The island

So...since when did a country need to buy islands from a private citizen, especially when said islands are part of an ongoing international dispute? Today in Japan, it seems.

尖閣:国の購入条件は 避難港の整備…石原 都知事

毎日新聞 2012年08月31日 20時31分

東京都の石原慎太郎知事は３１日の定例 記者会見で、尖閣諸島（沖縄県石垣市）の 購入を巡って野田佳彦首相と会談し、漁船 の避難港（船だまり）の整備などを条件に 国の購入を認める考えを伝えたと明らかに した。

石原知事によると、会談は政府側の要請 で１９日に首相官邸で行われた。知事は「 できるだけ早く、国も一緒になって所有 し、国の責任で実効支配をやってくれ」と 要望。その前提として「自衛隊を置けとは 言わない。最低限、船だまりや無線の中継 基地を造ってほしい。できれば灯台や有 人の気象観測所も」と話した。その際は、 １４億円以上が集まっている都への寄付金 を全額渡す意向も伝えたという。

一方、政府は尖閣諸島を国有化し、現状 のまま第三者の立ち入りを禁止して管理す る方針を固めている。石原知事は野田首相 から回答がないと説明したうえで「いい返 事が来ることを願ってますが、来ないん じゃないか」と話した。【佐々木洋】

http://mainichi.jp/select/news/20120901k0000m010053000c.html

Senkaku: According to Tokyo mayor Ishara, the country must prepare an evacuation port as a term of purchase

Tokyo’s mayor Shinjiro Ishihara spoke at his regularly scheduled press conference on the 31 st concerning the Senkaku Islands (Okinawa Prefecture, Ishigaki City). He revealed that in a meeting with Prime Minister Yoshihiro Noda he agreed to the country purchasing the Senkaku islands provided that they build a shelter harbor for fishing boats (safe harbor).

According to Mayor Ishihara, the meeting was held at the request of the government on the 19 th at the Prime Minister’s residence. The mayor expressed his desire that “as quickly as possible unite the islands with the country and demonstrate your effective control over them.” By way of explanation, he continued “I’m not saying deploy the defense force to the island. At the very least, I’m asking for a safe harbor and radio transmitter. Also, if possible, a lighthouse and manned weather station.” He also noted that the more than 1.4 billion yen that had been donated to the city could be handed over to the national government.

As it is, the government is finalizing an administrative policy of nationalizing the islands and, like the current situation, forbidding the entry of third parties to the islands. Mayor Ishihara said that he didn’t receive an answer from Prime Minister Noda, and that “I asked for a positive response, but I wonder if it won’t?”

Bringing it home

It's not often I go to Japanese for analysis if the American election and, truth be told, there isn't much new in the below commentary on Representative Paul Ryan and his impact on the election. That said, it is interesting to read such commentary in a second language and see how they frame things.

超保守 イデオロギー色濃 い論争に 共和党副大統領 候補のライアン氏

2012.8.30 20:48

【タンパ（フロリダ州）＝古森義久】米 大統領選の共和党副大統領候補にライアン 下院予算委員長が指名されたことで、今後 の選挙戦は政策論争のイデオロギー色を濃 くして、オバマ大統領への挑戦も議論をよ り先鋭にしていく見通しが強くなった。

４２歳のライアン氏の登場はロムニー陣 営に若さや活力を増す形となり、２９日の 副大統領候補受諾の演説でも会場は沸きに 沸いた。

ライアン氏は演説でオバマ政権の景気回 復策や医療保険改革策での巨額の支出を具 体的な数字をあげて批判し、財政赤字の膨 張への基本的な反対を表明した。

ライアン氏は共和党の中でも財政面の保 守主義の最も強烈な旗手として活動してき た。この点でのライアン氏の保守度は大統 領候補のロムニー氏を上回る。

このため、ライアン氏の参戦は共和党側 のオバマ政権攻撃をこれまでよりも鋭く し、イデオロギー色を強くするとみられて いる。

保守派の政治評論家のフレッド・バーン ズ氏は「両党の論争はライアン氏の参加 で、『政府の役割』とか『政府と国民の関 係』という国家のあり方の基本レベルにま で引き上げられるだろう」と述べた。

ロムニー氏も保守主義を唱えるが、論争 の主題はオバマ政権下の経済運営や同政権 の過去の実績という次元にとどまりがち だったというのだ。

ライアン氏が緩急を操る論客である点も 今後の大統領選の熱気を高めることが予想 される。民主党現職のバイデン副大統領は 国政経験こそ豊富だが、討論では失言も多 く、冷静に相手を攻撃していくとされるラ イアン氏との対照がすでにメディアで報じ られている。

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/world/news/120830/amr12083020490015-n1.htm

Moving towards ultraconservative ideological tint – Republican Party vice-presidential candidate Ryan

As chairman of the House Budget Committee Ryan accepted the Republican nomination for vice president of the United States, it seems that he will drive the political debate in the presidential election to take a more deeply ideological tone by strengthening his challenge and arguments aimed at President Obama.

