全球資訊發達地區排名

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

“ＩＴランキング”で日本は１２位

10月8日 0時3分

電気通信に関する国連の専門機関ＩＴＵ＝国際電気通信連合は、ＩＴがどれだけ普及しているかを調査した国や地域別のランキングを発表し、日本はインターネットを利用する人の増加率が低かったとして１２位でした。
スイスのジュネーブに本部があるＩＴＵは、毎年携帯電話やインターネット、それに高速大容量のデータ通信＝ブロードバンドの普及率などを数値化して国や地域のＩＴの普及度合いをランキングとして発表しています。
７日に発表されたことしのランキングで、日本は総合的な得点では去年を上回ったものの国別の順位では去年の８位から１２位に後退しました。
これは、無線を利用したブロードバンドの普及率が大幅に伸びたオーストラリアが１５位から１１位に、イギリスが１１位から８位に順位を上げるなど日本を追い抜いたためです。
さらに、日本はインターネットを利用する人の増加率が低かったことが順位が下がった理由に挙げられています。
ランキングの１位は３年連続で韓国で、インターネットを利用できる世帯の割合が９７％余りと最も高いうえ、幼いころからＩＴに親しんだいわゆる「デジタルネイティブ」の割合が高いことも理由に挙げられています。
ランキングの２位はスウェーデン、３位はアイスランドと、ブロードバンドの普及率が高い北欧の国が上位を占めました。

ランキング上位は

ＩＴ普及度ランキングで上位１０位までの国や地域は次のとおりでした。
１位、韓国。
２位、スウェーデン。
３位、アイスランド。
４位、デンマーク。
５位、フィンランド。
６位、ノルウェー。
７位、オランダ。
８位、イギリス。
９位、ルクセンブルク。
１０位、香港。

(試譯文)

The United Nations’ agency that specialized in telecommunication, the ITU- International Telecommunications Union announced its investigation by ranking according to the country or area where IT which had spread; it was noted that Japan was in the 12th place and that its rate of increase in people using the Internet was low.

ITU, which had its headquarters in Geneva of Switzerland, evaluated the mobile phone, the diffusion rate of the Internet and the mass data-communications: the broadband high-speed etc. every year and had announced the ranking based on the degree of diffusion of IT of a country or an area.

In the ranking for this year which was announced on the 7^th (October), Japan’s total score had exceeded that of last year. Yet in the ranking according to country, it went down from the 8th place of last year to the 12th place.

Australia where the diffusion rate of the wireless broadband had expanded considerably went up from the 15th place to the 11th place; Britain rose in ranking from the 11th place to the 8th place and as such surpassed Japan.

Furthermore, the reason given for Japan’s fallen ranking was the low rate of increase in the people that used the Internet.

South Korea was in the 1st place in ranking for three consecutive years. The rate of the household which could use the Internet was the highest which was more than 97%. The high percentage of the so-called "digital natives", that was those who were familiar with IT since they were young, was also given as a reason.

Second place in the ranking was the country of Sweden, the 3rd place was Iceland. Countries in Northern Europe where there was high diffusion rate in broadband had occupied the rankings at the top.

Ranking at the top:

Ranking by country or area at the top 10 in IT diffusion rate was as follows:

The 1st place, South Korea.

The 2nd place, Sweden.

The 3rd place, Iceland.

The 4th place, Denmark.

The 5th place, Finland.

The 6th place, Norway.

The 7th place, the Netherlands.

The 8th place, Britain.

The 9th place, Luxembourg.

The 10th place, Hong Kong.

For me, it is quite surprising to note that Hong Kong is at the 10^th place.

中国將會成為世界最大石油消費国

Recently the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

中国、世界最大の石油消費国へ…ＩＥＡ予測

　【ロンドン＝五十棲忠史】国際エネルギー機関（ＩＥＡ）は１２日、最新の世界エネルギー見通しを発表した。

　先進国の石油消費量が次第に減るとともに、２０３０年前後には中国が米国を抜いて世界最大の石油消費国になると予測した。

　ＩＥＡは世界のエネルギー消費の中心は中国、インド、中東に移ると指摘。インドは、２０２０年代初頭までに最大の石炭輸入国になると予測した。天然ガスは２０３５年までに中国と中東での使用量が現在の４倍になると見込んでいる。

　ＩＥＡはエネルギー価格の地域間格差についても触れ、安価なシェールガスの産出が期待できる米国と比べ、日欧、中国の産業向け電力価格は約２倍となっていると指摘した。この価格差は２０３５年ごろまで続くとの見方を示した。

（2013年11月12日23時25分  読売新聞）

(試譯文)

          On the 12th the International Energy Agency (IEA) announced the latest world energy prospect.

