Japanese Surgeon's Daily Life

Learning

     I'm thinking, just thinking of learning another new language. Mandarin Chinese? or Russian?
     A motorcycle trip around the Sea of Japan is one of my dreams after retirement. Starting from Shimonoseki in Japan, to Pusan by ferryboat, going up the east coast of South and North Korea, entering into Russia, crossing Mamiya Strait (the Strait of Tartary in English) to Karafuto (Sakhalin in Russian) and coming back to Wakkanai in Hokkaido. Both Mandarin Chinese and Russian look so difficult to learn, even if I only learn daily conversation in those languages.
     I know that there is so much still to learn in this world. I turn 49 in September. Though it means that I've already passed a half of my life, I feel that I am just beginning to scratch the surface of all there is to learn. Maybe if I can learn some of what there is to learn, I can pass that on, but I know that there is so much that I will never begin to learn.
     Anyway, MAKE IT HAPPEN!

(Vocabulary)
scratch the surface
表面を引っかく、上っ面をなでる、上っ面だけを扱う［論じる］
〔研究・学習などを〕ほんの少し学ぶ［かじる］
やらなければならないことがまだまだある
Your explanation's just scratched the surface of the matter.
君の説明は上っ面をなでたにすぎない。

(KW:間宮海峡 樺太)

My Study

     It's a PC nerd's room. (grin) This room is designed my way. I always feel relaxed in this space. I can talk to many people in the world from here. I'll show you the back side of my uplifting space some time.
     My priority is my family now. But in the future, after my retirement and the independence of my three daughters, my wife and I are going to join some activities for handicapped people both nationally and internationally. My wife is kind of a specialist of social welfare.
     I'm charging my batteries here.

(Vocabulary)
uplifting   (人を) 幸せな気分にする, 気持ち［精神］が高揚する（ような）

A Relaxing Duty

     Today is a national holiday in lieu of Japanese National Foundation Memorial Day that falls on a Sunday (Feb. 11). My hospital is closed as well as most other hospitals. However, as for me, I'm in my office now. Today is my turn to stay in my hospital for hospitalized patients.
     Fortunately all the hospitalized patients are stable. It means that I have a lot of time to spend freely. Although it's duty hours now, I'm going to read some books and learn German, one of my hobbies.

(Vocabulary)
in lieu of   ～の代わりに
fall on 《常に＋[副]/[前]》 〈祝日・記念日などが〉 (ある曜日などに) 当たる
fall on a Monday/Wednesday/Friday etc.  月曜日［水曜日，金曜日］に当たる
My birthday falls on a Friday this year.
今年の私の誕生日は金曜日に当たる．

A Tailor

     A tailor has been attending my hospital to get physical therapy once a week for more than 2 years. I have heard many times that he sometimes selects casual wear for a massage practitioner who has eye trouble and can't choose his clothes by himself. The massage practitioner's co-workers always say, "That tailor is very good at choosing clothes that look good for him at a reasonable price."
     I asked him about his work in the consulting room today. He was more talkative than I expected. I knew that he likes sailing dinghies like me and we were on the same wavelength. He was going to the US for about a week to stock merchandise for his shop. I asked him to select my casual wear in the US. I'm looking forward to seeing him next time.

(Vocabulary)
stock  〈商品〉 を店に置く, 在庫を置く
The store stocks a wide range of kitchen equipment.
その店は台所用品の品ぞろえが充実している．

Walking in Tokyo

     I'm in Tokyo. My second daughter will take a university entrance exam, but she is not familiar with Tokyo. I took her there. I'm going to stay in Tokyo until tomorrow.
     I took a walk around Ueno Park for the first time. This area of Tokyo forms a kind of hill. Because I thought the topography of Tokyo was flat, I was a little surprised. Come to that, I had never walked a lot in Tokyo. I always use trains. I enjoyed looking around Ueno Park.
     The photo shows the statue of Takamori Saigoh in the Park. He is an architect of the transfer of power back to the Emperor in 1868. I think it is the one and only revolution of all ages and cultures that didn't exact any toll. Tokyo remained intact. It might be one of the reasons that Japan could develop in such a short period.

