Did it reflect a pet boom of the high income group? A massive pet exhibition was held in Shanghai of China

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

富裕層のペットブーム反映か 大規模なペット展 中国 上海

8月26日 20時04分

中国の上海でペットに関する大規模な展覧会が開かれ、富裕層の増加に伴うペットブームを反映して、犬やネコなどを連れた大勢の愛好家たちが訪れました。

この展覧会は中国・上海で毎年開かれているもので、ことしはペットに関する商品を扱う１０００近い企業などが出展しています。

中国では富裕層の増加に伴って、都市部を中心にペットがブームになっていて、飼われている犬や猫などのペットの数は１億を上回り、市場規模は年間３０％増加しているとも言われています。
会場には犬やネコなどを連れた愛好家たちが大勢訪れ、主催者によると、26日と２７日の２日間で１０万人の来場者が見込まれているということです。

こうしたブームを背景にペットフードは、健康を売りにした高級商品も増えており、会場では「天然素材配合で安心だ」とうたった商品などが数多くならんでいました。
また会場には日本製の商品のほか、中国でも人気があるという秋田犬を紹介するブースも設けられており、多くの人が集まっていました。

一方、中国では飼い犬を行政に登録せず、予防接種も受けさせない飼い主が多く、トラブルも増えているため、今月、南部広東省広州では規制が強化されるなど急増するペットへの対応が課題となっています。

My translation

A large-scale pet exhibition was had in Shanghai of China, and many pet-lovers took dogs and cats to visit, reflecting a pet boom that came along with an increase in wealthy classes.

This exhibition was held every year in Shanghai of China and close to 1000 enterprises which handled pet related goods were exhibiting this year.

Together with an increase of the wealthy classes in China , a pet boom was being experienced centering around the urban area, and the number of dog and cat kept as pets exceeded 100 million, and it's said that the market scale had increased 30 % a year.

Pet-lovers took along dogs or cats to visit in large number. It's said that visitors up to 100,000 people on the 26th and the 27th were anticipated, according to an organizer.

Pet food formed the background of such boom, luxury goods which sold health were increasing. At the market place commodities and other items that claimed to be "made with a combination of natural material that could put your heart at ease" were displayed in large number.

In the market place in addition to goods made in Japan, a booth was also established where the Akita dog which is also popular in China was introduced, and many people gathered there.

On the other hand, in China there were a lot of pet owners who neither registered a pet dog with the administration nor made them receive vaccination and thus trouble was increasing. For that, this month, regulation was strengthened in Guangzhou that was at the southern part of Kuangtung-province. To handle the problem of rapid pet increase had become a challenge.

The pet boom indicates that, among other things, many Chinese people living in the cities belong to the high income group.

North Korean missile "difficult to intercept"

Recently the Yomiuri News On-line reported the following:

北ミサイル「迎撃難しい」で一致…森本・伊藤氏

森本敏・元防衛相と伊藤俊幸・元海将が２２日、ＢＳ日テレの「深層ＮＥＷＳ」に出演し、北朝鮮の弾道ミサイルについて議論した。

　北朝鮮が日本上空を通過して米領グアム周辺に弾道ミサイルの発射を予告していることについて、森本氏は「米国が対話の道筋を作ることがない限り、実際に発射すると思う」と予測。伊藤氏は「ちょっとぶれただけで本当に米国の領海に入る。（米国が）自衛権行使を宣言する根拠になる」と指摘し、発射しない可能性に言及した。両氏とも、日本の現在のミサイル防衛態勢では「迎撃が難しい」との見解で一致した。

2017年08月22日 23時04分 Copyright © The Yomiuri Shimbun

My translation:

On the 22nd, Satoshi Morimoto, the former defense minister, and Toshiyuki Ito the former sea commander appeared on the "NEWS of Depths" of BS Nippon Television Network and discussed about North Korean ballistic missile.

Regarding North Korea’s announcement of launching ballistic missiles passing over Japan’s sky to reach U.S. territory around Guam, Mr. Morimoto predicted that "the thinking to launch is real unless the USA makes a path for dialogue." Mr. Ito pointed out that "just moving slightly a little, it would really enter American territorial waters. It'll be the basis on which (the USA) would declare exercising self-defense rights," and talked about the possibility of not being launched. Based on the missile defense condition currently in Japan, both men together shared the same view that “interception is difficult".

It is an interesting military confrontation that needs a political solution.

