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Singapore

 

Singapore is a financial hub of the world as English is available everywhere. 

US immigration agents arrest hundreds at Hyundai plant

beautiful sunset

Just be patient with care. Any storms or turbulences will eventually over. Salute for the beautiful sunset that tells us there's always tomorrow!

seminar at the Tokyo

 

For the past two days, I conducted a seminar at the Tokyo headquarters of a major telecommunications company on how to work with people from Europe and America. Starting tomorrow, I will lead a two-day training session focused on how Japanese employees can work in offices across other Asian countries and, at times, take on management roles. Well, I often hear that TOEIC scores alone are of little use in international business. Having a high score isn't bad; it indicates a solid vocabulary foundation. However, the business world is full of unpredictable daily challenges. To navigate these and build trust with local colleagues, what's needed more than raw English ability is understanding the way of how to adapt and effectively use that language within the context of the other person's culture. This is a crucial theme that isn't taught in schools or anywhere else. How can we work effectively beyond the invisible cultural barriers that lie beyond the words? Without grasping this, negotiations, presentations, and even interactions with employees won't go smoothly. Coincidentally, I recently wrote a blog post summarizing this very theme. Visit https://tripeditor.com/488670.

Starting tomorrow, it's back to training sessions—a no-holds-barred, serious battle with those brave businesspersons struggling on the front lines. Today, I'll check into a hotel near the training site early and get some rest to reserve the energy for upcoming meetings.

Caught in Providence

 

Ancient ruins

 Ancient ruins were grabbed by trees in the deep tropical forest as if it is the destiny of human civilization.

Sunset Cicada

 I could not find good translation of Higurashi, the Cicada who sings around sunset time of late summer. So, I named it Sunset Cicada. Their chorus reminded the Haiku once Basho made, 

Up here, a stillness――

The sound of cicadas

Seeps into the crags

This is a translation made by Arthur Binard, the poet in Michigan. 

The difference is it was made in a temple beside mountain and its forest. And I was just sitting beside Japanese apricot trees beside my house. 

Over there, I contemplated nothing but something at the end of the day with their transient sounds coming from somewhere around.

Strategy

 

Past is a foreign country

 

Past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.

ダイナミック

実業界で言うならば、新卒を採用することを基本方針とする業界のあり方も、若者が海外で経験を積む機会を摘み取っています。新卒採用の風習は、高度成長期の終身雇用の常識から一歩も出ておらず、ダイナミックに変化するグローバル経済の現状から見れば、余りにも型にはまり錆びついた制度といえます。
 

california

 

Southern California is still under the June Gloom. Independent day is just a few days away.

グローバル

今日本で英語教育の変革が叫ばれているわけです。グローバルなニーズに応えられる人材を育成できなければ、日本の将来はないというのがその背景にあるわけです。英語教育改革の遅延は、そのまま日本という国の未来への対応の遅延という国家的損失に直結します。
 

ミャンマー

賀川洋（山久瀬洋二）

@YamakuseYoji

·

2022年8月4日

ミャンマーは仏教の国。なのに軍事政権が人々から幸福を奪っている。ヤンゴンできっと昔このパゴダを建てた人も涙を流しているでしょう。どうかこの国で起きていることを忘れないで欲しい。ウクライナと同じように．英語を学ぶ人は世界に目を向けなくては。

 

Autopilot

 

Sonoma

 

Sonoma county is one of the most favorite places in Bay Area near San Francisco where the flavor of old frontier time with aroma of nice wines.

Thailand

 

ダグパン

 

体感温度は54度、気温は摂氏４３度ぐらいかも。しかし、朝の散歩は心地よい。南シナ海に流れ出る河口に沿って少し遡ればそこは魚市場。ダグパンというルソン島中部の街は、ごく普通のフィリピンの街。でもそんな普通さが仕事に疲れた心を癒してくれます。ここも仕事で来ているのですが。#Dagupan #旅

Iran-2

 

梅雨の合間の青空

梅雨の合間の青空に薔薇が綺麗です。今日は一日雨でしたが、これは１週間前の庭の写真です。来週末はまた晴れますように。

The roses are beautiful against the blue sky in between the rainy season. It rained all day today, but this is a picture of the garden one week ago. I hope it will be sunny again next weekend.

tadpoles

 Goldfish and tadpoles were drifting in a pond that was gradually warming up in the shimmering sunlight after the storm. It was a moment of peace and relaxation between work, as I would be leaving for the U.S. tomorrow. I spent the weekend just idly gazing at them, and now I have to pack up.

