Global Voices » Ayumi Nakajima

Japan's Cherry Blossom Tradition Tests Rookie Employees

Ayumi Nakajima — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 06:05:26 +0000

Among the thousands of people that fill Japan's parks every spring to picnic under the delicate pink cherry blossoms, known as sakura, are young professionals. They are new recruits sent by their bosses to reserve a spot for the company's outdoor feast, and are sometimes made to sit for hours well into the night guarding the location.

The blooming of the cherry blossom trees in Japan in early spring coincides with the beginning of the Japanese business year, and it is tradition to test new employees with this task.

Hanami at Yoyogi Park. Photo by Dick Thomas Johnson (CC BY 2.0)

Twitter user Mame (‏@MameBroth) wrote about the thankless job on his account on March 20, 2013:

‏@MameBroth: 新人が花見の場所取りをします。ですが仕事には納期があります。なのでノートパソコンを持たされます。場所取りしながらコーディングします。夜になります。誰も来ません。会社に連絡すると「クソ忙しいのにいけるわけねえだろ！」と怒られます。まだ冷える寒い夜に一人ぼっち。なんと悲しいことか。

‏@MameBroth: I am taking place for hanami spot as a new employee. But I have to meet a product deadline so they told me to bring a laptop computer. I do coding while reserving the spot. Night comes on. Nobody has come yet. I call the office. I get yelled at over the phone, “What make you think we can come? We are busy as hell!”. All alone on a chilling night. How sad is this.

The tradition of new hires reserving a picnic spot for their companies is part of the larger annual tradition of hanami where friends and families hold feasts under the flowering trees and enjoy sake and beer. Companies also organize hanami, and often cases, the new employees are being evaluated based on how good they conduct the hanami party.

Why is this a new employee’s job? In online resource site All About, writer Kagezo stated [ja] that the task is a way for new recruits to prove their workplace skills:

もしあなたが幹事なら、場所を確保し、お酒の調達をするだけではあまりにも無難すぎます。なぜなら花見の準備は、仕事の手際や仕切りに通じます。酒宴の準備とは、すなわちあなたの手腕が、こっそりと上司や先輩に試されているということでもあるのです。

If you are responsible for your company's hanami party, simply reserving a spot and procuring liquors are not good enough.The skill of preparing hanami is associated with management skill and neat work. Your bosses and seniors are surreptitiously evaluating your capability through your skill of preparing the feast.

This year, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced cherry blossoms reached full bloom on March 22 in Tokyo, the second earliest since the weather agency began taking statistics in 1953.

With the early arrival of the full bloom of cherry blossoms this year, Twitter users wondered if the new employees’ first task would be affected. The blooming period is very short, and company hanami parties are supposed to be held in April.

Twitter user Wappa (@tokyoallnight) wrote on April 1, the start of the Japanese business year:

‏@tokyoallnight: 今日は入社式の日か・・・新人の新人だけの初めての仕事と言えば昔は花見の場所取りだったけど今は違うのかな（笑）。あれで、だれがリーダーシップあるかとかわかるとかよく言っていたけど・・・（笑）すでに散ってる・・・都内

@tokyoallnight: Oh today is the day of initiation ceremonies at companies… Speaking of the very first task for rookie, the task used to be hanami spot keeping. Is it still rookies’ job? We used to say that we could tell who would have leadership among those new ones by watching their hanami preparation. Well, but here in Tokyo, cherry flowers have already fallen off.

Twitter user Yas (@yas_ukey) advised new hires to seize on alternative opportunities to prove themselves:

‏@yas_ukey: 今年は桜咲くのが早く新入社員の大事な仕事、花見の場所取りはなくなったので、別の部分で同期と差をつけるんだ

‏@yas_ukey: New worker’s mission, reserving a hanami spot become impossible this year. Find some other ways to have a leg up on your fellow colleagues.

A Japanese company holds hanami party at Ueno Park,
Tokyo. Photo by Benson (CC BY-ND 2.0)

On the other hand, others were puzzled by the tradition. Masumiyutaka (‏@masumiyutaka) tweeted:

‏@masumiyutaka: 昔は4月の入学式くらいに桜のイメージだったけれど、もう3月後半のイメージ。段々早まっているから、4月に新入社員が花見の場所取りするという良くわからない伝統がなくなるかしら。

@masumiyutaka: I have an image of cherry trees beginning to bloom in April around the time of school entrance ceremony in the old days. But nowadays, the image of blooming cherry blossom is the latter half of March. Blooming is getting earlier and earlier. So the weird tradition of new employees taking place for hanami spot in April would possibly disappear?

