Pictures showing the image of an unconfirmed tribe were taken: Amazon in Brazil

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

未確認の部族の姿を撮影 ブラジル アマゾン

2018年8月23日 17時37分

南米ブラジルのアマゾンで、先住民の保護に当たる政府機関は、これまで確認されていなかった部族の姿を撮影することに成功したと発表しました。

映像は、先住民の保護に当たっているブラジルの政府機関「国立インディオ基金」が21日、公開したものです。

場所はアマゾン奥地の、ペルーとの国境付近で、ドローンを使って撮影されました。

映像では、森の中で弓矢のようなものを持って歩く、複数の人の姿が捉えられています。

「国立インディオ基金」では、この地域に暮らす文明から孤立した先住民について調査を続けてきましたが、今回撮影されたのは、その中でもこれまで確認されていなかった部族とみられるとしています。

ＡＰ通信によりますと、確認された人は合わせて16人に上るということです。

国立インディオ基金によりますと、ブラジルでは文明から孤立した部族が100余り確認されていて、過去には外部との接触が伝染病の流行を招いたこともあることから、直接的な接触をせずに調査を行っています。

国立インディオ基金は「こうした映像が、先住民保護の重要性を訴えることにつながる」としています。

Translation

It was announced that an agency which protected indigenous people had succeeded in taking pictures on the image of a tribe at Amazon in South America Brazil that wasn't known to the authority up to now.

The pictures were exhibited on the 21st by a Brazilian agency which was equivalent to for the protection of indigenous people, the "National Latin-American Indian Fund".

The place where the pictures were taken was in the Amazon interior around the border with Peru, and a drone was used.

The image caught in the pictures was of more than one person who walked with something like a bow and arrow in the forest.

For the "National Latin-American Indian Fund", while it had been continuing the investigation on the indigenous people who were isolated from civilization and lived in this area, about those who were in the pictures taken this time, it was supposed that they were regarded as a tribe that was not known up to now.

According to AP News it was said that the confirmed people reached 16 in total.

According to the National Latin-American Indian Fund, tribes that had been isolated from the civilization were confirmed to be about 100 in Brazil. In the past their contact with the outside had caused the spread of infectious disease, now they were being investigated without direct contact.

For the National Latin-American Indian Fund, it was assumed that "such pictures lead to highlighting the importance protecting indigenous people."

          It seems that Brazil is doing a good job in protecting its indigenous people.

Softbank was to reconsider the “4-year tie" also

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

ソフトバンクも “４年縛り”見直しへ

2018年8月6日 20時39分

携帯大手の「ソフトバンク」は国が見直しを求めていた“４年縛り”や“２年縛り”と呼ばれる料金プランを見直す方針を明らかにしました。

これはソフトバンクの宮内謙社長が６日、決算発表の会見で明らかにしました。

“４年縛り”は、端末の代金を４年間の分割払いで契約し、２年後に機種変更した際、古い端末を返して同じプランを続けることを条件に、１台目の残りの代金を払わなくてよくなります。

この料金プランについてソフトバンクは、「ａｕ」の携帯事業を手がけるＫＤＤＩと同様に、２年後に機種変更する際に同じ４年契約のプランを続けることを求めないよう改める方針を明らかにしました。

また原則、契約を２年間続けるかわりに料金を割り引く“２年縛り”については解約金がかからない契約の更新期間をこれまでの２年間の契約が終わってからの２か月間から、１か月間早めて３か月間とする見込みです。

“２年縛り”についてはＮＴＴドコモとＫＤＤＩがすでに同様の見直しを決めていて、大手３社が足並みをそろえることになります。

“４年縛り”や“２年縛り”と呼ばれる料金プランについては利用者が携帯電話会社を切り替えるのを難しくしているとして国が見直しを求めていました。

Translation

"Softbank" a major cellular phone company disclosed a policy which reconsidered the charge plan on the so called "4-year tie" and the "2-year tie" as the country was asking for a reconsideration.

