在中國學習日本語的人增加

Recently the FNN News on-line reported the following:

海外で日本語を学習する人、中国とインドネシアで急増

海外で日本語を学習する人が、中国とインドネシアで急増していることがわかった。
国際交流基金によると、海外での日本語教育は、136の国と地域で行われており、日本語を学習している人は、およそ398万人となっている。
学習者の数は、2009年に比べて9.1%増加しているが、これまでの調査結果に比べて、緩やかな増加となっている。
学習者の数がもっとも増えたのは中国で、2009年に比べて26.5%の増加となっており、学習者の数でも、調査が始まって以来、初めての1位となった。
日本語を学習する目的については、日本のアニメや漫画への興味や、将来の就職のためといった回答が多くなっている。
また、中国に次いで学習者が増えたインドネシアは、2009年に比べて21.8%の増加となり、学習者の数でも2位となった。
国際交流基金では、インドネシアで日本語の学習者が増えた理由について、語学科目となっている高校が増えたことなどが背景にあるとしている。
一方、調査開始以来、学習者の数でずっと1位だった韓国は、今回、12.8%の減少となり、学習者の数でも3位となった。
減少した理由について、基金では、高校の科目選択の制度が変わり、語学を必ずしも取る必要がなくなったためとみている。

(試譯文)

It was noted that those who learned Japanese overseas were increasing rapidly in China and Indonesia.

According to the Japan Foundation, the Japanese language overseas education was performed in 136 countries and areas, and the number of people who were learning Japanese was about 3,980,000.

Although the number of student had increased by 9.1% compared with 2009, it was showing a slow down in term of increase compared with the investigation results done previously.

It was in China that the number of student had increased most; it was a 26.5% increase compared with 2009 since the investigation started; also it ranked first by the number of student.

About the purpose of learning Japanese, the majority of the reply said that it was due to an interest in Japanese anime and comics, or for their future employment.

Moreover, after China, it was in Indonesia that student also had increased: it was a 21.8% increase compared with 2009, and it ranked 2nd by the number of student.

In the Japan Foundation, about the reason why Japanese student had increased in Indonesia etc. it was supposed that it served as a backdrop that the number of the high schools that used Japanese as a linguistic subject had increased.

On the other hand, since the investigation started, South Korea was in the 1st place all the time by the number of student, this time it had a 12.8% reduction and ranked 3rd by the number of student.

About the reason for having a decrease, according to the Fund, the system of subject selection in the high school had changed. It could be seen that because it was no longer compulsory to take the language study.

It is interesting to note that more people are learning Japanese in China.

医科大学高血圧薬研究論文數據做假?

Recently the FNN News on-line reported the following:

京都府立医大、降圧剤臨床研究で論文データ改ざんの疑い

京都府立医科大学が行ったの臨床研究で、論文のデータを改ざんし、脳卒中などを防ぐ効果があるように見せかけていた疑いがあることがわかった。
京都府立医科大学は、大手製薬会社「ノバルティスファーマ」の高血圧の薬「ディオバン」の臨床研究を行い、「ほかの薬に比べて脳卒中などのリスクが半減した」とする論文を発表していた。
ディオバンは、年間1,000億円以上を売り上げる商品になっている。
しかし、大学が調査をしたところ、論文のデータとカルテの数値にずれがあり、データを改ざんして、脳卒中などを防ぐ効果があるように見せかけていた疑いがあることがわかった。
データの解析には、ノバルティスファーマの元社員も関わっていたが、元社員は、調査に応じていないという。
ノバルティスファーマは、「大学の調査では、恣意(しい)的なデータの操作があったとは確認できない」と考えているとコメントしている。

(07/12 13:01 関西テレビ)

(試譯文)

It was understood that the data of a paper about a clinical study performed by the Kyoto Prefecture University of Medicine on some hypertensive medicine had been altered; and there was doubt that it was made to look like that there was an effect in preventing apoplexy etc.  

Kyoto Prefecture University of Medicine performed a clinical study on the medicine “Diovan” on the high blood pressure produced by "Novartis Pharma", a major drug company. The study paper announced that “the risks such as apoplexy and others were halved compared with other medicine”.

“Diovan” was goods which had a sale of 100 billion yen or more every year.