While the oil consumption of advanced nations would decrease gradually, it was predicted that China would replace the U.S. by around 2030 to become the world's largest petroleum consuming country.

IEA indicated that the center of energy consumption in the world would move to China, India, and the Middle East. It predicted that India would be the biggest coal importing country by the beginning of the 2020s. It was expected that by 2035 the amount of natural gas consumption in China and the Middle East would increase 4 times compared to the present.

IEA also touched on the energy price gap between different areas. It indicated that the electric power price for industries in Japan, Europe and China was about twice compared with the U.S. which could expect the production of cheap shale gas. It showed the view that the price difference would continue until around 2035.

(23:25 on November 12, 2013    Yomiuri Shimbun)

I think cheap electric power is important for the industries to survive.

俄國和越南達成防衛合作

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

ロシアとベトナムが防衛協定

11月13日 0時5分

ロシアのプーチン大統領とベトナムのサン国家主席は、両国の防衛協力を強化するための新たな協定を締結し、ベトナムとしては、南シナ海の島々の領有権を巡って対立する中国をけん制するねらいがあるとみられています。

ロシアのプーチン大統領とベトナムのサン国家主席は１２日、ベトナムの首都ハノイで会談し、ロシア軍がベトナム軍の能力向上のために訓練を施すことや、ロシア製の軍事装備品のベトナムへの売却を進めることなどを盛り込んだ防衛協力に関する新たな協定を締結しました。
ベトナムは、南シナ海の島々の領有権を巡って対立する中国が、海洋進出を活発化させていることを念頭に、ロシアから最新の潜水艦を購入するなど軍の近代化を急いでいて、ロシアと新たな協定を結んだ背景には、中国をけん制するねらいがあるとみられています。
さらに両首脳は、ロシアが受注したベトナム初の原子力発電所の建設を急ぐことや、ＦＴＡ＝自由貿易協定の交渉を早期に進展させることなど、幅広い分野で協力を進めていくことを確認しました。
会談のあと行われた記者会見でサン国家主席は、「ロシアは最も大切なパートナーだ。あらゆる分野で関係を最大限発展させていきたい」と述べて、今後もロシアとの関係を深めていく姿勢を強調しました。

(試譯文)

Russian President Putin and Chairman San of Vietnam concluded a new agreement to strengthen the defense cooperation of both countries; it was expected that Vietnam was aiming at checking China which had opposed to the former’s sovereignty claims over the islands in South China Sea.

On the 12th Russian President Putin and Chairman San held talk together in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. The new agreement concluded was about the defense cooperation which incorporated military training from Russian to improve the capability of the Vietnam army, and to push forward the sales of  Russia military equipment etc. to Vietnam.

Noting that China was opposing to its sovereignty claims over the islands in the South China Sea, Vietnam was in a hurry to modernize its army. With activating its advance into the sea in mind, it purchased the newest submarine from Russia. It was expected that  aiming at checking China could be a backdrop for reaching this new agreement with Russia.

Furthermore, both leaders confirmed to forward cooperation in broad areas, such as to hurry the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Vietnam whose order was received by Russia, and to push forward the negotiation of the FTA - free trade agreement at an early stage.

At the press conference held after a talk, President San said “Russia is a partner of the most importance, and want to develop their relation to the utmost in all area", and emphasized a posture in which it would continue to promote its relation with Russia.

It seems that Russia is trying to show its presence in South-east Asia.

