Kumamoto International Archive

Archive of the Kumamoto International Facebook group, 2011–present.

I thought this article by the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) was interesting. The title is "'Messy' US Chip Fab Outperforms Japan’s Textbook Model" and it includes this paragraph:
--- start quote ---
Yet a year into production, a startling reality has emerged: The “messy” American venture is turning out to be a financial success, while the “perfect” Japanese project is struggling to stay afloat. In 2025, TSMC Arizona posted over $500 million in profit; during the same period, the Japanese operation racked up more than $300 million in losses. Industrial policy can build a factory, but it cannot manufacture demand, and the US factory picked the chips customers prized, while the Japanese factory did not.
--- end quote ---
I'm not quite sure what to make of the comparison between Arizona and Kumamoto but I think it's interesting to note that in the extremely capital intensive world of chip fabs, TSMC in Kumamoto has yet to turn a profit -- this despite huge governmental support. It will be interesting to see how this develops in the future.
https://cepa.org/article/messy-us-chip-fab-outperforms-japans-textbook-model/

Yesterday marked the 70th anniversary of the official "discovery" of Minamata disease. The pollution by the Chisso factory that caused people to get sick goes back further. Nonetheless, court cases continue; the issue is far from resolved. Here's one of many English language articles on the topic. If you are interested, a Google news search for "Minamata" will return many more.
Several of the people pictured are members of Kibo Mirai Minamata, a group that began as "Hot House" and has been run and supported throughout by KATO Takeko (reddish hair, closest to the altar in the photo). I am looking forward to taking a group of students to Minamata in July to visit with Ms. Kato and the Minamata disease patients who have been so hospitable to us over the years.
Minamata marks 70th anniv. of recognition of mercury-poisoning disease - The Mainichi
KUMAMOTO (Kyodo) -- A memorial service for victims of Minamata disease caused by severe mercury poisoning was held in the southwestern city of the sam

"Curiouser and curiouser," as Alice might say. Kirk here with an update to my series on how far-right anti-immigration activists got coverage in Kumamoto Keizai with the respectable-sounding headline "Kumamoto Wasamon-kai Tackles Three Topics, Including Multicultural Coexistence" (多文化共生など3テーマを議論・・・熊本わさもん会; http://www.kumamoto-keizai.co.jp/content/asp/dejikame/dejikame_detail.asp?PageID=20&Knum=24726&PageType=top1 ). It turns out that the author of this rather sugar-coated article is the same person who covered the public anti-immigration protests of the same group last fall and earlier this spring: 宮崎泰樹 (Miyazaki Taiki).
Mr. Miyazaki is clearly not anti-foreigner. He has published many articles on positive activities in support of foreigners in Kumamoto and is friends with several people who are active on this page. In his defense, he is very, very prolific and it may be that he works so quickly that it's hard for him to keep track of all of the people he talks to. Nonetheless, it is also true that in both articles he published about anti-immigration demonstrations in Kumamoto he interviewed Bani (ばに, a pseudonym), the organizer of those protests, and that the very same Bani is listed as a co-sponsor of the event in the poster I shared yesterday.
November 30 (2025) article about demonstrations featuring comment from Bani:
移民政策反対デモに60人・・・全国一斉行動
http://www.kumamoto-keizai.co.jp/content/asp/dejikame/dejikame_detail.asp?PageID=20&Knum=24488&PageType=top1
March 23 (2026) article about demonstrations featuring comment from Bani:
移民政策反対デモに50人・・・全国一斉行動
http://www.kumamoto-keizai.co.jp/content/asp/dejikame/dejikame_detail.asp?PageID=20&Knum=24657&PageType=top1
Oh my, I just found this and it's the worst bit of evidence for Mr. Miyazaki. On Mr. Miyazaki's own twitter account he shared the pink-colored poster announcing the April 29 event at the International Center and it features Bani as a co-sponsor.
https://x.com/TaikiMiyazaki/status/2046876801281171827
So, there you have it. It seems quite unlikely that Mr. Miyazaki was duped; rather, he seems to have known who he was dealing with and, for whatever reason, cooperated. :(
Previous posts in this series:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0eMcdq3fw5AWPdUmGnykFFMnSQ9A9veeSMozkr2UtgtfHXVLMiwEiJk9Cz998TRUdl
and
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0pMxW42LJRtSr2wx54pTjAQLGR9T2YC5ThM8Tnq4HXEiN229rwS1DiPdmGVR96HCql

Kirk here. My suspicions about the Kumamoto Keizai article I posted about earlier today have been confirmed. I found that the group that sponsored the event, which was identified as Kumamoto Wasamonkai (熊本わさもん会) in the article is actually written 熊本和桜紋会 in Chinese characters. And, if one searches for 熊本和桜紋会 one finds virulent anti-immigrant content such as what you see on the right, with all of the Japanese flags. It is advertising an anti-immigration event, sponsored by 熊本和桜紋会, that was held in Karashima Park and Shimotori Arcade on March 22nd of this year.
Another very curious thing is that the full name of Mr. Saeki is shown on the poster in pink. But, the Kumamoto Keizai article only published his family name, allowing him not to be identified by his full name (which would have made it easier for me to figure out who he is). I searched and found his Twitter account. Most of the posts were anti-immigrant.
Kumamoto Keizai, what were you thinking? You attended the event and saw the posters and still chose to publish an article that made it appear to be respectable.
Since this is a follow-up to my previous post, I'll end with that URL:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0eMcdq3fw5AWPdUmGnykFFMnSQ9A9veeSMozkr2UtgtfHXVLMiwEiJk9Cz998TRUdl

Here's something about the One Piece exhibit. -- Kirk
Kumamoto 'One Piece' exhibit celebrates 10 years of support | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis
KUMAMOTO—The stalwart protagonist of “One Piece” and his creator, Eiichiro Oda, have come to the rescue of this southern city many times since two powerful earthquakes wreaked devastation a decade ago.

