A meteorite hit directly on the roof of a house – the National Science Museum investigated

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

住宅の屋根に隕石が直撃 国立科学博物館が調査

2018年10月13日 4時03分

愛知県小牧市で先月、突然、住宅の屋根が壊れて表面が焼けた石のような物が落ちているのが見つかり、国立科学博物館が調べたところ隕石（いんせき）の落下であったことがわかりました。

先月26日、午後10時半ごろ、愛知県小牧市の住宅で突然「ぐわーん」という大きな音とともに家全体が揺れる衝撃があり、屋根の一部にえぐれたような穴があいたということです。

当時、家の中には人がいましたがけがはなく、翌日、庭などで表面が焼け焦げていて、大きさが10センチと５センチ、それに４センチほどの３つに割れたとみられる石のような物が落ちているのを見つけたということです。

石のようなものは磁石にくっつく性質があり、国立科学博物館の専門家が鑑定したところ、成分などから約45億年前にできた隕石とわかりました。

隕石が建物を直撃するケースは珍しく、平成15年に広島市に落ちたケースが報告されているということです。

国立科学博物館は、今後、この隕石を発見場所にちなんで「小牧隕石」として国際隕石学会に登録する手続きをとるということです。

隕石の発見者で、この家に住む女性は「探査機の『はやぶさ』などが宇宙に採りに行こうとするような神秘的なものが向こうから来てくれました。被害はありましたが貴重なものでうれしいです」と話していました。

Translation

In Komaki-shi of Aichi, the roof of a house was broken suddenly last month and something like a stone with a tanned surface was found; when it was checked by the National Science Museum it was confirmed to be a fallen meteorite.

Around 10:30 pm on the 26th last month at a house in Komaki-shi of Aichi suddenly a big sound "GUWAN" was heard together with an impact which shook the whole house; it was said that a part of the roof was looked like to have a gouged hole made.

A person was in the house at that time, but he was unhurt. On the next day, at a garden it was said that something like a stone with the surface burnt was found having a size thought to be 10 centimeters by 5 centimeters, broken up into 3 parts up to about 4 centimeters.

It was something like a stone that had an attaching character like a magnet; a specialist from the National Science Museum appraised it and found its ingredient showing characters of meteorite of about 4,500 million years old.

Cases which a meteorite hit directly a building was uncommon, and it was said that one case was reported in 2003 in Hiroshima-shi.

It was said that from now on the National Science Museum through a procedure would register this meteorite with the international meteorite academic association to register it as the "Komaki meteorite" to connect it to the discovered place.

The lady who was the finder of the meteorite and lived in this house said that "a mysterious thing came from over there where Hayabusa the spacecraft and others were trying to take to the space to investigate. Although some damages were done, the meteorite is valuable and I am happy with that."

              It is lucky that the meteorite has not hit at anyone on the ground.

Japanese passport is the number one in the world – visa free to 190 countries and areas is possible

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

日本のパスポートが世界１位 190の国と地域ビザなし渡航可能で

2018年10月11日 7時10分

日本のパスポートが“世界で１位”になりました。ビザなしで渡航できる国と地域が190に達し、各国のパスポートを比較するイギリスの民間企業のランキングで初めて単独トップになりました。

このランキングはイギリスのコンサルティング会社が毎年、取りまとめていて、９日、ことしのランキングが発表されました。

それによりますと、調査対象の世界の199の国と地域が発行するパスポートの中で、ビザなしで渡航できる国と地域の数が最も多かったのは日本でした。その数は190に達し、２位のシンガポールの189の国と地域を１つ上回りました。

日本は去年のランキングではビザなし渡航が認められる国と地域は172と５位でしたが、その後、中央アジアのウズベキスタンや東南アジアのミャンマーなどが相次いで日本人のビザの取得の免除を認め、一気に順位を上げて初めて単独トップに立ったということです。

このほか3位はフランス、ドイツ、韓国の188、最下位はアフガニスタンとイラクの30の国と地域でした。

調査を実施した会社では「ランキングはそれぞれの国や地域がどれだけ多くの国や地域と密接な関係を築いているかを表している」と指摘していて、日本の多くの国々との友好関係が示された形となりました。

 Translation

The Japanese passport was “number one in the world". The countries and areas which one could make a trip without visa reached 190. A British private enterprise compared the passport of individual country and found that Japan for the first time was the only country that ranked at the top.

A British consulting company was compiling this ranking every year, and on the 9th the ranking of this year was announced.

