村上春樹小説: 地名小風波

Recently the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:

中頓別:村上春樹氏小説、町議が「終息宣言」

毎日新聞　2014年02月19日　21時04分（最終更新　02月20日　08時36分）

　作家の村上春樹氏の短編小説にある北海道中頓別（なかとんべつ）町に関する表現が「屈辱的」などとして町議６人が抗議した問題で、共同代表の宮崎泰宗（やすひろ）町議（３０）は１９日、発行元の文芸春秋から質問状への回答があったことを明らかにし、「迅速かつ誠意ある対応をいただいた」との「終息宣言」を自身のブログで公表した。

　小説は月刊誌「文芸春秋」の昨年１２月号に掲載され、たばこのポイ捨てが「たぶん中頓別町ではみんなが普通にやっていることなのだろう」と表現された。村上氏は今月７日、単行本にする際に町名を変更する意向を発表した。文春も「作者の表現を尊重し支持します」とコメントした。

　町議らには文春から１０日付で質問状への回答が郵送で届き、この見解と同じ内容だった。宮崎町議らは出版社あてに返信を書き、村上氏に「ぜひ一度町に足を運んでいただけたら幸いです」と記したという。

　宮崎町議は「町名変更は作家が判断されることで、可否を言うところではない。こちらが求めたことでもない」とし、「たばこのポイ捨てを『普通』にするような町ではないと作家にご理解いただいたことで十分です」と話している。【伊藤直孝】

(試譯文)

     About the incident that six members of a town hall assembly had made a protest against "being humiliated" etc. regarding how the Hokkaido’s Nakatonbetsu town was described in the short novel written by Mr. Haruki Murakami the writer, Miyazaki Yashuhiro, being a member of the town hall assembly (30) and the joint representative, disclosed clearly on the 19th in his own blog that a reply was received from Bungeishunju the publishing agency, and that a "case closed announcement" was made because “there was a quick and sincere response".

     The novel was published by a monthly magazine the "Bungeishunju" in last year’s December issue. Inside, tobacco littering was mentioned by saying that "in Nakatonbetsu-city, everybody is doing this regularly". Mr. Murakami announced on the 7th of this month his intention to change the name of the town when the single volume story book was published. Bungeishunju also commented that "the author's expression is respected and supported".

     Regarding the protests, a reply from the Bungeishunju reached members of the town hall assembly by mail on the 10th and the contents were same as the views mentioned above. Members of the Miyazaki town assembly had written a reply to the publishing company with a note: please told Mr. Murakami "by all means visit our town once, it would be our pleasure".

     The members of the Miyazaki town hall assembly commented that “to rename the town is the writer’s judgment, there is no comments on the renaming and that we have made no demands, either”. It was also said that "what is suffice is that the writer understands that this town has not made tobacco littering into something "common".

[Naotaka Ito]

I do not understand why these town hall assembly members took such a serious view about a place-name in a story which is a kind of literature and not news reporting. I think Mr. Murakami’s response to this incident is appropriate.

中國成為肺癌大國

Recently the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:

熱点話題:中国のがん統計

2014年02月23日

　香港英字紙「サウスチャイナ・モーニングポスト」は７日、２０１２年に全世界で１４００万のがんの症状が見つかり、そのうち２１・８％の３０７万件が中国で診断されたものだったとする世界保健機関（ＷＨＯ）の統計を伝えた。全世界で最も多く発病している肺がん患者のうちの３分の１以上が中国で確認され、長期の大気汚染や喫煙の習慣が背景にあるとの見方もある。

　統計によると、２０１２年に中国でがんで死亡した人は約２２０万人に上り、全世界の２６・９％に上った。中国では肺がんのほか、食道がんや胃がんが多くを占めるという。

　中国で生活していて懸念されるのが、大気汚染による健康被害。確かに、霧の濃い日は異物を吸わされ、胃のあたりが不快になることがあります。中華料理は油も多く、総じて不摂生になりがちで、いかに生活習慣に気を配るかが一層問われます。【工藤哲】

