driver in her 90s (Newspaper Article & My Essay)

One dead and three injured after driver in her 90s mounts curb in Kanagawa
mount curb(縁石に乗り上げる)
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/05/28/national/one-dead-three-injured-driver-90s-mounts-curb-kanagawa/#.WxJNAeSCi0c
Kyodo, AFP-JIJI

May 28, 2018  Article history

YOKOHAMA – A female driver in her 90s plough(plowと同じ。突き進む)ed into four pedestrians on a road in a Chigasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Monday morning, killing one woman, police said, in the latest incident to highlight the growing problem of elderly drivers involved in fatal accidents.

According to firefighters, the driver as well as six others — four victims and two others who witnessed the accident and became sick — were taken to hospital. Of the six, one woman died and another was knocked unconscious. Those rushed to the hospital ranged in age from their 30s to 60s.

The police said the incident, which occurred around 10:55 a.m., took place after the car hit four people at a busy intersection(交通量の多い交差点で), mounted a curb and hit two others on the sidewalk some 300 meters north of JR Chigasaki Station.

Local media said the driver was also slightly injured.

“I heard a loud hitting noise,” said a 31-year-old employee of a nearby Chinese restaurant. “When I went outside, I saw a car looking like it had jumped a sidewalk and then some people were taken away by an ambulance.”

A series of fatal crashes caused by elderly drivers in the country has left authorities grappling for ways to clamp down on the problem.

Drivers over 65 were responsible for 965 deadly accidents nationwide — more than a quarter of the total — in 2016, according to the National Police Agency.

Most accidents caused by elderly drivers resulted from them mixing up the accelerator and the brake(アクセルとブレーキを踏み間違える) or losing control of the steering wheel(ハンドル操作を誤る).

(My Essay)
This is the 8th or 9th news of fatal car accidents in recent one year caused by elderly drivers. It is really frustrating. I understand that public transportations in rural areas are not ENOUGH, but most of fatal car accidents by elderly drivers occurred in urban area where they live comfortably without cars. The police is promoting a campaign to let elderly people give up their driver’s license, but it is not mandatory. Elderly people who do not have dementia or eye problems are allowed to keep driver’s license, even if thru are over 80. They are not aware of their aging eyes, slow responsiveness, and growing selfishness. The elderly driver who caused the accident ignored red light. Age is one of the factors that increase selfishness.

Some elderly drivers have stopped BUYING voluntary car insurance because the premium is higher for older people. So, casualties are killed for almost nothing and the injured need to burden their hospital cost.

Why has the government not yet passed a bill to ban elderly people from driving? The government and Diet see only elections. Elderly people and car industry are the biggest voting sources. Elderly people go to election compared to young people, and they are the biggest demographics. A quarter of Japanese people are over 65 years old. Car industry is the biggest tax payer and the biggest employer. Without the car industry, there would be less revenue and workers. Therefore, policies unfavorable for elderly people and car industry will result in a lost in election.

I believe that the relaxed policy for elderly drivers will not change until a Diet member of their family becomes a victim of an elderly driver’s car.

Controversial Japanese labor reform bill (newspaper article & my essay)

245. Controversial Japanese labor reform bill clears Lower House committee
(法案が衆議院委員会を通過する)
May 26, 2018  Japan Times (Newspaper)

A Lower House committee has approved a controversial labor reform bill, paving the way for its passage through the Diet(国会通過の道筋を立てる) before the legislature closes on June 20.

At the Lower House Committee on Health, Labor and Welfare, the bill to revise related laws was approved Friday by a majority vote(多数決で) with support from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its coalition partner Komeito and opposition Nippon Ishin no Kai.

The bill will likely be approved by the Lower House and sent to the Upper House on Tuesday. The government and the ruling coalition(連立) are increasingly confident it will be made law in the current session(今期中に).

At a Lower House plenary meeting Friday, the LDP, Komeito and Nippon Ishin voted down(～を否決する) a no-confidence motion against(～に対する不信任案) labor minister Katsunobu Kato, submitted by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and other opposition parties in a bid to(～しようとして) block the committee’s vote on the bill.

The bill, regarded by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as the most important piece of legislation during the ongoing Diet session, calls for the implementation of equal pay for equal work to eliminate wage gaps between regular and nonregular employees, and the introduction of a cap on overtime hours(残業の上限).

It also includes the creation of a system in which some high-paid, highly skilled employees will be exempted from work hour regulations(労働時間規制から除外される) and therefore allowed to decide their hours by themselves, but instead receive no overtime wages. Through talks between the ruling camp(与党陣営) and some opposition parties including Nippon Ishin, a provision was added allowing those designated as such workers under the system to give up the status if they wish.

In talks with reporters, Fumio Kishida, chairman of the LDP’s Policy Research Council, underscored the significance(重要性を強調する) of the legislation, saying that it will help create “a society in which people can choose ways to work in line with their lifestyles.”

CDPJ Diet affairs chief Kiyomi Tsujimoto rejected this view, saying that the legislation could lead to an increase in deaths from overwork.

Yuichiro Tamaki, co-leader of the Democratic Party for the People, said the party wants to hold talks with the ruling side to remove the work hour regulation exemption system for highly skilled professionals from the bill.

Also on Friday, a draft basic law for preventing gambling addiction(ギャンブル依存症) cleared the Cabinet Committee of the lower chamber and then the full Lower House by a majority vote, with support from the LDP-Komeito coalition and opposition parties, including the Democratic Party for the People.

The same day, the Cabinet Committee began debates on legislation regarding the introduction and operation of casino resorts.

(My Essay)

It is a controversial law. Why? Seemingly it should be an ideal law for workers. Equal pay for equal work, a cap on overtime hours, decision of hours by workers themselves. Sadly, if it were not in Japan, this law would be understood differently. The Diet’s effort in passing the law in such a hurry implies a hidden agenda. Always the government and business world cooperate together.

In Japan, 40% of all regular workers take less than 40% of paid vacations. The causes are inefficient management by temperamental bosses, big workloads by “customers are always right” belief, and comradeship that lets them think it is immoral to take vacations. Among 16 OECD nations, Japan ranks in the lowest for productivity and second lowest for the rate of using paid vacations.

On the pretext of 30-year economic recession, Japanese companies hold revenues instead of allocating the profits to the workers. Companies impose workers to work overtime without pay. Both companies and workers believe slow workers are to blame. The Japanese business world builds up a society of “lifetime employment” where it is difficult for workers to transfer companies once a student chooses where to work after graduation. Transfer is almost impossible after the age of 40. It means that workers cannot refuse requests from companies, however unreasonable.

In such a country, it is obvious that companies use the law for their own sake. The reality is that the business world is the 3rd coalition party. If I were young, I would think about acquiring languages and skills to live and work abroad. I’m over 40. It’s too late. I think of surviving in this country as long as possible.

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Gourmet Television Patrick St. Michel

The topic of TV can be a divisive one among Westerners living in Japan. Get a bunch of them together and bring up the topic, and you are sure to hear a lot of complaints about domestic broadcast options. One frequent complaint sticks out - so many programs are just about food, and how delicious it is.

I agree with this observation, but it also happens to be the rea son I enjoy tuning in to most Japanese TV programs. I want to see shots of delicious-looking dishes, and I get a kick out of people expressing their love for a perfectly cooked meal.

That's one of the reasons I've spent the last two months tuning into Kodoku no Gurume (Solitary Gourmet) every Friday night around midnight on TV Tokyo. The show follows a middle-aged salaryman (played by actor Yutaka Matsushige) as he eats alone in restaurants. Inspired by a famous manga of the same name, it's a simple concept that results in surprisingly captivating TV, and one that has become a hit on Twitter.

Part of that is because Matsushige is a funny performer, and can turn the internal monologue of a man chowing down on curry into captivating television. But I've been just as focused on the shots of the food itself, and the joy Matsushige's character takes in eating every bite.

That Kodoku no Gurume highlights real places in Tokyo and beyond only makes it all the more exciting. I've actually trekked out to restaurants highlighted on the show to enjoy their food - even if the wait to get in after the latest episode takes two hours or more.

And I've realized Kodoku is just the tip of the iceberg for me. All of my favorite Japanese shows devote at least some time to celebrating cuisine. When friends diss TV here for being too food-centric, I always won der if something's wrong with me. But really, I think they are just being too cynical and should embrace their belly more.

It's not like Japan is the only place where food plays well on the small screen. The United States has two channels entirely devoted to food, with countless programs popping up elsewhere. One of the most praised shows on Netflix over the last few years, Chef's Table, looks at world-famous chefs, and is full of stunning shots of fancy dishes. Then you have something like the popular Top Chef, a cooking competition centered entirely around who can make the tastiest and most visually stunning meal.

Maybe I'm alone among my friends here in loving food shows, but that's fine as watching them makes me feel all the better. I just wish Kodoku No Gurume didn't air at midnight - it's tough to find good food that late.

Letter from London

Dear readers, the British day is based around tea breaks, so making the perfect cuppa is an art form. It is a ritual, a social crutch and a way of life - it is also delicious! So when I heard that National Tea Day, on 21st April, was being celebrated with a Fes-Tea-Val, I put the kettle on, threw a bag in a cup and booked myself some tickets!

Good news for fans of a cuppa - tea is more popular than ever. People are beginning to think of tea with the same reverence as coffee due to its many varieties, and tea "bars" are popping up all over the capital. No longer are we limited to the traditional black tea. Suddenly there are green, white, herbal, chai, oolong and matcha teas. And, as the Fes-Tea-Val proves, even beer tea and gin tea! Did you know the average Brit drinks 876 cups of tea every single year, that's enough to fill two bathtubs - now that's a lot of tea!

Fes-Tea-Val is the trendiest way to celebrate National Tea Day. Hosted by Chiswick House & Gardens, it was the most quintessentially British event of the season. It may be a tea festival but the event was so much more, with a dedicated Tea 'n' Treat Village to indulge my sweet tooth and a Vitali-Tea Garden for healthy living tips. The family-friendly event took us on a journey of all things British in the world of food and drink with celebrity bakers, mu sic, mixology masterclasses and so much more to keep everyone (including the kids) entertained.

To top it off, there was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view the world-famous Chitra collection, which turned out to be a private historical collection of teaware from around the world. I'm sure this might be some peoples' "cup of tea" but, whilst it looked very pretty and the collection was very informative, I was more interested in the other stalls and activities outside.

Wandering around the grounds, I was amazed at how extensive the event was. I have never seen so many local and national food and drinks producers in one place. There was everything from cheese and wine tasting to cupcakes and crickets (the insect form), all with their own take on the humble tea. There were of course many traditional tea stalls showcasing a vast array of blends, ranging from the commonly known PG Tips to "bou-tea-ques" like Chase Tea and Newby Teas.

It was a wonderful event, with many novelty stalls and producers. Turnout was great and even the kids said they'd go back. Luckily the English weather held out for what was a very English event.

Texas family's cute kittens turn out to be wild animals

A San Antonio family tried to raise some cute kittens who were taken from their home. But the kittens bit them. Now family members are under investigation to see whether they broke the law, officials said May 10.

The family said they thought the kittens were Bengal, cats. They tried to feed them with bottles of formula. But they were bobcats. Bobcats are known for attacking humans. The kittens ripped apart the bottles.

The family took the kittens to San Antonio Animal Care Services. At first, they told workers they found the kittens in an alleyway. But then they admitted that a relative found them alone in a nearby rural county. Bob cat mothers often leave their kittens to hunt.

Without their mother, the pair may never return to the wild. If the family knew the animals were bobcats, they could face charges for taking them from their home, authorities said. (Reuters)

Fans see off final run of Evangelion bullet train

After more than two years, the Evangelion bullet train made its final run. Around 1,200 fans came to Shin Osaka Station on May 6 to see it off. The train is painted purple and green, in the style of the first cyborg of the TV animation series Neon Genesis Evangelion. The train is called the 500 Type EVA. West Japan Railway Co. launched the shinkansen in November 2015. It traveled every day on the Sanyo Shinkansen Line between Shin-Osaka and Hakata. Hiroshi Kaibe, a 44-year-old Nara city resident, was sad to see the daily trips end. "I hope they will resume," he said. At Hakata, around 500 people welcomed the last train run. The Evangelion shinkansen was scheduled to end its service in March last year, but it was extended due to strong demand from fans at home and abroad.

This is taking a long time! says scientist before assisted suicide

A 104-year-old Australian scientist killed himself in Switzer land on May 10 by lethal injection in an assisted suicide he hoped would trigger more lenient euthanasia laws in his home country.

British-born David Goodall, who was not terminally ill, personally triggered a lethal dose of a barbiturate and died at 1030 GMT in a clinic near Basel, the assisted suicide group Exit International said.

Goodall, a member of the Or der of Australia for his work as a botanist, said he had unsuccessfully tried to kill himself in Australia after his faculties, including his hearing, deteriorated.

He came to Switzerland for its laws that have made assisted suicide legal since the 1940s, a legal curiosity that has made the country what some call a "death tour ism" magnet.

“My life has been rather poor for the past year or so, and I am very happy to end it," Goodall told reporters shortly before his death. "All the publicity that this has been receiving can only, I think, help the cause of euthanasia for the elderly, which I want."

Physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia remains illegal in many countries, including Australia, though the state of Victoria became the first to pass a euthanasia bill last November to allow terminally ill patients to end their lives. It takes effect in June 2019.

Several family members were with Goodall until his death, which was preceded by formal paperwork that visibly frustrated Goodall, who said "What are we waiting for?"

His last meal was fish and chips, and Exit International director Philip Nitschke helped organize Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 to be played at his death, a spontaneous request by Goodall prompted by a reporter’s question at a news conference on May 9.

“The infusion started to drip as he activated the process – he had to do that himself - after an swering questions which said he knew who he was, where he was and what he was about to do, and he answered these questions with great clarity," Nitschke said after Goodall's death. "In fact his last words were 'This is taking an awfully long time!' " Nitschke said.

Goodall, a 20-year member of Exit International, was born in London in 1914 and moved to Australia in 1948, where he was a lecturer at the University of Melbourne. He also worked in Britain and held academic posts at U.S. universities, including at Utah State University.

News of his death prompted some former colleagues to suggest his public suicide fit a personality that did not shy from the lime light.

Others called Goodall a fine scholar who was well-liked.

"If I had been asked to provide my own comments on David Goodall, I would have said he is perceptive, brilliant and inventive," said Robert Russon, a 30 year professor at Utah State, in a letter to The Herald Journal newspaper.

Before his death, Goodall said there were things he would have changed, had he the chance to do it all over again.

“I'm not satisfied with what I have done, by any means" he said. "But I did my best." (Reuters)

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20180127

The labor union accused the company of unpaid overtime work. The employees expect that they will be compensated for the EXPENSE(?). However, the company said that this issue will be solved on a case-by-case basis.
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The meeting will be held off because another big problem occurred, which needs to be ironed out.
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The successful BIDDING(?) of the Olympics TO(?) Tokyo will invigorate the economy.
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They told us extra remuneration will be necessary for them to work during the winter vacation.
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If you would like me to share my knowledge, I would like something in exchange.
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I'm in charge of replenishing office supplies.
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Please do not make a phone call on me while in transit.
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Our company will commemorate the 100th anniversary this year.
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We must buy only authentic products. Fake ones easily becomes defective.
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Reading books let us simulate experiences secondhand, though not firsthand.
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We have three proposals here, and it is difficult to choose only one. Let's consolidate them to one eclectic plan.
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This circuit change will encompass modifications in the other circuits.
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The voltage that flows through the circuit is discordant with the specs.
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Our company provided an award for employees who made laudable achievements.
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The test result attests to our assumption that an overcurrent is the culprit of this problem.
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Our company will soon come out cutting-edge products.