On the 6th, President Ken Kunai of Softbank made this clear at a profit announcement press conference.

In the "4-year tie" in which a contract was made with installments for 4 years, when doing model change 2 years later, by returning the old information access device and to continue with the same plan as a condition, you would not have to pay the balance price of the original device.

For the charge plan of Softbank, it was like how KDDI handled the cell phone business of "au" which didn't request to continue the plan of the same 4 year contract when making a model change 2 years later. Softbank was showing a clear change in policy.

Moreover, in principle, about the "two-year tie" which discounted the charge instead of continuing the contract for 2 years, it was expected that the renewal period for terms of the contract which cancellation fee did not apply would be started one month earlier, extending from the present two months to three months, after the expiry of the two-year contract.

Regarding the "2-year tie", both NTT DoCoMo and KDDI had already decided similar reconsideration and the pacing of the 3 major companies would be aligned.

It was understood that the difficulties that users facing in changing a cellular phone company due to the charge plan of the so called "4-year tie" and "2-year tie" had made the country ask for changes.

          So the cellular phone customers of Softbank will be happy to hear the new plans.

““The ride share" had increased too much and causing congestion" in NY this would be regulated

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

“「ライドシェア」増えすぎで渋滞” ＮＹで規制へ

2018年8月1日 5時27分

自家用車などで客を運ぶ「ライドシェア」事業は、日本では厳しく制限されていますが、アメリカのニューヨークでは、ライドシェアの車が増えすぎて、交通渋滞が深刻になっているとして、市の当局が規制に乗り出す方針です。

ニューヨークの中心部、マンハッタンでは、イエローキャブと呼ばれるタクシーに加えて、ウーバーやリフトといったライドシェアの配車サービスで、多くの自家用車が街を走っていて、その数は年々増えています。

ニューヨーク市は、去年、「空車ばかりなのに、街は車だらけ」と題した報告書をまとめ、それによりますとマンハッタンでは、平日夕方のピーク時にはタクシーとライドシェアだけで１万台を超える車が走っていて、2013年に比べ２倍の交通量だということです。

このため、ニューヨーク市は、８月中にも、ライドシェア事業の規制に乗り出す方針で、ライドシェアに登録できる車を向こう１年間、原則として認めないことや、タクシーに比べて安くなりすぎないよう最低料金を設けることなどを検討しています。

ウーバーやリフトなどは「性急すぎる」などと反発する一方で、ニューヨークほどの大都市では車での移動にはこの先限界があるとみて、自転車や電動機付き自転車のライドシェアに重点を移す動きもでています。

Translation

While the "Ride-share" business in which private cars carried visitors was restricted severely in Japan, however in New York of the United States cars that did ride-share had an excessive increase, and it was supposed that traffic jam became serious, the authority in the city had worked out a policy to regulate them.

In Manhattan which was located at the center of New York, the taxi known as Yellow Cab had increased, Uber and Lift dispatching service in ride-share had caused many private cars running through the town, and its number was increasing every year.

The New York City last year compiled a report entitled "Though it is only an empty taxi, the city is full of cars". According to that report, at the peak time in weekday evenings in Manhattan, the ride-share taxi and car alone would exceed 10,000 in number. And it was said that the traffic volume had doubled compared with 2013.

For that reason the New York City considered a policy of coming out to regulate the ride-share business by the end of August: for 1 year for those cars which could be registered for ride-share, as a principle it did not allow matters such as that the minimum charge was set at a point that would not become too cheap compared with the taxi fare.

On the one hand Uber and Lift etc. had responded that it was "too quick" etc., for the big city like New York there was a view that there should be a prior boundary limit in the movement of cars, a plan to transfer emphasis to the ride-share of the bicycle, and the bicycle with an electric motor had been done.

So ride-share could lead to more cars on the roads.

