Broad support grows for people hit by continuous earthquakes in Kumamoto, southwestern Japan

April 28, 2016

Broad support grows for people hit by continuous earthquakes in Kumamoto, southwestern Japan

The two brotherly professional BMX riders usually perform at street shows and city events, but they appeared one day at a charity gathering held  in support for people affected by a series of earthquakes in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, in April.
The charity event was called by a riders' group as one of participants at a sports and leisure vehicle show in the prefecture. The annual show had been held in Mashiki, the area hardest hit by the latest earthquakes, over the past 10 years.
This year's show was to be held at the Grand Messe Kumamoto ground just out of a freeway exit in Mashiki Town on April 24, but it was canceled because of the continuous earthquakes since April 14.
The disaster started with two big tremors, which registered a maximum intensity of 7 on the Japanese seismic scale in the town, followed by a long spell of aftershocks felt at many places in Kumamoto and neighboring Oita prefectures, in Kyushu.
"This year's F.T.W. Show was the 10th and the final one. So, we were working even harder than ever for preparation, but because the quakes occurred, we just had to cancel it," said a member of the riders' group. F.T.W. stands for Forever Tow Wheels. Instead, the group organized charity events at a few places by gathering members and followers.
Similar activities were launched by many volunteer and civic groups in Kyushu for the affected people amid growing calls "Pull together, Kumamoto! Pull together, Kyushu!".
Seiji and Seiichi Fujii, the BMX riders, are active in their home town of Saga and other regions in the northern part of Kyushu. They were asked to perform as a program for a charity auction held at a lakeside park in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, north of Kumamoto.
The brothers attracted big applause from the young audience each time they showed stunt riding on their vehicles. Their enthusiastic play helped to make the charity event livelier.
Put for the auction were vehicle-related goods and items. Among them, a miniature Volkswagen, which the auction MC stressed costs over 80,000 yen, was knocked down to a young man in a wheelchair for 25,000 yen.
The mishap has claimed more than 60 lives, including deaths linked to earthquake-related reasons at shelters and other facilities.
The disaster has flattened or damaged almost 30,000 houses in Kumamoto Prefecture. It has also left tens of thousands of people homeless as the continued tremors have hampered rescue work and rehabilitation activities in the affected regions.
Proceeds from the auction and sale of items at the event were contributed to the affected areas through a volunteer group.
Japan experienced two devastating earthquakes from 1995 to 2011. A first one hit Kobe and neighboring regions in the Kansai area of western Japan, claiming about 6,500 lives. The killer earthquake and the ensuing tsunami tidal waves of March 2011 left nearly 20,000 people dead or missing in northeastern Japan. But both disasters rather reminded Japanese of their traditional value of unity and solidarity to overcome hard days.
This was the case with the latest disaster in Kumamoto, which prompted many people, mostly youngsters, to stand up for volunteer work in the affected regions.
The number of volunteers grew day by day. People gathered not just from neighboring areas but also from remote places. So many volunteers came for help, surpassing local municipality officials' capacity to sort them out.
The latest mishap left many challenges for local governments. On the hardware front, they will have to rebuild the damaged infrastructure networks and construct temporary housing for affected people. Challenges on the software side include studies on smoothly carrying out post-disaster jobs, including an effective system to receive supporting staff and volunteers from outside.
These personnel-related problems are unlikely to be fixed quickly, but because the importance of volunteer activity and mutual cooperation has come to be recognized broadly among Japanese, particularly young people, efforts to build better post-disaster programs are expected to be facilitated in the years ahead.



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Resident-led geothermal power project in southwestern Japan seen to enliven local community

March 28, 2016


Resident-led geothermal power project in southwestern Japan seen to enliven local community

The geothermal power generation plant is located deep down at the bottom of a valley in Oguni Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, southwestern Japan. The facility can be found from hot spring inns on a road above the valley. Big columns of steam are seen rising from fume emission pipes, but visitors have to follow a rough mountain pass down to reach the gate to the site.
Waita Geothermal Power Station has a power generation capacity of 2,000 kilowatt-hours, which is equivalent to the consumption of 600 households
The plant, which went on commercial operation in June 2015, was the first megawatt-class geothermal power generation facility launched in Japan in 16 years. The facility also drew attention as a unique, resident-initiated renewable energy project.
The plant is one of the projects supported by the government's feed-in tariff system, which requires power supply businesses to buy electricity produced by renewable energy projects at a fixed price, currently at 40 yen per kilowatt-hour, for a certain period.
The project in Oguni was initiated by a group of 26 people in the Waita hot spring area in 2013. The group, called Waita Association, links up with a Tokyo-based power generation engineering company, which has undertaken the construction of the plant and is in charge of operation and maintenance.
A few workers and engineers are at the site manning the facility, which has a flash steam system turbine. "We supply the electricity produced here entirely to Kyuden (Kyushu Electric Power Co.)," said an engineer at the site. "We do so, because we have no facilities like power transmission lines."
Electricity and gas supplies for those at the site are secured, but there is no drinking water available there. "We go to the nearest supply facility for drinking water from time to time," the engineer said.
Because Japan is a volcanic country, there are a lot of potentials for geothermal power generation, but many challenges have to be cleared for actually starting geothermal power generation.
Potential geothermal resources are located in remote, scenic regions in many cases. Geothermal power projects usually meet local people's opposition mainly for fears of damage to the existing hot spring sources and the natural environment.
The Waita plant brings up hot water and associating steam from a stratum beneath the hot spring sources in the region. The plant is situated at an isolated place so that the surrounding landscape will not be affected.
Another problem, or the foremost risk for a geothermal power generation project is that a dug well may not hit a stratum with an enough amount of steam to turn a turbine. Steam was not obtained constantly from a first well dug at the Waita plant site, but a second well, with a depth of 650 meters, successfully brought up an enough amount of steam.
If things go smoothly and if the FIT price is unchanged, the initial costs will be recovered  in five to six years, according to an expert study. Proceeds to be returned to the Waita Association members will be partially secured for future measures to vitalize the local community.
The Waita plant started experimental operation in December 2014 and then underwent many kinds of testing and checks. Those working at the site greeted the start of full operation rather dispassionately on June 17. "We did not have a ceremony or things like that. We now focus on producing electricity in a stable manner," said the engineer, who looked fully aware of local people's hopes pinned on the project.

Japanese excited on arrival of long awaited spring after unusually cold winter

February 28, 2016


Japanese excited on arrival of long awaited spring after unusually cold winter

People in many parts of Japan  had to ensure unusually cold, sometimes stormy weather this winter, but the long awaited spring has come, letting them go out to enjoy warm sun lights in the field.
The Minaminosato farmers market in Chikuzen Town, Fukuoka Prefecture, was flocked with hundreds of customers on weekend late in February, as the mercury rose as high as 20 degrees centigrade.
Cold waves hit not just the northern snowy countryside but also usually warm regions in western and southwestern Japan this winter.
Heavy snowfalls affected farming production in widely scattered areas from January to February, pushing up prices of vegetables and other farm products. But various kinds of fresh vegetables were seen at the Minaminosato market with prices returned to normal levels.
Minaminosato, opened in April 2009, is one of the most successful "Michi-no-eki" markets in Kyushu, southwestern Japan.
Customers formed long lines in front of cashiers with baskets containing vegetables and foodstuffs.
Some vegetables and foods were on display with handwritten recipe cards attached. They recommended how to cook or  freeze-store the ingredients.
Customers also enjoyed eating at an adjacent farmer-run restaurant and fast food shops at the food court.
Michi-no-eki roadside markets are built in rural, sparsely populated areas across Japan so that they can serve as shelters in an emergency with water, food and necessary equipment in  stockpile.
The Minaminosato market is at a less convenient location, but it is expected to help bolster the local community, at a time when depopulated areas are increasing in farming regions throughout the country.

Strong cold waves remind Japanese of importance of water for life

January 30, 2016

Strong cold waves remind Japanese of importance of water for life

Heavy snow storms hit many parts of the Japanese Archipelago late in January, waking Japanese up from a remaining doze after the New Year's holidays. Cold waves coming down from Siberia threaten to paralyze transportation systems in Japan every winter. This is just a usual scene for many Japanese, particularly those living in snowy northern areas. But the latest cold waves left hundreds of thousands of households without water supply for a few days in western and southwestern Japan.
Outdoor water pipes got frozen and broke down, causing a leakage of water in more than 10 prefectures in Kyushu, southwestern Japan.  The level of water in service reservoirs declined, forcing municipalities to cut water supply to houses in areas involved.
Affected people formed  long lines in front of mobilized water supply cars, carrying with them plastic water tanks. The less snowy region of Kyushu was hit by unusually strong cold waves twice in about a week this winter. The snow storms came in from the west, and snowfalls were also officially observed in Okinawa, southernmost Japan, for the first time ever.
Residents of northern Japan usually leave the water flowing all the time in the winter time, or cover conduit pipes with insulating materials, but those in southern regions have no such customs
Officials in cities involved explained the water supply cut was necessary, because they needed time to locate the places where water was leaking, before resuming water supply. They also asked households with wells to share their water with neighboring people.
Water from the Iwaya Foundations can be drawn at a facility set up in front of the Japanese Railways Chikuzen-Iwaya Station in Toho Village, Fukuoka Prefecture. The water is rich with minerals, as it comes from among solid rock beneath the nearby Mt. Shakadake with an elevation of 844 meters.
The foundations originate from a water vein, which was hit in the course of work to dig a 4,300-meter tunnel under the mountain from 1937
The water at the foundations never gets frozen or dries up, said a man who came to get the water at the facility. The man, who is in his 70s, said he has drawn the water for over 10 years.
"We use this water when we cook rice or drink coffee and tea," he said. "The water here is very nice. It is not too hard, not too soft, and  there is no impurities, either."
Up to 30 liters of water can be drawn for 100 yen at the facility.
Near the facility is something like a small rock garden. Water springs out from between the rocks there. Before the facility was set up, people drew water with no charge there, according to the man.
Water supply gradually returned to normal in the affected areas in Kyushu. But the latest cold waves have reminded Japanese people that water is more important than anything else for their daily life. They also told people that drinking water cannot be easily obtained anytime.
There occur abnormal meteorological phenomena in various parts of the world. Japanese people maybe this time have learned that they will also have to be better prepared to keep their life amid the changing climate all the time.

"Mikan" mandarin oranges enliven Japanese families in happy holiday season

December 26, 2015

"Mikan" mandarin oranges enliven Japanese families in happy holiday season

Japanese "mikan"mandarin oranges are an indispensable item for merry family gatherings in Japan during the happy New Year's holidays.
Mikan oranges, known as satsuma mandarin or citrus unshiu in the West, are one of the fruits which are closest to Japanese, particularly in the winter time.
Tara is a small rural town located in the southern part of Saga Prefecture, southwestern Japan, but it is proud of being a top mikan producing area in the prefecture. Saga is third in rankings of per capita mikan production volume among Japan's 47 prefectures. Mikan, to be pronounced "meekanh" in the Japanese language, literally means "sweet citrus."
Tara mikan growers believe that sea breezes blowing up from the Ariake inland sea to the east from the town  help make sweet and slightly sour oranges in the region.  
Various kinds of citrus oranges occupy the shelves in the front area at Tara Farmers' Market in the center of the town, and attract mikan lovers from not just from Saga but also from other prefectures.
Tara became well known when it developed a very early tangerine species, called Ooura Wase, in 1980. The orange can be harvested from late September. Because other early growing species were developed in later years, Tara can supply many kinds of mikan oranges from autumn to next spring seamlessly.
Mikan oranges at the farmers' market come with tags showing the product name, the grower's name and his or her producer numbers, which assure consumers of the safeness of their products.

Local mikan growers ship most of their harvests on agriculture cooperative-run channels, but they can also supply part of their products to the farmers' market. This enables them to be keen to changes in consumers' taste.
One species at the farmers' market is yellowish green. The orange, called "Haruka," looks like a lemon or a lime, though it is larger in size. "This can be eaten, not for juicing, like lemons," a market employee said. "Just try it. You will find a sweet, good smelling orange," she said.
A wide variety of mikan oranges are available for Japanese consumers at present. This reflects decades of efforts by mikan growers in Japan to counter America's pressure from the 1970s for liberalizing Japan's orange imports.
Mikan oranges have been always with Japanese in their life over centuries. Dried mikan skins have been used as a material in Chinese medicine or as an ingredient for spices.
Mikan juice also can be used as an invisible ink.  Letters written on white paper with mikan juice appear, when dried. This used to be fun for children when they gathered to play at someone's house in winter.
Mikan growers have to keep a watch not just on consumers' taste but also on climate changes. The global warming is pushing up the temperature of farming areas in various parts of Japan, in some cases, making it difficult to grow certain farm products.
Mikan production is so vital to the town's economy as the white flower of mikan is designated as the town flower. Tara mikan growers may try to adapt their business more to the situation in the years ahead.







 

Town’s small bakeries out to serve for health-conscious people in Japan

November 28, 2015


Town's small bakeries out to serve for health-conscious people in Japan

Small home-made bakeries in Japan are trying to serve products with safer ingredients following an increase in health-conscious consumers. Many of them use domestically produced wheat flour amid the "locally produce, locally consume" campaign.

Happa Nekko (leaves and roots) Bakery, facing a small but rather busy highway in Chikushino City, Fukuoka Prefecture, uses wheat flour produced in Kyushu, southwestern Japan, and Hokkaido, northernmost Japan. Its most favored product is Nekko Bread, a small baquette, but the product is usually sold out past soon.
"We see the bread sold out frequently, because we cannot bake it a lot," a female employee said. "We can accept reservations," she said.
In Chikuzen Town, also in Fukuoka Prefecture, Haru Bakery attracts families in the neighborhood.
On one Sunday, a couple, accompanied with two small boys, was seen looking for their favorites at the shop.
The shop is among 13 home-made bakeries selected from the Chikugo region in the southern part of the prefecture for a tourist campaign "Let's go out to find bakers with much love for bread."

A bakery located in a largely rural area in Ukiha City, in the same prefecture, features a fashionable setting and greenery. Chez Sagara, the bakery, has an eat-in service, but customers have to be patient until their buy is baked again to be crisp.
Happa Nekko, or leaves and roots, is named so as it hopes to adapt itself to the local community.  "Leaves" denote children who will be leaders in the forthcoming period and "roots" mean adults who support today's society. A wood terrace set up as an eat-in area allows customers to enjoy their time while having a chat. The bakery also provides catering service for town meetings and other events in the community.
Rice has been Japan's staple food over centuries, but domestic rice consumption has been halved from the 1960s to the 2000s following a series of changes in Japanese people's eating habits.
Bread began to be widely eaten in Japan around the 1970s, particularly among young people in urban areas. The spread of bread-eating habit also can be linked to the theory that excessive intake of rice may be unfavorable to health. But the consequence was a steady increase in Japan's wheat imports over the past decades. At present, Japan relies on imports for 90 pct of its wheat consumption.

As Japan has become vulnerable to changes in international wheat prices, Japanese are turning their eyes to domestically produced wheat.
Japanese consumers are becoming more aware of the importance of domestic farm produce from a point of view of securing food security and ensuring food safety.
The "locally produce, locally consume" movement is aimed at not just encouraging domestic consumption of domestic products but also mutually linking growers and consumers so that they can better understand each other and think about truly healthy foods.
Small bakeries across Japan should continue to serve customers with various products just out of the oven, helping to bind people together in the community.

“Toy doctors” working in Japan with hopes to nurture children’s gentleness to things

October 30, 2015

“Toy doctors” working in Japan with hopes to nurture children’s gentleness to things

“Toy doctors” are operating as volunteers across Japan with hopes to nurture children’s minds to take good care of things. Various kinds of toys are available to kids, but they tend to be easily thrown away when they are broken. This is more pronounced in today’s mass consumption society, but toy doctors believe that broken toys will be reborn only with a slight work of repair. They believe that toys can be long used, if treated carefully and gently.

The F Net “toy hospital” group covers the western part of Fukuoka Prefecture, southwestern Japan. The F Net is actually a “travelling hospital,” which visits 11 places in the Fukuoka area once a month and repairs broken toys brought in, basically with no charge. The group also opens a toy hospital at a Toys "R" Us shop at a shopping mall in Fukuoka City a few times a year.
F Net toy doctors carry with them small boxes containing miniature repair parts, such as screws, motors and speakers. Toys are returned to clients if they are fixed within the day, but otherwise, they are “hospitalized” or taken to doctors’ home for further repair.
The F Net group, led by Masatoshi Sugi, 73, consists of 28 toy doctors at present. The group also has two female members, called “nurses” who serve as receptionists at toy hospital events.
The group belongs to the Japan Toy Hospital Association, established as a nationwide voluntary organization in 1996. The association had 1,184 toy doctors registered as of March 2015. As the association opens workshops for prospective toy doctors every three months, its members are gradually increasing, an association official said.
Sugi, who works as a toy doctor from 2008, believes that the toy hospital movement is contributory to the environmentally friendly 3 plus 2 R endeavor, which means “reduce,” “reuse” and “recycle” as well as “refuse” unnecessary things and “repair.”
Sugi is one of about 10 “key men” recognized by the association as master toy doctors. They are in charge of organizing workshops and other major regional events.
A headache for the F Net group is the aging of its members, who are retired elderly persons. Their average age is 71, and the oldest of them is 80.
Sugi, a former architect, fears that his group’s activity will not be sustained without rejuvenation. This is why the group has put the “U-65” help wanted ad on its website to get new members aged 65 or younger.
Another concern for the group's toy doctors is that toy manufacturers appear less cooperative than ever toward their activity. When its members visited toy factories before to have parts for repair, factory people readily came up with necessary items, but they are recently asked to take a formal procedure to obtain necessary parts, said Sugi. “We are, so to speak, a natural enemy to them (toy manufacturers),” he said smilingly.
The group asks families with unnecessary or broken toys, mainly those driven with batteries, to leave them  "to medicine" before discarding them. Repair parts can be recycled from these items.
F Net toy doctors wear a blue apron with a logo of the association when they attend toy hospital events.
They operate toy hospitals sometimes at events organized by local public welfare organizations for child-raising young mothers. These occasions are expected to have the F Net group better known to young families so that their toy hospital may be used more.
One day, a young mother appeared with a toy she said was bought at a flea market, according to Sugi. The mother reservedly asked for repairing the toy, telling him it had cost only 50 yen.
The episode shows that there are young families living a steady life by reducing consumption and reusing as many items as possible.
Sugi recently contacted the Little Mama business group engaged in various child-raising related operations. and proposed cooperating with each other. Its Fukuoka branch regularly opens flea markets in Fukuoka and its vicinity. He hopes to open an F Net toy hospital in cooperation with Little Mama some time in the near future.