My opinion of this week(597):
Is that house beautiful or grotesque?
Kazuo Umezu, a cartoonist living in Kichijyouji, Tokyo was appealed by two
of his neighbors to remove external wall of his house which he built quite
recently. The external wall of the new house is painted with stripe of
red and white color and the house has a strange looking tower which is
painted with a face of character of his cartoon. Two neighbors insist
that such house does not fit the scenic attraction of residential bloc where
they live. They further insist the out looking of the house cause uneasiness
of people living in that area.
The hearing of the trial started on September 29 at Tokyo local district court.
Kazuo Umezu appealed : "The stripe of red and white is a kind of trademark of
my cartoon works. The design of my house looks fine. The total color balance
looks beautiful. This law suite comes with malicious motives against a new
comer like me to this area."
I do not really agree with this cartoonist about what he said. The total
looks of the house is very strange and provide discomfort when I look at
it.
In the past, there were several cases to stop building some kinds of
buildings which destroy total landscape of central parts of cities or
provide some bad effects to some public or educational facilities
such as school. There exist some kind of laws or municipal bylaw that
prohibits to build any building facilities against common public purpose.
But I don't know how the court can stop building any of such house in
question or remove any of facilities already existed in that kind of
residendential area. There may not exist any of laws or municipal bylaw
to define which is good and which is bad from the total welfare of
the people living in that area as far as such private resident houses
are concerned.
Four years ago, I enjoyed the trip to England with my wife. We visited
various parts of the country by bus. We were quite impressed with the
beautiful scenery of country side. All houses really fit to the landscape
of that area. The view is very different from that in our country. I
questioned that fact to the bus quide. The quide answered there exist
definite laws or rules which regulate to build any kind of public or
private house so that total landscape of the area can be protected. I
remember beautiful scenery of England when I read the article of the
case happened in Kichijyouji.
I have some big concerns and interests about the outcome of this Kichijyouji
case. How will the judge decide the case? Will he admit the appeal of
the two residents? Or will he turn down the appeal? If he accepted the
appeal, how did he judged the case? By what reason or by what kind of
leagal justification?
I think it is now the time for the country to review and prepare all of
laws or bylaws which define to restrict any of such grotesque houses
appear suddenly in our residential area.
2008/10/4
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(598):
Academic research level of Japan
Following to three Nobel Prize winners in Physics, Osamu Shimomura, Professor
Emeritus at Boston University won Nobel Prize in Chemistry. It was such a good
news to hear. All Japanese must be proud of this news.
But when I read news articles of mass media writing proudly how Japan is
excellent in basic research area which is verified by the fact that four
scientists won the Nobel prize at one time in this year. Yes, it is indeed a
big news but I felt something wrong with saying proudly about the case at this
time.
We Japanese must notice the definite fact that most of Japanese Nobel Prize
winners in natural science such as physics and chemistry in the past belong
to US universities or US research institutes. They live in US and their
academic achievements were fulfilled in such foreign environments apart
from domestic ones. They are all typical case of so called brain drain.
I investigated the numbers of Nobel Prize by countries by year of 2007
with Wikipedia. The total numbers of winners include all categories such
as literatures, economics and peace contribution other than natural
science but the numbers represent the achievement in natural science area
in total Total numbers are something like this.
US 304, England 106, Germany 80, France 54, Sweden 30, Switzerland 22,
Russia 19, Netherland 15, Japan 15, Italy 14, etc.
Japan ranked 8th as far as total numbers of Nobel medals are concerned.
Not so bad at all as we look the numbers at first. But Japan is the second
biggest economic country in terms of GDP next to US. The key concern is why
there exist such a big difference in numbers of winners of Nobel prizes in
natural science between US and Japan.
Some reasons seem to be self explanatory from the fact that I pointed out
already. Most of Japanese winners in the past established their achievements
at US universities or research institutes. This is true with Dr. Hideki Yukawa
the first winner in physics and Osamu Shimomura, the most recent winners in
chemistry.
The reason with those fact are rather obvious in the postwar 20 years period.
Japan was such a poor country and US was in the other extreme. Economy was
a major reason for such big difference in academic level of two countries.
But Japan became No.2 economic power in the world after that period. But brain
drains from Japan to US have continued since then . Why is this ?
I start talking something entirely different topics. Japan Professional Baseball
Association have announced their policy restricting armature ball players to
go to major leagues in US. Any ball players from high schools, colleges, and
private firms who go to join major league teams without participating draft
of professional leagues in Japan cannot come back to play in Japan immediately.
They have to wait a few years before they can play in any Japanese professional
teams when they stop playing in US teams.
What's a shortsighted idea and action it is? A number of top ball players in
Japan are now playing in US major leagues. This is another case of drains, not
brains but sporting talents . Why did it happen?
A number of view points may be necessary to discuss those issues of drains
whatever they are. The case of two drains in academic area and baseball area
may be different in many ways. But there must be a common background for
drains in many other area such as academic, business, cultures, sports and
so on.
