韓国IKEA、停止販売使用「日本海」表記地図

A last month the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

イケア韓国法人、「日本海」表記の地図販売中止

2014年12月06日 08時36分

　【ソウル＝吉田敏行】スウェーデン家具大手イケアの韓国法人は５日、日本海を「ＳＥＡ　ＯＦ　ＪＡＰＡＮ」と表記したインテリア用の世界地図の販売を、来年から全世界で中止することを明らかにした。

　韓国政府は、日本海の単独呼称に異議を唱えている。今月１８日にソウル近郊で韓国の第１号店をオープンさせるイケアがこの地図を販売していることに、韓国内で反発が広がっていた。

　イケア側は、「毎年商品の約２０％を入れ替える一環」と説明。「教育用資料でなく、室内装飾のため開発した製品」と強調した。

(試譯文)

  On the 5th (December) it was made clear that starting from next year (2015) the Korean corporation of IKEA, a major Sweden furniture company, would stop selling world-wide a home-use world map that the Sea of Japan was transcribed with "SEA OF JAPAN".

  

The Korean government was taking exception to name it as the Sea of Japan only. IKEA’s number one store which was opened on the 18th this month at the suburb of Seoul that sold this map had caused wide-spread objection in Korea.

  IKEA explained that "each year part of our goods, about 20 % would be replaced". It stressed that "this product is not developed as a material for education, but for interior decoration".

To me, Sea of Japan is merely a geographic name that has been used for a very long time. The incident, among other things, shows that nationalism in Korea is strong. 

美國三成是留学生、來自中国的是日本頂峰時的６倍

A few weeks ago the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

米留学の３割、中国から…日本のピーク時の６倍

2014年11月24日 19時20分

　【ワシントン＝中島達雄】昨年から今年にかけて米国の大学や大学院に留学した国・地域別の留学生数では中国が昨年比１６・５％増の２７万４４３９人と、首位を保った。

　７年連続の２桁増で、米国への留学生全体の３１％に達した。２位はインド（１０万２６７３人）で、韓国、サウジアラビア、カナダ、台湾と続き、日本（１万９３３４人）は昨年と同じ７位だった。

　調査は米国のＮＰＯ法人・国際教育研究所が行った。日本は１９９４～９５年から９７～９８年にかけて国・地域別でトップだったが、少子化や日本の景気の悪化、帰国後の就職活動への影響懸念などから、９７～９８年の４万７０７３人をピークに減少傾向に転じた。

　中国人留学生は日本のピーク時の６倍近く、インドは２倍以上に達した。世界１、２位の人口大国の経済成長が留学生数に反映された形だ。

(試譯文)

 From last year to this year (2014) the number of students, according to the area from abroad to study in American universities and graduate schools, was 274,439 people from China; compared with last year it increased by over 16. 5 % and maintained its top ranking by country.

  

   In the USA there was a double-digit growth for seven consecutive years, the total number of students studying from abroad reached 31%. China was followed by India (102,673 people) in the second place, then by Korea, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Taiwan, and Japan (19,334 people) which was at the 7th place same as last year.

   It was the International Educational Research Institute, an American NPO Corporation that did the investigation. According to countries or regions, Japan was at top-level from 1994-95 to 97-98, but from the peak of 47,073 people in 97-98, it changed into a downward trend due to a decline in the number of births, deterioration in Japanese business conditions, and worries over the influence on job hunting after returning home.

   The number of Chinese students studying abroad was nearly 6 times more than the peak of the Japanese, two times more than India. The shape of economic growth of the 1st and 2nd place large population countries in the world was reflected by the number of students studying abroad.

I am interested to know whether students from China would spread the thinking of capitalistic life style etc. when they return to China after graduation.

以色列交易會: 展出實戰無人機

A few weeks ago the NHK News on-line reported the following:

実戦投入の無人機などの見本市 イスラエル

11月27日 8時34分

最先端の軍事技術を持つ中東のイスラエルで、無人機の見本市が開かれ、イスラエル軍などがすでに実戦に投入している技術の数々が注目を集めました。

イスラエルのテルアビブ郊外で２６日開かれた無人機の見本市には、イスラエルを中心におよそ６０の軍事関連の企業が参加しました。
会場には、１度の燃料補給で２０時間飛行できる小型の無人機や、市街地での戦闘を想定し、狭い場所でも離着陸できるヘリコプター型の偵察用無人機など、最先端の技術を搭載した製品が展示されました。
製品の中には、ことし夏のイスラエル軍によるパレスチナ暫定自治区のガザ地区への軍事作戦などで実戦に投入されたものもあり、イスラエル側はこれを実績としてアピールすることで、海外への売り込みを図るねらいがあるとみられます。
見本市の広報担当者は「いくつかの技術では、イスラエルはアメリカよりも先を行っており、無人機産業はイスラエルに多くの利益をもたらしている。無人機の運用は今後、警察や海上警備など非軍事部門にも拡大していくだろう」と話していました。

(試譯文)

A trade fair of drones was opened in Israel in the Middle East that displayed the most advanced military technology; the numerous technologies that Israel troops had already put in actual fightings attracted much attention.

Centering on Israel, approximately 60 military related enterprises participated in a trade fair of the drones opened on the 26^th (November) at Israeli’s Tel-Aviv-Yafo suburb.

In this trade fair, products equipped with the most advanced technology were exhibited: for example a small drone that could fly for 20 hours with one single fuel filling, a helicopter type drone for reconnaissance that could assume a battle role inside a city because it was able take off and land within a small space.

Among the products, some items had been put into actual fighting by the Israel troops during the military combat in Gaza Strip of the Palestine temporary autonomous region in summer this year (2014). For Israel, the appeal was that actual results could be seen; it was thought that the aim of their plan was overseas sales.

A spokesperson for this trade fair was saying that "in some technologies, Israel is ahead of the United States, and the drone industry makes huge profit for Israel. From now on the practical use of a drone could also be expanded into the non-military section of the police force and the coast guard etc."

   I think because the usage of a drone is so wide, the drone industry has much potential in further development.

ＩＥＡ向下方修正来年石油需要預測

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

ＩＥＡ 来年の石油需要の見通し下方修正

12月12日 23時38分

ＩＥＡ＝国際エネルギー機関は１２日、原油価格の急落でロシアなど産油国の景気減速が見込まれることなどを背景に、来年の石油需要の伸びの見通しを下方修正し、原油価格は一段と下落することになりそうです。

ＩＥＡは１２日発表した原油市場に関する報告書の中で、来年の石油需要の伸びについて、これまでの予測より２３万バレル少ない１日当たり９０万バレルにとどまるという見通しを示しました。
下方修正の理由について、ＩＥＡは原油価格の急落によってロシアなど産油国の景気が減速し、需要が落ち込むことが見込まれるとしています。
来年の石油の需要を巡っては、ＯＰＥＣ＝石油輸出国機構も１０日、加盟国が生産した原油の需要見通しを下方修正していて、世界の需要が想定以上に減速していることが浮き彫りとなりました。
また、ＩＥＡは報告書の中で「需要と供給が今の原油価格の下落に見合うまでには時間がかかる」と指摘し、供給過剰の状況は当面、続くという認識を示しました。
原油価格はこの半年間で、４０％以上下落していますが、需要の減速が改めて示されたことで、供給過剰への懸念から、原油価格は一段と下落することになりそうです。

(試譯文)

On the 12^th (December) the IEA: the International Energy Agency, against the background of a quick fall in oil price and that Russia together with other petroleum-producing nations would slowdown their business, revised downward the outlook for growth in oil demand, and expected a further slump of oil price.

IEA in the report released on the 12^th about the petroleum market, regarding the growth rate for petroleum demand next year, showed the perspective that their former prediction of more than 230,000 barrels a day would stay at 900,000 barrels.

About the reason for the downward revision, IEA assumed that due to a slump in oil price, Russia etc. petroleum-producing nations would slow down their business, and expected a fall in demand.

Concerning petroleum demand for next year, the OPEC= Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on the 10th revised downward the perspective on demand for the petroleum produced by the signatory countries, and highlighted that the decrease in world demand was more than expected.

In the report IEA pointed out that "it takes time for sale and supply to respond to the present fall in oil price" and showed an understanding that the situation of excessive supply would continue for the time being.

In the past half year oil price had fallen more than 40 %, once more indicating a slow down in demand; due to the worry over excessive supply, oil price was likely to fall further.

I am interested in knowing the reasons for this sudden decrease in the demand for oil world-wide.

