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It's official -- the completion of all repairs on the castle is projected to take about 20 years. On the other hand, if all goes according to the current plan, the main keep (tenshukaku) will be repaired (or rebuilt?) in just three years.
In addition to the Asahi article (in English), I also took a look at the following Kumanichi article about the mayor's press conference:
https://kumanichi.com/news/local/main/20160726007.xhtml
熊本城「２０年で復旧」 大西市長が意向示す
The Kumanichi article talked about rebuilding (再建) the main keep, not just repairing it. Also, it reported that the mayor has vowed to gradually put the restoration process on display for the public (復旧過程の段階的公開). Accordingly, in the not-too-distant future it should become possible for people to take tours of the castle grounds in which they observe and learn about the restoration process. Hopefully, that will allow castle tourism to recover long before the last repairs are finished.
-- Kirk
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201607270022.html
Kumamoto mayor vows to restore quake-hit castle to glory：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--The mayor here has vowed to repair the main keep of the city's castle within three years a
Regarding why it took so long to find the wreckage . . .
"The area, designated as a zone at risk of secondary disasters, was exempted from search activities on May 1, with the sole exception of a single day search in June, Kumamoto prefectural representatives said."
The article also says "No human remains were found in the crushed yellow Toyota car" but I think that is misleading. Other reports I have seen have indicated that the car will need to be pulled out from between the rocks in order to examine the interior. So, unless I am mistaken, at this point no one knows whether or not there are human remains in the car.
-- Kirk
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/car-wreckage-of-last-missing-person-in-kumamoto-quake-found
Car wreckage of last missing person in Kumamoto quake found
The crushed wreckage of a car presumed to belong to a 22-year-old university student ― the last missing person in…
To support Kumamoto, Solaseed begins using Kumamon character on planes | The Japan Times
Kyushu-based Solaseed Air Inc. on Tuesday started bearing the Kumamon mascot on some of its aircraft to boost support for the area affected by a series of
Joe Tomei here. This, from a friend in Nagasaki about discounted travel tickets for Kyushu to help the tourism industry recover.
Kyushu Reconstruction Discount Tickets | Fukuoka Now
Kyushu Reconstruction Discount Tickets, whose goal is to help Kyushu’s tourism sector recover in the wake of the Kumamoto Earthquakes, are selling well. They can be used for lodgings or travel…
Here's a Japan Times article about the discovery of what may be Hikaru Yamato's car. To see my previous post about this go to
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1086747584732006
-- Kirk
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/07/25/national/destroyed-car-may-belong-last-missing-person-kumamoto-quakes/
Destroyed car may belong to last missing person from Kumamoto quakes | The Japan Times
Part of what appears to be a car owned by Hikaru Yamato, the last person still missing from the series of earthquakes that hit Kumamoto Prefecture in April
The Kumamoto International entomology desk presents this week: Know your Wasp!
Some wasps (the more aggressive types are known as hornets in English but still "hachi" in Japanese) you want to run away from as if they were the Devil's spawn itself - particularly the giant Asian hornet (suzumebachi スズメバチ) - due to their aggressiveness. The humble paper wasp (called "long-legged wasp" - ashinagabachi あしなが蜂 probably because it has long legs), though, is a friendly little guy, considered a beneficial insect as it gobbles up all sorts of crop pests.
Ashinagabachi create nests by masticating pulp gathered from decayed wood, dried stems, and even posters adhered to walls and poles (they particularly like the latter probably due to the adhesive already attached - look for long furrows dug into posters or park benches and you'll know a wasp has been there), then deposit dumplings of chewed-up insects (known as "mushidango" 虫団子 - eww) into each chamber, onto which they lay a single egg and then seal.
They're social, with up to a dozen unrelated females cooperating to create a nest, and will not bother humans unless they are directly threatened (one can approach a nest within even a meter without triggering alarm). Japanese hold a positive image of ashinagabachi, but children don't try to collect them for an obvious reason (they have a stinger on their butt).
Etymologically, they are a member of the Vespus family, from which the Italian scooter Vespa gets its name due to their resemblance - truly one of the most elegant animals nature has ever created, as the photo below demonstrates. Enjoy observing them as they work to build and stock their nests for another generation, and do not fear them. - William
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A2%E3%82%B7%E3%83%8A%E3%82%AC%E3%83%90%E3%83%81
Kumanichi posted an awesome photo of the support structure for Iidamaru Turret after it had been moved the final 22 meters west to its final location (click on the link for a full-size version). The article notes that the project has thus far run smoothly, with the final step being affixing the supports to the turret base. For you photographers, remember Kirk's suggested photography location atop City Hall.
http://kumanichi.com/news/local/main/20160725004.xhtml
緑の鉄骨、飯田丸櫓覆う 倒壊防止の応急工事－熊本のニュース│ くまにちコム
熊本日日新聞社が取材した熊本のニュース。新聞紙面に掲載前の記事もお伝えします。
I have a soft spot for the OK Taxi company, even though I don't have many opportunities to ride in their cars. I first became interested in them because the order of the letters on their cars' right sides is from right to left. In Japan, writing from right to left has become fairly rare, except on vehicles -- where horizontal writing often starts at the front of the car and goes to the back. This front-to-back approach means that horizontal writing on the left side of cars and trucks proceeds from left to right but that the writing goes from right to left on the opposite sides of the cars. If you don't read Japanese, you might not notice this on the cars and trucks you see in Kumamoto but the OK Taxi company makes it obvious for English speakers by following the custom when they paint the letters "OK TAXI" on their cars. I thought this might be a tradition that was on it's way out but the other day I was happy to see that the company is continuing to follow this writing style on their newer hybrid cars.
The third picture you see is from the following Japanese newspaper article:
http://www.sankei.com/economy/news/160416/ecn1604160027-n1.html
The company is based in Mashiki and was hit hard by the quakes. I believe I saw a TV report that said that while damage was severe, they have been able to stay in business because a good number of their cars were out when the quakes hit.
If you happened to see a car with "OK TAXI" written backwards on the right side, please consider giving them your business. I'm sure they'd appreciate it.
-- Kirk
More than three months after the main earthquake, it seems that the car driven by Hikaru Yamato has finally been found. The Kumamoto Gakuen University student is thought to have been driving over or near the Aso Ohashi when it collapsed on the morning of April 16th. Despite large-scale search efforts, nothing had been found until yesterday. What is particularly impressive to me is that, judging from Japanese media reports, it was Hikaru's parents and their supporters -- not any official search effort -- who found the car. They are submitting photos of what they found to Kumamoto Prefecture and requesting that the prefecture retrieve the car so that they can determine if Hikaru's remains are in it. Hikaru is the only quake victim who is still unaccounted for. I hope this can bring his family some closure and healing.
-- Kirk
http://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_society/articles/000079873.html
熊本地震で行方不明の大学生 家族らが車を発見
熊本地震の本震以降、行方不明になっている大学生の大和晃さん（22）の家族らが、晃さんが使っていたのと同じ色で同じ車種とみられる車を発見したことを明らかにしました。 車が見つかったのは、晃さんの消息が途絶えたとされる阿蘇大橋の崩落現場から約400メートル下流側です。父親の卓也さんは、発見された車が晃さんが当時、乗っていたものと同じ色で、さらに、回収したエンブレムから同じ車種だとしています。 大和晃さんの父・卓也さん：「車をまず引き揚げてもらって、中に人がいるかどうか確認してもらって」 両親は25日午後、熊本県庁を訪れて車両を引き揚げるよう申し入れる予定です。
NHK has reported that a Pokemon Go player asked to enter the restricted area on the grounds of Kumamoto Castle in order capture a Pokemon. Officials have asked Nintendo to remove content that would make gamers want to venture into restricted areas.
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20160722/k10010605101000.html
「ポケモン 立ち入り規制の“熊本城”外すよう市が任天堂に抗議」
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36842259
Pokemon Go finally launches in Japan - BBC News
Nintendo's Pokemon Go is now available for players in Japan, the birthplace of the little monsters, says game developer Niantic Labs.
Earlier today, William posted a stunning photo of the Iidamaru Gokai Yagura taken by Liz Suenaga from the top of the Shiyakusho (City Hall):
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/photos/a.129499733790134.25925.123734781033296/1084803521593079/?type=3&theater
This article provides some more information about efforts to prevent the turret's collapse.
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201607220033.html
Support frame for Kumamoto Castle turret nears completion：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--Emergency work to prevent the collapse of Kumamoto Castle’s five-story Iida-maru turret, w
Our friend Liz Suenaga took this gorgeous photo of Iidamaru Turret from the Kumamoto City Hall location Kirk had previously introduced. I mention this as this view will soon disappear. Kumanichi reports on progress of the cantilever contraption; its assembly is complete, and from July 20, four hydraulic jacks began slowly moving the 420-ton steel frame into position. The plan is to move it 20 meters south (completed yesterday), a further 22 meters west, and then complete the envelopment of the turret. A video of yesterday's progress is available at the link. - William http://this.kiji.is/129032777299920372?c=92619697908483575
I had heard about misinformation soon after the quake but wasn't aware of this bit of "dema" until I saw this article. By the way, the Japanese term you see toward the top of the TV screen is "dema" (デマ), which has roots in the German term for "demagoguery". In Japanese, however, it simply means "false information that is spread intentionally" and is not associated with a political leader, as the English "demagoguery" is.
-- Kirk
http://newsonjapan.com/html/newsdesk/article/116996.php
Kumamoto cops arrest man over fake 'lion on the loose' tweet
A man was arrested for falsely tweeting that a lion was loose after an earthquake jolted the prefecture here in April, the Asahi Shimbun reported on Wednesday.
13 infants left in Kumamoto baby hatch in fiscal 2015 | The Japan Times
The Kumamoto Municipal Government said 13 infants were left in the baby hatch at Jikei Hospital in fiscal 2015. In all, 125 babies have now been rescued vi
Bilingual guidebook to help LGBT community in natural disasters | The Japan Times
A bilingual guideline designed for sexual minorities during times of natural disasters has been published in a bid to raise public awareness about problems
The Fujisaki Shrine Autumn Festival (colloquially known as "Boshita Matsuri," or, in my house, "the horsey festival") has announced that the entrant number has been halved from 65 last year to 35 this due to difficulties encountered due to the quakes. In addition, a planning conference has established three prohibitions for this year to demonstrate restraint in view of the victims: 1. Outdoor practice; 2. Leading horses around neighborhoods to gather contributions; and 3. Alcohol consumption during the event.
One commented that the prohibition on soliciting donations was a main reason for the reduced number of entrants, saying "If we cannot visit between three and five hundred shops and companies to raise funds, we cannot take part." Shrine officials have expressed understanding of financial difficulties and have promised to share with each group revenues from festival-day sales to help defray costs. - William
http://kumanichi.com/news/local/main/20160720002.xhtml
Joe Tomei here, I've been doing some teaching seminars in Myanmar and wanted to pass this along if any were interested. The person and his wife (who is Burmese) who is setting this up is based in Fukuoka.
https://readyfor.jp/projects/8558
If you are interested in getting in touch with him, please let me know.
ミャンマー初の学生音楽団の立ち上げ、子供たちに夢を与えたい！ - READYFOR (レディーフォー)
ミャンマー初の学生音楽団を立ち上げ、子供たちに夢を与えたい！ はじめまして。株式会社有馬テック代表取締役の有馬慎二と申します。弊社は2012年に「日本専門のミャンマー技能実習生送出し機関」として設立され、ミャンマーの教育活動に携わっています。ミャンマーでは2011年まで軍事政権の影響により、経済活動の制限を受け「鎖国」のような方針を取っていました。そんな中、...
Quake victims in Kumamoto move to zones at risk of landslides：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--Sixty temporary housing units for displaced earthquake victims are located in landslide ha
It is now officially summer -- just in time for Ocean Day (uminohi):
For more about Ocean Day:
https://study.gaijinpot.com/lesson/holidays/ocean-day/
For the Japan Times article:
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/07/18/national/weather-agency-declares-rainy-season-western-central-parts-japan-kyushu/#.V4ytSFccMpY
Weather agency declares rainy season over in western and central parts of Japan, Kyushu | The...
The rainy season appears to be over in western and central Japan as well as Kyushu, the Meteorological Agency said Monday. The regions which cover major Ja
