My opinion of this week(239):

Symbol of decline

There were many good and exciting news in sporting world on the last day
of September while so many dark and disgusting news such as terrorism
continued. In the Berlin Marathon, Naoko Takahashi attained the new world
record. In Seattle, Ichirou Suzuki made 234 hit, new record as a rookie.
Shigeo Nagashima managed the last game at Korakuen Doom Baseball Stadium,
although the meaning of it is somewhat different from the first two. That
is a kind of good and bright news , too.

Contrary to those good ones, there was one unpleasant news, although 
the article itself was almost negligible in newspapers. In the game between
Daiei Hawks and Kintetu Buffaloes, Daiei pitchers threw no strike at
all against Rose of Buffaloes who is trying to hit 56 homeruns, a new
record in Japanese professional baseball. After the game, the battery
coach Wakana said: "Number 55 is a symbol of Japanese professional baseball."
Needless to say, that record was made by Sadaharu O, manager of Daiei Hawks.
   

After the game, manager O told that he had never made any instruction to
pitch only ball against Rose. But he should have stopped it at any rate.  

I don't intend to talk anything about it in detail. The reason why Ichiro
attained the new record is obvious. ALL major league pitchers threw all
ordinal against Ichiro in sporting manner.It sounds very natural but
they often do not play fair in Japan. When Ichiro established the new
record, spectators made a standing obeisance against him. What a big 
difference it is between baseball fans of Japan and US! That may not be
limited only to baseball.

I did not realize that fact until I saw the scene later on. There was 
a big support by the organizer of Berlin Marathon to make Takahashi possible
to attain the new world record. In such citizen marathon open for all
racers, there are a lot of confusion so that any professional runners such
as Takahashi are hard to run as in an ordinal official game. Six male 
runners protected Takahashi backward and forward from amateur runners who
will become obstacles in many ways. The same guarding help must have been
provided to another professional runners as well as Takahashi. The world 
record have been made thanks to such help and citizens and the organizer
are glad about it.

All records in sports are there to be broken. There are no borders for
records. I was surprised to hear the comment mentioned by the coach of
Daiei Hawks. "The number 55 is the symbol of Japanese professional baseball."

This way of thinking is the symbol of decline of Japanese professional
baseball these days.

2001/10/6
Tadashi HAYASE

 My opinion of this week(241):

Foreign Minister Tanaka should resign

 "Although Makiko Tanaka made such a glorious debut as Foreign Minister,
she is now in a very difficult position. We wish she could continue to
be eager enough to reform the corruption of the Ministry. Prime Minister
Koizumi should not practically remove her power as the Minister."
 -A message of Mr.E. Mihashi #45 BBS 
 -http://mav.nifty.com/ahp/mav.cgi?place=tadml&no=6415

 According to my observation, Makiko Tanaka's first job in Koizumi 
Cabinet was Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. Then, she could have
concentrated to devote to reform various corruption of the Ministry.
She obviously lacks the ability about diplomacy. 

 Now is the time that a very professional Foreign Minister is required
in every sense. She is now put aside from the work as a Foreign 
Minister. Prime Minister Koizumi and his Chief Secretary Fukuda are
taking initiative as far as foreign affairs are concerned.

 That is not the way how such important matter as diplomacy is handled.
Prime Minister Koizumi should dismiss Makiko Tanaka for she is not
eligible for the position. But He will not do it because he is afraid
to loose popularity of his Cabinet due to her resignation. 

 On the other hand, I believe that Makiko Tanaka should resign herself.
Unless she would do so, her career as a statesman will be over according
to my thinking.

2001/10/13
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week(242）：

The story strains the truth

 There were many messages arrived last week as in recent weeks. There was
an interesting message sent from Nishi-san, one of my e-mail friend in
Takamatsu. It was about the fiction titled "Executive Orders" written by
Tom Clancy in 1996. He introduced the story and a picture of front cover.

 I am surprised to see the picture of the paperback. A Jumbo Jet is about
to hit the Building of the Parliament. The plain is not hijacked, but
operated by a Japanese pilot who intends to revenge US for his relatives
were killed in the last Pacific War. The President, the Judge of Supreme
Court, Secretary General of FBI, etc. are killed by this crash. The whole
country is in big chaos.

 Taking this chance, some Islam terrorist start spreading some evil
microbes at several places where trade fairs are going on. Many people
died because of this germs.

  What a coincidence it is! This is something like terrorism happened in
New York recently. This is more than "the story strains the truth."
The New York terrorism is exactly what is written in this novel.

 It is possible that those terrorists of New York case might have got
a hint for their operation from this navel. The probability of it is
very high. The truth exactly resembles the story.

 I don't mean to blame Tom Clancy because he wrote such a dangerous story.
Those fictions are just for enjoying imagination of various phase of life.
They could possible become a good impetus to create something new in our
life. 

 It is quite ridiculous provided that the factious story had provided a
hint for the terrible terrorism.

2001/10/20
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week(243):

Anti-war resolution

The Council of City of Berkeley approved anti-war resolution on the 
Afghan war that U.S. started in early October. The resolution  called
for a stop to U.S. bombing in Afghanistan for that involves a lot of 
innocent citizens of Afghanistan. 

 Attack to Taliban in that way is not necessarily the best way to remove
terrorism from this world. The resolution insisted. Well, that sounds
reasonable or at least an opinion while the whole country supports 
President Bush's war action in Afghanistan overwhelmingly. 

 But some businessmen and inhabitants of the City were against the 
resolution. And they expressed to start boycotting using services and 
buying goods in Berkeley to punish that kind of resolution.

 The city of Mayor is worrying about the situation for there are already
some bad effects on  City economy due to boycotting movement. 

 Reading through such news in a Japanese paper and a news of Berkeley
local paper in English, I feel some disappointment about the fact 
that this is happening in U.S. I believe that U.S. is the country
that is more generous about the freedom of speech and beliefs. 

 I do not necessarily support such resolution personally. I am saying 
that American people should rather be proud of the fact that there are
some group of people who cast doubt about their war in Afghanistan to
solve the issue.

2001/10/27
Tadashi HAYASE