宮城県石巻市魚市場收到匿名者贈金

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

津波の被害を受けた宮城県石巻市の魚市場に、金額にして１０００万円相当に上る金の延べ棒２本が届けられました。魚市場では、送り主に心当たりがないことから、寄付として復興に役立てることにしています。

金の延べ棒が届けられたのは、津波で漁港や周辺施設に大きな被害を受けた石巻市の「石巻魚市場」です。魚市場によりますと、今月８日、須能邦雄社長宛てに宅配便が届き、中に金の延べ棒２本が入っていたということです。
専門の業者に見せたところ、延べ棒は純金で、重さは１本当たり１キロあり、２本合わせて金額はおよそ１０００万円相当に上るということです。一方、送り主の欄には「地震津波支援協力会」と書かれ、長野市から発送されたということですが、手紙などは入ってなく、魚市場にも心当たりはないということです。
石巻市では、魚介類の水揚げ量が今も震災前の半分ほどにとどまっていて、魚市場は、寄付として感謝するとともに復興に役立つ使いみちを考えています。
須能社長は「復興まではまだ長い道のりですが、頑張ってほしいという後押しを受けたと感じています」と話しています。

(試譯文)

Two gold bars that had a worth up to 10 million yen were sent to the fish market in Ishinomaki city in Miyagi that had suffered from the tsunami damage; since the sender did not indicate the idea on how to use the money, it would be used to help the recovery of the fish market.

The golden bars were sent to the "Ishinomaki fish market" in Ishinomaki that had suffered serious damages from the tsunami at the fishing port and at the surrounding institutions. According to the fish market it was said that on the 8th of this month (February) a parcel was delivered to the home of President Shunou Kuniwa, and two golden metal bars were found inside.

When they were shown to a trading specialist, it was said that the metal bars were in pure gold, the weight was 1 kg each, and together their money worth would be up to about 10 million yen. At the sender's column of the delivery document it was written that "seismic wave support cooperative association", and it was shipped from Nagano. No letter was attached and the fish market had no clear idea on what to do either.

At the Ishinomaki fish market, the amount of fish and shellfishes landed still remained at half the amount before the earthquake disaster. While appreciating the delivery, it was considered as a contribution to be used for the recovery of the market.

President Shunou Kuniwa was saying that "Although the road of recovery is still very long, there is a feeling that it is a back up to you and it wants you to do the best".

It is a heart warming story. Some local people are still trying to help the fishermen to recover from the damages caused by the tsunami that happened almost two years ago.

日本全國戒備微小粒子状物質（ＰＭ２・５）

Yesterday the Yomiuri New on-line reported the following:

熊本県は５日午前、県内の微小粒子状物質（ＰＭ２・５）の濃度が、環境省の暫定指針値（１日平均７０マイクロ・グラム超）を上回る可能性があるとして、注意喚起した。

　暫定指針に沿っての注意喚起は全国で初めて。

　環境省は、大気１立方メートルの濃度について、午前４～７時の３時間の平均値が８５マイクロ・グラムを超えた場合、統計的に１日平均が７０マイクロ・グラム超になるという目安を示している。

　熊本県には１８の観測地点があり、この３時間のうち１回でも８５マイクロ・グラムを超えれば注意を呼びかけるという基準を設定。荒尾市役所で午前５時に９１マイクロ・グラム、同７時は１０１マイクロ・グラムを観測。県は同７時、ホームページなどで不要不急の外出を控えることなどを呼びかけた。

　この日は、福岡市でも午前７時に８４マイクロ・グラムを観測し、独自の基準に基づいて市民に注意を呼びかけた。大分県日田市では午前９時に９５マイクロ・グラム、長崎市では午前２時に８４マイクロ・グラムを観測した。

　また、山口県は早朝以降でも８５マイクロ・グラムを超えれば、注意を促す運用を１日から行っており、４日夕に初めて注意喚起を行った。同日午後４～５時に宇部市で９０マイクロ・グラムなど、複数の測定局で８５マイクロ・グラムを超えたが、健康被害などの情報は寄せられていないという。

（2013年3月5日22時48分 読売新聞）

(試譯文)

In the Kumamoto Prefecture in the morning of the 5^th, the concentration of the minute particulate matter (PM2.5) within the prefecture might exceed the interim guideline value (more than the average of 70 micrograms per day); noting that the Ministry of Environment called for attention.

  It was the first time attention in the whole country was drawn with reference to the interim guideline.