(試譯文)

   香港英文報紙“南華早報”7日報導，界衛生組織（ WHO ）在2012年世界各地發現14萬宗癌症病例, 其中3,070,000宗或21.8 ％是在中國發現。肺癌是世界上最普遍的癌症，約有1 /3以上的患者是在中國被確診。有一個觀點認為長期空氣污染和吸煙習慣可能是原因。

   根據2012年的統計，在中國於死於癌症的人數上升至約2,200,000人，相等於全球的26.9 ％。在中國除了肺癌外 食道癌和胃癌也非常普遍。

   在中國日常生活中, 因為擔心空氣污染而造成健康損害經常引起不安。在一個濃霧閉天的日子裏呼吸到一些外來物質時，無可避免地會令胃部感覺到不適。在中國各種菜色也往往是多油，並有一個不留意一般衛生的傾向。應該怎樣再注意生活方式是一個被受關注的問題。

(試譯文)

In Hong Kong on the 7th an English newspaper the" South China Morning Post" reported the statistics of the World Health Organization (WHO) which showed that 14 million cancer cases were found all over the world in 2012 and among them 21.8% or 3,070,000 cases were diagnosed in China. For lung cancer, as the most popular disease in the world, about 1/3 or more patients were confirmed in China; there was a view that the long-term air pollution and the custom of smoking might serve as a background.

According to the statistics, the people who died of cancer in China in 2012 went up to about 2,200,000 people, being equal to 26.9% of the whole world. In China it was said that besides lung cancer the esophagus cancer and the stomach cancer were also very common.

In China a thing that was causing uneasy feeling in the daily life was the health impairment caused by air pollution. For sure, when breathing in some foreign substance in a very misty day, the stomach could become unpleasant. Chinese food also tended to have much oil, and there was a tendency to be careless in health generally: there was a question on how to pay attention to the lifestyle further.

[Satoshi Kudo]

I think, through this WHO’s report, nature is sending a clear message to those who fail to respect their environment. On the subject of nature, some words of wisdom  are quoted for sharing:

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 -1832): There is no trifling with nature; it is always true, grave and severe; it is always in the light, and the faults and errors fall to our share. It defies incompetence, but reveals its secrets to the competent, the truthful, and the pure.

Thomas H. Huxley (1825 -1895): The chessboard is the world, the pieces are the phenomena of the universe; the rules of the game are what we call laws of nature.

George Washington Carver (1864-1943): I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.

日本1月份貿易赤字過去最大

Recently the FNN News on-line reported the following:

1月貿易収支、過去最大の赤字　菅長官、輸出持ち直しへ期待感

1月の貿易収支は、円安で燃料の輸入が膨らんだことなどから、2兆7,900億円の赤字だった。1カ月としては過去最大となる。
財務省が発表した1月の貿易統計によると、輸出は、アメリカ向けの自動車などが増えたことから、前の年の同じ月に比べて、9.5%増え、5兆2,529億円だった。
一方、輸入は、円安で火力発電用の燃料などが膨らみ、25%増の8兆429億円だった。
輸出から輸入を差し引いた貿易収支は、2兆7,900億円の赤字で、1カ月としては、過去最大の赤字となった。
貿易赤字は、19カ月連続となる。
菅官房長官は「(1月は)1年のうち、最も輸出額が少なくなる傾向にある」と述べた。
菅官房長官は、海外景気が底堅く、今後は円安を背景に、輸出が持ち直しに向かうとの期待感を示した。

(試譯文)

The trade balance for January, because of an increase in the amount of fuel imported caused by the cheap yen, stood at 2,790 billion yen in the red. It became the highest figure ever in one single month.

According to the foreign trade statistics in January which the Ministry of Finance had announced, in export, the number of cars etc. to the U.S. had increased. Compared with the same month of the previous year there was a 9.5% increase and the amount was 5,252,900 million yen.

