I attended the Japan Initiative (J.I.) Forum under the coordination of Mr. Hideki Kato, Representative of JI：”Ko-so Nippon”, which was conducted in Japanese.  Professor Tadashi Kinomiya (Graduate School of Arts and Science, University of Tokyo) who specializes in Korean Political History and Professor Liu Jie (School of Social Science, Waseda University), a specialist in Modern History of the Relations between Japan and China). Both speakers are closely related with SGRA.   I gave my opinion, at the last session of questions and answers which was moderated  by Prof. Liu Jie, who pointed out that anybody who likes to promote “national reconciliation” by “public (common) wisdom”, should establish a platform on the internet. At the get-together meeting, however, I became aware that my opinion was misunderstood and given an opposite meaning. So I like to clarify my opinion in this essay.   When we conducted a survey of the histories of East Asia, there was a lot of confusion or unusual conditions.  The Opium War in China, separation of North and South Korea after the Korean War, and, in Japan, consecutive wars, including the First Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War, the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific-War after the Meiji Restoration. Although Japan lost the Pacific-War, we can say that all the confusions in East Asia have been caused by advances of the great powers in Europe and America who aimed to impose colonial rules.   We cannot always justify colonial rules by different races over Taiwan, Korea and Manchuria.  After the Perry (USA) Expedition in 1853, Japan had thought it necessary to oppose, as a nation of Asia, the advances by great powers into East Asia. There are deep-rooted opinions that Japan should have definitely insisted that they had fought consecutive wars, which were said to be wars of aggression, in order to protect (at least, at the beginning) Asia against the great powers.   After World War II, in the history education in Japan, the Japanese people have been taught, as convenient for America, that all the wars undertaken by Japan were “wars of aggression”. Some people say that this mindset caused Japanese to develop a masochistic view of history. After the War, the American occupation army forced on Japan a distorted history education characterized by fear of Japanese united power, fear of rising again as a warlike nation and fear of national pride. This distorted history exists even now. According to a public-opinion poll of the world, the young in Japan are notably weak among advanced countries, in terms of patriotic spirit, in respect of parents and in self-confidence. It is said those weaknesses have been an American strategy.  But it is also said that activities to recover national pride are being undertaken recently. Though I am not so positive, I am attending a study group of this kind in these days in order to learn if there are many people who have various opinions.   It is said a history is always written so that it will be convenient for administrators of the time. If so, the problem of historical recognitions is not solved as a national sentiment. As proposed by Prof. Liu Jie, if we like to establish histories as “public wisdom” of Asia, it is necessary to accumulate objective historical materials which are not affected by the politics of nations. Unfortunately, the Japanese people are lacking basic knowledge of histories and they do not know histories of surrounding countries. Knowledge and information, which would make researchers realize the pains of the people, who were under colonial rule, are also insufficient.   Governments are liable to impose on their people their understanding of histories which are convenient for these governments and would try to insist this understanding on other countries. However, as we are now living in the internet societies where we can share information among people of other countries. The citizens of the world should build networks for sharing objective materials of histories as “public wisdom” across national borders. There may be various opinions, but scholars of histories are asked to have a role to spreading such fundamental knowledge with opinions based on objective reasons and explainations which can be easily understood by everybody. People in each country will realize that there are opinions different from those of the government. There are many viewpoints. With this realization of general and objective understanding, people will come to know that it would be meaningless to confront each other on different views of histories by governments. As such, I expect some good result which will gradually remove individual ill feelings.   On the other hand, it will be a job for diplomats to solve confrontations among governments, including problems of different recognition of histories by countries. Recently, it is a reality that negotiations among Japan, China and Korea are not always going well, and I am afraid that this situation comes from poor negotiating abilities of  the diplomats of these countries.   Mao Zedong of China said “Existence decides Consciousness”. He preached that people who are concerned with politics have to think on the standpoints of the people (especially the poor and lower class farmers). This indicates that if politicians are not conscious of such standpoints, they are apt to think from their limited viewpoints. For the Japanese people, it is difficult to imagine standpoints or sentiments of other people who have been ruled.   As I was taking the above thoughts into consideration, I expressed at the meeting: “as Japan has never been colonialized, we have difficulty understanding the standpoints of Korea, China and Taiwan”. And I was aware afterward that I affirmed my indifferent attitude without self-examination.   