The residence status of 832 people cancelled - a record high

Recently NHK News On-line reported the following:

在留資格の取り消し 832人と最多に

2019年8月21日 5時13分

去年１年間に、日本の在留資格を取り消された外国人は832人と前の年の２倍以上に増え、統計を取り始めて以降、最も多くなりました。

出入国在留管理庁によりますと、申請とは異なる活動をしていたことなどを理由に在留資格を取り消された外国人は去年１年間で832人にのぼり、前の年の２倍以上に増えて、統計を取り始めた平成17年以降、最も多くなりました。

取り消された在留資格の種類別では、「留学」が412人と最も多く、留学生を受け入れる日本語学校が全国で急増していることなどを背景に、全体の半数近くを占めました。

これについて、出入国在留管理庁は、日本語学校や大学などを除籍されたあとも、アルバイトで働きながら国内に残っている外国人への取締りを強化した結果だとしています。

また、国籍や地域別では、ベトナムが最も多く416人、次いで、中国が152人、ネパールが62人などとなっています。出入国在留管理庁は「東京の大学で留学生が行方不明なる問題なども起きているため、対策を強化したい」と話しています。

Translation

Last year, the number of foreigners in Japan whose residence status was revoked had increased to 832, more than doubling the previous year and was the highest number since the start of statistics.

According to the Immigration Office, the number of foreigners whose residence status had been revoked due to performing activities different from the application had increased to 832 last year, more than twice the previous year. It was the highest since 2005 when statistics collection started.

By type of residence status canceled, “Study Abroad” was the largest number with 412 students, accounting for nearly half of the total. It was under the background that the number of Japanese schools that accepted international students had increased rapidly throughout the country.

Regarding this, the Immigration Control Office said that it had strengthened its control over foreigners who stayed behind in Japan to work part-time after being removed from Japanese language schools or universities.

In terms of nationality and region, Vietnam had the largest number of 416, followed by China at 152, and Nepal at 62. The Immigration Office said, “I want to strengthen the countermeasures because there is a problem that international students are missing in universities in Tokyo.”

       It is surprising to know that Japan has become a popular location for the Vietnamese to stay behind to work illegally.

The safest city in the world is Tokyo, Osaka is 3rd - 2019 edition ranking

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

世界一安全な都市は東京、大阪は３位　１９年版ランキング

2019.08.30 Fri posted at 10:10 JST

  （ＣＮＮ） 英誌エコノミストがまとめた世界６０都市の安全度ランキングで、東京が１位、大阪が３位に選ばれた。

２０１９年版のランキングでは、観光客が訪れる主要６０都市のデジタル、衛生、インフラ、治安について１００点満点で評価した。

首位の東京は９２点を獲得し、次いでシンガポールが９１．５点で２位。３位の大阪は９０．９点だった。この３都市は、２０１５年と１７年のランキングでもトップ３に入っている。

東京はデジタルセキュリティでも首位に立ったが、インフラの安全性や治安ではシンガポールの方が高得点だった。

４位に入ったオランダのアムステルダムは、観光客が押し寄せる「オーバーツーリズム」の問題に直面している。欧州ではほかに、デンマークのコペンハーゲンが韓国・ソウルと同着で８位だった。

米国の都市でトップ１０入りしたのは７位の首都ワシントンのみ。シカゴは１１位にランクされている。

反政府デモが続く影響で観光客が激減している香港は、２０１７年の９位から、今年は２０位へと転落した。

最下位はナイジェリア・ラゴスで安全度評価は３８．１点。下位５都市にはほかに、カラカス（ベネズエラ）、ヤンゴン（ミャンマー）、カラチ（パキスタン）、ダッカ（バングラデシュ）が入っている。

２０１９年の安全度ランキング上位１０都市は以下の通り。

１．東京

２．シンガポール

３．大阪

４．アムステルダム（オランダ）

５．シドニー（オーストラリア）

６．トロント（カナダ）

７．ワシントンＤＣ（米国）

８．コペンハーゲン（デンマーク）

８．ソウル（韓国）

１０．メルボルン（オーストラリア）

Translation

  (CNN) In the safety ranking of 60 cities around the world compiled by Economists in the UK, Tokyo was ranked first while Osaka was ranked third.

In the ranking of the 2019 edition, the digital, sanitation, infrastructure, and security of 60 major cities visited by tourists were rated on a 100-point scale.

Tokyo, in the first place, won 92 points, followed by Singapore with 91.5 points. Osaka in the third place had 90.9 points. These three cities were also among the top three respectively in the 2015 and 2017 rankings.