Not everyone supports the tradition of rookie employees serving as party location placeholders. An online article by business newspaper NIKKEI.com reported [ja] that telling junior employees to reserve hanami spots could fall under the two of six categories of power harassment specified by the Ministry of Health and Welfare – excessive demands, such as assigning work that is impossible to perform or obviously unnecessary; and intrusion upon the individual, such as intrusion into an employee's personal life.

In free posting site Hatelabo, an anonymous user was strongly opposed [ja] to the custom:

新人に花見の場所取りをさせる会社ってまだあるのか？　外国育ちの俺には心底意味がわからん。勤務時間外に付き合わせるだけに飽きたらず場所取りって！　人を何だと思ってるんだ。俺なら絶対にやらないね。絶対にだ。

Are there still companies that force new employees to take place for company’s hanami spot? As someone who grew up in a foreign country, I really don’t get it. On top of the heavy social obligation after working hours, to use them for reserving a spot? Who the hell do they think they are? I will never ever accept it. No way.

Another anonymous user responded to the comment:

外国育ちでも新入社員でもないし若者でもないんだけど、同意。好きな人がやるのはいいんだけど、集団が個人に強制するのはよくないよねー。なにごとも。

I didn't grow up in a foreign country, I'm not a new employee and I'm not young. But I agree with you. It's OK if you are willing to do it but it's not OK that society forces the individual to do it. Or of anything.

Japanese businessmen working in the park.
Photo by GaijinSeb (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

On Twitter, user xxxxxlg (@xxxxxlg) wrote about his personal experience with the spring tradition:

‏@xxxxxlg: 1,2年目の新人による上野公園でのお花見会のミーティングが行われた。事業本部100人が参加する大花見会なため予算やスケジュールなどかなり細かく考えなければならないらしい。ちなみに当日の花見の場所取りは徹夜。

@xxxxxlg: First and second year workers had a meeting for a hanami party in Ueno Park. Apparently, we have to plan the detail of budget and schedule for the big hanami party that 100 people participated from operational headquarters. By the way, taking spot for the hanami party kicks off the night before the day.

The thumbnail image used in this post is taken by lestaylorphoto on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Japan's Jaded Public Pushes for Nuclear Truth Post-Fukushima

Ayumi Nakajima — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:06:51 +0000

Two years after the powerful earthquake and resulting tsunami off the northeastern coast of Japan triggered a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the Japanese people are becoming increasingly frustrated with the government's reluctance to come clean on the risks associated with nuclear power.

A Japanese citizen advocacy group called Let’s Decide Together organized a large protest on March 10, 2013 [ja] to call for a national referendum on the future of nuclear power in Japan, the latest of many citizen-led efforts to shape the country's energy policy away from nuclear power since the Fukushima disaster, the largest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.

In the wake of the tsunami, critics around the world blasted the Japanese government for withholding information about the meltdown from the public, delaying local evacuations and exposing some people unnecessarily to high levels of radiation. The World Health Organization has concluded that those in the most contaminated areas around the Fukushima plant have elevated risks of contracting cancer, from a 7 percent increased risk of leukemia for males exposed to the radiation as infants, to a 6 percent increased risk of breast cancer for females exposed as infants.

Nuclear Free Now Global Demonstration Hibiya, Tokyo. Photo by Masahiko Murata

Though public pressure after the accident led to the shutdown of all but two of Japan's 50 nuclear reactors, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe recently announced that plants that pass the country's new and stricter safety guidelines could be brought back online within the year.

But the government's emphasis on safety has not calmed Fukushima residents and activists around the country who demand more information about the dangers of nuclear power, no matter how bad the news may be.

The Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety, co-hosted by the Japanese government and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from December 15-17, 2012 in the city of Koriyama in Fukushima Prefecture, not far from the nuclear power plant, exposed the growing gap between the government and its people on the matter of nuclear energy.