富久娘、「純米酒」自主回収

Recently the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

富久娘、「純米酒」に醸造アルコール…自主回収

神戸市灘区の酒造会社「富久娘酒造」は１１日、「純米酒」に醸造アルコールを混ぜたり、規格外の酒米を使った安い酒に「純米酒」などのラベルを貼ったりするなど、国税庁の基準に違反する日本酒を販売していたことを明らかにした。

　同社は該当する３８銘柄の自主回収を始めた。今年１月〜１０月末に一升瓶換算で約２５万本を販売したという。

　同社によると、不正表示は１０月下旬、大阪国税局の指摘で発覚。国税庁の基準では純米酒の原料は米と米こうじだけだが、醸造アルコールを加えたものがあった。また、品質の劣る規格外の米を使った酒に「吟醸酒」「純米酒」「本醸造酒」といった高級酒のラベルを貼って販売していた。

　同社が原料を記した書類などを調べたところ、少なくとも４〜５年前から不正表示は始まっていたとみられるといい、詳しい時期を調べている。読売新聞の取材に、小島久佳社長は「結果としてお客様をだましたことになった。原因究明を徹底し、再発防止に努めたい」と話した。

（2013年11月11日23時59分 読売新聞）

(試譯文)

On the 11^th the National Tax Agency showed that the sake which was below the standard was sold by the brewing company "Oenon Holdings, Inc " of Nada-district, Kobe-city; it mixed brewing alcohol with "junmai-shu", or sticking labels such as "junmai-shu" on the cheap alcohol that used substandard brewing rice to prepare.

The company began the voluntary recall of 38 applicable brands. By 1-litre bottle conversion, it was said that about 250,000 bottles were sold from the end of January up to October this year.

According to the company, indications of mislabeling were discovered in the Osaka Regional Taxation Bureaus in late October. Based on the standard of the National Tax Agency, for junmai-shu, the materials used to prepare should be rice and rice koji only; but some had added in with brewing alcohol. Moreover, the labels of luxury liquor, such as “ginjo-shu”, “junmai-shu”, and “honjozo-shu” were stuck to alcohol prepared with substandard rice and were inferior in quality, and sold.

When looking at the company’s documents etc. in which raw materials were recorded, it might be concluded that the mis-labeling had begun at least 4-5 years earlier, and the detailed timing was still being investigated. Speaking to the news coverage of Yomiuri Shimbun, President Hisayoshi Kojima was saying that “it means that we had deceived the customers as a result. I would like to find out the complete cause and to strive to prevent future recurrence".

I always think that honesty is an important asset in doing business.

小心假網址

To-day the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:

フィッシング:「〜．ｃｎ．ｃｏｍ」でサイト急増　警察庁が注意喚起

2013年11月23日

　警察庁は、サイトのアドレスが「〜．ｃｎ．ｃｏｍ」であるフィッシングサイトが、１１月から急増していると注意喚起を行っている。

　「〜．ｃｎ．ｃｏｍ」は中国を対象とするサイトで使われることが多い。これらフィッシングサイトは、金融機関やオンラインゲームなどのログイン画面に偽装して作られていた。

　警察庁は９月下旬からサイトを確認し、１１月に入ってからは約２００サイトを把握している。認証を必要とするサイトには、正規のアドレスを直接入力するなどの対策を呼びかけている。【デジタル編集部】

(試譯文)

     The National Police Agency was calling for attention about fishing sites with the address site "--. cn.com", as they had increased rapidly since November.

     "--. cn.com" was used as the site for China in many cases. These fishing sites were camouflaged and there were login screens to financial institutions or online games etc.

     The National Police Agency identified these sites starting from the end of September, and entering into November, it had got hold of about 200 sites. It was appealing for measures, such as to carry out a direct entry at the official address when logging into a site that needed attestation.

I think it is always advisable to be careful with unfamiliar web-sites.

