Posts

Anett here:
Below is an article on how strong or weak people in prefectures tend to be when it comes to alcohol drinking. Kumamoto Prefecture is in place 9 as the second strongest prefecture in Kyushu (Kagoshima sharing #2 with Iwate).
“酒豪”どこに多い？　「全国酒豪マップ」の謎｜エンタメ！｜NIKKEI STYLE
60対35対5――。この数字が何を示すのかご存じだろうか？実は、酒豪か下戸かその中間かの比率を示す数字なのだそうだ。つまり、日本人全体の60％が「酒が強い酒豪」、35％が「そこそこ飲めるがあまり酒には強くない中間...

Today was the official opening of Hanabata Hiroba (the area in front of SAKURA MACHI Kumamoto). The cost of the work done was approximately 23 million USD (23 oku en). Click on the image to see a YouTube video. -- Kirk
https://rkk.jp/news/index.php?id=NS003202111131652500111
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19TB40rpUNE

Kirk here with an update on Ms. Le Thi Thuy Linh's case. If you are unfamiliar with it, please see these previous posts:
https://www.facebook.com/page/123734781033296/search/?q=%20Linh
(The link is a search for "Linh" on this page and should take you to three previous posts.)
The main bit of news is that arguments in her appeal have concluded and she must now wait for the judge's decision.
Although I can't take the time to translate all of the points that have come up in media reports, I'd like to observe that the reports by KKT and RKK (both local TV stations) constitute a study in contrasts. KKT was very favorable to Ms. Linh while RKK was not at all so. I could make up a long list of differences in the coverage but one very simple one is how Ms. Linh was referred to in the two reports. While KKT described her as a "Vietnamese intern" (ベトナム人実習生), RKK called her a "Vietnamese woman" (ベトナム人の女). In English, "woman" is not, of course, a term of disparagement but in Japanese "no josei (の女性)" is neutral whereas "no onna (の女)" is quite derogatory -- a term more-or-less reserved for criminals. For discussion see the following:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5690746317665420
RKK's coverage can be viewed here:
https://rkk.jp/news/index.php?id=NS003202111121915170111
The fact that KKT and RKK used strikingly different language in describing the same bit of news is a clear indication that the language that is used is not determined by Japanese culture or broadcasting norms -- it's an editorial decision. I used to be a member of a committee set up to evaluate the quality of programming at RKK (番組審議会). I'm no longer a member so I have no special influence now but if I had noticed something like this when I was on the committee I would have asked them about their choice of language and other aspects of the treatment of Ms. Linh in their coverage.
At the moment, the best information regarding the current status of the case is all in Japanese. Again, I don't have time to translate but I can recommend the following article for those of you who read Japanese:
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/byline/mochizukihiroki/20211110-00267322
https://www.news24.jp/nnn/news100x9w6ln84ju8y0kp7.html
出産した双子の赤ちゃんの遺体を遺棄したとしてベトナム人技能実習生が有罪判決を受けた事件の控訴審。死体遺棄罪が成立するかが争点の裁判。被告側は「遺棄ではなく安置だ」と無罪を主張した。

Kirk here with a little more on the semiconductor plant to be finished by 2024. The article says that it is projected to employ 1500 people.
To put this number in context, I looked for a listing of Kumamoto's largest employers and found this page that lists the Hirata Corporation at the top with 1049 employees:
https://www.ts-hikaku.com/clist/a43/v1s22t0p.html
But, I know this page can't be right because Sony's website says that is employs about 10,200 just in Kumamoto:
https://www.sony-semicon.co.jp/company/about/
Still, 1500 is a significant number.
By the way, here's a blurb about the Hirata Corporation from its website:
"Manufacture and sales of various manufacturing line systems, Industrial robot and logistic equipment."
So, it too is in the high-tech sector -- another reason that Kyushu is known as Japan's "silicon island."
https://www.hirata.co.jp/en/corporate/summary
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/81ce919b6eda9aec781b67314820c36be1b868b9
TSMC、半導体生産で日本進出　熊本で2024年末までに生産開始　1500人の雇用創出（日刊自動車新聞） - Yahoo!ニュース
　台湾積体電路製造（TSMC）は9日、熊本県内に半導体工場を建設し生産事業で日本に進出すると発表した。2022年に工場の建設を開始し、24年末までに生産開始を目指す。また、その製造子会社にソニーグル

Kirk here with some business news:
"Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. announced on Tuesday that it will build a $7 billion plant in Japan's southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto to help meet the global shortage of semiconductors."
This has been in the news as a possibility for some time. Here are links to some previous posts:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5732615523478499
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6150130988393615
But, now it looks like the final decision has been made. An investment of $7 billion should help the local economy.
TSMC to build $7 bil. chip plant in Japan's Kumamoto Pref. - The Mainichi
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. announced on Tuesday that it will build a $7 billion plant in Japan's southwestern prefecture

Kirk here. This seems to have happened between Shin-Yatsushiro and Kumamoto Stations. "No one was injured. Officials say the individual claims to have been inspired by the attack in Tokyo last month."
Man arrested for starting Shinkansen fire | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News
Police have arrested a man on suspicion of starting a fire on a bullet train in Japan's southwestern region of Kyushu. No one was injured. Officials say the individual claims to have been inspired by the attack in Tokyo last month.

