This is my last post in this year, which is now on the last corner, going to the ending. We want to delay the speed of finishing, but it is theoretically impossible. Only we can do is to make our brain work slowly, for feeling the time passing speed becomes slow. So, we always have a lot of drinking party in this month. Alcohol sometimes stops our time. It's miracle. But, of course, after we get up, we realise that time was certainly going forward.
From this year, the birth rate will became smaller than the death rate in Japan. Japanese population will strat to decrease. Japan will be an aged country rapidly. Japanese government and companies think about this situation seriously, but they don't have good solutions, though the government knew this problem 30 years ago.
The government started to support the bringing children up. The parents with kids can get small money from the government. I think this policy is good for some parents, but I am not sure this policy can solve the problem of decreasing population. I think that the choice which to have a child or not, is mostly based on our life style, not our economical condition. Who bears a baby to get money, in Japan? Another policy is to support a working woman with children. For example, the government support women( and men) to have a day-off easily to bring their children up. This policy could be helpful for women. But, I don't think Japanese population increases again by this policy. It is bigger trend for people not to have children.
I can't understand why Japanese government think more seriously about an immigrant policy. If we want to more population, it is the easiest way to invite here the people who want to come to Japan. There are many countries which population is still incresing. We can IMPORT the people to Japan.
While the lack of interest in an immigrant policy, Japanese government is very interested in making a bigger economical community in Asia with China, Korea, India, Australia and ASEAN.
I like this idea, but, for the success of the idea, we should understand the freedom of movability and stability is needed. It means that immigration must be more free in the community. So, I think Japanese policy is not consistent.
I know an immigrant policy is difficult. I was surprised that the riot of immigrant occured this year in France. I heard that the immigrant policy in France was most successful. But even France has a difficult problem.
However, I think it's impossible to survive in the future, for the country closed to outer people.
So are each person. Although we tend to be satisfied with keeping touch with familiar people only, it sometimes equals the lack of skill to communicate with different people. We must be open. Our country must be open.
"Be open" might be a pressure phrase for some Japanese. But, we should know that the person closed to others is also closed by others.
What kind of different others can I meet next year? I'm looking forward.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Saturday, December 24, 2005
VS Silent Night
Today is December 24th. Long long celebrating season is almost reaching the climax. From the beginning of this month, all cities were decorated and illuminated in Japan. We are very excited.
Maybe, this mood in this seson in Japan is different from another countries. For most western people, today is good for a silent and holy night. But, not for Japanese. We must not be still.
For some silent Japanese, this mood is sometimes a pressure. If we don't have any plan tonight, we are regarded as a sad person. So, everybody makes effrots to have SOMETHING TO DO; having a dinner with a girl or boy friend, arranging a party with our family, and so on.
Spending a time joyfully is good, but, of course, we can't forget our purpose.
We have this day in order to celebrate him.
When I was walking in a city today, I often heard of the phrase of calebration.
People call, "Mil Mascaras!"
Mil Mascaras.
He was a hero when I was a kid.
"Mil" means a thousand. He was a man with a thousand of face. Everytime we saw him, his face changed. He was not only strong but also beautiful. His CROSS CHOP was a deadly art. He used his hand like a scissors, to cut an enemy's neck. Of course, Mascaras was a gentleman. So, autually he didn't cut his enemy's neck. But if he used his power 100%, nobody can't escape from saying goodbye to our head.
FLYING BODY ATTACK was his finishing hold. When he jumped from a corner, nobody can't move. This situation was like a frog in front of a snake. And, at the next moment, his muscular body pressed an enemy. If Mascaras was a litte less kind, all the enemies would become a paper.
Now I am an adult, so I know his face is not real. It's a mask. But, I believed in the existece of Mil Mascaras when I was a child. The mask filled with a lot of gifts were children's dream, and is.
Maybe, this mood in this seson in Japan is different from another countries. For most western people, today is good for a silent and holy night. But, not for Japanese. We must not be still.
For some silent Japanese, this mood is sometimes a pressure. If we don't have any plan tonight, we are regarded as a sad person. So, everybody makes effrots to have SOMETHING TO DO; having a dinner with a girl or boy friend, arranging a party with our family, and so on.
Spending a time joyfully is good, but, of course, we can't forget our purpose.
We have this day in order to celebrate him.