Private universities which had difficult financial outlook to stop student admission and to disperse school incorporation- the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

経営難の私立大は募集停止や学校法人解散に 文科省

2018年7月31日 4時22分

経営が厳しい私立大学が増える中、文部科学省はこれらの大学に対し債務超過の危険性などが確認できた場合、学生の募集停止や学校法人の解散といった指導を行うと通知しました。

現在、全国におよそ600校ある私立大学は少子化の影響などで全体の４割が定員割れするなど、経営状況が厳しくなっています。このため、文部科学省はこれら私立大学に対してより踏み込んだ経営指導を行うことを通知しました。

具体的には、まず大学経営が３年連続で赤字となったり借入金が預貯金より多くなったりした場合、文部科学省の委員会が大学が提出した経営改善計画などをもとに３年間をめどに改善に向けた助言を行うとしています。

しかし、それでも経営が改善せず債務超過に陥る危険性が確認された場合は、学生の募集停止や学校法人の解散といった指導を行うとしています。

大学経営に詳しい東京大学大学総合教育研究センターの小林雅之教授は「私学助成金という税金が投入されている以上、国は指導や助言は行わなければならない。一方で、教育の問題は経営とは別で大学の自主性は尊重されるべきだ。文部科学省による画一的な指導は問題になるだけだ」と話しています。

Translation

As the number of private universities that had severe management problem was increasing, when the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology could confirm the danger of an excessive debt in these universities, it would give notification by providing directives such as the stopping of student recruitment, and the dismissal of school incorporation.

Due to the influence of a low birthrate, at present among the approximately 600 private universities in the whole country approximately 40% fell below the schools quota on the number students recruited, and the situation became severe for the management. For that the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology would notify the management by giving out directives and to involve itself with such private universities.

In the case that a university management had started with a deficit for the first 3 years continuously in which a borrowing loan became substantially bigger than its deposit, then based on an improved management plan etc. submitted by this university, a committee of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology would supposedly give an advice to them to improve up to a period 3 more years.

But if the management still could not improve, and a danger of falling into an excessive debt was confirmed, it was supposed that a directive would be given to stop student recruitment and to dismiss the school incorporation.

Prof. Masayuki Kobayashi of the University of Tokyo’s consolidated university education research center who was conversant with university management said that “On top of the fact that private school grant were inputs from tax, a country has to do guidance and advice. On the one hand the educational problem is different from management, and the autonomy of a university should be respected. The wish of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to have a uniform guidance will exactly be the problem."

So, the Ministry of Education in Japan has a hard time in dealing with those private universities that have difficulties in continuing with their operations.

Tourist accommodation in Hiroshima and Okayama: 280,000 people canceled reservation, income decreased by 5,500 million yen

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

広島と岡山の宿泊施設 予約キャンセル28万人 55億円減収

2018年7月25日 14時26分

記録的な豪雨が発生して以降、広島県や岡山県にある宿泊施設の予約をキャンセルした人は、推計で合わせておよそ28万人に上り、55億円ほどの減収額が見込まれることがわかりました。

広島県と岡山県は、記録的な豪雨が発生して以降に県内にあるホテルや旅館などの宿泊施設の一部を抽出してキャンセルの状況を調査し、県全体での件数を推計しました。

その結果、予約のキャンセル数は、広島県内では800の施設でおよそ18万人、岡山県内では749の施設でおよそ10万人で、両県で合わせておよそ28万人に上ることがわかりました。

これによる減収額は、広島県で45億円程度、岡山県で10億円程度の合わせて55億円ほどと見込まれています。

岡山県によりますと、豪雨で大きな被害が出た倉敷市真備町から10キロ余り離れた倉敷市の美観地区でも、主な文化施設に訪れた人の数が去年と同じ時期に比べて半分以下に落ち込んでいます。直接被災していない地域などでも影響が出ているということです。

広島、岡山両県では、県内の主要な観光地はほぼ平常どおりに営業し、観光に支障はないとして、ホームページやＳＮＳによる情報発信などを通じて観光業への支援を強化していくことにしています。

Translation

After a record torrential downpour occurred in Hiroshima-ken and Okayama-ken, the people who canceled accommodation reservation had reached approximately 280,000 people in total by estimation, and it was expected that their income would decrease by about 5,500 million yen.

