Vol.17 No.605 (Aug 18 Wed, 2010)
Kankeiren proposes Japanese Culture Digest Live Show designed to attract foreign tourists
Kansai Economic Federation (Kankeiren) has announced a “proposal to attract foreign tourists by using live entertainment.”
In corporation with Toei Kyoto Studio Park (Kyoto City), Kankeiren will explore the possibility of regular presentations of the “Japan Culture Digest Live Show” (photo) through test performances conducted around October at hotels in Osaka City for people related to overseas travel agencies. It is an entertainment show combining ninja skills, sword fights, maiko dance and a noh performance, which can be enjoyed without understanding Japanese.
Also for foreigners with deep interest in Japanese traditional performing arts, Kankeiren has proposed creating experience courses of noh performances and bunraku puppet theater, with explanations and demonstrations, and of dressing in kimono or costumes for samurai dramas. Kankeiren has also proposed establishing a portal site designed for multi-lingual comprehensive distribution of Kansai’s live entertainment information.
Kankeiren announced “Gorgeous Kansai,” the recommendation for the promotion to attract customers and Kansai’s brand strategies in 2009. Brand resources in Kansai are categorized into four fields, including “history and culture,” “environment” and “entertainment.” The recommendation this time is a concrete plan for one of those fields, “entertainment.”
Contact：Regional Affairs Dept., Kansai Economic Federation
TEL：06-6441-0107
URL： http://www.kankeiren.or.jp/
“International Cosmos Prize” awarded to Dr. Leopold from the U.S.
The Commemorative Foundation for the International Garden and Greenery Exposition (Osaka City) recently announced that Dr. Estella Bergere Leopold (aged 83) (photo), Professor Emeritus, Department of Biology, University of Washington, has been chosen as the winner of the 2010 (the 18th) “International Cosmos Prize.”
Dr. Leopold has been engaged in nature conservation activities throughout the U.S. based on the “Land Ethic,” the understanding that humans, as a member of “the land,” the ecological community consisting of soil, water, plants and animals, have an interdependent and interactive relationship with other elements. The members of this community cannot continue to exist when separated from this relationship, and can thrive only by maintaining this relationship.
Among her activities, she played a vital role in scientifically proving the importance of the preservation of Florissant Fossil Beds in Colorado by analyzing pollens preserved in the fossil beds and by revealing the environment of the past. Today, these fossil beds have become a world-famous national monument.
Established in 1993, this prize is given in recognition of excellent research activities and achievements from a global perspective under the theme “Harmonious Coexistence of Nature and Mankind.”
The award ceremony will be held in Osaka on October 14.
Contact：the Commemorative Foundation for the International Garden and Greenery Exposition, International Cosmos Prize Secretariat
TEL：06-6915-4513
URL： http://www.expo-cosmos.or.jp/
Japan’s first database of Yokai on the Internet
The International Research Center for Japanese Studies (Kyoto City) has created “Kaii-Yokai Image Database,” which contains images of Yokai (Japanese monsters and ghosts) described in picture scrolls, and uploaded it to the Internet for the first time in Japan. (Photo provided by International Research Center for Japanese Studies).
The database complements the “Kaii-Yokai Denshou Database” (released in 2002), an accumulation of character information regarding Yokai handed down in folklore. In this image database, 1,826 image data have been registered, including Yokai images extracted from 100 graphic materials such as picture scrolls and ukiyoe woodblock prints from Edo（1603-1868） to Meiji （1868-1912）Periods housed in this research center.
When the characteristics of a Yokai are inputted into the search interface, several applicable images are displayed. By choosing one of these images, the visitor can check the name, characteristics, period, region and source of the Yokai. In addition to searching by monster/ghost name, visitors can search by color, appearance/shape, gesture, and tools.
According to the Center, it has created this database of Japanese monster/ghost culture, which has played an important role in the history of Japanese culture, as a basic datum for research of Japanese culture in the hope that many people can view the database, including international researchers and ordinary people who are interested in Japanese culture.
Contact：International Research Center for Japanese Studies.
TEL：075-335-2222
URL： http://www.nichibun.ac.jp/YoukaiGazouMenu/index.html
Mechanism of chemical compound hindering the work of G protein clarified for the first time in the world
Prof. Hiroshi Ito and his team at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST) have clarified for the first time in the world the mechanism of a chemical compound hindering the work of G Protein, which transmits extracellular signals into cells. This achievement has been listed on the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) (online version).
G Protein transmits various extracellular signals, such as hormones, neurotransmitters, light and smells, into cells. Receptors on the surface of cell membranes receive these signals and deliver them into cells by coupling with G Protein inside the cells. About 1,000 types of human receptors incorporate this function and serve as targets of nearly half the medicines currently used.
