2012年12月30日 星期日

山梨大學在2016年度開始全用英語授課

Last month the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following;

山梨大(甲府市武田)は2016年度までに、ほぼすべての講義でテキストを英語の書籍とし、英語で講義することを決めた。

 全学的な講義の英語化は、国際教育に特化した大学を除けば極めて珍しい。専門性の高い分野では、学生への負担増も課題となりそうだ。

 同大総務課によると、英語化するのは、日本文学など日本語の使用が必須な科目を除く全講義。来春から段階的に導入し、4年後をめどに完全移行する。

 段階的導入には、教員が英語で指導する準備期間を確保することや、一斉導入による学生のテキスト購入費の急増を避ける狙いがある。入試でも、早ければ16年実施の試験から、全学部の2次試験に英語を課すなど、比重増加を検討する。

 英語化は、前田秀一郎学長や理事、学部長など10人で構成する「グローバル化推進会議」で10月に決定。既に大学院では、一部の講義の英語化を始めており、同課は「グローバル化に乗り遅れることなく、優秀な人材を育てる環境を整えたい」と説明する。

 文部科学省大学振興課によると、全学的に講義を英語化し、英語の授業だけで卒業が可能な大学は、国際教養大(秋田市)の例があるが、「ほかには把握しておらず、珍しいのではないか」としている。

 山梨大は医学、工学、生命環境学、教育人間科学の4学部。同大総務課は「元々英語の方が講義を進めやすい科目も多く、英語化はしやすい」としている。

 これに対し、学内の意見はさまざま。ある男性教員は「日本語の教材よりレベルが高く適切な英語教材があれば、既に使っているはず。今の学生の英語力では、4年後の移行は正直難しいだろう。特に何も変えるつもりはない」と冷ややかだ。教育人間科学部4年の男子学生(23)は「英語を重視した特色のある大学として、就職の時に有利になるかも」と話し、工学部1年の女子学生(18)は「いきなり英語になっても、授業の内容を理解できるか不安」と漏らした。

(2012年11月13日16時41分 読売新聞)

(試譯文)

Yamanashi University (Takeda, Kofu-shi) decided to use English textbooks in most of the lectures, and to use English to give lectures by the fiscal year 2016.

The transition in giving all lectures in English was something very new except for the universities which specialized in international education. Turning into a field of highly specialized nature, together with the increase in the burden to students would likely to become a subject of discussion.

According to the administration division of the same university regarding switching lectures into English, all lectures would be translated into English except for subjects which using Japanese was indispensable, such as Japanese literature. English would be introduced gradually starting from next spring and carried out in full swing within the limit of four years from now.

In the introduction phase, there was the aim to ensure that teachers could secure the preparation period in giving guidance in English and simultaneously avoid rapid increase in textbook buying expenses for students. Because the entrance examination would be conducted as early as in 2016, there would be a review on the right percentage increase in imposing English on the secondary examinations for all the faculties.

The conversion into English was determined in October at "the globalization promotion meeting" which consisted of ten people, such as President Shuichiro Maeda, together with the Director and the Dean. The translation of some parts of the lectures into English had already begun in the graduate school, and the same section explained that "we would like to improve the environment where excellent and talented people are brought up, without missing the globalization".

According to the University Administration Improvement Division of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the International Culture University (Akita city) although was an example of a university that converted into English for all lectures in all the studies, and could give English lessons which could provide graduation, "others do not grasp it and are considering it as something new."

Yamanashi University had four faculties: medicine, engineering, life-environmental studies, and educational human science. The university administration division supposed that "because many courses that lectures are given are likely that originally the subject was in English, it will be easy to carry out the translation into English".

On the other hand, opinion inside the school was divided. A certain male teacher said coldly that "if there is English teaching material that is of suitable high-level and is better than Japanese material in teaching, already it should have been used. Noting the present student's command of English and the shift in four years from now, honestly and probably, it would be difficult. There is no special plan to change anything”. A male fourth year student of the educational human science (23) said "as a university that had a special feature of treating English as important, it could become advantageous at the time of employment"; a female first-year student at the faculty of technology (18) revealed by saying that "if it becomes English suddenly, there was worry whether the contents of the lessons could be understood".

So, as far as this university is concerned, one of the meanings of going globalization is to help students to learn and use English.

2012年12月27日 星期四

福島県持續舉行甲状腺検査説明会

Last month the Mainichi News on-line reported the following: 

東京電力福島第1原発事故を受け福島県内の当時18歳以下の子供を対象に行われている甲状腺検査について、検査主体の県立医大による初の県民説明会が4日、同県郡山市で開かれた。開示請求しなければ甲状腺画像が提供されないことに批判が相次ぎ、検査責任者の鈴木真一教授は「開示を検討したい」と応じた。

 検査は昨年10月から始まり、約3分の1に当たる11万5000人分の1次検査を終えたが、「検査結果の説明が不十分」との批判が高まっていた。

 説明会は約70人が参加。鈴木教授は「現時点では甲状腺がんが増える可能性は低い」「福島の子どもの検査結果が異様なわけではない」と強調しつつ、「日本ではこれまで小児甲状腺腫瘍の疫学調査はなかった」などと検査への理解を求めた。

 説明会は2時間の予定が1時間近く延長された。同様の説明会は福島市で10日、南相馬市で18日に開き、他地域でも順次開催予定という。

(試譯文)

About the thyroid inspection conducted for children in Fukushima who were at that time aged 18 and below and had suffered from the disaster caused by the number one nuclear power plant of the Tokyo Electric Power at Fukushima, the first briefing session for people in the prefecture conducted by the prefecture medical college, as the main inspection institution, was held in Koriyama city of the prefecture on the 4th (November). If a request for disclosure was not carried out, criticism succeeding one another would point out that a thyroid picture could not be made available. Professor Shinichi Suzuki, the person in charge of the inspection said in response that "I would like to consider a disclosure."

Although the inspection was started in October last year and the primary inspection for 115,000 people, an equivalent to about 1/3 was finished; criticism was increasing saying that "explanation for the test result is insufficient".

As for a briefing session, about 70 people had participated. Professor Suzuki emphasized that “the possibility that thyroid cancer will increase at present is "low", and that "the test result of the child of Fukushima is not necessarily strange". He was seeking an understanding towards the inspection noting that “in Japan, there was no epidemiologic survey of children thyroid gland tumor until now" etc.

As for the briefing session, the scheduled 2 hours was extended for about 1 hour. The same briefing session would be held in Fukushima city on the 10th, and in Minamisoma city on the 18th, and it was planned to hold in other areas one by one eventually.

Although it is a costly medical project, it is needed in order to reduce the anxiety of the people living in Fukushima.

2012年12月26日 星期三

大分県竹田市發現大量中國古錢幣

Last month the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

大分県竹田市教委は、市内の山中から、約100キロの銅銭が見つかったと明らかにした。

 鎌倉時代から江戸初期にかけて中国から輸入された渡来銭で、唐時代の「開元通宝」や明時代の「永楽通宝」など数種類が交じっており、数万枚あるとみて、埋められた時期や当時の流通形態などを調べている。

 市教委文化財課によると、9月下旬、私有地で、木材などを運ぶための作業道を作るため、重機で斜面を削った際に出てきた。

 一部、穴をひもでつないだ銅銭もあったが、多くはバラバラで緑色にさびていた。また、銅銭が入っていたと見られる木おけの木片も見つかり、有力者が戦などの有事に備えて埋めていた可能性があるという。

 県教委埋蔵文化財センターによると、県内で1か所で見つかった銅銭としては最大量という。市教委は1枚ずつ洗浄、種類ごとに分類し、調査している。

 下関市立大の桜木晋一教授(貨幣考古学)によると、1か所で見つかった銅銭の量では、九州では1919年に福岡県久山町で見つかった約9万4000枚が最多。60年頃に同県や宮崎県で約4万枚が発見されて以降は万単位での出土はなく、約50年ぶりの大量出土という。桜木教授は「当時の経済活動や技術水準、信仰がうかがえる貴重な史料」と話している。(阿南沙弥香)

(2012年11月23日22時53分 読売新聞)

(試譯文)

The Board of Education of Taketa city, Oita clarified the around 100 thousand copper coins that had been found from a hill in the city.

Regarding these imported overseas money, they were from China between the Kamakura period and the early period of Edo. There were several kinds, such as the "Kaiyuan Tongbao" of the Tang period and the "Yongle Tongbao" of the Ming period and were mixed together, and it was concluded that there were tens of thousands pieces. Their bury time and their circulation in those days etc. were being investigated

According the Cultural-Assets Division of the City’s Board of Education, in order to make the strip road for transporting wood etc. in a private land in late September a slope was cut with some heavy industrial machines, and they came out.

Although some copper coins were partly connected to the hole with a string, many came out scattering around and they were rusty green. Moreover, pieces of wood of a wood bucket which contained these copper coins were also found, and it was said that some influential people might have buried them in preparation for an emergency, such as a war.

The Board of Education’s Buried Cultural Property Investigation Center of the prefecture said this was the largest number of copper coins being found in the prefecture at one location. The city’s Board of Education was washing them one at a time, classifying them according their different kinds, and doing the investigation.

According to Shimonoseki City University Professor Shin-ichi Sakuragi (Money Archaeology), in term of the quantity of copper coins found at one location, about 94,000 pieces were seen in Hisayama-cho, Fukuoka in Kyushu in 1919 and it was the most numerous. After discovering about 40,000 pieces in the same prefecture and in the Miyazaki prefecture at around 1960, there were no excavation that reached 10,000 pieces ever since. For the first time large quantity of excavation was noted after about 50 years. Professor Sakuragi was saying that "these were precious historical records for looking into the economic activities, the technical level, and the religious faith in those days.”

Obviously, this is an important historical finding for studying the economic and cultural flow between China and Japan.

2012年12月23日 星期日

日本人對中韓兩國外交關係民意調査有結果

Last month the Yomiuri New on-line reported the following:

内閣府は24日、「外交に関する世論調査」結果を発表した。中国に「親しみを感じない」と答えた人の割合は2011年の前回調査比9・2ポイント増の80・6%で、1975年の調査開始以降で最高となった。韓国に「親しみを感じない」という人も23・7ポイント増の59%と急増し、過去2番目に高い数字となった。外務省は「尖閣諸島(沖縄県)や竹島(島根県)をめぐる対立が、中国や韓国に対する国民感情の悪化につながった」と分析している。

 調査は9月27日~10月7日にかけ、全国の成人男女3000人を対象に行い、1838人(61・3%)が回答した。

 日中関係が「良好だと思わない」との回答は16・5ポイント増の92・8%、日韓関係が「良好だと思わない」も42・8ポイント増の78・8%に達し、ともに過去最高となった。

 中国との関係では、今年9月の尖閣諸島国有化をきっかけに中国各地で反日デモが相次ぎ、現地の日系企業が焼き打ちや略奪に遭ったことなどが影響したとみられる。「韓流ブーム」などを通じ近年は良好だった韓国との関係についても、今年8月の韓国の李明博(イミョンバク)大統領による竹島上陸が「冷や水」を浴びせた格好だ。

(2012年11月24日19時24分 読売新聞)

(試譯文)

On the 24th (October) the Cabinet Office released the result regarding the "opinion poll on diplomacy". The percentage of people who answered that regarding China they "Do not feel friendly" was 80.6%, an increase of 9.2 points since the last investigation in 2011, and it became the highest since the investigation was started in 1975. As for South Korea, the people who "do not feel friendly" also had increased rapidly to 59%, an increase of 23.7 points and became the 2nd highest figure in the past. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs that analyzing it put it as due to "the confrontation involving the Senkaku Islands (Okinawa Prefecture) or the Takeshima (Shimane Prefecture) what had led to aggravation in popular sentiments towards China or South Korea."

The investigation was conducted between September 27 and October 7, and was performed for 3000 adult men and women all over the country; 1838 people (61.3%) responded to it.

On the Sino-Japanese relation, the reply that "I do not think that it is good" was 92.8%, an increase of 16.5 points; regarding the Japan-Korea relation "I do not think that it is good" reached 78.8%, an increase of 42.8 points; and both had become the highest ever.

Regarding the relation with China, it was concluded that the anti-Japan demonstrations that succeeded one after another in various parts of China in response to the Senkaku Islands nationalization incident in September this year, together with fact that Japanese companies on the spot encountered burning and pillage etc. had influenced the opinion result. About the relation with South Korea which was good in recent years through the "Korean boom" etc., the landing on Takeshima by President Lee Myung-bak of South Korea in August this year looked like that someone had showered "cold water" over the other party.

 I think the outcome of the opinion poll in Japan was totally understandable.

2012年12月20日 星期四

日本麥當奴有免費漢堡包送

Recently the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

日本マクドナルドは20日、注文から60秒以内に商品がそろわなかったらハンバーガー無料券をプレゼントする「ENJOY!60秒サービス」を、来年1月4~31日に行うと発表した。

 対象はすべてのメニューで、会計終了後から商品を渡すまでの時間が60秒を超えれば、人気ハンバーガー「ビッグマック」(通常価格290~340円)などと引き換えられるハンバーガー無料券がもらえる。60秒以内でもコーヒー無料券がもらえる。

 来年1月14日の成人の日には、新成人へのビッグマック無料プレゼントも実施する。14日午前10時半~15日午前4時59分の間に、自動車の免許証など年齢を確認できる物を店舗で示せば、無料で1個もらえる。対象は1992年4月2日~93年4月1日生まれ。

(2012年12月20日20時12分 読売新聞)

(試譯文)

Japan McDonald Co. Ltd. announced on the 20th that it would give out a free hamburger ticket: “ENJOY! 60-second service", if food were not made ready within 60 seconds after being ordered, starting from 4th January next year.

The target would include all items in the menu, and if the time for passing over the food exceeded 60 seconds after paying the bill, a customer could get a free hamburger ticket that could be used to exchange for one popular hamburger "Big Mac" (usual price of 290- 340 yen) etc. A free coffee ticket could be handed out even within less than 60 seconds.

On the Coming-of-Age Day on January 14 next year, Big Mac would be given out to new adults as a free present. From 10:30 am on the 14th to 4:59 a.m. on the 15th, at a McDonald store, if one could show some items which could prove the age, such as a car license, it would be given out to him for free. The targets were those who were born between April 2, 1992 and April 1, 1993.

I think to give out fee items is a good way to promote business.

2012年12月19日 星期三

中國一孩政策可能重新評估?

Last month the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:

毎日新聞 2012年11月28日 20時47分(最終更新 11月29日 01時18分)

 28日付の中国の英字紙「チャイナ・デーリー」は、中国政府が「一人っ子政策」を緩和する可能性があると報じた。都市部の夫婦に第2子の出産を認めることを軸に調整しているという。中国は1979年に始めた一人っ子政策の影響で、急速な高齢化や生産年齢人口の減少に直面。これまでも見直しを求める声が上がっており、今月発足した習近平指導部が今後、政策見直しに踏み切るかどうかが注目されそうだ。

 中国人民政治協商会議(政協)人口資源環境委員会の張維慶(ちょういけい)主任が同紙に語った。中国では現在、両親がいずれも一人っ子だった場合などは第2子の出産が認められている。同紙によると、両親が一人っ子でなくても第2子の出産を認めるよう検討しているという。張主任は「政策変更は地域間の違いを考慮し、段階的に行われるべきだ」と話し、高齢化の進展などで人口構成の急激な変化に直面している都市部で先行実施されるとの見通しを示した。

 中国の合計特殊出生率は1.7で、人口維持の適正水準とされる2.1を下回っている。張主任は「理想的な水準は1.8程度」と指摘。「緩和しても急激な人口増は起きないだろう」としている。

 中国では、25年に60歳以上の人口が3億人を突破すると予想されている。一方で、生産年齢人口(15〜64歳)は15年をピークに減少に転じるとみられており、豊かになる前に高齢化が進む懸念が高まっている。

 今月開かれた第18回党大会の政治報告では、「低出生レベルの維持」という文言が消え、「人口の長期にわたるバランスのとれた発展を促す」という表現が盛り込まれた。そのため、習近平指導部が政策見直しに動くとの観測も出ている。

(試譯文)

The English paper "China Daily" of China dated 28th reported that the Chinese government might ease the "one-child policy." It was said that the government was adjusting the theme by permitting the husband and wife of urban areas to have the 2nd child's delivery. Due to the influence of the one-child policy begun in 1979, China faced rapid aging and decreases in productive population. Up to now the voice which asked for the reexamination had been coming out, and whether the group led by Xi Jinping inaugurated this month would decide on starting a policy reexamination was likely to attract attention.

Zhang Weiqing, head of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (PCC) population resource Standing Committee on Environment told the paper. In China, when the individual parent was the only child, the 2nd child's delivery was accepted now. The paper said that it was inquiring whether a 2nd child's delivery could be accepted, even if one of the parents was not the only child. Manager Cho said "A policy change should be gradually performed in consideration of the difference between areas", and he showed the prospect that early implementation should carried out in the urban areas currently facing a rapid change in population composition due to gradual aging etc.
The Chinese total fertility rate was 1.7 and was less than 2.1 being the optimum levels needed for population maintenance. Manager Cho indicated that "an ideal level is about 1.8." It was supposed that "rapid population increase will not occur, even if it is eased".

In China, it was expected that population aged 60 and over would break through 300 million people in 2025. On the other hand, it was expected that the productive population (15-64 years old) would start to decrease after the peak at 2015; and before regaining the productivity, concerns were increasing on what could come along with aging.

In the political report of the 18th convention of the party this month, the wording "maintenance of a low birth level" disappeared and the expression of "urging the development which maintains a balance of population over a long period of time" was incorporated. Therefore, the observation that the Xi Jinping's guiding group might move towards a policy reexamination had also been pointed out.

Such a population policy change could have far-reaching implications on the Chinese society.

2012年12月18日 星期二

日本交通電子付費儲值咭大統一


Recently the FNN on-line reported the following:

 全国で発行されている「Suica」や「ICOCA」など10種類の交通系ICカードが、2013年3月から相互利用できるようになる。
相互利用できるようになるのは、JR東日本が発行しているSuicaや、JR西日本が発行している「ICOCA」など、全国の10種類の交通系ICカードで、2013年3月23日から142社の交通機関で利用可能となる。
これにより、エリアの違う私鉄やバスなどで、これまで相互利用できなかった交通機関も1枚のICカードで乗り降りできるようになり、出張先や旅行先で切符を買う必要がなくなる。
また、それぞれのカードの加盟店で、電子マネーによるショッピングもできるようになる。
鉄道会社各社によると、交通系ICカードの発行枚数は2001年に初めてSuicaを発行してから、これまで10種類あわせて世界最多となる、およそ8,000万枚にのぼるという。

(12/18 21:13)

(試譯文)

Ten kinds of traffic system IC cards such as "Suica" and "ICOCA" etc. which were issued throughout the whole country could be used mutually starting from March, 2013.

The ten kinds of national traffic system IC cards, such as Suica issued by the JR East Japan and "ICOCA" issued by JR West Japan, would become mutually usable. Such a shared use would be possible starting from March 23, 2013 and would cover 142 transportation companies.

According to the arrangement, it would be possible to get on and off a means of transportation that belonged to a private rail line or a bus line in different areas using one IC card which was not mutually usable until now, and there would be no need to buy a ticket in the working or traveling destination.

Moreover, shopping by electronic money would also become possible using the card in stores of the members.

According to the individual railroad company, since the issuing of “Suica” for the first time in 2001, in total ten kinds of traffic system IC cards had been issued. It had reached about 80 million in numbers and became the world most numerous.

It is nice to know that travelling in Japan would become more convenient in 2013 for local people in general and tourists in particular.