ＧＤＰ悪化、年率減１・９％…推翻向上修正估計

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

ＧＤＰ悪化、年１・９％減…上方修正予想覆す

2014年12月08日 11時54分

　内閣府は８日、７～９月期の国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）の改定値を発表した。

　物価の変動の影響を除いた実質ＧＤＰ（季節調整値）は前期比０・５％減で、このペースが１年間続くと仮定した場合の年率換算は１・９％減だった。１１月に発表した速報値（年率１・６％減）から０・３ポイントの下方修正となった。民間調査機関の大半が上方修正を見込む中での予想外の結果となり、消費税率引き上げ後の景気低迷が改めて鮮明になった。

　２四半期連続のマイナス成長だったことは変わらない。改定値のマイナス幅が拡大したのは、設備投資が速報値の０・２％減から０・４％減に下方修正されたのが大きい。不動産や電気工事などで投資が減った。

　１日発表の７～９月期の法人企業統計は、金融業・保険業を除く全産業の設備投資が、前年同期比５・５％増だった。ＧＤＰもプラスに転じるとの見方さえ出たが、この統計に含まれない小規模事業者などもＧＤＰの計算では対象になる。その結果、全体の設備投資はマイナスとなった。

　ＧＤＰは１年前との比較ではなく、前期（４～６月期）と比較する点も異なる。

(試譯文)

On the 8th (December), the Cabinet Office announced the revised value of the gross domestic product (GDP) covering July to September.

   For the real GDP that excluded the influence of prices fluctuation (the seasonally adjusted value), when compared with the previous quarter it was a decrease of 0.5 %; and when assuming this pace would continue, the annual rates in one year would be a 1.9 % decrease. It was a 0.3 point downward revision from the quick estimate value released in November (a 1.6 % decrease in annual rate). It was a result unexpected by most of the private investigating institutions which expected an upward revision; it became clear once more that there was an economic slump after the consumption tax increase.

  There was no change in the fact that there was a negative growth for two consecutive quarters. Those investments that had an expanded scope in minus were in plants and equipment, it was a big downward revision in the quick estimate value of from 0.2 % to 0.4 %. Investment in land property and electric construction had also decreased.

According to the corporation statistics announced on the 1st covering July to September, except for the banking business and insurance industries, capital investment in all industries was a 5.5% increase on a year-on-year comparison. While some view points had come out that GDP might also turn into a plus, for the calculation of the GDP, those small scale enterprises that were not included in the corporation statistics were also covered. As a result, the overall investment in plants and equipment became a minus.

The points of comparison were different, not only compared with the GDP a year ago, but also with the previous term (April-June).

It is clear that an increase in consumption tax could negatively affect Japan’s economy.

三重・伊賀市黒党祭: 黒衣忍者表演武藝奉獻

A few weeks ago the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:

黒党祭:忍者が黒装束で演武奉納　三重・伊賀

毎日新聞　2014年11月24日　10時00分（最終更新　11月24日　10時11分）

　忍者の古里・三重県伊賀市の敢国（あえくに）神社で２３日、「黒党祭（くろんどまつり）」があり、黒党の語源ともなった黒装束の忍者が忍術演武を奉納、観客の拍手を浴びた。

　平安時代の伊賀服部一族の私的な祭りが起源とされ、戦国時代に途絶えたが、１９９５年に復活した。この日はパフォーマンス集団「伊賀流忍者集団・黒党」のメンバーが、大型剪定（せんてい）ばさみでの戦い方や独特の捕縛術を披露した。

　「円安で外国人絡みのイベントの仕事が増えている」と黒党の黒井宏光代表。この祭りも「クールジャパン」の一つとして売り出したいところ。【村瀬達男】

(試譯文)

On the 23rd (November) at ninja's Aekuni shrine in Kori of Iga city, Mie Prefecture, there was a "Black Party Festival (Kurondo festival)". Ninja in black costumes, as the etymology of the Black Party, would make an offering by performing ninjutsu and bath in the clapping of the audience.

 This festival, originated from a private festival of the Iga Hattori clan during the Heian Period, was stopped in the Warring-States era but restored in 1995. On this day members of the performing group: the "Iga Way Ninja Group Black Party" would show how to fight with large pruning scissors, and also their unique arts in capturing.

 “Due to a fall in the yen, foreigner-related working-event is increasing" said Kuroi Hiromitsu a representative of the Black Party, and that he would like to put this festival on sale as one of the ‘cool Japan’ too.

Probably this performance in Mie Prefecture is one of the tourist attractions in Kori of the Iga city.

數據漏出到韓国企業事件、東芝要求１千億円賠償

A few weeks ago the Asahi News on-line reported the following:

東芝、１千億円の賠償請求　韓国企業へのデータ流出事件

2014年11月12日23時22分

　総合電機大手「東芝」の記憶媒体の研究データが韓国メーカーに流出した事件をめぐり、東芝が流出先のメーカーとデータを持ち出したとされる元技術者に、約１０９０億円の損害賠償などを求めた訴訟の第１回口頭弁論が１２日、東京地裁であった。東芝は、流出データを使って開発したとされる製品の販売差し止めも求めた。

　訴えられたのは、韓国の半導体大手「ＳＫハイニックス」と、東芝と業務提携している米半導体大手「サンディスク」の元技術者杉田吉隆被告（５３）＝不正競争防止法違反（営業秘密開示）の罪で起訴。

　この日の弁論で東芝側は、「ＳＫ社は不正取得された秘密情報だと知りながらデータを使って製造・販売し、東芝に巨額の損害を与えた」と主張。ＳＫ社と杉田被告側は請求の棄却を求めた。

　訴状で東芝側は、杉田被告が２００８年にサン社を退職した際、派遣されていた東芝の工場から研究データを持ち出し、その後就職したＳＫ社で開発に使ったとしている。

　ＳＫ社の代理人は「会社の考えは裁判を通じて主張して参ります」とコメントした。

(試譯文)

On the 12^th (November), regarding storage media research data owned by "Toshiba" being out-flowed to a Korean manufacturer, Toshiba, a major general electrical machinery company asked for damages compensation of about 109,000 million yen from its former engineer who had caused the outflow, and from the destination where the data had flowed to. The suit’s first round oral argument was held in the Tokyo District Court. Toshiba also asked for prohibition on the sales of products that were developed and manufactured using the flowed out data.

  The parties being complained about was "SK Hynix", a major Korean semiconductor company, together with Sugita Yoshitaka (53) a former engineer of "SanDisk" which was a major semiconductor company in the US that had business co-operation with Toshiba. The crime was violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Law (Trade Secret Disclosure).

  On this day in the argument the Toshiba side insisted that "while SK Company knew that their confidential information was acquired unjustly, used the data to produce and sold the products, causing a huge damage to Toshiba". From the defendant side Sugita and SK Company asked for acquittal of the charge.

In the petition, the Toshiba side complained that when Sugita retired from San company in 2008, he took away research data from a factory of Toshiba where he was sent, and used the data for development after getting a job in SK company.

An agent of SK Company made a comment that "through this trial, they will insist on the thinking of their company".

I think it would be an interesting company law case in Japan.

新技術可以從血液確定腦退化症

A few weeks ago the NHK New on-line reported the following:

アルツハイマー病 血液で判定できる新技術

11月11日 4時11分

血液を調べるだけでアルツハイマー病の原因となる物質が脳の中にたまっているかどうかを判定できる新たな技術を、国立長寿医療研究センターなどのグループが開発し、病気の早期発見につながると期待されています。

この技術は、愛知県大府市にある国立長寿医療研究センターとノーベル賞を受賞した島津製作所の田中耕一さんのグループが共同で開発しました。
アルツハイマー病の患者は、発症の１０年以上前から脳の中にアミロイドベータと呼ばれる物質がたまり始めることが分かっていますが、検査にはＰＥＴと呼ばれる画像診断装置や特殊な試薬などが必要で、簡単にはできませんでした。
今回、研究グループでは、アミロイドベータがたまった高齢者と健康な高齢者合わせて６０人以上から血液を採取し、アミロイドベータがたまった人の血液では「ＡＰＰ６６９－７１１」と呼ばれるたんぱく質の量が僅かに変化していることを突き止めました。
この検査は、血液が数滴あればできるということで、実用化されれば、健康診断の採血の際などに調べることも可能になるということです。
国立長寿医療研究センター認知症先進医療開発センターの柳澤勝彦センター長は「発症前の患者が簡単に分かるようになれば、そうした患者を対象にした治療法の研究も進む。アルツハイマー病の予防薬の開発にも役立つはずだ」と話しています。

(試譯文)

A group formed by the National Institute for Longevity Science etc. had jointly developed a new technology which just by checking the blood could judge whether a substance that caused Alzheimer's disease was gathering in the brain and thus lead to an early detection of the sickness.