(Vocabulary)
topography  [U] 地勢, 地形
the island's topography  その島の地形
exact  (フォーマル) 〈承諾・服従など〉 を強要する, 〈税など〉 を取り立てる
exact sth from sb  ＜人＞に＜…＞を強要する
exact a high price/heavy toll  大きな犠牲をもたらす

(KW:上野公園 西郷隆盛 明治維新 大政奉還)

Sex Offender Notification

     I was working in a small agricultural village for 3 years about 10 years ago. That village was tranquil and peaceful and 2 hours away from the prefectural capital city by car. There had been no criminal case for years.
     One day, a high school girl was missing. Almost all the villagers, including me, looked for her after her parents reported it to the police, but we couldn't find her. The next morning she was found alive at a neighboring village. She was abducted by a young man. He was arrested a few days later and sentenced to a few years in prison. I left the village for here sometime after the case.
     A few years later, I heard the news of a rape-murder that occured in a rural village where a schoolgirl had been protected by police before. The criminal was the same man. He had come out of the prison a few days before he committed the murder case. I don't know his sentence this time, but it must be more strict. They say that sex offenders are apt to commit the same crime again and again.
     I knew the notification system of sex offenders in the US. If there were such a system in Japan, the new victim might not have been attacked by him. I have wanted to see a real notification of sex offenders since then.
     An acquaintance showed me the real notification. The photo shows it. It is an A4 size but is divided into two photos.

(Vocabulary)
offend
[他] 〈人〉 の感情を害する, 気分を損ねる
[自] 感情を害する
[自] 犯罪を犯す

My Father Gone

     My father-in-law passed away today. He was a great man. He worked his way from the bottom after  World War 2 and brought up 4 children.
     He greeted the end of the war on Bougainville island (Papua New Guinean territory) when he was only 20 years old. He had been working as an engineer on that island and Shortland Island, 6 miles south of Bougainville island. His main job was maintenance work on fighter planes.
     Bougainville island was one of the bloodiest battlefields and is famous for the place of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's death. My father-in-law seemed to be in line saluting his coffin when his body was recovered and came onto the base.
     I used to listen to his story during the war over shouchu, a distilled sprit. He said that he wanted to visit there again and express sympathy for the dead of both countries.
     I tried to get information of the area from 1986 to 1995, but I couldn't get enough. I wish there had been internet at that time. After 1995, my father-in-law was fading away or had weakened.
     The borderline between Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands is drawn between Bougainville and Shortland island. Shortland island is one of the Solomon Islands and Bougainville island is similar, but it belongs to Papua New Guinea. The Revolutionary Army of Bougainville (BRA) island was fighting with the government army for indepencence at that time and the government closed all doors to foreign countries. I didn't get any news about Bougainville island around that time. I'm very sorry not to have been able to take him there.

     With folded palms,

(Vocabulary)
work one's way   苦労して進む
work one's way from the bottom  何もないところからはい上がっていく
bring sb up 《通例受け身形で》 ＜子供＞を育てる, しつける
fade  [自] (face away とも)(文) (病気・加齢により) 〈人が〉 衰弱する

　義父が亡くなった。大東亜戦争のあと、裸一貫から４人の子供を育て上げた立派な人だった。

　彼は２０才の時、パプアニューギニア領ブーゲンビル島で終戦を迎えた。この島と６マイル南にある隣の島、ショートランド島で零戦のメンテナンスを行っていた。

　ブーゲンビル島は最も凄惨な戦場のひとつであり、山本五十六大将が亡くなった地としても有名である。義父は山本の遺体が回収され、基地に運び込まれたとき、その棺に向かって敬礼して迎えたと言っていた。

　義父の元気な頃、焼酎を飲みながらよく戦争中の話を聞いた。死ぬまでにもう一度、島を訪れて日米両国の犠牲者に黙祷したいとよく言っていた。１９８６年から９５年頃までこの地域の情報を得ようとしたが、十分なものは得られなかった。そのころに、今のようなインターネットがあればなんとかなったかもしれないが。９５年頃を境に義父は衰え始め、ついに彼の望みを果たせてやることはできなかった。

　パプアニューギニアとソロモン諸島の国境線はブーゲンビル島とショートランド島の間に引かれている。ショートランド島はソロモン諸島の一部であり、ブーゲンビル島も同様である。しかし、ブーゲンビル島はパプアニューギニア領なのである。ブーゲンビル革命軍（BRA)が当時独立を目指して政府軍と戦闘を続けており、鎖国状態となっていたのである。

