VS Inaugral Address

2017. This year is a memorial year for several events.
It must be a little maniac but 200 years have passed since Ricado's Comparative Cost Theory was established. This theory continued to support international free trades.
100 years has passed from Russian Revolution. When Soviet Union collapsed last century, we thought West won to get winners' rosy future.
For Japanese history, 150 years has passed since it finished being a closed coutry. After opening the door to the world, it became a developed country.
We had thought the number of open and free countries would increase naturally.

When listening to and reading the new American president's inaugural address, I was surprised at the narrow concern to the world. The perspective is closed and domestic. "America first" He said. But I understand he says "America only". I expect the tasks for the first are NOT finished forever. Thus, he can't consider the second, the third and so on. So, America first means America only.

8 years ago, when listening to Obama's inaugural address, I was impressed very much even though he was not my country's leader. Why? His speech reached non-American. It was open to the world. But Trump's speech doesn't. Honestly, I felt we are listening to a monologue.

As many people are pointing out, the emerge of President Trump comes from globalization and its failure dividing social classes. From the viewpoint, Trump might be just a catalytic phenomena before making a new world. Some say ironically we welcome Trump. The problem is not Trump but our world bearing the President. He is not a program error but a correct ouput from the program. We must fix the program now. It must be a true interpretation.

Outside the border, let's continue to say "We will make the WORLD great again." The WORLD is bigger than America. I hope God bless America, but he wouldn't say America first.

VS ISSUU

Free digital publication tool ISSUU is interesting. I am trying to be familiar with using it now.
The below is the sample post of my writing(in Japanese).
I try to make English version next.

VS Kanahei

Looking back to 2016, it was my meeting year with LINE character creator Kanahei. Even though she is a famous artist, I didn't know her at all. The reason is because I don't use LINE stamp. Her illustration became very popular in LINE.
The below FB link is the event I worked for. One is in Thailand, another is in Taiwan. Thanks to the cooperation with each countries' colleague, these events are successful.


Thailand

Taiwan

I could learn what Character business is very much from these events. Actually the book sales is growing down in Japan. It becomes difficult for many creators to earn money by their works. But, on the other hand, the market for Character business is still growing here. Many creators should look at this market more.

When we think the publications are the mixture of paper and some copyrights, Character goods are the mixture of non-paper and some copyrights. The words printed on papers is as same as the illustration printed on T-shirt. Now many publishers focus on Character business seriously.
It's understandable.

VS Crisis Management

I can't wirte details at this moment, but I must think seriously about Crisis Managemnet now.
One of my friends seems to have been in a trouble with a stoker.
The friend (I call F) might not accept it fully because the stoker (I call S) was a friend, so F doesn't want to call S a stoker.
However, from my view point, S is now becoming a stoker.

Perhaps, S liked and still likes F. But F doesn't like S so much. S's heart was broken.
After that, there had been no connection between F and S for a few years, but recently F started to see S again.
I heard from F that now S think somebody is disturbing the relationship of F and S. And, S concludes the somebody is me! Even though I have not seen S for five years more. Thank you for remenbering me.

Last week, S showed up in front of me suddenly. I was on the way to a restaurant with F, so we went there with S.
I didn't know the story written above then, so I tried to communicate with S gently in the restaurant. I talked about my life of last five years and asked for S's current life. At first I didn't find anything strange with S, but soon S's attitude changed to become offensive toward me.

S started to talk about S's handy phone. I couldn't understand why S talked it but listened carefully.
S says, "You know why I am here now? (I said, "I'm not sure.") Ok. Somebody invades my phone, checking my email, my text etc. That's why I can't send any message to my friends. I can't communicate with anybody. You know why I'm here now. It's a stoking to invade other's handy phone! You know? My phone is not old and not broken. It's new. But, there are something strange in it. Because somebody is invading it! It's a stoking! You must know why I am here now."
S is looking at me with anger. Gradually, I realised, insted of S's phone, S's mentality is broken now.
S refered to somebody's stoking S, but the hidden message is that S itself is a stoker.

