I am a Uyghur and I come from East Turkistan (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region), where is 4,348 Km away from Japan in fair distance. When I was a child, I had great impression about Japanese advanced knowledge and technology because of the popularity of Japanese home appliances and automobiles among us. Furthermore, my interest in Japanese manga and animation which started form elementary school had deepened my impression of Japan and Japanese culture.  We, living in the areas where is the furthest region from the sea in the world, know the world better by expansion of internet at the late 1990s. Since as a young kid in high school, I have had a dream to be a good doctor. And I realized that in order to achieve my dream, I have to learn top and advanced knowledge in medicine, which is the major reason why I chose to study medicine in Japan eventually. Because Japan is widely known by its advanced knowledge and technology not only in the manufacturing and production, but also in medical science. It was the year 2015 that I made my first step to achieve my dream.   I would say that my school life from the school of Japanese language to graduate school in medicine and my <semi-worker life> as a part-timer was overall quite enjoyable. And my imagination about Japan before I came here was mostly same. For example, how beautiful and developed country Japan is. And the manner of Japanese people. I can say that Japanese is the politest people regarding social manner and relationship in the world as far as I know. I was impressed by their attitude of honesty and conscious. The typical Japanese Yamato race as expected, What a people!  Of course, there was a little discrepancy as well. For example, before I came to Japan, I was told that Japanese love readings and they read books and newspapers in trains. Then I found that just only few people still do it especially elderly people. The young people mostly have stick to smartphone instead of readings as imagine.  What surprised me most is the decreasing rate of marriage and population in Japan. It seems the young do not care about their marriages so that population keep dropping. I wonder what would be the Japanese population in 50 years? And this made me worried about existence of this remarkable nation.  During my life in Japan, I have faced many barriers and difficulties such as culture, language as imaginable. And I knew that I have to overcome those difficulties, which I had been prepared to be faced to as a foreign student. I did my best to turn these difficulties and feeling of loneliness to my motivation to learn and accumulate experience. Just like the saying < Endeavor never betray>, from school and part-timer life, I have learned not only about my major knowledge in medicine and also Japanese culture. I also made some Japanese friends during the part-time job. Fortunately, I got my scholarship after trying for several times. Then I stopped doing part-time job and I was able to dedicate my all effort and time to my studies and other activities. I would say that the scholarship gave me opportunity to enjoy my school life more and helped me to finish my Graduate school smoothly.   The best impression I have in my six year’s life of studying aboard in Japan that when you encounter any difficulties, the most important thing is try your best, attain your effort and face it bravely, rather than give up or escape easily. Things do not always work out as we expected. If we could compensate every shortcoming and defect that we had this time, we would be able to do anything next time.  My advice to those who are thinking to study abroad, you may encounter various difficulties in the beginning, such as language, culture, economic even emotional difficulties. But do not give up. If you overcome those difficulties, such experience would become your treasure of life.Try your best! Do not forget your goal.    SGRA Kawaraban 671 in Japanese (Original)  Mardan Nurmuhammat: 2020 Raccoon, The Uyghurs, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University 

 I have always concentrated on majoring in “Japanology” since my undergraduate. It all started when I heard about J-POP in my second year of junior high-school. And I was interested in Japanese culture. I could not catch the meaning of the words of songs, but I was enchanted by its special atmosphere which was different from Korea and started learning Japanese language by self-educating as watching Japanese movies and dramas. When I entered high school, I chose Japanese language as an elective course because I did not want my passion to learn Japanese language remain just as a hobby. I made up my mind to major in “Japanology” when I would be enrolled at a university. I have grown up from a   junior high school student to a university student who have majored in Japanology just listening to J-POP.  When I was an exchange student during my undergraduate period in Tokyo, I could encounter actual “Japan” which I only imagined in my head and wanted to study more about “Japan” at graduate school rather than finding an employment in Korea. As a result, I have encountered “Zenkyoto” (All-Campus Joint Struggle League) which include history of student movement and social movement.  It was the time when I knew a word “Zenkyoto” at a seminar of graduate school in Korea.  