　合掌

(KW : 山本五十六 ブーゲンビル革命軍 大東亜戦争 ショートランド ブーゲンビル島) 

Trumped-up Story

     The Dietary effect of natto that I wrote about before was disclosed to be based on fake data. The TV program was a fabricated story. The story was extremely vicious. I guess that the producers were desperate to make the program work at any cost. They have been making a similar program every week. It must have been hard work.
     When I was in postgraduate school to get a Ph.D, I sometimes felt a kind of frustration. You know, when I couldn't get preferable data from the experiments, I got depressed. I imagine that the feelings of those TV producers were likewise and they yielded to the temptation of making up the segment. The TV program might come to an end.

(Vocabulary)
trumped-up  〈申し立て・口実などが〉 でっち上げの, 偽りの
trumped-up charges  でっち上げられた容疑
fabricate  〈話・うそなど〉 をでっち上げる, 捏造(ねつぞう)する
The police were accused of fabricating evidence.
警察は証拠を捏造したとして告発された
vicious  悪意のある, 意地悪な
a vicious rumor  悪意のあるうわさ
at any cost  金をいくら出しても、是が非でも、意地でも、絶対に、万難を排して
segment  〔テレビ・ラジオ放送などの〕一区切り、一番組、ひとコマ

My Daughters (Corrected by Maria)

     I have 3 daughters, no sons. When my first daughter was born and I met her for the first time, I was mildly overwhelmed. I didn't know how to handle a baby girl. I grew up with two brothers, no sisters. I couldn't change her diapers due to feeling quite inadequate around such a precious package.
     In succeeding years two more baby girls were born. I have no words for describing their loveliness. I attended their school events as much as possible, though my work sometimes interfered. The girls wanted to be with me all the time; when having dinner, when taking a bath, even when sitting on the lavatory! Every time I went to work, they tried to follow me. I had to leave home with painful reluctance.
     But look now, they are 20, 18 and 15. Times have certainly changed.  Two years ago, the youngest daughter lost herself in a long winding tunnel where she hides herself away, locked alone with her dreams. She no longer wants to share with me. She sits on the sofa away from me in the living room and even at the dining table. She didn't tell me when her school's athletic meeting was held, because she hated me to attend and take pictures or videos of her. I sometimes get impatient and angry with such behavior.
     My wife advised me to remember the junior high school days of my eldest daughter. I'm sure that she acted similar. It seems that most young girls hate their fathers in their teens. Okay, but why? I always loved and cared for them. I did everything I could for them. It's utterly unreasonable.
     As for the eldest, she seems to have surely made her way through the tunnel. She doesn't mind being seated next to me. January 8th was Coming of Age Day in Japan this year. She attended the ceremony with a gorgeous kimono. This event has brought home to me how time flies.
     I'm hoping that the other daughters pass through the hideous tunnel as fast as possible.  I miss them and await the day they can share their lives and dreams again.

(Vocabulary)
package  神様からの贈り物
utterly  まったく　完全に
bring sth home (to sb)  （＜人＞に）＜…＞を痛感させる, はっきりと悟らせる

They always make me proud.

My Daughters

     It's very difficult to express my emotion properly and with accuracy. I'm going to ask a professional writer, Maria to check this essay. I don't know where she lives, but she is on the internet and a great coach. If you are a Japanese, read the revised version that I'll post later.

     I have 3 daughters, no sons. When my first daughter was born and I met her for the first time, I was in mild embarrassment. I didn't know how to handle a baby girl. I grew up with two brothers, no sisters. I couldn't change her diapers due to my shyness.
     In succeeding years two more baby girls were born. I have no words for describing how they were lovely. I attended their school events as much as possible, though my work was busy. They wanted to be with me all the time; when having dinner, when taking a bath, even when sitting on the lavatory. Every time I went to work, they tried to follow me. I had to leave home with painful reluctance.
     But look now. Their ages are 20, 18 and 15. The youngest daughter is in a long winding tunnel since 2 years ago, if you know what I mean. She doesn't want to talk with me. She always take a seat on the sofa away from me in the living room and even at the dining table. She didn't tell me when her school's athletic meeting was held, because she hated me to attend and take snaps or videos of her. I sometimes get angry with such behavior.
     My wife advised me to remember the junior high school days of my eldest daughter. I'm sure that she was alike. It seems that most young girls hate their fathers in their teens. I got it, but why? I always loved and cared for them. I did everything I could for them. It's utterly unreasonable.
     As for the eldest, she seems to have surely got through the tunnel. She doesn't mind being seated next to me. January 8th is Coming of Age Day in Japan this year. She attended the ceremony with a gorgeous kimono. I deeply realized that time flies.
     I'm hoping that the other daughters pass through the hideous tunnel as fast as possible.