The conference, in which 117 countries and 13 international organizations participated, was held to discuss and strengthen nuclear safety as well as learn from the Fukushima disaster.

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan summarized [ja] the intent of the Fukushima government conference, spotlighting the government's commitment to its safety campaign:

事故から1年9ヶ月しか経っていない中で今回の会議を福島で開催することにより，原子力安全の強化の重要性につき強いメッセージを発信することができたものと考える。また，IAEA原子力安全行動計画の策定から1年を経たタイミングで国際社会の取組についてハイレベルで議論が行われたことにより，国際的な原子力安全を更に強化していくことにつながると期待される。

We believe that by holding a meeting in Fukushima Prefecture only one year and 9 months after the accident, we were able to send a strong message about the importance of strengthening nuclear safety. In addition, our high level discussions about efforts taken by the international community were held just one year after the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety was developed. This will ensure that we further strengthen the international safety.

At the same time, many anti-nuclear organizations organized their own conferences. The Nuclear Free Now Organizing Committee hosted its Global Conference for a Nuclear Power Free World 2 in Hibiya, Tokyo on December 15 and 16, 2012 and the Metropolitan Coalition Against Nukes organized a demonstration calling for the end of nuclear energy that departed from Hibiya park. More than 5,500 people participated in the two days of events in Tokyo.

Also, the Fukushima Action Project, organized by a committee of citizens from Fukushima Prefecture in collaboration with the Nuclear Free Now Organizing Committee, coordinated various action from December 14-16, 2012 including a symposium by the Mayors for a Nuclear Power Free Japan network to coincide with the government conference.

On the first day of the government conference, about 200 citizens gathered in front of the conference venue in Fukushima to submit a formal request to the IAEA. The request called on the IAEA to disclose the data from a health survey of children, ensure accountability, and encourage the Japanese government to decommission all nuclear power plants immediately.

“KOU-YU-KOTO” (This is what's really happening) by Misato Yugi (CC BY-NC-SA 2.1 JP)

In its introduction, the request explained the Fukushima people's distrust of the IAEA's involvement in the area:

We have learned that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will establish two research centers in Fukushima Prefecture, as part of the Prefecture's ”Environmental Creation Center.” Based on the nature of the IAEA, we perceive it to be a global nuclear power promotion industry, emphasizing the peaceful use of nuclear and understating its risks. It is quite difficult to imagine and understand what such an institution is planning to do coming here to Fukushima. Many of us affected by the nuclear power plant disaster are questioning whether these research centres will have any benefit for those affected, and are concerned about the real intention.

It also emphasized the uncertainty that local residents are forced to live with as long as the government presses safety campaigns over information about the reality of the situation:

All that the government has done is to conduct a “safety campaign,” by telling people that “there are no immediate health risks”, or “it is alright to be exposed to 100μSv of radiation per year.” The residents of Fukushima are forced into a difficult decision between the fear of radiation, which cannot be seen or smelled, and the authorities’ “safety campaign,” which is causing great distress and fraction between families, friends and neighbors.

The agency replied [ja] to the request on January 17, 2013, stressing that they are not a decision-maker when it comes to nuclear matters in Fukushima or the rest of Japan:

IAEAとして、加盟国に対して原発を導入すべきである、原発の運転を継続すべきである、あるいは原発を停止させるべきであると言う立場にはありません。しかし、加盟国が原子力発電を導入する、あるいは継続するという決定をした場合には、それらの原発が国際的な安全基準を十分満たし、周辺国の懸念にも十分対応する形で安全かつ持続的に運転されるよう支援するということがIAEAの役割です。

IAEA is not in a position to say to the member states that you should adopt or continue or stop the operation of the nuclear power plants. However, if the member states consider the introduction of nuclear power or make the decision to continue operating nuclear power plants, IAEA plays a role in examining whether the nuclear power plants are sufficiently safe and meet international safety standards. IAEA will support the operation of the nuclear power plants to be sustainable and safe with sufficient consideration to neighboring countries.

Demanding the truth

“KOU-YU-KOTO” (This is what's really happening) by Misato Yugi (CC BY-NC-SA 2.1 JP)

The two “Red Dot” radiation illustrations in this post were drawn by artist Misato Yugi and have become widely known in post-Fukushima Japan. The illustrations try to show how dramatic the situation would be if radioactivity were visible.

