Industrial innovation organizations etc. invested on making "meat and bread from alga"

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

“藻から肉やパン” 産業革新機構などが出資

5月23日 4時04分

植物の藻から取り出したたんぱく質で、肉やパンなどの原料を作ることを目指すベンチャー企業に、国が主導するファンドと大手商社が出資しました。世界的な人口増加による食料不足が懸念される中、新たな食品を生み出すビジネスとして期待が高まっています。

国が主導するファンドの産業革新機構と大手商社の三菱商事は、藻を培養した食品を製造している川崎市のベンチャー企業に合わせて１７億円を出資しました。

この会社が扱う「スピルリナ」という藻はビタミンなどが豊富で、ジュースに混ぜて飲むなどの需要が増えているということで、今回、調達した資金で東南アジアのブルネイに工場を建設し欧米などに販売を拡大する計画です。また、将来的には藻から取り出したたんぱく質で、肉やパンなどの原料を作ることを目指すということです。

産業革新機構と三菱商事は、世界的な人口増加や経済成長による食料の不足が懸念される中、新たな食品を生み出すビジネスとしての期待から出資を決めました。

ベンチャー企業の佐々木俊弥社長は「パンやめん、最終的にはハンバーグのような加工肉などさまざまな製品を作ることで、食品のベースにして幅広く活用してもらえるようにしたい」と話していました。

Translation

A major trading firm together with a fund that was directed by the country had invested into a business venture which aimed at producing raw materials to make meat and bread from the protein of vegetable alga. While there was a fear of insufficient food due to worldwide population growth, there was a high expectation in this business in that it would produce new food.

A country directed industrial innovation organizational fund together with Mitsubishi Corporation which was a major trading firm had invested 1,700 million yen into a business venture in Kawasaki-shi to cultivate alga, and from it to produce food.

The alga handled by this company was called "Spirulina" which was rich in Vitamin; its demand was increasing for adding it into juice to drink. It was said that the funding supplied this time was to construct a factory in Brunei in Southeast Asia and there were plans to expand sales in Europe and America etc. Also it was said that in future the aim was to turn it into the raw material for making meat and bread by using the protein taken out from alga.

Amidst the fears of worldwide population growth and lack of food due to economic growth, this industrial innovation organization together with Mitsubishi decided to invest in the expectation that this business would produce new food.

President Shunya Sasaki of the business venture was saying that "By making bread and noodles, and finally the various processed meat products such as hamburger I would like to make sure it could be utilized widely as a food base."

It is an interesting and innovative new business. I look forward to trying the products.

“To arrest a suspect among 20,000 audience" the Chinese face recognition system became a discussion topic

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

”観客２万人から容疑者拘束” 中国の顔認識システムが話題

5月22日 6時34分

中国で、コンサート会場に設置された監視カメラがおよそ２万人の観客の中から顔を識別して犯罪の容疑者の拘束に結びつけ、中国の画像認識システムの技術の高さを示すものだなどとして話題となっています。

警察の発表によりますと、２０日夜、浙江省嘉興で開かれた香港の有名歌手のコンサート会場で、詐欺の容疑で指名手配されていた男が警察に拘束されました。

この男は、コンサート会場を訪れたところを監視カメラに捉えられ画像認識システムで手配中の容疑者の顔と特定されたあと、警察に通報されたということです。

当時、コンサート会場には、およそ２万人の観客がいたということで、今回の容疑者拘束は、中国の画像認識システムの技術力の高さを示すものだなどとしてインターネット上で、話題となっています。

中国では、国をあげてＡＩ＝人工知能による画像認識技術の開発を進めていて、警察などが捜査に積極的に活用しています。

Translation

It was the security camera installed in a concert venue that distinguished a face from among approximately 20,000 audiences and linked to the arrest of a criminal suspect; it showed the high technology of the Chinese image recognition system and become a topic of discussion.

According to a police announcement, a man who was placed on the wanted list due to suspicion of cheating was put into custody by the police at a concert venue of a famous singer from Hong Kong held in Jiaxing of Zhejiang Province in the evening of the 20^th.

The man while was visiting the concert venue was caught by a security camera operated by an image recognition system. After being identified as a face of an wanted suspect, it was said that the police was notified.

