the impacts of climate change,” he said.

He said he hadn’t expected to be taking on a 1,200-year legacy. He had assumed that other researchers closer to the late scholar would have been prepared to take up his work, he said. But in recent years, Dr. Katata’s own research has been increasingly focused on reconstructing long-term historic climates, had started to converge with Prof. Aono’s.

The two scholars had been discussing working on a joint paper when Prof. Aono died in August, Dr. Katata said. “I had sent two final emails that I didn’t receive replies to,” he said. “I knew something was wrong.”

Patrick Gonzalez, a climate change scientist and forest ecologist at the University of California, Berkeley, called the cherry trees research “rigorous.” The data represented “a unique ecological time series,” Dr. Gonzalez said. In Washington, research had also shown cherry flowers blooming one week earlier, on average, he noted.

A shift in blossoms can have wider consequences. When flowers bloom too early, they may miss pollinators like bees and insects, for example, or be killed by a sudden late-spring frost.

Earlier blossom times can also harm fruit harvests in some species, or even lengthen pollen seasons, worsening allergies and affecting human health, said Lewis H. Ziska, a plant physiologist at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.

“The rise in carbon dioxide and change in temperature are affecting every aspect of human existence,” he said.

In some parts of Japan, seasons may be getting too warm for certain kinds of cherry blossoms to thrive. In a study this year, researchers at the Kyushu Research Center in Japan used weather models to investigate how warmer winters were failing to provide the necessary chilling for cherry trees. That was already starting to cause abnormal flowering on Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost island, they found.

The millennium of data will be vital in navigating the coming changes, said Richard B. Primack, a plant ecologist and conservation biologist at Boston University and a co-author of the Kyushu study.

Still, some things don’t change, he noted. Just as ancient letters and diaries had provided valuable records in the past, today there is an abundance of photos of the blossoms uploaded onto social media, complete with time stamps and location tags, he said — a modern-day chronicle of cherry blossoms. This year, the cherries again reached full bloom significantly earlier, in early April, though later than the 2021 record.

“That data is all out there,” he said. “Scientists will have to just put it all together.”

Translation

日本擁有1200年歷史的櫻花資料庫迎來新主人（2/2）

這本非凡的日子目錄是紀錄氣候變遷持續最長時間的册子之一。在它的創建者去世後，人們開始尋找接班人

（繼續）

逐漸地，日常生活中的點滴演變成氣候變遷的紀錄。櫻花需要經歷一段冬季的寒冷才能打破休眠，隨後氣溫回暖才能開花。

青野教授的數據顯示，大約1000年來，櫻花的盛花期通常在4月中旬左右，並會隨著自然氣候變化而有所波動。但大約從1820年至1830年開始，隨著京都的城市化進程以及人類燃燒更多化石燃料，向大氣中排放更多導致全球暖化的氣體，櫻花開始提前開花。

近年來，這一趨勢急劇加速。 2021年，京都櫻花盛開的高峰期出現在3月26日，這是1200年來最早的一次。與歷史平均值相比，這提前了近三週。

青野教授利用電腦模型估算，過去170年間，京都地區的平均氣溫上升了3.4攝氏度，大約6華氏度。他也研究了京都城市化對地區氣溫的影響，因為建築物和道路會吸收熱量，導致局部氣溫升高，這種現像被研究人員稱為「熱島效應」。

他的研究仍然清晰地表明了全球暖化的影響。英國氣象局的研究人員在2022年發表的一項研究中發現，氣候變遷使得櫻花極度提前開花的現象（例如2021年創紀錄的早花期）發生的機率大大增加。青野教授有參與撰寫這項研究。

即將接替青野教授的Katata博士表示，他的目標是進一步釐清全球暖化、都市化和自然變異對櫻花樹的不同影響。他說 : 「要了解氣候變遷的影響，準確地區分這些因素至關重要」。

他表示，自己沒想到會接手青野教授長達1200年的研究遺產。他原本以為，與這位已故學者關係更密切的其他研究人員會接手他的工作。但近年來，Katata博士的研究越來越著重於重建長期歷史氣候，這與青野教授的研究方向開始趨於一致。

Katata博士說，在青野教授於8月去世時，兩位學者正在討論合作撰寫論文。 他說:「我最後發了兩封郵件，但都沒有收到回覆」。 「我知道有些不對勁」。

加州大學柏克萊分校的氣候變遷科學家兼森林生態學家Patrick Gonzalez稱這項櫻花研究「嚴謹」。Gonzalez博士說，這些數據代表了「獨特的生態時間序列」。他也指出，在華盛頓州，研究也顯示櫻花平均提早了一週盛開。