On the other hand in import, with a weak yen, the fuel for thermal power generation etc. had increased and the amount of import was 8,042,900 million yen, being an increase of 25%.

The trade balance of deducting import from export was 2,790 billion yen in the red, and became the highest ever in red for one single month.

The trade deficit had being continuing for 19 months.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga said "(in January) there is a tendency for export value to drop every year".

Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga showed the hope that with a steady overseas business and against the background of a weak yen, exports would move towards a recovery from now on.

     It seems that Japan is quite optimistic in its foreign trade performance, even if it has a deficit for 19 months in a row.

全日空加強國際航線服務

Recently the Asahi News on-line reported the following:

ＡＮＡ、過去最多のＣＡ採用　国際線増便で来春５００人

2014年2月20日23時28分

　全日本空輸は２０日、２０１５年春に入社する客室乗務員（ＣＡ）の採用数を過去最多の約５００人にすると発表した。４５８人が入社する１４年春より１割程度増やす。全日空は羽田空港の国際線発着枠の配分で日本航空の２倍超の１日１１便を得ており、路線増に合わせて国際線の人員を増強する。

　親会社のＡＮＡホールディングスは１４日、１６年度までに国際線を現在の約１・５倍に増やして、国内線を上回る規模にする方針を発表している。アジア路線などに適した最新鋭機「ボーイング７８７」を６６機購入する計画で、客室乗務員も大幅に増やす必要があると判断した。

　客室乗務員は、新興の格安航空会社（ＬＣＣ）なども採用を強化している。全日空は質の高い人材を確保するため、客室乗務員を３年間の契約社員として雇うこれまでの方式を改め、１４年春からは正社員として雇うことを発表している。ライバルの日本航空は１４年春に約３００人、１５年春に約２００人を採用する方針という。（上栗崇）

(試譯文)

On the 20th All Nippon Airways announced  that it would set a record by taking in 500 people to join the company as flight attendant (CA) in the spring of 2015. It would be an increase of about ten percent when 458 people joined the company starting from the spring of 2014. In the allocation of the international airline landing slot in Haneda Airport, All Nippon Airways had 11 flights per day, which was two times more than the Japan Airlines, and it had to beef up the staff in its international flights in response to these increases in routes.

The parent company, ANA Holdings had announced on the 14th a plan to increase the present international flights by about 1.5 times, making its scale to exceed the domestic flights by the fiscal year 2016. Sixty-six numbers of state-of-the-art machines, the "Boeing 787" which were suitable for the Asia routes etc. were scheduled to be purchased, and it was judged that flight attendants were also needed to be increased sharply.

As for the flight attendants, action to adopt the new low-cost carrier (LCC) etc. had been strengthened. The old system which employed a flight attendant as a contracted employee for three years would be changed. In order to secure high quality talented people, All Nippon Airways had announced that employees would be treated as full-time staff starting from the spring of 2014. Japan Airlines, a rival, had a plan to employ about 300 people in the spring of 2014, and about 200 people in the spring of 2015.

It seems that there is a business boom in Japan’s airline industry.

日本新力退出個人電腦生產市場

Recently the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:

ソニー:ＰＣ完全撤退、テレビ分社化で５０００人リストラ

毎日新聞　2014年02月06日　20時49分（最終更新　02月06日　23時05分）

　ソニーは６日、「バイオ」ブランドで展開してきたパソコン事業を投資ファンド「日本産業パートナーズ（ＪＩＰ）」（東京）に売却し、今年春モデルを最後に同事業から撤退することを発表した。また、赤字が続くテレビ事業を７月をめどに分社化する方針も発表。両事業などの人員約５０００人（国内１５００人、海外３５００人）を来年３月末までに削減する。両事業のリストラ費を積み増すことなどから、２０１４年３月期の連結最終（当期）損益を、昨年１０月時点の３００億円の黒字から１１００億円の赤字に下方修正。ソニーの苦境が鮮明になった。

