Kumamoto International Archive
← 2017-05-03 17:19 JST 2017-05-05 00:10 JST →
2017-05-04 16:04 JST 2017
Kumamoto touts its own timber for quake reconstruction | The Japan Times
Local companies and municipal governments in Kumamoto Prefecture are accelerating moves to use locally produced wood to rebuild the houses and other facili
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/05/02/national/kumamot …
↗ View original post on Facebook For a link to the original post on Facebook, open this page on a computer.

Reactions: 6 · Comments: 0

← 2017-05-03 17:19 JST 2017-05-05 00:10 JST →

Around this time …

  • 2017-05-05 12:47 JST"There was an earthquake in Kumamoto in 744, according to 'Shoku Nihongi' [an official chronicle mainly of the Nara period (710-784)]. The chronicle says, 'In Yatsushiro and Amakusa, more than 470 houses and more than 1,520 people were swept into the water and sank. Landslides could be seen at over 280 locations, which crushed to death more than 40 people.' It seems the Yatsushiro coastal area was damaged by tsunami and cracks in the ground."
    This lengthy article includes extended comments by Earthquake archaeologist Akira Sangawa, haiku poet Yuko Masaki, and Kazufumi Onishi, Kumamoto City Mayor. -- Kirk
    http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003652981
    Thoughts 1 year after Kumamoto Earthquake
  • 2017-05-05 14:22 JSTI think it's great that this little art museum in southern Kumamoto has been featured in a national publication. If you have a chance, stop by!
    Here's an English page that includes a Google map:
    http://japanese-museum.com/tsunagi-art-museum-kumamoto/
    -- Kirk
    http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2017/05/02/arts/openings-outside-tokyo/amigo-koike-exhibition-higashi-nihon-kumamoto-still-3-11-2011/
    'Amigo Koike Exhibition: From Higashi-Nihon to Kumamoto — Still 3.11 2011' | The Japan Times
  • 2017-05-06 07:07 JSTThe article says that a "total of 2,282 people in Kumamoto and the neighboring prefecture of Kagoshima have been officially recognized as sufferers of the disease." The number of certified patients, however, is far lower than the number of people affected. That number is more difficult to calculate (the definition of "affected" can be debated) but one interesting indication of the scale of the disaster is that, between May of 2010 and July 31 of 2012 over 45,000 people (45,933 to be exact) applied for compensation for health effects they had suffered:
    http://www.minamata195651.jp/pdf/kyoukun_2015/kyoukun2015_07.pdf
    The huge discrepancy between the official certification numbers and the numbers of people who have applied for some kind of compensation is indicative of governmental and corporate collusion in the artificially suppression of the numbers of people who could become certified. (There is ample historical documentation of this collusion, by the way.) Given this history, I think it is irresponsible of journalists to merely report the number of officially certified patients without reminding readers that those people are arguably less than 10% of the actual total number of people who have been adversely affected.
    -- Kirk
    http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/05/02/national/social-issues/kumamoto-marks-61st-anniversary-since-minamata-disease-recognized/
    Kumamoto marks 61st anniversary since Minamata disease was recognized | The Japan Times
  • 2017-05-05 17:43 JSTKumamoto is a major producer of igusa, the material used in the production of tatami. It's not normally considered to be a food. The idea of making edible, tatami-flavored chopsticks seems wacky enough to be an April fools joke, but this seems to be legit, at least as far as I can see. The YouTube video in the announcement even has English subtitles.
    -- Kirk
    http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kumamoto-japan-develops-worlds-first-tatami-flavored-edible-chopstick-made-out-of-igsa-rush-grass-300449209.html
    Kumamoto, Japan, Develops World's First "Tatami-flavored" Edible Chopstick Made out of "IGSA" Rush Grass
  • 2017-05-05 00:10 JSTThe earthquake we had in the afternoon was a Level 4 in Misato. The magnitude was 4.1. See
    http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/6/740/20170504142600495-041422.html
