My opinion of this week(402)

Turn the disaster into one's advantage

I have kept revising my home page every Saturday since 1996 except 
some holiday seasons. I did not, and could not do it during holiday
seasons. But I found New Year's Day falls on Saturday this year. So 
I decided to revise home page as a part of my New Year's resolution.

Kanji(Chinese Character) of the year in 2004 was "災””wazawai" meaning
disaster. Yes, the last year was exactly just like it. There were so
many typhoons, hurricanes, and earthquakes in Japan and all over the world.
The greatest  disaster happened in 2004 was tsunami at the end of the 
year in Asia. Over a hundred thousand people died due to this natural 
hazard. The whole town or village had been swept away. A grief of 
families of so many victims is beyond our imagination.   

Iraq war continued very badly, which is another disaster. But it is a 
human-generated disaster in itself. This can be stopped by one way or 
the other for it is the sweep of human intelligence. 

All human beings must have re-realized  terrible power of nature by facing
so many disasters last year. Restoration from  serious tsunami disaster in
Asia should be tackled  by the whole global communities including UN. 
The 2005  will be the year which all human-generated disasters like war 
is to be stopped and the world communities should work together with  so
many natural threat.

I think it is now the time for all human beings to remember the proverb 
:"Turn the disaster into one's advantage." I wish the Kanji of this year
would be "福”"fuku" meaning  happiness at this year end. 

2005/1/1
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week(403):

Feast of the Seven Herbs of Health

January 7 is the day,  Feast of the Seven Herbs of Health. We  traditionally
eat rice gruel mixed with the seven herbs of Spring to pray good health
throughout a new year. Needless to say, to eat such rice porridge mixed with
such vegetables is good for health rather than to eat plain rice porridge.
We can get some sets of materials to cook at supermarket on and around 
January 7. 

As a matter of fact, however, our family have never cooked and eaten such
kind of porridge in recent years. It is because we know that it is no good
any way in taste regardless how we cook those basic materials.

Well, I know we should not say that. It is rather a lesson and not a recipe
which is in question. We do understand the lesson at any rate.

However, when it comes to what is good for health, we keep learning many
sorts of information in our daily life through TV and many other source.
We can get so many information what materials are good for health and
how we can cook them in order to enjoy those food. We can enjoy testing
various new cooking materials and many new cooking recipes in addition to
some basic and traditional method. People must be enjoying new version of 
Nanakusa Kayu, seven herbs porridge in these days.

Such warm days lasted until the very end of the last year but it snowed a
lot at the year  eve. I really hate a cold weather but welcome it
another way. I occurred to think the time finally come to start cooking
so many "Nabemono" ( winter cuisine served in the pot: note bellow) .

When it comes nabemono, any nabemonos usually contain more than seven. It 
contains all sort of different vegetables, bean curd,fish, chicken, beef,
pork and so on. Their combination is limitless. There is no limit on 
seasoning as well. All sort of Japanese and sometimes even foreign seasoning
including, soy, sauce, soy bean paste, Japanese sake, wine and so forth 
are used to get good taste for nabemono.  

Various basic nabe dishes, such as sukiyaki,shabu-shaabu, yose nabe, kaki-nabe
and so forth are tried together with so many different combination varieties
in accordance with the materials and seasoning prepared in each case. We 
enjoyed finding some new tastes through new combination of those materials
and seasoning.

In many of nabemono, some fat meets such as pork are included from time 
to time. But it  mostly consists of low fat materials such as fish, chicken
bean curt and so many different kind of vegetables. 

I happened to watch TV news the other day that there are almost 40 million
people who face dieting problem in US. Japanese eat a lot like Americans
but they don't have such serious dieting problem  as Americans because of
Japanese food. Americans should learn more about Japanese food including 
those low fat and healthy nabemono.   

One problem about nabemono, it costs high. All those materials, especially
fish and vegetables are all so expensive these days. Price of food is 
generally very high in Japan.

Another problem is that Japanese live long compared with other people in the
world thanks to so many healthy Japanese food. I don't know whether or not
it is a problem or a good thing as far as present circumstance in our society
is concerned.

2005/1/8
Tadashi HAYASE

note:I found so many explanation about this in internet.