花期的變化可能會產生更廣泛的影響。例如，花朵過早開放可能會被授粉媒介如蜜蜂和昆蟲等錯過，或被晚春突如其來的霜凍凍死。

哥倫比亞大學梅爾曼公共衛生學院的植物生理學家Lewis H. Ziska表示，花期提前還會影響某些植物的果實產量，甚至延長花粉季，加劇過敏症狀，影響人類健康。

他說:「二氧化碳濃度上升和氣溫變化正在影響人類生存的方方面面」。

在日本部分地區，氣候可能變得過於溫暖，不利於某些品種的櫻花生長。今年，日本九州研究中心的研究人員利用氣像模型進行了一項研究，調查了冬季氣溫升高如何導致櫻花樹無法獲得必要低溫的原因。他們發現，這種情況已經開始在日本最南端的九州島造成異常開花。

波士頓大學植物生態學家兼保育生物學家、九州研究報告的合著者Richard B. Primack表示，千年來累積的數據對於應對即將到來的變化至關重要。

不過，他也指出，有些事情始終不變。正如古代書信和日記曾提供寶貴的記錄一樣，如今社交媒體上也湧現出大量帶有時間戳記和位置標籤的櫻花照片 - 這堪稱現代版的櫻花編年史。今年，櫻花再次提前盛開，在四月初就已盛開，但比2021年的記錄晚了一些。

他說:「所有數據都已公開」;「科學家們只需要把它們整合起來」。

So, for more than 1,200 years, Japanese have carefully recorded the timing of cherry blossoms in Kyoto. Cherry trees are particularly sensitive to changing temperatures, and as the planet is getting warmer, they bloom earlier and earlier. Apparently, the millennium of data is vital in knowing the past and comparing to the present. That data is out there and waiting scientists to put them together. 

日本擁有1200年歷史的櫻花資料庫迎來新主人（1/2）

Recently the New York Times reported the following:

Japan’s Cherry Blossom Database, 1,200 Years Old, has a New Keeper (1/2)

The remarkable catalog of dates is one of the longest-running records of climate change. Its creator died, setting off a search for a successor.

The NYT - By Hiroko Tabuchi - Hiroko Tabuchi covers pollution and the environment for The Times. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years in Tokyo and New York.

Published April 17, 2026

Updated April 18, 2026, 10:43 a.m. ET

For more than 1,200 years, Japanese noblemen, monks and bureaucrats have carefully recorded one of the most eagerly awaited days of the year — when cherry blossoms bloom in the ancient capital, Kyoto.

In recent years, a climate scientist, Yasuyuki Aono, has been the keeper of this trove of dates, one of the world’s most remarkable and longest-running climate records. Cherry trees, or sakura, are particularly sensitive to changing temperatures, and as the planet has warmed, they have bloomed earlier and earlier.

Then last summer, Prof. Aono, who had meticulously updated the record year after year, died after a battle with cancer. That prompted supporters of his work to start looking for a worthy successor.

“We need help from a botanist or someone local to Kyoto, Japan!” Tuna Acisu, a data scientist at Our World in Data, posted on X this month. The key qualifications, she wrote, were scientific expertise and being “local to Arashiyama,” a district on the western outskirts of Kyoto famous for its cherry trees.

Initially, they didn’t have much luck. No other researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University, where Prof. Aono worked, would be taking over his record-keeping, Hiroko Nishino, a university spokeswoman, wrote in an email.

But now, just as Kyoto sees the last of the year’s cherry blossoms, Prof. Aono’s successor has been found, Ms. Acisu said. On Friday, a Tokyo-based environmental biophysicist, Genki Katata, said he had agreed to be the new custodian of the records.

“Making sure the Kyoto data lives on is a very important job,” Dr. Katata, a senior fellow at the Canon Institute for Global Studies, said in an interview from Tokyo. “I want to carry this forward for as long as I can.”

Cherry blossoms are beloved worldwide. Crowds flock to see them in Washington, D.C., and Vancouver, both recipients of trees gifted from Japan, as well as in Wuhan, China, and Jinhae, South Korea. But perhaps nowhere are they as deeply enshrined in history and culture as in Japan.

Cherry blossom viewing, or hanami, has been a part of daily and aristocratic life in Japan for more than a millennium, celebrated in haiku, depicted in paintings and meticulously recorded in court diaries and chronicles. Today, hanami season is a boisterous affair, marked with bento picnics under the trees and drunken parties that stretch into the night.

The historical records Prof. Aono compiled weren’t originally intended for science. But the dates, locations, and other details contained in the scripts have proven to be a rich source of data from an age that precedes the birth of thermometers.

