Oita Press International english

(Oita Godo Newspaper, August 19^th 2010, Morning Paper, Page 6) 

In Korea, the suicide rate of primary school, high school and junior high school exceeds 200 people for the first time last year, and it caused an impact on society. According to the statistics that OECD tabulated, in the main industrial nations, Korea ranks number 1, with 21.5 killing themselves in every 100,000 people. The background of this is because education is emphasized in Korea and the competitions to get into good schools are fierce. According to the ministry of education, last year the students who committed suicide is 202, an increase of 137 people. The highest is high school students, at 140, followed by junior high school students, at 56, and primary school students at 6 people.  The reasons for suicide are "family problems" at highest, at 69, "Unsatisfactory grades" at 23. As compared to 2005, it is an increase of 2 times and it is said to be the stress that the entrance exam is stressful.

30 % of the people who committed suicide do not have a particular reason to do so.  The opposition party said that the government did not investigate thoroughly the suicide cases and hence prevention of suicide is taken lightly.

A newspaper in Seoul reports that society must come together and think of ways and strategies to solve this problem.         

 

Comments

I think that the stress in Korea is really high, this was a problem in Japan too, but it seems that Japan has become a better country, with the slowing down of economy might be a good thing as Japanese do not have to be stress about staying competitive.

For me, I would rather live a life that is happy than to live a life that is stressful. But sometimes when circumstances force you to do so, you can only obey. But suicide is no shortcut; it is the end of the road. If you live , you have a fighting chance, but if you commit suicide then there will be nothing that you can do. Apart from that, your parents and friends will be sad to lose you. So the bottom line is, no matter how hard life hits you, never give up and do not commit suicide.  

   

Tay Zhong Jie Edwin

Singapore

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 4

(Oita Godo Newspaper, August 19^th 2010, Evening Paper, Page 2)

Apple's hand phone, I phone 4, which is popular all around the world and multi-media device, I pad, copies of these gadgets are found in the economic zone in china. They are cheaper than the actual products, and they are popular because of their competitive prices. Intellectual property rights department of apple might be suing them soon.

The economic reforms and opening of lines to the city near Shen Zhen main door, at Shen Zhen station. In front of the station lies a electronic shop that sells "I phone 4G" which looks exactly like I phone. The functions of the devices are similar said the shop assistant. One phone cost 890 yuan, which is 11,000 yen. It cost a fifth of the original I phone which is sold in Hong Kong. Every day, about 20 phones are sold.

In another shop, there is a product that looks exactly like I pad, the " I Ped". The price of "I Ped" is one fourth of "I pad".  The functions are not as good but every month, there are 100 of such gadgets sold.

The shop sales man said that the original is expensive, that's why people by the cheaper one.

Shen Zhen, Beijing, Shanghai have copies of famous cameras, DVD players, hand phones which are cheaper as compared to the original product. The copy manufacturers are trying to ride on the wave that apple have created.    

 

Comments

I would always support the original product, and even if the original product cost more, I would buy it because there is warranty. I think China is ingenious to be able to copy such a sophisticated product, but it's bad for apple. But I still think that this would not stop people who have money to buy the original product.

   

Tay Zhong Jie Edwin

Singapore

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 4

(Oita Godo Newspaper, August 14^th 2010, Morning Paper, Page 12)

 In Beppu prefecture's sea hell, on the 13^th, " Obon" festival annual event, riding on the lotus started. Floating in the pond, riding the lotus is a rare experience for families. Till the 15^th, the lotus can be ride from 10.30 am to 1 pm.

The lotus pond in Sea hell is a tropical species, and it looks like a huge plate and can grow up to 1.5 meters in radius, 20 kg in weight, children are able to ride on the lotus.

Riding on the lotus is a small girl, with shaky legs, smiling and posing to the camera. The family is from Fukuoka and is touring Beppu. The youngest girl in the family, Mei, age 6 said that it is very fun and she would like to ride the lotus again. The mother said that she was quite shock to see her daughter ride the lotus but it would be a good memorial for the girl.

 

Comments

I have been to Sea hell for a few times, and it always amazes me to see how big the lotus is, and that even in a country with four seasons, tropical lotus can be natured. As I am over 50kg, I could not ride on the lotus, but if I have the chance in future, I would like my children to have this once in a life time experience.

 

Tay Zhong Jie Edwin

Singapore

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 4

(Oita Godo Newspaper, August 10^th 2010, Morning Paper, Page 1)

 APEC, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, which was held in Beppu from the 7 and 8 of August, discussed about small and medium size companies, the environmental friendly green technologies cooperation around the world. They are summarized and would be presented in the meetings of countries head in Yokohama in November. Supporting this event is Beppu and Oita, resulting in a fruitful trip for the participants of the international meeting, exchanging of information, contributing to the region.

The meeting consists of important people from the Asia pacific, aims to promote growth n the Asia Pacific as a whole, thinking of plans and carrying out the plans.

The theme of this meeting was "sustainable development", the production sector in Oita. They are thinking of stimulus to stimulate the economy.

In the prefecture economy world, cooperation between cities and organizations are required. Himeno Prefecture Chamber of commerce, said that the aid for small and medium size company is crucial, and that each country have to develop human resources, technological help is needed to be incorporated together.

The place that the meeting was held is in Beppu city which hosted the Asia water summit in 2007, having a large scale of international meetings, and received commendation of it.

Hamada Mayor said that through the water summit, we hope to attract more international events to Beppu. At the tourism aspect, each country have about 200 people who traveled to Beppu, and according to the tourism board, they are trying to do PR to appeal to countries in Asia.

Oita Prefecture has the largest international student ratio. Saying it to be a "international student Prefecture", many international students have volunteered to help out in this APEC meeting. Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University too played a part in this meeting; Matsuhara section head said that this meeting was a valuable experience for the students.    

Comments

I too participated in the APEC meeting and resumed the role as a liaison officer, it was great honor to serve the representatives of my country and I am able to communicate with representatives from other countries. I think that this is a good opportunity of students who would like to work for in an international place in future. But one thing that I thought was, our country future is decided by meetings, and I felt insecure. 

 

Tay Zhong Jie Edwin

Singapore

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 4

(Oita Godo Newspaper, June 21^th 2010, Evening Paper, Page 2)

 America big manufacturer, Apple, declared on the 20^th that from April to June 2010, the new model that was sold in April, "I pad" is a big hit. The sales for that year as compared to the previous years increased 61%, a total of 157 billion dollars, a new record.

From july 24, a total of 1,700,000 I phone 4, the new model smart phone, was sold too making a big impact.

The CEO of Apple Company Steve jobs said that he would be looking forward to the 4^th quarter of this accounting year. In this year, the sales would be pushed by the new products.

During this 4 to 6 months, I pad sales was 3,270,000, with the old model of I phone, an increase of 61%.

The mackintosh too had improved sales, an increase of 33% to 3,740,000. The global market is maturing for I pod, the portable music player, and the sales of I pod decreased 8%, a sales of 94,006,000. This year, the sales from July to September increased 1.5 times, about 180 billion dollars, it is a new record.

Comments

I too have an I pod touch and just bought a I pad, I think that the products that apple pushed to the market is both innovative and easy to use. It does not crash easily like windows, but it still lacks the flexibility that windows provide. Hence, I think even though Apple could capture the market for PDA and music mobile device, it still have a long way to go to capture the computer market. 

 

Tay Zhong Jie Edwin

Singapore

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 4

(New York) On July 29th, it was made clear in public that the usage of the American internet search engine giant Google, whose main services are search engine and advertisement, was stopped from China, while the operation based in Hong Kong was expanding.

Until August 28th, it was still being used without problem, and the reason for termination was unclear. If the period of termination is to be lengthened, it is feared that there would be a big negative influence on Google's business in China. However, on September 9th they received the renewal of their license to continue their business in providing internet service.

When Google withdrew from China in March earlier this year, a website that shows the connections from the headquarter in China and all kinds of services provided by Google were publicized. Although previously, the service was partly terminated, it was the first time to reach a situation whereby it was blocked completely.

Affiliated services such as Youtube, a video-posting site, as well as blog and photo-sharing, had been blocked previously, and the situation continued until now. On 29th, the only internet service that could be used without any problem was only email.

Comment:
The internet world in China is indeed much stricter than other countries. I started to wonder whether the limitation of internet services will have impact on the growth of China's economy, because the limitation might hinder exchange of useful information that can stimulate innovative business and enterprises.

NUGROHO Katarina Marsha Utama
Indonesia
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APM, 4)

(Oita Godo Newspaper, July 25^th 2010, Morning Paper, Page 8)

 Recently, In the news, a word that is frequently heard, "cloud" comes to the ear of university student, Keisuke. He asked his sister who is working in a IT firm, Keiko.

Keisuke:" what is a cloud?"

Keiko:" Cloud is a computer lingo, which is the software and data in the network. There is no correct definition; it is a cloud in the network, which meant cloud in English".

Keisuke:" What kinds of merit does a user have?"

Keiko: "if connected to the internet, the users are able to use the service; using cash to pay is the basis of it. In order to do so, the company has to set up data center and develop system, so that investment is made so that users are able to use cheaper services, cost will be reduced."

Keisuke: "What kind of service is available?"

Keiko: "The company sends mail and data to the user as a part of the basic service, apart from that, users can use financial and procurement services. I am looking forward to see the self governance of usage of data on the internet."

Keisuke: " I heard that Fujitsu have formed an alliance with Microsoft."

Keiko : " Japanese company have been late at going global, and it is hard for them to go global. In order to have a bigger market share in the global market, Fujitsu decided to collaborate with Microsoft. In Guma prefecture, Fujitsu have a data center to cater to the domestic service. NTT have invested 2800 billion yen, in south America which has the head quarters IT company there. In order to strengthen the cloud, the company invested the amount. Hitachi Manufacturing and NEC also have put strength in the sector."

Keisuke: "So Japan is slow?"

Keiko: "In America, the cloud is already normal, and it is welcomed by the public, internet giant, Google, is providing the service. Japan has just started, in 2014, the market scale will be 2 trillion yen, a 5 times increase as compared to 2009. "

Keisuke: "So cloud is a good word?"

Keiko : " well there is no such thing, data security and management is through a third party, hence changes and out flow might be a thing to worry about. Security and reliance is a challenge for the companies in future."

Keisuke : "I see, if I mail my girl friend, and someone were to see it, it would be disastrous." 

 

Comments

I think the IT sector have more potential in growing. When economies grow, Japan will be able to use the internet to link the other countries to Japan. I think data management and security is very important as companies have to protect the privacy of the users. With the internet, Japanese companies will be able reach out to so much more people.

When companies go global, the internet, cloud in this case will be indispensable to the company.

 

Tay Zhong Jie Edwin

Singapore

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 4

(Oita Godo Newspaper, July 24^th 2010, Evening Paper, Page 1) 

The women's reproductive ability has decrease over the years. The prefecture has conducted a survey last year, with adult women as the main target, naming it "Questionnaire regarding health of women", a total of 479 women replied. One of the questions was the reason on why women would not want to get pregnant.

According to the prefecture health strategy office, the age where girls get pregnant easily is in their twenties, this percentage will go down as they age. However, the women who answered the questionnaire, 60% of the people are in their late thirties. The women are not sure about their own body. According to the analysis, this is what is showing.

Delayed marriage, also means delayed in giving birth. According to the ministry of labor, statistics have shown that women having their face born at an older age are increasing continuously, in 2009; the average was 29.7 years old. The gap is increasing at a alarming rate.

In life, when you get married, when you give birth is yours to choose. But even so, as you grow older, the percentage that you could get pregnant gets smaller with age, and therefore, the risk of giving birth increases.

In reality, at the first pregnant, the damage sustain by the women is huge. The representative of the same section, said " with the delayed pregnancy, the risk towards the body also increase, hence you should think of your option in life."

The age of marriage and giving birth is also a reason for the aging population; sexual intercourse is at an all year low. Manmade pregnancy, under age sex with sexual transmitted disease also serves as deterrence for getting pregnant at a young age. If one contracts chlamydia when young and do not seek treatment, it will hinder getting pregnant at a later age.

The background is "casual sex", and " the education that the high school students are receiving encourages sexual intercourse". Sexual education research institute representative said that it is necessary to educate the young ones about protective sex. This is to prevent girls from not getting pregnant in future because of such disease, having sexual intercourse at a young age cause problems and influence the person. If sex education is present, it would be better.

In Japan, about 14,000,000 women suffers from unable to get pregnant.

Late marriage, unhealthy habits like smoking, unbalance lifestyle, sexually transmitted disease, stress, over dieting, causes the hormone dysfunction.

What we can do is to have a conscious mind to prevent not able to get pregnant. The frustration and despair of women not able to get pregnant are making known to the public by NPO. Fine.           

  

 

Comments

I think that this is a serious problem, and we should take precaution when choosing a wife. It is very frightening to see that the numbers are so high, and I have seen students getting into relationships and having an intimate in a short time. For the future of your kids, we should preserve ourselves and only be faithful to the one that you love and not have multiple sex partners.

   

Tay Zhong Jie Edwin

Singapore

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 4

(Oita Godo Newspaper, July 23^th 2010, Evening Paper, Page 1)

 

Mr. Arai, the overall representative of Economic agency, said on the 23th cabinet meeting, that according to the 2010 economical report ( Economical white paper), from 1990 to today, about 20 years, among developed countries, Japan is experiencing a slow decrease of demand.

The decrease demand have connection with the unemployment rate, it is said to be the settlement of the remains of the economic bubble bursting, showing that will hardly be any economic growth in the future.

After the bubble burst, there is a period that the demand is less than the supply, and it resulted in a supply gap, "If done so, it will not be reflected as a developed country".  The unemployment rate is proportional to the demand decrease and is linked, if the supply and demand are averaged, in 2009, the unemployment rate is 3%. In the actual unemployment rate, 5.1%, 2% is because of decrease in demand.

The Democratic Party's first white paper, President Kan mentions this as an urgent problem. The problems are deflation and decrease in demand. Nursing and medical, environment sections are sectors that could be use to create value, if the prices continue to drop, it will a structure for deflation, and said that Japan must try to escape from this plight.

The government have announced that in 2009 November that the deflation, till 2006 July have already continued for 5 years and 3 months, stating that consumers buy cheaper things.        

Decrease of price, the price of products goes down and that in this 1 year, it drop from 30 % to 60 %.

Comments

I think that the price in Japan is very high, being a student with not much income, it is hard for me. But if deflation continues it will be harmful to economy. According to reports, China has overtaken Japan and Japan is currently the third largest economy behind China.

I think Japan have to think of new strategies so as to keep up with the competition that other countries provide and to cope with its aging population.

Tay Zhong Jie Edwin

Singapore

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 4

(Oita Godo Newspaper, July 24^th 2010, Morning Paper, Page 4)

 Not needed"

"I am not needed in Japan." In a hill at Singapore lies a bio laboratory "Bio pris", and in one of the room, Ito Akemoto, a professor from Kyoto university said quietly.

Mr. Ito is doing research about cancer cells in genetics and is a leading expert in the field. He reached the retirement age of 63 at 2002, and was recruited by the Singapore government, together with him, 9 people from his research office is relocated to Singapore to live. This is one example of the brain drain that is occurring in Japan, with causing some confusion in the academic world.

In Japan, when the researcher is near the retirement age, the management gives up hope on research, or will move him to a smaller office. In Singapore, the requirement for moving to Singapore is to have a good research. Mr. Ito was not confused.

Just recently, a AIDS researcher in Japan who have one year left before retirement came to Singapore. Even at ages 60 to 65 if healthy, why should they have to face the cruel reality of throwing their research away. That's why talent like this is going to other countries.

If there is no results, you lose your job     

In Singapore, talented researchers are scouted from all over the world, regardless of age and race. The country like Tokyo, do not have any natural resources. Therefore if nothing is done, the country will face extinction, that's why Singapore needs to adopt a strategy to attract talents to Singapore.

Science technology research department, Bio medical research head, Andrey win said that Singapore economy's profit is provided by research, that's why it is important. Researcher in the field of Medical research that have applications to life sciences is expected to have great results. There is a abundance of money which the government is willing to provide for the researcher. Like Japan, Singapore allocates a lot of money to research.

On the other hand, the evaluation is harsh. If there is no progress done by the researcher, the researcher is not pardon and will be forced. There is a researcher from American finest university, losing his job and ended up being a taxi driver.

Research that have direct connection to profits are emphasized, the other basic research are view lightly upon. Mr. Win replied that the research funds are taken from the tax payers and therefore it is only right that it is used for economical development.

In Mr. Ito case, the image that normal brain drain from japan might continue but there have been young researcher who is also not coming back to Japan. "After returning back to Japan, there might not be a post for me, it's extremely insecure.

Japan has a system where the brain drain of researchers is supported by the fact that people who go overseas find it hard to return to Japan. Like Mr. Ito, Okinawa science and technology researcher, Mr Riyama Ichiro said that Japanese research world and the close system is obstructing researchers to debut.

Mr. Gento who is familiar with Asia countries research said that it is critical for researcher to make a career out of research.

In Japan, where the system is life time employment, was not change from the Meji period. Hence when reaching retirement age, it is thought that researchers lose their research skills.

   

Comments

I think that brain drain is a serious problem. In the field of science and education, the older you get, the better you become. But apparently in Japan it is different. I have always think of being a university professor, to do research and contribute to society. But after reading this article, it seems that Japan is not very forgiving towards old people. But in future, there will be a lot of grey hair people and I think that this policy will have to change. It's ironic as I come from Singapore, and Singapore is the place where attracts talents. Maybe after graduation, I should go back to Singapore to work instead of working in Japan. I still have some time to think, what should I do ?

Tay Zhong Jie Edwin

Singapore

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 4