The Last Emperor 

I have seen a movie,The Last Emperor
Do you know this movie?
I think This is great and impressive movie.
The Last Emperor is an Academy Award-winning 1987 biopic
about the life of Pǔyí(溥儀), the last Emperor of China.
Puyi ascended the throne
at age 2 years 10 months in 1908.
But Puyi was forced to abdicate from the emperor
on 1912, following the Xinhai Revolution.

shortly after that,
Puyi was set up as the emperor of Manchukuo
by Japanese government on 1934.
But He can't assune control of Manchukuo.
Because Manchukuo is just part of the Japanese colonialism
in those days.
After WW��
Puyi was captured by The Soviet Union as war criminal.
He was tried at the Tokyo war crimes trial on 1946.
And after that he have been in prison for 10 years.

I was greatly touched by his checkered life move.
I recommened to see this movie.

20070830234446.jpg




世界の半分が飢えるのはなぜ？ 

I borrowed a book written by Jean Ziegler
Hunger in the World Explained to My Son
(世界の半分が飢えるのはなぜ？)
from my friend,Mr.KING.
and I have finished to read it.

At frist,
I thought this book is for children.
But now I realized this book is not for only children.
This book explain complex things in simple word.
So we can understand the world hunger easily.
and I guess this book is persuasive.

I recommend everone read it.
But sometimes I wonder that
Jean Ziegler is socialist.

20070827124148.jpg


I'm going to write news using stories in this book
from now on.







日常風景のひとつ 

ジャン･グレゴール氏は、
現在の飢餓問題を、
｢日常風景のひとつと化した」と表現した。

今の多くの人々の国際問題に対する
関心のなさをよく言い当てた一言だと思う。

たとえテレビで地球の反対側で起きている
悲劇が生々しく伝えられようと、
ほとんどの人は、｢ひどいね」の一言で
すべてを終わらせてしまう。
自分に何ができるか真剣に考えたことのある人が
日本にどれだけいるだろう。

つまり、我々先進国の人々にとって、
外国で戦争がおき、何万もの人々が死んでいること、
食料が公平に分配されず、飢餓が至る所で生じていることは、
いつものことで、
取り立てて騒ぐほどの問題と認識されなくなってきている。
異常な事態が異常とは把握されていないのだ。

たしかに、自分ひとりにできることは僅か、
いや、ほとんどないかもしれない。
それなのに、わざわざ、世界の悲惨な出来事を知ることは
まともな神経の持ち主なら耐えられないだろう。

それにしても、
日本の国際問題に対する関心のなさには
愕然とすることがある。
先日の記事でも取り上げたが、
日本は、世界中で沸き起こったネスレ･ボイコットに
参加しなかったし、知っている人すら少ない。
フェアトレードについての認識もいまひとつだ。
もちろん、これらの政策は完璧なものではないにしろ、
知ってすらいないというのは、
明らかに日本人の国際問題に対する
関心の低さを物語っている気がする。



最大の悲劇は、

悪人の暴力ではなく、善人の沈黙である。

沈黙は、暴力の陰に隠れた同罪者である。

マーティン･ルーサー･キング




暴走する多国籍企業-ネスレ- 

Do you know the company,Nestlé?
I think this company is very famous around the world.
But any years ago
Nestlé was named
the world's "least responsible company"
by the Guardian.

In 1977
The Nestlé boycott is launched in the US
against Nestlé's unethical marketing.
It soon spread rapidly outside the United States,
particularly in Europe.

Why?
The Nestle was criticized
for the company's marketing of breast milk substitutes
in developed countries.
The Nestlé encoraged buying formulas for baby.
These formula must normally be mixed with water,
which is often contaminated in poor countries.
Actually,
These actions led to disease in vulnerable babys.
There're some other problems, too.
But the Nestlé didn't try to improve for it.
Moreover, the Nestlé didn't obey the International Code
to control formulas perfectly.
So In 1988
Nestlé boycott resumed aroud the world.

But Japan don't boycott it
and don't concern about it.

