May 2009 Archives
Oita Godo Newspaper (morning edition on May 20, 2009)
In today's column, we will talk about "the studies of children's security" and how to develop children to be able to protect themselves in any unpredictable situation.
When we educate children about how to deal with a crisis, actually we should not instruct them with the whole technical know-how when encounter a crisis equally to children of every age but rather separate how to teach scientifically step by step for the best understanding and the most effective implementation of children from different ages.
There are several methods to help children become clever and helpful adolescents but must be done corresponding to their ages and abilities. According to professor KIYONAGA Kenji, the author of the article, there are four steps for 4 age groups.
1. Kindergarten children need to be trained in order to have at least the physical ability to confront with a crisis.
2. Children at junior elementary schools need to be trained in order to have knowledge to feel (sense) the coming of a crisis and know the way to avoid.
3. Children at senior elementary schools need to practice the communicating skill in order to warn friends about a happening crisis and to share the awareness with others.
4. Elder children must be educated and trained to overcome a crisis wisely. They should be able to decide appropriate approaches to recover the situation. Also, they need to have enough ability to keep the responsibility.
Comment: I cannot agree more with the professor. This method will highly help children of every age to deal with a crisis more professionally within their highest abilities of each age group. Go ahead!
PUNTHUCHAT Siripun
Thailand
APS4, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
Oita Godo Newspaper (morning edition on May 20, 2009)
Oita city's tourism will be promoted in the year 2009 with three ladies in "Tourism Campaign Ladies". Therefore, the chosen ladies from Oita city attended the commission ceremony at Oita City Hall on May 19.
The ladies of this campaign include two company employees, Ms. ABE Kae (22) and Ms. OKAMOTO Mayumi (26), and a third-year student of Oita University, Ms. TOMONAGA Tomomi (20).
At the ceremony, Ms. ABE stated that "I want to appeal Oita to the world as much as I can.", Ms. OKAMOTO "I hope to make Oita's local food well known than before.", and Ms. TOMONAGA "I have an intention to promote my favorite food, Oita's fresh Seki Aji fish and so on."
Comment: Congratulations to all of them. This is another good strategy to activate and promote local tourism. Ganbatte Kusadai ne!
PUNTHUCHAT Siripun
Thailand
APS4, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
Oita Godo Newspaper (morning edition on May 20, 2009)
The revision of civil law, about reducing the age of legally being an adult from 20 to 18, was discussed by an office under the government's legislation bureau on May 19.
The final announcement was finished that "In case that the age which can hold the right of election has been reduced to 18, the age of being an adult in the civil law should be changed from 20 to 18 likewise, as long as there is no legal abuse considered possible." The office will prepare a final official paper to submit to Japan's legislation bureau in July, this year.
Regarding the vote for supporting or refusing this new law, there are considerably more voices turning to support now comparing to the figure mentioned in the intermediate announcement in December, last year. Therefore, the new law may probably be implemented soon without the real national voting as planned before.
Comment: If the age of legally becoming an adult in Japan is really changed from 20 to 18, it will be the same with Thailand. I do not know actually when Thailand changed this kind of law but it happened before I became 18. So I could participate in the national election once when I was still in my country. :-)
PUNTHUCHAT Siripun
Thailand
APS4, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
(Oita Godo Newspaper, April 19th 2009, morning paper)
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), which is located in Beppu City, established "Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific Innovation Management Centre", aiming to support education and research involving regarding marketing and management strategy in enterprises. While focusing mainly on Asia, they are aiming to open up to international market. Focusing on the correlation between technology and business, the research theme "Innovation Management" was adopted. The target group is mainly the people who are related to business entreprises, and the centre plans to conduct seminars while actively sharing the knowledge that APU can offer.
The centre comprises of 7 professors. Regardless within or outside prefecture, whenever there is a request the centre will conduct seminars, offering the knowledge from university. Considering that the relationships between universities are important, APU has been conducting formal gatherings to study about Innovation Management with Oita University. In the future, the centre is also hoping to have lively exchanges of information with other universities in Asia Pacific region, and to develop international network concerning Innovation Management.
Since 2007, APU, with Oita and Kyushu altogether four prefectures, has been conducting "Seminar about Management Technology for Manufacturing Industry" once a year, and is entrusted by Oita City to conduct Lecture about Management of Technology for twice a year. In the future this centre is hoped to be "the window" and is expected to promote contribution to the society in the area.
The head of the centre, Professor NAKATA Yukihiko (Professor in International Management Faculty) said that "With Asia Pacific as the target area for research, we expect to make the most of APU's special characteristic and offer information from the bigger perspective, such as how to create a prosperous business".
Innovation Management (IM) being a new concept that has never existed before, the centre would like to put effort in creating market for new technology and business. The focus would be relating new technology to business.
Comment:
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, despite having only
been established 9 years ago, has managed to build itself a vibrant image, with
the diverse multiculturalism of the student body. And moving forward, it has
tied cooperation with a lot of other organizations to hold events and seminars.