The selection of 42 year-old Representative Ryan by the Romney campaign was aimed to increase its youth and vitality, and his acceptance speech for the vice-presidential nomination had the meeting hall overflowing with excitement.

In his speech, Representative Ryan criticized the Obama administration’s economic recovery and medical insurance reform policies by naming concrete figures for their large expenditures and voiced a fundamental opposition to increasing the financial deficit.

Among Republicans, Representative Ryan has been active as the most passionate standard-bearer of fiscal conservatism. On this point, Ryan’s conservative is said to exceed that of presidential candidate Romney.

Because of this, it appears that since Ryan has joined the campaign, the Republican side’s attacked on the Obama administration have grown sharper and even more ideological.

Conservative political commentator Fred Barnes said, “Since Representative Ryan joined the campaign, the parties’ debate over ‘The government’s role’ and ‘the relationship between government and the people’ will rise to the very foundational level of the existence of the state.”

Governor Romney has also been emphasizing conservative principles, but the debate has tended to stay focused on the Obama administration’s handling of the economy and record in office.

Representative Ryan’s reputation as operating his campaign on controversy is expected to heat up the enthusiasm of the campaign. The Democratic Party’s Vice-President Biden has far more political experience but has had numerous gaffes in debate and this contrast between him and Representative Ryan who can calmly attack his counterpart is already being reported in the media.

Bad Prime Minister! Shame on you!

Another day, another opposition party causes trouble in the Diet. If there's one thing Japanese politics is known for, it's being able to not get along, almost as poorly as our own Republicans and Democrats at this point in our not so storied history. 

That said, translating the article was pretty straight forward. There was one sentence the required a little interpretive guesswork  but hopefully I captured the meaning correctly.

首相問責を参院可決＝ 今国会解散に応ぜ ず―民・自党首選に突 入

参院は２９日夜の本会議で、新党「国民の生 活が第一」など野党７会派が提出した野田佳彦 首相の問責決議を、７会派や自民党の賛成多数 で可決した。問責決議に法的拘束力はなく、首 相は自民党が求める今国会での衆院解散には応 じない方針。野党は参院での審議拒否に入り、 ９月８日の会期末を前に、国会は空転状態と なった。政局の焦点は、９月の民主党代表選、 自民党総裁選に移る。

首相は先の谷垣禎一自民党総裁との会談で、 「近いうち」の衆院解散で合意した。しかし、 民主党内では早期解散に反対する声が大勢。同 党の輿石東幹事長は２９日、記者団に「今回ほ ど不思議な問責はない。自民党が賛成した意味 が理解できない」と自民党を批判。別の民主党 幹部は「これで『近いうち』解散は白紙になっ た」と明言した。

首相は９月２１日の党代表選に出馬する意向 を示唆、再選が有力視されている。ただ、原発 再稼働や環太平洋連携協定（ＴＰＰ）参加に反 対する議員の間には「反野田」候補の擁立を模 索する動きもある。

与野党には、首相は再選されれば１０月前半 にも臨時国会を召集し同月中に解散を断行。１ １月に衆院選挙が行われるとの見方が広がりつ つある。

一方、谷垣氏は記者団に「一日も早く解散 し、しっかりした政治運営の体制をつくる責任 を首相は受け止めなければならない」と強調し た。しかし、首相が今国会の解散に応じるそぶ りを見せないことから、党内では谷垣氏への不 満がくすぶっており、石破茂前政調会長や安倍 晋三元首相らを次期総裁候補に推す声がある。

http://jp.wsj.com/Japan/Politics/node_503090

Prime Minister censure passes Upper House -LDP DPJ rushing to leadership elections with no response on dissolving the Diet

On the evening of the 29 th , a motion to censure Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiro submitted by 7 opposition parties, led by new “People’s Life First” party passed on the support of the 7 parties and the LDP. The censure motion has no legal binding force and the prime minister is continuing his policy of not responding to the LDP’s demand for dissolution of the lower house. The opposition in the upper house has moved to complete legislative denial, and the Diet has entered a state of stalemate leading up to the 9/8 session end. The parties’ focus is moving to the September leadership elections of the DPJ and LDP.

