2012.2.25

Microlending Thinks BIGGER

/Page 33-36, TIME, February 20, 2012/

Introduction

In Japan, social security is taken for granted, and almost all people are provided some kind of social security service, including national medical insurance, welfare aid, and financial help by parents in you are student. But in most of other regions of the world, there is not, and that fact makes poor regions stay poor. Microfinance was believed to be the most promising aid for such a radical poverty. However it has lost its way and now it is running for its own profit. 

Briefing

• What’s Microfinance? 

It literally means small loan, which has introduced exclusively for poor individuals  to improve quality of their lives by investing mainly in education, medicine, and small business. In early years after its introduction, it successfully provided the expected effects to the poor regions all over the world. 

• What’s the problems with today’s Microfinance?

It sounds great system to exterminate poverty, but recently it was found out that the effects was overestimated and possibly even harmfull for the poor. One of the risks of receiving Microflending is to loose the will to save money and depend only on the service. Moreover, the bigger Microlending business grows, the larger number of for-profit institution arose, and the smaller number of the poor have access to the reasonable lending service. 

• What innovation is expected?

The problem is too many profit-driven lenders. Considering this, the Indian government has put the restriction on Microcredit by capping the interest rate of the loan. Given such a regulation, some for-profit lenders in India are trying to reduce the operation cost by introducing mobile phone payment service. This trend will spread over other regions where Microlending is big business. 

Opinion 

I suppose Microcredit is not necessarily useful for the poor, because most people in developing countries has their own financial network between relatives, neighbors, and friends. In rural area, many sociologic and economic research says, such a network is robust and working well; therefore, Microlending service might have better to focus on the urban poor making their lives alone. 

2012.2.18

What Is A Conservative?

/Page 28-30, TIME,  February 13, 2012/

Introduction

We are now in the great depression and distrustful of our government. This is not a domestic trend but seems to be a global trend. Americans also concern about unstable society and economy in recent years, and that’s why they need the political reform and why the Republican Party collecting people’s supports. But American’s demand for the government seems to be opposite to Japanese one, because they are, what is called, ‘a conservative.’

Briefing

• What’s the conservative?

The conservative is a typical traditional value of the Americans, and forms the national characteristic of the U.S. Conservative people tend to prefer to the small government which does not interfere themselves and neighbor countries. 

• Why the Republican Party is collecting more supports now?

Of course the conservative votes to the Republican candidates. They are going to impose the budget reform, including tax cutting, no health care, and fixing the federal finance by those. But the Republican program is drawing not only the conservative but the whole country’s interests. 

• Why the Republican policy is supported across the boundary of the conservative?

One reason is that every American’s political belief is based on conservatism and they feel like going back to it when they faced unstable situation. Another reason is that not only the conservative but everyone consider the budget reform as necessary. The U.S. finance holds $15 trillion in debt and can’t afford to proceed the Democrat’s health care program. 

Opinion

Japan also suffers from a huge debt which reached ¥5 million per capita the government rent from its citizens. But what the conservative means in Japan is wholly different from the U.S. It means the bold government programs, the strong regulations, and the control by the central authorities. If Japan is heading to the conservative in its policy, it need to change the idea of the conservative, because there’s no money to rebuilt such a government. 

2012.2.11

The Upside of Being An Introvert

/Page 32-37, TIME,  February 6, 2012/

Introduction

We often find the introvert-or-extrovert test as well as the blood type based characteristic test on the magazines, TV shows, web sites, and so on, which is one of unique features to Japan. Some regard the extrovert as always good,  and some with introvert aspects consider them as disadvantageous. But I don’t think the extrovert as positive or the introvert as negative, just as there are no positive or negative blood type. 

Briefing

• Does the extrovert always get benefit in the society?

    According to the article, NO. It’s true that the extrovert can make good use of cocktail party or get higher grade on the classroom activity. But they tend to underestimate the risk behind the thrill or fail to listen to the precious advice by talking over. 

• What the advantageous points of being introvert?

    The introvert tends to be risk-conscious. They always think before act, in other words, they analyze the risk carefully before carry out. Moreover, they are very good listener and encourage people to work with their own initiatives. These features are ideal for a leader, planner, adviser, and even investor. 

• How can the introvert get along with the society?

    But being too much introverted prevents you from engage in the society. You should not place your inborn personality over anything else. The key to fit yourself to the society is to keep balance between your personality: introverted or extroverted, your ideals: what you want to be, and society’s expectation: what the society want you to be. 

Opinion

I don’t think everyone can be categorized into the introvert or the extrovert, just like me who got the 50-50 score at the quiz on the article. As the article mentioned, most of us are the ambivert who falls in the gap between the introvert and the extrovert. That means we have both of introverted and extroverted traits, and we have better to understand our own personality and  make use of it. 

