Out with the old, in with the new!

With Ishihara moving on to newer things, the new folks are starting to think about running for the Tokyo mayorship. We now know at least one candidate. It will be curious to see who else runs.

都知事選 松沢成文前神奈 川県知事が出馬表明(11/08 20:32)

東京都の石原前知事の辞職を受けて来月行われる都 知事選挙に、神奈川県の松沢前知事が立候補する意 向を明らかにしました。

松沢成文氏（54）：「東京都知事選挙に立候補 する決意を固めました。石原前知事の後継を選ぶ選 挙ではなく、新しい東京のリーダーを選ぶ選挙」 松沢氏は、神奈川県知事を2期8年務め、前回の 都知事選挙では一度は立候補を表明しましたが、石 原前知事の出馬を受けて立候補を見送っています。 松沢氏は 会見のなかで、民間委託などを導入した 行政サービスのスリム化を訴えたほか、新銀行東京 の清算や受動喫煙を防止する条例の制定などを公約 として掲げまし た。都知事選挙を巡っては、これ までにご覧の方々が立候補を表明し、民主党、自民 党も独自候補者の擁立を検討しています。

http://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/ann/news/web/html/221108060.html

Tokyo Mayor Race – Shigefumi Matsuzawa, previous governor of Kanagawa Prefecture, announces candidacy

Shigefumi Matsuzawa, the former governor of Kanagawa Prefecture, announced his intention to stand for election in the Tokyo Mayoral race, to be conducted next month after the retirement of former mayor Ishihara.

Shigefumi Matsuzawa (54) said, “I have cemented my intention to run in the Tokyo Mayoral race. This election is not about selecting a successor for Mayor Ishihara but about selecting a leader for a new Tokyo.”

Matsuzawa served as the governor of Kanagawa Prefecture for 2 terms over 8 years. During the last mayor election, he announced his candidacy but withdrew it when Mayor Ishihara stood for office. In an interview, Matsuzawa promised to lead in commissioning the private sector to provide services and slim down government. He also pledged to liquidate the New Tokyo Bank and further restrictions on public smoking. Besides him, members of the Democratic Party of Japan, the Liberal Democratic Party, and independent candidates are also studying the possibility of running in the mayoral race.

Docomo can’t keep up.

And it’s pretty much all Apple’s fault, or maybe DoCoMo’s for not offering the iPhone. I’ll let you be the judge of that. Regardless, the bigger question is not who has the most customers or who can sign up the most new ones but who has the highest profit margins, and that, my friends…is something I don’t have the energy to find out right now.

ＮＴＴドコモ、過去最大の顧客流出 10月18万9800件 2012/11/7 20:54 ＮＴＴドコモは７日、電話番号を変えず に通信会社を乗り換えられる携帯電話のＭ ＮＰ（番号持ち運び制）による顧客流出 が10月は過去最大の18万9800件になった と発表した。ＫＤＤＩ（ａｕ）とソフトバ ンクが扱う米アップルのスマートフォン（ 高機能携帯電話＝スマホ）「ｉＰｈｏｎｅ （アイフォーン）５」の人気に押され た。 ドコモの転出超過数はＭＮＰが始まっ た2006年10月以降で最多。アイフォーン ５が発売された９月以降、顧客離れが加速 している。11月以降に販売する新型のスマ ホや値下げ施策で歯止めをかける考えだ。 同日発表したＫＤＤＩのＭＮＰ は15万2700件、ソフトバンクは３ 万7900件の転入超過。ＫＤＤＩは06年11 月の21万7600件に次ぐ高水準となった。 アイフォーン５の通信料金を旧型の「４ Ｓ」から1050円引き上げたソフトバンク に対し、据え置いたＫＤＤＩに多くの顧客 が流れたとみられる。 携帯電話・ＰＨＳの新規契約数から解約 数を引いた純増数はソフトバンクが2 8万4200件と10カ月連続で最多。ＫＤＤＩ は23万8800件。7200件のドコモは過去５ 年間で最も低かった。 http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDD070FY_X01C12A1TJ0000/

NTT Docomo has largest ever volume of customer departures, 189,800, in October

NTT Docomo announced on the 7 th that customer outflow reached 189,800, the highest ever, in October, in large part due to their ability to change mobile provider while keeping the same telephone number under MNP (mobile number portability system). It is being closely pressured by the popularity of the Apple iPhone 5, offered by both KDDI (au) and Softbank.

DoCoMo’s service switching volume is the most seen since MNP began in October 2006. Customer departures have accelerated since the iPhone 5 went on sale in September. It is thought that they will seek to staunch the tide through new smartphone launches and price reduction starting in November. Also announced on the 7 th , KDDI’s MNP number was 152,700 and Softbank was 37,900. This is KDDI’s second highest period since November 2006 with its high-water mark of 217,600. Customers showed a preference for KDDI as opposed to Softbank, which raised communication charges by 1050 on the new iPhone 5 as opposed to the older 4S.