By the time I get back, it will be the middle of the rainy season and a hot summer awaits.

silent language

 

Hiji

 

I visited my hometown called Hiji, a neighboring town of Beppu City, last week.

Over there I found that public opinion has been severely divided due to the issue if people should accept the difference of religious customs.

It started when the plan was made to build a cemetery for Muslims living in Japan in my hometown. Muslims do not accept the Japanese custom of cremation for the burial of the dead, as it is considered painful for the souls of the deceased. The fact is there are only a few cemeteries in Japan that accept burial in the ground. For Muslims, after living in Japan for so many years, how to deal with the death of their families and themselves was a more serious issue than we might think.

However, many residents there opposed to the plan. Petitions from residents who are against the plan were also sent to the city hall. The reason given was that accepting the burial would contaminate the nearby spring water, which is also used for agricultural purposes and drinking water. Others argued that since they were living in Japan, they should accept Japanese customs. 

These people were also a deepening conflict with those who said that such opinions were hate and discrimination. Eventually, three years ago, the town of Hiji suspended the plan. 

Naturally, the Muslim community was painfully disappointed. They had been trapped without a place to bury their dead, and the fact that they had to wait so long without reaching a decision due to unexpected opposition from the local residents. This news happened in Hiji Town was then picked up by the local presses and other medias, and discussions began again on whether or not to build the cemetery. Finally, in May of this year, a compromise was reached to build a cemetery in a location closer to the neighboring city of Kitsuki.

Since the opening of Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Oita Prefecture, the number of students from Asia has continued to increase. As if to symbolize Beppu as a hot spring town that is friendly to residents from abroad, more and more foreign residents who speak fluent English has been working at local hotels, and the restaurants serving international cuisine has also started to be found. Then automatically, a lot of foreign tourists are visiting there now.

Therefore, the incident that occurred in Hiji Town, right next to Beppu City, posed a major challenge to Oita Prefecture. This year, the issue seemed to have been finally settled. However, the people of Kitsuki City, a neighbor of Hiji Town, are now fearing harmful rumors and have started a campaign against the project.

I will not go into the scientific analysis of whether or not there is really a causal relationship between the burial of human remains and water pollution in the life of all things in the forest. However, what emerges from the background of these series of disturbances is the question of how Japan should view its future, which cannot survive without interaction with the rest of the world. The reality is that Japan has limited domestic procurement of resources and is not self-sufficient in even a single item of food. In addition, the aging of the workforce has been repeatedly pointed out as an issue. Needless to say, there is a need to create a society that welcomes people from other countries and allows multicultural people to live together in harmony.

“Japan is one of the few countries in the world that tolerates diversity in its system. But when it comes to the day-to-day life and coexistence with its people, foreign immigrants experience some of the highest barrier and alienation in the world”,

said one of my foreign friends living in Japan. He expressed the anger that Japanese accepted them as an institution but did not share their lifestyle and culture with them.

In this global era, many Muslims from Southeast Asia as well as the Middle East are moving to Japan to live. Currently, more than 230,000 Muslims in our country.

People from Indonesia and Malaysia are one example. If they would not only study in Japan and contribute to Japanese society, but also work hard for exchange with their homeland, it would be quite valuable matters from the standpoint of the national interest. Of course, Islam is not the only religion. There are countless cultures and religions in the world with their own manners and customs. If we cannot be tolerant of them and share different values, we will dam the inflow of wisdom and know-how from abroad. This should lead to Japan's decline in the future.

As anyone who has been abroad will immediately understand, it takes a great deal of effort to adapt customs and habits after settling down in the different countries. If people without such experience close their doors to people from overseas because they cannot fit in in Japan, the people from overseas will be isolated and simply leave Japan disappointed. 

The dispute in Hiji tells us that the concept of multicultural conviviality is not just an academic matter, but an everyday issue that must be addressed for the future of Japan. 

Bulgaria

 

In the deep mountain valley of Bulgaria, there is the medieval monastery called Rila with sweet scent of forest wrapped by cold transparent air.

Blue Mosque of Istanbul

Blue Mosque of Istanbul welcomes people no matter whose religious background is. It was original Muslim philosophy that shared globally. 

 

AI

 

Myanmar is the country of Buddhism

Myanmar is the country of Buddhism. What is happening over there is totally against the ideology of Buddhism. I pray with the protest for the current oppression by their military government. Stop using weapons and state power against their own people.

light beam

 

Siena

 

One more sunset from Italy. Siena was covered with mild orange veil.

a bull in a china shop

 

Sakura

 

Last Sakura if 2025 at the northern castle town called Hirosaki where Sakura front end around here after covering from south to north of this island. See you next year.

From Luzon Philippines

 

From Luzon Philippines, we have to preserve our water, fishes, animals and forest. Then we have to improve our life & human’s rights. Both is needed even if it sometime contradicts.

Hiji-cho

 My hometown is called town of Hiji in Oita Prefecture. It is a quiet and small castle town facing Beppu Bay. However, it had been through the rough and tumble of Japan's feudal history with its ruins of castle. 

Over there, we invited the chairman of the Taiwan Hotel Association and people from a university in Taipei to enjoy the cherry blossoms around the castle and the tranquil scenery of Beppu Bay. As much fun as it is to bring people to my hometown to show off its scene and landscape.

Later, I attended a meeting with 60 Taiwanese businesspeople in Buzen City, a neighbor of Oita Prefecture. To show my deep respect to Buzen's resigning mayor, Mr. Goto, for his many years of hard work, we welcomed the 60 people together with him and the consul general in Fukuoka. Of course, the guests I invited in Hiji was also there. Then, right after of this activity, I hurriedly returned to Tokyo.

I always stay in my hometown for only two days or so, but whenever I visit, I receive a small healing there. I wonder, from far away in Tokyo, if there is anything I can do for this town and prefecture, but I still fear that the global turbulence that are spreading around the world will have an impact on Japan, and that this will extend to this quiet town of Hiji.

I'm heading to the Philippines today. After that, it will be a consecutive holiday called Golden Week.

trump

 

Southern Hindu temple

 I think Southern Hindu temple show the dynamic energy of human belief and creativities.

flavor of the history

 

Ocean side old apartment that has the flavor of the history. I want to stay when I will be there next time.

Bernie Sanders

 

Rome

 

Rome who has been influencing western culture since this empire was born. These ruins have seen countless sunset and will do so in future.

unknown small station at the border

 

It was a nostalgic train trip from Sophia, Bulgaria, to Istanbul. This is the unknown small station at the border between the two countries. We arrived there after midnight. Over there all passengers were asked to get out of the cabin to have a border control procedure.  

It was a chilly and dark platform. The building was old and curt. I felt as if I was in the scene of an old movie. After 40 minutes, the train left the station. Scenes gradually ran behind the window, and the train was covered with darkness again, with the sound of tapping railroads. I decided to sleep in the old-fashioned sleeping cabin. The train arrived at Istanbul terminal at 10 a.m. It was a bright morning. 

Colosseum

 

Visiting Colosseum after 35 year’s absence! Rome is filled with ancient stories and ruins.

Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof

 

Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof. This is the central station where tourists gathered and spread. Terminal has been the witness of 142 years’ Europeans’ history. 

Margaret Borke-White

 

She is Margaret Borke-White, who actively worked as a photojournalist in the 20th century. This image always tells me that somebody is watching you. We need the bravery to reveal the facts and truth behind the surface, particularly in an era when populism is taking advantage.

Stockholm

 

Stockholm is as it was. Nice private walk before the long business trip.

Happy Chinese New Year!

 

Happy Chinese New Year! This new year’s celebration is the symbol of the beauty of diversity. I wish everyone in this planet can regain peaceful life without any exceptions. 

インドネシア バンドン

 

インドネシアのバンドンに出張中。イスラム教とドリアン、そしてごった返しの交通混雑。東南アジアによくあるこの光景から、いつも逞しいエネルギーをもらっています。今こうした地域でのアメリカ離れが激しい中、日本の立ち位置が問われています。