2012.2.4

How the ANC Lost Its Way

/Page 34-38, TIME January 16, 2012/

Introduction

In every political system, imagemaking strategy exists for drawing people’s attention and getting their supports. I think there are two present examples that explain how effectively imagemaking on political group works for its growth and corruption. One of them is the ANC (African National Congress,) and another is Japanese government. The former was too good at controlling its image, and the latter is too poor. 

Briefing

• What has the ANC done for in the South Africa’s history?    

    The ANC was born as anti-apartheid group in the early 20th century, and won the election in 1994 by pushing Nelson Mandera as the country’s first democratic president. Everyone thought that the whole things was going better. But the country is still suffering from poverty, inequality, the violent crime, the HIV, and racial discrimination.  

• Why is the ANC blamed for the country’s hardship?

    Since the ANC got the power in 1994, its corruption had already begun. The government had the connection to the ANC, and unfairly provided government tenders to the members of the party. Such a phenomenon in South Africa is described as “tenderpreneur.”

• Why does such a corrupted political party still remain dominant?

    One good reason is the image of Nelson Mandera. He himself was clean and innocent, but too popular and influential. The ANC built his image on itself and requested people the loyalty to the party. Especially the grand parents generation are reluctant to deny the ANC because they spent many lives and much time for supporting Mandera and the party. 

Opinion

But there is a hope left. The rival party, Democratic Alliance (DA), is collecting supports in several regions. The problem is whether the party get corrupted like the ANC once it wins the election. Mandera’s example shows how dangerous it is to depend too much on the image of a legendary man, no matter who he is, and no matter what he has achieved. 

2012.1.21

Neither Independence nor Unification

/Page 14-15, TIME December 16, 2012/

Introduction

A recent tragic event reminded us the close relationship between Taiwan and Japan. When Japan experienced unprecedented disaster on March 11th, Taiwan collected some thousands of millions yens formally, and donated to Japanese victims. But we do not know much about its policy and international stance because of its neighbor giant country concerning us especially in recent years. Actually, however, that is the very reason why we need to learn the island’s politics toward China. 

Briefing

• How has the small island country managed the relationship with the hostile giant country? 

    This is a only question we need to ask and find an answer for. Until the election in 2008 in which Ma Ying-jeou won as a KMT candidate, Taiwan had been in cold war relationship with the people’s republic, supported by the U.S. in the political and military way. In his presidential period, the situation changed unexpectedly. Taiwanese government built a peaceful relation with china in terms of diplomacy, trade, and tourism. This is what all interested subjects have hoped for a long time. 

    But this equilibrium is going to be destructed from the inside of Taiwan. The country has a purely democratic election system because of years of conflict against the communist party in the mainland and supports from the western countries. Such a electoral structure may choose an opposite candidate with a contrary policy to Ma’s. The U.S. and chinese government, and some Taiwanese worry about that. 

Opinion

The first thing Japan has to learn from Taiwan is its highly democratic and content-based campaign. Some people may consider the risk of having only two opposite sides with extreme policies as Taiwan used to do. But now they have realized that they need to be realistic and go along with China. If Ma’s political rival win the election, she will not get the situation worse. The second thing is its tough attitude in diplomacy. China has grew into so powerful country that we cannot ignore its influence. That fact tell us that we need to treat its power properly with strategy and courage, not with fear. 

2012.1.14

Why the Death Penalty Is Slowly Dying

/ideas.time.com  Adam Cohen  January 3rd, 2012/

Introduction

Every time the Minister of Justice changes in the election, most of people’s attention is paid to a question: Is he or she going to sign on the approval paper for the death penalty? The recent Ministers continue against that, and then another question arises: How many suspects are convicted and sentenced to death in recent years? I cannot remember the latest case which sentenced to death, which means the death penalty is disappearing also in Japan. 

Briefing  

• Why the death penalty is dying in the U.S.?

    There are several reasons for that, but a major one is that many people were found out waiting for the execution even though they were innocent. Confronted such a situation, local politicians, prosecutors, and provate sector activist groups are taking action against the existing judgement system. 

• What is wrong with the implementation of justice?

    According to the article, the role of eyewitness in the system is pointed out as a main problem which often causes misjudgment cases, citing the Troy Davis case. In the case, the reliability of witnesses involved in the murder scene was doubted and he turned out innocent after his execution. This shameful experience calls for the reform of eyewitness identification. 

• How should it be improved?

    Unreliability of eyewitnesses is not a fault of themselves. Chatting between witnesses, pressure from the police, and the process of making a testimony; all these factors stimulate witness’ imagination and twist the true experience of them. In the suggestion of a prosecutor, the new investigation method in which such noises is removed is introduced.

Opinion

Reliability of eyewitness is always controversy in the court, especially when the case is severe and crucial. The problem in the present method about how to treat witnesses has definitely pull the trigger of unti-death-penalty movement. However, it is not the direct reason for why the movement is going on. If the innocent under the sentence of death disappears, the death penalty will keep dying. In my personal opinion, this is partly because the people’s value about life has changed and they no longer support the death penalty. In other words, they do not want it any more as a public spectacle, a topic of conversation, or a social revenge to the criminal.