I posted about a rather problematic portrayal of foreigners in Kumamoto a few minutes ago. Here's a much more positive article. -- Kirk
--- start Claude translation ---
'Foreign Workers in Kumamoto' — A Close Look at a Vietnamese Woman Who Leads the Processing Floor at a Baby Leaf Company in Mashiki Town
April 30, 2026
This is a look at trends in what is called the "working-age population" — people aged 15 to 64 — in Kumamoto Prefecture. The number has fallen by over 100,000 in ten years and continues to decline, and the labor shortage in Kumamoto is becoming increasingly serious. At the same time, the number of foreign workers in the prefecture is on the rise, surpassing 24,000 as of last October — a new record high. In TKU Live News, we shine a spotlight on foreign workers living and working in Kumamoto.
For our first installment, we visit a company in Mashiki Town that grows and sells baby leaf vegetables. We spoke with a Vietnamese woman who serves as leader of the company's processing floor.
[Tran Thi Cham Anh]
"Good morning."
Meet Tran Thi Cham Anh, a Vietnamese woman living in Mashiki Town. She left her home country eight years ago and has been working in Kumamoto ever since. Before heading to work in the morning, she prepares her bento box at home. On this day, she makes a tamagoyaki packed with vegetables.
[Anh]
"Oh, it burned a little."
(Are you good at cooking?)
"Not really..."
Every morning she rides her bicycle about three kilometers from her apartment to the company.
This is Mitchan Kobo, where Anh works. The company cultivates baby leaf vegetables on approximately five hectares of farmland and handles everything from shipping to sales.
[Anh]
"Thanks everyone, let's have a good day today."
Anh is responsible for packaging and boxing the harvested baby leaves, as well as quality control, on the processing floor.
Mitchan Kobo began accepting foreign technical intern trainees ten years ago.
[Mitchan Kobo President, Hikari Kaori]
"Even when we put out job listings and spent money on recruitment, we just couldn't get people to come. We were in a truly desperate labor shortage. I had a real sense of crisis — if this kept up, the company wouldn't be able to function. I thought we might go under."
Mitchan Kobo currently employs six foreign workers, including Anh. President Hikari says that when they first accepted foreign workers, they ran straight into the language barrier.
[President Hikari Kaori]
"Not being able to communicate in Japanese was extremely difficult. After work, I taught Japanese every day. Just a textbook wasn't enough for them to understand, so I drew pictures in a sketchbook and we studied from those together. We also went to karaoke — I said 'let's learn Japanese songs' and we all sang whatever was popular at the time."
About a month after they started, the Kumamoto Earthquake struck. The company building itself sustained no major damage, but the interns' apartments were half-destroyed.
[President Hikari Kaori]
"We all lived together in the factory for about a month. After living together for a month, they naturally started picking up the language."
Anh came to Kumamoto in 2018, two years after the earthquake, at the age of 20, as a technical intern trainee. She says there were times back then when she thought about going back to Vietnam because she couldn't get used to life in Japan.
[Anh]
"At first, it was hard because it's a different country — everything is different, the culture, the language. I didn't even know how to read the garbage sorting guide."
Through the support of company staff and others around her, she gradually adjusted to life and work in Kumamoto and improved her Japanese. Three years ago she became leader of the processing floor, and she now serves as a unifying presence for both Japanese and foreign staff.
President Hikari places great trust in Anh.
[President Hikari Kaori]
"Anh is truly dedicated. The reason I made her leader is that she has excellent quality control instincts, she hates to lose, and she works with complete sincerity. She's also deeply trusted by the Japanese staff."
At lunchtime, Anh takes her break. She enjoys her homemade bento with a colleague.
[Anh]
"It's delicious. I made it myself, so it's delicious."
Anh finds real meaning in her work in Kumamoto.
[Anh]
"It's quiet here, with rich nature, and I think it suits me. When I help the people around me, they always smile back at me — that's what makes the work worthwhile. I'm still getting used to being a leader, so I want to keep learning and improving."
Last August, Anh obtained Specified Skilled Worker Type 2 status, which effectively allows permanent residence. She will continue to support the floor as a trusted processing leader going forward.
As for the receiving side, President Hikari of Mitchan Kobo had this message for local government: she would like to see municipalities proactively organize exchange events between Japanese and foreign residents, and create forums where foreign residents can discuss their difficulties — such as garbage disposal rules.
© Television Kumamoto
--- end Claude translation ---
『熊本で働く外国人』益城町のベビーリーフ会社の加工場リーダーベトナム出身女性に密着【熊本】 | NEWSjp
熊本県内の１５～６４歳までのいわゆる「生産年齢人口」の推移です。１０年で１０万人以上減少していて右肩...