Nabemono
Nabemono

My opinion of this week(404):

Condition of increasing  ODA

According to the recent news by Kyodou Tushin, it was disclosed that
the advisory commission of Annan, the Secretary General of UN
requested Japan and Germany to increase the fund of ODA if they 
were to be elected as new permanent members of UN Security Councils.

Japan is now decreasing the fund for ODA for their financial difficulty.
But Anan advisory commission requested to increase the fund to 0.7% of
GNP of Japan and Germany. Japan is currently spending 0.2% of GNP as
ODA  fund. It will become really a big burden for Japan that faces very
big financial debt.

The topic was discussed at ML(mailing list) , and Ueda san and Hara san
wrote several questions and concerns about the validity of such request.
I fully agree with them.

The very basic question to be raised is how present permanent members of
Security Councils are paying ODA fund. Are they contributing the same way
as suggested by the commission?  Never, as far as we see the current
situation.  Why do they put this condition just to Japan and Germany? 

Before talking about ODA, we have to take a look at the contribution of 
fund for UN. Japan is already sharing about 20% of total fund necessary
for UN operation. Except US, any other permanent member countries of
Security Councils are paying very small percentages of fund. Why is this?
How do they decide this contribution ratio?

There is another very strange fact about UN. As Hara san wrote in ML,
there still remains enemy clause in UN convention and Japan and Germany
are listed there as enemies. The clause has  not been deleted yet. 
Why is this? 

The present permanent member countries have veto power and have provided
a big influence in international politics and securities all over the 
world. But there is no assurance whether or not same veto power would be
granted for any of those new candidates for permanent member countries
for Security Councils including Japan and Germany. It seems that veto 
power is very vested interest only for the present permanent members 
countries. Why is this?

Well, we know and understand the process of birth of UN. But the times
has changed greatly since their birth. Then,  why is there no change at
all today as far as organization of UN including such very important function
as Security Council? How can Japan get along with this organization which
contains various contrarieties from Japanese points of views?

The condition to increase ODA fund is a big hurdle , of course, for Japan
to gain a permanent membership of UN Security Council.  

But before talking about it, the very basic question is to be asked. 
"Is it necessary for Japan to become a permanent member of Security Council? "
"What for?" 

Once Japan become a permanent member of Security Council, it is obvious
that some big military contribution will be requested without any doubt.
How can Japan meet such need?  How can Japan overcome this issue under the
present constitution?

There is almost no such basic argument about it in Japan  as far as I know.

2005/1/15
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week(405):

Ministry of Education in confusion

On Wednesday this week, the headline of Asahi Newspaper reported that
N.Nakayama, Minister of Education expressed his policy to decrease hours
spent for integrated study in total curriculum in elementary school 
education so that some more hours for basic study on Japanese, math, 
social science and science will be secured. Integrated study was introduced
by Ministry of Education in 2002 in order to improve children's ability to
solve problem. 

I am not sure about why the Ministry started introducing such integrated
study at that time. That might have been based on a research presented by
a certain international educational organization. The Ministry found out 
the fact from the international research that Japanese children were surely
superior in each basic studies such as in math and Japanese but they were
basically inferior in problem solving capabilities.

That's no good, the Ministry thought. Many professional people in education
advised the Ministry to change curriculum at elementary schools and to 
create integrated education by decreasing study times of those basic studies.
They decide to make more free and integrated leaning hours by stopping 
cramming of such basic studies. That is what they started in 2002.

There were a lot of confusion at education job site at the beginning.  
Teachers were embarrassed with this new policy but they must have
overcome many problems and troubles involved with this new policies. The new
curriculum seems to go more smoothly now together with five days a week 
schooling in each schools under the slogan of "Yutori Kyouiku" (education 
with relaxation and hope). 

Then we saw another research report presented  by an international organization
recently. According the report, Japanese children were now very inferior in
some of those basic studies such as math, Japanese and so on. There were, of 
course, many criticism about it from various sources saying that it was because
 of change of education system in 2002 by Ministry of Education. May be so, or
may be not, as far as my observation is concerned.

But the reaction of Ministry of Education seems to be in a big hurry without
much of discussion and advisory process at this time. The Minister of Education
 expressed to change the policy again. There are many criticism about such 
confusion and lack of consistency in such very important education policy. I
certainly agree with it. 

