April 2010 Archives
(Oita Godo Newspaper,April 17th 2010, morning paper)
Population
goes down by 180 000 people
Worst decline ever
The
general affairs of Japan reported on the 16th of april that according
to a population count on 2009 1st of October, the total population
in Japan, including both Japanese and foreigners are on a two year constant
decline. From a increase decline of 183,000 people(0.14%) from the 12,750,000
people. From the year 1950, the current standard of statistics of human population
has been established, and this is the third time that there is a decrease in
population. This time, the decrease in population is the most serious one.
Women are stated to be the first, attributing to the decline of population to
natural death.
The
deaths of both man and women made the general affairs of Japan analyze that
Japan has encountered a real era of human decline. Due to the natural deaths of
man, the population of man has been decreasing continuously for the past five
years, which constitutes to 540,000 man, an increase of 13,000 man as compared
to the previous year.
On the
other hand, the foreigners in Japan are also decreased by 47,000 people. This
is the first time in fifteen years(1994) that there have been any decrease in
the population of foreigners. In 2008 autumn, when lehman shock had a heavy
impact on opportunities in Japan.
In the
total population, there has been an increase of 0.6 point to the people over 65
years old, adding it to 22.7%. On the other hand, people who are less than 14 years
old decrease by 0.2 points, adding it up to 13.3 %. According to the population
consensus, there is an increase in population in the same 7 prefectures, which
are Okinawa, Shinagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Tokyo, Aichi, and Shiga. For the other
prefectures, the problem of graying society exists. In the case of Oita, the
total population is 1,195,000 people, a decrease of 5000 people as compared to
last year.
Comments
I felt that this problem, graying society is a very serious problem. If more people enter the age of 65, it means that less young people will work and the government would have to pay pension to the people who are age 65 and above. This means that there will be more burden on the young tax papers, but the number of tax payers are getting lesser and lesser as shown in the statistics, this would result in an inverted triangle where few young people will have to support many retired people.
This would also cause a drop in tax payers and the government revenue would drop. There will be not enough people to work in Japan and the economy of Japan would decrease dramatically.
However, there are a few solutions to this problem, firstly is to let more foreigners to come to Japan work. This is a fast solution as foreigners, although might not be as fluent in Japanese as the Japanese, they could learn and experience have shown me that we can learn basic conversional Japanese, and get a certain level of understanding in 1 year.
The second solution is to promote Japanese mothers to give birth. The government has been planning to give bonus to Japanese and even foreigners who give birth in Japan. This encourages the mother to give birth but the time and money spent to nurture a young girl/boy into an adult is astronomical.
But this problem has to be solved and I would like to see how the Japanese government would react to this problem.
Tay Zhong Jie Edwin
Singapore
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 4
(Oita Godo Newspaper,April 13th
2010, morning paper) Mixing
glass to strengthen the Earth walls: making it twice as resistant to
earthquakes A conclusion from the experiment conducted in Oita University An experiment from Oita University,
engineering department, concluded the fact that adding glass to the floor
mixture actually makes the wall 2 times more resistant towards earthquake. More
architectural freedom will be available if the earth wall is able to resist
earthquakes better, it would be possible to built attractive houses with earth
walls. The experiment with the theme, "Making a
network which promotes living in the forest", is conducted mainly at the north
of Oita city, where 6 engineers participated. The prefecture's produced wood
was used and it gives the home a comfortable and alluring appeal. The glass
used was produced by "shin nichi tetsu Oita branch". According to the construction standards,
the wall's ability to resist earthquakes is called wall ratio. Normal house's
walls which are made of metals have a ratio of 2.5, and a normal earth wall has
only a ratio of 0.5. However if you add glass to the earth wall, the ratio
becomes 0.99, twice as strong as before. In the same faculty, Professor Tanaka said
that the earth walls are strong enough to resist an earthquake but there might
be cracks in the wall after that. He further adds that this problem will be
solved if glass is added to the earth wall. The new and improve earth wall is said to
be cheap and environmentally friendly. Comments Being from Singapore, a country which is
free from natural disasters, I was shocked when I experienced earthquake for
the first time in Oita. Being in Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, I was
more aware of what is happening around the world. The Sichuan earthquake, Haiti
earthquake and the recent Qingshan earthquake caused many moralities. If this
discovery was implemented in those regions, I am sure that the causality rate
will not be as high. I feel that this discovery could go a long
way, with the emphasis on green technology; Japan is a leader in this field. Tay Zhong Jie Edwin Singapore Ritsumeikan Asia
Pacific University, APM 4
(Oita Godo Newspaper,April 17th
2010, morning paper) Partnership
agreement with APU On 16 of April, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific
University, Waseda University, International Christian University and Akita international
