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August 12th, 2008

Japan: Ainu recognized as indigenous people

lingua → it · es

On June 6, a couple of months prior to the International Day of the World's Indigenous People, the Japanese Diet passed a resolution to officially recognize the Ainu as an indigenous people. Immediately following the passage of the resolution, a government panel held its first meeting to start working on a plan to put these words into action. While this development marked a historical turning point for the Ainu, bloggers were far from unanimous in their responses to the passage of the resolution.

Blogger abe-iw welcomes the Diet resolution:

昨日2008年6月6日は、画期的なメモリアルデーとして歴史の一ページに長く記録されることになるだろう。この日、アイヌ民族を先住民として認め、関連する政策の一層の推進を政府に求める国会決議が、参議院本会議において全会一致で可決・採択されたのだ。

June 6, 2008 will go down in the pages of history as a groundbreaking memorial day. On this day, the Diet resolution calling for the government to recognize the Ainu as an indigenous people and to further implement related measures was unanimously passed and approved during the Upper House plenary session.

[…]ようやく法の下に平等をうたった憲法第14条の精神が、ここ日本においてもまっとうに遵守されることになったのだ。この間、関係者・関連団体のたゆまざる情熱と努力は敬服に値するが、それにも増して昨年年9月13日、国連総会において採択された「先住民族の権利に関する宣言」や、きたる７月に開かれる「北海道洞爺湖サミット」が今次決議実現の追い風になったことは、報道の示すとおりであろう。悲惨な戦乱や度を越す暴力沙汰が絶えない今日、先住民・少数民族の主権を尊重しようという最近の動きは、人々の心の奥底にまだ残っている良識が垣間見えた感がし喜ばしい限りである。[…]

[…]Finally, Japan has complied with the spirit of Article 14 of the Constitution, which ensures equality before the law. Although the passion and the efforts of people and organizations that have been involved [in this movement] are worthy of respect, the passage of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples adopted by the United Nations on September 13the of last year, and the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit scheduled for this coming July, helped [make possible] the realization of the passage, as reported in the media. In the world of today, with horrible wars and extreme violence that never ends, the recent move to respect the sovereign rights of indigenous people and enthnic minorities offers a glimpse of the decency at the bottom of people's hearts, and this makes me so happy.[…]

While appraising the resolution as a milestone, Eunheui thinks that there is something missing:

先住民族として認め（られ）ることが一里塚であることは確かだ。しかし、この文書はアイヌの権利を保障するための何ら具体的な政策提起も含んでいないし、歴史認識に言及こそするものの、それを自分のものとして非をあがなう道に踏み込もうとはしない臆病な文章だと私は思う。私は決議案を作った人たちの善意や良心を疑いはしないが、残念ながら、この文章を今から何十年か経って読み直した時にそこに燦然と輝く人権擁護の宣言を見出せるという予感は全くしない。

However, this document does not include any concrete policy recommendation to ensure the rights of the Ainu [people]. And although it mentions the historical recognition, this is a cowardly text that does not intend to atone for mistakes [of the past]. I don't doubt the goodwill and conscience of the people who wrote the resolution. But unfortunately, I don't get the impression from this text that when it is read again in a few decades from now, what we will find is something [that can be considered] a declaration defending human rights.

Photo by Flickr user Okinawa Soba (used under Creative Commons License).

Akio Ikeuchi, however, questions the goverment's involvement in preservation of an indigenous culture. He agues that it is the Ainu people's role, not that of the government, to show their commitment in restoring their culture and ethnic identity:

６日，「アイヌ民族を先住民族とすることを求める決議」が国会で採択された。が，おそらく私の感覚が鈍いのだろう。私には今さらどうしてこのような決議が必要なのかが分からないのである。

私は別にアイヌを先住民族と見なすことに反対したいわけではない。が，日本民族にほとんど同化吸収されてしまったアイヌを，いまさら分離する必要がどうしてあるというのだろうか。

On June 6th, “a resolution to recognize the Ainu as an indigenous people” was passed in the Diet. However, perhaps I am insensitive, but I just don't understand why such a resolution is necessary now.

I am not trying to oppose recognizing the Ainu as an indigenous people. However, why is it necessary to isolate the Ainu, who have nearly been assimilated into Japanese society, now?

[…]もしアイヌの人たちが今の日本とは一線を画する形で自分たちのアイデンティティーを取り戻したいというのであればそれもまた一つの立場であろう。その場合，かつてのアイヌの地をアイヌの人たちに返すべきだとも言えるだろう。その際，日本はアイヌの自立を支援すべきでもあるだろう。

が，国会決議が
政府に対し，アイヌを独自の言語，宗教や文化を有する先住民族と認め，有識者の意見を聞きながらアイヌ政策を総合的に行うことを求めている（同)

などという甘い話であるなら，果たしてアイヌの人たちはどこまで独自の文化を保つべく自立しよういう覚悟を持ち合わせているのか疑問になってくるだろう。

[…]If the Ainu people want to regain their own identity, an identity that is clearly distinct from that of Japan today, then that is one stance. In such a case, it would be fair to say that the land that used to belong to the Ainu people should be returned to them. Japan should in such circumstances support the autonomy of the Ainu.

However, the Diet resolution calls for the government to acknowledge the indigenous people with their language, religion and culture, and to comprehensively implement Ainu policies, consulting experts' opinions. This is naive thinking, and the question arises as to how determined the Ainu people are to become autonomous in order to preserve their own culture.

民族文化が保存されるためには，民族自体に生きる力，すなわち「生命力」がなければならない。が，今回のように政府に援助を要求すること自体，その力の弱さを物語っているのではないか。

本気でアイヌ文化を復興したいのであれば，政府の助けを借りないというくらいの気概がまず必要なのではないか。

Preservation of ethnic culture demands that the people have a zest for life, or in other words a “life energy”. However, that they are asking the government for help just demonstrates their lack of this energy.

If they seriously want to recover the Ainu culture, first they need have the guts to say that they do not need the help of the government.

Blogger Yu argues that this resolution suddenly introduces the notion of ethnicity and reshapes the definition of the citizen:

日本は先週まで単一民族国家だった。

不思議な言い方だが、これはマジ。

Until last week, Japan was an ethnically homogeneous nation.
This may be a strange way to say it, but this is real.

