Kumamoto International Archive

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

Preparations to remove that symbol of Kumamoto resilience following the quakes, Ippon Ishigaki - that single corner of stone that held up the Iidamaru Turret until it was stabilized by a giant green cantilever - were completed today as a triple-branched support structure was moved along a track to a position where it can support the cantilever. Actual dismantling of the wall is scheduled to begin in mid-August. The linked article is Japanese but contains several images which demonstrate how the process works (pretty impressive - have a look). The article notes that the structure will soon be wrapped in soundproofing material, so 7/30 is your last chance to catch a glimpse of Ippon Ishigaki.
But it will be back, stronger than ever. - William
https://this.kiji.is/263471488550045175
「１本石垣」解体へ　30日で見納め　熊本城飯田丸 - 熊本日日新聞
飯田丸五階櫓を支えるため、仮受構台（上部の緑色の鉄骨）に代わって新たに設置された受構台＝２７日、熊本市（高見伸）飯田丸五階櫓を支える受構台の設置作業。仮受構台下部の灰色の鉄骨の下に、赤い鉄骨を移動させた＝２７日午前、熊本市（高見伸）　熊本市...

Personal note: Marriage is not always easy. My wife and I don't remember how many years we've been married, preferring to concentrate on each day. We enjoy splendid times together; we support each other in our work; sometimes we fight. But there are implicit red lines, one of which is: Do not stab another while he or she is sleeping. (There are other red lines which lead to a successful marriage, but this is kind of a big one.)
A woman in Kita Ward, Kumamoto, was arrested for stabbing her sleeping husband. She claims that he had been beating her (another red line). Whatever the facts, this is all very sad. There are other choices. - William
https://japantoday.com/category/crime/woman-arrested-for-stabbing-husband-as-he-slept
Woman arrested for stabbing husband as he slept
Police in Kumamoto City said Sunday they have arrested a 48-year-old woman on suspicion of attempted murder after she stabbed her 55-year-old husband as he slept. According to police, Misa Kawanishi stabbed her husband Isao in the stomach with a fruit knife at around 9 a.m. Saturday in their apartme...

I've been in Japan quite a while but there are still some aspects of Japanese culture that I have trouble understanding. One is official announcements about where certain traffic violations will be enforced. The image is of a Google Chrome translation of
http://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/police/page1016.html
The web site has it's own translation function but it's about the same in quality as the Google translation, only without the option to return to the Japanese.
In a way, I guess it's nice that some information is provided about when you need to be particularly careful about speeding and other offenses. On the other hand, isn't this penalizing those who don't know how to check the official announcements and favoring those who may break the law quite regularly but have learned how to avoid getting caught? I just don't understand why this is publicized but other information that you would think should be public (recent information about where fatal traffic accidents have occurred, etc.) isn't. (By the way, I was looking for information about the accident William reported on when I came across this.)
-- Kirk
P.S. "Ban" in the machine translation is "はみ出し禁止" or crossing the center line. I think they will be looking for people who try to pass when it is not allowed.

According to this bit of news, the Prefectural Gymnasium has resumed full operations. As I understand it, the facility has been partially open for some time now but it has taken until recently to completely recover from the quake.
-- Kirk
https://www.tku.co.jp/news/県立総合体育館%E3%80%80全館で利用再開/
[TKU-NEWS 夕方 17.07.21 ] 県立総合体育館　全館で利用再開
水の国くまもと応援プロジェクト進行中。TKU

Driving home from work this evening, I noticed one of those red-edged white signs the police erect looking for witnesses after a hit-and-run on a narrow road in front of Oe elementary school. More ominously, next to it was an offering of flowers.
My wife confirmed my suspicions: Apparently, a first grader was struck and killed on July 16. Googling provided no news - perhaps it is being withheld. I drive a lot, frequently on such small roads, and while I'm no angel, I've learned to be extremely careful (leave early, never exceed 20KMPH, and keep your foot on the brake - on 7/21 at exactly the same spot, a kid on a bike charged across the road, causing the entire contents of my car to shift a meter forward). Even if you're behind schedule, the ramifications are life-changing, both for the driver and the victim.
He (assuming his sex) will be eventually found; nobody ever escapes this for long. If I hear any news, I'll post. Please be careful while driving, particularly on those small lanes. - William (Note: this post has been corrected: July 16, not July 20.)

This sounds cool but, on the other hand, the article raises as many questions as it answers. If staffers at "Kumamon Square provide visitors with a smartphone loaded with the RECAIUS app," does that mean that you have to find a staffer to let you use the app for a minute or two? Is this not available for anyone to download and use?
-- KIrk
https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/17/07/w9798996/toshiba-digital-solutions-is-helping-overseas-visitors-to-kumamoto-pref
Toshiba Digital Solutions is helping Overseas Visitors to Kumamoto Prefecture - Multi-language translation provided by Communication AI RECAIUS Service
Overseas tourists in Kumamoto, the Kyushu city known for its castle, cherry blossom and other attractions, will soon be able to get more out of their trip, thanks to a new...

We've received in inquiry about free WiFi in Kumamoto:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1530609827012444?notif_t=page_wall&notif_id=1500547123820544
There have already been some comments made there about where one can find free WiFi.
I'd also like to share the following:
https://www.wiman.me/japan/free-wifi-kumamoto
I'm not sure if all of the free spots listed are easily accessible but I like the fact that the information is organized in map form. Please add notes about what works and what doesn't.
In addition, there's the following from the prefecture:
http://www.pref.kumamoto.jp.e.qp.hp.transer.com/kumamoto-free-wifi.html
Again, I'm not sure how well it actually works.
-- Kirk
Free WiFi Kumamoto
Find all Free WiFi Hotspots and Shared Networks in Kumamoto!

This event will take place in Kumamoto between the 11th and 13th of August. The article states that " the event is normally held every three years for those in the chito-ryu style of karate." Chito-ryu karate began in Kumamoto. Click on the following links to view previous posts about Chito-ryu karate:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/777968468943254
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/photos/a.129499733790134.25925.123734781033296/803405773066190/?type=3&theater
For more information about the upcoming event go to
http://mukashikarate.com/events/2017-soke-cup-in-kumamoto-japan/
-- Kirk
https://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/local-sports/karate-athletes-to-compete-in-japan/
Karate athletes to compete in Japan - Penticton Western News
International event in August to draw up to 500 competitors

When this article came out, the rainy season had not yet been declared over in northern Kyushu. According to NHK, however, tsuyu ake (the end of the rainy season) has just been official announced for us as well:
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20170720/k10011066061000.html
-- Kirk
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003828795
Rainy season over for many
TOKYO (Jiji Press) — This year’s rainy season seems to be over in the eastern and western Japan regions of Kanto-Koshin, Tokai, Kinki, Chugoku and Shikoku, the Japan Meteorological Agency said Wednesday.

Northern and central (and, to be fair, southern as well, but that's not the topic here) Kyushu is that type of question whose every answer raises a dozen further questions. That is, these are fascinating places galore.
Our friend Helen, host of that excellent site Explore Kumamoto, is searching for some knowlegeable and responsible people to be bilingual tour guides (that "responsible" criterion kinda rules me out). If interested (and you should be), please read Helen's post below and respond to her site. - William
Do you love exploring Kumamoto and northern Kyushu? Are you interested in meeting people from all over the world and sharing your knowledge and experience of Japan and the local area? Do you have a Japanese driving license and your own car? Are you responsible, friendly, dependable and a safe driver? If you can (honestly) answer yes to all these working part time as a guide for international tourists might be your ideal job! If you are interested in finding out more please contact Helen at Explore Kumamoto [email protected] And to see the kinds of tours we offer take a look at www.explore-kumamoto.com
Explore Kumamoto – information, places, tours and more
Explore Kumamoto is your English guide to the Kumamoto and central Kyushu region, introducing activities, experiences, customised tours and travel advice.

This post does not regard Kumamoto but a bit of neat Japanese technology recently deployed on the International Space Station, the "Int-Ball". A bit like a Roomba, it is "intelligent" - it moves around by itself in three dimensions using a gyroscope and returns to its home base for recharging when required. The device is designed to alleviate the burden of astronauts of recording visual activities on the ISS, which apparently now occupy 10% of their time. Plus, it's cute. Thanks, Japan!
(Best to watch with sound off - whoever chose the music should be fired.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXSTG0R_UJ4
Space Station gets new floating robocamera ball called "Int-Ball"
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has for the first time disclosed images and movies taken by the JEM Internal Ball Camera called "Int-Ball"－its firs...

Personal note: in the Kumamoto regional run-up to the Koshien baseball tournament, held at the Fujisakidai stadium, Daini (my wife's alma mater) is slated to face off against Kyushu Gakuin (my kids' alma mater) from noon today. My wife is quite conflicted. My daughter cares not a wit. - William

In contrast with TKU's shoddy reporting, both the English and Japanese versions of this Mainichi article are careful not to portray alleged crimes as established fact.
English:
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20170718/p2a/00m/0na/008000c
Japanese:
https://mainichi.jp/articles/20170717/ddp/041/040/033000c
TKU:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1527853653954728
-- Kirk
Vietnamese man arrested for allegedly robbing, trying to kill woman in Kumamoto Pref. - The Mainichi
ASAGIRI, Kumamoto -- A Vietnamese man was arrested on July 16 under suspicion of robbing and attempting to murder a woman here, it has been learned.

The privatization of Kumamoto Airport is in the air.
https://centreforaviation.com/news/mlitt-publishes-guidelines-for-kumamoto-airport-privatisation-tender-under-48-year-contract--688689
-- Kirk
MLITT publishes guidelines for Kumamoto Airport privatisation | CAPA
3-Jul-2017 12:18 PMMLITT publishes guidelines for Kumamoto Airport privatisationJapan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLITT) reportedly published the tender guidelines for the privatisation of Kumamoto Airport on 30-Jun-2017 (Sankei Shimbun/NHK News/Mainichi Shimbun, 30-Ju...

A "technical trainee" (技能実習生) from Vietnam has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and attempted murder in Asagiri-cho (a small community near Hitoyoshi). According to the report, a women was attacked with a knife and severely injured but, thankfully, is expected to survive. The accused technical trainee may indeed be guilty but I was appalled by TKU's coverage of the arrest. They didn't even bother to use words like "is accused of" or "is suspected of" or "according to so-and-so he . . ." when describing the crime. They just said "He did this, and then this," etc. and then finished the report with a sentence about how the police are looking into the motive (for the crime that TKU has already rendered their verdict on). According to this and other reports, the accused person has not admitted anything.
"Innocent until proven guilty" (suitei muzai; 推定無罪) is supposed to be a key principal in Japan's judiciary system but it seems as though TKU doesn't think the principal applies to journalism. Or, perhaps they see it as something that can be dispensed with if the accused is foreign.
If you understand Japanese, you can check out TKU's video yourself at the following address.
https://www.tku.co.jp/news/あさぎり町強盗殺人未遂事件%E3%80%80ベトナム国籍の男/
By the way, here's a link to the government's page of the trainee system:
http://www.jitco.or.jp/english/overview/itp/index.html
-- Kirk
[TKU-NEWS 夕方 17.07.17 ] あさぎり町強盗殺人未遂事件　ベトナム国籍の男を逮捕・送検
水の国くまもと応援プロジェクト進行中。TKU

Over the weekend, I went to Minamata with a group of students. We had been concerned about the weather but, other than being a bit hot, it was great. Here's a photo one of the students took from Akasaki Observation Point.
https://goo.gl/maps/mGJn3Disku32
-- Kirk