日本百貨店餐單食材失實

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

全国17デパート おせちでも異なる食材

11月5日 22時43分

各地でメニューの表記と違う食材が使われていた問題が次々と明らかになる

なか、「小田急百貨店」と「京王百貨店」それに「東武百貨店」など、全国１７のデパートで販売されたおせち料理でも、表示と異なる食材が使われていたことが明らかになりました。

問題のおせち料理は、高島屋の子会社がほかのデパートに卸していた商品で、「フォション」というブランドの洋風のおせち料理として販売され、このうち「車海老（えび）のテリーヌ」と表示したものが、実際は「ブラックタイガ−」でした。
高島屋によりますと、すでに明らかになっている「大丸松坂屋百貨店」グループの店舗を含めて、これまでに全国１７のデパートに卸していたことが分かったということです。
このうち、小田急百貨店では去年２５個販売していたほか、京王百貨店はおととしから２年間で１６個販売していたということで、いずれもことしの注文の受け付けを中止しました。
東武百貨店はおととしから販売していて、実際に販売した数は調査中だとしています。
高島屋では「お客様に多大なるご迷惑をおかけしたことを深くおわびし、管理体制の再徹底に努めます」と話しています。

(試譯文)

About the incident that the food notation in the menu was different from the cooking material that was used, it became clear that this problem had occurred one after another in various places.  

It became clear that the food in the New Year dishes sold at 17 department stores in the whole country, such as the "Odakyu Dept Store", the "Keio Dept Store" and the "Tobu Dept. Store" also had menu displayed differently from what material was used in the dishes.

The New Year dishes in question were the commodity which the subsidiary of Takashimaya had wholesaled to other department stores: being sold as New Year dishes in the Western style with the brand "Fauchon", among these some were displayed as "the Terrine of prawns (shrimp)" which in practice was "the black tiger”.

According to Takashimaya, it was said that what had already become clear until now was that the dishes had been wholesaled to 17 department stores in the whole country including the stores of the "Daimaru Matsuzakaya department store" group.

Among these, 25 pieces were sold by the Odakyu Dept Store last year. Also it was said that Keio Dept Store sold 16 pieces in the two years since two years ago, and it all had stopped accepting orders this year.

The number that was actually sold by the Tobu Dept Store since the year before last was still under investigation.

In Takashimaya, it was said that "we deeply apologize for having made great trouble to customers, and would strive for a revamp in the management system".

I think honest is an important asset in doing business.

南韓法院判三菱重工必須損賠殖民地時代勞工

Recently the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:

元徴用工訴訟:韓国の地裁、三菱重に損賠支払い命じる

毎日新聞　2013年11月01日　20時56分（最終更新　11月02日　00時05分）

　【光州（韓国南西部）大貫智子】日本の植民地時代に名古屋市の軍需工場で働かされたとして元女子勤労挺身（ていしん）隊の韓国人女性４人と遺族１人が三菱重工業に損害賠償の支払いを求めた訴訟で、光州地裁は１日、同社に女性１人あたり１億５０００万ウォン（約１３９０万円）、遺族に８０００万ウォン（約７３０万円）の支払いを命じる判決を言い渡した。戦後補償に関する訴訟で韓国の裁判所が日本企業に賠償を命じるのは３件目。元女子勤労挺身隊員への賠償命令は初めて。

　今後、提訴の動きが広がる可能性があり、原告側弁護団は「韓国で訴訟が続くのは日韓関係にとって望ましくない」と、韓国政府が来月設立予定の元徴用工らに対する支援財団に日本企業が参加することを求めている。

　一方、三菱重工は判決を不服とし控訴する考えを示した。

　判決では、原告らを上級学校に通学させるなどとうそをついて動員し、劣悪な環境で労働させたなどとして、原告の精神的苦痛に対する賠償責任があると断じた。

　また、１９６５年の日韓請求権協定について、日本側は植民地支配への不法性を認めておらず、両政府間で植民地支配に対する合意がない中で締結されたことなどを理由に、個人請求権は消滅していないとした。今年７月に同社と新日鉄住金に元徴用工への賠償を命じた判決と同じ解釈だ。

　また、韓国政府は７０年代、協定に基づき日本から供与された経済協力金の一部を個人補償として支給したことがあるが、判決は「死亡者に対する補償に過ぎない」と指摘し、原告らは一切補償を受けていないとした。

　７月の２件の判決で、賠償額は８０００万〜１億ウォンだったが、今回は、原告が当時１０代前半と若かったことや、韓国帰還後に従軍慰安婦と誤解されて精神的苦痛を受けた点などを考慮し、増額した。