In one diary entry dated April 14, 1644, Tokitsune Hiramatsu, a court noble and scholar, referred to a cherry blossom viewing party on the grounds of the Seiryoden palace at the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the residence of Japan’s emperor for centuries. “We enjoyed watching cherry blossoms, and took sake provided by the emperor,” he wrote.

Over the centuries, various chroniclers would note the progression of blossoms — whether they were just starting to flower, were in peak bloom or were beginning to scatter their petals, adding a level of specificity that has allowed for relatively consistent data through the generations.

Prof. Aono focused on a sturdy native variety called Yamazakura, highly sensitive to spring temperatures and long Japan’s standard cherry tree, before the more delicate Somei-Yoshino hybrid gained popularity.

Prof. Aono pored over those records, teaching himself ancient Japanese script. The effort took more than 15 years. “I was never good at literature in school, and at first I had no idea even where to look,” he said in an acceptance speech for an academic award he received in 2017. “Incredulous colleagues would ask, ‘Are you still studying cherry trees?’”

(to be continued)

Translation

日本擁有1200年歷史的櫻花資料庫迎來新主人（1/2）

這本非凡的日子目錄是紀錄氣候變遷持續最長時間的册子之一。在它的創建者去世後，人們開始尋找繼任者。

1200多年來，日本的貴族、僧侶和官員們一直認真記錄著一年中最令人期待的日子之一 - 古都京都櫻花盛開的日子。

近年來，氣候科學家青野康之(Yasuyuki Aono) 一直負責維護這份珍貴的日期記錄寶藏，這是世界上最引人注目、持續時間最長的氣候記錄之一。櫻花樹 (sakura) 對氣溫變化特別敏感，隨著全球暖化，它們的花期也越來越早。

去年夏天，青野教授因癌症過世，他生前一直一絲不苟地逐年更新著這份紀錄。他的支持者們開始尋找合適的繼任者。

資料科學家Tuna Acisu本月在X網站上發文說道:「我們需要一位植物學家，或是一位居住在日本京都的本地人！」。她寫道，關鍵條件是具備科學專業知識，並且「“是嵐山(Arashiyama)本地人”。嵐山位於京都西郊，以櫻花聞名。

起初，他們的進展並不順利。大阪市立大學發言人西野弘子 (Hiroko Nishino) 在一封電子郵件中寫道，青野教授生前所在的大阪市立大學沒有其他研究人員接手他的記錄工作。

但就在京都櫻花即將凋謝之際，Acisu女士表示青野教授的繼任者已經找到。週五，東京環境生物物理學家片田元氣(Genki Katata)博士宣布，他已同意擔任新的記錄保管人。

作為佳能全球研究所的高級研究員的片田博士在東京接受採訪時說道:「確保京都的數據得以保存是一項非常重要的工作」;「我希望盡可能長久地將這項工作傳承下去」。

櫻花深受世界各地人們的喜愛。在華盛頓特區和溫哥華（這兩個城市都曾收到日本贈送的櫻花樹），以及中國武漢和韓國鎮海，人們都蜂擁而至欣賞櫻花。但或許沒有哪個地方像日本一樣，將櫻花深深融入歷史和文化之中。

賞櫻，或稱為“花見”( hanami)，在日本已有超過千年的歷史，是日常生活和貴族生活的重要組成部分。人們用俳句歌頌櫻花，用繪畫描繪櫻花，並在宮廷日記和編年史中一絲不苟地記錄下賞櫻的場景。如今，賞櫻季已成為一場熱鬧非凡的盛事，在樹下享用便當野餐，以及持續到深夜的醉酒派對。

青野教授收集的這些歷史記錄最初並非用於科學研究。但這些手稿中所包含的日期、地點和其他細節，已被證明是了解溫度計發明之前時代的寶貴資料。

在1644年4月14日的一篇日記中，宮廷貴族兼學者 平松時庸 (Tokitsune Hiramatsu)提到了在京都皇宮青陵殿（日本天皇數百年來的居所）舉行的賞櫻活動。 他寫道:「我們欣賞了櫻花，還喝了天皇賜予的清酒」。

幾個世紀以來，不同的史官都會記錄櫻花的生長過程 - 無論是剛綻放、正值盛花期，還是花瓣開始凋落，這增加了一定程度的精確性，使得幾個世代的數據都相對一致。

青野教授專注於一種名為「山櫻」的本土櫻花品種，這種櫻花對春季氣溫非常敏感，在更為嬌嫩的染井-吉野雜交品種流行之前，它一直是日本的標準櫻花樹。

青野教授仔細研讀這些記錄，自學日本古文，這項工作耗時超過15年。 他在2017年獲得學術獎時的獲獎感言中說道:「在學校時我的文學成績不好，在開始這時工作甚至不知道該從何入手」;「同事們會難以置信地問， ' 你還在研究櫻花樹？'」。

