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Kirk here with a COVID-19 update from the Asahi Shimbun:
"At a news conference on June 10, Kumamoto Governor Ikuo Kabashima announced his plan to ask only eating and drinking establishments that serve alcohol in Kumamoto city to close by 9 p.m. until June 30. Those establishments have been asked to close by 8 p.m.
The prefectural government will stop asking restaurants and bars in Kumamoto city to refrain from serving alcohol and cancel the request for those in the prefecture, except Kumamoto city, to close by 9 p.m. after the measures end on June 13.
'If anti-coronavirus measures are relaxed and social and economic activities become more active, then infections could spread again,' Kabashima warned."
Quasi-emergency to end in Gunma, Ishikawa and Kumamoto : The Asahi Shimbun
Quasi-emergency measures will be lifted for Gunma, Ishikawa and Kumamoto prefectures after June 13 a
Joe Tomei here with an update from the JET Prefectural Advisors, Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherland. As always, thanks to them for sharing these reports.
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Hi everyone,
It seems like today will be our last day of reprieve from the rainy season, which will start in full force again starting tomorrow. Here are some updates regarding COVID-19.
"Quasi-Emergency Measures" to be replaced with "Period of Strengthened Measures for the Protection of Our Health Care System”
Due to the number of new cases reducing in Kumamoto, the national government is not extending the "Quasi-Emergency" (まん延防止等重点措置, man'en bōshi tō jūten sochi) designation for Kumamoto. These measures are set to end on Sunday, June 13.
As you can see in the attached image below, the number of cases has come down (thanks to everyone's co-operation with the measures).
However, although the number of cases has decreased in recent weeks, the threat of highly transmissible variants remains high, and the prefectural government today released its plans to replace the Quasi-Emergency measures with its own independent "Period of Strengthened Actions for the Protection of Our Health Care System" (our unofficial translation of 医療を守る行動強化期間, iryō wo mamoru kōdō kyōka kikan).
The measures for the aformentioned "Period of Strengthened Actions for the Protection of Our Health Care System", which will be in place between June 14 and June 30, are as follows:
① Movement across prefectural lines
Avoid all unnecessary and non-urgent movement out of the prefecture.
In particular, strictly avoid any travel to and from areas for which there is a State of Emergency or Quasi-Emegency Measures in place.
② Outings
The elderly and their co-habitating family members should avoid all unncessary and non-urgent outings.
In Kumamoto City, avoid all unncessary and non-urgent outings, even during the day time, and particularly after 9pm.
Do not drink in groups outdoors or in public parks, etc.
Be thorough with measures to avoid the spread of infection when outside the home (e.g., mask wearing, hand washing, physical distance etc.)
② Eating out
Please keep the following points in mind when eating with others, even when eating and drinking in your own home, in order to minimize the risk of transmission:
As much as possible, eat only with others who you are usually already together with/spend time with
Eat with as few people as possible
Follow the "4 steps" for avoiding risk when eating meals (https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/30/93983.html)
Avoid drinking or gathering with others late at night, regardless of where you are in the prefecture, to prevent the spread of infection
Do not utilise establishments which are not implementing measures to prevent the spread of infection
As you can see from the above, the requests to individual members of the public will remain largely unchanged at this time -- the main difference will be the availability of various government subsidies to businesses that are requested to shorten their hours and the ability (backed by legislation passed earlier this year) to enforce those requests with fines.
A word about vaccine distribution
Recently, more detailed schedules have been released regarding the vaccination programme by municipalities across the country. Information about how the vaccination schedule and how to book a vaccine in Kumamoto City is available on the Kumamoto City website here: https://www.city.kumamoto.jp/hpKiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=5&id=35621&class_set_id=2&class_id=66
Since each municipality is responsible for running their own vaccine distribution programme, the rollout schedules and reservation method will vary.
Kirk here with some information about whether or not you will receive a "vaccination coupon" (接種券 [sesshuken]) in the mail.
First, the short answer: If you have a residence card (在留カード [zairyu kaado]) and the address on that card is current, you should get your coupon in the mail when your turn is about to come up.