　原告の梁錦徳（ヤン・クムドク）さん（８２）は「裁判を始めた当初はこんな判決が出るとは考えもしなかった」と涙をぬぐった。梁さんら今回の原告は日本でも同様の訴訟を起こしたが２００８年、最高裁で敗訴が確定。しかし１２年５月に韓国最高裁が個人請求権は消滅していないとの判断を示し、昨年１０月にあらためて提訴した。韓国ではほかに３件の提訴が相次ぎ、今回はその最初の判決。

(試譯文)

In the lawsuit which asked the Mitsubishi Heavy Industry to pay reparations to four South Korean women of a former woman labor volunteer corps and one bereaved family member because they had been ordered to work in a munitions factory in Nagoya in the colonial days of Japan, the Guanzhou District Court passed the judgment on the 1^st which ordered the company to pay 150 million won per woman (about 13,900,000 yen) and to pay 80 million won (about 7,300,000 yen) to the bereaved family member. It was the 3rd case that a South Korean court ordered a Japanese company to make compensation in a lawsuit as the post-war compensation. It was the first time that a compensatory command was awarded to a former woman labor volunteer corps member.

From now on, movements towards legal challenge might spread and plaintiff's lawyers were urging that "for lawsuits to continue in South Korea, it would be undesirable for Japan-Korea relations"; as for the South Korean government, it was asking the Japanese companies to participate in a support fund to be established next month that aimed at the former conscript laborers.

On the other hand, the Mitsubishi Heavy Industry showed the idea of being dissatisfied with the judgment and would file an appeal.

The judgment ruled that plaintiffs were mobilized by a lie saying that they were going to attend to an upper school etc.; and judged that there was compensation liability for the mental anguish of the plaintiffs for having been made to work in an inferior environment etc.

Moreover, regarding the Japan-South Korea claim agreement of 1965, on the grounds that the Japanese side did not accept the illegal nature of the colonial rule, thus there was no agreement to the colonial rule among both governments. As such it was concluded that an individual’s right to make a claim had not been ruled out. It was on the same interpretation that a judgment was made in July this year which ordered the same company and the New Nippon Steel Sumitomo Metal to compensate to a former conscript laborer.

Moreover, although based on an agreement in the 1970s, the South Korean government, using money supplied by Japan, had provided some economic assistance as individual compensation, the judgment indicated that "it is only compensation to the deceased", and assumed that plaintiffs had received no compensation.

Although the claimable amount in the judgment of the two cases in July was 80 million-100 million won, the amount was increased in consideration that the plaintiff’s age in those days was at the first half of their 10s, they were young; and that they had been misunderstood as comfort women after returning to South Korea, thus suffered mental anguish etc.

The plaintiff Mr. Jan Qum Doc (Yan Kumudoku) (82) wiped the tear, saying that “at the beginning when the trial began, we did not think such a judgment could come out". Although the same plaintiff Mr. Jan had filed the same lawsuit in Japan, it was decided as a lost case in the Supreme Court in 2008. However, in May 2012 the South Korean Supreme Court showed the judgment that individual claims had not been ruled out, because of that, a new appeal was submitted in October last year. Additionally, in South Korea, there were three legal appeal cases succeeding one another, and this time was the first judgment of these cases.

I hope the court judgment in South Korea would not harm the trade relation between South Korea and Japan.

中国及台湾出産鰻魚被充當日本鰻魚

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

国産ウナギかば焼き９トン、実は中国・台湾産

　中国や台湾産のウナギを静岡県産や国産と偽って販売したとして、静岡県は２１日、同県吉田町のウナギ養殖販売会社「大井川うなぎ販売」（藪崎周二社長）に対し、日本農林規格（ＪＡＳ）法と景品表示法に基づき、表示改善を指示した。

　産地を偽装したウナギはかば焼きに加工され、昨春以降、少なくとも約９トンが１０都道県の卸売業者に販売されたといい、県警は２１日、同社などを不正競争防止法違反（誤認惹起(じゃっき)）容疑で捜索した。

　県の発表によると、同社は２０１２年４月～１３年７月、中国産や台湾産のウナギを、加工５業者（１社は廃業）とともに静岡県産かば焼きなどと偽装し、卸売業者に販売した。県は、加工４業者にもＪＡＳ法に基づく改善指示を行った。

（2013年10月22日10時45分 読売新聞）

(試譯文)

On the 21st (October) the Shizuoka Prefecture, based on the Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS) Method and the Law for Preventing Misleading Representation, pointed to the eel cultivation and sales company "The Oigawa Eel Trading" (President Shuji Yabusaki) of the Yoshida town in the same prefecture for display improvement because the company pretended their eels as from China and Taiwan, and sold them as a product from Shizuoka, or from domestic production.