At a social gathering after a lecture meeting, I was told by somebody that “Japan has an experience to have been occupied by American armed forces”. While talking with him, I became aware, for the first time, that my statement in my presentation was misunderstood. In Okinawa, many people have been certainly sacrificed; in the main land, also, a huge number of people (more than 300 thousand) died from the atomic bombs dropped at Hiroshima and Nagasaki; and in the Great Tokyo Air Raid many people also died.  I have stated that we have no experience to have been occupied because ours was not a colonial occupation for long period.   We, Japanese, have not yet gotten out of our understanding of a defeated country due to a skillful occupation which came from Japan-US relations for 70 years since the end of the War. The US military bases are still here and there is no future prospect for their going away. Some people say that the US wanted to occupy Iraq softly as they did with Japan so that Iraq would obey everything that the US says. I should have said that Japan is as good as being under (hidden) colonial occupation.   The Pope of Rome said definitely that present business enterprises are plundering and damaging the environment. As Mr. Thomas Piketty (French economist) pointed out, modern enterprises in advanced countries are getting profit skillfully but legally and are establishing the composition of societies where one percent are wealthy people and 99% are poor. There is another economist who pointed out that the US taxation system causes inequalities in societies. In the US, various financial instruments (e.g. derivatives) are developing and when company directors sell their shares, they are treated preferentially in taxation. There is another penetrating opinion that a part of the people in the world are active behind the scene influencing governments in the pursuit of their personal profit, and their activity is stirring up disputes in the world.   There is no point if we, as Asian comrades, are hostile to each other under the circumstances where a small part of the world’s population (consisting of the wealthy), pursuing their personal gain, dominate the governments of the world. In the societies of Japan, China and Korea, where there is a common Confucian culture of working together, I think we have a base which is easy to be reconciled with each other.   I am proud of the Atsumi International Foundation which, as you know, holds international research conferences in several cities in the world. These conferences have contributed to establishing common wisdom as Prof. Liu Jie said. Many men of talent who are scholarship students of the Foundation are very active all over the world. I hope we can enlarge the circle of friends for better understanding and establish reciprocal societies as Asian economic communities equal to the EU. This present research meeting is significant and, hopefully be the first step toward this end.     (Yutaka Tonooka / Professor of Humanities and Social Science, Saitama University, Visiting Researcher of Waseda University)     <Reference>   Co-hosting “JI Forum – the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II：Thoughts on Historical Memories and Their Recognition-“   On September 28,2015, we (SGRA) co-hosted the Japan Initiative (JI) Forum. JI is presided by Mr. Hideki Katoh, who is also Councilor of the Atsumi International Foundation and they have been examining problems in Japan such as “program (by the Government) review”. They offered us this time to discuss international issues also and we, as SGRA, have been thinking that international problems should be studied by Japanese people more. And we have decided to cohost the forum. JI held the first Forum in July 2015, titled “At the ‘70th anniversary of the end of World War II”, and they study this time the same period from the side of China and Korean peninsula. We decided on the title “Forum II, Thoughts on Historical Memories and Their Recognition at the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II”, asking Prof. Liu Jie (Waseda University) and Prof. Tadashi Kinomiya (the University of Tokyo), both have been supporting SGRA for a long time.   Prof. Liu showed retrogression of relations between Japan and China comparing two pictures：one is friendly photo of Mao Zedong・Zhou Enlai and Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka・Masayosi Ohirain 1972 and the other is a stiff shaking hands between Shinzo Abe and Xi Jinping in November, last year.  He referred also, according to an attitude survey, not only politicians, more than 80 % of the people of both countries expressed their dislike of each other. He also said that there is recently a movement of history-recognition in learned societies in China.  In order to improve such situation, he asserted to promote  exchange at the intellectual level in Japan studies and necessity of common knowledge which can be shared among the whole Asia,about experiences of success and failure in Japan including the period before World War II.   According to Prof. Kinomiya, when the Japan-Republic of Korea Basic Relations Treaty was concluded in 1965, serious disputes had started between Japan and Korea because the Treaty did not solve problems properly. There were such changes in the relation between the countries like changes from vertical (Japan, as ruler and advanced country in economic development) to horizontal (equal partners in power). In Korea, there appeared domestic confrontation due to their diversification and stratification of society, and people found it difficult to compromise with Japan being afraid of being criticized domestically. He pointed out, as a solution, that Japan should tackle positively historical problems even though this may be in a narrow sense. And, it is necessary for Koreans to control themselves to avoid making a Japan-Korea problem into a “historical issue”.  