Teller window payment burden for those over 75 years old - calculated at a standard rate of 20% of income – a substantial review at the beginning of the year

Recently NHK News On-line reported the following:

75歳以上の窓口負担２割負担の所得基準 年明け具体的検討へ

2019年12月25日 22時36分

75歳以上の人の病院などでの窓口負担を所得に応じて２割に引き上げる政府の検討会議の方針をめぐり、社会保障審議会の部会では評価する意見が出る一方、慎重な声も出され、年明け以降、負担が増える所得の線引きといった具体的な検討を進めることになりました。

政府の全世代型社会保障検討会議は、先週、中間報告をまとめ、75歳以上の後期高齢者医療制度について、原則１割となっている病院などでの窓口負担を、「一定所得以上の人は２割とする」と明記しました。

これについて25日開かれた社会保障審議会の医療保険部会では、経済団体から「現役世代の負担軽減につながる」と評価する意見が出る一方、日本医師会からは「重みを受け止め、慎重に検討すべきだ」という声が出されました。そして、負担が増える所得の線引きをどうするかなど、具体的な制度設計について、年明けから検討を進めることになりました。

25日は、社会保障審議会の年金部会も開かれ、短時間労働者への厚生年金の適用範囲について、加入条件となっている企業の規模を、現在の「501人以上」から、３年後に「101人以上」に、５年後は「51人以上」にまで段階的に引き下げることなど、年金制度改革についての一連の案を了承しました。

厚生労働省は、関連する法案を来年の通常国会に提出する方針です。

Translation

On the policy made by the government's review meeting to raise teller window payment to 20% according to one’s income to burden on people aged 75 and above at hospitals and other payment windows, the Social Security Council's subcommittee gave feedback and sounded out for cautious. Beginning the new year, it was decided to proceed with specific studies, such as on the drawing of the income line which might increase this burden.

The government's Review Council on All Generations' Social Security had compiled an interim report last week and stated that regarding the healthcare system for seniors aged 75 years and above, they would be made responsible for window payment at hospitals, etc. at 10% as a principle, and specified that “ at 20% for people with higher income at certain level. "

In the Health Insurance Subcommittee of the Social Security Council held on March 25, while economic groups commented that it would "reduce the burden on presently working generations," the Japan Medical Association said, "we will bear the weight and it should be considered carefully". Following that from the beginning of the year, the specific institutional design such as how to draw the line on the burden based on increased income would be considered.

On the 25th, the pension sub-committee of the Social Security Council also held a meeting to increase the size of companies that would be eligible for employees' pensions for part-time employees - from the current “more than 501 people” down to “ more than 101 people” in three years, and to  “more than 51 people” in five year step by step;  a series of plans for reform on the pension system were approved.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare planned to submit relevant bills to the regular session of the Diet next year.

          So, in Japan the rich people over the age of 75 have to pay more for their health care service.

中國加快向投資銀行業巨頭開放市場

Yahoo Finance on 17.1.2020 reported the following:

China Speeds Up Opening of Market to Investment Bank Giants

Bloomberg Bloomberg News,Bloomberg 16 hours ago

Reactions Reblog on Tumblr Share Tweet Email

(Bloomberg) -- China brought forward the planned opening of its $21 trillion capital market by eight months, swinging the door open for global investment banks such as Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

The New York-based powerhouse, and rivals including JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Morgan Stanley, will now be allowed to apply to form fully owned units to do a broad array of investment banking and securities dealing in the Communist Party-ruled nation in April, compared with an earlier timetable set for December.

The decision was included in the signing of a trade deal with the U.S., partially resolving a protracted dispute that has weighed on the world’s second-largest economy. China had already committed to a broader opening of its $45 trillion financial markets, which also includes given access to its asset-management and insurance markets.

“China shall eliminate foreign equity limits and allow wholly U.S.-owned services suppliers to participate in the securities, fund management, and futures sectors,” according the text of the landmark Phase 1 trade agreement released Wednesday.

China said it won’t take longer than 90 days to consider applications from providers of electronic-payments services including American Express Co., Mastercard Inc. and Visa Inc. to handle transactions in the nation. It will remove restrictions to allow U.S.-owned insurance companies into its markets and also open its $14 trillion market to U.S. credit-rating companies.

As a reciprocal move, the U.S. will “consider expeditiously” pending requests by Chinese financial firms including Citic Securities Co., China Reinsurance Group Corp. and China International Capital Corp. It committed to “non-discriminatory” treatment of payment providers such as UnionPay Co. and Chinese credit rating companies.