The eel with its place of production misrepresented was processed into kabayaki. It was said that since last spring at least about 9 tons were sold to the wholesalers in 10 locations in different prefectures, counties and the capital. On the 21st the Prefecture Police searched the company etc. on suspicion of violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Act (misconception inducement).

According to the prefecture’s announcement, using the eels from China and Taiwan, the company misrepresented them as kabayaki from Shizuoka. The product was processed by 5 contractors (one company had already given up its business), and sold it to the wholesalers from April 2012 to July 2013. The prefecture also gave directives to the four processing contractors to make improvement based on the JAS method.

The action taken by the prefecture is good news for all the consumers.

日本緊急援助医療隊到達菲律賓災區

To-day the NHK News on-line reported the following:

緊急援助隊の医療チーム タクロバンに

11月14日 21時12分

日本の国際緊急援助隊の医療チームの本隊２０人余りが、壊滅的な被害を受けたレイテ島の主要都市タクロバンに１４日夜、到着しました。

国際緊急援助隊の本隊は、１３日、レイテ島北西部のオルモックから陸路タクロバンに向かいましたが、治安状況を見極めるため、いったん中部の町まで引き返しました。
援助隊は、１４日、タクロバンに拠点を設けた警察当局に警護などの協力を要請したうえで再び現地に向かい、日本時間の午後７時ごろ、到着したということです。
援助隊はタクロバン中心部の教会に拠点を設け、１５日から本格的な医療支援に当たります。
一方、自衛隊の緊急援助隊は１３日までに４９人が首都マニラに入り、１４日午後、隊長以下３人の先遣隊が事前の調査を行うためにアメリカ軍の輸送機でタクロバンに到着しました。
また、医療支援に当たる自衛隊の２０人は、１４日、フィリピン軍の輸送機でレイテ島の西のセブ島に向かう予定でしたが、フィリピン軍が大量の物資や各国からの援助隊の輸送に追われているため、調整が難航しているということです。

(試譯文)

On the night of the 14th a little more than 20 people from the main body of the medical team of the Japan Disaster Relief Team arrived at the major city of Tacloban in Leyte which had suffered destructive damage.

Although on the 13th the main body of the Japan Disaster Relief Team took the overland route to go from Ormoc to Tacloban which was at the north western part of Leyte, at one time they returned to a town at the central part in order to discern a security situation.

It was said that after requesting the help in escorting etc. from the police authority who had established their base in Tacloban, the assistance team moved toward to the spot again and on the 14th arrived at around 7:00 p.m. JST.

The assistance team established a base in the church at the central part Tacloban, and would take up full-scale medical support starting from the 15th.

On the other hand, on the 13^th, 49 people of the emergency aid group of the Self-Defense Forces went into capital Manila. Below the captain level, a three-man advance team arrived in Tacloban in the afternoon of the 14th by transport plane of the U.S. Forces in order to conduct prior investigation.

Moreover it was said that although a 20-man Self-Defense Forces who was in charge of the medical support was scheduled to go to Cebu on the 14th, which was located at the west of Leyte, by a transport plane of the Philippine military, because the Philippine military was busy with the transportation of a lot of goods and assistance teams from different countries, the scheduling work faced rough going.

I think the timely arrival of the medical team from Japan would be welcome by the local residents. 