Softbank led net increases in mobile phone and PHS contracts (new contracts minus terminations) for a second month with 284,200 new contracts. KDDI had 238,800. Docomo hit a 5 year low at a net increase of 7,200.

Where’s the beef from, you ask?

Soon to be from the US, Canada, Holland, and France, and up to 30 months of age! Yea for 牛丼 at lower prices, perhaps….!

米国産牛など輸入規 制緩和を了承…厚労 省審議会

ＢＳＥ（牛海綿状脳症）対策として実施 されている米国産など輸入牛肉の月齢規制 について、厚生労働省の薬事・食品衛生審 議会は６日、現在の「月齢２０か月以下」 を「同３０か月以下」に緩和する同省の方 針を了承した。

輸入牛肉の規制緩和の対象は、米国と同様に 月齢２０か月以下に限定されているカナダと、現在 は禁輸のフランスとオランダで、いずれも同３０か 月以下となる。同省は今後、各国と２国間協議を実 施して具体的な緩和の時期などを決める。 この日は、国産牛の食肉検査の対象を 「同２１か月以上」から「同３１か月以 上」に引き上げることについても了承され た。国産牛についてはパブリックコメント などを実施し、来年４月からの緩和を目指 す。 （2012年11月6日21時02分 読売新聞）

American beef import restrictions to ease, approved by Labor and Welfare ministry commission

The Ministry of Welfare, Health, and Labor’s Pharmaceuticals & Foodstuffs Hygiene Commission approved an easing of the age restriction on imports of US beef due aimed at BSE (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy) raised from the current “20 months and under” to “30 months and under” on the 6 th .

The beef imports included in the regulatory loosening are American, Canadian beef that is currently limited to 20 months and under, imports from France and Holland that are currently banned, all of which are now allowed up to 30 months of age. The Ministry will hold discussions with each country to decide a concrete timeline for enacting the new rules.

The commission also approved a raising of the age at which all domestic meat is required to be inspected from “21 months and above” to “31 months and above.” The commission plans to gather public comment on domestic beef and then enact the looser rules in April of next year.

Where’s the beef from, you ask?

Soon to be from the US, Canada, Holland, and France, and up to 30 months of age! Yea for 牛丼 at lower prices, perhaps….!

米国産牛など輸入規 制緩和を了承…厚労 省審議会

ＢＳＥ（牛海綿状脳症）対策として実施 されている米国産など輸入牛肉の月齢規制 について、厚生労働省の薬事・食品衛生審 議会は６日、現在の「月齢２０か月以下」 を「同３０か月以下」に緩和する同省の方 針を了承した。

輸入牛肉の規制緩和の対象は、米国と同様に 月齢２０か月以下に限定されているカナダと、現在 は禁輸のフランスとオランダで、いずれも同３０か 月以下となる。同省は今後、各国と２国間協議を実 施して具体的な緩和の時期などを決める。 この日は、国産牛の食肉検査の対象を 「同２１か月以上」から「同３１か月以 上」に引き上げることについても了承され た。国産牛についてはパブリックコメント などを実施し、来年４月からの緩和を目指 す。 （2012年11月6日21時02分 読売新聞）

American beef import restrictions to ease, approved by Labor and Welfare ministry commission

The Ministry of Welfare, Health, and Labor’s Pharmaceuticals & Foodstuffs Hygiene Commission approved an easing of the age restriction on imports of US beef due aimed at BSE (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy) raised from the current “20 months and under” to “30 months and under” on the 6 th .

The beef imports included in the regulatory loosening are American, Canadian beef that is currently limited to 20 months and under, imports from France and Holland that are currently banned, all of which are now allowed up to 30 months of age. The Ministry will hold discussions with each country to decide a concrete timeline for enacting the new rules.

The commission also approved a raising of the age at which all domestic meat is required to be inspected from “21 months and above” to “31 months and above.” The commission plans to gather public comment on domestic beef and then enact the looser rules in April of next year.

Sometimes I wonder…

Is my comprehension just imperfect and therefore my translation or is the original article just written in a confusing manner? I’m going to go with a combination of the two in this case. I made a couple of interpretative, shall we say…guesses in this one, arising from some lack of clarity around the meaning and connection between a couple of phrases in the middle of this article on new active faults. The question is: is the active fault in my understanding or just in the original writing?