Prof. Ito’s research team paid attention to the mechanism of a chemical compound, which prevents blood from coagulating, coupling with G Protein. The research into the three-dimensional structure of the resulting complex clarified that this chemical compound obstructs the function of G Protein by entering the pit of the G Protein to hinder its hinge-like structure from opening and closing. Humans have approximately 20 types of G Proteins with different shapes of pits. By creating chemical compounds matching each pit, it may be possible to develop cures for various diseases.
Contact：Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST).
TEL：0743-72-5440
URL： http://www.naist.jp/
Practical use of separation technology for PCB from waste oil
Prof. Mitsuru Akashi and his team at Osaka University have developed technology to efficiently remove polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) from waste oil, in cooperation with Neos Co., Ltd., a chemicals maker in Kobe. In the future, his team will aim to develop a practical machine with processing capacity of 5 tons per day in the Joint Research Chair (research organization) established in Osaka University in July this year.
PCB, which used to be widely used as insulating oil for electrical machinery and apparatuses, was prohibited from being manufactured due to its high toxicity in relation to organisms. Although PCB waste handlers are obliged to process the waste by 2016, processing low concentration waste oil is so difficult that it is expected to take more than 100 years using current technologies.
In the joint research project, Prof. Akashi’s team developed a cyclic oligosaccharide derivative which can selectively absorb PCB. When PCB-contaminated oil is poured into a tube containing cyclic oligosaccharide derivative as an adsorbent, oil containing no PCB is recovered. It is also revealed that an easily-processable concentrated PCB solution is easily extracted from the adsorbent.
The technology, developed at this time, is expected to quickly process PCB at less than 10% of the former processing time and cost.
Contact：Division of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University.
TEL：06-6879-7356
URL： http://www.osaka-u.ac.jp/
Japan’s first JIS certification for solid fuel (RPF)
Japan-Waste Co., Ltd., a waste management company in Kyoto City , has been certified by JIS for the first time in Japan for its solid fuel, Refuse Paper & Plastic Fuel (RPF) mainly made from waste paper and waste plastic.
By combining paper and plastic, RPF achieves a high heat capacity equivalent to coal and coke, which results in lower CO2 emissions. Since its price is approximately 30% that of coal, and its ashing rate is one-third or less, RPF has been adopted widely in the paper making, steel manufacturing and chemical industries as a substitute for fossil fuels. However, because inferior products containing impurities appeared on the market as the number of manufacturers increased, the METI newly established a JIS standard for this product in January 2010 in cooperation with the industrial association and persons of learning and experience.
This company began manufacturing RPF in 2000 for the first time in Kansai region. Strengthening the checking function for raw collected waste plastic materials, Japan-Waste was certified by the JIS for the development and production of high quality solid fuels through higher accuracy of heat capacity determinations realized by adjusting its blending ratio.
Contact：Japan-Waste Co., Ltd.
TEL：075-604-1655
URL： http://www.japan-waste.co.jp/
A women rafting team in Miyoshi City, Tokushima becomes No. 1 in the world
The “River Face,” Japan’s national women’s rafting race team, based in Miyoshi City, Tokushima Prefecture, won the overall championship in the world tournament of four-person races held in the Netherlands from July 12 to 17. Rafting is an outdoor sport involving going downriver on a boat tackling a rough and pounding torrent. The River Face became the first world champion in the world’s first rafting tournament for four-person teams. (Photo provided by Yosuke Kashiwakura)
In the women’s races, 15 teams competed for the highest overall score among three events, including the short distance “Sprint” race.
Although the Japanese team was in fifth place in overall scores after the first two events, it scored a come-from-behind victory in the long distance “Down River” event held on the final day, corralling the overall championship.
The Yoshino River, which is the practice base of this team, is described as Japan’s greatest torrent, and, with its abundant water volume, is perfect for various types of training.
Masayo Abe, the captain of the Japanese team stated, “Although we won the overall championship of the world tournament for four-person races, we still have many problems left to solve. I want this team to continue in the future to aim at the top of the world again.”
Contact：Safari Inc.
TEL：0883-76-0745
URL： http://www.safari-g.com/index.html
Demonstrations of tidal power generation in Akashi Strait
Nova Energy, a joint venture in Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture, has conducted demonstrations of tidal power generation in the Akashi Strait (photo). Tidal power generation is a more stable way of generating power compared to photovoltaic power generation and wind power generation, which are affected by weather.
A turbine, 6 m in length and 3 m in diameter, which has three fins, features a streamlined design like a tuna in order to prevent seaweed and flotsam from being entangled with it. It generates power using the turning force created by the tides. Power generation of 10 kWh is said to be possible with a tide of 3 knots in average per turbine. In the demonstrations, two turbines were installed in both the starboard and the port side of a boat moored off the coast of Iwaya in Awaji City, Hyogo, to collect data. This project has been selected as the MOE’s Global Warming Countermeasure Technology Development Project of this year.
In the future, Nova Energy plans to generate 300 kWh of power, which would be sufficient to supply electricity for the illumination of the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, by mounting a larger generator to the bridge piers. The company also said that it is thinking of building a large power generation facility, producing power equivalent to that of a nuclear power plant, by using the Black Current.
Contact：Nova Energy Co., Ltd.
TEL：0794-83-0758
URL： http://www.nova-ene.co.jp/
Kansai Information：2010: “Japan Year in Turkey” – Friendship between Japan and Turkey began in Wakayama.
On the stormy night of September 16, 1890, the Turkish warship “Ertugrul” stranded and sank off the coast of Kashinozaki in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, after being hit by typhoon winds and high waves with many passengers, including members of the first Turkish goodwill delegation sent to Japan by the Ottoman Empire. In this disaster, amidst the loss of many lives, 69 passengers were rescued by residents of Ohshima Island of Kushimoto, who ran to the site and worked strenuously to save as many lives as possible. This action on the part of Oshima residents moved the Turkish people; the story of self-sacrifice and lifesaving by those Japanese people has been handed down from generation to generation in Turkey. In 1985, Turks returned the favor by rescuing Japanese people who had been left behind in Tehran in the middle of the Iran-Iraq War: the Turkish government sent a Turkish Airlines plane to help Japanese nationals leave Iran. Thus, the Japan-Turkey friendship can be traced back to the shipwreck incident in Wakayama. (Photo: The Turkish Sailors Monument in Kushimoto-cho)
This year, the Japanese and Turkish governments mark the 120th anniversary of the Ertugrul’s tragic voyage, and have designated the year 2010 “Japan Year in Turkey.” Various events introducing Japanese culture to the Turkish people are being held in Turkey throughout the year.
On September 2, in Mersin, a sister city to Kushimoto a commemorative ceremony will be held for the repose of the souls of victims of the Ertugrul incident. Wakayama Prefecture is making a prefecture-wide commitment to ensure the success of this event; the plan is for more than 100 persons, including visitors, to attend the ceremony and further promote the friendship of the two countries.
In addition to the ceremony, the Ertugrul Exhibition will also be held in Mersin, featuring artifacts recovered from the ocean near the shipwreck site during the five years from 2006 to 2010. This Exhibition, along with other exhibitions introducing Wakayama Prefecture to the Turkish people, is also planned for four or more cities in Turkey.
Contact：Culture and International Affairs Division of Wakayama Prefecture
TEL：073-441-2056
URL： http://www.pref.wakayama.lg.jp/
Kansai Information：Tottori Pear: Harvest time is around the corner.
Unlike European pears, Japanese pears are generally round in shape, like apples. Japanese pears can be roughly categorized into two types by skin color: “Akanashi (red pears),” which have a brown skin and “Aonashi (green pears),” which have a greenish-yellow skin. Tottori Prefecture is nationally renowned for its pear production, and is Japan’s largest production area of the Nijusseiki species (Aonashi) (shown in photo).
The Nijusseiki species was unexpectedly discovered in 1888 in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture, and was introduced to Tottori Prefecture in 1904. The first Nijusseiki tree transplanted to Tottori Prefecture is still in good condition today. This “parent tree,” located in Tottori City, still produces fruit.
The Nijusseiki pear is characterized by its refreshing sweetness, freshness and crispy texture. It is high in fiber content, a characteristic known to be beneficial to the human body in maintaining good physical condition. The pear’s unique taste is popular not only within Japan, but also in foreign countries, including Taiwan, Hong Kong and the US.
Tottori Prefecture is aggressively promoting projects for pear species improvement, based on a long-term perspective. Promising new species with growing production include the Shinkansen (Akanashi) (This name, the same as that of Japan’s famous super-express train, and is easily remembered by Japanese people) and the Natsuhime (Aonashi).
The Shinkansen species is characterized by its remarkable sweetness, with a sugar content of about 14%. The Natsuhime species, less tart and sweeter than the Nijusseiki species, is characterized by its refreshing taste. Both of these new species are ready to eat earlier than Nijusseiki.
For marketing and strategic reasons, shipments of Nijusseiki start in late August every year in Tottori, though the best time to eat this species is September or even later. The introduction of these new species (especially Natsuhime) makes it possible for Tottori pear growers to start shipping Nijusseiki later than previously, which is ideal in terms of optimal taste. Having multiple species with different shipment times, growers can deliver fruits at the ideal time, which means that the fruits are ready to eat upon their arrival at retail stores and that Tottori-grown pears can enjoy prolonged profit-making days.
In addition to the pears mentioned above, Tottori Prefecture grows a variety of other pears. The harvest time for pears is just around the corner, so be sure to enjoy the special taste of autumn, proudly brought to you by Tottori Prefecture.
Contact：Public Relations Division of Tottori Prefecture
TEL：0857-26-7097
URL： http://www.pref.tottori.lg.jp/
Kansai in Focus：What’s essential for the preservation of Machiya?
In many cities in the Kansai Region, residents are increasingly focusing their attention on the historical and cultural significance of traditional townscapes with Japanese-style tile-roofed wooden houses, and are making efforts to preserve them. At the same time, however, the overall population of those traditional houses has actually been decreasing: even famous Kyo-machiya houses (traditional merchant’s houses of Kyoto), of which some 30,000 are estimated to have been extant within the central area of Kyoto City as of 12 years ago, are disappearing one after another as a result of modernization and replacement by apartment complexes and modern houses. It is true that Machiya preservation is expensive, and that the issue of this disappearing heritage had long been neglected by governments. However, despite such financial difficulty and delayed administrative action, I believe that it is still not too late to prevent the extinction of Machiya houses, through continuing effort and commitment on the part of residents.
Recently, efforts to preserve old architectural structures and landscapes are expanding in many places, as those traditional properties are expected to play an important role in tourism. The Kansai region is one such place; many cities, including Osaka, Otsu, Iga and Himeji are actively working, at both administrative and grassroots levels, to preserve their heritage, in some cases with the support of the national government, which subsidizes officially designated Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings.
There are obstacles, however: some people are reluctant to keep old houses because they are shabby, unclean, dark and inconvenient. In Kyoto, municipal governments and the Kyoto Center for Community Collaboration (Tel: 075-354-8701) conducted fact-finding surveys on the external conditions of Machiya houses, as well as questionnaire surveys of residents of those houses. The results show that about 47% of Machiya houses are being used exclusively as a residence and that 39% are residence-cum-office, as of 2003. It was also found that more than 70% of the residents of Machiya houses are the owners of the property, including the land, and that more than 70% of the heads of Machiya households are 60 years of age or elder. The proportion of aged population continues to increase. Up to 65% of Machiya residents hope to continue living in their current house, while more than 50% are ill at ease concerning the earthquake resistance or fireproof features of their houses, and are concerned about future maintenance and repair expenses.
Taking those facts into consideration, the Kyoto Center for Community Collaboration has established the Fund and has recently completed a model renovation of a Machiya house. With capital of about 100 million yen at present, which includes goodwill donations, the Center is now in the process of organizing a financial assistance scheme to help Machiya owners preserve their houses. Last year, the Center received a total of 539 calls and inquiries from local citizens concerning Machiya houses, which indicates that there are many problems yet to be resolved in regard to the preservation of Machiya.
According to the Center and the Kyoto municipal government, Kyo-machiya can be defined as “traditional, tile-roofed wooden houses and structures having mud walls and an inner garden, built using a framework construction method and located in areas urbanized before World War II.” In fact, I myself am a resident and owner of a Kyo-machiya in Nishijin, Kyoto, so I share in the worries of Machiya owners. My house is about 70 years old, and has undergone three outsourced renovation works for interiors and roof. Much labor and expense is required in maintaining the old house, but I love the special atmosphere of my house, and did not want to move out. Last year, I did repair work by myself. It took four months for me to renovate the old mud walls and the ceiling of a first-floor room with Japanese tatami mats, as well as a corridor, garden and storeroom (Photo). This DIY renovation cost several hundred thousand yen, which is less than one-third the amount required for professional repair work. It might sound ostentatious, but this is one of the cost-saving methods for heritage preservation.
Last May, a U.S.-based foundation donated 250,000 dollars in financial assistance to local NPOs in Kyoto for the preservation of Kyo-machiya houses. Assistance programs are also available from Japanese governments. There are many young people who are interested in living in a Machiya house, and it is not difficult to find real estate agents who have Machiya houses for rent. But the most essential thing for preserving Machiya houses is, in my opinion, the residents’ love of their houses and maintenance efforts with pride to contribute to the preservation of heritage. ( Kagami)
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