My opinion of this week(289):

Structral reform of reseach institutes

There were a lot of news about winning of Nobel Prize of two Japanese
scientists. I was also very excited by the news and watched TV very
eagerly. 

TV news report about Mr. Tanaka, the winner of Chemical Prize, was 
especially very interesting. He himself and people around him including
the company that he is working for were surprised with  that fact. They
have never imagined that such famous top rank prize will be given to a 
research staff of a private business enterprise.

Prime Minister Koizumi's comment about it was more interesting and
a kind of disappointing. He said: "We should not relinquish hope about
this country. That's a great work done. We Japanese can have more
confidence."

What a shameful comment it is!  Although I understand his delight, he
should have made more relevant comment as a top leader of this country. 

When I read this news, I introduced to ML the site of Tohoku University
that shows comparison of number of winners of Nobel Prize by country.
Japanese winner so far are 12 in total. Winners of US easily exceeds
ten times of that of Japan. Why is such big difference? That is because
the closed nature of Japanese research institutes including universities
and colleges in Japan compared with those in US. No doubt about it.

Horiuchi-san and Kubo-san sent their comment to ML saying creativeness
of scientists can be fostered only by structural reform of Japanese
research institutes.

Some time ago, Japanese Government announced the target of winning of Nobel
Prize in next 50 years or so. I think that is fine, although that kind
of approach was criticized by some other countries. The question is how
Japan could attain that target rather than setting such target.

Prime Minister Koizumi should have said when he knew that wonderful
news. : "Our country need to make the structural reform of research
institutes and universities in along with other reforms in order to win
more Nobel Prize in the future."

2002/10/12
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week(290):

Slogan of lifelong education and its reality

In early June of this year, Murayama PC Club was organized by about
20 members to learn PC and to exchange various information about PC.
The club was held twice a month at a community center room nearby or
at a study room of City Education Center Hall which was constructed 
quite recently.

The study room was broad enough installing brand new desks, chairs,
white board and Video TV set at front. The club can use the room 
free of charge. That's fine, indeed.

But the problem is that there are no PC sets are available at any
rooms in that City building. There are a facility which install about
30 PCs at some other place but they are not the use for general 
citizens. They are for City Lifelong Education Department that hold 
PC seminar for citizens only a limited number of times of a year. 
They are not used most of times of year.

The new City Center Hall was constructed to make lifetime education 
for citizens. In addition to general study rooms, there are music rooms
which has  a grand piano and a ceramic art room which put some number
of art making tools. That's great. But I wonder why there are no PC
sets at all including facilities to connect to Internet. The need for
such facilities is very high as a matter of fact.

Since the start of PC Club, a number of people called us to join the
club. We must tell the fact that the instruction are being made by
using some limited number of note type PCs which several member
people bring to the club. People who have no PCs listen to the
instruction by watching note PCs nearby. We are often obliged to 
say no to people who wished to join the club because of that limitation.

Our city is small population of which is just about 50 thousands.
But there are various educational, cultural and sporting facilities
including six libraries. Then such brand new City Education Center
Hall has been constructed to make life time education for citizens.
The City has a such department which is called Life Time Education 
Department. But I wonder what are they really doing? Many of those
facilities are not being used well at all. Almost no concrete 
programs on various lifetime education are available from 
administrative side.

All what they provide to citizens is just facilities, rooms as a 
matter of fact. 

I believe that there are many more possibilities which they can
provide to citizens even under very severe financial difficulties.
But they should overcome common problems of Japanese administrative
organization such as bureaucratic approach, vertical administrative
system and single year based budget system,etc. in order to meet
the need of citizens.

2002/10/19
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week(291):

Ask for general election?

At the Budget Committee of the which is going on at the moment, 
Mr.Tatumasu of Liberal Party asked Prime Minister Koizumi if
he lacks the sense of responsibility pointing out the fact that
he changed again his policy on payoff. Until quite recently,
Koizumi administration has insisted that they would remove the
full guarantee of the deposit at banks to vitalize banking business.

Tatsmasu questioned Koizumi how he could take responsibility for
confusion and distrust that the Government had created  at domestic
and international market. Koizumi answered. "I was just flexible
enough to meet the needs at ever changing world. My responsibility
can be asked in general election to be made when necessary."

This is the way how he reacts to any of such political attacks 
from opposition parties. There are many cases as such in the past.

Koizumi is said to be the man of principle. But he is not so
in reality. He has easily changed some of basic promises and
principles that he declared to follow. What does he mean by
taking responsibility at general election? 

He intends to say that he still keep very high popular rate
from people and he is confident that any of his decisions are
surely supported by people. 

One of the key concerns at the present diet session is to argue
economic policy to overcome serious deflation. Not only opposition
parties but also ruling parties including Liberal Democratic
Parties insist to take some necessary measures now to overcome
deflation. But Koizumi seems to be very inconsistent on this
issue repeating the same old thing: "No growth without structural
reform."

Although policies of each parties differ greatly, it is sure
that some drastic and fundamental actions is now necessary to
save dying economy. 60% of people answered that some strong
economic policies are necessary in along with structural 
reform in the recent research of public opinion. 

But people continue to give high support rate at about the 
same high rate. I just wonder why is this? I wonder if people
lack the sense of urgency on serious situation of the current
economy.

A lot of argument is going on at diet and at mass media, but
very slow actions of the Government endangers the country.

2002/10/26
Tadashi HAYASE