Free Wi-Fi service would be offered in this fiscal year at all routes of the Shinkansen

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

無料Ｗｉ－Ｆｉサービス 全新幹線の路線で今年度中に提供へ

2018年6月25日 8時00分

新幹線のインターネット環境が改善しそうです。ＪＲ各社は、無線通信＝Ｗｉ－Ｆｉの無料サービスを今年度中にすべての新幹線の路線で提供することになりました。

手軽にインターネットに接続できる無料のＷｉ－Ｆｉサービスは、日本を訪れる外国人旅行者を中心に充実を求める声が上がっています。

このため、ＪＲ各社は一部の新幹線にとどまっている無料のＷｉ－Ｆｉサービスを今年度中にすべての新幹線の路線で提供することになりました。

さらに、秋田新幹線は来年５月まで、北陸新幹線は来年９月まで、東海道・山陽・九州・山形の各新幹線は来年度末までにすべての車両でサービスを導入するとしています。

このほかの北海道・東北・上越の各新幹線でもサービスが利用できる車両を段階的に増やしていくということです。

アメリカからＪＲ東京駅を訪れたという旅行者の男性は「新幹線の車内でＷｉ－Ｆｉを使えたら、移動中でも家族と連絡を取れるのでうれしいです」と話していました。

ＪＲ東日本の砂川裕さんは「外国人旅行者の間では移動中も手軽にスマートフォンを利用したいというニーズが高く、今後も利便性を向上させたい」と話していました。

Translation

The internet environment of the Shinkansen seemed to be improving. All JR companies were going to offer free of charge radio communication =Wi-Fi at all routes of Shinkansen in this fiscal year.

Voices had gone up to ask for free Wi-Fi service which could be connected to the internet easily by putting foreign travelers who visited Japan at the center.

Therefore all JR companies now offering free and limited Wi-Fi service in the Shinkansen routes would start providing it to all Shinkansen in this fiscal year.

It was assumed that service would be completed in all vehicles by May of next year for the Akitashinkan line; by September next year for the Hokuriku area Shinkansen; and by the end of next fiscal year for the Shinkansen in Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Yamagata.

Moreover it was said that vehicles which could use this service would be increased step by step for the Shinkansen in Hokkaido, the Northeast and Joetsu.

A male traveler from the United States who visited the JR Tokyo station said that "If Wi-Fi can be used in cars of the Shinkansen even when it is in motion, I will be happy because a contact with the family can be made."

Mr. Hiroshi Sunagawa of the JR East said that “needs are high among foreign travelers to use smart phone easily when they are on the move; from now on we would like to improve the  convenience."

I look forward to traveling in the new Shinkanen cars.

Softbank to invest 6 to 10 trillion yen in India’s photo-voltaic power business

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

ソフトバンク インド太陽光発電事業に６～10兆円規模の投資へ

2018年6月15日 17時41分

ソフトバンクグループは、インドでの太陽光発電事業に巨額の投資をする方針を固めました。インド政府に対して、６兆円から10兆円規模の投資を提案し、最終的な調整を進めています。

関係者によりますと、ソフトバンクグループの孫正義社長は、インドのモディ政権が進める太陽光発電事業に巨額の投資をする方針を固めました。

ソフトバンクは、インド政府の支出額に応じて600億ドルから最大で1000億ドル（６兆円から最大10兆円）規模の投資を提案していて、両者は最終的な調整を進めたうえで、近く正式に合意する見通しです。

投資資金について、ソフトバンクは去年５月、サウジアラビアの政府系ファンドから出資を受けて設立したファンドから拠出する方針です。

インドのモディ政権は、深刻な電力不足の解消のため、日照に恵まれた環境を生かし、太陽光発電の普及を進める方針を掲げていて、今回の事業では、発電に加えて太陽電池パネルなど関連設備の開発や生産といった分野も含まれるということです。

ソフトバンクは、ことし３月にもサウジアラビア政府と総額2000億ドル（20兆円）を超える資金を投じて世界最大規模の太陽光発電事業を共同で進めることに合意していて、エネルギー分野への投資を世界規模で拡大させる姿勢を鮮明にしています。

Translation

Soft-bank group decided a policy to make a huge investment in the photo-voltaic generation business in India. Towards the Indian government the group had proposed an investment at a scale from 6,000,000 million yen to 10,000,000 million yen and adjustments were being advanced.

 According to people connected to President Masayoshi Son of the Soft-bank group, the latter had made a policy to do a huge investment in the business of photo-voltaic generation which the Indian MODI government was advancing.

