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

 The 6th Asia Future Conference which was scheduled in August now postponed to next year due to COVID-19. Many people would like to know about Taiwan and the COVID-19 situation. So, I decided to write down in this essay.  I have visited Taiwan twice. My first visit to Taipei was in August 2000 as a part-time Secretary-General of the International Symposium sponsored by East Asia Research Institute. Since I am Chinese national, there were severe limitation to enter Taiwan.I applied for visa one month before the symposium and luckily could get visa before three days. The symposium ended as scheduled and I went to Hsinchu (新竹) Industrial Town next day. But, due to strong typhoon, I returned to Taipei without visiting any places in Hsinchu. On the third day after the symposium, I got a chance to visit the office of Lee Tang-hui (the president of the Republic of China (Taiwan)) together with thirteen Japanese participants (including late-Kanamori Hisao, Advisor to Japan Center for Economic Research). We had a  chat for two hours and it was very impressive.  In March 2016, as my second visit to Taiwan, I went to Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages (文藻外語大学)in Kaohsiung. I was invited there to make a lecture for One Asia Foundation. Since I had Japanese nationality, I could fly to Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei direct from Komatsu Airport (Japan) without visa. I enjoyed the visit to Kaohsiung and Taipei with my family for five days. During my visit to Kaohsiung, I learnt about its origin.  In Japanese rule age, Kaohsiung was called “takou” (打狗) (mean hit a dog originally) and Japanese understood “takao” and changed Chinese characters. I visited National Father, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall in Taipei and learned about the “Republic of China” and its Father Dr. Sun Tat-Sen.  Coming back to the subject. How is the new coronavirus situation in Taiwan? We know Taiwan is the worldwide honor student in countermeasure against COVID-19. Then how is the real situation? It is said that the accrued number of infected persons in Taiwan is only 909 and the dead is 8. According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Ministry of Health and Welfare (Taiwan) announced on March 30 that only lady in the 80’s has died from the COVID-19 on March 29. The dead by COVID-19 was the first case in eight months since May 2020.  Taiwan had been controlling the pandemic till January 2021. But assemblage of infection happened at hospital in Taoyuan City during January. Doctors and nurses, who were in charge of treatment against COVID-19, and their families were infected one by one. Now 19 infections case are reported. The lady in the 80’s mentioned above is included in this number. The authorities concerned tightened their guards during the period especially from February 10th to 16th of the month, as the number of people’s coming and going increased due to Chinese New Year holidays.I like to ask any Taiwanese, due to limitation of the number of words for the Essay, how to treat against COVID-19 in Taiwan.  Then, how is the Taiwan’s economy in the COVIV-19 pandemic?I learned hard recently about Taiwan’s various reasons or circumstances, their viewpoints on international relations, especially under their standpoints between two big countries, America and China. Of course, I have studied a lot of materials about relations between Taiwan and China too for my lecture titled “Economic theory on East Asia”.  Firstly, the fact that Taiwan has worldwide honored student in the COVID-19 pandemic should be specially mentioned. Japanese media are giving a big raise in the growth rate of  Chinese economy which is up by 2.3% from the previous year (I have doubt in this figure). But there is little information about the rate of other countries.    Actually economic growth rate in Taiwan is up 2.98% from the previous year. Taiwan exceeded China after thirty years. FYI, Vietnamese economic growth rate is up 2.91% which is the second after Taiwan. “Four Little Dragons”, Singapore, Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan are negative growth and Taiwan is the only winner. Share market prices have soared and marked historical high. New Taiwan Dollars has ascend soared. It is said that Taiwan economy regained their vitality after thirty years.  There are many causes for the growth. A lot of Taiwan enterprises came back from China because of trade conflicts between America and China and investment toward the United States and South-East Asian countries have increased. Orders for electronic components from the world increased also due to economic sanctions against HUAWEI Technologies Co., Ltd. Taiwanese gave up their overseas trip and changed to domestic trips. As a result, money flew back to domestic market instead of foreign markets.  Overseas travelers (outbounds)from Taiwan in 2019 was 18 million which is 80% of total population 23.6million. It will be one of the highest in the world. Outflow of foreign currency, which has been NT Dollars 800 billion in the past, contributed to economic growth of Taiwan because, i.e., foreign currencies to be used by Taiwanese overseas travelers which comes to cumulative total 210 million, changed to domestic travels. If economic growth in 2021 would continue to develop like this year, GDP per capita is expected to become NTD 30 thousand level (in 2011, they already exceeded 20 thousand level). This figure is advanced in countries level.  Now, Taiwan has worldwide honored student in correspondence against COVID-19 and gave an example to the world in economic growth too. WHO (World Health Organization) should utilize Taiwan’s experience for the world. But I am sorry to say that Taiwan is not paid attention by the United Nations or other International societies being twisted around by complicated and absurd International politics.(to be continued)  SGRA Kawaraban 661 in Japanese (Original)  Li Gang Zhe / Professor Hokuriku University  Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala 