university signed a partnership agreement. This agreement enables the four
universities to share their knowledge, teachers and students, and people who
are able to work in an international arena. All the four universities are promoting
internationalization, programs like, all classes to be conducted in English,
overseas exchange as a requirement for graduation. In order to meet the
international standards, this agreement would allow the universities to practice
internationalization and to combine their strength. After the signing of agreements, Waseda
University, a university in Shinjuku, held a committee meeting with the universities
president in a nearby hotel. The president of International Christian University,
Nakajima Mineo said: "As globalization progress, the universities have to
circulate their teaching. The four universities could be role model on how
other Japan Universities could internationalize. Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University's
President, Korenaga Shun, said: "Diverse cultures existing together in Japanese
society, can be achieve in the campus. In August, a seminar, by the theme of "Limited
Settlement" would be held in International Christian University. The professors
and staff from each university would have a training session together, sharing
ideas and policies regarding short term exchange students, globalization of the
university, professor training, career support on so on. Comments I felt that Japanese universities are
taking a step to globalization, and I feel excited because I am in the process
too. I am currently a student, but I don't really have a clear idea on what are
the international standards of a university. Each class has different
standards, but I think it is going to change in a few years, following this
reform. I felt that the Japanese universities
should give more support on Japanese language studies as Japanese is the most
important ability that a Japanese company would look for. I have been active in
job hunting process in the last few months, writing countless of entry sheets.
It is a tiring process, and I am sure that people who have done job hunting in
Japan will agree with me. Internationalization is definitely a must
as universities in other countries like Australia, America and Singapore have already
done so. With the oncoming graying society, Japanese universities should be
able to source for students overseas or face closure. Tay Zhong Jie Edwin Singapore Ritsumeikan Asia
Pacific University, APM 4
(Oita Godo Newspaper,April 14th 2010, morning paper)
Production
of Ethanol increase by 5 times
Asahi beer and National Agricultural and Food Agency had a combined research at Kyushu Okinawa research center on the 13 of April. The research was regarding new types of sugarcane, the consistency of the sugar. About 5.2 times of bio ethanol can be produce by this joint research.
Sugarcane and Corn is blessed with bio ethanol, but there was the problem of food shortage if too much corn and sugarcane is used for bio ethanol. With this technology, the problems will be solved.
The new technology, sugar and ethanol combine production process, enables more sugar to be produced using the new type of sugarcane. Fermentation conditions for the new sugarcane enable the sugar production to not decrease while producing a huge amount of ethanol.
The new technology cost about forty seven yen for one liter. Asahi Beer said that in order to increase competitiveness, Asahi beer would like to produce the materials at be around fifty yen. In Okinawa prefecture, Iejima Island, they have conducting test from March this year. Kagoshima prefecture is also experimenting with the new sugarcane seeds. Experiments are aimed to see if the seeds could overcome sickness and diseases, and whether the soil conditions are suitable for the seeds.
Bio ethanol is able to replace oil for cars, being a sustainable resource; as compared to fossil fuels with have a limit.
Comments
I felt that this technology is able to relive our earth's strain on resources. This technology as compared to fossil fuels is a much sustainable and environmentally friendly way. Japan has the technology and human resource to invent and conduct experiments. I feel that if Japan is able to transfer this technology to countries which produce sugarcanes, countries like Brazil.
I also feel that this might relive Japan, and more importantly, developing countries like China, on their reliance on fossil fuel. We should work together as Global warming is not only one countries problem but all countries.
Tay Zhong Jie Edwin
Singapore
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 4
(Oita Godo Newspaper,April 10th 2010, evening paper)
High
prices for vegetables: cabbage for 348 yen, lettuce for 298 yen
Cabbage's and lettuce's price are 348 yen and 298 yen respectively. This is prices shown in places like supermarkets. The high prices are due to the unfavorable weather during march, which cause the growth of the vegetables to be slow. One shopper grieving said: "During this time of recession, our salaries have not increase, yet the prices of vegetables increased". But of course, it is nature who wins, causing a burden on families.
A supermarket in Oita, Marushoku toudaidoten, opened at 10 in the morning and was greeted by shoppers armed with discount coupons. A Woman in her seventies said: "spring onions and seasonal vegetables are also expensive; hence I always buy vegetables using discount coupons". In another supermarket, Hi Hirose, Ms Iwao (age 38) said: " I hesitate to buy vegetables with the price over 100 yen, depending on the situation, there are times when I don't use potatoes and use bean sprout instead as bean sprouts are cheaper". Maruka fruit and vegetables Wholesalers said that cabbages and bamboo shoots are seasonal vegetables, on the other hand, imported vegetables like tomatoes, spinach and cucumbers have decrease by thirty percent.
