Fresh & Hot from Japan, 26 to 30 September 2016

Please enjoy fresh & hot news from Japan with comments by Europe-Japan Dynamics.

26 Sep. “Donai shimashitan?”, video to encourage to help overseas visitors created in Osaka

A foreigner is stuck at a ticket office of a train station, while there is a long que behind her — Osaka tourist bureau created a film to invite citizens to help overseas visitors in trouble, “Donai shimashitan? (May I help you, in Osaka dialect)”.

Comments: It’s a good initiative. Hope the same film in other languages of major foreign visitors of Osaka will be made, such as Korean, Chinese, Hindu, etc.

27 Sep. Microplastic garbage also in the Antarctic Ocean, confirmed for the first time by researchers of Kyushu University and Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMSAT)

Ministry of the Environment announced that it was confirmed for the first time by the investigation undertaken by the Japanese study team that pollution of minute plastic garbage “micro plastic” extended to the Antarctic Ocean. It is worried that the drift of micro plastic with size of less than 5 millimeters may cause adverse influences on the ecosystem.

Comments: It is worrisome and may indicate even harder damages being made in other parts of the ocean worldwide.

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Photo: Investigation using a net in the Antarctic Ocean with an iceberg floating afar. (Photo by TUMSAT)

28 Sep. Mega solar power generator floating in reservoir, supplying the power for 5,000 households

The surface of the water of various parts of Japan attracts attention as a business site of the solar power generation now. A floating solar power station under construction in Yamakura reservoir of Ichihara-shi, Chiba is one of them. There will be over 50,000 pieces of panels of 1.7 meters in width and 1 meter in length will float on the floated on surfaces of the water of about 180,000 square meters.

Comments: Sounds like a good idea! Just being worried about an eco-system related the water resources.

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Photo: Floating solar in Kakogawa-shi, Kyocera

29 Sep. Seek approval of the Paris Agreement during the current Diet session, said Prime Minister Abe

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, in response to a question by Natsuo Yamaguchi of the Komeito, in the House of Councilors, that he planned to seek approval of the Diet on “the Paris agreement”, that established a set of the international rules to prevent the global warming. This is in line with the Japanese policy to contribute to a serious problem of the global community, the climate change.

Comments: Japan is slow to approve the Paris Agreement. 

30 Sep. Production index of manufacturing sector, 1.5% increase in August “slow improvement”

According to Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the preliminary figures of the production index of manufacturing sector (2010 = 100, with seasonal adjustment) of August was 97.9, up by 1.5% from July. The Ministry raised an overall assessment to “the movement of a slow improvement”, taking into account the decreasing stock.

Comments: A bit of hope, but, on the other hand, the consumer spending continues decreasing.

  • All the news items are picked up from “Asahi Digital”, and summarized and translated by Europe-Japan Dynamics. The articles are not an official translation by the Asahi Newspaper.

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