He also insisted that, for recognition and policies against China, both countries should pursue common possibilities of access.   Moderator Mr. Kato premised “we like to look at historical issues on a broader scale without sticking at trifles”.  Opinion by both gentlemen, Prof. Kinomiya and Mr. Kato, were exactly an overlooking for big steps of modern histories. Based on responses to questionnaires after the forum, some participants commented: “it was difficult to give our own opinions on the theme this time because we could not identify what the truth is. We like to be as close to the truth as much as possible. We believe we can improve our chance to express our opinion by attending this kind of forum.” I thought, as the sponsor of this forum that it was effective because we were able to have such comment. We may lose free spatial feelings if we discuss on the basis of “justice” or “righteousness”.  Mr. Kato pointed out that we, Japan, came to feel cramped recently for certain though I do not know in foreign countries.  It was very impressive for me.   Lastly, I like to thank the participants in this forum and our co-host.   (Junko Imanishi /Representative for SGRA)     Translated by Kazuo Kawamura English checked by Mac Maquito   SGRA Kawaraban 471 in Japanese (original)

1. How to face “Fukushima”, as a researcher of Japan Studies?   It’s the fourth time having “SGRA Fukushima Study Tour”after the disaster which occurred on 11 March 2011 in Fukushima Prefecture.   As a scholarship student of Atsumi International Foundation of the year 2011, I experienced vividly a personal turmoil after what has become universally known as the Great East Japan Earthquake. I will never forget this experience. This time, I have joined “Takidashi(soup kitchen)” (distributing boiled rice) in Ishinomaki-City (Miyagi Prefecture) and my feeling of wanting to help people in the disaster-tricken area (as in Fukushima), was refreshed. I have also worried about how to face “Fukushima Nuclear Accident”, and the word “Resurrection” did not reach my heart at that time because they were still in tense situation for settling the accident.   After obtaining my doctorate degree in Korea, I was searching for “Cities in East Asia which are possible to coexist each other and be sustainable together” at a research team under the theme “Crisis and conversion of cities in East Asia in this globalization time”.  I am also involved now in another research for Japan Studies analyzing countermeasures or recommendations against “Risk-scape” (scene of risks) which arise from nuclear power stations in the countries in North-Eastern Asia (Japan, China, Taiwan and Korea), I am especially concentrating on a research titled “Changes and Gropes of Japanese Civil Societies after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Accident”.     2. Pilot Studies in the winter of 2014   In December, 2014, I visited Iitate-Village for the first time.  I had been reading reports by mass media and other materials, keeping my interest in “countermeasures by Fukushima”.  I was at a loss for words when I saw at sites of the disaster a terrific scene of pyramids of flexible containers with decontaminated soil and leaves inside. Mr. Yoichi TAO, President(Representative) of NPO “Resurrection of Fukushima” explained to us the details from the beginning when he had met with the Iitate people up to the time when he established the NPO.  Mr. Muneo Kanno、one of the disaster victims, talked about his determination toward the resurrection of the Iitate village, starting with getting out of the confusions immediately after the accident.   I was most impressed by the positive attitude of the farmers in the stricken areas, with volunteers and scientists who were conducting corporate works, together with efforts for “recovering the people’s trust in technologies”.   We often use words, such as “Anti-nuclear power stations” or “Abandoning nuclear power”, but it is a reality that the number of groups, together with the village inhabitants, which take a step toward this direction, is very few.  It is absolutely necessary to cooperate with science and technology because radioactivity is invisible. In this point, I think NPO “Resurrection of Fukushima” is the most advanced group of scientists in the world.   At the exchange-of-ideas meetings at night, engineering experts, science researchers of agriculture and forestry and volunteers, had heated discussions about causes or settlements of disputes arising from accidents. I sympathize with the ideas that these experts spread their message to the world about the process and results which they got after their experimentation and discussions. In order to rise from such man-made disasters, people, especially victims of disasters must use such ideas from thwisdom of farmers and various specialists. I was especially impressed by their passion “to resurrect Fukushima using the power of scientific agriculture”. I thought science which would resurrect nature shall be a real science for human beings only. Mrs. Chieko Kanno presented me with warm socks for use in the snow-covered cold morning. In return, I helped with the “works in the vinyl-house” which the department of agriculture of Meiji University has installed. She spoke well of my works saying I have a sense of the science of agriculture. I like to do something to help their experiment for resurrection.     3. I joined again and worked together with the villagers in Autumn, 2015.   