Kumamoto International Archive

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

Kirk here reporting that quite a few heads of state participated in the Asia-Pacific Water Summit, held this weekend in Kumamoto. Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia is pictured in one of the articles I'm sharing today with Prime Minister Kishida of Japan, both of whom came to Kumamoto. Another article I'm linking to shows Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh of Laos addressing participants directly. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka and President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines gave speeches virtually (among others, I'm sure; I don't have a complete list of the speakers). And, Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, wrote as follows:
" . . . around the world, three in ten of the world’s population still lack access to safe drinking water at home. Six in ten live without safely managed sanitation services. Millions of lives are lost each year as a result. With just eight years to go to the deadline of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we are seriously off-track to achieve the sixth Sustainable Development Goal of clean water and sanitation for all."
Water for Sustainable Development - Best Practices and the Next Generation
https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2022/04/water-sustainable-development-best-practices-and-next-generation
Duterte seeks bold, urgent climate action
https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/04/25/news/national/duterte-seeks-bold-urgent-climate-action/1841181
Asia-Pacific Water Summit: President speaks about his plans for next three years
https://www.newswire.lk/2022/04/23/asia-pacific-water-summit-president-speaks-about-his-plans-for-next-three-years/
Laos calls for sustainable water resource management at Asia-Pacific Water Summit
https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2022/04/25/laos-calls-for-sustainable-water-resource-management-at-asia-pacific-water-summit
Outcome of Cambodian PM’s participation in the 4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit in Japan
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501063083/outcome-of-cambodian-pms-participation-in-the-4th-asia-pacific-water-summit-in-japan/
Outcome of Cambodian PM’s participation in the 4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit in Japan - Khmer Times
Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sunday issued a press release on the outcomes of the participation of Prime Minister Hun Sen in the 4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit in Japan.

(Douglas) I have just finished uploading 5 more video I have made about things around Kumamoto. You can view them on the Gaijin-Eyes YouTube channel.
I will not post here everytime I upload videos, therefore I suggest that if you want to keep up to date with new videos, you should subscribe to the channel.
Here is the link:
Gaijin-Eyes - YouTube
Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

Hi Atsuko.
Sharing the beautiful view of Kumadai and Sakura from the sky.
I was an education student 25 years ago and my older daughter is now a Kumadai student.
I hope many international students and alumni will remember and enjoy the view and memories.╰(´︶`)╯

(Douglas) During today's ZOOM chat with some members of Kumamoto-i, I was asked about my 360º photos and videos.
Here is a link to a tour I made in 360º format that can be viewed on a computer, tablet or cellphone.
If you decide to watch, I suggest that you first watch the video explaining how to navigate the tour. You will see it to the left side of the main screen - It is called, "Navigating the Tour"
The tour is about the Takahashi Inari Jinja, one om my favourite shrines in the Kumamoto area.
Here is the link:
Takahashi Inari Jinja
Virtual Tour | 高橋稲荷神社 | Opening image wide

Kirk here noting that Earth Day came and went without much notice in Japan (or Kumamoto) this year. It was Friday. The Water Summit that is underway now could have been connected to Earth Day but as far as I can see, it wasn't. Earth Day was once a bit more of a "thing" in Kumamoto. I searched in Japanese (アースデイ、地球の日) and found stuff from several years ago but came up almost completely empty-handed for events, etc. in Kumamoto this year.
What got me thinking about this was a podcast on the topic of how Earth Day got started in the U.S. In fact, until I heard the podcast, I had completely forgotten about Earth Day this year. If you enjoy podcasts, I recommend the following:
THROUGHLINE
Force of Nature (2021)
https://www.npr.org/2022/04/08/1091840917/force-of-nature-2021
https://theweek.com/political-satire/1012856/earth-day-2022
Check out this cartoon via The Week
Editorial Cartoons from The Week

Kirk here with news, and a video in English, about the water summit. Prime Minister Kishida used the occasion to meet with leaders from Cambodia, Laos, and Tuvalu. The Emperor also delivered a message (in English) from the Imperial Palace, but that's not included in this particular video.
Asia-Pacific Water Summit opens in Japan | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News
High-level delegations from Asia-Pacific nations and international organizations have gathered in Japan to discuss water-related issues.