アメリカも建国以来ずっと単一民族国家だ。
なぜならアメリカは「個人の権利」は保障するが「民族の権利」は認めていない。
あの国で国民を形成するのは「アメリカ人」だけだ。

America, too, has been an ethnically homogeneous nation since its foundation.
This is because although America ensures the “rights of individuals”, it does not recognize the “rights of ethnic groups”.
The country is made up only of Americans.

日本も全く同じだった。

在日朝鮮人やアイヌや琉球人がいる日本は他民族国家だ、という主張はあったが、これは評論家的な見方に過ぎない。

在日朝鮮人は「日本国民」ではなく在留外国人だし、「国民」は民族ではなく個人を単位としていた。

Japan was exactly the same [in the past].
Arguments have been raised that Japan is a multi-ethnic country, consisting of zainichi Koreans, Ainu, and Ryukyu, but this is just the perspective of critics.
Zainichi Koreans have been defined as foreign residents and not as “Japanese citizens”, and a “citizen” was defined not based on ethnicity but at the level of the individual.

良くも悪くも日本は国民統合に成功した国だ。
アイヌも琉球も、地方の伝統文化に過ぎなくなった。

For better or for worse, Japan is a country that has successfully unified its citizens.
The Ainu and the Ryuku are now no more than mere local traditions.

そんな状況が変わった。

アイヌが先住民族と認められ、国民の中に民族というラインが引かれた。

アイヌが民族なら、それ以外は自動的に大和民族となり、どちらでもない琉球人もまた民族となる。

マスコミもネットもあまり関心はないようだが、これは重大なことだ。

「国民」と「個人」の間に「民族」という枠が突如生まれたのだ。

The situation has changed.
The Ainu are recognized as an indigenous people and a line called ethnicity has been drawn between the citizens.
If the Ainu are an ethnic group, then the rest [of the Japaense people] automatically become the Yamato people, and the Ryukyu who do not belong to either group become yet another ethnic group.
Neither the mass media nor the net[izens] seem to be interested, but this is a grave issue.
A framework for “ethnicity” has suddenly emerged between the “citizen” and the “individual”.

それは民族の権利を保障し、自決権を認めるということにもなる。

つまりアイヌが独立を主張すれば、大和民族はそれを否定する権利を持たない。
沖縄にしても同じだ。

６日のことは、実は、現状追認に過ぎなくなるであろう憲法改正などよりはるかに大きく、国家の形を左右する出来事だったかもしれない。

This also means that ethnic rights will be ensured and the right to self-determination will be recognized.
In other words, if the Ainu claim their independence, the Yamato people have no right to deny it.
What happened on June 6th was, in fact, much more significant than the amendment of the Constitution […] and is an event that could change the shape of the nation.

0 comments · »»

July 23rd, 2008

East Asia , Western Europe

LGBT Youth Exchange [jp] is a joint project by the Center for Gender Studies at International Christian University in Tokyo and Youth and Play Services of the city council of Bristol to bring LGBT youth from England and Japan together. This year, young people from Bristol are invited to come to Japan, and the group is asking for people to donate by purchasing a rainbow coloured bracelet to cover costs.

July 9th, 2008

Japan: Bloggers on food crisis feast, G8 over Skype?

Hanako Tokita · 14:40 · East Asia

lingua → bn · zht · mk · zhs · ar · hi

The G8 Summit at Toyako, Hokkaido [ja], ended on June 9th after three days of meetings, leaving a bitter aftertaste for some bloggers in Japan. With a total cost for organization and security estimated as enough to treat millions of HIV patients, and protests by thousands of farmers and activists from around the world, the event was not without its controversy.

The G8 Summit - New CHITOSE airport (from Flickr user mujitra)

Many bloggers questioned the high costs of the event, pointing out how environmentally unfriendly it was. Blogger gooorii, on the other hand, considered some of the outcomes of the G8 summit to have been positive:

何しろ討議する項目が山積しており、わずか3日間で各国のトップが話し合ってもなかなか纏まる話ではないと思うが、それでも「拉致問題」と言う文言が首脳宣言に載ったり、ジンバブエの不当な大統領選挙問題等にも共同声明のなかで、批判される事は国際的な見地から見た正しい意見として当事国にプレッシャーを与える事になり良いことだと思う。

With such a pile of issues to be discussed, state leaders can have discussions but I don't think that they will be able to come to a conclusion very easily. As a just viewpoint from an international perspective, the inclusion of the “abduction issue” in the Leaders' Statement, and the condemnation of the illegitimate presidential election in Zimbabwe in a joint declaration, place pressure on the countries concerned, and this I think is a good thing.

今回の重要なテーマである、室温効果ガス問題では2日目のG8の中で討議され、福田さんは長期目標を2050年までに５０％削減を決めたい意向であったが、アメリカの提案では、「大量排出国（中国・インド・ブラジル等）抜きの討議は無意味だ」と言う意見で賛成が得られなかった様で、私も当然の事であると思う。

The greenhouse gas issue, which was an important topic this time, was discussed by the G8 on the second day. Mr. Fukuda was hoping to set a longterm goal of a 50% reduction by 2050, but the U.S. suggested that “discussions without major CO2 producing countries (China, India, Brazil, etc) are pointless” and apparently he was not able to get approval from the U.S., which I think is obvious.

[…]

しかし、兎も角、削減努力に対する必要性は各国とも同じであるから3日目の会合こそ大量排出の当事国が、同じテーブルに就いて、話し合いが出来るスタートラインに揃ったところであると私は思うのである。

But in any case, the need for reduction measures is the same for each country, so I think that the mass CO2 producers meeting on the third day, sitting at the same table, will all be at the same starting line for beginning discussions.

The Oxfam G8 Big Heads at Big Letters Performance (from the Oxfam Flickr page)

Blogger jg96aqkg, meanwhile, points out the irony of the G8 dinner:

環境問題、地球温暖化対策、原油高騰、食料危機、北朝鮮の核問題などなど話し合われたようですが凡人の私にはどのような実効性が有るのか全く分かりません。

Apparently subjects including environmental problems, countermeasures against global warming, the rise in petroleum prices, the food crisis and North Korea's nuclear problem were discussed, but as an ordinary person I have no idea what sort of effectiveness this will have.