This technology was developed by the National Institute for Longevity Science in Obu city of Aichi, together with Mr. Koichi Tanaka of the Shimadzu Corporation who had won a Nobel Prize.

It was known that a patient with Alzheimer’s disease had a substance called Amyloid beta began to gather in the brain for over than 10 years before developing the disease. But to use the so called PET to check, a picture diagnostic system and a special reagent were necessary, and thus could not be done easily.

This time the study group extracted blood from senior citizens who had Amyloid beta gathering, and also from healthy senior citizens, totaling over 60 people. It was discovered that in the blood of people who had Amyloid beta gathering, the amount of the protein, the so called "APP669-711" had changed very little.

For this checking, it was said that only several drops of blood would be needed. When turned into practical use, it was said that a checking could be done in a blood test during a physical check-up.

Katsuhiko Yanagisawa, the center in-charge of the Dementia Advanced Medical Development Center of the National Institute for Longevity Science said "if it is easy to understand a patient before the sickness develops, a study to look for the remedy by making these patients the subject can also be developed. It should also be useful for developing some preventive medication for the Alzheimer's disease".

It is good news for the Alzheimer's disease patients.

ＩＰＣＣ報告書: 気温上昇低於２度国際目標、予測不樂觀…

A few weeks ago the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

気温上昇２度未満、厳しい予測…ＩＰＣＣ報告書

2014年11月02日 21時07分

　地球温暖化の将来予測や影響を評価する国連の「気候変動に関する政府間パネル（ＩＰＣＣ）」は２日、最新の統合報告書を公表した。

　今世紀末までの気温上昇を２度未満に抑えるという国際目標の達成には、産業革命以降の世界全体の二酸化炭素（ＣＯ２）の累積排出量を、約３兆トンに抑える必要があるとの見解を盛り込んだ。すでに約２兆トンを排出しており、現在のペースで排出が続けば、あと３０年で限界を超えるという厳しい見通しを示した。

　統合報告書は、コペンハーゲンでの総会で１日に承認され、２日に公表された。１２月１日からペルーで開かれる国連気候変動枠組み条約第２０回締約国会議（ＣＯＰ２０）で報告され、温室効果ガスの削減交渉の科学的根拠とされる。

　ＩＰＣＣのラジェンドラ・パチャウリ議長は２日の記者会見で、「温暖化対策のための科学的根拠を示した。国際社会は真剣に受け止めてほしい」と述べた。

(試譯文)

On the 2^nd (November), the "Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes (IPCC)” of the UN which predicted the future of global warming and estimated its influence had published the latest integrated report.

  Regarding to achieve the international target by suppressing the temperature rise to less than two degrees by the end of this century, the view that it was necessary to suppress the accumulated amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission of the whole world since the Industrial Revolution to about 3,000,000 million tons was incorporated. About 2,000,000 million tons had already been discharged, and if the discharging continued at the present pace, a severe perspective was indicated that it would exceed the limit in 30 years.

  An integration report was approved on the 1^st (November) at the general meeting in Copenhagen, and published on the 2nd. It would be reported at the 20th round of the Conference of the Parties (COP20) of the UN Frameworks Convention on Climate Change opened in Peru from December 1. It had made a scientific basis for negotiating the reduction of greenhouse gas.

  Rajendra Pachauri the chairperson of IPCC in a press conference on the 2nd stated that "the scientific base for measures to deal with the global warming was shown, and I seriously hope the international societies will accept it".

It seems that the target to suppress global temperature rise to less than two degrees by the end of this century is too optimistic.

日本與台湾: 簽備忘錄強化促進観光等関係

A few weeks ago the NHK News on-line reported the following:

日本と台湾 観光促進などで関係強化の覚書

11月20日 23時57分

日本と台湾は、交流の拡大に伴い、観光の促進を目指すことや、人の出入りの管理に関して緊急時に担当部局が直接連絡を取り合うことができるなど関係の一層の強化を図る覚書に署名しました。

