宝塚歌劇団記念創立100周年

Yesterday the FNN News on-line reported the following:

宝塚歌劇団、創立100周年の記念式典　卒業生ら2,000人が集合

04/05 18:53

創立100周年を迎えた宝塚歌劇団が、記念式典を行い、卒業生など2,000人が大集合した。
2014年で創立100周年を迎えた宝塚歌劇団では、5日、記念式典が行われ、伝統の袴に身を包んだ、現役のトップスター5人の歌で幕を開けた。
宝塚歌劇団では、これまでに4,426人のタカラジェンヌが誕生していて、会場には、卒業生などおよそ2,000人が集まり、華やかな雰囲気に包まれた。
式典では、ピアニストの辻井伸行さんの演奏が披露されたほか、宇宙飛行士の若田光一さんからも、お祝いのメッセージが届けられた。
また、団員たち460人による「すみれの花咲く頃」の合唱や、100期生によるラインダンスも披露され、100周年を盛大に祝った。 (関西テレビ)

(試譯文)

The Takarazuka Revue Company held a commemorative ceremony to celebrate its 100th anniversary and 2,000 people, including graduates etc. formed a large gathering.

The Takarazuka Revue Company celebrated the 100th anniversary in 2014. In the commemorative ceremony on the 5^th, the curtain was opened with the singing by five top-name stars of active service, they were dressing the traditional hakama.

In Takarazuka Revue Company where 4,426 Takarajen'nu were born until now, about 2,000 people, such as graduates, gathered in a hall, and all immersed in an atmosphere of beauty.

At the ceremony, a performance by Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii the pianist was announced, and also a message of congratulations was received from Mr. Koichi Wakata the astronaut.

Moreover, it was announced that a 460-member chorus would sing "When the violet flowers blossom" and also the 100th term students would perform the line dance. The centennial was celebrated on a grand scale.

(Kansai Television)

One hundred year is a long time for an entertainment company. It gives a chance to those girls who dream of performing on the stage. 

中国搶先宣布:貿易額「世界第一」

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

中国:貿易額　未確定「世界一」　全人代前に成果強調か

毎日新聞　2014年03月01日　21時12分（最終更新　03月01日　21時19分）

　【北京・井出晋平】中国商務省は１日、世界貿易機関（ＷＴＯ）の未確定の統計で、２０１３年に中国がモノの貿易で世界一になったと発表した。ただ、ＷＴＯは１３年の貿易統計を公式には発表していない。５日から始まる全国人民代表大会（全人代＝国会）を前に、経済成長の成果をアピールしたとみられる。

　商務省によると、中国は１３年の貿易総額（輸出と輸入の合計）が４兆１６００億ドル（約４２４兆円）。米国のデータには言及していないが、中国中央テレビによると米国の総額は約３兆９０００億ドル。商務省の姚堅（よう・けん）報道官は１日、「我が国は世界一のモノの貿易大国となった」とのコメントを発表した。

　ＷＴＯが世界貿易の年間ランキングを発表するのは毎年４月ごろ。中国は、１２年のＷＴＯの統計で米国をわずかに下回り２位だった。

　１３年は世界一が確実視されているが、「未確定の統計」と断りつつも発表前にフライングした形。「経済発展の成果を宣伝しようとの習近平政権の狙いがあるのでは」（北京の外交筋）との見方も出ている。

(試譯文)

   On the 1st (March) the China Department of Commerce announced that, based on the preliminary statistics of the World Trade Organization (WTO), China had become the world's No.1 in goods trading in 2013. However, the WTO had not announced the foreign trade statistics for 2013 officially. It was seen as an attempt to advertise the economic growth result before the start of the National People's Congress (National People's Congress = Parliament) to be held on the 5th.

   According to the Department of Commerce, the overall value of China’s external trade for 2013 (the sum total of export and import) was 4,160 billion dollars (about 424 trillion yen). According to the China Central Television, the U.S. total amount was about 3,900 billion dollars, although the American data had not been mentioned. On the 1^st Yao Jian the Press Secretary of the Department of Commerce announced his comments that "we have become the No.1 commodity trading country in the world".

   It was around April every year that the WTO announced the annual ranking of global trade. Standing at the 2nd place, China was slightly less than the U.S. in WTO’s statistics in 2012

   Even it was predicted as the world's No.1 for 2013, this announcement was in the form of jumping the gun, and otherwise it was some "unconfirmed statistics". Some views had come out (diplomatic sources of Beijing) that "may be it is the aim of the Xi Jinping Administration to advertise the result of their economic development".

The title of being the No.1 commodity trading country in the world is impressive.