Theme of seminar was “Japan in 1960s” which was unknown to me. I remember I studied Japanese history at the course “Japanese early and postmodern history” in earnest at my undergraduate age. But I did not learn the history of 1960s. Framework of “Postwar Japanese History” was fixed to until 1950s. Japan in 1960s was explained as “Politics’ Season” and I had an impression that it was succession of various events. I thought Japan in 1960s　was only “past” news which were broadcasted hotly rather than “history” which were stated stiffly. Students who lived in 1960s were distressed in society and Japan started getting problems from their universities. In order to express their opinions, they raised objection in form of struggling and I was interested in such points.  “Zenkyoto” movement, which occurred in the later part of 1960s successively in universities in Japan, interested me.  Above all, Zenkyoyo in Nihon University interested me the most. It differed from that of the University of Tokyo which belonged to the left-wing series. Students in Nihon University were prohibited to assemble and could not have usual student movements and were very naïve in politics. It is said that they did not know strategy nor tactics of the movement.  Despite of such situation, the happening of unaccounted expenditure amounting 2 billion yen by the board of directors triggered Zenkyoto of Nihon University and established their own style which was apart from “sect-like” correspondence.  A series of their struggle triggered “Student Power” correspond to “the year of 1968” from appearance of unimaginable “mass”-like existence. The struggle became bigger in its scale and was evaluated as “the barricades of Nihon University are the strongest in the world”. Fresh passion in their behavior were pass on clearly to me who live in the present.  “It is interesting!” I thought it was interesting because we cannot find such passion in present Japan at all which is equal to that of Zenkyoto of Nihon University.  Starting with the Japan-US Security Treaty in 1960, student movements were activated in earnest. Zenkyoto movement put an end to the voluntary function of “the youth” or “students” who voiced the democracy. Youths grew up to be adults and students became members of society and formed the generation which could share the memory of experiences of struggles in 1960.  We can say that they have looked back upon the memory of “the year 1960”as their “nostalgy”.  However, present youths have just conventional image on such memory and it is difficult for them to share sympathy. I think it is causing so-called “generation gap”. Moreover, it may be the reason why they were extinguished from communication among generations because they were labeled as “baby boom generation” or “Zenkyoto generation” through media.   Under such circumstances, I think it is important for the present youth to have contemporaneousness same as generation youth inputting the background and values of “the year 1968”. They can imagine and “understand” the things at that time although they may not be able to “remember”. I think it is necessary for them to practice converting their paradigm gradually having sympathy for their framework of “study” “young” and “students”.  SGRA Kawaraban 670 in Japanese (Original)  CHO Sojin / 2020 Raccoon, Graduate School of Global Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies,   Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala

 2020 was the year of big change under the COVID-19. Fate meant for me to join as subtitles translation team of the movie “Our Youth in Taiwan” which was written from book by Film Director FU Yue. I watched the movie and read the book repeatedly to confirm my translation in my inconvenient daily life amid COVID-19. In order to explain to Japanese audiences, I checked its historical background and terminology despite being written in my mother tongue. I realized strongly that there are different viewpoints of Taiwanese recent social situation and its changes which Director FU, editors and myself belonged to the same generation and experienced together.  The documentary movie “Our Youth in Taiwan” starts with monologue by Director Fu which look back the “Sunflower Student Movement” (2014). And the emotions and conflicts of Mr. CHEN Waytien, the leading role of the Movement and TSAI Boye, Chinese student from Taiwan has written about movement. At the final scene Director Fu himself confessed and exposed his contradiction and ineffectuality in front of Mr. Chen and Mr. Tsai.  When Japanese people would see posters and the title of the movie, they may misunderstand that the movie is a success story of the social movement in Taiwan. But the story would disappoint them. Heroine in the movie becomes an iconic character and is drawn as despaired as it is. Director Fu himself felt “wavering” strongly being bewildered or betrayed by those two heroes. His bewilderment was presented into a documentary film.  “Social movement” is not the one which sets an expectation on a hero. We came to know the meaning of “social movement” through this documentary film and we understand things by our actions which throw ourselves out. Movement is not the one with which we ask its promotion. Reflection and action which follow the movement cause to a real change. However, it is not simple to make changes.  