Do you stand up when your country's national flag raising up the pole?

Do you stand up while your country's national flag is going up the pole? or not?

In Japan, there are many people who won't stand up. Especially not stand-up people are there, particularly among school teachers.

It is always a very controversial topic, when those teachers won't stand up at official ceremony, such as graduation or entrance ceremony at school.

Yesterday, Osaka - Ishin no kai (Osaka revolutionary Party), headed by  incumbent Osaka Hu Governor Toru Hashimoto, proposed a bill to crack down those teachers at public schools for their neglect of duty.
In  this bill, there is no penalty related articles. But the party is planning to propose a separate bill that includes the penalties, that enables Osaka Hu Government dismiss those teachers.

This argument may sounds a little odd.

But given the fact that are so many teachers at WWII era who strongly encouraged their students to become soldiers under the national flag, Hinomaru,  for me, it is still make sense that there are many teachers who won't blindly stand up to respect Japanese national flag. They are trying not to follow the past history.

Of course, it's very sad that there still are many teachers that can't show their respect to the national flag.
While I would be outside the county,  when I see Japanese flag,  it always makes me feel reassured.
I like singing Japanese national anthem, while watching Worldcup, whether it is for football, baseball, volley ball, or even table tennis, it doesn't matter.

But I don't think it's a good idea to regulate people by law to stand up in front of the national flag.
And I think it is healthy for our society if we admits different opinions, and allow those teachers working at schools.

I welcome any opinions, objections of yours.

Pic is Toru Hashimoto, the Govenor of Osaka Pref.

Where did Mr. Son's donation go?

One day before Mr. Son, CEO of Softbank made his announcement of his intention to donate his personal money, Mr. Mikitatani, CEO and founder of Rakuten Co, one of the most famous EC portal,  had announced that he would donate his personal JPY 1 Bn (approx. 12M USD). And he had already sent his money to some NPO organizations.

OK, Mr. Mikitani san is quick for everything.

MR. Yanai, CEO of FastRetailing Co, whose brand is very famous as Uniqlo, had also donated JPY 1 Bn.

It turned out Mr. Yanai's donation was completed one week faster than Mr. Mikitani.

So, it is very natural for our ordinal people to wonder where Mr. Son's donation did go.

The answer is 'not yet'.  He has NOT even sent just ONE yen to any organizations.

Softbank's PR dept replied that 'Mr. Son is busy. So he is still looking for the appropriate organization to donate for.'
It purportatedly told that the one of the appropriate organizaitions that is appropriate for Mr.Son to donate is one of SoftBank's subsidiary company. If this is the case, is it worth for him to announce that he would donate JPY 10 Bn. publicly?


Meanwhile, thanks largely to Mr Son's announcement about his donation with surprising amount of money, SoftBank became No.1 as most favorable company.

During couple of days, the new announcement of Mr.Son, made with Governor of Kanagawa pref. and Sizuoka Pref. ,surprised every ordinary people that he would invest in solar eletricity generation business in allign with total of 19 regional prefs, and cities.

OK, the annoucement again. He always blows up big balloons before he do anything.
(He is really a genius to get public attendions.)

So, let's see what those project end up with.

Tepco has just publicly disclosed the video which captures Tsunami hit Fukushima Nuclear plant

Two months later after the incidents, Tokyo Denryoku (Tepco) newly  disclosed the video which captured how Tsunami hit the facility at Fukushima nuclear power plant.

The movie and picture shows Tsunami went over 10m seawall and went up to the top of  tank which hight was 5m.

But why did this disclosure have to be two months later?
Also, yesterday was the first date of the worker on site, went into the #3 reactor facility.

this is the video clip of the news show.
How Tsunami hit the facility shows up from 00:28 to 01:45.
http://www.fnn-news.com/news/headlines/articles/CONN00199726.html

What's our concern now is how to reduce electric power usage in the summer

Now our hottest topic is how we can reduce the electricity consumption in summer. When you walk in Tokyo, you'll realise many escalators out there are stopped, such as in train station, office buildings.

That's all because we need to reduce the electricity consumption to avoid the unexpected power outage.

Auto makers expressed that they will close the factories on weekdays and operates on Saturdays and Sundays. But this kind of attempts are not only for the auto maker industries, but usual business offices are planning to change each office hours from 9:00-17:00 to 8:00-16:00.

Those decisions are up to each company's decisions, but I know that many companies will do these things, because it is expected to reduce 15% of the power consumption against previous year.

So, I am wondering why Japanese Gov. is not officially introduce summer time.

By the way, many portal sites, such as Yahoo, Nikkei News Corp, is showing their forecast of the current and future power consumption on their top page (see below), so everyone can know how much power is used at the moment.  You will be able to see this at http://www.yahoo.co.jp/

One worker at Fukushima nuclear power plant collapsed and died

Yesterday, a worker who was working within the Fukushima nuclear power plant reactor collapsed on site, and brough to the hospital immediately, but unfortunately died yesterday in his early 60s. The death is because of the cardiac infarct.