 （待續）

Note:

1. Tokitsune Hiramatsu (平松時庸)（ひらまつ ときつね） (1599-1654) was a court noble during the early Edo period holding the official rank of Junior Second Rank, Provisional Middle Counselor (従二位、権中納言). He was the second son of Tokiyoshi Nishinotōin (西洞院時慶) （1552 - 1640）. He established the Hiramatsu family (平松家), a branch of the Nishinotōin family (西洞院家). (https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/)

郭家麒醫生因違反國安法被定罪，被吊銷行醫執照

Recently Hong Kong Free Press reported the following:

Doctor and former lawmaker Kwok Ka-ki struck off medical register over National Security conviction

Hong Kong Free Press

NEWS

16-04-2026 21:15 HKT

The Medical Council of Hong Kong has indefinitely removed former lawmaker and urologist Dr. Kwok Ka-ki from the medical register on Thursday following a disciplinary hearing concerning his conviction under the National Security Law, marking the first time the council has held a hearing related to a national security case.

The Medical Council held a disciplinary inquiry today into Dr. Kwok, who was previously imprisoned for 50 months for his role in the "47-person" pro-democracy primary case.

Dr. Kwok did not attend the hearing, nor did he appoint any legal representation.

The charge against him stated that as a registered medical practitioner, he was convicted by the High Court in 2024 of "conspiracy to commit subversion," a violation of Article 22(3) of the Hong Kong National Security Law and the Crimes Ordinance.

In a written submission, Dr. Kwok argued that his conviction was unrelated to his medical practice, did not involve dishonesty or violence, and that his level of participation was limited, contending it should not be considered a serious offense.

However, the Medical Council's legal advisor urged the panel to consider the adverse impact of the conviction on the medical profession's reputation and the public interest, as well as Dr. Kwok's overall fitness to practice medicine.

Ultimately, the council's chairperson, Grace Tang Wai-king, ruled to remove Dr. Kwok's name from the doctors' register indefinitely.

Lawmaker Kitson Yang Wing-kit, a member of the Panel on Health Services, expressed his respect for the Medical Council's decision. He stated that national security is of utmost importance, and since Dr. Kwok violated national security laws, it is reasonable to revoke his professional medical qualification.

Yang added that while opinions on the extent of an individual's involvement in illegal activities may vary, he trusts that the Medical Council has a set of established criteria for its judgments.

Translation

郭家麒醫生因違反國安法被定罪，被吊銷行醫執照

香港醫學委員會週四就郭家麒醫生違反國安法的定罪舉行紀律聆訊後，無限期吊銷了這位前立法會議員兼泌尿科醫生的行醫執照。這是醫學委員會首次就國安案件舉行聆訊。

醫學委員會今日就郭家麒醫師舉行了紀律調查。郭家麒醫生先前因參與「47人」民主黨初選而被判入獄50個月。

郭家麒醫生未出席聆訊，也未委託任何法律代表。

對他的指控稱，他作為一名註冊醫生，於2024年被高等法院裁定犯有“串謀顛覆國家政權罪”，違反了香港國安法第22(3)條和刑事條例。

郭醫師在書面陳述中辯稱，他的定罪與他的行醫無關，不涉及不誠實或暴力行為，而且他的參與程度有限，因此不應被視為嚴重罪行。

然而，醫學委員會的法律顧問敦促委員會考慮該定罪對醫療行業聲譽和公眾利益的不利影響，以及郭醫生整體上是否適合行醫。

最終，醫委會主席Grace Tang Wai-king裁定無限期地將郭醫生的名字從醫生名冊中除名。

立法會議員Kitson Yang Wing-kit，作為衛生事務委員會成員，對醫委會的決定表示尊重。他指出，國家安全至關重要，郭醫師違反了國家安全法，因此吊銷其行醫資格是合理的。

Yang補充說，雖然對於這個人參與非法活動的程度各人可能有不同看法，但他相信醫務委員會會有一套既定的判斷標準。

So, the Medical Council of Hong Kong has indefinitely removed Dr. Kwok Ka-ki from the medical register due to his conviction under the National Security Law. I tend to think that Dr. Kwok’s conviction is unrelated to his medical practice, does not involve dishonesty or violence, and therefore should not be considered a serious offense that justifies his removal from the medical register.