(Vocabulary)
hideous
〈姿・形などが〉 醜い
(見た目が) ひどい, 目も当てられない
〈犯罪・体験などが〉 忌まわしい, おぞましい

(KW:成人式　着物)

A Happy New Year

     As the New Year unfolds, I look forward to what is in the cards for the new year. I'll turn 49 in September. 49 = 12 x 4 + 1. They take 12 years together in Japan. That it to say, I got into the 5th cycle in life. I wonder what will happen for the coming 12 years. All my daughters would be full-fledged members of society and live alone or with their partners. I could be a grandfather.
     Anyway, the exciting 5th cycle has just started!

(Vocabulary)
unfold　[自] 〈ドラマ・事件・歴史などが〉 展開する
No one can predict how events will unfold.
だれも事件の展開を予想できない．
in the cards　ありそうな、起こり得る、起こりそうな
turn  …歳になる 《連結動詞》
take ~ together  ～をひとかたまりと考える
full-fledged  一人前の, すっかり成熟した

International Sensibility of South Korean Government

     China, along with North and South Korea have spent much time in recent years distancing themselves from Japan.  They view their anti-Japanese policies as a national virtue and this sentiment is encouraged in the heart of young people.  South Korea, in particular, has some egregious examples of treating Japan and its citizens poorly.

 

     On a banner that was brandished by Korea at the last soccer Asian Games, the face of "An Jung-geun 安重根" was boldly displayed. According to Japanese history, An Jung-geun is the terrorist who assassinated Mr. Hirobumi Ito, who had been elected Japanese Prime minister four times. An Jung-geun was arrested by Russian police and was turned over to the police of Japan. Then he was on trial for the assassination and was hanged. He is clearly a terrorist in Japan, but in South Korea he is honored as a hero. How can there be such varying opinions? This man was not a soldier. He murdered a citizen, not a military figure. He did this deed while in casual dress, not in a military uniform, and it was during peace time, not wartime. Is his conduct heroic? The Russian police arrested An Jung-geun; obviously the police thought of him as a terrorist at that time. Not only was he not a hero, he killed a man that was actually supportive of South Korea. Mr Hirobumi Ito was against the annexation of Korea and yet, An Jung-geun murdered him. He was not a brilliant man, but the South Korean Government honors him and constructed a memorial hall for him.

 

     There is a small rock reef called Liancourt Rocks （竹島、독도）in the Japan Sea. Both the Japanese and the South Korean Government claim sovereignty over these rocks. The South Korean Government runs a sensational campaign about this sovereignty across the country and occupies these rocks by force. On the other hand, the Japanese Government has been peacefully proposing that this issue should be filed in the International Court of Justice since Sep. 25 1954. However the South Korean government has avoided or evaded the court battle all the way and continues to occupy the rocks. Seoul always says, "We are confident about our historical data". If this is really so, they should put this issue to trial.

 

     A Korean fishing boat was caught by the Japanese Coast Guard in the Japanese exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The boat was stopped on May 31, 2005 because it intruded into Japanese territorial waters and the occupants were illegally fishing. When two maritime safety officials boarded the fishing boat, the crews of the fishing boat captured and abducted them. The fishing boat broke away into international waters, where the South Korean Coast Guard was waiting for them. After a 48-hour standoff and diplomatic negotiations, the Japanese Government avoided a military confrontation and obtained the release of the 2 abducted Japanese officials. The action by Korea was clearly an unacceptable violation of international law by the South Korean Government. Moreover, the South Korean Government added insult to injury by giving honorable recognition to the South Korean Coast Guard for the rescue of this fishing boat. (Chosun [Korean] Daily News, June 3, 2005).

 

     Yes, Japan is being demonized by the South Korean Government. After this incident, in the high-level conference between both Coast Guards in December of 2005, Korea requested that they'd like to have compulsory investigative authority on the fishing boats that intruded in Japanese territories. Such a suggestion is unbelievable. Japan, of course, rejected their request. Is there on earth any country that gives up its investigative rights on criminal acts that are done at home?

