My opinion of this week(441):

Is Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine against the Constitution? 

Is Prime Minister Koizumi's to visit to Yasukuni Shrine legal or
illegal? On September 29th, Tokyo High Court judged  that it does
not violate the constitutional separation of state and religion.
On September 30th, Osaka High court judged that Koizumi's visit to
the shrine seemed to have been made as a Prime Minister of the nation
not as a private personnel. So it is against the Constitution.

At the budget committee meeting of House of Representative, Democratic
Party questioned Koizumi how he answer to this clear judgment made by
Osaka High Court. Koizumi's answer was the same as usual. He said he never
understand the reason why Osaka High Court made such judgment referring
a different judgment had been  made by Tokyo High Court the day before.
Opposition parties must have some good ground to attack Koizumi's political
stance on this issue at any rate. 

As to this issue, I rather have accepted  Koizumi's explanation why he
visit Yasukuni Shrine. He said he visits Yasukuni Shrine to console the 
souls of victims of the previous war in general and to swear no war in
the future.  I believe there are no other intention whatsoever as to his 
visit to Yasukuni Shrine.     

It is true that some Asian countries such as China, Korea and Taiwan have
shown a big  objection against Koizumi's visit to the Shrine, based on the
fact that the Shrine enshrine A class war criminals of the previous war.
Koizumi has explained that that is misunderstanding itself by repeating
his explanation as mentioned above.

I accepted what Koizumi explained and majority of Japanese seem to be the
same way according to several public opinion survey made in the past.

But all opposition parties and many critics and mass media have raised a 
chorus of complaints to Koizumi to stop his visit to the Shrine just from
worry of anti-Japan sentiment of those Asian countries. I was rather offended
by such tendency.

I never intend to say that Japan disregard the  sentiment of Asian nations.
My complaint rather goes to those mass media and critics that should try to
explain more about Koizumi's stance on this issue. That is very necessary to
improve the understanding of those Asian nations.

All we have to do at the moment is to wait for the final decision to be
made by the Supreme Court. My sincere hope is that the Supreme Court 
will present the final decision that the visit to Yasukuni Shrine which
have been made by many statesmen including Koizumi is not against the
constitution of Japan.

My other guess is that many of arguments on this issue will continue even
after the decision made by the Supreme Court whatever they are.

This is really a strange country.

2005/10/1
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week(442):

 Decreasing rate of participation for residents' association 

I picked up this topic before but I decided to write about this again
because I believe it is very important issue from various point of views.

The national population census is now going on. The TV news reported that
census was facing more difficulties compared with the census done before.
Research men in charge are facing difficulties to meet some  residents
in their territories. They cannot meet people although they visit them again
so often. They ask people who live next door to them, but those neighbors
don't know much about them at all. It is exactly as contemporary saying;
"It's now late autumn and nobody knows what neighbors next doors are doing."

The question is not the issue of census. Is it all right that neighborhood
community is just like this?  

I am now involved with the management of resident's association. I attended
the meeting held by the committee meeting of Federation of Resident's 
Association of Musashimurayama City last night. The Federation consists of
about 30 residents association which exist in this city. But the Federation
is not doing almost anything which are significant as an union of resident
association. There are only three major events that handled by the 
association at the moment.

The one event held in September was the visit to Tachikawa  Disaster Control
Center by members of the Federation. That is good and significant event as a
matter of fact. However, the other two are just a sight seeing bus trip and
a  new year party participated by presidents of those resident's association. 

Friday's meeting was just to explain how that sightseeing bus trip would be
held at the end of October. I thought it quite nonsense.
 
But after this main topic had been explained by a secretary, he distributed 
attendants maps of the city which show distribution of resident's associations
located in the city. I have never seen it before. The secretary explained
the fact that there are some area which exist no resident's association . 
In those area, people cannot join any associations although they want to
do so.  The secretary pointed out the fact and asked the attendants  to
think over this situation so that people can join to some resident's 
association if they wish. 

All attendants including myself agreed with such proposal. But I pointed out
the fact that I was rather surprised with such circumstance. I said that I
had been convinced that the City or some municipal offices handle and
coordinate this issue much more aggressively. But unfortunately their stance 
is rather wait and see what each resident's association will do at each areas.
I suggested that City authorities should take more initiative to integrate 
and coordinate this issue while some more aggressive participation and 
corporation by each resident's association is very necessary, too.  

I further pointed out the fact that one serious issue of resident's 
association not only in this city but also in all over Japan is decreasing
rate of participation for resident's association. I insisted that it is 
one of serious issue not only for this city but also for all over Japan.
Take this City for examaple, rate of participation to resident's association
of this city is only 49% at present.

Any of natural disaster and criminal prevention measures will never work
as they are specified without aggressive participation and corporation of
communities' association. I emphasized this and insisted stronger leadership
by City authorities are now requested to City authorities and corporation 
by resident's association are now required at the meeting.

All other attendants of the meeting were rather affirmative with my assertion
but not quite so eager to discuss the mater any further. The meeting was 
over and I left there with some strong disappointment.

I strongly believe that they should discuss this issue more eagerly rather 
than coming sightseeing trip schedule.

2007/10/8
Tadashi HAYASE

My　opinion of this week（443）：

Paperless society

 "What is the greatest invention in human history until 20 end of the century?"
This was the questionnaire made at the end of 20th century in internet world 
wide. I participate in such questionnaire by myself. 