Now the conditions to work within the facility is incredibly difficult. The workers are supposed to wear special anti-radio active uniforms and carry air tank on his back, put on the full-face mask which has a filter not to inhale radio infected substances. With all of those equipment and suit equipped, which becomes 15Kg,  the workers are implmenting the water hoses, which sometimes becomes 20kg,  into the facility by carrying it over their shoulders to cool down the reactor. Also , the environement in the facility is high temperature (34 - 40 C) and high humidity (94 -99%) now.

It is not good work environment at all for everyone, espcially for the man in his 60s.


Workers on site purpotatedly say that 'It is like wearing sauna suite in summer. Within 15 minutes, mask are filled with the sweat tearing down from the face. And we can't drink water two or three hours when once we get into the facility.'

As I said, we trust in those worker's devotions, hardworing in Fukushima plant, where 1,934 people are on duty.  But I believe it's time for Japanese Government to take initiatives to improve the work envirionment and some measures to help make the facility settled much faster.

This picture is taken when they survey the facility before the implementaion work of those hoses.

Chubu Electric determined to ceaze the up and running Hamaoka nuclear power plant

On May 6th, Prime Minister Kan requested for Chubu Electric to cease up-and-running No.4 and No.5 reactors at Hamaoka nuclear powerplant.
It was a sudden request for everybody. As Kan admits, he only consulted with his very close couple members to determine his mind, to avoid interventions from various interest party.

It was so sudden that the one of the respoinsible entities of the Governement for nuclear power plant operations ,  the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, which surveyed the facility at the end of April, and approved that Hamaoka facility had completed the immediate additaional measurement to prevent electricity outage that had caused Fukushima plant severe damage, had to announce that the request of PM Kan is coming from out of the regurations, that allow Goverment to cease nuclear power plant operation in case it is considered that the facility does not have enough safety standard. The agency  also concluded at the end of April's survey that Hamaoka would be safe from the level of the Tsunami that hit Fukushima because Hamaoka facitily located on the hill 10 meter up from the sea surface.

Prime Minister Kan pointed out the reasons for Hamaoka nuclear power plant to stop it operations that;
Hamaoka locates in the area where the level 6 intensity of the earthquake are anticipated to happen with more than 80% probaility within coming 30 years.

On May  9, Chubu Denryoku announced that it would accept PM Kan's request and cease the nuclear plant operations.

This PM Kan's request is very contraversial. Some, for instance Mr.Son, CEO of Softbank, Mr.Suzuki, CEO of Suzuki Motors,  highly praise PM Kan's decision. But some, such as Mr. Yonekura, chairman of chamber of Commerce Of Japan, blamed PM Kan's decision, blaiming that Kan's decision process is always blackbox.

Anyway, TEPCO, which is suffering the shortage of its electric power gerenation for the demands for Kanto area needs to give up the idea of having a help from Chubu Denryoku because of its significant reduce of the power generation capacity.

That means Kanto area's residents needs to endure more severe planned blackouts in this summer.
This summer is going to be very hot one.

Mass Food Poisoning at Yakiniku Restaurant

During these couple of days, media report massive food poisoning at one of Yakiniku Chain restaurant. It is said that three people are dead and 26 are in hospitals. (Those paitients are found in Fukui Pref, and Kanagawa Pref, where this chain store restaurants has its branch restaurant.)

The food poisoing is due to the coliform bacillus O111, and  people suffered from this bacillus is only who ate one of the most favorite delica at Yakiniku restaurant, Yukke, which is a raw beef meat served with raw egg.

Surprisingly, Ministry of Welfare and Labor said that there have been no beef meat distributed in the market since 1999, which meet with the sanitary standard set by the Ministry to be eaten raw, while the fact is that Yukke  is served at almost every Yakiniku restaurant.

Since the sanitary standard set by the ministry does not have any penalty related rules, the reality is that the sanitary check is handled by only the retail restaurants.

The ministry is planning to introduce penalty rules about the standard of the sanitary for the meat to be eaten raw.

This video clip is exactly the restaurant which occured food poisoining.
This clip was recorded to award one of thier best retail restaurant.
The point is that they use the same towel to clean kichen board and sheff's hand, and using water bowl but alcoholic sanitary.

Service Area on a High Way

There still remains two days for this year's Golden Week. Despite of the predictions in advance of the Golden Week, it seems that the number of the travelers inside Japan is coming back to normal. Probably 75% of the normal year.

I think this is because the aftermath of the earthquake is getting settled recently, such as
- few aftershocks recently
- Temporaly stop of planned blackout operation (until summer season)

But this year's trend is to pick nearest locatons, which might be one-day trip. In that case, many will drive to the destination by high way.