Hi Atsuko here with some photos of the beautiful deep green scenery of Aso.
Unfortunately it's raining today and the Aso trail is closed on the 23rd and 24th, so if you want to go, I recommend after the 25th or GW.
I hate traffic jams, so I'm just going to fully enjoy in pictures for now.╰(´︶`)╯
Information about the closure of Aso trail.
Thank you Kuma Visit!
https://www.facebook.com/1668393530078953/posts/3108307422754216/

Kirk here with a little update on the water summit currently being held in Kumamoto. Thanks to my friend Yuka Ogata, who is a member of the Kumamoto City Council, the issue I raised the other day was addressed; the website now features a link to an English-language video on Kumamoto's groundwater:
https://www.4apws-kumamoto2022.jp
Thanks again, Yuka!! I can't be sure, but I suspect that my calling City Hall (the Shiyakusho) to tell them about the problem wouldn't have been enough; I needed a friend with connections. The thing I often have trouble understanding, though, is the apparent lack of interest in such feedback. I would think that it would be to the advantage of institutions who put out information in English (especially for major international events) to get feedback from native speakers. Such feedback, however, is rarely requested and frequently ignored when offered. At my university, for example, there have been several instances of strange English being put in a sign or a publication or something without consulting any of the native speakers of English that the university employs.
When taxpayer money is being spent, a period is sometimes set aside for public comment. In fact, Kumamoto City has a "public comment" section on their website:
https://www.city.kumamoto.jp/hpkiji/pub/list.aspx?c_id=5&class_set_id=2&class_id=126
I am not aware, however, of an early version of an English-language website being subjected to such public comment. For major events of this sort, I don't think I'm the only native speaker of English who would be willing to offer a comment or two, such as those you see in the image.
From my perspective, the mistakes are not the problem. As you all know, I make plenty of mistakes, both in English and, naturally, in Japanese. What bothers me is an apparent lack of interest in the perspective of people who might be able to point out such mistakes. :( It's all well and good to tell students not to be afraid of making mistakes when they converse in English; preparing a document or website that will be placed on an international stage is another matter.
P.S. My previous post about the summit is here:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7180901071983263

William Interesting about Kumamoto is their diaspora. I've met in my hometown of Orange County people from Uto (for some reason, lotsa Uto people there) who were surprised to hear how it had grown. And they have festivals.
リオのカーニバル最高潮　２年ぶりに開催（共同通信）｜熊本日日新聞社
　【リオデジャネイロ共同】南米最大を誇るブラジル・リオデジャネイロのカーニバルは２２日夜（日本時間２３日午前）、市中心部のメイン会場「サンボドロモ」でトップチームによるパレードが始まり、最高潮を迎えた...

(Fiona) Unfortunately, the weather forecast for tomorrow is not good so the 3pm Tatsuda-yama Walk will have to be postponed until a future date. Let's try again sometime between Golden Week and the start of the rainy season - a very slim window of opportunity!

William My hometown is Los Angeles, where water is more valuable than gold. Kumamoto is blessed for its water. It literally spurts out here and there.
The 4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit, an international conference where leaders and ministers of the Asia-Pacific region discuss water issues, will open on the 23rd at Kumamoto Castle Hall in Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City. https://kumanichi.com/articles/633074
Seriously:

Kirk here reporting that for the first time in three years someone has been certified as a Minamata disease patient but 18 were denied, and one judgment was deferred (I'm not sure if that's the best translation). 350 remain unadjudicated.
https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/28571?display=1

Kirk with something has only the weakest connection to Kumamoto. This came up when I searched for news about Kumamoto because the Guardian pointed out that the kiwi yuru-kyara that greated New Zealand's prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, paled in comparison with the gold stardard of Japanese mascots -- Kumamon. I thought that perhaps Prime Minister Ardern might be on her way here for Kumamoto's water summit but, alas, no such luck.
Jacinda Ardern greeted by giant sad dancing kiwifruit during visit to Japan
Two large mascots, dancing to sorrowful music, helped welcome the New Zealand prime minister on her first trip overseas since the pandemic began

(Douglas) I am in the process of moving many of my videos from Vimeo to 2 newly created YouTube channels.
If anyone is interested in watching videos, which are mainly from the Kumamoto area, you are welcome take a look at:
Gaijin-Eyes:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphTjOfFH3fRs2cHZqk60mg
and Gaijin-Eyes in the Skies@
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNutfNKhBc0sFz33jn6S8mA
Gaijin-Eyes - YouTube
Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

Kirk here with some news on the wafer fabrication plant to be built in be built in Kikuyo-machi. The use of the phrase "wafer fab" to mean "a facility that manufactures (fabricates) silicon semiconductor wafers (chips)" didn't make much sense to me at first (especially since the article ONLY uses that jargon and never spells it out) but the phrase "wafer fab" led me to this video on the process, which I found to be interesting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPh-mQ6irls
https://focustaiwan.tw/business/202204200009
Construction of TSMC's wafer fab in Japan to start Thursday - Focus Taiwan
Taipei, April 20 (CNA) The construction of a wafer fab to be run by a Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) joint venture will start on Thursday, according to Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing, Inc. (JASM), the joint venture.