US Navy Loses Rare and Expensive Drone Over the Persian Gulf

 Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

(The MQ4C Triton drone. Source: CNN )

米海軍、希少で高価なドローン失う　ペルシャ湾上空

2026.04.16 Thu posted at 17:27 JST

（CNN） 米海軍は先週、所有する中で最も高価な部類の航空機をペルシャ湾上空で失った模様だ。

14日に発表された海軍安全司令部の報告書によると、「MQ4Cトライトン」ドローン（無人機）が9日に墜落した。作戦の安全保障上の理由から、墜落地点は非公開とされている。

CNNが航空機追跡サイトの「フライトレーダー24」のデータを検索したところ、MQ4Cは9日にイタリアのシゴネラ海軍航空基地を離陸し、ペルシャ湾上空で消息を絶ったことが分かった。

同機はホルムズ海峡上空を飛行していたが、海峡上空を離れた後、高度約1万5000メートルから約2700メートルまで降下し、レーダーから消失した。

飛行データによるとトライトンは飛行中、地上のパイロットとの通信が途絶えたことを示すスコーク信号を発信した。その約70分後、高度約1万3400メートルまで降下した際に、緊急事態を示すスコーク信号を発信。その後も同じスコーク信号を発信し続け、協定世界時（UTC）午前10時12分に高度約2800メートルでレーダーから消えた。

飛行追跡データからは喪失の原因を特定できず、海軍はMQ4Cが墜落したという情報のみを公表している。

製造元のノースロップ・グラマン社はトライトンを「世界最高峰の無人海上情報収集・監視・偵察・標的設定機」と形容している。

ジェットエンジンを搭載し、航続距離約1万3700キロを誇るMQ4Cは、24時間以上の飛行が可能だ。

このドローンは海軍艦隊の中でも最も希少な機体の一つであり、ノースロップ・グラマン社によるとわずか20機しか製造されていない。また、1機あたり約2億4000万ドル（約380億円）という極めて高価な機体でもある。これはF35Cステルス戦闘機の2倍以上の価格に相当する。

Translation

US Navy Loses Rare and Expensive Drone Over the Persian Gulf

(CNN) The US Navy appeared to have lost one of its most expensive aircraft last week over the Persian Gulf.

According to a report from the Naval Security Command released on the 14th, an MQ4C Triton drone crashed on the 9th. The crash site was being kept secret for operational security reasons.

CNN searched the aircraft tracking site called “Flightradar24 data”, it revealed that the MQ4C took off from Sigonella Naval Air Station in Italy on the 9th and disappeared over the Persian Gulf.

The aircraft was flying over the Strait of Hormuz, and after leaving the airspace above the strait, it descended from an altitude of approximately 15,000 meters to approximately 2,700 meters and disappeared from radar.

Flight data indicated that during flight, the Triton transmitted a squawk signal indicating a loss of communication with the pilot on the ground. Approximately 70 minutes later, while descending to an altitude of approximately 13,400 meters, it transmitted an emergency squawk signal. It continued to transmit the same squawk signal until it disappeared from radar at an altitude of approximately 2,800 meters at 10:12 AM UTC.

The cause of the loss could not be determined from the flight tracking data, and the Navy had only released information that the MQ4C crashed.

Northrop Grumman, the manufacturer, described the Triton as "the world's top unmanned maritime intelligence gathering, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting aircraft."

Equipped with a jet engine and boasting a range of approximately 13,700 kilometers, the MQ4C could fly for more than 24 hours.

This drone was one of the rarest aircraft in the Navy fleet, with only 20 ever manufactured, according to Northrop Grumman. It was also extremely expensive, costing approximately $240 million (about 38 billion yen) per unit. This would be more than twice the price of an F-35C stealth fighter jet.

              So, the US Navy appears to have lost one of its most expensive aircraft last week over the Persian Gulf. This drone is one of the rarest aircraft in the Navy fleet, with only 20 ever manufactured and is also extremely expensive. I am interested in knowing why it crashed.

US Study: The accumulation of "marbled meat" in the thighs increases with the consumption of ultra-processed foods

Recently CNN.com.jp reported the following:

(Diet with 29.5% processed food at the left vs 87.1% at the right)

太ももに蓄積する「霜降り肉」、超加工食品の摂取が多いほど増加　米研究

2026.04.15 Wed posted at 11:00 JST

 （CNN） 見事な霜降りの入った高級肉のように見える画像は、きめ細かく柔らかなステーキを思わせる。しかしこれは、超加工食品が年間摂取カロリーの87％を占めていた62歳の女性の太ももをMRIで撮影した画像だった。

米カリフォルニア大学のゼーラ・アッカヤ氏によると、この女性の食事はシリアルやチョコレート菓子、キャンディ菓子、清涼飲料水や加糖飲料が中心だったという。

筋肉繊維の間や内側に隠れた脂肪は深刻な健康問題の兆候かもしれないと同氏は指摘する。アッカヤ氏のチームは、膝（ひざ）の骨粗しょう症リスクがある人の筋肉内脂肪に対して超加工食品が及ぼす影響について調査した。