  The Ministry of Environment showed that, with regard to the concentration of 1 cubic meter of atmospheres, the average value in the 3 hours from 4.00 to 7:00 in the morning exceeded the average of 85 micrograms, more than the 70 micrograms statistical standard for one day.

  For the 18 observation points located in Kumamoto Prefecture, a standard to appealing for cautions was set up and would be activated if it exceeded 85 micrograms even for one time within that 3 hours. In the Arao city office, 91 micrograms was observed at 5.00 am and  101 micrograms was observed at 7.00 am. The prefecture at its homepage appealed for a refraining from nonessential going out etc.

  On the same day in Fukuoka, 84 micrograms was observed at 7:00 a.m., and it appealed to citizens for cautions based on their own standard. In Hita city, Oita prefecture, 95 micrograms was observed at 9:00 am; in Nagasaki at 2:00 a.m. 84 micrograms was detected.

  Moreover, in Yamaguchi prefecture starting from the 1^st, an operation system was in place to call for attention after the early morning when it exceeded 85 micrograms, and in the evening of the 4^th for the first time attention was called for. On the same day in Ube city at 4.00 pm - 5.00 pm it exceeded 90 micrograms, in two or more measurement offices it exceeded 85 micrograms. It was said that information about health impairment etc. was not being received.

So, in Japan the whole country is on guard for the PM2.5.

中國向俄國購買先進戰機

A few weeks ago the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

インターファクス通信は２３日、露中両国の政府が協議を続けていた戦闘機スホイ３５の売却について、中国が少なくとも４０機前後を購入することで合意したと報じた。

　ロシアの武器輸出公社などが中国側と北京で、対中供与を許可する共同文書に署名した。

　スホイ３５を巡っては昨年１１月、中国が２４機購入すると報じられていた。インターファクス通信はスホイ３５について、日本が航空自衛隊の次期主力戦闘機（ＦＸ）として購入するステルス戦闘機Ｆ３５にも対抗可能だと強調している。

　露メディアによると、中国は当初、スホイ３５を４機だけ購入することを提示した。だがロシアは、コピー機製造のためだけに利用されることを嫌って、少なくとも４８機は購入するよう求めていた。

（2013年1月24日19時38分 読売新聞）

(試譯文)

 On the 23rd the Interfax news agency reported on the continuing negotiations between the governments of Russia and China about the sales of the fighter plane Sukhoi 35; China had agreed to purchase around 40 planes at least.

The Export-of-Arms Public Corporation of Russia etc. in China at Beijing signed a common document which permitted the supply to China.

Centering on the Sukhoi 35, it was reported in November last year that China purchased 24 planes. Interfax news agency emphasized that the Sukhoi 35 could stand against the stealth bomber F35 fighter that the Air Self Defense Force of Japan would purchase as their next generation main fighter plane (FX).

According to the Russian media, it was indicated that at the beginning China wanted to purchase four Sukhois 35 only. But Russia worried that it was used only for coping to manufacture the plane, asked China to purchase at least 48 planes.

So, China would spend a huge sum to buy some modern fighter planes from Russia in the near future.

韓國商店杯葛日本製品

Recently the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:

韓国:日本製品不買運動の開始を宣言　自営業者らの団体

毎日新聞　2013年03月01日　19時25分（最終更新　03月01日　19時56分）

　韓国の自営業者らの団体が１日、竹島の日（２月２２日）式典に日本政府が島尻安伊子内閣府政務官を派遣したことに抗議して、日本製品不買運動の開始を宣言する集会をソウルで開いた。今後、会員の商店などで「日本製品を売るのも買うのもやめよう」という不買運動を展開すると宣言しているが、掛け声倒れに終わるという見方が強い。

　集会には約１００人が参加し、「日本は過去を謝罪しろ」などと叫んだ。韓国では近年、竹島（韓国名・独島＝ドクト）の領有権問題も日本の植民地支配に結びつけて語られるようになっている。

　主催者側は、不買運動には１００以上の団体が参加し、会員数は計７００万人だと説明した。ただし、複数の団体への重複加入もあるといい、実際の人数はもっと少なくなる。

　韓国では過去にも同様の不買運動が呼びかけられたことがあるものの、実際の販売不振につながったことはないと見られている。今回の不買運動についても、ソウル市内の商工会議所関係者は「参加する商店は多くないだろう」という見方を示した。

　ソウル中心部の繁華街・明洞（ミョンドン）にあるユニクロ店舗で買い物をしていた男性会社員、康智錫さん（３０）は「不買運動をする人がいてもいいと思う。私は、品質が良いのでユニクロ製品をよく買っている」と話していた。

(試譯文)

On the 1st the South Korean Self-employed Workers' Organization held in Seoul a meeting which declared the start of a boycott of the Japanese-products in protest against the Japanese government’s dispatching of Shimajiri Aiko, a Cabinet Office parliamentary official, to the Takeshima Day (February 22) ceremony. It declared the start of a boycott that member's store etc. from now on “would stop buying and selling Japanese products”; yet there was a strong view that it would fizzle out.

About 100 people participated in the meeting and shouted that "Japan needs to apologize for the past" etc. In Korea in recent years the discussion on the sovereignty problem of Takeshima (South Korea named it as Dokdo = Duc Tho) was connected to colonial rule of Japan.

    It was explained by the sponsoring side that 100 or more organizations would participate in the boycott, and their membership was 7 million in total. However, it was said that due to duplicated membership subscription of organizations, the actual number was much less.

In South Korea, although in the past it had also appealed for similar boycotts, it was expected that it was out of touch with the real sluggish sales now they had. Also about this boycott, the staff of the chamber-of-commerce in Seoul held the view that "probably not many stores would participate".

    Mr. Kang Jixi (30), a male company employee who was shopping at the UNIQLO store located in Myeong-dong at the heart of downtown Seoul said "I think that people can have a boycott. I often buy UNIQLO products because of their good quality".

It is understandable that to the businessmen, often the financial need to ensure the company’s survival has the top priority.

明治時代學生膳食在群馬小学再現

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

明治時代の給食 群馬の小学校で再現
1月25日 0時4分

２４日から始まった「全国学校給食週間」に合わせ、群馬県の小学校で、学校給食が始まった明治時代の給食を再現したメニューを児童たちが味わいました。

この取り組みは、給食の大切さを知ってもらおうと、群馬県邑楽町が全国学校給食週間に合わせて行っています。
２４日は、町立中野小学校で、全校児童に明治時代の給食が配られました。
メニューは、玄米のごはんや、さけの塩焼き、たくわんなどで、今の給食よりやや質素ですが、児童たちはおいしそうに味わっていました。
文部科学省によりますと、学校給食は、明治２２年に、山形県の小学校で僧侶たちが貧しい家庭の児童に、おにぎりや焼き魚などをふるまったのが始まりとされ、２４日は、町の給食センターの栄養士が紙芝居を使って、こうした歴史を児童たちに説明していました。４年生の男の子は「これからは、給食が食べられなかった昔の子どもたちのことを思いながら、大切に給食を食べたいです」と話していました。
邑楽町立学校給食センターの齋藤孝栄養教諭は「ふだん安易に給食を残す子どももいるので、きょうをきっかけに感謝の気持ちを持って残さずに食べるようになってほしいです」と話していました。

(試譯文)

Responding to the "national school lunch week" which started on the 24^th (January), at the elementary school in Gumma Prefecture the children tasted school lunch based on the menu copied from the school food supply of the Meiji Era.

This measure would make known the importance of supply of food; the Ora District in Gumma was doing it in response to the national school lunch week.

On the 24th in the municipal Nakano elementary school, the food supply of the Meiji Era was distributed to all the children.

Although the menu had the boiled brown rice, salmon grilled with salt, pickled Japanese radish etc. and were slightly simpler than the present food supply, the children tasted them deliciously.

According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, in Meiji 22^nd year at the elementary school in Yamagata Prefecture, school lunch was considered as being started when priests treated children from poor family to the rice ball, roast fish etc; and on the 24th the dietitian of the city’s Center for Providing Meals used a picture-card show to explain such history to children. A boy from the fourth grade said that "from now on, while thinking of the children in the past that had no food supply, I would like to eat the food supply carefully".

In Ora city, Takashi Saito the nutrition instructor of the town-sponsored school’s Center for Providing Meals said that "it is common that some children easily leave behind food supply without eating them. Taking advantage of today, I come to want them to eat completely and hold a gratitude feeling toward them".

It is an interesting story about food supply in elementary schools in Japan a century ago.

日本地方公務員需要減薪水

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

地方公務員の給与引き下げ 自治体に要請
1月28日 21時10分

新藤総務大臣は、平成２５年度の地方公務員の給与について、平均で７．８％削減している国家公務員に準じて速やかに引き下げるよう要請する文書を、２８日、全国の自治体に通知しました。

政府は、新年度の地方公務員の給与について、平均で７．８％削減している国家公務員に準じて速やかに削減するよう自治体に要請することを閣議決定し、新年度予算案では、７月からの引き下げを念頭に、地方交付税を４０００億円減額することにしています。
これを受けて、新藤総務大臣は、地方公務員の給与の引き下げを要請する文書を、２８日、全国の自治体に通知しました。
また、この通知に併せて新藤大臣は、全国の自治体の長と議会の議長に対し、「これまで自治体が独自の行財政改革の取り組みを進めてきたことは十分に理解している。今回の要請は、日本の再生に向けて国と地方が一丸となって努力を結集する必要があるなか、平成２５年度に限って緊急にお願いするものだ」とする書簡を送り、理解を求めました。

(試譯文)

On the 28^th (January) Minister Shindo of the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications notified the self-governing bodies all over the country in a document which demanded the prompt reduction of salary of local civil servants in the Heisei 25 fiscal year by 7.8% on an average, in reference to the national civil servants.

The government carried out the Cabinet decision that requested the self-governing bodies to reduce promptly the salary of the local civil servants in the new fiscal year in reference to the national civil servant who had a reduction of 7.8% on average, bearing in mind that a reduction of the local grant tax of 400 billion yen in the new-fiscal-year starting from July.

Noting that, Minister Shindo of the Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications ministry on the 28th notified the self-governing bodies all over the country in a document to demand the reduction of local civil servant's salary.

Moreover, he combined with this notice a letter to the head of self-governing bodies all over the country, and to the parliamentary chairperson saying that “he understand that up to now the self-governing bodies have advanced the measure of administrative and fiscal reforms. The request this time is that the country and rural areas need to concentrate efforts together towards a rebirth of Japan, and for that, please honor my request immediately and do it within the Heisei 25 fiscal year", and requested their understanding.

So the government employees in Japan would have a hard time soon.

中國繼續成為首席新車大國

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

中国新車販売 ４年連続で世界一

1月11日 22時58分

中国の去年の新車の販売台数は１９３０万台余りに達して、４年連続で世界一となりましたが、このうち日本のメーカーの乗用車の販売台数は、日中関係の冷え込みが続いた影響で、おととしに比べて９．４％減少しました。

中国自動車工業協会によりますと、先月の中国の新車の販売台数は１８０万９９００台で、前の年の同じ月に比べ７．１％増え、３か月連続の増加となりました。
この結果、去年１年間の新車の販売台数はおととしより４．３％増えて１９３０万６４００台となり、１４４９万台だったアメリカに５００万台近い差をつけて、４年連続で世界一となりました。
このうち、日本のメーカーの乗用車の新車の販売台数は、日中関係の冷え込みが続くなか、日本製品をボイコットする動きが広がったことなどを背景に、２５４万台余りにとどまり、おととしに比べて９．４％減少しました。
この結果、中国の乗用車市場での日本車のシェアは１６．４％と、おととしに比べて３ポイント低下し、ドイツ車に外国ブランドのシェア第１位の座を明け渡しました。
中国の新車販売は、去年９月に、日本車の販売が激減した影響で前の年の同じ月を下回りましたが、その後は比較的高い伸びを続けていて、ことしは世界で初めて２０００万台を突破するという見方が強まっています。

(試譯文)

In China last year the new car sales number reached 19,300,000 sets and became the world's No.1 in four consecutive years; the sales number of  Japanese made passenger cars had decreased by 9.4% compared with the year before last because of the continuing cold Sino-Japanese relationship.

According to the China Auto Industry Association, the sales number of new cars in China last month was 1,809,900 sets, an increase of 7.1% compared with the same month the previous year, and became a continuous increase in three months.

As a result, compared to the year before last, the sales number of new cars in one year had increased 4.3%, became 19,306,400 sets. There was nearly a difference of 5 million compared to the United States which was 14,490,000 sets, and China became the world's No.1 in four consecutive years.

In this period, the cold Sino-Japanese relations continued, and against the background that the movement to boycott the Japanese products etc. was expanding, the sales number of new Japanese made passenger cars stayed at 2,540,000 sets, being a decrease of 9.4% compared with the year before last.

As a result, the market share of Japanese vehicles in China’s passenger car market had fallen 3 point compared with the year before last to become 16.4%; and the number one seat in market share among foreign brand cars was given to the German vehicles.

Although Chinese new car registration in September last year was less than the same month of the previous year due to the consequence of the a sharp decrease in Japanese vehicle sales, comparatively high growth continued after that and there was a strong prediction that this year it would break the mark of 20 million sets for the first time in the world.

No wonder the air pollution problem in China is becoming serious.