花王，嘉娜寶白斑問題導致特別損失89億

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

花王、カネボウ白斑問題で８９億の特別損失計上

2015年02月04日 21時36分

　花王は４日発表した２０１４年１２月期連結決算で、子会社のカネボウ化粧品の美白化粧品を使った人の肌がまだらに白くなる白斑被害が広がった問題を受け、慰謝料などの費用８９億円を特別損失として計上した。

　カネボウ化粧品の売上高は、１％減の約１８００億円だった。

　花王の本業のもうけを示す営業利益は前期比６・９％増の１３３２億円、税引き後利益が２２・９％増の７９５億円と、ともにこれまでで最高を更新した。売上高は６・６％増の１兆４０１７億円。中国やインドネシアなどで、紙おむつや洗剤の販売が好調だった。

(試譯文)

Kao in its consolidated account ending December 2014 released on the 4^th (February) appropriated a compensation payment of 8,900 million yen as the extraordinary loss because the company was affected by the problem that people who used the whitening cosmetics of Kanebo Cosmetics, its subsidiary company, had their skin turning out white spots that would spread whitening damages.

 The net sales of Kanebo Cosmetics decreased by 1 % to stand at about 180,000 million yen.

 The operating profit which reflected Kao’s main business profits, when compared with the previous quarter, was a 6. 9 % increase to stand at 133,200 million yen. Its profit after tax was a 22.9 % increase to stand at 79,500 million yen, being a new best record so far. Its net sales had increased 6.6 % to stand at 1,401,700 million yen. The sales of paper diaper and detergent were good in China and Indonesia.

I did not expect this cosmetic problem could cause Kao a compensation payment of 8,900 million. I am wondering if overseas customers, for example those in Hong Kong, would also be eligible for compensation. 

新力: 在長崎等地投資１千億日圓設備在智能手機半導體

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

ソニー、長崎などで設備投資１千億円　スマホ向け半導体

長崎潤一郎

2015年2月3日01時20分

　ソニーは２日、スマートフォンのカメラなどに使われる画像センサーの生産能力を増やすため、長崎県や熊本県などの工場に計１０５０億円を投資すると発表した。生産能力を現在の月産６万枚（３００ミリウェハー換算）から３割増強し、来年６月末に月産８万枚に増やす。

　ＣＭＯＳイメージセンサーと呼ばれる半導体を増産する。レンズから入る光を電気信号に変える「目」の役割を果たし、カメラの性能を左右する半導体で、中国をはじめ、世界的に需要が拡大している。ソニーは昨年７月にも、長崎県と熊本県の２工場に計３５０億円を投じて生産能力を１割増強すると発表している。旺盛な需要を踏まえ、さらなる増産投資に踏み切る。

　ソニーはテレビ事業が１０年連続で赤字になるなど、主力の電機事業は苦戦しているが、イメージセンサーは好調。自社のスマホ向けに加えて外販もしており、世界シェアは３９・５％（１４年、金額ベース）でトップ。国際競争力の高い分野に投資を集中させる。

　投資額の内訳は、子会社ソニーセミコンダクタの長崎テクノロジーセンター（長崎県諫早市）に７８０億円、熊本テクノロジーセンター（熊本県菊陽町）に１７０億円、山形テクノロジーセンター（山形県鶴岡市）に１００億円。半導体チップを重ね合わせる設備などを増強する。

　一方、ゲーム向けなどのシステムＬＳＩをつくる大分テクノロジーセンター（大分県国東市）は来年３月末で閉鎖する。約２２０人の従業員は、イメージセンサーなど他の半導体工場への異動を予定している。（長崎潤一郎）

(試譯文)

In order to increase the production capacity of picture sensors used in cameras of smart phones, Sony on the 2^nd (February) announced that a total of 105,000 million yen would be invested into factories in Nagasaki prefecture and Kumamoto prefecture. The production capacity would be reinforced by a 30 percent increase from the present 60,000 monthly productions (based on 300 mm wafer conversion) to 80,000 monthly productions by the end of June next year.

  The production increase was for the so called CMOS image sensor semiconductor. It was the "eye" that played the role of changing the light entering from the lens into electronic signals. It was the semiconductor that influenced the performance of cameras. Starting from China the demand worldwide was expanding. In July last year it was being announced by Sony that it would throw in a total of 35,000 million yen to the 2 factories in Nagasaki prefecture and Kumamoto prefecture, and to reinforce their production capacities by 10 percent. Based on increasing demands, further increase in production investment would be made.

  For Sony, its television business had been in the red continuously for 10 years, and was having a hard time in its key business of electric machinery while its image sensor was favorable. In addition to using it in smart phones of the company, they were sold to the outside. Its world share was 39.5% (2014 price base) at the top. It focused its investment on the area of international competitiveness.

  Details of the investment were: 78,000 million yen at Nagasaki Technology Center of the Sony Semiconductor (Nagasaki, Isahaya city), a subsidiary company; 17,000 million yen in the Kumamoto Technology Center (Kumamoto prefecture Kikuyo city), and 10,000 million yen in the Yamagata Technology Center (Yamagata, Tsuruoka city). The equipment which put a semiconductor chip on top of one another would be reinforced.

  On the other hand the Oita Technology Center (Oita prefecture Kunisaki city), which made the system LSI for games, would be closed by the end of March next year. Some 220 employees were scheduled to be redeployed to other semiconductor factories of image sensor etc.

It is a normal business decision for Sony to adjust its investment.

光晶格鐘:160億年內偏差１秒, 東京大學團隊製成

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

光格子時計:１秒ずれるのに１６０億年　東大チームが作製

毎日新聞　2015年02月10日　01時30分

　時間の「秒」を定義しているセシウム原子時計よりも精度が１００倍以上高い「光格子時計」を２台作って作動させたところ、２台のずれが１６０億年で１秒という超高精度になったと、香取秀俊東京大教授（量子エレクトロニクス）らのチームが発表した。１３８億年前に宇宙が誕生してから現在まで計り続けたとしても、ずれが１秒より小さいことになる。

　これまでの光格子時計の世界最高記録を約３０倍上回る。成果は、９日付の科学誌ネイチャーフォトニクス電子版に発表した。

　２台を光ケーブルでつないで約１カ月間動かして計算したところ、２台が１秒ずれるのに１６０億年かかるという結果になった。（共同）

(試譯文)

   A team formed by professor Hidetoshi Katori (Quantum electronics) of the University of Tokyo and others announced that they made and operated two "Optical lattice clock" that was 100 times more precise than the cesium nuclear clock which defined one "second" in time; the two had super-high precision with deviation of one second in every 16,000 million years. Even if it kept on measuring after the universe was born 13,800 million years ago, up to now the deviation would be less than 1 second.

  

   They exceeded the existing world record in Optical lattice clock by about 30 times. This outcome was announced to a science magazine the Nature Photonics electronic edition dated the 9^th (February).

   

   When the two were connected to the optical fiber cable, its movement in about one month was calculated. The result was that both took 16,000 million years to deviate 1 second.

Obviously it is a great achievement in science.

塑料垃圾：每年1000萬噸以上流出海洋

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

プラスチックごみ:海洋に流出は年１０００万トン超

毎日新聞　2015年02月13日　10時10分

　海洋に流出するプラスチックごみは世界全体で年間４８０万〜１２７０万トンに達するとの試算を、米ジョージア大のチームがまとめ、１３日付の米科学誌サイエンスに発表した。最も流出が多いのは中国だった。

　チームは海に接する１９２の国や地域を対象に分析。１位の中国は年間１３２万〜３５３万トン、２位はインドネシアで４８万〜１２９万トン、３位はフィリピンで２８万〜７５万トンだった。上位の国は人口が多く、リサイクルや焼却、埋め立てなどの廃棄処理が適切に行われていない国が多かった。上位２０カ国の大半は発展途上国だが、先進国では唯一、米国が入った。（共同）

(試譯文)

About plastic trash that was flowed into the ocean world-wide each year, in a test calculation it reached 4,800,000 - 12,700,000 tons; this was compiled by a team from the Georgia University and announced in a US science magazine the Science dated the 13^th (February). China had the most outflows.

