2011.11.14

Independents Day

Page 28-31, TIME October 31, 2011

Introduction

In China, every single statement about politics is censored, even if it is published on the internet. I read an article about internet censorship by Chinese government. According to it, Google have been claimed so many times to delete or change suspicious web contents which include troublesome statements for Chinese government. But it also benefits the liberalization of the closed political system. Why?

SignSpotting

• People standing as a independent candidate in local polls have faced hardship.
• Why is it now when people need policy from out of communist party? 
• Why government authorities are so scared by the independents standing?

Briefing

Now is the time for Chinese independent candidate to change the old-fashioned electoral system. Social media has provided innovative way of communication and accelerated people’s frustration over the communist party’s dictatorship. But most of brave representatives faced intensive counteroffensive from the government in official but unfaire way. This is because of its political characteristic, which want the country to look developed in terms of humanity or human right, but actually do not want to give its power to people. In the article, this is described as the paranoia for power. 

Opinion

China has experienced economical development which attract world’s attention, but there has been another remarkable change out of the sight. That is growing humanity and citizenship in people’s mind. Chinese citizen has protested against government’s dictatorship historically but has been suppressed every time. This is partly because each constituent members were isolated in making opinion. However, this time, citizenship is empowered with effective communication tool, which is called social media. Therefore, the electoral movement of independent candidates is promising, where people can be associated each other for collective support for new politician and collective pressure on the government. 

2011.11.5

Africa Blossoms

Page 41-44, TIME October 31, 2011

Introduction

I’ve been interested in poverty problem around the world, especially poorest region: Africa. One teacher in my department engaging in this problem in ethiopia have negative view over the commercialization of agriculture. Now how dose the TIME answer this issue?

SignSpotting

• African poor countries are undergoing broad-based agricultural revolution.
• What’s expected to be better and make another problems in the revolution.
• Why don’t things get alright smoothly and how they can be improved. 

Briefing

• Rising agricultural commodity price worldwide is pushing African developing countries into international trade market, where rich countries and high-growth countries are demanding a plenty of reasonable-price farm products. 
• Not only traders but farmers can take part in this commodity price boom and get profit from that, if they manage to run their business well. But contrarily some people like rural farmers get worse woking condition under the employment by foreign capitals. 
• All the problem in Africa’s agriculture arise from the world-least level productivity and the severe shortage of infrastructure for farming. This can be improved if Africa and their supporter in the world make good use of this  opportunity for broadening investment on the industrial base.

Opinion

There is a reason some researchers like my professor regard the commercializing movement in Africa as harmful rather than profitable for African farmers. Most of agricultural products traded in the international market are changing in its price because of speculation for the products and the connection with the world economy condition. This moment with rising commodity price looks very good for investment and support for farmers. But if the price falls (probably dose), who pay attention on world-poorest agricultural sector ? Africa’s agriculture should not depend only on the international trade. 

2011.10.30 

Taking It To The Streets

Page 22-26, TIME October 24, 2011

SignSpotting

• What is the protest in America for and what is it directed at ?
• What is everyone else thinking about the movement ?
• What dose the protest trend mean in the political perspective ?

Briefing

• At first, it was a small meeting against disproportionate power of U.S. corporate elite, held by Canadian magazine on Sept. 17. Now, it grew into the massive scale protest movement as a number of various claims arose. What they call for is different from person to person, but everyone there shares one emotion; anger at the wealthy. 
• The political fucus of this activity is pretty unclear, but according to the result of the national poll, the protest looks favorable nationwide, unlike any large protest in the history like the Tea Party movement a few years ago. 
• As republicans won the election with the power of the tea party in 2010, democrats and Obama administration is trying to ride the wave of the protest for policymaking, such as new taxation to fix the fiscal financial balance. The policy investigation conducted by TIME tells that 69 percent of people think tax increase is necessary to reduce federal budget deficit, and that 73 percent  favor raising tax on the wealthy. 