国際法庭命令日本終止在南極洋捕鯨

Yesterday the FNN News on-line reported the following:

南極海で行っている調査捕鯨に中止命令　日本の食文化が危機に

04/01 01:06

日本が南極海で行っている調査捕鯨について、国際司法裁判所は31日、科学的ではないなどとして、調査捕鯨の中止を命じた。日本の食文化が危機を迎えている。
日本伝統の食文化・クジラ。
東京・千代田区にあるクジラ料理店・くじらのお宿「一乃谷」で出されているクジラ肉は、調査捕鯨船から買いつけたものだという。
その日本の調査捕鯨に31日、オランダ・ハーグの国際司法裁判所が判決を下した。
日本の調査捕鯨を中止せよという、大変厳しい判決が下され、裁判所の中は騒然としていた。
今回の訴訟は、日本が南極海で行っている調査捕鯨は、「科学を装った商業捕鯨」だとして、オーストラリアが即時中止を求めていたもの。
国際司法裁判所は、年間850頭前後の捕獲数について、「合理的ではない」などと指摘。
さらに、「殺す以外の方法を検討していない」と指摘し、日本の調査捕鯨は科学的ではなく、国際捕鯨取締条約に違反するとして、南極海での調査捕鯨の中止を命じた。
裁判は1審制で控訴はできず、日本の敗訴が確定した。
日本政府代表の鶴岡広二前外務審議官は「残念であります。また、深く失望をしております。国際法秩序、および法の支配を重視する国家として、判決には従います」と述べた。
水産庁は「調査捕鯨中止の対象はあくまでも南極海。今後については、内容を精査してから、慎重に検討する」としている。
そして、調査捕鯨船からクジラ肉を買いつけている、クジラ料理店・くじらのお宿「一乃谷」の谷 光男店長は「北西太平洋でも(調査捕鯨で)捕っているので、そっちのほうでね、少しずつ、少しずつ使っていきたいなと思いますね。南極海だけが中止になっただけですから、絶対に食文化はなくしてはいけないので」と話した。
沿岸で伝統的な小型クジラの漁を行っている、和歌山・太地町。
元南氷洋捕鯨船乗組員の筋師止郎さんは「まず、びっくりしました。まさか負けるとは思っていませんでしたので、わたしたちの捕鯨というのは、あくまでも正規の捕鯨ですので、もちろん、調査捕鯨ではありませんので。粛々と捕鯨を続けていくということで」と述べた。
今回の判決は、果たして日本のクジラ文化に、どのような影響を及ぼすのか。

(試譯文)

About Japan’s research whaling performed in the Antarctic Ocean, on the 31st (March) the International Court of Justice ordered its stoppage because it was not scientific etc. The Japanese gastronomic culture met a crisis.

The Japanese traditional gastronomic culture was the whale.

It was said that the restaurant "Ichinotani" in Chiyoda-district of Tokyo was a whale restaurant currently selling the whale meat that was bought in from the research whaling ships.

The International Court of Justice at Hague of the Netherlands on the 31st passed judgment on the research whaling of Japan.

A very severe judgment was passed down that requested Japan to stop its research whaling, causing a commotion inside the court.

Regarding this lawsuit, Australia was asking for an immediate stop noting that Japan’s research whaling performed in the Antarctic Ocean was "commercial whaling under the pretense of science".

The International Court of Justice indicated that to capture about 850 numbers of animals every year was "not rational" etc.

Furthermore, it indicated that "methods other then killing had not been explored", and ordered the research whaling in the Antarctic Ocean be stopped because Japan's research whaling was not scientific and was breaking the International Whale Fishing Control Treaty.

There was no appeal court for this one-trial system; definitely Japan had lost the case.

A Japanese government representative the former Deputy Foreign Minister Hiroji Tsuruoka said "it is regrettable, moreover, it is deeply disappointing. As a state that has the importance of both international law order and rule of law in mind, it would comply with the judgment".

The Fisheries Agency supposed that “the aim of stopping research whaling is entirely at the Antarctic Ocean. From now on, the contents would be examined, and inquires would be carried out carefully".

Tani Mitsuo, a store manager of the hotel Ichinotani that bought whale meat from the research whaling ship, talked about gastronomic culture by saying that “still there is catching in the northwestern Pacific Ocean (with the research whaling), I think there is more of them over there, and hope to use them a little bit at a time. Since only the Antarctic Ocean was stopped, it does not eliminate the food culture entirely".

The traditional small whale fishery was still being performed at the coast of the Taiji-cho at Wakayama.

Mr. Suji Shitomero, a former Antarctic Ocean whaler crew stated that "at first it was a surprise. Because by no means I think we could lose, our whaling is strictly regular whaling, and of course it is not research whaling. I hear that whaling is continuing quietly".

Sure enough, this court judgment might have some kind of influence on Japanese whale culture.

   I am interested to know how the Japanese would react to this whale fishing restriction.