I wish that this university would be more and more well-known to the world.
Katarina Marsha Utama Nugroho
Indonesia
Ritsumeikan
Asia Pacific University, APM 3
(Oita Godo Newspaper, April 29th 2009, morning paper)
Regarding the condition of his home country Mexico due to
Swine Flu, Diego Carrillo Santoscoy (22), who is currently pursuing his
undergraduate degree in Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (Beppu City) said
that "Although life goes on as usual over there, the people has become
increasingly anxious". Diego came from
second biggest city in Mexico, Guadalajara.
After the existence of the new type of influenza in
Mexico was confirmed and declared, Diego became worried about his parents and
two brothers who live in Mexico currently, and he made international calls to
them for three times.
Ms. Pati (53), Diego's mother, explained "Compared to
Mexico City where the condition is much more severe, in Guadalajara there are
fewer people who got infected. Government instructed people who go out of their
houses to always wear masks". Then she said "In order to deal with this
problem, the strength of researchers all over the world is needed".
In that city, a school was closed down. The masses in a
church were cancelled and department stores were closed. There are a lot of
people who are wondering "Why this new type of influenza appeared in Mexico?"
Diego is also concerned about the economic deterioration in Mexico. He said, "There has always been a strong demand for Mexico's pork meat to Japan. However, now, I am worried whether Japan still wants to continue importing pork meat, as the reputation of the pork meat has been lost".
Katarina Marsha Utama Nugroho
Indonesia
Ritsumeikan
Asia Pacific University, APM 3
(Oita Godo Newspaper, May 3rd 2009, morning paper)
The Cooperation with "Mixed Bathing World"
It is the fourth time for this event to be sponsored by
the Non-Profit Organization Beppu Hatto Onpaku (Tsuruda Koichi as the
Representative of Board of Directors). This time, the theme is "The Town's
Gemstone is Brightly and Attractively Shining". "How to exhibit individual
colours while welcoming the participants. We become more aware about scouting
and educating human talents in the area".
There have been 128 types of programs. The total number
of sessions are 454 with 5000 people as the regular members. There is a plan to
extend the standard price ranges from 500 Yen to 35000 Yen.
This time, cooperating with the activities in progress
like "Beppu Arts Festival 2009 -Mixed Bathing World-" and Museum of Oita
Fragrance, this event is being enriched with arts. "Onpaku Store" Project is
being introduced, offering experiences of Japanese culture, like wearing
Kimono.
A tour plan which combines walking and breakfast, as well as cycling along the coastline, towards the south of the prefecture is rather popular. The details of this program was published in a free guidebook.
Currently, the booking is about 50%. Inquiry and
registration could be done at Beppu City Ryokan Hotel (Telp: 0977220401)
Comment: Beppu, keep the spirit high to revitalize the
city! :D
Katarina Marsha Utama Nugroho
Indonesia
Ritsumeikan
Asia Pacific University, APM 3
Oita Godo Newspaper (evening edition on May 18, 2009)
Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare announced the survey result about monthly statistics of employment on May 18. They found that hours of overtime working in manufacturing companies reduce to 13.4 hours (per person in one month) in 2008, which decrease from last year 18.7%. 13.4 hours are the least in 7 years while 18.7% is the widest decreasing in 16-year time after the huge decreasing of 21.7% in 1992.
The ministry analyzed that "this is surely because the business fell off."
The total income of every type of business has gone down 1.1%, becoming 328,998 yen per person per month. This is the second year of decreasing. Regarding the wage of overtime, 6.7% were reduced making the wage drop at only 18,600 yen per person per month.
Comment: The world's economic crisis is truly the thing we cannot escape. Even though this reduction of overtime is a bad result of it but I think everyone understands that it is the way to ease the current situation. Everyone is dedicating for the recovery of the country's economy.
PUNTHUCHAT Siripun
Thailand
APS4, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
Oita Godo Newspaper (evening edition on May 18, 2009)
Concerning the breakout of the new-type influenza in Japan, there were additionally 34 people confirmed infected in Osaka and Hyogo prefecture on May 18. "Plus 4 from the investigation at Narita Airport, the total infected persons become 130" reported by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.
Moreover, groups of infected persons have expanded from earlier only in schools to business places and other areas in the cities. A female official (20) of Mitsubishi Tokyo UFJ Bank, Sannomiya branch in the center of Kobe city, and a female shopkeeper at JR Sannomiya Station, have turned out to be infected already. Therefore, other officials of the bank are asked to stand by at home to watch out the infection. Shops at the train station are also temporarily closed.
The situation in Osaka and Hyogo prefecture is still getting worse when the symptom is found from one person to another continuously.
Comment: Very surprising and threatening for the really fast expanding infection in Kansai area, Japan. In Thailand, there are not as many as, which may be because more people visited Japan and Japan's transportation is convenient and fast. When Japanese people moved around fast, the influenza also disperses rapidly. Hope everyone gets over soon.
PUNTHUCHAT Siripun
Thailand
APS4, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
