Rengo, Japan's largest labor federation, has called on workers at a May Day rally to unite to improve working conditions in an effort to revive the country's society.
The federation says around 33,000 people took part in a rally at Yoyogi Park in central Tokyo on Thursday, a national holiday.
Addressing the gathering, Rengo President Nobuaki Koga questioned whether workers, which are the driving force of the country, are being offered an environment in which all people and their families can feel secure.
He said it will not be possible to revive society without easing concerns about hiring and job security, as well as about pensions and medical services after retirement.
The rally adopted a May Day declaration calling for the government to take steps to create jobs and to strengthen the safety net for workers.
The labor situation remains severe in Japan.
The labor ministry says the unemployment rate in February hovered at about 4.9 percent.
And the ratio of university graduates who found jobs upon graduation this spring was the lowest on record.
Other major labor federations are expected to hold rallies on May 1st to appeal for secure employment and improved working conditions.
2010年4月29日木曜日
2010年4月24日土曜日
Ancient imperial hall recreated in Nara
An ancient imperial hall has been rebuilt in Nara, western Japan, as part of events to commemorate the establishment of the old capital 1,300 years ago.
The Crown Prince and about 220 other people attended a ceremony to mark the completion of the imperial audience hall, called Daigokuden, on Friday.
The Crown Prince said it's amazing that ancient people had the skills to build such a magnificent structure.
He added that he's deeply impressed that the skills have been passed on for centuries.
An ancient celebration dance said to have come from China was performed at the ceremony.
The Cultural Affairs Agency spent about 200 million dollars on the 9-year project to recreate the hall in the historical ruins of Heijo Palace.
The hall measures 44 by 20 meters and is 27 meters high. It has white walls, vermillion pillars and a roof with about 100,000 tiles.
The original hall was used for accession ceremonies and other important events when Nara was Japan's capital in the 8th century.
The new building will be open to the public from Saturday to November 7th as the main venue for a year's worth of commemorative events for the former capital.
The Crown Prince and about 220 other people attended a ceremony to mark the completion of the imperial audience hall, called Daigokuden, on Friday.
The Crown Prince said it's amazing that ancient people had the skills to build such a magnificent structure.
He added that he's deeply impressed that the skills have been passed on for centuries.
An ancient celebration dance said to have come from China was performed at the ceremony.
The Cultural Affairs Agency spent about 200 million dollars on the 9-year project to recreate the hall in the historical ruins of Heijo Palace.
The hall measures 44 by 20 meters and is 27 meters high. It has white walls, vermillion pillars and a roof with about 100,000 tiles.
The original hall was used for accession ceremonies and other important events when Nara was Japan's capital in the 8th century.
The new building will be open to the public from Saturday to November 7th as the main venue for a year's worth of commemorative events for the former capital.
2010年4月21日水曜日
Chefs offer thanks to kitchen tools at shrine
Japanese chefs have offered thanks for the tools of their trade in a ceremony at a Shinto shrine in Nikko, north of Tokyo.
About 80 professional masters of Japanese cuisine gathered for the annual ritual dedicated to kitchen knives and cutting boards at Futarasan Shrine on Wednesday.
After a Shinto priest offered up a prayer, one of the masters in chef's whites prepared a carp using skills that date back more than 1,000 years.
The chef used a 30-centimeter knife and a pair of 50-centimeter metal chopsticks to skin and cut up the fish without directly touching it.
Visitors looked on as he demonstrated his skills before offering the fish at the shrine's altar.
About 80 professional masters of Japanese cuisine gathered for the annual ritual dedicated to kitchen knives and cutting boards at Futarasan Shrine on Wednesday.
After a Shinto priest offered up a prayer, one of the masters in chef's whites prepared a carp using skills that date back more than 1,000 years.
The chef used a 30-centimeter knife and a pair of 50-centimeter metal chopsticks to skin and cut up the fish without directly touching it.
Visitors looked on as he demonstrated his skills before offering the fish at the shrine's altar.
2010年4月19日月曜日
Industry group complies 3D safety guideline
A Japanese industry group has compiled a set of safety guidelines for viewers of 3D images.
Electronics makers and research institutions on Monday released official safety standards for viewing 3D TV and movies. The restrictions were commissioned by the economy and industry ministry.
The guidelines say 3D images that are too solid could cause discomfort or eye fatigue to viewers.
They urge creators of 3-dimensional content to refrain from using stereoscopic images for too long or too often. Creators are also told to increase the levels of solidity in phases so that viewers can adjust their eyesight.
The safety rules call on viewers to watch the screen from the front and to only allow children to watch 3D images under adult supervision.
A survey of about 30 adults by the government-backed National Institute of Advanced Technology showed that 3D images with fast movement caused discomfort more often than ordinary 2D images
Electronics makers and research institutions on Monday released official safety standards for viewing 3D TV and movies. The restrictions were commissioned by the economy and industry ministry.
