松屋淺草屋頂遊樂場

Recently Mainichi News reported the following:

東京都台東区の百貨店「松屋浅草」の屋上にある遊園地「プレイランド」が、３１日の営業を最後に閉鎖される。日本最古の屋上遊園地とされ、東京名所として知られた。３０日は曇り空となったが、大勢の親子連れらが訪れ、名残を惜しんだ。

　同店が開業した１９３１（昭和６）年にオープン。７階建て店舗の屋上（約２６５０平方メートル）の一角にあり、全国の百貨店が屋上遊園地を作るさきがけになった。今回、営業戦略の見直しで閉鎖が決まった。 現在は昭和の香りが漂うメリーゴーラウンドやゴーカートがあり、隅田川の対岸で建設中の東京スカイツリーも望める。この日もツリーを背に来場者が写真撮影を楽しんでいた。

The amusement park "Play Land" located at the rooftop of the department store "Matsuya Asakusa" of Taito Ward, Tokyo would be closed at the end of the business hours on the 31st. As the oldest rooftop amusement park in Japan, it was known as a showplace in Tokyo. Although it was a cloudy sky on the 30th, many parents and children were visiting, trying to treasure its remaining fame.

The shop opened business in 1931(6th year of Showa). It was in the corner of the rooftop (about 2650 square meters) of a seven-story store, and it took the lead to become the sample of the future department store in the whole country in building the rooftop amusement park. This time, its closure had been decided after reviewing the business strategy. Now, with the smell of the Showa era drifting in the air, there were the merry-go-round and the go-cart, and the Tokyo Sky Tree under construction in the opposite bank in Sumidagawa was being expected. On this day, those who had come were enjoying taking pictures against the backdrop of the Tree.

This rooftop amusement park must have been the dream place of many old Tokyo residents when they were young. In 1931 the national strength of Japan was on the rise, to many Japanese of the older generation, this park could reflect how modern and prosperous Japan was in the 1930s.

The China White Paper 1949(XXI)

Under the mutual agreement of the Nationalist government and CCP, the Political Consultative Conference (PCC) was established and held a meeting in January 1946 from 10th-31st. In this meeting Chiang Kai-shek agreed to (a) grant freedom of speech, assembly, and association; (b) equal legal status for all political parties; (c) to hold popular election; and (d) to release political prisoners. Among other things, PCC suggested that the KMT should revise the organic law of the National Government "to make the State Council the supreme organ of the Government in charge of national affairs". This council would have 40 members, KMT could only have half of the membership, and the allocation of non-KMT seats should be decided by the PCC. As subsequent historical development would tell, the veto power of this Council later became an important point in the negotiation between the National government and CCP.1 This PCC had also touched on the military problems by suggesting the reorganization and reduction of armies and the creation of "a national army belonging to the State in which no political parties would be allowed to carry on political activities". It aimed at reducing the army size in China to 50-60 divisions.2 (to be continued)

Notes:
1.United States, Department of State. The China White Paper-August 1949. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 1967, page 139-140.
2. Ibid., page 140.

日雇員過勞死獲賠償

Recently the Mainichi New reported the following:

０７年８月に突然死した飲食店チェーン「日本海庄や」従業員、吹上元康さん（当時２４歳）の両親が、過重な時間外労働が原因だとして、経営する「大庄」（東京都大田区）と平辰社長ら役員４人に約１億円の損害賠償を求めた訴訟の判決が２５日、京都地裁であった。大島真一裁判長は同社の安全配慮義務違反を認め、連帯して約７８６０万円を支払うよう命じた。

　原告代理人の松丸正弁護士は「こうした訴訟で役員ら個人の責任を認めるのは珍しい」と話している。 判決によると、吹上さんは０７年４月に入社し、大津市の石山駅店で調理や接客を担当。出勤日は午前８時半から午後１１時まで働き、死亡前４カ月間の月平均時間外労働は過労死の認定基準（月８０時間）を超える１１２時間に上っていた。