Taking a chance when I was a member of the translation team, I read his writings. And I thought variously. I was touched by his repeated saying: “If we like to move forward, we have to start from our consciousness that we were damaged. In Taiwan, a lot of people were damaged, excluded and delineated by themselves because of the present political situation and historical background. We faced a congenital problem for our position, we had a feeling for what you said were distorted and could not reach mutual understanding with a person close to you.”    Taiwan has experienced the martial law for the period of 38 years, which is the longest in the world under Japanese rule age, National Liberation（祖国光復) and the age of authoritarian regime under the Nationalist Party. During this period, “White Terror” were rampant. The Government arrested and executed people, who criticized the current situation of affairs, by reason of anti-communism. At the same time, we experienced diplomatic loneliness after 1970s. Democratization movement in Taiwan built its foundation from the social movement against the anti-establishment. In 1986, we had substantial election under the newly formed anti-establishment party. We took the first step to our democratization.  Adding to democratization, the movement for labor, environmental preservation and women  heightened. However, whenever we had elections, both parties, the Blue Camp (Taiwan Nationalist Party) and the Green Camp (Democratic Progressive Party), repeated controversy for Taiwan ideology. A subject of Taiwan identity was taken up and emphasized very often and it became a reason of quarrelling among friends or family. Taiwanese who came from different hometown were hurt and damaged repeatedly. Confusion and difficulty of interaction became more difficult.  When we talk about ideology, we are labelled for being it sometimes. Such labelling is not limited in Taiwan. People who live in foreign countries experience it very often. It may be a good chance to solve a question of twined emotion or perspective if you pursue reasons why you think so? why you understand so? what is your background of your such thinking? and what kind of factor affects you?    In the process of translation work, we got a recommendation letter from IT Minister of Taiwan Andrew Tang. There was a word “公共事務“ (in English “Public Affairs”) which annoyed translation team. We could not find suitable translation in Japanese. It means non-government people or organizations participate in politics and involved in administration. But we could not find suitable conception in Japanese. It gave Japanese staff members impact. We struggled to confirm the meaning and find suitable translation. We acknowledged first the difference of structure of social system in Japan and Taiwan.      We mastered that it is not so easy to realize, acknowledge, understand and convey the difference to each other before we try to find points in common. In the circumstance of translation of caption, reading books by Director Fu and participation to translation team, such experience was the best present to myself.      SGRA Kawaraban 669 in Japanese (Original)  LIU Yichen /2020 Raccoon, Tokyo Institute of Language,   Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala  

 We had the 15th SGRA-V Café on March 20 (Saturday 2021) amid COVID-19 pandemic.All the audiences attended the Café “on-line”, using “simultaneous interpretation and translation” in three languages Japanese, Chinese and Korean. We tried working diversely  for both COVID-19 and possibilities of on-line at the stage of planning, preparation and operation. I think we could satisfy more than 200 participants from all over the world, as “Webinar (web seminar)” by aggressive participation of viewers and efforts of SGRA staff members.  There is a small scale story behind setting of the theme of the Café. I have been thinking to take up a subject “animation” since 2019 when we had SGRA China Forum in Beijing on the theme “movies in Japan and China”. I asked Professor Eiji Ohtsuka (International Research Center for Japanese Studies) to attend the China Forum and talk about “media mix” which is said to be a characteristic of Japanese Manga-Anime Industry. The response was so good, I thought to take up any theme regarding animation at SGRA Café in Tokyo. Firstly, I planned to take up the subject “Research on animation culture” but I could not find “entry(entrance)” to animation research. Although the history of research for animation culture is not old, the way the animation should be is changing rapidly together with the development of the mass media. And the other reason not to find “entry” was too many phenomena of writers, works and era (times) surprisingly.  When I was worrying, there happened to be a much-discussed work “Demon Slayer (Kimetuno Yaiba)”! Its box-office revenue became the top successive ranking outstanding “Spirited Away” (Sen and Chihiro’s Spiriting Away). “Demon Slayer” attracted attention of not only fans of its original story but fans of animation in the world and also from people who had no interest in animation. I asked Professor Nobuyuki Tsugata (Animation researcher, Associate Professor Faculty of Manga, Kyoto Seika University) immediately to give a lecture on the title “Cultural Power of Japanese animation from the viewpoint of “Demon Slayer””. Since his books were translated into Chinese and Korean language. Coincidentally, Professor Tsugata was the most suitable guest as a guest speaker for “Webinar ” which had simultaneous interpretation in three languages.  We prepared slides in three languages and webinars comments on Q&A were also interpreted simultaneously by SGRA Raccoons on-line. SGRA Café started by introduction of Atsumi International Foundation and SGRA by Mr. Sangryul JEON (2016 Raccoon). I introduced Professor Nobuyuki Tsugata and I thank them for such special consideration by organizers of the Café.  Professor Tsugata started his lecture with the analysis of the reason why “Demon Slayer” became a big hit and explained its real image. According to his explanation, “Demon Slayer” was cinematized only for the fun of the original story first. (Cinematize of original story has been established in Japanese animation field since long ago.)  And nobody has imagined such the biggest hit which involved ordinal people. Producer Toshio Suzuki of Studio Ghibli said   10 billion yen of box-office revenue is within the ability of the works. But more than 10 billion yen would be the social phenomenon. Many specialists analyzed the reasons for such “social phenomenon” and Mr. T. Suzuki pointed out two reasons which cannot be disregarded. One is “Demon Slayer” was screened at a vacant time of movie theatres which came from the postponement of releasing movies under the pandemic of COVID-19. There were unusual situations that “Demon Slayer” was screened at every fifteen minutes at four screens of a certain movie theatre.  The other reason: Beautifulness of screen and a story-telling is a piece of art of “Demon Slayer” satisfied fans who went to theatres at beginning stages and the box-office revenue resulted in exceeding 10 billion yen in ten days. And people, who did not go to theaters, thought “Let us go if it has so good reputation” by spreading big through mouth of fans. Such “synergistic effect” resulted in “the all-time top of box-office revenue”. Incidentally, there was a word “Total Concentration: Constant” (Zen Shuuchu) in Demon Slayer and this word is being used in the real world. According to Professor Tsugata, Prime Minister Suga used this word in the Diet. (cf. Prime Minister Suga replied with “Total Concentration; Constant” at the Budget Committee of the lower house of the Diet on November 2, 2020 replying to Mr. Kenji Eda, Acting Leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan)  Then, where should we place the “Demon Slayer” phenomenon in Japanese animation history? Professor Tsugata analyzed its appealing points of “Demon Slayer” following the history of Japanese animations since 1960s.  TV series “Astro Boy (Tetsuwan Atom)” in 1963, has established “Characteristics” and “Traditions” of Japanese animation after “Legend of the White Snake” (Hakujaden)” which was the postwar first and most famous animation film. The pattern where one story was broadcasted in thirty minutes a week was fixed. There were few TV animations at that time in the world. Even in preceding America, one story was only five to ten minutes and the contents were just short “gag” at most. On the other hand, Japanese animation could depict affection of characters richly taking thirty minutes for one story. A lot of TV animationsare produced now and the pattern thirty minutes for one story has fixed since then.  In 1970s, “Space Battleship Yamato” (1974) and “Mobile Suit Gundam” (1979) established a rare genre which valued sophisticated stories and psychological description of characters for “young adult” not for children. It was the time when “theatre version” of TV animation were produced basing on animated feature film of popular works in TV. Popular MANGA (carton) stories are animated in TV first and produced theatre version followingly. Such production style has been fixed and became staple as the new genre and interrelated to “Demon Slayer”.     Animation industry in 1980s went into the golden days by producing series of MANGA in “Weekly Shonen Jump”. “Dragon Ball”, “SLAM Dunk”, “YuYu Hakusho” and “SAMURA X (Rurono Kenshi)” established various boom. It was in 1980s the activities of Studio Ghibli went into full swing. The series of such works by Director Miyazaki Hayao, “Naucica of the Valley of the Wind” (1984), “Castle of in the Sky” (1986), “My Neighbor Totoro”(1988) etc., also attracted attention of the people who were not interested in animation.  After 1990s, both production style of original popular animation and animation movies by Studio Ghibli developed independently. In addition to those two styles, technology of digitalization in production of animation developed in Japan.     Professor Tsugata concluded “originality” and “cultural power” of Japanese animation after marshaling its history as follows: Japanese animation has diversification and aims for young adults. It developed on２D (2 dimension) digital, not on３D（3dimention computer graphic）.It caused to the social phenomenon of the world as it was dispatched as a new Japanese culture where Japanese animation were set in and introduced and also Japanese foods which were used in the film became popular.    As Part-2 after the lecture meeting which had a plenty of topics to discuss and we talked with Professor Tsugata about three topics. I, as an interviewer, asked him first about the “Demon Slayer” movie which was not explained precisely in his lecture. The hero in the movie, “growth speed is slow” and “week relatively” comparing with original story. He said there wasn’t big difference and explained that hero is being expressed emphasizing his growth just as a tradition of Japanese animation. I asked him “Who shall watch Japanese animations hereafter?” and “Will diversification of audiences affect Japanese animation?”His reply was that Japanese animation should be planned and produced toward the world on the assumption that the number of audiences in the world will be increasing.  