Soft-bank, in response to the expenditure amount of the Indian government, proposed an investment at a scale ranged from 60,000 million dollars to the maximum of 100,000 million dollars (from 6,000,000 million yen to the maximum of 10,000,000 million yen); both were advancing last adjustments and the perspective was that a formal agreement was near.

About this investment fund, it was the policy of Softbank to pay out from a fund received from the investment fund of the Saudi Arabian government established in May last year.

The Indian MODI government for the purpose of alleviating serious power shortages had put up a policy to advance the spreading of photo-voltaic generation by making use the environment which was blessed with sunshine. About this business, it was said that on top of electricity generation, the fields such as the development and production of related equipment of solar array panel were also included.

Softbank together with the Saudi Arabian government in March of this year agreed to set up a fund with a total of over 200,000 million dollars (20,000,000 million yen) to jointly advance the world’s biggest photo-voltaic generation business; it showed a clear position in expanding investments in the energy field in a global scale.

Surely photovoltaic generation business has good potential worldwide.

The world's largest academic gathering on cancer - announcements related to immunotherapy attracted attention

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

がんの世界最大学会 免疫療法に関する発表に注目集まる

6月3日 10時34分

がんの治療や研究に関する世界最大の学会「アメリカ臨床腫瘍学会」がシカゴで開かれ、がんの新しい治療として注目されている患者自身の免疫の働きでがん細胞を攻撃する「免疫療法」に関する発表が相次ぎました。

アメリカ臨床腫瘍学会は、がんに関する最新の治療や研究の成果などが発表される学会で、今月１日から５日までの期間中に医師や研究者、それにがん患者など合わせえ４万人が参加します。

学会の事務局によりますと、ことしは２７０あるテーマごとの分科会のうち半数余りで、がんの新たな治療として注目される免疫療法に関する発表が行われています。

免疫療法は、これまでの手術と抗がん剤、それに放射線治療に続く新たな治療で、特にアメリカでは効果が確認され、医薬食品局が承認した免疫療法や安全性などを確認する臨床試験が多く行われています。

学会でも、免疫を活性化する新たな方法や治療の効果を確認する方法などについて報告が相次いでいました。

一方で、免疫療法は患者１人当たりの医療費が年間数千万円かかるものもあり、費用に見合う効果を検証する研究報告も行われていました。

薬の費用と治療効果との関係を分析しているエール大学のスコット・ハンチントン博士は「免疫療法が患者に提供されるのはすばらしいが、費用が高い状態が続けば維持できなくなる。どれくらいの負担でどのような効果を得られるか議論する必要がある」と話していました。

Translation

The world’s biggest academic meeting on the study and treatment of cancer, the "American clinical tumor academic meeting" was held in Chicago; about the "Immunity method of treatment"- a system in which the patient’s immunity system took action to attack cells as a new treatment for cancer had drawn attention and was announced successively.

The American clinical tumor academic society was a society in which the latest treatment on cancer and accomplishment in its studies were announced. Doctors, researchers and cancer patients came together during period from the 1st to the 5th this month, and a total of 40,000 people had participated.

According to the secretariat of the academic meeting, in this year among the 270 themes in the subcommittee meetings, over half were related to immunity method of treatment and had attracted attention as new cancer treatments were announced.

Immunity method of treatment was a new treatment that following operation and anticancer drug, then radiation treatment. Its effect was confirmed in the United States in particular. Many clinical tests on method of treatment and safety etc. which had been approved by the Medicine and food bureau were performed.

There were successive reports in the academic meeting about new ways to activate immunity and ways to confirm the effect of the treatment.

On the other hand there were also cases in which immunity method of treatment needed tens of millions of yen a year in medical expenses for one patient, and a research report which investigated the effect versed the cost had also been done.

Doctor Scott Huntington of the Yale University who analyzed the relation between the cost of medicine and the therapeutic effect said "It's wonderful that immunity method of treatment is offered to patients, but if the state of high costs continues, the cost can't be sustained any more. It's necessary to discuss what kind of effect one can get by how much cost."

It seems that the immunity treatment method will give new hope to cancer patients who could afford the cost.

New residence requirement was established to expand the acceptance of foreign human resources

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

外国人の人材受け入れ拡大へ 新たな在留資格創設へ

5月30日 5時09分

外国人の人材受け入れ拡大に向けて、政府はことしの「骨太の方針」に日本で働きながら学ぶ今の「技能実習制度」を修了した人が事実上、在留期間を最長で５年延長できる新たな在留資格の創設を盛り込む方針を固めました。

経済財政運営と改革の基本方針、いわゆる「骨太の方針」を来月、閣議決定するため、政府・与党内では取りまとめの最終調整が進められています。

こうした中、政府は少子高齢化で労働力人口の減少が見込まれることから、外国人の人材受け入れ拡大に向けて介護や農業など業種を限定し、最長で５年の在留を可能とする新たな在留資格の創設を明記する方針を固めました。

資格の付与にあたって政府は、知識や技能、それに日本語の能力を試験で確かめるとする一方、日本で働きながら学ぶ今の「外国人技能実習制度」を修了した人は試験を免除するとしています。

「技能実習制度」では最長で５年の在留が可能なことから、新たな制度が導入された場合、実習制度を修了したあとに１度帰国すれば、通算で１０年在留することも可能になります。

一方で、この制度は「移民政策とは異なる」として、原則、家族の帯同を認めないものの、滞在中に試験などで高い専門性が確認されれば帯同を認めるとしています。

政府は来週の経済財政諮問会議でこうした内容が盛り込まれた「骨太の方針」の素案を示すことにしています。

Translation

In working towards expanding the acceptance of foreign human resources, the government in this year's "policy framework" would made a policy to incorporate the establishment of new residence qualifications in which people who had finished the current "Skill training system", i.e. to learn while working in Japan, could extend their residence period for 5 years as a matter of fact.

The basic policy in financial operation and reform, i.e. the so-called "large-bone policy", would be endorsed by the Cabinet next month; final adjustment in coordination was advanced in the government and the ruling party.

Because a decrease in the workforce population was expected due to declining birthrate and growing elderly people, the government limited the business category to nursing and agriculture for the expansion of human resources in accepting foreigners and made a policy which set the requirement for new residence up to 5 years at the maximum to enable residence.

In case of giving out the requirement the government would through a test ensure the knowledge ability, skills and Japanese language ability, but also it was assumed that the government would exempt a test on people currently who had finished the "Foreigner skill training system" while working in Japan.

Because in the "Skill training system" it was possible to have residence up to a maximum of 5 years, when the new system was introduced, if one had returned home once after having finished a training system, a total sum of up to 10 years in residence would become possible.

On the other hand for this system, "It's different from an immigration policy". As a principle the accompanying of the family was not allowed, but it was assumed that accompanying would be allowed when a highly specialized skill was confirmed by a test during the stay.

The government would use the next week's Council of Economic and Fiscal Policy to show a rough draft on the "large-bone policy" which incorporated such contents.

So, more technical people will be admitted into Japan in the near future.

Malaysian passenger plane shot down: The Netherlands had a lot of victims and might consider filing a law suit against Russia

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

マレーシア旅客機撃墜 多数犠牲のオランダなど ロシア提訴検討
5月26日 5時39分

４年前、ウクライナで撃墜されたマレーシア航空の旅客機は、ロシア軍から持ち込まれたミサイルにより撃墜されたと国際的な合同捜査チームが結論づけたことを受け、多数の犠牲者が出たオランダ政府などは国際的な司法の場に提訴する可能性を示しました。

４年前、オランダ発のマレーシア航空の旅客機がウクライナ東部の上空で撃墜されオランダ人やオーストラリア人など乗客乗員２９８人全員が死亡しました。

オランダやウクライナなど５か国で作る合同捜査チームは２４日、「旅客機を撃墜したミサイルはロシア軍から持ち込まれた」と結論づけました。

これを受けてオランダ政府とオーストラリアの政府は２５日、「ロシアに責任があることを確信している」とする声明を出しました。

そのうえで「進めうる次のステップは国際的な法廷か組織に提訴することだ」として、国際的な司法の場に提訴する可能性に言及しました。

ＥＵ＝ヨーロッパ連合のモゲリーニ上級代表や、ＮＡＴＯ＝北大西洋条約機構のストルテンベルグ事務総長も２５日、「ロシアに対し、責任を受け入れ説明責任を果たすよう求める」とする声明を発表しました。

プーチン大統領「捜査結果を受け入れず」

ロシアのプーチン大統領はサンクトペテルブルクで「われわれは残念ながら合同捜査に参加することが認められず、捜査結果には信頼に値する根拠もない。適切な捜査が行われていないのであれば、われわれは結果を受け入れることはしないだろう」と述べ、不当な捜査に基づくものだと批判しました。

また司会者から「ミサイルはロシアのものなのか」と問われ、プーチン大統領は「もちろん違う」と答え、改めてロシアの関与を否定しました。


Translation

About a Malaysia Airlines' passenger plane being shot down in Ukraine 4 years ago, an international joint criminal investigation team accepted a conclusion that the plane had been shot down by a missile from the Russian troops, and indicated a possibility that the Dutch government which had a lot of victims might together with others file a law suit to an international judicial organization.


This passenger plane of Malaysia Airlines departed from the Netherlands was shot down in the sky of east Ukraine 4 years ago; Dutch and Australian passengers together with the crew members totalling 298 people had died.

On the 24th, a joint criminal investigation team which made up of 5 countries including the Netherlands and Ukraine concluded that "The missile which had shot down the passenger plane was brought in from the Russian troops."

The Dutch government together with the Australian government accepted this, and on the 25th, issued a statement which assumed "we are convinced that it was a matter that Russia had a responsibility."

On this, it was supposed that  "The next step which can be advanced is to file a law suit to an international court or organization", referring to a possibility of pushing forward a law suit to the international judicial level.

On the 25th, Mogerini the high level representation of EU = European Union together with Sutorutenberugu the secretary general of NATO = Nato announced a statement in which they "asked Russia to accept the responsibility and fulfill the accountability."

President Putin: "The investigation result is not accepted."

Russian Putin president at St. Peterburg stated that "Unfortunately we were not admitted to participate in joint criminal investigations, and there were also no bases to claim trust in this investigation result. When it is not investigated appropriately, we wouldn't accept the result" , and criticized it as something based on unfair investigation.

Also when asked by a moderator "Is the missile a Russian one?", President Putin answered "It's different of course" and denied Russian participation once more.

    I hope some international court or organization would look into this matter.

Japan’s net external asset continued to be the highest in the world for 27 years: about 328,000,000 million yen

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

日本の対外純資産は328兆円余 27年連続世界一

5月25日 10時20分

日本の企業や個人が海外に持っている資産から外国企業が持つ日本の資産などを差し引いた対外純資産は３２８兆円余りで、前の年より２％減りましたが２７年連続で世界一になりました。

対外純資産は、日本の政府や企業、個人が海外に持っている会社や工場、証券などの資産額から外国企業が日本に持っている資産などを差し引いたものです。

財務省によりますと、日本が海外に持っている資産額は去年１２月末の時点で１０１２兆４３１０億円で、前の年より２．７％増えました。

一方、海外の企業などが日本に持っている資産などの額は、日本企業の株価が上昇したり債券への投資を増やしたりしたため６８３兆９８４０億円で、前の年より５．２％増加しました。

この結果、対外純資産は３２８兆４４７０億円となり、前の年より２．３％減って３年連続で減少しました。

ただ、日本の対外純資産は、２７年連続で世界一になっています。

財務省によりますと、２位はドイツの２６１兆円余り、３位は中国がおよそ２０５兆円で続き、アメリカは逆に、世界最大のおよそ８８６兆円の対外純債務を抱えています。

Translation

The net external asset of Japan calculated by deducting properties held by foreign companies in Japan from property held by Japanese enterprises and individuals in foreign countries was about 328,000,000 million yen; it was 2 % less than the previous year but still was continuously the highest in the world for 27 years.

Net external asset was the amount of companies, factories and securities owned by the Japanese government, enterprises or individuals in foreign countries deducted by the properties held by foreign companies in Japan.

According to the Department of the Treasury, the amount of Japanese properties held in foreign countries as of the end of December last year was 1,012,431,000 million yen and was an increase of 2.7 % from the previous year.

On the other hand, the amount of asset held by overseas enterprises in Japan was 683,984,000 million yen and was an increase of 5.2 % from the previous year because the stock prices of Japanese companies rose and there was an increased in bond investment.

As a result, the amount of net external asset was 328,447,000 million yen which was 2.3 % less than the previous year and was a continuous decrease for 3 years.

However, Japanese net external asset continued to be the highest in the world for 27 years.

According to the Department of the Treasury, in the 2nd place was German with about 261,000,000 million yen; China had approximately 205,000,000 million yen in the 3^rd place. Conversely, the United States had the highest net foreign debt in the world at approximately 886,000,000 million yen.

     No wonder Japanese yen is popular among investors and is welcome during world-wide financial turbulence. Also, there is a good reason why the US is eager to address its trade imbalance.