But without red dots marking radioactivity in real life, the Japanese people are left to demand the truth about the dangers from the government and other agencies.

Ourplanet-TV, a non-profit media station, captured a member of the Fukushima Women's Network against Nuclear Power Plants [ja] doing just that on December 15 near the government conference venue, asking for the facts surrounding nuclear power from IAEA spokeswoman Jill Tudor.

The video is available here [ja].:

覚えておいて欲しいこと、それは、福島県はもう脱原発を決めた、ということです。それからもうひとつ、IAEAはぜひチェルノブイリの真実を語ってください。チェルノブイリの健康被害の真実を語ってください。[...] 最後にお願いです。今日から3日間行われている会議で、原発の安全性ではなくって、原発の危険性について語ってください。そして世界中の原発をなくすという、そういう会議に切り替えてください。

We want IAEA to remember, Fukushima prefecture has already decided to renounce nuclear power [ja]. There is one other thing. Please tell us the truth about Chernobyl, Please speak the truth of the health effects after Chernobyl. Lastly, in the three-day conference starting from today, please talk about the dangers of nuclear power, not the promotion of the safety of nuclear power plants. And please switch the agenda to eliminate the nuclear power plants in the world.

Another member in the footage also appealed to Tudor to let the Fukushima people have a say in nuclear matters:

私たちのことを抜きに、福島のことを決めないでください！

Please don’t decide on anything about Fukushima without the Fukushima people, us!

Kyania, who evacuated from Fukushima to Kyoto with her child after the nuclear meltdown, has documented her experience in a blog. On December 21, 2012, she published a document composed by citizens submitted to Fukushima Prefecture protesting the presence of IAEA in Fukushima overseeing decontamination and other aspects of the disaster clean-up. She also reinforced [ja] how important it is for people to know what is going on after the disaster in order to protect themselves:

国民の一人、一人が、自分と家族を守るのは自分自身である事を自覚し、情報を取り続けて下さい。
そして、あなたの思いが溢れた時には、私達と一緒に、ご自分が出来る事を、どんなに小さい事でも良いので続けて頂きたいです。

Each and every one of us should realize that only you can protect yourselves and your families, so keep collecting information on your own. If you feel butterflies in your stomach, I want you to continue taking actions on what you can do, no matter how small they are.

The thumbnail image used in this post is taken and shared by Masahiko Murata.

Viral Japanese Animated Video Leaves Internet Misty-Eyed

Ayumi Nakajima — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 07:46:24 +0000

A short animated video created by popular Japanese comedian Tekken, better known for cracking jokes in black-and-white makeup than producing stop-motion tearjerkers, still has the Web talking a year after it was first went viral.

“Furiko” (Pendulum) is a three-minute flipbook that tells the emotional tale of a Japanese couple's relationship, from their beginnings as high-school sweethearts to their final moments together. This film was featured on “One Frame”, a midnight TV program in Japan, on March 17, 2012, and reached nearly 1.5 million views in its first four days on YouTube.

Before his turn as an heartfelt storyteller, funnyman Tekken was famous for accompanying his comedy routines with his own drawings. The video “Furiko”, which returned Tekken to the spotlight, consists of 1,038 pages of his hand-drawn illustrations.

Tekken chose to set his “Furiko” animation to the symphonic track “Exogenesis” by British band Muse. Months later, the YouTube video caught the band's attention and they decided to use the short film for the song's official music video, released on October 30, 2012.

The news revived the video's popularity in Japan, reaching this time not only Muse fans but a broader audience of people who had not known about the animation released seven months earlier.

Some users on social bookmarking service Hatena, looking at “Furiko” as proof, marveled at how easy cross-country collaboration is nowadays:

@guldeen 世界中での芸術活動が、いとも容易くコラボできるというのが、21世紀という時代の面白さだなぁ。

To be able to easily collaborate on artistic activities worldwide, this is the greatness of the 21st century.

@habuakihiro へ〜！！　インターネット時代ってのはほんと凄いな。

Wow. The Internet age is really amazing.

@Coboler 鉄拳云々より、MUSEがこういうことにフットワークが軽いことに驚いた。

Tekken's spotlighted story aside, I'm rather surprised how quickly Muse responded to this kind of thing.