東芝數據洩漏事件:日本検討防止技術流出

Recently the FNN News on-line reported the following:

東芝データ流出事件　茂木経産相、技術流出防止へ対応強化を検討

東芝の提携先企業の元技術者が、研究データを韓国企業に流出させた疑いで逮捕された事件に関連して、茂木経済産業相は、14日朝の閣議後の会見で、政府として、技術流出防止への対応強化を検討していく考えを示した。
茂木経産相は「技術立国であるわが国にとって、守るべき技術の流出防止と、適切な保護、厳正に取り組んでいくことが重要だと考えている」と述べた。
茂木経産相は「営業秘密を管理する企業自らの取り組みが重要だ」としたうえで、「海外の事例を参考にしながら、政府の取り組みを検討していく必要がある」との考えを示した。
また、甘利経済再生担当相も、「技術流出を防止するための法整備が、他国と比べて劣後しているという指摘が多々ある」と述べ、必要に応じ、法改正など対策の強化が求められるとの認識を示した。(03/14 17:18)

(試譯文)

In relation to an incident that a former engineer of a cooperator company of Toshiba was arrested on suspicion of leaking research data to a South Korean company, at an interview after the cabinet meeting on the morning of the 14^th, Mogi the Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry showed the idea that the government would consider a response to strengthen the prevention of technology leakage.

Mogi the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Minister said "I think it is important for our country as a technology-oriented nation to be strict in giving suitable protection to the technology and in preventing it from leaking".

Mogi the Economy, Trade and Industry Minister showed the idea that "the measures of the company itself to manage trade secrets are important"; on top of that "it is necessary to re-consider governmental measures in the handling while referring to overseas examples".

Moreover, Amari the Economic Revitalization Minister also said "there are many indications that the development of laws to prevent technology leakage has been lagging behind when compared with foreign countries", and he showed the recognition that a call to strengthen measures, such as legal revision, is needed.

(03/14 17:18)

Research data are important asset of a company. I think spying for commercial secrets is a common feature among competing companies in the same country in general, and with overseas companies in particular.

‘和民’居酒屋閉店一成以改善員工環境

Yesterday the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

ワタミ、居酒屋の１割を閉店…労働環境改善で

　居酒屋大手のワタミは２７日、店舗での労働環境改善のため、２０１４年度中に運営する約６４０店舗の約１割にあたる６０店舗を閉鎖する、と発表した。

　閉鎖する店舗で働く約１００人の正社員と約６７０人のアルバイトを、近隣の他店舗に異動させ、１店舗あたりの人員を増やす。

　離職率の高さなどから設置した外部の有識者委員会が今年１月、改善を求めていた。

（2014年3月27日21時51分  読売新聞）

(試譯文)

Watami, a major tavern company announced on the 27th that in the fiscal year 2014, in order to improve the in-store labor environment, it would close 60 stores which were equal to about ten percent of its managing 640 stores.

About 100 full-time and 670 part-time employees who were working in those to be closed stores would be transferred to other neighboring stores, and the staff in each store would be increased.

An external expert committee, established because of the high employee turnover rate etc., in January this year requested for an improvement.

So, the service etc. in Watami will be improved in 2014.

人民幣對美元変動波幅擴大到上下２％

Recently the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

人民元、対ドル変動幅を上下２％ずつに拡大

　【北京＝栗原守】中国人民銀行（中央銀行）は１５日、１日上下１％ずつに制限されている人民元の対ドル相場の変動幅を、上下２％ずつに拡大すると発表した。

　１７日から実施する。人民元改革の一環で、為替相場の柔軟性を高めることで、一定の自由化を進める政権の姿勢を示す。変動幅の拡大は２０１２年４月以来、１年１１か月ぶりとなる。

　人民銀は「為替レートを決定する市場の影響力を拡大する」との声明を発表した。毎朝公表する基準値からの変動幅を広げることで、より実際の価値に見合った価格で取引されやすくなる。長期的には人民元高につながるとみられる。

　米国などは為替制度の改革を求めてきたが、中国政府は輸出産業に打撃を与えるとして慎重だった。ただ、今年２月半ばから元安ドル高で推移しており、方針を変更する好機だと判断した。

（2014年3月16日00時13分  読売新聞）

(試譯文)

   

    On the 15th the People's Bank of China (the Central Bank) announced that the exchange rate fluctuation range for Renmin Yuan to the US dollar in one day, which was restricted to 1% in up and down at the moment, would be widened to 2%.

    This would take effect from the 17th. As a political power that showed a posture to push ahead certain liberalization, RMB reform was part of an effort to increase the flexibility of the exchange rate. The widening of the fluctuation range would be the first time in one year and 11 months since April 2012.