I joined this study tour this time, together with colleagues from Atsumi Foundation and others all with different nationalities, professional fields, gender and generation. When I heard news of heavy rainfall two weeks before the tour, I was very anxious about the situation. According to a mail from NPO “Resurrection of Fukushima”, roads surrounding the house of Mr. Kanno, which is the base office of “Resurrection of Fukushima”, was destroyed and everything including the experimental vinyl house and rice fields have been damaged.  When I arrived at the site, one fifth of rice crop had been damaged by rain.  We did our utmost effort to save the rice crop, but we were not fully successful. However, the roads and vinyl houses have been restored.   On the second day, we worked as a group and harvested as much as we could the damaged rice crop and subsequently joined harvest festival. I met two young guys who were gleaning around me when I was doing unused farm-works. Mr. Sota Sato, who dreams of becoming the Iitate village headman in the future, spoke of his passionate aspiration, with mixed feelings of hope and fear for the resurrection of Iitate. Another guy, who came from Chiba-Pref. as a volunteer and joined the “rice harvest” for the second time, told me that he would pray for the “resurrection of Fukushima” while storing his gleanings in his house.   Frankly speaking,when I joined the tour for the first time last year, I had some doubt about the word “resurrection”.  But, I have a strong feeling now that “resurrection power is a power of human beings”.   During my rice harvesting works in “rice cropping experiment”, I enjoyed cheerful talks, recalling my childhood or Japanese names of such worms as “crickets, earthworms, the Oriental mole crickets and newts which have red belly”. Such living creatures have been living in these rice fields. At this instance, I had a strong feeling of reconfirmation that this would be the first step toward resurrection of the land and fields where living creatures could survive. However, we heard the big noise of weed-removing machines being used in the other side of the fields. The workers who had been dispatched from the government for the decontamination operation involving very hard and dangerous jobs were all young. I wondered if there are no policies that could connect such hard and dangerous jobs to a joy for resurrection.     4. Overcoming severepresent condition,   In order to make good use of “our wishes for resurrection”, I would like to point out several contradictions. Radiological dosage in the disaster area is actually still high. But, there are big differences in degree among places or on conditions of the environment. In order to overcome such situation, it is urgently requested to convert the present system of decontamination to new system which can connect to suitable policies of government. I watched a tv news in the Shinkansen when I was returning to Tokyo, and saw consumers who are living in cities and are pleased with TPP (Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Agreement) because they can buy foods from overseas at lower prices.   I think it is necessary to discuss not only a compulsory return to Fukushima policy by the government but also a “return policy which is really helpful for the agriculture of Fukushima and the inhabitants there”, or a return policy that takes into account “different regional problem (for example, in cases where only the aged have returned, or there are many required legal actions after returning) and specific return policy of Iitate”.   Lastly, I recall “nuclear power plant in Korea”where the most densely area in the world in terms of land area and more than three millions of people are living within the range of 30 km. We have to watch out,for the way of resurrection for Iitate; how to make the best use of the results of the scientific and social experimentation which Japan has undertaken in the face of severe realities after nuclear power plant disasters.     (Asia Research Center, Seoul University)     Translatedby Kazuo Kawamura English checked by Mac Maquito   SGRA Kawaraban 472 in Japanese (original)

Recent incidents by children are deeply related with smartphones in the possession of those children. In the latter part of the last summer holidays, a junior high-school student was arrested in Ehime Prefecture. He inflicted repeated violence on his classmate and displayed a picture of his violence using LINE. Similar incidents are being reported every day. But, it seems that no solution can be found to stop this practice. It may be because we cannot relate how present-day adults may have grown up owning smartphones, or had friends with smartphones. Internet surroundings for children, which are changing rapidly, cause bullying on the internet and result in suffering or commission of crimes.   I think such bullying, etc. are most important issues in the field of education.  But, teachers cannot interfere in communities of LINE of children in the internet even if they are alert in schools. Or, even if parents can filter use of smartphones by their children, they cannot prevent uploading of pictures or movies. Once pictures or movies are uploaded, nobody (school, parents or the police) can delete these. I do not know how education can cope with such a situation.   In my home town in China, the situation is the same. Relations between children and smartphones are social problems.  There are plenty of young internet users who feel uneasy if they are not always connected with friends on “WeChat” (微信) which is a similar application with LINE.  Adults also use “WeChat” conveniently. We can use neither “Facebook” nor “Twitter” in China.  But, we have many similar applications on which we can exchange our opinions.  