I asked Professor Tsugata as the last question difference between “ANIME” and “animation”which was the point of issue in his Research. He explained difference between commercialized “anime” and artistic “animation” or classification by “for family” and “for adults” or difference of definition of words depending on production style or areas etc. For example, in America or Europe, “pokemon” on family shelves, “Ghibli” is “ANIME” and Disney is “animation” etc.In China, there are words “動画”（douga）and “動漫“(douman). He insisted we understand such differences by analysis of vicissitudes in the cultures of the areas.  In Part3 of the Café, we had questions and answers. Ms. Sonya Dale (2012 Raccoon) picked up several typical questions. Professor Tsugata and I made answers for the questions “Progress of Japanese Anime in overseas”, “starting point of animation research” and “expression for violence in Japanese”.  On-line SGRA Café using “simultaneous interpreters and translators” by three languages finished. SGRA is aiming at the Café “by four languages including English” to dispatch more globally. I am looking forward to up surging of webinars.    SGRA NEWS ( Report of the 15th SGRA Café) in Japanese (original)  Photos of the Day  Recording of the Day  CHEN Yan / 2017 Raccoon, Full-Time Lecturer of Faculty of MANGA(cartoon), Kyoto Seika University  Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala

 Pestering against Asian American is never ending. But in Japan, it is not regarded as important. America on March 30 President Biden announced to take additional action for discrimination and violence against Asian American. On March 31, the Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato said at press conference “Japanese Government is not in the position to comment on every American policy. But we are in the position that any racial discrimination is not allowed in a society. We watch every situation through the Embassy or Consulate General and strive for keeping safety of Japanese residents.  Discrimination against Asian people are reported often on TV. I saw a news video which was sent from America. In the street corner of Manhattan, New York an Asian lady was kicked by a white man and crouched down. Another white man who saw the lady from inside of the shop shut the door as if to say that “don’t ask help”. It seems there is no mercy. A victim was 65- year-old Philippine lady. It was a violence being said that you shall not be here”.  Last year I had downhearted feeling to know that Asian people became a target of discrimination in America before healing from murder of a black man (George Floyd) who was crushed to death by a policeman in Minnesota. Asian people in America are prepared taking care of COVID-19 and as well as discrimination. I think I am happy living in Japan. All the Asian people, who live in the area except America should understand the situation furthermore Asian people living with us being frightened toward discrimination and violence.    America takes quick action when something happens. Several faculties who study racism at the State University of San Francisco launched jointly a site “STOP AAPL (Asian American Pacific Islanders) HATE”. They tallied data of discrimination against Asian people in America. According to the data, the number of hate crime against Asian people in 2020 increased  2.5times comparatively to the year 2019. It became distinct that victims of discrimination and violence are Asian old man and ladies too.  Another hate crime which is fresh in my memory is a shooting by a white man in Atlanta, Georgia a little while ago, when a senior Asian lady was kicked in New York. Six victims out of eight who were shot to death were Asian ladies. Furthermore, it left an unpleasant aftertaste because a press officer made a statement which seems to have protected prisoner and deprecated Asian ladies. President Biden and Vice President Harris went to Atlanta to convey their condolences to victims. Those two mishaps were made in March and President Biden made decisions to strengthen protection of Asian Americans immediately.         It was March when Japanese Consulate General in America sent an E-mail. The mail was their residence reports to Consulate under title “Reminder of harassment for Asian people”. Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan is grasping such situation precisely and informed to Japan discrimination is becoming more serious in America. Yes, we are all Asian.  It is said that origin of discrimination against Asian people was the word “China Virus” which Ex-President Trump used for the corona virus repeatedly. We can say President Biden cleared up the mess by Trump. But he did not postpone the issue of Asian people. Asian people themselves demonstrated for eradication of the “hate crime” and shared the position that they report together when the hate crime happened. I think it important not only to report videos by security camera of Asian citizens who fell victims of discriminations but how they face discrimination also. We should report to America that Chinese who live in Japan, like me, do not encounter such discrimination by reason of COVID-19.   SGRA Kawaraban 668 in Japanese (Original)  XIE Zhihai / Associated Professor, Kyoai Gakuen University   Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala