January 2008 Archives

Oita Godo Newspaper (morning edition on January 20, 2008)

 “Can’t communicate”, “can’t understand”, “the world we are seeing is different”, people in some time feel like these with someone in their lives.  How about a comic book? How can these differences be written?

TSUDA Masami, an author of a hit comic book “Circumstances of His and Hers”’, has released a new story called “eensy-Weensy Monster”. It presents about differences in the world which are seen by a boy and a girl who have different opinions.

In the same situation, the girl may think in a way whereas the boy thinks in another according to their backgrounds, and characters. The author makes use of this point and expresses those two people’s dissimilar understanding as well as feeling in a comic style excellently.

Readers will not see the situation from a third person’s point of view, but rather see and comprehend as they are both the boy and the girl.

The most important main idea of this comic is the more we change our views, the more diverse things in the world we can see. “Not to be narrow-minded, try hard to appreciate others” may be the message the author Tsuda wants to share with us.

I might not a real fan of Japanese comic books, yet I have read some interesting ones. A lot of Japanese comic writers can create fantastic stories with excitement, romance, sadness, morals, etc. mixed in suitable balances. As well as this one, I will find a chance to read it sometimes in order to learn to understand other people’s thoughts better.

PUNTHUCHAT Siripun

Thailand

APS2, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Oita Godo Newspaper (evening edition on January 18, 2008)

What do you think about how Japanese children spend their new-year money?

Money received from parents or elder relatives during the New Year will be spent on buying game players by both of young boys and girls. According to Oita Trusty Association’s 20^th survey called “The questionnaire of how to make use of new-year budget”, the mentioned result was reported.

Among boys, this result is still at first rank as same as last time of the survey, but elementary school girls also decrease their attention from previous results, toys or western clothes, to ‘game players’. This soaring attention pushed ‘game player’ to be the first rank for girls likewise. It seems that children in this generation perceive ‘GAME’ as the thing they can never miss in life.

Looking from age differences, the big change appeared in the group of elementary school girls.  In the past, lower year students mostly answered “toys and dolls” whereas higher year student always answered “western clothes”, “CDs”, “books” as standard answers. However, the answer has been changed to “games” (including software), even though ‘game’ was a symbol of only boys.

“I can feel the new era has come” said a person taking charge of this survey.

By the way, both boys and girls in nursery schools and below still want toys and dolls. As well, girl students in middle schools and above still desire western clothes. The same results did not change.

In my opinion, this situation may reflect the gender equality which is increasing in Japanese society. Boys and girls have the same right to do the same activities such as in this case girls are allowed by their parents to play games more than before.

PUNTHUCHAT Siripun

Thailand

APS2, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Oita Godo Newspaper ( morning edition on January 4, 2008 )

                The success of business, for sure

                “Seven Gods Bungo association” (Chairman Mr. Hisashi Iwashita) that has been established by volunteers from Kusu and Hita district, has organized an annual ‘New Year parade’ in the district to wish people for success in business, safety and good health.

Fifty people including members of the association and kids were dressed up in Ebisu, Daikokuten, Bishamonten (all mean ‘The god of wealth)’ ; they loaded some regional products such as water-barrel, bale of rice, shiitake mushroom, pear and flowers on the light truck. They regarded this truck as a sailboat which will share lucks to people within the districts both in the area of hot springs and shopping center. Moreover, at the tourist spots, there was also rice cake making to attract tourists.

At Kasuga shopping street in Kusu town visited on January 3^rd, each store stated “our success in business depends on the god Ebisu’s mercy” and then they predicted the luck of success in this year by fishing.  When a sea bream was caught, it meant “Congratulations. This year’s luck of success in business is here for you, for sure!”

I think this is a very interesting festival. It is not only attracting tourists from various places but also encouraging people to work eagerly by blessing them to succeed in their business. Most importantly, this represents the unity of people in the region.

Oita Godo Newspaper (Evening Publication on January 9, 2008. Page 4)