Japanese Economics 101; Women in Afghanistan; SNS; Solar Power; American Dilemmas; German Multiculturalism

After a busy few weeks…

Japanese Economics 101 – A little long, but an interesting look at the state of Japan's economy, though I guess you have to be an economist to say it is "exciting." Included in the article are sobering thoughts from economist Noriko Hama on the risks to Japan of stocking up on US dollars and on not demanding its fair share of the Japan-US relationship. Finally, there will be no good news for Americans if the dollar loses its global status as she predicts. Though, I must admit I do not understand her "…leave the ¥5 change" proposal – consumer-driven charity for for-profit businesses?


Irrespective of your views on the conflict in Afghanistan, the following story regarding Afghan women who attempt to commit suicide by self-immolation is shocking. We may have a ruthless business world but there are surely some fundamental human rights that we should all uphold when it comes to the most basic of human qualities. Now, how we help to ensure that these rights are maintained is up to us to decide. I wonder if those who advocate withdrawing from the conflict in Afghanistan also hope that stories like these will also be forgotten.


On SNS…here is an article that asks when we as a society will cease to be shocked by private photos that end up in the public domain. I have to agree. Unless an inappropriate action is carried out at a public or work-related event then anything that is private should remain private (in the modern, SNS definition). But then again, perhaps now we get a taste of our own medicine…paparazzi is not just for celebrities anymore. So we shall reap as we sow.


The tile of this article says it all: "Solar energy boom in the American desert" – that's right, the American desert. Follow the article and you can see that India, China, South Africa and Germany are incorporating solar energy into their national grids; Germany perhaps a little too enthusiastically. Australia does not figure in this article, yet you would think that a technologically-advanced country with an environmentally-aware population and boundless swathes of sunny desert would be a global leader in solar energy, mentioned in every article, report and discussion. You would think that…but sadly that is not the reality.


Americans turning into the British? – Concise look at the dilemmas facing the US at the moment and how they may relate to the decline of Great Britain as a global economic, military and political power. The conclusion is that the US is following Britain's lack of coordinated, consensus-built policy to tackle the economic challenges now, akin to Britain's response to the Great Depression of 1929. Seeing how Britain may not be a global superpower but still maintains its place near the top, the US doesn't have that much to lose, or does it?


Finally, a few weeks after the fact, but the now widely reported comments of German Chancellor Angela Merkel that multiculturalism has failed in Germany get disproven somewhat by this article. If the facts are correct then decades of non-citizenship for German-born, German-speaking children of migrant workers was clearly not the best step to multiculturalism. I wonder if Merkel mentions this fact in her speeches. Sphere: Related Content

Healthy dose of mercury from whale meat & The (Australian) politics of abuse in Sri Lanka

So the story of hunting whales, whale meat and dangerous mercury levels keeps popping up every now and then. The excuses are the same as always: it's a tradition. Fair enough.

But if we were, in each of our respective countries and cultures, to follow all our traditions I am pretty sure the world would be a very different place today. Not only does whale hunting continue in the name of scientific research, but now we have 4 million kilos of frozen whale meat tucked away in who knows where throughout Japan.

With the Institute of Cetacean Research in Japan heavily discounting the frozen whale meat for the school lunches of children the question of mercury poisoning comes to mind. Granted Japan has a very seafood-heavy diet and so the average person's exposure to mercury in seafood may be higher than in other countries, but I wonder how the bureaucrats feel about knowingly providing inexpensive, potentially toxic meat to schoolchildren. How do some people sleep at night?

In another article…

Armed conflicts is in my opinion are always difficult to analyse without having all the facts available, and inevitably all the facts are for one legitimate reason or another not readily available. The end of the insurgency in Sri Lanka in 2009 was good news in that it meant an end to an armed insurgency, but how much do we really know about the insurgency itself and the methods used to end the conflict?

This article provides some insight into how Australia is out-of-step when it comes to pressing the Sri Lanka government to be more open and accountable on this issue. I wonder how Australia's political leaders feel about playing politics at the expense of accountability, but then is that even a question that requires an answer? Sphere: Related Content

Euthanasia – guess we need permission before we can debate…

There was a report earlier this week that a TV ad to be screened by Exit International was banned when the TV industry body, Free TV Australia, withdrew permission for the ad to screen. Now it seems that even billboard ads will not be able to be displayed due to legal concerns.

Here's the ad:


I am of the view that euthanasia is not the same as what is usually reported as suicide. The definition of suicide that I have is one where someone is unable to cope with sudden, immense stress or finds no way to solve some ongoing, traumatic problem. Anyone who finds themselves in situations like these should seek the assistance of mental health experts (Australia has several organisations that help people who are in depression such as beyondblue and Lifeline).

Euthanasia by someone who is physically ill, mentally sound and has no prospect of a medical resolution should be a topic that we should debate. I acknowledge that should euthanasia be legalised, it opens the possibility to horror scenarios where someone may be persuaded to end their lives – that is exactly why we should have a debate and decide what checks and balances, if any, are suitable to prevent such abuses. Perhaps we shall find none and thus the debate can be ended.

I have not had direct experience of a loved one suffering through a debilitating physical illness but there are many out there who have – shouldn't we hear what they have to say?

Are we too reluctant to debate euthanasia because it would force us to take a closer, deeper look at the causes and impact of suicide on our society?

For reference
- Here's the Free TV Australia media release on this issue.
- Suicide is the biggest cause of death in Australia for people aged under 44 (estimated at 2,000 deaths per year), surpassing car accidents, cancer or heart disease!!
- Japan fares much worse, with over 30,000 people taking their lives every year, for the past 12 years!! Sphere: Related Content

In summary: Australia; Israel; Burqa banning; Overseas Aid; Whales; Japan; Okinawa

With busy, modern life starting to eat into my free time and after seeing some interesting (for the most part, anyway...except #8…) articles I decided to make this post into a mini-digest.

1. Malcolm Turnbull is a fiscal conservative and social liberal (can't really disagree too much with this assessment), yet in the current Liberal Party of Australia, I would say he is in the minority…maybe he should form a new political party?

2. Over two weeks after the Australian Federal Election and we are still waiting for a government. Initially I was wishing for a new election, but out of the five independent Members of Parliament I have to agree that the three that are yet to decide who they will support haven't been rushing to any decisions. I would probably not agree with them on many, many issues but at least they are being (for the most part) transparent. Let's hope their transparency lasts…

3. The Labor-Green deal recently announced produced an opinion piece from Russell Trood, Liberal Senator for Queensland. I have to agree with him. Plus, given the Greens' propensity to dictate, I wonder: they may be socially progressive, but at the same time authoritarian…something that we see from the socially conservative extremes in many countries…I know it's overly simplistic, but didn't we finish with fascism and communism already?

4. On the topic of authoritarianism…saw this article about how Israel is facing internal attacks on freedom of speech. Whether you are pro-Israel or pro-Palestine when it comes to the Isreal-Palestine issue, it makes you wonder…

5. There have been several opinion articles on the niqab and burqa – whether it should be banned or not banned in the last few months. This article seems to be the most unbiased of all that I have read – it makes you think without being scared by one side or the other, well worth sharing.

In related news: came across this article that reports some ultra-orthodox Jewish women in Israel wear the burqa…make of it what you will...Also, while I am sure that many people will be pointing to the recent ban of the burqa in Syria (a majority Muslim country) – how many people are talking about the extremists on all sides that seem to be getting louder and louder? Are they the vocal minority or are we indeed living in such a bigoted world?

6. Nice to hear of celebrities that use their fame for something worthwhile: Hugh Jackman writes about aid programs that are not just handouts, but empower the people they help. These economic development projects have been around a while, as have the issues that give rise to people in need, all the more annoying when people such as "40mark" make ignorant and bigoted comments (see comments section of article).

7. Japanese nationalists would be happy at the news that whale meat has been used at least once in one sixth of public schools. My comment: thumbs down, period.

8. There may or may not be a new Japanese PM next week… either way, if you are in Japan you will probably have seen Kan or Ozawa in the news at some point. If you aren't in Japan you probably can't name the Japanese PM. Could they just move on and try and come up with some policies for the country instead?

9. To all foreigners coming to Japan (or living here, for that matter): If you stay in a "minshuku," read up a bit on Japanese culture, otherwise stay in a run-of-the-mill hotel or hostel.

10. An finally, an uplifiting story about Byron Fija and his quest to revitalise Okinawa's local languages. Sphere: Related Content

English in Japan....is it enough?

Japanese companies have started to adopt English, the language of global business, for more and more of their everyday operations. Although requiring all employees to have a working knowledge of the English language can be construed to be a very controversial move, it points to a dichotomy in Japanese society.

The business world in Japan is openly embracing English and the oppportunities it can bring. On the other hand, there is a bureaucratic side of Japan that eschews English like the plague. While the Japanese government has set a goal for English language instruction, it remains to be seen how successful this policy will be at increasing English proficiency.

Of greater concern, in my experience, is the fact that so many Japanese, young and old, are apprehensive (for lack of a better term) to use the English language. Japan has one of the most widespread foreign language (English language) programs in the world (at least to my knowledge). I would estimate that most Japanese in their 40's and younger would have studied English for six years or more in junior and senior high schools. Now, I am not saying that six years makes anyone a master of any language, but, assuming the teaching is sound then the basics are there.

I have met many people here in Japan who are decent at writing and reading English, however, when compared to China there seems to be a lack people who are able to actually speak the English language here. From personal experience, I've noted that when Japanese make slips of the tongue in the standard Japanese language, they are very nearly ridiculed for their minor mistake. I am no expert on Chinese but I wonder if the same thing happens in China to someone who mispronounces Mandarin words.

Perhaps this culture of avoiding mistakes at all costs needs updating?

Image credit: jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Sphere: Related Content

Hypocrisy....sadly, it's everywhere.

I am not a supporter of capital punishment. My basis for this is that no matter how removed you are from the process it is still a form of murder: deliberate, state-sanctioned murder.

Law enforcement and armed conflict pose similar philosophical questions as they are state-sanctioned but the circumstances are vastly and clearly different. Capital punishment is usually a drawn-out argument seeking permission to methodically end someone's life.

Now, coming to the reason why I am writing about the always controversial topic of capital punishment.... it is reported today that the Justice Minister of Japan signed off on two hangings (yes, Japan still hangs people). Until yesterday she was seen as another Justice Minister that would hold off on signing for the executions of convicted felons as had been done in the early 1990's. It is therefore very difficult to understand why the current minister, who is publicly oppossed to the death penalty, would authorise not one, but two executions in the closing days of her ministerial career. The actions of Keiko Chiba make no logical sense to me.

Lastly, a few more links on the above topic:
1. "Five myths about the death penalty" by David Garland...quite an eye-opener to find out France used the guillotine until 1977 (although thankfully not in the middle of a square a la Reign of Terror).
2. "More than reasonable doubt about death penalty"by former New York State Police investigator Terrence P. Dwyer. Sphere: Related Content

Heat wave in Japan

If you are in Japan right about now you will know how excruciatingly hot it has been for the last week or more (depending on the region of Japan that you find yourself in, it may be longer). What is truly shocking is the number of people that have succumbed to heat exhaustion and heatstroke in the last few days.

Listing all the news reports can be a little time-consuming, but to get the picture: this report from Thursday 22 July and this one from Monday 26 July give a rough idea of how each day has developed.

Slightly related to the above...there are a few individuals who I know here in Japan that sleep with their windows closed and their aircons switched off. I understand switching the aircon off as I am not a big fan of leaving it on overnight; though there are some instances when it is essential. But closing all windows in what are usually tiny Japanese apartments/houses is asking for a not so pleasant and restless night, at least in my opinion.

MedlinePlus tends to have a thorough database on many topics and while it is written for American audiences (degrees Fahrenheit and 911 Emergency Numbers...), it has concise yet detailed information about heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Here's wishing everyone stays cool during the Northern Summer (and warm during the Southern Winter).

Image credit: dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Sphere: Related Content