　ソニーは、スマートフォンやタブレット端末の急速な普及でパソコン事業が営業赤字に陥っており、３月末までにＪＩＰと売却を正式契約する方針。ＪＩＰが９５％、ソニーが５％を出資して新会社を設立し、バイオブランドのパソコン事業を引き継ぐ。

　新会社設立に伴い、ソニーは今春、国内外のパソコンの開発、製造、販売から撤退する。ただ、顧客へのアフターサービスは続ける。平井一夫社長はパソコン事業の撤退について「（スマホなどの）モバイル機器の急成長による市場変化を踏まえ、スマホとタブレット端末に集中すべきだと判断した」と説明した。

　９年連続で赤字が続いてきたテレビ事業も、１４年３月期に営業黒字化する目標を掲げていたが、２５０億円の赤字になる見通し。このため、テレビ事業を分社化して経営判断のスピードアップや効率化を図る。同日、東京都内のソニー本社で記者会見した平井社長は「テレビ事業の赤字幅は年々縮小しており、分社化で１５年３月期の黒字化を目指す」と語った。

　１４年３月期の連結売上高の予想は、前期比１３．２％増の７兆７０００億円に据え置いた。しかし、パソコン事業の撤退に伴う生産設備の損失処理など約５００億円を計上するほか、テレビ事業などの構造改革費用２００億円を積み増したため、営業利益は予想比５２．９％減の８００億円、最終損益も赤字にそれぞれ下方修正した。

　テレビやパソコンの不振が響き、ソニーの電機分野は１４年３月期で３期連続の赤字となる見通し。ソニーは今後、スマートフォンやゲーム機などに注力し、業績の立て直しを急ぐ。平井社長は業績低迷の責任について「電機分野を再生し、グループ全体の成長に寄与することが使命」と述べた。【柳原美砂子】

(試譯文)

     On the 6th Sony sold off its personal computer business that was developed under the "Vaio" brand name to an investment fund: the "Japanese industrial partners (JIP)" (Tokyo); and announced that its model for this spring would be their final production before the withdrawal of this enterprise. Moreover, a plan to split up in around July its television business which was having a deficit was also announced. About 5000 staff (domestic 1500, overseas 3500) in these two enterprises etc. would be reduced by the end of March next year. Because the restructuring expenses of these two business etc. needed be included, the consolidated final (this term) profit and loss for the term ending March 2014 was revised downwards to a deficit of 110 billion yen from the 30 billion yen surplus as of October last year. The predicament of Sony became clear.

     The personal computer business had fallen into an operating loss due to the rapid popularity of the smart phone and tablet computer, and Sony was planning to complete a formal sale contract with JIP by the end of March. Respectively JIP would contribute 95% and Sony 5% to establish a new company, and to take over the personal computer enterprise under the Vaio brand. With this new company to be established this spring, Sony would withdraw from the development of personal computers inside and outside the country, and also its manufacturing and sales. However, the after-sale service to the customers would continue. About the withdrawal from the personal computer business President Kazuo Hirai explained that "it is judged that we should concentrate on smart phones and tablet computers based on market changes caused by the rapidly increasing mobile computing devices (smart phone etc.)".

     With the television enterprise having a deficit for nine consecutive years, although the target was to cling to the goal of an operating profit at the term ending March 2014, it was now expected to record a loss of 25 billion yen. For this reason, it was the management’s decision to attain a rapid television enterprise splitting up, and to increase company efficiency. On the same day, President Hirai gave an interview in the Sony head office in Tokyo and said that "the current account deficit in television business is decreasing every year and the aim was to have a surplus at the term ending March 2015 because of the splitting up".

     Anticipated consolidated sales for the term ending March 2014 was kept unchanged at 7,700 billion yen, being an increase of 13.2% compared with the preceding period. However, because about a 50 billion yen loss in handling the production equipment etc. would come along with the withdrawal from the personal computer business, and also a 20 billion yen restructuring expense in the television enterprise etc. would be added, compared to the forecast, operating profits would go down by 52.9% to stand at 80 billion yen, and the final profit and loss also would be adjusted downwards into the red respectively.

