日傳統啤酒銷路下降

Recently the Yomiuri News reported the following:
ビール大手５社が１２日発表した２０１１年上半期（１～６月）のビール類の総出荷量は前年同期比３・５％減の２億３２万ケース（１ケース＝大瓶２０本換算）で、上半期としては２年連続で過去最低を更新した。
　ハイボールや低アルコール飲料の人気に押され、東日本大震災後の「自粛ムード」で業務用を中心に需要が落ち込んだことも響いた。
　メーカー別の市場占有率は、低価格で人気の「第３のビール」の「クリアアサヒ」などが好調だったアサヒビールが３７・８％と、２年連続の首位。キリン、サントリー、サッポロ、オリオンと続いた。
　種類別では、ビールが前年同期比４・８％減の９６０４万ケース、発泡酒は同１２・５％減の３２６４万ケース、「第３」は３・２％増の７１６４万ケースだった。全体に占める割合は、ビールが４７・９％と上半期として最低だったのに対し、「第３」は過去最高の３５・８％に伸び、消費者の低価格志向が鮮明だ。年間でもビールが初めて５０％を下回る可能性が高まっている。
(試譯文)
Five beer major companies had announced on the 12th that total shipment of beer in the first half of 2011 (January - June) was 200.32 million cases, when compared to the previous year it was a 3.5% decrease (one case =20 large bottle in conversion), being a new low in a row for the first half of a year in the past 2 years.
The demand in business use had decreased because of the "Self-imposed control mood" after a East Japan great earthquake; while the popularity of the highball and low-alcohol drinks was pushed up.
In terms of market-sharing according to the manufacturers, Asahi Breweries Ltd. that had the "Clear Asahi Breweries, Ltd." etc. producing the popular low-priced "Third category beer" was good, it had 37.8% and was 2 years in a row in the head position. It was followed by the Kirin, the Suntory Limited, the Sapporo, and the Orion.
By individual categories, the beer was 96.04 million cases, corresponding to the previous year it was a 4.8% decrease; for the low-malt beer it was 32.64 million cases being a 12.5% decrease; "The 3rd" was 71.64 million cases, being an increase of 3.2%. As for beers by percentage in total, beer was 47.9% in the first half of the year, being a new low in comparison; as for "The 3rd", it expanded to a new height at 35.8%; consumer's low-priced intention was clear. The possibility that the beer would fall below 50% for the first time in one whole year had increased.


It seems that the beer consumption pattern in Japan is changing.

北京上海高速鐵路系統有小毛病

Recently the NHK News reported the following:
中国で、先月開業したばかりの北京と上海を結ぶ高速鉄道で、車両の故障などのトラブルが相次いでおり、早くも安全性に課題を抱えています。
中国では先月３０日に北京と上海を５時間足らずで結ぶ高速鉄道が営業運転を開始し、中国政府も、国の科学技術の発展を象徴するものとして、大々的に宣伝してきました。しかし国営の新華社通信によりますと、今月１０日、山東省で強風のため激しく揺れた送電線がショートし、合わせて１９本に遅れが出たほか、１２日は安徽省内で、送電設備の故障によって、一部の列車に遅れが出ました。さらに１３日も、江蘇省内で停車中の車両が突然動かなくなり、急きょ乗客をほかの車両に移す措置をとったものの、２時間半の遅れが出ました。北京・上海間の高速鉄道は、１３００キロを超える長い区間を、着工から３年余りという短期間の工事で完成させた上、日本やドイツから技術提供を受けた結果、異なる規格の車両が入り交じって走ることから、一部の鉄道関係者の間からは、トラブルが起きる可能性を指摘する声が上がっていました。これに対し中国政府は、安全対策は十分とられており、問題はないなどと反論していましたが、開業から２週間でトラブルが相次いだことで早くも安全性に課題を抱えています。
(試譯文)
In China the rapid-transit railway, that was just opened last month connecting Beijing and Shanghai, had vehicle breakdown troubles etc. one after another, and already had the safety problem.
In China the rapid-transit railway, opened on the 30th last month connecting Beijing and Shanghai in less than five hours, had begun commercial operations; it had been widely advertised by the Chinese government because it symbolized the development in science and technology of the country. However, according to the government-run Xinhua News Agency, on the 10th this month in Shangtung the power line shook intensely because of the strong wind had caused short-circuit, and delay occurred in 19 flights in total; besides, on the 12th delay happened to one train in Anhui due to the breakdown in the power transmission equipment. In addition, on the 13th, there was a delay up to two and a half hours when the carriage stopped in Chiangsu province suddenly could not move, and measures to hastily transfer passengers to other vehicles were taken. There was voice coming out from some people that were related to the railway, pointing out the possibility that troubles occurred because this rapid-transit railway that went between Shanghai of Beijing and having over 1300 kilo in length, from the start of construction to the completion of construction had taken a short period of three years or more; also the railway had mixed different standards into it because it received technical supports from Japan and Germany. As for the Chinese government, they said that enough security precaution had bee taken for this and refused to admit that there was any problem. Opened only in two weeks, with troubles coming out one after another, it already had safety problem.

Probably the railway system could be run more smoothly after the problems have been identified and the necessary improvements have been carried out.

Teresa Teng in Concert: January 1982 in Hong Kong

Taiwan singer Teresa Teng (鄧麗君)(1953-1995) said the following in Cantonese when she introduced the song Mei Hua* (梅花) :

“. . . 我就為大家介紹呢首歌係, 每一次我唱呢首歌我都覺得非常感動, 覺得呢首歌既歌詞呢代表每一個中國人奮鬥的精神 . . . 尤其是在海外的華僑. 每一位台灣的同胞都會為你們感到非常的驕傲. 這首歌呢 . . . 如果你會唱的話, 歡迎你一塊唱這首 ‘梅花”’
(試譯文)
" . . . the song that I want to introduce is, every time when I sing this song I feel very moved, I feel the song lyrics represent the fighting spirit of each of the Chinese people . . . in particular the overseas Chinese. All compatriots in Taiwan will feel very proud of you. This song . . . if you can sing, you are welcome to sing along "Mei Hua”.

I believe that as an entertainer, her love for good songs is beyond doubt, her devotion to professionalism is respectable, and her concern for overseas Chinese is from the bottom of her heart.

*梅花
作詞/作曲：劉家昌

梅花梅花滿天下
愈冷它愈開花
梅花堅忍象徵我們
巍巍的大中華

看啊遍地開了梅花
有土地就有它
冰雪風雨它都不怕
它是我的國花

看啊遍地開了梅花
有土地就有它
冰雪風雨它都不怕
它是我的國花

梅花梅花滿天下
愈冷它愈開花
梅花堅忍象徵我們
巍巍的大中華

千葉縣柏市焚化灰的固化物有放射性

Recently the Yomiuri News reported the following:
千葉県柏市は１１日、ごみ清掃工場の南部クリーンセンターで、焼却灰の固化物から最大で１キロ・グラム当たり７万８００ベクレルの放射性セシウムを検出したと発表した。
隣接する同県流山市も同日、同市クリーンセンター焼却場の灰から同２万８１００ベクレルの放射性セシウムが検出されたと発表した。
　環境省は、一般ごみ焼却施設から出る焼却灰から同８０００ベクレル超の放射性セシウムが検出された場合、埋め立て処分せずに一時保管するよう通知している。柏市は６月下旬の検出後、保管していたが、検出前に最終処分場に搬入された灰から４万８９００ベクレルの放射性セシウムが検出された。また、流山市は検出後の９日、秋田県内の処分施設に向け、発送していた。
　庭木の枝切りなどで出た一般ごみに放射性セシウムが付着していた可能性があり、焼却灰を溶融施設で溶かした時に出る排ガス中の灰を固化した際、放射性物質が濃縮されたとみられるという。
(試譯文)
On the 11th, the Chiba Prefecture's Oak city announced that they had detected in the maximum 70,800 Becquerel radioactive cesium in one kilogram of the solidified material in the incineration ash at the Southern Part clean center of the garbage cleaning factory.
On the same day in the same Prefecture in nearby Nagareyama city, it was announced that 28,100 Becquerel radioactive cesium had been detected from the ash of a clean center incineration plant.
In general, the Ministry of the Environment would give notice when radioactive cesium of 8000 Becquerel or more was detected from the incineration ash that came out of garbage incinerator, giving advice to keep it temporarily without the reclaiming disposal. In the Oak City, after it was detected in late June, it was kept. Before detection, 48,900 Becquerel radioactive cesium was detected from the ash that had been carried to the final disposal dump. Moreover, in Nagareyama City on the 9th after it was detected, it was sent to the disposal facilities in the Akita prefecture.
While there was a possibility that radioactive cesium could adhere to general garbage coming out from cut branch of garden tree etc, it was thought that in the ash melting facility when the ash in exhaust gas that came out from the melting process was solidified, the radioactive substance would be concentrated.

The government should exercise care in handling the radioactive substance, for public health reasons.

日本飲食消費二十九年來最疲弱

Recently the Asahi News reported the following:
サラリーマンの小遣いがバブル後の最低水準に――。新生銀行系の消費者金融会社「新生フィナンシャル」が今年春に調べたところ、小遣いの平均額は月３万６５００円で、昨年より４１００円減った。その分、昼食費や飲み代を削ってしのいでいるようだ。
　減るのは４年連続。７年ぶりに４万円を下回り、２９年前（１９８２年）以来の低水準に落ち込んだ。これまでの最高額だったバブル期（９０年）の７万６千円の半分に満たない。
　仕事帰りの外食の回数は月２．９回で前年と同じだったが、１回の飲み代は３５４０円と昨年より６５０円減った。昼食代も昨年より１０円減り、４９０円に。自宅から弁当を持参する人も増えている。「景気回復の実感に乏しく、将来不安も根強いため、財布のひもを緩められないのではないか」と新生はみている。
(試譯文)
Businessman's pocket money : at the minimum level since the bubble. The amount of the average pocket money was 36,500 yen a month, which had decreased by more than 4,100 yen when compared to last year, as Shinsei Bank's consumer finance company the "Newborn Financial" examined the situation in spring of this year. It seemed that it was overcome by cutting down the amount of lunch expenses and the drink money.
It was the 4th year in a row to decrease. It fell below 40,000 yen after an interval of seven years, and it dropped to a 29-year low level (since 1982). It didn't come up to even half of 76,000 yen during the bubble economy era (1990) which was currently the highest amount.
The drink money on any one occasion had decreased by more than 650 yen to become 3,540 yen, although last year the frequency of dining out after work on the way home was the same as that of the previous year: at 2.9 times a month. The lunch fee was 490 yen, decreased by more than 10 yen compared to last year too. The number of those who brought the box lunch from home also had increased. The Newborn saw that "Because the feeling of actual economic recovery is lacking, and uneasiness about the future is also deep-rooted, purse strings might not be loosened".


Obviously, the wage earning class in Japan is now having a hard time.

静岡、大阪等地牛肉有超標放射性物質(II)

Recently the FNN News reported the following:

ほかにも2頭を大阪府の業者が仕入れたこと、また愛媛県の業者から徳島県の店に販売されていることが11日夜、明らかになった。
今回の問題の原因となったのは、農家が餌として牛に与えていたわらだった。
会見で、福島県は「原子力発電所の事故発生後も外にですね、水田に管理していた稲わらを収集をいたしまして、家畜である牛に与えたというようなことでございました」と話した。
福島県の調べでは、農家が牛に与えていたわらから、国の基準のおよそ60倍となる7万5,000ベクレルのセシウムを検出した。
この農家は「配合飼料が不足したため、禁じられていることを知りながら与えた」と話しているという。
これを受け、福島県は餌の取り扱いで同様のケースがないか再点検を始め、さらに計画的避難区域などから出荷される食肉に放射性物質が含まれていないかどうか、全頭検査を始めることを決めた。
枝野官房長官は「全頭検査についてはですね、関係省庁で実際にどういうことが可能であるのか、より安全性と安心感を高めるために検討いただいていると承知しております」と述べた。
(試譯文)
In addition, regarding the matter that the trader in Osaka Prefecture had stocked with two, it was clarified on the night of the 11th that they were sold to the shop in Tokushima Prefecture by the trader in Ehime Prefecture.
It was straw that the farmers had been giving to cows as food that caused the problem.
In the interview, in Fukushima Prefecture it was said "At the outside, the rice plant straw used for managing the rice field was collected, and was given to the cows as domestic animal after the nuclear plan accident occurred".
In the investigation in Fukushima Prefecture, cesium at 75,000 Becquerel, which was about 60 times above the standard of the country was detected from the straw that farmers had given to the cows.
This farmer seemed to have said that"To feed them even knowing that it was forbidden because of the shortage in mixed forage".
Having noted that, the Fukushima Prefecture, regarding the handling of the feed, would do re-checking to ensure there were no similar cases; in addition, it was decided that a blanket testing would be started to check whether radioactive substance was included in the meat shipped from the pre-designated shelter districts etc.
The Chief Cabinet Secretary Edano described, "About the blanket testing, it is agreed that the ministries concerned would examine what was actually possible, and do it for the purpose of improving safety or increasing the sense of security ".

It seems that people have good reasons to cast doubt over their government's ability to handle the crisis.

静岡、大阪等地牛肉有超標放射性物質(I)

Recently the FNN News reported the following :
市場に流通している食品は安全という前提がまた崩れた。
国の暫定基準値を超える放射性セシウムが牛肉から検出された問題で、福島・南相馬市の牧場から東京都内のと場に出荷された6頭の肉牛の肉は、東京以外に静岡、大阪など少なくとも9つの都道府県で流通していたことがわかった。
肉の一部は店頭で販売されるなど、すでに消費された可能性があるという。
静岡市民は「食べていたら、後々体がどうなるのかなというのが心配ですね、ものすごく」、「それだけど、牛肉だけじゃないでしょ。すべての食品があてになりませんよ、今」などと話した。
不安を隠しきれない静岡市民。
福島・南相馬市の農家が出荷した牛の肉から放射性物質が検出された問題が11日夜、全国に飛び火した。
同じ農家から、牛肉は東京・港区の食肉処理場を通じて、全国各地へと流通していたことがわかった。
同じ牧場の牛6頭が、すでに9つの都道府県で流通し、一部が消費されていたことが新たに判明した。
静岡県や静岡市の調査の結果、静岡市の加工業者は6月10日に仕入れた肉を、牧之原市と静岡市の販売業者に卸していたことがわかった。
牧之原市の業者は、4.7kgを販売し、9.8kgを飲食店で消費、静岡市の業者は300グラムを飲食店で消費し、13kgを冷蔵庫に保管していた。
市が検査した結果、国の基準を上回る放射性セシウムが検出されたことがわかった。
(試譯文)
The assumption that the food circulated in the market should be safe had collapsed again.
Regarding the problem that beef was detected to have radioactive cesium that exceeded the tentative standard value of the country, it had been understood that the meat of six beef cattle had been shipped from the ranch in Fukushima and south Soma City to locations in the Tokyo metropolitan, and the beef from these cows was circulated in at least nine administrative divisions such as Shizuoka and Osaka etc. with the exception of Tokyo.
It was said that there was a possibility that part of the meat was sold through the shops etc. and had already been consumed.
A Shizuoka citizen said "It is terrible, there is the worry on how the body would become in the future if eaten ", "only this, only beef - no. Now all foods are not reliable".
Shizuoka citizens could not conceal their uneasiness.
The problem that the radioactive substance was detected from the meat of the cow shipped out by farmers in Fukushima and south Soma City spread out like wild fire to the whole country on the night of the 11th.
It had been understood that beef from the same farmers was circulated to various places nationwide through the slaughterhouse at Minato Ward in Tokyo.
It newly turned out that beef of six cows in the same ranch had already been circulated in nine administrative divisions, and part of them had been consumed.
As a result of the investigation of Shizuoka City in Shizuoka Prefecture, it was understood that processors in Shizuoka City sold the meat which they stocked wholesale on June 10th to distributors in Korehara City and Shizuoka City.
As for the traders in Korehara City, 4.7kg were sold, and 9.8kg were consumed in the restaurant; and as for the traders in Shizuoka City 300 grams were consumed the restaurant, and 13 kg were kept in the refrigerator.
It had been understood that radioactive cesium exceeding the standard of the country was detected when the city did the inspection.
(to be continued)