China is also opening its market to allow more foreign investment into the country’s 2.37 trillion yuan ($344 billion) non-performing loan market, giving U.S. investors direct access to the market as part of its trade deal amid a surge in bad loans.

While Wall Street’s giants and their European counterparts have been present in mainland China for decades, and done deals for the country’s corporate titans, they have until now had limited opportunity to do direct business, having had to operate through joint ventures with local partners. Full ownership would be a final step after they in late 2018 were given the go-ahead to take majority control over their ventures.

Much Welcome

China has made “significant commitments” in the deal, Jake Parker, vice president at the U.S.-China Business Council, said in an e-mailed comment. “While China has already in the past year announced many of the commitments on the financial openings in the agreement, the inclusion of specific timelines on when these commitments will be implemented is very much welcome and will improve enforceability going forward.”

UBS Group AG, Nomura Holdings Inc. and JPMorgan already hold a majority in their ventures, while the others are in the process of applying for a 51% stake. It’s unclear if the application process will now move straight to the 100% hurdle.

By dismantling the wall to its financial market, China is counting on foreign financial firms to plow $1 trillion in fresh capital into the nation over the next few years, cushioning a slowdown in the economy and helping a transition to more consumer-led growth model.

The global banks, meanwhile, have a lot to gain in getting access to China’s still-fast growing economy and its increasingly prosperous population. Up for grabs is an estimated $9 billion in annual profits by 2030 in the commercial banking and securities sectors alone, Bloomberg Intelligence estimates.

But they will still need to steer an often opaque and precarious political landscape. After meeting with global banking executives in November, President Xi Jinping warned that China would seek to preserve its “financial sovereignty” even as he committed to the market opening.

China’s official People’s Daily newspaper said in a comment that the deal is generally in line with its direction of advancing reforms and opening up, and will support its need for “high-quality economic growth.”

The newspaper said that the reforms and opening up will be done “at its own pace.”

The nation has plans to create investment banking behemoths of its own to compete with the foreign influx and expand abroad. Right now, China has a fragmented market of brokerages, with about 131 firms and a limited global presence. Their combined assets equal to what Goldman Sachs sits on by itself.

Translation

（彭博）- 中國提前了八個月開放其計劃中的21萬億美元的資本市場，為高盛集團（Goldman Sachs Group Inc.）等全球投資銀行敞開了大門。

這家總部位於紐約的勁旅以及包括摩根大通和摩根士丹利在內的競爭對手現在將被允許申請成立全資子公司，由四月開始可在共產黨統治的國家進行廣泛的投資銀行和證券交易 ，相比對原定時間表是12月。

該決定是包括在與美國簽署的貿易協議中，協議部分解決了拖延着世界第二大經濟體的長期爭端。中國已經承諾擴大開放其45萬億美元的金融市場，其中包括允許進入其資產管理和保險市場。

根據周三發布的具有里程碑意義的第一階段貿易協議的文本，“中國將取消外國股權限制，並允許美國獨資服務提供商參與證券，基金管理和期貨行業。”

中國表示，它將不會用超過90天去審議包括美國運通，萬事達和維薩等電子支付服務提供商的處理國內交易的申請，它將取消美國擁有的保險公司進入其市場的限制，並向美國信用評級公司開放其14萬億美元的市場。

作為對等措施，美國將“迅速考慮”中信證券公司，中國再保險集團公司, 和中國國際金融公司等中國金融公司的待定中的申請。美國承諾對銀聯等支付服務提供商進行“非歧視”待遇, 例如銀聯公司和中國信用評級公司。

中國還開放市場，允許更多外資進入該國2.37萬億元人民幣（3,440億美元）的不良貸款市場。在不良貸款激增的情況下，作為其貿易協議的一部分，美國投資者可以直接進入該市場。

儘管華爾街的巨人和他們的歐洲同行已經在中國大陸呆了數十年，並與該國的企業巨頭有持续業務，但迄今為止，他們直接業務機會有限, 亦不得不通過與當地合作夥伴的合資企業來開展業務。在2018年底他們獲准對企業進行擁有多數控制權, 之後最後一步是獲准完全擁有權。

非常歡迎

美中貿易理事會副主席傑克·帕克（Jake Parker）在一封電子郵件中說，中國在這項交易中做出了“重大承諾”。 “儘管過去一年中國已經在協議中宣布了許多關於金融開放的承諾，如今加入了在何時實施的具體時間表的承諾，這將改善今後的可執行性, 並会非常受歡迎。”