I was prompted to look into this by discussion in response to Atsuko's post (thanks Atsuko) on this topic:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5496513147088739
The question of whether or not one needs to be a permanent resident in order to get a coupon came up. As I posted above, the answer is "no, just having a residence card (what we all need in order to stay here legally for more than three months) is enough" but it was surprisingly difficult to get a clear answer on this. What should be "authoritative" English pages don't provide adequate clarity. For example, look at the following:
https://v-sys.mhlw.go.jp/en/flow/
This page on the Ministry of Welfare website says that before "the vaccination becomes available in your area, your local government will send a 'vaccination ticket (coupon)' and 'Notice for COVID-19 Vaccination' to you" but doesn't explain how to be sure that you're on the local government's list.
Here's a page from NHK with the same kind of problem:
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/1556/
I did a good deal of searching in Japanese and even then it was difficult to pin down what conditions foreigners had to satisfy in order to be sure that they would get their coupons.
I finally wound up calling various city government offices. First, I was told that everyone with a local "certificate of residence" (住民票 [juminhyo]) would get a coupon when their turn came. Good information. Next question: "Do all foreigners automatically have a 'certificate of residence'?" Long pause. I had to call another number to verify that if you have a valid residence card that lists your current address, the municipality of the listed address will also have a certificate of residence on file for you and so you're safe.
------ End of content. Start of griping. -------
Even with over 35 years of experience living in Japan and the linguistic skills I gained over that time, nailing this down was hard for me. My impression is that all of the explanations I read (whether in English or Japanese) failed to understand that foreigners living in Japan would want a clear answer to the following question: "How do I know for sure that I'm on Santa's list and that he's checking it twice?"
I like Japan but I never cease to be surprised by the difficulty that Japanese officialdom has in communicating effectively with its non-Japanese population. :(
Since the kind of explanation I've provided in this post seems to be pretty hard to find on the internet, I'd appreciate it if those of you who have read this far would take moment to share this post with others you know who might be wondering about whether or not they are really going to get a coupon. Thanks.
Hello friends.
Kumamoto city sends out inoculation ticket toward under new coronavirus infectious disease vaccination 65 years old.
You need advance reservations by all means. Other than family medicine, you can inoculate in group inoculation venues such as Kumamoto-jo Castle halls.
The page has documents you'll get.
Now, I'd like to know good family medicines, of course, doctors and nurses can talk English.Please let me know and share your recommended family medicine in Kumamoto.
Share good information and help out each other! ーAtsuko.(*Ü*)
The page has Chinese and Korean pages too.
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Water lilies, usually written in katakana as スイレン, but if you want to impress your friends, you could use the kanji 睡蓮, are in season now. They're a symbol of Buddhism as they emerge from the muck, traverse through the murk, and finally emerge at the surface and blossom. Kinda like my every day, if I'm lucky. The area near Yatsushiro Sea is the place where they're most cultivated, being marginal land, so for you camera persons - get busy! And send us your work! - William
https://kumanichi.com/articles/266844
My apologies but I had to delete a post I put up about a revised vaccination schedule suggesting it was for folks under 65. Kumamoto city just issued a correction, so I've withdrawn the two pictures that I sent about 30 minutes ago.
However I will add, as an over 65 year old, that I was fortunate enough (I think) to receive my 2nd Pfizer vaccination yesterday. I reported here on May 19 or 20 about my 1st shot.
It was at the same time and place exactly 3 weeks later than the first, and it went even more smoothly than the 1st. I had it done in a small ear, nose, and throat clinic not far from my home. Quite unlike the crowded and confused looking sites one sees on the TV news in large metropolitan areas, my venue was spacious, well ventilated, with socially distanced seating that could easily accommodate the 5 people there for their appointed injections.
Again I was asked to wait for 15 minutes at the clinic after the jab to observe any possible adverse reaction, but I had none other than an overwhelming desire to operate heavy equipment. That passed. Seriously, the doctor did tell me to expect various maladies such as fever and influenza-like symptoms after this 2nd shot; he told me he was sick for a few days after.
So I've been carefully measuring my vital signs, but now fully 28 hours after my 2nd shot, I'm feeling as fine as I can in this hot humid Kumamoto weather. Like the 1st time I developed an increasingly sore and stiff shoulder about 6 hours after, but I slept well last night and awoke this morning with a less sore shoulder and no fever or other discomforts. That situation is still ongoing thankfully.