According to that, the 199 countries and areas in the world that issued passports had become the investigation object, the one with the largest number of the countries and areas to which you could take a trip without a visa was Japan. The figure reached 190, and it exceeded Singapore by one which ranked second with 189 countries and places.

Last year Japan ranked fifth with 172 countries and areas where a visa free trip was allowed. But since then, Uzbekistan in Central Asia and Myanmar in South East Asia and others allowed exemption from visa requirement successively. It was said that its ranking order was raised quickly and for the first time became a single country to top the ranking.

Additionally, at the third place were France, Germany and Korea with 188 countries while the lowest in ranking were Afghanistan and Iraq that had 30 countries and areas.

The company that did the investigation pointed out that "the ranking showed to what extent the respective countries and areas were building a close relation with other countries and areas"; it was a form of showing Japan’s friendship with many countries.

          So, Japanese is welcome to most countries and areas in the world.

Reduced tax rate: in convenience stores that did not allow eating and drinking, everything would be at 8%

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

軽減税率 コンビニは店内飲食禁止ならすべて８％に

2018年10月7日 6時00分

来年10月に予定される消費増税の際に導入される「軽減税率」について、財務省は、コンビニやスーパーでは店内のいすやテーブルを飲食禁止とした場合にはすべての食べ物の税率を８％に据え置くという基準を明確にしました。

消費税率を10％に引き上げる際に導入される軽減税率の制度では、小売店で買った食べ物や、酒類を除く飲み物を持ち帰る場合には、税率は８％に据え置かれますが、店内で飲食する場合には10％となります。

このため店内にいすなどを置いて飲食ができるコンビニやスーパーでは、顧客への対応が複雑になると指摘されていました。

こうしたことから財務省は、コンビニやスーパーが店内での飲食を禁止にし、実際に飲食が行われていない場合には、店内で販売する飲食料品にはすべて８％の軽減税率を適用するという基準を明確にしました。

一方、店内での飲食を禁止しない場合には会計の際に持ち帰りかどうかを確認することが必要になります。

コンビニの関係者の間では、すでにイートインのコーナーを設けている店では飲食を禁止とするのは難しいという声も出ていて、今後各社がイートインを見直すかどうか注目されます。

財務省は国税庁が公表している軽減税率の事例集を近く改定し、周知することにしています。

Translation

About the "reduced tax rate" which would be introduced in connection with the consumption tax increase scheduled for October next year, the Department of Treasury had made clear that it would maintain a standard 8% in tax on food sold in convenience stores and in supermarkets if they did not allow eating at their seats or tables.

When increasing the consumption tax to 10%, there would be also a system of introducing a reduced tax rate. In a retail stores when food, and also drinks except for alcoholic beverages were bought, those that were meant to be brought home would be set at 8%, but when they were eaten or drunk in the stores, it would be 10%.

Regarding the above, it was pointed out that the treatment of customers would become complicated for the convenience stores and supermarkets if they had chairs in the stores for doing eating and drinking.

Because of this, the Department of Treasury prohibited eating and drinking inside convenience stores and supermarkets, and when it was clear that no eating and drinking was actually carried out, a standard reduced rate of 8% would be charged on food and beverage sold in the stores

On the other hand, for stores which did not prohibit eating and drinking,  at the time of billing confirmation was needed on whether the food was to be brought home.

Voice had come out from people related to convenience stores over the difficulties in prohibiting eating and drinking in stores where eat-in corner had already between set up, from now on whether individual company with eat-in corner might make reconsideration would be watched.

         

The Department of  Treasury made known to the public about the recently revised samples on tax rate reduction published by the National Tax Administration Agency.

It is disappointing to note that taxation in Japan will be increased soon.

40 percent of Yoshinoya restaurants would use a self-service system

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

吉野家 店舗の４割をセルフ方式に

2018年10月5日 21時11分

人手不足が深刻さを増す中、従業員の負担軽減につなげようと、大手牛丼チェーンの「吉野家ホールディングス」は、およそ４割の店舗を客が料理を自分で運ぶセルフサービス方式に切り替えることになりました。

吉野家ホールディングスは、ことし８月までの中間決算を５日発表し、コメなどの原材料費の高騰や人手不足に伴う人件費の増加で８億5000万円の最終赤字になりました。中間決算での最終赤字は８年ぶりです。

こうした中、河村泰貴社長は記者会見で、吉野家の店舗の４割に当たるおよそ500店について来年から５年かけて、客がレジで注文をして自分で料理を運ぶセルフサービス方式の店舗に切り替える方針を明らかにしました。

吉野家では、これまで一部の店舗にセルフ方式を導入して検証したところ従業員の歩数が４割減るなど負担の軽減につながったほか、従来よりも客席を広くしたことで売り上げも増加したということです。

河村社長は「５年、10年先を見据え、おいしい牛丼を提供するだけでなく、ゆったりと食事を楽しんでいただくことで競争に勝ち抜いていきたい」と述べました。

Translation

Amidst increasing serious labor shortage and in order to reduce employee's burden, Yoshinoya Holdings as a major beef bowl chain was going to change approximately 40 percent of its restaurants into using a self-service system in which visitors had to get their ordered dishes themselves.