Kirk here with news from Tsuetate: "The streamers can be seen until May 6, and are illuminated in the evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m."
3,500 carp streamers gracefully 'swim' above river at southwest Japan onsen resort - The Mainichi
OGUNI, Kumamoto -- Some 3,500 carp streamers are gracefully

Kirk here with news about the 4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit, which will be held in Kumamoto City this weekend. Unfortunately, it's too late to apply to attend any of the events in person (the deadline was a few weeks ago) but I found this cool video about Kumamoto's ground water, something that makes it unique in Japan.
The weird thing is, though, that the official website for the summit (which is in English, naturally) links to the JAPANESE version of the video, even though they have and an English version they've already made and could easily link to!
https://www.4apws-kumamoto2022.jp
Being the perpetual thorn in the side of city official's that I am, I called to ask (politely, of course) what the *@!$%# they were thinking. The very nice person I spoke to on the phone said she would relay the information to those in charge. She seemed to agree with me that it was a mistake to use the Japanese-language video (which doesn't even have English-language subtitles) when tax-payer money has already been spent to make an English version but that she didn't have the authority to make any decisions about this. She said she would describe the issue to those in charge. We'll see if it gets fixed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJm2KC27Crc
Water of Kumamoto-A Bridge to the Future- 4K Full ver. (英語) 熊本市
令和4年4月23日㈯・24日㈰に第4回アジア・太平洋水サミットが開催される熊本市は、豊富な地下水に恵まれた日本一の地下水都市です。地下水を育む熊本の雄大な自然。地下水を守り、地下水に支えられ、彩られる人々の暮.....

Carlton. I caught this on a news aggregation site and then checked it out on Facebook. It is self-explanatory and real.
<https://www.boredpanda.com/japanese-stuff-no-context/>
This Account Collects And Shares Japanese Pictures Without Any Context (47 Pics)
Welcome to the Facebook page that shares random stuff from Japan intentionally put out of context to maximize weirdness. Not that being in context would necessarily make any of this less weird.

Kirk here with a detailed article about the plight of Ms. Le Thi Thuy Linh, which has been a topic of discussion on this page in the past:
FOCUS: Pregnant trainee in Japan feared being forced to return to Vietnam
A Vietnamese woman who came to Japan as a technical trainee and feared being forced to return home when she became pregnant,

Kirk here with another bird post. I Google "Kumamoto" from time to time in order to check up on recent news related to this community. Yesterday when I did that, a summary of Wikipedia's page for Kumamoto Prefecture came up and I happened to notice that the official prefectural bird was listed as "great tit," (which I later learned is "シジュウカラ" [shijuukara] in Japanese). That led me to check Japanese sources and I found that the official birds of Kumamoto Prefecture and Kumamoto City were reversed on the English Wikipedia pages. I've since corrected them and now the official bird for Kumamoto Prefecture is correctly displayed as "Asian skylark" ("hibari" in Japanese) -- the bird pictured on the right.
I'm a jazz fan and learning about the Asian skylark reminded me that the great Hoagy Carmichael wrote a tune, now a standard, called "Skylark."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7HsGBJjilQ
I don't think he ever wrote a similar tribute to the great tit, even though it's a very attractive bird. Sometimes a name that that is completely unremarkable in one language carries different connotations in another language -- which reminds me of recent discussion of Asian Americans Anglicizing there names to try to fit in:
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/npr/2022/04/11/1091407334/a-chinese-student-americanized-her-name-to-fit-in-it-took-more-to-feel-she-belonged/
I'm not recommending a name change for Kumamoto City's bird. But, as someone with a name that took me aback when I first heard how it was pronounced in Japanese, I can sympathize if he/she/they feel any discomfort with the English rendering of his/her/their name.