At that time there were approximately 20,000 audience in the concert venue, the arrest of a suspect at this time indicated the high technical power of the Chinese image recognition system, it became a topic of discussion on the internet.

In China as a country, the development of image recognition technology by AI= artificial intelligence was being advanced, and the police was utilizing it for investigation aggressively.

So, you will have more safety in China, or will not you?

The blue crab catches increased rapidly in Miyagi-ken, was it the influence of a tidal wave by an earthquake disaster?

Recently the NHK On-line reported the following:

ワタリガニ漁獲量 宮城県内で急増 震災の津波が影響か

5月18日 9時05分

みそ汁などの具材に使われる小型のカニ「ワタリガニ」の漁獲量が東日本大震災以降、宮城県内で増え続けていることがわかり、専門家は「震災の津波によって宮城県沿岸の海底に泥が流れ込み、カニが生息しやすい環境になったことが要因の１つではないか」と分析しています。

ワタリガニは「ガザミ」とも呼ばれる体長が１５センチほどの小型のカニで、みそ汁やパスタに入れたり、そのままゆでたりして食べられます。

宮城県内の漁獲量は、震災前は年間１０トンを下回る程度でしたが、震災の翌年に３０トン余りに増え、３年前には５００トンを超えて全国１位となりました。

さらに、おととしには６６０トン余りと、全国のおよそ３割を占めるまでになっていて、石巻市などでは、ワタリガニ漁に参入する漁業者も目立ち始めています。

こうした状況を受けて、宮城県は今年度からワタリガニの生態などの詳しい調査を行うことになりました。

宮城県水産技術総合センターの山崎千登勢技師は「ワタリガニの急増には驚いている。海水温が上昇したことに加え、震災の津波の影響で沿岸部の海底に泥が流れ込み、冬眠するカニにとって生息しやすい環境になったことも要因の１つではないか」と話しています。

Translation

  

It was understood that the catches of small crabs, the "Blue crab" which was used in miso soup as ingredient material, was increasing in Miyagi-ken after the Eastern Japan Great Earthquake. A specialist analyzed that "may be one reason is that mud had flowed in at the bottom of the sea to Miyagi-ken coast due to a tidal wave of an earthquake disaster; and the environment was easy for crabs to live."

The "Blue crab", also called the "swimming crab", was a small crab that had a body length of about 15 centimeters; it could be added to miso soup and pasta, or it could be boiled just as it was and be eaten.

Before an earthquake disaster the catch in Miyagi-ken was to the extent of below 10 tons a year, but it was increased to about 30 tons in the year after earthquake disaster; 3 years ago it was at the 1st place in the whole country reaching over 500 tons. Furthermore, two years ago it was about 660 tons and was approximately 30 percent of the whole country. In Ishinomaki-shi etc. fisherman who joined the catching of blue crabs had begun to be noted.

Miyagi-ken in view of such a situation conducted a detailed investigation on the ecology of blue crabs from this fiscal year.

Yamasaki Chitose the engineer in Miyagi-ken marine technological integrated center said that "A rapid increase of blue crab is astonishing. Beside the rising seawater temperature, it is the influence of a tidal wave of an earthquake disaster that made the mud flow into the bottom of the sea in coastal areas; one factor is that for those crabs that do hibernation, the place becomes an environment easy to live.”

I am wondering whether or not the water in the region could have been contaminated by some radio-active water.

Suntory: due to its popularity whisky sale was partly suspended, there was insufficient unblended malt

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

ウイスキー人気で原酒不足 一部販売休止に サントリー

5月15日 14時49分

国産ウイスキーの人気が予想以上に高まり、作るのに長い時間がかかる原酒が不足しているとして、大手メーカーのサントリーは、一部の商品の販売を休止することになりました。

サントリーホールディングスによりますと、販売が休止されるのは国産ウイスキーのうち、白州１２年と響１７年の２種類です。

早ければ来月からことし９月ごろにかけて在庫がなくなり、そのまま販売が休止される見通しです。

ウイスキーは、国産の銘柄が世界的な賞を獲得したことや、サントリーなどの主要メーカーが炭酸水で割るハイボールの販売に力を入れたことでブームとなり、国内の出荷量はこの１０年で２倍以上に増えています。