I hate such company behavior
which admit everything to gain no matter what.

大志とは。 

Dr. Clark leave a famous speech at Japanese university.
But alot of people just know one phrase.
"Boys be ambitious ! "
Recentry i knew that this speech continue
behind this phrase.
I felt other part of the speech is more important.

“Boys be ambitious !
Be ambitious not for money or selfish aggrandizement ,
not for that evanescent thing which men call fame .
Be anbitious for the attainment of all
that a man ought to be .”


「少年よ大志を抱け!

お金のためではなく

私欲のためでもなく

　 名声という空虚な志のためでもなく

　 人はいかにあるべきか
　 その道をまっとうするために

　 大志を抱け.」


Yea. I'm lovin' this speech.
I wanna be on such way.


フェアトレードとその欠点について 

I'd like to talk about defects of Fair Trade(FT).
At first,
Coffee bean certified as FT is only 0.3% of total production.
We realized that
fair trade system do not suficiently bring to market.
and benefit per head for FT is just 6 dollar per month.

Another problem is that
those people benefited from FT are already well educated
and active formers and well-united with each other.

Next,
Some companies utilize "Fair Trade"
as an advertising instrument and a method
to improve their company image.
Actually,some companies buy small amount of coffee bean
as FT from a country.
but buy much more coffee bean
in the form of "normal trade" from another country.

Finally,
The word, "Fair" is a vague word.
Definition of "Fair" sometimes differs
between producer and buyer.

We realize that Fair Trade system is not perfect.
But i think we could contribute to Fair World with FT.

紛争ダイヤモンドとキンバリープロセス 

I note down a research about conflict diamonds.
What is Conflict diamonds?
UN said that...
A conflict diamond is a diamond
that originate from areas controlled
by forces or factions opposed to
legitimate and internationally recongnized government.
And these diamonds're mined ,usually clandestinely,
in order to finance an insurgent.

the UN Security Council banned all exports of diamonds
from Angola,Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Now UN canceled the sanction to these contries.
But Cote d'Ivoire be continued
to be banned all export of diamonds even now.

conflict diamonds are controled
by The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS)

The Kimberley Process is a process designed
to certify the origin of diamonds
and to debar conflict diamonds from diamond market.

Das Leben der Anderen 

善き人のためのソナタ(Das Leben der Anderen)
という映画を見たので感想〜。
あらすじを説明すると、
1984年、ベルリンの壁崩壊前の東ドイツでのお話。
このとき、東ドイツは国家保安省(シュタージ)の
徹底した監視国家にあった。
国家保安省職員ヴィーラー大尉は
反体制の疑いをもたれている
劇作家ドライマンとその恋人の舞台女優クリスタを
監視するよう命じられる。
ドライマンのアパートに盗聴器をしかけ、
徹底した監視をはじめるが、ヴィーラー大尉は
次第にドライマンらに同情し始め････みたいな話。

うん。
面白かったです。
ただ「善き人のためのソナタ」の曲自体が
あまりイイ曲でないと個人的には思え、それが残念かな。

でもラストとか良くできてて
なかなか感動的な作品かと思います。
一見の価値ありです。

個人的には80点。

Moral Code 

Recentry,
an internal investigation by UNOCI has revealed
serious allegations of widespread sexual exploitation and abuse
by UN military contingent serving in Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire.

I was shocked,
But I know it's not a brand-new story.
Similar affair happened at other countries.

Why these people
who should try to keep peace at development country
commit such a crime?
You know...
Charity sometimes abuse contributions for private want.

I know that charity is a virtue.
I realized that we should consider and
contribute our money
to charity carefully.

Speech Contest 

Today, There is a speech contest in my school.
I tried it.
Sadly I can't get first prize, but I enjoyed it.
I'd like to attach manuscript to this Blog.
Please read it!