 This team analyzed the targeted 192 countries and areas which were connected to the sea. China was at the first place with about 1,320,000 - 3,530,000 tons a year. At the 2nd place was Indonesia with 480,000 - 1,290,000 tons, and at the 3rd was the Philippines with 280,000 -750,000 tons. The countries at the top were densely populated, and there were a lot of countries where the disposal process by recycling, burning or reclamation were not performed properly. The 20 top countries were mainly developing countries, but among the advanced countries only USA was included.

I think the US should do something to improve the situation.

半個世紀前消失的一架客機被發現

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

半世紀前に消息絶った旅客機を発見

2月9日 20時28分

南米最大の航空事故ミステリーと言われてきた、半世紀以上前にチリで消息を絶ち行方が分からなくなっていた旅客機の残骸が、アンデス山脈で発見されました。

発見されたのは、５４年前の１９６１年４月に乗客・乗員２４人を乗せてチリ中部の飛行場を飛び立ち、首都サンティアゴに向かう途中に消息を絶った、チリの「ラン航空」の旅客機です。
乗客のうち８人がチリのサッカーのトップリーグの選手だったことなどから当時大きく報道され、その後も半世紀以上にわたり墜落場所も判明しないことから、「南米最大の航空事故ミステリー」の１つとされてきました。
チリのメディアは８日、地元の登山家グループが首都サンティアゴからおよそ３６０キロ南のアンデス山脈の標高３２００メートル付近で機体の残骸の一部を発見したと伝えました。
登山家グループによりますと、現場にはプロペラや機体の胴体部分のほか、人の骨もあるということです。
登山家グループは現場を保存するためとして正確な発見場所は公表していませんが、地元のメディアは南米最大の航空事故ミステリーの解明につながるかと大きく報道していて、注目を集めています。

(試譯文)

The wreckage of a passenger plane, which lost contact in Chile for more than half a century ago with its whereabouts unknown and being called the biggest aircraft accident mystery in South America, was found at the Andes.

What was found was a plane that flied out of an airport in central Chile 54 years ago in April 1961 carrying 24 people of passengers and flight crews. It was a Chilean passenger plane from "LAN Airlines" that lost contact when flying to metropolitan Santiago.

At that time it was big news because among the passengers 8 people were players of a top league of the Chilean soccer, and the fallen location was not clear for more than half a century. It was being called one of "the biggest aircraft accident mysteries in South America".

On the 8^th (February) a Chilean media said that a local mountaineer group at approximately 360 kilometers south of the metropolitan Santiago found some parts of the fuselage wreckage at around 3200 meters altitude in the Andes.

According to this mountaineer group, it was said that in addition to a propeller and parts of the fuselage, there were also human bones at the site.

The mountaineer group, for the purpose of preserving the site, did not publish the exact discovery location. In its report the local media saw the incident could unravel the biggest aircraft accident mystery in South America and had drawn huge attention.

Would it take half a century to discover the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH 370?

比基尼氫彈試驗：民間團體為漁民船員當訴訟原告，要求國家賠償

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

ビキニ水爆実験:元漁船員原告で国賠訴訟へ　市民団体方針

毎日新聞　2015年02月07日　20時54分

　１９５４年に米国が太平洋ビキニ環礁で実施した水爆実験で、元漁船員らの被ばく状況を調査している市民団体「太平洋核被災支援センター」（高知県宿毛市）は７日、被ばく線量が高かったとみられる元漁船員を原告として国家賠償訴訟を目指す方針を決めた。