When I was walking in a city today, I often heard of the phrase of calebration.
People call, "Mil Mascaras!"
Mil Mascaras.
He was a hero when I was a kid.
"Mil" means a thousand. He was a man with a thousand of face. Everytime we saw him, his face changed. He was not only strong but also beautiful. His CROSS CHOP was a deadly art. He used his hand like a scissors, to cut an enemy's neck. Of course, Mascaras was a gentleman. So, autually he didn't cut his enemy's neck. But if he used his power 100%, nobody can't escape from saying goodbye to our head.
FLYING BODY ATTACK was his finishing hold. When he jumped from a corner, nobody can't move. This situation was like a frog in front of a snake. And, at the next moment, his muscular body pressed an enemy. If Mascaras was a litte less kind, all the enemies would become a paper.
Now I am an adult, so I know his face is not real. It's a mask. But, I believed in the existece of Mil Mascaras when I was a child. The mask filled with a lot of gifts were children's dream, and is.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
VS North Korea
December is a busy month. Even when I am not busy, I can't be relaxed very well. One of the reason is that I have to see many people for business. I have to go to my customers and business-partners to give thanks for many things about our business in this year.
I went to a library, to see the library's manager. After talking about our business, we talked about literature. Because, the manager's life work is literature, and he sometimes writes a book about literature criticism.
In this two years, many Korean books, dramas and movies became popular in Japan. The manager thinks it's a good thing for Japanese culture. Because we can understand the emotion and feelings of the people in a different country.
This boom of Korean works is called "Han-ryu" or "Kan-ryu" in Japan.
The manager is, however, not satisfied with this boom. For him, it is not enough at all.
If Japanese is interested in Korean culture, we should be interested in North Korean culture more. This is his opinion.
For most Japanese, North Korea is a bad country, or our enemy. We think that the people in the country is brainwashed, and the media and culture is completely propaganda.
But, the manager doesn't think so. His friend went to North Korea before, and bought a lot of novels there. He translated some books to Japanese. The manager read them. Certainly the novels are influenced by the education and control of North Korean government. But, even so, he can understand the real feeling of North Korean in the books. The novels terat Love, Social jusitice, Life and so on. Such themes are easily shared by us.
He wrote a criticism of the novels in a magazine before.
But, his attempt looked difficult.
For Japanese, North Korea is a just kidnapping country. For facing a big political issue, nobody can have the interest in the culture of the country.
And, he had to think about the North Korean novelists.
The novelists must write about their real feeling under the pressure by the government. So, he worried that it would give a bad influence on them to focus on the good points easily shared by us. Brainwashers might hate such works.
I've never read the books in North Korea. So, I can't judge the quality of them. But, maybe to some extent, we can enjoy what they can enjoy. And, maybe to some extent, they can enjoy what we can enjoy. It seems to be intersting to find out the shareable parts of enjoyment between us.
I went to a library, to see the library's manager. After talking about our business, we talked about literature. Because, the manager's life work is literature, and he sometimes writes a book about literature criticism.
In this two years, many Korean books, dramas and movies became popular in Japan. The manager thinks it's a good thing for Japanese culture. Because we can understand the emotion and feelings of the people in a different country.
This boom of Korean works is called "Han-ryu" or "Kan-ryu" in Japan.
The manager is, however, not satisfied with this boom. For him, it is not enough at all.
If Japanese is interested in Korean culture, we should be interested in North Korean culture more. This is his opinion.
For most Japanese, North Korea is a bad country, or our enemy. We think that the people in the country is brainwashed, and the media and culture is completely propaganda.
But, the manager doesn't think so. His friend went to North Korea before, and bought a lot of novels there. He translated some books to Japanese. The manager read them. Certainly the novels are influenced by the education and control of North Korean government. But, even so, he can understand the real feeling of North Korean in the books. The novels terat Love, Social jusitice, Life and so on. Such themes are easily shared by us.
He wrote a criticism of the novels in a magazine before.
But, his attempt looked difficult.
For Japanese, North Korea is a just kidnapping country. For facing a big political issue, nobody can have the interest in the culture of the country.
And, he had to think about the North Korean novelists.
The novelists must write about their real feeling under the pressure by the government. So, he worried that it would give a bad influence on them to focus on the good points easily shared by us. Brainwashers might hate such works.