The Prime Minister, in a previous meeting with the LDP party chief Sadakazu Tanigaki, agreed to dissolve the lower house “in the near future.” But, opposition with the DPJ to an early dissolution has gained strength. Party Secretary Higashi Koshishi told reporters on the 29 th that “there’s never been a more confusing censure. I can’t understand the intent of the LDP in voting for it.” Another DPJ executive said “With this vote, “the near future” has become a blank slate.”

The Prime Minister has hinted at running in the party leadership election on 9/21 and is the likely strongest candidate. That said, among party members who opposed the nuclear reactor restart and Trans Pacific Partnership, the search for an “anti-Noda” candidate is on. For both parties, if the prime minister is re-elected, it is expected that he would take decisive action to call a special session in the first half of October to dissolve the lower house. Expectations for a November Lower House election are spreading.

Tanigaki told reported, “The Prime Minister must take responsibility and dissolve parliament as soon as possible in order for a robust governmental structure to be built.” However, due to the Prime Minister not showing any intention of dissolving the Diet during this legislative session, dissatisfaction with Tanigaki is growing within the LDP and former prime minister Shinzo Abe and former party policy chief Shigeru Ishiba have been mooted as candidates to run in the party leadership elections.

How dare they!

In the ongoing saga of poor Sino-Japanese relations, the ambassador can't catch a break.

大使車襲撃、北京市公 安局「重視し迅速に捜 査」

【北京＝大木聖馬】丹羽宇一郎中国大使の車 が２７日に襲撃された事件で、在北京日本大使 館の斎藤法雄公使参事官は２８日、北京市公安 局に対して事件の再発防止と警備の強化を再度 申し入れた。

大使館筋が明らかにした。

大使館は２７日の事件直後にも公安局に対し て文書で申し入れをしていた。斎藤公使参事官 は、大使の車の中から大使館員らが撮影した男 の写真なども公安局側に改めて提供した。公安 局は今回の事件について「遺憾の意」を表明し た上で、「本件を重視しており、迅速に捜査を 行っている」と回答し、捜査に着手したことを 明らかにしたという。

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/world/news/20120828-OYT1T01212.htm?from=navr

Ambassador’s car attacked, Beijing Public Safety authorities to investigate with all speed and focus

Ambassador to China Niwa Uichiro’s car was attacked on the 27 th and an embassy source revealed that Norio Saito, a minister-counselor at the Japanese embassy in Beijing submitted another request to the Beijing Public Safety Authority asking that they strengthen their security and prevent a reoccurrence of the incident.

Right after the incident, the embassy submitted a written request to the Public Safety Authority. Counselor Saito stated that pictures of a man taken by embassy staff in the Ambassador’s car were also submitted to the Public Safety Authority. The Public Safety Authority said that this was a regrettable incident and announced, “We will investigate with all speed and diligence,” signaling the start of the investigation.

I got a job...maybe!

Today's article is on the exciting world of education and employment statistics. Looks like nearly 2 out of every 3 Japanese college graduates this past March ha as managed to find a job, not a small task in today's difficult economy.

大卒就職率２年連続微増の ６３・９％ 文科省調査、 ２割余りが派遣やアルバイ ト

今春大学を卒業した人のうち就職した人 の割合が、昨年より２・３ポイント上昇し ６３・９％だったことが２７日、文部科学 省の学校基本調査の速報で分かった。 リーマン・ショック後の雇用悪化により下 落幅が過去最大を記録した２年前から２年 連続の微増。やや改善傾向を示す一方、派 遣社員やアルバイトなど安定的な雇用に 就いていない人は２割余りの約１２万８千 人に上った。

調査によると、今春の大学卒業者５５万 ９０３０人のうち、就職したのは３５万７ ２８５人で、就職者を卒業者で割った就職 率は６３・９％だった。

今回は、就職者のうち契約や派遣など 正社員でない非正規雇用の調査も初めて実 施したところ、２万１９９０人で３・９％ だった。アルバイトやパートなど「一時 的な仕事に就いた人」（１万９５９６人、 ３・５％）と「進学も就職もしていない 人」（８万６６３８人、１５・５％）と合 わせ、２２・９％が安定的な雇用に就い ていなかった。

進学も就職もしていない人の内訳も初め て調べ、「就職や進学準備」が５万３０５ ４人（９・４％）、就職や進学準備もしな い「ニート」が３万３５８４人（６・ ０％）だった。

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/life/news/120827/edc12082721060002-n1.htm

College graduate new hire rate continues 2-year marginal improvement trend at 63.9% according to Ministry of Education report -- more than 20% on contract or part-time jobs

The Ministry of Education reported in its Basic Education Survey report on the 27 th that 63.9% of individuals graduating college this past spring found permanent employment, an increase of 2.3% from last year. This continues a 2-year trend of marginal increases after the huge decrease in employment after the Lehman Brothers collapse, the largest ever recorded. While this shows an improving trend, the number of individuals without stable employment, either on contract or working part time was above 20%, rising to 128,000. According to the report, there were 559,030 college graduates this spring, and 357,285 found permanent employment, giving a new college graduate employment rate of 63.9%.