I guessed that the most popular answer to it would be computer, TV, Internet,
or airplane at any rate. But that was not so. The post popular answer was 
Gutenberg printing machine which was invented in 15th century. My first guess
came off completely differently.

But the meaning of it was quite clear. Gutenberg printing machine enabled the 
mass production and circulation of information in the world. Many important
change of society such as religion revolution, Renaissance, and the Industrial
Revolution had been realized by the mass circulation of information in the
world.  Paper had become the most important information media in the society.
The paper had formed  all parts of social  infrastructure of society as 
information media until the end of 20th century.

Invention of PC, internet, TV, and airplane happened at almost the end of
20th century. Through the development and spread of IT technology, it was 
expected that paperless society would be realized very fast without any
doubt. But the expectation went wrong.

 Human society greeted the times of a PC network in 21st century. Paperless
Society was demanded and expected, but very deep involvement with paper of
human society have not changed at all so far. In fact, it's just the contrary.
  
Since the development of use of computer and internet, people started to
consume more paper through the use of high speed printers and copiers. Our
society is now consuming more paper contrary to the slogan of paperless.

I believe that the slogan is very important to innovate the quality of our
life and management of business and all public sectors. It is also closely
connected with worldwide environmental problems.  

21st century is the age of PC network. We now begin to think again what
it really means.

2005/10/15
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week(444):

Weather forecast (Amebas)

I went out for picnic to Okutama last Thursday with members of MPC
(Murayama PC Club). Weather was so nice after heavy rain lasted for
several days ago. The typhoon which had been approaching to the main 
land went out to the north of Pacific Ocean. We all enjoyed 
beautiful green and wonderful views of Okutama canyon in fine weather.
It was the day of complete refresh.

When I have some events such as travel and some events of local 
community association, weather is always one big concern. Weather
forecast is a key concern in any case for you have to decide whether
or not you will go on or postpone an event. 

Weather forecast itself become very convenient and precise thanks to
the development of weather forecast technology such as Amedas. I
started watching weather forecast provided by several portal sites 
in internet such as Yahoo. In addition to weather forecast provided
by Japan Meteorological Agency, I keep watching picture image of
artificial satellite taken from the space.   

Observation usually starts almost a week before the event. The more
you approach to the day, the more precise forecast you can get. In 
addition to the forecast provided by the Weather Forecast,you can
check the view from the satellite. You can add your personal judgment
by watching such dynamic view of satellite. The forecast usually get
95% right when the day of event come cross to two days ahead. You 
will make a firm decision owing to AMeDAS without worrying too much
about  the case when the forecast goes wrong. 
 
There are no problems concerning any personal matters regardless
the forecast is good or bad. But very careful decision is requested
when it comes to public matters such as events for community
association and PC club.  

Several community associations held sports festival last Sunday
even if  it was rain almost all  day. Some parties went ahead to
hold the festival and some postponed them. The decision itself seems
to be very easy but not so as a matter of fact. They have to decide
it considering all sort of factors which follows after the decision.

We were very fortunate on Thursday at any rate. That has nothing to
do with the existence of AMeDAS. It is just the matter of luck. 

2005/10/22
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week (445)：

A great accomplishment by Chiba Lotte Marines 

Japan series this year has come to an end in a moment. Tigers' fan must have
disappointed very much.Many sport writers wrote why this happened at this
time. Most of them wrote that Hanshin Tigers had lost the sense of tension
and of game waiting for a long time before Japan series after they got pennant
flag of Central League. On the other hand, Lotte Marines had to fight series
of such tough games in play-off with Lions and Hawks just before they start
playing with Tigers.

I agree with most of those analysis that explain the reason for overwhelming 
victory of Lotte over Tigers. But I believe at the same time that such 
analysis is just a kind of very superficial and shortsighted. I would 
like to point out the fact that such analysis lacks more important and
basic part of analysis.

The most important reason for the victory is a strong leadership executed
by manager Bobby Valentine.Valentine was a real practitioner of a Japanese
style  baseball of "Wa",  harmony of a team, referred cynically by Robert
Waiting, an American sports writer fifteen years ago in his book. Bobby
Valentine seemed to have practiced this Japanese style baseball of "Wa" 
throughout the pennant race and all post season games. 

His is not necessarily the same as the baseball of "Wa" which Robert Whiting
told about. Valentine trusted  the ability and capacity of each players in
the team and motivated all team members fully to unify them in one strong
team work. His leadership in this respect was the major reason for the
victory. Manager Okada of Hanshin Tigers must have done the same thing to 
win in pennant race in Central League. Reason for his misfortune just come
from such short term factors as many writers analyzed.
 
There were virtually no sports writers who forecasted the victory of Lotte
at the start of this season. In sluggish and stagnant mood of Japanese
society and economy, the victory of Lotte Marines is one great 
accomplishment from various point of views. 

I am neither a fun of Lotte nor even a fun of baseball, I would like to
appreciate the meaning of victory of Lotte Marines in that respect. 
Lotte was not known and not appreciated so much. But such team could 
make a great accomplishment if there were such a great leadership in a 
organization. 

This is a valuable lesson we have to learn.


2005/10/29
Tadashi HAYASE