What do you imagine from the word “Chocolate”. Sweet snacks? Saint Valentine’s day? In Japan, we can buy chocolates easily. We can buy it at our college also, can’t we? The chocolate that I bought for my family in Chicago while traveling in the US was a very expensive and special one. I think you can imagine some positive things when you talk about chocolate. Recently I found out that chocolates have a negative side and I was astonished.

As you all know well, chocolates are made from cacao beans. Cote d’Ivoire in Africa is the largest exporter of the world’s cacao beans, providing 43% of the world’s supply. There is a surprising relationship between chocolate and child labor. Children in their teens are forced to work at cacao plantations with little or no wages. Can you imagine chocolates have such a dark story?

I found out the same sad story is happening in another country. Let me tell you another dark and sad story. It is about crude oil which is indispensable for our daily lives. As you know, there are many products around us, which are made from oil. Thanks to the oil, we can enjoy cars using gasoline. The sad story is happening in Nigeria which was an agricultural country until oil was discovered. When crude oil was discovered in this country, many people expected that they would have a wonderful and bright future. But oil development polluted rivers, lakes and the atmosphere and a lot of trees were cut down, which caused a lot of people to lose their traditional jobs. The fact is that the oil didn’t bring a bright future to the people in Nigeria. They live in poverty even now.

From these stories, I believe you understand the products around us including oil and chocolate have many sad stories. What do you think if some goods you often use and buy are produced from someone’s suffering? For me it is surprising and I felt very sad. I felt that it is none of my business before I knew that something sad is happening in another country. But now I realized that our familiar items such as chocolates and oil are closely related to the local problems in the world.

I wondered what I could do for these problems. I know that I cannot do anything to solve these problems and the world will never change even if I contributed all the money I have. And as you know just your interests do not generate improvements in the world. But I am sure that it’s important for us, to know the reality of the world and relationship between the world and ourselves. Why? It’s difficult to imagine the reality from outlook of these products. So we easily forget them, even though these problems have something to do with our life. And I think if each of us will make best efforts to know the reality of the world, these sad situation will not be completely forgotten or neglected.

As a technical college student, it is vital for us to broaden our views or horizons since we are studying professional knowledge in this college. Now we can get much information about other countries easily on the Internet. You could see BBC news. I often use it. These tools will help us to broaden our views. I myself would like to know more about the true reality of the world. And now I think if possible, I plan to do volunteer work abroad in the future.

In conclusion I believe the most important thing is to open our eyes widely and always keep our views wide toward not only ourselves or Japan but also toward the world.

19450806-Hiroshima Day- 

多忙の中、読んだり見たりした記事を
考察してアップする暇がなかなかない。
それでも、今日は更新しないわけにはいかないと思う。
残念ながら日本語でだが、
私の稚拙な英語よりよっぽど趣旨が伝わると思う。

今日は広島に原爆が投下された日である。
久間元防衛相のしょうがない発言もあり、
今年の原爆記念日は気になっていた。

歴史的事実に関しては、一般的に知られている知識以外では
あまり詳しくないので特に書く気もないが、
理系の学生として、米国人ジャーナリストの語った
以下の原則を思いに刻んでおきたい。
１．ひとたび出来上がったものは制御不能に広まっていく。
２．科学的発見は取り消すことができない。

科学的発展は時に人を不幸にする。
その極みが広島・長崎の原爆だ。
そのことを肝に銘じて研究を行いたい。
よく言われることだが、大切なことだと思う。

日本は実際に原爆を投下された国として、
他国より非核の主張に説得力を持つと思う。
しかし人間は忘れやすい生き物で、被爆者がいなくなったら
とたんに原爆のことを忘れてしまうのではないかと不安にも思う。

核を拒否する気持ちを
私たち若い世代も忘れてはならないと感じた。

Darfur 

-The United Nations Security Council has voted to send peacekeepers to the war-ravaged Darfur region of Sudan, after months of wrangling BBC NEWS-


I got a great news!
I wish that UN peacekeepers send to Darfur as soon as possible.

BBC NEWS said that
at least 200,000 people are thought
to have died in the region since 2003.
and more than two million have been run out of homes.