The hype surrounding the video was so great that even not-so-savvy Internet users came to see it. Blogger Hiro, who first heard of the animation because of Muse's music video, wrote [ja] on November 5, 2012:

神州の泉よりはちょいと年下だが、齢（よわい）５０を過ぎている知人から一通のメールが来た。そこには、「これ知ってるかな？お笑いの人が書いたアニメらしいが、感動をよぶとえらく話題になっているよ。世界配信されるそうだ。高橋は涙を流さずに観られるかな？」と書いてあり、下のリンクが貼ってあった。何の酔狂だろうと思って、取りあえずそのアニメを見てみた。[...] ある程度、年を重ねた人間ならば、誰でもこのアニメが醸し出しているものに、それぞれの過ぎ去りし時間から思い当たるのものがあるだろう。人が生きるということの実存的な悲しさを実感させられるが、何かしら、こころがしんみりと温かくなる。ご覧になることを、そっとおすすめしたい。

I received an email from a friend who is older than 50 which is a little bit younger than me. He wrote “Have you seen this? This animation is made by some comedian. People are talking about this these days. I heard this is distributed around world. I bet you have hard time watching it without crying.” and attached the link. I wondered what the heck it was, but gave it a shot anyway. [...] If you have lived and aged to some extent, you will feel something from the animation. I was forced to realize the existential sadness of things that people experience but at the same time, I feel something warm quietly sitting in my heart. I would like to modestly recommend you to take a look.

It is exactly the video's heart-wrenching emotion that makes it so popular, Sheniz Raif wrote on the online news site Buzz Patrol after Muse released its music video:

Furiko got quite a bit of Internet attention, not only for the skill of the drawing (1,038 hand-drawn pages is no easy feat) but also because of its powerful emotive quality.

On her blog, Mugiho described [ja] how “Furiko” touched her when she watched its original airing on TV:

昨日の夜ふと目が覚めてそれから寝付けなくて何気なくつけたテレビ番組も何もわからないまま見ていたんですが何やら芸人さんがアニメを書くという企画のようでしたそこで見たアニメに感動して涙が止まらず朝、目が腫れてました

I couldn't sleep last night and involuntarily turned on and watched a TV program without knowing what it was. It was showing some comedian anime contest or something but I was moved to tears by the animation. My eyes were swollen this morning.

Blogger Gen wrote [ja] in April 16, 2012 that even though the animation is short, it packs an emotional punch:

ストーリーだけ見るとはっきりいってそのへんの病気絡めたお涙頂戴ものですね。ただ、時間がとても短い文、無駄な演出がないしテンポがとてもいいのです。[...] 正直言うと、ここまで短く感動を詰め込んだアニメ作品を自分は今までみたことありません。なのでガツンとやられました。

Frankly, the story itself is a tearjerker of a tale about a loved one's illness. However, because it is very short, the tempo is great without waste. [...] To be honest, I've never seen such a short animation packed so tightly with such genuine feeling. I am knocked out.

“Furiko” wasn't Tekken's first animation to be featured on TV. He created the animated short called “Tsunagaru” (Connecting) after the March 11, 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

Blogger Droy described “Tsunagaru” on her blog [ja]:

「ツナガル」には老若男女を問わず、色々な職業の人がたくさん出てきてみんなで手を繋いで大きく繋がって行きます。震災後に、「自分の仕事、自分の生活を取り戻して多くの人が手を取り合ってみんなで新しい日本を作り上げていこう」という願いをこめて作られたそうです。2分15秒のパラパラマンガに詰まった思いはみんなの思いですね。

Regardless of age or sex, people of various occupations appear in “Tsunagaru”. Everyone joins hands one by one, making the loop bigger and bigger. I heard this was made after the earthquake with the hope that we “join hands with each other to regain our life and our work and start building a new Japan.” This flip book captures everyone's hope [to rebuild Japan] in two minutes and 15 seconds.

The thumbnail image used in this post is by Oscar* on Flickr, used under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic.