あるメディアが食料危機の会議場で山ほど盛られた食膳に、あんなご馳走を食べて食料危機に餓えている人間の気持ちが理解できるのかと批判していました。

Some media criticized [the meeting], questioning whether they [the G8] understand the feelings of people who are suffering from hunger as [the G8 attendees] feast on food heaped on at tables in the conference venue where the food crisis was discussed.

各国を代表して出席しているのだからどんな贅沢な食事をしょうがどうでも良いことだが世界各国一人一人の命の尊厳が図られる形になって欲しいものです。

They are participating to represent their country so I couldn't care less what kind of luxurious meals they are eating, but I hope they will do this in a way that respects the dignity of life of every person in the world.

Challenge the G8 Peace Walk (from Flickr user skasuga)

Blogger mkj2 also picks up on the theme of the G8 feast, and writes:

各国の首脳が食べるディナーの話題。
地元の食材をふんだんに使ったメニューでカニだのアスパラだのいいもの使ってまっせっつー。

The story about the dinner that's going to be served for the leaders.
That there is going to be a lot of locally produced food on menu with good stuff like crab and asparagus.
[…]

別に食い物にいちゃもんつけてるわけじゃない。
食い物に始まり、警備だのなんだのに多額の血税が使われる。
それはいい。
世界のＴＯＰが雁首そろえて諸問題を話し合うっていうんだから。

I am not really bitching about the food.
From the food to security and what not, a large amount of taxpayer's money is spent.
That itself is ok.
Because leaders from around the world are gathering and discussing various issues.

ただ。
頼むよほんと。
これだけの金かけて、手間かけて、ガソリンが安くならない、食品の値段が下がらない、なんてことになったらどう責任取るんだ。

But.
Please, for god's sake.
With so much money and effort put into it, if the gasoline prices do not go down, and the food prices do not go down, how are they going to take responsibility [for all of this]?

Toyako from the windsor hotel (where the G8 Summit meetings were held, by Flickr user veroyama)

Finally, blogger fookpaktsuen makes a novel proposal:

四国や九州からの警察の動員２万人余。……で地球温暖化が主要議題、ならこのサミット開催こそ「地球に優しくない」のが事実。もう国連活動に収斂されていいのでは？　テロ襲撃が危険視されるなら各国首脳が一同に介せずSkypeで会議すれば良し。会場からほど遠き農牧地帯で120名のサミット反対デモにデモ参加者上回る数の警官が防備。異常。

Over 20,000 police officers were mobilized from Shikoku and Kyushu… and global warming is the main agenda, while the fact is that holding this summit is itself “earth-unfriendly”. Can't they just converge this within UN activities? If terrorist attacks are considered a threat, then instead of all state leaders getting together, it's better to have the meeting over Skype. The number of police on defense was larger than that of the 120 protesters in the anti-Summit demonstration, [which took place] in a rural area far away from the summit. It's absurd.

(For more pictures of the G8 protests, see pics at the account of Flickr user Powless.)

1 comment · »»

June 17th, 2008

Japan: Iwate-Miyagi Inland Earthquake

Hanako Tokita · 09:47 · East Asia

lingua → mk · zht · zhs

On June 14, an inland earthquake reaching M7.2 on the Richter scale struck the Tohoku region of Japan. In Iwate and Miyagi, the hardest hit prefectures, 10 have been confirmed dead, about a dozen are missing, and more than 200 people have been injured. Although the death toll was relatively small, given that the areas in the vicinity of the epicenter are mostly mountainous, the ground acceleration level during Saturday's earthquake was recorded at 4,022, the highest ever observed in Japan.

Video taken on June 16th from a helicopter of changes after landslide caused by Iwate-Miyagi Inland Earthquake (Mainichi)

Blogger mique writes:

もろに6強をくらった実家でしたが，親兄弟は無事だそうです。道路×・鉄道×なので，連絡が取れたのは助かりました。てか，地震起きた瞬間ちょうど親と電話してました。電話の向こうからガチャガチャ音がしてものが落ちているのがわかりました。テレビ見ていて，生まれた市の名前が連呼されててなんだか変な気分です。母方のおばあちゃんがけがをしたらしく，すごく不安です。

My hometown was hit hard by an upper 6 tremor, but my parents and brothers are fine. The roads and railways were not working so it was good that I got a hold of them. I was actually on the phone with my parents when the earthquake happened. I could hear a rattling noise from the other end of the line and knew that things were falling. It feels strange to hear the name of the place I was born when watching TV. I heard that my grandma from my mum's side got hurt, and I am really worried.

Blogger shinamon describes their experience of the earthquake:

けさ、私の住む宮城県を含んだ地域で、
大きな地震が発生しました。
そのとき、私は仙台駅のホームで東京行きの
新幹線を待っていたところでした。
大きなゆれで、かなり怖かったです。

This morning a huge earthquake hit areas including Miyagi prefecture, where I live.
At that time, I was on the platform at Sendai Station, waiting for the Shinkansen bound for Tokyo.
The tremor was big and I was very scared.

[…]

新幹線が動き出す見込みがつかなかったので、東京行きは
断念。
駅を出て、そのまま職場に向かうことにしました。私の職場は、
土日も学生がアルバイトとして勤務しているのです。
タクシー乗り場に行くと、ガラスが散乱していました。
ホテルの上の階のガラスが割れて落ちてきたようです。
幸い、ケガ人はなかったもよう。
職場の建物も学生さんも無事でした。

It didn't seem that the shinkansen [bullet train] would start running, so I gave up on going to Tokyo.
I decided to leave the station and go straight to my office. At my office, there are part-time student workers who come to work even on the weekend.
When I got to the taxi terminal, there were pieces of broken glass scattered around.
It looked to me like glass windows in the upper levels of a hotel had broken and fallen.
Fortunately, no one was hurt.
The building where my office is located was okay, as were the student workers.

もともと、宮城県は地震が多いところです。
ただ、地震の震源はたいてい宮城県沖か岩手県沖。
内陸震源は少ないんです。ただ、2年ほど前に、宮城県
内陸震源の震度６強の地震があったとは思いますが。

Miyagi prefecture is a place that gets hit by earthquakes frequently.
However, epicenters are usually located off the coast of Miyagi or Iwate.
There aren't a lot of them happening inland, although I think there was an inland earthquake [that measured] lower 6 on the Seismic scale a couple of years ago.

また、宮城県は30年以内に大地震がくる確立が90％と
言われています。でも、今回の地震はそれではない気が
します。

Also, it is said that there is a 90% chance of a huge earthquake in Miyagi within the next 30 years. But I don't think today's earthquake was it.