国際成人能力調査:日本人読解力,数學思考力居首位

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

国際成人力調査:日本、読解力と数的思考力で首位

毎日新聞　2013年10月08日　19時21分（最終更新　10月08日　23時52分）

　経済協力開発機構（ＯＥＣＤ）は８日、加盟国を中心に世界２４カ国・地域を対象に、社会生活に必要な能力を調べた初の「国際成人力調査（ＰＩＡＡＣ、ピアック）」の結果を発表した。調査は「読解力」「数的思考力」「ＩＴ（情報技術）活用力」の３分野で、日本は読解力、数的思考力の平均点で１位。「ＩＴ活用力」は、高い習熟度を持つ人の割合は１０位だったが平均点では１位となり、全３分野で平均点がトップだった。文部科学省は、義務教育と企業の社員教育の成果を理由に挙げている。

　テストはコンピューター（使えない人は紙のテスト）で実施し、正しい情報や数値を選ぶ問題や情報を分析させる問題を解かせた。読解力（文章を理解、評価、利用する力）▽数的思考力（統計などの数学的な情報を利用、解釈、伝達する力）▽ＩＴを利用した問題解決能力（コンピューターやインターネットを使い、実生活に活用する力）−−の３分野について、各０〜５００点の間で採点した。

　日本は、読解力が平均２９６点で、２位のフィンランドに８点差をつけて１位。数的思考力でも２位フィンランドに６点差の２８８点でトップだった。

　ＩＴ活用力は、全解答者（コンピューターと紙テストの合計）のうち、得点上位のコンピューター回答者の割合で、国民の能力を測った。日本は３５％で、２０カ国・地域中１０位。１位はスウェーデン（４４％）だった。これとは別に、日本の国立教育政策研究所でコンピューター回答者だけで平均点を独自算出したところ、日本は２９４点で、２位（フィンランド２８９点）を引き離してトップだった。

　また、年齢や学歴などを考慮して分析すると、日本の成績はＯＥＣＤ平均より上位と下位の差が小さい▽中高年になってもレベルが落ちない▽中卒者の読解力は、高卒者のＯＥＣＤ平均とほぼ同等−−などが確認された。

　文科省生涯学習政策局政策課の亀岡雄・主任社会教育官は「義務教育をはじめとする日本の教育の成果が大きく反映されており、企業の職員研修も影響していると考えられる」と分析している。【福田隆】

(試譯文)

     On the 8^th (October) for the first time the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released the result of "The international adult power investigation (PIAAC, Piakku)" that aimed at investigating the abilities that were required to conduct social life in 24 nations and areas in the world, centering on the member nations. The investigation focused on the three fields: "reading ability", "numerical thinking ability", and "IT (information technology) practical use ability". Japan was in the 1st place at the average mark in “reading ability” and “numerical thinking ability”. Although the percentage of people that had high skill in "IT practical use ability" was at the 10th place, Japan ranked 1st in the average marks; in all the 3 fields the average mark was at the top. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology mentioned that the reason of the good result was due to the compulsory education, and the employee education run by companies.

     The test was carried out by computer (paper tests were used for those who could not use computer), problems were to be solved by choosing the right information and numerical value, and also to solve the problems by doing information analysis. Reading ability (the power to evaluate, understand and use a text) ▽ numerical thinking ability (the power to interpret and use mathematical information, including statistics etc., and the ability to transmit them) ▽IT ability to solve problems (the power to use computer and the Internet, and to utilize it in everyday life). All the three fields of problem-solving abilities were tested, and each would be graded between zero and 500 points.

     Japan was in the 1st place in Reading ability, having an average of 296 points, with eight points leading Finland which was at the 2nd place. Numerical thinking ability was also at the top with 288 points, with six points leading Finland which was at the 2nd place.

     IT practical use ability was indicated through the percentage of the computer respondents that had high score ranking among all the panelists (the sum total of computer and paper test); it measured the overall national capability. Japan was 35%, being at the 10th place among 20 nations and the areas. The 1st place was Sweden (44%). Aside from this, when the calculation of the average mark was carried out solely focusing on those computer respondents in National Institute for Educational Policy Research of Japan, Japan was at the top with 294 points, distanced itself from the 2nd place (Finland with 289).

     Moreover, when the result of Japan compared with the OECD average was further analyzed in consideration of age, school education etc., the difference between the higher rank and the low rank was small; ▽ even people become middle or advanced age, their level did not fall ▽the reading ability of junior high school graduates was confirmed being equivalent to the average of a high school graduate of the OECD  etc.

     Takeshi Kameoka, the chief social education officer of the Lifelong Learning Policy Bureau aid policy division of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology analyzed that "the result reflects greatly the education of Japan including compulsory education, and it is thought that the staff training run by companies also had an influence".