This post was proofread by Keiko Tanaka, sub-edited by L. Finch

Japan's Conservation Groups Fight to Preserve Wetlands

Ayumi Nakajima — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 04:09:47 +0000

Damp and marshy, they seem boring and barren. But contrary to their appearance, tidal flats or coastal wetlands are rich in biodiversity and help maintain balance in the water cycle. For Japan, which hosts 46 of the 2,098 registered wetlands worldwide [pdf], their conservation is essential.

Concern for Japanese precious wetlands is international, with Japan belonging to the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance treaty, better known as “the Ramsar Convention“, which promotes conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.

But community organizations in Japan down on the ground and deep in the mud are the ones who have led the fight in recent years to protect these valuable ecosystems from the encroaching threat of land development and pollution.

A changing landscape

Wajiro Tidal Flat, image from wikimedia commons, photo taken on 2009 (CC BY SA 3.0)

The Save Wajiro Tidal Flat Association [ja], based in Fukuoka city, has fought an uphill battle for more than two decades to preserve the resources of their hometown, the site of the Wajiro Tidal Flat.

The Wajiro Tidal Flat, located in the closed-off section of Hakata Bay, is the largest tidal flat in the Sea of Japan. The flat is also an important stopover and wintering ground for migratory birds.

The landscape of the once tranquil tidal flat in Hakata Bay began to rapidly change around 1994 with the construction of an artificial island. Although Japan's bubble economy was bursting at that time, public officials made development a priority despite doubts over the environmental assessment of the project.

The resulting change in tidal stream has deteriorated the water cycle, with a part of the flat corrupted by algae.

The tidal flat was selected by Japan's Ministry of Environment as a candidate for designation as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 2004, but designation was never made official.

‘Wajiro Tidal Flat at Sunset’ KIRIE-Cutting Paper Art by Hiroko Kusuda. Used with permission.

Hiroko Kusuda, a paper cut-out artist who launched The Save Wajiro Tidal Flat Association in 1988, detailed the practical as well as the poetic significance [ja] of the tidal flat in an article in Radix, the newsletter of Kyushu University:

波静かな和白干潟は，子供たちを水で遊ばせ，人々を恵みの海産物でうるおします。四季を通じて魚貝類，エビやタコ，のり等の食物で人々の命を救い，干潟や浅海域の生物たちの営みで海水を浄化してきました。稚魚や稚貝を育て，和白干潟は生き物だちの命のゆりかごだったのです。
私の命一心も体もこの和白干潟を通して育まれました。自然の美しさや雄大さ，そして厳しさは，感性を豊かにします。和白干潟の自然とのかかわりは，私を創作活動へと導いていきました。大人になった今も，和白干潟は心の安らぎを与えてくれます。

The gentle waves of Wajiro tidal flat let children play in the water, bestow the people with a wealth of wild seafood, fish and shellfish, octopus and shrimp, and seaweed throughout the year. The tidal flat has been here to purify the water by taking care of the creatures of the tidal flat and shallow water and nursing young fish and young shelled sea creatures. The Wajiro Tidal Flat has always been the cradle of life. It has nurtured my mind and body. Beauty, grandeur and rigor of nature provide us an emotional richness. My relationship with the Wajiro Tidal Flat led me to creative activities. Now as an adult, the tidal flat still gives me peace of mind.

‘Spring in Wajiro Tidal Flat’ KIRIE-Cutting Paper Art by Hirorko Kusuda used with permission

Continuing with its efforts, the Save Wajiro Tidal Flat Organization conducts water and sand quality studies every month and organizes popular seashore cleanup events for local residents. Local elementary school students are invited regularly to observe the tidal flat to supplement their lessons.

E.I., who helped oversee the elementary school students, wrote [ja] on the Save Wajiro Tidal Flat Association's blog about how the organization piqued the children's curiosities about the wetland:

今日観察した鳥や、植物、貝殻、海藻の紹介の後、子どもたちから拾った鳥の羽の種類の質問や、アシ原になぜカニの巣穴があるの？などの質問が出されました。拾ったピンクや黄色の小さな貝殻は名前がわからないものもあり、守る会の宿題になりましたが、後で調べたら｢ユウシオガイ｣というそうです。和白小学校4年生の子どもたちの和白干潟での観察会はこれで終わりですが、2月末には学校で1年間の観察会の発表会があります。私たち守る会も毎年学校に出かけ、発表を楽しみにしています。

After our staff explained about birds, shells and seaweeds that children observed by themselves today, the students asked questions such as the type of bird feathers they found or why crab burrow is in reed bed. Some small yellow and pink shells found by the students couldn't be identified. It became our homework to figure out what they are. On examination, we found out they are Moerella rutila. Today was the last session of Wajiro tidal flat observation for the fourth grade children. But at the end of February there's an annual presentation of the year’s observation by children in school. It is our pleasure to visit school for that every year. We, members of The Save Wajiro Tidal Flat Association, are looking forward to seeing their presentation.