今回、休止となる商品は原酒の熟成期間が少なくとも１２年ないし１７年必要になりますが、その当時はブームになる前で原酒の生産量が少なく、特に不足しているということです。

サントリーはここ数年の需要の増加に対応し、原酒をつくる蒸留釜を増設するなどして生産量を増やしてきましたが、それでも需要を賄いきれなくなった形です。

サントリーでは「販売の再開には需要に見合った量の原酒を確保しなければならないが、現時点では見通しはたっていない」と話しています。

Translation

The popularity of domestic whiskey was higher than expected; as the unblended malt whisky took a long time to make and there was insufficient stock, Suntory as a major maker suspended its sale of certain goods.

According to Suntory Holdings among the domestic whiskey 2 kinds of sale were being suspended, they were Hakushu 12 and Kyou 17.  

As early as from next month to around September this year stock would run out, and in this way the sale would be suspended.

Whiskey sale became a boom as the domestic brands had won worldwide prize; also it was put on sale by key manufacturers such as Suntory that emphasized the making of highball by mixing whisky with carbonated water. The domestic total shipment had increased more than 2 times in 10 years.

It was said that the goods suspended this time needed a ripening period of at least 12 to 17 years ahead; at that time it was before the boom of and there was little production of the unblended malt whisky, it meant that it was particularly inadequate.

Suntory, in response to the increases in demand in the past few years, had added the distillation iron pots that made the unblended malt whisky and the production was being increased, but still it was in a situation that demand could not be fully met.

Suntory was saying that “for sales resumption, I have to ensure that the amount of unblended malt whisky could meet the demand; but there is no such a prospect at present."

     It seems that in Japan the Japanese whisky is more popular then the Scottish whisky.

Matsue: the English teacher could not be secured, English classes at a junior high school stopped for 1 month

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

英語の講師確保できず 中学校で１か月英語授業止まる 松江

5月10日 20時20分

松江市の中学校で英語の講師を確保できず、先月、３年生全員が英語の授業を受けられなかったことがわかりました。島根県は「年度当初から人材を確保できなかったのは初めてで、遺憾だ」としています。

英語の授業を実施できなかったのは松江市の市立第三中学校で、今年度当初から教諭２人、非常勤講師１人の３人の態勢で授業を行う予定でしたが、講師を確保できませんでした。

このため、３年生の３クラス８９人が、先月の１０コマ分の英語の授業を受けられませんでした。

教職員の人事権を持つ島根県によりますと、県や市が２月下旬から数人に打診していましたが、採用に至らなかったということです。

その後、講師を確保するめどがつき、来週にも授業を行える見通しだということで、学校では英語の授業を増やして、遅れを取り戻すことにしています。

第三中学校の池田宗市校長は「学ぶ時期が遅れてしまい、大変申し訳なく思う。生徒の負担にならない形で、６月下旬までに遅れを取り戻したい」と話しています。

島根県は「年度当初から人材が確保できなかったのは初めてのことで、授業ができなかったのは遺憾だ」としています。

Translation

As the English teacher couldn't be made available to a junior high school in Matsue-shi, it was understood that last month English lessons were not taught to all the members of the 3rd grade. Shimane-ken supposed that "It's regrettable that for the first time human resources couldn't be secured from the start of a fiscal year."

In the Number Three Junior High Municipal School in Matsue-shi where English lesson could not be held, from the start of this year it intended to teach with the manpower of 3 people consisting of 2 teachers and 1 part-time lecturer, but the lecturer couldn't be made available.

Therefore the three classes of the 3rd graders with a total of 89 people couldn't have English lessons for 10 time-blocks last month.

According to Shimane-ken which had the right on teaching staff member’s personnel matters, from the end of February the prefecture and the city were examining several people, but it was said that an employment didn't come out.

After that, a goal set to secure a lecturer was achieved, and it was said that there was also a perspective that teaching would start next week. It was decided to catch up the delays as English lessons would be increased at school.

Ikeda Souichi the principal of the Number Three Junior High School said that "The time to learn is delayed, and I'm very sorry. I'd like to finish the catching up by the end of June in a way that students would not bear the burden."