13 kinds of cancer can be detected in blood at an early stage

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

血液で１３種類のがんを早期発見 今月から臨床研究へ

 

8月13日 6時40分

血液を採取するだけで乳がんや大腸がんなどの１３種類のがんを早期に発見する検査法を国立がん研究センターなどのグループが開発し、今月から有効性を確かめる臨床研究を始めることになりました。

新たながんの検査法は、血液を採取して分析するだけで乳がんや大腸がんなどの１３種類のがんを早期に発見することができるもので、国立がん研究センターなどのグループが開発しました。

体内の細胞は、血液に「マイクロＲＮＡ」と呼ばれる物質を分泌していますが、がん細胞の種類によって分泌するマイクロＲＮＡが異なることを応用し、１３種類のがんを見分けることができるとしています。

検査はわずかな血液で行うことができるということで、今月から臨床研究を行うことになりました。

臨床研究では新たにがんと診断された患者と健康な人、合わせて３０００人以上に血液を提供してもらい、それぞれのマイクロＲＮＡの種類や量を測定することで、どれくらいの精度で検査できるか確かめるということで、グループでは３年後の実用化を目指すとしています。

国立がん研究センター分子細胞治療研究分野長の落谷孝広さんは「簡単にがん検診を受けることができるようになるため、がん患者の生存率を上げることができる可能性がある」と話しています。

My translation

     A group in the National Cancer Research Center has developed a checking method which just extracting blood to find 13 kinds of cancer such as breast cancer and colon cancer at an early stage, and the clinical study to make sure its validity has begun this month.

     The new cancer checking method just extracts and analyzes blood, and it's possible to find 13 kinds of cancer such as breast cancer and colon cancer early, and a group in the National Cancer Research Center has developed it.

     A cell in the body secrets a substance in blood called "micro RNA", and depending on the kinds of cancer cells, it secreted different micro RNA, the group assumes that it's possible to distinguish 13 kinds of cancer.

     It's said that it's possible to check by using a little among of blood, and clinical study will be carried out from this month.

     Patients newly diagnosed to have cancer together with healthy people in total of more than 3000 will offer blood together for this clinical study, and it's said that the group is making sure how precise the checking can be by measuring the different kinds of micro RNA and their amount, and aims at practical use 3 years later.

     Ochitani Takahiro, the National Cancer Research Center molecule cell treatment research field chief says that "because cancer screening can be made available easily, it's possible to raise the survival rate of cancer patients".

This is a very good news for all. Well done.

開設銀行帳戶不需印鑑

Recently the Yomiuri  News on-line reported the following:

口座開設、もう印鑑不要…埼玉りそな銀で拡大

2017年08月03日 08時23分

　埼玉りそな銀行が、印鑑不要のサービスを拡大している。

　新規の口座開設のほか、顧客の取引の大部分が印鑑なしでできるようになり、利便性が向上し、りそな側も業務の効率化を図れる。現在４店舗で導入され、２０１８年３月末までに埼玉県内全店に広げる方針だ。

　同行が６月１９日に新築移転オープンした鶴瀬支店（富士見市）では、店内に３台のタブレット端末を設置。新たに口座を開設する際は、端末の画面上に、氏名や生年月日、住所などを入力する。紙に個人情報を記入する手間を省き、押印を不要とした。操作に不慣れな高齢者らを手助けする係員も常駐している。

　同行の口座がある顧客は印鑑なしで、インターネットバンキングなどの申し込みや、住所変更、通帳の再発行などの手続きをできる。本人確認は、キャッシュカードと暗証番号や指の静脈データによる生体認証で行う。ただ、住宅ローンなどの高額融資は従来通り、印鑑が必要となる。

　顧客からは「印鑑を持ち歩かなくてよいので便利」「タブレットの操作が簡単」などと好評だという。同行は「今後も業務の効率化を図り、顧客の利便性を追求したい」としている。

2017年08月03日 08時23分 Copyright © The Yomiuri Shimbun

My translation

Saitama Resona Bank is expanding the service which making a seal unnecessary.

 In addition to opening a new account, most customer dealings can now be done without seals, it increases convenience and the Resona side can also plan for business efficiency. At present 4 branches have introduced it and the policy is to expand it into all the branches in Saitama-prefecture by the end of March, 2018.

 The Tsuruse branch office (Fujimi-city) which moved into its new location on June 19 has installed 3 tablet terminals in the branch. When opening a new account, the name, date of birth and the address are input on the screen of a terminal. It saves the time of entering personal information on paper and making a stamp unnecessary. A staff is also stationed to help senior citizens who are unused to the operation.

 Without seals, customers who have an account with the same bank can go through procedures such as application of Internet banking, changing address, and reissuing of a passbook. Personal confirmation is performed by a cash card, PIN and by living body authentication through finger’s vein data. As before, a seal is needed for large amount housing loan financing.

 Positive comments from the customers say "you don't have to carry a seal around, it’s so convenient" ,"the operation of the tablet is easy" etc. The same bank said "We'll also plan for efficiency of business from now on, and would like to pursue customer's convenience."

It is quite a new improvement in the banking service. Well done.