超加工食品は、体重増加や肥満、がん、心血管疾患、2型糖尿病、うつ病といった慢性疾患との関係が指摘されており、寿命を縮める可能性さえある。

米疾病対策センター（CDC）によれば、米国の成人はカロリーの50％以上を超加工食品から摂取している。子どもの場合、その数字は62％に跳ね上がる。

今回の調査対象となった別の61歳の女性の場合、やはり太ももの筋肉に「霜降り」はあったものの、それほどの量ではなかった。この女性の年間の食事に占める超加工食品の割合は約29％だった。

「こうした人たちはMRI検査の時点で膝の変形性関節症の兆候はなかったにもかかわらず、既に筋肉の質の低下が見られたことは特に懸念が大きい」とアッカヤ氏は話す。

犯人は超加工食品？

今回の研究結果は14日の放射線医学誌に掲載された。研究チームは、膝変形性関節症の予防と治療を目的とする全米規模の調査プロジェクト「変形性関節症イニシアチブ」に参加した615人のMRI診断画像を分析。対象者の平均年齢は60歳、体格指数（BMI）は27で、膝の変形性関節症の兆候がある人はいなかった。

BMIは25～29.9が過体重、30～34.9が肥満、35～39.9は肥満度2、40以上は「重度の」肥満（肥満度3）と分類される。

食事の29.5％を超加工食品が占める61歳女性の場合、BMIは32.6だった。一方、超加工食品の割合が87.1％だった女性のBMIは31.8と、61歳女性に比べればやや低く、活動スコアも高かったにもかかわらず、太ももの「霜降り」の量ははるかに多かった。

「カロリー摂取量に関係なく、全般的に超加工食品の摂取量が多いほど、大腿（だいたい）筋の筋内脂肪が多かった」。論文筆頭著者のトーマス・リンク氏はそう解説する。

米ニューヨーク大学のミリアム・ブレデラ氏は今回の研究について、超加工食品が筋肉の霜降り化の原因になっていることを証明したわけではないとしながらも、「強い関係」が見られたと指摘。「ただ、どのくらい超加工食品を食べ続ければ筋肉がこうなるのかは分からない」とした。

その上で、「分かっているのは、筋肉内に蓄積した脂肪がある場合、運動と健康的な食生活を始めれば、間違いなく筋肉の質は改善できるということ」とブレデラ氏は話し、「年を取ってからよりも若い時の方がずっと簡単だが、やればできる」と言い添えた。

Translation

US Study: The accumulation of "marbled meat" in the thighs increases with the consumption of ultra-processed foods

(CNN) The image, which looks like a finely marbled, high-quality cut of meat, resembled a tender steak. However, this was an MRI scan of the thigh of a 62-year-old woman whose annual calorie intake consisted of 87% ultra-processed foods.

According to Zella Akkaya of the University of California, this woman's diet mainly consisted of cereals, chocolates, candies, soft drinks, and sugary beverages.

Akkaya pointed out that fat hidden between and inside muscle fibers might be a sign of serious health problems. Akkaya's team investigated the effects of ultra-processed foods on intramuscular fat in people at risk of knee osteoporosis.

Ultra-processed foods had been linked to weight gain, obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and depression, and might even shorten lifespan.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American adults obtained more than 50% of their calories from ultra-processed foods. For children, that figure jumps to 62%.

In the case of another 61-year-old woman included in this study, while she did have some "marbling" in her thigh muscles, it wasn't as pronounced. Ultra-processed foods accounted for approximately 29% of this woman's annual diet.

Akkaya said "The fact that these individuals showed no signs of osteoarthritis of the knee at the time of MRI scans, yet they already exhibited a decline in muscle quality and is particularly a big concern."

Ultra-processed foods as the culprit?

The findings of this study were published in the Journal of Radiology on the 14th. The research team analyzed MRI images of 615 participants in the "Osteoarthritis Initiative," a nationwide survey project aimed at preventing and treating knee osteoarthritis. The average age of the participants was 60, their body mass index (BMI) was 27, and none showed signs of knee osteoarthritis.

A BMI of 25-29.9 is classified as overweight, 30-34.9 as obese, 35-39.9 as obesity level 2, and 40 or higher as "severe" obesity (obesity level 3).

A 61-year-old woman whose diet consisted of 29.5% ultra-processed foods had a BMI of 32.6. In contrast, a woman whose diet consisted of 87.1% ultra-processed foods had a BMI of 31.8, which was slightly lower than the 61-year-old woman, yet she had significantly more "marbling" in her thighs, despite having a higher activity score.