     As the depression in television and the personal computer was expected to linger on, the electrical machinery division of Sony was expected to go into the red for three consecutive terms ending at March 2014. From now on Sony would concentrate on the smart phone and game machine etc., and would quicken the reorganization in its performance. About the responsibility for a downturn in performance President Hirai said "it is my mission to rebuild the electrical machinery division, and to contribute to the overall growth of the syndicate".

Sony is a very good brand name. I have confidence in the quality of its products in general and TV sets in particular. For survival, it is a must for companies to adjust their investment and production strategies in response to market changes.

法國汽車廠接受東風汽車集団合作投資

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

プジョー・シトロエン、中国大手など出資受ける

　【ロンドン＝五十棲忠史】ロイター通信などによると、仏自動車大手プジョー・シトロエングループ（ＰＳＡ）は１９日、中国自動車大手の東風汽車集団と、仏政府からの出資を受け入れる方針を固めた。

　ＰＳＡは、資金を新車の開発や新興国への投資などに充てる。

　東風汽車と仏政府は、それぞれ７・５億ユーロ（約１０６０億円）ずつ出資し、ＰＳＡの株式を１４％ずつ保有する。現在、約２５％の株式を握るプジョー創業家も１億ユーロ（約１４１億円）を出資するが、持ち株比率は１４％まで下がるという。

　ＰＳＡは昨年１２月、米自動車大手のゼネラル・モーターズ（ＧＭ）との資本提携の解消を表明。同時に「東風汽車と提携交渉している」との声明を発表した。

（2014年1月20日22時35分  読売新聞）

(試譯文)

    According to Reuters etc. on the 19^th (January) a major French automobile company the Peugeot Citroen group (PSA) had made a policy that would accept the investments from the French government, and also from the Dongfeng Automobile group which was a major China automobile company.

    PSA would appropriate funds for the development of new cars and to do investment in newly emerging countries etc.

    Dongfeng Automobile and the French government each would invest 750 million euros (about 106 billion yen) respectively and to hold 14% of the stocks of PSA. The Peugeot founding family which now grasped about 25% of the stocks would also contribute 100 million euros (about 14,100 million yen) and it was said that its equity holdings would fall to 14%.

    PSA announced the cancellation of the capital ties with the General Motors (GM), a major U.S. automobile company, which was made in December last year. Simultaneously it issued a statement saying that "alliance negotiations are being carried out with the Dongfeng Automobile".

(22:35 on January 20, 2014    Yomiuri Shimbun)

Obviously China is trying to diversify its investment overseas. 

中国毒餃子事件食品公司雇員判無期徒刑

Recently the FNN News on-line reported the following:

中国ギョーザ中毒事件　食品工場元従業員の男の無期懲役が確定

2007年末から2008年1月にかけて、中国製の冷凍ギョーザを食べた日本人が相次いで中毒症状を起こした事件で、食品工場の元従業員の男の無期懲役が確定した。
河北省石家荘市にあった食品工場の元従業員・呂月庭被告は、1月20日、現地の裁判所から冷凍ギョーザに殺虫剤を混ぜた危険物質投入の罪で、無期懲役の1審判決を受けていた。
その後、期限内に控訴しなかったため、2月14日までに呂被告の無期懲役が確定した。
この事件は、2007年12月から2008年1月にかけて、石家荘市にある天洋食品の工場で製造された冷凍ギョーザを食べた、千葉県などの10人が中毒症状を起こしたもので、ギョーザからは、有機リン系の殺虫剤「メタミドホス」が検出され、中国国内でも被害者が出ていた。(02/16 00:40)

(試譯文)

In connection with the incidents happened from the end of 2007 to January 2008 that some Japanese who had eaten Chinese-made frozen meat and vegetable dumplings showed intoxicated symptoms successively, a male former employee of a food factory was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The defendant Lu Yueting was a former employee of the food factory which suited in Shijiazhuang of the Hebei Province. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in the first trial by a court at the same location on January 20th for the crime of injecting insecticide mixed hazardous substance into the frozen meat and vegetable dumplings.