Blogger simatyu describes their reaction to the earthquake:

時間が経つにつれ被害の大きさが見えてきました。山１つ丸ごと崩れてしまっていて驚きと怖さを感じます。
そして考えてしまうのは同じ規模の地震が東京に来たらどうなってしまうのだろうということ。
考えるだけでも恐ろしくなります。東京都心直下型の大地震が来ないことをただただ祈るばかりです。
また、被災された方々が早く元通りの暮らしが出来るようになればよいなぁと思います。

As time goes by, the magnitude of the damaged has become clear. I feel astonishment and fear that a whole mountain collapsed.
What I cannot help thinking about is what would happen if an earthquake of the same scale hit Tokyo.
Just the thought of it scares me. I can only pray that no epicentral earthquake will ever hit Tokyo.
Also, I hope that those people who were struck by the earthquake will be able to go back to their normal life soon.

1 comment · »»

May 24th, 2008

Japan: Experiences at IDAHO

Hanako Tokita · 08:49 · East Asia

lingua → mk · sq

idaho On the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO), Japanese LGBT communities organized several events and street activities in several cities across the country. With a slogan of “Yes to sexual diversity” (多様な性にYES!), various groups broadcast messages promoting a society where differences and diversity are accepted and respected.

Blogger 2in20 nagoya reports success [ja] at the IDAHO street event in Nagoya. Blogger Endo Mameta, one of the active organizers of idaho-net, as well as of the IDAHO events in Yokohama and Tokyo, describes what happened in Yokohama:

横浜は革命的(？)だった。開始直前から、おっちゃん連中に絡まれた。
昼間からワンカップ片手、というようなおっちゃんたち。
「なんだ、これ。同性愛って、なんだよ？それ？」
げげげげー怖いかもとか思いながら説明すると

Yokohama was revolutionary(?). Before we even started, we were hassled by a bunch of old men.
They had a One-Cup in their hand in the middle of the day, [they were] that kind of bunch.
“What's this? Homosexuals, What the hell is this?”
I started explaining, thinking “ugh, they are kinda scary”, and then they said:

「おまえ、そんなの、当たり前だろう！？同性愛だのなんだのって、愛があれば、おまえ、それでいいに決まっているだろう！？」とかって半分怒り出す。ものすごく肯定的、なんである。

“Hey, hell yeah! Homosexuals or whatever you are, love is all you need right!?” and started getting angry. They were extremely positive.

「だから、それをいおうとしているんです」とかいうと、おっちゃん、ものすごく応援してくれる。

So I said “That's what we are trying to say”, and the old guy was very supportive.

[…]

そして、おっちゃんが、とうとうマイクを握る(！)

「通行中のみなさん！同性愛ってきいて、どう思いますか！？同性だの、異性だのって、愛というのは安らぎがあれば、それで大事なことだとは思いませんか？？」

And eventually, the guy grabs the mic!

“All you passers-by, how do you feel when you hear about homosexuality? Whether homosexuals or heterosexuals, the important thing about love is that you have the comfort, don't you think??”

IDAHO street event at Shinjuku Station, Tokyo

Blogger DASS, who was also at the Yokohama event, writes:

宣言があった１９９０年って、意外と最近だったんでビックリしてます。
これがなかったら、ゲイの環境って今よりも厳しくて自分の生き方はどうなってたんだろう、海外で認められている同性婚やパートナーシップなんてなかったかも、そんなことを思いながら見てました。

I am surprised that it was only 1990 that the declaration was made — it is surprisingly recent.
While I was watching, it occurred to me that without [the declaration], the circumstances for gays today would have been more difficult, and I thought about what my way of life would have been like, and that perhaps same-sex marriage and partnership that are now recognized overseas might never have been possible.

[…]

行ってみて思うのはすぐには何か変るわけではないけど、こういったことが出来るようになったってことは、１９９０年には想像もつかなかったことなのかなと思います。こういった活動が許されるのも昨今の近隣の国の状況を見ると、恵まれてるのかもしれません。僕はヘタレだから表だった活動は苦手です。でも、頑張っている人は応援したいなと思って行ってきました。自分の街でもこういったことが行われるようになったのはやはりうれしいです。

Now that I have been to this event, what I realize is that things don't change all of a sudden, but [at the same time I realize that] back in 1990 it was unthinkable that we would be able to do something like this. When you look at the current situations in neighbouring countries, I think we are fortunate. I am a chicken so I have difficulties with activities that stand out. But I went there wanting to support people who are making these kind of efforts. Indeed, I am happy that things like this can happen in my city now.

From Kobe, akaboshi reports the IDAHO street activity and posts a series of pictures and videos (here and here) which capture the severe reality of Japanese society and the experience of some of the participants.

Video by akaboshi titled “The severe reality”

Blogger Novkun (Akasugi Yasunobu) writes about the Gay Pride Parade in Kobe, which was held the day after IDAHO:

神戸のパレードは、札幌・東京・大阪のようなLGBT当事者による団体がすべてを主催するという形ではなく、「神戸まつり」という全市的なお祭りのパレードの一グループとして参加する形をとっています。パレードも各地によって色々な形態が出てきて、参加者としても選択の余地が出てきたのは、よいことだなぁと思います。どこが優れているというのではなく、あくまで並列な形でね。

The parade in Kobe is not like the ones in Sapporo, Tokyo and Osaka, where everything is organized by the LGBT communities themselves; in Kobe, we participate as one of the groups marching in a parade as part of a city-wide festival called “Kobe Matsuri”. As there have been various styles of parade in different places, I think it's a great thing that participants have a choice. It's not about which one is better, but more about having a parallel structure.

Finally, Maruyama Tenoru, a prolific blogger on the topic of LGBT issues, reflects on the events and discusses the situation of LGBT community in Japan:

＜差別＞あるいは＜偏見＞といった言葉で、つい簡単にくくりたくなってしまうが、実際のところ、日本では、そうした言葉がふさわしいのかどうか、微妙な感じもする。
　たとえばイランでは、累計”数千人”という”規模”で同性愛者が”処刑”されてきたと伝えられているなど、徹底した差別がある。差別などという”生やさしい”表現では済まないだろう。”虐殺”と言い換えても良さそうだ。まさに、同性愛者を根絶やしにしようとしている。

Words like “discrimination” and “prejudice”, while I don't want to bundle things together so easily [with these words], but in actual fact, in Japan, I have a strange feeling that these kinds of words are actually applicable.
It has been reported for example that in Iran, homosexuals are executed in the thousands, and there is relentless discrimination. Probably a mild expression like “discrimination” is not enough. “Massacre” is more like it. They are trying to literally eradicate homosexuals.