One side effect to which I can attest though is that, like the 1st time, I had marvelous vivid, richly detailed, non-threatening dreams while I slept. It's as if the mRNA pushed into my veins also contained a group of mini screenwriters and art and set directors. Most entertaining. I'm looking forward to my afternoon nap today and sleep tonight.
For those who do not know me I am a somewhat heavyset American of Scotch-Irish descent, and my reaction to the jabs matches those of folks physically similar to me. On the other hand, all Japanese men I know who have received both shots (3) have suffered for a bit with flu like problems after the 2nd one that _did_ go away. There may be something to a racial metabolic difference in reactions.
But that should not frighten anyone. I now hold a certificate in Japanese with stickers and QR codes attesting to the fact that I am fully vaccinated for Covid-19. In another week or so, I should be internally armor plated according to the Ministry of Health. I hope it will make life easier for me and those around me.
Talking with a friend from Texas, where pretty much everything is lethal, we realized that there are very few dangerous animals in Japan. The two we could come up with are the mamushi (aka Japanese pit viper) and the oosuzumebachi (Japanese giant hornet). If you see either, run the other way. Particularly, the hornets will swarm you if you approach their nest (photo below - beautiful things but to be avoided). Inform authorities if you spot a nest, and they will have it removed. - William
https://msp.c.yimg.jp/images/v2/tpvPBYOX1wpNVI1UoNSgEtrvL7k9lx2-zrymg9F6y1ursqxxTsl5BP2Ba6x0QDgcVrUD26EFn1N5mqbS0BPCBjj2Du3Z_QF9NwHIlrcrrZsl4QOzieU3ppfVKs4mvKsRp46v9zJBzQskIO8tldsG8kqtfFQue1tpO7x-quTKlISM6PuNDw-7_9DTxCOP6CaXg2TUWon14TQrPwboFlQOaA==/suzumebachi01.jpg?errorImage=false
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamushi
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%AA%E3%82%AA%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BA%E3%83%A1%E3%83%90%E3%83%81
My hometown's newspaper, the LA Times, is running a series on earthquake preparedness. A useful hint they noted today is to keep your bug-out bag in your car. If interested, follow it at the link: https://www.latimes.com/california/newsletter/2021-06-09/ready-for-the-big-one-earthquake-unshaken - William
Welcome to Unshaken: Are you ready for a big earthquake?
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Mixed messages
Recalling Kirk’s posting of the marijuana arrest in Kumamoto Prefecture recently, and also looking at Japan struggling to reach the 1 million Covid jabs per day goal of the Suga administration, I can say with authority I think that the plan in place in Washington State in the US won’t be a role model here: <https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/washington-state-offers-e2-80-98joints-for-jabs-e2-80-99-to-boost-vaccination-rates/ar-AAKRBnq>
Washington state offers ‘joints for jabs’ to boost vaccination rates
To boost vaccination rates, Washington state is offering free marijuana joints to any adults that receive a Covid-19 vaccine. On Monday, the Washington state liquor and cannabis board announced the promotion, aptly called “Joints for Jabs”, that will run until 12 July. During the initiative’s ...
A word from the Kumamoto International Recruitment Desk: As the KI recruitment manager, I've got a heavy quota I can't fill and am pressured into posting under numerous pseudonyms, all of them "William" (hey - there are lots of "Williams" - pictured: my wife and I with our son, William, on the way back home). I post for two reasons: I love writing, and I love Kumamoto. If you think you can post on subjects topical to this feed consistently and with no nudity (well, you can post while nude; just don't include a screenshot), please PM us, and voila! - you're an editor. - William
Kirk here with news about the vaccination schedule for Kumamoto City. I heard today that youngsters like me (I.e. between 60 and 64) who have been waiting patiently for our elders to hurry up and get poked will be able to start registering on July 10th. People with medical conditions and handicaps will also be able to begin registering at this time. Actual vaccinations for those of us in this group will start on July 26th. Please refer to the attached image for information about when even more youthful denizens of Kumamoto should be able to get vaccinated.
https://www.tku.co.jp/news/?news_id=20210609-00000007
Y'know how sometimes you're speaking a foreign (or even your native) language and a word escapes you? What I've learned is to halt everything, empty your brain, wait a moment, and it will bubble up. That happened to me today when I had to recall "toothpick" (I never use them, but we're planting avocado seeds): 爪楊枝（つまようじ). Try it - it works. (You can use waribashi for the avocado seeds, too) - William
Shin Yatsushiro Station, which I use for a recent job, baffles me: it is a bemouth which serves both the Shinkansen and regular lines but is surrounded by ... rice paddies. There is not a store, not even of the convenience type. They do have a vending machine, so I can get my Coke fix. Perhaps it's a "build it and they will come" mindset, but "they" have yet to come. - William
A friend mailed me about SDGs - "sustainable development goals" - and after briefly panicking that she might be discussing STDs, I found that the Kumamoto Trolley has an entire page dedicated to it (Japanese only). - William
SDGsへの取り組み | 熊本電気鉄道株式会社
熊本電鉄はSDGsの一環として、環境事業（LIMEX）、新電力事業（Ennet）に取り組んでいます。
Yabe is a great lil' town (disclaimer: my wife hails from there). The new road has vastly shortened driving time; this will be further shortened as the trans-Kyushu expressway passes through the town. Yabe is a wonderful summer day-trip; you can stop at Samatanoyu onsen in on the way home (https://samatanoyu-misato.jp/). While famous for its iconic bridge, Tsujinkyo, many do not know its famous waterfall, Gorougataki ( https://kumamoto.guide/spots/detail/11819 ), which can be reached by traversing the bridge and going down a long, stone staircase. Make sure to note the two types of rock composing the cliffs, deposited during two different Aso eruptions. Nobody swims in the pool except me. Hint: swim backwards to prevent the hail-like water droplets from lacerating your eyes, then climb behind the falls to see the deepest moss you'll ever see. For further adventure, continue along the path, which is suspended above the river as it traverses a gorge, cross a footbridge, than follow a few farmer's roads to get back to town (it follows the aqueduct that feeds the bridge). It's an easy hike except for the path up from the gorge - but then, once you're down there, you've gotta climb back out anyway. - William
There was carnage this morning in my genkan as an ashidakagumo (Heteropoda venatoria, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heteropoda_venatoria), which means "spider with friggin' big legs," systematically killed, dismembered, and ate a cockroach. What remains now are only the crunchy parts. Neither my wife nor I intervened: All we could do was look on in horror. Wikipedia notes, "Besides insects it has been known to prey on scorpions and bats." (!!) Still, that's one less cockroach. We pardoned the spider, who remains on patrol. - William
Joe Tomei here, I've been asked to pass on information about the fundraising event at the YWCA, organized by Sean Benward. Please contact Sean for more details, contact info is in the flier!
I wasn't aware that Mr. Hosokawa was such an accomplished artist. As I think most of you know, he is a descendant of Hosokawa Tadaoki, who replaced Kato Tadahiro (Kato Kiyomasa's son) as lord of Kumamoto in 1632. He is the only former governor of Kumamoto I am aware of to have become prime minister in the postwar era . -- Kirk
P.S. Thanks to Kazuhiro Oyama for telling us about Kiyoura Keigo, who was a prime minister in the 1920s. (See comments)
Former prime minister’s art on show at heritage site in Kyoto : The Asahi Shimbun
KYOTO--Morihiro Hosokawa, who served briefly as prime minister and devoted his retirement from polit
As a kid, I was a star runner in my school district (#2!) in California, but I did it for fun. For example, as I went through three coaches in four years, I became the team's de facto coach and came up with the pool run, where runners had to see how many condominium pools we could swim through (it involved leaping a fence, swimming through pools with shoes on, leaping the opposite side fence, and continuing on - we kept a record of the amount of pools swum year-to-year; the record when I left was 17). I had hoped for a similar experience for my son at Kumamoto's Kyushu Gakuin, one of the premier distance running schools in Japan, but I guess there's a reason why they're premier: it is not fun (note: it is otherwise a wonderful school, and I highly recommend it to children of international background). So, to my disappointment, he quit the team - but I understood why: they're militant. Take care to understand the training regime of your kids in schools and how they truly feel about it. If they're receiving more stress than joy, let them leave. - William
42 Runners Under 2:10 at One Japanese Marathon – PodiumRunner
What the Lake Biwa Marathon’s incredible results reveal about Japanese marathoning today.
