「鵜の岬」縣立国民宿舎入住率再次超過九成

Last month the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

東日本大震災で客室の天井が落ち、４８日間の休業を余儀なくされた茨城県日立市十王伊師の県立国民宿舎「鵜の岬」が、福島第一原発事故の風評被害にも負けず、２０１１年度の宿泊利用率で全国１１７の公営国民宿舎のトップに輝いた。

　１９８９年度からの連続首位の記録は、これで２３年となった。

　宿泊利用率は、震災の影響で前年度比６・３ポイント減の８５・６％となり、９１年度から続く９０％以上には届かなかったが、震災後もリピーターに支持され、根強い人気を証明した。ふだん予約を取るのが難しいプレミア感も手伝い、「１度は泊まってみたかった」という県内客も目立ったという。

　宿泊利用率は実稼働日をもとに算出するため、休業期間は影響しないが、原発事故や余震などの風評被害で、震災直後はキャンセルが相次いだという。鵜の岬によると、月別の宿泊利用率は、５月が８１・４％、６月８５・９％、７月８０・６％と低迷したが、８月と１１月は９０％を超えた。

　鵜の岬は、太平洋を一望できる展望風呂や地産食材を使った料理が人気だが、震災で温泉をためる貯湯槽が割れ、給水管や排水管が破損。客室の壁にもひびが入るなどし、営業再開は４月２９日までずれ込んだ。

　夏季（７月２０～８月３１日）と年末年始（１２月３０～１月５日）の宿泊予約は往復はがきによる抽選で、日本一予約が難しい国民宿舎としても知られている。

（2012年6月6日22時06分 読売新聞）

(試譯文)

While the ceiling of the guest room had given way due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, the prefecture’s people's hostel facilities, the "Cape of U” (U-no-Misaki) in Hitachi city, Juou Ishi of Ibaraki which was obliged to close for 48 days would not lose to the damage arise from rumors of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident; it brightly stayed at the top of 117 public people's hostel facilities in the whole country in terms of resident usage rate in the 2011 fiscal year.

The record of staying in the first place continued from the 1989 fiscal year, it became 23 years now.

The residence usage rate became 85.6%, a 6.3-point decrease compared with last fiscal year due to the influence of the earthquake disaster; and it failed to reach 90% or more which it had continued to have since the 1991 fiscal year. After the earthquake disaster it was supported by the repeater and this had proved its deep-rooted popularity. Making ordinary reservation also helped feeling the difficulty of this premium, and it was said that visitors within the prefecture "wanted to stay once" was also obvious.

Because the residence usage rate was computed based on real operating days, the rate would be not be affected by its closure, but the damages was caused by rumors such as the nuclear power plant disaster and the aftershock; and it was said that cancellation succeeded one another immediately after the earthquake disaster. According to the monthly residence capacity rate of the “Cape of U”, in May it hang low with 80.6%, June 85.9%, July 81.4%, but it exceeded 90% in August and November.

While taking a bath at the U-no-Misaki could see a scene which commanded the whole view of the Pacific Ocean, and that the food it served was produced locally and was popular; the hot-water cylinder which accumulated the hot spring was broken by the earthquake disaster, and the service pipe and the drainage pipe were damaged. The wall of the guest room also cracked and the resumption of operation was postponed till April 29.

The pre-booking for the accommodation for the summer (July 20 - August 31), and the year end and the New Year holidays (December 30 - January 5) were offered by the lottery using a postcard with a return address; this people’s hotel was known also as the most difficult to reserve facilities in Japan.

The location of this hostel is so good that even the earthquake disaster etc. could not dampen visitors’ interest in continuing going there.

東邦大学医学部前副教授捏造論文

Recently the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

東邦大学医学部の元准教授による論文捏造(ねつぞう)疑惑で、元准教授が会員である日本麻酔科学会は２９日、１７２本の論文が捏造だとする調査結果を公表した。

　捏造疑惑は１９９３年から約１９年にわたるとみられ、一人の研究者による不正では、過去に例のない規模となる。

　同学会の調査特別委員会によれば、疑惑を持たれていたのは医師の藤井善隆・元准教授（５２）。特別委は、藤井元准教授が国内外の専門誌に発表した論文２１２本について、内容の精査や共著者への聞き取り、カルテとの照合などを行った。

　その結果、捏造がないと断定できた論文は、共著者として出した３本だけ。論文内容と実際の実験条件が食い違っていたり、論文の症例数と、実際に診療した患者数が合わなかったりするなど、捏造と考えられる論文が１７２本、記録が残っておらず、捏造が否定できない論文が３７本あった。

（2012年6月30日00時02分 読売新聞）

(試譯文)

Regarding the suspicion on the paper fabrication by a former associate professor of the medical department of the Toho University, the Japanese anesthesia science meeting which the associate professor was a former member released on the 29^th (June) the results of an investigation over the supposition that 172 papers were fabricated.