Thomas Link, as the lead author of the paper explained that "Regardless of calorie intake, the higher the overall intake of ultra-processed foods, the more intramuscular fat in the thigh muscles."

Miriam Bredera of New York University noted that while the study didn't prove that ultra-processed foods directly cause muscle marbling, a "strong correlation" was observed. He said "However, I don't know how long you have to keep eating ultra-processed foods to get muscles like that."

On top of that, Bredera said “What I do know is that if you have fat stored in your muscles, you can definitely improve the quality of your muscles by starting exercise and a healthy diet," and added that " It's much easier when you're young than when you're older, but you can do it if you try. "

So, fat hidden between and inside muscle fibers may be a sign of serious health problems. Ultra-processed foods have been linked to weight gain, obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and depression, and may even shorten lifespan. Apparently, the plain fact is that regardless of calorie intake, the higher the overall intake of ultra-processed foods, the more intramuscular fat could be found in the thigh muscles.

家庭主婦因發佈抵制選舉的貼文被判監可緩刑

Recently the standard.com.hk reported the following:

Housewife gets suspended jail term for election boycott post

The Standard - NEWS

25-02-2026 17:04 HKT

A 61-year-old housewife was sentenced on Wednesday to two months in prison, suspended for 18 months, for sharing online posts that incited others not to vote in the 2025 Legislative Council General Election.

The defendant, surnamed Ma, pleaded guilty at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts to illegally inciting another person not to vote or to cast an invalid vote through a public activity during the election period.

Magistrate Peter Yu Chun-cheung said the Legislative Council election concerns the well-being of all Hong Kong citizens, describing the offense as serious in nature and detrimental to the overall interests of Hong Kong.

He said that even if the defendant had not given careful thought before reposting the content, the court could not ignore the serious consequences caused by the act of forwarding it.

The post shared by Ma was originally published by Tong Wai-hung, who had called on others to boycott the election on social media.

The magistrate had earlier issued a warrant for Tong, who had already left Hong Kong. He is currently wanted by the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

Translation

家庭主婦因發佈抵制選舉的貼文被判監可緩刑

一名61歲的家庭主婦週三被判處兩個月監禁，緩刑18個月，罪名是在網路上分享煽動他人不參加2025年立法會大選的貼文。

被告姓Ma，在西九龍裁判法院承認在選舉期間透過公開活動非法煽動他人不投票或投無效票。

裁判官Peter Yu Chun-cheung表示，立法會選舉關係到全體香港市民的福祉，並指出此案罪名性質嚴重，有損香港整體利益。

他表示，即使被告在轉發內容前沒有仔細考慮，法庭也不能忽視轉發行為造成的嚴重後果。

Ma分享的貼文最初由Tong Wai-hung發佈，Tong曾在社交媒體上呼籲他人抵制這次選舉。

裁判官先前已對已離開香港的Tong Wai-hung發出逮捕令。他目前亦正被廉政公署通緝。

So, a housewife was sentenced to two months in prison, suspended for 18 months, for sharing online posts that incited others not to vote in the 2025 Legislative Council General Election. Apparently, the punishment for sharing online posts regarding opinions on an election is harsh.

中國GDP比預期強勁，得益於基礎建設支出（2/2）

 Recently the New York Times reported the following:

China’s G.D.P. Stronger Than Expected, Led by Infrastructure Spending (2/2)

A steep slide in housing prices has left consumers less prosperous and less willing to spend, but the government is pouring money into new rail lines and other projects.

By Keith Bradsher - Reporting from Beijing and Yancheng, China

April 15, 2026

(continue)

China remains better positioned than other major economies to weather disruptions to oil and gas supplies from the war in Iran because of its large stockpiles of fossil fuels and dominant position in renewable energy. But China’s March trade data showed some unexpected shifts that sharply narrowed the country’s trade surplus.

China’s exports of toys and footwear, once strong categories, fell as higher plastic costs from the war in the Middle East squeezed manufacturers. Chemical companies have continued raising prices, suggesting further pressure in the months ahead.

Exports of rare-earth metals also plummeted in March. Beijing severely restricted shipments to Japan, amid a dispute over relations with Taiwan.

The most notable change has been a surge in semiconductor imports, as China rapidly builds data centers for artificial intelligence. Computer chip purchases jumped in January and February and hit a record high in March, up 54 percent from a year earlier in U.S. dollar terms.

A weak renminbi, China’s currency, has made computer chip imports more expensive, adding to the drag on the economy. Beijing has kept its currency weak to boost exports, making Chinese goods more competitive abroad.

