Kumamoto International Archive

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

The exoneration of former death-row inmate Iwao Hakamada has been in the news lately:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/03/27/295162651/sentenced-to-death-46-years-ago-japanese-man-is-now-free
For an audio podcast (and text transcript) about this case see
http://www.npr.org/2014/04/06/299708675/japan-releases-inmate-after-nearly-half-centure-on-death-row
This first person to be exonerated in this way was MENDA Sakae of Kumamoto in 1983:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakae_Menda
There has still been only a handful of such exonerations in Japan.
Sentenced To Death 46 Years Ago, Japanese Man Is Now Free
Iwao Hakamada, now 78, is thought to have been awaiting execution longer than anyone else in the world. But newly analyzed DNA evidence has led to an order that he be retried.

This article is about Kumamoto's efforts to " attract international business events, incentives and conferences."
http://www.cei.asia/Article/381990,fortress-at-heart-of-city-convention-plans.aspx
Fortress at heart of city convention plans - CEI Asia
Kumamoto Castle to be linked to new conference facility

Click the link to see an announcement about full- and part-time teaching positions at a school in Kumamoto.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/kumamoto-i/conversations/messages/12840

Kumamoto City is famous for it's groundwater. I've heard that Kumamoto City is the only major city in Japan that relies entirely on groundwater for it's supply of tap water. Human uses of water at the surface level (rice paddies, etc) play an important role in recharging the aquifer. This article describes how researchers from Kumamoto are helping people in Bangladesh learn to recharge their aquifer. Here are a couple of paragraphs:
"Kumamoto University Graduate School of Science and Technology professor of Hydrology Dr Shimada, one of the top planners of Kumamoto City's world famous groundwater management system, said these while talking to the FE. The Kumamoto City received 2013 edition of the 'Water for Life' Best Practices Award of UN-Water for its efforts in preserving groundwater resources."
"For recharging groundwater it is necessary for the rain to percolate through the ground surface and to become groundwater. In the Kumamoto area 33 per cent of water is recharged through paddy fields, 52 per cent through dry fields and grasslands, and 15 per cent through mountainous areas."
By the way, the article doesn't mention it but one practice that reduces the amount of water that is returned to the aquifer is the excessive use of asphalt and concrete in parking lots and around homes and buildings. When possible, it's a good idea to give rain water a way to seep into the ground before it get's wasted as runoff.
http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2014/03/29/25908
Rainwater harvesting, recharging aquifers a must: Dr Shimada | METRO/NEWS | Financial Express ::...
Harvesting rainwater in a larger way and recharging aquifers adequately can help Bangladesh ensure safe drinking water to city dwellers

This article is about foreign coaches in Japan's new JBL (Japan Basketball League) and mentions the situation with the Kumamoto Volters:
"On the opening day of the league, there were 10 foreign coaches overall. American Norman de Silva was let go by the Kumamoto Volters at the end of last month, being replaced by Japanese Shinji Tomiyama, who served as an assistant under De Silva after stints as a bj-league head coach with Iwate and Chiba, the latter before the team defected to the NBL before this season."
By the way, can anybody explain why it's the "Japan Basketball League" and not the "Japanese Basketball League" or the "Basketball League of Japan"? It is quite common to use "Japan" in this way in the names of organizations so I don't think it's a "mistake" but I can't explain why this is OK. One clear example is "Japan Airlines" vs. "American Airlines." Both sound fine to me but "America Airlines" sounds strange and "Japanese Airlines" sounds a bit odd too. I can't quite figure out why, though.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2014/04/04/basketball/foreign-coaches-making-impact-in-revamped-nbl-4/
Foreign coaches making impact in revamped NBL
While the National Basketball League of Japan is essentially the rebranded Japan Basketball League, there's one distinguishing aspect that is different from before — it's a foreign coach-filled league. Currently, ...

"Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture, which produces 80 percent of igusa reeds, wants its product to be used in tatami mats for the athletes’ village and other places.
'It’s a chance to convey Japanese culture overseas. Plus, it’s good public relations for Yatsushiro,” said a city official in charge of the matter.'"
Igusa is the plant used to make tatami mats.
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001147822
Local products pushed to make ‘all-Japan Olympics’ - The Japan News
Local communities around the country have launched sales campaigns in the hope that their specialties will be used in the venues of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics or in the athletes’ village.

I needed to buy something in Tsuruya Department Store today and while I was there I noticed that they too are having an exhibition of Yayoi KUSAMA's work. Very impressive -- and free if you are just looking. The majority of the items on display are screen prints, signed by the artist and for sale -- but they are not cheap by any means.
Part of the exhibit ends on the 8th and the rest ends on the 15th.
The exhibition of Kusama's work at the Contemporary Art Museum of Kumamoto begins on the 5th (tomorrow) and runs until the 15th of June. So, from the 5th through the 8th, you can take in one exhibit and then cross the street to take in the other!
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/618939124846190
http://www.tsuruya-dept.co.jp/event/week/saiji03.html
こだわりと上質なくらしを提案する熊本郷土のデパート鶴屋百貨店です。お中元や内祝、お祝いに好適な贈り物や、リビング商品、フード、コスメ、熊本の逸品など多数ご用意いたしております。熊本県熊本市中央区手取本町6−1 ／電話 096−356−2111