 I have done doctor program in basic biology. During my six years learning in university from postgraduate, master’s degree and doctoral, I kept studying about butterflies especially their synthesis of pigment and mechanism of pattern forming. Around the second years in doctoral course, I began to consider about my future quite seriously. When I referred to the course of seniors, I was worrying about whether I can remain by my achievements in university. When I returned home tired after spending a day at laboratory, I asked myself what I can do if I go out into society without any change.    I could not answer. To begin with, I did not know what kind of human resources are wanted by society as postgraduate students who have poor real-world experience.  Production and selling industries, which are familiar with my daily life are not difficult to imagine because I am using and buying almost every day. However, I did not know exactly about industries which do not produce (like IT, insurance, consulting). I read employment guide books like “industrial maps” for my study to check basic knowledge, characteristics and business scale of each industry. I check on internet sites for employment explanation for new graduates. Consequently, I found I would be able to try variously, though there would be nothing which fit to myself perfectly. Two months later, I found myself to be too optimistic. During these two months, I went to Tokyo to participate in job information sessions together with new graduates wearing “recruiting suits”. I submitted my resume, took a web-test and had an interview. I had a feeling that, in general companies, doctor course students are not required. The reason to my understanding, doctoral course students are nearly thirty years old and have no actual experiences at actual fields. It means that costs of training such students become much.     For example, if there are three candidates aged thirtieth for product development job, how will personal management officer make his decision? Mr. A, university graduate, has eight years experiences of product development in the industry. His managerial ability as a deputy manager is acknowledged. Mr. B, having master’s degree, has six years career as a member of society. He was assigned to German office for two years after working at Japanese head quarter for four years. His English language capability is business level. Mr. C, a new graduate of doctoral course, has achieved good academic results and published a few excellent papers. If I am a personal officer, I will calculate the time in which a candidate must develop a new product in a short time and can offer any results to company after his entrance and also calculate all the expenses (salary, training fee etc.) during the period. And I will choose either A or B because he is ready to work. In the society, experience in the work is more important than academic background. I thought it be waste for both myself and company to join a company and work together with a college graduate. I, as a new doctoral graduate, have applied for several companies. As there were few positions for a doctoral graduate, I have applied to industries which have no relation with my study. And I found that industries valued study field itself and above achievements of study in the past. As I have majored in basic biology and not medical or pharmaceutical, I was told that it is not the highest priority. I recognize that difference between basic study of biology and medical is not so big because it is just a difference of research object. And I can work equally if a company will give me a few months for my study. However, it seems I was wrong. I have failed at the final interview examination despite I thought to be good at interview exams. I could not find any reason. In job hunting, it becomes impossible to have communications with companies when interview exam finish and there will be no feedback. One reason which I conceived later is foreigners are not required in Japanese companies except special cases when they expand oversea markets. If there would be other reason, it will be “a fate to be linked” only.  I am tired of two job hunting a year. I conclude lastly that, when national economy is dull, applicants would accept company’s requirements passively. At the end of the year 2019, I could find an employment. I was lucky because the timing was just before the Covid-19 pandemic.  SGRA Kawaraban 659 in Japanese (Original)  JIN Hongyuan / 2019 Raccoon Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koilara      

 Recently, amid Covid-19, freedom of speech and control of the mass media are highlighted. According to the Kyodo (News Service), “Reporters Without Borders “(RSF) (HQ: Paris) reported on April 21, 2020 that world rankings of freedom of the media in 2020. Japan was 66th in 180 countries and areas, a rank up comparing with last year and was pointed out editorial policy of Japanese media depends on their economic profits. Hungary, power politics under the Orban administration due to the Covid-19 pandemics, was 89th. China, under information control, kept the same ranking at 177th. North Korea, which insisted no infected persons, dropped to the lowest 179th. Norway kept the first rank during these４consecutive years. Finland and Denmark followed. The United States went up to 45th from 48th. In connection with those rankings, the writer is interested in how the freedom of speech is guaranteed or controlled in each country. To begin with, in almost all the countries, “freedom of speech” is guaranteed by the Constitution. Even in the dictatorship countries by Communist Party like China and North Korea which are the lowest in the