No body will deny the importance of basic studies and to come back to
it in a way. But then what will it happen now to the integrated study they
started before? Do they just decrease some hours for the study to increase
hours for basic studies?  Yes, that is what Minister Nakayama said.

I think Minister Nakayama is wrong. According my idea, both integrated
study and each basic studies must be done at the same time at any rate. 
Problem solving capacities must be learned in any of those basic subjects
as well. Any good teachers can do it. They might have done it in the past
regardless there existed integrated study hours or not. They will be 
able to do in the future regardless any change of national educational policy. 

Minister Nakayama should have said. "There is no change of our policy on
the importance of integrated study. I would like to ask all teachers to 
improve basic study capacity of children while pursuing problem solving 
capability same manner as in the past. "

Many good teachers at education sites must have thought when they hear 
such word. "Why not? It is our job to do."

I guess there will be another big issue coming up in education field sooner
or later. In the world of globalization and advancement of information
technologies, there will be another international research on literacy level
of English and PC of children in each countries. What would Minister of 
Education say when he finds  Japanese children are ranked rather low in 
such fields in research? 

Well, I never say that is another responsibility of Ministry of Education.
All I want to say is that Minister of Education should mention at least the 
importance of educating children English and PC in addition to many of
those basic subjects in question.

When it comes children's education, it is not only the matter of what
is to be done at school. They are to be educated many ways plus to
learning at school namely  at home or some other schools. Parents will 
participate in giving many more necessary education in accordance with their
needs.

I believe parents of families know it and do them in one or the other 
without waiting the word from Ministry of Education.

2005/1/22
Tadashi HAYASE

note 1: Ministry of Education : Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

note 2:Integrated Study:http://www.math.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~jaise/

My opinion of this week(406):

Empty argument at diet

In  regular Diet session, Prime Minister Koizumi's stance to answer to
questions from opposition parties has been criticized in many ways. His
kind of evasive and  deceitful reply to various basic questions made by
opposition fronts have been criticized in one way or the other in the 
past. 

In connection with several questions from Katuya Okada, the President 
of Democratic Party Prime Minister Koizumi made a very irresponsible 
answer. All lawmakers of Democratic Party and Social Democratic Party 
stepped out from the main hall of Diet to boycott the general session.

House Speaker Yohei Kono delivered an unusual admonition to the prime
minister to make sincere responses to opposition questions. This was 
the first case in long parliament  history in Japan. But there are no
sign for the prime minister to improve his basic stance for debating 
at Diet even after this. He shows no sign of regret and reflection.

He has been very popular with his very straightforward expression on
any policies since he became the prime minister. But he is not so any
more.  

Koizumi's unique language intrigues the public any more. His 
half-hearted and often thoughtless remarks have made the people doubtful
about his ability to communicate effectively and make correct political
decisions. 

Koizumi once said that his failure to deliver on his policy promises is 
not a big issue. He also dodged questions about his past working records
related to public pension premium payments by saying, "There are various
kinds of life." He looked like singing a very famous Japanese popular
song "Jinsei iroiro" (there are various kinds of life.)

Concerning the dispatch of Self-Defense Forces to Iraq, he said, "How 
can I know which parts of Iraq are combat and dangerous zones and which
parts are noncombat and safe zones ?"  He continued to say  "The area 
where the SDF troops are operating is a noncombat zone." What a perfect
logic it is!

In response to criticism at this time, he insisted that the style of 
discussion at main hall of Diet and at each committees session is to
be different each other. He might have meant to say, it's quite alright
to answer that way as far as discussion at general session at main hall.
But all above irresponsible answer have been made at committee sessions
so far.

In summary, Prime Minister Koizumi seems to lack very basic sense
of debating which is the most important capacity as a lawmaker and as 
an administrator. Japanese parliament system has learned a lot from that
of England. We know how debates are made at the parliament in England. 
The ruling and opposition fronts debate very seriously on any issues
on the same platform. Provided that Prime Minister of England had made 
any of such evasive and deceitful reply to questions from opposition 
parties, he would be put in serious trouble. That is not happening in
Japan.

I just wonder why it is allowed in  Japanese Diet.  How can we afford to
keep such irresponsible Prime Minister and empty Diet as we see today? 

2005/1/29
Tadashi HAYASE