Drum Rock "17 Samurai" concert to be held in Kumamoto.
http://www.drum-tao.com/main/archives/schedule/4153
DRUM ROCK「続・十七人のサムライ」熊本県/熊本県立劇場 « DRUM TAO｜世界600万人を動員！世界が認めた和太鼓を使ったエンターテイメント
DRUM TAOオフィシャルサイト世界600万人を動員！世界が認めた和太鼓を使ったエンターテイメントショー

The other day I posted about Jared's tragic accident.
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/photos/a.129499733790134.25925.123734781033296/618953184844784/
Today I learned from a friend about this fund raising campaign.
gofundme.com/80wbd4
Click here to support Bring Kathe and Jared Home by Sara Rae
As many of you know we have lost a great and loving person this week. Jared was teaching English and living with his fiance Kathe in Japan when he lost his life in a tragic accident. Our main goal is to get the both of them home and these expenses can be exorbitant. This fundraising is both for t...

Kang Sang-jung is a well-known native of Kumamoto. He was the first Zainichi Korean to become a full professor at Tokyo University. Now, he has become president of Seigakuin University in Saitama Prefecture.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/people/2014/04/178_154552.html

I have sad news to report. I just took a look at the local news report from RKK that I record every day and learned that an English teacher died in a car accident near Minamata. I'm not sure about the correct spelling but, judging from the name reported on TV, I think the name is Jared Paul, an American citizen, age 32. Condolences to all who knew and loved him.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/kyodo-news-international/140330/kumamoto-confab-seeks-develop-spread-fair-trade-towns-
A shorter version of this same Kyodo news story appeared in the Japan Times as well:
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/03/31/national/fair-trade-advocates-look-forward/#.UztzTNwia0w
Promoters of "fair trade towns" agreed Sunday to take an inclusive approach in developing and spreading the idea of an ethical consumption movement aimed at helping solve wealth inequalities at global, national and local levels.

The headline makes this sound like a victory but if fact the verdict was considered to be a major defeat:
" . . . lawyers for the plaintiffs said they effectively lost because the court rejected damages for five of the eight plaintiffs."
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/03/31/national/court-rules-in-favor-of-three-minamata-sufferers/
Court rules in favor of three Minamata sufferers
The Kumamoto District Court on Monday ordered the state, the Kumamoto Prefectural Government and Chisso Corp. to pay damages to three of eight unrecognized Minamata disease sufferers who sued them. ...

Kumamon to star in new version of Ruroni Kenshin.
. . . and who says Japanese people don't understand April Fool's?
http://wwws.warnerbros.co.jp/rurouni-kenshin/index.html
映画『るろうに剣心京都大火編/伝説の最期編』公式サイト
映画『るろうに剣心』公式サイト！京都大火編8/1（金）／伝説の最期編9/13（土）二作連続超拡大全国ロードショー

We got a question on the Kumamoto-i mailing list about pools in Kumamoto. I responded with a map that shows the location of public pools and fitness clubs that have pools:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/kumamoto-i/conversations/messages/12822
By the way, one really unique pool is in Kashima. It's unique because it fed by natural spring water . . . and very, very cold. (I wouldn't recommend actually trying to swim there until August and even then you may find it hard to stay in the water very long.)
Check out the following blog post for more information, including a map:
http://bunkaseminar.blogspot.jp/2012/05/spring-water-tour.html

I recently posted information about the number of foreigners working as trainees in Kumamoto:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/610704009003035
The Japanese government is planning to expand this program to met increased demand for construction workers arising from preparations for the 2020 Summer Olympics:
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20140329_04.html
Govt. to expand stay for foreign workforce -NHK WORLD English-
NHK WORLD is the international broadcasting service of NHK.

On the Kumamoto-i mailing list, we've been discussing places in Kumamoto to get good paella (a Spanish dish):
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/kumamoto-i/conversations/topics/12805

Like Indian food, especially chicken biryani? There was recently a post on the Kumamoto-i mailing list about a small restaurant called Rest House Orissa that offers chicken biryani:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/kumamoto-i/conversations/messages/12818
Here's the address of the restaurant's web page:
http://resthouseorissa.wix.com/kumamoto

This article from the Telegraph recommends viewing the cherry blossoms on the grounds of Kumamoto Castle.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/japan/10724571/Japanese-cherry-blossom-2014-festival-and-viewing-guide.html
Japanese cherry blossom: 2014 festival and viewing guide - Telegraph
As the sakura cherry blossom season starts in Tokyo, Japan, we explore why it is so important to the Japanese and where and when best to catch it

"Kumamoto became Asia's first and only fair-trade town in 2011. To date, 1,444 towns in 24 countries have received the designation.
'Aside from the formal conference, citizens can drop by and meet producers of fair-trade products,' she [Akashi] said. 'Mangers of eco-friendly companies will be coming, students will organize a fair-trade university and a fair-trade card game event will be held,' she said."
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/kyodo-news-international/140327/japan-city-host-1st-intl-confab-asia-promote-fair-trad
See my previous post for a link to a podcast (mp3 file) about fair trade in Kumamoto.
Japan city to host 1st int'l confab in Asia to promote "fair" trade
An international conference of "fair trade towns" is to be held over the weekend in a Japanese city -- the first time the conference has taken place outside Europe -- as campaigners look to spur the growth of ethical consumption movement in Asia.