South Korea maintains a democratic relation with other countries. They put priority on the domestic situation and were democratized finally in 1990s. They had a sense of wariness towards the support of democratization by European countries and especially America. When South Korea was under Dictatorship, United States was pessimistic for their democratization the reason of the Cold War and there happened so-called “Korean Gate” when President Park Chung-hee threw money around the United States Parliament to conceal his oppression of human right. Due to the raised situation, they had strong recognition so South Korea got democratization “autogenously” without any external factors.  There is an exception the Myanmar issue. Myanmar has the largest certified number of refugees in few years.  South Korea, same as Japan is understood to be gloomy for the refugee problem. Refugee Certification Rate in South Korea and Japan is 0.4%. It was the year 1997 that branch office of National League for Democracy (NLD) (lead by Aung San Suu Kyi) was established in South Korea and Kim Dae-jung was elected as the President in 1997 supported Aung San Suu Kyi who competed against military dictatorship in International Society. Kim Dae-jung wrote in his autobiography about his special attention.  Under such scene South Korea could not neglect the coup by the Myanmar military at the beginning of 2021. News about oppression against demonstrators by the army were broadcasted in South Korea very often and the Moon Jae-in Administration took actions during March consecutively. Moon Jae-in himself appealed in SNS on March 6 “I denounce violence by the Myanmar army and police and ask release of National Adviser Aung San Suu Kyi and the imprisoned”. On March 12, he imposed export embargo of military supplies against Myanmar army and suggested review of the Official Development Assistance (ODA). South Korea was evaluated to have changed repressively because they had given the ODA assistance to Myanmar on a scale of about $90 million in 2019.  South Korea has refrained commenting on minorities (Uyghurs and Tibet) in China and Hong Kong. As concerned the human rights question in North Korea each administration reacted oppositely. Those questions shall not be handled from viewpoints of “human rights or value” but they are linked with basic foreign policy in other word “the national interests”. Japan criticized China at “the United Nations Security Council (2 +２)“, but they did not follow the sanctions toward China by European Union and America. In Myanmar, correspondence by the Korean Government is evaluated in its own way. There are few comments which asked for the support of the Korean Government and people from Myanmar tweeted on Twitter and Facebook.  Myanmar students in Japan appealed necessity support to Japanese people on the radio program referring to South Korea on March 16. But reaction from Japanese society was lukewarm regrettably comparing the China issue which is intertwined with usual anti-China feelings. I had uncomfortable feelings toward the broadcast done in Japan. On March 2, NHK conveyed expression about Myanmar people in Japan under the title “Very sorry for our demonstration amid COVID-19”. There were demonstrations by Myanmar people in Korea too, but I have never seen such a title like in Japan. Demonstration amid COVID-19 is not prohibited in Japan. (In Korea, there is a limit in the number of demonstrators.) Myanmar students who appeared in radio program in Japan were shocked when they knew the criticism written (they should not have demonstrated) in the comments in Netnews.          There are international organizations for human rights in Europe. But there is no such organization in Asia and the number of countries who has democracy is limited. It is not easy for democratic countries in Asia to raise their voices jointly for human rights. As seen in China and North Korea, their national security and interests are intertwined complicatedly. As many people know, it was Japan among advanced countries that lifted economic sanctions first against China after the Tiananmen Square Protest. It is said that there was consideration for economy and historical issues. I do not think it effects as far as they put priority on economics when they support for democracy. In Cambodia where Japan is assisting positively since 1990s, Prime Minister Hun Sen established dictatorship Government. It is far from democratic country. In Myanmar, we can see news reports “Japan asked self-restraint because Japan has connection with army too”. But Japan did not take any substantial measures.  Any assistance for democratic accompanies “intervention in the domestic affairs”. Under the authoritarianism, some counties are increasing their control over citizens taking opportunity of COVID-19. It is an important subject for Japan and South Korea as, both being democratic countries need to ask themselves “what is the function of democratic countries?” and “how to play a role?” Although we have no choice but to be skeptical, we can cooperate and  considering present tragic situation in Asia.  SGRA Kawaraban 667 in Japanese (Original)  YUN Jaeun / 2020 Raccoon, Associated Lecturer of Hitotsubashi University Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala

 For the people in South Korea, Hong Kong was the only “advanced area” where culture was permissible to import up to the decade of 1990s. Japanese cultures especially video contents were prohibited to import, a lot of movies which were set in Hong Kong were accepted as longings in South Korea. Hong Kong movies were popular and captured hearts of Korean people especially in Chinese New Year and the O-bon period. As Hong Kong has been colony of United Kingdom, various races of people appeared in movies and created exoticism. Movies by Wong Kar Wei (film director), who took the world in 1990s created a cultural sensation. Hong Kong was “Symbol of Freedom” for Korean society which has just democratized.  Hong Kong is intricate from Korean viewpoints. Hong Kong was “victim of Imperialism” and is suppressed by authoritarianism even now. South Korea had the same experiences (colony and dictatorship) as Hong Kong but South Korea broke free from them. Because of this, I think I can talk about Hong Kong more objectively than the media in Europe and America.  In China, Hong Kong is said to be a symbol of “humiliation for a hundred years” by colonialization of the imperialism by United Kingdom. (It is said that it was after 1990s that the Mainland China attracted their attention to Hong Kong) United Kingdom (suzerain) gave freedom to a certain level to Hong Kong people. But they did not guarantee democratic right i.e. voting rights until 1980s. In 1980s, negotiation between U.K. and China for retrocession started.  U.K. began to introduce new election system and the last Governor General Chris Patten, had to hasten introduction of new election systems compulsively. It is inevitable that U.K. is not so “serious” about democratization of Hong Kong. The aspect is not paid attention when we think of the present Hong Kong. especially in the media of Europe and America. As a result of negotiation for retrocession, China agreed to guarantee democratic system “One country, Two systems” for fifty years. Then, is United Kingdom free from obligation of present Hong Kong?  I do not think so.  After the retrocession to China in 1997, there were several demonstrations on a massive scale in Hong Kong. Especially “Umbrella Movement” in Autumn 2014 drew attention from the world. I visited Hong Kong twice in 2013 and 2014. Business trip in 2013 which had no concern with Hong Kong politics and had an impression “it is so warm!”  And I had an impression that Hong Kong was not influenced by U.K.   My second business trip in November 2014 changed my way of looking toward Hong Kong. I listened to the opinion of the youngsters, though it had no relations with my business trip, but in order to know about Hong Kong youngsters more precisely. What noticeable was financial predicament of youngsters. There are three groups in the University of Hong Kong. Hongkongers, Main Landers and oversea students. It is said that finding employment by Hongkongers is difficult because they speak Cantonese and English only. Mainlanders are treated too kindly or generously by companies who comes from Mainland. Finding employment in financial business is yearning by Hongkongers. But it is a “Narrow Gate”. Finding employment in IT field is comparably easy. But salary is low. I realized that resistance by youngsters after 2010s is intertwined with economy problems not political problems.  Such youngsters’ dissatisfactions grew bigger but not resolved and they directed their ire toward amendment of law by Chinese Government conjointly. The Chinese Government took a wait-and-see policy first considering the Trump Administration. But they changed to tighten their regulation under the Corona pandemic. Students and entrepreneurs, symbol of democratization, were imprisoned one after another and nipped in the bud. Moreover, a bill “Representatives of Hong Kong shall be limited to Patriots” was enacted at the National People’s Congress this year. I think there are a lot of ways “How to love a country” and people love their countries variously.  