Our conversation was finished and S left the restaurant without saying goodbye.
I couldn't eat more. It was no taste. It was my first experience that we lose the sense of taste when we were in a very bad mood.
On the same day, I had a meeting with my friends. What should we do?
Fortunetely this crisis is on the very early stage. S is now strange but can be treated to be normal. We will try to make S's family take S a hospital.
S was offensive but not viorent. We don't worry about physical crisis at this moment, but if we would recognize it, we will take S the police soon.

I couldn't write more because of my friends' privacy. But the above must be enough for documentation.

VS Shanghai Trip 2016

Around 10 years ago, I visited Shanghai, the most changing city at that time.
I posted some articles for my impression to the city then in this blog. The relationship between Japan and China was bad 10 years ago. I think my concern at that time tended to be knowing about the difference and the similarity of the two coutries.
But for the last 10 years, the situation changed.
The political relationship of two coutries might be still bad, but the economical relationship is actually becoming strong. In fact, the amount of trade between Japan and China is the bigger than that of between Japan and USA. It means China is the most important partner for Japan now. So, my concern this time was more practical. Chinese cultual scene, Chinese people's demand and the possibility of my business in China. This kind of concern was more bigger than the last trip. Thanks to my old friend Patrick's help, I could learn many things from this trip (even though it was a short three days trip.)

I don't write many things here because some things are more private impressions and some are related to confidetial things, but I think the people in Shangahai are laughing more than 10 years ago. I think they looked angry more. It's my impression.
Their car driving is still aggressive but it became more modest than before.
I don't know why, but the taste of Tsingtao beer was lighter this time. The taste changed? Or, it's for my body condition? I am not sure.

This trip was just for checking the surface of Shanghai 2016. To update more, I need to visit again. Now I am thinking of going there at Shanghai Crab season (Winter) again. I found the flight ticket of DELTA is very cheap for Shanghai trip. I should use it more.

VS Taikomochi

The word Geisha is well known and they are still existing in Japan. But Taikomochi (formaly; Hokan) is not known so much. These day, I am studying what it is, and I am very interested in their work and history.



The man in this photo is Mr. Tamasuke Yugentei, who was called the last Taikomochi.

His job was to go with rich guests (men) to Geisha place and entertain them by singing, dancing, joking, laughing and drinking.

His mission is to help the communication between men and women. He had to be a good ice-breaker.

Sometimes, he was a negotiator or a mediator on both sides. For example, when the guest's favorite Geisha was too busy to see the man, he would go home or go to other places. Taikomochi tried to recommend another Geisha to the guest on behalf of Geisha place owner.

In another case, Taikomochi negotiated with the owner for the guest's payment. Taikomochi knew the acceptable price because he went to Geisha places with many guests every night.

That's why Taikomochi was a useful man for both guests and Geisha.



There were aroud 500 Taikomochies in Japan before. However, now, they are less than 5 people. Luckily, I had the chance to watch their performance on the stage in Kinokuniya hall (my company). It was strange to see them on the stage because their performance is for drinking places. But, it was a very rare oppotunity.



I knew there were same kinds of entertainer in Western history. The name is Jester. I have not known the detail of Jester yet, but it is interesting to know we need such a man in our life.



My strong interest in them might come from my concern of communication skill. I strongly believe it is the most important skill for my life these day. Taikomochi is usually looked down but I think I can study something from them.

VS Miracle Cell

I introducd a book "Anohi" (That day) on my facebook one week ago.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1054947564546267&id=100000930990651

The impact of this publication seems to be bigger and bigger. It is sold very much and additionally printed more and more. As a book salesman, I am happy for this situation.

What was STAP cell problem? It is written in the book, by Ms. Obokata, the most important key person for this problem.

It is astonishing that she is still claiming STAP cell is existing. She agrees with her faulty and mistake on the procedure to prove the existence, but she says it is too much to deny the cell.

The most negative review of this book is this.

" If you are a scientist, prove it in a scientific way. Don't write a book for non-scientists."

This opinion is understandable, but I can say it is the book review without reading the book. Ms. Obokata describes it was impossible to have the communication in a scientific way when STAP cell problem occurred in 2013. Hmm, explain more.

Ok. Let's start with the explanation of what STAP cell is.

When stimulating a normal cell in a scientific way, Ms. Obokata and her team found the cell became a miracle cell. It is named STAP cell, which can become everything; eyes, nails, hairs, bones, skins etc. And, based on her finding, two articles were written for Nature.