The fabrication was suspected to have spread across a period of about 19 years since 1993, as a single inaccurate researcher case it stood out as having no precedent in the past in terms of scale.

According to the Special Investigation Committees of the Society, it was held that Doctor Yoshitaka Fujii (52) the former associate professor was responsible for the suspicion. The special committee performed checking on the contents, listening to coauthors, doing collation with charts etc. on about 212 papers which the former Associate Professor Fujii had announced to the technical magazines inside and outside the country.

As a result, it was concluded that there were only three papers that had no fabrication and were taken out as papers with coauthors. With regards to the 172 papers that had no records remained, they were either papers with the contents and the actual experimental conditions not matching, or papers that the number of cases and the actually treated patient load not adding up. 37 papers were considered to have fabrication that could not be denied.

I am wondering what are the motives for him to fabricate the research results.

菲律賓増強在南海海軍和空軍軍備

Recently the NHK News reported the following:

フィリピンのアキノ大統領は、議会下院で演説し、南シナ海の浅瀬の領有権を巡る中国との対立で、一歩も引かない姿勢を強調するとともに、国防能力を強化するため、海軍と空軍の軍備増強を進める考えを示しました。

フィリピンのアキノ大統領は、２３日、議会下院で、今後１年間の施政方針について演説しました。
このなかでアキノ大統領は、南シナ海のスカーボロー礁という浅瀬の領有権を巡る中国との対立に触れ、「浅瀬を諦めろという声もあるが、自分たちが正当に領有しているものを譲り渡すのは間違っている」と述べ、中国に対して一歩も引かない姿勢を強調しました。
そのうえで、来年までに、海軍に、新たにフリゲート艦１隻とヘリコプター２機を、また空軍には、輸送機２機などを配備することを明らかにし、「長い間不可能とされてきた、自力での防衛を実現するためだ」と述べて、軍備増強に力を入れていく考えを示しました。
スカーボロー礁など南シナ海の島々の領有権争いを巡って、フィリピンは、軍事面では中国に対抗できないため、外交面で国際社会からの支持を取り付けようとしています。
しかし、中国の海洋進出の動きが強まっているとして、国民の間で政府への不満も高まっており、アキノ大統領は強い姿勢を打ち出すことで国民の理解を求めるねらいがあるものとみられます。

(試譯文)

President Aquino of the Philippines made a speech in the Parliament, while emphasizing the posture of not to pull back one step in its confronatation with China that involved the sovereignty over the shoal in South China Sea, had showed the idea of advancing arms buildup in the navy and the air force in order to strengthen national defense capability.

President Aquino of the Philippines made his speech on the 23rd in the House of Representatives about the administrative policy for one year from now. In the speech President Aquino touched on the confrontation with China over the sovereignty of the shoal known as the Sukaaporo reef in the South China Sea and said that "although there is also an opinion suggesting to give up the shoal, it is wrong to hand over what we are properly owning", and emphasized the posture towards China was not to pull back one step.

In respect of the sovereignty argument over the islands centered on the shoal known as the Sukaaporo reef etc in the South China Sea, since the Philippines could not oppose China through military means it was going to secure the support from international society through the diplomatic means.

However, noting that China’s movement to advance towards the sea had intensified, there would be growing dissatisfaction towards the government among the people; it was expected that President Aquino set forth a strong posture with the aim of seeking people's understanding.

Probably the arms build up suggested by the president of the Philippines is mapped out in response to internal pressures.

日本研究水俣病學者逝世

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

公害の原点と言われる「水俣病」の研究の第一人者で、半世紀にわたって患者の診察を続けてきた医師の原田正純さんが、１１日、急性骨髄性白血病のため、熊本市内の自宅で亡くなりました。
７７歳でした。

原田さんは、昭和９年、鹿児島県に生まれ、昭和３４年に熊本大学医学部を卒業して医師となり、翌年から水俣病の研究に携わりました。
昭和３７年には、母親の胎内で有機水銀の影響を受けた「胎児性」の水俣病患者の存在を発表し、水銀が母親の胎盤を通ることはないとされていた当時の世界的な医学界の定説を覆しました。
原田さんは、ごく最近まで水俣に通い胎児性患者の診察を続けるなど半世紀にわたり医師として水俣病に関わり続けました。

(試譯文)

As the first person who studied the so called the starting point of pollution the "Minamata disease",  Mr. Masazumi Harada as a doctor who had continued the medical examination of patients over half a century passed away at the house in Kumamoto on the 11th (June) due to acute myelogenous leukemia. He was 77 years old.

Mr. Harada was born to Kagoshima Prefecture in Showa 9th year. He graduated from the medical department, Kumamoto University in Showa 34th year to become a doctor, and was engaged in the research of Minamata disease from the next year.

In Showa 37th year he announced the existence of Minamata disease patients who were subject to the influence of organic mercury in a mother's womb as “fetal”, and reversed the established theory of the global medical world of those days that mercury was not carried through the mother's placenta.

Mr. Harada very recently still continued with medical examinations on fetal patients related to Minamata and had been continuing his concern with Minamata disease as a doctor for over half a century.

It is a sad news to hear that Dr. Masazumi Harada has passed away.

大阪府吹田市籌款建四萬人體育館

Recently the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:

毎日新聞　2012年07月06日　20時13分（最終更新　07月06日　22時13分）

　大阪府吹田市の万博記念公園内にＪ１・ガ大阪の新本拠地となるサッカー専用スタジアムを建てる計画で、建設資金の一部に充てる個人寄付が伸び悩んでいる。サッカー界や関西の財界などでつくる「スタジアム建設募金団体」が今年４月〜来年３月に寄付を受け付けるが、最初の３カ月で集まったのは、目標（２０億円）のわずか２．５％分の５０００万円。この苦戦の背景には、現在リーグ１６位と苦しむガ大阪の成績不振がありそうだ。

　現在の本拠地・万博記念競技場（吹田市）は築約４０年と老朽化しており、新スタジアムは１４年度内に完成する予定。日本代表などの国際試合も開催できる収容人員４万人規模の施設を目指している。

　今のところ、スポンサー企業などからの寄付８０億円と、独立行政法人からの助成金３０億円の計１１０億円の建設費を確保できる見通しが立った。この金額でも３万人程度の規模の建設は可能だが、４万人規模を目指し、１４０億円を集める計画だ。募金団体側は残る３０億円のうち個人から２０億円、法人から１０億円を集め、４万人規模の施設を実現させたいとしている。

(試譯文)

Regarding the building of a stadium inside the Expo Memorial Park in Suita city of Osaka that would be used especially for soccer games and as the new headquarters of J1- Ga in Osaka, the individual contribution as part of the fund for the construction work had made little progress. Although the "Stadium Construction Fund-Raising Organization" which was related to the soccer community and the business world of Kansai etc. had started receiving contribution starting from April this year up to March next year, only 50 million yen or 2.5% of the target (2 billion yen) had been collected in the first three months. Ga Osaka’s the painfully poor ranking of the 16th place in the present league was likely to serve as a backdrop for this hard-fighting.

The present headquarters, the Expo'70 Commemoration Stadium (Suita city) as a roughly 40-year-old structure was due to be superannuated; the new stadium was scheduled to be completed before the end of 2014. The aim was to have a facility that could accommodate 40,000 people that would represent Japan when holding international matches.

For the moment, the prospect of up to 11 billion yen of construction fund was secured, of which a subsidy of 3 billion yen was from the independent administrative agency and a contribution of 8 billion yen was from a sponsor company etc. While with this amount of money it was possible to construct a facility with a size that could accommodate about 30,000 people, but aiming at a 40,000 people, 14 billion yen was scheduled to be collected. On the side of the fund-raising organization, for the remaining 3 billion yen, 1 billion would be collected from the individuals and 2 billion yen from the corporations; and supposedly an institution with a 40,000-people capacity could be realized.

I hope Osaka could eventually get the donations they need to build this new stadium.

日警察破獲出術考駕車執照集團

Recently the FNN on-line reported the following:

中国人グループによる運転免許証カンニング事件で、逮捕・起訴された中国人2人が、別の中国人に答えを教えていたとして、警視庁に再逮捕された。
道交法違反などの疑いで再逮捕された張展彪容疑者(37)ら2人は、2012年4月、新たに逮捕された同じく中国人の董建勇容疑者(36)らに、東京・品川区の運転免許試験場で行われた運転免許の学科試験の際、ワイヤレスイヤホンなどを使って、解答を伝えていた疑いが持たれている。
再逮捕された中国人の女は、「30人くらいの中国人に不正に受験させた」と供述していて、警視庁は、同様の手口での免許証の不正取得が数十件行われていたとみて、調べている。

(試譯文)
Two Chinese who had been arrested and prosecuted for chearing in driver's license tests held for some Chinese in group were re-arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department after being noted that they taught other Chinese in giving answers.

Suspect Jiang Zhanbiao (37) and other were re-arrested on suspicion of traffic law violation etc. Together with Chinese suspect Dong Jianyong (36) and other who were newly arrested for the same, all were suspected to have provided answers using wireless earphones etc. during the driver license test examination held in April 2012 in the Department of Motor Vehicles of Shinagawa district, Tokyo.

A re-arrested Chinese woman was saying that "About 30 Chinese had taken the examination unfairly”; the Metropolitan Police Department concluded that ten cases of fraudulently obtaining the license in the same manner had been performed and was doing the investigation.

The police has done a good job. Incompetent drivers may cause road accidents.

富士山５合目登山口有裂痕

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

富士山の５合目の登山口の近くに、去年３月の震災後の地震のあと、３０メートル以上にわたって亀裂が入っていたことが分かりました。専門家は火山活動との関連性はないとみていますが、大規模な土砂災害につながるおそれがないか調べる必要があると指摘し、山梨県が調査に乗り出しました。

この亀裂は、山梨県の富士山の５合目の登山口に近い県有地で見つかりました。
長さは３０メートル以上、幅は５センチから８センチほどあり、小さな段差も確認されました。
近くの冨士山小御嶽神社の宮司によりますと、亀裂は東日本大震災の４日後の去年３月１５日、静岡県東部を震源とするマグニチュード６．４の地震が起きたあと見つかり、その後、しだいに埋もれて去年の夏ごろにははっきり見えなくなったということです。
富士山に詳しく、当時亀裂を確認した山梨県環境科学研究所の荒牧重雄所長は「地震の揺れでできた可能性が考えられる。亀裂の１０メートルほど先は崖になっていて、今後の地震などで大規模な土砂崩れが起きるおそれがないか、調査する必要がある」と指摘しています。
山梨県は、専門家の指摘を受けて先月から現場で測量を始め、周辺に亀裂が広がったり地滑りが起きたりする兆候がないか、本格的に調査を始めました。
亀裂からおよそ５０メートル離れた場所には、富士山の５合目の駐車場やレストハウスもあり、この付近はかつて盛り土などで造成された可能性もあるため、当時の経緯も調べることにしています。
(試譯文)

It was understood that near the trail head of Mt. Fuji fifth stage, after the shaking of the earth  due to the earthquake disaster occurred in March last year, a crack of no less than 30 meters had existed. Although the specialists concluded that there was no connection with any volcanic activity, it indicated that it was necessary to investigate whether there was any possibility of leading to a catastrophic earth-and-sand disaster, and Yamanashi Prefecture was to mount an investigation.

This crack was found in the prefecture land near the trail head of the fifth stage of Mt. Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture.

The length was no less than 30 meters and the width was from 5 cm to 8 cm, and a small level difference was also confirmed.

According to the Shinto priest of the nearby Fuji Shan Small Ontake Shrine, it was said that the crack was found four days after the East Japan great earthquake that occurred on March 15 last year and had a magnitude of 6.4 on the Richter scale, with eastern Shizuoka being the source of the earthquake. The crack was buried gradually and could not be seen clearly afterwards around the summer of last year.