On the 5th Yoshinoya Holdings announced its interim closing ending August of this year, it was an 850 million yen in red in the final closing due to the soaring of raw material cost such as rice, together with an increase in personnel expenses accompanied by labor shortages. The previous deficit in interim closing was 8 years ago.

As such, Yasutaka Kawamura  the president at a press conference made clear a policy that in 5 years starting from next year, about 500 restaurants which was equal to 40 percent of all its restaurants would be affected by changes of being turned into a self-service system: visitors placed orders at the register and got their ordered dished by themselves.

When introduced a self system to certain Yoshinoya restaurants for checking, the number of steps of the employee decreased by 40 percent and led to a burden reduction. Furthermore, as the guest seats were made wider than before, it was said that the sales were also increased.

President Kawamura stated that "gazing into five or ten years ahead, we are not merely offering a good beef bowl; because we can offer a meal that could be enjoyed comfortably, for that we would win a competition.”

So, Yoshinoya restaurants are trying to improve their service system to increase profits.

The Trump administration just escalated its high-stakes competition with China

Recently Yahoo Finance carried the following article which was full of insights, I think. I attached it below for sharing purposes:

The Trump administration just escalated its high-stakes competition with China

CNBC   

Fred Kempe

CNBC October 6, 2018

Even with all news noise focusing on the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation fight and the "not NAFTA" trade agreement among the U.S., Mexico and Canada, it would be a mistake to miss this week's most significant geopolitical development:

The dramatic unfolding of the Trump administration's intensified offensive on China.

The administration's clearest and most comprehensive broadside on China yet followed what one official called "thousands of hours" of study and planning. It will involve agencies across the U.S. government, from the Pentagon to the U.S. Trade Representative. The consequences will be both immediate and potentially generational for global economic and security matters.

Senior officials in Beijing have increasingly worried that President Donald Trump , with his new tariffs on more than $200 billion of Chinese imports, wasn't just acting as a deal-maker seeking greater leverage for market openings. They suspected a shift was afoot in Washington to more fundamentally address the Chinese challenge.

Now the Chinese have their answer.

What lies behind a series of administration statements and actions was a deepening conviction that Trump's predecessors have done too little to respond to years of unfair Chinese trade practices, cyber transgressions, rapid military growth, growing technological prowess and the underlying strategic consequences of the so-called Belt and Road economic initiative, whose aggregate investment and loan figures are a multiple of the Marshall Plan.

Four pieces of news this week underscore the far-reaching, multi-faceted nature of the Trump administration efforts aimed at China, with senior officials promising more in the weeks ahead.

They include:

A landmark speech by Vice President Mike Pence at the Hudson Institute, calling out China as America's foremost threat, ahead of Russia, due to both the scope and seriousness of its activities abroad and within the United States.

An underreported aspect of the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement that requires all three parties to inform the others if they begin trade talks with "non-market economies" (read China). Trump administration officials view it as a template for trade deals to follow.

A leaked report that the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet has proposed a series of military operations during a single week in November to send a warning to China and to provide a deterrent to its Beijing's regional military ambitions.

On Friday, the Pentagon released the results of a yearlong look at vulnerabilities in America's manufacturing and military industrial base. "China represents a significant and growing risk to the supply of materials deemed strategic and critical to U.S. national security," including a "widely used and specialized metals, alloys and other materials, including rare earths and permanent magnets," the report says.

Pence went far beyond Trump's UN speech statement that China was acting to influence American elections against him. Pence said for the first time, echoing a view held by Trump since before his presidential campaign, that "what the Russians are doing pales in comparison to what China is doing across this country."

Pence acknowledged that Trump has built a strong personal relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping and that they've worked together on issues of common interest, particularly the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

But, said Pence, "the American people deserve to know … Beijing is employing a whole-of-government approach, using political, economic and military tools, as well as propaganda, to advance its influence and benefit its interests in the United States. China is also applying this power in more proactive ways than ever before, to exert influence and interfere in the domestic policy and politics of our country."