    for details. -- Kirk
  • 2017-05-04 16:04 JSTKumamoto touts its own timber for quake reconstruction | The … (this post)
  • 2017-05-03 17:19 JSTThe image you see is part of an English pamphlet prepared by the Kumamoto police to inform non-Japanese residents of Kumamoto about services available to crime victims, etc. I happened to find it while searching for other information. The same information is also available Japanese and Korea in similarly formatted pdf documents. To find those links go to
    http://www.pref.kumamoto.jp.e.qp.hp.transer.com/police/page63.html (English machine translation)
    or
    http://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/police/page63.html (original Japanese)
    There is also an English pdf about how to handle traffic accidents.
    I think's it's great that this information has been made available in other languages but I wonder how many people have actually been able to find it. The primary links are from a Japanese page and the only links in English are from the machine translated page. Sadly, the machine translation is the same as that used by Kumamoto City and Kumamoto Prefecture. I say "sadly" because the machine translation system provides no links to the original Japanese information. I had to analyze the URL and take an educated guess in order to find the original page. I'll share a more detailed explanation about why this is problematic later.
    -- Kirk
  • 2017-05-03 14:31 JSTHere's some information that may be of interest to visitors to the castle (or people taking visitors to the castle). I'm sharing it in that hope that doing so will allow more interested people to learn about this. -- Kirk
    熊本城　城彩苑実証実験: 対象期間：5月2日から4日の3日間 - Tebura
  • 2017-04-30 18:15 JSTI'm posting this information about job opportunities that I received in a message sent to this page. -- Kirk
    --------------------------------
    Preschool Teacher/After school Teacher/ Principal Wanted
    Our school provides an English immersion preschool program and after school program for students from 1 year olds to high school students. We are looking for an effective teacher who loves kids, is passionate about teaching, likes to grow with us together. If you have experience teaching at a preschool and like to work as a leader, please contact us.
    [Location]
    Kumamoto city
    [Duties]
    *Lead the school (Principal candidate or head teacher)(Full time)
    *Help create the curriculum(Full time)
    *Work as a professional teacher
    *Provide fun, creative and effective lessons
    *Treat our students with good care, respect and love
    *Work as a team player
    *Learn how to improve your teaching skills
    *Be willing to listen to any advice
    *Have an understanding of Japanese culture
    *Be punctual
    *Be happy and energetic every day
    [Requirements]
    *Must have a few years of teaching experience at preschools/day cares/International schools
    *Teaching degree/TESOL/Early Childhood Education Diploma is a plus
    *Valid VISA(VISA sponsorship is available)
    [Descriptions]
    *Position: Full-time/ part time
    *Work days/hours:
    1.(Preschool Part time)Mon.-Fri. 9:00-15:00
    2.(Preschool & After school Full time)Mon.-Fri. 9:30-18:30
    3.(After school Part time)Mon.-Fri. 15:00-20:00
    4.(After school Part time)Mon.-Fri. 18:00-20:00
    5.(Saturday Part time) 9:00-18:00
    6. Head teacher position: Ask
    *Salary varies depending on the position. Contact us for more details
    *Social insurance: reimbursed
    **Please note that the provided information above is tentative and may change depending on the new schedule/number of students.
    Please send your resume and cover letter to [email protected]
    Also attach a recent photo of you.
    Thank you.
  • 2017-04-30 13:10 JSTHi! Though I'm late (I've been in China, where Facebook is blocked) I'd like to share this so that people who might be interested in this employment opportunity will be more likely to see it. -- Kirk
    株式会社マークス　｜　マーキング加工
  • 2017-04-29 20:36 JSTRelatively good news for us but bad news for areas to our northeast. -- Kirk
    http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003665714
    Risk of strong earthquake rises slightly on Pacific side
© 2026 Kumamoto International Archive · Powered by Hugo & PaperMod