On March11, KEIDANREN (the Federation of Economic Organizations) announced their goals that they will increase the number of Entrepreneurships and start-up revel of successful model by ten times by the year 2027. At the same time, they proposed establishment of “Start-up Agency”. I was surprised at this announcement because it was KEIDANREN that will increase “Unicorn” enterprises. I think it is very innovative for Japanese economy. Since it was announced officially, I think it is better to materialize quickly. I like to watch a birth of new type of IT companies like GAFAM (Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft). Actually, “Unicorn” enterprises in Japan are very few. According to the data of CB Insight (America), the number of unicorn companies in Japan is the fifth position in Asia. Of course, the first in the world is the United States.   It is South Korea that support “Unicorn enterprises” nation widely. Regretfully I do not have the right to introduce such position. Because I have been thinking Zaibatu enterprises like Samsung, LG and Hyundai lead South Korean economy. However, once I know dynamic mechanism of Korean unicorn enterprises, it brought me endless surprises. South Korea was a market which investors in the world have been keeping their watchful eyes. According to statics of unicorn enterprises, South Korean is the fourth in Asia.   Initially, in order to startup as unicorn enterprises, it is important to be an enterprise which exceed one billion dollars in company’s value before stock listing. Investors are keeping concentrate on finding promising startup companies. Yet, Silicon Valley in the United States is famous as starting up place. We must watch globally from now on. Especially for venture capital enterprises, they must keep their watchful eyes worldwide if they think startup is a kind of vein of ore. According to “ECONOMIST” (English magazine dated 2021/11/27-12/3), seven companies out of ten were supported as venture businesses. Then, how to raise fund for startup in South Korea?   South Korea supported much for creation of fertile unicorn enterprises. It is said that formal support for starting up began at the Park Geun-hye administration. And the Moon Jae-in administration followed. They did not end up their support and showed their potential power. The Government laid out their targets and policies one after another. In 2017, “Small and Medium-sized Agency” was promoted to “Medium-sized Department”. Investment program toward venture capitals were unified also. Private companies increased their investment chances by deregulation. We can say that it is a completion of endless “echo-cycle” which we can expect further investment.   What kind of unicorn enterprises are there in South Korea? It is a smart phone business that became popular among people. “Coupang” is a big company in E-commerce field and is called as “Korean Amazon”. It has been already listed in the New York stock market and is getting oversea’ investment as a famous Korean unicorn company. “Socar”, car share service company and “Kurly”, quick delivery service of perishable food became unicorn companies too.  Startup of those companies are not always new business style. E-commerce or car sharing services existed already in other countries. Then, reasons why they (Korean three companies mentioned above) became unicorn companies are they could offer the services which Korean people wanted timely. They have grown up by establishing their own distribution networks systems which can deliver the goods timely when customers want. Japan must emulate such sense of speed.   Speaking of startup business in Japan, there are many niche marketing strategy. In other words, they take innovative items which have no roots still in the market. This point differs from Korea. According to Toyo Keizai (Japanese weekly magazine) special issue “Great 100 venture capital”, startup industries are varied much. It is interesting when we see such promising startup, Japanese Government should arrange new system for fundraising and prepare for echo system which can encourage unicorn enterprises. And Japan can change to a nation where people can startup easily and quickly.   What Japan is lacking now is a sense of speed and an appeal to overseas’ investors. When I read “Great 100 venture capital”, I noticed one thing which Japanese do not recognize. Japanese people keep making an effort steadily and finish their works or business models meticulously and politely. There are not so many in other countries which can follow such Japanese stile. Japan should promote this point which is the one and only and make state level changes in startup like in Korea so that the founders can concentrate in innovation, not fundraising. At the same time, we can expect increase of investment chances by private sectors in domestic market. As mentioned in KEIDANREN’s recommendation, variety of capital investors to VC (venture capital) in Japan is poor comparing with the West. In South Korea,    Zaibatu enterprises and startup companies are supporting creation of chance of startup together far from being rival. By the Governmental deregulation, private companies can make investments to startup directly.   It was the KEIDANREN’s suggestion that I was convinced that there is a base which Japan can compete equally with South Korea. KEIDANREN is supporting for increasing and making bigger the number of startup enterprises. Business startup in Japan which is niche now may become a world standard in near future. Lastly, I would like to point out that it was a female Vice President (of KEIDANREN) that announced the suggestion. Is it only me who see a ray of light in the future of Japan?     SGRA Kawaraban 702 in Japanese (Original)     XIE Zhihai /Associate Professor of KYOAI GAKUEN UNIVERSITY     Translated by Kazuo Kawamura English checked by Sabina Koirala

