2011年12月31日 星期六

賈慶林評論台灣總統選舉

Recently the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:
中国共産党ナンバー4の賈慶林・政治局常務委員(人民政治協商会議主席)は16日、来年1月の台湾総統選を前に談話を発表した。
 談話は、中台が「一つの中国」原則で歩み寄ったとされる1992年の「92年合意」を否定すれば「中台双方の利益が損なわれる」として、合意を否定する野党・民進党候補の蔡英文主席をけん制する内容で、国民党の馬英九総統再選の支持を中国指導部として初めて示すものとなった。
 総統選への介入とも言える談話発表に踏み切ったのは、独立志向の強い蔡氏が当選する可能性が排除できない現状への焦りから「中台交流停滞の可能性をちらつかせて台湾世論に揺さぶりをかける」(台湾メディア関係者)狙いだったとの見方が出ている。

(試譯文)
On the 16th Jia Qinglin, the number 4 man in the Chinese Communist Party's politburo standing committee (also as the President of the People's Political Consultative Conference) had released his comments ahead of the Taiwan presidential election scheduled for January next year.

He commented that while compromising the "one China principle", "the benefits of both China and Taiwan would be affected" if the "92-year agreement" reached in 1992 between China and Taiwan was rejected. The content of these comments would check Ms. Cai Yingwen, the Chairman of the opposition party - the Democratic Progressive Party candidate who denied the agreement. It became the first occasion for the China Guidance Department to show support for the re-election of the National Party's President Ma Yingjeou.
The decision to release the discussion content was said to be an intervention in the presidential election, and could be seen as out of the worry over the fact that the possibility for the strongly independent-oriented Ms. Cai to be elected could be not be ruled out; it had the aim "to stir up Taiwan public opinion (people that had media connection in Taiwan) noting the looming possibility of a stagnation in the China-Taiwan exchange".

I think it is wise for Mainland China not to be seen interfering the presidential election in Taiwan.

2011年12月29日 星期四

日本設定奶類等食物幅射安全標準

Recently the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:
食品に含まれる放射性セシウムの新たな規制値について、厚生労働省は20日、新設する粉ミルクなどの「乳児用食品」は1キロあたり50ベクレル、子供がよく飲む「牛乳」も同50ベクレルなどとする案をまとめた。全世代で摂取量が多い「飲料水」は最も厳しい同10ベクレル、現行の「野菜類」「穀類」「肉・卵・魚・その他」の3区分を一つにまとめた「一般食品」は同100ベクレルとした。
 厚労省は10月、規制値の算定根拠となる被ばく線量の上限を、年間5ミリシーベルトから1ミリシーベルトへ引き下げることを決めた。これに伴い、食品の規制値も現行の1キロあたり200~500ベクレルより厳しくする。
 具体的には、子供は放射性物質の感受性が高く影響を受けやすいため、「乳児用食品」と「牛乳」は一般食品の半分の同50ベクレル。「飲料水」はWHO(世界保健機関)の指針に基づき同10ベクレルとした。22日に開かれる薬事・食品衛生審議会の放射性物質対策部会に提案。了承されれば文部科学省の放射線審議会に諮問し、国民からの意見募集も行って来年4月の施行を目指す。

(試譯文)
The new regulations on the amount of radioactive cesium that could be allowed in food had come into shape; on the 20th the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare regarding the newly established "the food for babies" such as powdered milk proposed to be at 50 Bq per km, and "milk" such as powdered milk that children often drank should also be at the 50 Bq. The "drinking water", with its many general intakes had the most severe control and it was set at 10Bq; the present "green stuff", "cereals", and "meat, egg, and fish and others" 3 categories were lumped into one category called "common food" and was set at 100 Bq.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in October based on the maximum dose of radioactivity in calculating the regulated value, decided to reduce the amount from the 5-mm sievert per year to a 1-mm sievert. In connection with this, the regulated value on food was 200 to 500 Bq per km stricter than the regulated value now in force.

Specifically, since children were highly susceptible to radioactive materials, "the food for babies" and "milk" were the set at 50 Bq, being half the amount for common food. "Drinking water" was set at 10 Bq based on the indicator of WHO (World Health Organization). All proposals would be sent to the radioactive material measure committee of the Council on Drugs and Food Sanitation held on the 22nd. If accepted, the Radiation Council of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology would do enquiry, performing opinion collection from people, and aimed at their enforcement in April next year.

Probably these new safety standards could ease the worry of some people in Japan. I am wondering whether the milk powder for babies sold overseas would be subjected to the same standard.

2011年12月26日 星期一

日清食品會推出新杯麵產品

Recently the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:
 日清食品は12日、水を入れて電子レンジで加熱する即席カップライスの新商品「日清焼そばU・F・O・そばめし」を来年1月3日から近畿2府4県で先行発売すると発表した。今年7月に全国発売し、売れ行きが好調な「日清カップヌードルごはん」と「同シーフード」に続くシリーズ第3弾。新ブランド商品の投入でさらなる市場拡大を目指す。
 人気カップ焼きそば「U・F・O・」のめんを細かく刻み、熱風で乾燥させた米と混ぜ合わせた。焼きそばの風味を出すため、ソースにもフライめんの香ばしさを加えた。焼きそばとご飯を炒めた「そばめし」は神戸市長田区発祥とされ、味になじんでいる消費者が多いことから、近畿での先行発売を決めた。希望小売価格は1個250円(税別)。来春をめどに全国に発売を広げ、年間売り上げ目標は20億円。
 10年8月に近畿で先行発売したカップヌードルごはんは、11年7月までの1年間の売り上げが当初目標の5倍強に達した。11年7月からの全国発売で年間売り上げ50億円を目指す。日清は今後も新商品を開発し、カップライスシリーズで年間100億円の売り上げ目標を掲げる。
(試譯文)
On the 12th the Nissin Food Products announced that it would carry out pilot sales of their new product "Nissin fried-noodle U-F-O sobameshi", a cup noodle which would be ready to eat if water was added and heated by a microwave oven, starting from January 3 next year in 2 Kinki Fu and 4 prefectures. This was the 3rd phase, following a series of sales carried out nationwide in July this year: the popular "Nissin cup noodle rice" and "the seafood".
This injection of a new brand-name product aimed at the further expansion of market. The popular cup noodle "U-F-O-" was made with finely minced noodle dried by hot wind, and then mixed with the dried rice. In order to give out the flavor of fried noodles, the fragrance of flied noodle was added to the sauce also. "Sobameshi" was the stir-fried noodle together with the boiled rice; it was considered having an origin in the Nagata district of Kobe city. Since there were many consumers who had got used to it, Kinki was opted for the pilot sales. A manufacturer's suggested price was 250 yen (excluding tax) per piece. There would be extensive sales all over the country next spring, the targeted annual sales was 2 billion yen.
As for the boiled rice cup noodle which had its pilot sales carried out in Kinki in August 2010, the sales in the year ending July 2011 amounted to over 5 times of the original target. Regarding the nationwide sales starting from July 2011, the aim was an annual sales of 5 billion yen . Nissin continued to develop new products and held up a 10 billion yen sales target per year in cup rice series.

Without any doubt, Japan is number one in the invention and production of cup noodles.

2011年12月25日 星期日

岩手、宮城、福島縣失業率高企

Recently the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:
東日本大震災は11日、発生から9か月となる。
 岩手、宮城、福島3県では失業手当受給者が昨年より6割増えており、雇用情勢は依然として厳しい。来年1月以降は、給付期限が切れる人が出始める見通しで、雇用の創出が課題になりそうだ。警察庁の9日現在のまとめでは、死者1万5841人。行方不明者3493人。避難者は約33万人に上っている。
 厚生労働省によると、10月に失業手当(延長給付を除く)を受給したのは、3県で計4万9848人。昨年同月と比べて59・7%の増加で、震災による勤務先の廃業などが影響しているとみられる。通常の給付期限は最短90日だが、特例で最大210日間延長されている。
 一方、津波被害を受けた沿岸部や東京電力福島第一原発周辺にある3県の42市町村のうち、約8割の33市町村が復興計画を策定済みか、年内に策定することが各自治体への取材でわかった。32市町村が高台や内陸への集団移転を盛り込むか、検討中としている。
(試譯文)
On the 11th, the East Japan great earthquake would be nine months old since the event had happened.
The number of people on the dole had increased by 60 percent compared to last year, and the employment situation was still severe in the 3 prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima.
In January next year and thereafter, people with their grants expired were expected to begin to appear, and the creation of employment would likely become a subject. In a summary done by the National Police Agency as up to the 9th, there were 15,841 people dead, 3,493 people missing. The number of people seeking refuge went up to about 330,000.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the total number of people who received the unemployment allowance (except for extended grant) in October was 49,848 in the three prefectures. It was a 59.7% increase compared with the same month last year, being seen as due to the discontinuance of business of office as a result of the earthquake disaster, etc. Although the usual shortest grant term was 90 days, it would be extended to a maximum of 210 days as an exception.
On the other hand, it was understood that among the 42 cities, towns and villages in these three prefectures which were at the area along the shore that had suffered from the tsunami damage, and from the first nuclear power plant of Tokyo Electric Power Fukushima, 33 of them or about 80 percent had already formulated a recovery program. For those that had not done so they would made their recovery plan before the year end, as learned from the media coverage. There were 32 cities, towns and villages that were still considering whether to move to heights or inland in group.

The areas that have suffered most from the 3.11 disaster are trying to cope with the situation.

2011年12月24日 星期六

日本檢討電力政策

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:
エネルギー政策の見直しに伴って、発電方式ごとのコストを検証している政府の委員会が開かれ、原子力発電のコストは、事故の際の賠償費用などを含めると、これまでの試算よりも5割程度高くなるなどとした、報告書の素案をまとめました。
報告書の素案では、原子力発電のコストについて、1キロワットアワー当たり、最低でも8.9円としており、これまでの試算の5.9円に比べると、5割程度高くなっています。これは、東京電力福島第一原子力発電所の事故でこれまでに明らかになった賠償費用や、使用済み核燃料の処分に必要な費用などを加味した結果だということです。一方、素案では、石炭と液化天然ガスを燃料とする火力発電のコストについては、1キロワットアワー当たり10円前後と試算し、コスト面で原子力発電と競争できると指摘しています。また、住宅向けの太陽光発電は、今後の量産効果などによって、2030年には、最低で1キロワットアワー当たり9.9円までコストが下がる可能性があるとしています。委員会は、こうした試算について、13日の議論を踏まえて、一部修正を加えたうえで、19日にも報告書をまとめ、新しいエネルギー政策の全体像を決める関係閣僚会議に提出することにしています。
(試譯文)
While also doing the re-examination of the energy policy at the same time, the government's committee which checked the cost for all power generation methods was held; in a draft report the cost of nuclear power generation calculated so far presupposed that it would be about 50 percent higher than the old trial calculation when compensatory expenses in case of an accident etc. were included.
By a draft report, it was considered that the cost of nuclear power generation was at least 8.9 yen per kilowatt-hour, which was about 50 percent higher compared with 5.9 yen of old trial calculation done so far. It was the result of after taking into account the compensatory expenses which had become clear now regarding the accident at the number one nuclear power plant of Tokyo Electric Power Fukushima, and also expenses required to dispose the used nuclear fuel etc. On the other hand, by the draft, regarding the cost of thermal power generation which used coal and liquefied natural gas as fuel, the trial calculation was around 10 yen per kilowatt-hour, indicating that it could compete with nuclear power generation in respect of cost. Moreover, regarding housing-oriented photovoltaic, the cost might decline to as low as 9.9 yen per kilowatt-hour in 2030 because of volume efficiency etc. in the future. On the 13th, based on such a trial calculation the committee would hold discussion and add partial correction; it also would compile a report on the 19th and present it to the ministerial conference which would determine the overall picture of the new energy policy.

It seems that Japan would be reviewing their reliance on nuclear energy.

2011年12月23日 星期五

鈴木充電單車明年初發售

Recently the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:
スズキは9日、同社初の電動バイク「e―レッツ」を来年1月9日から発売すると発表した。
 家庭用100ボルト電源で充電でき、4時間の充電で30キロ・メートル走る。座席下に予備の電池を積むこともできる。原付き免許で運転でき、価格は31万2900円。予備用電池付きは39万6900円。年間1000台の販売を見込む。
 電動バイクはヤマハ発動機が昨年9月に発売。ホンダも企業向けにリース販売している。
(試譯文)
Suzuki announced on the 9th that the electric motorcycle "e-rettsu", the first of their company, would be on the market starting from January 9 next year.
It could be charged with the home-use 100 volt power supply, and could run 30 km with a 4-hour charging. A spare battery could also be stacked under the seat. It was able to be operated using a motorized license and the price of the motocycle was 312,900 yen. It would be 396,900 yen with the reserve battery. Yearly sales of 1000 sets was expected.
Yamaha Motor electric motorcycle had entered the market in September last year. Honda was also doing lease-sale for companies.


It seems that the sales price is quite high.

2011年12月22日 星期四

中國汽車銷售量下跌

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:
中国の先月の新車の販売台数は、165万台余りで、前の年の同じ月に比べ、2.4パーセント減少して、2か月連続のマイナスとなり、経済成長をけん引してきた自動車産業が低迷し、景気が落ち込むのではないかという懸念が広がっています。
中国自動車工業協会は9日、先月の新車の販売台数が165万6000台となり、前の年の同じ月に比べ、2.4パーセント減少したと発表しました。中国の新車販売が、前の年の同じ月に比べ、マイナスとなったのは2か月連続です。これは、中国政府による燃費のよい車の購入に対する補助金の支給基準が、ことし10月から厳しくなったことに加え、ヨーロッパの信用不安の影響への懸念から、高額の消費を控える動きが広がったためとみられています。中国の新車販売は、去年、おととしと比べて32パーセント多い1806万台に達し、2年連続でアメリカを抑えて世界一となりました。しかし、ことしは先月までの累計が1681万台余りにとどまっており、最終的な販売台数は去年を上回るものの、増加率は大幅に下がり、数パーセントになるとみられています。中国経済をけん引してきた自動車産業は、鉄鋼などの原材料から電子部品まで幅広い産業と関連しており、低迷によって景気が落ち込むのではないかという懸念が広がっています。
(試譯文)
The number of new cars sold in Chinese last month was a little more than 1,650,000 vehicles, a decrease of 2.4% compared with the same month of the previous year and was a minus for two continuing months; the auto industry which had been driving the economic growth had slowed down and there was spreading concern whether its a downward trend from good business.
The China auto industry association announced on the 9th that the number of new cars sales last month was 1,656,000, and that was a decrease by 2.4% when compared with the same month of the previous year. It was a two-month continuation that Chinese new car registration was a minus compared with the same month of the previous year. This was regarded as due to a growth in a movement which refrained from large consumption because of the concern over the influence of European credit insecurity, coupled with the stringent conditions eligible for the subsidy provision from the Chinese government for the purchase of cars that had efficient fuel consumption, effective from October this year. Chinese new car registration last year amounted to 18,060,000 vehicles and was a 32% increase compared with the year before last, superseding the United States for two consecutive years and became the world's No.1. However, although the 16,810,000 total last month remained huge and the final volume of sales this year might exceed last year, but the rate of increase had fallen sharply and it was expected to be a few percent. The auto industry which had been driving the Chinese economy was extensively connected to raw materials industry from steel etc to electronic components, and concern had been spreading on whether this decrease was a downturn in business.


So some parts of the Chinese economy are begining to cool down as intended.

2011年12月21日 星期三

日本人對美國的好感增加

Recently the Mainichi News on-live reported the following:
内閣府が3日発表した「外交に関する世論調査」で、米国に「親しみを感じる」とする回答が昨年の前回調査より2.1ポイント増の82.0%に上り、1978年の調査開始以来、最高となった。「親しみを感じない」は2.9ポイント減の15.5%で過去最低だった。
 調査は9~10月に実施した。外務省は「東日本大震災で米軍が展開した『トモダチ作戦』など献身的な支援に対して国民が好意を持ったのではないか」と指摘。未曽有の大災害が日米両国の結び付きを強固にしたと分析している。
 調査は全国の成人男女3千人が対象で、回収率は63.7%だった.
(試譯文)
Based on the "opinion poll on diplomacy" which the Cabinet Office released on the 3rd, there was a 2.1 points increase in the reply which supposed that there was a "feeling an affinity" with the US compared to the previous investigation last year, and had reached 82.0%. It was being the highest since the investigation was started in 1978. "Not feeling an affinity" was at 15.5% which was the lowest ever, with a 2.9 points decrease.
The survey was conducted from September to October. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted "Didn't people have good will to the self-sacrificing support, such as "Operation Tomodachi" etc. which the U.S. Forces had carried out in response to the East Japan great earthquake?" It was analyzed that the unprecedented catastrophic disaster had strengthened the connection between Japan and the U.S.
3000 adult men and women all over the country were objects of this survey, and the recovery rate was 63.7%.

I see it as a public relation success for the US.

2011年12月19日 星期一

日元升值影響日本本土製造業

Recently the Yomiuri News on-live reported the following:
「読売ビジネス・フォーラム2011」の第4回会合が1日、札幌市内のホテルで開かれ、経団連副会長の西田厚聡・東芝会長が講演した。
 西田氏は、東芝が円高による生産体制の見直しで、半導体を製造する北九州工場(北九州市)など3工場の閉鎖と生産の一部を海外企業に委託することを決めたことについて言及。「半導体製造には高度な技術を要する『前工程』とパッケージ化する『後工程』があり、前工程は今後も可能な限り日本で持ちこたえ、最先端技術を海外に流出させないようにしていく」と強調した。
 西田氏はまた、韓国政府が半導体メーカーの電気料金を国策で割安にしていることも紹介。「半導体の製造では電力を大量消費する。再生可能エネルギーが増えて原子力発電所が動かずに電気料金が上がると、(工場を)国内にとどめることは微妙になる」と語った。
(試譯文)
The 4th meeting of the "Yomiuri Business Forum 2011" was held in a hotel in Sapporo on the 1st, and Toshiba's chairman Atsutoshi Nishida, as the vice president of the Federation of Economic Organization, gave a speech.
Mr. Nishida made reference to Toshiba's having made the decision of closing three factories such as the Kitakyushu factory (Kitakyushu City) which manufactured semi-conductors and that a part of the production had to be entrusted to overseas firms, after re-examination the production system because of the strong yen. It was emphasized that in the manufacturing of semi-conductors "there are 'initial manufacturing stage' that required advanced technology, and package-ized 'finishing manufacturing stage'. The initial process would be done as much as possible in Japan to avoid the leading-edge technology to continue to flow into the overseas."
Mr. Nishida also introduced that the South Korean government, by its national policy, had made chip makers' electricity bill relatively cheap. And it was said that "the manufacturing of semiconductors needs to consume electric power excessively. If the electricity bill goes up because of an increase in renewable energy and the stoppage of a nuclear power plant, the closure (of factories) at home would become a delicate issue ".


Obviously, the strong yen has a negative impact on the production of high-tech products in Japan.

2011年12月17日 星期六

福島縣捕漁業暫時停止

Last month on 28.11.2011 the NHK News on-line reported the following:
東京電力福島第一原子力発電所の事故の影響で、漁を見合わせている福島県内の各漁協は、沿岸の魚の一部から国の暫定基準値を超える放射性物質の検出が、依然、続いているとして、年内の操業再開を断念することを決めました。
福島県内の漁業を巡っては、一部の魚から依然として放射性物質が検出されていることから、県外で行われているサンマ漁やマグロ漁などを除いて、原発事故から8か月余りたった今も、すべての漁を見合わせています。28日、福島県内の6つの漁協がいわき市で会合を開き、漁の再開の時期について話し合いました。この中で、県の担当者から、今月の調査でも、沿岸部でとれたヒラメやシロメバルなど5種類の魚から、国の暫定基準値を超える放射性物質が検出されていることが報告されました。これに対し、各漁協からは、放射性物質の検出が、依然、続いているとして、「漁を自粛すべきだ」という意見が相次ぎ、年内の操業再開を断念することを決めました。また、一部の漁協からは、放射性物質が検出されない魚も多いとして、一部の漁を来年1月にも再開したいという意見が出され、改めて協議することになりました。28日の決定について、福島県漁業協同組合連合会の野崎哲会長は「来年には、なんとか試験的な漁でも再開をしたい。再開後に消費者に安心して購入してもらうための対策も進めたい」と話しています。

年内の操業再開を断念することが決まったことについて、30年以上、漁師を続けてきたという福島県いわき市の60代の男性は「長期間、漁ができず、将来の生活が不安だ。別の仕事に就こうと思っても高齢のため見つからない。仮に漁を再開できたとしても、消費者に安心して購入してもらえるのか心配だ」と話していました。また、50代の漁師の男性は「再開がいつになるのか全く見通しが立っておらず、国と東京電力には、一日も早く安全宣言を出してもらいたい」と話していました。
(試譯文)
Individual fisherman's cooperative association in Fukushima which had postponed the fishery under the influence of the accident of the number one nuclear power plant of Tokyo Electric Power in Fukushima decided that, because radioactive materials that exceeded the interim standard value of the country continued to be detected from some coastal fish, they gave up the resumption of fishing operation before-the-year-end.