 

     We have to understand that South Korea is not a law-governed country. South Korea isn't one of the developed countries from any angle. What do you think about my opinion? (和訳)

(Vocabulary)
distance sb from sb  ＜人＞を＜人＞から遠ざける, 疎遠にする
view ~ as a national virtue ～を国是とする
sentiment  （ある事柄に対する）意見　感情
egregious  〈失敗・問題などが〉 はなはだしい, 目に余る
treat each other poorly  互いに嫌なことをする
brandish  〈武器など〉 を振り回す
boldly  大胆に, 堂々と  (色・形などが) 目立って, はっきりと
turn over ~ to  ～を…に引き渡す［引き継いでもらう］
figure   要人, 名士
annexation  (領土などの) 併合
military confrontation  軍事衝突、軍事的対立
add insult to injury  追い打ちをかける　さらにひどいことをする
make honorable recognition of  ～を表彰する
demonize  …を悪者扱いする
law-governed country  法治国家

 

韓国政府の国際感覚

(Corrected by Maria)

　南北朝鮮、シナはこの数年間、日本と距離を置いてきた。反日を国是とし、反日感情は若者の中で鼓舞されてきた。特に韓国は日本と日本人に対して目に余る行動をしている。 　この前のサッカーアジアカップで韓国が掲げていた横断幕には「安重根」の顔がプリントされていた。日本の教科書では伊藤博文を暗殺したテロリストと紹介されている人物である。安重根はロシア警察によって逮捕され、日本側に引き渡された。その後裁判にかけられ死刑となった。日本の考えでは明らかにテロリストであるが、韓国では英雄と考えられている。 　どうしてこれほどの評価の違いが出るのであろうか。この男は兵士ではない。そして彼が殺害したのは兵士ではなく一民間人である。兵士の格好ではなく、平服での行為である。まして戦時でもない。ロシア警察が彼を逮捕したことは、明らかに当時テロリストと考えられていたことを示している。英雄などではないだけでなく、韓国併合は間違っていると主張していた伊藤を殺害したのである。まぬけな男である。しかし、なんと韓国政府は彼を讃えて記念館まで作っている。 　アメリカ建国の父ワシントンは宗主国のイギリスにとっては憎い存在だろう。見方によって評価が変わることがあるのは当たり前であるが、安重根の例は全く事情が違う。 　日本海に竹島と呼ばれる小さな岩礁がある。日韓両国が主権を主張している。韓国は国内で大々的なキャンペーンを行い、武力でこれを占拠している。一方、日本政府はこれを平和的に解決すべく国際司法裁判所への提訴を１９５４年から提案しているが、韓国政府は法廷闘争を拒否し不法占拠を続けている。歴史的文献に自信があると言っているが、それなら法廷でどうどうと発言して欲しいものだ。 　一隻の韓国漁船が海上保安庁によって日本の排他的経済水域で捕らえられた。２００５年５月３１日、日本領海に侵入し不法操業を行っていたため停止を命じられたのである。海上保安官二人が漁船に乗り込んだところ、漁船員は彼らを拉致し国際水域へ逃れた。そしてそこには韓国の沿岸警備隊が待ち受けていたのである。４８時間のにらみ合いとなり、平行して事態打開のための外交交渉が行われ、軍事衝突を避けるため、また拉致された海上保安官二人を救出するため、日本側が譲歩した。韓国のこの行為は明らかに国際法違反であり、決して認められるものではない。韓国政府はさらに追い打ちをかけるように、この沿岸警備隊を表彰しているのである。(朝鮮日報２００５年６月３日） 　日本は韓国政府により悪者扱いされているのである。この事件の後、２００５年１２月の両国の沿岸警備の高官による会議上、韓国は日本に侵入した漁船員を自国で調べさせて欲しいと提案している。信じられない要求である。いったいどこの国が自国で起きた犯罪の捜査権を放棄するのだろうか？ 　韓国は発展途上で、幼稚な国と言えるだろう。しかし、残念なことにそれでも隣国である。どのようなつきあいをすればよいのか。



Travel for Me

     When I was a child, both of my parents were teachers at elementary schools. They had to accept orders to transfer without any complaint for better or worse every few years. Following them, I was transferred to various places. I attended 3 elementary schools in six years. It seemed that as soon as I became accustomed to the school and the area, I had to move. Moving to a new place was always sad to me, but on the other hand, moving created a feeling of anticipation. I was excited about exploring a new area, a new school and the new customs. I've lived both in the mountains and at the seashore. I know the country life and the life of fishing villages. I like climbing, hiking, fishing in the river and sea and swimming. All those hobbies were born in my childhood. It might be a lucky thing to have spent my childhood in such a variety of places.