Not only democracy but freedom, which have been protected under U.K. Administration, are in crisis now. It was a snug excuse for China under the COVID-19 pandemic in which worldwide support cannot reach.  In Korea, a lot of people (especially University students) were suppressed and some of them were killed by the Government till 1980s. Military dictatorship kept refusing intervention of NGO etc. by the reason of “interference in the domestic affairs”. There was a reversal composition. The Reagan Administration (U.S.A.) admitted Chun Doo-hwan Administration. University students developed anti-America movement shouting “Stop interference in the domestic affairs (admit dictatorship)!”.  Whenever I visit Hong Kong, I go to Victoria Peak which has beautiful nightscape every time. My last visit was during 2019 and it was just before a big demonstration. I could not see anything due to thick fog. For me, it was the first time to see such thick fog and I thought it symbolize the future of Hong Kong. Hong Kong has a key for the future of democracy not only in China but in whole Asia also. We must keep watching Hong Kong.  SGRA Kawaraban 666 in Japanese (Original)  YUN Jaeun / 2020 Raccoon, Associated Lecturer at Hitotsubashi University   Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala

 I cannot forget the time when I came to Japan first long ago. I was a homestay student. Although I was looking forward living in Japan before departure, but gloomy life started soon I arrived in Japan. I could not manage miserable life and remember well would often dream homeland during my stay in lodging house. I am still living in Japan since ages and I would like to encourage someone who comes to Japan saying that “You will get used to” or “Something will happen”. Not only such simple words, I advise them giving a word “You had better to have “a realm of happiness” in your mind which can make you feel happy a little.”   Reason why I began to touch Japanese culture and language was not what I was interested in. It was just for being disobedience against my family. During the time from my primary school to high school, I was making efforts just for expectations of my family and I was not curious about learning and working on school subject aimlessly. Everybody has a rebellious period. And I had such period as the first-year college student. I have been caught up in my will against expectations of my family and decided to study Japanese language and culture despite I had no interest in. When I arrived first in Japan, I realized I was not sensible of studying Japanese language and culture. It was just being rebelliousness against my family. Especially for Japanese culture, I had interest but was often misunderstood. I had a feeling being incomprehensive toward meaningless in what I had learned in University. I was discouraged and was thinking of retuning back to my home country.  It was a teacher of Japanese language that saved me. He had enough knowledge in Japanese traditional Arts, especially in KABUKI. One day, he invited me to go to KABUKI and made me upset. At that time, I had negative thinking for everything and felt depressed because I thought it too starchy or bookish and would be difficult to understand if I take a trouble to go to Ginza. However, as I was not good at refusing his invitation, I accepted reluctantly.  The moment when I entered KABUKI theater, I realized the KABUKI world was different from what I thought. Before starting the stage, the audience walked around stalls in the theater and read the overview of program. And the theater started. I realized the movement in KABUKI is not just deliver a performance or speaking strange Japanese language endlessly. But there were a lot of dynamic situations. It was beautiful and emotional. I found myself enthralled by their well-trained performance and words.Before I realize, five hours was already passed.    When the Theater ended, I was filled with a feeling of happiness. And I thought heartily that I like to understand Japan more which has KABUKI “My Realm of Happiness” which makes me forget a daily life. My way of looking at Japan had changed drastically. If I have “My Realm of Happiness”, I thought I can overcome everything even though if I had a difficulty facing problem. I decided to try my best to solve misunderstanding and not regret even if I would be misunderstood. It is not enough to say that KABUKI liberated me.  From such experience, I like to utter my memory that I can come up with any chance in motivation to commence. The possibility may come by chance or I grow my interest gradually. When I garb a chance, I can unroll the new road for my life. Sometimes such new road may be imprecise, it is not necessary to continue. It may not be wrong if I find “My Realm of Happiness” in it and I like to keep walking on this road.  Franco SERENA / 2019 Raccoon, part-time lecturer at University of Tsukuba  SGRA Kawaraban 665 in Japanese (Original)  Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala 