名古屋中心部、高速 直下に活断層

[2012年11月05日20:18] 名古屋市内を南北に縦断するこれまで知 られていなかった活断層が２本存在すると の分析結果を、名古屋大と広島大のチーム が５日までにまとめた。一部は約５キロに 渡り高速道路の直下を走るとみられ、防災 計画にも影響する可能性がある。 大都市部は商業施設や住宅が密集、高速 道路や鉄道などのインフラも集中してお り、地表のずれにもろい側面がある。調査 手法の進歩などにより隠れた活断層を見つ けやすくなっており、名古屋市以外の大都 市圏でも調査が今後の課題となりそうだ。 今回確認された全長はそれぞれ約１０キ ロだが、さらに延長することも考えられ る。 Active fault under highway in center of Nagoya

A team from Nagoya University and Hiroshima University reported research on the 5 th showing two, hitherto unknown, active faults running north-south under the center of Nagoya. One runs about 5 kilometers beneath a highway and may have an impact on disaster recovery planning. Large cities are full of commercial and residential structures and highway and railway infrastructure is also focused in these areas and these are susceptible to shifts in the earth’s surface. Due to advances in research methodology, previously hidden faults are now easier to find and it seems like this kind of investigation will be a focus in other large cities besides Nagoya.

The faults found this times were approximately 10 kilometers in length but could be longer.

They’ve gone and done it again.

What is with Chinese boats and invading our territorial waters, over and over and over again???!!? You have to think someone in the Foreign ministry gets really annoyed when he has to call the Chinese embassy for the 9 th time. I’m imagining something like…“Hey, this Sugiyama. Yep, your boys went and did it again. Please tell them to stop sailing by our piles of rocks out there off Okinawa. My boss wants me to tell you to tell your boss that it’s really getting old.”

中国海洋監視船、尖 閣沖の領海侵入 外 務省が抗議

海上保安庁によると、２日午前、沖縄県 の尖閣諸島沖で、中国の海洋監視船「海 監」４隻が日本の領海に相次いで侵入し た。正午現在、いずれも魚釣島の北西から 北北西の１６～１８キロ付近にいたが、午 後０時半から同１時２０分ごろにかけ、領 海を出た。 監視船の侵入は、９月１１日に日本政府 が尖閣を国有化してから９回目。 中国の海洋監視船４隻が日本領海に侵 入した問題で外務省の杉山晋輔アジア大洋 州局長は２日、駐日中国公使に電話で抗議 した。 http://www.asahi.com/international/update/1102/TKY201211020228.html

Chinese ocean patrol boats invade Senkaku territorial waters….Foreign Ministry complains

According to the Japan Coast Guard, on the morning of the 2 nd , 4 Chinese ocean patrol vessels violated Japan’s territorial waters off the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture. Around noon, they passed within 16-18 kilometers of Uotsuri Island going from northwest to north by northwest. Between 12:30-1:20, they all left the territorial waters.

Since the Japanese government nationalized all of the Senkaku Islands on 9/11, this is the 9 th time patrol vessels have invaded.

Also on the 2 nd , Shinsuke Sugiyama, chief of the Foreign Ministry’s Asia-Pacific States Group, called the Chinese embassy and lodged a complaint regarding the issue of 4 Chinese ocean patrol vessels invading Japanese territorial waters.

A gift for you...

But we’re not telling why!

楽天三木谷氏、予告なく「kobo Touch」送付した狙いに「お答 えできない」

[2012/11/01]

一部の楽天プレミアムカード会員のもと にKoboの電子書籍リーダー「kobo Touch」が予 告なく送付された件で、楽天の三木谷浩史代表 が1日の記者会見でコメントをした。

同氏に投げかけられた質問は、一部の楽天プレ ミアムカード会員向けにkobo Touchを送付した 狙い、いつまで続けるのか、どの程度送付した のか、というもの。この件に関して同氏は「ど ういう販売促進をしているかということについ ては残念ながらお答えすることができません。 申し訳ございません」とし、販売促進の一環で あること以外に何も明らかにされなかった。

本件は、10月24日頃から、一部の楽天プレミア ムカード会員向けに、何の予告もなく突然kobo Touchが届いたとして、ネット掲示板やTwitter上 で盛り上がった話題。既報のとおり「条件に あった楽天プレミアムカード会員向けのプレゼ ント」として、楽天側でも送付の事実を認める も、狙いなどは不明のまま。今回の会見でも三 木谷代表の口から明らかにされずに終わった。

http://news.mynavi.jp/news/2012/11/01/192/

Rakuten’s Mikitana says “I can’t answer” as to aim for sending “kobo touch” unannounced

Some of Rakuten’s premium account holders received Kobo’s e-reader “kobo Touch” unannounced, and Rakuten’s spokesman Hiroshi Mikitani commented regarding it to reporters on the 1 st .

Mikitani was asked what the aim of sending some Rakuten premium account holders the kobo Touch was, how long it would continue, or how many had been sent, etc. In response, he said “As for what kind of sales promotion this is, while it is regrettably, I cannot provide any answer” and offered no explanation other than it was linked to sales promotion.

Beginning on October 24, without any sort of forewarning, some Rakuten premium account holders suddenly received the kobo Touch and it became a big topic on internet bulletin boards and Twitter. As previously reported, “a present for Rakuten premium account holders who meet certain conditions,” Rakuten acknowledged the fact that it sent the e-reader, but the motive remains unclear. The press release ended without any details being revealed by Mikitani.