Because no appeal was filed within the time limit, defendant Lu’s life imprisonment was confirmed on February 14th.

The incidents happened from December 2007 to January 2008 when ten people from Chiba Prefecture etc. who ate the frozen meat and vegetable dumplings manufactured by the factory of Tianyang Food Company in Shijiazhuang started to show intoxicated symptoms. Organophosphorus insecticide "methamidophos" was detected in the dumplings. In China, there were also victims of these meat and vegetable dumplings.

    Japanese newspapers in April 2010 had already reported that Lu Yueting was arrested by the police in China (see my translation on Japanese news dated 28th April 2010). The incident reached the China’s highest level before Lu was trialed in a Chinese court. 

日本麥當奴盈利大幅下跌

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

マクドナルド 客減少や円安で大幅減益

2月6日 20時42分

ハンバーガーチェーン最大手の「日本マクドナルドホールディングス」の去年１年間の決算は、コンビニエンスストアとの競争による来店客の減少や円安で原材料価格が上昇したことなどで、最終的な利益が５１億円余りと前の年に比べて６０％以上減る大幅な減益になりました。

それによりますと、去年１年間の売り上げは前の年に比べて１１．６％少ない２６０４億円で、最終的な利益は５１億３８００万円でした。
これは、前の年に比べて６０．１％少ないもので、２年連続の減益となりました。
大幅な減益は、このところ、コーヒーや総菜などに力を入れているコンビニなどとの競争が激化し来店客が減ったことや、円安の影響で鶏肉やパンなどの原材料の価格が上昇したことなどによるものです。
マクドナルドでは、直営の店舗を減らしてフランチャイズ化を進めているため、ことしの業績予想について売り上げはわずかに減るものの増益に転じると見込んでいます。
記者会見で、マクドナルドの事業会社のサラ・カサノバ社長は「宅配事業の強化や、女性客を想定した野菜や鶏肉を使った商品など新たなメニューの開発に力を入れることで集客につなげていきたい」と述べました。

(試譯文)

In its last year’s final annual account the "McDonald Co. Japan Ltd. Holdings", a major hamburger chain company, there was a huge decrease in final profits for year: it stood at a little over 5,100 million yen which was a more than 60% decrease compared with the previous year. This was due to a reduction in coming-to-the-store visitors caused by the competition from the convenience stores, and also a rise in material price because of the weak yen.

According to the McDonald, the sale for this year was 260,400 million yen, being a decrease of 11.6% compared with the previous year; the amount of the final profit was 5,138 million yen.

This was a 60.1% drop compared with the previous year, and was a decrease of profit for two years in succession.

The huge decrease in profit was because of the competition from the convenience stores etc. which were intensifying their efforts in coffee and daily dishes etc. The number of coming-to-the-store visitors decreased recently, and also the cost of raw materials, such as chicken and bread had gone up under the influence of the weak yen.

In McDonald, since the number of directly operated stores was reducing and the process to franchise them was in progress, for the earnings forecast this year, it was expected that sales would decrease slightly while profits would change into an increase.

President Sara Casanova of the McDonald business corporation said at a press conference that "I would like to strengthen the door-to-door delivery enterprise, and to connect to attracting customers by putting a lot of energy into the development of new menus that aim at female customers, such as products using vegetable and chicken".

Probably many companies in Japan could face similar situations of having their cost of raw materials gone up under the influence of the weak yen.

中国新車銷售:「１０秒售出１台」

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

中国新車販売:「１０秒に１台」　企業、中国戦略がカギ

毎日新聞　2014年01月09日　21時02分（最終更新　01月10日　09時13分）

　【北京・井出晋平】新車販売台数が２０００万台の大台を突破した中国の自動車市場。３年ぶりに２ケタの伸びを回復するなど、市場拡大に弾みがついている。２０００万台超の販売台数は、米国（１５６０万台）、欧州全体（１０００万台超）、日本（５３７万台）を大きく上回る規模。世界の自動車メーカーにとって、巨大市場・中国での戦略が経営のカギを握る時代になっている。

　「１０秒に１台売れている計算」。中国市場で過去最高の販売を記録した米ゼネラル・モーターズ（ＧＭ）は、中国市場の勢いをそう表現する。日系メーカーでも毎月１万台以上売れる車種もあり、「日本では考えられない規模だ」（日産自動車）。各社とも、今年は２０１３年を上回る販売を目指しており、市場のさらなる拡大に期待する。

　中国の自動車市場では、売れ筋は１１万〜１８万元（約１８０万〜３００万円）台の中級セダン。独フォルクスワーゲン（ＶＷ）や韓国・現代自動車など各国のメーカーが主力車種を投入しており、激戦区となっている。また、最近は２０万元以上の大型のＳＵＶ（スポーツタイプ多目的車）も人気。ＳＵＶの販売台数は５割近く増加しており、トヨタ自動車などもモデルチェンジで攻勢をかけている。一方、ＧＭなどは１０万元を切る小型車を投入。マイカー購入を検討し始めた層の開拓も進めている。

　だが、懸念材料もある。中国の大都市では、大気汚染の深刻化で地方政府による自動車の購入規制強化の動きが広がっている。天津市が購入規制を導入したほか、すでに抽選による購入規制を導入している北京市は、今年から当選枠を９万台削減し、１４〜１７年の４年間で新規増加を６０万台に抑制する方針。政府はエコカーの普及を促す方針で補助金の導入などを決めているが、「燃費が悪くても大きくて豪華な車が欲しいというニーズが強い」（日系自動車部品メーカー幹部）中国市場で、どこまでエコカーの購入意欲が高まるかは未知数。メーカー各社は消費者ニーズに応えるだけでなく環境への配慮も求められており、今後の販売はさらに難しくなりそうだ。

(試譯文)

In China’s car market the number of new car registration broke through the 20 million mark milestone. It was a return to the 2-figure growth and was the first time in three years; the market expansion was gaining momentum. This scale of sales increase of more than 20 million cars had far exceeded the whole Europe (more than 10 million cars), U.S. (15,600,000 cars), and Japan (5,370,000 cars). For the automaker in the world, it was the time to grasp the key of management strategy in this mega-market of China

"The calculation is that one car is sold in 10 seconds" - the U.S. General Motors (GM) which recorded the highest ever sale in the Chinese market expressed the vigor of the Chinese market in these words. Japanese maker also had a vehicle type which sold 10,000 or more cars every month, and it "is a scale which could not be thought of in Japan" (Nissan Motor). All companies were aiming at this year’s sale to exceed that of 2013 and were expecting a further expansion of the market.

In the car market in China, the popular model was the middle-class sedan with the price range of 110,000 to 180,000 yuan (about 1,800,000 to 3 million yen). The makers of some countries, such as German Volkswagen (VW) and South Korea Hyundai, were supplying their prime vehicle models, thus turning the market into a site for hard-fought battles. Moreover, large-sized 200,000 yuan or more SUV (sport type multipurpose vehicle) was also popular in these days. The sales number of SUV was increasing by about 50 percent, and Toyota Motor etc. had taken the offensive by effecting model changes. On the other hand GM threw in their small-size car which was below 100,000 yuan. The step to open up the groups who were starting to consider purchasing their own private cars was also in progress.