But that same currency weakness raises import costs. The increasing semiconductor costs also reflect heightened global demand for the computer chips needed to power A.I. While the renminbi has strengthened slightly over the past year, it remains far weaker than what economists consider its true market value.

Export sectors that rely heavily on steel are thriving in China these days. Domestic steel is cheap because of chronic oversupply and reluctance to close state-owned steel mills. With other countries’ tariffs limiting direct exports of steel, manufacturers are channeling the glut into finished goods like cars and ships, which face fewer trade barriers.

Li Rongchun, who owns a small business in Yancheng supplying acetylene and oxygen to nearby shipyards, said he had more orders than he could handle. “Right now, shipyards are building a lot of oil tankers and container ships, and many foreign clients are coming,” he said.

But in another nearby town, the picture is far more bleak. A resident who gave only his family name, Shao, said that property prices at complexes in his neighborhood had dropped by more than half over the past year and that even steep discounts were not enticing buyers.

“There are just too many empty apartments — even at very low prices, no one wants to buy them,” he said.

Residential construction has slowed sharply over the past four years, but apartment sales have declined even faster, leaving a growing glut of unsold homes and making buyers wary of committing their savings to a purchase.

Mr. Kuijs said prices were likely to keep falling this year before bottoming out next year. But with residential construction already down so much, there isn’t much room for building activity to fall further. Any stabilization would ease a major drag on growth.

“That drag will remain this year,” Mr. Kuijs said, “but it probably won’t be as intense as it was in previous years.”

Translation

中國GDP比預期強勁，得益於基礎建設支出（2/2）

房價暴跌導致消費者收入減少，消費意願下降，但政府正大力投資新鐵路和其他項目

（繼續）

由於擁有龐大的化石燃料儲備和在再生能源領域的主導地位，中國比其他主要經濟體更能抵禦伊朗戰爭造成的油氣供應中斷。但中國3月的貿易數據顯示，出現了一些意料之外的變化，導致該國貿易順差大幅收窄。

玩具和鞋類出口曾是中國出口強項，但由於中東戰爭導致塑膠成本上漲，製造商面臨壓力，這些出口量下降。化工企業持續漲價，預示未來幾個月將面臨更大的壓力。

稀土金屬出口在3月也大幅下滑。在關於日本與台灣關係有爭議之下，北京嚴格限制了對日的出口。

最顯著的變化是半導體進口激增，因為中國正在快速建造人工智能數據庫。 1月和2月電腦晶片採購量大幅成長，3月創下歷史新高，以美元計價年增54%。

人民幣疲軟導致電腦晶片進口成本上升，進一步拖累了經濟成長。北京一直維持人民幣疲軟促進出口，提升中國商品在海外的競爭力。

但人民幣疲軟也推高了進口成本。半導體成本的上漲也反映出全球對人工智能所需電腦晶片的需求不斷增長。儘管人民幣在過去一年略有走強，但仍遠低於經濟學家認為的真正市場價值。

目前在中國，那些嚴重依賴鋼鐵的出口產業正蓬勃發展。由於長期供應過剩以及不願關閉國有鋼鐵廠，國內鋼鐵價格低廉。由於其他國家的關稅限制了鋼鐵的直接出口，製造商正將過剩的鋼鐵轉向汽車和船舶等成品，這些產品面臨的貿易壁壘較少。

Li Rongchun在Yancheng經營一家向附近造船廠供應乙炔和氧氣的小企業，他說訂單已經應接不暇。他說: 「現在造船廠正在建造大量的油輪和貨櫃船，很多外國客戶也來了」。

但在附近的另一個城鎮，情況卻黯淡得多。一位只透露姓Shao的居民說，他所在社區的房價在過去一年下跌了一半以上，即使大幅降價也無濟於事。

他說:「空置的住宅單位太多了 - 即使價格很低，也沒人願意買」。

過去四年，住宅建設速度大幅放緩，但住宅單位銷售速度下降得更快，導致大量房屋滯銷，也讓購屋者對拿出積蓄去買房猶豫不決。

Kuijs先生表示，房價今年可能會繼續下跌，明年才會觸底。但由於住宅興建大幅下滑，建築活動進一步下降的空間已經不大。任何穩定措施都將緩解增長所面臨的主要阻力。

Kuijs先生說: “這種阻力今年依然存在” ， “但可能不會像往年那麼嚴重。”

So, strong investments in rail lines and other infrastructure have offset weak consumer spending and a shrinking trade surplus. China’s consumer services sector has been struggling. Exports have propped up the Chinese economy through much of its housing slump since 2021. But this time they fail to offset broader weakness after a surge in the import of computer chips. I am interested in know how will the economy perform in the medium-term using infrastructure investments to offset weak consumer spendings. I am also interested in knowing where the investment money comes from.