These are “Weibo”(微博) which is a mini-blog like twitter, “WeChat” mentioned above, and “QQ” Chine which can be said to have created an internet dependence in a big country. In the relation between children and smartphones, though there is no governmental law in China, such as the regulation in Japan, where children are required to leave their smartphones with their teachers during school hours. Enforcement of such regulations depends on the abilities of the particular education system or schools.   Only LINE is prominent in Japan, as people being left out of friends. But, new applications similar to LINE are being developed one after another as catch-up or overtake efforts. It is said to be fashionable among students to upload to internet materials which they took by smartphones, after being edited using available applications. The file size of of moving pictures is said to be too heavy to send. This problem, however, was solved by the speed of internet and increased use of Wi-Fi access.   The other day, I had a chance to talk with people who belong to a youth development association. According to them, on using smartphone, the problem is not only LINE but also “on-line-games” which are provided together with TV commercials, using entertainers as presenters. It seems to be difficult for the parents to drag their children away from the games partly because parents are also addicted. There is  another trouble.  Recently, there are a lot of problems associated with applications which are specialized to sell unwanted articles and are not regulated in their use by young people who are under 18 years old. Under the present situation, children under 18 can sell unwanted articles, using available applications, can get money and buy other prohibited materials. Under such circumstances, what adults can do is to just follow the situation that new applications, which are convenient and enjoyable for the young, are developed one after another.  It may be a reality that we, adults, cannot grasp how such applications affect children adversely..   We cannot leave as it is the relations between children and the internet. First of all, parents have to know exactly the existing conditions.  And, it will ideal that parents establish some moral standards and rules to guide their children to the proper use of smartphones in the house.   It is said that schools are asking parents to think about their own personal relations with smartphones, in other words, how adults use smartphones by themselves. We are ashamed to hear of parents’ improper use of smartphones. . We know of the time when there is nosmartphone.  But, children do not know such time. This is the problem.  Unintentional exchange on the internet maybe used as dangerous weapons (for example, blackmail) or to be involved in unwanted incidents. We have to guide our children to understand such situations and be able to protect themselves.   (Full-time Lecturer, Maebashi Kyouai Gakuen University)   Translated by Kazuo Kawamura English checked by Mac Maquito   SGRA Kawaraban 470 in Japanese (original)  

On July 18, 2015, SGRA Forum “Looking for New Paradigm of Japan Studies” was held at Waseda University. About 20 researchers of Japan Studies in East Asia, who are active at the front, assembled. First of all, I like to express my profound gratitude to Atsumi International Foundation and to International Relations Research Institute for East Asia, Waseda University for giving me an opportunity for discussions and exchanges with other researchers.   At this forum, “Japan Studies as a means” were discussed as one of the main topics. I would like to summarize my study “Japan Studies as a means ”, especially “Japan Studies as a means in East Asia” in this forum.   “What is Japan Studies?” This is a difficult question to answer for researchers of Japan Studies in East Asia, especially China and Korea.   Many researchers, not only myself, aspire to be researchers of Japan Studies in East Asia for special reasons, apart from purely academic objectives. They have to undertake internal or spiritual self-examination, like staring at themselves through Japan, thereby reconfirming and recognizing themselves. When they lay their own individual experience, in other word “self” factor, over histories or development of their countries or races, they have to inevitably confront the process and development of their own histories   I can say that “Japan Studies” for researchers in East Asia is a double mirror which reflects themselves or nations and how they should be. In other words, “Japan Studies” is one of the internal conversation with themselves or nations, namely this is “Japan Studies as a means” for self-assessment.   Needless to say, such a way of thinking comes from geographical limitation of neighboring countries in East Asia and born on the basis of complicated development of their modern histories.   Specifically, Japan has achieved its modernization first in the Meiji Period in East Asia. Then, after the war, Japan has achieved economic and social development like Western countries through a period of peaceful development.   The process of Japanese modernization after the Meiji Period, even up to now, is based on familiar mutual relationship with East Asia. In this sense, Japan Studies in East Asia is about Japan and, at the same time, “Studies about East Asia” and “Studies of their own countries”. Researchers of Japan Studies in East Asia are unconsciously extending “Japan Studies as a means”.   Some people say that, as a misgiving or criticism, “Japan Studies as a means” is not genuine Japan Studies. But, as a researcher or a human being,we are forced to be strained mentally in a situation that there is a slight difference which can distinguish ourselves from others. So, I cannot look at such process as worthless because we cultivate and reform our spirit facing Japan as a subject of study.  I think, by such severe strains and self-consideration of intention, we can reach to more unexpected results than just academic Japan Studies.   