The guidelines say 3D images that are too solid could cause discomfort or eye fatigue to viewers.
They urge creators of 3-dimensional content to refrain from using stereoscopic images for too long or too often. Creators are also told to increase the levels of solidity in phases so that viewers can adjust their eyesight.
The safety rules call on viewers to watch the screen from the front and to only allow children to watch 3D images under adult supervision.
A survey of about 30 adults by the government-backed National Institute of Advanced Technology showed that 3D images with fast movement caused discomfort more often than ordinary 2D images
Narita airport providing sleeping bags
The operator of Narita airport, near Tokyo, provided food and sleeping bags on Sunday to foreign passengers waiting to return to Europe.
Flights from Tokyo to destinations in Europe are grounded for the 4th straight day since a volcano erupted in Iceland.
Foreign travelers who hadn't budgeted for hotels are staying overnight at the airport while they wait for flights to resume.
Airport staff handed out water, biscuits and sleeping bags to foreign travelers spending Sunday night at resting spaces inside the airport.
Travelers carrying large luggage appeared relieved to accept the food and some quickly got in the sleeping bags.
A Swiss man in his 20s said he can now sleep in comfort and is grateful for the service.
A German woman in her 60s who has spent 3 nights at the airport said she can't afford to stay at a hotel. She said she appreciates the sleeping bag, though it's not comfortable to sleep in it.
An airport official said Narita's operator wants passengers forced to stay at the airport to be as comfortable as possible.
Flights from Tokyo to destinations in Europe are grounded for the 4th straight day since a volcano erupted in Iceland.
Foreign travelers who hadn't budgeted for hotels are staying overnight at the airport while they wait for flights to resume.
Airport staff handed out water, biscuits and sleeping bags to foreign travelers spending Sunday night at resting spaces inside the airport.
Travelers carrying large luggage appeared relieved to accept the food and some quickly got in the sleeping bags.
A Swiss man in his 20s said he can now sleep in comfort and is grateful for the service.
A German woman in her 60s who has spent 3 nights at the airport said she can't afford to stay at a hotel. She said she appreciates the sleeping bag, though it's not comfortable to sleep in it.
An airport official said Narita's operator wants passengers forced to stay at the airport to be as comfortable as possible.
2010年4月12日月曜日
Ginkakuji Temple completes major restoration
Ginkakuji in Kyoto, the Temple of the Silver Pavilion, on Monday celebrated the completion of its 1st major restoration in about a century.
Ginkakuji was built in the late 15th century by Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the 8th shogun of the Muromachi government. The Buddhist temple is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
In restoration work that took more than 2 years, the building's shingled roof was replaced for the first time in 3 decades.
Workers also replaced walls and "shoji" paper sliding doors, and applied black lacquer to pillars and walls on the 2nd floor to recreate the original interior.
During the restoration process, researchers discovered red and green painted flowers and clouds on the frame of the temple roof.
Raitei Arima, the chief priest at Ginkakuji, says the renovation presents an opportunity to recognize the greatness of its shogun-builder as a patron of culture.
Arima says he also hopes the refurbished temple will demonstrate to people that a nation's culture can remain unchanged for centuries, unlike its economy or politics.
Ginkakuji was built in the late 15th century by Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the 8th shogun of the Muromachi government. The Buddhist temple is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
In restoration work that took more than 2 years, the building's shingled roof was replaced for the first time in 3 decades.
Workers also replaced walls and "shoji" paper sliding doors, and applied black lacquer to pillars and walls on the 2nd floor to recreate the original interior.
During the restoration process, researchers discovered red and green painted flowers and clouds on the frame of the temple roof.
Raitei Arima, the chief priest at Ginkakuji, says the renovation presents an opportunity to recognize the greatness of its shogun-builder as a patron of culture.
Arima says he also hopes the refurbished temple will demonstrate to people that a nation's culture can remain unchanged for centuries, unlike its economy or politics.
2010年4月11日日曜日
Playwright Inoue dies at 75
A leading Japanese playwright and novelist, Hisashi Inoue, died of lung cancer on Friday. He was 75.
Inoue started writing comic drama and plays while he was at college. His fame began when he wrote a script jointly for a puppetry drama, which was broadcast by NHK in 1964.
Inoue's plays have attracted much attention and been praised for witty writing and unique settings.
In 1972, he won the prestigious Japanese literary Naoki Prize for his novel "Tegusari Shinjuu", a work about a popular writer of the Edo period.
His play "The Face of Jizo", which is about a young woman who survived the atomic bombing and her father's ghost, has been performed in Japan and overseas and acclaimed highly.
Inoue jointly founded a peace group called the "Article 9 Association" with Nobel laureate Kenzaburo Oe and others in 2004, calling for protecting the integrity of the Japanese Constitution.
2010年4月10日土曜日
Millions of eligible households not paid welfare
A survey by Japan's health ministry indicates that millions of low-income households may be living without welfare, although they are eligible for it.
The ministry released results of the survey of about 23,000 households on Friday.
Based on the results, nearly 2.3 million households are estimated to have after-tax income and savings below the threshold for welfare recipients.
Whether these people own houses or have other assets is unknown. But if none of them are receiving benefits despite meeting the criteria, this would mean that only 32 percent of eligible households are receiving welfare.
About 45 percent of the 2.3 million are single-person households. 42 percent of them are elderly.
23 percent of the total are families with children, and 4 out of 10 are single-mother households.
The health ministry says it will ask local governments to properly apply the criteria so eligible people can receive benefits
The ministry released results of the survey of about 23,000 households on Friday.
Based on the results, nearly 2.3 million households are estimated to have after-tax income and savings below the threshold for welfare recipients.
Whether these people own houses or have other assets is unknown. But if none of them are receiving benefits despite meeting the criteria, this would mean that only 32 percent of eligible households are receiving welfare.
About 45 percent of the 2.3 million are single-person households. 42 percent of them are elderly.
23 percent of the total are families with children, and 4 out of 10 are single-mother households.
The health ministry says it will ask local governments to properly apply the criteria so eligible people can receive benefits
2010年4月9日金曜日
Items left by young A-bomb victims on display
The Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima is holding a special exhibition of items that belonged to children who died in the atomic bombing.
The exhibition opened on Thursday featuring 8 articles mothers donated as remembrances of their children who perished in the attack near the end of World War Two in 1945.
One of the mothers donated marbles her 15-year-old son had left at their home. He was killed on his way to a factory where he labored as a student worker mobilized by the local government to produce military goods.
Another woman donated the remains of a blouse her 13-year-old daughter wore when the bomb hit her.
The girl came home with burns all over her body and her blouse burnt onto her skin. She died in the arms of her mother.
Both women died several years ago.
A curator at the museum says the exhibition reflects the sorrow as well as the hope of these women that nobody will have to experience what they went through.
The exhibition lasts through October 6th
The exhibition opened on Thursday featuring 8 articles mothers donated as remembrances of their children who perished in the attack near the end of World War Two in 1945.
One of the mothers donated marbles her 15-year-old son had left at their home. He was killed on his way to a factory where he labored as a student worker mobilized by the local government to produce military goods.
Another woman donated the remains of a blouse her 13-year-old daughter wore when the bomb hit her.
The girl came home with burns all over her body and her blouse burnt onto her skin. She died in the arms of her mother.
Both women died several years ago.
A curator at the museum says the exhibition reflects the sorrow as well as the hope of these women that nobody will have to experience what they went through.
The exhibition lasts through October 6th
2010年4月8日木曜日
Japanese students less motivated to study
A survey has found that high school students in Japan study less than those in the US, China and South Korea.
The Japan Youth Research Institute conducted the survey on more than 6,100 high school students in the 4 countries last year.
The results show that the largest proportion of students who said they spend between an hour and 2 hours to do their homework was in the US and China. In contrast, Japanese and South Korean students said they spend between 30 minutes and one hour.
Twenty-three percent of the students in Japan said they do no homework at all, while the figure was 30percent in South Korea, 4 percent in the US and one percent in China.
Asked about how much time the students spend on study not including homework, the largest proportion of students who said they spend between 30 minutes and an hour was in Japan. The students in the US said less than 30 minutes, while Chinese and South Korean students said between one hour and 2 hours.
Thirty-four percent of Japanese students said they do no study other than homework -- the highest figure among the 4 countries.
An official of the institute that conducted the survey says the results show that Japanese youth are less motivated to study. The official says this is a serious problem at a time when the academic abilities of Japanese students are said to be declining.
The Japan Youth Research Institute conducted the survey on more than 6,100 high school students in the 4 countries last year.
The results show that the largest proportion of students who said they spend between an hour and 2 hours to do their homework was in the US and China. In contrast, Japanese and South Korean students said they spend between 30 minutes and one hour.
Twenty-three percent of the students in Japan said they do no homework at all, while the figure was 30percent in South Korea, 4 percent in the US and one percent in China.
Asked about how much time the students spend on study not including homework, the largest proportion of students who said they spend between 30 minutes and an hour was in Japan. The students in the US said less than 30 minutes, while Chinese and South Korean students said between one hour and 2 hours.
Thirty-four percent of Japanese students said they do no study other than homework -- the highest figure among the 4 countries.
An official of the institute that conducted the survey says the results show that Japanese youth are less motivated to study. The official says this is a serious problem at a time when the academic abilities of Japanese students are said to be declining.
2010年4月5日月曜日
Tokyo ward to adopt law to promote urban greenery
A Tokyo ward plans to adopt new legislation to promote urban greenery -- the first legislation of its kind in the city.
From October, Setagaya Ward will require property owners to set aside a certain amount of space for planting trees, flowers and grass when they build or renovate a house.
Owners of lots of more than 300 square meters will have to allocate 5 to 25 percent of their land for this purpose.
Building applications will be rejected if owners do not comply with the regulation. They will also have to pay a fine if the area for vegetation is too small and they do not obey an improvement order.
Setagaya says it will become the first ward in Tokyo to introduce such legislation and the 3rd municipality to do so after the cities of Nagoya and Yokohama.
From October, Setagaya Ward will require property owners to set aside a certain amount of space for planting trees, flowers and grass when they build or renovate a house.
Owners of lots of more than 300 square meters will have to allocate 5 to 25 percent of their land for this purpose.
Building applications will be rejected if owners do not comply with the regulation. They will also have to pay a fine if the area for vegetation is too small and they do not obey an improvement order.
Setagaya says it will become the first ward in Tokyo to introduce such legislation and the 3rd municipality to do so after the cities of Nagoya and Yokohama.
20% of care providers did not give pay raises
A government survey has found about 20 percent of firms that provide homecare for the physically disabled did not give their caregivers a pay rise, despite the increased service fees paid to providers.
The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare conducted the survey in September 2009, after it raised service fees by an average of 5.1 percent in April that year.
The measure was taken to address a labor shortage in the homecare industry.
The survey of about 13,800 providers across Japan found the average monthly salary in the industry was about 3,200 dollars, up 75 dollars from a year earlier.
But 19.6 percent of respondents said they did not raise pay.
The ministry says some operators said they used the money to improve welfare benefits for their staff. It will ask homecare providers to make further efforts to increase salaries.
The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare conducted the survey in September 2009, after it raised service fees by an average of 5.1 percent in April that year.
The measure was taken to address a labor shortage in the homecare industry.
The survey of about 13,800 providers across Japan found the average monthly salary in the industry was about 3,200 dollars, up 75 dollars from a year earlier.
But 19.6 percent of respondents said they did not raise pay.
The ministry says some operators said they used the money to improve welfare benefits for their staff. It will ask homecare providers to make further efforts to increase salaries.
2010年4月4日日曜日
Sky Tree standing tall
People are flocking the area around the Tokyo Sky Tree, under construction in Tokyo and now Japan's tallest structure.
The tower reached 338 meters on Monday, surpassing the height of Tokyo Tower.
On the first weekend after the tower became the tallest structure in Japan, bridges and parks that offer views of the tower were crowded with onlookers.
The Tobu railway company, which runs the project, opened a viewing platform to the north of the tower to ease crowding along nearby sidewalks.
Visitors said they came for the first time after hearing that the tower had surpassed Tokyo Tower, and that they were surprised to see up close how tall it is.
The first observation deck will be completed at 350 meters above ground level this summer, and the 634-meter tower, the tallest in the world, is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2012.
The tower reached 338 meters on Monday, surpassing the height of Tokyo Tower.
On the first weekend after the tower became the tallest structure in Japan, bridges and parks that offer views of the tower were crowded with onlookers.
The Tobu railway company, which runs the project, opened a viewing platform to the north of the tower to ease crowding along nearby sidewalks.
Visitors said they came for the first time after hearing that the tower had surpassed Tokyo Tower, and that they were surprised to see up close how tall it is.
The first observation deck will be completed at 350 meters above ground level this summer, and the 634-meter tower, the tallest in the world, is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2012.
Cherry trees in full bloom in Tokyo
A high-pressure system prevailed over the Kanto region and areas to its west on Saturday, attracting people to parks where cherry trees are in full bloom.
In Tokyo's Ueno Park, which attracts more than 1 million blossom viewers every year, 670 cherry trees of the somei-yoshino variety reached full bloom on Friday.
Many families and groups of young people strolled under the trees and took photos in sunny weather.
A man in his 70s says he is glad that the blossoms withstood strong winds and rain on Friday.
The Meteorological Agency says sunny weather will continue on Sunday, and the cherry blossoms in central Tokyo will be at their best until the middle of next week.
In Tokyo's Ueno Park, which attracts more than 1 million blossom viewers every year, 670 cherry trees of the somei-yoshino variety reached full bloom on Friday.
Many families and groups of young people strolled under the trees and took photos in sunny weather.
A man in his 70s says he is glad that the blossoms withstood strong winds and rain on Friday.
The Meteorological Agency says sunny weather will continue on Sunday, and the cherry blossoms in central Tokyo will be at their best until the middle of next week.
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