I've never read the books in North Korea. So, I can't judge the quality of them. But, maybe to some extent, we can enjoy what they can enjoy. And, maybe to some extent, they can enjoy what we can enjoy. It seems to be intersting to find out the shareable parts of enjoyment between us.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
VS Fukuoka
In Japan, we often call December "Shiwasu". The direct meaning is "Teacher is running." I don't
know the root of the word, but as we can anticipate it easily, it means "Rush","Busy" or
"Hurry". The word is fitted to my present feeling. Because, I had a trip soon again after Hakone trip. I went to Fukuoka last weekend. It was a very busy schedule.
My aim of this trip was just to see my old friends there.
Fukuoka-city is very convenient. We can go to the center of the city within 15 minutes from Fukuoka airport. So, when a airplane is landing, the view of the city is very close. In night time, it is very beautiful.
In all seasons, the food is delicious in Fukuoka. Especially in winter season, sea foods are great. Sake and Syochu are too delicious.
I organized a drinking party soon when I arrived at Fukuoka. My school friend, my company friend and my English-study friend came to the party. They didn't know each other. So. I had to be a good host there. It is funny to mix the people who don't know each other.
One of my friends also organized another drinking party at another night, for me. We went to a very delicious restaurant and a stylish bar. My friend intorduced his gril friend and her friend to me there. My friend's aim was to make his girl friend's friend my girl friend! For I didn't prepare for the situation, I was a little nervous(maybe).
My friend thought that I and he will drink together many times in the future. And, in the future, we will drink togther with our wives of girl friends. If our wives or girl friends can't get along well together, our drinking life would bocome worse.
So, he thought that I should be a boy friend of his girl friend's friend. He is crazy, but logical. In the situation, I had to behave as a good man. I couldn't be drunk at all.
This trip was not only for drinking.
Recently a new national musium was open in Fukuoka. I went there with other friends. The musium's display focuses on the relationship between Japan and other Asian countries. In the musium, I saw many Asian tourists. We can easily understand the similarity and difference among Asian countries there. The displayed things is very good. But, compared with them, the building of the musium is TOO good. It must be very costly. This symbolizes Japanese cultural policy. The governmnet tends to be satisfied with constructing a beautiful building.
After this trip, my mood is to finish this year beautifuly. I went to many places this year. And, I had good experiences. Now, I have to remember them, and think about the next challenge of the coming new year.
know the root of the word, but as we can anticipate it easily, it means "Rush","Busy" or
"Hurry". The word is fitted to my present feeling. Because, I had a trip soon again after Hakone trip. I went to Fukuoka last weekend. It was a very busy schedule.
My aim of this trip was just to see my old friends there.
Fukuoka-city is very convenient. We can go to the center of the city within 15 minutes from Fukuoka airport. So, when a airplane is landing, the view of the city is very close. In night time, it is very beautiful.
In all seasons, the food is delicious in Fukuoka. Especially in winter season, sea foods are great. Sake and Syochu are too delicious.
I organized a drinking party soon when I arrived at Fukuoka. My school friend, my company friend and my English-study friend came to the party. They didn't know each other. So. I had to be a good host there. It is funny to mix the people who don't know each other.
One of my friends also organized another drinking party at another night, for me. We went to a very delicious restaurant and a stylish bar. My friend intorduced his gril friend and her friend to me there. My friend's aim was to make his girl friend's friend my girl friend! For I didn't prepare for the situation, I was a little nervous(maybe).
My friend thought that I and he will drink together many times in the future. And, in the future, we will drink togther with our wives of girl friends. If our wives or girl friends can't get along well together, our drinking life would bocome worse.
So, he thought that I should be a boy friend of his girl friend's friend. He is crazy, but logical. In the situation, I had to behave as a good man. I couldn't be drunk at all.
This trip was not only for drinking.
Recently a new national musium was open in Fukuoka. I went there with other friends. The musium's display focuses on the relationship between Japan and other Asian countries. In the musium, I saw many Asian tourists. We can easily understand the similarity and difference among Asian countries there. The displayed things is very good. But, compared with them, the building of the musium is TOO good. It must be very costly. This symbolizes Japanese cultural policy. The governmnet tends to be satisfied with constructing a beautiful building.
After this trip, my mood is to finish this year beautifuly. I went to many places this year. And, I had good experiences. Now, I have to remember them, and think about the next challenge of the coming new year.
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