日本と台湾が署名したのは、観光や人の出入りの管理、それに特許の分野などでの４項目の覚書です。
２０日、台北で双方の窓口機関の代表が出席して署名式を行いました。
このうち、観光に関しては、日本と台湾の関係者が協力して観光事業の経験などの情報を共有し、観光の一層の促進を目指すことが盛り込まれています。
また、人の出入りの管理に関しては、それぞれの担当部局で直接連絡を取り合うことができるようになり、偽造旅券を持った旅行者の上陸の阻止など緊急時に迅速な対応を取ることが可能になります。
日本と台湾の間では、人の往来が拡大していて、ことしは１月から先月までの間に、台湾から日本を訪れた旅行者の数が過去最高の２３８万人に上り、日本から台湾を訪れた人の数と合わせると年間で４００万人規模に近づいています。
日本と台湾は、去年４月にも沖縄県の尖閣諸島の周辺海域を対象とした漁業の取り決めを締結していて、今回の覚書も双方の関係の一層の強化を図るものとなりました。

(試譯文)

Japan and Taiwan, accompanying the expansion of their exchanges, signed a memorandum that aimed at advancing relationship in the promotion of sightseeing, and the related management of people’s coming and going so that in case of an emergency the department-in-charge could contact each other directly.

The memorandum signed by Japan and Taiwan covered the fields of sightseeing, management of people’s arrival and departure, and also in the field of patent etc. four items. On the 20th (November) in Taipei, representatives from respective contacting institutions attended the signing ceremony.

Inside the memorandum, concerning sightseeing, Taiwan would cooperate with Japan in sharing information on the experience in tourism with the aim of further promoting sightseeing.

Also, about the management of people’s coming in and going out, respective bureau- in-charge could now contact with each other directly. In the prevention of traveler's landing with a counterfeiting passport etc. emergency, it became possible to make a quick response.

Between Japan and Taiwan, people's traffic was expanding, the number of travelers who visited Japan from Taiwan between January and last month (October) had reached 2,380,000 which was the highest so far. When it was combined with the number of people who visited Taiwan from Japan, it approached the 4,000,000-mark in a year.

Japan and Taiwan had entered into an agreement on fishing in April last year with the sea area around the Senkaku Islands of Okinawa prefecture as the subject; the present memorandum aimed at further reinforcing the relation of both sides.

It is nice to know that the co-operation between Japan and Taiwan is increasing.

中国化学産品 「需要徵反傾銷税」

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

中国産の化学製品に「反ダンピング課税」

12月12日 23時38分

政府は、自動車の座席のクッションなどの原料になる化学製品が中国から不当に安く輸入され、日本企業に大きな損害を与えているとして、早ければ今月から、関税を上乗せする「反ダンピング課税」を適用することになりました。

「反ダンピング課税」が適用されるのは、中国から輸入される自動車の座席のクッションなどの原料になる化学製品、「トルエンジイソシアナート」です。
政府は１２日に開いた有識者による審議会の答申を受けて、この製品が中国から不当に安く輸入され、日本企業に大きな損害を与えているとして、早ければ今月から４か月間、６９．４％の関税を上乗せすることになりました。
この措置は、ＷＴＯ＝世界貿易機関のルールに基づいて国内産業への被害を最小限に食い止めるため、暫定的に発動するもので、中国の企業などから反論がなければ、最終的な適用の期間を決めることになります。
今回の問題は、大手化学メーカーの「三井化学」が去年１２月、中国から不当に安い価格で輸入されていると訴えていたもので、これまでの政府の調査で、この製品は中国国内と比べて４割ほど安い価格で輸入されていたとみられています。

(試譯文)

According to the government, it was assumed that a chemical, the raw material for the seat cushion of a car imported unfairly cheap from China had caused huge damages to a Japanese company; an "anti-dumping taxation" of adding custom duties would be applied as early as from this month (December).

The chemical imported from China that would be subjected to the "Anti-dumping taxation" was "Toluene diisocyanate" which was a raw material for making car’s seat cushions.

The government, on the 12th in response to a report from the Council of Experts that a chemical imported unfairly cheap from China  had caused huge damages to a Japanese company, decided that custom duties of 69.4% would be added for 4 months as early as from this month.

This measure was activated temporarily on the bases of a rule of the WTO: World Trade Organization in order to stop damages to domestic trading to the minimum; and when there was no objection from the Chinese enterprise, a final application period for this measure would be decided.

The problem this time was a complaint in December last year (2013) from the "Mitsui Chemicals", a major chemical manufacturer, about chemical importations from China at an unfairly low price. Since then based on an investigation of the government, this product was thought to have been imported at a price of about 40 percent lower than those inside China.

   This is an interesting case on anti-dumping. I am interested in knowing whether the Chinese enterprise would appeal against the tax.