The report also investigated non-permanent employment, contract, temporary, or otherwise not permanent employees, for the first time, recording 21,990 individuals or 3.9%. Part-time employees (individuals engaged in temporary work), 19,596 people or 3.5%, and individuals not continuing education or working (86,638 people or 15.5%) together amounted to 22.9% of graduates not engaged in permanent employment.

In this first-time break-out of individuals not engaged in education or employment, those preparing for work or education were 53,054 (9.4%) and those not engaged in work, education or training (NEET) came to 33,584 (6.0%).

Survey says...

Now, it's time to review public opinion on whether to have nuclear power in Japan. What do you think they said?

原発比率:民主党の調査 会が議論開始

毎日新聞 2012年08月24日 21時53分

民主党は２４日、将来のエネルギー政策を議 論する「エネルギー・環境調査会」の初会合を 開き、将来の総発電量に占める原発比率を巡る 議論を始めた。今国会期末の９月８日までに結 論を出す方針だが、原発ゼロの是非とその実現 時期が最大の焦点となる。

会合では、会長の前原誠司政調会長が、政府 が２０３０年時点の原発比率として示した ０％、１５％、２０２５％−−の三つの選択肢に こだわらず、目標時期などを変えた党の独自案 をまとめることもあり得るとの考えも示した。

一方、出席議員からは、政府主催の討論型世 論調査などで、原発ゼロ支持が最多だったこと から、「国民の方向性はゼロ。政党としてゼロ にした方が分かりやすい」との意見が出た。【 小倉祥徳、鈴木美穂】

http://mainichi.jp/select/news/20120825k0000m020108000c.html

Nuclear power percentage: DPJ’s research committee begins discussions

On the 24 th , the DPJ kicked off the opening meeting of their “Energy & Environment Research Committee”, focused on discussions about future energy policy, opening with a debate over what percentage of total power output should come from nuclear sources. The plan is to put out a conclusion by the end of the current Parliamentary session on 9/8. The principal focus is on the pros and cons of eliminating nuclear power and the time period in which that could be realized.

At the meeting, committee chairman Seiji Maehara indicated that the party might submit its own proposal with a different target timeframe, without regard to the options the government suggested of a reduction in reliance on nuclear power to 0%, 15%, or 20-25% by 2030.

Based on the government sponsored discussion-format public opinion research, complete elimination of nuclear power received the most support among attending parliamentarians as displayed in the generally vocalized opinion that “The population’s support is for zero. As a political party, it is most intuitive to pursue a policy of complete elimination.”

It gets better

The Korean president's comments about the emperor are getting a lot more play. We could be seeing the making of another low in Japan-Korea relations.  Enjoy.

韓国一流紙に「トンデ モ」コラム 天皇陛下 は「膝をついて謝罪す る写真を歴史に残すべ き」

竹島（韓国名・独島）や天皇陛下の訪韓をめぐ る李明博（イ・ミョンバク）大統領による謝罪 要求で日韓の緊張が高まる中、韓国で日本批判 が先鋭化している。これまでその主な舞台は ネット上の掲示板や、市民が投稿する形式の ネットニュースだったが、2012年8月20日、つ いに大手紙のコラムにまで、天皇陛下に「膝を ついて謝罪する写真を歴史に残すべき」と要求 する論調が飛び出し、日本側も反発を強めてい る。

コラムが載ったのは、韓国で最 も部数が多い「朝鮮日報」

問題のコラムは、朝鮮日報のウェブサイトに掲 載された「記者手帳」。朝鮮日報は1920年に創 刊され、中央日報・東亜日報と合わせて「朝中 東」と呼ばれる3大紙の中でも最も発行部数が多 い。韓国を代表する新聞だと言える。

コラムは、「『日王、独立運動家に謝罪せよ』 何が間違っているのか」と題して掲載された、 政治部の李河遠（イ・ハウォン）記者の署名入 り原稿だ。「日王」とは、天皇陛下に対する韓 国での呼称だ。コラムでは、