Tokyo ranked first in digital security, but Singapore scored higher in terms of infrastructure safety and security.

Amsterdam in the Netherlands stood in the 4th place, it was facing the problem of “over-tourism” as it was inundated by tourists. In Europe, Copenhagen in Denmark was also ranked 8^th together with Seoul in South Korea.

Regarding the US cities, only the capital city Washington entered the top ten to stand at the seventh. Chicago was ranked 11th.

Hong Kong, where tourists had fallen dramatically due to the ongoing anti-government demonstrations, dropped from the ninth place in 2017 to 20th place this year.

The lowest rank was Lagos in Nigeria, with a safety rating of 38.1 points. The lower five cities  included Caracas (Venezuela), Yangon (Myanmar), Karachi (Pakistan), and Dhaka (Bangladesh).

The top 10 cities in 2019 were as follows

1. Tokyo

2. Singapore

3. Osaka

4. Amsterdam (Netherlands)

5. Sydney (Australia)

6. Toronto (Canada)

7. Washington DC (USA)

8. Copenhagen (Denmark)

8. Seoul (Korea)

10. Melbourne (Australia)

        It is a pity to note that Hong Kong is in the 20^th place. Based on the current situation, it seems that Hong Kong would take several years  before it could return to the top ten. The outcome would much depend on whether China is prepared to sacrifice Hong Kong's prosperity for the purpose of tightening its control over this former British colony.

The largest right-wing newspaper published for about 10 years before the War was found

Recently NHK News On-line reported the following:

戦前最大の右派新聞 約10年分見つかる

2019年8月9日 5時48分

昭和初期に発行され、戦前、最大の右派メディアとも呼ばれた日刊紙、「日本新聞」の紙面、およそ10年間分がほぼ完全な形で残されていたことが分かりました。

これまで多くが失われたとされていて、日本が戦争へと向かっていった道筋を解き明かす貴重な資料として研究者の間で注目を集めています。

見つかったのは、大正14年から昭和10年まで発行されていた日刊紙、「日本新聞」です。

元総理大臣、平沼騏一郎が設立した団体の、資料の収蔵庫に保管されていたもので、創刊から休刊するまでの10年間、およそ3000日分の紙面がほぼ完全な形で残されていました。

日本新聞は、発行部数およそ１万6000部と多くはないものの、政官財に幅広い読者を持ち、戦前最大の右派メディアとして右派思想を広めたとされていましたが、現在は多くが失われ、初期の数年間については内容もほとんど知られていませんでした。

紙面は見開き４ページで、創刊号には編集方針として天皇中心の国家体制を絶対のものにする「日本主義」と呼ばれる思想が掲げられています。見出しには「共産主義の致命的欠陥」や「赤化売国派を掃蕩せよ」などの激しいことばが並んでいます。

日本は、昭和の初めから急速に国家主義的な風潮が広がったとされていますが、日本新聞を詳しく分析することで当時の言論や思想の移り変わりをひもとく手がかりになると期待されています。

日本の近代思想史が専門の京都大学大学院の福家崇洋 准教授は「記事を分析することで、大正デモクラシーで自由をおう歌していたはずの日本社会がどのように変化していったのか、クリアに把握できるはずだ」と話しています。

日本新聞とは

「日本新聞」は、大正から昭和初期にかけて司法大臣や鉄道大臣を務めた政治家、小川平吉が大正14年に創刊しました。当時、気鋭の国粋主義者や民族主義者らが社説や記事を執筆し、およそ１万6000部が発行されました。

創刊の際には、支持者としてのちに総理大臣を務める近衛文麿や東条英機など政治家や軍人、財界トップらが名前を連ね、当時の右派メディアの中では異例の日刊紙として国の中枢から地方の有力者まで幅広い支援者、読者を獲得していました。

日本新聞は10年間にわたっておよそ3000日分が発行され、昭和10年に休刊となりました。残された紙面は戦争中に多くが焼失したほか、戦後は右派メディアへの厳しい風当たりなどから失われてしまい、現在は後半のおよそ５年分しか見つかっていませんでした。

Translation

 Established before the war in the early Showa era, a daily newspaper being called the largest right-wing media, the Nihon Shimbun newspaper, covering a period of about ten years, was found being left behind in an almost intact form.

Up to now most of this newspaper had been lost, and it was attracting attention among researchers as a valuable resource to unravel the path on Japan heading for war.

What was found was the Nihon Shimbun, a daily newspaper published from Taisho 14th to Showa 10th.