Opinion

People’s behavior at the citizen movement is different from the cultura and economic structure of the country. For example, university students in America never hesitate to participate in the protest in times of job-hunting, even if their applying enterprise is included in the target list of the protest. This is because citizenship is strictly protected by federal law and recruiters can be charged if refuse application for the personal history of the protest. Contrarily, Japanese are not sensitive about the individual right as a citizen. In the election, some employees vote for the candidate along with the employer’s wish, sometimes they even support those who actually they against. This is not the personal conflict between citizenship and employment, but the failure of social structure  which always takes priority over enterprise’s profit. 

2011.10.22

Renewable Energy: Ontario’s New Gold Rush

/news.nationalgeographic.com September 30th 2010/

SignSpotting

• Ontario’s soler panel generation business and the government’s support
• Why and how renewable energy boom has arisen in Ontario
• Troublesome aspects the support program holds in its structure

Briefing

• Last year, Ontario emerged as the renewable energy conscious state in the U.S. It started the financial support program for solar panel installers in the state, which was targeted widely on small investors: households, small business, farms and so on. 
• Ontario used to be the fossil fuel driven state. But the Northeast blackout in 2003 has changed the state’s energy policy and even industry policy as well. The government replaced on that year launched the Green Energy Act in 2009  and provided the contract to buy renewable energy at considerably high price. This movement results in 23,000 application for the government program, and the encouragement for green energy business now holding 50,000 workers. 
• But the green energy industry can not survive in the competition with other energy sources without government subsidies, because it cost much more than conventional power plants mainly for expensive facility investment. This fact is reflected on rising electricity cost to ratepayers. The government support program and renewable energy business seem doubtful about its sustainability. 

Opinion

Renewable energy is a popular topic also in Japan which experienced nuclear power plant disaster in the massive earthquake in March 11th. Everyone seems to get attracted on the battle between the supporter and opponent toward nukes. But no matter which wins, we need to think about renewable energy again since the last oil shock. Fortunately, Japan is the most progressive country of solar generation next to Germany. But the installation rate of solar panel into households is relatively low, compared to the high standard of the panel technology, partly because the selling price is on the same standard as other energy providers unlike Ontario’s example. 

2011.10.16

Why America Must Revive Its Middle Class

/Page 36-37 TIME October 10, 2011/

SignSpotting

• The income distribution structure in the U.S.―top 1% takes a quarter of all
• Why and how this situation has arisen―compering to the 1920s economy 
• What’s needed to fix the U.S. economy and make it survive in the world

Briefing

• In the U.S. industry, job outsourcing are squeezing workers with lower skills and education out of the labor market, while rich Americans get prosperity in the process. Also in the politics, the congress seats are dominated by wealthy Americans and they try to cut the tax even more, which may lead the economy to even more inequality. 
• The similar situation was observed in 1920s America. But the administration at that time had succeeded to reform the economy, confronting the great depression in the following year, while today’s governments has failed. They just blame the tax and regulation for killing job creation and fail to have long-term vision to revive the U.S. economy. 
• In order to fix the economy, America needs to get back competition in its industry. All it needs is investments in education, infrastructure, and human capital, because poor competition was caused by the absence of higher skills for higher wages. This program will not make difference shortly but steadily push up the standard of middle class worker’s skill into the world competition level. 

Opinion

Japan can not consider this American issue as none of its business. So far it has well-educated manufacturer and high technology industry, which keeps robust position for Japan in the world’s manufacturing system. But recently more and more children fail to get interested in math and science in the elementary process of education. Moreover, past education reform aimed at pupil’s characteristic has decreased the standard of literacy and scientific understanding. This problem can cause the same situation the U.S. are facing now in the following some decades. Now the symptom seems to appear in the middle class loosing its number in the population. We need reform now.