First the deluge, then the flood - of resort cancellations. Japan Today reports that Minami Oguni and other northern Kyushu onsen resorts have seen their bookings halved. This would be a good time for us locals to visit - Oguni weather is certainly far less hellish than the city. - William
https://japantoday.com/category/national/northern-kyushu-faces-growing-trip-cancellations-after-rain-disaster
Northern Kyushu faces growing trip cancellations after rain disaster
The northern Kyushu region of southwestern Japan, where people are struggling to restore lives following recent torrential rains, now faces another problem -- a growing number of trip cancellations to the area. Tourists appear to be shying away from famous resorts near the disaster-hit areas, such a...

Mr. Yagi of the Kumamoto International Foundation (KIF) has been a supporter of this network since its inception as a mailing list in 1999. In addition to supporting the mailing list and this page he has always listened quite carefully to me when I have made suggestions regarding the presentation of English information on the KIF website. One suggestion I made was to add a link to the original Japanese text when a translation of Japanese information is published on the site. My thought was that, if English speakers had access to the Japanese text, they could use it to double check the meaning (perhaps with the help of a Japanese friend) or to share with Japanese friends, etc.
Well, Mr. Yagi came through and now all of the English translations of Shisei Dayori (Kumamoto City News) articles on the website have links to the Japanese text. The image I have added to this post is of an article about the National Health Insurance Card but there are many other useful articles. To find them go to
http://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/topics/topics_list.asp?LC=e&PageID=5
The Shisei Dayori articles are usually intended for Japanese readership. The English translations give us an idea of what kinds of information are being presented to the citizens of Kumamoto in Japanese.
The English translations may not always be perfect but I think they are good enough to get a basic idea of the original article etc. If you are interested in the topic of a post but a little puzzled by some of the English expressions, you may wish to print out the Japanese (if you don't read Japanese yourself) to show a friend in order to get clarification.
At any rate, I'm very please with the addition of links to the original Japanese on this page and would like to thank Mr. Yagi for his help. :)
-- KIrk

The Battle of Guam ended on August 10,1944, with the Mariana Islands under American control. This put the Japanese home islands in range of America's B-29 bombers. The Battle of Okinawa concluded on June 22, 1945, giving America more, closer airfields. With that done, American strategists began planning for the invasion of Japan's main islands, dubbed Operation Downfall. (Wikipedia it). The idea was that Allied forces would storm the beaches in eastern Miyazaki and western Kagoshima, meet up at a central point, and thus cut the island in half.
To facilitate this, massive bombing campaigns were undertaken to eliminate facilities across Kyushu, including in Kumamoto. Not many know that Kumamoto was home to several important military bases during the war, some of which still exist (in particular, the 北駐屯地 in Tatsuda and 健軍 - in Kengun, of course - both of which I used to teach at; the latter is still headquarters of Japan's Western Army). A very large base was located in Oe machi, where I live, and its destruction explains the current presence of the library, theater, and Gakuen University: all open space following the war.
Several bombing runs on Kumamoto occurred in July and August of 1945 which destroyed some 11,000 houses, injured 552 people, and killed 469. That this happened during the Obon season is perhaps poetic.That atomic thingy obviated need for the invasion, but older people here will remember the bombings; talk with them. There is a monument erected by the Lion's Club on Shirakawa near Suidocho which commemorates this; have a look if you're nearby. The link below contains a transcript of what is inscribed.
A favorite jogging course took me by a small graveyard in Shimonabe, where I'd often stop for a drink from a garden hose. One day, I noticed two tomb stones belonging to brothers who had died just days apart - one in the Philippines, the other in the Kumamoto bombings. Numquam iterum. - William
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~un3k-mn/kusyu-kumamoto.htm

From the Kumamoto International Wow, I'm Glad I Don't Live There Desk: After suffering that 5.2 earthquake yesterday, northern Kagoshima/southern Kumamoto finds itself in the crosshairs of the jet stream. Those down south, please take care. - William