But there was also a cause for concern. In the big cities in China, the movement towards toughening regulations on car purchase by the local government had spread in view of the aggravation of air pollution. Tianjin had introduced purchase regulations. Beijing, which had already introduced a purchase regulation by lottery system, had a plan to reduce the number cars allotted to winners which stood at  90,000 this year. The plan was to reduce new increases to 600,000 cars in the four years from 2014 to 2017 years. Although the government was planning to encourage the popularity of environment-friendly cars and had opted for the introduction of subsidy etc., "there is a strong need of wanting a large and gorgeous car even if it is fuel-inefficient" (Japanese automotive parts supplying staff). In the Chinese market, how far the volition to purchase environment-friendly cars would go was unknown. Consideration for the environment was called for: individual manufacturing companies should not merely meeting consumer needs. It was likely that the future sales would become even more difficult.

Obviously, as a newly rich country, China has transformed from the biggest country in using bicycles to using motor cars.

美軍在日本配備最先進Ｐ８巡邏機

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

米軍 日本配備の最新鋭Ｐ８哨戒機公開

1月9日 5時5分

アメリカ海軍は、国外では初めて日本に配備した最新鋭のＰ８哨戒機を報道機関に公開し、海洋進出を活発化させている中国を念頭に、アジア太平洋地域での情報収集体制を強化する方針を強調しました。

アメリカ海軍は８日、上空から潜水艦などの監視に当たる最新鋭のＰ８哨戒機を、神奈川県のアメリカ海軍厚木基地でＮＨＫなど一部の報道機関に公開しました。
Ｐ８哨戒機は、現在運用されているＰ３Ｃ哨戒機の後継機として開発されたもので、先月から沖縄県の嘉手納基地に６機配備されています。
ジェットエンジンを搭載し、プロペラ機のＰ３Ｃよりも迅速に作戦海域に展開できるほか、敵の潜水艦に関する情報を素早く処理するための高度なコンピューターを搭載するなど、高い監視能力を持っています。
アメリカ海軍としては、Ｐ８哨戒機を国外では初めて日本に配備することで、潜水艦を増強するなど海洋進出を活発化させている中国をけん制するねらいがあります。
日本に展開するアメリカ海軍の哨戒偵察部隊を指揮するマイク・パーカー司令官は、「多くの国が高性能でより静かな潜水艦を開発しており、潜水艦を探知、追跡するうえで、Ｐ８哨戒機は大きな力となる」と述べ、Ｐ８哨戒機の配備を通じて、アジア太平洋地域での情報収集体制を強化する考えを強調しました。

(試譯文)

The U.S. navy disclosed to the press on the arrangement of deploying for the first time its P8, a state-of-the-art patrol aircraft abroad in Japan, and emphasized that the plan was to strengthen information gathering system in the Asia-Pacific region bearing in mind that China was escalating its advance at sea.

The U.S. navy on the 8^th (January) at the U.S. navy Atsugi Naval Air Facility in Kanagawa Prefecture disclosed to some of the press media, such as the NHK that the P8, a state-of-the-art patrol aircraft would take charge of the surveillance of submarines etc. from the sky.

The P8 patrol aircraft was developed as a succeeding machine of the P3C, the patrol aircraft now employed. Since last month six numbers were stationed at the Kadena Air Base at the Okinawa Prefecture.

A jet engine was installed to it and it could develop the fighting strategy at the ocean space more quickly than P3C which was a propeller plane. It also had a high surveillance capability as it carried advanced computers etc. for quick processing of the information about enemy's submarines.

To the U.S. navy, it was the first time to deploy the P8 patrol aircraft abroad in Japan, with the aim to check China which was escalating its advance at sea such as through improving its submarines.

Commander Mike Parker who commanded the U.S. navy’s patrol reconnaissance unit deployed to Japan said "when many countries are developing high performance submarines which are quieter, the P8 patrol aircraft could serve as a big help to pursue and detect the submarines", and emphasized that their idea was to strengthen information gathering organization in the Asia-Pacific region through the deployment of the P8 patrol aircraft.

  Obviously it is the Chinese submarines that the U.S. is after.