Kirk with a ramen video published by Kumamoto's tourism channel (on YouTube). It uses sound and images to make you hungry. Of course, there's plenty of slurping. ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbyUgSPI0cs
I learned about the video on this news report:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAv-nC8Vaxs
熊本県観光連盟が熊本ラーメンを動画でＰＲ【熊本】 (21/11/05 18:30)
気温が下がって肌寒くなると、余計に恋しくなるものの一つに温かいラーメンです。熊本県観光連盟が県民のソウルフード、熊本ラーメンのプロモーション動画を作り、ユーチューブで配信を始めました。コンセプトは「見...

(Fiona) It's a beautiful time of year to see the autumn colours in Aso, and if you enjoy a challenge I recommend combining a mountain drive with a spot of treasure hunting. Takarush is a company which creates puzzle hunts in scenic areas, and a new quest has just begun in Takamori and Minami-Oguni, with a prize of 300,000 yen for the winner (decided by prize draw) and smaller prizes for all participants who successfully complete the hunt.
Entry forms can be picked up at the tourist offices in Takamori and Minami-Oguni, and these have the clues which will help you work out where to go next. Be warned, the puzzles all require Japanese reading ability, and some of the destinations may be difficult to reach by public transport. The treasure hunt is free and runs until January 10th 2022.

Kirk here was a followup to my post earlier today about relaxed entry and quarantine restrictions. This article gave me the impression that the 3-day thing is a special deal for business folks. I was relieved, however, to find a page on the Foreign Ministry's website that says that Japanese and foreign residents of Japan will (probably?) qualify too:
日本人の帰国者及び外国人の再入国者に加えて、商用・就労目的の短期間（3月以下）の滞在者及び緩和が必要な事情があると業所管省庁に認められた長期間の滞在者について、上記の要件を満たした場合に原則として認められます。
I won't try to translate the legalese but it starts off by saying that "business people, in addition to Japanese citizens and foreign residents" so it looks promising.
https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/press/release/press4_009164.html
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/11/1be6a2922b39-breaking-news-japan-to-ease-quarantine-rule-to-3-days-for-business-travelers.html
Japan to ease quarantine rule to 3 days for business travelers
Japan is planning to shorten the COVID-19 quarantine period for vaccinated businesspeople from overseas upon their entry into the country to three days, possibly from next week, according to government officials

Kirk with some national news that is certainly relevant to those of us in Kumamoto, too. Japan is about to start opening up a bit -- but we're not completely out of the woods yet.
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Japan-to-ease-entry-for-businesspeople-students-but-not-tourists?fbclid=IwAR0pFRDfhpCpNsbbuuHQdnBkzU3I1KzbihaQlUI2pLM9htXh4Ao95kVGYcg
Japan to ease entry for businesspeople, students but not tourists
Exclusive: Quarantines for short-term trips to be cut to 3 days

Hi! Kirk here with some information from Carlton McCycle. Here's what he sent me in an e-mail about what he found as Costco:
"I bought a pack of 6 patties I tried one the first night fried in a little olive oil in a skillet per package instructions. It tasted fine but not hamburger-like. More like similarly prepared pork sausage and that could have been due to the internal seasonings. At about ¥300/patty it may be more expensive than hamburger but I don’t know since I never buy hamburger."
This is a followup to several posts about Daiz that I made in the past. The following link will take you to all four of them:
https://www.facebook.com/page/123734781033296/search/?q=daiz
By the way, recently Hodo Station (a late-night news program) did a segment on increasing interest vegetable-based meat alternatives and how that interest is connected to concern about the environmental impact of raising cattle. This was all connected to COP26. Here's a related news article:
Cop26: Cut meat intake and flights, urge world’s scientists
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/cop26-cut-meat-intake-and-flights-urge-worlds-scientists-3bg7z9qpj

Kirk here with a COVID-19 update. Kumamoto Prefecture's alert level has been lowered from 3 (警報; keihou; warning?) to 2 (警戒; keikai; alert?). This is on a scale that starts with 0 as completely normal and goes up to 5. I'm not sure exactly how this will impact daily life here but it's certainly good news. The numbers of new cases have been very low recently and the lowered alert level reflects that.
By the way, the address of the prefecture's page on the warning levels is as follows:
https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/30/51409.html
Personally, though, I didn't find it to be particularly informative -- and it's only in Japanese. It's even difficult to translate with apps and Google translate etc. because they have put most of the text in low-resolution graphics. Low-resolution graphics may be convenient for those who want to take a table made on a computer and quickly put it up on a web page but it's the worst possible format for people who are trying to learn Japanese. :( I've been at this for 40 years so it's not a problem for me personally at this point but it would have slowed me down several decades ago.
https://nordot.app/829302002299240448
熊本県内の感染リスク、「レベル２（警戒）」に引き下げ　新型コロナ ｜ 熊本日日新聞
熊本県は５日、新型コロナウイルスの県独自リスクレベルを「レベル２（警戒）」に一段階引き下げると発表し...

Kirk with some news about something that might not sound appetizing but that I'm eager to try -- beer made with igusa (the kind of grass used in tatami). Kumamoto is Japan's leading producer of igusa. In fact, 97% of the igusa used in tatami throughout Japan comes from Kumamoto:
http://www.tatami-kumamoto.com/about_tatami
Here's a link to the Sapporo Beer page for this beverage, which they call "HOPPIN' GARAGE IGUSA":
https://www.sapporobeer.jp/product/beer/hoppin-garage_igusa/
I guess they combined the word "garage," which reminds me of the fragrance of oil-stained concrete, to make the beer sound more appetizing than just igusa alone might be. ;) Nonetheless, I really am eager to give it a try. :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6yOFQZTLbc
The YouTube video was embedded in the following Japanese article:
https://rkk.jp/news/index.php?id=NS003202111041744080111

Kirk here with an election update.
"In the Kumamoto No. 2 district, where the top two candidates had both garnered support from conservative forces, former home affairs minister Takeshi Noda was defeated by a newcomer and independent backed by retired politician and former LDP Secretary-General Makoto Koga, and failed to secure his 17th victory in a general election."
On RKK I've heard that the new comer is going to join the LDP. So, though there is a generational changing of the guard I doubt there will be much of an ideological shift.
"
String of ex-LDP ministers, party heavyweights fall in Japan general election - The Mainichi
TOKYO -- Numerous political heavyweights and former ministers of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) were defeated in the Oct. 31 House of R

Hello friends, Atsuko here.
This is information about recycling market, flea market at Shirakawa park at 20 and 21 November.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/yXmGh3mekrFgcavB7
You can get good reasonable items. They seem to accept few more participants, shop owners. You can sell old, used, or new items. Foods and hand-made items are not allowed.
Let's join this recycling action!
Sorry, I got another appointment so I can't join it.
Hoping I have any chance to chat with you, readers sooner.(^_-)-☆
https://fb.me/e/2MFoo0BT7

Kirk here wishing I had time to go to Ueki Onsen, instead of just posting about it.
https://www.facebook.com/kumamoto.en/posts/885877648954460

Kirk here congratulating Kumamoto International editor Hari Devkota on his success. By the way, if you search this page for "matcha" you'll find other posts about his research.
https://www.facebook.com/devkotahp/posts/10159754926006779

Kirk here with an election headline from the Kumanichi (Kumamoto's local newspaper): 2nd lowest voter participation rate in the prefecture since the end of WWII.
https://kumanichi.com/articles/451378
Even so, Kumamoto's average is slightly higher than the national average of 55.9%, the 3rd lowest since the war for the nation as a whole.
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/pickup/6408555

Kirk here with election news. In Kumamoto's 2nd district, challenger Nishino (younger former bureaucrat) has beat out incumbent Noda. Noda is in his 80s. He seemed quite vigorous when I saw him campaigning in a TV report but I suspect that, for better or worse, age may have been a factor. 2021 has been a year in which the word rogai (老害; harm caused by older people who hold on to power too long) has gotten a good deal of use, most notably in regard to former Prime Minister Mori's sexist remarks.
I'm only speculating that age was a factor in Noda's loss -- I haven't seen any commentary or exit polls that confirm my suspicion. It is a fact, though, that Nishino campaigned on the need for a transfer of power to the younger generation (世代交代; sedai kotai).
Ideologically, I doubt that this represents a major change. Nishino got some conservative LDP support too. Indeed, I've seen some reports about a conservative split being a factor in this case.
https://www.47news.jp/localnews/6989810.html
https://www.sankei.com/article/20211031-6TGGZEI6SFMDVI4UYYTU6ZYBHY/

Kirk here with some almost-too-late (or made too-late-already?) information about Halloween events in Kumamoto. This page lists several events for today. The one at the top is pantomime performances at 2 and 4 today on the roof of the Sakuramachi Building (屋上サクラマチガーデン).
I should have sent this out earlier but I was just thinking "Today's Halloween. I wonder if there are any related events in Kumamoto" and happened upon this after a little Googling.
Happy Halloween!
熊本桜町のランドマーク、SAKURA MACHI Kumamoto-サクラマチ クマモト-。館内で開催されるイベントのご案内です。