     About 30 or 40 years ago, the transportation conditions were bad where I lived. Having a private car was not very common. My family didn't have a car. There was no moving company around my town because there were not many companies that requested moves. Every time my parents had to move, they asked local drivers or fishermen who had trucks or boats to carry our furniture and household goods. You know, this was tough work for my parents. But for me, it was like a festival. Many people gathered around my house and helped us to move our furniture, put things into the packages, and prepared light meals. Some people gave me presents as a token. It was a fun.

     After I graduated from elementary school, I was sent to a unified junior high and high school in the local capital city away from my family. I stayed there for 6 years. It was the longest stay at one place in my life until now. After graduation from medical school, I was employed at a nation-wide chain of hospitals. I was ordered to move frequently. I wonder if such a life has made me a kind of vagrant.  Traveling is one of my favorite hobbies.

     Railway stations where I get off for the first time and strange streets where I walk pluck at my heart strings. It's not an issue of whether I like a new place or not, but new places arouse my curiosity. In other words, I'm intrigued by things outside of my daily life. It seems that every cell of my brain lights up when I go somewhere new. I think these feelings are the driving force behind my wish to keep traveling.

(Vocabulary)
for better or worse　良いときも悪いときも、良くも悪くも、どんなことがあろうと（末永く）
unified junior high and high school　中高一貫校
vagrant　放浪者、路上生活者　　放浪の　あちこちに動く
pluck at　～をグイッと引く、～を捕らえようとする、〔弦楽器〕をはじく
pluck at the heart strings　深い感動を覚える
intrigued by　～に興味［好奇心］をそそられる
light up　光を発する、明るくする［なる］、点火する、〔たばこに〕火を付ける：　陽気にする、晴れやかになる、〔顔色が〕パッと明るくなる

Class Reunion

     This year marks 30 years since I graduated from high school. I saw an old friend last night for the first time in 30 years. His father passed away a long time ago and his mother lives with him in Tokyo now. So he doesn't have a house to stay in anymore in this city. He was invited as a lecturer of the meeting sponsored by a pharmaceutical company. I held a welcome party with my high school classmates. He is a professor of Tokyo University in the Department of Medicine. It's honorable for us too. He is a person of dignity, but when we got together in a bar after his lecture, we got back to our high school days. Three hours had passed as quick as a wink. We held the key to seeing each other again.

(Vocabulary)
hold the key to ～の鍵を握る、～を約束してくれる

U.N. Secretary General

     The Korean Foreign Minister was elected to the U.N. as Secretary General. He has the experience that he had been working in other countries, but all of that work was only in Korean diplomatic missions in those countries. He doesn't have any experience in international agencies. Besides, he repeats invalid words against Japan without any secure grounds. I wonder if such a person could keep neutral in the world. On the other hand, I expect many countries to gaze at Korean policy and evaluate the activities conducted by Korea.
     The Korean Prime Minister, Han Myeongsuk, gave a complimentary speech in the memorial event for South Korea's National Foundation Day. She said that South Korea never compromised with Japan about Takeshima Rocks. Is she sane? She had served a 2 years prison term and is extreme left. Ordinary Japanese had begun to get involved about this issue and express their opinions. I feel concerned for the Korean amateur regime's future.

