It was in the afternoon, when I arrived at Nagasaki. It has been raining on and off all day.  And, it was already after 19:30 when I arrived at hotel after finishing supper following visit to Dejima and the Oh-ura Cathedral. I had a plan to visit Inasa-yama (Mt. Inasa) first. However, my fatigue and rain made me being bewildered and tried to persuade myself to give up.  According to my checking on internet how to enjoy night view of Inasa-yama, people say “it is difficult to visit there without car”, or “recommend to use tour bus”.  Actually, I persuaded myself to give up saying “the number of public bus is limited”, “I have to worry about the way back to hotel at night”, “it will be possible tomorrow” and “it will be OK without enjoying night view” etc..  When did look I persuade myself to give up what I like to do or what I want to have before starting?  It becomes my fetters if I would examine and think beforehand too much. Or, I put off because there are too many things to do knowing that I have to do. I have to use bigger energy if I like to shift my idea to action. Or, if I cannot keep my promise due to my putting off, I would become “kana-shibari” (old hag syndrome) by sense of guilt and fear like an ostrich (burying it’s head in the sand while leaving other parts exposed). It is a vicious circle that lack of ability of taking action becomes bigger due to stress by my putting off and self-hatred.  It becomes clear that if I plan to go tomorrow, it would mean I do not go by 100%.  In conclusion, I left hotel having mobile map only (not following a route on network).  There is a Japanese word “houkou-onchi” (no sense of direction). There seems no relations between direction and the sense of hearing or space and sound. If we think of a metaphor “architecture is a frozen music”, I think it very exquisite expression.  I was turning around repeatedly on the same route, like from walking to streetcars, walking to bus, walking to ropeway, and I was heading to opposite directions.  Strange to say, my stress, fear or uneasiness, has been disappearing after leaving hotel.  When I got off ropeway, I heard a cheer from a distance and saw a lot of people moving at the foot of a mountain. It was a finishing of any concert. When lift doorsof the observation platform open, I could see a glorious view of the Nagasaki Port,which is long horizontally and folded with mountains. Shadow of the port on the sea-surface is very conspicuous. That’s the port Nagasaki ! It is the one of the best 3 night views in Japan. When I enjoyed such view and went to the elevator hall, I heard explosive sound and I could look back gigantic fireworks which was lighted from a vessel below. It was very exciting to see fireworks on the sea which continued for about twenty minutes. It was the first time for me to “look down” fireworks from above.    Once I take the first step, mind and body become lightened. And, once I keep walking, there would be nothing useless even if it may not be shortcut. If I take any action, everything would go better. Why do I take such action from the beginning ? There would be many reasons depending on people who are lacking of action. On the way back to hotel, I realized that if I think of too much what I would do, it is a reason of lacking of action. The more you think, the more you afraid of your failure. And you will have a negative image in your future. You will have a pressure on what you think it important or difficult and it takes time to take action. It is said that reason for such thinking too much comes from “perfectionism” or “PCN (Procrastination Syndrome)”  Everybody may have such “syndrome” more or less, and if someone feel seriously for such syndrome, he would make cause trouble to surroundings.  It is natural to make trouble in his daily works and living. Especially, his confidence will be damaged and it is not good for his mental health.  Then, how to solve or improve it?  When I left hotel, I did not imagine to look down fireworks from the top of “Inasa-yama”. But, I thought I would damage myself if I do not take action to leave hotel by momentum. After leaving hotel, I have been losing way all the way and could not care about myself to be able to reach “Inasa-yama” or not. It was good to give no time to myself beforehand. Once I take one step forward, only action will follow. I think it most difficult to open “Word file” when I try to write an essay or a thesis after deadline. I feel it torturous to read my unfinished essay. But, once I can clear such psychological barriers, task itself would not distress me. Rather, it may make me pleasure like night view from the top of Inasa-yama and fire-works and make me feel “I am glad I could come here”. By the way, it rained very heavily ever recorded next day in Kyushu and all the trains in Nagasaki stopped. If I have postponed my schedule saying “I would go tomorrow”, I missed the chance to see such wonderful views.    SGRA Kawaraban 622 in Japanese (Original)  Wu Xiaoxiao /2018 Raccoon, Associate Fellow, Curator of Tokyo National Museum,  Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala

 “Science saves and destroys the earth.”  Since I have studied about solar power generation, a type of renewable energies for five years during my master’s and doctoral degree courses, I have always been thinking about this phrase. Through this phrase, I would like to write my feelings about the relationship between “environment and science”.  In recent years, environmental issues like exhaustion of resources such as oil and coal, air pollution, and global warming are becoming more acute. As a result, countries around the world have adopted every possible policy like the Kyoto Protocol of 1997 and the Paris Agreement of 2015. Among those policies, if we focus on the energy issues, the main goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Of course, the purpose of countries that are promoting the use of renewable energy is not only the issue of the global environment but also the protection of energy security, but we will not talk about that here.     In the field of science and technology, the most important thing to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) exhaustion is to develop clean energy sources. Beside solar power generation that I have worked on, there are other power generation systems, like wind power generation, geothermal and biomass power generation etc. There are other approaches of technologies related to the electrification of products such as the development of automobiles which mount electric motor engines instead of gasoline engines. Also, the research has been conducted on capturing CO2, exhausted at thermal power station, and restore it into carbon fuels. Looking at these things, science is thought to be a discipline that can save the future earth. However, what I have always been questioning is that the development of science and technology has caused the current environmental problems.  Scientific technology has invented various things to enrich human life. At present, the indispensable of our daily life such as the electrical products like mobile phones and computers including vehicles such as automobiles and airplanes and functional materials for clothes are all products made by the development of science and technology. Even mass production, which have been developed to meet our increasing population, was made by development of scientific technology. Even just from what is stated here, it is clear that human life has been abundant due to the development of science. At the same time, consumption of energy and natural resources buried in the ground (metal etc.) are being critical. It is estimated that the world economy that has continued to develop since the industrial revolution that took place in the latter half of the 18th century will continue to grow by the development of the developing countries. However, it is speculated that the depletion of resources and environmental issues will continue to grow and become more serious.   The unknown world is explicated down to nanometer unit by the development of science and even taking pictures of black holes has been successful. I think scientific technique could make clear about any phenomenon on earth and in planet and enrich human life. However, I hope such scientific technique will be utilized not only for human beings but also for the global environment. Science destroys the earth for human life, but science also has the key to overcome it. In fact, efforts are now started to develop renewable energies, electric motors for cars, and plastics that melts quickly. I, as a researcher of engineering science, would like to challenge my research and knowledge for the future of the earth.     SGRA Kawaraban 621 in Japanese (Original)  Kim_Boran / Special researcher of Power Device at Samsung Electronics (Korea)   Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala

I participated in the Fukushima Study Tour for three days from September 21 to 23, 2019 and I had a really productive time. People just say “earthquake disaster” and “reconstruction” simply. But, I would like to report what actually happened and are being happening in Fukushima. Habitants fled from radiation contamination after the Fukushima No.1 Nuclear Power Plant Accident in 2011. And, I report what I heard and saw, like decontamination works, utilization of land and return of habitants etc.  At First, we visited the "TEPCO Decommissioning Museum", which reviews the progress of the nuclear accident and introduces the current status and schedule of decommissioning work. It was a few days after three former TEPCO executives were acquitted by the judicial decision. The commentators of the museum explained and apologized repeatedly saying “TEPCO did not continue to strengthen safety measures by neglecting the risk of severe accidents caused by external events such as natural phenomena “.  I was surprised rather at their explanation that TEPCO have not taken any measures by 2011 despite TEPCO have received an information in 2008 that water level would rise to 15.7m by tsunami by the earthquake at Fukushima offshore.   We left the museum and went to Iitate where people have been interrupted from their usual day-to day life because they had to take refuges. On March 31, 2017, six years after the accident, the evacuation order for Iitate, except one district, was released finally.  According to statistics on September, this year, only less than 1,200 villagers out of about 6,500 returned. I saw a lot of flexible container bags for contaminated soil in Iitate, surrounded by beautiful mountains. I could see solar-panels also at the corner of farm-land.  We stayed at “House of Wind and Soil”, built by reused wooden materials for temporary houses for exchange between the people inside and outside of Iitate. We took lectures from Mr. Yoichi Tao, Director of “Resurrection of Fukushima” and Assistant Director, Professor Masaru Mizoguchi, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science/ Faculty of Agriculture, the University of Tokyo. We learned the present Iitate, where agriculture, forestry and livestock industries have been their livelihood before.  But, farmers cultivate Turkish (Chinese) bellflowers (トルコキキョウ) in cultivation houses now, and we could see barns for cows which are controlled by remote monitoring equipment.  We visited “Museum for Matsuzuka Soil” where we learned how to decontaminate radiation “Cesium”, and also visited farms for Japanese lacquer tree (ウルシ) which are being cultivated experimentally as economical products. We experienced planting flowers under the guidance of Mr. Kin-ichi Ookubo who is trying to make flower garden like a paradise of earth by growing various flowers like cherry blossoms and roses.  We have enjoyed dinner party also together with the villagers at the Sasu Public Hall (ex-Sasu Junior High School) where we offered our hand-made fusion cuisine and villagers returned their dance and songs.  In fact, among the people who can be counted as villagers in Iidate, more than 100 migrants who have moved in during the past two years, such as the Tao family, are included. Therefore, some villagers said that, as to their resurrection plan, they feel antipathy against the opinion of new comers from outside of Iitate.  “Resurrection of Fukushima” is now setting their new program. But it may affect Iitate, because we cannot say all the villagers are keeping up pace with the program. Actually, “Resurrection of Fukushima” called an art director, Mr. Fram Kitagawa to draw up a plan “Art Project” discovering local culture and attracting visitors to the area.  *Fram Kitagawa : famous for his works like “International Art Festival in Setonai”, “Art Festival of Daichi (Niigata Pref.)etc., Awarded ‘文化功労賞‘（bunka koro sho - cultural distinguished service) in 2016  Some people may have a doubt why “art” is adopted for the purpose of resurrection ofagricultural villages. However, I, as a student of art, understand think it quite reasonable. Art tends to add unique value to every event, by "visualizing" things that are not normally visible to the public and re-examining established concepts. The viewer is stimulated by the art work and encourages various discoveries and recognition. Due to these characteristics, art projects are already being practiced in many parts of Japan as a means of regional resurrection, with the hope that artists will bring new perspectives to discover and communicate the appeal of the region.  According to Mr. Tao, resurrection of Iitate does not mean returning the village to the original condition. He insisted that the nuclear accident destroyed the relationship between the nature and human beings and spirits of human beings who cut off their relationship were destroyed by the accident. In these meanings, art project may lead to new relations or attractions between human beings and human beings, or between human beings and lands.  Efforts for resurrection of Iitate spread from agriculture and forestry, and stock raising to artistic activities. Regardless of whether it is an “inside person” or not, the many activities being carried out by multi-disciplinary collaborators who have enormous imagination based on the research and research capabilities that have settled on the ground, showcase the rich creativity of citizens.  SGRA NEWS ( Report of The 8th Fukushima Study Tour) in Japanese (original) Photos of the Day  Yang Chun-ting / 2018 Raccoon      Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala

I have visited Fukushima in May 2018, for the first time, as a participant of “the Fukushima Study Tour”, and I returned Fukushima on September 21, 2019 after one year and four months. Why did I, a Taiwanese, visited Fukushima again? First, I liked rich nature and beautiful scenery of Fukushima and liked to meet people who are trying hard for restoration of Fukushima. I sympathize with the people having common problems of how to confront with the issues of nuclear power plant and renewable energies. I returned Fukushima this time because Taiwan has the same problems, and I cannot think it is someone else’s problem. Yang Chun-Ting reported on the details of this year's tour, so I would like to mention the changes that I felt on this tour over a year and four months.  At first, I visited TEPCO decommissioning museum for the first time. While at graduate school, I was a curator and had experience in exhibiting at museums and other places. Compared to the exhibits we have seen so far, the decommissioning museum introduced the latest technology and its digital exhibition was very impressive. For example, it is a very easy-to-understand exhibit that includes images of the theater hall at the time of the occurrence of the earthquake and images of the current robot working inside the reactor building.  In the commentary, the apology was repeated, stating that "remembering the memories and records of the accident and passing on reflections and lessons learned inside and outside the company to prevent such an accident from happening again" are claimed to be "one of the responsibilities to be fulfilled.".  In their explanation, they mentioned that there was overconfidence in safety measure. But they never touch on location of their responsibility. They never referred to how they should evade tragedy, or how to deal with similar situations. By such reasons, I thought their saying about their apology and explanation were very superficial by their official positions. I found a meaning which I could learn about nuclear power accident. It was the basis of everything. After leaving the Museum, I had different feelings about Iitate from the last Tour during three days staying at Iitate.  