Shimane-ken supposed that "It is the first time that human resources could not be secured from the start of a fiscal year, and it is regrettable that teaching had not been carried out."

It is an interesting story. Was the supply of English teachers in trouble?

Smart hotel successively opened- unable to speak Japanese was all right

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

スマートホテル相次ぎ開業 日本語が話せなくても大丈夫

5月5日 4時00分

ロボットやＡＩスピーカーなど新しい技術をふんだんに活用して、日本語を話せない外国人旅行者などにも快適に過ごしてもらおうというホテルが相次いで開業しています。

このうちロボットが接客するホテルを各地で展開している大手の旅行会社は、先月２７日に、東京・浜松町で新しいホテルの営業を始めました。

フロントには人型のロボットが備えられ、チェックインの手続きを英語、中国語、韓国語などで行えるようにしています。清掃作業などにもロボットを使い、ホテル業界で深刻になる人手不足の対策にもつながっているとしています。

また東京・秋葉原では、スマートフォンの端末を操作したりＡＩスピーカーに話しかけたりすることで、照明や空調、カーテンの開け閉めなど、あらゆる操作を行えるホテルが営業しています。

日本語が話せなくても利用できるうえ、新しい技術をふんだんに使ったホテルの滞在を体験してみたいと宿泊客のおよそ８０％は外国人旅行者だということです。

日本を訪れる外国人旅行者が増える中、ホテル業界ではロボットやいわゆるＩｏＴ技術などを活用して、日本語の話せない旅行者向けにサービスを充実させようという動きが広がっています。

Translation

New technology that utilized robot and AI loudspeaker was abundantly used; hotels that foreign travelers who were not able to speak Japanese could spend time comfortably had started business successively.

Among them, a major travel agency which developed hotels using the robot to serve guests began to operate a new hotel at Hamamatsu-cho of Tokyo on the 27th last month.

At the front desk a robot in human shape was set up which could go through the procedures for check-in in English, Chinese and Korean. A robot was used to do the cleaning work; it was assumed that this was related to measures dealing with the labor shortage which had become serious in the hotel business.

Also, in Akihabara in Tokyo a hotel was opened where all operations such as illuminating and air-conditioning, opening and closing of a curtain could be performed by speaking to an AI loudspeaker using a smart phone.

On top of the fact that one could use them even one could not speak Japanese, there were those who would like to experience a stay in a hotel where new technology was used abundantly, it was said that approximately 80 % of the guests were foreign travelers.

While foreign travelers who visited Japan were increasing, the hotel business was making use of robots and the so-called IoT technology. A movement to enrich service for travelers who could not speak Japanese had spread.

So, the Japanese hotels are trying to use IoT to attract foreign travelers.

The Korean M5.4 earthquake - a research on whether it was caused by geothermal power generating was released

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

韓国 M5.4の地震 地熱発電が誘発か 研究発表

4月29日 4時35分

去年１１月に韓国南部で発生したマグニチュード５．４の地震は、地下に大量の水を高圧で注水する地熱発電によって誘発された可能性が高いとする研究結果がアメリカの科学雑誌に掲載されました。

韓国南部のポハン（浦項）で去年１１月１５日に起きたマグニチュード５．４の地震は、韓国の観測史上２番目の規模で、建物が倒壊するなどして７０人以上がけがをしました。

この地震について、韓国やスイス、イギリスなどの研究グループがアメリカの科学雑誌「サイエンス」に、震源近くの地熱発電が原因ではないかとする研究結果を発表しました。

地熱発電は、地下深くの岩石に高圧の水でひびを入れてそこから出た蒸気を利用して発電しますが、この作業で利用した大量の水が地下にたまって断層に圧力をかけ、地震が誘発された可能性が高いとしています。

研究グループは、観測データを分析し震源の深さと、発電施設の井戸の深さがほぼ一致しているほか、施設の運用開始以降、それまでは観測されることのなかったマグニチュード２以上の地震が複数回起きていると指摘しています。

イギリスの科学誌「ネイチャー」も、この研究結果を紹介する一方で、震源はもっと深かったとする別の研究者の反論や、今後の地熱発電の教訓にすべきだという科学者の意見を伝えています。地熱発電が誘発した地震は過去にもアメリカやスイスで起きていて、今回の地震についても韓国政府が調査を続けています。

Translation

A research result had appeared in an American scientific journal which supposed that the earthquake of magnitude 5.4 which occurred at southern Korea in November last year had a high possibility of being caused by the injection of a large amount of water by high pressure into the underground for generating  geothermal power.

