Japan's international competitiveness dropped to the 9th place due to government debts and delays in female’s social advancement

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

日本の国際競争力９位に後退 政府債務や女性社会進出遅れで

9月27日 7時38分

世界の国別の競争力に関する調査で、日本は多額の政府債務や女性の社会進出の遅れなどから、去年に続いて順位を下げ９位に後退しました。

「ダボス会議」で知られる「世界経済フォーラム」は、毎年、経済やインフラ、それに教育水準などの観点から各国の競争力を順位づけていて、２７日、ことしの報告書を発表しました。

それによりますと、調査対象となった１３７の国と地域のうち、日本の総合評価は９位で、去年の８位から２年連続で順位を下げました。調査の中で、日本はインフラの質や教育水準が高く、技術革新も進んでいると評価された一方で、「政府債務」の項目で最下位だったのをはじめ、「女性の社会進出」も７７位と低い水準にとどまっています。

世界各国ではスイスが技術の革新力や教育水準などがすぐれているとして９年連続で１位となったほか、アメリカが２位、シンガポールが３位となっています。またアジア地域では、香港が日本を抜いて６位だったほか、韓国が２６位、中国が２７位などとなっています。

My translation

In an investigation about competitive power among countries in the world, Japan due to its large amount of government debts and delays in female’s social advancement, continued with its dropping trend last year, stood at the 9^th place in ranking in an investigation about competitive power among countries in the world.

The "World Economic Forum" often known as the “Davos meeting" each year ranked the order of each country based on  economy and competitive power, and also on the infrastructure from the angle of the standard of education etc., released this year's report on the 27th.

According to that report, among the 137 countries and areas which became investigation objects, Japan’s comprehensive assessment ranking was 9^th which was a continuing of a two-year drop from last year's 8. Regarding Japan in this survey, while the quality of infrastructure and standard of education were high, on assessments regarding advancing technical innovation, the item on "government debt" reached the lowest point for the first time.  Also, "female social advancement" was staying at a low level of 77.

Switzerland’s technological innovation and education level were excellent among all the countries and stood at first continuously for 9 years; for other countries United States was at second and Singapore at third. In Asia region Hong Kong replaced Japan to stand at 6, Korea stood at 26 while China at 27.

     It is interesting to note that in this ranking, Hong Kong is doing better than Japan. 

Three European airlines changed the route because of North Korea missile launching

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

北朝鮮ミサイル発射で欧州航空３社がルート変更

9月22日 4時08分

北朝鮮の相次ぐミサイル発射を受け、ヨーロッパの航空会社３社が日本とヨーロッパを結ぶ航空航路をミサイルが落下した日本海の上空を避けるルートに変更していたことがわかりました。

北朝鮮によるミサイルの発射をめぐっては、先月と今月の２回は北海道上空を通過して太平洋に落下したと見られていますが、日本海に落下したケースも相次いでいます。このため、航空会社３社が先月までに日本とヨーロッパを結ぶ主要な航路を日本海の上空を飛行するルートから、日本列島に沿って東北や北海道の上空を通るルートに変更していたことがわかりました。

変更したのは、ドイツの「ルフトハンザ航空」とスイスの「スイス国際航空」、それに北欧の「スカンジナビア航空」の３社です。いずれも飛行距離や所要時間が大きく変わることはないということで、ルフトハンザ航空は、「万が一に備えて変更した。北朝鮮のミサイル発射を受け進行している危機管理の一環だ」とコメントしています。

航空関係者によりますと、ミサイルが日本の上空を通過する際の高度は数百キロに達する一方で、航空機は高度１０キロ程度を飛行するため、衝突する可能性は極めて低いということです。

同じヨーロッパ便を運航している全日空と日本航空は、現在のところ、日本海上空を通過する航路を変更する予定はないとしています。

専門家「衝突の確率 限りなくゼロに近い」

日本航空の元機長で航空評論家の小林宏之さんは「ミサイルと航空機が飛行する高度は全く異なるうえ、広大な空間の中で高速で飛ぶミサイルと航空機がピンポイントで衝突する確率は限りなくゼロに近い。航空会社の対応としては万が一のリスクを避け乗客の不安を解消しようという側面が強いと考えられる。日本海上空を飛行する航路であってもいたずらに不安になることはない」と指摘しています。

My translation

Noting that  North Korea was successively launching missiles, it was found out that 3 European airlines that had routes linked Europe  to Japan had changed their air route to avoid  the sky of the Sea of Japan where missiles fell down.

