Posts

Kirk here. The video on the United Nations Environment Programme website that is mentioned in the article can be found at the second URL shown below. It has English subtitles.

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20211111/p2a/00m/0na/022000c
https://www.unep.org/globalmercurypartnership/news/video/mercury-and-minamata-disease-lesson-japan
Japan citizens' group makes video on Minamata patients to promote mercury regulation - The Mainichi
MINAMATA, Kumamoto -- A 13-minute video on the daily lives of Minamata disease patients, produced by a citizens' group in this southwestern Japan city

Kirk here with a notice I received from Francisco Celestino. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting him yet but this sounds like it might be a nice opportunity for those of you who are interested in dance. What follows is the text I received from Francisco:
International Dance Teacher based in FUKUOKA.
I come to Kumamoto once a month to teach Argentina Tango, but also Kizomba (not Zumba).
You are most welcomed to join my lessons.
Check the poster please.
Your dance school is called :
DYL Academy
Your dance studio : DYL Studio.
Your goal : dance

Kirk here with a little news about the continuing road to recovery from the 2020 rains.
Train cars transported on trailers for Japan line's restart after 2020 torrential rains - The Mainichi
KUMAMOTO -- In a bid to partially resume operations on a southwestern Japan train line suspended since torrential rains struck the Kyushu region in Ju

Hello friends, Atsuko here.
Lots people might have enjoyed the beautiful moon last night.
This is another information about beautiful moon and lights.
熊本秋のお城まつり Kumamoto castle Autumn festival is held now, from 19th November to 5th December around Kumamoto castle 二の丸Ninomaru area, 城彩苑 JYOSAIEN, 旧細川刑部邸 Kyu-Hosokawa Gyobutei till 9pm.
( If you go into the special opened area, you should pay the fee and go into till 8:30pm)
https://kumamoto-guide.jp/oshiromatsuri/
PS, you want to enjoy the lights after it, you
may visit X'mas market around 花畑広場 Hanabata Hiroba, in front of Sakuramachi and around Kumamoto station, in front of AMUPLAZA.
https://www.facebook.com/371909996646564/posts/1295380094299545/?sfnsn=mo
PS, ②CHIKAKEN is the group who plan, make, show the beautiful bamboo lights. They organize these bamboo lights. They also run good Guesthouse 月が綺麗ですね. If you stay there, you can enjoy bamboo lights every night.
BTW,
You should not say '' 月がキレイですね'' ''Tsuki ga Kireidesune'' to anyone easily because it has the meaning '' l love you'', also. It's said Soseki Natsume translated ''l love you'' to '' 月が綺麗ですね''. So beautiful works. The column tells the details. https://takashionary.com/the-moon-is-beautiful/
Hoping you can enjoy the warm lights with your specialଘ(੭ˊ꒳​ˋ)੭✧

Carlton. Don't look now (well, actually you should) but if you were expecting a full moon this evening, you will have to wait.
On our east northeast horizon the almost totally eclipsed moon is rising now and will remain in that slowly waning state for the next hour or more.
We'll have a very clear view of it thanks to the unusually clear skies.
<https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/japan/tokyo>
Eclipses visible in Tokyo, Japan - Nov 19, 2021 Lunar Eclipse
Which upcoming lunar and solar eclipses are visible in Tokyo, Japan and what do they look like?

Kirk here. The page has received an inquiry about English-speaking doctors in Kumamoto. I searched previous posts to review what's been discussed already but couldn't find much.
The image you see is from a post I made years ago about a multi-lingual doctor in Fukuoka.
There's also the following database that one can use:
http://www2.city.kumamoto.med.or.jp/forn/result.php
The problem with a database, though, is that it's just a list of the people who "say" they are able to speak English and doesn't refect how patients have felt about their interactions.
In that regard, I wonder if any of you might like to recommend a physician (either general practitioner or a specialist) who is particularly good at communicating in English.
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/photos/a.129499733790134/660210290719073/

Kirk here. I found this on Explore Kumamoto at the following address:
https://www.facebook.com/explorekumamoto/posts/4784592078231652
The Explore Kumamoto post has the following information that seems to get cut off when I share the share:
Koheiji Temple, Kumamoto
0968-36-4030
https://maps.app.goo.gl/7n4bfUF7rKAswktq8
My wife went to Kimbozan (金棒山; also romanized as Kinbozan, Kimpozan, and Kinpozan) recently and said that colors were just starting to turn and that the next weekend would probably be best. 'Tis the season for momijigari (紅葉狩り; fall color hunting). :)

Carlton here. Last night's NHK news reported this story: <https://japantoday.com/category/national/Japan-to-administer-COVID-19-booster-shots-from-Dec-1> and it certainly caught my attention because I got my 2nd jab in the 1st week of June.
Under the old 8 month wait rule I wasn't expecting a booster until next February, but now I will be eligible in the 2nd week of next month. I would like to avail myself of that opportunity if Kumamoto Prefecture makes it possible.
So this is a request to those of you reading this who are more proficient in Japanese than I to please keep a lookout for announcements in Japanese only pertaining to Kumamoto's plans and booster shot reservation protocols. I would deeply appreciate being informed in case I miss something.
In the meantime today I plan to go to the clinic where I received my 1st 2 jabs to see if perhaps I'm automatically registered for a third. Thank you all.
Japan to administer COVID-19 booster shots from Dec 1
Japan is set to begin administering booster shots of COVID-19 vaccine from Dec 1 after a health ministry panel approved the move on Monday, joining other countries in taking steps to prevent protection from waning over time. The vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE will initially be the.....

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...