A Marushoku fruit and vegetable section manager said that during the middle of March, Marushoku experienced shortage of supply in vegetables, that's why the prices became expensive. It is thirty to fifty percent more expensive compared to the previous years. Marushoku welcomes individual sellers who would want to sell their cabbage and lettuces to Marushoku.
The Japanese weather association said that Oita will experience a low exposure of sunlight from the first of March to the tenth of March, a thirty percent decrease in rain fall. These conditions have affected the growth of the vegetables.
Even if the weather is to revert back to normal, the prices will still be high till the end of the month. The president of Oita Maruka fruit and vegetables Wholesalers, Iwao Yoshimitsu, said: "It is only the recession that refrain the buyers from buying the vegetables, it would help if the high price of the vegetables would fall".
Comments
Being a student living in Oita, I too experienced a hike in prices. This does affect my daily life style and I too have to select what I am to eat for dinner. I also felt the irregularities in the weather which caused the vegetables to grown slowly. Being in Oita, for the past 3 years, I felt that the weather has changed. It makes me more and more concern about that things that is happening around me, especially things concerning towards global warming.
As seen as the article, a slight change in weather could affect our livelihood, expenditure. We should take global warming seriously.
Tay Zhong Jie Edwin
Singapore
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 4
(Oita Godo Newspaper,April 10th 2010, morning paper)
The original for "Darling" is created by comic artist Oguri and an American writer. This movie's plot revolves around Language Otaku, Tony Laszlo, his love life, the birth of his son. Funny and heartwarming stories about everyday life are also part of the movie.
The movie also shows how the Japanese women, Saori, and American man, tony, met unexpectedly and got married. It talks about Tony's culture shock, and how he goes around learning Japanese. Things that might occur during an international marriage in the family is both humorous and touching.
Inoue said: "In order not to disrupt the mood that Oguri teacher and tony, I aimed to make a great movie by expressing the hardship and the friction that is caused by an international marriage. The ways to overcome problems, the hard work and the importance of communication is nothing special."
Johnson said: "I am too in an international marriage, and through this movie, I learnt about balance."
Saori's parents are Kunimura Hayato and Otake Shinobu. Her sister, Kunimura Ryoko, is a capable actress whom has stared in many television commercials.
The movie is shown in TOHO cinema at park place.
Comments
Being in an international university, I have experience in an international relationship. I do agree with the movie that dating or even marrying someone who does not share the same culture as you is a hard task.
Being a man, I find it hard to comprehend the complicated way of thinking of a girl, and dating a girl who is from a different country is a titanic task. On the other hand, you could have a lot of fun learning different language, eating different food and even doing things differently.
My home country, Singapore, is made up of migrants and hence international marriages are prevalent. But Japan to a certain extend is still new to international marriage as the percentage of foreigners is 1.57% of the total population.
From my experience so far, Japanese girls are well behave and I think they make a very nice wife. But my stand to this is to watch the movie, so that you would understand how Japanese women think and behave.
Tay Zhong Jie Edwin
Singapore
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 4
(Oita Godo Newspaper,April 9th 2010, morning paper)
In Oita prefecture, Jotoharakawa town, 9th of April, the PTA council donated thousand canes to Ma-chan statue in the city's peace memorial park. The thousand canes are made during the 4th of April, in which people from Oita prefecture came to the park to fold the canes. One cane fold symbolizes one wish.
A total of 30 people, consisting of PTA council, elementary students from North Oita primary school and Jotoharakawa secondary school attended this event. Representing the people, President of the PTA (Mr. Sato), said: "It is something that we could do for peace, so please accept the canes". City Administration manager, Mr. Kamiyato, said: "Hoping for peace, let everyone sent their feelings to Ma-chan". Some of the elementary school kids also used the canes as a form of decoration.
During last year December, the cane which was near the statue was burnt due to a fire. Since then, many canes were folded by people who were staying outside prefecture. A girl who participated in the folding of canes said smiling (12 years old): "It is sad that the canes were burnt. I folded the canes so that people are able to sleep well".
Comments
This is my first post; I hope that I could reflect on the news happening in Oita, sharing my opinions with readers from all over the world.
I felt that Japan being the only country in the world to experience that atomic bombing during the World War II, felt that peace does not come easily. Even elementary school students, would go to the peace park and make an effort for peace. I felt that this is exceptional. In Japan, a thousand canes would take a long time to fold, but with everyone putting in effort the job would seem less tedious. Hence, maintaining peace would be difficult if it was only done by one country. Learning from this article, we should help one another, so that peace could be maintained.
Tay Zhong Jie Edwin
Singapore
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 4