　比べてしまえば、日本の同性愛者／LGBT（レズビアン・ゲイ・バイセクシュアル・トランスジェンダー）に対する差別・偏見は、炙り出されて殺されることなどない分、まだ”まし”なほうだと呑み込んで、事を荒立てずに静かにしておれば良いではないか———と考える当事者が少なくない。目立った活動には及び腰になって、傍観者に徹しようとする。
　同時に、同性愛者／LGBTではない多数の人たちは、当事者の気持ちが読めていないこともあり、いったい誰がどんな差別をしているのか———と訝しげな表情を浮かべたりもする。そもそも、日常の場面で同性愛者に出くわすことなど滅多にない非同性愛者／非LGBTの人たちの感覚からすれば、身に覚えのない言い掛かりを付けられているような気分になるような人たちも、中にはお出でになるかも知れない。

There are more than a few people who think that, in comparison [to the situation is Iran], discrimination and prejudice against Japanese homosexuals/LGBT are much less serious, since Japanese don't get smoked out and killed, [and so they think that] it's better to be quiet and not aggravate things. They shy away from activities that stand out and stay on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, the majority of people who are not homosexual/LGBT, because they don't understand the feelings of [homosexual/LGBT people], give you a dubious look, and feel like they are being accused of something, but they don't know what. There may be some among them who have hardly ever even encountered homosexuals / LGBT.

[…]

　日本では、いわゆる＜ゲイリブ＞が、当の同性愛者／LGBTからも敬遠されてきた風潮は、いまでも健在かと想う。もちろん、とても残念なことではあるが。

In Japan, I think there is still a prominent climate in which so-called “gay lib” has been shunned by the very parties concerned, the homosexuals/LGBT. Needless to say, this is very unfortunate.

[…]

　敬遠派には、ゲイリブ派の行動が、取って付けたようにわざとらしく映るに違いない。火のないところに、わざわざ火を点けて、火事だ火事だと大騒ぎをしているかのように。
　しかし、本当のところはそうでなく、ゲイリブ派は、日本でも声を上げ、きちんとやっておかなくてはならないことを、真剣にやろうとしているだけだ。
　つまり、たとえ同性愛者／LGBTの誰かが、黙っておとなしく隠れていることなく、素のまま、ありのままの自分として生きようと決断しても、同じ人間として、非同性愛者／非LGBT（＝異性愛者／ヘテロセクシュアル）たちの只中にあってさえ、臆することなく平気の平左で生きられるように、また、こと左様に生きやすい世の中にしたいと念じながら。
　求めるところは単純で、要するに意想の転換である。

To those who shun gay lib, actions taken by gay lib groups must look far-fetched and theatrical. It looks as though they are lighting a fire where there is no fire, then making a lot of noise saying that there is a fire.
In reality, however, that is not the case, and the gay lib group is only trying to speak out and do things that must be done, in a serious way.
In other words, they are hoping to realize a world in which a homosexual/LGBT person who decides not to be quiet, not to remain hidden, but to live as he/she really is, surrounded by non-homosexual/non-LGBT (ie. heterosexual) people — a world in which this person can live without feeling daunted or bothered, a world where it is comfortable [for this person] to live equally as a human being.
What is sought here is simple, and that is changing the way of thinking.

0 comments · »»

May 18th, 2008

Japan: A surge of suicides

Hanako Tokita · 01:49 · East Asia

lingua → bn · es · zht · zhs

Over the past few weeks, the Japanese media have been extensively reporting suicide cases associated with the use of hydrogen sulfide gas, providing detailed description of ingredients and methods used, as well as victims' profiles. The recent media reporting has been so extensive and sensationalized that the Japan Suicide Prevention Association requested that media organizations be more careful with their reporting [jp]. The phenomenon has stirred up conversation among Japanese bloggers, who hold differing views on the topic.

Blogger Misuto comments on the recent phenomenon:

一日に約、90人
が自殺により命をおとすようです
年間3万人
自殺原因第一位は、鬱によるものらしいです
勿論先進国のなかで一位
それにしても多いですね、驚いた
最近なんかはニュースで
硫化水素自殺のニュースが非常に多いですよね
これから自殺者が年々減っていけばよいのですが・・・。

About 90 people per day commit suicide.
30,000 people in a year.
The number one reason for suicides is apparently depression.
Of course this is the highest among industrialized countries.
Anyway, this is a lot, I'm surprised.
Recently, there have been a lot of news reports about cases of suicide by hydrogen sulfide gas.
I hope that the number of suicides will decrease…

Blogger hakobe writes:

自殺を防ぐ（＝生きたいと思わせる）には
その人自身が必要とされているという実感
と
必要とされたいと思えるような相手（社会，人…etc）
が必要なんだと思う．

To prevent suicides (i.e. to make people want to live),
the actual feeling that one is needed,
and
the somebody one wants to be needed by (society, people…etc)
are needed, I think.

硫化水素自殺が流行っているらしい．
硫化水素を発生させるための情報や薬品の排除がすすめられているようだけど，「今」「硫化水素で」自殺する人が減る「かもしれない」だけの対症療法．

“対症療法”をいくら重ねても，こんな世の中のままじゃ自殺予備軍はきっと減らないよ．

I hear that suicides by hydrogen sulfide gas are spreading.
Although the removal of chemicals as well as information on how to produce hydrogen sulfide gas is being carried out, this is only a stopgap measure which “might” reduce the number of people who commit suicide “by hydrogen sulfide” “now”.

No matter how many measures may be taken, if society remains as it is, the number of potential suicides will probably not decrease.

Poster for an anti-suicide campaign by an local municipality in Tokyo: “We want you to live”

Some bloggers are critical of the media's handling of the cases. This blogger suggests that the media stop reporting suicides altogether:

自殺の連鎖を食い止める方法をなんとかせないかんの違いますかね？

Isn't it that we have to do something to stop the cycle of suicides?

人はなぜか、「やって！」というとやらないで、
「しないで欲しい」っていうと、やってしまう。。。
そういう傾向ってありますよね。

だから、メディアでやめてくださいみたいなことをいうと
やっちゃう人でてくるんじゃないっすかね？

For some reason, there is a tendency where people don't do things that they are asked to do, and do things that they are told not to do.

So, when the media say “don't do this”, then there will be people who do it, won't there?

そのメディアも、たしかに真実を伝えるっていうことは重要ですが、
逆に硫化水素自殺の報道を一切やめるっていうのはどうでしょうかね？

Certainly it is important for the media to report the truth,
but how about stop reporting hydrogen sulfide gas suicides altogether?

日本ってのは情報に流されやすいのか、
テレビで取り扱わなかった場合ってあっという間に飽きられると
私は思うんです。そう。飽きっぽい。

ちょい前に「韓流ブーム」とか、「ハンカチ王子」とかあったでしょ？

放送しなかったら途端に忘れちゃう人が多いと思うんです。
※本当に好きな人は別で。

Japanese are easily swayed by information,
and things get old really fast when they are no longer seen on TV, that's what I think.
That's right, people get tired of things easily.

A while ago, there were the “Korea boom” and “Hankachi Ōji (Handkerchief Prince)”, remember?

I think that there are many things that people would forget about if they were not broadcast.
*except for those people who really like these things.

「毒ギョーザ事件」

ほら。忘れてたでしょ？

The poison dumpling incident

See, you forgot all about it right?

まだ問題は解決してませんが、うやむやのまま流れていくんです。

私も含め、そういう日本の特質というんでしょうか
飽きっぽいのは悪い癖だと思うんです。

The problem has not been solved yet, but will be left unsolved.

This is a kind of characteristic of Japanese people, myself included
I think it's a bad habit.

んじゃ、硫化水素のこともメディアで取り扱わなかったら
その自殺の連鎖も止まるかもしれません！！
そうだ！マスコミがその鍵を握っているんだぁぁぁ！！

。。。ふぅ

And so, if the media do not cover hydrogen sulfide cases, then perhaps the circle of suicide can be broken!!
That's right! The media hold the key!!

…phew

Blogger taishibrian discusses how the Internet has become the target of blame and points out that the Japanese media do not comply with the guideline set by WHO for media reporting of suicide cases:

オープンかつフラットなネットの世界においては、例えば漂白用に使う硫化水素の発生リスクについて書かれたページもあれば、硫化水素よりも致死性が高いであろう有機系の薬品に関する記載もあったりします。ただしその情報は、目的を持って検索されなければ普通の人の目には触れるはずのないものであり、マスコミがその情報に到達させるようなヒントを流しているというリスクも考えなければいけません。そしてそれを削除せよなんて後手の対策はいたちごっこでしかなく、練炭の次は硫化水素、その次は。。。という悪循環に陥るだけです。

In the open and flat world of the Internet, there are, for example, sites about the risk of hydrogen sulfide gas in bleaching, as well as sites describing organic chemicals with much higher lethality than hydrogen sulfide. However, this information cannot be exposed to ordinary people's eyes unless they purposefully search for it, and it should be taken into consideration the risk that the mass media might provide a hint about how to get to the information. And a follow-up measure to try to delete it is just a cat-and-mouse game and only creates a vicious cycle: [first you have] briquette coal, and next is hydrogen sulfide, and next is…

WHOでは自殺予防ガイドラインとして、メディアが遵守すべき自殺防止への報道のあり方を定義しています。
http://www8.cao.go.jp/souki/tebiki.pdf（PDFファイル）
●写真や遺書を公表しない
●自殺の方法について詳細に報道しない
●原因を単純化して報じない
●自殺を美化したりセンセーショナルに報じない
●宗教的・文化的な固定観念を用いない
●自殺を責めない

これらは逆に現在のマスコミの報道姿勢をそのまま示している感じすらするような内容です。[…]

As guidelines, the WHO defines the way in which media should report the news in order to prevent suicides:
(see here for English version)
*Don't publish photographs or suicide notes
*Don't report detailed description of the method used.
*Don't give simplistic reasons
*Don't glorify or sensationalize suicide
*Don't use religious or cultural stereotypes
*Don't apportion blame.

These points almost seem like they are describing what the current state of the mass media is.[…]

6 comments · »»

April 23rd, 2008

Japan: Where has all the butter gone?

Hanako Tokita · 15:03 · East Asia

lingua → hi · de · es · bn · jp · zht · zhs

Where is the butter? — cry Japanese consumers who have been hunting everywhere for the dairy product. The drastic reduction in raw milk production, complicated by hikes in the price of grain as well as changes in the global patterns of dairy product consumption, have caused a serious butter shortage in Japan. Empty shelves in the dairy section of grocery stores across the country have not seen a shipment of butter for days, and stores are posting signs apologizing for the shortage.

Butter shortage
An empty shelf at a grocery store with a sign explaining that the management does not know when the next shipment of butter will come.

While many bloggers complain about the shortage and the inconvenience caused by it, the blogger at Bebe Kobo, who operates a small-scale family-run dairy farm, gives their insight into the problems the dairy farmers are facing, which have resulted in this butter shortage:

たびたびＴＶや新聞で報道されているように、バター不足が深刻です。

As has been covered in TV and newspapers, the shortage of butter is serious.

既に報道されていますが、原因は主に牛乳不足といわれています。
牛乳の消費がここ数年ずっと伸び悩んでおり、2006年には北海道で牛乳を廃棄する光景が見られました。そしてかなりの数の牛が殺処分になりました。
それより以前は脱脂粉乳の処分に困り、組合を通じてセメント袋ほどの大きさの袋に入った脱脂粉乳を酪農家は天引きの形で買わされたり、（現在では信じられないけど）年末には大量のバターをこれまた天引きで強制的に買わされていました。

The cause of the shortage, as reported already, is said to be the shortage of milk.
The consumption of milk has been stagnant, and in 2006 milk was seen being disposed of in Hokkaido. Also, a large number of cows were slaughtered.
Before that, they could not get rid of powered skim milk, so dairy farmers were forced to buy powered skim milk in big bags the size of cement bags, such that the cost was deducted from their pay checks through the co-op. Also, at the year-end, they were forced again to buy a huge amount of butter with money deducted from their pay check (which seems unbelievable today).

牛乳の消費の伸び悩み。この原因はいくつかあります。いろいろな清涼飲料が増えたこと、少子化で学校での牛乳消費が減っていること、アレルギー、そしてアレルギーでもないのに病的に牛乳を悪者に仕立てる一部の人々…………。ひどいブログだと牛乳をけなしたあげく酪農家は無くなればよい、と書いているものまでありました。

The stagnant consumption of milk — there are a few causes. There are many different kinds of soft drinks. Milk consumption at school is decreasing because of the low birthrate. Allergies, and some people who are not even allergic but frantically make milk sound like a bad thing… I found some terrible blog(s) that put down milk and said that they hoped that dairy farmers would vanish.

ことに2005年4月にサンマーク出版から発行された新谷弘実著の「病気にならない生き方」という本。物凄いヒットでした。
これが酪農家だけでなくまともな学者も怒りだすほどとにかく「牛乳が悪い」という価値観で書かれていて、ただでさえ消費が伸び悩む牛乳に決定的なダメージを一時は与えました。

In particular, a book by Shintani Hiromitsu titled “The lifesyle that does not make you sick” from Sunmark Publishing. It was a remarkable hit.
This book was written from a point of view that says that “milk is bad”, something which made not only dairy farmers but also sensible academics angry, and also critically damaged the image of milk that was already suffering the sluggish consumption.

[…]
2006年に牛を大量処分したツケは確実に消費者を直撃しました。そのひとつがバター不足です。
子牛が一人前になって牛乳を出せるようになるには最低でも2年以上かかります。
自然の摂理に逆らうことはできないのです。

[…]
The consequences of mass slaughtering of cows certainly hit consumers directly. The butter shortage is one of these consequences.
For a calf to grow old enough to produce milk, it takes more than 2 years.
You cannot go against natural law.

乳製品は化学製品ではありません。健全に牛を飼う構造が機能しないと今後もバター不足のようなことは頻発します。
消費者の皆様のご理解を心よりお願い申し上げます。

Dairy products are not chemical products. If the structure for raising cows in a healthy manner does not function, things like shortages in butter happen frequently.
I sincerely ask you consumers for your understanding.

Then in a different entry posted on a later day, the blogger lists the major factors cause the current butter shortage.

1　ＥＵ加盟国（フランスなど）が乳製品の輸出のための補助金が付かなくなり、従来日本などに輸出されていたバターが国内消費に回されていること、中国やロシアやインドなどの生活水準が上がり、そちらにバターなどが流れているという事情も輸入バターの不足に繋がっています。

1. In the EU countries (such as France), dairy export is no longer subsidized, and butter that has previously been exported to Japan and other countries is now been allocated to domestic consumption. Also, the fact that people's living standards in China, Russia, and India have been rising and that butter has been diverted to these places, has caused a shortage of imported butter.

2　加えて豪州は2年連続の大干ばつ。酪農家の飼料代高騰の大きな原因になっている他バターなどの輸出量に影響を及ぼしています。

2. In addition, Australia has been experiencing the Big Dry for two consecutive years. This has not only caused a rise in feed prices but has also affected the amount of butter exported.

3　国内事情は前の日記に書いたように牛乳不足でうまくバターなどに牛乳が回りません。
またバターを製造すると脱脂粉乳ができるのですが、脱脂粉乳が売れずまた在庫を抱えることになるので、一気にバターの製造量を増やせない事情があります。
例えば缶コーヒーなどでも最近は脱脂粉乳より生乳を加えたものの方が味が良いため、飲用乳がそちらに回り、生乳不足に拍車をかけています。

3. The domestic situation is that, as I wrote in my diary before, milk is not allocated sufficiently because of the shortage of milk.
Also, because skim milk is produced when butter is made, if powdered skim milk cannot be sold then stockpiles build up, creating a situation in which the quantity of butter produced cannot be increased all at once.
For example, things like canned coffee taste better when fresh milk is added instead of skimmed milk, and so the supply of fresh milk is diverted for this, intensifying the fresh milk shortage.

とにかく酪農の安定した推移や、乳製品のバランスのよい需給対策を抜本的に国レベルで考えない限りまたバター不足は繰り返されると懸念しています。
「食糧の自給」問題の一端がこのバター騒動です。

In any case, unless a well-balanced supply-demand measure for dairy products is taken drastically at the national level, I am concerned that the butter shortage will be repeated. All the fuss over butter is one part of the “food self-sufficiency” problem.

24 comments · »»

April 14th, 2008

Japan: Architect bloggers stand against redevelopment plan

Hanako Tokita · 03:40 · East Asia

lingua → jp · zht · zhs

One of the most prominent modern architectural works in Japan is facing possible demolition. Japan Post, privatized last October, announced last year its plan to build a 200m building in place of the current structure, and part of the plan is scheduled to be carried out as early as May.

The Tokyo Central Post Office building was designed by Yoshida Tetsuro, a Japanese modern architect who also designed other buildings commissioned by the Ministry of Communications, and was completed in 1931. The building is listed by DoCoMoMo International as one of the 20 outstanding modern architectural works in Japan. With the old Marunouchi Building (Blog Subarashiki shinsekai[jp] has a series of photos of the building), Sanshin Building (Tokyo Lost Architecture has photos ) and others already swept by a wave of mega-redevelopment in the area adjacent to Tokyo Station, the Post Office building is one the last few historical buildings which remain standing today. (Tokyo Lost Architecture [jp] has been documenting pictures of the buildings that were torn down.)

Tokyo Central Office
Tokyo Central Post Office building (Photo by Flickr user osmatsuda Creative Commons licensed see license conditions)

The redevelopment plan has faced opposition from architects as well as Diet members and citizen groups who are demanding that the building designated an Important Cultural Property. Concerned bloggers have been expressing their concern and calling for preservation of the historical building.

