Saturday, April 23, 2005

Days of Rage in China

Below is my comment on the article of "Days of Rage Page 14  Time, April 25, 2005"

As you pointed out in your cover story, the power struggle between Beijing and Tokyo to gain the dominance in Asia lies behind the scenes and the initial symbolic issue is Japan’s bid to join an expanded United Nations Security Council. To my relief, however, the issue will not balloon quickly because majority of the Japanese young and old seem to be relatively calm and quiet despite that they are exchanging their good and bad feelings about China on the web as well as in the pubs and snack bars every day and night.
To avoid further tensions, both China and Japan should respect each other as an indispensable neighbor and should not forget that the every step and word is always witnessed by other Asian people and the world.

Monday, April 18, 2005

How to cope with the hatreds to the Japanese

Below is my comment on the "Time" article of "Smoldering Hatreds Page 28  Time, April 18, 2005"

Since the communication gap has been deep-rooted, we cannot find panacea for settling down the rising hatreds in the minds of the Chinese and the Korean people.
What the Japanese should do most is to make all the efforts with persistent endurance to show them the future vision and principle not as an economic giant but as a reliable partner in the neighboring region before trying to gain a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council until they understand it fully.

We should also bear in mind that nationalistic reactions against those neighboring countries could only damage our own security and prosperity now and in the future.

Sunday, April 10, 2005

After the Tsunami

Below is my comment on the "Time" article of "After the Tsunami Page 16  Time, April 4, 2005".

Your special report on the people in Asia after the Tsunami tells us how important the media continues to attract world attention to the people and their lives devastated by natural disasters because so many red tape and corruption exist in the process of spending the aid to them.
We are apt to forget the past happenings even though they were tragic and massive. Especially when something enormous happened in your neighbors. Honestly, I almost forgot the Tsunami in Asia because I was terrified by the big earthquake registered 7.0 on the Richter scale in my home town Fukuoka on March 20 with more than 700 people injured and 1000 houses damaged.

Difference of my original letter and the adopted one

As received from the Time magazine, I found my letter to the editor in the "Letters" section of Time on April 11. That was my second letter when I restarted to send my opinion to Time magazine for the first time in nine years. Please find the defference between my original letter and the adopted one.

1. My original letter to the article "The End of Poverty" Page 32 of Time, March 14,2005

Your article of the poverty in Africa knocked me on the head because of the nature of this tragedy.The sudden natural disasters like an earthquake off Sumatra and the following massive tsunami could mobilize a large number of people and money for a short period of time. On the contrary, a slow but a massive wave of poverty and death in Africa is often very difficult to attract world’s attention. We should not count the number of the dead like eight million each year in Africa and 290,000 off Sumatra when we try to do something good for the people devastated by those disasters. The life of one person weighs the heaviest for his family and those who loved him/her. I myself can’t do anything for the African people but try to support Jeffery D. Sachs’ efforts for them.

Time on April 11,2005 Posted by Hello

2. Adopted one by the Time magazine on April 11, 2005

Extreme poverty is so tragic. Sudden natural disasters like a tsunami mobilize a large number of people and money for a short period of time, while the slow but massive wave of poverty and death in Africa doesn't attract world's attention in the same way. When we try to help those affected by disasters and extreme poverty, however, we shouldn't focus on the overwhelming number of the dead but simply try to do something good for others.

Saturday, April 02, 2005

Expectation for Japanese "Maria Curie"

Below is my comment on your article of " The Math Myth Page 55  Time, March 28, 2005".

Aside from the fundamental differences of brain structures between men and women, I do believe the real social needs could dramatically ignite the emergence of a few more female geniuses in the scientific fields.
Japan now faces a deadlock not only in its dragged economy but in its scientific accomplishments that is vital to our survival partly because the men-oriented society has long confined a large majority of women to their homes for housework even though they have superb mathematical or scientific ability.
Now that the real social needs exist in our country, people’s expectation becomes high that Japanese “Maria Curie” not “Einstein” will appear soon to save us.