Some will argue that the timing of the Trump-China reset has an electoral purpose ahead of U.S. midterms elections. However, the comprehensive approach ensures it will last long beyond November. It also reflects a shift of thinking among American experts regarding China. Most have abandoned the hope that Chinese economic growth would bring with it democratic change, a greater embrace of individual rights and thus greater common cause with the U.S.

The Trump administration's new efforts carry with them considerable risks, which ultimately may be greater than during the Cold War years. For all of Moscow's nuclear capability, its sclerotic economic system never made it much of an economic competitor. The Soviet Union also never was as integrated in the global economy. By some measures, such as purchasing price parity, China already became the world's largest economy in 2014.

Although such epic, historic contests never begin with military conflict in mind, they frequently end that way.

"The real lesson of history," writes Anthony Cordesman of CSIS, paraphrasing Santayana, "is that it really doesn't matter whether one remembers the past or not. One repeats it anyway."

Graham Allison of Harvard popularized the concept of "Thucydides Trap," namely that when one great power displaces another, war is most often the result. He argued this week that to avoid that outcome this time around the U.S. and China will require the kind of "extreme imagination" that has failed them thus far.

The Trump administration's China shift is one of its boldest moves yet. Far more difficult will be to forge a strategy that manages the competition without conflict and deploys "extreme imagination" to create a world order that defends U.S. interests and embraces a risen China.

(Note: Frederick Kempe is a best-selling author, prize-winning journalist and president & CEO of the Atlantic Council, one of the United States' most influential think tanks on global affairs. He worked at The Wall Street Journal for more than 25 years as a foreign correspondent, assistant managing editor and as the longest-serving editor of the paper's European edition. His latest book – "Berlin 1961: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and the Most Dangerous Place on Earth" – was a New York Times best-seller and has been published in more than a dozen languages. Follow him on Twitter @FredKempe and subscribe here to Inflection Points, his look each Saturday at the past week's top stories and trends.)

My feeling is that It is time for China to rethink its future economic system in whether to truly open it up. But to change into a true market economy CCP would need substantial changes in its political system which it does not have the nerve to touch on. China is at the crossroad. Trump has fired his first short.

An investigation on job hunting students: the type of business that would not be needed any more due to AI - "banks, department stores..."

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

ＡＩで要らなくなる業種 “銀行 百貨店…” 就活学生の調査

2018年9月15日 12時54分

就職活動を進める大学生の半数近くが、ＡＩ＝人工知能の発達で将来、人手が要らなくなる可能性のある職業を意識しているという調査結果がまとまりました。

就職情報サービス大手、リクルートキャリアは先月、来年卒業予定の大学生に就職活動についての調査をインターネット上で行い、1300人余りから回答を得ました。

この中で、ＡＩの発達に伴って将来、人手が要らなくなる可能性のある職業を意識したことがあるか尋ねたところ、全体の46.9％が「ある」と答えました。このうち、文系では48.6％が、理系では43.1％が「ある」と答え、文系の学生のほうがＡＩを意識しているという結果になりました。

具体的な業種では、銀行や保険会社などの金融業界のほか、百貨店やスーパーなどの小売業界を挙げる学生が目立ちました。

また、仕事の内容では、事務部門を挙げた学生が最も多く、次いでトレーダーやアナリスト、生産管理や品質管理などとなっています。

調査した会社は「最近は安定した職に就きたいと考える学生が増える傾向にあり、こうした学生はＡＩが及ぼす人間の仕事への脅威に敏感になっているようだ」としています。

Translation

A survey result gathered had indicated that nearly half of the college students who were doing job hunting were conscious of the fact that certain occupations had a possibility being made obsolete in the future due to the development of AI= artificial intelligence.

Recruit Carrier, a major company on job information service last month conducted a survey on the internet on job hunting among the college students who planned to graduate next year, it received responses from about 1300 people.

Among them, when asked whether there was conscious of the fact that some occupations had a possibility that manpower for it would not be needed any more in future due to AI development, 46.9% of the total had answered "some". Among these those who answered "some", 48.6% were those from a faculty of liberal arts while 43.1% from a science faculty; the result was that students from a faculty of liberal arts were conscious about the AI.

For the business categories in detail, in addition to banking and insurance company in financial industry in which students had mentioned, department stores and supermarkets in the retail industry stood out as the example mentioned.

Next, by the contents of work, most students mentioned the administrative department; the next were traders, analysts, production controls, and quality controls and so on.

The investigating company assumed that " recently, students who would like to get a stable job tends to increase, and may be such students become sensitive to the threat exerted by AI on human’s occupation."

          Obviously, AI is changing the occupational pattern of some societies.