Remuneration may still be a major reason and background. But the biggest
and common reason and background for all area is the fact that Japan is
still a very closed country and US is very opened country on the other
hand. This makes a great difference to create motives of any drainers to work
hard. Good remuneration is not necessary a major reason for it. Good
compensation, good working conditions in physical and mental phases and
even good competitive environments may attract their motives to work
hard.
I think it is now the time for leaders in Japan in politics, business,
academies and in any other fields consider to make this country more opened
and competitive societies. This is especially necessary to make Japan more
strong natural science oriented country in the world.
2008/10/11
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(599):
Don't play with a wild card of dissolution of Lower House
A major economic stimulus measure passed the Diet on Thursday when the
Upper House approved the 1.8-trillion-yen supplementary budget.
The main opposition Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) indicated it
would not delay deliberations on the anti-terrorism legislation even though
it would defeat the bill in the Upper House, so it could be sent back to the
Lower House for a second vote into law with a two-thirds majority by the end
of October. A Lower House committee began deliberations on the proposed
legislation Friday, and it is expected to pass the chamber next week.
It was expected that once the supplementary budget and anti-terrorism bill
were passed, the Lower House should be dissolved immediately. This is all
what Prime Minister Aso wrote by himself in the article of Bungei Shinjyu
issued recently as a scenario for schedule for coming general election. The
conditions for general election were believed to be cleared by now.
Then, Prime Minister Aso instructed further the government and ruling
coalition to put together a package of additional economic stimulus measures
by the last week of October to meet the recent crisis of world economy. He
obviously changed his mind for the schedule for general election.
This is because Aso and his people were not quite satistified with the recent
popular vote for Aso cabinet born at the end of September. Supporting rate was
much lower than those expected at the beginning. The rate was even ten points
lower than that of Fukuda cabinet when they were born in last fall. Another
shock for Aso is said to be the research for coming general election at each
electorates all over Japan. The research told that it is very possible for
coalition parties to lose majority seats at Lower House in coming election.
It is obvious that Also decided to extend the dissolution facing to such
unexpected political situations. Fortunately or unfortunately, the outcome of
financial crisis happened in US and spread in the world recently became a
good excuse for Aso to postpone dissolution for general election. He started
insisting the necessity of further economy stimulus plans to meet with
financial crisis and serious reduction of stock price. Aso said it is not the
time for dissolution of Lower House which creates a serious vacuum of
politics and economy. He said some more concrete political actions are
necessary right now to meet this situation.
Contrary to such assertion of Aso and ruling parties, DPJ (Democratic Party of
Japan) insist that any more additional economic measures must be more
fundamental and structural ones. Such basic and structural measures can be
done by a strong and authoritative cabinet which can be elected only through
general election. The serious political vacuum at the moment can only be
eliminated through general election.
I certainly support the assertion of DPJ in any respects. The condition for
general election is now all set. Prime Minister Taro Aso should not play
around the wild card of dissolution any further. He should select the way for
election at the soonest possible time.
2008/10/18
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(600):
Is an hotel bar philosophy of Tarou Aso?
Several mass media reported Prime Minister Tarou Aso goes out every nights for
hotel bars or some private clubs to meet important people including cabinet
members and other people in politics and to discuss various matters concerned.
I personally think it is not a quite big issue by itself. Tarou Aso said at
daily brief press meeting: " I use those places because they are very calm
and safe and suitable to meet people without making troubles for people
concerned. It's all my personal charges and they are not quite expensive.
What's a problems with it? "
I basically understand what he said. It is not an issue of right or wrong,
though. The issue is not a kind of ethical issue as some mass media or several
leaders of opposition fronts claimed. But I agree with the comments made by
some mass media or commentators of TV news shows saying they have some
concerns about the political sense of Tarou Aso. He seems to have no
concerns at all about how Japanese people in general accept such facts that
their top political leaders spend every nights at such places.
I understood the fact that they are calm and safe places. I don't agree with
all what he explained why he must go out every nights to such places. Some of
those public places including Prime Minister's House are calmer and safer
and cost no extra charges . They are prepared for that business purpose for
Prime Minister of Japan. Why does Tarou Aso go out every nights for his
business, although they are paid by himself and they are not quite expensive
as he claimed?
He said hotel bars does not cost so high. But that is not true at all. The
cost is so high as a matter of facts. If you spend several hours with your
several friends and drink few drinks, charges may exceed an hundred thousand
yen at such first class hotel bars. From the eye of general public it's a
big money indeed. For some poor or even rather average people, an hundred
thousand yen may be more than their monthly total expenditures. How does
those general public accept Tarou Aso's words that such drink or other chares
are not quite expensive?
I have some doubt myself about his sense in the same way as some critics
pointed out. No one will never accuse the use of hotel bars for his personal
entertainments or private matters. He is using those places for his most
important business as Prime Minister of Japan. That's the point of my concerns.
When the issue brought up, the deputy secretary minister Matumoto answered to
criticism from mass media and I quote: "Any people can come to this kind of
places which is safe and not quite expensive at all. As a matter of fact, this
is a kind of life style of Tarou Aso. It is a philosophy of his own. "
What? What does he mean by it? The meaning of "life style" may be
understood in a way. But what does he really mean by it when he says it's
a philosophy of his own?"
2008/10/25
Tadashi HAYASE
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