When we emphasize, in Japan Studies as a means, the side of forming one’s mind, researchers have to necessarily face histories of victims in the past. In other words, we have to face “reconciliation of history” for its own sake, which is the biggest issue in East Asia.   Reconciliation is a relief of wrongdoers’ mind. At the same time, reconciliation has to be a relief of victims’ mind. When we grope for its solution facing such a real issue, intellectual accumulation of Japan Studies as a means in East Asia and self-consideration of individual researchers will become spiritual nourishment and first step toward a solution.   As researchers of Japan Studies in East Asia reflect on the interrelationship of his own country with other countries in East Asia, Japan Studies in East Asia becomes East Asia Studies. Needless to say, such viewpoint covers the whole of East Asia and will jump to intellectual community in East Asia and finally to East Asia community which precede a reconciliation of history, as mentioned above.   Japan Studies as a means in East Asia is a result of Western modernization in Japan.  It is essential for China, which is still in the process of modernization, to have numerous discussions with Japan which attained modernization first. In this sense, we can say “Japan Studies, as a means” never lose actuality and will increase its importance when we consider East Asia, Asia and the world.   Furthermore, we say “End of Capitalism” nowadays, and Japan, which has already accomplished modernization, is at a big turning point and is expected to go forward to establish a new civilization of post-modernization   So, “Japan Studies” and “Japan Studies in East Asia” will never lose its importance.   However, in order to ease such a tense atmosphere in Japan Studies in East Asia, it will be useful to approach “East Asia Studies as a means” after “Japan Studies as a means”.   If we acknowledge “East Asian Studies, as a means”, which is developed from “Japan Studies as a mean”, as valuable and if we point to intellectual community in East Asia, researchers of Japan Studies in East Asia will be requested to endeavor to sublimate, refine, systematize and share those means consciously, not unconsciously.   (Associate Dean, School of Government Peking University)     Translated by Kazuo Kawamura English checked by Mac Maquito   SGRA Kawaraban 469 in Japanese (original)

I am in difficulties. I would like to mutter to myself “Nippon! Will this do ?” This is a story of public telephones. The decrease in the number of public telephones due to the spread of cellular phones is remarkable. The number of public phones in 2002 was 584,162 and it decreased to 195,514 in 2013. (“White Paper on Telecommunications” by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications)  I can easily imagine that if the number of public telephones decreases, the number of telephone booths will also decrease. This may be unavoidable. But I am a person who do not like to see the number of telephone booths reduced. I would rather like to see the number of telephone booths increase.  The reason is not only for emergency purposes or for the aged but for modern reasons.   Using the telephone is obviously increasing despite the spread of “LINE”(free short-message service). Due to this change, I think we are becoming insensitive to noise. On the street or in the buildings, we are always getting or making phone calls.  While travelling in trains, we often see a notice saying , “Please refrain from making phone calls in the train”, but are we prepared with an alternative place, such as on the noisy station platforms?, on the center, or even the edge of the street? All are not suitable due to the noise in these areas. It is also dangerous to engage in cellphone converstations while one is walking along quiet town, or even on residential streets, as voices can be easily heard by everybody in such quiet surroundings. When we talk over the telephone, our voice becomes louder compared with that in face-to-face conversation. I often hear noisy phone conversations by pedestrians who are passing by my house.   Then, how about in the buildings? Voices or sounds in the lobby of buildings resound well. We are often asked “May I have your full name?” by someone whether in a beauty salon or department store. I do not like to make a reservation of place or thing, ask setting aside items or claim saying my cellular phone number in such public places. I do not like to cause trouble to people around me. But, it will be more dangerous in deserted parts in the buildings. A guard may appear in the harsh times. How shall I enter the place against “No Entry” ?  Hidden value of telephone booths may appear in such situation.   In the telephone booths, noise may be reduced to a certain level and we can see outside through the transparent glass wall of the booth. Using cellular phones does not arouse any suspicion. I sometime use a telephone booth to talk on the cellular phone instead of  using public phones. In such a case it may be funny if people look at me from outside the booth and they actually laughed at me.  So, what?  I use a phone in a place for a phone.  I am not doing anything wrong. People who laugh at me are insensitive to the manner of verbal conversation. How pitiable they are!   Telephone booths were often seen in old movies or in lobbies of high-class hotels. I like to increase the use of telephone booths.  Revival of telephone booth would lead not only to improvement of manners but more importantly to show respect for fellow human beings.     (Atsumi International Foundation, Finished Institute of Policy and Cultural Studies, Graduated School of Chuo University)     Translated by Kazuo Kawamura English checked by Mac Maquito   SGRA Kawaraban 468 in Japanese (original)