The ebb and flow of conservation work

In 2011, the Ramsar Convention celebrated its 40th anniversary. Reflecting on the years gone by, Japan Wetlands Action Network advisor Satoshi Kobayashi mused [ja] on JAWAN REPORT about how Japan's long-held belief that it could master nature might finally begin to change. The Japan Wetlands Action Network has fought to conserve wetlands on a national and international scale since 1991:

これまで比較的長い間、日本人は高度な技術を制御し、自然を制御しようとしてきた。そしてそれらは制御できるものと思い込んできた。しかしながら、2011年、その思い込みは逆襲される。技術は時に制御できずに悲劇を生むことがあり、自然もまた制御できない側面を持っていることを思い知らされた。
ここで日本人が踏みとどまり、エネルギー政策、国土計画、公共事業の在り方を軌道修正していくことが出来れば、そして世界にモデルを示すことが出来れば、日本人は行動によって世界を変えていくことが出来るのではないか。

For a relatively long time until now, the Japanese have been trying to control nature by using advanced technologies. We have been clinging to the idea that we could do that. But, in 2011, that assumption was smashed. We realized that technology could go out of control and incidentally, could produce a tragedy. Also we realized that nature, too, could go beyond anyone can handle.
If we pause and think, if we shift to make bold initiatives of change for energy policy, national planning and public works, if we demonstrate a role model by doing so, we could change the world by taking such action.

A year later, the organization attended the Ramsar Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP11) in Bucharest, Romania. After participating in the conference, Mr. Kobayashi explained [ja] that now is not the time for conservationists to pat themselves on the back. Progress in tidal flat preservation is a matter of perspective:

会議の運用規則等事務的な手続きが進む中、午前中の最後には条約の科学技術検討委員会（STRP)の議長ヘザー女史からの報告がありました。前回COP10に末娘8歳を連れて参加していたということで、最初にCOP10会議場の前で撮影された娘さんの写真を出しました。おかあさんはどんな業務に関わっているのか知ってもらおうと、会議の最後の方で数時間だけ、末娘に会場後ろの方で聴いていてもらったんだそうです。そして、韓国からの帰りの飛行機で会議はどうだったと尋ねると、「湿地保全の大事さは何となくわかったんだけど、私が大人になったらほとんど湿地が残されていないんじゃないかと心配になっちゃった」と娘さんが言ったんだそうです。「なんだか湿地の保全というのは、あまりにもゆっくりとしか進まさそうな調子だったし…」と続けられて、COP10が実り多い会議だったと思っていたヘザーさんは、言い返すことができなかったんだそうだ。子供恐るべしですね。

While clerical procedures such as operating rules of the meeting progressed, Ms. Heather the Chairman of Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP) told us a story at the end of the morning session. She showed us her daughter's photo taken in front of convention hall of COP10. She took her youngest daughter at the age of 8 to the conference to let her know what her mother's doing for work. She asked her daughter to listen in the conference sitting at the back of a room only for a while near the end of the meeting. Then, in the flight back from Korea Ms. Heather asked her daughter what she thought about the conference. The daughter said “I think I got the importance of wetlands conservation but I have worried now that wetlands might not still be here by the time I am an adult.” she continued “Because it seems the conservation of wetlands barely makes any progress…” Ms. Heather said she had not been able to find anything to say back since she had thought the meeting was fruitful.

Children are sharp, aren’t they?

The Japan Wetlands Action Network promotes a nationwide campaign, Wetlands, Tidal Flats Campaign Day [ja], every spring, organizing a variety of events, such as nature observation, discussions, and art exhibitions to help raise public awareness about the conservation of wetland biodiversity. Registration for participating groups is now open [ja].