(Vocabulary)
invalid  （議論などが）根拠のない
Han Myeongsuk　　韓明淑
complimentary　称賛の, 敬意を表する

国連事務総長

韓国の外務大臣が国連総長に選ばれた。彼は海外で働いた経験はあるにしても国際機関での勤務経験はないようだ。加えて彼は日本に対し、根拠のない発言を繰り返している。そのような人間が国際機関で中立を保てるのだろうか。一方で多くの国が韓国政府の方針を注視し、その行動を評価してくれることを期待する。 　韓国建国記念日に韓明淑首相はスピーチを行い、その中でこう述べている。韓国政府は竹島問題で日本政府とは絶対に妥協しないと。彼女はまともなのだろうか？彼女は２年も刑務所で暮らした極左政治家である。一般の日本人がこの問題について考えるようになってきている。韓国のこのアマチュア政府に不安を感じている。

New Prime Minister

     Mr.Shinzo Abe became the prime minister of Japan today. I expect him to follow an aggressive diplomacy. Japanese leaders have been taking an ostrich policy against China and Korea. Consequently it came back to haunt us. Japan should speak up for what we are going to advocate. I think that the new prime minister can do the talking to particular kind of asian countries; China and Both Korea.
     I've received several e-mails from those countries. Many of them are critical of my opinion in this blog. It seems that they don't have enough information or are confined in those countries. I'd like to express my opinion here.

(Vocabulary)
ostrich policy　事なかれ主義、自己欺まん
haunt　〔幽霊や不吉な思いなどが人に〕付きまとう　〔心の中に悪い記憶や予感などが〕絶えず思い浮かぶ、立ち現れる　〔悪い記憶などが人を〕悩ませる
advocate　〔論争などにおいてある意見を〕主張する、推奨する、支持する、唱道する

安倍晋三氏が総理大臣に就任した。彼には積極的な外交を行って欲しい。日本の歴代のリーダー達は中共や朝鮮に対して事なかれ主義を貫いてきた。彼はこれらの国に対してはっきりとモノを言えるリーダーだと思う。これらの国から電子メールをいくつか受け取っているが、彼らには十分な情報がもたらされていない。このブログで意見をどんどん書いていきたい。

(KW: 安倍晋三　総理大臣　総理)

Anti-Japanese Pictures

     I'm writing up the memo bit by bit that I dashed off during my touring. When I checked some websites to know how to use a few words in real sentences, I found uncomfortable pictures on a website.
     First, I'd like you to access the following blog. A Canadian reports on education in Korea. I realized that we Japanese should insist on our opinion in English to make people understood worldwide. BLOG
     If you are Japanese, Google "桂陽中学校". You'll find many websites or blogs that criticize Korea only in Japanese. I think those are nonsense because Korean people can't understand it.
     A Canadian blog shows many anti-Japanese pictures that were drawn by junior high school students. To my surprise, those pictures were displayed in an official exhibition in a subway station in Incheon(仁川). You know, this exhibition should have been one of school activities. A Canadian was aghast at the fact that the Korean Government is formally fermenting anti-Japanese ideas.
     Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima) is Japanese territory and the Korean allegation has no grounds because they don't have any grounds. They squat on Takeshima and avoid talking at the International Court of Justice. I've been wondering why Korean people don't learn their own history. I knew why today. They are under Government mind control. I've some acquaintances in Korea and I like Korean cuisine and culture. However, I don't agree with the politics of the Korean Government.

(Vocabulary)
write up　〔日記・メモなどを〕詳しく書く、記事にする、きちんと書き直す
dash off　サッと［一気に］仕上げる［書き上げる］
ghast　びっくりして、あきれ返って、がくぜんとして
ferment　〔感情などが〕沸き立つ　〔感情などを〕沸き立たせる、醸成する
allegation　〔弁明や口実などの〕申し立て、主張　〔不正行為について十分な証拠のない〕申し立て、断言
squat　しゃがむ、かがむ　公有地に不法に［無断で］居座る［定住する］、公有地を不法占拠する　〈米俗〉排便する、大便［うんち］をする

韓国の反日絵

ツーリング中にざっと書き留めたメモを少しずつ書き起こしているが、英単語の使い方を確認するためにいろいろなウェブサイトをみているうちに不愉快な絵を目にした。まずは次のブログを見て欲しい。あるカナダ人が韓国の教育について語ったものだ。我々日本人は世界中に自分たちの意見を知ってもらうために英語を使わなければならない。 http://aog.2y.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=1550&st=0 もしあなたが日本人なら”桂陽中学校”をググってみよう。この学校を批判するサイトを多く目にすることだろう。しかし、日本語で書いても意味がないのである。 さて、カナダ人のブログには多くの反日絵が示されている。上に上げた中学校の生徒によって書かれたモノである。驚いたのは、これは仁川（いんちょん）の地下鉄駅に堂々と掲示されていたとのことだ。これは学校教育の一環なのだ。 竹島は日本の領土であり、韓国の主張には根拠がない。竹島を違法占拠し、国際司法の場で話をしようとしない。なぜ韓国人は歴史を学ばないのだろうか。その答えが今日わかった。彼らは政府のマインドコントロール下にあるのである。韓国人に知り合いもいるし、韓国料理は好きだ。だが、政府の方針には納得できない。