After a record torrential downpour occurred in Hiroshima-ken and Okayama-ken, some of the accommodation in hotels and Japanese-style inns in the prefecture were picked out to investigate the situation so as to estimate the number of cancellation in the whole prefecture.

As a result, regarding that number of reservation cancellation in Hiroshima-ken approximately 180,000 people canceled reservation in 800 facilities while in Okayama-ken approximately 100,000 people canceled reservation at 749 facilities. Together at both prefectures it was found out that the total reached approximately 280,000 people.

Regarding the decreased income, it was about 4,500 million yen in Hiroshima-ken and of about 1,000 million yen in Okayama-ken, all together it was believed to reach about 5,500 million yen.

According to Okayama-ken, the number of the people who visited the senic area in Kurashiki-shi, which was about 10 kilometers away from Kurashiki-shi Mabi-cho that had a torrential downpour causing big damage, the people who visited the key cultural facilities went down by more than half compared with the same time last year. It was said that the area with no torrential downpour directly had also suffered.

At Hiroshima and Okayama two prefectures, the main tourist spots of these prefectures were mostly running as usual, and as it was supposed that there were no troubles to do sightseeing, home page and information sent by SNS were used to strengthen support to the sightseeing trade.

So tourism in Japan was affected by the heavy rain and bad weather. I hope it will recover soon.

Long-term interest rate - the national debt yield also dropped after the Bank of Japan introduced new measures

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

長期金利 国債利回りは日銀の新措置後も低下

2018年7月31日 18時04分

31日の国債の市場では、日銀が金融政策決定会合で長期金利の一定の上昇を容認することを決めたものの、引き続き、大規模な金融緩和が続くことに変わりはないとの見方から国債が買われ、長期金利は低下しました。

31日の国債の市場では、日銀の金融政策決定会合の結果を受けて、午後に入って日本国債を買う動きが強まり、国債の価格は上昇しました。

国債は価格が上がると利回りが低下する関係にあり、長期金利の代表的な指標である満期までの期間が10年の国債の利回りは、会合の結果が公表される前より一時、0.045％低下して0.045％となりました。

市場関係者は、「現在０％程度としている長期金利の誘導目標が引き上げられるのではないかという観測からこのところ国債が売られ、利回りが上昇していた。しかし、金融政策決定会合の結果を受け、大規模な金融緩和が続くことに変わりはないとの受け止めが広がったことから国債を買い戻す動きが強まった」と話しています。

Translation

About the market of national debt on the 31st, the Bank of Japan at a financial policy decision meeting had decided to approve a certain level of rise in the fixed long-term interest rate, yet at the same time there was no change in that it would continue easing the financial situation in large-scale; the national debt were being bought and the long-term interest rate fell.

The national debt market on the 31^st, in response to the decision of the financial policy meeting of the Bank of Japan, entering the afternoon there was a strongthening movement to buy Japanese government bond, and the price of the national debt rose.

A relation existed in that when the price of national debt rose, the interest yield would fall. The national debt of the ten-year maturity period, as an index of the typical long-term interest rate, fell by 0.045 % to stay at 0.045% for a short moment compared with the rate before meeting decisions were released.

Some people related to the market said that “as the desired target of the long-term interest rate now set to about 0 % at present may be increased, based on that observation the government bonds were being sold at this time, and the interest rate went up. But upon hearing the outcome of the financial policy meeting decision in that there would be no changes in continuing with a large-scale credit easing, it was widely accepted and a movement to repurchase national debt was strengthened."

So the Bank of Japan is closely monitoring changes in the price government bonds.