「韓国の立場からすると、天皇批判に日本の政 界がこれほどまでに敏感に反応する理由が理解 できない」

と語り、天皇陛下の父親にあたる昭和天皇につ いて

「日本が朝鮮半島を統治した時代に民族全体を 迫害し、弾圧した人物で、太平洋戦争では韓国 の若い男性を銃の盾とし、若い女性を日本軍の 性的奴隷とした」

と断じた上で、「特別A級戦犯」だと表現。この ような経緯を根拠に、李大統領の謝罪要求を

「ある意味当然の要求」 「時期的には問題があったかもしれないが、決 して言ってはならない言葉というわけではな い」

と正当化した。

旧西ドイツ首相のホロコースト への謝罪を引き合いに…

さらに、1970年に旧西ドイツのヴィリー・ブ ラント首相（当時）が、ポーランドの首都ワル シャワの、ユダヤ人ゲットー跡地で跪いて献花 し、ナチス・ドイツ時代のユダヤ人虐殺（ホロ コースト）を謝罪したことを引き合いに、

「今上天皇は手遅れになる前に、ブラント首相 のように膝をついて謝罪する写真を歴史に残す べきだ」

と、コラムを締めくくった。

なお、ブラント首相の謝罪をめぐっては、「ホ ロコーストに対して謝罪したのであって、戦争 や侵略行為について謝罪したものではない」と いう説もある。さらに、コラムでは、天皇陛下 の訪韓を求めているのは韓国側だということに ついても触れられていない。

コラムは日本語版にも転載され、21日夕ま で1300回以上ツイートされている。1記事に対す るツイートの数としては異例の多さだ。その内 容のほとんどが、

「韓国の日本に対する理解不足の標本的な見 本」 「教育とは恐ろしい」

などと、筆者の勉強不足を指摘するものだ。

http://www.j-cast.com/2012/08/21143515.html?p=all

Korea – Top newspaper’s outrageous column –Emperor should leave a photo for history of himself apologizing on his knees

In the midst of heightening tensions between Japan and Korea over a request for apology from President Lee Myun Pak regarding his comments about Takeshima (Korean name: Dokdo) and the Emperor visiting Korea, criticism of Japan within Korea is trebling. Till now, it has mainly appeared online on message boards or “net news” sites where citizens can post news. However, on 8/20/2012, it reached a major newspaper column with the eye-popping demand that the emperor “should take a picture of himself apologizing on his knees for history,” which strengthened the backlash from the Japanese side.

The Chosun Daily News, Korea’s largest newspaper by circulation, carried the column

The column at issue was posted on the Chosun Daily News website “Reporter’s Notebook.” The Chosun Daily News was first published in 1920, called along with the DongAng Daily News and the Dong-A Daily News the “big 3” of Korean news, and of them is the largest by circulation. It is called Korea’s representative news.

The column is titled, “ ‘King Sun, apologize to the independence activists!’ What’s wrong with that?” and is attributed to reporter Lee Ha Won of the government desk. “King Sun” is the what the Japanese emperor is known as in Korea. The column says, “From Korea’s standpoint, it is impossible to understand the reason for such a sensitive reaction from Japan’s government over criticism of the emperor.” Regarding the emperor’s father, Emperor Showa, he writes, “When Japan ruled the Korean Peninsula, they persecuted our whole race and oppressed our people. During the Pacific war, they used Korea’s young men as shields and forced its young women to be sexual slaves for the Japanese army” and uses the expression, “He was a special class-A war criminal.” With these particulars as his foundation, he says of President Lee’s demand for an apology, “It’s a completely natural demand.” “The timing could have been an issue but to say that it can’t be said at all is ridiculous.”

In referencing the apology of the prime minster of former West Germany for the Holocaust…

Also, the author references how in 1970, prime minister Willy Brandt of former West Germany knelt at the site of the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw, Poland and laid a wreath to apologize for the Nazi era genocide of Jews (the Holocaust). The column ends with, “Before it’s too late, the emperor should kneel like Prime Minister Brandt and apologize and leave this picture for history.”

That said, it can be said of Prime Minister Brandt’s apology that it was “an apology for the Holocast, not for war and invasion.” Furthermore, the column doesn’t touch on the point that the whole Emperor seeking to visit Korea story is something that only Korea has been saying.

The column is carried in the Japanese edition and was retweeted more than 1300 times as of the evening of the 21 st which for one article is an unusually high number of tweets. The contents was almost all of the following type, “A good example of Korea’s lack of understanding of Japan” or “His education is terrifying,” focusing pointing out the author’s lack of knowledge on the topic.