It was kept in the material collection of a group established by former Prime Minister Shinichiro Hiranuma; about 3,000 days of paper were left in an almost intact form, covering from the first publication to its suspension in the 10th year.

The Nihon Shimbun, which had a daily circulation of merely about 16,000 copies, had a wide readership among politicians, business leaders and bureaucrats. Now most of the copies were lost. It was said that as the largest right-wing media before the War, it spread the right-wing thoughts. Little was known about its content in its first few years.

The newspaper had four pages, and the first issue had an editorial policy called “Japanese-ism” that made the Emperor-centric state system an absolute one. The headline was lined with violent words such as “a fatal flaw of communism” and “cleaning up the Sovietized traitors”.

Japan was said to have developed a nationalistic trend rapidly since the beginning of the Showa period, but it was expected that analyzing the Nihon Shimbun in detail would provide a clue to the change in speech and thought at that time.

Associate professor Takahiro Fukuya of Kyoto University Graduate School who was specializing in the history of modern thought in Japan said, “By analyzing the articles, you should be able to clearly see how the Japanese society which should have been singing for freedom at the Taisho Democracy was changed. "

About Nihon Shimbun

The Nihon Shimbun was first published in Taisho 14^th year by a politician who had served as the Justice Minister and also the Minister of Railways from the Taisho to the early Showa period. At the time, high spirit ultra-nationalists​ and nationalists wrote editorials and articles, and the newspaper had a circulation of  about 16,000 copies.

At the time of the first publication those who began as supporters later became politicians and soldiers such as Konoe Bunji and Hideki Tojo who later served as the prime minister and linked up with the names of top people in the business world. And from the center of right-wing media of the country at that time, as an unusual daily newspaper, it reached prominent local people and had a wide range of supporters and readers.

The Nihon Shimbun was published for approximately 3,000 days spanned over a period of 10 years and was suspended in 1945. Most of the newspaper left behind were burned during the war; and after the war it was lost due to the harsh winds towards the right-wing media, and currently only the paper’s last five years existed.

     So, the finding will help Japanese historians see how Japan, which had been embracing freedom during the Taisho period, suddenly developed into a fascist state in the Showa period.

Cancer testing using saliva - insurance giants to invest in product development that will lower the insurance premium

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

唾液でがん検査 保険大手が出資へ 保険料安くなる商品開発も

2019年8月23日 0時00分

わずかな唾液から、がんのリスクを調べられる検査技術を開発したベンチャー企業に、大手の生命保険会社と損害保険会社が出資することになりました。検査を受けた人には保険料を安くする新しい保険商品の開発などを検討する見通しです。

生命保険大手の日本生命と損害保険大手のＳＯＭＰＯホールディングスは今月中にも、慶応大学の研究所が設立した山形県のベンチャー企業、サリバテックにそれぞれ数億円、出資する方針です。

ベンチャー企業は、わずかな唾液を採取するだけでがんの疑いがあるかどうかを調べることができる検査技術を開発し、各地の医療機関で使われるようになっています。

日本生命とＳＯＭＰＯホールディングスでは、定期的に検査を受けると保険料が安くなる新しい生命保険や医療保険の開発などを検討する見通しです。

検査でがんを早期に発見できれば契約者のためにもなるうえ、保険会社にとっても保険金の支払いが減って収益の拡大が期待できます。

最近では、健康診断を受けたり運動したりして、病気の予防に取り組んでいる人の保険料を割り引く「健康増進型」の保険が人気で、保険会社も商品開発に力を入れています。

Translation

A major life insurance company and a non-life insurance company had invested in a venture company that developed testing technologies which could examine cancer risks from a small amount of saliva. For those who had been examined, plans were being considered to develop new insurance products that would reduce their insurance premiums.

The major life insurance company Nippon Life and the non-life insurance company SOMPO Holdings were planning to invest several hundred million yen each this month in a venture company, Saliva Tech, a research institute in Yamagata Prefecture established by Keio University.

The venture company had developed testing techniques that could be used to determine whether there was a cancer suspicion by collecting a small amount of saliva and this technique was being used in medical institutions around the world.

Nippon Life and SOMPO Holdings were planning to consider the development of new life insurance and medical insurance that would reduce insurance premiums if there was regular cancer checking.

If cancer could be detected early through testing, beside that it would be beneficial to policyholders, the insurance companies could expect to increase their profits by reducing insurance payments.

Recently, “Health Promotion” insurance, which discounted insurance premiums for people who took health checkups and did exercise to prevent disease, was popular. Insurance companies were also putting a lot of effort into their product development.

     I think this new insurance product which demands regular saliva testing for cancer is a win-win situation for both the insurer and the insured.

Model guns made in Japan (6)

Two Mauser pistol model guns: respectively made by Marushin and MGC in the 1980s

Marushin  Mauser M712

A wooden holster using a hook and lock system

A close look of the pistol showing the fine details. All parts are movable.

Marushin Mauser  M712 pistol with wooden holster attached

Marushin, apart from making the Mauser M712 using alloy and plastic in the late 1980s, also manufactured an assembled model of Mauser M712 using alloy metal only. The outlook of this pistol is the same as the plastic M712 as introduced in my blog dated 3th August 2019 except that it is gold color plated. In this full metal version, the spent cartridges could still be ejected despite the heavy weight of the metal slide. Another different feature is that it has a wooden grip. Also, as an optional accessory, a wooden holster can be attached to its grip to make the pistol working like a rifle. This wooden holster, using a hook and lock system, can be fitted to the grip nicely thanks to the precision manufacturing skill of the model gun maker.

MGC Mauser Model 1916

MGC in early 1980s also made a full metal Mauser pistol, it was the Model 1916, using metal alloy only. But this model has no firing selection mode and thus has only semi-automatic function. Also, the ammunition input method is restrictive: it can only be loaded from the top of the pistol because there is no detectable magazine as the Mauser M712. Its grip is made of plastic. Although a wooden holster could be bought as an optional accessory which can be fixed to the gun’s grip, the locking system is not authentic. It uses a screwing system to connect the pistol’s grip to the wooden holster instead of using a hook and lock system as seen in the M712 made by Marushin.

MGC Mauser pistol  Model 1916 with a wooden holster attached

The wooden holster for Model 1916. Note the big round screw

Cartridges are loaded into the magazine from the top

Three extraterrestrial planets in 31 light years from Earth – are within the range where life can exist

Recently CNN.jp.co reported the following:

2019.08.02 Fri posted at 11:45 JST

地球から３１光年に３つの系外惑星、生命存在可能な圏内にも

（ＣＮＮ） 米航空宇宙局（ＮＡＳＡ）の惑星探査衛星「ＴＥＳＳ（テス）」がこのほど、地球から３１光年先に３つの系外惑星を発見した。このうち１つは、恒星から適度な距離にあって生命が存在できる「ハビタブルゾーン」内で見つかった。

３つの系外惑星はうみへび座にあるＭ型わい星「ＧＪ３５７」を周回。この恒星は太陽に比べ４０％低温で、質量や大きさも太陽の３分の１ほどにとどまる。研究結果は天文学誌「アストロノミー・アンド・アストロフィジックス」に今週発表された。

最初に見つかった系外惑星は「ＧＪ３５７ｂ」。地球より２２％大きく質量も８０％上回っており、「スーパーアース」に当たる。恒星までの距離は水星から太陽の１１分の１で、平均気温は推計でカ氏４９０度（セ氏約２５４度）に上る。

論文の共著者エンリク・パレ氏は「我々はＧＪ３５７ｂのことを『ホットアース』と呼んでいる」と説明。生命は存在できないものの、これまで見つかった中で地球に３番目に近いトランジット系外惑星として注目に値すると指摘した。

最も魅力的な発見となったのは、地球の６．１倍の質量を持つスーパーアース「ＧＪ３５７ｄ」だ。恒星から適度な距離を周回しており、ちょうど良い気温を保っていることから、表面に液体の水が存在できる可能性がある。

別の共著者によると、ＧＪ３５７ｄが主星から受け取る恒星エネルギーは太陽系の火星と同程度。仮に濃い大気を有している場合、惑星を温めるのに十分な熱を閉じ込め、表面に液体の水が存在できる可能性があるという。

２つの惑星の間には「ＧＪ３５７ｃ」が存在する。質量は地球の３．４倍で、気温はカ氏２６０度（セ氏約１２６度）となっている。

Translation

(CNN) NASA's planetary exploration satellite "TESS" recently discovered three extra-solar planets 31 light years from Earth. One of them was found in a “habitable zone” where life could exist at a reasonable distance from a star.

The three extra-solar planets orbited the M-type dwarf “GJ357” in Hydra. This star was 40% cooler than the sun, and its mass and size were about one-third that of the sun. The results of the study were published this week in the astronomy journal "Astronomy and Astrophysics".

The first exoplanet found was “GJ357b”. It was 22% larger than the Earth and 80% higher in mass than the Earth, equivalent to a “Super Earth”. The distance to the star was 1/11 of the sun from Mercury, and the average temperature was estimated to be 490 degrees Celsius (about 254 degrees Celsius).