Related to fishing in Fukushima, since radioactive materials were still detected from some fish, except for the saury fishing and the tuna fishing etc. which were performed outside the prefecture, for eight months since the nuclear power plant disaster up to now all fisheries had remained postponed. On the 28th six fisherman's cooperative associations in Fukushima held a meeting and discussed the time for the resumption of fishery in Iwaki city. In this connection, based on an investigation done in this month, it was reported by the prefecture people in charge that radioactive materials exceeding the interim standard value of a country had been detected from five kinds of fish, such as flounder, shiromebaru etc. caught in the area along the shore. On the other hand, one after another, individual fisherman's cooperative association expressed the opinion that "self-control should be exercised in fishery", and it was decided to give up operation resumption before-the-year-end after noting that radioactive materials still continued to be detected. Also, some fisherman's cooperative associations offered the opinion of resuming fishing in January next year, noting that there were also some fish from which radioactive materials were not detected, and decided to renew the discussion. About the decision on the 28th, Fukushima Prefecture Federation of Fisheries Co-Operative Association Chairman Satoshi Nozaki said "somehow hoping to resume experimental fishery next year. Also after resumption I would like to advance some measure to get consumers confidence to purchase."
Having decided to give up resumption of operation before the year end, a male in his 60's from Iwaki-shi, Fukushima who had been a fisherman for over 30 years said "as fishery is impossible for a long period of time, the future life is worrying. Even if to consider taking up another job, he could not found one because of the advanced age. Even if it is able to resume fishing, he was anxious about whether he could get consumers' confidence to purchase." Moreover, a male fisherman in his 50's was saying, "there is no clear prospect at all on when the resumption would come, but I want the country and the Tokyo Electric Power to issue a safety declaration as soon as possible."

Obviously the fishery industry in Fukushima is seriously affected by the disaster.

2011年12月15日 星期四

美國國務卿探訪緬甸

On 30.11.2011 the NHK News on-line reported the following:
アメリカのクリントン国務長官は30日、国務長官として56年ぶりとなるミャンマー訪問を開始し、テイン・セイン大統領や民主化運動のリーダー、アウン・サン・スー・チーさんと会談して、民主化の進み具合を直接確かめることにしています。
アメリカのクリントン国務長官は30日午後4時半(日本時間の7時ごろ)、専用機でミャンマーの首都、ネピドーの空港に到着しました。クリントン国務長官のミャンマー訪問は、今月中旬にインドネシアで開かれた東アジアサミットに合わせてオバマ大統領が発表したもので、アメリカの国務長官がミャンマーを訪問したのは56年ぶりです。アメリカは、ミャンマーの前の軍事政権による民主化勢力への弾圧を受け、経済制裁など厳しい対応をとってきました。クリントン国務長官は来月1日、テイン・セイン大統領らと会談し、すべての政治犯の釈放などさらなる民主化政策を推し進めるよう求めるものとみられます。2日には最大の都市ヤンゴンでアウン・サン・スー・チーさんとも会談し、現在の政権への評価を直接聞くなどして、今後の関係改善が可能かどうか探りたい考えとみられます。アメリカの対応はミャンマーに対し今も経済制裁を続けているほかの国々の動きにも影響を与えるとみられ、一連の会談の結果が注目されます。
(試譯文)
On the 30th (November) the US Secretary of State Clinton started the visit to Myanmar which would become the first time in 56 years for a Secretary of State; she would confer with President Thein Sein and the leader of the democracy movement Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, so as to confirm directly the progress on the condition of democratization.
US Secretary of State Clinton arrived at the the airport in Naypyidaw, the capital in Myanmar at half past four in the afternoon (around the 7:00 JST time) on the 30th in a special flight. Secretary of State Clinton's visit to Myanmar was in accordance with what President Obama had announced in the East Asia summit meeting opened in the middle of this month in Indonesia, and it was the first time in 56 years that an American Secretary of State to visit Myanmar. The United States noted the suppression of the pro-democracy movement by the previous military regime in Myanmar, and had taken severe response, such as economic sanctions. The Secretary of State Clinton would confer with President Thein Sein and others who were expected to be asked to promote further democratization policies, such as the release of all the political criminals, on the 1st of the next month. She would also confer with Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi in the biggest city Yangon on the 2nd, evaluating the present political power that she would enquire directly. It was seen as having the idea of wishing to explore the possibility of relationship improvement in the future. It was expected that U.S.'s response to Myanmar would affect movement in other countries which were still subjecting to continuing economic sanctions. The result of a series of talks would attract attention.