In Japan, each highway has to locate Service Area(SA) or Parking Area(PA) every 30 km.
PA has a small parking lot and small kiosk. But SA usually has decent restaunrants and food court and, might have Onsen (Hot-Spa) in it. Foods provided at SA are usually local foods, and facities are gorgeous these days. So there are some people whose travel destination is just SA on highway.

Major highways started from Tokyo and its famous SA are  (from Pacific Ocean Side)

-Tou Mei Highway: (Tokyo - Osaka thru Nagoya):  Ebina Service Area
-Chuou Hhighway: (Tokyo-Osaka thru Nagano) : Dango Saka Service Area
-Kan Etsu Highway:(Tokyo-Niigata): Kamisato Service Area
-Touhoku Highway:(Tokyo-Aomori):  Sano Service Area

If you have a chance to use these highways, I suggest you better stop by one of Service Areas and enjoy local foods.

I personally stopped at Yokokawa Service Area. This Yokokawa is famous for Kama-meshi, which is rice Obento, with some seasonal ingredients on top of .)  The restaurant was once at the top of the mountain and delivered this Kama-meshi for the people who walk up and down the mountain to go to Karuizawa.

I beleive this Kama-meshi is the best Kama-meshi in Japan. So, just try if you have chance to go to Karuizawa.

Yokokawa Service Area: outside of this pic, there are small lawn yard where you can enjoy Obento,

Sorry for the mess around this Kama-meshi.

Ranking of the most trusted consumer brand 2011; where did Sony go?

This is the result of the survey done by Nikkei BP, through November 8 to December 13, 2010.


(Details and analysis are shown in http://business.nikkeibp.co.jp)

No. 1 Google

No. 2 Uniqlo

No. 3 Panasonic

No. 4 McDonald

No. 5 Nisshin Shokuhin

No. 6 Disney

No. 7 YouTube

No. 8 Studio Ghibli

No. 9 Rakuten

No.10 Suntory

No.11 Apple

No.12 Sony

No.13 Nintendo

No.14 Windows

No.15 Coca, Cola

No.16 Muji(Clothes)

No.17 Amazon

No.17 Mos Burger

No.19 Yahoo!

No.20 Sharp

No.20 Meiji Seika

No.22 QP

No.23 Fuji Television

No.24 Seven-Elven

No.25 Cagome

No.26 Microsoft

No.27 Cup Noodle

No.27 Nintendo DS

No.29 Tokyu Hands

No.29 MisterDonut

No.31 Hagen Darts

No.32 Calpis

No.33 Softbank

No.34 Calbee

No.34 Canon

No.36 Asahi Super Dry (beer)

No.36 Toyota

No.38 Kentucky Fried Chicken

No. 39 Daizo

No.40 Kirin Beer

No.40 Yamato Transport

No.42 Nagatani En

No.43 Honda

No.44 Wii

No.45 Microsoft Excel

No.46 House Shokuhin

No.47 Nike

No.48 Kao

No.49 Nescafe

No.50 iPod

No.50 Televi Tokyo

Also, please refer the last year's result.




Sony went down to No.12 from previous year's No.4. Sony was originally known for its unique technology development company, but recently its brand gets rusted recently.



As Tsujino Koichiro, who took strong initiative to develop VAIO, Sugo-Roku, Cocoon as an executive of Sony and was former CEO of Google Japan, wrote in his book, it seems Sony is still struggling because of the internal power fighting that prevent the company to release truly innovative products to the market.



Former CEO of Sony, Mr. Norio Oga passed away on April 23, 2011. He was the last executive who closely worked with the founders of Sony, Mr. Morita and Mr. Ibuka and knew the Tokyo Tsuushin Kogyo, former establishment of Sony. After his resignation and since the helm of following CEO, Mr. Idei, Sony seems to lose its innovator positioning in the market.

Golden Week

Golden Week is one of the week in which national flag holidays are concentrated.
Here is this year's schedule.

1.April 29: *Maemorial day for Showa era, which was originally the birthday of Showa Ten nou
2. April 30: Saturday
3. May 1: Sunday
4. May 2: Monday:this is ordinal day. We should work!!
5. May 3: Constitution Day
6. May 4: Green Day
7. May 5: Kid's Day
8. May 6:Friday:this is ordinal day. We should work!!
9. May 7:Saturday
10. May 8:Sunday

So, if you take 2 days day-offs,  off-work day could be 10 days in a row. If this year's is an ordinal year, Golden Week should be the most busiest week for travel industry. But because of the earthquake, it is expected that the people who have plan to travel is 25% fewer than preveious year. Then, many hotels and travel agencies are doing special campaigns by reducing  price, to encourage people to travel.
(And those hotels in Japan can not expect travelers from other countries, which they claim is one of Huu hyou higai.)

Anyway, the travel angencies are eagar to stimulate the people to go travels.
So, still you may be able to find special offerings.