Blogger schinkel has posted pictures of the Post Office building and writes that Japanese people will regret the loss of their cultural heritage one day in the future

言わずと知れた近代モダニズム建築を代表する作品。
しかしネットが張られており解体待ちといった風情だ。この国の文化的精神的貧困と洞察力の無さを象徴する光景と言える。
現代の東京の超高層ビルは1930年代における東京中央郵便局程には東アジア地域で傑出した建築ではない。いつの日か政治的にも経済的にも完全に周辺諸国の後塵を拝したときに初めて、語るべきかつての栄光ある歴史の残滓はほとんど何も残っていないことの悲哀が身にしみるのだろう。

Needless to say, this is work that represents modernist architecture.
But covered with nets, from its appearance the building looks like it is waiting to be demolished. This is a sight that symbolizes the poverty of cultural spirit and lack of perceptiveness in this country.
The skyscrapers in Tokyo today are not the preeminent East Asian architecture that the Tokyo Central Post Office was in the 1930s. It will only be one day in the future, when Japan has fallen behind its neighboring countries politically and economically, that the sadness will hit us, seeing that there is almost nothing left that is reminiscent of this country's glorious history.

Blogger and graphics designer solidThinking discusses the architectural value of the Post Office building and reflects on their experience from a trip to Amsterdam:

日本人は、どうもこうして文化遺産をいとも簡単に壊してしまうのでしょうかか？　一度壊された物は元に戻りません。
これら二つの郵便局は、日本の伝統の柱と梁というシンプルな形状を近代建築＝モダンスタイル　に応用したもので、西洋建築を模倣した、建築物と一線を画します。　これらの設計は、日本と深い関係がある、アントニン　レイモンドや、ブルーノ　タウトが賞賛したデザインです。　…

Why do Japanese people so readily destroy cultural heritage like this? What is destroyed never comes back.
In these two post offices, the traditional Japanese simple structure called post-and-beam is applied to modern architecture/modern style, and they are thus clearly different from buildings that emulated western architecture. These designs have strong connection with Japan, and were praised by Antonín Raymond and Bruno Taut.[…]

アムステルダムでは、ファサードを残し、中身を改造する建築方法と採用しています。　私が訪れた時にも、運河沿いに銀行が作られていましたが、本当に皮一つ（ファサード）のみを残して後は、全部新築です。　昔の町並みを残そうとするその試みは、民族性＝オリジナリティを残す事です。

In Amsterdam, they use a building method in which they leave the facades and renovate the inside. When I visited Amsterdam, they were building a bank along the canal, leaving only the facade and building everything else from scratch. The effort to preserve old cityscapes is an effort that also preserves national traits and originality.

Architect-blogger kurarc archiscape further describes the historical background of the building:

東京中央郵便局は建築家吉田鉄郎の設計による。郵政事業が民営化されたこともありこの建築物のある部分（またはすべて）を壊し、高層化しようという方向性が打ち出されている。その方向に異議をとなえようという会である。

The Tokyo Central Post Office was designed by architect Yoshida Tetsuro. As operations of postal services have been privatized, there has been a plan to demolish parts of the building (or all of it) and build a high-rise building. This is a group that opposes the plan.

この建築が建設された当時、ブルーノ・タウトがこの建築物を見学している。残されたタウトの日記によると、1933年の5月28日にタウトは建築家吉田鉄郎、山田守、谷口吉郎とこの建築を見学している。タウトはこの建築を「非常にすぐれている・・・・同氏（吉田）の建築は極めて即物的だ」として、吉田鉄郎を「最高の力量を具えた建築家」として絶賛している。

Bruno Taut saw this building at the time that it was built. According to the diary he left, on May 28, 1933, Taut toured the building with architects Yoshida Tetsuro, Yamada Mamoru, and Taniguchi Yoshiro. He described the architecture as “exceptional,” said that “his (Yoshida's) achitecture is extremely utilitarian” and praised Yoshida Tetsuro as “an architect of the highest caliber”.

Arichitect Koichiro　Kanematsu of Hibi from an architect, one of the active organizers of an advocacy group, calls his readers for help:

そして、東京中央郵便局。
郵政の中に昨年来「歴史検討委員会」（非公開）が設置されて審議されてきたが、このままだとほんの一部を貼り付けて高層化し、民意を受けて保存したのだといわれかねない。思い余って、危機感を持つ多くの人と共に「東京中央郵便局を重要文化財にする会」を設立することになった。
時間がない。[…]

And the Tokyo Central Post Office.
Last year, “the committee on Historical reviews”(not open to the public) was established within the Postal Service, and this was put on the table. However, if nothing is done, [the building] will be made into a high-rise with only parts [of the old building] attached, and they will claim that they preserved it in accordance with the will of the people. Not knowing what to do, with many others who have a sense of crisis, we decided to launch “The association to make the Central Post Office an important cultural property”.
We do not have time. […]

このブログを読んでくださる方々にお願いしたい。ぜひ発起人に名前を連ねていただきたいのです。恐縮ですが、ブログにリンクさせている僕のHPの「イベント情報」欄を、ぜひ開いてください。たってのお願いです。

I would like to ask those of you who are reading this blog to join the list of organizers. I would very much appreciate it if you could go to the event section of my website, which is linked to from this blog. This is my urgent request.

Another architect-blogger Nozawa Masamitsu writes that the formation of the group is an unprecedented movement:

「中央郵便局を重文にする会」は事態の急な動きを受け、１００人を超える発起人を集めて動きがしたという形のようだ。市民の参加が力強い。国会議員による動きもあり、党派を超えた２０人を超える議員による「会」できているとのことであった。今までに無い動きではないか。
吉田鉄郎という稀有な建築家について考える機会ともなろう。原状を極力回復し保存活用を望む。私は先日ウイーンでワグナーの郵便貯金局が活用されながらミュージアムとなっているのを見てきたばかりだ。彼此の差を考えざるを得ない。

“The association to make the Central Post Office an important cultural property” was formed when over 100 organizers gathered in response to sudden developments in the situation. There is power in citizen participation. I think this will be a chance to think about this extraordinary architect Yoshida Tetsuro. I hope [that the building will be] recovered as much as possible, preserved and made use of. I just saw Wagner's Post Office Savings Bank in Vienna the other day being used as a museum. I can't help thinking about these differences.

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April 6th, 2008

East Asia

Blogger Maruyama Teruno discusses the gay-unfriendly nature of the Japanese family registry system, referred to as koseki, and argues that the system lacks consideration for the privacy of individuals. Even if partnership law was implemented but the current family registry system remained the same, it could potentially violate the privacy of those who do not wish to reveal their sexual orientation to their family and relatives.

East Asia

7th Tokyo Pride Parade (TTP7th) has been announced and the official blog [jp]has been launched. Scheduled for August 9, the theme for this year's TPP is “matsuri”, or festival in Japanese.