Kirk here. In this post I'd like to report on an anti-immigration "symposium" that was held at the Kumamoto International Center on Wednesday. First, as the International Center is by no means "anti-immigration" or "anti-foreigner" I should explain how it is that such an event came to be held there. I called the International Center and learned that the sponsoring group, Kumamoto Wasamonkai, must have applied to use a conference room and that in such cases, requests are routinely approved unless there's some very clear problem that they know about in advance. Citizens have a right to use public facilities so I can't blame the Center for granting permission. What bothered me a bit more was the Kumamoto Keizai's uncritical publication of the views expressed in the symposium (Kumamoto Keizai is an organization that publishes a reputable magazine and also runs an online news site). I'll report on my phone call with Kumamoto Keizai at the end of this article.
First, here's the content I was able to glean from the Kumamoto Keizai article:
1. Panel about immigration: "Countries That Failed at Immigration"
A list of countries described as having "failed" at immigration, including Germany and the United States. Each country is dismissed in roughly one line, with no nuance, no acknowledgment of the benefits of immigration in those societies.
2. Panel about student scholarships: "Japanese Students Get Loans, Foreign Students Get Free Money"
A panel juxtaposes Japanese students with average debt of 310 man-yen and 14.6 years of repayment with foreign students supposedly receiving 140,000 yen per month with no repayment requirement. The figures contain real elements but are presented misleadingly (for example, the "8,108" bankruptcy figure appears to be a 5-year cumulative total presented as an annual figure). The juxtaposition is rhetorical: the panel does NOT advocate for expanded grants for Japanese students, but instead frames the issue as foreigners being unfairly privileged. The recently expanded grant-type scholarships for Japanese students (since 2017 and 2020) are not mentioned.
3. Panel about free high-school tuition: Foreigners may get free tuition too!!
Japan's high school tuition-free program has been expanded in recent years, and the question of whether it applies to children of foreign residents has become a flashpoint in some political circles. Under current policy, the program does apply to foreign residents who meet the criteria, consistent with international human rights norms regarding children's right to education.
The panel frames tuition waivers for foreign residents as problematic. The implied position is that public education subsidies should be reserved for Japanese citizens, or at least that extending them to foreign families is inappropriate. The panel does not engage with the fact that these are typically children of tax-paying long-term residents, nor with international norms on children's education rights.
4. Symposium topic: Aso megasolar
The proliferation of megasolar plants in and near the Aso region is a genuine environmental and policy concern. Issues include grassland destruction, groundwater impact, landslide risk, panel disposal and toxic contamination, and the structure of FIT contracts. Local governments including Aso City have taken positions opposing large-scale installations that damage scenery. The Ministry of Environment expanded the Aso-Kuju National Park boundaries in part to restrict megasolar development.
The framing of this as a "foreigner problem" is probably connected to concern about foreign capital and Chinese involvement. In reality, most major Aso-area megasolar operators are Japanese companies or Japanese subsidiaries (JRE is now an ENEOS subsidiary; BCPG Japan is Thai-owned but operates through a Japanese SPC). Chinese-manufactured panels are common in Japan generally (over 80% of panels), but this reflects global market reality rather than foreign ownership of Aso-area plants. Aso City itself has explicitly pushed back against viral SNS framings, noting that some content causes fuhyo higai (reputational damage) to local tourism. The panel takes a real environmental concern and overlays it with a foreign-threat framing that misidentifies the actual policy and economic causes.
5. Symposium topic: Multiculturalism and religion
On June 7, 2025, approximately 700 Muslims gathered at Kumamoto Castle's Ninomaru Plaza for Eid al-Adha (犠牲祭) prayers, with permission from Kumamoto City. This was the first time the festival was held outdoors in Kumamoto, due to the indoor mosque space being insufficient as the local Muslim community has grown (driven largely by international students and technical interns from countries like Pakistan and Malaysia). The event generated significant online reaction, with some commentators framing it as "silent invasion" or cultural threat. Kumamoto Prefecture has about 4,533 Muslims as of end of 2023 (roughly 0.27% of the population). Other related topics in current debate include halal food in schools, mosque construction, and Islamic burial practices.
I do not know what was actually said at the meeting on this topic. However, given the framing of the other panels and the overall stance of the display, it is reasonable to suspect that the discussion treated religious differences as problems requiring management or restriction, rather than as ordinary features of a pluralistic society. The Kumamoto Castle event is a likely focal point, given its prominence in local discourse, but other topics (halal accommodation, burial practices, mosque construction) could also have been addressed.
6. Symposium topic: Foreign domestic support worker program
Kumamoto Prefecture announced plans to launch the foreign domestic support worker program (家事支援外国人受入事業) in 2026 under the National Strategic Special Zone framework, in connection with its special zone designation tied to TSMC's arrival. The program was originally launched under the Abe administration in 2017 and has been operating in six other jurisdictions (Tokyo, Kanagawa, Osaka, Hyogo, Aichi, and Chiba City). Workers come exclusively from the Philippines, are employed by approved companies, work on 5-year visas, and are subject to government oversight. The Kumamoto announcement generated 413 public comments raising safety concerns, prompting Governor Kimura to hold a press conference on October 29, 2025 explaining the program. Legitimate debate exists around worker protection, the feminist policy question of importing care labor versus restructuring Japanese workplaces, and the program's primary benefit to wealthy households.
Though I don't know what was actually said at the meeting, given the broader stance of the display, it is reasonable to suspect the discussion focused on opposition to the program — likely emphasizing crime and safety concerns, characterizing it as "immigration coming to Kumamoto," and treating it as a threat to local society. However, this is inference.
I called Kumamoto Keizai. I was not able to speak with the gentleman who put the article together but I was able to express my concern to another journalist who was kind enough to take my call. The thrust of what I said was that the combination of the venue and the uncritical publication may have given the content a certain "seal of approval" in the eyes of readers. I think Kumamoto Keizai should have done some fact checking or provided context or alternative views. Or, if they were not prepared to do that, I think they should have, at the very least, omitted the photo of the clearly anti-immigration and highly problematic panels.
Finally, here's the URL of the Kumamoto Keizai article:
http://www.kumamoto-keizai.co.jp/content/asp/dejikame/dejikame_detail.asp?PageID=20&Knum=24726&PageType=top1