(KW: 韓国　反日教育　反日絵)

Spewing Water Park

     Yesterday's forecast said we might get rain all day long today, but I found the weather was getting fine in the morning. We started late in the morning waiting for the improvement in the weather. When I reached the top of the outer rim of a crater of Toyako Lake, I caught the full view of Mt.Youtei, one of the most famous mountains in Hokkaido. I was riding in the comfortable breeze and forgot to take snapshots. I went through Rusutsu Resort and got to Fukidashi Park. Rusutsu Resort was not as busy as I expected. The management might be tough, I thought. The rain and snow fallen on Mt.Youtei seep underground for decades and spew out here at Fukidashi Park. The water is spewing out continuously all year. The amount of water is 80,000 tons per day, which is nearly equivalent to the amount of daily life water for about 300,000 people. The temperature is 6.5 degrees centigrade at all times of the year. The 1st picture shows the spewing orifice. People gather here and take mineral water freely. The 2nd shows the park.

     This water-spewing point is touristy and there are dozen of stands. I found the word "커피" which is Korean for "coffee". I asked the clerk whether many Korean people came here or not. She replied that many Koreans came here but she didn't want them to drop in at her shop because they are impolite and their impudence is too much to tolerate. I sometimes heard such stories here and there.  Is this a common opinion on Korean people around here? I have some acquaintances in South Korea as I wrote before. They are modest and good-tempered.  I'm so sorry that some Korean tourist groups left poor impression here.

(Vocabulary)
seep  〈液体・気体などが〉 しみ出る, しみ込む
touristy  観光色の強い  観光客向けの
impudent = rude and showing no respect to other people

(KW: 京極 噴き出し 公園 湧水 噴き出し公園 羊蹄山 ルスツリゾート)

Eruption Noodle

     This Toyako Spa Area was devastated hopelessly by the eruption of Mt.Usu in 2000. People who live around are struggling to get over the difficulties. I found commercially-minded food there. See the 1st photo. What was written on the advertising display in front of the Chinese noodle shop is "Eruption noodles" if translated into English. What kind of noodle is it?! I dropped in at the shop on the impulse of curiosity. The 2nd photo shows the eruption noodle. It was extremely hot. The naming of this chinese noodle seems to be from the hotness and redness of the eruption. It was unbelievably hot and good. After that I got the breakfast of tomorrow morning in a convenience store and went back to my lodge. I enjoyed the hot spa.
     I wondered what is the happiest reason to be born in Japan?  Natural hot springs are absolutely one of them. What else? Raw fish which we call "sashimi", Japanese alcoholic beverage made from rice, and we can select any kind of motorbike with the best technology in the world. You know, the world championship is centered on 4 big companies; HONDA, KAWASAKI, SUZUKI, and YAMAHA. All of them are Japanese companies. These happiest things I now have!

(Vocabulary)
be centered in/at sth  〈活動などが〉 集中している  ＜場所＞に集中している, を中心に行われる
Most of the fighting is centered in the southeast of the country.
戦闘のほとんどが国の南東部に集中している

(KW: 洞爺湖 噴火ラーメン)

Oirase Stream

     This is the only stream from Lake Towada. It flows down like wine spilling from a wine glass. When I heard the name of Oirase, I felt comfortable. The sound "Oirase" has something traditional about it. We drove down along the stream.
     During the drive down, an idea came up. I don't remember exactly, but I knew about Oirase Stream from books, maps or similar things. Anyway I was riding down after knowing there's an untouched stream from Lake Towada.
     When a man climbed up along the stream long, long ago, how was the situation? I imagined he didn't know there was a big beautiful lake far up the stream. He must have climbed up along the stream, pushing aside much of the bush with expectations. Finally, he found the big lake. I can't imagine how much delight and surprise he got. I envy him, the first person to see this lake and stream.

(KW: 奥入瀬渓流)