　同社は基本給に時間外労働８０時間分を組み込むシステムを採用。大島裁判長は「到底、労働者の生命・健康に配慮しているとは言えない」と指摘し、社長ら役員について「悪意か重大な過失で、そのような体制をとっていた」とした。 大津労働基準監督署は０８年１２月、死亡と業務の因果関係を認めて労災認定し、０９年４月には大庄と石山駅店長を労働基準法違反容疑で書類送検している。
　
On the 25th at the Kyoto district court the decision on the lawsuit initiated by the parents of a former employee Yasushi Fukiage (24 years old at that time) of the restaurant chain "Sea of Japan Syoya" who had died suddenly on August 2007 due to excessive overtime work, sought compensation for damages of about 100 million yen from the four directors and presidents who managed as "Daisyo" (Ota Ward, Tokyo). Presiding judge Shinichi Oshima admitted that this company had violated the safety consideration obligation, and in this connection ordered a payment of about 78.6 million yen.

Plaintiff's lawyer Matsumarusei said, "It is unusual to establish individual responsibility such as directors in such a lawsuit". According to the court, Mr. Fukiage joined the company in April 2007, and took charge of cooking and serving in the Ishiyama station shop in Otsu City. On working days the work started from 8:30AM to 11:00PM, and the average monthly overtime labor hour for four months before he died went up to 112 hours which exceeded the recognized standard of death from overwork (80 hours a month).

This company adopted the system that 80 hours of overtime labor was built into the basic wage. Presiding judge Oshima pointed out, "It could not be said that worker's life and health were properly considered", and held that "such a system was in place due to the malice or the serious fault" of the directors and presidents. In December 2008, Otsu Labor Standards Inspection Office accepted the causal relation between the death and the business, and recognized that there was a case for workers' accident compensation, and in April 2009 sent police a report that Daisyo and Ishiyama station manager were suspected of violating the Labor Standards Law.

As far as the welfare of workers is concerned, can Hong Kong have similar laws to protect employees from death due to overworking?

日本電動車新發展

Recently Asahi News reported the following:　

電気自動車（ＥＶ）の普及をめざす市民団体、日本ＥＶクラブ（東京）が、途中充電せずにＥＶで１００３．１８４キロを走った。２３日、茨城県下妻市の筑波サーキットに併設されている周回コースで約２７時間半かけ達成、同クラブが昨秋に東京―大阪間（５５５．６キロ）を無充電走行して打ち立てた世界記録を大幅に更新した。記録はギネスブックに申請する。

　ダイハツ工業の軽自動車ミラバンを同クラブが改造した「ミラＥＶ」で、三洋電機製の円筒形リチウムイオン電池８３２０本を積んでいる。消費電力は発進や停止を繰り返すと多くなるため今回は信号や渋滞がある公道を避けた。 ２２日午前１１時にスタートし、同クラブの会員ら１７人が１時間交代で１周６８９メートルのコースを時速４０キロで走行。途中、電圧変換機が故障し約３０分中断したが、２３日午前２時ごろ公道での記録を更新し、同日午後２時２６分、１４５６周したところでゴールとなり、新記録を達成した。 同クラブ代表で最終ドライバーを務めた舘内端（たてうち・ただし）さん（６３）は「ガソリン車と比べ走行距離が短いと言われるＥＶでも、やればできると夢と希望を与えられた」と話した。

An electric vehicle (EV) had traveled 1003.184 kilos and while traveling there was no need for the Japanese EV Club (Tokyo), a civic group that aimed at the promotion of EV to re-charge it. On the 23rd, spending about 27 and a half hours in circling in a course established as an annex of the Tsukuba Circuit in Ibaraki prefecture, the world record set last autumn achieved by the same club of going from Osaka to Tokyo (555.6 kilos) without charging was broken and updated. The record was making application to the Guinness Book.

8320 cylindrical lithium-ion batteries made by SANYO Electric were piled up on "Mira EV" which this club had remodeled from the light weight car Miraban of DAIHATSU MOTOR. Because repeated start and stop would increase power consumption, this time it avoided the public road which had signals and congestion.It started at 11:00 am of the 22nd, 17 people all members of this club at one-hour shift, went around the course of 689 meters at a speed of 40 kilos per hour. Although during the trip the voltage conversion machine broke down and caused interruption for about 30 minutes, a new record in the public road was updated at around 2:00 am on the 23rd, and on the same day at 2.26 pm and it did 1456 times around the course, it achieved a new high record. Tateuchi Tadashi (63) as the final driver and representative of this club said "Although it can be said that for EV the mileage is short when compared with gasoline cars, it gives dream and hope if we give it a try".

An experimental electric vehicle can travel over 1000 km without the need for re-charging is an exciting record.

The China White Paper 1949(XX)

To the American, the problem in China consisted of three areas: political, military and economic. When General Marshall arrived in Chungking (重慶), he became the intermediary between Chiang Kai-shek and representatives of the CCP. In his initial contacts with the National government leaders and CCP representatives in Chungking, Marshall already felt distrust between these two parties. 1 On the one hand the National government thought that the USSR was obstructing the KMT to occupy Manchuria, on the other hand the CCP was suspicious of KMT trying to destroy the Communist Party. Because previously the US, UK and USSR had agreed that Manchuria should be returned to China after the War, Marshall informed Chou En-lai (周恩來) on January 4th 1946 that the US was committed to move the National government troops to Manchuria. This was agreed by Chou. On January 10th 1946, an agreement was reached for Chiang and Mao to issue orders to their respective armed forces to cease hostilities and halt all troop movements. To facilitate the cease of hostilities, an Executive Headquarters was set up in Peiping (北平) on the January 14th which consisted of representatives from the US, the National government and the CCP. The role of the US representative was merely to assist the other two parties.2 (to be continued)

Notes:
1.United States, Department of State. The China White Paper-August 1949. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 1967, page 136.
2. Ibid., page 138.

美韓發表調查報告

Recently the NHK News reported the following:

ことし３月、朝鮮半島沖で沈没した韓国の哨戒艦をめぐって、韓国やアメリカの合同調査団は、哨戒艦は近くを航行する潜水艦の魚雷による攻撃で沈没したとして、２０日に発表する調査報告の中で、事実上北朝鮮が関与したと結論づけることが、ＮＨＫの取材で明らかになりました。

これは韓国政府の複数の筋が明らかにしたもので、韓国の哨戒艦が沈没した原因を調査している韓国やアメリカの合同調査団は、哨戒艦が沈没した際に国籍不明の潜水艦が近い海域を航行していたことを確認したということです。合同調査団は、これまで哨戒艦から検出された火薬やアルミニウムの金属片などを調査した結果、魚雷による攻撃だったと断定していますが、この魚雷は近くを航行していた潜水艦から発射されたものとみています。さらにこの潜水艦は、魚雷を発射する前、北朝鮮側の海域を航行していたことから、北朝鮮に所属している可能性が高く、合同調査団は２０日に発表される報告書で、沈没の原因は、事実上北朝鮮の潜水艦による魚雷の攻撃によるものと結論づける見通しです。

In a investigation report released on the 20th done by the South Korea and the US combination investigation committee that dealt with the sinking of a South Korean patrol warship in the the Korean Peninsula offing in March this year, it was able to conclude that the warship sank because of an attack by the torpedo from a submarine which sailed in the vicinity of this patrol warship, a conclusion that in fact North Korea had taken part was obvious, according to materials obtained by NHK.
It was now clarified that on the basis of some logical reasoning, the South Korea and the US combination investigation committee responsible for investigating the cause of the sinking of the patrol warship had confirmed that an unknown nationality submarine had been sailing in a near sea region when the patrol warship sank. The combination investigation committee was concluding that it was an attack by the torpedo, based on the result of investigation done so far on the gunpowder and the aluminum metal pieces that had been detected from the patrol warship, and this torpedo was thought to have been launched by a submarine that sailed in the vicinity. In addition, the possibility that this submarine belonged to North Korea was high because it had sailed in the sea on the North Korea side before it launched a torpedo. It was expected that in this combination investigation committee report announced on the 20th that dealt with the cause of the sinking, it was able to conclude that it was the attack by the torpedo from the submarine of North Korea.

I think this report is trustworthy. I am wondering why the North Korean did this and what political mileage they wanted to gain.

日韓討論韓艦沉沒事件

Recently the NHK News reported the following:

岡田外務大臣は、訪問先の韓国で、ユ・ミョンファン外交通商相と会談し、北朝鮮の関与が疑われている韓国の哨戒艦の沈没について、今週にも公表される調査結果を踏まえ、日本と韓国、それにアメリカが連携して対応していくことを確認しました。
会談の冒頭、岡田外務大臣は、北朝鮮の関与が疑われている韓国の哨戒艦の沈没について、「きわめて困難な状況のなかで、韓国政府がきぜんと冷静に対応していることに敬意を表したい。日本政府は韓国を支持しており、必要な協力は惜しまない」と述べました。これを受けて、会談では、ユ・ミョンファン外交通商相から現在、韓国がアメリカなどと合同で行っている調査の進ちょく状況などの説明が行われ、両外相は今週にも公表される調査結果を踏まえ、日本と韓国それにアメリカが連携して対応していくことを確認しました。一方、韓国政府が竹島周辺の海域でボーリング調査を行ったことについて、岡田大臣は「注意深く抑制してもらいたい」と述べ、日韓関係に影響を及ぼさないよう慎重な対応を求めました。会談のあと、岡田大臣は「ユ外交通商相からは哨戒艦の沈没について、調査の話が中心だったが、今は詳しいことは申し上げられない。日米韓で連携をとってやっていかなければならない」と述べました。

Foreign Minister Okada at his visiting destination South Korea had talked with Minister Yu who was responsible for diplomacy and trade about the sinking of the South Korea patrol warship, and based on the result of the survey made public this week a join effort of Japan and South Korea and together with the co-operation of the US to respond to the matter was confirmed.

At the beginning of the meeting, Foreign Minister Okada, regarding the sinking of the South Korea patrol warship in which the involvement of North Korea was suspected, had said that "even in such an extremely difficult situation the South Korea government had responded to the incident calmly and this had my respect. Japanese Government would support South Korea, and to give the necessary assistance without reservation". This was accepted, and at the conference, from Yu the Minister for Diplomacy and Trade the progress of the investigation that South Korea was doing jointly with the United States etc. was explained, and the two Foreign Ministers based on the result of the survey made public this week, confirmed Japan and South Korea cooperation together with the United States to work out a response. On the other hand, regarding South Korean government drilling survey in the sea area around Takeshima, Foreign Minister Okada had expressed "hope it would be controlled carefully", and requested a cautious reaction so as not to affect the relation between Japan and South Korea. After the conference, Foreign Minister Okada had expressed that "with Yu the Minister for Diplomacy and Trade, the sinking of the patrol warship and its investigation was the center of discussion, though details could not be said now. It is necessary for Japan-U.S. South Korea to come into co-operation".

The sinking of the South Korean patrol boat had probably drawn South Korea and Japan closer in terms of diplomatic relationship. I am wondering which countries are helping South Korea to do the investigation: Japan, the US and China?

長野縣建廟社遇工業意外

Recently the NHK News reported the following:

長野県下諏訪町の諏訪大社で行われている御柱祭は、８日に大木の柱を建てる際に柱から転落した２人が死亡したことを受けて、落下を防ぐ安全ベルトを付けて柱に乗ることを徹底し、９日も柱を建てる行事が行われました。
長野県下諏訪町の諏訪大社春宮の境内では８日、長さ１７メートルの大木の柱、御柱を社殿の隅に建てる行事を行っていたところ、柱を支えていたワイヤーの１本が外れて、柱に乗っていた男性の氏子３人が転落し、このうち２人が死亡しました。３人はいずれも落下を防ぐ安全ベルトをしていなかったということです。春宮では９日も午前と午後に分けて、２本の御柱を建てる行事が行われ、祭りの関係者らが安全ベルトを付けて柱に乗ることなどを改めて確認しました。柱に乗る人は全員、安全ベルトを付け、このうち午後の１本の御柱はやや揺れましたが、乗っていた１３人の氏子はバランスを崩すこともなく、行事は無事終わりました。諏訪大社の御柱祭は１０日、春宮で最後の１本の御柱が建てられ、秋宮でも４本の御柱が社殿の隅に建てられます。

During the Onbashira Ceremony of the Suwa Great Shrine in the Nagano prefecture Suwa town, setback was suffered on the 8th when two people fell from a pillar (Onbashira) and died while trying to put in place the pillar which was made from a gigantic tree, and on the 9th using life saving belts that prevented falling, the construction work of erecting the pillar was held.

On the 8th, in the precincts of the Spring Shrine of the Great Shrine of Suwa in Nagano prefecture, during the Onbashira Ceremony, one wire that supported a gigantic wood pillar of 17 meters long to be built as one corner of a shrine building came off, three parishioners who had gotten on the pillar fell to the ground, and among them two died. Some how these three people had not hooked up the life saving belt that prevented falling. At the Spring Shrine on the 9th, changes on how the people that had connection with the festival should use life belts and how to stay on the pillars etc. were confirmed, and the event was held again in which two Onbashira were built separately in the morning and the afternoon. 13 parishioners who had gotten on it did not tip the balance and people who got on the pillar had life belts on, and the event ended safely although the Onbashira in the afternoon shook a little bit. On the 10th, during the Onbashira Ceremony of the Great Shrine of Suwa, the last pillar of the Spring Shrine was built, as for the Autumn Shrine, the four Onbashira used as the corners of a Shinto building were built.

If building safety standards were strictly observed, the death of the two people could have been avoided, I think.

美國空軍學日語

Recently the Asahi News reported the following:

米空軍士官学校の生徒たちが２３日から約１カ月間、山形県鶴岡市内にホームステイして、日本語研修を行う。国の重要無形民俗文化財・黒川能やしな織りの体験など、地元の人たちと交流し、江戸以前の文化や中山間地の暮らしを学ぶユニークなプログラムだ。
　研修生は１９～２３歳の男女１２人。日本語レベルは中・上級という。同校日本語担当のグワハルト・ユミコ准教授が、国際交流のＮＰＯ法人スターティングプレース（千葉県船橋市、高橋徹代表）や旧知の伴和香子・元鶴岡市教育委員長と企画、準備を重ねた。 同校では４年前から、日本各地でホームステイして語学学校に通う研修をしている。今年も和歌山市と金沢市で従来方式の研修を行うが、鶴岡市だけは初の試みとして、地域に入って言語の背景にある文化や歴史を学ぶ。「地域社会の体験に参加し、奉仕活動など教室の壁を越えた研修にしたい」とユミコ准教授。
　一行は２３日に来日。温海地区にホームステイして午前中はタケノコ狩りやしな織りなどを体験、午後はプログラムにちなんだ日本語を学ぶ。後半（６月５～１８日）は旧櫛引町、旧羽黒町、鶴岡市などに場所を移して、庄内藩酒井家１８代当主で致道博物館の酒井忠久館長（６３）の話を聞き、藩校致道館で小学生と一緒に論語の素読にも挑戦する。

Starting from the 23rd students of the School for the U.S. Air Force Officers would do the home stay at the Yamagata Prefecture Tsuruoka city for about one month to learn Japanese. It is a unique program to experience the important intangible folk cultural property, the Kurokawa play, and to exchange experience with locals and to learn their culture before Edo period and the living at Nakayama.

The trainees included 12 men and women aged between 19-23 years old. All had Japanese language level from middle to high. The Associate professor responsible for Japanese language of this school, together with a Japanese agency that promote international exchange (a city representative from Chiba Prefecture) and an old friend Kaoru who was the former Tsuruoka City education committee chairman, all repeatedly made the preparation. Since 4 years ago, the training was done using the home stay in various parts of Japan through the language school . Although training method used so far was adopted in Wakayama City and the Kanazawa city this year, Tsuruoka City was the first attempt to enter a region to learn its culture that had language background and its history. The Associate professor was saying that " we hope to participate in the experience of the regional society, and to make training and volunteer works to go beyond the wall of the classroom".

They would come to Japan on the 23rd. The home stay would be done in the Atsumi district, and in the morning bamboo shoot hunting would be experienced, and in the afternoon Japanese studies related program would be held. In the latter half of the period (June 5 to 18th), the location would be moved to the old Kushibiki town, the old Haguro town, and the Tsuruoka city, etc. , and to hear the story of Shonai clan Sakai family present 18th generation master Sakai superintendent (63) of the Itamichi Museum, and to face the challenges of reading the Analects of Confucius without construing, together with the primary-school students of the Itamichikan clan school.

As US Air Force officers in Japan, these 12 young men and women are required to understand the culture and language of the local people. I think their home stay in Japan is a good opportunity for them to broaden their horizon.

The China White Paper 1949 (XIX)

In a letter dated November 26th, 1945 Ambassador Hurley informed the US President about his intention to resign, and was accepted by the President the next day. This ambassador position was vacant until July 11th the next year to be taken up by Ambassador Stuart.1 When President Truman accepted Ambassador Hurley's resignation, he also appointed George C. Marshall as his Special Representative in China. One of the Presidential instruction to George Marshall was to achieve a cessation of hostilities in North China.2 This instruction also stated that a "strong, united, and democratic China" was crucial to world peace. The president hoped that the Chinese people would not miss the opportunity to settle internal disputes peacefully. He also explained that the presence of US troops in North China was for disarming and evacuating surrendered Japanese troops there, and that no military intervention would take place to influence the Chinese civil fighting.3 The US also promised that American assistance would be targeted at the improvement of China's industrial and agrarian economy, and to help establish a military organization "capable of discharging China's national and international responsibilities for the maintenance of peace and order."4 (to be continued)

Notes:
1.United States, Department of State. The China White Paper-August 1949. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 1967, page 110.
2. Ibid., page 132.
3. Ibid., page 133.
4. Ibid., page 133.

岩手縣有假醫生

Recently the Excite News reported the following:

医師不足に悩む岩手県宮古市の県立宮古病院（菅野千治院長、３８７床）に医師と偽り勤務しようとしたとして、県警宮古署は８日夜、自称大阪市天王寺区上本町５、無職、一宮輝美容疑者（４４）を医師法違反容疑で現行犯逮捕した。共に勤務予定だった知人男性（自称３８歳）も偽医者だったとみて事情を聴いている。

　逮捕容疑は、８日午後６時半ごろ、宮古市和見町の同病院官舎前で、職員に対し、医師免許がないのに循環器科の医師と虚偽の申告をした疑い。２人は１０日から勤務予定で、８日に宮古入りしていたという。 同病院によると、一宮容疑者は０８年１１月ごろ、大阪市内の病院の医師と名乗って宮古病院に電話し、「ニュースで岩手の医師不足を知り、手助けがしたい」などと話した。

このため同病院は、一宮容疑者と知人男性を０９年末から２、３回面接し、４月中旬に採用を決めた。だが２人は医師免許や履歴書の提示に応じず、今月６日にようやくファクスで医師免許を送ってきたが、厚生労働大臣印などが無いことなどから、県医療局を通じ宮古署に相談していた。

県医師支援推進室によると、県内の人口１０万に対する医師数は１９１．９人（０８年）で全国３７位。宮古地区も医師不足が深刻で、同病院は循環器科の常勤医が不在のため、他病院から派遣を受けていた。常勤医は年収約２０００万円。公募はしていなかった。菅野院長は「常勤医が欲しいとの思いから、疑問な点も見過ごしてしまった。市民の期待や安心を踏みにじる結果になってしまい申し訳ない」と話した。

On the night of 8th, Miyako station prefecuture police arrested a suspect Terumi Ichinomiya (44) who came from Osaka City Tennoji Ward, unemployed, for pretending to be a doctor for the purpose of working in the prefecture Miyako hospital (Director Kanno had 387 beds) in Miyako City in Iwate Prefecture which all along had trouble of doctor shortage, and thus suspected of violating the Medical Law. Miyako police station also listened to the case that an acquaintance man (self claim 38 years old) who was scheduled to work together was also an imitation doctor.

The arrested was suspected to have made false declaration to hospital staff in front of this hospital's staff residence in the Miyako City at around 6:30PM on the eighth, purporting to be the doctor of circulatory but in fact had no medical licence. The two people said that they entered Miyako on the 8th and scheduled to start work on the tenth.

The Ichinomiya suspect introduced himself in around November 2008 as the doctor in the hospital in the Osaka city, calling the Miyako hospital, saying that "from the news I know about doctor shortage in Iwate, and I want to help" etc. according to this hospital. This hospital therefore interviewed Ichinomiya the suspect and the acquaintance man for two to three times since the end of 09, and decided on the employment in the middle of April. However, the two people did not respond to a request to present the medical licence and the personal history, although had sent the medical licence by fax at last on the sixth this month, but because there were no Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare stamping etc, the hospital consulted the Miyako Police station through the prefecture medical treatment bureau.

According to the office responsible for prefecture doctor promotion and support, the number of doctors to a population of 100,000 in this prefecture is 191.9 (year 2008), ranking at the 37th place in the whole country. The Miyako district was in serious doctor shortage, and when the full-time doctor of circulatory was absent another doctor had to be sent to this hospital. A full-time medical doctor annual income was about 20 million yen. It had not made open recruitment. Director Kanno said ｢A doubtful point has been overlooked due to the desire of wanting a full-time doctor. My apology to the fact that it had resulted in trampling down citizens' expectation and safety｣.

I am wondering whether it is due to lack of funding that the Miyako district has difficulties in attracting doctors to work for them.

中日海上主權有爭議

Recently the NHK News reported the following:

岡田外務大臣は、今月３日に奄美大島沖合で調査活動を行っていた海上保安庁の測量船に、中国の海洋調査船が近づき調査を中止するよう求めたことは、日本の主権的権利を侵害するものだとして、中国側に抗議しました。
海上保安庁によりますと、今月３日、海上保安庁の測量船が奄美大島沖合の排他的経済水域で、調査活動を行っていたところ、中国の海洋調査船が近づき、無線で調査を中止するよう求めました。これを受けて、岡田外務大臣は６日、中国の程永華駐日大使を外務省に呼び、「中国側の妨害行為は日本の主権的権利を侵害するもので、断じて受け入れられない」と抗議しました。これに対し、程大使は本国に伝えたいと述べる一方で、中国側の対応は正当なものだと主張しました。日本と中国の間では、先月、２回にわたって、中国海軍艦隊の艦載ヘリコプターが東シナ海と太平洋上で、監視活動を行っていた海上自衛隊の護衛艦に異常に接近し、日本側が危険な行為だとして抗議したばかりです。

Foreign Minister Okada considered that Japan's sovereign right had been violated and protested against China because on the 3rd of this month China's oceanographic vessel approached the surveying vessel of Japan Coast Guard that was conducting investigation at Amami Oshima offshore and requested the Japanese vessel to discontinue the investigation.

According to the Japan Coast Guard, when the surveying vessel of the Japan Coast Guard was doing investigation in the exclusive economic zone of Amami Oshima offshore on the third of this month, an oceanographic vessel from China approached, and used wireless to request the investigation be discontinued. This was received, and on the 6th Foreign Minister Okada called in China Ambassador to Japan Mr. Cheng to protest, saying that "The sabotage of China is violating the sovereign right of Japan and can never be accepted". Ambassador Cheng while insisting that the response of China to be the right one, undertook to convey the protect back to his own country. Between Japan and China, last month, twice the helicopter belonged to the warship of the Chinese naval forces fleet abnormally approached Japan's escort vessel of the Maritime Self-Defense Force that were conducting monitoring activities on East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, Japan considered that was a dangerous act yet merely protested at such a behaviour.

It seems that arguments between China and Japan over their respective sovereign right at sea will continue. I hope they will have the wisdom to resolve these disputes peacefully.

日截獲用假指紋入境者

Recently NHK News reported the following:

過去に強制退去され、日本に入国できない韓国人が、他人になりすまして不法に入国するためにシリコンを使って指紋を偽造していた男が韓国の警察に逮捕されました。
逮捕されたのは４３歳の韓国人の男です。ソウルの警察によりますと、男は、過去に不法滞在で強制退去となったため日本に再入国できなくなった韓国人１３人の指紋をシリコン樹脂で偽造した疑いが持たれています。男は、知り合いをだまして指紋の提供を受け、シリコン樹脂に転写する方法で偽の指紋を作っていたもので、１３人は、これを指にはり付けて不法入国を試み、このうち８人が羽田と青森などの空港で審査をくぐり抜けていたということです。警察は、主犯格で、中国に逃亡している男２人を国際指名手配するとともに、偽造を依頼した１３人と、依頼者を男らに紹介した男女、あわせて１７人を書類送検しました。

A man was arrested by the South Korean police for helping South Korean who in the past had faced compulsory eviction and could not enter Japan again, disguising them as others in order to enter the country unlawfully using silicon to counterfeit fingerprints.

The arrested man was a 43-year-old South Korean. According to the police in Seoul, this man was suspected of using silicon resin to counterfeit fingerprints of 13 South Koreans who were not allowed to enter Japan again because they had a forced displacement due to illegal residence in the past. This man received fingerprints by cheating his acquaintances to offer them, then made fingerprint imitation by method of transcribing, using silicone resin, and offered them to 13 people who tried to enter Japan illegally, among them eight people tried to pass through the examination in the airport in Haneda and Aomori, etc and it was said that these fingerprints came off. According to the police, two men who were the principal offenders had escaped to China and were on the wanted list internationally, the 13 clients together with the men and women who introduced them to these two men to request the counterfeiting totaling 17 people had their reports sent to the police.

Some people are trying to enter Japan illegally, using many different ingenious ways.

日外務大臣在聯合國用英語發言

Recently Asahi News reported the following:

国連本部で開かれている核不拡散条約（ＮＰＴ）再検討会議で、日本の福山哲郎・外務副大臣が４日登壇し、日本政府代表として英語で演説した。

　約１４分間をすべて英語で通し、日本は「核廃絶の先頭に立つ」と強調。会議にあわせて被爆者らがニューヨークで核兵器の悲惨さを訴えていることに言及し、「その思いの共有」を各国に呼びかけた。 英語での演説は、国連日本代表部の職員らに意見を求めたところ、「圧倒的な多数」で決まり、前夜に猛練習したという。「英語は苦手で恥ずかしかったが、唯一の被爆国として行動する道義的責任を強く訴えたかった」.　演説後には、韓国やグルジアの代表らが駆け寄り、握手を求めた。福山氏は「被爆国としての立場を明確にしたことに敬意を表してもらえた、と感じた」と述べた。

On the 4th, Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Tetsuro Fukuyama of Japan ascended the platform of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference held in The United Nations Headquarters, and as a representative of the Japanese Government he made a speech in English.
In English throughout the some 14 minutes, Japan emphasized "standing at the lead of nuclear abolition". It made reference to radiation victims and appealed in this conference in New York about the misery of the nuclear weapon, and called on all countries to "share such a desire". It was said that to give the speech in English was decided by "overwhelming majority" when opinion was sought from staff of the Japanese representative in the United Nations, and hard practice was made at the previous night. "As the only nation that had suffered atomic bombings, I wanted to appeal strongly for a moral responsibility to act, although my English was not good and even shameful. " After the speech was made, representatives from South Korea and the Republic of Georgia came forward, and requested the handshake. Mr. Fukuyama described, "I can feel the respect given to me for being able to clarify the standpoint of the atomic-bombed nation".

The hard work of Mr. Tetsuro Fukuyama to give a speech in English at the UN is respected.

The China White Paper 1949(XVIII)

Ambassador Hurley left China for the States on September 22, 1945. Meanwhile negotiation between Chungking and the CCP continued. In early October, Dr. K.C. Wu, the Minister of Information of Chinese Government through the US Embassy at Chungking told Hurley that the CCP had agreed to accept the proposal by Nationalist Government that they were to be given 20 divisions in the National Army. A military commission would work out the time table and General Yeh Chien-ying (葉劍英) would represent the CCP in this commission. Also, a political council 0f 37 members would be established during the interim. CCP insisted that this council should adopt a 'system of absolute veto', which meant that all proposals would have to receive unanimous approval before they became effective.1 In late October, a CCP representative at Chungking told the US Embassy that recent negotiations had yielded little progress.2 He felt that the Nationalist government was buying time for the purpose of securing military control over areas liberated by CCP, and that the American was landing troops to many points in North China, and holding them until the arrival of the Nationalist army. On November 4, 1945, the Embassy at Chungking reported that the chance of a widespread civil war in China was growing. The Communist was trying to prevent the Nationalist government troops from entering the areas they controlled. They had offered to refrain from attacking communication lines if the Nationalist government stopped moving troops into North China. The Nationalist government rejected such a request.3

Notes:
1.United States, Department of State. The China White Paper-August 1949. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 1967, page 108.
2. Ibid., page 109.
3. Ibid., page 110.