Kirk here. This reminds me of "So You've Been Publicly Shamed" by Jon Ronson. I can't condone the vigilante doxing and public shaming of the bullies but, on the other hand, if the mother truly felt that school authorities would not take the violent bullying seriously, that may be the bigger problem. I don't know the name of the school; the article just says that the beating occurred "on the rooftop of a commercial building in central Kumamoto."
Mother turns to ‘expose account’ to exact revenge for bullied son | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis
Editor’s note: This is part of a series on issues surrounding freedom of speech, focusing on ”justice” in society where social media and generative artificial intelligence can quickly spread information and misinformation far and wide.

Local business news. -- Kirk
Yomiuri: Mitsui Fudosan Joins Kumamoto Chip Industry Cluster Development
Mitsui Fudosan Co. announced Monday that it will take part in the Kumamoto Science Park project, which aims to form a semiconductor industry cluster centered on northern Kumamoto Prefecture.

Accident at the zoo. Staff member seriously injured but expected to survive. -- Kirk
Rhino Charges Zoo Keeper Inflicting Serious Injuries
A male zoo keeper in his 50s was seriously injured after being attacked by a rhinoceros at the Kumamoto City Zoo and Botanical Gardens on April 26.

I've never been to Yushima but this video makes me want to go. -- Kirk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNZav-By90Y

I've never been to Yushima but this video makes me want to go. -- Kirk
NHK WORLD-JAPAN
36 likes. "Kumamoto: Food and Exercise on Yushima - A Cat's-Eye View of Japan"

Kirk here with an article on Minamata disease. I was surprised by the percentages of people who came to see their symptoms as Minamata disease relatively recently.
--- start quote ---
Some respondents said they had only recently become aware that they had the disease, which afflicted residents who consumed marine products tainted with wastewater by chemical manufacturer Chisso Corp.
Asked when they realized that they themselves had Minamata disease, 2.2 percent answered “recently,” 13.7 percent said “10 years ago,” and 32.8 percent said “20 years ago.” In total, 48.7 percent said it was within the past 20 years.
--- end quote ---
Even if the harm from mercury came decades ago, I have seen from my interactions with patients that the effects tend to get much worse with age. So, in that sense delayed recognition of the nature of the health problems one experiences probably shouldn't be surprising; it's harder to put everything together when the symptoms are still relatively mild.
67% of Minamata disease patients and victims say harm unresolved | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis
An overwhelming majority of Minamata disease victims and patients believe the damage caused by the neurological disorder has yet to be fully addressed, according to a survey conducted 70 years after the outbreak was confirmed.

Kirk here with another article (same picture but different article I think) about Andrew Mitchell's activities. Go Andrew!
Foreign Residents as Key Partners in Disaster Preparedness | JAPAN Forward
Disaster support for foreign residents in Japan still lags. Experts urge treating them as partners in preparedness, not just people to help in a crisis.