An earthquake of magnitude 5.4 had occurred on November 15 last year at Pohan of southern Korea, it was the 2^nd largest scale in Korean record with buildings collapsed etc. and more than 70 people injured.

About this earthquake, study groups from Korea, Switzerland and United Kingdom etc. announced their research results in an American scientific journal "Science" regarding whether the earthquake was caused by the geothermal power generating near the seismic center.

In geothermal power generating, water was injected with high pressure into the rock crack deep underground to cause steams to come out and from it electricity was generated; but because the large amount of water used in this work had accumulated in the underground and thus added pressure to the fault, there was a  possibility that an earthquake was caused.

The study groups analyzed the observational data; while the depth of the seismic center and the depth of the well in electric generating facilities were identical, they also pointed out that  earthquakes with magnitude greater than 2  had not been observed before but now occurred more than once after the starting of the mission.

A British scientific magazine "Nature" was also a party that explained this research result, it conveyed a message that refuted some other researcher's assumption that the seismic center was even deeper, and advised that  scientists should have learn a lesson in future  geothermal power generating. In the past, earthquakes due to geothermal power generating had also occurred in the United States and Switzerland; the Korean government was also investigating this earthquake.

So scientists in Korea should have learned a lesson from this event.

"Bullet-roof backpack" for children was popular in America

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

米で子ども向け “防弾リュック” が人気

4月13日 7時58分

子どもたちが銃の犠牲になる悲惨な事件が後を絶たないアメリカでは、子ども向けのある特殊なリュックサックの売り上げが伸びています。

南米コロンビアに本社を置く会社が作っているのは子ども向けのリュックサックです。

見た目はカラフルでポップなデザインですが、防弾仕様になっていて、価格は２００ドル（日本円で２万円余）で販売されています。

最大の売りは、壁に据え付けて銃弾を何発撃ち込んでもほとんど傷がつかない耐久性の強さです。

製造会社はもともと警備員用の防弾チョッキを主に作っていましたが、銃撃事件が多いアメリカにビジネスチャンスを見いだして、およそ５年前から子ども用のリュックサックと防弾チョッキの製造に乗り出し、去年にはフロリダ州に支社を構えるまでになりました。

特にことしに入ってからの売り上げは去年の同じ時期と比べて４倍に増えたということで、会社は、２月にフロリダ州の高校で起きた銃の乱射事件など悲惨な事件がアメリカ各地で後を絶たないことから、保護者が子どもの安全に敏感になっているのではないかと分析しています。

アメリカでは、学校での銃撃事件を防ぐためトランプ大統領が教師に銃を持たせることを提案していますが、会社は「防弾リュックサックは最も穏やかな方法で子どもたちを守ることができる」と話しています。

Translation

 In America where there was no end to miserable events in which children were sacrificed due to guns, the sales of some special backpacks for children were increasing in the United States.

A company with its head office based in Columbia in South American was making backpacks for children. 

Although the appearance was colorful and with pop design, it had bullet-proof features and was sold for 200 dollars (in Japanese yen, about 20,000 yen).

The biggest selling point was the strength of its durability in that when it was mounted on a wall, no matter how many bullets were fired it was hardly damaged.

Originally this manufacturing firm mainly made bulletproof vest for guards, but it saw a business opportunity when the United States had a lot of shooting incidents and from approximately 5 years ago it started producing children backpacks and bulletproof vests; a branch office was opened in the State of Florida last year.

In particular it was said that from this year the sales increased four times compared with the same time last year; the company analyzed that because a random gun shooting event had occurred at a high school in the State of Florida  in February etc. and there was no end to these miserable events in the United States, guardian might become sensitive to children’s safety.

Although president Trump proposed making teachers to have guns to stop shooting incidents at school in the United States, the company said "a bullet-proof backpack is the gentlest way, and it is possible to protect children."

     The unique feature of this backpack is a good choice to ensure safety.