 Raccoon, logo of Atsumi International Foundation, has been drawn by the late ATSUMI Takeo, Chairman of Kajima Corporation.  When I first saw the raccoon logo first, it reminded me of the Ghibli Movie “Battle of HEISEI PON-POKO Tanuki (raccoon)”. The movie is pure and naïve. But it had a marvelous reality too. In this movie, raccoons exerted themselves to live in a city having taken the shape of human beings at the final phase. When I came to Japan as an international student, it was the time I had finished my visit to France and America. When I put myself in a position of nonnative speaker, it makes me feel that I cannot keep myself as it is, despite I adapt to keep going my daily life. Even a raccoon which can take the shape of human being struggled in intercultural society. So, this movie made me determine that I, as an ordinary human being, have no choice to do my best to adapt myself to circumstances gradually.     When I came to Japan from Taiwan, one of my friends in Taipei told me “I am envious of you. People in Tokyo are modest and polite”. When I went to Paris, a friend of mine in Tokyo told me “You are lucky to go to Paris because Paris is romantic and poetic.” In America, each one told me “You are lucky to go to Boston. Students in Boston are bright and confident.” All of them are interested in whether the acquaintances whom I meet are reported in news or on the internet. May be, that they asked me based on articles on SNS.  Everything in my daily life was different from what I came to know by news or internet. Actual conversation with my friends were based on an event at hand or hometown and common contents of our study rather than political issues. I felt disagreeable in current trend that people like to know or understand outer world through social networking. Tokyo in internet is not the one which I know even Paris and Boston is also the same. Recently, I felt firmly that we need to discuss the topic not solely but in large area and look what people worry and think about.    We are forming our ego based on our experiences and as a result, we are living as a multifaced individual. I think difference in experiences of each person is more important than differences of nations and languages. If people have any prejudice based on social networking, they cannot develop real friendship in the external world.  I like to express my interest visiting to foreign countries and study for years as “understanding “friendship” and knowing each other, rather than just visiting “countries”. Because charity and warmth of people is apprehensive, rather than their economic and political development, and has influenced my memory deeply and devised present myself.    I trod many lands and studied various cultures there. Reason why I did not loose sight of myself is I was blessed with lot of friends who helped me kindly.      Since I had such state of minds, I had special affinity for the logo of raccoon of Atsumi International Foundation. Thanks to simultaneous scholarship students and staff members of the Foundation, I could spend this year of my life calmly and safely staring at myself.  During such days, I could sort out my knowledge of study for the few years and wisdom of my life. Now ending my scholarship in Japan, I will remain thankful and came to Tokyo through destiny and all the people who believed in me when I was depressed. Every experience in my life heighten a little seedling, training my heart strongly, absorbing all the nutrition, changing and trying experience into “Better Destiny”.      Scholarship students used to experience partings either long or short successively and I had a feeling of heartrending in the past. However, I think it should be congratulated willingly nowadays because every parting means taking a step forward. In this modern society, everybody (every raccoon), who is trying to live, is like walking on a lonely planet.  When you captivate yourself in walking single-mindedly, you realize advertently anybody, who live far apart and remembers you. Warmth which you feel in your mind in such occasion is a loneliness which is a relief.     SGRA Kawaraban 664 in Japanese (Original)  LAI Sihyu / Researcher of Academia Sinica (Taiwan)    Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala

 How is Taiwan recognized as a “nation” in the world?  I would like to review its history first.Taiwan consists of the main island of Taiwan and the surrounding islands. The gross area is 36,000 km2 which is a little bit smaller than that of Kyushu area in Japan (44,000 km2). The population is 23.6millions (as of 2019). As Taiwan belongs to subtropical and tropical zone, temperature is high all the year round and is called “treasure island” which has plenty of tropical plants and fruits.  To begin with, there has been no such “Nation” like Taiwan historically. The official name of Taiwan is “Republic of China” (ROC). It was the first republic nation in the world which was established after Xinhai(辛亥) Revolution in 1912. In 1949 Taiwan Nationalist Party, which was defeated by the Communist Party, fled to Taiwan to keep their power in Taiwan.It means there are two nations in China.  We can see records of Taiwan in “Record of the Three Kingdom (三国志) and “The Book of Sui (隋書)”.  In the age of Yuan Dynasty (元代―Mongol Empire 13 -14th century)、Penghu Islands (澎湖諸島) have been under the control of inspecting officer (巡検司)of Fujian Province (福建省). In 16th century, a Portugal navigation officer had discovered Taiwan and named “Formosa” (means “beautiful island” in Portugal). In 17th century, the Age of Exploitation, Taiwan has been a colony of Holland (1624 to 1662). Manchurians established the Qing dynasty in North Eastern area of the Mainland and took the reins of Government having defeated the Ming dynasty. The general Zheng Cheggong (鄭成功) of the Ming dynasty fled from Qing and went across to Taiwan in 1661. He fought with Holland and expelled them. He established and governed the Donging Kingdom (東寧王国).  Qing defeated the Donging Kingdom in 1683 and annexed them for 210 years. However, Qing was defeated by Japan at the Sino-Japanese war in 1895 and concluded the “Treaty of Shimonoseki”. By this treaty, Taiwan was transferred to Japanese territory and Japan established the Government-General of Taiwan and governed for fifty years. During the period of Qing dynasty, a lot of Han race (Chinese people) went across to Taiwan from Fujian Province and aborigine assimilated to Han race. Present “Taiwanese” can be said to the same race as Chinese.  In August 1945, at the end of the World War II, Japan was defeated. Chiang Kai-shek (the President) requisitioned Taiwan under the agreement of the Allied and incorporated Taiwan into R.O.C. as Taiwan Province (Retrocession). At the time of establishment of the United Nation, ROC was the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council because ROC was a victorious country. ROC has been keeping its position at the time when it changed its HQ in Taiwan. In 1971, People’s Republic of China (PRC) in Mainland was admitted by the U.N. and became the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council instead of ROC which withdrew from U.N.  International society admitted ROC to be a part of PRC and proceed to normalization of diplomatic relations with PRC breaking off the relations with ROC.  Fortuitously Japan has established its diplomatic relations with PRC September 29, 1972. Although Japan broke off diplomatic relations with ROC, Japan have established “Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association” to keep relations with ROC instead. In the course of the year October 2020, the number of countries which had diplomatic relations with ROC was only fifteen and they are few small countries in the Middle and South America and the Vatican City State in Europe.     Chiang Chin-kuo, who succeeded Chiang Kai-shek died in 1975, lifted the martial law in 1987 and resolved quasi-state of war with PRC. After the death of Chiang Chin-kuo in 1988, Lee Teng-hui (Taiwanese) succeeded the Presidency. He proceeded with change in the strong swell of democratization and became the first President elected by the people in 1996. In 2000, Democratic Progressive Party (mainly by Taiwanese) made a regime change having defeated People’s Party. In 2008, People’s Party regained power again through election. But, in 2016, Ms. Tsai Ing-wen, Democratic Progress Party won the election and became the first female President of Taiwan. In the last February, she was re-elected and has kept her position to the present.  In the progress of democratization in Taiwan, national identities are changing gradually from “Chinese” to “Taiwanese”. According to a public opinion poll by National Chengchi University in 1992, 17.6% of the people replied “I am Taiwanese”, 25.5% replied “Chinese” and 46.4% replied “Taiwanese at the same time Chinese”. At the poll in 2020, the figures changed to 67%, 2.4% and 27.5% accordingly. People’s Party, mainly by the people from the mainland, lowered their influences eventually and Taiwanese are soaring their consciousness and powers.  