Concerning the missiles launched by North Korea last month and this month, although twice they were seen to have passed the Hokkaido sky and fallen into the Pacific Ocean, they fell into the Sea of Japan successively. For that reason it was found out that since last month 3 airline companies had changed their main routes which linked up Japan and Europe, from the route of flying through the sky in the Sea of Japan to a route that went through the northeast, and the sky of Hokkaido along Japanese islands.

The 3 companies that had changed were "Swiss international aviation" of Switzerland, German’s “Lufthansa Airlines" and the "Scandinavian Airlines" in north European. It's said that both the flight distance and the required time had no big changes; Lufthansa Airlines made a comment that “it was a change to cope with an emergency. It's a part of the risk management in face of North Korean’s missile launching".

According to a person connected with air traveling, the height of a missile when passing the Japanese sky kept reaching hundreds of kilometers; and for an airplane it flew at a height of about 10 kilometers, it's said that the possibility for a collision was very low.

For ANA and JAL that were operating the same European flight route, at this moment there were no schedules to change the route of passing over the sky of the Sea of Japan.

Specialist "the probability of a collision is extremely near zero"

Mr. Hiroyuki Kobayashi, a former chief pilot of JAL and an air travel critic pointed out that "the flying altitude of a missile and an airplane fly is completely different. In the vast space a missile flies at a high speed, the probability that it will collide with an airplane at a pinpoint is extremely near zero. As a response of an airline company, I can think the consideration is strong to avoid any risk and to remove passenger's anxiety. Even if it is a route that flies over the Sea of Japan, there would be no unnecessary worries."

   So the missile testing is causing inconvenience to some airlines.

中韩迈境公民 - 在震動中 “我以为我要死”

Recently the Mainichi News On-line reported the following:

中朝国境市民、大揺れに「死ぬかと思った」

毎日新聞2017年9月3日 19時54分(最終更新 9月3日 20時17分)

　「こんなに大きく揺れたのは生まれて初めて。死ぬかと思った」。北朝鮮が核実験をした３日、北朝鮮と国境が近い中国吉林省延吉市や遼寧省の瀋陽など広い範囲で市民が強い揺れを感じた。繰り返される実験強行に動揺と怒りの声が広がり、北朝鮮の挑発を止められない中国政府への不満も漏れた。

　３日は北朝鮮と国境を接する吉林省延辺朝鮮族自治州の発足６５周年記念日で、各地で記念イベントや集会が開かれていた。人的被害の情報はないが、住民からは「北朝鮮のせいで記念日が台無しになった」と怒りの声が上がった。

　「職場で仕事をしていたら２度揺れがあった。いずれも８秒から１０秒ぐらいに感じた」。延吉市の女性会社員（３５）は共同通信の取材に対し、強い揺れがあったと明かした。「窓際に置いてあった花瓶が揺れで落ちて割れた」「１分近く揺れた」との証言も相次ぐ。

　延吉市の住民は短文投稿サイト「微博」に「政府は北朝鮮を管理できないのか」と投稿し、中国政府への不満を漏らした。

　中国地震局が地盤崩落による地震波を探知したと発表したことから「実験場の坑道付近の地盤があらわになり、放射性物質が漏れ出ている可能性もある」（中国紙記者）との臆測も出ており、北朝鮮への批判の声がさらに強まりそうだ。(共同)

My translation

"It was the first time since I was born that I was swayed so strongly, I thought I was going to die." On the third North Korea conducted a nuclear test, the citizens felt a strong shake in a wide area such as Yanji city in Jilin Province and Shenyang city in Liaoning Province of China that were close to the border of North Korea. The voice of fluctuation and anger spread toward the repeated unwelcome experiments and it exposed the dissatisfaction with the Chinese government in unable to stop North Korea's provocation.

On the third, commemorative events and gatherings were held in various places for the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Jilin Province which bordered with North Korea. There was no information on human injury, but from the inhabitants, angry voices saying that the "Anniversary has been ruined due to North Korea" were expressed.

"When I was working at my workplace I felt a shake twice, both lasted around 8 seconds to 10 seconds." A Yanji city female company worker (35) revealed that there was a strong shake when she responded to the interview by Kyodo News.  There were a series of testimonies expressing that "The vase on the window was shaken to the floor and crashed," "It shook nearly for one minute."

Some residents of Yanji city posted a message at the short-message posting site, the "Weibo" to ask “Is the government unable to manage North Korea?" to express their dissatisfaction with the Chinese government.

Based on the Chinese earthquake official announcement that a seismic wave due to the collapse of the ground was detected, (Chinese newspaper reporters) had come out to speculate that "the ground near the tunnel of the experiment site is exposed and there is a possibility of radioactive substances leaking out". It seemed that the voice of criticism against North Korea was likely to further strengthen.

   It is interesting to note the response of the local people inside China.

Hyonde of Korea was linked to THAAD, its sales in China were slow and payments were not settled

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

韓国ヒョンデ ＴＨＡＡＤめぐり中国で販売不振 代金未払い

8月30日 21時32分

韓国の自動車メーカー最大手、ヒョンデ（現代）自動車は、ミサイル迎撃システムの韓国配備をめぐり、中国政府が反発している影響で、中国での販売が大きく落ち込み、部品メーカーへの支払いが滞る事態になっています。

ヒョンデ自動車や韓国メディアによりますと、ヒョンデの中国の合弁会社は、アメリカの最新の迎撃ミサイルシステム、ＴＨＡＡＤの韓国配備をめぐり、中国政府が強く反発している影響で、中国における販売が大きく落ち込み、多くの部品メーカーへの代金支払いが数か月にわたって滞っています。

これを受けて、地元中国の部品メーカーの１つが日本円にして１８億円余りの代金を受け取っていないとして部品の納入を拒否した結果、車を完成させることができなくなったということです。

このため、ヒョンデは、２９日に中国国内にある４つの工場で先週から段階的に生産を止め、今月２６日には全面的な停止に追い込まれたことを発表しました。

３０日になり、ヒョンデは、ほかのメーカーから代替部品の提供を受けられることになったため、中国での生産を再開したということですが、代金未払いの問題は解決しておらず、ＴＨＡＡＤ配備をめぐる中国の反発は、韓国の自動車メーカー最大手を直撃しています。

My translation:

Korea’s largest automobile company Hyonde (Modern) was entangled with Korean deployment of the missile interception system and affected by Chinese government’s responding action; its sale in China had a big drop, and was in a situation that payments to parts-manufacturers were being delayed.

According to Hyonde the auto-car maker and the mass media in Korea, Hyonde, a joint company in China was affected by Chinese government’s responding action concerning Korean deployment of the American latest interception missile system, the THAAD. Car sales in China had a big drop; also, payments to auto-parts manufacturers were overdue lasting for several months.

Because of the above, and the fact that one of the local parts manufacturers in China had not received payments in yen up to about 1,800 million, the request to produce parts was not accepted because of the inability to pay. It's said that the company was unable to complete a car any more.

Therefore Hyonde stopped production at four factories step by step since last week inside China on the 29^th; it announced on the 26th this month that it was driven into a complete stop.

It's said that the company resumed production in China because Hyonde on the 30^th was able to obtain substitution part from other manufacturers, but the problem of outstanding payment was not settled. Chinese reaction concerning THAAD deployment was hitting directly the Korea’s largest automobile company.

 Obviously economic power could be converted into political power.