The first thing that need to be addressed is “the house of wind and soil”(“the House” hereafter). In the last tour, we have stayed at “Ryouzen Center” (ex-Ryouzen Training Center) which “Resurrection of Fukushima” (“Resurrection Center” hereafter) have borrowed where they had orientations and social gatherings. But, the House, which was completed in this March, is now giving opportunities of staying and orientations to the people who visit Iitate.  The House is also the place of communications between visitors and villagers and place for relaxation and refreshment among villagers.  I, born in Showa era, liked Ryouzen Center which had Showa atmosphere. But, completion of the House is epoch making and took an important step like moving from “temporary house” to “my home”.  We went to the disaster site after receiving orientations from Mr. Tao, Chairman of the House and the Society of Revitalization, Professor Mizoguchi, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science/ faculty of Agriculture, the University of Tokyo, Assistant Director of Resurrection of Fukushima and Mr. Yano of the Tokyo University of the Arts. visiting the site after getting orientations was very effective. We were able to visualize the completion of the "hardware" facilities, it is thought that the "software" so-called various projects can be further deepened. Please refer to Yang's “Report” for details of  each project.  Next, I would like to briefly mention the scenery of the city. Mega solar houses featured in last year's Report are still orderly and neatly lined up, we were able to get the spectacular views of the sea above a rice field. However, is it good for Iitate, which has been selected as one of the most beautiful village?  I think it necessary to be considered again because the government have decided to reconsider the system of buying electricity (by solar) at fixed price.  As to “black pyramid”, a mountain of flexible container bags, has been removed to the place of intermediate treatment or Chodei (長泥)district and scenery is being recovered. It should be very delightful, but the dilemma behind it lies. The fact, the FIBC bags had been removed, meant that the subsidies, which had been paid for storage, were no longer provided.  It is natural to think about economy to live and there would be no objection to that.But there will be things worth keeping even if we make a sacrifice of economy. Natural scenery, mentioned above, is one of them. But, I, as a researcher of history, like to keep a gymnasium in Sasu(佐須)-Primary school.  Historic spots which are preserved importantly are not always preserved as valuable from the beginning. Any activities for preservation are always battles like “it will not be worth keeping” or “there is no budget for it”. It will be necessary to preserve, or we have to preserve any cultural properties, whichever countries’ or local, as far as such properties can represent histories and cultures of the area.  Lastly, I would like to introduce two pictures which Mr. Tao, Director of “Resurrection of Fukushima” put on his face-book on November 4. The first picture is a scenery of the Sasu Pass. And the second one is a composite photograph of transmission line which will be built under the cooperation of an energy company. It is said that Iitate Village and it’s land owners have already agreed. However, as Miss. Yang explained, villagers are not always agreeable and new comers, like Mr. Tao who came from “the outside”, are treated as “outsiders”. I, seeing those two pictures, like to ask “insiders” what is the most important thing to be kept for Iitate and their posterity?  I sincerely hope I could enjoy their rich nature and wonderful scenery when I would ‘return’ Fukushima again.  SGRA Kawaraban 614 in Japanese (Original)  CHINAG_Yung _Po / 2018 Raccoon, Research Student of Japanese History Course, Research Institute for Literature, Waseda University  Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala

 “Korea-Japan relations are increasing chaos !? ” (Part 1)  [It is a key to have private exchanges of our voices from both countries.]  I summarize chief events of the last year (2018).  ・April 27, 2018 : Moon Jae-in, the President of the South Korea and Kim Jong-un, the Supreme Leader of the North Korea had summit talks. They crossed the military demarcation line between the two countries at Panmunjeom (板門店).  ・June 12：Kim Jong-un and the U.S. President, Donald J. Trump had summit talks at Singapore.・October 30：Supreme Court of the South Korea passed the judgement on Nippon Steel Corporation to pay one hundred million Won per person to four conscripted workers who were said to have been forced to work during the Pacific War.・November 21：The Korean government declared to dissolve “Reconciliation and Healing Foundation”.  This foundation was established in July, 2016 based on the “Comfort Women Agreement” (December 28, 2015).(The year 2019)・March 25, 2019：Daejeon City District court approved “Application for distraining of two trademark rights and three patent rights properties of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries” which was submitted by “Citizens’ Association with The Workers Corps Harmoni (grandmothers)”.・June 28-29, 2019：The G20 Summit was held in Osaka. But there was no summit meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Moon Jae-in were not materialized.  ・June 30：The U.S. President D. Trump visited South Korea after the G20 Summit in Osaka. He walked across the military demarcation alone and came back to the South together with Kim Jong-un. And, Moon Jae-in joined. News of pleasant talks among those three tops amazed the world.・July 4：Japanese government invoked a measure which strengthen controlling export of semiconductor materials to South Korea and decided to exclude South Korea from “White Country”.・August 22：The South Korean government announced the termination (destroy) of GSOMIA (Korea-Japan Military Information Protection Agreement) which has been  signed on November 23, 2016).  Is it necessary for our considerations about the events mentioned above and recent situations between Korea and Japan, which are said to be “Crisis of 1965 System”?  The agreement was signed on June 22, 1965 and entered into efficacy on December 18, 1965, "The Treaty on Basic Relations between the Republic of Korea and Japan (Basic Treaty of Korea and Japan)", "Properties of Property and Claims" Between the Republic of Korea and Japan on the Resolution and Economic Cooperation (Korean-Japanese Claims Agreement), "Agreement between Japan and the Republic of Korea on the legal status and treatment of Korean citizens residing in Japan (Japan Korean Legal Status Agreement).  It is also necessary to consider the reasons why the interpretation is controversial over claims between states and between individuals. On August 27, 1991, Mr. Yanai Shunji, the then Chief of the International Legal Affairs Bureau, the Ministry of  Foreign Affairs, has explained that “both countries have confirmed that rights to claim were solved perfectly and finally” and “both countries abandoned, each other’s, our national rights to claim which based on peoples’ right of claim.”  At the same time, Mr. Yanai explained “it does not mean individual right to claim are lapsed in the meanings of civic laws”. On February 26, 1992, he answered, at the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, “it does not deny people, as a Korean citizen to raise such claim to Japan”. I think personally that Mr. Yanai’s answer is correct. But it does not seem to be correct in the Japanese Government. It is because the Korean Supreme Court declared that individual rights to claim are still alive and right to claim by the government is not included in the Agreement.  The point may be there is not official conversation through diplomatic channels. Of course, it goes without saying that both governments, which have to consider a lot of things like the relations and interests, now and future, have to be very cautious to behave carelessly at first. However, on individual basis, we have to keep interchanging without reading the facial expressions of each other. I think it is important to bring up such persons who can understand each other and can express their own opinions regarding the Korean-Japanese relations exactly. It would be my assignment to accomplish, as a bridge between the two counties hereafter.  [The Preamble to the Constitution of Korea and Japan]The Preamble to the Constitution of Korea(omission)The Preamble to the Constitution of Japan (I feel there is full of spirits of pursuing for peace)  We, the Japanese people act through legitimately elected delegates in the National Diet, determined that we shall secure for ourselves and our posterity the fruits of peaceful cooperation with all nations and the blessings of liberty throughout this land, and resolved that never again shall we be visited this horrors of war through the action of government, do proclaim that sovereign power resides with the people and do firmly establish this Constitution, Government is a sacred trust of the people, the authority for which is derived from the people, the powers of which are exercised by the representatives of the people, and the benefits of which are enjoyed by the people, This is a universal principle of mankind upon which this Constitution is founded. We reject and revoke all constitutions、laws, ordinances, and rescripts in conflict herewith.  We, the Japanese people, desire peace for all time and deeply conscious of the high ideals controlling human relationship, and we have determined to preserve our security and existence, trusting in the justice and faith of the peace-loving peoples of the world. We desire to occupy an honored place in an international society striving for the preservation of peace, and the banishment of tyranny and slavery, oppression and intolerance for all time from the earth. We recognize that all people of the world have the right to live in the peace, free from fear and want.  We believe that no nation is responsible to itself alone, but that laws of potential morality are universal; and that obedience to such laws is incumbent upon all nations who would sustain their own sovereignty and justify their sovereign relationship with other nations.  We, the Japanese people, pledge our national honor to accomplish these high ideals and purposes with all our resources.  I think it the same in the point that both countries want everlasting peace. And we must cooperate together “not to have the horror of war again” and “to keep peace, to eliminate forever ‘autocracy and slavery’ and ‘oppression and intolerance’. There are a lot of problems pending between Korea and Japan to be solved through diplomatic channels and I do hope they establish the systems which they can talk openly and freely  And, we must endeavor to establish solid system and understanding, on the private level, in the exchange of culture, sports and educational fields so that such systems would not be discontinued by political dispute.  SGRA Kawaraban 612 in Japanese (Original)   Cho_Sull / Fellowship from Japan Society for Promotion of Science  Translated by Kazuo KawamuraEnglish checked by Sabina Koirala