  I have only one week left before I leave Japan. It is difficult to summarize my four years’ studying in Japan. Nothing is vaguer than memory. Memory is changing with the times. When we seek for past truth, it may be certain that we look back the past record rather than we rely on our vague memory.   I have continued to write a kind of memoirs as a training of Japanese language since my arrival in Japan. I chose three memoirs as the epitomes of my study abroad life.   ◇ September 27, 2017　(Two weeks after my arrival in Japan) It seems rain outside. NO! It is raining already. Window glass of my room was echoing “Kara-kara” by wind all day. The air was thick and hot.     A book by Shuichi Kato is too difficult. So, I went to a fish store for a change. The store was good. Their prices are far from cheap, but quality is fresh always. They have variety of choices.  I cannot indulge in luxury. I cannot spend much money because I must spend a more days. But I yielded to temptation and ended up buying a lot of ingredients.   I wrote down about today’s “Bakugai (overspending)” for the future. Snapper head, red prawn, club croquette, large clams, mussel, autumn salmon, deep fried sardine   In my fridge, there are clams, chicken wings, sweet shrimps, pork steak which I bought yesterday. It seems I can enjoy another one week but I could not make any progress in my study regardless of my rich eating habits. I have only four months left before entrance examination. I must get my daily life back on track as soon as possible.   ◇ March 2, 2018 (One month before starting doctor course) I finished translation of today’s part (I was translating “Collection of Kenji Mizoguchi). I have already spent more than one month for translation of Mizoguchi literature. But I have no improvement in my translation. If I keep present pace, I wouldn’t be in time for manuscript deadline. I will increase my time for translation.   I have read manuscript copy of “Makura-no-Sosi”. I do not know how many hours I spent for the reading. It is too long though it is written in cursive style characters. I will re-read because I have got an annotation of Shincho Classical Japanese.    By the way, it was fine today. It was nice sunny day without a single cloud and suitable for taking a walk. However, I could not go out comfortably because I had a lot of things to be completed. I wish I could go to mountains and lakes when I finish everything.   ◇February 12, 2019   What is a meaning of academics? It is meaningful to seek for the truth without profit and loss. And it will be important to utilize it for peoples’ daily lives by scholars’ efforts. In order to make efforts to people, sensible approach is more effective than logic of sentence. SUZUKI Daisetz (Japanese American, Buddhist monk, religious scholar) tried to explain spirit of Japanese and everything which configure the world by one word “spirituality”. Furthermore, he increased his sensibility using his sensitive expression integrating “spirituality” with “Daichi-sei” (take roots on earth). There are such treatises at that time. He conveyed attractiveness of Buddhism (especially Zen Buddhism) to the world through this theory. As far as we can reach our goals, accuracy or logicality is secondary issue. I understand scholar like SUZUKI knew already. Come to think of it, subjective (sensible) academics have decent meaning. _ _ _ _ _   I have enjoyed shopping, studying, thought and natural features of the season. Four years have passed in an instant and I have confidence in my future research and my life itself despite I repeated trials and errors. When I leave Japan, I have one wish. I hope this farewell would become another beginning not ending.     SGRA Kawaraban 701 in Japanese (Original)     YUE Qu /2021 Raccoon, Full-time Lecturer at School of Chinese Language and Literature of Beijing Normal University (in September 2022)     Translated by Kazuo Kawamura English checked by Sabina Koirala

  I was in Fukuoka from 24 to 29 December 2021 to research “Genkou Bourui (defensive stonewall against the Mongol invasions)”.   Khubilai Khan, the fifth Khagan-Emperor of the Mongol Empire, sent his envoy to Japan  requesting “Friendly Relations” after his conquest of Goryeo (dynasty of Korea: 高麗) in thirteen centuries. However, Japanese Kamakura shogunate rejected the request and Mongolian forces including Goryeo forces attacked Japan twice in 1274 and 1281. Against such invasions, Kamakura shogunate ordered their Gokenin (shogunal retainers) in Kyushu areas to build 20 kilometers stone wall along Hakata Bay from Imazu to Kashii. We can see a part of such archaeological site now. It is so-called “Genkou Bourui (defensive stonewall in preparation for an attack by the Mongol invasions)”.   I arrived at Fukuoka on 24th of December in a Christmas atmosphere and went to Sawara district on 25th of December 25 to research stonewall there. At Nishijin station, I asked station attendant for the place stonewall against Mongol invasions. But he did not know about stonewall exactly and asked me “Is it a building or archaeological site?” I replied, “It is an archaeological site which have been built against the Mongol invasion”   I used the words “the Mongol invasions” instead of “stonewalls” because the words “Mongol invasion” are being used in Japanese textbooks popularly. Station attendant said, “I understood”. He entered station attendant room and confirmed with other attendants. He brought a map and showed me the way to the stonewall saying, “You can go there using No. 1 exit then walk along “Sazae-san street” and turn to left at the first crossroads and so on”. It seems people do not know exactly about stonewalls against the Mongol invasions. But everybody knows “Sazae-san street”. On a direction board at No.1 exit, we can read “Archaeological site of the Mongol invasion at 3,6,7-chome of Nishishin” or “Monument of Sazae-san (Sazae-san street)”.      One of the stonewall of Nishijin 6,7-chome exists in Building No.1 of Seinan-Gakuin University. I did not know we can observe the wall from Monday to Friday 9:00 to 17:00 only. It was written on direction board. I walked around Building No.1 for a few minutes. But I did not see anybody around Building No. 1 because it was Saturday and the University was closed  for winter vacation. I went to other stonewall which can be seen at South of University Gym.   The Mongol Invasion Shrine came into my view first. The commemorative pillar of the shrine showed me, “Historic site: Stonewall against the Mongol Invasion. Built in October 1931”. I saw excavated stonewall beside of the pillar. I saw three trees which were planted by “Empress Nagako”, “His Highness Kuninomiya” and “His Highness Kaiinnomiya Haruhito and Prince Nashimoto Morimasa”. According to a material which I read later, October 20 festival at this shrine is a customary event.   Stonewall against the Mongol invasion was designated as National Archaeological site by Japanese Government in 1931. Excavation and restoration of the wall in early Showa era and construction movement of monument in Meiji era which I will write later have close connection with Japanese advancement to the (Chinese) continent at that time.    I visited stonewall at Iki-no-Matsubara in Nishi-district next. I got off at Shimo-yamato station and confirmed the place of stonewalls with station attendant. He knew about stonewall in the area and explained me the way to the stonewall on map. A roadside board “Iki-no-Matubara stonewall against the Mongol invasion” (including a board which was built by board of education of Fukuoka city) was very helpful. There is a monument of the stonewall in woods of Iki-no-Matsubara and shows us that “Archaeological site of stonewall against the Mongol invasion: Built in March 1931 by the Natural Monument Preservation Act designated by Ministry of Education”. Along the coast, stonewall are piled up at two meters height and there was a notice board apart from the stonewall by a few meters. On this notice board, there is a reproduction of “Illustrated Account of the Mongol Invasion”. Stonewall was reproduced. But it was very impressive and made me think about the Mongol invasion fully.   On December 26, I went to Genkou (Mongol invasion) Archives on the second floor of two-stories building in Higashi-Park (on the first floor, there are ramen shop and yakitori shop only). There is no full-time staff in the archive and a staff of concession stand works in double hat. It is necessary to book in advance by telephone to visit this archive. Finally, I could contact them two weeks before my visit after making many telephone calls. When I arrived at the archive, the entrance was locked and found hand-writing memo “You are requested to contact stand”. So, I went to stand to explain myself. A staff confirmed that I was surely booked and opened a door. He explained that taking photos are prohibited and visiting time is limited to thirty minutes. I paid entrance fee and walked around.   In exhibition room on the first floor, I saw armored, stirrup, pot, bow and a part of “Illustrated Account of the Mongol Invasion”. On the second floor, there was another spacious exhibition room (more spacious than that of the first floor). There were various special corners like the Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War, the First World War and the Nichiren sect of Buddhism. According to a book which I bought in archives, it was established as a memorial hall of the Mongol Invasion in 1904 first. And it was reopened in 1986 as Genkou archives after being moved and rebuilt in the area of the association to preserve Saint Nichiren.   There is a bronze statue of Saint Nichiren next to the archives. The height is 10.55 meters, and the weight is 74.25 tons. In 1888, there was a movement in Japan for establishment of memorial statue of Genkou. According to a poster which called on an establishment of Genkou monument in 1887, they have planned an establishment of an equestrian statue of Houjyo Tokimune first. However, it was a bronze statue of Saint Nichiren that was completed in 1904 taking 17 years. It was the year 1904 when Japan went to the Russo-Japanese War. Over the years, people lost interests in a movement of establishment of Genkou Monument which was heated up all over the country nearly a hundred years before. Although I say the Genkou archives, the exhibited on the second floor is not so many. Together with precious and historical Genkou records, the records of the Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War and the First World War are mixed. Adding to those records, there are Ramen-stand and Yakitori-stand on the first floor. It is very indecisive. How ironic it is!   During my stay in Fukuoka, I researched the Genkou stonewall in Nagatare Kaihin Park and Chigyou (Chuuou-district). But I could not research the stonewall in Taka-shima. I am looking forward to visit Taka-shima and Matu-ura City (both in Nagasaki Prefecture) next time.     SGRA Kawaraban 700 in Japanese (Original)     BORJIGIN Husel / Professor of Department of International Studies, Showa Women’s University     Translated by Kazuo Kawamura English checked by Sabina Koirala

Rural Organizations Posted: March 2022 In collaboration with College of Public Affairs and Development of the University of the Philippines Los Baños Seminar Report (Lite Version) Seminar Report (HD Version)  

  REAL PROPERTY VALUATION AND ASSESSMENT REFORM Posting Month/Year: February 2022 In collaboration with College of Public Affairs and Development of the University of the Philippines Los Baños Seminar Report (Lite Version) Seminar Report (HD Version)