Director Shigeo Aramaki of the Yamanashi Institute of Environmental Sciences which was knowledgeable about Mt. Fuji and had checked the crack in those days pointed out that "it is consider that there is a possibility that it was because of the shaking of the earthquake. The location 10 meters from the crack becomes a cliff, and whether a large-scale mudslide may occur in a future earthquake etc. may need investigation".

Yamanashi Prefecture in response to a specialist's indication began the survey at the spot since last month, a formal investigation had begun to see whether there were signs to show that the crack spread to the outskirts, or a landslide took place,

Since about 50 meters away from the crack it was the location of the Mt. Fuji fifth stage parking lot and a rest house, and there was a possibility to set up an embankment etc. in the vicinity, it was decided that the circumstances of those days would be investigated.

Although a crack has been found, it seems that it is still safe to climb the Mt. Fuji.

中日釣魚台爭議可能升溫

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

１１日朝、尖閣諸島（沖縄県石垣市）付近の領海内に一時侵入した中国の漁業監視船３隻は、領海を出た後、接続水域（領海の外側２２キロ）内を出たり入ったりしながら航行を続けた。

　海上保安庁の巡視船が警告しながら監視している。

　第１１管区海上保安本部（那覇市）によると、領海に侵入した３隻は「漁政３５００１」「漁政２０４」「漁政２０２」。午前４時３０分から同７時３０分にかけ、久場(くば)島の西北西約２２キロなどの領海内に侵入し、領海から出た後は二手に分かれて航行した。

　尖閣諸島周辺の領海への中国公船の侵入は、３月１６日に続き今年２回目。政府が今月、同諸島の国有化方針を打ち出してからは初めてとなる。

　藤村官房長官は１１日の記者会見で、中国公船による領海侵入について、「関係省庁とも連携を取りながら警戒監視を行っているし、今後も行っていく」と述べ、監視態勢に万全を期す考えを強調した。

（2012年7月11日23時36分 読売新聞）

(試譯文)

In the morning on the 11th, for a short while three fishery inspection boats from China intruded into the territorial waters of the Senkaku Islands (Ishigaki-shi, Okinawa); after coming out of the territorial waters, they continued the cruising in and out the contiguous zone (22 km outside the territorial waters).

The patrol vessels of the Japan Coast Guard just watched them with warning given out.

According to the 11th Regional Maritime Safety Headquarters (Naha), 3 boats which trespassed into the territorial waters were "Yu Zheng 35001", “Yu Zheng 204", and "Yu Zheng 202". From 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. they invaded the territorial waters at about 22 km west-northwest of the Kuba Island, and after coming out from these territorial waters, the group was divided into two in cruising.

This invasion of the China’s state-owned ships into the territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands was a continuation of the one on March 16, being the 2nd time this year. It was the first time since the Government set forth the nationalization plan of the islands this month.

At the press conference on the 11th, Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura talked about the invasion of territorial-waters by the China state-operated ships and said that "would be on alert and carry out surveillance by cooperating with relevant ministries and agencies, and would continue with such", and emphasized the idea of taking a full surveillance posture.

It seems that the confrontation between China and Japan over the Senkaku Islands would continue.

日本逮捕洩漏商業秘密疑犯

Recently the Mainich News on-line reported the following:

毎日新聞　2012年06月20日　23時52分

　国内大手プレス機械メーカーの企業秘密である機械の図面データを中国企業に不正に渡したとして、神奈川県警生活経済課と中原署は２０日、元プレス機械メーカー社員、古谷政一容疑者（４８）＝川崎市高津区末長＝と元関連会社社員、井上文明容疑者（５７）＝同県横須賀＝を不正競争防止法違反（営業秘密の不正開示）の疑いで逮捕した。

　逮捕容疑は、井上容疑者の依頼を受けた古谷容疑者が在職中の０９年１１月２０日ごろ、会社のサーバーにアクセスし図面データ２５８点をハードディスクに保存。退職後、ＣＤに移して井上容疑者に渡し、井上容疑者は１０年１月５〜２７日ごろ、競合関係にある中国企業に郵送するなどしたとしている。データは自動車のエンジン関係の部品を製造するプレス機械のものという。

　同課によると、古谷容疑者は「図面データを会社から持ち出したのは間違いない」と容疑を認め、井上容疑者は「共謀してデータを持ち出していないし、中国に開示もしていない」と否認している。井上容疑者が現在いる会社は０８年にデータが渡った中国企業と技術提携契約を結んでいた。

(試譯文)

Noting that the country’s major press machine maker's trade secret on machine drawing data was unjustly passed to a Chinese company, the Headquarters of The Kanagawa Prefecture Police’s life and economic affairs division together with the Nakahara station on the 20^th (June) arrested a former press machine maker employee, the suspect Masakazu Furuya (48) ( of Suenaga, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki-shi) and also the former associated company employee the suspect Fumiaki Inoue (57) (same prefecture, Yokosuka-shi) on suspicion of violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Act (unjust disclosure of trade secrets).

The arrested suspect Furuya who had received request from Inoue the suspect accessed the server of a company while in office on 20^th November 2009 to save 258 drawing data into a hard disk. After retirement, moved it to a CD and passed to suspect Inoue. Suspect Inoue on 2010 January 5 -27^th mailed it to a Chinese company which had a competing relation. The data was said to be something about a press machine which manufactured the engine-related parts of a car.

According to the section, suspect Furuya admitted the suspicion that it was "certain to have taken out drawing data from the company” while suspect Inoue denied the suspicion, saying that "the data is not taken out in conspiracy and it has not been shown to China, either." The company in which suspect Inoue was at present now working with had in 2008 signed the technical collaboration agreement with the Chinese company that involved in the data transfer.

It seems that Japan is eager in keeping its business secrets.

中國與越南在南海衝突漸升溫

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

中国の大手国有企業が、ベトナム沖の南シナ海で、石油や天然ガスの資源開発を外国企業と共同で進めようと計画していることが分かり、ベトナム政府が猛反発して両国の対立が再び深まっています。

中国の国有企業、「中国海洋石油」は、石油や天然ガスの開発のために、ベトナムの近海におよそ１６万平方キロメートルの区域を設定し、外国企業に対して国際入札による共同探査や開発への参加を呼びかけています。
これについてベトナムの国営石油ガス公社のハウ総裁は、２７日、記者会見し、「鉱区はベトナムの排他的経済水域の中にあり、中国側の行為は違法だ」と述べ、強く抗議しました。
ベトナム政府は、今回設定された鉱区は、中国とベトナムが長年、領有権を争っている海域よりさらにベトナム寄りで、すでにベトナムが外国企業との共同開発に向けて探査活動を行っている海域と重なっていると主張しています。
これに対して中国外務省は「正常な企業活動だ」と反論したうえで、「関係する海域での石油や天然ガスの権利を侵害しないよう望む」としています。
また、中国国家海洋局は、南シナ海の警備のために、２６日、監視船４隻が中国の港を出発したと発表し、今後、両国の間でさらに緊張が高まることも予想されます。

(試譯文)
Upon knowing that a Chinese major state-owned enterprise would in collaboration with a foreign company make a plan in South China Sea off Vietnam to explore and develop resources of oil and natural gas, confrontation of the two countries would further deepen as the Vietnam government was responding to it strongly.

A Chinese state-owned enterprise the "China Offshore Petroleum" had designated a zone about 160,000-square kilometer adjacent to the seas in Vietnam for the exploration of oil or natural gas. They were appealing for the participation in a joint investigation and development by inviting international bids from foreign companies.

About this, President Howe of the National Petroleum Gas Public Corporation of Vietnam in a press conference on the 27th (June) said that "The extracting area is inside the exclusive economic zone of Vietnam, and that of the act of China is illegal" and protested strongly.

According to Vietnam government, the extracting area designated this time had been for a long time under sovereignty disputes between China and Vietnam. Furthermore according to the Vietnam government the extracting area had overlapped with the ocean space where Vietnam had already performed investigation activities under a joint development operation with a foreign company.

On the other hand, the China Ministry of Foreign Affairs retorted that “it is a normal corporate activity”, and supposed that “wish that their right on oil and natural gas in the concerned ocean space would not be infringed upon".

Moreover, China State Oceanic Administration announced that four patrol boats had left the harbor in China on the 26th for the defense of South China Sea. It was expected that strain between the two countries would increase further from now on.

It seems that the conflict between the two countries would continue for some time.

日本官僚選抜考試東大成績最好

Recently the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:
人事院は２５日、２０１２年度の国家公務員総合職試験の合格者１３２６人を発表した。応募者は２万３８８１人で、倍率は１８倍だった。 　
総合職試験は、いわゆるキャリア官僚を選抜してきた国家公務員１種試験に代わり、今年初めて実施された。女性合格者の割合は２３・１％で、１種試験を通じて過去最高となった。 　
合格者数を大学別に見ると、最も多かったのは東大の４１０人。以下、京大１１６人、早大９９人――の順だった。 　
総合職試験の応募者は、１１年度実施の１種試験と比べ１３％減（３６８６人減）となった。合格者のうち採用予定者数は５１７人で、同８％減（４５人減）となる。 （2012年6月25日16時50分 読売新聞）
(試譯文)
On the 25th the National Personnel Authority announced that 1326 candidates had passed the national civil servant consolidated positions application examination in the 2012 fiscal year. There were 23,881 applicants, the ratio was 18 times.
The consolidated career positions examination was carried out for the first time this year replacing the single national civil servant examination used to select the so called career bureaucrats. Female candidate’s successful percentage was 23.1%, and became the highest ever throughout the single examination.
To breakdown the number of successful candidates by university, the highest was 410 people from the University of Tokyo, following the descending order was 116 people from Kyoto University and 99 from the Waseda University.
The applicant for the career positions examination decreased by 13% compared with the single examination enforced in the fiscal year of 2011 (a decrease 3686 people). Among all the successful candidates, 517 people were scheduled to be offered appointment, being an 8% decrease (a decrease of 45 people).

The Japanese government is streamlining the employment of government employees. It seems that students from the University of Tokyo are by far more successful in their job applications

日本在美國出售世界最大家庭電視機

Recently the Mainichi New on-line reported the following:

毎日新聞　2012年06月20日　19時38分（最終更新　06月20日　20時30分）

　シャープは２０日、世界最大となる９０型の液晶テレビを米国で６月下旬に発売すると発表した。世界的に液晶テレビの価格が下落する中、採算が取れる大画面テレビへのシフトを進め、収益改善を図る。

　９０型の画面は縦約１．１５メートル、横約２メートルで、面積は６０型の約２倍。大型パネルを効率的に生産できる堺工場（堺市）製の液晶パネルを輸送し、メキシコ工場でテレビに組み立てる。市場想定価格は１万ドル（約７８万円）以上。

　シャープは、住宅が広く大型需要が見込める米国で１１年４月に７０型、同１０月に８０型を発売するなど大画面シフトを加速。自社の販売台数に占める６０型以上の構成比は、日本の約５％に比べ約６割を占め、米国の６０型以上の市場でシェア７割を誇る。９０型の投入でラインアップを増やし、シェア拡大を狙う。

　また、シャープは同日、日本国内市場では８０型を投入した。市場想定価格は９５万円。国内でも６０型以上の液晶テレビ市場が１１年１２月までの半年間で約８倍に拡大しており、大画面志向に対応する。

(試譯文)

On 20^th (June) Sharp announced that it would put into the US market in late June the Model 90 liquid crystal television, being the largest in the world. While the price of liquid crystal televisions fell globally, in progress was a shift towards the big-screen TV which could yield profit, the aim was to improve earning. 

The screen of the Model 90 was about 1.15 meters long and about 2 meters wide, and the surface area was about twice of the Model 60. While the Sakai factory (Saki City) that produced the liquid crystal panel was producing the large-sized panel efficiently and was exporting the panels, the televisions were assembled at the Mexico factory. The market estimated price was more than 10,000 dollar (about 780,000 yen).

Expecting large-scale demand in family homes in the US, Sharp accelerated the big screen shift; put the Model 70 on the market in April 2011 and the Model 80 in October in the same year. In market share, the company’s number of sales in bigger then Model 60 accounted for about 60 percent (big-screen TV was representing about 5% of the total sales in Japan) compared with boasting a 70 percent market share in America. With the coming of Model 90, production line-up was increased and the aim was for market share expansion.

 Moreover, Sharp put Model 80 to the market in Japan on the same day. The estimated market price was 950,000 yen. The liquid crystal television market for bigger than Model 60 had expanded by about 8 times in the half year leading up to December 2011, in response to the intention to have big screen at home.

I love watching TV. To me, good quality TV means good entertainment.