Sumo

The January Tournament of Sumo finished yesterday. Asashoryu won the tournament and he showed his emotion directly. He is Yokozuna (the highest and strongest position in Sumo), and Yokozuna is considered not to show his emotion in public.

Asashoryu touches many kinds of unique rules in Sumo world and his ways of manner is sort of controversial recently. He had been absent from tournaments last year and media thought he would resign if he could not continue to win the race.

Many other Rikishi (wrestlers) tried to defeat him and I could feel their guts. I could find attractive points in Sumo and I begin to feel I want to know Sumo more in depth. Sumo is related to my culture so it would be interesting to pursue the study on Sumo.

I will put the sumo association's official homepage URL.

http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/

The Beginning with huge expectation

I tried to wake up when Obama's speech had started... it started almost 2am here (I went to sleep at midnight around 12). And I checked the outline on one of Japanese newspapers. I felt he showed his respect toward former presidents in history with using polite and modest English words.

When you access to the Whitehouse website, you can read some trivia on it and history. And they put movies of Obama's Inauguration on YouTube linked with the website. Its design is changed from Bush's days.

He expressed his philosophy clearly, and now is the time to make an action. How deep he can get involved in peace building? How to achieve the recovery of economy especially home industry in the US? We need to examine each step carefully.

Obama's Inauguration

Obama's inauguration will start very soon... media report from Washington DC and I know this is a sort of historical moments to have a black American as a president. I am looking forward to listen to his speech. What will he talk on many tasks in front of him such as economic crisis, diplomacy including building peace, prejudice, medical system, and the like?

I heard that he did some volunteer work before joining the ceremony. I am actually impressed to know he showed what we need to do; make an action. It may be a kind of performance to the press, but the message coming from it is meaningful.

I would like to pay attention to his philosophy in his first speech as the American President.

Children's poverty

I read one article on children's poverty this morning. According to it, relatively speaking, Japan is high in terms of children's poverty rate among OECD countries. The writer says, parents financial ability tend to decide children's growth and education. I know I need to examine in detail, but the article mentions that a number of crime such as child abuse, thief, and the like tend to be caused by children in low income family.

The article also introduces the difference on what should be given to children between British and Japanese. The rate of what should be given is as follows:
--Toys 12% 84%
--Bicycle 21% 55%
--non second-hand shoes 40% 94%
--books for children 51% 89%

Which one is Japanese? The answer is the former one. The writer says Japanese tend to set the notion on minimum level of quality of life comparing with other developed countries. I say, Japanese may tend to hesitate to use money generally. Problem will be the case that parents cannot afford to get toys or books even though they wish to give them to their children.

A Book on Sociology

I started reading a book on sociology. It sounds difficult, but it is actually for teenagers. There are two pictures in it. One shows an old scene of a street of Tokyo... many kids are playing around with adults. The other shows the same street taken recently... no one is on the street. The author says this is the simple example of current society. Lack of communication? I need to keep reading it to obtain the answer.

Our news VS Other people's news

The title is one topic which we discussed at the postgraduate course in Leeds. When I live in Japan, I can notice that many newspapers set the value judgement onto much information. I mean, they classify news into two categories, the ones which are related to Japan, and the others are not.

I know the fact that many people from the world have been living in Japan, but they seem to act the fact is just rare. They tend to set the line between Japanese and non-Japanese, and the latter is hard to share "Japanese common sense".

When I think of my workplace, most of us seems Japanese. I cannot find anybody from the US, the UK, African countries, China... This may create misunderstanding in many dimension.

I think it is important to use our imagination toward the globe. There are people who are living as we do and some have faced with troubles caused by politics, economy, environment, and so on, and our future has possibility to be like their current situation.

It will snow tomorrow...

According to weather news, it will snow tomorrow morning... I need to get on the first train in early morning tomorrow. The city is not so well-managed when it comes to snow, for example, the delay of train arrival. I feel I need to get up earlier... hold on one more day.

Expectation to Obama

When you watch the recent Japanese markets, you may wonder why the positive flow keeps going. People say there is strong expectation to Obama's policy including cutting taxes. Expectation is different from actual results, so there is a risk of failing to improve the economy.

With listening to his speech, he seems he will do different things compared with Bush administration. It is said that stock markets reflects the situation of 6 months later. Is current movement in the market showing future improvement? Let's wait and see.

First day to work in 2009

Today was my first day to work this year... I took 6 days off until yesterday and I think it was mild start. Not bad in general. But now, I feel tired. I got up at 5am today and it is half past 11pm.

Workplace is totally different from family or friends place. People do not share their vision which should be shared originally. It seems a matter of management, and I feel sad actually.

Anyway, I feel it is important to switch on and off in a day this year. I should not bring works in my private time. I will try to use the time in the train more effectively.

Preparation for 2009

I went to a shop to buy a business diary and a binder for personal use. When I look back 2008, honestly speaking, I do not like to even look at my diary, so I sometimes missed some schedule (not caused rude things).

To select the diary, points were good design, useful functions such as looking through weekly, monthly and yearly, easy to write down, and size. It is almost 5 pounds... but I think I can use this one frequently this time.

I will carry the binder everyday and am going to write down every idea on many things including topics for this website. Or tasks for myself to brush up the way of considering things.

Another memo for 2009

I am thinking of my task for 2009.

-- Learning some languages more such as Chinese, French, German, and Italian
-- Learning more knowledge on currency market
-- Learning about history on market such as Great Depression in 1930's
-- Learning about Japanese history especially Meiji era
-- Cleaning my room more
-- Writing this weblog everyday

Mt. Fuji

This is Mt. Fuji from my house this morning. It has been fine these days and I keep thinking of uploading the photo of it. This was taken by my mobile phone so unclear a little...

Mt. Fuji is a kind of symbol of Japan over hundreds of years, I think.

I tend to sleep around 2am these holidays... and wake up around 11am. According to one article, it is not good for health. This habit tends to lead to depression.

Apart from work, I need to get up earlier and enjoy the atmosphere of morning tension.

Peace

I have just watched a TV program and an old woman whose age is 101 appeared on it. She manages a kindergarten in western part of Japan for a long time and she talked about her education policy. She asked her children to be a person to imagine and understand others' pain and sorrow.

I know that there are some places under conflicts. Pray for peace and I am thinking I need to start one more actual step.

Note For 2009

Happy New Year!

The first day is very smooth and quiet. I think it is good to classify ideas in my mind... what I should study and what I should know.

Economy:
Why this turbulence has happened?
Is it the end of market-oriented economy?
Why unemployment spreads so fast? Why companies cannot keep them?
What is the problem in industries such as automakers, retailers, electric companies...?
The linkage in the market... stocks, bonds, foreign currencies, commodities. How does money flow among them?

Diplomacy:
What is the role of Japan in the Globe?
The relationship between the US and Japan... where will it go?

Keep thinking of these topics this year as well.

Made in Bangladesh

This is my pass case which I bought in Tokyo today. This was made in Bangladesh. The price is around 20 dollars.

This product was sold by Motherhouse, a Japanese company. The president is a young lady who wants to build up a certain level of brand from developing country like Bangladesh. When you buy the products, it means your money can support Bangladesh's economy.

I met her a couple of years ago, and sometimes receive email information on this company's activity. Some media have introduced Motherhouse and it is getting to be famous.

I went to its shop with my friends finally today. I keep thinking to buy something and want to contribute in some way so far, and the shop was very nice design and good atmosphere.

This case was made of leather in Bangladesh. The company has its own factory there, and hires many local people. Providing the place to work will lead self-dependence style in economy.

I am not sure in detail, but I have sometimes heard a story that giving money to governments tends to lead to corruption. This business style shows another way to assist developing countries' economy.

Today I bought one, and I will start thinking of Bangladesh much more when I use this case.

Do you want to experience earthquake?

Recently, I read one article which introduced a story on foreign travellers' expectation in Japan. As you may know, the Japanese government set one campaign, "Visit Japan" to the world. Many people have come to Japan, and according to this article, many travellers say they want to experience earthquake. It tells their impression toward Japan.

People want to see some different points when they come to Japan. It is natural, I think. But of course, earthquake causes sad things, and it is not fun at all. I talked this topic with friends today, and one of my friends who works for a media company told me that some foreign media still request to deliver unique stories... they do not care the Japanese politics or policies, but some "different" things compared with the US or UK culture.

Samurai, geisha, sushi... I say, these are actually some aspects of Japanese culture. I wish it would be so nice if people want to experience Japanese unique hospitality and kindness.

Public Diplomacy

The market went turbulence on last Friday. The reason was the US congress situation which could not pass the automakers bailout plan. The people in the market said they were afraid of the future of the US economy.

The White House announced the statement to consider the options to bailout the automakers with using the TARP program. I can reach this information through media, and of course, the website. The White House provides much information including this statement and dialog with Press and Press Secretary. It is the transparent process for us to understand what kind of discussion was held there, and I think it is good. But at the same time, I am thinking we should not satisfied with much information it provides... not enough to understand why it is so slow to avoid the confusion.

Year End and New Year Plan

According to JTB survey, the number of people who plan to go abroad at the end of this year, 4.6% decreased compared with the last year data. The yen has become stronger than the US dollar or the Euro, so it is good to go abroad... but I need to work until the end of December this year. And the data shows how people suffer from this economic recession.

Thinking of the world will lead me something new discovery, and that is the most attractive point. I can learn I am not the one who can be satisfied with the current self through travelling.

Need to set my own goal

Working for an organisation sometimes provides me tough challenge. It is sometimes hard to overcome. To be honest, I am feeling that way now. I need to set myself calm down, and take in deep consideration about my future and dream. What kind of a man I want to be? What do I want to do in a short and long run?

I know I am not alone, but sometimes I need to make my own decision by myself... no one can do it for me. I need to face with tough situation.

With feeling my anxiety, I watched sports on TV yesterday and today. Those give me some energy to keep on going. I am now feeling I will be able to stay calm as usual, and not to care of what others will say.

Has anything begun to change?

The incident in Thailand, and the tense in India... these things show the aspect of the world. Has anything begun to change? For which direction? This weblog title is "feel the globe" and I want to feel it through good events and news.