A scientific article is written by a group of scientists. It have to be added that Ms. Obokata was not a responsible author for both articles. Of course, her contribution to the articles was big, but she was listed No.2 on the authors list. However, she was unfairly enforced to have all the responsibility for the problem. It is one of her claiming points in the book.

After found was the faulty, mistake and CHEAT of the articles, the two articles were stopped printing and RIKEN institute Ms. Obokata belonged to tried to check and prove the existence of STAP cell again. And, it was finally reported that the proof was failed. But, She writes the conclusion was wrong and STAP cell is existing.

During the procedure of the proof, she says she and other researchers found a cell changed to be another type of cell with the ability to become everything. However, she was required of making a mouse from the cell, and it was set on the goal of the proof.

She claims it was also unfair.

Scientific research is done by a group of scientists. For STAP cell research, Ms. Obokata's job was to make the cell with the ability to become everything, but it was not her job to make a mouse. The mouse making process was leaded by another scientist. However, the scientist refused to join the proof. In the end, She couldn't make a mouse due to the lack of skill.

In this book, the another scientist are described as a suspicious man to confuse this problom. At this moment, the man has not make any comments.

Ms. Obokata is attacking Japanese journalism, too. Even thouh STAP cell problem was a highly-level scientific issue and it had to be discussed in a scientific way, Japanese journalism prevented it. They focused only on who were wrong, and they were not interested in what was scientifically true.

Again, this book is now sold very much. There are still unwritten things. She have to wrire more, and we have to wait for the reaction from the persons Ms. Obokata criticized in the book.

She writes a scientific truth? or she lies crazy? This book has the ability to become everything.

VS Idol

It might be surprising that the most important Social issue last one week for very many Japanese is a Japanese idol group SMAP. We had forgotten the terror in Jakarta for them. Even though we are now in mourning for David Bowie, we might shamefully have made noise for the idol group.

SMAP. This veteran idol group have leaded Japanese entertainment business for 25 years. It is said that they changed our idol business in Japan. Basically they are singers, but they tried to be sometomes comedians, sometomes actors and always multi-talented entertainers. And, their trial was successfully done.

The news of their breaking-up was suddenly broadcasted last week. We were surprised. And, we were surprised again when we knew the reason. It was because of the result of the battle in their company Johnnys, which is governed by 89-years-old president and vice president. The manager of SMAP tried to carry out a coup d'etat against the company, but failed. It made the old governers' anger. 4 of 5 members of SMAP had supported the manager, so they were planned to be fired.

In the situation, the news was broadcasted.

We might welcome the era of our full-open information society. The news and the result had been reported everyday during the last week, and, in the end, all members of SMAP dramatically appeared in a live relayed TV program and finished with their apologies and declaration of continuing the group.

Their funs, of course, welcome it. But, on the other hand, some people see their future is black. The 4 members are seen betrayed the company (actually so), thus they will lose their special position as a super idol. Certainly thet didn't die, but might continue to live deadly.

Again. SMAP is a veteran idol group. They have a strong power in Japanese entertainment business. However, some people think, even they cannot change the old people's governance.

I am not sure whether such an interpretation is right or not, and whether we are watching an ending or a starting of something. But, I can understand their feeling because I and they are in the same generation. We have the obligation to try to change a system even if there are a various type of trials. This time, they looked uncool. But, it's ok. They all are middle-age men. They don't have to be always cool. (To be always cool is the younger's job.)

I m looking forward to their next challenge.

VS Lion & Sheep

I listend to a radio program today. It was a psychological analysis program.

You are walking on the desert, with 7 animals; Elephant, Giraffe, Cow, Horse, Sheep, Monkey and Lion.
But, you suddenly must throw away an animal. Which one do you throw away?
And, when you must throw away 6 animals, which one do you continue to keep?

The each animal symbolize the value of something important in our life.
Please think........think......think......think......think......a little more.....think.......








Ok. The each animl means...


Elephant: Your parents
Giraffe : Your life plan
Cow : Money
Horse : Your Job
Sheep : Your partner
Monkey : Your child or your childhood
Lion : Social status


I have nothing to say.