You might be thinking about what to do during Golden Week and you don't have a car. Here is a suggestion.
Take the bus from Kotsu Center to Kumamoto Shinko, and from there the ferry to Shimabara, Nagasaki. The ferry ride in itself is fun - bring some bread to feed the seagulls. It's about a 40 minute cruise across scenic waters - pay attention to Mt Fugen, which erupted within my memory, killing 43 people.
The Shimabara ferry terminal is within walking distance of the town. It was a samurai town, so there are many bukeyashiki (samurai residences) with interesting architecture which you can tour, lined by small canals they used to tap for water. These canals are now filled with koi, so save some of the seagull bread to feed them.
There is a small castle there, but it is not worth visiting.
The town is the center of the Shimabara Rebellion (1637), an uprising by the local Christian population, encompassing Amakusa, against the Tokugawa Shogunate. Guess which side won. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimabara_Rebellion But the Shimabara folk have never forgotten this and are fiercely independent. - William

Kirk here with more about the subsidies for Sony's Kumamoto plant.
Assessing Sony Group’s Valuation As Japan Backs New Kumamoto Image Sensor Plant
Interest in Sony Group (TSE:6758) has picked up after Japan approved subsidies of up to ¥60b for a new image sensor plant in Kumamoto, underscoring government backing for Sony’s sensor technology in autonomous driving and physical AI. See our latest analysis for Sony Group. Despite the subsidy ne...

TSMC news. -- Kirk
TSMC unveils smaller, faster next generation chips | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News
The world's biggest contract chipmaker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, says it will begin production of smaller, faster next-generation chips in 2029.

Kirk here. I just shared an English-language article about the new One Piece cards. Here's a translation of a Japanese-language article that notes that many foreigners (you, perhaps?) stood in line to get the cards and that they quickly sold out.
--- start ChatGPT translation ---
On April 22, the “One Piece Premium Card Collection: Kumamoto Prefecture Special” was re-released in Kumamoto Prefecture and drew a strong response. The cards sold out at all 15 participating stores, and many foreign customers were seen visiting shops to purchase them.
According to store staff and others involved, “About 60% of the customers were foreigners,” and “most were Asian visitors,” once again confirming the global popularity of the manga One Piece.
Meanwhile, there were reports of people rejoining the line multiple times after making a purchase, leading to concerns that some may have been buying the cards for resale purposes.
A representative from Kumamoto Prefecture commented, “We are very grateful for the strong response. We hope this will serve as an opportunity for people to visit Kumamoto.”
Regarding the concerns about reselling, the prefecture noted that there is a rule limiting purchases to “one item per person,” and added that “going forward, it will be necessary to consider measures in cooperation with retailers and sales outlets.”
The cards were reissued by Bandai as part of the “Kumamoto Reconstruction Project,” a collaboration between the prefecture and the popular manga One Piece.
The level of enthusiasm was remarkable. At one store, a parent and child reportedly set up a tent with the store’s permission after closing the day before the sale and spent the night waiting for the store to open.
--- end translation ---
https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/2620436?display=1

Kirk here with something for One Piece fans.
More Than Just a Card Set: Eiichiro Oda’s Heartfelt Tribute to His Hometown After 10 Years | SNKRDUNK Magazine
A Hero’s Homecoming: Eiichiro Oda and the 10-Year Journey to Rebuild Kumamoto In the world of One Piece, Monkey D. Luffy is known for saving kingdoms. But in the real world, his creator, Eiichiro Oda, has been doing the exact same for his own hometown. Following the devastating earthquake that str...

Ruth here with information on part-time teaching shifts at WIL by Hotel Nikko: ワシントン外語学院の立山です。子供を教えてくれる方を急いで探しています。週三日各1時間計3時間です。どなたかいませんか? 月曜、水曜、金曜午後4時~5時又は午後4時30分~5時30分。時給2500円: 交通費支給。宜しくお願いします。
Mr.Tateyama here from Washington Foreign Language Academy (by Hotel Nikko). I’m urgently looking for someone to teach children. It’s three days a week, one hour per session, for a total of three hours. Does anyone know of anyone available? Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM or 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM. Hourly wage: 2,500 yen. Travel expenses covered. Thank you for your help.
Address: 2-30 Kamitori-cho, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture 860-0845New Kikuchi Building 3F
Website: https://www.wil.co.jp/
DM via Instagram or drop by anytime with CV: https://www.instagram.com/wil_kumamoto?igsh=MXR0YXQzYmowMmplOQ==
ワシントン外語学院 (@wil_kumamoto) • Instagram photos and videos
444 Followers, 222 Following, 748 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from ワシントン外語学院 (@wil_kumamoto)