    The People's Bank issued a statement saying that "the influence of the market which determines the exchange rate is expanded". By expanding the range of fluctuation from the standard value released every morning, it was more likely that trading would be made at a price commensurate to the actual value. It was expected that this was connected to the Renmin Yuan appreciation in the long run.

    Although the U.S. had asked for a reform in the exchange system, the Chinese government was prudent noting that it might deal a blow to its export industry. However, from the middle of February this year the Yuan against the Dollar remained high and it was judged that this was a golden opportunity to change the direction.

(00:13 on March 16, 2014    Yomiuri Shimbun)

So, the exchange rate for Renminbi against the US dollar will appreciate slowly in the future.

去年日本人減少到中國観光

Recently the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:

中国:日本人観光客３５％減…尖閣・大気汚染が影響　昨年

毎日新聞　2014年02月16日　19時11分（最終更新　02月16日　20時52分）

　【上海・隅俊之】昨年、中国を訪れた日本人観光客が前年比３５％減の５１万人だったことが、中国国家旅行局の統計で明らかになった。沖縄県・尖閣諸島の問題をめぐる日中関係の悪化や中国国内の大気汚染の深刻化などが影響したとみられる。ただ、日本人が中国旅行を敬遠するのとは対照的に、日本を観光などで訪れる中国人の数は急速に回復しており、日中間の温度差が際立つ形になっている。

　統計によると、ビジネスなども含めた日本人の中国入国者も、前年比１８％減の２８７万人となった。世界各国からの中国入国者は同３％減の２６２９万人だった。日本人の中国入国者は昨年１０月からは増加に転じたが、１０月で前年同月比８％増にとどまるなど回復基調にのっていない。中国への日本人観光客は２００６年に１８３万人に達したが、１１年には１００万人を切るなど減少が続いている。

　一方、日本政府観光局によると、観光やビジネスなどで日本を訪れた中国人は１３１万人で前年比７．８％減。関係悪化の影響を受けたが過去３番目に多かった。ほとぼりが冷めたとみられる昨年９月からは急速に回復。１０月は前年同月比７４％増の１２万人、観光目的に限ると同２１７％増の６万６８１４人（暫定値）となった。

　目立つのは自由な観光ができる富裕層が中心の個人観光だ。中国で日本への査証（ビザ）発給件数が最も多い上海の日本総領事館によると、昨年の個人観光ビザの発給は１０万６１５７件で前年比５６．６％増。１２月は前年同月比２５７．６％増となるなど、昨年４月以降、月別で過去最高が続いている。上海市内の旅行会社は「個人観光は両国関係にほとんど影響されず、食や文化、温泉など日本旅行のニーズは依然として高い」と分析している。

(試譯文)

It became clear from the statistics of the China State Travel Office that last year the number of Japanese tourists visiting China was 510,000, being a 35% decrease compared with two years ago. It was concluded that the factors were the aggravation of both the Sino-Japanese relation and the air pollution in China. However, in contrast with the Japanese who were keeping traveling in China at arm's length, the number of Chinese who visited Japan for sightseeing etc. had recovered quickly, forming a sharp contrast on the difference in temperature between Japan and China.

According to the statistics the Japanese visiting China, including those for business etc., was 2,870,000 people, being an 18% decrease compared with two years ago. World wide from all countries the number of people who visited China was 26,290,000, being a 3% decrease. Although the number of Japanese who visited China started to increase since October last year, there was no sign of a recovery trend of two years ago which was an 8% increase, using the same month of October for comparison. Although the number of Japanese tourists visiting China amounted to 1,830,000 in 2006, there was a reduction of 1 million people in 2011 as a decrease was continuing.

On the other hand, according to the Japanese government tourist board, 1,310,000 Chinese had visited Japan for sightseeing and business etc., and it was a 7.8% decrease compared with two years ago. Although it had been subjected to the effect of relation aggravation, it was still the third highest on record. A quick recovery was seen when the public excitement cooled down since September last year. For October, compared with the corresponding month of two years ago, it was 120,000 people, being an increase of 74%. If limited to those for sightseeing purpose only, it became 66,814 people (estimate), being an increase of 217%.

What was conspicuous was the private sighting: it centered on the wealthy who could afford individual tours. According to the Japanese Consulate General in Shanghai which had the highest number of visa issued in China for visiting Japan, the number of individual tourist visas issued last year was 106,157, which was an increase of 56.6% compared with two years ago. For December, compared with the corresponding month two years ago, it was an increase of 257.6%. Starting from April last year the figures, on a monthly base, continued to stay at the peak. A tour company in Shanghai analyzed that "individual sightseeing is hardly affected by the relation of the two countries, the demand on traveling in Japan for food, culture and hot springs are still great".

It is nice to know that tourism between China and Japan was not much affected by the tense Sino-Japanese relation.