Enrique Palais the co-author of this published paper “We call GJ357b ‘Hot Earth’” explained. Although life could not exist, he pointed out that it was worth noting as a transit exoplanet that was the third closest to the earth that has been found so far.

The most fascinating discovery was the Super Earth “GJ357d”, which had 6.1 times the mass of the Earth. Since it orbited a moderate distance from the star and maintained a good temperature, liquid water might exist on the surface.

According to another co-author, the star energy that GJ357d received from the main star was comparable to that of Mars in the solar system. If it had a dense atmosphere, it might contain enough water to warm the planet and liquid water on the surface.

There was “GJ357c” in between these two planets. The mass was 3.4 times that of the Earth, and the temperature was 260 degrees Celsius (about 126 degrees Celsius).

        So, NASA's planetary exploration satellite "TESS" has found something that captivates the imagination of scientists. I think thirty-one light years from Earth is a little bit too far for human to travel to at the moment.

National Cancer Center: The 5-year survival rate for cancer patients is 66.1%.

Recently NHK News On-line reported the following:

がん患者の５年生存率は66.1％ 国立がん研究センター

2019年8月8日 4時01分

がん患者を治療によってどれくらい救えたかを示す、５年生存率は、最新の集計で66.1％になると、国立がん研究センターが発表しました。生存率のデータは病院ごとでも公表され、国立がん研究センターは、患者が病院の特徴を知る参考の１つになるとしています。

国立がん研究センターは、平成22年までの２年間に全国にあるがんの拠点病院277か所で治療を受けた、およそ57万人のがん患者のデータを分析しました。

その結果、がん患者を治療によってどのくらい救えたかを示す、診断から５年後の生存率は、全体で66.1％でした。

がんの種類別にみますと、最も高いのは前立腺がんで98.6％、続いて乳がんが92.5％、子宮体がんが82.1％、子宮頸がんが75.3％、患者数の多い大腸がんが72.9％、胃がんが71.6％、ぼうこうがんが69.5％となっています。

一方で、最も低かったのは、すい臓がんで9.6％、続いて肝臓がんが40％、肺がんが40.6％、食道がんが44.4％となっています。

また、大腸がんや胃がんなど５種類のがんについては、病院ごとにステージ別の生存率も公表されていて、国立がん研究センターのウェブサイトで見ることができます。

病院ごとのデータでは、がん以外の持病があるなど、治療が難しい患者を診療している病院では生存率が低くなる傾向があるということで、東尚弘 がん登録センター長は、「データは単純には比較できないが、患者が病院の特徴を把握し、主治医と相談する際の参考にはできる。データの精度が高まり、調査態勢が確立しつつあるので、今後のがん治療の評価や改善につなげたい」と話しています。

Translation

The National Cancer Center announced that the latest 5-year survival rate, which showed how much cancer patients were saved by treatment, would be 66.1%. Survival data were also published at each hospital, and the National Cancer Center said it would be a reference for patients to know the characteristics of the hospital.

The National Cancer Center analyzed data from approximately 570,000 cancer patients treated at 277 cancer base hospitals throughout the country for the two years until 2010.

As a result, the overall survival rate after diagnosis was 66.1%, showing how much cancer patients were saved by treatment.

By type of cancer, the highest was prostate cancer 98.6%, followed by breast cancer 92.5%, endometrial cancer 82.1%, cervical cancer 75.3%, the popular colorectal cancer 72.9%, stomach cancer 71.6%, and bladder cancer 69.5%.

On the other hand, the lowest was 9.6% for pancreatic cancer, followed by 40% for liver cancer, 40.6% for lung cancer, and 44.4% for esophageal cancer.

In addition, for five types of cancer, such as colorectal cancer and stomach cancer, the survival rate for each stage was published for each hospital and could be viewed in the National Cancer Center website.

According to hospital-specific data, about chronic disease other than cancer, there was a tendency for the low survival rate in hospitals that treated patients who were difficult to treat. On this Naohiro Higashi Director of Cancer Registration Center said “Although it cannot be simply compared, it can be used as a reference, a patient can understand the characteristics of a hospital and consults with an attending physician. The accuracy of data is increasing, and the investigation system is in the processing of being established. I want to be connected to future cancer treatment evaluation and improvement. "

     I think an average recovery of 66% has not much meaning unless we look into its individual components. It is interesting to note that in Japan  prostate cancer has the highest recovery rate of 98.6%, followed by breast cancer 92.5% and endometrial cancer 82.1%.