This visit by the United States's Secretary of State could be seen as another indication that the American is returning back to Asian. Probably China would respond to this visit shortly.

2011年12月13日 星期二

今年紅白歌唱大賽有新和舊面孔

Last month on 30.11.2011 the Mainichi News on-live reported the following:

NHKは30日、大みそかの「第62回紅白歌合戦」に出場する歌手55組を発表した。初出場は7組で、人気子役の芦田愛菜ちゃんと鈴木福君も選ばれた。ともに7歳で紅白史上最年少となる。
 テーマは「あしたを歌おう。」。東日本大震災からの復興の思いも込め、被災地出身の歌手も選ばれた。福島県出身のミュージシャンらでつくる「猪苗代湖ズ」が初出場となるほか、岩手県陸前高田市出身の千昌夫さんが22年ぶり、福島県郡山市出身の西田敏行さんも出場が決まった。「猪苗代湖ズ」のメンバーは「被災して福島にいる人も、県外に避難している人もみんなが一つになってほしい」。
 初出場はほかに、韓国女性グループの少女時代とKARAなど。10年ぶりに復帰の松田聖子さんは、娘の神田沙也加さんと共演する。 
 NHKは同日、暴力団排除条例施行を受け、出場歌手全員に暴力団と関係がないことを確約する書面を配布。違反した場合は契約を解除する内容で歌手側の署名を求めている。
(試譯文)
On 30th (of November) the NHK announced the 55 teams of singers who would participate in the "62nd New Year's Eve song shows" in the New Year's Eve. The first seven participating teams chosen would include Ashida Mana, a popular child actor, and Suzuki Fuku. Both at the age of seven, they became the youngest in the history of the Red-and-White.
The theme would be "to sing for tomorrow". With the thought of recovering from the East Japan great earthquake, singers that came from the stricken area were also chosen. Participation for the first time was confirmed by the "Iwashirokozu", formed by the musicians from Fukushima; also for the first time was Mr. Toshiyuki Nishida a native of the Koriyama-shi, Fukushima; also participating after 22 years was confirmed by Mr. Sen Masao from Rikuzen-Takata-shi, Iwate. Members of the Inawashirokozu "want those people who are still in Fukushima and also those who have escaped out of the Fukushima prefecture who had suffered from the great disaster to get together as one".
Others who would participate for the first time would be the South Korean female group "Girlhood", and the KARA etc. Ms. Matsuda Seiko, participated for the first time after ten years would co-star with her daughter, Ms. Kanda Sayaka. NHK was subject to gang exclusion ordinance and would enforce it on the same day. It had distributed the documents to all participating singers to assure that there would be no relationship with a gang. It asked for the singer's signature by the side of the contents. When it was broken the contract would be canceled.

So at least two familiar and old faces will appear in the coming Red and White Song Contest.

2011年12月12日 星期一

日本演歌(Enka)(下)

In the prewar Showa period, the invention of the radio and the phonograph had led to a major change in enka. The “father of modern enka” was the composer Koga Masao, whose major influence on the genre was reflected in the codified style known as “Koga merodii” (Koga melody) as commonly noted in the musical and textual patterning of enka in the 1960s.6

In the 1970s, the proliferation of youth-oriented popular music genres had served as the background that helped the emergence of modern enka. It was called new music, a term coined to describe young adult-oriented as opposed to teen-oriented western-influenced popular music.7 Before the mid-1960s, all “popular” music were called kayokyoku. The increasing variety of the kayokyoku meant that the definition of this term had become confusing. People needed new names to identify songs, and one kind of song was thus called enka. Enka became a popular name in the latter half of the 1960s, with a root that could be traced back to the late 19th century political movements. The emergence of enka in the 1960s was probably a reaction to the unmistakable strong presence of the western influence in Japan’s popular culture.8

In the post WWII years some Japanese regarded enka as timelessly old because its sentiment, even many of the songs were written quite recently. Usually enka was about the hometown that was left behind, or about the parted lover, or about remembering the mother for her sacrifices.9 What was new about anka in the post war period was that some audience found it represented the “heart/soul of Japan”. Enka began to earn credibility as a traditional genre because it had a history dating back to the Meiji period. Enka was regarded as a genre that had a progressive evolution that tied to the social and political changes in Japan.10

Notes
6. Christine R. Yano. Tears of Longing: Nostalgia and the Nation in Japanese Popular Song. Cambridge: Harvard University Asia Center: Distributed by Harvard University Press, 2002, p.37
7. Ibid., p. 42
8 Carolyn S. Stevens. Japanese Popular Music: Culture, Authenticity, and Power. London; NY: Routledge, 2008, p.45.
9. Christine R. Yano. Tears of Longing: Nostalgia and the Nation in Japanese Popular Song. Cambridge: Harvard University Asia Center: Distributed by Harvard University Press, 2002, p.3.
10. Ibid., p. 29.

2011年12月11日 星期日

日本演歌(Enka)(上)

“Enka” becomes a popular word in Japan’s music world starting from the 1960s. Until the 1950s Kayokyoku (folk music) in the post WWII Japan were predominantly written in pentatonic scale, then in the 1960s the diatonic scale was adopted rapidly due to the influence of Western popular music. It was in response to this trend that some love songs called enka slowly emerged as a kind of Japanese popular music. It imitated an older Japanese style and had the same nomenclature of the political songs sung in the early Meiji era.1

Enka has a long history in Japan that could be traced back to the 1880s. During the early Meiji period enka were anti-government songs sung in the streets in support of the “freedom of the people’s rights movement” when the Meiji government imposed controls on public expression. Enka was used to avoid government restrictions and was used to spread the new ideas to the public. Enka was half sung and half spoken by the enka singers (enkashi) who were regarded by many as the “singing street guerillas”. Gradually the role of enka singers shifted into entertainers. They formed groups to write songs and distribute lyrics.2 The popularity of enka declined after Japanese’s victory in the Sino-Japanese war of 1894-5. Its revival was seen in the early 1900s. In 1907 violin was introduced into enka performance and enka’s content was mostly about news of the time.3

The popular music in the Taisho period was considered by some scholars as the most closely linked to the present day enka.4 During the Taisho era many rural people migrated to the cities for work. The popular music of the time often sang about personal experience of lost love, and about separation and loneliness of leaving home. One favorite theme was about rural hometown (furusato). These themes were similar to those seen in the post WWII enka.5 (to be continued)

Notes:
1. Junko Kitagawa. “Music Culture” in The Cambridge Companion to Modern Japanese Culture. Yoshio Sugimoto ed. Cambridge University Press, 2009, p.265.
2. Christine R. Yano. Tears of Longing: Nostalgia and the Nation in Japanese Popular Song. Cambridge: Harvard University Asia Center: Distributed by Harvard University Press, 2002, p.31
3. Ibid., p. 31
4. Ibid., p. 33
5. Ibid., p. 33

2011年12月10日 星期六

日本發明極薄堅硬透明原材料

Last month on 22.11.2011 the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:
 カニやエビの殻から、折ったり丸めたり自在にできる透明で極めて薄い膜状の素材を作ることに、京都大生存圏研究所の矢野浩之教授らが成功した。
 極薄のディスプレーの表面材料を実現できる技術で、近く英国の材料専門誌に発表する。
 カニなど甲殻類の殻は、高分子繊維・キチンが塊のように集まり、それをたんぱく質と炭酸カルシウムががっちり固めているため、強いのが特長だ。
 矢野教授は、ズワイガニの甲羅から、化学処理でたんぱく質などを除去し、キチンだけに加工。この後、たんぱく質が抜けた隙間に透明樹脂を浸透させると、ガラス細工のように透明な甲羅ができた。
 この甲羅の粉末から、厚さ100~200マイクロ・メートルの透明膜を作製。紙のように軟らかいうえ、熱にも強く、約200度まで透明のままという。
 矢野教授は「ガラスに代わる素材が簡単にできた。生物が何億年もかけてつくった仕組みを借り、新材料の開発に応用できることを示せた」と話している。
(試譯文)
Professor Hiroyuki Yano and others of the Kyoto University Survival Circle Research Institute had succeeded, from the shell of crabs or shrimps, in making a transparent and very thin membrane material which could be freely cruved and folded.
This technology, that could enable the realization of an ultra-thin surface material, would be announced to a British material technical magazine soon.
In the shell of the crustacean such as a crab, Chitin polymer fibre gathered like a sheet, when it was hardened firmly with protein and calcium carbonate, hardness became the feature.
From the shell of a snow crab, Professor Yano removed protein etc. by a chemical treatment, only the Chitin was processed. Then the space where protein had been removed was filled up with transparent resin that would permeate the crevice. A glass like transparent shell was made. From the powder of this shell, a 100-200-micrometer thick transparent film was produced.
It was soft like paper, and also it was said that even with a strong heat of up to about 200 degrees the material was still transparent.
Professor Yano said that "the material that could replace glass was made easily. The structure of the living thing which had come to this form after hundreds of millions of years was borrowed, and it was able to show that the development of new materials could have practical use."

This new material probably will revolutionize the production of TV display screen and computer monitor etc.

2011年12月8日 星期四

美國科學家發現比太陽重97億倍黑洞

Recently the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:
観測史上最大のブラックホールを米カリフォルニア大などの研究チームが発見した。
 太陽の約100億倍の重さがあり、銀河がどのように形作られてきたかを解明する手がかりになる成果という。8日付の英科学誌ネイチャーに発表される。
 研究チームは、ハッブル望遠鏡や米ハワイ・ジェミニ天文台などで観測し、地球から3億2000万光年離れた銀河に、太陽の97億倍の重さを持つブラックホールを発見した。3億4000万光年先の銀河にも、同程度か、それ以上の重さのブラックホールがあった。
 これまでに見つかった最大のブラックホールは太陽の63億倍の重さ。非常に明るい天体であるクエーサーは、太陽の100億倍以上の重さの超巨大ブラックホールからエネルギーを得て光を放っていると考えられており、そのようなブラックホールの探索が続けられていた。
(試譯文)
Research teams from the U.S. University of California and others had discovered the greatest black hole in the history of observation.
This one was about 10 billion times the weight of the sun, and it was said that the result could become a key to solve how the Galaxy had been formed.
This was announced by the English science journal Nature dated the 8th. The research team did the observation using both the Hubble telescope and the U.S. Gemini astronomical observatory etc. in Hawaii and discovered a black hole which was 9,700 million times the weight of the sun, in a Galaxy 320 million light year away from the earth. In the Galaxy beyond 340 million-light year, or about the same, there was a black hole that weighted more than that.
The greatest black hole found so far was the one 6,300 million times the weight of the sun.
It was thought that the Quasar which had a very bright heavenly body, emitted light by obtaining energy from a overly huge black hole with the weight of 10 billion times or more than the sun. The search for such a black hole was continuing.


So it is quite an interesting discovery by the American scientists.

2011年12月5日 星期一

日本女性皇室成員結婚後可逗留在皇室

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:
女性の皇族が結婚後も皇室にとどまれる「女性宮家」の創設も視野に入れて、新たに関係者による勉強会が設けられ、対象となる女性皇族の範囲を、皇太子ご夫妻の長女の愛子さまなど、天皇の子や孫の内親王とする考え方について、検討が始められていることが分かりました。
宮内庁の羽毛田長官は、ことし10月、野田総理大臣と面会した際、女性の皇族が結婚によって皇室を離れる今の制度が、皇室の活動を維持していくうえで緊急性の高い課題となっているという認識を示しました。これを受けて政府は、女性の皇族が結婚後も皇室にとどまれる「女性宮家」の創設も視野に入れて検討していく方針を示しています。こうしたなか、先月、宮内庁関係者なども参加する勉強会が新たに設けられ、対象となる女性皇族の範囲を、皇太子ご夫妻の長女の愛子さまなど、天皇の子や孫の内親王とする考え方について、検討が始められていることが分かりました。内親王とする理由については、将来的に必要とされる皇族の数や、それに伴う国民の負担、そして、天皇陛下の系統の女性皇族であることなどが考慮されているものとみられます。この考え方に基づいて皇室典範が改正された場合には、皇太子ご夫妻の長女の愛子さまと、秋篠宮ご夫妻の長女の眞子さま、次女の佳子さまの3人が、結婚後も皇室にとどまられることになります。
(試譯文)
The foundation was laid to give consideration for female imperial Family members to remain a member of the Imperial Household in the capacity of "Joseimiyaka" even after she get married; it turned out that a study meeting held by the people concerned was newly prepared, and examination had begun on the range of the target female Imperial Family that would include such as the Crown Prince and Princess' eldest daughter, Aiko etc., and inner Imperial prince of the child and grandchild of the Emperor.
In October this year when the Imperial Household Agency Director Haketa met with Prime Minister Noda, he indicated that the system in which the female Imperial Family member leaving the Imperial Household after marriage had been a subject, and the urgency was high in order to maintain the Imperial Household's activity. In response, the government showed the plan which had put in as a base for consideration the idea of "Joseimiyaka" in which a female imperial family member could remain as the Imperial Household member, even after that female get married. Meanwhile, it turned out that last month a study meeting was newly prepared in which Imperial Household Agency staffs etc. had participated, and the examination has begun, the range of the target on female Imperial Family member had been on the Crown Prince and Princess' eldest daughter, Aiko etc., and the inner Imperial princes of the child or grandchild of the Emperor. About the conditions to become the inner Imperial prince, it was expected that consideration had to be taken into account on the number of the Imperial Families needed in the future, the national burden accompanying it, and how female family members etc would relate to the system of His Majesty the Emperor. When the Imperial House Act was to be revised based on this view, the three Imperial female members who would stay even after marriage would be the Crown Prince and Princess' eldest daughter Aiko, Prince and Princess Akishino's eldest daughter Masako, and the second daughter Yoshiko.

It is quite a new idea for the Japanese imperial family to consider such a change.

2011年12月2日 星期五

中國東航在日本關西機場違反航空法

A few days ago Mainichi News On-line reported the following
28日午後1時45分ごろ、関西空港で待機を指示されていた上海行きの中国東方航空516便エアバスA330が、管制官の離陸許可がないまま離陸した。国土交通省によると、前後の航空機とは十分な間隔があり、安全上の問題は起きなかったが、航空法違反の可能性があるとみて経緯を調べている。
 同機は誘導路を走行中、管制官から滑走路内で待機するように指示を受けた。その後、管制官が到着予定のヘリコプターと交信している間に、滑走を開始。管制官が止まるように指示したが、そのまま離陸した。
 先行機は2分前に出発済みで、ヘリコプターは約24キロ南西の離れた場所を飛行。同じ滑走路への到着予定機も周辺にはいなかった。同機には乗客乗員245人が乗っていた。
(試譯文)
On the 28th, a China Eastern Airline Flight 516 airbus A330 leaving for Shanghai which was directed to standby in the Kansai Airport took off at around 1:45 p.m. without the clearance from a controller.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, because there was enough time interval between airplanes, safety problem had not occurred, but concluded that probably there was a violation of the Aviation Act, and was investigating the circumstances. The plane while moving on the taxiing way received direction from a controller to standby at the runway and wait. Then, while the controller was communicating with a helicopter that was going to arrive, the plane started the take-off run. Although the controller gave out the signal to stop, the plane took off ignoring the order.
The previous plane had finished taking off 2 minutes ago, and the helicopter flied at a location which about 24-km southwest away. Nearby, there was no plane that was scheduled to arrive using the same runway. Passengers and crew members together the plane had 245 people.

I am interested to know what was in the mind of this Chinese pilot when he took off without the permission from the airport controller.