瑞銀集團，野村控股公司和摩根大通已持有其合資企業的多數股權，其他合資企業正在申請持有51％的股權。目前尚不清楚申請程序是否會立即到达100％股權的關卡。

通過拆除金融市場的壁壘，中國指望外國金融公司在未來幾年內向該國投入1萬億美元的新資本，以緩解經濟增速放緩並幫助過渡到以消費者為主導的增長模式。

與此同時，在進入仍處於快速增長的經濟和日益繁榮的人口中的中國, 全球銀行可以大有收穫。彭博資訊（Bloomberg Intelligence）估計，到2030年，僅商業銀行和證券領域的年利潤估計將達到90億美元。

但是他們仍將需要驾驭一個通常不透明和不穩定的政治環境。習近平主席在11月會見全球銀行業高管後，警告中國即使致力於市場開放，也將尋求維護其“金融主權”。

中國官方的《人民日報》在評論中說，貿易協議總體上符合其推進改革開放的方向，並將支持其“高質量經濟增長”的需求。

該報說，改革開放將“按照自己的節奏”進行。

該國計劃建立自己的投資銀行業巨頭，與外國資本競爭並向海外擴張。目前，中國的經紀市場比較分散，大約有131家公司，全球業務有限。他們的总資產等於高盛本身的資產。

   It seems that China has agreed to open its financial market to the US at the phase-one trade treaty. I would like compare President Trump’s recent trade war with China to M.C. Perry’s war threat on Japan in mid-19th century. Both conflicts have ended up with a treaty that would increase the business opportunity of the Americans. More than one and half centuries ago, military power played a key role in shaping global foreign relation among countries; now in the 21st century economic power rules.

     

M.C. Perry’s visits to Japan has been covered in a book entitled the “Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan” published in 1856. It has three volumes; the first volume contains the complete narration of Commodore Perry's mission. The second volume contains a series of reports. The third volume contains observations on the Zodiacal Light. For more information about this book please see my blog dated 17^th August 2009.

中國通過放鬆“戶口”制度 - 發誓要為工人提供更自由的流動

Yahoo News on 26.12.2019 reported the following:

China Vows Freer Movement for Workers by Relaxing ‘Hukou’ System

Bloomberg Bloomberg News,Bloomberg 8 hours ago

Reactions Reblog on Tumblr Share Tweet Email

(Bloomberg) -- China outlined plans late Wednesday to promote the freer movement of labor as authorities look to cushion slowing growth in the world’s second-biggest economy.

The policy statement issued by the State Council, China’s cabinet, included a pledge to relax the country’s household registration system, which has been criticized as discriminatory and a deterrent to urbanization. Authorities will also make it easier to move between employers and improve incentive systems aimed at encouraging workers to go to less developed regions.

These are the latest in a slew of policy announcements Beijing has made in the final weeks of 2019 after President Xi Jinping led a December meeting of top officials to plan out the coming year’s economic priorities. The readout from that conclave signaled both an aversion to broad-based stimulus and an emphasis on spurring “new drivers of growth” through reform.

In addition to labor, the State Council has in the past week also unveiled steps to improve the efficiency of state-owned enterprises, stabilize employment, and bolster the role of private-sector businesses in the economy. Premier Li Keqiang also pledged last week to give foreign investors greater access to the country’s service sectors including finance and health care.

Xi, in an article published Dec. 15 in Qiushi magazine, also touted the importance of so-called city clusters as part of China’s urbanization strategy. In it, he describe the need for policies that promote the fair and reasonable movement of the factors of production - capital, land, enterprise and labor - so that they can aggregate effectively.

China’s household registration system has been cited by a number of economists as one hurdle to such movement. It ties the ability of Chinese citizens to access public services to the city where their household is registered. The difficulty of changing that registration, commonly knows as a person’s hukou, has left many migrants unable to fully benefit from public services for education and health.

The steps outlined by the State Council would eliminate the hukou system in cities with less than 3 million residents and relax it in cities with populations of 3-5 million. For cities home to more than 5 million, such as Beijing and Shanghai, the household registration system will be simplified, it said, without giving details. These steps mirror policies released by the National Development and Reform Commission in April.

This policy change would effectively eliminate the hukou hurdle for most of China. Out of almost 300 prefecture-level cities, only 27 have populations exceeding 3 million, according to I-City Media, which analyzed data from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

Markets reacted positively to the news. An index tracking shares of property developers listed in Shanghai rose by 2.9%, the most since September 4, while China’s benchmark CSI 300 index gained 0.9% on Thursday.

“It’s the first time the central government has announced clear-cut detailed hukou reform,” said Yan Yuejin, lead analyst at E-House China Enterprise Holdings Ltd.’s research institute. “Loosening hukou may spark home-buying demand in some tier-3 and tier-4 cities.”

Translation

（彭博社）-中國當局週三晚概述了促進勞動力自由流動的計劃，因為當局希望緩解全球第二大經濟體放緩的增長。

中國國務院(即內閣)發布的政策聲明中包括一項承諾，即放寬中國的戶籍制度，該制度被批評為是對城市化的歧視性和威懾。當局還將使雇主之間的調動更加容易，並改善旨在鼓勵工人前往欠缺發達地區的激勵機制。

這是北京在2019年最後幾週的最新一輪發布的一系列政策公告。此前，習近平主席領導了12月的高級官員會議，以計劃來年的經濟重點。此次秘密會議宣讀的解讀，是它既表明對基礎廣泛的刺激措施的厭惡，也強調通過改革刺激"新的增長動力"。。

除勞動力外，國務院在過去一周還公佈了提高國有企業的效率，穩定就業和加強私營企業在經濟中的作用的步驟。總理李克強上週還承諾，將使外國投資者有更多機會進入該國的服務業，包括金融和醫療保健。

習近平在12月15日發表在《求是》雜誌上的一篇文章中，還吹捧所謂城市群作為中國城市化戰略一部分的重要性。在其中，他描述了對促進公平，合理地移動生產要素（資本，土地，企業和勞動力）的政策的需求，以便它們可以有效地聚集。

許多經濟學家認為中國的戶籍制度是這種移動的障礙之一。它關係到中國公民獲得其戶口所在地城市的公共服務的能力。改變登記的困難（通常被稱為個人戶口）使許多移動人口無法充分受益於教育和衛生方面的公共服務。

國務院概述的步驟將消除人口不足300萬的城市的戶籍制度，並放鬆人口在3-5百萬的城市的戶籍制度。報告說，對於北京和上海等人口超過500萬的城市，戶籍制度將得到簡化，但沒有提供細節。這些步驟反映了國家發改委4月份發布的政策。

這一政策變化將有效消除中國大部分地區的戶籍障礙。根據I-City Media，分析了住房和城鄉建設部的資料，在近300個縣級市城市中，只有27個人口超過300萬。該城市對住房和城鄉建設部的數據進行了分析。

市場對該消息反應積極。追踪在上海上市的房地產開發商股票的指數上漲了2.9％，是9月4日以來的最高水平，而中國基準的滬深300指數在周四上漲了0.9％。

易居中國企業控股有限公司研究部首席分析師嚴躍進表示：“這是中央政府首次明確進行詳細的戶籍改革。” “戶籍的鬆動可能會激發一些三四線城市的購房需求。”

     It is nice to see that China, out of economic needs, is relaxing some of its control over people’s movement.

The number of people returning driving license - a record high in Tokyo

Recently NHK News On-line reported the following:

首都圏 NEWS WEB

免許返納者 東京では過去最多に

12月28日　18時16分

ことし、全国で高齢ドライバーによる交通事故が相次いだことを受け、東京都内では運転免許を返納する人の数が過去最多となっています。

警視庁は返納を促す取り組みを進めるとともに、「年末年始で家族が集まる機会に相談してほしい」と呼びかけています。

ことし４月、東京・池袋で高齢ドライバーが運転する乗用車が暴走し、親子２人が死亡するなど、全国で高齢ドライバーによる交通事故が相次ぎました。

警視庁によりますと、こうした事故をきっかけに、都内では高齢者を中心に運転免許を返納する人が増えていて、ことしは先月までに６万１１９人に上りました。

これまでで最も多かった平成２９年をおよそ１万４０００人上回り、過去最多となっています。

警視庁では、返納を促す取り組みを進めていて、今月からは代理人による免許返納を都内各地の警察署でも受け付けています。

代理人による申請は本人の委任状などが必要で、委任状は警視庁のホームページでもダウンロードできます。

警視庁は「少しでも運転に不安がある人は返納を検討し、年末年始で家族が集まる機会に相談してほしい」と呼びかけています。

Translation

The number of people returning their driver's licenses in Tokyo became the highest ever, following a series of traffic accidents by elderly drivers nationwide.

The Metropolitan Police Department had been working on encouraging driving licence returning, and expressed that they "hope the opportunity of family gathering during year-end-and-new year holidays would be used to do consultation."

In April, a number of traffic accidents occurred that were caused by elderly drivers nationwide, including a car driven recklessly by an elderly driver in Ikebukuro of Tokyo that killed a parent and a child.

According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the number of people returning driver's licenses in Tokyo had been increasing, mainly among the elderly following this accident, and the number reached 60,119 last month.

This was the highest number ever, exceeding the number of people in 2017 which was the highest at that time by about 14,000.

The Metropolitan Police Department was working on encouraging the returns; and from this month, police had been accepting license returned by representatives at police stations around the city.

An application by an agent required a letter of attorney etc., which could also be downloaded from the Police Department's website.

The Metropolitan Police Department had called out that “people who are worried about driving, even for a brief moment, to consider returning their permits; and to discuss this on the occasion of family gatherings during the year-end-and-new-year holidays.”

     It is surprising to know that so many road accidents had been caused by old age drivers in Japan.

印尼反對中國對南中國海的主張

Yahoo News on 2^nd January 2020 reported the following:

Indonesia rejects China's claims over South China Sea

Reuters Reuters Wed, Jan 1 3:58 AM PST

Reactions Reblog on Tumblr Share Tweet Email

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia said on Wednesday it rejected China's claims over a disputed part of the South China Sea as "having no legal basis", after two days earlier protesting to Beijing over the presence of a Chinese coastguard vessel in its territorial waters.

The boat trespassed into Indonesia's exclusive economic zone off the coast of the northern islands of Natuna, leading Indonesians officials to issue a "strong protest" and summon the Chinese ambassador in Jakarta.

Speaking in Beijing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang had said China had sovereignty over the Spratly Islands and their waters and that both China and Indonesia have "normal" fishing activities there.

In a sharp rebuke, Indonesia's foreign ministry called in a statement on Wednesday for China to explain the "legal basis and clear borders" regarding its claims on the exclusive economic zone, as based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

"China's claims to the exclusive economic zone on the grounds that its fishermen have long been active there... have no legal basis and have never been recognized by the UNCLOS 1982," the foreign ministry said.

Jakarta also noted that the argument had been refuted during China's legal defeat against the Philippines in 2016 over disputed South China claims at Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.

Indonesia has no claims over the Spratly Islands, which lie to the northeast of the Natuna Islands.

The foreign ministry reiterated its stance that the country is a non-claimant state in the South China Sea and that it has no overlapping jurisdiction with China.

However, Jakarta has repeatedly clashed with China over fishing rights around the Natuna Islands, detaining Chinese fishermen and expanding its military presence in the area.

China claims most of the South China Sea, an important trade route which is believed to contain large quantities of oil and natural gas.

Several Southeast Asian states dispute China’s territorial claims and are competing with China to exploit the South China Sea’s abundant hydrocarbon and fishing resources.

Beijing has raised the ante by deploying military assets on artificial islands constructed on shoals and reefs in disputed parts of the sea.

China's embassy in Indonesia was not immediately reachable for comment.

(Reporting by Jakarta bureau, editing by Louise Heavens)

Translation

 雅加達（路透社）- 印尼週三表示，印度尼西亞以“沒有法律依據” 拒絕了中國對南海有爭議部分的主張 。這是印尼就其領海中發現有中國海岸警衛隊船隻向而北京提出抗議之後兩天。

中國海岸警衛隊船侵入了納圖納群島北部对出海岸的印度尼西亞專屬經濟區，導致印尼官員發出“強烈抗議”，並傳召中國駐雅加達大使。

中國外交部發言人耿爽週二在北京發表講話說，中國對南沙群島及其水域擁有主權，中國和印度尼西亞在那兒都有“正常”捕魚活動。

印尼外交大臣週三作出強烈譴責，要求中國根據1982年《聯合國海洋法公約》(UNCLOS) 解釋其對專屬經濟區的主張的“法律依據和明確邊界”。

外交部說：“中國以其漁民長期活躍在那里為由而宣稱擁有專屬經濟區……這是沒有法律依據，也從未得到《 1982年聯合國海洋法公約》的承認。”

雅加達還指出，在中國於2016年對海地在海牙常設仲裁法院提出有爭議的中國訴訟中，菲律賓駁已回了這一論點。

印度尼西亞對位於納圖納群島東北部的南沙群島沒有主權。

外交部重申其立場，即該國是南中國海的一個無主張國的國家，與中國沒有重疊的管轄權。

然而，雅加達一再與中國就納圖納群島周圍的捕魚權發生衝突，拘留了中國漁民並擴大了在該地區的軍事存在。

中國擁有南中國海的大部分地區，這是一條重要的貿易路線，相信其中蘊藏著大量的石油和天然氣。

幾個東南亞國家對中國的領土主張提出異議，並正在與中國競爭以開發南中國海豐富的碳氫化合物和漁業資源。

北京通過在軍事爭議地區淺灘和珊瑚礁建造的人工島上部署軍事資產來提高賭注。

中國駐印尼大使館無法立即聯繫到置評。

        So, following the Philippines, Indonesia is challenging China's sovereignty claims over the South China Sea.

Kawaguchi ranked No. 1 as “A comfortable city in the Tokyo metropolitan area”: Residents - “Really?”

Recently Asahi Shimbun Digital reported the following:

川口が「首都圏住みやすい街」１位 住民「本当に？」

 朝日新聞社 2019/12/24 07:02

　首都圏で住みやすい街のグランプリは川口！　そんな大手住宅ローン会社のランキング結果が話題を呼んでいる。「本当に？」という住民の声がある中で、ランキングの元となるデータが単なる人気投票とは違う、という特徴が反映されたようだ。

　ランキングは住宅ローン会社「ＡＲＵＨＩ（アルヒ）」が選定した東京、神奈川、千葉、埼玉の１都３県を対象にした「本当に住みやすい街大賞２０２０」。地域は駅単位で、住まい選びの参考になるランキングとしている。グランプリの「川口」も川口駅周辺を指している。街や地域のランキングは多々あるが、市によると川口が選ばれたのは初めてではないかという。

　しかし、昨年も４位とはいえ、人気上昇中の赤羽（２位）、柏の葉キャンパス（４位）、高級住宅街で新たな開発も進むたまプラーザ（３位）を抑えての１位に、市民からは「ちゃんとした調査なのかなあ」「東京の隣なのに家が安いからか」と不思議がる声があるのも確か。

　それに対して同社の担当者が「実際に住宅を買った人の数をベースにしている。住みたいけど住めないという人気投票のようなランキングとは違った結果になっている」と説明するように、選定方法に特徴があるようだ。

　同賞は同社の膨大なデータを活用して、住宅や不動産の専門家らの選定委員会が「生活する」という視点を重視している。（1）住環境（2）交通利便性（3）教育環境（4）コストパフォーマンス（5）発展性に分けて選んだ川口の総合評価（５点満点）は４・１４。「発展性」は満点だった。駅近くにある進行中の銀座通り商店街の再開発、２０２３年に完成予定の商業施設を含む２９階のタワーマンションなどが高く評価され、グランプリ受賞につながったようだ。（堤恭太）

Translation

In the Tokyo metropolitan area, among the Grand Prix’s city Kawaguchi was easy to live in! The ranking results of such a major mortgage company were attracting attention. With the voice of the residents saying "really?", it seemed to reflect a feature that the ranking data used was different from a popular vote.

The ranking was to find “A truly livable city grand prize 2020” among Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama as selected by the mortgage loan company “ARUHI”. The area ranking was made based on station-by-station that could be used as a reference for selecting a house. The Grand Prix "Kawaguchi" also pointed to the area around Kawaguchi Station. While based on towns and regions there were many rankings, but based on cities, Kawaguchi was for the first time to be chosen.

Although in the fourth-place last year, it took over the 1st place by surpassing Akabane (2nd place), Kashiwa-no-ha Campus (4th place), and Tama-Plaza (3rd place) which had new development in progress in its high-end residential areas. Certainly, some citizens were wondering, "is this a proper survey?", “is it because the house is cheap even though it is next to Tokyo?”

The company's representative said, "it's based on the number of people who actually bought a home. It's different from a popular vote which included those wanting to live a neighborhood but unable to do so." In addition, the selection method seemed to be unique.

This award utilized the company's vast amount of data, it emphasized the perspective of “living” through a selection committee of housing and real estate experts. (1) Living environment (2) Transportation convenience (3) Educational environment (4) Cost performance (5) Divided into development potential, the comprehensive evaluation of Kawaguchi that was selected was 4.14 (out of 5 points). It had a perfect score in "Development potential". The ongoing redevelopment of the Ginza-dori shopping street near the station, together with the 29th-floor tower condominium including a commercial facility scheduled to be completed in 2023 were highly evaluated and seemed to have led to winning the Grand Prix.

       So, Kawaguchi as a neighborhood has the highest potential for investment.

China to lift part of the embargo on Japanese beef - is it an aim to appeal to improve relations?

Recently Mainichi Shimbun On-line reported the following:

中国が日本産牛肉の禁輸一部解除 関係改善アピールする狙いか

 毎日新聞 2019/12/23 23:14

　中国メディアは23日、中国が牛海綿状脳症（BSE）発生を理由に2001年から輸入を禁止している日本産牛肉について、禁輸措置を一部解除したと報じた。23日には安倍晋三首相が日中韓首脳会談出席などのため中国入りし、来春には習近平国家主席の訪日も予定され、日中関係改善をアピールする狙いもありそうだ。

　中国税関総署と農業農村省は19日付の公告で、リスク評価の結果、「生後30カ月以下の日本産牛の骨なし肉」の禁輸措置を同日付で解除すると発表した。検疫体制などの詳細は別途定めるとしている。

　日中両政府は11月、日本産牛肉の対中輸出再開の前提となる動物衛生・検疫分野の協定に署名した。日本の農林水産省によると、実際に日本から輸出を再開するには食肉の安全基準や、処理施設の認定など細かなルールを両国間で詰める必要があり、なお時間がかかる見通しだ。【北京・赤間清広】

Translation

Chinese media reported on the 23rd that China had lifted some embargoes on Japanese beef which had been banned from importing in 2001 due to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived at China on the 23rd to attend the Japan-China-ROK summit, and also to schedule a visit by Xi Jinping to Japan next spring which had a likely aim to appeal to improve Sino-Japanese relations.

The Chinese Customs Administration and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs announced in a public announcement on 19th that, based on the result of risk assessments, they would lift the embargo on the same date on "boneless meat from Japanese cows of less than 30 months old". Quarantine system details etc. would be specified separately.

  

In November, the two governments signed an agreement on animal health and quarantine which was a prerequisite for resuming Japanese beef exports to China. According to Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, restarting exports from Japan would require detailed rules between the two countries, such as meat safety standards and certification of processing facilities, and furthermore it was expected that restarting exports could take some time.

          So, it seems that China is trying to keep a good relationship with its neighboring countries as China-US trade disputes might continue for a long time.

IBM and the University of Tokyo collaborated on quantum computer - one to be set up in Japan

Recently NHK News On-line reported the following:

IBMと東大、量子コンピューターで連携　日本に設置へ

科学&新技術

2019/12/19 11:47

米IBMと東京大学は19日、次世代の超高速計算機「量子コンピューター」の研究開発で協力すると発表した。新薬や素材の探索から物流、金融サービスなどの幅広い分野で革新をもたらすとみられ、世界で開発競争が激しい。

IBMは開発中の機種を日本に設置し、ハードとソフトの両面から実用的な機能を高めていく考えだ。

IBMは2016年から量子コンピューターをクラウド経由で開放し、世界で利用者は20万人にのぼる。提携する機関は90を数え、日本では慶応義塾大学に拠点がある。東大との協力ではクラウド経由ではなく、量子コンピューターの実機を持ち込む。20年に東大本郷キャンパス（東京・文京）と日本のIBMの拠点に設置する計画だ。

IBMは応用分野の広い「ゲート方式」の量子コンピューターを開発中だ。米国外ではドイツに設置を予定しており、日本は3カ国目、アジアで初になる。

量子コンピューターの性能は最近急速に向上し、米グーグルが10月にスーパーコンピューターをしのぐ性能を実証したと発表した。しかし実用化に向けてハードとソフトとも課題は山積している。IBMは東大と協力して解決策を探り、人材の育成などにも取り組む。

IBMと東大は産業界や他の大学にも連携を広げる計画だ。この分野に力を入れているグーグルや中国のアリババ集団などとの競争で優位に立てるようにするねらいだ。東大も量子コンピューターに関連する多くの分野の研究を底上げできると期待している。

Translation

IBM and the University of Tokyo announced yesterday that they would cooperate in research and development of the next-generation ultra-high-speed computer "quantum computer". The  expectation was to bring about innovation in a wide range of fields from the search for new drugs and materials, to logistics and financial services in a world with intense development competition.

IBM planned to install a developing model in Japan, and to enhance practical functions in both hardware and software.

IBM opened up its quantum computers via the Cloud since 2016, reaching 200,000 users worldwide. There were 90 affiliated institutions and there was a base in Japan at Keio University. In cooperation with the University of Tokyo not only via the Cloud, it would bring in an actual quantum computer. The plan was that in 2020 an IBM base would be set up in Japan at the University of Tokyo Hongo Campus (Bunkyo, Tokyo).

IBM was developing a "Gate-based" quantum computer with a wide range of applications. Outside the United States, it was planning to install one in Germany, and Japan would be the third country, but the first in Asia.

The performance of quantum computers had improved rapidly recently, with Google announcing in October that it had outperformed supercomputers. However, there were many issues for both hardware and software towards practical use. IBM would work with the University of Tokyo to find solutions to these issues, and also to work on the development human resources.

IBM and the University of Tokyo planned to extend collaborations towards the industrial world and other universities. The aim was to be ahead of the competition with Google and Alibaba groups in China who were focusing on this area. The University of Tokyo hoped to improve research in many fields related to quantum computers.

           So, there is a competition between China (teaming with Google) and Japan (teaming up with IBM) in the research on quantum computers applications.

“To fulfill an order within 30 seconds after receiving it” - unfair dismissal due to the impossible mission - a former employee sued McDonald

Recently Mainichi Shimbun On-line reported the following:

「注文から提供まで30秒以内」達成困難な目標で不当解雇 元社員がマクドナルド提訴

 毎日新聞 2019/12/12 18:46

　日本マクドナルド（東京都）元社員の男性＝名古屋市＝が、成績不振の従業員への業績改善計画で達成困難な目標を課され退職を強要されたなどとして、同社に解雇無効や慰謝料200万円、約2年間の未払い賃金などを求める訴訟を名古屋地裁に起こした。提訴は10月31日付。

　訴状などによると、男性は2016年11月に市内店舗で勤務中、過労による急性心筋梗塞（こうそく）で倒れた。心臓を手術し、医師の意見書に「6カ月は過労を避けて」と記されたが、同社に記載の無い意見書を再提出させられた。復帰後は人手不足で心臓病の薬を満足に服用できず、連日の深夜勤務などもあり17年8月に再入院。再手術したが、翌月には復職を求められた。

　昨年9月には同計画を強要され、注文から提供まで30秒以内など非現実的な目標を課された。その間、勤務中に片耳が聞こえなくなるなどしたという。今年1月、目標未達成を理由に退職同意書への署名を求められた。2月に「大うつ病」と診断されたが、執拗（しつよう）に退職を迫られ、4月末で退職とされたという。

　同計画は主に外資系企業では「PIP（パフォーマンス・インプルーブメント・プラン）」などと呼ばれ、従業員に課題を与えて能力を向上させる制度。達成困難な目標を課して退職勧奨や解雇の理由とするケースもある。12年には東京地裁が、米通信社東京支局の男性記者について、PIPを経た解雇を無効と判断した。

　男性は「自主退職を装うためにPIPを課した。解雇は権利乱用で無効」と主張。「不当に早期復職を強いられ再手術を余儀なくされるなど、多大な精神的苦痛を被った」と訴えている。

　日本マクドナルド広報部は取材に「訴訟に影響するため詳細なコメントは控えるが、引き続き法廷の場で真摯（しんし）に対応する」とコメントした。【川瀬慎一朗】

Translation

A former employee of McDonald's (Tokyo) in Nagoya City who had been forced to resign after being given a hard-to-achieve goal assigned under a performance improvement plan that was designed for poor-performing employees filed to the Nagoya District Court a lawsuit to seek 2 million yen from the company for the dismissal and alimony,  on top of the unpaid wages etc. of about two years. The complaint was dated October 31.

According to the complaints, the man fell down during work in a city store in November 2016 due to acute myocardial infarction as a result of overworking. His heart was operated upon and a doctor's opinion stated that “overwork be avoided for six months”. Yet this opinion was not recorded in the company although it had been submitted. After returning to work, the man was unable to take heart medicines satisfactorily due to tight manpower situation. He was hospitalized again in August 2017 due to continuously working late at night. He was re-operated upon, and was asked to return to work in the following month.

 "In September of last year, the same plan was again enforced upon him, impossible goals such as fulfilling orders within 30 seconds from receiving were imposed on him. Meanwhile, one of his ear was unable to hear during working. In January this year, he was asked to sign a resignation agreement because he could not achieve the goals. He was diagnosed with “major depression” in February,  urged to resign relentlessly and dismissed at the end of April.

A plan like this was commonly called “PIP (Performance Improvement Plan)” by foreign-affiliated companies, it was a system that gave employees tasks to improve their abilities. In some cases, a difficult goal was set for reasons of encouraging resignation or dismissal. In 2012 the Tokyo District Court had ruled that a dismissal, made through a PIP, was invalid towards a male reporter belonging the Tokyo branch of a US news agency.

The man insisted that “a PIP is being imposed to pretend a voluntary resignation; the dismissal is invalid due to abuse of rights ". He said that “a great deal of mental pain was suffered, including being unfairly forced to return to work and re-operated upon."

In response to press inquiries McDonald's Public Relations Department in Japan commented that “we ​​will refrain from making detailed comments because it will affect the lawsuit, but we will continue to respond sincerely in the courtroom.”

          So, McDonald is facing a legal battle initiated by his former employee.