2011.10.8

How Science Can Lead the Way

/Page 41 TIME October 3, 2011/

Sign Spotting

• Why and how recent U.S. politicians prefer religious way of thinking to scientific one
• Radical differences between scientific explanation and religious belief
• How to apply scientifically based logics to governance and get back logic-conscious politicians

Briefing

• According to the article, American politicians feel more confortable presenting christianity based decisionmaking, instead of empirically based analysis. Clear examples of this is Rick Perry’s statement about the theory of evolution, religion-friendly policies by Bush Administration, and Republican’s attitude toward global warming problem. 
• Scientific way of thinking is based on observation and theories, and provides rational decisionmaking and reasonable answers for politicians. Also, unlike faith-drived way of thinking, logics can be improved and applied. Moreover, science can define the uncertainty of itself and evaluate how accurate the results is. 
• But these features of science are too clear and systematic to apply into complicated policies. However, the writer says, it’s our responsibility to investigate reason as far as possible. Politicians need to focus on alternative strategies where thought is based on the data about the relative effectiveness of various policies. 

Opinion

The relationship between religion and science is quite different in Japan’s decisionmaing about policy. This is because the dominant religion among Japanese, Buddism, does not define the existence of God. As a result of this, most scientific theory does not make paradox with faith. On the other hand, the situation is opposite in the U.S. but the problem is not here. The faith itself should be free of choice and protected, but politicians need to be applied scientifically rational way of thinking in making policy, because every policy is for all people who have various kind of faith. 

2011.10.1

Banking on Trouble

/page 40-43 TIME September 26, 2011/

Sign Spotting

• Why U.S. Banks Lending Rate Is Still Low, Though The Profit Recovered Enough ?  The Structure of America’s Banking Problem.

• The Reason Why Wall Street DO NOT Lend Money to Main Street.

• Why and How The Problem Should Be Resolved. 

Briefing

• Government’s bail out was supposed to save banking sector, and that should have save business sector after Lehman Shock. But it did not save business even though some trillion spends on the big banks. 

• The government’s fund aids was used NOT to fix the bank’s finance, BUT to  their capital ratios. The banks hold more capital rather than rend it because the profit recover was not real thing. 

• The government need radical solution to rise lending rate for business sector before European financial crisis get worse. The bank’s capital still consist of bad debt, and the part of that is tied to vulnerable European banks. 

Opinion

The U.S. financial crisis problem after Lehman Shock has much similar to Japan’s severe economic depression after the bubble economy in the 1980’s. Both governments failed to impose appropriate financial aid. The U.S. economy was apparently recovered but still in the aftereffects of Lehman Shock in terms of business sector. On the other hand, Japan failed to operate the immediate bailout on banking sector, and that caused what is called “The Lost Decade.” These history tells that the bailout should be immediate and radical. 

2011.9.24

A Brief History of Light-Years

/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC  Daily News  Nov 22, 2010/

Sign-Spotting

• Definition of “Light-Year”
• Two Historical Events about Light-Year
• Understanding the Recent Astronomical Discovery and Complicated aspects of Light-Year 

Briefing

• What is “Light-Year” ?

- A technical term of Astronomy.

• How long light travels in one year in the outer space; about 6 trillion mile, 9.5 trillion km.

- Used when describing huge distance.

• A find that light-speed is limited and how fast it is. 

• Proved by Danish physicist Romer. 
• Measuring how long it takes for the Jupiter’s satellite to appear again after it get behind the planet.
• Result in that the amount of time varies according to the season, which means the time gap is caused by the length of light’s travel from Jupiter to earth.

• The first case in which light-year is used as astronomical term. 

• In the experiment of German astronomer Bessel.
• Calculating the distance between earth and the star far away solar system.
• Operated with a measuring method; parallax.

• The youngest black hole ever found is the oldest object in the universe ?

- The black hole is 30-years-old, but it is located 50 million light-years away.

Opinion

Light-year indication may cause confusion, because the unit does not describe time, but distance. However it is useful when handling astronomical distance, such as that between faraway star and our planet, and the figure of light-year tells us that the apparent shape is the one many years ago. That’s wired.

2011.9.16

Sister Act 

/page 30-31 TIME September 12, 2011/

Sign Spotting

• About a woman, Yingluck Shinawatra, who is a first female prime minister in Thailand
• Why and how she got the position in the politics containing much conflict between two majar political party
• What is she going to do as one of the most powerful politicians in Thailand 

Briefing

• Profile of Yingluck Shinawatra

• 44 years old woman. has a husband and a young son in her family, and a older brother, Thanksin Shinawatra, who was a leader of Pheu Thai and a prime minister
• used to be a business executive of a real estate firm and now turned into be a politician with powerful political influence of her brother

• How she got the status as a political leader

• Pheu Thai got back its power in the parliament after a-few-year democrats administration 
• People desire her family’s political ability, especially her brother’s, but no more political violence. That’s how Yingluck was elected as a female prime minister who represent nonviolence 

• What is her political activity aimed at ?

• moderate the severe conflict between two political party; the democrat and Pheu Thai, without any violence and make up peaceful relationship
• consider how to deal with big political influence of her brother, Thaksin --whether she admit Thaksin come back home; to what extent she should consult him about her policy

Opinion

She should be in tough situation as politician bearing huge influence from her brother, as a political science professor mentioned that she is under her brother’s indication. But she has advantageous as a female politician; politically clean and nonviolent image, though she does not seem to have much political experience. It is needed for her to apply these strong points into her policy and reconcile serious conflict between political parties, and even encourage female citizens to engage in politics as a precious example of female national leader in the Asia. 

2011.9.10

 The International Dialogue Conducted by Stanford University Japan Office in KYOTO

Generals: 

when yesterday

where KYOTO CITY INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION

about what the demographic structure change in east asia and its influence on economy, society, and national security 

who five panelist who have different nationalities; China, the U.S., Viet Nam, Japan, and South Korea.

Aim of the conference:

to suggest and analyse the demographic change in four east asian countries; China, Viet-Nam, Japan, and Korea, and by that to declare relevant aspects in these countries and find out problems caused with the change. 

Summary of representative’s speakings:

Ms. Eggleston (The U.S.)

General idea about the decrease of fertility rate and the rise of average lifespan typical in east asia countries, which is common phenomenon in these nations caused by economic and social structure change after rapid population growth.  

Mr. Cai Fang (China)

Low birth rate and aging population in China are accounted for by two changes. One is ‘the one child program’ by government. Another is economic growth which imposes much more education cost on parents.  But these demographic features have weakened industrial advantageous as world’s factory of Chana which contains many labor-intensive industries. 

Ms. Ninh (Viet Nam)

There are similar demographic changes following China also in Viet Nam. But the extent of the symptom is much lighter. The expected problem is to improve education quality for young generation and make sure what role the nation can play in the globalized world. Look at China as the world’s factory!

Mr. Myung Hwan (Korea)

The demographic change in Korea seams to be in the same stage as that in Japan. The fertility rate has been as low as 1.5 since several decades ago. But the rate slightly rose to over 2.0 by the policy to support the childbirth and child raising for young parents. However, the policy costs too much for its efficiency on the birth rate, so we need different solutions decoupled with the financial compensation. 

Mr. Oizumi (Japan)

The aging in population and declining birth rate is not an unique phenomenon in Japan. The same situation appears in Thailand, Malaysia, and even Indonesia. Even in relatively poorer rural district in Thailand, the village is undergoing the decreasing fertility rate. This is because young parents do not want to give more birth to save money and spend it intensively for fewer children. They know lifetime income gap between engaging in agriculture in their hometown and working in the city, which can varies by as much as 100 times. 

My opinion:

Japan had faced more serious problem caused by demographic changes than any other asian countries, for example, the increasing insurance and pension cost for retired elderly generation supported by relatively smaller number of young generations. When it comes to this problem getting more serious and critical in the near future, the national budget will not be able to cover still growing elderly generation. But in my opinion it is not effective solution to accept more immigrants as labor forces as German government does. This method can cause ethnical conflicts especially in Japan which characteristics are not familiar with ethnically mixed environment. Thus, for some time, it is needed to expand domestic demand to get back economic vitality among young generation, and to provide financial support for them to raise their children. However, these policy will not last for a long time because of decreasing tax income and increasing social security costs. This means Japan has to look at the immigration as inevitable choice in the future. So it is necessary to consider labor exchange with neighborhoods in Asia, and to support their economic growth and the improvement of the labor quality as the crucial components in the future of Japan.