about president Bush

Today, I watched the TV program which showed about President Bush. I have known about him little, but I could find several things about him through the TV. Before I write about him, I have to write my position. I support him, because it become good decision for Japan, but I also have some anxious to him. Japanese government must engage to him, because we have alliance.

American military protect Japan. This sentence is one problem. After the WW2, American government supported the Japanese government well; on the other hand, American soldier behave badly. A few years ago, one American soldier committed the crime in Japan. It became a big problem, because Japanese police couldn’t look into the incident. Some people say we don’t need American protection any more.

American soldier want to stay in Japan, because Japan locate convenient place to supervise North Korea, Iraqis or other dangerous country. For Japan, it sounds so bad, because we don’t have enough place and money to give them. We have a kind of the military. We can protect ourselves without relying on American military. I mean American military don’t have the reason to stay in Japan any more.

When we focus on the economy, we have to depend on American government, because President Bush thinks Japan is important country about economy, but Mr. Kerry thought China is important country. I know Chinese economy is developing rapidly. Some Japanese have an anxious about Chinese economy, because their economy looks like Japanese economy before economical bubble collapsed. Chinese economy must be collapsed soon. To select Japan as a heart of the Asian economy is better choice now.

In the TV I watched, it said about President Bush. He is good or bad for Japan. He and Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi are said that they are crazy. It sounds true, because Mr. Bush don’t think that American military get out from Japan in spite of our demand. His opinion is American government’s selfishness, but Japanese economy receive benefit from American government’s principles.

The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications

Now, in Japan, most conspicuous topic about the politics is about The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications. President Koizumi insists to privatize post offices. I agree with him, because those changes have succeeded in Germany. Post office in Germany got a lot of benefit since the government decides to privatize. If Japanese government decided to do this, we would have many problems.

The first problem is those post offices have deposit system. My mother prefer saving in post office to saving in banks, because post office is a national service. We don’t need to worry to lose much money by bankruptcy. If this service is abolished, we have to rely on the unstable bank.

Second problem is about insurance. Insurance is depended on post office in Japan. Certainly, we have insurance companies, but they are unstable, too. Many people pay money to post office for insurance. If post offices are going to disappear, we can’t gain the insurances.

Private post offices have many merits, but they also have many problems. In the process to privatize, the post offices have to change their system about saving and insurance. It’s really difficult problem in Japan, but it also have a hope, because private post office can connect to foreign post office strongly. Alternative choice makes president Koizumi confused.

New discovery

In the news paper, I found that new rocket had launched to the comet. I don’t have knowledge about universe, but it must bring the good news to mankind. Humans have exploded many areas in the earth. Our interests turn to the explosion to the universe. This fact sounds good for mankind? We need to explode other stars to survive. What kind of people can survive?

The people who will go other ship must have power or not? We wear special suits, because we can’t breathe in the space. We have to do exercise in the ship, and we can’t eat enough food in the space. Very old American had succeeded in staying in the space for a week or some, but babies can go there? Small animal had also been to space. Nasa didn’t insist some obstacle about animals’ trip. These experiments mean everyone can go to the space.

It will take very long time to bring all people living in the earth. Who can go first? In my opinion, the order will be like this.

1st scientist
2nd rich people
3rd civilian
It sounds very sad, because our world don’t have equality.

The contents I wrote here are not based on the fact, because I don’t have the knowledge about it. They are just my guess, but if they were fact, it would be terrible, because we might need to leave many people in the earth. That’s awful.

Earthquake and tsunami

The end of the last year large earthquake happened in Southeast Asia. After that, big tsunami killed many people and destroyed many buildings near the coast. Tsunami is the large wave which happens after earthquake. In Japan, earthquakes happen frequently. Last year, in Niigata area, big earthquake happened after big typhoon. Last year and the beginning of this year, some disasters have focused on.

Earthquake is big problem for us, because it destroys many things. About 10 years ago, big earthquake happened in Kansai district. At the time, nobody expected that the earthquake happen there, because it was said that there are no dislocation. It happened lunch time and many people used fire in the house. Damage was expanded bigger than scientist predicted. After the big earthquake, many people had lost their houses. We hadn’t had insurance for an earthquake.

Tsunami is also big problem for the countries where earthquake happen. Recently, it hasn’t happen in Japan fortunately. When tsunami happened in Southeast Asia, I was really surprised, because it has large power. Tsunami happened in sumatola coast destroyed almost all buildings. I worry their life including the life of the Japanese. Japanese government tries to support them. They can help citizens in Southeast Asia, because Japan has a lot of ways to defend from such a disaster.

Earthquake and tsunami is very threatening disaster. They destroy people’s life. We can nothing for it. The things we can do is set up the guarantees and making the defending something. They are really scary disasters.

Korean Star

Last year, many Korean actors got famous in Japan. Especially Pe Yong Jyung is the most famous Korean actor in Japan. His nick name is aristocrat of the smiling. That’s very interesting, because they are said that they have purity Japanese don’t have. They look very pure through the vision of middle aged women, but this new booming looks just funny for young people.

Generation gaps cause that phenomenon. 10 years ago, Japanese actors have this kind of charm point. After many years have passed, trend had changed, and young women had become middle aged women. Japanese men had lost the charm point old actors had. Many years ago, young people looked more active than us.

This phenomenon might be caused by good diplomacy between Korea and Japan. We succeeded to hold big soccer event. This success made our distance short in our sense. As a result of success of the world cup, many women accept Korean guy. We can think this phenomenon has good effect on the relationship between Japanese people and Korean people.

Recently, Korean actors are popular among Japanese middle aged women. That trend is good phenomenon for diplomacy between Japan and Korea. We are approaching each other. I like the purity and friendship Korean have. It helped me many times during my stay, but my feeling for Korean and the feeling Japanese women have is not necessarily same thing.

Japanese New Year’s Day

Each country has each way to cerebrate the New Year’s Day. Certainly we have our own way. We write a letter to our friend and co-worker, and we say あけましておめでとう(akemashite omedetou). It means Happy New Year. This custom is great, because we can keep in touch with using this way with friend, but recently, this custom is going out of use.

One of the big reasons of desolation of the custom is development of e mail. When we send letters, we have to buy postcard, and we write. If we use email, we don’t need to do them. We just type message and send it. Email system is very convenient.

On the other hand, postcard has an advantage. The way using postcard is very unique, and that way is formal way in Japan. If you send email substitute to postcard, it is excused, while if you email to your boss, you must obey custom. Everyone think the way obeying the custom is more formal.

On New Years Day, we usually send postcard to friends and co-workers as a greeting. As a result of the development of the computer technology, some people use email for it. The way using email for greeting is convenient but informal. We need to care of it when we send something on the New Years Day.

The Ceremony for the 20th

In Japan we have a ceremony for the people who are 20th years old. The other day, I joined the ceremony, and I met a lot of old friends there. It was very interesting ceremony. I guess American people don’t have such a good custom. Japan is very small country and we have small amount of the people, so we can held this ceremony.

Japan has very small, so we can gather one place easily. If we become 20th, we get one letter from community. It includes the schedule of the ceremony. The very day most of us gather at one place. I joined the ceremony Yamato city held. Every year, on January 15 is the holiday for the people who have become 20th, but a couple years ago the very day moved to Monday of the week including January 15. That’s why it has held on January 10th this year.

The population of Japan is smaller than the population of the U.S.,so we can gather easily. This ceremony is held in each area. Usually, the communities of each area hold it. Recently, there are problem. Some people mutiny when the mayor is talking. They just want to stand out in front of everyone. They are always arrested and TV pick this news up.

I just introduce one of the Japanese cultures of a ceremony. This ceremony must be wonderful one. I enjoyed it, and I think its good ceremony. Only the country like Japan can hold this ceremony, because Japan doesn’t have large land and population.

Japan

Language

English is my major. I like English, so I came to America to learn English. To learn other language is difficult for especially Japanese. Japanese don’t have many sounds, but it is just excuse. I think to learn language is not most important thing. The most important things are to concern to connect with foreign people.

Many of my friends say that English is difficult. I know that. I think we are not required to speak English very fluently. The important things are to try to transmit my thinking. To transmit it, I was required to learn English. It’s very simple thought. I’ve tried to let English speakers know what I want to say. This simple thinking made my feelings positive about speaking English. I am not afraid to speak to foreigners now.

I’m really happy to have gotten positive thinking about learning English. It has helped me to learn English. The teachers, my American friends and Korean students have always assisted or encouraged me to learn English.

I really thank them for assisting my studying English…

American literature

Yesterday I read the book, entitled Strangled Prose, by Joan Hess. This noble was good, because the story was simple and funny. It was first time to read English book for me, but reading English book was fun. I also like to read Japanese nobles. I found the differences between Japanese literature and English literature.

The difference I found first is about organization. The book I read has surely included many paragraphs, but there are not so long basically. Many of Japanese literatures have longer paragraphs. It depends on authors, but I feel Japanese literature is more difficult to read.

The second difference is about nuance. It depends on languages. When I read English book I felt that their description is fine. Some Japanese words can include many nuances, so it can conclude many meanings onto one word. This effect makes sentence dynamic. Surely, it depends on the authors.

I could see the differences between the Japanese literature and English literature. One of them is about organization; while one of them is about nuance. Languages make unique characteristics. Reading Strangled Prose was good experience to know them.

Translation

I had a presentation last Wednesday about our major or profession. I introduced the difference of translating. It is very interesting topic for me, so I introduce about it in this blog. Translation Japanese into English is very difficult. There are two problems about translating Japanese literature into English.

One of them is the difference of culture. We have our own culture, because our culture was developed in the closed country. Japan is isolated from other countries in Asia. We have our own language and things named in Japanese, so we can’t translate things into English directly. Good translator use connotation. They replace Japanese own things with similar foreign things.

Another of the problems is about the grammar. We usually speak or write Japanese without subject. It makes translator confused. Foreigners don’t understand who did it in the article and conversation. Translators need to supply the subject.

To translate Japanese into English is really difficult. We have unique cultures and grammars. They are difficult to understand the meanings without good translation. It usually makes translators confused.

Christmas

Today, in the class, we learned about the custom of charismas. It was interesting. The American culture is very different from Japanese one. I compare Japanese style of charismas and American style of Christmas. There are many differences between American style and Japanese style.

In America, some people like to decorate house with light and toys, but Japanese don’t do it basically. I think there are many Christian in America Christmas stem from their custom. Japanese imitate their culture. When the custom crossed to Japan, something made their style changed.

Japanese don’t have a similar culture to Christmas, so it was difficult to import this culture. Originally, the thought about the traditional events is different. This different might come from the difference of religion. Almost all Japanese were Buddhists in the past. In events, we eat traditional food and drink quietly, but some American like to make a fuss in events.

Japanese people have different culture from American culture. We tried to import Christmas, but we couldn’t do it directly. Japanese style of Christmas might be strange for American. It means difficulty of import the culture.

一期一会

Do you know the meanings of the title. 一期一会 is a great proverb. It means meating people is important for the life. It is called "a once in a lifetime." I don't like this word, but now I have to experience it. I like my friend staying in here, better than other members who came from Hosei university. Today, I said goo bye to my friends. I was so sad. Anyway, this chinese character have a special meanings.

一期 means "onece." This word makes me sad. I always judge my friends. I always think whether my friends have an effect to me. The friend I said good bye were the first people I talked about politics or economy, something like that. They are precious people for me. I will lost my precious friend at this time.

一会 means "meet once." I remember the moment we met at coffee hour. I remember exactly. At that time, I had been afraid to talk with American, but my friend and I charenged to do it. Fortunately, I got good friends. After talking, I suggested my friend to go to dinner with them, but one of them didn't have ID card. When we decide to gove up, they suggested to order the pizza. We accompany with them. From thet time, at coffee hour we always talk and go to dinner after that.

When these chinese character make 一期一会. It sounds sad. I lost my friend. I lost my friend. I don't like this word. I want to stay here more.

P.S. Mattew and Seila, thank you very much so far.

Why the American Japanese speaker can't speak Japanese naturaly?

Many of my American friends are studying Japanese. They sometimes try to speak to me in Japanese. I always respond "How good pronunciation it is". To be honest, I don't think so. American's Japanese are also strange, because they have their own rhythum.

English speaker always speak with stress, but we don't care about it. Our pronunciation is like a straight line. English speaker make wave. This difference make the pronciation of Amercan's Japanese speaker strange.

My teacher said, to speak English or French, they make their lip pursed, on the other hand, Japanese use relax lip. He is right. We are relax when we speak Japanese, even though we speak English, so it must be strange for English speaker to listen Japanese English pronunciation.

Japanese speaker and English one have their own pronunciation, so they don't need to care about pronunciation each other. It is important to try to understand. If I have a time to improve my pronunciation. I hope to spend time to practice it.

Why Japanese make a lot of spell mistakes?

It is said that especially Japanese is likely to make spelling mistakes. Why Japanese make a lot of spell mistakes? Actually I have made many mistakes to write this blogs. The answer is easy. We are not good at listening.

Listening is very important part to learn language, because all of the spelling rely on the sound. Especially, The Japanese can't distinguish L sound from R sound. We have ら り　る　れ　ろ　in Japanese. If we write them by alphabet, we write ra ri ru re ro, also we can write la li lu le lo. We don't have a two different sound about ら　り　る　れ　ろ.

We don't have many vowel, so we are not good at listening. Listening connect with spelling strongly. Here is the source of Japanese own spelling mistake.

Japanese new year vs The thanks giving holiday.

How was your thanks giving day? This culture was first experience for me. It was good culture. I spend thanks giving holiday with my host family. I ate turkey, and other delicious food. Many of my friend went shopping. If the Japanese experienced thanks giving day, they would think it's like a new year holiday, because many relative gather at one place and eat alot. Japanese eat rice cake substitute turkey for the American.Both of them have some simiralities, meanwhile they also have differances.

In both cases, many people gather one place and eat a lot of traditional food.In Japan, in new year, we have many traditional event. We make a rice cake and play with a traditional toy. Many people go shopping, because many shops sell their products in discount price. Thanks giving day is very similar to these event.

On the other hand, the Japanese have only one big event every year, but the American have other great events. The thanks giving day is one of the biggest event, but they also have halloween and chiristmas. the Japanese also have many event, but they are not big event. For the Japanese, new year is the only big event.

The difference between thanks giving day and new year in Japan is their style. Japanese new year have religious meaning, while the thanks giveing have historical meaning. In the thanks giving, people cereblate food, but we don't cerebrate anything. We must have background, but it's not known. It is guessed that Japanese new year have religious meaning.

We can find any similar style between the thanks giving day, but also can find different meanings about holiday. These difference show the differences of the culture. Then, some simirarities show the importance of the event. Both of them must be big event fir the people.