It was a beautiful spring day today and I spent almost all day in the garden. I caught a flu and had to stay in bed all last week. I canceled all the outing and it was frustrating. So working with spring flowers in the sunshine was a happy thing for me.
In Japan, tomorrow is the day when the consumption tax is going to increase from 5% to 8%. TV news showed the people doing shopping before the tax rises. The government has told us they need the money for welfare, but it is a lie. The pension will decrease and the money of the medical care for eldery over 70 will be double, and the premium for the pension will increase. All of these start tomorrow.
The consumption tax is not a fair system, everyone knows. For the poor it's a heavy burden. Our government intends the rich to enjoy richer life and the big companies to make more money while the poor suffer harder life and difficult business, we are sure.
Most of the people do not welcome the tax increasing under this bad economical circumstance. Instead of running for shopping, we should go out for demonstration, I think. Why do't they do it? I have been thinking about it, and it's a shame to tell, but probably we haven't learned the democracy.
Japan is suffering a huge amount of debt and we have no plan to make it decrease. So, we have tried not to make more debt. But Primeminister Abe printed a lot of Japanese bills and are using them. The price of Japanese Yen is down and big exporting companies like TOYOTA are enjoying the benefit. But the commodity price is rising now, so we will suffer double. Of course our national debt is largely increasing. Who will pay it? Mr. Abe? NO!!! He is just thinking of his populality and power today. He never seems to worry about the debt, about the future of Japan.
The famous phrase "tomorrow is another day" is used a little differently in Japan, I think. It means," Don't worry about the future. Take today's fruit and enjoy it."
Monday, March 31, 2014
Sunday, March 16, 2014
It Has Been Three Years
It has been three years since the huge earthquake in the northern part of Japan and the breakdown of the nuke plants in Fukushima. Even now more than 150,000 people are living as refugees from the contaminated home. And even now we don't know why and how the accident happened.
But we, Japanese people are forgetting about the disaster quickly. People prefer happy things, fun things, and they are too busy about their own matters to worry for other people. It's a shame. And of course there is strong politics that lead us far from the bad memories. Wow! Olympic Games to come! It can make much money! Oh,no! Bad China and Korea must invade our country!
And, the Sendai nuke plant is expected to start re-operating soon. Abe Government is hurrying into the reviving the nuke plants and declare they use the nuke power as the basic source, as if there were no accident , no suffering of the people.
Do you know where the Sendai Nuke Plant is? It's in Kagoshima in Kyusyu Island; the southest part of Japan except Okinawa, about 1500km far from Tokyo, maybe not with big business. The same picture as the plant in Aomori. The people, the Government, and the big companies in Tokyo don't care such remote poor towns, and feel safe without danger. What a shame!
But actually, I was one of the stupid three years ago. When I was watching the picture of the exploding plants, I didn't imagine what was happening. I believed the speech of the government that said there was no problem about health right now. I did not support the nuke policy, but I knew nothing. I feel so much ashamed.
Happy news. The snow is retreating rapidly, and spring flowe
rs are popping in my garden now. After a long long winter, spring is coming!
But we, Japanese people are forgetting about the disaster quickly. People prefer happy things, fun things, and they are too busy about their own matters to worry for other people. It's a shame. And of course there is strong politics that lead us far from the bad memories. Wow! Olympic Games to come! It can make much money! Oh,no! Bad China and Korea must invade our country!
And, the Sendai nuke plant is expected to start re-operating soon. Abe Government is hurrying into the reviving the nuke plants and declare they use the nuke power as the basic source, as if there were no accident , no suffering of the people.
Do you know where the Sendai Nuke Plant is? It's in Kagoshima in Kyusyu Island; the southest part of Japan except Okinawa, about 1500km far from Tokyo, maybe not with big business. The same picture as the plant in Aomori. The people, the Government, and the big companies in Tokyo don't care such remote poor towns, and feel safe without danger. What a shame!
But actually, I was one of the stupid three years ago. When I was watching the picture of the exploding plants, I didn't imagine what was happening. I believed the speech of the government that said there was no problem about health right now. I did not support the nuke policy, but I knew nothing. I feel so much ashamed. Happy news. The snow is retreating rapidly, and spring flowe
rs are popping in my garden now. After a long long winter, spring is coming!
Sunday, March 2, 2014
We Are Sorry, Anne
Many copies of "The Diary of a Young Girl" written by Anne Frank were damaged in public libraries in Tokyo. We don't know who and why, but we feel malicious intention related to racism or Nazism. Many Japanese people feel ashamed about this occurrence.
And I fear racism or nationalism and belligerence are allowed to show in Japan now, sometimes it must look stronger and decisive. About six hundred thousand voted to Tamogami on the election for the Tokyo Governer, and he is insanely nationalistic, warlike, and discriminate. I am shocked that so many people support his idea.
I read "Two Brothers", a novel written by Ben Elton recently. It is a story about the people under Nazis ruling in Germany from 1920. The author's father was a Hitler refugee to England and he says the story is inspired by his family history. The story looks to be written based on the real history and research. It is a great story and I enjoyed it a lot. But at the same time I felt so scared that the circumstance of the society in Germany in those days resembles so much to the one in Japan now.
How easy people can be brainwashed! How can they be cruel to the others? When the power ignore the laws or humanity, or democracy perfectly, people' effort to oppose it can do little but to be oppressed!
I'm so sorry that Japan is walking such a shameful way hurting many people in the world. We are trying our best to stop Abe government's misdeed, but it seems not to be enough.
And I fear racism or nationalism and belligerence are allowed to show in Japan now, sometimes it must look stronger and decisive. About six hundred thousand voted to Tamogami on the election for the Tokyo Governer, and he is insanely nationalistic, warlike, and discriminate. I am shocked that so many people support his idea.
I read "Two Brothers", a novel written by Ben Elton recently. It is a story about the people under Nazis ruling in Germany from 1920. The author's father was a Hitler refugee to England and he says the story is inspired by his family history. The story looks to be written based on the real history and research. It is a great story and I enjoyed it a lot. But at the same time I felt so scared that the circumstance of the society in Germany in those days resembles so much to the one in Japan now.
How easy people can be brainwashed! How can they be cruel to the others? When the power ignore the laws or humanity, or democracy perfectly, people' effort to oppose it can do little but to be oppressed!
I'm so sorry that Japan is walking such a shameful way hurting many people in the world. We are trying our best to stop Abe government's misdeed, but it seems not to be enough.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)