However, when the university investigated, it turned out that the data of the paper and the numerical value of a chart had a gap; data was altered and there was doubt that it was made to look like that there was an effect in preventing apoplexy etc.

Although a former employee of the Novartis Pharma was also involved with the analysis of data, he said that he would not respond to the investigation.

Novartis Pharma commented that they thought “the investigation of university cannot confirm that there was a deliberate date manipulation".

It is good news that the gap in data is discovered.

高機能携帯電話費東京全球第三昂貴

Last month the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

スマホ料金、世界７都市で比べると東京は…

総務省が行った電気通信サービス料金の国際比較調査によると、スマートフォン（高機能携帯電話）の利用料は、調査対象の世界７都市のうち東京が３番目に高かった。

　昨年末時点で、日米韓などの主要都市で最もシェア（市場占有率）の高い企業の料金を調べた。１か月に音声通話を５７分、インターネットなどデータ通信を１・６ギガ・バイト利用する平均的なケースでは、各都市の物価水準を調整した円換算の月額料金はデュッセルドルフ（ドイツ）が９０８５円で最も高い。東京は７５６４円で３番目、ストックホルム（スウェーデン）が４３７８円で最も安かった。

（2013年6月30日10時35分 読売新聞）

(試譯文)

According to an investigation conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to compare the international telecommunication charging rates, the fee of the smart phone (highly efficient mobile phone) in Tokyo was the third highest among 7 cities in the world.

At the end of last year, the charges of the companies in major cities were investigated, such as in Japan, the U.S. and South Korea, where their share (market share) were the highest. An average case in one month was 1.6 G bytes of data communications, such as the Internet; while the usage for the voice telephone calls was for 57 minutes. The monthly amount charged in terms of the yen was then adjusted with the price level of each city. Düsseldorf (Germany) was the highest, standing at 9085 yen. The 3rd was Tokyo, at 7564 yen. Stockholm (Sweden) was the cheapest at 4378 yen.

It is interesting to note that the charging difference is quite big: between 4378 yen and 9085 yen.

三菱重工建造日本国内最大郵船

Last month the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:

三菱重工:国内最大級クルーズ客船の起工式…長崎造船所

毎日新聞　2013年06月30日　20時30分（最終更新　07月01日　00時26分）

　国内最大級のクルーズ客船（１２万４５００トン、乗客数約３３００人）の起工式が３０日、長崎市の三菱重工長崎造船所であった。同造船所での客船建造は、作業中に火災事故が起きた「ダイヤモンド・プリンセス」を引き渡して以来９年ぶり。

　イタリアの客船運航会社、コスタ・グループから２０１１年に受注した２隻のうちの１番船。全長約３００メートル、幅３７．６メートルで、１６４３室を備える。船体形状の改良などで燃費性能を大幅に向上させるという。引き渡しは１５年３月の予定だ。

　起工式には、関係者約５０人が出席。新造船の航海の安全などを願う儀式の後、船底部分の船体ブロックが据え付けられた。三菱重工は、付加価値が高い客船を造船部門の主力に位置づけており、同造船所の橋本州史（くにふみ）所長は「客船建造の大きな節目。全力を挙げていい船を造りたい」と述べた。【小畑英介】

(試譯文)

   The ground-breaking ceremony of the greatest cruise passenger ship (124,500 tons, for about 3300 passengers) in the country was held at the Nagasaki shipyard of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industry in Nagasaki on the 30^th (June). It was for the first time in nine years since the fire accident happened during the building of the “Diamond Princess".

    From the Costa group in 2011, a passenger liner operating company in Italy, an order was received for one of its two ships. It would have 1643 rooms, about 300 meters in full length, and 37.6 meters in width. It was said that its fuel consumption performance would be improved sharply by improving the shape of the hull etc. Delivery was a scheduled for March, 2015.

   About 50 people attended a ground-breaking ceremony. After the ceremony to wish the voyage safety of the new ship etc., as part of the ship, the ship's-bottom portion was installed. Mitsubishi Heavy Industry had positioned the high added value passenger liners as the main force of its shipbuilding division. Hashimoto Kumifumi as the head of the shipyard said that “the construction of big passenger liner is a major milestone. I would like to do my best to build a good ship".

It seems that the ship building industry in Japan is not particularly active.

人類天性喜歡金色

Last month the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following

赤ちゃんも金色が好き…幼いころから特別扱い？

生後７か月の赤ちゃんも金色を好むとする実験結果を、山口真美(まさみ)・中央大教授らの研究チームがまとめ、米電子版科学誌プロスワンで発表した。

　金色を特別扱いする人間の心理は、幼いころから自然に備わっている可能性がある。

　言葉を話せない赤ちゃんの実験では、赤ちゃんが好きなものを長く見る性質を利用する。チームは、生後７～８か月の赤ちゃん１２人を対象に実験を行った。

　赤ちゃんが同程度に好きなことが知られている緑色と黄色の物体の画像を用意し、両方に光沢を加えた。赤ちゃんが、光沢のついた緑色（メタリックの緑）と、光沢のついた黄色（金）を見た時間をそれぞれ合計し比較。その結果、金色を見ていた時間の割合の平均は５５％で、メタリックの緑色を見ていた時間より１０ポイント高かった。

（2013年6月30日13時16分 読売新聞）

(試譯文)

The research team consisting of a professor and others from the Chuo University, Mami Yamaguchi (Masami) summarized the experimental result which showed that a 7-month-old baby was supposed to like gold; the result was released in the U.S. electronic edition science journal the Plos One.

   The psychology of the human being to give special treatment to gold had a possibility of coming naturally since the young age.

   In an experiment of the baby who cannot speak a language, a baby had the character of looking at a favorite thing for a longer time. The team did experiments with 12 babies aged from 7 to 8 months old.

   For the baby, it was known that the picture objects in green and yellow were favorite things to the same extent; pictures were prepared and added gloss to both. The baby’s total time looking at green (metallic green) with gloss, and yellow (gold) with gloss were compared respectively. The result was that the rate of average of time in looking at gold was 55%, and it was ten points higher than the time looking at metallic green.

No wonder gold is loved by most people.

日本考慮在沖縄開経済特区?

Last month the NHK News on-line reported the following:

防衛相「経済特区 跡地利用の参考に」

6月26日 22時19分

フィリピンを訪問中の小野寺防衛大臣は、アメリカ軍基地の跡地に設けられた経済特区を視察し、日米が合意している沖縄のアメリカ軍施設の返還を着実に進め、将来の跡地利用の参考にしたいという考えを示しました。

フィリピンを訪問している小野寺防衛大臣は、２６日午後、アジア最大級のアメリカ海軍基地の跡地で、現在は経済特区が設けられているルソン島のスービック地区を視察しました。
スービック地区は、１９９２年にアメリカ軍からフィリピンに返還されたあと、開発が進められ、日本や韓国など国内外から１０００社以上の企業が進出し、雇用はこの２０年間で３倍の９万人にまで増えたということです。
視察のあと、小野寺大臣は記者団に対し「特区では税の優遇措置が取られ、さまざまな企業が進出し、雇用も増えて経済も順調だということだった」と述べました。
そのうえで、小野寺大臣は「沖縄でも跡地が有効活用され、地域振興につながることがはっきりすれば、アメリカ軍施設の返還がさらに加速できるのではないか。政府一体となって知恵を出していきたい」と述べ、日米が合意している沖縄のアメリカ軍施設の返還を着実に進め、将来の跡地利用の参考にしたいという考えを示しました。

(試譯文)

Defense Minister Onodera who was visiting the Philippines inspected the special economic zone established in the former site of a U.S. Forces base; the return of the U.S. Forces facility in Okinawa which was agreed by Japan and the U.S. was advancing steadily; he showed the idea of making it as a reference on the future use of the Okinawa site to be received.

In the afternoon of the 26^th (June) Defense Minister Onodera who was visiting the Philippines inspected the Subic area in Luzon which now was a special economic zone. The zone established at this former site and was once the biggest U.S. naval base in Asia.

It was said that after the Subic area was returned to the Philippines from the U.S. Forces in 1992, the development was progressing, 1000 or more companies marched in from other countries such as Japan and South Korea. In 20 years the employment even increased 3 times to 90,000 people.

Minister Onodera told the press corps after the inspection that "I hear that in this special area, tax preferential treatment is given, various companies march in, the employment also increases, and the economy is also favorable".

Furthermore, Minister Onodera said that “in Okinawa the former site should be used effectively. If it could be clarified that it may lead to regional improvement, may be the return of the U.S. Forces facility should be further accelerated. I would like to take out the wisdom with the concerted efforts of the government". Under the agreement between Japan and the U.S., the return of the U.S. Forces facility in Okinawa was advancing steadily. This showed that, as a reference, there was a hope to get some idea on the future use of the former site.

I am interested in knowing whether there will be a special economic zone in Okinawa.

世銀注視貨幣寬鬆政策緩和的影響

Last month the NHK News on-line reported the following:

世銀総裁 緩和縮小の影響注視
6月26日 8時53分

発展途上国の開発などを支援している世界銀行のキム総裁は、アメリカの中央銀行に当たるＦＲＢ＝連邦準備制度理事会が、今の量的緩和を今後縮小した場合、金利の上昇などで途上国に悪い影響が及ぶことがないか注意深く見ながら支援を検討していく考えを示しました。

ＦＲＢのバーナンキ議長が、先週、景気の回復が順調に進めば市場に大量の資金を供給している今の量的緩和を年内に縮小する可能性を示したことをきっかけに、今後、資金の流れが弱まるという観測から、株価の値下がりや金利の上昇などの影響が世界に出ています。
これに関連して世界銀行のキム総裁は２５日、ワシントンでの講演後、記者団に、「一部の途上国にもすでに金利の上昇が見られ、量的緩和が縮小された場合にどのような影響が及ぶか、心配されている」と述べ、途上国などにも金利の上昇などが見られることに懸念を示しました。
そのうえでキム総裁は、金利の上昇はインフラ開発のための資金を借り入れる際の負担が重くなるなどと指摘し、「途上国が開発に必要な資金を確保できるよう世界銀行として対応しなければならない」と述べ、途上国に悪い影響が及ぶことがないか注意深く見ながら支援を検討していく考えを示しました。

(試譯文)

When the FRB Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System asked the American central bank from now on to reduce the present quantitative easing, President Kim of the World Bank, which was supporting the developing countries etc., showed the idea of considering what bad influence could reach the developing countries when the interest rates rise etc., and would review their support while looking at the matter carefully,.

Last week Chair Bernanke of the FRB having shown a possibility of reducing the present quantitative easing of supplying a huge amount of fund to the market if recovery of business went smoothly before the year end. The influence would be a fall in price of stocks, and a rise in interest rates etc. The observation that had come out from was that the flow of fund to the world would become weaker from now on

On the 25^th, the World Bank President Kim in relation to this, after giving a talk in Washington, told the press corps that "The rise of interest rates is already seen by some developing countries, and when quantitative easing is reduced, there is a worry on what kind of influence would come out”, and showed concern for the developing country etc. over the observable rise of interest rates etc.

President Kim indicated that the burden at the time of a rise in interest rates was that to borrow the fund for infrastructure development would become heavy etc. He said "As the World Bank, you have to respond to it so that developing countries can secure the fund required for development", and to know whether there would be bad influence reaching the developing countries. He showed the idea to review his support, while looking at the matter carefully.

So, the world is expecting that the interest rate would rise.

福井県有恐竜化石出土

Last month the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

福井県勝山市の県立恐竜博物館は２４日、同市内の約１億２０００万年前（白亜紀前期）の地層から、「ダチョウ型恐竜」と呼ばれるオルニトミモサウルス類の指の骨の化石３点が見つかったと発表した。

　国内では群馬、熊本両県に次いで３例目。今回の化石が最古級とみられ、東洋一・特別館長（６３）は「当時日本に広く生息したことを示す貴重な資料」としている。

　同館の研究員が１９９８年と２００８年に発見した前脚の指先の骨（長さ３・５～４・６センチ）３点を鑑定し、いずれも細長く平らな形の特徴からオルニトミモサウルス類と判断した。体長は約１・６メートルとみられる。

　オルニトミモサウルス類は長い首、長い後脚などダチョウに似た特徴があり、群れで生活する雑食性の恐竜。肉食恐竜から逃げるために後脚が発達し、時速７０キロ以上で走る種もいたとされる。映画「ジュラシック・パーク」にも登場し、「最も足の速い恐竜」として知られる。

（2013年6月24日22時14分 読売新聞）

(試譯文)

It was announced by the prefecture dinosaur museum in Katsuyama-shi, Fukui on the 24^th (June) that the three pieces of fossil, discovered in the city from the stratum about 120 million years ago (Lower Cretaceous), were found to be the finger bones of the Ornithomimosauria type, the so called "ostrich type dinosaur".

In Japan it was the third fossil sample, following Gumma and Kumamoto prefectures. The fossils were regarded as the oldest class. Special superintendent Azumayo Ichi (63) took it as “precious data which show that at that time they had lived extensively".

The researcher of the museum used the bones of the fingertip of the forelimb discovered in 1998 and 2008 (3.5 to 4.6 cm in length) to identify the three pieces, and judged that all should be Ornithomimosauria, based on the feature of having long, slender and even form. The body length was observed to be about 1.6 meters.

Ornithomimosauria were omnivorous dinosaurs which were having a feature similar to ostriches, such as the long head and long hind legs, and lived in groups. In order to escape from the meat-eating dinosaur, hind legs developed. It was supposed that this species could run at 70 km/h or more. It appeared in the movie the "Jurassic Park" and was known as "the swiftest-running dinosaur".

It is an interesting discovery. It will increase our understanding about the dinosaurs in Japan.

安川電機在中国建立世界最大自動機械生産工場

Last month the NHK News on-line reported the following:

人件費が高騰している中国では、製造業の現場で産業用ロボットの導入が急速に進んでおり、日本の産業用ロボット大手の安川電機は、中国・江蘇省に世界最大のロボット生産工場を建設し、操業を始めました。

この工場は、産業用ロボットの分野でトップメーカーの一つ、安川電機が、海外では初のロボット工場として、中国江蘇省の常州におよそ４０億円をかけて建設したもので、２２日、地元政府関係者らを招いて開業式が行われました。
工場は生産台数で世界最大規模で、自動車関連の製造現場で使われる溶接用のロボットなどを最新の設備で生産し、２０１５年度には月１０００台の生産を目指すということです。
中国では、人件費の高騰などを背景に、人に代わってロボットの導入が急速に進んでいて、世界で最も大きな産業用ロボットの市場になりつつあります。
このため、安川電機は、中国を日本と並ぶロボットの製造拠点と位置づけて生産・販売体制を拡充することにしており、津田純嗣社長は「世界でいちばん伸びている中国で確固たる地位を占めたい」と話しています。
産業用ロボットの生産は、ヨーロッパのメーカーと並んで日本のお家芸とも言われており、日本のメーカーでは不二越も、先月、同じ江蘇省で工場の操業を始めています。

(試譯文)

In China where personnel related expenses were soaring, the introduction of the industrial robot was progressing quickly in the area of manufacturing industry; Yaskawa Electric, a major industrial robot company in Japan, built the world's largest robot production plant in Jiangsu of China and began its operation.

This factory was one of the biggest manufacturers in the field of industrial robot. Yaskawa Electric built its first robot factory overseas in Zhangzhou in Jiangsu of China. Having spent about 4 billion yen, the inauguration was held on the 22^nd (June) and the local administration officials were invited.

It was said that the factory was the world's largest in terms of production volume. With the newest equipment, it produced the robots for welding etc. which were used in the automobile-related manufacturing site, and the company aimed at producing 1000 robots in fiscal year 2015.

In China, against the background of having a jump in personnel related expenses etc., instead of people, the introduction robot was progressing quickly, and China was becoming the biggest industrial robot market in the world.

For this reason, Yaskawa Electric regarded China as the production base of the robot on a par with Japan; its production and sales organization were expanded. President Junji Tsuda was saying that "I would like to occupy a steadfast status in China which is having the biggest expansion in the world".

In the production of industrial robot, along with the Europe makers, Japan could also be said that it had its own specialty. Last month Japanese maker Fujikoshi also began operating a factory in Jiangsu.

It seems that despite the recent diplomatic troubles, the Japanese investment in China is continuing.

習近平對党幹部表達危機感

Last month the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

【北京＝竹内誠一郎】中国中央テレビによると、習近平共産党総書記は１８日、北京で党幹部らを集めた会議で演説し、「人心を集められるかどうかは、党の生死存亡に関係する」との強い危機感を示す表現で、幹部らの汚職が相次ぐ党の自浄を訴えた。

　会議は、人民に奉仕する「大衆路線」の教育実践活動についての討議がテーマ。習氏は、党内の形式主義、官僚主義、享楽主義、ぜいたくの気風の４点が大衆からの反感を招いているとし、同活動の「主要任務」として、解決を呼びかけた。

　習指導部は昨年１２月、簡素な接待などを求める８項目の風紀改善策を定めるなど、党への求心力を高めるための「大衆工作」を強化している。党機関紙「人民日報」などは６月に入り、大衆工作の重要性を訴えるキャンペーンを展開していた。

（2013年6月18日21時53分 読売新聞）

(試譯文)

According to the China Central Television, Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping made a speech on the 18th (June) in Beijing during a meeting which party leaders were gathering; he expressed a strong sense of crisis which would "relate to the life-and-death of the party whose fate would depend on whether the party could hold popular hearts together", and he appealed for the self-purification of the party as management corruption cases happened one after another.

The theme of the meeting was to debate about the education and practice activities of the "populist line" which aimed at serving the people. For Mr. Xi there were four areas: intraparty formalism, bureaucratism, epicureanism, and the ethos of luxury that had caused an antipathy from the public. He appealed for a solution with "populist line" activity as the "primary mission".

In December last year Xi’s leadership had strengthened the "understanding and educating the public" for heightening the centripetal force to the party, such as defining the eight areas of public-morals remedy which asked for simple entertainment etc. Party organ newspaper the "People's Daily" starting from June was developing a campaign which appealed for the importance of understanding and educating the public.

I think the problem facing the Chinese Communist Party is more then just official’s corruption etc. It is the overall political system that matters.

日本北海道頂級西瓜賣３０万円一個

Last month the NHK News on-line reported the following:

「でんすけすいか」初競り １玉３０万円
6月17日 11時43分

北海道の贈答用のスイカとして人気がある「でんすけすいか」の初競りが、１７日、旭川市などの市場で行われ、１玉３０万円の値がつきました。

「でんすけすいか」は北海道当麻町の特産品で、皮の表面が黒く、甘みが強いのが特徴です。


１７日朝、旭川市と札幌市で競りにかけられ、このうち旭川市の卸売市場では、競りに先立って市場関係者がスイカを味見し、ことしの出来を確認していました。
このあと３５玉のスイカが競りにかけられ、競り人の威勢の良い掛け声とともに次々と値がつけられ、ことしの最高値は、去年と同じ１玉３０万円でした。
市場関係者によりますと、ことしの「でんすけすいか」は春先の低温で生育が遅れましたが、先月後半から天候が回復して例年どおりの甘みがあるということです。
最高値で競り落とした仲卸業者の男性は「夏にかけてさらにおいしくなってほしいという期待を込めて、高値で競り落としました」と話していました。
「でんすけすいか」は、贈答用として需要が高まる来月中旬ごろに出荷のピークを迎えます。

(試譯文)

Hokkaido’s popular watermelon the “Densuke Watermelon” was used as an exchanging present; its first market auction was performed in the Asahikawa city etc. on the 17th (June) and the value of one ball touched 300,000 yen.

The Densuke watermelon was a specialty of Toma-cho in Hokkaido, its surface skin was black, and the strong sweet taste was its feature.

It was put to the auction in Asahikawa city and in Sapporo in the morning of the 17^th. Among them, in the Asahikawa city the participants of the auction market could taste the watermelon in advance to check the result that had come out this year.

After that all the 35 balls of the watermelon were bidden at the auction market, one after another a price was given with auction market people's energetic shouting. The top price this year was the same as last year at 300,000 yen a ball.

According to the market participants this year the watermelon was delayed in growth due to the low temperature at the beginning of spring. It was said that the weather would improve from the second half of last month and they would have the same sweet taste as in other ordinary years.

A male trader who made the top bid was saying that "into the summer, it is expected that it would become even more delicious, and it is bidden at a high price".

"Densuke watermelon" would reach the peak of its shipment at the middle of next month when demand as an object for present exchange would increase.

It is so expensive, it must be very delicious.

鹿児島紀念６８年前大空襲

Last month the NHK News on-line reported the following:

鹿児島大空襲６８年 慰霊祭
6月17日 11時54分

太平洋戦争末期に２３００人余りが亡くなった鹿児島市の大空襲から１７日で６８年となり、慰霊祭で遺族たちが祈りをささげました。

鹿児島市は、太平洋戦争末期の昭和２０年３月から８月にかけて、合わせて８回の空襲を受け３３２９人が死亡しました。
中でも６月１７日の大空襲では、最も多い２３１６人が犠牲になり、鹿児島市は毎年、みなと大通り公園にある慰霊碑の前で、慰霊祭を行っています。
１７日は、遺族など１００人余りが参列し、はじめに鹿児島市の担当者が慰霊碑に刻まれたことばを紹介して、「戦争の悲惨さと平和の尊さを再認識しましょう」と述べました。
そして、全員で黙とうしたあと、菊の花を慰霊碑に供え、祈りをささげました。
親族３人を失った鹿児島市の８０代の女性は「私にとってはいつまでたっても忘れられない人たちで、心を込めて花を手向けました」と話していました。
鹿児島市遺族会の山元正光会長は「戦争で解決できることは一つもないと思います。遺族の高齢化が進んでいますが、戦争を風化させることがないよう語り継いでいきたい」と話していました。

(試譯文)

On the 17^th (June) it would be 68 years since the massive air raid at Kagoshima that had killed over 2300 people during the final stage of the Pacific War; the bereaved families offered their prayers in a memorial service.

In total, Kagoshima suffered from eight air raids and 3329 people died between March to August in Showa 20^th year which was the final stage of the Pacific War.

The massive air raid on June 17 was especially the most serious with 2316 people fell victim. At Kagoshima a memorial service was performed every year in front of the cenotaph which was inside the Minato main street park.

On the 17th a little more than 100 people, such as the bereaved families, had attended. At the start, the person in charge of Kagoshima introduced the words that were carved at the cenotaph, and said "we need to have a new appreciation of the misery of war, and the value of peace". After all the members had observed the code of silence, the chrysanthemum was offered to the cenotaph and a prayer was made.

A woman from Kagoshima who was in her 80's and had lost three relatives said "for me I shall never forget these people, with my heart I offer the flower with my hands".

Chairman Masamitsu Yamamoto of the Kagoshima survivor's club said that "I think that the war does not have solved anything. Although the bereaved families are aging, I hope the words about the war would continue to be handed down to the next generation so that the war would not be forgotten."

It must be a sad memory for those who had survived the bombing 68 years ago.

東京松坂屋銀座店關門

Two days ago the FNN News on-line reported the following:

松坂屋銀座店、閉店セール最終日　開店前に約1,000人が列

東京の百貨店・松坂屋銀座店が、建て替えにともない、30日に閉店する。88年続いた老舗に、朝から多くの客が列をつくった。
最後の営業の日を迎え、午後9時すぎには、すでに客の長い列ができていた。
閉店セール最終日の30日、松坂屋銀座店では、開店前におよそ1,000人が列をつくり、15分早めての開店となった。
来店客は、「寂しいです」、「最後に来られて、よかったなと思います」と話した。
銀座店は取り壊され、4年後に、銀座最大規模の商業施設として生まれ変わる予定。

(試譯文)

On the 30^th the Matsuzakaya Ginza department store in Tokyo would be closed for rebuilding; this long-established store had been continued for 88 years, many visitors lined up starting from the morning.

To meet the coming of the last business day, slightly past 9:00 p.m. the visitors had already formed a long line.

At the Matsuzakaya Ginza store on the 30^th, it was the final day of the closing-down sale. About 1,000 people formed a line before the opening. The opening was advanced for 15 minutes.

A visitor who had come to the store said that "it is lonely"; "coming here at last, I think that is good."

The Ginza store was due to be pulled down and to be born in four years again as the biggest commercial establishment in scale in Ginza.

I look forward to visiting the new shop after four years.