November 2007 Archives

November 27, 2007: Asada Mao inconsistent jumps, Kim Yo-na surpasses last season

During the 5^th match of the Figure Skating Grand Prix Series (Russia), last season’s winner Kim Yo-na won the match with a score of 197.20, surpassing her personal best. Continuing her victory in China, she progresses to the finals (Torino, Dec 14 &15) after 2 consecutive wins. She will face the runner-up Asada Mao, who has also won 2 consecutive competitions, which also leads her to the finals.

“Mao hopes to have her best season, thus I will also do my best. In the finals, I hope that the both of us can perform to our satisfaction.” Both at age of 17, Kim has performed better this season, surpassing her past.

 During the free program in the Russian cup, Kim did a triple jump with sufficient speed, spin and step at the highest difficulty level of 4. In this season, despite the strict evaluation on the jumps, Kim managed to overwrite her personal best.

Asada Mao obtained a score of 177.66 at the second match in Canada, and 179.80 at the fourth match in France. Earning points in Canada for her triple jump in Canada, Mao slipped in her attempt in France. Her personal best was during the NHK cup in last season, with a score of 199.52, but her jumps still lack consistency.

Kim Yo-na was not at her best during last year’s finals, nor did she perform to her own satisfaction. This year, she says that she is facing the competition with confidence. She is facing threats from her opponent Asada Mao, who hopes to win it from Kim this season.

Comments:

I still remember the first time that I watched the skating competition when I came to Japan last year. It was so fascinating with all the jumps, and the performances were exhilarating. Since then, I have become a fan of figure skating, and I stick to almost every competition which is broadcasted on the television.

TEO Wee Boon

(Singapore)

APM 4

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University   

November 25, 2007:

The death penalty has slowly changed, little by little, in the world. The United Nations General Assembly third committee (human rights) has adopted the requested resolution of stopping the death penalty system (moratorium) in the UN nations. It is exceptional for all 192 countries to participate in the general meeting for adopting this policy related to the death penalty.

In Japan, regarding the possibility of death penalty without the Minister of Justice’s name, there is opposition from the group who are trying to abolish the death penalty rule. It is a good opportunity to discuss about the death penalty system again. The government hopes to gather opinions from all views and discuss about the future direction of the system.

The Minister of Justice’s suggestion was abrupt. During the interview after Abe’s resignation, the procedure of death penalty was stated as “not a conveyor belt, but the sequence was like a table of random numbers, which could not be understood, and a objective procedure should be considered”, and forced to retreat his remark of “willing to study from now onwards”.

Somehow it was the statement after not reappointing the Minister of Justice. However, this is a matter concerning human life, and it is not to be treated lightly as “conveyor belt” or “table of random numbers”. The Ministry of Justice, which is in charge of human rights, should not treat this matter lightly.

Death penalty requires a “period of serious consideration”, and under the criminal suit law, the order of the Minister of Justice is required. Serious consideration is important. There are previous Justice Ministers who did not state their names in the orders, which is an important judgment. In the beginning, such a necessary task should be prepared during the undertaking of the position.

The general meeting’s resolution points out that “the wrong decision of death penalty is irrevocable”. The resolution is not restricted strongly by law, but it is to the will of the international society, and should not be neglected. The possibility to cease death penalty in Japan still needs serious consideration.

This resolution is the common proposal among the 80 countries in the European Union (EU). Agreement to the resolution is 99%, disagreement 52%, and no votes 33%. Countries with the death penalty system, like Japan, United States and China, are in opposition to the resolution.

According to the international human rights organization, Amnesty International, 90 countries and areas have completely given up the death penalty, and about 11 countries have also done so with the exception of serious cases. There are in total 64 countries and areas, which have death penalties due to conventional crimes, including Japan, United States, China, North Korea and Iraq.

Internationally, the United Nations General Assembly has already adopted the second section of “B” agreement of international human rights, which has stopped death penalty. However, excluding Japan, there are 35 countries involved in this. Increase in the number of countries needs to depend on the future movement.

Countries where the citizens are involved in the criminal judgment, such as European countries, have mostly given up on death penalty. For the citizens, psychological burden compelled by death penalty is less, which may be one of the backgrounds why it is easy for citizens to participate.

In 2009, Japan will have a new system where its citizens can be involved in judgment of major crimes. To carry out the new system smoothly, momentary ceasing of the death penalty is a topic which deserves much consideration.

Consideration of citizen punishment feelings might not be practical with the ceasing of death penalty.  However, if death penalty were not be ended, would it not need serious consideration to think about new establishments for lifetime imprisonment?          

Comments:

Death penalty has always raised much controversial topics all around the world. It might be cruel, but without death penalty, would it be too light a punishment for those who really commit hideous crimes that could not be tolerated? If death penalty is abolished, will it result in a higher rate of serious crimes? In Singapore, where crime is intolerable, the government would not want to risk the probability of serious crimes happening.

If you do not commit crimes and abide by the laws, so why worry about death penalty?

TEO Wee Boon

(Singapore)

APM 4

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University   

November 21, 2007: Six companies in Oita, Fukuoka Prefecture will establish Kyushu Chemical, which will handle the metallic surfaces of the interior and exterior of automobiles. The headquarter company will be built in Hougou, Taketa City which is located in the north of Oita. The whole manufacturing process will be automated with the most advanced facilities, and the completion ceremony will be held on December 5, which is also the day that the factory will start operation. Even though the level in this field of industry is low in Oita Prefecture, the contribution to the automobile industry is very much anticipated.

·        Niho Metals

·        Sasaki Seikou

·        Matsumoto Industries

·        Eike Car Maker

·        Tech

·        Nishi-nihon  

It is a rare case to see the same companies (stated above) in an industry contributing to the capital of a company together.

The President of the company will be the president of Niho Metals, and the capital is 70 million yen. The total land area is 6700m², and the one-storey metallic-structured factory occupies an area of 2200 m². The amount of investment adds up to a total of 550 million yen. The country and Oita Prefecture subsidize a portion of the land price.

The six companies are involved in the making of delicate parts, press products, interior parts and other items. Two workers, experienced in surface treatment, are sent to Nagoya City's advanced factory to learn about the technology. The initial number of staff is 10, and the targeted number of staff is 30 till next summer.

Kyushu Chemical factory uses electrical methods to melt nickel and chromium, followed by the metallic parts in the racks, passing through 56 containers in a sequence. Cleaning is done automatically. Satomoto said that the thickness of the coatings is in terms of micrometers. It was also expressed that the operation will be the biggest in Kyushu.

Mr. Okamoto, Oita's automobile-related industry president, said "This project will be sufficient to handle the surface treatment work in the prefecture, and it will also carry out work from Kantou and Kansai. The new factory's operation will be able to raise the level of competency in the manufacturing of vehicle parts."

Comments:

Kyushu is known for the manufacturing headquarters for the automobile industry in Japan. With the addition of Kyushu Chemical in Taketa City, it would certainly be a great contribution to the manufacturing of vehicles in Japan, and lead the Japanese automobile industry to greater heights in the future.

TEO Wee Boon

(Singapore)

APM 4

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University   

Oita Godo Newspaper (Evening Publication on November 12, 2007. Page 4)

Column: Articles for Kids

Theme: “AISUKURIN”, The Remains　of The Past

        Imagine if nowadays a kid wants to have a cone, a cup, or a bar of ice cream, where will he dash directly to?  Of course, the answer may probably be “a convenient store”.  However, a period of time ago, rather aged men selling ice cream by walking along roads in a town with a flag written “AISUKURIN” (slightly distorted from English ‘ice cream’) were seen so often. Therefore, the word “AISUKURIN” on the flag on those days represents “Remaining Antique Ice Cream” when we retrospect the past on these days.

       The first Japanese people who got a chance to taste AISUKURIN were a group of people dispatched to the United States by Japanese Government for a certain mission in 1860, Edo period.

       According to a member’s diary, “First, make ice soft by boiling in hot water. After the shape becomes satisfactory, use some ice to cool it down. At that time, should not put a raw egg in, so that it will not become frozen during cooling.(Put a raw egg later)…” was mentioned as a strange recipe of making ice cream. Hypothesizing that it was merely American people‘s ridicule which those Japanese took too seriously.

       However, this frozen sweet was sold first time in Japan by MACHIDA FUSASOU who lived in Yokohama. Even though he opened a shop at Yokohama Carriage Street in 1869, but sometimes foreign guests found the product lacked of standard, and then triggered his heavy loss.

       Instead of giving up, he learned from his experiences. In the following year, he reopened the shop successfully among a crowd at the major festival of KOTAI Shinto Shrine on ISE Mountain. A quantity for one person was sold as expensive as 2BU (Japanese ancient currency. 4BU were equal to 1RYO). Nevertheless, his ice cream became a very big hit surprisingly.

       Further, currently Japan's decree determines that “ICE CREAM (AISUKURIIMU in Japanese)” must contain 8% of milk fat. That makes another kind of traditional frozen sweet similar to sherbet with lower percent of milk fat be called only “AISUKURIN” as a trade name, but still being sold up until nowadays.

Article by: NOBUMICHI UEDA, Associate professor of Okazaki women's college

Illustration by: INOUE CHIHIRO

Translation by: MOD Siripun ^^(Thai), 2nd Year, Asia Pacific Studies College, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University à

This story tells us a very interesting origin of the word “AISUKURIN” which sounds like a grammatical mistake for me (should be “AISUKURIIMU” which came from the word “Ice Cream” in English language). However, after reading the story I have become to realize that actually this word is a certain kind of cultural heritage which we ought to preserve. There is a precious long historical story inside!! “AISUKURIN” conceals an interesting sense of Japanese history which has been past on time after time. And I am very happy to know that Japanese people sill use that word in modern life, although I have never experienced directly.

Bye bye, thank you for reading.

Hope to see you next time!

Mod

November 7: During the press interview at the party headquarters, the Democratic Party representative Ohsawa Ichiro denied to “not considering” about the coalition with the Liberal Democratic Party. At an earlier meeting between the 2 parties, he withdrew his intention of quitting, and openly expressed his will to remain in office, and spend his political life for the Representatives. Ohsawa apologized for the external confusion aroused by the meeting with Prime Minister Fukuda, due to lack of explanation. On the same day, the Democratic Party set up the headquarters to deal with the Representatives. While the problem of Ohsawa’s arbitrary decision to the coalition still lingers, it is still faced by the strict party members.

At the interview, Ohsawa expressed that with regards to his decision to remain in office, neither him nor the party has any attached conditions. Another request from the party heads is, besides showing consideration in the party, “special meetings” should not be done. Regarding the government’s new terrorist measure, the “basic opinion is different”, and opposition ideas are clear.

In addition, the reason that the Prime Minister had a sudden meeting with the party heads is, it was through a third party before that from the Prime Minister’s side that the coalition approach was shown clearly.

At the informal meeting, a apology was done for the troubles created from the party head meeting. From the emphatic victory during election in the House of Councilors, two strong ideas were drawn. (1) winning the election at the House of Representatives is not optimistic; (2) it would be difficult to set up a Bill.

After bringing back the coalition suggestion, strategies are being carried out. “During the Liberal Democratic Party conference, the measure for the citizens’ well-being is the first priority, and according to the situation, the main measure should be one that could be realized. Only when the regime ability is visible, the possibility of winning at the general elections will increase.”

Comments:

Recently from the news, it can be observed that a lot of politicians are quitting from their positions, and politics in Japan is becoming complicated with a lot of disputes. Maybe a coalition is a good idea for the various parties to work out together a good method for the well-being of the citizens.

TEO Wee Boon

(Singapore)

APM 4

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University