I think continuous education is important to improve the competitiveness of the work force of a country.

早稲田大学取消已頒發博士学位

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

早大、博士学位取り消し…論文６４か所盗用など

　早稲田大学は２１日、博士論文で盗用があったとして、早大大学院公共経営研究科が中国籍の晏英氏に授与していた博士学位を取り消すと発表した。

 　早大によると、博士学位の取り消しは初めて。早大では晏氏の職業や年齢を明らかにしていない。

　早大によると、晏氏は２０１０年９月、「近代立憲主義の原理から見た現行中国憲法」と題した論文で博士学位を授与されていたが、１１年８月、この論文に盗用があるとの匿名の通報が早大に寄せられた。内部調査の結果、論文の少なくとも６４か所で他人の文献やインターネットからの無断引用が見つかり、うち１２か所について晏氏は盗用を認めたという。論文は１０年１０月に出版されていた。早大では「内容の訂正も含め、晏氏には真摯(しんし)な対応を求めたい」とした。

（2013年10月21日22時35分  読売新聞）

(試譯文)

     On the 21st (October) the Waseda University graduate school public management research center announced that the doctoral degree awarded to Mr. Yan Ying of Chinese nationality was canceled, after noting plagiarism in his doctoral dissertation.

     According to the Waseda University, it was the first time to cancel an awarded doctoral degree. Waseda University did not clarify Mr. Yan's occupation or age.

    According to the Waseda University Mr. Yan was awarded the doctoral degree in September, 2010 for a paper entitled "The present China constitution seen from the principle of modern constitutionalism", but an anonymous report saying that there was plagiarism in the paper was received by the Waseda University in August, 2011. As a result of an internal investigation, the unapproved quotations from others' literature and from the Internet were  found in at least in 64 places of the paper, and Mr. Yan said that he admitted surreptitious usage in 12 of them. The paper was published in October, 2010.  For the Waseda University, they presupposed that "including the correction of the contents, we would like to ask Mr. Yan for an earnest response".

Plagiarism is a serious misconduct in the university.

南宋古詩選集在神田舊書店賣４億円以上

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

神田の古書店に４億円超の品…南宋期の漢詩選集

　東京都千代田区神田神保町の古書店「一誠堂書店」が１１日、古典籍の展示即売会で、中国の南宋時代の１２世紀頃に刊行された漢詩選集「唐人絶句」を４億６０００万円で売り出した。

　中国では早くから木版の印刷技術が発達し、当時出版された書籍は「宋版」と呼ばれ、書体や造本の美しさ、現存例の希少さからすでに明代から高額で取引されてきた。しかも２１冊がまとまっていることから、極めて貴重という。

　同店の目録などによると、南宋の文人、洪邁が編んだ。大きさは縦２８・２センチ、横１９・３センチ。唐代の詩人、杜甫が李白に贈った漢詩などが印刷されている。元は２２冊あり、室町時代までに日本に伝わったものとみられる。近年は少なくとも４０年以上、店に保管されていた。

（2013年10月11日19時08分 読売新聞）

(試譯文)

   In an antiquarian book exhibition fair held on the 11^th (October), the antiquarian bookshop " I Seido Bookstore" in Kanda Jimbo-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo put on sale for 460 million yen a Chinese Poetry anthology "The Chinese Quatrain" which was published at around the 12th century, being the Southern Song Dynasty in China.

   In China, printing techniques of wood engraving developed early, and the books published in those days were called the "Sung version". Because of the beauty in the handwriting style and in bookmaking, and that existing examples were rare, already from the Ming Dynasty it had been traded expensively in large amount of sum. As a collection of 21 volumes, it was even more precious.

   According to the list of the said store etc., it was Hong Mai a literary man of the Southern Song who collated it. The sizes were 28.2 cm long and 19.3 cm wide. The Chinese poetry etc. which Du Fu, the poet of the Tang dynasty, presented to Li Po were also collected in this set-volume. Originally the set had 22 volumes, and was regarded as having got across to Japan during the Muromachi period. In recent years it was kept in the store for at least 40 years.

It is a rare collection.  Yet 460 million yen is a lot of money.