Democratic Progress Party have strong aspirations of independence from China and there have been feud, “independence” or “unification”, with the Mainland. At the time of People’s Party, they considered “One China” is important. But, at the time of Democratic Progress Party, they do not admit or have been keeping ambiguousness. Against such attitude,  Chinese Government established “Anti-Secession Law“in 2005. It means when Taiwan would declare their “independence”, Chinese Government are prepared to use the military force.  Under such political and military threat, Taiwan is maintaining the status quo.  After Taiwan had reopened exchange with the Mainland in 1990s, their relations came closer rapidly. In December 2008, scheduled flights between Taiwan and the Mainland entered service. Taiwan sightseeing by Mainlanders and “Three Linkages” were lifted. (cf. three linkages (三通): postal(通便), transportation(通航) and trade(通商)) ECFA (Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement) was concluded at summit meeting in 2010 and FTA (Free Trade Agreement) was concluded. 40% of total export amount from Taiwan is towards the Mainland. Total numbers of Taiwan companies which advanced to the Mainland market is about 100thousands and 47.6% of Taiwanese investment amount to overseas is towards the Mainland during the period from January to November 2020. Population of Taiwanese in the Mainland is about one million. Total traffic people who go and come between Taiwan and Mainland a year is more than five million (2019). As to international marriage in Taiwan, 260 thousand people out of 400 thousand are with Mainlanders.  Taiwan economy rely on the Mainland too much. It means there is a risk that Taiwan is caught up in the Mainland economy and exploited politically. China utilizes such status in their “united front” maneuvering to pressurize Taiwan. For example, Minister of Culture and Tourism (China) announced on July 31, 2019 that individual visit to Taiwan from Chinese 47 cities shall be stopped after August temporarily. It is a pressure from the viewpoint of Taiwan.  On February 26, 2020, Chinese Government announced that import of Taiwan pineapple would be banned after March 1 because harmful organisms were detected. It made ado in Taiwan and the authorities reacted against it as political pressure. Ten percent of pineapple production in Taiwan is exported and 95% of this export is toward China. So, it is not influential to Taiwan farmers. Taiwan is promoting domestic sales of pineapple and trying to find other overseas markets other than the Mainland. When Taiwan get pressure from China, they repeated their dissatisfaction against Chinese Government and elevated “consciousness as Taiwanese”. It will be a challenge for Taiwan, how will they nether their dependence on the mainland in economy.  Recently there has been tension between Taiwan and China due to deterioration of relations between China and America. United States do not allow China to “swallow” Taiwan and are giving (selling) a lot of weapons to Taiwan every year on the basis of “Taiwan Relations Act” (in America). Now it is said that U. S. are selling not only defensive weapons but offensive weapons. (The amount in 2020 was $34.5billion dollars) The Trump administration strengthened the relations with Taiwan and the Biden administration followed.  Influx of massive Mainlanders and their bringing in of Chinese cultures (massive books and goods etc.) by Peoples Party have built their governing bases as legitimate Government. As a result, Chinese traditional culture such as Chinese buildings, Chinese foods and clothes, permeated deeply in Taiwan. People say, if you like to experience authentic Chinese traditional culture, you should go to Taiwan.  Many Taiwanese have intimacy to Japan and they are called as “Pro-Japan Tribe”.  According to a Taiwanese scholar, Taiwanese think basically that Japan rule age was better than that of by China because they had long experience being invaded or governed by foreign powers. The number of tourists from Taiwan to Japan increased to 4.89million in 2019. This figure is the third following the Mainland and South Korea. It means one Taiwanese out of five are enjoying visiting Japan. In Ishikawa Pref. where I am living, people have a feeling of “pro-Taiwan”.  There is a direct flight a day from Komatsu Airport to Taipei and it is said they will increase two flights a day.        SGRA Kawaraban 662 in Japanese (Original) * You can read the first part (Li Gang Zhe / Taiwan, as an honor student in COVID-19 (Part-1)) from the link below.Li Gang Zhe / Taiwan, as an honor student in COVID-19 (Part-1)  Li Gang Zhe / Professor, Hokuriku University  Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala