An international children's baseball event has started in Tokyo as a prelude to next year's World Children's Baseball Fair.
Young players from Australia, Cameroon, Canada, Germany, Taiwan and Japan are taking part in the friendship event organized by the World Children's Baseball Foundation in Tokyo.
In the opening ceremony on Wednesday, the foundation chief, Sadaru Oh, said he wants to help children have good memories of playing baseball.
Oh, who holds the world record for home runs in a top league, was the manager of the Japanese national team that won the first World Baseball Classic tournament in 2006.
Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara was in the batter's box when Choji Murata, a former leading pitcher of Japan's Pacific League team, the Lotte Lions, threw the ceremonial first ball. The governor swung at the ball and missed despite his promise to hit a home run.
Girls' teams from Tokyo's Adachi Ward and Canada met for the day's first game before a cheering crowd of spectators.
More than 20 countries are to take part in the World Children's Baseball Fair scheduled for July 2010 in Tokyo.
2009年7月29日水曜日
2009年7月28日火曜日
Obesity costing US $147 bil. annually
US health authorities say obesity is costing the country 147-billion dollars annually, and warn that the burden could further increase unless the problem is tackled.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studied the cost of treating diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses tied to obesity.
The CDC found that the cost had risen to 147-billion dollars, or 9.1 percent of total medical spending, in 2006.
People who are obese were spending about 1,400 dollars more on health care, or about 40 percent more than people of normal weight.
The CDC says obesity-related illnesses are pushing up overall US medical costs. It says that society-wide programs, rather than individual efforts alone, are necessary to counter the problem.
The CDC has issued a set of 24 recommendations to help prevent obesity. The strategies urge communities and schools to promote healthy eating and more physical activity.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studied the cost of treating diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses tied to obesity.
The CDC found that the cost had risen to 147-billion dollars, or 9.1 percent of total medical spending, in 2006.
People who are obese were spending about 1,400 dollars more on health care, or about 40 percent more than people of normal weight.
The CDC says obesity-related illnesses are pushing up overall US medical costs. It says that society-wide programs, rather than individual efforts alone, are necessary to counter the problem.
The CDC has issued a set of 24 recommendations to help prevent obesity. The strategies urge communities and schools to promote healthy eating and more physical activity.
Auto-related corporate failures rise 50%
Bankruptcies by auto-related firms in Japan soared more than 50 percent in the first half of this year, compared with the same period of last year.
Private research firm Teikoku Databank says 273 auto-related companies went under between January and June this year, with debts of more than 10 million yen, or 104,000 dollars. The figure is up 50.8 percent from a year earlier.
By industry, failures of new and used car dealers, and auto parts wholesalers and retailers rose 19 percent.
There was an 11 percent increase in bankruptcies in the auto service industry such as maintenance and repair.
Auto parts manufacturers saw 3.4 times more failures.
Bankruptcies surged as slumping auto sales from the global recession led major auto companies to heavily cut production.
More large firms have become casualties of the global downtown.
71 companies went bankrupt with more than 5.2 million dollars in losses. The number quadrupled from a year earlier.
The research firm says that production cuts are easing at major carmakers, thanks to government tax incentives for eco-friendly cars. But as full recovery in demand is still not in sight, more corporate failures are likely.
2009年7月26日日曜日
100 boats parade in Osaka's Tenjin Festival
The annual Tenjin Festival in Osaka culminated on Saturday evening in a grand boat procession on the city's Okawa River.
Legend has it that the god, enshrined in Osaka's Tenman Shrine, made his yearly appearance at this time of the year and viewed the vicinity from a boat on the river.
In the event called "Funato-gyo," about 100 festival boats were divided into 2 groups, one cruising upstream and the other downstream, with each making return trips.
About 10,000 people were aboard the boats, beating drums and cheering.
Crowds of spectators packed the riverbanks and enjoyed the illuminations of the boats reflected on the water.
At dusk, 5,000 fireworks adorned the sky, providing yet another source of excitement for the participants.
Legend has it that the god, enshrined in Osaka's Tenman Shrine, made his yearly appearance at this time of the year and viewed the vicinity from a boat on the river.
In the event called "Funato-gyo," about 100 festival boats were divided into 2 groups, one cruising upstream and the other downstream, with each making return trips.
About 10,000 people were aboard the boats, beating drums and cheering.
Crowds of spectators packed the riverbanks and enjoyed the illuminations of the boats reflected on the water.
At dusk, 5,000 fireworks adorned the sky, providing yet another source of excitement for the participants.
Women find workplaces unfriendly to working moms
A Japanese government survey has found that more than half of the women who quit work to raise children, cited unfriendly work environments as the main reason behind their decision.
The survey was conducted by the Cabinet Office in February and March and canvassed 10,000 men and women aged between 20 and 44. They were asked if they had changed jobs after marriage or in order to raise their children. Respondents were allowed to choose more than one answer.
51 percent of women who quit their jobs after giving birth or to raise children, said working conditions made it difficult for them to continue.
46 percent said they wanted to take more time for housework and to raise their children.
31 percent said they found themselves physically unfit to continue their jobs.
49 percent of women who cited work-related reasons said their workplaces had no system or atmosphere to help employees maintain a good balance between work and family.
43 percent said working hours were too long for them to continue working while raising children.
34 percent said they had no colleagues who kept working under a similar situation, while 22 percent said their firms had no plans to nurture female workers.
The Cabinet Office says many women feel Japanese companies lack systematic support for working parents and bosses and other employees are not sympathetic.
It points out the need to improve such work environments.
The survey was conducted by the Cabinet Office in February and March and canvassed 10,000 men and women aged between 20 and 44. They were asked if they had changed jobs after marriage or in order to raise their children. Respondents were allowed to choose more than one answer.
51 percent of women who quit their jobs after giving birth or to raise children, said working conditions made it difficult for them to continue.
46 percent said they wanted to take more time for housework and to raise their children.
31 percent said they found themselves physically unfit to continue their jobs.
49 percent of women who cited work-related reasons said their workplaces had no system or atmosphere to help employees maintain a good balance between work and family.
43 percent said working hours were too long for them to continue working while raising children.
34 percent said they had no colleagues who kept working under a similar situation, while 22 percent said their firms had no plans to nurture female workers.
The Cabinet Office says many women feel Japanese companies lack systematic support for working parents and bosses and other employees are not sympathetic.
It points out the need to improve such work environments.
2009年7月25日土曜日
"Maid" waitresses visit Taiwan to promote tourism
A group of young women working as waitresses at "maid cafes" have left for Taiwan in a bid to lure tourists to Osaka, western Japan.
The 8 young women attended a ceremony at Kansai Airport in Osaka on Friday before their departure for Taiwan.
The waitresses have been chosen to represent the cosplay restaurants known as "maid cafes" in Osaka's Nipponbashi district.
Maid cafes originated in Tokyo's Akihabara district, patronized by the young male fans of anime, manga comics and computer games for which the area is famous.
Waitresses at such cafes are typically clad in the costumes of popular anime and computer game characters. Typically, they play the role of a house servant, flattering their customer, who is addressed as "master."
The group that departed on Friday will demonstrate their unique hospitality skills at a maid cafe in Taipei. They will also attend Taiwan's largest anime and comics event, taking place on Saturday and Sunday.
The trip is also aimed at attracting tourists to Kansai Airport. The airport saw a 44 percent drop in the number of travelers in June from a year earlier due to the global economic slowdown and the outbreak of the new influenza.
2009年7月23日木曜日
Tokyo to study wave motion power generation
The Tokyo metropolitan government has launched a feasibility study on the use of wave motion to generate power.
Research is underway, mostly in the United States and Europe, to develop a system to float a giant buoy on the ocean, and use its bobbing motion to turn a power-generating turbine.
The panel launched on Wednesday includes researchers from universities and private companies.
They will discuss through the end of March how to raise research funds, how such a system would affect the fishing industry, and other issues. The panel will then compile its proposals.
The metropolitan government's goal is for 20 percent of energy consumed in Tokyo to be from natural energy sources such as solar and wind power by 2020.
A senior Tokyo government official in charge of environmental policies, Junichi Uratani, says Japan should make use of the massive energy in the ocean, which surrounds this country.
He says the metropolitan government aims to spearhead efforts to put wave power generation into practical use.
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