　この日、高知市内であった会合で確認した。昨年９月、厚生労働省が開示した第五福竜丸以外の漁船員の被ばく線量調査結果を受け「当時から被ばくが明らかだったのに追跡調査をせず、元漁船員らの健康悪化を放置した」などとして国の責任を追及する。厚生労働省と水産庁が被告となる見通し。

　この問題を巡っては５５年に米国が日本に２００万ドル（当時で約７億２０００万円）の「見舞金」を支払って政治決着したが、元漁船員らに十分な補償はされていない。山下正寿事務局長は「国の責任を明らかにして、個人の救済につなげたい」としている。【最上和喜】

(試譯文)

  About former fish boat crews who were victims of the US hydrogen bomb experiment conducted in Pacific Ocean Bikini Atoll in 1954, on the 7^th (February) a citizen group, the "Pacific Ocean nuclear disaster support center" (Sukumo city, Kochi) which investigated the exposure situation of former fish boat crews, decided to act as the plaintiff for fishermen and aimed at law suit directing at government liabilities.

   On that day, this decision was confirmed at the meeting in Kochi city. It looked for the responsibility of the country etc. because in September last year the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, while having noted the survey results on radiation exposure on fish boat crews other then those from the Daigo Fukuryu Maru, "failed to do follow-up investigation and ignored the health deterioration of former fish boat crews although radiation exposure was obvious since those days". The prospect was that the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare together with the Fisheries Agency would become the defendants.

   Concerning this problem, the US had paid 2 million dollars (about 720 million yen at that time) to Japan in 1955 as an "Ex gratia payment" to settle it politically, but sufficient compensation to former fish boat crews had not been made. Yamashita Shoju the secretary-general supposed that "a national responsibility is obvious, and would like to link it to the relief of individual".

It is an interesting legal case; I look forward to knowing a court decision. 

美軍司令官批評中國在岩礁堆填出“万里長城”

Yesterday the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

岩礁埋め立て「万里の長城」米司令官が中国批判

2015年04月01日 20時05分

　【ジャカルタ＝池田慶太】ハリー・ハリス米海軍太平洋軍艦隊司令官は３月３１日、オーストラリアの首都キャンベラで講演し、中国が南シナ海で進めている岩礁の埋め立て工事について、「数か月にわたり、しゅんせつ船やブルドーザーで砂の万里の長城を築いている」と述べ、強い懸念を示した。

　ハリス氏は、「中国はサンゴ礁の上に土砂を入れてコンクリートで舗装し、４平方キロ以上の人工の土地を作り出した」と語り、中国を名指しで批判。岩礁の埋め立てを続ける中国の意図に対し、「深刻な疑問が上がっている」と語った。

　そのうえでハリス氏は、アジア太平洋地域が対立に向かうか協調に向かうかは中国の行動次第と指摘した。２００２年に中国と東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）が南シナ海での問題の平和的解決をうたった「行動宣言」に従うよう関係国に強く求めた。一方で、「米国は中国に対して建設的な関与を続け、責任ある役割を果たすよう促していく」とも強調した。

(試譯文)

On March 31st Harry Harris the US Pacific Fleet commander gave a talk in Canberra the capital of Australia saying that "The Great Wall of sand is being built by dredgers and bulldozers for several months" and showed strong anxiety about the reclamation work in the reef advanced by China at the South China Sea.

 Mr. Harris said that "China was pouring earth and sand on the coral reef and paved it with concrete, more than four square kilometers of artificial land was made", criticizing China by name. About the intention of China to keep filling up a reef with earth he said it "has raised serious suspicion".

 Mr. Harris pointed out that whether the Asia Pacific would face confrontation or cooperation depended on Chinese behavior. He asked concerned nations to follow the "Behavior Declaration" of 2002 which advocated a peaceful solution to problems at the South China Sea between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). On the other hand he stressed that "USA will maintain a constructive engagement towards China, and encourage it to play a responsible role".

The building of the Great Wall of sand in South China Sea by China is a new development in the area.