ranking, freedom of speech, freedom of press and freedom of assembly must be guaranteed. However, actual situations may be in “unconstitutionality”. However again, since their national power can trample on the Constitution, they cannot check their “unconstitutionalities”. Then how about in democratic nations? Japan, which is an advanced and democratic country, cannot be said to be a country where freedom of speech is guaranteed. I asked students in my seminar to check Japanese ranking of the freedom of press and came to know that Japan is 66th. I was surprised to hear that students were talking “it may be quicker to count Japanese ranking from the back”. Even young students, who rarely read newspapers usually, feel so. A staff of my university told me that an Associate Professor, Kanazawa University (in the same city with my Hokuriku University) has died from the new coronavirus. I was surprised and searched on internet. He was 42 years old. Since the middle of November, he has been recuperating at his house getting some medicine from hospital after being diagnosed with influenza. Since he was not cured completely in spite of the fever went down a little, he telephoned twice to the public health center for PCR testing and was told twice that he cannot get PCR test without doctor’s diagnosis. His wife tried to speak through SNS, since he had been working away from home, and found about his death when she has asked a staff member of his university to confirm his presence. He was asthma originally and judged to have been Covid-19 by PCR testing after his death. I thought the above was an important news for mass medias. But it was not published in newspapers nor reported on TV. It was on December 5th , ten days after the incident, when the Hokuriku-Chunichi Shinbun (Newspaper) reported the incident shortly as follows. [Hokuriku-Chunichi Shinbun on December 5 , 2020]In Ishikawa Pref., medical institutions, which can test both Covid-19 and influenza, are designated at 180 places. The late Mr. Hiroo Takahashi, 42 years old, an associated professor, Kanazawa University, could not get PCR testing which should have been prepared well. The Tokyo Shinbun (Newspaper), the same network newspaper with the Hokuriku-Chunichi run the news. But even the local people could not get to know his death. Why did this news not made the headlines? Is it concealment done by the university? Is it a “surmise” (read between the lines) toward the authorities? We have no way of finding the truth. But I believe that it is the real function of media in democratic countries to take up such incident and pursue a liability of the authorities. There may be other reasons to hide or underreport. My acquainted knowledgeable people were very suspicious saying that the Government were hiding something intentionally, or freedom of press was controlled, or media side were self-restraint or surmise. It is good example that Japan is ranking 66th. Then, how about America which is ranking at 45th? I lost profess toward democracy completely through the Presidency election this time. I, as a multi-linguist, watching medias in Taiwan and Korea every day or Chinese media in America with big interests in the election relying on YouTube. I have been watching a lot of “the backside information” every day and was disappointed with actual conditions of election processes, i.e., how actual conditions were not reported objectively.In conclusion, American democracy has already collapsed. Mainstreams of American media report is just a side of the truth. They are closing their eyes to the fact that “electoral fraud” has robbed “the authority” and their reports seldom touch the establishment and has trampled the Constitution of the United States and their democracy. SNS and net-media are restricted the people and are opposite politically. It was typical that twitters were controlled by President Trump. It was unprecedented that remarks by the President of the United States, which is the biggest democratic country in the world and was controlled by the independent judgement of the medias. Not only twitters but also other main social medias like FACEBOOK controlled the voice of citizens. It is indescribable for medias, which are not national authority to control the voice of citizens by their own “fact check”. If there is only biased coverage, citizens cannot get the truth of political judgement. If so, justice and fairness of the election, which is the means of execution of democracy, would be distorted. It is no exaggeration to say that democracy has collapsed. 　 Media, which should have a mission to convey the truth to citizens fairly and justly, lose their neutrality (by the writer’s standard of value) and intervene politics, we cannot get news of fairness, justice and freedom anymore. My values, philosophy and idea, which I have espoused and pursued, have crashed in my heart. I may lose my grounds of criticism hereafter against authoritarianism. Everybody knows the medias are controlled severely in authoritarianism countries. However, in democratic countries, a lot of people consider that the freedom of speech is “out of the questions”. There may be no difference between both countries in which citizens are deprived of the right to know the truth. Leaders or intellectual persons in authoritarian countries sneered at the election in America which is the “So-Honzan (head quoter)” of democracy saying “Look! Democracy is hypocrisy and freedom of speech is an untruth.” “Our system is superior to democracy.” They emphasize their system superiority over their correspondence against Covid-19 too. Nevertheless, I do not think authoritarianism, which oppress freedom of speech ruthlessly, can justify themselves and must be forsook by the citizens soon or later because those countries are “people’s republic” in which sovereignty lies with people, not the feudal country. Administration, which has been built for the sake of farmers adopting a slogan “Dictatorship by the Proletariat”, has converted to “Dictatorship by the bourgeoisie and the elite”. In any countries and any day or age, I do not think the administration which do not govern the country without reading the mind of people, will last long stably. In Chinese classics there is a golden saying “水能載舟、亦能覆舟“(by Xun Kuang). It means “statesmen are equal to ship and people are equal to water”. Water runs safely putting a vessel on but can overthrow a vessel sometimes. It is a commandment for statesman.  SGRA Kawaraban 658in Japanese (Original) Li Gang Zhe/Professor Hokuriku University Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala

 We greeted the New Year 2021 carrying over global issue “COVID-19”.A lot of people in Japan, especially in Tokyo, have passed over their New Year holidays worrying about epidemic of infected person, far from being healed from “CORONA fatigue”.We had plenty of topics relating to CORONA such as epidemic during New Year holidays and the second emergency declaration.  Medical service workers must be tired with chronic fatigue by CORONA and we worry about their mental health too. Recently the news about the number of infected persons is more distinct in Japan rather than the news of vaccination in Europe and America.   If Japanese pharmaceutical companies could develop corona vaccine first in the world, the news will become a topic and Japanese would have been vaccinated by now. In the last December, vaccine developed by Pfizer (USA) was lifted in London. Around that time, German pharmaceutical company announced their vaccine development. I thought vaguely, at that time, Japanese leading pharmaceutical companies will announce their development and they would commercialize it rather than Japanese people accepting Pfizer or German vaccine. However, we have not heard any news so far. What happened to Japan?  Japan is a country of craftsmanship and technical developing and there are many leading pharmaceutical companies. But I realized Japanese presence pared down. In Japan, up-and-coming startup is not so distinct and there are few charismatic young Presidents of world-wide reputation. There are a few entrepreneurs who interest me personally. And I began to think that the presence of such charismatic entrepreneurs might drive a country and boost the country morale regardless of the industry.    Of course, there are Presidents who start business and are active internationally in Japan. For example, Masayoshi Son, Soft Bank Group and Hiroshi Mikitani, who launched Rakuten.There are many entrepreneurs in overseas. Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group in China. Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group in UK, the late Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple 　Inc. which has a presence even now in America. Besides those entrepreneurs, Elon Musk, Tesla Motors, is the most prominent President in America now. Mr. Yoshihiko Yamada, ex-Vice President of Panasonic, who has worked with Elon Musk in Tesla Motors for two years, made a severe comment (toward Japanese people) in special issue of the Toyo Keizai titled “Tesla vs. Toyota”, saying that “Not limited to Panasonic, Japanese companies cannot keep up with sense of speed of Tesla. It will be impossible unless there would be charismatic corporate executives or founders.” Yes!  What Japan is lacking is a sense of speed. Before I explain what Japan is lacking, I convey why Japan is impressive first. Above all, people in Japan wear mask and wash hands properly. It is attractive that public places are clean. The number of infected persons in Japan is much more comparing with other countries.  I think Japan is impactful but lacking in sense of speed. COVID-19 has made everything stagnant. In America and European countries, they are developing vaccines at a terrific speed, despite there are a lot of infected persons. China developed vaccines quickly adding to their drastic infection control measures. Japan is not included in such countries regretfully. I am not familiar with pharmaceutical industry. But I searched one opinion. Mr. Yasuhiro Fujiwara, the Director General of PMDA (Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency), opined at the Nikkei-FT (Financial Times) Conference for Infections “In Japan, we cannot do large-scale clinical testing and Japanese weak points were made clear by COVID-19.”The point is systems. Certification of new medicines is cautious and take long time in Japan. It will be natural, amid unprecedented pandemic of COVID-19, to take time to develop new medicines through conventional procedures. Against CORONA, there should be any exception on priority basis in order to get information about infected persons quickly. I hope they should not give up or slow down development of new medicines.    What Japan will shine brilliantly “after CORONA” is the people who do not give up their challenging spirits toward something new taking crisis management.  In conclusion, I quote the words by Mr. Uichiro Niwa, ex-Japanese Ambassador to China and ex-Chairman of Itochu Corporation. He said “From now on, there will be something impossible in Japan as if that’s norm. Because of it, you cannot neglect what you can do regardless of age.” It sounds very reasonable. But it was written in 2019, before COVID-19, in the book titled “Shigoto to Kokoro no Ryuugi” (The Style in Business and Heart). And those phrases were quoted from “Donguri no Seikurabe” (Comparison of Stature of Acorn) in which if we compare stature, we will lose jobs. How touching those words were! We have entered a New Year in world-wide chaos. But I hope bright future would wait for us after our efforts. XIE Zhihai / Associated Professor, Kyoai Gakuen University  SGRA Kawaraban 657 in Japanese (Original)  Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala